His sense of self slowly restored itself over time. He didn't know how long he had been unconscious, but something about the warm pressure that swaddled him from all around told him it might not matter. He performed the same checklist he had when he gained consciousness in "Anima Operantium".
Physical condition? He wiggled around a bit to confirm that all of his bits and bobs were still intact. 'I feel weak and honestly a little tired, but I feel that's to be expected after that experience.' He consoled himself and found he was once again feeling the comforting presence of gravity.
Mental Condition? He disregarded that one as he was awake and could think straight, something he felt was rare with his current experience.
Equipment Check. At the moment it felt all he had was this blanket he was wrapped in, which was already far more than he had before.
Environment Check. This one was important, but as he struggled to open his weary eyes and look around him, the first thing he saw was the rough face of a man in his thirties. He was leaned over him and staring at him with both intrigue and sadness, his bushy black eyebrows furrowed he closely examined the bundle in front of him.
Upon seeing his open eyes though, the man's face softened.
"He has the same eyes... oh Marl how I wish you could see him, he really is your handsome little boy." He broke down in tears. "I'm sorry for what I did to you. I'll take care of Arc for you, I swear on it." The man lifted him up and pressed his forehead against his own. "Papa, won't let it take you too, Arc. Not if its the last thing I do." His long, black and grimy hair fell around his head as his steely-blue eyes locked onto his own.
This man is my father. He didn't get why, but Arc knew the ugly crying face was the one who participated in his creation, of this he had zero doubt. He felt no sense of danger from him, which was a feeling he could not remember from his contact with those custodians of his back at that place. They may have been kind to him, but even that ball gave off a feeling like it could make him disappear if it deemed it so. He couldn't pin down why though, merely an instinct. Add one more to the already long list of questions he had been building.
"You need to put the baby down Jamie." This voice sounded younger and calmer, a stark contrast to the gruff and panicked voice of his father. "He is still not recovered from the complications at delivery."
"He has a name Zerrin!" his father snapped, clearly out of sorts.
"I am well aware, and I apologize for not using it. But you can't afford to injure him right now. Play it safe. Stay calm." Zerrin was clearly used to his father's erratic behavior by this point and was trying to calm him down. "Let Colaris Dominus Arcturus rest. He needs it to grow up strong so what happened to you and what happened to Marlev - may her soul find peace - doesn't happen to him." Jamie calmed a little when he heard the name Colaris Dominus Arcturus, clearly Arc's full name, and moved to put him down. Arc was very grateful to this man whose face he could not see because his fathers massive hands and forearms were making it hard to breathe, a markedly less comfortable feeling than the blanket's pressure, something now ruined by the tremblings of Jamie.
"It wasn't your fault Jamie. No one could have predicted her nexus would shatter during delivery. It's not your fault." His voice changed from stern to gentle, consoling his father as he wept over the loss of who he was assuming was his mother. "If anyone is to blame it's myself. I broke my promise to you and was not there for you when it mattered the most. It's not your fault my brother, it's not your..." Their voices faded as arc slowly slipped back into unconsciousness.