Chapter 39: de and Hand
“I normally do the cooking.” The olddy said as she casually walked into the camp. “But it’s Academy policy to teach those on expeditions basic survival skills. You see?”
<em>That makes sense. </em>Leif thought as one by one every pair of eyes around the cooking fire turned to him. Suddenly he was very conscious of the fact he was carrying a basket full of clothing.
“Is it overcooked?” the elderly woman asked. “Are we all going to get food poisoning? <em>Again?”</em>
The group looked between her and theundry carrying spriggan.
“Lady Melissa!” A bald man eximed as he stood, hastily unsheathing his sword. “Intruder in the camp! Drive it off!”
Leif saw Marcus and Sieg get to their feet in the back of the group. “Coordinator Johan.” The elderlydy, Melissa snapped. “Put that sword away before you hurt yourself. As for the rest of you…” She red at the stunned crowd. “You will <em>not </em>stab my assistant. Boy, go put the washing down by that box… No, the shorter one.”
“I- I cannot believe it.” Johan spluttered. “To bring this <em>filth </em>to our camp…” He wheeled on Marcus and Sieg. “The monster has already corrupted Lady Hera’s servant! How <em>dare </em>you do this to us?”
Leif sensed the aura of the man, Johan, tremble in fury. It gave off the impression of shifting and interlocking machine parts.
He deliberately tried to rx as he carefully ced the clothing to the side. So many hostile intents and emotions were quickly fraying his nerves.He wanted to push his newly acquired [Amber Sympathy] down, to no longer be able to <em>feel </em>the intent of those around him. But if they attacked… the skill would be his only warning.
“We’ve been <em>telling </em>you this for the past few hours.” Sieg spat. “If you listened to us at any point you might understand.”
“Pah! This is why the Academy shouldn’t ept savages, you’ve led a monster right to us! While we’re in the middle of hostile territory? Are you mad?” The coordinator snapped in response.
The members of the expedition looked warily between Leif and the argument. A few fanned out or took on defensive postures but most stood around and gawked.
“Dear?” Melissa asked one of the onlookers, a young woman with two circr disks on her belt.
“Y-yes ma''am?” She replied, her gaze shifting from Leif to the older woman.
“Where is my little Hera? Has she arrived yet?”
“N-no. Not yet, the missive from earlier today is still the most-” Something in the girls pocket pinged. The sound deafening all muttered chatter. She fumbled for a moment before bringing a smaller version of themunication orb out.
Johan stomped over and snatched it out of her hand. The object shed briefly, the man smirked.
“Spit it out.” Sieg demanded.
“Soon,” The coordinator said triumphantly, “It says <em>soon. </em>The de ising <em>soon</em>.<em>” </em>For some reason several people all looked to the sky.
Melissa waddled over to Leif with a bowl of soup. He hadn’t even noticed her grab it. “Want something to eat? It’s dried fish and cream. Good for you.”
“Uh, no… I don’t eat.” He said.
“It''s important for growing boys to eat.” She stated with the confidence of seniority.
“I should probably go.” Leif said. “I’m not wee here.” And it was true, he could <em>feel </em>the hostility building up, disgust, anger and fear. Not all of it was directed at him, or at least not directly. It was more like what he represented was anathema to these people.
<em>Considering thisnd was destroyed by monsters, I can’t me them. </em>He thought.
It all felt hopeless. This had been a mistake, how could someone, <em>something, </em>like him possibly be weed into civilised society?
“Nonsense, nonsense. You’re a guest and it doesn’t matter what the loud children over there say.” She said with a kind smile. “My little Hera will be here soon, the two she was escorting arrived earlier today, it won’t be long now.”
“Leaf!” Marcus called, pushing his way through the crowd. “Sorry, we really did try to exin!”
“You exined wonderfully my dear.” Melissa consoled. “I understood your words just fine, and my hearing isn’t what it used to be...”
Sieg swore at the group and told them to put away their weapons. They grumbled andined and did a fantastic job not listening.
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“There!”
“Over there!”
Two new voices called at the same time. A young man and woman both pointed to the west, then they turned and red at each other as if they had been grievously wounded by the thought of speaking the same words.
Leif looked to the west, and for an instant he didn’t spot anything. It was because he was looking too low.
Overhead the clouds parted as a thin streak of white sted through the nkets of darkening white and grey. Members of the expedition yelped and cursed, most scattering.
The spriggan tensed. Then he looked down at the bowl of soup the old woman had put in his hand. “Here shees. Just be yourself.”
Leif thought that was possibly the worst advice he had ever heard.
The streak of white arched downwards, angling towards the camp. It fell in a blur of speed, Leif’s vision was barely able to follow its trajectory. One thing was certainly clear, it was heading towards the expedition.
Itnded a good twenty metres behind Leif, what few animals hadn’t been startled off by the yelling and screaming of the camp’s denizens darted away. Dust exploded outwards, spraying over the nearest tents. A glowing arrow protruded from the dirt, then it warped and expanded, with a pop and a sh of white light a woman appeared in mid stride.
She wore in, but form fitting clothing. Blond hair billowed behind her along with a shoulder cape of gold and grey. She took in the campsite with a quick, evaluating nce, then focused on Leif. The spriggan tensed as piercing hazel eyes bore into him.
The space behind Hera blurred, a ghostly outline of an armoured figure wielding a bow apparated, string drawn and arrow knocked. Then the woman kicked off the ground, in a blink she was at his throat, curved de drawn.
Hostile intent, sharp and immediate, like the crack of a whip kept Leif locked in ce. It was the only thing that prevented him from dropping the bowl of soup.
For an eternal instant everything was still, all chatter and yells had ceased, the evening wind fading into the background.
“What.” She said, tone flinty. “Is this? And why is it in my camp?”
Leif felt her aura rise above him, it rose like a domineering tyrant, then crashed down like a wave. It was an almost physical authority, something that had been earned with steel and blood.
Leif felt his perception unnaturally withdraw into himself, he knew that using a skill while suppressed in this way would be possible, but would take a great amount of effort.
<em>Wait, her aura… it feels familiar</em>. He realised. Then, as if attracted by a strange simrity between them, his own aura pushed back.
Leif’s aura was no match for Hera’s, but the buildup of fear, anxiety and a healthy dose of anger allowed, for a brief instant, his aura to shine through the cracks of her iron grip of control. His authority rippled against her own, a marking of birthright.
“Interesting aura.” Heramented. Cocking her head slightly to the side.
“Thanks.” Leif deadpanned. She could almost certainly kill him, but after being kicked around like a ball not too long ago he had no intention of letting her do it for free. If she went for a killing blow, at the very least he would try and return the favour.
“You’re the reported anomaly?”
“I suspect so.”
“Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t gut you like a fish.” Shemanded. Her tone broached no argument.
“Sieg and I owe him our lives, de.” Marcus said as he coughed dust and dirt from his mouth. “I would certainly be dead without him.”
“He’s a witness to the events below Pherin.” Siegmented. “And we already offered him the Academy''s assistance.”
“Did you now?” She asked, never looking away from Leif.
The spriggan remained still but Marcus nodded emphatically.
Hera narrowed her eyes, her already sharp gaze glinted threateningly. “Oh, here’s something interesting: In the southern deserts there are shape shifters who disguise themselves as people, manipte their way into towns and viges. They can hold a conversation, even act friendly…”
Leif understood the implication. ‘<em>Prove yourself.’ </em>“I have a [Noble] ss.” He said, that wouldn''t be possible if he were lying. Right?
“So you’re level fifty. Forced some brat to impart the ss. I’ve seen it happen. The line between monster and person blurs the stronger one bes.” She said coldly.
“I’m only twenty five.” He hissed, her de bit into the bark at his neck.
She tilted her head as if studying him from a new angle. “Do you feel frustrated? Fearful? Desperate?”
Leif couldn’t nod with a sword to his throat. He just red back at her with two balls of glowing amber. “I’m getting sick of things more powerful than me doing what they want.”
“Amonint. Just get stronger, it worked for me.”
“Hera… Dear. Don’t you think this is enough?” Melissa asked.
“One can never be too safe, grandmother.”
“Miss Hera Kossia. The man you are threatening is someone I invited into our camp, they’re a guest as far as I’m concerned.” The old woman chided.
Hera sighed. “You’re not a de of the Academy grandmother, this isn’t your choice to make. I must prioritise the safety of-”
More words were exchanged but Leif wasn’t paying attention. Something had shocked him to the core. <em>Kossia. I know that name. But from where? </em>Then the realisation hit him, like a brick through an expensive window. Leif blinked open his [Aura of Nobility]’s skill description.
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Aura of Nobility I:
Aspects: <strong>Aura</strong>, Social*
Your auric presence possesses traces of your noble baring and lineage. You may disy your intent through your aura, your intent has a greater effect on those with a weaker aura.
You can control your aura in ways impossible without an aura skill.
Notes: Keep this suppressed around the Kossia family. They’re insufferable.
Two yearster, one of them married my cousin! They’re closing in! HELP ME!
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