#cheria

~Lambda Lhant~

It had been a hectic few days. Months, really. Between all the fighting, traveling and long nights in many inns, it was a miracle the party had managed to keep it all together.

But afterwards, after saving the Lastalia, after calming Fodra, when peace had been relatively restored to both worlds (aside from the few remaining Lambda-born and Fodra-born monsters) did the party truly get to rest.

Though they’d all mostly gone their separate ways, most temporarily, they still kept in touch. Asbel made a point to write Richard letters every week, even if there was nothing of interest happening. He wrote letters to Cheria, too, though they were infrequent due to her constant traveling. Most of the time it was her who sent him letters keeping him updated on her travels and well-being. He didn’t mind them, he kind of liked being able to know what was going on in various parts of the world.

Hubert wrote letters, too, though they were almost always short and abrupt. But Asbel didn’t mind. That was just how Hubert was, and sometimes the younger Lhant (because he would always be a Lhant in his heart) would drop by in lieu of writing a letter. More to visit their mother than him, but hey, they’d spent the better part of a year constantly together during the whole escapade with Lambda, so a little bit of distance was preferable.

Sophie remained at the manor to keep Asbel company while awaiting Cheria’s return (or visits from Richard, whichever came first). Despite the sudden change in appearance, the people of Lhant seemed to take her return very well.

Pascal and Malik didn’t keep in touch nearly as much as the others, but he figured that was a given. Both were really busy with their new jobs as the three nations worked to make a peace treaty. Though, Hubert had insinuated that Pascal did keep in touch with him, though he never divulged the conversations. Asbel figured it was some kind of progress, though, even if only a little bit.

It was all kind of surreal, really. The events that transpired to lead to these circumstances and their lives as they were now felt like they had only recently happened despite having occurred months, almost a year ago.

Lambda had surprisingly settled into shared life with relative ease, though very little about their situation had changed. Unlike those first six months, he did talk on occasion. Mostly it was off-hand comments or musings or, if curiosity struck him hard enough, a question. Asbel didn’t mind it at all. It was oddly comforting, in a way. Richard and Sophie and everyone had ceased their worrying about the age-old entity and now he was just…allowed to exist.

Sharing a body made for unique circumstances and perspectives for both parties involved. After the events on Fodra, the two had figured out a system of compromise. Asbel would have full control of his body at all times. In turn, Lambda was allowed to link himself with Asbel’s senses so that he could experience the world without compromising Asbel’s body or mind. Lambda, of course, had brought up the thought that he could take control whenever he wished when Asbel was asleep and helpless, but Asbel just laughed and mentally pat the entity’s head. At the accusation of being mocked, Asbel simply and confidently stated that he trusted Lambda. And though he didn’t admit it, he felt more than saw the entity become flustered.

Another part of their agreement was more a thing of privacy. Just because they were sharing a body and mindspace didn’t mean they couldn’t each have their own private thoughts. Lambda was his own person, after all, and Asbel was…well…Asbel. So they each agreed to never invade on the other’s private thoughts unless invited, nor would they breach a mental wall (in case there were something happening that was meant for Asbel and only Asbel or vice versa) unless it was deemed necessary.

Sometimes he thought of the humanoid boy he’d seen in the flashbacks. Lambda never used that form anymore; that he was aware of at least. Usually when they were both in their shared mindspace, Lambda appeared as the ball of energy that was his weakened true form. But sometimes Asbel couldn’t help but remember the body that was apparently his first. The one they had found at that crash site. It was…kind of sad, really. Though his voice and most of his attitude didn’t suggest it, sometimes Asbel felt that maybe Lambda identified most with that body. That maybe, despite being thousands of years old like Sophie, when he thought of himself he saw the humanoid body of a child.

It was admittedly a little odd, imagining a thousand-year-old entity as a ten-year-old boy. But in a way, Sophie was too, wasn’t she? An ancient being stuck in the body and mindset of what would amount to a child by human standards. It made him think on the future, on the family he would eventually have to start when Cheria got back. Sophie was already their family—had been, really, since they’d found her as kids. But it reminded him, too, about her concerns before they stopped Fodra, about when he’d officially given her his last name to call her own as his adopted daughter. Someday, all she’d have besides his descendants would be Lambda. Just like how Hubert and he would be all they had left once Kerri died. Wouldn’t that technically make Sophie and Lambda…siblings?

It was a strange thought, he’d admit, but it did make sense. When he died, Lambda would have to find another body. And with Sophie living in the manor and Lambda being tied to him…they were all a family already by most standards. And Lambda was their friend, so it’s not like much would change.

The more he thought on it, the more he grew to like the idea, until,

“Hey, Lambda, how would you like to be an official Lhant?”

The entity in question had instantly thrown up a mental wall in retaliation, but just before it went up Asbel felt a mix of embarrassment, confusion, happiness and if the entity had been showing a face, he swears it would’ve been blushing. Asbel took that as a yes.