A new friend?

Wilhelm gathers his thoughts and returns home, as soon as he steps over the doorstep he is greeted by his mother, the woman had rushed right over to him as soon as he crossed the doorstep into the living area...

Anja looks really tired and worried, she checks the lad for any injuries, then lets go of her breath. After her gaze lifts and her hands land on her waist she gives Wilhelm a new look, slight anger and anticipation, a couple of seconds pass in silence an she begins to tap her foot.... She wants an explanation and the faster you give it, the better it will be... probably...

The blonde puts a hand on her face and mumbles something... Then huffs, her shoulders slump and she stops with the angry facade, now there's only exhaustion and worry in her voice...You go on missing for 12 hours, return 2 hours before sunrise and the first thing you do upon seeing your poor worried sick and sleep deprived mother is ask questions about the bad habits of your own shadow?! Are you serious young man?
Now taking a better look you do notice that your mother doesn't exactly look as good as usual... Her hair-a mess. Her eyes drape two heavy bags underneath them and her dress crumpled from the constant fondling with it - a clear sign that something has or is haunting her mind...
She exhales turns around and heads into the kitchen, taking a seat at the dining table, casts what it looks to be a mage hand - gets herself a teacup and some medicine from the cupboard and prepares some warm water with a couple of drops of the diluted tincture.

the woman finishes her cup before answering, yes, 12 hours. She then rubs her eyes and yawns. I am alright my boy, just stressed and tired. You should have sent me a message, i thought that something bad had happened to you.

She taps at an empty spot next to her, I am glad that you are alright, sit down. I bet that you didn't visit the herbalists, right?

Then her mage hand lifts off and soon bread, cheese, butter and some meat and fruits begin to pile the table. you wanted to talk about something, what was it?

Anja puts down her glass and yawns. Then she spares a glance to your sisters room. Where the young lass is still sleeping after the whole scene the two of you caused.

I don't know much.... Way back, shortly before i retired, we were asked by your dad's friend to go on a last expedition. That's where it got attached to us... she halts her monologue, tears in her eyes, you can clearly see that she's holding back - both when it comes to tears and information. The topic is hard on her, she said 'we' did she mean her and your father?...

If you want to know more you should do some persuasion...

The woman cups his hands in hers Oh... My boy .... she rubs Wilhelms knuckles with her thumbs as if saying Look how big you have grown.... she calms down, swallows her fears and exhales before picking the topic back up As i said, i and Johan, your father, were asked by his good friend to accompany him on an expedition, he needed to test a theory of his, we entered the very depths of the Undermountains, there was this hidden room with a portal. at this moment she halts once more, takes her handkerchief and wipes her tears away. Then continues. The place we entered was a purely white realm, no horizon in sight. Countless figures draped in black were aimlessly wandering around, until a number of them started to attack our team we exited the place soon after. Once back i was shortly ambushed by one of these figures, but then a strange fly appeared and began to consume the thing.... after that i blacked out. her voice becoming hushed at the end. Almost whispering she continues Once i woke up we were already back, your father by my bedside, i remember like it was yesterday, his face was beaming, and soon after i found out about you...

Soon after your father had to go on another explanation, before he could retire. I was worried about him, it was an explaration overseen by the 'grey' so i prayed for days on end at the family altar she eyes the altar at the corner of the living room. I sang for gods untill my voice became hoarse, trough blood, tears and cold sweat, for a week without batting an eye or leaving the altar. They judged my faith worthy and granted me another miracle. she releases one of Wilhelms hands and traces the lines on the lads forearm Veles granted me another miracle, the shadow, he brought my husband back to me, he damaged the weave and for such generosity i am forever grateful, even if it only gave us a little time before the inevitable...

Her words are followed by a minute of silence. Her eyes fall onto the table under her figure as she begins to cry My children... Wilhelm.... Sicilia... I'm sorry.... I'm so sorry... My faith wasn't enough... Mommy was too weak to keep daddy by her side for longer... after that she just cries. For the first time your mother allowed herself to be this wounerable before you. Her shoulders trembling, her hair messy. While she quietly cries and begs you and your late father for forgiveness....

It looks like she's still blaming herself for what happened... She mentioned Veles, who is he? You never were the religious type, you did memorize some things, but not everything you were thought... And what exactly was the encounter with this Veles, what did she hear when he answered her prayers?

The woman let's herself to be led to her bedside. She nods Yes. The lord of flowing water and underworld, has always been good to our family. We were those who refused to forget, we suffered and for our suffering we are granted our blessings... The tatoo is a mark, the proof, the proof of my faith... she mutters the last part as her head hits the pillow, she falls asleep.

Shadow looks at the notes then takes one and sticks it to Wilhelms hair and the other two to his pajamas with his sister's pins - little bright pink bobby pins... Now Wilhelm looked like one of those add towers in the city with "yes" stuck to his hair on the level of his forehead, "no" onto the shirt where his lungs are and "?" On his belly.

After the first question the shadow pokes the lad both in the head and chest. The second - his head. The third - his belly. The fourth makes it halt fore a moment, then he pokes his belly. The next one makes the shadow shudder and it answers with - head and belly.

After the next one it's shoulders fall as is sighing. The shadow points at Wilhelm, at himself, at a small mirror on the wall of his room and at his own head as if to tell the lad THINK ...the next one was a quite a painful poke in the belly, followed by a lighter one to his chest, it looks like you hurt shadows feelings.

The last one was answered with him poking the belly.

The pokes in general were not hurtful, more like when your little sister decides to poke you with a bit more force to get your attention or annoy you.

After the Q&A the shadow speaks... In a mix of songs and a poems of old... The monologue does take a lot of power and you can feel that the shadow is feeling immense guilt for telling you...
Forgive me Lord for i have sinned and couldn't keep your sire. ......Even more, shouldn't speak, a promise made on the pyre. The flame replaced by an arrow sharp, released by snow-white hunter ....