eternal lullaby

Okay so like the tags say, this story is being pantsed which means I’m just writing things as they come. I have no idea what’s coming. There may be tragedy in this story due to the setup. Please don’t ask me what’s going to happen because even I don’t know. I know tragedy is a turn off for people, but I’m being honest and up front here. Also if there are any weird formatting issues and/or typos, then that comes from the fact I'm writing this by hand and using conversion software. I give it the once over for any egregious mistakes, but I do not catch everything. I am open to the idea of translations. Please contact me if you want to translate this work. However, I only want translations on sites I've already posted to, so this means they must be posted to AO3, SquidgeWorld Archive, or this site. You must fully attribute me and send me a link.

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Pyrrha sat in a chair, her eyes glazed over. Despite not being there anymore, her lower right leg ached. She had been out of the Obsidian Oath for two years now, completely missing her right leg below the knee. The oath had been tough, but it was better than the past two years. Aches and pains where nothing existed and barely enough food to survive day today... Kaelith was truly a place of sorrow and suffering for her. The door to her room cracked open and she heard a voice. "Pyrrha, breakfast." It was Nyrissa, one of her housemates. "Coming." Pyrrha sighed and grabbed her crutches, getting up and hobbling over to the door. She probably should've just refused her meal again, but she knew Nyrissa would fret and fuss over her until she ate. Nyrissa was a kind woman, but it didn't make it any easier to exist with the woman never leaving her alone. All she wanted was to be left alone in peace. Nyrissa would've been a lovely friend in almost any context…except this one. Pyrrha had given up two years ago after losing her leg. All she wanted was to be sent to the oblivion of the Obsidian Abyss or even the Void itself. Life was nothing but misery for her at this point. She followed Nyrissa to the large dining room where around two dozen people were gathered around the table. All of them had haunted eyes, just like Pyrrha. Nobody leaving the Obsidian oath had themselves intact, be it mentally, physically, or spiritually. The Oath was a truly horrible place and leaving truly was a fate worse than death. All she wanted was the peace of the Obsidian Abyss or even the Void itself. She didn't want the Echoed Plane where most souls reincarnated. She just wanted peace and tranquility to know nothing evermore. All she wanted was to forget her life ever happened… She just wanted peace and tranquility to know nothing evermore. All she wanted was to forget her life ever happened… She sat down at the table and placed her crutches against it, looking at the meager meal in front other. It was really just enough to keep away the worst of the hanger pangs and not allow her to starve. She would rather die than continue on with the life she led now. It would be much kinder to allow all of them to die than to continue on with the miserable existence they led now. The Obsidian Oath either killed people or chewed them up and spat them out like it had with her and the rest of the people here, save Nyrissa. They all ate in silence, having nothing to discuss. Pyrrha ate as quickly as she could, being the third to finish. After, she grabbed her crutches and left the house. She walked through Kaelith's slums, people paying her no mind. Nobody cared about her and her crutches at this point. There were far more pressing matters in the slums of Kaelith to worry about than a person taking a walk. It was part of her routine by now. She spent most of her time away from No Man's Hearth. It was too hard on her psyche to watch people that had served the Obsidian Oath with everything they were. only to be cast out with extreme prejudice due to not being useful any longer. She found her way to a nearby park where she went to her usual spot and sat down. The park was a gorgeous one despite the area it was located in. It was mid spring, so the flowers had began to bloom and the tears shot forth on the trees. The beautiful nature of the park could almost Make her forget how she was suffering and how the Obsidian Oath had cast her out. Almost. She sighed as she watched people amble along the cobblestone pathways in the Park, not paying her any mind. They had better things to do than pay any attention to a cripple missing her leg. The slums of Kaelith were an incredibly hard place to live with few job opportunities and an overabundance of people like her. She didn't have the money for adjustments to be made to a saddle that would allow her to leave Kaelith. And if she couldn't afford that she definitely couldn't afford a carriage that would allow her to leave the city more comfortably. Not that she could even do most types of jobs due to the lack of leg and having to use crutches. She hated life and just wanted to sleep the day away but she couldn't do that because Nyrissa would ride her a ss about doing something constructive with her time. A motion caught her attention and she looked up. A young woman with... unique hair stood there. She pointed to the spot next to Pyrrha and tilted her head. It was as if she were asking to sit down. Why wouldn't she just ask, though? "Do you want to sit?" Pyrrha asked. The woman smiled brightly and nodded. "Go ahead." The woman sat down and stretched out on the bench, a bright smile on her face. It was rare that she saw somebody smiling in this part of town. How could she be so happy? Life in Kaelith was hard. She didn't understand how this woman could be so lively when most people struggled to be able to afford bread. "Why didn't you ask to sit down? "Pyrrha asked. She legitimately didn't understand. The woman put a hand on her throat and shook her head. She also made a motion with her hand that was clearly negative. Pyrrha frowned and was quite for a few moments until it clicked. "You can't speak?" The woman gave a thumbs up and a smile. She took out a small slate with some chalk, then wrote on the board. "N-E-O," Pyrrha read. "Your name?" An odd one it true. The woman's smile brightened and she nodded. Definitely an odd name, then. Pyrrha had never heard one like it. How unusual. Who would name their child that? It felt irresponsible and would almost certainly cause some sort of ostracisation. Kids could be incredibly cruel: she had experienced bullying at the hands of her peers due to being Unwoven. It was a mark of shame to be Unwoven. She could've learned Blood warden magic but most Magisterium parents didn't consider the resources it would take to teach an Unwoven child magic worth it. Neo turned her slate around and wrote something, then showed it back to Pyrrha. Who are you? " My name is Pyrrha. It's nice to meet you, Meo." she wished she could smile, but she didn't have it in her to do so. Granted, saying that was a complete lie. Nothing was nice anymore. But she felt the need for pleasantries. at least. It was polite to say that, though she knew that it didn't read soon her face or in her body language. She just... It was hard to find enjoyment and happiness in her life when she had been betrayed by her parents, society, and the order that was supposed to be her salvation and honor as an Unwoven. Neo frowned. That feels like a lie. Pyrrha sighed. "It is." Where do you live? Well, that was an odd question. Did it really matter? Then again, it was probably obvious. "No Man's Hearth. I've been there for two years.” Normally. People didn't live too long at No Man's Hearth.It was a halfway home for people cast out of the Obsidian Oath. It was often called Cold Man's Hearth because so many people who lived there tended to commit suicide. She'd seen over a dozen people end their lives there. Poor Nerissa was the one that usually found the people in their rooms or the bathroom from various types of suicide. She was one of the longest-term residents there. She hated it, but she couldn't work and, therefore, couldn't earn money to rent an apartment or anything like that. It sucked but it was the only way she could survive right now. Neo's frown remained. Would you like to leave? Pyrrha blinked. "I would, but there's no way for me to do so. I can't really work for obvious reasons." She looked down at her stump of a leg, then glanced at her crutches. They made it so she couldn't carry things, at least not easily. She knew some Aetheris mages had made ways to replace lost limbs with constructs. That cost money—money she didn't have. Her parents would've been able to afford it, but she hadn't seen them or heard from them since she'd been a child. They had shipped her off to Kaelith and abandoned her so she wouldn't inherit any lands. She probably should've ended it all like so many others in No Man's Hearth. but she wanted to be stronger than them…though she couldn't blame them in the slightest. It was hard to be tossed aside by the Obsidian Oath. I might be able to help. I'd need to talk to my father first. He has work for people like you... People left to rot by the Obsidian Oath. You can read and write, so you could do some sort of admin or bookkeeping work. Neo had to erase it several times to fit all on the slate but Pyrrha got the message. Pyrrha blinked. "He'd do that for a stranger? "That felt extremely generous. Most people didn't care about the cast hewn. They were just burdens to Nytherian society. Once a Casthewn, nothing but a burden. Either one died in the Obsidian Oath or became a last hewn. There was no in between. Even those that showed symptoms of Frayrot were run until they had nothing left to give. The Obsidian Oath was unrelenting and unforgiving. She didn't really show signs of Fraynot surprisingly, but plenty of others at No Man's Hearth did... Sometimes it was the Frayrot that claimed people, not so much the injuries. Well, the physical injuries—sometimes the mental energies were far worse than the physical ones. Neo nodded. He likes to help Casthewn. I'll talk to him later today. You can still read and write, right? Pyrrha nodded. "I haven't written in a while, not since I left the Oath, but I should still be able to do it without much issue. Just... not much use for it herein the slums. Most people can't read or write." she didn't see much use in reading or writing now that she was a Cast hewn. People had better things to do than read and write." like survive. The slums of Kaelith were hard on even the most intrepid of souls. They ground and wore people down in away not even the Oath could. If anything had given her Frayrot, it was less the Oath and more the slums due to how harsh and terrible they were. I'll drop by No Man's Hearth this evening if he agrees, then! Neo smiled brightly and Pyrrha nodded. This felt too good to be true, but... she didn't really want to took a gift horse in the mouth. She wanted out of the halfway home so badly. She was endlessly thankful to Nerissa for the care because nobody else would help her. She wasn't sure what to expect from Neo's father if he allowed Pyrrha to go live with them. She just didn't want to end upon other victim of Frayrot by taking her own life. "Thank you." Neo nodded and put the slate on her lap, sitting with Pyrrha on the bench in silence for awhile. Pyrrha probably should've asked more questions, bats he really didn't want to look a gift horse in the mouth. She really just wanted to get out of Noman's Hearth. It weighed on her at all hours of the day. When asleep, she was pretty certain most of her time was spent in the Nightmare Abyss in the Somnium Veil. She couldn't even get restful sleep. Nightmares plagued her something awful and she hated it. But there wasn't anything she could do about it... She was no Liminal Mage that could traverse the layers of the Weave on a whim. Neo eventually got up and waved to Pyrrha who returned the gesture. Pyrrha sighed and slumped against the bench. She needed to make the Trek back to No Man's Hearth for dinner in a few hours, but she didn't want to move. And there was the fact that Neo might drop by… She needed to start packing if Neo did come by to pick her up. All she wanted was to get away from No Man's Hearth and her suffering. She would take anything to get away from that damnable hovel that the Oath had sent her to. I'll drop by No Man's Hearth this evening if he agrees, then! Neo smiled brightly and Pyrrha nodded. This felt too good to be true, but... she didn't really want to took a gift horse in the mouth. She wanted out of the halfway home so badly. She was endlessly thankful to Nerissa for the care because nobody else would help her. She wasn't sure what to expect from Neo's father if he allowed Pyrrha to go live with them. She just didn't want to end upon other victim of Frayrot by taking her own life. "Thank you." Neo nodded and put the slate on her lap, sitting with Pyrrha on the bench in silence for awhile. Pyrrha probably should've asked more questions, bats he really didn't want to look a gift horse in the mouth. She really just wanted to get out of Noman's Hearth. It weighed on her at all hours of the day. When asleep, she was pretty certain most of her time was spent in the Nightmare Abyss in the Somnium Veil. She couldn't even get restful sleep. Nightmares plagued her something awful and she hated it. But there wasn't anything she could do about it... She was no Liminal Mage that could traverse the layers of the Weave on a whim. Neo eventually got up and waved to Pyrrha who returned the gesture. Pyrrha sighed and slumped against the bench. She needed to make the Trek back to No Man's Hearth for dinner in a few hours, but she didn't want to move. And there was the fact that Neo might drop by… She needed to start packing if Neo did come by to pick her up. All she wanted was to get away from No Man's Hearth and her suffering. She would take anything to get away from that damnable hovel that the Oath had sent her to. She grabbed her crutches and made her way back to No Man's Hearth where Nyrissa Met her at the door. "Oh, you're back earlier than normal. Pyrrha. You normally stay out until dinner. " "I met someone that said she might be able to get me out of here, so I need to pack." Granted, it was no real guarantee to get her out of the Hearth. It was potential. but she was hopeful. She didn't want to be in the Hearth any longer. She was a cast hewn and no longer of any use to anybody. If she could be useful. she would take it. She wasn't good for even basic work anymore... She couldn't do much if any labor and definitely no fighting with missing half a leg. Nyrissa's expression turned to worry. "Who did you meet? I've heard some rumors that Void Worshipers exist herein Kaelith and try to convert Casthewn to their cause." "A girl named Neo. She seemed may be around my age, though she was pretty short... Her name is also odd." she still wasn't sure what to make of Neo, but she was desperate to get out of the Hearth. She'd been here for two years and it only made her feel even worse. Though, had it not been for the Hearth. she would've been without home or food and on the streets. It was better than nothing, but nothing was n-ta high bar to dear. "I'm worried she's a Void Worshiper at worst, or a noble taking advantage of a Casthewn at best. What did she offer you?" "Some sort of bookkeeping work, though it wasn't really clear. I can do that sort of work without too much issue." It was sitting down and didn't require both legs to have. Honestly, the Oath should have been able to keep her on as a bookkeeper of some sort, but the policy was to simply turn anybody that couldn't fight out into the slums. They saw it as only fair to treat all Casthewn as equally worthless. She could understand to a degree but still...It hurt. She had been the best in a generation, then cast aside as if she were nothing. “You're always welcome back here if it doesn't work out, Pyrrha. I'll keep a bed open for you if you want to come back, Okay?' Nyrissa hugged her and Pyrrha nodded. She hoped she wouldn't have to come back here, she was thankful for Nyrissa's care because she almost certainly would've been dead within the month of being cast out of the Oath. She really hoped this would work out. She really did. She would always be Unwoven and a Casthewn, but maybe she could make something of and for herself now. "Thank you. I appreciate it." "I'll help you pack." "Thank you." They went into Pyrrha's room and packed her few, meager possessions into the sling bag that Pyrrha had brought on her first day in the Hearth. All she had were her crutches and about a week's worth of outfits. They were starting to get a bit threadbare, but it wasn't like she had any money to but all-new clothes. She really wished she could afford a new pair of trousers or a shirt. but she had no money a fall. The Oath funded the Hearth, but only insomuch as they provided food and up kept the building. The inhabitants got nothing else from the Oath. She hadn't had money since her meager savings had run dry a few months after moving into the Hearth. She went and sat out in the reception area. her sling bag sitting next to her. She soon heard a knock at the door and answered. A redheaded man with a pipe stood there, a coach floating behind him."Ah, are you Pyrrha? My daughter told me about you. I'm Roman Torchwick and she offered you an administrative position. Do you think you'd be able to handle the mental load of helping with keeping my household's library in order? We do have a librarian, but a second set of eyes never hurt." Pyrrha nodded. "I can definitely do that. If I have a bag, I can help move books around." "No need for that. You can just make sure things are in order then tell Lynette where things need to be moved to. All right?" "All right. I can do that. Though I'll need time to get to know the collection." Roman smiled, but something about it felt... fake. "No trouble. Take whatever time you need. Our collection is large and will take some time to learn. We're not going to turn you out because you didn't learn fast enough." "All right." She turned together sling bag, but Nyrissa handed it to Roman. "Be safe," Nyrissa said. "I will," Pyrrha promised. Roman smiled again and led her out to the coach. She slid into the back seat and Roman put her bag next to her. He got into the driver's seat. then started off, away from No Man's Hearth. Pyrrha watched as the building disappeared into the ether, her heart twinging as she did so. Something about this still didn't feel entirely right, but she was desperate…