[pfsb]

[acrookedpath]

The lantern is done. It's a momentous achievement; a culmination of all of Wei Wuxian's work since he first arrived at the inn...

And now it means he doesn't have a project to work on anymore. The agony!

He'll think of one soon enough. In the meantime, he's settled for sketching out an update to the Compass of Evil, whittling away at a block of wood Madam Bar provided him. If he has all the tools of a thousand worlds at his disposal, it should be no trouble at all to fine-tune the instrument.

Comments

[acrookedpath]

"It might vanish on its own. Or it might still need formal elimination, which will be much easier with poisoned roots."

Wei Wuxian is practically vibrating with delight. A solution to the puzzle!

[blue_ajah]

The Aes Sedai nods.

"And if it is too strong to be compelled so?"

[acrookedpath]

"Well, then we will find a way to weaken it. Or think of another solution!"

Now that he's on a roll, he sounds entirely unbothered by either possibility.

[blue_ajah]

"I see." In contrast, she sounds thoughtful, her words weighted.

"We must be certain, Wei Wuxian. If we draw this entity from the pool and fail to contain it, the consequences may be dire indeed."

[acrookedpath]

That squashes a little of his good mood; he wrinkles his nose, briefly, before loosing another sigh.

"Moiraine, I have no intention of making the situation worse," he says. "I'll be able to judge the strength of the anomaly without freeing it -- well before we begin our work in earnest. It is not a difficult thing."

[blue_ajah]

"I understand that you do not," she returns, unruffled by his annoyance. "I ask because to test the strength of a spirit or demon directly, such as that one, is not a skill that I myself have, precisely."

Without missing a beat or changing her tone at all, she concludes, "And I was not successful when I confronted him the first time. I would not wish to fail again."

[acrookedpath]

There's a flash of surprise -- you confronted him? -- before he remembers: yes, she mentioned she'd met a person who had been possessed by the entity from the Black Lodge.

Wei Wuxian nods. "This would be more like observing a beast from afar," he says, "until we know we can overpower it. Not wrestling a tiger as soon as it appears. And if it's as strong and malevolent as it sounds, it may even be possible to siphon small amounts of resentful energy without it even noticing. Like one of us would ignore a single hair fallen from our heads."

[blue_ajah]

"It is certainly malevolent," she agrees. "And I do not know how many entities lie within the pool, or even for certain if they themselves have been altered in some way. I have studied this one in more depth recently, given matters as they now stand, if it is useful to know his history."

[acrookedpath]

He lifts his eyebrows, intrigued. "It would, yes."

Moiraine, sharing information freely? Perhaps they've become allies after all!

[blue_ajah]

She gestures toward the sofa, inviting the two of them to make themselves comfortable if they wish.

"It is still not entirely certain," she warns. "The history is at times confused, and at other times contradictory. But what seems known is that one of the strongest spirits in the Black Lodge was formerly a killer known as Bob who preyed on women, assaulting and murdering them, prior to his death. What is not clear is whether or not the man who did these things was himself possessed by the spirit, or whether the spirit originated there with his death."

[acrookedpath]

He glances to Lan Zhan, still standing silent and impassive, and essays a tiny smile before settling on the couch.

"If the Black Lodge is centuries old, it would make sense for its most powerful entity to be centuries old as well," he says. Tapping the side of his nose in thought, "How early in its history is Bob called by that name?"

[blue_ajah]

She favors Lan Wangji with a patient, mildly exasperated look, and spins a quick weave to move the chair from her desk to the other side of the coffee table so that she will be seated across from them, then leaves it up to him whether to sit or not.

"That is one of the reasons it is not clear," Moiraine says. "A few decades only. Perhaps thirty years, maybe half a century. Perhaps."

[acrookedpath]

He looks to Lan Zhan again, reassuring: it's all right.

"I'm inclined to believe it was a case of possession, then. Especially if you've seen it possess others more recently." A crooked grin. "Demons themselves don't often choose a name like 'Bob,' eh?"

Even accounting for language differences, it is a very silly name.

"And besides, it takes far more than half a century to amass the power you described." He stops; reconsiders. "Unless it grew stronger just from its proximity to the Black Lodge. Which it could. Hm."

[lightamidchaos]

He moves a little stiffly to take a seat beside Wei Ying, and continues to listen intently as Moiraine tells them, “I would think it possible. It also feeds on pain and fear, and has certainly harvested that in abundance.”

[acrookedpath]

As Lan Zhan sits, Wei Wuxian scoots closer. Briefly -- uncaring if Moiraine notices -- he catches his husband's hand, giving it a quick squeeze.

"I have been picturing the Black Lodge as a vortex," he says, "drawing in all the resentful energy it can find, growing stronger each day. Any spirits it caught would immediately curdle to resentment. Any demons would find it extremely hospitable, and choose to take up permanent residence. Bob could be either one of those: a young spirit captured or an old demon who found its home. It may not matter, eh? But perhaps the Lodge itself is as mindless and lacking in wants as a whirlpool -- not a being, but a corrupted force of nature. Does that sound plausible?"

[blue_ajah]

"It may be both. There is a story," Moiraine tells them, "that says that all spirits must pass through the Black Lodge on their way to enlightenment."

She frowns. "I do not think that likely, that all must, but I have found that stories have their roots in something."

[acrookedpath]

"...Huh."

Being Wei Wuxian's eyes, it's easy to see his original idea demolished and swiftly rearranged into a new one.

"A portal to a court of Diyu?"

[lightamidchaos]

"Diyu?" the Aes Sedai asks.

"The realms of the dead," Lan Wangji answers, very precisely. He is careful not to look at Wei Ying. "There are courts, or levels; you may think of them as lands within the realms. It is a place of both punishment and renewal, prior to reincarnation."

"Ah," Moiraine murmurs. "I believe I understand. Then yes, perhaps it is something similar. Or was, once."

[acrookedpath]

"That does change things." Rather than annoyed, or frustrated, Wei Wuxian sounds pleasantly intrigued at this new twist in the puzzle. "A portal to Diyu, lying open on the land -- aiyo! No wonder so many spirits have found their way there, or wandered out of its mouth. And no wonder it has been so hard to contain."

How would you even go about shoving such a heavy door closed, let alone locking it permanently?

[blue_ajah]

"It may explain certain other things as well," Moiraine murmurs. It is not likely to be something that she will ever ask Dream, or even could, but perhaps Nyarlathotep's unfortunate presence in Twin Peaks is associated with the connection between Tel'aran'rhiod and the passage of the dead in the world where she was born, if the doorway to the Black Lodge is indeed such a portal to the realms of the dead.

"Although when it comes to concerns about mounting pressure behind a seal, this may help."

[acrookedpath]

"How so?" Curious. "Could your own weaves close a portal as easily as opening one?"

[blue_ajah]

"That is not precisely how it works," the Aes Sedai tells them. She considers them both.

"Would it be useful to you to see?"

[acrookedpath]

...Who is this woman and what has she done with the closed-off, secretive Moiraine they knew? Wei Wuxian is so taken aback that it takes him an extra beat to respond.

"Yes," he says. "If you are willing, then we'd like to see."

[blue_ajah]

Lan Wangji's expression remains impassive, but Wei Wuxian's surprise is impossible for her to miss. It does not, however, surprise her to see his reaction. She has often found it useful to demonstrate something that might be perceived as an expression of trust, when needed - and her need is great.

"Very well." She embraces saidar, and cannot fail to notice how Lan Wangji comes to immediate, intensely focused attention, watching her every move. She arches an eyebrow at him. "Perhaps I should begin with a training exercise?" she inquires, calmly.

[acrookedpath]

Of course he cannot miss how Lan Zhan draws taut as a tensed bow, ready to spring into motion at the slightest hint of trouble. He suppresses a sigh -- albeit more fondly than when they were in their quarters.

"That may be best," he agrees.