Any medicine can be a poison, depending on the dose. Magic is just another type of medicine, the bard responded with a mental sense of a shrug. Oh, he could think of several ways to weaponize Healing magic, depending on circumstance. His own history wasn't exactly rainbows and sunshine, nor was he the moral paragon he tried to pass himself of as, not deep down inside. The healing magic of his world had been in some ways grander, but in all other ways more structured than what he'd encountered on Caido, and that very flexibility lent itself to some dangerous possibilities for the unscrupulous - or desperate.
But what Loren had done before his arrival on this world didn't matter much to the bard; not, at least, in way of judgment. Especially given what Maea had told him. If it were true...
Getting a pointed look from a goose in flight was a novel experience, and one the bard filed away to be fascinated by later. At least Loren acknowledged that his head was wiser than his heart in this particular situation, and he sent a pulse of understanding to his friend. He couldn't change a heart in a single conversation, not when the pain went so deep, but he hoped that Loren knew that he would be there for him later.
Besides, there were Zariahs to get annoyed at, though he was confused as to what Loren had 'tried and failed at.' But there are those who live in the Manor with you, who seem grateful for your hospitality and admire your kindness towards them? he asked, uncertain where the misunderstanding had come in. Are they not friends of yours? The first steps to becoming a found family? Ah, but it was not them Loren wanted, it sounded like. He wanted Remi and Ronin, specifically. Safrin took the captain and so, I assume, Remi as well, he said thoughtfully. I do not know... they may yet return to us. Others have. Ronin had come back from the dead before, after all. Maea had been spirited away and was back with a year's worth of lost time in her memory. He had been taken to Safrin's realm before and found his illusions stripped from him and his heart burned over the hot coals of his own pride while bound in chains of starlight. He had come back from that. It was not impossible that Ronin and Remi would as well, though... perhaps not unchanged.
And what is it you wish to be free to do? the dragon asked the goose gently into the stillness of Loren's mind.
But what Loren had done before his arrival on this world didn't matter much to the bard; not, at least, in way of judgment. Especially given what Maea had told him. If it were true...
Getting a pointed look from a goose in flight was a novel experience, and one the bard filed away to be fascinated by later. At least Loren acknowledged that his head was wiser than his heart in this particular situation, and he sent a pulse of understanding to his friend. He couldn't change a heart in a single conversation, not when the pain went so deep, but he hoped that Loren knew that he would be there for him later.
Besides, there were Zariahs to get annoyed at, though he was confused as to what Loren had 'tried and failed at.' But there are those who live in the Manor with you, who seem grateful for your hospitality and admire your kindness towards them? he asked, uncertain where the misunderstanding had come in. Are they not friends of yours? The first steps to becoming a found family? Ah, but it was not them Loren wanted, it sounded like. He wanted Remi and Ronin, specifically. Safrin took the captain and so, I assume, Remi as well, he said thoughtfully. I do not know... they may yet return to us. Others have. Ronin had come back from the dead before, after all. Maea had been spirited away and was back with a year's worth of lost time in her memory. He had been taken to Safrin's realm before and found his illusions stripped from him and his heart burned over the hot coals of his own pride while bound in chains of starlight. He had come back from that. It was not impossible that Ronin and Remi would as well, though... perhaps not unchanged.
And what is it you wish to be free to do? the dragon asked the goose gently into the stillness of Loren's mind.
