Move 303: Giving Olaf a Hand
Grell Nest--Late, Day 28 (Marpenoth 13)After the showers were done, everyone relocated to their previous campground to let their washed clothing dry out and to let Arachne work on regenerating Olaf's missing hand. A fire was mentioned, but there was no ready source of fuel to be found. That left everyone shivering uncomfortably as they went about their business.
Arachne, for her part, spent some time sitting quietly. When she was ready, she went over to Olaf and concentrated on his stump. Nothing happened at first. The gnome retreated to her meditation spot, and more time passed.
Eventually, Arachne went back to Olaf's side and repeated her earlier actions. This time, she was successful. Over the course of the next hour, Olaf's hand grew back. It was a sight to behold as the appendage reformed itself on the man's wrist. When it was done, Arachne slumped over, exhausted.
Jana watched Olaf's hand regrow with a fascination that almost bordered on fear. "Damn," she said, looking at Arachne oddly. "That's.. amazing."
After it was done, Jana asked Olaf, "How's it feel? You want to try that shield on, get used to it again?" She shook her head. "Wow. That must be weird."
The gnome looked up at Jana. She was still garbed in the shift that she frequently slept in and her expression was of exhaustion. Her hair, left unbraided after the washing and mostly dry now, hung loose around her face. The overall effect, then, was that she looked like a little girl who should've been in bed hours ago. "Am I?" she asked softly, then quickly added, "I mean, isn't it?" She looked over at Olaf's hand. "Because, well, Olaf couldn't've done it without me.... I'm pretty sure...." Her hand remaining nestled on Olaf's arm, herself slumped against him, she closed her eyes again.
Aloysius had stared intently at Olaf's hand as it grew back. He would intermittently glance at Arachne with a regard bordering on reverence.
"Shigand's . . . .bones . . ." he muttered under his breath. Dumbstruck, the mage remained momentarily silent.
Olaf stared in amazement at Arachne. "You have true power, Arachne. Thank you."
"It is hard to believe." Olaf flexes the hand, moves it back and forth. "It's been so many year..." He glances at the shield. "Yes, I suppose so."
Olaf stood and started moving the hand about, carefully. He flexed his hand, lifted the shield, exchanged his sword from hand to hand, and then suddenly stood stock still. Olaf turned, facing the blank wall of the cave and dropped to his knees. Anyone nearby could hear him praying. "Thank you, Tyr, for bringing me to such a powerful healer, so that I may have more strength in Your Service. Thank You Gods, for creating a world in which so powerful healing, powerful good exists. I swear to use my hand for justice and balance."
When he shifted out from under her, Arachne rolled over and went back to sleep.
Echo got a blanket and laid it across Arachne. She glanced at Olaf praying, smiled slightly, then went back to sit quietly against the cave wall.
Aloysius, still wrapped in his blanket, walked over near to where Echo had sat. He looked at her for a moment, and then moved a few feet further away before sitting down on the cavern floor.
"I wonder . . . " he mused. "Do you think Olaf will appreciate his hand now because he had it once and then lost it, or do you think he would appreciate having it more if he had never had it to begin with?"
Echo gave Aloysius a puzzled look. "To begin with?" she asked. "I, uh, I don't know. I'm sure he'll be very grateful for it." She looked a little uncomfortable as she watched him.
Aloysius looked up at the ceiling. "'Tis a question I've pondered afore," he explained. Turning towards Echo, he added, "Is it possible to truly miss something that one has ne'er had? I mean, TRULY miss it. Verily Olaf will rejoice over the . . .uh . . .return of his hand. But I wonder how he would feel if he had ne'er had it afore?"
"I don't think there's any way to know that," Echo replied.
The mage closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. He then quickly returned his attention to Echo. "Is something amiss?"
Echo looked confused, "Something amiss? No, I don't think so."
Jana shook her head and massaged her temples. She flashed a sympathetic smile at Echo then sighed.
As the group watched Olaf's hand regrow, Azrun watched and wrote in his journal. Once it was all over and Arachne was asleep, he went over and sat down beside her, watching over her until she woke back up, "Rest well, Little Gnome. Rest well."
Blacky silently mouthed 'wow'. He rubbed the scar on his arm where the white furred beast had nearly tore it off many weeks past remembering his own experience with Arachne's healing power.
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