Storm woke to the feeling of someone stroking the top of his head.
He slowly opened his eyes to find Aurora in front of him.
"Storm! How are you feeling?!"
"Tired.... but whole.... I think..?" Replied Storm.
His mind was his own again. He couldn't feel Mimereus at all.
After being bonded for so long, Storm missed his presence but he pushed those feelings aside for the moment.
"Do you still remember me?! Or who you are?!" Asked Aurora concerned.
Storm placed a claw on her cheek.
"You really think I can forget your face so easily?"
Aurora showed visible relief.
Seeing that he was awake, the Grans came over to him.
"Good!! You're awake!! We need to test your memories and abilities to see if there are any side effects to the ritual."
Aurora and the grans began to ask Storm a series of questions about his previous adventures or his private life.
Although his memory was hazy at some points, he was able to answer most of their questions.
"Good!! It seems like your memories are mostly intact!!
It seems fortune has favored you so far!
They moved on to abilities and had him demonstrate several of his skills, including his magic and his shapeshifting.
When it came to his breath attack though, he got a pleasant surprise.
He aimed at a target that had been set up while he was still unconscious and was suprised that instead of the regular lightning he was accustomed to.
He released the same golden beam like blasts he used while Mimereus possessed him.
The beam cut clean through the target, and after a moment, the two pieces fell apart.
"You... couldn't do that before, right?" Asked the Grans.
"No!!? I could only do that while Mimereus possessed me!!?" Exclaimed Storm.
"Fascinating?!... can you try and alter it? Make it like it was before. "
Storm concentrated and tried to recall his past lightning attack.
Much to his relief, after a few failed attempts, he managed to call up his original blue arcing lightning breath.
"Hmmm?! It seems like you inherited something from Mimereus!
Unfortunately, we're currently unable to test if he still has the ability.
Or whether you have taken full possession of it?
Everything else seems in order though, so you can consider yourself lucky!" Said the Grans.
"What about Mimereus?" Asked Storm.
"He's fine, just tired.
He's currently resting. We suggest you do the same. "
"Why was I so tired after the ritual?" Asked Storm.
"You and Mimereus were using the same source of energy in your body."
"When you two were seperated, that energy was divided between you two."
"This is resulting in you both being weakened until your reserves can replenish again.
You should eat something and go rest for the remainder of the day to regain your strength. " Suggested the Grans.
"We'll get to work on that, right away!!" Exclaimed Aurora.
Before Storm could object, Aurora grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and dragged him out of the room towards their nest.
Not that Storm offered much resistance to her efforts.
And he managed to find a 'second wind' when he and Aurora got to the nest.
.....
The next morning, Storm woke up with Aurora snuggled close to him.
He was feeling much better than he did the previous day and his strength was mostly restored.
He sent a mental command to Augustus, and told him to send the Kitsune Liason to him immediately after she arrived.
Then he got up and went to go check on Mimereus.
The Grans had moved to an empty cave located near the greenhouse.
A simple woven cloth had been fastened to the top of the entrance to give it's occupants some privacy.
He knocked on the threshold, and after a moment, one of the grans let him in.
The room had a single bed that was large enough for all 3 hag sisters to sleep in side by side.
Several racks and shelves held dried herbs and potions that Storm didn't know the effects of.
In the center of the room, boiling over a large fire, was a large black cauldron with a bubbling green liquid inside.
Two of the sisters were stirring the contents with a large paddle, one of the glass panels of the dome roof had been removed to allow the smoke to leave the room unobstructed.
Resting on a table on a desk at the far wall was Mimereus's glowing crystal.
It had grown brighter since the previous day, but his mind was still unresponsive.
"Has there been any change?"
"He's still resting, give him time.
Spirits recover energy slower than those of us that are still clothed in flesh."
"I.... can speak... if I must!" Replied Mimereus weakly.
The Gran that Storm was talking to stepped aside and allowed Storm to appoach the crystal.
"Please make it brief! He needs rest." Whispered the Gran
"How have you been?" Asked Storm.
"I could be better if I'm honest, but the Grans believe I'll make a full recovery.
How about you?"
"I'm better now, I rested for most of what was left of the day yesterday.
Now I'm just waiting for the Kitsune to arrive so that we can prepare for the trip." Explained Storm.
Storm hesitated before continuing.
"Do you think you will have recovered before we set off?" Asked Storm
"No!! Absolutely not!! It's...!" Started the Grans.
"I can accompany you if I must.
But I'm not sure I'd be of much help.
Without a physical body, my ability to manipulate the world is highly limited.
Even magic is currently beyond me.
I'm afraid all I have to offer is my knowledge. " Explained Mimereus.
"That will be more than enough, my friend.
Get some rest now and recover your strength. We'll speak again soon. " suggested Storm
Storm let Mimereus rest and was just about to leave, when the Grans called him to a corner further away from Mimereus.
"Storm, we believe that there's something you should know."
"When we severed the chain that bound you two together, we found not one, but two chains holding you two together. "
"One was the 'mutual intent' bond, the drive for vengeance you two share."
"The second chain however was much stronger, and was tied to blood."
Storm was left speechless.
".."
"... Are... are you certain of this?"
"The grans nodded their heads.
"There is no doubt, Storm. "
"Blood doesn't lie, You and Mimereus are related. "