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[hextechhead]

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[techmaturgy]

It's harder than it looks. Anyway, we've arranged a wagon back to Cadens; you'll simply need to be patient.

[And then, a few minutes later...]

I'm sorry to worry you. This was not what I intended when I said I needed space.

[hextechhead]

You don't need to be sorry about anything. Worrying about you is part of the deal. Are you sure you don't want me to come? And don't answer because of what your head is saying. I can meet you halfway.

[techmaturgy]

I don't want you to worry about me, but that's an exercise in futility, at this point.

Please stay in Cadens. There's no reason to endanger yourself unnecessarily.

[hextechhead]

Of course I'm going to worry about you. I love you.

This isn't what I had in mind when I said we should visit the Singularity.

[ See, a tiny bit of wry humor. ]

[techmaturgy]

I'm not ready for that right now.

[He does realize, at least, that this is his most straightforward acknowledgment of what seems to be Jayce's legitimate feelings, in this department. Viktor knows they're going to have to acknowledge this, one way or another, but right now, injured and exhausted and shaken and still angry about their fight, he can't bring himself to discuss it.]

Technically we didn't make it to the Singularity. Just the crater.

[hextechhead]

[ It takes longer for this reply because ouch. ]

I didn't mean anything by it.

[ They both know he did and it feels like Viktor kicked him right in the heart, but he can lie better on here than he can in person, so he may as well take advantage. ]

Ciri teleported you there? I didn't know she could do that. Did it hurt?

[techmaturgy]

[Yes, you did--is what he almost says. Then doesn't.]

I didn't know either. Being near it wasn't painful, but it has an undeniable pull. She felt it more than me, I think.

[hextechhead]

[ Grateful he says nothing because he's already internally bleeding, thanks. ]

Probably because she has magic, natural magic, if the teleportation comes from that. Maybe it sensed you were in trouble and was trying to help?

[ Hey who knows. Magic rocks can be sentient. ]

[techmaturgy]

More like interference. If it was trying to help us, it did a poor job of it.

[hextechhead]

Why did you go out to the desert? Even with someone like Ciri, it's dangerous.

[techmaturgy]

Why shouldn't I?

[He's practically daring Jayce to tell him.]

I had an escort. We never meant to go far. What happened to us was unforeseeable.

[hextechhead]

It would've been just as dangerous for me. Are you saying you wouldn't be worried if our positions were reversed?

[techmaturgy]

Yes, of course. But I also trust that you can take care of yourself, and will make relevant decisions accordingly.

Given the opportunity to go, I decided I'd like to do so. I now know it was unwise.

[hextechhead]

I'm sorry. It wasn't your fault. It's normal to want to explore. I'm freaking out a little.

[techmaturgy]

If it makes you feel better, I'm also "freaking out".

[hextechhead]

[ Viktor never admits to that. It actually does calm him a little, instead of spinning him out more. It means he isn't likely to take more risks. ]

It does make me feel better, although I'm really sorry you went through something like this and had to feel that way. But you and Ciri are alive, that's what matters.

[techmaturgy]

We were lucky to get to Aquila. For a short amount of time I thought we would be stranded at the crater with no supplies.

Actually. The horse has my crutch. I have no idea if it made it back to Cadens.

[hextechhead]

Luckily it didn't come down to needing a plan for that.

[ Because there's no way Jayce would've just accepted them stuck somewhere without doing anything to get them. ]

I can ask around to see if a horse came back. If not I can make you a new one. You went on a horse? How was that?

[ If he can distract them both from their freak out, probably for the better. ]

[techmaturgy]

I enjoyed it, until he threw me.

It wasn't his fault. Jaskier might know if he came back--Ciri said her horse knows the way home, and it's likely mine would have followed.

[hextechhead]

Have you left Aquila yet? If not, stop by a medicine store, with such a long trip those bruises are going to get worse. You'll need numbing salves and temporary pain killers. Trust the not-quite-a-doctor.

I'll message him and see if it got there.

[techmaturgy]

I'm extremely well-acquainted with pain management, Jayce. Falling off a horse is the least of my problems, right now.

[Implying, of course, greater injury, but whatever.]

Thank you. I've left most of the communication at Ciri, for reasons that are perhaps obvious.

[She's also slightly distressed--he doesn't want to inadvertently make it worse by reaching out to her people in her stead.]

[hextechhead]

What do you mean? What else happened?

[techmaturgy]

I suppose I should start at the beginning. The reason the horse threw me was because it was startled by one of the desert creatures, which subsequently attacked us. That's when Ciri tried to teleport us away, but we were pulled to the crater, instead.

[hextechhead]

[ A desert creature. The deadly variety. He almost died, Jayce can fill that much in. He rubs his hands over his face. ]

Does she seem to know why the Singularity would react like that to her powers?

[techmaturgy]

No, we haven't been able to discuss it just yet. Our arrival to Aquila was similarly....traumatic.