《The Butterfly Effect》


 Departure: Part I

    No one would notice if he left, right?


    The way the leaves rustled in the wind was like they were beckoning him closer, a friendly invitation that he couldn¡¯t just ignore. He wasn¡¯t the only one to be wandering around, seeing glimpses of deer or squirrels through the trees before they darted away; though he never saw them, the birds sang their morning song, and occasionally he heard their little wings flapping overhead.


    A particular kind of birdsong caught his attention, something that felt more like words than just a pretty tune. It stood out to him, more so than anything else, and he followed it.


    ¡°It¡¯s just that little boy again,¡± he imagined the trees grumbling. ¡°What do you think he¡¯s chasing now?¡± If they really could¡¯ve talked, he wondered what stories they could tell, seeming to have lived before the Saint-King. Maybe they knew what his guardians were like when they were his age.


    When the singing stopped for a moment, he wondered if he¡¯d scared off the bird. Finally slowing down in order to give his surroundings a look, he looked down to see a little bird bravely walking up to his feet, flapping its wings to greet him.


    He bent down and reached his hand out to it, knowing that it was what he heard earlier. It didn¡¯t feel like a normal bird; normal birds felt like any other animal or person did, but this one didn¡¯t. It felt like Lekra, the kind of comfort he experienced in his sleep. He smiled, and it chirped as if it shared his happiness; a part of him knew, even at his young age, that this bird was going to be precious to him. That very same bird would become his closest friend in only a few months, and stay like that until he no longer felt this kind of love from anyone.


    Gently, he held his hands out and waited for it to hop on them. Something told him that it was alone and he wanted to change that. His guardians might say no, but maybe they¡¯d let him keep it if he promised to be careful.


    Following the path he took to get there, he came back to the castle where he¡¯d started. The bird chirped once they got inside.


    ¡°They¡¯re probably done with their meeting by now,¡± he assured the bird, assuming that¡¯s what it was trying to tell him.


    It didn¡¯t seem too convinced.


    ¡°Even if they¡¯re busy, they¡¯ll listen,¡± he then tried. His confidence quickly waned before he added, ¡°They listened before¡­¡±


    That did something, at least, and the bird chirped and fluttered up to his shoulder.


    He walked right past the throne room, stopped at the dining room but heard nothing but servants, then finally went to the garden.


    All he needed to do was open the door in order to know they were there. He heard several adult voices, only a little louder than the hum of the nearby fountain. It was sobering to step into the little area, surrounded by the flowers that must have heard all sorts of rumors when they were in bloom; to him, it seemed like just about every kind of flower in the world was here. He had many pleasant memories of the five of them¡ªthough originally only three¡ªeating lunch together in the spring, as long as the kings weren¡¯t needed elsewhere, and it seemed to be the favorite spot of adult conversation.


    At first, he chose to ignore that they were talking at all. ¡°Imre! Dimas! Look what I found!¡± Kiah, Samone, and a few others (whose names he either didn¡¯t know or couldn¡¯t remember) were there, but they weren¡¯t as important right now. Only his two guardians¡ªhis fathers¡ªmattered.


    Both of them stopped to look at him, but they shared the same expression. They didn¡¯t want to talk. Were they really just trying to ignore him? Or was there something else, since it seemed like they hadn¡¯t talked with Tavin lately either?


    ¡°Natheniel, you know we¡¯re busy,¡± Imre sighed; he spoke gently, of course, but it was that kind of tone that showed that his patience was already near its end. ¡°I¡¯m sure we can see it later¡­¡±


    The bird hopped on his hand and, with a defiant hmph, he thrust it forward. It didn¡¯t seem to mind the rough gesture, giving the surrounding group a friendly chirp. ¡°I found them in the forest all by themself. I could tell they didn¡¯t want to be alone, so I took them with me¡­ do they have to go back to the forest?¡±


    His words meant a lot more to them than he could ever imagine.


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    Finally, Samone held out her own hand and asked, ¡°May I see them?¡± He didn¡¯t need to give his own approval, since the bird willingly jumped on her hand as if it understood her words. She gently pulled it closer, and finally mumbled a little spell. ¡°De¨ªxe mou ta alithin¨¢ sou chr¨®mata.¡±


    She was figuring out if this was something they could risk keeping around¡­ though that part was lost on the boy at the time.


    The bird glowed brightly as it let out another chirp as if to laugh at the funny feeling the magic gave it. He never knew what sparked the silence that followed.


    ¡°A Fos,¡± Dimas mumbled after observing the display. ¡°They must be the counterpart.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have much of a choice, then, do we?¡± Imre muttered back.


    Dimas, talking to Natheniel now, said, ¡°But we¡¯re still busy. Lydia should be around here somewhere, why don¡¯t you try seeing what she¡¯s doing?¡±


    ¡°Lydia¡¯s boring!¡± Natheniel protested. The bird fluttered back over to him, once again resting on his shoulder. ¡°Her stories are always predictable¡­¡±


    ¡°Ask her to tell you about the trip to T¨®pos tou Theo¨²,¡± Imre suggested, already trying to go back to what he was doing before. ¡°That¡¯ll keep you interested. We¡¯ve still got a lot to do, but¡­ when we¡¯re done, we¡¯ll find you three and we can go out to town.¡±


    That triggered an ecstatic nod from the boy, too happy with that promise to care for what they said as he left.


    ¡°You know you shouldn¡¯t promise anything.¡±


    ¡°I can hope, can¡¯t I? It¡¯s the least we can do for him¡­¡±


    Natheniel never dwelled on the weight the comment held, barely thinking about it at all as he began his search for Lydia.


    She wasn¡¯t in any of the places he¡¯d looked so far, at least, and she had to be somewhere in the castle. He was more or less left with two options: the stables or the library. Figuring she wouldn¡¯t bring a toddler into a place full of big horses and soldiers, he started towards the library.


    Lydia was the kind of person that had a very recognizable voice; whether someone was listening for it or not, they could always pinpoint her in a crowd, and not just because she tended to be loud. He could hear her reading a story out loud to the only person in the castle young enough to still enjoy them.


    Natheniel strolled in like he always did, though he wasn¡¯t the one to gain her attention. Instead, it was a combination of the bird chirping its greeting and her son¡ªTavin¡ªgetting distracted because of it.


    ¡°Everyone¡¯s busy, huh?¡± Lydia asked, tilting her head and offering Natheniel a smile. ¡°Did you make a forest friend earlier, and more importantly, are you supposed to have it? You know I don¡¯t care but I bet Imre definitely does.¡±


    ¡°Dimas let me keep them! Something about a ¡®counterpart,¡¯¡± the boy replied, never mind the fact he didn¡¯t know what counterpart meant. He proved his point by patting the bird on the head and adding with pride, ¡°They¡¯re my new pet now.¡±


    The bird fluttered off from his shoulder and right in front of where Lydia was sitting cross-legged on the floor. She looked like she was about to reach for it, but Tavin moved a little closer to her as a silent warning of something.


    ¡°Oh, do you not like it..?¡± When she spoke, the bird went back to Natheniel¡¯s shoulder. He hardly recognized that she was talking to him this time as she added, ¡°Have you found a name for it yet?¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°I haven¡¯t thought of one yet, but I¡¯ll find one soon!¡±


    ¡°Come back when you¡¯ve found the perfect name. We¡¯d both love to hear it, wouldn¡¯t we?¡± Lydia glanced at Tavin, who only mumbled something.


    Natheniel nodded and wandered off. To the little bird on his shoulder, he said, ¡°What kind of name would you like to have?¡±


    The bird chirped confidently.


    He imitated the sound. ¡°I think you¡¯re going to need something else.¡±


    With a moment of thought, the bird fluttered from his shoulder to one of the shelves. It was full of fables.


    ¡°You want to be named like someone in here?¡± He looked over all the books on the shelf until he found one he knew he could read on his own. ¡°Let¡¯s see what we can find!¡± The bird chirped in shared excitement.


    He went through (what felt like) dozens of books, repeating any name that he came across. He barely acknowledged when Lydia and Tavin left, too absorbed in trying to find the perfect name.


    Then it happened. ¡°Ihu?¡±


    The bird perked up immediately, flapping their wings. He assumed it to mean they liked it, and just in time¡ªImre found him.


    Natheniel quickly closed the book, put it back, then scooped up Ihu and bounded to Imre. ¡°Are you done?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re all ready,¡± Imre responded with a small smile.


    ¡°Guess what, guess what!¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    ¡°I found a name for them!¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you share it with all of us while we walk?¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    Dimas, Lydia, and Tavin were waiting for them, then together they headed out into the streets of Lelishara. Natheniel had always appreciated the time they spent together, especially as it seemed they only got busier; in fact, in only a couple of years, these trips trickled down to a halt. But they weren¡¯t something to be easily forgotten. It was what he used to assure himself they still cared about him.


    Even if, with time, that assurance lost its value as he was sure something else was going on.

 Departure: Part IS

    There was a little while when the three of them could be together. Before finding Ihu, it was just Lekra; a year after finding Ihu, Natheniel got his feather necklace and Lekra disappeared. Most of what happened that year he chose to credit to his imagination, simply because he didn¡¯t want to question it. He didn¡¯t want to think that there was something they weren¡¯t telling him.


    Natheniel was in his room sitting close to where they¡¯d appear. In a moment, the shadows moved to create Lekra. Given their black shadow-like figure and near-glowing red eyes, they probably would¡¯ve intimidated a lot of people¡ªmaybe even the adults.


    But not Natheniel. He smiled when he saw them. ¡°Oh! You look like Samone today!¡± Ihu gave a tweet of agreement.


    If the nightmare could blush, they would¡¯ve. ¡°I thought I¡¯d try something a little different today¡ªsee what it feels like to be someone else. Not sure how I feel about the pigtails, though. Cute, but not quite¡­ demanding of authority, you know?¡± When he blinked, the pigtails had been traded for short, curly hair. ¡°There we go! Always been a fan of your father¡¯s curls.¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡± He pointed to himself and puffed up his chest. ¡°I changed, too! Can you guess?¡±


    They smirked, their finger hovering right over his nose to boop it but never touching it. They didn¡¯t want to accidentally hurt him. ¡°Why, you¡¯ve grown, of course! You¡¯ll be as big as the adults in no time.¡±


    He giggled. ¡°So what d¡¯you wanna do?¡±


    ¡°What can we do?¡± They stood up in one fluent motion and glanced at Ihu. ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you¡¯ve got any ideas, Izzy?¡±


    Ihu chirped, darting between the two of them before landing on Natheniel¡¯s shoulder. They couldn¡¯t think of anything.


    ¡°Oh! We can race to the garden!¡± he offered, hopping to his feet.


    ¡°It¡¯s the middle of Lamyn, Nathen¡ªyou¡¯ll freeze out there,¡± Lekra pointed out gently. ¡°Besides, what about your family? They¡¯ll notice I¡¯m with you.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re all gone, remember?¡± He still went to open his bedroom door. Once he had the idea, he wasn¡¯t going to give up on it. ¡°Well, kinda. Imre¡¯s busy, Dimas left to go somewhere that isn¡¯t Qizar, Kiah¡¯s at the fort, Lydia and Tavin haven¡¯t come back from the Stone Estate, and I haven¡¯t seen Samone all day.¡±


    ¡°Probably smoking,¡± they mumbled. ¡°In which case she knows to stay away from wherever you¡¯ll be playing¡­¡±


    ¡°See? It¡¯ll work!¡±


    ¡°Not outside,¡± they corrected. They walked past him to look out the window and said, ¡°It¡¯s even snowing.¡±


    ¡°Even better!¡± Never mind how cold it meant it was, all he cared to know was that snow made everything more fun.


    Without allowing any more time to be wasted, he signified the start of the race by poking Lekra and running off. Ihu enthusiastically followed him, though twirling back around when they threatened to pass him; he¡¯d been told, after all, to make sure they stayed close to him at all times.


    ¡°I got there first!¡± Natheniel proclaimed triumphantly, only interrupted from his march into the gardens by Lekra.


    ¡°You are not going anywhere until you¡¯re properly dressed,¡± they said firmly. It looked like part of the reason they took so long was because they¡¯d gotten his coat and scarf from his room; there was a small tear in one of them, being a reminder of the dangers of their touch.


    Their connection to most things in the real world, though, depended on them being alone with him. He knew their playtime together had ended when they dropped the clothes and disappeared.


    Dimas walked up to him with a weak smile. ¡°What¡¯s all this doing on the floor..?¡±


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    Natheniel had, for a moment, forgotten his original plan in favor of the possible new ones. ¡°You¡¯re back! Where¡¯d you go? Why were you gone for so long? Why was Zofie angry last time we went to Qizar? Was it a secret mission? Can I come on the next one?!¡±


    His guardian answered it all with a nervous look and, ¡°Maybe when you¡¯re older.¡± Dimas carefully picked up the clothes, mumbling something about the tear, before addressing Natheniel again. ¡°Why don¡¯t we head to the dining room? Imre¡¯s waiting for us.¡±


    He dutifully followed along, ignoring what Lekra was trying to tell him as they got closer. Once they were in the dining room, Dimas whispered to Imre. Eventually he traded the clothes Dimas had for the little box Imre was holding.


    ¡°We¡¯ve got a present for you,¡± Dimas said as he walked back towards Natheniel.


    Natheniel¡¯s excitement couldn¡¯t be contained as he waited for it. ¡°What¡¯s it for, what¡¯s it for? It¡¯s not my birthday. That was two months ago. It¡¯s not a holiday¡­ is it? Is it a new holiday? Did you create a holiday just for me?¡±


    ¡°Maybe,¡± Dimas laughed. It didn¡¯t sound like a very happy one, however. ¡°What do you think we should call it?¡±


    ¡°Natheniel Gets a Present Day! Every kid gets a present. Except for Tavin. He doesn¡¯t need a present.¡± Natheniel beamed at the idea, fancying himself a genius for coming up with it.


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk about your brother like that,¡± Imre scolded. He still hadn¡¯t moved from where he was, only holding eye contact for a moment. ¡°This is something very important and special. It means more than you know.¡±


    Natheniel¡¯s eyes sparkled as the fateful moment drew closer. Lekra was saying something desperately now, but he only watched in awe as Dimas pulled out a necklace and put it on him.


    ¡°It¡¯s a little big for now, but it won¡¯t seem like that when you get older,¡± Dimas explained. ¡°It¡¯s going to help keep us safe. It only works if you have it on, though, so never take it off unless you absolutely have to. Okay?¡±


    He stared at his gift, nodding fervently. ¡°I¡¯ll never take it off, promise!¡±


    ¡­


    He¡¯d hoped that this meant the three of them could be together for a little while. First, he went to their room.


    ¡°Dimas?¡± he prompted hopefully, hopping onto the bed. ¡°Can you play with me?¡±


    Just a hand came out of the shield of blankets and pillows to ruffle his hair. ¡°Sorry, but I¡¯m exhausted. Maybe a little later, okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­¡± Natheniel sighed.


    He¡¯d wandered out into the halls towards Imre¡¯s office next. His chances there were ruined the moment he heard someone else.


    ¡°You had fun, then?¡±


    ¡°Of course! Nothing¡¯s better than spending time with family and proving how stupid Witless is. Isn¡¯t that right, Tavin?¡±


    There was a brief pause before the boy¡¯s ¡°Mhm.¡±


    Natheniel turned right back around. With Tavin and Lydia (when did they get back, anyway? Earlier this morning?) to keep Imre busy, he wouldn¡¯t be spending any time with Natheniel.


    He went back to his room to consider his options. He wasn¡¯t completely out of people to spend time with.


    ¡°What do you think, Ihu?¡± he wondered, looking between his bird and the spot where he usually summoned Lekra. ¡°Do you think they¡¯ll be mad at me? They¡¯re always mad at me when I don¡¯t listen to them. They¡¯re like the adults¡­¡±


    Ihu gave a confident chirp that he couldn¡¯t help but wonder if it meant ¡°Yes, definitely, they will be furious.¡±


    ¡°Will they stay mad at me..?¡±


    Another chirp.


    ¡°How long do you think it¡¯ll be?¡±


    He didn¡¯t want to lose them like it felt like he was losing everyone else. They¡¯d always been there for him when everyone else had something else to do. He glanced at his new feather necklace and wondered what they might¡¯ve been upset about. Would they make him take it off? If they did, would he listen to them or keep his promise to his guardians..? How could he choose, when they were all important to him?


    There was only one way to know for certain. He needed to summon Lekra and see what they said.


    But the shadows didn¡¯t so much as flicker. They weren¡¯t going to come. Something else would¡¯ve happened if they were.


    ¡°I guess you¡¯re that mad at me, huh..?¡± He shrunk in front of where they would usually stand. ¡°You¡¯re not even going to show up¡­¡±


    Ihu fluttered in front of them and gave an encouraging speech of tweets.


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± he mumbled, managing a small smile. ¡°I¡¯ve got you to keep me company! If Lekra doesn¡¯t want to be around me, then¡ªthen so be it! Promise you¡¯ll never leave me?¡±


    He held out his hand. Ihu took it a step further by fluttering up and rubbing their head against his neck instead.


    In time, he forgot all about Lekra. They simply became the blur of a dream. Whatever they¡¯d had together he¡¯d forgotten; what stayed became credited as a part of his childhood imagination. It wasn¡¯t until much later he questioned it, or found that his imagination wasn¡¯t quite as fake as he assumed it to be¡­

 Departure: Part II

    ¡°Why do I have to go?¡±


    It was a question he used to ask several times a year, whenever Dimas or Imre would announce their plans¡­ usually only a day or two before sending him off.


    ¡°We need to do something here,¡± was always the gist of their answer, ¡°and Zofie agreed to watch over you.¡± Eventually they were able to add ¡°She¡¯ll be able to teach you magic.¡± to sway him into compliance.


    ¡°If I have to go, then why does Tavin get to stay?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯ll be with the Stones.¡±


    He knew they were lying¡ªTavin said himself that he still stayed at the castle most of the time. They dodged the question when Natheniel tried to point it out to them.


    After a while, he stopped asking because he knew he wouldn¡¯t be given any better of an answer. Hearing the news this time didn¡¯t phase him; it was what else they said that got a reaction out of him.


    ¡°Why¡¯s Tavin going?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re all going,¡± Imre had explained. He glanced at Dimas before saying anything else. ¡°We have some things we need to discuss with Zofie and it¡¯ll be easier if we do it in person.¡±


    ¡°Besides, Tavin hasn¡¯t met Philyra yet,¡± Dimas added. ¡°It¡¯ll give you all some time to talk.¡±


    It was always a long ride, between the week spent traveling and his only entertainment being schoolwork or staring out the window. Having Tavin with him the whole time made it worse¡ªhis presence alone suggested the need for some kind of defiance, his smart attitude and ways of taking up the spotlight (never mind the fact it was never intended) grating.


    Natheniel regretted ever wishing Tavin would come with them. He quickly decided he¡¯d rather his brother stay in Seothia, completely undisturbed, while he was bored along the whole trip to Qizar.


    At least they were almost there now.


    ¡°Harps, pianos, violins¡­ I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything she can¡¯t play,¡± Dimas mused, filling in the silence as they grew closer to the Qizarn capital. Natheniel wasn¡¯t particularly listening, petting Ihu with one hand and holding his feather necklace in the other. ¡°A sweet kid, though. I don¡¯t think Zofie lets her out of her sight.¡±


    ¡°Kind of amusing, isn¡¯t it? The musical talent of the children of Fleyw Bresh skipped right over you two.¡± Imre smiled a little.


    Dimas kissed his cheek. ¡°Well, it¡¯s a good thing you didn¡¯t marry me for my ability to play the piano.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like she¡¯s doing anything with it,¡± Natheniel pointed out absently, choosing to ignore the last remark. ¡°Only a couple of people can hear it if they aren¡¯t in the castle. No one knows who it is, and she¡¯s definitely not going to tell anyone.¡±


    ¡°Not everyone wants the attention of a thousand people at once.¡± Tavin didn¡¯t look at him, instead staring out the window and watching the world move past them. ¡°Aunt Zofie is smart for hiding her from that attention. She¡¯s too young to properly handle it.¡±


    ¡°She plays the part, though,¡± Natheniel mumbled. ¡°She knows she¡¯s better than everyone else¡ªshe doesn¡¯t need a bunch of people fawning over her when her mother showers her with attention.¡± He fully believed his words to be true: he never considered the circumstances for such actions, or what had happened before any of them were born, or even the role the princess played now. To him, it shouldn¡¯t matter.


    He was saved from the inevitable hour-long explanation from Dimas¡ªor at least for the time being¡ªwhen the carriage stopped. He knew the journey well enough to know that this was their final stop; the looming shadow showed that the castle was right in front of them. Without looking, he could tell that the two subjects of conversation were waiting by the door to greet them like they almost always were.


    Out of respect for the adults, Natheniel didn¡¯t get out until both Imre and Dimas did. He got out before Tavin even got up, though still politely stayed behind their fathers. Everyone but Natheniel offered a bow.


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    Zofie glared at him but it had long lost its effectiveness against him. She then looked at the guard by her side. ¡°Thero, can you and Philyra show the boys around? I¡¯ll be in the garden if you need anything.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± With his promise, the three rulers walked inside.


    Philyra looked between her cousins but made it obvious which one she had no interest in seeing. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to finally meet you, Tavin,¡± she said breezily.


    Tavin returned her gesture with a smile. ¡°Agreed.¡±


    Then there was Natheniel, who proved to show no sense of reading the room at all. Or rather, he chose not to. So in a tone so nonchalant all three of them stared at him, he asked, ¡°So when do you think Zofie¡¯s gonna be done? I¡¯d rather be learning magic than hanging out with you two.¡±


    With Tavin¡¯s sighed response of, ¡°The world doesn¡¯t revolve around you, dreamer.¡± and Philyra¡¯s blunt-and-obvious answer, ¡°Mother has a lot more important things to do than spend her time with you.¡± they might as well have said the same thing. No wonder they ended up getting along.


    If it had been just the brothers, Natheniel would have said ¡°You¡¯re just jealous because you can¡¯t use magic,¡± but this wasn¡¯t just his step-brother. There was also Philyra, princess of Qizar and a child of Fleyw Bresh¡ªthey all had natural magic. So instead, he just looked at them, as if they were the ones at fault and not him.


    Philyra gestured to the castle behind her. ¡°Should we get going?¡± Hearing Ihu¡¯s little chirp and seeing the bird settling on Natheniel¡¯s shoulder, she added, ¡°Please keep your bird to yourself. I will get Uncle Thero to show it to where it''s supposed to live: outside.¡± With that, she turned around and led the way inside.


    ¡°Do I have to come?¡± Natheniel moaned as soon as they got started.


    ¡°Her Majesty said to bring you with us,¡± Thero replied impartially. ¡°I¡¯m just following her orders.¡±


    ¡°Why do we need a dumb tour anyway? This isn¡¯t like Seothia. It¡¯s pretty straightforward.¡±


    ¡°Prince Tavin hasn¡¯t been here before.¡±


    ¡°So? Let him figure it out on his own.¡±


    Tavin¡¯s nudge meant nothing to Natheniel. Philyra simply chose to ignore them all.


    He went to his room as soon as they passed it. He¡¯d heard Philyra take Tavin to the music room but Natheniel didn¡¯t care. He considered having her attention being more like a curse than any sort of blessing.


    Dinner came and went, then the activity he¡¯d actually been waiting for came a couple minutes after he¡¯d gone back to his room. It was only a brief knock on the door, followed by Thero¡¯s gruff voice saying, ¡°Change your clothes, grab your brush, and meet Her Majesty in the garden.¡±


    He did as instructed immediately, along with getting a bit of paper and ink; he¡¯d need them and the brush to practice drawing runes. If he had it now, he wouldn¡¯t need to wait for a guard to get it. That meant they had more time to work.


    Zofie never looked interested to be there¡ªthe whole thing was something she only did because Dimas asked her to. She wasn¡¯t even any more impressed to see that he brought more than what he¡¯d been asked, instead just giving him a curt nod and gesturing to the open area in front of her.


    To show his respect for his teacher as she had drilled in his head a few years prior, he put his hands together and bowed, solemnly uttering the greeting in the Old Tongue, ¡°Teach me well, Madam Zofie.¡±


    ¡°So long as you listen,¡± Zofie responded, much more fluent despite the unfamiliar language. She paused, and continued normally, ¡°You¡¯re trying really hard to impress me, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°If I don¡¯t impress you, then you¡¯re not gonna let me do anything fun,¡± he pointed out honestly. He didn¡¯t see a purpose in trying to hide the truth. At least she could give him credit for his motivation to learn it.


    ¡°Were it up to me, you¡¯d be in school right about now like any other Seothian,¡± she sighed. ¡°You know I didn¡¯t doubt Dimas when he told me you asked Tavin for the answers to everything.¡± It wasn¡¯t a comment he paid attention to, only really listening for her next instructions. ¡°Go and stand somewhere where you won¡¯t break anything. Recite what I taught you before.¡±


    He nodded and backed away a little, far enough that he would¡¯ve considered safe. ¡°Tha vro to skot¨¢di sto fos.¡± There was, if only a little, a reaction to his words. A black dot appeared in front of him and then disappeared again.


    ¡°And you¡¯re still feeling fine?¡± She said it out of Dimas and Imre¡¯s well-being, not his; she only cared for him because they did.


    ¡°Same as usual,¡± he confirmed.


    Dimas made sure Natheniel understood why she asked. The kind of magic she taught him was powerful and dangerous; Zofie would be dead by it if she hadn¡¯t lost her magic.


    ¡°There¡¯s really no denying it, is there?¡± she mumbled. ¡°You don¡¯t experience it. You really must be one of them¡­¡±

 Departure: Part III

    He¡¯d just been passing by when he saw Lydia opening the door to Imre¡¯s office. Natheniel had, for a moment, considered telling her that the king didn¡¯t want any visitors right now, but he decided just to let it play out.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got some really good news!¡± she announced before she was even two steps into the room. Natheniel stopped by the door to listen, figuring that no one would be passing by this hallway for a while.


    ¡°You found a solution to the whole Ski¨¢ issue?¡± Imre guessed dryly, sounding distracted.


    ¡°I wish, just because it would get you out of this boring office. But it¡¯s still good!¡± She paused, and it sounded like she probably took the paper out of his hand. ¡°Ellie just sent me a letter saying that we¡¯re actually going to be able to meet up this year!¡±


    ¡°Enn, you really shouldn¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°Come on! It¡¯s been over ten years since we¡¯ve all been able to get together. This should be a good thing, not an I¡¯m-going-to-ruin-everything thing.¡±


    ¡°Can you look at the paper you took from me? How, in any way, do you think that encouraging groups under these circumstances is a good idea?¡±


    It sounded like Lydia snorted. ¡°You¡¯re overthinking it. These reports don¡¯t even go into that much detail, see? It could be a couple of wolves for all you know.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re missing the point here. This isn¡¯t the right time for this. They¡¯re attracted to large crowds because large crowds mean there¡¯s more to eat; a gathering as big as that would be a feast for them.¡± His level tone broke only for a moment when he hopelessly mumbled, ¡°I don¡¯t want to see you get hurt.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll all be fine. If it¡¯ll help any, I¡¯m not going to be bringing Tavin with me. For one, I might get ever so slightly drunk while I¡¯m there and he¡¯s too young to have to deal with that. Second, he¡¯s not close to any of them and would just be my shadow all evening. Lastly, he¡¯d generally not be comfortable there and I¡¯m sure he¡¯d rather be here reading.¡±


    That seemed to end the conversation, though not because it satisfied Imre to hear it. There was something more that he was worried about, and Natheniel wished he could¡¯ve asked about it and been given any sort of real answer¡­


    ¡­


    It had been a day since Lydia announced her news to Imre, and had declared it at dinner that evening to the rest of the council. No one seemed to share or voice the same concerns as Imre, maybe out of ignorance of the matter, and they all went about the rest of their day as if nothing was different. Natheniel had wandered into the garden to pass the time.


    He¡¯d simply picked up a stick and started swinging it around. Ihu was perched on the tree beside him; they always stayed by him, so he wasn¡¯t worried that they¡¯d fly away. He¡¯d be more worried if they got lost¡ªit wouldn¡¯t be the first time that someone mistook them for a bird that should be outside, or looked over them completely due to their small size.


    Natheniel only realized other people were in the garden when he heard his name. They were unaware of him, since he learned a few years later that they would never talk about such things if they knew he was present.


    ¡°He isn¡¯t being thrown out there,¡± Imre reinstated firmly. ¡°He isn¡¯t even thirteen yet. There¡¯s still a lot he needs to learn¡­¡±


    ¡°Age isn¡¯t a factor,¡± Kiah remarked bluntly. ¡°We¡¯ve been losing people all over the kingdom to the Ski¨¢. The kid¡¯s our one chance at saving everything¡ªwith him, everything can be over before anyone else needs to get hurt. Isn¡¯t that the whole reason he¡¯s here?¡±


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    ¡°He¡¯s still my son¡ª¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re risking everything else to keep him here. Shouldn¡¯t we actually make the risk worth taking?¡±


    ¡°Kiah, please. Imre has a point here; he¡¯s not going to be ready to stand against them.¡± Samone had to be the calmest of the three, simply stating what she clearly believed to be the truth. ¡°I¡¯ll be the first to say it, I¡¯m impressed by how far he¡¯s come along in the past few years, but he¡¯s not ready for this.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not getting Natheniel. You¡¯re going to have to figure out how to hold out a little longer.¡± It sounded like Imre was beginning to walk away, but something must have stopped him; Natheniel wasn¡¯t confident enough to move to a position where he could see them, knowing that they¡¯d likely be able to see him too.


    ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean we can¡¯t supply an extra pair of hands,¡± Samone added thoughtfully. ¡°If you had someone to handle part of the backend work, then more of your soldiers can work on actually defending. Tavin would be a nice fit for a role like that; in a few more years he¡¯d know enough to teach half the classes at Missa-Sidyn, and he already spends a lot of time organizing the library. As long as it¡¯s a gradual change, I¡¯m sure he''ll adjust to the job well.¡±


    ¡°Here I thought you¡¯d stick with Imre through and through on this.¡± Kiah sounded impressed, and he could imagine her smirking. ¡°You¡¯re even helping me out.¡±


    Imre sighed. ¡°Lydia wouldn¡¯t mind it, but still¡­¡± The fact that it sounded like he was agreeing with the idea made Natheniel furious.


    Even Zofie would admit that he was improving! Kiah said that he could save them! So why didn¡¯t they want him out there? He would be able to hold his own in a fight; he could blast a bad guy away with his magic, cut down anyone who got too close with his sword. He was strong enough to do it! Being able to help his guardians and make them happy was what he wanted most, but he couldn¡¯t do that if they never gave him the chance. And who was the one to get that chance instead of him? Tavin, the one who seemed so talentless that his only redeeming quality was his smarts and his ability to dodge everything! Why did it feel like there was some unspoken rule that meant he got to get everything that Natheniel wanted, as if everyone¡¯s goal was to spite him?


    He was forced out of his thoughts when he saw Ihu fly past him. The bird, as if only now seeing the familiar faces nearby and deciding to greet them, flew in the direction of the adults and let out a happy little chirp.


    ¡°Is Natheniel around here somewhere, then?¡± Imre sounded concerned, almost. ¡°Ihu wouldn¡¯t be here by themself, and they wouldn¡¯t just fly out of an open window either¡­¡±


    To keep himself from getting caught, Natheniel carefully went a little further into the garden. It must¡¯ve worked, because they just gave the obvious areas a quick glance without really making it look like it mattered if he was there or not. When they left and took Ihu inside, he followed after a minute. He slipped into the servant¡¯s hallways to get into his room first, safely getting there before any of them came.


    When he heard the birdsong, he opened his door and whistled; Ihu flew to his shoulder, and he explained to Samone¡ªwho¡¯d been the one to find him and bring his bird back, it seems¡ªthat he¡¯d forgotten to call then when he left earlier that morning, so they must¡¯ve stayed in the garden until then. She may not have believed it, but she didn¡¯t question him further.


    ¡°Don¡¯t do that again!¡± Natheniel hissed after he¡¯d shut his door again. Ihu gave a single tweet that seemed more defiant than remorseful. ¡°That¡¯s it, you¡¯re not getting anything for dessert.¡± He almost regretted it, with the sad look they were giving him.


    He let them off on their perch and went over to his bed. ¡°What part of that¡­ do you think they didn¡¯t want me to hear?¡± It was a quiet question, but he always felt better saying those kinds of things out loud. For some reason it just made him feel like something was listening, whether that ¡°something¡± was Ihu or even his own shadow. ¡°Besides the fact that they¡¯re gonna let Tavin do what Imre won¡¯t let me do.¡±


    Instinctively, he touched his feather necklace. The gift seemed to be a reminder of their love for him. There was something about it that felt comforting, like it kept the darkness away. But it wasn¡¯t something that he was believing in right now. He could never understand what they truly wanted for him. How could he, when they never made any mention of it and seemed to allow the same things to other people?


    What compelled him to solemnly take it off was something he didn¡¯t think to justify. He just thought, ¡°What if I didn¡¯t have to follow all their orders?¡± It was arguably the most dangerous thought he¡¯d ever have.


    Natheniel didn¡¯t come down for dinner, instead feigning sleep; his feather necklace was hidden away in a box under his bed, safe from anyone noticing it. By the time he heard Lydia¡¯s voice across the hall announcing her departure to her son, he was already almost asleep. There was some sort of commotion that happened a little while later, but he truly fell asleep without even questioning what was causing all the fuss.

 Departure: Part IV

    Natheniel had awoken from a nightmare and, only half-acknowledging why he thought it would make a difference, put his feather necklace on the next morning. At breakfast, he learned the reason for the commotion that night, too: Tavin got sick¡­ which wasn¡¯t strange because it happened, but that they cared that much about it. At least that meant he was allowed to be in ignorance for a little longer than the rest of them, when they were told what else had happened that night.


    The Stone Estate had been the site of a massacre, Ski¨¢ sparing only Elena¡¯s adoptive children and some servants. It wasn¡¯t a fact withheld however, though. After a couple of days Imre talked with Tavin¡ªabout what had happened, who wasn¡¯t coming back, and their plans for a future without her.


    Two months have gone by since then, and Lelishara began to fill up with visitors and rumors thanks to the coming Lantern Festival. Even Kiah, who was usually so gruff and blunt, grew a little sentimental around this time; of course, growing up following the traditions and understanding the solemn truth of the event certainly helped.


    That sense of sentimentality, though, did not mean that she was any nicer during training. One would think when your opponent was someone almost half your height and a little over three times your age, they¡¯d be easy to beat. This imaginary person had never met Kiah, nor would they enjoy getting to know her.


    She was born and partially raised in one of the goblin and fairy provinces in Qizar; he¡¯d never learned for certain what had happened, though eventually she found her way to Seothia. The late King Casper took an interest in her and appointed her as a royal guard, where she then moved up the ranks until Imre made her commander of the entire army. Now she was also in charge of Natheniel¡¯s sword training, much like how Zofie taught him magic.


    ¡°You could be a little less predictable than that,¡± Kiah remarked dully. ¡°Give a good fight or else I might need to show a specific little birdie where it¡¯s supposed to be.¡± From their spot beside Tavin, Ihu chirped and hid behind him.


    Natheniel knew better than to let her mess with him, but they both knew he couldn¡¯t help but get annoyed when she made threats like that. Taking Ihu away from him¡ªor suggesting doing so¡ªmight as well be like provoking a wild animal. Likewise, him falling for the act was like he was giving Kiah all the more reason to continue doing it. Whatever he tried to do, she just dodged and countered. It didn¡¯t help that Tavin was now feeling well enough to be cynical as if he could¡¯ve done any better.


    ¡°Your form isn¡¯t even right,¡± the younger remarked. ¡°You¡¯re leaving yourself vulnerable to almost everything, except for what¡¯s right in front of you.¡± To prove his point, he picked up a pebble and tossed it at Natheniel, resulting in him messing up his attempt to hit Kiah.


    ¡°If you¡¯re so smart, why don¡¯t you do this for once?¡± he shot back. ¡°I¡¯d like to see you try to do this!¡±


    ¡°Hey, unlike you, I don¡¯t have permission to beat him up,¡± Kiah pointed out half-mockingly. It was normal for her, so neither of them took offense to what she said next. ¡°All that matters is that he can dodge attacks and call for help. Anyone who wants to get to him¡¯s gotta get through you anyway, and someone¡¯s gotta be the future king''s cannon fodder. Plus, need I remind you that Lydia never dismounted horses, she fell off of them.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not my fault the odds were against him the moment he was born,¡± Natheniel remarked indifferently. ¡°I¡¯m over here getting the worst kind of special treatment!¡±


    ¡°Not everyone is meant for fighting,¡± Tavin reasoned calmly. ¡°If we all were, there wouldn¡¯t be such a thing as peace¡ªwe¡¯d be too busy slitting each other¡¯s throats to show off our power. We¡¯re able to enjoy the moderately peaceful life we have because there¡¯s people that wouldn¡¯t survive in a fight¡­ people who can¡¯t be replaced.¡±


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    There were several things Natheniel thought of that he only wished he could say aloud. The point was, though, that it was something to mention at a later date. He tried his best to please the adults, and arguing with Tavin right in front of one of them definitely wouldn¡¯t be a good display of that. Not like they weren¡¯t already aware of the conflict, but he could always pretend.


    Kiah looked between the two, barely paying attention to Ihu fluttering up to Natheniel¡¯s shoulder, seemingly recognizing that they were done. ¡°Usually I¡¯d just send the two of you home by yourselves, but Imre told me not to do that, so¡­ I¡¯ll go spell a bird with a note telling them to send someone to pick you up, and the two of you can clean up here until then. You should both know where everything goes.¡± She gave a dismissive wave and left.


    It only took a minute after for Natheniel to see a hawk bearing the Seothian crest flying out from the window of the fort. Ihu gave their bigger cousin a friendly chirp as it passed.


    He started working on putting the training supplies away. ¡°Are you gonna help or just sit there? She said us, not just me.¡±


    ¡°Easier said than done, dreamer,¡± Tavin sighed as he got up.


    They both knew that Kiah was watching so they pretended to get along. But at least they got something done, ready to go by the time they heard Samone¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Coming with us?¡±


    Kiah shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ve still got a lot of work to do. But I¡¯ll meet you guys at the river when I¡¯m done.¡±


    Samone then went over to the boys. ¡°Ready to head back to the castle?¡±


    They both nodded and followed her, keeping away the silence by discussing the upcoming festival.


    As time moved on past that moment, Lelishara slowly started coming alive for the festival. To a lot of Seothians, it was the most impressive thing they¡¯d seen all year; the streets donned bright banners and lights and in a couple more hours the river beside the city would be filled with lanterns. Natheniel, who had been to Qizar during several of these types of events, knew it wasn¡¯t anything fancy. The two kingdoms might have had somewhat different ways of celebrating, but one thing was consistent: the liveness in the streets, soon to be broken by solemn tradition when they all went to the river.


    Natheniel had been forced to carry a lantern even though he held no feelings for who it belonged to. Each of these lanterns was supposed to represent someone dead or lost (whether literally or metaphorically), traveling down the river into the Lake, where they were burned by special Qizarn priests. The light they brought as they went there was like a call to the living and well to worship, and the smoke was said to reach the heavens where the gods then helped the families involved or the person themself, depending on the wish.


    He never saw the point in it, besides to make the people who cared feel better, since he could swear that almost everyone here was just going through the motions. Really, the gods probably didn¡¯t even exist in the first place, and, if they did, why would they care about a bunch of mortals?


    Then again he never had anyone to dedicate a lantern to, and he was too ignorant to see it through the eyes of someone who did. Everyone else in the castle seemed to have someone they put a lantern out for; Imre for the Forgotten Light and he and Dimas to their late parents, Samone to her father, Kiah to an old friend, Domenique¡ªthough celebrating from Qizar¡ªto the Forgotten Light, and even Tavin now held one for his mother, uncle, and aunt. There was no one that Natheniel called close that was gone, nor would there be. He couldn¡¯t even imagine being in a situation like that, let alone one day spark such an impact that the rivers would be full with his name, just as they were with Lydia¡¯s this year.


    All together, as the last ray of sunlight disappeared behind the horizon, an uncountable amount of lanterns touched the water. And, in near perfect unison, everyone who¡¯d been at the capital for the event muttered the phrase almost everyone knew, ¡°Bore¨ª to fos na se vrei.¡±


    May the light find you.


    Nothing better could¡¯ve illustrated the sense of unity that came from it, and honestly it was the only impactful feeling he ever experienced during these festivals.


    Everyone stayed for a moment longer, watching their lanterns float east to where its destination was. Slowly people began dispersing, some falling into a mournful conversation about who the lanterns belonged to. There were several names that he recognized, and a lot more still that he didn¡¯t.

 Departure: Part V

    Time didn¡¯t stop for anyone. If he had known about what was going to happen, then he would¡¯ve spent this time being better; he wouldn¡¯t have argued with Tavin, or teased Philyra, or caused the others so much trouble.


    Two years after Lydia¡¯s death, Tavin was officially recruited as part of the army. It was just paperwork, like Samone had suggested, but it was still more of a position than Natheniel could ever hope for. Honestly, they never really got along¡­ and it certainly didn¡¯t change as time went on. If anything had happened over the three years after that, it did nothing but make things worse.


    Yet still Kiah found it a good idea to make them work together, and with Philyra thrown in there for the hell of it. Natheniel didn¡¯t listen to half of Tavin¡¯s briefing, up until the point where the younger realized he wasn¡¯t listening.


    ¡°If you want to get yourself killed, dreamer, you¡¯re doing an awfully good job at it,¡± Tavin remarked dully.


    ¡°Well, excuse me if this obviously isn¡¯t anything important,¡± Natheniel retorted. ¡°For one, you¡¯re in charge of something that¡¯s definitely not cleaning the library or sorting documents. You suck at doing everything but that. Second of all, Philyra¡¯s here, and we both know Zofie¡¯s a liiitle too overprotective of her most favorite most talented daughter ever. She also sucks at everything but playing the piano.¡±


    ¡°Well, trust me, if Step-Father hadn¡¯t told me to bring you along, you would be at the castle right now complaining that you don¡¯t get to do anything!¡± There was some odd sort of pleasure that came from knowing that Tavin wouldn¡¯t be able to fight back in any way except for with words. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll survive with being a moderately decent human being for a couple of hours.¡±


    ¡°Can you do this some other time?¡± Philyra sighed. She was getting uncomfortable with the growing noise but, after all the exposure, had learned to hide it much better than before.


    ¡°What does this have to do with me?¡± Natheniel questioned. There was something specific about the decision, and honestly not being told of it earlier bugged him more than actually needing to go.


    ¡°More than you know, dreamer,¡± was Tavin¡¯s only response on the matter before moving on. ¡°Our job shouldn¡¯t be hard and, if all goes well, it won¡¯t take long, either. All we have to do is stay along for the ride, then the rest is all up to the army. Not only are we much more short-handed than usual, we¡¯re also the least obvious candidates.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re the two princes of Seothia and the princess of Qizar,¡± Natheniel remarked dryly. ¡°Remind me how we¡¯re not obvious, again?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s just say that who we¡®ll be coming across aren¡¯t quite living¡­ they¡¯re nothing more than dangerous husks obeying orders.¡± There wasn¡¯t a hint of compassion in his tone. Whatever it was, there was no doubt that it wasn¡¯t human¡ªNatheniel was almost ashamed that he didn¡¯t figure out why sooner when he had enough evidence to hazard a guess.


    They went over a little bit more information, including where they¡¯d go afterward, before they set off. The ship they were supposed to board would only be stopping once before their destination, and that stop was only a few minutes away by the time they got there.


    It was a rushed entrance. He wasn¡¯t even sure how they got in without being spotted, or what the people they were hiding from looked like. They were able to find a place where they wouldn¡¯t be seen unless someone was looking for them, and it was clear that Tavin was relieved that everything so far was going smoothly.


    Natheniel had, of course, still brought Ihu along with them. The little songbird didn¡¯t make a sound, perfectly content with the pats that they got. There wasn¡¯t a point to leaving them in someone else¡¯s care if they behaved nicely, and he had a feeling that they might contribute to the plan somehow.


    Tavin had been shifting through the cargo for a while, though was still quiet enough as to not alert anyone that they were there. A conversation was going on above them, which no one paid too much attention to until its abrupt change from talking about the weather.


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    ¡°There¡¯s a Xypnima ¨®neiro among us¡­¡± one of the people said. ¡°I can sense one of our own¡­¡±


    ¡°Hidden away,¡± a voice mumbled.


    ¡°Being swallowed,¡± another agreed.


    ¡°In the darkest parts of the light,¡± a third chimed in.


    ¡°Dammit.¡± Tavin didn¡¯t even bother to hide it, all the relief that he had moments before turning into a slight panic. ¡°Change of plans. We¡¯re heading back to the stronghold and meeting up with Domenique a little early. We definitely can¡¯t stay here.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t until the boat stopped that Natheniel realized the trouble they were in. He still didn¡¯t understand what made these people so dangerous; maybe part of the reason he felt like he did was because Ihu no longer looked comfortable, instead a little anxious as they nestled closer to his neck.


    He decided not to argue with Tavin taking charge at that moment, recognizing it was better to simply listen to the younger prince. There¡¯d be a time to assert that he was the oldest out of all of them later, when they weren¡¯t right below the footsteps of what felt like a hundred men.


    They¡¯d moved from their spot near the cargo and moved a little closer to the ladder leading to the upper deck, somehow lucky enough that no one had gone down to look for them yet. It sounded like everyone was too busy doing something above them, as if they couldn¡¯t really tell where exactly this ¡°Zypnima ¨®neiro¡± was.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to need Ihu,¡± Tavin told Natheniel quietly, ¡°and your feather necklace.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± The feather necklace he could have, perhaps, parted with; it was Ihu that he didn¡¯t want to leave.


    ¡°If you¡¯d listened to me earlier then you would know why,¡± was Tavin¡¯s simple answer. He held out his hand, and Ihu willingly jumped onto it. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about Ihu, you¡¯ll get them back safe and sound. All they need to do is carry the necklace in the opposite direction. Those things up there won¡¯t pay attention to us if they think what they want isn¡¯t with us. I doubt they even see us as much as they sense it.¡±


    That made just about the least amount of sense out of any of it, but it wasn¡¯t worth questioning now. Natheniel carefully took off his feather necklace for only the second time upon receiving it, and gently hung it on Ihu¡¯s neck.


    Tavin gave him a thankful nod before climbing just high enough on the ladder in order to push open the hatch. It was only big enough for Ihu, and that seemed to be the plan as he then whistled the bird call Kiah had taught both princes; at the sound of it, Ihu flew out of his hand and above deck.


    There was a mix of ¡°Bird!¡± and ¡°The Zypnima ¨®neiro can shapeshift?!¡± immediately followed by the sound of everyone getting off the ship. Once it seemed to have died down, Tavin led the way up with Natheniel and Philyra close beside him. As soon as they were off board, they didn¡¯t stop until they could see the stronghold.


    Domenique was, of course, surprised to see them when they came in. She was even more surprised to see Natheniel without his bird or feather necklace¡ªpouting a little more than usual because of it¡ªand gently prompting, ¡°Did something go wrong?¡±


    ¡°A specific someone caught their attention,¡± Tavin answered. He didn¡¯t sound too surprised. ¡°It wasn¡¯t something we weren¡¯t prepared for, though. Nothing happens without a reason.¡±


    ¡°Please look out for Ihu,¡± Natheniel added, almost desperate. He wasn¡¯t worried that they wouldn¡¯t be able to find him; they always found him before, so this time wouldn¡¯t be any different. What he was worried about was whether they were safe or not.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell the guards to be on the lookout,¡± Domenique offered. She seemed to have specifically looked between Natheniel and Tavin before asking, ¡°You¡¯re all alright?¡±


    ¡°As fine as we can be, I think,¡± Tavin sighed. Maybe it was the lighting, but he looked a bit paler than he had before the mission.


    She handed him a piece of paper and a quill. ¡°Write down what happened while I get you something to eat. Once that¡¯s sent you can rest.¡± When he nodded and took it, she left.


    Philyra waited a little while longer before making herself known again. ¡°The Waking Dream. I hope you weren¡¯t expecting me to not catch that part, Tavin.¡±


    ¡°You knew what was there,¡± Tavin replied. ¡°Just us and a couple dozen Ski¨¢.¡±


    ¡°So, what was supposed to happen?¡± Natheniel asked. ¡°Because I doubt whatever that was was supposed to be part of the plan.¡±


    Tavin shook his head. His answer both answered his step-brother¡¯s question and raised so many more questions. ¡°We were looking for their heart. Even if we don¡¯t have any of it now, we know that they don¡¯t know where it is either¡­ they¡¯re just as desperate as we are.¡±

 Departure: Part VS

    Natheniel went along with Tavin to Missa-Sidyn for one reason: to try to flirt with the cute college girls. Well, technically he was there for tutoring, but he liked to pretend that no one knew that part¡­ no matter how obvious it was, especially when it also involved sitting in on his own brother¡¯s lectures. At least they let Ihu in (after they realized it was the only way he was going to stay there, that is).


    Tavin¡¯s tendency of fidgeting did him well here; the mindless messing with the edge of his shirt became broad gestures with so many people looking. And despite his preference for small groups and the company of books, he was a good public speaker.


    ¡°When a spirit attaches themself to a person, they gain a part of the spirit. Take those with Saint-King Lucas¡¯s spirit, for example; they¡¯re often noted to have his sense of charisma or recklessness. Beyond their notable similarities, there are other preferences. Statistically speaking, almost all of the people with Saint-King Lucas¡¯s spirit preferred homemade pastries and most ended up marrying a redhead.¡± There was a brief pause before he declared, ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a couple of minutes.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t long after he left that the room filled with mumbling.


    ¡°What was that about?¡±


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s just another one of those dizzy spells. Happens all the time, from the sounds of it.¡±


    ¡°Is it just me or are they getting more frequent recently?¡±


    ¡°Who cares? We¡¯ve got all this time to ourselves!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a little inconsiderate¡­¡±


    Natheniel shrugged, making himself known among them. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Give it a couple of minutes and he¡¯ll be back.¡± He thought for a moment. ¡°Or he realizes he should¡¯ve stayed home.¡±


    The comment got mixed responses.


    ¡°My papa said it was admirable to come into work no matter what.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but for someone like him, is it worth the risk?¡±


    ¡°If he¡¯d stayed home I could¡¯ve worked on that essay a little longer¡­¡±


    ¡°You know, he¡¯s younger than any of us. This is a lot for us, imagine what he has to do.¡±


    ¡°So? He was the one to sign up for this.¡±


    Natheniel just listened to them. Then he sighed, got up, and mumbled to whoever cared to listen, ¡°I¡¯ll see if he¡¯s alright.¡± For the few that heard him and acknowledged it, he gained at least one admirable glance. They wouldn¡¯t be doing that if they knew everything else the brothers did away from the general public.


    Natheniel wandered through the halls, gave a lazy excuse to anyone who asked, and finally stopped at what had been declared Tavin¡¯s office. He made no intention of knocking and simply let himself in, to the apparent chagrin of the younger.


    ¡°You¡¯re part of the problem, dreamer,¡± Tavin mumbled. ¡°Go away.¡±


    For the most part, Natheniel chose to ignore him. ¡°I wish I could¡¯ve been the one to say it so I can say I told you so, but I wasn¡¯t. So, Dimas told you so.¡±


    ¡°I felt fine up until now¡­¡±


    ¡°Really? Because at this point, I pretty much expect it. Either you¡¯re going to be doing something important or I¡¯m getting attention for once, then, just like that, you¡¯re right back in the spotlight and I¡¯m thrown away.¡±


    ¡°Are you really trying to make this about you? After¡ª¡±


    ¡°After what? What else could I have possibly done?¡±


    Tavin went silent and, after a moment, changed the subject entirely. ¡°Can you go back to the castle and tell Step-Father to come here? Unless this gets any better, I¡¯m going to leave, so I need to let everyone else know¡­¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°I don¡¯t get it. Why does he get to be so damn special?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re hurting my feelings,¡± Kiah joked as she stepped out of the way of his sword. ¡°I¡¯m giving you the special treatment over here and you don¡¯t even appreciate it.¡± She tried making a jab at him, but he dodged. ¡°Really, though, believe it or not, I have work to do. I¡¯m going out of my way to let you blow off some steam.¡±


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    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t even be here if they hadn¡¯t decided I wasn¡¯t even worth keeping around!¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ve got more important crap to worry about. Like your brother that¡¯s going to work himself to death before he¡¯s twenty.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not helping, Kiah.¡±


    She laughed. ¡°Look, I¡¯d suggest you get in a bar fight to make yourself feel better but you¡¯re a little too young for that. You¡¯re stuck with me and sword training for another three years.¡±


    He stopped mid-swing and lowered his sword completely to ask, ¡°Do you know why they never want me around?¡±


    ¡°How the hell am I supposed to know? I¡¯m not Tavin.¡±


    ¡°You know that¡¯s not what I asked.¡±


    ¡°Alright, fine, yes. But you¡¯re not getting any more out of me.¡± More quietly, she mumbled, ¡°That¡¯s a conversation for your fathers¡­¡±


    ¡°Why are you never going to tell me anything?¡±


    She glanced at his sword, picking up on his more subtle signs of irritation. ¡°Okay, maybe it¡¯s time to relax¡­¡±


    ¡°What other important things are you going to make sure I never know?¡± He¡¯d lunged, he knew, but he hadn¡¯t thought about it; all his thoughts blurred together until they didn¡¯t really exist at all.


    He didn¡¯t realize what he did until he heard Ihu¡¯s distressed chirp. Then he noticed the cut on Kiah¡¯s cheek.


    ¡°I did that?¡± He dropped his sword and staggered back. ¡°Gods, I¡ªI didn¡¯t think¡ªI didn¡¯t mean¡ª¡°


    ¡°Calm down, I¡¯m fine,¡± she said quickly. ¡°I know it looks bad, but it¡¯s fine, really!¡±


    ¡°I think I screwed up. You never sound like that.¡±


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t want you to think that this was something you could control so I¡ª¡± She stopped and took a deep breath. ¡°Look, let me see if I can get someone to pick you up.¡±


    All he could do was wait in silence for her to return. Kiah came back and announced that he was able to return to the castle, but more surprisingly that she was going to go with him. She admitted on the way there, though, that it was for more than just taking advantage of Dimas¡¯s magic¡ªshe was going to try to talk them into actually explaining things to him.


    She¡¯d also told him not to listen in case he heard something he wasn¡¯t supposed to but, really, she shouldn¡¯t have expected that to work. Natheniel pretended to go to his room long enough for the adults to get comfortable, then he crept as close as he dared to the door. He only got slightly ashamed when Ihu gave a disappointed chirp, but that feeling was gone as soon as he offered them a few treats to keep quiet.


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen you do impressive stuff with that, so do you think you can just make sure it doesn¡¯t scar?¡± That was Kiah, back to the uncaring tone. It was comforting, in a way, being what he was most used to.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been helping Tavin all afternoon,¡± Dimas sighed. ¡°All I want to do is rest, then you come in here with a bloody cheek¡­¡±


    ¡°Zofie is your sister. Her twin protection instincts are nothing compared to what Mom¡¯ll do next time I visit and she sees it.¡±


    Then there was Imre¡¯s voice, cold and distant. ¡°You said¡­ it was Natheniel?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but only because of all the crap you¡¯ve been keeping from him is starting to add up,¡± Kiah responded simply. ¡°He needs answers. Especially with his feather necklace gone, don¡¯t you think he should know the kind of power he has?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not ready¡­¡±


    ¡°But if he doesn¡¯t know what he has, then how the hell is he supposed to know how to control it?¡±


    ¡°I said he¡¯s not¡ª¡±


    ¡°Be honest, Imre. Were any of us ready for the shit we¡¯ve had to put up with?¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t make me any more willing to subject my son to it!¡±


    ¡°I think you¡¯re forgetting which one of us was in the closest spot to his situation. I know I¡¯d be no better than he was if I was never told what was going on.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve also been a borderline alcoholic since before I met you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s going to be the least of your problems if you don¡¯t talk to him. He¡¯s got your self-destructive attitude. Do you even have an idea of what you¡¯re doing to him?¡±


    ¡°I¡ª¡±


    ¡°The longer we keep him in the dark, the more we¡¯re risking. If you keep dancing around the truth, it¡¯s only going to make things worse. You don¡¯t have anything else to lose by talking to him. You¡¯ve already lost his trust.¡±


    Then Samone¡¯s voice cut through the growing tension. ¡°I¡¯d hate to interrupt your argument, but I have another question that¡¯s worth just as much consideration. Given he¡¯s doing exactly what we thought he would without the feather necklace, are we still going to drop him off in Qizar next week?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ actually a good point,¡± Dimas remarked. ¡°We can¡¯t risk him accidentally hurting Zofie or, gods forbid, Philyra.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have a choice,¡± Imre sighed. ¡°I have to talk to Lady Enuolare and Lustris. Even if we tell him, at least Muriel¡¯s going to be there¡ªjust as much as we can¡¯t risk him hurting anyone, we shouldn¡¯t try to find out what happens when two dreamers are together. Kiah and Samone will be busy trying to figure out where the crystal is and if we can take it back. Let¡¯s just¡­ see how it goes. Tavin will be there, and so will Dimas and Domenique if anything happens.¡±


    ¡°What about telling him?¡± Kiah prompted. ¡°Don¡¯t you think that might help?¡±


    ¡°I need to think about it, but you know how I can¡¯t make promises.¡±

 Departure: Part VI

    It happened again; his mind went blank and he did something he didn¡¯t mean to. Except this was worse. Way, way worse. He nearly killed her. The only reason she was still alive at all was because of magic.


    All he could think about was what they must¡¯ve been thinking behind their cool exteriors. They must¡¯ve hated him¡ªwanted nothing to do with them. They had to. Why else would they make him stay for dinner, make it sound like nothing major happened at all? He¡¯d screwed up and nearly destroyed everything they¡¯d worked towards for longer than he¡¯d been alive. There was no coming back from this.


    ¡°Any news from Qizar?¡± Samone prompted. She didn¡¯t sound like she cared, but the smell of smoke was impossible to hide at this point.


    ¡°She¡¯s awake now, at least,¡± Imre sighed. ¡°Tavin was able to talk with her before he had to go and it sounds like she¡¯s doing fine. Maybe he won¡¯t be so worried when he comes back¡­¡±


    ¡°The Andreas are a lot tougher than they look,¡± Kiah remarked, ¡°she¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    It was at that point something else became the center of attention. Imre¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°Natheniel, you haven¡¯t eaten anything.¡±


    Under the table, Natheniel was picking at a scab on his hand. He didn¡¯t care if it hurt or bled again. It was nothing compared to what he did to her. ¡°I¡¯m not hungry.¡±


    ¡°At least try,¡± Imre urged. His concern was lost in the boy, however¡ªit warped into mocking, a sign of their hidden hatred. ¡°You¡¯ve hardly eaten since you came back from Qizar¡­¡±


    Natheniel¡¯s response was mumbles. He felt sick looking at it. He must¡¯ve gotten paler, too, because Samone reached across to put a hand on his shoulder; he flinched at the contact.


    She looked between him and Imre when she pulled her hand away again. ¡°I think it¡¯s time you tell him, Nokae.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d really rather have Dimas here¡­¡± Imre mumbled.


    ¡°Better now than never,¡± Kiah pointed out. ¡°I mean, this really should¡¯ve been done already.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to tell me.¡± Natheniel abruptly got up. ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me to leave. I¡¯ll do it myself.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡ª¡°


    But he was already gone, marching up to his room with a solemn kind of finality. He wouldn¡¯t let himself believe that they wanted him. There was no way they did. His mind had turned against him and made sure everything else seemed to, too.


    No one would notice if he left. They never cared from the start and they definitely weren¡¯t going to start now. He went to his room and waited for the moment he was told to leave; the knocking made him work faster, the desperate calls became jeers and threats, and the attempt of entry was greeted with a small spell.


    The brief silence pressured him even more. He gathered a change of clothes and some snacks lying around his room. It didn¡¯t need to get him far. It just needed to get him far enough away that they couldn''t find him¡­ assuming they tried searching at all.


    Only for a moment was his resolve broken when he heard Ihu¡¯s confused chirp.


    Natheniel managed a small smile and patted them on the head. ¡°You¡¯ve got to stay here, buddy. They may hate me but they don¡¯t hate you. They¡¯ll make sure you¡¯re taken care of.¡± With the way they rubbed their head against his hand, he had to wonder if they actually understood what he was saying and what he was about to do. Another familiar voice¡ªone he hadn¡¯t heard in a long time¡ªcalled out at that moment, begging him to stay, but they¡¯d abandoned him before and he had no intentions of trusting them again.


    He couldn¡¯t leave through the door, someone was still banging against it; waiting for it to stop would mean risking not being able to leave. At this point, he¡¯d gone too far to back out. He slid the window open and, with the careful use of magic, got himself out of the castle and into the streets of Lelishara. He didn¡¯t look back when he heard his name. It was only a trick to get him to continue being in that living hell, torturing him by acting like nothing had ever changed.


    Things would never truly get back to normal, he thought, until he was gone completely.


    So he kept running, no matter what he heard behind him or what the familiar voice warned him of. He soon followed a new voice, one that got louder as the rest of the world faded away.


    ¡°So our story starts with Ekambar,


    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    A curious boy who sought to know the world


    Who soon, in the sky, whirled;


    Took up his father¡¯s wax and feather wings


    Without thinking of the trouble it brings


    Challenging himself to fly afar!¡±


    He slowed down when he reached the forest, no longer able to hear his pursuers.


    ¡°Disaster struck on the morrow;


    For his travels took him many places


    And, caught up in imaginary races,


    Failed to recognize the stranger


    That would soon, his family, endanger


    Oh! The coming sorrow!¡±


    A sense of serenity washed over him as he weaved through the trees.


    ¡°The days turned desperate¡ª


    For around him they fell,


    Finding their way to where Vriuh does dwell.


    He sought the world for a cure,


    Yet looked to find no more.


    Gave himself to the search with no respite.¡±


    The world went completely silent. His head was devoid of all thoughts beyond the call to find the voice.


    ¡°Soon he had little remaining,


    So again he went to seek


    What could change what turned so bleak.


    Faster! Faster, he flew,


    Up into the sky then into the ocean blue


    For his feathers gone and wax draining.¡±


    There was a patch of moonlight, now, by the river. He kept getting closer.


    ¡°Vriuh looked upon him, welcoming


    Until a messenger came from the Creator


    To Him, this boy was a traitor¡ª


    Betrayer of design, so he shall return;


    His soul, one that none shall mourn¡ª


    Eternal life and death was his sentencing.¡±


    A woman was sitting by the riverbed. She¡¯d been the source of the voice. She smiled at him, but the gesture held no comfort or warmth. ¡°What¡¯s a boy like you doing out here alone, I wonder?¡±


    ¡°I ran away. They didn¡¯t want me.¡± A part of him wondered what he was doing here. Still, he sat beside her. ¡°That song was about Ekambar, wasn¡¯t it? I haven¡¯t heard anything like that sung in Qizar, where¡¯d you learn it?¡±


    ¡°The phoenixes themselves taught it to me when I followed their migration after the death of my love,¡± she responded wistfully. To hear her have such an emotion¡­ he eased, figuring he shouldn¡¯t judge on appearances. Little did he know that he was doing exactly what she wanted him to: let his guard down. ¡°I believe it helps showcase Orestis¡¯s judgment, don¡¯t you think? The things He¡¯ll do for His plan and no one will ever question Him.¡±


    ¡°I wish anyone would listen to me like that,¡± he remarked with a laugh.


    ¡°What would you do if someone did?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d get my guardians to tell me what they¡¯re hiding. I mean, I used to listen to them. Now I figure if they don¡¯t trust me then I shouldn¡¯t trust them¡­ I just wish I knew why.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure? Some secrets are kept for good reasons, you know. The truth is often the hardest thing.¡±


    ¡°You sound like them. They used to make promises, saying we¡¯ll all go out into Lelishara or even just that we¡¯d all be there for dinner. I guess they finally realized there was no use in making them if they were never going to be kept.¡±


    She leaned forward to dip her fingers into the water. ¡°Nothing hurts more than an unfulfilled promise. I¡¯ve had more than a few myself, if I¡¯m being honest. I¡¯m sure you do, too, if you take the time to think about it.¡± She smiled, pulling her hand out and flicking the water in Natheniel¡¯s direction. ¡°What if I told you that I could make your wish come true?¡±


    His senses came back to him at that moment and he stood up and backed away. ¡°I¡¯d ask who you are.¡±


    She laughed. ¡°Don¡¯t ask questions you don¡¯t want an honest answer to, prince.¡±


    There were other noises in the distance again. She looked in the direction of the noise for a moment before turning her attention back to him. ¡°This only holds up as long as we¡¯re both willing to keep it that way. Do you think you can leave? That everything will be fine just because someone else gets to come between us? Remember what they¡¯re going to do to you. They aren¡¯t following you to help you. They want you dead.¡±


    ¡°How do you know that?¡± Conflicting thoughts kept running through his head; one voice assured him that she was right, while the other was desperately calling for him to get as far away from her as he could.


    ¡°Do you think I wouldn¡¯t recognize a fragment of my own creation?¡± Even as he got further away she followed, taking a step forward at every step he took back.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t have to worry. I¡¯m not going to kill you. You¡¯re far too valuable for that. No, instead you¡¯ll simply be keeping her company¡­ in a place where neither Orestis¡¯s light nor Vriuh¡¯s glow dare to shine.¡±


    The noises were getting louder, more recognizable voices now; Natheniel had the thought to call out to them, but it was already too late.


    The woman forced him against a tree and with a devilish grin asked, ¡°E¨ªsai ¨¦toimos na fygeis?¡±


    Are you ready to depart?

 Secrets of the Ley Lines: Book I- Chapter 1

    Everyone had their place of comfort; a place where they could rest, recover, and prepare for what the real world held for them. For some, that place was simply their home, wherever that home may be. For others, it was anywhere they could get a drink, somewhere they could hide from their responsibilities. They drowned their anxieties in different ways, whether it be by avoiding people or embracing bustling town life. If not just subconsciously, they knew a place that could give them solace. An instinct, one could call it.


    His special place was not at his home¡ªquite frankly a source of anxiety rather than a reliever of one¡ªnor in the midst of a crowd. It was far from any civilization, really, far enough away that it seemed no shadow of the capital could loom over him. He was the only one who knew the path well enough to move through it with ease.


    The lazy river¡¯s gurgling was the sign that he was there. He quietly dismounted, patting his horse and whispering a little thanks to her. This would be the only time he¡¯d be alone for a while, and who knows how long it would be until someone came to get him. The lines between light and shadow blurred after nightfall, allowing other creatures to roam the land.


    To anyone else, it wasn¡¯t a significant place at all. The river ran by, a miniature waterfall giving an ambiance he came to enjoy. Little sunlight was able to find its way through the leaves overhead, consequently making it cooler in the shade. Many creatures considered such atmospheres home, shown by the birds¡¯ playful banter, the rustling of foliage made by the deer, and the bright insects darting from one tree to another. It was simply another section of the forest, living peaceful lives away from the humans and their struggles. He mused what it must be like to be one of those animals¡­ observing history from the least important perspective, rather than living it as the one meant to make it.


    He took a handful of bread crumbs from his bag, sat down, then scattered them in front of him. It was only a moment of waiting before a phoenix swooped down from the branches to enjoy the free snack.


    ¡°You¡¯re about to burn out, aren¡¯t you?¡± His musing didn¡¯t bother it; in fact, it didn¡¯t seem to realize he was there at all. ¡°Soon you¡¯ll be swallowed up by what little flame still exists¡­ then you¡¯ll be reborn and experience the joys of living and the pain of being burned alive all over again.¡± He dared to move his hand a bit closer, patting its head as soon as he knew it wouldn¡¯t mind. ¡°How many times have you done it? How much longer do you need to stand as a sign of what happens to fools..?¡±


    As if responding to his mumbling, it gave a weak chirp. It ate a bit more until getting disturbed by something, giving a vain attempt of flying back up to its original position before settling to flee to the bushes.


    ¡°May you one day find peace, Ekambar. One day¡­ when you can finally join the rest of us in death.¡±


    The reason for the phoenix left was apparent soon enough, the rustling heralding the arrival of his not-so-subtle visitor.


    ¡°You¡¯ve figured out riding bareback is less conspicuous, I¡¯ll give you that. But it¡¯s still kinda obvious where you are when both you and a horse are missing, Imre.¡± Kiah and her mount fully emerged from the bushes. By physical evaluation alone, one would almost immediately assume her to be a regular goblin; she was short with barely shoulder-length, mossy green hair. The first thing that people would realize to suggest otherwise was the white-and-blue cloths and armor that designated her as a soldier in the Seothian army.


    More specifically, the poor soul in charge of being the prince¡¯s guard. His guard.


    ¡°I¡¯ve only just gotten here,¡± he tried reasonably. ¡°Can¡¯t I stay a little longer?¡±


    His attempts of gaining sympathy from her didn¡¯t work, however. ¡°Hell no! You¡¯ve already gotten me in trouble once today. The longer we stay here, the more worried Minne gets, and the less likely I¡¯m going to get paid for this. Come on.¡± She gestured back in the direction she came from, nodding to his horse. ¡°You know Lelishara¡¯s safer than out here once night falls.¡±


    ¡°Alright¡­¡± With a defeated sigh, he mounted. He started the horse off at a trot as she turned hers around, then they stayed as side-by-side as they could in the forest.


    ¡°You need to stop running off,¡± Kiah mumbled after a moment. There was a sliver of concern in it¡ªmore than just about her job. ¡°Especially when there¡¯s important stuff you¡¯re supposed to be a part of. Casper was waiting a whole half hour for you.¡±


    ¡°I have no reason to be there,¡± he pointed out quietly. ¡°It¡¯s about matters that will never concern me. Father will live long enough for my son to take the throne, skipping me entirely. Practically every other Seothian king did it; there¡¯s hardly anything that can be done to make this any different.¡±


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°Then forget the meeting part. You should be able to figure out when you shouldn¡¯t run off.¡± She gave a curt wave to their surroundings. ¡°In a forest, alone, unarmed, and nearly dark. You¡¯re lucky I¡¯ve been with you long enough to know where you were. No one else would¡¯ve been able to find you in time if something had happened.¡± She paused. ¡°I¡¯d be impressed by your ability to find the most out-of-the-way places to get away with people if it wasn¡¯t so damn annoying.¡±


    Imre didn¡¯t respond. He followed her lead all the way back to the capital, mourning the loss of solitude. The city was rather busy, for a place with only a handful of permanent residents, though the only ones who seemed to notice them was the occasional soldier. He only started to truly feel all the eyes on him when they¡¯d put their horses in the care of a servant and actually entered the castle.


    He knew he looked like he was sulking. His head was down, trailing behind Kiah without saying a word. He didn¡¯t pay much attention to his surroundings, which ultimately led to him almost falling over from the full weight of a sixteen-year-old.


    ¡°Oh, Lydia.¡± Kiah stopped and turned around, but showed no interest in helping the prince.


    ¡°Enn! Please get off of me!¡± Imre made a conscious effort not to simply shove her off. He was able to move enough to actually see her before asking, ¡°What do you want..?¡±


    Lydia, from the looks of it, seemed to have arrived shortly before they did. Her shoulder-length, messy black hair was still tied up in the ponytail she put it in for riding; her red sundress was still covered by a rose gold jacket. She smiled innocently as she told him, ¡°You looked all gloomy, I thought I¡¯d try to fix it. Also I came to tell you that Casper¡¯s got something really important to tell us.¡±


    That¡­ didn¡¯t sound reassuring. It made him wonder if he¡¯d gotten in trouble for something. He glanced at Kiah¡ªshe would know if there was anything to worry about. She either didn¡¯t know or wasn¡¯t going to say anything, because she maintained the same indifferent expression.


    ¡°Lead the way, then,¡± Imre decided. He appeared a little more attentive at the thought of doing something wrong, close to a self-defense mechanism to try to garner at least some sort of leniency.


    Lydia turned around and guided them to the dining room. She didn¡¯t give any regard to the conversation that was presumably going on, simply shoving the doors open and going to her own seat¡­ or rather, one that she¡¯d claimed after realizing that it had no proper owner.


    The room itself was simple: a long table took up the majority of it, with twenty-one seats total. The one at the very end, of course, belonged to the king. On the right side of that chair would be his wife¡¯s seat, and the left the next in line. A chair beside either one was reserved specifically for other family members. Ten were used for the members of the council and the remaining were generally reserved for region overseers.


    Minne was at the king¡¯s right hand, greeting the three of them with a warm smile. Anyone, from a glance, would be hard-pressed to find any similarities between him and her aside from complexion; the only thing that proved a familial bond between them was their same leafy green eyes. Nothing was done to her apple-red hair, simply allowed to fall naturally over her shoulders and down her back. Despite a simpler dress, the love the king had for her was clear.


    Sitting in the spot of the Court Magister, observing a pink rose with a rather bored expression, was Samone. Her muted pink hair was separated into pigtails, the side of her bangs nearly covering one of her eyes. She had on a perfect dress for the summer weather, a mix of different shades of pink and decorated with rose gold jewelry. Even from here he could smell the rose scent¡ªsomething that would¡¯ve been pleasant, perhaps, if they didn¡¯t all know what it hid.


    Finally, occupying a seat beside the prince¡¯s, was Dimas. He was the only one wearing long sleeves, though for somewhat troubling reasons; it hid plenty of scars and reminders of a home life that only recently improved. His short ash-blond hair was curly enough it was hard to tell if he¡¯d done anything with it at all.


    Lydia wandered to an empty seat close to the others, without consideration towards who was meant to sit there. Kiah respectfully stayed by the door, even if no one would¡¯ve minded if she joined them. Imre went to his place as the prince, welcomed by Dimas¡¯s smile. He felt like there was someone else who should¡¯ve greeted him, yet her name, face, and smile was lost on him.


    ¡°Father¡¯s not here yet,¡± Imre observed.


    ¡°He needed to take care of something first.¡± Minne was talking to all of them then, though it wasn¡¯t obvious until she continued. ¡°I can tell you know that you¡¯ll be going on a little trip. But that¡¯s nothing new for the five of you, so I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I can¡¯t wait,¡± Samone remarked sarcastically. ¡°I always love dropping everything at a drop of a hat to go do something completely worthless in the end.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not worthless,¡± Lydia mumbled with a frown. ¡°How come we¡¯ve done this for two years and you still haven¡¯t found a single thing you like about it?¡±


    Dimas tried, and ultimately failed, to change course to something less likely to start an argument. ¡°I¡¯m guessing Domenique¡¯s not coming, then?¡±


    ¡°Of course she isn¡¯t,¡± Kiah scoffed. ¡°She¡¯s got all that magic training to do¡ªthe only one of us who can somehow find an excuse and everyone else goes along with it.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s all save this for when you know what you¡¯re doing,¡± Minne advised calmly. ¡°I swear there used to be a time where you all got along¡­¡±


    ¡°We never did, Mother,¡± Imre sighed.


    A servant gently opened the door, drawing him out of his reverie. She bowed to the group of royalty and nobles before announcing, ¡°King Casper will be arriving shortly. He has requested that you all be ready to listen when he comes.¡±

 Secrets of the Ley Lines: Book I- Chapter 2

    Casper, even from the paintings when he was younger, was always a gruff man. He had the brawn of a soldier, the brains of a strategist, and the kind of commanding presence of a man in charge. There was a lot to be admired about him, and save for a beard he would probably perfectly resemble the Saint-King.


    ¡°I see you decided to show up this time,¡± the king teased as he passed his son to sit down. ¡°Was Harriet calling to you or were you calling to her? I might forgive the horse if she made you late.¡± For someone who looked like he could fight anyone and win, he hardly took himself too seriously. He was stern when he needed to be, of course, but among this group of family and might-as-well-be-family, he didn¡¯t really bother with any of that stuff at all.


    Imre didn¡¯t respond.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been riding bareback a lot recently, haven¡¯t you? How come I never see you out there?¡±


    Again, Casper¡¯s attempts at conversation went unanswered.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be rude,¡± Minne warned from across the table. ¡°I know I raised you better than that. You can at least answer one of the questions.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t bring Harriet. She was asleep by then.¡± Imre didn¡¯t look up at either of his parents. He assumed they would be disappointed, as he always imagined them; he didn¡¯t let himself believe much different. After all, what worth was there in a placeholder at best who couldn¡¯t even do the simplest of tasks right? ¡°And I don¡¯t ride near the barracks. There¡¯s never enough room there, so I go to the forest.¡±


    Casper sighed. ¡°Well, I suppose the time for pleasantries has passed. The five of you are getting your very own mission. Count Quennell has requested our aid with a bit of a border dispute. I¡¯d go myself, but there¡¯s other things I need to take care of.¡±


    ¡°A border dispute can be solved between the houses in question,¡± Imre pointed out quietly. ¡°They shouldn¡¯t need outside intervention unless things have turned bloody. Even then, Lady Yamura should be in charge of taking care of it. Is it really big enough of a problem that her men couldn¡¯t handle it?¡±


    Casper hesitated. The fact that he thought the thinly-veiled lie would fool all of them was surprising, though it showed he¡¯d rather say that than bring up the true reason.


    Even Minne didn¡¯t try to pretend to believe it. ¡°I thought you said we¡¯d be honest, dear¡ª¡°


    ¡°You said that it¡¯s better for them to see it themselves,¡± Casper mumbled back. He seemed to realize that was a bit too suspicious and went back to addressing all of them. ¡°It¡¯s an urgent matter, so you should all make sure you¡¯re ready to go first thing tomorrow morning. Count Quennell¡¯s messenger will guide you to the estate. I¡¯ve been assured that the paths you¡¯ll be taking will always bring you by some kind of establishment before nightfall.¡±


    Kiah uttered a string of words only Dimas would be able to translate. She was not interested in what was being implied. ¡°Do you really want us to go out there with all the crap that¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°You can handle it, between you and Samone,¡± Casper decided. ¡°You can defend yourself and the others in a fight; I gave you the position you have for a reason. You¡¯ll all have your weapons of choice with you. Whatever you can¡¯t do can be done with Samone¡¯s magic. Then you can round it off with Dimas¡¯s defensive magic, and just about no serious harm can be done.¡±


    ¡°People are getting slaughtered! A couple of kids aren¡¯t going to cut it!¡± Kiah wasn¡¯t one to stop arguing just because the other side was being persistent in their stand as well. It was a wonder she wasn¡¯t completely going off on him, aside from the fact that they weren¡¯t alone.


    ¡°I understand that. You¡¯re going to have to be careful, but someone has to go. I trust that you¡¯ll all be fine.¡± That seemed to be the last thing Casper was going to say on the subject. He got up and started to leave. ¡°Please prepare everything you need and get a good night¡¯s rest. You¡¯ll need it.¡±


    Minne was left to fill in for everything else. ¡°Kiah, I know you¡¯re worried, but you don¡¯t have to be. I promise you¡¯re not going to be the only one responsible for keeping everyone safe. You know I don¡¯t make promises that can¡¯t be kept.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t do anything but take your word for it,¡± Kiah grumbled before leaving.


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    ¡°Kesem¡¯s already heard of this,¡± Minne continued, bringing her attention to Samone. ¡°Try not to use too much magic, alright?¡±


    ¡°Only when I need to,¡± Samone promised. ¡°Just as long as Lydia remembers to actually pack everything this time. For her ¡®mad packing skills,¡¯ she certainly forgets a lot of things. Imre¡¯s in charge of checking everything this time.¡± She flicked her hand as she left.


    ¡°Just because I¡¯m great at packing doesn¡¯t mean I remember everything!¡± Lydia called after her. ¡°You¡¯re the one who¡¯s going to be bringing all the useless stuff with you!¡± She stood up, glancing at Minne. ¡°I¡¯ve gotta go prove my point. She¡¯s probably going to leave all the packing to the rest of us anyway.¡± Then she darted out.


    ¡°Dimas, make sure you write to your sister in case it takes a little longer than expected.¡± Now the only three in the room, all of Minne¡¯s attention rested on the boys. ¡°It¡¯s probably going to take the whole month, between getting there, doing what you need to do, and getting back. I don¡¯t know how long you plan on staying, but at the very least, it¡¯ll give an explanation if your letters get a little slower while you¡¯re traveling.¡±


    Dimas nodded and left.


    Imre was about ready to do the same himself when he felt his mother¡¯s hand touch his.


    ¡°Don¡¯t leave just yet,¡± she whispered to him. ¡°I¡¯ve got something I want to give you.¡± She pulled a small letter out from under the table and handed it to him.


    ¡°What¡¯s this for..?¡±


    She kept him from opening it, shaking her head slowly. ¡°Not yet. It¡¯s not going to make sense if you read it now. Just keep it with you until you get there, alright?¡±


    ¡°What are you hiding?¡± He didn¡¯t look up at her and moved the letter to his lap so he wouldn¡¯t look at it, either. ¡°I¡¯m smarter than to believe whatever that split-second explanation was. Quennell territory is surrounded by neutral territory all around it. The nearby nobles aren¡¯t interested in gaining more ground; they can hardly defend what they already have. There¡¯s nothing to dispute over.¡±


    ¡°If I could explain it all to you, I would,¡± Minne sighed. ¡°I would want nothing more but for us to talk about it until you understand everything¡­ but he¡¯s not letting that be an option. All I can do at this point is hope you don¡¯t run into a question that can¡¯t be answered¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll be a lot more reassuring if you could actually make sense,¡± he remarked. ¡°What are you allowed to tell me?¡± He needed something¡ªanything. Only if it was just a simple mention of what they were truly supposed to do there or details on how they were supposed to do it. He¡¯d be fine with whatever it was as long as he was able to walk away with something.


    ¡°Count Quennell the younger¡ªMathieu, I believe¡ªwill be hosting a party soon. He wanted all of you to be in attendance.¡± His heart dropped at hearing what she decided to share. They both knew it had nothing to do with the real reason they were going, and it probably wasn¡¯t even a part of the original plan at all. It was just whatever she could think of in order to tell him something. She was hoping that, by giving that small piece of additional information, that he would be fulfilled with that and stop asking questions. It was getting hard for her to conceal the truth of the matter while she tried not to give any of it away in her lies.


    There was no point in fighting it. He wasn¡¯t going to get anywhere at this rate, and his time could be better spent packing. ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to tell them all to bring some nice clothes,¡± he said coldly. With the letter in hand, he got up and started walking out. ¡°Samone will enjoy the chance to socialize, at least.¡±


    He tried to ignore what he heard as he left. ¡°Be careful, my little phoenix prince. You¡¯re a bit too young for the waters to reclaim you.¡±


    Imre didn¡¯t stop to check on the others on the way to his room. He figured they¡¯d all be fine, and whatever they were doing wouldn¡¯t gain anything by having him there. He¡¯d see how far they¡¯d come along before he went to bed. The worst that could happen was that he¡¯d stay up all night gathering everything¡­ not like he saw himself sleeping tonight anyway.


    As he sat things aside that he would need, he also took the time to look through the books in his room. He usually brought back books from the library¡ªif he didn¡¯t read them there¡ªbut never got around to bringing them back. On the bright side, most of them were historical texts that he was probably the only one interested in; while all of the library was open to the general public, such documents were scarcely sought after. Since he knew there were some he¡¯d finished, though, he figured he could return them tonight while he was already sorting through them.


    One of the books caught his attention as he looked through them: Compilation of Myths in Qizarn Culture. It was, admittedly, something Dimas had suggested for him to read and usually something he wouldn¡¯t even consider. But it also wouldn¡¯t be a lie that he couldn¡¯t help but admire what the original inhabitants of Qizar had created, understanding why so many people looked up to and believed in the figures mentioned in it.


    It was open to the page of a myth he found eerily familiar. The first paragraph of it pretty much summed it all up:


    ¡®A once-mighty king was turned into a Minotaur for his self-righteousness. The master craftsman, Peiros¡ªthe father of the ill-fated Ekambar¡ªwas hired to build a place to hold the beast. The Minotaur¡¯s daughter was trapped alongside him, forced to watch as her father feasted on mortal flesh. She eventually betrayed him in favor of a hero who then went on to kill the Minotaur. It is said that its spirit still haunts the caverns it was trapped in, trying to sate its never-ending hunger.¡¯


    There was still more information on it, but he didn¡¯t have the time nor the mindset to sit and read it. He closed it up and put it among the pile that he still hadn¡¯t finished reading yet.

 Secrets of the Ley Lines: Book I- Chapter 3

    It took them a week and a half to get to Quennell territory. They didn¡¯t encounter any Ski¨¢ along the way, just as they¡¯d been assured; Kiah was the only one that didn¡¯t seem relieved by the fact, instead just getting that much more on edge.


    The messenger turned his horse around in order to see them. ¡°Count Quennell controls this town. If you would all kindly await the count, then I shall fetch him from the estate. You may wander around at your leisure so long as you stay in this area.¡± He didn¡¯t wait another moment before tugging the reins, leaving them to their own devices.


    ¡°Well, who wants to go shopping?¡± Samone gracefully dismounted, followed by everyone else. ¡°There¡¯s a shop selling trinkets right over there. I¡¯m sure Minne snuck in something for us.¡±


    Imre sighed, pulling out the little money pouch. If he was going to guess the amount, it was probably enough to buy out the whole shop. But to prevent her from doing just that, he kept her from taking it. ¡°I¡¯ll hold on to it. Just remember we¡¯re going to have to bring it all back with us when we¡¯re done.¡±


    She didn¡¯t seem too pleased with the other three¡¯s lack of interest. ¡°Do you have any better ideas? While we¡¯re here, we might as well make the most of it. Lydia, I¡¯m sure your parents would love something from this side of the mountain.¡±


    Lydia shrugged. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll go if there¡¯s nothing more fun to do.¡±


    Slightly more satisfied, she turned to Dimas. ¡°Don¡¯t you think your boyfriend will appreciate a little gift?¡±


    ¡°My boyfriend¡¯s right there,¡± Dimas remarked, gesturing to Imre. ¡°I don¡¯t need to give him a gift for him to know I love him. And it won¡¯t even be a surprise when he¡¯s going to be right there beside me.¡±


    ¡°Then would your sister want anything?¡±


    ¡°Zofie isn¡¯t you, Samone. She doesn¡¯t care if she¡¯s wearing the most expensive necklace on this side of the continent. Quite frankly she doesn¡¯t wear jewelry at all.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re coming along anyway,¡± Samone then decided. She turned around and started leading them to the shop in question. ¡°Kiah, you¡¯re a guard so you don¡¯t have a choice.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think I would,¡± was the bitter mumble in response.


    No one seemed to notice them when they first came in. Then again, it was a big enough shop that it would be hard to tell when more people entered. Likely unintentionally, they split into two groups¡ªImre and Kiah following Samone, and Dimas and Lydia wandering off together¡ªto browse the wares.


    ¡°Oh, look at this little seashell!¡± Samone showed Imre the intricately designed trinket. She was probably trying to get some sort of conversation out of him; he¡¯d been quiet for practically the whole trip, which was more than he usually was. ¡°It looks just like one of the shells off the coast. It¡¯s a shame we weren¡¯t able to go to the beach this year¡­¡±


    Imre mumbled his agreement.


    ¡°We could go somewhere else, if you¡¯d rather,¡± she offered. ¡°Or we can just wait outside a while and take in the fresh air.¡±


    ¡°If my opinion matters,¡± Kiah interjected, ¡°I¡¯d prefer if we got the hell away from here.¡± Her face was scrunched up into a mix of disgust and something he couldn¡¯t quite figure out. ¡°I need to leave before I punch somebody.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re always on the verge of making a scene,¡± Samone remarked. ¡°Do what you usually do and deal with it.¡±


    But Imre understood this wasn¡¯t the usual kind of annoyance; this was discomfort, a desire to get far away as soon as possible.


    He turned away from Samone to follow Kiah¡¯s gaze. In the corner, seeming to mind their own business, was a group of men. They were probably travelers judging by their clothes, maybe even from Qizar or otherwise near the border.


    Their conversation was hardly quiet.


    ¡°How desperate do you think they were?¡±


    ¡°More desperate than you would normally have to be to visit a prostitute.¡±


    ¡°Wonder what¡¯s wrong with her¡­¡±


    ¡°Look at her ears, dumbass. They¡¯d poke through her hair if she was pureblood.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t feel like she has a lot of magic. Should be easy showing her where she¡¯s supposed to be.¡±


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    ¡°Alright, which one of you wants their ass kicked first?¡± Kiah shot back.


    ¡°Please, Kiah, think this through,¡± Imre whispered. ¡°They¡¯re just trying to provoke you. The best thing to do is to ignore them.¡±


    One of the men stepped forward and smirked. ¡°I¡¯d like to see you try.¡±


    Samone sighed and stepped between them and Kiah. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to get involved, but it seems you¡¯ve forced my hand. If you know what¡¯s good for you, you¡¯ll mind your own business. I don¡¯t think you realize who you¡¯re about to tick off.¡± She showed them an illusionary rose¡­ and completely ignored the glare Imre was giving her. This wasn¡¯t helping and she knew it.


    ¡°At least one of you knows magic,¡± one of the men remarked. ¡°Give us a little show, why don¡¯t ya?¡±


    ¡°I believe you¡¯re missing a rather important word there.¡± She had no fear as she walked up to the closest, mumbling something as she went. ¡°Now, I¡¯d advise you to leave before I get mad. Believe me, if you didn¡¯t like that¡­ you¡¯re not going to like what I¡¯ll show you when I get mad.¡±


    It only took for them to run off, one of them saying something so quietly it was hard to determine. Samone watched them leave with a triumphant expression.


    ¡°E¨ªthe ¨®loi na k¨¢psete ston tom¨¦a Vriuh,¡± Kiah muttered as they left. She sighed, showing her closest thing to gratitude that she would give in public. ¡°You didn¡¯t have to do that.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re going to have to learn one way or another not to mess with me,¡± Samone returned nonchalantly. ¡°I¡¯m already Court Magister, and soon I¡¯ll probably be taking up all of Father¡¯s work too. It¡¯s their own fault for not backing away sooner.¡±


    Imre was probably the only one out of the three that didn¡¯t gain some kind of satisfaction out of it. ¡°Illusion magic.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the safe kind,¡± was the breezy reply. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry, Nokae. That little thing isn¡¯t going to hurt me any more than a rose will.¡±


    ¡°Samone, that¡¯s not the point,¡± he insisted. ¡°The point is that there¡¯s better ways to handle that kind of situation. It¡¯s not exactly a good image to engage with those types of people.¡± He was already worrying about it; he was already imagining Casper¡¯s disappointing look when they got back. That I knew I shouldn¡¯t have trusted you with something like that, yet I did and I¡¯m even more disappointed than I already was look. It didn¡¯t matter if he was more or less aware that he over-exaggerated it a little.


    She simply brushed him off, looking outside through the window. ¡°Well, that doesn¡¯t matter. The messenger¡¯s come back with a noble in tow.¡± She headed towards the door, briefly gesturing to Imre and Kiah as she called, ¡°Lydia! Dimas! If you¡¯re done with whatever conversation you¡¯re having, our host¡¯s here.¡± It actually caught their attention quite well, honestly.


    They were only waiting outside for a minute before the noble walked up to them.


    ¡°Ah, the young spawn of the Mikkel family and company! I¡¯m Mathieu. My father is awfully busy right now, so I do hope you understand if I¡¯m the one to show you around.¡± It wouldn¡¯t take anyone long to notice his mechanical arm (something that, by the looks of it, moved by his own water magic), more noticeable than his silver hair or fancy clothes. Imre and Samone were the only two who didn¡¯t seem to stare for a moment, both having seen him a few times in the past.


    ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure either way,¡± Imre returned, maintaining a level of formality he possessed in public. ¡°Let me introduce¡ª¡°


    ¡°If I may be so bold, Your Highness, as to guess,¡± Mathieu interrupted. ¡°I¡¯d be a fool to not recognize you or the lovely Red Rose of Jaden, of course. That goblin¡¯s likely either of your personal guards, so let me think¡­ Kiah, the only goblin among the ranks of the army. Then you¡¯re Lydia, I presume? There¡¯s an air of a Stone around you, at least, and you look around that age. Last but certainly not least, we have Prince Dimas. You really would do well to make it harder to guess. It¡¯s almost a little too obvious.¡±


    ¡°Wow,¡± Lydia mumbled in astonishment. ¡°You¡¯re better at guessing than I thought you were.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like any of us are subtle¡­¡± Kiah mumbled.


    ¡°Call it intuition.¡± Mathieu turned around and started walking. ¡°Keep up, now. I¡¯m not slowing down for you. You needn¡¯t worry about your horses; one of the servants will take care of them.¡±


    He continued after a moment of silence. ¡°It¡¯s on behalf of Count Quennell that I welcome you to our territory. Do mind your tongue here, it¡¯s a bit of a rough crowd on this side of the mountain. There¡¯s still legends of the dragons that once roamed this area, and many do still believe it. Dragons only appear to those who can be fiercer than them, after all.¡±


    ¡°They don¡¯t,¡± Dimas said matter-of-factly. He didn¡¯t mean any offense by it; Qizar considered dragons like a religiously important wild animal. Even if they usually hid within the mountains, he knew more actual facts about them than what any legend in Seothia did. ¡°Dragons don¡¯t usually appear to humans at all. They¡¯re more likely to¡ªbriefly¡ªshow up to fairies, but that¡¯s only to guide them.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re overthinking it,¡± Samone informed him. ¡°Kiah never questioned everything this much, and I¡¯d say goblins would come from a stricter upbringing than you.¡±


    ¡°I know that, prince,¡± Mathieu remarked. ¡°But I wouldn¡¯t go repeating that. Some people wholeheartedly believe those stories and have made sacrifices based off of them. To be told that wasn¡¯t the case, well¡­ you¡¯d best not be left alone with them. The status of Qizarn royals don¡¯t apply in Seothia, so you best be careful.¡±


    ¡°Would you be able to tell us any more about why we¡¯re here?¡± Imre figured he¡¯d try, at least, to get some information out of someone else.


    ¡°For a simple vacation, of course!¡± Mathieu replied plainly. ¡°Your only mission is to enjoy the mountain air, get a change of scenery from that stuffy old castle. Surely you knew that much already?¡±


    ¡°We were told that there was a border dispute.¡±


    ¡°Oh, gods, no! We¡¯re on very good terms with our neighbors, and we¡¯re all perfectly content with what has been our individual families¡¯ for hundreds of years. What you were told was one of King Casper¡¯s attempts at a lie, and a bad one at that. Clearly, the queen doesn¡¯t have a say in this endeavor¡­¡±

 Secrets of the Ley Lines: Book I- Chapter 4

    They were given very little warning for the party. At least, the only thing Imre got was Mathieu poking his head in for a moment to say that it would start that afternoon. Though it wouldn¡¯t have surprised Imre if he was told it had been mentioned earlier, given how many conversations he tuned out after arriving.


    It had hardly just begun and he already wanted to leave. He didn¡¯t bother with a fake smile, nor cared enough to put any special coating on his words. He spoke with the formality that he¡¯d been taught, of course, but made sure they saw no reason in upholding a conversation with him.


    For the most part, he stuck with Samone. Her social skills were usually enough to draw attention away from him, meaning he ended up interacting with people less than he would on his own. It was something he trusted her to do, and a task she had no problem doing. Since joining her, he¡¯d lost track of where everyone else was; he imagined, though, that Lydia was chatting with another group of nobles, Dimas was the center of a rather awkward conversation, and Kiah had found a spot to watch them all while interacting with no one herself.


    ¡°You¡¯re awfully mature for someone your age,¡± one of the guests remarked. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve met anyone as young as you who was able to discuss all that like you did.¡±


    Samone laughed. ¡°I¡¯m going to take that as a compliment.¡± She went on to add, ¡°It¡¯s only natural, given everything I¡¯m going to be in charge of one day.¡±


    When the guest gave her an impressed look, Imre couldn¡¯t help but mumble, ¡°You¡¯d have a different reaction if you realized what she did to cope with it.¡±


    ¡°Imre!¡± Samone hissed back, lightly whacking him. A quick glance at the guests around them, though, assured her that none had cared to pay attention to the comment. ¡°I know. There¡¯s some refreshments over there, would you mind getting me a glass?¡±


    Imre blankly nodded, wandering off to where the drinks were. He got a glass of water and turned to see Mathieu standing right behind him.


    ¡°Mind if I steal you away, Your Highness?¡± he prompted.


    ¡°I have to give this to Samone,¡± was Imre¡¯s first thought of an excuse.


    ¡°Is that it?¡± Mathieu gestured for a servant to come, whispered instructions to her, then watched as she took the glass from Imre and walked up to Samone. ¡°Problem solved. How about now?¡±


    ¡°Do I have to?¡± Imre said it before thinking the response over. He froze for a moment afterward, until Mathieu let out a hearty chuckle.


    ¡°If you¡¯d rather stare at a wall all night! This is meant to be a fun outing for all of you, yet you look like you¡¯d rather be dead.¡± He gestured for the prince to follow him. ¡°There¡¯s a few people I want to introduce to you. I believe you¡¯ll find their company rather enlightening.¡±


    There was nothing Imre could do but follow. Well, there probably were things he could do, but there was nothing he was going to do. It was better to follow orders than to go against someone¡¯s wishes.


    Mathieu weaved through the groups of people, occasionally stopping to greet a few of them. He must¡¯ve known, though, that his companion had no interest in standing by during a conversation; he didn¡¯t stay any longer than he needed to for any moment of it.


    He finally stopped at a group of men. They were all older than them, likely around their late thirties or early forties. Imre couldn¡¯t help but find every one of them incredibly intimidating, though he knew none of them intended to be.


    ¡°Name¡¯s Ferrel,¡± the youngest one began. He had the smile of someone whose lips were naturally curled up in a grin, and a voice that would make anyone think he was always happy.


    ¡°Lyron.¡± This one looked like he¡¯d seen his fair share of street brawls, possessing the same kind of battle-experienced air as Casper did. The only difference was that he was a stranger, nearly unsettling without knowing what he¡¯d use the power to do.


    ¡°And I¡¯m Xuan.¡± There was no denying that he was the oldest. Behind what looked like a friendly expression were the eyes of a kindred spirit; another who struggled with a sort of mental battle, a fight to keep moving forward.


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    ¡°You probably haven¡¯t heard of any of them¡ªI certainly wouldn¡¯t expect you to,¡± Mathieu continued casually. There was an edge to his voice, though, that suggested nervousness. ¡°They all lived near a specific little village around here. What that village is should be no problem for you to answer.¡±


    There was no response from the prince.


    ¡°Nothing..?¡±


    Imre shook his head.


    ¡°They were all close to Idale. Well, technically Lyron was born there, but the other two were born nearby. If I give you that name, can you think of anyone you know that comes from there? Surely you would¡¯ve been told that.¡± Mathieu was verging on disbelief now, an odd mix of relief and the previous anxiousness creeping in.


    Still, no response.


    ¡°Minne grew up in Idale,¡± Mathieu explained. ¡°These three all knew your mother. I thought you might be interested in meeting them¡­ learn about her life before coming to the attention of the king. Maybe you¡¯ll even learn something new.¡±


    Imre maintained his silence, but not out of disinterest. He was looking past all of them to try to discern the odd figure staring back at him. It looked like a child and sounded like it when it spoke to him. ¡°The perfect example of a key¡­ possessing enough of the tainted saint¡¯s blood to pass it on, yet not enough to let it show. But how close will you teeter towards the saint¡¯s demise, I wonder? Must be pretty close, if I¡¯m here.¡± Then whatever it was simply¡­ disappeared.


    ¡°Prince?¡± He jumped when he felt the cool hand touch his shoulder. Mathieu moved to stand in front of him, making avoiding eye contact nigh impossible. ¡°Is that the kind of silence of someone who¡¯s confused, impressed, or..?¡±


    ¡°None of you heard that?¡± Imre glanced at each of them. He knew he had the kind of look of someone who wanted to be justified; he wanted to be told that it wasn¡¯t just him, that there really was someone standing there and it wasn¡¯t just his imagination.


    Their answer was clear enough by how long it took them to respond. Each of them went from their generally merry expressions to more confused, mildly concerned ones. Both Ferrel and Xuan looked back to where he¡¯d been staring, but it was clear that they saw no such thing.


    Next came a barrage of questions, all sharing the same tone and succeeding in overwhelming him.


    ¡°Are you feeling alright?¡±


    ¡°I feel no different than this morning.¡±


    ¡°Are you tired?¡±


    ¡°I slept perfectly well.¡±


    ¡°Are you drunk?¡±


    ¡°What? Of course not!¡±


    He chose to ignore Lyron¡¯s subsequent, ¡°Laws were meant to be broken, you know.¡±


    Mathieu asked the most important question shortly after. ¡°Do you have a spirit?¡±


    That was the question Imre didn¡¯t immediately answer. He had to make a conscious effort not to clench his fists, knowing they might end up taking it the wrong way. It wasn¡¯t about what they said, but rather remembering the person he blamed that truly had no more control over it than anyone else did.


    Realizing that his prolonged silence was only making their worry worse, he finally uttered the truth with the icy words, ¡°Lysha-certified spiritless. The only voice I have in my head is my own.¡±


    ¡°Are you stupid?¡± Xuan muttered, glaring at Mathieu. He¡¯d meant to keep his voice low but must¡¯ve failed to realize it did nothing to keep the prince from hearing. ¡°Don¡¯t you remember that whole thing?¡±


    ¡°What thing? Need I remind you I¡¯m hardly any older than he is in your eyes.¡±


    ¡°The spirit thing,¡± Ferrel whispered, but truly only slightly better at hiding it than Xuan. His smile had faded. ¡°You know, when they realized there wasn¡¯t even the faintest trace of the Saint-King in there¡­¡±


    They must have become acutely aware of his presence shortly after, Lyron being the first to look at him. The others quickly picked up on it, trying their best to pretend like nothing was said between them.


    ¡°So,¡± Mathieu prompted casually, ¡°with that out of the way¡­ Do you have any questions for these three? They¡¯re all here and ready to answer whatever you might want to ask, so go ahead¡ªdon¡¯t let this opportunity go to waste.¡±


    ¡°Why do I have the feeling that you really don¡¯t want me to ask anything?¡± Imre mumbled.


    ¡°Of course I do, I arranged this all for your benefit¡ª¡±


    ¡°If I wanted to know something about my mother, I would ask her myself,¡± he remarked. ¡°I have no reason to believe she would lie to me or try to avoid the truth any more than you would.¡± He stepped away from them. ¡°Now, if it¡¯s all the same to you, I¡¯m going to get some fresh air. Please tell Samone that so she doesn¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    ¡°Where are you going..?¡±


    Imre didn¡¯t give an answer, though he had the perfect spot in mind.


    He needed to go somewhere quiet, away from all the people and their chatter. A place that would mirror his own mind, detached from the events around it and completely unaware of such happenings. He¡¯d probably never find something exactly like that here, but there was always a close substitute.

 Secrets of the Ley Lines: Book I Chapter 5

    To call it a garden would be an overstatement. While it did hold some seasonal blooms and a single weeping willow, most of it was herbs with a practical use. He avoided all of those spots, following what seemed to be the designated path to the willow tree. He sat down near the trunk, welcoming the leaves and branches¡¯ ways of concealing him from view.


    For a while, no one else came here. It seemed that Mathieu wasn¡¯t too worried about his whereabouts, or at least knew where he was. Samone mustn¡¯t have been too concerned, since she had yet to come. He¡¯d seen Kiah on his way out, which means she undoubtedly saw him too; she was probably by the entrance now, close enough in case he needed her yet far enough away to give him space. He could only guess that Lydia had found a group of nobles to share her family¡¯s accomplishments and wasn¡¯t aware of what was going on. Dimas had either found refuge with Kiah or actually had the privilege of fleeing to his room.


    At least, that¡¯s what he believed until he saw the familiar head poke through the leaves. ¡°How¡¯d I know you¡¯d be hiding in here?¡± Dimas smirked, gesturing beside Imre. ¡°Mind if I join you?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Imre waited until he sat down before scooting closer to him. The Seothian prince might¡¯ve been a year older, but that didn¡¯t make him stronger¡ªin any definition of the word. Dimas was like his pillar, and in some bad situations, the chains that kept him from falling too far into darkness.


    ¡°My original plan was to drag you back with me,¡± Dimas remarked casually. ¡°But now that we¡¯re both here, I can understand why you left. It¡¯s suffocating in there, isn¡¯t it? And that¡¯s coming from a moderately social person.¡±


    ¡°Too many people,¡± Imre agreed. ¡°There¡¯s no familiar faces, aside from the five of you.¡± He said that even though he could no longer see the fifth. The person he trusted with his secrets just as much as Dimas, now rewritten so that she was never there at all, leaving only a void in her place.


    It didn¡¯t take long for Dimas to get straight to the point. ¡°I know there¡¯s another reason why you left. You don¡¯t leave by the amount of people there alone. You also have that self-deprecating pensive look. I might not be a little ball of fury like Kiah is, but I¡¯ll definitely beat someone up for you.¡±


    ¡°Also unlike Kiah, you¡¯ll lose,¡± was the immediate, matter-of-fact retort. He rested his head on Dimas¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I already had to watch you leave and come back worse than before¡­ A part of your nature by now is defending, but I don¡¯t want to be the reason you get hurt.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t think I¡¯m going to let you get away with not telling.¡± Dimas didn¡¯t seem to mind how he got closer, appearing more concerned about the lack of straight-forward answers.


    Imre sighed, wondering why he ever tried keeping it a secret to begin with. ¡°I thought I saw something¡ªa kid. No one else saw it, though. Mathieu¡­ wondered if I had a spirit, to try to explain it.¡± His voice might suggest that he didn¡¯t care, but that couldn¡¯t be further than the truth. He did care. He cared more than anyone else did about such matters.


    ¡°You¡¯re letting that get to you.¡± Hearing someone say it stung, though he knew it as the truth.


    ¡°All descendants of the Saint-King are supposed to have something. It¡¯s how we know that he¡¯s there, helping us remember what he did and to make just as lasting of an impression. It doesn¡¯t matter if someone else has already caught his attention or if they¡¯re not meant for the throne.¡±


    ¡°The same ¡®all descendants¡¯ also include the Tyrant-King Selik. Need I remind you how definitely not spirit guided that guy was? Let¡¯s see, genocide, murder, more genocide¡ª¡±


    ¡°Is this supposed to be making me feel better?¡±


    ¡°What I was going to say was that you¡¯re better than that,¡± Dimas mumbled. ¡°Forget about what legends say you should and shouldn¡¯t have, they¡¯re all the most screwed up amount of wrong I¡¯ve ever seen. According to your stories, dragons eat babies and manticores are harbingers of the devil.¡±


    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    This brought Imre to the most irrelevant conclusion of them all. ¡°Seothia is terrible to everything the children of Fleyw Bresh stand for. How could you love someone coming from that kind of background..?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re forgetting I have just as much reason to hope our ancestors don¡¯t determine our futures as you do. I know there can be change, but someone needs to make it happen¡ªand no one can if we¡¯re stuck in the past. I¡¯m not going to focus on it any more than anyone else will.¡±


    Imre stayed quiet, allowing Dimas to continue.


    ¡°Zofie thinks I¡¯m stupid for loving you. All she sees is someone with less life than a rock¡­ someone that doesn¡¯t show emotion, thinking that because of that love can¡¯t be returned. Do you know why, out of all the people I¡¯ve met, you¡¯re the only one I¡¯m ever going to truly love?¡±


    ¡°You want to be what makes me happy.¡± Now Imre was beginning to smile; a small, fragile thing that might shatter at even the slightest of disruptions. He lifted his head up to actually look at his partner.


    ¡°From the first time I heard your laugh,¡± Dimas confirmed. ¡°And I¡¯ll be damned if it¡¯s not the last thing I do.¡± His eyes asked something, answered only by being pulled in for a kiss.


    It was soon followed by a flurry of them. Each one seemed to bring about a new feeling; love, courage, stability, respect, confidence¡ª


    ¡°No wonder I felt a breeze! Talmi¡¯s flapping around all over the place in here.¡±


    Startled by the new voice, Imre immediately pulled back and turned a bright shade of red. Dimas, on the other hand, appeared to have no such embarrassment.


    Mathieu looked like he didn¡¯t know if he wanted to be jealous of such a close relationship, awkward because of what he just interrupted, or pretend like he saw none of it. ¡°I came to check on you. I would also like to apologize for whatever I did wrong. I do hope you¡¯d excuse my ignorance¡ªI was rather sheltered in my youth.¡±


    Imre mumbled something that even he himself didn¡¯t completely understand; it could¡¯ve been anything from accepting it to a grumble about the insensitivity.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m going to assume that¡¯s all cleared up,¡± Mathieu decided. ¡°You know, of all the things I¡¯d expected to see this afternoon, that was not one of them.¡±


    Imre couldn¡¯t muster the words to say anything, but Dimas was proud enough to speak on both of their behalf, ¡°What you just witnessed was true love in one of its rawest forms.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re awfully lucky, I¡¯d say,¡± Mathieu remarked. ¡°True love yet eludes me, a distant thing I¡¯d catch if it ever bothered to slow down. Perhaps one day.¡± He laughed, almost involuntarily. ¡°Well, regardless, I presume I¡¯ll need to take up someone before I¡¯m gone.¡±


    After a moment, Mathieu gestured towards the entrance. ¡°Samone had been the one to ask me to come here, so I think she¡¯d like to see for herself that you¡¯re fine and well.¡±


    Dimas glanced at Imre, something that showed he wouldn¡¯t have minded if the answer was no. Imre still nodded, though, and followed Mathieu back inside. With Dimas now beside him, Imre went to where Samone was and the three spent a bit of time together.


    He¡¯d wandered into his room after a while, eventually planning on getting some rest. A headache soon prevented it, however, causing him to dig through his bag while there was still candlelight; he¡¯d never find anything in the dark and the sounds of the party were slowly fading.


    What he didn¡¯t notice until the next morning was the letter he had pulled out in the process. It was the same one Minne had given him before they left. Remembering her words, he began to get curious, now having nothing to stop him. He carefully opened it up and began to read what was inside.


    ¡®Onala 6, the Night of a Child¡¯s Founding


    With the event of her fifth birthday, I have no doubt in my mind who she is. It seems my quest to keep them all safe under my care is completed¡­ but I fear my time here is running out. I can feel every part of me slow down, hear the cracking as my body falls apart.


    Everything that they will need is readily available to them. I wish I could have lived longer to see them all off, guide them down the path they need to take for this world to survive. All I can hope for now is that they¡¯re able to pull through without me, and that wherever Vriuh resides, I can watch them do it from there.¡¯


    The original name of the author had been torn out, from the looks of it unintentionally. A new, attached piece replaced the space. It was a simple note¡ªand clearly Minne¡¯s handwriting¡ªthat read, ¡®Close to where you are is the little village of Idale. There are more answers there.¡¯


    He realized Idale had to have been in Quennell territory, if men from around there came to that party. And if Mathieu was in any degree ready to take on his father¡¯s work one day, then he would know where it was.

 Secrets of the Ley Lines: Book I- Chapter 6

    Mathieu was simply staring at the window, jumping when he heard the slightly impatient prince call his name. ¡°You¡¯re up early this morning. Yesterday it took you a lot longer to decide you were going to get out and about.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going to do me a favor and tell me where Idale is before I get frustrated.¡± Imre¡¯s tone couldn¡¯t have been harsher, enough to surprise anyone used to his usual calm voice. It was, at least, something that got a visible reaction out of Mathieu.


    ¡°My! Wake up on the wrong side of the bed..?¡±


    He got a scowl in response, which should¡¯ve told him everything he needed to know.


    ¡°So, about Idale¡­ it kind of doesn¡¯t exist on normal maps anymore,¡± Mathieu admitted, shrinking under the younger¡¯s gaze. ¡°You would¡¯ve known as much if you cared to listen to those stories last night. I mean, someone probably knew where it used to be, but by now the whole area¡¯s hardly recognizable now. It wouldn¡¯t be a stretch to say that it doesn¡¯t exist at all.¡±


    ¡°There has to be an old map somewhere,¡± Imre insisted. ¡°It¡¯s somewhere in your territory, right? Then you should have a map marking its location. You would need it for accurate representations of everything you control. Even if it¡¯s no longer accurate, you should still have all the old ones in an archive somewhere.¡±


    ¡°What if I don¡¯t..?¡±


    ¡°Then it becomes a fact that you don¡¯t have the proper documentation. If it turns out that you don¡¯t, it¡¯s a much bigger legal problem than I think you¡¯re willing to pay for.¡±


    That got a nervous chuckle out of Mathieu. ¡°You know what, I think Father keeps them in his study. The door¡¯s locked whenever he¡¯s not in here, and I¡¯m afraid he¡¯s going to be away for a few months.¡± He carefully walked around Imre and closer to the only exit. ¡°But if you¡¯re really intent on finding it, I¡¯m sure there¡¯s a book in the library with a map in it. I¡¯ll pull them out for you.¡±


    Imre followed him to the library, then watched as he pulled the books out. There was something going on, but he couldn¡¯t determine what and knew he wouldn¡¯t be able to just ask. The only thing he could do was follow along.


    ¡°There you are.¡± With a great amount of effort, Mathieu sat all four of the books down at a nearby desk. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve looked through them myself. So, please refrain from coming to me if it doesn¡¯t have what you¡¯re looking for¡­¡± After that, he did the smart thing and left Imre alone.


    He only planned on giving them all a quick glance at first; look for any maps that might allude to the location of the village. Then he got distracted reading half of one because of a single interesting (albeit ultimately pointless) piece of text. After that, another book caught his attention. It was written almost like a personal journal, though most of it seemed to be about observing someone else. The subject reminded him of whoever the letter first referred to, the ¡°she¡± who had just turned five at the time of writing. At least, he doubted there was much of a coincidence between them. A certain entry stood out, due to having a different handwriting:


    ¡®He has been dead for a week. I would like to say some of the others are helping us out, but they are not. Zenas and I are doing most of the work now. Those funds he left us, though plentiful, probably will not last us through the end of the year. I wonder if that is all he really had for us. Takane is making the trip to visit his sister in order to get her to help, though I cannot say I have very high hopes. What I am really concerned about is the secrets he left behind. I went to tell Takane but she admitted to already knowing; I will tell Zenas and Umber as soon as we can get a chance alone. I cannot tell Calli yet, though, she¡¯s not old enough to understand it.


    I¡­ say that as if she is not figuring it out on her own. She is learning what it means to be her, but I would not call it a good thing. She asked me this morning what was so important that I would not tell her. She looked so hopeless when she asked those types of questions¡­ I just told her what I knew was true: she was too young. That is not going to stop her. I am smarter than to think that it will. But I can hope, right?


    Takane showed this journal to me after I talked to her. Apparently it used to belong to him, a way of seeing how the unique mix of all that she is affected her. I am going to keep working on this; get it ready for whoever the next person is to take care of her. I know I cannot keep her safe here forever. All birds have to be pushed out of the nest before they can learn to fly.


    I am going to start this off by saying she is one of us. Now, what ¡°us¡± means is something I am not going to go into. That¡¯s a mess for another time.


    But there is something else that sets her apart from the rest of us. She is not the same kind of ¡°human¡± that the rest of us are (well, aside from Takane). I do not think anyone in this town is like her. She sees and hears things differently than we do; it does not just come from that little spirit¡¯s voice in the back of her head. It goes deeper than that, like the nature of her own soul. The reason the gods decided to place her with us instead of anyone else.¡¯


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    ¡°Nokae.¡±


    ¡®She can heal others, but she does not use magic¡ªat least, not the usual type of magic. To say it is not magic at all would probably be a lie, but my experience on the matter is next to none. Whoever she is healing can get a full recovery in mere moments, no matter what it is. I have seen her do it for sprains, cuts, fevers¡­ and then there was the catch.


    Whatever it is that she heals, it comes back on her. She figured that part out on her own already¡ªpretty hard to ignore. We all tried to urge her against it, but it never changed anything. I do not want to know what it is like to deal with her when she is actually a teen and starts falling in love. She is going to end up committing sacrificial suicide in the name of family. I am worried about everything she is going to do. She is not going to think about what it would do to her, just knowing what it does for others. If things turn out to go as poorly as Haris thought they would, then I am going to need to keep a close eye on her.¡¯


    ¡°Nokae.¡±


    The next page revealed a new day¡¯s discoveries.


    ¡®She is starting to get nightmares. I am not sure whether they are all related to our current situation or if something is really going on in her head right now. All I know is that it is not a Myal¨®. Takane could prove that much while Calli was sleeping.


    It reminds me of last year. She had been having similar, yet more specific occurrences. She was dreaming of a time of revolution¡ªthe time of the Saint-King. I think that, then, Haris already understood why, but he did not tell her immediately. He went through the extensive process of paying for an adherent of the Lysha to check her for a spirit. She was found out to have a connection to one of the magisters that the first king was close to. She had looked so confused when we had to explain to her what exactly that meant.


    Of course, she was first told ¡°it is something really important, someone who will watch over you for your whole life¡± and ¡°a dead dude.¡± Haris and I were able to find a happy medium between the two and explained it enough that she was able to understand it. It seemed like, until then, she had contributed the spirit¡¯s presence to her imagination.


    This is not the same only because there is not a reason behind it. I cannot get her to tell me about them. She used to be so reliant on me, ready to trust everything I said and know that I would keep her secrets. She is falling away from me, and it feels like there is nothing I can do to keep her from it. I do not know what the future holds for us, but it is not good.¡¯


    ¡°Imre.¡±


    Several pages after that were ripped out, leaving only a single entry set several years later.


    ¡®I cannot do anything else for her. Since that day, she¡¯s given up on me. After that fight with her ¡°fianc¨¦,¡± she has not talked to me at all. Is it so bad that I only want what is best for her? She only just turned eighteen! Then again, there¡¯s not much else you can do to avoid a scandal¡­ someone like him probably cannot afford them. He might just find himself getting poisoned in his sleep. I know he said she wants this, but I can¡¯t help but believe he has been weaving lies from the very beginning.


    I should be glad that she is clearly happier. Since Takane moved out, it has just been the two of us. There have been a few days where we got together like we used to¡ªlike siblings¡ªbut that is all gone now. I wish she would realize it is because he came along. If she had just left him to deal with his own issues, then there would not be a problem. They would both still be here and I could still see her smile¡­ we could be the family that Haris hoped we would.


    All of these new changes are catching up to her. She still has not recovered from their losses, yet she is giving herself more things to focus on. But of course I cannot say anything to her because it is ¡°not something I should worry about.¡± She is leading herself to believe that this is going to solve everything¡ªthat after this, it is all going to make sense and she will not have to worry about anything anymore.


    Our time is long over. I hope whoever is next has better luck than we did. This is the general map of Idale; mind the mistakes, it is just off of memory. Look for the willow in the town¡¯s center¡­ kind of out of place, you cannot miss it.¡¯


    ¡°Imre Zamiel Siegmar von Mikkel III!¡±


    Only then did he look up to see Samone standing in front of him. He coughed before muttering, ¡°You smell like smoke.¡±


    ¡°Mind your own business,¡± she shot back. They all liked to pretend that they didn¡¯t know why. ¡°You¡¯re the one too caught up in reading to notice I was talking to you.¡±


    ¡°You were talking to me?¡± Imre gave her a dumbfounded look, one she only seemed to get more annoyed at.


    She sighed. ¡°I guess I shouldn¡¯t be surprised. I was going to leave you alone for a while since you were social and probably wanted some time alone. After not seeing you all morning, I figured I¡¯d get your lazy ass out of bed before you laid there all day. I didn¡¯t find you in your room so I went to Mathieu, the only other one I hadn¡¯t seen. And here I find you, and you probably still thought you were only here for an hour or two. You would¡¯ve spent the whole day here if no one came.¡±


    To prove this, his next question was equally confused, ¡°I¡¯ve been here for that long..?¡± He wasn¡¯t hungry, which really would¡¯ve been his only indicator that he¡¯d been there too long. Then again, it wouldn¡¯t be the first time that he was too busy focusing on something else to pay attention to his own needs¡­


    ¡°If we were back at the capital right now, you wouldn¡¯t even think about staying cooped up inside,¡± she mused as she walked around behind him. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I should consider this an improvement or not. So, what is it that¡¯s kept you occupied for so long?¡±


    He tilted the book for her to see the map. ¡°I think that¡¯s where we need to go¡ªthe real reason we¡¯re here. If you can get me a map of each section of Quennell¡¯s territory, then I can figure out where this is.¡± It was one of the skills he never actually thought he¡¯d use; that, and determining the time of day and general location of an area if he was only given a picture and a territory¡¯s name.


    ¡°I think this is a waste of time,¡± she mumbled. ¡°But I suppose I can¡¯t deny you. I¡¯ll find a map.¡±

 Secrets of the Ley Lines: Book I- Chapter 7

    The rest of that afternoon was spent trying to convince everyone to go. Samone had decided she wasn¡¯t going to fight it before he even got to the part of telling everyone else. Lydia saw the opportunity for an adventure and was all for it. Dimas, initially, was a bit hesitant until he saw how determined Imre was to go. Kiah had apparently stayed up late drinking the night before and had yet to completely sober up (it was ultimately decided that she¡¯d just go anyway and get no say in the matter).


    After that, he told Mathieu about their plans and they left the next morning.


    ¡°It¡¯s not too far from here,¡± Imre assured them. ¡°Just a little longer.¡±


    ¡°Remind me again why this matters?¡± Kiah was never one to hold back thoughts, at least not completely. There was something in her tone that hinted she knew more about this than she was letting on, and she very well could¡¯ve. ¡°If you had to do that much to find out where this place is, shouldn¡¯t that tell you nothing¡¯s gonna be here?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what I think is there but I know there has to be something,¡± he responded absently. ¡°It¡¯s hard to explain. There¡¯s not just going to be nothing there. Trust me.¡±


    They must¡¯ve thought he couldn¡¯t hear the hushed conversation that followed, despite how close together they were.


    ¡°Kiah, quit complaining,¡± Samone hissed. ¡°Believe it or not, that¡¯s the look of someone actually interested in something.¡±


    ¡°Really? ¡®Cause that looks like someone slowly dying on the inside.¡± Kiah paused. ¡°Make that someone who¡¯s already dead.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s something else running through his head besides the other stuff,¡± Lydia mumbled. ¡°That¡¯s a good thing.¡±


    It took Dimas a while to contribute anything. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if this is what we¡¯re really here for, but it¡¯s doing what Minne wanted it to.¡±


    Once they all said their piece, there was nothing left to discuss on the matter. A kind of eerie silence fell over them, adding to the chilly familiarity of the place they soon entered.


    Nothing would have alerted the average passerby that something was there if it weren¡¯t for the trees; the pines had yet to retake the path, at least not completely. All of it told of a place that once was but was no more. Even the calls of the birds seemed hurried, as if they wanted nothing more than to get away from here. Riding into the village was no different.


    The streets that undoubtedly saw festivals of all sorts have long since reached their peak. All that remained was the vague remains of banners, though even those had worn away with time. If the houses hadn¡¯t already fallen down, then they¡¯ve gone into such disrepair that they were about to. It felt like a ghost town, but it only made him remember that it was.


    As they walked through, only one house appeared to be used recently. In fact, it seemed the smell of tea lingered around it; it stood out as one of the only smells there. None of them seemed particularly happy when that was the one he stopped at.


    After he dismounted, he just stared at it for a moment. There was something familiar about it, between the flowers planted in the front and the open door revealing a small bit of the inside. It brought an odd string of thoughts to his mind. He¡¯d once walked through that door, but not as himself. Yet, there was nothing about him that would have suggested that, having no spirit and little will to debate alternate explanations of such knowledge.


    ¡°This is how we all get murdered by Ski¨¢,¡± Kiah grumbled. She went on to a more mocking tone as she dismounted, adding, ¡°Sure, let¡¯s go to the only building that¡¯s not completely run down! We might not have brought gifts for the owner, but I¡¯m sure they won¡¯t mind! Maybe they¡¯ll be fine with tearing us to pieces instead.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re in an awfully foul mood this morning,¡± Imre noted absently. ¡°Annoyed that you still had to get up early when you¡¯re hungover?¡±


    ¡°Normally you give yourself anxiety over a possibly dangerous situation and back out. But now, when there¡¯s a pretty probable chance of bad things happening, you¡¯re in your own little world that doesn¡¯t seem to care.¡± Kiah maintained a blunt approach to all of it. ¡°Making sure you don¡¯t get yourself killed is a lot harder than you might think it is.¡±


    Samone was the next to dismount. ¡°What did we talk about not complaining..?¡± she mumbled to Kiah, though the warning that might¡¯ve hid behind it was ignored.


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    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry,¡± Kiah said sarcastically. ¡°I¡¯ll just forget the fact I¡¯m surrounded by important people that might risk my job if they die. Let¡¯s see, I have the Seothian prince¡ªthe only one I¡¯m really supposed to be babysitting¡ªthe Qizarn prince with political value I can¡¯t even begin to describe, the Court Magister who is conveniently also heir to a crap ton of land and more titles within the court, and the noble with the absolute worst luck ever. Surely, nothing can ever go wrong!¡±


    ¡°Can you please be quieter? I can¡¯t concentrate while you¡¯re bickering.¡± Imre wasn¡¯t exactly listening for a response out of them. He ran his hand along the doorframe, slowly beginning to step into the house. The thought of the owner never even crossed his mind, somehow knowing that whoever once lived here wasn¡¯t going to be returning for a while yet.


    He started ignoring everything the others said and did after he knew Dimas and Lydia dismounted. By then, he¡¯d already completely wandered in and was taking in the unsettlingly-familiar room.


    It was, without a doubt, everything the residents would¡¯ve needed it to be. The fireplace was the most prominent thing there, likely being used for both cooking and heat; it seemed as if tea had just been put on, contributing a bit to show that it was still used. What little was left of the furniture couldn¡¯t begin to explain the positions they had once been in, some being the target of thieves and others simply prey to time. But aside from that, the general state of the cottage meant that someone still cared to protect it from all of those things.


    Now, who was that person? That part didn¡¯t matter. Somehow he knew that, whoever it was, they wouldn¡¯t mind if he looked around a little. In fact, they¡¯d probably intended for him to. It would make sense, given how certain parts even looked dusted.


    Imre went straight to the slightly-falling-apart dining table, intrigued by the little notebook that sat there. He would¡¯ve questioned the conspicuousness of it, but at that point, his mind was getting a little foggy. It felt more like instinct rather than reason, replacing his normal overthinking with something that¡­ didn¡¯t really think at all. It had slowly developed into this state of half-awareness over the course of their trip here, nothing quite clicking like it was supposed to.


    The notebook was open, showing one of the last entries. A bit of it was scribbled out, leaving a good portion of the beginning illegible, but everything else was fine.


    ¡®There¡¯s really no bounds for Kiraat¡¯s inability to mind his own business! He¡¯s being irrational. At least, I think he is. He¡­ is, isn¡¯t he? I shouldn¡¯t second-guess myself. I¡¯ve gone too far to back out now. I don¡¯t want to see that ¡°told you so, Calli¡± look. So smug, like he wants to let me know I¡¯m the runt. I¡¯m surprised no one¡¯s punched him yet, if I¡¯m being honest.


    That¡¯s not the point. What matters is that I¡¯m going to be leaving soon, whether he wants me to or not. He¡¯s been hovering over me for years, and this is no different¡­ It kinda makes me wonder what it¡¯ll be like without him. Quieter, probably. I¡¯m waiting for the day I¡¯m not allowed to talk to him at all¡­ He¡¯s played a pretty big role in what happened to them.


    We¡¯re the only ones left in Idale. And soon, he¡¯s going to be alone here, overwhelmed by the times that once were¡­¡¯


    None of the others had gotten close enough to read it. They probably wouldn¡¯t have cared for its contents anyway.


    His mind still felt a bit hazy, but he knew what he needed to do. Imre walked over to another door, observing everything about it before opening it. It revealed one of the bedrooms, housing a single mat with enough space for two more.


    ¡°Samone.¡± There was a kind of distance in his voice as he wandered inside the small room. ¡°How much Truth magic do you know, again..?¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯d listened to me at all over the past six months then you¡¯d know,¡± was the near-venomous retort. Maybe she was feeling the same kind of thing he was and mistook it for danger. ¡°There¡¯s the True Colors for Fos, Ski¨¢, Ilethera, and a little bit of spirits, deciphering and counteracting siren¡¯s song, reversing the effects of Illusion magic¡ª¡°


    ¡°Do you know how to get objects to show a bit of the past, and do they need to be something of intense sentimental value?¡± He turned around to see her unamused expression, but he made no sign of regretting his question.


    ¡°Depends on how far back you plan on going,¡± Samone replied. ¡°If it¡¯s within the last forty years or so then all I¡¯d need is a spot where something happened. Any longer than that and I¡¯ll need a specific object that held significant importance to the event or person.¡±


    ¡°Would this room do?¡± He gestured her a little closer to look at it. ¡°It¡¯s probably only going to be twenty or so years. Maybe thirty.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to tell me why?¡± She walked past him to observe the area, already proving that she would at least try to do it.


    ¡°I need to see something.¡± That was all the answer he could give her. He didn¡¯t even know any more of the answer himself, that single want was the only thing he had to go off of. ¡°Just show something that happened in this house. Something with the five of them¡­¡±


    ¡°I need something a little more specific, Nokae,¡± she remarked. ¡°If I simply go by whatever this house has witnessed then we¡¯d be here for days¡ªit might even be years if you don¡¯t specify a person or date. ¡®The five of them¡¯ means nothing. It could mean the five of us, five bandits that raided the place, five Ski¨¢ that wandered around town, five past residents, or literally five of anything else.¡±


    ¡°Calli, then. Something with Calli¡­¡±


    Kiah perked up at the name, but that didn¡¯t mean she liked to hear it. She stayed quiet for a moment, then carefully said, ¡°He means Callisto Huzaifa. She lived here up until seventeen-ish years ago.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to question how you know that,¡± Samone decided. ¡°It should work for a name and time. Now all you have to do is be quiet so then I can concentrate.¡±

 Secrets of the Ley Lines: Book I- Chapter 8

    ¡°Quit running around! I can¡¯t keep up with you!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not my fault you have stubby legs!¡±


    A girl burst out from the room, sparing no mind to everything that she might¡¯ve bumped into along the way. She seemed every part of a rogue, from her short dark auburn hair to the clothes that better fit someone on the street than someone from an honest family. And she also didn¡¯t seem to care to look where she was going, running right into the only adult in sight.


    ¡°Zenas.¡± He looked right down at her, but there was some kind of care amidst his cold gaze. ¡°I told you to stop making a mess of things. Look¡ªCalli¡¯s exhausted. You can stand to be a little more gentle with her, can¡¯t you?¡±


    Calli was the next one to run through, though she had much more respect for her surroundings. It was difficult to distinguish anything about her, despite being the reason they were watching the memory. She had enough of a form to be noticeable but little features to show what she looked like. That form only allowed them to see how young she was; or at least, how little she was compared to Zenas.


    ¡°Yes, Haris,¡± Zenas mumbled. ¡°I¡¯ll think ahead more in the future.¡± Judging by her tone, she didn¡¯t plan on staying true to her words. It was the kind of honesty only used to get out of trouble, rather than an apology meant to last for at least a few months.


    He didn¡¯t seem to believe her, though he didn¡¯t say anything. Sparing a suspicious glance at her, he turned around and began walking away. ¡°Takane, take care of the kids while I¡¯m out. It might be a while so don¡¯t wait for me.¡± With that, he grabbed his coat and left.


    Zenas spared no time in wandering to the window to watch him. She clambered up the counter, getting a better view sitting there than standing close to it. ¡°Where do you think he¡¯s going today?¡±


    ¡°Does it really matter..?¡± Calli occupied herself by cleaning up everything Zenas had previously knocked over. ¡°It¡¯s none of our concern where he¡¯s going. He said it¡¯s all for business, and business means more money. More money means less things we have to worry about when the fall and winter comes around. That¡¯s all we need to worry about, I think.¡±


    ¡°Stop sounding older than me,¡± Zenas retorted, her nose scrunched up. ¡°I don¡¯t like it. You¡¯re supposed to be the runt of the litter, so act like it every now and again. Let the big kids worry about the important stuff.¡±


    ¡°So says the girl who¡¯s leaving me to clean up her mess,¡± Calli muttered. ¡°Not exactly being a good role model here¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll repay you for it one day, I swear. Just keep doing my chores until then! Keep savin¡¯ ¡®em up and I might be able to do a really big favor for ya!¡±


    ¡­


    There was a certain kind of darkness looming over the area; a sense of peril, despite all the other evidence of peace. While the flowers were blooming, it felt that in a moment they would all go into hiding. The sky might¡¯ve been clear but winds told of coming storms. Whatever happened to the residents was a mystery to anyone, deathly quiet yet seeming like life had existed mere moments before.


    Only five people were out at all. Among the now-familiar face of Zenas and the figure of Calli, three others had varying levels of concern. They were still strangers, with unknown names and faces. Whatever importance they might¡¯ve had was uncertain, at least for the time being.


    ¡°What do you want, even? What¡¯s so special about a bunch of village kids?¡± Zenas demanded. Everything from her expression to her body language suggested that she was ready for action. In a moment¡¯s notice, she¡¯d be running after whoever she was talking to.


    Whatever words she was given in response were incomprehensible. The effect of it, however, was pretty evident: all that pent up annoyance was beginning to show, and she rushed towards the voice.


    She was all alone in a moment. There was no one else around her, no kind of soul that would¡¯ve seen her past that moment. Whatever comfort she might¡¯ve gained from knowing someone was there to witness her actions were gone. She probably didn¡¯t think about it at all, at least not now. Her thoughts were all focused on a single, distant thing, leaving little room for reason.


    ¡°Time to repay that little debt.¡± She used her own words to fuel her, to keep her going. By now she¡¯d zigzagged through the streets of the village and finally ended up outside of it. It was impossible to tell exactly how much time she must¡¯ve spent running, but it was clear to see how tired she¡¯d become. She must¡¯ve known, though, that this was only the first thing she needed to do.


    It was impossible to tell who she was really talking to. The view remained solely on her, only moving when her figure was obscured; it didn¡¯t do anything for the person she was talking to. Whoever it was, almost like it was intentional, was blocked by an oak tree. All there was to identify them was the confident feminine voice.


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    ¡°You¡¯re going to explain to me what you mean by that,¡± Zenas said in a mix of fear and impatience.


    ¡°Not until you tell me what you hope to achieve,¡± the voice returned, clearer with each word. ¡°Look around you, child. Do you see any comfort here? Is there someone close by you can turn to when you get hurt? You¡¯ve gone and separated yourself from every level of familiarity you¡¯ve ever known. Isn¡¯t it awful, being all alone? Go on, be honest, I won¡¯t judge¡­¡±


    Zenas made the mistake of thinking about the meaning behind the words. The realization hit her that she wasn¡¯t able to go back now, even if she wanted to. It¡ªshe¡ªwas too far gone to be found again. ¡°How could I get myself lost..?¡± Her panicked mumblings only increased as she took in her surroundings. ¡°I should be better than that! I don¡¯t know any of the area surrounding Idale. Haris never wanted us to go out, and we never tried after the first time he caught us¡­¡±


    ¡°If only you¡¯d been more disobedient little children. You might have been able to think your way out of this one. Ah well, there¡¯s only one reward for stupidity,¡± the voice remarked. With every word, it proved they gained a kind of cruel entertainment out of it, adding to an uneasy sense of distrust.


    She froze, understanding it a bit too well.


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry yet,¡± they assured her. ¡°I¡¯m not just going to give you up that easily. You¡¯ve got to have a story to tell when you see Vriuh. What¡¯s the fun in shredding you to pieces if I don¡¯t get to see your terrified look as all you knew crumbles in front of you?¡± They said it so nonchalantly, something that could even be considered friendly. But no words could cover up what they truly intended to say.


    They took Zenas¡¯s silence as an opportunity to continue. ¡°You already know what makes that youngest of yours special, don¡¯t you? You know she has a spirit, and the role she plays with the regeneration of this place. But did you ever think further? Did you ever wonder if there was more to her? How about the way your precious guardian took care of her? You shouldn¡¯t lie to yourself. Jealousy can drive even the mightiest of mortals into unfortunate demise. It tempted gods before, after all.


    ¡°You were five when she came, weren¡¯t you? It wasn¡¯t the fact that attention was being brought away from you. Quite frankly you never had any to begin with. Already you shared that attention and caring with three others, and have been for about two years. But it did have to do with the way he treated her. The fact that he continued to treat the rest of you normally after finding her is what bothers you. The thing that causes you to get angry at the mere sight of her.


    ¡°Sure, he spent time with the rest of you. But not even all of that time combined compared to what he spent with her. He treated her as a daughter while he treated the rest of you like young roommates. What he gave her¡­ it was never the kind of love he¡¯d given to you, or any of the others. It was something completely new, and completely reserved for her. None of you will admit to the fact that you¡¯re all thinking about it. Why? Why was she the precious one, the one he would risk everything else for? What if I could tell you? All the mysteries you ever had about her can be answered, all you have to do is ask¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to listen to you.¡± She was just telling that to herself, hoping it would do something. It was a desperate attempt at trying to fight off the temptation.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard the sirens singing and I know what happens when a mortal hears them. You can try fighting, but you¡¯re never going to be free once it starts. I have you wrapped around my finger. You really should be more careful about what you carelessly run off to. Not like it matters anymore.¡±


    Zenas looked around for a kind of exit, whatever hope she might¡¯ve had slowly disappearing. She tried running but she was locked in place, every little drop of confidence or anger replaced by fear.


    ¡°There¡¯s only one thing that¡¯s more convincing than a siren¡¯s song: the clear, tantalizing words of the devil. And you, dear child, found yourself in the midst of the truest of demons.¡±


    ¡­


    It was an odd feeling to be back in the present. It wasn¡¯t quite pleasant but it wasn''t awful either. But as soon as he¡¯d spent enough time to review all that happened, he wasn¡¯t any more satisfied.


    ¡°That had nothing to do with Calli,¡± he pointed out. ¡°She only appeared for a couple of minutes, and that wasn''t anything worth mentioning. You couldn¡¯t even make out what she looked like!¡±


    ¡°I can only work so hard with someone¡¯s fake name!¡± Samone defended almost immediately. She sighed and went on to explain calmly, ¡°Callisto isn¡¯t her first name, and I doubt any of us know what that name is. I can¡¯t pull up all the details unless I have all the details. I told you magic needs to be incredibly specific. I could walk into the castle and look for the memories of Imre Mikkel, for example, but that won¡¯t bring up stuff just about you. I¡¯d probably end up finding something about whoever the first ¡®Imre Mikkel¡¯ was. I wouldn¡¯t just add your middle names into the mix and get the right results, either. Every part of your name will be needed in order for it to show up things that are only about you. Then it¡¯s going to show everything that has to do with you, so if I want something more specific I need to have a date or at least a year. Otherwise, I could come up with everything that happened to you in that castle from the time you were born to now.¡±


    Dimas was smart and chose to not pick a side in this argument. ¡°Maybe this just wasn¡¯t the right place. A lot of different things could¡¯ve changed what happened. Doing that kind of stuff isn¡¯t easy¡­ Zofie can barely do anything that lasts that long.¡±


    His contribution remained completely unnoticed by both sides.


    ¡°Can you do another one?¡± Imre wasn¡¯t planning on giving up until he could see what he wanted to see. He already knew the next place they could try, ready to guide her to it as long as she would let him.


    It was clear she held some thoughts of opposition, though only said, ¡°I should do as my prince tells me. It wouldn¡¯t befit a member of the council to disobey orders. Lead the way, Nokae. I¡¯ll be right behind you.¡±


    Nodding, Imre led them all outside to the streets.

 Secrets of the Ley Lines: Book I- Chapter 9

    It started with Zenas running off. This time, though, it stayed on the four that remained.


    ¡°Zenas!¡± Calli tried running after her, but a hand pulled her back again. ¡°Let me go, Umber. I need to make sure she¡¯ll be safe.¡±


    ¡°And I need to make sure you stay safe.¡± Umber became clearer after talking, now something more than just a blurry figure. He had short, messy brown hair and the mismatched clothing of an entertainer. It looked, mostly, to be made of hand-me-downs rather than anything new. ¡°Let¡¯s go back inside for now. She¡¯ll come around eventually.¡±


    He didn¡¯t give her time to think about it before ushering her inside. ¡°A storm¡¯s coming, and we don¡¯t want to be out there when it happens.¡±


    From there, it seemed to skip several months. Everything around them looked a little different than before; it started losing a bit of its color as it slowly assumed the appearance of every other mountain village. It foretold the possibility that something was wrong before anyone even said it.


    Calli was sitting at the table, head down and half-heartedly poking at her breakfast. ¡°You know she has a bad feeling about this, right, Umber? Going out right now, I mean¡­¡±


    ¡°You need to stop worrying!¡± Umber paused, thinking about his phrasing a little more. ¡°Er, I guess tell Missa to stop worrying. If that¡¯s how souls work. Can you even really talk to her?¡±


    ¡°Mentally and in dreams,¡± she replied thoughtfully. ¡°But I can¡¯t really see her. Not in the same way others can, anyway. It¡¯s not strong enough for that.¡±


    He only acted like he understood it for a moment. ¡°Right, right.¡± Then he grabbed her arm and gently tugged on it, meaning for her to follow him. ¡°Just ignore her. What kind of advice is a dead person gonna give you, anyway? The fresh air will lift your mood, promise.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t I trust you?¡± she questioned, raising an eyebrow.


    ¡°Because you care more about what that little spirit thinks you should do than what I know is better,¡± was his nonchalant (and nowhere near what she wanted to hear) answer. ¡°Think of it this way. Which one of us is older, and thereby the one you should be listening to?¡±


    ¡°Well, technically, Missa¡¯s older¡­ not only did she die over a thousand years ago, but she was also in her fifties when she died.¡±


    The glare he gave her meant that he wasn¡¯t going to accept that. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ve known you for longer.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s technically not right either¡­¡±


    ¡°Just quit arguing and come with me!¡±


    He tugged on her a little more until she got up, then guided her outside. Despite how he tried to rush her earlier, he gave her all the time it took to usher her into the center of town.


    It didn¡¯t really feel right, though. While it seemed that somebody had taken the effort into maintaining it, no such people could be seen. There weren¡¯t any true signs of anyone living there except for the five figures they saw in the beginning.


    Umber just started trying everything at his disposal in order to make her laugh. Somehow, it was clear that this wasn¡¯t something they¡¯d done recently; something had happened that brought them all apart. Whoever ¡°they¡± were, aside from the two people that the memory centered around.


    Teasingly, he kept going around in the open area, prompting her to follow him as he danced circles around her. He made sure to throw in a few tricks here and there, slowly bringing out a weak smile.


    ¡°See? Isn¡¯t this better than just listening to Ki?¡± His smile was much more confident than hers, something that would be hard to break. ¡°He¡¯d have us in there all day if he could. I¡¯m sure he doesn¡¯t think that we¡¯d be able to handle ourselves out here. Seriously, Takane doesn¡¯t seem to have that much of a problem with it. What¡¯s he thinking he¡¯s protecting us from, anyway?¡±


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    ¡°He has his reasons,¡± Calli mumbled, her smile fading. But whatever confidence she might¡¯ve had in it was gone as she thought it over, soon adding, ¡°Probably.¡±


    ¡°Even you don¡¯t know! I¡¯d say he doesn¡¯t have one if you don¡¯t know about it,¡± Umber remarked matter-of-factly. ¡°He cares more for you than he does everyone else. Kind of like Haris, but in a brotherly way.¡± It was purely a thoughtful opinion, with no ill-meaning behind it. Simply an absent-minded kid thinking aloud.


    Calli didn¡¯t seem to take it the way he meant. She answered in silence, letting it fill in the air around them.


    That is, until three others made their way to where they were. Though, they were like everyone else: their names and appearances were unknown, a piece that should¡¯ve been there but wasn¡¯t.


    ¡°So, I¡¯m going to kindly ask you to stop,¡± a somewhat familiar voice said sheepishly. He practically ran into Calli and Umber in an attempt to lose his pursuers. ¡°And there¡¯s people here. Can you two, uh, help me out a little..?¡±


    Umber took a moment to stare. ¡°Do I know you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a noble in the area,¡± he responded. He quickly stepped out of the way when a pursuer tried to grab him. ¡°In case you haven¡¯t noticed, I¡¯m kind of in a tough situation here and would really appreciate it if you could help get me out of it. I¡¯ve got a bit of pocket change if that¡¯ll sway you.¡±


    That seemed to do it. Umber pulled out a knife (though it appeared rather dull), grinning at Calli as he told her, ¡°Go back and get Ki. I don¡¯t want you getting hurt.¡±


    She opened her mouth to protest, but quickly closed it again. With a nod, she bolted off and out of sight.


    ¡°If I¡¯m gonna be fighting for you, I think I deserve a name.¡± Umber began to dance around the pursuer as a second showed up. ¡°I¡¯m Umber.¡±


    ¡°Luke. At least, that¡¯s what you¡¯re going to be calling me for the time being.¡± He drew his own sword, already posing much more of a threat than Umber.


    ¡°Not one to share your real name, huh?¡±


    ¡°You learn to avoid it when it only brings more trouble than it''s worth.¡±


    ¡°Got family issues?¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re smart, you¡¯ll stop bantering and worry about not getting killed.¡± Even as he said that, Luke blocked a hit that would¡¯ve been meant for Umber.


    They each took on one of the pursuers, with varying degrees of success. It was clear in a second who was the more experienced fighter; Umber was more concerned with dodging than attacking, meanwhile Luke¡¯s movements were fluent and meant to harm. Luke, however much he tried to hide it, clearly had the technique of any Seothian soldier. But between trying to concentrate and likely never leaving the village, Umber didn¡¯t seem to notice it at all.


    It didn¡¯t take too long for Calli to come back with, who could only be assumed to be, ¡°Ki.¡± At that point, Luke was already taunting his foes to follow him again. He was preparing to bring them away from the village, possibly putting up even more of a fight there. From an outsider¡¯s perspective, it wouldn¡¯t be hard to think that he was a part of their group and was fleeing from possible punishment.


    Umber, convinced that the job was done, put his dagger back and triumphantly turned to Calli and Ki. ¡°That wasn¡¯t too¡ª¡°


    Whatever had happened had either been too quick or cloaked to really see. There was no evidence that anything had ever touched him, aside from the growing spot on his chest. He became expressionless, staring at them like they could¡¯ve done anything at this point.


    Ki was quicker to restrain Calli than she was to go to Umber¡¯s aid first.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to get yourself killed!¡± The tall, yet truly indistinguishable man was much stronger than she was. He hardly seemed to have any trouble keeping her in place at all.


    ¡°But I can¡ª¡°


    Umber chuckled weakly. ¡°You can¡¯t, Calli. You¡¯re just gonna get us both killed and that¡¯s not going to solve anything.¡± Having staggered over to a side of a building, he started easing himself down. ¡°Promise me something. You¡¯ve got an amazing power, and it shouldn¡¯t be wasted on something that isn¡¯t worth it. Wait until you know what you¡¯re sacrificing yourself for. Make it something you know you won¡¯t regret. I think there¡¯s bigger plans for that ability of yours and it doesn¡¯t involve any of us.¡±


    ¡°Come on.¡± Ki held back no effort in getting her to move away. ¡°We don¡¯t want to be out past dark.¡±


    ¡­


    The daze left much sooner than it had before. Or at least, it didn¡¯t seem as unfamiliar as it did the first time.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ a kind of harsh way to go,¡± Lydia remarked after a moment of silence. ¡°What was that, even? The only thing you could see was the blood¡­¡±


    Dimas was the only one who had even the slightest of answers. ¡°M¨¢vri Mage¨ªa, probably. A quick spell that poisons the target. It¡¯s usually not handled that well.¡±


    Kiah clearly bit back a comment of her own.


    Imre decided to talk about the mission at hand. ¡°Samone, do you think you can do another one for me?¡±


    ¡°At your will, Prince,¡± she replied breezily. There was an edge of weariness to it. ¡°Just show me where to go.¡±


    He nodded and wandered to the next area.

 Secrets of the Ley Lines: Book I- Chapter 10

    Ki could already be distinguished by his figure, but he now possessed an actual appearance. He did, vaguely, share the same features as Zenas, though the differences outweighed the similarities. For one, his hair was a silvery color; a second would be his cooler choice of colors in a practical, but somewhat worn, outfit.


    He¡¯d been making tea when voices caught his attention. Or, more specifically, Calli¡¯s laugh. He followed the voices to the herb garden to see Calli sitting on the ground and Luke casually sitting in a tree.


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised you fooled anyone with that name,¡± Calli remarked, still giggling. ¡°It¡¯s so obvious! It¡¯s almost a little uncreative. You¡¯re not a noble in the area, that¡¯s just what you tell everyone when they ask if they know you. Luke was First Queen Clarimonda¡¯s name for Lucas, even Missa knew that much. You¡¯re the crown prince of Seothia, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°It took my mom a year to figure that part out!¡± Luke chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m guessing a spirit¡¯s doing all the work on that one?¡±


    She smiled up at the sky. ¡°You caught me. I was born with a connection to Missa. Though I¡¯m assuming you¡¯re not spiritless yourself.¡±


    ¡°Lucas is right beside you. I can pretty much guarantee that he¡¯s always going to be where I am. Apparently an actual future king hasn¡¯t had that much of a connection to him since Jakob.¡±


    Luke repositioned himself in order to hang upside down before he continued. ¡°If you can figure out my nickname, then I need to figure out yours. I know for a fact that ¡®Calli¡¯ probably isn¡¯t your real name.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t have to do with spirits at all.¡± Calli almost seemed embarrassed to go on, blushing. ¡°Do you know about the Qizarn legend of Callisto?¡±


    ¡°Nope. Always just felt like a bunch of fairytales to scare kids into following orders or whatever.¡±


    ¡°My caretaker and the oldest of my friends grew up together in Qizar, so I¡¯ve heard a lot of stories. This one has to do with a woman named Callisto. She was beautiful enough that even Elle¡ªthe goddess of Wind and someone very beautiful herself¡ªwas jealous of her. So Elle cursed her, turning her into a bear. When Orestis found out what had happened, He tried to turn Callisto back to normal. But she¡¯d already been hunted and killed. He made her an eternal monument instead: a place in the stars as the Ursa.¡±


    ¡°So they¡¯ve got stories behind constellations? What does that have to do with anything?¡±


    ¡°Callisto is associated with bears. It¡¯s kind of hard to explain but, in a way, so am I. It¡¯s the name my caretaker gave me, but not the name I was born with.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s your real name, then, if you don¡¯t mind me asking?¡±


    This was when Ki finally stepped in. ¡°What are you doing?¡± He sounded a lot harsher than he meant, but it succeeded in what he wanted. Luke left as soon as he stepped out. ¡°And what was he doing with you?¡±


    Calli gave little answer, aside from a rather blunt, ¡°I don¡¯t see how it concerns you.¡± She got up and walked past him.


    ¡­


    Everything was¡­ darker, in a way. Whatever once made the place special and bustling with life was gone, save for the three people that remained.


    Calli was, presumably, asleep in another room; the open door allowed glimpses of her restless slumber and her incomprehensible mumbling. Both Luke and Ki were in the main room, and if not for their stares could¡¯ve been mistaken for having a casual chat over tea.


    ¡°She can¡¯t stay here with you forever,¡± Luke insisted, trying to be as quiet as possible.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not letting her stay with you either!¡± Ki counteracted, only caring half as much about how loud he was. ¡°All of those lies won¡¯t work on me. Do you really think I¡¯m stupid enough to believe she¡¯d be cared for? She¡¯s just going to be added to a long list of maids you own just for the pleasure of showing off!¡±


    ¡°I think you¡¯re too stupid to realize what I¡¯m offering here. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a little lonely out here since Takane moved out? Or have you at least thought if this was really the best thing for her? You can¡¯t honestly tell me you think she¡¯s happy living here by herself.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with us! The only thing that¡¯s ruining our lives is you! If you hadn¡¯t shown up, we would all still be living out our lives like normal. She would still be mine. But a certain bastard had to show up and destroy everything I¡¯ve worked so hard to maintain! It¡¯s because of you she¡¯s lost faith in me. She doesn¡¯t come to me at all anymore¡ªdoesn¡¯t even bother to say hello! You¡¯ve been weaving lies from the very beginning, doing whatever it took to get what you wanted from her.¡±


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    ¡°It¡¯s my fault that you¡¯ve gone completely insane? Look at you! I¡¯ve met drunkards with better logic. I only want what¡¯s best for her. I swear I won¡¯t ever let any harm come to her. What do I need to do to prove that to you?¡±


    ¡°You could go away, for starters. Go back to whatever rich family you came from and leave us alone. We don¡¯t need you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m trying to be respectable here. She doesn¡¯t want to stay here¡ª¡°


    ¡°Only because you¡¯ve convinced her that you have something better! You have nothing that we don¡¯t. In fact, we have more! I¡¯m not going to trust her with someone she¡¯s hardly even known for a year!¡± Ki spared no time getting up and ushering Luke out. ¡°You have your answer, now get out! I don¡¯t want anything to do with you anymore. And stay away from Calli unless you¡¯d like to see the full extent of my archery skills!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m getting out, I¡¯m getting out! This is the last time you¡¯ll see me.¡± But that wasn¡¯t the look of someone who was being honest. Luke knew that he would be back here; he¡¯d just be extra careful not to encounter Ki.


    Ki watched him leave before walking over to Calli¡¯s room. He stood by the door for a moment, frowning at her frantic muttering, then closed the door. He glanced over his shoulder to find nothing there, though he talked like there was.


    ¡°Well? Do you think I¡¯ve finally driven him away this time?¡±


    It was a surprise to hear that someone¡ªa voice nearly identical to the one Zenas talked to¡ªresponded. ¡°I think the only way you can truly keep him away is by killing him. It would also be rather fun to watch. Imagine tearing every limb of that little brat apart, hearing him vainly ask for mercy¡­¡±


    ¡°As much as I want to, I can¡¯t be the one to kill him. Calli still needs to trust me,¡± Ki sighed. ¡°I need to do whatever I can to bring things back to what they used to be between us. Killing her ¡®fianc¨¦¡¯ definitely isn¡¯t going to put me in her favor.¡±


    ¡°Oh, she¡¯ll never think of running off with another man ever again. You¡¯ll have her wrapped around your finger, too terrified to disobey you¡­¡±


    Ki stiffened. ¡°I don¡¯t want to scare her! What part of ¡®what we used to be¡¯ do you not understand? She didn¡¯t fear me. She trusted me, obeyed me, actually cared to give a damn about what I told her. Now she¡¯s been blinded by false love and flying too close to the sun for my liking.¡±


    ¡°You know there¡¯s precious little time before she¡¯s swayed for good, yet you insist on the slow route. At this rate, you¡¯re never going to achieve what you¡¯ve been aiming for.¡±


    Everything seemed to stop for a minute once she actually stepped into view. Her form was clearer than anyone else¡¯s, though her back was turned; the only thing truly distinguishable from that point was her orange-yellow hair and the shattered remnant of dragonfly wings. There was something simply unsettling looking at her, like something bad could happen any moment now that she was here.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to keep her safe?¡± Carefully, she walked up behind him and began to wrap her arms around him. ¡°You¡¯re exhausting all your possible options¡­ all except for one. It doesn¡¯t need to be hard at all. All you have to do is listen to me, and you can have all of it¡­ You could keep her safe no matter what, even as your body fails you. I can show you everything¡­¡±


    Then everything truly did stop. She caressed his head for a moment, then abruptly ripped it off to reveal all of it as a doll. When she whipped around to face them, she only showed pure sadistic amusement. ¡°Or I would, but I¡¯m not particularly fond of eavesdroppers. A bull¡¯s waiting for you, you know. Best not keep him hungry for too long.¡±


    ¡­


    Samone jerked back so suddenly Imre was certain she was going to fall. But she took his offer of support before then, leaning against him until she was steady enough on her own.


    ¡°That was not a normal person,¡± she mumbled. ¡°Normal people can¡¯t do that. It¡¯s almost impossible to intercept someone else¡¯s magic like that. Not unless it¡¯s considerably strong or¡ª¡°


    ¡°A god,¡± Dimas interrupted slowly. ¡°Only a god could do something like that. And there¡¯s only one god that could match that description¡­¡±


    ¡°Eldrianna,¡± Kiah sighed. ¡°Darkness herself. Only she knows what she was doing there.¡±


    ¡°Whoever it was, that was not a pleasant feeling,¡± Samone decided. ¡°It¡¯s like getting kicked out of your own head¡­ I didn¡¯t even realize something like that existed.¡±


    ¡°Can you manage one more?¡± Imre only paid attention to her expression; she was the only one he needed to have the consent of, being the only one who could do it. ¡°This¡¯ll be the last, I promise.¡±


    ¡°As long as that doesn¡¯t happen again,¡± she replied. ¡°I¡¯ve got enough for one more in me.¡±


    Dimas caught Imre¡¯s hand before he could show her where to go. Instead, he instructed, ¡°The three of you go to the entrance to town. We¡¯ll meet you there.¡±


    They nodded and walked away, though they still remained in sight.


    ¡°So I¡¯ve tried very hard to keep this supportive boyfriend thing up but I¡¯m starting to get concerned,¡± Dimas admitted after a minute. ¡°This was kinda okay at first; at least it wasn¡¯t hurting anyone. We came, we started looking, and we saw the first memory. Then you continued to urge Samone to do more of them, when really one¡¯s more than what most people can handle of that length. That would¡¯ve been enough on its own but then Eldrianna showed up. I think it¡¯s best if we stop while we¡¯re ahead on this one¡­¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re already too far to back out now,¡± Imre responded softly. ¡°There¡¯s only one more. I need to be sure of something before I¡¯ll let this go.¡± He pulled his hand back. ¡°I know you¡¯re worried, and I don¡¯t blame you for that. But this¡­ I need to figure out what happened here.¡±


    Dimas sighed. ¡°Alright. I can¡¯t deny you when you look at me like that anyway¡­¡±


    With that, they went to join the others by the entrance.

 Secrets of the Ley Lines: Book I- Chapter 11

    It was definitely different than everywhere else. For one, this place actually had people in it; in fact, from the single window¡¯s view, there was a whole bustling town. It served as a sort of ambiance for the peaceful scene they saw.


    A goblin had just put down her quill, her emerald green eyes scrutinizing what she¡¯d just written. She pulled back her fern-colored hair in order to see better, using a small pin to keep it in place. Then, she read it all out loud.


    ¡°¡®This is Takane. I realized it has been a while since we have talked, so I bought some new paper and ink and started writing!


    I am still working on all of those wooden animals¡ªthey are actually selling really well here. I made one for your son, too; all that is left to do is to paint it. When it is finished, I will be sure to give it to you. I am certain he will love it. Who knows, I might even be able to give it to him myself! It has been a while since we have met in person.


    So anyway, what have you been up to all this time? Aside from finding a home with the king and having a kid, of course. There has to be something else going on with you. Maybe some castle gossip? What has the little one gotten into? Are you finding a newfound appreciation for what Haris and I had to do when taking care of you four?¡¯¡±


    Her name, then, was Takane. She was the last of Calli¡¯s friends to put a face to.


    She seemed rather proud of what she¡¯d written for a moment, before a commotion outside drew her attention away from it. It didn¡¯t take long for the pride in her eyes to turn to fear.


    Takane quickly grabbed a coat and rushed outside. What she was greeted with was by no means pleasant. No one would even be able to call it humane.


    Ski¨¢ had the most control during the night, but that didn¡¯t mean they couldn¡¯t dictate the day as well. Most people were able to trust nearby lords¡ªwho likely owned the land¡ªto deal with them, though that didn¡¯t keep them from seeping through the cracks of defenses¡­ if there¡¯d been any defenses in the first place.


    The village had fallen into disarray almost immediately. Some of them made vain attempts at hiding. Others tried to tackle the problem head-on, seeming to have no awareness of its severity. For a moment, Takane did nothing but stare at the chaos. Then something hardened in her, and she stepped right out into the open.


    She started using magic and she didn¡¯t hold back. It proved that one really shouldn¡¯t mess with the blood of Old Qizar.


    This couldn¡¯t have been easy; anyone with even a bit of magic knowledge would know that. She was doing whatever it took to get rid of the shadows, no matter what it cost her. When her nose began to bleed, she didn¡¯t pay any attention to it at all. Not until she was finished.


    Everyone who was once fleeing now stood in place, staring at the woman responsible for saving them. As the very last shadow disappeared, several of them came to support her.


    ¡°Miss, please stay still!¡± An older lady rushed to her side, keeping her from a rather ungraceful collapse. ¡°You¡¯ve used a lot of magic. You need to relax and give your body a moment to slow down before¡ª¡°


    ¡°An overuse of magic leads to an increased heart rate and a general weakening of the body,¡± Takane mumbled, like she was reciting something. ¡°No matter who you are or how much practice you have, eventually it will kill you.¡± She formed something of a weak smile. ¡°I know what it does. But I did what I had to do to keep all of you safe. I¡¯m sure this is keeping her safe, too¡­ a few less monsters for her to worry about.¡±


    ¡°You never wanted to die before,¡± another villager pointed out. He sounded desperate; maybe he was trying to find a way to keep her from sounding so at peace with her fate.


    ¡°Vriuh¡¯s gonna have a place for me. Somehow, it doesn¡¯t seem as scary when there¡¯s no other option.¡± She was very clearly drifting off. There was a kind of distance in her voice, an expression so calm one would think she was simply going to go on a stroll. ¡°There¡¯s one last thing I want you to do for me. I have a letter for my friend¡­ I want you to send that and the little figurine next to it to her. Calli¡­ well, I guess I should call her Minne. She lives in Lelishara¡­ as the wife of the king.¡±


    ¡­


    Now, this was somewhere that most of them would be able to recognize immediately. It was a room in the castle; everything from the extravagance to the general layout proved it. In fact, it was almost undeniably the king¡¯s room.


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    Two figures were on the bed, both finally distinguishable as who they really were. Calli¡ªor rather, if the last words spoken by Takane meant anything, Minne¡ªwas humming, rocking a baby in her arms. This baby, then, could only be the one child she ever had: a much younger Imre.


    He didn¡¯t want to imagine the others¡¯ teasing after this.


    Minne, however off-tune she was, did have a comforting voice. While she proved to remember little of the words to the old Seothian song, it didn¡¯t mean the point didn¡¯t come across. Her soft expression and gentle tone said enough.


    She didn¡¯t stop until he started to look sleepy, fluttering his eyes closed as he nestled a little closer to her. This moment of tranquility, however, was quickly disturbed when the door opened.


    ¡°Casper! I almost had him asleep. Now I¡¯ll have to start all over again¡­¡± Minne was already trying to regain her progress. The annoyed baby first glared at her before staring at the man who¡¯d just walked in.


    It was who, up until now, could only be called ¡°Luke.¡± He was now confirmed as Casper, and definitely matched the appearance. ¡°I¡¯ve got more important issues than whether or not Imre¡¯s asleep.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to be thinking that when I kick you out of bed to take care of him in the middle of the night,¡± she remarked.


    ¡°That¡¯s what maids are for,¡± he pointed out bluntly. ¡°At least until you stop getting lost.¡±


    ¡°By then I would need to help him not get lost! You literally told me two days ago that your mother still gets lost when she¡¯s not paying attention to where she¡¯s going! You still get lost if you¡¯re not paying attention! By the time I know where I¡¯m going I wouldn¡¯t really be the one raising him, now would I?¡±


    ¡°Maybe I should¡¯ve explained to you the way nobles raise their kids,¡± he sighed.


    ¡°I should¡¯ve made it clearer that I have no intention of having another woman raise my child,¡± she returned. ¡°I would like to be the one he thinks of when he¡¯s considering the motherly figure in his life, not Nova. I don¡¯t want our family portrait to look like we¡¯ve disowned each other.¡±


    Casper was about to say something else before he realized they were getting away from the matter at hand. ¡°None of this has to do with why I¡¯m here! I¡¯ve got more important things to do, I probably shouldn¡¯t even be taking the time to come at all. I just got some news and I wanted to be the first one you heard it from.¡±


    Minne definitely didn¡¯t like how that sounded. It was foreboding; the kind of tone someone had before they revealed a hard truth. She picked up on that and frowned. ¡°Hurry up. Raisul¡¯s probably going to be looking for you in a little while.¡±


    ¡°Takane¡­ sent a letter. And a gift.¡± He pulled them both out and walked further in. ¡°It¡¯s supposed to be for Imre.¡± While he directly gave the letter to her, he took care in placing the little wooden horse out of the baby¡¯s reach.


    ¡°Oh, I was a little worried she¡¯s been forgetting not to send them to Idale. It¡¯s been a while since I got something from her.¡± Minne opened it, but reading it didn¡¯t brighten her mood. ¡°¡®We regret to inform you that this was not sent by her own hand. Rather, we present it as a village to honor her last wish.¡¯¡± The hopeless look she gave him was likely the exact reason he refused to make eye contact.


    ¡°Ski¨¢ showed up. She sacrificed herself to keep everyone else safe.¡± There were only a few times when Casper spoke with such a solemn tone. He could be serious, but something like this was far and in between. ¡°The bright side is that there¡¯s that much less Ski¨¢ we have to worry about, and I¡¯m going to have to talk to the reigning noble so it hopefully won¡¯t happen again.¡±


    ¡°What kind of bright side is there to someone dying? Why would you even think¡ª¡°


    ¡°Because a lot of times, it¡¯s much worse. I¡¯ve been dealing with these kinds of facts for ten years, whether or not I wanted to acknowledge them. When you¡¯re faced with the numbers for that long, you can figure out what¡¯s a good and bad situation. Takane was the only one that died; a couple were wounded, but there wasn''t enough contact to kill them. If she hadn¡¯t made that sacrifice, then they¡¯d probably all be dead.¡± He sighed. ¡°I know it¡¯s hard to see the big picture when the little details include someone you care about. But that¡¯s just the kind of thinking you¡¯re going to have to get used to now. Welcome to Seothia.¡±


    ¡­


    Samone didn¡¯t wait for anyone else to say anything. She plopped down on the ground, exhausted. ¡°I¡¯m not doing that again. And if we run into Ski¨¢, Kiah¡¯s fighting them on her own.¡±


    Dimas chose to help her, practically excluding him from the conversation that followed.


    ¡°So Calli¡¯s Minne and Luke¡¯s Casper,¡± Lydia muttered, mostly so she could keep track of it herself. ¡°Everyone else is¡­ themselves.¡±


    ¡°Idale was the village Mother grew up in,¡± Imre said. ¡°She wanted us to come here, not to Mathieu for whatever reason they couldn¡¯t even decide on. The only place that stands out has a journal that talks about ¡®Calli.¡¯ I¡¯d figured there was some kind of connection from the beginning; there weren''t too many other options. I wanted to see what her life was like before she truly took up the name ¡®Minne.¡¯ I wasn¡¯t looking for stuff about my mother, but rather the woman who once called this place her home.¡± He turned to Kiah. ¡°Though I doubt you can honestly say you didn¡¯t know that either.¡±


    ¡°Minne tells me a lot of stuff,¡± Kiah admitted honestly. ¡°Not only do I apparently remind her of fifteen different things, but I¡¯m also an amazing conversationalist when I¡¯m tipsy.¡± She glanced around them and sighed. ¡°It¡¯s getting dark. As much as I hate it, we¡¯re gonna have to go back to that house. It¡¯s better than staying out here, since we¡¯re not going to make it back to Mathieu by nightfall.¡±

 Secrets of the Ley Lines: Book I- Chapter 12

    They settled down around the fire, though they didn¡¯t interact with anything. There was, after all, someone still living there; they needed to show some kind of courtesy, even if they all had a guess on who it was.


    ¡°What do you think Ki did after that?¡± Lydia was huddled near the fire, watching the embers dance. ¡°He couldn¡¯t be dead, could he?¡±


    ¡°¡®You could keep her safe no matter what, even when your body fails you,¡¯¡± Imre recalled. ¡°I don¡¯t think her plan was to kill him. At least, not immediately.¡±


    Kiah shifted. ¡°He¡¯s not dead. There are only three.¡± Despite showing no interest in explaining it, she sounded incredibly confident in her answer. ¡°Then again, who really knows when they¡¯re involved¡­¡±


    ¡°They?¡± Imre repeated.


    She gave it a moment of consideration before mumbling, ¡°Ilethera.¡±


    ¡°What do they have to do with any of this?¡± Dimas asked.


    Imre had done research on the topic in the past, having found an interest in it. The Ilethera were¡­ something of a natural anomaly. They had things that no other human would. And there was one thing that characterized them and the memories they saw: misfortunate always seemed to follow them.


    ¡°Minne is an Ilethera. She has the kind of healing abilities of a mage; give her three minutes and, whatever it was, you¡¯ll wonder if it was ever there at all. But she takes on all of it in the process. It¡¯s a wonder she hasn¡¯t gotten herself killed by it, however close she¡¯s gotten¡­¡± Kiah glanced at all of them, slowly realizing why they all looked a bit confused. ¡°None of you knew that. Am I seriously the only one she tells these things to?¡±


    Their mutual silence was enough of an answer for her.


    ¡°Damn. I might know more about her than Casper does,¡± she then mumbled.


    ¡°The Ilethera are known for being unlucky,¡± Imre agreed. ¡°The deaths of your guardian and three friends, then the disappearance of a fourth¡­ No one would consider that a good thing. Especially not when, in most cases, you could¡¯ve done something to help them. It¡¯s the mark of someone¡¯s cruel game, watching each light go out one by one¡­¡±


    ¡°So were the rest of them anything aside from innocent people who just happened to get caught in the web?¡± Samone was still distant from exhaustion. She was absently picking apart bits of a snack they brought, eating it one little piece at a time. ¡°Was there even a reason for them to be there..?¡±


    Dimas shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t think it was the Ilethera that bound them together. Their fates all met and knotted at that time for another reason. I just¡­ don¡¯t know what.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s beyond me. She hasn¡¯t mentioned why Haris adopted them all.¡± Kiah shrugged. ¡°Probably something she never thought about. I definitely wouldn¡¯t consider how we met, at least. It¡¯s easier just to accept it as fate and leave it at that.¡±


    ¡°Some things need a better explanation than just ¡®fate,¡¯¡± Lydia remarked. ¡°I agree with Dimas. Something¡¯s just not natural about it.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not going to find anything else here,¡± Imre sighed. ¡°If we didn¡¯t see anything in those few memories, then there¡¯s nothing to be found. We could try asking Mother when we get back.¡±


    ¡°Remind me again why you¡¯ve been so confident in all of this?¡± Samone questioned. ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong, I have no interest in using my magic for you four times again. But you didn¡¯t really think about where we were going. I doubt you knew about any of it beforehand. That¡¯s not mentioning why we¡¯re here to begin with.¡±


    Imre¡¯s response was delayed as he tried to think of a way to explain it¡ªwell, avoid it. Their collective gazes, however, told him that they needed some sort of answer. He couldn¡¯t evade it any longer. So he gave him the least helpful answer he could as a start; ¡°I don¡¯t really know.¡±


    He spent a moment afterwards choosing his words. ¡°At first, I thought I did. Mother gave me a note before we left, and it said to go to Idale. I got Mathieu to show me where a map was, and we left. I was so sure of what we were doing. I thought there would be something obvious; someone to talk to in person, something straightforward and simple. But there was nothing. The only thing out of the ordinary was that it felt¡­ familiar. I knew what was important about each of those places, even though no one¡¯s ever told me and I¡¯ve definitely never experienced them myself before.¡±


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    ¡°I got a bit of d¨¦j¨¤ vu when we watched Umber¡¯s memories,¡± Lydia offered. ¡°Maybe there¡¯s something similar?¡±


    ¡°Zenas¡¯s rung an uncanny bell for me,¡± Kiah mumbled. ¡°Like I¡¯d done that before or watched someone else do it.¡±


    ¡°They were all kinda creepy, but what happened to Takane was¡­ downright unsettling and a little foreboding,¡± Dimas admitted. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ a fate that¡¯s a bit too close to comfort for me.¡±


    ¡°Did all of us experience something?¡± Despite the similarities, Imre had a feeling his was the only one that extended beyond the memories. If it wasn¡¯t, then there¡¯d be no reason for all of them to be so confused about his actions. Surely, if they did, they would¡¯ve mentioned as much.


    Samone didn¡¯t say anything regarding the matter. ¡°I¡¯m going to try to get some sleep.¡±


    That was their cue that it was time they all did the same. Imre offered to take the first watch (after all, someone needed to make sure they didn¡¯t encounter Ski¨¢), if not just because he knew he wouldn¡¯t be sleeping that easily anyway.


    The familiarity of the house truly sunk in after there was nothing else to think about. He could remember bits of conversations; if he closed his eyes, he could see what had once happened here. It became more of a swirling, emotional sensation the longer he thought about it. In an hour, it was more overwhelming than anything.


    He glanced at the vague figure that should¡¯ve been there but wasn¡¯t. Her thin frame could almost be distinguished from her surroundings, but really, it was more like a mirage. That didn¡¯t stop him from nudging her awake.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to get some fresh air. Can you watch things until I come back?¡±


    Her answer was jumbled words, blurring her voice and what she said. Only its effect was clear, making him give her a small but genuine smile.


    Imre wandered outside, still staying close to the house. He wanted to wander further; he wanted to see every piece that was left of the village. Maybe he¡¯d be able to figure out why no one lived here, even when it was bright and lively.


    He wasn¡¯t out there long before a little tree swallow joined him. It was surprisingly brave, given how close it was to him and how it didn¡¯t fly away when he got closer. Carefully, he knelt down to watch it.


    ¡°Hey, little guy.¡± His smile had yet to fade, partially due to its presence. ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you would have any of the answers for me, huh? I¡¯d even accept if you simply tell me when I¡¯m going to be tired enough to sleep.¡±


    It nudged him, which was really the reason he was interested. It flew off immediately after, towards where they went for Umber¡¯s memory. He only looked back once before following it. He¡¯d woken someone else up, so the others should be fine if he ¡°mysteriously¡± disappeared for a couple of minutes.


    Even if he lost sight of it, he knew that it was close. He wasn¡¯t really surprised to hear a voice similar to the one at the party. Somehow, he almost expected it.


    ¡°It¡¯s good that you followed me. It would¡¯ve been a little hard to convince you to come otherwise.¡± It was a calm, level voice; though it sounded young, it also spoke of wisdom that only came with age. ¡°I know what you want. I can see those kinds of thoughts in you, the ones that run like a river¡­ thoughts that are beginning to run ruts in your mind. What you believe to be dark, hidden truths¡­ and your aspiration to see what they truly are. What this phenomenon truly is. What you truly are, when it comes to your presence in this place.


    ¡°The complete matter of it, frustratingly, is something I cannot reveal just yet. But I would like to remind you of something you read. ¡®Ki¡¯ wrote down the general location of everything in this village. He specifically mentioned a willow. You¡¯ll find, if you went there, that something there might be of use to you. Though you¡¯ll need to remember something first.


    ¡°Look up at the stars and consider the constellations. What do each of them represent? The Bear is a strong, majestic creature. It may seem gentle on the outside, but its true colors show when its kin become involved. It will do whatever it takes to defend them, even at the risk of self-sacrifice. There are times when it strays away from everything; goes into a period of hibernation. But when it awakens again, it comes with newfound strengths.


    ¡°The Fox is tricky and cunning. It hides itself in the shadows, bathing in the darkness and the secrets lurking there. It longs for a piece of information to feed on, something dangerous that might just harm another. It will do anything to gain these secrets, even foul trickery and deceiving. Though it tends to stray from bustling life, it can put on a very social front.


    ¡°The Rabbit is a bit skittish, but all around good at heart. It considers others first and foremost, helping out wherever it can. It is considerably reserved when it comes to its own life, revealing facts about themselves slowly. It strives to be surrounded by and considered a part of a family, enjoying the company of relatives and all those who call them ¡®Nokae.¡¯


    ¡°The Cat is adventurous and quick-thinking. It hardly spares time for everyday tasks in favor of new, mysterious ones. It hopes to make its mark on the world by discovering something no one else has. It¡¯s the most likely to make history, in a way, with how it cuts into situations that don¡¯t involve it.


    ¡°Finally, the Eagle is a skilled and resourceful warrior. The only skill it can¡¯t boast of having is patience, garnering much favor in tough situations. It seems that nothing can ever force it down, even when all else seems against it. It can prove to be rather destructive, though its determination and devotion normally outweigh it.¡±

 Secrets of the Ley Lines: Book I- Chapter 13

    He didn¡¯t tell any of them the exact details of what happened. None of them even knew that he left that night, let alone what he did. It seemed the only thing he needed to tell them was ¡°There¡¯s actually something else I want to see before we head back.¡± They unquestionably followed him to the center of town, where an age-old weeping willow was still thriving.


    This was another spot where the sense of being here before overwhelmed him. He thought of how children would dare to see who could climb the highest; their laughter that brought about contagious happiness. The town was once alive here, and the tree bore witness to all of its going-ons. If only it would be more fond of sharing its secrets. How many stories would it be able to tell? What kinds of things did it overhear in its uncountable days of being here?


    There were five branches that hung lower than the rest. These were what Imre pointed to as he gave his instructions. ¡°Samone, you¡¯re the one over there. Lydia, you¡¯re right beside her. Dimas, you¡¯re on her other side. Kiah, stand by Lydia. I¡¯ll be in the one spot that¡¯s left.¡± He assumed that, looking from the air, their position would have resembled a star.


    It was clear from their expressions that this, at least, was familiar to them. He could definitely feel it; something in the back of his head telling him what to do. Not from one person to another as advice, but as if he¡¯d done it all before. Who that person was or where it came from, though, was completely lost on him.


    ¡°Look up at the stars and think about what they represent,¡± Imre mumbled. He walked up to the tree and placed his hand on it. ¡°The Bear watches from its place in the sky all year. Some kind of reminder, perhaps, of a higher power observing every action of mortals.¡±


    Dimas was the next to follow. ¡°With the Rabbit comes the promise of spring. It brings hope that there might be something better just around the bend.¡±


    Kiah imitated their movements. ¡°The Eagle rises with the summer sun. However many dangers it brings with it, it¡¯ll always rise above mortal problems.¡±


    Lydia was more than a little excited to come up too. ¡°As the leaves change, so do the stars to reveal the Cat. It guides the way as creatures migrate to warmer places before the first snow.¡±


    Samone took a couple of minutes to do anything at all. Finally, she joined the rest of them by the tree. ¡°The Fox reveals itself in the coldest months of the year. It warns of what secrets might be lurking in the New Year.¡±


    It was like a spark after that. Imre had never seen ¡°street magic,¡± as the children of Fleyw Bresh called it, aside from a few displays by Dimas and Samone when they were younger. That, though, had consisted of short bursts of an element or small illusionary objects.


    None of that could compare to the light show now.


    All manner of colors burst from the tree, strips of the light breaking off and chasing each other through the village. Many of them disappeared only to return a few moments later, dancing through the sky and weaving between objects. Everything came alive when they passed through, and soon the entire place felt vibrant again.


    Maybe a bit more vibrant than it should be: were it not for the cold breeze, he would¡¯ve assumed they were further south. By now in every other mountainous town, more of a chill would¡¯ve sunk in and all the spring blooms would go into hiding again. But that didn¡¯t seem to stop these flowers, bursting into color just to defy nature.


    ¡°It¡¯s like they¡¯re congratulating us for something,¡± Lydia remarked. Having experienced the ends of many ruins with her father, she was likely the best person to say anything. ¡°I wonder how long it¡¯s going to last¡­ and what we did to trigger it. All we did was stand here and talk.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not really sure of what we did, but I know it was something important.¡± Imre knew how it must¡¯ve sounded; the one that had insisted on going here, staying the night, then doing this didn¡¯t even know exactly why. There was nothing to really defend his reasoning, aside from the obvious excuse he could say if they ever asked. Not like they would question it out loud.


    ¡°I get this is pretty and everything, but I¡¯d really rather not stay long,¡± Kiah decided. She was the first to actually step away from the tree, wandering back to the streets. ¡°Who knows what kind of mess we¡¯ll get ourselves into.¡±


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    ¡°I think you should be more worried about the mess we just got ourselves in,¡± Dimas corrected thoughtfully. ¡°Nothing more is going to happen. If there was something to set off, we would¡¯ve just done it.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s hope we didn¡¯t wake a demon,¡± Kiah sighed. ¡°I can figure out what Minne knows about it when we get back home.¡±


    ¡­


    Everyone else decided they had better things to do when they returned to Mathieu¡¯s estate. Kiah disappeared into town with Lydia soon following her, though undoubtedly to different places. Samone stayed inside for a little while before escaping to the most out-of-the-way part of the estate. Dimas went to his room to write to his sister. That left Imre alone to explain everything to do with their little trip.


    ¡°So you¡¯re, uh, not completely ticked off at me, right?¡± Mathieu took a sip from his wine glass. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you could actually get mad at anybody. Minne didn¡¯t make it sound like you did, anyway.¡±


    ¡°It depends on how much crap I¡¯m going to put up with,¡± Imre replied rather casually. ¡°Being my mother, she¡¯s figured out when that¡¯s most likely to happen and forgets it actually happens at all.¡±


    ¡°Mothers do tend to see nothing but their precious, innocent little child,¡± Mathieu agreed. ¡°It¡¯s just a bit alarming when you¡¯re minding your own business until the prince is about ready to punch you for being at the wrong place at the wrong time. It¡¯s especially alarming knowing that, while Samone¡¯s probably stronger than you, you¡¯d effortlessly beat me up.¡± He let out a nervous chuckle. ¡°I really don¡¯t want to know what Kiah¡¯s playful shoves feel like. She might be short but I have no doubts she could win against all of us if she wanted to.¡±


    Imre gave a nod and small smile to the thought.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure Minne will be glad to see you again,¡± Mathieu remarked. ¡°You got out and about, which must¡¯ve been what she wanted.¡±


    ¡°I have a feeling the reunion¡¯s going to be bittersweet,¡± Imre mumbled. ¡°I doubt we only figured out what she wanted us to. I might have more questions than she¡¯ll be willing to give answers to¡­¡±


    ¡°Minne? Really? She¡¯ll answer any question you ask her! I daresay she¡¯d talk about stuff that isn¡¯t even related to it!¡± Mathieu took another sip, then sat the empty glass on the table beside him.


    ¡°You know I¡¯m there for dinner almost every night,¡± Imre muttered. ¡°Amorous bantering aside, the two hold rather interesting conversations on occasion. They hardly pay attention to the fact that I¡¯m there, while still acknowledging the presences of Samone and, when they¡¯re there, Lydia, Kiah, and Dimas. I¡¯ve heard conversations that I¡¯m sure weren¡¯t meant to be talked about right in front of me. But never in all those conversations was the idea of Mother¡¯s family expanded on besides ¡®the youngest of five in a small mountain village.¡¯¡±


    ¡°There probably just wasn¡¯t a reason¡ª¡°


    ¡°The conversations purposely moved away from the topic. It was never because she started getting visibly anxious about the matter; none of us are that bad at hiding our true emotions. Only hearing it once or twice, one could easily assume it naturally swayed away from it. But I¡¯ve heard enough to know better. It always turns out that way. There¡¯s a mutual understanding between the two of them, but they don¡¯t let it go any further than that. Quite frankly the only thing anyone¡¯s ever mentioned before now is that wood carving Takane made. That¡¯s only because I happened to be around a few servants while they were talking about it, not because I was told. Up until that point I didn¡¯t even realize it was a gift meant for me.¡±


    Mathieu had nothing left to say; it seemed he¡¯d already exhausted his ideas, and he wasn¡¯t willing to fight for what he already had. Acknowledging defeat, he shrugged. ¡°I can¡¯t claim to have the answers you want. My father looks over this territory, not me. I could¡¯ve gone my whole life without realizing we once looked over that village, if he hadn¡¯t told me the king¡¯s request.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m assuming I don¡¯t need to remind you how unprepared that makes you sound as the heir?¡± Imre meant it in an honest way; call it his way of giving off-handed advice, understanding everything that would need to go into governing a territory.


    ¡°Can you blame me?¡± Mathieu sighed. ¡°Do you know how hard it is to find anyone who has the faintest idea of what Idale is, let alone where it used to be? It¡¯s been some thirty years since anyone¡¯s really lived there. Lyron was born there, that much is true, but his family moved out when he was seven. Ferrel and Xuan just barely knew what it was. I¡¯m honestly glad you didn¡¯t ask for stories about Minne. None of them would¡¯ve been able to say any more than ¡®a mysterious, but always happy girl with red hair.¡¯ Turns out both her guardian and brother were very keen on making sure no one knew she existed.¡±


    ¡°Then I suppose no one¡¯s told you why it became abandoned?¡±


    Mathieu shook his head. ¡°All I know is that there was a mass migration of sorts. Something happened and everyone either disappeared or moved away. After so many years of being considered a ghost town, it¡¯s not worth counting as a village we controlled. It got taken off of our maps and was soon forgotten completely.¡±


    Understanding that he¡¯d already revealed every detail he had, Imre got up. ¡°Thank you for your time. We¡¯ll probably be leaving tomorrow morning, as long as everyone¡¯s ready for it. Is there anything else left for us before then?¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯ve already gone above and beyond what was expected. Have a safe trip back to the castle. Ski¨¢ are awfully fond of these paths at night.¡±

 Secrets of the Ley Lines: Book I- Chapter 14

    It was late by the time they got back. Only a few servants were awake to greet them, not that it particularly mattered. They simply ate and went to bed, glad for the safety and warmth of the castle.


    Imre couldn¡¯t help but think about that bird, though. It could¡¯ve all been a coincidence; maybe it was particularly familiar with people, thus completely fine with him being so close to it. Surely there was a chance that it didn¡¯t mean to lead him to the voice and had no connection to it at all. It couldn¡¯t. Right?


    He fell asleep and had a hazy dream about the other five; a happy moment, it seemed, with them all running around Idale. It was gone by the time he woke up, however.


    There was a stern knock on his door and the request that came with it assured he wouldn¡¯t be going back to sleep.


    ¡°Prince Imre, the king and queen want to see you.¡±


    He doubted it was anything incredibly important. They probably just wanted to hear about what happened, and possibly answer a few of his questions. Depending on how late it was, half of that had likely already been done by either Samone, Kiah, or Dimas. Still, he willed himself up and put on something a bit more respectable as quickly as possible. He knew better than to leave the king waiting.


    Everyone else was already in the dining room when he came; Casper, Minne, Samone, Kiah, Lydia, Dimas, and the crudely-covered outline of another. Imre wordlessly sat down in his spot, avoiding all of their gazes.


    ¡°You look like you just rolled out of bed,¡± Casper remarked. He was neither trying to tease nor disapprove of, though that left his true intent uncertain.


    ¡°I did,¡± was the simple response. ¡°I apologize for being late on account of it.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re perfectly on time. The others finished explaining what happened, so you just have to listen for the rest of it. Are you going to fall asleep on me?¡±


    A grunt was the prince¡¯s only answer.


    Casper frowned, though made no further mention to it. ¡°We figured it was about time to conduct a little¡­ experiment. Luckily it seems you¡¯ve already figured out most of it. Idale once housed a special kind of power; something that wasn¡¯t quite as strong as an Ilethera or plain magic, but still enough to count as something. I can¡¯t exactly say what it is just yet, but I can explain its relation to why you went there.


    ¡°When they were younger, Takane, ¡®Ki,¡¯ Zenas, Umber, and Minne did something similar to what you five did. Their results were the same as yours were. But it didn¡¯t last long, given the fact that they slowly dwindled in number until only two remained. The results began to fade as soon as Zenas died; though they didn¡¯t realize it at the time, it was actually the one way they could have known her fate.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since color graced that village. We understood that the five of you shared their characteristics. It was more or less a shot in the dark. Haris sought after them, making sure they were all able to be together when the time came. The five of you meeting and growing close, however, was merely a coincidence. You didn¡¯t seek each other out because of your latent abilities, simply going off of what you saw and experienced in front of you. We didn¡¯t even know if you¡¯d be successful until you came back. If you weren¡¯t, we probably wouldn¡¯t have discussed this any further. But you did.¡±


    Minne picked up for him. ¡°There¡¯s a special kind of bond between those chosen five and that location. It¡¯s like a lock and its keys¡­ Haris¡¯s dream was to figure out what lay beyond that. Unfortunately, he was never able to figure it out for himself. All he could do was leave us the means for understanding what he was looking for¡­


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    ¡°I can only think of one question that¡¯s just as important as seeing that you did it. What did it feel like? I know that none of you can quite imagine the feeling of a spirit¡­ but it¡¯s something similar to that. A sense that you knew what you were doing. Experiencing a story that you just know the answer to without thinking about it. Feeling like you found a kindred spirit when you watched those memories.¡±


    Imre, acknowledging the glances of the other four, nodded. It said more about his answer than anything else would¡¯ve; he was admitting to having experienced what she was describing, even if there were no words to confirm it.


    This didn¡¯t seem to be a surprise for neither Casper nor Minne. In fact, their lack of surprise almost guaranteed that they¡¯d expected it.


    ¡°Do you know which one?¡± Judging by Minne¡¯s tone, she already knew it. Or at the very least, had a guess.


    ¡°With a childhood nickname of Callisto, Mother, it¡¯s not that hard to piece together,¡± Imre pointed out. ¡°You can¡¯t get much more obvious than that. That little charm makes all the more sense knowing it.¡± To actually give them something to be impressed about, he added, ¡°I¡¯m assuming those feelings came from the previous owner of this position still being alive. No one else felt anything past what we saw in the memories.¡±


    Minne nodded. ¡°Emotional attachment tends to carry on from person to person when there¡¯s something in common. But I know for a fact that you¡¯re not the only one. Ki¡¯s still alive, though there¡¯s little humanity left in him. At least, not anymore¡­¡±


    It seemed they collectively looked to Samone. She was, after all, the only one who made no mention of whose memories she found familiar. The way she sunk further into her seat proved the fact she didn¡¯t want to admit to it.


    ¡°As our world crumbled around us, so did his sense of reality,¡± Minne said softly. She was more or less answering a question none of them wanted to ask out loud. ¡°He couldn¡¯t tell bad decisions from good ones. After I left, he turned to Darkness. She promised to give him things that no one else could offer. He became something like her servant¡ªsomeone called a Messenger. I haven¡¯t seen him in so long, but¡­ he has to be alive somewhere.¡±


    ¡°I guess I¡¯m here to prove it,¡± Samone mumbled. ¡°He couldn¡¯t be dead if I know that much about him.¡±


    When they all fell silent again, declaring the end of the conversation, Imre brought up a point he found worth mentioning.


    ¡°You told Kiah at the very beginning that someone was going to be watching over us,¡± he recalled, actually sparing a glance at his mother. ¡°I don¡¯t suppose this someone has anything to do with a bird?¡±


    Both Minne and Casper took a certain amount of surprise out of the comment. It was the former, though, that answered. ¡°If you¡¯re thinking of a certain tree swallow, then yes. I¡¯ve always known him as Zokel. He was a bit like my guardian; I never actually met him in person, just saw him through my dreams. We never once encountered Ski¨¢, at least, with him there. I¡¯m certain he played a role in that.¡±


    ¡°So you were close to a Fos,¡± Kiah reiterated.


    ¡°The creatures of light that barely anyone¡¯s heard of?¡± Lydia asked. ¡°You had one of them with you?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what we think he was, anyway,¡± Minne mused with a nod. ¡°Maybe one day you¡¯ll meet him in person and he¡¯ll tell you for certain. I can¡¯t think of anything else to explain it.¡±


    ¡°I doubt we have too much time to talk,¡± Casper remarked, glancing out the window. ¡°There¡¯s other things that need to be done. I¡¯ll try to be quick, as I¡¯m sure you all have your own things to attend to.


    ¡°If you figured out how to do what you did, then you should already be familiar with your new ¡®titles¡¯ of sorts; the Bear, the Fox, the Cat, the Rabbit, and the Eagle. It¡¯ll be in your best interest for you to remember those names and what they stand for. You might find they serve more of a purpose than you first thought.


    ¡°On that note, expect another mission soon. I can¡¯t exactly say when, though, since we need to plan out our next move from here. It¡¯s a bit too early to let your guard down¡ªin fact, it¡¯s for the best that you stay as vigilant as ever. With that, you¡¯re dismissed.¡±


    They all slowly got up and left one by one; even if it seemed they all had more questions, none of them would bring it up now.


    It felt like Casper watched them through all of this, muttering one last warning. ¡°There¡¯s a beast waiting for them on the other side. Hopefully they¡¯re strong enough to overcome it.¡±


    Minne¡¯s voice was clear even as they were all out of the room. ¡°What if they aren¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re just going to need to hope we don¡¯t find out.¡±

 Secrets of the Ley Lines: Book II- Chapter 1

    A single puff of smoke rose as she sighed. She drew the pipe back to her mouth again, exhaling more smoke a couple moments later. The chilly breeze blew it away before it could reach the upper floor¡¯s windows, meaning no one would realize she was out here. All the better for her, who didn¡¯t want to be disturbed in the first place.


    Samone¡¯s balcony was in the perfect location. It was high enough that she could look over the streets of Levi Asari, but not too high as to make everything mere specks. She¡¯d never been particularly fond of it when she was younger¡ªhaving a fear of heights she had since outgrown¡ªbut times like this made her glad she¡¯d been given this room. She could do what she wanted to do in plain sight without ever being questioned.


    But her alone time tonight was cut short. She knew someone was coming because of the sliding door opening behind her; she let her arm rest, though really made no attempt at hiding the pipe.


    ¡°You¡¯re too young to be doing that.¡± Kesem came to stand beside her.


    She made a point to look away from him. ¡°You¡¯re too old to go anywhere without Iris. Quite frankly it¡¯s a wonder you didn¡¯t fall on your way here from your room.¡± There was no form of concern in her tone; she was well aware of the amount of disrespect she was showing and she had no intention to change it.


    ¡°You¡¯d do best to remember who your elder is,¡± he chided with a sigh. ¡°I know the day that you take up all my duties among the council is coming quickly, but I¡¯m still older. All I want to do is keep you safe.¡±


    ¡°Like your efforts are ever going to amount to anything. I can manage myself better than you can. You should at least be able to admit that much.¡±


    ¡°You should know that it¡¯s not safe out here by yourself. You might just be on your balcony, and you¡¯re close enough to alert the guards¡­ but that hardly matters in times like this.¡±


    She actually gave a name to his concerns without much thought. ¡°Things lurk in the shadows that no sane person can even consider messing with. Things more capable of killing you than any other creature in the world, possibly with the exception of the gods.¡± She gestured to the streets below them. ¡°Do you think it stops them? They have no choice but to risk it on the streets. There may be walls surrounding this city, but shadows don¡¯t know what that¡¯s supposed to mean. They strive in darkness. They find their ways into the light, because as long as there¡¯s light, there¡¯s shadows. The only place that¡¯s inside that¡¯s anything different than outside is a warm bed to get murdered in.¡±


    ¡°If you have the luxury of having little to fear, why are you trying to take that away? As long as you listen to what you¡¯re being told, you don¡¯t have to worry about what might happen. But it feels like you¡¯re trying to get into trouble.¡± After saying it, he must¡¯ve realized that his efforts were going to be in vain. He patted her shoulder before heading to leave. ¡°Please get some sleep soon. We¡¯re heading out tomorrow for the border. I know you don¡¯t sleep well when we travel.¡±


    A moment later, he was gone. Samone was left alone with only her thoughts and the chilly, nighttime air. The only thing she needed was a little more time of self-reflection. She used her magic to spark the contents of the pipe once more, bringing it up to her lips.


    ¡°I wonder what stupid thing they¡¯re going to argue over this time,¡± she mused to herself. ¡°Nothing ever gets done during those things¡­¡±


    She knew that they were going to the border for the ¡°peace talks.¡± They were meetings between Seothian and Qizarn royalty (along with their advisors or council and, for the past few years, family) at a place near the L¨ªmni ton Ag¨ªon Dakryon. It served only one purpose: to see if the two kingdoms could look past their rather bloody history and come to a state for them to be allies on a larger-than-individual scale.


    It hardly even did the job of being a productive waste of time.


    Seothia had quite a few things to offer; it was a land overflowing with natural resources, after all. But they were never willing to give up enough¡ªshe couldn¡¯t blame them, reluctant to do it herself¡ªto please Qizar. Seothians didn¡¯t conform to any sort of religion, save for the obsession of spirits and the people who had more than one of them. Loyalty was territorial, with little common folk seeing a purpose in fighting in the royal (in comparison to a local) army. Their economy forced a distinct line between the common people and nobles, with the former serving the latter to just barely make ends meet. That wasn¡¯t mentioning the rumors of those that wanted to relive the time before the Saint-King or the Ski¨¢; it hardly helped matters when it seemed like they were on the road to hell.


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    Qizar had a strong front in the beginning. Queen Odelle was smart, easy to get along with, and very steadfast in her beliefs. Under her leadership, it probably would¡¯ve only taken a few more years before the two kingdoms finally came to an agreement. But then she died. Then Zofie had to take up the throne. There couldn¡¯t have been more of a difference between the two. She was an easily-distracted, paranoid ball of powerful magic on a good day, not to mention she hardly made a good example of punctuality. As much as they tried to shame Seothia¡¯s discord, it didn¡¯t really seem like they were doing any better themselves.


    Samone, were she to be completely honest, didn¡¯t expect it to get settled any time while she was alive. Though she could at least say there was a chance in Imre and Dimas, she didn¡¯t put too much faith in the idea that they¡¯d get over the rush of it and decide they wanted to just be friends. In her opinion, they shouldn¡¯t be betting on something like that anyway¡ªsomething as possibly fickle as love shouldn¡¯t be left to decide the relationship between kingdoms.


    Not like her opinion would ever matter under Casper¡¯s judgment. Then again, he barely listened to any member of the council. Not like he really had a council to listen to in the first place.


    A perfectly valid reason for being hesitant to work with Seothia: out of the ten seats reserved for the council, only three were being occupied. Those three were for the Royal Treasury (Raisul, though his performance was¡­ questionable), Court Magister (Samone¡¯s first role in the court, something she¡¯d attained earlier this year), and the Head of Public Affairs (basically ¡°everything else the council doesn¡¯t have because there¡¯s not enough people,¡± something Kesem was currently doing but would soon be handed over to Samone as well). Not even the other overseers showed up unless it was incredibly important; all they did was argue when they were all together. When only that many people were trying to deal with the entire kingdom¡¯s problems, there was only so much they could do. There was a reason the Saint-King set up that system, and a reason that, before now, that number more or less remained the same.


    She didn¡¯t keep track of how long she was out there, too satisfied with the calm and thoughtful mood the moment put her in. A songbird soon joined her, though; she didn¡¯t know what type it was, all she knew was that it was rather calm. Not even the normal city birds ever got this close to anyone unless they had food.


    It seemed like it was trying to hold a conversation of sorts. It acted like she could understand its mix of tweets and gestures and got annoyed when she didn¡¯t.


    ¡°Interspecies communication doesn¡¯t exist,¡± she remarked as if it understood her. She tried shooing it away. ¡°Go back to whatever tree you came from.¡±


    The bird, though, had no interest in going away. It tweeted once more, as stubborn as a bird could get, and plopped down on the railing. Clearly, it had no intention of leaving.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have anything for you,¡± Samone pointed out sharply. She gently waved the pipe around and added, ¡°I doubt you want this.¡±


    To answer this, it gave her a rather disgusted glare. Apparently even birds disapproved of what she did in her spare time.


    ¡°Go away, then.¡± She tried to motion it to get up, yet it didn¡¯t even try to move. ¡°You must have somewhere else you should be. Whatever you want, it¡¯s not with me.¡±


    ¡°Even the wise chose to remain ignorant to the facts.¡± Hearing another voice startled her¡ªmoreover, it was the voice of a child. She looked around the balcony and glanced back to her room, but she saw nothing. ¡°You¡¯re not going to find anyone. I¡¯m not that kind of presence. But no need to worry, I¡¯m not going to hurt you. Call me your guide for this trip. It¡¯s going to be a long one.¡±


    As if finally realizing the natural order of things, the bird hurriedly flew away. Though she waited, she didn¡¯t hear the voice again.


    A bit uneasy, she stepped away from the balcony. ¡°I¡­ suppose it¡¯s time to get some sleep. I¡¯ve been out here for a while.¡± She gave herself a small nod and she proceeded to go to her room.


    She was probably just tired. Or at the very least, there was some perfectly reasonable explanation for what she heard. Nothing was wrong. Everything was fine. There was truth to Kesem¡¯s words anyway; it took four days to get to the border, and she never slept well in carriages. She didn¡¯t want to be overly irritable at the peace talks before they even started.


    Samone cleaned her pipe, changed into her nightgown, and got in bed. As she began to doze off¡ªthat odd point between being awake and asleep¡ªshe thought she saw someone else in the room. It looked a bit like a fairy, small enough for her to hold if she wanted to. Who this mysterious person was¡ªif they really existed at all in the first place¡ªwas something she was too sleepy to care for. With little regard for it, she was asleep in a couple of minutes.

 Secrets of the Ley Lines: Book II- Chapter 2

    She just stared out the window, watching the fields move past them. They¡¯d be done this ride soon; already she was beginning to see the patches of ikretta, the telltale sign of the Lake drawing near. She¡¯d never been here enough times to completely memorize the surroundings, but she did know the general indicators that their trip was at its end.


    Whatever kind of thoughtfulness she could¡¯ve had in the moment was interrupted before it even began. She barely tried being gentle in elbowing the toddler away from her.


    ¡°Mae, sweetie, stop bugging Samone.¡± Only at this point did Iris look up from her book. She quickly marked her place before setting it beside her, then reaching over to pick up her daughter. ¡°She doesn¡¯t want to be bothered right now.¡±


    ¡°I still can¡¯t see why you had to bring her with you,¡± Samone grumbled. ¡°All she¡¯s going to do is cause trouble. You do understand that we¡¯re going to be near water the entire time, right? What would happen if she wandered off..?¡±


    ¡°Samone.¡± Kesem only needed to say one word for them to all know what he meant. He was trying to tell her to stop being a pest; she was, after all, mostly saying it on account of her annoyance.


    ¡°I¡¯m only being honest,¡± she pointed out impassively. ¡°It¡¯s not exactly a safe place for children.¡±


    ¡°Would you rather I leave you home, too, then?¡± he questioned coldly. ¡°I see no reason why you should be given the option of going if she isn¡¯t. You¡¯re just as likely to wander off and get into trouble.¡±


    ¡°At least I have common sense,¡± she returned matter-of-factly. ¡°I know not to run off alone in the middle of the night, for starters. Then if I do get lost, I at least know how to ask for directions. She can barely say ¡®Mother¡¯ right, let alone describe where she¡¯d been before.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not going to run off,¡± Iris decided after a moment. It was the same kind of confidence any mother would have in their child: the kind that made them believe that their kid couldn¡¯t do wrong. She continued to lift Mae in the air to get a laugh out of her and added, ¡°Isn¡¯t that right, Mae?¡±


    ¡°Wight!¡± the two-year-old beamed. ¡°Not unwess we pway hide and seek!¡±


    Fulfilled, Iris then looked at Samone. ¡°This¡¯ll be the first time since you came back that all of you are together again, right? Do you think King Casper would talk to you about your next mission?¡±


    Samone shrugged. ¡°Who knows. No one can predict what that man is thinking.¡±


    ¡°I hope it¡¯s not far from here, if he does send you off,¡± Kesem mumbled off-handedly. ¡°Or at least that you¡¯re back before the talks are over. There¡¯s plenty of things in Levi Asari you could be helping with instead of putting yourself in danger.¡±


    ¡°Tyche can¡¯t teach me Truth magic if I¡¯m not there,¡± she sighed, the closest thing to agreement she¡¯d give him. Were she not adopted into a noble family with obligations to the king, she undoubtedly would¡¯ve been one of the Lysha. Her natural magical talent was too good to pass up otherwise. Being the Court Magister¡ªand soon Head of Public Affairs¡ªwas more important than the lifestyle she would¡¯ve almost preferred, though.


    Their conversation died off at that point. They were close to their destination anyway; tents were beginning to pop up and she knew the small building on the border was nearby. The carriage stopped and they waited for the door to be opened. Kesem (assisted by Iris) came out first, then Samone, and Mae followed. Each was given a brief nod before the coachman climbed back to the driver¡¯s seat and rode the carriage out of sight.


    Quick to greet them was the king and queen, though their son was surprisingly not present.


    ¡°Bringing the whole family this time, eh, Kesem?¡± Casper said in an almost teasing matter. From the interaction alone, it would be impossible to tell he was actually the younger of the two by several years. ¡°Except for the in-laws, I suppose! No Hadar?¡±


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    ¡°He was busy with work,¡± Iris replied. Without even needing to look, she made sure she held Mae¡¯s hand before she started to wander. ¡°You know how it is. He¡¯s in a whole different territory and had no excuse to come for this.¡±


    Casper let out a hearty chuckle. ¡°You should¡¯ve told me! I could¡¯ve gotten someone to tell him his assistance was needed right here. No one¡¯s going to argue with my orders!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s what you should be focusing on about your position¡­¡± Kesem remarked.


    Minne¡ªprobably seeing as how her husband was entertaining the others¡ªgave Samone her full attention. ¡°Did you have a nice trip?¡±


    ¡°As nice as it can be,¡± Samone returned with a shrug. ¡°Please tell me Imre¡¯s actually here.¡±


    As much as she considered Dimas (the only other one that would be guaranteed to show up even if Imre didn¡¯t) a friend, she didn¡¯t want to have to spend the entire time with just him. She honestly didn¡¯t care too much for Lydia or Kiah either, both being their own version of annoying and intrusive. There was a reason she thought of Imre as a brother: aside from the fact they practically grew up together¡ªnearly spending more time in Lelishara than Levi Asari¡ªhe also minded her personal space, and she respected his. While everyone else found it difficult to interact with him, she found him like any other just by using a balance of carefulness in her words and occasional tough love.


    ¡°He¡¯s here. Somewhere¡­¡± Minne tried scanning the gathering, but wasn¡¯t successful. ¡°Try looking around a little. If he¡¯s not closer to the water then he¡¯s inside. You¡¯ll probably notice Kiah before you see him anyway, so it might be better to look for her.¡± A short might-as-well-be-goblin stood out rather easily in the crowd of humans, after all.


    ¡°Thanks.¡± Samone gave her a quick hug before waving goodbye to the queen.


    She spent a little bit of time just wandering. She made sure to check all of the less-frequented spots first, along with where most of the other nobles were, before going on to the places she was suggested to look. There was a considerably high chance that Imre would be in wherever was quietest or he blended in the most, even if it wasn¡¯t where anyone would expect him.


    After checking all of those places¡ªand getting dragged into a couple of conversations along the way¡ªshe walked along the side of the river. That was where she heard the familiar voice she was looking for, albeit caught up in hushed flirting. She chose to pretend like she wasn¡¯t hearing anything and took to walking up to Kiah instead.


    She had just finished attaching a letter to one of the Seothian army¡¯s hawks, from the looks of it. Before she let it go, she uttered the simple spell, ¡°Pros¨¦xte tin entol¨ª mou: metaf¨¦rete ¨¦na m¨ªnyma sto Efse Endove, defter¨¦von sto Zadeer Shashi kai Farrar Tanju.¡± She watched the bird fly off in Qizar¡¯s direction.


    ¡°Was that your paycheck or a general hello?¡± Samone asked casually, as if it was really something that mattered. ¡°Qizar has that whole ¡®no one is left in poverty¡¯ thing, don¡¯t they? Doesn¡¯t that mean they¡¯re fine without it for at least a month?¡±


    ¡°It pays for the necessities,¡± was her cold answer, ¡°nothing for an actually decent living.¡± She paused. ¡°Plus, the more money they have the less I have to buy beer. I¡¯d rather be sober and hate it than be too drunk to realize you¡¯re all doing something stupid.¡±


    ¡°Or are we just that much more annoying when you¡¯re hungover that it wasn¡¯t worth the money?¡±


    ¡°I really wish Casper didn¡¯t like you.¡±


    Their ¡°casual¡± conversation was cut short by an intruder. Well, not so much of an intruder as someone who failed to understand what ¡°quiet¡± and ¡°reading the room¡± meant: Lydia ran to them, shouting even before she was really close to them.


    ¡°Imre! Quit doing cute gay things!¡±


    That scared the prince to a near hysterical level. He jumped to his feet and turned the brightest shade of red yet. ¡°Enn,¡± was the only word he could muster, but his tone spoke a thousand more. Samone needed to muffle a snort at how ruffled he was.


    Lydia didn¡¯t hide it. ¡°You look like I¡¯m trying to kill you! Come on, lighten up a little!¡± She bounced right up in front of him. ¡°I needed to get your attention somehow. Casper wanted to talk to you about something.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Imre looked at each of them, probably being the first time he realized they were all there. ¡°I¡¯ll be back as soon as he¡¯s done. It¡¯s probably nothing important.¡± With that, he left.


    ¡°I hope it¡¯s something fun,¡± Lydia thought aloud. ¡°I¡¯ve been bored out of my mind waiting for Witless to shut up. I want to hear more about those keys Casper mentioned.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Kiah retorted. ¡°I want him to forget about it altogether. It¡¯s a disaster just waiting to happen.¡±


    Samone and Dimas both gave a mutter in agreement. Suffice to say no one had a particularly good feeling about what they¡¯d talked about before. Only Lydia¡ªgrowing up on these types of dangerous adventures¡ªfound something enjoyable out of it. She was the main reason they traveled anywhere at all, though there were things they couldn¡¯t have learned without that experience.

 Secrets of the Ley Lines: Book II- Chapter 3

    Their only common quality was their attachment to Imre. Dimas was, obviously, in a loving relationship with the other prince; Samone thought of him as a brother, closer to him than any of her ¡°real¡± family; Lydia was rather close to him as simply friends, a bit like more distanced family; Kiah only cared about any of them because she was getting paid to guard him. Anything else that bound them together was because of him, and likely never would¡¯ve happened were he not a part of it. The differences between them only got more obvious the longer he was gone.


    None of them spoke. Samone played with an illusionary rose, trying to create something so real to the original it would be impossible to tell the difference. Kiah and Dimas were involved in some quiet conversation, though it seemed to be a bit more of an argument. Lydia was attempting to skip stones, continuing to try again and again with not even the slightest improvement. It felt like the couple of moments took forever.


    Imre came back with a more distraught expression than when he left. This immediately got all of their attention, and his subsequent lie didn¡¯t help any. ¡°It wasn¡¯t anything important.¡±


    ¡°He kinda made it sound like it was,¡± Lydia pointed out casually.


    ¡°Your face says otherwise,¡± Dimas added.


    ¡°We see right through you, Nokae,¡± Samone remarked. ¡°You¡¯re not a very good liar.¡±


    ¡°If none of us know what it is then we can¡¯t do it,¡± he then tried. ¡°If we don¡¯t do it, no one has to risk getting hurt¡­¡±


    ¡°You say that like Lydia doesn¡¯t almost get us killed once a month,¡± Kiah said dryly.


    There was no getting out of that. Imre sighed. ¡°It was about what we did earlier. The thing we were the keys to. He wants us to go to a nearby entrance of the Anysia Caverns¡ª¡°


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound too bad! It¡¯s just a cave system that spans half the continent. What else could be in here besides honest adventure?¡±


    ¡°¡ªand brave the Minotaur,¡± Imre finished when Lydia stopped interrupting. ¡°Maybe listen to all of it before you start agreeing to the plan.¡±


    ¡°The Minotaur?¡± Dimas seemed to know exactly when his Qizarn heritage was important. Samone never cared for their legends and she knew Lydia only showed slight interest because of adventure; neither of them ever took the time to memorize the names and faces involved. ¡°The cursed twin who got turned into a half-man-half-bull thing? His spirit may or may not have been the ¡®secret weapon¡¯ of Fleyw Bresh in Seothia before the time of Saint-King Lucas and Holy Queen Norah? That Minotaur?¡±


    ¡°You tell me what other bull creatures exist,¡± was Imre¡¯s simple answer.


    It wasn¡¯t that hard to believe that the Minotaur¡ªwhatever legend it was¡ªexisted. They had, after all, already decided on the existence of a god. At least, both Dimas and Kiah said as much; Samone was a bit hesitant about the idea herself, though she knew better than to question it. While Seothian children are memorizing tales of heroics and spirits, the children of Qizar were memorizing and taking to heart every piece of scripture they could get their hands on.


    The only one that looked even slightly interested in the idea was Lydia. This was something they each gave her a glare for, even if she didn¡¯t seem to notice at all.


    They each wanted a way to opt out. They probably wouldn¡¯t be given the option of just not going if they didn¡¯t want to. Casper hardly let anyone get out of stuff by doing that.


    At that point¡ªin the desperate moment before they¡¯d be forced to accept it¡ªKiah came up with something. ¡°The Minotaur has a pretty decent chance of killing us. Zofie would not like it if Dimas died. So, we have to make sure it¡¯s all right with her first.¡±


    Despite half of them knowing next to nothing about the young queen, they all knew what her reaction to that would be. If she knew all the risks, then she wouldn¡¯t let him go. And not only was she a ruling power¡ªthus someone they should probably obey the orders of¡ªshe was also a sister, which seemed to be so much worse.


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    ¡°Samone and I can talk to her!¡± Lydia likely didn¡¯t even realize what that excuse was meant to do. She grabbed Samone¡¯s arm and immediately started towards the Qizarn officials.


    ¡°Don¡¯t I get a say in this?¡±


    ¡°Nope!¡±


    The urge to shock Lydia with magic was overwhelming, but she just sighed and followed the older¡¯s lead. There was nothing she could do at this point to get herself out of it. Their one hope was that Zofie would say no.


    Lydia, clearly, had no idea where she was going; she¡¯d never needed to, being here more because her father was friends with the king and everyone else was here. Samone, not wanting this to last any longer than it needed to, then took the lead. She gave her proper respects to the nobles as she passed them until she finally reached the queen, her guard, and her advisor.


    Kesem once told her that magic users could sense the magic of others. It was how he realized she had such strong natural magic, unlike most born in Seothia. She wondered what creature she reminded him of, if it felt anything like Zofie at all.


    Zofie was almost like what Samone imagined a fairy feeling like; a powerful yet unstable magic, ready to be unleashed at a moment¡¯s notice. Except, this was one that was more likely to be released unconsciously. Her presence seemed to give off the kind of crackling of lightning; something that might strike at any moment, and there was no guarantee on whether or not it would hit something. It was a feeling that would set anyone on edge, to say the least.


    Her perceived level of magic didn¡¯t quite match her. As anyone could guess, she bore a striking semblance to Dimas: they had the same ash-blonde hair (though hers was up in a long braid), like most twins would. Her dress was colors close to magenta, never exactly red or pink. The small crown she wore indicated her status just as much as the palanquin she sat in did.


    ¡°When are we starting?¡± she sighed, giving her advisor a sideways glance. She didn¡¯t realize Samone and Lydia were there at all. ¡°They¡¯re all here, aren¡¯t they? Can¡¯t we just start so we can all go home?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since a few of them have seen each other, Your Majesty,¡± her advisor offered calmly. There was something incredibly unsettling about him, more than just his black hair and dark purple outfit. ¡°I¡¯m sure they¡¯re hoping to catch up and have no intention of delaying the talks.¡±


    She glanced to the other side of her. ¡°Nokae, can you get me some water?¡±


    ¡°As you wish, my queen.¡± The guard bowed and walked off.


    Lydia was done waiting after that point. ¡°Hey Zofie!¡± Of course, she treated the Qizarn queen like she treated everyone else she knew. Being the second oldest, one would think she actually knew how to act around people of noble status. However, since she was completely raised around them and considered many of them her close friends, she chose that formalities were not important.


    Zofie looked around before her eyes settled on the two of them, her nose subsequently scrunching up in both puzzlement and slight disgust. ¡°You¡¯re not one of ours.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Lydia.¡± She pointed to herself, then her companion as she added, ¡°That¡¯s Samone. Remember us? You met us a couple months after Dimas did. You and Samone worked together to throw magic darts at me. You kinda got along with my sister, Ellie? Almost killed Witless for being in your face?¡±


    The child of Fleyw Bresh blinked.


    ¡°We¡¯re Dimas¡¯s friends,¡± Samone tried.


    That seemed to do it. ¡°Oh, the Red Rose and the Obnoxious One. I thought I recognized you.¡± Still, she made no show of treating them with any more familiarity. ¡°What do you want?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s this awesome adventure thing that I really wanna go on but no one else does so we need you to agree with me,¡± Lydia began, speaking so quickly with excitement that her words blurred together. Though maybe that was for the best. ¡°See, Casper wants us to go to the Anysia Caverns. He also wants us to fight a Minotaur while we¡¯re there, which I think is super awesome and cool. I mean, who wouldn¡¯t want to fight a giant man-bull-thing? Well, I guess everyone else, since we¡¯re having this conversation. Anyway, it¡¯s going to be amazing and a shame if we don¡¯t get to go. There¡¯s apparently a chance Dimas can die or something, so your opinion kinda really matters. I guess we all need to be there to beat up a Minotaur? So, basically, we need to steal your brother for a week or so. And if he dies, we¡¯d probably all be dead so no one¡¯ll be there to face your wrath.¡±


    ¡°For the love of the gods, was that even modern language?¡± Zofie, thankfully, understood none of it.


    Samone was trying to force back her reaction to Lydia before she gave away a part of it. In a clear, slow voice, she outlined the important aspects, ¡°King Casper is planning on sending us on a mission. It¡¯s going to be dangerous, though, so we thought it best to get your consent. It does put your brother at risk, after all.¡±


    Zofie took a dark kind of amusement¡ªyet hurt all the same¡ªwhen she heard it. ¡°So for once he cares? When was this concern any other time I wanted to know he was well? He writes his letters like he¡¯s in the castle, safe, then mentions one misfortune or another. Why do I have a hard time believing this is really just for my own benefit?¡±


    Samone bit back everything she wanted to say.


    ¡°Is it a yes or a no?¡± she instead prompted without any kind of emotion.


    ¡°Go ahead on your little adventure.¡± Zofie waved her hand around. ¡°It¡¯s not like I could stop you anyway.¡±


    There was no turning back now. They truly were going to fight a Minotaur.

 Secrets of the Ley Lines: Book II- Chapter 4

    Only Lydia was happy about the outcome. From the sounds of it, Imre had tried talking to Casper about it; judging from context clues afterwards, it ended miserably. There was no changing Casper¡¯s mind about the five of them being the ones to do it.


    Knowing that they¡¯d be leaving the next morning (though to where they had yet to decide), they all went to bed early. At least, they all said they would. Imre probably couldn¡¯t sleep, Kiah was likely either arguing with Casper or figuring out which one of the nobles brought alcohol, and Samone wasn¡¯t the slightest bit tired. Any time she thought she was about to fall asleep, some image flashes through her head and she was wide awake again. If she knew she was the only one awake in the whole camp, she would¡¯ve grabbed her pipe, went to a secluded area, and calmed herself down a little. But that wasn¡¯t an option.


    She decided that she could still get some fresh air. At least she could do half of what she wanted without being questioned. She wandered around, avoiding all the signs of others being awake. Then she found a place away from the water, knowing no one would come there.


    Some said they enjoyed the view of the lake. They liked seeing its vastness, so big that they were unable to see the shore on the other side; they revered its cultural importance, even if its historical reputation was mixed. It bound the two kingdoms, they would say, by the one festival they both celebrated since the time of their rebirths: the Lantern Festival, or the Day of the Dead, depending on who one talked to. She didn¡¯t really see any of the charm they claimed it to have. The only kind of water she fancied were natural hot springs and the actual ocean. This was nothing more than a glorified puddle, and not even its flowers (another aspect of its supposed beauty she, oddly enough, didn¡¯t understand) were enough to sway her.


    A songbird soon joined her, giving a few chirps in greeting. It was like the one she saw on her balcony.


    It proved to be no normal bird after a moment, though. Right in front of her, it went through the fluent transition from bird to child.


    He didn¡¯t look any older than twelve, but appearance alone was never to be trusted. His light blue-and-purple clothes suggested he was cold¡ªor, as Dimas¡¯s tendencies had made her consider, had something to hide. His icy blue hair, the bangs longer than the back was, covered his right eye. He only needed one gray eye trained on her, though, to unnerve her.


    For a minute, all he did was glare at her. ¡°You¡¯re staring,¡± he finally remarked nonchalantly.


    ¡°Normal people don¡¯t go from being a freaking bird to a kid,¡± Samone pointed out. ¡°What am I supposed to do? Act like I see that every day?¡±


    ¡°Did Calli mention anything to you?¡± He tilted his head. ¡°I suppose she was a bit forgetful.¡±


    ¡°What does Minne have to do with any of this?¡±


    He sighed. ¡°Or maybe you¡¯re just stupid. Lovely, someone here might compete with Mazel¡­¡± He shook his head and went back on topic. ¡°Calli had a special little dream friend. A tree swallow. Do you realize what was also a tree swallow?¡±


    ¡°I hate to break it to you, but I don¡¯t care about the types of small birds,¡± was her response. She already didn¡¯t like him.


    ¡°Me. I was a tree swallow just now. I was her special little dream friend.¡± It seemed like the feeling was mutual. ¡°In case you¡¯ve forgotten, since it seems like you have, I¡¯m Zokel. I know that you¡¯re Samone, so you needn¡¯t waste more of my time by telling me so. Can you at least tell me what I am, with all that knowledge already out there?¡±


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    Everything clicked after he said that. ¡°You¡¯re a Fos. They¡¯re the only creatures that can change forms like that¡­ and, along with Ski¨¢, the only two creatures that can influence dreams.¡±


    ¡°Ah, so you do know something.¡± Zokel, for a second, grinned. He quickly snapped back into the emotionless glare, however. ¡°There¡¯s a bit more I need to get out of the way, though. Are you, by any chance, familiar with the Butterfly Effect?¡±


    Her silence was probably enough of an answer. She felt like she knew it; but she couldn¡¯t place any faces or names to it, thus said nothing.


    ¡°My specific job branches off of it. Think of it as¡­ a set of dominoes; an awful chain reaction that leaves chaos in its wake. Most Fos try to remove all the unnecessary pieces to limit how many people are affected by it. What I do follows a certain path of people: the Ilethera, and all those close to them.


    ¡°If any of your previous questions mean anything, you¡¯re likely now wondering ¡®what does an Ilethera have to do with me?¡¯ Well, all you have to do is think a little. You¡¯re close to more Ilethera than you realize. There¡¯s Calli, clearly a seed of the ill-fated saint. Then there¡¯s all of you, because the Keys themselves are anomalies¡­ it may not have always been that way, but now the blood of the saint is always present in them. Mortals like you tend to get tangled in Darkness¡¯s webs, so you need someone to get you out of them. Unfortunately, I¡¯m that person.¡±


    ¡°For a Fos, you would think you¡¯d sound like you cared a little more,¡± Samone remarked dully.


    ¡°Do you care for all the idiots you tend to on a daily basis?¡± Zokel returned. ¡°Mortals are like tamed dogs or cats. They¡¯re excruciatingly dependent on their ¡®owners,¡¯ always vying for love and attention. I really can¡¯t tell what Day sees in it all anymore¡­¡± He sighed. ¡°I want you to guess what legend I¡¯m trying to tell you. Are you ready?¡±


    She debated telling him that he was probably going to be disappointed. Still, she nodded.


    ¡°There was once a mighty king, but his path was far from easy and luxurious as one might assume. He was a twin, though no one would know if they only saw him as an adult; that twin died by unknown causes a couple months after they were born. Because of this, he was overwhelmed with misfortune. After nearly losing his daughter, he made a deal with the devil. She made sure that no one could ever toy with him again and turned him into a beast. He was soon locked away, but the promise was still kept in the sense that no real harm befell him. There he was eventually slain. His spirit still lurks there, either waiting for his next offering or a vessel to feel whole for just a moment. What is it?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know a lot of Qizarn legends,¡± she admitted. ¡°While I¡¯m sure I¡¯ve heard about it before, I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re referring to specifically.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a perfect image of your kind,¡± he said casually. ¡°There¡¯s a reason the two sides aren¡¯t getting along very well. Neither of you are willing to look from the other¡¯s perspective. I do hope that changes before you spark a war¡­ or before all the light that remains goes out.¡±


    Samone would¡¯ve tried to get him to elaborate if it weren¡¯t for the fact he turned back into a bird. He glared at her once more, letting out an innocent chirp before flying off. What was even the point of him showing up, if he didn¡¯t actually contribute anything to their mission? He could¡¯ve at least given her a hint about where they were supposed to be going, or a safer way to go about doing the king¡¯s will.


    She stayed there for a little longer, until she decided she was actually getting tired. Hoping that feeling would last by the time she actually laid down, she headed back to her family¡¯s little room.


    They were all still asleep when she entered, something she was glad for. She didn¡¯t want to have to explain why she left to begin with, however simple it might¡¯ve been. The only part they needed to know about all the things running through her head was that she was leaving by Casper¡¯s request tomorrow morning. She wasn¡¯t ready for the inevitable argument that would follow such a conversation.


    No matter what she tried to do, Zokel¡¯s words kept nagging at her. She didn¡¯t think they were meant to be taken so seriously; now, with nothing else to do, she realized the full extent of them. They weren¡¯t things that she was supposed to keep to herself. Someone else needed to know about them, however much she regretted having to come to that decision.


    If she could find him while he was alone, she¡¯ll talk to Imre. He¡¯d probably know for certain which legend that was anyway, looking into them both out of personal curiosity and the fact his boyfriend hailed from the nation where they were taught. It wouldn¡¯t be too hard.


    She couldn¡¯t place what she was afraid of. Was it the Minotaur? Was it some sort of secret meaning behind why Zokel came to her? Did it have to do with the person she was tied to as the Fox? Or was it something else completely? Whatever it was, it stuck with her for the mostly-restless night until she was finally able to sleep.

 Secrets of the Ley Lines: Book II- Chapter 5

    She was reminded of her goal as soon as she woke up. It didn¡¯t make her any more willing, but maybe they could get a little closer to getting it done.


    There was no guessing as to where Imre was. He was sitting by the water, absently fiddling with an ikretta. She couldn¡¯t remember who or what was responsible for his fragile smile, only briefly mourning the fact that she¡¯d probably be the one to get rid of it.


    ¡°Nokae.¡± Her tone already proved that something was wrong. It got his attention almost immediately, unlike most other times she wanted to talk with him. ¡°Can we talk alone for a minute?¡±


    He nodded. There was that look that said he would listen to whatever she had to say; a look she never found in anyone else. Not Kesem, Iris, or even Minne had ever given her that kind of unwavering attention. She wondered if he truly realized how much it meant to her that he was just there.


    ¡°Do you remember that swallow that appeared in Minne¡¯s dreams? Zokel?¡± Phrasing it was harder than she originally thought it was going to be. ¡°And remember how he was a Fos..? He appeared to me last night. He told me how he helped Ilethera and the ones that were close to them¡­ But before you say anything, he mentioned a legend. Something about a king whose twin died when they were little. He was locked away and eventually killed, but his spirit still remains where he was captured.¡±


    He seemed to be following along relatively well until she¡¯s got to the last part. ¡°He was talking about the Minotaur. Why did he mention it?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, the last thing he told me was how mortals were needy like house pets.¡± She shrugged. ¡°It was mostly random¡­ aside from the fact it relates to what Casper wanted us to do.¡±


    ¡°Did he mention anything else?¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°He left after that.¡±


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t happen to know how to bring him back?¡±


    ¡°If I did, I would right now just so then you can talk to him yourself.¡±


    Imre thought it all over, though didn¡¯t give her too much time in silence. ¡°We should tell the others. With all of our heads together, maybe we can come up with something.¡± He got up and walked past her. ¡°I know where Lydia and Kiah are, and it probably won¡¯t be hard to find Dimas. You just stay here until I come back with them, okay?¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Putting on a confident face was all that she could do.


    She waited, watching as the rest of the officials slowly began to wake up. No one made any attempt to converse with her¡ªlikely being out of their way¡ªso she made no attempt to converse with them. Honestly, she didn¡¯t know how well she could carry a conversation at the moment.


    She heard Imre explaining their short conversation as he got closer. That was one last thing she had to do, at least. They¡¯d all be coming in with some sort of understanding to the situation, however limited that might¡¯ve been. It had to have been better than nothing, right?


    They immediately started trying to find a way to use it to their advantage. She supposed she saw it coming, in a way, but that didn¡¯t make the feeling any better. She tried to convince herself it was just like any normal conversation.


    ¡°Did he show up any time before or after that?¡± Kiah, judging mostly by her tone, didn¡¯t know whether to be slightly concerned or impressed. Her expression showed no sign of verging more on one than the other, meaning there was no true way to tell.


    Samone shook her head. ¡°That¡¯s the first he¡¯s ever appeared.¡± She realized, soon after saying it, that she had seen a similar bird on her balcony. But she quickly decided it wasn¡¯t important, even if it was only so then she didn¡¯t have to correct herself. ¡°I doubt I did anything special to make him appear in the first place. All I did was stand outside in the middle of the night.¡±


    ¡°If he mentioned the legend of the Minotaur, then could he know more about it?¡± Lydia suggested thoughtfully. ¡°Maybe if we can talk with him again, he could tell us where it is.¡±


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    ¡°It¡¯s worth a shot, if we can get him to show up again,¡± Dimas agreed. ¡°It¡¯ll be a lot more productive than trying to figure something out on our own. We might as well be throwing darts at a map and going wherever it hits.¡±


    ¡°Is there any other way we can determine where an entrance might be?¡± Imre was picking up on her unwillingness to the idea. He always did, whether he realized it or not, and proceeded to attempt to help her out of it. ¡°Do any of the legends specify where an entrance is, or clues as to where it could be?¡±


    Dimas shrugged. ¡°As far as I¡¯m aware there isn¡¯t. The only mention of any of the Caverns¡¯ entrances is just the one in Aspea, and we¡¯re definitely not going into Idkor.¡±


    ¡°I guess I can see what I can do,¡± Samone sighed. ¡°We don¡¯t have a lot of other options. It¡¯s not like Casper decided to mention where we were supposed to be going after this, and we told them we¡¯d be leaving today.¡±


    ¡°Well in his defense, it didn¡¯t sound like Minne ever got that far,¡± Kiah remarked. Darker, she continued, ¡°They all started dying off before they got to that point.¡±


    All they could do was tell themselves that it was only because an Ilethera was in the mix there. Misfortune followed those people, after all, and that specific person wasn¡¯t a part of their trip. But that didn¡¯t mean that assured them, or gave them the illusion that everything was going to be fine.


    At this point, Samone decided they were more or less finished. When their conversation turned more into wild guesses of where they were heading, she knew that she was right. With little comment, she simply left the group.


    She first went to her tent, picked up her pipe and filled it, then found a quiet spot away from the people. Maybe she¡¯d actually be able to concentrate on one fact at a time that way. All she needed to do was get comfortable and assure herself that no one would see her¡ªor at the very least, that none of them would recognize her. Though given the fact that she was behind a tree and far from the normal camp, the only way someone would find her was if they were looking.


    There was never any reason for her to fear feeling used. At this point, she couldn¡¯t say that anyone had ever tried to gain her favor for their own intentions. She was adopted into the Jaden family for her strong magic, but it was clear that it wasn¡¯t even the main reason why they considered her one in the family. Minne or Casper had never made any mention of what they could acquire by having her with them; in fact, she never felt anything of the sort from them or Imre. It did change, slightly, as she grew older into a powerful (and, more importantly to some, marriageable) woman, but such a thing was still a few years away.


    It seemed like she didn¡¯t have much of a choice, though. They needed something to go off of, and she just so happened to be that person. At the very least, it would help them all get this done that much quicker rather than drawing it out. That was something all of them wanted¡ªmaybe with the exception of Lydia, whose sense of danger has long since left her.


    With each exhale, she found herself getting calmer. Everything lined up in her head and she wasn¡¯t worrying nearly as much. It was relaxing for everything to be so clear, all of it where it should be. She never understood why people would trade this for a drunken daze. What good could ever come out of everything being out of place, with hardly a sliver of understanding of one¡¯s actions?


    She nearly jumped when she saw something fly in the corner of her eye. Whatever she felt before, though, was quickly turned into annoyance when she realized she recognized the bird.


    ¡°You know you got me in an odd situation,¡± she remarked to the little swallow. ¡°I¡¯d really rather not be doing any of this. So I don¡¯t suppose you want to make it a little easier?¡±


    Zokel only looked up at her. He didn¡¯t change out of his bird form, possibly just because there were so many other people around. Were he to be seen, it would cause more of a scene than he likely wanted; it was better if he only changed at night.


    He ended up flying right past her in favor of another; it was her indication that another person was there. Samone¡ªbefore she even knew who it was¡ªput the pipe away and hid it behind her dress. She was partially relieved to see that it was Imre. He never made a big deal out of it in public.


    ¡°I see our little friend¡¯s back,¡± Imre remarked. He held his hand out and Zokel happily rested on it. ¡°I thought I¡¯d come check on you, though. We were thinking about going to a nearby village for supplies. You¡¯re the only one who wasn¡¯t there, so I decided I could come and ask what you thought about it.¡± There wasn¡¯t anything about him that said he was more interested in the bird than her. In fact, it felt like he considered Zokel like any normal animal rather than a Fos.


    ¡°That sounds fine,¡± she agreed. ¡°I¡¯ll just need a couple of minutes to make sure I have everything.¡±


    Zokel decided he wanted to be a part of the conversation. He took advantage of the mud to write a sort of message, creating the characters from a combination of using his wing and hopping around. If anyone were to see it, they likely wouldn¡¯t know if they were going insane or if he wasn¡¯t just your average bird.


    Eventually it got hard to keep track of him. He was moving so quickly, darting from one part to another; it seemed there were also parts where he erased it and started over again. Samone then wondered if he wrote all of his letters like this, starting out with a messy sketch before restarting with something better.


    They both assumed he was done when he flew away again.


    ¡°The beast rests in Ilystalos,¡± Imre read aloud.


    ¡°I guess we know where we¡¯re going,¡± she said dully.

 Secrets of the Ley Lines: Book II- Chapter 6

    Ilystalos was a Seothian village that rested right on the border between the two kingdoms¡ªit was relatively new, compared to the other towns in the area. Its purpose was more as an experiment; to see if it really was possible for the people from both kingdoms to get along. There were other ¡°melting pots¡± scattered across the kingdoms¡ªplaces where people from all different paths of life could come together and coexist¡ªbut never one meant to transcend a kingdom¡¯s borders. And since its founding, it continued to provide some rather positive results.


    It was also the closest town to the Lake, meaning that it probably would¡¯ve been their first stop even if Zokel hadn¡¯t told them to go there. But since it had been by the Fos¡¯s will, all they heard about for the whole time it took them to get there was about how awesome their adventure was going to be. It turns out none of them were mean enough to tell Lydia to shut up.


    The town itself was clearly benefiting from the peace talks. Nobles sent their children here while they worked; with noble children came their spending fund, which was likely more than any of these people had seen in their entire life. It was already a village that depended on travelers passing through, but Samone had a feeling that most of their money came from the nobles.


    They weren¡¯t greeted by anyone upon arriving, not like she¡¯d particularly expected it. With all the other guests here, they likely blended in so well no one noticed them. Unlike some of the other nobles there, they made no point in flaunting their status.


    ¡°It hasn¡¯t changed since we were first here, has it?¡± Dimas gently nudged Imre, who¡¯d previously been too lost in thought to notice their surroundings. ¡°You didn¡¯t want to be here in the slightest at first. After a while you warmed up to us a little, though.¡±


    ¡°Zofie didn¡¯t seem to do the same,¡± Imre remarked. ¡°I suppose she lets her guard down around me now, but it¡¯s not like we see each other often enough for her to be completely comfortable.¡± He glanced at Kiah. ¡°Weren¡¯t you here before too?¡±


    ¡°To be a profitable mercenary, sometimes you have to travel across borders,¡± the goblin said with a nod. ¡°I stopped here a lot of times. Haven¡¯t been here since the commission that brought me to the king, though.¡±


    ¡°I came here with Dad when I was five,¡± Lydia offered thoughtfully, if not just to be a part of the conversation. ¡°It was the first real time we went out together. I wouldn¡¯t call it a full-blown adventure now, but I sure did think it was back then.¡±


    Immediately Samone realized what they were saying. ¡°You¡¯ve all been here?¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t?¡± Lydia bounced around in front of the group, even laughing a little. ¡°I mean, come on! It¡¯s so close to the camp that it¡¯s practically impossible not to stop by. I would¡¯ve thought you¡¯d come for the Qizarn stuff they have here.¡±


    ¡°I never thought of leaving the peace talks,¡± Samone defended. ¡°Unlike the rest of you, I actually have a real place in them. I need to be there. I don¡¯t have the time for messing around.¡±


    ¡°You do have time for smoking, though,¡± Kiah corrected off-handedly. Her tone got more mocking as she continued, ¡°Wonder how long it¡¯s gonna be before you start taking after dear old dad. Your heart might just fail you before his does.¡±


    ¡°This is also coming from a woman who¡¯s sense of duty is the only thing keeping her from being a drunkard,¡± was Samone¡¯s quick retort. ¡°If you didn¡¯t have a family then you¡¯d probably be living on the streets, using whatever funds you come across for your next drink. With you around I can¡¯t say I have a very good influence.¡±


    Imre sighed. ¡°Samone, Kiah, please stop arguing. You can save it for after we¡¯ve figured this whole thing out about the Minotaur.¡± Both of them relented at his suggestion. There really was nothing binding them together but the prince.


    Lydia, realizing something else had to be put in the silence, started a more casual conversation about the shops. It wasn¡¯t every day that one would see wares from both kingdoms, after all; being so close to the border did have its perks.


    Samone was able to break away from them pretty quickly. As they¡¯d all started debating where to start, she offered to look around the southern part of the village alone. Imre had agreed, assigning similar roles to the others (him and Kiah staying together), and designated a rendezvous point for them to return to in a couple of hours. It was a perfect way to get some time by herself and effectively move their mission along.


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    She wandered around long enough to make it look like she was actually doing something. Then, she found a little alley to hide away in. It was perfectly located so that she could still see most of what was going on in the street, which made her feel like she was still working.


    An unfortunately familiar voice was in the crowd. And sadly, its owner appeared soon enough amidst all the people on the streets. She wished she¡¯d been imagining things before she knew for certain it was Zokel, acting conspicuously like someone who wasn¡¯t human. At the very least, he was acting a lot calmer and quieter than most that looked his age.


    ¡°Ah, excuse me, ma¡¯am, but do you know where the bakery is here?¡± Maybe he wasn¡¯t here for Samone. If he was, he was going about doing it rather casually.


    ¡°It¡¯s right over there,¡± the elderly woman responded. ¡°The sign says ¡®Wakey Bakey,¡¯ if you can read. You can¡¯t miss it.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡± He began to walk in that direction, until he happened to glance to his side. Of course he saw Samone, so after making sure no one was particularly paying attention to him, he wandered over to her. ¡°I was wondering where you were.¡±


    ¡°You mean you can¡¯t magically track me?¡± She wanted him to know that she didn¡¯t really want him here. ¡°You¡¯ve been able to find me before without any problems.¡±


    ¡°Both of those times I knew your general location,¡± he pointed out. ¡°You were always at that camp, which was small enough that I could easily track your location. I was¡­ a little preoccupied when you left, so I wasn¡¯t able to follow you.¡±


    She raised an eyebrow. ¡°Was this same preoccupation something to do with the bakery, or was that just your way of knowing the layout of the place? Do Fos even need to eat?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t see how the first part is any of your concern,¡± Zokel dismissed. ¡°But no, we don¡¯t need to eat. At least not in the way mortals use the term. It¡¯s more related to how the Ski¨¢ feed off of people¡¯s nightmares, though to a much more humane degree.¡± Ski¨¢, after all, were known for how they drained their victims; it was what made Myal¨®, otherwise just seen as a recurring nightmare, so dangerous. If given the option, they could consume every drop of energy from a person and leave them for dead. It made sense that Fos would have a similar but not as brutal way of living.


    He quickly remembered that it had nothing to do with why he was here. ¡°You¡¯re getting me off-track. I know you have a normal life you¡¯d like to go back to and I, too, have friends I want to see. So I¡¯m just going to ask this bluntly. What did you feel when you came here?¡±


    Samone found herself getting defensive. How come he couldn¡¯t figure out where she was because he got ¡°preoccupied,¡± but he apparently knew what they¡¯d been talking about? Was there this script he was going off of that matched what was going on? Realizing she would get no answer out of him, she mumbled, ¡°Nothing.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t a lie, nor something to cover up a truth she¡¯d rather keep secret. It was her being honest. She saw no point in lying about it, especially not when that would only drag all of this out.


    His next question didn¡¯t make her any less tense. ¡°Do you think that you should¡¯ve?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± There was little consideration put behind the words. She¡¯d noticed it from the moment they finished talking about it. It had felt like there was a certain kind of pattern that she wasn¡¯t a part of. They all had some sort of attachment to this place, something that had meant a lot to them. But she wasn¡¯t like that.


    She hadn¡¯t been lying when she said she¡¯d needed to be at the peace talks. After all, she was the Court Magister, and soon to be the Head of Public Affairs once Kesem relinquished the position. It was important that she understood everything that was going on between the two kingdoms. Being the youngest one there, her opinion didn¡¯t matter as much as the others¡¯; that, though, would probably also change in a few years.


    But it wasn¡¯t just her duty to the king, as it also came down to more personal matters. She¡¯d never been outside of Seothia¡ªshe was certain she¡¯d never even been past the border, even when she was so close to it. It wasn¡¯t like she had no desire to. In fact, she¡¯d shown interest in it when Dimas had offered they all come to Qizar for the lantern festival. When bringing it up with Kesem, both him and Iris were firmly against the idea. She never knew exactly why they were so protective over where she went, but she assumed it was part of the reason she never went to Ilystalos before now.


    ¡°Well, what if I said that you did?¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯d think you¡¯re insane,¡± she replied casually. ¡°Because if I don¡¯t know about it, how are you supposed to know?¡±


    Zokel seemed to take a sort of amusement out of that. ¡°Oh, if only you knew all the things that the gods know. There are so many things that you mortals think that only you know¡ªor things that you think because you don¡¯t know, it doesn¡¯t exist. You¡¯re all so ignorant in that matter, it¡¯s almost enough to draw out a bit of sympathy.¡±


    ¡°Are you supposed to be here to help me or set me on edge?¡±


    ¡°Nothing like someone incredibly annoying to put your brain to work,¡± he responded jokingly. ¡°But in all seriousness, I¡¯m trying to help you. The wrong Fos was just assigned to the wrong person. If only I¡¯d been able to stay with Calli¡¯s son¡­¡± He paused. ¡°I know you probably won¡¯t believe me; very few mortals do. But I need you to think a little deeper. Try finding a part of yourself that has been here before. Remember what you learned about the Fox you came before you. Think long and hard and you¡¯ll finally find some sort of answer.¡±

 Secrets of the Ley Lines: Book II- Chapter 7

    Zokel didn¡¯t wait for her to ask any questions before leaving again. She decided to stay there until closer to the group¡¯s decided meet up time. When that hour finally came, she casually made her way to the rendezvous point¡ªand was successfully the first one to be there when she was supposed to be.


    It felt like she was waiting a while before Lydia came.


    ¡°Did you look around?¡± she prompted.


    ¡°Not really.¡±


    ¡°I guess you didn¡¯t find anything interesting either?¡±


    ¡°Sort of¡­¡±


    Samone didn¡¯t explain further since Dimas soon showed up, quickly followed by Imre and Kiah.


    ¡°Well, that was absolutely pointless,¡± Kiah remarked. ¡°Did anyone actually get something?¡±


    Their collective mumbles proved that they didn¡¯t. It made Samone have to work up that much more courage to admit that she actually had.


    ¡°Zokel showed up,¡± she finally revealed after a few moments. ¡°He wants us to think a little deeper.¡± She didn¡¯t know how much of what he said was really meant for all of them. Or rather, she didn¡¯t know how much of the conversation she wanted to share.


    ¡°Deeper? Like, when we were younger?¡± Lydia tilted her head, already starting to take the initiative.


    Dimas sighed. ¡°Lydia, I doubt that¡¯s going to¡ª¡°


    Just as he began to correct her, she suddenly snapped from her thoughtful position to furiously dig through her satchel. ¡°Remember when we were all talking about how no one knew where to find an entrance to the Anysia Caverns? I know I didn¡¯t say anything, but I realized I knew something. Once I find it. I¡¯ve got a lot of maps in here¡­¡±


    ¡°You have a map?¡± Kiah questioned, clearly not amused by the whole situation. ¡°If we knew you had a damn map this whole time then we wouldn¡¯t be wasting our time here!¡±


    ¡°I forgot about it!¡± Lydia defended as she pulled it out. ¡°I¡¯ve got a lot of stuff in my bag, okay?! Yesterday I was cleaning it out and found a gem I was supposed to use to deactivate the traps of a ruin I went to three years ago! I thought I¡¯d lost it, but apparently it was in there. With how many other maps are in here, I wouldn¡¯t have noticed the Anysia Caverns one.¡±


    However much they¡¯d all wish to deny it, that was definitely a normal thing for Lydia. It was nearly impossible for her to remember everything she needed to get on a good day; she was always just a bit too absent-minded to completely think most things through. There was a reason Samone often needed to use magic during their trips. It wasn¡¯t like this was the first time Lydia randomly remembered something that would¡¯ve been incredibly important to know before then, and it was only one of the last for hardly related reasons.


    Imre gently took it from her in order to look it over. ¡°This is only a couple days away from here.¡± He looked up at Lydia. ¡°I¡¯m assuming you weren¡¯t the one to mark the points here? It doesn¡¯t look like your mapmaking, at least.¡± Samone assumed that was his nice way of saying ¡®this is actually halfway legible.¡¯


    ¡°Dad did that one,¡± Lydia responded. ¡°He had a story to go along with it, too. None of us really liked it so he didn¡¯t tell us more than a handful of times. I think I still remember most of it¡­


    ¡°He and one of his old friends, Keanu, were looking through some old records. They were bored so they were hoping to find something interesting; a possible mention of a legend or, even better, a hidden treasure map. Even if it was far away, they had the time to spare. Then they stumbled upon a really old text that talked about a cave that was actually pretty close by. More specifically, it was one of the caves that the Fleyw Bresh used¡ªan entrance to the Caverns.


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    ¡°They left as soon as they could. There wasn¡¯t really anything to prove that it was accurate or if the mentioned place ever existed at all. After all, a part of adventuring is figuring out what part¡¯s fact and what¡¯s fiction. But they didn¡¯t look into it any more than that. They didn¡¯t read any of the parts about what was suspected the children of Fleyw Bresh kept there. Dad would later wish that he¡¯d thought about looking back, instead of just going in without thinking about it.


    ¡°When they got there, Keanu started complaining about feeling watched. Dad didn¡¯t feel anything so he just dismissed it and kept looking for the cave. He marked it on the map once he did find the entrance, but they didn¡¯t have the chance of going in together. Keanu went in first. The entrance closed¡ªthough not exactly caved in¡ªbefore Dad could follow him.¡±


    Lydia¡¯s storytelling skills came in handy for that story. The way she descended into a foreboding tone near the end made it just as unsettling as its ending. Samone knew she wasn¡¯t the only one chilled by it, and she had a feeling that was the exact tone Lydia was going for.


    Kiah was the only one who showed no sign of unease. ¡°So, did none of you like this story because someone died at the end or because Andrew wasn¡¯t perceived as the ultimate god of adventuring?¡±


    ¡°Ellie just didn¡¯t like it,¡± Lydia remarked. It seems she wasn¡¯t planning on actually saying if it was one or the other. ¡°But he also had a ton of better stories to tell us when we got older, which were way more exciting. They didn¡¯t really do anything in that one.¡±


    ¡°Can we talk about the entrance closing part instead?¡± Dimas suggested. ¡°I think that¡¯s a little more important than deciding why no one liked it.¡±


    ¡°Andrew and Diana are Father¡¯s age,¡± Imre began casually. ¡°They were also married almost as soon as they turned twenty. Having kids hasn¡¯t stopped Andrew so getting married definitely didn¡¯t, which means it could¡¯ve easily been right before and slightly after Zenas died. Presuming, of course, the entrance to the Caverns closes when one of the Keys dies. It seems like they would, judging by how it can regenerate a new set when two of the previous ones were still alive.¡±


    ¡°Is there really that little keeping random people from wandering in..?¡± Nothing was making Dimas like the idea any more. In fact¡ªthough Samone didn¡¯t know if she was imagining it or not¡ªhe looked paler the more information they found about it.


    ¡°That and common sense,¡± Kiah mumbled. ¡°I don¡¯t think normal people decide to go into random caves for fun.¡± Without looking, she added, ¡°And, Lydia, before you say anything, the Stones are not normal.¡±


    Samone decided to get them started on talking about their next plan. ¡°If it¡¯s a couple days away from here, then we¡¯ll need to make sure we have everything for the trip. I know we intended to get supplies here, but I doubt any of us went shopping between then and now.¡±


    ¡°I have the money with me, though I got sidetracked.¡± Imre patted the little pouch at his side. ¡°We should try finding whatever we can here. It¡¯s a village that sees a lot more travel than most, so it should have a lot if not all of it, but whatever we can¡¯t find we can look around the camp for.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll be quicker if we split up into practical groups,¡± Kiah suggested. She gestured to herself, Imre, and Samone before adding, ¡°We¡¯ll make sure all the necessary stuff is taken care of. We can come up with a general list and only get what we need. Lydia and Dimas can get the other weapons from camp. We¡¯re probably going to be sleeping outside the entire time so it¡¯s worth having them around.¡± Of course, she always had a sword and dagger with her. It was probably so then the rest of them could at least try to be helpful, should they run into trouble.


    There wasn¡¯t any arguing. Imre mumbling a couple of instructions to Dimas. When the two shared a decent enough understanding, Lydia picked up on it and dragged Dimas away.


    Even as the other three began walking into shops, no one made any mention to them. They¡¯d went about and collected what they needed without too much interruption.


    It was at a particular shop, though, that really got her thinking about what Zokel had told her. What they were doing and how they got there didn¡¯t seem to be what he really wanted them to do. There was something else he wanted. Something else they needed to do¡­


    Imre seemed to notice it pretty quickly. He gently nudged her and asked, ¡°Is there something on your mind? You¡¯ve got that pensive I-don¡¯t-really-want-anyone-to-realize-I¡¯m-distracted face.¡±


    Samone was honest with him. ¡°I don¡¯t think talking about Lydia¡¯s father was what Zokel really meant for us to do. He mentioned the ¡®Fox that came before me.¡¯ I think¡­ he means something about the previous Keys. About Minne and her friends or even people beyond that¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t doubt that you¡¯re right,¡± he remarked. ¡°But let¡¯s see where this can lead us first.¡±

 Secrets of the Ley Lines: Book II- Chapter 8

    They stayed at Ilystalos (being closer to their destination than the camp) for the rest of the night. It was early morning by the time they got started, even if it had only given room for a couple of hours of sleep. She presumed the only thing that really mattered was that Kiah was alert, being the only one that could really do anything; not only was she alert, but surprisingly so compared to the rest of them.


    There wasn¡¯t much for them to talk about. Lydia tried, though they were either short-lived conversations or no one particularly seemed interested in them. What it came down to was a few repeats of information they already knew and a reinstated sense of dread each time. The facts seemed to be right in front of them: judging by everything they knew, they could very well die here.


    Samone had started to feel uneasy just as they were about to make camp for the night. It wasn¡¯t inherently unlike what could normally be sensed during nights outside; a sense of being watched, of something right behind you that might very well drag you into the darkness with it. But those had all been weaker, something that might be ignored if there was something else to do. This couldn¡¯t be ignored so simply. It wasn¡¯t supposed to be ignored, because to be ignored meant something much, much worse than just that feeling.


    Someone must¡¯ve said something because they immediately all became more aware of it. Who that person was, though, was something she didn¡¯t know¡ªor rather, didn¡¯t remember. None of the five had said anything, yet their shared reaction meant that someone had.


    The shadows were twisting around them, breaking away from the objects they once belonged to. They gained their own form¡ªalmost humanlike¡ªand came together as a hive mind. Their eyes served like something of a beacon, warning of a fate that was already too late to prevent. They were surrounded by Ski¨¢.


    Kiah drew her sword as soon as she noticed it, though she slowly began to realize what they were actually doing. ¡°They¡¯re¡­ completely ignoring us?¡± She wasn¡¯t disappointed when she said it; after all, if the Ski¨¢ weren¡¯t going to trouble them, then there was a good chance that they were safe.


    ¡°You act surprised.¡± It was a voice only familiar to Samone. One that she, admittedly, wanted to sigh as soon as she heard it. ¡°Don¡¯t you know who you¡¯re traveling with?¡±


    ¡°Who the hell are you?¡± Kiah turned to face Zokel, in no way more at ease by being in his presence.


    ¡°That¡¯s Zokel,¡± Samone rushed, knowing exactly what the older would do if another second was spent without an answer. ¡°He¡¯s the Fos. You can¡¯t stab him.¡± She bit back the ¡®unfortunately¡¯ that threatened to escape her lips.


    ¡°Well, you could,¡± Zokel remarked casually. ¡°But I¡¯d highly advise against it unless you want much bigger problems.¡± He acted like any of them understood what he was talking about. ¡°Though whether or not I can die is another matter completely. That¡¯s not what I¡¯m here for. Are you even trying to follow my instructions?¡±


    ¡°I thought of a story Dad told me once!¡± Lydia defended. ¡°We¡¯re following that path to an entrance of the Caverns! Doesn¡¯t that count for something?¡±


    ¡°Not when it¡¯s not related to anything I thought was obvious,¡± Zokel responded. ¡°Your job wasn¡¯t to think of things that happened in your lifetime. Doing that doesn¡¯t solve anything. You¡¯ll only really know what you¡¯re supposed to be doing if you¡¯ve seen it through the eyes of someone who did.¡± He sighed. ¡°How about this: since none of you are getting it, I¡¯ll help you out. Just make your camp and go to sleep. I¡¯ll handle the rest from there.¡±


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    Samone hoped she wasn¡¯t the only one who felt uneasy being watched. She knew he probably didn¡¯t mean any harm in it. There was no reason why he would. In fact, she had a good understanding of what he might end up doing¡­ Maybe that was why she found it so hard to sleep before dreariness forced itself upon her.


    ¡­


    It felt like an incredibly large family for most of them being average, lower-class nobles. There was Kesem, Parpar (Iris¡¯s mother), their three brothers, their parents, not to mention their aunts and uncles and cousins. It never made sense to her why Kesem, having lost his one true love before then and never marrying since, was the person chosen to take up Jaden¡¯s spot in the court. The only thing he had in his favor was that he was the eldest son and knew enough about magic to count as the court¡¯s magister at the time. But there was more against him: he was already verging on thirty at that point, with no children, and even then he wasn¡¯t in the best of health. He then defeated the whole purpose of it by adopting a daughter; someone to succeed him in everything, even though she held no relation at all to any Jaden.


    He¡¯d, surprisingly, been very honest with the five-year-old Samone when he explained it to her. Not like she would¡¯ve taken anything except for the truth for an answer. She was a pretty bright kid and knew that a family of black-haired, brown-eyed people didn¡¯t create someone like her. He told her that she was likely more closely related to the royal family by Queen Clarimonda¡¯s side than any Jaden. Tyche, when they met nearly seven years later, confirmed it.


    That was around the time the dream was set in. Tyche had taken Samone away from their magic practice for a walk through the Northern Gardens. They¡¯d ended up finding a spot on the brick fence to sit, and Tyche quickly abandoned her to get something from the nearby market. When she returned, she had two cream puffs and handed one to Samone.


    ¡°I know we¡¯ve been practicing, but that¡¯s no reason to not tell me about it,¡± the older remarked as she sat on the fence. ¡°It feels like everyone in Levi Asari is talking about it¡­ except for you.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t see a reason to,¡± Samone mumbled. ¡°I think she¡¯s finally gone nuts.¡±


    ¡°Come on, don¡¯t say it like that. I think Lady Ornetta chose a beautiful girl to replace her.¡±


    ¡°At this point the qualification for the Red Rose should just be ¡®lives in Levi Asari.¡¯ Everyone seems to be congratulating me on something I shouldn¡¯t have.¡±


    ¡°You should be happy. This means they consider you just as much as family as anyone else.¡±


    ¡°At the expense of ruining whatever meaning the title was supposed to have.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to be able to convince you to think positively about this, am I?¡±


    ¡°Probably not, no.¡±


    ¡°Well, either way, I hope you start to like it. I think it¡¯s perfect for you.¡±


    All of it began to fade into something¡­ blurrier. She was no longer with Tyche, nor was she in any place she knew she should recognize. That didn¡¯t keep her from the sense that she¡¯d seen these faded surroundings before, even if she didn¡¯t know where.


    She was bowing to someone. She¡¯d never bowed to anyone before, not even Casper, yet¡­ it still felt like something she did. When she thought about it, the only answer she could think of was ¡°you¡¯ve done this before.¡± It didn¡¯t make sense, but it was the only kind of explanation she had.


    ¡°I¡¯m forever in your command.¡± That wasn¡¯t her voice. It still sounded familiar, but she kept telling herself it was because it was hers. It was completely contradictory yet she paid no greater mind to it. None of it made sense but that didn¡¯t seem to matter.


    ¡°Well, you¡¯ve got no choice by now.¡± It was another voice she knew she recognized, though she couldn¡¯t put a name to this one either. ¡°This isn¡¯t something you just stop whenever you want to. You¡¯re my little doll until the end of time itself¡­ or until I get bored of you, whichever one comes first.¡±


    ¡°Just get to the point. I¡¯m not here for idle chatter and you know that.¡±


    ¡°You hurt my feelings. Look at Talia, she never talks back to me.¡± It was obviously said teasingly, complete with a fake pout. ¡°But I won¡¯t waste your time any longer. Now listen very carefully, I despise repeating myself¡­¡±

 Secrets of the Ley Lines: Book II- Chapter 9

    It wasn¡¯t surprise that woke her up, or really any part of the dream. If it was anything, it was just sudden. After hearing Zokel¡¯s voice from outside the tent, she figured there was no point in staying there. She went out and was welcomed by the gazes of all the others.


    ¡°Great, you¡¯re all awake now,¡± Zokel mumbled, notably satisfied. ¡°That means I can start explaining those dreams before you all start asking annoying questions. If any of you consider yourselves smart, then you should¡¯ve already figured something out by now. I don¡¯t know much about the first part; it was just something that happened to you that you would have otherwise been fine forgetting, something you more likely than not consider an insignificant part of your life. It was just meant to make you ready for what happened second¡ªto open your minds to the possibility of looking past what you thought you would need to know.


    ¡°You¡¯ve met those people. Not just in the sense that you share a part of yourselves with them, but also by past experiences. They were the Keys that came before you; Minne, Kiraat, Zenas, Umber, and Takane. You probably didn¡¯t see much about them, not even about the two that were still alive. If I had to guess, it was like knowing this wasn¡¯t you yet following along with it anyway. Fos don¡¯t dream so I can¡¯t comprehend what that must feel like. You might not think it served much of a purpose, but it really did. In those few moments, some of their knowledge was shared with you. Should you wish, you can remember bits and pieces of things that only they should be able to understand; the most important of these things would be the stories their guardian would tell them.


    ¡°Their guardian told them stories about the Caverns and the Keys. He would talk about how Peiros created them, and how Theran was trapped. From when the youngest was three until he died, he recalled the stories of how a hero came and slew the Minotaur. He gave warnings about the beast that still lurked there and gave advice were they ever to try to find an entrance. All of that knowledge should now be available to you. Do check all of those memories for answers before you ask me. I¡¯m sure you can find most of them on your own if you¡¯d just stop and put some effort into it.¡±


    Samone didn¡¯t need to think about it much before she knew that it was true. Before he even finished, she understood what he was talking about. She could recall things that only a younger Ki would; she was glad to realize that it didn¡¯t go any further than what was just related to the Caverns. She didn¡¯t want to be able to be compared to him more than she already could.


    Zokel wordlessly began rummaging through their things until he found a map. ¡°First things first. You¡¯ve got a nice general location here but there¡¯s nothing too specific. What you really want is nestled in between these two rivers. You unlocked the main part in Idale, though there¡¯s still something you need to open there to really get in the Labyrinth. It was, after all, created so that no unknowing person would be a feast for the spirit. There¡¯s also stories of alchemical enchantments made by the Fleyw Bresh to keep their hunters out, although I honestly can¡¯t confirm nor deny it. Most have probably worn out by now.¡±


    He almost forcibly put it in Lydia¡¯s hand before gesturing to the camp. ¡°You need to start cleaning up. We¡¯ve got a lot of walking to do and you¡¯re all just going to make it longer.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t remember telling you to boss us around,¡± Kiah muttered as she started working.


    ¡°It turns out that we actually agree on something,¡± Samone remarked. It took her longer to follow everyone else in packing up.


    Somewhat surprisingly and inexplicably annoyingly, Zokel ignored them. He must¡¯ve been so ready to end his miserable mission that he wasn¡¯t in the mood to show them how much better he was. Either that or he was too busy commenting on Lydia¡¯s mess. It was nice to know that Fos weren¡¯t chosen for their kindness, at least, should they ever come across another.


    They had several days with him demanding things from them. He¡¯d tell them to go faster, talk less, pay more attention to their surroundings, make sure they weren¡¯t getting themselves lost, give some bitter remarks when they actually did make a wrong turn. Samone knew she wasn¡¯t the only one that hoped he would just turn back into a bird¡ªat least that way, the only thing he could do was tweet at them. A bird was easy enough to disregard, especially given their surroundings. Maybe that was why he hadn¡¯t changed, knowing what they¡¯d probably do if he didn¡¯t speak their language.


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    The time couldn¡¯t have come sooner for him to announce that they were there Though he quickly proved there were still more ways he could get on their nerves before he finally decided to leave them be.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to be physically present in the Labyrinth,¡± Zokel explained. He wandered close to the cave¡¯s entrance (which was, surprisingly, rather obvious), only peering inside before walking over to them again. ¡°If you really need me, you¡¯ll find some way to contact me. Otherwise, this is all you. Last I checked the Minotaur wasn¡¯t particularly fond of dreams. You won¡¯t find me or any Ski¨¢ down there. Just an angry spirit who¡¯d rather see you all dead.¡±


    ¡°Is that supposed to sound reassuring..?¡± Dimas mumbled.


    ¡°Of course not,¡± was the definitely-not-helpful response. ¡°What happens down there is completely decided by that spirit. You could barely get two steps in, or you could be one of the only mortals to see the end; he could lay waste to all of you, or you could gain his favor and survive to tell the tale.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s little point in just standing out here,¡± Imre decided. ¡°Once everyone¡¯s sure they¡¯re ready, we¡¯ll head in.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve got to go write a letter to Zofie.¡± With that, Dimas walked off. It was hard to tell whether that was his way of avoiding it for as long as possible or if Zofie really was that obsessive. It felt like half of their breaks were started when a wood thrush came with a letter for him¡ªit was that way for most of their trips, really.


    Kiah was in no way reassuring, calling after him, ¡°Good luck putting it into words! I bet she¡¯ll love to hear how screwed you are!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not gonna die,¡± Lydia remarked. ¡°I mean, we haven¡¯t died yet. We¡¯ve done tons of stupid things before and we survived them. This probably won¡¯t be any different.¡± She remained the only one who wasn¡¯t fazed at all about the nature of this mission. It had long stopped being reassuring, instead mildly worrying at this point.


    ¡°They say the goblins and fairies of Aspea were so scared of the Minotaur, they made child sacrifices to it,¡± Kiah mused casually with the intent of proving Lydia wrong. ¡°There was one kid who made it back out again just to tell the gory tale of what happened. Turned out it didn¡¯t play nice with those little offerings, but it sure did take joy out of killing and eating them. Even when it died, it still wanted to mess with them. A couple unsuspecting kids might find themselves prey to it if they wander too closely.¡±


    Lydia glared. ¡°Why does every goblin story need to be dark?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not the Fleyw Bresh. We don¡¯t sugarcoat our stories so they sound good as songs.¡± Kiah shrugged. ¡°Life isn¡¯t full of a bunch of amazing adventures, unlike what Andrew wants you to believe.¡±


    ¡°Child sacrifices or no, I somewhat agree with Lydia,¡± Imre said. ¡°It¡¯s not because we haven¡¯t died yet¡ªquite frankly some of those were just luck. As likely as it seems, I don¡¯t think we¡¯re going to die here. At least, I¡¯d like to imagine Father wouldn¡¯t let us go if we were more likely to get killed than come back. We¡¯re all too important.¡±


    ¡°Well, three of us are too important,¡± Samone corrected off-handedly. ¡°Kiah¡¯s really nothing more than a guard and Lydia¡¯s got two capable siblings and a bunch of cousins. No offense to either of you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m more offended by the fact you¡¯re making it sound like Witless might actually be useful for something,¡± Lydia replied.


    Kiah looked indifferent; she knew she was only really there for one reason.


    Zokel hummed, a way to show that he was impressed. ¡°That¡¯s the most peaceful exchange the three of you have had since you started this trip. I¡¯m surprised.¡±


    ¡°You said you won¡¯t be staying so why are you still standing there?¡± Samone questioned. ¡°I¡¯m sure there¡¯s a much better way to spend your time than wasting ours.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s funny. I think the same thing whenever I come across a mortal.¡± He even had the audacity to smile at her afterwards. ¡°All you ever seem to do is make insufferable noises, yet Day still wants you to exist. There was a time where I thought there might actually be something more worthwhile than babysitting mortals. I long since lost whatever hope I had for my time to be spent on something that actually matters.¡±


    Then before any of them could comment back, he turned into a swallow and flew off. They could all still see him in a nearby tree, but it was an improvement. At least he was just watching from a distance now instead of right on top of them.


    Imre sighed. ¡°We should have everything we¡¯ll need to last down there for a few days. As long as it doesn¡¯t take any longer than that, we¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    ¡°So¡­ no mentioning the part where most people get trapped in the Labyrinth forever,¡± Kiah remarked. ¡°Gotcha.¡±


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s different because we¡¯re actually supposed to go there?¡± Lydia offered. ¡°Being the Keys might mean we can actually navigate through it. That¡¯s a better thought than hoping we die quickly so we don¡¯t have to live there for eternity, anyway.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no point in worrying about that now,¡± Samone pointed out. ¡°We¡¯ll just have to wait and see what happens.¡±

 Secrets of the Ley Lines: Book III- Chapter 1

    Even when they were apart, their letters kept them in frequent communication. There was hardly ever recounting their events with the other because they, more often than not, mentioned it in their letters. This chain of them¡ªstarting the night they left for Ilystalos¡ªwas no different.


    Zofie¡¯s came first, like usual;


    ¡®I realized I never asked how long you are going to be gone, or what exactly you are doing. I suppose I was more annoyed at the fact you actually asked this time. Thinking about it now, I think I should have been suspicious. Well, Thero might have pointed that part out, but that should not be important.


    I saw the Stone girl (what was her name, again?) running around after you left. I had to deal with Lord Pasha so I did not realize she was getting everyone¡¯s weapons until Thero casually mentioned handing her your sword (he did not even ask! But I cannot stay mad at him either¡­). Does that mean you plan to be fighting? Please tell me you are not actually going to fight anybody. It is just one of the goblin¡¯s safety measures, right? She wants to be prepared for things that would never happen? Is that not something she does? I do not want to see you get hurt. I already have a long list of complaints about them, I do not think you would appreciate me adding more.


    It is going to be awfully boring without you. I was hoping we could spend some time together, but it seems your friends have other plans. It feels like we have not had time for just the two of us in a long time. But I suppose it was rather foolish of me to think that it would change this time, huh?¡¯


    With a sigh, Dimas pulled out his own paper and quill and wrote a response before it got too late;


    ¡®I do not think we are going to be any longer than a week, maybe two. But I do not know for sure, either, since this is not really something that we can make predictions for. The plan is to enter the Anysia Caverns and possibly fight the Minotaur. And I know what you are thinking, but everything is COMPLETELY FINE. Make Thero repeat that to you: COMPLETELY FINE. You do not have to worry about me. We will figure out a way to make it work. The only reason I am telling you that is because then, instead of worrying about me dying, you are going to think I am lying to you. Everything is going to be fine so please do not worry.


    The whole travel thing is why we needed our weapons. Sure, none of us are any good at fighting except for Kiah (well, Samone can hold her own with magic, but it is not something we should be relying on), but it is still safer than nothing. We never know if we are going to end up running into Ski¨¢ or if there is something else that is going to need it, so it is best just to come prepared. I have no intention of getting in a fight with anybody, you know that. If at all possible, I just want to get this all done without even needing to think about fighting.


    Look, I promise we can spend some time together when I get back, okay? It should not take as long as some of the other trips. Casper specifically wanted us to do this so there is not really a good reason to tell him no. Even if we did not all go, I think we would have just done it later. It is for the better that we are getting this done now so we can just put all of it behind us.¡¯


    Once he finished writing, he found a wild bird to spell and went to bed. He¡¯d almost forgotten about it completely and it seemed that she might¡¯ve too, given how late it was when he saw the wood thrush. No one seemed to mind when he stopped helping them set up camp to look at the letter.


    ¡®The Minotaur? You know what they say about it! In fact there was a sermon related to it just last week (and, by the way, being ¡°tired¡± is not a reasonable excuse to skip out of service)! It reminded me to be happy that we are both still alive right now. I fear that being around that beast would be bad luck. Nothing good ever comes from something so forsaken by the light. Father Phanes said that even Darkness does not want it anymore. Surely that cannot be a good thing. Please stay safe! Orestis will be getting a lot of prayers in the following days¡­ for both you and my own penance for wanting to strangle everyone who is wasting my time.


    I do not think you realize how many promises you make and how little of them you actually keep. I hope you are not treating your boyfriend like you treat your family.


    How are you doing today? Now that you are (presumably) traveling, do you think it is going to take longer or shorter than you originally guessed? Do you need me to strike someone with magic? You know I can do it so do not hesitate to ask.¡¯


    He glanced up at the others and, after affirming they wouldn¡¯t need his help (almost completely done, in fact), pulled his bag over and took out a quill and paper.


    ¡®I will do whatever I can to stay safe, I promise. I have no intention of dying.


    It is kind of funny that you mention that. We, uh¡­ ran into some interesting company. The Ski¨¢, to be more specific. No one got hurt, though! They did not even notice us. There was a Fos nearby (suffice to say I do not have a good view of him and this is only my first day of knowing him¡­), so it was nothing by our own doing. And speaking of him, he wants us to do something that has to do with remembering? Lydia came up with something earlier but I do not think he was too happy with that result. I do not know how I feel about it. He mentioned needing to go to sleep and that he would handle the rest from there. I guess it makes sense that he would use some kind of Fos thing, but that doesn¡¯t make me any more comfortable about it.¡¯


    When he heard his name, he decided what he¡¯d written was enough and sent it off. It was a good thing he did instead of holding on to it for a little longer; he ended up getting distracted from that point on until he finally decided to go to sleep.


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    The dreams that accompanied him in his slumber weren¡¯t very pleasant, however. One¡ªwhich was painfully clear¡ªwas an event that he would rather forget completely. It was something that he thought to blame when Zofie asked why it seemed like he never wanted to be at the castle, if he could ever work up the nerve to say it aloud. A past they both knew of and shared, when she regrettably had to realize exactly what her brother and mother shielded her from. It was almost a surprise that the memory alone didn¡¯t wake him up (or, similarly, something that woke Imre up and was brought up the next morning).


    Then the other¡ªalbeit much duller¡ªmade him feel like he was dying. If there were voices, he couldn¡¯t distinguish them. He knew his nose was bleeding, his head was pounding, and none of his thoughts were organized. Was he relieved? What had he just done, then? Why was he on the ground, with so many people around him? Were they worried? All he knew was that he died in that dream, which was likely the reason he bolted awake the moment it was over.


    Dimas, thankfully, didn¡¯t have to worry about convincing himself to go back to sleep after that. He noticed the emptiness of the other side of the tent and the talking outside meant it was morning. Only Imre learned about the dreams a day later, when they were alone and shared their experiences.


    Not even Zofie was informed as their letters continued. She never asked about what happened that night and he had little intention of sharing it with her. Maybe there¡¯d be a time for it, whether that be when he returns or several years into the future, but it wasn¡¯t now.


    The contents of the letters soon simply became Zofie checking on his progress (and possibly sharing some of her own woes), with two or even three letters a day becoming common. When they got to the cave, however, he took the initiative to send her something first. He doubted he could wait for her and it was oddly late today, so he needed to make sure she understood what he was about to do.


    He could still hear the others and whatever kind of conversation they were having, but he didn¡¯t pay attention to what it was about exactly. The most time he spent on it was starting, scribbling, and starting over again, and not particularly in how long it took to actually write all of it.


    ¡®We got to the cave and we are going to go in once everyone is ready (so¡­ when I finally write all this). That means that I will not be responding for a couple of days, but I do not know how long it is going to be exactly. I will be sure to send you something when we are done. I hope it is going to be a simple in-and-out, so please do not worry about us.¡¯


    There was more he wanted to say, but he decided it was better to just leave it off there. He ignored all of his better judgment as he found a bird and spelled it. For a moment, he watched it fly off, before reluctantly heading back to the others.


    ¡°I¡¯m ready,¡± Dimas mumbled. Everyone collectively stopped whatever mindless thing they¡¯d been doing before then and got a step closer to the cave¡¯s entrance. Zokel was nowhere to be seen, so he could only assume the Fos had left them to their own devices.


    None of them wanted to do this. Being this close to it didn¡¯t make him want to get it done and over with like he¡¯d hoped; instead, it made him anxious enough that he started getting nauseous. Zofie¡¯s casual reminders through their letters didn¡¯t help any, nor imagining her reaction to reading his most recent.


    ¡°I looked around a little while we were waiting for you,¡± Kiah remarked. ¡°We should be able to walk right in. If there¡¯s anything specific we need to do it¡¯s just existing.¡±


    ¡°Once we¡¯re in, what do we do?¡± Lydia sounded like it was just a general question, since she was the least likely out of all of them to have an actual plan. ¡°I¡¯m all for exploring the whole place, but are we just gonna wander or..?¡±


    ¡°Well, for one thing, it¡¯s a maze,¡± Dimas pointed out. It had been several years since he¡¯d last heard anything about it, but he could always remember the unsettling parts of Qizar¡¯s mythology. ¡°Only the Minotaur knows where everything is. We don¡¯t have anything to guide us because Anysia took it with her when she ran off with the hero who killed the Minotaur. The most we can do is find the Minotaur, try not to die, and reach the end. I doubt Casper gave us any hints on that end.¡±


    ¡°He did, sort of,¡± Imre muttered, ¡°but it wasn¡¯t any more than that.¡±


    It was at that comment that they wordlessly decided it was time to go. They more or less stayed in a collective huddle, descending down into the cave and whatever may lie down there. There was, briefly, a dispute between Samone and Lydia about the torches (the latter, while admitting to having them, defended that it was much cooler to use magic) before Imre settled it by simply taking the torch from Lydia, having Samone light it, and continued to take up the lead with it in hand. It was a normal step in any of their trips, and so was the conversation that Lydia soon prompted;


    ¡°So, what¡¯s at the end of this?¡± she asked, turning on her heel to look at Dimas and Kiah. It was a wonder she didn¡¯t run into Imre as she continued to walk backward. ¡°You two have got to know something, right? If you¡¯re all gonna be focused on how we might die¡ªwhich is really something you shouldn¡¯t be surprised with by now¡ªI¡¯m gonna think about the rewards. What¡¯s waiting for us once we defeat the Minotaur?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while, but I think there were two important things,¡± Dimas said. ¡°A bunch of gold¡ªwhich probably isn¡¯t there anymore¡ªand the pool that can see into a person¡¯s future.¡±


    ¡°Oooh, I like the sound of the second one!¡± Lydia gained a wide grin, something the rest of them could only wish to have.


    Samone sounded confused as she said, ¡°Seeing the future could destroy a person, though. There¡¯s a reason most of Truth magic is kept to the high and mighty mages. It¡¯s a power that no one can really be trusted with¡ªanother form of M¨¢vri Mage¨ªa.¡±


    ¡°And wouldn¡¯t it be in Aspea, like the original entrance?¡± Imre poorly hid the fact that he was thinking of something else, barely paying enough attention to them to be curious.


    ¡°There¡¯s always an end to whatever maze we enter,¡± Dimas responded. ¡°It¡¯s all magic so I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be there, even if we¡¯re nowhere near what Peiros built. And since the pool is made up of that same kind of magic, it shouldn¡¯t do anything.¡±


    ¡°If it did, there¡¯d be a foreboding warning,¡± Kiah added. ¡°Trust me, any other time there¡¯s something slightly dangerous, there¡¯s a whole verse dedicated to the bad things it can do. There¡¯s nothing relating to that when it describes the pool so I¡¯d say we¡¯re good.¡±


    Dimas shot her a sideways glance that proved that he was impressed. He (unlike his sister and plenty of other Hyasari residents) couldn¡¯t even recite the entire Beginning, let alone remember any stories with that much detail. Anybody who could immediately gain some sort of respect from him.


    She noticed this and simply shrugged. ¡°What? The Gods¡¯ Commandments exist for a reason, you know.¡±

 Secrets of the Ley Lines: Book III- Chapter 2

    Everything was normal for about twenty minutes. Then there started to be voices. While he didn¡¯t know who they belonged to, he knew what story they¡¯d be telling. He was relieved to know, judging by the others¡¯ mutually confused expressions, that he was not alone in hearing them¡ªand that they all saw the figures that soon began to form around them.


    One darted right past them in a flurry of light brown feathers. It wasn¡¯t real; it was only a projection created by someone else¡¯s magic, easily distinguished as such by the translucence of it. The five of them looked at each other before wordlessly deciding that it might be important and following the figure.


    It became more defined as they followed it. In a few moments¡¯ time, it took on the clear form of a fairy: someone with short, curly black hair, a kind of dress he¡¯d only seen in stained glass and textbook illustrations, and a worried expression. She bowed in a seemingly random spot, and after some unheard call to continue, she said gravely, ¡°Bad news, I¡¯m afraid, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Spit it out, then,¡± came the booming voice. It was the kind of voice that demanded a sense of authority, but not in the relatively friendly way that Casper¡¯s did; no, this was unnervingly similar to Nigel, like a man who knew that no one would¡ªcould¡ªstop him.


    ¡°The eldest of the two princes¡­ your heir, sire¡­¡± She made an attempt to look up at the owner of the voice, wherever he was, but quickly flinched at whatever she saw. ¡°He joined Vriuh this morning.¡±


    The king didn¡¯t say anything for a long time. Then, finally, he mused, ¡°The boy was weak to begin with. Maybe the kingdom would be better off without him¡­ or perhaps it¡¯s Orestis¡¯s way of telling us my kingdom is about to reach its end.¡±


    Everything from the memory faded, except for a single feather from the fairy¡¯s wing. Dimas, like some sort of instinct, started to see where it would go. That gave everyone else (though mainly Imre as the one with the torch) little choice but to follow his example.


    It led them to a little chamber, which would have otherwise been unnoticeable compared to the surrounding area. The feather burst into little pieces of light once they got there, and from the sparks several new figures appeared.


    Two of them appeared to be kings, both dressed in extravagant manners and having a servant by them. More subtle differences marked them as from different, archaic nations. The one whose daughter¡ªa fairy no older than Samone¡ªstood beside him was, somewhat, recognizable as the antagonist of this tale. But this was while he was still the victim of Darkness, someone that was merely mortal and nothing else.


    ¡°Well, Theran, I daresay you¡¯ve lost,¡± the older, less distinguishable king said in a near teasing tone. ¡°You hardly have anything remaining. Whatever silly advantage you thought you had, you¡¯ve lost it¡ªif you ever had such a thing to begin with. I¡¯ll admit you almost put up a fight in the first few attempts, but it quickly got boring after that. It was like you¡¯d given up before you even started.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t remember mentioning in my letter that you should mock me in my own throne room,¡± Theran responded coldly. ¡°I can¡¯t recall the reason we were fighting each other in the first place. All it would¡¯ve done was bring about tragedies. A king has little place on a throne when his twin would die so young.¡± His daughter, in an attempt of reassurance, put her hand on his shoulder. He moved his hand up to hers and smiled at her before returning to his visitor. ¡°I will admit defeat. What else could you want from me?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re quite the spectacle.¡± The words sounded kind but darker intentions laid beyond them. They weren¡¯t meant for Theran, but rather the girl at his side. ¡°Theran was shunned by the sight of the gods long ago. Yet here you are, a beautiful young lady with hardly a problem to your name. You have yet to die like nearly everyone else he looked after. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised to hear that Danai herself has petitioned that you be kept in the living realm, as such beauty would be wasted on Death. I might have a wife of my own, but I¡¯m sure my sons would be fighting over each other for someone like you.¡±


    That did nothing but set Theran into a rage. ¡°It wasn¡¯t enough how you¡¯ve given me no choice but to surrender, or wander into my throne room as if you are the king instead of I? You dare ask so casually for my daughter, like she¡¯s simply a jewel you found in the market? I hold some sort of right to deny¡ª¡°


    ¡°Deny me and lose your entire kingdom?¡± A twisted grin crept its way up the king¡¯s mouth, glaring confidently at Theran. ¡°I would like to remind you that you don¡¯t have the resources to continue this. I¡¯ve given you the option of stopping, and you¡¯ve already agreed to give me whatever else I wanted, yet you don¡¯t like what I ask for. It seems my people and I have been blessed by the gods, every last one of us. We win nearly every battle we fight. We¡¯ve only expanded since my reign. Our families prosper, including my own. Think of all the horrors that might happen to her under your care. My, it¡¯s a wonder she hasn¡¯t been taken away yet! The gods see you and they turn away from everyone around you as well. She¡¯d live rather nicely, given anything she wants and more! With you out of sight, surely the gods would think favorably of her, too.¡±


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    Theran, after several moments of silence, only mustered the words, ¡°Get out.¡±


    The king seemed to pay little mind to his tone, casually turning around and waving his hand. ¡°Ah, well. I gave you a chance to end this all fairly, so you can¡¯t say I didn¡¯t. I hope you realize that this means that whatever deal we had is broken, yes?¡± He let out a chuckle, adding, ¡°I would say expect to be woken up by smoke, but hopefully you join Vriuh before then.¡± Then he disappeared in the same way as the feather that led up to this scene.


    ¡°Oh, Father¡­¡± The girl, now sure that they were alone, clung to her father¡¯s arm. ¡°You know I would¡¯ve gone, if that¡¯s what it would¡¯ve taken. I don¡¯t want anyone to get hurt! We¡¯ve already lost so many, I would¡¯ve gladly done it¡ª¡°


    ¡°You don¡¯t know what you¡¯re saying, Anysia,¡± Theran mumbled in a way that was distant yet still showing his love for his daughter. When she hesitantly pulled away, he got off his throne and started towards the other side of the room. ¡°I¡¯m going to be in the garden for a couple of hours. Be a good girl and don¡¯t interrupt me.¡±


    She stopped trailing after him to give a solemn nod. ¡°Yes, Father.¡± Then she, too, disappeared. The specks of light that had made up her formed several new, smaller things instead, giving the appearance that Theran now stood in a garden.


    He fell to his knees, clutching a kind of age-old chain that only Dimas and Kiah would fully understand the purpose of. It wasn¡¯t much longer until he began his prayer. ¡°He who has created all things, hear my plea: you know I am a humble servant, so why does it feel like you have forsaken me and my people? Why do you look down on me, when I have done nothing wrong? None of us have, yet still I struggle without a hand to guide me! I stand with my daughter a step away from being taken from me, when I have nothing else left but her. If you really stand to protect me, then where are you now? Can¡¯t you see that I have nothing left in me? Would you rather I waste away for things that no one could have stopped? Are you too busy caring for the people like the man who hopes to marry off my daughter that you¡¯ve forsaken me?¡±


    It was a hard thing to listen to, though maybe just as somebody who knew the kind of context behind it. This was a man who knew better than to believe that there was simply nothing, that there were no gods or higher powers; someone who¡¯d been raised by and likely experienced (if not knew someone who did) the words of the gods and the teachings of their commandments. Yet he found himself doubting the only possible thing for him to believe in. In certain ways, Dimas¡ªthough never admitting to such aloud, of course, in fear of what would happen when his sister undoubtedly heard about it¡ªcould sympathize with such a feeling. There was a hopelessness that came with it, feeling as though there was no one left to believe in.


    ¡°Please, if you care for me at all as one of your children¡­ save me from this torment, at least. Can¡¯t you see that I¡¯ve done nothing wrong? If you can¡¯t do anything to stop what is going to happen¡ªif it becomes clear that I really must give my daughter to that man¡ªplease, just end this all now!¡±


    He looked up at the sky at the same time another person appeared.


    It was a woman they could all find familiar: Eldrianna. Theran¡¯s face lit up at the sight of her, unaware of the meaning behind those shattered wings.


    ¡°Oh, dear, I think you¡¯ve lost yourself in the moment there.¡± She came in front of him, crouched down so she could better maintain eye contact, and cupped his face in her hands. She knew she was in control of the situation¡ªeverything about her confirmed it. ¡°I daresay it¡¯ll be quite the waste to have you go off with Vriuh. You¡¯ve got an air of potential around you. It¡¯s a shame that the others can¡¯t stand the sight of you. Truly unfortunate¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you here to help me?¡± His voice was quiet and weak, but hope was twisted in those words. He truly believed what he was asking.


    ¡°I can do more than just help you,¡± she remarked with a devilish grin. ¡°I can make it so then no one can hurt you again. What happened to your twin won¡¯t mean anything anymore. People will go from dismissing you to obeying your every command. Better yet, no one would ever dare to touch your daughter¡­¡±


    ¡°What do I need to do?¡± He sounded so desperate, so willing to do whatever the devil might ask of him.


    She stood up and stepped back. ¡°Just stay still.¡±


    It originally seemed to be nothing but a few lights; quickly, though, it was apparent that it was much more than just that. It was a transformation into something that couldn¡¯t even be considered a fairy, like Theran had been before. Dimas knew that this was when he started becoming the antagonist, though he never quite imagined quite a grotesque scene when it was described to him. Thankfully it didn¡¯t take long, even if the creature that remained was far from being normal.


    Theran had, before, possessed bronze-colored dragonfly wings and fit perfectly well with his tiny surroundings. He was anything but now, devoid of wings and barely able to fit in the garden that had appeared so big before. While his size hadn¡¯t changed in the projection, everything around him did, to the point it was clear that he was probably bigger than a human. But that wasn¡¯t the thing that made him stand out the most: rather, it was the almost out-of-place bull head that now rested on his shoulders.


    It was no longer a fairy king, but rather, the Minotaur.

 Secrets of the Ley Lines: Book III- Chapter 3

    Servants, likely having witnessed the transformation, rushed into the garden. Eldrianna was nowhere to be seen, as expected of someone like her; she¡¯d done what she had come here to do, so there¡¯d been no reason for her to stay.


    The Minotaur, for a moment, must not have realized what had happened. But what was once confusion quickly turned to frustration, and it looked at all of its minuscule watchers and even swatted them aside. Whether it was aware that the slightest of gestures was likely powerful enough to harm them, though, was something that couldn¡¯t be determined. Its roar alone seemed to be enough to shake the ground.


    It continued on with this frenzy, likely trying to make sense of what had just happened to it. There was, if not rough and barely comprehensible, a rumble from the beast that vaguely resembled ¡°Why..?¡± as its gaze darted between each aspect of its surroundings.


    Almost as soon as it was said, the doors to the garden burst open to reveal Anysia. Seeing what her father had become, she spared no time in fluttering up to it in order to make eye contact. Whatever she might have hoped to see in her father¡¯s eyes, however, was gone, leaving her nothing to do but stare.


    ¡°Anysia¡­¡± the beast rumbled, for a moment showing some kind of love. But it wasn¡¯t something that lasted long; it grabbed her, though careful not to hurt her, and seemed to give its new form of a smile. ¡°They won¡¯t hurt you¡­ I won¡¯t let them¡­¡±


    Then the entire scene disappeared, though it wasn¡¯t the end for the whole display. Dimas could hear shouts and roars from another part of the cave, which they all walked towards with a certain mix of fascination and fear.


    Goblins and fairies alike were running about, more than a few of them preparing for a capture as the Minotaur got closer. It still held on to Anysia, who looked more resigned to her fate than before, in the same kind of gentle touch that betrayed the way it stomped through town.


    It wasn¡¯t hard to tell what their intent was; they wanted to capture it, hide it away somewhere where it couldn¡¯t hurt them. Even someone who didn¡¯t know how the story went along would be able to tell that much. That¡¯s exactly what they did, though it did put up a bit of a fight in the process.


    Everything afterward came in parts; they could see how a particular human¡ªPeiros, summoned from the coast of Fleyw Bresh¡ªwas called and started working on the Minotaur¡¯s containment. They even tried to save Anysia, though it was ultimately in vain when it proved that it wasn¡¯t going to let go of its daughter.


    The amount of time that passed within that memory was uncertain, but it was clearly something. All of the earth that had been wrenched open by the fairies and resealed to trap it was beginning to be taken over by nature once more. Were it not for the cave entrance and the unnerving amount of guards watching over it, one would simply believe that nothing had ever happened.


    Possibly the most attention-catching part was the man the guards were trying to keep away.


    ¡°I told you the king sent me to slay the Minotaur!¡± the young fairy protested. The guards still did not budge. ¡°I lost the letter on the way here! Daphni was not happy during my trip, so the waters were turbulent and full of unspeakable horrors. You must believe me!¡±


    ¡°I am legally bound to not believe you unless you have documentation, sir,¡± one of the guards sighed. ¡°Head back home before you get hurt.¡±


    Somehow, when Dimas imagined how the hero faced many trials on his way to the Minotaur, something like this was not one of them. Why would he, being led to believe that it was all a risky adventure? It wasn¡¯t like it sounded exciting to know that the hero¡­ had lost the thing that he needed. The reality of a situation always was duller than fiction, of course, even if much of what seemed to be fiction was fact.


    ¡°No, look¡ªI have Peiros¡¯s five appointed guardians with me!¡± The fairy gestured to his five companions, who collectively wore an unamused frown. ¡°They came with me in order to open the Labyrinth so I can go in! Aevus, back me up here.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, we are with this young one,¡± another fairy, the oldest out of all of them, sighed. ¡°Everything he said is true. You might recognize me as Aevus, descendant of Lord Cyclos. I have no reason to lie to you.¡±


    The guard hesitated for a moment before finally seeming to resign. ¡°I will at least need your name for the records.¡±


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    ¡°Call me Theseus,¡± the hero responded triumphantly. ¡°You may have heard of some of my many endeavors¡ª¡°


    ¡°I have never heard that name before in all my time here,¡± the guard remarked.


    The hero, flustered, defended, ¡°My mighty works are still in the making! One day you¡¯re going to hear my name across the nations! Wouldn¡¯t you rather have a spot in my legends as the one who let me in instead of turning me away?¡±


    Aevus didn¡¯t seem any more amused than the guard did, but said, ¡°Just go with it. He¡¯s always like this and, worst yet, there¡¯s nothing you can do to stop it.¡±


    The guard stepped aside. ¡°Then I suppose I¡¯ll let you in. May Danai¡¯s light bless you in that cursed cave¡­ I daresay you¡¯re going to need more than just heavenly protection, Theseus.¡±


    Theseus let his companions gather around the entrance and open it before waving goodbye to them. None of them had any interest in joining him¡ªin fact, they looked more like they were preparing for a funeral¡ªand simply watched him off. There wasn¡¯t the slightest bit of fear in his eyes as the memory continued to follow him, the display slowly changing to match his new surroundings.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be here,¡± a voice mumbled at last. ¡°Father doesn¡¯t take well to visitors¡­ you¡¯ve probably heard why they have guards out there now.¡±


    He jumped, lighting a spark in his hand and hovering it in the direction of the voice. ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡±


    Slowly, the person revealed herself; it was Anysia, practically stalking out from one of the cave¡¯s corridors. ¡°I¡¯m the one person he can¡¯t see you with,¡± she responded, tilting her head curiously. ¡°If Father finds out you¡¯re talking to me, he¡¯ll surely kill you. Even more so than he would¡¯ve already done if you just wandered here on your own.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re Princess Anysia.¡± He tried to get closer to her, but she only stepped back. ¡°I¡¯m Theseus, and my goal in being here is to slay the Minotaur and save you¡ªand everyone else who might wander into its grasp. You needn¡¯t fear about my wellbeing; I¡¯ve fought off worse beasts than this thing, in the name of love and glory, over the course of ten years. Either it will fall or I will finally meet my heroic demise! The Sovereign-King has high hopes in me, I shall have you know.¡±


    She couldn¡¯t have hidden her interest. ¡°You wish to kill my father?¡±


    ¡°The beast has no place among us on the fair islands of Qizar. If not kill, then send it fleeing to the human lands, where it can become their problem to deal with.¡±


    ¡°Will you save me in the same way you would redeem him, running one of Faidon¡¯s blades through him?¡±


    ¡°Only a fool would think to do it! Even Darkness knew better than to blame the daughter for her father¡¯s mistakes.¡±


    ¡°Would you allow me a life outside, then, where I might be able to bask in Orestis and Danai¡¯s light? I¡¯ve longed for the sun for as long as I¡¯ve been forced into this place!¡±


    ¡°You can have all of that and more. Have you ever wanted to see the world beyond King Theran¡¯s territory? I could show you those places¡ªall the island nations of Qizar! Even the fair provinces in Fleyw Bresh, if you wish it. All you have to do is help me.¡± Theseus held out a hand, his gaze both hopeful and almost demanding, until Anysia hesitantly took it.


    ¡°Father lost all his magic in his transformation,¡± she remarked, seemingly to herself, ¡°so I was the one who built upon Master Peiros¡¯s original creation. I know the maze well because I made it. All I ask in return is that you bring me to the outside, and have no one look at me like I¡¯m the same thing my father is.¡±


    Without any more words as a warning, she held his hand a little tighter and quickly guided him through the corridors. The memory, now, had changed to use the real surroundings, meaning that the group had to follow after the fairies.


    Dimas wondered for a brief, awful moment if this was really only leading them to their deaths; if the Minotaur, by giving them something to distract them, hoped to guide them all the way to it without ever realizing it. He might¡¯ve said something about his fears if they didn¡¯t stop right at the entrance of a large room.


    Even though they hadn¡¯t been far behind the fairies, they appeared near the end of a fight. Anysia had taken to a corner, far from all of the action. As a bold contrast, Theseus was holding nothing back in his fight against the Minotaur, even if it was much bigger and undoubtedly stronger than him. It definitely wasn¡¯t an easy battle¡ªhonestly Dimas was glad that he didn¡¯t have to watch all of it¡ªbut he was winning, pressing his sword against its throat.


    ¡°You¡­ can¡¯t kill me,¡± the Minotaur rumbled with such confidence that it clearly didn¡¯t think it was losing.


    ¡°I would think again,¡± Theseus said casually. The blade was close enough that it drew a few droplets of blood, heralding the things to come. ¡°You see, during one of my ventures to the islands near the Fleyw Bresh provinces, I found a curious little stone. I was able to offer it to Faidon and he made me a powerful weapon¡­ it might be small in human terms, but it¡¯s just as good, if not better. I haven¡¯t come across something it didn¡¯t cut, and I¡¯ve cut down far more intimidating foes than you.¡±


    Dimas knew exactly what happened next and promptly looked away before he could witness it. Legends had long said how Theseus, using bits of magic to both preserve and transport it, showed the Sovereign King the Minotaur¡¯s head. If there was one thing Dimas hated it was excessive gore and he had no interest in watching what he assumed would be just like that.


    All of the figures faded from the room, but the remnants of the memory still remained to tell yet another story.

 Secrets of the Ley Lines: Book III- Chapter 4

    They heard the footsteps before anything else. It was clearly still a part of the memory, so they all simply continued to watch.


    A woman¡ªEldrianna¡ªwalked right past them, kneeling at the center of the room. ¡°Does your spirit still linger here, Theran?¡±


    ¡°Why have you come back?¡± a voice grumbled. It didn¡¯t sound like it was coming from any direction in particular. ¡°The only thing you ever did to me was turn me into that beast. Now I¡¯m in a worse state than I ever was before!¡±


    ¡°So ungrateful,¡± Eldrianna returned with a tsk. ¡°You would think you would care a bit more about me. I did, after all, fulfill my half of the bargain. Your daughter wasn¡¯t married off to a king; she was happy, even traveling across the islands before finally coming back to rebuild your kingdom. There¡¯s no reason for you to blame me for anything. I certainly did nothing wrong.¡±


    ¡°Then why did that wretch have to kill me?¡±


    She shrugged. ¡°Because you gave him a reason to fight. You really would¡¯ve just been left alone if you just took your daughter and ran away. Orestis hates creatures like you, so unpredictable and far from what he thought of when he created this land. Danai has no place but to listen to her dear father, so she wouldn¡¯t have tried anything. She never stood against him. I only came here because I¡¯m just as desperate as you are. I need someone to do what I want and you¡¯re the only one who¡¯s going to be able to do it.¡±


    ¡°What do you want from me? Go on and get it all out! Leave me to my peace here, in a state where it seems even Vriuh won¡¯t bring me home¡­¡±


    ¡°Plenty of things are happening right now¡ªthings you can¡¯t even begin to comprehend,¡± she mused. ¡°Wars are ending and starting, Vriuh and the Strings are both creating and destroying threads of life, and there are subtle changes too like the seasons. Orestis must have remembered that I always despised puzzles, having to sort through what he claimed to be logic¡­ and he hoped that it would deter me from my goal¡­ what a fool. No, it just makes me more curious to know why there¡¯s something he¡¯s so intent on me not knowing. Like he can hide it from me, in the end! Your part in all of that is a simple one: I¡¯m here to give you back a fragment of your body, that you might guard this place and kill every trespasser.¡±


    She started building, first out of presumably thin air and then dust, a vaguely human-like figure. With a bit of magic, however, it went through the same kind of transformation Theran had into the Minotaur. She stepped back from her creation and gave it a smile. ¡°How do you feel, now that you have a body of your own again?¡±


    It didn¡¯t respond, but rather took to observing every little detail. It looked mystified that such a thing was even possible, before finally asking, ¡°Where is the man that killed me?¡±


    ¡°Dead,¡± was Eldrianna¡¯s initial response. ¡°You must not have realized how long you¡¯ve been in that state. It¡¯s been some fifty years, you know¡ªboth Theseus and Anysia have died out in sea, their only child and your kingdom¡¯s heir missing in foreign lands. Even Peiros has perished, along with many others in that province, when a plague was introduced there. There¡¯s no one left to take vengeance on, I¡¯m afraid.¡±


    ¡°Then what¡¯s the point in being here?¡±


    ¡°To guard what¡¯s still here. A long time ago, Vaso walked along a path not unlike this cave system. His treasure is hidden somewhere among all these rocks and you, dear, are going to make sure no one gets to them for me. I would say you could use them for yourself, if you ever found them, though I doubt it still works on the dead.¡±


    ¡°Will you at least tell me what I¡¯m protecting?¡±


    For a moment, she didn¡¯t say anything. Then, carefully, as if the mere mention of it would make it disappear, she said, ¡°The pools at the very end of these caves. Your killer has already found them and told the world about what he saw, so there¡¯ll undoubtedly be plenty of adventurers trying to get to it. You just have to keep them from seeing it.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°A simple creature like you won¡¯t be able to understand it,¡± she replied, turning around and walking back to the exit. ¡°But unless you want to be a disembodied voice again, I would suggest doing what I want.¡±


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    She left without being given any form of defiance, once again walking right through the group on her way out. Every last fragment of the memory faded, leaving them in a silence just as unsettling as what they saw.


    Dimas really shouldn¡¯t have been surprised. There was, after all, little explanation for how the Minotaur could¡¯ve come back without Eldrianna being there. Vriuh would never let a beast like that live again, at least not as it was now. Maybe if it had turned back to its mortal form there would be a vague hope for becoming a spirit; as it stood, though, it probably wouldn¡¯t have even been allowed to pass through the gates. That was probably why some fragment of its spirit had stayed in the caves. While some things might be worse and some better, at least Dimas knew for certain that Vriuh¡¯s restrictions for who could enter the underworld was the same.


    But did all of that really help him be any less anxious? Of course not! He still remembered all the stories they would tell him. They had whole books dedicated to this sort of thing to try to keep kids from not doing the exact thing they¡¯re doing right now.


    ¡°Ekambar, get off the counter. I need it to work.¡±


    The voice made him jump before he realized it was another memory. Understanding at this point what they had to do, they continued to follow it.


    ¡°But you¡¯ve been in here all day!¡±


    When they rounded the corner, the two figures and their surroundings appeared. They were both what looked like a workshop; an odd collection of tools and a few contraptions were scattered about, almost to the point of having no safe path to walk through. The older of the two was Peiros, something pieced together both from what they had seen earlier and what they were seeing now. That meant that the younger would need to be Ekambar, one of the master craftsman''s children and the ill-fated Phoenix King.


    Peiros said nothing, instead simply picking Ekambar off of the counter and setting him on the ground.


    ¡°Hey! I wanna¡ª¡°


    ¡°You¡¯re not doing anything. At least not with me. I¡¯m sure your mother has something for you to do.¡±


    ¡°Mom¡¯s going to tell me to go feed the chickens or help her with dinner. I don¡¯t wanna do any of that stuff! It¡¯s all boring. You never seem to be doing something boring. You¡¯re always in here working, but that¡¯s just because it¡¯s super interesting, right?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s also incredibly dangerous,¡± Peiros remarked. He started ushering his son out of the room, almost to the point of forcing Ekambar. ¡°Please stay away from it.¡±


    Ekambar turned around to be able to face his father again. ¡°Will I be able to join you someday? Will I ever be old enough that you¡¯ll let me come here and help you?¡±


    ¡°Maybe when you¡¯re twenty-five,¡± Peiros decided after a pause. ¡°Though by then maybe your fascination will disappear. You¡¯ll probably be ready to settle down with a wife at that point.¡±


    ¡°Nope! I¡¯m gonna help you as soon as you let me! Nothing¡¯s going to stop me!¡±


    There was a certain kind of bitter twist to the words knowing that Ekambar died before turning twenty-five; after, of course, he brought a plague that had killed almost everyone in his village.


    Once Ekambar was successfully out of the room, the door was shut and locked. Peiros sighed and went back to his work.


    His voice seemed to echo through the entire cavern as the memory began to fade. ¡°There¡¯s nothing keeping Qizar from dumping the Minotaur here if they really wanted to. They could just leave their provinces to deal with it. As much duty as I have to the king, I need to make sure that doesn¡¯t happen. I still have a lot of work to do.¡±


    Before they could even have time to process it, five figures rushed past them. For a moment there was nothing but height to differentiate them; then it became clearer, and they were clearly a group of two humans, two goblins, and a fairy.


    ¡°Gods, you¡¯re all so slow! Hurry up! We didn¡¯t get this far just to drop out now!¡± the fairy called, flying circles around her companions.


    ¡°Give us a break, Lux,¡± one of the humans sighed. ¡°We just snuck through Seothia and somehow didn¡¯t get caught. They¡¯ll murder people like us and there¡¯s no telling if they¡¯ll be able to find us here.¡±


    ¡°We can continue after a short break,¡± offered the other. ¡°We need all the energy we can get in case they find us. We can¡¯t just hope they don¡¯t realize the group that obviously doesn¡¯t belong here.¡±


    ¡°I think they saw us come in¡­¡± a goblin mumbled. ¡°At least, I know there were a couple of soldiers camping near us. I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll be able to come in, even if we¡¯re in here. There was no kind of lock or anything that might¡¯ve suggested otherwise¡­¡±


    The fairy let out a hmph in defiance, and proceeded to sit on the first human¡¯s head. ¡°Fine! We¡¯ll stay for a little while.¡± She made a little spark of light out of her hand before continuing, ¡°This¡¯ll go out in about ten minutes. When that happens, we¡¯re moving again!¡±


    They were, for a moment, in complete silence. But the hope that everything would be fine was gone the second they all heard the roar. Even to the people of the memory¡ªwho had never once heard such a sound before¡ªknew it was nothing good. To Dimas a certain kind of dread filled him as he watched, wondering why he ever tried to think it wouldn¡¯t turn out this way.


    There were reasons the legends of the Minotaur didn¡¯t completely fade into obscurity. They had to witness why all those tales of horrors were retold time and time again; the exact reason why some things can¡¯t just be forgotten. Whatever kind of fate happened to the single one of the group to run back to the entrance, it wasn¡¯t without sharing their experience.

 Secrets of the Ley Lines: Book III- Chapter 5

    Eventually, after realizing that the memories were finished for good now, they wandered to one of the caves to rest. There was a dim glow¡ªthey decided from a plant or some residual magic¡ª to provide some sort of light, and a distant underwater brook kept them from complete silence. None of it was comforting, though. Even when Imre, Lydia, and Samone began to quietly work through all of it in a way they could understand¡ªonly Imre ever putting any effort beforehand to understand the memories¡¯ settings¡ªit wasn¡¯t comforting. If Dimas wasn¡¯t comfortable being here before all the memories, he definitely wasn¡¯t now.


    He barely noticed Kiah walking up to him. ¡°Can you hold a conversation?¡± He was surprised to hear her speaking in the Old Tongue¡ªbut not because he didn¡¯t understand her or didn¡¯t expect her to know it. He only ever heard her use it when she was talking to her mother.


    ¡°I¡­should,¡± Dimas responded after a moment in the same language. ¡°I¡¯m a bit rusty, though. Just don¡¯t throw in too many weird words.¡± He gestured to the spot beside him and she sat down. ¡°What do you want to talk about?¡±


    ¡°I actually figured you had something you needed to get off your chest,¡± she remarked casually. ¡°You¡¯ve been quiet since we came here, which isn¡¯t exactly usual for you. Out of everyone here, I¡¯m the only one who can vaguely grasp why. If you need to talk about something, then I¡¯m here.¡±


    ¡°Why the Old Tongue, then?¡±


    ¡°This¡¯ll stay between the two of us this way. Neither Imre nor Lydia know any more than stuff like Light, Shadow, or Waking Dream¡­ Samone knows a bit but it¡¯s just for magical purposes. Aside from the occasional word or two, they¡¯re not going to know what we¡¯re discussing.¡±


    ¡°Should I be concerned by the fact that you actually seem to care a bit for me..? You¡¯re normally not this ready to listen to other people¡¯s problems.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here because I think you need me to be. Just because this isn¡¯t normal doesn¡¯t mean that it isn¡¯t a genuine want to help.¡±


    He considered all the possible things he could say. There were so many places where he could start, but they all ended up in the same general area. Was there even an option that was better than the others? Was there one that would be easier to explain, without drawing out her patience to the point she decided she was done listening? Or maybe the better question would be how he planned on saying all of it while still maintaining a relatively composed appearance. It wasn¡¯t that hard for everyone else to see them, after all; if he was going to be worried and stressed, he¡¯d rather the rest of them not know it.


    ¡°Everything about the Minotaur¡­ I thought it was creepy when I was six and it gets worse with every new detail about it. I wish I could go back to imagining that it was just some big, mystical creature that could never creep out of its cave; maybe as something that could, barely, be upheld as something that had helped protect the children of Fleyw Bresh from Seothia. It might¡¯ve sounded terrifying, but at least that way, I didn¡¯t read too much into it and there was no possible connection between anyone alive now and it. Being here makes me remember how diluted they make some of the stories, and how they work up to the worst details for when we¡¯re old enough to handle it. Then there¡¯s also the things they make you have to piece together on your own, though they¡¯re really pretty obvious once you start thinking about it¡­¡± He took a deep breath before daring to continue with his thought. ¡°If there¡¯s a group that cares more about what Sokratas and Natasa stand for, it¡¯s the goblins and fairies. Did you ever know a twin until you met me?¡±


    ¡°Sort of? They were just a few years old when I left to live with Zadeer.¡± She shrugged. ¡°But I get it. Every time I walked past them they were treated like Orestis brought them down from heaven Himself.¡±


    ¡°Add that to being the only surviving children of the queen,¡± he sighed. ¡°I¡¯ve known for as long as I can remember what would happen if one of us died, just because we bore a symbolic comparison to two gods. I barely even realized that wasn¡¯t what everyone¡¯s first thought was until I came to Seothia! Sokratas and Natasa were the world¡¯s first twins, born from the essence of Light and Earth. Because of that, no matter what time they were born, twins are treated like anyone specifically blessed by the gods or an angel. But if one of them dies before becoming of age¡­¡±


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    ¡°We¡¯re in a cave system that was created because of it,¡± Kiah finished, in a way that didn¡¯t actually say the problem aloud. ¡°The fact we¡¯re doing this at all is proof that, at least to some extent, it¡¯s real.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I know a person who isn¡¯t afraid of the Minotaur. I¡¯m definitely not an exception for it¡ªI¡¯ll be the first to admit that it occasionally bugs me to the point I can¡¯t think about anything else. Of course it doesn¡¯t help that the two of us have a better reason to relate to it than most others can. You know what Zofie¡¯s like. It¡¯s a miracle that she¡¯s even still alive right now. I don¡¯t think anyone was expecting her to be, if they had to be completely honest about it.¡±


    ¡°But this isn¡¯t about what would happen to you if Vriuh brought her home.¡±


    Slowly, he nodded. ¡°I¡¯m not worried about what would happen to me in that case. Whatever it is, I¡¯ll probably be able to handle it. I never really think about what it would be like if she had died, however relevant it seems sometimes. I worry about what would happen to her if I died instead. She has so much crap to deal with already. It always feels like she can hardly stay on top of it all. She probably wouldn¡¯t be able to handle much more, and I don¡¯t want to be the cause of it. But given the nature of this place, it keeps seeming like a likely possibility.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t tell you everything¡¯s going to be fine. But I can do whatever possible to try to avoid it. I¡¯ll be honest, I don¡¯t really care for Lydia or Samone. It¡¯s not going to ruin me if something happens to them. Both you and Imre are a bit too important, and I¡¯d probably either get publicly shamed or fired if something happens to you. I have my own family to come back to, so it¡¯s not like I can just leave them.¡±


    ¡°How do you deal with all of this..? The expectations, that plan that seems to be determined for you before you can do anything about it¡­¡±


    ¡°Two things: beer and knowing that Orestis¡¯s truth is better than theirs.¡±


    ¡°I wish I could have that¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not talking about the beer, are you?¡±


    ¡°To be honest¡­ I¡¯m not sure how I feel about the church¡¯s teachings¡­¡±


    Kiah¡¯s look of mixed shock and confusion contributed to Dimas¡¯s desperate attempt to explain himself.


    ¡°When they keep telling me stuff like how screwed Zofie is if I die or vice versa, can you really blame me? Seothia has its own set of problems but at least they don¡¯t really care if you¡¯re a twin or not. It¡¯s just¡­ you¡¯re a person, like everyone else is, and the only reason someone is looking at you any differently is because you know magic.¡±


    ¡°I figured there was something going on with you but I didn¡¯t think it was that¡­¡±


    ¡°You know, you don¡¯t seem like the most perfect example of a zealous goblin either.¡±


    ¡°I still have the Talmi-Amitael Pact. I might not hunt down whatever church might exist nearby, but I can¡¯t just forsake my upbringing either. Some of it may be twisted or used by others to satisfy themselves. But I can¡¯t deny the truth that¡¯s actually there. While they might be misinterpreted or even some parts omitted entirely, it¡¯s still the same people and events at their roots. I go through the Commandments every now and again in my free time. Sometimes it¡¯s just what I need to get through the day.¡±


    He didn¡¯t answer. It wasn¡¯t something he could ever find himself relating to; he wasn¡¯t like Zofie. He couldn¡¯t look at everything they had to go through because of the church¡¯s standard and still bring himself to willingly attend service. He wasn¡¯t stupid enough to think what they taught wasn¡¯t true, it just never felt as personal as many others claimed it to be. It was a social norm for him, something that he simply followed along with because he was expected to. By now the only time he upheld those standards was in Qizar, even then it wasn¡¯t like he prayed or read the Commandments regularly.


    Kiah got up. ¡°Well, if you don¡¯t have any more thoughts, then I¡¯ll rejoin the others. But I¡¯m always here to listen if you need it.¡±

 Secrets of the Ley Lines: Book III- Chapter 6

    Dimas eventually rejoined the others. Imre was the only one to ask if he was okay; his nod was both the truth and a lie.


    Their exploration of the caves was nothing more than wandering. Occasionally their silence would be broken by a chain of voices, but they never lasted long. It only took a few of them to determine the time they were set in, though; something after the Minotaur and before their current day, when the Fleyw Bresh used the caves to hide. Another piece of dark truth about the place that he wished he wasn¡¯t reminded of.


    ¡°They won¡¯t find us here. I¡¯m certain of it.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing we can do but trust you, I¡¯m afraid. We don¡¯t have much of a choice in the state our group is in¡­¡±


    ¡°I can show you the proof of it, just follow me.¡±


    ¡°But most of the group¡ª¡°


    ¡°Only one person needs to come with me.¡±


    ¡°Alright¡­ lead the way.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t hard to believe that they were following in the footsteps of those voices, even if they were only walking the main pathway. They remained alone in silence until they reached an open room; it looked like it had, once, hosted some kind of life beyond the Minotaur. A group that coexisted with it, even.


    ¡°More people¡ªmore of us?¡±


    ¡°This is where I came from. We heard that other people were struggling like we were, so I was chosen to find those people and bring them here. We have permission to stay here as long as we¡¯d like; our Seothian pursuers are enough of a snack for it, and Amitael can¡¯t bring the surface¡¯s battles down here.¡±


    ¡°It..?¡±


    ¡°We were both raised on the adventures of Theseus, the fall of Ekambar, the trials of Moeris¡­ Do you remember how Peiros discovered that Anysia had expanded the Labyrinth beyond his original design? These Caverns bear her name for a reason. Somewhere in this twisted maze is the Minotaur¡¯s spirit. But you needn¡¯t worry¡ªhe¡¯s on our side.¡±


    ¡°But the stories¡ªhow were you able to convince it to agree with you?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re protecting someone that he wants to shield from the gods¡­ his soul, somewhat, has weakened so that he shows a sense of empathy to those like him. Those who lost a twin to something no mortal could change, yet subjected to an awful fate all the same. He is willing to watch over all of us as long as that woman stays alive¡­ but unfortunately, she fell ill some time ago and now seems to be ready to meet Vriuh. One of the people with you, though¡­¡±


    ¡°How do you know that?¡±


    ¡°A mother¡¯s gaze can tell a lot. The way she looked at the child in her arms might suggest that she has already lost one and hopes not to lose the other. She lost one of her twins before arriving here, didn¡¯t she?¡±


    ¡°Our group was originally much bigger¡­ but we were attacked. The infant she holds now is the only remaining piece of her family.¡±


    ¡°Truly unfortunate. Though, Sokratas and Vaso have taught us to use such circumstances to our advantage.¡±


    There was a short pause; just something to show that the conversation had ended, though another started soon after.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name, child?¡± It was the same rumbling voice of the Minotaur, even if it was somehow more subdued.


    ¡°Delphine.¡±


    ¡°I could almost mistake you for Anysia¡­ except that you are like me. You too have lost your sibling to something mortals cannot control.¡±


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    ¡°You can sense that kind of stuff?¡±


    ¡°Oh, child¡­ when it leads you to become a beast, you know to recognize those treading on the same path. But you won¡¯t have to worry about what Darkness will do to you, little one¡­ I¡¯ll make sure she can never lay a finger on you.¡±


    ¡°Is that why everyone¡¯s been able to live here without Seothia finding us, even though the adults said that we¡¯re in their territory?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t bear to see the same thing happen to me happen to any of you. My own people have abandoned me¡­ but the children of Fleyw Bresh are willing to make a deal. They don¡¯t care so much for what I am as to what I can give to them, and it¡¯s much better than anything Qizar could offer me.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re much nicer than what Mama said you were. She tells me stories from her home, sometimes¡­ she still talks about how bad you were, like you weren¡¯t helping us at all¡­¡±


    ¡°Now that you¡¯ve seen me yourself, do you think all that fear is well-placed?¡±


    ¡°No. Not when there¡¯s scarier people that we know to be afraid of.¡±


    ¡°I believe that I¡¯m going to like you, little Delphine¡­¡±


    It was a story only Dimas would know; a piece of history that only really seemed important to the children of Fleyw Bresh. After all, at that point in time, all sensible goblins and fairies were still in Idkor or shielded by the eastern mountains. While it involved Seothia, he saw how they¡¯d rather forget they ever did anything like that. Delphine was something of a local hero, almost, if ¡°hero¡± was the word to describe her as. It all depended on whether you counted ¡°keeping the Minotaur alive by her magic¡± as a good or bad thing.


    By following the voices, they reached a much larger area. He knew they wouldn¡¯t be alone; there was something about the place that made him uneasy, like where he had to go for penance. It was obvious that a spirit lurked here somewhere, but exactly who or what it was was never clear.


    The fragments of the Minotaur began to appear on the other side of the room, little more than a wisp fading in and out of existence. But it showed that it wasn¡¯t something to be underestimated, even after all this time in hiding; though struggling, it was gaining some of its form back. It wouldn¡¯t take long until it might actually be able to do anything aside from glare at them.


    Dimas thought back to all the memories and the legends, trying to think of what might hold its spirit. ¡°Spirits can¡¯t exist on their own¡ªthey need someone or even something to attach to. The Fleyw Bresh must¡¯ve known they couldn¡¯t rely on someone¡¯s magic to keep it around forever. We just have to find the object that they enchanted to do the job instead.¡±


    Everyone nodded and started wandering around the room, though they all stayed far away from the Minotaur. Knowing the nature of enchantment, Dimas could guess what he was trying to find; it couldn¡¯t be a stone, more likely being a trinket of some sort. They enchanted things based on the object¡¯s durability, sure, but it was also decided on emotional attachment the object could have.


    He practically started praying that it was here somewhere when a sense of urgency struck him and it felt like he¡¯d already looked at any practical hiding spot. It couldn¡¯t be in another room, could it? No, it needed to be close in order to be effective. It had to be here somewhere.


    Then he decided to check the progress of the Minotaur. Not only was it gaining much more of its form¡ªnearly done, in fact¡ªbut there was also a glimmer of something behind it. A bejeweled horn, both used for ceremonious purposes and, in the times when the Minotaur protected the Fleyw Bresh, a warning of attack. That was what they needed. Of course they could only get it after the Minotaur moved from the spot.


    This was the part where it got a bit tricky. None of them might not be the kind of god-blessed, danger-defying adventurer like Theseus was, but they weren¡¯t without any experience. Dimas was able to catch Imre¡¯s attention and make him see the horn; from there, it only took a couple of gestures before they all knew what their jobs were. Maybe this wouldn¡¯t be so different from a normal adventure after all.


    The Minotaur was ready sooner than preferred, but they could still work around it. Kiah and Lydia were able to catch its immediate attention, so it went for them once it was able to move again. Dimas, being the closest to where it had been, was able to reach behind and find where the horn was.


    It caught on to what they were doing after that point, though they practically already had the whole thing settled. Dimas tossed it to Imre before the Minotaur could come near him; Imre tossed it to Samone who, muttering a few ancient words, set it ablaze. In an instant it was all over.


    There was something about how easy it was that was odd. Everything leading up to this had made it sound difficult, like something they would genuinely have trouble with¡­ in reality, he was just embarrassed that he¡¯d ended up worrying over it so much. Maybe there wasn¡¯t anything more to worry about, and maybe they all overestimated this from the beginning. There always was the possibility that the Minotaur had naturally grown weaker after so long without a proper master. An object could only survive for so long before it disappeared, after all.


    ¡°Who¡¯s ready to go find some hidden future-telling pool?¡± Lydia cheered triumphantly. ¡°We¡¯ve just finished the hard part, so now it¡¯s time to go collect our rewards!¡±

 Secrets of the Ley Lines: Book III- Chapter 7

    The cave they were looking for was actually pretty close to where the Minotaur had been. It wasn¡¯t really clear if it was something that appeared after defeating it or if it had always been there; on one hand, it looked pretty obvious, but on the other, Dimas couldn¡¯t recall seeing it before. He simply decided it was the former to save him the time of having to think about what it was.


    Each of the three pools had a dim glow, bringing something of a sobering air into the room. They did, after all, tell of a person¡¯s future; usually those were the types of things that everyone left up to the gods to decide. Of course, almost every time someone tried to play the role of a god in that regard, they nearly lost whatever sanity they had. It wasn¡¯t like anyone tried to get themselves in a state many considered to be worse than death. But this wouldn¡¯t bring the same effects, being created by a god himself and not a mere replica by mortal hands. The only thing they had to fear from it was the truth.


    It was obvious how all of them cautiously got closer. They were all brought in by the mysterious aspect of it, the thought of being so close to something that could show them something no mortal would ever dream of doing¡­ a curiosity that, they knew, could very easily turn into something dangerous.


    The pools didn¡¯t react at all to their presence, but after a minute a voice rang out similar to those of the memories¡¯. It wasn¡¯t any of the previous voices, though; it was almost like how the pastors would describe Vaso¡¯s voice as they recalled the stories of their ancestors. Vaso founded Truth and Illusion magic¡ªthe future, one could say, was best spoken by him. Sokratas might stand for wisdom, but no one knew all the paths of mortals like Vaso did.


    ¡°Children always wander, looking to play in places they likely shouldn¡¯t be. Eventually, however, they must all grow up. Some continue to play in the darkness, while others return and repent to the light¡­ though it isn¡¯t the only thing that can determine what happens to them in the end. The darkness has its own kind of success, after all, and some might become blinded by the light.


    ¡°One child turns away sooner than all the others. They grow to be successful, doing things that no one else can do. Pain only makes them grow stronger, loss builds upon their resolve to do better. They see the end of a conflict, the beginning of several others, and eventually the light that would solve the rest in their lifetime.


    ¡°Another will leave as soon as it¡¯s apparent that the darkness holds no appeal any longer. They, too, do great things before joining Vriuh. Everything they have is ultimately given to those who they care about, to the very last minute when they die in the way they¡¯d always feared.


    ¡°The third steps out just before it becomes too late. For all of their achievements, they¡¯re seen as a role model; even those who would rather ignore them couldn¡¯t help but acknowledge their efforts. They get to leave in all of these victories, never once questioned on the truth behind each of them.


    ¡°A fourth always teetered between light and dark. They honed their craft and mastered the roles they were supposed to fulfill. No one had a place to question their role. After witnessing a long chapter in history coming to a close, however, all the darkness finally caught up with them.


    ¡°Finally, the last child never quite left darkness to begin with. They loved the vigor of it all, which ultimately led to their demise. Eventually all that is left of them is lost to history, only tragedies remain of their memory.¡±


    When it became apparent that the voice had finished, Lydia moaned. ¡°That¡¯s it? What about giving us gruesome details about how we die, or at least our love life? A traveling gypsy could tell me more interesting stuff than that!¡±


    ¡°Do you want to go insane?¡± Samone glared at her. ¡°That¡¯s exactly how those things happen. I¡¯d say the less we know the better. Anything more and we waste whatever potential we might¡¯ve had trying to prevent it.¡±


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    Everyone else gave their agreement, ultimately leaving Lydia as the only one who wasn¡¯t satisfied with what they¡¯d gotten.


    ¡­¡­


    The first thing Dimas did upon returning to the border was go to Zofie. None of the others minded; they knew how she was, so he didn¡¯t even need to say much for them to agree to let him go. She noticed him before he even got to where she was, leaving whatever group she was talking to in order to greet him.


    ¡°Dimas! Finally you¡¯re back. You know, I didn¡¯t expect it would take three hours from the last update you sent. Nothing bad happened while you were there, right?¡± She circled around him with a worried frown.


    ¡°I told you all of that already,¡± he pointed out gently. ¡°I¡¯m fine, really! Not even a scratch.¡±


    ¡°And I don¡¯t believe you,¡± she decided nonchalantly. ¡°With the rowdy bunch you hang out with it looks nearly impossible for something not to happen. I just need to determine what that is.¡±


    ¡°With all due respect, Your Majesty, I doubt he¡¯d want to lie to you.¡± Kadol stalked up behind Zofie, giving the prince a welcoming glance. Any fragment of a smile would¡¯ve just been unsettling. ¡°It¡¯s reassuring to see you back, Dimas.¡±


    Zofie still wasn¡¯t ready for his company yet. ¡°Kadol, go away.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately I cannot,¡± he replied casually with a short bow. ¡°Lord David is still waiting for you, and I believe Lord Rok is getting ready to leave. It will be best if you see them both before they go. Not to mention I¡¯m sure King Casper would like to speak with you again, given the way he¡¯s talking to his wife.¡± He squinted across the field to where the Seothians were, and it was safe to assume he was glaring right at Casper and Minne.


    ¡°I can wait, I promise,¡± Dimas offered. Though he would never say it, he needed a bit of time to himself. If he¡¯d said that to Zofie, she would¡¯ve immediately assumed something was wrong and refuse to leave him alone. At least if she had other things to work on instead, she wouldn¡¯t notice that he wasn¡¯t there as much.


    Thankfully Zofie let Kadol gesture her back into the group of bishops. After seeing that it was pretty unlikely she¡¯d be able to randomly leave again, Dimas made his way to the Qizarn camp. It would be far from quiet, but he never liked the silence. The bustle could reassure him that everything was back to normal.


    He basically explained what he¡¯d already said in each of his letters (excluding his breakdown with Kiah) over dinner. It wasn¡¯t just them, Thero, and Kadol; some of the bishops were still here, finding no reason to leave early when today was the last full day of the talks anyway. A few of them even looked concerned for him as he described it. After all, it wasn¡¯t every day they could come across someone who¡¯d seen a legend (and presumably killed it, for that matter, which even the real story¡¯s hero didn¡¯t do). It wasn¡¯t like it was new, though. This wasn¡¯t the first time they heard the things they did together, likely one of the reasons they only begrudgingly tolerated it.


    It wasn¡¯t until he went into detail about what happened at the pool did those expressions of mild concern and intrigue turn into something close to sheer confusion.


    ¡°You don¡¯t even know which one was who?¡± Zofie frowned. ¡°You¡¯re one of five, after all. Some of them are rather concerning¡­¡±


    ¡°I suppose it all depends on what term of light and darkness Earth meant,¡± David mused. ¡°It could refer to Danai and Eldrianna themselves, or their concepts, how familiar one is with the Commandments, or even simply their moral compass. Hard to tell, though.¡±


    ¡°I doubt it has to do with the Commandments,¡± Rok dismissed. ¡°Unless they get a major change of heart between then and now, none of those Seothians have any kind of godly guidance. There¡¯s Prince Dimas and maybe the goblin girl¡­ but the rest of them have no reason to. Our truth means nothing to them.¡±


    ¡°Likely a general moral compass,¡± Kadol remarked. ¡°You mentioned those friends of yours being¡­ rather bold, correct, Prince Dimas? ¡®Of all my days I have never seen a man foolish enough to hold his head so high, hoping to reach the heavens, acting like he viewed the world as a god as he walked the path of darkness.¡¯ Those words of Vaso seem relevant enough in this context.¡±


    ¡°Well I think it¡¯s safe to say that none of us actually thought of it that much¡­¡± Dimas admitted. ¡°It¡¯s not like it spelled out immediate doom for all of us. I¡¯d rather have what we got than a detailed list of how we all died¡­¡±


    ¡°Vaso has a reason for only revealing as much as he did,¡± Zofie mumbled, more like she was trying to reassure herself of something. ¡°In a few weeks we, as a nation, will raise up Earth. Perhaps then he will better enlighten us on if we should fear what we were told here¡­¡±

 Bloodline: Chapter 1

    It was funny, in a terrible kind of way. Tavin actually missed Natheniel.


    Maybe it was the circumstances. They all found something to regret¡ªthey could look back and see the warning signs, or what they could¡¯ve done differently. Things didn¡¯t need to end that way. Yet they did, so why did he keep considering it?


    A part of Tavin wanted to think that it was completely Natheniel¡¯s fault. After all, perhaps all he needed to do was talk to Imre and Dimas. Maybe he just needed to actually talk about his feelings, put aside the pride, and he¡¯d have the answers he was looking for. But¡­ they all knew his silence was not out of lack of knowing.


    It made Tavin consider the other half of the story¡ªthat all of them had been a part of it. Kiah mumbled about how this had only been a matter of time; how Natheniel should¡¯ve been told when he lost his feather necklace. If they couldn¡¯t avoid what ended up happening, then at least he would know that it wasn¡¯t his fault.


    That it wasn¡¯t really him that nearly killed her.


    Tavin knew what they were thinking as they waited for Natheniel to return from Qizar. ¡°Things aren¡¯t quite ready yet. We¡¯ll tell him soon, but, for now¡­ let¡¯s just put this in the past.¡± So, in that way, it shed a new light on how Natheniel had interpreted the past few years. Going back to normal wasn¡¯t an option. Normal, perhaps, would¡¯ve been the walks in Lelishara¡ªthe picnics in the garden, the dinners untainted by work. And those fantasies died a long time ago.


    At that thought, Tavin¡¯s remorse turned more into annoyance. Natheniel really did think he was the only person in the world, didn¡¯t he?


    Tavin sighed, and turned his gaze to Ihu. Either by a sense of guilt or obligation, he¡¯d been watching over them since Natheniel disappeared. They¡¯d grown sluggish in the time without their owner, but that was to be expected given what they were to him. It had never been as simple as a boy and his bird, no matter how willingly Natheniel believed it.


    Tavin walked over to them, gently patting their head with his finger. ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a little bit.¡± He didn¡¯t really want to go, but he hadn¡¯t made the trip here to stay in his room.


    He left his room and started to go downstairs. People were already gathering, from the sounds of it; he¡¯d assumed there would¡¯ve been a lot of them, though that didn¡¯t keep him from getting anxious. He knew they didn¡¯t mean to do it, but¡­ it was definitely one of those times when he wished they wouldn¡¯t.


    ¡°There are plenty of guards here,¡± he mumbled to assure them. It only worked half the time, but it was a habit Dusek encouraged. ¡°Nothing bad is going to happen. I¡¯m going to go out there, socialize with a couple of people, then hide behind Aunt Samone for the rest of the night. Everything will be fine.¡±


    Samone was waiting near the grand hall, giving him a small smile when she saw him. ¡°I was beginning to wonder if you¡¯d decided to stay in your room. Are you ready?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± was his honest response. ¡°But I also know there¡¯s not an option. This is all about keeping up appearances, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    She bit back whatever she was originally going to say and gestured to the people around them. ¡°Well, there¡¯s at least no formal introductions. I¡¯ll probably be with Abassi and Seun if you need me. Remember: you have to be out in public for at least two hours. I know it¡¯s hard, but once that¡¯s done, I don¡¯t care whether you go back to your room.¡±


    After all, there was no faltering¡ªno mourning¡ªwhen all eyes were on them. They needed to prove that they¡¯ll continue to stand under the pressure.


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    Nodding, Tavin gave a weak smile, waved, and walked off. The sooner he met his requirements for the night, the sooner he could leave and go to bed. Nothing would make him happier than to be alone in his room.


    He wandered to the table of assorted pastries and fruit, debating if he actually wanted to eat something. He hadn¡¯t had much of a lunch and the ball was supposed to serve dinner, though at this rate he didn¡¯t think he¡¯d be able to do it. His head was already starting to spin and the anxieties of his spirits were making him nauseous.


    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s the prince!¡± The hand on his shoulder startled him, sparking a bit of laughter from the person who did it. He shouldn¡¯t have been surprised that it would be Uzoma, Abassi¡¯s eldest son. Another reason to wish Natheniel was still here¡­ ¡°Why do you look so down? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re bored already?¡±


    ¡°I was never interested to begin with.¡± Tavin stepped away from him, hoping he got the hint.


    ¡°Are you implying there¡¯s nothing fun to do?¡± Uzoma proved to have no concept of personal space. ¡°Come on, live a little. It won¡¯t kill you to act like you care, will it? You¡¯re half Stone, so I thought you might act like it. I hear the Mikkels were pretty social too until Imre came around.¡±


    Tavin shot a desperate glance across the room. Samone didn¡¯t notice it.


    Uzoma, going off of Tavin¡¯s silence, decided he was going to talk even more. ¡°I mean, Casper was a rebel when he was younger! Lucas always seemed like a pretty fun dude. Most people with his spirit are also fun dudes. So why are you so boring? You¡¯ve got his spirit, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Not all people inherit the same trait from a spirit,¡± Tavin mumbled. ¡°Some don¡¯t even need to inherit any traits at all.¡± He almost wished he had Lucas¡¯s charisma. Maybe that could get him out of this situation.


    ¡°Then why aren¡¯t you more like your mom? Lydia would¡¯ve lit up this place in no time! Does it not work that way for saints or whatever?¡± Uzoma stepped closer, and Tavin stepped back. ¡°She loved big parties like this¡ª¡°


    And at that comment, his concept of a social filter had practically disappeared. ¡°They died in a big party like this! Do you really think I¡¯m going to enjoy myself in the setting of half of my nightmares? When you have a spirit, you don¡¯t just adopt a part of their personality. Their memories and fears are like your own. I¡¯ve felt what they had to go through before they finally died and I know their thoughts in those last few minutes. Until you understand what that feels like, just back off and mind your own damn business.¡±


    ¡°No need to get so defensive. All I was trying to do was make a simple comparison.¡±


    Tavin forced his way past him. ¡°I¡¯m going to go find something else to do.¡± He could talk to people closer to Samone, right? It would definitely be better than staying here, though he already felt pity for whoever was the next person Uzoma would end up pestering. All he knew and really cared about was that it wouldn¡¯t be him.


    He wandered right next to Samone before uttering to the man and woman she was talking to, ¡°Your son needs to learn some manners.¡± Oh, he had much stronger words than that. But he knew better than to say them.


    ¡°Oh, was Uzoma bothering you?¡± Seun looked around them, but easily gave up on her search when she couldn¡¯t quickly spot her son. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. You know how he is. He doesn¡¯t mean any harm in it, he just doesn¡¯t really understand personal space. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll understand if you try to talk to him.¡±


    ¡°Next thing you know he¡¯ll start doing whatever he wants because he knows you¡¯ll excuse it,¡± Samone pointed out dully. ¡°He¡¯s getting to the age where that¡¯s the only thing stopping him.¡±


    ¡°My son is nothing less than perfect,¡± Abassi stated matter-of-factly. ¡°With all due respect, Lady Samone, you are wrong. If there are any problems, then he will overcome them in time. I was once like that, but you see me now as a fine man.¡±


    Samone only smirked, muttering so quietly that only Tavin could hear her, ¡°I hear that didn''t go so well for his first wife.¡±


    ¡°Come on, we¡¯re in public,¡± Tavin mumbled back. He still had to hold back a laugh both at the comment and the completely clueless looks of Abassi and Seun. Samone just seemed happy to see him grin.


    ¡°Care to share what you find so amusing?¡± Abassi prompted.


    ¡°Something between Nokae,¡± was Samone¡¯s only hint of an answer.


    ¡°It must be amazing having such a close-knit family,¡± Seun remarked. ¡°Having all that support has to be reassuring during tough times like these. I¡¯m always envious about those sorts of things.¡±


    They continued a general conversation from there. Samone talked much more than he did, though he did occasionally contribute his opinion on something. Eventually the two moved on to other parts of the room, interacting with most of the other nobles that were there. Like she¡¯d promised, she let him leave after two hours; by that time, he was starting to get dizzy and had already talked to everyone that he would¡¯ve known.

 Bloodline: Chapter 2

    He¡¯d fallen asleep rather quickly, and was welcomed by a dream almost immediately. He wasn¡¯t surprised by the four familiar faces that greeted him. It was his way of actually communicating with them¡­ even if it was, admittedly, an unreliable method.


    Lydia was the closest. She gave him a wide smile. It was one of the few times that they could see each other as if nothing had happened; everything could almost just go back to the way it was six years ago, so perfect it was certain to fall apart.


    On either side of her was Elena and Lewis. They were fainter than she was, though still easily distinguishable against their surroundings. They never talked as much as Lydia did, possibly because he wasn¡¯t as close to them as he had been to her, but they still seemed content. He often wondered if they¡¯d chosen to be his spirits because of Lydia, to which neither of them confirmed nor denied.


    Then at the very back was Lucas. Most of the time, he was little more than a blur; something closer to an afterthought, or the voice in the very back of his head. Lucas was the spirit that he¡¯d been born with, as many other Seothian royals were.


    ¡°Do you remember this place, Tavin?¡± Lydia prompted gently, moving a bit closer to him. ¡°We all went on a trip together¡­¡±


    ¡°It was in the middle of Aclither, chilly but nothing out of the ordinary here,¡± Tavin recalled breezily. ¡°I might¡¯ve been eight but that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯d forgotten about it altogether.¡±


    ¡°Then what about the people who live around here?¡± she continued. ¡°And the village we went to that¡¯s not far from here?¡±


    This was the part that confused him. ¡°Why do you want me to talk with Lustris and Muriel?¡± He couldn¡¯t claim to be extremely close to them, but it would be a lie to say he didn¡¯t remember his family. Well, one of the maids and an adopted daughter.


    That caught Elena¡¯s attention, too. ¡°It would be a good time to visit them, wouldn¡¯t it? I hope Muriel¡¯s doing okay. I¡¯m sure Lustris is taking good care of her¡­¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s sixteen now, too,¡± Lewis mused. ¡°She might not even be recognizable anymore. I mean, if I wasn¡¯t here all this time, I wouldn¡¯t be able to recognize Little Envi!¡± He got a little closer to Tavin and ruffled his hair.


    ¡°Hey, stop embarrassing my son!¡± Lydia whacked him upside the head. ¡°Only I get to do that!¡±


    Tavin, trying not to seem flustered, asked, ¡°Mother, can you get to the point, please..?¡±


    Lydia offered a soft smile. ¡°I want you to go back to that house, the one we went to when we were here the last time¡­ I wanted to be with you when you did it, but I guess I¡¯m just here in spirit. Literally.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s time for that already..?¡± Elena mumbled, giving her older sister a wary look. She was trying to be quiet, even though she should¡¯ve realized that he could still hear her. ¡°Do you think he¡¯s up for it..?¡±


    The only kind of response Lydia gave was a nod.


    Tavin woke up slowly, a welcome change from the normal bolting awake. It was morning, though he couldn¡¯t tell much else. He was filled with a certain sense of urgency when he thought about what Lydia had asked him. There really wasn¡¯t any reason to; she didn¡¯t make any hints to it being something that needed to get done immediately. Yet even knowing that, he still immediately got up and began gathering what he would need.


    He knew that it wouldn¡¯t be a long trip. The only thing he would really need to take with him was simply the essentials; casual clothes, a coat, and his mother¡¯s satchel (something he carried along with him mostly as a keepsake and felt wrong not bringing with him on such a trip). Anything else he would need he could get in town. He just needed a servant to feed Ihu while he was gone. He did, somewhat, fear telling Samone of his whereabouts, so maybe he¡¯d also get someone to tell her that too¡ªonce it was already too late to try to drag him back, that is. She wasn¡¯t usually that protective, but it all depended on his company and the activity of the Ski¨¢.


    Making sure he had everything in the satchel, he headed out. He assigned a few duties to the maid he considered the most trustworthy (namely, the one who¡¯d been nice to Ihu when the whole royal family visited several years prior) before taking the most discreet way out of the estate.


    ¡°Sneaking off?¡± He slowly turned around to face the speaker, watching her pull the pipe away and letting out a sigh of smoke.


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    ¡°Aunt Samone¡­¡± Tavin thought he¡¯d had a pretty decent chance of leaving the explanation to someone else. But that wasn¡¯t taking into account Samone usually did her smoking in the quietest spot early in the morning. There was no avoiding her now, a truth that he was almost conflicted to be faced with.


    ¡°As much as I¡¯d much rather assume you¡¯re not going to do something stupid, we both know that¡¯s not going to be enough this time,¡± she remarked. ¡°Imre¡¯s expecting me to keep you safe and I can¡¯t say I did that if I don¡¯t know where you are. Start talking before I have to start acting like a parent.¡±


    He quickly figured out how to say everything he needed to without going into too much detail. ¡°Mother wants me to go somewhere. It¡¯s near the town not far from here and I plan on picking up an acquaintance before heading there.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll still be alone for a couple of hours before you get to the town,¡± she pointed out with a frown. ¡°It might be daytime but there¡¯s not enough military support for constant patrols like in Lelishara. Ski¨¢ could be anywhere and you hardly have the ability to defend yourself against them.¡±


    ¡°I can feel them, though,¡± he argued in the most respectful way possible. After enough encounters, he¡¯d started to become aware of their whereabouts. ¡°I¡¯ll know when they¡¯re nearby and I can get somewhere safe. You don¡¯t have to worry about me.¡± Her skeptical look drew out a certain type of hopelessness out of him, bringing one final attempt to win her over. ¡°Please?¡±


    \.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*./


    ¡°Pleeeeaaaaase? Pretty please?¡± Lydia wasn¡¯t going to let the desk stop her from getting in Imre¡¯s face. She leaned on the desk so then she could be right in front of him. She¡¯d already proven that she wasn¡¯t going to let him do any work, having either tossed all the papers aside or otherwise made them unreachable. Having to watch this rather embarrassing interaction was Tavin, who¡¯d always been glad it was just the three of them whenever he recalled it.


    ¡°Enn, I¡¯m busy¡­¡± Imre tried gathering his things around her, if not just to keep them all in one place. ¡°Dimas and Kiah are going to be in Qizar for two weeks and Raisul is out for gods knows how long dealing with problems in his territory. I need to concentrate and get some work done, but I can¡¯t do that when you¡¯re bursting into my office and messing with everything¡­¡±


    ¡°But you haven¡¯t even heard what I have to say yet!¡±


    ¡°It can¡¯t be anything good if you come in here begging about it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s moderately harmless!¡±


    ¡°For you that could be anything from reading a book to confronting the Minotaur.¡±


    ¡°A spirit can¡¯t touch living people, but paper cuts are real.¡± Lydia then remembered that she was trying to win an argument. ¡°It¡¯s a simple trip!¡±


    Imre sighed. ¡°You know I don¡¯t like you randomly running off but it¡¯s not like you¡¯ll let me stop you. What¡¯s so different this time that you actually came to ask me about it first?¡±


    She pulled Tavin closer to her and remarked, ¡°Because I¡¯m taking our son with me.¡±


    ¡°That¡­ would explain why he came with you,¡± Imre mumbled. His expression was enough proof that he wasn¡¯t actually paying attention to who else had entered with her. ¡°Although that adds a whole different level of no.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not gonna get hurt! Ellie and Witless will be with us, too, so it¡¯s not like we¡¯re going to be alone!¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t see anything about the papers you scattered across the floor, did you? Those are all reports. Each one of them talks about the exact reason why I¡¯m not letting you do that.¡±


    ¡°So what if there¡¯s an uptick in Ski¨¢ sightings? There¡¯s literally one of those every other week! Does it really make a difference?¡±


    Imre continued in a hushed tone, ¡°We know that she is involved in all of this. If she thinks she has something to gain from this¡­ from doing something to either of you¡­¡±


    Even looking back at it, Tavin couldn¡¯t quite piece together the extent of his father¡¯s words.


    ¡°You know if she wanted to do something, she¡¯d have done it by now, right? Stop worrying over everything, it¡¯s going to be okay. All I want is to spend some time with my siblings and son by exploring an old ruin. Perfect Stone family bonding time!¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t let you go. Whatever it is it can¡¯t be worth the¡ª¡°


    ¡°Learning about Minne isn¡¯t worth the risk?¡± At this, Lydia switched to a much lower tone. Tavin could barely hear her.


    Imre got even quieter. ¡°You know he¡¯s not¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not for right now. I want to make sure it can actually do what I want it to first.¡±


    ¡°A-alright¡­¡± He got louder again as he turned his attention to Tavin. ¡°I suppose it¡¯s up to you, then. Would you like to go with your mother or stay here?¡±


    ¡°I want to go with Mother,¡± Tavin decided after a moment. He chose not to mention that she more or less explained it to him before dragging him here.


    Lydia hugged him. ¡°You might still be a full-fledged Stone yet!¡± As she walked out with Tavin close behind her, she glanced over her shoulder and said, ¡°And now that there¡¯s no taking it back, it¡¯s up in the Northern Deoyros area. I¡¯ll make sure he gets all his work before we leave and he can do it on the ride there.¡±

 Bloodline: Chapter 3

    Samone sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t know how long you plan on leaving, but you better be back in a week. We¡¯ll be leaving the Plains then anyway. Don¡¯t do anything you wouldn¡¯t want to tell Imre.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Aunt Samone.¡± Then Tavin turned around and left. The last thing he needed was for a sudden report to come in that made her have to change her mind.


    He didn¡¯t want to take any longer than he needed to. Although he was confident in his abilities to avoid them, he didn¡¯t want to risk an encounter with the Ski¨¢; at least not until he was closer to town and there might actually be someone to help. Well, that or they all died. He cursed himself for that kind of thinking as he walked.


    Without anyone to push him forward, he fell behind on whatever imaginary pace he set for himself. He didn¡¯t give himself any time to rest, which he regretted by the time he actually got in town. He felt a bit dizzy and there was still a list of things left to do.


    At least he¡¯d had the foresight to always keep a few coins in his mother¡¯s satchel. The amazing thing about small towns like this was that they never seemed to change, meaning he still knew where everything was.


    Tavin wandered into a small shop; he was only there because the sign said they offered water (among a list of alcoholic beverages). He vaguely remembered being here before as he stood in front of the attendant. After rummaging through the satchel and finding a silver coin, he put it down on the counter and said, ¡°I¡¯d like a glass of water, please.¡±


    ¡°Just a glass of water, huh..?¡±


    ¡°You can keep the change.¡±


    The attendant turned to the person beside her. ¡°Keandre, get Moneybags over here a drink!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m right here, Hannah, you don¡¯t have to yell¡­¡± Still, he¡ªKeandre, from the sounds of it¡ªwalked off.


    Hannah moved around the counter. ¡°You can have a seat at one of those tables. We have some other food, if you¡¯d like something to eat.¡± As she gestured to an empty table, she kept staring at him. ¡°Actually, do I know you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d be surprised if you didn¡¯t,¡± Tavin replied casually.


    Keandre, from wherever he was, called, ¡°He¡¯s the Mikkel kid! The one that isn¡¯t blond! He¡¯s been here before, remember?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve been here before?¡± Hannah tilted her head as she continued to stare.


    ¡°With my mother, aunt, and uncle eight years ago,¡± Tavin replied. When she still looked confused, he tried something else. ¡°With Lydia, Elena, and Lewis Stone.¡±


    It seemed to somewhat help her understand, though there were clearly still several pieces that she was confused about.


    He decided to continue with his actual goal. ¡°How close are most of the people in this town?¡±


    ¡°On a scale of average Seothian we-don¡¯t-give-a-damn-about-each-other and Qizarn we¡¯re-all-family-here?¡± She gave it a moment of thought. ¡°I¡¯d say we-only-give-a-damn-when-we-need-a-cup-of-flour.¡±


    ¡°Would you know where someone lives?¡±


    ¡°Keandre does deliveries sometimes.¡± Hannah turned around to face her coworker, who was strolling over to where they were with a glass of water. ¡°Keandre! Prince Moneybags wants to find somebody!¡±


    ¡°Again with the shouting¡­¡± Keandre mumbled. He sat the glass on the table. ¡°This water is as premium as it¡¯s gonna get¡ªit was purified with a talisman we bought from some Qizarn merchants. Who is it that you want to find?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if they¡¯re still going by the same last name now, but I¡¯m looking for Lustris and Muriel Stone.¡±


    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t the king the one that bought that house for them? How do you not know where it is..?¡± Still, Keandre gave an actual answer to the question. ¡°It¡¯s that little cottage right outside the main part of town. There¡¯s a big garden next to it so it should be pretty easy to find; Lustris sometimes makes and sells balms and the like.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡± Tavin honestly stopped paying attention to them before they realized that he was done with the conversation. Eventually Hannah dragged Keandre back to the counter to take care of their other customers, leaving him alone with his thoughts.


    There was an odd kind of peace in staring out the window, watching the people walk by and the occasional animal hurrying in and out of sight. Then again, part of it probably came from sitting down and actually drinking something, given his morning.


    \.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*./


    He took a sip of his water, already starting to tune out whatever conversation the adults were having¡ªeven though the conversation was ultimately about him.


    ¡°What do you mean you don¡¯t know what to do when he gets dizzy?¡± Elena sounded almost too disbelieving, for who she was talking to. ¡°You¡¯re his mother. You should be able to know what to do when he¡¯s like this.¡±


    ¡°Look, I¡¯m the fun one, okay?¡± Lydia was trying to defend herself, but she was doing a pretty poor job at it. ¡°Imre¡¯s the strict one, and Dimas is the one who actually knows these types of things! They¡¯re both in charge of that stuff. I¡¯m there to keep Tavin from becoming even more boring than Imre is.¡±


    ¡°Well, when the kid can barely handle the three hour hike to get here, that¡¯s gonna be kinda hard,¡± Lewis pointed out.


    ¡°Witless, shut up and let me hope,¡± Lydia shot back with a dark glare. ¡°You backed out of a haunted asylum because you were scared, I don¡¯t want to hear it.¡±


    ¡°Fear is a perfectly valid emotion!¡± he defended.


    ¡°Not for someone of your age and family it isn¡¯t! Dad climbed the entirety of Mount Bainly by himself with only his courage and wit to keep him company! How the hell do you intend to live up to that if you can¡¯t even handle a couple of ghosts?¡± She crossed her arms, giving him a stubborn hmph.


    Elena offered her own kind of sisterly advice. ¡°Lydia, sometimes you have to remember that not all of us are destined to find and kill a Minotaur. Or uncover a long-lost civilization. Or find a manticore in the middle of Seothia. Or befriend a bunch of sirens and go to an uncharted island¡­ Or¡­ really anything you do, really. You did a lot of impossible stuff when you were with those four. Well, five, but it sounds like Domenique never went along on the eventful ones.¡±


    ¡°She always ¡®had something else to do,¡¯¡± Lydia muttered bitterly. ¡°Like everyone else she didn¡¯t see the fun in it. It didn¡¯t matter how many cool things we did together, they never liked it. Imre pretended to follow along and that¡¯s pretty much the only reason everyone else did.¡± She sighed, glancing at Tavin. Her tone changed completely when she talked to him, gentler than she¡¯d been before. ¡°Feeling better now? We¡¯ve still got to pick up some supplies before we actually head to the ruins.¡±


    Tavin nodded, finishing up the last bit of his water and setting the glass on the table. ¡°I¡¯m ready.¡±


    They left the shop soon after, joining into the bustling streets. He stayed close to his mother, not wanting to get lost or separated. Of course, it seemed like she was no better, likely being lost herself and realizing that not all four of them were there.


    ¡°Dammit,¡± she mumbled. ¡°Where¡¯d Ellie go?¡±


    Before she or Lewis could start looking, Tavin saved them the trouble and pointed to the direction he saw her last. ¡°She walked off over there.¡±


    ¡°Tavin, as much as I love you, you need to point out these things sooner.¡± Lydia took his hand and walked to where he¡¯d pointed, dragging Lewis along with her.


    Elena was on her knees in front of a crying girl, likely trying to comfort her. Tavin stopped as soon as they got out of most of the crowd, a kind of feeling he didn¡¯t like keeping him from getting closer. Thankfully, Lydia and Lewis simply ignored him in favor of their sister.


    ¡°Ellie, you can¡¯t randomly disappear.¡± Lydia got down beside her, putting a hand on her shoulder.


    ¡°One, you get to run off without telling anyone so you can¡¯t tell me that I can¡¯t do the same,¡± Elena replied. ¡°Two, be quiet. I¡¯m trying to help calm a kid.¡± Then she brought her attention back to the girl. ¡°I¡¯m Elena, and these two adults are my older siblings, Lydia and Lewis. Do you have any older siblings?¡±


    She shook her head, a certain kind of panic clear in her eyes.


    ¡°Well, do you know where your parents are, or their names? I can help you find them if you¡¯ve gotten separated.¡±


    She shook her head again.


    ¡°What about your name?¡±


    This just brought her to cry more.


    Elena looked around her to try to find something to calm her. Then she noticed Tavin and gestured for him to get closer. ¡°I know adults can be a little intimidating sometimes. How would you like to talk to someone your age instead? This is Tavin, Lydia¡¯s son.¡±

 Bloodline: Chapter 4

    He simply followed Keandre¡¯s directions and arrived at the cottage without any trouble. It wasn¡¯t the garden that told him he had the right spot, but rather the woman fleeting from one side of the window to the other. That was, without a doubt, Lustris; she hardly changed in the years since he¡¯d last seen her.


    Tavin knocked on the door and waited. It took three seconds for her to open it.


    ¡°I told you already I¡¯m not¡ªTavin!¡± Lustris¡¯s face changed immediately after she realized who was at the door. ¡°Oh, I thought you were someone else. Just forget about that.¡± Her expression changed again when she began to think about the situation, however. ¡°Wait a minute. Why are you here? Imre didn¡¯t say anything about you coming for a visit. I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d be in the area at all.¡±


    ¡°Lord Abassi wanted us,¡± Tavin explained simply. ¡°While we were here I wanted to visit.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ suppose that makes sense.¡± A fragment of doubt remained in her tone, however, as she stepped back to let him in. ¡°It¡¯s getting late, so sit down for a little while while I prepare the spare bedroom. That¡¯ll give you more time to explain what you¡¯re really here for.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Tavin mumbled as he sat down. He decided it would be better to start off with something casual rather than beginning with favors. ¡°How¡¯ve the two of you been doing?¡±


    She didn¡¯t look amused. ¡°Asking about things you should already know about? Lydia did the same thing when she needed something, you know. I can¡¯t tell if it¡¯s something you got from her spirit or something you learned on your own.¡±


    He sighed. ¡°You¡¯re not looking for a bit of smalltalk first, then. I need to borrow Muriel for a day or two.¡±


    ¡°What do you plan on doing?¡±


    ¡°There was this place I went with Mother and she wants me to¡ª¡°


    ¡°You can stop there. I¡¯m telling you now that you¡¯re not going.¡± Lustris went to do something in the kitchen before wandering to the room on the other side of the cottage. She left the door open so they could still talk, though. ¡°The two of you aren¡¯t going anywhere. You¡¯re only staying here because it¡¯s too late for you to go back to Lord Abassi¡¯s estate.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t even say what we¡¯d be doing yet,¡± Tavin pointed out dully.


    She came out for a moment to grab the stray blanket off the couch before disappearing back into the room. ¡°You didn¡¯t need to. I¡¯m not going to let you do anything that involves you and Muriel.¡±


    ¡°But I need her¡ª¡°


    ¡°I¡¯m sure whatever it is you can find a way that doesn¡¯t involve her. Somewhere in you should be the ability to work around the situation like a Stone. Use it.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no working around this and I¡¯m not leaving until you let me bring Muriel with me.¡±


    Lustris came back out, sighing as she passed him and walked towards a whistling teapot. ¡°I¡¯m doing this for her sake and yours. I don¡¯t think I need to remind you of the kind of state she¡¯s in. She benefits from predictability, repetition. I can honestly say no one can be sure what she does without it.¡±


    He understood the kinds of things they saw from his spirits, even if he hadn¡¯t been there himself; the nightmares the handful of survivors dealt with. For several of those children, it had been their second time losing their family¡­ Muriel was the last, though still not quite stable.


    ¡°She¡¯s just going to bother you anyway,¡± Lustris continued after a long pause. ¡°She won¡¯t realize when something¡¯s making you uncomfortable. Even if she didn¡¯t talk, I know about the way you feel around her. It¡¯s just not safe.¡±


    ¡°I can handle it,¡± he insisted.


    Of course, he was proven wrong when one of the doors creaked open to reveal a sleepy-eyed Muriel. ¡°Lustris..? You never told me we were having guests¡­¡±


    Only when she saw their visitor and locked eyes with him did he remember exactly what it was like to be around her.


    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    \.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*./


    He stepped back immediately as soon as Elena suggested it.


    The girl wasn¡¯t normal. She might¡¯ve looked the part: her hair was a grayish pink and she wore matching clothes to the other townsfolk. But she didn¡¯t feel that way. He wouldn¡¯t be able to have a comparison for it until Natheniel lost his feather necklace seven years later, though hers was to a more subtle degree. It was the untamed power of a dream given mortal form; something he couldn¡¯t quite explain why he felt it (unlike the presence of Ski¨¢), nor could he ever put it into words. It was an overwhelming sort of sensation, one that made him feel sick being around for too long and often developing a headache afterwards.


    Elena glanced back at him. ¡°I know you don¡¯t like strangers but I need you to help.¡±


    Lydia rephrased it into a much blunter statement as she ushered him closer to the girl. ¡°You¡¯re being rude. Stop making the situation worse and be nice.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to¡­¡± Tavin defended weakly. ¡°I-I don¡¯t¡­¡± He couldn¡¯t get the words out. He wanted to tell them that he didn¡¯t feel comfortable; that there was something about it that he didn¡¯t like about it. It wasn¡¯t anything about her particularly, at least not in the way they probably assumed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t want to talk to girls or are you getting dizzy again?¡± Lewis sounded like he was trying to help, but he also sounded like he was teasing Tavin. Suffice to say it didn¡¯t help the situation any.


    ¡°It¡¯s neither!¡±


    ¡°Then it shouldn¡¯t be a problem,¡± Lydia decided. ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s up with you this afternoon but it needs to stop.¡± She was actually acting like his mother. Usually Imre (and occasionally Dimas when talking to both of the boys, but hardly alone) used that kind of voice. That voice that he knew better than to try to deny, if not just by watching Natheniel¡¯s failures at doing so.


    Tavin opened his mouth to give one more bit of protest before deciding that it would be in vain. He finally walked up and sat in front of the girl. ¡°Would you rather talk to me? They can go away, if you want.¡± To show this, the three adults all stepped back.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± the girl asked, tilting her head. She calmed down a bit, at least, and her crying had reduced to little hiccups.


    ¡°Prince Tavin Envi von Mikkel,¡± he responded.


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant. I know who you say you are. That short lady told me you were ¡®Tavin.¡¯ I¡¯m asking who you are.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t make any sense at all!¡± He looked back at Lydia. It seemed the adults were all focused on something he didn¡¯t get. Lydia was busily digging through her satchel for something and both Elena and Lewis were looking at the crowd.


    ¡°It¡¯s one of two options,¡± she replied breezily. ¡°You¡¯re either Light or Dark. You don¡¯t feel like the rest of these people.¡±


    ¡°I could say the same about you,¡± he returned.


    ¡°So you get that part but you can¡¯t actually answer the question?¡±


    Lydia came up to them with a small charm. ¡°We¡¯re going to help you find your parents, okay?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I have parents,¡± the girl remarked. Apparently talking with him had improved her mood, since she was willing to talk about it now.


    ¡°We¡¯re still gonna try!¡± Lydia bent down and offered her the charm. ¡°Until then, keep this safe for me, okay? It¡¯s for something really important.¡±


    Tavin knew what it was supposed to do; it was imbued with Truth magic to let non-magic users (namely Lydia, as that¡¯s ultimately who it fell into the possession of) determine if someone was a human, Ski¨¢, or Fos. He didn¡¯t quite understand why she was giving it to the girl¡ªthere wasn¡¯t really any true reason to suspect her, after all¡ªbut his mother¡¯s knowing nod kept him from questioning it.


    They tried asking around to see if anyone recognized her. While a few of them did, it was just as a random kid they had passed on the street. Elena tried to get any information she could about the girl; anything about when she first started appearing, if she¡¯d mentioned a family to anyone else, and even if there was anyone in any surrounding villages that looked similar to her. If the questions weren¡¯t answered in a shrug, it was just a blunt ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    By the end of the day, they had no new information about her. Lydia had just checked them in at an inn for the night, so they were all huddled in the single room they were given.


    ¡°Don¡¯t feel bad about not knowing anything,¡± the girl said, particularly to Elena. ¡°I don¡¯t know anything either. I don¡¯t even know if they exist¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s awful!¡± Elena immediately started thinking of some other way she could help. ¡°Oh! We¡¯ll bring you with us, and when we get back to Lelishara we can ask Imre about finding your family. They¡¯ve got to be somewhere in Seothia.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ I don¡¯t know about that,¡± Lydia mumbled absently. She was looking at the charm the girl had returned about an hour earlier; it had a vague gray glow, a sign that the girl had been human. ¡°There are some people who don¡¯t have birth parents.¡±


    The adults shared a common understanding. Tavin only pieced parts of it together in hindsight, after research brought him to a similar topic.


    ¡°Either way, you¡¯re going to need a name for now,¡± Elena remarked to the girl. ¡°How about Muriel?¡±


    ¡°Muriel?¡± Lewis repeated. ¡°Isn¡¯t that one of the names you and Adrian considered using for your kids?¡±


    Elena smiled. ¡°If she doesn¡¯t have a family, then she¡¯s going to need one. I¡¯ll happily take her in and I¡¯m sure Mom¡¯ll appreciate another grandchild.¡±


    The girl blinked. ¡°Muriel¡­ I think I like it!¡±

 Bloodline: Chapter 5

    ¡°Well, Muriel, Prince Tavin came for a visit,¡± Lustris explained. ¡°I hope we didn¡¯t wake you.¡±


    Muriel completely ignored her. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°Do you remember the old house we went to when we met? I need to go back there,¡± Tavin replied. ¡°But it seems I won¡¯t be going since Lustris doesn¡¯t want you to leave.¡±


    She glanced back at her caretaker. ¡°I told you not to make decisions for me! I¡¯m my own person, I should be able to do what I want!¡±


    ¡°Muriel¡ª¡°


    ¡°I want to help Tavin. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s incredibly important to him, because otherwise he wouldn¡¯t have made the journey here.¡± Muriel said it with such confidence that there was no disputing it. Lustris had no choice but to give in, and thankfully that¡¯s what she did.


    ¡°Alright, if you¡¯re fine with it¡­ Both of you, get some rest. I¡¯ll prepare what you need by tomorrow morning,¡± Lustris sighed.


    ¡­


    She kept her promise. Come morning, they had everything they would need to last them a few weeks¡ªeven if he didn¡¯t know if the overpacking was intentional or not. He made sure she knew that it would only take them two days at most, which she seemed to understand but still changed nothing. They left after Lustris went over everything they should and shouldn¡¯t do as if they hadn¡¯t done this before.


    ¡°Muriel, slow down!¡± Tavin called. He¡¯d forgotten how fast she walked; maybe that was part of the reason they made this much progress in an hour, since he¡¯d walked quicker to keep up with her.


    ¡°I guess you always were slow,¡± she remarked with a shrug. She fell back to be just in front of him. After experiencing a bit of the silence that followed, she blurted, ¡°Can I ask you a question?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t see a reason why you can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°How did you get Aunt Lydia¡¯s satchel?¡±


    Despite somewhat expecting it, it caught him by surprise. ¡°Father gave it to me, along with a couple of her other belongings.¡±


    ¡°Edric had hid it,¡± she mumbled, quickly changing to a darker tone. ¡°I guess he knew what was happening and that you¡¯d want it. At least it¡¯s actually with you instead of collecting dust somewhere. What else do you have that belonged to her?¡±


    ¡°Whatever she left at the castle, so a lot of maps, a few trinkets, her journal¡­ Raisul is holding on to most of the artifacts the Stones collected since they¡¯re arguably dangerous or otherwise of questionable origin.¡±


    ¡°So you don¡¯t really know what¡¯s happening with most of them? Could one of those hard-earned treasures go missing and you not notice?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s plenty more important things for me to keep track of. I haven¡¯t leisurely sat around in the castle in four years. Of course I¡¯d know if something happens to them, but keeping track of their exact location every moment would just be a waste of time.¡±


    ¡°But you think you¡¯re involved enough to decide what happens to the Estate when we¡¯re both dead?¡±


    He sighed. It must have been something she overheard Lustris talking about, because he knew Imre had suggested they avoid directly speaking about anything to do with it. No matter how she heard it, though, she must not have listened to all of it. ¡°I don¡¯t see any other Stones. We¡¯re both, in one way or another, screwed out of an actual right to it. Adopted children need to be living there for ten years before they can claim it; it¡¯s plenty of time, presuming the child was adopted as an infant or toddler. You, technically, were only Aunt Ellie¡¯s daughter for two years. I, as a bastard child by definition, can¡¯t own any of it either unless the head of the household agrees to it. Grandfather wasn¡¯t exactly prepared to die so there wasn¡¯t any ¡®hey, Tavin gets everything if we all die in one night.¡¯ I only have as much say as I do because all of it would¡¯ve otherwise belonged to the king, who¡¯s also my father and could pull a couple of strings.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that part. It¡¯s more about what you plan to do with it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the same thing. Everyone who claimed that lineage was there. You and I are the only two that remain, so after we¡¯re dead, that¡¯s it. Everything they collected would still belong to the throne, and since they knew people had told me to send it up in the redemptive flames. I¡¯d just like to be with them when all those souls are finally put to rest.¡±


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    ¡°Don¡¯t you think it would¡¯ve been nice to actually tell someone?¡±


    In a completely casual tone, he mumbled, ¡°I think you might be forgetting who has three of their spirits. I believe their agreement is more important than anyone else¡¯s thoughts on the matter.¡±


    Muriel opened and closed her mouth several times before deciding she had no way to answer. It was good, because he didn¡¯t want to talk about it any more than he had to. He¡¯d somewhat explained his reasoning; to any normal person, that should¡¯ve been enough for them.


    The hours that remained of their walk was spent in idle chatter. Well, it was more of a one-sided conversation since only Muriel was talking. She¡¯d proceeded to act like the conversation hadn¡¯t happened, rambling on about some little thing or another about her life in the village. It was nice to know that she was being treated well, but at the same time, it was slightly annoying.


    They got there just in time to save the majority of his sanity. Seeing it, hardly appearing as much of a ¡°ruin¡± as an abandoned house, brought about a certain sense of nostalgia. Now, whether it was a good feeling or not was a completely different matter entirely that he didn¡¯t quite know the answer to.


    \.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*./


    Lydia excitedly stood in front of it, letting out a cheerful, ¡°Tadaah! Our destination!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an abandoned house¡­¡± Elena mumbled. ¡°When you briefly explained to us where we were going, I didn¡¯t think of this. I thought of something more, you know¡­ ruin-y.¡±


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t any of us getting in there?¡± Lewis walked past his older sister and towards the house. Right after he passed the fence, however, his confident stride was broken when he apparently ran into something¡ªhard, from the looks of it.


    ¡°That, Witless,¡± Lydia remarked with an eye roll. ¡°If you looked up you would¡¯ve seen where the light reflects off the barrier. It¡¯s magic, dumbass.¡±


    ¡°Lydia, there¡¯s kids here,¡± Elena hissed.


    The oldest shrugged. ¡°Tavin¡¯s been around Kiah, it¡¯s fine. He knows he¡¯s not allowed to repeat what he hears until he¡¯s older. Isn¡¯t that right, Tavin?¡±


    Mostly just because he recognized he was being talked to, he nodded.


    ¡°But what about the one you¡¯re not responsible for?¡±


    ¡°Eh. That¡¯s your problem.¡±


    ¡°So I¡¯ve got a more important question,¡± Lewis announced. ¡°Why are we here of all places and what¡¯s so important about it that it gets a magical barrier?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s some kind of enchanted material that was built into the house itself,¡± Lydia explained. ¡°I didn¡¯t really think it would still exist since it, you know, hasn¡¯t been maintained in twenty years¡­ but it¡¯s just a little setback. It¡¯s meant to protect the enchanted object that¡¯s in there. But hopefully I don¡¯t need to remind you two what that object is.¡±


    Lewis looked like it took a minute, but Elena clearly remembered something. Tavin, meanwhile, glanced between each of the adults. He tried to ignore the split-second expression Lydia made when their eyes met; something that whispered of a thinly-veiled secret, a hope or regret he didn¡¯t know about that she was painfully aware of.


    ¡°What¡¯s the ¡®no maintenance in twenty years¡¯ thing about?¡± Elena, though not surprisingly, was hesitant to ask about it.


    ¡°The, uh¡­ original residents were murdered. I learned about this whole thing helping the army track down a serial killer. It piqued my interest so I looked into it more on my own time and realized the family had a couple of enchanted objects with them. Not the reason they were killed, though, so what I¡¯m looking for is probably still there.¡± Lydia paused. ¡°But to add to the list of enchanted stuff, I think their bodies are frozen in one of the rooms, so we should probably keep an eye on the kids. They¡¯re too young to be mentally scarred for life.¡±


    Elena must have had so many thoughts and questions before she finally settled with, ¡°Why is walking into the house of a murder victim¡ªwith the bodies still in there somewhere¡ªnot the weirdest thing you¡¯ve done?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s also not the most illegal,¡± Lewis pointed out matter-of-factly. ¡°I think that means more than how questionable it is.¡±


    Lydia decided to ignore both of them. ¡°All we need is to figure out how to open it. I don¡¯t know how the guys from the army got past it and I didn¡¯t exactly plan for it to still be up.¡±


    ¡°You dragged us this far away from home and we¡¯ve reached a dead end,¡± Elena sighed. ¡°You somehow convinced all of us to leave everything we had planned to go with you on a whim, and it ends up bringing us to this.¡±


    ¡°H-hey, ¡®I don¡¯t know¡¯ doesn¡¯t mean ¡®I¡¯ve given up,¡¯ you know!¡± Lydia defended. ¡°You should know that I don¡¯t give up that easily, and things usually turn out okay! We just need to figure out how to¡ª¡°


    ¡°I think I might know.¡± Muriel surprisingly didn¡¯t flinch when all of them looked at her. ¡°I don¡¯t remember why, but¡­ I don¡¯t think this magic¡­ likes me?¡±


    To prove her point, she walked up to the barrier and put her hand out. The barrier apparently disappeared when she did touch it, as proved when Lydia threw a pebble over the fence.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ definitely something only one of them could do¡­¡± Elena mumbled. Actually talking to Muriel, she added, ¡°Great job!¡± Everyone knew she wanted to motivate the girl, and not saying it because she actually wanted to continue inside.


    Lydia led the way to the door in a stride that was both confident and careful. Suffice to say that, while she usually had an abundance of the former, the latter was completely out of place. She looked between Tavin and Muriel and, quiet enough that he didn¡¯t know if he¡¯d actually misheard her or not, muttered, ¡°Imre¡¯s definitely gonna need to hear about this¡­¡±

 Bloodline: Chapter 6

    Whatever enchanted object was keeping the place protected, it still had yet to break. Tavin glanced at Muriel. ¡°Can you¡ª¡°


    ¡°Open it?¡± she guessed, stepping up to place her hand through it. ¡°Isn¡¯t that what I¡¯m here for?¡± It was a casual remark, though he couldn¡¯t help but think of it as a bit passive-aggressive. Given what Lustris told him earlier, he decided not to mention it and simply assume it the way she likely meant it.


    Tavin walked past the fence without any issues. He did stop right in front of the door, though, when a thought crossed his mind. ¡°Would you rather stay here? I know it isn¡¯t exactly¡­¡± He didn¡¯t want to risk upsetting her, and some of it was bound to do that if she stumbled upon it.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± It was hard to tell whether she knew what was in there and decided it wasn¡¯t a problem or didn¡¯t know. After all, he only figured out as much as he did from looking at the trip in hindsight and with the memories of three other people who¡¯d been there. He definitely wouldn¡¯t have realized¡ªor remembered¡ªhalf the stuff he saw if it weren¡¯t for that.


    ¡°Just don¡¯t run off, okay?¡± He knew it was only a couple of rooms. But that didn¡¯t make what they could find in those rooms any less disturbing. They seemed to be victims similar to Muriel¡¯s experiences.


    ¡°You sound like Mom,¡± she pointed out. ¡°Just because I wandered once doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m going to do it again. I¡¯ve already figured out there¡¯s nothing interesting here. I came to help you with whatever you¡¯re here for, not because I had my own reason to come back here.¡±


    He hoped what he wanted was still there. It probably was, but he still couldn¡¯t banish the thought of it. He hadn¡¯t been here in eight years; that was more than enough time for someone with even half of Lydia¡¯s sense of adventure to learn about it and take it. That wasn¡¯t considering what it actually did, since he¡¯d never exactly been told and it only now seemed important.


    Tavin cautiously opened the door and, after hearing it creak, silently prayed the house wouldn¡¯t fall apart on them.


    With the kind of condition it was in, the barrier must not have kept out the weather. The wind and rain could get strong in this part of the plains, and it was only a simple wooden house. With no one to tend to it, it probably hadn¡¯t taken long for it to get in this state. Yet even if its safety was questionable, all of the objects were still in the same places they were in the last time he was here.


    Muriel definitely took note of it too, stopping by the entrance to the kitchen to look around. ¡°If Aunt Lydia hadn¡¯t said anything about it, do you think any of us would¡¯ve really noticed?¡±


    ¡°I would¡¯ve, if given enough time,¡± he responded with a sideways look to the door at the end of the hall.


    She came to a bold subject change with her next question. ¡°Is this what the Estate looks like now? Like¡­ like nothing ever happened there to begin with?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s in much better shape than this place. There¡¯s actually people taking care of it, unlike here where I¡¯m pretty sure we were the last people to be here.¡±


    ¡°Are we looking at the same place? Everything is exactly the same. Last I checked, things don¡¯t stay like that for eight years.¡± To prove her point, she walked into the kitchen and ran her finger along one of the plates at the table. ¡°Look, there¡¯s not even any dust on it! Can you explain that?¡±


    ¡°Well, believing no one¡¯s been here is better than thinking some random person keeps coming back,¡± he pointed out. ¡°At least that way we can both walk through here with the idea that we¡¯re completely alone.¡±


    ¡°But why¡¯s everything so neat, even if it is falling apart? It could be a memorial for the people who lived here for all we know.¡±


    ¡°A memorial that also includes the decomposing bodies of the people. That¡¯s definitely normal.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t see anything and I was in every room,¡± she remarked matter-of-factly.


    Tavin held back his own statement, the thing he hadn¡¯t realized until he looked back on it. He knew where those bodies were and he would need to go back there soon enough. He already found himself getting nauseous at the thought of it.


    Muriel wasn¡¯t quite done with her argument, though, as she pointed to a hole in the wall. ¡°Look, that wasn¡¯t there when we were here! And it¡¯s not a rundown kind of hole, so don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s just because the house is old!¡±


    He immediately recognized it. ¡°I hate to break it to you, but that doesn¡¯t change anything. Mother did that.¡±


    \.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*./


    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    While Elena, Lewis, and Muriel were looking through the kitchen, Lydia stopped right at the door. Tavin chose to stay beside her instead of look around, which was something she didn¡¯t notice at first.


    ¡°Is this place going to last another ten years..?¡± she mumbled, putting her hand on the wall. She put too much weight on it, however, and her hand went right through it. ¡°Crap. I¡¯m okay! Just broke the wall!¡±


    ¡°We weren¡¯t worried about you!¡± Lewis called back. ¡°I mean, you trip over air half the time, so¡­¡±


    ¡°I can feel the love, I assure you!¡± was her slightly-annoyed response. She pulled her hand back to her side and mumbled something about if she should try to fix it. It was at that moment that she noticed her son staring up at her.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Tavin asked.


    It was clear she was trying to think of some vague answer. ¡°I¡¯m checking to make sure this place won¡¯t, you know, fall down.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯d let us all wander into a place that might collapse randomly,¡± he pointed out.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say in the near future,¡± she replied. Eventually she sighed, ¡°I¡¯ll be honest, I want us to come back later¡ªjust the two of us. A couple years from now, preferably, but we can figure that part out when we get there. The only thing is, I need to make sure this place will still be here by then.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you just¡­ take whatever you¡¯re looking for with us?¡± He knew he probably shouldn¡¯t be questioning his mother. But he was also very, very confused, and almost wondered if she¡¯d thought about it in the first place. It wouldn¡¯t be the first time she forgot something everyone else would consider common sense.


    She looked away when she gave him her answer. ¡°Because then someone¡¯s going to figure something out that they¡¯re not supposed to.¡±


    ¡°Hey, Envi! Can you come over here?¡± Lewis poked his head out of the kitchen.


    Lydia walked over to her brother and, soon enough, the three siblings were having a hushed conversation about something. He heard her say something about a hidden room before something else caught his attention: Muriel lazily peered inside each of the rooms before wandering into the one at the end of the hall.


    Tavin gave a glance to the adults before deciding to follow her. He knew he should¡¯ve alerted one of them. But it wasn¡¯t that far, and he didn¡¯t plan on actually stepping in. If any of the three were attempting to watch the kids, then they would notice and stop them both.


    ¡°They told us not to go on our own,¡± he reminded her as he stood in the door. It was a wonder he didn¡¯t question the upturned crib, dark spots, and ominous figures sitting in the window seat.


    Muriel didn¡¯t pay attention to her surroundings either. She absently pushed back the crib and began feeling around the floor. ¡°They didn¡¯t tell us not to do anything. They told each other to keep an eye on us. We¡¯re not disobeying them if they¡¯re not doing what they said they would.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s the right way to think of it¡­¡± He looked over at the adults, but they were still having their conversation. They didn¡¯t seem to notice anything. A whispered sibling argument, perhaps, by the way Lydia and Lewis were glaring at each other.


    When Muriel found a hatch in the floor and lifted it open, she reached over to him and grabbed his arm. ¡°This area feels weird, I want to see what it is. I¡¯m bringing you with me so I can learn who you are. No telling the adults!¡± That warning really wouldn¡¯t have stopped him if she hadn¡¯t tugged him closer. She even forced him down first and followed with little time for him to try to escape.


    The only thing he could see after she closed the hatch was whatever object was in the center; though the only thing he could determine was that it was a vaguely-glowing orb. He realized it was the object Lydia must have been here for.


    ¡°We¡¯re not supposed to be here,¡± he mumbled. He stayed right by the ladder and was ready to leave if she proved to not listen to him.


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Muriel responded brightly. ¡°I don¡¯t really remember things like what adults told me, but I don¡¯t think they mentioned walking into random, dead people¡¯s houses. We aren¡¯t supposed to walk into a random house that belonged to random people. But the taller lady¡ªyour mom?¡ªdoes it anyway. She sets a really bad example. I say we might as well follow her example, right? If she didn¡¯t want us running off then maybe she wouldn¡¯t give us the opportunity to begin with.¡±


    He started to turn around and put his foot on the ladder. ¡°I don¡¯t have a good feeling about this. I¡¯m going back and getting M¡ª¡°


    ¡°What did I tell you? No telling the adults.¡± She pulled him back down and practically dragged him closer to the center of the room. ¡°All the boys in the village were either interested in bugs, swinging twigs around, or getting dirty. It was kind of annoying, but at least it wasn¡¯t boring.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry that I¡¯m so boring to you,¡± he remarked sarcastically.


    ¡°Make it up to me by touching this!¡± She grabbed his hand and forced him closer to the orb.


    ¡°What? No!¡± Tavin resisted as much as he could until a light from the hatch distracted both of them.


    Lydia practically jumped down, dropped to her knees in front of him, and pulled him in for a hug. ¡°Tavin, there you are! Never run off again, okay? It¡¯s not safe for you to be down here. There¡¯s things that you aren¡¯t ready for yet, and¡­ I don¡¯t want you getting hurt.¡± She let go so she could look at him. ¡°You didn¡¯t touch anything, did you?¡± For the first and only time he could remember, she looked scared. Whatever was here, she really didn¡¯t like the idea of him finding it.


    He shook his head. ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°What were you thinking, going down here?¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to. Muriel grabbed my hand and dragged me out here.¡±


    She glanced in the girl¡¯s direction, but she must not have liked the expression she got in return. Lydia got up and gently nudged both of them closer to the ladder. ¡°How about you two stay with Aunt Ellie and Uncle Witless outside? I¡¯ll join you in a couple of minutes.¡±

 Bloodline: Chapter 7

    Tavin wandered right to the room at the end of the hallway, and turned to Muriel. ¡°I think it¡¯s best if you stay out here.¡±


    She shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t need to know what kind of boring stuff you¡¯re doing anyway.¡±


    He nodded, opening the door just wide enough that he could get in and closing it behind him. He knew what was in front of him if he dared to look up; just the thought of it made him sick, so he kept his eyes on the floor and touched nothing more than the handle for the hatch.


    An almost solemn air hung over him as he made his way down the ladder. It was a mix of fear¡ªrecalling how Lydia had treated the subject in the past¡ªand curiosity, though no excitement. There was nothing about this that he looked forward to. He¡¯d never been given reason to, after all.


    ¡°So¡­ what do I do now?¡± he mumbled. ¡°You asked me if I¡¯d touched anything. Is¡­ is that what you want me to do?¡±


    He didn¡¯t know what he felt when the voices all seemed to say yes.


    ¡°Is this going to feel weird..?¡±


    There was a moment of silence before the response, maybe.


    ¡°I guess I¡¯m just going to have to trust you, right, Mother?¡±


    A clearer, more specific voice replied, of course, but you don¡¯t have to be afraid. You¡¯ll be able to see us soon enough.


    Without giving himself time to hesitate more, he touched the orb. The voice¡¯s reassurance began to make sense with the familiar, but unpleasant, feeling that followed. It was like the truth magic the Lysha used to look at a person¡¯s spirit; something that, from Dusek¡¯s description, practically pulled those parts of a person away so everyone else could see it. With that definition, it was easy to compare it to feeling like a part of himself was being torn out of him.


    After a minute, the four wisps around him had taken form into recognizable figures. Lydia, Elena, and Lewis were all around him. Lucas, once again, was less clear and further away.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Elena tried putting her hand on his shoulder. But despite being seemingly real, she was still only an illusion: it went right through him.


    ¡°As fine as I¡¯m going to be,¡± Tavin muttered. ¡°This isn¡¯t exactly the nicest feeling in the world, though, so please hurry it up.¡±


    Lydia sighed. ¡°I hope you can handle it for a while because I don¡¯t know how long this is going to take. I want you to see a couple of things first¡­ That orb can see events in the past. There¡¯s two in particular that I think would be a pretty good place to start¡­¡±


    ¡°How do I start it, then?¡± He looked between her and the orb.


    ¡°Just give it the date.¡± She took a deep breath. ¡°The first one should be Onala sixth of the Third Year of Frost¡­ it should know who I¡¯m talking about.¡±


    It didn¡¯t seem to need him to do anything, either. He blinked to a completely different picture; it was somewhere in the mountains and snowfall that was verging on a blizzard. He knew he was still in the room because the orb was still in front of him and his spirits were still around him. When he tried glancing at Lydia for some form of explanation, however, she only avoided his gaze to focus on the man battling against the snow.


    Tavin didn¡¯t realize until then that he was¡­ holding something. Or¡­ was it someone? He had something clutched close to his chest, and it sounded like that same thing was crying.


    ¡°We¡¯re almost home,¡± the man assured the crying thing. ¡°Well¡­ my home. But I doubt you have anywhere else to go. You¡¯re lucky I found you¡­ and I think I¡¯m lucky I found you, too. Otherwise you might¡¯ve died here and all my work up to this point would be useless.¡± After he spoke, it was completely silent. Whatever had been crying earlier had stopped now, though it wasn¡¯t a soothing thing to note.


    He soon came to a village, but it still took him a little while to actually stop at a house. The projection accounted for him opening the door to show four kids standing there. At least, they all appeared to be kids; there were two, a boy and a girl, who were clearly related, a goblin whose age was honestly hard to tell, and another young boy (who also looked to be the youngest there).


    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    ¡°Takane, get the fire going and put some tea on. Kiraat, Zenas, please get some blankets,¡± the man instructed. He glanced at the youngest as he closed the door behind him. ¡°Umber¡­ help Kiraat and Zenas.¡±


    Each of the kids went to their own tasks. The goblin was the only one who stayed in that room, however. ¡°So what¡¯s got you out in the middle of a storm tonight, Haris? I know I don¡¯t really have the place to question you, but¡­ can I get some kind of explanation?¡±


    Haris showed her what he¡¯d kept so close to his chest before. It was a baby, wrapped in nothing more than a simple scarf. ¡°I thought I sensed the fifth of you¡­ the Bear. Following that sense led me straight to her and I don¡¯t doubt it.¡±


    ¡°Okay, but what exactly do you mean by that? You can¡¯t tell me you just walked into someone¡¯s house and¡ª¡°


    ¡°Oh, gods no! She was all on her own. I think¡­ she¡¯s one of them, too. More so than the rest of you are, I mean¡ªthat she¡¯s actually a part of the saint¡¯s curse.¡±


    It all faded from there. Tavin gave his mother a confused look. ¡°Is that everything..?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not done,¡± Lydia said. ¡°I didn¡¯t really expect you to get that part anyway. As many times as I talked about how we went to Idale and fought the Minotaur, I didn¡¯t mention the names of the Keys that came before us. I guess Dimas didn¡¯t either, since he¡¯s the only other one who would talk about it. But it¡¯ll make sense at the next one. This one will be Istrigar fourteenth of the Year of Success.¡±


    That just confused him more. ¡°Wait, you would¡¯ve been fifteen¡­¡±


    She nodded. ¡°Just listen.¡±


    Five familiar figures formed in front of the orb: the younger versions of Lydia, Imre, Dimas, Samone, and Kiah.


    Kiah was the first to say something. ¡°Then again, who really knows when they¡¯re involved¡­¡±


    ¡°They?¡± Imre repeated.


    She gave it a moment of consideration before mumbling, ¡°Ilethera.¡±


    ¡°What do they have to do with any of this?¡± Dimas asked.


    ¡°Minne was an Ilethera,¡± Kiah explained. ¡°She has the kind of healing abilities of a mage; give her three minutes and, whatever it was, you¡¯ll wonder if it was ever there at all. But she takes on all of it in the process. It¡¯s a wonder she hasn¡¯t gotten herself killed by it, however close she¡¯s gotten¡­¡±


    Then it faded too. Tavin was once again alone with only his spirits.


    ¡°I think past-Kiah pretty much summed it up,¡± Lydia remarked. ¡°Minne¡­ we¡¯re pretty sure she¡¯s the type of Ilethera who just kind of poofed into existence. It would explain why she didn¡¯t have trackable blood relatives. So as her grandson, you¡¯ve got the blood of an Ilethera.¡±


    ¡°So does Father, technically, but nothing¡¯s become of it,¡± Tavin pointed out. ¡°He¡¯s still just a normal human.¡±


    ¡°But that blood doesn¡¯t need to be present in every generation. It can skip one, or even seemingly disappear only to come back hundreds of years later.¡± She sighed. ¡°My point is, even if Imre is normal¡­ you¡¯re not.¡±


    For some reason, he thought he could argue¡ªlike she, as his mother, wasn¡¯t confident enough in the fact to be swayed. ¡°I don¡¯t have any kind of power that the Ilethera have! I don¡¯t have a good control over magic or some mental ability or inhuman physical features! I can¡¯t¡ª¡°


    ¡°You know Dreamers aren¡¯t the only non-human creatures that have a connection to the Fos and Ski¨¢, right? They might be the next best thing, since they can control them and all, but they aren¡¯t alone in this. There¡¯s also actual Ilethera who, at the very least, can sense and communicate with them even if they can¡¯t exactly control them.¡± Lydia looked him dead in the eye as she said, ¡°Ilethera like you. Did you ever stop to notice that no one actually told you your ability to recognize Ski¨¢ was because you were around them before?¡±


    He didn¡¯t answer.


    ¡°You¡¯d determined all of that on your own. What really happened is that you either didn¡¯t realize that¡¯s what it was or you hadn¡¯t encountered any Ski¨¢ beyond that point in time. It¡¯s also why you feel so weird around dreamers. I don¡¯t think Ihu has a particularly normal feeling for you either, but you¡¯ve probably gotten used to that by now¡­¡±


    So many different thoughts ran through his head, but there was one he decided to settle on. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me all of this sooner?¡±


    ¡°Because we both decided it wasn¡¯t something you needed to know. But I¡¯d always planned on telling you eventually. I thought maybe Imre would¡¯ve after I died, but¡­ maybe he had the same fear about you that he had about Natheniel. So I still had to do it myself.¡±


    ¡°I thought Natheniel was the only one you¡¯d kept things from,¡± Tavin mumbled.


    Lydia frowned. ¡°Tavin¡­¡±


    He sighed. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Projecting my spirits this long is making me a bit dizzy, if¡­ this is everything, I¡¯m going to go and bring Muriel back home.¡±


    Whatever she was going to say to him was cut off when he took his hand off the orb. Looking at it, he realized there was no purpose to leave it here; he opened the satchel and gently put it inside, promising himself to put it somewhere safe when he returned to the castle.


    Tavin climbed up the ladder, closed the hatch once he was up, and carefully came through the door. ¡°I think we¡¯re ready to go now.¡±


    ¡°Finally,¡± Muriel moaned. ¡°It felt like you took forever. What did you do in there?¡±


    He just shook his head and kept moving.

 Bloodline: Chapter 8

    He¡¯d brought Muriel back to Lustris and stayed the night at their cottage. He didn¡¯t really say anything to Samone when he got back to the estate. There was no use only asking her about it; he wanted to hear it from someone else. He wasn¡¯t sure what kind of outcome he wanted more¡ªif, somehow, his father could tell him it had been some sort of mistake, or if it was true without any particular reason as to why he didn¡¯t know until now. Tavin hated all the time he¡¯d been given to think it over, since they left to return to the castle a day after. With a ride that long, after all, there was hardly anything else to do.


    They¡¯d all kept secrets from Natheniel because they were afraid of what he would do. They didn¡¯t want him to realize what he could do and end up hurting somebody. But what was meant to keep everyone safe ended up hurting him, along with the people around him. That whole thing might¡¯ve been avoided if he¡¯d known what he was so that he could control it. Instead, he almost killed her and created a false reality built on his paranoia.


    For the longest time, Tavin was assured that Natheniel was the only special one¡ªthe only one they hid things from, the only one who might¡¯ve played a bigger role in this. Apparently, though, there was a chance that he was wrong.


    He wanted to hold on to the hope that what Lydia had described to him was nothing worth noting. Sensing Ski¨¢ and dreamers didn¡¯t have too many practical uses. Sure, it might mean he can avoid a bit of danger, but there wasn¡¯t anything else. There wasn¡¯t a world-altering power hidden in it. He couldn¡¯t really do anything with it, could he? But if that was the case, then why hadn¡¯t someone mentioned it earlier? It wasn¡¯t like he would¡¯ve taken it any worse if he was younger. He found himself growing up rather quickly¡ªmaybe even quicker than they¡¯d hoped¡ªcompared to normal kids. Did¡­ they think of it as what separated him from the much larger problems they fought against..?


    He barely spoke a word during the trip and the morning after they returned. He¡¯d gone to breakfast and lunch but Imre wasn¡¯t there; pretty much the only thing he did was reinstate that Uzoma was kind of a creep and gained the mutual agreement of whoever else was present. He didn¡¯t actually hear his father¡¯s voice until he came down from his room for dinner.


    ¡°You let him do what?¡± Imre¡¯s tone perfectly mirrored what his expression probably was: something that was mostly concerned, possibly slightly disappointed, but definitely surprised.


    ¡°Well, last I checked, I¡¯m not either of his parents,¡± Samone pointed out. ¡°Besides, he mentioned it was something Lydia wanted him to do. He probably would¡¯ve gone anyway, whether I gave him permission or not. I figured what was important was that he came back safely, and he did.¡±


    ¡°And if he didn¡¯t? What then? We could hardly take the hit when Natheniel disappeared, and quite frankly, they thought of him as nothing more than a kid living in the castle. We¡¯d lose whatever faith the northern territories still have if something happened to Tavin. You know that as much as I do.¡±


    ¡°Imre, I think you need to think on the bright side.¡± Dimas was there too, then, though it wasn¡¯t much of a surprise. ¡°Sure a bunch of bad things could have happened, but they didn¡¯t. If you¡¯re really that worried, you can ask him when he gets here. At this rate you¡¯re going to worry yourself sick before you even eat anything.¡±


    That was when Tavin opened the door. He was a bit hesitant at first, before he realized his company and saw that everyone was there¡ªeven Kiah, though perhaps because of a meeting earlier. He closed the door behind him again and wandered to his seat as the prince.


    For a little while, he didn¡¯t say anything and none of the adults engaged in a conversation. He figured it would be better to give them all some time to eat, in case the topic ended up being more sensitive than he assumed. It was only until they¡¯d all finished and were discussing options for dessert that he decided it was time to bring it up.


    ¡°Was Grandmother an Ilethera?¡±


    None of them gave an immediate response. Imre¡¯s expression said enough, however; wherever this conversation would take them, it was one his father had feared. Then again, there were only so many clever ways of avoiding the truth of the matter as to why he didn¡¯t like how Samone had let Tavin go.


    Dimas was the first to answer: a simple nod. ¡°Why do you ask..?¡±


    ¡°Do I¡­ have her blood, as an Ilethera?¡±


    This brought several quick responses, but all ones that were obviously meant to dodge the topic at hand.


    ¡°All five of us have the blood of Ilethera,¡± Samone recalled. ¡°There¡¯s nothing more about it, though.¡±


    ¡°She was your grandmother,¡± Kiah remarked. ¡°Imre¡¯s got just as much of that blood as you do.¡±


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    ¡°I appreciate your trying to help, but I think we just need to be honest here,¡± Imre sighed. It was already confirmed as true by that alone, and he continued to make eye contact with Tavin to prove it. ¡°Yes. More than just as someone you were related to. How should I put this¡­ you¡¯re more like us than you are like her, but you¡¯re also more like Ihu than you¡¯re like us. If any of that makes sense at all.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, I¡¯m like Ihu?¡± He knew what Lydia had told him; his abilities as an Ilethera had to do with recognizing Ski¨¢ and the dreamers. But he didn¡¯t quite see how that compared to the bird. ¡°They¡¯re a Fos, aren¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°Dreamers can never be connected to Fos¡ªat least none of the ones we have records of,¡± Imre explained. ¡°They can have a Fos as a companion but, if they did, they also have a Ski¨¢, so the two balance each other out. Since they¡¯re naturally inclined to be more connected to shadows, then the power gap between Ski¨¢ and specific Ilethera is filled by the dreamers. With Fos, the gap still exists, but it¡¯s¡­ smaller. The Ilethera connected to the Fos are more powerful, meaning they might compare to a dreamer and still have the true title of an Ilethera. Just like how Natheniel was a step away from a Ski¨¢, you¡¯re almost at the same point with a Fos.¡±


    ¡°How long have you known..?¡± Tavin was quieter than he¡¯d meant to be, but it still felt loud compared to the silence around him.


    ¡°In a general, ¡®we knew you were an Ilethera but not what kind¡¯ way? A couple months after you were born,¡± Imre admitted. ¡°Everything else, we pieced together as you got older. Even then, we practically threw darts at a board, marked off whatever possibilities we could, and went with the most probable of what remained. We didn¡¯t really know anything for certain until we realized you could sense dreamers, Fos, Ski¨¢; having that ability of the Fos, we now have the guess that maybe you have the same kind of presence that they do. Of course, testing it is a terrible idea, and I¡¯d rather not have anyone in the circumstances needed to figure out if it¡¯s true¡­¡± He paused before giving the quiet comment, ¡°Sometimes I wonder if Mother realized that and if it affected her judgment about what she did¡­¡±


    ¡°You know you don¡¯t have to get this all out tonight¡­¡± Dimas mumbled, putting a hand on his husband¡¯s shoulder. ¡°A bit of it can wait until we¡¯re all ready to talk about it.¡±


    Imre¡¯s smile was superficial. ¡°We¡¯ve kept telling those kinds of lies for the past eighteen years and see where that brought us. I think it¡¯s about time there¡¯s no secrets between us, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t just about the Ilethera anymore, is it..?¡± Tavin had prepared himself for them to confirm what Lydia had told him. He was still processing the entire Fos thing, but other than that, he thought he more or less had it all down. The idea that there was more, however, made him doubt that hold.


    Samone glanced at Imre before beginning the explanation. It couldn¡¯t have been much easier for her, though it did give him a few moments to mentally prepare himself. Somehow, she seemed to say it all in a single sentence: ¡°You know what happened to Lydia¡¯s twins.¡± But that wasn¡¯t even where she stopped. ¡°Sure, she was young and, honestly, who knows what kind of cursed object she was messing around with. But it doesn¡¯t change the fact that both of them died in two days.¡±


    ¡°None of us thought anything of it,¡± Imre picked up after her. ¡°Lydia didn¡¯t bring it up, either, so we all mostly forgot about it. Mother saw past the mask that we took to be reality, though. Her abilities¡ª¡°


    ¡°With all due respect, Father, I know,¡± Tavin interrupted. ¡°Mother told me. She could heal others, but at the cost of her own health, right?¡±


    Quickly getting past his surprise, Imre nodded. ¡°I didn¡¯t assume the two were connected until we cleaned out her room a few weeks later. She¡¯d been leaving notes for a while. I think¡­ she¡¯d always been planning it, or at least knew about it, but needed the perfect moment to do it. She wanted it to look like she¡¯d just¡­ died in her sleep, and she did a pretty good job at it.¡±


    ¡°So, really, I shouldn¡¯t be alive right now?¡± Tavin didn¡¯t see much point in avoiding it.


    ¡°Technically, each of us did at least three things that we probably should¡¯ve died from,¡± Kiah remarked casually. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t really be a surprise at this point.¡±


    ¡°For two Ilethera, I¡¯d say we were all pretty lucky in that regard,¡± Dimas agreed. ¡°Almost all of us are still alive and well. Even then, they were more avoidable oversights than things completely out of our control¡­ It was never exactly obvious but it wasn¡¯t the most discreet of things either.¡±


    Imre¡¯s attention was still unwaveringly on Tavin. ¡°This isn¡¯t¡­ too much at once, is it? You look rather calm and that¡¯s normally not a good thing¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± He knew it wouldn¡¯t make them any less worried, but there were other things that would make it worse. It was better to simply give them the answer they knew he would give. Whatever he had yet to come to terms with were things he could contemplate in his room, where he could continue the impression that everything was fine.


    No one stayed much later after they realized the time of realizations were over. Kiah called for another drink and, after downing it, announced she¡¯d be returning to the stronghold and left. Samone was there long enough for some dessert but left before they started talking about Zofie and Philyra. Admittedly, only Dimas and Tavin were discussing the Qizarn queen and princess, though it was a much lighter atmosphere than before.


    Imre suddenly changed the subject, however. ¡°Tavin, did you come across the trinket Lydia found in that area? Spherical, glows a bit, can show things from the past..?¡±


    ¡°She showed me things with it,¡± Tavin said with a nod. ¡°It also draws out spirits. I brought it back with me when I left. Why?¡±


    ¡°Just curious,¡± was the mumbled response. ¡°I know the rest of the stuff she collected over the years are with Raisul, but hold on to that one, okay? You can keep it in your room or put it somewhere safer, as long as I know where it is.¡±


    Dimas gave him a quizzical look. ¡°What are you thinking of?¡±


    ¡°They say the past can show a path to the future.¡± Imre got up with a small smile. It was fake. ¡°Trust me.¡± Then he left.

 Rebellion: Chapter 1

    He had an incredibly specific talent of alerting the soldiers, no matter what he was doing. He could be sneaking a few of his fianc¨¦e¡¯s freshly-baked cookies to the neighbors¡¯ kids, casually strolling through town, handing out or putting up fliers, showing off his handiwork (which happened to be weapons), talking and disagreeing with the latest policy or royal decree, openly calling out what was going on¡­ It was like they saw his face and they knew they should be suspicious. Then again, he couldn¡¯t quite blame them.


    ¡°Halt! State your business wandering the streets with a sword!¡± The soldiers walked up to him, the taller of the two looking familiar and definitely recognizing him.


    ¡°You know, I just walked halfway across town with this and you¡¯re only just now realizing it?¡± Lucas remarked with a smirk.


    ¡°State your business,¡± the taller one reiterated.


    ¡°I went out to show a friend the kind of stuff I make. I¡¯m heading back home now,¡± Lucas responded.


    The two soldiers exchanged a wary glance before the taller one decided, ¡°I¡¯m escorting you back to your house.¡±


    ¡°Come on, Svend, don¡¯t you trust me?¡±


    ¡°Not since you nearly set the barracks and half our supplies on fire.¡±


    ¡°I told them not to bring their torches and pitchforks. What can I do if they think the only saving grace is those flames Fleyw Bresh finds so redemptive?¡±


    ¡°Quit being cute, I¡¯m still reporting you to the commander.¡± Svend took Lucas¡¯s sword and pushed him forward. ¡°One more warning and you¡¯re spending the night in jail. Don¡¯t you realize that?¡±


    ¡°Well I didn¡¯t realize going about my business was illegal,¡± Lucas said breezily. ¡°Are you sure I can¡¯t get off this one time? I¡¯m only doing what I need to do to eat.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t see why the clients can¡¯t come to you. Or the fact you¡¯re forging swords without being requested to by the king.¡±


    ¡°I operate out of my backyard, there¡¯s hardly enough room for bringing guests in.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t your girlfriend run the most successful bakery in the area? I doubt you¡¯re bringing in anything if the only thing you seem to be doing is running around and getting in trouble.¡±


    Lucas grinned. ¡°Ah, you misspoke. She¡¯s not my girlfriend. She¡¯s my fianc¨¦e.¡±


    Svend sighed. ¡°Gods help her, then. Must be desperate if she¡¯s staying with someone like you.¡±


    Lucas may or may not have only continued attempts at small talk in order to get Svend to let him off the hook. It had happened a few times before; he was usually able to talk his way out of these kinds of things. But it was nearly impossible to trick the same person twice¡­ or ten times, for that matter.


    Clari swung open the door when she saw them coming. ¡°Luke, what do you think you¡¯re doing? Do I want to know why Svend is with you?¡±


    ¡°I swear I didn¡¯t do anything bad. This time.¡± He turned to accept his sword back, waved Svend goodbye, and gave Clari a kiss on the cheek as he walked inside. ¡°I know it¡¯s late, but is there anything I can do to help with dinner?¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°The only thing you can do is eat. It might be a little cold¡­¡± She closed the door and wandered back into the kitchen.


    He realized that even the table was set up. ¡°You¡¯re mad at me, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I wish you would think about what you¡¯re doing. I know you were always like this, and you try to keep everyone else out of it¡­ but you¡¯re still hurting all of us. I thought that you¡¯d change something when you proposed. You know it doesn¡¯t change how much I love you, but it certainly makes it harder.¡± She came out of the kitchen with two plates, setting one on each of their places. ¡°It¡¯s time to start thinking about the future.¡±


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    ¡°I am,¡± he assured her. ¡°I¡¯m thinking of a future where we¡¯re not told what to do. I want everyone to be able to live in a world without the king controlling everything. Even if it costs us something, wouldn¡¯t it be worth it to give the next generation something to look forward to?¡±


    ¡°Any cost is too much. We¡¯re safe as long as we stay out of trouble. Isn¡¯t that enough?¡±


    ¡°If I don¡¯t do something, then somebody else will. I know the time of change is coming soon whether we¡¯re ready for it or not. At that point, it¡¯s either choose your side or get caught in the crossfire.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to lose you.¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯m not going to leave you, either. I know it must look like I¡¯m on a suicide mission, but I have no intention of dying on anyone. Especially not you.¡±


    They ate in silence, neither having anything more to say to each other that wouldn¡¯t just loop back to their previous conversation. When they finished, Lucas offered to clean everything before she even had the chance to say anything. He needed to do something to make up for not being there, even if she didn¡¯t mind not having that extra help.


    Clari went to bed early, but he stayed up a little while after he finished cleaning. He was glad that he did when he saw the soldiers through the window, rushing to get to them before they banged on the door.


    ¡°The lady¡¯s sleeping, what do you want?¡± Lucas asked when he opened the door. Svend was standing there along with his commander, making him realize that this was definitely not a friendly visit. ¡°Would, uh¡­ cupcakes distract you from how much trouble I¡¯m apparently in..?¡±


    ¡°Bribing of royal soldiers,¡± the commander remarked. ¡°I¡¯ll add that to your long list of transgressions.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to take that as a no, then. Look, I didn¡¯t realize when he said one more warning meant right now. Clari doesn¡¯t know that you¡¯re here and I don¡¯t want to leave without her knowing. Can¡¯t we strike a deal here or something?¡±


    Svend shook his head. ¡°Everyone here has stepped in for your sake way too much. You¡¯re long overdue for this, you know. It¡¯s finally time that the king hears of how you¡¯re causing trouble and let him decide what happens to you.¡±


    Lucas let out a sheepish chuckle. ¡°Come on, we don¡¯t have to get the king involved in this, do we? I haven¡¯t done anything that bad.¡±


    ¡°Quite frankly the only thing even slightly treasonous that you haven¡¯t done is open armed rebellion against the soldiers¡ªand we have good reason to believe that it isn¡¯t going to take too long before that happens,¡± the commander pointed out. ¡°You¡¯ve certainly enticed armed rebellion before and you are more than qualified to provide the means.¡±


    ¡°Remember what I said about pitchforks and torches? I never told anyone to attack a soldier,¡± Lucas defended. They weren¡¯t going to believe him anyway, so he didn¡¯t bother helping his case and added, ¡°They decided to do that on their own.¡±


    ¡°Why haven¡¯t we arrested you yet..?¡± Svend sighed. ¡°At this point you¡¯re not even trying to prove your innocence. You¡¯re hoping that we¡¯ll let you go again when you¡¯ve done absolutely nothing to show that you don¡¯t deserve the punishment.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re only just now figuring that out? I thought it was pretty obvious,¡± Lucas said. He couldn¡¯t suppress a more nervous grin when he asked, ¡°Is it working?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± The commander made a step forward. ¡°Lucas von Mikkel, for your list of offenses against the king and his soldiers, I hereby¡ª¡°


    ¡°Wait before you arrest me! Is there any chance this can wait until morning?¡±


    ¡°What part of this has been long coming that you don¡¯t understand?¡± Svend mumbled. ¡°Of course we¡¯re not going to wait! I would think you would understand that instead of trying to get yourself in even more trouble.¡±


    Lucas glanced back inside for a moment. ¡°I swear I actually have reasoning behind this one. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re both respectable men with wives of your own, right? Clari definitely isn¡¯t going to like waking up and having no idea where I am. None of us are going to be happy if I have to wake her up in the middle of the night.¡±


    ¡°A note?¡± Svend suggested, obviously having no interest in it either way.


    ¡°The only paper I can easily remember the location of is in our room. I don¡¯t want to disturb her by rummaging through there.¡±


    The commander sighed. ¡°I have a feeling there¡¯s no way to get you to actually come with us.¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    ¡°Fine. You will be allowed to stay here for the night as long as you are prepared to leave by noon tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s perfect! Now that that¡¯s settled, I¡¯ll see you at noon.¡± Lucas stepped back and shut the door as quickly as he could without making too much noise.


    That was a close one. Luckily that gave him enough time to think of another way out of the situation¡­

 Rebellion: Chapter 2

    ¡°You did what?¡± Clari nearly dropped the tray when a slight slip of the tongue meant he had to tell her what had happened after she fell asleep. ¡°This is the kind of stuff that gets you in trouble with the king! You can¡¯t talk your way out of everything¡ªone day that¡¯s not going to work and you know it. I would¡¯ve been fine as long as you were back as soon as possible. You¡¯re hoping that you¡¯ll be able to convince them to let you stay, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the plan,¡± he replied honestly.


    ¡°Every morning I wake up and wonder how you¡¯re still alive and why I associate myself with you¡­¡±


    ¡°But then you realize you love me and it¡¯s all okay?¡±


    She sighed and sat the tray on the table. ¡°I realize that love can be a strength and a flaw.¡± She pulled out some frosting she¡¯d made earlier and began to decorate the cupcakes.


    When someone knocked on the door, Lucas immediately went to get it; he knew it wasn¡¯t quite noon, but he would¡¯ve rather been the one to answer if it happened to be any soldiers.


    ¡°Now, I know I said I would come with you, but I¡¯ve been thinking and¡ª¡° He paused when he actually saw who he was talking to. ¡°Hey, wait a minute. You¡¯re not Svend. Sidyn?¡±


    There was hardly anything different from when they last saw each other. His green hair was in that same style, his eyes still held that disconcerting glare, and he seemed just as interested in whatever Lucas was going to say as he had been years before. ¡°I take it you¡¯re still getting in trouble with the soldiers, then? Here I thought that might be something you¡¯d grow out of. Serves my goal rather well, though.¡±


    Lucas gestured for him to come inside. ¡°So, what brings you back to Alyselin? When you left you made it sound like you had no intention of ever coming back.¡±


    ¡°I suppose you can say that I¡¯ve had a minor change in heart,¡± Sidyn remarked. ¡°For once I find myself in need of your¡­ services.¡±


    ¡°Well, what can I do for an old friend?¡± Lucas left him for a moment to poke his head back into the kitchen to get Clari¡¯s attention. ¡°Turns out it¡¯s not one of the soldiers, is there something we can get for our guest while he¡¯s here?¡±


    She finished what she was doing, put it away, and brought out a basket from the pantry. She walked out and sat it on the table, then gestured for Sidyn to take what he wanted. ¡°It sounds like you two know each other. Care to introduce me?¡±


    Lucas took one of the rolls from the basket and sat down next to Sidyn. ¡°Clari, this is Sidyn. We both grew up here. He left five years ago, though, and for some reason he¡¯s decided to come back. And Sidyn, this is Clari, I met her a few years after you left. She¡¯s living with me as my fianc¨¦e.¡±


    ¡°Bea said your mother mentioned her in one of the letters,¡± Sidyn said casually. ¡°Honestly I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d move out at all, let alone find someone to be your wife one day.¡±


    The name of another thought-to-be-forgotten individual sparked his attention. ¡°You know where Bea is?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s somewhere safe for now. But you should¡¯ve already known that¡ªthe rest of your family does. They¡¯ve been writing letters to her since she left. Unless, of course, you¡¯re implying that you haven¡¯t actually talked to any of them since you moved out.¡±


    Lucas paused, mumbling slowly, ¡°I think you already know the answer to that one.¡± Reverting back to a merrier tone, he added, ¡°Are you ready to actually tell us what you¡¯re doing back here now?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve traveled all around Seothia and a bit of Fleyw Bresh since I left,¡± Sidyn mused. ¡°I¡¯ve seen the mixed reactions they all have towards the king; how some of them idolize him, others only do so to stay safe, some fear him and run at his name, and fewer still take that fear and turn it into the will to fight. I used to think you were stupid to dream of raising a sword against him, but now I realize that you are far from alone in that wish. Slowly I¡¯ve come to agree with the sentiment and I¡¯m finally willing to do something about it¡ªand you¡¯re the perfect person to make it happen.¡±


    Clari didn¡¯t look excited at all, but Lucas was definitely interested. ¡°Why would you choose me? Sounds important.¡±


    ¡°For one, you¡¯re the stupidest person I know. No one is quite as willing to rush into danger like you are, even after getting caught countless times. After all these years, it seems that you still haven¡¯t strayed away from that. Second, people will listen to you. I¡¯ve seen how, intentionally or not, those who were once afraid rallied behind you. They saw past their fear and decided that you could help them get rid of it for good. If anyone¡¯s going to take down the king, it needs to be someone like that¡ªsomeone that they believe can truly save them.¡±


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    ¡°Let me get this straight. You want me to lead a rebellion for you?¡± Lucas didn¡¯t know if he wanted to be surprised or excited.


    ¡°Once I made the realization myself, I tried searching for someone to lead the people. You¡¯re the only one I know can do it. The fact that you already have a history of causing trouble doesn¡¯t really help in terms of being someone the king doesn¡¯t expect, but I know I can trust you.¡± Sidyn gestured to Clari. ¡°Though I didn¡¯t quite take her into account.¡±


    Lucas was already one step ahead. ¡°Just to make sure, we can hit the road before noon, right?¡±


    ¡°Luke,¡± Clari hissed, ¡°that¡¯s part of the reason you¡¯re in trouble in the first place! When they realize you¡¯re sneaking off¡ª¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going to happen to him if he stays here, but there¡¯s really only one of two ways it can play out if he leaves. He¡¯ll either stop the king¡¯s tyranny and replace him on the throne, or he¡¯ll be caught and executed for the highest treason offense. They won¡¯t consider what he was running away from, just what he ran away to do. But if we succeed¡ªand you should know I wouldn¡¯t suggest something I didn¡¯t know will work¡ªLucas will be a hero. He will be their Saint-King, guided on by the spirits of the rebels that died before him.¡± Sidyn held his hand out. ¡°So, are you ready to finally do something?¡±


    Clari pulled Lucas aside and whispered, ¡°Please don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re actually going to go through with this.¡±


    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I? This is perfect! I told you the time of change was soon and, well, it¡¯s here. I¡¯m ready to make a better future for everyone.¡± It sounded so heroic in his head; at that moment, he wasn¡¯t worried about what it might cost. This was his chance to fix everything, become someone other than just that stupid kid who dared to stand up against the king.


    She didn¡¯t show a single fragment of the same kind of enthusiasm. ¡°What if you get hurt?¡±


    ¡°What if I win?¡± he countered. He pushed a bit of her hair behind her ear and said, smiling, ¡°You¡¯re already my queen. Imagine having everything you could ever want if I can kill the king and take his throne.¡±


    ¡°I already have everything I want right here, and I don¡¯t want to lose him.¡±


    ¡°But is it better to live in a world of fear or a world that actually has a chance of a bright future? Think of them, Clari. Don¡¯t you want them to be able to live in a world without fear of the king? We have a chance of changing the way things work. Shouldn¡¯t we take the opportunity to keep them from having to experience the same things we did?¡±


    She sighed. ¡°Alright. But if you¡¯re going to be out there risking your life, then I want to be there. I don¡¯t think I can stand being somewhere else while I know what you¡¯re doing¡­ and I don¡¯t want anyone to have to tell me if something happens to you.¡±


    Lucas hid his shock and nodded. ¡°Just try not to draw too much attention to yourself. If this fails¡­ I want to be the only one paying for it. I don¡¯t want you to get hurt for something I dragged you into.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that won¡¯t be a problem,¡± Sidyn interjected, seemingly paying no mind to the fact the conversation didn¡¯t include him. ¡°As far as I¡¯m aware, Clari doesn¡¯t have any hostile encounters with anyone. Even if she aided the rebellion in lesser ways, as long as she wasn¡¯t what they appeared to be rallying around, they wouldn¡¯t care about her. She might get a few years in jail but she¡¯d be treated much nicer than most men would.¡±


    Lucas turned to Sidyn and finally took his hand. ¡°What¡¯s the first step in this, and how quickly can we leave?¡±


    Sidyn glanced at Clari. ¡°Since you¡¯re coming with us, would you mind packing supplies for a couple days? I don¡¯t know how many times you¡¯ve had to travel in the past, but only get the necessities.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m familiar with the concept,¡± Clari remarked before walking back into the kitchen.


    Sidyn stood up, moved the basket aside, took out a map, and spread it across the table. He pointed to one spot¡ªAlyselin¡ªthen traced a path to another, unmarked village. ¡°We won¡¯t be able to do anything without enough manpower to back us up. In my travels, I found a village that, while lacking the kind of leadership I was looking for, still offered to help us. It¡¯s previously been given the reputation for a safe haven for the Fleyw Bresh, so they flocked to it. Of course, more soldiers were stationed there to keep their magic under control. They¡¯re willing to offer us some of their information and magic users as long as they approve of the leader I chose. But we¡¯ll have to be subtle; your reputation for being a troublemaker stretches much further than Alyselin.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re getting magic users involved in this?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like it either¡ªI¡¯m certain they breed trouble¡ªbut they¡¯re human like the rest of us, and they definitely don¡¯t deserve the kind of treatment the king is giving them. I¡¯ve seen for myself what their magic can do. It¡¯s better to befriend them than to have an enemy on both sides.¡±


    ¡°What if the king has special defenses for their magic? He obviously believes that they¡¯re a threat because of the way he treats them. Given their conditions, I would think they would be even more willing to fight than I am, and he¡¯s smart enough to realize that. Wouldn¡¯t he be prepared if they tried to do something?¡±


    Sidyn smirked. ¡°See, things aren¡¯t always what they seem. The king¡¯s defenses against magic are the soldiers themselves; their very presence in those villages repress most wishes of rebelling. He expects them to follow the advice of the commandments of their gods and that they won¡¯t want to fight. He¡¯ll be prepared for a battle of arms, not a battle of the elements.¡± He rolled the map back up and shoved it in Lucas¡¯s hand. ¡°Now, you¡¯ve got to get going. Don¡¯t alert anyone and don¡¯t stop until nightfall. We¡¯ll meet up with you when everything¡¯s ready.¡±


    ¡°What about Clari?¡± Lucas looked back to the kitchen.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± her voice answered. ¡°The soldiers are looking for you, and you¡¯re not going to be able to convince them to let you leave. You should go now before they get here.¡± She came out to give him a kiss. ¡°Stay safe.¡±


    Lucas nodded. ¡°I will.¡±

 Rebellion: Chapter 3

    He had, admittedly, never left Alyselin on his own before. He¡¯d gone out of town with his father or with the rest of his siblings, but he¡¯d never been the one to handle the map. So suffice to say he didn¡¯t get too far before Sidyn and Clari caught up to him and he was grateful when Sidyn took up guiding them.


    They got to the village a day later. Sidyn maintained the lead and weaved through the crowd, occasionally checking to make sure the other two were still following him.


    ¡°Keep your head down,¡± he muttered over his shoulder. ¡°As you can probably tell, there¡¯s a lot of unsavory people around here. You¡¯ll be fine as long as you stick with me and don¡¯t draw any attention to yourselves.¡±


    ¡°Can you at least tell me what we¡¯re doing now that we¡¯re here?¡± Lucas prompted.


    ¡°We¡¯re meeting a representative,¡± Sidyn replied simply. ¡°If she thinks you¡¯re what we need, then she¡¯ll show us to the others.¡±


    ¡°If she doesn¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°Then we¡¯re going to have to hope she doesn¡¯t sell us out to the soldiers and we¡¯ll have to find someone else to help us.¡±


    He didn¡¯t sound reassuring and he wasn¡¯t trying to be. If there was one thing that Sidyn was always good at, it was getting right to the point. He seemed to have little consideration about what everyone wanted or sometimes even needed to hear. Perhaps that was part of the reason he came to Lucas¡ªwho was known for talking his way in and out of all sorts of things¡ªinstead of leading the rebellion himself. He was, at least, the kind of person who would only get someone else to do it for him if he had no other option.


    It got harder to follow Sidyn as the crowd started to get thicker. They weren¡¯t all just walking, either; they were gathered around to watch something. Lucas had grown to associate these kinds of gatherings with bad things. In Alyselin, if so many people gathered together and the soldiers didn¡¯t intervene, it was usually because of a new decree from the king or, even worse (though he only remembered seeing one), a public execution. And Sidyn was leading them right into the source of it.


    Lucas was not any more worried or relieved to see a phoenix fly out of the crowd. Especially not when he watched as it twirled in the air, let out a victorious cry, then turn to ashes.


    Clari seemed to feel the same. ¡°What¡¯s a phoenix doing here? They don¡¯t usually come this close to people, do they..?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not real,¡± Sidyn explained, ¡°it¡¯s magic.¡± He pushed through the rest of the crowd and gestured to the young woman in the center. ¡°Lucas, Clari, this is Missa. She¡¯s the person we¡¯ve got to impress.¡±


    ¡°That is the person who¡¯s going to show us to the group that¡¯ll help us?¡± Lucas kept staring, wondering if perhaps there was someone else that Sidyn was talking about instead. ¡°She¡¯s younger than all of us!¡±


    Besides only looking eighteen or so, she was also very obvious. She kept creating illusionary objects and showing them to the crowd. Her dress stood out and marked her as someone from a relatively wealthy family, and nothing hid her blonde hair. Even Lucas knew the importance of blending in with a crowd when he was doing anything that could very well get him executed.


    Sidyn completely ignored him and walked up to her. After he mumbled something to her, she waved the crowd goodbye and uttered a farewell Lucas couldn¡¯t understand. She walked off, but Sidyn went back to the other two.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to meet her in her house,¡± he explained, then turned around and gestured for them to follow him.


    ¡°Just to make sure, she does speak our language, right?¡± Lucas asked as they walked.


    ¡°She¡¯s Seothian, if that¡¯s what you¡¯re asking,¡± Sidyn replied.


    ¡°Seothians don¡¯t have magic,¡± Clari pointed out slowly. ¡°Can she really have magic and not be a child of Fleyw Bresh?¡±


    Sidyn answered as if it was common sense. ¡°We all have some kind of magic in us. The amount that we¡¯re naturally able to wield depends on factors like our lineage and birthplace, but, besides that, Seothians can be just as powerful as a child of Fleyw Bresh. Missa is from a rich family further north. I don¡¯t believe she has any relation to the children of Fleyw Bresh at all.¡±


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    ¡°If she has no connection to the Fleyw Bresh, then why does she speak their language?¡± Lucas was aware that it wasn¡¯t so much as the language of the Fleyw Bresh as it was the language of their previous rulers; most of them (or at least the few that he and his family have met) seemed to have been raised to speak the same language as the Seothians.


    Sidyn shrugged as he stopped at one of the houses. ¡°That¡¯s something you¡¯re going to have to ask her.¡± He knocked on the door three times and someone completely different opened the door.


    That person and Sidyn had some unintelligible conversation before they let the three of them in.


    Lucas thought of one more important question as they all sat down in what looked to be the dining room. ¡°You know their language?¡±


    ¡°I traveled to Fleyw Bresh. They¡¯re much more willing to talk and help someone who can hold a casual conversation.¡± Sidyn acted as if it was nothing special at all. ¡°They keep it up for formality¡¯s sake. You won¡¯t have to worry, they¡¯ll all speak our language when you¡¯re talking to them.¡±


    They waited long enough for Lucas to take in the oddities of the room around them. None of the decorations were familiar to him; they were either all written in a language he couldn¡¯t read, quoted something he¡¯d never heard of, or simply made no sense to him. He didn¡¯t know much about the Fleyw Bresh, aside from the fact that they were a religious, tradition-following people who usually had no interest in fighting at all. Through stories he¡¯d learned how they find fire redemptive, and how they believe the phoenix is a boy who could never be redeemed enough. He knew they had gods, but he couldn¡¯t recall any of their names. Some of those names, he realized, must have been on the walls around him; Orestis, Danai, Eldrianna¡­ but some were just as simple as Fire, Water, Earth, and Wind as if they had no other name.


    The young woman from the crowd came out from another room, taking a seat opposite to all of them. ¡°You said you¡¯d only be bringing back one possible leader, Sidyn,¡± she remarked, tilting her head. ¡°Which one is it, and why¡¯s the other here?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s best to start with proper introductions,¡± Sidyn decided. ¡°Missa, this is Lucas and Clari. Lucas is the leader, Clari is just his fianc¨¦e who chose to come with us. Lucas and Clari, this is Missa. She¡¯s the representative of that group I told you about.¡±


    Missa squinted at both of them. ¡°That still doesn¡¯t solve much. Remember the part where he told you that this wasn¡¯t something to be introducing to a lot of people? I don¡¯t think he¡¯s gonna be happy to know that you brought along two people and one of them isn¡¯t even gonna be important.¡±


    ¡°Call her an extra recruit,¡± Sidyn said. ¡°She isn¡¯t going to be leading anyone, sure, but she¡¯ll definitely be useful somehow.¡± He leaned a bit closer to Lucas and muttered, ¡°This is the part where you talk about the things that make your fianc¨¦e worth keeping around.¡±


    Lucas let out an audible ¡°oh¡± before actually starting. ¡°Clari¡¯s a great cook. Before I met her, she made most of the baked goods provided in a royal ball. She¡¯d definitely be able to help cook for a large group.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how to fight,¡± Clari mumbled, ignoring his glare. ¡°I won¡¯t slow you down, though. I have experience keeping up the pace with whoever I¡¯m traveling with, and like Luke said I have a reputation as a baker.¡±


    ¡°Has the king seen you? Would he be able to recognize you if you happened to come across him?¡± Missa seemed to have some kind of interest now; whether that was a good thing or not was a completely different question.


    Clari shook her head. ¡°If he does, it¡¯s as Ms. Oberon or ¡®the one who cooked that one time.¡¯ Either way I have no negative reputation among them.¡±


    ¡°Is¡­ that important? Having a good reputation with the king..?¡± Lucas asked hesitantly. ¡°Because I¡¯m kinda known around my town as the troublemaker. I was about to be arrested for breaking too many offenses when Sidyn came and talked me into coming here.¡±


    Missa blinked and mumbled something incomprehensible. ¡°Sidyn, are you stupid? We¡¯re trying to kill the king here, not get caught as soon as we step into the capital!¡±


    ¡°I know he looks immature and foolish¡ª¡°


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m right here!¡±


    ¡°¡ªbut he¡¯s the best person I can think of for the job. There may be better fighters or a few a bit more obscure, but none are as good of a leader as he is. He¡¯s been doing the same thing for as long as I¡¯ve known him. A part of what you¡¯re looking for is someone who isn¡¯t going to change sides when it proves difficult. I have full confidence that Lucas won¡¯t turn on those ideals now.¡± The only thing keeping Sidyn from sounding completely emotionless was the hint of confidence in his tone.


    Missa thought about it for a moment. ¡°I guess that either makes him really brave or incredibly stupid.¡± She turned to someone else in the room and said something Lucas couldn¡¯t understand. It sounded like a command of some sort. She held her hand out to him and said triumphantly, ¡°Welcome to the rebellion, Lucas!¡±


    Once they shook hands, the person that had greeted Sidyn came out and gestured for them to follow. Missa did the same, taking the lead as they walked back into the streets.


    ¡°There¡¯s just one last thing we need to do,¡± she explained. ¡°We need to meet with my boss. He¡¯ll get you caught up on everything we know and what we do after this.¡±

 Rebellion: Chapter 4

    Missa guided them through the streets to a much larger building that resembled a church. Despite seeming like an obvious meeting point, every single one of the guards completely overlooked it. In fact, Lucas couldn¡¯t help but feel that the guards here were more careless than they were in Alyselin¡ªeven when, by all practical means, they should be more strict. This was a village that was presumably full of the children of Fleyw Bresh, after all. All they had to be worried about in Alyselin was him, the only one to openly admit that something was wrong.


    She threw the doors open and announced something to everyone there. Whatever it was, half of them went back to whatever they were doing and the other half started scrambling around the room. She gestured them all inside and closed the doors behind them, then waited for everything to settle down again.


    A tall, older man walked up to the four of them. He muttered something to Missa and she said something back, the only parts Lucas was able to catch being his, Clari¡¯s, and Sidyn¡¯s names. The man smiled when she finished. ¡°You¡¯re the one Sidyn promised to get! You look to be a fine fellow. Come along, we don¡¯t have all day! It¡¯ll only be so long before the soldiers realize this isn¡¯t a normal celebration!¡± He turned around and began walking away.


    Missa filled in the gaps as they followed him. ¡°He¡¯s Father Nixon. He pretty much handles everything here when it comes to facing the king, but up until recently he hasn¡¯t been interested in actually fighting anyone. Sidyn was able to talk him into that part!¡±


    Sidyn shrugged. ¡°It wasn¡¯t hard after he could see all the facts for himself. This village hardly interacts with the outside world. They aren¡¯t quite as aware of everything that¡¯s happening around them, but after they understand it for themselves, they¡¯re willing to take part in making a difference.¡±


    ¡°Just the right time, too,¡± Missa remarked. ¡°I¡¯ve been wanting to beat up those smug soldiers for a while now. They keep interrupting my fun with all of their nonsense.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like everyone¡¯s that willing, though.¡± Lucas looked around at the other people gathered here, particularly the ones that glanced back at him with a kind of uncertainty. They didn¡¯t think that this was the right course of action, he could tell. They thought it wouldn¡¯t work.


    Nixon was the first to say something. ¡°They¡¯re just wary, you see. Amitael is drawn to unrest, the call of clashing sides¡­ Vaso warns us against awakening him. He brings the most unruly of trials and the bloodiest of battles with him, being the patron of war.¡±


    ¡°So you have a god of war but he¡¯s not on your side?¡± Honestly, Lucas couldn¡¯t figure out how that made sense. Didn¡¯t they create those gods to give them peace? What peace came from a god who didn¡¯t seem to back them during hardships?


    Nixon shook his head and motioned for them all to go into another room. It was large and round with a long table in the center. The walls were decorated with innumerable painted figures, some even resembling (what Lucas assumed to be) goblins and fairies. Nixon walked along the wall, stopping to look at and name the bigger figures on it.


    ¡°Orestis is our Creator. Danai is the Light, and Eldrianna is the Darkness. Faidon, Daphni, Vaso, and Elle represent Fire, Water, Earth, and Wind. Vriuh watches over the dead, with the help of the Strings of Elements, Spirit, and Life. Amitael is not a god but an angel. Standing beside him in this position are Micah, Talmi, Coretha, Sachiel, Usiu, and several others. They don¡¯t chose a side at all, working only to further Orestis¡¯s plan for the world. Their treatment will not change if a person belongs to Qizar, Fleyw Bresh, or even Seothia. We are not gauged by our natural magical abilities or our lineage. According to our Commandments, we are all equal in Orestis¡¯s eyes as long as we follow the instructions and path that He laid out for us.¡±


    ¡°With all due respect, Nixon,¡± Sidyn sighed, ¡°we¡¯re not here to be converted. We¡¯re here to talk about the rebellion.¡±


    Nixon chuckled. ¡°Of course! Call it the priest in me. If Orestis wills me to speak, who am I to deny it? Though I daresay you Seothians could do some good to have some kind of heavenly guidance!¡± He sat down at the table and the rest of them followed. ¡°Now, Lucas, I¡¯m trusting Sidyn and Missa¡¯s judgment about you. I¡¯m assuming you¡¯re going to use our men and resources well. Soon we may even be able to supply you with more, if you can prove to the rest of the village that you¡¯re the one who will save us.¡±


    Lucas nodded, to show his understanding. The full weight of it had yet to click¡ªthat this wasn¡¯t another one of his personal disagreeances. He wasn¡¯t alone anymore, but rather leading others¡­ and that meant shouldering the blame for whatever ended up happening, too.


    ¡°We have about sixty men who are willing to fight for you at the moment,¡± Nixon continued. ¡°That should be enough for the time being. There are about two hundred other men and women who are waiting to see how this all plays out first. Obviously that number itself is not enough to get you anywhere, so I have been sending letters to a pastor friend of mine, Takedon. He¡¯s currently staying in a larger town near the edge of Tramos. It¡¯s a mostly Seothian-born population, but with the arrival of the Commandments they have started to be persecuted. Over time they¡¯ve grown ever more prepared to take a stand, though I have been able to tell him to talk them out of it until a proper leader has arrived. Now that you¡¯re here, you should head over to that town and show them that it¡¯s time to stand up for what they believe in.¡±


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    Siydn dug through his bag and pulled out his map. ¡°Do you know where it is?¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t anywhere you¡¯ve been before,¡± Nixon mused as he moved the map closer to him and looked it over. ¡°They¡¯ve been under heavy occupation for quite a while. The only thing that keeps my letters going through is the fact that they look like Seothia¡¯s hawks.¡±


    ¡°If they¡¯re that closed off, how are we even supposed to get in?¡± Lucas asked. ¡°Unless they¡¯re all amazing warriors, they¡¯re not going to be able to fight that many soldiers. For one, they¡¯d be outnumbered. I doubt they¡¯ve been preparing to fight for any more than a couple of years, and that¡¯s not enough experience compared to the soldiers. They¡¯ll just get slaughtered and, boom, rebellion¡¯s done.¡±


    Sidyn looked impressed. ¡°Look at you, you might have actually started to use your brain since I left.¡±


    Lucas glared at him in response.


    ¡°You can bring some of our men, but you shouldn¡¯t bring any more than one or two with you,¡± Nixon replied, moving things along. ¡°Takedon said that they do let certain things in; merchants are one of them, as long as they do their business and then leave. I can show you to someone who can help you get in, but he¡¯ll need to leave just like any other merchant after he brings you in.¡±


    ¡°Then how are we getting out?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s something you¡¯re going to have to decide when you get there. I know they have some way of doing it, because several of the children from that town have been brought here in case something bad ever happened there. But I know no more than that. Takedon has always been careful about what he sends to me in case a soldier sees it. He can¡¯t write in the Old Tongue¡ªthe guards there immediately assume they¡¯re plotting something, unlike here¡ªso the only thing he can do is be careful and pray no one else reads it.¡±


    ¡°This really doesn¡¯t sound like a good idea¡­¡± Clari mumbled with a frown. ¡°If we get stuck there, then we¡¯re going to get caught. Luke is never subtle. Honestly despite all the soldiers he¡¯d probably still do the same things he always does¡­¡±


    ¡°Your lack of faith in me is astonishing,¡± Lucas remarked, pretending to sound hurt. Truthfully, he knew better than to deny it under most circumstances. ¡°You know I¡¯m only going to do that when I¡¯m the only one that¡¯s going to get in trouble for it. With all of you there¡ªbeing the hope of almost an entire nation, even if it isn¡¯t my own¡ªI¡¯ll be sure to be careful.¡±


    ¡°No matter what, I¡¯m confident that you have Orestis on your side,¡± Nixon said. ¡°He never wants to see His children suffer. Surely this is the right course of action.¡± Finally, he went back to the map and pointed to a spot near the edge of the Tramos mountains. ¡°I believe this is around where Takedon says it is. I¡¯ve never been there myself so I can¡¯t say for certain, but you¡¯ll definitely know it when you see it.¡±


    Sidyn took the map again and looked it over. ¡°Thank you for your help. We¡¯ll leave as soon as¡ª¡±


    ¡°Oh, please, stay the night,¡± Nixon interrupted. ¡°You know they say monsters are starting to appear around here. There¡¯s not much light left in the day. Leave tomorrow morning, when you can spend the most amount of time in Danai¡¯s light.¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t hurt,¡± Lucas decided, even though the others seemed to think differently. ¡°I mean, it¡¯s not like we look like we¡¯re trying to sell anything here. I know the soldiers back at Alyselin always got suspicious of people who came and went within hours.¡±


    Missa shrugged and got up. ¡°It does make sense. These guys don¡¯t interfere with our lives too much but they¡¯re certainly nosy. You three can stay with me, then we¡¯re all together and ready to go in the morning.¡±


    That seemed to be the end of it. They left and followed Missa back to her house, explaining something to the person who had originally greeted them while they all sat down. She eventually joined them, taking up an entire couch for herself.


    ¡°So! We¡¯re all working together from now on,¡± she said. ¡°Figured we might as well pretend like we¡¯re gonna get to know each other, right? It seems like the three of you all knew each other for a while.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve actually known Sidyn for a few days¡­¡± Clari mumbled. ¡°Before that I didn¡¯t even know he existed.¡±


    Missa pointed at Lucas and Sidyn. ¡°The two of you have at least known each other, then?¡±


    ¡°We grew up together,¡± Lucas replied. He paused. ¡°But if you¡¯re asking us questions, can I ask you one?¡±


    ¡°Go ahead. I¡ªprobably¡ªwon¡¯t mind.¡±


    ¡°Why do you know the language of the Fleyw Bresh?¡±


    ¡°We call it the Old Tongue here¡ªor everywhere, really. That¡¯s the proper term for it. It¡¯s the language of their goblin and fairy rulers, who were much nicer than Seothia¡¯s being right now. Most of them use it nowadays to keep private matters private. The guards get suspicious if we say too much outside, but they¡¯re completely fine with us using it in our homes. I knew some of it before I came here because my family practices magic, even though we were further north. I actually learned it here because I realized it makes me look more like one of them.¡±


    Clari, eventually, asked a question of her own. ¡°How are you able to do magic without the guards punishing you?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve never had a reputation of making trouble, unlike some of the other magical villages around here. They¡¯re kinda lax on the whole no-magic thing unless it seems like we¡¯re going to start getting violent with it. Street magic hardly qualifies for anything that could hurt someone.¡±

 Rebellion: Chapter 5

    They left the next morning. They already looked like a traveling caravan; there were several wagons, and altogether there were probably about seventy men. Lucas, Clari, Sidyn, and Missa were each on their own horses in the front. While the others might have been boasting about something completely random and singing old songs to pass the time, they had a much quieter, more serious conversation going.


    ¡°I really don¡¯t intend on getting caught there, you know,¡± Lucas remarked.


    ¡°It¡¯s still better to have a plan,¡± Sidyn pointed out. ¡°Or at least some kind of alibi. Who knows how well they know all of the residents and if they can spot strangers. If we can think of a reasonable excuse to be there, then we have a better chance of being able to get out of whatever mess we¡¯re in.¡±


    ¡°So what do you suggest we do?¡±


    ¡°If we¡¯re together, just leave it to me or Missa¡ªmaybe even Clari. We¡¯ll all make a much better merchant impression than you will. If you¡¯re on your own¡­ you might be screwed. But you¡¯ve got enough charasma that you should be able to think of something on the spot. The important part is that, wherever you are, you can get back out again. Hopefully we¡¯ll be able to find Pastor Takedon before we¡¯re caught for anything. If we do, then there¡¯s a chance we can lose the soldiers in the crowd and hide there. But we¡¯ll have to make sure they don¡¯t see us.¡±


    ¡°And if we don¡¯t find him?¡±


    ¡°Then we¡¯re going to have to hope that we can get out of the village without giving away the entire rebellion forces.¡±


    It was the only thing they said on the topic until they got there. About a day away from the town, the forces split up into smaller groups; Sidyn mumbled how it wasn¡¯t a good idea from an army point of view, but it was what made them the least obvious to anyone who might be on the lookout for large groups. One of the men took a wagon and continued on the plan that Nixon had mentioned to them.


    Lucas waved goodbye to the man once the four of them were inside. They started their careful stalk through the streets, keeping their heads down and only following the rest of the crowd.


    ¡°It¡¯s around time for service,¡± Missa remarked quietly. ¡°We¡¯ll blend in easier if we head to the church with the rest of them. There¡¯s a chance Pastor Takedon will be there, too, since he¡¯s, you know¡­ the pastor.¡± She took the lead and walked confidently until soldiers started to come into sight.


    There were a few soldiers scattered around the streets and the crowds, but most of them seemed to be more interested in something else. It was different around some bigger buildings, but none had as many soldiers in front of it as the church did. At least a dozen of them were scanning the crowd from the outside, and twice as many were stationed at various places inside. For once, Lucas actually felt intimidated around them, a fear creeping in that they were all staring at him.


    ¡°They call this room the sanctuary,¡± Missa whispered when they entered a large room with several rows of chairs and a podium. ¡°The sermon is spoken here. This is a place of utmost respect, so you all have to act your best¡ªor else you¡¯re going to have to be worrying about more than just what the soldiers think of you.¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯re going to have to tell me what my best is supposed to be here,¡± Lucas remarked, looking around. ¡°Because it definitely doesn¡¯t look like the usual Alyselin best.¡±


    Everyone (well, aside from the soldiers) were dressed so nicely and held themselves with a certain level of elegance. It was nothing like the cheap cloaks the four of them wore and the way he knew they looked like they had no idea what they were doing here. They didn¡¯t belong here.


    Missa moaned. ¡°Just follow my lead and be absolutely silent. We can¡¯t expose ourselves to these people when you all can¡¯t follow along with the simplest of hymns.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t we just find Takedon?¡± He wasn¡¯t interested in whatever Qizarn sermons looked like. They were allowed to do whatever they needed to assure themselves about the troubles of the world; that didn¡¯t mean he cared to be a part of that understanding.


    ¡°He¡¯s the pastor here,¡± she said. ¡°More likely than not, he¡¯s going to be preaching. There¡¯s not enough time to catch him before service. Besides, it would be less conspicuous if we came to him afterward. Then we can mention a few bits from it and everyone else will think we came to discuss how we felt we could improve from it.¡±


    Lucas sighed. ¡°I guess we¡¯re doing this. Where¡¯s the best place to draw the least amount of attention to ourselves?¡±


    ¡­


    It was, honestly, super hard for him to follow along. There was something about some guy and how he showed obedience; then the rest detailed how another guy showed disobedience. But somehow that disobedience was donning wax and feather wings in order to help cure his village of a plague. The speaker mentioned that he flew too high and too fast so his wings melted and he drowned, and phoenixes were created as little parts of his soul. He assumed the point of all of it is to be like the first person or face the consequences of the second, but to someone who didn¡¯t understand where any of these references were coming from, it was hard to tell.


    There was a brief moment of silence where he looked around at all of the bowed heads and closed eyes and wondered what he was supposed to be doing. Missa eventually peeked and jabbed him with her elbow before continuing, prompting him to follow the rest of them.


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    Finally, the pastor spoke again. ¡°May Orestis¡¯s light shine on all of us in the days to come.¡±


    Lucas slowly opened his eyes until he knew that everyone else had done the same. When the chatter from the beginning had returned and people began to leave, Missa wordlessly left and walked up to the podium. The other three quickly followed her.


    ¡°That was truly inspirational,¡± she commented to the speaker. ¡°Really makes you think.¡±


    ¡°Ah, well, I only speak what I believe Orestis wants us to hear.¡± He obviously wasn¡¯t used to such blatant praise. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you around here before. Is this your first service here?¡±


    Sidyn must¡¯ve preferred getting straight to the point and asked, ¡°Are you Pastor Takedon?¡±


    Understanding flashed through the speaker¡¯s face and he nodded. ¡°So you¡¯re here for penance?¡± he continued rather loudly, giving a nervous glance at the soldiers. ¡°Let me show you to my office! It¡¯ll be nice and quiet, just us, the gods, and your sins¡­¡±


    Takedon gestured for them to follow him into a much smaller room. He locked the door behind him, but remained quiet. ¡°Nixon sent you, right?¡±


    Lucas nodded. ¡°He said that your town was willing to fight, and I¡¯m the person he trusted with doing it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s wonderful news! Aside from the fact that some of the townspeople have already started¡­¡± Takedon quickly trailed off. ¡°See, a couple of days ago, a small group went to one of the barracks and tried killing the soldiers. They succeeded in one or two of them, but they were ultimately captured. The soldiers are on even higher alert than usual since the incident, and we hardly have anything to fight back with. They took nearly everything that could be used against them, and only a handful of us can use magic. From the looks of it you don¡¯t even have anything to defend yourself with, let alone save the rest of us¡­¡±


    ¡°But would you say there¡¯s still some fighting spirit left in them?¡± Lucas asked. He wasn¡¯t willing to accept this as a defeat just yet.


    ¡°There¡¯s plenty,¡± Takedon responded. ¡°I daresay there might even be more than before. It seems everything the soldiers do to try to knock them down only ends up riling them up more. But all we have are words, and as powerful as I believe they can be, they can¡¯t help us here¡­¡±


    Lucas smirked. ¡°Are you sure about that? You¡¯re looking at the guy who accidentally sent a bunch of villagers out with torches and pitchforks! Imagine what I can do when I actually try!¡±


    Clari sighed at the fact and Sidyn mumbled something that sounded like ¡°Good sentiment, bad example.¡± Takedon and Missa both looked like they didn¡¯t know if they wanted to be impressed or slightly concerned. Either way, Lucas took it all to mean that they were willing to hear more about his idea.


    ¡°Is there any place where a bunch of people are going to be there at once? Do you have a town square or something?¡±


    ¡°The best place for that would be here but I¡¯m sure most of them have left by now¡­ they might find peace in the Commandments but they don¡¯t tend to stay any longer than they have to. They¡¯re afraid of what could happen to them if they do.¡±


    ¡°What about the area with the most open space? Somewhere where a lot of people can gather together and listen to what I have to say.¡±


    Takedon stayed quiet for a little while before finally nodding. ¡°I think I know a good spot. But you¡¯re going to have to be careful. The gods don¡¯t watch over those who foolishly rush ahead of themselves.¡±


    ¡°I know what I¡¯m doing,¡± Lucas assured him¡ªand everyone else, really¡ªas he got up and led them all back out of his office. ¡°This is gonna be a piece of cake.¡±


    Takedon showed them to a wide, open area. At one point in time, it probably would¡¯ve been a perfect marketplace; there was easily enough room for dozens of stalls and there were already plenty of stores. But in the closed-off state the village was in now, it housed only the few merchants that could get past and what little local businesses that could survive. Most importantly, however, was that there were enough people for his plan to work.


    Lucas turned to the others. ¡°The four of you should get to the edge of town and leave if you can. I¡¯m going to be making some noise and it¡¯s best if you all are as far away from any possible action as you can be. Be ready to take the men stationed outside and leave.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m trusting that this is going to be a good idea,¡± Clari mumbled. She gave him a kiss on the cheek. ¡°Be safe.¡±


    ¡°You too.¡±


    Then he turned back around and strode right into the center of the plaza. He gave them a minute to get going before he started his rally cry.


    ¡°How long has this town been under the watchful eye of the soldiers? How long have they ruined the livelihood of all of those who were there first? How long has the line been drawn between this town and the outside world, the oppressors keeping you from even so much as stepping outside and out of their supervision?¡±


    It was already gathering a mixed crowd. Some of the people who had been there before were now paying attention to him, and a good handful of those people were soldiers. He didn¡¯t back down, though, and he knew this was not the time to be afraid.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been looking for a way out. You¡¯ve been hoping that you¡¯ll be able to escape from this, or that someone else will come and help you. Well, good news! That day¡¯s right here. I know things are looking bad for you. There¡¯s soldiers wherever you look, more than ready to beat you down at the slightest of misdemeanors. They took away everything you thought you could fight with, they¡¯re trying to crush your spirits so you finally obey the king''s orders. Are you going to let them try to take control of you like that?¡±


    There was a moment when it was silent. Finally, someone stepped out of the crowd to shout, ¡°No!¡±


    ¡°Exactly! You might not have swords or magic, but that doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re defenseless. Don¡¯t let them discourage you with their armor and weapons. If there¡¯s one thing they¡¯re not prepared for, it¡¯s a town willing to stand up for what they believe in and give it their all! So grab your brooms, your stools, even those old sheets! Use your fists! Show them that you are not going to let them beat you down anymore!¡±


    A victorious cry sounded from all around him and he knew his job was done. As much as the soldiers tried, there was nothing they could do to stop the people now. Lucas proudly watched his work unfold until a hand pulled him away from the action.


    ¡°Hey!¡±


    ¡°Shhh,¡± the young woman hissed. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t stay here. I don¡¯t know who you are, but you bring hope with you. Keep it alive by letting us handle the rest. It won¡¯t do well for you to die or get captured in the very same fight you convinced us all to join.¡±

 Rebellion: Chapter 6

    It was surprisingly easy to get out with all of the soldiers distracted in the fight. Lucas reunited with the others and they watched from afar for a little while. At first, it was hard to tell which side was winning; then, finally, they saw the townspeople triumphantly leaving the town. There wasn¡¯t a single soldier in sight.


    ¡°Get someone down there to guide them,¡± Sidyn ordered. ¡°With that kind of fighting spirit, it would be a waste to have them stay here.¡± One of the men nodded, took a horse, and rushed to meet up with the townspeople.


    Takedon stared at all of them in disbelief. ¡°They really beat the soldiers..? This truly is the cause we¡¯re supposed to join¡­ our time of oppression is nearly over.¡±


    ¡°I knew they could do it!¡± Lucas said victoriously. ¡°All they needed was someone to give them that final push of confidence.¡±


    ¡°That same person should probably start moving, too,¡± Sidyn remarked casually. ¡°While all of you were busy watching the battle, I saw a hawk fly out of the town. They¡¯re bringing in reinforcements eventually; or at the very least, they¡¯re telling the king of what happened to all of them.¡±


    Lucas¡¯s bubble of victory was immediately popped. ¡°Oh¡­ Where do we go now, though..?¡±


    ¡°Definitely not up north,¡± Missa decided. ¡°Most of them are pretty loyal to the king and strongly against magic. No doubt all those who are a bit skeptical of his ruling will still rat us out in a heartbeat if they know what we¡¯re doing.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ll be looking all over Tramos for the rebels once the king hears word of it¡­¡± Clari mumbled. ¡°It¡¯s not even safe to go back to Nixon.¡±


    ¡°Our goal is to gather as many magic users as we can before heading to the king,¡± Sidyn said. ¡°Now that the king is going to learn what happened, we don¡¯t have as much time as I had originally thought we would. So we should make sure, wherever we go, we make it count. No place in Seothia is going to give us a large guaranteed amount of magic users who are willing to join our case. Our best option will be to head to the border.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re staging a rebellion in Seothia, here, not Fleyw Bresh,¡± Lucas pointed out. ¡°I agreed to use magic users but I¡¯m not getting any closer to their nation than I have to be.¡± Honestly, he didn¡¯t know if he said that out of respect for their land or because he just generally hated the idea. It was common knowledge at this point that magic users could bring all sorts of bad things with them. What could a whole nation of them do? It¡¯s not like any other place had the reputation of literally never being its own, independent kingdom despite existing just as long as Seothia had.


    ¡°It¡¯s only the border,¡± Sidyn responded. ¡°Even if we tried to get past it, with the kind of motley group we have, we¡¯re not going to be getting very far. Despite how much they¡¯re struggling here, they¡¯re doing a surprisingly good job at keeping large groups out¡­ though I don¡¯t think they¡¯ve realized yet that small groups can do just as much damage.¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± Lucas sighed. ¡°I guess we¡¯re heading towards the border.¡±


    When the townspeople joined them, Sidyn distributed all of the people into two separate groups. One of them, overseen by Takedon and several others that he noted as trustworthy, would go around south of the capital. The other, which included Lucas, Sidyn, Clari, and Missa, would start heading north before going to the border. Takedon¡¯s group would split up even further and visit several towns in order to get the supplies for the whole rebellion force. Lucas¡¯s team would get to the border as soon as possible and gather information. When they reunited in about two months, they would hopefully have at least two hundred more people behind them and would march for the capital. If any one of those things went wrong, or if that wasn¡¯t enough, well¡­ they didn¡¯t discuss what would happen then. They just hoped that it would be just as easy as it sounded when they came up with the plan.


    Lucas¡¯s group, at least, didn¡¯t encounter any major difficulties on their way there. They almost ran into a group of soldiers every now and again, but they were always able to get out of it before it became a real problem. He had to stay hidden in one of the wagons, though, since he was the most easily recognizable out of all of them; Sidyn had insisted that they would be looking for him as the leader more than they would the townspeople who had fought.


    The border, when they got there, was much more open than Lucas had imagined it. He¡¯d thought of somewhere with a bunch of soldiers from either side, or at least a fort or two that they could use to defend their kingdom. There was nothing but a few trees, millions of wildflowers, and a lake he could hardly see across. They made camp in what they decided to be the best spot and started their search for magic users.


    It would help if they knew exactly what they were supposed to be doing.


    ¡°Are magic users even going to be on this side of the border?¡± Lucas questioned. ¡°It¡¯s so close to their home that they can just stay there. They have no reason to leave Fleyw Bresh, do they? They definitely don¡¯t leave because they think they¡¯re going to be taken care of here, at least¡­¡±


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    ¡°Rumor has it there¡¯s a group of children of Fleyw Bresh that are down beneath the earth somewhere,¡± Missa remarked. She didn¡¯t sound like she believed it herself. ¡°They say the entrance is around here somewhere, but they¡¯ve got a beast watching over them and no Seothian¡¯s ever gotten close to them while they¡¯ve been down there.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m certain that, to some degree, they exist,¡± Sidyn said confidently. ¡°But wherever they are, they¡¯re good at keeping themselves hidden. There¡¯s got to be someone around here who knows where that entrance is; even with magic, it can¡¯t be possible to survive down there without any kind of outside interference. They have to have a supplier of some sort.¡±


    ¡°Great, so how do we find this supplier?¡± Lucas sighed. ¡°At this rate Takedon¡¯s going to be back and we¡¯d have made no progress at all.¡±


    ¡°If they¡¯re desperate enough to hide underground to escape oppression, then they¡¯ll definitely be willing to see the end of it,¡± Sidyn began. ¡°Their supplier should know that, too. As long as the right person catches on to why we¡¯re here, then they should come to us.¡±


    ¡°This entire thing sounds like a bunch of ¡®as long as everything goes to plan,¡¯¡± Clari mumbled with a worried frown. ¡°Are we sure there isn¡¯t any way we can solve this definitively? I don¡¯t think we should just wait around here any longer than we have to¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome to try anything you think will help,¡± Sidyn returned. ¡°You¡¯ll just have to remember that we can¡¯t draw too much attention to ourselves. At least, not any more attention than what a group of a hundred-some men all at the same camp is.¡±


    ¡°I mean, I¡¯ve been around magic users long enough to be able to tell someone¡¯s magical potential,¡± Missa offered. ¡°Their supplier will definitely be a child of Fleyw Bresh like they are. There are some Seothians with that kind of power, but they¡¯re so far and few between that I doubt any of them would be a soldier and stationed here. If we¡¯re just going to be sitting here for a while, we might as well wander around and see if we can scope out the possibilities, right?¡±


    Lucas nodded. ¡°I think it sounds worth a shot, at least. It¡¯s a better plan than just staying here.¡±


    ¡°I wanted to look around anyway,¡± Clari admitted quietly. ¡°Even while I was traveling with my uncle, I¡¯ve never seen a place like this. It¡¯s got this serene feel to it¡­¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll go together,¡± Lucas decided. ¡°That way you won¡¯t be alone.¡± She smiled at the offer.


    Missa stood up, too. ¡°And as long as you two lovers don¡¯t mind, I¡¯ll join you. We¡¯re kinda surrounded by enemies on all sides so it¡¯s probably better to have a bit bigger groups.¡±


    They both nodded their agreement and the three wandered out of camp. Eventually they ended up getting right next to the edge of the water and sat down.


    Clari rested her head on Lucas¡¯s shoulder. She carefully plucked one of the flowers and admired it. ¡°These are so pretty¡­ I wonder why I haven¡¯t seen any of them in any shops¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s called ikretta,¡± Missa said, seeming to be pretty calm too. ¡°It can grow anywhere, so really I don¡¯t know why there aren''t any in usual Seothian florists, but¡­ I know they have a special purpose in what the Fleyw Bresh believe in.¡± She took one for herself but, instead of observing it, placed it in the water in front of them. ¡°They say this is the lake where Orestis started His creation of the world. Then, when Thalis was tasked with creating a diversity of things throughout His creation, he made ikretta. Orestis liked it enough that He gave it the power to bloom anywhere, no matter the season, and made it the lifeblood of the gods¡ªthe key and quite frankly only ingredient of ambrosia.¡±


    ¡°What other stories do you have?¡± Clari asked thoughtfully. ¡°Before, I had been under the impression that there wasn¡¯t much beyond the base of what you believed in. I¡¯m realizing now how kind of silly it was of me to assume that¡¯s all there was. I don¡¯t want to be ignorant of your way of life like so many others are¡­ If Seothia and Fleyw Bresh are going to be working together after this, then we need to be able to understand and accept what makes us different. I¡¯m willing to start that process, if that¡¯s all it takes.¡±


    Missa clearly looked impressed. ¡°Despite how many stories I know, it¡¯s kinda hard to just pick one or two that¡¯ll make sense to you¡­¡± She thought of something after seeing a bug dart in and out of view. ¡°Oh! Did you see that? We call that a dragonfly. They used to be messengers between Great Dragons¡ªthose are the ones that don¡¯t have wings. Kinda just look like big lizards with whiskers. Of course, all of the Great Dragons were wiped out a long time ago by Eldrianna. They all stay near the lake now, wandering around and trying to find their old masters. I¡­ guess that¡¯s a sad one, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine,¡± Clari assured her. ¡°Please, if you know any more, share them.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ wood thrushes are the messengers between the twin gods, Sokratas and Natasa. It¡¯s also said that Natasa taught all the birds to sing, since she represents Music and the Arts. Then there¡¯s this story about a dude who could turn things into gold. After he turned his daughter to gold, he went back to the thing that had gifted the power to him and was told to wash his hands in the river and everything will be reverted back to normal. His daughter didn¡¯t turn back, though. The water goddess, Daphni, also didn¡¯t like getting gold in her river so she created sirens. Now there¡¯s these charming women who want to lure you into the sea and drown you. Isn¡¯t that fun? They say there¡¯s a bunch of ¡®em around Qizar. It¡¯s probably part of the reason humans can¡¯t travel to their islands.¡±


    Missa went on to talk about several more stories until the sun started to go down. When they started discussing heading back to camp, someone came up to them.


    He wasn¡¯t any of their men; he was short, a bit chubby, and looked like a wild animal surrounded by its hunters. ¡°I couldn¡¯t help but overhear¡­ are you a child of Fleyw Bresh?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re the rebellion force,¡± Missa corrected matter-of-factly. ¡°We¡¯ve come here in hopes of getting the children of Fleyw Bresh to help is defeat the king.¡±


    He paused for a moment and looked around before saying, ¡°I know where you can find them, as long as you can assure me that you won¡¯t tell the king where they are¡­¡±

 Rebellion: Chapter 7

    He later introduced himself as Aredes. That was the last thing he said to all of them, though, before asking to just talk to the leader. He and Lucas went to a quiet spot at the edge of the camp to talk about everything else.


    ¡°It¡­ might be a bit of a risk,¡± Aredes mumbled. It felt more like he was talking to himself than to Lucas. ¡°I don¡¯t know if it will accept something like you, but I think¡­ it can tell you have good intentions. It will know that you¡¯re only there to help us, despite what every bit of your blood should suggest.¡±


    ¡°It?¡± Lucas repeated.


    He nodded. ¡°The Minotaur. It¡¯s what guards the children of Fleyw Bresh from any Seothian soldier who might try to find them down there. Its misfortune while it was a fairy made it more willing to help those who were like it¡­ those who lost their twin to a fate that no mortal could control.¡±


    ¡°I hope you understand I have no idea about anything you¡¯re talking about,¡± Lucas remarked. ¡°I¡¯m not a mythology kind of person.¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s not myth,¡± Aredes commented with a smile, ¡°every little thing the Fleyw Bresh believe in is real.¡±


    Now that sounded troubling, sparking his next question, ¡°So, uh, what¡¯s the Minotaur, exactly..?¡±


    ¡°It used to be a large man-bull, taller than any human. But it was killed by Theseus hundreds of years ago. Now, all that¡¯s left of it is its spirit, though that doesn¡¯t make it any less dangerous. It can still do everything it could do before thanks to enchantment and the magical power of the one it holds so dear, Delphine.¡±


    ¡°Just to make sure, these children of Fleyw Bresh are going to be able to understand me, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Most of them actually know very little of the Old Tongue aside from magical purposes. I believe Delphine is the only one who uses it regularly, since she needs it in order to communicate to the Minotaur.¡±


    ¡°Generally speaking, how willing do you think they¡¯re going to be to trust me? Do you think we can get this all done in a couple hours or so?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ll trust you¡­ as long as it doesn¡¯t kill you first.¡±


    That was in no way reassuring and Aredes seemed to realize it.


    ¡°Spirits are good at seeing the true intention behind a person¡¯s word. As long as you mean what you say about wanting to kill the king, then you have nothing to fear.¡± He gestured out to the field in front of them. ¡°Well, are you ready to get going now? It sounds like you¡¯re willing to get this done as soon as possible.¡±


    Lucas nodded and wordlessly followed Aredes through the fields and into a more wooded area. Finally, after an hour or so of walking, they got to a cave. Aredes mumbled a few things before entering.


    Lucas immediately felt like he was being watched. There was something in here that wanted him out, that much he knew to be true. He stayed close to Aredes in the chance that maybe, just maybe, whatever it was would also realize that he was a friend. There should be nothing for him to worry about, right? He really did want to kill the king and bring about a new age in Seothia. But¡­ it wasn¡¯t exactly all in the best interest of the Fleyw Bresh. He did what he needed to for his own nation, not someone else¡¯s. Most of the good stuff that would happen to them because of it was just a happy coincidence; they¡¯d reap the rewards with the king dead and someone on the throne who wouldn¡¯t oppress them. Would whatever it was care if it wasn¡¯t solely for the gain of the Fleyw Bresh? Was he actually putting himself at risk by agreeing to go down here?


    Eventually they started to see signs of civilization. Candles were scattered around, now, and after a while they were even joined with decorations of moss and whatever else could grow without natural sunlight. Voices were beginning to echo through the tunnels; sounds like any other village, as if they had nothing to fear at all or were no different from anywhere up on the surface.


    Aredes, when they got into view of the children of Fleyw Bresh, quickly assured them with something Lucas couldn¡¯t understand. Slowly, a girl walked up with a shadowy, hazy figure like what Aredes had described as the Minotaur. As she inspected Lucas, mumbling incomprehensible things, Aredes explained, ¡°This is Delphine. She¡¯s asking the Minotaur if you¡¯re a threat to them or not.¡±


    Lucas stood there for what felt like forever before Delphine finally stepped back and declared, ¡°The Minotaur trusts him.¡± She gave him a kind of glare, though, that said that she did not share its judgment.


    Aredes took over from there, since he still had all of their attention. ¡°This man has said that he aims to kill the Seothian king. He and his rebellion force is stationed above ground, and they are looking for children of Fleyw Bresh to help them in their endeavor. I took the risk to bring him here, and it seems that the Minotaur at least respects my decision.¡±


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    An older man¡ªone of the oldest there, it seemed¡ªstepped out. ¡°You¡¯re suggesting we risk everything and rush above ground?¡±


    ¡°I know you have absolutely no reason to trust me,¡± Lucas began, taking this as his opportunity. ¡°I know that, to you, I must be a complete and random stranger asking seemingly impossible things from you. But I assure you that I¡¯m what I say I am. You¡¯ve been under the fear of the king for so long that you¡¯ve resorted to this kind of lifestyle because you think it¡¯s what makes you the safest from him. How many of you have seen what it was like outside? How many of you have never even seen sunlight before, let alone know what it feels like to run in the grass or climb a tree? For those of you that have, don¡¯t you want to go back to that? I promise that, one way or another, the king is going down. In a few weeks, we¡¯re going to be reunited with the other half of our forces and we¡¯re storming the capital. We¡¯re not leaving until we do what we said we¡¯re going to, and no one¡¯s going to get left behind. But we don¡¯t have enough of an impact as we stand now. We need you. So are you ready to join us, fight for your freedom and your right to feel the sun? Or will you remain here, cowering over something that you could help put an end to?¡±


    There was a lot of mumbling. These people must have been down here for a much longer time than he would¡¯ve thought; looking at them now, it seemed that no one that looked younger than thirty held some kind of remorse for the points he made. Had they really been here for so long that so little knew the world that he had come from?


    Aredes walked into the crowd to offer a few pieces of assurance of his own. Lucas couldn¡¯t hear any of them, though all the while Delphine just stared at him.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like you,¡± she eventually decided, tilting her head. ¡°I usually like what the Minotaur does. But you¡¯re trying to get us to go on the surface. You¡¯re telling me to leave.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to force you to do anything,¡± Lucas pointed out as gently as he could. ¡°If I forced all of you to join me, then I¡¯d be just as bad as the king I¡¯m trying to get rid of. It¡¯s up to you whether you join me or not.¡±


    ¡°What makes you think you have the right to come in here?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t find this place on my own and barged in without any warning. One of your own brought me here as a guest. I haven¡¯t done anything except ask if these people are finally willing to stand up against the person that brought them down here to begin with.¡±


    ¡°We can think for ourselves, you know. We don¡¯t need someone else to tell us what we should do and when we should do it. We¡¯re perfectly fine here. We haven¡¯t had to worry about who might find us or what they would try to do when they do. Until you showed up.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to tell anyone that you¡¯re here.¡±


    ¡°A person very much like you said the same thing to Great-Dragon Ruvier. She had hidden away in the darkest corner of the world to protect herself, one of the last of her kind¡­ then a mortal found her. She should have killed him, knowing his blood and his heart; but she let him leave when he promised that he¡¯d keep her location a secret. Weeks later a group came and killed the last Great Dragon.¡±


    Lucas felt like showing any kind of emotion during this interaction would leave him helpless. So, he remained a calm semblance and a level voice and said, ¡°I have no intention of hurting any of you. No one will know where you came from, whether you help me or not.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t I believe you?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to. Whether you have the Minotaur following you around or not, it doesn¡¯t look like you¡¯re the one that makes all of the decisions.¡± He gestured to the older people talking. ¡°This is a free decision for each and every one of you. You don¡¯t have to leave if you don¡¯t want to.¡±


    ¡°The Fleyw Bresh way of doing things is that no one gets left behind.¡± Delphine began circling around him. ¡°But that¡¯s already happened to me, more than once. Really, I don¡¯t have a choice about whether or not I go up there. I¡¯m useful down here because I¡¯m like the Minotaur. Up there I¡¯ll be blamed for everything that happens when Darkness can finally look at me again.¡±


    ¡°If you really don¡¯t have a choice like you say you do, then why are you so caught up in this?¡±


    ¡°The intention behind the words mean a lot. You¡¯re implying that all of us should just leave everything we¡¯ve grown accustomed to¡ªthe only thing that some of us know¡ªto, let¡¯s be honest, die for your worthless cause. We might have magic but the Fleyw Bresh are not as much of fighters as you may think we are. We don¡¯t seek trouble, even though it always seems to find us.¡±


    She backed away when Aredes and several of the elders came up to Lucas.


    ¡°Good news,¡± Aredes began, ¡°they¡¯ve decided they¡¯re going to help you. There are a few that have lost others in the past that won¡¯t be coming, though they will be willing to return to the surface when it¡¯s all said and done. The elders say that as long as you can assure them that they¡¯ll all have a place to go, you will have the strength of everyone here to help you.¡±


    ¡°Yes! I can definitely do that,¡± Lucas agreed, loud enough that everyone could hear it from him directly. ¡°You¡¯ll all have a place to go when this is all said and done. If you want to go to live on the surface again, then you¡¯re going to be given somewhere to stay. I¡¯m going to do whatever I can to make sure you can all return home and back to the places you belong.¡±


    A cheer erupted from the group and they all busily started to prepare their things. Everything was finally coming together, and Lucas was sure that he could see the end of it now. Soon everyone would get what they¡¯ve been longing for; a world without the tyrant king, where they could live how they wanted without worrying about what he did to prevent it¡­

 Rebellion: Chapter 8

    Lucas introduced the important children of Fleyw Bresh to the rest of the rebellion force. Now all they had to do was wait for Takedon¡¯s group to come back; unfortunately, it seemed soldiers were starting to learn about their position and were slowly concentrating much closer to the border. A fight appeared to be imminent and the Fleyw Bresh were faltering in their resolve but, somehow, he was able to keep everyone comfortable enough that they could maintain at least a bit of ignorance to the threat around them.


    That ignorance, however, was left outside of the tent he dubbed (and everyone else reluctantly followed along) the ¡°Planning Place.¡± Sitting on the ground in a circle was Lucas, Sidyn, Missa, Aredes, and Veradis¡ªone of the Fleyw Bresh¡¯s elders.


    ¡°It¡¯s only a matter of time before they decide they¡¯re done sitting around,¡± Sidyn pointed out. ¡°Right now they¡¯re gathering their forces. Pretty soon they¡¯ll outnumber us. If we don¡¯t do something now there¡¯s not going to be anything for Pastor Takedon to come back to.¡±


    ¡°None of them are ready,¡± Veradis sighed. ¡°We were never fighters, and we never expected to be. We need more time for the other elders to train them.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have more time,¡± Missa remarked. ¡°Sidyn¡¯s right. If we wait any longer they¡¯re going to be able to end this here and now.¡±


    Lucas had quietly been trying to think of a way out of this since the meeting started. He knew what most soldiers looked out for when they were sent to observe suspicious individuals. As both a blessing and a curse, several of them he recognized from Alyselin; the base around there was probably one of the closest and easiest to get soldiers from. Everything about the rebellion was exactly what they would be looking for. They were being led by someone who some of them knew to be a troublemaker. Especially the younger children of Fleyw Bresh, even if they stayed in the center of camp and were hardly allowed outside, didn¡¯t quite get the concept of hiding their magic. Should any of the soldiers see either of those things, they¡¯d know the group meant no good to the king and wouldn¡¯t hesitate to fight them.


    ¡°Let¡¯s give it one more day,¡± he mumbled absently. ¡°We¡¯ll figure out what¡¯s going on in the morning and decide if we¡¯re leaving then. We¡¯re not risking ourselves by fighting these people here.¡±


    Aredes nodded. ¡°That sounds reasonable enough to me.¡± Veradis didn¡¯t seem to mind it, either. The longer Lucas spent time with the children of Fleyw Bresh, the more he realized how generally passive they were when it came to the events happening around them. No wonder they didn¡¯t do anything to save themselves from the king until now.


    That was the end of the meeting. Lucas stayed until everyone else left before grabbing a coat¡ªin hopes of hiding a bit of his identity from the familiar faces of the soldiers¡ªand a dagger in case he ran into any trouble. He was going to scope out the amount of soldiers around them now, and determine the best exit route if they needed to leave.


    It appeared that most of the soldiers were concentrated near the border. He hoped that meant that they thought the rebellion had yet to gain any more members; that the king believed the rebellion had actually entered Fleyw Bresh and was locking them out. Lucas walked as close along the border as he dared, realizing that it wasn¡¯t quite as full of soldiers as what it had first appeared.


    There was a girl in front of the soldiers. She didn¡¯t at all look like a fighter, nothing done to her ash blond hair and having the traditional dress of the Fleyw Bresh. And she definitely didn¡¯t have that much strength, judging by how young she must have been and how she struggled with the soldiers. He knew he couldn¡¯t just leave her. He glanced back at the camp, hoped this wouldn¡¯t be a mistake, and rushed to help.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re doing, but get your hands off of her!¡± Lucas called, drawing his dagger when he got close enough.


    The soldiers were in no way impressed. The one who¡¯d been holding her shoved her towards Lucas in exchange for pulling out his sword. ¡°Who do you think you are, messin¡¯ with us?¡±


    ¡°My name is a luxury you don¡¯t deserve,¡± Lucas said in hopes of sounding much grander, in case any of the soldiers ended up recognizing him. ¡°I am a helper of fair maidens and the bane of evildoers! Now, which one of you would like to go first?¡±


    The shortest one barked a laugh. ¡°Why not all of us?¡±


    Well, that wasn¡¯t a part of Lucas¡¯s plan on how this was going to play out. Luckily this wasn¡¯t just a fight for him.


    ¡°Close your eyes,¡± the girl whispered in instruction. He barely had enough time to listen to her before he heard her mumble something in the language of the Fleyw Bresh. Then he heard a bunch of child-like screaming and she waited until it stopped to say, ¡°You can open your eyes now.¡±


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    All of the soldiers were gone.


    ¡°What did you do..?¡± Everyone else he saw acted like nothing had happened. He almost wished he could¡¯ve seen it for himself.


    Her response was simple and in no way any more of an explanation, ¡°I¡­ showed them a nightmare.¡±


    ¡°Great, and what does that mean?¡±


    ¡°Magic.¡± She turned to him and, after a moment¡¯s hesitation, put her hand out. ¡°Thank you for saving me. I¡¯m Norah.¡±


    ¡°Lucas.¡± He paused. ¡°So if you have magic, I¡¯m assuming you¡¯re a child of Fleyw Bresh?¡±


    She nodded. ¡°I¡­ accidentally came to Seothia and I¡¯m trying to get back home. I need to get back¡­¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m guessing you can¡¯t get past the soldiers?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been trying for a couple of days, but¡­ more of them keep coming.¡±


    ¡°I, uh, may be a part of the reason for that¡­¡± He knew that he could trust her with this secret. She was just a lost kid trying to get home.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    He lowered his voice and gestured to the camp. ¡°You see all those tents? I¡¯m the leader of all of them¡ªthe leader of a rebellion force that, in a couple of weeks, is going to march to the capital and kill the king.¡±


    Norah just stared at the camp for a few moments. ¡°I believe Orestis came to me and told me I need to rebuild my home. At first, I wasn¡¯t sure because I knew that there was no way I could do anything with the king¡­ but now I see His reasoning. You are sure to succeed in your mission with His hand on you, and we will one day meet again by this lake when we¡¯ve both finished and begin a new era for our kingdoms.¡± Her smile was very short-lived, however. ¡°That is¡­ if I can get past the soldiers.¡±


    ¡°Why can¡¯t you just use whatever magic you used before?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a tiring spell, especially when there¡¯s several people involved,¡± she explained. ¡°If I use it too much without long breaks between, I¡¯m going to end up dying.¡±


    ¡°Would it help if I was with you to help you out when you get tired?¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°You don¡¯t get it. Magic takes energy, which affects my body too. So the more magic I use, the more it messes with everything else. I wouldn¡¯t die because soldiers caught up with me. I¡¯d die because my body literally couldn¡¯t take using any more magic.¡±


    ¡°You mean you actually have restrictions on that type of stuff..?¡±


    ¡°Of course we do! We have the same kind of body as Seothians do. We can¡¯t do any more than you can.¡± She paused and thought back to his earlier suggestion. ¡°Will you actually help me get across the border?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t see why I shouldn¡¯t at least try,¡± he replied with a smirk. ¡°It looks like there¡¯s a town nearby on the other side. How about I walk you there?¡±


    She smiled. ¡°That would be perfect.¡±


    They waited until the soldiers went to switch out to sneak through; if it weren¡¯t for Norah¡¯s earlier display of magic, it probably wouldn¡¯t have even been possible. After making sure none of the soldiers realized that someone had gone through, Lucas decided to ask a question.


    ¡°So if you¡¯re limited to how much magic you can safely use, is it really smart to fight with it?¡±


    ¡°A lot of my brothers and sisters have agreed to join you to fight for Seothia, haven¡¯t they? I could feel their magic¡­ Is that why they¡¯re all with you? They¡¯re going to fight?¡±


    He nodded.


    ¡°Well¡­ how much energy something takes depends on what it is. Simply throwing fire around or moving water doesn¡¯t take much at all. It¡¯s like twirling your finger around. But there¡¯s very few advanced spells that don¡¯t consume a lot more. I don¡¯t really have a definitive answer, since the children of Fleyw Bresh have usually stayed out of fights, but it should be fine.¡± She paused. ¡°The biggest problem would probably be alternating between the big spells and the smaller ones, in order to keep everything balanced.¡±


    After testing out the silence and having a nervous glance at their surroundings, it turned out she didn¡¯t like it being so quiet. ¡°Do you have any family? I-if it¡¯s okay to ask, that is.¡±


    ¡°Of course. Back in my hometown, there¡¯s my parents and my younger brother, Albert. I also have a sister but she moved out a couple of years ago. Her name¡¯s Beatrix. We all just call her Bea. I haven¡¯t talked to either of them in a while, though.¡±


    ¡°Why not? Don¡¯t they want to know where you are?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ kind of complicated. I got into a lot of trouble there¡ªpart of what led me to become the leader of the rebellion. They nearly got blamed for something I¡¯ve done once. I¡¯ve since kept my distance to keep that from happening again.¡± He glanced at her. ¡°What about you?¡±


    ¡°Honestly? I¡¯m not sure. I know that whoever my parents were, I was probably their only child and they were closer to the mountains than to Seothia¡¯s border. I was raised by Mother Andrea with Sister Ilethera in the church. When I see Orestis¡¯s plan for me through, I¡¯m going to honor Mother Andrea and build my house in her name.¡±


    They talked a bit more about their families, and eventually those they considered friends. It didn¡¯t seem long at all until they arrived at the village.


    ¡°I guess it¡¯s time I say goodbye,¡± Lucas remarked.


    ¡°I know it won¡¯t be the last time we see each other, though,¡± Norah said with a sage-like nod. ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s a part of Orestis¡¯s divine plan. When are you expecting to end your rebellion?¡±


    ¡°If all goes well, it¡¯ll all be said and done in two months.¡±


    ¡°Then we should meet back at the lake in three. Perhaps we can all work past our differences and find a way that we can work together towards a lasting peace between our kingdoms.¡±


    ¡°I like the sound of that. It¡¯s a deal. And how about we bring our families, too? Then we can all properly meet and get to know one another.¡±


    Her smile was enough of an answer.

 Rebellion: Chapter 9

    ¡°Lucas! There you are! Where the hell did you go? We were about to send someone to look for you!¡± Sidyn was not concerned in the slightest, only very annoyed.


    ¡°I went to help a child of Fleyw Bresh cross the border,¡± was his simple response. ¡°She wanted to get back home so I brought her to the nearby town. She¡¯s got a dream of helping her people so I couldn¡¯t just walk away.¡±


    ¡°You decided to play escort with so many soldiers around?¡± Sidyn took a deep breath. ¡°Gods help us in the days to come, I think we¡¯re going to need it.¡±


    ¡°Do you know where Veradis is?¡±


    ¡°I believe she¡¯s with the children of Fleyw Bresh.¡±


    ¡°And where are they?¡±


    ¡°Just look outside, they¡¯re all over the place. It¡¯s not my job to babysit them.¡±


    Lucas sighed and left. At least it wasn¡¯t that hard to find them; each group of children of Fleyw Bresh stuck close to each other. All he needed to do was find the other elders and he saw Veradis, watching the Fleyw Bresh practice as she talked with Clari.


    ¡°We were planning on getting married this winter,¡± he heard Clari say as he got closer. He slowed in order to find a better time to interrupt them.


    ¡°That¡¯s still such a ways away,¡± Veradis pointed out casually. ¡°In the few times I¡¯ve seen the two of you together, it always looked like you¡¯d happily be swept off your feet right then and there. Why wait so long?¡±


    ¡°It was the first time that we had a chance to get all of our family together. My uncle promised to get a hold of my parents and siblings back in the mountains. Most of Lucas¡¯s family already lives in our village, so the only person we¡¯d need to get a hold of is his sister. Besides, it gives us plenty of time to prepare for what comes next.¡±


    ¡°How many are you hoping for?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like at least three, but¡­ I suppose we¡¯ll just see what happens.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure Thalis will be more than willing to see your wish to fruition. Beyond saving both of our nations¡¯ people from the king, you have even more to gain from this.¡± Veradis smiled. ¡°Your kingdom will need a new king and, with that king, a queen. You and your children will hardly have to worry about anything.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but¡­ will that come at the expense of never seeing their father..? Neither of us have big dreams of grandeur. I¡¯ve always been perfectly content to have a little house in the countryside, or anything, really, if it meant we could grow old together. The only thing about our life in Alyselin that I would have ever dreamed of changing was how Lucas ran into trouble no matter what he did. If he does become king at the end of this¡­ it¡¯s sure to be busy and tiring work to build Seothia up again. How much time would he really be able to spare?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve got the spirit of a child of Fleyw Bresh, Clari. We, too, are happy with what the gods have given us, however small it might¡¯ve been. It¡¯s a turning point in history for all of us. Together, we will see the beginning of a new era and learn how to live in the changing times.¡±


    Lucas took this as his opportunity to make himself known to them. He decided not to mention anything about what he overheard. ¡°Veradis, how would you say the children of Fleyw Bresh are coming along?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re putting in their best efforts, though it¡¯s going to take much longer for them to be able to stand up against anyone,¡± she responded solemnly. ¡°They¡¯re putting in a lot of effort, however. It¡¯s like a second wind of confidence and resolve. Orestis willing, they will be ready by the time Pastor Takedon returns.¡±


    ¡°We might have to change our plans a bit¡­¡± he admitted. ¡°I left and ended up helping a girl get across the border. Everyone¡¯s right about how many soldiers there are. We¡¯re going to have to find a safer place to wait for Takedon to come back.¡±


    ¡°So we¡¯re leaving soon, then?¡±


    ¡°If you can get everyone ready by then, I think it¡¯s safest if we leave as soon as possible tomorrow morning. Hopefully we won¡¯t run into any fights.¡±


    ¡­


    Lucas spread the word to the rest of the camp and was able to get Aredes to do whatever magical bird-spelling thing he did to give Takedon the update. They spent a good majority of the night trying to figure out where they could go. Everywhere either seemed to have too many soldiers occupying the area around them or were too close to where they¡¯d already been before. They briefly brought up heading back to Nixon and seeing if they could get the help from the rest of those townspeople, too, though it was quickly shot down. By now a lot more soldiers would have been stationed there. It was too much of a risk.


    They chose to follow the path Takedon was supposed to take and meet him halfway. They hardly had the supplies to last them that long, but they decided that they just had to make it count that much more. At the very least, it was smarter than waiting here in a place that felt like it was becoming more hostile by the hour.


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    Part of the path was through a forest. Before they got there, they maintained a few hushed conversations amongst themselves. Now everything was silent, everyone seemingly waiting for the bad thing that they all knew was bound to happen. The terrain partially proved to help them stay hidden from the soldiers, though it also meant that their enemies could do the same. With a group this large, anyone looking for them would have no trouble finding them. Meanwhile, they could very well get surrounded without ever noticing it¡­


    ¡°We¡¯re almost out of this stretch,¡± Lucas called to everyone behind him, daring to break the silence. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be long before we¡¯re out of here.¡±


    For the past hour, Missa had been muttering things in their ancient language. Whatever it was, it brought butterflies and birds to her long enough for her to say something to them and then leave again. He didn¡¯t ask what it was because he figured he wouldn¡¯t have been able to understand it anyway. It became clear enough that it was something that probably would have been important to know when she said, ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯re alone anymore.¡±


    Aredes immediately realized what it meant she¡¯d been doing. ¡°Oh, using them to scout out the area around us! You¡¯re pretty smart, for someone without that much natural talent.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to take that as a compliment,¡± Missa remarked with a glare. ¡°But that¡¯s not the point. The point is that someone else is here, and knowing our pursuers there¡¯s definitely more than one.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know how many?¡± Sidyn hissed, trying to keep his voice low in an attempt not to alert too many others about it. There were plenty among them that would go into a panic at the news.


    ¡°Magic isn¡¯t that specific,¡± she defended. ¡°I only told them to look for someone, not to determine how many of these someones there are. At the rate they¡¯re getting back to me, though, there¡¯s definitely more than one.¡±


    ¡°Brace for an ambush, then,¡± Lucas decided, hating the amount of uncertainty in his voice. ¡°Let¡¯s hope the Fleyw Bresh are ready for a fight¡­¡±


    ¡°I think you should be hoping that they don¡¯t already outnumber us,¡± Sidyn corrected. ¡°If we¡¯d left when I told us to, they might not have had enough forces to properly tail us. Their numbers near the lake were definitely more than our own and, however great the Fleyw Bresh¡¯s magic is, I doubt they¡¯re ready to take on that many at once.¡±


    ¡°Is there anything else we can do?¡±


    ¡°We pray there really are gods and that they¡¯re on our side.¡±


    Lucas¡¯s sigh and nod sent Aredes out to warn the others. There was a kind of panic that ran through the group, but they were able to see past it with the help of the elders. They went into the formation they had practiced and prepared for a fight.


    He slowly drew his sword when soldiers finally started to appear through the trees. A gentle hand on his shoulder broke what concentration and resolve he was beginning to build.


    ¡°Clari? You shouldn¡¯t be out here, you should be with the elders and children¡­¡± he mumbled, looking over his shoulder to see her.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be out here, either,¡± she pointed out quietly. ¡°You¡¯re the leader of this rebellion, they shouldn¡¯t be able to have the chance to kill you so easily. More than that¡­ I don¡¯t want to see you get hurt.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to be fine. The soldiers need to know that we¡¯re not afraid of them, and hiding our leader doesn¡¯t quite do that.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re important to everyone here. We can¡¯t risk losing you.¡±


    He gave her the most reassuring smile he could and gently pushed her hand off of him. ¡°Missa, can you take her to the others and make sure she stays there? Act as the last defense, in case the soldiers get that far.¡±


    ¡°And remind the Fleyw Bresh they probably shouldn¡¯t use any fire magic,¡± Sidyn added. ¡°They¡¯re going to end up setting the damn forest on fire.¡±


    Missa, though not without a hint of reluctance, nodded and disappeared with Clari.


    Sidyn drew his own sword. ¡°I¡¯m assuming you still practice with that thing?¡±


    ¡°If we had that blade tournament this year, I would¡¯ve beaten all of them by a long shot.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s hope that good bladework is inherited, then. You¡¯re going to need it. At the very least, we¡¯re going to make sure you and a group of others have an opening to meet up with Pastor Takedon.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not leaving anyone behind.¡±


    Apparently, Sidyn found the sentiment amusing enough to chuckle. ¡°I know you¡¯ve always been naive, but be honest with yourself. You know for a fact that that¡¯s not going to be the case forever.¡±


    ¡°What about the honor of it, then?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s honor in running away, as long as you intend to pick up that sword again one day.¡±


    The soldiers got close enough that it was no longer time for chatting. Already they could hear the ominous words of the Fleyw Bresh as they used their magic; it was time the few of them in the front started to put up a fight as well.


    Lucas fought the best he could, but it quickly became apparent that there were too many soldiers for them. He was all too aware of the signs that the Fleyw Bresh truly weren¡¯t prepared for this. They were going to get overwhelmed soon and there wasn¡¯t even enough room for any of them to escape and live to fight another day.


    He was trying to figure out a possible solution to get them all out when he blocked the attack of a familiar face. ¡°Svend?¡±


    ¡°I wondered where you went all of a sudden,¡± the Seothian soldier remarked with a smirk. ¡°It got real quiet in Alyselin once you left. I knew you were up to something, but I didn¡¯t think you were stupid, too. The Fleyw Bresh? Really, Lucas? What makes you think that people are going to recognize a rebellion won only by the help of tynmir? Or have you not thought about that part at all?¡±


    ¡°They want their freedom just as much as we do, that¡¯s all that should matter. Where they were born or whether or not they have magic isn¡¯t a part of this at all.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s what you think? Look at them, they aren¡¯t anything like real soldiers. They can¡¯t even put up a fight against us. I daresay your little game of rebellion is coming to an end, and it¡¯s all in the king¡¯s favor.¡± Svend quickly moved to knock him to the ground. ¡°There¡¯s an easy way that you can help all of these people. They can all go to their safe homes like they should be, and everything goes back to how it was. You come with me and you finally get to learn what happens to those who disobey the king.¡±


    ¡°Lucas, focus! He¡¯s just trying to mess with you,¡± Sidyn shouted from over all the other noise.


    It was a futile effort, though. ¡°Are you sure I can trust you?¡±


    ¡°Have you ever known me to lack the honor to be honest?¡± Svend returned.


    Lucas sighed. ¡°No. I¡¯ll come with you, just¡­ leave everyone else alone.¡±


    Svend smiled and grabbed his hand. ¡°Everyone, pull back! We¡¯ve got what we came for.¡±

 Rebellion: Chapter 10

    They took him somewhere south of where they were before. It was a place he was completely unfamiliar with. When they actually came to leave him at a building, he had a pretty good idea of what they planned on doing. His sword was taken away from him and he was left to stand there as Svend disappeared to talk to someone.


    ¡°Hey, some fresh blood!¡± one of them called from his cell. ¡°What did you do to get yourself in here?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t look like the kid¡¯s killed someone. But I guess ya never know.¡±


    Lucas instinctively backed away from both of them. It was only a minute later that a woman walked out from talking with Svend. He immediately recognized that she was the one in charge here and was best not to be messed with.


    The whispers of the others around him only seemed to prove it. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s the warden!¡±


    ¡°¡®Ello, fair Lady Zera! You lookin¡¯ lovely this mornin¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Sweet talking isn¡¯t going to make your sentence any shorter,¡± she hissed back. She turned her attention to Lucas. ¡°I¡¯ve got a special place for you. Somewhere for you to stay before you get to find out if the myths of Vriuh are real¡­¡±


    Lucas was pushed forward and needed no other motivation to get moving. ¡°You¡¯re going to kill me, then?¡±


    ¡°It seems your list of treasonous acts never seems to end. You¡¯ve been making trouble for the king since you were a teenager, and most of all you decided to start a rebellion¡­ you¡¯ve racked up quite the name for yourself as a traitor. Are you really surprised that we are finally going to punish you for it?¡±


    He knew that there was nothing he could say at the moment that could get him out of it. Instead, he chose to ask, ¡°When¡¯s this big execution going to happen, then?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s going to take two days to get a response from the king. After that, you¡¯re likely going to be killed immediately. I advise making amends with all of your regrets now before you¡¯re in that void with them forever.¡±


    She didn¡¯t say anything else to him. She led him to his cell and practically shoved him in there, mumbled something about being let out for dinner in a couple of hours, and then left again. Lucas immediately tried to think of a way to get himself out of this. The more he thought about it, the more he wondered if there even was such an option¡­ He needed more information. He needed to know more about who he was trying to convince. There had to be someone who knew the warden well enough to tell him about her; he just needed to find that person.


    The Fleyw Bresh had been easy to read. They wanted their freedom, to be able to do what their ancestors could without the king hovering over them. That much was obvious to him, no matter how much they liked to believe they looked content with their current life. He could see no such thing from the warden. There was a kind of air around her that he couldn¡¯t quite place. Somehow, he knew that was what he needed to figure out.


    He waited until what he assumed to be dinner, when all of the prisoners were corralled out of their cells and into a mess hall. At first all he did was follow the crowd and, once he sat down, the attention came to him.


    It was the two men that had commented on his arrival. ¡°So you¡¯re the fresh blood. I¡¯m Alwin, and this is my literal partner in crime, Folre. We may or may not have tried to bust out more of our buddies and ended up landing ourselves in here with them! Who are you and what did you do to get yourself in here?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Lucas,¡± he sighed, ¡°and I was trying to stage a rebellion against the king.¡±


    ¡°A bold one!¡± Folre laughed. ¡°Never heard that one before!¡± He gestured to the empty spots near Lucas. ¡°Mind if we sit with ye? We got this thing of welcomin¡¯ newcomers. Show ¡®em city folk what it¡¯s like to be out here.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great, because there¡¯s a few things I wanted to see if you knew anything about.¡± Lucas saw no point in trying to hide it from them. He had much less time than he would¡¯ve preferred so he needed to make sure that every bit of it counted. ¡°What do you know about the warden?¡±


    ¡°Lady Zera? Well, she¡¯s a beaut, for one thing,¡± Folre mused. ¡°Quite the little attention-grabber.¡±


    Lucas shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t care about what you personally think of her. Look, I need to figure out if there¡¯s a way I can get out of here before I¡¯m executed. I¡¯m not worried about the rebellion so much as I am the other people I¡¯ll be leaving behind. But I can¡¯t go anywhere unless I can convince the warden to let me out.¡±


    ¡°Everything comes at a price,¡± Alwin warned, though the foreboding tone was soon switched for a more sympathetic one. ¡°But I understand what you¡¯re trying to do. I had kids before coming here; everything I did was for them. I haven¡¯t been able to talk to them since I came here and it¡¯s been so long that I don¡¯t even know if they¡¯re still alive¡­ So I¡¯m willing to help you do whatever you can to get back to your people. I¡¯ll tell you everything I know about her, all you¡¯ve got to do is use that information and actually get out of here.¡±


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    He looked around cautiously and lowered his voice before saying anything. ¡°I come from a territory under her father¡¯s control, so I know a lot more about their story than most. Zera is the only child of a minor lord, but they used to be pretty prominent until about a decade ago. The story varies depending on who you talk to, and I don¡¯t know which one I believe more. Some say her father tried to poison the king. Others say they simply ran into financial ruin. Either way, they needed to repay the king for something. The king couldn¡¯t think of anything better but to take Zera¡ªonly ten at the time¡ªand train her for his own purposes. Nowadays she¡¯s garnered the title of the Red Rose as an executioner.¡±


    ¡°Do you know if she¡¯d rather be with her father?¡± Lucas asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t doubt that she would. Even if she was young, I¡¯m pretty sure it wasn¡¯t a mutually beneficial agreement. This place is close to her father¡¯s territory, too¡ªI can imagine what it feels like to be so close to home but unable to leave. It¡¯s its own kind of torture.¡±


    Folre shrugged. ¡°Or she don¡¯t wanna leave. She¡¯s never been seen leavin¡¯ but it¡¯s not like anyone¡¯s caught her talkin¡¯ ¡®bout her home, either. Don¡¯t let his confident tone fool ya¡ªhe knows just as much as the rest of us: nothin¡¯.¡±


    ¡°So what you¡¯re telling me is that you¡¯re absolutely no help at all?¡± Lucas reiterated. ¡°I need to figure out what I can use to my advantage when I next talk to her. I can¡¯t convince her to let me out if I don¡¯t know any of her reasoning. There¡¯s got to be something that you know for certain.¡±


    ¡°I know there ain¡¯t none as beautiful as her,¡± Folre offered. ¡°It¡¯s a shame. Someone like her shouldn¡¯t be in here executin¡¯ people. I bet lotsa nobles¡¯ll be willin¡¯ to give her everythin¡¯ she ever wanted.¡±


    ¡°Folre, the kid here doesn¡¯t look like he¡¯s very good at charming,¡± Alwin sighed. ¡°Besides, if the warden was swayed by that kind of stuff half the prison would be out by now.¡±


    ¡°I think more importantly, I have a fianc¨¦e,¡± Lucas remarked. He decided to change the subject before it derailed further. ¡°What¡¯s the current state of her father¡¯s territory?¡±


    ¡°The same way she left it, as far as I see it,¡± Alwin replied casually. ¡°They¡¯re still struggling from whatever happened to them. That, at least, should be something that she was aware of.¡±


    ¡°How willing do you think she¡¯d be to change that?¡±


    ¡°Depends on how far the king¡¯s teachings have gotten to her. If it seeped into the roots of her being¡­ there¡¯s nothing that¡¯s going to convince her out of doing the king¡¯s will. But there¡¯s always the chance that she¡¯s kept a bit of that familial loyalty. If that¡¯s the case then, well, I suppose anything can be possible.¡±


    ¡°I think I might have something to work off of,¡± Lucas mumbled. ¡°Thank you both for helping. Are you sure there¡¯s nothing I can do for the two of you?¡±


    Folre looked like he happily could have suggested something before Alwin interrupted him with the undoubtedly simpler request, ¡°Just get out of here. And win this rebellion of yours¡ªperhaps there¡¯s such a thing as a second chance for everyone. If not for our sake, then for the people that come after us. There¡¯s a world waiting for this moment, whether you realize it or not. You¡¯ve gotten far enough to demand the attention of the king, haven¡¯t you? Don¡¯t give up now. This means a lot more than you know.¡±


    ¡°They say,¡± Folre mused, ¡°that a single thing can change the world forever. I wonder if this is one o¡¯ those things?¡±


    Lucas smiled. ¡°I hope so¡ªand that everything¡¯s a bit better once he¡¯s off the throne.¡±


    ¡­


    He¡¯d always been the bane of the soldiers¡¯ existence in Alyselin. That didn¡¯t change when he was further away from home, or in jail, or even that he was getting close to being executed. He still did the same things he did wherever else he went: he talked about his goals and pointed out the wrongdoing of their king. And he didn¡¯t stop just because soldiers banged on his cell or he was laughed at because they thought it would be impossible. He¡¯d long since gotten past what the rest of Seothia thought about him.


    There was, though, a small group of prisoners that liked to talk to him whenever the guards were out of earshot. They talked about anything and everything, between the serious topics of the rebellion or (if they didn¡¯t know if the guards were still listening) fun stories about their family and friends. It didn¡¯t take long to realize that hardly anyone here did anything more than upset the king somehow.


    ¡°You must be pretty confident in this plan of yours,¡± the prisoner to the right of him remarked. ¡°How sure are you that all your children of Fleyw Bresh haven¡¯t all gone home by now? If they¡¯re even close to here, they¡¯ve heard the news about their leader about to be executed.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have a real reason to think that they¡¯re all still there, I suppose,¡± Lucas responded with a shrug. ¡°But I¡¯d like to believe that they are. I might have been the person that convinced them it was time but they were slowly coming to that conclusion on their own. Now that they¡¯re all together, I don¡¯t think one little thing is going to bring them apart. There¡¯s others that will take up the position in my place. Even if I don¡¯t make it out of here, it¡¯s not the end for the rebellion. They¡¯re still going to make a new future for everyone.¡±


    ¡°Well, don¡¯t act like you¡¯re giving up!¡± another said encouragingly. ¡°You¡¯ve still got plenty of time, I can tell. We¡¯ve all experienced for ourselves the kind of motivation you carry in your words, whether you realize it or not. I think there¡¯s a lot more people out there looking forward to seeing what you can do than who¡¯s willing to admit it.¡±


    One across from him nodded. ¡°We might never be able to get out of here, but we all had family we left behind. Someone that we care for is going to be able to see the beginning of a new dawn. I think that¡¯s all any of us could ever ask for.¡±


    Several more of the prisoners gave their mutual agreement, though they fell into silence when a guard walked through the hallway.


    The guard stopped right at Lucas¡¯s cell and, as he unlocked it, said, ¡°We have finally received word from the king. The Red Rose is readily awaiting your arrival¡­ and she¡¯s ready to send another rebel into eternal slumber in the name of the king.¡±

 Rebellion: Chapter 11

    Everyone must have known what was going to happen. Some of them had upheld casual conversation across their cells but stopped when they saw him; when he got to where Alwin and Folre were, they gave sympathetic looks as he walked past him.


    ¡°Show them what you¡¯ve got, kid,¡± Alwin said in a grim but reassuring way. ¡°You¡¯ve come so far, don¡¯t let everyone down now.¡±


    Lucas would have replied if he wasn¡¯t shoved forward. So he stayed quiet and hoped that he¡¯d be able to talk to Zera alone, if not just for a couple of minutes. Never had he wondered so much if there truly were gods as the Fleyw Bresh believed, and if they really would listen to his prayers.


    He was forced outside to where Zera was waiting. There was a moment of relief to see that she didn¡¯t have anyone else with her¡ªthough was hit with the ominous reminder of what would happen if he didn¡¯t succeed in talking to her.


    It seemed he didn¡¯t even need to be the first to start the conversation. Zera observed him with a cold glare as she asked, ¡°Why do you boast of your rebellion so proudly?¡±


    ¡°Because I know success when I see it,¡± Lucas replied simply. ¡°With or without me, they¡¯re going to kill the king. Even if I¡¯m not there to see it¡­ they¡¯re going to start a new era for us all.¡± He gave her the best smile he could muster. ¡°And I mean everyone when I say that. Not just the children of Fleyw Bresh. Not just the other Seothians that helped our cause. Every person that¡¯s ever called Seothia their home is going to find something to benefit from this.¡±


    ¡°How can you be so sure?¡± She was cautious to say anything and she glanced back towards the building as if she thought someone was watching her there. ¡°There are people like me all over this kingdom and the land of the Fleyw Bresh. We have the blood of our kin and theirs on our hands, many without considering what we were truly doing¡­ Not everyone can so easily forgive those people, nor do we all believe we should be readily forgiven.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t speak much for whoever might take my place, but if I get out of here and on that throne, I swear by what I said,¡± he assured her confidently. ¡°I won¡¯t rest until everything is the best it can be for everyone here.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you know the full extent of what you¡¯re promising.¡±


    He chose his next words very carefully. ¡°If you help me, you¡¯re going to know exactly how true my words are. Do you really want to be here?¡±


    The question appeared to have caught her off-guard and, after another glance behind him, let out a defeated sigh. ¡°I want to return home¡­ to that distant place of my memories¡­¡±


    ¡°What if I could do you one better? You used to be pretty influential, weren¡¯t you? All I need is your promise to help and loyalty to our cause and I¡¯ll be able to bring your family back to what they used to be.¡±


    ¡°If there is one thing I learned by observation, humans can never keep their promises. We¡¯re always bound to say whatever we need in order to get what we want. Our words mean nothing but to act as a shield for our true intentions.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± He gestured around them. ¡°If you think my goal is to deceive you, then you have more than enough tools to kill me for it. I won¡¯t even fight it, if you¡¯re confident that¡¯s what I¡¯m trying to do. But if you think there¡¯s a fragment of truth to my words, that I truly will do what I say I do¡­ then let me go. This can all be over in a few weeks if I can just get back to them.¡±


    Zera hesitated when she saw something unfavorable before forcefully grabbing his shoulder. ¡°I know exactly what to do with you.¡± It was much louder than everything else, and he started to realize what she must have been trying to do. ¡°But this is not the place. You¡¯re coming with me where I can properly send you off in the way you deserve.¡±


    She guided him to another place that was notably mostly out of sight from everything else. Immediately she looked a lot more relieved. ¡°I know there are people who are watching¡­ if they see me do any of this, then everything I have is at risk.¡±


    ¡°I promise to make this all worth your time and risk,¡± Lucas said dutifully. ¡°You¡¯ll just have to be careful to keep yourself out of trouble until I¡¯m ready to give you the recognition and forgiveness that you deserve.¡±


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    ¡°I believe we¡¯re both aware that it¡¯s barely that simple,¡± she remarked. ¡°The only thing I can really assure you is that you¡¯ll be fine as long as you¡¯re out by sunset. They don¡¯t start heavily guarding the place until then. It¡¯s in our favor that you¡¯re supposed to be dead by the hour¡ªas long as you stay out of sight, they have no reason to believe that you weren¡¯t executed. But please, please, if you are foolish enough to get caught¡ª¡°


    ¡°I won¡¯t mention you at all,¡± he agreed. ¡°I¡¯ll take all the blame for this. I could say you even tried to chase after me, if you think that¡¯ll make them any more convinced. No one will know you were a part of this until it¡¯s too late for any of them to do something about it.¡±


    She gave him the weakest of smiles, then pointed to an area closer to where they came from. ¡°The extra supplies are over there. Look through them all you¡¯d like, I¡¯m sure you can find a use for at least some of them in your rebellion. And succeed¡ªI¡¯m not helping someone who¡¯s going to end up losing.¡±


    Lucas nodded and darted off. He took what he needed from the supply room but not enough that made it look like things were obviously missing; as long as everything went to plan, they¡¯d still have everything Takedon was going to get them. Compared to all of that, what he got could really only be described as enough for him to get back to them. Really, at this moment, he felt that was all it needed to be.


    All throughout his trip to the meeting place (with the hopes that the others would¡¯ve gotten there by now, since he had no other idea where they would be), he wondered about Zera. He hoped that she was still continuing on the secret that she let him go and that, if she was about to get caught for it, he could do something to help her before it became too late.


    After several days of traveling, he was relieved to see the camp of the rebellion. Hearing the voices of Missa and Sidyn, he only went faster. They were all still there at the center of the camp, staring at him like they expected him to be dead.


    ¡°You really didn¡¯t have a lot of faith in me, huh?¡± Lucas remarked with a smirk. ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to just give up that easily!¡±


    Clari rushed up and hugged him. ¡°You are the most headstrong person I know and you are so lucky that I love you¡­¡±


    He kissed her forehead. ¡°I¡¯m glad to see you¡¯re all safe, too.¡±


    ¡°That was one hell of a stunt you pulled off,¡± Sidyn said with no sign of concern or worry in his voice at all. ¡°Don¡¯t make a habit out of it. Eventually you¡¯re going to get yourself into something you can¡¯t get yourself out of. It¡¯s not just you that¡¯s going to be reaping those consequences, you know.¡±


    Missa looked more bewildered than anything to see him. ¡°How¡¯d you get out of that? It didn¡¯t take long for them to proclaim the news of a rebel leader being executed. We figured you were dead by the time that news reached us.¡±


    Intending to keep his promise, Lucas¡¯s only response was, ¡°There¡¯s more than just the children of Fleyw Bresh who want to return home.¡±


    Sidyn sighed. ¡°Well, I suppose it¡¯s time to catch you up on everything you missed. As you can tell, we met with Pastor Takedon. He got everything that he was supposed to, so we¡¯re all ready to take our forces to the capital. I sent small groups to occupy the lords around the area that might try to bring support to the king; that way, there¡¯s very little chance they¡¯ll be able to get to us before it¡¯s well over. All we were waiting for was the word that they were in position and then we were going to march to the capital.¡±


    ¡°Alright. I¡¯m assuming you haven¡¯t run into any more soldiers since I left?¡±


    ¡°They don¡¯t think we¡¯re worth their time anymore. I¡¯m sure they thought everything would be over the moment we were told you were dead. It¡¯s for the better that we keep it that way, too. As long as they think you¡¯re dead, they¡¯re not going to have their guard down.¡±


    ¡°So are the children of Fleyw Bresh getting any better?¡±


    Missa took over this part. ¡°They¡¯re shaping into actual fighters now. They¡¯ll be a formidable opponent by the time we head out.¡±


    Lucas grinned. ¡°Then I guess it¡¯s nearly time to show the king not to underestimate us.¡±


    There was a bit of silence before Clari actually stepped away from him and said something. ¡°What if something happens to you..?¡±


    ¡°Nothing else is going to happen to me, I promise,¡± he responded reassuringly. ¡°I¡¯ve done my fair share of being a prisoner. They¡¯re not going to put me anywhere else.¡±


    ¡°I think you should be thinking about yourself,¡± Missa pointed out casually, glancing at Clari. ¡°You should stay with all the children of Fleyw Bresh who won¡¯t be fighting. It¡¯ll keep you out of the way and I bet Lucas¡¯ll have a lot clearer head knowing that you¡¯re safe.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure Bea wouldn¡¯t mind some company until the rest of this is over,¡± Sidyn offered. ¡°It would be much better if you were out of harm¡¯s way.¡±


    Clari shook her head. ¡°Last time I wasn¡¯t there I spent days trying to convince myself that Luke couldn¡¯t have died¡­ I¡¯m not leaving his side again.¡± She still turned to Lucas, though, to see what he thought about it.


    ¡°All you have to do is promise to be as safe as possible,¡± he said. ¡°I don¡¯t want to have to worry about you, but¡­ I¡¯d rather you didn¡¯t have to worry about me. You¡¯ve had enough of that already. Luckily for us, that¡¯s almost over now¡­¡±

 Rebellion: Chapter 12

    They got news from the other rebels within a couple of days, then made their march to the capital. By the time they got there, the sky was turning orange with the arrival of Oshye¡¯s comet; something that, until this day was over, held little importance to anyone. Lucas didn¡¯t know whether he should take it as a sign of good fortune or an omen for their failure.


    ¡°The capital doesn¡¯t have any civilians in it outside of those in the castle,¡± Sidyn said. All the important leaders had gathered to discuss their plans for raiding the capital, now that there were only hours left to go. ¡°We won¡¯t have to worry about involving more people than we need to in this.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not killing anyone that we don¡¯t have to,¡± Lucas decided, ¡°no matter if they¡¯re a soldier or not.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re just going to come back later,¡± Missa pointed out. ¡°I mean, there¡¯s a reason they wanted to kill you instead of just letting you waste away in a cell. As long as someone¡¯s alive to keep it going, there¡¯s going to be opposition at some point. The more opposition you have, the more likely that you¡¯re not going to be on the throne for very long.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s got a point,¡± Sidyn agreed. ¡°I know you want to pretend like everything will be perfectly fine after this, but it¡¯s not. It might not be immediately¡ªit might not even be in our lifetime¡ªbut there will be people who will stand up against you, just like you¡¯ve stood up against the king.¡±


    Lucas gave a defeated sigh. ¡°Fine¡­¡±


    ¡°On the bright side, we¡¯ve avoided a lot of bloodshed so far,¡± Aredes reminded him in an attempt to help. ¡°There¡¯s definitely been a lot worse. I don¡¯t think this is going to be remembered as an unnecessarily bloody affair.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s almost against us,¡± Sidyn remarked. ¡°They¡¯ll only truly believe that we¡¯re serious when we show that we¡¯re willing to make sacrifices to our cause. If the king expects us at all, he probably assumes that the soldiers stationed throughout the city and castle are going to be able to get rid of us. We¡¯ve hardly done anything to prove ourselves to them.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s just get this started so it can be over. Maybe everyone can rest a little easier after that.¡± Lucas got up and started to leave. ¡°Make sure everyone knows what they¡¯re doing. We¡¯re entering the capital in an hour.¡±


    ¡­


    According to Sidyn, there were supposed to be soldiers stationed at specific points around the city. Those soldiers switched out often enough and in such a way that there wouldn¡¯t be a blind spot between shifts; that meant they had to fight, not sneak, their way into the castle. No one knew what it would look like inside of the castle, but it was safe to assume that there¡¯d be even more soldiers there. So they would go in intervals: entertain the soldiers until Lucas and his small group were able to get to the castle. From there, they would head to the throne room and Lucas would kill the king.


    Personally, he hadn¡¯t been too confident in the plan. The only reason he didn¡¯t say anything about it was because Sidyn had mainly come up with it, and he knew his old friend always thought things through. But it seemed to work when put into action¡­ and work a little too well, really.


    From reports they got as each group got into their position, there weren''t a lot of soldiers. As time continued to pass, it sounded like the few that were there didn¡¯t put up much of a fight¡ªsome even defected to the rebellion. As much as Lucas liked to pretend like it was the case, he knew that it wasn¡¯t because they were afraid of the rebellion. It was more like they knew they had nothing to fight for.


    Missa looked at the most recent report, then nodded to Lucas. ¡°You¡¯re up. Sidyn just sent word that everything is ready for you. They¡¯re not even putting up a fight anymore.¡±


    ¡°Do you think the king realized that we were coming..?¡± Clari worried. ¡°If he¡¯s not even here, that would explain why they¡¯re not trying to protect him. What if this is just a trap to keep us here before they surround us?¡±


    Veradis shook her head. ¡°We have scouts everywhere, and every notable place the king would¡¯ve hid is guarded by our people. If the king is somewhere else¡­ at the very least, they don¡¯t have any intention of keeping us here.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll know for ourselves when we get there,¡± Lucas pointed out. ¡°Then we can figure out the real meaning behind all of this and maybe determine what their plan is.¡± He grabbed his broadsword and gestured for Clari and the rest of his group to follow him. ¡°We¡¯ve gotten too far to back out now.¡±


    They left with only a couple words of encouragement from those that remained (which were the elders, children, a few that were unwilling to fight, and some to defend the rest in case there really was an attack). They practically waltzed through the streets of the capital, observing how ominously quiet everything had become. The Fleyw Bresh cheered them on as they walked past, the soldiers either doing the same, tied up by some kind of magic, or nowhere to be seen altogether.


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    Sidyn was holding the doors to the castle open when they got there. With a grandiose gesture, he bowed and said, ¡°Let us all hail the Saint-King.¡±


    It seemed the entire world seemed to echo the phrase: ¡°All hail the Saint-King.¡±


    Then with both resolve and hesitance, Lucas walked through the halls of the castle. The others gained a confident stride beside him, looking around at the castle they assumed would soon be his. He just kept telling himself that he wasn¡¯t going to lose, and everything they hoped would really be true. There was no ulterior motive behind the actions of the soldiers; perhaps it meant that they simply didn¡¯t want to fight.


    Lucas stopped at the throne room. This was the end¡ªwhat happened here would determine the world¡¯s future, he knew it would.


    Clari reassuringly put a hand on his shoulder. ¡°I won¡¯t get in your way, but I am going to come with you.¡±


    However unwilling he was to show it in front of the others, he was glad for it. ¡°Just stay behind me.¡± He turned to the others and said, ¡°Guard things out here, and get me if things suddenly get worse. We don¡¯t really know if there¡¯s any soldiers left here and where they might be, so stay on the lookout for them.¡±


    They all nodded and he and Clari took that as their sign to go in. He shut the door behind him and they carefully started to walk up to the king.


    The king didn¡¯t move from his throne. He looked rather comfortable, legs crossed and head tilted in an almost thoughtful way. He didn¡¯t say anything to them. It didn¡¯t even seem like he recognized they were there.


    ¡°I am Lucas von Mikkel, leader of the rebellion! Your reign ends here!¡± Lucas pointed his sword at the king, yet still he did nothing.


    Clari cautiously stepped closer to him. When the realization hit her, she slowly stepped back again. ¡°I think he¡¯s dead, Luke¡­¡±


    ¡°What?¡± He walked up to the king as well only to be faced with the same conclusion. ¡°Why would he be dead..? Who killed him, since it definitely wasn¡¯t any of us..?¡±


    There was nothing that might have suggested a struggle or any kind of wound at all. It was unnaturally natural, somehow. Everything looked too casual for it to be something that had been planned, yet¡­ it made sense.


    ¡°Is that why the soldiers didn¡¯t fight back?¡± Lucas sat his sword aside and began to look around the throne and the king for something, some kind of explanation or note¡­ ¡°Did they know that their king was already dead?¡±


    ¡°Even if they tried to keep it a secret, news like that wouldn¡¯t take long to spread,¡± Clari mumbled. ¡°It couldn¡¯t have happened long ago. Which means that they really were planning for us to come here¡­¡±


    ¡°Then why do they seem to have completely given up? If they planned this, then they have to have an idea on what they¡¯re doing next, right?¡±


    ¡°Maybe it was all pride¡­ he didn¡¯t want to lose to the children of Fleyw Bresh and their rebellion leader, so he chose not to wait for it.¡±


    ¡°But if they really tried, they could have beaten us. It probably wouldn¡¯t have even been that hard if they threw enough soldiers at us.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t think of anything else it could¡¯ve been¡­ He doesn¡¯t have any family. The queen died years ago without them ever having children¡­ even the person he was planning on giving the throne to is dead now. There would be no other blood relatives to try to revive his legacy.¡±


    Then Lucas found the note. A quick skim over it didn¡¯t bring them any more answers:


    ¡®To the leader of this so-called ¡°rebellion¡± and all those who chose to follow under him,


    I will admit that you have won this time. Quite well, I might add. But change hardly lasts long, and it is bound to shift once again. When that happens¡­ know that what you have worked to build will fall apart. What you hope to achieve is not as easy of a goal as you think. It takes far more work and cooperation than I believe you realize. So go on, leader of the rebellion. Take my crown, my castle, and my lands. Do whatever you wish with them. Foolishly try to continue on your dream and see where it leads you and your people. I ask only that you remember one thing: just as we return to nature when we die, so will your nation return to mine when it has finally lived out its life.


    One day the rightful ruler of Seothia will return to the throne. All you and your kin will do is keep them all entertained until then.¡¯


    ¡°We may want to reconsider that possibility,¡± Lucas remarked as he handed it to Clari.


    She stayed silent until she finished reading it. ¡°Should we tell the others? Sidyn, at least?¡±


    ¡°No. We need to keep this between the two of us, no matter what. As far as the world should know for all of history¡­ I killed the king here, and that was the end of his line and reign. There¡¯s nothing to worry about. It¡¯s only meant to intimidate us. That¡¯s all it is.¡±


    Lucas gently took the crown off the king¡¯s head and gave Clari a smile. ¡°Now would you like to be my queen?¡±


    Despite the obvious uncertainty she had about the situation, she smiled too. ¡°All I want is to be with you.¡±


    The rebels cheered when they came out of the throne room with the crown. They made the slow ascent up to the balcony of the castle where even more of the rebels could see them.


    He held up the crown. ¡°A new era has begun!¡±


    Everyone that heard it let out a cry of victory.


    No one ever learned about the truth of the king and the threat that came with it.

 Mystery of Nadia Mikah: Chapter 1

    They gave a wistful sigh as they finished yet another detective novel. What they wouldn¡¯t give to live a life like that¡ªsolving mysteries no matter where they went, reuniting lost loved ones, uncovering hidden truths of the world¡­ But alas, they were cooped up in their makeshift office, the most dangerous case they¡¯d ever handled being where a neighbor¡¯s missing cat had gone.


    Their time was coming. They just had to be patient enough to wait for it.


    Why did waiting need to be so hard?


    Then it happened. There was a quiet but steady knock on the door before Enuolare poked her head inside, mumbling something about the mess before stepping into the office.


    ¡°Enebish, dear, there¡¯s a man who came to see you¡­¡± she said cautiously.


    They sighed. ¡°If it¡¯s the guy with the bird, tell him to keep his window closed next time. Not every bird¡¯s as well-trained as the prince¡¯s is rumored to be¡­¡± They got up and put their book away before even bothering to see who she¡¯d brought in. When they finally did look, they rushed up in front of him. ¡°It¡¯s not someone I know! What are you here for? Did someone die and you need me to figure out who did it? Did you find some ancient text about your family that you want me to decipher? Is your one true love missing and I¡¯m the only one who can help?!¡±


    He gave one nervous look at Enebish before turning back to Enuolare and muttering, ¡°Lady Enuolare, I really don¡¯t think this is going to work¡­¡±


    They paused. ¡°Or are you just a guy from the next town over who also just lost his pet..?¡±


    ¡°This is Leon. He¡¯s looking for his niece.¡± Enuolare gestured for him to walk further in and Enebish, understanding the situation, went back behind their desk. ¡°It was either come to you or wait gods-knows-how-long for the army to get around to it, so¡­ I decided to let him in. I hope you don¡¯t mind.¡±


    ¡°Why would I? That means you¡¯re starting to trust me with something other than the boring kid stuff!¡± Enebish pulled out a little notebook and their favorite quill. ¡°With that said, Mom, you probably don¡¯t need to stay. I bet you¡¯ve got a bunch of other stuff to do.¡±


    She shook her head and offered a small smile. ¡°I think I¡¯ll watch you work for a little while.¡± Now, they¡¯d read enough mystery novels to know that she knew much more than she wanted them to think. But they also read enough novels to know that she wouldn¡¯t answer them if they tried to ask, so they didn¡¯t say anything.


    They turned their attention to Leon. ¡°So, tell me everything you can about her. The more information I have to go off of the smoother this can all go. What¡¯s her name?¡±


    ¡°Nadia Mikah. She¡¯s turning fifteen this year.¡±


    ¡°When did you last see her?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ been two years, at least.¡±


    ¡°If she¡¯s been gone for that long, why didn¡¯t you do anything sooner?¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen any of her family in two years. I shouldn¡¯t even be here, I¡¯m supposed to be stationed closer to the border of the territory, but I¡­ was getting worried about her. I was able to ask a few old friends of mine and none of them have seen her in a few months.¡±


    ¡°What made you worried?¡±


    ¡°Her parents are on the¡­ extreme side of things. Let¡¯s just say for now that she has a mix of things that no one else does, and they¡¯re willing to exploit that. It was never safe for her but I never had a say in anything.¡±


    ¡°If you knew that something was going to happen eventually, why didn¡¯t you send a concern to the king? As far as I¡¯m aware, they¡¯re on top of that kind of stuff. You could¡¯ve ended it all before it even started.¡±


    Leon seemed to glance at Enuolare before nervously replying, ¡°The group Nadia¡¯s parents are a part of have friends in high places. Here in the mountains, nothing gets through without their permission.¡±


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    ¡°What¡¯s the name of this group, then? Some gang?¡±


    Both of them froze but neither dared to say anything.


    ¡°You know it¡¯s obvious when you both do that, right?¡± Enebish remarked. ¡°The way I see it, you¡¯re just as suspicious as her parents are. The more information I have, the better this is and the quicker we can get to her. So why aren¡¯t you just laying out everything you know now, if you¡¯re really worried about her?¡±


    Of course he didn¡¯t have a good answer. ¡°Some things¡­ are better left to discuss another time.¡±


    They knew they were going to get nothing more out of this exchange as it was now. They sighed, ¡°I¡¯m guessing you don¡¯t have a place to stay?¡±


    ¡°Not without alerting her parents that I¡¯m here, which is ultimately going to cause much more trouble for all of us¡­¡±


    ¡°Mom, can someone arrange a room for him here?¡± Then, in a completely blank tone, they stared at Leon and added, ¡°At least it lets me keep an eye on you.¡±


    His nervous chuckle was coupled by their glare that proved that they weren¡¯t joking.


    ¡°There should be several servants by the entrance,¡± Enuolare instructed softly. ¡°As long as you remember how to get back there, just tell them I¡¯m allowing you to stay here and they¡¯ll help prepare a room.¡±


    He nodded. ¡°You have my thanks, Lady Enuolare.¡± Then he walked out.


    Enuolare glanced at where he¡¯d left then turned her attention to Enebish. ¡°Dear, are you sure you¡¯re ready for this?¡±


    ¡°I thought you trusted me! Come on, I can handle this kind of stuff. All the mystery novels and missing pets are finally amounting to something! Why would I turn this up?¡± Enebish completed it with their little hmph of defiance to show they weren¡¯t going to budge.


    ¡°Not every mystery needs to be solved¡­ I¡¯m sure he wouldn¡¯t mind if you decide to let the army take care of this.¡±


    ¡°Why did you bring him here if you didn¡¯t want me to go through with it?¡±


    She didn¡¯t have an answer.


    They decided to change tactics. ¡°What is it that you don¡¯t want me to find out?¡±


    She shook her head slowly. ¡°I¡¯ll give you some time to work. If it ever becomes too much or you decide to change your mind, you know where to find me.¡± She left as well.


    ¡­


    They gave Leon time to get settled, then continued asking tons of questions. Through those questions, they were able to come up with a halfway decent sheet of information about his niece.


    ¡®Name: Nadia Mikah


    Age: 14 (Istrigar 12)


    Last Seen: near her parents¡¯ house (outside the Palus capital), wearing everyday clothes


    Possible Cause: kidnapping, almost definitely; presumably would not have ran away


    Possible Suspects: her parents, friends of her parents, Leon


    Possible Motive: ¡°Something she has that no one else does.¡± - uncertain motive¡¯


    Then they turned it around and showed it to Leon. ¡°Does anything here look wrong to you?¡±


    ¡°The fact my name is scribbled out of the suspect list?¡± he tried.


    ¡°No! I don¡¯t have anything definitive! It¡¯s a bunch of possiblies and maybes but not any definitlies.¡± Enebish took the paper and tacked it on the special board they made just for this purpose (that until now had gone completely unused). ¡°I guess for a first start it isn¡¯t bad, but not with someone like you helping me. You should be all over this! Or, at least, according to the novels you¡¯re supposed to¡­¡±


    ¡°All of your knowledge of detectives¡­ doesn¡¯t happen to all come from mystery novels, does it..?¡±


    Their cheeks turned red. ¡°Of course not! I¡¯ve got experience!¡±


    ¡°I guess it¡¯s not surprising, being the most sheltered out of Lady Enuolare¡¯s kids¡­¡± he mumbled. He then shook his head and said, ¡°If you want something more specific, there¡¯s one more thing I think I can say now¡­ Where exactly her parents live.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t think that¡¯s something you should mention at the beginning?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if they¡¯re still there, and if they realize I¡¯m the reason you¡¯re there, they won¡¯t tell you anything. Not to mention I don¡¯t think it¡¯s the kind of place your mom is going to like you going all on your own¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m twenty,¡± they remarked bluntly. ¡°I think I can handle whatever it is by myself.¡± They pulled out a smaller piece of paper and quill and pushed them both towards him. ¡°Can you write down the address for me?¡±


    He nodded. ¡°Just promise you¡¯ll be safe over there¡ªand whatever you do, don¡¯t let them realize I¡¯m in Palus again.¡±


    ¡°Are you ever going to tell me why they don¡¯t like you?¡±


    ¡°Suffice to say I more or less work for the same person they want to take down.¡±

 Mystery of Nadia Mikah: Chapter 2

    The way Leon made it sound, this place was supposed to be full of thugs and various other questionable individuals. They actually wouldn¡¯t have minded it, figuring it would make it more exciting.


    It turned out to be the average just-out-of-the-capital Palus town. Sure, there was the occasional shady guy selling merchandise of ambiguous quality, but it wasn¡¯t anything out of the usual. In fact, there were far less of them than what was at the capital.


    Enebish wandered through the streets, avoiding the less fortunate places. They always hated to see it; what happened to the people who weren¡¯t lucky enough to know or work under a noble. It made them wonder where they¡¯d be if Enuolare hadn¡¯t adopted them, and that was a topic they tried to avoid as much as possible.


    The nice house they were presented with made them double check the address Leon had given them. It didn¡¯t look like any type of house bad guys would have.


    Then again, looks could be deceiving.


    With that in mind, they eagerly knocked on the door. ¡°Hello? Anyone home?¡±


    A rather tired-looking man answered the door. ¡°What¡¯s a kid like you doing here?¡±


    Enebish confidently answered, ¡°I¡¯m Mx. Enebish Oseloke. I¡¯m here to ask about your daughter.¡± They paused. ¡°You are the Mikahs, right? Do I have the wrong address..? With the way you¡¯re looking at me it feels like I¡¯ve got the wrong address¡­¡±


    There was a brief moment of panic that crossed his face, though he simply turned around and called, ¡°We¡¯ve got a guest, honey!¡± He looked back at Enebish to gesture them in. ¡°I¡¯m Ivann and my wife¡¯s Akilina. What is it that you want to know about our daughter?¡±


    Antiques from before the rebirth of Seothia were scattered around; they were mainly distracted by a tapestry with the obvious crest of the old royal line. It only brought up many more questions with little answers.


    ¡°Are you interested in history?¡± they asked in attempts to clear away the silence. ¡°It must¡¯ve taken a lot of work to preserve this¡­ not to mention the bravery to put it up in a place where everyone can see it.¡± They gently ran their hand along the edge, though lifted it back off when a chill ran through them.


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s not nearly as old as you think it is,¡± Ivann remarked with an off-putting laugh. ¡°We had that crafted some thirty years ago, didn¡¯t we, dear?¡±


    ¡°Saved up all we had,¡± Akilina agreed from the kitchen. ¡°It¡¯s our pride and joy. Why should we hide the lineage we were tasked with preserving?¡±


    One of their siblings had told them about people like these. Their thoughts left their mouth before they could think about what they were saying. ¡°You know it¡¯s historically proven that Saint-King Lucas killed the old king and, with him, all his line, right?¡±


    ¡°Mx. Enebish, there¡¯s something important you should know about the world: history is written by the winning side.¡± Ivann said it all without losing his smile. ¡°If you¡¯re close to Lady Enuolare you would know the secrets the throne keeps for ¡®the better¡¯ of the kingdom. If you¡¯re not¡­ then imagine all the things you know she¡¯s keeping from you. That should give you an idea on the truth of things.¡±


    They refused to listen to any of it. ¡°Saint-King Lucas¡¯s spirit has helped us clear up any other misconception. If there was anything wrong with how the previous king was killed, then we would know it by now.¡±


    ¡°Keep living your fantasy,¡± he remarked with a shrug, ¡°and see where it brings you in a couple of years¡¯ time.¡±


    Akilina came out with tea and gestured for them to all sit down at the table. ¡°We¡¯re going to help put the old king¡¯s line back on the throne, like they rightfully should be.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s pretty bold words assuming I¡¯m not just going to go to my mom and tell the king what you¡¯re doing,¡± Enebish pointed out.


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    Ivann chuckled and ruffled their hair. ¡°Perhaps try doing some research before making threats of your own, hmm?¡±


    Akilina gave a small smile as well. ¡°I¡¯m sure your mother already knows.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re getting away from the point!¡± Enebish decided, shaking their head. They weren¡¯t going to believe these two. There was no reason to assume they were telling the truth¡­ aside from their confidence, that is, but that could be said for anyone. At least that¡¯s what Enebish assured themself. ¡°I already said I¡¯m here to talk about your daughter. Someone told me that she was missing and I came to investigate.¡±


    ¡°Missing?¡± Ivann and Akilina looked at each other before laughing together. He stopped to explain, ¡°Rest assured, we know exactly where she is!¡±


    Enebish sighed. ¡°That doesn¡¯t make you any less suspicious. Look, I need some actual information on what you know. I don¡¯t know exactly what normal officials do around here but I¡¯m not leaving just because of that.¡± They pulled out a little notebook and quill. ¡°When did you last see her?¡±


    ¡°Only a few days ago,¡± Akilina said casually. ¡°We sent her off to stay with a couple of our friends.¡±


    Ivann nodded. ¡°We¡¯ve been meaning to have some time to ourselves for a little while. Our friends offered to take care of her for us.¡±


    They needed to choose their words carefully, keeping Leon¡¯s warnings in mind. ¡°And who are these friends?¡±


    ¡°Part of our group,¡± was Akilina¡¯s bright response.


    ¡°What kind of group?¡±


    ¡°A middle-class working union.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t I believe you..?¡±


    Ivann chuckled. ¡°Currently we¡¯re trying to come up with a way to help those without support from a noble. They¡¯ve got plenty of things in the works; ways to improve our world without relying on the tynmir¡¯s magic.¡±


    Time for a change of tactics. ¡°How would you describe your relationship with your daughter?¡±


    ¡°Only the utmost care and love,¡± Akilina replied with a nod. ¡°As any parent would, I hope. But you should know how teenagers are; they don¡¯t appreciate what they¡¯ve been given, unable to see far enough ahead to know why it¡¯s necessary.¡±


    ¡°My source was another adult and he came with an outsider¡¯s perspective. He was afraid that you were doing something to her. Has anything happened that would lead someone to think that?¡±


    Ivann shook his head. ¡°The only thing I can think of is her staying with friends. She wasn¡¯t too fond of going, but I assure you they¡¯re good people.¡±


    ¡°So can you show where a few of them live so I can talk to them myself? This could be over soon; all you need to do is show me where Nadia is, I can talk to her myself, and then the case will be closed.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid we can¡¯t share any of that information. We don¡¯t know where exactly our friends live¡ªwe left her at one of our group¡¯s meeting points.¡±


    ¡°So can you tell me where that is?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s also information that stays within the members of the group. Though something else tells me that you already have somebody who can show you where it is.¡± Ivann got up. ¡°Who told you about Nadia?¡±


    ¡°That is classified information,¡± Enebish defended confidently. ¡°I protect the privacy of anyone who walks into my¡ªhey!¡±


    Akilina took the notebook out of their hand and flipped through some of the pages. She must have finally found the one with the rest of their notes, getting up and showing it to her husband. ¡°Leon.¡±


    With a calm but frightening voice all the same, Ivann said, ¡°Mx. Enebish, it was nice getting to meet you, but I think you should go now. And I would advise not returning¡ªthere¡¯s plenty of things around here that I don¡¯t think you¡¯re ready to handle.¡±


    They quickly nodded, stood up, snatched their notebook back, and walked out. They didn¡¯t dare look back until they were close to home again, the end of their welcome seeming to extend through the whole town. When Enebish got back, they went straight to their office and didn¡¯t dare think of anything else until they had all the information from their encounter written down.


    It proved how little they knew.


    There was a steady knock on the door before Leon came in. ¡°Did it go well?¡±


    ¡°They figured out you were the one that sent me,¡± they sighed, slumping further into their chair.


    ¡°They didn¡¯t do anything, did they? They¡¯ve never liked me, I wouldn¡¯t expect them to be nice to someone who was working with me.¡±


    ¡°They just said it was time I left and not come back.¡±


    Leon thought for a moment. ¡°You know, you don¡¯t have to be the one to do this. It could be dangerous for someone like you and I get if you¡¯d rather not get involved in it.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± They sat back up. ¡°I started this case. I¡¯m not backing down until you have an answer. Nothing¡¯s going to keep me from doing that.¡±

 Mystery of Nadia Mikah: Chapter 3

    They stared at the annoyingly-empty piece of paper. At this rate they weren¡¯t going to solve anything. They knew that even here there were people that knew something, but no one was going to say it. Did they even want Nadia to be rescued? Why didn¡¯t they just tell Enebish what they knew? The sooner they had all the information, the sooner they could save her¡­ and it sounded like the sooner the better, at least as a part of the mixed signals Leon was giving them.


    Enebish decided to take a walk, hoping that might clear their mind. There was no point in staying in the office if nothing was going to get done there.


    An unfamiliar voice brought them out of their pensive mood. ¡°Zokel hadn¡¯t been kidding about how little this place has changed¡­ like no time has passed at all¡­¡±


    They wandered over to where the voice was to find a girl. She looked a bit too young to be unsupervised with long, icy blue hair and wore what looked to be a seal¡¯s pelt. She hadn¡¯t noticed them until they held out their hand.


    ¡°I¡¯m Enebish. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen you around before, what¡¯s your name?¡±


    She jumped at first before cautiously looking around and shaking their hand. ¡°Imena.¡± She shivered and pulled her hand back. ¡°I hope this can be done quickly, not everyone can be as comfortable around dreamers as Iztali¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you out here alone?¡±


    ¡°No, I have something I need to do.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°Find you, I believe. Enebish Oseloke, correct?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s me. Why are you looking for me?¡±


    ¡°I have the same mission you do. Would you mind bringing me to your house? It¡¯ll be much better to talk there¡ªthere¡¯s too many ears who might hear something that they shouldn¡¯t otherwise.¡±


    Enebish thought to question it but, looking at her, felt a sense of peace and they decided not to. Something told them that she meant what she said, no other motive. So, they nodded and led the way.


    They offered to stop at the kitchen to get something to eat or the grand hall to be introduced to Enuolare, but she denied both. So they¡¯d just ended up taking her to their office, where they gestured for her to sit down as they did the same on the other side of the table.


    Imena looked over the notes they had. ¡°You¡¯re looking for Nadia Mikah, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    They nodded, hoping their excitement wasn¡¯t too obvious. ¡°Her uncle wanted me to find her. But¡­ he knows a lot more than he¡¯s telling me and he¡¯s not interested in sharing.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t blame him,¡± she remarked, observing one of the notes more closely. ¡°You don¡¯t look very qualified to handle the kinds of secrets they¡¯re hiding from you.¡±


    ¡°Hey! I¡¯m perfectly responsible!¡± They shook their head. ¡°That¡¯s not the point. It sounds like you know something. Can you tell me?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m here for. I know the organization that¡¯s ¡®taking care¡¯ of Nadia.¡±


    ¡°Really? What is it?¡±


    The word came out venomous and the thought of it made her crumple the paper. ¡°Adidell.¡±


    ¡°Adidell..?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re an anti-magic organization that¡¯s taken up many forms in northern Seothia.¡±


    ¡°Does Nadia have magic, then?¡±


    Imena shook her head. ¡°Not quite. She¡¯s part of another one of their plans; one to reinstate the old royal line. She¡¯s¡­ special, in the sense that there¡¯s two things she has that no one else in her family has been able to accomplish.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to tell me what that is?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave you to discover that part on your own. There¡¯s still plenty you have to learn before you¡¯re ready to find her. I suggest you start at the library¡ªyou may be surprised by the kinds of knowledge that is hidden in plain sight.¡±


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    ¡­


    Was it bad that they didn¡¯t want to find anything? This was what Leon and Enuolare were keeping from them, after all; maybe there was a good reason for it.


    Or maybe they just didn¡¯t want to accept the fact that they kept something from them at all.


    Imena stayed nearby, noticed by Leon but only needing to say a few words to quell his concern. She didn¡¯t mention anything else about Adidell until she was looking for books with Enebish.


    ¡°They¡¯re in here,¡± she declared, pushing open a door at the back of the library. The room inside looked like it hadn¡¯t been touched in a while and it definitely was not welcoming.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think we should be in there¡­¡± They stepped back before she tugged on their arm.


    ¡°Do you want to learn more about where Nadia is being kept?¡±


    ¡°Well, yeah, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Be honest with yourself. It¡¯s about time you grow up and learn what¡¯s just waiting for its time to start.¡±


    They sighed and walked inside. There were countless scrolls and books, some more worn than others; they had to note with a kind of dismay the ones that seemed to be placed there recently. They waited for Imena to choose one of the books and hand it to them.


    The title was simple: Records Compilation- 1134. They fought their own discomfort to obey the glare she gave them and open the book.


    Almost the entire first page was a bunch of scribbles but, through them, they could guess when this was written¡­ starting at the very beginning of last year. When they got to something more readable, it was in someone else¡¯s handwriting but there were no names in it.


    ¡®The homunculus may have gotten away from us, but our future has not been lost. We will get it back in a matter of time; instead of a setback, we consider it our opportunity to focus on something else for a little while.


    While far from founders, they have long been involved in achieving our goals. Now they are finally able to offer something to us to prove their faith. They are giving us their daughter, the one person to possess the blood of the king and his spirit.


    Our attempts to recreate our king have failed thus far. She proves to be resistant, but in time she will break like everything else to enter this place. We will not let a girl get in our way. One way or another, this generation will see the return of the true king. The rightful heir to Seothia will sit on the throne once more and remind the world of the dangers magic holds¡­


    ¨CExperiment Logs¨C¡¯


    Everything that followed only got worse. For the sake of research, though, they read on to the very end¡­ and struggled to pretend like it didn¡¯t bother them. They were more than happy to close the book once they¡¯d finished the log.


    ¡°If I had to guess, she¡¯s probably going through the same thing now,¡± Imena remarked. Her tone didn¡¯t lack concern, but she also didn¡¯t seem too worried for them. ¡°Or possibly even worse.¡±


    ¡°Why would anyone..?¡± They kept staring at the cover of the book, no matter how much they wanted to look away.


    ¡°Mortals take desperate measures when they feel scared or threatened. They harm others because that¡¯s what they think they need to do in order to keep themself and those they care for safe. They find a way to justify what they do, so they never see what it does to people around them.¡±


    ¡°Mom¡­ knows about all this, doesn¡¯t she?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s something that¡¯s best to ask her yourself. Confront her and hear what she has to say.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want her to say she does.¡± Maybe, just maybe, if they never brought it up, they could pretend like it didn¡¯t exist¡­ like the most caring person they knew of didn¡¯t have dark connections after all.


    Imena put a hand on their shoulder. ¡°Talk to her. The world isn¡¯t completely black and white; there¡¯s those that do good because they hope to harm, and those that do bad to keep from harming. She doesn¡¯t need to be the villain.¡±


    ¡°But how could a hero know about something like that and not tell anyone?¡±


    ¡°Trust me, things here are never simple.¡±


    Imena went to leave and Enebish took the book and followed her. They were going to get answers. There had to be a good explanation for all of this. If there wasn¡¯t¡­ well, they didn¡¯t want to think of that possibility.


    They made an attempt to leave the room as discreetly as possible, though it didn¡¯t last through the rest of the estate. It was obvious they were looking for something and they had intentions of clearing it up as soon as possible.


    That is, if their brother¡¯s must-fix-sibling¡¯s-problems instincts didn¡¯t kick in. He showed up right in front of the grand hall, where they could hear Enuolare¡¯s voice on the other side.


    ¡°Out of the way, Etieno, I need to talk to Mom,¡± Enebish said. They tried and failed to brute force their way through him.


    ¡°No can do, sib. She¡¯s talking to officials right now,¡± he replied dutifully. ¡°What¡¯s so important that you¡¯ve got to see her anyway?¡± Then he noticed the book they were holding and Imena behind them. From that moment it was clear he knew what was going on, but instead asked, ¡°Care to introduce me to this new friend of yours?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s Imena,¡± they answered as they tried again to get past him. ¡°Now can you please let me through? Or, better yet, tell me what you know!¡±


    ¡°Me? Know anything? The most I know is that you¡¯re not supposed to have that book.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah? And why am I not supposed to have it?¡±


    Etieno paused before simply saying, ¡°I can¡¯t tell you that part.¡±


    They took advantage of his momentary distraction to push him aside long enough to get in. After closing the door behind them, they looked right at their mother. ¡°There¡¯s some things you need to tell me.¡±

 Mystery of Nadia Mikah: Chapter 4

    It took them a minute to realize who else was in the room with Enuolare. When Leon saw them and the book that they were holding, he mumbled a curse. Enuolare quickly caught on to what he saw too.


    She slowly stepped closer to them. ¡°Dear, you¡¯re not supposed to have that.¡±


    They kept the book away from her. ¡°And why not?¡± The worst part was how none of them gave Enebish an answer. ¡°What is it that you don¡¯t want me to know? The fact that you have this at all? That you¡¯re letting this happen?¡±


    Enuolare gained a hurt expression when they wouldn¡¯t let her touch their shoulder, afraid that she might take away the book instead. ¡°I promise there¡¯s a good explanation for all of this.¡±


    ¡°Then what is it?¡±


    She sighed. ¡°I suppose I should¡¯ve told you sooner, but a part of me hoped you would never need to know¡­ Etieno and the others, as my children by blood, will eventually need to take up my duties there. But you wouldn¡¯t need to get involved at all¡ªthey never would¡¯ve cared about an adopted child. I thought I could protect you from the reality we face here¡­ though there¡¯s no going back now. I¡¯ll tell you what I know, then you can decide what to think yourself after I¡¯ve talked.


    ¡°Adidell was created a couple of years after Saint-King Lucas¡¯s crowning; they are founded under the belief that the old king¡¯s royal line still exists out there and, for the most part, it does. The king had long heard of the rebellion¡ªat that point, they¡¯d hardly been discreet about it. He¡¯d realized a few years earlier that it was only a matter of time before the people tried to turn against him. While most of his time was spent trying to find a way to show them the dangers of magic, he spent some of it in building a family.


    ¡°The plan itself was kept secret between a few of his trusted advisors, those that would become Adidell¡¯s founders. When it became apparent that Saint-King Lucas¡¯s rebellion was closing in on the capital, the king instructed his advisors to take his newborn child and leave. Before Saint-King Lucas came, the king wrote a letter to warn him about what was going to happen and then committed suicide. Saint-King Lucas and First Queen Clarimonda were the only two from the rebellion force to know and the new Seothia stemmed out of their hiding of details; Adidell, on the other hand, embraces the secret and the expectations they were given by their late king.¡±


    Leon stepped forward to give her a short break. ¡°The child of the old king became the first of the Mikahs. It¡¯s¡­ a rather bold heritage that I have no joy in associating with. Adidell¡¯s main goal is to generate the perfect replacement for the king¡­ by taking someone that has his blood and his spirit, then allowing his spirit to take over the person¡¯s body. Unfortunately, Nadia met those requirements. My attempts to get them to consider other options deemed me a traitor, along with my joining of the army, and I haven¡¯t technically been allowed to be this deep into northern territory since.¡±


    Enebish eased a little with the assurance that they weren¡¯t just going to avoid the topic. ¡°So you know everything that they¡¯ve been doing..?¡±


    Enuolare nodded.


    ¡°Why do you let them..?¡±


    ¡°Almost all of northern Seothia is against Saint-King Lucas¡¯s line¡ªthey had no reason to think him any more than a joke. Anything on the side of his descendants is considered a threat to their plans. To stand by the throne would be the same as losing everything. I allow what I do because I know what they¡¯ll do if I don¡¯t¡­ I know that disobeying them could mean losing more than just my power and wealth¡ªI¡¯ll lose my family, too. It isn¡¯t an easy decision to make but know that, everything I do, I do for all of you.¡± She paused. ¡°So, do you understand now? Do you think that perhaps¡­ you¡¯ll be able to forgive me, despite the lies I¡¯ve told?¡±


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    ¡°I forgive you.¡± They handed the book to Imena and hugged their mother. ¡°I¡¯m relieved, actually, that you¡¯re not doing this because you want to¡­ I know being forced is bad, but thinking that you did it all yourself is way worse.¡± They stepped back. ¡°There¡¯s just one more thing I don¡¯t get. If Leon knows, you know, and neither of you really like them¡­ why doesn¡¯t the king know about all of this already?¡±


    ¡°The same reason, mostly,¡± Leon remarked. ¡°Suffice to say they bring up very good reasons not to try to turn against them.¡±


    ¡°It helps that they keep up appearances,¡± Enuolare added. ¡°They know how to act around the king. They say what they need to draw the attention away from them; it¡¯s something they¡¯ve been doing since Saint-King Lucas got on the throne. Telling anyone that there¡¯s an organization bent on getting rid of magic and reinstituting the old line would get you branded as a conspiracy theorist. And it¡¯s not like the throne now has the resources to explore the rumors, with the Ski¨¢ that need to be taken care of. It¡¯s unlikely that they¡¯ll notice something at all until it¡¯s already too late to stop them.¡±


    ¡°Is there nothing that we can do to keep all that bad stuff from happening, then?¡± Enebish remembered what had been written in the log and felt sick again. They couldn¡¯t imagine anyone going through something like that, let alone knowing that there really was nothing they could do to help.


    Imena shrugged. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m for. I help protect people from Adidell so that, when the final hours come, only a handful have suffered at their hands¡­¡± She trailed off near the end and followed it with the mumble, ¡°Like Zokel did for the Ilethera.¡±


    Enuolare blinked. ¡°I just now noticed your friend, Enebish. When did you meet her?¡±


    ¡°I met Imena when I went to get some fresh air earlier,¡± Enebish replied casually. ¡°She said she¡¯d help me find Nadia and was the first one to tell me about Adidell.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t happen to¡­ feel something, do you?¡± Enuolare then muttered something about a dreamer, though it was hard to understand.


    ¡°No? I thought we were done with the telling secrets part, why are you acting like that..?¡±


    Imena interjected before anything else could be said. ¡°It¡¯s alright, Lady Enuolare, and your suspicion is well-placed. You¡¯re right¡ªI¡¯m a Fos.¡±


    Enuolare gave her a weak smile. ¡°Legend used to tell of a little girl like you who would come to the aid of the magical people here. You brought hope to many, and crushed countless more when you disappeared.¡±


    ¡°Blame mortals, they¡¯re the one that made it difficult,¡± Imena returned. ¡°There¡¯s so few of us already that I can¡¯t afford to let the darkness take me now. At least there were still some good mortals who were willing to take up the challenges on my behalf.¡± She paused. ¡°Though I would appreciate it if you didn¡¯t tell anyone I was here. The sooner you mortals learn to keep your mouths shut the longer I can keep you out of danger.¡±


    ¡°Uh, Mom, can you explain what¡¯s going on?¡± Enebish prompted.


    ¡°She¡¯s helped our family before,¡± Enuolare responded, gesturing to Imena. ¡°Her reputation spread all across northern Seothia until a couple decades ago, when¡­ the hero they thought they could depend on stopped coming.¡±


    Imena seemed to ignore the main sentiment of the comment. ¡°You just talked to them about your own self-preservation, so why turn around and scorn mine?¡±


    ¡°Do you plan on staying a while, then?¡± Leon asked, moving on from the subject.


    ¡°Saving Nadia is my mission, so I won¡¯t leave until it¡¯s done,¡± she replied.


    He glanced at Enuolare and, seemingly having the same idea, nodded in unison. Slowly, he said, ¡°With a Fos beside you, maybe¡­ we can trust you to stay safe. I wouldn¡¯t want to tell you something and you end up getting hurt, but I think you can handle this with someone like her on your side. I¡¯ll show you where Adidell¡¯s base is.¡±


    Enebish perked up, looking between the two of them. ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Stay safe and out of trouble,¡± Enuolare said. ¡°If something bad happens, leave immediately. Don¡¯t let anyone recognize who you are; don¡¯t even let anyone get close. Do what you need and get right back out. Do you understand?¡±


    Despite the seriousness of such a topic, they nodded ecstatically. ¡°Yes! I promise!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to look after them,¡± Imena said dutifully. ¡°They¡¯re not my mission, but still I think Day would like to keep them safe.¡±


    Leon went to leave the room. ¡°Then follow me. We¡¯ll make sure we have what we need to keep you two hidden and then make our way there. As a fair warning, don¡¯t be surprised if it¡¯s much closer than you would¡¯ve expected it to be¡­¡±

 Mystery of Nadia Mikah: Chapter 5

    ¡°Here we are¡­ Adidell¡¯s main Palus base.¡± Leon nervously looked around him before handing them a piece of paper. ¡°This is the map of the base, so long as they haven¡¯t changed it in the years since I¡¯ve been there. They should be keeping Nadia here, and what you¡¯ll need to get her is¡ª¡±


    ¡°Need I remind you this isn¡¯t the first time I¡¯ve done this,¡± Imena remarked. ¡°And as long as I¡¯m here, you don¡¯t need to worry about either of us. I know where I¡¯m going¡ªall of your bases look the same.¡±


    ¡°Is no one else going to mention that this is supposed to be a temple for spirits..?¡± Enebish questioned, another sense of dread coming over them.


    ¡°The more you¡¯ll learn about Adidell, the more you¡¯ll realize that they enjoy hiding in plain sight,¡± Leon replied simply. ¡°Surprisingly, the best way to stay hidden is to be open.¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not really the main part of the temple anyway,¡± Imena pointed out, taking the paper from Enebish just to make sure. ¡°They go in and out from here, which most normal people wouldn¡¯t have a need to. Not like there¡¯s really a need to worship animals anyway¡­¡±


    That earned her a glare from both the other two, but she chose to ignore it. ¡°Let¡¯s get going. There¡¯s no time to lose.¡±


    Enebish nodded, though looked back at Leon. ¡°Are you going to come?¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m risking it so much already just by standing this close to it. If they saw me, then there¡¯s barely any hope for any of us.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going to find Nadia,¡± they assured him. ¡°We¡¯re going to bring her back safe and sound. I¡¯m sure there¡¯s something we can do at the end of this to make sure it never happens again, without bringing the rest of Adidell into this.¡±


    He managed a small smile. ¡°I hope you¡¯re right.¡±


    ¡°That is, of course, assuming she¡¯s still alright by the time we get to her,¡± Imena interjected. ¡°There really is no time to lose. The longer we stay here, the more time they have with her, and the worse things are going to get.¡±


    Now Enebish went to follow her after one last look at Leon.


    They entered the temple to be greeted by dim lights, mumbled prayers, and the smell of incense. As they walked around the shrines, Imena continued to make it clear that she wasn¡¯t impressed or humbled by any of it.


    ¡°You could probably show a little more respect,¡± Enebish mumbled. ¡°You might not like it but this is important for a lot of people around here.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t understand what a Fos is, do you?¡± Their silence drew a sigh out of her. ¡°I serve the Qizarn gods¡ªthe only gods that actually exist. Animals don¡¯t go to Vriuh¡¯s domain. They can¡¯t become spirits, not even as protectors. You¡¯re all wasting your time here. With the lack of light from mortals¡­ no wonder you¡¯re trying in vain to hold off the shadows. All the lights that went out because Day thought there was something worth redeeming in you¡­¡±


    ¡°When you say ¡®went out¡¯...¡±


    ¡°I mean they died,¡± she shot back. ¡°Except they don¡¯t find their way to Vriuh like mortals do. When our lights go out, that¡¯s it. There¡¯s nothing left of us after darkness fills in our place. Nothing can replenish the light, yet you mortals are so interested in wasting it all anyway.¡±


    She glanced around before pushing aside the curtain in the back of the room. ¡°Now come on. This is where we need to be so stay quiet and follow my lead.¡±


    Enebish nodded, making sure the cloak was up and fitted properly. Even if they couldn¡¯t recognize their leader¡¯s adopted child, they¡¯d recognize that they weren¡¯t a part of their ranks. Or at least, that¡¯s what Leon told them. Imena had a similar cloak but she moved with the amount of confidence that suggested she thought it really made her stand out any less.


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    They walked along the hallway casually, moving past all the other doors and archways in favor of going in a straight line. When the dim lighting in front of them turned more into a glow and their silent footsteps were accompanied by buzzing voices, someone else noticed them.


    He was tall and rather intimidating. ¡°This section¡¯s closed right now, kids. Go back to your parents before they start worrying about where you are.¡±


    Imena wasn¡¯t scared. She pulled out a slip of paper and handed it to him. ¡°It seems you¡¯ve mistaken me for someone else. I am no mere child¡ªMs. Shui asked me to come here specifically.¡±


    ¡°Shui¡¯s in Rymbai territory,¡± he said slowly. ¡°She has been since her kids went missing.¡±


    ¡°Yes, a shame of what happened to them,¡± she responded. Enebish couldn¡¯t tell if it was getting out of control or exactly what she¡¯d planned. ¡°But is it really that hard to believe that Ms. Shui would ask someone to see what¡¯s going on at the other bases? She heard what you acquired. I¡¯m here to check on your progress in her place.¡±


    ¡°You think I¡¯m some kind of idiot?¡± he growled, now giving the paper she handed him a look. ¡°We haven¡¯t used entry cards like this in decades. Tell me¡­ what¡¯s Shui¡¯s first name?¡±


    Now Imena had a mildly-panicked expression. Enebish, in their attempt to help, tried to think of something. They¡¯d heard that name before. Someone in Rymbai territory, but coming from the Sands of Tratae, who had kids¡­ one name came to mind, even if they weren¡¯t exactly sure where they heard it from.


    ¡°Mei Shui,¡± they blurted before giving it a second thought.


    For a chilling moment, he was silent. Then he burst into laughter. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say so earlier? Come in, come in! Let me just call Eliz over here to show you what we have.¡± He walked away and, soon, a soft sound of clicks and pauses could be heard.


    Enebish beamed. ¡°I did it!¡± they proclaimed as loud as they dared. ¡°I got us in!¡±


    ¡°You got us caught,¡± Imena hissed.


    ¡°You weren¡¯t far from it either with your outdated information.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me if you mortals told stories about me that threatened my well-being!¡± She sighed and desperately glanced around. ¡°There¡¯s still some time. Let¡¯s get in and hide somewhere safe. It¡¯s going to be a little more challenging, but it doesn¡¯t need to be impossible.¡±


    Their moment of pride ruined, they could do nothing but follow her. They avoided attracting anyone¡¯s attention by staying out of sight; just as they got to somewhere she mumbled would be safe, an ear-piercing sound began, followed by several more instances of clicks and pauses.


    ¡°What is that?¡± They¡¯d read all kinds of mystery novels in all types of settings. One thing none of them mentioned, for all the images they created, was such noise.


    Imena put a finger to her lip. She poked her head around the corner to make sure no one was nearby before quietly answering, ¡°It¡¯s their code. Something they created so they didn¡¯t have to rely on magic.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t magic helpful, though? Aren¡¯t they using it in Qizar to help harvest food year round and stuff..?¡±


    ¡°Magic has a cost. Right now, when they require actual people to do the work, it could kill them. The people here know that and the influence of M¨¢vri Mage¨ªa on people. They know what the children of Fleyw Bresh are capable of but they can never understand it. They¡¯re afraid of it¡­ and mortals tend to do desperate things when they¡¯re afraid of something.¡±


    ¡°That still doesn¡¯t make it right to hurt people,¡± they muttered.


    ¡°I never said it did. In fact, I agree with you. But in the age where the kingdoms are getting closer, where there¡¯s a possibility that they could blend and be one as Orestis planned it¡­ there are two options. They could embrace each other and their differences, or they could tear each other apart by their own fear and lack of understanding.¡±


    ¡°Is that supposed to be reassuring..?¡±


    ¡°If you continue to learn more about the world, you¡¯ll quickly find that there¡¯s little hope left for mortals to cling to. That''s a fact.¡± She froze when a shadow told of a nearby searcher.


    Enebish, playing scenarios on their head rather than staying still, slowly and quietly got up. They etched closer into the darkness, hoping that it might mask them from whoever was looking for them. As the shadow got closer and Imena still had yet to move¡ªbarely seeming capable of a steady breath¡ªthey took the risk and grabbed her.


    Something fell over in the process but, after a moment of waiting with baited breath, the clicking and pausing started again. Whatever it said, the shadow quickly faded to go fulfill its request.


    It took Imena another moment to dare to say anything. ¡°Thank you¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, you said it yourself,¡± they said. ¡°I don¡¯t really know exactly what you¡¯re doing, but¡­ it seems pretty important. We can¡¯t let more lights go out.¡±

 Mystery of Nadia Mikah- Chapter 6

    There was still a little while after that message that the sounds of the chase completely died down. It seemed that, whatever it was, all of them were interested in what it meant. Imena still didn¡¯t move for a couple more minutes but, once she was ready, she continued to take the lead.


    ¡°They keep all of their prisoners around here,¡± she explained. They¡¯d walked through several now-abandoned hallways that already seemed to be hardly used. ¡°The layout¡¯s always the same.¡±


    ¡°So, if they¡¯re an evil organization, why do all of their bases have the same layout..?¡± Enebish asked, mostly wondering aloud. ¡°I mean, wouldn¡¯t that just make it easier for people to get in and take what they want from any of the places?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s actually a rather simple answer for that question: they don¡¯t expect anyone to. Anyone who¡¯s caught trying to take something or known for being against them is either punished or put under watch. Very few people have been able to get through any of their bases without their knowing, and everyone who did knew what would¡¯ve happened if they were caught. Almost everyone of that few doesn¡¯t dare risk another encounter.¡±


    ¡°What keeps them from getting caught, then?¡±


    ¡°Luck, skill, and the will of the gods.¡± She gestured for them both to stop and stay silent as someone walked by. Then she gave a quick glance around and then motioned for them to keep walking.


    They¡¯d reached Nadia¡¯s cell. Or at least, who Enebish was pretty sure was Nadia.


    She had the same description as Leon had given them. While she had a few cuts, it didn¡¯t look like anything as worrying as the log had made it sound¡ªthey needed her alive, after all, and it was the person in her head that they wanted. When she noticed them through the cell, she just returned to doodling random things on a piece of paper.


    Enebish looked around. ¡°We¡¯re here to¡ª¡±


    Imena quickly interrupted them. ¡°We may be lights in the darkness.¡±


    ¡°But we¡¯re never alone,¡± Nadia mumbled back. She looked up from her drawings. ¡°Uncle Leon sent you, didn¡¯t he?¡±


    Enebish nodded. ¡°We¡¯re getting you out of here. Once we figure out how to get you out.¡±


    ¡°The guy with the key is on break,¡± she said. ¡°Every hour or so he stops watching my cell and takes a break. He should be coming back soon¡ªfind somewhere to hide out and take the keys from him before he realizes they¡¯re missing.¡±


    Enebish looked over at Imena, who seemed to agree with it. ¡°Just don¡¯t almost get us caught again.¡±


    Nadia blinked. ¡°You already almost got caught?¡± She paused. ¡°You were the two intruders that they were trying to find before they got some information on where H99 was?¡±


    ¡°H99?¡± Imena repeated.


    Enebish couldn¡¯t help but blurt their own question, however. ¡°You understand all those clicks?¡±


    ¡°Homunculus Attempt Ninety-Nine. From what I heard she went missing soon after her creation but, unlike H100¡ªwho defected¡ªthey don¡¯t know where she is,¡± Nadia replied simply. ¡°And yes, I can understand it. Everyone here can, even some people who aren¡¯t members of Adidell.¡±


    She stopped and lowered her voice when they started to be able to hear humming. ¡°Now that¡¯s the guard, find somewhere to hide and steal the key.¡±


    Enebish quickly found a place and Imena soon followed. The guard, a surprisingly thin guy, sat right by the cell¡¯s door. He didn¡¯t seem to be paying attention to anything, his key obviously out and his eyes towards the cell, talking to Nadia like she was an animal.


    The two seemed to flip a mental coin to determine which one was going to get the key. Enebish slowly stepped out from the hiding spot and crept towards the guard. The slightest movement made them step back again, but ultimately, they got it without a problem.


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    Then all they had to do was play the waiting game until he left again. They used the key to unlock the door.


    ¡°Now come on,¡± they said with a smile, ¡°let¡¯s get you to Leon.¡±


    ¡­


    They would say that their favorite part of the job was seeing the happy faces of the people they¡¯d helped, but really it only happened this once. Still, they couldn¡¯t think of anything better than seeing Leon and Nadia hugging, whispering things to each other.


    Imena and Enuolare were watching as well, seeing the conclusion of what Enebish had worked hard for. There were things that needed to be said but they waited until the two were ready for it; Enuolare made her proposition first.


    ¡°It won¡¯t exactly be wise for you to stay here,¡± she said. ¡°They¡¯ll undoubtedly try to bring you back as long as you have that spirit. If you¡¯re both willing¡­ I¡¯ve already prepared a case for the king on giving you custody over Nadia. With the stories you have combined we won¡¯t need anything about Adidell to make a convincing point. I wouldn¡¯t mind sharing a bit of my wealth to assure you find a nice home, either.¡±


    They looked between each other and nodded. ¡°We¡¯d both be honored if you could do that for us, Lady Enuolare,¡± Leon replied.


    ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re gonna go?¡± Enebish prompted. ¡°I mean, say the word and Mom¡¯ll help pay for your trip anywhere. You could go to Qizar if you wanted to! Travel around, see what you like best.¡±


    ¡°First we go to the Lysha,¡± Nadia mumbled. ¡°If the spirit is what they want, then we¡¯ll just have to get rid of it. I don¡¯t like him anyway.¡± She hmphed as if someone had responded to the comment, just proving her point of being certain of it.


    Leon nodded. ¡°Then I have some good friends in Mikkel territory; I¡¯ve met them in the army and they¡¯re all from around that area, so no connections to Adidell whatsoever. At the very least, they¡¯ll be able to give us a recommendation for a better place to make our permanent home.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m kinda disappointed we don¡¯t have a lot of time to talk to each other, though,¡± Enebish said with a sigh. Then a wonderful idea struck them. ¡°Why don¡¯t we write letters to each other? That way we can stay in touch and you can tell me about how things are going for you.¡±


    Nadia smiled. ¡°I think that¡¯ll be nice. It¡¯ll help to talk to people I know I can trust. You¡¯re the reason I¡¯m going anywhere, after all¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nice to hear you¡¯ve got this all figured out,¡± Imena said. ¡°It sounds like you might be staying here for a little while longer, but I¡¯ve got other things to do.¡± She glanced at Enebish. ¡°Though¡­ I think I may see one of you more in the future. Day likes making sure we¡¯re with someone trustworthy, and I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve earned that position in her eyes.¡±


    ¡°Would you, uh, remind me who Day is again..?¡± Enebish asked sheepishly.


    She sighed. ¡°Danai, the goddess of light. But I suppose that won¡¯t mean much to you, nor is it something you¡¯ll need to remember. Just be ready in case I come to you again. I have a feeling that this isn¡¯t the last time you¡¯re going to be involved with Adidell or try to help the magical people unable to help themselves.¡±


    Then Imena left without a word to anyone else.


    Another thought crossed Enebish¡¯s mind. ¡°Hey, what was that thing you and Imena said to each other, Nadia?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s part of a story Uncle Leon used to tell me,¡± she responded. ¡°They don¡¯t acknowledge it in Adidell, since it has roots in the story of the person who saved magical people from them. No one in Adidell would¡¯ve ever gone repeating it, but it¡¯s also a lot more subtle than saying you were there to rescue me. Plus, I¡­ really don¡¯t know how much I would¡¯ve believed you if you hadn¡¯t given me proof of it.¡±


    They continued a casual conversation for a little while. Eventually Enuolare pulled Leon and Nadia outside for a couple of minutes, likely to talk about what else would need to be done; when she returned, both of them were gone, and she went straight to where Enebish was.


    ¡°You know, I¡¯ve¡­ found myself incredibly impressed with how you were able to handle this whole situation,¡± she began. Already they liked where it was going, though pretended not to in order to save a bit of disappointment if it turned out wrong. ¡°And I¡­ think it may be time.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying what I think you¡¯re saying..?¡± Their excitement, now, could not be contained.


    Warily, she nodded. ¡°I¡¯m going to let you take on more serious cases more often. You¡¯re an adult now and it¡¯s about time I start treating you like one. You¡¯ve just got to promise that you¡¯ll always be safe and you¡¯ll talk to me before getting yourself into trouble. This is only going to work if I know what¡¯s going on. Alright?¡±


    They quickly got out of their seat, around the desk, and hugged their mother. ¡°I promise.¡± They stepped back. ¡°So, does this also mean that I can leave Palus soon? Start taking on mysteries from all over the world?¡±


    She let out a bit of nervous laughter. ¡°Not quite yet, dear. Though I promise, those days are coming soon. I just want to be assured that you¡¯re completely ready for all the secrets the world is keeping from you.¡±

 The Stone Family Adventure: Book I- Chapter 1

    She knew it wasn¡¯t real¡ªthat it was all going to end eventually. But she didn¡¯t care. For right now, there was nothing else she needed to do. This was her reality and she was going to stay in it until she was ready to leave.


    The fragments of memories that never happened played first. Lydia stood on the edge of the fountain, completely ignoring her mother¡¯s glare, as she recalled the epic to the crowd.


    ¡°There I was, completely on my own! It was a race against time to solve the puzzle and get out alive! Everything was against me, but do you think that stopped me? No! It didn¡¯t even slow me down!¡± Perhaps she was treading into exaggerating, but she lived for the hush that fell over the kids and how excited they were to hear more. She dropped her tone and continued, ¡°Using everything I could, I narrowed it down to two options: touching the red rune or the blue rune. I hit both of them. Then, boom! The path opened up as soon as all the traps started and I made my daring exit! All for this baby!¡±


    She dug through her satchel and pulled out a cup. ¡°I call it Usiu¡¯s Lost Chalice!¡±


    Henry eagerly waved his hand around. ¡°Oh, Mom, Mom! What does it do?¡±


    With no less extravagance and without a shred of doubt, she declared, ¡°I have no idea! But I¡¯ll figure it out eventually!¡± The kids, however, continued to stare in wonder.


    ¡°Can we help you?¡± Tim offered.


    She hopped down from the fountain and walked over to ruffle his hair. ¡°Maybe when you¡¯re older.¡± He looked a little disappointed before she added, ¡°The time¡¯s coming for you to come along in one of these, you know. You¡¯re almost old enough to go out on your first adventure.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Both of them perked up at the idea. They were being raised on these kinds of stories, after all¡ªof the things their mother and grandfather had done.


    ¡°Definitely! I wasn¡¯t a lot older than you when Dad took me for my first adventure, too.¡± She loved the look of wonder they had. ¡°Now I think Mom¡¯s reaching the end of her patience, so it might actually be time to stop sharing stories.¡±


    ¡°Can you tell us another when we get back home?¡± Henry asked, taking the lead back to Diana (who, surprisingly, had not simply gone on without them).


    ¡°Of course!¡±


    When they came to Diana, Lydia chose to ignore her mother¡¯s muttering. ¡°You¡¯re just like Andrew¡­ and you know I don¡¯t mean that in a good way. I can¡¯t believe I ever thought this family could shape into a regular noble house¡­¡±


    It faded and morphed into something else; something that, without really thinking, she knew to be two years later. She was drilling the boys one last time about everything they¡¯d spent the past several months preparing for. It hadn¡¯t been a decision she made alone, after all, now was just the time for them to see what came out of it.


    She led the twins to the nursery and slowly pushed open the door. ¡°Alright, remember to stay quiet. You don¡¯t want to suddenly wake him up.¡± They nodded, patiently waiting for her to carefully take the baby out of the crib and walk back over to show them. ¡°This is your new little brother, Tavin.¡±


    His eyes fluttered open. He gave each of them a glance before smiling and holding his little hands out for Tim and Henry to hold.


    Once again it changed, this time moving through the past and into the future. All of them were older and Tavin wasn¡¯t the only new face among the Stones, although she recognized all of them still. Now they were all gathered together, including all the aunts and uncles and cousins she hadn¡¯t seen since she was young.


    There were two things the Stones were known for: their large parties (set apart from many others by the fact they were always much more casual than balls) and their adventurous spirit. In this moment, the two were combined as she recalled another daring tale to her family, this time with the help of Lewis and Elena.


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    Lydia started. ¡°The three of us set out for Tramos. We had next to no idea where we were supposed to be going¡ª¡°


    ¡°Mostly because she left the map at home,¡± Elena interjected.


    ¡°¡ªbut we knew our mission. The artifact had the power of repelling Ski¨¢ and we¡¯d been commissioned by the king himself to get it.¡±


    Lewis was much more willing to carry on the dramatic aspect of it. ¡°We could only stay in the area for a week. Winter was quickly approaching and we had good reason to believe the artifact wouldn¡¯t make it through the weather.¡±


    ¡°So we fought all odds and continued our search! Nearly out of time, we found the ruin it was supposed to be in. We went in and were immediately separated¡ªas I looked for a way out, I read about the people behind the artifact.¡±


    ¡°I saw more about the event that led to its creation,¡± Lewis said.


    ¡°And I found the parts of the aftermath.¡± Slowly Elena was getting close to matching her siblings. ¡°When we all came to the same room, we shared what we learned.¡±


    ¡°It was a much more recent development than we thought¡ªsomething that happened only thirty-five years ago,¡± Lydia explained. ¡°It had been a town of Seothians¡ªexcept for a single goblin and a few others with magical potential. Ski¨¢ had attacked the village and left them hopeless; the goblin died defending them and successfully kept Ski¨¢ away for a while. When signs started appearing suggesting that it might happen again, the people with magical potential banded together. They used what little knowledge they had and enchanted a sculpture the goblin had made; the enchantment was to keep the Ski¨¢ away, something even the most skilled Qizarn alchemists can barely do.¡±


    ¡°The village was wiped out by the harsh winter a couple years before we came,¡± Lewis added. ¡°There was no one there anymore and definitely no one who needed the artifact. We found it at the end of that ruin and took it back to the king.¡±


    Edric, one of Elena¡¯s adopted kids, was the first to ask a question. ¡°Does the king still have it?¡±


    Lydia shook her head. ¡°He gave it to Raisul, who lost it like the magic and adventure hater that he is.¡±


    ¡°To be honest, we couldn¡¯t even tell if it worked,¡± Elena remarked. ¡°They¡¯re unpredictable enough that there¡¯s no way to tell when there should and shouldn¡¯t be Ski¨¢.¡±


    Everyone seemed to share a mutual agreement on that part, at least. There was no way to foresee what they would do or what they would end up being capable of. In one way or another, they¡¯d undoubtedly all seen that for themselves.


    Lydia went on to tell a few more stories to anyone willing to listen. Lewis stayed to tell some of his own too, but Elena left when one of the kids needed something. Lydia was just as interested to share those stories as they were willing to listen; the first hour or so were just her stories until she ran out of ones that she could tell everyone.


    She greeted everyone that she hadn¡¯t seen before the stories then went to where a few of her cousins were. They asked Lustris for some wine and sat down to just talk.


    ¡°I was surprised at first to hear you had kids, Enn,¡± one of them mused. ¡°Then I was dumb enough to think that they¡¯d keep you in one place!¡±


    ¡°Have you gone anywhere with them yet?¡± another asked. ¡°Anywhere big, I mean? I know Tavin¡¯s only ten, but the twins are eighteen now, aren¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for the perfect adventure,¡± Lydia replied thoughtfully. ¡°I took Tim and Henry out a couple of times together, but Tavin¡¯s young enough that it¡¯s hard to find something that works. All I need is something that we can all do together when they¡¯re a little older.¡±


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think I have to tell you not to waste any opportunities. If you think you¡¯ve found the one, you better step on that chance as soon as you can. You never know how much time you¡¯re gonna have to do it.¡±


    The rest of the party went on without any problems; something that she, oddly, found the most unnatural of all of it. She decided to ignore it, though, and told herself that this was her reality. This was the way things were supposed to be.


    She knew the memories ended at this point; now she was into what she had really been waiting to do. She burst into the estate and, only seeing Elena, asked, ¡°Where¡¯s the boys?¡± Her excitement immediately said that it wasn¡¯t anything serious, even if she would still consider it important.


    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure they¡¯re all in the library. At least Henry and Tavin are, anyway, and I didn¡¯t see Tim leave.¡±


    Lydia nodded her thanks and went to find them. The three of them were in the library, having a rather quiet conversation before she made herself known. ¡°I¡¯ve got something to tell you!¡±


    ¡°Grandmom¡¯s letting me touch the really powerful stuff?¡± Tim tried.


    ¡°We¡¯re finally old enough for those stories you haven¡¯t told us yet?¡± Henry guessed.


    ¡°You somehow convinced Father to let you go somewhere dangerous that interests you..?¡± Tavin offered, though he didn¡¯t seem to believe it.


    ¡°It¡¯s both all and none of those!¡± She pulled out a map from her satchel. ¡°We¡¯re going on a family adventure!¡±

 The Stone Family Adventure: Book I- Chapter 2

    She waited for Tavin to take the books off the table before setting the map down for all of them to see. ¡°So, Kiah had me working on some reports at the fort when I realized something. It¡¯s almost hot enough for the phoenixes to start migrating north again.¡± She traced along the route that they would take; through the pass between the Tramos and Pagetri mountains and into the Deoyros Plains.


    They clearly didn¡¯t understand where she was going with this, but they knew better than to immediately say anything about it and let her continue on. ¡°Back when I was a teen, I heard about how the phoenixes led to a special treasure. I traveled on my own to the Plains and I followed them all the way to the place they burned out, but I didn¡¯t find anything. I think it¡¯s worth giving another shot, since it''s that time of year now. And since you¡¯re all old enough, it¡¯s also the perfect thing for us to do together.¡±


    ¡°So what¡¯s the treasure?¡± Henry prompted. She had his interest, at least, and she knew the other two weren¡¯t far behind.


    ¡°That¡¯s the part I was never able to figure out. All I ever had to go off of was that it had to be something good.¡± Lydia rolled the map back up and put it in her satchel. ¡°There¡¯s a bunch of ancient stuff that the phoenixes could be hiding, even if we are in Seothia. I have a feeling it¡¯s going to start a much bigger trip, though¡ªmaybe something that takes us around all of Seothia.  It¡¯s perfect for your first large-scale adventure!¡±


    ¡°How¡¯d you remember all of this? I doubt Kiah had you doing anything related to phoenixes,¡± Tavin remarked. He never was as willing to drop everything else and go on a trip as most Stones, but that didn¡¯t mean he wasn¡¯t curious about what she said now; he¡¯d willingly go with them and she was confident that he would end up enjoying himself too.


    Lydia tried to think of an answer, but nothing came to mind. There was a moment¡¯s falter with the realization that she didn¡¯t even remember coming from the fort, though she chose to ignore it. ¡°I just did. It¡¯s definitely not the weirdest thing I¡¯ve randomly remembered when doing something as boring as paperwork, at least.¡±


    ¡°Are Uncle Witless and Aunt Ellie coming, or is this just going to be the four of us?¡± Tim immediately thought of a much better question: ¡°Do you think there¡¯s gonna be a lot of cool artifacts with an adventure that big?¡±


    ¡°There will definitely be a bunch of stuff that you can mess around with later,¡± Lydia promised. She decided it worth adding, ¡°As long as it doesn¡¯t end up blowing anything up. Mom actually cares about that so she¡¯ll probably take that stuff before you¡¯re able to do anything with them.¡± She had to consider the other question a little more. ¡°I think it¡¯s better if it¡¯s just the four of us. The great Stone rite of passage has waited this long. It¡¯ll be more like the big trip Dad did with me if we keep Witless and Ellie out of it. Plus, they¡¯ve probably got other stuff they¡¯ve got to do.¡±


    Lewis was, after all, a member of the Seothian army that always kept him occupied with something (she always assumed it more out of need, though, than really wanting him around); Elena had plenty of kids and had always preferred the quiet days at home than being out exploring. Now that their father was getting older, Lydia was practically the only one who was still constantly moving from one place to another.


    Henry heard the opportunity for a story. ¡°What was your big trip?¡±


    She smirked. ¡°We traced the steps of the Saint-King¡¯s rebellion and found a couple enchanted objects that belonged to the Fleyw Bresh. I guess it doesn¡¯t seem like much now, though, huh? But what matters is that we did it together and we bonded over the adventure. Even if this doesn¡¯t turn out to be exactly what we want it to, we¡¯ll still have that most important part of the journey.¡±


    Knowing that all of them were nearly ready already, she gave out the preparation tasks. She glanced at Henry and Tavin, the most likely to remember everything they¡¯d need.  ¡°Can you two work on getting everything ready? We¡¯re going to aim to leave tomorrow morning and head up to the Plains.¡±


    They both nodded and darted off. She looked at Tim and said, ¡°If you can find Witless and Ellie, I¡¯ll make sure Mom and Dad knows where we¡¯re going.¡±


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    While Tim left to fulfill the mission he had given her, Lydia went to look outside. She knew Diana appreciated the outdoors when the weather was like this. Andrew was starting to get old enough that he didn¡¯t have anything else to do but to follow her along and listen to whatever she had to say.


    Lydia found them rather quickly, the two arguing over something she decided she didn¡¯t want to know. She explained to them what she¡¯d said to the boys and was given the same responses she always had.


    ¡°It¡¯s about time!¡± Andrew patted her shoulder. ¡°The twins are twenty-three now. For a while I thought you weren¡¯t going to do it! I¡¯m sure they¡¯re excited¡ªif they¡¯re anything like you, they¡¯ve been waiting for this from the moment they heard the stories.¡±


    Diana, however, was not nearly as enthusiastic. ¡°Don¡¯t get the prince killed,¡± she sighed before turning back to what she was doing before.


    ¡°Come on, dear, it sounds like one of the more harmless things she¡¯s done,¡± Andrew said gently. Somehow he was able to stay on both sides no matter what the argument might be; perhaps it simply came with experience, being something he¡¯d needed to do for decades now. A thirst for adventure wasn¡¯t the only thing that kept Lydia away from home.


    ¡°I¡¯d say unless you¡¯re capable of giving another not to risk the one you have,¡± Diana remarked. It really wasn¡¯t as much care for her daughter and grandsons as it was the blood that one of them possessed. ¡°As far as I¡¯m concerned, you shouldn¡¯t even have any of them. The fact you¡¯ve somehow kept them alive this long is a miracle on its own.¡±


    The thought brought a feeling that Lydia didn¡¯t want to dwell on, fearing what might happen if she did. So without saying anything more to either of them, she left with the assumption that her job was done. When she walked back into the estate, it seemed Tim had just finished talking to Lewis and Elena. They all gave their nods of welcome.


    ¡°Which part of the Plains are you going to?¡± Lewis asked. ¡°By the time you get there, they¡¯ll still mostly be in the southern parts. But if you¡¯re trying to follow them, it would probably be better to be a bit ahead of them.¡±


    ¡°Last time I started in the southern part and I had to rush to keep up with them,¡± Lydia responded with a bit of thought. ¡°I think we¡¯ll start in Teyeabasi territory. At least that would give us some time to rest with a lot less rushing.¡±


    ¡°Should you let Lord Abassi know?¡± By now, Elena was just making sure she had everything under control. They both knew the older¡¯s tendencies to rush into things.


    ¡°I think we¡¯re going to avoid him altogether. It¡¯ll be easier to stay somewhere else than pull out political favors with someone none of us like to begin with.¡±


    ¡°Where would you stay instead?¡±


    ¡°Fahluma should be close enough that we¡¯ll be able to tell when the phoenixes pass by. We¡¯d probably end up going over there anyway to try to see if anyone else knows anything. I¡¯ve been there before, too, and it¡¯s probably better than any other nearby town.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nice to hear you have this all thought out, then.¡±


    Tim had something of his own to ask her. ¡°Do you think we¡¯ll need any other artifacts?¡±


    ¡°This doesn¡¯t tie in with anything else I¡¯ve done so far, so I doubt we¡¯re going to need anything in particular.¡± Lydia didn¡¯t leave him with that, though, and went on to add, ¡°But you can take whatever you think we might need, as long as you¡¯re willing to carry it.¡±


    His eyes lit up and he ran off to where they kept most of them.


    ¡°I¡¯m waiting for the day when he realizes Mom won¡¯t notice if one of the dangerous ones went missing,¡± Elena sighed. ¡°I didn¡¯t think I could hate anything more than the idea of you getting them in the first place¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have you know I was very responsible with them,¡± Lydia defended, feigning offense.


    ¡°Except for Faidon¡¯s Pendant,¡± Lewis pointed out thoughtfully, ¡°you set a lot of things on fire with that. That¡¯s probably part of the reason Mom doesn¡¯t let him touch any of it.¡±


    Without a bit of consideration, Lydia deadpanned, ¡°What else is a bored teenager supposed to do? It¡¯s Faidon¡¯s fault for throwing that out in the world. All I did was grab it.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve seen for yourself with the five of them how Qizar¡¯s gods are real,¡± Elena remarked. ¡°And you¡¯ve seen how far they¡¯re willing to go for some of their laws. You fought the Minotaur and now you¡¯re chasing phoenixes. Do you think it¡¯s smart to say stuff like that..?¡±


    ¡°That hasn¡¯t stopped me so far, why would it magically change now?¡±


    ¡°All I¡¯m saying is that you should make sure you¡¯re careful¡­¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll all be fine, Ellie. I¡¯ve done way more dangerous stuff on my own before. All this is for now is following phoenixes around the Plains; I doubt it¡¯s going to get much more dangerous than a few burns.¡±

 The Stone Family Adventure: Book I- Chapter 3

    They¡¯d gotten there late, so they simply rented a room to share and decided to look around more in the morning. When morning came, she led them through the crowd to a little cafe. It was cramped and probably understaffed, but it offered a good amount of stuff and had tables meant for four. She had more than enough experience to know this was the part they simply waited for the information to come to them¡­ or, when waiting got boring, simply ask the waitress.


    ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Hannah, apparently the only person who ever shows up to work,¡± the waitress sighed.


    ¡°Happy thoughts!¡± shouted the man watching over the front counter. ¡°Smile!¡±


    In response, Hannah put on the fakest smile possible before asking, ¡°What can I get you today?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve got some extra time?¡± It looked like it, since it seemed there was only one other person there and they were about to leave, but Lydia decided to ask anyway. She pulled out a handful of silver coins and added, ¡°We¡¯re more or less just here to talk.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nobles like you that keep us in business.¡± Hannah gathered the coins. ¡°What is it that you¡¯re looking for?¡±


    ¡°Do you know anything about a possible treasure the phoenixes might lead to or pass by during their migration?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t. But Keandre over there probably does.¡± She stepped back and gestured for her coworker to take her spot instead. Just to him, she said, ¡°I¡¯ll make sure everyone else is taken care of. Just entertain these guys for a little while.¡±


    He mumbled his response to her then gave the group a natural smile. ¡°You¡¯re the Stones, aren¡¯t you? Well, I know you¡¯re Lady Lydia and he¡¯s Prince Tavin, but I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen or heard about the other two¡­¡±


    ¡°Tim and Henry,¡± Lydia explained, ¡°they¡¯re my twins.¡±


    That didn¡¯t seem to clear anything up for Keandre, but he didn¡¯t dwell on what he didn¡¯t understand. ¡°So you¡¯re looking for information about phoenixes? Anything in particular you¡¯re looking for? I¡¯m the town expert on this type of thing, so I¡¯ll answer anything I can. I doubt there¡¯s anything that I know that you don¡¯t already, if you made the trip out here.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re pretty sure on the following-the-phoenixes part,¡± Lydia remarked. ¡°What we don¡¯t have a lot of information on is what we¡¯re getting out of it. Do you know anything about the treasure that they¡¯re supposed to lead us to once we hear their song?¡±


    ¡°Just to make sure, this is something in the Plains, right?¡±


    ¡°The final part in their migration, somewhere between here and wherever they end up burning out.¡±


    He thought for a moment. ¡°Have you already heard of the House of the Phoenix? It sounds like something that might interest you, at least.¡±


    Lydia shook her head and eagerly waited to hear the story. She liked hearing the tales nearly as much as telling them; she gave him the same kind of attentive silence she would¡¯ve wanted. The boys did the same, though they hardly had much of a problem listening in the first place.


    ¡°The House of the Phoenix came from the legacy of some other forgotten bloodline. I don¡¯t know why they chose the phoenix to represent them, or if they came from the mountains and ended up settling on the Plains. But no matter how they got there, they were just like their namesake. Their house was bright for a time, then burned to ashes and no one else ever gave it a second thought. They were bent on finding something¡ªsomething that they thought belonged to the house that came before them.


    ¡°This is the part where stuff starts getting mixed up, so I can¡¯t guarantee how true all of this is. Some say they were the ones to watch the migration of the phoenixes and set up a journey surrounding what was found there. Others would claim they¡¯re the phoenixes themselves somehow, combining stories of spirit animals and more abstract folklore. Then there¡¯s the ones that say that they¡¯re simply the descendants of the one who put the artifact there. According to which story you believed, what led to the downfall of the house varied too; they disappeared while setting it up and ultimately leaving it unfinished, they literally turned to ashes and moved on, or they died out going through the dangers of following the entire thing.


    ¡°Legends don¡¯t talk a lot about what they either placed or were searching for. All around it¡¯s more of a word of caution about strange and mysterious people. At least, that¡¯s what it¡¯s shaped into over the years. But I know it¡¯s not just a single thing¡ªit¡¯s a lot more like the first piece of a larger puzzle. That¡¯s the only part that¡¯s really talked about the treasure and, being the explorers that you are, you probably already knew that part. I think I¡¯ve gone over everything I¡¯m sure of and that¡¯s going to be useful to you, but I¡¯m always here if you think you need more information about anything.¡±


    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    Lydia nodded. ¡°Thanks. The extra background doesn¡¯t hurt, at least.¡±


    ¡°It would¡¯ve been even more helpful when we weren¡¯t being chased by ghosts,¡± Tim remarked.


    ¡°Oh, yeah, we definitely could¡¯ve used some warning on that,¡± Henry agreed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t just blame me. Witless was a part of that too,¡± she defended. ¡°They probably wouldn¡¯t have gotten as mad if he wasn¡¯t freaking out half the time.¡±


    ¡°Before you get carried away in whatever you¡¯re doing,¡± Keandre began carefully, ¡°is there anything else you need? Some lunch? Drinks?¡±


    ¡°Do you have any good¡ª¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll all have water and whatever you would recommend for lunch,¡± Tavin decided. She would¡¯ve been annoyed, if they all didn¡¯t know he made the right call.


    Keandre nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll get right on that for you.¡± Then he left.


    ¡­


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if I want to be excited or disappointed that we haven¡¯t found anything else,¡± Lydia sighed, flinging herself onto the bed.


    ¡°That just makes it all the better when we find it,¡± Tim said. ¡°We¡¯ll be able to figure out for ourselves what it is and what it does.¡±


    Tavin shrugged, carefully arranging his own bed before sitting on it. ¡°I¡¯d rather know what we¡¯re looking for.¡±


    ¡°Either way, it¡¯s all about the adventure and not the reward,¡± Henry reminded them all. ¡°Even if it turns out to be nothing, the important part was that we had fun on our way there.¡±


    Lydia smiled. ¡°No truer words could¡¯ve ever been spoken.¡±


    As Tim pulled out a trinket from his own bag of things and started messing with it, he asked, ¡°By the way, Mom, you told Aunt Ellie that you¡¯d been here before. When?¡±


    Henry perked up as well, sitting up a little straighter and his eyes sparkling. ¡°Story?¡±


    ¡°I have to warn you, it¡¯s not as good as you think it is,¡± Lydia began. ¡°It¡¯s kind of boring, actually. It was just something I did for the army; I was sent over here to investigate something when you guys were little. I was only supposed to be there to try to gather information on a murder, but I did find and take a couple of artifacts while I was there too.¡±


    ¡°Which ones were they?¡± Tim asked.


    ¡°They¡¯re both with Imre.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t tell us anything about what they do,¡± Henry persisted.


    ¡°One keeps things frozen in time. The other lets someone see their spirits and fragments of the past, as long as they provide the date.¡± She knew what they were going to ask next, so she simply said, ¡°He wanted them so I let him have them. He didn¡¯t want anyone finding something they weren¡¯t supposed to.¡± They all knew one person, though only she knew the other that the king was trying to protect.


    But none of them dwelled on that part. Henry turned to Tavin. ¡°You¡¯re our little history nerd. What do you think about the House of the Phoenix?¡±


    ¡°It could be a lot older than we think it is¡­ or significantly younger,¡± was his first response. ¡°Simple names like that are all over the place, especially if we¡¯re talking about houses in Tramos or Pagetri where they name themselves after spirit animals. I don¡¯t doubt that there¡¯s been dozens of houses that named themselves after the phoenix, since they more or less all ignore the Qizarn mythology behind the creatures they worship.¡±


    ¡°Which of the versions Keandre mentioned do you think was the most probable?¡±


    ¡°The ancestors of the ones who put the artifact there, though they must have come from the mountains and then went on to the Plains. At the very least, it had to have come after Qizar¡¯s occupation of Fleyw Bresh¡ªSeothia didn¡¯t shape its own folktales until that point. But that means the original house must¡¯ve been even older¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not the first time we¡¯ve dealt with stories from the time of Qizar¡¯s legends,¡± Lydia pointed out. ¡°This is probably just another one of those.¡±


    ¡°Could it even be before..?¡± Tim wondered.


    Tavin shook his head. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be possible. Qizarn legends spanned the first couple hundred of years of the world¡¯s creation. There shouldn¡¯t be anything before that.¡±


    ¡°Something that their legends never included?¡± Henry offered.


    ¡°As much information they¡¯re finding that confirms that the legends were true, there¡¯s no information from anything outside of that. There¡¯s definitely not anything pointing towards any of its events happening in Seothia.¡±


    ¡°Well, we all know their gods are more than a little screwed up,¡± Lydia remarked. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if they just destroyed all the evidence that suggested whatever they didn¡¯t like and pretend like it never happened to begin with. We¡¯ve probably already come across stuff like that, even if we never realized it.¡±


    Tim nodded. ¡°I guess we won¡¯t really know until we get there, huh? But there¡¯s always room for change, and history¡¯s no different. Maybe we¡¯ll be the one to fix that gap of knowledge between the Commandments and the stuff it doesn¡¯t record.¡±

 The Stone Family Adventure: Book I- Chapter 4

    ¡°Come on, they¡¯re here!¡± Lydia had hardly realized it herself, honestly. She¡¯d woken up and simply assumed it was cloudy; that is, until she noticed the cries of the phoenixes and the occasional feather that flew through the air.


    ¡°You couldn¡¯t have said something sooner..?¡± Tim muttered as he begrudgingly got up.


    Henry didn¡¯t need a second warning, though, the most ready out of all of them. ¡°You¡¯re the one that¡¯s still not up!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not going to miss them,¡± Tavin pointed out with a yawn. ¡°Looks like they just got here.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s still better than being right behind them.¡± She made sure she had everything then went to leave, gesturing for the boys to follow her. ¡°This is the part where things start getting interesting.¡±


    ¡­


    There was no time to try to look at their surroundings or think about anything else; they all shared the same single-minded determination to keep up with the phoenixes. They got ahead when they could so that they could afford to rest when they needed to. Even with the chilly breeze brought in from further north, the presence of so many little fires kept them from getting cold.


    It wasn¡¯t until it was dark that the phoenixes started to land and collect in another area. The four set up their little camp and Lydia passed out their dinner.


    ¡°So we¡¯re following the phoenixes,¡± Tim began as he watched the fiery birds, ¡°but do we know anything more about the song?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t really remember that part except that I wasn¡¯t doing it,¡± Lydia said. ¡°All I know is that it¡¯s got to be something weird.¡±


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s something in the way they¡¯re crying¡ªtheir birdsong.¡± Henry suggested. ¡°Or something about the legend of Ekambar.¡±


    ¡°Or something else we need to be looking out for¡­¡± Tavin ate what little bit he had left, then wandered over to where the phoenixes were. He carefully shooed one of them away to reveal what was underneath it.


    Realizing that there was something there, Lydia got up and circled around the entire flock of phoenixes. She saw the few uncovered spots of the large area that must have all been a part of the same thing he discovered. ¡°They¡¯re all on top of it.¡±


    Tim shooed away a few more. ¡°It¡¯s got to be some kind of magic, too¡ªthere¡¯s warmth coming off of it.¡±


    ¡°Could it be something they¡¯re doing to keep themselves from burning out too early?¡± Henry suggested as he went to look too.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t see these last time I was here¡­¡± she mumbled. ¡°It¡¯s clearly not just grass, so why did I not already know this was here..?¡± She shook her head. ¡°If it keeps the phoenixes from burning out, then there should be a lot more of them throughout their whole migration route. And who would¡¯ve put them there to begin with?¡±


    ¡°No one can be certain about why the phoenixes migrate or where their final destination is supposed to be,¡± Tavin muttered. He was still trying to shoo several other phoenixes away. ¡°For one, they leave in Aclither. It might be the beginning of summer but they burn out quicker in cold weather. It¡¯s the one time we see a large amount of them together, but they experience rebirth, not breed. We don¡¯t even know if where they all eventually burn out is really supposed to be their final destination.¡±


    ¡°Hey, there¡¯s text here!¡± Henry made a few more phoenixes move so that the writing could be seen. His enthusiasm quickly dwindled when he could actually look at it completely, though. ¡°Aaand I have no idea what any of it says¡­¡±


    ¡°Let me see.¡± Tavin motioned him out of the way. ¡°I can read it¡­ kind of. It¡¯s just the really old predecessor of our modern language¡ªwhat Seothians used until they interacted with the Fleyw Bresh.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to question how you figured that out, because honestly I can¡¯t read it either,¡± Lydia decided. She was the ruin expert and, with it, the ancient language expert (begrudgingly second to Diana, though, as a historian whose whole job revolved around reading and deciphering those old texts). At least as far as self-proclamation went.


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    ¡°A combination of interest in the matter a few years ago and schoolwork,¡± Tavin replied casually. He glanced at his brothers. ¡°Can you try to get the phoenixes off of the rest of the text?¡±


    Strangely, the phoenixes did it on their own. Some went to pile on top of their brethren while a few seemed to give a sound of defiance and fly to the grass or nearby bush instead. Either way, this was obviously what they wanted them to do¡­ even if they shouldn¡¯t be able to understand what the four of them were looking for.


    Tavin walked along the entire edge a couple times, studying each of the runes written until he was certain of the entire piece¡¯s meaning. Then, one last time, he circled around it as he read it. ¡°¡®Here I have built a place for the phoenix, a proud collection that will never see the dim glow of the underworld. May this be a safe haven for them to rest, recovering their strength on their way to eternal life. If one should follow, let him hear their song; think of himself as one of them, a bird of fire, and he will understand their call. They are overflowing with stories, if only one would open up their ears to hear them.¡¯¡±


    ¡°So is it about their birdsong..?¡± Henry looked it over himself until Tavin stepped out of the way and all the phoenixes quickly came back to its warmth. ¡°Or..?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve done a lot of things in my forty years of living,¡± Lydia remarked. ¡°I¡¯ve figured out literal things were actually a lot more cryptic than I thought they were, and I¡¯ve realized cryptic things were the most straightforward things once they were put into practice. I have a feeling this is definitely the latter.¡±


    ¡°Think of himself as one of them,¡± Henry repeated thoughtfully. ¡°Tavin, if you had to guess, how old would you say this was?¡±


    ¡°One of the first instances of written language. This stuff hasn¡¯t been used since we made up our calendar system, which we¡¯ve had since the end of what Qizar¡¯s legends tell us about our history,¡± Tavin said as he wandered back to where the rest of them were.


    ¡°So it¡¯s probably not talking about Ekambar. It means the phoenixes themselves. But¡­ are they really anything more than just fragments of his soul?¡± Henry sighed and walked back over to the rest of their things. ¡°Why does even the simple stuff have to be so complicated?¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t meant to be¡ªor at least, I don¡¯t think it was.¡± Lydia sat back down too. She decided to take advantage of the light the phoenixes provided and dig through her satchel for her journal; now that they weren¡¯t constantly moving, it was the perfect time to write down what happened, even if she hadn¡¯t started yet. ¡°Kiah mentioned once that phoenixes were just meant to be more or less regular birds. Whoever wrote this probably didn¡¯t even know of Ekambar and how phoenixes would become associated with him.¡±


    Tim fell to the ground with a sigh. ¡°We haven¡¯t even died once, how are we supposed to know what it¡¯s like to get engulfed in our own flames for eternity?¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t death we focus on,¡± Tavin said. ¡°Instead, we think about their rebirth. The meaning of eternal life and the evasion of death, not someone¡¯s punishment for foolishness. In a way, they¡¯ve done the one thing that several have tried but always failed to do; they rose back up from the ashes to live anew.¡±


    ¡°Even if it¡¯s an honor, do they really go on willingly forever..?¡± Lydia decided to look at the phoenixes before actually opening her journal. By now they were getting ready to sleep too, only once squawking when, what she imagined to be, the entire group yelled at a single one for moving and disrupting the rest of them. ¡°I mean, it¡¯s not just their death that Qizar believes is part of their atonement¡­¡±


    They all gave it some thought before Henry finally decided, ¡°Maybe it¡¯s better to think of yourself as a symbol of eternity¡ªeasier to get through the endless pains of life and death with the hope that you can stand for something. That you¡¯ll be remembered as something beyond the soul that makes up all that you are¡­¡±


    Lydia sighed. ¡°I guess there¡¯s always more time to think about it tomorrow. I¡¯m going to stay up for a little while longer, but you should all try to get some rest. We¡¯re right back at it in the morning, and this time we¡¯ve got to be quicker since they¡¯re all in one place now.¡±


    They all nodded and laid down. She turned back to her journal and flipped through the pages to find a blank one, though something else caught her attention before she found it.


    She¡¯d written in journals daily since she was young; at first she just filled them with daily events until they could no longer hold any more, then go on to another. But by the time Tim and Henry were born, she¡¯d changed it to smaller notebooks that were easier to travel with, then wrote a year¡¯s worth of entries in it.


    This was full of entries from twelve years ago. She assumed she must¡¯ve just grabbed the wrong one when they left, except they stopped a day before Tavin¡¯s birthday and she knew she¡¯d written in it earlier in their trip. She looked in her satchel for another but found no other.


    Slowly, Lydia simply put the journal back in and told herself she just wouldn¡¯t write in it today. She¡¯d have a better look in her satchel later, when there was natural sunlight and she had time to spread it all out. The right one had to be in there somewhere.


    Right?

 The Stone Family Adventure: Book I: Chapter 5

    This time, they were all up before the phoenixes left. At first they still tried to stay ahead so they didn¡¯t fall behind when they needed to stop, but eventually it seemed that the phoenixes slowed down to match their pace¡ªeven stopping when they did.


    One of them, when they took a break, circled around them before settling to land in front of them. It perked up and tilted its head. ¡°Are you ready to hear our song?¡±


    The mutual glance the four of them shared showed that Lydia wasn¡¯t just going insane; they really were hearing the phoenix¡¯s voice.


    ¡°We heard how you tried to make sense of us,¡± it said. ¡°You considered the idea that we are more than whose soul we harbor. For that, we will share with you our song, if you are willing to hear it.¡±


    Lydia practically jumped up. ¡°Of course!¡± The twins got up quickly as well, but Tavin wasn¡¯t able to hide his sigh when he followed their lead.


    The phoenix went back into the air, circling around them again as it said, ¡°Come! We will tell you what we have experienced in our countless years.¡± It swooped down around the other phoenixes until they were all up in the air too, then led the way as they continued their migration. The four of them immediately started to catch up to them.


    ¡°You know his story,¡± a phoenix guessed, ¡°though it hurts no one to start on common ground.¡±


    Then they all joined in, a few even going so far as to provide some theatrics for the display.


    ¡°Our king, our creator, is one whose story is oft told;


    Stop! Fly slow, watch your surroundings¡ª


    Keep a careful eye of where the ground is.


    When Orestis sees His plan before Him


    He will not let anything surprise Him¡ª


    Woe be the one who breaks the mold!


    So our story starts with Ekambar,


    A curious boy who sought to know the world


    Who soon, in the sky, whirled;


    Took up his father¡¯s wax and feather wings


    Without thinking of the trouble it brings


    Challenging himself to fly afar!


    Disaster struck on the morrow;


    For his travels took him many places


    And, caught up in imaginary races,


    Failed to recognize the stranger


    That would soon, his family, endanger


    Oh! The coming sorrow!


    The days turned desperate¡ª


    For around him they fell,


    Finding their way to where Vriuh does dwell.


    He sought the world for a cure,


    Yet looked to find no more.


    Gave himself to the search with no respite.


    Soon he had little remaining,


    So again he went to seek


    What could change what turned so bleak.


    Faster! Faster, he flew,


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    Up into the sky then into the ocean blue


    For his feathers gone and wax draining.


    Vriuh looked upon him, welcoming


    Until a messenger came from the Creator


    To Him, this boy was a traitor¡ª


    Betrayer of design, so he shall return;


    His soul, one that none shall mourn¡ª


    Eternal life and death was his sentencing.


    Phoenixes, we hold his soul.


    Symbols of foolishness in His eyes


    As each one of us tries


    To reach the end of this suffering


    And see Vriuh, wondering,


    If we have finally achieved his goal¡­¡±


    Together, all the phoenixes dropped down from the sky only to pick themselves back up at the last minute. They returned to their own bird cries for a moment, as if congratulating each other and laughing over their performance. One of them¡ªthe same phoenix that had first come up to them, though Lydia wasn¡¯t sure how she knew that¡ªwent to fly right next to the four of them, careful to be far enough away so it didn¡¯t burn any of them.


    ¡°Did you learn something new?¡± it prompted. It looked¡­ happy, somehow.


    ¡°Vriuh was going to welcome him?¡± Tavin asked with a mix of confusion and thoughtfulness. ¡°Everything else says that they didn¡¯t even want to look at him¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes, Death greeted Ekambar as they do all others,¡± it mused. ¡°But we cannot blame Qizar and the Fleyw Bresh for forgetting that, because they were never told; they hear the events from Orestis. He is not willing to say that anyone, not even Death, had looked upon that boy before He sentenced him to the phoenix¡¯s fate.¡±


    After that came a question from Tim and Henry each:


    ¡°Did you even do anything wrong?¡±


    ¡°Have any of you ever made it out..?¡±


    Lydia sighed, noticing the phoenix¡¯s hesitance and instead answering the first in its place. ¡°We¡¯ve all got to remember that the gods are kinda screwed up in the head. If it wasn¡¯t for Qizar¡¯s blind following of them, I don¡¯t think anyone would be able to say they understand every decision. I¡¯ve come across enough ruins and artifacts to know that it¡¯s possible even the other gods couldn¡¯t even understand Orestis¡¯s reasoning. But no one ever says anything because they know what happens when they speak up. Technically we don¡¯t even know what Eldrianna did to get herself banished, which you¡¯d think would be something pretty important to mention about the person whose banishment led to something that world-altering.¡±


    ¡°I believe, on this journey, you will find fragments of that answer,¡± the phoenix mumbled. ¡°Orestis tries to erase all traces of anything He does not like, but that does not mean it is all gone. As you continue to follow this path, perhaps you will understand what Darkness did¡­ then determine for yourself if speaking out against Him is worth the punishment you will receive at death.¡± It sighed. ¡°Your second question, little one¡­ simply, yes. Over the years our numbers have dwindled, even if it only by a few. Those portions of his soul have returned to Vriuh, though it is not until we have all made our last cycle that he will be able to see his family.¡±


    It flew a little higher and further, telling them, ¡°We shall share more stories with you tomorrow.¡± then flying back up and disappearing in the rest of the phoenixes.


    They didn¡¯t say anything else to each other until they and the phoenixes stopped for the night. It was by another odd panel again, all the phoenixes flocking on top of it to feel its warmth. Lydia passed out their meal and let them fall into a quiet conversation.


    ¡°Is Ekambar really the villain?¡± Tim wondered.


    ¡°He isn¡¯t the hero,¡± Henry returned.


    Tavin shook his head. ¡°At the same time that he was trying to make things better, he only made it worse for everyone.¡±


    ¡°I guess it depends on what part of the story you start on,¡± Lydia eventually said. ¡°If you start at the very beginning, he¡¯s just a curious kid; someone you know is going to end up getting in trouble for it at some point, yet never expect anything that bad to happen to him. Or it could be at the start of his own legend, where he stole his father¡¯s wax and feather wings. At that point, he¡¯s foolish enough not to listen to his father¡¯s instructions. Again, something you expect him to pay the price for, but nothing too serious. If you come in the middle, where he¡¯s trying to help his family¡­ that¡¯s noble of him, without knowing what led up to it. Even with the knowledge that he was the one to cause it, he¡¯s still got enough resolve to fix it. Then there¡¯s the fact he never knew what he did¡­¡±


    ¡°I guess it¡¯s weird to think about all the stuff Orestis does and does not allow,¡± Tim muttered. ¡°I mean, technically, we¡¯re a family of ruin desecrators and grave robbers. Yet the only bad thing that¡¯s only happened to us is a couple of curses that we learn to live without in a couple of generations.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s also Selik, who tried to get rid of all the magic users on the continent,¡± Henry pointed out. ¡°That had to have been someone that challenged Orestis¡¯s plan, right? At least tried to harm His people, which He shouldn¡¯t let happen. Yet Selik¡¯s spirit still floats around every now again in the north, with all the people descended from those who shared his ideals.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps, simply, it¡¯s just because we aren¡¯t Qizarn or a child of Fleyw Bresh,¡± Tavin suggested. ¡°Orestis never cared about the regular humans to begin with. We¡¯ve long since slaughtered the dragons and manticores, so at that point we lost practically any godly guidance that we were ever going to get. To Him, we¡¯re already on our own, which everyone would think to be the ultimate punishment.¡±


    ¡°Yet we¡¯re perfectly fine without it,¡± Lydia remarked. She glanced at the phoenixes. ¡°I¡¯d actually say we¡¯re better, in some cases¡­ At least, we don¡¯t have to worry about impressing people who are never going to change. We¡¯re free to do whatever we want and, if nothing else, we¡¯re still guaranteed everyone else¡¯s eventual right to join Vriuh and our ancestors in the underworld.¡± She shook her head. ¡°Let¡¯s all try to get some rest. I¡¯d like us to get as far as possible tomorrow, so we¡¯re all going to need to be ready to sacrifice some other breaks along the way.¡±

 The Stone Family Adventure: Book I- Chapter 6

    The phoenix was eagerly waiting for them to wake up. It wasn¡¯t out of concern, but rather excitement; once they were all up, the first thing it said to them was, ¡°We realized we have not shared our names. Names are both the first step to remembering and the first to forgetting, after all.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Lydia, and these three are Tim, Henry, and Tavin.¡± She pointed to each of the boys when she mentioned their name and they gave their own silent greeting.


    ¡°I am Melai,¡± the phoenix said ecstatically. ¡°My kin Eisu and Keisura will also be sharing stories with you today.¡± Two other phoenixes stuck their heads out of the bunch when their names were called.


    ¡°You have names?¡± Henry asked.


    ¡°Of course. We are as much of the consequences of our king¡¯s actions as we are our own individuals. We all have different experiences through our lifetimes; this journey isn¡¯t even shared by all of us.¡± Melai flew around the other phoenixes as if a call to get up and move. ¡°Come on! I will share mine last, but you will not be bored before then.¡±


    All the phoenixes went up into the air and the Stones gathered what they needed to follow them. It wasn¡¯t much longer before the phoenixes once again started a song, though this was one Eisu soloed.


    ¡°One year I left the others.


    Thought I was lost, alone,


    Away from the path I had known.


    But then I found a child there


    And continued to visit every year


    Though the home is now another¡¯s!¡±


    Eisu twirled around in the sky and gave way to some non-musical musing. ¡°It was a wonder to see someone who would not regenerate! They never knew me, but I will be glad when I can meet them in Vriuh¡¯s domain.¡± Several others seemed to have shared its general wish, giving chirps of agreement and understanding. Eisu went back into the flock to have Keisura replace it.


    It started its own song in a similar tune, though somehow had a more mournful edge to it.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t long, in mortal standards,


    That I was forced to stay behind


    To my loneliness, I had resigned;


    Until I saw a girl of light


    Who stayed with me all that night.


    But alas, a light so kind!


    No wonder Darkness has claimed her,


    When she alone would stay


    Where the little phoenix lay


    Until it burned out completely.


    Darkness crept in so discreetly


    That the world might forget her.¡±


    To add an ominous edge to it, Keisura shook its head and mournfully said, ¡°You should all have known of her, if Darkness had not taken her away. Yet she, like us, may never truly know what it¡¯s like to experience the comfort of death.¡±


    Lydia, a certain kind of familiarity creeping in the back of her head, dared to ask, ¡°Who are you talking about?¡±


    Keisura said a name, but none of them could hear it. ¡°She has only been out of reach of the gods for seven years, yet even her name is wiped from this earth¡­ Truly unfortunate. I wonder what memories of her remain with her family, then, and anyone closer? Perhaps one day they will be able to reunite once again¡­¡± Then it flew back up, Melai replacing it.


    ¡°Mine is one you will enjoy, I assure you,¡± it said. ¡°It is something I experienced many years ago, in one of my first journeys¡­¡±


    The other phoenixes gave it a musical background, more reminiscent of their story of Ekambar; some darted around or offered theatrics.


    ¡°They¡¯re always calling me curious,


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    Interested in the paths the humans take


    And whether destruction would be in their wake


    Or, through them, the world renewed.


    Then came a mortal, so shrewd,


    Yet verging on furious.


    I watched him as he went


    On his search for the treasure


    That would bring him great pleasure.


    He found what he desired,


    Though by then he grew tired,


    And at that moment, met with content.


    Where he was that treasure still stands,


    A prize desiring to be claimed,


    Even if it is largely unnamed;


    Great multitudes await for you


    Both now and the future, too,


    Once you travel across these lands.¡±


    Melai flew closer to the Stones. ¡°This is why you have taken to hearing our song, correct? It is not the first time we have encountered people like you, people of adventure¡ªthough only a few have considered our help, and even less succeed. I have long been curious about this treasure since I followed the one who found it; I will be more than willing to help you throughout your journey.¡±


    Lydia gave all of their thanks with a nod.


    ¡­


    The phoenixes told other stories as they traveled, or sometimes having a conversation through song; their way of passing the time, perhaps, as the day went by.


    At this point it was little surprise that they stopped at another heated spot, most quickly falling asleep after the show they had made earlier. Melai, however, joined the Stones instead.


    It watched with interest as Lydia passed out their dinner. Only after Tavin took a piece of his off and offered it to the phoenix did it say anything. ¡°You are rather nice, for those who know what we stand for.¡±


    ¡°We have enough bad luck, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s going to get any worse with a phoenix,¡± he responded with a small smile. ¡°One broken group helping another.¡±


    It seemed surprised for a moment before giving the closest thing to a smile a bird could give and eating its offering.


    Henry waited until they all finished before starting a conversation. ¡°Mom, do you know who that one phoenix was talking about? It sounded like you did¡­¡±


    Melai froze for a moment. ¡°Why should you bring your attention to a girl that has no place here?¡±


    That only made him more curious. ¡°You know about her, too?¡±


    ¡°Well, Keisura may have met her, but she is not the only one to be lost in Darkness. We all know someone, in one way or another, who has to bear that fate.¡± Melai shook its head. ¡°But you have plenty of other things to worry about. Mortals should not even be able to remember her, so to force memories to reappear like this, there might be harm¡­¡±


    Lydia sighed. ¡°I know I knew her but everything I can think of that might be about her is a blur. She came with us on adventures, but she stayed quiet and only really talked to Imre¡­ I mean, I don¡¯t remember her hating us, but I¡¯m sure we weren¡¯t best buds either. Less so than everyone else, anyway.¡±


    ¡°Keisura said she¡¯s only been missing for seven years,¡± Tim pointed out thoughtfully. ¡°We should all know who she is.¡±


    ¡°You should, but not for the reason that you assume,¡± Melai said slowly. ¡°You should know her because she should not have left, not because she left so soon. I believe Keisura misspoke; it has truly been nineteen years since her memory began to fade.¡±


    ¡°How do you get that big of a difference?¡± Henry wasn¡¯t buying any of it. He always just kept asking questions until he got the answer he thought to be the truth¡­ even when one person wouldn¡¯t talk about it, it wasn¡¯t long until he moved on to another.


    Lydia got reminded of all the blank pages in her journal and all the wrong dates. Using those dates, it would be seven years¡ªwhile Dimas was with Zofie, before he and Imre married and adopted Natheniel. She felt something else after the realization, like she was somewhere else doing something else and it definitely wasn¡¯t anywhere near here.


    ¡°Mom?¡± Tavin¡¯s voice snapped her out of it.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± she quickly decided. ¡°Maybe that¡¯s something for another time but it¡¯s not now.¡±


    The twins caught on, too, and further helped to change the subject¡ªor at least try to. Henry glanced at Melai and asked, ¡°What about the person who went to the treasure? Do you know who he was?¡±


    It shook its head. ¡°No, but he bore a semblance to the three of you. Since it seems you all share a kindred spirit, then perhaps there is some common blood between you.¡±


    Then he turned to Lydia. ¡°What do you think, Mom? Could it have been one of our relatives?¡±


    ¡°Honestly anyone stupid enough to do half the stuff we have to do has to be a Stone,¡± she remarked. ¡°Besides, there¡¯s a reason we try to keep in touch with our other relatives when we can and we always make sure someone knows where we are¡­ We had more than a few to guide us towards making that rule. Someone always needs to prove that there¡¯s a need for it before anyone is willing to take it seriously.¡±


    ¡°At least we¡¯re going to finish what he started,¡± Tim said, ¡°no matter who it was. Not only will we finish his story but we¡¯ll have our own to tell.¡±


    Even Melai seemed to agree. ¡°That is a wonderful way to think of it all. The promise to do what the dead could not¡­ surely that is something that could drive all of us, at one point. I know that is why we continue this futile path further north, in hopes of finally reaching the place cycles before us wanted to reach. A hope to discover what might lie behind this instinctive path north and why Wind might have told our past lives to head there¡­¡±

 The Stone Family Adventure: Book I- Chapter 7

    Melai never rejoined the other phoenixes, instead opting to stay beside them for the rest of the night. It encouraged them to get going early the next morning and started a song to keep them all awake; the other phoenixes, by the time it had finished building up to the song itself, joined it.


    ¡°Today we have a tale,


    Similar to what you may know,


    But still we will start slow.


    This is a reality, but not yours;


    All just a simple illusion of hers,


    Trying to grasp it, with no avail.


    It is something we all understand¡ª


    To lose a love, someone dear¡ª


    Yet none can conquer the fear.


    While they are regretting


    They are forgetting,


    Of those that reach for their hand.


    She fled the reality before her


    To find a false paradise;


    A place that comes with the price


    Of almost losing the light


    That gives her the might


    To continue things as they were.


    She brought them all together,


    Two that weren¡¯t and one that was,


    With the simple cause


    Of having them all close,


    As that was what she wanted the most.


    But at what cost, I wonder?¡±


    Melai flew around the four of them. It continued the story through a different form, though the phoenixes still kept the tune. ¡°It is something mortals are aware of, is it not? The desperation of a person, the lengths one may go to¡­ It is a road to tread carefully, for there is much to recover yet even more to lose; let us all hope, for the sake of those trapped with Usiu and the lost in the living realm, that this will turn out well.


    ¡°As you can imagine, this place is born of denial; a soul wandering through their depression; bargaining their way through both what needed to happen and what will come; here, anger rises; but will there be a hope of acceptance?¡±


    Lydia was inexplicably relieved to hear what Henry¡¯s guess was towards its meaning.


    ¡°Are you talking about the person who set all of this up?¡± he guessed. ¡°I mean, it wouldn¡¯t be the first time someone made something out of grief¡ªor even a memorial.¡±


    ¡°I suppose you could say that,¡± Melai mused. ¡°She did play a part in creating it.¡±


    Then her heart dropped when she heard Tavin¡¯s question. ¡°What about the ¡®false reality¡¯ and being an illusion?¡±


    ¡°You are experiencing things that are not meant to be. Consider it like a dream¡ªpulling from distant memories and aspirations, it is created into something that, at times, can appear more real than the present. But that does not mean it is something to overlook, for it may hold some much-needed answers¡­¡± Melai decided to leave it off with a simple, ¡°Who knew that it was possible to defy Vaso¡¯s foresight?¡±


    ¡°Vaso¡¯s foresight¡­¡± Lydia repeated. She tried to look for the phoenix again, but it had already disappeared with the rest of its kin. Still, she mumbled, ¡°Are you talking about the Caverns..?¡±


    ¡°Once you finished defeating the Minotaur, you all went to a pool that kinda told your futures, didn¡¯t you?¡± Tim recalled. ¡°What did it say, again..?¡±


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    Henry whacked him. ¡°How could you forget? It was random stuff about being in the darkness and whether or not they stepped into the light, then even more random stuff. It¡¯ll be impossible to tell what story went with who until half of them are dead.¡±


    ¡°The last child never quite left the darkness to begin with. They loved the vigor of it all, which ultimately led to their demise. Though they did countless good acts in their time, the only thing they were remembered for decades later was the tragedy surrounding it.¡± She shrugged. ¡°I can¡¯t say much for anyone else, but that definitely sounds like me. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if I die doing stuff like this¡ªhonestly there¡¯s times when I¡¯m surprised I haven¡¯t died already.¡±


    ¡°Then what about only being remembered by the tragedy?¡± Henry wondered. ¡°Is that supposed to be about how you die..?¡±


    It took a little while for Tavin to say anything, even then it was more of a mumble. ¡°Does¡­ anyone else feel like we¡¯re not supposed to be here together? Like we were never supposed to get this far..?¡±


    ¡°Now I think you¡¯re just overthinking it,¡± Tim remarked. ¡°All of this has to be real.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not saying that it¡¯s not real. It just doesn¡¯t feel right. It feels like that tragedy should¡¯ve already happened, like¡­ I¡¯m the only one that should be here.¡±


    Lydia felt it too; the sense that things were a bit too perfect. But she wasn¡¯t going to show that to them. She ruffled Tavin¡¯s hair as she assured him, ¡°You¡¯re never going to be alone.¡±


    The twins both gave their own gestures and mumbles of agreement. His smile, however weak it was, showed his appreciation.


    She chose to hopefully change the subject so that none of them had to think about it any more. ¡°I think we¡¯re pretty close to where all the phoenixes start burning out.¡± She looked up at them and, noting their dulling colors and a few faltering in their flight, nodded. ¡°Definitely closer.¡±


    Henry paused before searching the group. ¡°Melai? Can you come down here?¡± He waited until it dropped down to continue his inquiry. ¡°Why do the phoenixes migrate?¡±


    ¡°If I knew, I would tell you,¡± Melai responded thoughtfully. ¡°None of us know why Elle set us on this path. Perhaps we are like that woman, trying to recover something dear to us; what that something is, however, evades all of us. The Phoenix King never flew over these lands. Yet still we travel.¡±


    ¡°What do you think it is?¡± Tim asked, simply to add to the conversation.


    ¡°I cannot begin to imagine¡­¡±


    ¡°Then what do you want it to be?¡±


    ¡°Eternity,¡± it sighed wistfully. ¡°Even if it was not with Vriuh. I would be content with staying as ashes and never rising again. Though I would miss the mortals like you. Somehow it makes our fate a bit more bearable.¡±


    He smiled. ¡°There¡¯s something I want to show you when we¡¯re done for the day. I think you¡¯ll like it.¡±


    As much as Melai tried (and ultimately failed) to discreetly ask throughout the rest of the day¡ªand Henry eventually joining in¡ªTim didn¡¯t budge at all. The most he ever revealed was that it was something he¡¯d brought with him and was excited to put to use. Knowing him, that solved absolutely nothing; Lydia had seen the variety of stuff he¡¯d brought along with them. By the time they stopped for the night, she¡¯d also grown curious about whatever he was so excited to share.


    Tim dug through his bag and, eventually, pulled out a snow globe to show to them. He carefully set it in front of Melai before saying, ¡°This was something Uncle Witless found and may or may not have gotten scammed by on a trip for the army. The seller promised him that it would show whoever looked into it their true desire. Long story short, it didn¡¯t, so he gave it to me instead so I could mess around with it. I found out that it was still enchanted, just not in the way that the seller said it was¡ªit can show a person¡¯s desire, but only one, and it has to be strong. I honestly don¡¯t remember why I brought it with me, but I thought you might like to see it.¡±


    Melai circled around it before returning to its spot. ¡°Are you a child of Fleyw Bresh, by chance? How could you have figured that out without ever using it?¡±


    ¡°Far from it. I¡¯m just curious and need something to do in my spare time.¡± Proudly, he continued, ¡°Messing with artifacts is kinda like a hobby of mine.¡±


    ¡°That and proceeding to blow stuff up with them,¡± Henry added. ¡°Which is all fine and well until Grandmom blames me for it.¡±


    Tavin, with complete nonchalance, commented, ¡°To be fair, it¡¯s not like it¡¯s unwarranted suspicion¡­ But Tim¡¯s still done worse.¡±


    ¡°H-Hey, remember who¡¯s the oldest!¡±


    Henry smirked. ¡°By three minutes.¡±


    Melai blinked. ¡°If I may interrupt your mortal banter, I would like to know more about how this artifact of yours works.¡±


    Tim nodded. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure all you¡¯ve got to do is think about what you want to see. Maybe touch it.¡±


    Cautiously, it lifted its wings around the globe and pressed its head to the glass. It mumbled some incomprehensible thing as the other phoenixes gathered around to watch as well. The four of them stepped back to give the others more room and waited to see if it would work.


    When Melai first pulled back, there wasn¡¯t anything different. Some of the phoenixes turned back then, believing what they had been hoping for wasn¡¯t going to appear. Yet Melai continued to watch it until it changed. The scene it soon presented was enough to draw sympathy out of everyone.


    Even if Lydia didn¡¯t recognize all of them, she knew who the characters were. This was a reunion in death; Vriuh¡¯s goblin-like figure overlooking Ekambar and his family. It was the moment all of these phoenixes dreamed for, when their creator¡¯s soul would be able to come together and become whole again. She liked to believe that, one day, the phoenixes will see that goal¡­ that finally their suffering would come to an end.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Melai finally whispered after simply staring at the picture. ¡°I believe¡­ that this is something we will all remember for the rest of our cycles. Until at last we are able to experience it for ourselves¡­¡±

 The Stone Family Adventure: Book I- Chapter 8

    Once again Melai nudged them all awake. But, really, that wasn¡¯t what got Lydia up so quickly; it was the realization that she didn¡¯t hear any of the other phoenixes and it was a lot brighter than it usually was. They all had a brief moment of panic when they saw that the other phoenixes had left, though Melai didn¡¯t seem worried and soon explained why.


    ¡°It is alright,¡± Melai assured them thoughtfully. ¡°There is no reason to be concerned. The rest of my kin have moved on to try to finish their migration. I have decided to stay behind to guide you, as the treasure is close.¡± It began to walk away, before Tavin got in front of it, bent down, and put his hands in front of it.


    ¡°You¡¯re about to burn out,¡± he said. ¡°Since you can¡¯t fly well, you can sit on my shoulder. You can¡¯t burn me when the only fire you have is the one that¡¯s going to devour you soon.¡±


    Hesitantly, it nodded and let him guide it to his shoulder. ¡°I suppose, then, we are technically following Tavin.¡± It gestured in front of them with its wing. ¡°The treasure is over there.¡±


    Melai continued to give directions as they went, at first seeing nothing different than the average scenery of the Plains. There was grass, occasionally a bush, and even more rarely a tree; then there was a hill that stuck out a little more than the rest. What looked like it was just a rock at first turned out to have a hole in it and looked like it could be moved.


    ¡°Bring me down there,¡± Melai instructed. Once Tavin bent down, it continued to explain, ¡°I once helped the other adventurer to get in by using this hole. Unfortunately, he never stepped any further and I burned out as well. I was never able to tell him what I sought in return for my help¡­ that he would carry my ashes along with him through the rest of his journey. May I ask you to do what he could not?¡±


    ¡°You have our word,¡± Lydia promised. ¡°You¡¯ll be right beside us the whole way through. It¡¯s really the least we can do to thank you.¡±


    With the closest thing to a smile a bird could give, it went down from Tavin¡¯s shoulder and squeezed itself into the hole. It only took a moment for the rock to move and, while they all entered, Melai wandered over to the center of the room.


    The light hardly reached far into the room, though that didn¡¯t stop them. Tim excitedly pulled out something from his bag¡ªan artifact that he¡¯d tinkered with to get to produce light without a fire. It lit the rest of the cave up, though observing it all was second on the list.


    ¡°I hope to see you once again once you have completed this trip,¡± Melai mused. Then what little remained of its fire grew and devoured it, leaving nothing left but ashes. Only a phoenix would approach death with such a solemn yet peaceful expression, having already accepted that this would not be its last cycle.


    Lydia pulled out a small container from her satchel and began collecting the ashes. The boys took to occupying themselves in other ways. Tavin went to observe the writing on the wall, Henry went to pick through the worn bag in the corner (likely belonging to the skeleton that laid close beside it), and Tim went to look at the treasure.


    ¡°Hey, there¡¯s actually stuff in here!¡± Henry proclaimed after he¡¯d moved on to the bag to the coat. ¡°An old journal and a bunch of scribbled drawings. Doesn¡¯t look like there¡¯s much else, though.¡±


    ¡°Should you really be digging through a dead person¡¯s belongings?¡± Tavin questioned, even if most of his attention was still on the writing on the wall.


    Henry shrugged. ¡°Probably not, but getting cursed by some ancient spirit is just another rite of passage. Mom¡¯s done it tons of times and she¡¯s not dead yet. Besides, didn¡¯t we already decide this guy was¡ª¡± He must¡¯ve noticed something while he leafed through the pages. ¡°From that side of the family.¡±


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    That caught Lydia¡¯s attention just as she put the container of ashes back in her satchel. ¡°We¡¯ll burn it when we make camp for the night. We don¡¯t need the help of those bastards.¡±


    Henry and Tim gave mutual grumbles of agreement and disgust, but Tavin didn¡¯t quite seem to get it. He wouldn¡¯t have, unfortunately; he still spent at least half his time in the castle and away from the horror stories about those-they-will-not-name.


    Instead, he brought their attention to something else. ¡°It¡¯s more text like the one where all the phoenixes gathered. This one¡¯s a bit messier but I¡¯m still able to piece together most of it.¡± He waited until they all seemed to be listening before continuing to read it aloud. ¡°Here, Earth walked through the earth to create the Ley Lines. Their pulsing magic rings through these caverns in an attempt to provide the world with its power. But even so, there are places where the light will not reach; where those wishes will never be seen by the Creator, a river they will never touch. This is where your path will continue if you hope to find more.¡±


    ¡°A river that wishes would never touch,¡± Tim repeated. ¡°It¡¯s got to be talking about the Lantern Festival, right? That¡¯s the closest time to when wishes would ever touch rivers, at least in a somewhat literal sense.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure that¡¯s what it says?¡± Lydia asked. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a map that had a river that never somehow connected to the Lake.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m certain of that part,¡± Tavin replied confidently. ¡°But there¡¯s a good reason why it wouldn¡¯t be on any of the maps¡ªit¡¯s practically pointless. Maybe if we could find some local maps¡­¡±


    ¡°But where?¡± Tim questioned. ¡°Unless those writings mention somewhere more specific, it could be anywhere in Seothia.¡±


    Henry glanced back over the skeleton and pulled something out of its coat pocket. ¡°Hey, Mom, does it count as helping if Mr. Skeleton over here has a map that might help..?¡±


    ¡°They probably stole it from someone else anyway,¡± she decided. ¡°That¡¯s all they ever do. Where is it?¡±


    ¡°In Palus, between two of the mountains on the northern side of the territory¡­ It¡¯s hard to tell any of the specifics, the map¡¯s not in good shape.¡±


    ¡°Of course it isn¡¯t, those guys never cared and who knows how long it¡¯s been. Here¡ªmark the spot down and we¡¯ll figure out just how accurate it is.¡± She turned to Tim, who had since gotten past his distraction and continued to look through the treasure. ¡°Anything interesting in there?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s some gold coins we can¡¯t use anymore.¡±


    ¡°Add ¡®em to Dad¡¯s collection.¡±


    ¡°A couple pieces of jewelry.¡±


    ¡°Gifts for Mom and Ellie, probably. I¡¯m definitely not letting Samone see them and Ellie¡¯ll appreciate them, at least.¡±


    ¡°And this weird bone sword..?¡±


    ¡°You, uh, probably shouldn¡¯t touch that. We were supposed to look for something like that but we never found it. It¡¯s supposed to be pretty dangerous¡ªlet me try first.¡± Lydia walked over and picked it up. ¡°Okay, not inherently cursed¡­ but better safe than sorry. I¡¯ll get Witless to figure out if it¡¯s what we¡¯ve been trying to find before I ''ll let you mess around with it, just in case.¡±


    His disappointed sigh could not have been longer. ¡°Okay¡­¡±


    She looked over the rest of the stuff. ¡°Henry, you¡¯ve got extra space in your bag, right? Can you help carry all of that?¡± He nodded, tucked the map away, and gathered the treasure up with Tim. Then, to all of them, she said, ¡°Even though we need to go to Palus, we¡¯re still going to go back home for now. We can offload everything we got here and make sure we have everything we might need there.¡±

 The Stone Family Adventure: Book II- Chapter 1

    ¡°¡­Then I gathered the ashes and we found the next clue,¡± Lydia finished. She showed Andrew the vial of phoenix ashes and gestured to the rest of the stuff they came back with.


    He gave everything a thoughtful glance before saying, ¡°Good job, all four of you. Where are you going next?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve got to head to Palus.¡±


    ¡°The mountains, eh? You know I¡¯ve always been partial to them, with Mount Bainly and everything. I¡¯d say it¡¯s pretty good timing, too. It shouldn¡¯t be as cold now that it¡¯s summer. With any hope and luck you won''t run into any problems at all.¡±


    Diana, however, was in earshot of his comment and decided to add, ¡°With any hope and luck you¡¯re stuck there for a little while. You weren¡¯t gone long enough the first time, maybe we¡¯ll finally have some peace and quiet without you.¡±


    Elena, also nearby, hissed, ¡°Mom¡­¡±


    ¡°Come on, dear, you know you don¡¯t mean it,¡± Andrew sighed.


    ¡°Do I? I thought I was being rather honest.¡± Diana then walked away before anyone else could say anything against her.


    Andrew looked at Lydia and said, ¡°Don¡¯t let that get to you. She¡¯s been grumpier than usual today.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing different from the past twenty-three years,¡± she mumbled. ¡°And it¡¯s not going to get any better. I¡¯ve learned to live with it¡­ kinda.¡± She noticed the twins coming into the room then leaving again and, even quieter, added, ¡°Maybe one day she¡¯d leave them alone, too¡­¡±


    ¡­


    They¡¯d just gotten there and spent a single night in a Palus village when they woke up to an unfortunate sight.


    ¡°Who decided that there should be blizzards in the middle of freaking summer?¡± Lydia moaned, staring out the window as if her dismay might melt all the snow away. ¡°I hate mountains. It¡¯s always cold and snowing¡­¡±


    None of the boys seemed nearly as upset as she did. Tim even thoughtfully reminded her, ¡°At least we can afford some delays.¡±


    ¡°I know, but¡­¡± She sighed. ¡°The more time we spend here the less time we have for everything else.¡±


    He then took the opportunity to add, ¡°I told you we should¡¯ve brought the snow-melter.¡±


    ¡°And then we would¡¯ve set half the rest of the town on fire,¡± she pointed out. ¡°You¡¯re not bringing that thing anywhere until you figure out how to not destroy everything else around it.¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t so bad,¡± Henry remarked, mostly ignoring them. ¡°It looks like everyone else is trying to make the best of it.¡±


    She turned around to see that the rest of the inn¡¯s visitors had gathered in the main room. A small group had pressured one of their members to step up to the piano, soon filling the room with a peppy tune; it seemed that friends and strangers alike took to dancing with each other, doing what they could to bide the time. Henry, if not just caught up in the moment, dragged his brothers along to join them. She still watched, though, observing all of the crowd before she noticed a rather anxious-looking pair.


    Lydia walked over to them. At the very least, maybe she could get them to relax enough to enjoy the moment. ¡°The snow¡¯s keeping everyone from doing what they¡¯re here for, huh?¡±


    The man absently nodded and said, ¡°Yes¡­¡± The girl beside him hardly seemed to acknowledge her.


    ¡°Since we¡¯re all here, there¡¯s no point in leaving without learning something new.¡± Lydia held her hand out. ¡°I¡¯m Lydia.¡±


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    ¡°Leon,¡± the man said slowly as he shook her hand. ¡°This is my niece, Nadia. You¡¯ll have to excuse her, it¡¯s been a while since we¡¯ve been in Palus and we left on¡­ less than favorable terms.¡± Nadia only really stared at her, but her eyes did eventually wander to the others dancing.


    ¡°Do you want to join them? Look, those three are my sons Tim, Henry, and Tavin.¡± Lydia pointed them out. ¡°I swear they¡¯re nice and they won¡¯t mind if you¡¯d like to join them.¡±


    Leon gently nudged Nadia. ¡°It¡¯ll be fine; none of them are here. I¡¯ll be right here if you need me.¡± Then, slowly, she nodded and went to join the boys. Leon turned his attention to Lydia when he asked, ¡°You¡¯re a Stone, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    With a confident laugh, she replied, ¡°Do you know of any other Lydias with three sons, one of them with the same name as the prince?¡±


    ¡°Well, honestly, I thought you only had one¡­¡± he mumbled. ¡°I suppose I must¡¯ve been wrong, though. I grew up around these mountains so I¡¯m not too familiar with the Mikkel territory nobles. The prince was the only one that would be important to us all the way up here.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Anyway, what brings the three of you here?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re trying to find a river that doesn¡¯t flow into the Lake. We know where it is but, well, then we all got snowed in and here we are.¡± She shrugged. ¡°What about the two of you?¡±


    He gave a nervous glance around the room and gave his story cautiously. ¡°We¡¯re both from Palus but left last year after some¡­ family problems. Neither of us really want to be back but Mx. Enebish encouraged us to return to sort through some more things with Nadia¡¯s parents.¡±


    ¡°Enebish¡­ they¡¯re one of Lady Enuolare¡¯s kids, aren¡¯t they?¡± The name rang a bell, at least¡­ even if she was almost certain it wasn¡¯t since they were from a noble house.


    ¡°Mhm.¡±


    ¡°When did you meet them?¡±


    ¡°Shortly before we moved. Some things happened that they were able to help with, including letting me take custody of Nadia,¡± he sighed. ¡°I¡¯d rather keep her as far away from her parents as possible, but she didn¡¯t want to be alone and Mx. Enebish promised to watch over her in case things get messy. Honestly the only reason I think she¡¯s been so willing to go is to see them again¡­¡±


    It took her a moment to figure out what to say before, finally, deciding on,  ¡°Well, good luck. Family drama always sucks.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps talking with Mx. Enebish won¡¯t be the only good thing to come out of this,¡± he mused. She followed his gaze to see the four kids getting along well; Nadia¡¯s previously worried expression turned into a carefree smile. ¡°I think that¡¯s the most I¡¯ve seen her smile in a while.¡±


    ¡°Maybe all she needed was someone a little closer to her age,¡± Lydia remarked, ¡°and people who have no idea who she is.¡±


    He observed them for a little while longer. ¡°Your boys all seem rather close to each other, too. But those two both look older than Prince Tavin.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s eight years between them. Honestly I¡¯m not even sure how it happened and I was there for all of it. I think¡­ part of it is just because they had each other more than anyone else. Tim and Henry weren¡¯t around their older relatives¡ªby then most of my cousins were scattered across Seothia. They were six when my sister started having kids and even then my mom liked pointing out the stuff that her kids had that the twins didn¡¯t. Then Tavin¡¯s still got prince stuff to do. He knows the estate¡¯s a kinda-quiet place he can go if he needs some time away from the rest of it. It probably doesn¡¯t hurt that Tim and Henry have gotten really good at scaring Natheniel off so he doesn¡¯t bug Tavin.¡±


    ¡°I hope that Nadia will be able to have someone like that one day¡­ It¡¯s just the two of us and the cat she insisted on adopting. She¡¯s hardly ever been around kids her age and it didn¡¯t get any better after we moved. There¡¯s¡­ a fair bit of rumors regarding what happened to her. Not many of the kids seem to want or are allowed to interact with her, and the few that do reminds her of what she left.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you happened to move anywhere near Lelishara?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s actually only a couple hours away from the capital.¡±


    ¡°The Stone Estate isn¡¯t far, either,¡± Lydia pointed out with a grin. ¡°Nadia¡¯s welcome anytime if she wants to come. Even if Tavin¡¯s not there, I¡¯m sure he wouldn¡¯t mind a break.¡± After all, it looked like she got along with him the best.


    Leon just stared before giving a grateful smile. ¡°Thank you. I think Nadia will be glad to hear the offer. And¡­ good luck on whatever you¡¯re here to do. I don¡¯t exactly understand how you¡¯ve found a river that doesn¡¯t flow into the Lake, but it¡¯s probably safe to assume it¡¯s not a simple stroll.¡±


    She shrugged. ¡°It might be, but we won¡¯t really know until then. I don''t think it''s going to be any worse than what it sounds like the two of you are doing. Take care of yourselves and, speaking as a noble, don¡¯t be afraid to use your connections to the higher ups.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to keep that in mind but I¡¯m afraid who we¡¯ll be seeing doesn''t exactly care for Lady Enuolare or the king¡­¡±

 The Stone Family Adventure: Book II- Chapter 2

    It took a few days, but eventually the snow melted enough for them to get going. Lydia wasted no time in getting them all ready and leaving, though Tavin¡ªas the one with the map¡ªeventually took the lead.


    They did, for a while, keep up banter to fill the silence. Leon and Nadia, who they spent most of the time with while they were together (which was until the day before, since the two didn¡¯t need to wait for things beyond civilization to clear up a little more before heading out), was the first topic of conversation.


    ¡°So, Tavin, what do you think about Nadia?¡± Henry prompted with a smirk. ¡°Cute, isn¡¯t she?¡± Everything he said was meant to bring out a reaction; using the power that he, as an older sibling, had all rights to use.


    Tim caught on too and gained an equally mischievous grin. ¡°You two were spending a lot of time together.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s nice,¡± Tavin replied, maintaining the same emotionless expression. He knew what they were trying to do out of observance¡ªthe things they teased each other, their friends, and a few of Elena¡¯s children¡ªand he was not going to let them see what they wanted to.


    ¡°You know, I offered that they could come to the Stone Estate every once in a while,¡± Lydia remarked. She couldn¡¯t help but join in. ¡°They don¡¯t live too far from the capital so the trip to the estate won¡¯t be much longer.¡±


    Tavin did respond to that part, though, with a mix of surprise and excitement. ¡°You did?¡±


    ¡°Aha! You do like her!¡± Henry ruffled Tavin¡¯s hair.


    ¡°W-wait, I never said¡ª¡±


    Tim joined in as well. ¡°Welcome to the club. You¡¯re already doing ten times better than Natheniel!¡± He looked back at Lydia and asked, ¡°Mom, what do you think of her?¡±


    She shrugged. ¡°You guys know I don¡¯t care as long as whoever it is isn¡¯t an asshole and you listen to what Dimas says about butterflies.¡± She had to admit, he had some useful advice she wished she¡¯d known sooner. She didn¡¯t want to see any of her sons end up making the same mistakes she did.


    With nothing else to add, they moved on to something else.


    ¡°What do you think could be at the end of a river that doesn¡¯t flow into the Lake?¡± Henry mused. ¡°I bet it¡¯s something that has to do with memories. Oh! What if it¡¯s like this book that ended up being something like someone¡¯s journal?¡±


    ¡°Or it could be something completely mundane,¡± Tavin offered. ¡°No one would have cared for its existence and only those who knew what they¡¯d find here would follow it. There¡¯s no need to make it fancy or enchanted when something simple could do.¡±


    ¡°How dare you assume things should be normal,¡± Tim teased. ¡°What¡¯ll make them worth getting to anyone if they¡¯re not enough to catch someone¡¯s eye?¡±


    ¡°Plus, what guy who makes a kingdom-wide treasure hunt decides to make something simple? Already he¡¯s got to be insane, might as well go all out with it too,¡± Henry remarked.


    Lydia, though mostly observing their surroundings, was still paying enough attention to comment, ¡°That¡¯s coming from one of the four that are stupid enough to go chasing that kingdom-wide treasure.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s in our blood,¡± he responded with a smirk.


    ¡°And it¡¯s a waste of time if no one goes looking for it,¡± Tim added. ¡°Or worse yet, not actually care about everything that they set up.¡±


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    Tavin interrupted all of them to gesture to the river he¡¯d led them to and say, ¡°There¡¯s no other rivers around here, so unless something¡¯s off, this has to be it. Now for the question of the afternoon: left or right? Left would lead us to the mouth of the river. Right will lead us to the end of it.¡±


    Seeing a vague figure in the corner of her eye, Lydia confidently decided, ¡°Right.¡±


    None of the boys asked any questions and simply followed along. They followed the river in silence to match the forest around them; they all stopped when they saw someone else kneeling by the river¡¯s edge, using a small bit of fire magic to melt the ice in his hands. Whatever he¡¯d done before then, it was clear it took a toll on him.


    All three of the boys looked back at her but somehow she knew and shook her head. ¡°Remember what it said about the river,¡± she said. ¡°He¡¯s not real.¡±


    It didn¡¯t make it any better to watch. Even if it wasn¡¯t real now doesn¡¯t mean that it wasn¡¯t real before; she¡¯d had her fair share of projections of the past to know that much. They didn¡¯t move or say anything else, simply watching him.


    ¡°What did I drag you into, my dear..?¡± he eventually mumbled.


    A wispy figure appeared beside him, though her exact form was impossible to make out. ¡°You didn¡¯t mean to,¡± was the just as ethereal response she gave. The memory of her was one dearly important, yet unable to withhold the flow of time all the same.


    ¡°We¡¯re both going to die here, aren¡¯t we?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ what it appears, isn¡¯t it?¡± The figure could still make a clear smile as she added, ¡°But we are the House of the Phoenix. Even if we cease to be in the cold, perhaps we, like those mighty birds, will return from our ashes. We¡¯ve done it once; I¡¯m sure that we can do it again.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want this for you.¡±


    ¡°I want nothing more than to stay with you, if these truly are our final moments. Maybe we won¡¯t be lonely when we reemerge if we fall together.¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°There has to be hope for one of us¡­ someone must share the news of what we¡¯ve seen, so that we don¡¯t disappear again. Here¡ªtake all the supplies we have left.¡± He took off his jacket and wrapped it around her, placing his bag in front of her. ¡°Hurry, now. Don¡¯t worry about me; what matters is that this is not where we end, that we may live on forever in memory¡­¡±


    ¡°But¡ª¡±


    He slowly stood up and helped her do the same. ¡°I will try to finish what we started. Even if our story is one of woe, let it be told again. Let it survive on your tongue that those that come after us will have what we¡¯ve learned here.¡±


    She must¡¯ve thought of many more things to protest, though eventually sighed and said, ¡°Yes. I will carry our song on to whoever will listen.¡± She gave him what they all knew to be their last hug, then turned around and ran towards the four of them. Her figure disappeared right before she would¡¯ve touched them.


    ¡°I must see what I can accomplish on my own¡­¡± He looked around the forest before seemingly randomly deciding where he should go. ¡°Even if this body will soon fail me¡­¡±


    Lydia gestured for the boys to follow him, with her close behind them as well. He started to fade the deeper they went into the forest, eventually disappearing entirely after collapsing in the snow. It wasn¡¯t until a moment later that they dared to speak again.


    ¡°The renewed House of the Phoenix,¡± Tavin mumbled. ¡°They were trying to do all of this on their own¡­¡±


    ¡°I guess it¡¯s safe to say that she didn¡¯t make it much further than telling anyone about it,¡± Henry remarked. He looked around a little before adding, ¡°Do you think what we¡¯re supposed to be looking for is around here somewhere? He led us all the way out here, there has to be some reason for it.¡±


    Tim shook his head. ¡°Nothing else is here, though. At least not anything that would¡¯ve lasted however many years it¡¯s been since it was placed to now¡ªjust a couple of rocks and twigs.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s got to be further,¡± Lydia decided. ¡°He led us in the right direction but we¡¯ve got to figure out where to go from here. Try looking for something to show us where he wanted us to be.¡±


    They all nodded and spread out a little to search the area. It didn¡¯t take long for Tim to notice something else. ¡°So, is it just me, or are the shadows moving?¡±


    ¡°What? All three of you, get back here.¡± Lydia, in a mix of the general oh crap and the much more specific Imre is going to kill me, tried digging through her satchel.


    Tavin¡¯s nonchalance broke her growing panic, though. ¡°They¡¯re not real.¡± They all looked at him until he further explained, ¡°It doesn¡¯t feel any different than before. The Ski¨¢ are a part of another projection.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Lydia asked cautiously.


    He nodded. ¡°I mean, it¡¯s also pretty obvious when they aren¡¯t even paying attention to us.¡±


    Seeing that he was right, she decided, ¡°If it¡¯s a part of the memory projections then we should follow it. Just don¡¯t do anything to alert them too much in case it turns out there¡¯s a real one somewhere in here.¡±

 The Stone Family Adventure: Book II: Chapter 3

    There was something inherently unsettling about being around so many Ski¨¢. It wasn¡¯t supposed to happen; to be close enough to know they were there meant either split-second decisions to avoid them or dying. So walking beside them, even if they were illusions, went against all common sense. Honestly she probably wouldn¡¯t have cared as much if it was just her¡ªintentionally or not, getting chased by Ski¨¢ was not the most dangerous thing she¡¯d done. But since the boys were there, she couldn¡¯t think of anything else except making sure they really were all illusions.


    All four of them stopped when they heard a familiar laugh. Shortly after, a figure burst out from the trees. It was wispy, barely anything distinguishing about her except for the confident air she seemed to possess despite being a part of the same illusion that created the Ski¨¢. She called out some jumble of words before bolting off.


    Tim and Henry were the first to chase after her, knowing that she must¡¯ve either been or would lead them to the person they needed to see next. Tavin, though not without a hint of reluctance, followed them, with Lydia staying behind him.


    The figure said several more things, but still none of them could be heard. When the Ski¨¢ got close to her, she shown an odd light in their direction. It was all a part of the fun for her¡ªor, perhaps more fittingly, adventure.


    To them, where she stopped was nothing more than another part of the forest. The projections of Ski¨¢ disappearing was their sign that she¡¯d entered somewhere else; where she had been going all this time. She dropped to her knees in front of one of the trees, mumbling things until finally a voice became clear.


    ¡°You have gone to great lengths to achieve this,¡± the voice mused. ¡°Do you truly desire my prize that much?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± While still jumbled, that much at least could be pieced together.


    ¡°Then here you have it¡ªI assume you don¡¯t need me to tell you what it is.¡± A clasp with a glittering red gem in the center appeared in front of the figure. ¡°May you all find peace and move on to see a brighter tomorrow.¡±


    The figure slowly picked up the clasp and turned to look directly at the four of them. ¡°A brighter tomorrow indeed¡­¡± With the breeze that came through the trees, she disappeared.


    Henry cautiously walked closer to where she had been. ¡°Who was that?¡±


    ¡°Is there even any way to tell?¡± Tim questioned as he went to the tree as well. ¡°Nothing was said to distinguish it from anything else. But it had to be something if it showed up in the memory, didn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Find peace and move on,¡± Tavin mumbled. He was leaning on a nearby tree and clearly glad that they had this time to stop. ¡°No matter what period of time it showed, there¡¯s one figure who¡¯s responsible for those kinds of things: Usiu.¡±


    That didn¡¯t make either of them any less confused. ¡°Usiu?¡±


    Lydia, realizing the name was familiar, shared what she knew. ¡°The angel that¡¯s supposed to help the dead who still cling to the living. She does whatever brings them closure or comfort so that they¡¯ll actually be able to enter the underworld. But I¡¯m not sure how exactly that relates to the living.¡± She paused. ¡°The better question¡¯s probably where this memory happened. It had to be close enough that whatever¡¯s projecting it was able to see the original thing. But she went inside something and it¡¯s definitely not here anymore, if it was ever here to begin with.¡±


    ¡°Could it be something before or during Qizarn myth?¡± Tim offered. ¡°Then it would make sense if whatever it was is gone by now.¡±


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    ¡°Ski¨¢ didn¡¯t exist until after Eldrianna¡¯s Fall,¡± Tavin pointed out. ¡°They¡¯re her creations of darkness in a way of getting back at Orestis. At the very least, it needed to be after then, but that doesn¡¯t narrow anything down.¡±


    ¡°That means that it has to be somewhere else entirely, though,¡± Henry remarked, ¡°because there¡¯s no way it¡¯s here somewhere.¡±


    As much as they could¡¯ve debated it more, something else caught their attention; the emergence of two new figures. One was slightly darker¡ªnot faded¡ªthan the other, as if tainted by something, and her dragonfly wings distinguished her as more than just human. The other seemed completely normal, unlikely to have stood out in his time. They walked out from the tree the previous projection had disappeared in front of and seemed to be in the middle of a casual conversation while they walked.


    ¡°What do you think of all this, Dree? Aren¡¯t I a genius to have come up with something like this?¡± the lighter one prompted, puffing out his chest with pride.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand why you¡¯ve made it all so complicated,¡± his darker companion responded, still smiling. ¡°Though it does take a certain mix of cleverness and stupidity to do the things you¡¯ve decided to do.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t explain it, but I¡¯m sure that someone out there is going to appreciate this.¡± As the two figures started to get further away, Lydia gestured for the boys to follow them. ¡°I don¡¯t know who it¡¯s going to be or what they¡¯re going to be here for, but this is going to help them with¡­ something. I feel like this is my contribution to the world; the thing I do that keeps my name from becoming forgotten.¡±


    ¡°Your name will never be forgotten. As long as I still exist, there will always be someone to remember you.¡±


    He chuckled. ¡°Thanks for the sentiment, but it doesn¡¯t mean nearly as much when it¡¯s coming from someone who lives forever.¡±


    ¡°I suppose it doesn¡¯t¡­¡± She looked around at the forest. ¡°Isn¡¯t this the last spot you wanted to go to? Do you plan on going back home when you¡¯re done?¡±


    ¡°I think I¡¯m going to look over everything one more time,¡± he responded thoughtfully. ¡°I¡¯ve got to make sure everything follows along chronologically, you know? Sprinkle some stuff in now that I know every step of the journey and see what I can do to make it more interesting. I mean, it¡¯s not like I¡¯m finding any of this boring¡ªit¡¯s all a nice change of pace that I¡¯m perfectly fine with lasting a little longer. Assuming you don¡¯t want to be done, that is; I won¡¯t drag you along if you don¡¯t want to go.¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°I want to stay with you, no matter what else may happen. There¡¯s a reason I agreed to come along with you in the first place, and it wasn¡¯t because I was genuinely interested in what you said you¡¯d be doing.¡±


    ¡°Can I ask you a favor?¡± He stopped and turned to face her. ¡°No matter how long it takes, I want you to watch over whoever comes through here. I¡¯m undoubtedly going to be dead by then and I doubt Vriuh will let me see how whoever it is works through everything I¡¯ve created. So if I can¡¯t, I want you to¡ªthen maybe, one day, you can tell me all about it.¡±


    ¡°You act like you¡¯re going to be dead soon,¡± she muttered with a certain kind of distress.


    ¡°I don¡¯t plan on dying right now, but I¡¯m just human. There¡¯s nothing I can do to escape it, so I might as well face that I¡¯m not going to be the one to see this all through.¡±


    She mumbled something that sounded like ¡°okay¡± before they continued moving.


    The rest of the conversation was blurred, being whatever they could think of that would fill in the silence until they reached the river. Then he bent down and sat something by the riverbed, surrounding it with dirt and rocks so that it wouldn¡¯t easily be carried away. He stepped back and, with a grin, said, ¡°Done.¡±


    Both of them slowly faded away.


    ¡°So that had to be the guy who made all of this,¡± Henry guessed. ¡°But who was the other person?¡±


    ¡°How many immortal people do you know of?¡± Tim remarked. ¡°That should limit it a bit.¡±


    ¡°But it doesn¡¯t,¡± Tavin pointed out. ¡°None of the gods interacted with mortals, not on that kind of level. There¡¯s a possibility that it¡¯s Eldrianna, but¡­¡±


    ¡°I find it hard to believe.¡± Lydia wandered a little closer to the river. ¡°I¡¯ve technically met the lady. The only love she has is watching people get caught in her traps.¡±


    Tavin looked back to where the figures had disappeared. ¡°I suppose the Commandments never said why Orestis banished Eldrianna, and it¡¯s one of the few things scholars can¡¯t agree on. The only thing we know is that, whatever it was, it was against what He wanted. With something like that, there¡¯s really no end to the possibilities¡­¡±

 The Stone Family Adventure: Book II: Chapter 4

    Lydia dug around the riverbed a little more, finding nothing where the projection had placed it. The boys helped in her search until they were able to find it: a ring with a reflective gem in the center. They decided to head back to the inn and figure it out there.


    She let Tim and Henry look at the ring while she wrote down each of the projections they saw. Honestly she normally wouldn¡¯t have cared that their hushed conversation was turning into an argument as long as it didn¡¯t get out of control, but this time she reminded them, ¡°Tavin¡¯s trying to rest.¡±


    ¡°Maybe you can help,¡± Tim remarked, moving next to her. He showed her the ring which, along with their reflections, showed fragments of another scene. ¡°We think it shows the next clue the warmer it is, but we can¡¯t get it warm enough to show the whole thing.¡±


    ¡°I think we should toss it into a fire and see if it changes,¡± Henry piped in. ¡°That¡¯s going to make it the hottest it¡¯s ever going to get.¡±


    ¡°Except the rest of this is actual metal that will melt,¡± Tim pointed out. ¡°Just because it¡¯s enchanted doesn¡¯t mean that the gem can¡¯t be affected by it, too.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s give it a little while,¡± Lydia decided. ¡°I can¡¯t tell anything from what we can see now and I might not even be able to tell when we get the full thing. We can ask Dad about it; maybe being in a warmer place in general will help it show up.¡±


    ¡­


    Luckily Diana was out with friends when they came back, so Lydia just gathered her siblings and father to show them what they found. She told them about the projections they saw and showed them the ring.


    ¡°The other two seem pretty relevant to each other¡ªpeople trying to find the treasure and the ones who set it up¡ªbut what about the middle one?¡± Lewis wondered. ¡°What does a woman being chased by Ski¨¢ have to do with either of those?¡±


    Elena shook her head. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t in that area, then it shouldn¡¯t even be able to project it. It¡¯s the same thing as trying to explain an event that you weren¡¯t there to see.¡±


    ¡°We couldn¡¯t come up with anything good either,¡± Lydia admitted. ¡°It mentioned Usiu but that has nothing to do with anything else. Tavin¡¯s guess is that she was the person that the guy talked about setting it up for, but that doesn¡¯t really explain why we¡¯re the ones doing it and not someone else.¡± There was something off-putting about looking back at that projection, but she chose not to share it, figuring that if it was something important they could figure it out later.


    ¡°Let me see the ring,¡± Andrew instructed. She nodded and handed it to him. After careful observation, he said, ¡°Give it some more time in the sun. It¡¯s almost complete now, but that should make the rest of it show up. I¡¯ve got to go out for a little while but I¡¯ll help you if you need it after I come back.¡± He got up, sat the ring on a nearby windowsill, and walked over to the door. ¡°Elena, make sure Diana doesn¡¯t move it if she comes back before I do.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll try,¡± she mumbled. He took that as the assurance that he needed and he left. Elena realized how quiet it was and sighed, ¡°Where are the kids?¡±


    ¡°I know two of mine are upstairs doing their own thing and the other¡¯s at the castle,¡± Lydia remarked casually with a shrug. ¡°So, for the record, if you think anyone¡¯s getting into trouble, it¡¯s one of yours.¡±


    Elena mumbled something then, noticing who else walked in, asked, ¡°Lustris, do you know where Edric and Muriel ran off to?¡±


    ¡°I believe they¡¯re both outside,¡± Lustris responded simply. ¡°Would you like me to get them for you?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯ll do it.¡± Elena got up and left.


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    Lustris offered the remaining two drinks, setting the tray on the table beside them. ¡°Andrew requested them, though it looks like he left already. I assume he wouldn¡¯t mind if you had one.¡± She mainly glanced at Lydia when she added, ¡°But just one.¡±


    Lydia didn¡¯t need a second invitation. She practically downed the whole thing at once. ¡°Did anyone tell you you¡¯re really good at mixing cocktails?¡±


    ¡°Did you ever realize that isn¡¯t a compliment?¡± Lustris sighed.


    ¡°Oh, while you¡¯re here, what do you think the chances are that we could find something from before Qizarn legend?¡± Lydia thought she might as well ask; Lustris had, after all, come from Idkor. If anyone they could easily talk to knew anything about it, it would be her.


    ¡°After Orestis created the world, I¡¯m guessing, because there was nothing before then.¡±


    ¡°Before Eldrianna Fell.¡±


    Lustris treated the conversation with a certain kind of carefulness. ¡°I¡­ suppose it isn¡¯t impossible. The Commandments never say when she was banished from Sanctuary¡ªthey hardly even go into detail on why. Vriuh presumably managed the afterlife before Eldrianna¡¯s Fall, but no one can be certain. Not to mention that, without the Angels, a large part of civilization as we know it wouldn¡¯t have existed yet. Or at least, we don¡¯t believe they did.¡± She paused and made it clear she didn''t know if she wanted an answer to her next question. ¡°What makes you think that you found something like that?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve already decided that a lot of things have to be a lot older than anything else,¡± Lydia replied with a shrug. ¡°And, in one of the projections we saw, some guy was talking to someone named Dree and we¡¯re pretty sure that she¡¯s a god. Possibly Eldrianna¡ªthey do look pretty similar, except for the wings.¡±


    It was obvious that Lustris was doing everything in her power not to freak out. ¡°Do you ever do anything normal and Commandment-abiding?¡±


    Lewis even seemed concerned. ¡°I don¡¯t really know a lot about those legends and stuff but I¡¯m pretty sure seeing Qizar¡¯s goddess of darkness is not something to be taken as a good thing.¡±


    ¡°The last time was before we went to the Caverns,¡± Lydia pointed out nonchalantly. There was nothing about this that she found as worrying as they both seemingly did. ¡°She had a hand in what happened to the Minotaur and the previous Keys¡ªit was no wonder that she showed up to taunt us. What we saw with the projection was before then and she didn¡¯t even acknowledge that we were there. I¡¯d say they¡¯re pretty different circumstances, so I don¡¯t get trying to make them look like they¡¯re exactly the same thing.¡±


    ¡°In Idkor, we would consider even seeing a fragment of Darkness as a sign of death and destruction,¡± Lustris remarked. ¡°There has to be a reason that what you¡¯re doing now involves her and, no matter what it is, it¡¯s inevitably going to be a bad thing.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not dead yet, are we? I¡¯m pretty sure we¡¯ve done worse than this and we¡¯re all still okay.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing I can do to make you consider that it might be worth giving a little bit of thought, is there?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡± Lydia decided to change the subject completely to ask, ¡°Do you know where Dad went?¡±


    Lustris shook her head. ¡°Only that he¡¯d be back in an hour or so and that, wherever he went, he thought he might need a drink before going.¡±


    That cleared up very little, though it still gave her an idea of how long she was going to be waiting. Lustris went back on her way right before Elena came in with two of her adopted kids and, after that, Lydia didn¡¯t mind how long it took Andrew to come back.


    ¡°Have you seen if it¡¯s changed at all?¡± he prompted as he walked over to the ring.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t thought about it that much,¡± Lydia admitted. She glanced at it but it was hard for her to see what it was clearly.


    He must¡¯ve realized this and let her hold it. ¡°It¡¯s a building of some sort, but through the window right here it¡¯s possible to see what¡¯s outside.¡±


    ¡°Wherever the window is, it¡¯s taller than most of the surrounding trees,¡± she observed. ¡°There¡¯s mountains in the distance, too, but that¡­ really doesn¡¯t exclude anything aside from the obvious Plains and Pypes.¡±


    ¡°These aren¡¯t Palus mountains and, as far as I know, there¡¯s no building this tall in Pagetri that isn''t a lot closer to any nearby towns. Both Tillai and the Mikkel territory don¡¯t have these kinds of trees.¡±


    ¡°So you think it¡¯s in Tramos?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s worth a shot.¡± He patted her shoulder and smirked. ¡°Even if it isn¡¯t, I¡¯m sure there¡¯s an adventure to be had there. Maybe you¡¯ll figure out more about where you¡¯re going when you get there.¡±

 The Stone Family Adventure: Book III- Chapter 1

    She¡¯d shared Andrew¡¯s predictions with the boys and they had started coming up with places to start. They weren¡¯t really against simply starting at a random point then moving around, but it was a matter of deciding where they would start. The longer they tried to figure it out the more their conflicting ideas were evident; she was glad when a letter came that distracted all of them.


    The boys huddled around Lydia as she read it over, waiting for her to tell them what it said.


    ¡°It¡¯s from Mathieu,¡± she explained, ¡°the now-count the five of us met when we were learning about the Keys. He¡¯s throwing a party and sent me an invitation.¡± It wasn¡¯t uncommon; both families were on the social side of things, after all, and the thing keeping them from interacting more often was her trips and the count¡¯s poor health. ¡°He¡¯s from Tramos so we can start with him and move on from there.¡±


    That seemed to be enough to satisfy all of them, since they then decided to head out the next morning after making sure they had everything. She made sure Mathieu knew that they were coming and they made the couple-days-trip to the town. He was right there waiting for them when they came.


    Mathieu greeted them with a smile. ¡°Lydia, it¡¯s good to see you and the kids! Prince Tavin and, ah¡­¡± He stared at the twins with confusion before shaking his head. ¡°Apologies, it seems I¡¯ve forgotten which one was which.¡±


    ¡°Tim and Henry.¡± Lydia pointed to each of them. ¡°You¡¯re usually good with names, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Well, yes, though for a moment¡­ honestly, I forgot you had twins.¡± He shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s not worth dwelling on. Since you¡¯re all here, why don¡¯t you look around town? There¡¯s been some new things since the last time you were here¡ªmuch-needed improvements, if I do say so myself. My kids are always finding some new thing here, so there¡¯s undoubtedly no shortage of things for the three of you.¡±


    She nodded, pulling out some money from her satchel and handing it to Tim. ¡°You know where the estate is, right? Meet back up with us there in a couple of hours. Stick close to each other; you know when to just back out of something.¡± Then, guided by Henry, they left to wander around town, allowing the remaining two to have a much-needed catch up. ¡°So you¡¯ve got a family now, too?¡±


    ¡°More accurately, a wife who wants nothing to do with anything but my money and twins who enjoy taking advantage of neither of us being around to stop them,¡± he responded casually. ¡°We¡¯ve been married seventeen years and still I can¡¯t find a single thing I like about the woman.¡±


    ¡°Something your parents decided, then?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll admit there was a nice man I met that I wouldn¡¯t have minded spending the rest of my life with, but you know how that is. My father insisted I had an heir and didn¡¯t feel like waiting for me to choose a woman I¡¯d be more interested in. But the twins aren¡¯t bad, so long as they¡¯re staying out of trouble. I put up with her to stay with them.¡± He gestured for her to follow him as he showed her around. ¡°You know¡­ now, when I consider the person I would¡¯ve rather been with, you¡¯re the one that comes to mind. My parents are a completely different matter, but I don¡¯t care about the silly trivial things or how constantly you travel. I think it¡¯s better to be with someone with experience and to say I¡¯ve never been envious of the carefree lifestyle of traveling would be a lie. I wouldn¡¯t have even minded looking over your twins¡ªa more fitting father figure than their grandfather and uncle might¡¯ve made the whole thing a bit easier to take in. But by the time I realized it, I was already married and you had offered yourself as the mother to the king¡¯s heir.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s probably better. Everyone else that I¡¯ve been in a relationship with complained of those exact things.¡±


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    ¡°That sounds like their problem, not yours. If they¡¯re not willing to accept all of it then they shouldn¡¯t have tried to get any. And while we¡¯re on the topic¡­ I understood that things weren¡¯t going to be exactly the same as before, but I hadn¡¯t expected you to step out completely after Prince Tavin was born.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure it was weird to begin with¡ªbeing with someone other than their father, like everything else told them families were supposed to look like. I made sure they were involved with what was going on with Imre because I knew that it was something they¡¯d have to live with. While everything turned out okay, it kept things from getting any more possibly awkward.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s thoughtful of you to consider their side of things. Speaking from experience as both a son and a father, there¡¯s not a lot of parents willing to do that. It¡¯s unfortunately common these days to thrust obligations on to the next in line without a care for what they think of it. A change made according to your own upbringing, I¡¯m guessing?¡±


    ¡°I was the one that had it easy out of the five of us. Imre was the prince with all that crap to deal with, Dimas was practically the same way except more because of Qizar¡¯s whole twin thing than being prince, Samone didn¡¯t really seem to care but she had a lot of responsibilities for someone her age, and Kiah¡­ honestly it¡¯s all screwed up when you realize everything she did in Hyasari while she was pretending to be ten years older. I was the one whose father let her run around and do whatever the hell she wanted as long as she was more or less safe.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s still Diana, from the sounds of it.¡±


    ¡°The only one she¡¯s remotely happy with is Ellie and that¡¯s because she not only had kids after getting married but in general is the only one with kids. When it comes to most likely becoming the head of the Stones, I hardly even think about it¡ªand not just because it feels impossible that he¡¯s going to die before I do.¡±


    In a half-joking manner, Mathieu remarked, ¡°Well, he doesn¡¯t need to die. I¡¯m only here because somehow my father involved himself in a scandal in another kingdom. And I¡¯ll have you know I don¡¯t think he¡¯d ever left Zaci territory before that.¡±


    ¡°How are you not dealing with consequences from something like that?¡±


    He shrugged and waved his metal arm around. ¡°I suppose they all have other reasons to whisper about me; calling me one of those tynmir because I¡¯d like to maintain some semblance of a normal life like them.¡± He paused and, seeing her vaguely uncomfortable expression, corrected, ¡°A child of Fleyw Bresh. The brutish nature rubs off on me occasionally. I forget that not everyone is as accustomed to it as others.¡±


    ¡°More like some halfway decent respect,¡± she mumbled. ¡°But I guess there¡¯s a lot of problems we¡¯ve got to figure out on treating Seothians before trying to sort out the stuff with Qizar and Idkor.¡±


    He let out a nervous chuckle. ¡°I screwed up, didn¡¯t I? Let¡¯s start over. How are the other four? I know it¡¯s been even longer since seeing any of them but I consider them acquaintances nonetheless.¡±


    ¡°Normal, I guess? They¡¯re all the same as they usually are. Maybe not good but it¡¯s something we¡¯re all used to by now. Have you done anything interesting?¡±


    ¡°Nothing I haven¡¯t already mentioned. I¡¯ve resigned to my fate of living a rather dull and uneventful life.¡± He shrugged. ¡°By the way, is there any other reason that you¡¯re here? Usually you¡¯re off somewhere else whenever I invite you. I¡¯ll admit bringing all three of the boys also suggests this isn¡¯t just about the party.¡±


    ¡°We need to be in Tramos as part of a trip. We didn¡¯t really know where to start, then your invitation came in, and we figured this was as good of a place as any.¡±


    ¡°The Stones out on yet another adventure? What could they be looking for this time, I wonder?¡±


    ¡°It hasn¡¯t been a lot so far but it¡¯s¡ª¡±


    Mathieu stopped. ¡°Sorry, but it seems like it¡¯s actually going to need to wait for another time. There¡¯s two kids I have to remind to behave.¡± He shot her a smile before walking away towards one of the buildings, talking to two kids she assumed to be his twins.

 The Stone Family Adventure: Book III- Chapter 2

    She looked around the crowd in a vain attempt to find any other familiar faces. Well, any faces that would be familiar to the boys; there were several she knew, but none that they could stay with. ¡°Will you three be alright on your own..?¡±


    Tim nodded. ¡°We should all be fine.¡±


    ¡°With this many people, there¡¯s tons of stuff to do,¡± Henry remarked. ¡°I mean, they¡¯ve got to have something to tell, right?¡± He decided to start putting that plan into action, walking towards one of the other party-goers.


    ¡°I¡¯ll make sure he doesn¡¯t end up turning everyone against each other,¡± Tim sighed. He went to follow his twin.


    Lydia glanced at Tavin. ¡°What about you? You don¡¯t have to stay long if you don¡¯t want to. This is supposed to be fun for all of us so if you¡¯d rather be in your room you can stay there.¡±


    He offered a small smile. ¡°I¡¯ll try to stay out for a while. I know it¡¯s not the point, but¡­ it¡¯s always better to show them that we¡¯re here.¡± Then he wandered over to where his brothers were.


    She watched them for a little while before assuring herself that they¡¯d be fine on their own; they were perfectly fine every other time, so now should be no different. Her first goal was to get a drink, then she went to find Mathieu.


    He was talking to another group, though he didn¡¯t seem too interested in whatever conversation they were having. When he saw her, he was quick to excuse himself to greet her.


    ¡°It¡¯s refreshing to finally have you back,¡± he said with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s such a shame I¡¯m expected to invite our neighbors¡­ they make for rather poor conversationalists.¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t gotten used to that by now?¡± she half-joked. ¡°You¡¯ve dealt with them this long.¡±


    ¡°Have you ever gotten used to the people you had to deal with?¡±


    ¡°The Stones are actually pretty close with everyone we have to invite. For a noble family considered to be pretty low on the ladder, we¡¯ve got friends all over the kingdom and a ton in high places.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re also a family of adventurers so it¡¯s no wonder you¡¯ve gained acquaintances across Seothia¡ªtechnically even Qizar and Idkor, considering Dimas and that ex-fairy maid of yours. Yet the double standard seems to be present everywhere. Didn¡¯t one of the girls you rarely traveled with get ascended to nobility because of her mother¡¯s relation to Queen Minne¡¯s adoptive father? Aren¡¯t the Stones still in the same spot they always were even though you borne the prince?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re not¡­ really as comparable as they first look. For one, the most Domenique¡¯s family did to screw up is be poor, which is something pretty much anyone who can¡¯t claim some relation to a noble is. They didn¡¯t really have a choice when it came to taking it and it saved them from whatever they were going through. Meanwhile I¡¯ve done plenty of stuff no one liked and I can¡¯t blame them for pointing it out because it¡¯s true. I had the chance to get what Domenique did and I refused it. I didn¡¯t need it and, to me, being useful for something was enough for me.¡±


    Lydia looked towards where the boys were and gained a small smile. ¡°Having him was all I needed.¡±


    ¡°Then perhaps I overstepped,¡± Mathieu mused. ¡°Thank you for explaining it to me; I appreciate it. You¡¯re much better at explaining these things than Imre ever was.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just learning what not to say and then not saying it,¡± she mumbled, turning back to face him. ¡°There¡¯s not really any questioning. You figure that, if he wants to tell you, he will. If it¡¯s something really important Casper or Minne would have mentioned it.¡±


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    He let out a chuckle. ¡°I suppose it makes sense, coming from someone who practically grew up with him. Though I¡¯m sure at that point you already knew each other well enough to be able to avoid the mistakes I made.¡± He waved over a servant and took one of the drinks, offering one to her.


    ¡°The boys¡¯ll yell at me if I end up being hungover tomorrow morning,¡± she mumbled while she politely shook her head. ¡°We¡¯re probably going to start wandering around the mountains soon, so it really wouldn¡¯t be a good idea¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes! What are you trying to find?¡± he prompted as he gestured the servant away again. ¡°I never got to ask you earlier.¡±


    ¡°Okay, so first we started following phoenixes in their migration. It was something I had tried years ago but I couldn¡¯t finish it. We figured out what we needed to do by figuring out the meaning behind some old text; we had to listen to the phoenixes¡¯s song. At one point we thought we lost them but actually one of them¡ªMelai¡ªjust stayed back to show us where the treasure was. It brought us to it and made us promise that we¡¯ll take it with us for the rest of our trip.¡±


    She dug around her satchel and quickly showed him the bottle of phoenix ashes before continuing. ¡°After that, the next clue led us to Palus, where there was a river that didn¡¯t flow into the Lake. While we were there we met this guy and his niece that the boys get along with. When we went out, we watched a couple of projections of memories and found out a little more about the guy who set it all up. Apparently he may or may not have known Eldrianna? Oh! And we found this. It¡¯s how we knew we were supposed to be going to Tramos in the first place, though we haven¡¯t been able to figure out anything specifically about where it is. We were just going to wander for a while until we found something that might help.¡±


    After showing him the ring, she let him actually take it to have a closer look at it.


    ¡°You know, I think there¡¯s an old story that might be able to help you,¡± he remarked when he handed it back to her. ¡°There¡¯s hardly any estates in Tramos that don¡¯t look extremely similar to each other¡ªI¡¯d say Lady Onesa is the only one with something unique but it doesn¡¯t go as high as this perspective would suggest. While there are a few temples and the like for those that chose to worship spirit animals and they probably could be this high, well¡­ This border right here suggests a window that wouldn¡¯t exist in a temple.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s beginning to sound more like we¡¯re in the wrong place.¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯re right! Let me get to the part you¡¯d be interested in. They say there used to be an ancient archive¡ªsomewhere rumored to have books explaining concepts we, even with the knowledge we have now, can¡¯t begin to explain. But ¡¯used¡¯ is the keyword here: for one reason or another¡ªno one can agree on why or how¡ªthe whole place vanished. Legend says it can be found somewhere around here and that it¡¯ll reveal itself to the ones worthy of seeing all that hidden knowledge. It practically sounds like it was created for the Stones, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    Hearing the story gave her a rush of excitement. ¡°That sounds exactly like the kind of place we¡¯d be looking for!¡± She glanced towards where the boys were now and, seeing how it looked like they were having fun, decided, ¡°I¡¯ll tell the boys in the morning and then we can leave. Do you know anything more specifically about where it is?¡±


    ¡°Somewhere with a weeping willow in the distance,¡± Mathieu replied after some thought. ¡°Though I don¡¯t know where any of them can be found here that haven¡¯t been planted in the past couple of years¡­ They¡¯re not considered native to Tramos.¡±


    Lydia smirked. ¡°I think I know a place where we can start.¡±


    ¡°You do? Are you sure it¡¯s not a tree that someone else planted in the relatively recent past..?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure it¡¯s one of the oldest of any tree, with the kind of purpose it had.¡± Adopting a somewhat more solemn air, she then asked, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t happen to have a couple of candles I could take from you, would you?¡±


    His confusion only grew. ¡°What would you need candles for..?¡±


    ¡°It seems fitting. There isn¡¯t really an excuse to avoid it and we can pay respects to the Keys while we¡¯re there; one of them was Tavin¡¯s grandmother, after all.¡±


    Now he got it, nodding. ¡°Just tell me when you plan on leaving and I¡¯ll get someone to fetch a few before you go. Be safe over there; from the sounds of it, so many unfortunate things have already happened that it seems the devil¡¯s always there. More selfishly, I would very much like to not have to be the one to explain that to Imre, at that point likely being the last to see you¡­¡±


    She smirked. ¡°Come on, you¡¯ve heard the stuff we¡¯ve done. This is nothing.¡±

 The Stone Family Adventure: Book III- Chapter 3

    The boys were just as excited as she was to learn they actually had a plan. She got candles from one of Mathieu¡¯s servants while the three of them gathered whatever else they¡¯d need. They walked in silence for a little bit until they were close to the abandoned town.


    ¡°Keep an eye out for anybody but stay away from them,¡± Lydia instructed. ¡°I don¡¯t know if Ki¡¯s still around here and he¡¯s definitely not someone we want to encounter.¡±


    They¡¯d all heard the stories about the Keys; the stuff the five of them did in Idale and what they learned about the people who came before them. They had been adoptive siblings, for the most part¡ªHaris was their father, Takane a mix of an older sister and mother figure, then Ki, Zenas, Umber, and Minne. Their roles as the Rabbit, Fox, Eagle, Cat, and Bear were then passed on to Dimas, Samone, Kiah, Lydia, and Imre respectively.


    By the time they came, Idale was like every other abandoned town, all except for one house¡ªthe place the previous Keys had grown up. They more or less figured out what had happened and then went to bring the town back to life; or, at least, the most life they could give it. Still no one lived here, but it was like Idale was its own little bubble of spring. Since the five who made it that way were all still alive, the town still maintained that kind of beauty.


    ¡°Would there even be a reason for him to be here anymore?¡± Tim questioned. ¡°You said he worked for Eldrianna, but you didn¡¯t see him here. This place probably hasn¡¯t had any visitors since you came twenty-three years ago.¡±


    ¡°The same could be said about before,¡± Henry remarked. ¡°Mom, didn¡¯t you say that someone was making tea in their old house?¡±


    ¡°As far as I¡¯m aware, he never came to get it,¡± she replied. ¡°Honestly, though, there¡¯s no wonder he didn¡¯t¡ªall of us were there. It would make sense if he just didn¡¯t want to let us see him.¡±


    Tavin gave a more thoughtful comment. ¡°The only reason he did anything was to keep Grandmother safe, wasn¡¯t it? Without her, there isn¡¯t much for him to justify what he did¡­ bound to Eldrianna as her Messenger or not, would he still be alive if she¡¯s dead?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s assuming he knows,¡± Henry pointed out.


    ¡°Or that he realized what she ultimately sacrificed herself for,¡± Tim mumbled. ¡°He could¡¯ve just as easily changed from fixating on her to her son.¡± A kind of awareness kept him from adding another name when he noticed the kind of look Lydia was giving him. She¡¯d told the twins several years earlier but the full extent of the truth was something she wasn¡¯t prepared to share to Tavin yet; that could wait until a better time, which really had nothing to do with what they were doing now.


    When they got to the willow tree, Lydia parted a few of the branches until the other three walked through them. Then they all walked over and sat along the trunk. She solemnly pulled out the four candles and Tim took something from his own bag to help light them.


    Then, with a shared, solemn expression and tone, muttered, ¡°Bore¨ª to fos na se vrei.¡± Though traditionally meant for the Lantern Festival, there was nothing wrong with using it now. It still meant the same thing¡ªa wish that the thoughts of the living may reach the dead.


    ¡°Do you think¡­ all of that really needed to happen to them?¡± Henry wondered aloud softly, watching the candles flicker in front of them. ¡°They were only a couple of years older than the five of you when everything went wrong.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s probably one of the more fortunate things that have happened to Ilethera,¡± Tim pointed out, ¡°assuming that everything said to happen to them are all true. For the most part, their story could¡¯ve gone completely untold¡­ Minne could have never mentioned it or the five didn¡¯t need to learn about them in order to get to the Labyrinth.¡±


    ¡°Who knows what else has happened to others that no one ever heard of,¡± Tavin remarked. ¡°Or the stories that felt too painful to repeat¡­¡±


    ¡°At least there¡¯s someone who won¡¯t forget them,¡± Lydia offered. ¡°Someone willing to keep their memory alive, so that maybe a fragment of them are still here.¡±


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    Henry was quiet as he debated what he was going to say. ¡°But¡­ is that really always a good thing..?¡±


    There wasn¡¯t any time for an answer before they heard another voice, causing them all to go still.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see why someone from Orestis would be searching for someone like me.¡±


    Lydia slowly got up to see if she could figure out who it was through the gaps in the branches, gesturing for the boys to stay where they were. She knew the voice was familiar¡ªit wasn¡¯t the first time she heard Ki¡ªbut the fact that it sounded like there was someone else made her cautious.


    ¡°Apparently this isn¡¯t something Talia is capable of doing.¡±


    The person Ki was talking to was mostly covered in a black-and-gold cloak and had their back facing the tree. She didn¡¯t think she¡¯d ever seen them before now.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t I get some kind of warning about this?¡±


    ¡°It sounds like you have nothing better to do since your little obsession died. Now, I¡¯m going to be honest with you. I¡¯m only here because He commanded me to be and I am only with you because that is what He instructed me to do. He said nothing about making sure you were unharmed in this entire ordeal and I, for one, will not hesitate if you prove to annoy me.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t even have any orders, so consider that threat mutual.¡± Ki sighed. ¡°Now, if you¡¯re not even going to pretend to practice any formalities, would you like to explain why you¡¯re here?¡±


    ¡°I already told you that I¡¯m fulfilling His orders.¡±


    ¡°And apparently he failed to mention that ¡®Orestis said so¡¯ isn¡¯t a good enough excuse for me.¡±


    ¡°For someone with a background in Qizar¡¯s teachings, you¡¯re awfully ignorant¡­¡±


    ¡°Get on with the point, Jun.¡±


    ¡°I need your help in getting rid of something that we can¡¯t normally access. As for the people who are going to help us access it¡­ I believe the four of them are over there. They¡¯re not very good at hiding.¡±


    This was fine. It wasn¡¯t the first time something like this had happened, and they were alright the first time. But the first time was also with Lewis and Elena who, honestly, Lydia could not have been less concerned about at that moment. Now she glanced at the boys and gestured for them to follow her lead in revealing themselves.


    If there was one thing she wasn¡¯t going to risk, it was messing with Messengers.


    Ki only looked surprised for a moment. ¡°The one that replaced Umber¡­¡± he mumbled, looking over all of them. His smile was hardly comforting when he saw Tavin. ¡°And the kid Calli died for.¡±


    Lydia got between the boys and the Messengers and Tim and Henry seemed to step in front of Tavin. Cautiously, she asked, ¡°Where are you trying to go?¡±


    ¡°The mortals have more sense than you do,¡± Jun (or, at least, that¡¯s who she assumed they were) remarked to Ki. They were no less mysterious facing the four of them, their eyes hidden behind a hood so the only thing that could be seen of their face was their smile. ¡°We need to get to the Lost Archives, and the four of you are going to make sure we get there.¡±


    She dared to ask one more question. ¡°What are you going to do there?¡±


    ¡°Destroy every bit of evidence the place ever existed in the first place. It¡¯s full of knowledge Orestis has deemed mortals should never see, so it¡¯s best to get rid of all of it.¡±


    ¡­


    Lydia had shared what Mathieu had told her about the archives and, after giving the warning that she didn¡¯t know exactly where it would be (which was returned with a threat of their own), led the way. She couldn¡¯t remember silently praying as much as she was now that she was leading them all in the right direction.


    It seemed the only reason they made camp at all was because of Ki; what remained of his care for Minne extended to Tavin so that, when he started slowing down to the point that gentle reminders no longer urged him forward, Ki made the offer to stop for the night. For once she had to be grateful for his help.


    Ki and Jun were caught up in a hushed argument. After eating, Tavin had curled up and gone to sleep. Lydia was staring at the map she had in hopes that something in it would stick out to her. Tim and Henry were just waiting for a time to talk.


    ¡°When¡¯s the part where we make our daring escape from the bad guys..?¡± Henry asked nervously. He¡¯d heard the other stories and knew how this usually went.


    ¡°They¡¯re trying to get rid of all that stuff Mathieu told you about,¡± Tim pointed out quietly. ¡°All that ancient knowledge¡­ are we really going to go through with their plan to destroy it?¡±


    She hated to think of it herself, but it was what she needed to say. ¡°This is one of those not-so-epic moments. Right now this isn¡¯t about what¡¯s in the archives. It¡¯s about keeping all three of you safe so then, maybe, one day you can laugh about this or forget it completely¡­¡±

 The Stone Family Adventure: Book III: Chapter 4

    There were brief attempts by the twins to lighten the mood, but every time Jun shot them down with a growing impatience that made them give up altogether. If anyone talked at all, it was Jun¡¯s mutterings and whatever Ki said in defense of the Stones. After a while, even Lydia was getting tired of all the walking, and she couldn¡¯t help but wonder if Messengers had the same kind of needs normal people did.


    Ki offered that they stop earlier than he had the day before and was able to get Jun to agree to still start again at the same time. Tim, Henry, and Tavin all stuck together; the first two doing what they could for the latter, given what they had. Lydia would¡¯ve joined them if Jun hadn¡¯t suggested she stay with them.


    ¡°Orestis despises unnecessary bloodshed,¡± they remarked.


    ¡°Just about every other thing you¡¯ve said to us proves that you don¡¯t care about that,¡± Lydia pointed out.


    Ki weighed his options before finally saying something. ¡°I know what it¡¯s like to do whatever you need for your family; that¡¯s why I¡¯m here. Jun knows too, even if they won¡¯t admit it. Just ask them about Mazel.¡±


    It was hard to tell if Jun¡¯s reaction was one Ki had been planning for or not. They went from moderately peaceful to looking about ready to murder him. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare.¡±


    ¡°At least she¡¯s still around,¡± he said casually, as if there wasn¡¯t a threat to him at all. ¡°She¡¯s still in Sanctuary, isn¡¯t she? There¡¯s nothing stopping you from seeing her.¡±


    ¡°I have put up with your frivolous ideas this entire time, do not dare to speak her name. You can¡¯t claim to be much better with your precious ¡¯Callisto.¡¯¡±


    ¡°At least I don¡¯t pretend like I am.¡±


    Lydia gave a nervous look between the two of them and the boys. ¡°So, if you¡¯re going to go fight with each other, is there any chance you can do it further away from here..?¡±


    Jun sighed and went back to sitting where they were before. ¡°Back to the reason I called you, Stone. Can you fix the little one? Believe it or not, this is time-sensitive, and you mortals never understand when it¡¯s too late.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no ¡®fixing¡¯ it,¡± she replied. ¡°It¡¯s called working around it. Normally we take a lot more breaks than just one at night. Other than that, the only other way to kind of avoid it is if Dimas is here, which isn¡¯t going to work for obvious reasons.¡±


    ¡°I suppose Calli didn¡¯t know about it, then?¡± Ki asked, his head tilted as he watched the boys. ¡°If she was willing to die for him, she¡¯d be more than willing to take that too.¡±


    ¡°We didn¡¯t really know that part until he was a couple years old, but given the other stuff she knew, I don¡¯t know¡­¡± She glanced at them too. They¡¯d settled down a bit, the twins now discussing something while Tavin was trying to sleep. ¡°None of us would¡¯ve been able to realize anything was wrong¡­¡±


    ¡°Did you ever consider that, perhaps, it is Orestis¡¯s way of reminding you that none of them should exist?¡± Jun kept a completely emotionless tone, looking at the fire instead. ¡°It¡¯s a wonder the other two don¡¯t suffer similar circumstances¡­ or perhaps it¡¯s simply because of the way you brought them back.¡±


    Lydia just sat there, having nothing to say as she tried to fight off the odd feelings that came with the comment¡ªthe feeling of coming closer to reality.


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    ¡­


    All the time they walked, she tried to think of a way that both fulfilled the Messengers¡¯ requests and kept them from getting what they really wanted. She knew what she and the boys needed was in those archives and that they¡¯d never get it if the Messengers did. At the same time, she didn¡¯t want to see if Jun would go through with the threats they made just about every hour spent together.


    She had the faintest hope of a plan just as they came across a clearing. It was a circle¡ªat least as much of a circle as anything in nature could be¡ªwith several small trees standing out.


    ¡°Now, you¡¯re going to get it to appear,¡± Jun instructed, ¡°or else you¡¯re going to get to see Vriuh a few years early.¡±


    Lydia shoved the map back in her satchel. ¡°Give me a couple of minutes. I might do this kind of stuff for a living but it doesn¡¯t magically open just because I get there¡­¡± She looked over at the twins and asked, ¡°Can you two help me look? Call me over if you find anything that looks like it might be able to unlock something.¡± They had enough experience that they¡¯d know the kind of stuff she was looking for.


    They both nodded and went to two other areas; naturally, all three of them went close to where the small trees were. She kept glancing back at where Jun, Ki, and Tavin were, but from the looks of it there was little to be afraid of. That didn¡¯t stop her from trying to find something as quickly as she could, having no interest in seeing how far she could push Jun¡¯s patience.


    She kept circling around the tree until she finally noticed something: a loose branch. It came right out without anything else special about it¡­ until she looked a bit closer at the clearing. There were little circles of rocks close to the edge as well. Curiously, she stuck the branch into the dirt inside one and found that it fit in perfectly.


    The twins had both seen her do this, so their own search became easier. Between the three of them, they had all the other sticks down and in their holes in a couple more minutes. They walked back towards the others but still nothing happened.


    Jun was in no way impressed. Lydia desperately looked around for something else to make it complete. When she first looked at one of the trees, she missed what was written on it¡ªafter a couple more quick scans, she realized it said ¡®welcome.¡¯


    She¡¯d missed a literal wooden welcome mat.


    She took a dagger out of her satchel and cut around it, prying the bark off the tree. Once she sat it between the closest two stone circles, the ground shook and she took a step back.


    The entire archive rose from the ground, reaching further and further into the sky. Lydia¡¯s little bubble of pride quickly burst, however.


    ¡°Mom, what about the they''re-going-to-destroy-all-that-knowledge part?¡±


    She gestured for the boys to wait as Jun, finally satisfied, waltzed over. They couldn¡¯t seem to get the door open.


    Mathieu had told her, after all, that the knowledge would only show itself to those worthy of it.


    ¡°Let me try,¡± Lydia offered, the boys starting to catch on. Just as she hoped, she could open the door and the boys had no problem walking through it. Once they were all safely on the other side, she asked, ¡°What, does a bunch of books not like it that you plan on burning them? I mean, I don¡¯t blame them. I hope Orestis doesn¡¯t get as mad with his Messenger as he does anyone else who failed him.¡±


    Jun tried reaching for her, but it was like there was a wall separating them. They let out a growl before turning away. ¡°It seems there has been a miscalculation. I¡¯ll simply return to Orestis and see what He says¡­¡±


    She gained enough confidence to say, ¡°Great, and be sure to tell him a bunch of mortals did it too!¡± Then she closed the door. With a relieved sigh, she turned to the boys and added, ¡°I am so glad that¡¯s done and over with.¡±


    ¡°Do you think they¡¯re going to try again sometime?¡± Henry asked, wandering over to one of the windows to watch the Messengers leave. ¡°I mean, if they¡¯re that desperate to get here, then they¡¯re not going to just give up on the first try.¡±


    ¡°Something tells me that we¡¯re not going to be seeing them again,¡± Lydia remarked. ¡°I think Orestis knows when something¡¯s a lost cause.¡±


    Tim was more focused on where they had entered. ¡°So, Mom, what¡¯s the chance that you¡¯re going to let me do whatever I want in here?¡±


    She observed the walls of books, dozens of artifacts, and the general grandness of the archive and decided, ¡°Yeah, we should stick together.¡±


    He slumped in disappointment but made no attempts to protest.


    ¡°I guess the next question is,¡± Tavin began, ¡°Where do we start?¡±

 The Stone Family Adventure: Book III- Chapter 5

    There was something there that made each of them forget their true mission. Lydia was drawn to the ancient maps and the like, several of which she was disappointed to know that either she or Andrew had discovered in the past forty years; Tim, while still close, couldn¡¯t resist the urge to mess with whatever artifacts were in sight; Henry and Tavin found age-old records, muttering things to each other that she didn¡¯t even attempt to understand. It took several neutral reminders and reassurances that they could come back later for them to completely get back on track.


    The room they eventually discovered was pretty small, all things considered. It felt more like a storage room than anything else¡ªvarious trinkets were scattered around what seemed to be haphazardly, whether they be piled on top of each other on shelves or scattered across the floor. What made it stand out from the average storage room was the kind of stuff that was inside of it.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t these all a bunch of long-lost artifacts..?¡± Tim questioned, giving one look at Lydia before going to touch one of them. ¡°The kind of stuff legends are actually right to say that they¡¯ll never be found.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the perfect place for all of them to be,¡± Henry pointed out. ¡°Maybe someone got them, gathered them all here, then since no one else was worthy enough to get in, they were presumed to be lost to time.¡±


    Tavin carefully picked through a few that were together on a shelf. ¡°Doesn¡¯t that feel pretty convenient, though? They¡¯re already here, so there¡¯s no need to put in that time to get them.¡±


    Lydia hated to think that he had a point and, understanding that it could make it better or worse, said, ¡°Well, either way, these are the kinds of things the Stones have been trying to find for our entire lineage. Luckily most of them are small so we can bring back as many as possible for Dad to look at.¡± She carefully stepped around some of the trinkets on the floor to get to the back of the room. ¡°Now, how to figure out if one of them is what we need to find the next clue..?¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we try the ring?¡± Tim offered, pulling it out as he said it. ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like there¡¯s any text to read or projections to watch, so it¡¯s the only clue we have.¡±


    ¡°It changed before,¡± Henry agreed, ¡°maybe it could change again?¡±


    The mutual agreement from the other two gave Tim the assurance he needed to look around with it. It didn¡¯t look like anything was happening for a little while, until he got further in and closer to one of the trinkets beside Lydia.


    ¡°It¡¯s this one,¡± she said. ¡°The reflection¡¯s changing a little.¡±


    ¡°But only a little,¡± he mumbled.


    ¡°It¡¯s probably like when the reflection changed the first time,¡± Henry remarked. ¡°It didn¡¯t really show through until Granddad let it be in the sun for a little while, so maybe this needs to be close to the right clue for long enough.¡±


    ¡°We should probably still check the other artifacts,¡± Tavin suggested. ¡°It could be another one that¡¯s close to here and not necessarily this one in particular. We can¡¯t take all of these with us right now so we need to be sure we have the right one.¡±


    Lydia nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll keep this one in my satchel for now until we know it¡¯s what we¡¯re looking for. We can check around the rest of the archives a little, but I¡¯d like us to be heading back to Mathieu¡¯s estate before sundown.¡±


    ¡­


    She went through all the events of the past few days when they returned to Mathieu. She hadn¡¯t bothered paying attention to where the boys went off to, having all the trinkets they gathered with her and showing them to Mathieu, though assumed they weren¡¯t getting into trouble anywhere.


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    He looked over all of the things in front of him. ¡°These are quite the finds you made. Were they really all together?¡±


    ¡°I took a few more on our way out that I think Dad would¡¯ve liked, but mostly, yeah. I tested some of the ones that I knew what they did, and they match each legend¡¯s description perfectly.¡±


    His curious gaze turned into a more distant stare, something feeling like he had knowledge she didn¡¯t. ¡°Why did you put them all there?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand. This is the first time I¡¯ve seen any of these in person. How could I place them there if I didn¡¯t even know that they were real?¡±


    ¡°You realized you wouldn¡¯t be able to stay here forever¡ªthat there¡¯s only so much time you can have with them. But in the process, didn¡¯t you just ruin a part of what made you choose to do this in the first place?¡±


    ¡°Alright, you¡¯re starting to get a little weird. Are you drunk or something..?¡±


    Mathieu snapped out of it at that moment, shaking his head. ¡°Completely sober.¡± Now it seemed he didn¡¯t know any more than she did, if he even remembered what he said at all. ¡°Well, anyway, I couldn¡¯t imagine having to go through with all of that. I don¡¯t imagine it was easy, having to work with people like that with the boys¡¯ wellbeing at risk.¡±


    She tried her best to get over what was said too. ¡°I just did what I had to. If I¡¯m going to be honest, that¡¯s the most terrifying thing I¡¯ve done while adventuring in a while.¡±


    ¡°No wonder! If I had to guess, there¡¯s precious little left in this world that could scare the famed Lydia Stone, but a love of one¡¯s family means many things. I applaud the fact you seemed to have handled it so well and recount it like any other part of your adventure; were I in your place, I¡¯m nearly sure I¡¯d give myself a heart attack.¡±


    ¡°I guess after a while you learn to put on that characteristic attitude even at the worst of times.¡±


    ¡°Are the boys as fine with it as you seem to be?¡±


    ¡°They all knew that, one way or another, everything was going to be okay in the end. It wasn¡¯t too long and there wasn¡¯t really anything but threats. I think the only thing that they might still be worried about is if they¡¯re going to come back; I hope, at least, that after a little while they¡¯ll be able to forget about it entirely.¡±


    ¡°Would you like me to try to figure out where the Messengers might be? As long as they¡¯re still in Quennell territory, I should be able to keep an eye on them. I may even be able to point Lady Onesa in their direction for her to deal with them, given what they said they¡¯d do to the four of you.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s going to be necessary. For some reason¡­ I don¡¯t think they¡¯re going to be coming back any time soon, if at all. Even if they did, I doubt messing with people more or less being sent by a god is the smartest idea, no matter what they did while they were out.¡±


    Mathieu gave it a moment of consideration. ¡°I suppose that makes sense. I¡¯ll still be here, though, if you ever decide to change your mind.¡±


    She smirked. ¡°Don¡¯t forget I¡¯m friends with the king and commander of the army. Kiah will probably help take care of something if I ever decide I need it.¡±


    He grinned too. ¡°Not interested in what a count has to offer? Ah well.¡± He rose from his chair to leave, before remembering something else and glancing back at her to ask, ¡°How¡¯s Tavin doing, by the way? He didn¡¯t look too good when you came back and it sounds like it¡¯s been a taxing couple of days for him.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯ll be fine with some more rest. We¡¯re probably going to be staying here for at least a few more days until he¡¯s ready, but that gives us plenty of time to sort out all these new artifacts and the next clue.¡± When she¡¯d looked at the ring¡¯s changed reflection this morning, it looked like the man from the last projection they saw in Palus; that was the only thing they knew, though, and aside from that there was hardly anything to go off of.


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome here as long as you need, and I¡¯ll be more than willing to host you if you decide to return.¡± Mathieu waved goodbye and left.


    Lydia gathered up the trinkets, now taking the time to properly sort through them. They needed to be as safe as they could during their trip; if they were all what legends said they were, a few were especially dangerous, so she made an effort to be careful. She imagined the look Andrew would have when she showed them to him; the pride, the amazement¡­ maybe even a compliment. It was something that she always strived for yet only obtained once or twice in all her time adventuring¡ªbest yet, she¡¯ll be able to share the accomplishment with her sons.

 The Stone Family Adventure: Book IV- Chapter 1

    They headed back to the Stone Estate, by Lydia¡¯s suggestion all waiting to go about their separate ways.


    ¡°Dad! We got a bunch of stuff while we were out,¡± she called as soon as Andrew walked inside. She pulled out the few that were in her satchel, letting Tim and Henry take out the ones they¡¯d carried.


    His attention, despite being set on his conversation with Lustris before, was now completely on the four of them. He quietly excused her and she just stood there while he looked over all of the artifacts they¡¯d brought back. He rattled names off when he saw them, growing more impressed and amazed with each one done. ¡°This is all amazing¡ªso many hidden treasures, all right here! Where did you find all of them?¡±


    ¡°They were all in the archives we went to,¡± Lydia explained with a puff of pride. ¡°There¡¯s a bunch more, too, that we weren¡¯t able to bring back with us. We took the ones I knew you¡¯d like to see the most.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve outdone yourselves,¡± he remarked. ¡°I never would have expected you to find all these, let alone in one place.¡± That and his nod brought all four of them a rush of satisfaction to know that they, for three the first and for all perhaps the last time, got a compliment from Andrew Stone.


    The otherwise sobering atmosphere of the moment was broken when he snatched one of them. ¡°Mylian¡¯s Dagger? Said to be made of ichor and absorbing some of his golden touch, anything that the blade comes in contact with turns to gold!¡± With clear excitement, he tapped it on a nearby vase and gained a childish smile when it turned to gold.


    ¡°With all due respect, Andrew,¡± Lustris interjected from where she stood, ¡°is that really wise? All the gold in the world can¡¯t buy love. Mylian learned that when Ilara wasn¡¯t reverted like all the other things that turned into gold. You¡¯d realize that, too, if you ever cared to read the legend.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s right,¡± he said after a pause. ¡°Tim, you can¡¯t have this. It¡¯s too dangerous.¡± Then it seemed he didn¡¯t hear Lustris at all, walking away and mumbling, ¡°Now, I wonder what would happen if I stuck it into the earth..?¡±


    ¡°Wait, Andrew! That definitely can¡¯t be a good idea!¡± Lustris rushed after him.


    ¡°I can get it for you later, as long as you promise not to turn either of your brothers or any of your cousins into gold,¡± Lydia said casually, glancing at Tim. His face lit up and he nodded ecstatically.


    Elena and Lewis replaced them, deciding not to question the fragments of what they saw. Lewis naturally wandered over to look at what they had out as well, though Elena stayed further away.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d be back so soon,¡± she mumbled, her small smile making all the difference in distinguishing it from the contempt Diana often used. ¡°It feels like you guys left yesterday¡­¡±


    ¡°Time flies when you¡¯re chasing half a dozen kids around the house and can¡¯t find the rest,¡± Lewis agreed. He gestured to the gathered artifacts and asked, ¡°So which one of these are a part of your adventure?¡±


    Lydia took it out of the special spot in her satchel, along with the ring. ¡°The ring¡¯s reflection changed when it was close to this, but we haven¡¯t been able to figure out what it¡¯s supposed to lead us to.¡±


    Elena slowly moved a little closer. ¡°No wonder. A man¡¯s face is hardly anything to go off of.¡±


    ¡°Was there anything else with it?¡± Lewis offered.


    ¡°If there was, Witless, I would¡¯ve mentioned that already,¡± Lydia pointed out. ¡°It was just with most of this other stuff.¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t hurt to take some time off of it and see if anything comes back later,¡± Elena remarked. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll probably come up with something after a while.¡±


    ¡°Why not a trip to town?¡± Lewis suggested. ¡°The Lantern Festival¡¯s tonight, so maybe we can get our lanterns before they¡¯re out.¡±


    Lydia smirked. ¡°For once you¡¯ve got a good idea! Come on. Imre¡¯s probably waiting for us anyway.¡±


    What exactly happened after that turned into a blur. It wasn¡¯t important; they got their lanterns and met with the others closer to dawn. She didn¡¯t remember what she said to them if she said anything to them at all. For a minute she wondered why she had two lanterns and Tavin, much closer to Imre and Dimas than before, held three. But it didn¡¯t matter.


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    They sent out the lanterns with the solemn words, ¡°Bore¨ª to fos na se vrei.¡±


    There was a break in the fantasy at that moment. It was a mix of memories, though they were real this time. She felt like she was on the verge of waking up from a dream but she just kept praying that this wasn¡¯t going to be the end.


    She hated to admit she recognized the scene immediately. Before her was a group of eager listeners, and the tale she told was the recently-concluded trip to the Caverns.


    ¡°Then just like that! The horn was set ablaze and the Minotaur was defeated with a loud, sickening roar!¡±


    The crowd erupted into cheering, followed by several series of questions. And, of course, one of the questions came from Kiah. ¡°Did you dream that part? It didn¡¯t do anything.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t a girl tell a fun story?¡± Lydia returned, hopping down from the fountain edge she¡¯d found herself on. ¡°So it may be a little dramatic. Do you think they know the difference?¡± She gestured to the crowd, who were still reeling over the ending.


    Kiah grumbled something and, with a wave of her hand, wandered to where Imre disappeared to.


    Lydia jumped when she heard someone else¡¯s voice. ¡°That was an interesting story there. Amazing the kind of stuff that¡¯s just waiting to be discovered.¡±


    She beamed. ¡°I know, right?¡± She held out her hand. ¡°I¡¯m Lydia, by the way.¡±


    There was a moment of hesitance before he shook her hand. ¡°Reineke.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen you around before. Where are you from?¡±


    ¡°Pagetri, near Arathas.¡±


    ¡°Fancy. So what brings a rich guy like you to a place like this?¡±


    ¡°My father asked that I oversee some business here in Mikkel territory. To be honest, I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d find anything aside from a bunch of old men.¡±


    She laughed. ¡°Well, I bet you¡¯re pleasantly surprised!¡±


    He smiled. ¡°I am. Say, do you have some spare time? I¡¯d love to get to know you better.¡±


    Her biggest mistake was ever listening to him. Everyone had something to say; Diana pointed out his family history (apparently they¡¯d been involved in a relatively large scandal a couple of decades ago), Andrew wouldn¡¯t let him in but never said why, and nearly everyone else that saw them together commented how wrong it felt to be around him. So, perhaps, instead of listening to him, her mistake was not listening to everyone else¡­ to think that she could prove them all wrong.


    To show that she was capable of moving on too.


    It was obvious that their time together as a group of adventurers was at its end. No one wanted to go out anymore¡ªwhat little enthusiasm they had was gone now. Somehow she just knew that the Minotaur was the last beast they would tame. They were already growing further apart and this was just the beginning.


    Then he made the suggestion.


    He didn¡¯t like the result and she needed to learn the hard way just how right everyone else was. That was the last time she ever saw him, though honestly she was glad after a little while.


    Lydia had assured herself that it was going to be okay¡ªthat this wasn¡¯t all bad. It was going to get better. That is, until it definitely wasn¡¯t. She never knew one of them; the other died after two days.


    Then came the first Lantern Festival after it happened.


    Elena slowly opened the door. ¡°Lydia..? Dad says it¡¯s time to go¡­¡±


    ¡°Just admit it,¡± Lydia mumbled, tugging the blankets closer, ¡°you¡¯ll be happy if I don¡¯t show up.¡±


    ¡°No one said that.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re sure as hell thinking it. I¡¯m not stupid, Ellie.¡±


    ¡°I think¡­ it might help. Maybe it¡¯ll bring a sense of closure.¡±


    ¡°Or I become the model of everything everyone shouldn¡¯t be.¡±


    She tried and failed to keep the blankets as Elena gently pulled them away. ¡°You¡¯ll never know unless you try.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to leave me alone, are you?¡±


    ¡°It does you no good to be cooped up in here all by yourself.¡±


    Lydia begrudgingly got out of bed and went with the rest of them. It didn¡¯t make her feel any better; Imre was the only one to acknowledge her, though he kept his distance. No one knew what to say¡ªor, at the very least, whatever they wanted to say was best left in private.


    She wrote the names on the two little lanterns herself. When they all gathered to the river, she slipped them in, staring at the names Timothy and Henry. She was unable to muster any words while the rest of the crowd said, ¡°Bore¨ª to fos na se vrei.¡±

 The Stone Family Adventure: Book IV- Chapter 2

    It wasn¡¯t even a fading dream anymore; this was actual reality. She felt the heat from the blankets on top of her and she pulled the clasp closer. ¡°Come on, that can¡¯t be it¡­ please¡­¡± She wasn¡¯t ready to face the real world. There was still so much she wanted to do.


    ¡°Envi? You¡¯re still here..?¡±


    ¡°Mind your own business and go away, Witless.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s kinda hard to do when you¡¯ve got the door open.¡± It sounded like he clumsily moved through her mess of a room. ¡°Why haven¡¯t you left yet?¡±


    She shrunk under the covers even if he couldn¡¯t see her. She stayed silent.


    ¡°I bet Imre¡¯s getting worried,¡± Lewis tried.


    ¡°He¡¯s got more important things to do than pay attention to where I am,¡± Lydia grumbled back.


    That didn¡¯t deter him, lifting the blankets up so light slipped through. ¡°Tavin¡¯s probably waiting for you. Turning three¡¯s a big thing¡ªit doesn¡¯t sound like it¡¯s anything fancy but I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll want his mother there.¡±


    She turned away from the light. ¡°You say that like I really did anything.¡±


    ¡°Of course you did! You¡¯re his mother.¡±


    ¡°And the only fucking reason he¡¯s alive is because of Minne, not anything I could¡¯ve done!¡±


    ¡°Lydia¡­¡±


    ¡°Everyone else moved on. I thought that I could, too. I wanted to be useful, do something to prove that it wasn¡¯t going to happen again¡­ and I nearly made everything worse.¡±


    He pulled the blankets further away to make it impossible for her to try to hide. ¡°I didn¡¯t know that bothered you.¡±


    ¡°It didn¡¯t, at first,¡± she mumbled. ¡°Then I realized, three years¡­ three years that he¡¯s only alive because of what Minne could do and the sacrifice she made for him. We wouldn¡¯t have realized anything if it weren¡¯t for her. Not only was I stupid enough to make the offer, but I didn¡¯t even know¡­¡±


    Then Lewis noticed the clasp. ¡°Is that what you¡¯re in here for?¡±


    ¡°I just need a little longer,¡± was her half-answer. ¡°You know what it¡¯s like, don¡¯t you? After¡­ Naviya lost hers. I¡¯m able to be with them with this, like none of it happened¡­ All I need is one adventure¡ªa little more time¡­¡±


    She heard him move through her room again and close the door when he left. She kept holding the clasp and praying until she could no longer feel it; when reality warped back into fantasy and the words she spoke moments prior felt like the tailend of a dream.


    It was both equally better and worse as she slipped out of bed and went to see what everyone else was doing. The boys were arguing over something, but for reasons now escaping her mind, she was happy to have boys that could argue with each other.


    ¡°Saint-King Lucas killed the old king on the thirteenth,¡± Tim stated confidently.


    ¡°But they didn¡¯t start purging the old noble houses until three days after,¡± Henry pointed out. ¡°It¡¯s not a rebirth until there¡¯s nothing left of the original.¡±


    ¡°The rebirth is considered the day Saint-King Lucas was actually crowned,¡± Tavin remarked, ¡°which was the fifteenth.¡±


    ¡°Was he ever actually crowned, though?¡±


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    ¡°I think you¡¯re forgetting which one has his spirit. Besides, there¡¯s still plenty of northern noble families that are still around; it still wouldn¡¯t be a rebirth by those standards, even today.¡±


    Lydia got down the stairs and at the entrance of the room to see Diana walk through, ending it all with her simple comment of, ¡°And that, boys, is why it¡¯s celebrated on Oshye¡¯s Comet and not the date the ¡®rebirth¡¯ took place.¡±


    After being mildly impressed in the lack of a harsh tone, Lydia stepped in to bring back the excitement. ¡°Who¡¯s ready for a family trip to Pagetri?¡±


    The twins and several of Elena¡¯s kids burst into cheers; Tavin and a couple others joined in with a bit less enthusiasm, while a few more reluctantly grumbled along. Most of them went on to ramble about what they did the last time they went and what they would do now.


    She hardly noticed when Lewis walked up to her. ¡°Are you sure the four of you want to come? It takes time away from your adventure, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not going to hurt anything,¡± Lydia replied with a shrug. ¡°We don¡¯t know where we¡¯re going anyway. A little time with family might be the exact thing we need in order to figure out the next clue.¡±


    ¡°I guess my next question is, do you really want to come?¡±


    How quickly she responded spoke more for her answer than her words did. She smirked and playfully punched his shoulder. ¡°Of course I do! Why would I turn down some quality sibling bonding time?¡±


    ¡°Because at least two of the biggest assholes you know of live there,¡± he returned. ¡°It¡¯s pretty obvious when you¡¯ve found excuses to stay here every year.¡±


    ¡°Okay, you got me,¡± she sighed, glancing at the kids. They were all still talking, ignoring whatever Elena and Lustris might have been telling them. ¡°But it¡¯s fine! Raisul¡¯s probably still going to be here counting his money. Even if we see him there, he¡¯s not interested in me and since we¡¯re not in the castle I can punch him if he tries to flirt with anybody.¡±


    ¡°And that other guy I won¡¯t name?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if he even lives there anymore¡ªhe changed every other part of his life. I haven¡¯t seen or heard anything about him whenever I went to Tobiah territory on my own.¡± She shrugged to pretend like it didn¡¯t matter. ¡°He hasn¡¯t tried waltzing in after this many years, I doubt he¡¯s going to try now.¡±


    ¡°As long as you¡¯re comfortable with that. I mean, I don¡¯t think you can blame me for being suspicious¡ªusually when you do something like this it¡¯s to get something out of it.¡± He paused. ¡°Dad hasn¡¯t secretly offered you several bottles of vodka, has he?¡±


    ¡°No, but I may have heard Aunt Clare¡¯s getting the good stuff for us adults. We¡¯ve got, like, eleven kids to look after and that¡¯s not counting the adult toddlers we have to deal with on a regular basis. We deserve some good old alcohol and time away from them.¡±


    ¡°Bold of you to assume Tim and Henry aren¡¯t going to keep it from you.¡±


    ¡°They can try, but with Aunt Clare on my side, nothing¡¯s keeping me from bringing a bottle of that stuff back.¡±


    Lewis, distracted by a nearly-unnoticeable call from his wife, nodded goodbye to his sister before walking away.


    Lydia hardly noticed when the kids had apparently stopped talking; how it shifted from the fantasy to something closer to reality, yet still not the present. She only realized it when the kids were replaced with just Lewis and Elena, suddenly becoming very clear of what scene this was.


    ¡°You¡¯re doing what?¡± Lewis was, clearly, just confused¡ªtrying to work out the several problems that would normally arise from such an offer. ¡°The king¡¯s already married.¡±


    ¡°Is that¡­ really a good idea?¡± Elena was more concerned than anything, though it proved to push Lydia¡¯s patience. ¡°I mean, with what happened to the twins and all¡­¡±


    ¡°That was also eight years ago,¡± Lydia remarked. ¡°It¡¯s going to be different this time, I know it.¡±


    ¡°Is that a risk you should be taking, though? You¡¯re making this offer for the heir to the Seothian throne. It won¡¯t just be family and a handful of friends¡ª¡±


    ¡°Can you at least pretend like you don¡¯t think this is going to go horribly?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to see anyone get hurt. I don¡¯t think you¡¯re taking this seriously enough to realize what you¡¯re offering and the harm it could do.¡±


    Of course Lydia didn¡¯t listen. She¡¯d spent this many years of her life ignoring practically any advice she was given whether it helped her or not; why should she start caring now? But there was something else rising in her now, too. The knowledge that her little sister not only did what she never could but was also treated like an angel that had done no wrong came with a kind of resentment. She hated to realize that¡¯s what it was¡ªto take what should be relief and joy and twist it¡ªyet let it stay.


    ¡°My mind¡¯s made up,¡± Lydia said coldly. ¡°I¡¯m doing this and there¡¯s nothing you can do to stop me.¡± She started to walk away before any more thoughts escaped her head.


    That didn¡¯t keep her from hearing them, though. ¡°I have a bad feeling about all of this¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, there¡¯s nothing we can do but listen¡­ and support her better than last time, no matter what the outcome ends up being.¡±

 The Stone Family Adventure: Book IV- Chapter 3

    Reality crept in at various points across the trip. Sometimes, it proved to give her something else to think and do that didn¡¯t involve the moving landscape. Mostly, though, it brought up memories she¡¯d rather forget and kept her away from what mattered. Even if she didn¡¯t know exactly what, she knew there was something she wanted to be a part of.


    Clare must have pretended not to be looking out for them, though how quickly she answered the door proved otherwise. ¡°Brother! About time you showed up. They say the comet¡¯s coming around tomorrow¡ªI thought you were going to miss it!¡± She hugged Andrew, gave Diana an indifferent look (which seemed to be mutual), then went on to the kids. ¡°Lewis, Elena, it¡¯s good to see you! Oh, and you too, Naviya and Adrian. Keeping these two rascals in check, I hope?¡±


    Adrian pulled Elena a little closer and gave her a kiss on the cheek before laughing, ¡°This one¡¯s always causing trouble.¡±


    Naviya, on the other hand, simply giggled.


    Clare brought her attention away from them to find a more surprising sight. ¡°Lydia, it¡¯s been years! Why, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen you since the twins¡ª¡± She stopped when she noticed both Tim and Henry standing nearby, then changed the direction of her comment. It wasn¡¯t much better. ¡°I mean, first it was those friends of yours¡ªhow are they doing, by the way?¡ªthen that boyfriend, then a girlfriend, then one trip or another¡­ If I didn¡¯t know any better, I would think you¡¯re trying to avoid me!¡±


    ¡°Of course not,¡± Lydia responded a bit too quickly with perhaps too nervous of a chuckle. ¡°I¡¯d love to catch up but can we do it inside? I bet these kids wouldn¡¯t mind something to eat.¡±


    There was, in what used to be the ¡°Are we there yet?¡± group, a few of Elena¡¯s children (and Henry) demanding snacks. Clare smiled and gestured them all inside.


    ¡°Who am I to deny my favorite great nieces and nephews some treats?¡± She glanced at the remaining adults. ¡°You, the um¡ªmagicless relnar. Keep the children busy for us, will you?¡±


    Lustris didn¡¯t budge.


    Clare leaned closer to Andrew but made no point to make sure she was quiet. ¡°Why isn¡¯t she doing anything? Isn¡¯t that her purpose?¡±


    He sighed. ¡°Lustris, take care of the kids.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Now Lustris bowed and walked away.


    Undoubtedly unwilling to stay longer than she needed to, Elena offered, ¡°I¡¯ll help her.¡± Adrian followed her inside.


    Clare stood there for a moment. ¡°You know, sometimes I wonder what Father would think of you, bringing in someone like her and acting like nothing¡¯s different.¡±


    ¡°I wonder what Father would think of you, implying I should have left a girl to die because she isn¡¯t like us,¡± Andrew replied coolly. He stepped past her and went inside, the others soon following.


    Going inside did not stop them, though, and the two went on to create a sibling argument. Tired from the amount of them that she¡¯d had to listen to (and avoid) over the course of their trip, Lydia wandered to a place where the kids had yet to find.


    Lewis and Naviya soon joined her, though by the time Diana walked in both had disappeared; it was how Lydia knew she was facing another moment of reality. She braced herself for whatever was going to happen but knew that it wasn¡¯t going to get any better.


    This was the last time that they were here. They hadn¡¯t come for the comet like usual, instead the New Year. It was just the five of them and Clare, since her kids decided not to come after hearing the news.


    Lydia was huddled in the same place. She barely recognized when Clare came in with water and brownies.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°Would you like something, dear?¡± she offered with a soft smile. ¡°I hate to see you down like this. Where¡¯s that bright little girl that used to come and visit, hmm?¡±


    ¡°Dead, along with the rest of her worth,¡± Diana grumbled. She only came close enough to the two of them to snatch the tray and practically toss it to the side. ¡°Don¡¯t reward her. It¡¯s only going to make her think that she can do it again.¡±


    By now Lydia knew not to fight. There wasn¡¯t any reason to try; she wasn¡¯t going to win.


    Clare didn¡¯t know that, though. ¡°How could you say that to your daughter? Try putting yourself in her place. Imagine how this must feel¡­¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± Diana said casually, ¡°I was never stupid enough to do any of that. Remember that I¡¯m the respectable one here. I don¡¯t think any of you have a degree from Missa-Sidyn and are actually allowed to mess with what you do.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what Father saw in you.¡±


    ¡°Do you think words like those are going to stop me? I¡¯m a lady of high society, words like those mean nothing.¡± Diana pushed Clare out of the way to get a better look at Lydia, keeping a kind appearance for a second. ¡°If it makes it any better, you weren¡¯t going to keep them anyway.¡±


    ¡°What..?¡± Lydia mumbled blankly. She couldn¡¯t manage any other words or emotions.


    ¡°Diana!¡± Clare tried swatting at Diana but she simply brushed it off.


    ¡°Is it any surprise?¡± She gave a dismissive gesture in Lydia¡¯s direction. ¡°She¡¯d never be around for them, no matter when it happened. She¡¯s lucky the only thing that happened was the disbanding of her little friend group¡ªI daresay it¡¯s actually better that they¡¯re dead!¡±


    It felt like the whole world went silent until Diana left on her own. Even then Lydia stood there like the worthless thing she was; Clare remained for a moment to try to provide some kind of comfort before leaving as well.


    What brought Lydia back to the fantasy was a hand on her shoulder.


    ¡°Envi? You¡¯re crying.¡± Naviya gave her a worried look. ¡°You never cry. Not around the kids.¡±


    As Lydia wiped away her tears she made sure no one else was in here. The boys were still with Elena and Lustris, though it sounded like they were all making their way here. ¡°I¡¯m fine, it¡¯s just¡ªjust a couple of bad memories.¡±


    ¡°Still sure you want to stay here?¡± Lewis asked. ¡°There¡¯s always enough time to decide to spend the rest of it on your own.¡±


    Lydia shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m here now, I¡¯ve practically promised to stay. If it gets weird then I¡¯ll head out for a little while. Some of the kids probably wouldn¡¯t mind getting a tour of the nearby towns.¡±


    ¡°Lydia!¡± She flinched before realizing that it was only Clare, genty dragging Tavin behind her with the twins following them. ¡°Why don¡¯t you ever tell me when you bring your youngest? I didn¡¯t think he¡¯d be at the reunion five years ago and I swore next time I¡¯d be prepared. But I assumed he¡¯d be with his father since you never told me anything!¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s been coming with me everywhere else,¡± Lydia remarked. ¡°Unlike the twins, he¡¯d only go if I was, so he was willing to come this time.¡±


    ¡°You kept me from great-aunt privileges for fifteen years,¡± Clare pointed out with a hmph. ¡°How am I supposed to spoil a kid that¡¯s old enough to realize he doesn¡¯t need anything now that I have the money, hmm?¡±


    Tavin let out a soft and half-joking, ¡°Mom, save me.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no escaping this,¡± Henry said with faux solemnity.


    Tim nodded. ¡°You¡¯ve dodged fate for too long.¡±


    Lydia smirked. ¡°Unfortunately, the only way to avoid your punishment is to let her buy something expensive for you.¡± She leaned a little closer to whisper, ¡°But remember what we talked about on our way here if you don¡¯t have any other ideas.¡±


    Clare pretended not to have heard it. ¡°Well, the day¡¯s still young and I¡¯m sure these adults would like to have a nice conversation over drinks. Come on, boys!¡±


    She didn¡¯t wait for any of them but the twins were able to get out ¡°Mom, don¡¯t get drunk!¡± before being shoved out the door.


    ¡°Do you remember when she did that to us?¡± Lewis said with a laugh. ¡°I guess we¡¯re too old for all of that now.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve just got to change tactics,¡± Lydia corrected matter-of-factly. ¡°It helps all of us when I want something, he doesn¡¯t, and Aunt Clare¡¯s willing to buy it. She knows the difference but it¡¯s better than telling her to get nothing.¡±


    ¡°I honestly can¡¯t tell if you¡¯re considering her side of things or are just being selfish.¡±


    ¡°Neither do I, little brother. Neither do I.¡±

 The Stone Family Adventure: Book IV- Chapter 4

    At least the reality was nice enough to happen while she was sleeping. She gave it extra credit for being much better than everything else it had been showing her the past couple of days.


    ¡°Enn, I can¡¯t let you,¡± Imre sighed.


    ¡°What if I promised to be careful?¡± she insisted. ¡°I¡¯ll be safe! I got a charm on my last trip that shines pure light; that could get rid of any Ski¨¢ I come across. Besides, it¡¯s in Qizar! There¡¯s a lot less Ski¨¢ in Qizar than Seothia.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still right by the border. And with the nature of your adventures, we¡¯ll need to make sure Zofie¡¯s okay with you coming in there¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t intend on destroying anything!¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t intend on needing to keep track of your whereabouts but here we are. Things are different now. You can¡¯t just blindly run into whatever danger you want.¡± He put a hand on hers. ¡°We can¡¯t lose you.¡±


    ¡°Please, Imre. What if I promise to come back by the end of the month?¡±


    ¡°Why are you so interested in doing this?¡±


    The exact words she wanted to say couldn¡¯t make it out. ¡°I just¡­ need this. I swear I¡¯ll be there for Tavin¡¯s birthday. But as things are now, I¡­ I don¡¯t think I can do it. This is my chance of getting some closure on it all. Can you deny me that?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± was his eventual response. ¡°Alright, you can go, just¡­ stay safe. Let me know when you get there and when you¡¯re leaving. Come back as soon as you¡¯re ready.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re my favorite king, you know that?¡± She settled with a smile to show her happiness, since he was sitting down and a hug was impossible.


    He made an attempt to share it with a small smile of his own. ¡°Now, can I get back to working? There¡¯s a lot I need to get done¡­¡±


    She laughed. ¡°Yeah. And remember Dimas and Samone are here for a reason¡ªdon¡¯t forget to take a break when you need it.¡± She waved goodbye and left his office.


    Her next mission was to find Tavin. It was, actually, much simpler than she¡¯d expected it to be when he and Natheniel rushed down the hall. Tavin, nearly as soon as seeing her, darted behind her.


    ¡°No hiding!¡± Natheniel remarked with a hmph.


    Lydia bent down to ruffle both of their hair and said, ¡°You boys better be playing nice.¡± Neither of them admitted to the reason for their chase, and it wasn¡¯t her plan to demand one. So instead she just directed her attention to Tavin. ¡°I¡¯m going to go on a trip for a little while, okay?¡±


    He nodded.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back for your birthday, I promise.¡± She gave him a kiss on the forehead. ¡°Love you.¡±


    ¡°Love you,¡± he repeated.


    From the moment she got to Qizar, she decided she wasn¡¯t going to be telling Imre how it went. At least for a decade or two.


    Ski¨¢ had shown up and made it quite obvious they weren¡¯t going to leave her alone. She wasn¡¯t backing down now, however, and started running.


    She laughed when one of them threatened to get too close. ¡°You need to try a little better than that, you big shadow! I¡¯ve encountered way scarier things than you!¡± She proved her point when a few more tried to come close¡ªshe pulled out a glowing gem from her satchel and shown it in their direction.


    Stolen novel; please report.


    To her, they were just a distraction; worrying never solved anything for her, so after a while she figured it was better not to. She had a different mission than entertaining them, she just needed to keep an eye out for her next stop.


    She purposely hit a tree branch, knowing that it would bring her to what she wanted. In front of her, the door to an old Qizarn temple opened up and she slipped inside.


    Several Ski¨¢ attempted to follow her, but none got past. She smirked. ¡°Darkness can¡¯t get in places dedicated to the gods. Not so tough now, huh?¡± The door closed again but light didn¡¯t disappear completely; a vague glow caused her to turn around.


    She only stared at the wispy figure for a moment before dropping to her knees. ¡°Usiu, the Guide of the Lost¡­¡±


    ¡°You have gone through great lengths to achieve this,¡± the figure mused. She didn¡¯t dare look up at it¡ªshe was afraid it might disappear if she did. ¡°Do you truly desire my prize that much?¡±


    It was happening. It was really happening. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Then take it¡ªI assume I don¡¯t need to tell you what it is. May you all find peace and move on to see a brighter tomorrow.¡±


    She carefully picked up the clasp, smiling and on the verge of tears. ¡°A brighter tomorrow indeed¡­¡±


    She¡¯d stayed in the temple a little longer to appreciate everything written in it. Not all of it was optimistic, however; parts of it praised the powers of the angel Usiu, while others warned of the dangers of neglecting the need to move on. How would it be neglecting the need to move on? She was sure this is what she needed, after all, and that wouldn¡¯t be possible without Usiu¡¯s powers.


    For the most part, she shrugged off the bad stuff. She scribbled down a couple notes in her journal that sounded like promising leads for journeys elsewhere then left.


    ¡­


    It seemed like everyone else was already awake by the time she was, though that didn¡¯t mean she was left out on anything. The sky was only now being dyed red by the glow of the comet. Most things that made the day memorable was at its peak in a couple of hours, meaning it was preparation time.


    Clare, Elena, and one of the kids were in the kitchen. What they were doing was the extent of preparations that needed to be made¡ªClare always made sure everything else was ready before they came. That left everyone else the whole morning to do whatever else they wanted, meaning being gathered together to hear a tale from Andrew.


    ¡°We knew that, when the comet was over, we¡¯d had lost our own opportunity. Yet together we still braved all the perils that may have lurked there¡ªwe still had to try! Nothing was going to stop us, no matter how hard it got¡­¡±


    Diana couldn¡¯t help but add comments, however. ¡°That¡¯s not how I remember it. You were the only one stupid enough to still go on.¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s the fun in that, dear?¡± he said in a near-whisper and with a nervous laugh. ¡°It¡¯s keeping them all entertained, isn¡¯t it? Now let me keep going.¡± Much louder, he continued, ¡°Where was I? Right! We were on the verge of a history-altering discovery¡­¡±


    He had all the kids enchanted, at least, and the other adults would have been too if it weren¡¯t for the hushed conversation upheld by Lewis and Naviya. Lydia thought about joining them before deciding to move on, acknowledging that she¡¯d already heard the story dozens of times before. It was great, but years of demanding the tale had made it somewhat lose its value.


    She went outside instead, sitting on one of the picnic baskets Clare must¡¯ve set out earlier. It had been a while since she was with anyone else during the comet¡­ and she¡¯d forgotten how much she missed the view from the edge of her aunt¡¯s property.


    ¡°Mind having some company?¡± Henry asked with a grin, settling down next to her. Tim and Tavin soon followed.


    Lydia smiled. ¡°Of course not.¡±


    ¡°After this it¡¯s back to the adventure, isn¡¯t it?¡± Tavin mumbled. ¡°Do you think we¡¯ll be able to figure anything else about the clue?¡±


    Tim apparently had it, pulling it out to look at it. ¡°We could always try looking around at old records and try to find anything that matches.¡±


    ¡°Maybe something at the Archive could give us some more details,¡± Henry offered. ¡°I, for one, wouldn¡¯t mind having an excuse to spend all day there.¡±


    ¡°I think you spoke for all of us,¡± Tavin remarked.


    Lydia nodded. ¡°We can definitely try the Archive again, at least. It won¡¯t hurt, and we can bring back some more stuff for Dad to look at while we¡¯re at it. I know this can¡¯t be a dead end.¡± There wouldn¡¯t have been a reason for any of this if it was.


    ¡°Do you think¡­ we¡¯re going to have enough time?¡± Tim asked quietly, now fidgeting with the ring.


    Henry swatted at him. ¡°We¡¯ve got all the time in the world. Right?¡±


    ¡°Sooner or later, we need to move on,¡± Tavin said. ¡°We can¡¯t keep doing this forever. Time is still moving on around us. Eventually we¡¯re going to need to keep up with it before we¡¯re too far behind.¡±


    She hated how much sense he was making, but she couldn¡¯t let it show. As wrong as it felt¡­ she needed to make it look like it was only him; like she wasn¡¯t noticing the impracticalities, realizing how little of this made sense compared to the reality they came out of.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to see the end of this,¡± she assured them, ¡°together.¡±

 The Stone Family Adventure: Book V- Chapter 1

    They¡¯d gone back to the Archives. Lydia made sure they were all aware of what they weren¡¯t supposed to do before they went their separate ways.


    She wandered back to the room where they found the trinket, observing what was left there. It wasn¡¯t much; a couple of bigger items that they couldn¡¯t take with them before. Only when she thought she was done looking around did she notice something written on the wall.


    ¡®Dull at the start, bright at its peak, then set alight by its own flame, the House of the Phoenix met its end at Kevabel.¡¯


    Henry poked his head inside. ¡°Mom, we think we might¡¯ve found something.¡±


    With a glance at the writing, she nodded. ¡°Just give me a minute.¡± She wrote down what it said before joining him in the other room and following him to where the other two were.


    Tim was looking at several older maps and diagrams of some sort while Tavin was bent over books; they both looked up from what they were doing. Tim showed what he¡¯d found first.


    ¡°These maps are ancient. There aren¡¯t even house and territory names. This one¡ªwhich we decided but have been from around the same time¡ªhas Qizar in it, too, and it goes by the names of places in legends.¡± After she took it from him to look at it herself, he darted for another one and showed it to her. ¡°And isn¡¯t this one cool? Some of these have places that no one¡¯s ever recorded before in Seothia and Qizar.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re looking for something that can actually help us, though,¡± Henry pointed out. ¡°I doubt that''s what we¡¯re supposed to be looking for.¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s worth holding on to,¡± Lydia remarked. Tim beamed at the comment.


    ¡°All of these books are pretty old, too,¡± Tavin said after a little while. He didn¡¯t move from his spot, though. ¡°The text is ancient, the book itself is practically falling apart, and it mentions something from the Commandments like it had happened somewhat recently.¡±


    ¡°What does it mention?¡±


    That was the part that seemed to confuse him the most. ¡°Orestis¡¯s creation of the world¡ªaround the time humans split up between Seothians and the children of Fleyw Bresh, but before magical talent was used to distinguish them. It still sounds like it was a couple hundred years ago, but it doesn¡¯t mention any other important event.¡±


    ¡°Well, that makes sense, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Henry asked with a shrug. ¡°I mean, no one really knows how long it was between the creation of the world and the Fall of Eldrianna.¡±


    ¡°All we know for sure is that, by the time the angels were created, they¡¯d already formed basic civilizations,¡± Tim agreed.


    ¡°What do you think it has to do with the clue?¡± Lydia prompted gently.


    Tavin must¡¯ve considered showing the page before realizing it was an older version of the Old Tongue that she wouldn¡¯t be able to understand. ¡°It keeps mentioning a place¡ªKevabel. I can¡¯t tell where it¡¯s from, though, or if it¡¯s even anything special¡­¡±


    She pulled out the note that she had written earlier. ¡°You might be right about something. This mentioned that and the House of the Phoenix, so there has to be some kind of connection.¡± She sat down and started sorting through the maps. ¡°If we can figure out where it is, we might be able to find out where we¡¯re supposed to be going. Nothing we need should be in Qizar, so just put those aside. If you¡¯re not sure then I¡¯ll look at it.¡± She didn¡¯t have thirty years in the adventure business for nothing.


    The boys nodded and they began their search for a map. Henry almost immediately got up to get some more, Tim and Tavin started sorting, and Lydia was quickly given whatever they didn¡¯t recognize. Occasionally Tim would hand one to her for Tavin to take back; he¡¯d honestly been in Qizar more than any of them, so distinguishing it wasn¡¯t as hard.


    From there, it was only a matter of time before they were sorting through regional Seothian maps, trying to find something old enough that might have that ancient place marked. Surprisingly it wasn¡¯t the oldest map that had it, but one of the newer ones; one that nearly matched Lydia¡¯s if it weren¡¯t for the marked spot of Kevabel.


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    ¡°We¡¯ve found our stop,¡± she announced, setting it down for them to all see it. ¡°We¡¯re heading to Xannon territory.¡±


    ¡­


    They made the trip straight there instead of stopping by the Stone Estate again; Mathieu was more than willing to give them what they would need for the trip. When they got there, they stayed at an inn in a nearby town for the night before heading to Kevabel first thing in the morning.


    With the way the stories of the House of the Phoenix went, it was little wonder that something had happened to the town. Except, there was nothing to really show that anything had happened at all. It looked like it had simply been abandoned. Or, at the very least, nothing remained to make it clear that there was a reason.


    ¡°Why does nothing else mention this place..?¡± Henry mumbled, running his hand along an ancient building¡¯s wall.


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s like Idale,¡± Tim offered. ¡°Whatever happened, it just¡­ faded from existence, without a true explanation as to why.¡±


    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be odd for anyone who experienced it to keep it secret,¡± Tavin agreed. ¡°Depending on what had happened, it might be easier to forget about it than to make sure the memory of those lost stayed alive.¡±


    ¡°Minne taught us that much,¡± Lydia sighed. ¡°Sometimes things really are just better left forgotten.¡±


    ¡°But that says nothing about why this place needs to be forgotten,¡± Henry remarked. ¡°Tavin, did anything you read say anything about that?¡±


    Tavin shook his head. ¡°It might have something to do with the third projection we watched in Palus. There wasn¡¯t any direct mention of Dree but there were descriptions of two people similar to her and the person who set this all up.¡±


    ¡°Eldrianna could have done something,¡± Tim mumbled. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be the first time.¡±


    ¡°Whatever would¡¯ve happened, it would¡¯ve been before her Fall,¡± Lydia pointed out. ¡°From the sounds of it, there wouldn¡¯t be any records about it if it had been after.¡±


    Tavin wandered to one of the old buildings and traced some scribbles on it. ¡°Perhaps we¡¯re going to learn the truth behind her banishment from the Gods¡¯ Sanctuary. This could be where it happened, one of the few things no scholar of myth can ever agree on¡­¡±


    ¡°Not like they¡¯ll believe Seothians¡ªbut none of us are doing this for the attention of a couple of old dudes anyway.¡± Henry gave a careful look at their surroundings before prompting, ¡°So, what¡¯s our plan?¡±


    ¡°Look around but don¡¯t mess with anything,¡± Lydia decided after a moment of consideration. ¡°A lot of this stuff looks like it can fall down at any moment, so we need to be careful. We also don¡¯t want to activate anything by accident. Remember that we don¡¯t know anything about this place. Tim and Henry, if you¡¯ll look over there, Tavin and I can see if there¡¯s anything interesting here. We¡¯ll meet at the center in a little while to figure out what we found.¡±


    They all nodded. The twins left in the direction she¡¯d gestured to and she and Tavin went to another spot.


    Nothing was said between them for a little while, until he finally worked up the nerve to ask, ¡°Mom, what¡¯s going on?¡±


    Without too much thought about it, she grinned and ruffled his hair. ¡°We¡¯re looking for clues about what happened to Kevabel.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant. You know that, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Somehow she was able to make her words and attitude match, though she did take the opportunity to move a bit out of eyeshot. It was always easier to pretend when she didn¡¯t need to make eye contact. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡±


    ¡°Is this real?¡±


    ¡°Of course it is. What else would this all be if it wasn¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°Hardly any of this feels right and I know I¡¯m not the only one who thinks that way. Something felt wrong with our entire time with Aunt Clare. It didn¡¯t make sense. It felt like one minute we were getting ready to leave and when I blink we¡¯re there.¡±


    ¡°Time flies when you¡¯re with family, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t just that. There were¡­ gaps, almost, between certain moments. Like the world needed to think about something or there was something else distracting it from paying attention to us.¡±


    ¡°Now that just sounds like you got dizzy or something. I doubt it¡¯s anything serious.¡±


    ¡°Except I¡¯m not the only one. I talked with Aunt Ellie and Uncle Lewis. They felt the same way; like this isn¡¯t how things are supposed to be. I tried asking Tim and Henry but they just seemed confused¡­ they brushed it off but not in the way you do. Honestly, Mom, you do a terrible job at making it look like you don¡¯t know anything.¡±


    ¡°So let¡¯s say that you¡¯re right,¡± she began, ¡°and there is something going on. What do you think it is?¡±


    Such tactics had, before, gotten others to stop; when they realized they couldn¡¯t come up with an answer, they usually silently gave up and stopped mentioning it. Unfortunately that wasn¡¯t how he responded.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s someone who isn¡¯t ready to say goodbye, creating an illusion so she never has to.¡±


    How close to the truth it was made her shiver, though luckily she found a way to avert his attention. ¡°There¡¯s nothing here, so let¡¯s check out another place. Something¡¯s got to be hiding here somewhere.¡±

 The Stone Family Adventure: Book V- Chapter 2

    They came back to the town empty handed. Tavin had eventually stopped trying to get her to say anything, though he already had the answer; silence was enough to guess the things she wasn¡¯t going to admit.


    They¡¯d made the plan of heading back out in the morning, but one thing distracted them from that mission: the arrival of a traveling circus.


    ¡°That sign says the last act¡¯s gonna be about Kevabel,¡± Henry pointed out. That was, however, hardly his only reason for wanting to go. Adventuring wasn¡¯t the only way to see never-before-seen sights and things that any untrained person should never try. ¡°Do you think we can try?¡±


    ¡°I think that¡¯s the one that travels around Seothia and Qizar,¡± Tim said. He wasn¡¯t so much as particularly excited as he was helping out his twin. ¡°Even if we can¡¯t figure anything out about Kevabel, it¡¯ll probably at least be a good show.¡±


    ¡°If all of you agree, then I don¡¯t mind,¡± Lydia decided, glancing at Tavin.


    ¡°It might help,¡± he mumbled. ¡°I¡¯m not so sure about heading out to Kevabel right now anyway¡­¡±


    With mutual agreement obtained, she pushed aside what they¡¯d planned on bringing to simply settle for her satchel. She made sure she had what she needed to pay while the boys got ready and, in a couple of minutes, they left.


    They followed the signs until finding the collection of tents. There was a line when they got there, though it hadn¡¯t quite reached its peak; she took it to mean they came at just the right time. One of the members¡ªan older, grumpy-looking woman¡ªwas in the front taking money and giving out tickets.


    They weren¡¯t the only two to be seen, however, once a merry tune started up from inside the main tent. Two others came out to greet the line. One, as anyone vaguely paying attention to the circus would know, was their ringleader¡ªLydia only knew her by her stage name though, The Ball-Jointed Doll. The other, given his role in the fliers, was her companion. Lydia couldn¡¯t remember anything about him.


    ¡°Well, I think it¡¯s pretty obvious which one of them loves their job,¡± Tim remarked as he observed them. ¡°He¡¯s barely trying as much as she is.¡±


    Tavin shrugged. ¡°But it¡¯s still more than what the other woman is putting in, and she¡¯s supposed to be the first thing they see.¡±


    ¡°With what was said to have happened five years ago, it¡¯s not that big of a surprise,¡± Lydia muttered. She was careful to keep it within the four of them; this was something not to be taken lightly, or that everyone around them needed to know. ¡°If everything rumored to have happened really did, it¡¯s a wonder they¡¯re still doing shows¡­¡±


    ¡°I guess that¡¯s what sets this apart from Kevabel or Idale,¡± Henry mused. ¡°That, despite the pain it might cause, they continue to keep the memory of the lost alive.¡±


    The conversation stopped when the two got closer to them. Though, it was hard to tell if they were really getting closer or if the line was actually moving.


    The Ball-Jointed Doll, once she saw them, nudged her companion and whispered something to him. Whatever response he¡¯d given her, she gave him a playful whack before starting a conversation with them. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect nobles to show up to this one! Especially not ones from Mikkel territory all the way here in Xannon. I¡¯m Sukeena and this is Umi. Welcome to the show!¡± She paused and glanced at Tavin. ¡°Hey, have we seen each other before?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s the Seothian prince, Sukeena,¡± Umi sighed. ¡°Of course you¡¯ve seen him.¡±


    She glared at him. ¡°I meant during a show.¡±


    ¡°You performed one year at Hyasari¡¯s Music Festival, didn¡¯t you?¡± Tavin answered. ¡°I was with the rest of the royal family there, that¡¯s probably where you saw me.¡±


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    After a moment of consideration, she nodded. ¡°I think you¡¯re right.¡±


    Henry, without thinking much about what he was saying, asked, ¡°Do you have a dragon?¡± The three looked at him and even Umi seemed to share their thoughts, though it didn¡¯t sound like it was needed.


    Sukeena laughed. There was a nervous edge to it. ¡°Only the ones made of paper! We try to keep fire hazards low around here since, well, there¡¯s a lot of stuff that can catch on fire.¡±


    ¡°Not to mention I¡¯m pretty sure that¡¯s illegal¡­¡± Umi mumbled. He shook his head, though, and continued louder, ¡°We¡¯ve got to go. Hope you enjoy the show.¡± Then he practically dragged her away.


    At that point, the four of them were nearly to where the woman was giving out tickets. When they got there, Lydia pulled out two silver coins.


    ¡°Is this enough for all four of us?¡±


    ¡°Do you nobles ever carry around bronze?¡± was the woman¡¯s first, dull response. ¡°Not only did you get in, you became a major contributor to keeping from going out of business.¡± She took the coins and gave them each a ticket. ¡°Enjoy the show.¡±


    They all mumbled their thanks before Henry took the lead inside. No child of Lydia¡¯s might be interested in dramatic plays that the average noble enjoyed, but this was excluded. Despite coming from afar, there was a local charm here; beyond the eyes of nobles in a place that anyone was able to enjoy. And none of the Stones seemed to enjoy the opportunity as much as Henry did, to see a different kind of marvel besides those of legends. A story that, for the most part, wasn¡¯t anything legendary¡ªjust ordinary people doing extraordinary things.


    He guided them to what the rest of them assumed to be the best available seats, then waited with the most amount of excitement out of all of them. The buzzing that had slowly filled the area died down again with the music, when Sukeena came out to announce the show. It was a moment after she left that the music started back up again and the show truly began.


    There was, honestly, nothing here that Lydia hadn¡¯t already experienced; yet still, she found herself never being able to look away. Perhaps it was a part of execution¡ªshe knew that they weren¡¯t using Illusion magic (or at least not mainly). Through it, she was given the opportunity to wonder how they could do what they did.


    ¡°Hey, Tavin, can the Qizarn princess do that?¡± Tim whispered, nudging his little brother.


    ¡°Technically yes, but she probably won¡¯t,¡± Tavin responded quietly. ¡°Besides, I think this is mostly what they¡¯d call ¡®street magic.¡¯¡±


    Henry swatted at both of them. ¡°Shh.¡±


    Then came the final act. A short, silent theater act, almost, of a myth or legend. Snippets of it had appeared throughout the acts, giving a sense of formality to them all¡ªweaving a larger story.


    That didn¡¯t mean it was hard to follow, however. There were two main characters, represented by Sukeena and Umi. They met; they fell in love; a secret told, and a kiss made; then she killed him and ran away. What kind of ending was that?


    The room erupted into cheers and clapping the moment Sukeena came back out to announce the end of the show. Lydia had a plan and, seeing Sukeena talk to the kids afterwards, knew it would work.


    She waited for them to leave before prompting, ¡°That was a great performance. You all did really well.¡±


    Sukeena smiled. ¡°Thanks! I¡¯d especially appreciate it if you told your friends about us, it helps a lot.¡±


    ¡°We were wondering about the legend you performed,¡± Lydia then prompted. No point in wasting time trying to dig through books or ruins when it could be as simple as talking to someone else about it.


    Luckily Sukeena seemed happy to share. ¡°It was something my dad heard of while he was around this area. There¡¯s these ruins somewhere around here and the townspeople made up this story to explain its downfall. Kevabel had been a prosperous city a long time ago. It seemed like it would stay that way for a long time to come, too. Or at least, it did, before the young leader met this woman. She had wings like a fairy and most of the citizens thought that she was unnerving¡ªlike darkness. But he loved her despite that, and she seemed to share the feeling. Until, one day, she pulled him aside and told him something. No one knows what she said, just that it couldn¡¯t have been anything bad. She killed him soon after and, afraid of what it might mean, the whole city fell apart as they all left.¡±


    ¡°Sukeena!¡± It was the woman that had given them tickets. ¡°Talking to people can wait until the end of the next show. You should get some rest before then.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s my cue to go.¡± Sukeena got up. ¡°It was nice talking to you! I hope we¡¯ll be able to see each other again.¡±


    Lydia waved goodbye before the four of them started walking back to the inn. ¡°We¡¯ll get our stuff together and head out to Kevabel. We can spend the night there.¡±

 The Stone Family Adventure: Book V- Chapter 3

    She didn¡¯t plan on doing much with what remained of the day after they got to Kevabel. They made camp outside, not trusting any of the crumbling buildings, and stayed right there for the entire night. She woke them all up in the morning and they started the careful investigation around and in some of the buildings. Lydia led the search, the first to decide if something was safe to enter and leading the way through.


    All of them wandered around a bit inside, though for a while none of them said anything. Eventually, when he saw an ancient and relatively intact vase, Tim asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t it weird that no one¡¯s even come to take the artifacts out?¡±


    ¡°I guess not, depending on how desperate they were to pretend like this all never happened,¡± Henry mumbled. He saw something and gently pulled it out. ¡°Look at how preserved this book is¡­¡±


    ¡°Be careful, it¡¯s a lot easier for it to fall apart if you don¡¯t handle it right.¡± Tavin gently took it from him and sat it on a nearly-flat collapsed part of the building. He leafed through the pages and, from a glance, proved to the rest of them that this was something worth looking at. It had the same kind of writing as those platforms while they were following the phoenixes. ¡°It¡¯s someone¡¯s journal.¡±


    ¡°What does it say?¡± Lydia prompted. ¡°Look at the later entries, see if there¡¯s anything about the leader in there.¡±


    It took him a few moments to find something like that and a couple more to mentally translate it. Some of the text was faded or missing, but he was able to make do with what he had. ¡°¡®I know what I saw, but he will not believe it. Darkness lurks behind him. Shadows bend towards her¡ªtowards them¡ªwherever she goes. Yet he does not see it. He does not see that he is being led by Darkness. Admittedly I do not know what it would mean to do such a thing; darkness, by itself, is nothing to be afraid of. But when the day turns to night and all light leaves the land, the scariest things appear. I fear that he is wandering closer to this night, and no one is sure of what awaits for him there.¡¯¡± He turned the next couple of pages but that was it. ¡°The rest of these all looked to be done daily. Whatever happened couldn¡¯t have happened long after the person wrote this.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯re going to be able to find anything else here,¡± Lydia remarked after a quick glance around. ¡°Let¡¯s try another house. Maybe someone else has exactly what happened.¡±


    They made their way further in now, close to an extravagant pile of rubble she could only assume to have been the town hall. But that place, she decided, would be saved for next, if they chose to go in there at all.


    The boys followed her into a different building; much like the one before it, though a lot more had crumbled away. While it was a shame to be unable to see what it had resembled in the past, it meant there was hardly anything to worry about in terms of things falling down.


    Knowing what they were looking for, it didn¡¯t take them as long to find it. Of course, Tavin also let out a deep sigh to see the text scribbled in it. ¡°This one might take a little longer. Mom, do you have something I can write with?¡±


    ¡°You know I pack for the stuff that¡¯s never gonna happen,¡± she responded with a smirk. She pulled out a quill and a loose piece of paper and handed them to him. He got to work almost immediately.


    Lydia and the twins wandered a little bit away to give him some room to concentrate. She kept an eye on him, though, even after the twins got distracted by some of the other things around them.


    ¡°Do you think any of this stuff is enchanted?¡± Tim wondered aloud, observing the small trinket in his hand. ¡°At least some of it has to be, right? It¡¯s old enough and I¡¯m pretty sure the people here would¡¯ve been able to use it.¡±


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    ¡°Try blowing up that rock over there,¡± Henry suggested in a half-joking manner. ¡°Don¡¯t know until you try.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to try to blow anything up,¡± Lydia interjected firmly. ¡°There¡¯s plenty of ways to try without possibly hurting someone.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you drink out of a chalice once that either turned water into wine or caused instant death?¡± Henry pointed out.


    ¡°It did neither and that¡¯s what counts,¡± she defended. ¡°Just because I did it doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m going to let you do it. If you want to bring it home, then we can test and see what it does later¡ªwith Dad, since he¡¯s the most likely to be able to figure it out without breaking anything.¡±


    That was enough for Tim and he stashed the trinket in his bag. Judging from his expression, he already had plans for it, no matter whether it did something special or not.


    They stayed in silence for a little while longer until Tavin called them over. ¡°I think I have most of it.¡± He¡¯d written down the translation on the piece of paper, though it still had a bunch of question marks and small notes. Looking over it, he decided to change his statement to, ¡°I think I¡¯ve gotten everything I¡¯m capable of translating.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s already a lot, for how little time it took you to do it,¡± Henry remarked.


    Tavin shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s not hard to figure out how to translate it as long as you know the basics.¡± He picked up the piece of paper and started reading. ¡°¡®I remember when they met¡­ or at least, what I think was their first meeting. Achadus was not leader yet; that role still belonged to his father, though even at that point his health was declining. She¡ªDree, I believe is what he calls her, though she has never introduced herself to any of us¡ªhad just arrived here. We all knew what she was; her secret could not be hidden from us. Well, all of us except for Achadus. He believed everything she told him. It wasn¡¯t long that they went from sharing glances across the street to actually appearing together.


    ¡°¡®We all just watched, waiting to see what might become of them. Some of us tried to talk to him, but he never listened. They went away together, when his father was at his worst. Achadus said it was a puzzle of some sort. They were gone for countless months without a word to anyone about their whereabouts, nor upon returning discussed what they had done. He took up his role as our leader and, though young, proved to have promise. Dree went away too, and for a while we assumed that everything would go back to how it was before her. We would be safe and bathing in Orestis¡¯s light, safe from the dangers of the shadows.


    ¡°¡®But she came back. They got closer then, and a couple of days ago they went to a quiet place to talk. One of the townspeople tried to see what they were saying, but she made sure to be quiet. While they went off together, we tried to figure out what Darkness could have wanted from our leader. We were brought out of our theories to hear crying. There they were, together, and we could do nothing but watch. She killed him. Her voice went loud but the words she spoke were impossible to understand. We did not dare move from where we were. The sun did not shine for as long as she stood there and her wings shattered. Ichor and human blood mixed, a reminder or perhaps warning of something we do not want to uncover.


    ¡°¡®None of us want to wait and see what might happen. We are all leaving here and, for the sake of those who come after us, never returning. Only Orestis knows now what might lurk in the place of Darkness¡¯s Fall. There is no time to bury the dead, lest we risk succumbing to a worse fate. May the world forget the fate of Kevabel¡­¡¯¡±


    ¡°So, remember that you¡¯re the only one with any kind of detailed grasp on Qizarn myth¡­¡± Henry began. ¡°What¡¯s ichor, again?¡±


    ¡°The blood of the immortal,¡± Tavin replied solemnly. He closed the book and hid it away again, stashing the translated paper in his own small bag and handing the quill back to Lydia. He made his way back out of the ruined building and looked around. ¡°There might still be some, wherever his body is¡­¡±


    Lydia pointed to the extravagant rubble pile. ¡°We can try to look around there. If she cared about him, she wouldn¡¯t have left him outside, but there¡¯s nothing out here to suggest she actually dug a grave. That¡¯ll be the next best place to look.¡±

 The Stone Family Adventure: Book V- Chapter 4

    ¡°Be careful,¡± Lydia reminded them when they got closer. ¡°This place has definitely seen better days¡ªyou should all know what the stuff you probably shouldn¡¯t touch looks like.¡± They were, after all, Stones; running headfirst into dangerous situations was in their blood. But they were always shown what to avoid to make sure everyone made it out alright. She kind of doubted those kinds of risks were much of a problem here, but she still wanted to make it clear.


    There were, really, hardly any walls left¡ªworn away and torn down by the years, it was just the memory of what it used to be. The roof, unlike some of the other buildings, had long caved in and posed no threat to them now. The rubble was the only problem, covering whole pathways to make climbing the only option and making moving through it difficult.


    ¡°Normal blood would all be gone by now, wouldn¡¯t it? How would ichor still be around if it¡¯s just the immortal¡¯s blood?¡± Henry prompted almost as soon as they got started. With no life around except for the four of them, the silence needed to be broken somehow.


    ¡°It¡¯s not really ¡®just¡¯ the blood of immortals.¡± Tavin picked through a part of the rubble, cautiously lifting up a lighter piece before setting it back down again. ¡°You know that bracelet Aunt Clare has, the one with the gold-colored eye on it? That eye was made from ichor. It takes on the properties of a metal, almost, once it¡¯s spilt; it hardens, but chunks of it can be melted down and forged. Northern Seothians have made whole statues out of it to honor the men who died slaughtering dragons or manticores to get it¡­ I¡¯m sure Raisul¡¯s got plenty, too. Ichor that landed on the ground would¡¯ve been mistaken for gold and taken by now¡ªif it¡¯s hidden well, though, there might still be some near Achadus.¡±


    ¡°There might be a future grave robber in you yet!¡± Henry remarked, ruffling Tavin¡¯s hair.


    ¡°Oh gods, don¡¯t say it like that.¡±


    Tim smirked while he lifted a few more things. ¡°So, what kind of stuff can it do? It¡¯s got to be able to do something, right, since it comes from immortals and all?¡±


    ¡°Seothians got to the ¡®ooo, shiny¡¯ part of the discovery of ichor and completely ignored all else,¡± Tavin responded simply. ¡°The children of Fleyw Bresh never figured it out because they revere the creatures it comes from and consider experimenting with it the same thing as using human blood.¡±


    Tim glanced at Lydia, seemingly ignoring the last part of Tavin¡¯s explanation. ¡°Do you think we can bring some of it home?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how I feel about you guys touching the technically-blood of the goddess of Darkness¡­¡± she mumbled. ¡°Who knows what that kind of stuff can do.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s exactly why you have to let me bring it home. For science.¡±


    ¡°You know the more you try to convince me the less I want to let you, right?¡±


    ¡°Not even a little..?¡±


    ¡°If I know that you have some of it, I¡¯m taking away your tinkering privileges for a month.¡±


    ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean anything if you never know¡­¡±


    Her eye roll was enough of an answer to prove his suspicions. She was only the responsible one when she absolutely needed to be, no matter where she was. He knew that and, as long as he was careful, neither of them had to do something they didn¡¯t want to.


    Henry, after lifting up another piece of rubble, announced, ¡°I think I found it.¡±


    It looked like, once, there may have been a more elaborate resting place; now all that remained was a worn cloth and fragments of skeleton.


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    Tavin bent down and carefully rummaged through it until he found a small piece of paper. ¡°This is it. ¡®Here lies the victim of Darkness, my love, Achadus.¡¯¡± He continued to rummage until he found a different colored piece of cloth¡ªone with a small lump of ichor¡ªand sat it out in the open. They all pretended not to see Tim not-so-discreetly pick it up and stash it in his pocket.


    ¡°You know, she¡¯s got pretty handwriting for the goddess of darkness,¡± Henry remarked.


    ¡°You did not just say that,¡± Tim sighed.


    ¡°Like you didn¡¯t do what you literally just did.¡±


    Tavin ignored both of them in favor of digging through some other things. There was a small book hidden in the rubble and he pulled it out without much of a second thought. It looked like a good portion of it was left blank, though the words were once again something only he could read. They stopped whatever argument they might have had in favor of listening to what it said.


    ¡°¡®I had been the one to come up with the whole idea; she never would have, always content with staying wherever she was as long as we were together. I wanted something for the world to remember me by, something to keep my memory alive even when I was long gone. Of course, I barely mentioned that part to her¡ªshe gets so distressed when she hears me talk about my death. I never get so worried, knowing that even if I no longer walk the earth, my soul has a place with Vriuh. She could always visit me there.


    ¡°¡®The plans for this have gone on for a long time, barely finished by the time I started putting them into action. I felt that I needed to get it done; that someone would need it and, if I did not complete it now, then they would never receive it. We went through it all once, though I admit it was more of sticking things together in random places. Then we went back and made sure it all made sense, adding hints along the way. I wanted to go through it one more time before calling it complete, but¡­ I needed to return to Kevabel.


    ¡°¡®My father, long before that, had been ill. Finally my time had come to take up his place, and now I stand as the head of the town. My days of traveling are gone, yet still some excitement remains¡­ She said she had something she wanted to tell me. I would be a liar to say that her excitement in that moment is not rubbing off on me as well.¡¯¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s safe to assume when that was written,¡± Lydia said casually. She picked her way through another pile of rubble. She had a feeling there was something else here, and it turned out that she was right when she found pictures engraved into a set of stones.


    She gestured the boys over and let them all see it. ¡°This might help us figure out where we¡¯re going next. At least, it looks like it, and it¡¯s not like we have any better ideas¡­¡±


    It was mostly trees, rather detailed for being an ancient engraving; around the bases were flowers, closely resembling roses, that then moved on to form a pattern in whatever space wasn¡¯t taken up by trees. In the right angle, it looked like they formed a devilish smile¡ªany other way and it seemed to hold no significance at all.


    It was, apparently, ancient runes, if Tavin¡¯s mumble meant anything. ¡°The Forest of Roses.¡±


    ¡°Everything else has been kinda cryptic, then we get this?¡± Henry remarked. ¡°I mean, it feels like he gave up at this point. I¡¯m pretty sure there¡¯s only one place in either kingdom that has forests and is known for roses. It¡¯s obviously Jaden territory.¡±


    Tim shrugged. ¡°I guess it just shows how it¡¯s one of the few places that hasn¡¯t really changed in what it¡¯s known for.¡±


    ¡°A better way to put it is that there was always something that renewed the reputation. At his time it might have been known for its wild roses. Nowadays it¡¯s considered that for what Lady Zera did to help Saint-King Lucas and the Red Rose as a title.¡± Tavin paused. ¡°But simply saying it¡¯s a forest in Jaden territory isn¡¯t really enough information; there¡¯s still plenty of those, so it¡¯s not really a definitive this-is-where-you-go.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a forest close to Levi Asari,¡± Lydia remarked. ¡°That¡¯s at least a good starting point. Maybe we¡¯ll be able to find some more information while we¡¯re there too, to see if there¡¯s anywhere else that might be hiding better secrets.¡± She began to lead the way back out of the ruins and back to town.


    ¡°So, are we going to talk to Samone first or just show up at Levi Asari?¡± Henry prompted, his tone showing he was impartial to the matter.


    She sighed. ¡°Samone¡¯s not going to be there so it won¡¯t matter. I¡¯ll try to get a hold of Iris and ask if we can stay with her instead¡ªthey live close enough to the city that it should be fine. Not to mention she¡¯d probably just like the company¡­¡±

 The Stone Family Adventure: Book VI- Chapter 1

    She already didn¡¯t want to spend any more time with the Shameers than she had to. It wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t like them¡ªfar from it, Iris was especially nice and Hadar, if he was there, was a good conversationalist. It was the fact that she was friends with Iris¡¯s cousin¡­ the cousin that never visited and hardly talked to them so frequently that Lydia, of all people, was expected to know more about how she was doing than her own family. While it may not have started out that way, it always got around to it.


    Iris welcomed them in with a smile, largely ignoring the dark glare her daughter gave all of them. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d show up so early! Please, have a seat, and in just a minute I¡¯ll have some tea ready for you.¡± She darted away before Lydia could say anything in protest.


    Lydia wandered over to the living room and sat down, gesturing for the boys to join her. Everything about this place showed a simpler lifestyle than one might expect; after Kesem died, there¡¯d been no reason for them to stay in the spotlight that Iris never liked anyway. Even as a visitor, she could tell that this was their paradise¡ªaway from all the attention, yet close enough to help family in need, all the while having enough money to comfortably support them and then some. That being said, though, there was a kind of unease, like there was something they made seem easy when they didn¡¯t quite grasp the concept themselves.


    Iris came back a moment later to announce, ¡°The tea¡¯s on. We only have one kind so I hope you like it¡­¡± She stayed by the kitchen door instead of joining them, though. ¡°So, Lydia. What brings you to this part of Jaden territory? You never really mentioned why.¡±


    Gaining a glare from all three of the boys, Lydia defended herself by saying, ¡°These kinds of things sound a lot more impressive when I¡¯m here in person to tell them.¡± She went on to tell the tale of everything they¡¯d done so far; the phoenixes, the projections, the archives, Kevabel, and finally how they found a clue that brought them here.


    Around the middle, Iris had retrieved the tea and now had a cup on it in her hands. Her stare of disbelief only proved how infrequently the two interacted with each other. ¡°How long have you been doing this..? It must¡¯ve taken quite a while¡­¡±


    Lydia shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m not really keeping track. It only felt like a couple of days, maybe a week¡­¡±


    Tavin seemed to have a different opinion on the matter, however. ¡°Though reasonably, with the amount of ground we¡¯ve covered, we should¡¯ve been going at this for months by now.¡±


    Iris chose not to contemplate the subject too deeply. ¡°I¡¯m a little surprised that you¡¯ve been able to keep going that long, to be honest. I¡¯d imagine Imre would be worried with all that running around you¡¯ve been doing.¡±


    ¡°He agreed to the whole thing, he knew what we were getting into.¡± Then Lydia stopped. Was that really true? She didn¡¯t remember ever talking to him about it. She didn¡¯t remember going into the castle at all. But they wouldn¡¯t have been able to get this far if Imre hadn¡¯t had let them go, so she must¡¯ve talked to him. She¡¯d just forgotten about it. That had to be what it was. Either way, she shook her head to clear it and continued, ¡°Would you know anything about the forests around here that might help? We¡¯ve already got a place in mind, but it never hurts to try to get more information.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t say that I do,¡± Iris admitted. ¡°To be honest, despite how long I¡¯ve been here, I¡¯m not too familiar with this whole area besides the towns. I haven¡¯t traveled much since I needed to take care of Kesem.¡±


    ¡°Father would be able to tell you which one of them is home to illegal operations,¡± Mae remarked casually. She still hadn¡¯t moved from her spot near an archway, perfectly content with glaring at the Stones from across the room. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯d be right at home there.¡±


    ¡°Mae,¡± Iris hissed. ¡°That¡¯s hardly called for. Be respectful to our guests.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m supposed to pretend like they¡¯re normal?¡± Mae wasn¡¯t even trying to be subtle, broadly gesturing to them. ¡°Look at them. Their whole family line is based on grave robbing and destroying pieces of ancient history. If the king didn¡¯t favor them, they¡¯d be marked as criminals.¡±


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    Henry grumbled something right back, seeming to possess no shame even after noticing Lydia¡¯s that¡¯s-not-going-to-help glare.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t know anything, then we¡¯ll just stay the night and head out again,¡± she decided in hopes of avoiding an argument. ¡°We came here because this was the closest place to where we were going to head first, but it really doesn¡¯t matter if we spend some more time wandering.¡±


    Mae, if not mockingly, offered her help. ¡°I¡¯m assuming you¡¯re talking about the forest on the way to Levi Asari? There¡¯s an old story about the place¡ªit changes like a maze, trapping whoever enters, leaving them to slowly go insane until some mysterious person comes and kills them. A lot of people have gone missing there. I¡¯d only assume that means there has to be some kind of truth to all of it.¡± Still, there was hardly anything in her tone to suggest she believed in something herself.


    Lydia had to agree with her. ¡°And how long ago was this whole thing created? Anything newer than a couple hundred years usually turns out to be a really exaggerated truth. There¡¯s probably just a lot of rocks that look the same to a normal person and bears who get annoyed when people come into their space.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care if you believe it or not,¡± Mae remarked with a shrug. ¡°Though I wish it was for you. The world would be much better with¡ª¡±


    ¡°Mae,¡± Iris once again whispered. ¡°I will tell your father about this. It wouldn¡¯t hurt you to be nice to these visitors for a change. In the end they¡¯re just as human as the rest of us.¡±


    Mae rolled her eyes. ¡°Then do I have to keep standing here? There¡¯s much better things I could be doing with my time than watching you entertain them.¡±


    ¡°I never said that you had to be here,¡± Iris pointed out. ¡°Go see if your grandmother needs anything. As long as she has everything she needs, you can head out to town. Remember not to get into trouble. Don¡¯t do anything Samone would do¡­¡±


    ¡°Of course, Mother,¡± Mae said in a bored tone before walking away.


    Iris sighed. ¡°Apologies for all of that. You know, usually, she¡¯s rather friendly towards our guests¡­ or at least, she pretends to be.¡±


    ¡°Trust me, I¡¯ve heard worse,¡± Lydia said with a shrug. ¡°It¡¯s the first time I heard anything close coming from someone younger than me, though.¡±


    For a while, Iris simply messed with her cup in silence. ¡°Up the stairs and down the hall are three guest rooms¡ªtwo of you will need to share one, I hope that isn¡¯t too much of a problem. It sounds like you¡¯ve traveled a long way, you should make sure you¡¯re well-rested for whatever you do next.¡±


    Lydia nodded, though looked at the boys. ¡°You three can go fight it out and I¡¯ll join you in a little while.¡±


    Tavin was the first to leave, not even bothering to question it; Tim and Henry gave a moment¡¯s consideration but, with Lydia¡¯s assuring expression, also left.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for all of this,¡± Iris sighed. ¡°It just feels better to keep them all out of this. It¡¯s hardly anything that we should concern them with¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Lydia said. ¡°In a couple of minutes, they¡¯ll all find something else to do anyway.¡±


    ¡°There''s not¡­ a chance they¡¯re going to set anything on fire, is there? Hadar and Lewis talk with each other, when they¡¯re both near Lelishara, and it sounds like that¡¯s something that happens rather frequently¡­¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not going to do anything. He knows better than to do that kind of stuff inside.¡±


    Iris took a sip of her tea, mumbling that it had gotten cold and placing it back on the tray. ¡°First of all, and perhaps it¡¯s not my place to ask, but¡­ are you sure about this? I can¡¯t help but have a bad feeling about what Mae said, even if you don¡¯t seem too concerned about it¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve met the last manticore in Seothia, uncovered parts of a lost civilization in Pypes, followed a siren to an uncharted island, and defeated the Minotaur. And that¡¯s only the ¡®most notable¡¯ parts of that list. No matter what it is, we¡¯ll be able to handle it. We¡¯ve definitely handled worse that we knew was true. I wouldn¡¯t get too concerned about something that¡¯s probably over exaggerated until we figure out if anything¡¯s actually true about it.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think this is something that such a risk shouldn¡¯t be taken on..? This is your sons we¡¯re talking about.¡±


    ¡°Believe me, Iris, there needs to be a lot more than that to stop a Stone.¡±


    ¡°I suppose there¡¯s nothing I can do but take your word for it¡­¡±


    ¡°I appreciate it, but there¡¯s nothing to worry about here. We¡¯ll be able to take care of it, no matter what it is.¡±

 The Stone Family Adventure: Book VI- Chapter 2

    She¡¯d answered several more questions about Samone before she joined the boys. Their planning wasn¡¯t anything more than usual and did a poor job at hiding that there was something else bothering them. Tavin eventually left for his own room to get some sleep; the other three remained to create something verging on an argument.


    ¡°Can you be confident that there isn¡¯t anything to be worried about?¡± Henry asked.


    ¡°Of course I can,¡± Lydia remarked casually. ¡°It¡¯s an urban legend. Those kinds of things are never what they¡¯re made out to be. One of them closer to home said that there was a ghost wandering around that dragged whoever saw it to hell with it. It turned out to just be a bird that got thrown off-course during migration that sounded like it was moaning. Another said there was a merchant that sold poisons in a town in Palus. He¡¯s just a regular old guy from Qizar that people got paranoid and spread rumors about. They¡¯re nothing more than a waste of time if you take them to be all that they say they are.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s also the one where a siren lived in a Seothian river,¡± Tim said, ¡°and there ended up being a whole group of them. Or that there was a place where the figurines moved every night when they were actually real living things.¡±


    Lydia realized that there¡¯d soon be no way to talk them all into it if things kept going at this rate. ¡°Can¡¯t you both just trust me on this one?¡±


    ¡°I think we¡¯d both love to,¡± Tim sighed.


    Henry nodded his agreement. ¡°What happened to making a decision together? Making sure everyone is willing to go along with the plan, that we¡¯re prepared for everything we might come across?¡±


    ¡°We can make sure we have more than enough supplies when we head out, if that¡¯s what you¡¯re worried about,¡± she tried. ¡°It¡¯s not going to be nearly as bad as it sounded like earlier. We¡¯re all Stones¡ªeven if there¡¯s some truth to it, there¡¯s nothing to be worried about. We¡¯ll handle it.¡±


    ¡°The three of us? Yeah, we can definitely handle a couple of complicated mazes and maybe a serial killer or two. That won¡¯t be a problem at all. But Tavin?¡± It seemed Henry was against going enough that he was willing to bring it up; that little fragment of truth they mainly pretended didn¡¯t exist. ¡°If we¡¯re not going to be honest any other time, we should at least be now. He¡¯s not cut out for any of this. For a while he might be fine, and maybe if it was just a maze it wouldn¡¯t be that much of a problem, but there¡¯s more than that. It doesn¡¯t seem like a risk worth taking.¡±


    She knew he was right. She had nothing to defend herself with but she needed to do something. It felt like they were pulling away from her.


    Like they were about to leave her again.


    ¡°A part of it might be involved with our adventure,¡± Lydia eventually decided to point out. ¡°There¡¯s probably just a bit of truth to it and, if there is, it¡¯s probably something that Achadus set up earlier. If we want to see this thing through to the end, then we at least need to try.¡±


    Neither of them seemed much more willing to go.


    ¡°I promise that if things start getting weird, we¡¯ll leave, alright?¡± she offered desperately. ¡°If there¡¯s a way out by the time we notice it, we¡¯ll head straight back here and look at all the other surrounding forests.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we just try the safer options first..?¡± Henry questioned.


    Uncomfortably aware of where she truly was and, for the first time, giving an extensive thought to what she was missing¡­ it wasn¡¯t hard to come up with an answer that likely only brought up more questions. ¡°We don¡¯t have the time.¡±


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    ¡­


    As far as she was aware, they didn¡¯t tell Tavin what they talked about. Not like he wasn¡¯t smart enough to figure it out on his own; if he hadn¡¯t heard them through the walls that night, he was able to make a guess given their actions. They didn¡¯t bring it up again, though she knew it was only a matter of time after they entered the forest that they started to keep her to her word.


    They¡¯d made camp just inside of the forest. It wouldn¡¯t have been hard to find their way back out again if they needed to¡­ though she doubted they¡¯d come across anything, since they¡¯d seen nothing out of the ordinary so far.


    ¡°We¡¯ll try to head further in tomorrow,¡± she announced. ¡°If there¡¯s anything good here, that¡¯s where it¡¯s going to be.¡±


    ¡°From the looks of it, someone was able to tell that there was something here,¡± Tavin remarked. He was looking at the map, something he¡¯d had from earlier that he had yet to return to her. He traced along the edge of the mark of the forest then towards the center. ¡°Either that or whoever had this smeared a bit of ink over it. It¡¯s impossible to tell with these kinds of maps¡­¡±


    Tim leaned over. ¡°I think that¡¯s a there¡¯s-treasure-here point.¡±


    Henry glanced at it too and shook his head. ¡°That just looks like a bunch of scribbles.¡±


    ¡°I borrowed that one from Dad,¡± Lydia said. ¡°He¡¯s probably the only one who knows what it is¡­ if he was the one to put it there.¡±


    They had to admit that there was no way of telling until they got there. It didn¡¯t take too much longer for another conversation to take its place, however¡ªone that she hoped wouldn¡¯t be brought up.


    Henry sounded casual when he said it, though at least to her it was clear what he truly wanted to learn from it. ¡°Mom, didn¡¯t you say once that there was someone you helped investigate but could never find?¡± He was trying to pass it off as just another one of his requests for a story. As much as she didn¡¯t want to give him more reasons to try to convince them out of this, she knew it was better to just go with it.


    Hesitating gave them just as much reason to be wary of their surroundings as admitting the whole truth to them would. She needed to find a happy medium between the two; make sure they knew enough that they weren¡¯t worried, but don¡¯t know so much that they realize what this all really was.


    Still, Lydia took the advantage of the campfire to give herself the perfect atmosphere. It would be like any of the other tales she would tell them.


    ¡°A couple and their young kid had been murdered in cold blood, but there were some things that made it different than most others. All the rooms were exactly as they¡¯d been before¡ªthe table was set for dinner, the couple¡¯s bed was made and clothes prepared for the next day, everything in perfect order¡­ except for the nursery. The crib was upturned and practically all of the floor and walls were covered in blood. The bodies of the couple were sitting in the window seat, staring at all those who walked inside, smiles sewn on their faces. The body of the baby sat in the middle. All of them looked like they¡¯d only just died due to an artifact beside them. On the windows were dozens of drawn eyes and the words written in blood, ¡®I watched you pretend to be the perfect family. Then you watched as I fixed you.¡¯¡±


    All three of them had heard the story before, but Tim and Henry still listened as if they¡¯d heard it for the first time; Tavin was still focused on something else. Lydia continued.


    ¡°We spent months investigating it; traveling there, trying to figure out if there were any signs of who had killed them. It was only then that we realized how long it must¡¯ve been since they were killed¡ªthey lived on their own, barely going out to town and only doing as little as possible there, so no one noticed when they stopped coming. We found more writing throughout the house that suggested that the killer¡¯s name had been Thistle, but even then we couldn¡¯t find anything about her. We still don¡¯t know where she might be hiding¡­ though it¡¯s pretty likely that she died or at least that they were the only ones she intended on targeting. No other murder since then has been associated with the same kinds of things that theirs had.¡±


    ¡°What was it like there?¡± Henry asked.


    Lydia shrugged. ¡°Well, technically I wasn¡¯t there myself until a couple of years after the investigation closed. I¡¯d learned about an artifact on the way there and Witless, Ellie, and I all went out to get it. But it was still pretty close to what those people that went said and the drawings they had looked like. Aside from the hole I may or may not have put into the wall, anyway¡­¡±

 The Stone Family Adventure: Book VI- Chapter 3

    She hadn¡¯t thought there was any danger when she went to sleep. She¡¯d planned for a normal forest, maybe a maze, that was hopefully where the next clue was; nothing weird or particularly troubling about any of it. It would just be a quick in and out trip, then they could go back to having fun. She¡¯d be able to gently remind them that she was right in that there was nothing to worry about. That, initially, hardly changed when she saw the boys weren¡¯t there.


    ¡°Come on, you two,¡± she called. ¡°I know you¡¯re better than to wander off on your own. You¡¯re nearby somewhere!¡±


    No response.


    Lydia sorted through their things. It was all neatly put away¡ªalmost like they were never there to begin with. They were probably hiding in a tree somewhere trying to make her believe that they shouldn¡¯t be here. She had to wonder what they must¡¯ve offered him if Tavin was willing to play along with the whole thing, though; usually he wouldn¡¯t put up with that kind of stuff. Or at the very least, he¡¯d play along, but often didn¡¯t go to the extent of going with them.


    She found a note that truly started to tip off that it really wasn¡¯t just a trick.


    ¡®I wonder, when are you going to wake up?¡¯


    It spoke some truth that she didn¡¯t want to acknowledge. She shook her head, sat it back down, and decided to take her search to the forest. ¡°Whatever you¡¯re trying to do now, you can stop! This isn¡¯t the place for games.¡±


    There was hardly a sign of them anywhere. It was a normal forest, complete with signs of only wildlife. All of it did nothing but contribute to her growing sense of panic. ¡°I know I don¡¯t use them very often but I do have the power to ground all three of you! That means you, an empty room, and constantly needing to deal with Mom. I¡¯ll do it! You know I will!¡±


    Still, there was nothing.


    Her head kept coming up with new possibilities to explain their absence. They could¡¯ve simply gone to set up something elaborate to get her to talk to them about what she was keeping. They could¡¯ve started out doing that, then got attacked by some wild animal while she was unable to do anything. Ski¨¢ could¡¯ve shown up, Imre always mumbled something about them more likely to hide in forests. She didn¡¯t usually worry about them; she knew they were strong enough that they¡¯d be able to take care of each other without her. But she¡¯d also had few reasons to be worried about them¡ªshe usually knew where they were, what they were doing, and if it was something dangerous then she was with them. None of that was here. The sheer uncertainty of the whole thing sent her mind into paranoid panic mode, coming up with so many ideas and admittedly very few of them actually possible.


    ¡°Envi? You¡¯re still here..?¡±


    She stopped. She looked around and couldn¡¯t help but mumble, ¡°Shit¡­¡±


    Things could have been bad. Or they could¡¯ve been way, way worse.


    She tried her best to maintain composure. She told herself that this might be another one of their attempts to get her to say they could leave, or to admit the dangers of being here. If they were watching somewhere, then she needed to act like she had everything under control. They needed to know they could trust her. Trust didn¡¯t come by losing face in possible danger.


    Yet now she had to face the possibility of what Mae said actually held a lot more truth in it than she¡¯d credited it for¡­ and the implications for when it did.


    ¡°I bet Imre¡¯s getting worried.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d really suggest you stop trying to mess with me!¡± Lydia warned. ¡°I¡¯m not in the mood to deal with this!¡±


    ¡°Tavin¡¯s probably waiting for you.¡±


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    She decided to turn it against itself. ¡°You¡¯re right, he¡¯s with the twins. They¡¯re all gods-knows-where waiting for me to admit that I made a mistake.¡±


    It didn¡¯t do what she hoped it would; it didn¡¯t go away, it got more distinguished.


    ¡°Are you sure about that? Maybe he¡¯s at the castle. Sitting next to his father, chilly but still willing to sit outside in the garden¡­ watching the sunset as still no word comes about what he was promised.¡± It took on an unfamiliar voice now; she didn¡¯t know who it was and, worse yet, she didn¡¯t know where it was. ¡°It¡¯s a shame. You came all the way out here, spent all this time¡­ just so then you wouldn¡¯t have to lose them. But you¡¯re doing the same thing to him that they did to you. Now how¡¯s that fair?¡±


    ¡°What do you want from me?¡± Lydia kept looking around, hoping she might find the source of the voice. If she could, then she might be able to make it stop. She was quickly losing the composure she¡¯d tried to keep. ¡°I¡¯ll get out of your forest! I just want my sons back. Just¡ªjust give me my sons back and we¡¯ll all leave.¡±


    ¡°Bold of you to assume I have them.¡±


    ¡°If you did anything to those three¡ª¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s saying that I did anything? I said I didn¡¯t have them. That doesn¡¯t mean that I did something to them.¡±


    ¡°Look, don¡¯t you want me to leave? We¡¯ll all get out of your forest and let you go back to doing whatever you want. I¡¯m willing to admit that I brushed off the possible danger of this place, okay? Just let us go back to our adventure¡­¡±


    ¡°You realize it, don¡¯t you? That sooner or later you¡¯re going to need to wake up? You can¡¯t keep looking back and seeing what will never be. Are you ready to face the reality that none of this can ever be reality?¡±


    ¡°Please¡­ let us go back¡­¡±


    It took a moment for the voice to say anything. ¡°You should get going. This isn¡¯t the kind of place one should linger for long¡­¡±


    Lydia knew better than to test the claim. She darted off and she started searching, calling, praying that somewhere around here was her sons. It felt like she was already losing them again; she wanted for them to be together for as long as possible, and nothing here was going to stop her.


    She gave herself some time to breathe, slowly considering where she was and what she would need to do to get out of it. She was running herself in circles; there must¡¯ve been something similar to a maze in here. Taking a moment to give her surroundings a more detailed look, she found a way to follow the things that changed.


    Unfortunately, there was something to keep her from staying in silence.


    ¡°Still no word from her?¡±


    ¡°I know she¡¯s back at the Stone estate by now, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Have you tried sending something? She could¡¯ve forgotten, or she¡¯s with someone who doesn¡¯t realize there¡¯s somewhere she was supposed to be.¡±


    ¡°Lewis sent a letter. He said she¡¯s fine but that she¡¯ll need a little longer. I tried asking what she was doing, but he still hasn¡¯t responded.¡±


    ¡°I guess we¡¯re just going to have to trust her. Lydia¡¯s good at keeping her promises; she¡¯ll come around eventually.¡±


    She wandered through the whole place to find what she hoped would put an end to all of it. There was an artifact tucked up beside a tree trunk. She knelt down and pulled away the vines around it to find that the voices stopped, and as soon as she turned around she saw Tim, Henry, and Tavin come out.


    ¡°There you three are!¡± Lydia rushed up to them and, in her relief, may have hugged them a bit too tightly. She stepped back and let her motherly instincts take over from there. ¡°I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re all safe. You are all alright, right?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re all fine, Mom,¡± Tim assured her. She chose, for now, to ignore the kind of expression the three of them shared; they¡¯d seen or heard something while she was gone. The thought of what it might have been didn¡¯t cross her mind for a little while longer.


    After checking herself to make sure that they were, in fact, completely fine, she was able to calm herself down. ¡°First things first. Did you wander off and do all of that or was it something else?¡±


    ¡°We didn¡¯t do anything,¡± Henry replied. ¡°Honestly I¡¯m not really sure what happened¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to admit that you both had pretty good points,¡± Lydia said, ¡°and that you were right. I¡¯ll think about the reputation of the places we¡¯re going to a little more from now on.¡±


    It took Tavin a moment to decide to say anything. ¡°What are you doing?¡± He didn¡¯t give her time to respond. ¡°We heard those voices. What were they talking about?¡±


    ¡°I think this has our next clue,¡± Lydia announced, showing them the artifact. None of them seemed to like how she avoided it. She had a feeling that they wouldn¡¯t like it no matter what she told them, so it was better not to say anything at all. ¡°Let¡¯s head back to the Shameers and figure out where we¡¯re supposed to be going now.¡±

 The Stone Family Adventure: Book VII- Chapter 1

    The amount of nobles they¡¯d encountered on this trip was already pretty high. It proved that the count was just going to keep getting higher when they¡¯d figured out the next clue.


    It wasn¡¯t Zulana that greeted them; a servant came by, gathered what little things they had, explained what rooms it would be brought to, then guided the four of them through the estate. He entered a room and briefly talked to whoever was inside before gesturing for them to come in.


    Zulana, initially, only looked up for a moment. ¡°Eldest Stone, Stone twins¡ª¡± She realized who had trailed along behind them and, almost reluctantly, got up and bowed. ¡°Prince Tavin. You¡¯ll have to excuse me, I wasn¡¯t expecting you to come¡­¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Tavin assured her distantly. His eyes were wandering around the room; all the scattered research notes and framed certificates proving they were in the study of one of Seothia¡¯s most brilliant minds. ¡°We¡¯re just glad you were willing to let us stay here for a night or two.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d be able to give you a much better stay than anyone else in town would,¡± she remarked. She gestured to a couple of seats and sat back down. ¡°We don¡¯t have a lot up here, after all, and we¡¯re not used to having many visitors. Soon you¡¯ll be on your way again, won¡¯t you?¡±


    Lydia nodded. ¡°We¡¯ve just got to figure out where this is supposed to lead us. I don¡¯t suppose you¡¯ve got any idea of what it might be?¡± The clue they¡¯d found in the forest ended up bringing them to an old book with a picture of an oasis; it was captioned with ¡®where myth is made but none shall live.¡¯ None of the Stones were very familiar with Tratae so they didn¡¯t know where it might be, but the overseer of the region might. She handed a copy of the picture and the original clue to Zulana.


    ¡°I was wondering what could¡¯ve made you decide to come to a place like this. There¡¯s hardly anything worth exploring here. This certainly sheds some light on that mystery¡­¡± She looked them both over with a thoughtful expression. ¡°Unfortunately, I can¡¯t easily come up with an idea of where it might be, at least not any more than all the other oases. With a bit of work and perhaps some help I might be able to give you a more specific direction, though.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll help,¡± Lydia offered.


    ¡°We can see if we can figure out anything together, too,¡± Henry decided. ¡°Divide and conquer.¡±


    ¡°I brought along some of the other artifacts,¡± Tim said. ¡°Maybe we¡¯ll be able to use them to figure out where we¡¯re supposed to go next.¡±


    ¡°Just don¡¯t get into any trouble.¡± She trusted them not to do anything destructive, but for the sake of someone else being there kind of needed to say it.


    The three boys all nodded and left.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve seen you, Lydia,¡± Zulana said after a moment. The only time she stopped looking at the picture was to get a book from the shelf; there were plenty of pictures in it, likely a record of the territory¡¯s geography. ¡°Quite some time ago, indeed. Wasn¡¯t it back when the king called us all together?¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t there,¡± Lydia mumbled. ¡°I had to help watch Natheniel and Tavin¡­¡±


    ¡°I could¡¯ve sworn I saw you before we all left.¡±


    ¡°You couldn¡¯t¡ª¡±


    Zulana put a finger to her lips then mouthed the words play along. She was looking behind Lydia.


    ¡°I guess we did come back before the meeting was technically over¡­¡± Lydia said slowly. She didn¡¯t know what the intention of it was supposed to be but she knew she shouldn¡¯t ask about it now. She decided to try her luck in a different way. ¡°You don¡¯t usually like holding a casual conversation¡ªyou say what you need to and go on with your day. Why are you doing this now..?¡±


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    It took Zulana a minute to say anything and, when she did, the vague sense of welcoming that was in her tone was gone. ¡°All three of them are eavesdropping little bastards, you know.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Those sons of yours were waiting outside. They needed to get out of the way before we could have a proper chat, so I went along with something so they¡¯d think it wasn¡¯t worth wasting their time.¡±


    ¡°How did you know¡ª¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a window behind you. One of my servants was standing nearby and gestured to tell me they were still there. He just told me that they left.¡± Zulana leaned back in her chair. ¡°I hope this isn¡¯t normal behavior for them¡­ and if it isn¡¯t, I¡¯m awfully curious to know what you did.¡±


    Lydia thought back to the forest but ultimately shook her head. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. We¡¯re here to figure out where our next stop might be and that¡¯s it. We¡¯ll be back on our way as soon as we know where we¡¯re going.¡±


    Yet in spite of, or perhaps because of, Lydia¡¯s clear hesitance to think any more on the matter, Zulana continued to talk. ¡°We actually haven¡¯t talked to each other in about fifteen years. I¡¯m going to be honest, in the time we all traveled back together, you were the center of speculation. We were conflicted¡ªhalf of us thought you were trying to repay something and the other half thought you were just stupid. I had assumed, at least, that you would¡¯ve accepted most of the offers the king gave to you.¡±


    ¡°Helping out a friend was all that I needed. All of that was him trying to compensate for something that really wasn¡¯t a problem.¡±


    ¡°Andrew¡­ he would be a baron if anyone cared to attach titles to his name, wouldn¡¯t he? A noble with hardly any influence, only the land around his estate to his name¡­ yet somehow, his daughter, hardly capable of fitting into the standard of nobility at all, befriends the king and finds herself becoming the mother of the prince. If a family could go from poverty to nobility simply by being related to the queen¡¯s adoptive father, imagine what it could¡¯ve done for the Stones. That seems like a kind of offer that shouldn¡¯t be passed up.¡±


    ¡°I really don¡¯t get why you¡¯re bringing this all up. It doesn¡¯t involve you.¡±


    ¡°I just can¡¯t help but think out loud¡­ like what she said about them. Haven¡¯t you thought about it? The fact that, even if this was real, they still wouldn¡¯t be with you¡­¡±


    Lydia, almost desperately, said, ¡°Can we just focus on this? If you¡¯re not going to help then I¡¯m going to go back to the boys and try to figure it out with them. I don¡¯t care for what you have to say.¡±


    Zulana smirked. ¡°It¡¯s getting closer to that time, you know. You¡¯re going to have to make a decision sooner or later¡­¡±


    ¡­


    All of that ended up being for nothing when Zulana eventually announced that she wasn¡¯t able to determine anything about the photo. Lydia went to the room she¡¯d be staying without thinking to check on the boys. She just kept staring at the photo and the clue, no idea what they were supposed to do with it.


    She jumped when the door swung open. Despite seeing that they were happy, she couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Did you blow something up?¡±


    ¡°Surprisingly no!¡± Tim replied enthusiastically. He came further in to show her what he¡¯d accomplished. ¡°I was able to combine the ring from Palus and the trinket from the archives. It brings up a different picture than usual, and it doesn¡¯t change with temperature, but it¡¯s kind of blurry. I think that if we attach the clue from the forest here, then it¡¯ll be able to give us a clearer idea of where we¡¯re supposed to be going.¡±


    ¡°And what¡¯s the chance that something¡¯s going to get set on fire if we test that theory in here?¡± Lydia prompted.


    ¡°None of these should even be able to start a fire. If it does, Henry has some water we can use to put it out.¡±


    She cautiously handed the clue over to him and he immediately started messing around with it again. ¡°How¡¯d you figure out you were supposed to put them together like that?¡±


    Tim looked ready to give a passionate speech before Henry walked up and said, ¡°You¡¯re not going to be able to understand whatever explanation he ends up coming up with. I didn¡¯t understand what he was doing and I was watching him do it.¡±


    Tim, however, chose to ignore him after realizing that Lydia still wanted to hear it anyway. ¡°There¡¯s these tiny hooks here and here. They don¡¯t directly attach to each other, at least not immediately, but after a while I was able to mess around with it long enough that I could get them to stay together. I¡¯ve just got to figure out where this is supposed to attach and how to get it on there¡­¡±

 The Stone Family Adventure: Book VII- Chapter 2

    ¡°I finally figured it out!¡± Tim announced in front of everyone the next morning. He showed them all what he could create from the three artifacts. ¡°The picture¡¯s still a bit blurry, but I think this glow will get brighter when we get closer to it.¡±


    ¡°Only took you all night,¡± Henry yawned. ¡°You couldn¡¯t have done that any quieter?¡±


    Lydia chose to ignore him in favor of praise. ¡°Great job. That should make finding it a bit easier.¡±


    Even Zulana, who was more or less passing by, stopped to admire it. ¡°You made that whole thing on your own?¡±


    ¡°Well, technically no,¡± Tim responded. The attention on his work made him blush. ¡°They were all artifacts that we found on our adventure. I just combined them all together until it did this.¡±


    ¡°May I see it?¡± Once he handed it to her, she kept moving it around and admiring it. ¡°I¡¯d guess that it wasn¡¯t easy to come up with these connections. You did this all on your own?¡±


    He nodded.


    Zulana handed the artifact back to him. ¡°You know, Lydia, for a while I didn¡¯t think the Stones would be made for anything except running around and wasting others¡¯ time. But this one¡¯s got a good future ahead of him, if you¡¯re willing for your family name to mean something other than adventure.¡±


    Tim perked up at the thought. ¡°You really mean it?¡±


    She gave him a small smile. ¡°Seothia could use smart people like you¡ªpeople willing to forge a better future for the world without magic. I can almost guarantee you¡¯ll have a place here if you ever decide to settle down.¡±


    They set out as soon as everything was ready. They made sure they were prepared for plenty of time spent here¡ªand they made sure it stayed that way by visiting almost every town they came across along the way.


    ¡°Stay a little closer!¡± Lydia called to Tim, who was some way ahead of them and much more interested in observing the artifact than watching out for his surroundings. ¡°You¡¯ve got to keep up with the rest of us!¡±


    His reverie broken, he looked back at her, nodded, and slowed down enough to be just in front of her instead.


    ¡°The only thing we know about the place is that clue, ¡®where myth is made but none shall live,¡¯¡± Henry remarked, glancing at her. ¡°Do you know any stories about where it might be?¡±


    Lydia gave it a moment of consideration before nodding. ¡°There aren¡¯t a lot about the desert, but I think there¡¯s one that might be worth considering here. I mean, it¡¯s pretty much the only one about an oasis that a Stone hasn¡¯t figured out in one way or another.¡±


    With the intent gaze of at least one of the boys, she went on to detail the story. ¡°There¡¯s supposedly an oasis around here that no one¡¯s been able to find before; no matter how hard they look, it¡¯s like it never existed in the first place. But if anyone can find it, then the waters reflect a part of a person¡¯s mind. What exactly that means isn¡¯t really something that¡¯s explained better, though, so that¡¯s all we know about it.¡±


    ¡°Do you think that¡¯s where this is going to lead us?¡± Tim asked, although his main focus still wasn¡¯t on the rest of them.


    ¡°It would make sense,¡± Tavin mumbled. ¡°There¡¯s very few places that would be able to match both descriptions.¡±


    ¡°What kind of stuff do you think the water reflects?¡± Henry wondered aloud.


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    She sighed. ¡°When are you going to realize that there¡¯s a reason I didn¡¯t tell you anything about the forest?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll believe it when I hear it. The only thing you¡¯ve ever told us about it was that you weren¡¯t going to explain what all of those voices meant. None of us are going to accept that as a good enough reason.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s the only kind of reason you¡¯re getting. Usually you¡¯re all a lot more subtle when you want to get some kind of information¡­¡±


    ¡°Every other time it didn¡¯t feel like it was important to what we were doing now.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not important. In fact it¡¯s only going to make things worse if I tell you. It¡¯s better for all of us if you pretend like you never heard it in the first place.¡±


    She knew her resistance wasn¡¯t helping. But she was more afraid of what they would do if they knew¡ªif knowing was the thing that made the whole thing fall apart. She couldn¡¯t risk ending it. Not when they were so close.


    It seemed Henry understood, though, that he wasn¡¯t going to be able to get anything else out of her. The most they spoke to each other was reminders to stick together and Tavin¡¯s absent declaration that they were going to be passing another town soon.


    ¡°We¡¯ll stay here for the night,¡± Lydia decided.


    ¡°I want to try messing with this a little more,¡± Tim said. ¡°I might be able to make it a little easier to tell where we¡¯re supposed to be going.¡±


    Henry nodded. ¡°There¡¯s still plenty of time left until sunset. We can go get a room at the inn while the two of you make sure we have everything we need for the morning.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m trusting you not to get into trouble,¡± she reminded them as she pulled out a smaller pouch and handed them a couple of silver coins. ¡°That should definitely cover it. Just stay there until we come back and, if there¡¯s still time, we can wander around for a while.¡±


    Henry¡ªthe more responsible of the two¡ªtook the coins and the twins walked towards the inn.


    Lydia told herself they¡¯d be fine and looked through the rest of the things in her satchel. ¡°It looks like we¡¯re still good on most of the supplies, but there¡¯s still a few places we could stop by. I can probably handle this all myself if you¡¯d rather rest with them.¡±


    Tavin shook his head. ¡°I want to be with you.¡±


    She became uncomfortably aware of reality and couldn¡¯t help but be haunted by Dimas¡¯s voice; ¡°Lydia¡¯s good at keeping her promises; she¡¯ll come around eventually.¡± There was someone waiting for her. And she was letting him down.


    But there he was in front of her, tilting his head curiously at his mother¡¯s lack of response.


    ¡°Let me know if you decide to change your mind,¡± she eventually said. ¡°I don¡¯t mind going by myself. We¡¯ve covered a lot of ground today and, with any luck, maybe we¡¯ll be able to cover more tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Tim mentioned earlier about how we were already pretty close to it,¡± he mumbled. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s going to take us very long to get there. You seem pretty interested in getting this finished as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand what that has to do with how close the oasis is.¡±


    ¡°I think you do.¡±


    That was, surprisingly, the last thing he said on the matter. She wondered how obvious it was that she was glad he didn¡¯t go any further.


    ¡°How many more of these do you think we¡¯re going to do?¡± Tavin asked as they walked around town, mostly wondering aloud. ¡°We¡¯ve already found five things and soon about to find a sixth.¡±


    ¡°So far there was one thing in every territory,¡± Lydia pointed out. ¡°We didn¡¯t find anything in Raisul territory, so maybe we¡¯ll need to go back there, and there¡¯s probably something in Mikkel territory. The only place we haven¡¯t been to at all is Rymbai, so¡­ I guess we¡¯re almost finished.¡±


    ¡°Do you really want this to end?¡±


    She didn¡¯t think too much before admitting the truth to him. ¡°Not really. Spending time with the three of you has been amazing, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever be ready for it to end.¡± Thinking about it a little more, she asked, ¡°What about you?¡±


    ¡°I like this. I feel like I¡¯m able to do things that I never would¡¯ve otherwise. But¡­ I also feel like there¡¯s something going on without me¡ªthat staying here means I¡¯m missing something else. I think¡­ I¡¯ll be sad when this is all over, but then I¡¯ll be glad that I¡¯m able to experience the real world again.¡±


    His words stayed with her for the rest of the day. She should have been the one to say that; she knew that was what, after all this time, she was supposed to be thinking. Yet she couldn¡¯t let it go that simply. As much as she kept being reminded of the other things, she couldn¡¯t imagine being able to leave and move on like that. Not as things were now.


    When they came back to the inn, Tim had good news for them. He¡¯d been able to tinker with the artifacts enough to get a clearer picture¡ªand he was able to tell exactly where they were supposed to be heading.

 The Stone Family Adventure: Book VII- Chapter 3

    They left the next morning. Tim, being the one with the artifacts, took the lead; Henry and Tavin were nearby and subjected to his excited rambling, meanwhile Lydia trailed behind them. Still being able to see them and close enough to help if they needed it, she didn¡¯t think to tell them to slow down. There were already too many thoughts running through her head.


    ¡°I think this is it!¡± Tim announced after a couple of hours. They¡¯d found their way to a shimmering oasis that seemed perfectly untouched by civilization.


    ¡°There¡¯s only one way to find out,¡± Henry remarked. ¡°Who else wants to try seeing what the reflection is supposed to show us?¡± The other two boys nodded.


    Lydia gave her answer before they asked. ¡°I¡¯m going to stay here and look around a little more.¡±


    She wasn¡¯t lying. She really would¡¯ve preferred to look around the area, try to see if there was something that could help them on their adventure. Honestly, she hadn¡¯t considered what the boys would¡¯ve seen. It was only brought to her attention when she heard what they said about it a couple minutes after heading over to it.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you two have reflections..?¡± There was little wonder why it sounded like Tavin didn¡¯t truly want to know the answer. If all the conversations the two of them had had since starting meant anything, he could already make a guess.


    ¡°Why¡¯s yours so young?¡± Henry returned in a shared sense of hesitance.


    ¡°Mom said it reflected a part of a person¡¯s mind,¡± Tim said. ¡°You¡¯re definitely not like a three-year-old.¡±


    The twins didn¡¯t show up at all and Tavin was the same age he was in reality. Lydia fought back a panic and somehow managed a casual tone when she suggested, ¡°How about you three try to find where the next clue is?¡±


    They all slowly nodded and walked away. It seems they didn¡¯t want to question it any more than she wanted to explain it. At least for now, they were content with pretending like they saw nothing.


    She waited a moment until she knew that they were too distracted by other things to notice her. No matter how risky it may have been if the boys heard it, she was curious to see what it would show her. And, still focused on the fantasy rather than reality, she thought she¡¯d store away a bit of its waters for later; give it to Tim as a birthday present and let him see what he could do with it.


    Cautiously, she stepped up to the oasis. At first, her reflection was like any other; it soon twisted into something else, a series of memories she had yet to sort out the feelings for.


    Imre was sitting at his desk, hunched over several documents like he usually was. What made these documents different was that they weren¡¯t reports about the Ski¨¢¡ªthey were notes and journal entries they¡¯d found scattered across Minne¡¯s room.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got that pensive look,¡± illusion-Lydia pointed out. ¡°I¡¯m guessing this wasn¡¯t a good ¡®come by as soon as possible,¡¯ then..?¡±


    She knew it was worse than that when he took a moment to figure out how he was going to say it. ¡°When we went to Idale, we saw how Mother tried to help Umber. He told her there was someone better to use that ability on. According to this, Father told her something similar before he died. Then she writes here that her spirits encouraged her that it was time to use her powers¡­ on Tavin.¡±


    Too many things were considered in those first few moments after hearing it. Then, like several of her other problems, she feigned casualness until she made herself believe that she didn¡¯t care. Only a handful of people were aware of Minne¡¯s sacrifice; Dimas, Kiah, Samone, Andrew, Lewis, and Elena. Lydia purposely avoided telling Diana yet she figured it out anyway. Even with those few people, it felt like the twins all over again.


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    Were it not for Minne, Lydia would have lost another child. It wouldn¡¯t have been just any noble¡¯s son, however. It would¡¯ve been the prince. Every time she thought she might¡¯ve been close to simply accepting it, she got reminded of how close they were¡ªhow close Imre was to understanding what she felt eight years prior. All because of her.


    The reflection disappeared and changed from that scene, instead showing illusion-Lydia at the library. It was a secluded section, one she knew no one would go to unless they were looking for her. She didn¡¯t want to have to explain the stacks of books around her, or the desperate way she was looking through them.


    She needed some assurance¡ªsome time away from reality where she could collect her thoughts before she broke down completely.


    When she found something of interest, she read it out loud. ¡°¡®There is a temple where Usiu temporarily resided in this land. It is said that a fragment of her power still resides there, willing to help all those in need of finding their way.¡¯¡±


    She knew from that moment what she needed more information on. This was what she needed to put all those thoughts on the past behind her.


    Now, Lydia bent down in front of the oasis and took an empty canteen out of her satchel (careful not to disrupt Melai¡¯s ashes as she did so). She collected some of the water and stepped back again before the boys returned.


    If they¡¯d heard anything, they made no immediate mention to it. Tavin came up to her first, being the one to hold the tree-shaped charm.


    ¡°There¡¯s writing on the back of it,¡± he explained when he was close to her. He turned the charm around so she could see it; more of a language she barely recognized. ¡°¡®An age-old tree is waiting to give its heart to someone. Why don¡¯t you accept its offer?¡¯¡±


    ¡­


    Lydia, after their previous encounters, hadn¡¯t considered telling Zulana about their discoveries. Yet the region controller prompted them about their discoveries when they got there, then listened intently as Tim and Henry recounted it.


    ¡°Quite the curiosity you discovered,¡± she remarked casually. She was now looking at the trinket Tim had handed her. ¡°I wonder why it didn¡¯t show anything for you¡­¡±


    Her tone, however, joined the many others in the sense that they knew more than what they said. Her glance at Lydia only proved it.


    ¡°Now that we have it, all that¡¯s left is to try to find where it leads,¡± Lydia mumbled, mostly to change the subject. ¡°The only place we haven¡¯t been yet is Rymbai territory. But I guess it could be in Mikkel territory too, since we haven¡¯t been there for this trip specifically.¡±


    Zulana nodded. ¡°There must be something in Rymbai territory. That forest has been around for longer than anyone could even imagine. Most of the trees are much taller than anything you¡¯re going to come across in Mikkel territory. I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be a good place to start.¡±


    Tavin shook his head. ¡°Except for one thing: Lord Tanavir doesn¡¯t let anyone in the territory without his permission. It¡¯s going to take a lot more than ¡®we need this for our adventure, plus we have the prince with us¡¯ to convince him to let us in.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Lydia sighed. ¡°It¡¯s a part of his whole Ski¨¢-monitoring thing. I don¡¯t have any connections in there who might be able to make up a reason to let us in¡­¡±


    ¡°Could we get Imre to say something to him?¡± Henry suggested. ¡°We¡¯re so close now, we can¡¯t let something like this stop us!¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a lot the king will need to say in order for Tanavir to allow someone in,¡± Zulana remarked. ¡°As far as I¡¯m aware, the king only had permission to send someone in there once or twice¡­ out of the countless times he¡¯s tried relaying messages and the like to Tanavir.¡±


    ¡°So, what are our other options?¡± Tim asked.


    Zulana smirked. ¡°You might not have any connections, but I certainly do.¡± She looked at Tim directly when she continued,  ¡°Do you remember what I told you earlier about how Seothia could use brains like yours? A close associate of mine is having a bit of trouble with something she¡¯s working on. If you¡¯re willing to help her, I¡¯m sure I can pull a couple of strings and get Tanavir to let all four of you get into his territory.¡±


    ¡°Is there some other catch to this?¡± Lydia questioned.


    ¡°I¡¯m not Onesa,¡± Zulana replied with a hint of disgust. ¡°I don¡¯t play around with fate or bet my fortunes on the foolishness of others. All you have to do is agree to help my associate and you can spend all the time you want in the territory. It¡¯s not even a hard task, either¡ªor at least, not for anyone like your son, if he¡¯s anything he seems to be.¡±


    Still, Lydia didn¡¯t know if her uncertainty came from the situation or the realization that they were nearing the end. ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll help her out.¡±

 The Stone Family Adventure: Book VIII- Chapter 1

    It took suspiciously less time than a bird flying between the two places for Zulana to get an answer to her request. Lydia decided it was better not to question it, though, since it got them where they needed to be.


    Their ride brought them through the territory until it made its final stop at a manor; something a bit less extravagant than the Stone estate, yet all the same translating that family¡¯s influence in the region. Lydia took the lead and knocked on the door, now allowing herself a moment to consider the situation.


    Zulana still hadn¡¯t told them much about who they were going to be meeting with. The most they ever got was ¡°an associate who needs help fixing something.¡± She hadn¡¯t even shared a name or what it was that needed fixing that, by the sounds of it, only Tim had the talent to do. At least in the eastern parts of Seothia, there wasn¡¯t anything that could break that someone vaguely familiar with couldn¡¯t fix unless it involved magic. If it did, then that was a whole other situation that Tim still wouldn¡¯t be able to help with¡­


    A child answered the door with a woman close behind them. ¡°Hello.¡±


    ¡°Dabur, what did I tell you about showing yourself to strangers?¡± the woman hissed in a tone that only slightly possessed care in it. ¡°You never know who¡¯s a threat, remember that. They¡¯ll devour you in a heartbeat if they were given a chance.¡±


    The child nodded and stepped behind her.


    ¡°We¡¯re the Stones,¡± Lydia explained. ¡°I¡¯m assuming Zulana told you that we were coming?¡±


    The woman held the door open a little wider and gestured for them all to come in. ¡°Yes, though I can¡¯t say I was expecting you this early. I¡¯m Mei and this is my child, Dabur.¡±


    ¡°Lydia, Tim, Henry, and Tavin,¡± Lydia said, motioning to the owner of the name while she said it. She was the first inside and continued to follow Mei into another room. ¡°What did you need help with?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s something to stay between Tim and I,¡± Mei remarked. ¡°There¡¯s not a lot of room in there to fit the rest of you, you see. Without being able to see it or have any other information about it, you¡¯re not going to be able to understand what it is.¡±


    Lydia made no attempt to hide her suspicion.


    ¡°It¡¯s completely safe, if that¡¯s what you¡¯re wondering. We wouldn¡¯t entrust something dangerous to someone who has no idea what consequences it might hold.¡± Realizing that still didn¡¯t do much, Mei sighed. ¡°If you must know, we¡¯re experimenting with alternative ways of transportation. The model we came up with worked for a time but what we came up with isn¡¯t lasting long. With any luck, a fresh perspective may be able to help us think of something that might actually last.¡±


    Tim seemed to have completely forgone carefulness at the thought. ¡°You mean I could really help with something like that?¡± At her nod, he asked, ¡°When can we get started?¡±


    ¡°As soon as your mother lets you out of her sight, I presume,¡± Mei answered casually.


    Lydia barely needed to see Tim¡¯s hopeful expression before saying, ¡°Just don¡¯t mess with anything weird.¡± She glanced at Mei and added, ¡°As a fair warning, he¡¯s known to set stuff on fire, so you may want to be prepared.¡±


    Mei laughed and patted Dabur, who hadn¡¯t left her side. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, this one is prone to something similar.¡± She knelt down to tell them something, then turned her attention and mumbled something to Tim before leading him out of the room.


    Dabur wandered over to a chair and gave a curt nod offering for the three to do the same. ¡°I¡¯m supposed to entertain you. Please be entertained.¡±


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    A moment of silence followed while they tried to make sense of the near-emotionless kid in front of them.


    ¡°Do you mess with artifacts, too?¡± Henry eventually asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m not very good at what Mother does,¡± Dabur responded. ¡°But they tell me I¡¯m good at what I¡¯m supposed to do. That¡¯s why I break some of the things they have.¡± They paused. ¡°What¡¯s an artifact?¡±


    ¡°Old objects,¡± Tavin said, ¡°though in this case, those that also have magical properties.¡±


    They shook their head. ¡°I don¡¯t touch those. Everyone says that they¡¯re dangerous. I¡¯ve seen a couple of them, though¡­ I made them stop working.¡±


    ¡°What does Mei work on here?¡± Lydia figured she might as well try to see if they would answer her. Everything that they¡¯d said so far only made her more sure that there was more going on here than what meets the eye.


    Their answer both told the full truth yet left much unsaid. ¡°She wants to improve Seothia. She thinks we can be better without magic, so that¡¯s what she tries to do. If she can get them to believe we¡¯re better¡­ that¡¯s what I¡¯m for.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure I didn¡¯t just agree to get my son caught up in something he really shouldn¡¯t be?¡± Lydia questioned.


    ¡°Mother keeps her promises. Someone like him would never be allowed there anyway. Too close to the other factors.¡±


    ¡°You know that really doesn¡¯t help, right?¡±


    Dabur shrugged. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry.¡± That was the only thing they said on the matter before changing the subject completely. ¡°You¡¯ve seen a lot, haven¡¯t you?¡± There was the smallest amount of emotion in their voice: curiosity.


    She nodded. ¡°We travel all around Seothia, exploring ruins and uncovering age-old secrets.¡±


    ¡°Even Qizar?¡±


    ¡°Not as much since Imre doesn¡¯t trust me, but yeah. I can tell you about a trip there, if you want.¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to hear a story. Do they like you there?¡±


    ¡°I guess? I¡¯m usually not around them for long¡ªI just stop at a town to get what I need and then I¡¯m off to do whatever I came there for. Not a lot of people recognize me there. I mean, they tolerate me. It¡¯s the same kind of treatment I¡¯d say Zofie gives me and I¡¯ve known her for years. I can¡¯t really expect much else from them.¡±


    ¡°Was it pretty?¡±


    ¡°Definitely. There¡¯s a lot of stuff there that you¡¯re never going to be able to see in Seothia.¡±


    ¡°Maybe¡­ maybe I want to hear a story. I¡¯ve only been in the desert and forest. Mother doesn¡¯t like me going out. She doesn¡¯t tell me a lot about the outside, either. I don¡¯t think she¡¯ll mind if you tell me¡­¡±


    Lydia felt obligated to ask, ¡°Just to make sure, how likely is she to get mad if she does care?¡±


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t get mad,¡± they assured her. ¡°Or at least, there¡¯s nothing she can do to you.¡±


    Only vaguely comforted by the fact, she went on to ask more about what they wanted. Once she had a good idea of the story she was going to tell them, she spared nothing in telling it. When she finished one, they asked for another. Then she stopped in the middle of the story when she realized that the wait, at least for now, was over.


    ¡°You¡¯ve only just started working on all of that a couple of years ago? There¡¯s so much!¡± It was reassuring to hear Tim so happy.


    ¡°Well, we weren¡¯t able to do anything with the plans until then. This is something we¡¯ve been working on for a long time; we simply haven¡¯t had the time or resources to test it all out until recently. Or, rather, test them out to their full extent.¡±


    ¡°Have you already tried talking to Imre about them? I bet he¡¯d help fund them. They all have several practical uses to them, so there¡¯s not a reason to just let the ideas go to waste.¡±


    Mei was reentering the room where the rest of them were. ¡°I wish the throne had someone like you with them. Unfortunately, however, we¡¯ve already been denied any help from the king. He told us he didn¡¯t have anything left to spare; we are, after all, a kingdom trying to kill shadows.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Tim quickly perked up, though, to see his brothers. He looked back at Mei for a moment. ¡°Can I tell them what we were working on?¡±


    She nodded and the boys proceeded to gather to discuss it. While they were talking, she wandered over to Lydia. ¡°I¡¯m sure Zulana¡¯s already praised him, if she guessed that he¡¯d be smart enough to help. I have to admit, he knew a lot more about the whole thing than I thought he was going to. When did he learn it?¡±


    Realizing she didn¡¯t know the answer, Lydia simply shrugged. ¡°They both have a lot of time to do their own thing.¡± She then decided to prompt, ¡°Are you done?¡±


    Mei shook her head. ¡°I still want to work with him for a little while longer. By tomorrow, perhaps, I¡¯ll be willing to let you get back to what you¡¯re truly here for. I want to make sure he either has the joy of knowing what he suggested works or the knowledge that, the more failures, the more fulfilling the success.¡±

 The Stone Family Adventure: Book VIII- Chapter 2

    It seemed the only thing she heard for the next day was praises about Tim. Everyone who came by knew about how he was helping Mei; saying that many of them also went to the same general area they disappeared to, Lydia assumed them to be friends of hers. Still, it was strange how many people were coming in and out of the manor. Especially for the fact that, by noon, she would¡¯ve guessed there wouldn¡¯t be enough room to host everyone wherever they were. Not to mention how quickly the word had spread and how it had gone between so many different people. She decided she was better off not knowing the answer and didn¡¯t ask Mei about it.


    Though they were never explicitly told where they were and were not supposed to go, it seemed like there was. When Lydia wandered around earlier, she¡¯d gotten a couple of odd glances but no one said anything to her. She informed the boys they should probably just stick to the rooms they¡¯d been given and the room they¡¯d been in for the majority of the day before. It wasn¡¯t too long before then that Mei came and asked Tim to come with her. People only came up to Lydia to mention something about him and walk away again. The three of them had nothing to do but watch everyone else come in and out and bide time until they could leave.


    Lydia kept herself occupied by trying to determine where the tree might be. There were a lot of possible locations and not a lot else to go off of. Tavin had originally been helping her, but was now caught up in a conversation with Henry, who¡¯d previously been alternating between staring out the window and wandering around the room.


    ¡°Do you think what they¡¯re working on is ever going to go anywhere?¡± he asked casually, now admiring some decorative candles.


    ¡°Not anytime soon,¡± Tavin mumbled. ¡°Not unless everything with the Ski¨¢ gets solved a lot quicker than we expect it to. Otherwise, there¡¯s not enough of anything to make any of the ideas Tim talked about capable of being executed on a large scale. That¡¯s also assuming the finished product is actually able to compete with magic.¡±


    ¡°But aside from Travel magic charms, we don¡¯t really use any in Seothia, do we? At least related to the stuff that he mentioned¡­¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re all a lot more common than you might think they are. The only problem is that not all of the kingdom uses them¡ªthe northern territories avoid anything even vaguely associated with magic. Whatever ends up being created, it needs to be something that can help the whole kingdom. If it doesn¡¯t do that, then it¡¯s unlikely it¡¯s going to get anywhere.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s the only thing that should be considered about it, though,¡± Lydia said thoughtfully. ¡°We¡¯ve also got to consider the fact that we probably shouldn¡¯t rely on magic forever. I¡¯m definitely not an expert on it but, from what I¡¯ve seen, it¡¯s not nearly as reliable as Seothians make it out to be. In theory, I think what they¡¯re working on is going to do exactly what they hope it does. In practice¡­ we¡¯re all reminded the northern territories have been talking about getting rid of magic for decades and decide they couldn¡¯t honestly have the kingdom¡¯s best interest in mind.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t long after that Tim walked in, soon followed by Mei. Dabur, who¡¯d been strangely absent for most of the day, also came in behind her.


    ¡°We¡¯re done now,¡± Mei announced. ¡°Thanks to Tim, we were able to get it working and have a fairly reliable way of repeating the process. We¡¯re making great strides towards a better future, I¡¯m sure of it.¡±


    Tim wandered over to his brothers. ¡°Were you able to find anything else about the clue?¡±


    Lydia shook her head. ¡°There¡¯s too little to go off of and too much that needs to be sorted through.¡± She glanced at Mei. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t happen to know anything that could help us out, would you?¡±


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    ¡°It all depends on what you want to know,¡± she mused, looking at the map. ¡°What information have you been given already?¡±


    ¡°¡®An age-old tree is waiting to give its heart to someone. Why don¡¯t you accept its offer?¡¯¡± Tavin recited.


    Mei muttered some things to herself, though it was impossible to tell exactly what she was saying. It took her a moment before she addressed them at all. ¡°I believe there¡¯s been mentions of a voice speaking of others¡¯ woes in the forest. In the figurative sense, I suppose you could say that it¡¯s giving its heart out to anyone who¡¯s willing to listen.¡± She pointed to a spot on the map. ¡°It¡¯s around here, right outside of the land belonging to the manor. I don¡¯t know much more than that, though. But I¡¯m close friends with the noble who owns that area, so if they try to stop you, just mention me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a better start than what we had before,¡± Lydia decided. ¡°Thanks.¡±


    She gathered up the map and anything else they had out and put it all back in her satchel. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t mind if we come back here when we¡¯re done, would you? Whether or not we find anything, I don¡¯t think Tanavir¡¯ll appreciate it if he hears there¡¯s people camping out in his territory.¡±


    ¡°I daresay he¡¯s not going to like the fact that you¡¯re traveling at all,¡± Mei said. But still, she nodded. ¡°If not only for Tim, you¡¯ve earned your right to stay here. As long as you don¡¯t mess with things you¡¯re not supposed to, that is.¡±


    Lydia showed her gratitude with a smile and glanced at the boys. ¡°Make sure you¡¯ve all got everything we¡¯ll need. We should be able to look around a bit before it gets dark.¡± Presumably, the Ski¨¢ weren¡¯t a threat at night here; that didn¡¯t mean she wanted to assume that they could push their luck with it, though.


    Mei and Dabur left as soon as they realized they weren¡¯t needed for anything else. Lydia and the boys made sure they had everything they needed before setting out.


    The quiet was something that none of them were particularly used to.


    ¡°Even knowing what Tanavir does, it doesn¡¯t make this silence any less weird,¡± Tim remarked. ¡°It¡¯s like there¡¯s nothing living here at all¡­¡±


    ¡°I guess it¡¯s supposed to be reassuring,¡± Henry said with a shrug. ¡°A reminder that nothing can come in and nothing goes out. Everything that¡¯s here is never going to leave and anything from the outside is never going to enter.¡±


    Tavin shook his head. ¡°This isn¡¯t natural. Any of it. Not what he does, not the means he does to do it. The fact that it seems to work is the only thing that lets him continue to do it.¡±


    ¡°That and from the sounds of it, he¡¯s not going to listen to anything Imre tells him. I don¡¯t even think he listened to Casper¡­¡± Lydia mumbled. Everything around here was supposed to put her at ease to know that they were completely alone and free from the shadows. It just made her more nervous about what else could be here.


    Henry¡¯s next question was one he was hesitant to ask, yet curiosity must¡¯ve gotten the better of him. ¡°What do you think they do if there is a Ski¨¢ somewhere?¡±


    ¡°Whoever it is either prays that a patrol group comes by or becomes another missing person in the territory,¡± Tavin answered blankly. ¡°Either way, they¡¯re considered stupid for deciding to go out at all. This kind of ¡®peace¡¯ is only maintained by keeping a close eye on everything. If someone deviates from that, then according to Lord Tanavir, they deserve whatever fate they get.¡±


    Lydia took the map back out to make sure she knew where they were going. ¡°I don¡¯t know how anyone could want to live here¡­ The same kind of thing can happen in most places in Qizar, with the same kind of right to wander as everywhere else.¡±


    ¡°Even fear can¡¯t bring them to get near the children of Fleyw Bresh,¡± Tavin mused. ¡°So they have to choose the next best option¡­ even if it only takes that place as the only other option.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s just find this tree quickly,¡± Tim decided. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be out here any longer than we have to be.¡±


    ¡°Agreed.¡± Henry gave a cautious look to their surroundings. He in no way seemed relieved to see nothing.

 The Stone Family Adventure: Book VIII- Chapter 3

    It was slightly more startling than usual to suddenly hear voices. They weren¡¯t anything familiar, though, thankfully; they weren¡¯t even comprehensible for a little while. She took the growing clearness to mean that they were getting closer to where they needed to be.


    ¡°I wonder what he thinks of me¡­ we¡¯ve been friends for so long¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it, I¡¯ll go and have a long conversation with her! Except, she moved to another town a couple of days ago, and it sounds like everything¡¯s going to get tighter again¡­¡±


    ¡°Am I doing the right thing by being here? I just want to keep others from going through the pain that I did. But in order to do that, I¡¯m doing exactly that to other people¡­¡±


    ¡°Did I leave the fire going when I left? I guess I should backtrack and make sure, just to be safe¡­¡±


    ¡°I should be back before sundown. Hopefully I can get to her by then¡­¡±


    There were less distinct voices among these, too, yet still nothing that resembled something familiar. Even if they all belonged to strangers, the four weren¡¯t apathetic towards their woes. These were people just as much as they were, struggling to make it through the day in a world that was constantly against them. If there¡¯d been a way to determine the owners of these voices, they would¡¯ve sought them out and offered help where they could. Lydia learned at least one thing in her many years of adventuring: they needed to stick together, no matter who ¡°they¡± were, if they were going to have any hope of all seeing the end.


    Eventually, they came to a place where all of the voices became another part of the background noise. A giant tree was in front of them, a vague kind of mystical glow in the center of it that suggested that it was more than average.


    ¡°What do you think we do now?¡± Henry asked, walking around the base of the tree. ¡°I don¡¯t see anything that obviously screams ¡®this is your next clue.¡¯¡±


    Tim poked the part of the wood where it glowed the most. ¡°I have a feeling we need to get in there somehow. There are very few things in this world that glow that aren¡¯t mystically related to something else.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s an opening over here,¡± Tavin observed. He gestured to a spot closer to the roots, where there was a gap between the tree and the ground. ¡°It¡¯s a bit too rectangular to be something natural.¡±


    Lydia walked over and, just so see what might happen, took a near-empty book out of her satchel and placed it in the gap. It just barely fit and, after making sure it had gone as far in as it possibly could, took it back out again. Nothing had happened to it and nothing about the tree seemed to have changed.


    She then proceeded to do what she immediately prefaced with ¡°Boys, never try to do this.¡± and simply stuck her hand in. Feeling around still didn¡¯t give her any more of an idea of how it was supposed to help, though. She stood back up. ¡°It didn¡¯t feel like there was anything there at all¡ªjust completely smooth. Tim, is there something from the other artifacts we have that might be able to fit in there?¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°They¡¯re all a lot smaller than that, even if they were combined. Unless there¡¯s something we¡¯re missing, that must not be what we¡¯re supposed to use.¡±


    ¡°Can you step back for a minute? I¡¯m going to see if there¡¯s anything else I can do,¡± Lydia said. When Tim nodded and went to stand beside his twin, she came up to the tree and pulled a dagger out.


    ¡°Is that really a smart idea?¡± Tavin questioned.


    She shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ve done way more questionable things than stab a glowing tree. It¡¯ll be fine.¡± Perhaps this kind of recklessness was what she resorted to instead of panic, since they weren¡¯t finding anything. Then again, this was usually normal for her if she was alone or with her siblings. But she was sure that she¡¯d be able to take any possible consequences and found no point in worrying about it.


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    Nothing changed or threatened her, so she continued. The dagger had been enchanted to cut through anything; it wasn¡¯t difficult to carve something around the glowing part. That, and it got a lot easier once she realized there was already a path through it. It wasn¡¯t able to be taken out so, instead, she pushed it.


    The tree stopped glowing, though that wasn¡¯t all that happened. The same glow was now inside of the gap. Lydia once again bent down and felt something there now, pulling it out to reveal what had caused the glowing: a heart-shaped stone, realistic enough to make her wonder if it had been crafted at all. The voices got quieter and less distinct before disappearing altogether.


    ¡°Do you think this is our clue?¡± Henry asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what it¡¯ll be if it wasn¡¯t,¡± Lydia remarked. ¡°Let¡¯s head back to Mei¡¯s manor, we can figure out what it¡¯s supposed to help us do when we get there.¡± She put the stone in her satchel and began to lead the way¡­ until she stopped soon after.


    She felt the weight of the blankets on her, the heat from being under them for so long, the dried tears and the near overwhelming need to shed more. Knowing what would soon happen, she decided, ¡°Actually, let¡¯s look around a little more. It¡¯ll be better to make sure we¡¯ve done everything we can here so we don¡¯t have to come back later.¡±


    It fooled none of them, she knew that. Yet there was nothing more she could do. The world went black around her and she truly was back in her bedroom. She knew there had to be more for the clasp to show her. Or at least, she hoped there was as she prayed she wasn¡¯t interrupted. This gave her the panic that had been absent before, trying to get it to bring her back while desperately hoping to tune out the conversation happening outside her door.


    ¡°Has she even left to eat..? Are you sure she¡¯s feeling alright?¡± Elena was as worried as always. Still she proved to have no idea what was truly going on.


    ¡°She¡¯s completely fine. She just needs some time for herself,¡± Lewis responded confidently.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been saying that all day. Don¡¯t you think this is getting a little bit out of hand?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°The sun¡¯s already setting. If she doesn¡¯t leave soon, then it¡¯s not going to be safe enough to make the trip there.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure she¡¯s aware of that.¡±


    ¡°We should do something¡ª¡±


    There was a shuffling noise, like Lewis stepping in front of the door. ¡°She needs this. Don¡¯t bother her.¡±


    ¡°Then can you at least explain why Imre keeps trying to send letters that you¡¯re not responding to?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d think that part would be obvious. They¡¯re both waiting for her.¡±


    ¡°If they¡¯re waiting for her, shouldn¡¯t we make sure she actually gets there?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll be better if we just let her do this. You don¡¯t need to worry about it.¡±


    ¡°Why can¡¯t you just tell me what¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to be able to understand it.¡±


    ¡°Is there any way I can?¡±


    ¡°I hope not.¡±


    That was enough to tell Elena what it was about. They were both silent for a while until there was noise of one of them walking away.


    ¡°Whatever you¡¯re doing, Lydia, you better hurry up. It¡¯s not as easy as it may seem to keep covering for you¡­¡± Then Lewis left too.


    Lydia wiped the tears away and went back to focusing on the clasp. Slowly the fantasy came back to her, bringing a sense of relief to know that she hadn¡¯t lost it completely.


    Throughout that whole conversation, if any time had passed here, she¡¯d simply just stood there. The boys were just coming back from giving the area a more thorough look.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing else here,¡± Tim announced.


    Henry nodded. ¡°I didn¡¯t even see anything that might tell us something about what the clue¡¯s supposed to do.¡±


    Mostly to assure herself that she was here now and wasn¡¯t going to leave again, she nodded. ¡°Now we can head back to Mei. If we can¡¯t figure anything out while we¡¯re with her, we¡¯ll return home and see if Dad can help.¡±


    She took to following the rest of them on their way back. They really were reaching the end now. The clasp wouldn¡¯t be able to let her hold on for much longer; she needed to say it soon, before she was right back to having no way of saying it at all¡­


    She could¡¯ve sworn, as a part of a mumble coming from her satchel, she heard her own voice. ¡°If only we could¡¯ve really spent all this time together¡­ if only this had all been real¡­¡±

 The Stone Family Adventure: Book IX- Chapter 1

    They were back at the Stone estate and completely clueless on where they were supposed to go next. They¡¯d gone everywhere else in the kingdom except for somewhere in Mikkel territory. It only partly made sense¡ªjudging by the way everything else was, there should be one here too. But unlike all the others, it wasn¡¯t tied to any geographical location. Since the modern territory borders weren¡¯t really drafted up until after Lucas took the throne, Achadus wouldn¡¯t have known about those. Yet there was still this gap between everything else that Mikkel territory took up. Lelishara had a much longer history of being a capital than Hyasari did¡ªit was used by the old kings, whose beginning was blurred by time.


    She knew it would help to determine the rest of the possibilities with a clear head. Yet, she couldn¡¯t stop herself from realizing that things were almost over. The end was coming and it wouldn¡¯t be much longer until she¡¯s forced to face reality again. The occasional lapse of remembering where she was supposed to be made that clear.


    Tim and Henry were observing the stone heart, though their mumbled argument seemed to be of something completely unrelated. Tavin was content with reading something; it was the safer option than offering his help, given the mood she was in. Lydia had all the other clues laid out in front of her, along with several maps, any written notes of what they did, all desperately trying to find how it would connect to the end.


    Honestly, she almost would¡¯ve considered it a good thing that they wouldn¡¯t be able to find it. But she knew whether or not they found it wasn¡¯t what would change how long she stayed. Her time limit was running out quickly and, if they didn¡¯t do this now, they¡¯d never be able to.


    She had the locations of all the other artifacts they found on the map in front of her, though even now had no way to connect the dots. She hardly noticed someone else walking in until she heard that familiar¡ªand quite frankly ineffective¡ªtone of disappointment.


    ¡°You¡¯re still trying to make the connection?¡± Diana sighed. ¡°I¡¯d hoped you¡¯d be gone by now.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d hoped you''d stayed at your friend¡¯s house a little longer,¡± Lydia returned absently. ¡°It¡¯s a lot easier to think without you trying to complain about me. If you want me gone that badly, then you can try to be helpful and leave. Once you¡¯re gone, I can concentrate, and you don¡¯t have to deal with me. That way, we can both be happy.¡±


    Andrew came in before much more could be discussed between them. ¡°Come on, both of you. You could stand to act a little more mature around each other, can¡¯t you?¡±


    The grumbles were their only sign of ever agreeing.


    ¡°Diana, I believe Lustris could use some help with something outside,¡± Andrew mumbled.


    She muttered something else that Lydia chose not to pay attention to and, just like that, Diana left again.


    Andrew wandered closer to where Lydia was. ¡°Still having trouble, I see.¡±


    ¡°What if I can¡¯t figure it out?¡± She hated to even say it out loud. It made it all seem more real, in a way, like it was set in stone now and nothing was going to be able to change it. ¡°I¡¯ve been working for hours and I still haven¡¯t gotten any further in figuring out where it¡¯s supposed to lead us.¡±


    Andrew gained a small smile and went to sit beside her. ¡°Where¡¯s that self-confident girl I raised? The Lydia I know never would have admitted defeat. She¡¯d find something new¡ªdo absolutely everything she could and, when all those options failed, try something completely unpredictable. She never left a question unanswered and never left a secret for someone else to uncover.¡± His smile quickly faded, though, when he realized that it did nothing to reassure her. Perhaps deciding that there was only one way that he was going to get that daughter back, he took the map to get a closer look at it. ¡°What have you tried so far?¡±


    She leaned back in the chair. ¡°Everything I could think of. None of the clues make any more sense when they¡¯re all put together and there¡¯s nothing that would connect more of the artifacts together. Those marks are pretty much as exact of a location as it can get, but they don¡¯t match up to anything. There¡¯s no other ruins nearby and they don¡¯t connect to make anything¡ªnot shapes, not constellations. The only thing I haven¡¯t tried is going back to the Archives and seeing if there¡¯s something there that we somehow didn¡¯t find earlier.¡±


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    ¡°Do you know what the creator¡¯s goal was when he made this? What he hoped to achieve by setting all of this up and letting someone else enjoy the adventure it created?¡±


    ¡°He did it with his love because he felt like someone was going to need it¡­ It was his way of making a difference so that he¡¯d be remembered when he died.¡±


    ¡°His name?¡±


    ¡°Achadus.¡±


    ¡°His love?¡±


    ¡°Dree.¡±


    To her surprise, Andrew began digging through some of the other maps around her. ¡°Do you remember when we traveled to Tillai together? We tried everything we could think of but we still hadn¡¯t gotten any further into the ruin. Then it was by your suggestion that we think the whole thing through like the person who¡¯d built it. We found there was a system to everything that we hadn¡¯t realized before, because we had thought of it as outsiders. But once we¡¯d thought of it like the creator, we had it all solved and had the artifact with us within the hour.¡±


    ¡°Do you¡­ think this is something similar..?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s as worth a shot as any.¡± He continued to look through all of the maps. ¡°Where was he from?¡±


    ¡°A really old town in Xannon territory. It¡¯s been abandoned since his death.¡±


    ¡°Dree?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a pretty good chance she¡¯s Eldrianna.¡±


    Andrew grinned when he pulled out the map he¡¯d been looking for. But instead of looking at the map itself, he flipped it around and showed her the rune scribbled in one of the corners. ¡°It may be a simplified version of the old rune for ¡®dark.¡¯ If you start here and follow this path, it¡¯ll match up near completely.¡± He traced the spots on Lydia¡¯s map, letting her see it. ¡°And since you said they were all general locations, that can explain any differences. It¡¯s just missing one piece: the final mark should be right around here.¡± He pointed to a part of Mikkel territory that wasn¡¯t too far from where they were.


    She glanced at Tavin. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you mention this?¡±


    ¡°You almost yelled at me,¡± he mumbled back. ¡°It was better to leave you alone¡­¡±


    No longer distracted and able to actually consider what she¡¯d done, she said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that. I just want to see this through to the end and¡­ for a while there, it didn¡¯t look like we were going to. But now we have a pretty good idea of where we¡¯re going to be heading next.¡±


    He slowly nodded, but it didn¡¯t assure her; it hadn¡¯t been enough for him, she could tell, yet there was nothing more she could think of saying. The only thing that they could do was actually see this through to the end.


    Lydia began gathering all of the maps back up with the help of Andrew. All she needed to do was give the boys a glance before they all got up and prepared whatever they would need.


    ¡°Do you think this is doing what its creator hoped it would?¡± Andrew asked casually, getting up to put a few things away.


    After a moment of consideration, she nodded. ¡°I think it is.¡±


    ¡°I was wondering if you¡¯d say no,¡± he mused, ¡°to try to keep yourself here. You don¡¯t have very long. Make peace with it now¡ªif you spend the entire time mourning the end, nothing¡¯s going to change.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to go help the boys,¡± Lydia decided slowly. She took everything else she could put away while she was at it and went to leave.


    She didn¡¯t know how she felt about what he said to her when she turned away. ¡°I¡¯ll see you when you wake up.¡±


    There was no one there when she looked back. The clasp was limiting how much power it used now¡ªcreating only what was necessary in hopes of lasting as long as it needed to. It wasn¡¯t the most pleasant of things to note. Similarly, everything she¡¯d been holding before was gone now. She decided to simply tell herself it saved her the trouble and went straight to where the boys were.


    They didn¡¯t seem to have been doing anything until she came in. And despite having nothing with them, Henry announced, ¡°We¡¯ve made sure we had everything we needed.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m bringing all of the other artifacts we found along the way,¡± Tim added. ¡°I figured they might come in handy.¡±


    It took Tavin a moment longer to say anything. ¡°If this is the end, then do you have Melai¡¯s ashes ready?¡±


    Lydia pulled out the vial she¡¯d put the ashes in. ¡°Everything¡¯s ready to fulfill their wish.¡± She began to take the lead in leaving the estate, mumbling, ¡°It¡¯s finally time to put this whole thing to an end¡­¡±

 The Stone Family Adventure: Book IX- Chapter 2

    The boys were taunting her of memories she could no longer recall. Or, rather, could no longer be thought of as memories. They were illusions thrown in to make the whole thing seem more real; now that it was falling apart, there was no reason to continue pretending.


    Even looking back on it, she wondered what prompted their reveries. Perhaps they were just as aware of them nearing the end as she was.


    ¡°You remember that small trip we went on, with just the three of us?¡± Tim asked. ¡°It really wasn¡¯t anything compared to this, but it felt like something grand for six-year-olds.¡±


    ¡°They were the best thing to happen to us then,¡± Henry remarked. ¡°Compared to this, though, they were all just baby adventures.¡±


    ¡°I always wanted to make sure I could include all three of you,¡± Lydia said. ¡°There¡¯s not really a lot of opportunities for something that definitely doesn¡¯t have any chance of anyone getting hurt. It¡¯s a lot more difficult than you might think to find something that appeals to thirteen-year-olds while also making sure the five-year-old stays safe. I¡¯m pretty sure Dad went out and planned a couple of those just to give us something to do¡­¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t need to always bring me,¡± Tavin mumbled. ¡°I would¡¯ve been content waiting at the castle and hearing the stories when you got back.¡±


    Tim smirked and ruffled his hair. ¡°Come on, you say that like we didn¡¯t want you with us. I can¡¯t imagine any one of those trips without you.¡±


    ¡°Plus, if you hadn¡¯t come, you wouldn¡¯t have been able to see all those ruins yourself,¡± Henry pointed out. ¡°Every time we come up to one of them, the history nerd inside of you lights up a little. I bet you wouldn¡¯t have just been content with hearing descriptions about it then.¡±


    ¡°Adventures like these are always better with family.¡± Lydia smiled, though it soon faded after her next realization. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting to do something like this for a while¡ªand here we are, almost done with it¡­¡± She was glad to be in a place where none of them would notice it.


    It triggered more thoughtful reactions out of all of them, though.


    ¡°We¡¯ve been to each of the territories and saw some amazing stuff,¡± Tim said. ¡°Is there going to be something that can top this?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve heard just as many stories as I have. There¡¯s definitely something better than this¡ªeven if it doesn¡¯t seem like there could be,¡± Henry responded. ¡°Every adventure we¡¯ve heard of has something that makes it different from all the others. There¡¯s still no shortage of adventures for us to go on, so it¡¯s going to be the same way for us.¡±


    Tavin was the most solemn of the three, having knowledge that the other two weren¡¯t capable of understanding. ¡°We probably won¡¯t need to worry about whether or not the next adventure is as good as this one.¡±


    The twins gave him confusing looks and, despite how much Lydia hoped he wouldn¡¯t, he explained.


    ¡°This is the end. After this, there¡¯s not going to be anything else. It¡¯s back to reality, where none of this was supposed to happen, and there¡¯s no chance of it ever coming to pass¡­¡±


    ¡°Now you¡¯re kind of sounding like those voices from the forest,¡± Henry mumbled. ¡°If you¡¯re going to be weird, can you explain what you¡¯re talking about..?¡±


    Tim glanced at Lydia and added, ¡°Someone¡¯s got to do it.¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t real,¡± Tavin answered simply. ¡°There¡¯s nothing more to it than that.¡±


    ¡°He means it feels like it isn¡¯t real,¡± Lydia quickly said. She wanted to pretend like it was going to do anything more than just prove that he was right. ¡°We¡¯ve been doing this for a while. It¡¯s hard to believe that soon, we¡¯ll be done with this and be ready to tackle a whole new adventure.¡±


    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    They didn¡¯t believe it. They didn¡¯t even try to pretend like they would.


    Tavin stopped. ¡°You know we don¡¯t have a lot longer. Do you really want to leave this off on a note like this? With none of us really knowing what¡¯s going on aside from that you¡¯re obviously not telling us something?¡±


    ¡°What if I promised I¡¯ll explain it when we¡¯re done?¡±


    ¡°You mean not tell us at all.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not¡ª¡±


    ¡°I think it is.¡±


    She looked between all of them and resigned to the fact that there was nothing else she could do. But unlike all the other times, she wasn¡¯t going to try to fight it. She wasn¡¯t going to pretend like that was going to do anything. Instead¡­ she was going to be honest.


    As honest as she dared, fearing what would happen with the full extent of the truth was really said out in the open.


    ¡°Do you remember the second projection we watched, with the woman that was getting chased by Ski¨¢? That was me.¡± It hurt a bit to realize that they were even taking the truth with a kind of skepticism. Then again, it just showed how much they deserved this; how terrible she¡¯d been at hiding it and how long she pretended. ¡°It was twelve years ago¡ªer, a couple of months?¡ªwhen I went to find a charm. When we saw it, I told you about Usiu, the angel that helps guide lost souls. Even if it was a fun challenge, I didn¡¯t just go there for the adventure. I wanted something from it¡­¡±


    But the whole world seemed to falter when she thought back. All four of them acknowledged it, the boys all turning to her expecting her to tell them something.


    There were plenty of things she considered saying, though none of them would really do much in the situation. So instead, she asked, ¡°Do you want to see the end of this?¡±


    Without a moment of hesitation, the three nodded.


    ¡°Are you willing to trust me?¡±


    They glanced at each other and gave it some thought before nodding again.


    ¡°Then I¡¯m going to explain the rest once we finish this. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s going to last long if we acknowledge what it really is. I swear I¡¯m going to explain everything, just¡ªI don¡¯t want to lose you before we¡¯re done here. Let¡¯s just play along with this a little longer, okay? Then I¡¯ll answer as many of your questions as I can.¡±


    ¡°I suppose the only thing left to do is hope that this stays long enough,¡± Tavin muttered.


    They fell back into recalling memories as they walked; the small moments that they were still able to piece together. It wasn¡¯t long before they began to wonder why there were so many gaps, yet no one said anything more than a single mention to it. To acknowledge it would be to acknowledge the fading trees in the distance, the absence of birdsong, the way it seemed like they were the only things in the world¡­


    The moment silence threatened to stay, Lydia checked where they were supposed to be going. ¡°I think we¡¯re almost there. It shouldn¡¯t be too far.¡±


    ¡°What do you think is going to be there?¡± Henry asked.


    Tim shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s got to be something special, right? Better than everything else we¡¯ve come across¡ªand something we¡¯re definitely not going to be able to miss.¡±


    When Lydia stopped as the unspoken sign that they were there, Tavin remarked, ¡°Or it¡¯s something we¡¯re going to have to work for.¡±


    It didn¡¯t look like there was anything special about the place. But that wasn¡¯t going to stop them¡ªthey knew better than to shrug it off simply because of that.


    ¡°You packed all the other clues, right?¡± Lydia prompted, looking at Tim. He nodded. ¡°Get the artifact we got from the Jaden forest. It might recognize we¡¯re here and show us something else.¡±


    ¡°Or it¡¯s just going to trigger those voices again,¡± he said, ¡°and that other woman¡¯s voice.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no forest here and it didn¡¯t seem capable of creating that much on its own. I don¡¯t think we¡¯re going to come across anything that we can¡¯t handle.¡± Understanding it may not have been enough to sway them, she added, ¡°Whatever we do come across, we¡¯ll do it together. We¡¯ll know what we¡¯re supposed to be doing and I won¡¯t let us get separated again.¡±


    He pulled the artifact out of his bag and handed it to her. She, in turn, found a little spot near a patch of flowers that seemed to be the perfect place for it.


    The boys stuck together in the few moments that followed; their summer surroundings changing more to resemble spring, with flowers newly blooming. The only thing that changed was the amount of flowers, forming a vague path towards something else.


    Lydia looked back to make sure they were all still there then gestured to where the path wanted to take them. ¡°This looks easy but we should probably be careful. It¡¯s time to see what Achadus placed for the ones who completed his journey.¡±

 The Stone Family Adventure: Book IX- Chapter 3

    The flowers changed the longer they followed the trail¡ªinstead of all being in bloom, some of them were dying. It wasn¡¯t quite as unnerving as it did bring a sense of mourning. Their casual pace turned more into a reflective one as more of the flowers died.


    Eventually they reached the spot they¡¯d been led to; a field full of these dying flowers, though nothing else in sight.


    Lydia slowly pulled out the bottle of phoenix ashes, took off the lid and empty its contents. Whether the ashes swirled in the wind or by some other means, once they were all out the four of them were able to witness the phoenix¡¯s rebirth.


    None of them dared to break the silence and the phoenix didn¡¯t say anything either. It cawed, circled around the entire field, then landed in the center of it. Its newborn flame burned the spot, but the fire didn¡¯t spread any further. They stepped up to the spot and found a scroll there, untouched despite being so close to the phoenix.


    Carefully, Lydia pulled it out and opened it. ¡°I¡¯ll read it,¡± she offered. ¡°I¡­ have a feeling I already know what it¡¯s going to say anyway. It¡¯s time you¡¯ve all gotten the answers you¡¯ve been waiting for.¡±


    She took a deep breath and gave it a quick scan before actually reading it out loud. ¡°¡®Usiu, like all the other angels, was created by Orestis. She was one of the several who were then gifted to Vriuh. At first, she served only one purpose: to guide those that had died and allow them to move on. As more mortals joined Vriuh, there became another group of people she guided: the living who had lost someone dear and could not move on from the loss.


    ¡®The dead remain outside of Hell¡¯s Gates, unable to enjoy the blessings of the afterlife Vriuh assured them. When they clung to the fragments of their former, living self, they only caused themselves more suffering. The same happened if the living clung to the dead¡­ though many are unaware of the fact. Usiu herself came outside the gates to help the dead. Those that lived were a bit more difficult to find¡ªshe had to rely on other things that could help them overcome their loss, unable to visit them herself¡­


    ¡®One of them rests with you now, as the clasp the bearer so desperately clings to.¡¯¡±


    She let them all see it so that they would believe her next words. ¡°That¡¯s it. But it¡¯s¡­ not the end of the things I have to tell you.¡± Some flowers in the distance disappeared. She tried to just bring all her attention to the boys, hoping that they¡¯d all do the same for her. ¡°I¡¯m using that clasp that I got from Usiu¡¯s temple right now. I¡¯m actually in my room at the Stone estate and, well¡­ none of this is real.¡±


    ¡°Why do you need something from Usiu..?¡± Tim asked, clearly uncertain if he even wanted the answer.


    She sighed as she looked between the twins. ¡°Because you¡¯re both supposed to be dead.¡± She needed to say it all now, before she faltered and lost the opportunity to say it at all. ¡°It¡¯s really Tavin¡¯s third birthday. I lost both of you shortly after you were born eleven years ago. I guess I¡­ must never have been as fine with it as I convinced myself I was, if we were able to do this. And I probably owe you a bunch of different apologies for it. Because of this, because of me¡­ from the sounds of it, you¡¯ve been in the middle somewhere for eleven years¡­¡±


    ¡°It can¡¯t be that bad if we¡¯ve spent this long unaware of it, right?¡± Henry said with a shrug.


    ¡°You¡¯re a lot more casual about this than I thought you¡¯d be,¡± she remarked. ¡°I figured you¡¯d be mad at me or at least confused¡­¡±


    Tim smiled. ¡°Think of it this way: you both got to spend some time together with us. We were able to do the things we never would¡¯ve otherwise. Even if this isn¡¯t real¡­ it doesn¡¯t mean that this never happened.¡±


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    Henry nodded. ¡°It isn¡¯t really the happiest thing to think about, but this isn''t going to be the last time we see each other, either. Sooner or later, we¡¯re going to be together with Vriuh. You¡¯ve just got to promise to not waste a single moment until then¡ªthere¡¯s only so much time someone can live.¡±


    Despite her fears and doubts before, Lydia managed a smile too. ¡°I will.¡± She gestured them all closer, pulling them in for a group hug. The world was fading. She wasn¡¯t sure if she was hoping to distract herself or the boys from the fact, though.


    The last thing she heard was Tavin¡¯s mumble. ¡°Don¡¯t you have somewhere else to be?¡±


    ¡­


    With those words ringing in her mind, she tossed off the blankets. The clasp had broken but she didn¡¯t care. The sun was setting but, if she was quick enough, she could make it to the castle before it got too dark. She got ready as fast as she could and darted out of her room.


    ¡°Oh, Envi. Are¡­ you done..?¡±


    ¡°Not now, Witless, I need to go!¡± She pushed past him and made no intention of stopping to explain herself. That is, until she realized his help might be needed. ¡°Has the escort from the castle ever left?¡±


    Lewis gave it a moment of thought, then shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. If he did, then Imre sent him right back again. I doubt everything¡¯s still ready, though¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the new guy. He might as well be waiting to run away from the end of the world.¡±


    ¡°So did it go well, or..?¡±


    She gave him a small smile. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you what happened tomorrow morning. But right now, there¡¯s someone waiting for me that I¡¯ve got to get to as soon as possible.¡±


    He nodded and let her leave.


    If Andrew, Diana, or Elena were aware that Lydia had left her room, they didn¡¯t draw attention to it. She wasn¡¯t sure if she ignored them or if they weren¡¯t there, only acknowledging who she needed to. The cold didn¡¯t bother her, either, even though she was still in the middle of putting on her coat when she found the escort.


    He didn¡¯t notice her until she tried to mount one of the horses. ¡°Oh, Lady Lydia! King Imre wants me to bring you to the castle. He didn¡¯t want you on your own¡ª¡±


    ¡°Then you¡¯re going to have to keep up with me.¡±


    His look of confusion must¡¯ve soon changed when she nudged the horse into a gradual run. She honestly didn¡¯t care if he was behind her. It really didn¡¯t do anything in the end, except allow someone to pretend like nothing bad could happen.


    He did follow her, after a bit of a delayed reaction. At least he was there to put the horse away when they got to the castle, since she had no intentions of doing it herself.


    The only part of her surroundings that she paid attention to was the setting sun¡ªit was her time limit, a race against it to see which could reach its destination faster. She didn¡¯t slow down when she got to Lelishara, since there was little to watch out for; everyone would¡¯ve already done what they needed to here. Only at the castle gates did she slow to a stop, clumsily dismounting and ignoring whatever looks the servants gave her.


    ¡°Dimas!¡± she called before she was really even close to him. He jumped but she didn¡¯t give him a chance to say anything. ¡°Is Tavin still in the garden?¡±


    ¡°He and Imre both,¡± he replied slowly. ¡°Or at least they were when I checked on them. If they¡¯re not then they¡¯re in Tavin¡¯s room.¡± He paused. ¡°How did you know that¡¯s where they were when you only just now got here?¡±


    ¡°I had some help.¡± She was already walking away. ¡°Thanks!¡±


    She went to the garden and was glad to see they were both there. ¡°Sorry I¡¯m late.¡± Noticing Imre¡¯s expression, she added, ¡°We can talk about it later. But I did come, like I said I would.¡±


    ¡°Cutting it a little close there, don¡¯t you think?¡± he mumbled back.


    Tavin slid down from his place beside his father and came up to her. She couldn¡¯t help but share his smile, kneeling down to give him a hug.


    ¡°I knew you¡¯d come!¡± he said.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Lydia breathed. She didn¡¯t know if he understood or even heard what she said; it didn¡¯t matter. ¡°I¡¯m gonna keep my promise to them, too. Let¡¯s make the most of this while we still have the chance¡­¡± She pulled away so she could see him. ¡°What do you want to do? We might not be able to get to it today, but we¡¯ve got all the time in the world¡­¡±

 The Fiction in Fact: Chapter 1

    {-Demery-}


    He was halfway out the door before realizing his sister wasn¡¯t behind him. ¡°Koyana, come on! We¡¯ve got to get going before things get too busy.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m coming, I¡¯m coming!¡±


    Of course she had to be nowhere near ready. He only saw her for a moment, darting between each of the rooms collecting things.


    ¡°If you¡¯d been ready earlier you wouldn¡¯t need to rush now,¡± he pointed out. ¡°Be careful. It¡¯s just going to get worse if you end up breaking something.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not my fault no one came stomping into my room to wake me up, is it?¡±


    ¡°It is that you need someone to do that.¡±


    Finally, she walked out ready to go. ¡°Have you gotten anything to eat yet?¡±


    His silence was enough of an answer.


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask Ms. Siavax if she has anything,¡± Koyana decided with a nod. She tried to look at the list in his hands. ¡°We¡¯re going to be heading there anyway, right?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ve got pretty much everything on here,¡± he remarked. ¡°We¡¯re going to be running around the whole town.¡±


    ¡°Still have to be back by lunch?¡±


    ¡°Someone¡¯s got to start dinner. They certainly won¡¯t.¡± He knew they could probably still hear him and he didn¡¯t care. If anything, they were just annoyed that the two of them haven¡¯t left yet.


    Demery did a final check to make sure he had everything and motioned for Koyana to follow him.


    Nearly anyone who saw them offered some form of greeting; she always returned it, but he was too interested in figuring out the first spot they needed to go. Sure, he may have waved at a couple of people or murmured a distant ¡°good morning,¡± but it was nothing compared to the way she darted across the street.


    At first, he was going to call her before entering one of the shops. Seeing her happily talking to some of the other townspeople, he decided to let her be¡ªthey didn¡¯t need much from here anyway.


    ¡°I was wondering when you were going to stop by!¡± the shopkeeper said with a cheery smile. ¡°You know, for a minute, I thought they¡¯d come out themselves or they¡¯d let you do it later. I assume it¡¯s the same as usual?¡±


    ¡°Just what we need this time. They didn¡¯t give me as much as they normally do.¡± He sat the coins down and, as she went to get the items, gave a casual glance around the shop.


    ¡°Koyana won¡¯t be very happy,¡± she commented from the storeroom.


    ¡°She¡¯s just going to have to deal with it right now. It¡¯s not like we¡¯re in a spot to complain about it.¡±


    ¡°You know, you¡¯re both old enough to live on your own. We¡¯d miss you here, but you wouldn¡¯t need to depend on them.¡±


    ¡°Aside from the fact they¡¯ve kept us from learning anything practical. I¡¯d rather not still have to run around town in order for a halfway decent living.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m always looking for a shop hand and I¡¯m sure others are, too. It¡¯s not nearly as difficult as it may seem once you get a hang of things¡ªand knowing you, that won¡¯t take long at all.¡±


    A small painting behind the counter caught his attention. ¡°¡®In a world of Darkness, His light will shine the way.¡¯¡± He shrugged as she came back with the order. ¡°I suppose we¡¯re just going to have to see what Orestis has planned.¡±


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    It took her a moment, but she smiled and nodded. She¡¯d heard that excuse many times before. ¡°Most things only make sense to us mortals in hindsight, after all.¡± She handed him the order. ¡°Have a good day, and tell Koyana I said hi!¡±


    He mumbled his own farewell and left. Luckily, he didn¡¯t need to go looking for Koyana; she wandered back to him on her own after realizing he¡¯d come out.


    Demery checked the long list of things they still needed and the comparatively small amount of money they had to get them. He sighed. ¡°Can I trust you to just get some bread from Ms. Siavax? Don¡¯t get anything we don¡¯t need.¡± Before she gave an answer, he handed her a few coins. ¡°This should be enough. If it¡¯s more, then bring the rest back to me. We¡¯ve still got a couple of things at home to eat, we don¡¯t need to go buying them.¡±


    It looked like she¡¯d intended on arguing before something else caught her attention. ¡°I¡­ think someone¡¯s watching us.¡±


    He followed her gaze to a child across the street. The look he gave the siblings was more a part of nervous glances around the whole area; there was some kind of conflict in his expression, like he built up a resolve to move that got ruined every time someone walked near.


    ¡°It¡¯s probably just a lost kid,¡± Demery pointed out in a mumble. ¡°Someone else will notice him and figure out where his parents are. Do I need to remind you that we¡¯re more or less on a time limit here?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen him before.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a bunch of towns nearby, he probably wandered out and got lost.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to talk to him.¡±


    ¡°Ko¡ª¡±


    And she was already wandering over there, very unlikely to listen to a thing he would tell her. He sighed, praying it wouldn¡¯t take too long before following her.


    She had already knelt down in front of the boy, having a warm smile and a kind voice. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Koyana.¡± Noting her brother beside her, she added, ¡°And he¡¯s Demery. What¡¯s your name?¡±


    The boy let out a sigh of relief at their names. ¡°Aither.¡± He was almost too quiet to hear, and it seemed like he wasn¡¯t done. He took a deep breath and worked up the nerve to say something else. ¡°I¡¯m looking for you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re looking for us to help find your parents?¡± Demery tried. There was a part of him telling something, but he neither had the knowledge nor the practice to tell if it was good or bad.


    Aither shook his head. ¡°Just you.¡±


    ¡°Look, kid, this really isn¡¯t the time or place to be playing games. Where are your parents?¡±


    ¡°That usually worked for everyone else¡­¡± A moment of panic flashed across Aither¡¯s face before he took another deep breath. ¡°I¡¯m not playing any games. I came for the two of you¡ªDemery and Koyana Tyrus.¡±


    It was only after that point Koyana apparently noticed the oddness of the whole situation as well. ¡°How do you know our last name?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ not really something I can explain right now.¡± He looked out to the crowd, though it looked like no one was paying attention to them. ¡°But I promise, if you¡¯re willing to meet me somewhere else later today, I¡¯ll tell you everything.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re, what, eight? Why should we assume anything other than you¡¯re just a kid that heard someone else talking about us?¡± Demery stepped back and motioned for Koyana to do the same. ¡°Come on, we¡¯ve still got a lot we¡¯ve got to do and I don¡¯t think we¡¯re going to get any of it done here.¡±


    She frowned. ¡°But¡ª¡±


    ¡°You can tell Ms. Siavax about him. She can get one of her siblings to make sure he finds his parents.¡±


    ¡°W-wait, please, don¡¯t go!¡± Aither quickly moved in front of them, then froze. It was clear how he was quickly trying to figure out what to say before they left. ¡°You¡ªyou want proof, right? I got pushed around a little when I got here and I got cut.¡± He brought attention to a cut on his hand. It had been mostly cleaned up but the evidence he needed was still there. ¡°This isn¡¯t blood and this isn¡¯t gold. It¡¯s ichor.¡±


    That just gave Demery so many more questions. ¡°What¡¯s someone like you looking for the two of us for?¡±


    Only immortals bled ichor, and it was something that was pretty hard to fake.


    ¡°Meet me outside of town after whenever you eat dinner,¡± Aither instructed, ¡°and I¡¯ll answer it all then. But I really can¡¯t go into detail here¡ªthere¡¯s too many people and I may be risking it enough as it is.¡±


    Koyana eagerly turned to Demery. ¡°What do you think? Do you think we get to be a part of our own mystical adventure?¡± Aither also looked up at him with some hopeful expression.


    ¡°I really still don¡¯t know how I feel about all of this,¡± Demery admitted. His attention was on Aither when he continued, ¡°But you better have a damn good explanation for why you¡¯re here and why it involves us.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll understand it a little better once you¡¯re able to hear more of the story,¡± Aither said. He paused. ¡°And it might not be as much of a mythical adventure as you might be hoping it to be, Koyana. A more accurate way to put it would probably be that we¡¯re tying up loose ends¡ªbut I think you¡¯re going to like what it ends up being.¡±


    ¡°We really need to get going,¡± Demery remarked. ¡°We¡¯ll meet you as soon as we can, assuming we can.¡±


    ¡°If all else fails, mention me and what I just showed you. I think they¡¯ll understand.¡±

 The Fiction in Fact: Chapter 2

    {-Koyana-}


    No matter how hard she tried, she couldn¡¯t hide her excitement. Several people in town mentioned it, though she denied any answer¡ªmostly because she assumed Aither didn¡¯t want them sharing it. Still, with her nature, they shrugged it off and wished her the best of luck on whatever she was going to do.


    Suffice to say she probably annoyed Demery about it way too much as he was trying to make dinner. She couldn¡¯t help but wonder what it might be; Aither said it wasn¡¯t anything fantastical, but that didn¡¯t mean it was completely mundane. There were plenty of tales that only started after a slight deviation of plans.


    From the look on her brother¡¯s face, Demery couldn¡¯t be happy enough when they both finished dinner.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to head out for an hour or so,¡± he announced blankly as he gathered some things.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get into any trouble,¡± their grandfather grumbled without true care. ¡°If shadows start moving, don¡¯t come back to town.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll just get us all killed,¡± their grandmother muttered in agreement.


    Koyana, spending this much of her life with them and stubbornly opposed to taking their words at face value, said, ¡°You won¡¯t need to worry about us! We¡¯ll stay safe.¡±


    Together they mumbled something that sounded like they might not have minded if the siblings didn¡¯t return. She hated how hard they had to make it to keep pretending.


    She decided not to consider pestering her brother with questions while they walked¡ªor at least, not a lot of questions. Instead, she just trailed behind him until they left the city. ¡°Where do you think Aither is?¡±


    ¡°If he really wanted us to find him, then he wouldn¡¯t be too far from here,¡± Demery remarked. ¡°We¡¯re not staying out here if he¡¯s too far from town.¡±


    Rustling caught their attention and, somehow, they both knew that they needed to follow it. There were glimpses of a deer between the scattered trees; though, when they reached the spot where it would¡¯ve been, Aither was standing there.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad that caught your attention,¡± he sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t like doing that any more than I need to¡­ It has a way of drawing in unwanted visitors.¡±


    ¡°Why did you want us to meet you all the way out here?¡± Demery prompted. It seemed he had no intention of spending any more time here than he needed to.


    Aither didn¡¯t waste much time, either. ¡°I¡¯m on a mission to show you something and guide you through the steps of understanding it. It¡¯s nothing too grand, but it isn¡¯t something that should be overlooked, either, not with things as they are¡­¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± Koyana asked eagerly. ¡°Do you have it with you now?¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°There are a lot more people than you¡¯d expect that don¡¯t want those secrets to be revealed¡ªmany who are willing to hurt in order to keep you from it. Day didn¡¯t want it to be with me in case one of those people realized I had it. It¡¯s not too far from here though, so it won¡¯t be hard to find again.¡±


    ¡°You know, there¡¯s something about this that I don¡¯t feel all that confident about,¡± Demery admitted skeptically. ¡°You¡¯re not really giving us a lot of good answers.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d love to but, trust me, mortals don¡¯t take well to having all of the mysteries shown to them at once. Not to mention there¡¯s certain steps we need to take and they¡¯re not always going to be ready immediately. It¡¯s better for everyone if we take this one step at a time, instead of trying to rush through the whole thing.¡±


    Koyana, never possessing the kind of reluctance of her brother, questioned, ¡°Is it somewhere near here, then? Are we going to get it today?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have even the slightest of bad feelings about this..?¡± Demery mumbled, glancing at her.


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    ¡°I think it¡¯ll be fun,¡± she defended. ¡°Maybe for a little while we can spend some time away from them.¡±


    ¡°Or as soon as we get back, they¡¯re just going to start making up for the lost time.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re never gonna relax with that kind of attitude.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but it may keep us alive one day when you fail to recognize reason.¡±


    Aither looked between them for a moment and, deciding it was a good time, actually answered her question. ¡°No, it¡¯s not something that we¡¯ll be able to get today. There¡¯s a couple of things we¡¯ll need to make sure of first, then we¡¯ll be able to get to it.¡±


    ¡°It almost sounds like you weren¡¯t really prepared for this at all,¡± Demery pointed out.


    ¡°I¡¯m actually as prepared as I possibly can be for a task like this.¡± Aither paused. ¡°Though I¡¯m just as unfamiliar with this kind of stuff as you are. Usually this is the part where they willingly accept to come along, no questions asked¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m willing to do that,¡± Koyana offered with a smile.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to get yourself killed one day because of it,¡± Demery mumbled back.


    She playfully swatted him and brought her attention back to Aither. ¡°What do we need to do to get to them?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going to need to do a bit of traveling,¡± he explained. ¡°And in order to do that, I¡¯m going to need to talk to your grandparents.¡± The looks they gave him led him to explain before they asked any more questions. ¡°I¡¯ll be honest, because there¡¯s not really a reason to lie here. I¡¯m one of Danai¡¯s Fos, sent here in order to help you expose a lie for what it really is. I assume you¡¯re both at least familiar with the Commandments, if not followers of them yourselves, so you know the kind of knowledge Orestis holds. We know a lot about what¡¯s going on here¡ªespecially when it involves the unfortunate many who find themselves stuck in something they don¡¯t even realize is a trap. And excuse that last ominous bit¡ªI, uh, haven¡¯t really practiced that speech, so maybe I can explain that to you later¡­¡± He mumbled something else that nearly undermined whatever confidence he¡¯d built up previously.


    Though, Koyana likely took away the wrong part. ¡°So you actually are immortal?¡±


    Aither nodded.


    ¡°Does that mean you know all the gods? Are they nice? Oh, do you get to see the Angels, too? What¡¯s Danai like? Is she really as pretty as all of the stained glass makes her look?¡±


    He was quiet for a moment, and she wondered if perhaps she¡¯d asked too many questions. She must have; he only really gave an answer to the last one. ¡°Day¡¯s¡­ Yes. Just like the stained glass.¡± There was something he wasn¡¯t saying. As curious as she was, she knew she wasn¡¯t going to be the one to get him to tell those secrets.


    ¡°More importantly,¡± Demery began, ¡°our grandparents don¡¯t know you. Why do you think they¡¯ll listen to your explanation of things any more than they¡¯ll listen to ours?¡±


    That was obviously something Aither didn¡¯t want to answer. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ kind of hard to explain, without bringing up a lot more stuff you¡¯re not going to be able to understand yet. To put it simply, I have more information than you do¡ªinformation that they can¡¯t deny.¡±


    ¡­


    Aither had almost taken the lead in their walk back out of the forest, until they got to the town itself. At that point, though things had significantly calmed down as the day came to an end, he stuck close beside the two of them.


    Koyana stopped at the door. ¡°This is where we live,¡± she announced. She tried to ignore Demery¡¯s expression¡ªthe look of someone who only assumed this wasn¡¯t going to go well.


    Aither took another deep breath before following her inside.


    ¡°We¡¯re back,¡± Demery called as he closed the door behind them. ¡°Koyana brought a guest, too.¡±


    ¡°Why is he my guest..?¡± Koyana mumbled. ¡°Can¡¯t he just come on his own?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a little less suspicious than a random kid, isn¡¯t it?¡± he returned. ¡°We¡¯ll both get yelled at if this goes poorly anyway.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to get yelled at for something,¡± Aither assured them, though it didn¡¯t mean much. ¡°I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll understand.¡±


    ¡°I really don¡¯t think you realize the kind of people our grandparents are.¡±


    Their grandmother wandered in then, giving the three of them one look and sighing. ¡°What did I tell you about inviting children off the street? They¡¯re better off if you direct them to the church. Orestis knows what they must¡¯ve done to end up like that.¡±


    ¡°With all due respect, I¡¯m not a child.¡± Aither gulped and stepped forward. ¡°Can I talk with you and your husband? It¡¯s about¡­ her.¡±


    Whatever that stood for, she gained a look of concern and care that Koyana couldn¡¯t remember ever seeing before. Their grandmother quickly nodded and gestured for Aither to head into another room. ¡°My apologies. Please, make yourself at home over there and I¡¯ll call him over.¡± She lost all sense of compassion when she glared at the siblings. ¡°Both of you, go to your rooms. You will regret it if you choose to eavesdrop on us.¡±

 The Fiction in Fact: Chapter 3

    {-Demery-}


    Whatever Aither told them, it worked. For a while there was shouting¡ªsomething about the Tyrus family and someone named Tandi¡ªbut it died down nearly as suddenly as it started. The only thing Demery knew for certain was that, whatever happened afterward, he saw an emotion in his grandparents that he¡¯d hardly ever seen: generosity.


    Aither stayed with them that night. From the sounds of it, he was offered all kinds of things¡ªall of which he initially declined and, when they refused to take ¡°no¡± for an answer, accepted¡ªand allowed to stay in the guest room. Judging by his progressively weary tone, he was as glad as the other two when it was morning.


    Demery was  by the door double-checking everything he assumed they¡¯d need and what Aither told him to pack. He figured there was no purpose in making the effort to say goodbye to their grandparents, since they usually didn¡¯t care anyway.


    He was mildly surprised when they both walked up to them.


    ¡°Don¡¯t die,¡± their grandmother said in her usual cold tone. A vague emotion showed in her eyes, though only Koyana would¡¯ve considered that proof of care.


    Their grandfather handed Demery a few coins. ¡°You¡¯ll need these for a room at the inn.¡±


    ¡°Looks like it¡¯s just for a room in the inn,¡± Demery remarked without much consideration to his words.


    ¡°Be grateful you¡¯re getting anything at all.¡±


    Then they both walked away again.


    Aither led the way when it finally became time for them to leave. Several townspeople questioned what they were doing out so early for, why they seemed to be traveling, and who their companion was; none of them gave quite the full truth. Koyana pretty much just assured them that they¡¯ll be fine and that seemed to be enough for them.


    Well, everyone aside from the few that wanted to give them some extra supplies, but Demery was able to kindly decline each offer.


    ¡°Looks like you¡¯re pretty close with all of them,¡± Aither commented once they¡¯d left the town.


    ¡°You probably already know why, don¡¯t you?¡± Demery retorted. ¡°You know a lot about us already.¡±


    Yet, Koyana shrugged, and actually gave a proper answer¡­ even if it did leave a portion of the truth out. ¡°They¡¯re all like family to us. They¡¯ve cared a lot more than our grandparents did.¡±


    ¡°Where do you plan on taking us, anyway?¡± Demery decided to ask a moment later. They¡¯d still never gotten a proper answer.


    ¡°I want you to ask the locals a couple of questions at a nearby town.¡± Aither must¡¯ve known that the absolute bare minimum wasn¡¯t enough for Demery, because he elaborated after a moment. ¡°It¡¯s going to be late when we get there, so I don¡¯t expect you to do anything else today. But, tomorrow morning, I want you to both look into a person named Feldr. It may help give you a better understanding of what we¡¯re going to be doing for a while.¡±


    ¡°Do you already know stuff about them?¡± Koyana prompted.


    ¡°Of course I do, it¡¯s a part of my mission.¡±


    ¡°Then why can¡¯t you just tell us what you know? Wouldn¡¯t that be quicker?¡±


    ¡°Sometimes the quickest route isn¡¯t the best one to take. You might not understand it right away, but that¡¯s alright¡ªit¡¯s all a piece of a larger puzzle that we¡¯ll get to together.¡±


    Then she, being the person that she was, kept trying to ask about Feldr. She tried to get Aither to tell her anything about them; if they were the same age as the siblings, if they were some ancient person, if they possessed something powerful. It seemed like she took her knowledge of all of the stories they¡¯d been told and set out to determine if any of them were true to Feldr¡ªactually, Demery was certain she was. Still, Aither made no sign of answering any of them, only occasionally telling her ¡°You¡¯ll figure it out on your own eventually.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t until they were at the edge of the town in question that Aither said something other than that.


    He gave one look at the people walking around and talking to each other, then stepped back. ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ stay out here. You two should be fine on your own and I won¡¯t leave if you come to find me. Just get some rest, and tomorrow you can start asking about Feldr.¡±


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    ¡­


    Demery, like usual, was the first of the two to wake up. He gently nudged his sister awake and mumbled the reminder, ¡°Aither wanted us to ask around about Feldr.¡±


    She immediately bolted up and out of bed. ¡°Let¡¯s go figure out who this mysterious person is!¡±


    ¡°After you make yourself look moderately presentable,¡± he interjected. He stepped in front of the door right before she was about to leave. ¡°No matter how excited you are, this is just like every other time we go out. If people think that we just stumbled out of the forest, then there¡¯s definitely a problem.¡±


    She relented, turned around, and properly changed and did her hair. ¡°I bet there¡¯s tons of other people downstairs who look like they just woke up¡­¡±


    ¡°And I don¡¯t want either one of us to be one of them. You would wish you weren¡¯t, either, if our grandparents end up hearing about it.¡±


    ¡°Do you really think anyone¡¯s going to tell them what we¡¯re doing?¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if Aither was keeping in touch with them. Either way, no matter what, we should act like they¡¯ll know.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the point in being away from them if we¡¯ve still got to follow all their rules?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like we can do much else.¡±


    It looked like she¡¯d thought of something else to say but, after seeing his expression, kept it to herself. She walked back to the door once she was ready.


    Demery waited until they both left the inn to ask, ¡°Do you know what you plan on doing?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ wander around and ask people what they know of Feldr?¡± Koyana tried with a sheepish smile.


    He sighed. ¡°You don¡¯t have anything closer to an actual plan?¡±


    ¡°I was too busy thinking about who they might be to come up with a plan of finding it out, okay? What¡¯s your genius plan?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to figure out if I¡¯ll be able to view some records,¡± he said matter-of-factly, ¡°and learn when Feldr lived.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s your big plan after that?¡±


    ¡°Well, if they lived any time recently, I might make a more specific search to determine where they might be. If they lived a while ago, then I¡¯ll ask members of the church about them¡ªthey¡¯re more likely to know something than the average citizen in that case.¡±


    ¡°And what if they don¡¯t let you find anything, since you¡¯re not from the town?¡± she tried after a moment. He knew that, at this point, she just wanted him to admit that he didn¡¯t have it completely thought out.


    Though, like always, he did.


    ¡°Then I suppose it¡¯ll come time for me to just ask around.¡±


    They split up after that, Demery heading off in the direction of the church¡ªdeciding his search would be most fruitful there¡ªand Koyana wandering into the streets. He could only hope that she stayed safe and assured himself that no one here seemed particularly unfriendly or wary of outsiders.


    ¡°Ah, good morning!¡± a cheery nun greeted when he entered the rather small church. ¡°You don¡¯t look familiar. Are you from another town?¡±


    He managed a smile of his own. ¡°Yeah, my sister and I traveled here yesterday.¡±


    ¡°I hope you¡¯re enjoying your time here!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been good so far. I came here because I had a question¡ªI¡¯m curious about the town¡¯s history. Do you think I¡¯ll be allowed to access the library and records?¡±


    ¡°Of course! We¡¯re happy to help you as much as we possibly can.¡± She paused. ¡°Assuming you¡¯ve got no ill-intent behind all of this, I mean.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just curiosity. I think an old family friend used to live here and I wanted to see if I was right.¡± He really didn¡¯t know where the last part came from, but it seemed too right to question. If anything, it gave her a better confirmation that he wasn¡¯t there for harm.


    The nun nodded. ¡°Follow me and I¡¯ll show you where you can find those kinds of records. You might not find exactly what you¡¯re looking for, but it should be a good start. If you find a lead and think you might want to look through the records set aside for the bishop, I can get the priest here to show them to you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    She showed him to the spot then stepped back. ¡°I¡¯ll be right here if you need any assistance.¡±


    He nodded and took down the records he knew he¡¯d need¡ªa list of all the residents in the town. He decided to start from the most recent, skimming through until he found the name he was looking for.


    It didn¡¯t take too long to find it¡ªfour people with the last name ¡°Feldr.¡± He guessed the older two were the parents, while the younger two were their children. A quicker look showed that they¡¯d been living in the town for quite a while, though their family¡¯s namesake wasn¡¯t included anywhere. The parents, it seemed, died around the same time eight years ago.


    The children had nothing to hint at their current status, yet it didn¡¯t match the other records of people still residing in the town.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Demery said cautiously, looking up at the nun, ¡°do you know what happened to these two?¡±


    She seemed grateful to help until she realized the names he was pointing to. She frowned. ¡°You¡¯re looking into Feldr?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t concern yourself with them,¡± she said slowly. ¡°Leave what¡¯s in the past in the past. It¡¯s better for everyone that way. If that¡¯s all you¡¯ve come here to do, then I think it¡¯s time you leave. You¡¯re not going to find any more information here.¡±

 The Fiction in Fact: Chapter 4

    {-Koyana-}


    She could never understand how Demery was able to come up with his plans. While she was hardly able to sit down long enough to think about it, he already had the whole thing figured out. It was mildly annoying, yet, she didn¡¯t bother to try to be like him. She knew she would never be able to do it, so she didn¡¯t bother.


    At least these people seemed rather friendly. They must¡¯ve had a close community, judging by what she saw as she wandered around town. People were greeting each other, helping one another, holding casual conversations with plenty of laughs¡­ it may have technically been her first time this far from her own town, but she didn¡¯t feel like it was unfamiliar. She¡¯d been told that most towns in Qizar were like this, to no surprise; after all, they were bound together by a common belief in the Commandments and what it taught.


    ¡°Good morning!¡± Koyana greeted when she was close enough to a friendlier-looking-than-most couple. ¡°I¡¯m not from around here and I¡¯m looking for someone. Do you have some time to help?¡±


    They both gave her welcoming smiles.


    ¡°Are they a friend of yours?¡± the woman asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know them myself,¡± Koyana explained. ¡°They¡¯re more like a friend of a friend.¡±


    ¡°We know pretty much everyone who¡¯s lived here, so maybe we¡¯ll know who it is,¡± the man offered. ¡°What¡¯s their name?¡±


    ¡°So, my friend never really told me if it was their first or last name, but ¡®Feldr¡¯ is who he wanted me to ask about.¡± She wondered if she¡¯d said something wrong with the way they both looked at her.


    ¡°Feldr? Are you sure..?¡± The woman¡ªand everyone else in earshot, for that matter¡ªfrowned. ¡°What could you possibly want to learn about them for..?¡±


    Koyana let out a bit of nervous laughter. ¡°I¡¯ll, uh, go see if someone else knows anything¡­ Thanks for your help!¡±


    She left before she had to stay in that awkward conversation for any longer.


    Maybe their families just hadn¡¯t gotten along..?


    She found another group of people and asked a similar question. ¡°Hello! I was wondering if you knew anything about someone named Feldr?¡±


    One mumbled something that sounded like a desperate prayer and walked away. Several more had the kind of expression that the couple did.


    Only the oldest of the group was willing to give her a proper answer. ¡°We don¡¯t talk about them anymore. The past is left in the past¡ªI think you can understand that.¡±


    After a moment, another nodded. ¡°Nothing good will ever come out of mentioning people like them.¡±


    ¡°A-alright¡­¡± Koyana mumbled. She waved goodbye and walked away again.


    She kept asking around, with no better response. It seemed everyone she came across felt that way; not a single person, despite how close they must have been as a whole, claimed to have been close to Feldr. Once she¡¯d asked a couple more people, she stopped bothering others and just wandered¡ªwondering about why they might¡¯ve had such a reaction. What could¡¯ve happened to them to make them act like Feldr never existed?


    Could¡­ there have been something tragic behind it? Back home, they would often avoid mentioning a certain family because of what happened to them. Maybe whatever it was, it was too sad to think of.


    No, that couldn¡¯t be the case with Feldr. The way they talked about them suggested they thought them more of a nuisance they were glad to be rid of, instead of someone they missed. There wasn¡¯t a single person who didn¡¯t sound like that. So, then, what had Feldr done? What could have been so terrible that even the single mention of them caused people to act like that?


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    Had Feldr done something unspeakable? And, if they did, then what was the purpose of Aither asking them to try to get information on them..? A way to show them what would happen if they didn¡¯t do something..?


    She was drawn out of her thoughts when she passed by the church. A few members of the clergy were having a hushed conversation about something, but one thing stood out to her¡ªthey mentioned the name Feldr.


    ¡°Ah!¡± Koyana tried not to rush up to them or to seem excited. ¡°Did you just mention Feldr? I¡¯m looking for information about them! Do you have anything you¡¯d be willing to tell me?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± one of the clergy members replied without hesitation. ¡°There¡¯s nothing we¡¯re going to tell outsiders. You have no business prying about that wretched family.¡±


    She immediately stepped back. ¡°Sorry for bothering you, then¡­¡±


    Maybe she should just go back to Aither. Nothing was going to get done at this rate. Besides, she was starting to feel like she may have outstayed her welcome here¡­


    She had, admittedly, forgotten where exactly Aither ended up staying, though it didn¡¯t take too long to find him. Demery was already there, from the looks of it just about to recount his own experience before noticing her.


    ¡°Good,¡± Aither said with a grin. ¡°It¡¯s a lot easier to go over everything when you¡¯re both here. So, what did the two of you learn?¡±


    Demery shrugged. ¡°All I could find was a few records¡ªit just said that the parents died at the same time, but there was nothing about what happened to the kids. When I tried to ask one of the nuns about it, she made me leave.¡±


    ¡°I tried asking around and no one really answered me either,¡± Koyana added. ¡°They acted like Feldr had done something unforgivable¡­¡±


    ¡°Just as I thought,¡± Aither mumbled. He got a little louder to actually address the two of them. ¡°I knew they wouldn¡¯t tell you anything.¡±


    ¡°Then why did you make us go out there?¡± Demery questioned. ¡°Couldn¡¯t there have been something more productive to do with our time if you knew no one was going to talk to us?¡±


    Koyana chose to ask a more hopeful question. ¡°Was it all just part of an elaborate set up for you telling us about Feldr yourself?¡±


    Aither shook his head. ¡°I still can¡¯t tell you that part yet, but you¡¯ll be able to figure it out for yourself soon enough. As for how they reacted to their questions and what little they told you¡­ keep that in mind for now, alright? It¡¯s going to be important later.¡±


    He then brought their attention to the small collection of things behind him; a few small jars of something reddish and a few freshly-picked ikretta. ¡°While you were gone, I had a small mission of my own. I checked in with Day¡ª¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s your nickname for Danai, right?¡± Koyana asked without really thinking about it.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s what most of us call her. Not many mortals piece it together, though, even when it¡¯s really obvious¡­¡± Aither paused. ¡°But you didn¡¯t let me finish. I went back to Sanctuary and talked with Day. She let me know that we can start the next part of the plan now.¡±


    ¡°And what¡¯s that?¡± It sounded like Demery was expecting to hear something bad¡ªhis expression proved it, too. He probably thought it would just be more ¡°pointless¡± running around.


    ¡°Do you remember what I originally told you I came to give you? We¡¯re going to go find those.¡±


    ¡°Are we going to have to guess where they are..?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not quite as impossible as this one was, I promise. I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll have much of a problem once we get there.¡±


    Demery mumbled his suspicions.


    ¡°Are we going to need those in order to find them?¡± Koyana prompted, gesturing to the odd jars.


    Aither looked confused for a moment before realizing what she was talking about. ¡°Oh, no, those don¡¯t have anything to do with what I wanted to show you. It¡¯s just what they could spare since there¡¯s¡­ someone else who takes a bit higher priority than me right now¡­¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the ikretta for, then?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s more or less for the same thing. Just what I found while I was waiting for you two¡­¡±


    ¡°What are they both supposed to do?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ something we can talk about later, maybe. I swear, it¡¯s nothing important¡ªit¡¯s probably not something you¡¯d really be able to understand, either.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t really understand any of this,¡± Demery remarked. ¡°But we¡¯re with you now, and there¡¯s no point in heading back home. When are we going to leave for where you left those things?¡±


    ¡°Tomorrow morning,¡± Aither replied. ¡°There¡¯s a bit of walking involved, so I¡¯d suggest you head back to the inn and rest.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t,¡± Demery sighed, ¡°our grandparents didn¡¯t give us enough money for two nights.¡±


    ¡°Plus, I think I annoyed a lot of people,¡± Koyana said casually. ¡°I have a feeling that, even if we had the money, they weren¡¯t going to let us in¡­¡±


    Aither thought about it for a moment, mumbling some things to himself. ¡°Alright, this just calls for a slight change of plans. You can stay out here with me. It¡¯s¡­ not the most comfortable of places to sleep, but you¡¯ll definitely be safe with me here.¡±

 The Fiction in Fact: Chapter 5

    {-Aither-}


    He always wondered if it was obvious and, if so,  how obvious it was¡ªthe nervous looks he gave to their surroundings, the way he stopped any time he heard another creature. He hated being alone. All his mind did was remind him of the stories they would tell each other, of some of the things he¡¯d seen¡­ But he didn¡¯t have the choice of hiding behind a more confident Fos. Day needed him to do this.


    They hardly had enough light to keep the darkness away; the least he could do was actually do his part.


    He stopped at the edge of a valley, at a spot with a perfect vantage point of everything in it. The only other creatures there were a few wild animals. Even then, they seemed to acknowledge the three of them and decided it may be best to leave them alone.


    ¡°This is where I put it,¡± Aither announced. ¡°You¡¯ll have to find out exactly where it is on your own, though.¡±


    ¡°Do we get any hints on what we¡¯re looking for?¡± Demery asked.


    Aither nodded. ¡°You¡¯re looking for a stack of letters and an old box. Don¡¯t disregard something because it looks too well-preserved¡ªif you find anything similar to those things, I want you to bring it back to me first.¡± He paused. ¡°And whatever you do, don¡¯t open either one of them until I tell you to. You¡¯re putting more than yourself at risk by trying to figure out what they are too early.¡±


    ¡°You just made me ten times more interested in opening them,¡± Koyana admitted.


    There were so many things that popped into his mind but what he ultimately settled with was a simple, ¡°Please don¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure your curiosity could stand to wait until Aither tells us to open them,¡± Demery remarked.


    ¡°You can¡¯t tell me you aren¡¯t curious, too!¡± Koyana returned.


    He only shrugged in response.


    ¡°Demery can look over there,¡± Aither instructed before things got carried away, ¡°and Koyana can search there. I¡¯ll be able to watch your progress from here. Consider everything else we¡¯ve talked about so far while you¡¯re trying to find them¡ªthe next step is best if you¡¯ve had some time to consider what we learned.¡±


    They both nodded and left. Aither sat at the best spot to watch them, greeting the little bird that soon joined him, and made mental notes of all of their actions.


    From the beginning, Demery seemed to be the one who could think through any sort of problem¡­ but also, possibly, see a problem where there was none. He gave every bit of his surroundings careful observation, likely trying to recall what Aither had said so far to piece it together somehow. After a couple of minutes of this, Demery found and pulled out a packet of letters and started back up to where Aither was.


    Koyana must¡¯ve had a good enough vantage point to see what her brother had done. For a moment, she tried imitating him. She quickly grew bored, however, and just took to wandering. Something must¡¯ve caught her attention because she found the box by a bush, then went to join her brother and Aither.


    Aither waited until they¡¯d both come back and given him the items before giving them a smile. ¡°Good job, both of you. I almost expected it to take a little longer¡­¡± He picked up the letters and sat them beside him. ¡°I¡¯m going to keep these in a safe place for now, and we¡¯ll come back to them later. Koyana, since you¡¯re the one that found the box, you can open it.¡±


    She didn¡¯t need any other confirmation. She fiddled with the lock then pulled out most of what was inside. ¡°They¡¯re all diary entries.¡± She paused. ¡°Really old diary entries¡­¡±


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    Demery looked over her shoulder at the letters. ¡°They don¡¯t look like they should be that old¡­¡±


    ¡°The letters beside me, the box, and what was put in the box were all enchanted,¡± Aither explained. ¡°They needed to be able to withstand the test of time, which isn¡¯t an easy feat. I was surprised when I first saw them, too¡ªit¡¯s actually quite amazing, given that it was a mortal that put it all together.¡±


    ¡°Do you want one of us to read them?¡± Koyana prompted. After looking it all over, she quickly lost her excitement and handed it to Demery. ¡°Actually, I¡¯m going to pass on this one. But Demery loves reading stuff, I bet he¡¯d do it.¡±


    He didn¡¯t seem to mind. He skimmed it over once before giving Aither a quizzical look. ¡°It looks like something important is absent or crossed out.¡±


    ¡°Just skip over those parts,¡± Aither instructed, ¡°and leave all questions for the end.¡±


    Though perhaps not completely satisfied, Demery nodded and began to read it aloud. ¡°¡®At first, I thought it was going to be a normal day. No part of my routine deviated until I met her¡ªand even then, I had simply thought she was an average young woman at first. She introduced herself as ¡­ and I told her my name was Tyrus. She asked if I could help her, though neither of us knew what she needed help with. It was not long after finding her that we met the others, as well.


    ¡°¡®Komaeda, it seems, always lived in my hometown¡ªby some odd force, we had never seen each other before then. Feldr was a traveler, though he saw something in ¡­ and decided to stay wherever she was. We have not talked a lot since our first meeting, but I have a feeling we are going to do something together. Whether this is a grand something or a bad something is a piece I have not figured out.¡¯¡±


    He flipped the page to find a whole different entry entirely. ¡°¡®..., however odd she was, became a fast friend. I am sure all of us can agree to that. It was by her suggestion that we went on a trip. We had gone on others before, but she stated that this one would top them all. It is only now that I wonder what, exactly, was her motive for asking us to come¡­


    ¡°¡®I did not think of it before, but looking back at the memory, someone had come to visit ¡­ in our home. I do not recall what this person looked like or who they were; I did not find it something worth noting in that day¡¯s entry. ¡­ began acting strange after that. I believe it was what sparked her to ask us to go on a trip with her. I know, at least, on the final day of our journey¡ªyesterday¡ªshe came up to us and announced she had something to share. She revealed the identity of the person that had visited her to be her ¡®mother.¡¯ This woman, ¡­ said, had told her who she ¡®truly¡¯ was. Personally I do not believe any of it, yet¡­ she seems to. She will be leaving to join her mother tomorrow. I suppose time will tell if what her mother threatened her of will come to pass or not¡­¡¯¡±


    Demery went to move on to the next one but gave it a curious look. ¡°This one¡¯s just blank.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s because you¡¯ve read everything you needed to,¡± Aither said. ¡°But you can keep the box and the entries¡ªthey rightfully belong to you, as his descendants. Maybe it¡¯ll help you become a bit more familiar with what he did.¡±


    ¡°So the person who wrote this was really the one who founded our house..?¡± Koyana asked.


    Aither nodded. ¡°I¡¯m sure there¡¯s not a lot of stories I could tell you that you haven¡¯t already heard, though. He amassed a large amount of the wealth that his descendants enjoy today on the several trips he made with the other three. I honestly just heard stories like you did, but it sounded like he never left an ally behind. I¡¯d assume he had plenty by the time of his passing.¡±


    ¡°I think you should¡¯ve said the wealth that some of his descendants enjoy,¡± Demery pointed out. ¡°We¡¯re definitely not included in that.¡±


    Aither wished there could¡¯ve been a way to comfort them; but there wasn¡¯t, without mentioning things meant for a later date.


    ¡°We¡¯ve heard stories about him from our grandparents,¡± Koyana remarked, ¡°but nothing about him having friends. They always made it sound like he worked alone and actively avoided people¡­¡±


    ¡°Time has a way of contorting history,¡± Aither explained. ¡°It¡¯s a part of the reason why I¡¯m helping you. I know there¡¯s probably very little about what I¡¯m saying that makes sense right now. But by the end, you¡¯ll be able to look at all of this with all of the right pieces. It won¡¯t be too hard to figure everything else out from there.¡±


    ¡°Then the other people he mentioned?¡± Demery questioned. ¡°Feldr, Komaeda, and that other person?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ a bit more complicated to explain, without touching on any details I really shouldn¡¯t right now. But it wasn¡¯t anything that I wasn¡¯t prepared for¡ªI¡¯ll tell you about Tyrus¡¯s now-forgotten friends.¡±

 The Fiction in Fact: Chapter 6

    {-Aither-}


    This was one of the few things he¡¯d planned out from the beginning. He could do this! Probably!


    ¡°Feldr, despite what kind of reputation his house carries now, was somewhat revered while he was alive,¡± Aither explained. ¡°They lived in the time of the last acts of the Commandments. Only a small fraction of people understood what had just finished happening and what it meant for the world as a whole. Feldr was one of the first to spread these new messages and prove the importance of those events. After his death, though, most realized he¡¯d never stayed in a place long enough to hear his name. His reputation got lost as less people remembered him, then more recent events made it a name meant to be forgotten.


    ¡°Komaeda was kind and caring. She helped everyone she came across but she wasn¡¯t very well-known. She¡¯s one of the few people we know has never been there, yet, after a while, simply seemed to have disappeared. Though we aren¡¯t really sure where, we know her descendants are somewhere and more or less detached from the situation we¡¯re facing.¡±


    ¡°There?¡± Demery questioned. Of course he¡¯d ask about that¡­


    Aither considered what he knew, the young Fos involved in it, and what he understood was probably best left unsaid. ¡°Let¡¯s leave it at ¡®a place where one can very well cease to exist in a matter of months, if they¡¯re particularly unlucky.¡¯¡± He paused. ¡°It¡¯s nothing you have to worry about. You¡¯re not involved in any of that stuff, thankfully¡­¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t really answer anything,¡± Koyana pointed out. ¡°I want to know what it is!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Demery decided. ¡°Even from that vague description, I don¡¯t want to think that a place like that exists¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s best if you don¡¯t think about it,¡± Aither said. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that stuff so there¡¯s no reason to get you involved in it. That just causes more trouble for us in the long run, even if it subsides temporary curiosity.¡±


    Thankfully, they both gave nods of understanding, and for a moment he hoped that perhaps they would be ready to move on completely.


    But Koyana still had a question. ¡°What about the person whose name was crossed out or absent, though? Who¡¯s she and what¡¯s her descendants doing?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s another thing you don¡¯t need to get yourselves involved in,¡± Aither answered quickly. He knew it ultimately didn¡¯t do anything but pique their interest. Why did mortals always think that they wanted to know the secrets that were kept for good reason..? ¡°It¡¯s best if we don¡¯t talk about her at all, in fact. It¡¯ll put a lot more at risk and possibly trigger something we¡¯re not ready for.¡±


    He really didn¡¯t want to be the Fos that screwed that part up. It would mean ruining centuries of planning and possibly cost much, much more than he was willing to take responsibility for¡­


    They must¡¯ve both noted his panic and decided not to push the subject any further.


    Then, before they could think of any more questions, Aither quickly said, ¡°I¡¯m going to join you back home, alright?¡±


    ¡°You mean we¡¯ve got to go back..?¡± Koyana mumbled, clearly disappointed. ¡°I thought we¡¯d be able to stay with you for at least a little while longer¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m coming back,¡± Aither assured her. ¡°There¡¯s just a few other things I need to take care of. I figured you¡¯d rather be at home for the time being than waiting around here for me.¡±


    Judging by his tone, Demery only half-jokingly remarked, ¡°Depends on how long you¡¯re going to be gone.¡±


    Aither took it as an actual question to be answered. ¡°About a week or so. There¡¯s some people I need to check on.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to introduce them to us?¡± Koyana asked eagerly.


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    ¡°Two of them, yes¡ªat least, that¡¯s the plan,¡± he responded. ¡°The others¡­ I don¡¯t think so. Most of the other Fos are busy.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re heading back to your home too, then what about Danai? Do you think there¡¯d be any chance of us ever meeting her?¡±


    Demery sighed. ¡°Koyana, of course there isn¡¯t. I¡¯m sure Danai has much more important things to do than meet with you.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯d love it, actually, if she was able to¡­¡± Aither didn¡¯t process until afterwards what he¡¯d said. He quickly tried to think of an explanation before it seemed too long. ¡°She¡¯s really busy.¡±


    Well, it wasn¡¯t a lie. Day did have a lot she needed to do¡­


    ¡°What if we try extra hard to get her attention?¡± Koyana tried. ¡°Do you think she¡¯d come down then?¡±


    ¡°N-no, I don¡¯t think she could¡­¡±


    ¡°What if all of her work magically disappeared? I know it won¡¯t happen, but pretend like it can!¡±


    ¡°She¡¯d love to.¡±


    ¡°But would she?¡±


    He avoided their gazes. ¡°Of course¡ªin a heartbeat¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, if you¡¯re walking with us back home, then lead the way,¡± Demery said after a moment. ¡°I¡¯m guessing we¡¯re going to be traveling again when you come back?¡±


    Aither gave a thankful nod. ¡°Hopefully, yes. This time is going to be a little longer. I¡¯ll get a list together of the necessities but we¡¯re going to need your help in funding it.¡±


    ¡­


    He hardly enjoyed a relatively quiet forest. A bustling city like this was practically the bane of his existence. He wasn¡¯t Mazel, able to talk with anyone about anything; he wasn¡¯t Iztali, able to have so many people around him at once; he wasn¡¯t Imena, able to slip in and out of crowds without ever being caught. He was just Aither, unable to step foot in a busy crowd of mortals without being pushed around.


    He decided not to count all the times he got shoved or nearly tripped after he nearly dropped half of the ambrosia and cut himself on the jar that did break. Luckily, he noticed it quick enough to cover the spot on his hand before anyone else saw it.


    A sigh of relief escaped when he saw the house he needed to go to and he was even more comforted when he got there. He knocked rather confidently on the door. ¡°Olle? Evelina? Are you home..?¡±


    A familiar face opened the door. Olle gave him a wide smile. ¡°We were wondering when you¡¯d come by again, it¡¯s been a little while.¡± He stepped aside to let Aither in. ¡°Go ahead and make yourself at home.¡±


    Aither wandered over to a seat, sat his little bag down, and looked back at his cut. ¡°Do you have a cloth or something I could borrow..?¡±


    ¡°You know, I don¡¯t think you¡¯ve come in here without getting hurt,¡± Olle remarked. Still, he¡¯d left to get something and soon returned to offer a bit of bandages.


    ¡°I¡¯m a Fos meant to hide behind others. I¡¯m just lucky it¡¯s never anything serious¡­¡± Aither opened one of the jars of ambrosia and tried to ignore the sting when he rubbed some around the cut. ¡°I wish I didn¡¯t have to use so much of this, though. I always feel like I¡¯m wasting it¡­¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re just risking not being able to go back to Sanctuary and possibly dying by not doing it, right? I wouldn¡¯t call that wasting anything.¡±


    ¡°Not when it takes almost a dozen of these a day to keep him from fading¡­¡±


    Olle was quiet for a moment. ¡°You¡¯re talking about that important Fos, right? Have we earned the right to know who he is yet..?¡±


    Aither shook his head absently. He began wrapping the cut. ¡°You don¡¯t need to know who he is. Actually, knowing would probably put you in a worse situation. All you need to know is that he¡¯s extremely important to what¡¯s going to happen.¡±


    Honestly, that much alone was probably too much information. But he knew such secrets were safe with Olle and Evelina¡ªand perhaps soon, he could entrust similar ones with Demery and Koyana.


    ¡°Well, I know you don¡¯t need to eat, but would you like something?¡± Olle prompted. He never pried into matters he knew he wouldn¡¯t find answers to.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, but thank you. Is Evelina here, or..?¡±


    ¡°She had a¡­ rough morning.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound good.¡±


    ¡°It really wasn¡¯t, no matter how hard she tried to pretend like it was. I¡¯ve convinced her to get some rest, though. The nun that came to check on her said she¡¯d be fine after that.¡±


    ¡°So, do you think you two will be ready to travel soon..? I¡¯ve finished everything with the other two¡ªthe next stage is to have you all together.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re finally going to be meeting these mysterious strangers you keep talking about? I¡¯m already looking forward to it.¡± Olle gave it all some consideration. ¡°Evelina should be fine by then. Even if she isn¡¯t, I¡¯m sure she¡¯d hear of this one way or another and then there¡¯d be nothing I could do to stop her.¡±


    ¡°Make sure you¡¯re well-prepared for a trip. It¡¯s not going to take too long to get there, but it¡¯s only the beginning of something bigger.¡±

 The Fiction in Fact: Chapter 7

    {-Demery-}


    It hadn¡¯t been a very big change. But, compared to what they were like before, it certainly felt like it.


    ¡°Demery, you¡¯re late. Get your lazy ass out of bed and start making breakfast.¡±


    The words didn¡¯t change¡ªno, it was the same thing their grandfather had been saying for years that had long since lost meaning. It was the action¡ªor rather, lack of it¡ªthat made him more willing to comply with their grandfather¡¯s will. Usually there was door slamming, stomping, and the tugging of blankets involved; ever since they returned from their little trip, though, it was just replaced with an irritated command.


    Demery wandered into the kitchen and prepared some fruit and bread, making a mental note that he needed to get more soon.


    But their grandmother passed by at that moment and, for the first time he could remember, offered, ¡°I¡¯m going to be heading out to town to visit some friends. I¡¯ll make sure to pick up some things on my way back home.¡±


    He desperately wanted to question it¡ªwhat the sudden appearance of Aither really had to do with their actions. It was like they were beginning to realize that their treatment of the siblings wasn¡¯t particularly fair and that it should be changed.


    Or, perhaps, that there was someone who might be upset with them to know what the siblings had to grow up with under their grandparents¡¯ care. But that also brought up several more questions than he could only think of answers to.


    Though it was ultimately a good thing, he didn¡¯t want to think about it too much. They¡¯d dodged the question the one time he tried to ask, anyway.


    When he finished, their grandparents took their usual amount. Demery split the fraction of what was left between two plates, leaving one at the table while taking the other to his sister¡¯s room.


    He gently knocked on the door and called, ¡°Koyana, it¡¯s time to eat.¡±


    There were only a handful of times when she wasn¡¯t up before him. He prepared himself to see her in a state he knew he couldn¡¯t help; the collection of bittersweet memories going through the head of the much more melancholy Koyana.


    Yet, when she emerged a moment later, she just wiped away a tear and mumbled her thanks.


    ¡°Do you want to visit the spot today?¡± he asked gently.


    She took the plate he¡¯d offered and brought it back to the kitchen. ¡°No. I really don¡¯t want to let Aither see that, if he ends up coming¡­¡±


    ¡°Just let me know if you change your mind. You know I¡¯ll gladly walk you there.¡±


    She nodded and began to eat. He ate as well, but not without sparing periodic glances in her direction. He didn¡¯t care if it looked obvious, she knew it was his way of making sure everything else was fine.


    ¡°I wish he gave us an actual time,¡± she said after a little while. ¡°It¡¯s already been over a week¡­¡±


    ¡°Maybe he got caught up in something,¡± Demery offered. ¡°It sounds like he¡¯s got a lot of other things to work on, anyway.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you have to worry about that much longer,¡± their grandfather remarked as he walked up to them. ¡°Seems the two of you have a letter. It doesn¡¯t say who it¡¯s from, so don¡¯t ask.¡± He placed it in front of them and turned to walk away again. ¡°I do expect you to clean up before you leave.¡±


    Demery carefully picked up the letter and read it over. ¡°It¡¯s from Aither. He wants us to meet him at that place we talked before.¡± Without looking up, he added, ¡°Your excitement for a distraction can wait until after you¡¯ve eaten.¡±


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    ¡­


    ¡°Did he mention anything specific about what he wanted to talk to us about?¡±


    ¡°For the fifth time, Koyana, all he said was that we should meet with him.¡±


    He couldn¡¯t tell if this was just a part of her normal excitement or if it still had to do with the distraction. Either way, it was starting to get mildly annoying, though she was likely well aware of that by now. Luckily it wasn¡¯t long after that they reached the spot where Aither was waiting for them¡ªalong with two strangers.


    ¡°You weren¡¯t busy, were you?¡± Aither asked. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to interrupt anything, in case you had plans.¡±


    ¡°We really didn¡¯t have any plans,¡± Koyana assured him.


    ¡°Probably just another day of running errands¡­¡± Demery mumbled.


    Koyana quickly caught sight of the strangers and rushed up to them. ¡°More importantly, Aither, who¡¯s these two?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re, uh, a little ahead of me here¡­¡± Aither let out a nervous laugh. He gestured to the two strangers. ¡°These two are Olle and Evelina. They have the blood of Feldr.¡± He gestured to the siblings. ¡°And these are Demery and Koyana. They have the blood of Tyrus.¡±


    ¡°I guess since they aren¡¯t here already, there¡¯s not going to be any of Komaeda¡¯s descendants?¡± Olle prompted.


    Aither shook his head. ¡°They¡¯re a lot harder to track down, though fortunately they aren¡¯t involved in this mess like the four of you are. Maybe one day you¡¯ll all be able to meet them, but that¡¯s not the important part right now.¡±


    ¡°If you know about Komaeda, then do you know the same amount that we do?¡± Demery addressed the two of them, but glanced at Aither; only he¡¯d actually be able to answer exactly how much they knew.


    ¡°I more or less worked with you at the same time,¡± Aither explained. ¡°You all know the same things about Tyrus, Feldr, and Komaeda. Neither of you know any more about it than the other, though. I made sure of that.¡±


    Koyana smiled and held out her hand. ¡°Well, it¡¯s nice to meet you! Sounds like we¡¯re probably going to be working together, so there¡¯s no purpose in acting like strangers!¡±


    They both offered smiles, but only Olle returned the gesture. ¡°To be honest, when we first heard about meeting the blood of Tyrus¡­ I had my fears. But you¡¯re already much better than I was expecting, so I¡¯m glad they were misplaced.¡±


    ¡°What did you think we were going to be?¡± Demery couldn¡¯t stop himself from asking.


    Aither was the one to answer him. ¡°I think you¡¯d be able to figure out the reasoning, once you get to know each other better.¡± He seemed to take that as his opportunity to lead them into another point, ¡°We¡¯ll all be working together from now on. You¡¯re going to need to be able to get along, so I¡¯ve got a couple of tasks for you before we really get started.¡±


    He took out a small pouch from his own bag. ¡°Since we¡¯re going to be going on a longer trip this time, we¡¯re going to need to make sure we¡¯re well prepared for it. Olle and Demery, I¡¯d like you two to get the items on our list. I know I don¡¯t have a lot¡ªjust a bit a nearby church could spare from their offerings¡ªbut Olle¡¯s already told me he brought more. I¡¯m sure the two of you will be able to make it work.¡± He handed the list to Demery. ¡°Evelina and Koyana, I want you to find a bag bigger than this one. It¡¯s probably best if it¡¯s enchanted to be good for traveling. It may take you a while to find, but hopefully it won¡¯t be too expensive¡­¡±


    ¡°Is there a chance I could be told exactly where we¡¯re going?¡± Demery questioned the moment he read the list over. He¡¯d expected things related to traveling, but this felt all a bit too much.


    ¡°I was wondering about that, too,¡± Evelina agreed. Demery had nearly forgotten she was there. ¡°Where are you going to be taking us? You haven¡¯t mentioned a word about the specifics.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you all once we get all our supplies,¡± Aither assured her. ¡°You should just be focusing on getting those items.¡±


    ¡°Are we going further into the mountains?¡± At least Koyana seemed much happier than she was that morning. Either that or she really had improved in having a positive outward appearance. ¡°Will we run into any dragons or manticores?¡±


    ¡°We won¡¯t,¡± Aither replied quickly, ¡°but I¡¯ll tell you that we¡¯re going to be leaving the Rhodes region. You¡¯re going to have to come back before I tell you anything else, though.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s get started, then!¡± Koyana turned on her heel and gestured for Evelina to follow her.


    ¡°Better keep up,¡± Demery advised casually, glancing at Evelina. ¡°She¡¯ll wander off without you if you don¡¯t keep an eye on her.¡±


    She looked surprised for a moment, but quickly nodded and went to follow Koyana.


    ¡°Oh, and good luck! Aither made her excited so she¡¯s going to be rambling a lot!¡±


    He wasn¡¯t surprised when Koyana called back, ¡°I¡¯m going to pretend like I didn¡¯t hear that!¡±


    Demery glanced at Olle. ¡°Well, this shopping isn¡¯t going to get done on its own. Come on.¡±

 The Fiction in Fact: Chapter 8

    {-Olle-}


    He was usually rather casual in situations where regular people wouldn¡¯t be. His cousin, for the third time in the past month, refused to acknowledge she wasn¡¯t feeling well? Just make sure she gets enough rest, no need to bother anyone at the church over it. Someone from their old hometown tried ¡°warning¡± others about them? Point them in the direction of the priest and have him explain how they, not the cousins, were the true disruption to the peace. A Fos on the verge of a panic attack shows up at their doorstep? Well, that was unexpected, but nothing a comforting smile and patience couldn¡¯t solve.


    But he found himself with so many different questions and fears when it came to these two strangers. He¡¯d prepared himself to come across anyone. Yet neither shared what they found about Feldr, though they reasonably should¡¯ve learned something. They seemed friendly enough; Koyana was practically overflowing with excitement, albeit there was something sad underneath of it. Demery? Well¡­


    Olle usually had no problem striking up a conversation with complete strangers. But there was something different about Demery¡ªa kind of distance, a kind of air that made him feel unapproachable. Olle would¡¯ve assumed it intentional, were he not certain Aither wouldn¡¯t have mentioned that ¡°sense¡± to Demery and Koyana.


    Demery must¡¯ve felt the same awkwardness. After a few minutes when all they did was discuss the price of the items, he asked, ¡°So, is Evelina your sister?¡±


    The question caught him off guard at first, but Olle soon shook his head. ¡°She¡¯s my cousin, but she¡¯s lived with me and my parents all her life.¡±


    ¡°Something happened to hers?¡± It was meant to be a completely casual question. Demery glanced over at him and, perhaps realizing it may not be taken that way, shrugged. ¡°I guess you don¡¯t have to answer that, but I won¡¯t judge. Our parents sent us to live with our grandparents when I was four.¡±


    There was no change in his air¡ªno sadness, no anger. He stated it like a simple fact and nothing else. He wasn¡¯t just pretending not to care; as far as Olle could tell, he really didn¡¯t.


    ¡°It might¡¯ve been something similar, then,¡± Olle mumbled when he realized silence wasn¡¯t the best answer. ¡°They thought having her around would be bad luck.¡±


    ¡°Did she have a twin?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s¡­ kind of more of a local thing.¡±


    Demery must¡¯ve realized it wasn¡¯t the best subject to dwell on. ¡°Is she always that quiet? She practically just stared at the ground the entire time we talked with Aither.¡±


    ¡°Trust me, she¡¯s usually a lot friendlier. But she doesn¡¯t really like being surrounded by strangers in an unfamiliar place. Give it a couple of days and I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll warm up to you two. She¡¯s usually going out of her way to do all sorts of things back home. It keeps her busy.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good. Koyana might not end up just rambling on forever.¡±


    ¡°Do you two not get to meet a lot of new people, or..?¡±


    ¡°Oh, no, merchants come by here all the time. For some reason, she just likes getting to know everyone.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s too much work and time I could spend doing something more productive. I don¡¯t get how she keeps doing it, either, after¡ª¡± Demery cut himself off, shaking his head. ¡°That¡¯s not something I should be talking about. If she wants to tell you, then she can do it herself.¡±


    So the blood of Tyrus had plenty of secrets of their own, too. That was nice to know. At least then they were both withholding information.


    They visited a couple of stores before they really talked about anything again.


    ¡°Do you live around here?¡± Olle asked. They all seemed to know Demery and looked happier when they saw him¡ªeven if, still, his own aura hardly changed.


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    ¡°In that house over there,¡± Demery replied casually, pointing to the house in question. ¡°Do the two of you live nearby?¡±


    ¡°We actually live a couple days away from here in a town further into the mountains. Aither came to us and we all traveled together to where we met you.¡±


    ¡°Must¡¯ve been exhausting, traveling that far on foot.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve got a bit of experience¡ªwe moved around a lot before settling into where we are now.¡±


    Demery was quiet for a little while, almost suspiciously so. ¡°Was that after your parents died?¡±


    Olle froze. There seemed to be no ill intent behind the question, and yet¡­ ¡°Why do you think my parents are dead?¡±


    ¡°I came across some records that mentioned four people with the last name ¡®Feldr.¡¯ The older two both died around the same time. The younger two¡ªconveniently named Olle and Evelina¡ªdidn¡¯t have a current status but didn¡¯t match everyone else that still lived there. All seems really strange for just being a coincidence, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°You know, I never really expected to hear all of that come from someone I literally met less than an hour ago.¡± Olle sighed. ¡°But you¡¯re right about all of it. I just don¡¯t want to talk about why for the time being¡­¡±


    ¡°Hey, we were abandoned by our parents to stay with our less-than-great grandparents,¡± Demery pointed out. ¡°I can almost guarantee that any person you see in the crowd has had more of an impact on my life than those two. I don¡¯t care that your parents are dead or how you wandered around for a while.¡±


    ¡°I wish we¡¯d come across a lot more people like you. That would¡¯ve made it a whole lot easier.¡±


    Or, perhaps, Demery¡¯s opinion would change when he knew all of it. Olle usually wasn¡¯t the one to question it, but the thought stayed in the back of his mind. It would be just their luck.


    They walked around some more, holding a conversation with little true interest in it. Only after they got everything on the list did Demery slow to a stop.


    For the first time since meeting, something changed about him. The stoic air briefly turned into curiosity¡ªa kind that carried a wary edge to it.


    Olle hoped it wasn¡¯t too obvious when he prompted, ¡°What is it? We¡¯ve gotten everything we needed, Aither¡¯s probably waiting for us.¡±


    He followed Demery¡¯s gaze to one of the shopkeepers and a man; the man, it seemed, was well aware of their observation. Without stopping his conversation with the shopkeeper, he flashed them both a smile. He both gave the impression of simply trying to be friendly and also knowing much more than they did.


    ¡°Do you know him..?¡± Olle decided to ask.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen him before,¡± Demery mumbled back.


    ¡°But you said earlier that a lot of merchants traveled through here. Why is it important that you don¡¯t recognize him?¡±


    ¡°Because Ms. Siavax seems to. She¡¯s never that comfortable around strangers¡ªshe usually gets her siblings to talk with any merchants that come by.¡±


    She caught sight of them, too, and gave a small frown. It looked like she mumbled some things to the man but he simply laughed it off, waved goodbye, and left.


    Demery immediately took the opportunity to walk up to her, Olle trailing behind. ¡°Did I interrupt something?¡±


    She seemed to understand exactly what he meant. ¡°No, that was just Jimar¡ªhe travels a lot, and always stops by when he¡¯s nearby. It¡¯s usually at night, though, so I¡¯m not surprised that you¡¯ve never run into him before. He usually asks about the two of you, actually, but he¡¯s always been too busy to wait for you to come¡­¡± She shook her head. ¡°Is there something you need?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going to be out of town for a little while and, since we¡¯ve gotten everything we needed with some left over, I figured we could bring some snacks,¡± Demery explained. He was somehow-surprisingly good at lying¡ªor perhaps there was still some fragment of truth to it. ¡°Do you have something that¡¯ll be good for traveling?¡±


    ¡°I think I¡¯ve got something that¡¯ll be perfect.¡± She turned to get it from the shop, but someone else muttered something and went inside. Olle guessed they¡¯d been one of her relatives. She turned back to them. ¡°So, do you think Orestis has something planned out for you?¡±


    ¡°Maybe, but I don''t think it''s going to be anything special.¡± Demery¡¯s whole attitude changed when talking with her¡ªa warmth was present in his words, unlike his talks with Olle so far.


    ¡°Does it have anything to do with why you were away for a few days a week ago? And why you¡¯re with someone I¡¯ve never seen here?¡±


    ¡°Ah, this is Olle. If you see someone trying to keep up with Koyana, that¡¯s his cousin Evelina. They¡¯re both involved with why we¡¯re going to be gone for a little while.¡±


    She smiled at Olle. Her anxiety, though, was easy to spot¡ªeven to someone without the power to sense it. ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you. You look reliable, keep an eye on those two, won¡¯t you?¡±


    He smiled back. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡±


    Her relative came back out of the shop with a bag of something. They exchanged a few mumbled before she handed it to Demery.


    ¡°How much do I¡ª¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry, this one¡¯s on the house,¡± she interrupted. ¡°Just stay safe out there.¡±


    Demery opened his mouth to give some kind of objection before nodding slowly. ¡°Thank you.¡± He glanced at Olle. ¡°With all of this out of the way, let¡¯s head back to Aither.¡±

 The Fiction in Fact: Chapter 9

    {-Evelina-}


    ¡°What could he possibly need a bag for?¡± she mumbled. She trusted Koyana to be the one to pay attention to where they were going. She was far too busy trying to overanalyze Aither¡¯s request.


    ¡°Maybe he needs something to hold all the stuff we¡¯re bringing with us in,¡± Koyana offered brightly. It sounded like she was only half paying attention; the way she fleeted from one side of the street to the other, greeting everyone she saw, seemed to confirm it.


    Evelina wasn¡¯t sure what she thought about it. Was she annoyed, envious? Or was she simply happy that one of them, at least, could be that happy?


    ¡°Olle brought travel bags with us for that exact reason. Aither knows that.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s he keeping in the other one? It might¡¯ve gotten a tear or something.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the only thing I can think of, but it doesn¡¯t make any sense. That bag should be fine with what he uses it for, he shouldn¡¯t need something else. Unless he thinks he¡¯ll need a lot more of what he brings¡­¡±


    ¡°Is it really that important that you know what he needs it for?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a lot of different types of bags. It¡¯ll be easier to pick one if I know what he plans on using it for.¡±


    Koyana shrugged. ¡°I was just going to go with whatever the shopkeeper recommended. We can ask him about it when we go back.¡±


    ¡°I suppose.¡± Evelina glanced around town. Now for the next question: ¡°Where would something like that be?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think any of our usual shops would sell something like that,¡± Koyana said thoughtfully. ¡°We don¡¯t get a lot of travelers that would be looking for something fancy. But I think there¡¯s one merchant who comes by pretty often that might have something.¡±


    ¡°Where are the town¡¯s traveling merchants found, then? It looks like we¡¯re in the market now¡­¡±


    There were, at least, dozens of signs promoting all kinds of wares. A rather varied amount of wares, for what seemed to be a smaller town. Perhaps they saw a lot of other travelers aside from merchants¡ªa lot more than Olle and Evelina¡¯s home did, anyway.


    ¡°The traveling merchants usually stay near the edge of town. Not a lot of them think that they have something one of us needs that another can¡¯t make themselves.¡± Koyana glanced back at her. ¡°You¡¯re going to have to make sure you stay behind me. It¡¯s not hard to figure out where to go, but you might end up getting lost.¡±


    Evelina nodded. She had no intention of getting separated from the one person in the crowd she could rely on. Or, she hoped to rely on. Aither trusted Demery and Koyana, so they couldn¡¯t be that bad. Could they?


    Her thoughts were promptly interrupted when she accidentally walked into Koyana. At first she thought they must¡¯ve gotten to the merchant, were it not for the fact Koyana¡¯s bright expression faded.


    ¡°Is something wrong..?¡± Evelina dared to ask, though she didn¡¯t get a response.


    It wasn¡¯t too hard to guess once she realized the conversation happening in front of them.


    They were two merchants, from the looks of it¡ªand honestly, she didn¡¯t find anything particularly off about their conversation.


    ¡°I ended up declining the offer. I didn¡¯t want to spend all that time traveling around or through the mountains. There¡¯s barely any other towns along the way to make it worth it.¡±


    ¡°You know, I believe Lord Solaris made an announcement about reopening the entirety of Adi¨¢vatos to merchants. You could¡¯ve accepted the offer and just gone that way.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, right. I don¡¯t intend on dying out there. Every time they reopen that place, they close it down again the moment there¡¯s an accident. Which, need I remind you, is always a merchant caravan within the first week of its reopening.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, I feel like they might have actually solved the problem this time. Or at least some of them. I believe he mentioned something about caravans being escorted.¡±


    ¡°Being escorted means nothing to Ski¨¢, nor Maildrul! There¡¯s a reason Queen Zofie hasn¡¯t mentioned a word about it. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if she stops him the moment she hears about it.¡±


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    ¡°No matter what, you¡¯ve got to realize that it¡¯s the quickest way to the other side of the mountains. Ask that person if their offer¡¯s still up¡ªI¡¯ll willingly accept it, whether it means heading through Adi¨¢vatos or not.¡±


    Most surprisingly to Evelina, Koyana actually said something. ¡°I¡­ really don¡¯t think you should. It¡¯s probably not worth it.¡±


    They both looked at her; the confident one didn¡¯t seem to think her input meant anything, but the wary one smiled.


    ¡°This is Koyana,¡± he said to his confident companion. ¡°If you think there¡¯s any reward that¡¯ll make it worth going through Adi¨¢vatos, then just talk to her! She¡¯ll prove me right.¡±


    Evelina recognized Koyana¡¯s expression. Something dredged up unfortunate memories and she wasn¡¯t particularly keen on talking about them¡­ if not just because of the person standing beside her, in fear that something might be said that would change something between them.


    Of course, the confident one couldn¡¯t see it. ¡°What¡¯s a girl like her going to know about a merchant¡¯s life? I bet she hasn¡¯t even left this town.¡±


    The wary merchant frowned. ¡°She was very close¡ª¡°


    ¡°Excuse me, sirs, but we¡¯re both rather busy,¡± Evelina cut in. ¡°We really should be going.¡±


    That didn¡¯t sway the confident merchant. ¡°No, I¡¯m sure you can wait. I¡¯m quite curious to know.¡±


    Evelina sighed, gently ushering Koyana around them. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know what she¡¯s done, but I¡¯ve had my fair bit of traveling. Sokratas gifted you with common sense for a reason, I¡¯d advise you to use it. Life is a precious thing¡ªworth more than any amount of money you could possibly get for risking it.¡± She shot them both a fake smile before walking a little faster.


    After a stunned moment, Koyana took the lead again. ¡°Where did all that come from?¡±


    ¡°Being the rumor mill that I am, I¡¯ve learned to stand my ground,¡± Evelina answered simply. She glanced back just to make sure both the merchants took the hint. ¡°Mention something from the Commandments, hurt their ego, then run away before they have the chance to think of something to say back.¡±


    Never mind the fact that she was almost always anxious in those moments and their words stayed with her long after the encounter.


    If Koyana realized there was something more to Evelina¡¯s thoughts on the matter, she didn¡¯t mention it. ¡°Well, thank you. I¡­ guess I kind of got myself into that one, but¡­¡±


    Evelina managed a true, comforting smile. ¡°You don¡¯t have to explain yourself to me. I just saw you weren¡¯t comfortable and I did what I knew I could.¡±


    A kind of warmth bubbled inside her upon seeing Koyana¡¯s grateful expression.


    For better or worse, they said nothing else to each other until they reached the spot.


    ¡°Good morning!¡± Koyana greeted, once again cheerful, as she walked up to one of the merchants there. This must¡¯ve been the one she was talking about; behind him, there were plenty of wares any kind of traveler would need.


    In fact, he almost looked familiar. The smile he gave when his eyes went from Koyana to Evelina proved it.


    ¡°Ah, that looks like a familiar face! You wouldn¡¯t happen to be Evelina Feldr, would you?¡± he prompted.


    She tried to remember if he had been a friendly merchant or an aggressive one. When trying to recall their encounter, however, it was just a blur. So, to answer his question, she just gave a cautious nod.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve seen you! How¡¯ve you and your cousin been? Found somewhere to settle in yet? Looks like you¡¯re doing better!¡±


    That was it: they¡¯d traveled with his caravan for a little while after she got sick. Her memories were fuzzy because she hadn¡¯t quite been ¡°there¡± the entire time and they left on their own as soon as she was better.


    ¡°We¡¯ve both been well,¡± she finally replied. ¡°We actually found a place to stay four years ago.¡±


    He laughed. ¡°Has it really been that long? It must not have been long after you left that you found the place, then!¡± He paused and looked at Koyana. ¡°Koyana, how long have you known her?¡±


    ¡°A couple of hours,¡± she responded with a shrug. ¡°Do you two know each other?¡±


    ¡°Barely,¡± was Evelina¡¯s quick answer.


    ¡°Come on, now! That¡¯s no way to treat someone who helped¡ª¡± Evelina¡¯s quick glare made him stop and let out a nervous chuckle. ¡°Rather keep that part of the story to yourself, then? Alright, I get it. Koyana, all you need to know is that those two traveled with my group for a few weeks. Hey, Evelina, is Olle here, too?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s with Demery,¡± Evelina said. Before he could say anything else, she added, ¡°They¡¯re on a mission just like we are. We¡¯re looking for a bag specifically made for traveling.¡±


    ¡°Possibly enchanted,¡± Koyana continued, likely trying to remember what else Aither had told them, ¡°and kind of big. But still light enough for a kid to carry.¡±


    ¡°That seems like an odd mix of rather specific things,¡± the merchant remarked. He turned around to look through his wares. ¡°The only thing you didn¡¯t tell me was what you planned on using it for. But luckily, I¡¯ve got something that could work pretty well for just about everything.¡±


    He showed them the bag he pulled out. ¡°This is one of the best travel bags you¡¯re going to be able to find around here. High quality, super durable, with two different enchantments¡ªit¡¯s light, no matter how much you put in it, and it keeps food and things nice and fresh.¡±


    ¡°I think that¡¯ll work¡­¡± Evelina mumbled. She went to pull out the pouch of coins. ¡°How much would it cost..?¡±


    ¡°Usually, stuff like this is premium travel material,¡± he said casually with a smirk. ¡°But for the two of you? I¡¯ll cut it down to a single silver coin.¡±


    She couldn¡¯t hide her surprise. ¡°You really don¡¯t need to do that.¡±


    ¡°Please, I¡¯m not losing that much! Go on and take it. My wife¡¯s been worried about you two, you know. She wonders if you¡¯re alright every now and again. I¡¯m sure she¡¯d be grateful to know that you¡¯re both doing good and found somewhere to stay.¡±


    Realizing there was no point in arguing, Evelina nodded and handed him a silver coin. He gave her the bag and, with the exchange done, they all waved goodbye before heading back to Aither.

 The Fiction in Fact: Chapter 10

    {-Aither-}


    He hardly noticed, at first, when they came back; he was too busy gathering his own things, repeating words that did nothing to assure him.


    ¡°We got the bag you wanted!¡± Koyana announced, making him jump. ¡°Or at least, we hope it¡¯s good enough.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s bigger than what you have now, durable, lightweight, and keeps things fresh,¡± Evelina added thoughtfully as she handed it to him.


    Aither gave them both a thankful smile. ¡°That should be perfect, actually.¡± He paused, noticed the boys returning, then looked between them and his things and asked, ¡°I¡¯m sure you were curious about what I needed it for, huh..? I didn¡¯t mention it earlier but I realize now that it probably would¡¯ve made it a little easier¡­¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t completely sure, but I¡­ do have a guess,¡± Evelina said. ¡°Does it involve the ambrosia you have with you?¡±


    ¡°Ambrosia?¡± Koyana repeated. She mumbled a greeting to her brother when he got close enough, but both boys refrained from sharing their progress.


    ¡°It¡¯s what¡¯s in these jars,¡± Aither explained. ¡°It¡¯s nothing the four of you need to be particularly worried about. It¡¯s like¡­ a safety measure, in case something happens to me.¡±


    Demery frowned. ¡°Is this going to end up becoming dangerous?¡±


    ¡°No, not at all. Day just wants me to have them. I¡¯ll be honest, a lot is going to be happening soon.¡± Aither tried his best to think of a good analogy, without remembering Mazel¡¯s examples nor wanting to give too much away. ¡°It¡¯s going to be a bit like a flood in a town close to the river. It¡¯s the job of the Fos to get as many of those townspeople far away as soon as possible¡ªthat¡¯s the same reason I¡¯m helping the four of you. We can¡¯t risk losing any more Fos, so Day¡¯s made sure we¡¯re all extra-prepared.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve mentioned this to us a little bit before,¡± Olle remarked. ¡°Are you sure we can¡¯t get a better explanation..?¡±


    Aither shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s the most I¡¯m allowed to tell you. Believe me, knowing isn¡¯t going to make you any more at ease. All I can say is that you won¡¯t have to worry about being a part of it¡­ and you¡¯ll definitely know what it is when it comes.¡±


    ¡°Next question,¡± Demery continued with a certain kind of hesitance, ¡°what exactly did you make us get all this for? There¡¯s a lot of different stuff for just a hike.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going to be heading towards the base of the mountains,¡± Aither explained. ¡°Near the non-desert portions of the Solaris region.¡±


    ¡°What could we possibly need to do there..?¡± Evelina asked.


    ¡°You¡¯ll probably be able to understand once we get there¡ªthere¡¯s some people we need to meet.¡±


    ¡­


    He tried not to reveal too much more to them; he knew that, once they had one piece, they were going to be able to sort out the rest. It was probably better if they didn¡¯t get the whole thing figured out that quickly¡­ it kept them from having time to process each individual detail. Day had stressed that to him. She had faith that he¡¯d be the best Fos for the job and he didn¡¯t want to let her down.


    They walked to an unfamiliar town, holding a casual conversation that amounted to nothing. Neither side said much to each other to give away information they¡¯d rather keep to themselves, just enough to fill the silence. Aither hoped that, soon, they wouldn¡¯t feel a need to hide.


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    After a night at the inn, he explained their plan: they¡¯d first try to find another group to travel with. It would probably end up being quicker and have a bit more safety in numbers. If they couldn¡¯t find one heading to the same general area they were, however, they¡¯d simply head out on their own.


    Words could not express his relief when they found a traveling caravan that both looked friendly and were heading towards the base of the mountains.


    ¡°Why are you so curious to know where we¡¯re going?¡± the presumed-leader of the caravan asked. He eyed each of them, but not in a cold way¡ªit was like he was looking for something, trying to discern the situation on his own.


    ¡°We¡¯re hoping to find someone to ride to the edge of the Solaris region,¡± Olle said.


    ¡°We¡¯re all travelers,¡± Evelina explained, the better of the two at stretching truths, ¡°and old enough to be on our own.¡±


    ¡°What about the short one?¡±


    Aither, in a rushed, nervous tone, blurted, ¡°I¡¯m probably older than all of you combined.¡±


    Another one of the caravan¡¯s members laughed. ¡°I like that kid! Is he your little brother or something?¡±


    ¡°His mother is trusting him in our care for a little while,¡± Demery said. ¡°In fact, most of the reason we¡¯re heading over there is because she wanted us to.¡±


    ¡°Places that close to the desert are usually pretty dangerous for kids like you,¡± the presumed-leader pointed out.


    Demery¡¯s casual expression didn¡¯t waver. ¡°Why do you think we¡¯re looking for someone to travel with to get there?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m perfectly fine with letting you all on. You look like you know what you¡¯re doing. I just need to make sure none of you are kidnapping anyone or running away from something. I¡¯m sure you can understand why I don¡¯t want to get mixed up in something like that.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll do what we can to help out while we¡¯re together and we¡¯re not going to cause you any trouble. If there turns out to be some kind of difference along the way, then we¡¯ll leave. If you need confirmation, you can send a letter to Deron Tyrus¡ªhe can tell you we¡¯re meant to be traveling together.¡±


    The leader gave one last look between all of them and shrugged. Apparently that had been enough for him. ¡°Honestly, there¡¯s a bunch of kids that won¡¯t even give a name. As long as you keep your word¡ªcarry your weight, don¡¯t give us reason to dislike you¡ªyou can stay with us until the foot of the mountains. Our business is in Andrea Province, so after that, you¡¯re on your own.¡±


    They all gave grateful smiles as he motioned two of the other members closer. ¡°I¡¯m Peppe, that¡¯s my wife Caryn, and that¡¯s our biggest helper Giona. You find yourself needing any help, and you just need to find one of us. Some of the others don¡¯t take well to strangers.¡±


    Olle gestured to each of the five of them. ¡°I¡¯m Olle and these four are Evelina, Demery, Koyana, and Aither.¡±


    ¡°Welcome aboard, kids!¡± Peppe ushered them all out of the inn and towards their caravans. There were three covered wagons each half-full of wares and a few wary strangers. ¡°I¡¯m gonna put you five and Giona in that one. She¡¯ll show you how to get started¡ªI don¡¯t think you¡¯ll find it hard to get the hang of.¡±


    Giona didn¡¯t need any other instruction. She hopped on the wagon, watched the others get on, helped Aither up, then sat down beside a large box. She waited only for Peppe¡¯s warning that they¡¯d be leaving in a minute before beginning her explanation.


    ¡°We get raw gems up from the mountains around here and send them back down to the jewelers in the Province. Peppe likes to separate them by type to make it easier for the buyers. Use these papers to figure it out¡ªif you can¡¯t get it, let me look at it. I¡¯m something of an expert. There¡¯ll also be some smaller bits that can¡¯t be used for anything, put that in that little box over there.¡±


    After a bit more shouting from outside, the entire caravan started moving. Aither shivered at the odd feeling that followed; the activation of their charms for faster travel. It was hard to tell if anyone else noticed it.


    Giona continued to explain a little bit more of what they¡¯d be doing, before leaving them to it. She held a hushed conversation with another kid in the corner for a while, only sparing them glances to check their progress or answer questions.


    ¡°We¡¯re probably gonna stop in a couple of hours to eat,¡± she announced after a little while. ¡°Since you¡¯re helping us, you¡¯ll get to have what Caryn prepares. I hope you don¡¯t mind eating and riding, though, because we usually travel right through the night.¡±


    ¡°Do you know when we¡¯ll reach the spot where you¡¯re dropping us off?¡± Demery asked.


    She shrugged. ¡°Let¡¯s say about two days. But there¡¯s almost always some kind of setback on these kinds of trips, so it¡¯ll probably end up being three. Who knows, maybe you¡¯re all lucky or something and you¡¯ll help us make record time.¡±

 The Fiction in Fact: Chapter 11

    {-Demery-}


    Evelina must not have liked traveling; after their first stop the next morning, she¡¯d mumbled something to Olle and went to rest in a corner. She had yet to move from that spot, even hours later. In fact, it was easy to forget she was there entirely until someone got too loud and Olle reminded them of her presence.


    Koyana kept up some casual conversation, perhaps trying a bit too hard to also include the person beside Giona. They¡¯d never said a word to the five of them, just stared, and the only thing Demery was certain of was that they didn¡¯t like them. Olle and Aither were usually kept in a hushed conversation of their own, though didn¡¯t sound extremely serious or important. Demery himself was more busy with their work. He wasn¡¯t quite sure why, but he knew however nice Peppe seemed, he wouldn¡¯t be pleased if they gave anything less than their full effort.


    It felt like it might¡¯ve been a peaceful ride, up until the moment the wagon suddenly lurched to a stop. It was soon followed by the sound of horse neighs and angry shouting.


    Giona and Demery both hopped up, the former leaving without any word while the latter only looking back to look at his sister and command, ¡°Stay in here.¡± Olle followed them both after a moment.


    All the wagons had been stopped, seemingly just as abruptly, for whatever group Peppe was still arguing with. Giona sighed, patted some spot near her waist, and walked up to them. Demery and Olle exchanged a wary glance before joining her.


    ¡°We have a strict deadline to meet!¡± Peppe was saying when they got closer. ¡°Do you really want to pay the consequence of making me miss it?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I would be worried about if I were you,¡± the interrupter laughed. ¡°I was thinking of being nice, but the thought of you not doing the same kinda makes me angry.¡±


    Olle dared to step closer to Peppe. ¡°They¡¯re more than prepared for a fight.¡± That wasn¡¯t a warning, either¡ªit was fact. Even if Demery couldn¡¯t find anything to make him as confident as Olle sounded.


    ¡°And we¡¯re not backing down either,¡± Peppe mumbled back.


    Demery could barely believe¡ªconsidering that kid who talked with Giona, those others he saw glimpses of whenever they stopped to eat¡ªhat they were really that eager to get in a fight. Here. With valuable merchandise and plenty of younger passengers they couldn¡¯t have wanted to get hurt.


    He definitely wasn¡¯t going to let them do anything this close to Koyana.


    ¡°Both of you, stop for a minute,¡± he said, partially surprised when they listened to him. Or maybe they both stopped to stare because someone at least twenty years younger than them was trying to tell them what to do. He looked at the interrupter. ¡°What are you here for?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like merchants wandering around here,¡± he grumbled. ¡°I figured I¡¯d teach ¡®em a lesson by stealing something.¡±


    ¡°Well, you won¡¯t have any use for what¡¯s in there,¡± Demery remarked. ¡°It¡¯s just a bunch of boxes with rocks.¡±


    The interrupter scuffed. ¡°Do you really think the words of a kid like you are going to stop me from doing what I want?¡±


    ¡°When it¡¯s just a waste of your time that¡¯s going to only get you caught? Yeah, I think you might want to.¡±


    He tried not to show how glad he was that the interrupter actually seemed to consider what he said. ¡°What?¡±


    Luckily, Demery had a bit of practice telling people exactly what they didn¡¯t want to hear to get them to go away. ¡°One of the kids left when you came¡ªright to the nearby town. They¡¯re probably there already, telling everyone about the group that interrupted the innocent merchant caravan. I¡¯d say you¡¯ve only got a couple of minutes before someone gets sent out to take care of you.¡±


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    Peppe, at first, was about to object to something¡ªprobably that anyone had left, since he scanned the wagons¡ªbut soon grew a smirk. ¡°That¡¯s right. I hear they¡¯re pretty slow to anger around here but, oh, is whoever incurs their wrath got quite the surprise coming to them.¡±


    ¡°You mean someone does monitor these areas? It¡¯s so close to the borders all the fancy people just assume the other fancy people got it covered, right?¡± The interrupter tried to look to his companion for answers, but everyone that came with him did a collective shrug. He wasn¡¯t expecting this kind of setback, that much was clear. He looked between Peppe, Demery, the wagons, then somewhere out in the distance. ¡°Ah, shit, I think I see someone. You win¡ªthis time. But know we¡¯ve got you figured out! We¡¯re sure to get the better of you next time!¡±


    Then he and all of his companions left.


    ¡°You¡¯re a good liar, kid,¡± Peppe remarked. ¡°Ever thought of becoming a scam artist?¡±


    Assuming that was meant to be a compliment, Demery replied, ¡°Thanks, but I think I¡¯d rather make a living on something that doesn¡¯t have the possibility of getting divine punishment.¡±


    Peppe let out a boisterous laugh. ¡°Fair enough!¡± He turned to everything around him. ¡°Alright, everyone! We lost a bit of time but not as much as we usually do. If we¡¯re lucky, we¡¯ll be able to get out of this area before anyone else decides they want to interrupt us. Let¡¯s get moving!¡±


    With the way Giona recalled the events when they all got settled again, things usually didn¡¯t end up going too well. Apparently they often ran across plenty of trouble on their trips¡ªand almost always had to stand their ground in one way or another. They were all competent fighters, or at least she claimed they were, and they were always able to get whoever had interrupted them running. Of course, there was a fantastical way that she described all of the events, so Demery didn¡¯t find himself believing too much of it.


    For better or worse, she kept sharing stories with them for the remainder of their time together. She tried to get them to tell stories of their own¡ªeven getting the person she talked to to tell them something about themself¡ªbut no one quite said anything. Koyana mentioned the stories she¡¯d heard from another merchant boy, though likely for her own sake never went into many details. Giona guessed that Olle and Evelina had traveled before, but as much as she tried, neither of them gave any more details to her. She also tried asking Demery, though she soon found he had no exciting stories to tell.


    They didn¡¯t run into any more trouble in the two days they spent traveling, which seemed to be a record for them. Evelina actually stirred from her spot a couple of hours before they were supposed to be dropped off. She mumbled a few things to Olle and Aither, adamantly trying to convince them of something before they ultimately relented. All Demery caught from the hushed conversation was Olle¡¯s, ¡°We¡¯ll make sure we stay near towns, just in case.¡±


    Then the wagon slowed to a stop and, after a moment, Caryn came up to it. She gave each of the five a smile as they came out. ¡°You all be careful out there, alright? I¡¯d hate the thought of any of you getting hurt!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be a stranger,¡± Peppe added as he wandered up to them. ¡°When and if you need a ride back up the mountain, just let us know. I¡¯ll see if we¡¯ll be able to make a detour to wherever you are.¡±


    Olle offered a smile. ¡°Thanks.¡±


    They all waved and watched the caravan leave. Then, after a moment longer, the five of them started following Demery¡ªthe one with the map of their general location.


    ¡°Aside from the, ah, quite frankly terrifying interruption¡­ we actually made good time,¡± Aither remarked. ¡°We probably would¡¯ve gotten half as far at this point if we¡¯d gone on our own.¡±


    Koyana nodded. ¡°And we got to meet some new people! Do you think they¡¯ll help us get back home when we¡¯re done here? Or that we could travel with them somewhere else later?¡±


    ¡°I hope not,¡± Demery grumbled. ¡°Were they nice? More or less. But they were also way too eager to get into fights, not to mention we never knew the names of half those people. That kid with Giona creeped me out.¡±


    ¡°I think they had their reasons,¡± Olle said thoughtfully. ¡°Peppe said that some of them don¡¯t like strangers. Maybe they¡¯d be a little more open to talking if we saw them more often.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m certain one of those kids recognized us,¡± Evelina mumbled. Demery hardly processed that she¡¯d said anything. ¡°I don¡¯t want to risk anyone saying anything¡­ who knows how much their generosity was out of ignorance.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that,¡± Olle sighed. He was quiet, too. ¡°I don¡¯t think it would¡¯ve changed anything.¡±


    She muttered something back that sounded similar to ¡°You¡¯ve been wrong before.¡±


    Koyana, if she really understood their conversation, made no sign of showing it. ¡°Oh, is what you¡¯re talking about a part of why no one in that town liked you?¡±

 The Fiction in Fact: Chapter 12

    {-Koyana-}


    She hadn¡¯t meant to say anything to offend them. She just thought it was a casual question, something she¡¯d already been hoping to know the answer to.


    But she should¡¯ve realized it was one of those things they wouldn¡¯t want to talk about.


    Evelina looked between Aither and Olle, silently begging for an explanation.


    ¡°I told you I asked them to look into the blood of Feldr,¡± Aither remarked.


    ¡°I already kind of talked to Demery about it,¡± Olle added casually.


    Demery glanced back at them. ¡°Are you finally going to talk about that mysterious past of yours?¡±


    ¡°How much did you tell him?¡± Evelina hissed.


    Still, Koyana didn¡¯t process the full extent of it all until Olle answered.


    ¡°A little bit about your parents, kind of what happened to mine, and some of what we did after. Not a lot¡ªI knew it would be better for us all to be there, and for you to be okay with it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m already not okay with them knowing that much.¡±


    ¡°You know I wouldn¡¯t have made you all work together if I didn¡¯t think they wouldn¡¯t still accept you,¡± Aither pointed out thoughtfully. ¡°Day makes sure that everyone will be able to get along with each other, even if it means sacrificing some practicality.¡±


    ¡°Reminding you that we didn¡¯t really have a conventional childhood either,¡± Demery said. ¡°We¡¯ve been living with our grandparents almost all our lives. Just because our parents didn¡¯t want to deal with us.¡±


    Koyana hated it when he put it like that. She¡¯d always held some fragment of hope¡ªsimilar to how she tried to find care in their grandparents¡¯ actions¡ªthat their parents cared. But there was no use bringing it up here.


    Evelina sighed. ¡°Fine, I suppose it couldn¡¯t hurt to tell them a bit more¡­¡±


    Olle didn¡¯t necessarily look pleased at the opportunity to share more, but he wasn¡¯t disappointed, either; his expression was closer to relief. ¡°Aither probably sent the two of you to our old hometown. That was where we all lived together¡ªuntil my parents were accused of heresy. Evelina and I were forced to leave after that but, after a bit of wandering, we were able to find the place we¡¯re at now. They don¡¯t care about what happened to us before and they believed our side of the story. Honestly, it¡¯s the most peaceful we¡¯ve ever been.¡±


    ¡°Were they falsely accused, then?¡± Demery seemed to have perfect understanding of what he asked, yet held no remorse even after Koyana¡¯s nudge.


    ¡°I think they were, but I guess you could never really be sure.¡±


    ¡°Something Queen Zofie oversaw?¡±


    ¡°Surprisingly no¡ªit had been completely local. I don¡¯t even think Lord Rhodes was aware that it happened. When the bishop or queen is involved, the kids usually end up staying with the church and we¡­ definitely didn¡¯t have that option.¡±


    ¡°So what did they do to get their neighbors against them?¡±


    ¡°They¡­ kind of always had our neighbors against them. All they needed was enough evidence¡ªor paranoia¡ªto convince the rest of the town of who they were.¡± Olle shook his head slowly. ¡°My parents saw past the superstitions of our hometown and they ultimately paid the price for it.¡±


    ¡°Won¡¯t tell us why?¡±


    Olle glanced at Evelina and, whatever look she gave him, he decided, ¡°That can be left for another time.¡±


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    ¡°We looked into Tyrus, while you were learning about Feldr,¡± Evelina said after a moment. It felt just as much to keep the silence away as it was to keep them from asking any more questions. ¡°We were able to hear some stories about a couple who traveled through the mountains. They were rather well known in some of the groups that we asked in. We assumed they must¡¯ve been your grandparents, given how long ago it had been¡­ were you told any similar stories?¡±


    Demery shrugged. ¡°No, but I guess it could have been them.¡±


    ¡°Our grandparents never exactly talked about when they were younger,¡± Koyana explained. ¡°They told a couple of stories about Tyrus but never about themselves. I think the only thing we really know about them is that they lived somewhere else as kids¡­ wherever our parents are now, if I remember right.¡±


    ¡°The non-desert portion of Solaris territory,¡± Aither stated.


    She felt several conflicting things at the thought of where they were going now might bring them closer to where their parents were. A quick glance in Demery¡¯s direction made it look like he didn¡¯t care¡ªbut there was something in his expression that made her certain he did.


    ¡­


    They¡¯d traveled for two days, then stopped at a nearby town. She¡¯d figured they would just stay the night; it started raining a few hours before they stopped, and it was practically a downpour by the time they got to the inn. She even got up early, the same time they had been, expecting to be the last one up and chided by Demery for making them late.


    But then she wandered down to the main room to find only her brother there, grumbling to himself about something.


    ¡°Are the other three preparing something..?¡± she asked as she sat beside him.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen any of them all morning,¡± he muttered back. ¡°It probably has something to do with whatever they¡¯re not telling us.¡±


    ¡°Well, have you tried to see what they were doing?¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°Whatever it is, they¡¯re not interested in telling me.¡±


    They sat there in silence, for a moment, before someone else wandered down the stairs.


    ¡°You¡¯ve probably guessed by now, but we¡¯re, uh, having some¡­ unexpected challenges,¡± Aither said as he walked up to them. He let out a nervous chuckle. ¡°We¡¯re going to have to stay here for a day or two.¡±


    It must¡¯ve taken Demery everything he had not to sigh. ¡°Are we going to get a reason why?¡±


    ¡°Not right now. But, maybe, I can tell you something if you¡¯re willing to help.¡± Aither showed them the piece of paper he had with them, along with some coins. ¡°Could you two get these from town? I can¡¯t because I¡¯ll just end up making a mess of things, and Olle¡¯s busy. This is his money, so you won¡¯t have to worry about paying for it yourself.¡±


    Demery looked the list over. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be easier and possibly cheaper to just ask someone from the church for help with this? It¡¯s all practical medicine, whatever¡¯s going on should be an easy task for even an amateur healer.¡±


    ¡°Except, we do still plan on traveling as soon as possible,¡± Aither said, a nervous edge clear in his tone. ¡°And none of you know Life magic. It¡¯s better if we get what we¡¯ll need instead of relying on someone else.¡± He paused. ¡°Also, I don¡¯t think the church here would take well to the situation. Another thing I can possibly tell you about after you¡¯ve come back.¡±


    ¡°So the only way we¡¯re getting answers is if we help?¡±


    ¡°We are allies.¡±


    ¡°Last I checked, allies didn¡¯t keep seemingly important secrets from one another.¡±


    Aither shook his head. ¡°Alright, I will tell you something when you get back. But you have to come back with the stuff on that list first. You should be able to find them all together somewhere in the market or, as a last resort, the church. If anyone asks questions, don¡¯t answer.¡±


    Koyana, for a moment, considered questioning why a Fos would practically be asking them to lie. But she knew from his tone and expression that this was something serious. She trusted him, and she wanted to do what she could to help, no matter if they got anything out of it.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go, at least,¡± she offered.


    Demery sighed. ¡°Then I¡¯ll come too. Someone¡¯s got to make sure you stay on track.¡± He gave one final glance at Aither. ¡°But we better have some kind of explanation when we come back.¡±


    He gave an almost nervous chuckle and waved as they left the inn.


    ¡°I hate this,¡± Demery grumbled almost as soon as they left. ¡°We¡¯re not being told a damn thing.¡±


    ¡°They probably have a perfectly good reason,¡± Koyana tried, though a part of her acknowledged it wasn¡¯t going to work. ¡°Most people do¡­¡±


    He sighed. ¡°They know pretty much everything about us, aside from what happened to your friend. But it feels like there¡¯s still too much we don¡¯t know about them.¡±


    ¡°Well, think of it this way. It sounds like Aither will probably tell us once we get everything.¡±


    ¡°We shouldn¡¯t need Aither to tell us. They should be able to do it themselves.¡±


    She opened her mouth to say something, but soon reminded herself of a simple fact. Her brother definitely wasn¡¯t going to listen to anything she had to tell him.


    All she could do was wait to see how this all played out in the end.

 The Fiction in Fact: Chapter 13

    {-Demery-}


    He sat the small bag down in front of Aither with a thump. ¡°Here¡¯s everything that was on that list. The rest of Olle¡¯s money is in there, too. We were able to get them from someone in town, no one at the church involved.¡±


    Aither looked oddly assured in the fact. It was the church¡ªthe same church that worshiped his might-as-well-be-mother, and would probably give him anything he wanted if they knew what he was. Why did not getting them involved seemed to bring him so much relief?


    ¡°Then it¡¯s time I uphold my end of the deal,¡± he said. ¡°Can you two head to one of those other tables outside? It¡¯ll be better than talking about it here. I¡¯m just going to give these to Olle and then I¡¯ll meet you out there.¡±


    Of course, he didn¡¯t really wait for a response before walking back towards the rooms.


    Koyana didn¡¯t look to have any questions or opposition, and Demery decided it was better not to dwell on it¡­ for now. They both walked outside to an empty table and waited in silence.


    Aither returned a few moments later, having a thoughtful expression as he wandered to where they were and sat down.


    ¡°I don¡¯t¡­ actually know how much they¡¯d appreciate me doing this, but I think that the two of you deserve something. Day thinks it¡¯s better if you all know. We wanted to wait until they said it themselves, though I realize now that might take a while, and we don¡¯t necessarily have that kind of time¡­ So, I¡¯ll tell you, but please keep it between yourselves, okay? It¡¯s not exactly something we need to be letting the whole town know about.¡±


    He took a deep breath. ¡°Luckily, the basis of it is something you¡¯re already partly familiar with. You live in a place where the Commandments are important to you, and a time where you can see how it influences people. It¡¯s Orestis¡¯s gift to mortals; stories to teach and guide them, tales to show what happens if they worship or oppose Him. Though, like everything else¡­ things have gotten lost through time, what was clear before now taking longer to understand. It states that anyone who believes in Orestis and His works must abide by all the rules and all the teachings in it. But even in the beginning, suggestions turned into the only way. Metaphors or comparisons that have lost their meanings in the modern world have become solid truth. This way, the Commandments aren¡¯t just used to teach and guide. It¡¯s used as a way to hurt on the basis of the misconceptions mortals created.


    ¡°Sometimes, these wrongdoings can be corrected by observation¡ªthough it¡¯s not something everyone will be so quick to accept. Magic is thought to be your way of becoming closer to the gods¡ªa gift from Orestis to His faithful followers. So, for centuries, a lot of mortals thought that losing it must mean the person had done something wrong; that they had upset Orestis or another god, that this was their punishment. Luckily most churches have stopped teaching it in the past couple of decades. After all, your queen lost her magic¡ªthe same queen that¡¯s probably one of Orestis¡¯s most zealous followers. Most couldn¡¯t believe that such a woman could have done anything worth such punishment, and they¡¯re right. Yet there¡¯s still some who cling to stories that have been proven false¡­¡±


    Aither cautiously looked around before continuing. ¡°There are plenty of people who still believe it¡¯s a punishment, especially some of the people around where you live. And this is where our story gets a lot more specific. A little less than twenty years ago, a child was born that soon showed signs of losing her magic. She was hardly a year old so there was nothing that she could¡¯ve done to ¡®deserve¡¯ it. Her parents were involved in the church so it couldn¡¯t have been anything about them, either. Yet they came from a town that held a strong belief that someone had done something to deserve it¡ªand that wasn¡¯t the only problem.


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    ¡°It wasn¡¯t like when an average person loses their magic; that¡¯s something done once and never again. Hers was a gradual loss, one that¡¯s slow enough to still technically allow her to use magic even years later. The townspeople thought it was a bad omen, a sign that keeping her around would never bring anything good. So, her parents sent her away to stay with her uncle and his family. A family that, for a similar yet different reason, was already subject to a bit of suspicion from their neighbors. It¡¯s¡­ probably not too hard for you to guess what basis they held for accusing Olle¡¯s parents of heresy, then.¡±


    The siblings were both quiet for a little while, taking in all the things they¡¯d learned.


    ¡°That¡¯s awful,¡± Koyana finally mumbled. ¡°They¡¯d really gone through all of that..?¡±


    Aither nodded solemnly. ¡°I¡¯ve seen it more times than I¡¯d like to admit¡ªthe lengths people will go to for what they think the gods would want. But there¡¯s nothing any of us can do about it. The gods¡¯ time of walking alongside mortals has long passed.¡±


    ¡°Is that why you didn¡¯t want to get the church involved?¡± Demery asked. His tone showed he was largely indifferent to the matter at hand; no matter what the cousins had gone through, he didn¡¯t see why they couldn¡¯t have made that clear earlier. ¡°Because of what they might end up doing?¡±


    ¡°They faced a lot of hardships after the death of Olle¡¯s parents,¡± Aither sighed. ¡°And the church was, unfortunately, almost always involved. It almost never ended well. If I remember right, the people around here are just as bad as the ones around where they used to live. It¡¯s best to avoid a confrontation completely.¡±


    ¡°Why does it have to matter..?¡± Koyana questioned in more of a mumble. ¡°They¡¯re still the same as us. Anyone willing to actually spend time with them would realize that.¡±


    ¡°People will do a lot of terrible things, if what they think they¡¯re doing is right,¡± Aither said. ¡°You¡¯re going to all be seeing that soon, actually¡­¡±


    Demery knew that he wasn¡¯t going to get an answer, but he still tried. ¡°Are you going to tell us who we¡¯re going to be meeting with?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rather wait until all four of you are ready,¡± was Aither¡¯s not-so-surprising answer. ¡°Just give it a few days and I¡¯ll be able to tell you. Until then, you can wander around town if you¡¯d like or return to the inn. I¡¯m going to try to do my best to help Olle and Evelina, but you¡¯ll know where to find me if you need me.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t we help?¡± Koyana offered.


    ¡°You¡¯ve already helped by getting that medicine. Unfortunately, I don¡¯t think there¡¯s much more you can do. Evelina¡¯s more comfortable around people she¡¯s really familiar with, especially when things get like this.¡±


    ¡­


    Demery didn¡¯t see Evelina at all for two days; he¡¯d seen Olle once, and Aither checked up on the siblings every now and then. When they were all together, they ultimately decided they¡¯d give it one more day before they headed out. That day passed and it seemed like they were all itching to go by the time Olle went to settle the bill with the innkeeper.


    Koyana looked nervous for once, alternating between looking at the ground and up at Evelina. Eventually she said what was actually on her mind: ¡°Aither told us about what happened to the two of you. What really happened.¡±


    Though Evelina didn¡¯t show it, it was still clear that the fact bothered her. ¡°Well, what do you think? Do you want to be around the two that supposedly bring bad luck wherever they go?¡±


    ¡°I think those other guys are jerks,¡± Koyana declared with some newfound confidence. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t listen to anything they say. They¡¯ll get what¡¯s coming for them when they meet Vriuh.¡±


    Evelina blushed, if not just for a moment, before Olle walked back out of the inn. She took the opportunity to change the subject. ¡°I hope it didn¡¯t end up being too much¡­¡±


    ¡°He was able to tell that we were having some problems,¡± he remarked. ¡°He was nice enough to only make us pay for one of the rooms.¡±


    ¡°Now that we¡¯re all together,¡± Aither announced, ¡°it¡¯s time I tell you what we¡¯re doing next. You¡¯re all going to learn about the truth of your connections to each other¡­ and about your parents.¡± He paused and let out a sheepish chuckle. ¡°There¡¯s still something I need to take care of, but I can do that once we make camp for the night. It shouldn¡¯t take me longer than a day¡ªyou can keep traveling while I¡¯m gone, I¡¯ll be able to find you. I¡¯ll have something to show you as soon as I get back.¡±

 The Fiction in Fact: Chapter 14

    {-Evelina-}


    It always decided to bother her at the worst of times. Perhaps the part she hated the most was how, for the next week or so after, she feared it might happen again. A part of her always wished that it would be the last time; the other part was always grateful that, though Olle wouldn¡¯t let her use it, she still had the distinguishing feature of the children of Fleyw Bresh. She knew either way it wouldn¡¯t change what had happened or anyone¡¯s opinion of the matter.


    She didn¡¯t have any problems in the time they traveled without Aither, as they¡¯d all decided it would be better to go ahead of him. By the time he returned, she¡¯d allowed herself to believe that maybe it wouldn¡¯t come back until the end of this whole thing.


    Aither, when he wandered into their camp on that second night, seemed slightly more nervous than usual. He didn¡¯t have any more cuts, though, or anything to truly indicate if something had happened. ¡°Are you all excited to see what I can show you now..?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Koyana said, the only one out of the four to show a strong emotion towards the question. She looked at her companions and frowned. ¡°Come on, don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re honestly not curious!¡±


    She was answered in a shrug and a few mumbles.


    What did spark some kind of reaction out of them was when Aither pulled out a stack of letters. Before anyone could say anything, he glanced at Evelina and Olle and explained, ¡°I had Demery and Koyana find these before they met you.¡±


    When no one asked any questions, Aither found a comfortable spot to be able to have enough light to see the letters and started to read the first in the stack. Looking more closely, they appeared more to be fragments; Evelina assumed them to be scavenged from some grander exchange, ripped apart by the authors.


    ¡°¡®We have with us the blood of Tyrus and the blood of Feldr. Together, perhaps, we may be able to do something. But there is always a chance that our abilities alone are not enough¡ªafter all, there were three that stood by her side, and only two present now. Tell me, have you been able to learn anything about Komaeda¡¯s descendants?¡¯¡±


    He went on to the next piece. ¡°¡®Not a word. If we did not both have records of her, I would simply say that she never existed to begin with. My search could not reveal much, as I do not have the proper permissions to see much else other than the region¡¯s records. But, from what I have gathered from other friends, it seems her family has either stayed in some remote town or has not been in Qizar for centuries. And since my ability to look here is limited, I doubt I will be able to get very far in Seothia. I think it should be fine to try without her blood. After all, you have said it yourself¡ªwe do not have much left to lose.¡¯¡±


    ¡°¡®What do you think we should do? I have looked into these things for a long time and found nothing similar that might help us. I suppose it is simply time that we try whatever we can think of. Our hope lies with the children¡ªthey are all young enough still that this does not affect them as much. Even if we cannot save ourselves, we may be able to give them something better. Do you think separation will work? Perhaps ignorance will be the thing that saves them¡­¡¯¡±


    ¡°¡®Think carefully, friend. Any wrong move could turn into your deepest regret in the future. I do not believe that will do anyone any good. What would happen if ignorance was not what saved them? Who would be there to guide them through the hardships and trials if not a man who has gone through them himself? We both want to help our families but fear should not control us to make drastic decisions. There is another way through this, one where we might all be able to live peacefully. Our families are all we have. Do not push them away.¡¯¡±


    He picked up the last fragment in the stack. ¡°¡®I have considered it and I have made my decision. There is nothing I could offer them here. My father lives in the mountains, I will take them there. I have also decided it is best for us all to cut communication¡ªmaybe Komaeda was right to abandon us. My last request of you is that you keep them from meeting. Do not let them know of our pasts together. And take care of yourself and your family. The curse runs strongly through Feldr¡¯s line.¡¯¡±


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    Aither carefully collected all of the letters, setting them neatly to the side. ¡°Any guesses on who those two were?¡±


    All four of them remained silent. If anyone had a guess, it felt wrong to say it out loud; like acknowledging it might taint their memories.


    ¡°It was the last exchange between Demery and Koyana¡¯s father and Olle¡¯s,¡± he explained slowly. Perhaps he acknowledged how they felt about the situation. ¡°I¡¯d say it isn¡¯t quite as bad as it sounds in context, but really, knowing more doesn¡¯t really help anything¡­¡±


    Evelina dared to suggest what they all were likely thinking. ¡°The ones who were sent to live with the author¡¯s father¡ª¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll get into that later,¡± Aither interrupted. ¡°Things are going to start getting confusing and complicated, but don¡¯t worry. All of this is going to make sense in the end. You¡¯re just going to have to trust me.¡±


    She nodded, yet the thought stayed as she glanced at the siblings. Perhaps there was still a chance this could all have a happy conclusion; she doubted it herself, but she¡¯d hold on to some hope, for their sake.


    ¡°Demery, Koyana, does the name Tandi mean anything to you?¡± Aither asked after a moment.


    ¡°Only that it was mentioned during that argument you had with our grandparents,¡± Demery replied. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve heard of it before then, anyway.¡±


    ¡°A little disappointing, but completely understandable,¡± Aither mumbled. ¡°You both would¡¯ve been too young to really remember her¡­¡±


    ¡°Do you know her?¡± Olle prompted. ¡°Like how you worked with us at the same time that you helped them.¡±


    Aither shook his head. ¡°Unfortunately, I don¡¯t know as much about her as I wished I did. I only got necessary background information when I started the mission. Since then, I haven¡¯t had the chance to learn more about her.¡±


    ¡°But you know who she is, right?¡± Koyana asked.


    ¡°Of course I do,¡± he responded. ¡°But as you might be able to guess by now, that¡¯s not something I can say at the moment. It won¡¯t take long for you to figure it out, once we meet her. Then you¡¯ll know just as much about her as I do.¡±


    ¡°So we¡¯re going to meet her?¡± Demery questioned. No doubt he was trying to get as much information as he could about the details of their plan. ¡°Is wherever we¡¯re going to find her exactly where we¡¯re traveling to?¡±


    Aither considered it a bit before actually giving an answer. ¡°Sort of, but not really. Think of it like she¡¯s something we need to pass in order to get to where we¡¯re really heading. We¡¯ll need her help with a few things, and she¡¯d probably have some better answers than what I could tell you.¡±


    ¡°So where are we actually heading?¡±


    ¡°Remember what I just said about trusting me?¡± It was clear Aither was just saying it in hopes he didn¡¯t need to give an actual answer. ¡°I understand that you want to know what¡¯s going on, but there¡¯s some things I just can¡¯t tell you. Eventually you¡¯ll be able to understand but now is not the time.¡±


    Evelina chose to ask a different kind of question. ¡°Where are we going to find her?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a town near here she visits frequently, by her master¡¯s orders,¡± he replied. ¡°It¡¯s the best place to talk with her where we won¡¯t have to worry about running into anyone else. We could get what we need from her without risking starting something prematurely¡­¡± He shook his head. ¡°Are there any more questions that I¡¯ll be able to answer?¡±


    Everyone was quiet for a moment. Evelina could think of nothing else that she knew Aither would be allowed to answer; judging from Olle and Koyana¡¯s expressions, they must have felt the same. But it shouldn¡¯t have come as a surprise that Demery could still think of something.


    ¡°Does any of this have to do with someone named Jimar?¡±


    A look of panic briefly flashed across Aither¡¯s face before he quickly shook his head. ¡°When did you hear that name..?¡±


    ¡°Ms. Siavax was talking to him while we were out in town getting supplies. She said he visited rather often, usually at night, and always asked about the two of us. Is he involved in all of this?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t¡­ know for sure, honestly. I know what he used to be, but I didn¡¯t think he was involved in this any more.¡± More of a mumble, he added, ¡°I hope this won¡¯t turn out to be more complicated than what Day thought it would be¡­¡±

 The Fiction in Fact: Chapter 15

    {-Demery-}


    The town was only a couple of hours away from where they¡¯d camped. He could tell it must¡¯ve been one of the largest towns in the area; even in the relatively-early morning it was bustling. It was probably one of the closest, too, between any of the desert¡¯s cities and the plains largely taken up by the Andrea Province. Aither, whether he realized it or not, went in a position so that he was practically guarded by the other four.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know exactly where we¡¯ll find her, so we¡¯ll need to ask around,¡± he mumbled after a couple of minutes wandering the streets.


    ¡°Are you sure she¡¯ll even be here?¡± Demery asked. ¡°You didn¡¯t make it sound like she lived around here. If she doesn¡¯t live here, then there¡¯s not a lot of reason why she would come here regularly.¡±


    Aither gave his answer as if he was reciting memorized facts. ¡°Her master lives an hour away from this town on a secluded patch of land. They¡¯re technically residents of the town but Tandi is really the only one that¡¯s sent out. She often writes to her family, but her master doesn¡¯t actually own any birds to spell, so she comes here. She also handles buying most of the things her master needs¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t see how that guarantees that she¡¯ll be here today,¡± Evelina pointed out.


    ¡°Well, to be honest, I don¡¯t exactly know either. Asking around is going to be our only way to know for certain.¡± He gave it some thought before continuing, ¡°Let¡¯s all stick together, I don¡¯t want someone to find something that everyone needs to be there for. I don¡¯t know how to navigate this town any better than you do, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll take us long to get the answers that we¡¯re looking for.¡±


    Koyana didn¡¯t seem to require any more instruction. She walked up to the closest person and said, ¡°Good morning! We¡¯re looking for someone but we don¡¯t know where she is. Have you seen someone named Tandi around here before?¡±


    They looked surprised for a moment, then nodded. ¡°She usually visits my shop while she¡¯s out in town. She¡¯s a kind woman, but never buys anything. I¡¯m about to go open the shop for the day, I¡¯d offer for you to come with me and wait for her, but¡­ she hasn¡¯t come by lately.¡± They pointed to one of the nearby buildings, where songbirds were flying in and out of the second floor windows. ¡°I honestly can¡¯t tell you why, but the people over there might. Tandi always sends a letter if she¡¯s in town. Ask if she¡¯s come by and you¡¯ll know if she¡¯s been in town recently and has just been too busy to visit me.¡±


    Koyana gave them a bright smile and waved goodbye. ¡°Thank you, have a good day!¡±


    They smiled back and walked away.


    ¡°I¡¯m getting the same feelings about Tandi here that I did about the two of you in your hometown,¡± Olle commented. ¡°Their mood improved a lot after you mentioned her, and they got sad when they said she hadn¡¯t visited recently¡­¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s been around town a lot for over thirty years,¡± Aither muttered, ¡°I¡¯m not surprised.¡±


    Demery didn¡¯t even take assurance in the fact that it might mean she was friendly. It didn¡¯t change the fact that she was a stranger, one that had to have been related to their parents. Though, considering that, he couldn¡¯t quite say whether or not he was judging her for that fact alone.


    The building, it seemed, had a lot less room inside of it as it had appeared from the outside. The five of them together nearly took up the whole room, aside from a single path leading up to the counter. Birdsong was almost overwhelming here and he couldn¡¯t help but wonder how the attendant could understand the person at the counter. Still, she didn¡¯t seem to have any trouble, having a wide smile as she took the letter and turned to spell a bird. The other person, probably realizing the others gathered there, gave his thanks before placing some coins down and leaving.


    The attendant turned back around, collected the coins, and glanced at each of them. ¡°Are you all together?¡±


    Demery walked up first. ¡°We wanted to know if Tandi¡¯s sent any letters recently.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, we can¡¯t tell you that kind of stuff. Only me and the customer are allowed to know who sends a letter and who it was for. I can¡¯t exactly tell you if she¡¯s come by without good reason, either, since there¡¯s not much else you could do here.¡±


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    ¡°We need to find her for something important,¡± Aither tried. ¡°We heard that you¡¯ll be able to tell us if she¡¯s been in town recently.¡±


    She just looked confused now. ¡°If it¡¯s really important, then wouldn¡¯t it be easier to visit the Tyrus estate? Tandi¡¯s usually only here for a few hours, and since she came by earlier today, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if she¡¯s already gone back¡­¡±


    ¡°So you have seen her today,¡± Demery remarked.


    ¡°I¡ªoh, alright, you¡¯ve got me,¡± she sighed. ¡°Yes, she came by about an hour ago. She¡¯s stopped by here practically every day for years. But she looked more nervous the past few times. I tried asking her why but she¡¯s never really given an answer.¡± She looked around as if there was anyone else in the room who might overhear them. ¡°I think her master¡¯s doing something. She said he¡¯s well and we¡¯d all know if he was ill. Only the priest has seen him in decades. From what little I remember of the guy, I never got a good impression from him¡­¡±


    ¡°If Tandi was still in town, would you know where we might find her?¡± Aither asked.


    ¡°She had a few fancy dresses with her, probably her lady¡¯s. She might¡¯ve just been getting rid of them, but if she was going to get them fixed, she¡¯d probably still be at the tailor¡¯s. It¡¯s right across the street, you can¡¯t miss it.¡±


    When everyone else turned to leave, Koyana said, ¡°Thank you for helping, have a good day!¡±


    ¡°You too,¡± the attendant returned as they all left.


    ¡°Seriously, you know it¡¯s rude to just walk away when a conversation¡¯s over, right?¡± Koyana asked, but no one was particularly listening to her.


    Demery waited until they were a bit further into the street before mumbling, ¡°The Tyrus estate?¡±


    Aither nodded. ¡°Whatever you¡¯re thinking, it¡¯s probably right. Tandi works for your parents.¡±


    ¡°They must be rather influential in the area, then,¡± Evelina remarked absently. ¡°It¡¯s technically in a different region than us, but it¡¯s still not far¡ªI¡¯m surprised this is the first time we¡¯re hearing anything about them.¡±


    ¡°The attendant mentioned that no one¡¯s seen Tandi¡¯s master in a while,¡± Olle pointed out. ¡°There isn¡¯t much reason to talk about someone if he hasn¡¯t been seen anywhere.¡±


    ¡°That actually sounds like the perfect reason to talk about someone,¡± Demery muttered. ¡°There¡¯d be rumors if he was dead, or if there was something they were trying to hide.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re not as influential as they are wealthy,¡± Aither explained after a moment. ¡°They give money to the church, support the local businesses, and let some people work directly under them for pay. To most people, that¡¯s just what the average noble house in Qizar is like. Anyone from the outside can¡¯t see anything more significant about them.¡±


    Koyana casually wandered ahead of them, though thankfully didn¡¯t stray far enough that Demery had to keep too close of an eye on her. ¡°What do you think Tandi¡¯s been worried about, if her master¡ªwait, should I be saying our dad?¡ªis doing fine?¡±


    ¡°Your grandparents were supposed to watch over you for a reason,¡± Aither said quietly, barely loud enough for the four of them to hear. ¡°They probably told him that you¡¯d both left with me and the blood of Feldr.¡±


    ¡°So they know we¡¯re here? Are we going to be meeting them soon?¡±


    Demery couldn¡¯t stop himself from replying, ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s going to be as fun and happy of a reunion as you¡¯re imagining it.¡±


    ¡°Not with that attitude it isn¡¯t!¡±


    ¡°Either way, meeting your parents isn¡¯t the priority right now,¡± Aither remarked. ¡°Our goal right now is just to find and talk to Tandi.¡±


    They were just about to enter the tailor¡¯s when a woman rushed out, mumbling her thanks to the tailor and apologizing to them with the same breath.


    Aither blinked. ¡°Actually, I think that was her.¡±


    Demery couldn¡¯t stop Koyana from quickly getting in the woman¡¯s way and asking, ¡°Hi! Are you Tandi?¡±


    The woman stopped, glanced at all of them, and immediately paled. ¡°Oh, gods, it¡¯s them¡­ it can¡¯t be them, not here, not now¡­¡± She mustered a thin veil of casualness and forced a small smile. ¡°Yes, I am, but unfortunately, I have a lot of other things to take care of¡ª¡°


    ¡°Please, we just need a minute,¡± Aither said. ¡°I know what it looks like and I know what he told you. But I promise, everything¡¯s fine. We just need to ask a couple of questions and then you can go.¡±


    She gave a nervous glance at them and where she¡¯d been heading. ¡°Are you sure? Wait, no, I shouldn¡¯t. He said not to. In fact I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be upset just knowing that I spent this much time with you¡­¡±


    ¡°If it changes your mind any, I¡¯m here by Danai¡¯s request. It¡¯s time we start talking about the truth behind all these lies.¡±


    ¡°I¡ª¡° Perhaps she gave it one more thought, because she stopped, and ultimately sighed. ¡°Alright, but we shouldn¡¯t talk here. I know a quiet place where no one will bother us. I¡¯ll show you.¡±

 The Fiction in Fact: Chapter 16

    {-Koyana-}


    She couldn¡¯t help but come up with dozens of questions during the walk that seemed to last an hour. Demery must¡¯ve been the same, because the moment Tandi announced they were there and they all sat down, they were both asking questions.


    ¡°You serve our parents, right? What are they like?¡±


    ¡°Why did you seem so panicked when you saw us? What does our presence mean to them?¡±


    ¡°Are they nice?¡±


    ¡°Why did they leave us with our grandparents?¡±


    Neither of them quite seemed to process how overwhelming it might have seen, or really consider the already-on-edge woman. Tandi shook her head, took a shaky breath, and said, ¡°I have been instructed by my master not to answer any of your questions. I¡¯m deeply sorry, but I can¡¯t in good conscience disobey his orders. I hope you can understand.¡±


    Demery stepped back, hiding his disappointment behind annoyance. ¡°Of course he did¡­¡±


    Koyana frowned at his tone. Why did he always make it sound like they never cared? Was it really too hard for him to at least pretend to have a little bit of optimism? She intended on calling him out on it¡ªpointing out how what little evidence they had made it sound like it wasn¡¯t out of lack of care¡ªbut Aither said something before she could.


    ¡°Tandi, do you have the box?¡± he asked, though it wasn¡¯t nearly as calm as it was wary. ¡°Or know where it is at all?¡±


    Tandi took on another kind of panic, even if it was harder to spot. ¡°Are you sure? There¡¯s things in there that my master has decided was better lost to time. I know you have the blood of Tyrus and Feldr with you, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯s time¡­¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be asking if I didn¡¯t think they were capable of handling it,¡± he said.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I still can¡¯t tell you where it is.¡±


    ¡°Please, I know what your master may have told you, but this is extremely important. There¡¯s a lot more people that this concerns than he realizes¡ª¡°


    ¡°You misunderstand me. I believe what you say¡ªthat this is important, that you¡¯ve come by Danai¡¯s request. But I can¡¯t tell you where the box is, because it isn¡¯t something I¡¯m in possession of, nor do I know who has it.¡±


    ¡°So, there¡¯s an apparently-important box we need to find,¡± Demery remarked, in no way sounding surprised, ¡°and the person who¡¯s supposed to know where it is doesn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Is it like the letters?¡± Evelina asked, though quieter and more like she was just thinking aloud. ¡°Something they didn¡¯t want anyone else to find..? If it were, it would make sense if only a few knew of where it was¡­¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t¡­ exactly that,¡± Tandi began. ¡°Though I suppose it¡¯s possible that your thought had been my master¡¯s reasoning, he gave the box as a parting gift to one of the other servants.¡±


    Olle must¡¯ve picked up on something none of the others did because, carefully, he prompted, ¡°Who was it?¡±


    ¡°An old friend of mine, though we haven¡¯t been in touch since he left,¡± she responded slowly. The thought of him must¡¯ve brought back good and bad memories alike, her expression turning softer yet mournful. ¡°There were¡­ disagreements, between our master and several of those under him. He gave any and all who saw his actions as rash or unnecessary the option to leave with any possible debts forgiven. Many of them took that opportunity¡­¡±


    Demery didn¡¯t share Olle¡¯s care in approaching the subject. ¡°This is a lot of talk but nothing about who he really is.¡±


    Tandi sighed. ¡°The current owner of the box¡ªor at least, I presume he¡¯s still the owner¡ªis Jimar Reshay. Besides that, I don¡¯t believe there¡¯s much I can tell you. I haven¡¯t talked with him in over a decade, almost two. I can¡¯t even be sure that he still has the box or if he¡¯s given it to someone else.¡±


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    Aither mumbled something that sounded like ¡°Why did this kind of thing have to happen to me¡­¡± and then rattled off different scenarios under his breath. Koyana quickly realized they were all bad scenarios; what to do if he couldn¡¯t find someone, if he ran into ¡°her,¡± along with several others she couldn¡¯t understand. She felt bad for him¡ªthis definitely didn¡¯t seem to be the kind of thing he¡¯d been expecting.


    ¡°Are you sure there¡¯s nothing else you can tell us?¡± he eventually questioned, slowly, letting a vague sense of panic slip through. ¡°Did he mention anything about where he might be going, or have you heard any travelers mention someone like him?¡±


    When Tandi was initially silent, Koyana tried, ¡°Is there a chance he¡¯s still at our hometown, where Demery and Olle saw him?¡±


    ¡°He couldn¡¯t be,¡± Demery decided quickly. ¡°Ms. Siavax said he traveled and he¡¯s probably long gone by now. It would take too long to wait for him to show up again.¡±


    Still, there was a bit of silence.


    And then Tandi spoke. ¡°Before he left, Jimar did muse about traveling¡ªseeing what the rest of Orestis¡¯s creation looked like. But there was something else he said¡­ a town that, I believe, he intended to make as his makeshift ¡®base of operations.¡¯¡±


    ¡°Do you remember what it¡¯s called or where it is?¡± Koyana asked eagerly.


    ¡°I do, but I¡­ feel as though I¡¯ve already said too much. My master would want to know that you¡¯re here, and asking for the box. You¡¯ll need a guide, too¡ªit¡¯s rather tucked away and hard to find, even with a map. I hope you understand that I must speak with him before I can feel comfortable sharing anything else.¡± Tandi stepped back. It looked like she was just intending on leaving, before realizing a plan might be helpful. ¡°I¡¯ll speak with my master. Come here tomorrow at around this time. If he permits me to go with you, then I¡¯ll come meet with you. If I don¡¯t come after a few hours have passed, it¡¯s safe to assume he¡¯s forbidden me from speaking with you.¡±


    ¡­


    Koyana knew it had actually only been about thirty minutes. But for all the questions she had, all the excitement she¡¯d bottled up, and perhaps just because of impatience, it felt like hours. She didn¡¯t think anything special about Tandi not being there yet, but it seemed like the others were.


    ¡°What do you think we should do if she doesn¡¯t come..?¡± Evelina prompted quietly. ¡°It seems like her master¡¯s more likely to keep her from meeting with us than letting her go.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re just going to have to figure out where Jimar would be on our own,¡± Demery mumbled. ¡°I don¡¯t know how, though, since she didn¡¯t even mention what the town¡¯s name was¡­¡±


    ¡°Maybe we¡¯ll be able to ask someone else,¡± Olle offered. ¡°Even if Jimar left town years ago, if he was as well-liked as Tandi is, someone¡¯s bound to have kept in touch with him.¡±


    Aither shook his head. ¡°Tandi will come back. I know she will.¡±


    ¡°That sounded a lot more confident than you usually are,¡± Koyana pointed out. ¡°How can you be sure?¡±


    ¡°Even the most ignorant of people can see the truth when it¡¯s right in front of them,¡± he said. ¡°There¡¯s no denying it now, with the four of you all together and with me being the one guiding you. It¡¯s time, and even a fool wouldn¡¯t dare to try to prevent the inevitable.¡±


    It took a little while longer but, eventually, Tandi was walking towards them. No one had to ask her any questions; while she only stood there for a moment, she did eventually share what had happened.


    ¡°My master has permitted me to guide you to where the box is, and oversee any discoveries that are made with it,¡± she announced in a distant tone. ¡°He was¡­ reluctant, but ultimately willing. We should try to be as quick as possible. He¡¯s gotten someone else to manage my work while I¡¯m with you, but if I¡¯m being honest, I fear what''s going to happen without me¡­¡±


    Aither let out a sigh of relief. ¡°There¡¯s still a chance that everything can go as planned¡­¡± Louder, he said, ¡°Welcome to the group, Tandi. And, Demery and Koyana, I know you¡¯ve probably still got a lot of questions and it may be tempting since someone who can answer them is right here. But please, try not to ask her too much if she¡¯s not comfortable with it.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m ready to answer any yet,¡± Tandi said. ¡°While I¡¯m now certain I have permission, I haven¡¯t come up with the right answers. When the time comes, though, I will be willing to tell you all that I know¡­ which, admittedly, still isn¡¯t as much as I would like¡­¡±


    ¡°Just one thing. How confident are you that where you¡¯re going to take us is where we¡¯ll find Jimar?¡± Demery asked.


    ¡°Fairly confident,¡± she replied after a moment¡¯s consideration. ¡°He mentioned staying in the town before he left, musing about living there. I¡¯ve tried to discern his whereabouts in the time since then, and several people claim to have seen him there. Since most of the letters for his parents come from that town¡¯s church, I presume that¡¯s where his ¡®home¡¯ is.¡±

 The Fiction in Fact: Chapter 17

    {-Demery-}


    It was, obviously, a small town¡ªsmall enough that he was surprised they had their own church, instead of sharing one with a bigger town nearby. Despite clearly being strangers in such a place, no one seemed to spare them a second glance¡­ though there were a few confused looks at Tandi, which she invariably reacted to with a bit of nervous laughter.


    ¡°Have you been here before?¡± Koyana asked brightly. Then after a moment, she added, ¡°Is that a question you¡¯re alright with answering..?¡±


    Tandi nodded. ¡°Jimar and I would often travel here when we were younger. But, by the time he¡¯d left, I had been entrusted with enough work that I could no longer spare the time. I suppose these people likely think they recognize me, but dare not say a word.¡±


    ¡°You said that you two were old friends,¡± Olle recalled, curious yet careful. ¡°How long did you know each other before he left?¡±


    She was just quiet for a little while, so Demery assumed she wasn¡¯t going to say anything. Then, slowly, she began, ¡°Jimar¡¯s parents have always been close friends with my master. When they found themselves in a situation where the church alone could no longer provide for them, they turned to him. He gave them work as servants so that they could live a peaceful life. I met Jimar when we were young. His parents had taken him along on a business trip of sorts into Solaris¡¯s capital, where he found me¡­¡± She paused, like she was debating if she really wanted to admit it. ¡°He found me lurking the alleyways, pickpocketing whatever seemingly-rich person might come my way.¡±


    She sighed. ¡°I was the youngest of a kind old woman¡¯s adopted children. In the only city built next to the biggest oasis in the desert, we got lost among the numbers. The church provided us with a place to stay and enough food to sustain us, of course, but anything else we had to find a way to get on our own. None of us could find work within the city. Solaris nobles don¡¯t often hire servants unless the person was indebted to them personally. It was by luck that Jimar found me and understood the situation enough to tell his parents. Then, within a year, I was serving the Tyrus family.¡± She grew a small smile. ¡°All of my siblings are doing well now. Many of them have families. Though I wish I could spare the time to see them, I¡¯m grateful I was able to contribute something¡­¡±


    She stopped when they reached the entrance of the town¡¯s church. ¡°I¡¯m certain that this is where all of Jimar¡¯s letters come from. Someone there might be able to recognize me, even after all these years. I should be able to ask them, just to make sure, and possibly see if they know when he¡¯ll return if he¡¯s not here.¡±


    Then, just as she went to open the door, they burst open on their own. A few nuns came out to usher the six of them inside with hardly any time to really process what was happening. Once they were inside, all but one of the nuns rushed off out of sight again.


    ¡°Good afternoon, travelers! We aren¡¯t often blessed with so many visitors at once. Please, be our guests¡ªwe like to make sure everyone feels at home here. Need something to drink, or a snack, perhaps? Just say the word and we¡¯ll make sure you¡¯ve got it.¡± The nun gave them a wide smile.


    All of it was supposed to be welcoming, but Demery found something uncomfortable about the whole thing. There was something inherently strange about being waited on like this¡ªor even the thought of it.


    The nun didn¡¯t seem fazed at all when none of them replied to her. ¡°Too much? Orestis teaches that we should treat all guests with hospitality. We don¡¯t come across many guests, so we don''t get to show our hospitality very often! Don¡¯t be shy now.¡±


    ¡°We came here for someone,¡± Aither explained. ¡°Does someone named Jimar come here often?¡±


    The nun looked at Tandi. ¡°I thought there was something familiar about you! You¡¯re Jimar¡¯s little friend, aren¡¯t you? Well, I suppose you aren¡¯t so little now¡­ Still! Finally starting to wonder what he¡¯s been up to?¡± She didn¡¯t wait for¡ªor, maybe, she never intended to get¡ªan answer before continuing. ¡°Yes, Jimar¡¯s more or less been living in the town for the past fifteen or so years. He comes by the church to borrow our doves.¡±


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    Demery quickly decided he didn¡¯t want to deal with all of this any more than he had to. ¡°Has he been here recently?¡±


    ¡°He left town a few weeks ago,¡± the nun replied, shaking her head. ¡°But, if you¡¯re looking for him, I¡¯ve got good news for you! He sent us a letter a few days ago to say he was on his way back. We have a few things he needs to pick up, and we won¡¯t mind letting you stay here until you get to see him. Just let me know if you need anything before then.¡±


    It took a moment but, after glancing at Evelina, Olle quickly asked, ¡°Is there somewhere private the two of us can go?¡±


    The nun nodded. ¡°Right over there, on the door to the left. It¡¯s usually the pastor¡¯s office, but he¡¯s not here, and I¡¯m sure he won¡¯t mind. I¡¯ll ask one of the sisters to follow you, in case you need anything.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, but I¡¯d rather you tell them to give us some time alone.¡± Olle then grabbed Evelina¡¯s hand and guided her off to the room. Another clergy member followed after them.


    Demery already had a feeling something was going to end up going wrong here.


    With the cousins out of sight, the nun turned her attention to Aither. ¡°Now, I¡¯ve dedicated my entire life to the practice of Light magic. I can sense a kind of¡­ presence about you. If you don¡¯t mind me asking, you¡¯re a Messenger of Danai, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°We usually go by Fos¡­¡± he mumbled and, too late, must¡¯ve realized what he said.


    It took a second for all of the previous nuns to re-emerge, surrounding him and asking questions about Danai and the gods. He looked trapped and overwhelmed, yet somehow started telling them the same kind of half-truths he¡¯d told the four of them.


    Tandi looked around before motioning to a few chairs in the corner. ¡°I suppose, since all the others are busy, we can sit there¡­ and I can share with you the answers to one of your earlier questions.¡±


    Koyana went and sat down so quickly she almost fell off the chair again. Her eagerness didn¡¯t seem to dwindle even as both Tandi and Demery took their time.


    After Tandi sat down, she went into a few moments of deep thought; probably trying to determine what the best way to explain it. He almost considered telling her that it didn¡¯t matter what kind of fancy words she used to describe it¡ªhe knew it wouldn¡¯t help to make the truth any better. Something like that might temporarily fool Koyana, but he always saw right through those things immediately.


    ¡°You asked me why your parents had chosen to put you in the care of your grandparents,¡± Tandi said, slowly. ¡°I admit that I don¡¯t believe I know all of the story, but I¡¯m willing to tell you a bit of what I do know. I think¡­ the time is quickly approaching when you¡¯ll need to be reunited, and some kind of knowledge of the events might be beneficial.¡±


    She glanced around and, perhaps satisfied that no one else was going to listen, continued. ¡°It was what sparked the controversy among Master Tyrus¡¯s servants. He truly believed that it could be used to prevent what he had previously thought inevitable. He wanted to give the two of you a brighter future, one where perhaps your blood wouldn¡¯t matter. But many of the servants never knew the full story¡ªhonestly, I don¡¯t think any of us do, though the fragments make a lot of progress in understanding. From their view of the outside, they thought he¡¯d gone mad¡­ anyone might guess it, when they realized that he was giving up his own children for some far-fetched hope. A lot of them left after he made the offer of forgiving any possible debts they had under him. They seemed to look at him and somehow know that he¡¯d thoughtlessly given you up, that he hadn¡¯t considered the possible consequences for his actions. But I swear to you, I have never seen a man more lost in thought, and perplexed, as I had as I watched him make the decision. It was what he perceived as the best option, when it came to something they wished would never happen yet fervently prepared for the moment when it did.¡±


    Demery largely ignored Koyana¡¯s more hopeful glance at him. He knew exactly what she wanted him to admit. He refused to say it. ¡°So, you¡¯ve told us that he cared. That doesn¡¯t really say anything about why.¡±


    ¡°The exact truth in the matter is one that I¡¯m not certain of myself,¡± Tandi said. ¡°What I do know, however, I can share with all of you. The blood of Feldr holds a place among it all, so it would be best to have them here when I tell you.¡±

 The Fiction in Fact: Chapter 18

    {-Olle-}


    He¡¯d by chance decided to look over at Evelina. But he knew that look, and he recognized that air. ¡°Is there somewhere private the two of us can go?¡± he asked, quickly. She must¡¯ve immediately realized that he knew, because she shrunk a little.


    The nun nodded. ¡°Right over there, on the door to the left. It¡¯s usually the pastor¡¯s office, but he¡¯s not here, and I¡¯m sure he won¡¯t mind. I¡¯ll ask one of the sisters to follow you, in case you need anything.¡±


    He hoped it wasn¡¯t obvious that he definitely didn¡¯t want that. ¡°Thank you, but I¡¯d rather you tell them to give us some time alone.¡±


    And, before anyone could say anything else, he took Evelina¡¯s hand and walked towards that office. He didn¡¯t see anyone around when he closed the door, so he assumed the nun had listened to him. But he was still quiet, in fear that she hadn¡¯t, when he turned to his cousin.


    ¡°How long has that been happening?¡±


    ¡°All day,¡± she admitted, barely a whisper. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you didn¡¯t notice sooner¡­¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t something to sound so calm about.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t want anyone to have to be worried. We¡¯re finding out things about Demery and Koyana¡¯s parents, meeting with Tandi, and trying to find Jimar and whatever this box is. I don¡¯t exactly see where my problems are supposed to fit into that¡­¡±


    ¡°By the fact that this is serious. You¡¯ve never had this many problems over such a short span of time. It doesn¡¯t matter how well you¡¯re able to hide it, you can¡¯t keep pretending like all of this is going to continue to be alright.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t there still a chance it could be?¡±


    ¡°Dammit, Evelina, a chance isn¡¯t something we should be relying on!¡±


    She shrunk at his tone and, honestly, he didn¡¯t like it either. Getting loud wasn¡¯t something he ever looked forward to¡ªbut sometimes it was the only thing she¡¯d listen to.


    They were both silent for a minute before he sighed and, calm again, asked, ¡°How bad is it?¡±


    ¡°It didn¡¯t start out as anything, not really. It¡¯s¡­ gotten worse over the course of the day¡ªit hasn¡¯t gotten as bad as it was last time.¡±


    ¡°Would you have told me about it sooner if it was?¡±


    The fact she didn¡¯t say anything was enough of an answer.


    Olle wandered to the other half of the room and started an act that just barely couldn¡¯t be called pacing. ¡°You should know by now that you have to tell me these things. What do you think would¡¯ve happened if you hadn¡¯t, and collapsed on our way here? It can build up quickly if you don¡¯t let me know what¡¯s going on.¡±


    ¡°Well, if it changes anything¡­¡± She paused, like she was still trying to wrap around her own emotions on the matter. ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re going to have to worry about it after this.¡±


    He felt a mix of relief, ashame for being relieved, and a kind of panic at the rest of the implications. ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°I can feel it leaving, in a way¡ªwhatever fragment has managed to hold on for all these years. It won¡¯t last much longer at this rate.¡±


    ¡°This could go one of two ways. It¡¯s simple and relatively harmless, since you¡¯ve already lost most of it. Or, it¡¯ll be as bad as or worse than some of the more serious times. With our luck, that¡¯s probably what¡¯s going to end up happening. Even with Aither and possibly Demery¡¯s help, I¡¯m not going to be able to do much after a certain point. Whenever we really needed it I knew I could ask the clergy at home, but¡­¡±


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    ¡°Could we try to ask the clergy here..? Or wait and see if we¡¯re really going to need it..?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rather make sure that we¡¯re ready for anything, not wait until the last minute. But we can¡¯t ask the clergy here to do anything¡ªno matter how nice they seem now, the moment they realize it¡¯s because you¡¯re losing your magic, they¡¯re probably going to try to get us to leave town¡­¡±


    As soon as he said it, he could hear mumbling from the other side of the wall. Of course the nun must¡¯ve sent someone, and of course that person had to overhear the whole conversation¡­


    ¡°I think we already outstayed our welcome,¡± Olle remarked slowly. ¡°We can talk with the others about what we¡¯re going to do about all of this later.¡±


    He left and she followed right behind him. As soon as they left, the clergy members who¡¯d been standing by the door ran away. One of them went straight to the nun and crowd surrounding Aither.


    Olle tried not to appear in a rush to get out of the church again; he understood that, if they looked like they were at fault for something, it was only going to make things worse. The two of them walked to the others just as the nun had turned to Aither and asked, ¡°Did you realize what kind of person was under your careful gaze?¡±


    ¡°Of course I did,¡± Aither said calmly. ¡°You know, you probably shouldn¡¯t judge people for things they were never able to control.¡±


    The nun¡¯s frown only deepened. ¡°I think it¡¯s best if you all find somewhere else to stay. We don¡¯t believe Orestis would want us harboring the likes of you¡­¡±


    Olle, for one, just shrugged and left, Evelina still trailing behind him. They¡¯d both learned years ago that there was no way to fight it. The other four, though not without showing some slight confusion, followed after them.


    ¡°Is this a matter that simply I am not aware of, or..?¡± Tandi prompted. ¡°All the other times I was here, they never pushed someone away like that¡ªand certainly not so suddenly.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not something I should be saying out here,¡± Olle said, hoping that might be enough to keep her satisfied for now. It was only Tandi who didn¡¯t know; probably making that mention alone was enough for everyone else to take a guess. ¡°Do you know if this town has an inn we can stay at?¡±


    Though she hesitated a moment, she nodded. ¡°It¡¯s more of an acquaintance¡¯s house, but she always seemed willing to rent out rooms to any travelers. Assuming she¡¯s still living here¡­¡± Still, she started leading them in that direction.


    Olle spent the short walk scanning the people around them. He was trying to find some sign that the church had warned of what they¡¯d heard¡ªthat there was at least one person in the town who must¡¯ve done something against Orestis. But the only thing he found was curiosity, the same kind they had when the six of them had entered the town; he sensed no hostility among them, nor fear.


    And, instead of being grateful for it, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder how long it would last.


    Eventually, Tandi stopped and knocked on the door of a slightly-bigger-than-the-rest house. An older woman opened the door, seeming to ignore all the others when she saw Tandi.


    ¡°Tandi? Is that really you? Oh, last I saw you, you were so little¡­ look at you, all grown up! Come in, come in! I¡¯m not about to let a little¡ªwell, I suppose, grown¡ªdoll like you keep standing outside.¡± The woman stepped back and gestured them in. This is when she realized the other five. ¡°And you¡¯ve got visitors with you! Ah, yes, all of you, come in, too! I¡¯ve got room to spare, with all the kids gone. Tandi, what are they? New servants of your master? Oh! Are these your kids? I bet this cutie is!¡± She gave Aither a particularly wide smile, to which he nervously laughed.


    ¡°Ah, no¡­¡± he mumbled, though it wasn¡¯t hard to guess that the woman hadn¡¯t heard him.


    Tandi was in no better state to explain until, finally, she said, ¡°They¡¯re neither. They¡¯re friends of the Tyrus family.¡± She shook her head. ¡°None of that is important. We¡¯re hoping to stay here a little while, do you still rent out your spare rooms? I have¡ª¡±


    ¡°Oh, no need to pay, dear! Seeing you again made my day. It¡¯s on the house, for all of you.¡± The woman went over to one of the cabinets, took out a piece of paper from it, then darted to a table to write something down on it. ¡°And there you go. Since all the kids have grown up and moved out, I have their rooms set up to be rented out as well, so all of you can have your own room. Tandi knows where they all are¡ªupstairs and to the left.¡±


    Tandi nodded her thanks and began to lead them there. A quick look inside showed that they appeared much larger than Olle was expecting.


    They all simply stood there a moment, not really sure of what to do. He glanced at Evelina¡ªit didn¡¯t look like anything had changed in their walk over there¡ªand sighed.


    ¡°Sorry about that. I¡¯m pretty sure everyone else was able to guess what had happened, but I¡¯ll say it because Tandi doesn¡¯t know.¡± He kept his voice low, afraid it might happen again if the woman overheard them. ¡°The nuns heard me mention that Evelina¡¯s losing her magic.¡±


    Tandi gained something of a mournful air, a kind of sympathy that most people never had when they were told about it. ¡°So, you truly couldn¡¯t escape the curse of Feldr¡­¡±

 The Fiction in Fact: Chapter 19

    {-Demery-}


    ¡°The curse of Feldr?¡± Demery prompted.


    Slowly, Tandi nodded. ¡°I presume, if you¡¯re at the point where you want to seek me out, you¡¯ve already encountered writings about¡­ her. The old friend of Tyrus, Feldr, and Komaeda¡ªthe one directly responsible for all of this. Don¡¯t ask me for a name, because I cannot give you one. I suppose it must be lost to time, where it¡¯s meant to be.¡±


    While she talked, Olle ushered Evelina to another one of the rooms, but kept the door open so they could still hear. ¡°She was never meant to be with them. In fact, she was the kind of force that was never meant to have existed in the first place. What kind of being she was, to be considered that, was something I was never told¡ªI don¡¯t believe Master Tyrus knew himself. You¡¯ve all heard of the Ilethera and what they¡¯re said to do, haven¡¯t you? They say they were born from the pieces of Saint Ilethera¡¯s spirit that shattered when she drowned in the Lake. They¡¯re thought to be magnets of misfortune, with Darkness drawn to them. The effect this unspoken person had on her friends¡ªor at least, Tyrus and Feldr, since no one has been able to find Komaeda¡¯s line¡ªis somewhat similar to this.¡±


    The longer Tandi spoke, the more it seemed like she was simply rewording the explanation she¡¯d been told of the thing; the rattling off of facts, but without seeming to have any true understanding of it. ¡°Being around her¡­ they believe it did something to them. Since meeting her, many members of their bloodlines have fallen prey to misfortune. There are some things that are unique to an individual; then there are others which seem to affect many members of the family. One of such occurrences in the Feldr bloodline has been considered the full extent of their curse¡ªa complete or gradual loss of magic, usually while the child was still young.¡±


    ¡°So this is something that runs in the family?¡± Olle asked after a moment.


    ¡°Master Tyrus used to write to your father, before sending Demery and Koyana away,¡± she mused. ¡°If I remember correctly¡­ your father, too, had lost his magic.¡±


    ¡°He never did use any around us,¡± Evelina mumbled. Even if she was somewhat close, it was still hard to hear her. ¡°Even when it would¡¯ve been more practical to do it himself, he always turned to someone else¡­¡±


    Olle was quiet before, finally, commenting, ¡°I suppose there¡¯s just some things we might never know.¡±


    Demery brought his attention back to Tandi. ¡°You said that there¡¯s some similarities between family members. If there¡¯s a curse of Feldr, then what¡¯s the curse of Tyrus?¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t anything in particular¡ªnot really,¡± Tandi responded thoughtfully. ¡°But my master always speaks of how misfortune seems to follow them. And, I¡¯ll admit¡­ things aren¡¯t quite as at peace as they appear on the surface¡­¡±


    ¡°So, I¡¯m guessing this is part of the thing that they left us for? How do they know it¡¯s something they got from being around ¡®her¡¯ and not just a fanciful way of explaining something with completely mundane causes?¡±


    Aither looked impressed that he¡¯d thought to ask the question; Tandi was stuck trying to find an answer.


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± she said slowly, ¡°there¡¯s nothing that can prove if there¡¯s actually a correlation between them. But Master Tyrus mentioned to me that there were points when it was stronger, or weaker, depending on how close together the two families were. He said that communicating through letters helped a bit; completely cutting off communication helped a little more. But, it seems, it wasn¡¯t something that carried over to the Feldr bloodline¡­ so, no one can be certain yet¡ªif you or my master is correct.¡±


    ¡­


    Come morning, everyone but Olle and Evelina were downstairs. Olle had appeared for a moment, to say something to Aither, but so far Evelina had yet to emerge from her room. Demery didn¡¯t pay much mind to it; he was involved in an important conversation of his own.


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    ¡°We don¡¯t know exactly when Jimar is going to visit the church,¡± he pointed out. ¡°We need to make sure we¡¯re somewhere we can see him. Who knows how long he¡¯ll stay here before deciding to leave again.¡±


    ¡°He usually doesn¡¯t stay for any more than a few days,¡± the old woman remarked from the kitchen. She was preparing breakfast for them¡ªsomething she¡¯d insisted on, however much Tandi tried convincing her out of. ¡°If you¡¯re looking for him, then you¡¯d better find him quick.¡±


    ¡°Do you think we could try just standing by the church?¡± Koyana asked. ¡°They¡¯re probably not going to let us in, but maybe they won¡¯t mind if we hang around for a little while¡­¡±


    Aither shook his head. ¡°If they had that kind of reaction, I doubt they¡¯re going to like us being anywhere near the church. I¡¯m honestly surprised it doesn¡¯t seem like they told anyone else in the village about it¡­¡±


    The old woman came in from the kitchen, quickly sat a bowl of fruit on the table, and darted back. ¡°Are you talking about the nuns? They try to spread rumors all the time about things they don¡¯t understand. Just last week they tried to keep me from attending service because they thought my son had stolen ichor from the church. He hadn¡¯t¡ªhe wasn¡¯t even at the church they said it happened in. They¡¯re going to get someone accused of heresy one of these days¡­¡± It sounded like she continued mumbling about the matter.


    Demery was tempted to ask her what she thought was actually going on with Evelina, then, if she didn¡¯t believe the nuns. But he knew it was better not to push their luck¡ªif they made it obvious what was going on, it would just make things worse.


    ¡°This is a small town,¡± Tandi mumbled. ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s many places we can be that don¡¯t have the chance of running into him¡­¡± She was quiet for a little while, thinking it all over. ¡°I believe I know a place he¡¯s sure to pass by, aside from the church. But I think it would be best if one or two of you could come with me¡ªto be proof of what¡¯s going on, and let him know how important it is that he lets us see the box.¡±


    ¡°And to keep it from being awkward between you two,¡± the old woman called. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since you¡¯ve seen each other.¡±


    Tandi¡¯s sheepish chuckle was enough of a confirmation.


    ¡°I¡¯ll check with Olle and make sure he doesn¡¯t think he¡¯ll need me, but I¡¯ll go with you,¡± Aither offered. ¡°I might be able to clear up any possible confusion on either side.¡±


    Koyana looked about ready to say something before Demery said, ¡°There¡¯s no point in both of us going. Koyana, are you sure I¡¯m going to be able to trust you on your own here?¡±


    ¡°Come on, you know you can trust me that much! There¡¯s not even anything interesting to do here¡­¡±


    The old woman walked back with a plate full of pancakes. ¡°I could use the help cleaning up around here, if you¡¯re desperate.¡±


    Koyana nodded and smiled. ¡°You¡¯re letting us all stay here for so little, after all, it¡¯s the least I could do!¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll come with you and Aither,¡± Demery decided, glancing back at Tandi.


    ¡°After you get something to eat, I assume?¡± the old woman prompted.


    They all nodded and ate in silence¡ªother than Aither having to explain to the confused old woman why he wasn¡¯t eating.


    They¡¯d left as soon as they all finished eating. Tandi muttered what seemed to be a checklist of things under her breath, Aither looked similarly lost in thought, and Demery quite frankly didn¡¯t care about anything. He was here for some form of answers, and he was going to do what he could to get them. One of them, at least, needed to be on the lookout for Jimar.


    ¡°Well, well, is that who I think it is?¡± A man walked up to them¡ªwho looked exactly like the one Ms. Siavax had been talking to. It was Jimar.


    Tandi, pulled out of her thoughts, jumped and began a short, nervous greeting. Or, more accurately, ramble. ¡°A¡ªa while? Yes, it¡¯s¡ªit¡¯s been, ah, some time. A long time. Practically sixteen years¡­ N-not that I¡¯ve been keeping track!¡±


    Jimar laughed. ¡°Come on now, we¡¯re old friends, aren¡¯t we? There¡¯s no need to act like that. Nice to know you still haven¡¯t seemed to have gotten over my charm, though.¡±


    She blushed and kept her eyes on the ground.


    He glanced at the other two. ¡°You¡¯re Demery, aren¡¯t you? I know someone in the Tyrus family when I see one.¡± When Demery nodded, Jimar looked at Aither. ¡°And what¡¯s this kid trailing behind you for?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a Fos, coming on behalf of Danai,¡± Aither replied. His solemn tone had an edge of slight fear to it, like he was already trying to figure out what he¡¯d need to do if it didn¡¯t work. ¡°We were told you had a box that belonged to the Tyrus family. Koyana and the blood of Feldr are traveling with us¡ªit¡¯s time we see what¡¯s inside the box.¡±

 The Fiction in Fact: Chapter 20

    {-Koyana-}


    They were back in an hour. Aither had left immediately to see if he could help Olle and Evelina, mumbling about telling them what happened; Tandi was immediately called into another room where the old woman sounded like she was asking a lot of questions. Koyana just had to patiently wait for Demery to come to her and tell her how it went.


    He said that Jimar had promised to meet with them¡ªall of them, if they were able¡ªat the same spot tomorrow. There, he¡¯d show them what was in the box. He¡¯d apparently given some kind of weird warning, too; she was a bit too excited about learning something new to listen to what it had been, though. The way Demery said it made it sound like he didn¡¯t really believe whatever it was anyway.


    Koyana hadn¡¯t been the first one up the next morning¡ªAither was quietly assuring Tandi of something and Demery was helping the old woman¡ªbut she was the most ready of them.


    ¡°When are we going to meet Jimar?¡± she asked. ¡°Are we waiting for Olle or is he still going to be helping Evelina?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re leaving soon,¡± Demery answered from the other room. ¡°I don¡¯t think Olle¡¯s coming. We can tell them both what happened later.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rather at least one of them be there¡­¡± Aither mumbled. ¡°This part¡¯s important for all of you to see for yourselves. It¡¯ll be better if Olle saw and understood it then told Evelina than one of you explaining it¡­¡±


    ¡°But I get the impression he¡¯s very unlikely to leave her side at this point,¡± Tandi pointed out.


    The old woman came out, putting a bowl of fruit on the table like she did yesterday. ¡°I won¡¯t mind watching over her. I¡¯ve raised five boys and know a little bit of Life magic. I¡¯m almost certain I¡¯ll be able to help the poor thing if you¡¯d let me near her.¡±


    Aither sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t think that alone is going to be able to convince him¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why those nuns kicked you out and, frankly, I don¡¯t care. Orestis promises us a good place if we offer ourselves to help others. As long as you¡¯ll let me, I¡¯m willing to help in whatever way I can.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re probably one of the most sensible people we¡¯ve come across on this whole trip, and I really appreciate that you¡¯re trying, but¡­ it¡¯s probably not going to be able to do much¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, go and talk to them, at least. We¡¯re never going to know unless you try, now are we?¡±


    After a moment, Aither nodded and stood up. ¡°I¡¯ll see what they think.¡± Then he left to go upstairs.


    It took a couple of minutes¡ªabout the time it took for everyone else to finish eating¡ªfor Aither to come back with Olle trailing behind him.


    ¡°So you know Life magic?¡± Olle asked, glancing at the old woman.


    She nodded. ¡°Never had the talent, but anything¡¯s possible with some hard work. Quite practical around here¡ªjust talk to anyone, if they needed a healer, it was usually me.¡±


    ¡°I really don¡¯t know how I feel about you being there without me, but Evelina needs someone who might actually be able to do something¡­¡±


    She looked between all of them. ¡°You mean, between the five of you right in front of me, none of you know Life magic? Most people are going to need to put in a lot of practice, sure, but there¡¯s a universal, practical reason for it.¡±


    ¡°Well, you know how I came across my knowledge of magic,¡± Tandi mumbled. ¡°If I couldn¡¯t teach myself, then I wouldn¡¯t be able to learn it.¡±


    ¡°Technically, I can¡¯t use magic,¡± Aither remarked more casually.


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    Demery shrugged. ¡°I know how to start fires and move water. Practical enough for making tea and washing dishes.¡±


    ¡°There wasn¡¯t a need for anything else,¡± Koyana agreed. ¡°But a friend taught me some travel magic.¡±


    ¡°I tried for a long time to learn Life magic,¡± Olle said, slower. ¡°I could never get the hang of it¡ªI¡¯d be more likely to kill whoever I¡¯m trying to help.¡±


    The implications seemed to sink in to the old woman. ¡°You were traveling when none of you knew a little beyond the basics? It¡¯s too dangerous for kids like you to be doing that¡­¡±


    Aither walked towards the door, completely moving on from the matter. ¡°Well, if everyone else is ready, we should meet with Jimar. There¡¯s plenty we can get done before lunch if we leave now.¡±


    Everyone collectively got up and followed behind him¡ªor, at least, they did in the beginning, before Tandi took the lead. Koyana¡¯s excitement grew the closer they got to their destination, her eagerness near overflowing when she saw a man with a box.


    They were going to be learning something new! Maybe she could use it to prove Demery wrong about something. Or he¡¯d use it to prove his point to her, which was the less ideal outcome, but really, she didn''t care at this point.


    When they got close enough, the man stood up and smiled. There was something mildly unsettling about it, honestly. ¡°Ah, you brought some more new faces. The other Tyrus and one of Feldr¡¯s blood, I¡¯m guessing? You¡¯ve undoubtedly guessed it by now, but I¡¯d like to properly introduce myself. I¡¯m Jimar Reshay, the current owner of this little cursed box.¡± But he said it like it was more of a joke than something serious¡ªthere was something teasing about it, like testing if they¡¯d really believe it.


    ¡°Can you show us what¡¯s inside?¡± Aither prompted.


    Everyone moved a bit so they could all get a good look at what was inside as Jimar slowly opened it. There was an air of anticipation in those moments¡ªboth an excited and anxious kind. Tandi, in particular, looked nervous as the box was opened and they all got to see what was inside.


    ¡°It¡¯s a piece of paper¡­¡± Koyana remarked, trying to hide at least a fragment of her disappointment.


    ¡°It¡¯s something a bit more than that,¡± Aither said knowingly. He reached in and took the paper. ¡°It¡¯s something written by that specific unnamed person.¡±


    When no one else said anything, he read what was written on it.


    ¡°¡®I could muster the courage to tell the three of them but, for you, not a single word would form. You have taken care of me all this time and to say goodbye to you in person would require more strength than I have. She told me who I was. She told me I could hurt you. But she said what was most important was that she was my mother and that she would happily take care of me. This is what I have wanted since I came here.


    ¡°¡®So why does this feel so wrong?¡¯¡±


    Of course, Demery was quick to point out, ¡°It¡¯s just her note goodbye.¡±


    Aither sat the paper back in the box and wandered over to another space nearby. ¡°It was that warning she mentions that made the Tyrus family keep it. It¡¯s the basis of their belief that she cursed their lines somehow¡ªthe thing that¡¯s really just this little fragment and a lot of bad luck. I don¡¯t want you to think about what the letter says directly. How did you all feel when I read it?¡±


    None of them seemed to understand exactly where he was going, but Koyana offered, ¡°I was confused.¡±


    ¡°There was a¡­ sense of foreboding,¡± Tandi added. ¡°Even putting aside who I know she is, it feels like someone is walking down a path they cannot return from.¡±


    ¡°Good. Now,¡± Aither continued, ¡°what do you think the recipients of the letter felt? Or her three friends, for that matter, when they heard a similar reasoning?¡±


    ¡°Probably a stronger version of us,¡± Olle remarked. ¡°They were her friends and possibly even her family. Especially when she described it like that, I don¡¯t think they only saw it as a bittersweet goodbye¡­¡±


    Aither nodded and sighed. ¡°Mortals don¡¯t like not knowing things. They want to be able to map out their entire lives, make it something that¡¯s easy to understand. But our world is not one that mortals were meant to be anywhere close to complete understanding. There¡¯s things they don¡¯t, and likely never will, know. A sense of fear comes with the unknown. They blame good things for bad deeds, and vice versa. They find some way to explain it, even if it¡¯s not true, and they hold on to that belief. They hurt others because they think that will make them feel better, and they can understand something, or not be so afraid. But mortals can¡¯t explain everything. They can¡¯t try to understand everything, because they were never meant to. They can¡¯t live in a world where they only act out of fear, because they¡¯re just going to end up drowning in their own superstitions.¡±


    He glanced back at them. ¡°It¡¯s time the Tyrus family realizes that. Tandi, I want you to go back to your master¡ªand I need you to take Demery and Koyana with you.¡±

 The Fiction in Fact: Chapter 21

    {-Demery-}


    They left early the next morning, with Demery having surprisingly mixed feelings about only the three of them going. They were just going to tell the others what happened when they got back; no need for them all to go out there. On one hand, they really didn¡¯t need the others¡ªthis didn¡¯t involve Olle or Evelina. On the other hand, Aither might¡¯ve been able to explain things better than the now-nervous-rambling Tandi.


    ¡°I apologize in advance,¡± she mumbled. She must¡¯ve said that alone at least a dozen times since they left. ¡°I can¡¯t be certain of how they¡¯ll react to seeing you. I don¡¯t believe they¡¯re going to be happy¡ªMaster Tyrus barely liked me going to help you at all¡ªbut I don¡¯t think they¡¯re going to be extremely disappointed, either. They haven¡¯t seen you in a long time, after all, and your grandparents hardly write to them about your wellbeing¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Koyana said, either as affirmation for herself or reassurance for Tandi. He couldn¡¯t quite tell. ¡°The important part is that we¡¯re finally going to be able to talk with them. Right, Demery?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already heard their excuses from Tandi,¡± he grumbled. ¡°Hearing them from their own mouths isn¡¯t going to make it sound any nicer.¡±


    Tandi was quiet for a moment before thinking of something else. ¡°Do try not to touch anything while you¡¯re there. There¡¯s a lot of things there that Master Tyrus is very particular about. And don¡¯t try to ask too many questions to the servants¡ªthey¡¯re not going to be able to understand the extent of the situation. Actually, it might be best to avoid them entirely¡­ I can¡¯t quite be sure of how they¡¯re going to react to the two of you, either. It¡¯s been a long time but there¡¯s still plenty of mixed feelings on the matter. I apologize, too, for if they say anything rude to you. I assure you, they didn¡¯t mean to offend you.¡±


    Koyana casually remarked, ¡°I don¡¯t think we would¡¯ve blamed them for not understanding anyway.¡±


    ¡°Ah! I nearly forgot, how familiar are the two of you with local customs? Do you have any nobles living near your town that you might¡¯ve visited?¡± Tandi looked at them, though she seemed to realize that they didn¡¯t exactly know what she was talking about. ¡°When you¡¯re visiting a noble¡ªespecially one of great wealth or influence within the church¡ªyou must make sure you act with utmost courtesy. Remember to refer to them by their titles, or whatever name they might prefer. Don¡¯t speak unless spoken to, as you¡¯re largely unfamiliar with each other. Follow Master Tyrus¡¯s lead, but not too closely, and be able to realize when he¡¯s doing something he wants you to imitate¡­¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re their kids,¡± Koyana pointed out. ¡°Should all of that really matter..?¡±


    Demery shrugged. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if they didn¡¯t see us as their children, with what other information we know about them. They¡¯ll probably try to pretend like we don¡¯t exist at all.¡±


    ¡°You should try to follow them,¡± Tandi repeated after a moment, perhaps to keep them off that particular subject. ¡°At least until Master Tyrus says it¡¯s no longer necessary.¡±


    It was only after they passed through the town and followed a winding road to an impressive-looking estate that she finally stopped mumbling things. Judging by her expression, though, it was in favor of determining how to explain herself. Demery truly wondered if he was supposed to be looking forward to a meeting with their parents, if this was how one of their servants acted when there might be trouble.


    The extravagance of the place didn¡¯t help the fact at all. To Demery, the whole thing reminded him of the story of Mylian¡­ the king that, in his greed, wished for golden touch, and learned what it cost him after his daughter forever stayed a statue of gold. It felt like a call to Darkness saying, ¡°Hey, look at me! I¡¯m foolish and rich! Certainly I¡¯m above even gods!¡±


    The halls were large and spacious, lined with paintings or carvings that clearly possessed a fair bit of value. Servants could be heard darting about, but only a few of them could be seen. There was a certain air about the place that made the truth loud and clear¡ªwhoever owned this place was much wealthier than most and wanted everyone to know it.


    And that certainly never ended well.


    Tandi stopped every now and again to mumble reassurances to the others, but she didn¡¯t let anything distract her for too long. It looked like she was highly respected among them; she hardly had to say anything to quell their questions or concerns.


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    She stopped at a grand set of doors and knocked, which seemed to echo throughout the whole halls. She seemed to instinctively stand straighter before announcing, ¡°Apologies for the interruption, Master, but I¡¯ve returned.¡±


    A pause, then, ¡°Enter.¡±


    Tandi gently pushed the doors open then gestured for Demery and Koyana to follow her inside. Once they were in, she closed the doors behind her again.


    This must¡¯ve been their ¡°humble¡± living room; though there wasn¡¯t a lot of furniture, it didn¡¯t hold back on any of the grandeur of the halls. A grand painting¡ªof a scene from a story that stated that wealth could not buy a comfortable afterlife¡ªhung right in front of them with a sofa on either side. There was a large bookcase on one wall and a door to what looked to be the gardens on the other. A piano and harp were tucked away in a corner, and Demery guessed there was enough room between the door and sofas that rather elaborate dances could be performed.


    A man and his wife¡ªwho Demery already denied to acknowledge as his parents¡ªwere sitting at one of the sofas. Their expressions didn¡¯t change when they saw exactly who had followed behind Tandi.


    ¡°Why are they with you?¡± the man asked. He sounded more like she¡¯d returned with a wild animal than with his children.


    She bowed. ¡°I informed you of the Fos that came to me. He had asked us to find the box you had given to Jimar. He explained what it meant and requested that I take these two back with me when I return to you.¡± Even when she was standing straight again, her eyes still stayed on the floor. ¡°He told us that¡­ you have been living in a world of fear, and it¡¯s time that you stop. I don¡¯t dare question the words of one of Danai¡¯s messengers, so I brought them with me.¡±


    Demery had to wonder if they¡¯d had listened to her at all, if she hadn¡¯t explicitly mentioned Aither.


    ¡°I presume this Fos told you that facing each other is the only way to be brought out of this ¡®fear,¡¯¡± the man remarked.


    ¡°More or less,¡± she responded quietly, and with an overabundance of caution.


    He got up and wandered to the bookshelf. ¡°I suppose you know the extent of it already¡ªDanai is careful in her work. I see no point in telling you again. But, I suppose, if that¡¯s what she intended, then that¡¯s what I should do.¡±


    He only gave them a glance of acknowledgement before picking out a book. ¡°That unspeakable woman cursed our bloodlines. Look at Feldr¡ªthey¡¯ve found the Saint¡¯s Curse in their blood, and it seems their bodies naturally try to defy the gift of magic Orestis gave to the Fleyw Bresh. We¡¯ve tried in all our years together to come up with a solution, so that no more of us might suffer. And I finally found something that worked: completely separating us. After letting the two of you stay in ignorance, and cutting off ties with Feldr, we¡¯ve felt the most peace we have in decades.¡±


    ¡°With all due respect, my lord,¡± Tandi said nervously, ¡°the Tyrus household has been in decline. Your means of wealth leaves with those who find there¡¯s no reason to stay¡­¡±


    A sharp glare kept her from saying anything else.


    ¡°So that¡¯s it?¡± Demery asked. A kind of bitterness had been festering inside him for this moment alone, it seemed. ¡°I can¡¯t tell, are you trying to explain yourself, or hoping we¡¯ll leave you alone after that damn excuse?¡±


    Koyana looked at the woman with a mix of hope and dread. ¡°Do you have anything to say..?¡±


    ¡°Maybe I had my reservations, once, when I knew that neither I nor any of our servants could watch over you,¡± the woman replied slowly, carefully, but there was no hint of regret. ¡°I have since lost them, though. You were safer in a place where our troubles couldn¡¯t reach you.¡±


    ¡°The same place that almost had to get the church involved more than once,¡± Demery pointed out. ¡°What kind of protection is that?¡±


    They both gave an indifferent shrug.


    ¡°You could stay with us, if you¡¯d rather,¡± the man remarked as if he was talking merely about business. ¡°Since you¡¯ve wasted all our sacrifices up to this point, might as well come back. We could make up for lost time.¡±


    ¡°Is that how you see us? Wasting your sacrifice? A sacrifice Aither practically said you didn¡¯t even need to make?¡±


    Tandi shuffled and, quietly, explained, ¡°Aither is the name of the Fos, Master.¡±


    That made both of them still and exchange a nervous glance. But no one liked hearing that they¡¯d done something in vain.


    ¡°You could stay here,¡± the man repeated. ¡°We could provide almost anything you desire.¡±


    The woman nodded. ¡°Just say the word and someone could get it for you. You¡¯re, er, friends with the descendants of Feldr now, yes? We could do some things for them, too.¡±


    It would almost sound like begging, if any related emotion wasn¡¯t lacking from their tone. Demery didn¡¯t want to be the one who had to say it¡ªand surprisingly, he didn¡¯t have to be.


    ¡°You¡¯re exactly like Demery said you were,¡± Koyana mumbled. ¡°You don¡¯t really care about us at all anymore, do you..?¡±


    Silence, then the man said, ¡°I think we¡¯re done here. Tandi, bring them back. I don¡¯t know what the Fos hoped to achieve but I don¡¯t believe it¡¯s going to happen here.¡± After she nodded and turned to open the doors again, he added, ¡°But both of you, remember¡ªthere¡¯s no escaping a truth once you know it.¡±


    ¡°I think you should be telling yourself that,¡± Demery remarked right before he walked out.

 The Fiction in Fact: Chapter 22

    {-Koyana-}


    That was it. The climactic, emotional reunion she¡¯d been hoping for had happened¡­ and she hated to acknowledge that a part of her knew this was how it would¡¯ve played out.


    Tandi apologized the whole way back, as if it was anything that had to do with her. No matter what either of the siblings tried to tell her, she didn¡¯t seem to listen¡ªor maybe she was also trying to find a kind of explanation for the actions with little luck.


    Koyana had, reluctantly, been the one to recount the events to them. She knew Demery would¡¯ve made it brief and harsh; it looked like Tandi was still trying to make sense of it. So, the momentary happiness Koyana might¡¯ve felt by seeing that they were all there was ruined by the story she had to tell.


    When she finished, no one said anything for a couple of moments.


    ¡°I think¡­ Day was expecting at least a part of that,¡± Aither said, slowly. ¡°After all, we may tell them about the flood, and we may urge them out, but some would rather stay where they are then to say goodbye to everything they knew¡­¡± He shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry it had to end like that. But there¡¯s still one important part: do any of you believe what they say about the curse, or think their means are justified?¡±


    ¡°Of course I don¡¯t,¡± Demery grumbled. ¡°It¡¯s all just a part of their excuse to make themselves feel better about what they did.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s kind of hard to argue anything else at this point¡­¡± Koyana muttered.


    ¡°I can understand if some people would rather have something to blame,¡± Olle remarked. ¡°But there¡¯s a point where things just go too far. This has definitely gone beyond the point of any sane person following along.¡±


    Evelina solemnly nodded her agreement.


    Jimar shrugged. ¡°I never believed them. I knew it was a bunch of meaningless nonsense the moment I heard about it.¡±


    ¡°People have gotten hurt,¡± Tandi whispered after a bit, ¡°because they used their own judgment to determine what was right and wrong. Then, when faced with the consequences of their actions, they don¡¯t so much as seem to acknowledge the damage they might have caused¡­¡±


    Aither looked relieved at their answers. ¡°It looks like you¡¯ve all come to an understanding, which is good. I¡¯ve done everything I needed to, so I¡¯ll probably be going soon¡ªthere¡¯s still a lot that needs to get done. Do the rest of you have any plans?¡±


    It seemed it was something that none of them were quite ready to consider yet.


    First, it was Jimar that glanced at Tandi. ¡°You don¡¯t have to go back there. You¡¯ve done a lot for them already, if you want to leave, I don¡¯t think they¡¯re going to stop you.¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°I can¡¯t. I¡¯ve got to be able to help my family. If I don¡¯t stay with Master Tyrus, then I¡¯m going to have to find another noble to work under, and I¡¯m a little too old to be changing masters¡­¡±


    ¡°Suit yourself.¡± Then he smirked. ¡°I¡¯m just going to have to visit you.¡±


    ¡°Why¡ª¡±


    ¡°I left because I didn¡¯t believe in what they chose to do. I¡¯ve spent years wandering around, with practically only myself for company. Don¡¯t get me wrong, I don¡¯t regret leaving. But I do regret not keeping in touch with you.¡±


    Tandi blushed. ¡°I¡¯d¡­ like that.¡±


    Aither grinned and turned to Demery and Koyana. ¡°What about you?¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m definitely not going back to them,¡± Demery responded bitterly. ¡°They¡¯ve never bothered to care for us this long, I don¡¯t think they¡¯re going to start now.¡±


    Koyana, for a moment, wondered if she wanted to say anything at all. Then, quietly, she admitted, ¡°I don¡¯t want to go back to our grandparents either. I know they might end up being a little better, but¡­¡±


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    She¡¯d always tried to think of something that could make her willing to stay; she¡¯d force some kind of care into their actions, alter their words so maybe it wasn¡¯t so bad. Now, though, she couldn¡¯t get herself to do it. She thought of being back there, of her and Demery doing their errands, finding excuses for them when they truly didn¡¯t care. Before, when Ms. Siavax or one of the others would¡¯ve tried to tell them they could leave, either one of them would come up with something about it not being time. Koyana had a feeling neither of them would say something like that now.


    Unfortunately, Demery said exactly what she didn¡¯t want to. ¡°We have to. We don¡¯t have anywhere else to go or enough money to find a place.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve got a spare room,¡± Olle offered.


    ¡°A spare room that hasn¡¯t been touched since we moved in,¡± Evelina whispered. ¡°They need a better place to stay than that¡­¡±


    When Koyana heard it, there were no such restrictions. ¡°You¡¯d really let us stay with you?¡±


    ¡°Tyrus and Feldr were friends, and it wasn¡¯t their friendship that created any possible ¡®curse¡¯ any of us might have.¡± Olle shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s a peaceful place with a lot of good people. They accepted us even when they knew exactly what had happened. I think they¡¯d be more than willing to welcome you two in, too.¡±


    Then Koyana turned to her brother and gave him a hopeful look. A part of her expected to see a desire thrown aside by a sense of obligation but, thankfully, she found none.


    ¡°When I used to say ¡®we¡¯ll see what Orestis has planned,¡¯ I used it as an excuse,¡± Demery said. ¡°Now I have a feeling that there¡¯s more behind this than something we¡¯re just supposed to complete and move on from. I think, if you¡¯re willing to have us, then there¡¯s no reason to deny the offer.¡±


    ¡°But we really don¡¯t have that kind of room,¡± Evelina repeated. ¡°They deserve something better than one of them sleeping on the couch or having to share a room.¡±


    ¡°How about we see how it goes?¡± Koyana suggested. ¡°We can stay a while¡ªand we¡¯ll help out, too! Then we can try thinking of what more long-term plans are going to look like. But trust me, I¡¯d rather sleep on the floor and be with you guys than anywhere near our grandparents right now¡­¡±


    Demery nodded. ¡°It¡¯s worth giving it a try.¡±


    ¡°You know, this is surprisingly fulfilling,¡± Aither remarked. ¡°It¡¯s nice being able to see you¡¯ve all learned something new from this whole thing. Makes all the anxiety worth it¡­ almost.¡±


    Koyana smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t say that! You¡¯re the best Fos I¡¯ve ever met.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure I¡¯m the only Fos you have and ever will meet.¡±


    ¡°Maybe, but my point still stands! Nothing would¡¯ve changed if you hadn¡¯t come.¡±


    Aither looked like he might¡¯ve said something else but, after a moment, simply nodded and smiled back. ¡°I hope you¡¯ll all be able to be happy and safe in the times to come¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re making it sound like you¡¯re not going to be,¡± Evelina pointed out.


    He must¡¯ve actually considered what he said, because he paused and let out a bit of nervous laughter. ¡°I guess it does, doesn¡¯t it? Well, these next few months are going to be particularly busy for all of the Fos. This is our last chance to make a difference¡ªsoon enough, everything that¡¯s been brewing for centuries is going to show itself. The Fos need to make sure that we can help everyone we can before then, and then we¡¯re going to have to make sure we¡¯re ready for what¡¯s to come. I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any one of us that expects this to go by smoothly¡­¡±


    A collective silence kept them in a pensive state, one where each was trying to grasp for some kind of explanation for the words.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing any of you need to worry about anymore, though,¡± he said quickly, though perhaps a bit too late. ¡°You¡¯re all out of it. Now all you have to worry about is what you want your own future to look like, not the struggle you were unknowingly involved in.¡±


    ¡°Is it by any chance against your Fos rule stuff to keep in touch with people you¡¯ve helped before?¡± Koyana asked, partially surprising herself. It had just been a thought¡ªshe didn¡¯t expect to actually ask it out loud.


    ¡°Technically no? I mean, Zokel really didn¡¯t need to stay all those nights with that girl, but no one ever stopped him, so¡­¡±


    ¡°Do you think you can visit us, then, or something? If you want. It just¡­ sounds like things are going to be getting kind of scary, and maybe having some unrelated people to relax with will help¡­¡±


    For a moment, he didn¡¯t move or say anything. Then he nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to visit you in person, but maybe through dreams every now and again. I¡¯ve got to warn you, though, doing this doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re going to be told anything else about what¡¯s going on. That really is something you shouldn¡¯t get involved in.¡±


    Olle, a bit more hesitantly than she¡¯d been, asked, ¡°Are you allowed to tell us what the outcome of this mysterious event is going to be?¡±


    ¡°One of two things,¡± Aither began, slowly, like he didn¡¯t really know if he should. ¡°Either the world as we know it is going to collapse on itself, or most of us are going to make it through to see a bright and relatively carefree future. It¡¯s fifty-fifty at this point¡­¡±


    Koyana refused to let all of this end on such a note. ¡°But when it¡¯s over, can we actually meet all of the other Fos? And Danai? Will she not be busy anymore then?¡±


    Aither¡¯s smile faltered, but it was back so quickly she hardly acknowledged it. ¡°Well, there¡¯s a lot more Fos than you might think, but¡­ yes. I think they¡¯d love to be able to meet with you¡ªand I¡¯m sure Day would love it, too¡­¡±

 The Girl Under the Bed: Chapter 1

    {-Rhenei-}


    The street below her was full of lively chatter; bustling with people going to work, buying something, or spending time with a lover or family member. For so many of them, it must¡¯ve been a good day¡ªeven a few that considered it the best day.


    The only reason why everyone wasn¡¯t having a good day was because she wasn¡¯t. Though she supposed, if she needed to rank them, this would be among the better of them.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I¡ªI swear, I didn¡¯t realize it was there!¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter, look at the mess you made! If you started listening to me, then maybe I wouldn¡¯t have to do this¡­¡±


    She pressed the pillow closer to her ears, reminding herself to breathe as she watched the people out the window. There was a man scolding his young child¡ªyet there was a kind of emotion present in his expression that Rhenei wasn¡¯t familiar with. It was nothing like the way her father would scold her. She¡¯d give anything to be like that. She bet anything that kid had to worry about was nothing compared to what she¡¯s already experienced.


    She knew there wasn¡¯t a point in thinking about the things she couldn¡¯t change. But it was much better than listening to the crying and shattering glass.


    Finally, all the noise died down after a door slammed shut. There were still muffled sobs but they were nothing out of the ordinary now. Rhenei sighed, tossed the pillow aside, shut the curtains, and wandered to her bed.


    ¡°You can come out now,¡± she mumbled, ¡°he left.¡± She made the bed while she spoke, maintaining the only thing that made her seem like the others.


    The girl poked her head out from under the bed, hiding again when something dropped in the other room. It took a moment for her to trust her friend¡¯s word and completely come out. ¡°Did he say he¡¯d come back..?¡±


    Rhenei shook her head. ¡°He never does, you know that. We¡¯ve just got to be prepared for it.¡±


    ¡°Or we could leave too,¡± Kalleira remarked. She climbed up on the bed but, unlike if Rhenei had tried, the thin blanket didn¡¯t move. ¡°Then we won¡¯t have to be afraid of him anymore. We could be like those people outside¡ªliving happy lives.¡±


    ¡°It¡­ it¡¯s not time. We can stay a little while longer¡­¡±


    Kalleira mumbled something, an expression that was a mix of worry and fear. She never liked being here¡ªneither of them did. Yet, for some reason, they stayed.


    ¡°Rhenei!¡± called a shaky voice from the other room. ¡°I need you to come here.¡±


    Rhenei ignored Kalleira¡¯s look and went to her mother, knowing that the little girl would follow behind her.


    The shattered glass on the floor was nothing new. The blood wasn¡¯t, either, as her mother had to pick it up by hand¡ªand more from where it had hit her. Even the way she looked up at her daughter, got up, and gestured to the mess wasn¡¯t different.


    ¡°Clean this up,¡± she instructed. ¡°He only got upset because you wanted something. You¡¯re just as responsible as I am.¡±


    Rhenei gave a small nod. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to leave you alone for a while,¡± her mother announced, ¡°and you better have this all cleaned up by the time I come back.¡± She left without saying anything else, her expectations made clear and threat firmly made by memories of past shortcomings.


    Kalleira wandered over to the area, but could do little to help. She couldn¡¯t pick anything up so all she could do was provide words of encouragement¡ªand catch whatever Rhenei didn¡¯t. ¡°What about now? They¡¯re both gone. Street¡¯s busy. They probably wouldn¡¯t find us.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not ready,¡± Rhenei mumbled. ¡°If we left now then we¡¯d have to come back. We can¡¯t risk it.¡±


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    ¡°Mom hid spare coins in the hole behind the table. I don¡¯t think she remembers she put them there.¡±


    ¡°But what if she does?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s better than staying here, isn¡¯t it? Then you could pay for someone to take us far away from here¡ªor, I think so. I saw her put a silver one in there, do you think that could do it?¡±


    ¡°What if we get everything ready now and, the moment we¡¯re ready to leave, one of them comes back? They¡¯ll know. They¡¯ll be mad.¡±


    It was odd, really. Rhenei didn¡¯t want to stay here any more than Kalleira did¡ªthey¡¯d watched together as it went from cracked to shattered. They both wanted to know what else was out there beyond their home; the lives other people lived. Yet Rhenei still defended it. She¡¯d remember all the words of her father¡ªwords that weren¡¯t warnings, but threats¡ªof if she ever dared to leave. She¡¯d find herself following his directions, listening to every word, knowing what awaited her if she didn¡¯t. She couldn¡¯t begin to imagine what it would be like to defy them so blatantly.


    She glanced out the window with a certain kind of longing. There were never as many people in the little alleyway leading to their house than the busy street the other window faced. But there was still something; kids shouting without malice, parents calling without scorn.


    And here she was, cleaning up the glass her father broke for something her mother did.


    ¡°Ten years,¡± Kalleira eventually sighed, ¡°and it¡¯s always the same thing. How come you¡¯ve always got ideas when we¡¯re talking about it, but you never do any of them?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s easy for you! No one sees you and they can¡¯t hurt you.¡±


    ¡°Watching you do this hurts me just as much as it does you!¡± Kalleira gestured to all that was still on the floor. She frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t want to keep hearing or seeing them and I know you don¡¯t either.¡±


    Rhenei looked back at the smiling faces of those children. ¡°Alright,¡± she said in a near whisper. Gaining some sort of resolve she repeated as loud as she dared, ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll clean this up and gather our things. As long as Dad¡¯s not home, we¡¯ll leave tonight.¡±


    ¡­


    She never had a lot. All her clothes were small or worn, aside from a few nice things she wore if they ever went out. The only toy she had was a yarn doll¡ªnow hardly even that after so many years¡ªshe¡¯d made back when they went to church. She didn¡¯t know much about the world, but she knew things didn¡¯t come free, so she often hid whatever coins she found lying around¡­ which wasn¡¯t really a lot. From her glimpses of the world from her window, they seemed friendly. Maybe she could use that money to get someone to guide her to the next town or at least point her in the right direction.


    Rhenei didn¡¯t bother hiding the fact she¡¯d left. One, there wasn¡¯t much that she could do to make it look like she was still sleeping at a glance. Two, she knew they wouldn¡¯t check on her¡ªnot until morning when one of them needed something. Hopefully she¡¯d be too far gone to track by then.


    She took everything she had and left, Kalleira wandering close behind her. She didn¡¯t think anyone noticed her walking into the street; it didn¡¯t seem like anyone truly wanted to be out this late, yet for some reason they still were.


    ¡°What do you want to do first?¡± Kalleira asked excitedly, using her energetic approach to the street to mask her undeniable fear. Neither of them had ever been far from home without Rhenei¡¯s parents somewhere nearby.


    ¡°Get out of the city,¡± Rhenei decided. She took in her surroundings and realized just how big everything was. ¡°Once I figure out where that is¡­¡±


    ¡°I think that¡¯s the castle,¡± Kalleira mumbled, glancing up at the grand building in the distance. ¡°Or¡­ maybe it¡¯s the church. I don¡¯t remember.¡±


    ¡°Mom made it sound like they were both closer to the edge,¡± Rhenei recalled slowly. She once again glanced around her and hesitantly started going in the opposite direction of that building. ¡°So however we leave has got to be this way, right?¡±


    Kalleira sighed. ¡°I wish I could fly. Then I could just look at it all from above you and tell you where to go¡­¡±


    ¡°Then you couldn¡¯t be with me, and honestly this is a lot scarier than just looking out a window¡­¡±


    Rhenei began to wander, first with a sense of urgency to get as far away from her old home as possible, then slowed down to take in the sights around her. She couldn¡¯t remember ever being in this part of the city before. She wondered how much more of the city she¡¯d never seen.


    Not like she was particularly keen on staying. Even if her parents didn¡¯t try to find her, someone else might recognize her and insist she be brought back to them.


    Rhenei jumped when an older man, looking to be a part of the church, spoke to her.


    ¡°It¡¯s getting rather late for someone like you, isn¡¯t it?¡± he asked gently. ¡°Are you heading home from somewhere?¡±


    Kalleira, probably just because she knew he wouldn¡¯t hear her, grumbled, ¡°Go away, old man, we¡¯ve got something important to do!¡±


    Rhenei¡¯s actual answer came out so naturally she was almost surprised about it herself. ¡°Yeah, I was with my friends and we all kinda lost track of the time.¡±


    ¡°Where do you live?¡± he prompted.


    She pointed past him to where she¡¯d been wandering. ¡°Over there. It¡¯s not that far, I can go myself.¡±


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s why I didn¡¯t recognize you. You must be the daughter of one of those new merchant families that moved in a couple of weeks ago.¡± He smiled. ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure your parents are getting worried, so I won¡¯t hold you any longer. I pray Orestis will keep His hand on you and your family.¡±

 The Girl Under the Bed: Chapter 2

    {-Farrar-}


    This was the last customer before he would be able to close shop.


    And he was not expecting it to take this long.


    ¡°You say this isn¡¯t fused with your Fleyw Bresh¡¯s alchemy?¡± the goblin asked, his accent much thicker than most. It would still be a few more years before Farrar was able to completely understand it, despite the amount of goblins and fairies he¡¯d meet before then.


    ¡°I guarantee that I would not make the mistake of trying to deceive you,¡± Farrar said. ¡°We pride ourselves in being the best blacksmithing shop in the Province of Andrea that goblins and fairies can rely on. I know I, at least, have no intention of breaking that tradition.¡±


    The goblin observed the sword a little longer then walked back over to the counter. ¡°This¡¯ll do nicely for my needs. I assume this will cover the costs?¡± He placed three silver coins down and left with the sword in hand without ever making sure.


    Thankfully he wasn¡¯t one of the customers Farrar would later need to hunt down to pay the rest of the bill.


    He put the coins with the rest of what he¡¯d earned today then immediately went to close the shop; he¡¯d do everything else once he was sure that no one else would randomly walk in on him. But, unfortunately, a familiar face walked through the door before he was able to lock it.


    The words left his mouth quicker than he could consider stopping them, though really it didn¡¯t mean much. ¡°Oh, gods, not you¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, pipsqueak, I¡¯m outta money and you¡¯re going to get me more.¡± Tess wandered in with the same annoying flamboyance she always did. Farrar did, briefly, consider lighting a part of her expensive-looking dress on fire¡ªbefore remembering there were things in the shop he didn¡¯t want to get burned on accident.


    ¡°Can you believe that old man wasn¡¯t home?¡± she went on, picking up several of the display items before tossing them on the ground. ¡°You know, you should invest in some jewelry. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll have a lot more business.¡±


    ¡°Dad¡¯s out of town for a few days,¡± Farrar grumbled, picking up everything and putting them back in their proper places. ¡°He¡¯ll probably be back in another day or two.¡±


    ¡°Great, but I don¡¯t have the money to spend at an inn right now.¡± She went back behind the counter and began rummaging through it. ¡°Aureus keeps all his earnings in here, doesn¡¯t he? I¡¯ll just take a couple and come back when he¡¯s here for more.¡±


    ¡°You mean you¡¯re going to take whatever I¡¯ve earned today and probably waste half of it in an hour.¡±


    ¡°Please, you make it sound like you¡¯re worse off than I am. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re not even going to notice if a little bit of pocket change goes missing¡­¡±


    ¡°Dad might listen to your stupid whims, but I¡¯m not going to.¡±


    ¡°Why not? I bet you¡¯ve got more than enough money laying around here. Must¡¯ve been the only thing Reseda was good for.¡±


    Farrar held back what he really wanted to say in favor of, ¡°The shop¡¯s closed. You know some of our neighbors check on me if I don¡¯t come home after a while whenever Dad leaves, right? I¡¯d advise you to get going before one of them shows up. They only need me to tell them you¡¯re trying to steal from me and you¡¯re gonna wish you never walked in here.¡±


    Tess gave one look at him and laughed. ¡°Come on, boy, I know you¡¯re just joking. You¡¯re not going to do anything to me. There¡¯s only one way to get me out of your little shop, you know.¡±


    ¡°I hope those friends of yours find out who you are one day,¡± he sighed. He gestured her out from behind the counter and went through it himself. It took him a moment to find the right bag of coins from the mess she¡¯d created but, once he did, he handed it to her. ¡°There, that should be the same amount Dad gave you last time.¡±


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    ¡°I¡¯m actually going to need a little more than this¡­¡±


    ¡°Sell that ring of yours, like you did with hers.¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t ¡®hers¡¯ if Aureus gave it to me. I don¡¯t know why you insist on caring so much¡ªit¡¯s not like the dead have any right to complain about the living.¡±


    ¡°Just get out.¡± When that alone didn¡¯t encourage her, he pulled out a silver coin that he¡¯d earned today.


    She smiled, waved, and walked towards the door. ¡°Don¡¯t tell Aureus I came by. I¡¯m going to come back when he¡¯s here and get even more out of him¡­¡± Then, thankfully, she left.


    He hated acknowledging that this definitely wasn¡¯t the last time he would need to deal with her.


    Once again he tried to close shop, and once again someone came in.


    ¡°For the love of Orestis, we¡¯re closed.¡±


    ¡°I just need some directions.¡±


    The unfamiliar voice got him to actually pay attention to who¡¯d walked in. A girl that couldn¡¯t have been any older than he was.


    ¡°Why do you need directions this late at night?¡± Farrar asked cautiously. His father would warn him of the more suspicious types, those involved in the less-than-good portions of the city. But she didn¡¯t look like she was a part of that. Sure, her clothes were a little worse for wear, though everything else suggested she was a normal kid.


    Of course, her answer didn¡¯t necessarily help things. ¡°I need to get out of the city.¡±


    ¡°Why do you need to get out of the city?¡±


    She stayed silent, though warily gave a glance to the side.


    He had a feeling tonight was going to go from annoying to downright weird. ¡°What¡¯s your name? I¡¯m Farrar.¡±


    ¡°Rhenei.¡±


    ¡°Where are you from?¡±


    Another question she didn¡¯t answer.


    ¡°Are you hiding from something?¡±


    After a moment, she nodded.


    ¡°Do you want to tell me what it is?¡±


    She shook her head.


    He looked her over. ¡°You¡¯re not going to be able to get very far if that¡¯s all you have.¡±


    She looked up at him with a look that spoke of her fear. He couldn¡¯t tell if it was completely unintentional on her part or if she meant to make him sympathetic.


    ¡°My house isn¡¯t far from here,¡± he sighed, ¡°and my dad¡¯s gone for a while. Am I going to regret letting you in for the night?¡±


    Rhenei perked up and shook her head vigorously.


    ¡°In exchange, you¡¯re going to have to tell me what you actually plan on doing,¡± he continued as he made the final preparations to leave.


    ¡°I want to see the world,¡± Rhenei said after a moment of thought. She let out a bit of nervous laughter. ¡°I just don¡¯t know where to start.¡±


    ¡°Well, for one, you might want to dress a little warmer. It might almost be spring but that doesn''t mean there aren¡¯t still some cold days left.¡±


    She gave him such an interesting expression and he realized this was the first time she¡¯d ever heard such advice. He, with only his common sense, must¡¯ve sounded like he knew everything in the world.


    Farrar closed up everything he needed to in the shop before walking out and guiding Rhenei to his house. If anyone noticed them, they didn¡¯t say anything about it. Honestly, they probably assumed he was helping her find her way back home.


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch anything,¡± he warned as he unlocked the door. He absently waved to the neighbors before ushering her inside and locking the door again once they were both in. ¡°Don¡¯t snoop around, either. I¡¯ll get some blankets from upstairs for you, but you¡¯re staying on the couch. I¡¯ll start dinner in a minute.¡±


    He lit a nearby candle with his magic before going to do the same with the fireplace. The second was what she noticed.


    ¡°How did you do that?¡± she asked, something in her tone saying that she really didn¡¯t know.


    ¡°It¡¯s magic,¡± he explained as he wandered over to the kitchen. ¡°I¡¯m from a family of blacksmiths. As long as we¡¯ve got the talent for it, we learn fire magic to make our lives a little bit easier. Not like anything I just did was anything different than they usually teach kids.¡±


    ¡°I never learned magic,¡± she admitted. ¡°Dad said it cost too much and didn¡¯t want me to leave the house for too long.¡±


    ¡°The church hands out basic classes for free, as long as you show up after service,¡± he pointed out. ¡°They say it¡¯s one of the ways people can get closer to the gods.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± She glanced to the side again and sighed. ¡°He lied.¡± She said it like she wasn¡¯t truly surprised, yet disappointed in it anyway.


    Deciding it might be better to give her something else to think about, he asked, ¡°What do you want to eat? I¡¯ve got plenty here, name it and I¡¯ll make it to the best of my abilities.¡±


    She honestly seemed like she wasn¡¯t expecting the offer. ¡°Whatever you want..?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll just fix something quick and easy,¡± he decided after a moment.

 The Girl Under the Bed: Chapter 3

    {-Kalleira-}


    She didn¡¯t realize she could have such conflicting thoughts about a person and the situation they were in.


    Before, everything had been black and white to her. Both of Rhenei¡¯s parents were terrible, everything they put her through was worse, and nothing would be better than to leave. She was confident in all of those things. Farrar wasn¡¯t quite so simple.


    For some reason, she felt like she could trust him¡ªthat he wasn¡¯t going to hurt Rhenei in the same way her parents did. Yet she couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that there was more going on than what he was telling them, even if ultimately the same thing was true for them as well. She asked Rhenei about him, but of course she didn¡¯t think anything was strange. Kalleira was the only one who thought he was anything more than just a helpful teen.


    Why did she find that so hard to believe?


    Perhaps it all lied in the memories she couldn¡¯t recall¡ªmemories from before she was with Rhenei.


    All of those memories were a blur until the night they met Farrar and she experienced something she didn¡¯t think was possible.


    She had a dream.


    ¡°When¡¯s Vriuh gonna do something new?¡± There was no image to go along with the voice, not yet, but there was a sense of familiarity.


    ¡°I¡¯m getting bored!¡± a second, near identical voice agreed.


    ¡°If I have to wait any longer, I¡¯m going to tell Theseus I think his hair is stupid.¡±


    A laugh all three of the voices shared. ¡°That¡¯s sure to start something interesting!¡±


    Three figures slowly became clearer. Being able to see them clearly, Kalleira understood who they were.


    They were Maho, Ilathri, and Nillae¡ªthe Strings. But how did she know that? And why was she dreaming of them?


    ¡°Vriuh!¡± they moaned in unison, ¡°We¡¯re tired of waiting! Give us something to do!¡±


    The pale glow that gave the place its light flickered. Apparently it wasn¡¯t the first time they¡¯ve said this and it only got more annoying with time.


    ¡°Oh, I have a plan!¡± one of them announced. ¡°Let¡¯s split up and insult a different person. Three fights, all at once!¡±


    ¡°But we can¡¯t watch all three,¡± another pointed out.


    ¡°Vriuh will still need to clean it up,¡± the last said. ¡°They¡¯ll have to listen once we start disrupting things.¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright. Only one. But if we choose an acceptable target¡ª¡°


    They all stopped when something that could only be described as a cold chill blew through. They all looked at Kalleira.


    ¡°So Vriuh wants us to do something with you?¡±


    ¡°No, Orestis wants us to do something with her. This is not merely an adopt-a-spirit situation.¡±


    ¡°Well, then what should we do with her?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s get something else decided first.¡± Their collective glares grew into a more scrutinizing kind. ¡°What¡¯s your name, child?¡±


    She fought the urge to back away with so much attention on her. No one else here paid her any mind¡ªmost didn¡¯t even acknowledge she was here, and she didn¡¯t dare get close to anyone else who might¡¯ve. ¡°Kalleira.¡±


    They all thought for a moment.


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t that the kid who¡ª¡±


    ¡°Shush, don¡¯t you remember what Vriuh told us? Don¡¯t mention the cause of death in front of the kids.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s one surefire way of giving Usiu someone to babysit.¡±


    ¡°Besides, there¡¯s often crying. Children always cry¡­¡±


    They collectively shook their heads.


    ¡°Nillae, this is your job. Figure out who she is.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re just as capable of it, Maho!¡±


    ¡°If you need someone to help you, get Ilathri to do it.¡±


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    ¡°I assign and bond. I don¡¯t know anything about the person¡¯s life. Leave it up to me and I¡¯ll bond her with the next murderer of the century.¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright! Anything to prevent that from happening again¡­¡±


    They shivered.


    ¡°Vriuh was so mad¡­¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think they were capable of actually punishing us¡­¡±


    ¡°Turns out those terrible jokes aren¡¯t their only weapon¡­¡±


    Kalleira blinked, reminding them of their original mission.


    One of them pulled out something¡ªit looked like a scroll of some sort¡ªand they all huddled together. They all looked over the scroll and whispered things she couldn¡¯t understand. Every now and again, one of them would check to make sure she was still standing there, or look somewhere else in the distance. Once or twice they all froze and one of them walked off to do something with a set of strings.


    Finally, all their mumbling gave way to a shout of victory.


    ¡°This should be the one!¡±


    They all gave each other congratulations and nods of agreement.


    ¡°Their situations are similar.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps they¡¯ll be able to help each other.¡±


    ¡°Vriuh won¡¯t be mad about this one!¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ll be thanking our genius.¡±


    ¡°Maybe they¡¯ll give us a vacation!¡±


    ¡°Oh, it has been a long time since we last stepped foot in Sanctuary!¡±


    ¡°One thing¡¯s for sure: they¡¯re going to be praising us for an eternity about this.¡±


    ¡°Most definitely.¡±


    ¡°This is a match that¡¯s hard to believe Orestis didn¡¯t make!¡±


    They all looked at Kalleira. ¡°Well, little girl, are you ready to meet who you¡¯re going to be paired with?¡±


    ¡°Who¡ªwho is it..?¡± she finally managed to ask, still without a full grasp of what was going on.


    Their lips moved but she didn¡¯t hear a name. Another image flashed in front of her, though she wasn¡¯t able to stay in that place for long. Instead, she woke up, reminding herself of the previous day¡¯s events when she couldn¡¯t recognize her surroundings.


    They were on Farrar¡¯s couch. Most importantly, they were safe.


    She didn¡¯t know if she somehow contributed to waking Rhenei up or if that was something she did completely on her own.


    ¡°Is it morning yet..?¡± Rhenei mumbled, opening only one of her eyes. After she undoubtedly saw nothing but darkness, she rolled over and nestled closer into the blankets Farrar gave her. This was the first time she¡¯d looked so peaceful in a long time.


    Kalleira hated to be the one to possibly disrupt that. ¡°Rhenei, there¡¯s something I want to tell you.¡±


    It took a moment, but Rhenei sat up, blinking warily at Kalleira. ¡°What is it..?¡±


    ¡°I had a dream. Or, I think that¡¯s what it was. That¡¯s those things with¡ªwith the pictures, and the voices, that happen when people close their eyes for a long time, right?¡± Kalleira tried to shake the nervous feeling she had, but she couldn¡¯t think of a way to assure herself. It didn¡¯t feel like something that she was supposed to do.


    ¡°I thought you said that you couldn¡¯t dream.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think I could, but¡­ it just happened.¡±


    ¡°What was it about?¡± Rhenei was a lot more awake than she was before. It seemed she was more excited about the new discovery than anything else.


    ¡°The Strings, I think. Maho, Ilathri, and Nillae.¡±


    ¡°Did you hear anything or remember what they did?¡±


    ¡°They were talking about someone¡ªme. Something Vriuh wanted¡­ or Orestis wanted. I know what they said, but I¡­ don¡¯t understand any of it¡­¡±


    ¡°Tell me! Maybe I know.¡±


    Kalleira couldn¡¯t help but show her disbelief. ¡°If I don¡¯t know anything, you¡¯re probably not. I know everything you do.¡±


    Rhenei¡¯s grin, however, still did not fade. ¡°Try me.¡±


    After a deep breath, Kalleira recounted everything that she heard to the eagerly-awaiting Rhenei. When she finished, her skepticism was all but proven to be well-placed.


    ¡°Yep,¡± Rhenei said after a moment of thought, ¡°I have no idea.¡± She must¡¯ve noted how it definitely wasn¡¯t the right answer. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean we can¡¯t figure it out.¡±


    Kalleira tilted her head. ¡°Do you think that¡¯s possible? Neither of us know anything about it. We don¡¯t even know where to start¡­¡±


    ¡°But we can definitely try, right?¡± Rhenei¡¯s smile only grew. ¡°We need to get out of the city anyway¡ªthe sooner and further the better. Especially if we don¡¯t really know where we¡¯re going, they might not be able to track us down!¡± She looked around and tried scrambling in the dark. ¡°Where do you think Farrar¡¯s family keeps a random piece of paper and pen? I want you to tell me everything else that dream makes you think of. Maybe one of them will help us figure out where we should try first.¡±


    ¡°I already told you everything¡­¡±


    ¡°Tell me again! And everything else related to it¡ªanything that crossed your mind.¡±


    Then, suddenly, a candle gave light to the room. ¡°You¡¯re up bright and early.¡±


    Rhenei perked up and they both looked at Farrar. ¡°You don¡¯t look like a morning person.¡±


    He let out a long yawn. ¡°It doesn¡¯t help that you started talking to yourself down here.¡± His casual shrug was meant to be reassuring, but Kalleira found it inexplicably mocking. ¡°You¡¯ve probably got to get going soon, right? For whatever reason you¡¯re running around for?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Probably before they¡¯re up¡­¡± Rhenei said with a confident nod.


    ¡°Do you want something to eat before you go? I¡¯ve got plenty here. You could probably take some of it with you¡­¡±


    Rhenei was quiet for a moment before her expression lit up. Kalleira knew to be wary of that face. ¡°Hey, how much do you know about the outside?¡±


    ¡°I know basic geography, if that¡¯s what you¡¯re asking. What you should and shouldn¡¯t do if you don¡¯t want to get killed or robbed. Common sense and basic survival.¡±


    Kalleira gave Rhenei a glare. ¡°You better not ask what I think you¡¯re going to.¡±


    Rhenei, of course, completely ignored her. ¡°Do you think you can help me out with one more thing?¡±

 The Girl Under the Bed: Chapter 4

    {-Farrar-}


    He stood there and watched as Rhenei proceeded to argue to herself.


    ¡°He knows more than us!¡± A pause. ¡°If he wanted to do that, he would¡¯ve done it by now.¡± She sighed. ¡°Come on, it¡¯ll be better than us going on our own. I thought you¡¯d like that!¡±


    Farrar blinked and, after a moment, mustered the courage to ask, ¡°Do I want to know who you¡¯re talking to?¡±


    Rhenei stopped, glancing at the other side of the couch. ¡°Kalleira.¡± When that clearly did not make any more sense, she continued, ¡°She¡¯s like my sister. We grew up together¡ªnever a moment when we were apart. You¡¯re giving me this weird look. I know it isn¡¯t normal but my parents never looked at me like that¡­¡±


    ¡°No wonder you acted weird,¡± he mumbled. ¡°You either have a spirit or you¡¯re completely insane.¡±


    Rhenei tilted her head. ¡°What was that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. What was it that you wanted my help with?¡± He wasn¡¯t sure why he was even still offering. There was nothing about this that his father would¡¯ve liked him doing, or that wouldn¡¯t gain wary glances from neighbors. At this point he didn¡¯t even know for himself if this was truly something he wanted to get himself into.


    Maybe that was exactly why he was doing it.


    ¡°Kalleira had a dream,¡± Rhenei began, then she must¡¯ve realized that didn¡¯t make any more sense. ¡°She never had a dream before, in all our time together¡ªand she remembers some things a lot better than I do. She wants to figure out what the dream meant, and I think that can be where we go next. Except we don¡¯t really have any idea of where anything is. You seem to know a lot, so I was wondering if you¡¯d help us. I mean, I don¡¯t have anything to give you, but¡­¡±


    He gave his answer without much thought. ¡°You don¡¯t need to give me anything. I would like a better explanation on what you¡¯re trying to hide from, though.¡±


    Rhenei paused for a moment to think over the best response. ¡°I don¡¯t want to go back home.¡±


    And, somehow, Farrar understood at least a fragment of that message. There was something there that she definitely didn¡¯t want to go back to, no matter the consequences¡­ the only thing he wished to know was whether it was a real or an imaginary threat.


    She waited for some reply, giving him a hopeful look.


    ¡°Where is it that you want to go?¡± he asked, finally, despite all logic. ¡°Things should be fine here if I¡¯m gone for a couple of days¡ªmy dad should be back soon anyway. I¡¯ll help you out until we have to leave the Andrea Province, if we ever have to, and then you¡¯re going to be on your own.¡±


    ¡°Really? You mean it?¡± She got up in a second and began excitedly bouncing in place. ¡°When can we get going? We should probably leave soon. They¡¯re going to wake up and realize I¡¯m not there if we wait any longer.¡±


    ¡°Slow down! We¡¯re not going anywhere until we¡¯re actually prepared to travel.¡±


    She slumped then, after a moment, perked back up again. ¡°Is there anything I can do to help?¡±


    What he really wanted to say was that he didn¡¯t trust her enough to get anything they actually needed. But, knowing she might not like that answer, he said, ¡°There¡¯s a couple of bags by the staircase, the kind those merchants usually use. Just get me one of those¡ªa lot more stuff can fit in them than it looks.¡±


    She eagerly nodded and darted off.


    With that distraction out of the way, he first located a piece of paper and something to write with. He couldn¡¯t get any further until he could find the best way to explain it to his father¡­ not that it would be so much of caring about his whereabouts as doing something without his father¡¯s consent. Ever skilled at lying and believing it the best course, Farrar¡¯s letter simply said he was going to be gone for a few days to help a customer. He liked to believe that was all his father needed to know and was closer to the truth than some of the other options he thought of.


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    He made sure to set it in a place he was sure his father would see it then, noting how Rhenei was coming back with the bag, asked, ¡°Where do you plan to go? You never actually answered me the first time.¡±


    ¡°Was there anything else you saw?¡± she rephrased, glancing once again at the person he couldn¡¯t see. ¡°Or anything you felt! That might be able to help, too. Just something other than the Strings.¡±


    The Strings? Well, at least that gave him a bit of confidence that Rhenei wasn¡¯t simply insane¡­


    She waited for a moment until she was able to look back at him and confidently say, ¡°She said there might have been a flash of something before she woke up¡ªa flower field. She thinks there was something in the distance, but she wasn¡¯t able to get a good look at it. Whatever it was would¡¯ve been big, though, and aside from that there was nothing but open plains.¡±


    ¡°Something around here, possibly¡­¡± Farrar mused after a moment of thought. ¡°In the east there¡¯s not a lot of surrounding villages and Hyasari isn¡¯t exactly something you can miss.¡± He took a small pamphlet off the mantle and handed it to her. ¡°Did any of the flowers look like these?¡±


    She looked it over slowly until finally stopping to point at one. ¡°This one¡ªikretta. It was mixed with wildflowers.¡±


    ¡°Alright, just give me a couple more minutes to get ready,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure we have everything and we¡¯ll leave as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°Thank you so much! I wish I had something to give you for this¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, I could use some time away from the shop anyway. Just sit quietly until I say we¡¯re ready to leave.¡±


    She nodded and wandered back over to the couch, though she didn¡¯t hide her growing excitement¡ªor nervousness, as after a moment he couldn¡¯t tell the difference.


    This wasn¡¯t necessarily his first trip out of the city, but the more he considered it the less prepared he thought he was. While he was gathering the things he knew he¡¯d need from the kitchen, he tried to determine what they may need to buy along the way. ¡°What do you have in that bag of yours?¡±


    It was tiny¡ªsimilar to those a specific stall gave out for free last Spring¡¯s Calling¡ªand clearly used much more than it was meant to. He honestly didn¡¯t expect her to answer at all.


    ¡°My dress, doll, and a few coins. Nothing else fit.¡±


    ¡°How many coins?¡±


    ¡°Two bronze and a silver.¡±


    He repressed a sigh. That was hardly enough for anything. ¡°Do you have anything like a coat? I¡¯d hardly call you dressed for chilly weather.¡±


    ¡°I never had one. I didn¡¯t go out when it was really cold.¡±


    He glanced over to look at her before going back to his work. ¡°There¡¯s a closet next to the staircase. Try on the coat on the far left and see if it fits.¡± He thought nothing of his offer and continued gathering things; by now he was starting to double check what he put in there.


    Rhenei proved to be more observant than he gave her credit for. ¡°Is the lady in the picture going to need it?¡±


    ¡°Does it fit?¡± he instead asked.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± And her pause made him believe that was all. ¡°But someone else was wearing it in that picture you have on the mantle. Is she going to need it?¡±


    ¡°No. She¡¯s not here.¡±


    ¡°Is she going to want it when she comes back..?¡±


    He was quiet for such a long time that he was surprised she didn¡¯t pick up on it. ¡°¡®The dead don¡¯t have the right to complain about the living,¡¯¡± he mumbled, slowly, without even expecting Rhenei to hear him.


    ¡°Is it¡­ really alright that I use this, then..?¡±


    ¡°No one¡¯s worn it in so long and no one¡¯s going to notice if it¡¯s gone. It wasn¡¯t ¡®fancy¡¯ enough for Tess so she didn¡¯t even bother bringing it with her. Other than that, it¡¯s just me and my father.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s Tess?¡±


    ¡°That woman you probably passed on your way into my shop.¡±


    ¡°Is she a friend of yours? From what little I saw, it didn¡¯t look like you liked each other.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s one of my father¡¯s friends.¡± He figured that was all she needed to know for now; if she wasn¡¯t going to tell him anything more about her own past, he saw no purpose in elaborating on his.


    Satisfied with what he¡¯d gathered and almost certain he had everything, he took the bag and headed towards the door. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure I¡¯ve gotten everything we needed and I¡¯ll pay for whatever I might¡¯ve forgotten. It¡¯s time we get going.¡±


    Rhenei pulled the coat around her, giving it an almost reverent look. She couldn¡¯t have been lying to him earlier. Just what was her life like before yesterday?


    She nodded and walked up next to him. ¡°I¡¯m ready.¡±

 The Girl Under the Bed: Chapter 5

    {-Kalleira-}


    She gave careful consideration to every part of her surroundings, to make up for Rhenei¡¯s complete lack of it. They were leaving much later than Kalleira would¡¯ve wanted them to. While she had to admit Rhenei was harder to recognize with a coat that seemed to cost a fair bit of money, she wasn¡¯t impossible to notice. If her parents were out looking for her, then it wouldn¡¯t take long for them to see past it.


    Kalleira wanted to hope that they wouldn¡¯t even bother. But she knew that they would¡ªthey relied on the fact that, when all eyes were on them, they said what got them out of trouble.


    But, with no familiar adults in sight and another question she couldn¡¯t stop considering, she asked, ¡°What exactly do the Strings do, again?¡± She knew there wasn¡¯t much of a chance Rhenei knew something she didn¡¯t. Still, there was this feeling she couldn¡¯t shake. Maybe knowing more about it would answer some of the questions swirling in her head.


    ¡°They reside in Vriuh¡¯s Domain,¡± Rhenei said slowly. It was clear how hard she was trying to remember something neither of them had experienced in years. ¡°They¡¯re called the Strings because they manage the String of Elements, Spirit, and Life. I can¡¯t remember what that really means, though¡­¡±


    The Commandments were nothing more than jumbles of big words to both of them. Neither had the knowledge or skill necessary to completely understand it.


    It took a moment before Farrar asked, ¡°You¡¯re talking about the Strings, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Rhenei nodded. ¡°Do you know something about them? They¡¯re who Kalleira saw in her dream.¡±


    ¡°Do you¡ªor she¡ªknow exactly what they were talking about?¡±


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t need to know that in order to tell us something,¡± Kalleira grumbled. ¡°He knows something. Get him to tell us! We¡¯re not letting go of any of our secrets until he starts letting go of his.¡±


    ¡°Just tell us what you know already,¡± Rhenei said, after considering Kalleira¡¯s words. ¡°What they talked about shouldn¡¯t be related to what you know, right?¡±


    ¡°Each of the three strings relate to a connection of something,¡± Farrar explained. ¡°They create or cut the strings depending on the will of Orestis or Vriuh. Maho controls the String of Elements¡ªa person¡¯s ability to use, and their natural talent for, magic. Ilathri controls the String of Spirits¡ªa person¡¯s spirit and how strong it is, on the off chance someone actually has one. Nillae controls the String of Life and, if you can¡¯t get that one, we should probably turn around because you will not survive outside the city.¡±


    Rhenei glanced back at Kalleira. ¡°So what do you think that has to do with you..?¡±


    ¡°They were arguing over something,¡± Kalleira recalled. ¡°Something about¡ª¡°


    A familiar voice made them both freeze.


    ¡°Have you seen her? She left sometime last night or early this morning. We¡¯re worried¡­¡±


    Rhenei¡¯s mother was always so good at putting on a semblance of care into her words when she went out. A care that, as soon as doors were closed and windows shut, was nothing but a distant memory.


    ¡°Farrar, I think we should go over there.¡± Rhenei tried pulling on his sleeve but he didn¡¯t budge.


    His confused expression proved something to Kalleira¡ªhe was going to get them both caught. ¡°What are you suddenly so nervous for? Are you afraid someone will recognize you?¡±


    He must¡¯ve heard, too, the deceiving story of a lying mother.


    ¡°Her name is Rhenei, she looks a lot like her father¡ªthat man talking to a few others over there. We don¡¯t know why she would¡¯ve left. She has everything she needs at home¡­ I can¡¯t imagine how she couldn¡¯t have been happy¡­¡±


    Farrar glanced between the direction of the voice and Rhenei. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ve been waiting this long, but I think there¡¯s some explaining you need to do.¡±


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    A fake sob meant to be heard by any passerby. ¡°Please! We don¡¯t know where else to go. She isn¡¯t well, she won¡¯t be able to survive on your own. We¡¯ve already contacted the church, but we can¡¯t wait for them.¡±


    His expression got darker as he hissed, ¡°Now.¡±


    ¡°I swear nothing she says is true!¡± Rhenei tried, but it wasn¡¯t enough on her own. It seems he was done believing only words. Her eyes darted from the direction of the voice, Farrar, Kalleira, before stopping at her own hands. She held them up in front of him; the little scars and cuts that were on them. ¡°Do you really think I was happy?¡±


    He was silent for the longest time, some conflict of expression, yet eventually nodded. ¡°But this isn¡¯t the end of this. You are going to have to tell me what happened sooner or later. Come on, I know a backroad out. Only merchants use it so I don¡¯t think a lot of people are going to look there¡­¡±


    Kalleira still couldn¡¯t bring herself to completely trust him, but Rhenei gave a thankful nod and stayed right behind him the whole way. Kalleira, personally, was more interested in making sure no one saw or followed them; she never had a problem trailing after Rhenei, even when she wasn¡¯t looking. They¡¯d need to know the amount of trouble they were in as soon as possible.


    When they got to the gate, Farrar mumbled a few things to the person there. They seemed to know each other. They were done in a minute and Farrar gestured for Rhenei to keep following him out of the city.


    Looking at the vast plains and flowers ahead of them, Kalleira wondered if this was what freedom was supposed to feel like.


    Then she wondered why ¡°freedom¡± felt the exact same as the panic she felt in the city. They were out in the open here; it wouldn¡¯t take much for anyone looking for them to see them.


    ¡°There¡¯s a town about an hour away from here,¡± Farrar explained. ¡°We¡¯ll stay there for the night.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that too close?¡± Rhenei asked, giving an anxious glance back at the city.


    ¡°Until the church actually starts working on it¡ªand trust me they apparently have more important things to do¡ªthey¡¯re not going to be able to take it far. It¡¯ll also give us some more time to figure out what we¡¯re going to do from here.¡± He looked back at her. ¡°Now that we¡¯re out of that crowd, are you any more willing to tell me what happened before you met me?¡±


    Rhenei, still no more interested in sharing, claimed, ¡°I¡¯m a princess and I have to leave to gather allies to punish the people who hurt me.¡±


    ¡°There are several things wrong with that, we both know it,¡± he remarked. ¡°First of all, Queen Odelle doesn¡¯t have any siblings. Quite frankly they¡¯ve got a pretty strong family resemblance and you definitely do not fit in there. Would you like to say something that isn¡¯t such a blatant lie?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you just start with that, then..?¡±


    She shrugged.


    ¡°Be careful,¡± Kalleira warned. ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯s going to play those kinds of games very long.¡±


    They made the rest of the walk in silence, any time Rhenei tried to break it being quickly fixed by Farrar. At this point, though, it didn¡¯t seem like her lack of explanation was what he was thinking about.


    He didn¡¯t say anything to her until they entered the town. ¡°Be careful and stay close to me¡ªsome of these guys aren¡¯t exactly the friendly type. We¡¯ll stop at the inn, get some rest, and be ready to go first thing tomorrow morning.¡±


    ¡°If we rest now, wouldn¡¯t we be able to leave sooner?¡± Rhenei questioned. ¡°There¡¯s probably not a lot of people who are going to try to look for me at night¡­ maybe we can get more distance between us?¡±


    ¡°Anyone with a bit of common sense isn¡¯t going to travel at night.¡±


    ¡°Why not? You could make a light.¡±


    ¡°You really don¡¯t know? There¡¯s things that lurk in the shadows¡ªthings that will spare no time in killing you. We don¡¯t have as many of them as Seothia must have, but we¡¯re not one of the groups of people that¡¯ll be capable of scaring them off.¡±


    It was something new to both of them; neither had heard of these mysterious shadow-lurking creatures. Then again, when this was their first time out of the city, they were bound not to know a few things. Or¡­ a lot of things, as Kalleira had to wonder was the case.


    Farrar opened the door to the inn and gestured Rhenei to follow him. The innkeeper gave him a quick greeting before the two went to have a hushed conversation by the counter.


    Rhenei had something else to ask when he returned. She pointed beside the innkeeper where the prices for a night were. ¡°It looks like this place is expensive¡­¡±


    ¡°I know. It¡¯s a lot better than anywhere else we can go, plus the innkeeper said he¡¯d keep an eye out for anyone looking for us.¡±


    ¡°Do you really have the money..?¡±


    ¡°When you¡¯re running the only reliable blacksmithing shop in Hyasari that doesn¡¯t enchant anything, goblins and fairies are willing to pay a lot for your services.¡± There was something else, too. Kalleira could tell that she and Rhenei weren¡¯t the only ones keeping more than a few helpful secrets.

 The Girl Under the Bed: Chapter 6

    {-Farrar-}


    He woke up likely an hour before sunrise; the town, it seemed, was just starting to wake up as well. Knowing Rhenei probably wouldn¡¯t be up for a little while longer¡ªeven from the next room over he could hear her mumbling in the middle of the night¡ªit gave him the perfect opportunity to ask around. He left a note in his room and told the innkeeper what to do if he took too long or if she asked about him. Then he just made sure anything valuable of his was out of sight and wandered into the streets.


    He always liked to pretend that he was a rather good judge of character. And, well, if it turns out he wasn¡¯t, he was confident enough in his abilities to get back out of the situation.


    Farrar walked up to a group waiting for the nearby shop to open. They looked like travelers, too; the kind that never liked to stay in a place for long. He could tell by one look that they weren¡¯t from around here.¡°I want to know if you¡¯ve seen a place that matches a description.¡±


    ¡°Scram, kid,¡± one of them grumbled. ¡°Do you think we¡¯d help a runaway like you?¡±


    ¡°Maybe there¡¯s something good on him,¡± another observed. ¡°Looks like the fancy city type. Probably doesn¡¯t know what he¡¯s getting into.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re thinking of underestimating me, you might want to think again,¡± Farrar advised.


    They all laughed.


    ¡°And what¡¯s a kid like you gonna do?¡±


    ¡°A couple of Seothians with nothing but their empty skulls,¡± Farrar muttered with a smirk. His tone turned mocking as he continued, ¡°Oh no, I¡¯m so scared!¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t want to mess with us, kid,¡± one warned.


    ¡°Me? Worried about messing with you? No, I think it should be the other way around. You should not mess with me.¡± He snapped his finger to show off the flame¡ªan unnecessary step but one he knew would give much more of an impression. ¡°There¡¯s a reason you call the children of Fleyw Bresh monsters¡ªwe¡¯ve got something you don¡¯t. If you haven¡¯t figured it out yet, I¡¯m not in a very good mood. I know the power I have and I¡¯m not afraid to use it. So you¡¯re gonna tell me what I want to know.¡±


    They nervously glanced at each other before one of them, without much confidence, asked, ¡°Why should you believe you?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s an expensive-looking jacket you got there,¡± Farrar remarked. He let the fire dance around his hand. ¡°Looks pretty flammable, too. You want to test that theory?¡±


    ¡°Alright! Damn, what¡¯s wrong with you people¡­¡± The man in front shook his head. ¡°What do you want to know?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve traveled a while through the area, right? Do you know any places that¡¯ll have a lot of ikretta and wildflowers together?¡±


    ¡°What, are you gonna go pick a bunch of flowers for your¡ª¡± The glare made him stop and give the correct answer. ¡°Yeah, there should be somewhere like that just east of here. It¡¯s not too far, depending on how long you want to spend traveling.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d be careful, though, if I were you,¡± another, previously quiet one mumbled. ¡°There¡¯s an abandoned town around there. They say the Ski¨¢ destroyed the place a couple of decades ago. Some claim it¡¯s haunted, but there¡¯s at least a lot of Ski¨¢ around there¡ªwe came across a pack of them when we went over there.¡±


    ¡°If people like you can handle them, I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll be fine.¡± Farrar let the flame die and turned to walk away. ¡°Oh, and I¡¯d advise being careful going forward. If you didn¡¯t like how I was just now, you really don¡¯t want to come across one of those overzealous types. We don¡¯t think very highly of people like you, you know, with your genocide and capital-burning.¡± He waved and walked away without a care to what they said about him.


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    After all, the point where they were supposed to start caring about each other was still years off.


    He came back to the inn with all intentions of just making sure they had everything and possibly getting something to eat. Then the innkeeper handed him a letter he cursed to see the author of.


    Farrar took a seat in the corner and prepared himself for whatever he might read.


    ¡®Dear Farrar:


    What the hell do you think you are doing?


    Do not give me the same reason you stated in that letter. I know you were lying to me then. There is no person or customer you could be helping that you cannot help from inside the city. I demand a response as soon as you see this. If I do not receive anything by tomorrow, I AM going to find you. If you have any sense left in you, you will come right back home before I make you.


    With love and concern, your father,


    Aureus.¡¯


    All the letter did was make Farrar more confident in his decision. Still, that didn¡¯t keep him from jumping a little when Rhenei walked up to him.


    ¡°What¡¯s that for?¡± she asked, tilting her head and not-so-subtly trying to read it.


    More instinct than intention yet welcomed all the same, he let a small flame burn the letter. ¡°Nothing important.¡±


    ¡°I dunno, that looked kinda important to me¡­¡±


    ¡°Trust me, if it was anything you needed to think about, I would¡¯ve told you.¡± Farrar got up and went to collect his things. ¡°I was able to get a better idea of where we¡¯re going. We¡¯ve got plenty of time and the sun¡¯s just up, so let¡¯s get moving.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Pay attention to where you¡¯re going!¡± he called, unwilling to go any faster to stop her. ¡°Straying from the path isn¡¯t going to keep you from being found, if that¡¯s what you¡¯re worried about.¡±


    Rhenei didn¡¯t even make a sign of hearing him. She was mumbling again, seemingly having a joyful conversation with Kalleira. He still wasn¡¯t any closer to understanding that.


    ¡°Hey, Rhenei!¡± That was able to catch her attention. ¡°Stop running off!¡±


    She paused, nodded, and walked back beside him. ¡°Kalleira thought she was beginning to recognize more of this place. We may have gotten a little distracted.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s getting darker so make sure you stay closer to me.¡±


    ¡°Are we going to go to another town?¡±


    ¡°No, there¡¯s a safe place around here meant for traveling caravans. They¡¯re not going to care if a couple of teens are with them.¡± Noting her silence, he added, ¡°Trust me, no one there is going to care who you are and they¡¯re not going to ask questions. If there¡¯s anyone there at all, they¡¯ve probably got an idea of why you might¡¯ve left.¡±


    It didn¡¯t take them much longer to get there. There was one other group; merchants who stayed on the other side of the area. Farrar guided Rhenei to one of the spots, took a bit of wood from an already-collected pile, and started a fire.


    ¡°You made it sound like it was dangerous to stay out at night,¡± she pointed out.


    ¡°I did,¡± he said with a shrug.


    ¡°Why¡¯s this any different?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a charm at the center of the place¡ªit¡¯s enchanted with light magic. There¡¯s a bunch of places like these around Qizar, but they¡¯re all managed by the queen or bishops. It takes an exceptionally powerful magic user to get something that covers this much ground, so no one really has a ¡®personal¡¯ one.¡±


    ¡°You always sound like you know a lot about what¡¯s outside the city.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that why I¡¯m helping you?¡±


    She stared at the fire for a moment before asking, ¡°Can you tell me a story? I don¡¯t know a lot, but I¡¯ve always wanted to.¡±


    She must not have thought anything of the couple minutes he just stared at the fire in silence. He had plenty of tales to tell¡ªtales which, sooner or later, she was going to find out on her own. But he glanced back at her to see the way she eagerly awaited something. She really didn¡¯t know anything about the outside world.


    And he decided he didn¡¯t want to be the one to tell her.


    ¡°I was always told stories of a young woman named Reseda¡ªI never knew her myself. She was bright, funny, and kind, but things never quite seemed to go her way.¡± Somehow he was able to form a small smile as he recounted it. ¡°When someone thought of success, she definitely wasn¡¯t what came to mind. She was always late for one reason or another and given the tasks no one else wanted. But she wasn¡¯t ignored¡ªTalmi helped her find love. It was a calm guy the same age as her, though he was much more successful. They didn¡¯t need much to prove that they were each other¡¯s true love. They got married¡­ and had a kid.¡±


    His smile faded. ¡°She worked for a noble that really didn¡¯t care for her or anyone else working for him. Eventually she was able to leave, after a couple of years of being pushed past her limits¡­¡±


    ¡°That sounds good,¡± Rhenei remarked. ¡°I hope she¡¯s doing well.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure she is¡ªshe¡¯s somewhere where no one can hurt or take advantage of her again.¡±

 The Girl Under the Bed: Chapter 7

    {-Rhenei-}


    Farrar didn¡¯t seem nearly as interested in answering any of her questions the next morning. She tried asking if he had any other stories to tell her, and once about the letter he¡¯d received earlier. The closest he got to answering any of them was a couple of mumbles and a louder reminder for her to keep up. Of course, she kept asking, wondering if he simply wasn¡¯t a morning person.


    After that he stopped giving any kind of response to her questions at all.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like it,¡± Kalleira grumbled. ¡°He¡¯s not even hiding that he¡¯s keeping anything from us.¡±


    ¡°Well, I guess we¡¯re keeping something from him, too,¡± Rhenei pointed out quietly. ¡°Maybe he thinks it¡¯s fair.¡± Knowing that there was really nothing more they could talk about, she asked, ¡°Have you felt anything different? Anything else starting to come back to you?¡±


    Kalleira paused to consider it. She sighed and shook her head. ¡°I feel like there¡¯s something, but I can¡¯t remember what yet. I¡¯ve been here before, but¡­ with who? And what was I doing..?¡±


    ¡°Maybe we just need to go a little further,¡± Rhenei offered. ¡°You¡¯ll probably remember something by then, right?¡±


    A grumble from Farrar interrupted them. ¡°We¡¯re almost to another town. We¡¯ll stay there the night¡ªit¡¯s the closest we¡¯re going to be able to reach by nightfall.¡±


    ¡°Do you know this innkeeper like you knew the last one?¡± Rhenei asked innocently.


    ¡°No. But if there¡¯s one thing I know about people, it¡¯s that no matter who they are, they¡¯re willing to do anything for the right price.¡±


    They continued to walk in silence up until the moment he was about to push open the door to the inn. A bird came and tweeted until he took the letter it had brought. Whoever it was from, he grumbled a curse.


    ¡°Stay here,¡± he instructed, ¡°and don¡¯t do anything.¡± He left without another word or even a bit of explanation.


    Rhenei blinked. ¡°I think we should do something.¡±


    ¡°That sounds like a bad idea,¡± Kalleira remarked.


    ¡°There¡¯s a lot here, and these people look like the ones back in the city! I¡¯m not going to learn anything on my own unless I go out and talk to people.¡±


    ¡°What are you gonna do if he realizes you moved?¡±


    ¡°It looked like that was going to take him a while. It¡¯ll probably be fine.¡±


    So, with that presumably concluded, Rhenei motioned for Kalleira to follow her into the crowd. Rhenei clearly had no intention of doing something specific, just wandering and observing everything around her. There was so much here¡­ maybe she¡¯d be able to enjoy the sights, instead of like when they were still in the city.


    If, of course, Kalleira would actually accept the moment to relax. ¡°I still don¡¯t have a good feeling about this.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll be fine, I promise! No one¡¯s going to know who we are here. I don¡¯t plan on talking to anyone, just looking around.¡±


    She still grumbled something but didn¡¯t show any more obvious opposition. By now she probably recognized there wasn¡¯t a point in trying.


    It seemed to be just like the streets of the city. Parents gently telling children to stay close or to behave; couples wandering, muttering things that spanned all kinds of topics; large and small groups of friends alike meeting up, laughing with each other, or uttering farewells; a collection of creepy-looking men mentioning her name¡­


    Wait, that wasn¡¯t normal.


    Rhenei, also aware of Kalleira¡¯s panic, stepped out of sight. She wasn¡¯t sure if she intended on listening to what they were saying, or simply couldn¡¯t get herself to move from the spot.


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    ¡°Someone said the two of them went in this direction,¡± one of the men remarked. ¡°They should¡¯ve stopped here by now.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s assuming they¡¯re smart. I don¡¯t know about you, but I got the impression that we¡¯re dealing with little kids here.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re both teens, going off of the descriptions their parents gave us.¡±


    ¡°What if we randomly started shouting their name around town? That might not directly draw them out, but it¡¯ll get more people aware of them.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, along with making them know they¡¯ve got to leave as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°We could threaten them¡ªuse force to lure them out and drag them back.¡±


    ¡°Except that one guy is paying good money to keep them from getting hurt.¡± There was a bit of grumbling that almost sounded like, ¡°I hate finding missing people. Bounties are better¡ªthey can be brought back dead or alive.¡±


    A sigh. ¡°You¡¯re right. To think we thought this would be easy money¡­¡±


    ¡°Keep looking around town, but don¡¯t draw too much attention to yourself. Trail them until you know it¡¯s the right kids, and then confront them. You might want to let the rest of us know when you find something¡ªsounds like one of them¡¯s going to be a pain in the ass to deal with.¡±


    Kalleira dared to step closer to them, and flinched the moment one of them looked in their direction. ¡°I think we should go. Far away from here.¡±


    ¡°We need to tell Farrar,¡± Rhenei whispered back. She was slowly stepping away from them and hoped none of them would notice her. ¡°He¡¯ll know what to do.¡±


    ¡°They know we¡¯re with him, it¡¯ll make us more obvious.¡±


    ¡°But he¡¯d figure out a way around it. This has to be something he planned for.¡±


    Kalleira nervously glanced between her and the men. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll keep an eye on them¡ªI¡¯ll tell you if they start getting close.¡±


    Rhenei nodded and, after a failed attempt to calm herself down, started back towards the inn. She didn¡¯t know where she was going; she didn¡¯t want to take the paths she used to get there in case someone else was there. Every time she walked faster, she had to force herself to slow down again. She couldn¡¯t bring attention to herself.


    Every time she looked back, Kalleira seemed more anxious than she was. They¡¯d probably end up talking about that later, but Rhenei told herself that getting back to the inn and talking with Farrar was more important.


    She was, somehow, able to hold a semblance of casualness when she actually needed to be out in the open. Perhaps a part of it was the relief of the inn being so close or, oddly, the way Farrar had a very unamused expression after seeing her.


    ¡°What did I tell you not to do?¡± he sighed the moment she got closer. He held the door for her, wandered to the innkeeper and mumbled some things to him, then came back to her.


    ¡°I¡ªI did hear something¡­¡± She said it so quietly she wasn¡¯t sure if he¡¯d hear her. But his expression said it all.


    He already knew.


    Yet, he still asked, ¡°What was it?¡±


    Rhenei cautiously looked around and hoped that no one was really listening to them. ¡°I think there¡¯s a couple of men looking for us.¡±


    Farrar cursed and mumbled, ¡°Alright, this is something we can work around¡­¡± He gestured for her to follow her. ¡°I¡¯ve already got us a room, so we can talk more there.¡±


    ¡°Something¡¯s wrong,¡± Kalleira muttered.


    Despite the warning, Rhenei nodded and followed him to the room.


    She wandered to one of the beds but he stayed by the door.


    ¡°How many of them were there?¡± he asked.


    ¡°At least five of them. I couldn¡¯t tell if there were others listening.¡± She paused. ¡°I don¡¯t think they¡¯re going to hurt us¡ªone of them mentioned that they couldn¡¯t.¡±


    He grumbled things that she wasn¡¯t quite sure she wanted to understand.


    ¡°Is¡­ this about those letters?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about that part.¡±


    ¡°It kind of sounds like I should.¡±


    His glare proved he was going to tell her nothing else. ¡°The letters don¡¯t matter.¡± Finally, after a moment of consideration, he went to the other bed. ¡°Did they say anything about knowing where we¡¯ll be going next?¡±


    ¡°They just knew that we went in this direction and probably stayed here. Should we really stay here, if they¡¯re looking for us..?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a hell of a lot better than staying outside.¡±


    ¡°So do you have a plan..?¡±


    ¡°As long as neither of us draw any attention to ourselves, I don¡¯t think the innkeeper¡¯s going to rat us out to anyone. I doubt those guys are getting paid enough to be willing to buy information. We¡¯ll try to keep a low profile and visit as few towns as possible along the way¡ªand the bigger they are, the better. I should be able to get someone to give them false information about where we went¡­¡± He went more into mumbling that she had to tell herself was just him trying to work out all the details.


    It seemed like they¡¯d had a plan, and this really wasn¡¯t that big of a deal. So why did Kalleira still look like that..?


    Why was Rhenei still so anxious?

 The Girl Under the Bed: Chapter 8

    {-Kalleira-}


    She remembered something while they were heading back to the inn¡ªand a very unpleasant thing at that. It wasn¡¯t just mysterious like that dream of the Strings; this was downright unsettling, made even more so by the fact that she didn¡¯t completely understand it.


    She didn¡¯t know what led up to that moment. All she knew was that she was running from something or someone.


    And there was nothing in the world that was going to bring her back there.


    They shouted things at her. She understood some of their words, though there were others she was glad she didn¡¯t. Either way, she¡¯d long decided she wasn¡¯t going to let them stop her. But why? Why did she feel like that and when had she made that decision?


    She¡¯d had a headstart but, being as tiny as she was, it didn¡¯t mean much after they realized she was gone. She didn¡¯t have anywhere to hide and, when she finally let full panic take over, she got lost in an area of plains that only made her stand out more.


    She regretted turning around. They were right there behind her¡ªshe tried running faster but they caught up and grabbed her arm. She tried to alert someone else, but no one came.


    No one would listen to someone like her.


    Then she was back with Rhenei and Farrar, continuing to dwell on the memory while giving nervous looks to their surroundings. Kalleira could tell her uneasiness was rubbing off on Rhenei, yet¡­ she couldn¡¯t quite bring herself to mention the memory. Not yet.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t been this quiet since we started,¡± Farrar pointed out with a sigh. ¡°Please don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re still caught up on the letters.¡±


    ¡°You still haven¡¯t told me what they were about,¡± Rhenei remarked. ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like it¡¯s as unimportant as you keep saying it is.¡±


    ¡°I swear it¡¯s nothing you have to worry about. It¡¯s just something I need to deal with.¡±


    He purposely started to walk faster in order to avoid any more questions.


    Unable to shake it any longer, Kalleira said, ¡°There¡¯s something I want to tell you.¡±


    Then she told it to Rhenei; the memory she had and the feeling it gave her. It didn¡¯t make any of their moods better, and perhaps it wasn¡¯t the best of things to dwell on while they were walking¡­ but it wasn¡¯t completely useless.


    Kalleira realized something as she watched Farrar. She somehow knew that he wasn¡¯t going to be their friend for much longer; she thought of him as being one of those people who chased her in that memory. They wouldn¡¯t get anything done by staying with him. The hard part would be convincing Rhenei to think the same.


    She decided to bring it up once they¡¯d made camp for the night. It was another one of those traveling merchant spots, but no one else seemed to be here. Farrar left to get wood and, while he was still in sight, she had a feeling he wouldn¡¯t be paying attention to their conversation.


    ¡°We need to talk about those memories,¡± Kalleira said. ¡°I still don¡¯t know what happened after them, but¡­ I¡¯m sure I remembered it for a reason.¡±


    Rhenei was still watching him, frowning at what her life-long companion was suggesting. ¡°It¡¯s probably just because of the other people. That has nothing to do with him.¡±


    ¡°But he¡¯s keeping things from us. Who¡¯s to say those letters aren¡¯t him talking with the men¡¯s employer?¡±


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    ¡°He¡¯s been nice to us. He gave me this coat so I wouldn¡¯t be cold, he let us stay in nice inns with good food¡­¡±


    ¡°Mom and Dad could be nice, too, when they wanted something from us.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to believe it.¡±


    ¡°Well, you don¡¯t have to, but then we¡¯re going to have a whole different problem. We need to get away from him. Nothing good is going to come from staying around.¡±


    ¡°Do you have any proof?¡±


    ¡°Those letters are definitely something worth questioning, aren¡¯t they?¡±


    Rhenei sighed. She knew there wasn¡¯t much point in continuing to try to argue. ¡°What do you think we should do?¡±


    ¡°We should get as far away from him as possible. If he can¡¯t find us, then maybe no one else can either. We¡¯ll figure out where that field is on our own.¡± Kalleira made sure she didn¡¯t appear even the vaguest bit uncertain. She knew exactly what they needed to do, and she was sure that it was the only way. ¡°It¡¯ll be too obvious if we do anything now. I¡¯ll tell you what we¡¯ll do next after he falls asleep.¡±


    Rhenei slowly nodded. Farrar came back soon after, though none of them said anything. In the few times she must¡¯ve had second thoughts and tried to tell him what they were talking about, it only took Kalleira¡¯s mindful glare. They shouldn¡¯t focus on who they thought he was. It was only going to make things worse.


    Kalliera, initially, let Rhenei sleep for a little while; she¡¯d need all the energy she could get, plus it gave them time to be sure Farrar wouldn¡¯t wake up.


    Finally, when the moon seemed just about ready to reach its peak, Kalleira mumbled, ¡°Rhenei, I think it¡¯s time we start going.¡±


    She stirred a moment later, slowly sitting up and giving a sleepy nod. ¡°What should we do first..?¡±


    ¡°Check his map,¡± Kalleira instructed. She was quiet, too, as if everyone could hear her. Maybe it would be a good reminder for Rhenei.


    ¡°Do you remember which pocket he put it in?¡±


    ¡°The one on the side, opposite of the food he brought. Make sure to take some of that, too¡ªwe won¡¯t last very long without it.¡±


    Rhenei carefully pulled the bag closer to her, then rummaged through it. She found the pocket with the food first, so she took a few pieces out and sat them beside her. When she found the map, she showed it to Kalleira. ¡°It¡¯s too dark, I can¡¯t figure out what it says¡­¡±


    Kalleira was only slightly more capable of making it out. She pointed towards several points. ¡°I think this is the city, and this is probably around where we are now. That spot is where we¡¯re going. So if we keep following the path along here, then we should be able to reach that field¡­¡±


    ¡°Is someone going to notice us if we keep following the path?¡±


    ¡°It looks pretty obvious. That¡¯s probably why we¡¯re still following it, even with people looking for us¡ªFarrar just wants to make it easier for them.¡±


    Of course, neither of them truly understood how it worked. Kalleira just barely understood what he¡¯d told them about the shadows, and how these campsites kept them safe. She¡¯d never seen such a thing. It wasn¡¯t even present in what little stories she¡¯d been told, or the fragments of memories she possessed. For all she knew¡ªand what, in her fear of that memory, made herself believe¡ªmost if not all of it was a lie to keep them from running away.


    Rhenei glanced back to Farrar, who was still asleep; he was none the wiser to what they were planning. ¡°Then what are we going to do?¡±


    Kalleira pointed to a few more spots. ¡°We¡¯ll go up here to this town, then head this way. They¡¯ll think we¡¯d either follow the original path or the one next to the village.¡±


    ¡°How do we know where we¡¯re going if we don¡¯t have a path to follow?¡±


    Really, she didn¡¯t have any better of an answer. ¡°We¡¯ll figure something out,¡± Kalleira mumbled with a near desperate edge to it. ¡°Anything¡¯s better than staying here.¡±


    Rhenei didn¡¯t say anything for a moment. ¡°Is that everything you think we¡¯ll need?¡±


    ¡°Did you see where he put those coins?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going to take that, too?¡±


    ¡°Only a little bit. I don¡¯t want to risk the chance that this food isn¡¯t enough for you. When we reach the town, we¡¯ll quickly buy some things and be back on our way. No one¡¯s going to know that we were even there.¡±


    ¡°Alright¡­¡± Rhenei dug through the bag before pulling out a few coins. ¡°Do you think this would be enough?¡±


    ¡°It should, after everything else he was able to buy with it,¡± Kalleira decided with a nod. She stepped back and gestured for Rhenei to follow. ¡°Now come on, we need to get going before he wakes up. If we¡¯re not far enough by the time he comes looking, he¡¯s going to find us.¡±


    ¡°So, which direction should I go..?¡±


    ¡°This way. And be quick, please! We don¡¯t know when he¡¯s going to wake up.¡±


    Rhenei gathered up everything she needed and, after one last moment of hesitation, followed Kalleira far from the camp.

 The Girl Under the Bed: Chapter 9

    {-Farrar-}


    He hadn¡¯t really expected to wake up to silence, but it didn¡¯t immediately tell him that something was wrong, either. Then, when he didn¡¯t immediately see Rhenei, he assumed she¡¯d wandered off somewhere nearby. It was only after making sure he had everything that he realized some things were missing from his bag¡ªand none of her things were there.


    He thought back to all the letters and, for a moment, considered if she¡¯d been taken. But that didn¡¯t make any sense. His father was the one paying for all of it and Farrar would¡¯ve been brought back, too. And then there was the stuff that went missing; no one who¡¯d just taken her would¡¯ve brought any of it.


    Which means she must¡¯ve left on her own, which didn¡¯t make him any less concerned.


    He¡¯d been with her long enough to know that she had no practical skills whatsoever. She was just going to get herself killed out there. She should¡¯ve realized that, right? So why did she leave?


    Then he considered the way she asked about the letters. The looks she gave him, that odd silence.


    ¡°Shit,¡± he sighed the moment it all came together. He should¡¯ve known she¡¯d be the type to drastically jump to conclusions.


    Farrar quickly gathered up everything he had, trying to think of the best way to figure out where she went. She¡¯d taken the map with her. He had a feeling, then, that she hadn¡¯t intended on following the path¡­ which just made him that much more concerned. She was going to end up getting herself robbed or killed if she stayed on her own.


    He walked up to a group of merchants that must¡¯ve come in sometime earlier this morning. ¡°Hey, I¡¯ve been traveling with a teenage girl around my age. She probably would¡¯ve had a bag of stuff with her. Have you seen anyone like that?¡±


    They looked between each other and, after a moment, almost collectively shook their heads. But one of them seemed to have some helpful information: ¡°I think I might¡¯ve seen someone like that, right when we were arriving. She went off in that direction.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡± He left before they could ask any more questions. The last thing he needed was to waste time here.


    While he started off in that direction, he tried to understand how she intended on traveling. He had a feeling she wouldn¡¯t have strayed far from a straight line, at least not intentionally. She probably decided not to go on the path because it would make her too obvious. She must not have realized that going off it made her just as easy to follow; once he was able to find a trail that obviously didn¡¯t belong to a wild animal, he was able to follow it to a lone house.


    A house with a window that, for a fleeting moment, he saw Rhenei in. He suppressed a sigh as he knocked on the door.


    The presumed owner opened the door. He was younger than Farrar would¡¯ve imagined, living in a place where any neighbor must¡¯ve been at least an hour away. He was also, well¡­


    Farrar took far too long to realize what he was doing and made it no better once he did. ¡°I¡¯m staring¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, you are,¡± the owner said rather casually. Despite how rude it must¡¯ve been to him, he still moved away from the door. Once Farrar came in, he shut the door with magic. ¡°I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re a traveler? A lot of them get lost around here and end up finding me. Do you want some tea or snacks..?¡± He paused. ¡°I¡¯m Calum, by the way.¡±


    ¡°Farrar,¡± he mumbled back after a while. His eyes wandered around the room and he couldn¡¯t stop himself from asking, ¡°Do you live alone here..?¡±


    Calum maneuvered his way to what must¡¯ve been the kitchen and started messing with things in there. ¡°For about three years now. My hometown is about an hour away from here, so I¡¯m not too far from my parents.¡±


    Farrar, unable to quell his curiosity, walked over to see Calum work in the kitchen. ¡°Looks like you¡¯re using a lot of magic.¡±


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    ¡°I¡¯m lucky enough to have a talent for it.¡±


    ¡°Ever worried you¡¯re going to end up using too much?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s never really been something I think about. I know my limits.¡±


    Calum came back carefully balancing a tray of tea and treats, setting it on a table before going to his own position. He gestured for Farrar to have a seat and asked, ¡°So, what brings you here? Lost and need some directions?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m looking for a girl around my age.¡± Seeing Rhenei¡¯s stare from a gap in one of the doors, Farrar looked away and added, ¡°If she¡¯s been around here, you¡¯d probably notice she talks to herself. Well, I guess it¡¯s not really to herself, but¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the first traveler that¡¯s found their way here this morning,¡± Calum replied.


    ¡°I just saw her behind that door.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t just tell anyone who comes here and where they end up going.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure that whatever she told you, I have a perfectly good and reasonable explanation for. If it isn¡¯t just a lie.¡±


    Calum shrugged and decided to change the subject. ¡°You know, I think I¡¯ve seen someone like you before¡­¡±


    Farrar rolled his eyes and couldn¡¯t help the annoyance that slipped into his tone. ¡°Let me guess, you see lying, deceiving people like me every day, right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s actually not what I meant. I¡¯m pretty sure I¡¯ve seen your face before. Have you ever been on one of those papers the church hands out?¡±


    Farrar knew where this was going to end up going. And, honestly, he¡¯d wished it would¡¯ve been about what he first assumed. ¡°No, I haven¡¯t.¡±


    He gave a cautious look to the door where he saw Rhenei. She¡¯d have to hear all of this¡­ perhaps it was just a better reason to try to get out of it.


    Unfortunately, Calum persisted. ¡°Traveled around here at all?¡±


    ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve been this far from Hyasari.¡±


    ¡°So you live in Hyasari?¡±


    Knowing there was no point in hiding information, Farrar nodded.


    Calum considered it all more before asking another question. ¡°Do you have relatives in Hyasari, then? Ones who looked like you?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Who are they?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t feel the need to answer that.¡±


    ¡°Alright then, let me think,¡± Calum mused. ¡°I can perfectly think of who you remind me of. I saw her when I was young and everyone in my family went to the capital for New Year¡¯s. If you aren¡¯t going to tell me her name, then maybe I can remember it. I think she introduced herself to my parents¡­¡±


    Farrar knew almost immediately who Calum was undoubtedly thinking of, yet hoped the name was different.


    Calum was quiet for a moment, then snapped his fingers and confidently asked, ¡°You¡¯re related to Reseda Munro, right?¡±


    Farrar¡¯s expression must¡¯ve been enough of an answer but, with another sideways glance at the half-open door, said, ¡°She was my mother.¡±


    ¡°I knew there was some connection! You look a lot like her. Not just from my blurry memories but from those pictures, too, that they¡ª¡± Calum, in that moment, must¡¯ve completely remembered the fate that was tied to that name. He let out a nervous chuckle. ¡°I suppose that¡¯s not the polite way to approach the topic, huh..? I remember hearing what happened to her. It was a real shock, even for someone like me who didn¡¯t really know what it all meant¡­¡±


    ¡°I really don¡¯t need your condolences. I don¡¯t remember her.¡±


    ¡°Really, I think that just makes it worse. She was a young mother and could¡¯ve had a long life. My mom has a bunch of close friends that worked in conditions like hers, so she paid close attention to everything that happened after. It sounds like that, from the moment Queen Kyra heard of it, she made sure that no one else would suffer the same kind of fate.¡±


    ¡°Gotta appreciate the fact she didn¡¯t just solve the problem at its root,¡± Farrar remarked sarcastically. ¡°Stop nobles from taking advantage of people¡¯s magic like that and I¡¯d also happily pretend like it still doesn¡¯t happen.¡±


    Calum still kept a casual tone. ¡°You can¡¯t deny that everyone needs their ways of making sure ends meet. My parents had the same thought. They assumed someone else was making Queen Kyra¡¯s decision, after what happened to her sister.¡±


    Farrar gave him a wary glance. ¡°And what do you think about it all? Sounds to me like you¡¯re just repeating what you¡¯ve heard.¡±


    Calum shrugged. ¡°You could say I¡¯m impartial to the whole thing. I understand the thoughts and reasoning behind each side to the story, but I don¡¯t have a side of my own.¡±


    It took a moment of silence for Farrar to be assured that it was really over. He saw Rhenei through the door again. ¡°Well, you know that about me now. Anything else you¡¯re interested in asking? Or are you done with the personal questions?¡±

 The Girl Under the Bed: Chapter 10

    {-Rhenei-}


    ¡°This doesn¡¯t change anything,¡± Kalleira insisted. ¡°He¡¯s still going to do something bad to us. We¡¯ve outstayed our welcome anyway. We should get out of here and keep moving before he starts searching all the rooms and finds us.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ he doesn¡¯t really seem like he¡¯s only staying because of us,¡± Rhenei mumbled back. She carefully watched him and Calum talk. There wasn¡¯t anything hinting at frustration or anger in either of their voices; neither of them were interested in starting a fight. ¡°He stopped asking about us.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because he plans on lowering our guard! The moment we¡¯re unprepared, he¡¯s going to take us back to those other bad guys.¡±


    ¡°Do you have any proof?¡±


    ¡°Do you have any proof?¡±


    Rhenei opened her mouth to say something in protest, but nothing came out. Finally, she glanced at the coat on the bed beside her. ¡°I should at least give back his mom¡¯s coat.¡±


    Kalleira let out an irritated sigh. ¡°Just leave it here with a note! Make Calum give it to him once we¡¯re far, far away!¡±


    But Rhenei was already going to grab it, making the conscious decision that she was going to ignore everything Kalleira told her. Then, after a moment¡¯s hesitation, Rhenei pushed open the door.


    Calum looked between her and Farrar and let out a nervous laugh. ¡°Oh, hello there, stranger! What, ah, what are you doing in my house..?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± she assured him. ¡°You don¡¯t have to lie for me any more.¡±


    Farrar had a small smile when he saw her. ¡°Well, it¡¯s nice to know you didn¡¯t end up here because you almost got killed somewhere.¡±


    ¡°I was tired,¡± she mumbled, not really sure if he wanted an explanation, ¡°and I found Calum¡¯s house. I thought it was where I¡¯d turn around and go in a different direction. Kalleira said he felt¡­ comforting, and I did too. It¡¯s kinda hard to describe¡­¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s say I¡¯m close to Vaso,¡± Calum said. It was the same thing he¡¯d told her when she asked him about that feeling. Somehow, she knew he meant it literally¡ªor at least, not in as abstract of an idea as some others would mean.


    ¡°So I¡¯m guessing that, if you stayed with him because he made you feel comfortable, then I didn¡¯t?¡± There was no hint of accusation in Farrar¡¯s tone; it was completely casual. Almost like he didn¡¯t care or almost expected it.


    ¡°Kalleira thought you might try to hurt us,¡± she admitted. ¡°She remembered people from her past. She said what you were doing reminded her of them¡­¡±


    He sighed. ¡°Do you want to know what the letters said, then? Would that help anything? I¡¯ve got one I haven¡¯t burned yet.¡±


    Rhenei stepped forward. Farrar pulled out a letter from his bag and set it on the table for all of them to see.


    ¡®Dear Farrar:


    I do hope you realize failing to respond only makes things worse. As stubborn as you are, I cannot allow you to continue doing this. The church will soon be involved. I advise you to come back and return that girl to her parents right now, before something worse happens.


    I am losing my patience. You know that these are not threats¡ªthese are promises. Come back now and perhaps you will still maintain some semblance of the carefree life you had before¡­


    Consider these words wisely, your father,


    Aureus¡¯


    ¡°That¡¯s certainly¡­ something¡­¡± Calum mumbled.


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    ¡°You should meet him in person,¡± Farrar remarked dryly. ¡°I¡¯m already looking forward to when he decides he wants to retire and move out of Hyasari.¡± He paused. ¡°Or kick me out, at the rate this is going. He¡¯d just be losing business, though.¡±


    ¡°So all of them were from your father..?¡± Rhenei asked, quieter than she¡¯d intended. ¡°He wanted you to bring me back to my parents¡­ and you never listened to him, no matter what he told you.¡±


    It still seemed like Kalleira didn¡¯t quite believe him¡ªthough her expression showed there was some kind of conflict. She probably wanted to, at least for Rhenei¡¯s sake. Yet those memories had to be telling her something different. Eventually, she finally mumbled, ¡°He¡¯s told you a lot. Maybe it¡¯s finally time we become honest with him, too.¡±


    Rhenei gave a small nod. ¡°Since we heard about your mother¡­ and everything you¡¯ve done for us¡­ we think we should tell you why we left.¡±


    He shrugged. ¡°I won¡¯t force you to do anything. If you don¡¯t want to right now, then I¡¯m completely fine with not hearing it.¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°No, I want to tell you. It¡¯s been long enough already.¡±


    ¡°Should I leave?¡± Calum asked. ¡°I understand if this is something you¡¯d rather keep between the two of you.¡±


    ¡°I think you should stay, too,¡± she decided with a small smile. ¡°You¡¯ve helped me a lot.¡±


    She took a deep breath, considering memories she¡¯d already begun to hope she¡¯d never have to think of again.


    ¡°My parents weren¡¯t very nice¡ªto anyone, really. They always argued with each other. Things would always break. Dad would talk about how the church didn¡¯t provide enough for us but he would always be gone for hours and come back drunk. Mom did whatever he said while he was there, but once he left, made me do it¡­ I didn¡¯t leave the house a lot. If I did, it was never without them. Kalleira and I had wanted to run away for a long time. We just never had the chance.¡± A panic struck her when she considered all of it. ¡°I don¡¯t want to go back¡ª¡°


    ¡°And as far as I have a say in it, you¡¯re not going to,¡± Farrar decided. ¡°I decided that from the moment I saw those cuts.¡±


    ¡°Did you ever bring this up with the church at all?¡± Calum prompted.


    She shook her head.


    He used some magic to bring a piece of paper and quill closer to him and started writing on it. ¡°It¡¯s the kind of thing a lot of people like to pretend we don¡¯t have; something that doesn¡¯t exist because we are supposedly basking in Orestis¡¯s light. But that doesn¡¯t mean the church overlooks it. All you¡¯ll need is your own testimony and a couple of claims from neighbors and it won¡¯t matter what your parents try to say.¡± He glanced at both of them. ¡°What parts of Hyasari are you from?¡±


    ¡°Near the northern markets,¡± Farrar replied breezily, ¡°right across from where the goblins and fairies stay.¡±


    Rhenei had no idea what they were talking about, and it must¡¯ve shown. She barely acknowledged ¡®Hyasari¡¯ was the name of the city, how was she supposed to know where she lived in it?


    ¡°Do you know how long it took you to get to the shop?¡± Farrar tried.


    She shook her head. ¡°But, right after leaving, there was a man who asked where I lived and I pointed to a random house. He said I must¡¯ve been a child of a new merchant family.¡±


    ¡°Ah, so you probably were neighbors,¡± Calum decided. ¡°That makes things a lot easier. Farrar, you¡¯re responsible for claiming to have seen what her parents did to her. You don¡¯t have a criminal record or anything, right?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not stupid enough to make an enemy of the church.¡±


    ¡°Good, that means they¡¯re probably not going to think that you¡¯re lying.¡± Calum scribbled a few more things down.


    Kalleira tried to see what he was writing, but whatever she saw just made her face scrunch up. ¡°I don¡¯t know what it is. There¡¯s too many complicated words¡­¡±


    With a nervous shuffle, Rhenei asked, ¡°What are you doing..?¡±


    ¡°Making sure Farrar¡¯s noted as ¡®helping¡¯ you and not ¡®kidnapping¡¯ you, for starters,¡± he replied casually. ¡°Also so that, if all things go well, it won¡¯t matter if your parents caught up to you or not. You won¡¯t have to go back to them.¡±


    ¡°I could¡¯ve needed to go back?¡±


    ¡°As it stands now, you¡¯re a runaway. Usually missing persons are supposed to be brought home if they¡¯re found. But you won¡¯t have to worry about that part with this. You two might both need to answer some questions at my church, but I¡¯m confident they¡¯ll tell the people in Hyasari. You¡¯ll be able to be your own individual¡ªwith the care of a trusted adult, at least.¡± Calum made the finishing touches and started putting everything away. ¡°At worst, you¡¯ll be one of the church¡¯s charges until you¡¯re eighteen. Though I¡¯m sure it¡¯s still much better than what you came from.¡±


    ¡°But there¡¯s somewhere I want to go,¡± Rhenei insisted. ¡°I want to go to that place Kalleira saw.¡±


    Farrar sighed. ¡°There is one more thing I didn¡¯t tell you. I asked about the place and, well¡­ there¡¯s a town around there that they said Ski¨¢ destroyed decades ago.¡±


    She didn¡¯t understand how that changed anything. What were Ski¨¢, exactly? She vaguely recalled hearing that it was ¡°shadow¡± in the Old Tongue. Were those the creatures Farrar mentioned when he said they shouldn¡¯t travel at night? What made them that important..?


    Calum didn¡¯t let her wonder for long. ¡°It means there¡¯s probably nothing left.¡±

 The Girl Under the Bed- Chapter 11

    {-Rhenei-}


    Kalleira took in a long, shaky breath. ¡°Nothing¡­ left¡­¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s what Kalleira saw,¡± Rhenei insisted, trying to make sense of it herself. ¡°It has to be. How could there be nothing there?¡±


    ¡°Well, there could be something there,¡± Calum said carefully. ¡°But not any people. Places like that tend to get abandoned pretty quickly¡ªsuperstitions about Darkness and all that.¡±


    ¡°So what does that mean?¡± She couldn¡¯t quite understand it. It was a part of the memory, it was something Kalleira was looking forward to finding¡­ ¡°We can¡¯t go to it?¡±


    ¡°We could, if we had a death wish,¡± Farrar remarked all too casually. Calum shot him a dark glare and he added, ¡°Or, there¡¯s a chance they didn¡¯t really know what they were talking about.¡±


    ¡°If you and Kalleira are really desperate to go,¡± Calum began, ¡°then I think it¡¯s worth a shot to try. You two can both stay here the night. Give me some time and I may be able to work something out for you.¡±


    ¡°Does this have something to do with being close to Vaso?¡± Farrar asked. Rhenei didn¡¯t really get why he was treating it with such suspicion¡­ then again, she hardly knew anything.


    ¡°Just slightly,¡± was Calum¡¯s casual answer. ¡°Nothing you need to worry about, though. Just make sure you get a good night¡¯s rest and I¡¯ll work out everything else.¡±


    ¡­


    Suffice to say, she couldn¡¯t sleep. She was too busy thinking about what would happen if they weren¡¯t able to go to that village. Kalleira didn¡¯t say a word about it, but her thoughts must¡¯ve been more of a mess than Rhenei¡¯s; she stared off into space and, after they were both briefly able to get some sleep, she looked even more distressed.


    Rhenei wandered out of the guest room as soon as she recognized the sun was up. It must¡¯ve still been later, though¡ªboth Calum and Farrar were up, having some hushed conversation.


    Calum smiled when he saw her. ¡°Your breakfast is on the table over there. I didn¡¯t know what you liked, so I hope it¡¯s fine.¡±


    She managed a smile of her own, took what she assumed he was talking about, then went back to where the other two were.


    ¡°We were talking about that letter Calum wrote,¡± Farrar mumbled. ¡°We¡¯re trying to figure out the best way to make sure it goes through, since we¡¯re going to keep trying to get to that village today.¡±


    ¡°Did you think of something?¡± she asked.


    ¡°First of all, do you have anywhere you plan on staying after this is all over?¡± Calum prompted.


    She glanced at Kalleira and, seeing her clueless expression, shook her head. ¡°I think we were just going to see what happened after that. Just as long as we didn¡¯t have to go back¡­¡±


    ¡°So you don¡¯t know anyone outside of your parents that might be willing to take you in? Even if they¡¯re far away from here.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I have any other relatives¡­¡± Or, at least, her parents never mentioned them. But there were plenty of things they kept from her already, so adding one more wouldn¡¯t surprise her.


    ¡°How old are you?¡±


    ¡°Fifteen.¡±


    ¡°Then would you mind coming back here when you¡¯re done? Farrar¡¯s got to go back to Hyasari anyway and it¡¯s on his way. I¡¯ll send this letter now but with a note saying that you¡¯re both a bit too busy to ask questions. They¡¯ll get information from some of your other neighbors. You and Farrar will answer some questions when you get back. You¡¯ll probably need to stay here, both until they finalize it and afterwards. But I wouldn¡¯t mind taking you in for three years until you¡¯re old enough to be on your own¡ªthat way, you can also figure out where you want to go and get the money to go there.¡± Calum paused. ¡°As long as you¡¯re alright with the plan, that is.¡±


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    Even Kalleira perked up at the offer. They¡¯d never given their home afterwards much thought; to have his offer was more than enough.


    Rhenei excitedly nodded. ¡°We¡¯d both love that!¡±


    ¡°Then make sure you¡¯ve got everything for our trip,¡± Farrar said. ¡°I want to make some progress before it gets too late.¡±


    ¡°Ask him¡­ what we¡¯re going to do,¡± Kalleira mumbled hesitantly. ¡°If they were right, I mean¡­¡±


    Rhenei would¡¯ve been perfectly content with staying in her little bubble of happiness a little while longer. Unfortunately Kalleira had a point. ¡°What if they were right and there are Ski¨¢ there..?¡±


    ¡°We looked into that a little bit more, too, while you were sleeping. We don¡¯t think there¡¯d be any Ski¨¢ there anymore, so that¡¯s not much of a problem.¡± Calum maneuvered his way around the room to grab something, giving it to Rhenei on his way back. ¡°What would be a problem is not knowing what to do when you get there. This is supposed to help with that.¡±


    ¡°What does it do?¡± It just looked like an average trinket; nothing that stood out, even to her, with limited exposure to such items.


    He smirked. ¡°That¡¯s something for you to figure out when you get there.¡±


    Farrar rolled his eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, he didn¡¯t tell me anything either.¡± He stood up. ¡°I¡¯m going to head to town real quick and get some other stuff we might need. Once I come back, we¡¯re leaving, so make sure you¡¯re ready.¡±


    He didn¡¯t give her any time for a response before heading out.


    ¡°Could you help me with a couple of things here?¡± Calum asked. ¡°If you¡¯d rather not rest some more¡ªyou look like you didn¡¯t sleep a lot last night.¡±


    Rhenei shook her head and followed him to another room.


    New clothes were laid out beside fixed versions of what she¡¯d brought with her from home.


    ¡°Farrar mentioned that you didn¡¯t bring much from home,¡± he explained after she gave him a disbelieving glance. ¡°I figured, no matter where you ended up, you were going to need something. I was able to ask some friends yesterday and they gathered some clothes they thought would fit you. One of them fixed up what you already had, too. You can change over there¡ªtell me which ones fit and I¡¯ll set them aside for when you come back.¡±


    She didn¡¯t want to admit that this was more clothes than she¡¯d ever seen in one place. It probably only made up seven different outfits or so, excluding what she had before, yet it felt like so much. Only, to ruin the moment, she remembered something and couldn¡¯t stop herself from asking, ¡°Why did you go through all this trouble for me..?¡±


    A part of her didn¡¯t believe that she was standing beside who felt like the most generous person in the world. Her mind just wouldn¡¯t let it be a simple reason.


    ¡°The average citizen of Qizar cares a lot about their neighbors and practically-strangers alike. We¡¯ve all, in one way or another, been helped by someone¡ªand a lot of us are more than happy to share that with a new person.¡±


    ¡°So you don¡¯t want anything else from me..?¡±


    Her parents would occasionally make deals that really only benefit them. Her father would give her mother something nice, having her repay his ¡°kindness¡± by complying with whatever he wanted. Her mother would try to tell her she could get desert if she cleaned up fast enough¡ªshe never did, in her mother¡¯s eyes. Rhenei knew that not everyone in Qizar would be as nice as Calum was, because she¡¯d seen it for herself. She just needed to remember that nice people could exist, instead of listening to her own fears.


    ¡°The only thing I ask in return is that you one day show someone else the same kindness,¡± Calum said. ¡°Nothing¡¯s going to get better if we don¡¯t put in the effort to try.¡±


    She gave a thankful nod and, gently, took a few of the clothes to the spot he¡¯d pointed to earlier. He turned around even if she was well-hidden behind a folding screen and she started trying out the new clothes.


    They were both quiet for a little while until Rhenei couldn¡¯t quite take the silence. ¡°Do you want to come with us? I bet Farrar wouldn¡¯t mind.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a kind offer, but for¡­ somewhat obvious reasons, I don¡¯t travel a lot. For one, I¡¯d just slow you down and I¡¯m confident Farrar¡¯s got a strict schedule in mind. Secondly, my parents are going to be coming by in a day or so, and trust me, my mom would not take well to find I just left a note saying I¡¯d be gone.¡±


    ¡°Like Farrar¡¯s dad?¡±


    ¡°Kind of, but not really. She wouldn¡¯t be nearly as passive aggressive in trying to get me to come back. She¡¯d probably just end up making herself sick worrying about me.¡± There was enough of a pause for a shrug. ¡°Are all of those fitting okay?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ they¡¯re perfect.¡±

 The Girl Under the Bed: Chapter 12

    {-Rhenei-}


    ¡°I¡­ think I¡¯ve been here before,¡± Kalleira said, slowly, as she looked around. It wasn¡¯t hard to guess that she couldn¡¯t tell if she should consider it a good thing her not. She pointed to a spot not far from them. ¡°I picked flowers right over there. My parents were behind me¡­ they weren¡¯t smiling. I think¡­ I think they were sad.¡±


    ¡°Do you want to go over there?¡± Rhenei asked. She thought she¡¯d been quiet but Farrar still glanced over his shoulder at her. It wasn¡¯t really a confused look; he was waiting for her answer. ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯d mind.¡±


    Kalleira considered it for a moment, then nodded. ¡°Yes. I want to see if I¡¯ll remember anything else¡­ If I can remember why we went there, and why they seemed so sad¡­¡±


    Rhenei looked back at Farrar. ¡°Can we¡ª¡±


    ¡°Just show me where it is,¡± he said with a shrug. It almost felt like Calum talked to him about something¡ªsomething she didn¡¯t know. Or, perhaps, something she would know, if she cared to put a couple of pieces together.


    She gave him a grateful smile and pointed to the spot Kalleira showed her. Farrar then led the way there, though Rhenei soon outpaced him in order to keep up with Kalleira.


    ¡°We went here a lot,¡± Kalleira mumbled. Perhaps she found it easier for her to recall the memories if she talked about them aloud. ¡°I¡¯d always used to get flowers from right over there. That patch had the prettiest. I wanted to choose the best one but I never wanted to get lost, so I got what looked the best from a glance. Then we¡¯d walk together, kinda. They usually mumbled things¡­ I¡¯d be too busy looking for more flowers to pay attention to them. After a while we¡¯d end up right¡­ here.¡±


    She turned to Rhenei with a hopeful look. ¡°I think that¡¯s the spot where I placed the flowers. Can you move all those weeds?¡±


    Rhenei nodded and immediately went to the spot. She didn¡¯t think to match up what they learned about the village to the plants growing around the area. She only vaguely acknowledged Farrar seemed to have a guess, yet he said nothing so she didn¡¯t dwell on it.


    As soon as she cleared as much of it away as she could, Kalleira knelt down beside it to get a closer look. Farrar approached more cautiously.


    All of Rhenei¡¯s happiness faded the moment she realized what it was. ¡°It¡¯s someone¡¯s grave.¡±


    ¡°Probably some kid,¡± Farrar remarked, a tone that proved he was impartial to the scene yet held some kind of empathy. ¡°He must¡¯ve been here a lot.¡±


    ¡°Kalleira,¡± Rhenei said slowly and carefully, ¡°you know who he is, don¡¯t you?¡±


    The name and date of death were near impossible to read at this point. But a family member wouldn¡¯t need that to be able to recall those details.


    ¡°He¡­ was my brother¡­¡± Kalleira went to touch the grave, but pulled her hand away again. ¡°I don¡¯t remember why he died. I think it was before I was born, or when I was little¡­ But my parents talked about him a lot. They only ever said nice things about him, like how smart or talented he was. He¡¯d end up being what got us out of our hometown and somewhere more ¡®prolific.¡¯¡± She paused. ¡°When we¡¯d come here, they¡¯d always ask why I didn¡¯t have even a bit of any of the things he did.¡±


    With a little nod of confirmation, Rhenei relayed the information to Farrar. Then, all three of them stood there in solemn silence.


    ¡°Here,¡± Farrar sighed. He knelt down beside the two of them and the grave. ¡°Let¡¯s let him know there¡¯s still some people here who are thinking of him. We¡¯re supposed to have candles, but words should do since we didn¡¯t bring any.¡±


    ¡°Repeat after me,¡± he instructed, saying the next words slowly, ¡°bore¨ª to fos na se vrei.¡±


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    ¡°Bore¨ª to fos na se vrei,¡± Rhenei and Kalleira both mumbled.


    There was something comforting about hearing the phrase. After a moment, Rhenei asked, ¡°What does it mean?¡±


    ¡°¡®May the light find you,¡¯¡± he answered. ¡°May our light¡ªour words of remembrance, of goodwill¡ªfind its way through Vriuh¡¯s domain to the person we¡¯re thinking of.¡±


    ¡°Does it?¡±


    ¡°That all depends on who you talk to.¡±


    ¡°What do you think, then?¡±


    ¡°They say every misfortune, every death, is a part of Orestis¡¯s plan for a reason. I¡¯m not too sure about that part, but I know that the dead should still be remembered. It¡¯s only going to lead to more people getting hurt like they were if we pretend like it never existed in the first place.¡± He rose to his feet and stepped back. ¡°Let me know when you¡¯re ready and we¡¯ll start moving again.¡±


    Rhenei didn¡¯t move until Kalleira did and she still waited a moment after that to tell Farrar they could keep going.


    Kalleira alternated between long stretches of silence and sharing more details about her memories of the place. Rhenei only ever listened; she couldn¡¯t think of anything worth saying, and she feared accidentally mentioning one of the things that were actually on her mind.


    The village had been destroyed decades ago. That grave hadn¡¯t been visited in probably just as long. Perhaps she should¡¯ve always realized what it would¡¯ve meant for Kalleira, if she had a memory of the Strings¡­ but somehow, it never quite clicked for Rhenei until this moment.


    After all, the Strings resided in Vriuh¡¯s domain. Only the dead were capable of seeing them.


    Which just led to the question¡­ how did Kalleira die?


    Did any of them really want to know?


    ¡°I think this is it,¡± Farrar announced after a while, stopping a bit of a distance away from one of many crumbling buildings. ¡°It looks like those guys were right about it. Do you want some time, or do you want to head in now..?¡±


    Rhenei, encouraged by Kalleira¡¯s less-than-confident steps, walked forward onto the ruins.


    ¡°Be careful,¡± he mumbled behind both of them. ¡°We can¡¯t be sure what¡¯s lurking around here.¡±


    Kalleira likely only half-listened, simply wandering around. After a few moments, she¡¯d say some things, too.


    ¡°That¡¯s where the baker lived. I tried stealing some of his baked cookies once, but it didn''t work out.¡±


    ¡°The pastor usually stayed in that house. Our actual church got torn down after a storm and they never got around to fixing it. They took turns holding services in their living rooms or basements.¡±


    ¡°I think a friend of my parents lived there. She always visited them whenever there was some kind of festival.¡±


    ¡°Some of the kids would play in that street. I was never with them¡ªI watched from the window of my house.¡±


    She paused. ¡°My house¡­¡±


    Kalleira scanned the entire area, undoubtedly trying to sort through which one of them felt the most familiar. Then, when it seemed like she caught sight of the right one, she ran off, leaving Rhenei and Farrar to catch up to her.


    ¡°This was my house,¡± Kalleira announced, the message relayed from Rhenei to Farrar. ¡°I mean, I know it doesn¡¯t look like a lot now, but! It was my house, back when I lived in it, whenever I lived in it¡­ I¡¯d play over there, we¡¯d eat there, I slept in that room¡­¡±


    She wandered over to the place, but must not have liked the emptiness that greeted her there. ¡°But I still can¡¯t remember what exactly happened. It¡¯s still just fragments.¡±


    Farrar, who¡¯d had all of this told to him through Rhenei, slowly picked through some remnants of old furniture. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s a good thing that she doesn¡¯t remember it¡ªmaybe it¡¯s for a reason.¡±


    Kalleira glared at him. ¡°Why could there be a reason? I want to know what happened here! I want to know why I ran away in that memory, who that brother was to me, what my parents were like! I don¡¯t think knowing could hurt me any more than wondering.¡±


    Rhenei, unsure exactly how to tell him that, simply said, ¡°She wants to know about her past.¡±


    ¡°Then I suppose there¡¯s always the charm that Calum gave us,¡± Farrar remarked. ¡°That sounds like something he might have wanted you to use it for.¡±


    Both of them perked up at the suggestion and Rhenei took it out of her bag. ¡°What do you think I¡¯m supposed to do with it?¡±


    ¡°If it does what I think it does, just set it next to something Kalleira might remember using or interacting with a lot. It¡¯ll use that point as an anchor of memories to show you what you want to see.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Just be careful and prepare yourself for anything you might see. No one said there weren¡¯t some memories that were hidden for good reason.¡±


    She only partially understood his reason for a warning. She followed Kalleira¡¯s lead and placed the charm down amongst a long-forgotten toy, then stepped back to wait for what might happen next.

 The Girl Under the Bed: Chapter 13

    {-Farrar-}


    He was impressed to see a figure, then surprised to see it become clearer. After that, hearing it talk didn¡¯t startle him like it did Rhenei.


    Calum must¡¯ve had a lot more magic than Farrar assumed he did.


    ¡°Both of you, come on!¡± It wasn¡¯t necessarily a pleasant voice, but it was one of general care. He guessed that the woman it belonged to was the mother to the two kids that came running out of another room soon after.


    Both of them were young, one probably just old enough to walk and the other around five. A man¡ªtheir father, probably¡ªwas walking behind them, making sure they didn¡¯t get distracted with anything else in the house.


    The mother smiled when she saw them, helping the younger of the two up on a seat. She wandered around the kitchen for a little longer; each of the objects she touched became more defined, to the point where, by the time she was finished, it looked like what it would¡¯ve in the memory.


    Finally, she sat four plates down on the table. ¡°Eat up! We¡¯ll head out to town once everyone is finished.¡±


    Then the scene warped, slightly, to show the passage of a year or two. The older of the kids wasn¡¯t there and the younger was just staring at the plate in front of her. Farrar still couldn¡¯t find anything familiar about her, but with Rhenei¡¯s silence, he assumed she bore at least a resemblance to Kalleira.


    ¡°Why are you still just sitting there?¡± The mother¡¯s voice didn¡¯t hold much comfort in it, not anymore. The hollow sigh made it seem like all warm emotions had disappeared, yet no other feelings had yet to fill in the space. ¡°Eat. You have work to do.¡±


    The girl mumbled some things, though they weren¡¯t loud or clear enough for him to understand.


    Her mother sure understood her, though. Her hand almost slammed against the table but, at the last moment, it just hovered over it. ¡°Eat your food. Now.¡±


    Still, the girl mumbled something.


    The mother¡¯s face changed but quickly calmed again when the father walked out. He gave one look at the situation and grumbled, ¡°If she doesn¡¯t want to eat, then don¡¯t force her. She¡¯ll just go straight to work. It¡¯ll be her own fault for getting us into this mess to begin with.¡±


    Then, finally, the girl¡¯s mumbling could be heard. ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything wrong.¡±


    Both parents shot her a glare that proved that they weren¡¯t going to stop until she realized what she did¡­ even if, deep down, perhaps everyone understood there¡¯d truly been no fault made by the girl.


    Rhenei was whispering to herself now, things Farrar decided he wasn¡¯t going to try to listen to. Several more scenes played in front of them; scenes that he guessed weren¡¯t too unfamiliar to her. There was yelling and misplaced blame, a kind of suffocating feeling that went deeper than just discomfort. Something close to fear showed in the girl¡¯s eyes whenever her parents came closer. Yet there¡¯d been nothing she could do but sit and listen, unless she wanted to make things worse for herself.


    Finally, there was one last memory: just the parents, sitting at the table, oddly quiet for all the things they¡¯d just seen.


    ¡°It¡¯s almost¡­ too peaceful, without either of them here,¡± the mother remarked.


    ¡°I¡¯d say that¡¯s what she gets,¡± the father grumbled back. ¡°She was the one that thought it would be smart to run away from us.¡±


    Farrar noticed the confused look on Rhenei¡¯s face, the way she muttered things in an almost desperate way to figure it out. ¡°I¡¯ll wait outside for you,¡± he decided softly, then slowly went towards the door.


    She could use the space.


    Of course, the solemn mood he¡¯d been in was completely replaced with something else when he noticed what was outside. It seemed the whole town was alive again, each with clear figures and voices like they were real. Farrar understood how much magic it would¡¯ve taken to do something like this¡ªin fact, he probably underestimated how much it would take. There was no awe or amazement to see it, just a single thought:


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    Calum must¡¯ve just done this in order to show off, then.


    Farrar sighed and took to wandering the streets. The town wasn¡¯t very big; he¡¯d walk back around to Rhenei in a few minutes. If she needed him before then, it wouldn¡¯t be hard to find him. Even with the appearance of a bustling town, it didn¡¯t take much to understand they were still just illusions.


    He almost enjoyed the stroll¡ªthere was a light breeze, chilly but in a more welcoming way¡ªuntil he heard more voices. What distinguished them from the chatter was that they were distinct and far too confused.


    ¡°I thought you said this town was abandoned.¡±


    ¡°You saw it before walking in! It was abandoned!¡±


    ¡°So what¡¯s all this crap about?¡±


    ¡°Well, either Vriuh let loose a couple dozen spirits, or someone¡¯s got some powerful magic.¡±


    ¡°Those two kids weren¡¯t mentioned to have magic like this. They said one of them didn¡¯t even know magic.¡±


    So, they¡¯d been followed all the way out here. It wasn¡¯t surprising.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just get this over with,¡± Farrar grumbled as he approached the voices¡¯ owners. ¡°Hey, can¡¯t you see there¡¯s something going on here?¡±


    All the members of the small group looked at him, then at who was likely their leader.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that one of the kids..?¡± one of them mumbled.


    ¡°It couldn¡¯t be. I didn¡¯t get the impression he was stupid enough to walk up to us.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not stupid,¡± Farrar remarked, ¡°I¡¯m annoyed. And I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve probably been told by someone by now what happens when I¡¯m annoyed.¡±


    ¡°Be careful, this is the one with magic,¡± another member whispered.


    ¡°Yeah, and we¡¯re not getting paid if they come back with a few scratches.¡±


    Farrar sighed. ¡°I¡¯m not going to start a fight if you don¡¯t make me. I came to tell you to go home and stop wasting your time. Pretty soon the church is going to get involved in this and it¡¯s not going to be in your favor.¡±


    ¡°And why should we believe what you¡¯ve got to say?¡±


    ¡°My father¡¯s the one who employed you, isn¡¯t he? Just go back and tell him that, see how that changes his willingness to do this. We¡¯re  almost done here anyway¡ªthen I¡¯ll head back to Hyasari.¡±


    ¡°What about the girl?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d do best to stay away from her, before you have bigger problems.¡±


    He wasn¡¯t surprised when that did nothing to deter them. But he smirked when he noticed something that would get them to leave him alone.


    A way that just got way more convincing when he heard Rhenei¡¯s voice. ¡°Farrar?¡±


    ¡°Over here!¡± he called, completely ignoring the looks of the group.


    She followed his voice and, when she saw the people in front of him, she frowned and backed away. ¡°What are they doing..?¡±


    The shadows were noticeably moving now, darting from one side of the street to the other. Farrar¡¯s grin just grew as he said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I think they¡¯ll be leaving soon.¡±


    ¡°Boss..?¡± one member whispered. ¡°Are you seeing what I¡¯m seeing?¡±


    The most-likely leader looked around him, saw the moving shadows, then moved his attention back to the two of them. ¡°Just what are you two capable of..?¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s best if you don¡¯t find out,¡± Farrar remarked.


    ¡°I bet it¡¯s just an illusion,¡± a member murmured. ¡°Like all those people.¡±


    ¡°But is that really a chance you want to take?¡±


    With Farrar¡¯s warning, helped by his confident look, they nervously glanced at each other. There were a few mumbles; things he didn¡¯t bother trying to decipher because he knew it wouldn¡¯t matter. They¡¯d use their common sense soon enough.


    The shadows weren¡¯t just moving now¡ªthey were taking shape into something eerily human. Something with a black figure ripped from the darkness around it. Something with red eyes that spoke of a certain hunger. Something that grew the white smile of an untamed monster.


    And the group, seeing all of this, turned around and ran out of the village. They shouted things, but their words held no meaning.


    Just as they left, the whole illusion ended with a few cries. They¡¯d witnessed, in portion, what the town¡¯s final moments looked like.


    ¡°Told you they¡¯d be leaving,¡± he said, turning his attention back to Rhenei. ¡°A life lesson for you: if the shadows ever start moving like that, you should do exactly what they did and get the hell out of there. When they actually start to look like something, you better pray Vriuh¡¯s got a nice place for you. Those were illusion versions of Ski¨¢.¡±


    When she didn¡¯t give a response, he asked, ¡°Are you alright..? That was probably a lot to take in.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s just head back to Calum,¡± she whispered. ¡°I¡¯m ready for something to feel normal¡­¡±

 The Girl Under the Bed: Chapter 14

    {-Rhenei-}


    She¡¯d already been piecing it together, but to have it all laid out meant something else completely. Kalleira had died after an attempt to run away from home. Then, around the time Rhenei was born, she was assigned as her spirit by the Strings. It made sense yet, at the same time, it was a hard truth to accept. After thinking about it all the way back to Calum¡¯s place, she decided she didn¡¯t want to consider it any longer.


    When they got back, Calum brought them both to the church in town. They answered odd questions until the nun in charge and he had a hushed conversation away from them. When he returned, he announced that their plan was almost guaranteed to work; the church had sent questions to Rhenei¡¯s parents and it was only a matter of time before they decided she was better left in someone else¡¯s care.


    Then came the next morning and it was time for Farrar to leave.


    ¡°Make sure to be careful on your way back,¡± Calum remarked, handing him some food that had been prepared earlier. ¡°You¡¯ll be traveling on your own the whole way, right?¡±


    Farrar shrugged. ¡°Trust me, I can handle a couple of thieves who think they¡¯ve found an easy target. I know what I¡¯m doing.¡± He glanced at Rhenei. ¡°You make sure to stay safe too, alright? Learn about the world and how it works while you¡¯re with Calum. You¡¯ll be grateful for those hard truths later, if you decide to travel.¡±


    She nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure I know everything I can!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll have me with you anyway,¡± Kalleira mumbled. ¡°Between the two of us, we should be able to handle ourselves.¡±


    He smirked. ¡°And, hey, if you¡¯re ever around Hyasari, you know where to find me. I doubt you¡¯ll need to worry about your parents.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of parents, are you sure you¡¯re ready to head back?¡± Calum asked. ¡°I didn¡¯t get a very good impression of your dad from that letter. As the adult in this situation, I wouldn¡¯t mind keeping you with me, too.¡±


    ¡°Eh, it¡¯ll be fine. He¡¯ll yell at me a little, pretend to really care, realize I¡¯m not listening, and give up. Maybe this will be the thing that gets him to leave, since he knows that I¡¯m not going anywhere.¡± Farrar chuckled at the thought of it. He took a step out the door. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve got a lot of traveling ahead of me. Better get started before it gets too late.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Rhenei blurted, afraid he might get too far before she could say it. ¡°For everything you did for the two of us. You didn¡¯t need to do any of that, yet you still did¡­¡±


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t worry about it. It¡¯s not a problem¡ªI liked the time away from home. Just remember to tell me what you decide to do when the time comes, okay? I might even be able to help you out a little.¡±


    She managed a smile too, waving as he walked away. Then she wasn¡¯t quite sure what to do after watching him disappear, until she felt a hand on her shoulder.


    ¡°Are you interested in learning some magic?¡± Calum asked with a grin, somehow already having some paper, ink, and brushes on his lap. ¡°My parents are supposed to come over later today so they can meet you, but I¡¯ve got plenty of free time until then.¡±


    ¡°You can do that?¡± The offer made her remember that these next few years weren¡¯t going to be spent guideless, or that she¡¯d be lonely. Maybe with the skills she learned here, she¡¯d be able to figure out what she wanted to do when it came time to leave.


    ¡°I might not be the best of teachers, but I¡¯ll definitely try. Come and sit over there. I know it¡¯s technically jumping around a little, but I¡¯d like to show you how to spell a bird first.¡±


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    ¡°Will I¡­ even be able to do it? I¡¯ve never done anything with magic before¡­¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re a child of Fleyw Bresh, which I¡¯d be surprised if you weren¡¯t, you¡¯ve got some kind of potential in you. We¡¯ve just got to figure out where that potential lies. And you don¡¯t have to worry¡ªspelling a bird is practically one of the easiest things you can do with magic. I hear even the Seothians are doing it nowadays.¡±


    ¡­


    The chill breeze seemed to announce the coming autumn, more so than the changing leaves or the families busy preparing for the harvest. Rhenei waved to her neighbor before fumbling with the lock on her house. It was a lot harder than it seemed to keep the heavy bag from slipping off her shoulder.


    Kalleira was sitting at the nearby table inside, waiting to greet her the moment she opened the door. ¡°Rhenei! Was your day good? You forgot to bring your lunch with you, did one of the other ladies share?¡±


    Rhenei chuckled, closing the door behind her and carefully setting the bag on another chair. ¡°Yeah, they were all nice enough to give me something. Almost more than I could eat. You¡¯ve got to remind me to bring the extra fruit tomorrow, alright? It¡¯s too much for just me anyway and I owe them something.¡± She wandered around the small home, putting everything back where it was supposed to be. ¡°You said you were going to try to visit your family while I was gone, right? I guess it must¡¯ve worked if you didn¡¯t follow behind me, so how did it go?¡±


    ¡°Vriuh was able to help me find them. They¡¯re actually surprisingly nice! Vriuh, not my parents. My parents were¡­ not exactly nice, but they weren¡¯t mean, either. I think we¡¯ll be able to get along eventually, though, once we spend some more time together.¡±


    ¡°Do you think there¡¯s a reason you¡¯re only just now able to visit the underworld? You couldn¡¯t do it when you first realized that you were a spirit¡­¡±


    ¡°I asked Vriuh about it and they said something about me coming to terms with it? I accepted that that¡¯s what I was and I showed an interest in seeing it. They mentioned that dead kids usually weren¡¯t supposed to remember how they died. That probably has something to do with it, too¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s good that you were able to see them, no matter how you could.¡±


    ¡°What about you? Was work okay, aside from forgetting your lunch?¡±


    ¡°Hold that thought. There¡¯s something else I want to do before I forget.¡± As she said it, Rhenei pulled out paper and a quill and sat it on the table. It took her a little longer to find the ink, but with it all together, she sat back down.


    Kalleira got up, though, to see what she¡¯d soon be writing. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re ready to write to Calum? Are you sure?¡±


    Rhenei grew a small smile. ¡°I¡¯m ready. I finally feel like I know where I want to be.¡±


    Then she started writing down all the words she¡¯d spent the entire day thinking of; she imagined his expression as he read it. She wondered if he¡¯d be as happy as she was, or maybe even proud.


    ¡®Dear Calum,


    I have done a lot since the last time I wrote to you. Before I had told you I found the town I thought I wanted to stay at, but I decided I was not going to send you a letter again until I was sure of it. And now I know that this is where I want to stay.


    They were welcoming from the start and I met those friends you talked to me about. I just had to talk with the church here and they were able to let me stay at an empty house. It needs a lot of work¡ªI think that is why no one was living in it before¡ªbut I am willing to make it better. They are all still doing a lot for me. To be honest, I am a little afraid I will not be able to repay all of their kindness.


    Oh, that is not even the best part! Guess what I was able to do! On my first week here, I helped some of the ladies at the church when one of them did not come in. I just figured I would be watching over some kids, but it was better! I helped teach them magic. Next thing I know, the priest is coming up to me asking if I would like to work there! All of the ladies are super nice. I cannot help a lot, since I only know what you taught me, but the priest also said he could get someone to teach me more. I do not know how far I could go in a small town like this, but I am excited anyway!


    Kalleira¡¯s been doing good, too, of course! She¡¯s been able to visit the underworld and talk with her parents. She says they might have a chance of getting along. But at least she won¡¯t be bored while I am at work.


    How about you? Are your parents doing okay? Sorry it took me so long. I guess I was just afraid that I had not really found the happily ever after that I was hoping for.


    Thank you for everything you have done to help me. I never would have gotten this far without you.


    -Rhenei¡¯

 Raven Feathers: Chapter 1

    It wasn¡¯t the first time she¡¯d had a dream like this. She¡¯d been having them for nearly three years at this point¡ªsince Natheniel had almost killed her. At first she¡¯d been willing to believe that it was a part of her mind wrapping around the idea that, were it not for magic, she¡¯d be with Vriuh. But she noticed more about them the longer she experienced them, details that she never would¡¯ve known, faces she had never seen.


    ¡°What do you think?¡± She¡¯d been the one to ask the question, but that wasn¡¯t her voice. Or, at least, she didn¡¯t think it was. ¡°Can¡­ Can this really last?¡±


    ¡°Orestis allowed us to get this far. I¡¯m sure He has far grander plans than we could ever imagine,¡± her companion replied. It was a figure that, before these dreams, she only ever saw in stained glass: Saint Ilethera, seeming as elegant as she did threatening.


    They watched the Lake sparkle as the sun began to set, silent.


    Then, finally, her companion said in a low voice, ¡°I think you should go. They need you.¡±


    Without realizing the danger she¡¯d soon faced, she laughed. It wasn¡¯t really her laugh, either. ¡°I¡¯m sure he can handle Philomena on his own for a little longer. I¡¯ve been waiting for a peaceful moment like this for years¡­¡±


    ¡°Norah, please¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you alright? You don¡¯t look well¡­¡±


    She wasn¡¯t sure if her companion had always had the dagger, and sometimes she wondered if a dagger had been involved at all. All she knew was that her companion, with the same mortified expression she must¡¯ve had, stabbed her.


    In those fleeting moments, as she felt on the edge of Vriuh¡¯s domain, she thought of many things¡ªtoo many to process. Her family¡ªshe had a baby girl, a husband. Her friends, her people¡ªshe had too much to do, she couldn¡¯t die here. Her companion¡ªwhy did she do this?


    The last thing she heard was her name¡ªbut it wasn¡¯t actually her name¡ªbefore she was welcomed by the dim glow of the underworld.


    Philyra bolted up, trying to calm herself as soon as possible before someone else came in. The last thing she needed was to seem panicked when someone came to check on her.


    She was already up and partially prepared by the time someone had knocked on her door. She knew that whoever had done it and had given a warning of ¡°Breakfast will be served shortly, Princess.¡± was gone before she could say anything to them.


    Before she left her room, she stopped at the mirror to assure herself that there were no traces of a nightmare; no sign that, a few minutes before, she¡¯d felt too close to dying for a simple dream. But there her reflection was, standing straight with hair in neat pigtails and wearing an elegant dress; that was what she should be, the talented Qizarn princess, the beloved daughter of the queen. She stared at her reflection a little longer, until she felt confident enough to leave that other girl¡ªthe one with dreams of dying, who had woken up with a racing heart¡ªin her room.


    There was no place for her in the perfect life Philyra was intended to live.


    She wandered down to the dining room on her own. The only other one there was Kadol, mumbling something to the servant who¡¯d brought out their breakfast.


    ¡°Is Mother coming?¡± She already knew her answer. Thero hardly ever left Zofie¡¯s side, so he wasn¡¯t an indicator; no, it was Domenique¡¯s absence that spoke of why Zofie wasn¡¯t there.


    Kadol must¡¯ve acknowledged that she already knew, but replied anyway. ¡°Unfortunately, she¡¯s not feeling well. She asked me to accompany you to practice, and she hopes that she¡¯ll be able to see the final performance tomorrow morning.¡±


    Philyra didn¡¯t know if she was upset or relieved, so she just silently nodded.


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    ¡°Remember, we¡¯re going to be headed to the Lake after the festival¡ªmake sure you¡¯re prepared for it.¡±


    ¡­


    About a dozen girls had been tasked with making intricate, precise movements in frankly restrictive dresses in the name of tradition. They glided from one end of the platform to the other, showing months of practice as it seemed they made no wrong move. Their elegance was something to be admired, their strength more so, and even greater their bravery for risking to mess up such a sacred rite.


    Or, at least, that¡¯s what Philyra thought. She wasn¡¯t any of the dancers. No, she sat in the back, masked in the face paint they all shared, often blocked by the others. She was playing the flute, providing them with the music they needed. Compared to them, her role seemed minor. But she could imagine the single gaze that, tomorrow, would never leave her. A gaze that was meant to be caring and proud, yet she only found herself suffocated under it.


    When they finished, there was a moment of clapping from Kadol and the others¡¯ parents. Then the nun in charge respectfully quieted them and marched to the platform. All the dancers held their breath for what she might say. Philyra already knew what she¡¯d be told.


    ¡°Princess Philyra, you were amazing. Every note played to perfection¡ªI wouldn¡¯t expect anything less from someone blessed by Natasa. Take a break, treat yourself to something nice, and be back after lunch for the last full dress rehearsal.¡± The nun turned to the others. ¡°As for all of you, there¡¯s still some things you need to work on¡­¡±


    Philyra wandered back to Kadol, knowing she didn¡¯t need to listen to the rest.


    ¡°I can¡¯t imagine what she has to complain about,¡± he was mumbling to another parent as she walked up to him. ¡°That was one of the best practices I¡¯ve seen in over twenty years.¡± Then he turned his attention to Philyra. He didn¡¯t smile, but that was good, because she¡¯d always found it unsettling. ¡°You did a great job. I¡¯m sure Zofie will be proud.¡±


    The other parent he¡¯d been talking to nodded. ¡°I think it was lovely. I daresay this is going to be a fantastic Afterlife¡¯s Promise with you here.¡±


    If Philyra could¡¯ve sunk into the ground, perhaps become one with the shadows, she would¡¯ve. She nodded in acknowledgement of the compliment then, without actually looking up at either of them, asked, ¡°Would it be alright if I went for a walk?¡±


    Kadol sighed. ¡°You know I can¡¯t let you go on your own, and there¡¯s other things I need to do here.¡±


    ¡°Please? I promise I¡¯ll stay close to the church and it only has to be for a couple of minutes. It¡¯ll be enough to have a guard with me, won''t it..?¡±


    ¡°Zofie isn¡¯t going to like it if you aren¡¯t with someone more than a guard. Let me do a few things here and I¡¯ll accompany you.¡± And that was the end of the discussion.


    Or, at least, that¡¯s what she assumed. The moment Kadol turned and caught a glimpse of something through one of the precious few plain windows in the church, something else flickered in his expression. It seemed a grin almost formed, for a second, before a frown took its place.


    Most confusing of all was the way that his words contradicted that frown, the look in his eyes. ¡°I¡­ believe it might actually be alright, if you take a guard with you. I¡¯ll explain it to Zofie when the time comes.¡± He gestured a guard over, and looked at Philyra. ¡°Stay close to the guard and be back in a couple of minutes. I don¡¯t think I have to warn you not to get into any trouble, just don¡¯t make me regret it.¡±


    Philyra gave him a small smile and a thankful nod, then left. She didn¡¯t mind the guard not-so-subtly trailed after her¡ªshe was partially used to that kind of feeling by now.


    She was almost immediately startled as soon as she walked out of the church.


    ¡°That was a good performance!¡± the one who startled her, a boy around her age, said. The longer she looked at him, the more she realized she¡¯d never seen anyone like him in Hyasari before. ¡°You were kinda in the back, though. I couldn¡¯t hear anything you were playing, but I did see some glimpses.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the point¡­¡± she couldn¡¯t stop herself from mumbling.


    ¡°Was that the only way you would have agreed? If no one could see you?¡± It was a completely casual question, one of someone who didn¡¯t know who he was talking to, or perhaps really didn¡¯t care. Somehow.


    Either way, she decided she didn¡¯t want to answer that. The silence was enough to show her feelings on the matter anyway.


    She decided to ask a question of her own: ¡°Are you visiting Hyasari for the festival or recently moved here..? I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen you before.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m visiting family,¡± he replied breezily. He must¡¯ve realized there was something else that came with not knowing someone, though. ¡°My name¡¯s Jesper.¡±


    She could barely believe she was about to have to tell someone this, since he obviously didn¡¯t seem to know. ¡°I¡¯m Princess Philyra.¡±


    Most people already assumed the fact. The ones who didn¡¯t were quick to change how they spoke and acted, in order to be more ¡°fitting¡± of interacting with such a person. So much of Hyasari may consider each other family, but that was a kind of respect that stayed no matter how familiar they might think they are.


    Jesper, however, didn¡¯t change at all. ¡°So, were you supposed to look like you really didn¡¯t want to be there? Because it kind of looked like you didn¡¯t care about it at all¡­¡±

 Raven Feathers: Chapter 2

    She could not have just been asked that in front of the church. But, as much as she wanted to defend herself¡ªclaim that he was imagining it¡ªno such words came out. She just stood there, silent, as she acknowledged that the longer it took, the clearer the truth became.


    ¡°Of course I did!¡± she managed far too late for it to sound genuine. ¡°It¡¯s an honor to be a part of the celebration. Many others could only dream of being in such a position to worship one of the gods¡­¡±


    Jesper looked between her and the guard. ¡°I see what the problem is.¡± Then he looked right at the guard and, casually, said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll bring her back safe and sound.¡±


    Before either of them could understand what he meant, he took Philyra¡¯s hand and ran off with her.


    She still hadn¡¯t processed what had happened until they stopped. She couldn¡¯t tell exactly where they were¡ªshe certainly hadn¡¯t been out long enough to memorize such backroads¡ªbut wherever it was, there were remarkably few people. Or, perhaps more importantly, there were no guards, nor members of the church, who might overhear a possible conversation.


    ¡°Is this any better?¡± he asked with a grin.


    ¡°What was that for?¡± She didn¡¯t know if she was mildly panicked by the fact she was now practically alone with a stranger, or what would happen when someone else found out. ¡°You can¡¯t just go running off with people! At least give me some kind of warning before you do that!¡±


    He let out a sheepish chuckle. ¡°Sorry, I just knew things might be a little better if we had the opportunity to talk alone.¡± He gestured around them. ¡°I mean, you don¡¯t see anyone special here that I don¡¯t, right? Do you think you might be more willing to answer my question now?¡±


    ¡°I already did,¡± she tried, but she knew it didn¡¯t matter. ¡°It¡¯s an honor to be a part of such an event. A testament to one¡¯s beliefs, a way to directly honor our gods.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, don¡¯t take this the wrong way, but I don¡¯t think Vriuh would like someone who doesn¡¯t seem to want to be there ¡®honoring¡¯ them.¡±


    ¡°I¡ªI just don¡¯t like being in front of a lot of people. Even thinking about having all of those people watching me is terrifying. That¡¯s all there is to it.¡±


    ¡°I know I¡¯m a stranger, but I want to help you,¡± Jesper said with a sigh. ¡°I think it¡¯s pretty obvious¡ªthe kind of thoughts that ran through your head while you were performing.¡±


    ¡°You know nothing about me.¡±


    ¡°Maybe, maybe not. But I¡¯ll tell you something about me.¡± He looked around, perhaps just to make sure that there truly was no one else here, then turned all his attention back to her. ¡°I live right outside of Hyasari. The reason you¡¯ve never seen me around before is because I¡¯m a ¡®heretic,¡¯ too.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say we¡¯re the same!¡± Philyra caught herself only after it had been said, and quickly changed to what she was supposed to be saying. ¡°Rather bold of you to admit something like that. What makes you think I¡¯m not going to turn around and report you to the church? They won¡¯t need any other word. You¡¯d probably be executed before sundown.¡±


    ¡°Alright, then. I¡¯m not going to stop you. Run back and report me.¡±


    She wasn¡¯t sure if he seemed relieved that she never moved from her spot, or showing his confidence in knowing she wouldn¡¯t.


    ¡°See? We might not be the same, but we¡¯re not too different, either,¡± he continued. ¡°You know no one in their right mind would joke about something like that. And if I trust you enough not to tell people about it, do you really think I¡¯m going to tell someone about you?¡±


    She forced herself to take a step back. Why was she still standing here, anyway? What if the guard or, worse, Kadol ended up finding her here?


    ¡°I¡¯ll be honest, I was told not to mention anything to you until I knew for certain,¡± he said. ¡°But I¡¯ll tell you this: I want to bring you somewhere, but before I do that, I need to be sure of where you stand. I won¡¯t do anything to you. None of the people I¡¯d bring you to will either. A lot of them know what it¡¯s like to wear a mask¡­ and they understand the importance of letting it fall, sometimes, before it shatters at the wrong time.¡±


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    ¡°Why do you think I¡¯m wearing a mask?¡± she dared to ask.


    ¡°Because I see what¡¯s under that face paint and I know it¡¯s not someone who wants to have it.¡± He sat down on the ground and, a moment after he gestured for her to, she sat down beside him.


    Which was better: being alone with a stranger when the guard found her, or being alone in the bustling crowds of the city?


    ¡°I guess you win,¡± she finally mumbled. ¡°But¡­ can anyone blame me..? What am I saying, Mother might actually kill me if she finds out. It¡¯s the words of a heretic¡ªthat these aren¡¯t Orestis¡¯s plans, that they¡¯re not just temptations of Darkness. They couldn¡¯t be. Good people are suffering because of things they can¡¯t control, or judged by something that says nothing about them. It doesn¡¯t matter if they deserve it. They don¡¯t deserve it. And no one says a word, because if they do, they¡¯ll be abandoned too. Orestis is supposed to be kind and caring, so why has he let this go on for so long, without ever trying to do something about it..?¡±


    ¡°You know there¡¯s a part of the Commandments, at the very end, that the church never taught. They say Orestis secluded himself, for any number of reasons. What they didn''t say, and what they probably never will, is that he decided something in that moment: he was never leaving that seclusion, and he has no idea what¡¯s happening in the world now.¡± He managed a grin. ¡°It¡¯s kinda related to the place I want to show you¡ªa place full of people who want others to know that truth.¡±


    He held his hand out to her and she, though hesitating, was about to accept it.


    Before Jesper quickly hopped up and ran away at the sight of whoever just approached them. Philyra got up too and turned around to see the guard, relieved, and Kadol¡­ who strangely didn¡¯t seem to be as upset as she thought he¡¯d be.


    She still expected to be at least scolded, but all he said to her was, ¡°I¡¯ve finished my work. I assumed you might like to get something to eat before that last practice.¡±


    Philyra nodded and immediately fell into place behind him. She was not the same girl who had confessed heretical words mere moments ago. She was back to being that perfect princess, the one that dutifully trailed behind the advisor, who did or said nothing that might change that image.


    As much as she wanted to, she never questioned why he didn¡¯t seem upset. They both knew Zofie, when she undoubtedly found out, would act like someone had actually done it with the intent of hurting her. Maybe that was why¡ªKadol understood how Zofie would react, and thought it best not to subject Philyra to two similar conversations.


    But there was something else, too. Something was different about his contemplating frown and the way he engaged in idle conversation. He wanted to ask her something, but for one reason or another decided it best to stay silent.


    They returned to the castle after the last practice, neither saying a word that they were thinking, and almost immediately went to the dining room for dinner. Zofie, Thero, and Domenique were there, surprisingly¡ªthe latter giving absent nods and mumbles of agreement while the former rambled about what could¡¯ve only been the most recent letter from Dimas.


    Zofie immediately stopped and smiled, though, when she saw the two of them. ¡°Did the practice go well? I promise I¡¯ll make it to the performance tomorrow. I¡¯m not going to miss the opportunity to watch you.¡±


    Philyra somehow managed a smile and nod. ¡°She said I was the best one there¡­¡±


    Kadol relayed a few more praises, ones directed towards all of the performers, before they fell into casual conversation¡­ until Philyra made the mistake of mentioning that she¡¯d gone for a walk.


    ¡°You had a guard with you, didn¡¯t you?¡± It was matters like these that brought a certain side of Zofie out, inescapable, and hard to quell again; a woman who had lost her mother and her magic to mysterious forces, all amplified by the influence of M¨¢vri Mage¨ªa.


    Readying herself for whatever might be said, Philyra had started to answer, but she¡¯d already taken too long.


    ¡°What were you thinking, not having anyone with you? You could¡¯ve gotten hurt, or worse! There¡¯s people all over the place who¡¯ll try to hurt you. It¡¯s not safe for you on your own. You need to stay with someone who could take care of you, like a guard, or Kadol, or¡ª¡°


    ¡°My apologies, Your Majesty,¡± Kadol interrupted. ¡°I believe the fault is mine. I allowed her to leave, so I should¡¯ve made sure someone would always stay with her.¡± He gave Philyra some knowing glance.


    Did he know who she¡¯d talked to? No, if he knew it had been a heretic, he would say that part outright. He¡¯d overseen executions before, he¡¯d have no trouble calling out another. Unless¡­ Did he know she¡¯d talked with Jesper, and had wanted her to?


    She banished the thought as soon as it came. She found more comfort, somehow, in being the only ¡°heretic¡± within the castle walls.


    Zofie clearly didn¡¯t like Kadol¡¯s answer, but nonetheless relented. Somehow a much longer rant was saved for a later date.

 Raven Feathers: Chapter 3

    She couldn¡¯t have been more relieved to see the festival come and go. She¡¯d been in the back, playing the flute, masked by the other performers, overwhelmed by the gaze of a single person. Then she¡¯d been given so many compliments, from familiar people and practical strangers alike, that she was surprised she never once said, ¡°Those dancers all worked hard for this, too! Go praise them! If it weren¡¯t for them, there really wouldn¡¯t be that interesting of a performance!¡± After the festival came to a close, they all went back to the castle and talked about their plans from there. They were leaving for the Lake tomorrow.


    And Philyra was just staring up at her bedroom ceiling, unwilling to go back to the fragments of dreams that haunted her.


    And, after a while, some annoying thing started hitting against glass. She¡¯d first intended to ignore it, but after about an hour passed and she was no closer to sleeping nor the noise to stopping, she willed herself up. She was just as driven to do it out of irritation as she was made to remember some near-forgotten memory.


    Ihu would knock against her window, sometimes, when they¡¯d gotten separated from Natheniel while they were outside. Why they always came to her, of all people, was something she didn¡¯t try to understand, but¡­ they seemed as grateful as a bird could be when she let them back in. She doubted this sound was from anyone familiar, but a part of her couldn¡¯t help but muse if it had been.


    She put on a thicker robe to resist the nighttime chill, then opened the balcony door¡ªright as a pebble bounced off of it. Seeing it join a small pile of pebbles caused her frown to deepen.


    ¡°You know this isn¡¯t funny,¡± she called, though still quiet, as she walked onto the balcony. ¡°Go home before I get a guard to make you!¡±


    ¡°Sorry, sorry! I just needed your attention and I didn¡¯t know how to do that.¡±


    She stepped back on instinct when something moved in front of her. But to see that it was Jesper, using some careful use of Life magic to make a ladder of sorts out of vines, made her relax a little.


    Until she thought of one important question: ¡°Why are you throwing rocks up here in the middle of the night?¡±


    ¡°You know that place I mentioned earlier?¡± He was leaning on the railing, eyes only on her, apparently nowhere near as afraid of falling as she would¡¯ve been. ¡°I want to show it to you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the middle of the night,¡± she repeated.


    ¡°It¡¯s still the perfect time. No one¡¯s going to notice if you leave the castle for an hour or so. There¡¯s not nearly as many questioning eyes on the street, either.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that just going to look more suspicious to anyone who does see us?¡±


    He smiled. ¡°I have my ways.¡± He held out his hand to her. ¡°Won¡¯t you come with me? A couple of people are waiting to meet with you.¡± Then, noticing the way she glanced back into her bedroom, he continued, ¡°You won¡¯t have to worry about anyone realizing you¡¯re not there. My grandfather¡¯s going to take care of it.¡±


    Slowly, she nodded. ¡°Just give me another moment to get ready. Then I¡¯ll go with you.¡±


    She went and changed into something more suitable for walking outside, making the half-conscious decision to leave her hair down. When she came back out, she was partially surprised Jesper was still there¡ªthe longer she went through with this, the more it felt like she must¡¯ve actually fallen asleep. Still, she said, ¡°I¡¯m ready.¡±


    He offered his hand and she took it. She carefully got to the other side of the railing, setting her feet down on that vine-ladder. She found herself holding on to him, unable to look at the ground, as the vines shrunk. Words couldn¡¯t describe her happiness to have her feet on the ground and the vines back to their normal size¡­ though she already dreaded having to do that again when she got back. She didn¡¯t even consider how skilled he must¡¯ve been at Life magic to be able to do something like that.


    He simply guided her through the streets, taking some lesser-traveled roads. She¡¯d assumed that, wherever their destination was, it was within the city. But once he took her out of it, she had no idea where they were going.


    Jesper stopped at a building just outside of the city. It looked pretty unassuming, really, seeming more to be a merchant storehouse or some other mundane thing.


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    That is, until he turned to her and announced, ¡°This is the base of the White Ravens.¡±


    She¡¯d let someone lead her right to the base of the heretics.


    And, though she had mixed feelings to acknowledge it, she felt more willing to go inside than she was to return to Hyasari.


    ¡°Why are you trusting me enough to show me this?¡± she asked slowly.


    ¡°I think we both know the answer to that.¡± He performed some special knock on the door in order to get it to open, then held it open and gestured for her to go inside. ¡°You¡¯re already one of us.¡±


    There were a lot more people than she would¡¯ve expected for how late it must¡¯ve been. Every single one of them looked at them when they entered¡ªand nearly all of them had their eyes on her.


    ¡°Jesper,¡± one of them sighed in a tired, but affectionate kind of way, ¡°what the hell do you think you¡¯re doing?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m following Boss¡¯s orders!¡± Jesper quickly defended.


    ¡°I think you just made a friend and want to get the rest of us killed,¡± someone else, younger than the other but older than the two of them, grumbled. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you didn¡¯t die before now, honestly. I was hoping you wouldn¡¯t make it back¡­¡±


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be saying that if you were around for Allen,¡± a third remarked. ¡°There¡¯s still a damn hole in the wall from when Boss found out about it.¡±


    ¡°At least Allen sounded to be moderately capable of doing something!¡±


    ¡°Eh, I think Jesper¡¯s pretty competent, too.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s half blind!¡±


    ¡°And if I threw a shiny rock you¡¯d jump off a cliff to grab it.¡±


    Jesper looked between them and Philyra with an embarrassed expression, before finally bringing his attention to her. ¡°Boss wanted me to show you around, so I will. Those two are Aravind and Farrar. I¡¯d probably ignore them both if I were you¡­¡± Whether he realized it or not, he quickly guided her away to a different room.


    It seemed to just be¡­ average. A small bookshelf, several chairs, and a fireplace suggested they might¡¯ve held more casual gatherings here. Jesper sat down and Philyra, after a moment¡¯s hesitation, joined him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll make this clear now, not all the means we¡¯ve used are good,¡± he said solemnly, ¡°some of them were even evil. But we¡¯re not here to throw Qizar into anarchy. We don¡¯t want to hurt so many people. Maybe there¡¯d be a day where everyone could look back at what we did and call them necessary steps in a better nation. Maybe it¡¯ll all be the fuel to the fire that¡¯ll put every ¡®heretic¡¯ to death. I¡¯m not going to say I know or understand everything¡­ but I will tell you what I do know, and let you figure out exactly where you stand on your own.


    ¡°The Ravens have been around for as long as the modern Qizarn church has¡ªwhen it became more than people wandering Qizar, and turned into an organized effort to spread the Commandments¡¯ truths. It took a long time for anyone to realize that we were there. Several of them found positions beside Holy Queen Norah, trying to let the truth be known. Let the world know that Orestis wasn¡¯t watching¡ªthat he isn¡¯t guiding anyone. The other gods can¡¯t interfere with mortal lives and guide us, either. They were all just as flawed as we are, not beings meant to have sacrifices made in their names. We weren¡¯t saying that the faith itself was a lie, just to draw that distinct line between reality and the images they were made to be. People are hurting each other over things that don¡¯t matter. They¡¯re making decisions and risking things for a being who doesn¡¯t have the will or power to give them anything in return.¡±


    It seemed he didn¡¯t like sitting still, because he stood back up again and started wandering around the room.


    ¡°But, spreading word alone won¡¯t convince them. They won¡¯t change their beliefs, make their life-altering choices become void, just because someone talks to them. We need to show them¡­ and, most of the time, it doesn¡¯t turn out well. My grandfather¡¯s done a lot. He¡¯s had to do things he never wanted to¡ªhe did things that should have him executed, and he¡¯d gladly take the blame for it. I¡¯ll be honest, he killed someone very important and poisoned another. But it wasn¡¯t because he didn¡¯t care about them. They were both like family to him. It was exactly because he cared, because he wanted them and others to have a better life¡­ but whether or not that excuses it is completely up to you.¡±


    He took a small book out from the shelf and walked over to hand it to Philyra. She cautiously leafed through it to find picture after picture, along with names and dates¡­ the names, the faces, and the date of execution of heretics that burned at the stake.


    ¡°We¡¯ve always tried to get a queen on our side,¡± he continued, sitting back down. ¡°With someone like her, we could convince a lot more people of our goals and not nearly as many would need to get hurt. But we already face a lot of possible consequences if we end up getting caught¡­ and trying to win over the queen pretty much guarantees getting caught. Allen tried to talk with Queen Zofie, to convince her that the Ravens weren¡¯t as bad as she thought they were. It was a very careful plan, but he failed at the most crucial part. She found out who he was when he left. After he came back, it was like all their time together meant nothing. She had him burned at the stake as a heretic.¡±


    He sighed and gently took the book from her. ¡°You¡¯ve got somewhere important you¡¯re going to be tomorrow, right? Let me walk you back to the castle. Then you can at least try to get some sleep.¡±


    Oh, she certainly wasn¡¯t sleeping tonight.

 Raven Feathers: Chapter 4

    Jesper¡¯s words kept replaying in her mind, perhaps rivaling those dreams with how much it haunted her. Then, amidst all that confusion, another thought rose above it all. It¡¯s strange, the kinds of things we say and do to justify murder.


    She knew there were undoubtedly several among the Ravens¡¯ ranks that did intend to harm, that did use their circumstances to hurt others, out of personal gain or otherwise. But the people she¡¯d seen seemed average¡ªas Jesper guided her back out, she even realized she recognized a few of them. They were the same residents of Hyasari that she¡¯d practically grown up with, many of whom she knew and trusted a bit like family. They weren¡¯t the kind of people that deserved to die, especially not with the social scar of being branded as heretics.


    Nearly every one of the people in that book had to have been the same. Yet they¡¯d been executed, burned in hopes the flames might redeem them, when they¡¯d truly done nothing wrong.


    Philyra spent the ride to the Lake wondering what it would be like to be in their place. She considered if she¡¯d rather be the one watching, high up in a safe place, indifferent to their cries¡­ or if she¡¯d rather be tied down, crying as flesh burned, yet knowing that she at least stood by her beliefs.


    She used to know exactly what she would choose. The line was quickly blurring. And if anyone noticed, no one seemed to care enough to ask her about it.


    Not that she really wanted to give them an answer.


    When they got closer to the Lake, preparing to leave the carriage and greet the others that had come, she scanned the area and all the familiar faces. She could see Imre and Dimas, already coming over to welcome them when they were ready. Kiah was a bit closer to the fort, talking with mostly-unfamiliar people boasting the armor of Seothia¡¯s army. Samone was out of sight, but Philyra assumed that the presence of another magic user belonged to her. Tavin had to have been there, somewhere; they wouldn¡¯t have left him at the castle with no one else there with him. Given that he wasn¡¯t with Imre and Dimas, though, it was probably safe to assume he hadn¡¯t been feeling well.


    Philyra fell right into step behind Zofie and Thero, managing the closest thing to a smile she could for all the thoughts running through her head.


    ¡°I assumed you¡¯d rather wait until tomorrow to talk,¡± Imre said to Zofie, after their greetings were done. ¡°I¡¯d planned on meeting with some others here, but none of them have come yet¡­¡±


    ¡°Fine by me.¡± She immediately turned to Dimas. ¡°It gives me some time to talk with you.¡±


    ¡°As far as I¡¯m aware, I didn¡¯t do anything,¡± he pointed out.


    ¡°Oh, you know exactly what you did.¡± Zofie grabbed his hand and started dragging him inside. Thero casually trailed behind them.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t start arguing!¡± Imre called. He soon realized, though, that the suggestion was made in vain, and sighed. He put on a softer expression as he turned back to Philyra. ¡°Tavin¡¯s in the same room he usually is, if you want to talk with him. He wasn¡¯t feeling well this morning and he¡¯s still resting.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡­ I won¡¯t bother him. We can talk later.¡± She gave him a weak smile before wandering to the lakeside.


    This was always where those dreams would take place. Before, she hadn¡¯t dared to get close to the spot where that dream ended¡ªwhere she would die. But, for some reason, she found herself wandering towards it now. She simply sat down by the water¡¯s edge, staring across the vast and glimmering lake. She closed her eyes here, certain everyone was too busy to pay attention to her, and let half-familiar voices move around her.


    ¡°It¡¯s a lot more peaceful here than I would¡¯ve expected¡­ or, perhaps I should say, from the last time I was here.¡± That voice was not-hers, as the one in all the dreams. It was like an echo in her mind, too, at least reassuring herself that she wasn¡¯t saying anything out loud and was the only one hearing it.


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    ¡°The ¡®last time¡¯ you were here you were also lost on the Seothian side of the border.¡± It was a voice she knew, yet would also say she didn¡¯t. There was something about it that held such an air of something belonging to a friend, but she couldn¡¯t¡ªor, perhaps, chose not to¡ªdwell on the face it belonged to.


    ¡°I suppose you have a point¡­¡±


    ¡°Come on, don¡¯t sound like that! We¡¯re here for good reasons, remember? All of that can be put behind us now.¡±


    ¡°Will it really be that easy..?¡±


    ¡°Well, honestly, I don¡¯t think any of us can know for certain. But I¡¯ve got a good feeling about all of this. We¡¯re going to do amazing things together, for both of our nations. I just know it.¡±


    He¡ªwhoever he was, exactly¡ªhad always been like that, that she knew for certain. They¡¯d worked together. They¡¯d sit by this lake and talk through the transgressions made to her people, the ones that his had inflicted. There were times when the effort seemed fruitless; that, given a few years, those fires of change would either burn out or give birth to something destructive. But then there were times when their work was done, and they could speak of casual things and their families. Times where she¡¯d watched his children grow and how happy she¡¯d been to introduce them all to her own daughter.


    He¡¯d been the one to call out her name in those final, fleeting moments of consciousness. ¡°Norah!¡±


    But it was another calm, clear voice that broke her out of all the fragmented memories. ¡°Princess Philyra.¡±


    Philyra gave herself one more moment to become ¡°her¡± again, before opening her eyes and shifting to look at Kadol. She didn¡¯t have to say anything; he already knew that he had her attention.


    ¡°It¡¯s almost time to eat,¡± he explained. He held out a hand to her and she accepted.


    ¡°Are¡­ Mother and Uncle Dimas finished?¡± she dared to ask.


    It seemed that seeing each other in person always brought the same results, no matter who else was watching¡ªsome kind of argument, louder than what either of them would ever manage if they weren¡¯t together. Or, at least, Imre¡¯s look the first time they fought at a visit to the Lake seemed to prove as much.


    Kadol nodded. ¡°The chances of them starting again during dinner is fairly unlikely. Thero was able to make them compromise.¡±


    She was only slightly assured by that answer, but she knew it was as close to a guarantee that she was going to get.


    Only after a moment did she realize that they¡¯d arrived at the Lake around noon, and it was now late enough to become wary of the shadows. She must¡¯ve been sitting there for a lot longer than she thought she was, with those fragments of memories that weren¡¯t hers. Really, she didn¡¯t know if she should think it made sense that no one talked to her before¡ªeveryone else was likely inside, or doing something else, and Zofie had been arguing with Dimas¡ªor use it as some kind of testament¡­ even if she could claim to be no better.


    They were all responsible, in one way or another, for the disappearance of likely the most important person any of them would¡¯ve known in their lifetimes.


    She could never tell if the semblance of normalcy that they put up¡ªas if they had not housed a dreamer, as if Natheniel had never existed to begin with¡ªwas a way to cope with or ignore the underlying issues. But, if there was one place where the dissonance between their outward appearances and their inner thoughts were the most clear, it was when they all sat down to eat.


    ¡°Mom¡¯s doing okay, right?¡± Domenique asked, one of many conversations that would be born and die in a matter of moments.


    ¡°She¡¯d be better, if you¡¯d come to visit her yourself,¡± Imre mumbled casually. ¡°I¡¯ve talked with her more than it sounds like you have.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been busy,¡± she decided after a moment. ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll take some time off next year.¡±


    ¡°You and Dimas can switch places,¡± Zofie offered, surprisingly calm despite the glare she gave her twin across the table. ¡°That way he can¡¯t use Tavin as an excuse. It¡¯ll be right around New Year¡¯s¡ªthe perfect time to visit Kamila.¡±


    Dimas, perhaps acknowledging that he didn¡¯t truly have a say in the matter, sighed. ¡°Speaking of, it doesn¡¯t look like Tavin¡¯s going to come. I¡¯ll check on him when I¡¯m done¡­¡±


    ¡°I finished,¡± Philyra blurted, all too suddenly. ¡°I can bring his dinner to him.¡±


    Dimas nodded. ¡°Just set it by the bed if he¡¯s resting. Ask him if he needs anything¡ªI can be done a lot sooner if he needs me.¡±


    She gave a nod of her own, standing up and heading to the kitchen to collect it. On her way out, she heard the shattering of a casual air, the kind of conversations the adults had when they thought no one would hear them.


    ¡°They¡¯ve¡­ been happening a lot more frequently recently, haven¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°It seems so. We haven¡¯t been able to explain it, though¡­ not like last time.¡±


    ¡°Do you think it has anything to do with him?¡±


    Philyra, already suffocated by the speculation, quickly left earshot before she could hear anything else.


    She wanted to pretend like it was only her own little world that was being shaken.

 Raven Feathers: Chapter 5

    She almost hoped he was asleep, so she wouldn¡¯t need to see him in any other state¡ªbut then, she prayed that he was awake, so she could talk with him. It was the whole reason she offered to do this.


    It was with mixed feelings, then, that she knocked and received a mumbled call to enter.


    She carefully pushed open the door to have Tavin greet her with a weak smile. He looked worse every time she saw him.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± After sitting up a little more on the bed, he said, ¡°You can just set it down there. I don¡¯t think I¡¯m ready for it just yet.¡±


    ¡°How¡¯ve you been?¡± she asked, quietly, as she followed his instruction. ¡°And that friend of yours. The girl.¡± For the life of her, though, she could not recall that girl¡¯s name. It had yet to become important enough to take the time to memorize.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been as well as I can be, I guess.¡± With the answer came so many things unsaid. Things that the adults had mentioned, that perhaps he thought she wouldn¡¯t have known enough to be concerned if he didn¡¯t tell her. ¡°Nadia¡¯s been doing well, too. She actually wanted to come and meet you, but she¡¯s expecting a letter from Enebish soon and Leon needed her help at home. What about you? It looks like there¡¯s something else on your mind.¡±


    Philyra let out a sheepish chuckle. ¡°Nothing gets past you¡­ But I don¡¯t want to bother you, if you¡¯d still rather be resting.¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I¡¯m here if you want to talk.¡±


    For a moment, she considered what she was going to say. She quickly decided that she wasn¡¯t going to mention Jesper¡ªthat would too easily turn into other questions, other confessions, that she did not want to make in front of him. She knew she could trust Tavin to keep nearly anything between the two of them, but for something like that, she couldn¡¯t risk Zofie knowing about it. So instead, Philyra talked about the other half of her problems. She told him about the dreams¡ªthe voice that wasn¡¯t hers, the memories and people that were familiar yet unknown.


    While she waited in silence to hear his response, she partially expected to be told she was simply imagining it. She didn¡¯t know if she hoped for that outcome, or wished that he¡¯d tell her something more than that.


    ¡°That¡¯s been happening since Natheniel disappeared?¡± was the first thing he asked. It was careful, like he didn¡¯t want to upset her, and concerned, which was the part that truly worried her.


    Still, she shrunk a little as she nodded.


    ¡°I assume you realize you probably shouldn¡¯t have waited this long to mention it..? We know that it¡¯s not something to cause concern now, but even in Qizar, you still have to be careful of Myal¨®. Recurring nightmares like that shouldn¡¯t just be ignored.¡±


    ¡°I know¡­¡±


    As he continued, his tone was more thoughtful, and she didn¡¯t fear whatever he was going to end up saying quite as much. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be impossible for you to have just made them up, but as much as you might prefer that answer, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s what it is. It¡¯s too predictable, it can be triggered by certain surroundings, and it follows people that actually lived at some point in time.¡± Neither of them wanted him to say it out loud. ¡°I think it being caused by a spirit makes the most sense.¡±


    ¡°I went through twelve years of my life before doing this, do you really think I wouldn¡¯t have noticed something like that?¡± She didn¡¯t know why she was trying to fight it. She was talking to the person with the most knowledge about spirits in the whole camp¡ªmore importantly, someone who wouldn¡¯t suggest such a thing to her unless he completely believed it.


    ¡°Most people with spirits could go their whole life without making the connection. The only reason so many people in Seothia know is because, in a lot of places, kids need to be checked for spirits. Qizar doesn¡¯t have those kinds of rules. Unless the spirit majorly affects their life, they¡¯ll just think however the spirit influences them are only odd quirks.¡±


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    ¡°That still doesn¡¯t seem to explain why this is only a recent thing. I didn¡¯t notice anything like this until three years ago.¡±


    ¡°Spirits show more, whether they mean to or not, when the person they¡¯re connected to goes through something similar to them. She could¡¯ve gotten closer to you after you nearly died in a way that she had.¡± Before she could ask any more questions, though, he added, ¡°I can¡¯t be the only one you tell this to. A spirit may be relatively harmless but it¡¯s still something that Aunt Zofie, at least, should be aware of. You should talk to her.¡±


    Philyra uncomfortably shifted, mumbling something she didn¡¯t even exactly understand.


    ¡°Lord Kadol, then? He seems like the second best person to talk to. He might be able to tell you more about it, too.¡±


    ¡­


    She was, honestly, intending on completely ignoring Tavin¡¯s advice and returning to her little bubble of denial. But then the time came the next morning when Zofie and Imre were talking, Thero was with Zofie, Dimas was taking care of Tavin, and Domenique had wandered to one of the nearby border towns. Philyra found herself alone with Kadol who, since none of the Seothian lords had shown up yet, was told that he didn¡¯t need to be in the meeting.


    He noticed her anxiousness long before she¡¯d worked up the nerve to ask anything, and prompted, ¡°Is there something you need, Princess?¡±


    Nearly against her own will, she told him the same things she¡¯d told Tavin, and what he¡¯d instructed her to do. She never once looked up at Kadol, even when it seemed that he gave her all of his attention. She¡¯d imagined, when she finally finished and willed herself to meet his gaze, that he might have a stern or uncaring expression; she assumed he might find it silly, or impossible, and the time she spent explaining it was nothing more than a waste.


    But some form of amusement showed in his expression, his eyes unchanging from when he asked her, and putting aside whatever other work he had in front of him. Then, he began to answer her ramble with a question of his own: ¡°Do you know anything about Queen Ilena?¡±


    ¡°She was one of Qizar¡¯s past queens..?¡± Philyra guessed. ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t think I ever heard about her¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not surprised. She wasn¡¯t able to do much in her remarkably short reign and any past controversies are cleared up and forgotten by now.¡±


    ¡°Did she rule as someone else¡¯s regent..?¡±


    She was in no way surprised to see Kadol shake his head, nor his answer. ¡°She was murdered.¡±


    ¡°What does she have to do with this?¡± she decided to ask, instead of dwelling on such a fate.


    ¡°I heard that she was a lot like you. Both of you bore a strong resemblance to Holy Queen Norah¡ªespecially your eyes. Queen Ilena had Holy Queen Norah¡¯s spirit, as well, with the fact being well known among most of the people. They thought it was a sign that, perhaps, hers would be the reign when they would finish recovering from the acts of the Tyrant King¡­ then she was murdered, slain by a coward who did not share her optimistic ideals. Queen Kyra¡ªyour great-grandmother¡ªwas first suspected, though it didn¡¯t take long for her to be cleared, her name sung as the new queen, and Queen Ilena¡¯s tragic fate completely forgotten.¡± He smirked, for a moment, before likely remembering how disconcerting such a thing was. ¡°Now, why do you think she was killed?¡±


    ¡°You said it yourself,¡± Philyra pointed out, ¡°someone didn¡¯t agree with what she was going to do as queen.¡±


    ¡°More than that.¡±


    A pause, then slowly, ¡°She was connected to Holy Queen Norah¡­¡±


    He nodded. ¡°It is commonly believed that one¡¯s connection to a spirit can only come in three distinct forms. But, like most things in this world, it isn¡¯t quite as clear cut as Seothians teach them to be. You know that there are a special few with strong enough connections that their minds ¡®create¡¯ the spirit, a perpetual illusion of sorts. There are even fewer cases where it manifests not as a projection of the mind, but in the flesh. That is the kind of connection Queen Ilena had¡ªa kind of connection you, too, possess to Holy Queen Norah. It¡¯s a rare ability, one nearly akin to suggesting that Vriuh had allowed someone to leave their domain and live again. For every person that simply wishes to learn about or protect the one with that bond, there are several more who fear it. They see it as a hindrance, instead of an opportunity, and strive to get rid of it. That¡¯s why every queen with eyes like yours¡ªlike Holy Queen Norah¡¯s¡ªhave had much shorter reigns than the ones who do not.¡±


    ¡°Am I supposed to be comforted by some portion of this?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m simply stating the truth.¡± His tone and expression softened, though, as he continued, ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about it. You and Zofie both are very much like family to me, and that means more to me than the opportunities you might bring. I already ensured that no one would dare to hurt you¡ªeither of you. No one would be foolish enough to try, on that you have my word.¡±


    She had one more question, one she already had a guess to the answer. ¡°Is¡­ Mother aware of all of this?¡±


    ¡°In fragments, perhaps, though I doubt she knows the full story. Odelle was hardly told what had happened to Queen Ilena, so there wasn¡¯t really anyone to tell Zofie. I consider it for the better. We can both understand why¡ªshe doesn¡¯t need another cause for concern, or reason to keep you hidden away. I believe you can also guess that I would like this conversation to stay between the two of us, so that nothing else can spark her paranoia.¡±

 Raven Feathers: Chapter 6

    She could say that she had some kind of answer¡­ but that was really only half of it. While trying to wrap her head around it on their trip back to Hyasari, she¡¯d simply resolved to possibly talk about it more with Kadol, or even do some research on her own. Though she soon found herself with a new mission after they returned: to find Jesper.


    It was then that she realized she didn¡¯t know where she could find him. He had always found her, and she felt like her presence wouldn¡¯t be appreciated at the Raven¡¯s headquarters¡­ never mind the fact she didn¡¯t actually know if she could get in on her own.


    Just as suddenly, Kadol came up to her. ¡°I have some matters I need to attend to at the church. Would you like to join me? A guard could come and stay with you, if you want to wander around town.¡±


    Philyra¡¯s first instinct was to decline¡ªshe needed to practice for a minor performance next service. But there was something about his knowing expression, one that brought an odd sense of comfort when it usually made her uneasy, that made her nod instead. Somehow, the idea of him being aware of the whole thing wasn¡¯t quite as concerning as what it felt like it should¡¯ve been¡ªas it used to be.


    It seemed to be no coincidence that Jesper was not-so-subtly waiting in front of the church. She bid Kadol goodbye¡ªwho, after undoubtedly catching sight of the reason, didn¡¯t mention a guard at all¡ªand went to Jesper.


    ¡°How was that important trip?¡± he prompted with a friendly smile.


    ¡°Confusing,¡± was the only word she could think of to describe it accurately. ¡°Did you do anything interesting?¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°Since my mission¡¯s with you, I don¡¯t really have a lot to do when you¡¯re not around. But I did do some thinking¡­ and I want to tell you one more story. I know you¡¯re already aware of the consequences if you decide to join us, so it isn¡¯t really about that. It¡¯s more of just some musing of mine, or maybe some kind of cautionary tale, if you¡¯d like to see it that way.¡±


    Jesper glanced around and, once assured that no one would be listening to them, continued, ¡°I was never visiting family here in Hyasari. I¡­ guess that was probably kind of obvious, though, after I showed you to the base. I was born in the Tylane Coast area, but for most of my life, I¡¯d been at that base. Both of my parents were accused of heresy and, luckily for me, my grandfather had been the one to oversee it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what you consider ¡®lucky?¡¯¡±


    ¡°Compared to being a charge of the church, with no one willing to take in a kid who seemed destined for a heretical path? Definitely. My mom¡¯s last request was that my grandfather would take me back to Andrea Province and raise me there. I was raised mostly by the older adults you might¡¯ve seen at the base.¡± He hesitated for a moment. ¡°That¡­ isn¡¯t exactly what I¡¯ve been thinking of, though. My parents died in what I¡¯ve heard been called the ¡®redemptive wildfire.¡¯ For over a year, heretics were found and executed all over Qizar¡ªonly half of them deserved it. So, what I was really musing¡­ was that it¡¯s kinda weird, how your mother had ordered the death of so many, yet here we are, talking like we¡¯d always been on the same side.¡±


    Philyra sighed. ¡°I guess that¡¯s just how things are supposed to be, between the faithful and the heretics. Anyone with any ¡®true¡¯ faith will point to the ¡®traitors¡¯ among them, give them an already biased trial as if to ease their minds, and have them burned at the stake. All those people are sent to die in agony when they do little more than express a difference of belief. And Mother¡¯s almost always been the one to decide if they go to Vriuh¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if this¡¯ll really help, but if it does, then think of it this way: she doesn¡¯t know. None of them do. They all believe that what they¡¯re doing is what the gods want¡ªthat it¡¯s a part of their job to do it. That¡¯s what makes our own mission that much more important. The sooner we can share the truth with them, the less people that need to die by the hands of the ¡®righteous.¡¯ Then no one will have to fear dying over what they believe in.¡±


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    She was quiet for a few moments, thinking it all over, before finally daring to ask, ¡°What started it? The ¡®redemptive wildfire,¡¯ I mean.¡±


    ¡°Queen Zofie ordered Allen¡¯s execution.¡±


    ¡°You¡­ mentioned him earlier, too. Who was he..?¡±


    ¡°He was the young bishop of the Pasha region, before Lord Ilias took over. That wasn¡¯t why his execution mattered so much, though. He was a lot closer to her than a lot of people realized¡ªthey loved each other. When she found out, she didn¡¯t want to believe that she¡¯d given her heart to a heretic. She didn¡¯t even wait to hear his side of the story. Now the only thing she has of him is the child they had together¡­ you.¡±


    Philyra had tried to understand what he said, for a little bit. Then, when still no great revelations hit her, she quietly admitted she was going to go back to Kadol.


    She¡¯d heard a few stories surrounding her birth. The Qizarn throne needed an heir, but two things stood in the way of that: concerns for Zofie¡¯s health, and the fact she feared the child reliving her own childhood if she misjudged who the father really was. The first concern was always a problem¡ªreally, there was never a time where it wasn¡¯t a problem for one reason or another¡ªbut the second just¡­ seemed to disappear. Whenever anyone would recall what happened around that time, there wasn¡¯t so much as a mention of a father. Philyra, once she was old enough to realize there needed to be a father, simply assumed hers had been some nameless individual; one who served his purpose, then disappeared into the masses. The thought that he¡¯d actually been someone Zofie loved was near impossible for Philyra to believe.


    That wasn¡¯t even mentioning the fact that he¡¯d apparently been a Raven.


    Her mother, undoubtedly one of the most zealous followers of the Commandments anyone in Hyasari knew, fell in love with a Raven. No wonder there¡¯d never been a mention of it. Anyone else would¡¯ve just done what they thought was right, or convinced one or the other to change sides. Zofie must¡¯ve thought it to be dishonorable to have let it go that far¡ªto have not seen through it soon enough. She must¡¯ve erased all traces of his existence out of her life as soon as she knew the truth.


    Philyra could picture the whole thing in her head. Yet, for some reason, she still wanted to hear it from Zofie.


    So she decided to mention it after dinner, the only time she could guarantee that they would all be together.


    ¡°Mother,¡± Philyra began cautiously, prompting Zofie to stop the quiet conversation she was having with Kadol, ¡°who was Allen?¡±


    Domenique kept reading whatever note was in front of her with the same bored expression. Kadol seemed impressed, for a moment, before returning to his previously serious look. Thero tensed, albeit slightly, his thoughts clearer in the way he glanced at Zofie.


    Zofie froze, even paling a little. ¡°Where did you hear that name?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that matters. Who was he?¡± Philyra didn¡¯t know where this newfound confidence was coming from. She just hoped that it didn¡¯t get her into serious trouble, or return to its mysterious hiding place the moment she needed it most.


    ¡°A heretic,¡± was Zofie¡¯s first answer, as bitter as she would say the name of her own father.


    ¡°But he was more than that, wasn¡¯t he?¡±


    Resolve cracking, also unfamiliar with this confidence, ¡°The previous bishop of the Pasha region, before Lord Ilias took the position.¡±


    ¡°Then why did he stay at the castle?¡±


    ¡°Because I¡ª¡± Zofie took a deep, calm breath, and rebuilt the walls of indifference. ¡°I was blinded by his charm and failed to see who he really was. When I knew¡­ I did what any true follower would. He was executed for heresy and now resides with Vriuh, where he can be properly punished for the things he and his people have done.¡± She got up, slowly, still pretending that she didn¡¯t care. ¡°I have a lot of work I need to take care of, and I know you have schoolwork to do, too. Please, don¡¯t talk about heretics¡ªthey¡¯re where they belong, as defiers of Orestis¡¯s will.¡±


    Then she left, Thero dutifully following after her.


    Domenique only then truly gave her surroundings serious consideration. ¡°Did I miss something, or did literally nothing happen?¡±


    Kadol grew a wistful expression. ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s best if you stay here, too, Domenique. I suppose it doesn¡¯t matter anymore, though it won¡¯t hurt to tell you. Zofie¡­ tries to forget that portion of her past, I think you both can understand that about her. Still, there¡¯s times for well-intended secrets, and times when all of the facts need to come to light. Seeing as she won¡¯t, I¡¯ll be the one to tell you about Allen, and all that he meant to her.¡±

 Raven Feathers: Chapter 7

    Kadol started his explanation with a thoughtful, and perhaps a bit mournful, tone, one that might¡¯ve suggested a deeper connection between the two. ¡°Zofie had called all the bishops to a meeting¡ªthere was a lot they needed to address at the change of the year. You know that she avoids calling for meetings at the capital if it can be just as effectively solved through letters, so it was the first time that they were all together since Allen took up the position. The two of them caught each other¡¯s attention, a kind of connection I¡¯d never seen either possess for any other before. Allen stayed at the castle when all the other bishops left. By fate or luck, no one seemed to realize who he was¡­ and it was only I, Thero, and Dimas that were told of the specifics of their relationship.


    ¡°No matter what Zofie may tell you, I know for a fact that what they had was true love¡­ though, I suppose, there was always a part of her that doubted it. It was by her decision that no one else knew¡ªnow she¡¯d say it was Sachiel warning her, back then she hated never being able to admit it. Had things played out just a little differently, I¡¯m quite certain we¡¯d have a king and an undoubtedly happier queen. But you both know that this isn¡¯t a story that has a happy ending.¡±


    His frown deepened, showing a kind of sadness that Philyra wasn¡¯t sure she¡¯s ever actually seen him have before. ¡°Allen had to attend to important matters in his region. He had always been reckless¡ªhe barely considered the consequences of his actions. He didn¡¯t even leave a note¡­ and he wasn¡¯t there when Zofie was about to tell him she was pregnant. Some time passed, and they still hadn¡¯t heard anything from him. Zofie succumbed to her own paranoia and began to try to figure out who he really was. She learned that he was a part of the Ravens¡­ the very same that had been responsible for Odelle¡¯s murder, and very likely the group that had poisoned her and caused her to lose her magic. Allen was ordered to Hyasari and nothing that he could say would have convinced her to change her mind. He was executed shortly after arriving, which is where the story ends.¡±


    ¡°That was who that guy was?¡± Domenique didn¡¯t seem as aware of the solemn air as Philyra was. Or maybe it just showed how separated she was from the situation as a whole. ¡°I assumed he was a freeloader or something¡­¡±


    ¡°He assumed you were a simple maid for most of his stay, as well,¡± Kadol remarked casually. ¡°Frankly, it had to have been some kind of special twist of fate that you never really interacted with each other¡­¡±


    ¡°Sounds like you knew him pretty well,¡± she pointed out. ¡°You don¡¯t even pretend to sound that familiar with the other bishops that you¡¯ve known for longer.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I was quite familiar with him. He was one of the youngest of any of the bishops that had been chosen for the position. I had to keep my eye on him.¡± There was a little more to it, however well it was hidden, even if he clearly wasn¡¯t going to admit to it. ¡°Now remember, I only told you this because I decided you should know¡ªbut that doesn¡¯t mean everything else needs to know it as well. Keep this between us.¡±


    Domenique shrugged. ¡°I can do that. Kind of explains a couple of things.¡± She stood up. ¡°It looks like you two would rather talk alone, so I¡¯ll leave you to it. I¡¯ve got some other things I should probably do.¡±


    Then she waved and left.


    ¡°She¡¯s more observant than I assumed. I thought I would need to ask her to leave.¡± Kadol turned all his attention to Philyra. ¡°Now that we¡¯ve got some proper time alone¡­ have you gotten along with Jesper?¡±


    Her panicked response immediately ruined her attempt at denying it. ¡°Wh¡ªwho¡¯s Jesper?¡±


    He laughed. ¡°It¡¯s alright, no one else is listening. I¡¯m the last person you¡¯ll need to lie to, if this is the route you choose to follow.¡± He thought about it for a little longer. ¡°He¡¯s shown you to the base by now, hasn¡¯t he? Has he told you about our mission yet?¡±


    ¡°Our,¡± she repeated, still stuck on that single fact.


    ¡°He¡¯s told you about their boss, at least, I¡¯m sure of that much. Though I explicitly told him not to, I¡¯m sure he¡¯s mentioned his grandfather a few times as well.¡±


    ¡°You¡­ and them¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, the Orasos family has been deeply involved with the Ravens for a long time¡­ nearly as long as we¡¯ve been advisors to the queen.¡±


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    ¡°And¡­ Jesper¡¯s your¡ª¡±


    ¡°Grandson, yes. It seems like such a long time ago now, but I once had a ¡®treasonous¡¯ love of my own. Unfortunately I¡¯d lost communication with her and our daughter when they had to be relocated to the coast. I didn¡¯t expect either of them to be alive until I went there to oversee my own daughter¡¯s execution. That was when I brought Jesper back to the Ravens.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I have so many different questions¡­¡± She couldn¡¯t believe any of this, though she would be lying if she said she didn¡¯t have some fragment of suspicion.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure you do, and I can answer them all when the time comes. But I have one more question of my own for you: have you made your decision? You know what we stand for. You know the things we have to do to strangers and family alike. You know what our fate will be, when we are perhaps inevitably caught and tried for our sins. So, where do you stand? I won¡¯t blame you, no matter what you choose¡ªyours is a truly unique case.¡±


    Philyra thought about it; everything she¡¯d already been aware of and everything that she learned within the past few weeks. Then she made her decision:


    ¡°The way I see it, I don¡¯t really have a choice anymore. I know what¡¯s happening and I know that people are getting hurt because of it. If it¡¯s something that I could help¡­ I want to be able to do something. However much Mother¡¯s wrath might scare me, or if I end up getting divine punishment from the gods¡­ I can¡¯t just stand by in my safe little world while others are suffering.¡±


    ¡°I was hoping you¡¯d say that,¡± he said in a warm tone. ¡°But I want you to think it over. Any time you wish, you can back out and change your mind. I don¡¯t want to see you get hurt because of this.¡± He got up to leave. ¡°If you¡¯re confident in your answer, come find me at the end of the week. I¡¯ll bring you to the base myself, to introduce you to them as the newest member of the Ravens.¡±


    ¡­


    She was, quite frankly, terrified. Her decision carried more weight with it than what she wanted to carry. But she was confident, too¡ªconfident when she found Kadol at the end of the week, confident when he walked her to the base, confident when he said those irrevocable words.


    ¡°Today, we welcome a new member to stand among us,¡± he declared once everyone had gathered in the main hall. ¡°You¡¯re all already familiar with her, but Princess Philyra has decided to join us. And with her, we will achieve things we never could have on our own.¡±


    Some cheered immediately, others hesitated before joining in, and there were a few still that didn¡¯t even after the others had died down. Kadol flashed her a comforting glance before specifically going to those handful of people. Philyra might have followed to see what he¡¯d tell them, were it not for the fact Jesper and Aravind walked up to her.


    ¡°I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re with us now!¡± Jesper said, beaming. ¡°I was afraid you might have chosen to stay with the queen¡­¡±


    ¡°He kept rambling about it,¡± Aravind remarked as he gave Jesper a not-so-playful punch in the shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m going to be clear: I think you¡¯re trouble. I wasn¡¯t surprised that you fooled Jesper. As you can probably tell he¡¯s quite stupid¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m right here.¡±


    ¡°¡ªand probably only still alive because he¡¯s been at the base all his life. But to have fooled Boss¡­ you must be something extra special. Perhaps you¡¯d even rival a siren.¡±


    ¡°Why did you even walk up to her if all you were going to do is antagonize her?¡± Jesper asked, then glanced at Philyra. ¡°Sorry, he does this to everyone. Kind of. Everyone related to me or Boss, anyway¡­¡±


    Aravind shot him a dark glare. ¡°As if you don¡¯t know! If you weren¡¯t here, then I might have a chance to¡ª¡± He took a deep breath. ¡°No, I can say this to both of you. I came to you, Philyra, because I have one last thing to tell you. Don¡¯t get in my way. I¡¯m the third in line to be the successor of the Ravens, after all.¡±


    A third person, Farrar, walked up to whack the back of Aravind¡¯s head. ¡°You¡¯re not and you know it. You probably got yourself to the bottom of that list the moment you realized Jesper was ahead of you. Come on, you¡¯ve got work to do.¡± He practically shoved Aravind off before turning to ask Philyra, hesitating for a moment, ¡°You¡¯re¡­ close with the Seothian royal family, right? Do you know how well their army¡¯s commander¡ªKiah Endove¡ªis doing?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Philyra admitted honestly. ¡°I only really talk with Tavin¡­ B-but she seemed okay, when I saw her.¡±


    A sheepish chuckle. ¡°Yeah, I guess that¡¯s really not something you would know. It¡¯s even more of a stretch, but¡­ how about her parents? Efse Endove and Zadeer Shashi¡ªthey both live in Hyasari.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve even met those two¡­ goblins have their own church now, so most of them don¡¯t come to our services¡­¡±


    The disappointment was clear in his expression, before he quickly replaced it with a soft smile. ¡°That makes sense. Thanks anyway.¡± He walked away, back to where Aravind was now sulking in a corner, and from the looks of it immediately going to give him orders.


    ¡°Do you want me to show you around?¡± Jesper prompted after a moment. ¡°I want to introduce you to everyone.¡±


    She nodded, and somehow managed a smile. ¡°I¡¯d like that.¡±


    He guided her off to the others where, for the first time in her recent memory, she didn¡¯t feel the need to hide. It was strange, but almost fitting, that she¡¯d be most comfortable around heretics.

 Travelers Tales- Chapter 1

    Her favorite part was, and always will be, the mumbles of the guests as they waited for the show to start. They¡¯d all gathered here to see something they¡¯d never thought of before; people who otherwise wouldn¡¯t have even considered crossing paths were unified here. She always made sure she was prepared at least an hour before everyone else so then she could peek behind the curtains and watch the guests all trickle in.


    Sukeena excitedly turned to the man behind her. ¡°Do you think it¡¯s a full house, Dad?¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯d hope so,¡± he chuckled. He safely stashed away a collection of coins. ¡°We sold every last one of those tickets.¡±


    ¡°Well, we¡¯ll be sure to give them a show to remember, right?¡± she said, beaming.


    He stepped closer to her and ruffled her hair. ¡°You know we will! I¡¯m almost ready to get started, why don¡¯t you check in on everyone else?¡±


    She vigorously nodded. She darted off, though she wouldn¡¯t say she was paying too much attention to where she was going¡ªher mind was racing with possibilities, as it did before every show. One day she¡¯d replace her father as the troupe¡¯s ringleader and, until then, there was only one thing to do¡­


    Practice her awesome introductions!


    No big show would be without a grand introduction of all of its members. She often took this time, wandering around, talking with everyone in the troupe, thinking of each of their individual traits. She imagined herself in front of a crowd of eager listeners and began with the most important one of them all: her father.


    Welcome, one and all, to a new show of daring, a night you will always remember! First I¡¯d like to introduce you to the man who started it all: Insith! He inherited this troupe from his father and, can I say, I think he¡¯s even better than the last. You¡¯ll never go wrong when he¡¯s there! A master of all tricks and skills, he only has one purpose tonight¡­ to give you a performance of a lifetime!


    She imagined some cheering and claps, then found her next two targets.


    ¡°Orith, I would appreciate it if you could set me down so that I can finish getting ready.¡± Natharie was in no way fazed to be carried by Orith; she was just putting the last few ornaments on a group of doves that rested on her lap.


    ¡°Come on, now! Where¡¯s the fun in that?¡± Orith grinned, but did what she wanted. He was the first of the two to notice Sukeena. ¡°Guessing it¡¯s almost time for the show?¡±


    ¡°Mhm! Dad wanted me to make sure everyone was ready!¡± she replied eagerly.


    ¡°You¡¯re going out there too, aren¡¯t you?¡± Natharie asked, giving her a caring glance before returning to her work.


    ¡°Of course I am!¡±


    Sukeena never could figure out if that look of Natharie¡¯s was a happy one or one waiting for some kind of disaster. She did, though, wave and walk off.


    Next up, we have Natharie! A beast tamer hailing from Qizar¡¯s Andrea Province, there seems to be no shortage of mystery behind her. She¡¯s one of the first members of Insith¡¯s own troupe, fascinated by his wondrous tales of travels, and has stayed by his side ever since. What kind of show is she going to put on tonight, I wonder?


    And while she¡¯s taming lions, Orith is wrestling bears! He comes from southern Jaden territory and was close friends with the woman who influenced it all, Lakshani! Who was she, you ask? The best person in the world, second only to Insith! Or at least that¡¯s what I¡¯ve been told, I don¡¯t remember her. But back to Orith! He¡¯s a strong guy that you can rely on to make the performance one worth remembering!


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    She found the next few troupe members. As she continued to talk to all them, giving them all praiseworthy introductions in her mind, she also considered what she might say to end it all off.


    Some of us are here because this is something that they have always aspired for¡ªthey wanted to be the star of a show, to be recognized for feats not every person is capable of. Others are here because they want to see the world and all the wonders that come with it. A few more are here because they didn¡¯t belong anywhere else and found a home with us; a home among the like-minded, of powers or abilities thought too strange for a person to possess. All of us, however, share one common goal: to see you walk away tonight with a smile on your face, or at least satisfied with having spent your time with us. So without further ado, let¡¯s get started with a show I hope will stay with you long after today!


    But she realized she wasn¡¯t done, as she was about to walk back to Insith to announce her success, when she passed by a mirror. She¡¯d forgotten one last person!


    And last but certainly not least, there¡¯s me, Sukeena! Destined for great things as the daughter of the great Insith and Lakshani, with some kind of skill for anything you could think of! I¡¯m like your little one-person circus, but who wouldn¡¯t be, with such amazing parents? Name something, I¡¯m certain I can do it all! Think that since I¡¯m Seothian I can¡¯t use magic? Think again! My mom could use powerful magic, even if no one in her family had ever come from Qizar. I inherited those powers from her so, really, there¡¯s no limits to what I¡¯m capable of!


    She stared at her reflection for a little longer. This girl staring back at her was going to be the star of the show¡ªthe one they wanted to see, that they clapped the loudest for. At first she had a small frown, but soon gained a wide and confident smile. She was going to do everything she could to make this a show that no one in attendance could forget. With a nod to her reflection, she turned away from the mirror and walked back to her father.


    In the few minutes it took Sukeena to wander around the place, Natharie had finished what she¡¯d been preparing, and was now waiting for Insith¡¯s signal for the show to start. Except¡­ she wasn¡¯t just waiting, she was mumbling things to him. The two of them were close¡ªof course they were, given how long they¡¯ve known each other¡ªand often spoke before shows. But not like this. This was a low, careful kind of conversation, the words of which she wanted to stay between the two of them and probably weren¡¯t anything good.


    Knowing this, Sukeena immediately stepped to the side to find a discreet place to watch them, but Orith saw her first.


    If he¡¯d really recognized what she was going to do, though, or what made that conversation important, he didn¡¯t show it. ¡°Think you¡¯re ready to give it your all out there?¡±


    She, too, made no signs of acknowledging the mutterings. ¡°Yeah! They¡¯re going to be the most amazed they¡¯ve ever been in their whole lives!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the spirit!¡± He ruffled her hair. ¡°Things should be starting any minute now¡ªthe crowd''s certainly ready for it. When do you go up?¡±


    ¡°Dad wanted me last! One final act to blow them away!¡±


    He laughed and, only then, acknowledged Insith and Natharie in the corner. ¡°Are you two done yet? Take any longer and I think the more impatient of ¡®em are going to start leaving!¡±


    Still, that didn¡¯t stop Natharie from continuing to whisper dark things, or Insith¡¯s replies with an expression that showed he wasn¡¯t really listening to her. Orith waited a moment longer before leaving Sukeena alone and walking up to the two of them; she liked to pretend that he simply repeated himself, when she knew that he¡¯d said something different.


    Insith first looked at his daughter, muttered something she could barely understand as ¡°we¡¯ll talk about this more later,¡± and wandered closer to the curtain. He raised his voice there to announce to the whole troupe, ¡°The show is starting now! Everyone, make sure you have everything you¡¯ll need for your act and get into your proper places!¡± Then as the troupe began to gather in front of him, he looked back at Natharie and remarked, ¡°You know I can¡¯t start the show without you. Come, friend, let¡¯s give them a night they¡¯ll never forget.¡±


    Natharie, with what almost looked like against her better judgment, nodded. She slowly stood up and prepared to release the doves that would come before his entrance. Right before she opened the cage, Sukeena could¡¯ve sworn she heard her mumble, ¡°Let¡¯s hope it¡¯s for something good.¡±

 Travelers Tales- Chapter 2

    She¡¯d once been afraid of heights, before she had to get comfortable with them in order to perform. A story she¡¯d heard once about moving shadows had terrified her, until Insith showed her the trinket he¡¯d paid good money for to keep them away from the shows. But this new fear of fire she had a feeling wouldn¡¯t go away; it brought up more memories than she would¡¯ve liked, more scenes than her peppy character would allow. No, she wasn¡¯t going to think about all of that. Not anymore. It was all behind her and nothing like that was going to happen again.


    All she needed to do was to convince the three of them that, so that she could find the others and they could keep going like nothing happened at all.


    ¡°I swear I¡¯m fine!¡± Sukeena insisted for what must¡¯ve been the tenth time during the one conversation. Zach was looking at her smaller cuts while Camecia and Umi worked together to sort herbs the former had just arrived with.


    One of the first things Zach had first asked Sukeena to do when they met was to focus on something brighter. So, she¡¯d given them all mental introductions, ones that changed slightly as she got to know them over the next couple of weeks:


    Zach is from here in coastal Jaden territory. He¡¯s got some extreme talent for Life magic and wings¡ªbut no one believes me on that part for some reason. When I bring it up he nervously laughs but Camecia and Umi both think I¡¯m hallucinating. Camecia is his assistant, I think they¡¯ve been working together for around four years now. She¡¯s from a family of doctors in Qizar¡­ but I haven¡¯t seen her use any magic. She usually just collects, sorts, and mixes herbs for Zach. I still don¡¯t know who Umi is, really. He was the first to find me and bring me back here, but he hasn¡¯t known Zach and Camecia much longer than I have. He knows Life magic, too, and was traveling for a while. He has all the makings of a future troupe member! If he¡¯d like to join us.


    Sukeena glanced at each of them to see if her plea had worked. It didn¡¯t. Actually, they all kept doing what they¡¯d been doing as if she hadn¡¯t said anything at all.


    Then, rather casually, Camecia remarked, ¡°You know, she hasn¡¯t really gone outside much since she came here. She should probably get some fresh air.¡±


    ¡°I have a feeling that if we let her out of our sight she¡¯s not going to come back,¡± Zach responded more cautiously.


    ¡°I¡¯ll come back!¡± Sukeena said quickly. ¡°I just want to see if everyone else is okay! Then I can come back if you want me to.¡±


    They¡¯d probably assumed she hadn¡¯t heard them that night, when apparently an official report was released; from the sounds of it, it didn¡¯t seem like there was a lot to be hoped for. But she still had to see. She convinced herself that she was going to hold on to every fragment of hope she could until it became clear she couldn¡¯t.


    Umi seemed about ready to sigh, before his indifferent gaze met Sukeena¡¯s confident glare, and his expression softened. ¡°I can walk with her¡ªdrag her back if it takes too long or we go too far. I doubt it¡¯ll take us longer than an hour.¡±


    ¡°Because we¡¯re going to find them and bring them back to thank you three personally for helping!¡± Sukeena added, a part of her desperate for the idea that the inclusion implied, even if it just earned her careful looks from them.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think they¡¯re all going to fit here,¡± Zach mumbled instead of whatever he actually thought.


    ¡°There¡¯s probably not many of them left to host,¡± Umi remarked. Apparently he wasn¡¯t too fond of beating around the bush. There was a moment of silence, then he sighed. ¡°Sukeena, I don¡¯t want to be the bearer of bad news here, but think about it. What are you going to do if it turns out that you¡¯re the only¡ª¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t we at least try first?¡± She didn¡¯t want to hear it. Why did it seem like such a bad thing that she wanted to believe there was a chance of something other than the worst? ¡°For all you know, they¡¯re all perfectly safe, right?¡±


    ¡°With Vriuh, maybe.¡± His tone, it seemed, was what might have crossed the line, since it earned him a nudge from Camecia.


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    ¡°With, uh¡ªQizar doesn¡¯t have a god of life, do they? That doesn¡¯t matter! You get my point!¡± Sukeena insisted. ¡°They¡¯re all alive and safe unless you can specifically prove otherwise!¡±


    It looked like, if Umi had been any more interested in following Camecia¡¯s guiding nudges, he would¡¯ve stayed silent. But he didn¡¯t. ¡°You seem like the kind that¡¯s good at eavesdropping, especially when you¡¯ve more or less had nowhere to go for a while. You¡¯ve probably heard us talking about the report by now. The initial report stated that there weren¡¯t any bodies. One a few days later announced there being at least one. You know a middle-aged guy who was wearing a flashy suit?¡±


    A face and its owner¡¯s voice popped into her head almost immediately. Then she imagined that smell of smoke, the uncomfortable warmth of fire, and she stood up and vigorously shook her head. ¡°They¡¯re all safe somewhere,¡± she repeated. She, with surprising confidence, despite still getting used to it, strode to the door to leave¡ªignoring any half-hearted attempt from Zach or Camecia to keep her here.


    She gave one last look at them. ¡°I¡¯m going to prove you wrong.¡± She didn¡¯t let herself consider the other option, because she convinced herself that there was a chance it wasn¡¯t true. She was so busy trying to keep herself convinced that she didn¡¯t stop Umi from trailing behind her.


    In fact, she always looked back at the memory and was grateful that he¡¯d cared enough to follow her¡­ even if, if she¡¯d been any less distracted in that moment, she would¡¯ve thought of him as the cause of this mild panic.


    Now, if Sukeena was going to be completely honest, she had no idea where she was going. Her half-conscious state that night¡ªone that had turned completely unconscious by the time Zach and Umi found her¡ªkept her from recalling any details. She could¡¯ve pointed to the spot of the show on a map, but she didn¡¯t know how far she was from that location now. Eventually she found herself following Umi, who wandered towards a town¡ªthough they didn¡¯t need to actually go there in order to find familiar faces.


    Right there, with determined expressions and a hushed conversation, Orith and Natharie were looking too.


    Sukeena forgot most sense of reason¡ªand didn¡¯t question the absence of a third person she¡¯d been expecting to find¡ªand nearly tripped over herself in her rush to get to them. She didn¡¯t care that Umi was so far behind her by the time she must¡¯ve startled them both with a hug.


    Natharie immediately shoved her back off, but it was out of care; she looked over Sukeena as if she might disappear, like every single cut proved that she was real. Then, when Natharie was satisfied in the fact that this wasn¡¯t a dream, she pulled Sukeena in for a tighter hug. ¡°Thank the gods you¡¯re safe¡­¡±


    ¡°W-well, for the most part, but we can talk about that later¡­¡± Sukeena gently pulled away and asked the question she was beginning to fear the answer to: ¡°Where¡¯s everyone else?¡±


    ¡°At an inn in town,¡± Natharie replied. It seemed like she didn¡¯t want to acknowledge the full truth any more than she did. ¡°But¡­ it¡¯s still not all of us. Insith¡ª¡±


    When she simply stopped there and didn¡¯t say anything else, Orith took up for her. ¡°Whoever they were and whatever they thought they were doing, they had a goal in mind. Almost everyone from the troupe was able to get away without getting hurt. But you were missing for a little while, and they¡­ killed Insith.¡±


    Sukeena knew what he said and the way they all cautiously looked at her. But, somehow, at that moment, she didn¡¯t think about it. That time would come once she actually let it sink in a few hours from now. ¡°What are we going to do now?¡±


    ¡°Most of the troupe will leave once they know you¡¯re alright¡ªthat¡¯s the only reason we¡¯re all together, with Insith gone.¡± Natharie went on to have a more panicked tone, though it seemed like she¡¯d thoughtfully considered what she said. ¡°I think we should go somewhere far away in Qizar. No one will question your magic there, we could say your parents were children of Fleyw Bresh and no one would think differently. We could live normally¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s what Dad would¡¯ve wanted,¡± Sukeena pointed out slowly. ¡°I¡¯m in charge of things now if he¡¯s gone, aren¡¯t I? I don¡¯t think it matters if everyone else wants to leave¡ªthat¡¯s their decision. But I know you and Orith will stay with me, and I think Umi could probably help, too. Dad wouldn¡¯t have wanted us to give up. He¡¯d tell us that everyone had their calling and ours was performing. I don¡¯t want to run away to Qizar. I want to give people the shows they didn¡¯t realize they were missing.¡±


    ¡°You know I¡¯m with you,¡± Orith remarked with a grin.


    ¡°I was afraid you¡¯d say that,¡± Natharie sighed. ¡°You¡¯re just like him. But¡­ I¡¯ll do anything for you.¡± She glared at Umi, who had just been silently watching the whole thing. ¡°Once you explain who he is and what he¡¯s doing here.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s Umi,¡± Sukeena explained. ¡°He, Zach, and Camecia were who I¡¯ve been staying with. I can introduce you to Zach and Camecia, too! Umi, these two are Natharie and Orith. And¡­ I probably should¡¯ve asked this a little earlier, but would you like to join our troupe?¡±


    He seemed honestly amused by the suggestion. ¡°I¡¯ve got nothing better to do¡ªI was wandering anyway, might as well give it some kind of purpose.¡±

 Travelers Tales: Chapter 3

    Given the fact that there were only four of them, they did pretty well. Sukeena, for the most part, was able to forget what had happened to them¡ªor, maybe the better way to say it was that she simply tried to bury it. Natharie and Orith must¡¯ve been the same way and, unless there was something that required the topic to be brought up, they never talked about what happened. Umi was more or less getting along with everyone, too; Natharie didn¡¯t like the fact it seemed like he was hiding something, but Sukeena always made a point to remind her that everyone had their secrets.


    ¡°Did we do well today?¡± Sukeena asked, walking over to Natharie.


    She was setting aside the coins like Insith used to, though she didn¡¯t seem nearly as satisfied or happy at one thing or another. ¡°About the same as usual,¡± she replied. ¡°Enough to keep us going comfortably.¡±


    Sukeena sat down beside her. ¡°I bet there¡¯d be even more people willing to go and see you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve told you already, I¡¯m done with the spotlight.¡± Natharie abruptly stood up. ¡°I only did it because of Insith. It¡¯s easier that I focus on managing the backend of things while the three of you are out there giving them a show. At least then I can always be watching you from the sidelines. Believe me, I¡¯m not holding back anything out of a sense of duty. I honestly don¡¯t want this.¡±


    The Natharie of Sukeena¡¯s memory had, before, been an admittedly colder woman who warmed up in the company of friends. She was fearless, a master with any animal or beast the troupe might¡¯ve been capable of getting a hold of for a show. Looking back, maybe there¡¯d been some hesitance to everything she did; maybe she¡¯d looked back, her expression changed for just a moment when Insith explained what her part of the show would be. But at that point, it felt like that version of Natharie was still there somewhere¡­ instead of going to a place where it could rest peacefully in the past, where she could take up the mantle they needed and she¡¯d always preferred.


    ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ see you after the show, then,¡± Sukeena mumbled. She guessed it was encouraging to know that there was still someone watching her from backstage. ¡°Don¡¯t try to scare off random guests in the middle of the show this time? I don¡¯t think that¡¯s really helping us.¡±


    Natharie mumbled something that sounded like a half-hearted excuse but, regardless, went to her spot to watch the show.


    Sukeena glanced through the curtain separating her and the crowd that had gathered to watch. She¡¯d brushed off most of the things that Natharie did but she was no less susceptible to them herself; she told herself she was gaining encouragement from their excited looks, when really she knew she was looking for any faces that had been there that night. Instead, she found there was a preteen in the crowd that seemed to be waiting with a certain spark in his eye. Sukeena smiled and decided that this performance, were it to be dedicated to anyone, would be for him.


    She stepped out of the curtain to cheers and began the show as the ringleader.


    ¡­


    She kept a close eye on him throughout the show. They were strangers¡ªshe¡¯d definitely never met him before¡ªbut there was something familiar in his awed expression. After it was over, she left Orith in charge of formally thanking the guests for coming while she went to find that familiar stranger.


    He must¡¯ve had an intention of talking with her, too, because he wasn¡¯t far from where they were. She guessed, given that he was startled for a moment after seeing her, that he¡¯d been standing there in order to work up the courage to talk to her.


    ¡°Did you enjoy the show?¡± Sukeena asked brightly with one of the friendliest smiles she could give. She wasn¡¯t here to intimidate him¡ªeven the people that are looked up to were only mortal, after all.


    He smiled back and nodded.


    She held out her hand. ¡°Great! What¡¯s your name? I¡¯m Sukeena, that big guy over there is Orith, and those two are Natharie and Umi.¡±


    ¡°Detu,¡± he responded hesitantly. He opened his mouth to say something else, then closed it and opened it a few more times. Finally, he worked up the courage to ask, ¡°Can I¡­ join you?¡±


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    Sukeena had to remind herself not to immediately accept his request. She had to think of it from a practical standpoint. What were all those things that Insith would say to anyone that asked him that, again..? ¡°We¡¯re travelers¡ªwe¡¯re probably only going to be around here for another day or so, then move on to somewhere new.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°You look pretty young¡­ where are your parents..?¡± She only somewhat acknowledged Orith walking up to them and Umi more cautiously watching from afar. ¡°Won¡¯t they be worried if you come with us?¡±


    ¡°They¡­ won¡¯t care. Not really¡­¡±


    Then Orith got close enough to put a hand on Sukeena¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Making some new friends?¡±


    ¡°This is Detu,¡± she explained. ¡°He wants to come with us, but I¡¯m not really sure what to do¡­¡±


    ¡°You already tried asking him about his parents?¡±


    Detu interrupted to state, ¡°I¡­ already told her. They won¡¯t¡­ care.¡±


    Orith clearly wanted to believe him just as much as Sukeena did, though knew that he couldn¡¯t just accept that. ¡°And why¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°They¡­¡± Detu trailed off, even if his expression proved he had plenty he wanted to say.


    Sukeena didn¡¯t know what else she could try to do and was glad that Orith seemed to. ¡°Then let¡¯s try to figure this out through simple questions. Are your parents nearby?¡±


    After a moment of consideration, Detu nodded. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Would it be possible to talk to them?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Do they know that you¡¯re out here?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Were they the ones who paid for your ticket?¡±


    Umi¡¯s voice startled them all. ¡°He didn¡¯t pay¡ªhe snuck in with another group.¡± Detu nervously nodded, but Umi just sighed. ¡°You said your parents wouldn¡¯t care if you came with us?¡±


    ¡°Mhm.¡±


    ¡°Did they do something to you?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Did they not do enough for you?¡±


    ¡°Kind of¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re out here on your own?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Are you running away?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Then, with some kind of bitterness seeping in, Umi asked, ¡°Did someone tell you to leave?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Detu answered slowly.


    Umi, satisfied, looked at Sukeena. ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯re going to have to worry about his parents caring about where he is.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like it¡¯ll almost be better if he does stay with us,¡± Orith mumbled. A bit louder and addressing Detu, he continued, ¡°Do you have anywhere to go?¡±


    Detu shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m just¡­ supposed to be¡­ gone.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll be fine with traveling?¡± Sukeena prompted. She glanced at Orith and he recognized that was her silent request for him to get Natharie. ¡°We¡¯re never going to stay at a spot for very long. Sure, you get to see a lot of different places, but there¡¯s never really a single place to call home. It¡¯s not the kind of life that everyone is capable of handling¡ªit can get hard sometimes even for the ones that are used to it.¡±


    Detu seemed the most confident he¡¯d ever been when he nodded again. ¡°I¡¯m sure!¡±


    Orith came back with Natharie, who must¡¯ve been told of the situation but still sighed when she asked, ¡°Sukeena, what do you need?¡±


    ¡°Can Detu come with us?¡± Sukeena asked, gesturing to him.


    ¡°Someone like him should be in school right about now, not traveling the world,¡± Natharie decided rather quickly. ¡°He¡¯d be grateful for the normalcy when he¡¯s a little bit older.¡±


    Detu looked like he was preparing to find the words to defend himself, but Umi did it for him. ¡°His parents didn¡¯t want him and they asked him to leave. The only other place that¡¯s left for him is the church, and I¡¯d say staying with us is better depending on the circumstances.¡±


    ¡°I still don¡¯t like the idea of this,¡± she remarked without a hint of hesitation. ¡°It sounds like a perfect set up to get someone in trouble in the future.¡±


    ¡°Please?¡± Sukeena tried. ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯s going to be able to help out somehow! And it sounds like this is the perfect place for him.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ know the flute,¡± Detu offered hesitantly, like he wasn¡¯t really sure if it would be able to help.


    Sukeena gave him a smile to show she appreciated it, then turned back to Natharie. ¡°See? He knows something! We¡¯ll be better off if we can get more people to join the troupe. It¡¯s just the four of us right now¡ªwe¡¯ve got a lot of catching up to do if we¡¯re ever going to catch up to the size it was when Dad was running things!¡±


    Natharie looked between her and Detu, then sighed. ¡°Alright. I suppose I wouldn¡¯t be able to stop you anyway.¡±

 Travelers Tales: Chapter 4

    They were, technically, all out in town in order to buy the supplies that they needed for the next couple of shows. Sukeena usually just left that part to Natharie, though, and tended to wander instead. She wasn¡¯t very far from the others¡ªafter what happened Natharie, subconsciously or not, liked to keep Sukeena in eyesight¡ªbut she still spent more time at several individual stalls than they did.


    She also didn¡¯t care that Umi was practically her shadow. It gave her someone to talk to when she saw something she liked.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that one pretty?¡± she asked, gesturing to one of the little figurines in a stall, though kept walking. It must¡¯ve been around some kind of festival; not only were there more stalls than usual, but they were also all filled with their own little unique wares. She¡¯d never been able to remember all of Qizar¡¯s festivals, though, nor when they happened.


    Umi gave an indifferent mumble.


    ¡°Come on, not even a little?¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s anything, it¡¯s overpriced. I could make you something better than that for a lot less.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°You sound surprised, even though you¡¯re talking to the person that made your prosthetic.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I guess you have a point there. What would it take to get you to make me something, then?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve got the tools I need for carving, I just need some extra wood. I don''t think it''s worth it, though.¡±


    ¡°I bet it will be! What if you made some to hand out at the end of shows, too? Would knowing you get something back out of it make you more willing to try?¡±


    He shrugged.


    Sukeena, realizing Natharie was surprisingly close by, called, ¡°Natharie, do you think we can get some wood for Umi?¡±


    Now, Natharie¡¯s nod was undoubtedly the absent not-really-paying-attention kind, but Sukeena still glanced over and smiled at Umi. She¡¯d learned a while ago that that was his ¡°I appreciate the thought, thanks¡± look.


    Then something else came to properly catch Natharie¡¯s attention. Three goblins walked up to her and started talking to her, the fact bringing the wandering troupe members closer to hear what it was about.


    Sukeena walked up behind Natharie just in time for her to say, ¡°Just saying that hardly makes me more inclined to listen to whatever else you want to tell me.¡±


    ¡°Natharie, do they want something?¡± Sukeena promoted in a near-whisper. She saw their collective hopeful gazes and asked a hopeful question of her own, ¡°Do they want to join us?¡±


    The three goblins must¡¯ve heard her, because they nodded in unison and said, ¡°We¡¯re Miho, Ilathy, and Nillie! We saw a couple of your shows and we want to travel with you!¡±


    Natharie glared at them before properly turning to Sukeena. ¡°All they¡¯ve told me so far is that and that they ran away. They¡¯re not too interested in telling me anything else.¡±


    ¡°Well, how much harm could it do?¡±


    ¡°No matter what, I see no reason to trust three random goblins who won¡¯t tell me anything about themselves.¡±


    ¡°We would,¡± one of them, who seemed to be the oldest, remarked, ¡°but we don¡¯t think it¡¯s really necessary. We don¡¯t have any stories to tell¡ªour life was pretty boring, before we saw all of you perform.¡±


    ¡°How old are you?¡± Orith asked, observing them like he was trying to figure it out on his own to little success.


    ¡°They¡¯re goblins,¡± Umi pointed out. ¡°They could tell us one age and really be another and we¡¯d never tell the difference.¡±


    Still, the three of them answered in unison, ¡°Twenty-four!¡± The younger-seeming of them added, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we don¡¯t have a reason to lie to you about that.¡± The other two nodded.


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    ¡°Even in Qizar, they¡¯re legally allowed to be on their own, aren¡¯t they?¡± Sukeena asked. ¡°Isn¡¯t the twenty-five thing just a religious practice?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but depending on the circumstances, it doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Natharie said. ¡°Age isn¡¯t a factor in this situation¡ªthe reasons for their leaving, and how desperate someone is to get them back, is. And that¡¯s not something we¡¯ll know unless someone tells us.¡±


    ¡°No one¡¯s going to come looking for us,¡± the goblin in the middle replied. ¡°They all knew we¡¯d leave eventually.¡±


    The older one nodded. ¡°We say ¡®ran away¡¯ but it was more like just leaving.¡±


    The youngest chimed in, ¡°We¡¯ve been wandering around for five years now! If there was anyone who was worried about us, they probably would¡¯ve caught up to us by now.¡±


    ¡°I still wouldn¡¯t believe them,¡± Umi muttered. ¡°There¡¯s no telling exactly how much of this is true or not.¡±


    Sukeena decided to stay stubbornly opposed and declare, ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think they have a lot of reason to lie. If they want to come with us, and they¡¯re old enough, I don¡¯t see why not. The closer we can get to what Dad had, the better.¡±


    Natharie looked like she might¡¯ve tried objecting though, realizing something in Sukeena¡¯s expression, sighed. ¡°There¡¯s nothing I can do to convince you to think this over a little more, is it?¡±


    ¡°Nothing bad is going to happen. I¡¯m sure of it.¡±


    ¡°Then I suppose there¡¯s nothing I can do to stop you¡­¡± Natharie turned to the goblins. ¡°Alright, by Sukeena¡¯s request, you¡¯re going to be able to stay. But I¡¯m keeping my eye on you and you¡¯d be better off telling me now if there¡¯s anything you¡¯re hiding.¡±


    ¡­


    Over the years Insith was running things, plenty of children of Fleyw Bresh had joined the troupe. Sukeena still remembered each of their names, faces, and performances like every Seothian member. But she would be the first to admit that her understanding of Qizar¡¯s beliefs was little more than ¡°Orestis created everything, Danai is good, Eldrianna is bad.¡± Most of the children of Fleyw Bresh¡ªand the handful of goblins or fairies, of course¡ªhad left because they didn¡¯t believe in the same things. Some of them were shunned for reasons she didn¡¯t understand. Others simply couldn¡¯t put their faith in it. She would say the most religious child of Fleyw Bresh, goblin, or fairy that had been with the troupe was Natharie¡­ and that was something that, as far as she was aware, only extended to acknowledging their existence only for high praises or curses.


    So, that night when they were gathered near the caravan, Sukeena walked into a conversation she couldn¡¯t even begin to understand.


    ¡°Why did you choose those names?¡± Umi asked casually, glancing at the three goblins.


    Miho innocently smirked and replied, ¡°Why do you think we¡¯d chosen them?¡±


    ¡°I doubt your parents just so happened to deny a portion of Old Qizar¡¯s beliefs to give you matching names.¡±


    Ilathy grinned. ¡°Well, that explains one thing! We were wondering if you were from Fleyw Bresh. You seemed to have the magic for it, but even Seothians have that nowadays.¡±


    Nillae, though, actually got closer to asking his question. ¡°We wanted to. Is there something so wrong about it?¡±


    ¡°Depends on how much you believe in divine retribution,¡± Natharie remarked. Sukeena was partially surprised that she was listening to the conversation at all¡ªshe looked busy with whatever else she was doing.


    All three goblins looked at her and practically cheered, ¡°You too? There¡¯s a lot more of us than we thought there was going to be!¡±


    Sukeena, without thinking too much about it, looked at Umi and asked, ¡°You¡¯re from Qizar, too? I figured you weren¡¯t. You never mentioned anything about it.¡±


    ¡°I was about to ask that, too,¡± Natharie said. ¡°I was beginning to wonder how long you¡¯d be able to go without telling anyone.¡±


    ¡°Is it really that important?¡± Umi replied, not so much hesitant as he was annoyed. ¡°I don¡¯t hear you mentioning what you did before finding yourself with Sukeena¡¯s father.¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t a random fifteen-year-old boy who¡¯d apparently been wandering on his own before running into Zacharael.¡±


    Sukeena realized what might end up coming and she was quick to try her best to stop it. ¡°Hey, at least not in front of the new guys! Sorry, you three, we usually work better than this, I promise.¡± She paused. ¡°But I doubt that¡¯s going to really solve anything. Oh! Why don¡¯t you both ask each other a question and the other will answer? That way you can know more about each other¡¯s pasts in a non-hostile way.¡±


    Natharie and Umi simply glared at each other for a moment, then Natharie asked, ¡°So, what part of Qizar are you from?¡±


    ¡°Rahasari,¡± Umi answered simply. ¡°My aunt took care of me. She¡¯s the one that taught me what I know about woodworking and carving.¡± His own question was just as nonchalant as his reply, ¡°What did you do before you stumbled into Sukeena¡¯s father?¡±


    ¡°Nothing special,¡± Natharie mumbled. ¡°Just an average girl from the Andrea Province looking for her place in the world.¡±


    He gave a half-hearted laugh. ¡°Well, sounds like we¡¯re both not saying something.¡±


    Sukeena cautiously glanced over at Miho, Ilathy, and Nillae, wondering if perhaps they¡¯d change their mind if they saw this; they actually looked amused.


    ¡°This is going to be fun!¡± they decided in genuine laughter.

 Travelers Tales: Chapter 5

    ¡°One more night?¡± she tried with the most innocent look she knew she could give. ¡°We promised three shows! We¡¯ve only done two!¡±


    Natharie, it seemed, was well past the point in letting any of that change her mind. ¡°You¡¯re just like Insith. I¡¯m not suggesting it because I think it¡¯s a good idea to go back on those kinds of things. I¡¯m suggesting it because, at least to me, it¡¯s rather obvious no one here is interested enough to make a third show worth it.¡±


    ¡°I think there is.¡±


    ¡°We barely filled half the seats.¡±


    ¡°Dad¡¯s rule was a fourth or less! Half¡¯s still plenty.¡±


    ¡°I really don¡¯t think you¡¯re understanding¡­¡±


    Their own half-argument was put on pause when they walked by someone¡ªa teenager and his parents¡ªhaving a much more obvious one of his own.


    ¡°Really? Them?¡±


    His mother said something that, judging by her expression, had been some kind of kind reminder.


    ¡°Well, thank you, I understand perfectly! You¡¯re telling me to get myself killed.¡±


    His father said something that must¡¯ve been stern.


    He was much quieter when he replied, ¡°W-well, yes, but¡­ with them..?¡±


    Sukeena had stopped a moment ago, but Natharie¡ªwhile she continued to keep an eye on him and his parents¡ªhadn¡¯t actually stopped until he looked at them. He glanced between the two of them, back at his parents, and then nervously walked up to Natharie.


    ¡°Hello,¡± he said in an almost reluctant way, like more out of a necessary step in order to do what he wanted. Suffice to say Natharie didn¡¯t look impressed, but he undoubtedly picked up on that, and continued, ¡°I¡¯m Miskunn Sumar. My parents assured me that at least one of you would remember that last name¡­¡±


    A rare kind of realization dawned on Natharie then, even if Sukeena was still trying to remember where she¡¯d last heard the name. ¡°Sumar, as in that troupe of dancers we¡¯d collaborate with whenever our paths seemed to cross in Seothia? Insith had kept in touch with them.¡±


    Miskunn nodded. ¡°I¡¯m glad I didn¡¯t have to explain that part. I had figured you would¡¯ve forgotten by now¡ªthis is the first time any of us have interacted with each other in several years, after all.¡±


    ¡°Is there something we can do for you?¡± Sukeena prompted, a lot brighter than what her mind had started guessing. Had something happened to them, too..? Well, it didn¡¯t look like it¡­ Miskunn¡¯s parents seemed happy and encouraging, much more than what Natharie had been in their own situation.


    He must¡¯ve noticed something, because the first thing he actually said was, ¡°It¡¯s nothing bad.¡± He shrugged. ¡°They¡¯ve just decided it was time to split up. You might remember what it was like¡ªmost of them are around my parents¡¯ age and they didn¡¯t pick up a lot of new members. Now everyone¡¯s more interested in settling down and I¡¯m practically the only one young enough to ¡®carry on¡¯ the legacy. Not that I¡¯m interested in dance specifically, but I know for sure I¡¯m not done traveling.¡±


    ¡°So you want to travel with us?¡± she asked, more eager than she¡¯d meant to be but welcome all the same. She wanted him to know that she¡¯d happily let him in and, for once, Natharie didn¡¯t seem to have that many reservations about it either.


    He nodded. ¡°If you¡¯d let me.¡±


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    Natharie chose to change it, mentioning what Sukeena wouldn¡¯t, ¡°If you¡¯re willing to take the risk of being with us. The troupe you were a part of were all Seothian, weren¡¯t you? And¡­ normal ones, with nothing special about any of you. Ours is mixed¡ªone that wouldn¡¯t be welcome in all the crowds that you once performed for.¡±


    Sukeena wondered how obvious her glare was, either to Miskunn or anyone else who might be passing by. Of course she had to acknowledge that it was true, but it was one of the things Insith would avoid drawing attention to, and she wanted to do the same. It shouldn¡¯t matter who the troupe was made up of, as long as they were all able to contribute to the show. But Natharie was always blunter than Insith was, often cutting down the bush instead of beating around it.


    Almost surprisingly, Miskunn didn¡¯t seem to mind. He laughed, in fact. ¡°I¡¯m well aware of you and what happened to you. I¡¯m still not sure about how safe it really is to stay with you. But you¡¯re going to travel all over the continent, aren¡¯t you? I¡¯ve never been to Qizar but I hear it¡¯s lovely no matter the time of year you visit. I¡¯d gladly come with you to see that for myself.¡±


    ¡°Well, then I don¡¯t see a reason to wait!¡± Sukeena remarked, beaming. ¡°I can show you to the others and you can become an official member. You¡¯d be the first person we¡¯ve gotten with knowledge of performing right from recruitment! I bet people are going to want to see you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m not a performer,¡± he corrected quickly, almost hesitant. ¡°Not like my parents and most of the other troupe members were.¡±


    Natharie seemed to consider it, but she must not have been able to find any mention of it in her memory, so she asked, ¡°What was it that you did? Whatever it was, you¡¯d been doing it for a while. Insith mentioned how you¡¯d chosen to do something different¡­¡±


    Now this was something he was much more confident in answering. ¡°I did music, mostly, with a bit of prop and costume designing. You might be good on the first part but, from what I hear, you¡¯re somewhat lacking in the second. Don¡¯t worry. It won¡¯t take long for me to figure something out once I see who I¡¯m working with.¡±


    ¡°Well, no matter what you do, I¡¯m glad you¡¯re coming with us!¡± Sukeena started walking, gesturing for him to follow her. ¡°We set up the caravan just outside of town, it isn¡¯t too far. Then you can meet all the others.¡±


    They went back to the caravan, though only Orith was outside at the time to greet them. He got the others and Sukeena introduced Miskunn to them, explaining a bit of what he¡¯d told them about himself. Everyone gave an enthusiastic greeting aside from Umi¡ªwho had a more subtle way of welcoming their newest member.


    ¡°You know, you¡¯re doing a lot better than I assumed you would,¡± Miskunn remarked that night. Sukeena had failed to convince Natharie to stay, so Orith and Umi were helping to pack up their things. ¡°I was surprised when I realized that you were still doing this.¡±


    ¡°Do you really think we¡¯re the kind of people that¡¯ll give up so easily?¡± Sukeena asked, hoping the anxious part of her tone wasn¡¯t too obvious. She wanted to avoid talking about this, yet she knew the dangers of very clearly trying to change the subject.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t call it ¡®giving up¡¯ so much as ¡®using some common sense,¡¯¡± he said, apparently unaware of what she was trying to do. ¡°I know what I heard. And given the fact we were far away when we heard it, things were probably a lot worse than that¡­¡±


    But then he must¡¯ve realized her growing nervousness as those that didn¡¯t know started to get curious. She hoped her glance would say the things she couldn¡¯t; that she didn¡¯t want them to know, or be worried about, what had happened. That it was in the past now.


    Miskunn changed the subject. ¡°You¡¯ve got some promise, though. I¡¯m excited to start working with you.¡±


    Miho, Ilathy, and Nillie laughed. ¡°Us too!¡± they said in unison, each with their own wide grin.


    Detu smiled and nodded, about the extent of communication he was comfortable with whenever it wasn¡¯t needed.


    Orith, from where he was a little bit away, said, ¡°Welcome to the troupe! I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll ever get bored with us as company.¡± It sounded like Umi mumbled something that was either a similar statement or a disagreement.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got to admit,¡± Natharie began, glancing at Sukeena, ¡°it seems things are coming together. Maybe one day we¡¯d be able to rival what Insith had.¡±


    Sukeena grew a confident smirk. ¡°Oh, there¡¯s no maybe! I know we¡¯re going to turn out just as great¡ªbetter¡ªthan what his troupe was like. People across the continent are going to know our names! They¡¯ll travel halfway across a kingdom to see us perform!¡± She looked at each of them. ¡°I know it, because you¡¯re all here. Together, we¡¯re bound for something great, and I¡¯m not the kind of person that would lie about something like that.¡±


    It didn¡¯t seem like they needed reassurance; they agreed, perhaps even felt it too. They were all going to do things that made them unforgettable¡ªthe dream of any performer. She knew they weren¡¯t quite there yet, but she could tell that the day was quickly approaching.


    She knew he¡¯d be proud to see where they all were now.

 Travelers Tales: Chapter 6

    ¡°Thank you, thank you!¡± she said in a grand voice, bowing in front of the applauding audience. ¡°Now remember, we¡¯re here for the rest of the week! The show wouldn¡¯t be possible without you!¡±


    With one last wide gesture, she backed behind the curtain. She swapped places with Natharie, who soon came to give directions for the departing crowd.


    ¡°Sounds like we made a new record,¡± Umi remarked when she wandered closer to him. ¡°I didn¡¯t think the applause could get any louder.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s barely the beginning of what they can do,¡± she said with a smile. She sat down to start washing off the face paint. ¡°You should¡¯ve been there when Dad was leading things. You¡¯d be able to hear it from the center of town, even if we were on the edge of it.¡±


    ¡°I think you should give yourself some more credit. I¡¯m confident the only reason they ever cared that much was because you were there.¡±


    ¡°Come on, I don¡¯t think I¡¯m that great.¡± But she glanced over at him and he was smiling; there was nothing joking about it. The realization that he was being perfectly honest made her blush and quickly turn away again. ¡°You deserve some of that praise, too. No matter where you were before we met, you¡¯re a lot better at acrobatics than you look.¡±


    ¡°With a teacher like you, I doubt I¡¯d be anything else.¡±


    Then Miskunn walked up and interrupted them by asking, ¡°Hey, do you usually allow people backstage?¡±


    Sukeena looked at him to see who he was referring to; someone a little older than them, who failed at any possible test of being subtle about her wealth, was standing next to him. She seemed nervous, glancing around and occasionally back over her shoulder, but it couldn¡¯t have been Natharie that she feared.


    ¡°Well, usually, they have to get past Natharie, but¡­¡± Sukeena was a bit louder and more confident when she looked at this stranger and asked, ¡°Is there something we can help you with? Did you talk to Natharie before you came here..?¡±


    ¡°Is Natharie that grumpy one?¡± the stranger asked. Once they all more or less have their signs of confirmation, she shook her head. ¡°I avoided her. She tried sending me back on my way. I need to talk with you, and not her, so that¡¯s what I did.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I think we should probably send her back out,¡± Umi said, unimpressed. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine what someone like her really needs from people like us. Looks like she¡¯s got everything she could want back home.¡±


    The stranger very obviously didn¡¯t like that. ¡°What? No! Don¡¯t just send me away! Where¡¯s all the kindness you must¡¯ve shown every other¡­ unique person that¡¯s here? What makes me any different than them?¡±


    ¡°Do you really want an answer to that?¡± Umi mumbled.


    Sukeena gently nudged him, then brought her attention back to the stranger. ¡°Maybe we should take a couple of steps back¡ªstart again with names. I¡¯m Sukeena, this is Umi, and he¡¯s Miskunn. Over there are Detu, Orith, Miho, Ilathy, and Nillie. It sounds like you¡¯ve already run into Natharie. What¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°Theisi,¡± the stranger admitted. ¡°Theisi Charraell, the youngest daughter of a minor Jaden lord. But¡­ I suppose, none of that should matter¡­ especially since I¡¯m about to ask to join you.¡±


    Miskunn and Umi seemed to think of the same thing, but the former got to it first: ¡°I don¡¯t think someone like you would be able to handle a life of traveling.¡±


    ¡°Well, there¡¯s no reason she can¡¯t try,¡± Sukeena pointed out confidently. It earned her Theisi¡¯s small smile of thanks. But Sukeena wavered a moment when she remembered to add, ¡°As long as you¡¯re most likely not going to be wanted by someone. I think you can probably guess why that¡¯s something we should be avoiding¡­¡±


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    ¡°Well, he might. The man doesn¡¯t seem to know when ¡®no¡¯ is the only answer he¡¯s ever going to get.¡± Theisi soon acknowledged, realizing everyone¡¯s looks, that the answer wasn¡¯t going to help her. ¡°You won¡¯t have to worry about it. That¡¯s why I came to you. He¡¯s wealthier than my family was. If he thinks I¡¯ve run off somewhere he would¡¯ve assumed it would be somewhere fancier, perhaps at the homes of friends or family. I¡¯m sure the thought of me being with simple performers with even simpler backgrounds would never cross his mind.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s ¡®he?¡¯¡± Sukeena prompted cautiously.


    Theisi, for better or worse, gave her answer in a more roundabout way: ¡°I didn¡¯t sign up to be some richer nobleman¡¯s trophy. I¡¯d made a promise to myself long ago that I would forever be like Lady Samone¡ªpowerful, beautiful, influential, unmarried¡ªand I intend to keep it.¡±


    Unfortunately for whatever information Sukeena might have been able to get out of her, Natharie was done giving farewells to the guests.


    She gave one look at the four of them and with a deep frown asked, ¡°Who¡¯s this and why is she here?¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯d bothered to finish a few moments ago you¡¯d know that by now,¡± Theisi muttered. She declared, louder, ¡°I¡¯m Theisi, and I¡¯m talking with your ringleader here to let me join you.¡±


    ¡°I was going to get you,¡± Sukeena said quickly in order to keep the blame off of anyone else. ¡°I think she could stay with us if she wants to. I don¡¯t¡­ exactly understand what it is that she¡¯s running from, but I say we can¡¯t just leave her to deal with it on her own.¡±


    ¡°At least drop me off somewhere else,¡± Theisi offered in a near-desperate tone. ¡°If you think I¡¯m not going to be useful to you, or too much of a risk, then just let me come with you for a little while. Once I¡¯m far enough away in a place he won¡¯t think to look, you can leave me and forget we¡¯d ever known each other.¡±


    Surprisingly, Umi stood behind Sukeena on this one. ¡°Just a few weeks won¡¯t do anything. I¡¯m pretty sure we¡¯re all running away from something, given that we¡¯re all here¡ªpeople who¡¯ve got something to lose by staying put might as well stick together.¡±


    ¡°Do I want to understand why you¡¯re going along with this?¡± Natharie questioned skeptically.


    Umi just shrugged. ¡°I like ticking off noble assholes as much as I can.¡±


    ¡°At least for a little while?¡± Sukeena tried. She knew that all she needed was a little more time, then she¡¯d win Natharie over. This kind of over-caution couldn¡¯t last forever when she could see that there was no reason to be worried.


    Theisi nodded. ¡°And you¡¯re probably interested in performers, aren¡¯t you? I left my wealth behind, but I¡¯m not completely worthless to you. I¡¯ve practiced several different kinds of dance over the years¡ªI could perform in your shows. At least that way you¡¯ll get something out of helping me.¡±


    Sukeena eagerly turned to Natharie. ¡°Come on, it¡¯s got to be worth trying now, right? This is getting old! You¡¯ve done this with everyone but Miskunn! Can¡¯t you try to not immediately assume the worst? Please?¡±


    ¡°So you didn¡¯t realize,¡± Natharie said in an emotionless near-whisper, ¡°that this is around where it happened?¡±


    Sukeena hesitated far too long to make it seem natural to the others. She didn¡¯t say anything¡ªshe didn¡¯t want to say anything, knowing it might tell too much. She didn¡¯t want them to know. She didn¡¯t want them to think it was better to leave.


    Theisi must have heard it, given the look she had, and suddenly Sukeena felt very aware of how close the rest were. All of them could overhear whatever she could¡¯ve said, or at least be able to piece it together.


    But she was lucky enough to have Umi stand behind her. ¡°Come on, Natharie. I think you can think of better ways to try to justify yourself than that. Just admit that you really don¡¯t have any reasons not to let Theisi on at this point. It¡¯s not going to hurt anyone. Continuing arguing about it isn¡¯t going to make things any better.¡±


    Natharie really did seem like she¡¯d considered arguing, but ultimately sighed. ¡°Perhaps you¡¯re right.¡± She glanced at Theisi with eyes that still weren¡¯t welcoming. ¡°I may have been wrong about you. Our route has us going up to the Plains¡ªat the very least, you¡¯ll come with us up to there. If your talent is worth anything, you¡¯ll be able to stay when we go through Tramos and back into Qizar.¡±


    Sukeena took the first opportunity she could find to take her mind off the past. ¡°You mean it? That¡¯s great!¡± She quickly got up and went to take Theisi¡¯s hand. ¡°I¡¯ll properly show you to everyone else. It¡¯s a little late today, but you can start showing me what you can do tomorrow. We¡¯ll be able to think of a way to include you in the show in no time!¡±


    Theisi seemed just as shocked as Sukeena was excited, because the most she could do was breathe, ¡°Thank you.¡±

 Travelers Tales: Chapter 7

    The sight she found even better than seeing a full house was all the kids that would stick around afterward. Sukeena found herself most familiar with the mind and imagination of those children and one of her favorite things had always been talking to them. She told them stories of a fantastic reality; ones with truth, but hidden behind a mythical splendor. Then she¡¯d just chat with them, introducing their little imaginations to all the sights and sounds that she¡¯d experienced in her travels.


    Of course, usually her stories didn¡¯t seem nearly as fun as they should¡¯ve, as most of the kids became nervous under the glare of a particular someone.


    This time, one of them was brave enough to ask, ¡°Who¡¯s that mean-looking guy behind you?¡±


    Sukeena didn¡¯t lose her smile. ¡°That¡¯s Umi. He¡¯s not as scary or mean as he looks, I promise.¡± She turned around to look at him and gestured him over. ¡°Come on, don¡¯t make me look like a liar. Everyone will feel a lot more comfortable without you sulking in the corner like that.¡±


    ¡°Unlike you, I didn¡¯t come here to talk to kids,¡± he mumbled.


    ¡°No, but I bet they¡¯d like it if you showed them what you were working on before the show.¡±


    All of the kids understood that part, cheering in unison, ¡°Show us, show us!¡±


    It was Sukeena¡¯s hopeful look, though, that did much more than anything the kids could¡¯ve said. Umi went to his tent and came back to them a moment later with the little half-finished wooden horse. He didn¡¯t seem to have any particular feelings towards it, but the kids all came close to look at it; it earned him many awed looks and compliments.


    ¡°I still think it¡¯ll be a great idea to pass those around after shows,¡± Sukeena quietly said to him. ¡°I know you¡¯ve sold a few of them but I think people would really like them. Natharie would be more willing to let you make more of them.¡±


    Umi shrugged. ¡°You¡¯ve never seen my aunt¡¯s talent¡ªit isn¡¯t much compared to her.¡±


    ¡°Stop being humble. I¡¯ve come across some pretty talented people in my travels and you easily top them.¡± She noticed two other things, though, so she told the kids, ¡°It looks like your parents are almost ready to leave. It was nice talking with all of you! I hope we¡¯ll see each other again someday.¡±


    Once they nodded and rushed off to their parents, she stood up to take care of the second thing. To Umi, she gestured to a young woman watching them and remarked, ¡°You¡¯re not the only one brooding tonight, apparently. I¡¯m going to talk to her.¡±


    He said nothing. After taking a moment to put the wooden horse away, he followed her to meet this new stranger.


    ¡°Hello! Did you enjoy the show?¡± Sukeena asked her, her smile never faltering. ¡°I¡¯m Sukeena, by the way, and this is Umi.¡±


    ¡°Mati,¡± the young woman returned. After a moment, she slowly nodded. ¡°I watched your show. I wanted to ask¡­ what brought all those people there¡ªwhy they¡¯re all performing. How such different people could all come together¡­¡±


    Now, there was nothing about Mati¡¯s tone that suggested any kind of disdain, but it wasn¡¯t general curiosity, either. She was asking for a reason. Sukeena had overheard those kinds of questions, Insith¡¯s answers, and what sometimes came out of it. But, believing there really was no ill intention behind it, she intended on answering¡ªthough she remained ready to defend if she needed to.


    She gestured to each of the members when she talked about them. ¡°My grandfather started a circus, which my father eventually took on, and that¡¯s now mine. I was born and raised in this kind of lifestyle. Orith and Natharie were friends of my parents. Natharie was the first new person my father recruited after he took charge and Orith had been a friend of my mother. Umi was my first new recruit after I became the ringleader, he was wandering a while before we crossed paths. Detu¡¯s parents didn¡¯t want him so we took him in instead. Miho, Ilathy, and Nillie came to us, they were wandering around, too. Miskunn was kind of like an old family friend, so we let him in when the performing troupe he was a part of decided to break up. Lastly, there¡¯s Theisi, who, in her own words, is running away from her ex.¡±


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    Mati looked more at ease, actually, when she heard it all. In fact, she chuckled, though in a kind of way that didn¡¯t hold much meaning. ¡°So a bunch of dumb luck and unfortunate circumstances..?¡± She shook her head. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t see a point in being subtle about it. I¡­ was wondering if I could fit into this merry band of misfits of yours.¡±


    Sukeena was just about to welcome her on, but she must¡¯ve felt the need to explain herself more. Mati cautiously looked around before more nervously saying, ¡°I¡¯m from the Pasha region, in Qizar¡ªI was able to get accepted into Missa-Sidyn, though. It¡­ wasn¡¯t what I was expecting. They tried accusing me of something I didn¡¯t do and even after I was able to convince them I didn¡¯t do it, they still acted like I did. I decided it was better to leave than stay in a place where I wasn¡¯t wanted. I¡¯d watched one of your shows and, well, here we are¡­¡± In a quick mumble she added, ¡°Also I would be honored to work every day with someone as hot as you.¡±


    ¡°I was already about to say you¡¯re more than welcome to join us,¡± Sukeena pointed out. She thought nothing more of the mumble; she¡¯d heard those kinds of things from several people her age that had watched a show. She didn¡¯t find a reason to draw attention to it. ¡°Natharie is right over there. All we have to do is talk with her and you¡¯ll be one of us in no time.¡±


    She gestured for Mati to follow her, and Umi trailed behind them. Natharie must¡¯ve noticed them coming because it looked like she repressed a sigh as she walked over to meet them.


    ¡°Is there something she wants?¡± she asked, only glancing at Mati for a moment before looking at Sukeena.


    ¡°People were being jerks to her and she wants to join us,¡± Sukeena summarized. ¡°Can she? Please?¡±


    Mati anxiously shuffled, focused on the ground, and mumbled, ¡°It¡¯s a little more than that. You get it too, don¡¯t you? What it means to stand out as a child of Fleyw Bresh in Seothia..?¡±


    That surprised all three of them, but it only really earned a casual statement from Sukeena. ¡°I¡¯m not a child of Fleyw Bresh.¡±


    ¡°I¡ªI assumed, with your magic¡ª¡±


    ¡°Both my parents were Seothian.¡±


    ¡°A magister, then..? Isn¡¯t that what they call their own with a close connection to it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never really heard anyone call me that, either.¡± Sukeena shrugged. ¡°But that¡¯s probably what it is. That¡¯s usually genetic, right? My mom had powerful magic, too. Funny enough, neither of us could see Illusion magic, either.¡± She didn¡¯t think too much about it; there¡¯d been other members of Insith¡¯s troupe and some people in the crowd who couldn¡¯t see it. She¡¯d simply assumed that was just something that not everyone had¡­ and not in the way that suggested one group had something else the others didn¡¯t.


    Either way, Natharie seemed glad to change the subject¡ªquite unexpectedly, too, given what she said after turning to Mati. ¡°You can stay with us, at least for a little while. There¡¯s no point in arguing with Sukeena. What¡¯s your name and some talents? If we¡¯re quick, it won¡¯t take much to squeeze you into the next performance.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re really not going to argue?¡± Sukeena asked, just as shocked as Mati looked. ¡°Every other time someone wanted to join you were always against it¡­¡±


    ¡°Would you rather I try to fight it?¡± Natharie returned. ¡°You¡¯re exactly like Insith¡ªit¡¯s a waste of time trying to argue with you. I¡¯ve tried everything I could think of by now and I can¡¯t stop you. That doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m not going to be closely watching this yet-unintroduced new member, just that I¡¯m going to save myself some time.¡± There was something a little more to it, though. She still seemed like she was avoiding something¡­


    Mati, perhaps still partially acknowledging that her request had come true, only now thought to answer Natharie¡¯s question. ¡°I¡¯m Mati. I can¡¯t say that I have many talents as a performer b-but I¡­ know magic? Could that be enough..?¡±


    Natharie nodded. ¡°It¡¯s something we can work with, at least. I¡¯ll introduce you to the others.¡± As she ushered Mati away, she remarked, ¡°And you won¡¯t have to worry about your birthplace here. We¡¯re a mixed group¡ªthe only thing that matters to us is that you¡¯re a part of making someone smile.¡±


    Sukeena couldn¡¯t help but smile; Insith used to say something like that, too, whenever they¡¯d get a new recruit. It made her feel like they were that much closer to what he had achieved.

 Travelers Tales: Chapter 8

    It seemed like tradition of sorts that, on their last night in a big city, they¡¯d all go out to see what it had to offer. Natharie and Detu often worked together to get what they¡¯d need for the road. Miho, Ilathy, and Nillie could be seen every now and again darting from one side of the street to the other, striking up conversations. Sometimes they had Miskunn, Theisi, and Mati with them, though sometimes those three and Orith wandered on their own; they often lingered around the craft and fashion stores, talking about past shows or sharing ideas for new ones. Sukeena usually joined Natharie, though this time Umi had offered to walk around with her.


    ¡°This was one of the first towns I stopped at while I was traveling,¡± he mumbled after a while. ¡°There¡¯s plenty of places to see, you¡¯ve just got to know where to look.¡±


    She stepped a bit closer when a chill breeze came and spoke quietly enough that only the two of them would hear. ¡°How long did you stay here?¡±


    ¡°A couple weeks¡ªnot really any significant amount of time. Just enough to get an understanding of where I wanted to go and how I was going to get myself there.¡±


    ¡°You never really told me why you left. You haven¡¯t¡­ actually told me anything¡­¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t a guy keep some of his secrets?¡±


    ¡°If you want to keep going on these little walks with me, you might want to say a little more than that.¡± It was only half a threat; she wasn¡¯t as concerned as she was curious, though no matter what she doubted it would change things. ¡°Come on, you know me by now. Whatever you say isn¡¯t going to matter.¡±


    ¡°To you, maybe, but the moment one person knows, everyone does. At that point it¡¯s better to just stay quiet.¡±


    ¡°Not even a little? Just telling me why doesn¡¯t have to be the full story. Your aunt seems really nice and you still write to her. I want to understand what made you decide you¡¯d rather travel the world.¡±


    ¡°She wanted me to.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Not in a bad way, obviously, but that¡¯s basically what it amounted to.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know why, and you¡¯re not just keeping it from me?¡±


    ¡°I honestly can¡¯t tell you why, exactly. But I¡¯ve got a guess.¡±


    ¡°Oh, now you¡¯ve got to tell me.¡±


    ¡°No, I think I¡¯m going to let you piece together a bit of it. What do you think the exact opposite of Insith would be?¡±


    ¡°A mean, grumpy old guy who talks a lot but doesn¡¯t do anything. Probably hates kids and doesn¡¯t go outside¡ªat all.¡± She paused. ¡°Wait a minute. I¡¯m describing someone you knew, aren¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you make him sound good with that kind of description. You¡¯ve got the basics of it, though. He¡¯s the kind of guy who only really cares for himself¡ªcomplains about not having any work to do then gets annoyed when he has to do something. I assume he said something that upset my mom, she told my aunt, and she asked me to go and travel.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I guess that does all sound pretty bad.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not even half of it.¡±


    She looked up at him but he just laughed.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be charming and mysterious if you learned all my secrets in one afternoon, now would I?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s your secrets that I like about you. You always work so hard to do your part¡ªto be honest, I don¡¯t know if we¡¯d be able to do this without you.¡±


    ¡°Do you remember what I told you a few years ago? Stop giving me all the credit. You deserve just as much of it¡ªprobably more. I¡¯m sure Insith would be proud to see you out there almost every night. You¡¯ve taken something that would shake anyone else and proved that anything could be turned into an opportunity to grow stronger.¡±


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    ¡°I¡¯m just doing the one thing I know how to do: brighten up the days of the ones that see me perform.¡±


    He grinned, like that was exactly what he was expecting her to say, but he didn¡¯t say anything. They walked together for a while longer, eventually resuming casual banter, until he¡¯d drawn attention to the time. A part of her wondered if they could¡¯ve stayed out a little longer to see the other things he had to show her; but Natharie would get worried if they weren¡¯t back soon and even more skeptical when she realized they were alone together.


    She looked suspicious just seeing that they were the last two back at the caravan, though it didn¡¯t look like the others had been far ahead of them. Sukeena partially expected to be pulled aside then, but Natharie must¡¯ve decided to have their group meeting first.


    Gesturing everyone a bit closer and pulling out the Qizarn map, she said, ¡°From where we are, we¡¯re at a good spot to travel to any number of larger towns. I, personally, would¡¯ve wanted this figured out by now, but none of you could come to an agreement.¡±


    Detu¡¯s chain of gestures meant, I asked her to talk to all of you again instead of choosing on her own. You¡¯re welcome.


    ¡°What were the options, again?¡± Orith asked, peering over the map. ¡°Huh, you¡¯re not kidding. From around here it¡¯ll take around the same time to get to either Rhodes, Solaris, or Pasha¡¯s capital.¡± He shrugged. ¡°My vote¡¯s on Pasha. Who¡¯d say no to those relaxing beaches?¡±


    Mati nodded. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind going back home again. My parents would probably like to see me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rather go to Rhodes,¡± Theisi remarked. ¡°They¡¯ve got finer jewelry over there¡ªfine inspiration. Don¡¯t you think, Miskunn?¡±


    ¡°Definitely. Besides, if we¡¯re especially lucky, we might catch sight of one of those mythical dragons.¡± Miskunn smiled at the thought.


    Miho, Ilathy, and Nillie laughed. ¡°You? See a dragon? I think they¡¯d sooner offer their ichor to the first person they saw.¡±


    Detu, before Miskunn could start an argument, offered, ¡°Solaris.¡± In the gestures that follow, We¡¯ve never been in a town big enough to see what a night bazaar is like.


    ¡°For good reason, too,¡± Umi snapped. ¡°Trust me, you don¡¯t want to get anywhere near Rahasari.¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s a good idea,¡± Sukeena said. ¡°Detu¡¯s got a point, we¡¯ve never been to any of the larger Solaris towns¡ªjust some ones at the edges of the other regions. It¡¯s about time that we pay them a proper visit.¡±


    ¡°I said it¡¯s a bad idea,¡± he repeated.


    She saw no harm in it and she made that clear. ¡°You¡¯ll be able to see your aunt again. She lives there, too, right? I¡¯d like to meet her.¡± He seemed no more swayed by it.


    ¡°I¡¯m curious to know why you¡¯re so reluctant,¡± Natharie commented. ¡°The moment someone suggests heading to the Solaris region you¡¯re more and more opposed to the idea. It sounds like another thing that might beg for an explanation.¡±


    Umi looked like he struggled with coming up with an excuse and perhaps realized that he wouldn¡¯t be able to find one that preserved his secrets and satisfied her. ¡°Can we just settle with ¡®you¡¯re probably going to regret it?¡¯¡±


    ¡°Not unless you give me a reason why.¡± Natharie glanced at Miho, Ilathy, and Nillie. ¡°You¡¯re all going to count as one vote, to make it even. Where do you want to go?¡±


    They considered it for all but a second. ¡°We¡¯re not a fan of the heat, but Solaris! We can¡¯t resist this!¡±


    ¡°That settles it,¡± she observed. ¡°We¡¯re going to Solaris.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going to regret this,¡± Umi warned.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see a reason to. The children of Fleyw Bresh are practically overflowing with everything we need to thrive¡ªacceptance, curiosity, and an appreciation for the arts. You have yet to prove to me why Solaris will be more of a risk than, say, northern Seothia, for reasons I don¡¯t think I have to point out.¡±


    Sukeena shrugged, but spoke in a quieter voice so then only Umi and likely Natharie could hear her. ¡°I¡¯m with Natharie here. We¡¯re probably only going to be performing at the capital itself for two or three nights. I doubt anyone¡¯s going to care enough to notice you out there and, if they do, you¡¯ll be sticking with us until the end. I promise.¡±


    Now, they both had an understanding that they probably couldn¡¯t promise something like that. But she was willing to take the risk that they could, even when he still looked completely opposed to the idea. She hoped he could take at least some of her words to heart and at least be willing to try to trust her.


    Everyone else seemed to have mixed opinions; each of them could probably, in one way or another, put themselves in the place they assumed he was in. But no one could know the exact circumstances and, perhaps, few pieced together the reason for such desperation. They might put themselves in his place and simply be faced with an awkward situation. But whatever Umi was considering, it was something more than awkwardness that he was afraid of. And Sukeena never knew him to be afraid of anything.


    He must¡¯ve realized this on his own and, slowly, nodded. ¡°Fine. I won¡¯t argue anymore¡ªwe can go to Solaris.¡±

 Second Chances: Chapter 1

    It was the kind of place where anything could happen¡ªthe good and the bad.


    Stars would be born and die in mere moments. In an instant, someone could be on the top, and before they blink, they¡¯re back at the bottom. One could never be certain of the whispers; if they were good or bad, if they were trying to build up a person or tear them down. Everyone put up bright faces in front of the crowds for the sake of the show, then kept the charade just long enough to suck someone else into that hell.


    She had to admit, it had its highs. She loved being the center of attention, where it seemed she was the only person in the world that mattered. The praises and the admiration she got for what she genuinely enjoyed made it all the better.


    But that didn¡¯t change the lows that wore on her after a while. No one was doing anything out of care for others¡ªthey were only serving their own desires. No one cared about her, not really. All they wanted was to see someone pretty up on stage, someone they thought they could use to get what they wanted.


    Well, too bad for them, because she was smarter than that. She wasn¡¯t going to let them ruin her like they¡¯d done to others or comply with every whim they had.


    Though she had to admit, her confidence waned a little as she wandered through the Qizarn town. She hadn¡¯t expected anyone to recognize her¡ªit was a good thing that they didn¡¯t¡ªsince she¡¯d only ever performed in Seothia. But to have the people greet her anyway? That would take some getting used to. The only thing she could give was an awkward smile before checking the letter again.


    ¡®That all sounds perfect. You can find us in Yllvamel in the brown house right across from the church. Come as soon as you are in the area, we will be ready for you. Even if neither of us are home, our granddaughter will be. She will let you in and show you around as long as you show her this letter.¡¯


    Well, she was in the right place. Now if only she recognized which one of these buildings was the church¡ªwas it big and grand, or something just large enough to fit its residents?¡ªto make sure she was going in the right direction. And she was not about to draw attention to herself by asking someone, no matter how nice they seemed.


    She didn¡¯t have any connections here. Her past experience taught her that, without connections, favors became something no one wanted to risk.


    Eventually she found a house that looked close enough to the description she was given and was across the street from what could¡¯ve been considered the church. She figured, if anything, the letter could clear up any possible misunderstandings. She¡¯d always heard of the generosity of the children of Fleyw Bresh; maybe if she got the wrong house, they wouldn¡¯t mind.


    She knocked on the door with a kind of faux confidence she¡¯d spent years mastering. ¡°Is anyone home? I think this is the place I was supposed to find, the directions were hard to follow.¡± A pause, then, ¡°It¡¯s Lynette Avery.¡±


    At that moment the door swung open and a very enthusiastic young woman smiled at her. ¡°Good morning! Or, wait, is it the afternoon already?¡± She glanced back inside to ask, ¡°Nana, what time is it?¡±


    ¡°Almost dinner, Regind,¡± a kind, older voice said after a moment. ¡°Remember the letter.¡±


    ¡°Right!¡± The young woman¡ªRegind, apparently¡ªturned back to Lynette. ¡°Do you have the letter?¡±


    Lynette nodded and handed it to her.


    ¡°Yep, that¡¯s Papa¡¯s handwriting alright.¡± She held her hand out. ¡°You¡¯re going to be staying with us, right? I¡¯m Regind, those two are Nana and Papa! If dinner¡¯s going to happen soon, we can eat first, and then I can show you around. I mean, there¡¯s not too much to be shown, but still.¡±


    Regind gestured Lynette inside. They went to the kitchen, where Regind¡¯s grandmother was preparing dinner and her grandfather was reading something out of a small book.


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    Her grandfather looked up and gave Lynette a smile. ¡°Remind me of your name, again? I believe Regind forgot to ask.¡±


    ¡°Lynette,¡± she mumbled. Given they seemed content with that answer, she decided she didn¡¯t need to mention her last name again. ¡°I never got the name of you two. You signed ¡®Nana¡¯ and ¡®Papa¡¯ at the end of your letters¡­¡±


    Regind¡¯s grandmother looked over her shoulder at Lynette and explained, ¡°Well, that¡¯s what everyone calls us! We¡¯ve been a part of this town for a long time now, we¡¯re all practically family. Nana and Papa Ransu, they call us.¡± Alright, Nana and Papa it was then. ¡°Oh, but Regind is our biological granddaughter. Isn¡¯t she sweet?¡±


    Lynette glanced at Regind¡ªat the wide grin, the hair and outfit that seemed to look more disheveled the longer she looked at it. It was¡­ actually quite endearing, in a way. So when Lynette turned back to Nana, she could somehow manage a small smile of her own and said, ¡°She certainly seems to be.¡±


    Nana gestured for the two of them to sit down at the table. ¡°Everything¡¯s going to be ready in a little bit, so just settle down wherever you want!¡±


    Regind casually walked up and took a spot, though Lynette was more nervous in doing so. The only thing that kept her completely still in her seat was the thought of messing with something she wasn¡¯t supposed to. Nothing here was fancy, but it wasn¡¯t hers, and she leaned towards avoiding any possible conflicts that might stem from that.


    If either of the three noticed it, they didn¡¯t directly mention it. Instead, Papa asked, ¡°Have you been in Yllvamel before today, Lynette?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± she admitted quietly. Louder, though no more confident, she continued, ¡°It¡¯s my first time in the area at all, actually. I had no idea where I was going¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ll show you around town too, then!¡± Regind offered.


    ¡°If it¡¯s alright with you, I¡¯d rather have a day to get settled first,¡± Lynette said, still maintaining a smile. Regind nodded.


    Nana moved through the kitchen a bit before setting a glass of water in front of each of them. ¡°Is that really all you brought with you, dear? That little bag can¡¯t have very much in it.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need a lot,¡± Lynette mumbled. ¡°I figured if there was anything I missed I could buy something here. Once I¡­ get the money, anyway.¡± She paused and started shifting through her bag, eventually pulling out a couple of coins. ¡°I know it probably isn¡¯t enough, but here¡¯s your payment for letting me stay here. I¡¯ll be able to come up with some rent money¡­ eventually¡­¡±


    Papa shook his head and pushed the coins back towards her. ¡°Keep them¡ªwe don¡¯t need it. What¡¯s important to us is that we can give someone a roof over their head. We¡¯re not interested in any of your money, as long as you¡¯re willing to put in your fair share of work around here.¡±


    She hoped she didn¡¯t look too surprised and resisted the urge to give it to them anyway. This was starting to turn into a favor she wasn¡¯t sure she could pay back¡­ Despite her uncertainty, however, she nodded. ¡°I promise I¡¯ll try my best to help out.¡±


    Never mind the fact she had never done any real labor her whole life. She¡¯d watched enough people do actual work and it didn¡¯t look hard, so it shouldn¡¯t be too bad, right?


    ¡°You know, I had a feeling that you were going to come today,¡± Nana remarked. She was setting down more food now, making sure they had everything they needed before sitting down herself. ¡°I made sure I was ready from the start. I didn¡¯t want there to not be enough for all of us, after all! That wouldn¡¯t have been very good of a first impression. Regind, you make sure to show her to her room before going back to work, alright?¡±


    Regind nodded, then turned to Lynette and asked a question she was hoping no one would. ¡°So, where are you from?¡±


    ¡°Far from here,¡± Lynette first tried as a way to shrug off giving a more specific answer. ¡°I traveled for a while before I saw your offer. It was exactly what I needed, too¡ªI didn¡¯t really know where I was going until then.¡±


    ¡°So, how far is ¡®far from here?¡¯ I mean, that¡¯s all kinds of places. As close to the coast as we are, people say the Andrea Province is far, and so is the Solaris or lower Rhodes regions. Or there¡¯s the Elluin region, which is far far.¡±


    Lynette didn¡¯t want to admit she hardly recognized any of those names. Politics never stretched beyond the Andrea Province. That and Pasha were the only two that seemed to have enough of a romantic air to them, one for its turmoils of the royal family, the other for its coasts; to come across anything set in Qizar but not those two was nearly impossible. It was not so much of a coincidence that she went here as it seemed.


    ¡°West,¡± she eventually mumbled, ¡°near the Andrea Province.¡±


    Regind opened her mouth to ask more questions before Papa shook his head and said, ¡°That¡¯s enough questions for now, let her hold on to her past. We¡¯ve only just met, after all.¡± He grinned at Lynette. ¡°Though I hope you¡¯ll be willing to tell us in time.¡±

 Second Chances: Chapter 2

    Lynette had just barely finished breakfast¡ªand a somewhat-unwilling discussion with Nana as she tried to avoid mentioning her past¡ªwhen Regind came up to her.


    ¡°There¡¯s one place I didn¡¯t show you last night!¡± she said with a wide smile. ¡°I can show it to you now, if you want! Would you want to help me, too? I promise it won¡¯t involve setting anything on fire. Probably. Actually, I can¡¯t promise that, but I can promise it¡¯ll be fun!¡±


    Lynette gave a wary glance at Nana. Even in her short time here, she was hesitant to trust whatever Regind might¡¯ve considered ¡°fun¡±¡ªoff-handed remarks didn¡¯t make it out to be something mundane like sewing. But Nana smiled, so Lynette turned back to Regind and said, ¡°Sure..?¡±


    Regind grabbed her hand and led her outside. Honestly, since Lynette hadn¡¯t been shown it yesterday, she assumed the yard belonged to one of their neighbors. Regind, however, went over to a little shed.


    She enthusiastically swung the doors open and announced, ¡°Welcome to my workshop! Can you imagine Papa was just using this place to store old furniture? Once I moved in, they let me have it. It was better than working in the house, anyway.¡±


    If Regind hadn¡¯t started messing with so much of it, Lynette would¡¯ve assumed none of it was real. There were flasks of different colors and notes scattered all over the place. Random objects were lying around, too, like a set of cheap earrings or a little charm of some sort. Books were both closed¡ªsome even used as a makeshift pedestal for one of the other items¡ªor opened to a seemingly-random spot. She could sense some kind of order the longer she stared at it, but it seemed more like chaos.


    ¡°What is all of this?¡± Lynette asked, only after realizing she probably should¡¯ve considered it first.


    Apparently that was a question Regind was asked a lot, or at least was too excited to answer to care for why it was asked. ¡°My alchemy work! You know, it¡¯s really amazing what you can do when you put magic and a couple of weird ingredients together. I¡¯ve been working on all kinds of stuff! I got some funding from some nearby nobles so I¡¯ve got pretty much all the supplies I could ever hope for. I¡¯m always trying to find the limit! And break it! Ooo, do you want to see some of the things I¡¯ve been working on recently? They¡¯re really cool, I promise.¡±


    She didn¡¯t wait for an answer. She darted to a chest and dug around until she found something she wanted to show. ¡°Look, look!¡± She rushed back over to Lynette and showed it to her.


    ¡°It¡­ looks like a hair pin¡­¡± Lynette mumbled.


    ¡°It was! But not after I was done with it!¡± Regind excitedly put it in her hair. After a moment, she seemed to magically grow a few pink highlights until she took the pin off. ¡°Cosmetic Illusion magic! Sure, you can¡¯t wear it in court, or to actively try to deceive someone, but it still looks amazing anyway! And it doesn¡¯t just come in pink! It recognizes the wearer¡¯s favorite color!¡±


    She went to replace it with another. Lynette resisted the urge to leave the moment she realized it looked like a single, human finger. Regind didn¡¯t seem to acknowledge how odd it was, however. ¡°You know how magic prosthetics work, right? It¡¯s like a hydraulic system fueled by a person¡¯s magic. But there¡¯s a problem: what happens when the person has lost their magic? Well, that¡¯s what this is for! Theoretically speaking, it should function the same way, just by using its own little magic storage instead of relying on its owner¡¯s. I haven¡¯t actually met someone only missing a finger to test it out on. I¡­ also haven¡¯t figured out how to get anything bigger to not catch fire¡­¡±


    She shook her head and returned that one as well. ¡°So! Now that you¡¯ve seen what the history-in-the-making of alchemy looks like, what do you say? Want to help out? What kind of magic are you good at? Or, you know, maybe you don¡¯t have to answer that, given that look you¡¯re giving me¡­¡±


    Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°I still understand none of this,¡± Lynette admitted, ¡°and I don¡¯t know magic.¡±


    A handful of realizations must¡¯ve dawned on Regind at once. ¡°So, when you say you¡¯re from the east, near the Andrea Province¡­ you wouldn¡¯t happen to be talking about Seothia, would you?¡±


    Lynette cautiously nodded.


    Regind¡¯s smile grew. ¡°That¡¯s cool! I¡¯ve never met a Seothian before, they usually don¡¯t come around here! I mean, I¡¯ve talked with a couple of merchants, but they don¡¯t usually claim to belong to either side, you know? And that explains why you looked like you didn¡¯t understand anything I said! You literally don¡¯t know what it is! So, do you want me to start over? In simpler terms, obviously. I¡¯ll be slower this time, too.¡±


    Lynette managed a small smile and nodded. She still didn¡¯t think she¡¯d be able to really process any of it, but¡­ she found she liked to see Regind that happy. There was a certain charm to it.


    ¡°So, you kind of know how magic works at least, right? People cast a spell and something happens. But it¡¯s¡­ kind of a lot more complicated than that. First, someone actually needs to be there to do it, and it can¡¯t last long after a person stops casting it. Second, it isn¡¯t something that should be done for long periods of time¡ªeven more than a couple of minutes using a hard enough spell is enough to have serious health risks. Alchemy is kind of like the workaround. It doesn¡¯t require someone to cast a spell in order to work and even those without magic can use them. It¡¯s got its limits too, of course, but most people have to admit it¡¯s really amazing. I¡¯ll show you how it works!¡±


    She gestured Lynette over to a table and showed her a regular pin. ¡°I bought this from a traveling merchant a few days ago. There¡¯s nothing special about it¡ªthey had tons of others exactly like it and it was cheap. But I can turn it into something more. What do you think I should do with it?¡±


    ¡°What¡­ can you do with it..?¡± Lynette asked after a moment of coming up with nothing.


    ¡°Well, I can only enchant it with the kind of magic that I know. I¡¯m pretty well-rounded as far as magic goes, but I practice a bit more with Illusion and Light magic. Oh, those are basically like making people see or hear things, and making light come out of your hands. Kinda. Oversimplified. Beyond that, I¡¯ve also got a good grasp on the fundamentals¡ªyou know, generic Water, Fire, Earth, and Air magic. It might not be the best, but this is just a quick example, so it doesn¡¯t have to be.¡±


    ¡°Um¡­ could you make something that makes the wearer¡¯s voice louder, then..?¡± Of course the only thing she could think of was only practical in the context of stage performances¡­


    Regind nodded. ¡°Great idea! Alright, now that I have an idea, I can go over here. This is where the real alchemy happens! There¡¯s a couple different methods you could use¡ªusually depends on the teacher, but I was mostly self-taught, so I went with whatever felt best¡ªbut it¡¯s better to show than to explain, so just watch, okay?¡± She started going through the motions of something she must¡¯ve done hundreds of times before. She still gave some light commentary to give a vaguely clearer understanding of what she was doing. ¡°Technically all I need to do is enchant it. But this¡¯ll make it stronger. This helps keep the pin from breaking too easily. It¡¯s what makes alchemy more than just enchanting!¡± That must¡¯ve been where the possible spontaneous combustions came from.


    In a few minutes, she must¡¯ve been done, because she took it and handed it to Lynette. ¡°You want to try it?¡±


    ¡°A-ah, I¡¯m not sure¡­¡±


    Regind shrugged. ¡°Suit yourself. If this works, you might want to step back a little. And maybe cover your ears.¡± Lynette did as instructed while Regind put on the pin.


    ¡°Hello, neighbors!¡± It sounded like it worked, at least. ¡°I¡¯ve got something great to tell you! You¡¯ve got a new neighbor, and she¡¯s amazing! You should meet her!¡±


    Lynette blushed at the thought and Regind just kept grinning. She took the pin off and declared, ¡°Well, I think that was a success! So, now that you kind of know what all of this is, do you want to help me a little more?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ still not sure how much help I could be¡­¡± Lynette mumbled.


    ¡°There¡¯s lots you can do, even if you don¡¯t know magic! I¡¯ll show you. I promise, it may be a bit intimidating at first, but it¡¯s really fun, too!¡±


    After a moment, Lynette nodded and managed a small smile of her own. ¡°Alright, I suppose it wouldn¡¯t hurt to try.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the spirit!¡±

 Second Chances: Chapter 3

    It seemed Regind¡¯s call worked. Several of their neighbors showed up that evening to introduce themselves to Lynette, some even commenting on having seen her wandering the streets. They all gave her warm welcomes, a few lamenting the fact they hadn¡¯t noticed earlier or had anything to give her. She wondered how obvious it was, in front of all these people, that this kind of kindness without a price was something she wasn¡¯t used to.


    She¡¯d gone to bed as early as all the guests would let her, then woke up in the middle of the night. She heard something¡ªa song, pleasant but with a sense of foreboding or mourning hidden in it. Of all the words that were spoken, she recognized none of them; yet, somehow, words still formed in her mind as if she did.


    They were commands, like a kind voice asking something of a dear friend. She knew she didn¡¯t know the owner of the voice or really understood the song. Despite it, however, she got up, only half of her caring about where she would go.


    She almost got to the front door before she bumped into someone.


    ¡°Oh, hey! No going outside for you!¡± Regind had one hand gently on Lynette¡¯s shoulder to keep her from continuing and used the other to pin something to the strap of her nightgown.


    The song was still there¡ªit was no less hauntingly beautiful, it still made no sense. But Lynette did feel herself truly ¡°awake¡± until that moment.


    ¡°What was I¡­¡±


    Regind let out a nervous but relieved laugh. Lynette noted that she was wearing a charm nearly identical to the one she gave her. ¡°That was a close one. With all the fun we had today I forgot Loraena was going to talk with her mom. Are you alright?¡±


    With the several questions that popped into Lynette¡¯s mind, the first she actually asked was, ¡°Why was I about to walk outside like this?¡±


    ¡°Sirens.¡±


    ¡°Sirens?¡±


    Regind gestured towards the kitchen table, where they both sat down before she continued. ¡°I guess if you¡¯re confused then that means that you really don¡¯t have sirens in Seothia. Sirens are Daphni¡¯s daughters, almost always living near bodies of water¡ªthe coastal regions, like where we are, being the top one of them. They¡¯re known for two things: being really pretty and having a tendency to lure people away with their songs. Regular mortals like us get pulled in by their songs and can sometimes drown accidentally or be killed intentionally. The sirens around here are nice, but they still have to sing¡ªit¡¯s like their way of communicating to their far away family.


    ¡°At first our priest just recommended keeping doors locked and someone immune¡ªanother siren usually volunteers¡ªto be set on watch, to try to avoid an accident. But a little while ago, with the help of Loraena, I was able to make these charms. Some of them are pins but most of them can protect entire rooms. The pins are for the ones who won¡¯t be in their bedroom¡ªdon¡¯t tell Nana but I may or may not have been working¡ªand the rest stay in their bedroom. They¡¯re a kind of Truth magic. Isn¡¯t that cool?¡±


    ¡°I still only understood about half of what you said,¡± Lynette admitted. ¡°Who¡¯s Loraena?¡± This conversation was the first time she¡¯d heard the name; whoever it was, they hadn¡¯t introduced themself with what felt like half the town earlier.


    ¡°Loraena¡¯s our resident half-siren! She¡¯s cool¡ªshe helps me out a lot! She even answered my weird questions when we first met.¡± Regind smiled when she thought of something. ¡°You know what? Tomorrow morning, I¡¯ll introduce the two of you. She must¡¯ve been busy if she didn¡¯t come over. Maybe she was helping Ragnis, he¡¯s been running all over the place. Just keep that pin on all night and try to go back to sleep, alright? Nothing else should happen. It won¡¯t easily come off. I¡¯ll try digging around to see if we have another one of the charms we can put in your room.¡±


    ¡­


    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Lynette almost would¡¯ve believed what had happened had been a dream were it not for her hearing Regind recounting it to her grandparents. Lynette, knowing it to be morning and not hearing any more singing, assumed it was safe to keep the pin off after she got properly dressed.


    Both Nana and Papa turned to her when she walked into the kitchen.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear you¡¯re alright,¡± Nana remarked.


    ¡°And I apologize for letting it happen,¡± Papa said more solemnly.


    ¡°It¡¯s not too big of a deal,¡± Lynette mumbled as she sat down. ¡°Regind made it sound like it was something you dealt with a lot¡ªit¡¯s probably just a part of your life. Neither of us thought about it because neither of us have really been in this position before.¡±


    He didn¡¯t seem any more convinced.


    ¡°Aw, Papa, cheer up a little,¡± Regind said kindly. She helped Nana set their breakfast on the table. ¡°The important part is that nothing bad happened, right? Everything¡¯s okay in the end and that¡¯s all that matters.¡±


    He sighed. ¡°For once, I suppose it was a good thing you decided to stay up late.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯ve got to get to bed sooner,¡± Nana interjected. ¡°You¡¯re not going to be helping anyone, working without a clear head.¡±


    Regind let out a nervous chuckle. ¡°I know. I just got excited! I couldn¡¯t sleep, I had to write some of it down. And test a few things.¡± Perhaps after realizing that she wasn¡¯t really convincing them, she shook her head. ¡°But that¡¯s not important! I¡¯m going to show Lynette around town, she still hasn¡¯t met everyone yet. I¡¯m going to try to find Loraena and maybe Ragnis while I¡¯m out there. Do you want me to get something else while we¡¯re out?¡±


    Nana shook her head. ¡°No, I think we have everything for now. Tell Ragnis to get some sleep, too, though. I swear I¡¯ve seen the boy running around more in the past few days than you have. I don¡¯t know where either of you get the energy¡­¡±


    ¡°And don¡¯t let Loraena get the wrong idea,¡± Papa added. ¡°None of us want her thinking that what happened was because of her.¡±


    Regind nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to keep her from overthinking it.¡±


    They all ate breakfast and Lynette elected herself to help Nana wash the dishes. She felt like she needed to be helpful somehow¡­ even if most of it was just following Nana¡¯s example, with no real experience of her own. Regind had disappeared during that time but returned to the kitchen almost as soon as they were finishing up.


    ¡°Is it time for me to steal you yet?¡± she asked with a smile.


    Nana nodded. ¡°Nothing I can¡¯t do on my own. You girls have fun, but don¡¯t get in any trouble.¡±


    ¡°When have you ever known me for getting into trouble?¡± Regind then took Lynette¡¯s hand and started leading her out of the house and into the street.


    Lynette had spent most of the previous day helping Regind and never actually left the house. It seemed even busier than what it had been when she first came. She couldn¡¯t decide if she wanted to be comforted in that fact or be on edge that someone might recognize her.


    Eventually, she dared to ask a question she¡¯d been meaning to. ¡°Who¡¯s Ragnis? Everyone keeps mentioning him.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a half-fairy! He helps out a lot around Yllvamel, even if I didn¡¯t introduce the two of you soon, you¡¯d probably see him eventually.¡±


    ¡°Are there a lot of¡­ those kinds of people here?¡± Lynette realized as soon as she said it how wrong it sounded. ¡°I don¡¯t know what the general term to refer to all of them would be. I¡­ got the impression they never mixed. At least not like that¡­¡±


    ¡°You mean fairies or sirens and humans? They¡¯re a bit more common than you might think they are! Especially here in Qizar. You¡¯re probably thinking of Idkor when you think they never interact with each other¡ªthey¡¯re kind of similar to Qizar, but they¡¯re a lot stricter, and they¡¯re only goblins and fairies. Humans¡ªnot even children of Fleyw Bresh¡ªare allowed there. But Qizar¡¯s a lot more casual about it in most places.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know that¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s true! Especially around the coasts here, where there¡¯s a lot of sirens, some of the benevolent ones might fall in love with a guy. There¡¯s a few things Loraena can¡¯t do since she doesn¡¯t have full siren blood, but she¡¯s still like any of their other sisters. Half-fairies and half-goblins are common enough in places like Rhodes or in larger Andrea Province cities. Not so much in the Goblin and Fairy Provinces in Elluin, though, since most of those families are usually stricter like Idkor. They fit right in with the rest of us! Sometimes you can barely tell the difference unless they tell you.¡± Regind glanced at her. ¡°Is it really surprising enough that you¡¯re giving me that look?¡±


    Lynette shook her head. ¡°I suppose not, it¡¯s just¡­ I¡¯m not used to it. Acceptance regardless of bloodline isn¡¯t exactly the kind of value Seothia as a whole upholds.¡± She knew plenty of people that only tolerated the Fleyw Bresh because one of their kings was Qizar¡¯s prince.


    ¡°Welcome to Yllvamel, then! You¡¯ll find all kinds of people from all different walks of life here, living together peacefully. Orestis instructs us to be kind to every stranger, no matter our differences, and that¡¯s something that everyone here agrees on.¡±


    Regind¡¯s smile was wide enough that Lynette found herself managing one of her own, too.

 Second Chances: Chapter 4

    Lynette almost had to wonder if Regind knew where they were going when they circled through what must¡¯ve been the same area several times. Eventually, however, they found at least one of the people that they¡¯d been looking for.


    ¡°Loraena!¡± Regind walked up to a young woman, one who might¡¯ve passed as a regular human if it weren¡¯t for her eyes.


    Lynette forced herself to continue to follow Regind, trying not to too obviously hide behind her, as a kind of unease ran through her. These people were welcoming to everyone who was different¡ªif they could do it, then so could she.


    Who must¡¯ve been Loraena gave Regind a friendly smile then seemed significantly more startled to notice Lynette. ¡°Regind, who¡¯s this? I haven¡¯t seen her around before, is she new?¡± Already there was a slight sign of panic evident in her voice and expression.


    ¡°Mhm!¡± Regind gestured between both of them. ¡°Lynette, this is Loraena, and Loraena, this is Lynette! Loraena, do you remember when Nana and Papa decided they were going to rent one of their old rooms out? I told you a few weeks ago about how someone had reserved it, right, and was coming to Yllvamel? Lynette is that person!¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡± Loraena gave Lynette a little nod of acknowledgement. ¡°Welcome to Yllvamel, then. Did you just come?¡±


    ¡°I arrived two days ago,¡± Lynette responded with a bit of caution. From her understanding, this might be something she¡¯d want to approach carefully. ¡°I spent all of yesterday helping Regind, though. I wanted to get settled before spending too long in town¡­¡±


    Loraena¡¯s smile turned into a worried frown. ¡°Regind, you made sure she knew about last night, right?¡±


    ¡°Funny thing,¡± Regind began with a half-nervous laugh. ¡°I actually completely forgot that you were going to do that. But! It¡¯s okay! Because I was awake anyway! See, nothing serious¡ªaaand you¡¯ve still got that look¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± Loraena said to Lynette, clearly showing all of her panic. ¡°I didn¡¯t¡ªI mean, if I¡¯d known you¡¯d be there, I wouldn¡¯t have¡ª¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Lynette interrupted. ¡°I really don¡¯t mind. I wasn¡¯t hurt at all¡ªI didn¡¯t even leave the house, thanks to Regind. No harm done, so there¡¯s no point in stressing over it, right?¡±


    When Loraena looked no more calm, Regind leaned a bit closer to Lynette to whisper, ¡°You¡¯re¡­ probably not going to be able to talk her out of this¡ªshe takes it way more seriously than most others do. Just keep being nice and this¡¯ll blow over eventually.¡±


    Louder, Regind continued, ¡°Loraena, you were talking to your mom, right? Is she doing okay?¡±


    Loraena, slowly, nodded. ¡°Yeah. She said the others were doing well, too.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good! I was gonna show Lynette around the rest of the town, do you want to come with us? Or do you know where Ragnis is? I want to introduce her to him but I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen him in a while.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ think I remember where he told me he was going. I¡¯ll be willing to come with you.¡±


    ¡°Great! Then let¡¯s get going, these introductions aren¡¯t going to make themselves!¡±


    Loraena began to lead the way, though Regind was clearly still the one with the most enthusiasm. The two of them talked about what Regind described to Lynette the night before; that charm protection against siren song. Lynette tuned out most of their conversation until they started to reach the edge of town.


    And she saw one creepy as hell estate she had, somehow, missed when she first came here.


    Regind noticed her staring as they walked past it. ¡°That¡¯s the Takemra estate, by the way! The family used to be super involved around here, I think¡ªat least, that¡¯s what Papa said, it was a few years before I moved in. The mom died one day and no one¡¯s heard from the son since. Some people say it¡¯s haunted.¡±


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    ¡°It¡¯s not haunted,¡± Loraena mumbled, glancing at it herself. ¡°He¡¯s still in there.¡±


    ¡°Is it normal for otherwise perfectly ordinary and even kind towns to have a random, abandoned estate somewhere in them?¡± Lynette asked before she really thought to stop herself.


    Regind laughed. ¡°Well, usually there¡¯s people in estates. But apparently there wasn¡¯t any family to take it over, they didn¡¯t have any servants to run it, and nothing in the mom¡¯s will said anything about giving it to the church. So, basically, Yllvamel has a haunted¡ª¡±


    ¡°Not haunted,¡± Loraena insisted.


    ¡°¡ªestate right at the edge of it. Interesting, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    More like a script of a horror play. But Lynette kept that part to herself and simply nodded.


    They continued to walk a little bit further out of town, before Regind suddenly stopped and called, ¡°Hey, Ragnis! There you are! We¡¯ve been looking for you!¡±


    Lynette couldn¡¯t see anyone out here, until a young man came out from behind a tree carrying a pile of sticks and wood. Loraena mumbled something and walked over to help him, the two having a very short conversation. Now with only half his previous load, he strode over to Regind and Lynette.


    ¡°Well, look at that!¡± he said with a friendly smirk. ¡°What brings the mysterious enchanter out today, I wonder?¡± Then he noticed Lynette. ¡°Oh, the new neighbor! I¡¯ve been hearing all sorts of things about you around town. Haven¡¯t had the chance to talk to you myself yet, though.¡± He gave her a brief, playful bow. ¡°You, milady, may call me Ragnis.¡±


    ¡°Lynette,¡± she returned after a moment. She felt obligated to add, ¡°Drop the act. You¡¯re not charming.¡±


    Ragnis let out a chuckle. ¡°Right to the point, I see. I think you hurt my ego a little there.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll be fine,¡± Loraena remarked with a small smile.


    ¡°If Kadnekhs are known for anything, it is our resilience!¡± Ragnis turned his attention back to Regind. ¡°Was there something you needed? Or something Nana or Papa Ransu need? Pretty rare to see you out and about without some kind of goal in mind.¡±


    ¡°Not really!¡± Regind replied brightly. ¡°We¡¯re just showing Lynette around. Do you want to come with us? You¡¯ve probably got some other stuff that has to be done in town, right? You¡¯d probably be done a lot sooner if we all help out.¡±


    Ragnis smirked, then gestured for the rest of them to follow him as he started back towards town. ¡°I could use a hand¡ªor a couple! Then this new neighbor of ours can tell me a little more about herself.¡±


    Lynette bit back her first response of ¡°Me?¡± in favor of simply seeing how this would play out. She was able to be somewhat honest with Regind and nothing bad seemed to come out of it. As long as Ragnis didn¡¯t ask too probing of a question, she could probably effortlessly play it off¡ªshe didn¡¯t have years of experience in acting for nothing.


    When she didn¡¯t take the initiative, he did. ¡°So, where are you from?¡±


    After a moment¡¯s debate, she decided to be honest and, quietly, admitted, ¡°Seothia.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s quite a bit away from here, you know! I was born and raised right here in Yllvamel. I¡¯ve always liked being involved so you¡¯ll always see me running around town. What about you? What brings you to this humble town of ours?¡±


    She hesitated long enough for it to become clear she wasn¡¯t comfortable answering. All three of them took it to mean something different than that, though.


    ¡°You¡¯re not the first new person to show up in Yllvamel!¡± Regind assured her, motioning to herself and Loraena. ¡°We both weren¡¯t from here originally. I¡¯ve only been here five years! I came because it had a lot more opportunities for alchemy than my hometown did. The people were always really nice here, too.¡±


    Loraena nodded. ¡°I used to be near the Clymei River¡ªit¡¯s a little further north of here, a few day¡¯s away¡ªbut I was allowed to stay closer to Yllvamel when I was thirteen. I saw what the community was like here and I wanted to be a part of that.¡± She glanced at Ragnis. ¡°The idea of there being others kind of like me helped, too. To be honest, I kind of like being around humans rather than other sirens¡­¡±


    ¡°Trust me,¡± Lynette said slowly, ¡°I¡¯m not avoiding it because I feel like I stand out here.¡± Actually, she did. Too much of her was whispering that it wouldn¡¯t end well if she told these people who were still practical strangers. ¡°I¡¯m just not ready to answer that kind of question yet. Maybe later.¡±


    Maybe never.


    Ragnis didn¡¯t seem too bothered by it. ¡°Alright, we¡¯ve all got to have our secrets. Enjoying life here so far, at least?¡±


    She nodded and, somehow, managed a small smile. ¡°Yeah. I¡­ think I¡¯m going to like it here. In a way, this place already feels like home.¡±


    Regind beamed. ¡°That¡¯s Yllvamel for you!¡±

 Second Chances: Chapter 5

    Ragnis asked a couple other questions. Whenever she took too long or hesitated to answer one, he¡¯d just ask another, completely unrelated one. Eventually he must¡¯ve realized exactly what she wouldn¡¯t answer, because he stopped asking anything specific about before her arrival to Yllvamel; instead, he chose perhaps the safest options anyone could, like favorite color or her preferences of pets.


    Lynette didn¡¯t really notice when her guard dropped. They just spent so much of the day talking, walking through town, introducing her to any of the other townspeople she hadn¡¯t met yet. She started to think that, maybe¡­ this really could be a good thing. That she could put everything else behind her.


    Apparently, she must¡¯ve forgotten what happened in stories when its protagonists started to believe that.


    ¡°Hello, you! Yes, the one with that annoying child! Tell me, have you seen my star?¡± That was a voice she¡¯d been hoping she¡¯d never have to hear again. The moment she saw him¡ªright in front of them, though he didn¡¯t notice them yet¡ªshe instinctively hid behind Regind.


    ¡°I¡ªI¡¯m not sure what you mean, sir,¡± the woman he was talking to responded hesitantly.


    ¡°My star! The one that¡¯s too good for this pathetic little town! Don¡¯t dare lie to me. That bitch may have run but she should know better than to think she can hide from me.¡±


    Lynette had the sinking feeling that she didn¡¯t know the way back to Nana and Papa¡¯s enough in order to hide there. That, and the other three, completely unaware of everything she was feeling, still started to slowly approach the person.


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk with him,¡± she warned, quietly, and was honestly surprised to see that they heard her.


    Regind looked back, confused, but in a way Lynette twisted it to be accusing. ¡°Do you know him?¡±


    The director practically answered that question for her. ¡°I know she¡¯s here somewhere! Even you should be able to sense the raw talent and natural beauty she possesses! A kind that belongs on a stage, making money, gaining the adoring love of hundreds.¡±


    The poor woman looked no less confused.


    ¡°Really? For possessing a goddess of the arts, you¡¯re awfully blind to the one in front of you! Answer me: where is Lynette Avery?¡±


    ¡°Is¡­ he talking about you?¡± Loraena asked, glancing at Lynette too.


    Lynette had no reason to believe, not really, that they were any more than harmless questions¡ªthe kinds that wouldn¡¯t matter, possibly even just a few minutes from now. But she told herself that they were more than that. She¡¯d lied and now these still mostly-acquaintances were going to know the truth. They were already associating him with her¡ªwho¡¯s to say they didn¡¯t decide she was exactly the same?


    Unfortunately, she had no time to try to explain herself. The director noticed the four of them, then smiled the moment he caught sight of Lynette. He practically shoved aside anyone that stood in the way between him and her, though Regind and Ragnis kept him from getting any closer than that.


    ¡°Lyn,¡± the director sighed. ¡°Who do you think you¡¯re fooling? You know that you¡¯re better than this! Fame and fortune await you but you¡¯re lingering in this backwater Qizarn town. You should be grateful that I was able to track you down and bring you back to where you belong!¡± You failed to realize I have more money AND blackmail at my disposal to get people to talk, was what he practically meant.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going with you,¡± Lynette said so much more confidently than she felt. ¡°I left, and that¡¯s the end of it. You can¡¯t do anything else.¡±


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    It seemed that everyone was watching; they slowed their pace as they walked by, peering out windows to get a better look. There was something more mixed in with the curiosity¡ªthey were carefully observing, waiting for if they would need to do something. Whatever that something was.


    The director pushed Regind out of the way¡ªgetting a very clear reaction out of the crowd¡ªand took Lynette¡¯s hand. He tried pulling her away but, somehow, she didn¡¯t move. ¡°That¡¯s one hell of a way to treat the man who made you, isn¡¯t it? This little game of yours is over. It¡¯s time to bring you back to where you¡¯re supposed to be.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you see she doesn¡¯t want to go with you?¡± All the friendliness that had once been in Ragnis¡¯s voice was almost gone now, replaced by some kind of determined, cold tone. ¡°I¡¯ll be honest, I have no idea what¡¯s going on. But I can tell that you¡¯re not accepting her very clear ¡®no¡¯ as an answer. And, frankly, if you think we¡¯re going to go along with that, you¡¯ve got another thing coming.¡±


    ¡°You look, sound, and act like an asshole,¡± Loraena mumbled. ¡°You don¡¯t want to know what I won¡¯t regret doing to someone like that.¡±


    The director laughed. ¡°Oh no, whatever the hell you¡¯re supposed to be!¡± he cried mockingly. ¡°I¡¯m nearly terrified out of my wits!¡±


    ¡°I think you should leave,¡± Regind said, moving to stand right next to Lynette. ¡°You¡¯re just drawing more unwanted attention to yourself.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s going to make me? I¡¯ve dealt with far worse than a couple of kids like you.¡± He took one step closer to Lynette, but that was where he stopped.


    ¡°You asked for it.¡± Loraena muttered something else, too¡ªsomething that matched whatever language she had sung in. Whatever it was, it sounded like a curse. Behind that confident stare she gave the director, there was a hint of panic, like she was afraid of going too far.


    His smile turned to a frown; one of annoyance at first, then twisting into one more befitting of fear. He looked between each of the four and to everyone watching the crowd. ¡°What the hell is wrong  with you? What are you doing to me?¡±


    ¡°Sirens lure people out with their songs. But do you know what makes them so enchanting? The fact that, in the end, it¡¯s all just an illusion.¡± Loraena took a deep breath and whispered one final word of the spell. ¡°Now I advise you to get going before things get any worse for you.¡±


    At first, he still didn¡¯t look like he was going to go. Then, as his eyes darted to each part of their surroundings, something else took over; a kind of instinct of sorts, in which he could only give them dark glares and declare, ¡°Damn you! I¡¯ll be back for my star, mark my words!¡± before running off. No one said a word, but it felt like the whole of the town was cheering.


    Lynette waited a moment to start asking the several questions she now had. ¡°What did you do?¡±


    ¡°Sirens are naturally very talented in Illusion magic,¡± Loraena explained hesitantly. Any former confidence she¡¯d had was gone now, replaced with a nervous tone that screamed something closer to I just murdered a man. ¡°I just¡­ showed him some of his fears. He¡¯ll probably have nightmares for a couple of days. If not¡­ a couple of weeks¡­ I¡ªI don¡¯t like doing it. It can do some¡­ pretty bad things¡­ that I don¡¯t want to accidentally do out of habit.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that bastard. He deserves everything that might happen to him.¡± Lynette paused. ¡°But I¡­ don¡¯t get why you did it. I¡¯m a stranger to you¡ªI¡¯ve literally only known two of you for a couple of hours. It probably would¡¯ve saved you a lot of trouble to just listened to him¡­¡±


    Ragnis, despite all the seriousness in her tone, chuckled. ¡°If there¡¯s one thing you should know about the people here in Yllvamel, it¡¯s that we stick together. You were one of us from the moment Nana and Papa Ransu decided to let you stay with them.¡±


    Regind nodded and smiled. ¡°Do you really think the rest of us would be here if we only listened to rude people?¡± She paused and, a bit more hesitant, added, ¡°But I am kinda curious about what he was talking about¡ªif you¡¯re alright with telling us. I know your past really seems to be a sensitive topic for you, but I think I can speak for all of us when I say I don¡¯t want it to be like that. You¡¯ve seen already that we aren¡¯t going to abandon you, no matter what you say. Burdens¡­ are a little lighter when you share them with others, you know?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± Lynette had seen for herself that what Regind said was true. Years in her lifestyle couldn¡¯t be erased by one good deed, however. ¡°I-it isn¡¯t really a good story, or a particularly exciting one. It¡¯s not even that important¡­¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to tell everyone if you don¡¯t want to,¡± Regind pointed out. ¡°I¡¯m not asking you to shout it out from the roof. I just want you to know that you can talk to us¡ªand it doesn¡¯t have to go anywhere if you don¡¯t want it to.¡±


    ¡°A-alright. I suppose I owe you something anyway, for getting rid of him. But can we head back to the house? I know everyone¡¯s gone back to their business but I still don¡¯t want to say it too openly¡­¡±

 Second Chances: Chapter 6

    If status could be bought, then they would have been one of the most influential nobles in the region. But they were ¡°stuck,¡± bounds above the average citizen, yet ¡°still¡± their patriarch was no more than a viscount. Their attempts at garnering themselves a more prominent political image were fruitless, since they were unable to marry into families above them. But, luckily for them, they had something else to keep their house relevant: talent.


    Or, more importantly, her talent.


    Lynette wasn¡¯t sure what made them realize it. Maybe it was how, when she¡¯d play her flute, everyone in the vicinity hushed to listen. Maybe it was the fact that, no matter how many people gathered around her, she never flinched nor faltered. Maybe it was because they realized how effortlessly she could lie to them, with no one ever questioning it.


    Whatever it was, the director took notice of her, and promptly pulled her parents aside.


    ¡°That girl of yours has potential,¡± he said in that same voice of deceptive charm that could make anyone listen to him.


    It wasn¡¯t like her parents seemed uninterested in it, either; they both listened eagerly, ready to do whatever necessary as soon as they heard the word money. Back then, the words fame and grandeur lured her into paying attention, too.


    ¡°Imagine!¡± The director gave a wide gesture with such a malevolent smile that it looked friendly. ¡°With the proper training, she¡¯ll be the star of every show. Do you understand where she could be in five years? Why, she¡¯d have seen it all! Adoring crowds from all over will fight to see her up there! Her life will be nothing but luxury, touring with dare I say the most prolific theater company on this side of the continent!¡±


    ¡°The tickets¡ªthe sales. We¡¯d get that, won¡¯t we? You¡¯re not one of the bastards that would hoard it?¡± Her father hadn¡¯t asked that out of concern, but more of greed, something she¡¯d paid much more attention to in hindsight.


    The director let out a jovial laugh. ¡°Of course not! Now, I have to keep something in order to keep things going, but this little lady warrants quite the pension! If you¡¯d like, I can arrange it so that a portion of that is always set aside for the two of you. That way, she won¡¯t ever have to worry about making sure it gets to you.¡±


    She¡¯d never see most of it herself, was what he really should¡¯ve said.


    ¡°And the touring?¡± her mother asked. ¡°What will that be like?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯ll see everything Seothia has to offer¡ªincluding its nobility, of course.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯ll be with the nobility?¡±


    ¡°Why, of course! Nothing but the best. I¡¯ll have you know that only the wealthiest can afford our services and even then there¡¯s still no shortage of requests! I can see it now. She¡¯ll be at the face of every show, attending formal balls under my company¡¯s name. Even the courts of the throne will not be unknown to her!¡±


    ¡­


    At first, Lynette didn¡¯t care. She saw it as her way to get everything she could¡¯ve wanted¡ªjust like he¡¯d promised her. Though some might consider their house a declining one, that did not mean she was unfamiliar with the luxuries of the wealthy; in comparison, at least a part of her thought that this new life might be dull.


    It certainly wasn¡¯t.


    She seemed to do much better than what anyone expected her to. She saw herself excel far beyond the others that had joined at the same time¡ªand sometimes earlier¡ªat a far faster rate. The others addressed her in a kind of way that immediately told her hers was an unusual case; a kind of sweetness, like they wanted to be on her good side, but a cutting bitterness that revealed their true thoughts and jealousy.


    It was no surprise to her when she¡¯d heard the news; the director had been telling practically anyone who even slightly mentioned it. But the others certainly seemed surprised at the idea.


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    ¡°You¡¯re doing what?¡± one of the women questioned in shock. She was rumored to be the director¡¯s mistress¡ªthey spent a lot of time together, when they thought no one was watching.


    ¡°The one thing none of you are great enough for,¡± Lynette replied. She didn¡¯t know what she was doing then¡ªshe was just imitating the rest of them until something felt natural. ¡°The lead role of what will undoubtedly be our most successful tour of the year.¡±


    ¡°How?¡± another asked, mixed with disdain and curiosity.


    She shrugged casually. ¡°I suppose the director just sees more potential in me.¡±


    If she had any doubts, she showed none of them. She¡¯d learned a long time ago that showing weakness would only get her eaten alive.


    The director strolled by, though the smirk told that he¡¯d known the kind of conversation he¡¯d walked into. ¡°Good morning, ladies!¡±


    ¡°You lied to me,¡± the mistress said in a near-whisper. Then, as the weight of it hit her, her voice rose. ¡°You lied to me! You said I would always be your closest star!¡±


    And for the betrayal, all he did was laugh. ¡°Well, yes. You are the closest. But sometimes being close doesn¡¯t mean it shines the brightest.¡±


    ¡°After what I¡ª¡±


    ¡°Well, now, you¡¯re here at all, aren¡¯t you? Honestly you should be a little more grateful. Were it not for me, you¡¯d be in the back alleyway of some rundown town. But if you want to go back, by all means, I won¡¯t stop you.¡± He said it all with a smile.


    Everyone seemed to pay attention to what he said; the mentions of an origin. She didn¡¯t have the fortune of being a part of the nobility, or even a moderately reputable family.


    And that¡ªthe thing she couldn¡¯t change¡ªwas her biggest mistake.


    As the taunts, jeers, and laughs began, the only thing the mistress could manage was, ¡°N-no of course not, Director. Please excuse me. I stepped out of line.¡± He walked up to whisper something to her, to which she just blankly nodded.


    Lynette, every now and again, considered the kinds of things she saw and wondered if this really was where she should be. But back then, she had yet to build a resolve to leave. She didn¡¯t have her own money, or at least not a lot¡ªher life of luxury was upheld by the ¡°generosity¡± of the director. Yet¡­ that was the moment when something clicked in her.


    If she didn¡¯t leave here soon enough, she¡¯d be in the same position as the mistress¡­ and the countless others that had come and gone before her.


    ¡­


    For three years, though, she kept playing along. She was the star, after all; the one that they all came to see, the one that they cheered for and offered gifts of trinkets and flowers. A part of her adored that life, while the other knew that it was going to end eventually.


    And when it ended, it would be far from pleasant.


    She¡¯d gotten a bit more money for herself, playing the lead female role in practically every performance the company put on. Even if she was a legal adult now, her parents still got most of it¡ªshe assumed they and the director pulled some strings to keep it that way, especially when she started showing hesitance. Everything she was allowed to keep was safely locked away, far from the others who might use it, and her continued reliance on the others seemed to suggest she didn¡¯t have it at all.


    She mentally marked her calendar for a ball the company would be attending, having been able to entrust her belongings to a fallen star who was more than willing to help her for the right price. It was risky to leave with so many people around but, well, that was what the money was for.


    Lynette didn¡¯t intend on having a single coin by the time she reached her destination, wherever that would be. And, as awful as that sounded, she was willing to make that sacrifice.


    But, until then, it was time to play along. Acting always was her specialty.


    ¡°Have you heard what happened to him?¡± the actress gossiped. Her intentionally loud voice nulled any effect the fan might have done for their privacy.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think I have,¡± Lynette lied. She knew exactly what happened, though that was an act, too; she had to become a part of ruining others¡¯ reputations if she wanted to keep her own. ¡°What was it? Something bad?¡±


    The actress¡¯s eyes darted around the room, grinning at all the not-so-discreet listeners. ¡°Oh, his co-star poisoned him! Apparently they¡¯d been fighting for a while¡ªthe bitter kind.¡±


    ¡°What a shame,¡± Lynette said in an apathetic tone.


    ¡°I know, right? I think he¡¯s lying. Did you hear what he did last week? Why, they say he¡¯s been going around town a lot. Always coming back with someone new¡­¡±


    These forced conversations went on for a little longer, until she was sure that she could leave without being noticed. If she realized that someone did notice, some money was enough to convince them to stay quiet. She found the fallen star, made sure she had all her things, then paid them to take her to the border without telling anyone.


    She didn¡¯t know where she was going¡ªor if there was even the option of hiding, really¡ªshe just knew that she had to get away from here. She wasn¡¯t going to just become another toy in someone else¡¯s game.

 Second Chances: Chapter 7

    She didn¡¯t know if she hated or preferred that, after she told her story, they continued like nothing had happened. They knew her past, though perhaps not all the depths of it. Yet they didn¡¯t see her as who she was, just like when they¡¯d first met her. It didn¡¯t matter to them.


    In fact, the next morning, Regind poked her head into Lynette¡¯s room and asked, ¡°Would you be interested in going to the festival today?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a festival..?¡± she mumbled in her half-asleep state. She slowly got up and prepared to go, anyway. She wanted to spend more time with them.


    ¡°Well, every day¡¯s got something to celebrate, right?¡± Regind responded with a wide smile. ¡°I think you¡¯ll like this one. A lot of people from town gave it their all to make it a festival none of us will forget. I¡¯ll tell you a little more about it when you¡¯re ready, alright? I¡¯ve got to help Nana get breakfast ready.¡±


    By the time Lynette could nod, Regind had already left again. Lynette simply got ready¡ªhoping Qizarn festivals didn¡¯t require a strict dress code, given her lack of options¡ªand walked to the kitchen.


    ¡°Tried to get that son of mine to come and visit,¡± Papa was remarking as she walked in. ¡°The only thing his letter said was ¡®I don¡¯t have a daughter.¡¯ I swear, one of these days, I¡¯m going to march back over there and drag the boy back here.¡± Despite the annoyance in his tone, though, he immediately smiled and gestured beside him when he noticed Lynette.


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s, uh¡­ a shame. I guess. N-no dragging necessary. It¡¯s just¡­ Dad. Being Dad.¡± Regind sounded the most nervous Lynette had ever seen her and, when she realized the opportunity to change the subject, she jumped on it. ¡°Lynette, perfect timing! I mean, uh¡ªexcited for the festival? It¡¯s going to be nonstop fun from the moment we step outside ¡®til late in the evening! Well, an hour or two after sunset, because the stalls have to close and the kids have curfews, but you get what I mean.¡±


    Lynette nodded and managed a small smile. ¡°I think I will. Are Loraena and Ragnis going to be there, too?¡±


    ¡°Mhm! Practically everyone in Yllvamel¡ªand then some!¡ªare going to be there. I know both of them were supposed to help out with parts of the planning, but that should all be done by now. It¡¯s not really fun for everyone if they¡¯re too busy to enjoy it, right?¡± Regind smirked as she sat their breakfast on the table. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m here for! No one¡¯s going to be left out on a festival on my watch!¡±


    Nana grew a grin of her own as she not-so-subtly whispered to Lynette, ¡°It¡¯s practically the only thing she leaves her lab for nowadays.¡±


    ¡°N-Nana!¡± Regind blushed.


    Lynette couldn¡¯t muffle her laugh.


    ¡­


    ¡°Oh, hey! Regind! Lynette! We¡¯re both over here!¡± Ragnis called, waving his arms around even though he was already pretty obvious. Loraena was standing beside him, waving in a much more subtle manner.


    ¡°Have you done anything fun yet?¡± Regind asked.


    ¡°We waited for you,¡± Loraena responded, shaking her head.


    Lynette looked around at all the stalls; everyone had smiles and, while it was still early in the morning, the streets were already getting busy. It looked like there were so many things to do, surprising her that most of the preparation must¡¯ve been done the night before.


    Immediately, knowing that everyone was eventually going to prompt her about it, she declared, ¡°I have no idea where to go. Please don¡¯t make me decide.¡±


    Ragnis laughed. ¡°Fair enough! It¡¯s probably pretty unfamiliar to you, huh?¡±


    ¡°Actually, none of this is familiar¡­¡± Lynette mumbled.


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    ¡°Do they do festivals differently in Seothia?¡± Regind asked, tilting her head.


    Lynette, after a moment¡¯s consideration, shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s more like there¡¯s no festivals to do anything for. I mean, we celebrate the Lantern Festival, of course. But that¡¯s pretty much it. We would rarely go this far for one of those, let alone any other kind of celebration¡­¡±


    They all looked at her, and blinked, as if they simply couldn¡¯t process the thought of it.


    ¡°No festivals?¡± Ragnis repeated, disbelieving. ¡°Like, at all? Not even a few smaller holidays?¡±


    ¡°No festivals,¡± Lynette confirmed. ¡°We have some smaller holidays but they¡¯re¡­ more of an excuse for nobles to hold parties or families to have reunions. You¡¯d be hard-pressed to find any town decorating for it. The next closest thing after the Lantern Festival for something like this is Spirit¡¯s Coming, and that¡¯s only in northern Seothia¡­¡±


    ¡°So what do you do to connect with one another?¡± Loraena asked.


    ¡°We don¡¯t. Seothia definitely isn¡¯t like Qizar. There, it doesn¡¯t matter if you¡¯re neighbors or from different parts of the kingdom¡ªyou¡¯re still cared about just as much as a stranger. You¡¯d be hard-pressed to find anything that even vaguely resembles the kind of hospitality Qizar gives.¡±


    ¡°Well, one thing¡¯s for sure,¡± Regind decided. ¡°We¡¯ve got a lot of time to make up for! Come on, no time to waste! You haven¡¯t lived until you¡¯re able to experience these festivals.¡±


    She held her hand out and Lynette took it. They walked through town together, Regind pointing out each and every interesting thing there.


    ¡°What¡¯s this festival for?¡± Lynette eventually asked. If there were clear signs from the decorations, she couldn¡¯t distinguish them from anything else. ¡°That¡­ isn¡¯t rude to ask, is it?¡±


    Loraena shook her head. ¡°You¡¯re not going to know, so it¡¯s actually good that you ask. It means that you¡¯re willing to learn.¡±


    ¡°This is the Music Festival,¡± Ragnis went on to explain. ¡°We honor two things here: the death of Holy Queen Norah and our Patroness of the Arts, Natasa.¡±


    ¡°That seems more like two completely different things¡­¡± Lynette mumbled. ¡°Honoring the death of your first queen and one of your gods on the same day..?¡±


    Regind explained this part. ¡°Qizar¡¯s always been a very artsy place, you know. Music¡¯s pretty tied in to our services and a lot of other mundane and religious stuff. Holy Queen Norah was no exception to it! So, while we remember her death by song and dance, we hold up Natasa, too, as the one who allowed us to do it in the first place.¡± She gestured around her. ¡°As you can see, though, it¡¯s more than just music. Games are pretty standard for festivals, but I heard that they¡¯re holding a couple of plays, too. We should watch one of them together!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m guessing they¡¯re more related to your Commandments?¡±


    ¡°Mhm. But who knows, there might be some stories you recognize! Even if you don¡¯t, it could give you a good idea of some of them. And, hey, if you ever have questions about them? Loraena¡¯s your gal. I think she has the Commandments memorized front to back!¡±


    Loraena seemed partially opposed to the thought, blushing. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say that¡­¡±


    Lynette smiled, despite it. ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll be sure to take you up on that offer sometime.¡±


    They continued wandering around, checking out the stalls and playing the games. Eventually, as the sun was beginning to set, they passed by a stage. They¡¯d stopped to watch the performance¡ªsomething Lynette hadn¡¯t done for a long time. She had always been up there, but rarely ever a part of the crowd enjoying it.


    It was a familiar tale, actually¡ªin the way one might call half of an overheard tune ¡°familiar.¡± It followed a story that she knew; a budding town needed a leader and two volunteered themselves. One offered navigational prowess, promises of teaching the people how to get to any destination they desired. The people were impressed, though not completely¡ªthey had no interest in traveling far from their new home. Understanding their desires, the other offered her agricultural knowledge. The people chose her, knowing that they would never go hungry under her. Now, the story Lynette knew was several hours long and lent itself more into a political drama, but¡­ there was something charming about this shorter, more straightforward performance.


    This was the original story, she knew¡ªbefore it was tainted by the expectations of Seothian drama. And she liked it. She couldn¡¯t help but wonder, in fact, what other stories were taken from these myths. Honestly, she might not have been too interested in the comparison before; she¡¯d had nothing to relate it to, no reason other than the fact she had nothing but time.


    But now, she had a connection. So, with the performance over, she spoke even before Regind could.


    ¡°I think I¡¯m definitely up for that offer, Loraena,¡± Lynette remarked. ¡°When will you have some free time?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± she responded, happy at the question if not a little surprised by it. ¡°But I¡¯ll definitely let you know when I do.¡±


    ¡°Does that mean you liked it?¡± Regind asked excitedly.


    Lynette nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll be honest, I¡­ didn¡¯t think I¡¯d be as willing to learn your ways as you¡¯re willing to accept me. But I¡¯m ready to try now. I want to hear your stories¡ªboth the familiar and the unfamiliar.¡±

 Second Chances: Chapter 8

    Before they went their separate ways after the festival, they agreed to meet together sometime around noon to help clean up. But there was a morning left to go until then, one Lynette spent helping Nana and Papa around the house. She still felt like she owed them something, for the things they¡¯ve done for her and the acceptance the town gave her.


    A letter came that sparked something close to a whispered argument between Regind and Papa, but Lynette couldn¡¯t listen to it for long; she excused herself to answer the rather urgent-sounding knock on the door.


    She was only partially surprised to see that it was Loraena¡ªtroubled, anxious¡ªand Ragnis¡ªmore or less looking like he was just dragged out of bed. ¡°Is it time to¡ª¡±


    ¡°I need your and Regind¡¯s help,¡± Loraena interrupted quickly. She poked her head inside. ¡°Is she here? Or is she working?¡±


    Lynette jumped when Regind appeared right beside her to eagerly ask, ¡°Is it urgent? Please tell me it¡¯s urgent. Or that it¡¯s going to take all day.¡±


    From the kitchen, Papa called, ¡°Regind, this is important! You can¡¯t keep ignoring it!¡±


    ¡°Did your parents write to you?¡± Ragnis asked cautiously.


    ¡°Yeah, and it¡¯s pretty hard to care for people who still can¡¯t get your name right.¡± Regind clapped her hands together. ¡°So! What is it?¡±


    ¡°I heard a rumor,¡± Loraena said. ¡°I need to make sure if it¡¯s true or not.¡±


    ¡°Rumors barely hold any truth to them,¡± Lynette pointed out. ¡°There¡¯s probably better things to do than to try chasing after them.¡±


    Loraena shook her head. ¡°This is a serious one. I¡¯d do it on my own but I don¡¯t want to do it alone¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, then, what is it?¡± Regind prompted. Whether to help a friend or ignore whatever she was supposed to be doing, she was already halfway out the door.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid something happened to Astyu.¡±


    They all just¡­ stood there, and looked at Loraena. Regind glanced over at Ragnis with a who¡¯s that? kind of look and he just shrugged. At least Lynette wasn¡¯t the only clueless one.


    ¡°Astyu,¡± Loraena repeated, sounding slightly distressed at their confusion. She realized what she¡¯d need to say to get them to understand: ¡°Astyu Takemra. The one who¡¯s been living alone at the estate all these years¡­¡±


    ¡°How was I supposed to know that?¡± Ragnis asked. ¡°I might¡¯ve been here the longest but that kid never left the estate. I definitely wasn¡¯t ever introduced to him¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m still a bit lost on what¡¯s really important about it,¡± Lynette admitted. ¡°It¡¯s still just a rumor. Unless you¡¯ve met him before?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never met him, actually,¡± Loraena mumbled nervously.


    ¡°You are the one person I know that would be this worried over him,¡± Ragnis remarked. ¡°You know, rumors have been circling around that he¡¯s dead since his mother died. No one¡¯s seen him since then and the few attempts of concerned neighbors to check have always turned up with nothing.¡±


    ¡°This¡ªthis is a bit different, I swear. I¡­ could sense his desires, usually¡ªthe kinds of thoughts and feelings that sirens are supposed to craft into their songs. I knew he was in there, somewhere, and I knew that he was still alright. Maybe¡­ confused, but fine. People could see him watching festivals from a window, too. But he wasn¡¯t standing by the window last night and I couldn¡¯t sense anything coming from the estate, so when I heard what they were saying¡­¡±


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    ¡°She got me up at what felt like three in the morning and demanded that we come talk to you,¡± Ragnis said, earning a glance from Loraena.


    Lynette, then, concluded, ¡°So, you think something might have happened to him. But you know practically nothing about him, and the only thing you have to go off of is some siren thing? And what do you want us to do? Knock on the front door and ask if he¡¯s home?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve¡­ wanted to try to talk with him for a while, knowing he was all alone there. But I never worked up the courage before and I hate the idea that I lost my chance¡­¡± Loraena shook her head. ¡°I wanted to bring the three of you with me in case something happened or there was more going on. It¡¯s usually only polite to show up with just yourself when you know a person, so¡­ I also came to see if Nana still had those cookies she made. I have some bread at home, too, but I didn¡¯t grab it. I don¡¯t know what he likes, but I figured he needs something to eat¡­¡±


    Regind continued to be the most enthusiastic of the three, for any number of reasons. ¡°Well, I think it¡¯s a great idea! It seems kinda wrong that we haven¡¯t met all of our neighbors, right? I¡¯ll ask Nana about the cookies. You stay right there so they don¡¯t think they can say anything non-cookie related.¡± She darted back into the kitchen and, though she made her objective clear to her grandparents, a hushed conversation still followed.


    ¡°While we¡¯re waiting to continue this little rumor-believing¡­¡± Lynette began. ¡°What happened to spending the day cleaning up? It still looks like there¡¯s plenty of stuff to do. Probably not nearly as much of a waste of time, either¡­¡±


    Ragnis shrugged. ¡°I still plan on doing it. I don¡¯t think this¡¯ll last very long. Just long enough for Loraena to realize she really didn¡¯t need to wake me up this early in the morning.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a perfectly decent hour,¡± Loraena pointed out.


    ¡°And I was out helping the stalls get packed up much later than you were.¡±


    ¡°Sounds pretty self-inflicted to me. I don¡¯t think any of them would¡¯ve blamed you if you wanted to sleep. You set up half of it. You¡¯ve done more than anyone else already.¡±


    He shrugged. ¡°Just saying, if Astyu¡¯s dead, getting there sooner isn¡¯t going to change that.¡±


    ¡°Oh, please don¡¯t say that out loud¡­¡±


    Just then, Regind came back with a small container and handed it to Loraena. ¡°This is all that Nana had left, you think it¡¯ll be enough for him?¡±


    Loraena nodded. ¡°Even if it¡¯s just enough to let him know that we don¡¯t have to be strangers¡­ it¡¯s more than nothing.¡± She stopped away from the door and started walking through the streets, the other three following. ¡°I just want to get the bread from my house. Do you want to meet me at the estate? Without abandoning me, since apparently you all think this doesn¡¯t matter?¡±


    ¡°I believe you!¡± Regind said. ¡°We¡¯ll go and wait around the estate. I dunno how weird it might be if we just stand by the front door, so we¡¯ll be close, but not that close.¡±


    Loraena seemed to be alright with that, and they went their separate ways when it was time to do so.


    Ragnis was completely casual when he asked, ¡°So, let¡¯s circle back around a little here¡ªwhat did your parents want from you?¡±


    ¡°The usual,¡± Regind mumbled. ¡°The kind of stuff I don¡¯t really want to mention in front of Lynette. You know how it is¡ªthey don¡¯t have a daughter.¡±


    ¡°Good luck. Sounds like you need it.¡±


    Lynette never said anything, but she slowly gathered what Regind hadn¡¯t wanted to say in front of her. So, she gave a reassurance just as vague as the rest of it; ¡°I don¡¯t care, you know. I like you like this.¡±


    Regind honestly seemed surprised by it, though she was quickly smiling again. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°N-no need for that.¡± Lynette felt like she was blushing. Oh, gods, why was she blushing in the middle of the street? ¡°I mean it. Nothing more to it than that.¡±


    To make it worse, Ragnis casually whistled and walked a little faster to give the two of them some space. It didn¡¯t work¡ªthey both looked just as awkward and neither said a word until they were a street away from the estate and decided to wait there for Loraena. At least Lynette had the hope it may not have been so one-sided.


    Loraena came back with a carefully-packaged loaf of bread and announced, ¡°Alright, I think that¡¯s all I wanted to take to Astyu. Are you all ready?¡± She started to lead the way up to the estate.


    Regind nodded enthusiastically.


    ¡°If I get nightmares of a decomposing body, I¡¯m blaming you,¡± Ragnis said with a shrug. He was the one closest to the door and seemed ready to knock on it.


    Lynette couldn¡¯t quite muster that level of nonchalance as she pointed out, ¡°I just want you all to know that this is how every horror play starts. And trust me, there¡¯s a pretty good chance that all of the kids die in the end.¡±


    ¡°Nothing bad is going to happen,¡± Loraena remarked. ¡°We¡¯re just here to check on him. Hopefully this is some kind of misunderstanding and we can be assured that he¡¯s fine.¡± Still, she looked anxious when she glanced at Ragnis and requested, ¡°Can you knock on the door? My hands are full.¡±


    He knocked to find it opened slightly at his touch. The door wasn¡¯t locked¡ªit wasn¡¯t even closed all the way.

 Second Chances: Chapter 9

    Loraena shouldered her way inside before any of them could stop her. Luckily for the rest of them, she didn¡¯t get very far¡ªeveryone got stuck on just how much of a mess this place was.


    It wasn¡¯t the obvious kind of mess. It was more of an ominous one. From what they could see when they slowly started wandering the rooms, only one painting¡ªof a woman holding a young child, once positioned on top of the fireplace¡ªhad fallen. Aside from a few shattered vases, which they took care to step around, the only thing to prove this place¡¯s disuse was the dust and emptiness. No one had walked through these halls or mingled in these rooms for a while.


    Lynette had already positioned herself between Ragnis and Regind, who her mind apparently declared the safest, believing that this wouldn¡¯t end well. She had to fight to not turn around and head right back out the door once she heard laughing.


    The kind voice that spoke soon after, however, was no more comforting to her. ¡°Did you like that?¡±


    ¡°Mhm! Show me more, please! I want to know how you do it! I want to do it, too!¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll show you everything that I know. It¡¯s not that hard, really¡ªI¡¯d love to teach you when you¡¯re a little older.¡±


    ¡°Why can¡¯t I do it now?¡±


    ¡°You need a better understanding of the basics. There¡¯s no need to rush, dear¡ªwe have the time.¡±


    Ragnis shivered. ¡°Alright, I may have never met the kid, but I¡¯ve heard the mom before. That woman¡¯s voice was hers. The kid must¡¯ve been Astyu.¡±


    ¡°But the mom¡¯s dead,¡± Lynette pointed out. ¡°If this place turns out to be haunted, I¡¯m abandoning you. Immediately and without hesitation.¡±


    Regind grinned and asked, ¡°Afraid of ghosts?¡±


    ¡°More like I have the common sense to know when to get the hell out of a place. Trust me, I know how these things play out and they¡¯re never good.¡±


    Loraena wasn¡¯t interested in the others¡¯ half-jokes, it seemed. She rather bluntly stated, ¡°This place isn¡¯t haunted, it never was. This is some kind of illusion.¡±


    ¡°This is one big illusion to keep, though,¡± Regind remarked with a bit of hesitance.


    As she said it, two figures¡ªa woman and her child¡ªwandered into the room. They were blurry but, otherwise, seemed to match their surroundings perfectly. They continued talking, even if their words were ignored, and interacted with the objects around them as if they were real.


    Regind broadly gestured to it. ¡°Especially that. Making one visual and auditory illusion? Possible, if it¡¯s only for one person. Two illusions? Slightly more challenging, but not impossible. Two illusions, in front of four onlookers, and presumably the fifth that¡¯s casting it? That¡¯s a lot. I¡¯d almost rather believe that they¡¯re ghosts than someone nearby has that much magic¡­¡±


    Ragnis shrugged. ¡°I dunno, I¡¯ve heard some pretty extraordinary stories about Queen Zofie. I¡¯m pretty sure she mostly just used M¨¢vri Mage¨ªa, but I doubt this would¡¯ve been beyond her.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t say if it was just propaganda, but Lady Samone¡¯s said to have a fair bit of talent, too,¡± Lynette mumbled. ¡°I heard once that she¡¯d casted several memory-based illusions close together before¡­ though I don¡¯t really know what that means or how much I believe it.¡±


    ¡°A memory-based illusion would be like taking your old toy and using magic to see what memories were associated with it,¡± Loraena muttered as part of a half-explanation. ¡°That¡¯s probably what this is¡­ Either way, this can¡¯t be good for him. Who knows how long he¡¯s been doing this¡­¡±


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    ¡°It¡¯s all an illusion,¡± Regind pointed out. ¡°As far as I¡¯m aware, there¡¯s not a very clear way to figure out where the caster is without some significant talent of our own.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, I can¡¯t figure out where he is. I can feel his desires but they¡¯re¡­ faint and all over the place. I can¡¯t tell where they¡¯re coming from.¡± Loraena cautiously started walking again and started looking around. After a moment, she called into the hallways, ¡°Astyu? Are you here? I promise, we¡¯re not here to hurt you. We were worried¡ªwe wanted to check in on you. Are¡­ are you hungry? I brought some food with us. Please, just come out. I¡¯m afraid that you¡¯re going to end up using too much magic¡­¡±


    Much quieter, as she continued to take in their surroundings, mumbled, ¡°If¡­ you have any control over it at all¡­¡±


    They traveled together through a few more of the rooms, but there weren¡¯t any signs of Astyu. Only them and the blurry figures of that woman and child¡ªscenes of spending time together, of helping when the other needed it. As heartwarming as they may have been seen as in the past or perhaps just in a different context¡­ witnessing them now just added to the chilling factor of the place. It was becoming apparent that more than one of these memories were playing at a time across the different rooms, which none of the other three seemed to take well. Lynette only half-understood the possible reason and didn¡¯t work up the courage to dare to ask.


    Once they¡¯d gone upstairs, they were immediately greeted by a decidedly more chaotic sight. It still had to be an illusion¡ªthough it seemed that none of them did a good job at convincing themselves of it.


    They watched as, in a blink, the perfectly-arranged hall became the mess they were now trying to navigate. They weren¡¯t comfortable to start with and definitely not after the laughter from before came replaced by crying. Loraena seemed to grow panicked the longer it lasted, but they still never said a word to each other, even as she got further away.


    She cautiously opened one of the doors at the end of the hall, then froze at whatever she saw. The rest followed her, though Lynette found she was immediately regretting it.


    The woman was kneeling in front of her crying child, trying to assure him as if her appearance didn¡¯t make it clear that something was definitely wrong. They were both blurry¡ªfaded, even, and tainted¡ªbut that didn¡¯t mean the scene lost its weight.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± she tried telling him, though it didn¡¯t seem to work. There was hardly a chance that it would, given the state she was in.


    ¡°B-but¡­¡± he mumbled through tears.


    She pulled him into a final hug. ¡°I promise that this isn¡¯t the end for anything¡ªjust because we don¡¯t see the solution now doesn¡¯t mean that there isn¡¯t one. So, please, don¡¯t cry. It¡¯s going to be alright so long as you remember everything I told you. Don¡¯t ever make the mistakes I did.¡±


    Then she slowly stood up and, with a surprising steadiness, headed towards the door. ¡°I¡¯ve got to go somewhere that you can¡¯t follow. I don¡¯t want you to get hurt. Just stay here, okay?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to go¡­¡±


    ¡°I know. I don¡¯t want to go, either, but it keeps you safe. Someone else will take care of you, I¡¯m sure of it. It just¡­ can¡¯t be me.¡±


    She passed through the four of them on her way to the door and, once she left, the illusion ended. They were left in silence and completely confused.


    ¡°Please tell me I¡¯m not the only one who has no idea what the hell that was,¡± Lynette said after a moment. The place itself had gone quiet now, as if its illusion of liveliness left with the mother.


    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re definitely not alone¡­¡± Ragnis muttered. ¡°I have no idea what that was but I don¡¯t really think we should stay long enough to find out.¡±


    Regind nodded slowly. ¡°If there¡¯s one thing I¡¯m pretty sure of, it¡¯s that some things just aren¡¯t meant to be messed with¡­¡±


    If Loraena felt the same apprehension they did to continue, she didn¡¯t show it. ¡°No matter what happened, that doesn¡¯t change the fact that he¡¯s still alone here. He can¡¯t keep being alone¡ªthen something else is going to happen to him and there won¡¯t even be anyone around to help. We need to do something before it gets to the point where we can¡¯t do anything.¡±


    Ragnis reached out to gently place a hand on her shoulder. ¡°Look, I get that you want to help, but there¡¯s a fine line between helping and just doing something dangerous. From what little we know so far, Astyu has some powerful magic, and it¡¯s pretty likely that he doesn¡¯t really acknowledge how much he¡¯s using. Crossing someone with strong enough Illusion magic to keep this up is one thing, facing one that can¡¯t control it is a whole other. That¡¯s not mentioning whatever state this place might be in.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go alone, if that¡¯s what I have to,¡± she responded, pushing his hand off. ¡°But I¡¯m not going to leave him here.¡±


    ¡°Then we¡¯re all coming with you,¡± Regind decided. ¡°We¡¯re definitely not leaving you on your own here. I¡¯m pretty sure we¡¯d all feel bad if we just left you.¡±

 Second Chances: Chapter 10

    They took a few more steps through the hall before one of the doors creaked open. Someone their age slowly walked into the hallway¡ªmatching the appearance of the boy in all those illusions. He looked more distant, though, and uninterested in the sight of the four of them.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± he asked with a blank tone. He tilted his head, but his expression didn¡¯t change to show any glimpse of emotion.


    Loraena subtly gestured to the others to say still and slowly walked up to him. ¡°We¡¯re here to check on you. My name¡¯s Loraena, and these three are Ragnis, Regind, and Lynette. We were worried¡­¡±


    ¡°Worried?¡±


    ¡°We didn¡¯t see you during the festival so we were afraid something happened to you. And all these illusions¡­ it¡¯s a lot of magic for one person. You really shouldn¡¯t be using that much all at once¡­¡±


    ¡°Illusions? What illusions..?¡±


    Everyone but Lynette¡ªwho didn¡¯t understand enough context to share their feelings¡ªdid not take well to the fact. But hadn¡¯t they already guessed that? Perhaps there was that big of a difference between speculation and fact with these kinds of matters¡­


    ¡°Everything we saw just now,¡± Loraena explained slowly. ¡°The scenes of you and your mother.¡±


    That made him show his first bit of emotion: confusion. ¡°You see them, too?¡±


    ¡°Of course we do, because you¡¯re using your magic to create them. From the looks of it, it¡¯s affecting the entire estate. That isn¡¯t good for you¡­¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re my memories. The fragments of Mother. What¡¯s left of her¡­¡± He shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s what she would¡¯ve wanted. I¡¯m not alone with them here.¡±


    ¡°You are, you¡¯re just tricking yourself into seeing it. There¡¯s no one else here to be doing it. We¡ªwe saw a bit of what must¡¯ve happened to her. I know it¡¯s got to be confusing, but she wouldn¡¯t have wanted this. We can help you¡­¡±


    She cautiously reached out her hand, but he stepped back before she could touch him. ¡°You want to take me away from here¡ªfrom her.¡±


    ¡°I want to help you.¡±


    Something flashed¡ªmore pieces of an illusion, most likely. Astyu started fervently shaking his head, backing away like they intended to hurt him. ¡°You¡¯re not making me leave. I¡¯m not going, no matter what.¡± Illusions flickered again, as aggressive as such a thing could be to make it very clear he thought they crossed a line. ¡°Leave. Before I make you.¡±


    Loraena didn¡¯t seem willing, but Regind was already ushering Lynette out. Right before they went out of sight, she saw Ragnis take Loraena¡¯s hand and force her to follow him out of the estate.


    Somehow, she¡¯d refrained until they were all back outside to point out, ¡°We still can¡¯t just leave him there.¡±


    ¡°No one said we had to,¡± Ragnis said calmly.


    Regind nodded. ¡°But that¡¯s not the kind of force we want to try to mess with right now.¡±


    Loraena finally realized that she was outnumbered and accepted her fate. Defeated, she placed the bread and cookies by the door¡ªmumbling something as she did so¡ªthen walked back to the others. ¡°What do you think we should do? What can we do?¡±


    ¡°At this point he¡¯s kind of like a confused kid,¡± Ragnis remarked. ¡°Maybe¡­ we¡¯ll at least be able to figure out how to talk to him if we knew what happened.¡±


    ¡°For one, I don¡¯t want to see the context behind whatever the hell that scene was,¡± Lynette chimed in before her opinion no longer mattered. ¡°And second, I have no idea how that¡¯s supposed to help. I don¡¯t think you cure someone of trauma by making them relive it.¡±


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    Regind gave it some thought. ¡°Not on its own, anyway. But¡­ who knows how much of it he understands. Those illusions might be his way of working through them but it¡¯s only hurting him in the long run. Giving him a clearer idea of what happened in a much safer way might just work¡­¡±


    ¡°Do you think that¡¯s something you can do?¡± Loraena asked, seeming to find some hope in the idea.


    ¡°Maybe. I¡¯m not the best at that kind of stuff, but I¡¯ll certainly try.¡± Regind glanced at Lynette and smiled. ¡°With a helper, I can probably get it done a lot quicker, though!¡±


    Lynette nodded. ¡°I still don¡¯t understand anything, but I¡¯m willing to help.¡±


    ¡°I can probably get the pastor to let us look at the records,¡± Ragnis offered. ¡°That gives Loraena and I something to do, at least. Maybe something there has an adult¡¯s point of view of what happened.¡±


    Loraena managed a small smile. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s what friends are for!¡± Regind said cheerfully.


    ¡­


    Nana and Papa had yet to forget about whatever conversation they¡¯d been having earlier. Regind hadn¡¯t excused it like before, though¡ªshe just ushered Lynette into the workshop so she wouldn¡¯t hear it.


    Well, she heard the fact it was a well-meaning but extreme conversation, but not the exact contents. Regind came back only slightly showing signs of it and very quick to declare, ¡°Alright, we can get to work!¡±


    ¡°I have¡­ one question before we do,¡± Lynette remarked. ¡°What¡¯s¡­ the deal with his magic, again? Why does it matter how much of it he¡¯s using? Is there a kind of hard limit..?¡±


    Regind paused, then let out a sheepish chuckle. ¡°I guess, being Seothian, you probably had no idea what half the stuff we were talking about meant, huh..?¡± She explained the rest as she started working. ¡°Probably the easiest way to describe it would be to think of a runner. A quick walk around the neighborhood is no problem for them, if not a bit tiring after a while. A jog or run is slightly more so but, since it isn¡¯t far, it isn¡¯t a problem. Now consider they decided to run a marathon, without any proper training¡ªthey might be fine, but they¡¯re probably not going to make it. If they don¡¯t stop when they should, they¡¯ll end up passing out from exhaustion, and possibly die because of it. Magic more or less functions the same way.¡±


    So it wasn¡¯t an exaggeration for the token child of Fleyw Bresh to heroically sacrifice themselves only to be revealed to be dying once all the celebrating was done. Well, maybe a little exaggerated, but not as much as she¡¯d first assumed.


    ¡°I see,¡± Lynette mumbled. ¡°Thank you. I understand it a bit better now.¡±


    ¡°No problem! You know, it¡¯s another reason that I like to work with alchemy. Not only can it help those without magic, but it also keeps those that have it from using too much. You hear stories about it every now and again¡ªsomeone in the service of a noble who didn¡¯t care, or was trying to protect their home. I¡¯ve never known anyone like that, but it affects all of us, somehow. Like ripples in the water.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ rather kind of you, putting all this effort into trying to help strangers. I can¡¯t say I¡¯ve met many people before coming here ever care about something like that¡ªbut I guess that has more to say about who I was with than you¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, the Commandments say there¡¯s a reason for everything¡ªeven the bad.¡± Regind smiled at her. ¡°What happened in the past is what led up to the present, right? You wouldn¡¯t be here if all of that hadn¡¯t happened before.¡±


    Lynette was quiet for a few moments, then, ¡°You all know the story of how I ended up here. I¡­ was kind of curious to know yours, if you¡¯re willing. I want to know you better but I get if this feels like I¡¯m putting you on the spot¡­¡±


    Regind seemed surprised at first, but not opposed to the idea. ¡°No, it¡¯s alright. With the way this morning went I probably owe you some kind of explanation anyway. I¡¯m pretty sure you¡¯ve figured out by now that alchemy was only half my reason for moving here. The other half is, well¡­ my parents. I don¡¯t think they¡¯re bad, not really¡ªI think they do care, just¡­ on the well-intentioned extremist kind of side. They had plans for me and coming out wasn¡¯t one of them. They¡¯re not¡­ too interested in making that change of detail. So I¡¯ve been staying with Nana and Papa, even if my parents still want me to come over and ¡®talk¡¯ with them about it¡­¡±


    ¡°Thank you, and¡­ I¡¯m glad that you¡¯re here. I¡­ meant what I said earlier, about liking you as you are. No amount of new information changes that, you know.¡±


    Regind blushed. ¡°Yeah. H-hey, I know we¡¯re kinda busy right now, but once we help Astyu¡­ would you like to go out? O-on a walk! Or a trip out of town. Without the others. Just the two of us.¡±


    ¡°Like¡­ a date?¡±


    ¡°I¡ªI mean, if you¡¯re alright with calling it that, I wouldn¡¯t mind if¡ª¡°


    Lynette¡¯s first answer came as a kiss on the cheek. ¡°I¡¯d love that.¡±

 Second Chances: Chapter 11

    The past couple of days were mostly spent helping Regind and, when one or the other started getting too distracted, went to see if Nana or Papa needed anything. Lynette was also sometimes responsible for updating Ragnis and Loraena on Regind¡¯s progress, though she never heard anything about their own. Overall, her role in all of this was pretty minimal¡ªbut honestly, she didn¡¯t want to have a bigger part to play in it. She knew she wouldn¡¯t be capable of doing much more, not in the ways all the others could.


    Regind was excited when she announced that she thought she had done it, that she¡¯d made something she had a feeling would help. She ushered Lynette out of the house quickly enough that she had barely had time to understand what was happening.


    ¡°Do you even know where they¡¯ll be?¡± Lynette asked as they walked through the street. She didn¡¯t know which she wanted to focus on more: the fact it was early in the morning, or that Regind had to have stayed up overnight to be ready this early. ¡°For all we know they¡¯re at their homes, sleeping or eating breakfast, like normal people.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I know where they are!¡± Regind responded confidently. ¡°The place I¡¯m quite certain they haven¡¯t left!¡±


    Before Lynette could question where that was, Regind turned to knock on the door to the church. A tired, middle-aged man opened the door, and blinked a couple of times.


    ¡°Good morning, Regind. You¡¯re peppier than usual,¡± he observed cautiously. ¡°Might I dare suggest that you¡¯re¡­ not here for accidental arson?¡±


    ¡°Not today! Are Ragnis and Loraena lurking somewhere in there?¡±


    ¡°¡®Lurking¡¯ may not be the word I would use for it, though I suppose I can¡¯t claim it to exactly be an insatiable thirst for knowledge, either. But yes. I don¡¯t think Loraena¡¯s left since they first came, in fact.¡± He stepped back and gestured them inside. ¡°You¡¯ll probably find them in the archives. You know where that is, I assume?¡±


    ¡°Right across from the sanctuary, right?¡±


    ¡°Mhm.¡±


    ¡°Thanks!¡±


    Regind took the lead inside and through the church. The entrance was, at least, a lot less grand than the size of the building suggested. Lynette barely had time to wonder if there was more beyond what she was seeing before she reached the archives¡ªand the fact was immediately confirmed.


    It was practically a library, more than just a couple of books and records she would¡¯ve expected for the small town. She assumed it probably was closer to a library, getting brief glimpses of some of the books¡¯ titles as they passed them.


    They rounded a corner to find where Ragnis and Loraena were¡ªthough Loraena definitely looked like the more interested of the two. In fact, she was invested enough in whatever she was reading that she didn¡¯t seem to realize they were there until Ragnis said something.


    ¡°Hey! Come up with something?¡± He gestured to the small bag Regind was holding. ¡°You¡¯ve got to have something fun in there, right?¡±


    Regind nodded. ¡°I think I figured it out.¡±


    She immediately had all of Loraena¡¯s attention. ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m guessing you haven¡¯t found anything, if you¡¯re this excited over something little¡­¡± Lynette couldn¡¯t help but mumble.


    Ragnis shrugged. ¡°Yeah, we¡¯ve practically been living here, but we haven¡¯t gotten any closer to figuring out what happened. It seems weird that no one had bothered to record it anywhere but there¡¯s not any evidence saying anything else. Not even that the church had restricted or tried to hide that kind of stuff.¡±


    ¡°As far as we can tell, she was there one day, and gone the next,¡± Loraena sighed. ¡°Nothing says anything beyond that. I still don¡¯t get how someone as involved as she was could just¡­ disappear, without anyone caring to consider why¡­¡± She shook her head. ¡°But back to you. You really think you have something that¡¯ll help, Regind?¡±


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    ¡°Yes!¡± Regind pulled out a charm from the bag. ¡°This should be able to project and clearly show memories, no matter how blurry they might be to the person themselves. It worked with me, anyway. Clear enough it might as well have been real. It should work on Astyu, too.¡±


    Loraena stood up to hug her. ¡°You¡¯re the best, Regind! I don¡¯t know what I¡¯d do without you.¡± She stepped back, glanced at Lynette and Ragnis, and corrected, ¡°All of you.¡±


    Ragnis got up, too, though it was a lot more casual. He started gathering all the books and papers into one place. ¡°So here¡¯s the part where I ask the question that someone has to ask: what do we do now? We¡¯ve got something that might help, but we still don¡¯t know how to get him to use it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a good point,¡± Regind said. ¡°It doesn¡¯t work remotely, it would¡¯ve been too hard to control that way¡ªand who knows how he¡¯s going to take seeing it. I mean, I guess it doesn¡¯t look threatening, but who knows after how he treated us last time¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, not really,¡± Loraena sighed. ¡°But¡­ I have a hope that all we have to do is talk. Maybe if he understands why we¡¯re there, and that we only want to talk, he¡¯ll let us. I think¡­ he wants to understand what happened to her as much as we want to help him do it.¡± She gained some more confidence as she said, ¡°He¡¯ll listen to us. I know he will.¡±


    ¡°Well, if you think we¡¯re ready, then we can clean up here and head to the estate,¡± Ragnis said. ¡°Regind, would you mind helping a bit? I¡¯m afraid Lynette won¡¯t be familiar enough to know where half this stuff goes.¡±


    ¡°I can still try,¡± Lynette offered. ¡°Regind can show me.¡±


    Regind nodded. ¡°Mhm! Then as soon as we finish here, we¡¯ll talk to Astyu again.¡±


    With all four of them helping, they were done putting everything back in a couple of minutes. On their walk to the estate, Loraena took a short detour to bring another gift of food, but otherwise they walked together in relative silence. Lynette only really felt assured in their decision because Loraena seemed to have confidence to spare¡ªthough, really, none of them knew how this would play out for a second time.


    She knocked on the door to find that the door opened, not by her gentle touch, but by Astyu standing on the other side.


    ¡°How did I know you¡¯d be here?¡± he mumbled.


    ¡°You were waiting for us?¡± Loraena must not have been able to hide her excitement. ¡°You¡¯re not¡­ completely upset?¡±


    ¡°Mother told me that I should be nice to our guests. What do you want?¡±


    ¡°Can we come in? There¡¯s something we want to show you. I still want to help.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want your help.¡±


    She considered it a moment, then, ¡°It¡¯s going to let you see your mother again. Exactly as the last time you saw her. And you won¡¯t have to figure it out on your own¡ªwe¡¯ll be with you, if you want.¡±


    He hesitated. ¡°You¡¯re not¡­ going to take her away from me?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re only here to help. I promise. Let¡¯s all head inside and Regind can show you how it works.¡±


    He nodded and, though not gesturing them inside, didn¡¯t stop them from following him. He went to what must¡¯ve been the dining room. ¡°Go on. Show me how I can see Mother.¡±


    Regind came up and pulled out the trinket. She handed it to Astyu to let him look at it before she started explaining it to him. He slowly nodded and followed the directions, holding it close to him and whispering the words needed to activate it.


    Immediately, they could all see the illusion from before¡ªthe same supposedly-reassuring words from mother to son, the same final hug. It was clearer than before, yes, but there was nothing new about it.


    That is, until it faded to replace smaller, disjointed scenes¡ªwhich definitely didn¡¯t seem to be a part of the plan. Nothing was said then, but there was a story to it, too¡­ even if the only part Lynette took away from it was a group of women, one of which being Astyu¡¯s mother, practiced magic together. With the way Regind, Ragnis, and Loraena looked at it, though, it was definitely a little more complicated than that.


    When it ended and they were truly left with nothing, Astyu took the trinket off and handed it back to Regind. He didn¡¯t seem nearly as disappointed as Lynette would¡¯ve expected¡ªlike he understood a bit of it, too. ¡°Why do you want to help me so much?¡±


    Loraena stepped up to give him the answer. ¡°Your mother wouldn¡¯t have wanted you to stay locked in here like this¡ªand I know you don¡¯t want to be either. Just¡­ give us a chance, please. There¡¯s a world waiting out there and I¡¯m sure she¡¯d love for you to see it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ big, though. And scary.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, but that¡¯s not all. You¡¯re not going alone.¡± She gestured behind her to the other three. ¡°You have all of us.¡±


    He glanced at each of them and managed a small smile. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll¡­ try. One step at a time, though.¡±


    ¡°The first is always the hardest. It¡¯ll only get easier from here, I promise.¡±

 Second Chances: Chapter 12

    ¡°Do you think Loraena¡¯s actually going to convince him to come this time?¡± Regind asked casually as they walked through town together.


    ¡°I don¡¯t expect much,¡± Lynette replied. ¡°I mean, there¡¯s¡­ a lot of work that needs to happen before that. Especially if he hasn¡¯t gone anywhere since his mother died.¡±


    Regind, of course, remained the more cheerful of the two. ¡°Well, I think she¡¯s making progress! She talks about it like she¡¯s making progress, anyway. I think the two are really getting along with each other.¡±


    ¡°Honestly, I¡­ can barely believe that you¡¯re right. It does sound like they¡¯ve been able to talk about it, but there¡¯s still a lot more out there. Unwrapping that whole¡­ thing¡­ is going to take more than a month.¡±


    ¡°I dunno, I think she can do it. We got you to open up to us, right? Now here we are, enjoying another great day, because you¡¯re here with me.¡±


    ¡°I beg to differ. I didn¡¯t spend several years locked up inside an otherwise abandoned estate creating illusions to keep myself company. I wouldn¡¯t go that far in comparing the two of us¡­¡±


    Regind shrugged. ¡°I think you have a lot more in common than you think you do. But, instead, you can think of it this way: someone once helped you get comfortable in an unfamiliar place. People helped you see that not everyone was bad and that there were people worth trusting. Now you¡¯ve been given what I think is one of the best opportunities I can think of.¡±


    ¡°And what¡¯s that..?¡±


    She looked over at Lynette and smiled. ¡°You get to help someone else realize the same things, too. Guide them down the path you¡¯ve already seen and help them past the hurdles on it.¡±


    Lynette didn¡¯t know if she wanted to be flattered or mildly embarrassed. She got herself to nod. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll try my best. But I¡¯m not so sure how well I¡¯ll do¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like we¡¯re going to make you do it all on your own! You¡¯re in good company, I promise.¡± Regind quickly got distracted by the familiar face on the other side of the street. She gestured for Lynette to follow her and, without really looking back, went up to greet him.


    Ragnis, when he noticed the two of them, quietly bid farewell to a woman¡ªhis mother, as Lynette had been told¡ªand met the two halfway.


    ¡°You¡¯re looking happy this morning!¡± he remarked as he waved to them. ¡°I hope the two of you aren¡¯t getting into any mischief together!¡±


    Lynette let out a sheepish chuckle while Regind gave a more genuine laugh. That level of blunt confidence was one Lynette still couldn¡¯t get herself to share.


    ¡°So, have you seen Loraena at all?¡± Regind asked. ¡°We were trying to figure out if she was going to bring Astyu out today. Everything¡¯s set up and I think it¡¯s as good of a time as any, you know?¡±


    Ragnis nodded. ¡°I saw her earlier, but Astyu wasn¡¯t with her. She looked distracted and I was busy so I decided not to bother her. If they are coming, they¡¯re probably coming soon, though.¡± He looked around but must¡¯ve seen no sign of them. ¡°But I get it if they don¡¯t, either. Afterlife¡¯s Promise might not be the best time for him to come. There¡¯s probably still a lot he needs to work out about the whole thing and having ¡®let¡¯s celebrate the God of Death and the Strings¡¯ thrown in his face might not help.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I guess that¡¯s a fair point. Are you doing anything, at least? The three of us could walk around together to try to find Loraena.¡± She glanced at Lynette. ¡°You don¡¯t mind, right?¡±


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    She shook her head genuinely. ¡°No, there¡¯s other times we can be together. As long as Ragnis stops whatever he¡¯s thinking and doesn¡¯t say anything.¡±


    ¡°I am not thinking about anything,¡± he replied casually. ¡°My mom on the other hand? I¡¯ll spoil the surprise now. She¡¯s got her study group in on a romantic date for the two of you.¡±


    That, at least, got both of them flustered.


    ¡°Oh, come on, I¡¯m not joking! Alright, don¡¯t believe me. But don¡¯t come running to me saying I didn¡¯t warn you!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m starting to wonder what I got myself into¡­¡± Lynette mumbled.


    Regind laughed. ¡°It¡¯s not going to be that bad. Probably.¡±


    Ragnis smirked and began leading the way in their wandering. ¡°You¡¯re right. There¡¯s not much match-making to be doing, you¡¯re already perfect for each other.¡± That, however, was the end of the topic. He spared them from further embarrassment. ¡°So I¡¯m guessing the two of you haven¡¯t heard from Loraena, either? I know she¡¯s alright so I¡¯m not worried, but it seems weird that she hasn¡¯t randomly come in for some snacks or to help you out.¡±


    Regind shook her head. ¡°No, Nana and Papa said she hadn¡¯t even come over while I was working. Apparently she¡¯s just really busy. She¡¯d still asked them for some stuff, though. They¡¯ve just been bringing it to her house instead of letting her come and get it.¡±


    ¡°Quite frankly, with the amount of baked sweets in those baskets, I¡¯d be surprised if the two of them were eating anything else,¡± Lynette remarked. ¡°I¡¯ve seen neither of them in the market. Unless someone else is doing that for her, too, while she¡¯s helping Astyu?¡±


    ¡°Maybe. I think most people realize by now what she¡¯s trying to do. A lot of us just want to help out in whatever way we can.¡± Ragnis stopped and grinned. ¡°Ah, and speak of the devil! Turns out we can ask all these questions to her directly.¡±


    ¡°Oh, really?¡± Regind moved around him so that she could see Loraena herself, then waved her over. ¡°Loraena! The rest of us are over here!¡±


    Loraena smiled when she noticed them. She looked over her shoulder to say something¡ªand Astyu slowly walked out from behind the corner. His smile looked a little more forced than genuine but, at the very least, he wasn¡¯t completely against what was happening.


    ¡°Perfect timing! I was just trying to find the three of you.¡± Loraena gently gestured Astyu a little closer to all of them. ¡°He decided he¡¯s ready to join us. I was showing him around and he wanted to talk with the rest of you, too.¡±


    ¡°We didn¡¯t do anything,¡± Lynette pointed out before she could stop herself. ¡°It¡¯s not like we¡¯ve really contributed to all of this¡­¡±


    Astyu shook his head and tried his best to make a wider smile. ¡°Loraena talked about you a lot. You¡¯re all close friends of hers, and¡­ you all came with her to try to help me. I wanted to meet with you, too. And thank you¡ªfor helping her help me¡­¡±


    Regind gave him a bright smile. ¡°Well, yeah! No matter what, you¡¯re still one of our neighbors. I¡¯d do it for any of us¡ªand I¡¯m glad to see you outside! What do you think about everything so far? Enjoying the festival?¡±


    ¡°I recommend the snacks in that stall over there,¡± Ragnis added. ¡°They¡¯re one of the best here. And I¡¯m not just saying that¡ªI know! I got some for helping out the stall owner. I could probably ask them to give me another for you, if you want.¡±


    Astyu nodded, though it was a bit nervous. ¡°I like it. There¡¯s a lot of people here. I¡­ haven¡¯t been around people in a while, though¡­ It¡¯s kind of loud. And a little scary¡­¡±


    ¡°What matters is that you¡¯re out here anyway,¡± Loraena said kindly. ¡°You were able to get past your fear and come out here despite it. I think that¡¯s definitely something great.¡±


    Lynette smiled, too. ¡°The first step is always the hardest.¡± She looked at the other three and knew that she meant every word she said. ¡°Some people and places are terrifying¡ªthings you thought you¡¯d never be able to walk away from. But there are good things out there, too, just waiting for you to find them. There¡¯s always a light at the end of the tunnel. You¡¯ve just got to be brave enough to be ready to move out of that darkness, no matter how comfortable it has become. Only then will things get better.¡±


    ¡°Couldn¡¯t have said it any better myself!¡± Regind remarked, beaming.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Astyu mumbled. He paused, then louder repeated, ¡°Thank you, for everything you¡¯ve done. I know Mother would¡¯ve wanted me to do this. You reminded me of that¡­ that there are other people there. She¡­ can¡¯t protect me anymore, she told me that. But I¡¯m not alone, either. Because now, I have you.¡±


    ¡°And we¡¯ll stay with you every step of the way,¡± Loraena said. ¡°I promise.¡±

 Uncharted Waters: Chapter 1

    ¡°Oh, good. It looks like you¡¯re awake.¡±


    She offered this still-unnamed stranger a smile as he slowly sat up. At least she could now be assured that her burning questions might soon have answers¡­ even if the way he stared at her already proved one of them.


    He looked between her and the tray that she was holding, confused, before his eyes darted around the room. To her, it wasn¡¯t anything special¡ªwords of wisdom and reminders of the one who watched over them. To him, though, it must¡¯ve meant something more. He got paler the more scripture he saw, until finally he opened his mouth to say something.


    Then, apparently, immediately took it back, because he uttered no words.


    ¡°I¡¯m Oria,¡± she said, slower. Would that work? Well, he seemed to recognize what she meant, so it must¡¯ve. ¡°I found you earlier, but we can talk about that later. How are you feeling?¡±


    He once again stayed quiet, but he didn¡¯t seem quite as confused. Instead, he seemed to be contemplating something. At least that meant he¡¯d understood the question. ¡°Okay?¡±


    She tried not to panic at how thick the accent was. What did she just get herself into..?


    Still, she decided to try her luck with something a bit more complex. ¡°Do you hurt anywhere? Feel well-rested?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he mumbled. It looked like he was desperately trying to recall some past experience¡ªwhich only half worked, given how long it still took him to respond. ¡°I¡­ can¡¯t say it feels good, though.¡±


    ¡°Well, I can¡¯t imagine it would. I don¡¯t know what happened but it definitely wasn¡¯t anything good.¡± She shook her head and decided there was something important she should ask first. ¡°What¡¯s your name? Descendants aren¡¯t all that important right now, I just want to know a little more about you.¡±


    ¡°Caenum.¡±


    ¡°Do you know what you were doing before? Anything that would¡¯ve happened before I found you?¡±


    He froze for a minute. Then he shook his head.


    While she doubted the truth behind it, she figured it was worth mentioning later. ¡°I was at the beach when I found you. It¡­ looked like there were fragments of a boat or ship but I didn¡¯t want to get too close to it. When I realized you were unconscious, Orestis laid it on my heart to help you. I brought you back home and now here we are.¡± She paused and, perhaps, overthought that part a bit. ¡°I guess this must seem pretty strange to you, doesn¡¯t it..? A random person telling you this when the last thing you probably would¡¯ve remembered being when you blacked out¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡­ isn¡¯t actually the weirdest part.¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    ¡°N-never mind. That¡¯s not important.¡± He was quick to avoid further questioning. ¡°You said you found me on the beach?¡±


    ¡°A little further north of here,¡± she said with a nod.


    ¡°Could you take me there?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps later, but not right now. You still just woke up. I don¡¯t want to push you.¡±


    ¡°But it isn¡¯t pushing me if I want to go, right?¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m still going to make you wait a little while. I don¡¯t know how long you¡¯ve been unconscious before I found you.¡± That, and she still needed to find a reasonable explanation for why he was here and why she was helping him¡­


    ¡°How long have I been unconscious?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve only been with me a day. It¡¯s currently the tenth of Viklaxus. Is¡­ that close to whenever your last memory was?¡±


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    ¡°It¡¯s been two days,¡± Caenum mumbled. He seemed to gain some kind of resolve, though, when he tried louder, ¡°It¡¯s only been two days, I¡¯m sure I¡¯m fine. You¡¯re definitely not going to let me go anywhere?¡±


    ¡°No matter how well you¡¯re feeling, there¡¯s no arguing with getting a bit more rest,¡± Oria said confidently. ¡°I¡¯d like you to stay here for a little while longer¡ªonce I¡¯m sure you¡¯re better, I¡¯ll take you to the beach. Here, this tray has some things for you to eat. The kitchen is right over there if something isn¡¯t enough. I¡¯ll be back soon so, please, don¡¯t do anything while I¡¯m gone¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re leaving?¡±


    ¡°I live alone here. I¡¯m not exactly prepared to take care of a guest, so I¡¯ll need to go out and buy a few things. I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll take me long. Just rest until then.¡±


    She gave what she hoped was a reassuring smile, prepared her things, and left. She would¡¯ve tried to gently remind him of the importance of staying inside but, well, she had a feeling he already understood that part.


    In fact, it was probably the clearest part of the situation for him.


    Every once and a while, when she stepped into town, she remembered the tales she¡¯d heard from the merchants; of what the Fleyw Bresh thought their lives were like. Apparently, to them, a fairy city meant everyone was fluttering about and precious few could be found on the ground. She supposed it would make sense in the land of the Fleyw Bresh¡ªfairies would have to compete with humans on the paths, and the idea of matching their size was near blasphemous. But, in reality, a fairy city was the opposite. More down to earth, as one of the clergy had put it.


    She¡¯d prepared herself for some questioning, at least. On one hand, she was hoping she wouldn¡¯t need to form an answer. But soon enough, an acquaintance came to dash that quick hope of hers.


    ¡°Oh, good morning, Oria!¡± The acquaintance gave a quick bow in favor of tradition.


    The name and house of the fairy eluded her, honestly, but Oria offered a smile nonetheless. ¡°Good morning. How are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Perfect, of course! Orestis¡¯s light is shining on me this morning. What about you, though? I couldn¡¯t help but notice something! That¡¯s an awful lot of food you¡¯re buying. You¡¯re not having someone else carry it?¡±


    ¡°N-no, I believe I¡¯m capable of doing it myself.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s it for? Is your family coming over? They live further inland, don¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°They do, but¡­ it¡¯s not for them, either.¡±


    ¡°Well, then, who is it? Is the priest coming to visit? Did he find someone for you? Come on, you can¡¯t start buying all this stuff without telling me who¡¯s it for!¡±


    The shopkeeper interjected to shrug and remarked, ¡°But not me, Madam. I don¡¯t mind what you buy¡ªyou¡¯re helping business nonetheless.¡±


    Oria decided, however, that it was probably the kind of thing she should clear up. ¡°I¡¯ve met someone recently. He¡¯s doing well, mostly, but I still find myself encouraged to help him. I¡¯m making sure there¡¯s enough for the two of us.¡±


    The acquaintance¡¯s smile seemed to grow even bigger. ¡°You should¡¯ve told me that part! I¡¯ll be more than willing to help. You don¡¯t need to be doing this all by yourself! You¡¯re wealthy for a reason, you know¡ªOrestis thought you were capable of doing great things and rewarded your family for it. Why not hire a few hands to carry your things and help around the house, at least? You don¡¯t have anyone with you, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°O-oh, no, I think I¡¯m fine on my own.¡± Oria tried, though almost failed, to maintain a small smile. ¡°I don¡¯t want to overwhelm him with too many people, especially not so close to when he woke up. I know enough Life magic that I can keep him comfortable on my own¡ªand I¡¯ll be sure to contact the priest if I find that I can¡¯t.¡±


    Honestly, that might have been a lie. She didn¡¯t want anyone to come to the same conclusion that she had about his origin¡­ and if she saw through it before he said a word, then she had no doubt that plenty of others would, too.


    The acquaintance looked a bit disappointed but, thankfully, nodded. ¡°Perhaps this is a test of your own talents, then. I won¡¯t interfere if it¡¯s something Orestis has planned.¡± She gave a smile, waved, and left.


    Oria nearly forgot she needed to hide how grateful she was for it.


    She muttered her goodbye to the shopkeeper and continued to buy what she needed, trying to avoid anyone she might¡¯ve thought familiar in the crowd. With no other distractions, however, she returned back home, and was thankful to see that Caenum had the sense to stay there.


    He¡¯d gotten up, at one point, and wandered around the room. The half-open curtain told that he¡¯d looked through it, though whatever he saw must not have made him feel any better. He looked just as pale, if not paler, than when she¡¯d left.


    ¡°Feeling better?¡± she prompted gently.


    An ambiguous mumble was his response in that regard. Instead, he dared to ask, ¡°Where are we?¡±


    ¡°Salini, one of the islands of True Qizar,¡± was her simple response.


    And he laughed, but both knew she was serious, and neither found it funny.

 Uncharted Waters: Chapter 2

    ¡°I¡¯m in Idkor,¡± he mumbled. Along with it came an unfamiliar curse and a string of words she didn¡¯t recognize.


    ¡°If you¡¯d like to act like that isn¡¯t a surprise for you,¡± Oria said as gently as she could, ¡°then I recommend calling it True Qizar. We do not stand under the name the humans have given us.¡±


    Caenum paced around the room for a minute, then fell back onto one of the chairs, mumbling foreign curses all the way.


    ¡°I¡¯d suggest taking a deep breath and try to calm down. I may not understand your words but I knew their intent well enough,¡± she warned thoughtfully.


    He attempted it; taking in a deep breath, then letting it out slowly. He tried a second time, but neither seemed to bring real comfort to him. ¡°Is this why you didn¡¯t want me to leave?¡±


    ¡°Genuinely, I was most concerned about your condition,¡± she replied. ¡°But yes. It¡­ would be a lie to say I didn¡¯t bring your origin into account. I can hardly avoid the fact, if I want to help you without drawing unwanted attention to either of us.¡±


    ¡°What gave it away? We¡¯re both fairies. I know my, ah¡­ Old Tongue is a little rusty. I didn¡¯t use it a lot back home.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s more than just ¡®rusty.¡¯ You¡¯ve got a thick and quite frankly terrible accent¡ªeven opening your mouth could give you away. I had a guess before then, though. Those native to these waters don¡¯t often get themselves shipwrecked.¡±


    He was quiet for a moment, then, ¡°What are we going to do now?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to make a proper meal for the two of us, and you¡¯re going to rest some more.¡±


    ¡°Wait, really? You¡¯re still not going to let me check the beach?¡±


    ¡°I will, but not right now. We¡¯ll do it tomorrow¡ªthere¡¯s too many people there at the moment. You¡¯ll get found out in a heartbeat.¡± She stepped a bit closer to the kitchen. ¡°Besides, there¡¯s things I need to make sure you know. A fairy of Fleyw Bresh like yourself isn¡¯t going to last long in True Qizar unless you act like us.¡±


    ¡­


    They discussed it more over breakfast the next morning; the stretch of what Oria could comfortably still call a truth. They needed some story, after all¡ªa reason why no one¡¯s met Caenum, why so much of him seemed unfamiliar and foreign even if he looked like one of them.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be a minor lord,¡± she decided. ¡°Someone who needed my aid. You hail from a smaller island with much more interaction with the children of Fleyw Bresh. You¡¯ve grown up secluded enough that your knowledge of our greater culture was only used with rare visits from officials. That¡­ might be able to cover most of it¡­¡±


    ¡°Is¡­ all of this really necessary..?¡± Caenum asked cautiously. ¡°The elaborate cover story, I mean. Are we really going to need to have all that information ready?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. As you can imagine, this isn¡¯t exactly a situation I¡¯ve been put in before.¡± She stood up, though¡ªshe had to do the dishes before they could leave, and they¡¯d both finished eating. ¡°But it¡¯s better to have it now and not need it, then to get stuck later. We can¡¯t get caught.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s to say we¡¯re not going to get mixed up in it anyway? It doesn¡¯t seem all that probable to me¡­¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s enough. It explains away why you¡¯re¡­ you, while giving you status enough to be around me without further questioning.¡±


    ¡°Enough of a status to be around you?¡±


    She pretended not to hear the question. ¡°As long as you were being honest about your life before, those facts shouldn¡¯t be too unfamiliar. It isn¡¯t a lie when there¡¯s a fragment of truth behind it.¡±


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    ¡°Hey, if that¡¯s what makes you feel better¡­¡± He shook his head. ¡°So, is there anything I can do to help move this along? I want to get out there as soon as possible.¡±


    She considered it for a moment. ¡°Up in the spare room¡ªfirst door to the left of the stairs¡ªthere should be other clothes in the closet. My brother left it when he visited a few months ago. It should fit you and it¡¯ll help you blend in more than what you¡¯re wearing now.¡±


    He seemed to mentally restate the directions before nodding and heading upstairs. While he did that, she took care of what little else was left to do in the kitchen. She packed lunches for them, too, in case they ended up staying out there long. She hadn¡¯t paid too much attention to how much time had passed until she heard Caenum¡¯s voice again.


    ¡°I¡¯m not exactly sure how this is supposed to make me fit in.¡± He walked up to where she was to show her. ¡°This thing looks way too fancy for a casual walk on the beach¡­¡±


    Her answer came simply, perhaps even part of an instinct. ¡°Well, that¡¯s the difference between us and the Fleyw Bresh.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s normal to flaunt your power¡ªyour wealth¡ªhere. It shows the distinction between those with influence and those without. One should be treated as their status dictates, nothing more and nothing less. Extravagance is our way to prove it.¡±


    ¡°So¡­ I¡¯m guessing you must be pretty up there, too, right? I assume it¡¯s probably generational? From what I heard, it was hard to go anywhere if you weren¡¯t born into it. But I¡¯ve wandered around the house and it doesn¡¯t really scream ¡®I¡¯m better than you in every way¡¯ to me.¡±


    Her response was mostly just to avoid giving details. ¡°We¡¯re not the most influential houses among Salini. I can¡¯t foresee any of the specifics being necessary in this situation, though. All you need to know is that your ¡®house¡¯ is in the same position as mine. Bow when I do, don¡¯t bow when I don¡¯t, and overall don¡¯t say anything stupid.¡±


    He mumbled something, but never repeated it any louder. In a couple of minutes, they were ready to leave, and Oria led the way to the beach.


    She decided the silence, while they were still alone, could be filled. ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know what, exactly, you might hope to find¡­ but I¡¯d be careful about how you try to find it.¡±


    ¡°I get it. I won¡¯t try to draw more attention to myself.,¡± he mumbled. Quieter, and nearly too hard for her to understand, he added, ¡°I don¡¯t really plan on getting killed here.¡±


    ¡°What¡­ are you hoping to find, by the way..?¡± she asked cautiously. ¡°If you¡¯re looking for any old possessions, I¡¯m not sure that they¡¯ll be there. If Daphni hasn¡¯t claimed them, then some thieves probably have.¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not looking for anything. I just want to see the boat.¡±


    She chose not to mention that it carried the same warning¡ªa kind of preparation she felt he wasn¡¯t ready for. But she didn¡¯t say it, and he didn¡¯t say anything else to her, so the rest of their walk was in silence.


    She offered a silent prayer of praise when she realized that no one else was here. It always seemed to be too many people or no one at all, and she stopped trying to predict it long ago. Not like it had always been a pinnacle of well-maintained beauty like the beaches in other areas; both new and old things found themselves washed up on the shore frequently. If there had ever been a time at all, since it had been this way since she moved there.


    Oria had to admire the amount of self-control Caenum was showing, to be able to walk up to the nearest fragment of ship to inspect it. She¡¯d never really paid much mind to it before, other than that it was there. Now, she didn¡¯t know a lot about boats, since people like her were never expected to risk their lives at sea¡­


    But it looked more like a boat meant for use near the shore, and definitely not one that would withstand the trials presented between True Qizar and the mainland.


    He looked around in silence for a little while, as he must¡¯ve needed to work up the courage to ask something. ¡°Have you heard anything else about this? If¡­ anyone else was found?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t heard anything.¡± She was fully aware that that wasn¡¯t the answer he wanted. Not like it being true would¡¯ve brought much reassurances¡ªthey were likely just as foreign as he was.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± he tried. ¡°Not even a rumor? Or something from another town, if people travel around like that?¡±


    She shook her head slowly. ¡°Not a word. I¡¯m certain if there were others like you, I would¡¯ve heard something by now. A lot of the people around here are fond of gossip¡ªeven a hint of it would¡¯ve spread across this side of Salini by now.¡±


    Already, those were words he clearly didn¡¯t want to hear. But there was something that caught his attention that made it worse¡ªsomething he found while he sorted through the wreck. Whatever he saw, he paled the longer he stared at it.


    Then he abruptly stood up. ¡°You, uh¡­ might¡¯ve been right. About pushing myself. I¡ªI don¡¯t think I¡¯m feeling well, can we go back?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± She didn¡¯t dare question the deeper meaning behind it, though. She assumed a better time would come eventually.

 Uncharted Waters: Chapter 3

    Caenum never told her anything specific, but Oria began to guess the details. Whatever had led him here, he had done it with others.


    And, as far as either of them knew, he was the only one who did not reside with Vriuh.


    She gave him space, for a little while¡ªallowed him to process whatever it was he had yet to tell her. Any mentions of their visit to the beach, or yet again questioning if she¡¯d heard anything, were made by him and never seemed to make him feel better. While he lingered inside, moving from the couch or bedroom only out of necessity, she had to go on with her life. She made up excuses on why this stranger couldn¡¯t join her for service. She carefully denied any offers to help, or politely declined any attempts to visit her in general. And she prayed, hoping that Orestis might show her a way to help him.


    After a week of this, she felt that subtly was no longer an option. They needed to address this issue directly.


    ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to come with me?¡± she prompted, gently, as she brought his dinner. Caenum barely moved from his spot. ¡°It¡¯s getting hard to continue to explain why you¡¯re not going anywhere.¡±


    ¡°Do I have to?¡± he mumbled. ¡°Doesn¡¯t it just make me stand out more? Make them realize I¡¯m different?¡±


    ¡°Not any more or less than not being present for anything is. It makes it seem like something more serious is going on¡ªsomething that I¡¯m ignoring.¡±


    ¡°Then just stop helping me. That way you¡¯re not gonna get in trouble¡­¡±


    ¡°I think we both acknowledge you don¡¯t really want that to happen.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s to say I don¡¯t? Maybe it¡¯s better if they find out who I am. I can join the others that way.¡±


    ¡°You will die a painful death¡ªone that could end in minutes or last days. You will be shunned from any fragment of society here. Not even the church would open its doors to an outsider. In their eyes, you are a sign of the mainland¡¯s problems reaching our shores¡ªof their infectious ideologies of genocides and infighting plaguing us.¡±


    ¡°I still almost wish you were including yourself in that ¡®us¡­¡¯¡±


    She sighed. ¡°I¡­ understand that this must be hard for you. I admit I can¡¯t offer much reassurances as someone without even a fragment of experience in the matter. But I know what I was called to do. Orestis has asked me to take care of you, I¡¯m sure of it. And I will do all that I can in order to bring you back home.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s going to be worth the trouble¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have family back home, at least? I¡¯m sure there¡¯s someone who¡¯s worried about you in Fleyw Bresh¡ªyour parents, or some other friends. Imagine how they feel right now. They have no idea where you are, if you¡¯re even alive. If they somehow happen to guess that you¡¯re here, they¡¯ll be even more concerned. Don¡¯t you want to ease their worries? Go back to them so you can tell them in person that you¡¯re alright?¡±


    ¡°I doubt they¡¯d want me back¡­¡±


    ¡°Whatever happened couldn¡¯t have been by your fault alone. If there¡¯s anyone to blame, it¡¯s Daphni¡¯s influence and the sirens that lurk between our islands and Fleyw Bresh. They¡¯ll certainly understand that you had no part in it.¡±


    That, thankfully, seemed to be enough for him to will himself up. He still didn¡¯t look completely resolved in the thought, but it had definitely done something. He slowly took his plate, though still only looked at it. ¡°Do¡­ you happen to have a plan, then? How are we going to get me back home?¡±


    ¡°Well, I know we don¡¯t have a lot of options. It¡¯ll need to be by boat¡ªand someone that we can trust to keep the secret.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t suppose you know someone who does that?¡±


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    ¡°Unfortunately not. But I have connections elsewhere¡ªwith the right questions, we should be able to get the answers we need without drawing too much attention to ourselves.¡±


    ¡°And what kind of connections are these?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re just going to have to see for yourself. Do you think you¡¯re up for going to service tomorrow? It¡¯s the best time to have them all in one place. As long as you remember what I told you before, no one should suspect anything too drastic.¡±


    ¡­


    She was uncertain, honestly, when they walked in together. The part of her conscience that understood what she was doing was certain that it was bad; she tried to ignore it, to find Sachiel¡¯s guidance in something a bit more optimistic. And while she may not have gotten an immediate distraction from her thoughts, she did ultimately find peace.


    In a church so often dedicated to stories from overseas and the dangers they brought, today¡¯s was an unlikely service. The pastor spoke of introspection, of setting good examples for all of Orestis¡¯s children that will come after them. In the sermon was a tale about helping others, despite the risk to oneself. It gave Oria a more defined resolve, taking it all to be a divine ¡°pass¡± of sorts¡ªthat what she was doing was truly the right thing.


    Though that was, honestly, only half of the battle. The other half came when she had to introduce everyone to Caenum.


    Or, rather, everyone realized he wasn¡¯t familiar.


    ¡°Oh, so this is the person you¡¯ve been helping!¡± the acquaintance from a week ago said. She smiled, circling around Caenum. ¡°What kept you cooped up inside all week, hmm? You look perfectly fine. Barely a scratch on you!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think the madam has mentioned anything about the kind of ailment,¡± a practical-stranger pointed out. ¡°I think it speaks to her abilities, to see him here without any sign of the past week¡¯s undoubtable trials.¡±


    Oria let out a bit of nervous laughter. ¡°We all know I¡¯m not that good¡­¡± She shook her head. ¡°Everyone, this is Caenum. He¡¯s a minor lord hailing from one of the smaller islands. His father frequently speaks with the messengers from Fleyw Bresh, and he doesn¡¯t often have the chance to leave. I hope you¡¯ll pardon his lack of, ah¡­ social understanding.¡±


    Caenum glared at her, but she chose to ignore it in favor of the illusion. And, thankfully, so did everyone else.


    ¡°We should show him around sometime, then!¡± the acquaintance remarked. ¡°I¡¯m guessing you haven¡¯t done that already, anyway. I definitely would¡¯ve seen him around if you had.¡±


    Oria offered a weak smile. ¡°I believe I¡¯m capable of showing him around myself.¡±


    ¡°You said that earlier, too, about taking care of him! Did his father specifically request you? Is he that unaware of the world that he needs a special guide? Or dare I ask if you¡ª¡±


    Luckily the practical-stranger cut her off. ¡°Don¡¯t even suggest it! I¡¯m sure the madam would never get herself involved in that. I always see her here, every week, as surely as the sun will set at the end of the day. If either of you two possess a fault, it is you, as the one spreading false accusations.¡±


    Her eyes grew wide at the thought. ¡°I¡ªI would never! Oria understands it was only in jest, of course.¡±


    ¡°Even jests can be taken for fact¡­¡± Oria pointed out.


    They were all distracted, however, by a messenger coming up to them. He gave them all a low bow. ¡°I¡¯m looking for Madam Oria, descended from Lord Vivus, is she among you?¡±


    Oria beat down the mild panic that rose and nodded. ¡°That¡¯s me.¡±


    With a quick nod, he casually handed her a letter. ¡°This is for you. Lord Scuris would like to see you tomorrow night.¡± He gave a side glance at some of the others in attendance. ¡°It looks like some of you might eventually receive an invite as well. Lord Scuris will be waiting.¡± He bowed again, then left.


    The acquaintance not-so-subtly leaned over to see what the invitation said. ¡°Lord Scuris invited you to a party? Oh, and it looks like you¡¯ll be able to bring a friend! Aren¡¯t you the lucky one!¡±


    ¡°Perhaps, but I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯ll go¡­¡± Oria admitted quietly.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about me,¡± Caenum remarked. ¡°I should be fine on my own for the afternoon.¡± She understood what he really meant, though; that it might be able to get them some information, and on her own maybe no one would suspect her.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t the kind of opportunity you should pass up,¡± the acquaintance pointed out. ¡°Not a lot of people can even consider it a possibility!¡±


    Oria managed a weak smile, if not just to try to assure them of something. ¡°I suppose I¡¯ll have to think about it. Tomorrow night isn¡¯t exactly a lot of time, but¡­ it should be enough.¡± Half-acknowledging the request that was about to be asked, she glanced at Caenum and said, ¡°I think if I do go, however, I¡¯ll bring Caenum with me.¡±

 Uncharted Waters: Chapter 4

    A glance between them said that they would talk more about it when they returned to her home, and they kept that promise.


    ¡°I get going on your own,¡± Caenum remarked almost as soon as the door closed. ¡°But I don¡¯t think you should bring me with you. I feel like I¡¯m barely passing as a noble compared to you¡ªand that¡¯s surrounded by people who, I¡¯m guessing, are supposed to be below us. I don¡¯t want to get you caught because I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m doing in front of someone more important¡­¡±


    Oria shook her head. ¡°To be honest, you acted a lot better out there than what I thought you were going to. I think you tricked them just enough¡ªin general, and not just because they thought you were better than them. Besides, I think it¡¯ll actually be less suspicious this way.¡±


    ¡°How is this going to be any less suspicious than you going alone, as the only one they sent an invitation to?¡±


    ¡°Remember your ¡®history?¡¯ You¡¯re the son of a fairy who frequently trades with the Fleyw Bresh. To you, knowing what boats are going from one harbor to another is business as usual. If I were to be the only one there¡­ a minor noblewoman has no reason to be asking those kinds of things. Eventually they might even begin to wonder if I want my family to join where Madam Magia¡¯s resides now.¡±


    He paused and, cautiously, asked, ¡°Do I want to know what happened to ¡®Madam Magia,¡¯ then..?¡±


    She chose to approach the subject carefully, knowing both too much and too little information would make him even more wary. ¡°It wasn¡¯t what happened to Madam Magia specifically¡ªno, she was a rather prominent figure among the Fae Court, once. It was what happened to her descendants, the ones who damned themselves to their fate. Their first fault was what the church claims as adultery, more of a mark on a person than the family. But her daughter stood up and did something¡­ unexpected, a far more dire sin.¡± She debated, for a moment, if she even wanted to say it out loud. ¡°She stood up, speaking against the church¡¯s decision in a definitive act of heresy. For this, she was exiled, and now resting under the waves of Daphni¡¯s fury. As for her family¡­ suffice to say, their ties to Madam Magia mean nothing anymore.¡±


    He definitely didn¡¯t like that, but he didn¡¯t try to convince her from it any longer. They both knew that, ultimately, she was right; this was the safer of their options.


    She took the opportunity over the next day and up until their preparations to remind him what to expect¡ªand what was expected of him in turn. She showed him more of her brother¡¯s old clothes, adjusting bits of them as she needed to, and talked to him of proper etiquette; she styled his hair, then her own, and discussed the topics best left avoided; finally, on the trip there, she told him of the people he¡¯d likely do best to avoid.


    When they arrived, they were greeted by many unfamiliar faces and only a handful of familiar ones. Oria, raised on such outings, could spot the more subtle differences between those she was uncertain of. Caenum followed her lead in almost every way; she was pleasantly surprised how well he mastered the art of nobility, the delicate mix of sincerity and apathy.


    She chose to start the real search for information once things had officially begun¡ªand, thankfully, she didn¡¯t need to wait too long for that.


    Their first indication was the quieting room. Next, the utterance of praises and a collective bow by everyone in sight. Finally, looking up to see Lord Scuris glaring down at them all from the balcony.


    He wasn¡¯t¡­ exactly what someone would call imposing. His age was clear, and the tiredness that came with it even more so. But he addressed them all with a powerful voice, one that commanded their respect, reminding them why he still stood on above them.


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    Or¡­ part of the reason, if rumors were to be believed.


    ¡°I¡¯ve called you all here because of a message!¡± he called over the crowd. ¡°A sign has presented itself to me¡ªone of good fortune, of the grace of the gods. Everyone here will be blessed by its touch. Wondrous things are upon us, opportunities that no mortal has experienced before! And tonight, we gather to commemorate the beginning of something unprecedented, of something that will forever change our lives. For that, I believe there¡¯s only one response.¡±


    Some raised their voices, others held up their glasses, and others still seemed resolved or comforted. ¡°Let us praise Orestis, for His creation, and Danai, for her everlasting light.¡±


    Oria couldn¡¯t help but spare a glance at Caenum, who looked confused, but no one else seemed to question it.


    That quickly proved to be the extent of Lord Scuris¡¯s public presence, because he walked away again a moment later. If he went down to join the crowd, she didn¡¯t notice any difference; after a few moments, everyone continued their chatter as if nothing had happened at all.


    ¡°Is¡­ that it?¡± Caenum asked quietly. When Oria started wandering around, he followed close behind her. ¡°Isn¡¯t he the host? Was that really all he intended to say..?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s the overseer of Salini,¡± she responded, knowing it only half-answered the question. ¡°Lord Scuris undoubtedly has many more important matters to attend to. It¡¯s a miracle to be that close to him at all.¡±


    Her words echoed those of the crowds around them, though there was a difference between hers and theirs: theirs was one only of praise, while hers hid a shred of suspicion.


    ¡°We¡¯re just going to ask around now, right?¡±


    ¡°Mhm. You¡¯re going to need to do a lot of the asking, though. I can do a little on my own¡ªI might be in the market for gifts for my parents, after all. But you¡¯re going to have to ask when new ships might be coming, or when they¡¯d be setting off.¡±


    He was quiet, for a moment, but eventually it seemed that his fear got the better of him. ¡°What if I mess up?¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t drawn any suspicion to yourself yet. As long as you continue to act like us, they won¡¯t suspect that you¡¯re different.¡±


    ¡°What if someone here is able to see through it..? Or try to ask something that I can¡¯t answer?¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°No one here knows that much. I¡­ hear Fleyw Bresh believes in community, in and outside of the church. But True Qizar has separated themselves from these ideals. The longer you stay here, you begin to realize something: our sense of community only exists within the church. For many, we are only strangers once we leave. Very few would have traveled far enough away from their comfortable lives in order to know the kinds of things you¡¯re implying.¡±


    She would be the first to admit that it was a rather long answer. But it was the best she could give, and that she could almost completely believe in herself.


    Oria decided she could take the initiative first, walking up to a couple of nobles of her status. They all bowed to each other, those without drinks getting one from a nearby servant, then she asked her question.


    ¡°Do you know if anything foreign arrived at the ports recently?¡± She, surprisingly, sounded much more confident than she felt. ¡°I¡¯m going to be meeting with my family next month¡ªI wanted to give them something special. Anything from Salini, after all, they could¡¯ve easily bought themselves.¡±


    The small group considered it. They might have all been strangers, but to speak here was a sign that they were all members of high society¡ªand for the like-minded, a bit of small talk could be afforded.


    ¡°I remember hearing about jewels from Aspea,¡± the first offered. ¡°They¡¯re some of the finest you¡¯re ever going to find¡ªuntainted by humans and whatever else they do to them.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, but I imagine even that might be too mundane,¡± the second remarked. ¡°My son-in-law controls one of the trade routes, you know. He tells me all kinds of things imported by the Fleyw Bresh. They¡¯ve got exquisite silks there, you know. Each and every one of them are handmade.¡±


    The third shook their head. ¡°We have fine silks as well, ones that were definitely crafted without the use of their damned alchemy. If you want something truly foreign¡­ I saw that the Orestis-forsaken murderers had at least one redeeming quality. There seems to have been a recent shipment of all kinds of trinkets.¡±


    Even Oria wasn¡¯t quite sure if her response was out of reflex or an honest feeling. ¡°That seems like a request for divine retribution¡­¡± She shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ll consider all of that, thank you. I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll find something they¡¯ll adore.¡±


    She smiled, and guided Caenum away before the group could¡¯ve tried to ask any of their own questions.

 Uncharted Waters: Chapter 5

    Caenum¡¯s question was sudden, nearly as soon as they returned home. ¡°You¡¯re¡­ really risking a lot for me, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t consider it a risk, really,¡± was Oria¡¯s simple answer. ¡°The Commandments tell us to do what we think is right¡ªto listen to Orestis¡¯s teaching and Sachiel¡¯s guiding voice. I¡¯m confident in my decision to help you. There¡¯s nothing you¡¯re going to be able to say to convince me otherwise.¡±


    He looked like he wanted to argue, but decided against it. ¡°Then¡­ at least you should know¡ªwhat led me to be here, that is. Maybe you¡¯ll change your mind if you hear the full story.¡±


    ¡°Nothing will change my mind,¡± she repeated with a frown. ¡°I¡¯m not going to abandon you. I won¡¯t force you to say anything, either, if you¡¯re still not willing¡­¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°You¡¯ve helped me this long. An explanation¡¯s kind of overdue, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    They both wandered to the kitchen table and sat down. She still didn¡¯t think he looked ready to admit it, but¡­ he must¡¯ve been confident in his decision to do it. He took a deep breath and began his story.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to think it was because of something more¡­ noteworthy. Like we were running away from something, or we had some grand ambition for it. Honestly, though? We were a bunch of dumb kids who thought we¡¯d be able to handle whatever we came across.


    ¡°It sounds¡­ really stupid in hindsight. But we were bored, we were confident, and we were looking for some kind of adventure. We thought¡­ ¡®hey, we all have powerful Water magic. Let¡¯s go where no one else has gone before¡ªsee what¡¯s beyond the coast.¡¯¡± He laughed, but it was hollow. ¡°Only one of us had actually been in a boat before then. A bunch of dumbasses, right?


    ¡°We figured, if we kept going south, we¡¯d find something interesting eventually. Maybe even something no one¡¯s seen before. But I don¡¯t think it was an hour in that we realized what we were in for. I¡­ honestly don¡¯t remember much of it. Whatever happened, though, I ended up here with at least most of the ship. I¡­ don¡¯t think the rest of them were that lucky. I can¡¯t bring myself to hope that they¡¯re somewhere else in Idkor, and finding someone nice like you to take them in, or that they¡¯re back in Qizar¡­¡±


    He looked at her, regaining confidence. ¡°That¡¯s why I think you should just leave me to do this on my own. This is all because of my own dumb mistakes. I¡¯m not about to drag you into the mess I made.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve said it plenty of times before and I¡¯m going to say it again. I¡¯m not going to abandon you.¡± Oria tried to make sure everything proved it¡ªthat her gaze, her voice, and her actions all proved she meant what she said. ¡°I¡¯m going to see the end of this with you. I don¡¯t care what you did to get yourself here, you still need to get back home, and you¡¯re not going to be able to do it alone.¡±


    At that moment, he seemed conflicted. It looked like a part of him wanted to be grateful; the other was still desperately wishing she¡¯d change her mind.


    She decided it was best to move on and discuss their plans. ¡°I was thinking we could head to the docks tomorrow morning. It sounded like there was at least a few ships heading back to Fleyw Bresh¡ªwith the gods¡¯ favor on our side, we should be able to board one of them.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± he mumbled with a slow nod.


    ¡­


    It was strange. She knew this would be her last day in Idkor¡ªthe last time she¡¯d see her family, or those strangers she called friends. From this moment on, there was no turning back for her. Once she left these waters, she was a traitor; her name would be associated with those who preferred the ways of the Fleyw Bresh to the longer-standing traditions of True Qizar. Yet¡­ she didn¡¯t feel like she was leaving everything behind. The longer she thought about it, the more she wondered if this place had ever felt like home.


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    In front of onlookers, she would claim to believe everything she¡¯s ever been told. In private¡­ occasionally, she would catch herself contemplating the actions of others. The fine line that distinguished the commoners from her, and her from the higher-ranked nobility. The ways the church upheld the Commandments, every now and again in her private studies encountering fragments that didn¡¯t match¡­ and, thinking to Madam Magia, never daring to ask. Perhaps Fleyw Bresh had the truths she was hoping to find; perhaps this was all Sachiel, assuring her that this was the plan Orestis had for her.


    And if Caenum was looking for a sign of her faltering, he found none of it. They casually made their way to the docks under the guise of seeing what they had to offer. Not once did Oria doubt where they were going, or what she would be leaving, even as those familiar strangers made smalltalk.


    Maybe in Fleyw Bresh, she¡¯d find others who didn¡¯t always force conversation with a fake smile.


    It was not Oria that seemed to get more doubts the closer they got to the docks, but Caenum¡ªshe understood, now, what he must¡¯ve been considering. She wished she could give him any more assurances than a whispered, ¡°It¡¯ll be alright.¡±


    They boarded the first ship they were confident was heading for Fleyw Bresh. She was almost certain one of the crewmembers saw them, but¡­ she heard no shouting, no calls pointing out a traitor. The two of them found a peaceful place, one where they were unlikely to get spotted.


    Only then, as they began to move away from True Qizar, did Oria dare to start any true conversation.


    ¡°I think I heard them mention that it was only going to take a day,¡± she pointed out gently. Caenum barely seemed to be listening. ¡°And it sounds like their stop is within the Forgotten Isles. That¡¯s where you¡¯re from, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± he mumbled distantly. ¡°It¡­ might even be the same town. We got a lot of trade from here.¡±


    ¡°Well, then that¡¯s all the better, right? It won¡¯t be long before we can find your parents.¡±


    ¡°I guess¡­¡±


    Understanding a fragment of his apprehension, she remarked, ¡°They¡¯re going to be glad to see you.¡±


    ¡°I know. Mom will probably be all over me for the next couple of weeks¡­ or months¡­¡±


    She dared to say, ¡°They¡¯re not going to think you¡¯re responsible for this. Nothing that happened was under your control and they¡¯ll see that. It isn¡¯t going to change anything.¡±


    For a moment, he was quiet, though his eventual response was still a mumble. ¡°On one hand, I know you¡¯re right. On the other hand¡­ I hope you¡¯re wrong. Things shouldn¡¯t just go back to normal as if nothing ever happened. I think I¡¯d feel worse if it did¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, no matter what happens, we¡¯ll figure it out,¡± she promised. It was one of the few things she was sure of. ¡°Together.¡±


    He gave a blank nod. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ going to try to get some sleep¡­¡± He only moved further away from her to get something for him to rest his head on. Then he laid down next to her, and honestly did seem to fall asleep rather quickly.


    She tried to relax, too, though she couldn¡¯t quite bring herself to do it. What if someone saw them? Sure, there were no evident signs that they had, but¡­ maybe they were just waiting. She¡¯d heard whispers, before, of what happened when others tried to stowaway. While some were called out and given due punishment¡ªa mild sentence¡ªothers weren¡¯t ¡°discovered¡± until they were already out to sea.


    Then they decided to let Daphni¡¯s waters and its inhabitants decide what kind of punishment the stowaways deserved.


    Now, that alone was already a not-very-pleasant thought process. It didn¡¯t get any better with the fact that they were in the lower deck of a ship¡ªoverhearing all the footsteps, all the shouting, and whatever else went on above them. She told herself that they were going to be fine, though. She needed to be calm, so then perhaps Caenum would be reassured as well. Nothing bad was going to happen.


    Nothing bad was going to happen¡­


    And those footsteps were definitely not just above them, and they were almost certainly getting closer.


    Oria prepared herself for anything, but she tried not to panic. She made special care not to disturb Caenum¡ªif he had powerful Water magic, it was very likely it would react based on emotion¡­ and, well, being in a boat in the middle of already unstable waters was bad enough.


    By the time she knew any opportunity to escape was gone, she¡¯d built up her resolve. When the sailor caught sight of her, and moved to get closer, she was ready to state all of her reasoning.


    But her resolve was ruined by one simple statement: ¡°Relax, kid. I¡¯m not here to do something bad to you.¡±

 Uncharted Waters: Chapter 6

    ¡°I¡¯m not here to do something bad to you.¡±


    She felt like she should¡¯ve been assured in those words, but she couldn¡¯t quite find herself willing to believe it. Though¡­ he really didn¡¯t seem to mean any harm. She tried her best to relax¡ªto stay calm, just in case Caenum woke up¡ªand asked, ¡°Then what are you here for?¡±


    The sailor took a step forward but, undoubtedly realizing her hesitation, stepped back again. He sat down instead. ¡°I saw you and your friend getting onboard. Gotta admit, it takes a lot of determination to do something like that. You don¡¯t have to worry, though¡ªyou chose a good ship. No one¡¯s going to throw you out into those waters.¡±


    ¡°That still doesn¡¯t explain why you¡¯re here,¡± Oria pointed out.


    ¡°Well, I assume you already know what you¡¯re getting yourself into. You¡¯re determined enough to make it this far, after all. So I wanted to ask you something else¡ªwhat do you plan to do when you get there?¡± His tone was kind, if not a bit wary. Upon hearing it, she eased a bit more. ¡°Or, maybe let me ask¡­ what are you looking to find in Fleyw Bresh?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know, honestly,¡± she admitted quietly. She glanced at Caenum, who still hadn¡¯t stirred from his spot. ¡°All I know is that I want to stay with him. I believe¡­ I¡¯m supposed to be with him.¡±


    The sailor let out a half-mournful chuckle. ¡°I wish I had your kind of conviction when I was your age. Maybe I¡¯d be doing something other than fighting Daphni¡¯s waters every other day.¡±


    ¡°Does¡­ that mean¡ª¡±


    ¡°Why do you think I¡¯m down here, and asking questions? We all know a kindred spirit when we see one.¡±


    ¡°We..?¡±


    ¡°Everyone on this ship. Some of us hail from True Qizar, while others were originally from Fleyw Bresh. We¡¯ve seen a couple of faces come and go, too¡ªkids like you and your friend here. We¡¯ve all experienced, or one way or another, the feelings you kids are going through, and we always try to help. With¡­ a small payment, if it¡¯s alright with you.¡±


    Before she could become panicked again, he showed her what he was thinking of¡ªa small stack of letters. His smile grew, but it was more wistful than before. ¡°None of us can leave the boat for too long¡ªthere¡¯s too much we need to do, and we don¡¯t have a lot of time before we have to leave. But a lot of us have found our homes in Fleyw Bresh. These are our letters to those homes¡ªthe only fragment of them we can really be close to, without getting into trouble. There¡¯s a woman in town you can give them all to, she¡¯ll know what to do with them from there. Can I trust you to deliver them?¡±


    ¡°This has to be important to you,¡± she pointed out. Honestly, she wasn¡¯t quite sure what she wanted to believe about the situation. ¡°Why are you trusting me with this..?¡±


    ¡°Because I know you¡¯re like us. I¡¯m not asking for anything long-term¡ªjust this once. And it¡¯s not going to be too hard to find the woman, as long as you can follow directions.¡±


    Slowly, Oria nodded. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll do my best¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, and one random question, too.¡±


    ¡°Yes..?¡±


    ¡°Do you know what¡¯s waiting on the other shore?¡±


    ¡°Hm..?¡±


    ¡°Things are done a bit differently in Fleyw Bresh. For starters, you¡¯ll probably get a lot further knowing their language¡ªours isn¡¯t used too often outside of dedicated communities. Then you¡¯re going to need to know how to match the humans. Not all the time, obviously, but I assure you things¡¯ll be easier if you do. But I¡­ suppose I might not have to say all of that. Seems like your companion¡¯s a fairy of Fleyw Bresh, so he¡¯ll probably be much more capable of explaining it all to you than I am.¡±


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    ¡­


    She told Caenum about what had happened when he woke up. It turns out he might¡¯ve known the woman in question¡ªor, at least, somewhat more familiar with where they might find her. He was able to confirm it when, surprisingly, all of the sailors invited them to eat. The sailors were kind enough to let them stay in the proper quarters; they were even willing to help her assure Caenum that nothing was going to happen between that moment and when they reached the shore.


    That seemed, though, to only half solve the problem. He spent all of their time on the ship between states of near-distress¡ªbarely calmed by their reassurances¡ªand of a kind of numbness. His mixed feelings upon reaching the shore was clear.


    Unfortunately, however, she couldn¡¯t find herself able to be comforting. They stepped out to see crowds of strangers, speaking the human¡¯s tongue, with fairies, goblins, and children of Fleyw Bresh darting around. Even after the first sailor she¡¯d met said his words of farewell, and Caenum seemed ready to go, she found herself incapable of making another step forward.


    It was the first time she saw Caenum smirk in the whole journey, and he asked in a playful tone, ¡°It¡¯s weird finding yourself in somewhere completely unfamiliar, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Oria realized then what she was doing. ¡°Ah. I didn¡¯t mean¡ª¡±


    He shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t care, you know. In fact? Maybe this is a good thing. Now I can help you, the same way that you¡¯d helped me.¡± He gestured out into the streets. ¡°It¡¯s not as confusing as it first seems, I promise. Let¡¯s find that woman, alright? I¡¯m pretty sure I¡¯ve met her before, she¡¯s another fairy that lives around here.¡±


    ¡°Is this your hometown? I¡¯m sure the sailors wouldn¡¯t mind if we first went to find your parents¡­¡±


    The statement renewed all of his apprehension from before, but he brushed it off with a nervous laugh. ¡°I¡¯m sure neither of them are home around this time, anyway. That and it¡¯s on the other side of town. The woman¡¯s a lot closer, and it probably won¡¯t take nearly as long.¡±


    ¡°Alright, then¡­¡± She knew that there was no point in arguing¡­ however much she wanted to.


    She found something else to consider, though, other than all the things he wanted to avoid. In True Qizar, everything she saw was made specifically for fairies; the biggest things ever got was what was meant for the goblins, which more often than not were on their own islands. But in Fleyw Bresh, things were built for its children¡ªfor humans.


    And she had, somewhat, underestimated exactly how big they were.


    She kept glancing around them, trying to make sense of the magnitude of it. A town could fit in a single one of the humans¡¯ buildings. From her position, it felt like this port was bigger than the entirety of Salini, though she knew that wasn¡¯t true. All fairies flew at eye level to the humans, too small to be seen otherwise. She¡¯d never been quite as aware of how small she really was.


    Caenum glanced back at her, and casually asked, ¡°You don¡¯t know how to match the humans, do you?¡±


    Her silence was the only kind of response she could think to give. He thought it meant something a bit different, though¡ªthat she hadn¡¯t understood him.


    He gave a casual gesture to a group of strangers. They looked the size of humans but, after a moment, she realized they had the wings of a fairy. ¡°It¡¯s kind of like what we do to make things a little more practical. I¡¯d show you, but that¡¯ll be a bad idea to do here. We use magic to make yourselves the size of the humans¡ªnot all the time, usually just whenever we go out. We can¡¯t deny that these towns were built for humans, after all, so it makes things a bit easier.¡± He gave it a bit of consideration. ¡°We can practice that later. You won¡¯t need it to talk to the woman or my parents.¡±


    He paused and gave her a curious look. ¡°What¡¯s that face for?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ wasn¡¯t confused. I know what it means,¡± Oria mumbled. ¡°We¡­ consider it a bit differently in True Qizar. It¡¯s thought of as stripping ourselves of the characteristics given to us by Orestis¡ªof matching the humans, who many consider to be ¡®lesser¡¯ to us. It¡¯s associated with exiles. They are forced to take on human size and to lose their magic. When they awaken, they are torn apart from all things that made them a fairy¡­ if they survived Daphni¡¯s waters, and if they could recover from something so engraved in them to be taken away, that is¡­¡±


    Caenum was quiet for a few moments. ¡°I¡¯m not going to force you, if you¡¯d rather not. There¡¯s plenty of fairies who don¡¯t. I¡­ might¡¯ve forgotten, a bit, of what makes our two nations so different.¡±


    Oria shook her head. ¡°We can think about all of that later. Let¡¯s just focus on finding that woman and delivering these letters. We¡¯ve still got to find your parents, too, then we can consider everything else.¡±

 Uncharted Waters: Chapter 7

    They¡¯d spoken with the woman, after giving her the letters. At least in Oria¡¯s eyes, they barely did so much as hint towards what they¡¯d come from¡ªbut the woman must¡¯ve known either way. She¡¯d looked right at Oria and said, ¡°Make sure you know where you¡¯re going from here. There¡¯s a whole new, unfamiliar world out there¡ªfind your place in it, and make it so you never regret your decision.¡±


    She kept thinking about it as Caenum slowly led the way to his parents¡¯ house. But, the longer she considered it, the more anxious it made her. Should she have a better plan than to stay with him? There was a sense of familiarity about Fleyw Bresh, but it was foreign, too¡ªshe couldn¡¯t find herself completely uneasy in these new lands, yet she couldn¡¯t be comfortable, either. The longer she dwelled on those words, the more detached she felt from everything else around her.


    So, she simply told herself she¡¯d take things one step at a time. First and foremost, she was going to make sure Caenum reunited with his parents.


    ¡°This¡­ is where they live,¡± he said, slowly, stopping near the door. He went to knock, but hesitated¡ªthough what he said wasn¡¯t really what was on his mind. ¡°You might not understand them at first, but I¡¯ll try to get them to speak the Old Tongue for you.¡±


    He was still for a moment later, but it turns out he didn¡¯t need to knock at all. The door swung open, revealing a man and woman that must¡¯ve been his parents. At first, it seemed like they didn¡¯t want to believe what they were seeing, then they both hugged him. They said things¡ªasked questions¡ªshe couldn¡¯t understand. While they all but dragged him inside, he said something to them, the only words she understood being Oria and Idkor.


    They looked at her, blinked in unison, then donned soft smiles. Caenum¡¯s mother stepped towards Oria and gestured inside. ¡°Well, then, there¡¯s no use in her being a stranger. Come inside, dear¡ªwe¡¯ll get some snacks ready for both of you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you¡­¡± was the most Oria could manage. She followed Caenum¡¯s mother to their living room and, after another prompting motion, sat down on the couch.


    While Caenum¡¯s mother went into a different room¡ªthe kitchen, most likely¡ªhis father stayed with the two of them. His voice was serious, but it would be wrong to say there was no care in it whatsoever. And what he said was simple: ¡°We thought you were dead.¡±


    Caenum¡¯s eyes immediately went down to the floor. ¡°I think I should be.¡±


    ¡°That isn¡¯t what I meant¡ªI¡¯m certain you know that, too.¡±


    ¡°Either way, I don¡¯t see what makes me the special one. The others were a part of it, too. They didn¡¯t find someone to help them¡ªthey probably didn¡¯t even survive a trip back to shore. Yet I did, somehow¡­¡±


    Caenum¡¯s mother came back with what looked to be some baked pastries and water, setting them on the table in front of them. She was thoughtful when she remarked, ¡°Maybe there¡¯s something Orestis has planned for you¡ªsomething that made Daphni allow you safe passage. You¡¯ve made it here and back again, after all. Things like that aren¡¯t often coincidences.¡±


    ¡°I did, but what about the others? Why do I get the happy ending when none of them did?¡±


    Caenum¡¯s father shook his head slowly. ¡°Let¡¯s just try to stay calm. We may never understand Orestis¡¯s plans. Just tell us everything that happened, if you can. I¡¯d like to hear the complete story behind this new friend of yours.¡±


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    Not without a lack of hesitation, Caenum started the story from when he and his friends left the shore of Fleyw Bresh. The details he told them was the same thing he¡¯d told her. Then, he explained how he met Oria, and the things she¡¯d done to help him. She interjected, when she felt it fitting, to point out she didn¡¯t mind helping and how she felt it all to be the will of Orestis; somewhat unfortunately, she could see the growing admiration and thankfulness they had for her, and humbling herself changed none of it.


    When the story ended, they were left in a moment of silence. Then, Caenum¡¯s mother brought all of her attention to Oria, and smiled. ¡°Thank you. I understand the situation you must¡¯ve been put in and, no matter how much you try to convince us otherwise, we all know what you gave up. You could¡¯ve just as easily sent him to the officials to deal with in the same way they do all outsiders.¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think I ever could¡¯ve managed it.¡± Oria, still, tried everything she could to make it seem less significant. She didn¡¯t think it nearly as special as they were making it out to be¡ªshe didn¡¯t want too much emphasis to be placed on her own actions. ¡°If I had¡­ I don¡¯t believe Sachiel would allow me the mercy of forgetting. I couldn¡¯t leave someone alone like that, no matter my circumstances, and no matter theirs.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t change the sacrifices you¡¯ve made for us,¡± Caenum¡¯s father pointed out. ¡°We¡¯re grateful for that. Please, stay as long as you want¡ªor, however long you need. We¡¯ll be more than willing to accommodate you and make sure you know what¡¯s expected of you here. You¡¯ll probably find it a bit unusual compared to what you¡¯re used to, but it shouldn¡¯t be completely new, either. Not like if you¡¯d landed in Seothia.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ beginning to realize that. Thank you. I¡¯ll be sure to take you up on that offer, though¡­ I hope I won¡¯t be a burden for too long¡­¡±


    Caenum shook his head. ¡°You deserve this more than I do. I know, you¡­ kind of risked your life for me, even if it never seemed to get that serious. What kind of people would know that, but give you nothing in return for it? Don¡¯t say it¡¯s a big deal. We all know it is.¡±


    She opened her mouth to argue, though ultimately she decided to say something else. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll take you up on your offer. So long as you understand that none of this was your fault. You deserve to be here, to be happy, just as much as I do. Let¡¯s leave the past in the past.¡±


    Both of his parents nodded.


    He looked surprised, for a moment, before nodding as well. ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d say you¡¯re probably both tired, and that you both want to get some rest, but¡­ we need to share this with the church,¡± Caenum¡¯s father remarked. ¡°Oria, you don¡¯t know any of our modern tongue, do you? Or¡ªI suppose you must know it as the language of the humans, or the Fleyw Bresh.¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°Merchants know practical terms, and the sailors may be fluent. But the nobility are never expected to mingle with your people. To learn a part of the humans¡¯ ways would be to abandon yet another part of ourselves.¡±


    ¡°You can go on ahead, dear,¡± Caenum¡¯s mother said, looking at her husband. ¡°Get the church to bring another fairy who could hold a conversation with her. It gives the two of them some time to rest, too¡ªto relax before they have to answer any more questions.¡±


    He nodded and moved towards the door. ¡°I¡¯ll try to explain what I can to them. I know they won¡¯t make too much of a scene out of it if I ask them not to.¡±


    Once he left, Caenum perked up at a different thought. ¡°Hey, when we get this all sorted out, maybe I could show you around! Get you comfortable.¡±


    ¡°That sounds like it would be a lovely idea,¡± Caenum¡¯s mother said with a smile. ¡°You know, in another week and a half, the town¡¯s going to be holding a festival. If we can get you more comfortable around others¡ªeven just some fairy friends of ours¡ªI¡¯m sure they¡¯d all be overjoyed to meet you.¡± She paused. ¡°If it won¡¯t be too much at once, that is.¡±


    Oria shook her head. ¡°No, no, I like the sound of that. Sooner or later¡ªand I much prefer sooner¡ªI need to understand what life will be like here. And, though I¡¯ve still barely been here¡­ I have the same kind of confidence I had when I first found Caenum. This is the right decision and I¡¯m ready to see it through until the end¡ªwith all of you, I¡¯m hopeful for what the future might hold.¡±

 What Time Forgot: White Room (Natheniel)

    ¡°Just leave me alone!¡±


    He¡¯d grown to regret that argument. He lost sight of what he really needed. He was frustrated, confused, and took it out on the first thing he saw: his old ¡°imaginary¡± friend, Lekra. Now they were nowhere to be seen and he¡¯d been wandering on his own for gods knows how long.


    No matter how hard he tried to escape, he couldn¡¯t. He wanted this suffering to end. He wanted to shout out to the world and tell it that he learned his lesson. He¡¯d never be the same person again, as long as he could come back home¡­


    There was nothing around him. It truly was just a white void. There was no beginning, and there probably wasn¡¯t an end. While some things remained of a bygone era, most of it was barren. This fake realm didn¡¯t even quell his needs; he was starving, unable to sleep, and practically dying for some sort of social interaction. This was no paradise, nor was it hell. This was exactly what he needed to learn his lesson. The perfect punishment for the stupid, haughty Prince Natheniel.


    He didn¡¯t know how long he¡¯d been wandering. It could¡¯ve been a couple of hours, it could¡¯ve been ten years. All he knew was that he was going insane. The white void had begun to show some sort of picture, and in the horizon was the wispy figure of Lekra and what looked like a woman. He was definitely going insane, but he chose to look into it anyway.


    ¡°Lekra..?¡± It was a hoarse mumble. He got close enough that he was unable to deny his Ski¨¢, at least, to be real. They had the same feeling that they always did, like a welcoming kind of unsettling.


    They perked up immediately, and so did the woman. ¡°Nathen! Thank goodness. Are you still mad at me? Look at you! You¡¯ve gotten so thin¡­ who would¡¯ve thought people in this state could change¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, are you Nathen? Lekra was talking about you.¡± There was something¡­ familiar about the woman. He decided, at that moment, that she shared a vague resemblance to Domenique; lighten the hair up a little, and the two would be nearly identical.


    Natheniel nodded. ¡°So Lekra¡¯s been talking about me..?¡±


    ¡°They¡­ told me about what happened to you¡ªthe reason you¡¯re here¡­¡± She shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m Fauna, by the way.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Natheniel. Nathen is just Lekra¡¯s nickname for me,¡± he mumbled. When she gestured for him to sit down beside her, he did. ¡°If you know why I¡¯m here, then can I ask about you?¡±


    She nodded slowly. ¡°I don¡¯t mind. Eldrianna wanted something from me, but I¡­ honestly have no idea what it is. Looking back on it, she¡­ might¡¯ve always had her eyes on me. Nothing really came out of it, though,  until I went for a walk with my friend. She was able to separate us and bring me here. I¡¯ve been here for about¡­ twenty-one years, maybe?¡±


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    More of who she was clicked with that story. ¡°You¡¯re the Forgotten Light!¡± The fact that being in the same place as her was not quite a good thing, however, had yet to cross his mind.


    ¡°I¡­ assumed they still talked about me. I don¡¯t think I would be here if they didn¡¯t¡­¡± It was clear that she both appreciated and mourned that fact. ¡°There¡¯s still something keeping you tied to the living, I can feel it. If you have a Ski¨¢, then surely you have a Fos somewhere. It must still be with the living.¡±


    He¡¯d learned quite a bit from Lekra. The ¡°Fos¡± she was referring to was Ihu¡ªor, as they were known in every other context, Iztali. Neither Natheniel nor Lekra could find a way to tell what they were doing, though. At least he could be assured that they were still alive.


    Fauna continued, a bit more hesitant than she was before. ¡°Lekra¡­ they mentioned Imre. My old friend was Imre Mikkel. Do you know him? Is he doing okay..? Please tell me he¡¯s still alive¡­¡±


    ¡°Know him? I¡¯m his son! Kinda. I¡¯m adopted.¡± Natheniel was not prepared for the look she gave him. He had all of her attention¡ªall she wanted was to hear more. ¡°You disappeared around the time Zofie was sick, right? Well, Imre and Dimas got married after that. Then they found and raised me. I was their only kid for three years until Imre and Lydia had an actual blood heir to the Seothian throne. Their kid¡¯s name was Tavin. Minne died shortly after that, but they never really knew why. Then, when I was thirteen, Lydia¡­ also died. Some other stuff happened, but¡­ he never really changed. He moved on because he knew he had to, I think. And of course, then I ran away, and now I¡¯m here¡­¡±


    He wished he could actually tell the truth. Tell her why he ran; the paranoid reasoning, the remorse he felt for doing it, the action itself. Words failed him just thinking about it.


    ¡°You want to go back, don¡¯t you?¡± Somehow, her question surprised him.


    Unable to come up with the words, he simply nodded.


    ¡°When you¡¯ve been here as long as I have, you think of ways.¡± She stood up, gesturing for him to follow her. ¡°At least one of them has to work. But since nothing¡¯s really tying me to either world, I can¡¯t leave here. Maybe¡­ maybe since you have your Fos, you¡¯ll be able to leave. Then maybe there¡¯s a chance that you can take me with you.¡±


    ¡°If I could, I definitely would!¡± He didn¡¯t question where they were going¡ªeven if Lekra seemed cautious. ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯ll help them remember you, but it¡¯ll keep you from disappearing forever.¡±


    She guided him past the little area and back out into the blank space. It was a wonder she knew where she was going, given how empty everything was. Natheniel, at least, would¡¯ve gotten lost if he was told to lead¡ªthere were hardly enough surroundings to even know if he was going in a straight line or not.


    ¡°What¡­ what¡¯s left of my memory back home?¡± Fauna spoke so suddenly it was almost startling. ¡°I know there¡¯s not a lot. But if I can go back¡­ I want to know how much they¡¯ll need to relearn about me. How much I¡¯m going to need to relearn about them and the world they¡¯re in¡­¡±


    ¡°No one remembers your name, face, or voice anymore. Everyone¡¯s memories of you are somehow being rewritten, everything about your presence in those events slowly fading. There¡¯s only one person I know of that still remembers actually interacting with you¡­ Imre.¡±


    She let out a bittersweet laugh. ¡°He¡¯s probably never given up on me, even as everyone else has. I can¡¯t wait to see him again.¡±

 What Time Forgot: Memories- Dimas (Part 1)

    Silence was a luxury that no one ever asked for. There was always something keeping it from happening; whether it be the average bustle of life, or the normal yelling and fights of the king and queen, there was hardly ever quietness. And when it did happen, it was like the calm before a storm. Nothing good ever came of silence. In fact, he would even say that it only got worse. Everything always just got worse.


    He was waiting for it, the moment when the ethereal nothingness was shattered. Every part of him prepared for the moment, almost to the point that he wasn¡¯t concentrating on his book. It would take him several more years to realize that such bracing wasn¡¯t normal, even if it had been hinted at by his mother many times before.


    ¡°You¡¯re up late, aren¡¯t you?¡± Odelle gently made her way over to him, sitting down beside him. She pushed back a piece of his curly hair behind his ear as she gave him a weak smile. ¡°Why haven¡¯t you gone to bed yet?¡±


    ¡°I wanted to finish this chapter.¡± He was waiting for them to start yelling. It was much better to already be awake when Zofie came to him rather than be half-asleep. ¡°It¡¯s a lot longer than I thought it was, but I¡¯ll be done in a couple of minutes.¡± To make it look like what he said was true, he showed her that the chapter ended on another page.


    ¡°Promise me you¡¯ll get some sleep when you¡¯re done. There¡¯s a lot of church events coming up soon.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°What the hell is this?¡± Nigel hardly looked at the glass before his expression twisted into disgust. ¡°I didn¡¯t ask for some damn three-hundred-year-old cup, dumbass!¡± He threw it at Dimas¡¯s feet, the glass shattering. He evidently hadn¡¯t waited for the glass to down a bottle¡ªit was discarded nearby, ready to be used for whatever else he desired.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Father,¡± Dimas said emotionlessly. There was no denying or fighting this; it wasn¡¯t like he could win, his opponent outmatching him in almost every way that would matter in a fight. It wasn¡¯t even a fight he wanted to have. ¡°That¡¯s what they gave me¡­¡±


    ¡°And you didn¡¯t just use your brain and get something better? I wanted a glass for my beer, not some Orestis-knows-how-old cup that¡¯s too ornamental to even hold!¡± He dismissively gestured to the shards. ¡°Now go clean those up, unless you¡¯d rather be on the wrong side of a sword.¡± As if a threat of its own, his sword lay right beside him, ready to be picked up at a moment¡¯s notice.


    ¡°Of course, Father.¡± He dutifully completed the task, dismissing himself in order to throw them away.


    Dimas didn¡¯t think anyone was around, most of them either with Zofie (who¡¯d recently fallen ill again) or out in town for some reason or another. That is, until he heard a voice that didn¡¯t belong to any of the servants.


    ¡°Would you like me to assist you?¡± Thero seemingly walked out from the shadows, nodding to the glass he was holding. Another moment of consideration made the guard add, ¡°Or come back with you, for that matter?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine on my own.¡± It was a futile effort for the eight-year-old to try to move past the grown man, but he tried anyway. ¡°If you¡¯re really worried, you can get Mother. I don¡¯t have a good feeling about this¡­¡±


    ¡°Let me come with you. King Nigel may restrain himself if I¡¯m there.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not, I think we both know that. This should stay within the family.¡±


    ¡­


    After being thoroughly beaten for doing nothing but looking outside the wrong way, they arrived at the Lake. But they maintained an appearance as if nothing had happened.


    Odelle went up to Casper with her usual calm fa?ade, exchanging small words of greeting. This was not the first time the two rulers have met, striving for something to tie the two kingdoms together, but it was the first time with the rest of their family. Behind Odelle was Nigel, Dimas, Zofie, and their respective guards; and behind Casper, his wife Minne, their son Imre, and each of their respective guards.


    A couple hours later, the rest of the representatives showed up. All of the Seothian lords, and all of the Qizarn bishops. This was nothing new to them. The only thing that was new was the slightly larger gathering, as most had brought the child that would proceed them or their wife that they didn¡¯t want to leave her on her own. So as all the officials got settled, and they all set up their temporary lodging, the children and spouses dispersed throughout the clearing.


    Nigel had, thankfully, found a few minor lords to occupy his time. That meant that Dimas didn¡¯t need to worry about what he did or said, and that he wasn¡¯t restricted as his father¡¯s personal slave.


    ¡°What¡¯s this one called, Brother?¡± Zofie leaned against him, carefully playing with a small blossom.


    ¡°That¡¯s an ikretta. You can tell by the shape of the leaves and how low they are to the ground,¡± he replied thoughtfully. ¡°Thalis made them, along with all the other plants and animals, from the materials he was given a long time ago. Orestis liked them so much that He not only made them plentiful in the mortal world and gave them the ability to bloom all year, but He also made them the only flower that could grow in Sanctuary.¡±


    She smiled a little as she continued to twirl the blossom. ¡°It must be beautiful, then¡­¡±


    They heard someone walking up to them before they heard her voice, so they¡¯d both already turned to look at her by the time she reached them. ¡°You¡¯re Odelle¡¯s two kids, right?¡± It was Minne, with Imre close beside her. ¡°Dimas and Zofie? I¡¯m Casper¡¯s wife, Minne, and this is Imre.¡± She was only saying it to be nice; they knew her name, and she knew theirs, so a proper introduction wasn¡¯t needed at all. ¡°I was wondering if you two would mind if he stayed with you for a little while.¡±


    ¡°Please say no,¡± the Seothian prince mumbled. ¡°I would rather be with Mother and Samone¡­ or listen to Father¡­¡±


    Minne frowned. ¡°Don¡¯t be so rude. It¡¯ll do you some good to get outside of who¡¯s in the castle, especially when they¡¯re both people you¡¯re going to be working with in the future.¡± She turned back to the twins. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, he¡¯s not very fond of strangers. Just try to be nice with him, okay?¡± And without much more warning, she walked away.


    Imre watched her leave with a hurt expression. When he looked at them, it had changed to the kind of hopeless gaze that a caged animal might have. He resigned to his fate, sitting down on the grass where he stood. ¡°I suppose it makes sense, on the off chance we¡¯re ever going to need it.¡±


    ¡°Seothia keeps their king until he dies, don¡¯t they?¡± Zofie was the first to respond, since she¡¯d been the one taught it. She¡¯d be the next queen, after all; Dimas would only be that important if she died, and that was only if another female relative couldn¡¯t stand in. ¡°You might not even get the throne; your son will. Meanwhile, I¡¯ll take Mother¡¯s place in another fifteen years, and my daughter will replace me at the same age¡­¡±


    Though not giving any actual reply, Imre nodded.


    ¡°How many times have you been here?¡± Dimas then prompted, not wanting them to be in silence.


    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    ¡°Just this once,¡± Imre replied.


    ¡°Then what if I showed you around?¡± Why was he nervous suggesting such a thing? It wasn¡¯t like anyone was going to yell at them for it, at least not in public. ¡°There¡¯s a village about an hour away from here. If you¡¯re not needed for anything, we can go together, since everyone¡¯s going to be settled here for a couple of days. It¡¯s a nice view of the Qizarn lifestyle, if I do say so myself.¡±


    ¡­


    It took everything in him not to show any kind of emotion. He couldn¡¯t cry out or say anything, no matter how much blood he tasted or pain he felt. All he could do at this point was try to block the accusations, hope for it to stop, and pray that someone showed up before then. Preferably Thero, without Zofie; he wouldn¡¯t be able to hurt anyone because of his job, but he¡¯d be able to take a hit better than Odelle would.


    Nigel was relentless in his sobered rage as he was his drunken one, maybe because he knew no one was around to witness it. Each kick seemed to mirror his sense of power, just as the shove had that brought Dimas into this vulnerable position in the first place. ¡°It¡¯s just my luck. The one woman who could give me the most power turns out to be completely disrespectful and so outspoken that it makes me sick. To make matters worse, the only kids to live over a month are you two brats! At least Zofie is some kind of redeemable, if she ever lives long enough to get to the throne. But you¡¯re nothing more than a waste of air. What use would someone like you have, with little chance of the throne or any spark of talent for black magic whatsoever? And you¡¯re so much like her, being such a smartass about everything like you know more than I do!¡±


    His attack ended just as quickly as it started, partnered with a voice Dimas didn¡¯t expect to hear. ¡°Play nice, now, Father. Ypokyro sti th¨¦lisi mou, Ko¨²kla. Sit.¡± When he dared to look, Nigel was unnaturally walking towards the swing, clumsily sitting down in it; only his expression showed that he had no control over such actions. The one controlling the strings was none other than Zofie, guiding him along with her hand with a faint smile but blank eyes. ¡°Now sleep.¡± He closed his eyes immediately, the only thing keeping him from falling off being his weak hold on the swing¡¯s string.


    Odelle and Thero came out soon after, making it very likely that the latter had been tasked with finding the former, meaning neither witnessed the princess¡¯s display of magic. Thero gently ushered Zofie away from the garden, and Odelle went straight for Dimas.


    ¡°Let me see you,¡± she demanded softly. She breathed a sigh of relief after a moment of checking. ¡°Nothing a bit of rest can¡¯t fix. Sit up and lean forward, let¡¯s take care of that nosebleed.¡±


    He did as he was told, not saying a word until prompted.


    ¡°What got him worked up this time?¡±


    ¡°He missed.¡± It was all that needed to be said.


    She was quiet for a while, thinking about what he said and then on her own comment. ¡°Would you rather be somewhere else?¡±


    ¡°I want to be with you and Zofie.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want either of you to be in a situation where you don¡¯t feel safe, or you¡¯re getting hurt so often it¡¯s normal¡­ It¡¯s already the hell I have to suffer through, I don¡¯t want the same thing for you. I¡¯m afraid of what they¡¯re telling Zofie, but there¡¯s nothing I can do to get her away; she needs to be here for the kingdom, to fill in my place when the time comes. You, though¡­ you have a chance. You don¡¯t have to worry about us, and I¡¯m encouraging you not to be in this situation. Minne told me Imre had nothing but good things to say about you. If you¡¯d like, you can stay with them at the Seothian capital for a week or two. A vacation from everything you¡¯ve needed to endure here¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still going to be here, though.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll be fine without you. He doesn¡¯t dare to hurt Zofie, and I¡¯m well accustomed to being around him. I think this will help you, and that¡¯s all I want.¡± She pulled the handkerchief away to see if his nose was still bleeding. ¡°You need to remember something, and this stands for everyone you meet. Never, ever trust anyone who gives you butterflies, okay? Get as far away from them as you can. Everyone you keep close shouldn¡¯t make you so nervous; you need to feel safe around them. I made that mistake when I met Nigel¡ªmistook uneasiness for love¡ªand I don¡¯t want you to walk in the same path I did. Can you promise me that?¡±


    His solemn nod was his only answer.


    ¡­


    Two Qizarn guards stayed with him for the entirety of the trip, and four Seothian guards joined when they were a day¡¯s away from Lelishara. It honestly made him a bit uncomfortable, but he understood it all the same. Three of the Seothian guards and one of the Qizarn then came with him into the capital and guided him through the castle, while the two remaining put away the horses and carriage.


    This castle was so much more confusing than Qizar¡¯s, no clear way of determining what was where. He was glad to have the guards beside him after realizing that, since he surely would¡¯ve gotten lost otherwise. They stayed at the door when he entered the dining room, however, leaving him to fend for himself.


    Of the seven people there to greet him, he only recognized three; there was Casper, Minne, and Imre, but the four girls were all unfamiliar to him. Minne was the one to get up and direct him to his seat, right beside Imre and on the opposite side of the strangers.


    ¡°We¡¯re glad you came to stay with us,¡± the queen remarked with a smile. ¡°Let¡¯s get you introduced to everybody. Samone is Lord Kesem¡¯s daughter, Lydia is the oldest child of Andrew and Diana Stone, Domenique¡¯s mother is a friend of mine, and Kiah¡¯s a personal guard Casper hired a couple months ago.¡± Each of them nodded at their name.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be staying with us for an entire week, correct?¡± Casper prompted, continuing after Dimas nodded. ¡°Make yourself at home. May this prove that our two kingdoms can live in peace with each other by this great act of trust.¡±


    ¡­


    The time he spent with them definitely wasn¡¯t a waste. In fact, by the end of the second year knowing them, he¡¯d already spent more time there than he did at home. He wrote to Odelle and Zofie almost every other day, since spelled songbirds flew much faster than horses could run; it was how he kept in touch with them, without having to fear Nigel upon his return to Hyasari.


    They went on many trips together, so much that he began to wonder if he¡¯d seen more of this foreign land than his own home. It was when their bonds grew the most, when they formed a kind of friendship he hadn¡¯t realized he¡¯d longed for. It wasn¡¯t like the brotherly affection he had for Zofie, or admiration and respect for Odelle and Thero. This came from something outside of the residents of Hyasari, something he completely chose to initiate on his own.


    On one such occasion, he discovered something he¡¯d since strived to hear again. They¡¯d gotten into a conversation about something¡ªthe topic hadn¡¯t been important. It wasn¡¯t anything out of the ordinary, until one of Dimas¡¯s stories made even Imre laugh. That laugh was something that didn¡¯t deserve to be hidden; a boisterous, proud laugh that left them all stunned until they joined in. To think that such a secluded person, hardly showing any emotion at all, could be the owner of such a happy laugh and bright smile. Dimas wanted to hear more of that laugh, see more of that smile.


    For the first time, he was beginning to understand love on a concept deeper than for one¡¯s own family and friends. There was no nervousness. Just determination.


    ¡­


    ¡°Tell me you¡¯re lying.¡± It was the only thing he could manage to say. He couldn¡¯t breathe, and was glad that they had been sitting down when he heard it. But the news and the somber mood of the room killed his appetite and the appeal of what was left on his plate.


    ¡°Reports don¡¯t lie when paired with word-of-mouth,¡± Casper replied solemnly. ¡°Odelle¡¯s dead. It seems your sister¡¯s queen now.¡±


    Dimas soon quietly dismissed himself, and immediately arranged for a ride back to Qizar. He sent a letter to Zofie and, knowing he wouldn¡¯t be sleeping anyway, left as soon as everything was ready.


    When he got there, he didn¡¯t wait for any proper introduction or permission to enter. The only thing he seemed to walk in on was a conversation between Zofie and Kadol, and it seemed to be pardoned when they saw him. He wasted no time walking over and hugging his sister.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re here,¡± she whispered, filling in for the words he couldn¡¯t say. ¡°I know you didn¡¯t like it here¡­ but he¡¯s gone now, too. Committed suicide a few nights ago. He likely didn¡¯t want to be accused of anything¡­¡±


    ¡°I wish I could¡¯ve been here sooner.¡± Only now was he beginning to regret how much time he¡¯d spent away. It had been two months since he was last here.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, Brother. I don¡¯t think anyone saw it coming.¡± She stayed silent for a moment. ¡°Mother told me she¡¯d be in the library; said she was doing research for a meeting. I¡¯d intended to shadow her, but I hadn¡¯t been feeling well and Thero advised I simply go to bed, given how late it was. I woke up to the chaos after one of the maids found her dead. We¡¯ve determined everything that didn¡¯t cause it, and I now have in my possession what she¡¯d been writing soon before¡­¡±

 What Time Forgot: Memories- Dimas (Part 2)

    It would be a lie to say he completely regretted how much time he spent in Seothia. Despite all the connections he held in Hyasari, he felt like he was closest to the five people he knew in Seothia. Maybe it came from them being so different from what he was raised in; they didn¡¯t really think about traditions, everything was performed much more casually, and there was no overarching standard that needed to be lived up to.


    During one of the month-long visits, he was able to get him and Imre alone¡ªwith, of course, the help of Samone and Lydia for carefully playing around with the schedule. Still, there were no butterflies. Only determination, and a growing fear that the feeling wouldn¡¯t be returned.


    ¡°I hope you weren¡¯t waiting long,¡± Imre sighed as he sat beneath the old oak tree. ¡°That last meeting lasted longer than it was supposed to. Then Mother wasn¡¯t feeling well so I went to help her¡­¡±


    Dimas smiled. ¡°It¡¯s fine. What I wanted to talk about probably won¡¯t take long anyway.¡± He took a deep breath, giving a silent prayer before he continued. ¡°What do you feel around me?¡±


    ¡°Safe, comfortable¡­ happy.¡± Imre sounded genuine, and a little smile suggested that he really did mean all of it. ¡°You¡¯re not like Samone or Lydia, who I¡¯ve known since we were kids. You¡¯re not like Domenique, who I¡­ still don¡¯t know all that well. And you¡¯re definitely not like Kiah, who cares but more in an if-you-die-then-I¡¯m-screwed way. It¡¯s not like you need to be around me, ignoring what Mother has probably told you; you¡¯re also not using me as an excuse to avoid home, at least not for the only reason you¡¯re here. You¡¯re something completely different, but I feel like I can trust you¡­ that you¡¯ll be behind me no matter what.¡±


    ¡°And do I give you butterflies? Make you nervous, I mean?¡±


    ¡°It seems like all my worries melt away when I¡¯m with you. That¡¯s pretty far from nervous, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    ¡°Mother told me never to associate myself with anyone who gave me butterflies. She didn¡¯t want me to get trapped in a situation because I mistook one emotion for another. I wanted to make sure that you didn¡¯t get stuck like that, either.¡± He hesitated for a minute. ¡°I¡¯ve still got one more thing for you, too. Now that that¡¯s out of the way.¡±


    Imre could barely begin to ask what before he got his answer: Dimas drew him in for a kiss, far sooner than he could actually think or question the action. He watched Imre¡¯s face grow red and knew that he was doing the same.


    ¡°Promise me one thing,¡± Dimas mumbled, recalling his own upbringing. ¡°Don¡¯t ever let me hurt you. If I ever do something that hurts or upsets you, leave me. Don¡¯t even give me enough time to hear why. I don¡¯t want to end up like my father¡­ I want to make you happy, not make life even more miserable for you. Okay?¡±


    ¡­


    He would say that they were each readying their own horses, but in reality, Imre was doing most of it. The Seothian prince took it upon himself to prepare them, even gaining a small smile out of it. It was a welcome change from his mood earlier, at least, even if their circumstances for going out weren¡¯t ideal.


    ¡°Casper¡¯s got a hell of a lot of explaining to do,¡± Kiah grumbled impatiently. She kept pacing from one side of the stable to the other, likely taking advantage of the prince¡¯s distraction. ¡°I get sending me¡ªI can handle myself in a fight, no problem. But the rest of you? Whether you know your way around your weapon of choice or not, none of you are fighters.¡±


    ¡°Look at you, caring about our well-being,¡± Samone teased, though a bit absent. She seemed more interested in her makeshift mirror, showing off her magic with a floating piece of water. While she was now fixing the bow on the collar of her dress, she¡¯d used it when she put her hair up a few minutes earlier. ¡°Realize some people are worth more than your paycheck, hmm?¡±


    Kiah snorted. ¡°You wish.¡± She stopped moving once she noticed Imre was almost finished, and sighed. ¡°Just think about it. He¡¯s sending the only heir to the Seothian throne, the brother to the queen of Qizar, and the Court Magister to figure out what¡¯s going on. There¡¯d technically also be an influential noble¡¯s daughter if Lydia hadn¡¯t gotten herself into a scandal.¡±


    Dimas shrugged. ¡°I know better than to question him at this point.¡± Casper wasn¡¯t the kind of person you ever thought of questioning. Not in the same way Nigel was¡ªnot by fear¡ªbut by respect. The only one who ever dared to do so was Kiah, though perhaps that came with being more familiar with the king and queen than most.


    ¡°Father has a plan,¡± Imre remarked as he walked over. ¡°It¡¯s just what it is that he didn¡¯t tell me. Mother didn¡¯t seem very happy about whatever it was, though¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Minne,¡± Samone pointed out. ¡°That could mean anything. There¡¯s really no point in worrying about it.¡±


    ¡­


    He had simply intended to go to bed. If, of course, his partner would actually relax for that long.


    ¡°Will you calm down if I kiss you..?¡± was Dimas¡¯s half-asleep negotiation. ¡°You don¡¯t want to see me when I don¡¯t sleep well. I¡¯ll knock over everything.¡±


    ¡°Sorry.¡± Imre got up, carefully readjusting all of the blankets. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m going to go for a walk. Clear my head a little¡­¡±


    ¡°You want some company? I¡¯m presentable. Kinda.¡± He looks down at his blankets as if he could truly see the clothes he had on. In truth, he was too comfortable to move. It was nearing the beginning of Dorake and was getting too cold to sleep without a heavy blanket, let alone go outside in the middle of the night.


    Imre shook his head. ¡°I¡¯d rather be alone. Just¡­ try to go back to sleep.¡± With that, he grabbed his fur coat and walked out.


    As much as Dimas would¡¯ve almost preferred to spend this time trying to sleep, he couldn¡¯t help but be worried. Simply out of curiosity, he flipped over the hourglass on the bedside table; he resolved that, if Imre wasn¡¯t back by the time it ran out, he¡¯d go find him.


    He barely even felt tired, growing more awake still as the sand kept flowing. The only sound to be heard was the wind outside, even the servants retreating to their own rooms or using the less-frequented passages. Imre still hadn¡¯t come back by the time all the sand reached the bottom.


    Dimas willed himself up and out of bed, cursing the cold air that awaited him. He didn¡¯t have any coats or anything in here; this was, after all, technically not his room. Already he was going to need to make a trip back to his own room, so he might as well search the entire castle while he was at it. He had a feeling he wasn¡¯t going to be sleeping tonight anyway.


    Among the minimal servants he passed and questioned, none of them had seen where the Seothian prince had gone or that he even left his room at all. It made sense¡ªImre was, as odd as it was, good at slipping by people without their noticing. It was something hardly considered until someone needed him.


    ¡°Are you looking for Imre?¡± The sudden voice startled him, and he turned around to face her. Minne didn¡¯t bother to smile this late at night, honestly looking a bit worried in the dim candlelight.


    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    He nodded.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about him,¡± she said reassuringly. ¡°There¡¯s more guards than you¡¯d think wandering around Lelishara. At least one of them¡¯s trailing him by now.¡± She paused for a moment. ¡°I¡­ suppose you haven¡¯t been caught up in all the details since you came back from Qizar. If you were, you would¡¯ve expected it to take him a while¡­¡±


    With the idea of being in the dark about something, he got curious and a little worried. It couldn¡¯t have been a good thing if she was so hesitant to talk about it.


    ¡°You at least know that Casper¡¯s been sick for a while, right? We found out right before you came back that he¡¯s not going to be around for much longer¡­ it¡¯s honestly a miracle he¡¯s pulled through this long. Imre¡¯s been in a rough spot since he heard the news. He expected for his son to take the throne, after all, and you know what he thinks of himself¡­¡± She sighed and shook her head sadly. ¡°He has a lot to think over before he¡¯s ready for that position. Best to let him sort it all out on his own.¡±


    ¡­


    Dozens of hawks were let out that day, each carrying a message for a noble house. Dimas had offered to help if only to give himself something to do, unable to find the words or courage that the situation called for. He knew Kiah, attaching the messages to the hawks with an unreadable expression, was facing a similar mental battle. It was a battle to stay emotionless, to appear strong and reliable¡ªa battle that they were probably both losing.


    ¡°Have you talked to Imre since this morning?¡± It was hard to hear her and there was a kind of solemnity in her tone that she only had during the Lantern Festival.


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t find him,¡± Dimas replied softly. ¡°Someone must¡¯ve woken him up so he could be there, then left after it happened. Minne couldn¡¯t find him, either. We don¡¯t know for sure if a guard saw him leave or not.¡±


    ¡°The kid¡¯s got a lot he still hasn¡¯t sorted out,¡± she mumbled. ¡°He¡¯s already fighting off demons, now he¡¯s faced with this screwed up mess. He¡¯s been able to bounce back before¡­ let¡¯s just hope he can do it again.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°I feel bad that you¡¯re here,¡± Zofie remarked with a frown. ¡°Are you sure about staying for the whole month..?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t act all strong about it. I know you¡¯ve been in bed for the past two days.¡± He didn¡¯t spare any kind of gentleness for her, instead getting straight to the point. ¡°And you don¡¯t need to feel bad about anything. That¡¯s a whole different situation that I¡¯m not really supposed to be a part of.¡±


    Suffice to say, his twin did not buy it at all. ¡°I don¡¯t know how love works, but I¡¯m pretty sure it doesn¡¯t involve going back home for a month. Especially not when this month also happens to be the Lantern Festival. The man¡¯s going to either have a complete mental shut down or commit suicide.¡± She thought about it for a moment, and then added, ¡°Or both.¡±


    ¡°What if I¡¯m here to spend time with you?¡± He shouldn¡¯t have even started this conversation. He¡¯d set himself up to lose the moment he mentioned it to her.


    ¡°Why are you even trying to lie? You know I can see right through you.¡± Never taking her eyes off him, she reached for her water glass. It seemed she really could see right through him as she took a sip from it before putting it back. ¡°I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ve noticed, Brother, but you have a thing for avoiding unfavorable situations. And by that I mean you run away from anything you don¡¯t want to deal with, whether or not you¡¯d actually help the situation. So I wonder which one this is?¡±


    Thero, however, stripped that all down to a much blunter question. ¡°Did you break up?¡±


    That was coming from someone with absolutely no experience in love at all. It probably influenced his reaction; the way he let out several subsequent ¡°no¡±s likely only made it look more suspicious.


    ¡°Oh, good. I thought I was going to need to yell at you for letting him go¡± Zofie, at that point, only saw Imre as a conveniently-placed lover. It wasn¡¯t that she was against the idea in general, but she was more interested in what could be gained politically. After all, if the two princes (well, one now king) really did stick together that long and stayed together, the two kingdoms would also need to work together. There were a lot of ifs in that plan, though; suffice to say she wasn¡¯t too convinced it would make it that long from the start.


    ¡°The amount of faith you have in me is astounding,¡± Dimas retorted sarcastically. ¡°I¡¯ve gotten him to smile a couple of times.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how you can find appeal in someone with such a dull glare. There¡¯s hardly any life in him at all.¡±


    ¡°If I had to guess, Sis, there¡¯s hardly any life left in you either.¡±


    ¡­


    Dimas couldn¡¯t help but feel nervous, fidgeting with the ring he was holding. There were some things he learned in Seothia, some things he retained from his heritage, and some things that he combined from the two. He wouldn¡¯t know as much as he did without Imre. They did so much together, learned so many things¡­ It was a kind of experience that he couldn¡¯t have done in Qizar.


    Minne noticed him almost immediately. Then again, when she was sitting right in front of the entrance, it would¡¯ve been hard to miss him. She immediately put on a smile, gesturing to the empty chair. ¡°Here for a talk? I¡¯m sure a servant can get you some tea if you want it.¡±


    ¡°I want to marry your son.¡± He blurted it out so quickly he hardly even knew what he was saying.


    Luckily, though, she understood it well enough that he didn¡¯t need to repeat it. ¡°You don¡¯t need to look so worried, I¡¯m not going to say no. You¡¯re one of the best things that have ever happened to him. Why would I deny a chance to make him happier?¡±


    He debated, for a moment, going through the list of everything he had thought of. Most of them were subjective anyway; some were only bad because he was determined to overthink them to the point that they were.


    He¡¯d never felt nervous talking about or to Imre until now. He wasn¡¯t sure how anyone could¡¯ve lived like this at the very sight or thought of their lover. It was gnawing at the back of his mind, whispering things about what his answer would be.


    After that, he never felt nervous or anxious around Imre ever again.


    ¡­


    ¡°A kid.¡±  Dimas continued to stare at her. ¡°Imre still spends ten minutes staring at his wedding ring every morning! Do you really think he¡¯s ready to adopt a kid?¡±


    ¡°I never said he was ready,¡± Zofie replied breezily. ¡°At this point of the child¡¯s life you shouldn¡¯t be a part of it at all. That¡¯s what nurses are for. Minne¡¯s raised a child before, and she¡¯s still young enough to match its vigor. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll do it.¡±


    ¡°I came here thinking you needed my help,¡± he pointed out. ¡°Given the fact you¡¯re still recovering from losing your magic, I thought a summons would be important. Not that the scouts found a kid that definitely is not human.¡±


    She ignored everything up until the last sentence. Gesturing to the baby in Thero¡¯s arms, she deadpanned, ¡°Look into its dark, soulless eyes and tell me you don¡¯t want to adopt it.¡±


    ¡°I need a minute,¡± Dimas decided. ¡°If there¡¯s even a chance he¡¯s a dreamer¡­ Imre¡¯s going to want to know. Give me a couple of days to talk it over in letters.¡±


    ¡­


    He¡¯d fought literal demons before. He¡¯d braved the Anysia Caverns, dared to stand against the mighty Minotaur! But this was not fighting, nor adventuring, nor turning legends into concrete truth. This was trying to tame a seven-year-old with all the power of a Ski¨¢, while still keeping everyone else safe.


    It took them months before they found their solution; it took them even longer to actually obtain a piece of it and use it. But they finally had it. All they had to do was make sure it worked.


    Natheniel eagerly awaited his present, nowhere close to hiding his excitement. ¡°What¡¯s it for, what¡¯s it for? It¡¯s not my birthday. That was two months ago. It¡¯s not a holiday¡­ is it? Is it a new holiday? Did you create a holiday just for me?¡±


    ¡°Maybe,¡± Dimas laughed. He could at least say he knew one thing after growing up with Zofie: how to put on a fake smile, and how to appear more reassuring and happy than he felt. ¡°What do you think we should call it?¡±


    The kid thought long and hard before giving his bright answer. ¡°Natheniel Gets a Present Day! Every kid gets a present. Except for Tavin. He doesn¡¯t need a present.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk about your brother like that.¡± Imre¡¯s tone remained cold and a little distant. He wasn¡¯t bothering to offer the present; he was likely too worried about everyone that wasn¡¯t here. ¡°This is something very important and special. It means more than you know.¡±


    Natheniel¡¯s eyes sparkled as the fateful moment drew closer. He watched in awe as Dimas pulled out the necklace and put it on him.


    ¡°It¡¯s a little big for now, but it won¡¯t seem like that when you get older,¡± Dimas explained. ¡°It¡¯s going to help keep us safe. It only works if you have it on, though, so never take it off unless you absolutely have to. Okay?¡±


    He stared at his gift, nodding fervently. ¡°I¡¯ll never take it off, promise!¡±

 What Time Forgot: Sacrifice (Minne)

    ¡°You can¡¯t, Calli. You¡¯re just gonna get us both killed and that¡¯s not going to solve anything.¡± Umber eased himself down next to the wall. The red on his chest only grew, sparking her hopelessness.¡°Promise me something. You¡¯ve got an amazing power, and it shouldn¡¯t be wasted on something that isn¡¯t worth it. Wait until you know what you¡¯re sacrificing yourself for. Make it something you know you won¡¯t regret. I think there¡¯s bigger plans for that ability of yours and it doesn¡¯t involve any of us.¡±


    Ki was smarter than to let his grip loosen for even a moment. He knew just as well as she did that she wouldn¡¯t simply listen to him.


    ¡­


    It was so hard to compose herself. All her thoughts were running together, blurring to the point she couldn¡¯t tell one thing from another. Minne didn¡¯t really think she could get this distracted just by sitting out in the garden. Or maybe that was exactly why she was getting distracted?


    Nothing quite seemed to match up. She¡¯d been the first to hear the news, being Casper¡¯s wife. Then before it sunk in too far, she told Imre and his friends. It wasn¡¯t until after it became common knowledge in the castle did she begin to actually consider what it meant¡ªthe impact it would have on their future.


    ¡°Queen Minne.¡± Zarha walked up from behind her, nearly causing her to jump. ¡°I apologize for any interruptions, but your presence is requested by the king.¡± After a moment, she added, ¡°I doubt it¡¯s anything too serious. He was perfectly well¡ªas well as he can be, at least¡ªwhen I saw him. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s just a reminder to get some sleep. It is awfully late, after all.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡± Absently, she gestured the maid off and wandered to where the king was. She didn¡¯t believe for a moment anything she¡¯d been told, a gnawing sense of anxiety building up inside her as she came closer. For a moment, a cruel moment, she considered what would happen if she didn¡¯t show up at all. But then she remembered what he meant to her, and how much he might need her at his side.


    Casper made little attempt to figure out who¡¯d just entered the room. Nothing was paler than he was now, nor could anything compare to how weak he¡¯d grown. There was no steady rise and fall of his chest under the blanket; it was already staggered, barely noticeable and at times seeming to disappear completely.


    ¡°I thought it might take you longer,¡± he mumbled. A voice that was once full of vigor was now nothing more than a hoarse whisper. ¡°But I¡¯m glad you got here before Imre did. I¡¯m¡­ not sure he¡¯ll come at all, when he knows I¡¯m the one to ask for him.¡±


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    ¡°Why did you tell Imre to come?¡± She already knew the answer, even if she didn¡¯t want to admit it. All she was doing was wasting his breath in saying it aloud.


    He didn¡¯t give a straightforward answer. ¡°You know, I asked Lucas what it was like to be a spirit. When you¡¯re a spirit, you endure life as another part of someone else¡­ you feel their emotions, understand their innermost thoughts, experience the pains and joys of life. I asked him how he felt when someone he was tied to died. I asked him why he still came to the living world to watch over us when he could be living a perfectly pain-free and happy afterlife. Can you guess what he told me?¡±


    For so long she¡¯d held back her emotions, trying for once in her life to keep them all under check. That didn¡¯t keep her from quickly becoming overwhelmed by them, hardly able to hide the tears. ¡°Oh, Casper¡­¡± She held one of his hands in her own, realizing how the warmth was leaving them.


    ¡°Don¡¯t act all hopeless,¡± he told her. ¡°It¡¯s not as bad as you¡¯re making it out to be. Think of it this way: it was going to happen sooner or later. At least it happened now instead of before we met, or when Imre was still only a few months old¡­¡±


    ¡°I can do something,¡± she insisted. ¡°I could take on all of this. I could make you better¡ª¡°


    ¡°Yeah, and it¡¯s just going to come back and then we¡¯d both be dead. I¡¯m not asking for us to both die here. Imre still has a lot of room left to grow. The kid¡¯ll join us if he has to deal with losing us so close together.¡± Casper couldn¡¯t do too much more than meet her gaze. Keeping eye contact was probably beginning to be a struggle. ¡°There¡¯s someone else who¡¯s going to need it a lot more than me.¡±


    ¡­


    Her room was right next to the nursery. This allowed her to be the first when one of the children¡ªthe now-three-year-old Imre and Dimas had adopted and Minne¡¯s infant grandson¡ªstarted crying. She didn¡¯t waste any time in getting up and going over there, gently telling the maid that she had it under control.


    Natheniel, the older one, wasn¡¯t in there. He was likely in his own room, or at least with someone else. That left Tavin alone, meaning she could do what she wanted without the fear of being interrupted.


    ¡°They talk about you.¡± She carefully picked him up and started rocking him, easing a bit of his troubles. ¡°I think¡­ you¡¯re the one they were talking about. They¡¯re all in agreement. You¡¯re hiding a lot of secrets, aren¡¯t you? You¡¯re putting on a brave face so no one realizes how much you¡¯re suffering¡­ but you¡¯re still hurting. In fact, you¡¯re dying¡­ but I can help you. Wouldn¡¯t it be wonderful for all your pain to go away? Live a normal life, be surrounded by your family¡­¡±


    She had no doubts in her mind. Using her abilities as an Ilethera, she did what Umber and Casper wouldn¡¯t let her; she took all of his pain and suffering, allowing it to devour her instead.


    Minne remained a cool composure throughout what she knew to be her final hours. She laid Tavin¡ªnow bearing an almost solemn expression¡ªin the crib and made her way back to her room. The maid that passed her made no mention to her at all, either not seeing anything or that there was nothing to be seen.


    She was perfectly content as she fell asleep, a smile etching across her face as her mind slowed to a halt.

 What Time Forgot: Fading Memories (Imre)

    He couldn¡¯t really grasp that he was out here, under the stars, without her. Before last year, the only time they¡¯d been here was together. But it wasn¡¯t enough that she was gone, but also that he was forgetting her.


    It wasn¡¯t the normal flow of time washing away his memories¡ªmaybe that¡¯s a part of why he was so frustrated about it. He was already beginning to forget what she looked like, and he feared in a couple more years he¡¯d start forgetting that she ever existed. He knew it wasn¡¯t normal because everyone else started feeling the same after she disappeared. It took even Domenique a few minutes to recall her name. Almost every text that held details about her was either getting lost or those parts were mysteriously fading away. He didn¡¯t want to think about how long it would take for her memory to be erased completely¡­ or his own guilt about not watching her closer.


    ¡­


    They¡¯d just left the castle. Their plan had been simple: walk to the field, unwind a little bit, maybe do some cloud watching, and stay until Kiah inevitably dragged them back to the castle. It might not have been anything fancy, but it was something they both needed. Imre had always felt like their time together was better than being completely alone, and he had a feeling Fauna felt the same.


    ¡°If you could be any figure from Qizarn mythology, which would it be?¡± Fauna asked casually as they walked. It was something to fill in the silence; one of the conversations they would uphold until they knew only each other were listening. ¡°I think¡­ I¡¯d like to be Zaeseg. They carry the sun through the sky and make things a little brighter for everyone. They¡¯re nice and Mom said they could heal people¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to go with Peiros,¡± Imre decided after a moment. ¡°Particularly around the time of the Minotaur. I can¡¯t imagine having all of the attention he acquired through that, and I wish it was ever said exactly how he did it. I know most of the caves were later created by Anysia, but they all needed something to go off of¡­ I wish the original entrance wasn¡¯t in Idkor; his craftsmanship must be something to behold.¡±


    ¡°Drawing inspiration from a certain trip, I see,¡± she mused. ¡°The time we went to the Caverns¡­ I almost wish we could go back to that time again. If it wasn¡¯t for the fact everyone was on edge and it seemed like we were always arguing, anyway. Maybe not anything after, but¡­ what about a bit before?¡±


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    He smiled as he recalled all the memories of their not-so-distant past. ¡°What about when we went to Pypes and ended up rediscovering an entire lost civilization? Now, that is a place I wouldn¡¯t mind going to again.¡±


    ¡°That was pretty fun,¡± she agreed. ¡°And we didn¡¯t need to be the peacekeepers for once¡­ everyone actually got along with each other. Then everything kind of slowly started falling apart from there¡­ Now the farthest I ever go is to Hyasari and back again¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you what. Once Dimas comes back, we can all go to the beach. Mother wouldn¡¯t mind taking on a bit of my work for that¡ªI¡¯m sure Elena would help out, too.¡± It was something he was already beginning to look forward to. He didn¡¯t suspect it taking too much longer, judging by what Dimas wrote to him yesterday. They¡¯d all be together like they used to; no mask of formality or sense of duty involved. He wouldn¡¯t be the king, or his council and subjects¡­ they¡¯d just be friends.


    It honestly looked like she had the same thoughts he did. ¡°I¡¯d like that. You can¡¯t take it back now; it¡¯s a promise.¡±


    But all of her happiness faded when she saw something in front of them. He tried following her gaze, but the only thing he saw was the thinning trees revealing how close they were to their destination.


    She was gone before either of them could say anything. Imre tried searching the direction of the rustling, knowing that it wasn¡¯t just an animal. He tried calling her name, but only heard her respond once, near the beginning of his search. He didn¡¯t hear anything since, although that didn¡¯t mean he stopped. He¡¯d only realized how long he spent looking when Kiah had caught up with him.


    Suffice to say his explanation when he arrived with the castle was one of frustration, hopelessness, and ultimately led to him shutting himself away in his room.


    ¡­


    He was brought out of his reverie by the only other voice that could really comfort him.


    ¡°There you are. It feels like it took me hours to find you.¡± Dimas walked up beside him, though his intent for finding him was clear enough when he didn¡¯t sit down. ¡°This place suits you. A pretty view of the river from the middle of nowhere, far enough from the trees that you can look up at the sky¡­ But you know you shouldn¡¯t be this far from the castle at night. There¡¯s Ski¨¢ all over the place.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Imre sighed as he stood up. ¡°Let¡¯s get back before Natheniel starts causing Mother any trouble.¡±

 What Time Forgot: Flickering Light (Iztali)

    Did people ever feel remorse for the candles they snuff out? Those little lights, just starting to shine, that mortals decided had served their purpose. Those little lights that only wanted to be useful, but soon met a bitter end as the world around them was engulfed in shadows. He knew Darkness, at least, felt no remorse for all those lost lights. She intended to keep the whole world in her shadows, to live in a place where light was unheard of or a far-off dream.


    Iztali only had these things to think about on the rare chance that he was alone, if not just because he knew that he was close to sharing a fate with those lights. He knew he wasn¡¯t too far from being snuffed out.


    This maze-like abyss was his own subconscious. Well, his, Lekra¡¯s, and Nathen¡¯s. It was the part of their minds that they shared, being the Fos, the Ski¨¢, and the Dreamer. He¡¯d first seen this place when Darkness took Nathen and Lekra; when, to the mortal world, they mysteriously disappeared to what wasn¡¯t life nor death. But he never did well when he was away from Nathen, so his mortal form¡ªNahten¡¯s ¡°pet bird¡±¡ªdied. That¡¯s when he realized he couldn¡¯t leave.


    It felt like the only thing he could do now was allow his light to go out, but he didn¡¯t want to die. Day and Mazel were waiting for him to get better. Nathen¡¯s family needed him to prove that there was hope. What he feared the most, though, was that he knew exactly what death looked like for Fos. It wasn¡¯t a place surrounded in the dim glow of Vriuh¡¯s domain like mortals were allowed to enjoy; no, when light died, it simply turned back into darkness. He didn¡¯t want to be in darkness forever, wandering around in a black void even more terrifying than what he was forced to endure now.


    To stay alive meant he had to keep moving, and he couldn¡¯t get caught. If he stopped long enough for them to find him, then he wouldn¡¯t even have a chance of getting away. His glimpses into reality had always been short and hazy, but it wasn¡¯t something he could hope for now. He was all on his own, with very little to gain but far much to lose.


    The wolves were howling, signifying the arrival of a much more threatening force. It was his sign that he needed to start moving before it could catch up. He didn¡¯t spend a moment longer just standing there, a walk soon turning into a run as panic began to set in.


    At first, he didn¡¯t realize that this felt different than all the other nights. Normally, he could tell exactly where his hunter was; sometimes it was as a feeling of being watched from a certain direction, others it was its howl, and on rare occasions he got an increasingly uneasy feeling the closer he got to it. But this time, there was nothing like that¡ªor rather, it was all of them. He felt like everything was watching him, even the trees made up of shadows and each brick that formed the castle in the distance. There were several howls coming from all around him, not one any louder or more foreboding than the next. He couldn¡¯t shake his unease no matter what direction he ran in, as it only seemed to grow the longer he tried to avoid it.


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    Would this finally be the night he couldn¡¯t escape death for any longer?


    He felt the eyes of the wolves from all around him. He could hear their paws as they steadily stalked closer. He could see its eyes glowing, waiting for the perfect time to drag him away.


    One of the wolves tried jumping at him. He moved away just quick enough so it only got the edge of his scarf. With a bit of desperation, he tried turning into a bird in hopes of losing them¡ªthat plan was scrapped when the pain shot through his head, reminding him of what he lost.


    It was too late to run. Its teeth bit into his scarf, pulling him to the ground with a thud. He tried to scramble back up, but it was too big. It started dragging him past all the wolves, down into an even darker place without light¡­


    ¡­


    Iztali never opened his eyes so quickly. It wouldn¡¯t have been the only thing he¡¯d done if it weren¡¯t for the fact they¡¯d prepared for it; the restraints and medicines were all to keep him in place, so that he couldn¡¯t get worse.


    ¡°Have a nightmare?¡± Sokratas was right there, likely working on the odd contraption that helped keep the Fos alive without a mortal form. It was more of a trick question¡ªhe knew Fos didn¡¯t dream.


    Even when Iztali could finally get his breathing normal again, that didn¡¯t help his overwhelming need to cry. ¡°Is Day here..?¡± he instead asked, trying his best to sound clear. He was already beginning to feel his need to fall back asleep. He didn¡¯t want to go to sleep. Bad things awaited him when he went back.


    ¡°You say that as though she can leave.¡± Sokratas walked over and opened the door, casually calling out, ¡°Imena, can you get Danai?¡± He paused. ¡°Preface it with ¡®he¡¯s not dead.¡¯¡±


    It didn¡¯t take long for Day to get there. He couldn¡¯t tell what she was thinking; her expression wasn¡¯t sad nor happy, though it was somewhat content.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I can hold out much longer¡­¡± Iztali mumbled. ¡°They¡¯re gonna get me if I go back. I¡¯m going to die. I don¡¯t want to go back to sleep, because if I do¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Izzy,¡± Day assured him. She went over to his bed and placed her hand on his, a small and fragile smile forming. ¡°You won¡¯t have to suffer through this any longer. You¡¯re going to start feeling better soon. Your dreamer¡¯s just found his way back to the land of the living.¡±

 What Time Forgot: Regretful Longing (Kadol)

    When most people saw Kadol, they saw someone they could trust; whether that be as the queen¡¯s advisor, the leader of the Ravens, or even as a foreign noble that helped make Seothia believe in Qizar. While he was a man of power and many talents, that didn¡¯t mean he didn¡¯t have his flaws¡ªthat he didn¡¯t regret anything up to this point.


    He¡¯d always been fond of Allen. It wasn¡¯t the kind of relationship between a father and son, though many would mistake it for such. He would never admit it out loud, but Allen had been his choice in successor should he die or step down. In fact, he thought he was so close to seeing his personal goals fulfilled that he could actually let someone else take over his position. At least he¡¯d had the foresight to wait it out to see what became of it.


    Maybe his true mistake was allowing Allen to meet Zofie. Kadol hadn¡¯t expected them to hit it off so effortlessly; it felt like he looked away for a second and, when he came back, they were poorly trying to hide their affections. So why did that have to change? Kadol hadn¡¯t been expecting Allen to suddenly leave the castle, especially not when Zofie had such news to tell him. But that¡¯s exactly what happened. Then Zofie started trying to figure out why. Kadol couldn¡¯t stop her because he knew she would ask him questions he couldn¡¯t answer without giving himself away. When she learned what her lover was involved in, she misunderstood the information and thought that the group¡ªthe Ravens¡ªwere responsible for the death of her mother. A manhunt was started for Allen, who was executed for treason with a warning for all others who served the Ravens.


    It was how one of his biggest regrets revealed one of his worst fears. Kadol had always mourned what happened to Odelle, but it needed to be done for the better of everyone. He didn¡¯t want the same thing that happened to Odelle to happen to Zofie. He¡¯d wanted her on their side, the side that sought to distinguish the glorifications that had overtaken the truth. It wasn¡¯t just for the influence like what other Ravens believed¡ªat least, not completely. It was because of his care for her, his old promise to Odelle to keep her safe no matter what. That care only grew when her child was born, remembering the stories of Holy Queen Norah and Philomena, hoping that such a tragedy would never happen again.


    Kadol had been watching the three of them for a couple of minutes now. He¡¯d originally come to the garden to get Zofie to her next meeting, but¡­ seeing what they were doing, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to pull her away.


    ¡°Now it¡¯s a¡­ bunny!¡± Dimas was, honestly, exhibiting how much of his magical talent was wasted. Given the intricate¡ªalbeit small¡ªanimals he was creating using simple water magic, there was so much more he could be doing. But the only thing he¡¯d ever been taught was a bit of fundamentals about water magic and how to use Life magic proficiently.


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    Philyra clapped excitedly. ¡°Another! Another!¡±


    ¡°When did you get so good at this?¡± Zofie¡¯s smile wasn¡¯t nearly as big as either of theirs, though they all knew it meant just as much.


    ¡°There were times when I tried to make Natheniel stop crying, and Minne didn¡¯t come quick enough,¡± he began to explain as he changed the bunny into a bird. ¡°Of course at that point neither of us really knew how to take care of a baby so I did this. It calmed him down immediately and I just stayed with him until Minne eventually took care of his actual needs. Unfortunately he¡¯s too old for that now and he¡¯s almost at the age to start talking back.¡±


    Philyra tried to capture the watery bird, though obviously failed. ¡°What..?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s magic,¡± Zofie explained gently. ¡°Orestis gave it to us so we can better understand the world around us. Every child of Fleyw Bresh can wield it easily. One day you¡¯ll be able to wield it too.¡±


    She looked up at her mother with a confused expression. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you use magic.¡±


    Kadol felt himself stiffening. He knew from Dimas¡¯s sideways glance to his sister that they shared the same thought. It was something that they all wished hadn''t happened¡ªor in Kadol¡¯s case, prevented.


    ¡°That¡¯s a story for another time,¡± was Zofie¡¯s simple answer. That¡¯s when she happened to look over and notice Kadol standing there. ¡°Oh. I need to go. Philyra, why don¡¯t you and Uncle Dimas go explore the garden for a little while? Once I¡¯m done I¡¯d love to hear about what the two of you found.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡± Philyra jumped up and began running around Dimas. ¡°Come on, come on!¡±


    Dimas moved the water away from them and let it drop before getting up. ¡°Alright, where do you want to go first?¡±


    Zofie watched them for a moment longer before standing up and walking towards Kadol. ¡°You should¡¯ve told me you were standing there. I could¡¯ve finished quicker so then you wouldn¡¯t have to wait as long.¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t take you away from your family.¡± His gaze continued to follow the three-year-old as she ran from one bush to another. ¡°You know¡­ you¡¯re not as subtle as you think you are.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    It took him a moment to ask, quietly, ¡°Was it worth it? Ridding yourself of the only person that you ever really loved? Keeping your daughter from ever knowing even the name of her father?¡±


    She didn¡¯t look at him. ¡°We¡¯re not talking about this. I¡¯m assuming you¡¯re here because I have a meeting to go to. Please just take me to it so we can get it over with and I can go back to spending time with my daughter.¡±


    Any objections he thought of having were instead voiced in a sigh. ¡°Of course, Your Majesty.¡±

 What Time Forgot: Creeping Shadows (Kadol)

    Everything was slowly falling into place. Dimas was in Seothia doing whatever he did there. Zofie hadn¡¯t been feeling well to begin with and Thero was able to talk her into going to bed early. Kadol had just gotten word of other Ravens¡¯ success elsewhere, meaning the time was quickly coming.


    The time that will start the chain effect that will ultimately lead to the Ravens¡¯ success. However much he mourned it now¡­ it had gotten too far to let it continue. She¡¯d become too much of a hindrance to their plans. For once he found himself praying; but it was for her forgiveness, not the forgiveness of any god.


    Kadol crept through the library to find Odelle surrounded by books. ¡°Still up working? I thought the lords had all left already.¡±


    ¡°They have,¡± she mumbled distantly.


    ¡°Did they bring something important to your attention?¡±


    ¡°No, Nigel¡¯s just drunk enough that I have some spare time. I¡¯ve been meaning to do this for a while now.¡±


    He slowly walked around to get a better look at what she was reading. ¡°What might this be? Something I can help with, perhaps?¡±


    ¡°You know what it does, don¡¯t you?¡± she sighed. ¡°What black magic is doing to her? You¡¯re the one that¡¯s been teaching her nearly everything that she knows¡­ you have to see it. Do you know what you¡¯re doing to her by letting her learn and use it?¡±


    ¡°Of course. You should be well aware that I never start something without knowing how it will end and affect those around me.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°You know I¡¯ll never do anything to hurt her.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re pretty close to risking it.¡±


    ¡°Trust me, I¡¯ll know when it¡¯s time. It¡¯s your husband that¡¯s not going to be willing to see when it¡¯s over.¡±


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    She sighed. ¡°Why are you here? It¡¯s not just because you¡¯re here to check up on me, is it?¡±


    Kadol made no attempt to hide it, using a bit of magic to make the candle¡¯s flame dance. ¡°I¡¯m going to be completely honest with you, because I see no point in lying anymore¡­ You¡¯re getting in the way. You¡¯re either going to have to start cooperating or you¡¯re going to die. I tried holding it off for as long as possible, but when all of my subordinates are trying to tell me how to do my job¡­ it¡¯s finally time I act on my words.¡±


    ¡°Bold of you to assume I¡¯m not just going to call the guards and have you executed for treason.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re running out of time to act on it. I¡­ don¡¯t want to do this either, but you have to believe that it¡¯s for the best.¡±


    A bit of silence, then, ¡°Do you promise you¡¯ll look after her?¡±


    ¡°As if she were my own.¡±


    ¡°Will you stop her when it starts to become too much?¡±


    ¡°I swear to you, Odelle, by all the time we spent together and the bond we have formed¡­ I will not let anything hurt her.¡±


    ¡°Then you better hurry up before someone else catches you.¡±


    ¡­


    He wondered how close he was to breaking when he saw Zofie after that. She was absolutely devastated, but they all knew that things must move on. However young she was, she needed to take the place of the empty throne.


    It was after the intricate ceremonies and service that he could find a time for them to be alone. All Kadol needed to do was dismiss Thero in order for him to leave.


    ¡°I¡¯m not ready for this,¡± Zofie mumbled. ¡°I can¡¯t do this. I¡¯m not going to be able to amount to anything compared to her¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll do just fine, with Thero and I to help keep you steady,¡± Kadol assured her. ¡°You¡¯re in good hands.¡±


    ¡°This¡­ has to be for the better, doesn¡¯t it? This has to be a part of Orestis¡¯s plan.¡±


    Kadol took the opportunity to ask a question of a different vein. ¡°Do you think Orestis knew what would happen when he banished Eldrianna?¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡­ suppose He must have. He is the Creator that sees all things, after all.¡±


    ¡°Why did he allow it to happen, then, and let Darkness taint the world in her trickery?¡±


    Zofie, as if to avoid thinking about it altogether, shook her head. ¡°I know thoughts of doubt creep in whenever misfortune happens, but we mustn¡¯t let them blind us. He always wants what¡¯s best for us. He will never hurt us. The fact I stand here today should be enough to speak of His care¡­¡±


    He saw Odelle at that moment and he knew that their paths were only going to get further from there.

 What Time Forgot: Memories- Kiah (Part 1)

    The ears, contrary to what most humans believed, could be explained away. Efse had cousins with round ears, too; it wasn¡¯t a surprise to many that her child was the same way. It was the magic that couldn¡¯t really be excused. She¡¯d never been sick enough for her mother to claim that she¡¯d lost it, and everyone would know if they lied about it. She couldn¡¯t practice it, not without struggling, and risking someone else seeing it. The only thing they could do was hope that no one asked or realized how weak it was compared to all the other goblins in Ecale.


    Kiah stayed quiet on most days. She didn¡¯t draw attention to herself because Efse had told her that was bad. She minded her own business, did what she was told, and every night prayed that they could keep up this charade a little longer.


    Efse was busily preparing for dinner. The priest would be coming over tonight, so she made sure that everything was perfect for him. Occasionally she mumbled praises or curses¡ªthough mostly curses, since she was never that good of a cook.


    ¡°Mom, what does ikretta look like?¡± Kiah called from her spot in the dining room, her schoolwork scattered in front of her. ¡°This wants me to draw something I¡¯ve never seen before!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve seen it, dear,¡± Efse replied after a while. ¡°They¡¯re those flowers in front of the cathedral.¡±


    ¡°I thought those were weeds¡­¡±


    There was a loud clattering sound and a defeated sigh. ¡°Do you remember what they are?¡±


    ¡°Thalis created them and they became the gods¡¯ lifeblood. Ambrosia¡­¡±


    ¡­


    Efse was a seamstress by trade; it was what nearly every woman in her family did. Her business didn¡¯t just come from Ecale, though. She often traveled to nearby villages. Some of the others didn¡¯t like how she sometimes did business with humans. Really, about half of those ¡°business trips¡± to human villages were actually to visit a specific human¡ªZadeer.


    He seemed much bigger than either of them, but he was kind and always treated them well when they were with him. After all, he was Efse¡¯s forbidden love and Kiah¡¯s father. He never did a good job at hiding it, at least from the perspective of someone who knew what was going on. Most of the hiding came from Kiah: Efse had warned her to call him by name, whether they thought they were alone or not, and she could tell she kept her distance more than he wished she did.


    It was the only time either of them spoke the modern language. Everyone in their village used the Old Tongue. In a few years Kiah was able to use it rather well, but Efse always struggled.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you two stay a little longer?¡± Zadeer offered with a smile. ¡°I mean, you¡¯ve still got a lot left to sell and I¡¯m sure there¡¯s someone here who will want it.¡±


    ¡°We really should go¡­¡± Efse mumbled. ¡°I don¡¯t want to miss service.¡±


    ¡°You can come to my church,¡± he offered. ¡°No one¡¯s going to judge. We¡¯ve got a pretty sizable goblin population here.¡±


    She shook her head slowly. ¡°It will be odd for the three of us to come in together¡­¡±


    ¡°When are you going to accept that we can¡¯t keep living this lie?¡± He lowered his voice but still remained as gentle as he could. ¡°She shouldn¡¯t have to live like this.¡±


    ¡°Zadeer¡­¡±


    ¡°What if we all left, together? We could actually be the family we are. It doesn¡¯t even need to be big¡ªwe could just wander for a while until we find the perfect place to call home. Remember when you told me that Ecale never felt like home for you? Why do you keep going back there when things are only getting worse for both of you? Please, Efse, I only want what¡¯s best for all of us¡­¡±


    ¡°When it¡¯s time, I will tell you,¡± Efse finally decided. ¡°But I don¡¯t think it¡¯s in Orestis¡¯s plan to leave now.¡±


    ¡°Darkness¡¯s voice can be just as convincing as His. Be sure to listen to Sachiel¡¯s voice if you ever hear it.¡±


    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    ¡­


    However much they wanted to believe they didn¡¯t gossip, there was hardly a way to avoid it. One group of the market talked about how someone¡¯s brother¡ªtheir twin that was in another town¡ªhad died the night before. Others whispered about how the pastor from last week¡¯s service had a wife, yet came in with another young woman he seemed to have affection for. Another discussed a rumor regarding someone losing their magic and a slight panic that it was some kind of sickness that was going to spread through the goblin provinces. Kiah had learned a long time ago that they often didn¡¯t hold very much truth to them, but there was one she knew was true.


    That, somewhere in Ecale, there was a human child.


    It seemed rampant everywhere. The adults talked about it as they walked through the streets and as they waited for service to start. The kids whispered about it in the back of class, and openly tested it during breaks when they took turns showing off their magic. She¡¯d been able to avoid being a part of it for a couple of days, but when it was obvious that they were going to ask her about it, she started disappearing whenever they went to look. Once the teacher finally asked her why, she was able to say she didn¡¯t feel well and was allowed to go home.


    Kiah placed the note in front of Efse before she started freaking out. ¡°I think they¡¯re figuring it out.¡± Now, Kiah had always been someone who hardly ever showed fear. But she couldn¡¯t help but show some of it, knowing that all of the things her mother had warned her about were coming true.


    Efse hugged her. ¡°It¡¯s alright, dear. This doesn¡¯t change anything, it just means we¡¯re going to have to be a little more careful from now on¡­ I promise nothing bad is going to happen. Soon they¡¯re going to forget about it completely, like they do all other rumors. Until then, keep convincing them it¡¯s just that: a rumor.¡±


    ¡­


    It didn¡¯t get better. Eventually Efse even told her to feign sickness so she didn¡¯t go to school and no one could piece too many things together. Of course that itself was starting to become too conspicuous when it lasted too long.


    Efse came home distraught. She sat down at the table and spent a couple of hours writing something, mumbling things to herself. When she finally finished and spelled it, she hugged Kiah.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to be living with Zadeer for a little while,¡± she said shakily. ¡°He¡¯ll take care of you. I¡¯ll still come to visit, but he might decide to move. If that happens, it¡¯s going to be a while before you hear anything from me¡­ they¡¯ll know if you¡¯re still sending letters. Zadeer can explain the rest when you get there.¡±


    Kiah only nodded. She didn¡¯t ask questions. She prepared her things and they left the next morning. Efse didn¡¯t say much to either of them before leaving again.


    Zadeer did his best to try to explain the stuff that was happening way too quickly to really understand.


    ¡°Efse decided it wouldn¡¯t be safe for you,¡± he said as he helped put her things away in her new room. ¡°This is pretty much like every other time you¡¯re here, alright? Just call me by name and, if anyone asks, we¡¯re just roommates and have no blood relation to each other at all.¡±


    ¡­


    Efse never said what she told Ecale about Kiah. She assumed it was either claiming her dead or missing. Zadeer revealed his hidden talent of forgery that claimed her ten years older. The plan was that they¡¯d move to Hyasari, she¡¯d get a job (in hopes of eventually being able to pay for Efse to come over as well), and then continue her education at night. She could tell it wasn¡¯t what they really wanted to do, but by now it seemed the lie they¡¯ve been weaving since she was born was too knotted to get out of now.


    Their house was between the goblin and fairy communities and a small band of shops. It was just a tiny bit of the much larger Hyasari, though it was the closest to what they were familiar with. They both pitched in to make it as much like home as they could, even if they didn¡¯t have the spare funds for decorating and neither of them had much crafty talents.


    Kiah was walking back with groceries when she noticed mumbling from their new neighbors. It didn¡¯t sound like the whispering of the goblins in Ecale; more like they were trying to win a bet on something. That wasn¡¯t enough to ease her anxiety and it only got worse when one of them finally walked up to her.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen your face around here!¡± the goblin remarked with a smile, slightly assuring her a bit. ¡°Did you just move in?¡±


    She nodded. ¡°A week ago.¡±


    ¡°How come I¡¯m only just now talking to you, then?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve only actually left the house for service¡­¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind me asking, are you from True Qizar or somewhere here in Fleyw Bresh?¡± He paused. ¡°It must be odd hearing a question like that from a stranger. Let me introduce myself. I¡¯m Eesat, descendant of Lord-Troll Sleel.¡±


    ¡°Kiah Endove,¡± she returned slowly. Only her age and birthplace was changed in those documents. The names were common enough that adding another layer of lies was unnecessary. ¡°I¡¯m a goblin of Fleyw Bresh, across the mountains in one of the goblin provinces.¡±


    He looked disappointed, but continued on with the conversation anyway. ¡°You know what? You want some help carrying that back to your house? You¡¯re an awfully tiny thing to be carrying that all on your own!¡±

 What Time Forgot: Memories- Kiah (Part 2)

    They¡¯d been in Hyasari for about two months. Service had just ended so they were going to leave when a nun walked up to them.


    ¡°Good afternoon. Lovely message today, wasn¡¯t it?¡± When they both nodded, she continued. ¡°I¡¯m Sister Cheri. You¡¯re Zadeer and Kiah, right? Father Phanes mentioned that one of you was looking for a job.¡±


    Kiah nodded. ¡°That would be me.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s someone here I think you should meet. Follow me.¡± She started walking back to the sanctuary and explained as they followed, ¡°A man named Farrar Tanju mentioned looking for someone to help run his shop¡ªa smithy near the northern markets.¡±


    ¡°How do you know that he¡¯s still here?¡±


    ¡°He often stays for an hour or so after the service talking to people. He¡¯s quite friendly. I believe he¡¯s even talked with Queen Odelle before, though I didn¡¯t see it myself.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure he¡¯s not going to mind working with a goblin?¡±


    ¡°He mainly sells to goblins and fairies, actually. He stays away from using alchemy so most of them head to him. If he doesn¡¯t mind selling to them, I don¡¯t think he¡¯d mind working with one.¡±


    Cheri led them through the pews before stopping at one of the rows and gestured to one of the men gathered there. ¡°That¡¯s him. Good luck.¡± Then she gave them a reassuring smile and left.


    Luckily, he noticed them standing there and Cheri rushing off. He chuckled, mumbled a farewell to the other people he was talking to, and turned all his attention to Kiah. ¡°I see Sister Cheri¡¯s been listening. I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re that person who might be interested in a job?¡±


    Kiah nodded.


    ¡°Great! I can¡¯t guarantee you¡¯re hired until you see the place yourself but you¡¯re definitely working towards it.¡± He held his hand out. ¡°I¡¯m sure she¡¯s already told you, but I¡¯m Farrar.¡±


    ¡°Kiah,¡± she returned as she cautiously shook his hand.


    ¡­


    There was something about Farrar that she liked. It took a while to warm up to him and get a hang of his way of doing things. Then once every day wasn¡¯t full of confusing questions and complicated answers, it was time to start working on the second half of the employment: learning Farrar¡¯s trade, blacksmithing.


    He carefully observed the dagger she just made. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t have any experience?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely none,¡± she responded with pride.


    ¡°Mom¡¯s profession?¡±


    ¡°Seamstress.¡±


    ¡°Dad?¡±


    ¡°Whatever got him enough money for dinner.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯m impressed,¡± he remarked as he handed it back to her. ¡°I mean, of course it isn¡¯t the best, but this is amazing for a first attempt. It¡¯s even usable, with a little more work.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a shame I don¡¯t know how to wield it.¡±


    ¡°I can teach you,¡± Farrar offered.


    Her look was enough of an answer for him, and he chuckled.


    ¡°Come in bright and early tomorrow,¡± he continued, ¡°we¡¯ll practice in the back until the shop¡¯s open.¡±


    ¡­


    She was vaguely acquainted with all the other goblins near where they lived. Eesat had made a point of introducing her to all of them, though honestly she didn¡¯t remember all of their names. Even still, she was surprised that he walked up to her on her way home from Farrar¡¯s shop.


    ¡°Kiah! A lovely evening Orestis has graced us with, isn¡¯t it?¡± Eesat smiled.


    It snapped her back to reality. ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been meaning to ask, what do you think of the service here?¡± he prompted. ¡°Far as I can tell most goblin provinces follow True Qizar¡¯s standards, too. Must be pretty different from what you¡¯re used to!¡±


    ¡°Definitely a lot more singing¡­¡±


    ¡°A friend of mine runs a special devotional for us goblins at her house. It¡¯s a couple of hours after service every week. We decided to extend the invitation to you.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ I¡¯ve got a lot to do.¡±


    ¡°Look, it¡¯s that little white house right there. You can come by whenever you want, I¡¯m sure she wouldn¡¯t mind.¡±


    Kiah blankly nodded. ¡°Thanks. I¡¯ll¡­ think about it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all I ask. Orestis willing, I¡¯ll see you after service.¡±


    ¡­


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    They¡¯d been in Hyasari for about two and a half years before they heard anything from Efse. What they did get was nothing good; their lie was falling apart and it was only a matter of time before they realized the part she had in it. But they still didn¡¯t have enough to pay for her to come to Hysari and they were quickly running out of options.


    Suffice to say this made her incredibly distracted when she went to work. So much so she never realized when someone came in and started asking about things until Farrar came out of his office to check.


    He helped and saw them out before properly addressing it with her. ¡°What¡¯s up with you today? Usually you¡¯re on top of that kind of stuff.¡±


    Her response was just a couple of mumbles.


    ¡°You know you can talk to me,¡± he remarked.


    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t, though.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the worst that could happen?¡±


    ¡°A lot more than you think¡­¡±


    ¡°Is it something at home?¡±


    ¡°Not quite¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s definitely not nothing.¡±


    ¡°Of course it isn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Why can¡¯t you just tell me what it is?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t involve anyone else.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because if you know, it¡¯s only a matter of time before everyone else knows, and then we can say goodbye to whatever kind of normal this is supposed to be!¡± Finally, her wall was broken down by all of his questions. She hid her face in her hands to try to protect herself from revealing too much.


    She heard Farrar walk away, lock the door, then come back to place a hand on her shoulder. ¡°I promise that, whatever¡¯s going on, your secret¡¯s safe with me. Nothing¡¯s going to leave this room if you don¡¯t want it to.¡±


    ¡°Do you know what happens to goblins found to be in a relationship with a human?¡± was the first, quiet thing she said.


    ¡°It¡¯s considered a form of heresy according to their interpretation of the Commandments, isn¡¯t it?¡± He paused. ¡°Is someone you know..?¡±


    ¡°Remember Zadeer, the one that comes to pick me up sometimes when I¡¯m running late? He¡¯s my dad. We moved here when goblins in my village started to realize there was a human child there. My mom¡¯s still there and now they¡¯re figuring out that she was the mother of that human child.¡± Kiah took a slow, steady breath. ¡°It took Zadeer eight years to collect enough for the two of us. Even though I¡¯m working now, we still don¡¯t have enough for her¡­ and the longer she stays there, the less time we have before she¡¯s found out and sent to Vriuh.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you just say that?¡± The sound of him rushing around made her peak through her fingers to watch him. Eventually he walked back with a handful of coins, quietly counting them. ¡°Here I¡¯ve got twelve bronze and two silver. I¡¯m not sure how much it costs for traveling across the kingdom, but this¡¯ll definitely help with something and I¡¯ve got a friend who can lend me some more.¡± He sat them all on the table in front of her.


    ¡°Farrar¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, this is just the spare change I¡¯ve got lying around. Honestly I probably would¡¯ve spent it all at the bar downtown, so really you¡¯re helping me out too.¡±


    ¡°Thank you¡­¡±


    ¡­


    Efse kept circling around her, somehow still thinking of questions to ask. ¡°Have you found good friends? Are you keeping up with your studies? When did you cut your hair..? Aren¡¯t you cold? Why don¡¯t I knit you a nice, big scarf? Or a blanket?¡±


    ¡°Mom! Please, stop hovering! I¡¯m as happy as you are that you¡¯re here now but you need to slow down.¡±


    Efse finally stopped. ¡°You know I can¡¯t help it. It¡¯s such a relief to finally all be together again.¡± She glanced at Zadeer and added in modern language, ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s time to start living the life you wanted to have all along.¡±


    Zadeer just gave a distant smile.


    ¡°Mom, I need to go to work,¡± Kiah said gently, stepping past Efse. ¡°Farrar¡¯s probably waiting for me. I¡¯m not usually so late¡­¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll let you go.¡± Efse hugged her. ¡°Promise to be back as soon as possible. And give him my thanks. Oh! How about you invite him to dinner? That way I can thank him for everything that he did for us.¡±


    ¡°Mom, you¡¯re forgetting the part where none of know to cook. We¡¯re going to end up poisoning him¡­¡±


    ¡­


    Farrar told her that she was naturally skilled in swordplay. Personally, though, she preferred a bow; as far as she was concerned, the further away she was, the better. Out of everyone he had introduced her to, they all admitted they didn¡¯t know someone with as accurate of a shot as her.


    ¡°So what¡¯s your endgame for this, anyway?¡± Farar asked one day after they¡¯d finished training.


    She shrugged. ¡°Self defense, I guess? I don¡¯t really know what I¡¯d use it for, as long as I stay here in Hyasari.¡±


    ¡°Did you ever think of selling your services?¡±


    ¡°Like¡­ a mercenary?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. You¡¯ll get to travel, plus I¡¯m sure there¡¯s some low-effort things some nobles are willing to pay for. I think you¡¯d be good at it.¡±


    ¡°I guess it doesn¡¯t sound too bad¡­¡±


    ¡°How about I let you test the waters? I know a girl that¡¯s on top of that kind of stuff. We can find something simple for you to do and see how you like it. If it¡¯s better than this then you can get your Talmi-Amitael pin and become an official merc.¡±


    ¡­


    It turns out that he was right. Efse wasn¡¯t too fond of the idea and Zadeer¡¯s silence at the suggestion meant that he felt the same, but Kiah was sure of her decision. She spent two years chasing bounties with Farrar¡¯s suggestion until a certain one led her right to the border¡ªin the middle of the peace talks between Qizar and Seothia.


    Farrar had told her that the person she was looking for was dangerous. He¡¯d seemed to possess a personal distaste for them but he never told her why. The only thing she got out of him was that they used to be old friends. The longer she thought about it, the less she could remember any point in time where she really thought this person was worth the trouble. All she had was what he¡¯d said to her.


    Kiah spotted him heading out of Ilystalos. She trailed him long enough to be sure of where he was going and staged to intercept him. According to Farrar there was something on him that someone else was willing to pay a lot for; her intention was to get it and bring it back, not necessarily to hurt him. Of course, it seemed their little skirmish drew some attention to them and they were eventually both taken by the Seothian soldiers.


    She waited in the tent they brought her into, not at all worried and mostly just wanting to be done. After a bunch of talking outside, someone finally entered¡ªsomeone who, by picture alone, recognized to be King Casper of Seothia.


    ¡°You fought well out there,¡± he remarked. ¡°What made you two fight in the first place?¡±


    ¡°That guy¡¯s got a pendant that I need,¡± Kiah replied casually. ¡°Well, that someone else needs it. I was hired to get it.¡±


    ¡°A mercenary, then? What¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°Kiah.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have anything to do after this, do you?¡±


    ¡°Why do you ask?¡±


    ¡°See, my son tends to wander and my wife¡¯s a worrier. We¡¯re looking for someone to keep an eye on him and, seeing your apparent experience, I think you¡¯re the person for the job.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s in it for me?¡±


    ¡°A pay you¡¯ll hopefully find much more worth it than all the running around of a mercenary.¡±

 What Time Forgot: Memories- Kiah (Part 3)

    She¡¯d gone back, discussed it with her parents and Farrar, and came to the mutual agreement that it would¡ªprobably¡ªbe the better choice. Of course that wasn¡¯t taking into account the kid she was supposed to be the guard of now. Casper wasn¡¯t kidding that he wandered; the first two months were just spent figuring out all of the places he ran off to. Just as she thought it couldn¡¯t get any more annoying, she met his friends. Somehow she was surprised that such a quiet kid had so many loud friends.


    ¡°How¡¯ve you been doing so far?¡± For some odd reason Kiah had yet to determine, the queen was remarkably friendly towards her. ¡°Are you getting a hang of your life here at the castle? It must be a lot more different than what you¡¯re used to.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m quick to adapt to my surroundings,¡± Kiah replied almost dismissively.


    ¡°Would you say you were getting along with everyone?¡±


    ¡°Of course not. I¡¯m the one telling a bunch of kids to stop getting into trouble.¡±


    ¡°Casper hasn¡¯t told you anything about them, has he?¡±


    ¡°Imre introduced me to them.¡±


    Minne gestured towards the garden. ¡°I think it¡¯s better if you know what¡¯s going on with each of them¡­ it might help you approach them or at least tolerate them a bit more. It¡¯s a lovely day, so let¡¯s talk about it in the garden.¡±


    They went there and sat down. Minne only waited long enough to ask a servant for tea before beginning her explanation. ¡°I suppose I¡¯ll start with Imre. By now I¡¯m sure you¡¯re well aware about how he¡­ doesn¡¯t seem to be ¡®all there.¡¯ It will take some getting used to but, like most things, that¡¯s all it is. Hopefully you¡¯ll learn to see that he¡¯s just like the rest of us and can help make him happy.


    ¡°You aren¡¯t familiar with Seothian nobility, but both Samone and Lydia are the daughters of nobles. Samone¡¯s adoptive father, Kesem, is currently the overseer of the Jaden territory and a member of the court. As you can imagine, it¡¯s quite the expectation to live up to and let¡¯s just say her confidence as an emerging magister can make her a bit¡­¡±


    ¡°Narcissistic?¡± Kiah guessed.


    ¡°I wanted to find a nicer word but, at times, yes,¡± Minne said with a nod. ¡°Lydia is the oldest of three and her father is considered the head of their house, the Stones. They don¡¯t possess a lot of land but they¡¯re a family of explorers, cartographers, and problem solvers. They often find themselves in court in one way or another, though I have a feeling she¡¯s just here for a good time.


    ¡°Domenique¡¯s mother is something of a family friend. In truth, I only met her after marrying Casper. A few years ago, we realized we were related to each other by my father. It brought their family into the nobility because of relation to the throne and helped them out of a tough situation. Both of them still remember what it was like to be that close to losing everything. Try not to make it awkward, but do the best you can to avoid the topic.


    ¡°Then finally there¡¯s Dimas, although you already know who he is. I don¡¯t know how much Qizarn residents know about what goes on behind closed doors, and it¡¯s not my place to tell. Just know that we¡¯ve agreed to occasionally look after him on behalf of Queen Odelle.¡±


    ¡­


    Talks with Minne were frequent and nearly always meaningless. Kiah knew that her intention wasn¡¯t to be a distraction, but that was often what it was. It took a little over five years to finally get an explanation as to why, after letting her guard down enough to explain her heritage and eventually the truth of her age.


    Kiah just intended to be walking past before she saw her in the garden. ¡°Minne? I thought Casper wanted you to rest more¡­¡±


    ¡°He did. But I wanted some fresh air and it¡¯s too good of a day to be lying in bed,¡± Minne responded casually. She gestured to the spot beside her. ¡°Do you have some time to spare?¡±


    Kiah wordlessly wandered to the spot and sat down. She¡¯d tried before to claim she was busy and move on. She always felt bad when she truly had nothing better to do.


    ¡°To be honest, there¡¯s no real reason to, but¡­ you remind me of an old friend of mine,¡± Minne remarked. ¡°Her name was Takane. She was a goblin, too, though she was pretty soft spoken. I think the only time I ever heard her talk back to someone was my adoptive father, Haris. She was a bit like our mother figure growing up.¡±


    Cautiously, Kiah pointed out, ¡°You¡¯ve never talked about your family before.¡±


    ¡°I figured there was no point in trudging up the past. But now that they¡¯ve come back as spirits¡­ you could say I¡¯m in a reminiscent mood.¡±


    ¡°Coming back as spirits?¡±


    Minne nodded. ¡°I¡¯m adopting their spirits right now; it¡¯s why I was so sick earlier. It¡¯s taxing to be a saint, born with Missa¡¯s spirit and adopting Takane, Umber, and Zenas¡¯s spirits.¡±


    ¡°Can you¡­ tell me more about them?¡±


    ¡°Well, beyond Takane, I had three adoptive siblings: Ki, Zenas, and Umber. Ki and Zenas were blood siblings. Takane was Haris¡¯s friend from before he moved to the mountains. I believe Umber¡¯s mother couldn¡¯t support a child, so Haris took him in. I was found outside of the village alone. I would¡¯ve died nearly as soon as I was created if he hadn¡¯t found me when he did.¡±


    ¡°You were just¡­ left out there?¡±


    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡°It¡¯s not exactly what you¡¯re thinking. I didn¡¯t have birth parents.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t..?¡±


    ¡°You know about the Ilethera, don¡¯t you? Not all of them are born like normal mortals are. Some of them simply¡­ exist. I was one of those kinds of Ilethera.¡±


    ¡­


    She¡¯d always gone to the border whenever Imre did. Usually it was just following him around, politely waiting with the other guards during the peace talks, and a drink or two with whatever noble was willing to share. This was different, though. At first all she had as proof was how happy Minne was; she wasn¡¯t normally so pleased to travel so far. Then Kiah realized it for herself when she saw who¡¯d been brought alongside the Qizarn queen.


    Efse didn¡¯t wait for her, barely even seeming to care what she¡¯d been doing before walking up to her and hugging her.


    ¡°The queens arranged for me to join Queen Zofie, isn¡¯t that nice of them?¡± Efse said in the Old Tongue once she stepped back. ¡°I would¡¯ve brought Zadeer and Farrar but Zadeer got a big job out of town and oddly enough Farrar wasn¡¯t feeling well. Anyway, Queen Zofie honored me enough to properly meet me. I¡¯d love to be introduced to Queen Minne, too, being just as responsible for why I¡¯m here.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡± Kiah turned to the Seothian royals (and nobility, since Samone and Lydia had shown up too) and said in the modern language, ¡°This is my mom, Efse. Mom, this is Casper, Minne, Imre, Samone, and Lydia.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s good to finally meet the people looking after Kiah.¡± Efse smiled. ¡°Thank you for helping me get here.¡±


    ¡­


    She considered herself pretty close to Casper. There was a kind of mutual trust between the two of them. They both knew that, if there was something that only the other could do, they could be trusted to do it. Better yet, if they needed someone to help them improve on something, nothing seemed to work quite as well as their competitive natures. But that didn¡¯t make her think that she was any more important than any of his family. She never made a point to visit him before he died.


    She¡¯d been a part of the group that sent off the hawks to every corner of Seothia; the hawks that carried the news about the crowning of their new king. Honestly she didn¡¯t want to be anywhere near Imre during all of this. She¡¯d instead asked Dimas to make sure he took care of himself in the times to come, knowing he¡¯d be able to say what she couldn¡¯t.


    Perhaps what felt the worst was taking the time to go with Dimas to Hyasari. Sachiel was always a curious person, telling her that she should still be in Seothia while whispering that she didn¡¯t belong in that healing process.


    ¡°I guess there¡¯s some kind of luck that comes out of Lydia doing what she did,¡± Kiah sighed. Her second glass was nearly empty. ¡°At least everything ended a little sooner. Imre was able to spend some time with him instead of running around on her whims¡­¡±


    ¡°Enough about how he must be feeling,¡± Farrar remarked, taking a sip out of his drink. ¡°What about you?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. It doesn¡¯t matter, anyway¡ªDimas is my ride back to Seothia. I¡¯m staying as long as he is.¡±


    ¡­


    Imre made all that time worth her trouble; apparently Casper had been considering promoting her for a while, but faced too much opposition to have anything go through. Imre was able to get the final push they needed to make her the head of the army and an official member of court.


    Kiah dealt with practically everything that might need manpower, given how short staffed the council was. She saw everything from missing person reports, Ski¨¢ sightings, to requests for supplies or assistance somewhere. Most of them she sent off to Samone or Imre unless it called for armed soldiers. But there was one thing she wasn¡¯t quite so willing to believe to be true.


    One report came in about a man disappearing¡­ a man that nearly exactly matched Farrar¡¯s description.


    She¡¯d immediately spelled a bird to try to send a letter to him and got Lydia (who was, surprisingly, rather good at these sorts of things) to look into it. The bird came back with the same message still attached just as Lydia burst into her office.


    ¡°Did you find anything?¡± Kiah prompted, nearly desperate to know something.


    ¡°Nope. Looks like he practically disappeared off the face of the earth,¡± Lydia replied casually. ¡°I did determine it is actually the guy you thought it was, though. And why he was in Seothia and not Qizar¡ªa ¡®business partner¡¯ wanted to meet with him. But that¡¯s not when he disappeared because he was seen after that. Why are you so interested in him, anyway?¡± She sat a stack of papers about the topic on Kiah¡¯s desk.


    ¡°Just an old friend who has a thing for biting off more than he can chew¡­¡±


    ¡­


    No one in Qizar could do any better job at finding him. Farrar was ultimately claimed dead two months after disappearing. Kiah carried on with the news as if it didn¡¯t bother her at all; the first time Imre caught on was when she sent out a lantern during the Day of the Dead. Years passed and Imre and Dimas adopted a kid, then Minne died using her powers to help her grandson-by-blood, and slowly everything came back to her being in Hyasari again.


    She¡¯d introduced Efse to Eesat one evening after coming back from Farrar¡¯s workshop. The two proved to be exactly what the other needed to grow their faith; Efse eventually went to many, many more of the meetings Eesat¡¯s friend held than Kiah ever had. She hadn¡¯t really planned on going anywhere until Efse told her to come with her.


    ¡°Efse, come in, come in! Oh, and you brought Kiah with you! Good afternoon. It¡¯s certainly been a while since we last saw each other,¡± Eesat said as he gestured them both inside. ¡°How¡¯s work been treating you? I mean, it¡¯s not everyday that those Seothians see someone like us!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been fine¡­¡± Kiah mumbled. ¡°Everything going well here, I¡¯d assume?¡±


    ¡°Queen Zofie has just been doing wonders for us goblins! She understands we don¡¯t believe in all the things the children of Fleyw Bresh do. Just last week she said Orestis laid it on her heart to start a project and build the goblins their own church. Soon we¡¯ll have our own goblin pastor and everything!¡±


    Another goblin clapped. ¡°I do believe that¡¯s worthy of praise!¡±


    There were sounds and uttering of mutual agreement from all of them.


    Eesat smiled. ¡°Alright, now let¡¯s get started! Everyone sit down and grab your Commandments. Today we¡¯re going to be starting in The Ode of Wind¡­¡±

 What Time Forgot: A Lost Love (Kadol)

    Odelle, at that point, knew nearly everything about him. They both understood, after all, that it was only a matter of time before they¡¯d be working together as the queen and her advisor. But there was one thing that started the gap between what she knew of him and who he was: him joining the Ravens and, perhaps more importantly, his eventual meeting of Terika.


    It was in her presence that he was willing to wonder if the gods truly did watch over even the most heretical of mortals; or, rather, that even the most heretical of mortals were still deserving of affection. She was a Raven like he was, recently asked to move to the base closest to Hyasari. At first he only interacted with her once or twice a week, whenever he might naturally come by. That changed so that, in a year, they would claim themselves married¡ªthough it was a quiet matter, kept from the church and anyone else who might question it. She was a proud heretic; the church chose to ignore people like her and, to preserve his status, he had to do the same when he was being watched.


    They had a child, after a little while. Four years later would have been the first and only time Odelle¡ªand anyone else outside of a few Ravens¡ªcould even have begun to wonder what was between them.


    As per tradition, Kadol stood to the right of Odelle and Thero to the left; they were quickly approaching her twenty-fifth birthday and it wouldn¡¯t be long after that that she¡¯d replace her mother on the throne.


    ¡°Oh, Nigel¡¯s here!¡± She smiled and waved to her boyfriend. He gave her a glance as well but otherwise did little else to acknowledge her. ¡°But I guess everyone here are big names in the church, huh..?¡±


    ¡°Not everyone,¡± Kadol mused after he saw two familiar people.


    She tried to follow his gaze but gave up to simply ask, ¡°Who are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°The fair Terika Piper and her little Lillian.¡±


    ¡°Friends of yours?¡±


    ¡°I suppose you could call them that.¡±


    She bounced to her feet. ¡°Then let¡¯s go say hi! I¡¯m tired of sitting here anyway.¡±


    Neither of them bothered to try to change her mind. Kyra was talking with some of the other bishops that showed up and probably wouldn¡¯t mind if her daughter wasn¡¯t where she should be. Soon all the greetings would be done and they¡¯d all be walking around anyway. In that moment, he couldn¡¯t see it hurting anyone; perhaps this was where he started his long list of regrets.


    ¡°Good evening!¡± Odelle said cheerily when they got there.


    Lillian smiled and waved. ¡°Hello!¡±


    Odelle always had a soft spot for children. Had she been capable, she undoubtedly would¡¯ve had children running all through the halls of the castle. So to be in Lillian¡¯s presence alone was enough to make her forget all else and talk with her.


    Kadol took the time to pull Terika aside. ¡°I thought I said you shouldn¡¯t come tonight,¡± he said as quietly as he could.


    ¡°Lillian wanted to see you work,¡± she replied simply with a smile. ¡°You won¡¯t have to worry. No one¡¯s going to recognize me here.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the part we should be most concerned about¡­¡±


    ¡­


    There were times when hysteria arose in the people of Qizar over those who wished to point out the faults in their gods. These moments were often associated with Zofie¡¯s reign, but it wasn¡¯t the only time he saw it happen. When the panic started, the Ravens did what they could do to keep their valuable members well out of the public¡¯s suspicion. If it seemed nothing could be done, they did whatever other discreet thing they could do to keep the Raven safe. One such occurrence several weeks after that ball led to Terika and Lillian needing to move away from Hyasari.


    It wasn¡¯t long after that the group they were with lost communication with the Ravens; no matter how experienced they were, they all knew there was little left to do but hope.


    The most important part of being a Raven and not getting caught was not mourning for those with heretical beliefs, many of them they knew personally. Their grieving, if they dared to try, had to be done in secret. Perhaps that was why Kadol gained a liking to Allen¡­ as the closest thing he could have to replacing what he lost.


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    It was those emotions that led them into the conversation. ¡°Are you trying to get yourself killed?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t see how it¡¯s any different than you¡¯re doing,¡± Allen replied casually, ¡°and as far as they¡¯re aware I¡¯m a well-respectable church-goer. I¡¯m technically in charge of an entire region!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been around Zofie her entire life. I know you¡¯re probably one of the best people for her, but¡ª¡±


    ¡°You admitted that I¡¯m not wrong. Look, Kadol, I know you¡¯re worried, but nothing bad¡¯s going to happen. Everyone will be happier¡ªwe might even get the queen on our side because of it.¡± He nudged Kadol. ¡°Eh? Eh?¡±


    Kadol shook his head and sighed. ¡°Zofie isn¡¯t going to budge¡ªif it was possible, it would be done by now. She doesn¡¯t see hardships; she sees opportunities to grow closer to Orestis. We were so close with Odelle and so far away with Zofie¡­ it isn¡¯t worth the risk to put yourself out in the open like this.¡±


    ¡°Then I don¡¯t have to mention anything about the Ravens. I¡¯ll pretend to listen in service. Above all else, I¡¯ll give her the kind of love and support she needs. Can you really deny that?¡±


    The next words were his next biggest regret, ¡°Alright.¡±


    ¡­


    It would¡¯ve worked, if Allen wasn¡¯t so headstrong and didn¡¯t underestimate the extent of Zofie¡¯s paranoia.


    ¡°A¡­ Raven..?¡±


    Kadol didn¡¯t know what he hated more about the situation: the fact he was obligated as the queen¡¯s advisor to reveal his own pupil or the queen¡¯s look of pure confusion and betrayal. But he couldn¡¯t show anything, lest he only contribute to the hysteria. ¡°The White Ravens. From our sources, they appear to be a group hoping to overthrow the place of the gods¡­ reveal their ¡®false truth¡¯ about the Commandments to the entire kingdom. Some seem to be rather benevolent and passive in their actions, though others are much more assertive.¡±


    ¡°How could we have been so blind? Are there more like him, holding high positions within the church? Are they even higher¡ª¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, Nokae,¡± Thero interrupted, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. ¡°We¡¯ll figure this out.¡±


    Zofie took a deep breath. ¡°Orestis tells us that those who defy Him will be punished. Kadol, start a search for Allen and any of these other ¡®Ravens.¡¯ Perhaps there¡¯s still enough faith left in them to be redeemed in flames¡­¡±


    ¡­


    In the next year, all he could do was emotionlessly watch the executions of those under him; some he knew personally, some he might even consider friends, and others were those he didn¡¯t care for. It proved to him that, if there truly was a fragment of doubt left of Zofie¡¯s commitment, there was none now. Most happened around Hyasari. There was one, though, that happened outside¡ªone that she instructed that he personally watch over.


    Kadol assumed it was her way of trying to test his loyalty. If he proved to do this in a manner that respected the gods and her decision, then she¡¯d be put at ease once more. Like any other time, he would do exactly what she expected of him without a moment of falter.


    At least, that¡¯s what he thought until he saw them.


    He didn¡¯t make the connection at first. Seeing ¡®Lillian Audun¡¯ didn¡¯t faze him. Being near the small Tylane Coast town they were supposed to go to didn¡¯t mean anything to him. Then he walked into the room the couple was being kept in until it came their time to be executed.


    ¡°It¡¯s you,¡± he breathed. His semblance of impartiality was never so close to breaking.


    Lillian smiled. ¡°It¡¯s nice to finally see you again, too, Papa.¡±


    ¡°How are you not dead?¡±


    ¡°We didn¡¯t so much as lose touch with the Ravens as certain Ravens cut the ties on our end.¡±


    ¡°Terika¡ª¡±


    ¡°Mama¡¯s already met Vriuh. It was one of Queen Zofie¡¯s first.¡±


    ¡°Now you¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not as bad as it sounds, I promise! I¡¯m actually really glad it was you that came. See, I have a son. They¡¯re going to bring him to a church and let him be raised by the nuns there. I know you can¡¯t really take him because that would be suspicious and you¡¯ve got obligations to Queen Zofie, but if you could get another Raven to bring him back to Hyasari¡­¡±


    ¡°Of course. I¡¯m sorry that I couldn¡¯t get to you sooner, but I promise I¡¯ll do what¡¯s best for your son.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Jesper,¡± Kadol said gently, ¡°you¡¯ve got to listen very carefully. I¡¯m going to trust you with this.¡±


    Jesper looked and acted so much like his mother; it almost felt like, around him, it was as if Kadol never lost the experience of raising a child in the first place. There was a pain that came with it, but one that he could easily bear. Now it was time to let the boy experience the world on his own and hope that he didn¡¯t follow everyone else.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to allow you to leave the base. But remember everything I¡¯ve told you¡ªdon¡¯t mention the Ravens, don¡¯t mention this place, and above all else, don¡¯t mention or acknowledge that you know me. If anyone asks, you¡¯re just in Hyasari to visit family; they shouldn¡¯t need any more information than that, and if they do you can be honest and say you¡¯re from the coast. Alright?¡±


    Jesper knew how much expectation and faith was being put on him and he nodded solemnly. ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll do whatever I can!¡±


    ¡°Good. Now, to get into more detail about what you¡¯re going to be doing¡­¡±

 What Time Forgot: Keys (Minne)

    It felt like such a big, important thing for Haris to bring them all together¡ªeven if it wasn¡¯t uncommon, especially before dinner, for him to share a story from the Commandments. But he didn¡¯t have a book with him this time and he didn¡¯t pray at the beginning. This had to be for something special. Little Minne¡¯s excitement over what it could be was clear, squeezing between Umber and Zenas in order to see what was on the table.


    ¡°I¡¯ve told you all about the Minotaur,¡± Haris mused. ¡°How it¡¯s a beast locked within the Anysia Caverns, the same cave system that follows the paths of the ley lines¡­ Now it¡¯s time I share with you the story of the Keys and how they can open up these caverns.


    ¡°When Peiros created the caverns, he made a lock and its keys. The lock is an old willow tree right here in Idale. The keys are five specific mortals¡ªcharacterics that the five of you possess. These characteristics are those of the Bear, the Fox, the Rabbit, the Cat, and the Eagle, belonging to Minne, Kiraat, Takane, Umber, and Zenas, respectively. I believe it¡¯s time that you open up the way to the caverns.¡±


    ¡°Won¡¯t the Minotaur escape?¡± Zenas asked, more curious than fearful.


    ¡°It takes more than that to let it out,¡± was his simple reply. ¡°In order to let him out, we would need to unlock several other locations, which we can¡¯t get to right now. But one is enough to enter.¡±


    Takane sighed. ¡°You¡¯re insistent on getting this done as soon as possible, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°None of us know what tomorrow might hold for us; we might as well do whatever we can today so that, if we leave tomorrow, we have no regrets.¡± Haris stood up, grabbed his coat, and gestured for the rest of them to do the same.


    Minne couldn¡¯t be bothered by the way the neighbors watched them, at least not at that age; it wasn¡¯t even something she cared to acknowledge until looking back at the memory in hindsight. They had looks of confusion, some showing a kind of superstition creeping into their expression. Haris always attracted a crowd. Not only was it uncommon to see a child of Fleyw Bresh (or his goblin friend, for that matter) in this part of Seothia, but there was generally thought to be something off about him. The kids, though, saw nothing but a father figure in him until they were old enough to wonder about the strange circumstances themselves.


    He showed them to the weeping willow tree right in the center of town. The other families and children that had been gathered there quickly dispersed, leaving them to do whatever they needed to.


    Haris instructed them each on where to go. He sounded so excited that the rest of them got excited too (except for, perhaps, Takane), despite no one else truly knowing what was going to happen. Then he gave one last piece of instruction: that they walk up to the tree, one by one, and let the spirits of those who came before them guide them towards what they needed to say.


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    Minne didn¡¯t remember what she or any of the others said. That wasn¡¯t the part that made the memory stick with her. It was what happened after that that left the biggest impact.


    Every little part of Idale seemed to light up in that moment. Specks of colorful light danced around in the air as it passed through the entire town, creating life wherever it fell. The bushes and grass that had been dulled by the coming winter were brightening back up as if it was the peak of spring. It did, somehow, become a little warmer as Idale formed something of a bubble around itself; it was in the perfect state, even while everything else around it remained as seasons demanded it be.


    Haris smiled. ¡°It works¡­ Perhaps one day I¡¯ll truly be able to see all that¡¯s locked away in those caverns of mysteries.¡±


    Takane seemed to notice something that no one else did. ¡°Admire it all you want, and be sure to try to explain it to them, too. I¡¯m taking the kids back home before they get in the middle of whatever they¡¯re thinking of.¡± She nodded to the other townspeople; if they weren¡¯t giving the six of them wary glances, then they were mumbling to each other in a way that didn¡¯t sound particularly friendly.


    ¡°Ah, good idea,¡± he remarked after he looked around. ¡°Get dinner ready and I¡¯ll meet you there as soon as everything¡¯s settled.¡±


    Takane wordlessly ushered the other four back through the streets and into their home. Another thing only to be noticed afterwards was that she locked the door and pulled the curtains closed, too. She was expecting a lot more than slight concern and protest.


    None of the kids paid attention to her actions, however. Zenas and Umber, though they probably should¡¯ve been quieter, immediately went to talk about it. Kiraat eventually joined in with a more subdued excitement and Minne would¡¯ve if Takane hadn¡¯t asked for her help preparing dinner.


    What they did never really sunk in during the time where it mattered the most. She, at least, didn¡¯t piece everything together until after Haris died; it took her several more years to even begin to scratch the surface of why he¡¯d been so set on doing what he was, or what he sacrificed to bring all of them to that point.


    Takane, the single time Minne dared to ask, had given a much vaguer response than she¡¯d been hoping for. ¡°Haris was always curious about the Caverns and the ley lines. He wanted to do whatever he could to learn more about them and never stopped trying to get to them himself.¡±


    Casper never let her actually talk to Kiraat, but what little she was able to find in a brief visit to Idale had a bit of information. A letter with Haris¡¯s handwriting somehow hidden in the kitchen read, ¡°Thank you again for all that you have done for me so far, Sarah. It is through your generosity and Orestis¡¯s careful planning that I find myself so close to another discovery. I pray you have just as much luck as I have and we are both able to live fulfilling lives in this unfamiliar land.¡±


    Minne even asked Kamila, after their relation to each other came to light. The only thing she could say was, ¡°Mom helped Uncle Haris get to Seothia. She¡¯d already been living here for a while and they were able to pull enough money together to get him and his goblin friend to Idale. They wrote letters to each other up until the day he died.¡±


    Eventually she had to settle with the hope that it was something she could ask him herself one day; the day that they were reunited in Vriuh¡¯s domain.

 What Time Forgot: A Light in the Dark (Nadia)

    Leon would always tell her that, no matter how bad things were, there was always a light in the end and that things were never as bad as they felt in that moment. She still didn¡¯t know how much of it she believed; the implications only got heavier the more she knew and, honestly, there were moments in that darkness where she felt like he was just dismissing her thoughts. He was the last she ever told about it, actually.


    The first¡­ well, that was a much brighter story. A story that they could both look back and laugh at, admiring the impossibility of it all.


    It was also a story that began with her chasing her runaway cat.


    ¡°Kot! Kooot! Come on, there¡¯s treats back home. And fish! The good kind! Please..?¡± Nadia had seen him run off into Lelishara after searching for him around their town. She was glad Leon was away for the week so that she didn¡¯t need to explain it all to him.


    It wasn¡¯t until she was nearing the center of the capital did she see him again. He confidently hopped up onto a caf¨¦¡¯s outdoor table. A table that already had two people on it¡ªpeople she recognized.


    She quickly ran up to grab Kot, giving a nod of acknowledgement to the Vulture of the Lysha and a bow to the crown prince of Seothia. ¡°I am so sorry, Kot ran off and I¡¯m sure if he realized what he did he would apologize.¡± The cat gave a stubborn mew and desperately tried to get out of her grasp.


    ¡°So you live around here, Nadia?¡± Of course the Vulture recognized her. It would be more of a wonder he didn¡¯t, however much she hated to admit it. There were only so many people willing to cut their connection with a spirit.


    The prince had a different question for his companion. ¡°You know each other?¡±


    The Vulture shrugged. ¡°Nearly everyone, at some point or another, finds themselves in the need of the Lysha.¡± She gave him the least obvious look of thank you that she could.


    ¡°Uncle Leon and I ended up going to a town about an hour from here,¡± Nadia explained. ¡°But I should really get going, you were probably having an important conversation¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind if the two of you would like to talk,¡± the prince said. He even smiled at her. ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you.¡±


    ¡­


    They kind of got to know each other then, but it was nothing too personal. She was, at least, confident enough in their acquaintanceship (and because he specifically told her himself) to just call the prince Tavin.


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    It also seemed that Kot found his new favorite person. Whenever he ran away¡ªwhich was regularly given how often she accidentally left the door open and how quickly he bolted out of it¡ªif she couldn¡¯t find him in any spots in town, she immediately went to Lelishara. Without fail, if she had to get that far, he had somehow found Tavin. It only became a problem when he turned out to be inside of the castle.


    Nadia was terribly trying to explain her case to the guards. ¡°My cat is missing and I¡¯m pretty sure he¡¯s with Prince Tavin.¡±


    ¡°Your cat¡¯s not here,¡± one of them remarked. ¡°The prince wouldn¡¯t let it in the castle. There is a bird in there that he¡¯s pretty set on keeping alive.¡±


    ¡°Kot doesn¡¯t do anything with birds! He just stares at them!¡±


    They didn¡¯t look any more willing to listen to her before their prince came out with Kot strutting alongside him.


    She could tell she wasn¡¯t the only thing on his mind, but Tavin smiled anyway. ¡°Good morning, Nadia. I have a feeling if you head back now Kot¡¯s going to run off again by lunch, so would you like to stay a while? If your uncle doesn¡¯t need you back at home.¡±


    ¡°Y-you wouldn¡¯t mind?¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have offered it if I did.¡± He gestured inside. ¡°It¡¯s nice outside and no one¡¯s in the garden¡ªthere probably won¡¯t be for the rest of the day.¡±


    She was very nervous, but she nodded anyway. ¡°Uncle Leon definitely wouldn¡¯t mind, but, uh¡­ someone should probably tell him I¡¯m okay.¡±


    Tavin looked at one of the servants and, with her nod, looked back at her. ¡°She¡¯ll spell a bird for you if you say your uncle¡¯s full name.¡±


    ¡°Leon Mikah.¡± Nadia paused. ¡°Could you¡­ send something other than a hawk, maybe? He¡¯s a part of the army and if he saw it he would probably immediately freak out¡­¡±


    The servant nodded again and darted off. Tavin gestured for her to follow him and, just to fill in the silence, asked, ¡°Your uncle is in the army?¡±


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t like it, but yeah¡ªit¡¯s better than any other job he could get here. It¡¯s what made him so separated from the rest of my family¡­ probably the only reason he isn¡¯t like them¡­¡±


    One of the things she liked the most about Tavin: he didn¡¯t pry and he recognized when something was bordering on sensitive information. So what seemed like a random question turned out to be one she was grateful for. ¡°Would you like something before lunch?¡±


    ¡°No, I think I¡¯m fine.¡±


    They got to the garden and sat down on the bench. Kot hopped up, purring as he curled up on Tavin¡¯s lap.


    ¡°Do you have secret cat treats or something that I don¡¯t know of?¡± Nadia sighed. ¡°He¡¯s never given me this much attention¡­¡±


    ¡°Maybe he realized we could both use a normal friend,¡± Tavin offered with a weak laugh. ¡°I know I don¡¯t mind the company.¡±


    ¡°I guess the Vulture does technically live in Levi Asari, huh..?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not exactly what I meant.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nice to have someone that isn¡¯t somehow related to the throne or the screwed up mess that¡¯s the rest of my life. I only met Dusek because he helps with spirit problems. I met you because your cat likes me, of all things.¡±


    ¡°When you put it like that¡­ I¡¯m glad that my cat likes you, too.¡± She smiled. ¡°May we be each other¡¯s single normal part of our lives.¡±


    ¡°I like the sound of that.¡± He smiled too.

 What Time Forgot: Two Halves of a Whole (Tavin)

    He always enjoyed Nadia¡¯s company whenever she would come to retrieve Kot; in a year, they didn¡¯t even need the cat to change their plans for them. No matter how crazy things got, they still found time to meet up with each other. Through their talks they learned what the other liked, despised, feared¡­ in fragments they pieced together their pasts up until their meeting. They knew what made them happy and what dredged up bitter memories.


    But perhaps best of all, they found someone to make new memories with¡ªsomeone they could trust with anything on their mind. Something more than just friendship was blossoming and neither of them seemed to deny it. But properly forming the thoughts and words necessary to make it official was a different matter entirely.


    Tavin had suggested the idea of the upcoming ball to her; honestly he hadn¡¯t considered staying any longer than he needed to until he thought to ask her if she¡¯d like to come. She was nervous but also seemed excited, especially at the idea of meeting new people and possibly being able to see Enebish again (though not too interested in any of the other attending Palus nobles).


    Then with the fateful night only days away, he went to the only source he could think of for advice: Dimas.


    ¡°Step-Father, can I ask you something..?¡± Tavin must¡¯ve walked in right as he finished spelling a bird to Zofie; it didn¡¯t take Dimas long to notice him, though.


    He smiled. ¡°It¡¯s nice to see you feeling better. What is it?¡±


    No backing out now. ¡°What did you do when you realized you liked Father more than as a friend..?¡±


    ¡°I asked if he felt the same and kissed him,¡± was Dimas¡¯s simple, proud response. ¡°I¡¯m not going to go full-on parent mode here, but remember what I told you boys about butterflies.¡±


    ¡°I know. But that doesn¡¯t really help me right now.¡±


    ¡°Just be honest. Get the important stuff out of the way and out in the open and let whoever it is determine it for themself.¡± Dimas smirked and ruffled Tavin¡¯s hair. ¡°Invite them to dinner soon, too. We¡¯d all be happy to see them.¡±


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    ¡­


    Samone, in one way or another, found out about Nadia¡¯s plans on attending the ball and was more than willing to supply for it; by the time he saw her at the ball, she could easily be mistaken for any of the other nobles. Knowing she was honest enough to speak up if she didn¡¯t like anything, he trusted that it had all been by her agreement.


    ¡°I feel like I¡¯m dreaming,¡± Nadia admitted with a smile. ¡°I didn¡¯t think Lady Samone would¡¯ve gone this far for someone like me¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, if I may¡­¡± Tavin held out his hand. ¡°Care to dance?¡±


    She only nodded and let him lead the way. ¡°Just as a warning, I¡¯ve never actually done fancy noble ball dancing before.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not a good dancer, either, but maybe we¡¯ll do fine together.¡±


    They wandered over to the other pairs and waited for the music to start. It wasn¡¯t long after the waltz started that they were already close to each other, and he took this opportunity to talk.


    ¡°There¡¯s this thing that we do in my family,¡± he began softly, ¡°when we find someone we love. Queen Odelle told Step-Father that he shouldn¡¯t be around anyone who gave him butterflies; that he and whoever he was with were never nervous around each other. He asked Father before they started dating. And now¡­ I want to ask you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m gonna be honest, you were a little intimidating when I first saw you¡ªI mean, I¡¯m a slightly-average girl from Palus suddenly talking to the prince. But after only minutes, it was like I was talking to a normal person. We became each other¡¯s single normal friend, we¡¯re the person the other can trust with just about anything. It¡¯s funny you mention all of this, because¡­ I¡¯ve been waiting to give you this.¡± She pulled him in for a kiss.


    Whenever they were together, it felt like there was no one else left in the world; this was no different. They made plans to retreat to the garden and just talk for the rest of the night. They only deviated from it when Nadia saw Enebish and the two had a brief conversation before departing.


    Then they did exactly what they planned to do: talk. Nothing could have been a better way to spend their time together. All throughout it and until the guards that had walked her home returned, though, he couldn¡¯t help but fear if this was ultimately going to hurt her. He knew the apparent luck of his family and the nature of Ilethera, but so did she. Eventually he resolved that she already knew all that she was getting herself into and prayed that he was only overthinking.

 What Time Forgot: From Ashes Reborn (Lustris)

    She knew what she was losing the moment she spoke a word. Honestly she¡¯d hoped to die sometime during the process; save whatever pride she had left and be able to ask Vriuh all her questions. But she woke up devoid of wings and every part of her screaming of the thing that was missing.


    The room itself was small but rather extravagant, separated from the rest only by a curtain. She could still see the beach through the window and heard the humans shouting things in their own language. She didn¡¯t try doing anything but lay there, daring to wonder who they might have been to take care of her. Stories of humans never made them seem friendly, after all.


    It seemed she wasn¡¯t the only one inside, though, when a human carefully parted the curtain with bandages, medicine, and tea on a tray. She said something strange before then asking, ¡°Is this any better?¡±


    ¡°You speak my language?¡±


    ¡°More of read, but it can go both ways. Any good historian will make themselves familiar with the Old Tongue.¡± She smiled, although it was only an attempt at comfort. ¡°I¡¯m Diana, descendant of Viscount Avery of southwestern Mikkel territory.¡±


    ¡°Lustris, descendant of the Fae Court¡¯s Madam Megia¡­¡±


    ¡°Go on and get some more rest. The others are a tiring bunch to be around and it¡¯ll be worse for someone who went through what you did.¡±


    ¡­


    It took weeks before she felt well enough to get out of bed; recovering from loss of magic was never made out to sound pleasant. Between resting she talked with Diana, who she eventually shared her story with. It wasn¡¯t until they prepared to leave (this had, apparently, been a part of their vacation) that they talked about something more than simply backgrounds. Diana began teaching Lustris the human¡¯s language, since she¡¯d need the skill no matter where she went afterwards.


    For a while the only thing she could manage was fragments. But she learned that ¡°stop¡± and ¡°be nice¡± was enough for the little Lydia (at least in the beginning); Lewis hardly required any words of warning at all; when Elena came, she used it to get away with singing Qizarn lullabies; if she was ever stuck on anything, ¡°help¡± was the only thing she needed for Diana to check on her.


    By four years, though, she learned enough that they started making her actually leave the familiarity of the Stone Estate. If there were gaps in her knowledge before, there were none now. In that time she also decided to stay with them¡ªshe grew fond of them, even if the kids were annoying and it often fell on her to watch them.


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    ¡°Lydia, for the love of the gods, get down!¡± Lustris called from the bottom of the tree.


    The eight-year-old defiantly stuck her tongue out. ¡°Make me!¡±


    ¡°Lydia Envi Stone.¡±


    ¡°Full names don¡¯t scare me!¡±


    So, perhaps it shouldn¡¯t be that all the children were annoying. Just Lydia. Neither of her siblings had half the rebellious attitude that she did and she was always trying to see how far she could go without being punished. The only part of it that improved with age was that she was able to leave more often and hardly ever required Lustris¡¯s assistance.


    ¡°Then I¡¯m going to get Andrew,¡± Lustris decided and turned around. ¡°I¡¯ll let him decide what to do with you.¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay! I¡¯m coming down¡­¡± Threatening her father¡¯s involvement was the only thing that worked, only because Lydia was so interested in his travels she didn¡¯t risk not being able to join him on them. As she walked past, though, she added, ¡°You¡¯re no fun.¡±


    ¡°You can thank me when you¡¯re older.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Why did you bring me with you?¡± Lustris asked as she looked around. This was a place of nobles, both ones from Seothia and Fleyw Bresh (well, Qizar, as they called themselves, though it felt off to her). She never would have belonged in a place like this in her home, let alone here when everything else meant nothing and she was only a servant of the Stones.


    ¡°It¡¯s better than leaving you all by yourself,¡± Andrew remarked, ¡°and you might find some people to talk to. Socializing a little won¡¯t kill you.¡±


    Diana took to pointing out something else. She gestured to several people. ¡°Be mindful of who you¡¯re around. King Casper, Queen Minne, and Prince Imre are over there. Lydia will probably end up with them along with the Red Rose and the prince¡¯s guard. Just avoid Lord Raisul, you¡¯d find his personality¡­ unfortunately familiar. Queen Odelle and King Nigel are with Lord Kadol. Prince Dimas and Princess Zofie are closer to the lake with the princess¡¯s guard.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a human?¡± Lustris stared at the princess. Even from afar there was a powerful presence of magic; a kind of magic stronger than most fairies she had met.


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that aloud,¡± Diana sighed.


    Andrew didn¡¯t seem to mind, though. ¡°Here I thought someone from Idkor would be used to sensing strong magic. You don¡¯t have to wander over there if you don¡¯t want to. This is only meant to expand your horizons a little.¡±


    Eventually they both left her. She continued to stand there until Lydia took it upon herself to change it. They ended up going to her friends, who more or less continued their fooling around together while Lustris and the prince¡¯s guard¡ªLydia introduced her as Kiah¡ªwatched.


    ¡°What led you into the presence of Seothian royalty?¡± Lustris asked after a little while. ¡°You¡¯re a goblin of Fleyw Bresh, I¡¯d assume, if you have human blood. Did they realize you did nothing wrong?¡±


    ¡°Is that what happened to you?¡± There wasn¡¯t really sympathy but it wasn¡¯t lacking any emotion either.


    ¡°My mother was accused of an act she did not commit; something forced on her. Standing up for the rights guaranteed to us by the Commandments was thanked by the loss of my magic and the removal of my wings. Then I was taken in by the Stones and found myself staying with them. You?¡±


    ¡°Merc. Got a job and ended up serving the king. It helps my parents back in Hyasari.¡± The last thing Kiah said to her before leaving was, ¡°As one person screwed by traditions to the other, I know it¡¯s late, but welcome to Seothia. You¡¯re damn lucky you look human.¡±

 Extras: Q&A- About the Author

    Script:


    Lekra: ¡°Do you ever wonder, ¡°Who¡¯s the author of all these stories, anyway? Well, wonder no more! Meet Puppy!


    -she/her


    -writes, draws, and occasionally uses those to make games


    -very bored


    If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    -has way too much time on her hands


    Who¡¯s your favorite character?¡±


    Puppy: ¡°Natheniel is my favorite problem child, not to mention one of the oldest characters for the series.¡±


    Lekra: ¡°What¡¯s your favorite story from The Butterfly Effect?¡±


    Puppy: ¡°I¡¯ll go with Departure! It marks the beginning of The Butterfly Effect, after all.¡±


    Lekra: ¡°What¡¯s your favorite What Time Forgot short?¡±


    Puppy: ¡°Hm¡­ White Room, for a similar reason to Departure. It shows what Natheniel¡¯s been doing since Departure¡¯s ending¡ªand what the climax of the series going to involve.¡±


    Lekra: ¡°I¡¯ve got even MORE questions! What do I do?¡±


    Puppy: ¡°Ask them! I don¡¯t bite, I swear. I like hearing your thoughts and questions. Not only could they be answered through these Q&As and comics, but it also lets me know what I should focus on in future stories and shorts.¡±

 What Time Forgot: Settling Affairs (Samone)

    Everyone else took it worse than she did; then again, that wasn¡¯t a hard feat when she treated it with such nonchalance it was impossible to guess what she¡¯d just read aloud.


    ¡°I suppose I should prepare to leave for Levi Asari,¡± she remarked. ¡°I trust you¡¯ll be able to take care of things here without me.¡±


    ¡°Samone¡­¡±


    She offered Imre a reassuring smile. ¡°It¡¯s alright, Nokae. I promise I¡¯m not hiding anything.¡±


    ¡­


    Everyone was there, surprisingly, though it didn¡¯t make things any better. Parpar practically clung to Iris around so many strangers, leaving Hadar to keep the kids under control; even their brothers were here with their families that Samone had never seen before. Then there were the strangers, noble lords from all over the territory along with most of the residents in Levi Asari. It didn¡¯t feel like a community. All it felt like was everyone relying on a feeling they¡¯ve only felt once, hoping to sympathize with those who were supposed to care.


    On the morning of the funeral, she did nothing different than she normally did: she found a quiet place and smoked. She didn¡¯t bother anyone like this¡ªfar from everyone else in a place it was only more inconvenient to go to¡ªyet there was still someone who sought to bother her.


    ¡°Your father¡¯s dead and you¡¯re out here smoking,¡± Iris sighed.


    ¡°Who¡¯s to say I¡¯m not so distraught over the loss that I¡¯m out here to make sense of it all?¡±


    ¡°Is that how you¡¯re justifying it?¡±


    ¡°You know I never cared.¡±


    ¡°Well somehow I thought it would change. You haven¡¯t been to see him in months.¡±


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    ¡°If that bothered me I would¡¯ve made the time to visit.¡±


    ¡°Did you get any of the other letters I tried sending you?¡±


    ¡°Of course I did.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you realize he was waiting for you?¡±


    Samone hesitated. She covered it by saying, ¡°That¡¯s his own fault for assuming that I would. Compared to you, I might as well have never been his daughter. You¡¯re the one that stayed with him for nearly ten years, after all, while I was in Lelishara as if nothing was going to happen.¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t¡ª¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes, you were. Everyone knows it. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if he told you that himself before he died. I¡¯ll be willing to accept that I¡¯m the worst daughter in the territory if you¡¯ll finally admit that you were the child he had wished to have.¡±


    Iris didn¡¯t say anything. It took her a moment but eventually she did leave, finally leaving Samone again.


    When it came time, she sat through everything and never once cried or left the room. It never crossed her mind to do so, honestly, holding on to the belief that she didn¡¯t care at all. Once it was over, she lingered with the others and observed them all with a kind of apathetic stare.


    She was a bit more appreciative of Tyche¡¯s company than Iris¡¯s, knowing there was nothing the two could discuss to make her mood worse.


    ¡°Are you staying for a while?¡± Tyche asked as she gave Samone a glass of wine. ¡°There¡¯s got to at least be some things you need to sort out. Iris can¡¯t take care of the region controller side of things.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rather not, but I¡¯m going to have to,¡± Samone sighed. ¡°Minne¡¯s there to help Imre with Natheniel but he still doesn¡¯t have enough time to work on much. Unfortunately, though, I doubt I¡¯m going to be returning soon¡­¡±


    ¡°I could always help you, if you¡¯d like. Atka and Nehi should be able to take care of things for me, and we¡¯re close enough I could quickly yell at them if they can¡¯t. At least that way you¡¯re not alone with your family.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d appreciate it. I need someone as a buffer between the two of us¡­¡± Samone didn¡¯t need to say a name in order for Tyche to know who she meant.


    ¡°I bet. And I¡¯ll keep the kids away, too¡ªthat way we can have some peace and quiet.¡± Tyche smirked. ¡°As long as you¡¯re willing to bring out the good wine, that is.¡±


    Samone gave a weak smile. ¡°Of course, and¡­ thank you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what friends are for, isn¡¯t it?¡±

 Extras: Character Card and Sheet- Kiah

    Extra character card info:


    Commander of the Seothian army. It would be unwise to underestimate her¡ªher height speaks nothing of her combat talents. She has a lot more practical knowledge than one might assume; she¡¯s worked under the blacksmith Farrar and spent a few years working as a mercenary before joining Seothia¡¯s army. Now, whether this kind of lifestyle at a young age has anything to do with her present drinking habits is up to debate.


    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

 What Time Forgot: All Comes Crashing Down (Kiah)

    ¡°Are you sure you want me to drop you off here?¡± Dimas asked from the carriage, his concern more leaning towards suspicion. ¡°I don¡¯t mind if you stay until we get closer to where your parents are.¡±


    Kiah shook her head slowly. ¡°It¡¯s not going to hurt to walk. Besides, there¡¯s¡­ somewhere else I want to go first.¡±


    He didn¡¯t seem too convinced but didn¡¯t ask any more questions. She watched the carriage disappear in the direction of the castle before she took to wandering the streets herself.


    There were too many thoughts running through her head. She wasn¡¯t usually the kind of person to show her emotions but she felt like she was dangerously close to it now. It was already hard to accept everything else that happened around this time. Now, whatever calm and confident front she¡¯d been able to maintain was crashing down.


    Farrar disappeared in Oklathis. They¡¯d written to each other before then and he even gave her a stupid birthday gift, but she hadn¡¯t been in Qizar for a year; at that point, she figured it was fine if she just pushed back the trip instead of giving the work to someone else. Worst yet, he disappeared in Seothia and she still couldn¡¯t figure out where he was. There were only a handful who spoke of him at all anymore.


    Minne died in Onala. It shouldn¡¯t have been surprising, she¡¯d acted weird since Tavin was born so it made sense that she¡¯d sacrifice herself for him. But there had to be something else that could be done or something. She was always reckless, so who was to say that there could¡¯ve been a way for them to both be alive?


    And then¡­ there was Lydia. Kiah didn¡¯t think she¡¯d miss her. She was loud, obnoxious, and even as an adult she kept walking on and let others deal with everything for her. That didn¡¯t make it any easier to accept it. They could¡¯ve done something. If they¡¯d just come sooner, if they¡¯d stationed guards, then maybe¡ªmaybe she¡¯d be alive, Imre wouldn¡¯t feel responsible, and Tavin would still have a mother.


    Now here Dimas and Kiah were, away from it all in Hyasari. Like the cowards they were.


    She crept past her parents¡¯ house only after assuring herself that neither of them were there. Then she mumbled a little prayer of repentance, made sure there was nothing to associate her with Seothia¡¯s army, and walked into the Ambrosia Tavern.


    ¡°Haven¡¯t seen you in a while,¡± Eirica remarked. ¡°I heard what happened. It¡¯s unfortunate, obviously, but I guess that¡¯s the Ski¨¢ for you. The usual, I¡¯m assuming?¡±


    Kiah nodded numbly and gave her a handful of silver coins. ¡°However much this can get me.¡±


    Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    She sat at an empty table and drank. She didn¡¯t want to think of anything. The more muddled her thoughts were the better, and it took her longer than realizing the world around her had just become a buzz to stop.


    ¡­


    It was like a little pocket of hell.


    None of them could keep their composure when they saw it. At some points it barely looked like humans. All of this had been done by the Ski¨¢¡­ but did they really have the capability of doing all this damage without direction?


    ¡°Look for any survivors,¡± she instructed once she¡¯d regained herself somewhat. She stood outside for a few moments after most of the soldiers had entered. Then she decided it was time to face reality and stepped inside.


    Kiah looked for someone familiar in the hopes that she wouldn¡¯t be there. But there Lydia was. She¡¯d put up a fight¡ªor at least, that was better than thinking she hadn¡¯t been able to fight at all.


    Words kept failing and, with another look around the room, Kiah knelt down and began her plea in the Old Tongue. ¡°Vriuh¡­ I know you¡¯re only following orders, but please¡­ please tell me they¡¯re with you¡­¡±


    There was a peacefulness that followed, urging her back up when one of the soldiers walked up to her.


    ¡°Commander Kiah, we found some of the children.¡±


    She walked over to see them huddled together. Whether they knew what was on their way out or not, this was going to stick with them. She tried to muster the best smile she could, saying, ¡°It¡¯s gonna be alright. Let¡¯s play a game¡ªclose your eyes and follow my voice, okay?¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Efse, give her room to breathe.¡±


    ¡°What else am I supposed to do when she¡¯s been like this all evening?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s an adult. Let her deal with it herself.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think getting a letter from Eirica to pick up our daughter is supposed to be a part of that.¡±


    Kiah¡¯s head was pounding and she felt way too sick to listen to them. ¡°Mom, Dad, please go argue in another room¡­¡± She opened her eyes and propped herself up on the couch before realizing a third person. ¡°Wait, Dimas, what are you doing here? Aren¡¯t you supposed to be with Zofie?¡±


    ¡°She wasn¡¯t feeling well,¡± he said simply. ¡°I told Domenique the news, listened to Philyra for a little while, then I heard you drank enough that you¡¯ve been passed out for most of the day.¡±


    ¡°I did?¡± Most of it was more of a blur than usual.


    He sighed. ¡°Remember what Imre said about keeping appearances, especially in times like this.¡±


    ¡°Forget appearances,¡± Efse remarked. ¡°Think of yourself! You know what Orestis says about drinking. It¡¯s worse enough that you still engage in it but the fact you¡¯re not even trying to protect yourself¡ª¡±


    Zadeer put a calming hand on her shoulder. ¡°What your mother means is that you¡¯ve got to be more careful. What had gotten into you to forget when to quit?¡±


    Kiah mumbled, without any attempt to correct her quietness, ¡°We all know what it was.¡±


    No one said anything until Dimas muttered, ¡°Well, if there¡¯s one thing I know, it¡¯s that it¡¯s alright to mourn. It¡¯s losing yourself in the process that¡¯s the hard part.¡±

 Extras: Character Card and Sheet- Minne and Casper

    Card information:


    Minne:


    Imre¡¯s mother and the late queen of Seothia. She was an Ilethera with the ability to take on others¡¯ injuries and illnesses, born with Missa¡¯s spirit and adopting three friends from her childhood in her later life. She kept her share of secrets, but anyone could tell you that she was a kind woman who dearly loved her family¡­ something evident when she sacrificed herself so that her grandson could live.


    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    Casper:


    Imre¡¯s father and the late king of Seothia, born with a strong connection to Saint-King Lucas. Though he often got into trouble as a young adult, he grew into a more serious and considerate king. By his death, he was well-beloved by his people and made great strides towards peace with Qizar¡­ though, it should be noted that he never truly lost his playful nature, and was quite fond of making terrible puns.

 Extras: Character Card and Sheet- Zadeer and Efse

    Zadeer card:


    Kiah¡¯s father, a level-headed man that has more Seothian qualities than Qizarn. He was never the image of a successful person¡ªhis luck has always been practically nonexistent and he used to give too much to family in supposed-need. He¡¯s never held a single stable job in his life, though it¡¯s made him a rather well-rounded character. The fact he can¡¯t live with Efse and Kiah both is his only complaint about his current life in Hyasari.


    This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    Efse card:


    Kiah¡¯s mother, a goblin who is nothing if not guided by her faith. A day does not seem to pass where she doesn¡¯t thank the gods for their blessings or ask them to watch over her daughter. Though she worked as a seamstress near her ancestral home of Ecale, since moving to Hyasari, she¡¯s simply decided to spend the time with her love, Zadeer. Her deepest desire is for the three of them to live together.

 Extras: Art- The Phoenix Prince, The Dream and Nightmare

    The full versions of two of The Butterfly Effect''s promotional covers. The Phoenix Prince shows Natheniel (with symbolic melting wings) and The Dream and Nightmare show Lekra (left) and Iztali (right). They may also become covers for the volumes I''m going to put in Itch.io (which, by the way, for you bingereaders, I talked about a newer bonus that I''ll link to in the author''s note below)--I haven''t quite decided yet.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

 Extras: Character Card and Sheet- Clari and Lucas

    Clari character card:


    Lucas¡¯s wife and the first queen of the new Seothia. She would¡¯ve always been content with having a peaceful life surrounded by family, but still stood beside and supported him throughout the rebellion. Hers is a story told as a testament of fate; how a young woman who¡¯d held no former importance could play a crucial role in the kingdom¡¯s history.


    This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    Lucas character card:


    An average citizen turned rebellion leader and Seothia¡¯s Saint King. It would be wrong to say that it was a surprising development¡ªhe was known for actively opposing the old king. Still, when it came time for him to rule the nation he had renewed, he quickly gained the favor of his citizens¡­ though some would say he was too lenient when he rebuilt Seothia¡¯s noble houses.

 Extras: Character Card and Sheet- Henry

    Extra Character Card info:


    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    The younger of Lydia¡¯s twins, though dead at birth. Thanks to an intricate illusion, he was given the opportunity to spend time with his mother and brothers. He was always willing to hear a daring tale of adventure and even more willing to be a part of one himself; he often wrote them down, too, so that not a single story would be lost to time.

 Extras: Character Card and Sheet- Mae

    Extra character card information:


    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Hadar and Iris¡¯s oldest daughter, though it might be hard to guess from her personality alone. Despite being relatively removed from the Jaden nobility while she was growing up, she fits in quite well among them. Ever since Samone promised that she¡¯d one day get the title of the Red Rose of Jaden, Mae has been waiting very patiently for her aunt to die.

 Extras: Art- Guide to the Lost, Darkness + Pride!

    The full pieces of two of The Butterfly Effect''s promotional covers, featuring Usiu and Eldrianna, respectively. If I remember right, they were both used as covers for TBE on RR before, though Eldrianna''s was one for longer.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    And here''s a bonus pride piece, starring Natheniel and Enebish, for June!

 Extras: Character Card and Sheet- Usiu

    Usiu extra card:


    The Guide to the Lost, residing in the underworld. She was created by Vriuh in order to help both the living and the dead that couldn¡¯t move on from their loss. Her ways of helping among the living are subtle, since she cannot leave the underworld herself; among the dead, however, her presence is well-known and beloved, especially by those who needed her before they could enter the underworld.


    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

 What Time Forgot: The Life of Allen Karsten

    He wasn¡¯t afraid. At least, that¡¯s what he told himself. It was everyone else that was afraid with all their mumbling once they found out.


    ¡°What could he have done to get the bishop to summon him..?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Allen. What hasn¡¯t he done? It¡¯s probably all catching up to him.¡±


    ¡°But he doesn¡¯t do a lot in public, does he? He attends service and everything.¡±


    ¡°Besides, they almost always make a big deal of it.¡±


    ¡°Only if it¡¯s directed by Queen Zofie. We haven¡¯t heard anything about her getting paranoid again.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just something from the bishop, then?¡±


    ¡°Still doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s anything good.¡±


    Then, the single one that would actually say anything to him: ¡°Good luck, kid. And say hi to Vriuh for us.¡±


    But he was not scared. There was nothing awaiting him here that he couldn¡¯t deal with. He was too young to die. As far as the church knew, there wasn¡¯t any reason to kill him. His father was close to the bishop, so maybe that had something to do with it. But why such a blunt summons? After all, the only thing it said was ¡°Allen Karsten has hereby been summoned to see the bishop of the Pasha Region.¡± Hardly anything to go off of.


    He greeted the clergy with the kind of casualness he usually did. None of them showed any sign of even knowing that he was summoned there, let alone what awaited him. He kept a nonchalant appearance all throughout the cathedral before he finally reached the bishop¡¯s office.


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    He didn¡¯t need to knock before hearing the cheerful, ¡°Come in!¡± The bishop was smiling when he saw Allen opening the door, getting up to give a hug.


    ¡°Good afternoon, Lord Pasha,¡± Allen greeted, somehow making it sound like he wasn¡¯t the least bit concerned. ¡°You wanted to see me?¡±


    The bishop smiled. ¡°Yes. Sit, I have a story to share with you.¡± He wandered over to his chair, Allen hesitantly doing the same. ¡°I believe it was thirty or so years ago when I was first brought into this office. I was foolish back then, hardly acknowledging the power of Orestis; of course I had a family, but it was riddled with problems. I thought the bishop at the time had grown delusional, to be frank, when he told me his plans. Then by Orestis¡¯s will and might, I took up his position as bishop and grew in faith to lead this region.¡±


    The bishop moved around a few of the papers on his desk before continuing. ¡°And then there¡¯s you. I¡¯ve watched you grow into a fine young man; what I believe to be the perfect example of what we should all be. You¡¯re in a much better position to take the role of bishop than I ever was. As I prayed before calling for you, you were the only person that came to mind. I believe Orestis has great plans for you in your new role as the Pasha Region¡¯s bishop.¡±


    ¡­


    Some Ravens simply stared in disbelief; others laughed; several more gave scornful mutterings¡­ then there were the older few who congratulated him.


    ¡°This is something we must tell the boss right away,¡± one of them said before darting off.


    Another stayed to explain it to Allen. ¡°We thought we had lost our chance with Nigel¡ªbeing who he was, dying was the best thing he could do for us. But here you are, in the second best position. It won¡¯t take much longer until the Ravens will be able to see our deepest wishes come to fruition¡­¡±


    If someone had asked him how he thought his life would go, it would¡¯ve been the average story: after joining the Ravens he¡¯d continue working in the background, though never getting out in the open, then eventually find love and have a family to be surrounded by as he grew older. Being bishop was definitely not a part of that list, nor something he would¡¯ve ever considered himself doing. And while love was closer than he¡¯d thought, he never would¡¯ve expected it to be with who it was and the things that would come out of it¡­

 Extras: Character Card and Sheet- Nadia

    Extra character card info:


    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    A girl from Palus who seems to hold a lot more importance to a certain group than most realize. She¡¯s put all of that behind her, however, and now strives to live as normal of a life as she can¡ªone far away from anything they might be doing. She lives with her uncle Leon in Mikkel territory and has become particularly close to Tavin after their chance meeting.

 What Time Forgot: The Love of Allen Karsten

    He¡¯d gone to Hyasari shortly after the New Year for two reasons: to visit Kadol, his mentor (though they hadn¡¯t met a lot in person before this), and to attend a meeting of bishops by request of the queen. There he found the second most shocking thing to ever realize in his life, second to becoming the bishop: Queen Zofie was really hot.


    He ignored nearly everything she and the other bishops discussed in favor of more interesting fantasies. While the others debated the needs of their people, he considered what he might do to gain her attention. They¡¯d have no reason to meet after this. He didn¡¯t even know what she liked. Every moment of that meeting was spent working out a plan to introduce himself to her without their titles attached.


    Always a fan of Seothian plays, he could woo her by song! But¡­ did the castle even have a balcony? Would she get the reference? Not to mention it was Esetis¡ªit wasn¡¯t really romantic if he froze to death.


    Could he buy flowers and surprise her? No, it wasn¡¯t the right season and it would be too cliche. He wasn¡¯t sure how she¡¯d react to him using illusion magic after she lost her own.


    He glanced at her and, for a moment, she paused when their eyes met. Maybe¡­ all he had to do was talk to her. They just needed some time together and they could both see how it played out from there.


    He¡¯d shared his plan with Kadol and largely disregarded the older¡¯s advice. With his help, though, Allen was able to work out a scenario for the two of them to be alone together. All he had to do was use a bit of his Karsten charm and, if all went well, it wouldn¡¯t be the last they saw of each other.


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    And it worked. They talked until she could no longer afford to put her other obligations off. He stayed right there and waited for her. From that moment on, there was no denying this was something Talmi had selected herself¡ªa match meant to last forever.


    Of course, they¡¯d still only known each other for a month, but he was sure of it even now. He knew she¡¯d say the same, already closer than anyone would¡¯ve expected.


    ¡°What¡¯s this from?¡± He traced a scar along her back, though she didn¡¯t seem to mind it.


    ¡°Nigel,¡± was her quiet response.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to talk about it if you¡¯re not comfortable.¡±


    Zofie turned around and gave him a weak smile. ¡°I want to know you and for you to know me. I don¡¯t mind.¡± She got a little closer to him. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have heard much about him, being from Pasha¡­ either way, most of that¡¯s something for later. What matters is that, as the future queen and at least partially because of my magic, he didn¡¯t dare hurt me. But there was one time when I learned what Mother and Dimas shielded me from¡­ though I suppose I deserved it¡­¡±


    ¡°You could never earn something like that.¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°M¨¢vri Mage¨ªa. I used Dark magic to control him.¡±


    ¡°And what did he do to deserve it?¡±


    ¡°He¡­ was hurting Dimas. I couldn¡¯t just watch¡­ Thero had gone to get Mother, but I couldn¡¯t wait for her to try to break it up. Next thing I know, I¡¯m controlling my father like a doll.¡±


    ¡°You were looking out for your brother. That¡¯s nothing to be ashamed of.¡±


    ¡°Sometimes, I¡­ wonder if whoever I end up with is going to be like him. I know Dimas is happily married and looking after two kids, but still¡­¡±


    Allen kissed her. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry. I¡¯m never going to hurt you.¡±

 Extras: Character Card and Sheet- Missa

    Extra character card:


    One of the influencers of the Saint King¡¯s Rebellion with blood ties to the Fleyw Bresh. Due to her knowledge in both Seothian and Qizarn ways of life, she was often credited as the link between them. After the rebellion, she was one of the founders of the Missa-Sidyn university. Her legacy beyond that, though, has been lost to the ages, as her noble house collapsed soon after her death.


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 What Time Forgot- The Death of Allen Karsten

    He snuck up behind the throne to plant a kiss on her cheek. She laughed, though she made a quick glance towards the door to make sure the person she¡¯d been talking to had left. ¡°Come on, Allen, you know you¡¯re not supposed to be in here¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t see a reason why not,¡± he remarked. ¡°I mean, they¡¯ve got to know about this eventually. The only ones who know about us are Dimas, Thero, and Kadol. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s about time to make it public?¡±


    She shook her head slowly. ¡°I can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you trust me?¡±


    ¡°Of course I do¡­¡±


    ¡°Then why don¡¯t you put a name and face to the queen¡¯s love?¡±


    Still, she just shook her head.


    ¡­


    He had, honestly, intended to stay much longer than a few months. What compelled him to leave was a report from some of the Ravens in the Pasha region. The only detail he knew was that they were going to end up being executed but he, as the bishop, had to be able to do something. If anyone was good enough at half-baking a good reason to prove they¡¯d been falsely accused, it was him.


    With the urgency of the message, he didn¡¯t think about everything else. He left almost as soon as he heard it and didn¡¯t give any time to tell somebody that he was heading back or leave a note. Zofie trusted him; she¡¯d be willing to wait until he returned to hear why he left. Or at least, that¡¯s what he thought.


    It wasn¡¯t supposed to take long¡ªjust a quick in and out. The letters he tried sending to her were returned. Even his attempts at reaching Kadol didn¡¯t go through. More stuff kept piling up outside of Hyasari and the Pasha region, meaning no one outside of a group of Ravens knew where he was. By the beginning of the next year, things were clearing up¡­ and he had an unquestionable summons from the queen.


    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    Allen, of course, walked through the streets of Hyasari with confidence. He figured Zofie realized that was the best way for them to talk and figure out what he¡¯d been doing all this time. No one did anything to oppose that theory¡ªuntil he tried entering the castle.


    ¡°I¡¯m Allen Karsten,¡± he tried when the guards didn¡¯t let him in. ¡°The queen sent for me¡ªlook.¡± He showed them the summons.


    One of them stepped forward. ¡°That¡¯s rather honorable of you, Mr. Karsten¡­ acknowledging the crimes you¡¯ve committed and allowing yourself to be punished for them.¡±


    ¡°Wait, what?¡±


    But they had already started ushering him away from the castle. Until now, he hadn¡¯t even considered that Qizar had prison cells. Being thrown into one definitely changed his perspective.


    He was panicking now. ¡°Hey, can you at least tell me what I did?¡±


    ¡°You work for the White Ravens.¡± Zofie¡¯s emotionless voice was enough to make his heart drop. When she stepped in front of him, her eyes showed all her emotions; confusion, betrayal, heartbreak¡­ ¡°The heretical group that¡ªthat killed my mother¡­ that almost killed me. And one of them knew me more than anyone else ever will.¡±


    ¡°I can¡ª¡°


    ¡°Did you even love me? Was what we had any more than you fulfilling your master¡¯s orders?¡±


    ¡°Of course not. Look, Zofie, this is all a huge misunderstanding¡­¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°The truth is right in front of me. By order of the Commandments you will be burned at the stake in a couple of hours; love cannot excuse punishment. But¡­¡± She walked out of sight and came back with a baby in her arms. ¡°I thought you might like to see, just once, who our love created¡­ Philyra.¡±


    Seeing them together brought so many different thoughts to mind. He could only keep repeating the same desperate pleas as she walked away.


    Then, in that final moment of despair when he was taken out of his cell and out to be executed, he considered it all. With one last look at Zofie¡ªoverseeing the whole thing from a throne¡ªhe decided that he really did deserve this.


    And he prayed that even heretics enjoyed the same afterlife under Vriuh as the faithful did.

 Extras: Comic- Natheniel Explains Fire Symbolism

    Script


    ¡°So, I bet you¡¯ve noticed by now, but the children of Fleyw Bresh (well, everyone, kinda) have this thing with firet. Ever wonder why? Not really? Well, that¡¯s why I¡¯m here. Like everything else that the children of Fleyw Bresh care about, it starts with the Commandments¡­¡±


    [picture of Orestis] ¡°Somewhere near the beginning, their Creator, Orestis, said something special about the redeeming qualities of fire. Early on it was clear in the Commandments that fire wasn¡¯t about punishment or some untamed disaster like Seothians usually made it out to be; it was about purification.¡±


    [picture of Faidon] ¡°They believe that the person¡¯s sins (or most of them, anyway) were burned away with the flesh. That meant that their afterlife wouldn¡¯t be as bad. Because of it, Faidon¡¯s like the third holiest god after Orestis (for making everything, obviously) and Danai (for being Light).¡±


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    [next page, picture of fire] ¡°So then, what¡¯s some examples of these beliefs? For one, the children of Fleyw Bresh cremate their dead. That practice, like the Lantern Festival, became common in Seothia too during Saint King Lucas¡¯s reign. Second, pretty much anyone in Qizar or Idkor who committed a crime grave enough for death (murder, heresy, that sort of thing) are burned at the stake to help ¡®redeem¡¯ them.¡±


    [picture of Selik] ¡°Third is that some people just like taking advantage of the fact that fire is destructive. The most well-known case of this would be what Tyrant-King Selik did. Most historians would say he didn¡¯t just burn the old Hyasari to the ground in order to, you know, burn a capital. He did it to evoke the symbolic meaning behind it. It¡¯s pretty much like he said ¡®hey, you, children of Fleyw Bresh! I will redeem you!¡¯ Yeah, that went just as well as you¡¯d expect it to.¡±


    [back to Natheniel from panel 1] ¡°I think that¡¯s almost everything? I might¡¯ve missed something, I don¡¯t know. But, hey, at least you might be able to say you knew more than you did before? See you next time, I guess.¡±

 Extras: Character Card and Sheet- Kiraat

    Extra character card info:


    One of the previous Keys and a Messenger of Eldrianna. He¡¯s always been reclusive, though through his childhood grew willing to resort to extremes far too quickly. He became a Messenger in order to protect his adoptive little sister, Minne, and lurked in the shadows of her life more than he¡¯d admit. After her death, he dedicated himself more thoroughly to the work of a Messenger, but still stops by to catch a glimpse of who she¡¯d died for.


    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

 Extras: Character Card and Sheet- Dimas

    Extra character card info:


    The older twin brother to Zofie and husband of Imre. Few getting to know him now would be able to guess the things that he¡¯d had to go through in his childhood, even if there are some instincts from the time he still hasn¡¯t shaken off. He¡¯s grown into a kind man who¡¯d do anything for his friends and family. Despite the world seeming to fall apart around him, he¡¯s trying his best to support them all.


    If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

 Extras: Character Card and Sheet- Hadar and Iris

    Character card information:


    Hadar:


    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    Iris¡¯s husband and Mae¡¯s father. He¡¯s an investigator for the Seothian army, often spending long stretches of time away from his family. The difference between his family mode¡ªa talkative guy more than willing to share stories about his family¡ªand his work mode¡ªa serious man you, under no circumstances, want to mess with or annoy¡ªcouldn¡¯t be clearer.


    Iris:


    Hadar¡¯s wife and Mae¡¯s mother. She wasn¡¯t nearly as far removed from the Jaden nobility as her mother may have wanted her to be; as Kesem¡¯s health failed, she notably spent more time helping him than his own daughter. Years later, however, Iris is slowly working towards that life guarded from the unwanted attention of nobility¡­ and doing a bit too much for her family for too little in return.

 Extras: Art- Hidden Roses

    Some old-ish art of Iris (first) and Hadar (second),. That''s pretty much all I have I have to say but there''s a minimum character count for these. So...


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    Remember that you can suggest ideas for comics and Q&As and ask for certain characters to receive their character cards and sheets sooner. I''d love to hear what you want to see! It really helps me know what I should work on moving forward.

 What Time Forgot: Departure Deleted Part IVS (Natheniel)

    He came to breakfast late, walking in to the rest of them having a not-so-hushed conversation. It was really just a sign that they weren¡¯t talking about him; such a topic was always much quieter and never in such obvious of a place.


    ¡°More nightmares?¡± Imre mumbled. ¡°I suppose a couple could have been expected, but¡­¡±


    ¡°You two made sure it wasn¡¯t a Myal¨®?¡± Kiah asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± Samone replied with a nod. ¡°It was completely normal.¡±


    Kiah seemed to have an idea for whatever they were discussing. ¡°What did you say he told you they were about, again?¡±


    ¡°The Stone Estate,¡± Dimas sighed, ¡°and what happened there. It was pretty close to the descriptions you gave us about it, except, well¡­ from the point of view of someone who actually experienced what happened.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a couple of nightmares,¡± Natheniel murmured as he went to sit down. ¡°Tell him to deal with it.¡±


    For a past couple of nights, Tavin had been having nightmares about what happened to the Stones. Natheniel was confident that he was either faking it or over-exaggerating, though the adults must have thought it was actually something worth being concerned over.


    Kiah¡¯s only sign of acknowledging him was a glare. ¡°Minne told me how something similar happened when she got Takane, Umber, and Zenas as spirits.¡±


    Imre moaned, putting his face in his hands. ¡°Oh, that makes everything so much worse¡­¡±


    ¡°I can try to get a hold of Tyche,¡± Samone offered. ¡°A visit to the Lysha could clear this up pretty quickly.¡±


    That was when Natheniel realized this really was important. ¡°Wait, you¡¯re going to Levi Asari? Can I come, too?¡± Ihu, from their spot on his shoulder, chirped in agreement.


    ¡°We haven¡¯t even made a decision yet,¡± Imre sighed.


    ¡°So assume you were going, can I go with you? Please? I¡¯ll keep Ihu from flying off this time and I promise I won¡¯t complain about the old dude in public again.¡±


    ¡°Nehi,¡± Samone corrected. ¡°Though that was hardly the worst of the things you did¡­¡±


    ¡°In my defense, I was eight and completely unsupervised.¡±


    ¡°Only because you snuck off,¡± Kiah pointed out.


    The display contributed to Dimas¡¯s confident decision, ¡°You¡¯re not going. It won¡¯t be a casual trip¡ªthey¡¯ll just be there to talk to the Lysha and leave again.¡±


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    ¡°So let me guess,¡± Natheniel grumbled, taking a piece of fruit out of the bowl on the table, ¡°I¡¯m going to Qizar for the rest of the month?¡±


    ¡°No, there¡¯s no point in dragging you out there,¡± Dimas said. So now there had to be a reason? What about every other time they brought him there seemingly just to get rid of him for a few weeks? ¡°You¡¯ll just be staying with Kiah and I.¡±


    ¡­


    Natheniel had watched them from his room; the four of them gathering at the gates, the short conversation they had. Dimas kissed Imre, ruffled Tavin¡¯s hair, and gave Samone a mutual glance before seeing them off and heading back inside.


    ¡°What do you think, Ihu?¡± Natheniel sighed. ¡°What are my chances that they¡¯re not just going to do whatever they can to avoid me?¡±


    They chirped, affectionately rubbing their head against his hand.


    ¡°Never know unless I try, huh..?¡± He waited for them to hop onto his shoulder then went to leave his room. ¡°Here goes nothing, I guess¡­¡±


    He was walking back down and could see the two of them, slowing to a stop when he heard Dimas¡¯s serious tone.


    ¡°Kiah, there¡¯s something I want to tell you.¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    ¡°I tried catching a fog yesterday¡­¡±


    ¡°I swear if you¡ª¡°


    ¡°I mist.¡±


    ¡°How are you so much more of Casper¡¯s son than Imre has ever been?¡±


    Dimas simply chuckled. Then he noticed Natheniel, giving him a smile as he asked, ¡°Need something?¡±


    Ihu gave an encouraging chirp. It still took Natheniel a minute to make his suggestion. ¡°Can we¡­ go out to town together? Or are you going to be busy..?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have something else to do?¡± Kiah remarked. ¡°I¡¯m sure there¡¯s plenty of schoolwork you haven¡¯t even touched yet.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve got nothing better to do,¡± Dimas said, walking over to him. ¡°When we¡¯re done we can look at that other stuff together.¡±


    Nothing could have meant more to Natheniel than that moment, though it soon faded once they went out. He¡¯d gotten what he wanted. So why wasn¡¯t he happy?


    ¡°Something wrong?¡± Dimas eventually prompted after a couple of minutes. ¡°You¡¯re not usually this quiet.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been three years,¡± Natheniel mumbled, ¡°and we¡¯re not even all here.¡± Even quieter, he continued, ¡°It feels like you don¡¯t even care about me.¡±


    ¡°Of course we care about you. You know we¡¯re busy.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t seem like it. You spend plenty of time around everyone else, but then there¡¯s me¡­ either being rejected any time I offer something or getting yelled at for nothing in Qizar. You¡¯re always doing something but I¡¯m never a part of it.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s some things that you¡¯re not ready for.¡±


    ¡°Yet Tavin is? Sometimes it¡¯s like Philyra knows more about me than I do. Why do they get to know what I can¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°A lot is going on right now. Everyone needs to be on the same page in order for things to be as safe as possible.¡±


    ¡°Everyone except me, apparently. When am I going to know about it?¡±


    ¡°When you¡¯re older.¡±


    ¡°Give it a couple of years to forget about it, so you never have to tell me anything?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m trying to say.¡± Dimas sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll talk to Imre about it when he gets back, okay? I don¡¯t want you feeling like there¡¯s something important going on around you that you don¡¯t understand.¡±


    Natheniel muttered a response.


    ¡°We¡¯ll make sure to spend time with you, too,¡± Dimas offered. ¡°It¡¯s about time we start making these moments together a little more frequent.¡±


    Ihu chirped. Even they knew it wasn¡¯t going to last long.

 Extras: Character Card and Sheet- Eldrianna

    Extra character card info:


    The Goddess of Darkness in Qizarn myth. She was banished from Sanctuary for a deed the Commandments do not record, yet it doesn¡¯t seem to limit her abilities. Stories tell of her calculating attempts to ruin Orestis¡¯s plan; they warn never to get close to her, for only one benefits from a deal with the devil. Many people have at least seen her more than they realize, though, making her a threat that¡¯s capable of hiding in plain sight.


    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

 What Time Forgot: Remember What Was Lost (Imre)

    Samone was entertaining some guests from Zaci territory. Dimas was preparing to leave for Qizar. Kiah had left to take care of things at the fort. Tavin was resting after returning from Missa-Sidyn. That gave Imre the quietness he needed to do what he wanted.


    He remembered only half listening when Lydia described to him what the artifact could do. At the time, he¡¯d had more important things to worry about. There were only fragments left of that conversation now, after all those years passed with him thinking that he¡¯d never need the knowledge.


    Cautiously, he held the orb in his hands and mumbled, ¡°Aclither fifteenth, the Year of Shortcomings.¡±


    There¡¯d been such a long pause before it did anything that he¡¯d feared that it didn¡¯t work. Then two projections appeared in the room; the younger versions of him and the Forgotten Light, giving him the clearest glimpse of her that he¡¯d ever seen since her disappearance.


    And for the first time in years, he was able to remember her voice.


    ¡°That was pretty fun. And we didn¡¯t need to be the peacekeepers for once¡­ everyone actually got along with each other. Then everything kind of slowly started falling apart from there¡­ Now the farthest I ever go is to Hyasari and back again¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you what. Once Dimas comes back, we can all go to the beach. Mother wouldn¡¯t mind taking on a bit of my work for that¡ªI¡¯m sure Elena would help out, too.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like that. You can¡¯t take it back now; it¡¯s a promise.¡±


    Imre paid close attention to what would happen next, having the power of foresight. It would show Lydia things that she wasn¡¯t even alive for; maybe it would show him what the Forgotten Light had seen that day. The hope didn¡¯t make it any easier to sit through the bad memory again, however.


    She looked towards something he couldn¡¯t see, then was gone before he could process anything else. It moved away from what he already knew to reveal what he had yet to discover¡­ what had truly happened to her.


    Stolen story; please report.


    She looked scared, saying things he couldn¡¯t hear and addressing someone he couldn¡¯t see. He kept watching for something, anything, that might help in his search, but nothing ever appeared. As far as he was going to be shown, she¡¯d been alone that entire time.


    He wasn¡¯t foolish enough to believe that. He didn¡¯t take his eyes off of the projections, praying that something might show up.


    ¡°Hasn¡¯t anyone ever told you not to try to uncover what¡¯s lost for good reason?¡±


    Suddenly, he was greeted with a splitting headache. He dropped the orb in surprise, then cursed when he realized what he did.


    He¡¯d just lost his one chance of ever knowing the truth of that night.


    Gaining a second startled reaction out of him was the door swinging open and Dimas poking his head inside. ¡°I heard glass shatter, are you okay?¡± Then he paused, seeing the broken orb on the ground. ¡°Isn¡¯t that..?¡±


    Imre nodded slowly. ¡°I thought that, possibly, I could use it to help me figure out what happened to her¡­ and if¡ªif anyone¡¯s with her.¡±


    Dimas took a spot beside him and sighed. ¡°You really think that he¡¯s in the same place she is?¡±


    ¡°How else can we explain it? He¡¯s nowhere to be found in Seothia and he¡¯s definitely not in Qizar. It¡¯s like he walked into the forest and vanished¡­ just like she did.¡±


    ¡°Do you think that, maybe¡­ it¡¯s time to step back up and take a break?¡±


    ¡°Give up,¡± Imre corrected blankly. ¡°You mean to give up.¡±


    ¡°Come on, you know what I mean. Look at this; you could¡¯ve gotten hurt. I didn¡¯t even know that this was what you were going to do. Had you planned on telling me?¡±


    Silence was his only answer.


    ¡°I get that I only understand half of what¡¯s going on,¡± Dimas mumbled, ¡°but that doesn¡¯t mean I want to be left out. I want to know what you¡¯re getting yourself into. And this? I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re going to get yourself hurt if you keep going like you are now. I¡¯m not trying to make you stop completely¡ªjust to walk away for a little while. We can work it out together when I get back, alright?¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve got to go.¡± Dimas gave him a kiss before standing up. ¡°Love you. Try to get some rest while I¡¯m gone. I¡¯ll try to be back as soon as I can.¡±


    ¡°Take your time,¡± was Imre¡¯s hardly-audible mumble. ¡°Zofie¡¯s probably got a lot to talk about.¡±


    Then Dimas left. Imre spent another minute alone before trying his best to gather the pieces of the orb; he sat them all up in the same general area, promising himself to see if someone could fix it later. He went to his room after that, with nothing left to do and hopes of sleeping off the headache¡­

 Extras: Character Card and Sheet- Terika

    Extra character card info:


    Kadol¡¯s lost love and Lillian¡¯s mother. She¡¯d always been an adamant Raven¡ªshe did whatever she could for the cause whenever she was able. Many who knew her claimed that it was by pure luck alone that, while people within the church were aware of it, none of them accused her of heresy. She personally found it like a game of seeing how far she could push the boundaries; she was fulfilled with what she was able to do by her execution.


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 What Time Forgot: A Swap of Duty (Domenique)

    The first time she thought of learning Life magic was after all that happened to their father. She knew that it would¡¯ve been able to do something, whether that be fixing it altogether or making it easier to bear. She¡¯d never been able to do it while they were at Ryobel; they struggled enough as it was, she didn¡¯t even want to bring up the idea to their mother. But plenty of opportunities arose when the connections between Kamila, Haris, and Queen Minne were realized. Domenique almost immediately stepped out of the group in order to pursue those goals¡­ not like she¡¯d been too particularly interested in adventuring anyway. She trusted Imre and Dimas to keep her sister safe.


    When everyone else had settled down, she¡¯d tried to use the skills she learned in Seothia. It hardly went well¡ªthere were plenty in need but few willing to trust someone do things little of them understood. She¡¯d considered some other options but never made a decision until her sister disappeared.


    With memories fading and those remaining being the worst of them, she went to Qizar.


    ¡°She¡¯ll be fine,¡± Domenique assured him.


    It wasn¡¯t working. Dimas still hadn¡¯t technically left the castle and he was already worried. ¡°What if things get worse again?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be able to handle it.¡±


    ¡°Wait, she knows that you¡¯re stepping in, right? Does she even really know you..? Maybe I should¡ª¡±


    Domenique ushered him out the door. ¡°You are going to go back to Seothia, apologize to your fiance, and give him that big damn kiss he¡¯s been waiting months for. Trust me, he probably needs it.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure you have everything under control?¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have offered if I didn¡¯t know what I was getting myself into. Get some rest, make sure to eat, and don¡¯t worry about Zofie.¡± She offered him the best smile she could. ¡°I know what it¡¯s like to want to keep your little sister safe. I¡¯m going to do everything I can to help so you can focus on your own life.¡±


    Dimas thought for a moment before nodding. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m trusting you. Tell me immediately if things get worse, I¡¯m not going to hesitate coming back if I need to.¡±


    Domenique waved and watched as he disappeared into the streets of Hyasari. She really, really hoped he didn¡¯t come back. When she became aware of the guard that walked up beside her, she sighed, ¡°Please don¡¯t tell me I¡¯m going to have to deal with that regularly.¡±


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    ¡°Usually I would say yes,¡± he remarked, ¡°though I have a feeling it won¡¯t matter as much once you¡¯ve proven yourself to us.¡±


    She turned back into the castle. ¡°Remind me of everyone I need to make sure I don¡¯t tick off again?¡±


    Luckily, it didn¡¯t seem like he minded. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have expected you to remember us from the last time we¡¯ve seen each other at the border.¡± He gestured for her to follow him before she could get herself lost. ¡°I¡¯m Thero. Aside from Zofie, the only other one you¡¯re going to need to get involved with regularly is Lord Kadol. It would be relatively safe to assume to treat any strangers you come across as officials¡­ it won¡¯t take you long to recognize all of them.¡±


    ¡°On a scale of one to ten how forgiving are the children of Fleyw Bresh if I accidentally insult one of them?¡±


    ¡°I believe you¡¯ll find them quite friendly. Orestis speaks of treating everyone as equals; most of us abide by the rules He set out for us.¡±


    The only other thing he said to her as they walked through the halls was pointing out Kadol¡ªsomeone Domenique knew she would remember¡ªwhen they passed him. Thero showed that they were there by motioning to the door, though she hesitated to open it.


    ¡°Thank you again for coming, Father Phanes.¡±


    ¡°The pleasure¡¯s all mine, Your Majesty. It brings me great joy to see you well enough to accept visitors; surely, a gift from Orestis for your devotion. Too few would go to the lengths you have to hear His teachings.¡±


    Domenique glanced at Thero.


    ¡°Were her health to permit it, she never would¡¯ve missed a day of service,¡± he explained quietly.


    She waited until who she could only assume to be Phanes leave the room before entering herself. Zofie was sitting up but otherwise hardly showing a sign of being well; according to Dimas, though, even this was an improvement. She didn¡¯t smile at them until Thero crept in behind Domenique.


    ¡°I suppose Dimas left, then, if you¡¯re here.¡± Zofie paused to think. ¡°You¡¯re¡­ Domenique, right? The other magister he hung around with, other than the Red Rose.¡±


    Domenique nodded. ¡°Though, I¡¯m not considered a magister¡ªmy grandmother was a child of Fleyw Bresh.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t suppose that means you¡¯re familiar with our legends? It¡¯s probably too much to expect of you¡­ but Minne was able to surprise me once. We¡¯d had quite the conversation about Peiros¡¯s many works while at the border.¡±


    ¡°The most my mother ever told me was the warnings¡­ what happens to those who get on the gods¡¯ bad side.¡± Domenique decided not to mention that she wasn¡¯t sure of how much of it she believed. Sure, she couldn¡¯t truly deny it¡­ but she wasn¡¯t so willing to trust everything she¡¯d been told either. She¡¯d learned from observing the others interacting with Dimas that it wasn¡¯t something to bring up, however, so simply said nothing.


    ¡°You may not consider it my place to offer, but¡­ if you¡¯re willing to know more, I¡¯m more than happy to tell you what I know. I think you¡¯ll find it rather enlightening, if you choose to listen.¡±


    She managed a smile. ¡°I think I¡¯d like that.¡±

 Extras: Character Card and Sheet- Tyche

    Extra character card info:


    The Ram for the Lysha. She¡¯s recognized as perhaps one of the most powerful and influential of all of Jaden¡¯s elites, though her vices have a tendency to guide her actions. Any strangers will only see a woman they best not get on the bad side of; the select few that can call her a friend will see that she doesn¡¯t maintain nearly as formal of an air as she seems to from a distance.


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 Extras: Comic- Natheniel Explains the Beginning in Myth

    Script:


    "(Skip service one time and Zofie makes me do this¡­) So! I¡¯m back. And this time I¡¯ve got to talk about the beginning¡ªthe Commandments¡¯ beginning. I think it can be summed up pretty quickly but here we are¡­¡±


    ¡°First of all, Orestis was apparently just¡­ relaxing in a void or something and decided ¡®You know what? I¡¯m a god! Let¡¯s go make a world.¡¯ Or, for all we know, just a continent and some islands, since we can¡¯t reach the rest by sea. He made the plants and animals immediately.¡±


    ¡°He made Danai and Eldrianna after that. They were Light and Dark, the central balances of the world. Then he created Faidon, Daphni, Vaso, and Elle. Being Fire, Water, Earth, and Wind, they made life better for the creatures living there so far. Don¡¯t ask me the technical side of how that worked, I¡¯m not a Qizarn scholar. Kinda hard to verify something that literally no one was around for.¡±


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    ¡°Orestis created humans, goblins, and fairies once he saw that they¡¯d be able to live in the land he created. Skip some time later, but before the Fall of Eldrianna, Vriuh started existing as soon as the first person died. Orestis made the dragons and manticores to be guides to the mortals. Eldrianna did something he didn¡¯t like and he banished her from Sanctuary.¡±


    ¡°Some people say that¡¯s the end of the creation story, but it¡¯s not the last thing Orestis did. Finally, he oversaw the creation of Sokratas, Natasa, Glykeria, and Thales to perfect the pantheon. He also made the angels to guide mortals in ways the gods could not. After all of that, Orestis secluded himself to rest and reflect upon his grand plans. The Commandments never say he came out of that seclusion, but he must¡¯ve, if he¡¯s presumably watching everyone now.¡±


    ¡°¡®What does Seothia believe the creation was?¡¯ I don¡¯t know, probably just that we all started magically existing. Disputed records say they knew of Orestis around the time of the Commandments but who knows what the average Seothian thinks now. I just had to tell you about Qizar.¡±

 Extras: Character Card and Sheet- Faidon

    Extra character card info:


    The God of Fire in Qizarn myth. Despite being the most revered god after Orestis and Danai, many mortals would be surprised if they would meet him. Not only does he seem to actively avoid setting foot outside of Sanctuary¡ªoften sending Messengers or borrowing Fos to do the jobs instead¡ªbut even within Sanctuary, it seems he only does what he needs to. He¡¯s more than capable of putting in good work, though¡­ as long as you give him a good reason to.


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 Extras: Character Card and Sheet- Thalis

    Extra character card info:


    The God of Fertility in Qizarn myth, created from the essences of Water and Earth. He¡¯s exactly what would be expected; a kind individual often found around animals¡ªor, rather, Fos in their animal forms. He was responsible for building upon Orestis¡¯s work to create the kind of diversity seen in it now. Perhaps his best work was the ikretta¡ªvalued by Orestis so much that He made it the only flower worthy of blooming in Sanctuary.


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 Extras: Character Card and Sheet- Tandi and Jimar

    Tandi extra character card info:


    A multi-talented and reliable servant of the Tyrus household. She was the youngest of an older woman¡¯s adopted children in Solaris¡¯s capital before working under the Tyrus family; it¡¯s her feelings of obligation to her family¡ªwhether they truly need her help anymore or not¡ªand her master¡ªeven if he¡¯d accept whatever she decided¡ªthat she stays, despite her conflictions about some of his choices.


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    Jimar extra character card info:


    A previous servant of the Tyrus household, now living on his own. His parents had worked under the Tyrus family but, after a disagreement with their master, he left and wandered around Qizar on his own. While he has declared a certain village as his home, he still travels in order to visit family friends¡ªeven if he avoids anything close to interacting with his old master again.

 What Time Forgot: An Old Friend (Koyana)

    ¡°Oh, gods, was this place in this much of a mess when we left it..?¡± There was something heartwarming, almost, in the way Evelina dashed from one room to another; the way she showed her happiness that the siblings decided to stay with them.


    ¡°Are we looking at the same house?¡± Demery asked. ¡°This looks pretty clean to me.¡±


    ¡°You both deserve something better than this¡­¡±


    ¡°Evelina, I really don¡¯t think they¡¯ll mind.¡± Olle put a hand on her shoulder when she was about to pass him, and she stopped to look at him. ¡°Look, I¡¯ll try to get the spare room set up for them so they can put their stuff in there. Show them around, maybe? But remember we still don¡¯t know for sure if you¡¯ve actually lost your magic yet. You shouldn¡¯t do too much before we have an actual answer¡­¡±


    There was a pause, but she nodded. As soon as he disappeared to go upstairs, Evelina gestured around.


    ¡°This is the living room,¡± she explained. ¡°Just, ah, set your bags down over there until Olle¡¯s ready with the spare room. The kitchen¡¯s right over there¡ªdo you want anything, by the way?¡ªand there¡¯s a small study across the hall. The first room upstairs is the spare room, second is Olle¡¯s, and last is mine. If you ever need anything, just let one of us know. We¡¯ll be more than willing to help.¡±


    Demery looked around and, after setting his bag of things down by the door, wandered over to the couch. ¡°What do the two of you do for a living? This looks like a pretty above-average house.¡±


    ¡°Olle usually helps run errands across town. I¡­ never really had a job, exactly, but I usually volunteered around the church¡ªthey¡¯re all nice and understanding, it¡¯s the least I can do to repay their kindness.¡± She paused. ¡°A lot of this wouldn¡¯t have been possible without their generosity, really. But they¡¯re all understanding of our situation and willing to do what they can to make things easier for us. I truly don¡¯t know where we¡¯d be without them¡­¡±


    Koyana considered her words as she went to set her own bag down¡ªand stopped when a little box poked out from the top. Instinctively, she gently took it out to open it, to find its single content still perfectly safe.


    ¡°That¡¯s a pretty bracelet,¡± Evelina remarked. ¡°Was it a gift from someone?¡±


    Even Demery froze for a moment. Koyana knew he would¡¯ve started trying to explain it, but she spoke first: ¡°It was from an old friend of mine. I think¡­ it¡¯s about time the two of you learn about him. You¡¯ve trusted us with the secrets of your pasts, so it¡¯s only right I tell you what remains of ours.¡±


    ¡­


    She couldn¡¯t remember if she¡¯d gone out to town without Demery, or if she just wandered that far away from him. But she had just finished talking with Ms. Siavax¡ªnot buying anything, just wishing her a good day¡ªand walked back into the streets to hear an unfamiliar voice.


    ¡°So she does talk! Must not like strangers, then, huh? I tried getting something earlier for my mom and she practically ran away from me.¡± The owner of the voice showed himself: a teen around her age, or maybe Demery¡¯s, with a playful grin.


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    Koyana nodded. ¡°Ms. Siavax doesn¡¯t really like talking with people she doesn¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re from around here, then?¡±


    ¡°I live right there.¡± She pointed to her grandparents¡¯ house, then paused. ¡°But I¡¯ve definitely never seen you around before! Did you just move here or are you just stopping by for a little while?¡±


    ¡°My dad¡¯s a merchant, and usually we travel a lot, but I don¡¯t think we¡¯re going anywhere for a while. They like it here, I think. Something about making friends.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Right! If we¡¯re going to be more than strangers, we¡¯re going to need to know each other¡¯s names. I¡¯m Vero.¡±


    ¡°Koyana.¡±


    .


    ¡°You know Demery¡¯s not going to be happy if I¡¯m not home by dark¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure he won¡¯t mind if you¡¯re a little late! This place is worth it, I promise.¡±


    Vero hadn¡¯t told her anything about where he wanted to take her, just that there was a place he wanted her to see. He¡¯d actually made such an announcement days ago, but had been stubbornly opposed to saying anything else about it earlier that day. And, really, all that was was a simple ¡°there¡¯s something I want to show you¡± as he led her through the forest.


    ¡°I found this the first time we visited town,¡± he said, casually, as he slowed to a stop. ¡°I hadn¡¯t thought anything special about it at first, but after I met you, I just kept coming back to it. I want you to be able to see it, too.¡±


    Then he led her into a little clearing, one where ikretta bloomed in the patches of sunlight, where the first fireflies of the night danced around. Right in the center was a picnic blanket and a basket she knew, from the moment she saw it, was full of her favorites.


    Koyana looked up at him, confused yet flattered, and asked, ¡°You did all of this?¡±


    He laughed. ¡°Of course I did! You¡¯re practically the closest friend I¡¯ve ever had. We never get a lot of time on our own, so I decided to change that. Don¡¯t worry about the time¡ªI know enough Light magic to keep us safe.¡± He guided her to the blanket. ¡°Now come on, these sweets aren¡¯t going to eat themselves.¡±


    .


    She didn¡¯t know why she felt so distressed, she just did. ¡°Do you really have to go..?¡±


    ¡°Hey, what are those tears for? We¡¯ve left before, have I ever failed in coming back?¡±


    ¡°I just¡ªI don¡¯t know. I have a bad feeling about all of this¡­¡±


    ¡°Dad definitely doesn¡¯t. If he thought that there was going to be any real danger, then none of us would be going.¡± Vero¡¯s grin had already faltered at that point, but his confidence hadn¡¯t wavered until he mumbled, ¡°Or he thinks that the reward is worth the risk¡­¡±


    That just made things so much worse. ¡°Can you try to see if he¡¯ll let you stay?¡± she asked, desperately, though really she knew what his answer was going to be.


    ¡°Believe me, I would if I could¡ªyou know I hate seeing you like this. But he said he needed me, so I¡¯ve got to be there for him. I promise I¡¯ll be careful, alright? And I¡¯ll hunt down some birds to spell to send you letters. We¡¯ll be back, safe and sound, before you even notice.¡± He wiped away one of her tears and gave her a kiss on the cheek, then backed away. ¡°I¡¯ll see you in a few weeks.¡±


    It felt like she counted down the seconds from the moment he walked away to when she thought he¡¯d be back. When letters stopped coming, she forced herself to believe it was because he couldn¡¯t capture a bird to spell. When it took them longer than they should have to return, she created a story in which they¡¯d gotten a big job on the other side of the mountains that made them late. She did all she could to hold out on any fragment of hope, until the day Demery cautiously approached her, and told her what the church had just announced.


    Vero wasn¡¯t coming back. None of them were.


    They were all dead.

 Extras: Art- Fire and Fertility

    Somewhat older art of Faidon (top) and Thalis (bottom). It''s about time I redraw all the Qizarn gods in stained glass...


    Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    As a fun little question to answer in the comments (because I am once again fighting with the minimum character count for chapters): would you rather be able to manipulate fire or plants?


    I think I''d rather manipulate plants. Maybe then I''d actually have a garden and not be afraid of all the plants dying.

 What Time Forgot: Memories- Haris (Part 1)

    Their town was something that, then, was considered something of an anomaly. Even with all the help the Fleyw Bresh had given the goblins and fairies over the years, it was rare for them to establish a town and live together as if they were one. Well, mostly one. They still had their fair share of arguments and generally they stayed in their respective churches.


    Haris was young then; an energetic boy still impressionable enough to willingly sit through the kids¡¯ service. His sister, being three years older, was quickly losing the childlike wonder needed to be entertained by it.


    She raised her hand and, without any form of confirmation, asked, ¡°Can I join the adults instead?¡±


    The poor clergyman in charge, forcing a smile despite his growing annoyance at her persistent question, reminded her, ¡°Your parents brought you here for a reason. If you want to join them next time, then that¡¯s a conversation for the three of you.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s about to get to the best part, Sarah!¡± Haris whispered to her. Or, at least, he pretended like he was whispering. ¡°Come on, stop complaining!¡±


    ¡°Once we finish the lesson, it¡¯s craft time,¡± the clergyman tried in an attempt to keep them both quiet. Instead, it got the entire thirty-some kids in the room to let out cheers. He sighed. ¡°Why did I tell my mother I would do this¡­¡±


    Something else interrupted him, though; the opening of the door and a hushed argument in the Old Tongue. A goblin and her daughter were there¡­ even if it seemed the daughter in no way wanted to go inside. The clergyman walked up to them and talked to them for a little while until the daughter joined the rest of the kids and the mother left. No words were spoken about her sudden appearance or how long she¡¯d been staying.


    Haris, even in his hometown, had something about him that made people stay away from him. When they all went to a table for crafts, he sat only with Sarah¡ªeveryone else acted like he was favored by Darkness. It was something that, for a little while, whoever watching the kids would try to solve. They¡¯d eventually realized, though, that it was practically impossible without forcing someone and he really didn¡¯t mind.


    He was surprised when someone else joined them this time, and that someone else had been the goblin from before.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you in school,¡± Haris remarked casually. He was too focused on coloring the pieces of his craft to look up at her for more than a moment, however.


    ¡°Mom teaches me on her own,¡± she responded after a moment.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name? I¡¯m Haris and this is my sister Sarah.¡±


    ¡°Takane.¡±


    ¡­


    He couldn¡¯t remember how old he was when he first heard it; the story of the Minotaur and the Caverns. All he remembered was going back home that evening and continuing on with his day as if nothing was different¡­ that is, except the story kept replaying in his head.


    He¡¯d eventually went to his room and opened up his own copy of the Commandments. He skimmed through all the other parts until he found the one with the story of the Minotaur. Then he just kept rereading it¡ªrereading and rereading until Sarah came in to announce dinner.


    The next morning he¡¯d gone to the visiting pastor and asked questions about the story. Haris wanted to know more about the Caverns. But the pastor held no answers for him.


    That just meant he had to find them out on his own¡ªand there was one person he knew he could explain it to that would listen.


    Takane.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s interesting what the Commandments leave out of it,¡± Haris was saying as they walked along the creek. ¡°It never tells us the names of the people Theseus brought with him, did you notice that?¡±


    ¡°Mom says that it only includes what¡¯s most important,¡± Takane remarked. ¡°The things that Orestis thought were necessary for us to understand it but not really anything more than that.¡±


    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t they be named? So many others that only appear once or twice have names. It doesn¡¯t even state how many of them there were. What do you think made them so different from the others?¡±


    She didn¡¯t pretend to know anything more than he did. ¡°Have you already tried looking in all the other documents? There¡¯s usually other versions of the stories.¡±


    ¡°I did. All the ones the priests let me see, anyway. They said the rest of them I needed more permission for or could see when I was older.¡± He stopped along the edge and sat down, gesturing for her to join him. ¡°I want you to promise me something. I¡¯m going to do everything I can to figure this whole thing out, no matter how long it takes me¡­ and I¡¯m going to need someone by my side while I do it. Will you come with me?¡±


    ¡°I-I don¡¯t know¡­¡±


    ¡°Come on, you know everything¡¯s better with friends. We¡¯re probably still going to be here for a while. Maybe we¡¯ll go out to the capital one day, I bet their archives are huge. You said you wouldn¡¯t mind seeing what¡¯s past these mountains.¡±


    She smiled, though he never recognized the hesitance behind it. ¡°I¡¯m not sure about the whole traveling thing just yet, but I promise I¡¯ll help you out here.¡±


    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    ¡­


    Haris started with a general goal. It soon grew much more specific.


    Sarah, while out on a trip for their parents, had gotten a book from a nearby town for him. She told him they had plans of burning it¡ªthey didn¡¯t believe it accurately portrayed the truths of the Commandments. It made him even more curious to read it and it looked like she went along with her day as if nothing had happened.


    ¡®Here I detail my work so that the world might acknowledge my studies. I have put many years of research into this project. I know that someone might be able to gain something from it.


    First, there is the matter of the ley lines. They flow parallel to the way that Vaso walked through the lands. Through them, magic is distributed throughout the world. There is, however, something else that coincides with these points: the Anysia Caverns. This complicated system of tunnels with so many paths but precious few exits was the hiding place for the Fleyw Bresh in our darker years. Or, rather, one that I found of more interest to my studies, the extension of Peiros¡¯s Labyrinth; the same Labyrinth that houses the spirit of the Minotaur.


    Theseus¡¯s journey was recorded in many places. Through all the church-sanctioned materials surrounding the legend, we learned many things about him. In these books we learned about his family and what happened once he returned to his homeland with his new bride, things the Commandments never elaborated on. But we never learned about his companions.


    I have searched long and hard to find everything I could on the matter. Admittedly, there is still much that needs to be found. But I have discovered that there were five, and they were referred to as ¡°the Keys.¡± They were part of Peiros¡¯s failsafe¡ªhow people were able to access the Labyrinth. Finding them was not meant to be easy. He did not want anyone to accidentally find them all and unleash the beast, after all. They can, though, be found.


    With the Minotaur now gone and nothing but a spirit remaining, there is little reason for the Keys to continue to be created. But, as part of Peiros¡¯s creation, they need to be. Below I have marked the names and locations of all those who were either confirmed to be Keys or I found held similar characteristics in them. I do not know much about what they are supposed to do or look like, but I do know that there are things that they all possess and some that are common only between a few. They are all marked according to my confidence in the matter.¡¯


    Haris, intrigued by the information and ready to learn more, turned the page in order to see all the data.


    There was none.


    ¡­


    ¡°This is it, Takane.¡± He couldn¡¯t hide his excitement. ¡°This is what I¡¯ve been looking for! This is going to help us find out who they all were.¡±


    She glanced over from what she was cooking. ¡°It¡¯s a single line mentioning someone in Rhodes territory. With a question mark beside it.¡±


    ¡°Well, the rest was all torn out,¡± he remarked. ¡°This is the only remaining piece of the chart. But look, this one is recent.¡±


    ¡°Haris, that says that person was last seen a hundred years ago,¡± she pointed out. ¡°How old were the rest of them that a hundred years is recent?¡±


    ¡°The author mentioned that it got much harder to determine after the Fleyw Bresh¡¯s time in the Caverns.¡± He didn¡¯t seem to be seeing the same problem that she did. ¡°He couldn¡¯t go off of what other records said were the Keys at that point because no one cared after that. He¡¯d come up with all of that himself. I¡¯d also guess that this was written much closer to that time than it was to now¡­¡±


    Takane went back to what she was doing before. ¡°Alright, so you figured out that they were the Keys and that these Keys are part of what unlocks the Labyrinth. What do you do now?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to find them. They¡¯re probably the most likely to have any sort of interesting information. If I find them¡­ maybe I¡¯ll be able to find the entrance to the Caverns, too. Wouldn¡¯t it be amazing to explore that place, learn whatever other hidden secrets might be there..?¡± He did, however, remember the main purpose of telling her all of this. ¡°And remember what I said years ago about coming with me? How would you like to start seeing the rest of the world tomorrow morning?¡±


    ¡­


    Sarah had already left home to find her own path at that point; she¡¯d made it clear that she was never going to stay longer than she had to. It surprised few when Haris left as well, leaving little reason to think that he would return. What was surprising to most of the town was Takane agreeing to go with him¡ªthey¡¯d always underestimated, it seemed, the discomfort she was willing to put herself through in order to help her friend.


    That discomfort, whether he realized it or not, was about to get much worse because of him.


    They were really staying at an inn in the largest city close to their hometown. They might as well have been living in the library, however, with how often they visited and how long they stayed.


    ¡°Oh, Takane, listen to this!¡± He¡¯d searched through all sorts of old records; he was lucky to be born into a mixed population, relatively fluent in the Old Tongue and being able to piece together the words that had been lost to time. ¡°There¡¯s more specifics about the five people that become the Keys. This says they each play a role¡ªthey¡¯re either the Bear, the Fox, the Rabbit, the Eagle, or the Cat. Each corresponds with a constellation.¡±


    Knowing that he had much more to share than that, Takane looked up from her book and showed that she was listening.


    ¡°It says that those who become close to them can begin to set them apart after a while. It also says that there¡¯s a way to tell if someone is part of the current set of Keys¡­ and I want to try it on you.¡±


    ¡°What? How could I¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure either, but I have this feeling. Come on.¡± He took her hand and led her outside, only assuring the librarian that they would return the book.


    Haris led Takane to a quieter area. There was a river and, surprisingly and luckily enough, ikretta growing along it. He plucked a flower and crushed it. ¡°I want you to hold this.¡±


    Hesitantly, she held out her hands. He placed the crushed flower in it and mumbled things in the Old Tongue; he didn¡¯t know their meaning, and from Takane¡¯s expression, she mustn¡¯t have known or understood it in context either.


    The flower glowed for a moment, before the light formed a rabbit and jumped out of her hands. It disappeared immediately after, however.


    ¡°This¡ªthis is amazing! Do you realize what you are?¡± Haris held her hands and, in his excitement, completely overlooked her fear. ¡°You¡¯re one of them. You¡¯re the Rabbit.¡±

 Extras: Character Card and Sheet- Imena

    Extra character card info:


    If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    A Fos meant to protect those in need during dire circumstances. Due to such a role, she often finds herself in northern Seothia aiding magic users; which, much to her dismay, has earned her a role in several folktales. She faces nearly every kind of situation with a cool confidence¡ªthe only thing she¡¯s really afraid of is losing her light and dying.

 Extras: Character Card and Sheet- Natasa

    Extra character card info:


    The Goddess of Music and the Arts in Qizarn myth. The younger twin to Sokratas, both born from the essences of Light and Earth. She¡¯s always adored mortals and their creativity but never dared to visit them personally. In Sanctuary, she helps care for the Fos through her music; many of them have taken to thinking of her as an older sister of sorts, knowing she¡¯d be able to give them some kind of comfort amidst chaos.


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 What Time Forgot: Memories- Haris (Part 2)

    He tested himself once, to see if he was also one of the Keys. It did nothing for him. It wasn¡¯t completely hopeless, though; it helped him become aware and familiar with a certain¡­ aspect of Takane. He noticed a kind of aura about her, one he soon contributed to her connection to the Keys. Assuming it would also help him distinguish Keys he didn¡¯t know, he used it to weed out whatever unlikely candidates they may have come across. He still checked a few, of course, but he trusted it to keep him from having to waste his time.


    Still, in the years that they were traveling, they never came across another Key.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± Haris mumbled, paying more attention to the map in his hands than where he was going. On the map were all the crossed off places they¡¯d been already¡ªnearly every village on the eastern side of Qizar and everywhere else they¡¯d traveled on their way to the Andrea Province. ¡°According to the book, all of the other Keys were close to each other when they were found. Your companions should have all come from the mountains or the goblin provinces, but there wasn¡¯t anyone there. Not even as much as a hint towards the right direction¡­¡±


    ¡°Maybe they all left home, too,¡± Takane offered. ¡°We¡¯re definitely not the only ones who decided to travel. They could¡¯ve all moved to other places of Qizar¡ªthey could¡¯ve gone to Seothia, though I don¡¯t know why anyone would¡­¡±


    ¡°Sarah mentioned something about their low expectations; they don¡¯t care for the Commandments. I suppose, as long as she doesn¡¯t flaunt her magic, they don¡¯t care if she¡¯s a child of Fleyw Bresh, either.¡±


    ¡°I suppose that¡¯s easier for you to say as someone who looks like them¡­¡±


    What happened while they were talking was something Haris hadn¡¯t noticed. That is, of course, until they went to an inn to stay the night and realized what was missing.


    He was, perhaps, a bit too casual with the impatient innkeeper when he asked, ¡°I don¡¯t suppose I can pay you later?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s four coppers for you and that friend of yours,¡± the innkeeper pointed out. ¡°From the looks of it, you should definitely have some kind of money to spare.¡±


    Takane hadn¡¯t been concerned before¡ªafter all she hadn¡¯t been aware of the situation¡ªbut now was on the verge of panic. ¡°Haris, what did you do?¡±


    ¡°It seems that, somewhere along that busy street, we were pickpocketed,¡± Haris responded casually.


    The innkeeper let out a dark chuckle. ¡°This place is full of thieves, you¡¯d do good to pay attention to your surroundings. If you don¡¯t have anything, then that¡¯s your own fault.¡± Then something on Takane caught his attention, smirking as he remarked, ¡°But you¡¯ve got an awfully pretty carving knife there. I think that¡¯ll be enough to pay for the night.¡±


    ¡°Oh come on, quit messing with them,¡± another voice sighed. A woman walked up to stand beside the innkeeper and gave Haris and Takane a friendly smile. ¡°Don¡¯t mind him, he¡¯s just as much of a thief as the ones running around outside. I¡¯m Minne, I often clean up around here when I have the spare time.¡±


    ¡°Haris,¡± he said, then gestured to his goblin companion, ¡°and Takane. We¡¯re¡­ travelers.¡±


    ¡°I can tell just from the look of you! I was just about to head home, I¡¯d be more than willing to help you out while you¡¯re still here. It¡¯ll make things a lot easier for you if you have a local around.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°You really didn¡¯t need to help us this long,¡± Haris remarked. ¡°We only needed to stay one night¡­¡±


    ¡°And leave you on your own without anything else? You would¡¯ve run into the same problem in the next town.¡± Minne shook her head at the mere thought of it. ¡°How could I let you do that in good conscience?¡±


    ¡°That money from home wouldn¡¯t have lasted us much longer anyway,¡± Takane mumbled. She was busy carving something; a passtime she¡¯d developed in their hometown that was now becoming their source of income. ¡°Sure, we¡¯d done a couple of small tasks along the way¡­ but most of it was relying on favors and getting the help of friends and family.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how you made it this long,¡± Minne admitted. ¡°There¡¯s just one thing I want to ask. What is it that you¡¯re traveling for? Surely, if it¡¯s anywhere in Qizar, you would¡¯ve found it by now¡­¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re looking for the Keys,¡± Haris explained. He couldn¡¯t hide his excitement when discussing the matter. ¡°They¡¯re supposed to help us access the Labyrinth. Takane¡¯s one of them, but we¡¯re not sure of where the others are.¡±


    ¡°Minotaur hunting?¡±


    ¡°Cavern exploring, hopefully.¡±


    She wandered into another room for a moment before returning with an old book. ¡°I can¡¯t do anything to help you find them, but my family does have an old story about the place. One of my ancestors, on his way to the Labyrinth, stopped by a willow tree in Seothia. One of the most noticeable features was that it seemed ancient and planted there by someone, yet no one lived in the area when he went there. I think there might be a town there now, though.¡± She flipped through the pages and showed them a map.


    Takane, even if she didn¡¯t seem to want to admit it, mumbled, ¡°That point feels¡­ familiar. Do you have any other pictures of it?¡±


    Minne leafed through a few more pages then handed the book to Takane. ¡°Here¡¯s some more of the tree. That¡¯s all there was when one of my family members last went there a few decades ago.¡±


    Haris grinned. ¡°Would you mind if I copied this map? I think it might help us to check the place out.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡®I got to admit, I did not expect you to get that far. I would be impressed if it did not mean I had to explain it to you.


    Most importantly: Seothia is not Qizar. There are no friendly people willing to help out. There are no churches. It will be for the better if you do not mention your magic. If you have to use it, stay out of sight. It is not quite so bad where I am, but I gather that is a bit of an outlier. Do not make a fool of yourself. Unlike Qizar, you are going to need to work for what you have. Tell me when you reach the border and I will meet you somewhere so we can talk this all over in person.¡¯


    He smiled when he saw the letter and went to write his response. ¡®Thank you, Sarah. I appreciate all this effort. I will certainly make sure that we are able to meet up and spend some time together.¡¯


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    ¡­


    Sarah¡¯s guidance was invaluable. Not like Haris listened to most of it¡ªhe was too interested in learning how this might help him uncover more about the Keys. Takane was the more social of the two, introducing them to their new neighbors in the small mountain village of Idale.


    They¡¯d been there for a year now. The Seothians still didn¡¯t like them; Sarah had assured them that they probably never would. He didn¡¯t care nearly as much as he felt like he should¡¯ve. The only time he left the house was to investigate the Keys or offer his services somewhere for some money. Their friendship wasn¡¯t something he required. He didn¡¯t even care about their acquaintanceship.


    ¡°One of them is throwing a party soon,¡± Takane remarked as she moved through the house. ¡°She invited us.¡±


    ¡°Yes, and why should that matter?¡± Haris had dozens of books in front of him, scanning over all of them in hopes that one of them would shed some light on the place.


    ¡°Everyone thinks you¡¯re a volatile recluse who¡¯s going to destroy the town with eldritch magic.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous! I don¡¯t know eldritch magic.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what you actually know, but what they think you do. You¡¯ve given them absolutely no reason to think that you¡¯re not any of that. This might be the perfect opportunity to change what they think about you.¡±


    ¡°I still don¡¯t see why I should be concerned about their image of me.¡±


    ¡°Every now and again, they talk about getting pitchforks and driving the tynmir out of their village.¡±


    ¡°So?¡±


    She sighed. ¡°Alright, stay here and do nothing to try to prove them wrong. At least I might be able to convince them we can be ignored¡­¡± She paused. ¡°Are you even listening to me?¡±


    He quickly got up and grabbed his coat. ¡°I¡¯ll see you after dinner.¡±


    ¡°What, what are you¡ª¡°


    ¡°I have this feeling that there¡¯s more Keys around here.¡±


    Haris didn¡¯t give her any more time to question it before he left. He followed his instincts out of Idale and into the surrounding area, eventually guided to an abandoned town. Anyone else would¡¯ve assumed there was no one here. He knew better than that, though.


    ¡°Come on out, there¡¯s no reason to hide,¡± he said calmly as he looked around. ¡°I know someone¡¯s there. You should be able to realize that I pose no threat to you.¡±


    Something moved in the corner of his eye. After recognizing what it must¡¯ve been, he mumbled, ¡°Unless you¡¯re children¡­¡±


    Still, he was able to determine where they were hiding¡ªa small home that reeked of unpleasant things. Two children, considerably young, stared up at him with fear.


    Haris bent down to be at their level. ¡°I¡¯m not going to hurt you. In fact, I want to help you. What happened here?¡±


    ¡°Shadows moved,¡± the older of the two, a boy, muttered. Of course that was all he was going to be able to understand at that age.


    ¡°How long have you been alone like this?¡±


    The boy shook his head.


    ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you¡¯re hungry?¡±


    Both of them nodded.


    ¡°Then how about you come back with me? You¡¯ll be fed and well taken care of. My home is close to here, so it¡¯s not a very far trip.¡±


    The younger, a girl, asked, ¡°Toys?¡±


    Haris somehow managed a smile. ¡°If toys are what you want, then I¡¯m sure we can spare enough money to buy some. I¡¯m going to be your new father, after all.¡±


    ¡­


    It took some convincing to make Takane agree to the arrangement, but eventually she complied. Haris had made sure to test both of them¡ªcalling themselves Kiraat and Zenas¡ªto find out if they were really the Keys. They were the Fox and the Eagle. He also tested Takane again to see if she was a part of their set (believing it wouldn¡¯t work otherwise), and it still did. That speculation was saved for a later date.


    Haris didn¡¯t care what the people of Idale said about him for taking them in. At least one woman didn¡¯t share the thoughts of the others.


    ¡°You make good money, don¡¯t you?¡± the woman asked. She seemed on the verge of tears and she was cradling a baby in her arms.


    ¡°Enough to comfortably support the four of us and then some,¡± Haris assured her. He only spared a brief glance at Takane, who was entertaining the other two during the conversation.


    ¡°I can¡¯t take care of him like this,¡± the woman mumbled. ¡°I¡¯d rather he be raised by someone else than starving. You¡¯re the only ones that have shown an interest in taking him in.¡±


    Haris could feel the aura coming from the baby; another one of the Keys. ¡°It¡¯s the least we can do to help a neighbor.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re sure you¡¯ll take good care of him?¡±


    ¡°As long as I have a say in it, he will live a long and happy life. There¡¯s nothing you need to worry about.¡±


    She slowly nodded but still hesitated. After a calming breath, she handed the baby to Haris. ¡°His name is Umber. Know that I¡¯m still going to be in Idale¡ªif anything happens to him, I will come at you.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t expect anything else.¡±


    ¡­


    He felt it again. It was a sudden feeling, something that led him to leave without a second thought¡ªthe blizzard hardly meant anything to the goal he had in mind. He found her, all alone, crying for anyone who might care for her.


    Haris gently picked her up, holding her close and hoping that she wouldn¡¯t get too cold. He fought the blizzard back towards Idale.


    ¡°We¡¯re almost home,¡± he assured her when they got closer. ¡°Well¡­ my home. But I doubt you have anywhere else to go. You¡¯re lucky I found you¡­ and I think I¡¯m lucky I found you, too. Otherwise you might¡¯ve died here and all my work up to this point would be useless.¡±


    She¡¯d gone quiet now. It only made him more desperate to get back home.


    He trudged through the streets of the town before forcing the door to their home open.


    ¡°Takane, get the fire going and put some tea on. Kiraat, Zenas, please get some blankets,¡± Haris instructed as soon as he entered. Remembering the other expectant child waiting for a command, he added, ¡°Umber¡­ help Kiraat and Zenas.¡±


    The kids left without any more thought about it, but Takane stayed there. ¡°So what¡¯s got you out in the middle of a storm tonight, Haris? I know I don¡¯t really have the place to question you, but¡­ can I get some kind of explanation?¡±


    Haris showed her the baby. ¡°I thought I sensed the fifth of you¡­ the Bear. Following that sense led me straight to her and I don¡¯t doubt it.¡±


    ¡°Okay, but what exactly do you mean by that? You can¡¯t tell me you just walked into someone¡¯s house and¡ª¡°


    ¡°Oh, gods no! She was all on her own. I think¡­ she¡¯s one of them, too. More so than the rest of you are, I mean¡ªthat she¡¯s actually a part of the saint¡¯s curse.¡±


    ¡­


    Legally speaking, the girl¡¯s name was Minne. To the outside world, that was all she was; she was simply another child adopted by Haris. The depths of it was something only within the six of them, however. She was the Bear, the last Key they needed for Haris to see what else Idale had to offer them. Even if it was nothing more than a nickname, he always thought of her as Callisto¡ªor Calli, as it was soon shortened to.


    Two years had passed since they revitalized Idale. Haris faced more opposition in those first few months than he did in any other point in their time there. But it didn¡¯t last long, as the other townspeople left instead of forcing the six of them out.


    ¡°You need to figure out where an entrance is,¡± Takane urged with a worried frown. ¡°You don¡¯t look well.¡±


    ¡°Finding the Caverns can¡¯t do anything to help me now,¡± Haris mused. He was watching the kids run across the garden, playing some game of their own invention. ¡°I¡¯m going to be honest, since it¡¯s unlikely that they¡¯re listening¡­ I don¡¯t think there¡¯s much hope left for me.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve spent nearly your entire life looking for this. Wouldn¡¯t it be a waste to give up on it now?¡±


    He shook his head thoughtfully. ¡°I¡¯ll make notes for those who come after me; anyone else that might be as interested in the Caverns and Keys as I was. I put them all in your care, Takane. You¡¯ve always stayed by my side before, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll do a great job leading them from here.¡±

 Extras: Character Card and Sheet- Sokratas

    Extra character card info:


    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    The God of Knowledge in Qizarn myth. The older twin to Natasa, both born from the essences of Light and Earth. His interactions with mortals have never gone far beyond visions or other brief signs of divine wisdom; his presence in Sanctuary, however, is much more involved. He¡¯s often giving missions to or helping the Fos and many of them consider him an older brother of sorts.

 Extras- Comic: Spirits Coming

    Script:


    [page 1, pic of Samone in a "traditional" outfit/costume] Spirit¡¯s Coming is a tradition started by the northern regions in Seothia. Everything about it stems from their set of beliefs. As a general rule, everyone in Seothia can find some kind of reverence for spirits¡ªbut, in the northern regions, it¡¯s not just about human spirits. They also believe in spirit animals, which serve as protectors of a house or bloodline. Temples are dedicated to their worship (said to bring good fortune to the families who do it regularly) on every other day, but it¡¯s said that on Spirit¡¯s Coming, they emerge to dwell with their charges. In order to appease whoever the house¡¯s spirit animal is, they offer various gifts to the spirit while dressed in a way that represents it. Traditionally, these were minor adornments, such as a few feathers or clothes matching in coloration to the animal. Slowly, as it grew more prominent in major cities, they turned into grand feasts; ones with just as extravagant outfits reminiscent of their animals, yet at their nature, still about connecting with the spirits said to descend that day.


    Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    [page 2, pic of Lydia in a much less traditional outfit] Northern Seothia still holds on to its traditional values, though most of the significance became lost when the southern and eastern regions adopted it. To them, it is not about veneration of their guardians¡ªit¡¯s often just a reason to throw another party, to flaunt their wealth with animal-themed outfits. While many mainstream celebrations tend towards the same worn by Northern Seothians, there are some in more recent years who took more¡­ liberties with what could officially be declared a costume. These are the costumes that lack symbolic connection at all for something much more literal and, on occasion, aren¡¯t even related to animals.


    Spirit¡¯s Coming is only observed in Seothia. Most children of Fleyw Bresh believe that it places too much of a focus that is not founded in the Commandments and pushes the gods out of their rightful spotlight. The somewhat-acknowledged animosities between Northern Seothians and the children of Fleyw Bresh don¡¯t help the matters much¡ªor at all.

 Extras: Character Card and Sheet- Tavin

    Extra character card info:


    The crown prince of Seothia, known mostly for his brains and the four spirits he possesses. He¡¯s a kind prince that tends to spend most of his time alone with books or with close family¡ªin fact, he tries to avoid any kind of large crowds. Few realize all the ways his spirits affect him and the truth of what he is and what it means is something of a family secret between them.


    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

 Extras: Character Card and Sheet- Koyana

    Koyana extra character card info:


    A young woman with a bit more secrets than what she¡¯s ready to immediately reveal. She and her brother were raised mostly by their grandparents since their parents thought their presence would amplify a perceived curse upon their bloodline. While this curse ties them to a larger puzzle, she is far removed from it; she¡¯s bright and carefree, despite her past experiences, and is living happily with her brother and their new friends.


    If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

 Extras: Character Card and Sheet- Demery

    Extra character card info:


    A young man born with a weak connection to his house¡¯s founder, Tyrus. He and his sister were raised mostly by their grandparents since their parents thought their presence would amplify a perceived curse upon their bloodline. While this curse ties them to a larger puzzle, he is far removed from it; he¡¯s a cautious, anti-social kind of individual, currently living happily with his sister and their new friends.


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

 Extras: Preview- Official Guide Wallpapers

    The Table of Contents for the Official Guide I''m working on has an image representing each nation as backgrounds (yes, there are four pages worth of Table of Contents, but I also went with a possibly-unconventional page size). The nations represented, in order, are: Seothia, Qizar, Idkor, and Sanctuary. Sanctuary''s is the only one with an intentional character resemblance, being Natasa--creating the song the rest dance to. It was pretty challenging working from a specific color palette for each while keeping their forms clear, but I like how it turned out overall.


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    I plan on officially releasing these wallpapers (both in computer and phone sizes) alongside the Official Guide. I also plan on doing several more art pieces for the guide, including portraits for Seothia and Idkor''s region overseers and Qizar''s bishops. As I get more art done, you can expect some more previews (and possibly snippets) up until the Official Guide''s release. As for when that release will be... I''m not sure yet, but most definitely sometime in 2024. Maybe I''ll aim for March, to be released around the time of TBE''s 4th anniversary. It''ll probably be released on Itch.io as a pdf, since as a mentioned earlier, it might have a slightly unconventional formatting, and I also intend on releasing it for free. It might... also have to be split into several guides, given how long it is already... *nervous laughter*


    Is there anything you might be looking forward to seeing in the Official Guide? Or do you have any other questions about the extra content I have planned, or really anything at all? Let me know! I''d love to hear your feedback. And now''s a good of a time as any to remind you that you can suggest characters, Q&A questions, and comic ideas for these Extras!

 What Time Forgot: Whodunit? (Imre)

    They already had plans to meet with each other; any trip they had all made to the border didn¡¯t give them time to speak of more internal matters. The subject matter simply shifted from arguing about their regions to a discussion of the events that happened a few months ago.


    He¡¯d walked out to the carriage with the boys, but mainly to talk to the person who¡¯d be looking after them.


    ¡°Thank you for being able to make the trip here on such short notice,¡± Imre said with a sigh. He stayed quiet even if he doubted Natheniel and Tavin could hear him. ¡°Zofie isn¡¯t feeling well so we couldn¡¯t bring them to Qizar until this is over¡­¡±


    Iris smiled. ¡°You won¡¯t have to worry about anything.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll let you know when we¡¯re done. I don¡¯t want them to cause you any trouble.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s really not a problem. I understand that this is important. If you feel like you need to make it up to me, then have Samone greet us when we come back.¡±


    Slowly, Imre nodded. ¡°Alright.¡±


    Iris took that as her sign to leave. She mumbled something to the driver before stepping into the carriage herself and riding off.


    Imre chose not to focus on all the other thoughts running through his head and walking back to the castle. There was another exhausting mess he had to deal with before anything productive could be done.


    He heard them all before he even got to the dining room.


    ¡°Can someone explain to me why the tynmir¡¯s here? He¡¯s certainly not going to be able to do anything.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps he¡¯s here for entertainment. I let a traveling circus through once. They were quite fun to watch.¡±


    ¡°You would only say that until they burned the town with their magic. They¡¯re dangerous. I don¡¯t want to be near this one.¡±


    ¡°I doubt he¡¯s going to do anything¡­¡±


    ¡°It might not look like it, but he¡¯ll do it! He¡¯ll kill us all in a moment and we wouldn¡¯t even know it!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think he would¡¯ve done something by now if he really wanted to kill you?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to¡ªseriously, I don¡¯t even know that kind of magic.¡±


    ¡°Right, like we¡¯re going to believe a tynmir!¡±


    ¡°I have a name¡­¡±


    Imre pushed open the door and held back whatever initial response he had. ¡°Zulana, Tanavir, Abassi, please leave my husband alone. Enuolare, Samone, your help is appreciated but I don¡¯t think it¡¯s going to do much at this point.¡± He paused and looked around. ¡°Do I want to know where Kiah went?¡±


    ¡°She was gone by the time I came,¡± Raisul remarked. ¡°She¡¯s probably getting drunk. She can¡¯t handle any harsh topic without downing a pint first.¡±


    Samone glared at him before explaining, ¡°She said she was going to go get the reports of what happened. She¡¯ll be back soon.¡±


    Imre went on to address everyone as he walked over to his seat. ¡°We¡¯ll talk about the usual issues later, but there¡¯s something else we need to get out of the way.¡± He took a deep breath and prepared himself for whatever was going to come next. ¡°What happened to the Stones.¡±


    ¡°Ski¨¢,¡± Onesa said bluntly, ¡°that¡¯s what happened to them.¡±


    ¡°An avoidable fate,¡± Tanavir muttered, shaking his head. ¡°You know, if you listened to what I do, the whole kingdom could be better off. I say we take this as a lesson learned and adopt my ways of protecting against the Ski¨¢.¡±


    ¡°Levi Asari alone is a city full of social people,¡± Samone pointed out. ¡°I don¡¯t think they¡¯d take well to having to stay inside at nearly all times¡­ or have their lands monitored like there were rebels there in the time before the Saint-King.¡±


    Imre had little hope of proving anything to them until the last person in their meeting arrived. ¡°Kiah, they could use some help understanding why we think it wasn¡¯t just Ski¨¢.¡±


    She nodded, wandered over to her spot and sat down, then spread the collection of papers she had across the table. ¡°It wasn¡¯t really as general as it first appeared to be. We were able to talk with some of the servants who saw what happened. They specifically mentioned that the Ski¨¢ went for the well-known ones, attacked whoever looked like them and the ones who tried to help, but paid little to no attention to most of the servants or the adopted children. In every other case of Ski¨¢ attacks, there¡¯s no pattern to who they went for. It¡¯s worth looking into the fact that this wasn¡¯t just a coincidence.¡±


    Stolen novel; please report.


    Zulana shrugged. ¡°Perhaps it was the dreamer. That feather necklace alone can¡¯t be enough to control his powers. Or, better, the dreamer in the estate.¡±


    Dimas shook his head. ¡°The Ski¨¢ Tavin encountered that night was probably because of Natheniel, but the rest couldn¡¯t have been. Even if he¡¯d taken off his feather necklace earlier, it was still close enough that he wouldn¡¯t be able to do that kind of damage.¡± They¡¯d known that Natheniel had taken off the necklace though never quite understanding the reason why; Dimas had checked on him after dinner and found the necklace nearby. Natheniel had gone back to wearing it the next day and there had yet to be a good time to ask about it.


    ¡°If Muriel¡¯s powers are anything like Enebish¡¯s, it isn¡¯t strong enough to cause that kind of damage,¡± Enuolare said softly. ¡°The most Enebish can do is attract Myal¨® when they¡¯re in a bad mood or not feeling well. Usually all the Myal¨® leave when they get better.¡±


    ¡°Two years isn¡¯t really enough time to tell, but Elena didn¡¯t notice any Ski¨¢-attracting qualities in Muriel,¡± Imre mumbled. ¡°She can counteract magic like the Ski¨¢ can but that seems to be the full extent of it.¡±


    ¡°Thirteen years ago, you wouldn¡¯t have brushed aside the possibility so quickly,¡± Mason remarked. ¡°I¡¯ve had my fair share of traveling before I took up this position. I learned the hard way that we mustn¡¯t let emotional bonds get the better of us.¡±


    ¡°Yes, and also thirteen years ago, we knew nothing about dreamers,¡± Imre sighed. ¡°We know a lot more about them now than we did then.¡±


    ¡°Though I still wouldn¡¯t say we have a good understanding of it,¡± Abassi said. ¡°I agree with Zulana, it must have been one of the dreamers. We don¡¯t know everything that they¡¯re capable of¡ªwe can¡¯t even be sure that what they seem to be able to do is the only thing they do. Who¡¯s to say Muriel didn¡¯t get upset one day, sparing those who treat her well or might understand her plight better?¡±


    ¡°She never would¡¯ve done that to Elena. The Stones gave her a home when she didn¡¯t know who she was. I don¡¯t think she ever could¡¯ve mustered the emotions required to kill them.¡± At least, Imre would like to imagine she wouldn¡¯t do it. She¡¯d always seemed so content with the Stones, in the few times he saw her with them.


    Raisul glanced at Kiah. ¡°Perhaps there was something there that we¡¯ll be able to brainstorm and come up with a culprit based off of?¡±


    ¡°Are you asking if there was writing on the wall in blood?¡± Kiah dipped into a much more cynical tone as she continued, ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t know, the bodies could¡¯ve spelled something, if it wasn¡¯t nearly impossible to tell that they were bodies.¡±


    ¡°You mentioned talking to the servants, but what about the adopted kids?¡± Zulana offered. ¡°They could¡¯ve seen something that may have given away who did it.¡±


    Samone shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s hard enough to talk to any of them about it without sending them into a panic. Some of the kids would have had a better view of the beginning than the servants, but¡­ we can¡¯t question them in good conscience. Already some of them are resorting to other ways of dealing with the trauma¡­¡±


    ¡°What about the magicless relnar?¡± When Tanavir realized that wasn¡¯t going to give him a response, he retried, ¡°What about Lustris?¡±


    ¡°She left as soon as she realized what was happening,¡± Kiah said. ¡°There may have been a Ski¨¢ following her, but when I talked to her, she wasn¡¯t sure. Her goal was getting to the stronghold and telling us what was going on. There wasn¡¯t time to pay attention to her surroundings.¡±


    Mason then mentioned the name they all considered but only he was brave enough to mention. ¡°And Tavin? He has the spirits of three of them. They may be able to shed some light on what happened.¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t talked to him at all about it,¡± Imre admitted in a mumble. ¡°It¡¯s only been a couple of months since he got them and there¡¯s still so much he needs to figure out. The last thing I want is for him to feel like we¡¯re just using him¡­¡±


    Enuolare took the moment to realize something. ¡°Where are the princes now? They do know about this, don¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re staying with Iris Shameer until we¡¯re done,¡± Dimas explained on behalf of Imre. ¡°This isn¡¯t something they need to get involved in yet. In regards to both throwing around slurs and trying to find out who killed the Stones.¡±


    Kiah changed the subject from there so they didn¡¯t need to worry about that conversation. ¡°We¡¯ve been looking over the whole thing since the Lantern Festival. We¡¯re still not sure how, but it¡¯s possible that it was someone who only specifically mentioned the ones they knew. There¡¯s also a chance that it was someone just wanting to get rid of the Stone bloodline, but it leaves a lot left unanswered; Tavin, even if he wasn¡¯t there, would be dead, and Adrian and Naviya wouldn¡¯t have been targeted and killed.¡±


    ¡°The Stones had countless ancient curses tied to them,¡± Raisul pointed out. ¡°Couldn¡¯t this all be as simple as one of them activated, unleashed all those Ski¨¢, and killed them? The ones who weren¡¯t directly involved in the Stones¡¯ actions were spared.¡±


    ¡°Says the person with enough magical artifacts that could¡¯ve done something like this and a good reason to want them dead,¡± Samone muttered. ¡°One of them was going to replace you.¡±


    Raisul was disgusted at the wrong thought. ¡°As if I would touch those ¡®artifacts!¡¯ They¡¯re carriers of curses, is what they are. I¡¯m only keeping them to help keep the stupid of us from doing something dangerous with them. Were it up to me, I¡¯d burn them all!¡± He paused. ¡°Wait, without the Stones there to argue, I could burn them all¡­¡±


    ¡°You are not touching anything the Stones acquired,¡± Imre commanded quickly. He didn¡¯t want the thought to dwell in Raisul¡¯s mind for long.


    ¡°Of course, Your Majesty¡­¡±


    Imre took a deep breath and reminded himself that there were better things to do than argue. ¡°Does anyone else have any ideas?¡±


    A collective silence proved nothing more was able to get done.


    ¡°Most of you have been traveling for a while,¡± he said. ¡°I appreciate the time you¡¯ve set aside to come here. We¡¯ll all take some time to rest and come back here tomorrow. There¡¯s still much more we need to discuss¡­¡±


    There was a time where he was disappointed when they spent so much time debating but never actually gaining any new information. He¡¯d learned to accept it, after a while, and simply be grateful that things weren¡¯t worse¡­

 Extras: Character Card and Sheet- Vriuh

    Vriuh extra character card:


    The God of Death in Qizarn myth. The scope of legends hardly do justice to their relatively calm personality and their love of mortal jokes. They¡¯re quite amiable in nearly every situation and always willing to dutifully carry out Orestis¡¯s will. It should be noted, however, that they are not someone you want to upset¡ªyou will find that all the friendliness they once possessed would be long gone.


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

 What Time Forgot: Dedication to the Lost (Tavin)

    If he was going to be honest, he didn¡¯t really know what compelled him to get them lanterns. It hadn¡¯t been any of the spirits. But, then, it also wasn¡¯t simply him. No matter what it was, though, he knew it wasn¡¯t a bad idea.


    Tavin had wandered a little further downstream than the others. It wasn¡¯t quite time to send them off yet, so he sat down to observe the lanterns already in the water.


    He wasn¡¯t on his own for long. A familiar hand brushed against his shoulder to announce her presence before Nadia sat down beside him. She didn¡¯t have any lanterns of her own; for better or worse, she had yet to lose someone close to her.


    ¡°You have five,¡± she observed quietly. Something else crossed her mind before she worriedly asked, ¡°Something didn¡¯t happen, did it?¡± It was obvious how she scanned the crowd and her sigh of relief to see that everyone from the castle was still there.


    Somehow, he managed a small smile. ¡°Those two are for my brothers.¡±


    ¡°Brothers? More than one..?¡±


    He nodded. ¡°Mother had twins before me. She was young when it happened, so not a lot of people outside of family and a few friends knew about it.¡±


    ¡°What were they like?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the funny part,¡± he admitted with a sad laugh, ¡°I don¡¯t know. Or at least, I¡¯m not supposed to. They both died eight years before I was born. Yet¡­ sometimes, I feel like I¡¯ve actually seen them. We¡¯d gone places together. They scared off Natheniel for me. I know what their voices sounded like, their personalities, what they aspired for¡­¡±


    ¡°Lydia¡¯s memories?¡± she offered as a way of describing it.


    ¡°I think these come from me, in a way. Mother told me a while ago that she¡¯d done something so she could see us all together. She¡¯s never shown me memories of it from her perspective but, somehow, I still remember it. She said I seemed more aware of the whole illusion than most of the other people that appeared in it. Even if it¡¯s been fifteen years since she used that charm and saw us all together, I suppose I must have gained some knowledge from it.¡±


    ¡°Is there any special reason you decided to dedicate lanterns to them this year?¡±


    ¡°Not really. One way or another, I just got reminded of them. I realized that, with the Stones all gone, there¡¯s no one left to dedicate a lantern to them. I know there¡¯s probably no point in it anymore, but¡­¡±


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    Nadia smiled and gave him a kiss on the cheek. ¡°Well, I think it¡¯s sweet. I¡¯m sure they appreciate it.¡±


    He looked up and recognized the signs immediately. ¡°It¡¯s time. You should head back to Leon, he¡¯s probably waiting for you.¡±


    ¡°Actually¡­ he let me stay with you.¡±


    His smile faltered only because he was taken by surprise; it grew soon after. ¡°Can you help me send these all off, then?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡­


    Over the years, the next few days after the Lantern Festival began to be characterized by mournful reminiscing about those that had been lost. It might¡¯ve always been there, honestly, since he was unable to remember a true start to the solemn tradition. All sorts of names would come up in those kinds of conversations. There were many that he didn¡¯t, and likely never would, recognize. But that just meant that, when he heard a name he knew, he understood those feelings being talked about a bit too well.


    Yet, the future didn¡¯t wait for them to finish looking back at the past. Time still moved on, like it did every year, and the only thing to be done is hoping that there won¡¯t be more to talk about at the next Lantern Festival.


    It wasn¡¯t two days past it and those at the castle had already failed that goal.


    Still, Tavin went to Missa-Sidyn as if nothing was wrong at all. They all had jobs they had to do; no matter what else there was to consider, they couldn¡¯t falter here. If any of the people he¡¯d talked to noticed the change, they either attributed it to the general atmosphere or him not feeling well. Only one person dared to ask.


    Nadia occasionally came by to help him¡ªeven if that help was usually just keeping him company and reminding him to eat while he did paperwork. Of course, by now she was also more knowledgeable than most about his moods. ¡°Is something wrong?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rather not discuss it here¡­¡±


    ¡°Everyone else is gone by now, I think.¡± She poked her head out the door and, satisfied with what she saw (or didn¡¯t see), she went back to him. ¡°It¡¯s late enough that everyone that lives outside of Lelishara has already gone home. And that¡¯s everyone but you.¡±


    Tavin sighed. Despite the kind of encouragement she tried to give him, he still kept his voice low. ¡°Ihu died.¡±


    She¡¯d been with him long enough to know what he was really saying. ¡°That doesn¡¯t have to mean anything, does it?¡±


    ¡°They were his Fos. What else could it mean?¡±


    ¡°He could just have been too far away from them for too long.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no use thinking about it now. All we can ever do is guess. At the very least, the one hope we thought we had of proving that he¡¯s going to come back¡­ it¡¯s gone.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Please, don¡¯t mention this to anyone else. Father wants to wait a little longer before announcing it. There aren¡¯t many who know about their significance but the ones that do¡­ it doesn¡¯t exactly make the future look any brighter.¡±

 Extras: Character Card and Sheet- Evelina

    Extra character card info:


    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    A young woman who seems to be a magnet for misfortune. She¡¯d spent several years wandering with her cousin after his parents¡¯ deaths, all while struggling with the consequences of slowly losing her magic. Now, the two of them live together with some new friends, and she¡¯s finally ready to start believing in a brighter future.

 What Time Forgot: Following Fear (Umber)

    He was, of course, dutifully listening to Takane¡¯s instructions. He totally wasn¡¯t ignoring everything she was saying in order to try to figure out what the people were doing outside of the window. Definitely.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to be gone for about a month,¡± she said quickly, nervously, as she triple-checked her bags. ¡°Kiraat is in charge. Make sure to listen to him. If people knock on the door, pretend like you¡¯re not home. Keep the curtains closed and try to stay quiet. If you desperately need something then you should know which neighbors are friendly. And please, please don¡¯t get into trouble.¡±


    All four of them obediently nodded, but none of them were really listening. What Umber heard was perfectly clear:


    Kiraat is boring, don¡¯t listen to him. You¡¯ve got a month to do whatever you want, especially if it involves leaving the house and having fun.


    The last time Takane had left¡ªalso after Haris¡¯s death¡ªhad taken just as long and made her just as worried. She¡¯d mumbled about ¡°talking to Sarah,¡± though he wasn¡¯t sure who that was exactly, and came back with money that lasted until last week. Everything had stayed the same the first time she left. Umber assumed the same would happen now and that there wouldn¡¯t be anything worth worrying about.


    It was after one more look around the house that Takane left and Umber began to devise his plan. He pretended to heed her instructions for all of five minutes before declaring, ¡°I¡¯m going to go see what those people are doing outside!¡±


    ¡°No,¡± was Kiraat¡¯s immediate, blunt answer. He did the annoyingly smart thing by stepping in front of the door, effectively blocking any of them from getting past him.


    ¡°You can¡¯t tell me what to do! Let me see!¡±


    ¡°No. I¡¯m in charge, which means we¡¯re staying inside.¡±


    Zenas eagerly raised her hand and asked, ¡°Can we go to the garden?¡± She not-so-subtly winked at Umber. She¡¯d help him!


    And, surprisingly, Calli nodded too. ¡°Can we?¡±


    Kiraat looked like he may have first refused, before seeing her innocent look, then sighed. ¡°Fine, but you¡¯ve all got to still be out there when it¡¯s time for dinner.¡±


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    Zenas and Umber cheered in unison and rushed outside. Calli followed slower, taking a book and something to write with outside.


    Umber, the one who got there first, was already trying to carefully climb the tree. He knew it would get him over the fence; there were boxes on the other side that he could use to get back over around dinner. Once he was confidently sitting on the high stone fence, and Zenas was on her way to join him, he noticed Calli had settled with just the tree¡¯s shade.


    ¡°Are you coming, Calli?¡± Umber asked. ¡°Ki won¡¯t notice!¡±


    ¡°Yes he will,¡± she responded simply. ¡°He¡¯ll need my help with dinner. That way he won¡¯t realize you two left.¡±


    Why hadn¡¯t he thought of that? ¡°Thanks, Calli!¡± Then he used the boxes on the other side to safely get down. Feeling the rush of freedom and defiance, he started wandering the streets even before Zenas caught up to him.


    Unfortunately, there wasn¡¯t as much to do as what he thought there would be.


    It had probably been a gradual change but, given the fact neither Haris nor Takane let them wander outside for long, he could only see extremes. Every time he snuck out here, he found that Idale got a little quieter¡ªor, this time, a lot quieter. It was in hindsight that he paid attention to the mumbles Takane made on the matter; how it had to do with the five of them unlocking that tree. But back then, all he saw were people packing their things for mysterious reasons, trying to catch up to the half of the town that had already left.


    Umber, eager for some kind of adventure, walked up to another young boy. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    The boy looked at him and Zenas and seemed as excited to talk to them as they were. He was on the verge of saying something before a woman¡ªhis mother, probably¡ªcalled, ¡°Lyron! What do you think you¡¯re doing? Stay away from them¡ªyou never know what they could be hiding.¡±


    She pulled the boy away and ushered him off to whatever his father must¡¯ve been. The way she looked at Umber and Zenas was something he was a bit familiar with; it was the look of most of the townspeople, especially since they unlocked the tree. He didn¡¯t get it then. Why weren¡¯t they happy that their town could always be a little pocket of spring, even in the harshest winter?


    ¡°I¡¯d advise you two troublemakers to head back home,¡± she warned¡ªthreatened, even. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re doing out here and I don¡¯t care. Soon enough we won¡¯t have to be around you and whatever luck you bring with you¡­¡±


    ¡°But¡ª¡±


    ¡°Go home, to where that man spent so much of his time doing whatever it was! We don¡¯t want you here! You¡¯ve done something none of us can. Clearly there¡¯s something wrong with you. So go home before you get into trouble.¡±


    Umber was suddenly very aware of all the glares on him and Zenas¡ªof everyone outside, and some inside, who had yet to leave. They both realized this wasn¡¯t something that they could or should fight. So they started walking back, until it seemed the stares started to sink in, and they ran the rest of the way and over the fence.


    Maybe Takane had a point about wanting them to stay inside.

 Extras: Character Card and Sheet- Maho, Ilathri, and Nillae

    Extra character card info:


    The Strings of Elements, Spirit, and Life, respectively, residing in the underworld with Vriuh and seeming to share a single mind. Their role is to manage each person¡¯s abilities to wield magic, their connection to a spirit if any, and the length of their lives. Despite these roles, however, they all have a pension for chaos. Suffice to say, they should not be left unsupervised¡ªespecially if they¡¯re bored.


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 Extras: Art- Desert Flower and Mountain BLossom

    Art of Tandi (first image), and Evelina (second image), both appearing in The Fiction in Fact. Both were random pieces I put together for the sake of an extra. For those who might not have noticed it, Evelina''s mug is patterned like the bisexual pride flag! Because she is undoubtedly and undeniably bi. Not like she has the self-confidence to ask someone out, though.


    Stolen story; please report.


    Oh, and an early merry Christmas to those who celebrate it! If not, then I hope you''re looking forward to the new year... I''ve got another special art piece for the occasion!

 Extras: Art- Happy New Years

    A piece of Nadia (left) and Tavin (right) I did to celebrate New Year''s! Bear with me, I have no idea how to draw sparklers (yes, that''s what they''re supposed to be holding).


    What''s some things you''re looking forward to in the new year? I know I''ve got plenty of things planned for The Butterfly Effect! I hope to get the first Volume X published on Amazon (remember, TBE will remain free to read on RR) in mid-to-late January, TBE''s fourth anniversary is in March, and I plan on finishing the Official Guide and possibly a ~surprise spin-off~ by he end of the year as well. I''m looking forward to telling these stories, and I''m hoping you''ll be looking forward to seeing them, as well.


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 Extras: Character Card and Sheet- Olle

    Extra character card info:


    If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    A young man tied to the Ilethera and more perceptive to others¡¯ emotions because of it. He¡¯d spent a few years in the past traveling with his cousin after the death of his parents, though they¡¯ve since settled into a kind village. They¡¯ve got some new friends with them, as well, and he¡¯s ready to see what the future holds for the four of them.

 Extras: Character Card and Sheet- David

    Extra character card info:


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    The bishop of the Rhodes region and a rather kind man. Coming from little, his story is often told to show how Orestis can work in anyone¡¯s lifelife. He tries to do what he can for those in the region and, though he despises what the Ravens do, he believes there¡¯s nothing he can safely do to stop them. He¡¯s seen enough consequences to know that he doesn¡¯t want to try.

 What Time Forgot: Nightmares Heart- Part 1 (Dimas)

    Zofie took the news just as well as Dimas thought she was going to. Which is to say, if she hadn¡¯t lost her magic, a sudden burst of it would¡¯ve blown out all the candles in the castle.


    ¡°You¡¯re doing what?¡± It was, perhaps, only by Thero¡¯s reminding hand on her shoulder that kept her from getting louder. ¡°Why do you think that¡¯s a good idea?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Dimas defended, knowing full well it did nothing to help her. ¡°But it¡¯s our only option.¡±


    ¡°So you volunteered yourself for a suicide mission?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like we have anyone else that¡¯s capable of going.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure there is! That goblin, the Red Rose¡ªbetter yet, the Stone!¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ve all helped so much already and they still have a lot to do. It¡¯s not right to keep piling stuff on top of them.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t make someone else do it? What if I gathered some soldiers and sent them to do it instead?¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°This isn¡¯t a problem of having enough people to fight. This is about having someone capable of making sure everyone involved comes back home alive. We¡¯re going up against the Ski¨¢. If we don¡¯t have someone like me, then the whole thing will fail.¡±


    Finally she realized that, no matter how many questions she was going to ask, it wasn¡¯t going to make him change his mind. Or, at least, any questions relating to himself. ¡°Are you sure that the risks will be worth it?¡± She¡¯d gotten quieter, her eyes now focused on the cup in front of her.


    ¡°If this doesn¡¯t help, then nothing can,¡± he sighed. ¡°He may have found a Fos, but we can¡¯t trust them to take care of the Ski¨¢ completely. And while the Ski¨¢ doesn¡¯t seem to want to hurt anyone¡ªor at least, they haven¡¯t hurt anyone yet¡ªit doesn¡¯t change what they are. Whether they mean to or not, it¡¯s only a matter of time until something bad happens and we can¡¯t let it get to that point.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going to happen to him when you get it? You¡¯re going to be locking away a part of him inside it. I can¡¯t imagine that¡¯s not going to have its consequences.¡±


    That was where Dimas faltered. ¡°We don¡¯t know. We¡¯re hoping it¡¯s nothing significant¡ªeven if we get the whole thing, we only need a piece of it for him. The rest of it can be put somewhere safe but far away from him. With any luck, all it¡¯s going to be is a quick adjustment period and then it¡¯s back to how it¡¯s supposed to be.¡±


    ¡°And if it isn¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°Then we just have to pray we don¡¯t lose our one clue of solving this whole mess.¡±


    ¡­


    Before he left that night, he checked on Natheniel. The boy was unsurprisingly still awake and asked several questions about what was going on. In each of them, he proved just how ignorant he was¡ªit seemed he only understood that the twins had been arguing, but not who had been their topic of discussion. Dimas gave the quickest of explanations that really didn¡¯t answer anything. Then, he told Natheniel that he would be riding alone back to Lelishara, instructed him to be good, and left the castle.


    The Nightmare¡¯s Heart, according to their sources, was somewhere on the northern side of the Lake. It was as soon as they were sure of the fact that the small team agreed to meet at the border. Only three of the people at the camp¡ªthe three he¡¯d be spending the next few months with¡ªpaid attention to his arrival.


    ¡°I¡¯m assuming this is all of us?¡± he prompted when he got closer to them. Kiah had told him she only called on a few to help; the hope being that, if they didn¡¯t seem feast worthy, the Ski¨¢ might not bother at all. He¡¯d honestly still expected something closer to their group when they were adventuring, though, instead of this.


    Hadar, the only familiar face, nodded. He gestured to the other two and said, ¡°These are Lyron Zachary and Lieke Sterre. Both of them are mercenaries here for the coin Commander Kiah offered. I already briefed them on the mission and they¡¯re both fully aware of the consequences.¡± He glanced at them and motioned to Dimas. ¡°This is King Dimas, though I don¡¯t think I need to tell you.¡±


    ¡°You certainly do not,¡± Lieke remarked with a click of her tongue. ¡°Hey, do we get paid more if we make sure you don¡¯t get hurt? You look a little squishy.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m tougher than you probably think I am,¡± Dimas replied. ¡°Besides, I¡¯m our support. If we run into Ski¨¢, I¡¯m the one thing that¡¯s going to keep you from bleeding out.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re using magic, aren¡¯t you?¡± Lyron questioned. ¡°The count says it gets exhausting after a while. Don¡¯t wear yourself out too much taking care of us.¡±


    Dimas nodded, then paused. ¡°Have I seen you before?¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯ve ever been to one of Count Quennell¡¯s parties, I was probably there. I come for the free food and drinks. I remember talking to King Imre during one of them, back when he was still the prince.¡± Lyron shrugged.


    ¡°We¡¯ve already decided that, as the most fitting candidate for the job, you¡¯re going to be in charge,¡± Hadar announced, looking at Dimas. ¡°We¡¯re ready for orders.¡±


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    Faced with the knowledge that these lives were now in his hands, Dimas couldn¡¯t stop a bit of nervous laughter from escaping. ¡°Well, first things first: everyone, stay alive. The mission¡¯s not a success unless we¡¯re all still there to see it through.¡±


    It was a bit later that Hadar pulled him aside and handed him a glowing charm. ¡°Before coming here, I stopped by the fort. Lady Lydia was there and instructed me to give this to you. She said it may be able to help if we run into Ski¨¢.¡±


    Dimas nodded his thanks and put it with the rest of his things.


    ¡­


    He learned several things about his companions that both eased his concerns and made him much more anxious. He¡¯d already known Hadar had Iris and Mae, though it seemed to have been a decision all had agreed on; they knew that it was a job someone had to do and, the more capable the group was, the safer it was for everyone. Hadar insisted Samone had no influence on their conclusion, though there was something about it that left Dimas doubtful.


    Lyron proudly proclaimed himself to be an alcoholic mercenary with no such thing as ¡°personal connections.¡± When pressed about the matter further, he admitted to having a son, though they¡¯d long since parted ways. His wife, if she was even that, had likely divorced him. He spoke of her with the kind of disdain that Nigel would speak of Odelle. The only difference seemed to be that Lyron had the ability to leave, whereas Nigel was bound to stay and soon found other targets of his annoyance.


    Lieke was the youngest of all of them. The few mentions she made of her parents were ambiguous¡ªimpossible to tell if they¡¯d been on good terms or bad. She was from Xannon territory, one member of a much larger band of mercenaries. From what little Dimas was able to gather from their conversations, her previous companions had the same idea Zofie did: that, no matter what they might gain, it was still a suicide mission at its roots.


    They all knew Dimas and the things he was risking by being here, without him ever needing to say a word. In Lelishara he left his husband, sons, and closest friends. Hyasari held his twin sister and niece. Though he cursed himself at the thought, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder if he¡¯d see them again. If he¡¯d be a distant or forgotten memory to Natheniel and Tavin. If Philyra would be aware of his existence at all, just like Zofie planned to keep her unaware of Allen. What Imre would do if he didn¡¯t come back¡­


    Dimas wasn¡¯t brave¡ªno, he was terrified. Yet he didn¡¯t let fear keep him from inaction. He had family and friends to go back to; faces he wanted to be able to see again for many more years to come. It was the thought of seeing them again, able to relax and be happy, that gave him the courage he needed.


    ¡°It¡¯s going to rain,¡± Lyron mumbled. Through their trip around the Lake, it became clear that he wasn¡¯t used to following. Every now and again he would let his horse trot ahead of Hadar, the actual lead, only to receive a bitter glare and return to his earlier position. ¡°I can feel it.¡±


    Lieke scrunched her nose. ¡°Is that another one of those old man things?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll be thanking me in an hour or so when we¡¯re somewhere dry instead of in the middle of a rainstorm.¡±


    At least Dimas could give a bit of credit to the group¡ªthey didn¡¯t argue nearly as much as the five of them had. A mix of everyone being willing participants may have been to thank for it.


    Hadar glanced over his shoulder to Dimas. ¡°Do you think we should stop at the town over there? It won¡¯t disrupt our travel plans too much.¡±


    Hardly broken out of his thoughts, Dimas nodded absently. ¡°Yeah, that should be fine¡­¡±


    ¡­


    Dimas regretted letting Lieke and Lyron have a couple of coins and drag the other two out to town. He¡¯d figured it was for something practical, like buying supplies or better equipment. It was that innocent thinking that got him in the bar, slouched in the corner, surrounded by much more boisterous companions and praying no one recognized him.


    Lyron apparently didn¡¯t hold his liquor very well. He had one arm around Dimas and the other hand waving around a beer glass. ¡°I says¡ªI said¡ªto him, ¡®Man, get outta here. Mess with ¡®em and you mess with me.¡¯ And he went right outta there! Didn¡¯t even pack¡ªpack his bags. Nuh-uh. Didn¡¯t even have bags to pack¡­¡±


    Lieke, on the other hand, had used a bit of her personal funds and bought twice as many drinks as Lyron. She reminded Dimas of Kiah, with how much she could drink without appearing drunk, despite how young she was. ¡°Hey, King! You look miserable.¡±


    ¡°Well, yeah,¡± Dimas mumbled. ¡°I¡¯ve been forced to come here.¡±


    She laughed. ¡°Come on, don¡¯t say it like that! You¡¯ll feel better once you¡¯ve had a drink, I promise.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t drink.¡±


    She nudged a half-finished glass in his direction. ¡°I dunno, it¡¯s really good. You¡¯d be missing out if you don¡¯t try some¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m content with missing out, then.¡± The memories of broken bottles, of drunken rages, the way it warped a person¡¯s thinking and hurt those around them¡­ Just the thought of it made him sick¡ªhe couldn¡¯t imagine ever drinking any of it.


    Hadar, meanwhile, was having a hushed discussion with one of the waitresses. Whatever he ordered, the glare that accompanied it made the waitress nod fervently and quickly walk away. She looked like he threatened to kill her, even if that couldn¡¯t have been the case.


    It was always a surprise to see how different some people acted when the ones they cared about weren¡¯t there.


    Lieke frowned, all her attention still on Dimas. ¡°You¡¯re ruining the fun. Can¡¯t you at least smile a bit?¡± When he showed no signs of changing, she thought of something on her own. ¡°Hey, you like talking about this mission, right? Isn¡¯t this supposed to be a quick retrieval?¡±


    ¡°Well, if it moves before we¡¯re able to find it, then we¡¯re basically screwed.¡±


    ¡°Then why don¡¯t we ride a boat across the Lake instead of riding around it? It¡¯ll save us a lot of time. There¡¯s a couple of ports nearby, too. Mention either the money in your pocket or your connections and, boom, we¡¯ve got a quick ride to where we need to be.¡±


    ¡°The Lantern Festival just started. No one¡¯s stupid enough to try to get a boat past all those lanterns.¡±


    ¡°Why not just¡­ shove the lanterns out of the way?¡±


    ¡°Those are honoring the dead and lost.¡±


    ¡°Alright, then,¡± she mumbled with an eye roll. ¡°There¡¯s only one other thing we can do to cut the amount of time traveling: your letters. I swear you get a new one every hour.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what happens when you have a worried husband and a paranoid sister.¡±


    ¡°Do you think you could ask them to cut it down? It¡¯ll save us a lot of time if we didn¡¯t have to stop so often for you to respond to them.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ suppose I can try.¡± Dimas was sure that Imre would understand; it was getting Zofie to know that her frequent check-ins really weren¡¯t that helpful.


    Hadar changed the subject when he passed them each a glass of water. ¡°After this, we need to head back to the inn and get a good night¡¯s rest. We should be up and going by the time the sun rises.¡±


    ¡°I thoughts¡ªthought they only sold beer here¡­¡± Lyron slurred, downing the water without a second thought.


    ¡°You better hope you¡¯ve sobered up by the time we leave,¡± Hadar remarked. ¡°I¡¯m not dealing with whining about hangovers while we travel.¡±

 Extras: Character Card and Sheet- Zofie

    Extra character card info:


    The current queen of Qizar and Dimas¡¯s younger twin sister. Everyone from both nations seem to know her for something, whether it be her zealous persecution of heretics or how she leads her land to a better future. She was always distant due to the effects of the kind of magic she practiced as a child; with the death of her mother and the loss of her own magic, however, she¡¯s grown more paranoid and anxious about those close to her.


    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

 What Time Forgot: Nightmares Heart- Part 2 (Dimas)

    It wasn¡¯t there. They traveled all the way here and it wasn¡¯t there.


    To say Dimas was panicked would be an understatement. This was their one chance¡ªthe only thing they knew for certain. And it was gone.


    He got as close as he dared to the shattered glass and broken obsidian walls, using the trinket Hadar gave him for light. Honestly, he wasn¡¯t sure what he was looking for; just something that would tell them where they were supposed to go now.


    Anything that said that they missed their opportunity completely.


    He turned to Hadar. ¡°Are you sure you haven¡¯t gotten anything from Kiah?¡±


    The soldier shook his head. ¡°Not a single word since I sent in my last report.¡±


    ¡°Ask her about this right away,¡± Dimas mumbled. ¡°The sooner we understand the situation, the better.¡±


    Hadar nodded dutifully.


    ¡°So, what¡¯s our plan now?¡± Lieke wandered around a bit too casually for the situation. She ran her hand along the wall before pulling it back when she cut her finger. ¡°Damn, these are sharp¡­¡±


    Lyron rolled his eyes after observing her but went to do something near identical himself. ¡°Are we just going to wait for the commander to give us more information? Isn¡¯t that going to take a couple of days?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Dimas sighed. ¡°We need to figure something out on our own. There¡¯s a town nearby, we can ask if anyone there has seen¡ª¡±


    ¡°Where are you hiding it?¡±


    They all froze when they heard the voice, and Lyron was the one to say what they were all thinking. ¡°Oh, shit. That can¡¯t be good.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t suppose Lydia told you how this thing was supposed to work?¡± Dimas prompted, looking between the trinket and Hadar.


    Despite the dangerous situation they were presented with, Hadar gave a casual shrug. ¡°Light banishes the darkness, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    They didn¡¯t have any more to lose by testing the theory than not. When the shadows began to morph around them, Dimas showed the light in their direction; in a moment, the shadows returned to how they were supposed to be. Only time would tell the true extent of its usefulness against them.


    ¡°Where are you hiding it?¡± the voice repeated, more of the shadows moving now.


    ¡°We need to get back to the entrance,¡± Dimas instructed as clearly as he could through his growing panic. ¡°There should still be some daylight left. We¡¯ll be safe as long as we can get in as much light as we can.¡±


    Hadar took the lead back out, Lyron and Lieke in the middle and Dimas shining the trinket in front of any moving shadows behind them. They couldn¡¯t rush ahead in fear of getting trapped. They couldn¡¯t stay too long or else the Ski¨¢ would have time to properly generate.


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t these guys feed off of fear?¡± Lyron asked when they got close enough to the entrance for it to share a bit of its outside light. ¡°Why are we all obviously panicked?¡±


    ¡°They don¡¯t feed off of fear, they feed off of your life force and energy,¡± Dimas muttered. One of the shadows had materialized enough to try to lunge towards him, though he was thankfully quick enough to banish it with the light. ¡°But this really isn¡¯t the time to be clearing up myths about Ski¨¢, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    It sounded like thousands of voices moaned in unison, ¡°I know you have it. Give it back.¡±


    They all emerged from the exit. Dimas was glad to see that there were no more Ski¨¢ waiting for them outside and the ones in the cave stayed right where they were.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get going,¡± he said, untying his horse¡¯s reins and mounting it. ¡°We need to leave before they think that they can follow us.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s funny, when you think about it, that I thought this would be shorter,¡± Dimas mumbled. ¡°And here we are, traveling halfway across Seothia without knowing if we¡¯re actually going to find anything¡­¡±


    ¡°Do you always nervous ramble?¡± Lieke questioned. ¡°I swear you haven¡¯t shut up about it. It was fine at first, but it gets a little bit annoying after a couple of weeks.¡±


    He thought back to the past couple of days spent traveling and, somewhat embarrassingly, realized she was right. ¡°Sorry. Nothing good ever comes from silence.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d think it would be better,¡± Lyron remarked. ¡°Then at least we can pretend that they don¡¯t know we¡¯re here, just like we don¡¯t know they¡¯re here.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ personal,¡± Dimas said quietly, as if that would really answer anything for them. He didn¡¯t know if he actually wanted it to answer anything, yet kept them from asking more questions all the same.


    Hadar was the only one to have a bit of understanding about it, though it didn¡¯t sound like he really cared. ¡°Waiting for a fight?¡±


    ¡°I guess you can say that.¡±


    Another uncomfortably familiar sound caught his attention, causing Dimas to stop his horse and look around.


    ¡°Hey, what the hell?¡± Lieke tried following his gaze and saw nothing. ¡°Are there more Ski¨¢ somewhere?¡±


    ¡°I thought I heard glass shatter.¡±


    ¡°In this part of the woods? It¡¯s probably¡ªwhy are you going off the trail?¡±


    It was funny. Every time he heard it, he thought of it as a warning to get as far away as possible. Yet he always found himself coming to the source.


    Perhaps a part of him still believed that, if he was there, no one else would need to get hurt.


    He only acknowledged in hindsight how lucky he was that everyone else still followed him. They didn¡¯t question him and, eventually, they reached what had made the noise: a teenager who was desperately trying to piece together something that looked to be a trinket of some sort. Though there wasn¡¯t anything obviously special about it, it was clear that she cared for it.


    ¡°Are you out here on your own?¡± Dimas prompted as he dismounted. She looked up at him but, after a moment of surprise, turned back to the trinket. ¡°It¡¯s getting late and it doesn¡¯t really look like you¡¯re prepared to be out here by yourself¡­¡±


    In fact, it didn¡¯t look like she had anything. There was no sign of a camp or any of her other supplies. Just her and her trinket. He supposed it was the first thing to suggest that something wasn¡¯t exactly right with her.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry, I¡¯m a lot more capable than you think I am,¡± she mumbled. She once again tried and failed to put the broken trinket back together. After a moment, she showed it to him. ¡°Would you happen to know how to fix this?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t, but we can bring you to a town that might have someone who can,¡± Dimas offered. Her face lit up at the idea. ¡°What¡¯s your name? I¡¯m Dimas, and these are Hadar, Lyron, and Lieke.¡±


    If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡°Talia.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°So, isn¡¯t taking in a kid you found in the middle of the woods the reason we¡¯re all out here to begin with?¡± Lyron asked. They¡¯d arrived at the town and now watched Talia desperately dart from person to person to try to find someone who could fix her trinket. She still hadn¡¯t told them what was so special about it.


    ¡°Natheniel¡¯s a lot more complicated than that,¡± Dimas remarked casually, vaguely aware that it wasn¡¯t truly helping the situation. ¡°I just wanted to make sure Talia got to where she needed to be. She¡¯s probably going to continue doing whatever she was meant to do before we found her once she¡¯s done here.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s someone else I heard of that matches her description,¡± Hadar mumbled. ¡°I don¡¯t think we should interact with her any more than we need to.¡±


    Dimas sighed. ¡°Was it something you randomly heard or knew about because of the army?¡± He knew that asking that was the quickest way of figuring out how worried he should be.


    ¡°Nothing directly from Commander Kiah, but something a few of the soldiers were discussing. Every now and again there are reports of a ¡®mysterious woman¡¯ coming into towns or walking up to travelers. They never catch her name. She stays there for a couple of days before mysteriously disappearing during a Ski¨¢ attack. None of them were sure if they were truly reports, though, or just urban legends¡­ and there¡¯s nothing that says that this is definitely the same person.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll make sure she has everything she needs and we¡¯ll go our separate ways. There¡¯s no reason to risk something like that.¡± Not when they had so much to lose already. Dimas¡¯s words did signal the end of the conversation, though, at a rather good time; Talia was walking back to them with a satisfied expression. When she got closer, he prompted, ¡°Did you find someone who could help you fix your trinket?¡±


    She nodded. ¡°He said it¡¯ll be ready tomorrow, good as new. I can¡¯t go anywhere without it, though¡­ and I don¡¯t have a place to stay until it¡¯s fixed¡­¡±


    Despite his better judgment and almost contradictory to what he just decided, he said, ¡°I have enough money to spare to get you a room, too. There¡¯d be no need to pay it back.¡±


    ¡­


    They¡¯d stayed in town a bit longer than he would¡¯ve preferred; it was nearly noon by the time they were actually ready to leave. It was only made longer when Talia noticed they were there and walked up to them.


    ¡°Are you leaving?¡± she asked, as if half of them already mounted wasn¡¯t enough of an answer. She was holding the trinket¡ªall in one piece now, though perhaps not perfect, it resembled a swan.


    ¡°We¡¯re looking for something and it¡¯s not going to magically show up if we stay here,¡± Dimas responded honestly.


    ¡°What are you looking for?¡±


    ¡°Something to help keep my family safe. It¡¯s not much. I¡¯m not even sure if we¡¯re going to be able to find it anymore¡­¡±


    ¡°You know, when I broke this, something fell out of it. Bozul should be guarding it. You can have it, as long as you¡¯re able to get it from him. She wants you to have it¡ªthings can¡¯t quite work if you don¡¯t.¡± Then she proved to be unwilling to answer any possible questions, walking away as if she¡¯d said nothing at all.


    ¡°I¡¯m guessing we¡¯re still going to go back to where we found her?¡± Lyron prompted.


    Dimas mounted and began ushering the horse back into the forest. ¡°It¡¯s not like we have any better ideas.¡±


    ¡°And what if she¡¯s just tricking us?¡± Lieke questioned. ¡°I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ve listened to anything we¡¯ve said, but I don¡¯t see a lot of reasons to trust her.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re just going to need to be ready for whatever we come across¡­¡±


    ¡­


    He stayed on high alert the whole way there. There were no moving shadows, no ambushes of any kind¡­ there was hardly anything, really. He didn¡¯t know if he should consider it a warning or a sign that things might actually be normal for once.


    Though it was somewhat hard to distinguish anything from the talking of his companions. It seems their wonderings of being tricked were soon to leave them.


    ¡°We¡¯ve covered a lot of ground in a short amount of time,¡± Lieke pointed out. ¡°He¡¯s using magic.¡±


    ¡°Then why don¡¯t we know it?¡± Lyron asked.


    ¡°It looks normal to us, obviously. Since it¡¯s happening to us it doesn¡¯t look like anything¡¯s different. Someone outside will see that we¡¯re actually going super fast.¡±


    Dimas sighed. He didn¡¯t really have anything that he needed in order to properly deal with this. ¡°What are you two arguing over..?¡±


    Lieke explained first. ¡°You¡¯ve got to be using magic while we travel, right? We just can¡¯t tell. Because we¡¯re inside the little time¡­ bubble¡­ thingie.¡±


    ¡°Except I think we should be able to tell,¡± Lyron interjected. ¡°I mean, if we¡¯re moving faster, wouldn¡¯t everything outside look like it¡¯s moving slower?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a simple answer for all of this: I¡¯m not using any magic,¡± Dimas said.


    ¡°But you¡¯ve got to be doing something,¡± Lieke insisted. ¡°Think about it. I¡¯ve done some traveling. I don¡¯t think we should¡¯ve traveled as far as we did if we weren¡¯t using some kind of magic.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s called slightly pushing the limits of what¡¯s considered ¡®safe¡¯ to travel. Horses help too, if you¡¯re just used to walking.¡±


    ¡°Then why aren¡¯t you using magic? Wouldn¡¯t that make this whole thing go by a lot quicker?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know that kind of magic.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re a¡ªuh, child of Fleyw Bresh. Isn¡¯t knowing magic pretty much your whole deal?¡±


    ¡°This is pretty much all that I know.¡± Dimas used a bit of magic to pull some water out of his canteen, moved it around the air, and then put it back again. ¡°I can move water.¡±


    ¡°Well, damn, that¡¯s disappointing. Your sister knew all kinds of stuff, didn¡¯t she? I would¡¯ve thought everyone would know as much magic as she did.¡±


    ¡°She was more of an exception. She had a talent for M¨¢vri Mage¨ªa¡ªblack magic¡ªand I didn¡¯t. She was taught by our father and Kadol. Odelle showed me what she knew; the base of Daphni¡¯s craft and Life magic.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the healing one, right? At least tell me you¡¯re not as disappointing in that as you are with moving around water because¡­ I¡¯d been led to believe you were actually reliable, but this is changing my view on a lot of things and I feel like I should just clear all this up now.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve grown up with a sister that really shouldn¡¯t be alive right now and a group of friends that I question daily how we all made it to adulthood. I would like to imagine I¡¯d be pretty good at it by now.¡±


    Both Lyron and Lieke gave nods of mutual agreement. It must¡¯ve been enough for them. Hadar was still silent, looking around the forest. He was probably waiting for Ski¨¢ and seemed completely ready to jump into action if he needed to.


    To Dimas¡¯s surprise, when they got to where they met Talia, Hadar was the first to dismount and motioned for the others to stay where they were. He bent down and began rummaging through the dirt. After a bit of mumbling¡ªmostly about the remaining glass shards¡ªhe picked up something and showed it to Dimas.


    ¡°Do you think this is what we¡¯re after?¡±


    It was a small crystal, one that could have otherwise been completely overlooked, and in the light looked a dark purple. There was some inexplicable sense of unease that came from looking at it; some hint to what it was a part of that even regular humans could recognize.


    Slowly, he nodded, took it from Hadar, and carefully placed it in a bag with the rest of his things. ¡°Now, I don¡¯t know about the rest of you, but I¡¯m not too keen on learning who this ¡®Bozul¡¯ is. Let¡¯s get out of here and back to the border.¡±


    Their leave was only quickened by the steady realization that the shadows were moving again. No one dared to point it out and, thankfully, nothing more ever seemed to come of it¡­


    ¡­


    Little over five months, halfway across Seothia and back again, all the while wondering if they were going to find something and if that something was going to be taken from them. It felt too convenient, almost. But then he remembered Talia¡¯s words¡ª¡°She wants you to have it¡ªthings can¡¯t quite work if you don¡¯t.¡±


    Perhaps having the devil on their side didn¡¯t always have to be a bad thing¡­ even if it was merely a guess on his part.


    Dimas bid farewell to (and paid) Lyron and Lieke at the same border camp where they met. Hadar stayed a little longer, expressing a desire to visit the stronghold personally before returning to Levi Asari. Really, both of them were just pretending like they could finally take this time to relax.


    They¡¯d confirmed the crystal to be a piece of the Nightmare¡¯s Heart and wrote to someone who¡¯d help in the next step of the plan. Two very long, but hopeful, letters were sent. Home didn¡¯t quite seem so far away now and Dimas could begin looking forward to his return. Yet there was still work to do and he couldn¡¯t allow himself to rest quite yet.


    Hadar poked his head into the tent. ¡°The man you summoned has arrived.¡±


    Nodding, Dimas took the things he needed and went to meet the man. By now the few people that were at the camp were occupied with something else, and Hadar also left to do other things.


    ¡°I was beginning to wonder when you¡¯d contact me,¡± the man remarked. ¡°You¡¯re lucky I¡¯m getting paid as well as I am for this¡ªotherwise I wouldn¡¯t have made sure I had time for you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. It¡­ took a lot longer than we¡¯d expected.¡±


    ¡°So, what do you want done with it? If that¡¯s all you got then there¡¯s not much I can do. Round the edges a little and make it look pretty?¡±


    Dimas took out the feather he¡¯d brought with him. ¡°We were hoping you could combine it with this. No matter what it should keep its abilities¡ªall it needs to do is be something he¡¯d be willing to wear as he gets older.¡±


    ¡°Alright. If all goes well, you¡¯ll have your feather necklace and I¡¯ll be paid by tomorrow night.¡±

 Extras: Preview- Official Guide Humanoid Species

    Some previews of the Official Guide! As expected, these might be subject to change before the actual release of the guide. I originally planned on doing previews of the whole Species section, but I decided to just post the humanoid portions instead and do this preview a little early. I did a small drawing for the Ilethera section, too, but I forgot to include it...


    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    In case you''re wondering, there are some familiar faces in there! The Messenger''s portrait is Jun, the Angel''s portrait (in the first image, the third portrait on the first row) is Micah, and the Fos''s portrait is Zokel. The Ilethera portrait, even if I forgot to include it, also features Zach, Sukeena, Olle, and Talia. The rest aren''t supposed to be any specific characters, just a general idea of what those species look like.


    Thank you all for reading The Butterfly Effect! I hope you''ll stay around for all the other things I have planned in 2024.

 What Time Forgot: Another Dreamer (Enuolare)

    It didn¡¯t take long for news to spread, even if no one here truly cared. Well, they did¡­ just not as mourning of the eldest prince¡¯s disappearance. No, all they ever cared about here was what they could gain from the misfortune. All the members of Adidell seemed to speak of what they could gain from this. Enuolare was no closer to understanding their twisted way of thinking and she hoped she never would. Just the thought of what Imre had to be going through brought a hopeless feeling as if it had been one of her own.


    She didn¡¯t get any official word, however, until the end of Onala. It was the same letter she assumed every other prominent noble got¡ªsomething written by an unfamiliar hand.


    And an attached note from the king¡­ telling her it was finally time.


    Etieno was standing beside her, like he usually did now; observing her do the work that he will one day be in charge of. He might not have read the note himself but was confident enough of what it might¡¯ve said to ask, ¡°Need anything, Mom?¡±


    ¡°Can you find Enebish for me?¡± she said, slowly, already trying to come up with a reasonable way to explain it. ¡°Make sure they know it¡¯s nothing too serious. If it looks like they¡¯re doing something, then just tell them to meet me after dinner.¡±


    He nodded and left.


    Enuolare took a deep breath and began putting away some of the papers. She didn¡¯t want them scattered about and available for Enebish to read. Most of it was things they already knew, but that didn¡¯t mean they had to understand the full extent of it. By the time the door opened again, she had everything neatly put away and was going back to her desk.


    Enebish poked their head inside but didn¡¯t say anything, waiting for her nod to come in and wander to the desk.


    She gestured to the chair on the other side of the desk. ¡°You don¡¯t need to look like you¡¯re in trouble, dear, it¡¯s alright. King Imre asked me to do something¡­ to see if, perhaps, it will keep us from losing any more of them.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not really making any sense¡­¡± they mumbled.


    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You¡¯ve always been smart¡ªyou¡¯ll probably be able to piece together what I¡¯m trying to say.¡± She glanced at the door to make sure it was closed, noting how Etieno must¡¯ve been standing in front of it. The only ones who would hear it were the only ones that it concerned. ¡°Let me start with, thank you for being so patient all these years. You¡¯ve never asked questions that I couldn¡¯t give answers to. You never seemed to worry about what happened before you came to us. But now it¡¯s time to tell you where you came from and who you are that makes you so special.


    ¡°You are what we call a ¡®Xypnima ¨®neiro,¡¯ or a dreamer. There are two others that we know of¡ªPrince Natheniel and a girl named Muriel Stone¡ªand of them you are the oldest. All of you have some kind of connection to Ski¨¢, meaning that you¡¯re one of the only clues we have of solving our problems with them.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ not something we ever thought any of you were ready for. King Imre was always afraid of what might happen if we told you too soon¡ªthat you¡¯d think any love we¡¯ve given you was because we needed you. I¡¯m telling you now that it couldn¡¯t be further from the truth. You¡¯re just as precious to me and all of your siblings as if you were our own blood. I don¡¯t know if I would¡¯ve kept all of this so long if I hadn¡¯t been asked to, but¡­ the only reason I say all this now is to quell any undue anxieties. Prince Natheniel ran away because of a warped perception and sense of guilt, one combined with the idea of being kept in the dark. King Imre didn¡¯t want you to feel the same way, so he told me it was time to tell you.¡±


    Enebish was silent for a while, thinking it all over. ¡°It¡¯s also part of a fail-safe, isn¡¯t it..? Muriel was adopted by Elena Stone, wasn¡¯t she? Prince Natheniel¡¯s gone and I can¡¯t imagine that she¡¯d take the news of who she is well, after what happened. I¡¯m the only one who¡¯s able to do anything if you need it.¡±


    Enuolare sighed. ¡°I¡¯m sure that did have a part, but I don¡¯t believe that was his main reason for suggesting it.¡± She once again glanced at the door to see that nothing had changed. ¡°I¡¯ve got plenty of time if you have any questions.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s another reason we¡¯re all adopted, isn¡¯t there? Besides our connection to the Ski¨¢?¡±


    She nodded. ¡°You¡¯re at least partially aware of Ilethera, aren¡¯t you? Beings that can¡¯t quite be called human because of the abilities they possess. Some of them don¡¯t have birth parents, appearing in the world as part of a phenomenon we don¡¯t yet understand. All dreamers are like this. You were found by a traveling Hyacinth, taken in by an older woman, then I adopted you to assure you¡¯d be cared for and to make everyone a bit safer.¡± They stayed quiet, causing her to prompt, ¡°Is this too much..?¡±


    They shook their head. ¡°It makes sense, actually. Imena mentioned something when she came¡ªso I guess I¡¯ve always known something.¡± They got up. ¡°That¡¯s all I can think of asking for now.¡±


    ¡°You know where to find me if you can ever think of more.¡±

 Extras: Art- Volume 1

    The Butterfly Effect Volume 1: The Price of Our Secrets is out now!


    I''m excited to announce that the first volume of The Butterfly Effect is now available to purchase on Amazon! It includes Departure, Secrets of the Ley Lines, and the first six shorts of The Butterfly Effect. I''ll go ahead and add the link to it in the author''s note down below. Remember, The Butterfly Effect will always remain free to read on RoyalRoad, but if you wanted to go the extra mile to support my work, these books will always be an option.


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    To mark the occasion, here''s the full version of the volume''s cover art, as well as what the cover itself looks like. This art piece features Ekambar (left) and Peiros (right). I''ve got plans of giving the other volume covers similar painted scenes with some including other stories of legend like these two, and others showing familiar faces! As of publishing this (February 3rd, 2024), I don''t know when I''ll publish Volume 2, but it will likely be before The Butterfly Effect''s fourth anniversary in March.


    Thank you all for reading, and I hope you enjoy everything else I have planned for The Butterfly Effect in the coming year!

 Author’s Notes: People and Places

    PEOPLE


    Their placement is determined by their current place of residence (or death) at the present day of the series (Lamyn 31, 1706) and will follow with their general status in that kingdom; nobility before the common people. When dealing with last names, married name comes first then their maiden name; the same goes for general name changes. Opad¨®s is a term used to distinguish servants, in a literal or symbolic sense, and should not be mistaken for a last name. Those intending to only serve for a few years have it in front of their last name, whereas life-long servants take up the name of their master. Generally, Seothian servants serve for life while Qizarn servants aren¡¯t intended to.


    Characters who have not yet appeared in stories will also show up here.


    Seothia


    Lucas ¡°Luke¡± Mikkel- Seothia¡¯s Saint-King


    Clarimonda ¡°Clari¡± Mikkel-Oberon- Seothia¡¯s First Queen, Lucas¡¯s wife


    Sidyn Pavyre- an influencer of Lucas¡¯s rebellion


    Beatrix ¡°Bea¡± Pavyre-Mikkel- Sidyn¡¯s wife after Lucas¡¯s rebellion


    Missa Evirea- an influencer of Lucas¡¯s rebellion


    Selik Mikkel- the Tyrant-King who tried to get rid of all magic users in Seothia


    Jakob Mikkel- Selik¡¯s son and, ultimately, the one who overthrew him


    Casper Mikkel- late king of Seothia, Imre¡¯s father


    Minne Callisto ¡°Calli¡± Mikkel-Huzaifa- late queen of Seothia, Imre¡¯s mother


    Imre Mikkel- king of Seothia, descendant of Lucas


    Dimas Mikkel-Andrea- king of Seothia, husband of Imre


    Natheniel Mikkel- prince of Seothia, the adopted son of Imre and Dimas


    Tavin Envi Mikkel- crown prince of Seothia, the child of Imre and Lydia


    Samone Jaden- overseer of the Tillai Plateau and southern coastal regions of Seothia, a member of the court


    Kesem Jaden- previous overseer of the Tillai Plateau and southern coastal regions of Seothia, Samone¡¯s father


    Raisul Tobiah- overseer of the Pagetri Mountains area, a member of the court


    Onesa Zaci- overseer of the Tramos area


    Yamura Zaci- previous overseer of the Tramos area, Onesa¡¯s mother


    Mason Xannon- overseer of the Southern Deoyros Plains area


    Lieke Xannon-Sterre- Mason¡¯s wife, a former mercenary


    Abassi Teyeabassi- overseer of the Northern Deoyros Plains area


    Seun Teyeabassi-Oleka- Abassi¡¯s wife


    Uzoma Teyeabassi- Abassi¡¯s son


    Zulana Sobechi- overseer of the Sands of Tratrea area


    Tanavir Rymbai- overseer of the Pypes Forest area


    Enuolare Oseloke- overseer of the Palus area


    Enebish Oseloke- Enuolare¡¯s adopted child


    Etieno Oseloke- one of Enuolare¡¯s children


    Kiah Endove- commander of the Seothian army, a member of the court


    Parpar Aderes-Jaden- Kesem¡¯s sister, Iris¡¯s mother


    Iris Shameer-Aderes- Kesem¡¯s niece


    Hadar Shameer- Iris¡¯s husband


    Mae Shameer- Iris and Hadar¡¯s daughter


    Ornetta Haile-Jaden- Kesem and Parpar¡¯s aunt


    Andrew Stone- the patriarch of the Stone family


    Diana Stone-Avery- the matriarch of the Stone family


    Lydia Envi ¡°Enn¡± Stone- the eldest daughter of Andrew and Diana Stone, mother of Tavin


    Timothy ¡°Tim¡± Stone- Lydia¡¯s older son who died two days after birth


    Henry Stone- Lydia¡¯s younger son who was stillborn


    Lewis ¡°Witless¡± Stone- the only son of Andrew and Diana Stone


    Naviya Stone-Suvan- Lewis¡¯s wife


    Elena ¡°Ellie¡± Stone- the youngest daughter of Andrew and Diana Stone


    Adrian Stone-Shelby- Elena¡¯s husband


    Edric Stone- one of Elena¡¯s adopted children


    Muriel Stone- one of Elena¡¯s adopted children


    Lustris Opad¨®s-Stone- a previous servant of the Stones, now Muriel¡¯s caretaker


    Tyche Salus- the Ram of the Lysha


    Atka Tonrar- the Bat for the Lysha


    Dusek Mirek- the Vulture for the Lysha


    Nehi Akhere- the late Vulture for the Lysha


    Mathieu Quennell- a count of the Tramos mountains


    Mei Shui- a member of Adidell, ¡°mother¡± of the Homunculi


    Ivann Mikah- Nadia¡¯s father


    Akilina Mikah-Yuliy- Nadia¡¯s mother


    Leon Mikah- Nadia¡¯s uncle


    Nadia Mikah- a girl from northern Seothia who fled to a town close to the capital


    Ferrel Connal- a resident of Quennell territory


    Lyron Zachory- a resident of Quennell territory


    Xuan Chuong- a resident of Quennell territory


    Haris Huzaifa- the guardian of the Keys


    Kiraat ¡°Ki¡± Huzaifa- the previous Fox and Eldrianna¡¯s Messenger


    Zenas Huzaifa- the previous Eagle


    Umber Huzaifa- the previous Cat


    Takane Asreng- the previous Rabbit


    Clare Stone- Andrew¡¯s sister with a family of her own residing in Pagetri


    Reineke Hanly- a Pagetri noble and one of Lydia¡¯s exes


    Sarah Samah-Huzaifa- Haris¡¯s sister, Kamila¡¯s mother


    Kamila Oriel-Samah- Domenique and the Forgotten Light¡¯s mother


    Silvain Oriel- Domenique and the Forgotten Light¡¯s father


    Kathrine Verduren- a resident of Ryobel


    Nivik Kamal- a resident of Ryobel


    Emiyo Komaeda- a resident of Ryobel


    Tamotsu Meryl- a resident of Ryobel, Cynrik¡¯s step-brother


    Cynrik Meryl- a resident of Ryobel, Tamostu¡¯s step-brother


    Zacharael ¡°Zach¡± Mialen- a healer and an Ilethera


    Camecia Taite- Zacharael¡¯s assistant


    Keandre Laine- a resident of Fahluma


    Hannah Laine-Ivonna- a resident of Fahluma


    Ouka Kosaku- a child of Fleyw Bresh residing in Seothia


    Brenan- a thief who lives with Ouka


    Sukeena Rahula- ringleader of a traveling circus


    Tereo ¡°Umi¡± Yasu-Laeris- part of the trapeze act for a traveling circus, Sukeena¡¯s right-hand


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    Natharie Opad¨®s-Rahula- the manager for a traveling circus, a mother figure to Sukeena


    Orith Zidru- weightlifter for a traveling circus


    Dabur Opad¨®s-Rahula- up-and-coming beast tamer for a traveling circus


    Detu Teletrius- musician and pantomime for a traveling circus


    Theisi Charaell- a dancer for a traveling circus


    Miskunn Sumar- costume designer and musician for a traveling circus


    Mati Vrika- illusionist for a traveling circus


    Miho, Nillie, and Ilathy- triplets performing a clown/acrobatic act for a traveling circus


    ¡°Thistle¡±- a mysterious woman fond of knitting things back together


    Insith Rahula- a previous ringleader of a traveling circus, Sukeena¡¯s father


    Lakshani Rahula-Nadesha- Insith¡¯s wife and Sukeena¡¯s mother


    Zera Jaden- the first Red Rose and an executioner promoted to power after Lucas¡¯s rebellion


    Albert Mikkel- Beatrix and Lucas¡¯s younger brother who lived during the time of the Saint-King


    Svend- an Old Seothian soldier who lived during the time of the Saint-King


    Alwin- a convict that lived during the time of the Saint-King


    Folre- a convict that lived during the time of the Saint-King


    Nixon- a child of Fleyw Bresh who resided in Seothia during the time of the Saint-King


    Takedon- a child of Fleyw Bresh who resided in Seothia during the time of the Saint-King


    Qizar (Fleyw Bresh)


    Norah Andrea- Qizar¡¯s Holy Queen


    Philomena Andrea- Norah¡¯s only child


    Calix Andrea- Philomena¡¯s son, the only king of Qizar


    Ilethera- Norah¡¯s handmaiden, ¡°mother¡± of modern Ilethera


    Ilena Andrea- Kyra¡¯s older sister, connected to Norah


    Kyra Andrea- Odelle¡¯s mother


    Ision Andrea-Aegite- Odelle¡¯s father


    Odelle Andrea- the late queen of Qizar, Dimas and Zofie¡¯s mother


    Nigel Andrea-Talo- the late king of Qizar, Dimas and Zofie¡¯s father


    Zofie Andrea- queen of Qizar, descendant of Norah


    Philyra Andrea- princess of Qizar, daughter of Zofie and Allen


    Thero Opad¨®s-Myles- Zofie¡¯s personal guard, the older brother of Cadence


    Kadol Orasos- the queen¡¯s advisor, leader of the White Ravens


    Kostas Solaris (Laeris)- bishop overseeing the ¨¦rimos tou Than¨¢tou and Adi¨¢vatos areas


    Aimaya Laeris-Yasu- Kostas¡¯s wife


    David Rhodes (Vasano)- bishop overseeing the T¨®pos tou Theo¨² and Th¨¦si tou Diav¨®lou areas


    Ilias Pasha (Artios)- bishop overseeing the Forgotten Isle area


    Rok Illuin (Zerix)- bishop overseeing the Tulane Coast and Goblin Provinces areas


    Hiero Midol- a noble residing in the Rhodes Region, a member of the White Ravens


    Domenique Oriel- a Seothian mage serving the royal family


    Allen Karsten- the late bishop of the Pasha region, a member of the White Ravens


    Aureus Tanju- a blacksmith from Hyasari now residing elsewhere in Qizar


    Reseda Tanju-Munro- a woman who died by an overuse of magic


    Tess Tanju-Quenten- Aureus¡¯s second wife now traveling the world


    Farrar Tanju- a blacksmith from Hyasari, a member of the White Ravens


    Efse Endove- Kiah¡¯s mother


    Zadeer Shashi- Kiah¡¯s father


    Eirica Doiridh- waitress for a tavern in Hyasari, mother to Chrys


    Chrys Paerel-Doiridh- a Qizarn crime lord, close to the White Ravens but not a member


    Eesat- a descendant of Lord-Troll Sleel, currently residing in Hyasari


    Arivind Vempati- a young member of the White Ravens


    Terika Piper- a late member of the White Ravens, Lillian¡¯s mother


    Lillian Audun-Piper- a late member of the White Ravens, Jesper¡¯s mother


    Jesper Audun- a boy raised by the White Ravens


    Rhenei Nesallea- a magic teacher in a town in the eastern Andrea Province


    Kalleira- Rhenei¡¯s spirit


    Tosaku Yasu- Aimaya¡¯s younger sister, Umi¡¯s aunt


    Serafina Luca- owner of the Lost Lamp Inn near the border


    Beika Luca- Serafina¡¯s adoptive daughter


    Titham Luca- Serafina¡¯s adoptive son


    Regind Agaldr- a young but successful alchemist


    Lynette ¡°Lyn¡± Avery- a previous Seothian actress now residing in Qizar


    Loraena- a girl with siren blood residing near the Forgotten Isle


    Ragnis Kadnekh- a half-fairy often seen doing odd jobs around his village


    Eme Takemra- Astyu¡¯s mother, interested in reviving her lost love


    Astyu Takemra- a boy trying to process the loss of someone dear


    Jasmin Khadi- a woman interested in learning about M¨¢vri Mage¨ªa


    Kiara Coffey- a woman blinded by her use of M¨¢vri Mage¨ªa


    Brynn Mostyn- a woman who was ultimately driven mad by M¨¢vri Mage¨ªa


    Demery Tyrus- a young man with plenty of family secrets


    Koyana Tyrus- a young woman with plenty of family secrets


    Deron Tyrus- Demery and Koyana¡¯s grandfather


    Olle Feldr- a young man with a troubled history


    Evelina Feldr- a young woman with a troubled history


    Tandi Opad¨®s-Malene- a servant for a reclusive noble


    Jimar Reshay- a former servant for a reclusive noble


    Vero Fabiyn- the son of a merchant family that met a tragic fate


    Peppe Lerato- a traveling merchant who protects several kids


    Caryn Lerato-Cira- Peppe¡¯s wife


    Giona Opad¨®s-Lerato- a helper to Peppe and Caryn


    Oria Vivus- a minor noble of Idkor now residing in lower Rhodes


    Caenum Anae- a fairy from Pasha now residing in lower Rhodes


    Cadence Myles- a powerful mage, Thero¡¯s younger sister


    Veradis- a child of Fleyw Bresh who watched over the others while they were underground during the time of the Saint-King


    Aredes- a child of Fleyw Bresh hidden underground during the time of the Saint-King


    Delphine ¡°Del¡± Valu- a friend of the Minotaur, lived in the time of the Saint-King


    Idkor (Qizar)


    Rane- High Lady of the Fae Court


    Cholk- Lord-Troll of the True Qizar


    Sleel- a previous Lord-Troll of the True Qizar


    Jynse- overseer of the Talina territory


    Gliz- overseer of the Aspea territory


    Scuris- overseer of the Salini territory


    Blizz- overseer of the Sitium territory


    Qizarn Myth (mortal characters in the Commandments)


    Peiros- a master craftsman, Ekambar¡¯s father


    Ekambar- the unfortunate Phoenix King


    Theseus- the man who slayed the Minotaur, among other things


    Theran- a ruler of Aspea who was transformed into the Minotaur


    Anysia- expanded Peiros¡¯s Labyrinth, the Minotaur¡¯s daughter that fell in love with Theseus


    Aevus- one of the Keys that helped Theseus enter the Labyrinth, though his name and true role was left out of the Commandments


    Moeris- a mighty hero who braved many trials


    Callisto- a goblin woman who was eventually memorialized in the sky as the constellation of a bear


    Sanctuary (Home of the Gods)


    Orestis- the Beginning; the creator in Qizarn myth


    Eldrianna- Darkness in Qizarn myth


    Danai ¡°Day¡±- Light in Qizarn myth


    Faidon- Fire in Qizarn myth


    Daphni- Water in Qizarn myth


    Vaso- Earth in Qizarn myth


    Elle- Wind in Qizarn myth


    Thalis- Fertility in Qizarn myth


    Glykeria- Weather in Qizarn myth


    Sokratas- Knowledge in Qizarn myth


    Natasa- Music in Qizarn myth


    Vriuh- Death in Qizarn myth


    Maho, Ilathri, and Nillae- the Managers of Strings in Qizarn myth


    Talmi- Angel of Love in Qizarn myth


    Amitael- Angel of War in Qizarn myth


    Micah- Distributor of Messages in Qizarn myth


    Sachiel- Angel of Afterthought in Qizarn myth


    Coretha- Guardian of Hell¡¯s Gates in Qizarn myth


    Usiu- the Guide of Lost Souls in Qizarn myth


    ¡­- the ¡°Mix of Blood and Ichor¡±


    Zaeseg- Sun Bearer in Qizarn Myth


    Negad- Moon Bearer in Qizarn Myth


    Qyny- Coretha¡¯s pet, a Great Dragon


    Ruvier- the last Great Dragon to join Vriuh


    Melai- a spirit creature of many forms that aids Usiu


    Jun- Orestis¡¯s Messenger


    Bottle- Daphni¡¯s Messenger


    Talia- Eldrianna¡¯s Messenger


    Calum Saeran- Vaso¡¯s Messenger


    Iztali ¡°Izzy¡±- a Fos that can turn into a pied wagtail


    Mazel- a Fos that can change into a mourning dove


    Zokel- a Fos that can change into a tree swallow


    Nai- a Fos that can change into a fennec fox


    Imena- a Fos that can change into a harbor seal


    Lekra- the only known benevolent Ski¨¢


    Valgrin and Bozul- Talia¡¯s Ski¨¢ scouts


    PLACES


    Places worth noting, separated by the kingdom they¡¯re in.


    Seothia


    Lelishara- the capital of Seothia; the permanent place of residence of only the royal family and council members


    Alyselin- the hometown of Saint-King Lucas; most notable for being where retired rulers go and where all the members of the royal family are buried


    Ilystalos- a prosperous border town between Seothia and Qizar


    Levi Asari- the Rose City and capital of Jaden territory; headquarters of the Lysha


    Ryobel- a town in Jaden territory; hometown of Domenique and Fauna


    Arathas- the capital of Tobiah territory


    Erinore- the capital of Zaci territory


    Idale- a village in Zaci territory, though it¡¯s largely been forgotten; hometown of Minne


    Casmel- the capital of Xannon territory


    Asyahone- the capital of Teyeabassi territory


    Fahluma- a town in Teyeabassi territory; hometown of Keandre and Hannah, now Lustris and Muriel¡¯s place of residence


    Kevabel- a town in northern Seothia that now only exists in legends and folklore


    Lilve Dorei- the capital of Sobechi territory


    Emiserin- the capital of Rymbai territory


    Kyathnora- the capital of Oseloke territory


    Qizar


    Hyasari- the capital of Qizar, located in the Andrea Province; one of the biggest cities in the nation and considered a place of new beginnings for all


    Ennedoreil- the capital of Rhodes territory


    Rahasari- the capital of Solaris territory, built next to the largest oasis in the area


    Rastaesi- the capital of the Pasha region


    Yllvamel- a moderately-sized village in the Forgotten Isle; hometown of Loraena, Ragnis, and Astyu, now Regind and Lynette¡¯s place of residence


    Hei Taesi- the capital of the Elluin region


    Ecale- a goblin province in the Elluin region; hometown of Efse and Kiah


    Idkor


    The Capital- meeting place of the Lord Trolls and Fae Court, the leading government bodies of Idkor


    Other


    Sanctuary- the home of the gods, angels, Messengers, and Fos


    The Anysia Caverns- a system meant to hold the Minotaur; runs parallel to the world¡¯s Ley Lines


    L¨ªmni ton Ag¨ªon Dakryon- also referred to simply as the Lake, it¡¯s along the Seothian-Qizarn border; it significance is understood by everyone as the location of peace talks, with lesser-acknowledged importance of where Norah died and where Orestis began creating the world

 Authors Notes: Timeline and Calendar

    MONTHS


    The TBE calendar is similar to the real world¡¯s, but the months take on different names.


    January- Esetis


    February- Oklathis


    March- Onala


    April- Viklaxus


    May- Zeyarat


    June- Aclither


    July- Istrigar


    August- Eliodore


    September- Syrita


    October- Mokudalar


    November- Dorake


    December- Lamyn


    TIMELINE


    (Note: I am terrible at math and somehow screwed up adding/subtracting on the official history document; there¡¯s a reason they refer to years by a title rather than numbers. Birthdays are also the bane of my existence. I try to fix the errors I see, but there might be one or two I never caught.)


    May mention stories yet to be published. An asterisk (*) will be placed after the titles belonging to What Time Forgot and two (**) are used for significant events that are not particularly in a story or appear during Memories or other short stories (though may include the name of a short story where it happened).


    -the start of legends, Eldrianna Falls** (Origin of Darkness)


    - as legends were made, Jun became Orestis¡¯s Messenger** (Messenger of the Gods- Jun)


    - year 1, end of Qizarn myth**


    - summer through autumn; ends during Oshye¡¯s Comet, 562, Rebellion


    - summer through winter, 562, Norah does as Ilethera predicted and rebuild Fleyw Bresh


    - beginning of year 567, Adidell is formed**


    - late summer of year 573, Norah, 26, is murdered by Ilethera at the Lake**


    - autumn of year 587, Philomena takes the Qizarn throne at the age of 15**


    - late winter of year 623, Calix becomes the first and only king of Qizar**


    - spring of year 1000, Tyrant-King Selik takes the throne**


    - winter of year 1047, Tyrant-King Selik is killed and replaced by his son, Jakob**


    - Mokudalar 13, 1649, Keys unlock the tree in Idale** (Keys)


    - mid Aclither, 1652, Following Fear*


    - summer of year 1661, A Message*


    - Syrita 19, 1663, Calum becomes Vaso¡¯s Messenger** (Messenger of the Gods- Calum)


    - Onala 16~25, 1664, The Girl Under the Bed


    - autumn of 1664, Part of Two Worlds*


    - Eliodare 28, 1665, Seeing a Faltering Resolve- first half*


    - Istrigar 3, 1667, Lustris meets and is taken in by the Stones** (From Ashes Reborn)


    - spring of year 1670, Forgotten Light Book I Chapter 1


    - late winter of year 1670, A Conflict of Opinion*


    - early summer of year 1673, Forgotten Light Book I Chapters 2 + 3


    - summer of year 1674, Forgotten Light Book I Chapter 4


    - ~Viklaxus¡ªZeyarat, 1678, Forgotten Light Book II


    - Dorake 8, 1679, Creeping Shadows*


    - Dorake 13, 1679, Seeing a Faltering Resolve- second half*


    - Esetis 1, 1680, the year 1680 is named the Year of Success**


    - Istrigar 2, 1680¡ªIstrigar ~25, 1680, Secrets of the Ley Lines Book I


    - Syrita 4, 1680¡ªSyrita ~20, 1680, Secrets of the Ley Lines Book II and III


    - Oklathis 7, 1681, a light goes out** (The Tree Swallow)


    - mid Eliodore, 1683, Imre learns of the Dreamers** (Three Dreamers)


    - Eliodore 29, 1683, Casper¡¯s death** (Sacrifice)


    - Syrita 18, 1684, The Life of Allen Karsten*


    - Esetis 1, 1685, the year 1684 is named the Year of Shortcomings**


    - Viklaxus 9, 1685, Imre and Dimas get engaged** (Memories- Dimas, Part 2)


    - Viklaxus 19, 1685, Zofie loses her magic** (Keeping a Promise)


    - Istrigar 15, 1685, The Disappearance of the Lost Light** (Fading Memories)


    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    - Eliodore 2, 1685, Zofie mostly recovers, Domenique travels to Qizar to take care of her in Dimas¡¯s place** (A Swap of Duty)


    - Syrita 17, 1685, Imre and Dimas get married**


    - Mokudalar 18, 1685, The Dream and the Nightmare*; A Dying Light* [opening]


    - Mokudalar 27, 1685, Imre and Dimas adopt Natheniel** (Memories- Dimas, Part 2)


    - Oklathis 5, 1686, Settling Affairs*


    - Oklathis 18, 1686, Farrar¡¯s ¡°Disappearance¡±**


    - Onala 30, 1688, Minne¡¯s Death** (Sacrifice)


    - Esetis 16¨COnala 5, 1691, Allen¡¯s time spent in Hyasari** (The Love of Allen Karsten)


    - Esetis 5, 1692, The Death of Allen Karsten*


    - Onala 18, 1692, The Stone Family Adventure- Reality


    - Zeyarat 23, 1692, Departure Part 1


    - Aclither 1, 1692, Dimas begins his search for the Heart** (Nightmare¡¯s Heart P1)


    - Aclither 8, 1692, Catching Up*


    - Mokudalar 13, 1692, Lillian¡¯s Execution and Kadol¡¯s Adoption of Jesper** (A Lost Love)


    - Lamyn 20, 1692, Dimas ends his search for the Heart** (Nightmare¡¯s Heart P2)


    - Lamyn 24, 1692, Natheniel gets his feather necklace** (Departure Part IS; Memories- Dimas, Part 2)


    - throughout the year of 1693, Under the Surface*


    - late Eliodore, 1694, Away From Work*


    - Viklaxus 21, 1695, Regretful Longing*


    - Aclither 16¨CAclither 20, 1696, Bloodline- Past (only their time in the Plains)


    - Syrita 21, 1696, Departure Part II


    - early Oklathis, 1698, Traveler¡¯s Tales Chapter 1 + 2


    - Viklaxus 5¨CViklaxus 6, 1698, Departure Part III


    - Viklaxus 6, 1698, Stone Massacre** (Last Night)


    - Zeyarat 13, 1698, All Comes Crashing Down*


    - early Aclither, 1698, Departure Part IV


    - late Aclither, 1698, Departure: Deleted Part IVS


    - late Aclither, 1698, Lydia, Lewis, and Elena become Tavin¡¯s spirits** (Spirits)


    - late Aclither, 1698, Spirit Therapist*


    - early Istrigar, 1698, A Cover Up*


    - Dorake 30, 1698, Whodunit?*


    - Istrigar 24¨C25, 1700, False Home*


    - Viklaxus 10~20, 1701, Uncharted Waters


    - mid Zeyarat; Syrita ~30; late Lamyn, 1701, Traveler¡¯s Tales Chapter 3 ¨C 5


    - early Istrigar, 1702, Traveler¡¯s Tales Chapter 6


    - Mokudalar 24~28, 1702, Mystery of Nadia Mikah


    - late Lamyn 1702, No Backing Out*


    - mid Onala, 1703, Traveler¡¯s Tales Chapter 7


    - indiscernible amount of time, 1703, The Stone Family Adventure- Fantasy


    - late Eliodore, 1703, Leaving Ghosts Behind*


    - Dorake 1, 1703, Departure Part V


    - Dorake 10, 1703, Departure Part VS


    - Lamyn 31, 1703, Departure Part VI


    - late Oklathis, 1704, Unknowing Dreamer*


    - Onala 28, 1704, Another Dreamer*


    - Viklaxus 25¨CAclither 3, 1704, Bloodline- Present


    - early Aclither, 1704, Traveler¡¯s Tales Chapter 8


    - Eliodore 1~5; Syrita 4, 1704, Second Chances


    - Syrita 16, 1704, Tavin and Nadia meet** (Light in the Dark)


    - Mokudalar 20, 1704, Remember What Was Lost*


    - late Esetis, 1705, A Dreamer¡¯s Role*


    - Dorake 28, 1705, Two Fragments of a Whole*


    - Lamyn 10, 1705, Facing the Facts*


    - Lantern Festival, 1706, Dedication to the Lost*


    - Aclither 15, 1706, Ihu dies**


    - mid-late Aclither, 1706, The Fiction in Fact


    - early Istrigar, 1706, An Old Friend*


    - Syrita 3-15, 1706, Raven Feathers


    - mid Syrita, 1706, H99


    - late Syrita, 1706, A Quick Visit*


    - Dorake 21-24, 1706, Relying on a Hope and a Prayer*


    - Lamyn 16, 1706, A Birthday Gift*


    - Lamyn 31, 1706, White Room*


    - Lamyn 31, 1706, Forgotten Light Epilogue


    - Lamyn 31, 1706, Flickering Light*


    HOLIDAYS


    (Note: ¡°Qizar¡± here refers to modern day Qizar and Idkor. ¡°Fleyw Bresh¡± refers to only modern day Qizar.)


    - Esetis 1, New Year¡¯s; Qizar celebrate by masks, re-enactments, and plenty of games; Seothia celebrates with parties and drinks


    - Esetis 11, Darkness¡¯s Call (Qizar); Eldrianna is thought to be kind to all those who uphold her on this day


    - Oklathis 15, The Dragon¡¯s Festival (Fleyw Bresh); celebrates welcome change and the only king of the nation, Calix


    - Onala 26, Greetings of Spring; marked by exchanging of goodwill and scavenger hunts in both nations; in Qizar, Thalis is held up at this time


    - Viklaxus 8, Knowledge¡¯s Call (Qizar); Sokratas is held up at this time


    - Viklaxus 29, Children¡¯s Day; celebrates the new generation with kites and wind wheels, most popular in Qizar


    - Zeyarat 17, Wind¡¯s Call (Qizar); Elle is held up at this time


    - Aclither 6-13, Day of the Dead/Lantern Festival; honoring those who are gone forever or those who have lost their way, and the only celebration that the kingdoms truly celebrate together. Lanterns are put in rivers that will flow into the Lake where they are burned and believed to reach the gods, who would relay those messages to the dead and lost


    - Aclither ~10-17, Oshye¡¯s Comet (Seothia); Seothia¡¯s celebration of Saint-King Lucas¡¯s rebirth of the nation. Exact dates vary each year


    - Aclither 20, 21, or 22, Sun¡¯s Festival (Qizar); a celebration to the longest day of the year. Zaeseg and Faidon are held up at this time


    - Istrigar 25, Light¡¯s Call (Qizar); Danai is held up at this time


    - Eliodore 3, Music Festival (Fleyw Bresh); held on the day of Norah¡¯s death, showing how colorful and musical they are in an attempt to please their gods through song and dance. Natasa is held up at this time


    - Syrita 4, Afterlife¡¯s Promise (Qizar); Vriuh and the Strings are held up at this time


    - Syrita 30, Creator¡¯s Call (Qizar); Orestis is held up at this time


    - Mokudalar 7, Earth¡¯s Call (Qizar); Vaso is held up at this time


    - Mokudalar 31, Spirit¡¯s Coming (Seothia); nearly everyone wears animal (or monster) masks or even costumes to appease the animal guardians of their house; that meaning, however, is still only truly upheld in the mountains or houses originating from them


    - Dorake 17, Weather¡¯s Call (Qizar); Glykeria is held up at this time


    - Dorake 21-24, Epithymia (Qizar); ¡°wish strips¡± are hung on trees all across Qizar and Idkor and, on the third night, it¡¯s said they¡¯re brought up to the gods who decide if the wish should come true


    - Lamyn 20, 21, 22, or 23, Moon¡¯s Festival (Qizar); a celebration to the shortest day of the year. Negad and Daphni are held up at this time

 Authors Notes: Worldbuilding Notes

    Ilethera and Dreamers


    Ilethera are named after the woman thought to have created them and Dreamers¡ªor Xypnima ¨®neiro¡ªare named such by their connection to Fos and Ski¨¢. They are considered two separate beings but they share many similarities.


    Ilethera can both be born and appear in the world as infants; the first few were the latter, then as they grew and had children the former became possible. Anyone with an ancestor that was an Ilethera has the potential of being one themselves, but it¡¯s not possible for a child to be an Ilethera if their parents don¡¯t possess the blood for it. Goblins and fairies, unless possessing human blood, cannot be an Ilethera.


    When considering the abilities they have, they are often separated into four groups:


    -a fairy-like or even stronger connection to magic (can be both in general or specific. Someone falls into this category with powerful magic overall, whereas another might due to an ability that correlates to a magical practice such as healing)


    -a physical abnormality (the presence of wings or horns, for instance. These seem to be the rarest simply because they¡¯re often killed because of it)


    -a mental ability (often having to do with being more capable of assessing others¡¯ moods or more perceptive to other minor details)


    -the power to somewhat control Fos or Ski¨¢ (very limited and, in most cases, only amounts to repelling/attracting Ski¨¢, though some connected to Ski¨¢ may be able to control one or two of them. This works similar to domesticating a wild animal; they may be ¡°trained,¡± but it isn¡¯t a guarantee of their control)


    Most Iletheras have the same ability, if not very similar to, the one of their Ilethera ancestor; while it¡¯s uncommon, it¡¯s possible for them to have completely different abilities.


    They seem to be magnets for misfortune, the toys and prey of Darkness; most, though, can still live fulfilling and relatively long lives. All Ilethera are immune to Black Magic and its effects on a person, even if the most noticeable example is their inability to experience Illusion magic.


    Dreamers can only come into the world as infants or toddlers and never have birth parents. They¡¯re naturally tied to Ski¨¢, though never a Fos, but can have a companion of one or both. With the right kind of training, they can hypothetically control Ski¨¢ to an extent possible to almost seem to become one themselves; it¡¯s considered possible, but not yet achieved, for a dreamer to learn to manipulate dreams. Like Ilethera, they¡¯re immune to the negative effects of Black Magic and can¡¯t experience Illusion magic. They tend to be slow learners and most struggle to keep up academically with their age mates. They do, however, excel in physical and magical combat; it¡¯s worth noting that they may get violent urges if they¡¯re particularly close to Ski¨¢, especially if their powers are left untamed.


    Ski¨¢ can sense and are naturally drawn towards them without proper prevention; Fos can sense them, though only interact if one of them is tied to the dreamer; humans, goblins, and fairies all have a chance of experiencing ¡°odd¡± feelings around dreamers, though only Ilethera connected to Fos or Ski¨¢ can exactly piece together why.


    Fos and Ski¨¢


    Also known as ¡°lights¡± or ¡°dreams¡± and ¡°shadows¡± or ¡°nightmares.¡± Fos were created by Danai to protect the light, whereas Ski¨¢ were created by Eldrianna to spread darkness.


    The work of Fos is one that is often overlooked compared to the dark forces they fight against. They all appear as children and can turn into a certain type of animal; this animal is signified by some piece of clothing or accessory (feathers or fur, for example). The animal they can turn into is determined at their creation and cannot change. Most are small birds or other prey (deer, rabbits) though hunters (foxes, large birds) are not unheard of, but they always match the species found in the general location they¡¯re meant to work in.


    They¡¯re sent to specific locations to help guide the light in that area. Each generally has a different purpose, but it falls into one of three categories:


    -Fysik¨®s (physical or permanent desires; keeping mortals from the dangers of Ilethera, protecting magic users in anti-magic areas)


    -Sched¨®n Fysik¨ª (fulfilling dreams or thought-to-be-impossible acts; creating the chance for a second first impression and a clean slate)


    -Myal¨® (intangible or things of the mind; simply protecting a single person, revealing hidden truths)


    They¡¯re similar to candles in the sense that their light can be overwhelmed by darkness until they flicker out. It takes a bit of Danai¡¯s power to create them, meaning there is only a set number of them, though this exact number is uncertain. Iztali was the last Fos created before Danai had no more power to create them.


    Ski¨¢ are much more noticeable. They¡¯re most common in Seothia since there is a lack of magic to combat them, but appear in Qizar and Idkor as well. As far as anyone knows there¡¯s no way to tell how many of them exist in the world, though slowly ways are being found to keep them at bay. Eldrianna uses nothing to create them, simply manipulating shadows. They have different forms depending on how attached they are to the world, named similarly to the abilities of the Fos. The types are:


    Fysik¨®s- tangible creatures, the most dangerous but least common type. They often gather in groups and are relatively easy to separate from a crowd due to most of them having red eyes and a vaguely translucent appearance.


    Sched¨®n Fysik¨ª- has limited capabilities of interacting with the world and the type most commonly seen, though still rather rare to be encountered by large groups. Appears as a black human-like silhouette with red eyes. Preys on those alone and unprepared; you¡¯ll know they¡¯re coming when the shadows start moving.


    Myal¨®- only capable of appearing in dreams and the most common example, though they¡¯re hard to distinguish if only experienced once or twice. Never seen, they take the form of a person¡¯s nightmares and slowly drain their energy. Capable of killing their victims if left unchecked.


    Ski¨¢ can, to a degree, be quelled through means of magic; most Light magic or powerful Dark magic has been shown to hinder them. It should be noted, though, that they can deflect or absorb most other types of magic. They have one known way of being controlled without the power of a Fos or dreamer: the Nightmare¡¯s Heart. The crystal traps Ski¨¢ inside and weakens their powers when around it. Unfortunately, after a small fragment of it was retrieved for Natheniel¡¯s feather necklace, its whereabouts are uncertain¡­ and not even the Ski¨¢ nor their master can figure out where it is. This led to a desperate chase between the two groups to secure the rest of the crystal. Eventually, though, Seothia no longer had the spare manpower to track it; not even the feather necklace can be found again, giving a bleak prediction to what happened to anything else the Ski¨¢ might have found.


    Spirits


    The dead who, in one way or another, chose to return to the living realm tied to another person. Qizar and Idkor don¡¯t draw any special attention to them¡ªat least not unless it warrants it¡ªbut Seothia is known to praise them to a near unhealthy degree. Most people who are born with a spirit are usually related either by blood or common situations, though it¡¯s possible for them to have no connection to each other at all. It¡¯s possible to acquire a spirit after birth (often a lost loved one), though it¡¯s significantly rarer and usually makes the person a saint¡ªa term in Seothia used to describe someone with multiple spirits. Most places in Seothia also require children to be tested for spirits, but most people in Qizar and Idkor could go their whole lives without knowing if they have one.


    There are three types of connections to spirits. Weak connections is simply a voice in the person¡¯s head, sometimes accessible through dreams but most commonly presented subconsciously. Strong connections can be heard as a clearer voice in the person¡¯s mind, more evident as the person regularly dreams about talking to the spirit and the things the spirit experienced. Powerful connections appear as apparitions, seemingly real to the person yet holding no tangibility, that are speculated not to appear as often in dreams due to appearing in the person¡¯s waking hours instead; these are the rarest, though sometimes an explanation for imaginary friends that share similarities to people in the past.


    It¡¯s common knowledge that a connection to a spirit means the person gains something, though few actually acknowledge all they gain. In most cases of being born with one and not necessarily acquiring one afterwards, they adopt a piece of the spirit¡¯s personality. In the most used example, someone with the spirit of a good person is going to be good themself; someone with the spirit of a killer will, in turn, be more likely to draw blood. It¡¯s usually something that someone only realizes if they¡¯re looking for it or it proves to be particularly dangerous. Spirits acquired at any time can also carry fears relating to their death that influences the person who has them; if the spirit died in a fire, for instance, the person usually develops pyrophobia. No matter when they were acquired, it¡¯s safe to assume that they¡¯ll gain some likes and dislikes similar to the spirit they have. There are no recorded instances of drastic personality changes due to a spirit, however.


    Being a saint is something often considered after their death; most people, unless given an extremely good reason, don¡¯t check for spirits any more than once in their lifetime. It still holds importance after a person¡¯s death in the sense that it¡¯s a symbol of sorts¡ªthere are false stories that people who are family of saints are more likely to become saints themselves. This is especially true in Seothia where spirits themselves are something to be worshiped, often extending to those who have them. The Lysha determine saints through studying that person¡¯s life and trying to pinpoint if there was ever a change in their thinking and what amounted to it. It is, though, largely subjective. Many rightful saints have been dismissed and several who had just seen a change of heart have been exalted¡­ not considering the fact only those with money bring up the possibility.


    Saints are not exactly what they¡¯re believed to be, however. There are often conflicts between spirits and the effects of that and several other factors on the saint¡¯s health are usually ignored.


    Types of Magic and Black Magic


    There are four categories of magic, each possessing two subdivisions. The base principles need to be learned before moving on to a subdivision, and most specialize in only one or two areas of magic. Three, though arguably four, types of magic are considered M¨¢vri Mage¨ªa.


    Water magic is what most magic users start learning, at least until the fundamentals of magic are understood; it¡¯s considered the easiest and safest to start out with. At its base, it¡¯s controlling and moving water. Its two subdivisions are Life and Death. Life magic involves healing and the regeneration of plants; though difficult to master, many families make sure at least one person can do it. Death magic involves necromancy (talking to and, temporarily, raising the dead) and powerful fatal curses; it is M¨¢vri Mage¨ªa.


    Fire magic, at its base, is controlling fire and temperature. Many bakers and blacksmiths learn this, though normally only if they have the natural talent for it. Its two subdivisions are Light and Dark. Light magic involves truth spells and creating pure light; judges and some priests tend to learn it. Dark magic involves a version of voodoo (controlling someone to do the user¡¯s will) and creating pure darkness; it is M¨¢vri Mage¨ªa.


    Wind magic, at its base, is controlling the wind and some aspects of the weather. Used to help bring predictability to farmers, though sometimes the forces of nature prove to be too strong to be controlled. Its subdivisions are Travel and Freeze. Travel magic involves quicker movement, halving the time it takes to travel long distances; spelling messenger birds is a simple spell that anyone with a fragment of magic can use. Freeze magic involves stopping time or an object for a few seconds, though the practice itself has been lost since the end of Qizar¡¯s legends.


    Earth magic is the hardest to master in all aspects and generally restricted to a handful of magic users for extensive use. At its base, it is to move rocks. Its subdivisions are Truth and Illusion. Truth magic involves seeing the future and protection spells; while the protection spells are usually harmless, the future seeing is known to corrupt the mind of the caster, thus giving it the title of M¨¢vri Mage¨ªa. Illusion magic involves creating false imagery or sounds (objects enchanted to ¡°show¡± past events or people, sometimes referred to as ¡°projections,¡± are made using this type of magic); it is not inherently harmful but the continuous use has been known to produce effects similar to M¨¢vri Mage¨ªa, so it is debatably considered one.


    Magic generally tires out the user. The exact amount of time it takes for the body to start showing warning signs varies from what they¡¯re doing and who they are. The warning signs, in level of severity, are as follows: fatigue, nosebleeds (often the first that¡¯s recognized, it also warns of internal bleeding), and death. M¨¢vri Mage¨ªa, along with showing these same effects, also deteriorate the mind and body of the user; many who extensively use it have gone insane, faced severe disabilities, or both.


    Alchemy and Enchantment


    Ancient practices of the children of Fleyw Bresh. Both refer to infusing magic into an object; depending on the spell infused, it could help increase acoustics in an area or project illusions. They make up the majority of artifacts across the world.


    Modern practice has taken a scientific turn, finding ways to improve the life of mortals. It is, technically, the same thing magic can do and it can¡¯t do anything more than the spell put into it. Its practicality and usefulness rise from the fact that it doesn¡¯t impact the user in the same way as magic does (producing results for the same amount of time, but without needing someone actively using magic to do it). It has the capabilities of helping those who had lost their magic as well.


    There are various different ways to perform it, depending on the teacher and alchemist in question. Generally, though, these ways have little to do with the quality. While enchanted objects have the capability of theoretically lasting forever, it¡¯s hard to guarantee that and the enchantment is only as good as the object is; if the object wears down over time, so will the enchantment, and very few retain their enchantments after being broken.


    Due to conflicting interpretations of the Commandments, goblins and fairies frown upon the practice. They often go to great lengths to avoid anyone with a background in alchemy and anything that might be enchanted. It does, though, have the upside of giving businesses that could prove to be enchantment-free more than a few loyal customers.


    Correlation Between Magic, Species, and Place of Birth


    Natural magic refers to the amount of magic a person is capable of using without any previous training; the more natural magic they have, the easier magic is to learn and the more powerful it is without needing to put more effort in.


    Seothian humans are known to possess little to no natural magic, aside from a select few; the children of Fleyw Bresh almost always possess notable magic; goblins possess stronger magic than the Fleyw Bresh; fairies might as well be masters from birth. But there are always exceptions.


    The Ley Lines are the hypothetical connections to magic, where Vaso walked along the earth parallel to what is now known as the Anysia Caverns. Magic overflows where they pool; Seothia has only a handful of these spots, modern-day Qizar is mostly covered in them, and Idkor completely covered in them. A mortal born near or within these Ley Lines, despite species, tend to have a better chance of developing natural magical abilities. Continual, generational exposure to the Ley Lines is known to stick with the family for a few more generations, no matter if they move out of the vicinity of the Ley Lines or not; the same goes for those without exposure to the Ley Lines.


    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    This is how children of Fleyw Bresh that had moved to Seothia a few generations prior will likely still have a child with natural magical abilities; the same goes for how a human with a Seothian background may neutralize the magic of the goblin or fairy parent. The only place this truly seems to matter, as the latter case is still extremely rare, is in Seothia: someone can only take the title of magister if they don¡¯t have any traceable blood to a child of Fleyw Bresh.


    Note: there are similarities between Ilethera with strong magic and regular humans with strong magic, but they are not completely the same. Ilethera still have the distinguishing feature of being immune to M¨¢vri Mage¨ªa. Regular humans with exceptionally strong magic are also almost always children of Fleyw Bresh¡ªmeaning they likely have a more trackable history of it, which may not necessarily be the case for an Ilethera.


    Strings of Magic, Spirits, and Life


    Managed by Maho, Ilathri, and Nillae to control each individual¡¯s magic, spirits, and life. Legend says that a thicker string means being stronger in that regard; their magic might be more powerful, they may have one or more spirits, or in general be very resilient and healthy.


    The Managers of the Strings may cut or weaken (¡°broken¡± until repaired over time) strings, but not all cases are directly due to them or Vriuh¡¯s will. Cutting or weakening any string will lead to illness, but cutting has chances of (though not always) causing severe disabilities; perhaps the most prevalent example is Queen Philomena of Qizar, who was blinded after losing her magic.


    Weakening the String of Magic will temporarily limit or prohibit a person¡¯s ability to use magic. Cutting it will result in the complete loss of magic. Most Seothians can lose their String of Magic without experiencing side effects and some might not even notice it. Qizar and Idkor have created a concoction meant to cut a String of Magic, used in both nations for possibly-dangerous convicts, and in Idkor has the added use of for condemning the exiled.


    Weakening the String of Spirits can temporarily prohibit a person¡¯s ability to communicate with their spirit. Cutting it will result in the complete loss of spirits they may have and the inability to adopt new ones. Many people can lose their String of Spirits without realizing it is anything different than a normal illness, given not everyone even possesses a spirit. Generally, the closer a person is to their spirit, the more harmful it will be; for saints and those with a powerful connection to a spirit, even weakening the string could be fatal.


    Weakening the String of Life is the most contributed cause for someone going into a coma or a gradual, irreversible death. Cutting it will result in immediate death.


    Phoenixes, Manticores, and Dragons


    Creatures well-known to the world, though how common they are is another story.


    Phoenixes are spawns of the Phoenix King; born from Ekambar¡¯s punishment of having his soul split to pieces and eternally subject to countless lives and deaths. Some Seothians have taken to mean them as a sign of immortality, but many still hold on to the belief of their misfortune.


    Manticores are the children of Vaso; a gift to him by Orestis close to the beginning of Qizar¡¯s mythology. They are beings of untold wisdom, letting those worthy of their knowledge find them in their mountainous homes. Hunted to extinction in Seothia, though plenty still reside in Qizar¡¯s northern mountains.


    Dragons are children of Faidon; a gift to him by Orestis close to the beginning of Qizar¡¯s mythology. They are creatures of strength, and originally came in two forms: Great Dragons and Lesser Dragons. Great Dragons have disappeared from the world entirely, while Lesser Dragons have been hunted to extinction in Seothia and now only reside in Qizar¡¯s southern mountains.


    Sirens, Angels, and Messengers


    Creatures that are mostly considered to be a part of myth, though a quick search will confirm they¡¯re more commonplace than some would like to believe.


    Sirens are the daughters of Daphni, born from her fury. Most lure unsuspecting men and women to their deaths by song, though others have been known to be kind to mortals; that doesn¡¯t mean, though, that they are free of the instincts that distinguish them. Magical persecution has led them to stay away from the water around Seothia, but Idkor¡¯s waters are full of them and plenty of big bodies of water host them in Qizar.


    Angels are creatures that were created for more specific purposes than the gods; most were simply created by Orestis, though a select few were ascended mortals. They don¡¯t appear in the mortal realm physically, but it¡¯s safe to assume they always have a hand in the workings of the world.


    Messengers are mortals that were given the role of serving a specific god. Some have been around for centuries while others only a couple of decades. Either way, their only job is to do the will of their god¡ªwho is, unless told to cooperate with others, the only person they listen to. They can be seen all over the world, doing their work in discreet and obvious ways, though few realize who they really are and the connections they possess.


    Lysha


    A Seothian organization, stationed in Levi Asari, that deals with spirits. Their jobs include determining if someone has a spirit and who it is, providing support for those with spirits, and even the removal of spirits. They¡¯ve been an integral part of Seothian society since the first kings, though over the years their means have changed from questionable techniques to definitive magic.


    Since Lucas¡¯s reign and the growing interest in possessing a spirit of an important ancestor, they¡¯ve gone from a group of wanderers to the organization they¡¯re seen as today. Each rank has a specific role to fulfill, though some are clearly more important than others.


    The three who stand as the face of the Lysha¡ªthough they themselves rarely get involved in work¡ªare the Ram, the Vulture, and the Bat. These titles currently belong to Tyche, Dusek, and Atka respectively. The titles are only passed down when the bearer of it either dies or retires and is usually a hand-picked selection from the Lysha; if the person chosen proves to be unfit or there isn¡¯t a person chosen at all, the other two decide a candidate.


    The ones doing the work are the Hyacinths, Chrysanthemums, and Lilies. The Hyacinths handle determining if someone has a spirit and who it is; the Chrysanthemums handle nearly all cases of determining a saint (when that person dies and the possibility is brought up¡ªif the person is still living, it is usually discovered by a Hyacinth); the Lilies provide support for those with spirits, gaining the informal title of ¡°spirit therapists.¡± Only a handful of Hyacinths stay in Levi Asari, the others often dispatched to check someone in a different territory for spirits. Chrysanthemums, when there are no cases of saints to determine, often take care of Hyacinths¡¯ duties in Levi Asari. Few Lilies outside of those in training remain in Levi Asari, eventually sent out to someone the Lysha deemed needed them.


    Then there¡¯s the ones that nothing would be done without: the Candles and Hourglasses. The Candles send out and keep track of the traveling Hyacinths, often in charge of making sure they have the materials they need. The Hourglasses set up appointments for visits in Levi Asari, along with taking care of most of the back-end work like finances.


    Adidell


    A Seothian organization with roots in the northern territories, though slowly seeping throughout the kingdom. They push for the advances of technology while hoping to put an end to magic.


    Their foundation comes from the Saint-King¡¯s rebellion; most had been noble houses that agreed with the previous king but, to avoid conflict, agreed to Lucas¡¯s terms. At first, they were nothing more than a silent group that collected to share their complaints. Then through these meetings, a goal was born, rules were set, and they began their journey of ¡°reclaiming the glory¡± of Old Seothia.


    What most people will see is a nameless group of eccentric nobles intent on understanding the ways of the world. This is mostly true; Adidell¡¯s major long-term goals means learning ways of improving quality of life without the use of magic. They¡¯ve worked to understand the laws of their world and use it to their advantage. Few think their work is anything more than myth, however, to the point they ignore the good and the harm that could be done with what they¡¯ve created.


    The reasons for such advancements are to fuel another one of their goals¡ªthe eradication of magic. Their plans, at least, state that by showing that they don¡¯t need to rely on magic in order to maintain their way of life, more people would be willing to see the dangers magic possesses. Magic, in their eyes, is a volatile thing that will destroy the user and everything around them if used; somewhat truthful, though largely exaggerated. Along with their other technology, Adidell is also using their knowledge to create ways to fight magic directly. One of these is the Homunculus, a creature made with the intention of being completely immune to magic¡­ and strong enough to take down whoever fought against it.


    No one outside of the organization can claim to know its name nor many of the means they use to fulfill their goals. Even if there are some who would wish to proclaim the dangers to someone outside, they¡¯re all kept quiet with a single threat: their lives could always be much, much worse¡­


    White Ravens


    An organization that can be found all over Qizar. Their goals are quite simple, and perhaps not as bad as the church might mark them up to be.


    They simply desire the perseverance of truth; taking pieces from scriptures aside from the Commandments, they¡¯ve decided that what Qizar is today was never what it was supposed to be. They hope to correct this by doing what they believe is right¡ªproclaim the flawed reasoning of Orestis and bring the gods to a more mortal level rather than exalting them. Their plans, at least those declared by most prominent members, usually don¡¯t hold a threat to anything but the church¡¯s hold on the nation; those that get in the way of those plans, however, may face¡­ unfortunate circumstances.


    They find themselves anywhere they would be hosted. While trying their best to be discreet, the church knows of their goals and brands them as heretics. Anyone supporting or thought to be supporting them are often put to death without a second thought. They have friends in many high places, however, and it¡¯s only a matter of time before they¡¯re able to slip through the cracks¡­ though whether or not that¡¯s a good thing depends on who you¡¯re asking.


    Talmi-Amitael Pact


    A charm handed out in Qizar to soldiers, mercenaries, and anyone else who may make a living off of killing others. It has a practical and a symbolic meaning attached to it and its origins are as old as the nation itself.


    Its practical use is that of a mark of ¡°overlooked implication.¡± In simple terms, if the owner of this pin kills someone of importance, in the eyes of the law they¡¯re first seen as simply someone doing their job. If the owner can, in fact, confirm that they had no intention of doing evil and were deceived, then they are completely excused from any punishment. If the owner accepted because they knew of the evil it would cause, then the pin loses its value and they¡¯re tried as any other criminal. This is especially important for mercenaries, who have a habit of accepting whatever job pays the highest, in territories where feuds between lords are frequent. It¡¯s unlikely for mercenaries of other kingdoms or simply even regions would be able to recognize important nobles of the area. For this reason, it¡¯s steadily been introduced in all the regions of Seothia under one name or another. Most regions, no matter the kingdom, take into account and honor this.


    Its symbolic meaning is something only those from Qizar would understand. The name itself suggests a deal between Talmi, the Angel of Love, and Amitael, the Angel of War; that the owner, though they often kill others, is doing it because they have to, not because they desire bloodshed. It¡¯s also supposed to be held during prayer as a way of asking for Orestis¡¯s forgiveness for such a grave sin. By their beliefs, its presence alone is enough for forgiveness.


    Someone can get one just by going to their region¡¯s bishop¡¯s cathedral, asking a designated member of the clergy, then waiting a few days. All of them also allow the person to stay there until it¡¯s ready, if they don¡¯t live nearby. They¡¯re instructed to keep it with them every time they work, though many wear it as an unofficial brand no matter the occasion.


    The design of the charm sometimes varies depending on when it was acquired and where. Generally, though, one thing stays consistent: it¡¯s a depiction of some sort of weapon and a blossoming tree branch, usually forming an X shape. Seothian Talmi-Amitael Pacts are usually just documents and records for legal purposes; something ready to come up were the mercenary ever implicated in someone¡¯s assassination.


    Gods¡¯ Commandments


    Also simply referred to as the Commandments by a large majority of people, it is the book that Qizarn belief is crafted from. Even Seothian scholars claim its historical accuracy¡ªif not simply because so few records can be found of those times.


    It is composed of twelve books, in translations from the modern tongue referred to as ¡°Odes¡± dedicated to each of their gods. All of these books contain the origins for Qizarn myths, though most would conclude there¡¯s no correlation between the contents of the myth and the Ode it is put in. The exception of this is the Ode of the Creator, the first book, which describes Orestis¡¯s creation of the world, Eldrianna¡¯s Fall, the introduction of angels, and a handful of promises from Orestis to his followers.


    There are a handful of interpretations of the true teachings of the Commandments, largely based on what a certain group chooses to draw more significance from. While often ranging in small ways, like those residing in ¨¦rimos tou Than¨¢tou believing in small fragments of gods guiding them from day to day life instead of overall guidance, some make bigger differences. The most notable of these would be between the children of Fleyw Bresh and the goblins and fairies; the children of Fleyw Bresh believe the gods desire to be worshiped in ways of song and dance (their other traditions centered around this fact) whereas the goblins and fairies believe it to be a more solemn affair. They have, though, come to an agreement that there is no ¡°better¡± interpretation and ultimately leave it to the individual. The only thing they see as wrong is those who deny common truths, in which case they are always branded as heretics and often killed.


    Hierarchy of Seothian Nobility


    Nobility within Seothia is often, if not always, closely associated with lineage, reputation, and wealth¡ªthough the latter two fluctuates greatly between individuals. The easiest way for a family to enter nobility would be to marry into or found to be a part of a much more prolific house¡ªwhich also doesn¡¯t always work. Aside from that, houses may be exalted by the manner of high achievements made by its members, though very few in history have reached the renown required for it. Losing status is much easier, caused by anything from losing land or money (for a variety of reasons) to having no suitable heirs.


    The ranking of nobility, from lowest to highest, is as follows:


    -Baron/Baroness. Nobles who own little to no land outside of their family¡¯s estate and facilities; they have no non-relatives to take care of, though some have staff. While some can and do have plenty of wealth and reputation, their presence in political affairs are often minimal.


    -Viscount/Viscountess. Nobles who own a moderate amount of land outside of their family¡¯s estate and facilities; all have more than one town under their care and several have at least two but no more than five. Though not usually well-known outside of their regions, they¡¯re usually rather prolific within, and their voices are valued due to being close to the people.


    -Count/Countess. Nobles who own a significant amount of land outside of their family¡¯s estate and facilities; they act as the overseers of an average of five viscounts and their lands. They are often considered the defenders of those towns¡ªproviding most of the law enforcement, guards, and resources needed to keep the citizens safe. They are often the ones that present in higher courts on behalf of the viscounts.


    -Overseers. The eight noble families that oversee a region, excluding Mikkel territory (overseen by the king/queen directly); they are considered to have control over the counts and their territories. They are thought to be the longest-living houses in Seothia, originating after the Saint-King¡¯s Rebellion and still growing in influence today. They are closely related to the royal court and often have powerful voices there.


    -Council. The ten nobles serving in the court and their families, not defined by how much land they own, but rather their residence; all reside within Lelishara, or at least have a permanent residence there. They are the leading factor in Seothia¡¯s political scene, often contributing to many of the big decisions that are made¡­ even if they are currently woefully short of ten members.


    -King/Queen. The current ruling body of Seothia, by law having complete control over any land in the kingdom. Their word is absolute in most cases, even if few have acted on that power. They (or, occasionally, a child or sibling) directly control the Mikkel territory, taking the role of the Overseer in that regard.


    Hierarchy of the Qizarn Church


    It¡¯s worth noting that Qizar, despite appearances, is not a theocracy; there is a distinction between the church and the state. However, given the church¡¯s undeniable presence in the lives of the people, they are often depended on to carry out higher orders and provide for the welfare of the people. For almost anyone of reputable background and a desire to spread Orestis¡¯s word, it takes only dedication to climb the ranks.


    The ranks within the church, from lowest to highest, are as follows:


    -Nuns/Clergy. They take care of the basic needs of the church and its people; they make sure all things are in working order and are often included in distributing, but not acquiring, resources to the people. They are not teachers of the Commandments¡ªrather, they are simply servants of Orestis, doing the small but crucial jobs.


    -Pastors. They are traveling teachers of the Commandments, often filling in the spaces of both the clergy and priests when they need to; they¡¯re considered different from either, though in actuality are quite similar to both. Most of their time is spent in smaller villages that either don¡¯t have a church or do not have a priest of their own.


    -Priests. Individuals who own the churches that they preach in; they¡¯re in charge of everything that goes on there as well as act as teachers of the Commandments. Most towns with churches have one of these leading them and those that don¡¯t usually try to find someone to take on the role. They serve until retirement or death, after which their role is given to someone they believe will help fulfill Orestis¡¯s will.


    -Bishops. The overseers of Qizar¡¯s four regions, excluding the Andrea Province. They¡¯re considered powerful forces in Orestis¡¯s plans, though very few teach the Commandments themselves. Most are instead focused on managing the affairs and resources of their region, reporting anything of interest to the queen.


    While they are considered separate from the church as far as services and duties go, queens and their advisors are often included in these lists. Queens are revered similarly to religious teachers, but more so as ruling bodies with associations to Holy Queen Norah; their advisors are thought to have a clear sight of Orestis¡¯s hopes for the nation. They are thought to be Orestis¡¯s chosen to further his great plans¡ªafter all, they wouldn¡¯t be leading if they weren¡¯t.

 Authors Notes: Story Summaries

    Departure


    Natheniel recalls pieces of his past from a place where he has nothing but time. His first memory is finding Ihu, who soon becomes his pet bird. His second involves playing with his nightmare, Lekra, and getting his feather necklace. The third recounts a visit to Qizar and doing magic practice. The fourth and fifth are about the day before and the aftermath of Lydia¡¯s death; Natheniel eavesdrops on his guardians and realizes they aren¡¯t telling him the truth. His, Tavin¡¯s, and Philyra¡¯s trip to help the Seothian army recover something is the sixth¡ªthe mission barely goes well and he loses his feather necklace. The consequences show in the seventh memory, when he loses control of himself and ends up accidentally hurting Kiah. The last memory is after Natheniel hurt someone else. He assumes that there¡¯s no way his guardians could forgive him after what he did and decides to run away. He comes across a mysterious woman who seems to have no good intentions¡­


    Secrets of the Ley Lines


    Casper and Minne call Imre, Dimas, Lydia, Samone, and Kiah together. They simply suggest that the teens pay a visit to Tramos, giving an excuse that hardly hides the fact there was another reason for the offer. Before leaving, Minne gives Imre a note, telling him to only open it after they get to Tramos. The five of them head to Tramos and stay with Mathieu, the noble overseeing the area. While they¡¯re there, Imre reads the note and starts looking into Idale¡ªan abandoned village within Mathieu¡¯s territory. They eventually realize this was the real reason Casper and Minne wanted them to come here. They experience several memories about five of the village¡¯s previous residents: ¡°Ki,¡± ¡°Calli,¡± Zenas, Umber, and Takane. These five, they find, were known as Keys¡ªroles that Imre, Dimas, Lydia, Samone, and Kiah also fulfilled. They make the correlation between Calli and Minne before heading back to the castle.


    A bit of time passes and they¡¯re all gathered at the Lake. Samone encounters a bird who soon turns out to be a Fos, Zokel. They talk a bit more about what the Keys were supposed to do: unlock the same Labyrinth that held the Minotaur. The five of them needed to enter the Labyrinth and defeat it. Reluctantly, they all agree, and begin the journey there. In the caves, they hear fragments of stories; of Theran, the fairy who was ultimately turned into the Minotaur, of what happened to those who entered the Labyrinth, and of the children of Fleyw Bresh who hid there. They defeat the Minotaur¡¯s spirit with another adventure behind them.


    Bloodline


    In the past, Lydia takes Elena, Lewis, and Tavin with her to check out a ruin-of-sorts in the plains. They stop at the nearby town, where they meet a mysterious girl around Tavin¡¯s age; this girl seems to have no memory of her parents or any other relatives they might have. After determining that no one in the town recognized her, they decided to call her Muriel until they could talk with Imre to guarantee she didn¡¯t have a family somewhere. Lydia shows them to the ruin-of-sorts¡ªan old house¡ªthough she doesn¡¯t really explain to Tavin why they¡¯re there. They leave after she checks on something.


    In the present, Lydia¡¯s spirit encourages Tavin to go back to that house. While he was there, he visited Muriel¡ªwho, along with Lustris, had moved there after the Stones died¡ªand asked her to come with him. He¡¯s by himself in the end, though, when he finds out what Lydia had been looking for all those years ago: an artifact that had the power to project past events. He¡¯s shown memories of Minne, how she was an Ilethera, and she ultimately did for him when he was a baby. He goes back to the castle and Imre confirms it¡ªalong with telling him that Tavin himself was an Ilethera, one with a power somewhat comparable to a Fos, like Natheniel had been comparable to a Ski¨¢.


    Rebellion


    Lucas is your average guy¡­ who may or may not have a knack for annoying the local authorities, possibly because of his tendencies to publicly oppose the king. Still, this gets no further than a few local arguments until he¡¯s visited by an old friend, Sidyn. He¡¯s able to convince Lucas to lead a rebellion, starting with gathering some scattered children of Fleyw Bresh.


    They meet Missa and, after recruiting her and some others, end up heading for the border. They find the group of the children of Fleyw Bresh residing in the Caverns and convince them to join them. Lucas and the others go to find a few more recruits before heading to the capital, but they¡¯re caught on their way there. He offers to go with the soldiers to make them let the rest of them go.


    He¡¯s sent to be executed, but ends up talking with the Red Rose¡­ who turns out to be willing to let him go, as long as Lucas wins. He reunites with the rest of the rebellion and they head for the capital. There, they have a surprisingly easy battle. The king is already dead when they find him, but a cryptic message was written to Lucas¡­


    The Mystery of Nadia Mikah


    Enebish is an aspiring detective and, with the arrival of Leon, receives their first real case: to find Leon¡¯s missing niece, Nadia. While investigating, they end up finding Imena, a Fos meant to protect certain kinds of mortals. Together they end up learning about Adidell, an organization prominent within northern Seothia with a goal to revive the time of Old Seothia. Enoulare admits to Enebish that she¡¯s long known about them¡ªbut knows what they¡¯ll do to those who try to expose them, so she never dared to say a word. Enebish and Imena locate the place where Nadia is, rescue her, and bring her back to Leon. Before leaving, Leon mentions trying to move closer to Mikkel territory, and Enebish and Nadia decide to keep in touch through letters.


    The Stone Family Adventure


    Lydia, thanks to a special charm, is able to experience a life where her older sons¡ªTim and Henry¡ªhad lived. She calls them and Tavin together to announce she has a new adventure for all of them, one that will take them all around Seothia.


    They first visit Teyeabasi territory, where they follow a group of phoenixes during their migration. They befriend one of them, Melai, and ultimately offer to take it with them on the rest of their journey. In Oseloke territory, they follow a river to a series of projections; one about a now-forgotten house, one about someone named ¡°Dree¡± and her love, and one of a mysterious woman taking a charm out of a ruin. After a run-in with some Messengers in Zaci territory, they find the Lost Archives, which are full of ancient tomes and artifacts. They take a short break to visit Lydia¡¯s aunt for Oshye¡¯s Comet in Tobiah territory, which brings her uncomfortably close to acknowledging that this really was all fake.


    Visiting Xannon territory, they end up learning the name of Dree¡¯s love¡ªAchadus¡ªas well as learning that Dree was very likely to have been a nickname for Eldrianna. In Jaden territory, the boys start to realize that there was something Lydia wasn¡¯t telling them about the whole thing. They find an oasis in Sobechi territory that¡¯s supposed to show something special about a person¡ªthe twins don¡¯t have reflections at all, Tavin¡¯s is much younger, and Lydia sees what had led up to her finding the charm. They¡¯re able to go to Rymbai territory on the pretext of helping someone else, but are soon able to do what they really came there for. They find a tree that whispers things that prove the fantasy was collapsing. Finally, they go to Mikkel territory, where they set Melai free and Lydia reveals what had really happened. She gives her final goodbye to Tim and Henry before the fantasy collapses and she¡¯s back in the real world. She spares no time in finding Tavin, only three, and glad that they could have done something together¡­ if not just in her memories.


    The Fiction in Fact


    Demery and Koyana are relatively normal siblings, the only true difference being that they¡¯ve been living with their grandparents for most of their lives. That changes when they meet Aither, however, who tells them he¡¯s there to reveal some secrets. After running a few errands, he explains it a little more about four friends: Tyrus, Feldr, Komaeda, and an unspoken person. He introduces them to the descendants of Feldr, Olle and Evelina, and they set off to a town on the edge of the Solaris region.


    They learn that the unspoken person had supposedly put a curse on Tyrus and Feldr¡¯s lines. Aither disproves this as simply an explanation constructed from fear¡ªbut still never comes closer to saying who that unspoken person really was. Ultimately, with the help of Tandi, a servant of Lord Tyrus, and Jimar, a previous servant of the same master, Demery and Koyana are able to meet with their parents¡­ and are left with no room to deny the fact that their parents only did what they could as a kind of self-preservation from the curse. After they decide they¡¯re not going to stay with their parents and they don''t want to go back to their grandparents, Olle offers for the siblings to stay with him and Evelina.


    The Girl Under the Bed


    Rhenei and Kalleira found their moment to run away when both of Rhenei¡¯s parents leave the house; they soon find Farrar, who after deciding he could use some time alone, decide to help them. Their goal is to head to a specific field in the Andrea Province that Kalleira saw in a dream. Farrar begins to piece together what Rhenei had gone through before, while his own father was sending him letters he refused to show her. Kalleira driven by a distant memory, convinces Rhenei that he was going to betray them. The two of them leave and end up finding Calum. Farrar still catches up to them and he and Rhenei both share the secrets they¡¯d been hiding from the other. Calum reveals that he could help Rhenei get away from her parents for good and they set up that plan. Farrar, Rhenei, and Kalleira temporarily leave for the field¡ªand learn that Kalleira was a spirit, her past life similar to Rhenei¡¯s now. After returning to Calum, he offers for Rhenei and Kalleira to stay with him until Rhenei was eighteen, and Farrar departed for his own home in Hyasari.


    Raven Feathers


    Philyra has a startling dream about being stabbed by Ilethera beside the Lake¡ªthough soon shakes it off in favor of starting her day. After practice for a performance associated with Afterlife¡¯s Promise, she decides to go for a walk, where she meets Jesper. In his presence, with a bit of reluctance, she admits something she thought she never would: she couldn¡¯t believe that all of this was a part of Orestis¡¯s plan¡ªa heretical kind of thought. He offers to take her somewhere, but they¡¯re interrupted before then. Later, he¡¯s able to show her to the place¡ªthe headquarters of the Ravens. He talks to her a bit about their goals¡ªto tell the truth about Orestis, to keep people from sacrificing things in the name of a god that didn¡¯t care¡ªbefore bringing her back to the castle. When they arrive at the Lake, Philyra experiences more half-memories, and ends up asking Tavin about it. He expects it to be a spirit and Kadol, when she comes to him about it, confirms it by telling her a story about Queen Ilena; a past queen who was murdered for such a connection. He reassures Philyra that no one would hurt her, however. Philyra returns to Hyasari and finds Jesper, who ends up telling her about Allen¡ªher father. She confronts Zofie on the matter but it¡¯s actually Kadol who gives the full story. Finally, Philyra contemplates everything Jesper told her, and makes a big decision: she was going to join the Ravens.


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    Traveler''s Tales


    Sukeena has a pretty simple life as a member of a circus troupe, performing with her father and friends. That changes, though, after an incident that killed her father and that led all but two of the old members¡ªNatharie and Orith¡ªto leave. Sukeena decides she won¡¯t let any of that be an obstacle, however, in rebuilding what her father had had. First, she recruits Umi, who had helped her after the incident. After a bit of traveling with just the four of them, they meet Detu, who¡¯d been abandoned by his parents. Throughout the next few years, they meet several others; Miho, Ilathy, and Nillie (goblin triplets who¡¯d been wandering before then), Miskunn (a member of a disbanded performing arts group still wishing to travel), Theisi (a noble running away from an unpleasant situation), and Mati (a child of Fleyw Bresh unwanted elsewhere). They all settle into their roles and, finally, determine their next stop: the capital of the Solaris region, Rahasari.


    Second Chances


    Lynette, after leaving her previous life as an actress, makes her home in the Qizarn town of Yllvamel. First, she gets acquainted with her neighbors¡ªthe alchemist Regind, the half-siren Loraena, and the half-fairy Ragnis. She realizes she can trust them when they learn about her past and, despite her expectations, assure her it never mattered. Ultimately, she¡¯s dragged into helping Astyu¡ªa person who, apparently, hadn¡¯t left his family¡¯s estate since the death of his mother several years before. The four of them do what they can to help him understand the death of his mother¡­ the details Lynette still doesn¡¯t understand, but the other three definitely seem to realize something. In the end, Loraena is able to convince Astyu to leave the estate; Lynette assures him there are plenty of good things left to come.


    Uncharted Waters


    Oria finds another fairy unconscious on the beach near her home. She takes care of him and, when he wakes up, introduces himself as Caenum¡­ and very quickly proves that he¡¯s from the shores of Fleyw Bresh. She spends a little while simply trying to keep others from questioning it too much¡ªwhich doesn¡¯t help by whatever realization he makes when they go to the beach she found him. Eventually, she¡¯s able to convince him to try to get back to Fleyw Bresh, and they attend a party together to gain information. He reveals to her what happened before she found him: he and his friends thought they could conquer the seas, but ended up being overconfident. She assures him time and time again that she¡¯ll help him get home no matter what. They¡¯re able to stowaway on a boat heading for Fleyw Bresh, and Oria considers what she¡¯s leaving behind¡­ but she¡¯s confident in her decision to go, too. They find Caenum¡¯s parents, who let Oria stay with them, and things seem to only be capable of getting better for them.


    Forgotten Light


    Book I shows bits and pieces from Fauna¡¯s life in Ryobel. She meets some of the kids there, though she doesn¡¯t get along well with all of them. Her sister, Domenique, often spends more time running errands or helping around the house. One day, though¡­ nobles came for a meeting¡ªnobles that included the daughter of Jaden territory¡¯s overseer and the Seothian prince. Fauna returns home to find her mother, Kamila, talking with Seothia¡¯s queen. Kamila reveals a few details about their struggles to the queen, and it seems like nothing could be done¡­ until the queen realizes that they were cousins. Fauna¡¯s family is exalted into nobility and moves closer to Lelishara, and the book concludes with her being properly introduced to Imre, Samone, Lydia, Kiah, and Dimas.


    Book II begins with the six of them starting their first adventure together¡ªto find a manticore. They slowly learn how to work together, though there¡¯s still a lot they need to figure out. They find the story of Daekai: how, after the death of the Great Dragons and the hunting of dragons and manticores in Seothia, Daekai stayed. Fauna, spurred by a feeling she doesn¡¯t quite understand, goes in to talk to Daekai alone. Daekai mistakes her for someone else¡ªtells her she should be with Tyrus, Feldr, and Komaeda, or with ¡°her¡±¡ªuntil she realizes who Fauna is. She¡¯s encouraged to leave, though, before she has proper answers. She recounts it to Imre, but they come up with nothing. When the six of them recount the adventure to Casper and Minne, they all agree to doing more trips in the future.


    The Epilogue reveals that these had been stories told by Fauna to Natheniel and Lekra as they tried to find a way to escape where they were. She tries to get Natheniel to talk about his family, but it seems to only bring up bad memories. Lekra¡¯s able to remind him of some good, though, and Fauna assures him that his family will be happy to see him. Finally, Natheniel accepts that he wants to go home, and Fauna promises to make sure they all do.


    H99


    Beika¡¯s relatively peaceful life working at her mother¡¯s inn is turned upside down with the arrival of Enebish and Imena. Enebish explains to her mother, Serafina, why the two of them are there; Adidell has gained an interest in H99¨Cthe 99th attempt of a homunculus¡ªsince H100 defected. Serafina asks Beika and her brother, Titham, to go with Enebish and Imena to somewhere safer. While they walk, Enebish tells the siblings a story¡­ a story with implications Beika doesn¡¯t like, as it puts Serafina in a bad light. Back at the inn, Serafina tries to ward off members of Adidell until she notices that Beika and Titham had come back¡ªwanting to hear the story from her, instead of strangers. She gets them to leave again and promises to tell them the full story later. The next morning, after Serafina returns to where Imena had taken the kids, she explains it all; how she got involved in Adidell, how she learned about the Homunculus Project, and what she did to stop it. Beika has no option but to accept the truth. They return to the inn and Enebish gets the members of Adidell to leave. Serafina, Beika, and Titham can now go back to their old lives¡­ but it was only a matter of time before Adidell returned for Beika, and they need to decide what they¡¯d do before then.


    Redemption


    Ouka and Brenan are thieves, doing what they need to in order to survive. They¡¯ve lost most hopes of changing that, until they¡¯re visited by a girl named Mazel¡­ who soon reveals herself to be a Fos. She promises them the chance of redemption, so long as they¡¯re willing to do as she says and face their pasts. Brenan is the first to do so, confronting some of his old acquaintances in order to try to convince them that they could do as he did, and that they could change their path. It seems that none of them really listened, but Mazel assures him that, even if he never gets to see the fruits of his conversation, there was no denying he planted the seeds. Next, they travel to Qizar, where Ouka has to face her own past. She doesn¡¯t have to confront people, though, but rather go into a Ravens¡¯ base and find two things: records and a bird. She does this, but not without encountering an old friend of hers and understanding that their paths are too far to ever pass again. When she gets back, Mazel explains what each item she had to collect was for; the records was due to the information in them, and the bird ended up being a trapped Fos. In the end, she announces that they¡¯re both ready for their new future, and Ouka and Brenan decide to move to Ilystalos to make it.


    What Time Forgot Summaries


    White Room- Natheniel¡¯s fate after Departure is revealed: he¡¯s spent the last three years wandering in the place between life and death. He meets another trapped there, Fauna, and the two decide they should be able to escape.


    Memories (Dimas)- Scenes showing moments of Dimas¡¯s life, both big and small.


    Sacrifice- Minne first recalls her adoptive brother¡¯s and Casper¡¯s dying words. Then she makes a decision: to use her power as an Ilethera to save the life of her grandson at the expense of her own.


    Fading Memories- Imre laments how quickly he¡¯d forgotten a dear friend and recalls what they¡¯d been doing moments before she went missing.


    Flickering Light- Iztali experiences fragments of his dying dream, barely able to keep fighting it. He¡¯s faced with good news, though: Natheniel has returned.


    Regretful Longing- Kadol reflects on his relationship with Allen and, unable to stop himself, asks Zofie if she thinks she made the right decision.


    Creeping Shadows- Kadol confronts Odelle and murders her, their ideals clashing too much for any peaceful resolution. Soon afterwards, he sees Zofie ascend to the throne and realizes that she will ultimately follow down her mother¡¯s path.


    Memories (Kiah)- Scenes showing moments of Kiah¡¯s life, both big and small.


    A Lost Love- Kadol thinks back of his love and others who he¡¯d held dear only to lose. He learns his love survived, only for their daughter to be sentenced to execution without him ever knowing it. He ends up taking in her son, Jesper, to raise as a Raven.


    Keys- Minne and her siblings unlock the tree in Idale. Years later, she tries to understand Haris¡¯s goals, yet comes no closer to answering any questions.


    A Light in the Dark- Nadia chases after her pet cat and ends up running into Tavin. The two get together surprisingly well.


    Two Halves of a Whole- Tavin admits his feelings for Nadia about a year after meeting.


    From Ashes Reborn- Shows how Lustris came to work under the Stones and what it was like for her.


    Settling Affairs- Samone visits Levi Asari after Kesem¡¯s death.


    All Comes Crashing Down- Kiah reflects on what she saw the night of the Stone Massacre.


    The Life of Allen Karsten- Allen finds out that he was chosen to be the bishop of the Pasha region.


    The Love of Allen Karsten- Allen falls in love with Zofie.


    The Death of Allen Karsten- Allen is accused of heresy and is executed in Hyasari.


    Departure Deleted Part IVS- Amidst all that was happening, Natheniel makes a short-lived request.


    Remember What Was Lost- Imre tries to use an artifact to remember what had happened to the Lost Light.


    A Swap of Duty- Domenique moves to Qizar in order to take care of Zofie.


    An Old Friend- Koyana tells Olle and Evelina about someone she was close to in the past.


    Memories (Haris)- Scenes showing moments of Haris¡¯s life, both big and small.


    Whodunit?- While all of Seothia¡¯s region overseers are together, Imre gets them to try to figure out what happened to the Stones¡­ and all they can come up with is that it might not have been an accident.


    Dedication to the Lost- Tavin tells Nadia a bit about Lydia¡¯s other two sons during the Lantern Festival. It¡¯s also revealed that Ihu has died.


    Following Fear- Umber and Zenas go out to town for an adventure. All they find, though, is a growing suspicion and a feeling that they¡¯re no longer welcome there.


    Nightmare¡¯s Heart Part 1 and 2- Dimas and a few others set out to fight the Nightmare¡¯s Heart, encountering some setbacks along the way.


    Another Dreamer- After Natheniel¡¯s disappearance, Enuolare tells Enebish what they are¡ªa dreamer.


    The Tree Swallow- Minne realizes that Zokel is dying, then wonders how many other Fos have shared his fate.


    Spirits- Tavin goes with Imre and Samone to the Lysha, who reveal that he¡¯s adopted the spirits of Lydia, Lewis, and Elena.


    Keeping a Promise- Kadol recalls the promise he made to Odelle about taking care of Zofie, then acknowledges that poisoning her so that she would lose her magic was what he had to do to keep it.


    The Dream and the Nightmare- Lekra is born, and they meet Iztali for the first time.


    A Message- Casper, while avoiding his princely duties, ends up encountering Messengers and hearing a cryptic warning about the future.


    Unknowing Dreamer- After Natheniel¡¯s disappearance, Lustris gets a letter from Imre asking her to tell Muriel that she¡¯s a dreamer, but decides against it.


    Memories (Thero)- Scenes showing moments of Thero¡¯s life, both big and small.


    A Conflict of Opinion- Farrar realizes that he won¡¯t be able to tell Kiah, who he thought might understand, about his work as a Raven.

 Forgotten Light: Book I- Chapter 1

    It was nothing more than a blur of memories, really. As a child, no one would dare mention it; as an adult, they talked about it like it was some kind of tragedy. In reality, she hadn¡¯t been a part of it¡ªit was one of the many things that she understood not then, but several years later, when any possible heartache from the events had long passed.


    One of the first, and only, memories she had of her father was after it had happened. Kamila kept the two of them from interacting with him much, but it wasn¡¯t hard to overhear their conversations. He didn¡¯t want to be there. He¡¯d rather be dead, she could recall him saying, if the only thing he was going to do for the rest of his life was stare up at the ceiling. Domenique admitted much later that she was lucky to only remember that much.


    He got his wish a few weeks after the fact came to light. Kamila was left to take care of the two of them on their own. She did a good job at acting like nothing was wrong¡ªbetter than anyone would be willing to admit. Domenique and Fauna learned to act the part, too. To pretend like what happened behind closed doors was not a struggle to make ends meet, to make it seem like they were no worse off after Silvain¡¯s death.


    Acting came naturally, because none of them wanted to find out what happened if they were honest.


    Keeping up appearances, unfortunately, meant talking to people. Which was something Fauna only dreaded the older she got.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got to go,¡± Kamila tried gently. ¡°Mrs. Verduren will make sure you¡¯re taken care of. Domenique would be there with you.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re alright,¡± Domenique mumbled, glancing at the other kids. She seemed bored, almost, at the idea of having to do this¡ªthen again, they all knew where she¡¯d rather be. But it would seem strange if she was always helping Kamila when she presumably had no reason to.


    ¡°But I don¡¯t want to¡­¡± Fauna stepped closer to Kamila, though her mother also stepped away to make the effort pointless.


    ¡°I know, but I can¡¯t stay right now.¡± Kamila motioned Fauna closer to the others. ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a couple of hours, alright?¡± She gave Mrs. Verduren, the only other adult nearby, a smile. ¡°Thank you for doing this. It means a lot to me.¡±


    She left before any more protests could be given. Fauna wasn¡¯t quite sure if it was just some sense of foresight that she recalled Mrs. Verduren grumbling, ¡°It took long enough. Some of us are actually busy, you know¡­¡±


    No matter what she¡¯d actually said, though, Mrs. Verduren clapped her hands together. ¡°Let¡¯s all introduce ourselves, kids. I¡¯ll go first.¡± She continued in a tone more befitting of standing in front of impressed nobles than little kids, ¡°I am Mrs. Verduren. I¡¯ll be watching over all of you while your parents are busy.¡±


    A moment of silence passed. Fauna was the only one who didn¡¯t know the other kids and, frankly, it was very likely they already knew who she was. They probably didn¡¯t find a point in introducing themselves and she had yet to work up the nerve to say anything.


    Domenique tried filling in for her. ¡°Fauna, these are¡ª¡±


    ¡°No, that won¡¯t do,¡± Mrs. Verduren interrupted. ¡°Let her do it herself. She¡¯s not going to learn to do anything if you don¡¯t make her.¡±


    One of the other girls stepped out. ¡°I¡¯ll show her how it¡¯s done, Mother,¡± she announced confidently. ¡°I¡¯m Kathrine. See? Easy as that.¡±


    Fauna nervously shuffled and, vaguely reassured when she looked up at Domenique, said, ¡°I¡¯m Fauna.¡±


    One by one, the rest of the kids did the same.


    ¡°Nivik!¡±


    ¡°Emiyo¡­¡±


    ¡°Name¡¯s Tamostu!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Cynrik.¡±


    It took a moment for the other girl to say anything, but it wasn¡¯t out of shyness. She didn¡¯t want to draw attention to herself for some other reason¡ªanother thing found only in hindsight. ¡°And I¡¯m Serafina.¡±


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    ¡°You too,¡± Mrs. Verduren said to Domenique.


    She sighed. ¡°Domenique. But you already knew that.¡±


    Mrs. Verduren seemed satisfied with that answer. ¡°Now, go on and get to know each other. You¡¯re going to be together all day, so I don¡¯t want any of you to walk away without talking. I¡¯ll be over here if you need me. Don¡¯t think I won¡¯t step in if any of you start causing trouble.¡± She walked over and sat at a bench, a spot that could just barely be considered in a place to watch them. Making it worse, she pulled a book out of her bag and started reading it.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go first,¡± Kathrine declared. ¡°I¡¯m one of the most talented students in my class! All my teachers say so. I¡¯m going to do great things someday. I bet I¡¯ll be heading to Levi Asari in a few years. I¡¯m far above all of you.¡±


    ¡°Except for me,¡± Cynrik mumbled. ¡°Remember? My dad¡¯s the one in charge here¡­¡±


    ¡°But at least I¡¯m not going to be stuck in Ryobel for my entire life,¡± she returned confidently.


    Mrs. Verduren, instead of quelling the possible argument, nodded. ¡°They say those who are comfortable where they are never grow. Stay satisfied with something too long and you might just be knocked down into obscurity.¡±


    Cynrik looked like he may have wanted to say something else, but decided against it and shook his head. ¡°We¡¯re not bad, I promise.¡± He looked over all of them when he said that¡ªa kind of care that would be hard-pressed to find from many Seothian nobles.


    ¡°He¡¯s right!¡± Tamostu cut in with a smile. ¡°Step-Dad¡¯s really nice! He¡¯ll do anything if you ask.¡±


    There might have been truth to it, but all it did was make Fauna nervous. They tried not to get involved in favors¡ªKamila said there were usually all kinds of strings attached. So, Fauna made a note to avoid both Cynrik and Tamostu. She wanted to get them involved just as much as she liked the thought of anyone figuring it out¡ªwhich meant she desperately wanted to avoid it.


    Nivik decided to add an achievement of his own. ¡°Dad says I¡¯m the best hunter in the family, and I¡¯ve only started! I might even rival him someday! And, unlike Kathrine, I know it¡¯s not just fake praise.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing fake about it!¡± Kathrine remarked. ¡°You¡¯re just jealous that, while I¡¯m off doing amazing things, you¡¯re stuck here!¡±


    ¡°Just say she¡¯s right,¡± Emiyo mumbled. ¡°No one can argue with her anyway.¡±


    ¡°What was that? Don¡¯t talk like I¡¯m wrong! You know I¡¯m right!¡±


    ¡°No, you''re not,¡± Serafina tried. She looked at the others. ¡°Are we really going along with her?¡±


    Mrs. Verduren frowned. ¡°Of course Kathrine¡¯s right! How dare you accuse her of being anything less!¡±


    Fauna stepped a bit closer to Domenique and, as quietly as she could, whispered, ¡°Domenique, I don¡¯t like this.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re used to this,¡± was her muttered response. ¡°Do what we usually do: play along. Don¡¯t cause any trouble.¡±


    Luckily, it seemed that none of the others paid attention to what they were talking about. Unluckily, Cynrik asked a question that could almost be casual¡ªwere it not for who asked and, more specifically, who it was addressed to.


    ¡°What about the two of you?¡± he prompted. ¡°I think we¡¯ve all kinda talked about ourselves. Except for Serafina.¡± He looked at her and paused, giving her ample opportunity to say something.


    It looked like she might¡¯ve, if Kathrine hadn¡¯t interrupted. ¡°We already know everything we need to. Her parents run that tavern across town.¡±


    Now, they were young enough to not yet understand the specifics of those rumors. But they knew the adults didn¡¯t like it, whatever it was. The division between the rumors and the truth only grew the older they all got.


    ¡°I think Cynrik had one good idea, though,¡± Kathrine continued, completely ignoring the kind of look Serafina was giving her. ¡°We haven¡¯t heard anything about the two of you. Domenique¡¯s come with us a couple of times but she never says anything.¡±


    ¡°Same as the rest of you,¡± Domenique responded simply. It was a kind of calm facade that Fauna looked up to¡ªshe could never imagine herself that good at hiding all the other emotions. ¡°When there¡¯s nothing different, there¡¯s no story to tell.¡±


    ¡°Well, I know there¡¯s got to be something. With the way your mother¡¯s always running around and all¡­¡±


    Surprisingly, Mrs. Verduren didn¡¯t simply agree. ¡°Now, dear, there¡¯s no need for false accusations. Kamila is an upstanding citizen here. She doesn¡¯t have a single fault to her name.¡± She shook her head sadly. ¡°Her shortcomings come from the blood of the tynmir.¡±


    Fauna had the luxury of not knowing what that meant then, and foresight could convince her that what they thought was a flaw was a boon. Suffice to say, though, it didn¡¯t help the feeling that none of them belonged here. But Domenique was right¡ªall they could do was stay quiet and take the world around them like there was nothing to fear.

 Forgotten Light: Book I- Chapter 2

    In the four years Fauna had known the five, it never got easier. Alone with each of them, she might¡¯ve been able to manage. But it seemed they were all together or nowhere to be found. With ¡°friends¡± like these she¡¯d be grateful for the just-barely-functional friendships she¡¯d acquire later. She was only with them now because it allowed her to be ¡°normal,¡± away from the serious conversations Kamila and Domenique would have.


    Fauna always stayed quiet, usually observing whatever else they were doing. It worked, for the most part¡ªit kept them from asking her any more questions she couldn¡¯t truthfully answer.


    ¡°I don¡¯t get the point of it,¡± Kathrine muttered. ¡°Why are nobles around here if they¡¯re not noticing the talent around them?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re the dirt they walk on,¡± Emiyo responded casually. ¡°I bet we make it pretty comfortable, too.¡±


    Serafina glanced at Kathrine. ¡°Are you annoyed no one¡¯s seeing your ¡®obvious talent?¡¯¡±


    Kathrine gave a hmph in defiance. ¡°As if you¡¯d be any more likely to catch their attention!¡±


    ¡°My dad said they keep coming for a bunch of ¡®parties,¡¯¡± Nivik remarked. It honestly sounded like it was just to start a hopefully-non-pointed discussion. ¡°They¡¯re actually just super interested in our stuff, though. I mean, why else would they choose Ryobel all the time?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not it,¡± Cynrik said. ¡°They have important conversations to do between Mikkel, Jaden, and Tobiah lords. We¡¯re basically in the middle of all three.¡±


    Tamostu nodded. ¡°Step-Dad¡¯s in charge of entertaining them all. It makes him pretty busy.¡± He looked around, as if what he¡¯d say next was something unfathomable. ¡°I heard the royal family¡¯s here, too. But I haven¡¯t seen them.¡±


    Kathrine seemed interested in the thought. ¡°The royal family? As in, the king, the queen, and the prince?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like there¡¯s another royal family somewhere around here¡­¡± Serafina mumbled, getting an aggressive-looking swat from Kathrine.


    Cynrik shrugged. ¡°I think I heard Dad mention that. But nothing¡¯s gonna come out of looking for them, you know.¡±


    ¡°Oh, please!¡± Kathrine gave them a smug smile. ¡°My family may not have wealth or status but we are naturally gifted individuals. If a commoner like Minne can get herself into the favor of the king, I can certainly get acknowledged by the prince! What qualities does she have, anyway, that I don¡¯t already possess?¡±


    ¡°Red hair,¡± Emiyo said rather matter-of-factly. ¡°You know, that thing that most of the royals like¡­¡±


    Nivik shook his head. ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter. I heard my parents say that he doesn¡¯t have the Saint-King¡¯s spirit.¡±


    Kathrine¡¯s nose scrunched up. ¡°Really? Well, then my talents are better focused somewhere else.¡±


    Somewhere in that conversation, Fauna stopped actually paying attention to them. She was listening to someone else¡ªthe conversation of two unfamiliar but young voices.


    ¡°Father and Iris were talking about going to the beach this summer,¡± a girl¡¯s voice remarked. ¡°I¡¯m sure you could come, too, if you want¡­¡±


    There was no response, but a second pair of footsteps suggested she really was talking to someone else.


    Fauna glanced over at the others¡ªnow arguing over if Kathrine really could marry into the nobility¡ªbefore cautiously stepping away to find the source of those two voices. She didn¡¯t have to look far, either; following the trail that would eventually lead to the kids were the prince, Lord Kesem¡¯s daughter, and a guard for each.


    She¡¯d never dreamed of being close to anyone so important, much less seeing them, and even less so in seeing them so casually. She didn¡¯t know what else to do so she stood there, watching Prince Imre and Lady Samone.


    ¡°They¡¯re pretty during the summer,¡± Lady Samone said. ¡°We¡¯ll have some privacy, too. Don¡¯t you want to come? You¡¯ll get even more boring if you never leave the castle.¡±


    ¡°Maybe.¡±


    ¡°Maybe? That¡¯s all you¡¯ve got to say..?¡±


    Unfortunately for all of them, as the two got closer, the other five realized Fauna wasn¡¯t just staring off into space.


    ¡°Oh, hey, there they are!¡± Nivik pointed to them and all the others turned to see.


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    Kathrine even pushed Serafina out of the way, as if what she said earlier didn¡¯t mean anything. ¡°Really? Let me see!¡±


    Prince Imre stopped first, looking at them with¡­ well, it was hard to tell. Honestly it just seemed like a blank, possibly confused, glance. Lady Samone followed his gaze to the kids. He mumbled something to her, she muttered back, and the two started walking again.


    ¡°You saw them before us, right?¡± Nivik looked at Fauna. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say anything?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think about it¡­¡± was her honest, albeit quiet, response. She then decided she didn¡¯t want to stick around for any more questions or conversation. ¡°Actually, I think it¡¯s almost time for me to head back home. I¡¯ll see the rest of you later.¡±


    She left before they could say anything. She was already the odd one out to them¡ªshe didn¡¯t need to worry about making that part more obvious.


    She¡¯d expected for just Kamila to be home, or maybe Domenique if she¡¯d already gone shopping. But Fauna caught a glimpse of a stranger through the window.


    A stranger that looked an awful lot like the descriptions of Queen Minne. Though¡­ maybe she was wrong. She and Kamila seemed to be having a casual conversation, after all.


    There was one more strange thing about the encounter that she heard when she opened the door: ¡°It¡¯s¡­ been difficult, honestly¡ªsince my husband¡¯s passing. I suppose growing up with little myself has prepared me to take care of it, but¡­ I was hoping the two of them wouldn¡¯t need to experience this.¡±


    Queen Minne noticed Fauna first, giving a smile that seemed to hide their previous topic. ¡°Oh, is this your other daughter? Hello, dear! I don¡¯t think we¡¯ve met yet. I¡¯m Minne. I¡¯ve been here talking to your mother a lot but we¡¯ve never crossed paths before now. What¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°F-Fauna¡­¡± she mumbled back. This was the queen, right? Why did she sound so casual..?


    But, apparently, it was almost time for Queen Minne to leave. She stood up and walked closer to the door. ¡°Thank you for the tea, Kamila. I¡¯ll be sure to drop by again soon.¡±


    ¡­


    It seemed, more often than not after their meeting, Queen Minne was always there when Fauna came home. But it was always just the queen¡ªthere might be a mention of King Casper or Prince Imre, but that was always it.


    Until, of course, they were all there just as Domenique and Fauna returned from doing errands in town.


    They¡¯d just arrived, from the looks of it, as Kamila was just now getting out the tea.


    She smiled when she saw them. ¡°Ah, girls! Did you get everything?¡±


    ¡°Everything they had available,¡± Domenique answered, setting the bags on the counter. Given it was only a few, all with very little in them, the more accurate term would be, Everything we could afford.


    Queen Minne gave them a kind smile, too. ¡°I have an idea. Imre, why don¡¯t you let them show you around? You three can spend some time together while us adults chat.¡±


    ¡°I can handle adult conversation, Mother,¡± was his response.


    ¡°These two are Domenique and Fauna,¡± she tried. ¡°I¡¯m sure you all can do something together¡­¡±


    Domenique nodded. ¡°It¡¯s nothing fancy, but we¡¯ve got a garden. I¡¯ll show you.¡± She took the lead out and to the garden¡ªPrince Imre and Fauna just followed.


    ¡°There¡¯s one thing I want to ask, before we all start eavesdropping,¡± Prince Imre began casually once they sat down outside. He looked at Fauna. ¡°You were the girl I saw a few days ago, right?¡±


    She nervously nodded. ¡°Sorry, it must¡¯ve seemed like I¡¯d interrupted¡­¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°No need to apologize. It¡¯s nice to properly meet you.¡±


    They all went silent then, with the common understanding that none of this was what any of them considered normal.


    King Casper¡¯s voice was first, coupled with a sigh. ¡°You know I can¡¯t do anything. Well, there is, but it¡¯s by far not the ideal situation¡­¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± Kamila sounded so calm, despite everything she must¡¯ve been thinking of. Fauna wished for even a fraction of that¡ªit wasn¡¯t something she¡¯d ever be able to muster. ¡°What kind of tea would you like? I¡¯ve got a few options, thanks to a friend of mine.¡±


    ¡°Whatever you ladies want, I suppose.¡±


    Queen Minne¡¯s response was more thoughtful. ¡°Our usual will do just fine. You don¡¯t need to trouble yourself for us.¡±


    There was the sound of shuffling and of tea being set on the stove. As far as the three outside could hear, nothing special had happened.


    But, apparently, Queen Minne had caught sight of something. Or¡­ a lack of something, as the question itself suggested. ¡°Ah, sorry to ask this, but¡ªwas that a bit of magic just now?¡±


    Silence. Then, ¡°Have you not heard the rumors or do you choose to ignore them..? Well, rumors aren¡¯t the right word for it¡ªthat suggests some fantasy mixed in with the truth. I don¡¯t see a point in lying to you. Yes, it was. My¡­ mother came from Qizar. She taught me a bit when I was younger.¡±


    ¡°You know, my father came from Qizar.¡±


    ¡°Then, do you..?¡±


    ¡°No, I was adopted. Speaking of him, though¡­ I think I recall hearing that he had family around here. A sister. She helped us quite a bit after his death¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s an odd coincidence. My mother had helped her brother¡¯s family when I was younger. She¡¯d leave one or two times a year, though I don¡¯t remember her ever saying where.¡±


    A pause. ¡°What if that¡­ wasn¡¯t a coincidence?¡±


    ¡°If my family was known for luck, Minne, we¡¯d likely be much better off.¡±


    ¡°Just amuse me for a moment, alright? What was your mother¡¯s maiden name?¡±


    ¡°Huzaifa.¡±


    ¡°Then was her first name Sarah?¡±


    ¡°Mhm. But what does this have to do with..?¡±


    ¡°Because that makes us cousins. There really is something we can do for you.¡±

 Extras: Character Card and Sheet- Haris

    Extra character card info:


    A relatively seclusive man and the adoptive father of Kiraat, Zenas, Umber, and Minne. He moved to Seothia from Qizar to discover the secrets of the Caverns, where he gained a reputation for doing strange things on the rare instances when he left his house. It was not helped by the fact he never made attempts at socializing with neighbors. While he did get close to learning more about the Caverns, he died before he could explore them himself.


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 Forgotten Light: Book I- Chapter 3

    When she thought about those couple of weeks, a single thing played in her mind: I¡¯m going to wake up soon. This has to be some kind of cruel dream. But she never woke up. The false sense of stability she¡¯d developed by living in Ryobel had been broken, faced with the reality of what would happen if they chose a different option.


    She¡¯d seen the other five since their decision to move, but she didn¡¯t tell them anything. They were leaving, after all, because of what the other townspeople would think¡ªof what she and Domenique would have to face. Some of the adults knew, of course, though as far as Fauna was aware, the whole town didn¡¯t know the reason until after they were gone.


    She listened to the adults¡¯ conversations as she packed the rest of her things. They were leaving tomorrow with the rest of the Mikkel territory nobles.


    ¡°I¡­ still can¡¯t imagine how you can do this,¡± Kamila remarked, quietly. Perhaps she, too, awaited the moment when she¡¯d wake up. ¡°Minne¡¯s adopted. No one from that side of the family was ever from Seothia¡­¡±


    Casper laughed. ¡°Well, if there¡¯s one thing a king can do, it¡¯s pull strings! Throw in some complicated political stuff, handwave it all off, and, just like that, you¡¯re part of the nobility.¡±


    ¡°If you can¡¯t think of it any other way, think of it like returning a favor,¡± Minne suggested. ¡°We might not have made it without the help of your mother, and you might not make it without our help now. Sounds even, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    Kamila sighed. ¡°I suppose we can call it that. But I¡¯m still not sure¡ªwill this¡­ really be better?¡±


    ¡°Of course it will! You won¡¯t have to worry about anything.¡± Casper paused. ¡°Ah, you mean in terms of the nobility? They won¡¯t be a problem, either. You¡¯ll be minor nobles. No one¡¯s going to bother you as long as you don¡¯t bother them. You¡¯re not going to be expected to watch over anything. Just focus on your family.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re¡­ leaving everything they know here, for something they¡¯ve never gotten close to experiencing before. I can only imagine the kinds of things the others are going to say when they learn, but¡­ I can¡¯t quite convince myself that this is better.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It was from my understanding that neither of them had many friends here, right? Well, Imre could use a few more friends his age.¡± Minne¡¯s tone was comforting, her words giving Fauna something to look forward to.


    ¡°O-oh, I shouldn¡¯t trouble you with that,¡± Kamila said quickly. ¡°I know we¡¯re related, but that doesn¡¯t change things. I don¡¯t want to overstep.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not overstepping anything. I think he¡¯d like to get to know them better and I¡¯m sure they would, too. This isn¡¯t a matter of the prince and ¡®commoners.¡¯ It¡¯s simply a couple of kids.¡± There was the sound of a clap. ¡°Samone¡¯s coming with us tomorrow, so we can introduce them to her then, too. And I¡¯m sure Lydia¡ªand possibly her siblings¡ªwill stop by once we return, they can meet each other then.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. For all of this¡­¡±


    Then Domenique came to help Fauna with the things she couldn¡¯t get on her own. They didn¡¯t say anything to each other, but they seemed to be doing the same thing¡ªsaying goodbye to a place they¡¯d never see again. Neither knew whether they wanted to stay, honestly; it lost its meaning of ¡°home¡± a while ago. But there were some good things here, too. Things they most certainly would never see again.


    When it was happening, she didn¡¯t know how she felt about it. That changed with time, as she saw and experienced the things she never could have otherwise. After a while, she knew it had been for the better that they left. All forms of Ryobel became a distant memory.


    The next morning, Casper had pulled Kamila aside to introduce her to the other nobles they¡¯d be traveling back with¡ªin his words, ¡°Everyone you can probably ignore after this.¡± In the meantime, Minne found Domenique and Fauna, leading them to where Imre and Samone were.


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    Imre looked up from his book and gave them all a nod of acknowledgement. Samone didn¡¯t seem to care until he nudged her, even then quickly going back to what she was doing.


    ¡°Are they coming back with us?¡± she asked without sounding like she thought it mattered.


    Minne nodded. ¡°You haven¡¯t properly met them, have you, Samone? These two are Domenique and Fauna. They¡¯re going to be moving somewhere a little closer to Lelishara.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ll eat you alive,¡± she mumbled. It was with Imre¡¯s sigh that she turned to him and added, ¡°What? You know I¡¯m right. With nervous smiles like that, they aren¡¯t going to last a day.¡±


    He sat his book aside, stood up, and walked towards them. ¡°Ignore her,¡± he said casually. ¡°She¡¯s always like this.¡±


    ¡°I am not!¡±


    He ignored her and offered Fauna a small, but genuine, smile. ¡°I¡¯m glad that you¡¯re coming back with us. I can show both of you around Lelishara when we¡¯re back, if you want? Can¡¯t say there¡¯s really much to see, but¡­¡±


    Minne smiled, too. ¡°That sounds like a wonderful idea! What do you girls think?¡±


    ¡°We won¡¯t know anything when we get there,¡± Domenique remarked. ¡°It would be nice to see it.¡±


    Fauna nodded to show she felt the same.


    ¡­


    It was a bit awkward, honestly¡ªspending that time with such important people, when she had yet to see them as just ¡°family friends.¡± Casper kept them out of silence by listing off things they could do now; from the place they came from, it seemed like nothing was restricted. Whenever Kamila appeared to have a doubt, he¡¯d point out that the girls would have a brighter future. Because of this, so many new paths were open to them. Domenique looked interested in the idea, but Fauna ended up finding the possibility incredibly overwhelming.


    Amidst Casper¡¯s talkative nature, then, she found something much calmer with Imre¡¯s silence.


    Though, perhaps silence wasn¡¯t quite the right word¡ªit was a kind of stillness, something that could make someone forget he was there. The two of them talked while the others were busy; she¡¯d heard Minne remark once or twice that he¡¯d only ever gotten that well along with Samone that quickly. It seemed, even then, they¡¯d found something in each other she¡¯d never found in anyone else.


    The ability to talk, and be truly listened to; the ability to listen, and make a difference in something.


    But, at that point, it was just casual conversation. He¡¯d point out some of the animals they found along the way, listing a few details about them, since Samone had never been interested in it. Fauna, mostly, was just worried about what the future was like for them. He made sure to reassure her and, as they neared Lelishara, one of their first promises were made: ¡°This is only the beginning of something better.¡±


    He was right, of course. But she couldn¡¯t help but think ¡°better¡± wasn¡¯t always the best word to describe it.


    Kamila, Domenique, and Fauna left the others when they reached Lelishara. They were shown, by someone else Casper seemed close to, where they¡¯d be staying. Simply put, the house was bigger than anything they¡¯d seen in Ryobel. Domenique and Fauna were put in charge of unpacking¡ªit had been their entire lives before, but now looked like so little, given the space left to fill¡ªwhile Kamila was given a basic overview of what they owned now. It sounded like more than enough for the three of them to live rather well, if not luxuriously, without a need to do anything on their part.


    A few days after they settled in, they went back to Lelishara by Minne¡¯s request. Its reason became apparent when they were greeted by five unfamiliar nobles.


    ¡°Find the ride here pleasant?¡± Casper prompted as they all sat down.


    Kamila nodded. ¡°I assume these are the other nobles you¡¯ve mentioned before?¡±


    One of the nobles¡ªthe one around Casper¡¯s age¡ªanswered that himself. ¡°Yes, Casper requested us all to come over. We¡¯re the Stones¡ªI¡¯m Andrew, this is my wife Diana, and these are our three children, Lydia, Lewis, and Elena.¡±


    ¡°Casper asked if Andrew and I could help you adjust to your new status,¡± Diana explained. Her focus was solely on Kamila. ¡°We¡¯re minor lords ourselves so, among the king¡¯s inner circle, he assumed we¡¯d have the most in common. If you ever need anything, don¡¯t hesitate to contact us.¡±


    Then the oldest of their children¡ªLydia¡ªturned all of her attention to Domenique and Fauna. ¡°And we¡¯re here to be your friends! I¡¯m already pretty close to Imre and I come by a lot. You should come with us, too!¡± She was already getting up. ¡°The adults have to talk about boring stuff, right? Can all of us go to the garden?¡±


    Minne smiled. ¡°I don¡¯t see why not. Imre, make sure they don¡¯t get lost. All of you should be nice to each other. Perhaps we¡¯ll join you out there when we¡¯re done and we can all have lunch out there.¡±

 Forgotten Light: Book I- Chapter 4

    Honestly, they barely got along with each other¡ªbut they were the closest friends each other had. Which¡­ probably just proved that none of them went out much, or had people interested in being friendly without other intentions in mind.


    Fauna tended to spend the most time with Imre, though it was usually just by both being in the library at the same time. Domenique soon found other ways of making herself busy¡ªsomething that gave her an excuse not to be around them. Samone tended to spend a few weeks in Lelishara, be gone for a month or so, then come back for the cycle to repeat. Fauna quickly learned there was no use in tracking Lydia¡¯s whereabouts. She bounced between the castle, the Stone estate, some nearby town or village, and somewhere halfway across the kingdom. It was around that time she first suggested they go on a trip together, in fact; though it turned into an argument that Imre settled with them being a bit too young to do anything without adult supervision.


    After all, there were still two rather important teammates they needed to meet about a year after they left Ryobel.


    Fauna was sitting in the dining room of the castle with Domenique and a few servants as company. They¡¯d been told Imre and the others would be returning from their trip to the Lake soon, so all they had to do was wait until then. They weren¡¯t prominent or noteworthy enough nobles to warrant a reason to be there themselves¡ªat least not while all of the conversation was so important.


    It was more subtle differences that made their casual conversation stop; a few of the servants disappeared, those that stayed nearby whispered instructions to each other. Then they could hear Casper¡¯s laugh as he recounted the events to, supposedly, another servant.


    He gave the two of them a wide smile when he opened the door. ¡°Good, you girls are here! Now, everyone else, just sit down.¡± He gestured all of the others¡ªMinne, Imre, Samone, and Lydia¡ªinside before stepping away from the door again. ¡°I¡¯ve got a special surprise for you! She had to travel separately but she should be arriving very soon. I¡¯ll be right back with her.¡± Then he disappeared into the hall again.


    ¡°That was a suspicious amount of excitement,¡± Domenique remarked. ¡°I¡¯m not even going to ask if I should be concerned, I¡¯m just assuming the answer is ¡®yes.¡¯¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing to worry about,¡± Minne said. ¡°We¡¯re hoping it¡¯ll be a good thing.¡±


    ¡°Hoping..?¡± Imre repeated cautiously. ¡°Mother, I haven¡¯t been told anything about this¡­¡±


    ¡°All I ask is that you all have an open mind about this. Consider it a way to see if all these talks will really amount to anything.¡±


    ¡°That makes it sound worse,¡± Samone pointed out.


    Any further speculation was cut off by Casper¡¯s voice in the hallway. It sounded like a basic description of the castle¡¯s layout¡ªcomplete with unhelpful directions that barely made sense. Then he told his companion to stay there and opened the door to the dining room again.


    But when his first words were ¡°Now, Imre, I don¡¯t want you to think this is a punishment¡­¡± it was hard to guess what it was. When he continued, it only slightly gave more explanation, ¡°But you wander. A lot. I don¡¯t blame you, of course¡ªI did it myself when I was your age¡ªbut things are different now. You can¡¯t keep going off on your own, it¡¯s too dangerous.¡±


    Imre shrunk and mumbled something too quiet for anyone to hear.


    ¡°Hey, what did I just say? This isn¡¯t a punishment! Really!¡± When that didn¡¯t seem to do anything, Casper sighed, and gestured to whoever was standing on the other side of the door. The person stepped out¡ªshe was a goblin. ¡°This is Kiah Endove. I¡¯ve hired her after seeing her talents because I believe she¡¯s more than suited for keeping an eye on you.¡±


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    ¡°Oh! I¡¯ve got a question!¡± Lydia enthusiastically waved her hand around. ¡°Does she know magic? Goblins can use magic, right? Does she know super awesome light magic or something?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± was Kiah¡¯s blunt answer. ¡°My talent¡¯s in archery and swordplay.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t see how that¡¯s supposed to do anything,¡± Samone mumbled. ¡°You¡¯re so¡­ tiny¡­¡±


    Casper nervously laughed before anyone else could say anything. ¡°I know, this all seems very strange and new. But I¡¯m certain of her abilities and letting her stay with you. Think of it, if nothing else, of a test¡ªto see that we¡¯re all capable of working together. If our two kingdoms can put aside physical differences for the better of our people.¡±


    A couple more questions were asked, but it didn¡¯t really seem to do anything; Kiah refused to even hint at an answer that related to her family or friends. Even as she started to warm up to Casper and Minne, it took a lot longer for her to say anything to the rest of them. Though that, too, was little more than casual mentions here and there.


    A bit of time passed, with a few more trips to the Lake between them. Soon enough, they were all in the dining room again, listening to another similar statement from Casper. It wasn¡¯t just a mercenary that they were going to be spending time with; he announced that Qizar¡¯s prince, Dimas, would be staying with them for a little while.


    They¡¯d heard that he was coming and Minne gave them a final warning before then¡ªa reminder to be mindful, something that made more sense in hindsight. She was the one to get up to show Dimas¡ªwho, frankly, almost looked guilty to be there¡ªto his seat.


    ¡°We¡¯re glad you came to stay with us,¡± she said with a smile. ¡°Let¡¯s get you introduced to everybody. Samone is Lord Kesem¡¯s daughter, Lydia is the oldest child of Andrew and Diana Stone, Domenique and Fauna¡¯s mother is a friend of mine, and Kiah¡¯s a personal guard Casper hired a couple months ago.¡± Each of them nodded at their name.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be staying with us for an entire week, correct?¡± Casper prompted. He continued after Dimas nodded. ¡°Make yourself at home. May this prove that our two kingdoms can live in peace with each other by this great act of trust.¡±


    The formality of such a statement was gone in about two seconds.


    ¡°You know magic, right?¡± Lydia asked. ¡°Kiah said she didn¡¯t, but I heard that you did. What can you do? Oh! Can you shoot fireballs out of your hand? Or throw lightning bolts from the sky?¡±


    ¡°N-no¡­¡± Dimas mumbled. ¡°Nothing like that. Just a bit of Life magic¡­¡±


    That caught Domenique¡¯s attention, at least. No wonder¡ªshe¡¯d grown in interest in it a few years ago. ¡°Like healing magic?¡±


    He nodded, but seemed to change his mind. ¡°That¡¯s what the plan is, at least. I¡¯ve mostly been working on plant regeneration. It¡¯s a lot less terrifying than an actual, living person¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a shame that that¡¯s all you know,¡± Samone remarked. ¡°I heard Princess Zofie knows all kinds of things. It would be interesting to learn something from someone other than Father.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t¡­ have the talent for the kinds of stuff Zofie does,¡± he mumbled. ¡°It wasn¡¯t worth trying.¡±


    ¡°Well, knowing healing is pretty good,¡± Fauna said in an attempt to make him feel better. ¡°We can¡¯t all be throwing fireballs of mass destruction everywhere¡­¡±


    Lydia nodded. ¡°It helps with adventuring, too! It¡¯ll come in handy in tight situations or when we¡¯re far from a town.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no we,¡± Samone corrected. ¡°I¡¯d rather die than sleep outside on the dirt, in a forest, and probably surrounded by Ski¨¢.¡±


    ¡°I dunno,¡± Kiah muttered, ¡°I think you¡¯d do good to go outside every now and again.¡±


    ¡°Besides, Lydia, you can¡¯t honestly tell me that¡¯s the first thing you thought of when he said that,¡± Domenique pointed out. ¡°You just want to see what it does¡ªlike if it makes the person glow or something.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t blame me!¡± Lydia defended. ¡°It¡¯s not every day I can see magic in person!¡±


    It was admirable how Minne, without losing her smile, reminded them, ¡°Let¡¯s quiet down, girls. You¡¯re supposed to be making a good first impression.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t really mind,¡± Dimas said. ¡°Just act like you normally do. I don¡¯t think anyone would like it if we had to keep things strictly formal.¡±


    ¡°We could prove formalities at the Lake,¡± Casper agreed. ¡°Why don¡¯t you all spend some time together, or show him around? This is his first time here, after all¡ªwe have plenty to offer. Just be sure to be home by dark.¡±

 Extras: Art- Volume 2

    The Butterfly Effect Volume 2: The Legacies Left Behind is out now on Amazon! Like with Volume 1, I''ll link to it down below in the post-chapter author''s note.


    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    This cover has Clari and Lucas on it! It was going to be of Lucas during his coronation but, uh... yeah that didn''t happen. But hey! It''s out! I don''t know exactly when I''ll publish Volume 3. A part of me kind of wants to do it before the 15th, so there''s three volumes out for the anniversary, but in all likelihood it''ll probably be out a day or two later. In slightly-related news, I plan to add at least one new section to the Story Summaries: a "Story by Volume" section. This will list the names of every volume published so far, as well as what stories and shorts appear in it.


    Thank you all for reading The Butterfly Effect!

 Forgotten Light: Book II- Chapter 1

    It was a wonder that they stuck together. But amidst the arguing, the fighting, and occasional half-joking threats, there was care and concern and kindness. Somewhere. She may have had to squint sometimes, but it was there.


    Domenique, especially when she got opportunities to practice magic, wasn¡¯t really with them. She tended to avoid the others. Samone mostly talked to Imre, occasionally to the point of ignoring anyone else. The differences between Fauna meeting her and several years after was subtle enough it was only worth noting in hindsight; the weight of the expectations no one realized. Lydia always remained the same, bright and energetic. It seemed every time she came over she had a new idea for something¡ªwhich were, similarly, always rejected. Fauna couldn¡¯t say she talked too much to Kiah. She often made it clear that her role was protecting the prince and little more than that, even if she did seem to get along with Casper and Minne. Dimas, at first, was quiet, but he quickly warmed up to all of them. As long as they avoided heated arguments, he was one of the talkative ones among them.


    What about Imre, then? Well, he was the one that brought them together¡ªthe common thread between them. He was often the one to quell any disagreements before things got out of control, or point out in other ways if someone went too far. Beyond that¡­ he was a good listener, one Fauna felt like she could talk to no matter what. They grew a bond that way; being each other¡¯s pillars, holding each other up from the sidelines. Nokae seemed fitting for it, though it was a title they never truly adopted.


    Nothing defined them all, though, as the time they spent traveling together¡ªa turn of events that were, contrary to how Lydia would retell it, completely mundane. And could barely be described as ¡°turn of events¡± so much as ¡°the same events, with slightly different results.¡±


    It started the same as anything before she made her suggestion; everyone in the dining room, holding casual conversations, waiting for when Dimas would get there.


    Casper¡¯s greeting was what silenced the rest of them, giving the Qizarn prince a grin when he opened the door. ¡°Seems you¡¯re a bit early today! Getting used to the layout of things?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± was the quiet response.


    Minne offered a smile, too, until it faded when she actually looked up at him. She touched a spot under her eye as some part of a silent question; Dimas mirrored the movement and, realizing what she ¡°asked¡± about, shrugged.


    And they all knew silence spoke louder than any words.


    They also knew that Lydia was the only one that could even consider breaking it without making it worse. That is, by having no situational awareness, and acting like it never happened at all. ¡°Now that we¡¯re all here, I¡¯ve got another idea!¡±


    ¡°No,¡± was Samone¡¯s quick response.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t even heard what it is yet!¡±


    ¡°And given the other things you¡¯ve tried to get us to do, I don¡¯t need to. I know it¡¯s going to be ridiculous. And stupid. And probably deadly.¡±


    Minne smiled again, something that showed a deeper understanding. ¡°Well, I would like to hear what you¡¯ve come up with.¡±


    ¡°This one is good, I promise!¡± Lydia said, beaming. ¡°It¡¯s in Pagetri¡ªkinda nearby! Or closer than some of the other options, anyway. Close enough we can do it before Dimas has to go home again. And it¡¯ll be fun! With a lot of exploring!¡± She paused, as if it really built up tension, then announced, ¡°It¡¯ll be¡­ to find a manticore!¡±


    Silence. Then, Kiah laughed. ¡°You really are stupid, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Fauna phrased it in a¡­ much nicer way. ¡°There¡­ aren¡¯t any in Seothia anymore.¡±


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    ¡°They¡­ hunted them for their ichor, didn¡¯t they..?¡± Dimas asked hesitantly as he sat down.


    Imre gave a grim nod. ¡°It was like hunting for sport before the Saint-King. After he took the throne, it was far too late to do anything about it¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, if it was obviously possible, then it wouldn¡¯t be fun, now would it?¡± Lydia defended. ¡°The whole point is to do something no one else has!¡±


    ¡°Because it¡¯s impossible,¡± Samone grumbled. ¡°No one else is as stupid as you are.¡±


    ¡°Say what you¡¯d like, though it¡¯s not going to make much of a difference,¡± Casper remarked. ¡°Lydia¡¯s actually talked to us about this beforehand. We all think it¡¯s a good idea.¡±


    ¡°All,¡± Domenique repeated. ¡°That wouldn¡¯t happen to¡­ not mean what I think it does?¡±


    Minne nodded. ¡°We¡¯ve talked to Odelle, Kesem, Kamila, and Andrew. They came to the same conclusion we did.¡±


    ¡°That they wanted to subtly kill off their kids?¡± Kiah retorted. ¡°Because this is what this sounds like. You can¡¯t honestly tell me they look like they could handle that kind of traveling!¡±


    Casper explained it in a clear and calm way. ¡°They might not be ready now, but they¡¯d never be without experience.¡± He addressed all of them as he continued, ¡°In one way or another, you will become the people leading the future of Seothia. And you can¡¯t be prepared for something like that by studying alone¡ªjust knowledge isn¡¯t going to get you far. It takes experience, too. You all know that I traveled a lot when I was your age. That firsthand experience, the close look into the lives of my future subjects¡­ I know that it¡¯s helped me just as much, if not more, than any of my grandfather¡¯s words.¡± He smirked. ¡°I even got a wife out of it.¡±


    Minne¡¯s comment seemed to be just as much of a response to him as a statement for the rest of them. ¡°You never know who might need your help along the way. It only takes a little to change a life.¡±


    ¡°When you say you talked with Mother,¡± Dimas began, ¡°what did she say, exactly..? This seems¡­ kind of dangerous¡­¡±


    ¡°Of course it is!¡± Lydia said. ¡°It''s an adventure! That¡¯s what makes it fun!¡±


    That very clearly did nothing to make him feel any more confident in the fact.


    Minne gave a thoughtful answer. ¡°Her idea was nearly the same as the others¡ªit¡¯s a chance to grow. While there may be dangers involved¡­ we think this would be a good start in taking things slowly. She mentioned you¡¯ve been helping with Zofie and that this could help give you different opportunities to practice.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t go,¡± Samone remarked nonchalantly. ¡°I don¡¯t care what he said. I have practice with Tyche when I get back and I¡¯d much rather do that than whatever Lydia calls fun.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the thing,¡± Casper responded just as casually. ¡°You don¡¯t always get to choose what you¡¯ve been doing. Your magic practice has been pushed back for this, too. What Minne told Dimas applies to you and Domenique too, you know. I¡¯ve already said that there¡¯s a limit to what practical knowledge can teach you.¡±


    Samone looked ready to argue before something in Imre¡¯s eyes got her to resign to her fate. ¡°Fine¡­¡±


    Fauna realized what it might¡¯ve been for, too. ¡°Tyche¡¯s taught you Light magic, hasn¡¯t she? Wouldn¡¯t that mean you could help against the Ski¨¢?¡±


    ¡°Of course she did,¡± Samone said. ¡°That and Truth magic is basically the foundation of everything the Lysha does.¡±


    ¡°This has to be one of the stupidest things you¡¯ve tried to do,¡± Kiah sighed. ¡°Casper, there¡¯s going to be seven of us. Only two might be able to do anything if we run into trouble. The two decent healers aren¡¯t going to mean anything with three deadweights.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve done this before, you know,¡± Lydia grumbled. ¡°It¡¯s not that dangerous! I can handle my own! And I bet Imre and Fauna could, too. Nothing would ever realize they were there with how quiet they are!¡±


    Fauna¡¯s sheepish chuckle was enough of a response for both of them.


    ¡°We¡¯ve made up our minds about this, Kiah,¡± Casper said. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to worry about. Everything that we have the power of controlling we have under our control. Just focus on enjoying the time out of the territory, all of you¡ªsee for yourself what you¡¯ll one day be guiding. As long as you act smart and don¡¯t try to get yourselves into any trouble, you¡¯ll be fine. I can assure you of that.¡±


    Minne nodded. ¡°Tomorrow morning would give you enough time to prepare for it. Make sure you have everything you¡¯ll need before then.¡±

 Forgotten Light: Book II- Chapter 2

    She had to wonder if Casper and Minne expected them to immediately start working together. This was, after all, the group that could have an argument over everything. At least they were making what Lydia assured them was good time, though Fauna assumed most credit for that could be given to the horses.


    ¡°So, do we know where in Pagetri we¡¯re going?¡± Samone asked. ¡°Because I don¡¯t think I have to remind you how big it is. It¡¯s going to take months if we don¡¯t have an exact location.¡±


    ¡°Not months,¡± was the first thing Lydia thought to respond to.


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t answer the question,¡± Domenique pointed out. ¡°You know you¡¯re the only one enjoying this. Can you at least try not to make it worse?¡±


    ¡°How am I making it worse? Maybe the rest of you need to stop treating this like it¡¯s a punishment!¡± Lydia defended. ¡°It¡¯s supposed to be fun! You all look like you¡¯re riding to your death.¡±


    ¡°Enn, stop avoiding it,¡± Imre sighed. ¡°Just be honest if you don¡¯t know.¡±


    At that, she let out a bit of nervous laughter. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll admit, I don¡¯t know exactly where it is. But! I know it¡¯s closer to the southern side of Pagetri. And it¡¯s in a cave. So that kinda narrows things down, right?¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah, and it¡¯s also surrounded by trees,¡± Kiah said sarcastically. ¡°That¡¯s definitely not the description of basically every cave in the mountains.¡±


    Dimas approached it a bit more carefully. ¡°You¡¯ve got to have something you¡¯re going off of, right? A legend or something? The Commandments can apparently be surprisingly specific, so¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, no, Dad and I figured out that it was in Pagetri all on our own,¡± Lydia responded in such a casual tone that meant she didn¡¯t really understand why he was asking. ¡°There¡¯s not a lot of details in the story itself, but the stories are shared the most in Pagetri. Plus they¡¯ve got a few other manticore-related stories.¡±


    ¡°And because Palus has endless stories about phoenixes, that¡¯s where all of them are,¡± Samone grumbled.


    ¡°It¡¯s part of that weird migration thing they do, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not the point.¡±


    Fauna decided this might be a good time to figuratively step in. ¡°What Samone¡¯s trying to say is that your theory alone isn¡¯t enough to be confident in. Phoenixes are probably most obvious in the Plains but that¡¯s not to say that nowhere else has or tells stories about them¡­¡±


    ¡°Dad helped me figure it out, though,¡± Lydia pointed out. ¡°He¡¯s found all kinds of otherwise long-lost stuff! He definitely knows how to piece things together from different legends. I¡¯m sure he got it right.¡±


    Kiah must not have been able to stop herself from saying, ¡°And gods forbid Andrew¡¯s ever wrong about something¡­¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s assume for a moment that this is all true,¡± Imre began before anyone could say anything else. ¡°We found the cave without any difficulty. Is there something else we need to do? Something specific that¡¯s waiting for us?¡±


    Lydia shook her head, but she looked pretty excited about the uncertainty. ¡°I don¡¯t know! That¡¯s what makes it fun. We could just walk up there and not encounter a single thing, or there could be tons of puzzles or trials or something. I hope there¡¯s something, though. Feels like a bit of a waste not to, right?¡±


    ¡°Why do I have a feeling that we¡¯re not all going to make it to our forties..?¡± Samone grumbled.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of a story where all they had to do was walk up to a manticore¡­¡± Dimas remarked, partly to bring them back on topic. ¡°There shouldn¡¯t be any at all, but if there are¡­ I don¡¯t think they¡¯d be very happy to see us. They might let Kiah in, and possibly me, since even in Qizar they don¡¯t show themselves to everyone. If we¡¯re especially lucky, they might count Domenique and Fauna as children of Fleyw Bresh. Imre, Samone, and Lydia would be out of luck, though¡­ and honestly I don¡¯t want to know what that would call for in this situation¡­¡±


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    ¡°Well, we¡¯re bound to come across more information by the time we get there,¡± Lydia said. ¡°We¡¯ll know for sure then! Worst comes to worst, we send Kiah in there, she befriends the manticore, and it lets the rest of us in.¡±


    It must¡¯ve been a record¡ªhow quickly Kiah shot it down with a blunt, ¡°Hell no.¡± Quieter, she admitted, ¡°I don¡¯t think they¡¯d talk to me anyway.¡±


    Lydia tilted her head. ¡°Why? Oh, is it because you were a mercenary? It might not let you because you¡¯ve killed people or something?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go with that,¡± was Kiah¡¯s answer after a moment.


    There was a minute of silence before Imre announced, ¡°Let¡¯s stop here for the night. When we¡¯re all settled we can try to figure out where the legend will take us¡ªwithout arguing about it.¡±


    None of them could disagree¡ªit was getting dark and they¡¯d traveled a while. They stopped at the nearest suitable spot for a camp, each doing something to help¡­ to a degree. Imre tended to the horses and Fauna, Domenique, Kiah, and Lydia were setting up the tents and starting the campfire. Samone was honestly just sulking, though Dimas had the excuse of writing to his family. When they all gathered back at the camp, it was clear not everyone was happy with that, though no one said anything.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got to have heard the full legend,¡± Imre said, glancing at Lydia. ¡°Just tell us what you and Andrew found. Maybe we¡¯ll be able to work together to get something more specific.¡±


    Lydia nodded and was about to open her mouth before Domenique interjected, ¡°And keep the showmanship out of it.¡±


    Lydia pouted. ¡°Come on, why not? You¡¯re gonna get bored to death without it!¡±


    ¡°Rather be bored than having to sit here for an hour,¡± Samone mumbled.


    Kiah shrugged. She hadn¡¯t sat down yet but the reason became apparent soon enough. ¡°I don¡¯t care what you end up doing. I¡¯ll keep watch around here while the rest of you are busy. I¡¯d probably be able to hear you no matter what anyway.¡± She stalked off to the corner of the camp.


    ¡°Alright, go ahead,¡± Imre prompted. ¡°I think we¡¯re ready for it.¡±


    Lydia nodded. ¡°So, after the super interesting process of figuring it out, Dad and I finally got what we think is all the information we could get. After a lot of the dragons and manticores had either been killed or moved to Fleyw Bresh, one of the manticores got trapped. Or, at least, we assumed it got trapped. The legend specifically stated that it went in and wouldn¡¯t or couldn¡¯t go out. A group of hunters tried to enter it once, but they heard a voice warning them that their ¡®evil intentions wouldn¡¯t allow them further.¡¯ Several tried anyway but they died somehow, so the rest of them took the warning and headed back. The people who¡¯d turned back never gave an exact location, to keep others from getting killed, but did tell their family about some of the details. Wherever it is, there¡¯s a lot of evergreens, and a kinda-big river. One of the accounts said that it twisted around the cave pretty closely but we couldn¡¯t find any spot like that.¡±


    Samone didn¡¯t spare a moment in sarcastically remarking, ¡°Well, that certainly clears things up. We definitely know where we¡¯re going now!¡±


    ¡°It sounds familiar, almost,¡± Fauna mused, choosing to ignore her. ¡°Something we would¡¯ve heard in Ryobel¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, yeah,¡± Domenique began with a shrug. ¡°Stories about that kind of stuff were everywhere. It was something to make them believe that they were working towards something¡ªpleasing someone.¡±


    ¡°I mean more specifically.¡± Fauna¡¯s confidence in the matter shrank, however, the longer she thought about it. ¡°Not just that they¡¯re hiding somewhere, waiting to grant their powers to people. But that one in particular was hidden away, and as much as people tried, no one could find them¡­¡±


    Her mistake was looking up at the others. They didn¡¯t believe her, at least not any more than they would¡¯ve believed any other speculation.


    Well, everyone except for Imre, that is. He gave her a kind look, as if to tell her I believe that you¡¯re right, but he said nothing about it to her. Instead, he looked at Lydia. ¡°What maps have you gone through?¡±


    ¡°Practically everything we had that had Pagetri on it,¡± she answered. ¡°There wasn¡¯t a single spot like that on any of them.¡±


    ¡°There wouldn¡¯t have been, if they were that intent on keeping others from finding it. Things are bound to change over time, but were there any spots that weren¡¯t changed at all?¡±


    Lydia seemed to get where he was going and pulled out a map from her satchel. ¡°Mhm. Near this little southern part of the territory. We might not be too far from it, actually.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s check around that area. It¡¯s as good of a place as any to start, without any clearer idea.¡±

 Extras: Character Card and Sheet- Aither

    Extra character card info:


    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    A Fos meant to help those remember pieces of the past that were forgotten. Up until rather recently, though, that hadn¡¯t meant much¡ªhe usually worked as a scout, with minimal contact with mortals, or helping another Fos. He really doesn¡¯t think himself capable of handling mortals¡¯ problems on his own and is quite clumsy, but tries to do all he can for Danai and his fellow Fos.

 Forgotten Light: Book II- Chapter 3

    Maybe it was the way the forest got denser, shutting out all but a few rays of light. Maybe it was the way Kiah mumbled about how the Ski¨¢ enjoyed the shadows, or how they all went quiet for a moment after hearing a snap of a twig. Maybe it was the lack of birdsong¡ªhow, instead, it was the rustling of the leaves in a chill wind. Maybe it was the way Lydia told stories, completely oblivious to everything else, with a growing excitement the creepier it became.


    No matter what it was, though, one thing was certain: the further they traveled, the more anxious Fauna became.


    ¡°It¡¯s about time we stop soon,¡± Imre mumbled absently. However quiet he was, it was enough to get Lydia to stop talking, at least. ¡°It¡¯s getting dark and the horses could use the rest.¡±


    ¡°But we¡¯re almost there!¡± Lydia pointed out. ¡°It¡¯ll probably only take another hour or two. We can stop when we¡¯re right at the entrance to the cave.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t speak for anyone else here, but I wouldn¡¯t mind stopping,¡± Domenique remarked. ¡°I got tired of sitting on a horse two hours ago.¡±


    ¡°Unless we¡¯d be leaving the forest soon, it¡¯s better to stop here,¡± Kiah said. ¡°We can get everything ready before we have to worry too much about what else is out there.¡±


    ¡°At least then it¡¯ll be the morning when you decide to drag us all into whatever cave is there¡­¡± Samone grumbled.


    Lydia looked ready to argue, but she must¡¯ve ultimately decided against it. ¡°Fine. Then you¡¯ll just spend all night wondering what amazing things could be in the cave¡­¡±


    They stopped within the next couple of minutes, adopting a similar routine to what they¡¯d done the day before. Fauna found herself staying closer to the others, though¡ªshe didn¡¯t feel any better to know that they were now tied to one place for the night. After a little bit, they were all gathered by the campfire, trying to keep the silence from making the surroundings any eerier.


    ¡°I guess this is as good of a time as any to ask if we¡­ actually have a plan?¡± Dimas asked hesitantly. ¡°I mean, we figured that it probably won¡¯t let you¡ªif any of us¡ªin, but¡­ do we really know anything other than that?¡±


    ¡°Nope!¡± Lydia casually continued, ¡°It would be boring if we figured everything out ahead of time.¡±


    ¡°Maybe¡­ it¡¯ll help to consider what we might find..?¡± Fauna offered. ¡°We might not know exactly what we¡¯ll come across, but if we can get an idea, at least we could kind of be prepared¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a cave,¡± Samone pointed out. ¡°What else could make things worse than a bear? Or Ski¨¢?¡±


    ¡°Traps,¡± Lydia said matter-of-factly. ¡°Dad once had a bunch of arrows fly at him at once. And had a bottomless pit almost open up below him. And triggered a giant boulder that he had to run away from. More than once, all at the same place.¡±


    ¡°I think you need to stop believing everything Andrew tells you,¡± Kiah remarked.


    Imre shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t think it would be a physical danger, at least not if the manticore is the one who set them up.¡± He looked at Dimas. ¡°Do they have any magical capabilities, or something else they could take advantage of if there¡¯s intruders?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not, uh¡­ too sure. Zofie would be a better person to ask that question¡­¡± Dimas mumbled. ¡°They¡¯re like the gifted children of Vaso, and they¡¯re known for their wisdom, so maybe they know Earth magic, too?¡±


    Kiah, meanwhile, gave a more effortless answer. ¡°They probably have access to Truth and, maybe, Illusion magic. So if we¡¯re going to face a threat, it¡¯s going to be one of those two things¡ªthey wouldn¡¯t need traps in order to steer everyone else away.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re still both pretty bad, aren¡¯t they?¡± Domenique asked. ¡°Truth magic¡¯s mostly banned, from what I¡¯ve heard. And it could turn us against each other or something with Illusion magic.¡±


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    ¡°I can dispel illusions.¡± Samone didn¡¯t say it as an offer, not really¡ªjust fact. ¡°It might be magically gifted, but so am I. I could at least stop us all from getting killed, since we¡¯re certainly not going to stop to think about it¡­¡±


    ¡­


    When morning came, Lydia barely allowed them enough time to eat. She had enough excitement for the seven of them; the next closest was probably Domenique who, honestly¡­ seemed more in line with ¡°morbid curiosity¡± than she was ¡°excitement.¡±


    Fauna still felt it¡ªthe foreboding feeling, a sense that something was wrong or definitely going to be. She stayed quiet, mostly, while the others had a half-argument about the kinds of treasures a manticore might be hoarding.


    Then she worked up the nerve to ask: ¡°Are we¡­ really sure, about trying to find the manticore..? What if they just want to be left alone..?¡±


    ¡°Well, we didn¡¯t exactly spend all this time traveling just to turn back around,¡± Lydia remarked. She stated in a confident tone, ¡°If it wanted to be left alone that bad, it wouldn¡¯t have given us any reason to try to find it.¡±


    ¡°To be fair, to the normal person, what¡¯s there is more than enough¡­¡± Kiah mumbled.


    ¡°So¡­ am I the only one with a really bad feeling about this..?¡± Fauna questioned, getting quieter. She did, briefly, glance up at them. They had the same expressions as before, though; if they believed her, they knew it wasn¡¯t to the extent that she felt.


    Domenique shrugged, though her tone had care in it. ¡°It¡¯s probably just the situation. You know, a dark, creepy forest, going to find something that may or may not try to kill us. But you¡¯re with all of us. Nothing¡¯s gonna happen if we stick together.¡±


    ¡°I kinda get it,¡± Dimas offered. ¡°Lydia¡¯s probably the only one used to this kind of stuff. And knowing you have no idea what you¡¯re doing doesn¡¯t really make you feel any better¡­¡±


    Lydia casually said, ¡°You¡¯ll all get used to it eventually! Fauna¡¯s never gone anywhere outside of Ryobel and Lelishara, right? She¡¯s never been this far from home. That¡¯s probably what it is.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never gone any further than Levi Asari, Lelishara, and the Lake,¡± Samone muttered. ¡°But I don¡¯t look like a deer surrounded by imaginary wolves. At this point she¡¯s just being paranoid.¡±


    Fauna, defeated and somewhat embarrassed, whispered something that might¡¯ve been an agreement.


    But Imre spoke the words she wouldn¡¯t. ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with being afraid. I think it¡¯s perfectly reasonable.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the youngest out of everyone here and I still think she¡¯s more of a baby than I am¡­¡± Samone grumbled.


    ¡°Y-you¡¯re probably right¡­¡± Fauna said, quietly, in her attempt to stop a potential argument. ¡°Everything is just weird and new. I¡¯m probably just exaggerating it or making it up completely¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re making anything up,¡± Imre repeated. ¡°There¡¯s a chance you¡¯re right, and those are the kinds of chances that we don¡¯t just ignore. I¡¯ve read that there are some people more capable of sensing Ski¨¢ than others are. Maybe you¡¯re like them.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not going to do us any favors to always look over our shoulders, either,¡± Kiah pointed out. ¡°There¡¯s a difference between trying to stay alive and curling up in a ball because you think you¡¯re being hunted.¡±


    ¡°Well, if it makes you feel better, we¡¯ll be out of this ¡®creepy¡¯ forest soon,¡± Lydia said. Any comfort her words might have possessed, though, were dashed by the excitement in her voice. ¡°Then we get to go into the cave that might have the manticore in it!¡±


    Imre nodded. ¡°You five can go ahead, Fauna and I will be right behind you.¡±


    ¡°As the one who has to make sure you don¡¯t die, I don¡¯t like the sound of that,¡± Kiah remarked.


    ¡°It¡¯s just going to be for a couple of minutes,¡± he tried. ¡°And we¡¯ll still be right behind you.¡±


    She didn¡¯t seem to believe it, but she nudged her horse to go a little quicker, and everyone else did the same.


    Imre glanced over at Fauna and, casually, asked, ¡°This isn¡¯t new, is it?¡±


    ¡°Pretty much¡­ the entire time we¡¯ve been out here¡­¡± she answered with a self-conscious laugh. ¡°It feels like there¡¯s someone watching us¡ªor me. Maybe¡­ maybe like being hunted..? But not in an ¡®immediate danger¡¯ kind of way. In a ¡®finding the perfect time¡¯ kind of way. If that makes sense. It probably doesn¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°What do you think it is?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. But also, I¡­ don¡¯t think it¡¯s Ski¨¢.¡±


    ¡°Be honest¡ªdon¡¯t pay any attention to what anyone else said. Do you think we¡¯re in danger staying around here? Even slightly.¡±


    She had an immediate response, but the seriousness in his tone led her to consider it a little more. Eventually, though, she still shook her head¡ªalbeit slowly. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. It¡¯s just¡­ watching. I have a bad feeling about all of this, but it¡¯s more like it¡¯s¡­ in general? Instead of anything specific, and not really just related to being watched¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take your word for it, then. But tell me if you ever think differently, even for a moment. I don¡¯t doubt for a minute that there¡¯s some kind of reason you¡¯re feeling like this. I don¡¯t want you to doubt it, either.¡±


    She nodded.

 Forgotten Light: Book II- Chapter 4

    ¡°Hey, look! There is a cave here!¡±


    ¡°Enn, you¡¯ve got to wait for the rest of us.¡±


    ¡°Then you better hurry up! I¡¯m not just gonna keep standing here when we¡¯re this close!¡±


    Lydia was already dismounted and bouncing in front of the cave entrance before any of them even got that far. Fauna couldn¡¯t muster even a fragment of that excitement, but¡­ just vaguely, she felt a little less nervous.


    Once everyone dismounted, Fauna helped Imre keep the horses from wandering away. There was a small conversation held between them; he asked her how she felt, and she recounted her honest feelings. But it was soon overshadowed by the others.


    ¡°Hey, if I get a stick, you can light it with magic, right?¡± Lydia asked, looking at Samone.


    ¡°We¡¯ve never needed magic to light any of the other fires,¡± Samone remarked. ¡°Why does this one make a difference?¡±


    ¡°Because magic¡¯s cooler and I want to see what it looks like at least once. Please? It only has to be enough to light the stick!¡±


    ¡°Keep going and I¡¯m going to show you a different kind of magic¡­¡±


    Dimas nodded, albeit a bit nervously. ¡°If we don¡¯t have to use magic, I don¡¯t think we should¡­ even if it¡¯s not a lot. We shouldn¡¯t be dependent on it.¡±


    Lydia let out a defeated sigh. ¡°Fine, but you better all be ready soon!¡±


    No one did anything quicker after the fact, though they were all ready in a couple of minutes. With two torches lit (one taken by Lydia, the other kept by Imre), the horses secured, and a silent prayer given, they all went inside.


    For a little while, all they did was walk. From what they could tell, there was nothing here that made it different from any other cave. Fauna told herself that was because there was nothing here, and not for any number of magical reasons. Even if she felt oddly comforted here, she was still hoping they¡¯d go back because there wasn¡¯t anything worth seeing.


    Then Imre stopped and gestured the others closer. ¡°It looks like there¡¯s writing here.¡±


    ¡°So someone was in this cave at some point,¡± Domenique said, scanning the text. ¡°Probably an old guy, too¡ªlooks like some version of the Old Tongue. I¡¯m guessing this means we¡¯re probably in the right direction?¡±


    ¡°Definitely!¡± Lydia walked a little further to try to find more of it. ¡°When there¡¯s the Old Tongue, there¡¯s treasure somewhere. You probably have to know it, don¡¯t you, Dimas? Or maybe Kiah?¡±


    ¡°Dimas isn¡¯t going to know anything,¡± Kiah mumbled. Dimas actually looked grateful at the thought of not having to read it himself. ¡°This isn¡¯t casual conversation. This is an old story.¡±


    ¡°Well, then go ahead and tell us what it says,¡± Samone prompted impatiently. ¡°I¡¯m not staying in this damp cave any more than I have to.¡±


    Kiah stepped up to the text, skimming it over for herself before she read it out loud. ¡°¡®The greater story does not start with Ruvier¡ªbut for now, that will have to suffice. She was a Great Dragon¡­ and the last of her kind to guard these lands. While her brothers and sisters died, hunted by humans or forsaken by gods, she stayed in her mountain home. She tried guiding humans from the shadows, just enough that she could protect herself but help them, too. Her careful balancing act worked¡­ for a while.¡¯


    ¡°¡®A human found his way into her home. He could not walk away and deny that he knew where she was. She knew that letting him leave would risk her life, and that another Great Dragon would fall. But she could not bring herself to kill the human to preserve her secret. He swore he would never tell a soul of her location. Some time passed and she believed that he had kept his promise¡­ until more humans came, putting an end to one of the last Great Dragons. They wear her ichor as jewels and use her scales as decorations. To them, it was a part of the hunt. To the few remaining to mourn her, it was a sign that the humans were unworthy of guidance.¡¯¡±


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ¡°So it¡¯s¡­ this kind of story,¡± Imre mumbled slowly. ¡°She was killed by Seothians.¡±


    A moment of silence¡ªwhether out of respect, or because of the weight it still carried today¡ªfollowed the statement.


    Then, Kiah muttered, ¡°It looks like there¡¯s more on that side. Could you get some light on it so I can read it?¡±


    Imre nodded, the light from the torch revealing another small story.


    She stepped up to read this one, too. ¡°¡®When mortals say that no one is perfect, they speak only of their own kind. But they need only look at Maildrul to realize that such a saying can be used for the divine, as well. He was a manticore, one of the strongest of his kind. And he was tainted by Darkness.¡¯


    ¡°¡®He guarded the pass between Fleyw Bresh¡¯s mountains, during times long gone. In a way, he still does. He once kept Darkness out, providing safe passage for anyone who he might come across. He was hailed as a hero. However, he did not stand above Darkness, and even heroes have their limits. The continuous influence of Darkness tainted him, making him slowly lose himself. It started as randomly attacking those who sought his help. Now, no one dares enter the pass¡ªfor shadows lurk in every corner, and he has long since lost all sense of reason.¡¯¡±


    And, of course, the first person to say something was Lydia asking, ¡°Wait, there¡¯s a valley in Qizar that¡¯s guarded by an evil manticore?¡±


    ¡°Why did I not expect that..?¡± Domenique sighed. ¡°Were we listening to the same story?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s be honest,¡± Samone said, ¡°she stopped listening after ¡®a strong manticore tainted by Darkness.¡¯¡±


    ¡°I was totally listening!¡± Lydia defended. ¡°Am I seriously the only one interested in it? Doesn¡¯t it sound super cool? There¡¯s got to be something interesting there, right?¡±


    ¡°You know, I¡¯m beginning to wonder if you have any sense of self-preservation,¡± Kiah remarked. ¡°And why any of the Stones are still alive if you don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Lord Solaris has the pass closed off for a reason¡­¡± Dimas mumbled as part of a half-agreement.


    Samone was more blunt with the statement, ¡°It sounds like the only thing you¡¯d find there is a death wish.¡±


    Lydia remained stubbornly opposed to admitting defeat. ¡°Well, I think you¡¯re all just super boring! You¡¯re never gonna have fun if you stick with the safe stuff!¡±


    ¡°Enn, not everyone wants to be a part of life-threatening adventures,¡± Imre said considerately. ¡°I don¡¯t think I like the idea of you willingly throwing yourself into those kinds of situations, either¡­¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­¡± she sighed, drawn out but not lacking in understanding. She turned to go deeper into the cave, but soon stopped. ¡°Oh, it looks like there¡¯s a third bit of writing here! Kiah, can you get this one, too?¡±


    Kiah mumbled a response and went up to it. ¡°¡®So, neither mortals nor divines can claim perfection. It is not a matter of who is right and who is wrong, for they are both wrong. It is a matter of who is willing to help regardless. And at the root of that question is the answer¡ªthe sacrifice of Daekai.¡¯


    ¡°¡®It had not been long since her brothers and sisters fled or were killed. News of Ruvier¡¯s death had recently reached her, but she was not fazed. Instead, she saw what the others could not. She saw the misguided people, the ones who Orestis had forsaken. She knew there was hope for them, yet petitioning on their behalf was not enough. So instead, she settled in a cave within their mountains. Someone needed to guide these wayward children, and she was willing to make the sacrifice in order to be that individual. When humans came to hunt, she hid herself behind malevolent magic. When humans came seeking guidance, she gave it to them from a distance then sent them away¡ªwhen they returned, she made it appear as if she had disappeared. But it is a lonely life, choosing to protect those the gods will not acknowledge. She never dares to let a human close, too afraid of what either will ultimately do to the other by force of nature¡­¡¯¡±


    ¡°So, she¡¯s¡­ still here because of us,¡± Fauna said in a near-whisper. ¡°She chose to stay in Seothia so that she could watch over us¡­¡±


    ¡°Dragons and manticores should get most of their power only from the gods,¡± Dimas mumbled. ¡°Or at least, that¡¯s what I¡¯m guessing. Has she been doing this for over a thousand years without that? If she¡¯d gone against the gods¡¯ will by being here..?¡±


    ¡°If we¡¯re reading this, then I feel like we¡¯re already too close to her,¡± Imre remarked. ¡°But it doesn¡¯t seem like she¡¯s done anything, if she uses Illusion magic to keep humans away from her.¡±


    Samone held her hand out and mumbled something, and there was a dim glow of some kind. ¡°No one¡¯s using Illusion magic. At least not as far as I can tell.¡±


    ¡°Well, we¡¯re not going to know any of the answers to these burning questions if we stay here, right?¡± Lydia gestured deeper into the cave. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s see if we can find her!¡±

 Extras: TBE 4th Birthday Countdown 1

    ¡°W-wait a minute! I blinked then, poof, you were using magic..!¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll show you again. But play close attention this time, alright?¡±


    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    ...


    Leading up to The Butterfly Effect''s 4th birthday on March 15th, I''ve prepared 8 special art pieces! I''ll post them here weekly as the extras, but I''ll also be posting them every other day here on the Art Forums of RoyalRoad and on my Tumblr! Which I''ll link to in the Author Note down below.


    This extra features Rhenei and Calum, who both appear in The Girl Under the Bed. Believe it or not I hunted down some very old worldbuilding notes in order to get the symbols/runes on those papers! Almost all of them actually mean something.

 Forgotten Light: Book II: Chapter 5

    Were they brave or stupid? Fauna supposed the only true difference was whether or not they survived, so¡­ she just tried convincing herself that they were brave.


    First, there was a low rumbling of something¡ªa sound that went in and out, and wasn¡¯t necessarily threatening. There were drawings on the cave walls, which they decided must have come from those who sought Daekai¡¯s help. Kiah said the scattered pieces of writing were names and dates, which overall seemed to come in short bursts then disappear for decades. At least, she made it sound like they were the first group to come to the cave in a while.


    ¡°Do manticores have the same kind of presence as someone with powerful magic?¡± Samone eventually asked, a shred of uneasiness found within her overall nonchalant tone.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see why they wouldn¡¯t,¡± Kiah said.


    ¡°Well, then I suppose now might be the last time to turn around,¡± Samone remarked. ¡°I¡¯m sensing something.¡±


    ¡°That means we¡¯re definitely close, right?¡± Lydia prompted. ¡°Are we going to run into her soon? Do you think she¡¯s going to give us some kind of exciting trial?¡±


    ¡°Maybe? I just hope it¡¯s not the possibly-dangerous kind¡­¡± Dimas mumbled.


    But Fauna found that she wasn¡¯t excited, or even unsettled as she had been before. She felt more¡­ melancholy. To her, those rumblings seemed more like crying. ¡°I don¡¯t¡­ think we¡¯re going to find anything you¡¯re hoping for, Lydia¡­¡±


    Lydia was most definitely about to question it, before the rumbling took on a more definitive form¡­ the sound of a voice echoing through the caves.


    ¡°What are children like you doing here..?¡±


    Imre cautiously took a step forward and tried to give some light to the area ahead of them. ¡°Are you Daekai?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ but if you¡¯re here, that means you¡¯ve wandered too far. I can¡¯t protect you¡­¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t protect us from what?¡±


    ¡°What will take my place when I¡¯m gone¡ªthe things she has planned. If my magic couldn¡¯t stop you, then that means none of it remains. There¡¯s not much left for me¡­¡±


    Fauna felt something in the silence that followed. A¡­ weird sense of familiarity? Empathy? Remorse? Either way, before she even had time to think it over, she found herself asking, ¡°Can I try to help her? Or just talk to her. I promise I¡¯ll come right back to you in a couple of minutes.¡±


    ¡°That sounds like a terrible idea,¡± Domenique quickly said. ¡°What would you want to do that for? You are not the kind of person that usually wants to be alone. Definitely not in a dark cave.¡±


    ¡°I¨CI know, and I can¡¯t explain it, but I want to talk with her.¡±


    ¡°I guess if you want to I won¡¯t stop you, but alone? Someone else can definitely go with you. It feels safer given we have no idea what she could do¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know how I know this, but she isn¡¯t going to talk to all of us. I promise I won¡¯t be gone long, I just want to see if there¡¯s anything I can do.¡±


    Domenique was about to protest some more, but Imre spoke before she did. ¡°If she wants to do this on her own, let her. We can wait right here.¡±


    Fauna gave him a nod of thanks and took the torch he offered her. She tried to give Domenique a reassuring look before she turned to find the voice¡¯s owner¡ªshe had mixed feelings about staying in the cave for too long.


    She didn¡¯t need to walk far to find Daekai¡­ an undoubtedly once-mighty manticore, now pressed against the cave wall. At first, Fauna thought Daekai had already lost all her strength but, looking closer, she still had slow and unsteady breaths.


    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    And despite being so much bigger than Fauna, she sat down next to Daekai. ¡°You¡­ won¡¯t be dying alone anymore. I¡¯m going to sit with you, if that¡¯s okay.¡±


    Daekai seemed aware of Fauna¡¯s presence only then, desperately looking around until their eyes met. Weakly, Daekai scraped her paws against the rock, as if to put distance between them¡ªthere was something close to fear in her eyes. ¡°What are you doing here, Child?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t want you to be alone,¡± Fauna answered quietly. ¡°You¡¯ve¡­ done a lot, for a group of people that probably never thought to repay you. You¡¯re dying now because of the sacrifices you made for them, right..? I don¡¯t want you to suffer alone for helping¡­¡±


    Daekai acted like she heard none of it. ¡°Child, where are the others? Who else did you bring with you? I heard voices, but they weren¡¯t theirs. They were supposed to be keeping you safe¡ªFeldr, Tyrus, Komaeda, they promised to keep you safe¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t¡ª¡±


    ¡°If they¡¯re not with you, then are you with her? She should¡¯ve locked you away. You weren¡¯t supposed to leave her. I know it¡¯s scary there, Child, but she means well. That place was built to protect you¡ªto protect them from you¡­¡±


    ¡°Who¡ª¡±


    But Daekai kept mumbling, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be here¡ªyou should be safe. You should be with them¡ªor with her, but not here. Not here¡­¡± She made weak gestures to shoo Fauna away. ¡°Child, you can¡¯t stay here. You need to go back to them or her. The world is not prepared for you. You never should have tried to seek me, not here. These lands are unstable. Someone like you could tip the scales without ever realizing. Please, leave, you don¡¯t know what you¡¯re risking by staying here¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know who you think I am,¡± Fauna said slowly, ¡°but I don¡¯t understand anything you¡¯re trying to say.¡±


    Daekai calmed down, slightly, when she realized it. There was still a hint of panic in her tone, though. ¡°Who are you, then? You¡¯re so much like her¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Fauna Oriel, the daughter of Kamila and Silvain. My friends and I¡ªDomenique, Imre, Dimas, Lydia, Samone, and Kiah¡ªcame to find you. We don¡¯t need anything. Lydia just thought it would be fun.¡±


    ¡°I sensed children of Fleyw Bresh. Aside from you, there were three¡­¡±


    ¡°Dimas and Kiah are from Qizar. Mine and Domenique¡¯s grandmother was also from Qizar. That was probably what you felt.¡±


    ¡°But that doesn¡¯t explain¡­ why you look so much like her. You feel like her, too. They speak of you the same. Yet¡­ you claim you are not her. Do you¡­ remember your youth, dear child?¡±


    ¡°I was raised mostly by my mother in Ryobel, since my father died when I was little. I¡­ knew some kids there, but we didn¡¯t really get along with each other. But then my mom started talking with Minne¡ªSeothia¡¯s current queen. They realized we were related, so our family was able to become a part of the nobility¡­¡±


    It was hard to tell whether Daekai was letting out a sigh of relief or just another unsteady breath. ¡°She may be capable of many things, but altering a person¡¯s fate to that degree is not one of them. I might have hope yet that there is nothing significant about this encounter¡­¡±


    Fauna, cautiously, asked, ¡°Who¡­ did you think I was, before? Could you tell me about her?¡±


    Daekai gave a motion similar to shaking her head. ¡°She should be sleeping in the darkness, where no one can hurt her, and she cannot hurt anyone else. That is where she belongs. Speaking of her could cause her to wake, and the proper time for that is still far away¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand¡­¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to understand, dear child. But be wary¡ªthey speak of you the same, watch you as they did with her. She has plans for you. And as much as I wish I could, I cannot save you.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s¡­ they..?¡±


    ¡°The ones I am protecting you from¡ªwhat¡¯s eagerly waiting for the rest of my strength to fade¡­¡± Daekai seemed to have realized something else in that moment, too, because she acquired a more solemn air. ¡°You¡¯re here with your friends, are you not?¡±


    ¡°I am. They¡¯re waiting for me not far from here.¡±


    ¡°All of you need to leave. When I go, nothing is going to stop them. You do not want to be there when they come. They feast on children like you¡­ the ones who wander, who dare to see what lies just beyond light¡¯s reach. Please, leave, before I can no longer hold them back¡­¡±


    At first, Fauna considered asking for better explanations. But¡­ she could recognize the urgency in Daekai¡¯s tone, and had a pretty good idea of what she was talking about already. So, Fauna slowly nodded and stood up.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ glad we were able to talk,¡± she mumbled. ¡°Thank you¡ªfor everything you¡¯ve done. You¡¯ve spent so long protecting the people here¡­ I just wish your rest could¡¯ve come as something a little more peaceful.¡±


    ¡°Leave,¡± Daekai whispered. ¡°Please, leave¡ªand don¡¯t turn around. They will find you¡­¡±


    Fauna walked quickly to where the others were. She decided not to wonder about whatever argument she must¡¯ve walked in on and announced, ¡°It¡¯s time we go. We don¡¯t want to be here after Daekai dies.¡±

 Forgotten Light: Book II: Chapter 6

    Lydia tried asking, many times, if they could go back¡ªafter all, the rest of them hadn¡¯t seen Daekai. At first Fauna, with the help of Imre and Domenique, was able to give a viable reason why they shouldn¡¯t go back. After a while, Imre recognized when Lydia was going to ask quick enough to immediately shoot down the idea. Then she stopped on her own, once they got back into Mikkel territory and going back was impractical no matter what she tried to say.


    But there was a surprising lack of questions; once, when Fauna had returned, they gave a group effort to try to hear what she¡¯d seen. As soon as she showed no interest in telling them, though, they stopped. A part of her had to wonder if Imre talked with them after that, or if Domenique had convinced the rest of them nothing important had happened.


    When they returned to the castle, they split up. Imre and Fauna offered to bring the horses back to the stable, Dimas and Samone left to write to their parents (one much more willingly than the other), and Kiah, Domenique, and Lydia went to find Casper and Minne.


    It was while Imre and Fauna were practically alone that he made the first attempt at trying to understand what happened.


    ¡°Would you¡­ be more willing to talk about it, since no one else is here?¡± he prompted with a bit of caution. ¡°You haven¡¯t talked about it, but I could tell it bothered you. Domenique noticed it, too. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if she tries talking to you later.¡±


    ¡°We¡­ never really had a conversation,¡± Fauna mumbled. ¡°But, at first¡­ she thought I was someone else. Apparently I look and ¡®feel¡¯ a lot like someone she¡¯d known before. She thought I was traveling with three other people I¡¯ve never heard of, or that I was with ¡®her,¡¯ whoever that is¡­¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯m guessing she never told you more about it?¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°Daekai said the person was ¡®sleeping in darkness¡¯ and talked about it being better if she didn¡¯t wake up. It was somewhere she couldn¡¯t be hurt, and she couldn¡¯t hurt anyone else. Then¡­ Daekai mentioned that ¡®they¡¯ talked about me the same way they had about that person. And those ¡®they¡¯ were probably Ski¨¢, so I have no idea what that is supposed to mean¡­¡±


    ¡°Maybe it has to do with what you were feeling earlier.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°You said you felt like you were being watched¡ªyou said it wasn¡¯t necessarily by Ski¨¢, but they could still be involved. You said it was like they were waiting for the perfect moment to do something. Perhaps that¡¯s related to what Daekai said.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t see how that¡¯s supposed to make me feel any better¡­¡±


    He was quiet for a minute, as he considered it all himself. She glanced over to see him beat back a certain kind of panic, then turn to her with a fake smile. ¡°Well, no matter what, you¡¯ve got all of us. Nothing¡¯s going to happen as long as we¡¯re together. And nothing¡¯s stopping us from trying to find answers ourselves, either¡ªI¡¯m more than willing to help you understand it.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± she mumbled with a small nod. Noting how they were both done, she said, ¡°Should we go back? Everyone else is probably finished by now¡­¡±


    Imre nodded and led the way back into the castle. And, of course, Lydia¡¯s voice could be heard well before they actually got to the dining room.


    ¡°¡­we tried to all see, but poof! It disappeared, right before anyone else could see it!¡±


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    They walked in to see Lydia, just barely, still seated. Casper and Minne listened with considerate smiles, Domenique, Kiah, and Samone looked utterly unimpressed, and Dimas just seemed confused. The others acknowledged Imre and Fauna as they took their seats, but it didn¡¯t stop the earlier conversation.


    ¡°That¡¯s not what happened and you know it,¡± Domenique remarked.


    ¡°At least it answers that question¡­¡± Kiah mumbled. ¡°You exaggerate just as much as Andrew.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not exaggerating! Not that much!¡± It seemed the longer Lydia thought about it, though, the more she had to acknowledge they were right. ¡°Okay, maybe a little. Maybe¡­ a lot of a little. But still! Mostly true up until then, right?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t recall the daring escape from mystical Ski¨¢ illusions,¡± Samone said casually to prove her wrong.


    ¡°Well, I think it was a lovely story,¡± Minne offered. ¡°It sounds like you all had fun, regardless of whether or not what she said was true.¡±


    Casper nodded. ¡°You all did great! As far as I¡¯m concerned, this was an excellent first trip. And I¡¯m confident things are only going to get better from here.¡±


    ¡°First trip,¡± Kiah repeated. She let out a sigh. ¡°You want us to do that again, don¡¯t you?¡±


    He shrugged. ¡°It went well, didn¡¯t it? You¡¯re only going to get better¡ªlearn more, understand what it means to work together¡ªthe more trips you do. We¡¯re all confident enough in your skills.¡±


    ¡°Actually, can we all agree that what Lydia said was true?¡± Samone asked. ¡°Because then maybe Father would think I¡¯d die and I can stay home.¡±


    ¡°Aw, come on, don¡¯t say it like that!¡± Lydia, it seemed, was too interested in Casper¡¯s suggestion to be bogged down by the others. ¡°Nothing bad happened this time, right? I can feel it¡ªwe¡¯re practically invincible together!¡±


    ¡°If invincibility meant somehow not murdering each other, I might agree with you,¡± Domenique remarked. ¡°But I think the rest should just be called ¡®luck.¡¯ Something that it seems like half the Stones lack.¡±


    Dimas shuffled and, quietly, admitted, ¡°I kind of liked it. When we¡­ weren¡¯t arguing. Or had no idea what we were doing¡­¡±


    Lydia¡¯s smile grew wider. ¡°Wait, really? Someone agrees with me?¡±


    ¡°I think it achieved what it was supposed to,¡± Imre said. ¡°We did and saw things we wouldn¡¯t have normally. We know more than what we did when we left.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the spirit!¡± Casper chuckled. ¡°I agree with Lydia¡ªI¡¯ve got a good feeling about all of you together, too. You¡¯re going to do things no one else could dream of. But you all should know that a reputation doesn¡¯t earn itself. Only experience is only going to make you worthy of it.¡±


    ¡°Hey, if you¡¯re going to keep making my job harder, can I get a pay raise?¡± Kiah asked half-jokingly. ¡°Or a free beer, at least?¡±


    Casper just laughed. ¡°You¡¯ll all have fun. All those stories are kind of like reward enough, I¡¯d say. You might¡¯ve been a mercenary before, but there¡¯s no such thing as too much experience.¡±


    ¡°I can talk with Dad about finding some super interesting ones!¡± Lydia offered. ¡°I bet there¡¯s a bunch of old ruins and stuff we can explore. Oh! I think he just found a bunch of old artifacts and stuff last year. Maybe one of them could lead us to something!¡±


    ¡°But remember everyone needs to be comfortable,¡± Imre pointed out. ¡°Nothing too dangerous or stressful. We all have to agree on that part.¡±


    ¡°I got it! You don¡¯t have to remind me.¡± Something in Lydia¡¯s tone, though, suggested she probably wasn¡¯t going to try too hard to keep that promise. ¡°When do you want to go? I bet I could talk with Dad, we could find something, and we could be ready to go again by the end of the week!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve got to go back to Qizar,¡± Dimas mumbled. ¡°Zofie wants me to be there for the next festival¡­¡±


    Kiah shrugged. ¡°Besides, if we have to do it, we should do it right. And no sensible person wants to travel that close together. Downtime is something to be grateful for.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ Dimas will probably be back again by the end of the year, right?¡± Fauna asked, a bit nervous; she didn¡¯t know where she wanted to stand in the situation. ¡°We could go then. It gives everyone else a chance to agree to it, too, and to figure out what we¡¯ll be doing and where we¡¯ll need to go.¡±


    Minne smiled. ¡°That sounds like a wonderful idea.¡±


    Lydia enthusiastically nodded. ¡°No one here can take it back now! First thing when Dimas can come back, we can figure out which one we¡¯re gonna do! This is going to be great!¡±

 Extras: TBE Birthday Countdown 2

    ¡°Welcome to the circus, a place of literal and figurative magic!¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s definitely something for everyone here.¡±


    ¡°I know you said Fos don¡¯t need to eat, but would you like some hot chocolate?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ suppose it won¡¯t hurt to try¡­¡±


    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    ¡°What do you think he¡¯s doing now..?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. But he¡¯s like his mother¡ªnever going down without a fight.¡±


    ¡°Where do you want to go?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it matters, as long as we¡¯re together.¡±


    ...


    Leading up to The Butterfly Effect''s 4th birthday on March 15th, I''ve prepared 8 special art pieces! I''ll post them here weekly as the extras, but I''ll also be posting them every other day here on the Art Forums of RoyalRoad and on my Tumblr!


    This extra features a bunch of different characters! The first has Sukeena and Umi from Traveler''s Tales, the second has Enebish and Imena from Mystery of Nadia Mikah (and another story coming soon, hint hint), the third has Muriel and Lustris from Bloodline, and the third features Caenum and Oria from Uncharted Waters!

 Forgotten Light: Epilogue

    ¡°And that¡¯s my story.¡± Fauna paused. ¡°The beginning of it, anyway. There probably isn¡¯t¡­ too much I can tell you that you don¡¯t already know after that.¡±


    She honestly hadn¡¯t considered it anything too special. It¡­ wasn¡¯t mundane, she knew, but she was sure Natheniel would¡¯ve heard plenty of more exciting stories.


    But he hadn¡¯t stopped listening, hadn¡¯t lost that fascinated look in his eyes. ¡°Is all of that what you meant when you said that Eldrianna wanted you for something?¡±


    ¡°Mhm. I¡¯ve¡­ thought a lot more about what Daekai said to me back then. Maybe all of that has to do with whoever she thought I was. But that kind of thinking¡ªwhen I¡¯ve been here all this time¡ªwouldn¡¯t have changed anything. I would¡¯ve just gone in circles until I drove myself insane trying to make sense of it.¡± She shrugged, as if to make it seem less terrible. She didn¡¯t want him to lose hope, or dwell too long on what her time was like without the company¡­


    Lekra let out a nervous hum. ¡°All of it just sounds like a disaster waiting to happen. I¡¯ll be happy when we¡¯re all safe and out of here.¡±


    ¡°Do you know anything about who that person is?¡± Natheniel prompted.


    The very thought made them much more distressed. ¡°No, but I¡¯ve gathered enough to know it¡¯s not good news.¡± They hesitated. ¡°Besides, I¡­ can feel her presence, somewhere around here. And I¡¯m very much not interested in learning if the two are related.¡±


    ¡°I trust what Daekai said about it being something left unsaid,¡± Fauna mumbled. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s something we should worry about now¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right about that part¡­¡± Lekra muttered, their frown growing deeper.


    ¡°Alright, then back to your story,¡± Natheniel said, turning his attention back to Fauna. ¡°I have a random question. What was it like to be there with the Minotaur? I mean, according to Lydia, they were all part of the Keys and there were only five prophecy things. Was that it or did they forget about it?¡±


    Fauna gave a half-hearted chuckle at the memory. ¡°No, there were only ever five Keys, and only five prophecies. It was a little terrifying, honestly. But Imre said that maybe I was like Haris¡ªnot a Key, but someone who brought them all together. Then he tried to convince me that the prophecies were only meant for the Keys. I¡­ don¡¯t think either of us would¡¯ve admitted to ever actually believing it, though.¡±


    ¡°Do you have any more stories? We¡­ might be walking for a little while. I don¡¯t want us to be in silence¡­¡±


    ¡°I was actually wondering what kind of stories you might have to tell.¡±


    Natheniel froze then and there, before shaking his head and continuing to follow her. He turned away from her when he whispered, ¡°I don¡¯t have anything to say.¡±


    ¡°Well, you said yourself that you had a brother, and Lekra had mentioned your cousin. You didn¡¯t do anything with them?¡±


    ¡°I think they both hated me.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re your family. Why would they hate you?¡± She said it cautiously¡ªshe acknowledged she was treading on a sensitive subject but, at the same time¡­ she couldn¡¯t grasp the idea.


    ¡°They just did. Tavin and I never liked each other. It¡¯s like just being in the same room made us both act like assholes to each other no matter why we were there. I bet he¡¯s living happily carefree without me annoying him. He¡¯s probably glad I¡¯m gone. He¡¯d probably rather I don¡¯t come back at all¡­¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s your brother,¡± she tried gently. ¡°No matter what happened, I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be happy to see you.¡±


    Natheniel mumbled something that was most definitely a disagreement.


    Lekra sighed. ¡°It was never you, you know. There was¡­ a lot more in play than that.¡±


    ¡°What, that he was the one that was actually going to grow up into something? That, from the beginning, he had so much more than I did?¡± Natheniel shot back.


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    ¡°I might have been in the feather necklace all this time, Nathen, but I was never ignorant. I knew what was going on. I still sensed the differences. Most of it you should probably hear from them, but¡­ I can tell you something. Do you remember what I told you about Izzy?¡±


    ¡°How they¡¯re a Fos..?¡± he asked hesitantly. Quite frankly the quick changes between anger and confusion or remorse was a little worrying¡­


    Lekra nodded. ¡°Simply put, Tavin¡¯s a bit like that. It was never something personal between the two of you¡ªat least, not in the beginning. Dreamers emit the aura of Ski¨¢ and his powers make him sensitive to it. A part of it might¡¯ve been a part of one terrible example of a fight or flight reflex.¡±


    Natheniel fell into silence. Then, back to a mix of frustration and regret, he mumbled, ¡°Why did they ever think it was okay not to tell me that? Why did they let me believe it was all because of me? Or is it really my fault that everything got ruined in the end?¡±


    Fauna¡¯s first instinct, drawing on memories of her old friends, was to tell him they didn¡¯t mean to¡ªthat they never meant it that way. But she knew that wouldn¡¯t have helped anyone. So instead, she said something that might not have been better, but she could say for certain was true. ¡°It wasn¡¯t your fault.¡±


    ¡°Apparently, just being around my brother probably made his life hell. If¡ªif I¡¯m related to Ski¨¢, then I was probably the one responsible for what happened to Lydia. I was the one that the Ski¨¢ were after on that mission, I was the reason we had to distract them with my feather necklace. I was the one who almost killed Qizar¡¯s princess, my cousin¡ªI was that close to reversing everything that¡¯s been in the works for longer than my parents have been alive.¡± He wrapped his arms around himself and let out a hollow laugh. ¡°I was the dumbass who thought it was a good idea to run away and probably screw over the entire kingdom.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t do anything, because we¡¯re going to go back, and we¡¯re going to fix things.¡± He didn¡¯t seem swayed by her words, however, so she continued with the possibly more sensitive remark, ¡°If Imre knew you were hurting like this¡­ you never would¡¯ve had to feel this alone.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t just sit by and let it all happen, you know. I tried. It didn¡¯t matter what I did or said. It was all just broken promises. And I believed their lies, because I thought that, eventually, they¡¯d be true. That it wasn¡¯t just whatever the hell they needed to say to get me to stop bothering them.¡±


    ¡°I know you were never just the ¡®solution¡¯ to them. You were a part of their family.¡±


    ¡°Funny, because I was actually there the whole time, and it didn¡¯t seem like it.¡±


    ¡°Tell me one good thing you did together.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re saying that they hate you¡ªthat they¡¯ve never loved you. But I think we both know, somewhere, that that¡¯s not true. Tell me one good thing that happened. Anything, doesn¡¯t matter when. We¡­ tend to get wrapped up in the negatives. I can¡¯t say why, exactly, you ultimately felt this way. But I can help you remember there are people who care about you. People who¡¯d be grateful to see you again¡ªbecause you¡¯re their family, and not because you¡¯re related to the Ski¨¢. So, just one thing. That¡¯s all I¡¯m asking.¡±


    Natheniel seemed to only half understand the message she was trying to get across. ¡°When¡­ we were both younger, the five of us¡ªImre, Dimas, Lydia, Tavin, and I¡ªwould walk around Lelishara, but¡­ those were just distant memories even before Lydia died. Eventually having everyone around for dinner was something that felt like it only happened once or twice a year¡­¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s more than that,¡± Lekra said. ¡°More than just what you remember because it turned bittersweet. I¡¯ve always been with you, so let me help you remember.¡±


    ¡°Remember what..?¡±


    ¡°You and your brother were not always enemies. You realized when the other was in an uncomfortable situation and willingly came to fix it. When someone would bother him¡ªabout his status, about his mother, about his spirits¡ªyou would stand up for him. You¡¯ve gotten into fights before, not because of a violent nature, but because you had someone to protect. Your natures may have naturally pulled you apart¡­ but your role as brothers can and will overcome it.¡±


    Natheniel had gone quiet again.


    ¡°And think carefully about your father¡¯s actions. He didn¡¯t avoid you¡ªI don¡¯t think he truly meant to avoid anyone. He spent no more time with your brother, not really. Imagine the kinds of things his office must be littered with. A stack of grim reports, schedules full of meetings¡­ pictures of those he wants to protect, a timer set for when dinner was ready. Do¡­ you remember what he did, that night you ran away?¡±


    ¡°He¡­ followed me up to my room. I locked him out with magic. He kept knocking¡ªyou tried talking to me too, didn¡¯t you? After I¡­ went into the forest, he¡¯d tried following me¡­ he and Kiah both. They were trying to stop me¡ªyou were too. I¡¯d¡­ already gone here when I stopped hearing them, didn¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°To them it must¡¯ve been like you just disappeared.¡±


    Natheniel nodded slowly. ¡°I¡­ I think I want to go home. Hear their side of the story¡­¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going to bring you back,¡± Fauna said confidently. She put a hand on his shoulder and gave him a reassuring smile. ¡°You¡¯re going to see your family again. And they¡¯re going to be happy to see you.¡±

 Extras: TBE Birthday Countdown 3

    ¡°Orith, I would very much appreciate it if you put me down.¡±


    ¡°Aw come on, not even a little blush?¡±


    ¡°I could show you the world, you know. You only have to ask.¡±


    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m getting a bit too old for all of that¡­¡±


    ¡°Something is coming¡­ and no one can stop it.¡±


    ...


    The last set of The Butterfly Effect''s Birthday Countdown art pieces! The first shows Natharie and Orith from Traveler''s Tales, the second shows Tandi and Jimar from The Fiction in Fact, and the last features Danai. What does it all mean, I wonder..?


    Thank you all for reading The Butterfly Effect! Here''s to another year of interesting adventures!

 What Time Forgot: The Tree Swallow (Minne)

    She didn¡¯t pay attention to when it started, and by now it was long enough ago that she couldn¡¯t really remember. Though she wasn¡¯t sure that it was truly the first, the earliest one she could recall was when she was fourteen.


    It hadn¡¯t been a time any more stressful than the others, though that¡¯s what Takane and Kiraat said it was¡ªjust a stress dream. When they started getting more frequent, Kiraat wouldn¡¯t budge on his stance that that was all they were¡­ and, eventually, Minne couldn¡¯t help but wonder if he knew that she was right in believing they were something else.


    Only a few things remained consistent throughout all of them: the tree swallow, who appeared anywhere between the beginning to close to the end, and the flower field they would find themselves in at some point. It wasn¡¯t all of her dreams. If she had to explain a possible pattern, it would be when she found herself particularly lonely or feeling lost¡­ though it often happened after those moments, too, as if to congratulate her.


    The last she had for a long time was the first night after leaving Idale with Casper.


    Kiraat¡¯s cold gaze seemed to stare at her from the trees, the rocks, the animals¡ªhis voice echoing desperate threats and attempts at reason, though muddled together so only words could be picked out.


    ¡°Him?¡±


    ¡°Lying¡­¡±


    ¡°Think.¡±


    ¡°Calli.¡±


    Sometimes she couldn¡¯t help but wonder if he¡¯d realized it if he¡¯d noticed how much he changed¡­ if he¡¯d understand his role in it.


    Despite these words, Minne wasn¡¯t as overwhelmed as she was to hear it when she was awake. Why? The little tree swallow, of course, that waited for her and gave her a friendly chirp when she walked up to him.


    ¡°What do you think?¡± she whispered, looking around at the faces and allowing the mumbling to sink in. ¡°Is there anything worth listening to about what he has to say?¡±


    ¡°You were right,¡± a voice, Zokel¡¯s voice, hummed. The swallow chirped again and flew off.


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    She knew she needed to follow him, and she was only partly surprised when he led her right to the flower field.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to be seeing this place a lot more often. These feelings of warmth¡­ I hope they last much longer¡ªthat you¡¯ll be so much happier there than you could anywhere else. No, I don¡¯t hope¡ªI¡¯m nearly certain of it.¡±


    ¡­


    She didn¡¯t know how to react, at first, when there seemed to be nothing she could do to summon him. Had she done something? Was going with Casper all she needed to no longer require the swallow¡¯s help? She wished, sometimes, she could tell him what was happening; he felt like an old friend, in a way. But a part of her also knew that, in one way or another, he was aware of her life.


    Just like she recognized when he truly no longer watched over her.


    ¡°Casper, something¡¯s wrong.¡±


    ¡°The fact it¡¯s probably midnight and neither of us have gotten any sleep?¡± He sighed¡ªtired, but showing an interest to help. ¡°What kind of wrong?¡±


    She stared up at the ceiling like she might be able to see something in the darkness. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s not a lot I can try to do with that vague of an answer.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not Ski¨¢. At least, I don¡¯t think it is.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s always a good thing. I¡¯ll get someone to check around Lelishara though, just in case. Do you think it¡¯s about the kids?¡±


    ¡°That can¡¯t be it. I know Imre¡¯s here, Dimas and Samone both got home safely, Domenique said she and Kamila are doing fine¡­ I¡¯d be wasting time worrying about Lydia or Kiah¡­¡±


    ¡°Spirits?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d be having nightmares if it was them.¡± She paused, wondering if she really wanted to say it out loud. ¡°I think it¡¯s Zokel.¡±


    ¡°You said you haven¡¯t interacted with him since you left Idale.¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Is he trying to tell you something..?¡±


    ¡°Maybe, but not directly¡­ a call for help to anyone who will answer. A dying light¡¯s last attempt to break free of the darkness.¡±


    There was a moment of silence between them.


    ¡°How many do you think are left?¡± she dared to ask, though knew he couldn¡¯t truly have an answer.


    ¡°There still has to be countless Fos that we don¡¯t know about.¡±


    ¡°They can¡¯t fight the darkness all on their own.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing we can do to help them.¡±


    ¡°What do you think will happen when there¡¯s not enough..?¡±


    He didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°We¡¯ve just got to hope we can handle the situation on our own. Or, better yet, already have it solved.¡±

 Extras: Character Card and Sheet- Raisul

    Extra character card info:


    Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    The overseer of Tobiah territory and the Royal Treasurer. Most can agree that he¡¯s one of¡ªif not the¡ªrichest man in Seothia, though many disagree on how. His name has become associated with rumors of corruption and, in some cases, severe consequences for getting in his way. The fact he¡¯s never come out to confirm or deny these rumors doesn¡¯t help his public reputation any.

 What Time Forgot: Spirits (Tavin)

    He didn¡¯t think the last time he¡¯d see her was when she announced her departure. He never imagined all the rivers to be full of names he recognized. He thought his days of putting on a brave face when all he wanted to do was disappear were long ahead of him.


    But then it got worse.


    Much worse, if the way Imre and Samone came up to him meant anything. It made any fraction of hope he had about the nightmares completely disappear.


    They glanced at each other before Samone led with, ¡°Do you remember Tyche? You and Natheniel met her when we went to Levi Asari a couple of years ago.¡±


    Slowly, Tavin nodded and dared to prove his fears. ¡°Is this about my nightmares..?¡±


    ¡°At this point I don¡¯t know if I want to know if we¡¯re right or wrong somehow¡­¡± Imre sighed, as much of an answer as anything else would be.


    Samone nudged him and brought her attention back to Tavin. ¡°We¡¯re just going to pay her a visit, alright? Nothing you need to worry about.¡±


    Already he knew to doubt those words; he also knew, though, that if they were like this to begin with, they weren¡¯t going to elaborate further.


    They left much sooner than he¡¯d expected. The only conversation was murmuring between Imre and Samone¡ªsometimes about Natheniel, or Iris, and sometimes he¡¯d swear he heard them mention Lydia but heard nothing else. Tavin tried to spend the time mentally preparing himself for the crowds of people they were undoubtedly going to encounter in Levi Asari.


    It didn¡¯t work. All of it felt far too overwhelming than usual. This wasn¡¯t normal, but he said nothing about it. Imre seemed worried enough.


    ¡°You told Tyche we were coming, right?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Come on, Nokae, you¡¯re already stressed out and we haven¡¯t even gotten to the Lysha headquarters yet.¡±


    ¡°Samone, did you talk with her?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re forgetting I¡¯m her favorite and she has nothing better to do.¡±


    ¡°What if she does have something to do?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯ll make time for me.¡±


    Imre sighed. ¡°Please don¡¯t make this look like a big deal¡­¡±


    ¡°The king, prince, and region overseer casually walking through the city? Oh, it¡¯s most definitely nothing¡­¡±


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    Just then, Samone pushed open the doors to the comparatively-empty room. A few people looked up to see who it was and fewer didn¡¯t immediately go back to their work. With the way Imre mumbled greetings to some of the Lysha, Tavin assumed they¡¯d had at least a few other unimportant encounters.


    They didn¡¯t even need to say anything to the Hourglass at the front desk for the person they were looking for to come.


    Tyche was the kind of person that was hard to forget. That, and the strong perfume that barely hid the smell of smoke made it easy to tell she was coming. ¡°Samone, King Imre, Prince Tavin! I had a feeling I¡¯d see you all soon. Let¡¯s go somewhere quieter, shall we?¡± She glanced at those still staring before ushering the three of them in the way she came in.


    ¡°You picked it up a lot quicker than I thought you were going to,¡± Samone admitted.


    Still, even as they got further away from the others, Tyche kept her voice down. ¡°You¡¯ve already checked to make sure they weren¡¯t anything else?¡±


    ¡°We wouldn¡¯t be here if we thought they were simply Myal¨®.¡±


    ¡°I presume you¡¯re well aware of what the consequences are if we find something?¡±


    Imre, though clearly unwilling, nodded. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be something we could keep secret for long¡­¡±


    Finally, Tyche pushed open one of the doors and gestured them all inside. Someone else was waiting inside but she quickly showed that it was planned. ¡°We finally got Nehi to retire. This is the new Vulture, Dusek. He¡¯s going to be doing most of the work today to get some hands-on experience.¡± She must¡¯ve noticed the look Imre had and added, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, he¡¯s perfectly reliable. He was a Lily before this¡ªit¡¯s not like Nehi found him on the street somewhere.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing really dangerous about this, even on the off chance something goes wrong.¡± Dusek offered with a reassuring smile. He was looking at Tavin when he said it. It did nothing to calm his mind about the situation. ¡°Why don¡¯t we show you?¡±


    Tyche grumbled something but complied. She waited for Dusek to get something¡ªa piece of paper, which probably had runes on it¡ªto cup her hands. He put the piece of paper on her hands and put his under hers, muttering a spell. A vague glow came from the paper, but nothing else appeared.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have a spirit, so nothing appeared,¡± Tyche explained. ¡°For you, it¡¯ll show at least one person¡ªSaint-King Lucas. We¡¯re going to see if anyone else shows up.¡±


    Knowing that he needed to do something, Tavin mumbled his understanding.


    Tyche gestured towards the door. ¡°These two need as much concentration as they can get, so it¡¯s probably best if we step outside.¡±


    Before he was able to be ushered out, Imre glanced at Tavin. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯ll be fine?¡±


    Despite his true lack of confidence, Tavin nodded.


    ¡°I promise there¡¯s nothing to worry about,¡± Dusek said once the other three left. ¡°This isn¡¯t going to last long and you¡¯ll hardly notice a thing.¡±


    ¡®Hardly¡¯ wasn¡¯t the word Tavin would use to describe the feeling once they¡¯d imitated what Dusek and Tyche had done. Even a more accurate description of what it¡ªlike something being pulled away from him¡ªwas like couldn¡¯t quite match it.


    They both watched for the figures that appeared, one being no surprise and waited to see if there were any more. For a moment he thought that might be it¡ªuntil three more familiar figures appeared.


    Dusek looked between Tavin and the figures, clearly unable to determine how he should take this. ¡°Well, this is one way to start my career as the Vulture¡­¡± Then he uttered the words to end the spell.


    He slowly walked up to the door and opened it. ¡°Congratulations,¡± he said in a voice that lacked true excitement, ¡°your prince has become a saint.¡±

 Extras: Character Card and Sheet- Imre

    Extra character card information:


    The current king of Seothia, Dimas¡¯s husband and the father of Natheniel and Tavin. Behind a seemingly uncaring gaze is a man who cares deeply for his friends, family, and subjects¡­ even if it looks like he¡¯s got more important things to do. The secrets he¡¯s been keeping and the things he shouldn¡¯t remember weigh heavily on his mind, causing him to be even more distant in the times people need him the most.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

 What Time Forgot: Keeping a Promise (Kadol)

    ¡°Do you promise you¡¯ll look after her?¡±


    ¡°As if she were my own.¡±


    ¡°Will you stop her when it starts to become too much?¡±


    ¡°I swear to you, Odelle, by all the time we spent together and the bond we have formed¡­ I will not let anything hurt her.¡±


    He always intended to keep that promise, though it took him a while to truly consider it. There was only one way to protect her¡­ he knew what it would cost her, and began preparing for any other consequence.


    And, just like Odelle before her, Kadol prayed for Zofie¡¯s forgiveness when he poisoned her drink before going to find her.


    It was an unfortunate coincidence that even her spot in the library was the same as her mother¡¯s that day.


    ¡°Your Majesty, why don¡¯t you take a break?¡± Kadol offered softly.


    Every candle in the castle undoubtedly flickered and danced as much as the one on the table. Zofie continued not to notice him, mumbling about Lord Solaris and the other bishops.


    Thero, who¡¯d been dutifully standing beside her, placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. The candle¡¯s flame jumped up before settling back down.


    She first glanced at Thero, then finally realized Kadol. ¡°I¡­ must¡¯ve lost track of time, then..?¡±


    He nodded. ¡°Everything¡¯s ready for dinner.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± She thoughtfully marked her place and got up. She followed him towards the dining room and Thero trailed behind them both. ¡°Someone wanted to see me, didn¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°You asked Sister Cheri to come and tell you what happened at the study meet you missed.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Did she say when she¡¯d come?¡±


    ¡°I told you this morning that something came up and she couldn¡¯t make it. By your request she¡¯ll come at the most convenient time for her¡ªlikely tomorrow around this time.¡±


    Zofie was silent for a long moment. ¡°Thank you for reminding me.¡±


    When they got there, they sat down, murmured those ritualistic thanks, and began to eat. Kadol tried not to make it too obvious that he watched her after her first drink; it wasn¡¯t supposed to set in immediately but, given how exceptionally powerful her magic was, he wouldn¡¯t have been surprised if that part of the plan was pushed forward.


    Luckily, she didn¡¯t seem to notice anything at first. ¡°Kadol, have I already told you about Dimas¡¯s last letter? I know Thero knows, he was with me.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe you have,¡± Kadol replied thoughtfully.


    ¡°He proposed to Imre last week.¡± She said it in such a way that showed her mixed feelings¡ªa conflict of traditions and simply enjoying the moment. ¡°He even dared to ask if I¡¯d come.¡±


    ¡°Are you?¡±


    ¡°Of course¡ªI¡¯m his sister. But I made it clear I¡¯m not acknowledging it for another five years.¡± She sighed. ¡°I can¡¯t say I¡¯m really surprised, though. He always preferred Seothia¡¯s quick solutions to the traditions of the Fleyw Bresh. They¡¯re a bad influence on him.¡±


    ¡°They may be, but they helped him a lot as well. He learned many things from them that he wouldn¡¯t have otherwise.¡±


    ¡°I suppose.¡±


    They continued in meaningless chatter until Zofie eventually excused herself. Kadol prepared himself for what would ultimately come next.


    ¡­


    He expected to hear some kind of word in the middle of the night; that the queen had fallen near-deathly ill. He was surprised¡ªa bit concerned, actually, though for which part he wasn¡¯t sure¡ªto find her preparing for service. The only sign her body was reacting to the poison was her expression; the kind of look that only a handful knew to recognize as her not feeling well.


    ¡°It¡¯s good to see you all ready to go,¡± she remarked, smiling at Kadol. ¡°I was afraid you weren¡¯t going to be coming. You usually come to check on me much sooner.¡±


    He offered her a low bow. ¡°Apologies, there was something else I needed to take care of and it took much longer than I anticipated.¡± Well, it wasn¡¯t a lie¡ªat least not completely. Someone needed to make sure everything went smoothly from here.


    Her smile, though, was gone in an instant. ¡°What were you doing? Something important?¡±


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    ¡°It was nothing you needed to trouble yourself with. I understand you have some things of your own that you want to get done, so I took it upon myself to handle a few more minor tasks.¡±


    Just like that, her mind was put at ease. It never took much to convince her; after all, as far as she knew, there was no reason to doubt him. ¡°Thank you, then. You¡¯re always thinking in my best interest¡­¡± She gave a glance at the mirror before going to leave. As much as she tried to hide it, he still heard her cough as she passed him.


    ¡°Speaking of best interest, Your Majesty,¡± he began carefully, ¡°are you sure you¡¯re feeling alright?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t sleep well, but I¡¯m still fine enough to attend service. I¡¯m sure Father Phanes will be happy to talk with me¡ªI haven¡¯t been able to stay very long recently.¡±


    ¡°What did Thero tell you?¡±


    That was what made her stop and sigh. ¡°I promise I¡¯m well enough to spend a couple of hours out of the castle. No one has seen me outside of the castle lately¡­¡±


    ¡°I understand you want them to know that you¡¯re there, but it won¡¯t do any good in your current state. What reassurances do you think they can gain if you have to suddenly leave?¡±


    Her cough proved him right and, with a clear reluctance, she turned back to her room.


    ¡°I¡¯ll contact someone about that cough.¡± After a moment, he added, ¡°And I¡¯ll see if Father Phanes can spare a moment to visit.¡±


    ¡­


    Even the part he¡¯d planned for didn¡¯t quite go as he expected. He thought it would be something a bit more straightforward; she¡¯d be bad for a couple of days, perhaps a week or two, and hopefully she¡¯ll be able to bounce back nearly the exact same.


    Well, something that lasted as long as this did wasn¡¯t exactly predictable.


    Dimas was contacted by Zofie¡¯s request. He proved to be the additional support she needed when the days fluctuated between hardly anything to reminding them all this wasn¡¯t something to be taken lightly.


    It took about a month for them to ¡°determine¡± the cause to be her losing her magic. Still, just days after the discovery, it wasn¡¯t Zofie that Kadol first thought to check up on.


    He found the prince lying facedown on his bed, a bloody handkerchief beside him, and a letter abruptly abandoned and temporarily forgotten.


    And, at first, Dimas¡¯s mumble could¡¯ve been mistaken for exhausted nonsense. ¡°Why did you have to tell her..?¡±


    ¡°You know it only would¡¯ve been worse if I let the word come through someone else,¡± Kadol reasoned. ¡°Do make sure she knows we¡¯re doing an investigation to determine who could¡¯ve done it. Perhaps it¡¯ll put her at ease to know the one responsible isn¡¯t going to get away with it.¡±


    ¡°We both know that¡¯s probably not going to happen. You¡¯ve seen her too. It¡¯s like her normal, paranoid self except nothing seems to calm her.¡± Dimas, with what looked to be a fair bit of effort, rolled over to look at the ceiling instead. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be so bad but I¡¯m the only person she trusts to be around her as long as she¡¯s conscious enough to recognize it¡­¡±


    ¡°Be sure to pay attention to your own needs as well¡ªthere must be someone from the church, at least, we can contact if need be. Thero and I are willing to help however we can.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not just here to check on me, though, are you?¡±


    Kadol couldn¡¯t help but smirk; the prince was smarter than his father assumed. A shame he wouldn¡¯t be able to understand their means. ¡°Given the circumstances, I wanted to know if you noticed anything while you were caring for her. I don¡¯t want to ask her directly¡ªI¡¯m sure she has enough on her mind already.¡±


    ¡°Nothing¡¯s changed, as far as I can tell. I don¡¯t think that¡¯s something we¡¯re going to know for certain until it¡¯s over.¡± Dimas paused for a moment, barely hiding his internal debate. ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t think there¡¯s going to be a difference. Can¡¯t exactly lose something you barely had to begin with.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°I¡¯ve got to go back to Seothia eventually,¡± Dimas pointed out.


    ¡°And no one¡¯s stopping you,¡± Kadol reasoned.


    ¡°I can¡¯t leave Zofie here. Sure, she¡¯s a lot better and could probably be fine but what if it isn¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°Someone from the church can handle it, surely.¡±


    ¡°In the worst of it, she didn¡¯t even trust Sister Cheri to help out for two minutes. Someone from the church is not going to be able to handle it.¡±


    ¡°What did she tell you to do?¡±


    ¡°She said she was sure she¡¯d be alright and I could go back without worrying about her.¡±


    ¡°Then why don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Nothing about the past few months has told me I can trust her!¡±


    ¡°I believe it¡¯s worth a try.¡±


    Dimas shook his head before finally sitting down. All those unpredictable and sleepless nights must¡¯ve been catching up with him now that it was coming to a close. ¡°I told Imre I¡¯d be back as soon as I could¡­¡±


    ¡°It seems the problem here lies with you, and not with Zofie,¡± Kadol observed. Being the calming voice this early in the morning wasn¡¯t necessarily his plan, but he wasn¡¯t going to fight it. ¡°I assure you you¡¯ll be the first we contact if she gets worse¡ªbut only if it¡¯s a job that no one else can handle. I¡¯ll admit it¡¯s long past time we make sure she has someone by her side in case she falls ill, aside from you and the clergy. Is there anyone you¡¯d especially be comfortable leaving her with?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m pretty much the only person I know that I¡¯m confident is good enough to help Zofie.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s indisputable. You¡¯re one of the best healers I know of, and you know how the church flaunts them. Choose the best second.¡±


    ¡°Anyone else in the church would be too busy¡­ or stuck on the fact they¡¯re helping the queen¡­¡± Dimas mumbled for a while longer until he thought of someone that matched. ¡°Domenique shouldn¡¯t be doing anything. She¡¯s surprisingly good for barely being a child of Fleyw Bresh. Plus no one in Seothia wants her helping them since they don¡¯t understand magic¡­¡±


    Kadol smiled. ¡°If you think having her here will ease your mind, then I¡¯ll formally request she come. If I¡¯m not mistaken, you have a wedding you need to plan for.¡±

 Extras: Art- Volume 3

    The Butterfly Effect Volume 3: The Hauntings of the Past is now available on Amazon! The link is down below on the author''s notes.


    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    This cover features Maho, Ilathri, and Nillae. I kept procrastinating on it, then I forgot, and ended up just barely getting it done by the time I wanted to. But it''s here now! Volume 4 will probably be ready either at the end of April or at the beginning of May.


    Thank you all for reading and I hope you''ll enjoy everything else that''s to come!

 H99: Chapter 1

    {-Beika-}


    The music carried through the Lost Lamp Inn, a peppy tune with optimistic lyrics, as she went around talking to guests. She had a tray of food in one hand, a guest¡¯s ordered pint of beer in another, and a confident stride to show the balancing act had long stopped fazing her.


    ¡°Enjoying your stay so far?¡± she asked the patron, a smile as she sat down their order.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got quite the arrangement here,¡± the patron mused in response. ¡°I can see why they say this place is so popular.¡±


    ¡°Might I ask if that means you¡¯ll be willing to come again?¡±


    ¡°Definitely. Room and board all in one place, and in this good of a spot? You¡¯ve got yourself a deal ten times over!¡±


    ¡°Aw, thanks! And be sure to tell your friends, too!¡±


    Beika, now having a free hand, waved goodbye and went to find the next patron. Along the way, she picked up a finished group¡¯s tray to save her the trip later. She conversed with other patrons along the way, mostly in rehearsed responses; they might¡¯ve thought they were the first to ask but, really, she had an answer to nearly every question patrons might ask.


    ¡°Who¡¯s that kid with the lute?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s my brother, Titham! Really talented, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I was wondering if he¡¯s looking for a new opportunity. You know, out of this tavern.¡±


    ¡°Nope! He¡¯s content with staying right here. It¡¯s where his family is, after all.¡±


    She gave that answer confidently¡ªhe¡¯d told her before, possibly dozens of times. He didn¡¯t like change, or people. She¡¯d seen for herself that he lost all confidence the moment he had to talk to a stranger.


    Occasionally, she¡¯d also hear questions like, ¡°The person running this place¡ªit¡¯s Serafina Luca, right?¡±


    ¡°Mhm, that¡¯s my mother! She¡¯s the one that made those paintings. Oh, and she plays the piano sometimes, too.¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s she now?¡±


    ¡°At the counter, see?¡±


    ¡°Why¡¯s she got two kids doing most of the work for her..? This place should be successful enough that she could hire a couple of people if she wanted to.¡±


    Beika never dwelled too long on the answer, but still said brightly, ¡°I don¡¯t know! But it¡¯s not that we don¡¯t like it. I, for one, love being out here! It¡¯s nice to be able to talk to people and help my mom at the same time.¡±


    She tried not to stay for any one group for too long so, at that point, she¡¯d always leave that group as well. She wandered around, talking with more people, making note of requests for food or drinks, offering reassurance to Titham whenever she passed him.


    Today wasn¡¯t going to be any different than the rest. She thought that even after hearing the bell signifying someone opened the door; her hands empty, she went up to greet them.


    One was older than her, with short red hair and an outfit kind of similar to what the Palus nobles wear when they came to the border talks; the other was much younger, pushing a bit of icy blue hair out of her face and glaring at whoever looked back at her. It looked like she was wearing a seal pelt. Maybe on the richer side, Beika decided, not nothing too out of the ordinary. Serafina would probably be happy to know they spent some time here, at least.


    She started to wonder otherwise, when she got close enough to hear their conversation.


    ¡°We should just go up and talk to her,¡± the kid said. ¡°We can¡¯t stay here for long.¡±


    ¡°I get that,¡± the Palus noble reasoned, ¡°but that¡¯s not going to do us any favors. We can¡¯t just drop out of nowhere. Not anymore than we already are, anyway.¡± They stopped when they saw Beika coming up to them. Brightly, they asked, ¡°Are you one of the servers here?¡±


    Shaking off an uncertain feeling, Beika nodded. ¡°Welcome to the Lost Lamp Inn! I¡¯m Beika. Are you looking for a room, or maybe something to eat? I¡¯ve got a bit of time so I can probably help you out!¡±


    Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    ¡°We need to talk to¡ª¡°


    ¡°Imena, not now.¡± The Palus noble, much louder, said to Beika, ¡°We¡¯ll see what you have to eat, if it¡¯s not too much trouble! We¡¯ve been traveling for a while now, it¡¯ll be nice to relax for a little bit.¡±


    Beika nodded and gestured for them to follow her to an empty table. ¡°Could I get your names? For the order.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Enebish,¡± the Palus noble said, gesturing to themself. They gestured to the kid and continued, ¡°This is Imena. She¡¯s an old friend of mine.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re just going to call her a friend?¡± Beika asked before she really thought to stop herself. ¡°She looks young. She¡¯s not like a cousin or niece?¡±


    Maybe she could claim to be checking for other reasons; there were a few bad people who found their way into the inn, too, after all. But that thought had never crossed her mind. In all honesty, she was just curious.


    ¡°It¡¯s none of your business,¡± Imena mumbled in response. ¡°At least not for now. If it were up to me, we wouldn¡¯t even be having this conversation¡­¡±


    Enebish, as they sat down at the spot Beika gestured to, said thoughtfully, ¡°A smile¡¯s going to go a long way, you know.¡±


    ¡°Do you expect me to smile when we¡¯re on a time-sensitive mission? One that¡¯s very obviously a serious issue. Explain to me how that makes any sense.¡±


    ¡°Well, for starters, it makes us look friendlier. And gets Beika here to stop staring at us like we¡¯re planning to rob someone.¡±


    Beika hadn¡¯t even realized the way she must¡¯ve been treating all of this. She rushed to say, ¡°O-oh, I¡¯m just a little curious, sorry! We can just move on, if you don¡¯t want to talk about it. The menus are right over there. Does anything look interesting?¡±


    Enebish thoughtfully picked up one of the menus and looked through it. Imena didn¡¯t even bother, grumbling something like, ¡°This is stupid.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have whatever you¡¯d recommend, actually,¡± Enebish decided. They pulled out a couple of coins¡ªsilver ones, so they really were a noble¡ªand set them on the table. ¡°Will this be enough? For that and a glass of water for Imena.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need anything,¡± Imena mumbled. ¡°You know I don¡¯t need to eat.¡±


    Beika, to save herself the trouble of trying to understand it, simply chose to ignore Imena¡¯s statement. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll be back with those right away.¡± She gave a quick wave goodbye and went to the counter.


    She talked to a couple of people along the way, of course, but just mentally set aside their requests for now. They¡¯d claim to give equal service to everyone but, well¡­ when someone shows up with a handful of silver coins as if it¡¯s pocket change, that person takes priority.


    When Beika got to the counter, she immediately prepared to relay the order to Serafina. Instead, however, Serafina asked a question of her own.


    ¡°Have you seen what those two want?¡± She gestured, vaguely, to where Enebish and Imena were.


    ¡°Yeah, I went and showed them to the spot. They asked for¡ª¡±


    ¡°They didn¡¯t say anything to you, did they?¡± Serafina had a serious look, one more out of caution than aggression. It was what made Beika realize this might¡¯ve been a little more serious.


    ¡°Not really..? It sounds like they want to see someone, but every time Imena asked, Enebish interrupted her. They didn¡¯t really say anything to me specifically¡­¡±


    She didn¡¯t think there was enough of an answer in there, but it seemed to give Serafina all the information she needed. ¡°I¡¯m going to walk back with you.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to get the order..?¡±


    ¡°If I can help it, they¡¯re not going to stay long enough to enjoy it. No use in even giving them the option.¡±


    Beika hesitantly nodded and, with Serafina¡¯s prompting gesture, led the way back to Enebish and Imena. The two were having a hushed conversation, up until the moment they saw Serafina.


    Imena, for the first time since arriving, almost seemed happy. ¡°Are you Serafina? Coincidentally, we need to talk to you¡­¡±


    Enebish, meanwhile, was more solemn¡ªthey gave a grim nod. ¡°Do you have some time to talk with us..?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not hearing anything you say,¡± Serafina decided firmly. ¡°I want you out.¡±


    Beika couldn¡¯t quite believe it. There were only a few people Serafina turned away, and these two didn¡¯t appear to fall into those categories. ¡°M-Mom, why would you¡ª¡±


    ¡°Because the longer they¡¯re here, the worse things are going to get,¡± was Serafina¡¯s simple answer. To the other two, she said, ¡°I want you out of my inn. I have the right to force you, you know¡ªI¡¯d advise against making a scene.¡±


    ¡°You know what this means, don¡¯t you?¡± Enebish asked. They slowly stood up, though it wasn¡¯t to leave. ¡°You know you can¡¯t ignore it.¡±


    ¡°Our goals are the same,¡± Imena agreed. ¡°I¡¯m not here because I¡¯m bringing them to you. I¡¯m here because they¡¯re coming, no matter what you do, and I¡¯ve been asked to keep you all safe. You might think you¡¯ve made yourself a haven. But snakes can still find their way into a rabbit¡¯s burrow.¡±


    Serafina looked like she wanted to argue, but then she looked at Beika, and then at Titham across the room. ¡°There¡­ isn¡¯t another option?¡±


    ¡°We wouldn¡¯t be here if there wasn¡¯t,¡± Enebish answered honestly.


    She nodded, slowly. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll¡­ hear what you have to say, then decide on what to do with you. Beika, I want you to keep tending to the patrons here. Get Titham to help you if you need it. I don¡¯t know how long we¡¯re going to be.¡±


    And Beika was about ready to question it¡ªto ask for some kind of explanation¡ªwhen the three of them went and walked away. As much as she wanted to follow, she knew Serafina had given her a mission; one that she knew she should complete, and was more important than her own curiosity.

 H99: Chapter 2

    {-Enebish-}


    They¡¯d read those reports. In each one of them, something new¡ªsomething inhumane¡ªwas introduced. Results were recorded apathetically, as if the trauma was just a symptom, and a death was just a number. They were upset, at first; that this was going on in Oseloke territory, how it seemed like their mother was just letting it happen. Then they talked to her, and explained what it would¡¯ve cost her to stand against Adidell.


    What it had already cost her.


    But she¡¯d made an interesting point, too: since they were adopted, Adidell wouldn¡¯t tie them to their family.


    And what was supposed to be used as a means to keep them safe¡ªto keep them ignorant of what their family faced¡ªthey used as a means of defiance.


    Enebish had decided to be the strength that their family couldn¡¯t have. What they did didn¡¯t harm their family because, to Adidell, they were just an unrelated nuisance. They¡¯d put a stop to what was going on one way or another, or at least put in a good effort trying.


    After helping Nadia, they found something else that would definitely hinder Adidell¡¯s plans: the Homunculus Project.


    They spent a while in the library, but even digging through dozens of records didn¡¯t bring up satisfactory answers.


    ¡°That must be one interesting story,¡± Etieno mused as he walked up to them. He knew it wasn¡¯t a story, though. At least not a fictional one. The family kept up a kind of code¡ªenough that, to an average passerby or unseen eavesdropper, their conversation meant nothing. ¡°Can even the greatest detective on this side of the Lake struggle to figure it out?¡±


    They turned the book around and pointed to a specific entry. ¡°Do you think you could help?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s, uh¡­ a pretty gruesome one. Mom¡¯s letting you read it?¡±


    ¡°She let me read everything here. I¡¯m not a kid anymore, you know.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ guess not.¡±


    ¡°So, can you help me understand it?¡±


    ¡°I think the daughter went missing when she was a baby. Then rumor had it that the person who kidnapped her was seen again¡ªand really close to the border. Her family knew that if they could get her back¡­ they¡¯d be able to recover from the loss of her brother.¡±


    And just like that, Enebish had their target and their location. They smiled. ¡°Thanks. It¡¯s making a lot more sense now.¡±


    So they set out knowing that, soon, it would be a race to see who¡¯d get there first. Adidell couldn¡¯t let H99 get away from them¡ªnot after they¡¯d lost H100. And Enebish knew they didn¡¯t want to see whatever Adidell had planned.


    At first, their only goal was to get there; once they were at the border, they could start a more specific search. They also set up a few diversions, in hopes that it would hinder Adidell¡¯s progress. But, as they were contemplating their next action, staring out the window of a border town¡¯s inn¡­ they heard a familiar voice.


    ¡°I told you we¡¯d see each other again.¡±


    Enebish perked up and immediately smiled. ¡°Imena! It¡¯s been a while, hasn¡¯t it? Have you been doing okay?¡±


    ¡°I have to be here,¡± was the mumbled response, ¡°which means someone needs my help. I¡¯d much rather be unneeded¡ªit means that no one else is in trouble.¡±


    ¡°Should I¡­ take that as a no, then..?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re in a race against time right now. So let¡¯s just get this part over with.¡± Imena slid into the chair opposite of Enebish. ¡°I heard you¡¯re here for the homunculus.¡±


    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    Enebish nodded. ¡°I¡­ thought about them a lot, after we first learned about them. But it¡¯s taken me this long to get close enough to figuring out what they¡¯re supposed to do, and what I could do to stop it¡­¡±


    ¡°You know Adidell¡¯s had a three year head start, right? They¡¯ve been desperate since H100 defected.¡±


    ¡°I tried! But I got a little distracted. And they didn¡¯t exactly make the information easy to get.¡± A beat. ¡°Is it safe to assume, though, that H99 is the only one we have to worry about..?¡±


    ¡°Mhm. Nai¡ªanother Fos¡ªhandled the situation even before you knew about it. They¡¯re all on a different course. No matter what Adidell tries, H100 isn¡¯t going back to them.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s some kind of reassurance, at least. Can I hope that you¡¯ve got some useful information for me, too?¡±


    ¡°I know something better: exactly where H99 is.¡± Imena paused, adding to a dramatic tension Enebish desperately had to try not to point out. ¡°Her name is Beika, residing in the Lost Lamp Inn in Ilystalos with her adoptive mother Serafina Luca and adoptive brother Titham.¡±


    Enebish got excited then, immediately getting up from her chair. ¡°That¡¯s not too far from here, right? We should be able to intervene in no time!¡±


    ¡°If we¡¯re not already one second too late¡­¡±


    They nodded and led the way back out of the inn. Getting to Ilystalos would probably only take an hour or two. There was something else they could talk about while they walked, though.


    ¡°Do you have a good plan on what we should do when we get there?¡± Enebish prompted. ¡°It sounds like you know a little more about the situation than I do.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you the one with mystery novels? I thought you¡¯d had planned out every contingency by now,¡± Imena answered half-jokingly. She shook her head. ¡°Have you heard of Serafina before now?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ think I have, if we¡¯re talking about the same person¡­¡±


    ¡°We are. We¡¯re going to have to talk to her, instead of Beika¡ªBeika isn¡¯t like Nadia, she isn¡¯t aware of what¡¯s happening around her. But we shouldn¡¯t draw too much attention to who Serafina is, not right now. All of that can be saved for later.¡±


    ¡°Alright, we know what we do when we get there. What about after we talk to her?¡±


    ¡°Well, she either believes us and lets us help, or she makes things difficult for us. Let¡¯s¡­ just hope for the former. I want to focus on the time we have right now to make sure that we¡¯re both on the same page¡­¡±


    They talked up until the moment they entered the border town. Enebish asked after the Lost Lamp Inn, following the directions until could see the sign themself. They and Imena entered, then they met Beika, then she left for a little bit, and Serafina came back with her¡­


    ¡°And that¡¯s where we¡¯re at now,¡± Enebish finished once all the story had been told. Serafina had guided them to what must¡¯ve been a storage room, where the whole thing could be shared without worrying about unwanted eyes or ears.


    ¡°I don¡¯t suppose there¡¯s a way I can convince you both that this is all just some big coincidence, and you won¡¯t find who you¡¯re looking for?¡± Serafina tried. Enebish had to give her credit, she kept a cool composure¡ªeven if she knew exactly what their presence there meant.


    Imena shrugged. ¡°You could, but it¡¯s akin to a death wish. You know what they¡¯re going to do. There¡¯s no point in trying to avoid the inevitable¡ªand this is a matter that we shouldn¡¯t delay any longer than necessary.¡±


    Serafina gave a nod. ¡°How did you find me?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know a lot,¡± Enebish offered. They knew how worried she must¡¯ve been, even if she didn¡¯t show it. ¡°All I knew was that Beika was somewhere near the border. As I said, Imena came up with the specifics.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a Fos,¡± Imena explained, albeit sounding a bit reluctant. ¡°My information comes from the Fos or Messengers. We might not be omniscient but we certainly have our eyes and ears in places where it matters.¡±


    ¡°So this is important enough that I¡¯ve got a Fos here?¡± Serafina paused, though she probably already had the answer to the question she asked. ¡°Actually, have we met before? You seem a little familiar.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s helped a lot of people in Northern Seothia,¡± Enebish said after Imena looked hesitant. ¡°But, uh¡­ for obvious reasons, it¡¯s probably better if you don¡¯t spread that part. She doesn¡¯t like the attention¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like the attention, because that¡¯s the kind of attention that gets me killed,¡± Imena muttered. ¡°And we can¡¯t lose more lights. Not like things are now.¡±


    Serafina considered it, then asked, ¡°I assume you wouldn¡¯t be here if you didn¡¯t have a good reason, then. You know I¡¯m capable of taking care of myself and my children¡ªI¡¯ve done it this long, and I¡¯m sure I could keep doing it.¡±


    ¡°Confidence isn¡¯t going to get you anywhere except in trouble,¡± Imena warned.


    ¡°I know, that¡¯s why you should¡¯ve let me finish.¡± Serafina sighed. ¡°What do you think Adidell is planning? What do you think is going to put my kids at risk, enough that I can¡¯t get them out of danger on my own?¡±

 Extras: Preview- Official Guide Non-Humanoid Species

    The non-humanoid/animal species previews for the Official Guide to The Butterfly Effect! Like the other preview I did, there might be a few changes before the official release, since this is just a preview.


    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    None of the pictures are of someone introduced within the story, mostly because I wanted to depict the "average" creature of each species, and slightly because I haven''t introduced that many dragons and manticores. I''m not an animal artist, if that isn''t incredibly obvious by looking at these. But I tried, and that''s what matters, right?


    Anyway, thank you for reading, and I hope you''ll enjoy all of the stories to come!

 H99: Chapter 3

    {-Imena-}


    She tried to have empathy for the people she helped, sometimes. But she was never good at it. Just as she was about to find something nice about them, she remembered something: mortals are directly the cause of their own problems. She¡¯d proven more than a few times that they could know full well what they¡¯d do¡ªhow it would hurt others¡ªyet did it anyway.


    Serafina was not a special case¡ªshe was actually no different than the rest. Her questions were thoughtful, but they all had to acknowledge it was an act. She knew full well what was going on, how she tied into it, and exactly what it meant for her family.


    ¡°If you were the one to hide Beika, then you know what the Homunculus Project is meant to do,¡± Imena pointed out. ¡°They¡¯re a weapon¡ªsomething Adidell can and will use to further their plans. To kill everyone and everything that even vaguely possesses magic.¡±


    ¡°Beika shouldn¡¯t be a part of this.¡± It was getting hard to tell whether Serafina was still keeping up an act, or was genuinely in denial about it. ¡°Mei should have H100 by now. She doesn¡¯t need Beika.¡±


    ¡°They¡­ defected a couple of years ago,¡± Enebish mumbled. ¡°Adidell can¡¯t get a hold of them anymore. They¡¯re running out of time to find them, and they don¡¯t have the resources necessary to try again. Since they¡¯re not about to give up, Beika is the next best option.¡±


    ¡°Do you really think they¡¯re going to try to make a scene out of this?¡± Serafina asked. It wasn¡¯t clear how she felt about what Enebish had said, exactly. ¡°They usually know better than to draw attention to themselves.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re desperate,¡± Imena said. ¡°And mortals will do all sorts of things when they¡¯re desperate.¡±


    Serafina was quiet for a moment. ¡°How did you say you found me, again?¡±


    ¡°A network of Fos and Messengers,¡± was Imena¡¯s simple answer. ¡°A kind of network that Adidell could easily replicate. If anyone has found out who you are, where you are, and what you¡¯re involved in, they definitely know just as much. There¡¯s no escaping from the fact. You¡¯re just going to be wasting precious time if you try.¡±


    ¡°Is there anything I can do to stop them?¡±


    ¡°You, specifically? Probably not¡ªI¡¯d expect they¡¯ve come prepared for anything you alone could do. Us, as a group? I have a couple of things that can help. But I can¡¯t do anything if it ends up being too late.¡±


    ¡°And what do you want to do?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to bring her somewhere safe, somewhere Adidell can¡¯t find her¡ªat least for a little while. All we need is to hide the targets on your back, and you can think of a more permanent solution on your own. She¡¯s the person I¡¯m supposed to be helping, so I¡¯m going to make sure she¡¯s helped.¡±


    Serafina gestured to Enebish. ¡°Who¡¯s to say this friend of yours isn¡¯t going to get through all this and turn us both in?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve worked with them before,¡± Imena answered. ¡°You can trust them.¡±


    Enebish nodded. ¡°All I want to do is help, just like Imena. Trust me, Adidell¡¯s hurt my family, too¡ªand I¡¯m doing all I can to make sure they don¡¯t get away with it.¡±


    Serafina really looked like she might¡¯ve argued a little bit more, but¡­ she seemed to come to terms with reality. Good, they probably didn¡¯t have a lot of time left to do anything¡ªwho knew how far along Adidell was in figuring out their location.


    She stood up with a small nod. ¡°Let¡¯s go talk to Beika and Titham. I¡¯d like you to bring them both with you, if you don¡¯t mind. I don¡¯t want Adidell to have any more leverage over me than they already do when they show up.¡±


    Imena took that to mean, ¡°I care about them both and don¡¯t want either to get hurt.¡± Why Serafina didn¡¯t just say that, though, was beyond Imena. But¡­ she still couldn¡¯t argue with that logic, so personal doubts aside, she felt she had no place to disagree.


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    ¡°I¡¯ll get them both to come over here,¡± Serafina mumbled when they left the room. ¡°You two stay by the counter. Prepare whatever else you need to be ready to leave as soon as we¡¯ve talked to them.¡± She left without another word.


    ¡°I think this is going well,¡± Enebish offered thoughtfully.


    Imena couldn¡¯t find herself getting as comfortable. ¡°I¡¯ll be happy when we¡¯re out of here.¡±


    ¡°Worried about your ¡®siblings?¡¯¡±


    Though at first a little surprised, she nodded. She¡¯d admitted that much while they were waiting for Beika to come back with Serafina. The Fos¡ªeven those who, before, had barely been alone¡ªwere all over the place in an effort to save as many people as possible, after all. ¡°I want to finish this quickly for everyone¡¯s sake. But I¡­ can¡¯t say I¡¯m against doing it quicker. Then I could meet up with Aither before he has to go alone. He¡¯s already had a successful solo mission by now, but¡­¡±


    ¡°You just don¡¯t want to see him hurt.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    She¡¯d seen too many lights go out. Even if she couldn¡¯t claim to be close to them¡­ she didn¡¯t want to see any more of her ¡°siblings¡± face the same fate.


    Serafina came back then, Beika and Titham following behind her. They looked nervous, but Imena guessed they hadn¡¯t really been told anything; they probably didn¡¯t even know whether or not they should be worried.


    ¡°Beika¡¯s already met them,¡± Serafina was saying as she got closer, ¡°but these two are Enebish and Imena. I¡¯m going to need both of you to listen to them, alright?¡±


    ¡°Mom, did something else happen..?¡± Beika asked cautiously. ¡°You¡¯d wanted them to leave before. You¡¯re not really making sense¡­¡±


    Titham nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t recognize these two. Aren¡¯t they strangers..? You told us never to listen to strangers¡­¡±


    ¡°This is something a little different,¡± Serafina tried in a half-explanation. ¡°It¡¯s true that I wanted them to leave at first, but I talked with them. I realized that they¡¯re not the problem¡ªin fact, they¡¯re here to help.¡±


    Beika¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°Help¡­ how..?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going to take you both on a little trip, alright?¡± Enebish gave them both a kind smile. They were better at that kind of thing than Imena was; she might¡¯ve dealt with kids before, but she¡¯d never been good at comforting them.


    ¡°And I¡¯m going to have to stay here,¡± Serafina continued. ¡°I promise, though, things will be alright so long as you listen to them. There¡¯s nothing to worry about.¡±


    ¡°Then can you tell us why we have to go..?¡± Titham asked cautiously.


    ¡°Someone needs to stay here and manage things at the inn. I can trust you with these two¡ªthey¡¯ll make sure that you¡¯re safe. But I can¡¯t go with you, at least not right now.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t say anything about why.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not something I can say right now, but I promise it¡¯ll all make sense eventually. I¡¯ll explain it all once I¡¯m done here, or perhaps these two could explain it for me. Just now that this is time-sensitive. I¡¯d like all of you to be out of here and somewhere safe as soon as possible.¡±


    Beika shuffled and, in a near whisper, questioned, ¡°And why aren¡¯t we safe here..?¡±


    ¡°Like she said, that can be saved for later,¡± Imena tried. ¡°As long as you¡¯re with us, there¡¯s nothing to worry about. And trust me, I don¡¯t make those kinds of empty promises.¡±


    Enebish brightly offered, ¡°This doesn¡¯t have to be super serious, either! Once we walk around a little bit, there¡¯s a story I want to tell you. I promise it¡¯s not going to be as scary once we get going, alright?¡±


    Beika and Titham both looked at their mother. Serafina avoided making eye contact with them.


    ¡°Go on and gather a few of your things,¡± she said. ¡°Exactly like you¡¯d bring when we go and visit your grandparents. It¡¯ll be best if you leave in less than thirty minutes.¡± She didn¡¯t really give them the option of questioning her; she ushered them to the other side of the table and up the stairs where Imena assumed their rooms were.


    When she seemed satisfied that they weren¡¯t going to try to come back down, she walked back to Enebish and Imena.


    ¡°Do you know what food serves as good rations?¡± she asked. ¡°If Adidell is going to be looking for Beika, you should avoid drawing attention to yourselves¡ªeven if just one of you goes to buy something.¡±


    Enebish nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve traveled a lot over the past few years, I have a good idea of what we¡¯d need. I bought a bit earlier that probably would last two people a day or two, but I didn¡¯t really expect Beika to have a sibling¡­¡±


    ¡°Alright. That door leads to the kitchen¡ªeverything¡¯s well-labeled, you should have no trouble finding what you need. Wait there and when Beika and Titham come back I¡¯ll show you all to the back door. After that, it¡¯s just up to you to keep them safe.¡±


    Imena wasn¡¯t quite satisfied with that being the end of the conversation and asked, ¡°What are you going to do?¡±


    ¡°As it seems you¡¯ve forgotten, I¡¯ve still got a business to run,¡± was Serafina¡¯s simple answer. ¡°The regulars are probably already about to ask questions. The more normal and under control I can make things look, the better. Now get going¡ªwe don¡¯t have all day.¡±

 H99: Chapter 4

    {-Beika-}


    She hated everything about this. She had no idea what was going on, and she had a feeling that she wasn¡¯t going to get any answers if she tried. But even without a proper explanation, she still did as she was told. Honestly? She was a little scared to argue too long about it¡­


    When Beika and Titham were both finished, they walked back downstairs to be guided to the kitchen. Serafina showed them all out through the back door, giving both of her children a quick hug and a promise to be safe. They mumbled the words back, as well as a promise to see each other again, though maybe that part wasn¡¯t so certain.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry,¡± Enebish repeated once they were in the streets of Ilystalos. There weren¡¯t many people here; barely anyone took these backroads. ¡°We¡¯re just going to go on a short trip, alright? And it doesn¡¯t have to be in silence. Imena and I can tell a story while we¡¯re walking, too.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s the kind of story they could handle,¡± Imena remarked. ¡°They¡¯ve already got enough to try to figure out.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s a story they should know. Keeping these things a secret for too long isn¡¯t going to make anything better¡ªit¡¯s just going to make things harder, when there¡¯s no avoiding it.¡± They paused. ¡°What Mom and King Imre have to sort out is kind of a good example¡­¡±


    ¡°And if you think mortals are having a hard time, then consider what Day is doing. A light is dying right in front of her and the most any of us can do is hope it sorts itself out.¡±


    Titham cleared his throat and said, ¡°I, uh¡­ have no idea what you¡¯re talking about, but¡­ it sounds bad. So I¡¯m sorry that you¡¯re going through that¡­¡±


    Imena seemed surprised to hear it, but she quickly shook her head. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, I shouldn¡¯t be talking about that kind of stuff now anyway. Enebish, come on¡ªlet¡¯s start that story. You¡¯re right, there¡¯s no point in holding back now.¡±


    Enebish nodded, and looked between Beika and Titham. ¡°I just want you to listen for a little bit, alright? It might be a little confusing at first, but be sure to pay attention. It might not seem like it right now, but it¡¯s going to be important.¡± They both nodded, albeit a bit hesitant, and Enebish continued. ¡°We¡¯re kind of all here because of something done a while ago¡ªa trip someone made from her hometown here to Ilystalos. Do you have any idea of who that person was..?¡±


    They both shook her head, but Beika felt like they had a guess. They just didn¡¯t want to say anything out loud, in case it ended up being true.


    ¡°A woman had just left her mountain home to live with some relatives,¡± Enebish began after a moment. ¡°It was by chance that she realized¡­ there was a lot more going on in the world than what she¡¯d acknowledged. Before that, she¡¯d believed in the semblance of peace the kingdom had. But¡­ she saw for herself that it wasn¡¯t quite what she thought it was.¡±


    Imena, even if she hesitated, soon joined in as well. ¡°She found out about an organization that was trying to disrupt the peace, to sow chaos. She didn¡¯t know or understand exactly why they were doing it, but she knew it would hurt more people than just their targets. So, she set out to do what she could to stop them.¡±


    Beika held on to the hope that it would continue to be a happy story¡ªone of good triumphing over evil. The way Enebish¡¯s frown deepened, though, told her she was probably going to be disappointed.


    ¡°She was determined to do whatever she could to learn more. She intercepted their communications, learned the codes they used to talk without seeming suspicious. Everything she could use as evidence against them, she tried sending to the king¡ªbut none of it quite made its way there. Eventually, she got comfortable with all of the things they did in order to stay unnoticed. She recognized their patterns, even able to blend right into one of them. And that¡¯s when she learned about it¡­ the Homunculus Project.¡±


    ¡°At the surface, it doesn¡¯t seem to matter much for Seothia,¡± Imena said. ¡°In fact, the organization itself likened the idea to a show of national pride. The homunculi¡­ they¡¯re meant to be supersoldiers, in a way. But not against the shadows¡ªthe Ski¨¢ might be ravaging everything they come across, but that isn¡¯t a part of the organization¡¯s goal. Their goal, and what the homunculi were supposed to do¡­ was remove magic users from Seothia. And once they started¡­ well, why stop, when they could just wipe the whole continent of magic?¡±


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    It almost seemed like Enebish was trying to make this ¡°mysterious¡± person¡¯s actions sound more admirable, but their hesitance made the attempt futile. ¡°She tried to do everything she could in order to stop them. She¡¯d raid their bases, take what she thought would hinder them, then make sure they couldn¡¯t recover it. She kept track of the important people in the project, and did whatever she needed to in order to stop them. To her, the ends¡ªmaking sure the project could never be completed¡ªjustified the means. Maybe she really did believe that what she was doing was for the better¡­ or maybe she acknowledged that she was just fighting violence with violence. Either way, she didn¡¯t stop until her job was done.¡±


    There was a brief silence, one that Beika felt suffocated under.


    ¡°This woman,¡± Titham said, slowly. She tried to give him a pleading glance¡ªshe didn¡¯t want to hear him say it¡ªbut he still continued. ¡°She was¡­ Mom, wasn¡¯t she?¡±


    Enebish gave a solemn nod.


    ¡°But Mom would never do that!¡± Beika tried. She¡¯d do anything it took for them to admit that they were wrong¡ªthat it really wasn¡¯t about Serafina. ¡°She doesn¡¯t want to hurt anyone! She said she¡¯d been hurt by the rumors of the people in her hometown, she never would¡¯ve wanted to prove them right. I don¡¯t¡ªno, I won¡¯t¡ªbelieve it¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s truth, though,¡± Imena said far too casually. ¡°You¡¯re living in the consequences of it right now.¡±


    Enebish nudged her, though, to get a mumbled half-apology. When they actually spoke, they were addressing Beika and Titham. ¡°I know it¡¯s scary¡ªto be told someone you cared about has lied to you. But there¡¯s always more to the situation than what an outsider knows. My¡­ mom works with that organization. Do you know how I felt when I learned that?¡±


    They both looked at her, perhaps not calmed but certainly hushed.


    ¡°I was upset. I thought that she was doing all of it¡ªthat she was hurting people¡ªwillingly. And I couldn¡¯t believe that my mom would¡¯ve done that. So I went to her, and got her to tell me the story. And it¡­ was a lot more complicated than her knowing, and willingly doing it.¡± They paused for a moment. ¡°She learned the hard way several years ago what happened when someone stood against them. My mom knew she couldn¡¯t fight, because she had a family she had to protect. So she listened, and did what they told her to.¡±


    Titham might¡¯ve looked a bit more accepting of the truth, but Beika refused to do the same.


    ¡°Then why isn¡¯t Mom the one telling us this?¡± she asked. ¡°Why does it have to come from strangers?¡±


    ¡°Some people¡­ can¡¯t help but run from the past,¡± Enebish said carefully. ¡°They try to dance around their problems, and keep telling themselves that they¡¯ll talk about it in a little bit. Then it¡­ becomes too late to do anything. I¡¯ve got a little bit of experience with that, too, actually. Do¡­ you know about Prince Natheniel?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t see what the hell he has to do with this.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t say too much about it here, but¡­ he¡¯s special, more than just as a prince. He has the power to change things for the better¡­ and he ran away, because his family took too long to explain it to him. In a way¡­ you also have the power to change everything. Imena and I are here so that you¡¯re able to understand what you¡¯re a part of¡­ so you can know, and not be afraid of what it means.¡±


    Beika furiously shook her head. ¡°What are you even talking about? I¡¯m not anything. None of us are. We were just a regular family, doing what we always did. And then you showed up. I don¡¯t care what you think you¡¯re doing, because obviously you don¡¯t see anything past that. If you didn¡¯t come, things would still be like they used to. We wouldn¡¯t be out here¡ªwe¡¯d be at the inn, I¡¯d be serving patrons, Titham would be performing, and we¡¯d have everything we wanted. There¡¯s nothing wrong with me, or Mom. It¡¯s all just you.¡±


    Enebish tried to put a hand on her shoulder. ¡°I know it¡¯s¡ª¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need your fake reassurances!¡± Beika swatted their hand away. ¡°I¡¯m not just going to go along with this. You were the one that said I should hear it from Mom, right? Well I¡¯m going to do just that. I¡¯m going to go back to the inn, and keep living my life. Everything was perfect until you came. So do me a favor and don¡¯t try to come back.¡± She turned to Titham, who looked more confused than anything. ¡°Come on, we¡¯re going back. I still remember the way.¡±


    ¡°But Mom said that we should stay with the two of them,¡± he pointed out nervously. ¡°She said it would help us stay safe¡­¡±


    ¡°All that does is prove that something else is going on.¡±


    ¡°Maybe it was something she wanted us to stay out of..?¡±


    ¡°Well, then she should¡¯ve told us everything from the beginning, instead of relying on these two to do it.¡± Beika wasn¡¯t going to change her mind. ¡°I¡¯m going back and hearing the story from Mom with or without you. So go ahead and stay with these two if you want to, but I¡¯m not. I know trouble when I see it.¡±


    Titham opened his mouth to argue a little more, but he closed it soon after¡ªwhen she made a clear motion that proved she wasn¡¯t kidding. He nodded and followed her.


    She didn¡¯t care if Enebish and Imena followed them. Quite frankly, she acknowledged they would, but she wished they wouldn¡¯t. So long as they didn¡¯t stop her again, though, she could pretend like they weren¡¯t there¡­

 Extras: Character Card and Sheet- Lekra

    Extra character card info:


    A Ski¨¢ belonging to Natheniel, and Iztali¡¯s other half. Notably, they¡¯re also the only known benevolent Ski¨¢¡ªnot that anyone aside from a much younger Natheniel could realize, being his ¡°imaginary friend.¡± They don¡¯t blame his guardians for using the feather necklace to dull his powers and, thus, trap them. No, they¡¯re more worried about if his guardians thought would help have only made things worse¡­


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 H99: Chapter 5

    {-Serafina-}


    She¡¯d forgotten what it was like to take care of an entire popular inn all by herself. She hadn¡¯t done anything similar since she was still living in Ryobel¡ªeven then, she¡¯d had her parents to fall back on when things got busy.


    Not like taking care of all the patrons was really her biggest concern at the moment.


    She kept an eye on the door, and scanned each and every one of the tables, for any familiar faces. It was only a matter of time until they arrived. It was getting late by now¡ªbut that wouldn¡¯t matter. She partially expected them not to show up until everyone else had left; anything more obvious, and everyone would know who they were and why they were there. At least she had the assurance that the kids were safe and that they were, hopefully, far away from all of this¡­


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s a pleasure to see you out here this evening!¡± one of the regulars said when she walked up with his order. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see you. Usually you¡¯ve got Beika running around the place helping out.¡±


    Serafina gave some mumbled response, in the hopes that it would show she didn¡¯t want to stay long.


    But she¡¯d long learned by now that, for better or worse, patrons were usually of the chatty sort. ¡°I noticed Titham wasn¡¯t here, either. Where¡¯d they go? They¡¯re always helping out right until closing time.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re with a couple of family friends,¡± she replied. ¡°I expect some¡­ old acquaintances to visit sometime soon. You know how some people are¡ªI don¡¯t want to get the two of them involved in something like that.¡±


    It was a half-truth, at least; it was true that she was familiar with who¡¯d be coming for them, and she didn¡¯t want the kids to get involved. But she was far from considering either Enebish or Imena as ¡°family friends,¡± and she left much of the nature of these acquaintances uncertain.


    ¡°Dunno what they have to complain about you,¡± the patron remarked. He was none the wiser, it seemed. ¡°Bet they¡¯re just jealous you¡¯re such a beautiful and successful woman. Someone like that¡¯s bound for something better than a small town.¡±


    She gave a fake smile at the praise. ¡°I appreciate it. I just wish everyone else could see the same, and let the past stay in the past.¡± Then she left before she had to hold a more lengthy conversation.


    Not like she wouldn¡¯t have found an excuse to leave anyway, when she realized who¡¯d just walked in. She walked up to them as if she wasn¡¯t forming a plan for if they chose to do things violently.


    ¡°Welcome to the Lost Lamp Inn,¡± she said. She gestured around her. ¡°I¡¯m Serafina, the owner. Is there something I can get you? You must¡¯ve traveled pretty far¡­¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re here purely for¡­ business,¡± one of them said. ¡°We¡¯re here as inspectors and would like to see all of the rooms attached to this building. I¡¯m sure you understand. As long as you cooperate, there won¡¯t have to be a scene.¡±


    ¡°Shui didn¡¯t come personally?¡± Serafina asked. It was partially to get a better idea of what she¡¯d have to deal with; no one would recognize the homunculus better than her own creator, after all.


    ¡°She¡¯s got much more important things to do than interact with the likes of you,¡± a second one remarked. ¡°As far as she¡¯s concerned, you¡¯re nothing more than a petty thief. We¡¯re just here to take back what¡¯s rightfully ours.¡±


    Serafina gestured for them to follow her to the counter, casually saying, ¡°You¡¯re not going to find anything. I keep a close eye on everything that comes in and out of here¡ªI¡¯m not aware of what you¡¯re talking about, so I¡¯m certain you¡¯re not going to get it.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll be the judges of that,¡± the first grunted. ¡°Go on, get on with it. This place reeks of danger¡­ I don¡¯t want to be here any longer than necessary.¡±


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    ¡°Should I ask everyone else to leave?¡± she prompted. Sometimes they¡¯d give a warning if they intended for things to get serious; no one wanted everyone to know who they were.


    ¡°Not unless you really do have something to hide,¡± the second replied.


    When they got to the table, Serafina gestured to several of the other rooms. ¡°These doors lead to the kitchen and supply rooms. Up the stairs is where my children and I live. Do you need me to accompany you, or can you simply see for yourself that nothing¡¯s there?¡±


    They glanced at each other. The first then decided, ¡°We want you with us. Don¡¯t want to try to hide something while we¡¯re busy.¡±


    ¡°I do hope we don¡¯t have to remind you not to pull any tricks,¡± the second agreed. ¡°It¡¯s only going to make things worse for everyone here.¡±


    ¡°I know. I¡¯m not the kind of person you have to be worried about testing the limits.¡±


    Serafina started guiding them around, giving light commentary about each room and its functions; the more she made them look like real inspectors, the better. Not like they really played the part¡ªthey weren¡¯t writing anything down, or even seemed vaguely interested in, what she was talking about. Whenever she lingered in a spot for too long, they¡¯d give her some kind of threat and demand to know what she was hiding. If she tried to speed things up, just to prove to them they were wasting their time, they only looked around more thoroughly. She was glad Beika and Titham were out of this¡ªshe never would¡¯ve been able to keep them safe at this rate.


    She felt like they might¡¯ve been almost assured, by the time they¡¯d walked through all of the rooms and they¡¯d looked at every corner. But when they walked down the stairs and back to the counter, she saw a glimpse of something¡ªof two someones¡ªin the kitchen.


    And the two others noticed where she was looking, as well.


    ¡°Those two are some of my employees,¡± she tried quickly. She knew it wouldn¡¯t work. She just hoped it would give Beika and Titham enough time to realize that they shouldn¡¯t stay there. ¡°You¡¯ve already looked around. Do you really need to talk to them, too?¡±


    ¡°Well, all that sounds like is that you¡¯ve got something to hide.¡± The first person, then the second, pushed past her. ¡°Seeing everything isn¡¯t enough. You can¡¯t have ¡®employees¡¯ and not expect us to speak with them.¡±


    Serafina quickly went to step in front of them. ¡°One step closer,¡± she hissed, ¡°and I¡¯m more than willing to call whatever happens an act of self-defense.¡± She slipped out the dagger she¡¯s kept hidden until now; even before she encountered Adidell, she knew the importance of being able to protect herself.


    She heard a quiet, confused ¡°Mom..?¡± from behind her, but she didn¡¯t look back. The moment she took her eye off these two intruders was the moment that she lost everything.


    Both of the intruders pulled out knives of their own.


    The second one smirked. ¡°Did you really think we were going to come unprepared? Someone like you is dangerous¡ªunstable, deadly. You¡¯re just lucky you¡¯ve had the smarts to play nice up until now.¡±


    There was a mumbled conversation behind her, before Enebish walked up to stand beside her.


    ¡°I thought you¡¯d all be smarter than to make a scene here,¡± they said coolly. She had to admit, they could seem pretty serious when they needed to.


    ¡°It¡¯s you!¡± the first intruder hissed. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re going to regret showing your face here! I had to pay big time for what you did!¡±


    Serafina glared at Enebish. ¡°What did you do?¡±


    They laughed, as if it was just a fond memory. ¡°I stole this guy¡¯s keys and broke out someone Adidell had been keeping. You could say it was when they started to realize I was going to be a bigger problem for them.¡±


    She shook her head¡ªshe was getting distracted. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re going to do? You¡¯re not armed.¡±


    The second intruder took a step forward. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what you think you¡¯re gonna do! You¡¯re not going anywhere. Especially after you dumbasses practically just admitted the person we¡¯re looking for is right behind you.¡± Then he lunged, but Enebish just stepped out of the way.


    They¡¯d hit a glass on the counter, which was pushed off and broke. The noise caught the attention of most of the people in the inn, making the whole place fall into a deathly silence.


    And in that, Serafina saw her opportunity. ¡°Boys!¡± she called, looking at the drunk mercs who lurked here around this time. ¡°Teach these two some manners, would you? They should be able to buy you a drink¡ªif you knock the coins out of them.¡±


    That was more than enough to gain their interest, and the group was sauntering over already. While the two intruders looked between each other¡ªstand their ground, or postpone their mission?¡ªSerafina sheathed her dagger again and took Enebish¡¯s arm.


    ¡°Come on,¡± she whispered. ¡°If I know Adidell, that¡¯s not going to last as long as I hope it will.¡±

 H99: Chapter 6

    {-Beika-}


    She was excited to see Serafina through the cracked door¡ªat first. Then Serafina drew a dagger, and so did the others, and Beika didn¡¯t know what she wanted to believe. Well, she obviously wanted to believe that Serafina wasn¡¯t what Enebish and Imena had said that she was¡­ but then, what else would she need to be, if she was willing to do that?


    Then someone started a bar fight and Serafina and Enebish quickly went to where Beika, Titham, and Imena were. Serafina locked the door and barricaded it with a spare broom.


    ¡°A fight? Really?¡± Imena asked. Sarcastically, she added, ¡°Subtle!¡±


    ¡°Hey, you try figuring out what to do when there¡¯s two armed guys and you really don¡¯t want to know what it feels like to get stabbed!¡± Enebish returned. ¡°Or be the one stabbing, for that matter¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve got yourself tied into Adidell,¡± Serafina remarked dryly. ¡°You¡¯re bound to experience both sooner or later.¡±


    Beika needed to change the subject¡ªbefore they confirmed her fears any more. ¡°What were those people talking about, Mom..?¡±


    Serafina, if she heard her, completely ignored the question. ¡°What the hell are the two of you doing back here? There¡¯s a reason I told you to go. You weren¡¯t supposed to come back¡ªit was supposed to keep you out of danger. Now here we are, and you¡¯re certainly no safer than if you¡¯d stayed!¡±


    ¡°B-but, Mom, they were talking about you, and I know what they said hadn¡¯t been true, and¡ª¡±


    ¡°If these two had told you anything, then what you just saw should confirm all of it.¡± Those were the exact opposite of the words she wanted to hear from Serafina. ¡°You and Titham can¡¯t stay here. It¡¯s not going to take them long before they¡¯re able to get in, or they send someone to block off any exits. It¡¯s not safe for you anymore.¡±


    ¡°I can take care of that,¡± Imena offered. ¡°I can bring them both somewhere safer¡ªsomewhere far enough away that they don¡¯t have to be involved. Maybe as long as you¡¯re the one making sure they go, they¡¯ll actually stay with me this time¡­¡±


    Titham nervously asked, ¡°But isn¡¯t it going to get dark soon..? Mom always said that we shouldn¡¯t spend too much time outside when it gets dark. We might be close to the border but there¡¯s still the chance of Ski¨¢¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a Fos,¡± she said. ¡°I, as well as all of my ¡®siblings,¡¯ were created by Danai¡ªthe Goddess of Light herself. Most of the time we¡¯re able to scare off the Ski¨¢ with our light. There¡¯s not as much Ski¨¢ here as there would be deeper into Seothia, so as long as Enebish stays here, the three of us¡ªor four, if Serafina wants to come¡ªare going to be fine.¡±


    ¡°Do they have to stay because of what those people are here for?¡± he questioned. ¡°Why can¡¯t we all go..?¡±


    Beika, more cynically, muttered, ¡°Maybe they just need a distraction or a decoy. It doesn¡¯t matter what happens in the end if it gets us out of the way¡­¡±


    Enebish nervously laughed. ¡°I, uh, appreciate the¡­ concern? But that¡¯s not what¡¯s going on here. Long story short I might accidentally attract some Ski¨¢ so ultimately Imena¡¯s powers won¡¯t do anything. It¡¯s just generally safer.¡±


    ¡°You¡­ attract Ski¨¢?¡± Serafina prompted.


    ¡°I said long story short, didn¡¯t I?¡± they said with a sheepish grin. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s basically only a couple of Myal¨® if I¡¯m upset or sick. All of this is just a big precaution.¡±


    Serafina didn¡¯t look too convinced, but she moved on from the subject anyway. ¡°If you¡¯re going to stay here, then I¡¯ll stay, too. Who knows what else they might try to do¡ªbesides, I think just the three of them might be a little less obvious.¡±


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    ¡°But the reason we came back was so then we could be with you!¡± Beika said.


    ¡°And that¡¯s done nothing but get the two of you in more trouble,¡± Serafina returned harshly. She sighed and her expression softened. ¡°I promise we can talk about this¡ªbut only after everyone¡¯s safe. Both of you need to go with Imena. Enebish and I will catch up to you.¡±


    Beika wanted to say something else, but Imena first pointed out, ¡°We don¡¯t have a lot of time. The sooner we get going, the safer everyone¡¯s going to be. Enebish will know how to find us.¡±


    ¡­


    Beika didn¡¯t think they really walked that far outside of Ilystalos. It was just far enough, she thought, that anyone who didn¡¯t care wouldn¡¯t have bothered. But maybe that was all it needed to be for now, since most people knew not to travel too far out of a city after dark.


    They¡¯d all been silent for a while, perhaps all still processing the events of a very long day. The only thing anyone said to each other, in fact, was Imena suggesting Beika and Titham try to rest¡ªSerafina and Enebish probably wouldn¡¯t come until the morning. Beika honestly didn¡¯t think she¡¯d be capable of it, but just as she was about to say this to Imena, she found herself almost immediately drifting to sleep.


    She woke up to find the sun was up, Titham was still asleep, Imena was crushing flowers with a rock, and Serafina and Enebish had yet to return.


    As Beika willed herself up, Imena looked up from what she was doing and casually asked, ¡°Did you sleep well?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t think I¡¯d be able to sleep at all¡­¡± was Beika¡¯s mumbled response.


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome. I knew you¡¯d need your energy. I tried to make sure neither of you had any nightmares, either. But it¡¯s¡­ not a power of the Fos I use regularly. Zokel had been a lot more familiar with it than I¡¯d ever be¡­¡± Imena trailed off, then shook her head. She revealed two apples and handed them to Beika. ¡°They¡¯re for you and your brother¡ªone each. I passed a merchant when I went to get the ikretta and got these for you.¡±


    Beika cautiously accepted them. ¡°Are you¡­ nicer than you were before?¡±


    ¡°I have nothing to gain by upsetting you. Adults can take care of themselves, but kids¡­ I know I need to be careful. They¡¯re what makes the difference between a successful and failed mission. And none of you want to know what a ¡®failed mission¡¯ looks like.¡±


    Titham stirred from his spot. ¡°Is Mom back yet..?¡± He slowly sat up and looked around only to be disappointed; he seemed slightly less disappointed when Beika gave him one of the apples, though.


    ¡±I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll be back soon,¡± Imena assured them. ¡°But first¡­ there¡¯s something I want to talk to you about. I think it¡¯ll make things a little easier when they both get here.¡±


    Any willingness to be there that Beika had previously had was gone now. ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say that you didn¡¯t get anything good if you were annoying?¡±


    ¡±This isn¡¯t being annoying,¡± Imena defended. ¡°This is making sure you¡¯re prepared for what comes next.¡±


    ¡±And I¡¯m guessing your way of doing that is by throwing around more stuff I¡¯m not going to believe?¡±


    Titham, hesitant but kind, put a hand on Beika¡¯s shoulder and said, ¡°I think we should listen to her. The two of them¡­ they really only want what¡¯s best for us. We don¡¯t get anything from pushing them away.¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± Beika grumbled. She practically glared at Imena. ¡°What did you want to say?¡±


    While Imena talked, she continued crushing those flowers. ¡°Do you remember the story Enebish and I had told you before? About Serafina?¡±


    ¡°Kind of hard not to remember hearing complete strangers tell you stupid things about your mom,¡± was the muttered response.


    ¡°Well, I wanted to add a few more details to that. The group she was standing up against¡­ they call themselves Adidell. Those two men that were at the inn were from that group. I¡¯ve had my fair share of encounters with them¡ªthey¡¯re not the kind of people that should be taken lightly. And¡­ do you have any ideas of what they were after?¡±


    ¡°It was something Mom had at the inn, wasn¡¯t it..? It looked like they wanted to see every room to make sure she wasn¡¯t hiding anything. Maybe it was something we had with us..?¡±


    Imena shook her head. ¡°It wasn¡¯t a something that they were after. It was a someone.¡± She looked up at Beika and, when their eyes met, she continued, ¡°And that someone was you. Mei Shui¡¯s ninety-ninth attempt at a Homunculus, and the first success. A¡­ success which was stolen from her, and now Adidell is trying to get back now that the hundredth attempted Homunculus is ¡®lost.¡¯¡±


    Beika wanted to argue so much. But then she heard Serafina¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Everything she¡¯s saying is true,¡± she said with a sigh. She and Enebish both sat down near the rest of them; they both looked tired, but it seemed they hadn¡¯t dealt with anything more serious. ¡°And it¡¯s time I finally tell you how¡ªand why¡ªall of this came to be.¡±

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    The previous overseer of Jaden territory and Samone¡¯s adoptive father. While he was considered a relatively good overseer and council member, he wasn¡¯t quite as successful as it seemed. He just barely qualified as the court magister and lost his love and daughter when he was young¡ªwhich kept him buried in the past for the rest of his life. Some might even say that he¡¯d never really seen the future after their deaths.


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 H99: Chapter 7

    {-Serafina-}


    Ryobel hadn¡¯t been ¡°home¡± to her for quite a while¡ªif it had ever really been a ¡°home¡± to begin with. She knew full well the kinds of things they said about her behind her back¡ªor, especially in the case of Kathrine, to her face. Serafina had long since stopped trying to prove them wrong. It wouldn¡¯t have changed anything.


    For a little while, she¡¯d simply endured the rumors. But¡­ then it turned into aggression. That¡¯s how Serafina returned home unscathed, and two mad parents demanded retribution for their child¡¯s broken nose.


    ¡°I¡¯ve talked with my cousins,¡± her father said in a gruff voice. ¡°They¡¯re willing to let you stay with them for as long as you need them to.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Serafina didn¡¯t feel anything at the idea; this had long been something they¡¯ve considered.


    ¡°We were thinking you could leave tomorrow morning. Would that be alright?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like I have any ties here except for the two of you. No one¡¯s going to miss me if I¡¯m not here.¡±


    Her father seemed more upset by the fact than she was. He solemnly nodded. ¡°I suppose you¡¯re right. Go on and pack your things, then. I¡¯ll join you up until the halfway point, then they should be able to bring you the rest of the way.¡±


    ¡­


    When someone thought of an organization like Adidell¡ªone that feared magic and wanted to get rid of it¡ªthey thought of the northern and western regions of Seothia. But Lord Raisul¡¯s opinions meshed well with their own, so they could often find refuge in Tobiah territory; from there, they seeped into the outer regions of Jaden territory, though the magic users there kept them from going too far. And it seemed like one of their unofficial meeting places was in the same town she moved to, after she left Ryobel.


    At first, Serafina had only intended on getting the things her relatives needed and heading back ¡°home.¡± She couldn¡¯t do a lot here; her piano was left at the inn in Ryobel, and she had no place to help out. Perhaps that¡¯s why she often lingered in the streets¡ªwaiting for something interesting to happen.


    She hadn¡¯t really expected to find something interesting. But then she heard a few strangers whisper about something devious-sounding and, driven by a desire to leave the mundane, trailed after them.


    And what she learned had made sure her life never became ¡°mundane¡± again.


    ¡­


    She didn¡¯t really know what her plan was. But several years after leaving, her parents wanted her to return to Ryobel and perform at the inn for a special occasion. She¡¯d heard a rumor that Adidell might be working on something there. It was, honestly, the only reason she accepted.


    And if she¡¯d had any doubts about Adidell¡¯s involvement in this part of Seothia, those were gone by the end of her trip.


    Perhaps her only wish was that any of her old ¡°friends¡± had gotten wrapped up in it, so she had the grounds to pay back all of the ¡°good¡± they did for her.


    ¡°Can I trust you with this?¡± she asked, handing the practical-stranger a stack of papers. It was all the evidence she needed in order to convince the king of Adidell¡¯s presence.


    She¡¯d met them on her journey here, and thought that she could trust them. She felt sure of it, in fact, when they nodded and said, ¡°I won¡¯t stop until justice is done.¡±


    She learned, later, that she was lucky those papers were the only thing she trusted them with. They¡¯d been working with Adidell the whole time¡ªif she¡¯d told them just a little bit more, she would¡¯ve put herself at risk. It made her consider who she told, and how much she told them. She couldn¡¯t allow herself to get caught, not when her mission was so important.


    ¡­


    After a while, she realized¡­ telling the king wasn¡¯t going to save anyone. The army would react with force, sparking Adidell to take up arms themselves. Not to mention, she didn¡¯t trust her name would stay anonymous if she turned in any information. So, she simply resolved to do what she could from the shadows¡­ whatever needed to be done, no matter what she had to do to do it.


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    Serafina felt that, when it came to Adidell, no news reaching the average Seothian was good news. The fewer people were affected¡ªthe fewer who knew about their plans¡ªthe better.


    Just as she was trying to determine what she could do, she heard about it. The Homunculus Project.


    After that, it was just a matter of doing whatever she could to slow them down. She took care of prominent researchers for the project, even if she could never reach Mei; she took what she thought they might need¡­ and, when she heard they¡¯d succeeded, she planned a heist.


    ¡°What do you think this means for our mission?¡± she heard a guard casually ask his companion. Neither had a clue that she was there.


    ¡°You¡¯re new here, aren¡¯t you? Just because Shui¡¯s had a ¡®child¡¯ doesn¡¯t mean that it¡¯s going to amount to anything. For all we know all she did was have a kid. They haven¡¯t run any tests to know exactly how useful it¡¯ll be,¡± the other guard replied.


    ¡°But if it is useful,¡± the first guard said, ¡°what do you think will happen next?¡±


    ¡°Well, unless it grows quickly, nothing¡ªnot immediately. It¡¯s just a ¡®baby¡¯ now. We¡¯re probably going to have to wait at least ten, maybe even fifteen, years before we¡¯re able to do anything. And that¡¯s assuming we don¡¯t run into any other setbacks along the way.¡±


    Serafina slowly slipped past them, praying she wouldn¡¯t get caught. All she knew was that she wasn¡¯t going to let them get that far. She was ending this all here and now.


    Of course, after all the stealth, and once she¡¯d gotten to where the homunculus was being kept¡­ ¡°ending it¡± took on a different meaning.


    She¡¯d expected to find something just as unsavory, just as unpleasant, as the goals it was meant to achieve. But she stood there, staring at the child, not the least bit different than any other baby.


    She started to hear shouting and clicks¡ªsomeone must¡¯ve noticed her. So she spared no time in hiding away her dagger, picking up the baby, and gently assuring her, ¡°It¡¯s alright. I¡¯ll keep them from being able to use you.¡±


    ¡­


    She named the baby Beika, then went as far from Adidell as she possibly could. It was how, ultimately, Serafina and the child wound up in Ilystalos. There, she decided to settle down, establishing an inn and continuing her parents¡¯ work. She was almost surprised at how well they hid in plain sight.


    Serafina had been taking care of a few things in the inn when Beika ran down the stairs.


    In truth, Serafina was partially afraid something bad had happened, until she saw the look on the little girl¡¯s face. With a smile, then, she asked, ¡°What¡¯s got you so excited?¡±


    ¡°Look!¡± Beika puffed out her chest in pride. ¡°I got dressed all by myself!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s wonderful. Why don¡¯t you have a seat right there and wait for me, alright? I¡¯m almost done. Then we can head out.¡±


    Beika enthusiastically nodded, practically stumbling over herself in her attempt to get into the seat as soon as possible. She looked up at Serafina with bright, excited eyes, perhaps not-so-patiently waiting for her cue to move.


    Serafina couldn¡¯t help but smile, and glanced over to the few patrons that were still in the inn. ¡°I¡¯m going to set the key right here,¡± she called. ¡°Can I trust you to lock the place up when you leave?¡±


    The familiar patron laughed. ¡°Of course! What do you think I am, one of the unreliable sorts?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t think of getting even a drop more of beer before you go. I¡¯ll know if anything¡¯s missing.¡±


    ¡°I know better than to mess with you!¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    With one more check around the counter, she turned her attention back to Beika. ¡°Are you ready to go?¡±


    Beika was up in a heartbeat. ¡°Yeah! Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go!¡± She immediately took Serafina¡¯s hand and began guiding her out of the inn and into the streets of Ilystalos.


    When Serafina first moved here, she¡¯d been adverse to interacting with the community; she couldn¡¯t be sure about who all these people and their motives were, after all. But she found rather quickly that always dismissing the opportunities only brought more unwanted attention onto herself. So now, at the end of every week, she¡¯d take Beika to the center of town. The nearby church told stories from their Commandments on that day, which had an odd effect of bringing most of the citizens together.


    She let go of Beika¡¯s hand as soon as they were in sight of the large fountain. Beika rushed to join the other children, while Serafina sat with the other adults¡ªhaving a perfect view of her daughter, of course, in case anything happened.


    And that was when she heard whispers from the people beside her. They had a baby with them, and their mumblings seemed to be about him; what they should do, if they should give him to the church even if his Seothian blood might prevent him from using magic.


    Serafina found herself compelled by a strange force¡ªone, perhaps, of maternal care, as she had felt when seeing Beika¡ªand asked, ¡°Do you need someone to look after him?¡±


    The father seemed surprised at first, but nodded. He kept his voice down. ¡°We don¡¯t have what it takes to take care of him, but we want him to have a good home¡­¡±


    ¡°Have you heard of the Lost Lamp Inn? It¡¯s more or less just down the street from here. I see a lot of people come in and out of the place, and I consider myself a rather good judge of character. I could¡­ take care of him for you, until you and I can agree on a safe family to leave him with. And of course you can visit.¡±


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t mind?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s say I¡¯m helping out neighbors. Here, I can show you both there once the kids are done with their story. We can introduce him to my daughter, too¡ªshe¡¯s right over there, see?¡±


    They seemed to have some kind of reservation¡ªas anyone would¡ªbut nodded in unison.


    ¡°What¡¯s his name?¡± Sera then prompted.


    His mother looked down at the baby, gave a small nod, and answered, ¡°Titham.¡±

 H99: Chapter 8

    {-Beika-}


    That was it, the full story¡ªand she could do nothing but accept it, since it came straight from Serafina.


    ¡°I thought it was the kind of thing I¡¯d never have to tell you,¡± Serafina remarked, slowly. Maybe she was trying to make it all seem a little better. ¡°I¡¯d hoped that this moment would be far from now, if not never happening at all. But¡­ there¡¯s always things outside of our control. I suppose I should¡¯ve known from the start that it was only a matter of time before they found us.¡±


    Beika only slowly nodded. She didn¡¯t know what else to say, or what to feel. She was a homunculus, meant to be used by Adidell to get rid of magic. Serafina was practically a spy, more or less only doing what she was now as a cover story. Beika felt like a couple of things made sense but, at the same time, that a giant rip had just formed in her understanding of who she was. At least she could take fake reassurance in the fact that this wasn¡¯t lies coming from someone hoping to trick her; this was all truth, for better or worse.


    Knowing that there was really only one course of action, she cautiously asked, ¡°What are we going to do now..? They don¡¯t sound like the kind of people that are just going to go away when we¡¯re not there¡­¡±


    ¡°There is something we can do, isn¡¯t there?¡± Titham prompted. He showed his nervousness more than she did¡ªbut he was just as aware of what the true answer was.


    Serafina sighed. ¡°I¡¯m afraid that, if they know this much, there really isn¡¯t a lot. The best course of action¡­ it¡¯s probably going to be cutting all of our ties with each other. Each of us needs to go somewhere where none of them are going to find us¡ªplaces that they don¡¯t already associate with us.¡± The worst part is that she kept considering it. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t take too much for me to close the inn. Titham¡¯s birth parents are doing a bit better now, with some money from the inn, they should be able to take care of him. Then Beika¡­ she couldn¡¯t stay with him, it¡¯s just going to put all three of them in danger. I suppose Enebish and Imena might¡¯ve planned for something like this. They might know of a safe place for her to go.¡±


    Beika was not, though, just going to accept that part. ¡°I don¡¯t want to go and I¡¯m sure Titham doesn¡¯t either! Isn¡¯t there something else we can do?¡±


    Serafina shook her head. ¡°If there¡¯s one thing I know about Adidell, it¡¯s that they don¡¯t stop just because things get a little more difficult. To fulfill their goals, they¡¯ll do anything. I feel like, ultimately, even splitting us all up might not be enough¡­¡±


    ¡°H-hey, now, don¡¯t go jumping to conclusions just yet!¡± Enebish said quickly. For once, something they said actually made Beika feel better. ¡°There¡¯s always other options. We don¡¯t have to resort to the worst case scenario right away.¡±


    Imena, though a bit hesitant, shrugged. ¡°She has a point, though. No matter what you can do now, it¡¯s only a matter of time before Adidell comes back again. Then we¡¯re right back to square one and I might not be there to rescue you that time.¡±


    ¡°But we can try, right?¡± Enebish clearly didn¡¯t want the honest answer, and neither did Beika. Honesty would undermine all of the points they were trying to make and assure her that, yes, things were hopelessly out of her control. ¡°I think I know what we can do to get them to back off for a little while. From there, the three of you can think of a more permanent solution to the problem¡ªone that still means you all stay together.¡±


    Serafina didn¡¯t seem too convinced. ¡°And what, exactly, are you planning?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going to have to wait and see.¡±


    ¡­


    They walked together back to Ilystalos, and entered the Lost Lamp Inn through the same backdoor they¡¯d left from. Then Enebish gestured for all of them to stay there, whispering, ¡°I think you¡¯ll know when it¡¯s safe to come in.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t do anything stupid,¡± Imena mumbled right as they left. Did she acknowledge the fact that, when she sighed and went to sit down, she¡¯d chosen a spot right by the door?


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    Louder, they all heard Enebish remark, ¡°You know, I thought that you guys would¡¯ve figured out when something was a lost cause. Guess that just means you don¡¯t have anything better to do with your time, huh?¡±


    Apparently both of the intruders from before were there¡ªBeika heard two other sets of footsteps and she definitely heard the voice of one of them.


    ¡°It¡¯s you,¡± he hissed. There was a subtle sound, one she knew to associate with scrapping a knife against something. ¡°If you know what¡¯s good for you, you¡¯ll stay out of our way. Unless you¡¯re here to give us some information¡­¡±


    ¡°No, I think I¡¯m going to keep what I know. But before you try to attack me, I want to ask you one thing: did you realize anything strange about Ilystalos when you first came here?¡± Despite what she was imagining Enebish was facing, they sounded completely casual.


    ¡°The fact they allow magic to roam unchecked? The fact this whole place is a walking disaster waiting to happen?¡± the second of the past intruders asked.


    ¡°No. Did you ever stop to question why there were so many guards?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°The guards. Border towns like these tend to have soldiers making sure no one starts any trouble, sure, but there¡¯s more of them than what¡¯s needed. And did you notice that the path to the Lake is closed off right now, also guarded by soldiers? Do you realize what that means?¡±


    Both of the men stayed in silence.


    ¡°The royal families are meeting together at the Lake, along with a couple other officials from both sides. Do you really think they¡¯re just going to let them go without protection? And what do you think they¡¯re going to do, when they find you? When they realize you¡¯ve attempted kidnapping and armed violence? When they hear what you¡¯re involved in and who you work for?¡±


    There was a brief pause, then the first man remarked, ¡°Like we¡¯re going to believe whatever tricks you¡¯re using!¡±


    ¡°Your loss, then. I guess you¡¯ll have to learn the hard way what happens when someone blows Adidell¡¯s cover¡­¡±


    That seemed to get them thinking a little more. There was more silence, before the sound of footsteps could be heard.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t over,¡± the second one warned. ¡°We¡¯re coming back as soon as the royal families leave, got it? And next time, the homunculus isn¡¯t going to have you to protect it.¡±


    ¡°Maybe not, but you¡¯ve already lost the element of surprise,¡± Enebish remarked. ¡°And that¡¯s pretty much the only thing you had going for you. Get on and go before I decide to be a little less generous and tell someone you¡¯re here.¡±


    Then there were two surprisingly relaxed sets of footsteps, and the opening and closing of the inn¡¯s door. After a moment, Enebish poked their head inside to where the others were and gestured that it was alright to come out.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think they¡¯re going to try to bother you for a little while longer, at least,¡± they offered.


    Serafina sighed. ¡°But it¡¯s not going to be forever.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s long enough to figure something else out, right?¡± Beika prompted, desperate for an answer. ¡°However long it takes for us to come up with a good solution to all of this?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d say it¡¯s definitely long enough for that,¡± Enebish reassured her. ¡°It¡¯s probably going to be a few months before they¡¯re going to try again, and I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if they¡¯re sidetracked then, too. As soon as I know, I can let you know if the royal families are going to the Lake for New Year¡¯s¡ªthat¡¯ll probably be what decides if Adidell does something then or after.¡±


    After a moment, Serafina nodded. ¡°Please, let us know.¡± Turning her attention to Beika and Titham, she said, ¡°Maybe I¡­ did jump to conclusions a bit there. I¡¯m sorry, you two. It¡¯s¡­ been a while since I had to fear what happened when they came. I didn¡¯t have anyone I wanted to protect back then, either¡­¡±


    ¡°I think I understand,¡± Titham said.


    Beika mumbled something, but it wasn¡¯t an agreement; she couldn¡¯t find herself forgiving and forgetting this whole ordeal any time soon.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got to go soon, but I¡¯ll ask Day to send someone else to keep an eye on you,¡± Imena decided. ¡°Someone who can turn into a sparrow or something¡ªmaybe Mazel could help, I don¡¯t think she¡¯s needed for anything right now. But you can probably relax a little¡ªwell, however much you can, given the circumstances¡ªwhen there¡¯s someone around who¡¯ll spot Adidell a lot quicker.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Serafina gestured to a table at the inn. ¡°Would you like one last meal before you go? On the house.¡± She looked at the kids again. ¡°And I¡¯ll be willing to answer any other questions you have, too. I think I¡¯ll keep the inn closed for the rest of the week¡ªgive us some time together, and plan what we¡¯ll do when the time comes.¡±


    Enebish grinned. ¡°I think that all sounds like a great idea. Take advantage of this time while you have it¡ªyou don¡¯t know when it¡¯s going to be gone.¡±

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    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    The Holy Queen of Qizar and its first queen. She came from a modest background¡ªa charge of the church¡ªbut by divine will worked with Saint King Lucas in solving the differences between the two nations. Despite her accomplishments, though, she was never able to do much as queen. She was killed by Saint Ilethera at the Lake when she was still quite young.

 What Time Forgot: The Dream and Nightmare (Lekra)

    They didn¡¯t remember much of their own creation. They knew who their creator was and they understood what they were supposed to do, but it just came as inherent knowledge. So, too, did they understand at least a portion of the reason they were in Sanctuary.


    After all, if a dreamer has a Ski¨¢, it¡¯s safe to assume he would have a Fos as well. No matter what, Darkness couldn¡¯t prevent that.


    It seemed like everyone¡¯s eyes were on them. There was no one else like them here; they didn¡¯t expect there to be. Among the fascinated stares were those of Earth, Wind, and Knowledge, along with several Angels and Fos their instinct did not recognize for them.


    Finally, Knowledge came up to them. ¡°You¡¯re Lekra, right? The new dreamer¡¯s Ski¨¢?¡±


    They nodded slowly.


    ¡°Can you say something? Do you know where the dreamer is now?¡±


    ¡°Someone found us and took us somewhere. It¡¯s¡­ loud, and they kept talking about something¡­¡± They realized how hard it was to explain something they hardly understood. Luckily they learned quickly, after they had time to truly process everything.


    Their words meant more to everyone else than it did to them. The whole area seemed to let out a sigh of relief.


    ¡°Everything else is still going to plan,¡± someone in the gathering murmured.


    ¡°At least for now,¡± someone else corrected.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it still too early to know?¡± a third questioned.


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    Knowledge¡¯s attention was still focused on Lekra. ¡°Do you know why you¡¯re here now?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here to meet my ¡®other.¡¯ My Fos counterpart¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll show you to him,¡± Knowledge offered, turning around and gesturing for Lekra to follow him. ¡°It takes Fos a while longer to understand what¡¯s going on than Ski¨¢ do, so you¡¯re probably not going to be able to actually talk yet. Danai¡ªLight, I mean¡ªusually helps speed it up, but she¡¯s¡­¡± His and several other listeners¡¯ eyes all darted to a specific room. It had Water¡¯s symbol etched on the door. ¡°She¡¯s a bit busy right now.¡±


    Behind the door he soon pushed open was countless more Fos. A few just glanced to see who¡¯d entered before going back to what they were doing; several saw Lekra and fled, though a few curious heads poked out of the blankets to stare at them; a couple more even dared to walk up to them.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± Knowledge assured all the Fos. ¡°They¡¯re not like the others. I promise they¡¯re not going to hurt you.¡±


    Lekra moved forward¡ªintending some welcome gesture, or a sign that what Knowledge said was true¡ªbut nearly all the Fos either stepped back or made some defensive stance.


    ¡°Come on, guys, we talked about this¡­¡± Knowledge sighed, then glanced at Lekra. ¡°Sorry about that. They¡¯re not too keen on trusting a Ski¨¢ for, well, obvious reasons¡­ They¡¯ll probably warm up to you eventually, though.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re here for Iztali, right?¡± one of the Fos asked after a moment. Somehow, they knew that she was one of the oldest gathered here¡ªone of the first, and one of the only to make it this long. Yet she gave a genuine smile and, with Knowledge¡¯s nod, began to show them the way. ¡°Since you probably don¡¯t know, I¡¯m Mazel! Over there¡¯s Imena, and that¡¯s Nai, Kiri¡¯s in that corner, and I don¡¯t think Aither¡¯s left for his mission yet¡­¡± She squinted into the crowd before declaring, ¡°Nope! He¡¯s right there. Aaand now he¡¯s gone. Hidden under blankets! No one¡¯s really being welcoming to you, are they¡­ Oh, wait. You never said what your name was!¡±


    ¡°Lekra,¡± they mumbled.


    She didn¡¯t say anything else until they got there; a bed with a Fos curled in the center of it. ¡°This is Iztali.¡±


    The Fos¡¯s eyes fluttered open, looking at Mazel, then Knowledge, before settling on Lekra. They knew from the moment their eyes met that this was the one¡ªtheir other half. He smiled, though he looked confused, too. He slowly sat up and, almost too quiet to hear, mumbled, ¡°It¡¯s¡­ nice to meet you.¡±


    Lekra managed a small smile of their own and nodded. ¡°It¡¯s certainly a pleasure.¡±

 Extras: Comic- Natheniel Explains the Underworld

    Script:


    ¡°Hell. Vriuh¡¯s Domain. The underworld. They pretty much all mean the same thing no matter who you ask: wherever people go after they die. Well, what happens to their souls after they die. And I¡¯m here to tell you all about it¡ªboth the Seothian and Qizarn sides of the story.¡±


    ¡°As you¡¯re undoubtedly already aware, Qizar has a god who controls the underworld: Vriuh. That¡¯s where we get the fancy term ¡®Vriuh¡¯s domain¡¯ from. They were created by Orestis in order to oversee all of the dead, along with the help of angels like Usiu and Coretha and the Strings. As for how people are said to get there?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d think that the Commandments would say that only those who believe in Orestis can get in but, nope, everyone has the right to an afterlife. But it¡¯s not like Orestis¡¯s children don¡¯t get special perks for being faithful for him in life, though. Those that follow his instructions and are loyal followers are supposed to make their afterlives better. Not doing that¡ªor failing to do something else in a kinda-long list of funeral rites¡ªwill require them to do anything from spend a certain amount of time in purgatory to having to suffer for all eternity.¡±


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    ¡°Past that, though, everyone who dies is said to have a peaceful afterlife under Vriuh. Some of them get chosen by Orestis, Vriuh, or the Strings to become spirits, but most just relax there. Ekambar is probably the only one who died but whose soul isn¡¯t there. Most think Tyrant-King Selik is at the bottom of a fiery pit somewhere, but his soul still is in the underworld.¡±


    ¡°You would think, for Seothia¡¯s fascination with spirits, we¡¯d have some complicated or at least slightly thought out idea of what the afterlife is like. Well, you¡¯re wrong! Mostly. There¡¯s a few changes depending on who you ask, but the basics of it are pretty simple. To them, there¡¯s no good or bad rating to it¡ªyou¡¯re all just in the same place. Most people don¡¯t think there¡¯s a god overseeing it or even one that determines what spirit goes to who. It¡¯s more or less like this giant waiting room of the dead and, when a mortal they resonate with is born, they leave to become that person¡¯s spirit.¡±


    ¡°Idkor¡¯s beliefs, as you might be able to imagine, are practically identical to the Fleyw Bresh¡¯s. So, basically, all three are pretty similar to each other. Only a handful of people believe in something vastly different and even less believe that there¡¯s not one at all. I like it that way, actually. It doesn¡¯t seem too bad, knowing that even sinners can get a chance for redemption eventually¡­¡±

 What Time Forgot: A Message (Casper)

    ¡°What, you don¡¯t want to come with me?¡±


    Kesem shrugged. He didn¡¯t look up from the papers he¡¯d spent all day buried in. ¡°Unlike you, I¡¯ve got responsibilities now. Perhaps if you bothered to act your age, you would also be too busy working to complain about not having someone to mess around with.¡±


    Casper frowned. ¡°Like you didn¡¯t enjoy it! You know she did. I was thinking of going to that place she always liked, I thought you¡¯d want to go there. You cling to pretty much everything else about her.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going.¡± Kesem made a point to hide more of his face from view, a sign that Casper¡¯s words had done something. ¡°Go find someone else to play your games.¡±


    ¡°Come on, you¡¯re the only one who can go! It¡¯s going to be boring without anyone there. Also Grandfather probably wouldn¡¯t like me on my own.¡±


    ¡°Do I want to know why you¡¯re so insistent on going?¡±


    ¡°Mother wants me to attend this stupid party with a bunch of rich noblewomen. But if I¡¯m not there, I don¡¯t have to be around a bunch of desperate women trying to become the future queen.¡±


    ¡°Maybe getting a wife would make you realize you can¡¯t fool around forever.¡±


    ¡°Getting a wife just made you boring.¡± Acknowledging he¡¯d find no more help in the older, Casper turned to Lucas. ¡°Do you think we could just go on our own?¡±


    ¡°If you want your grandfather to be angry when he finds out,¡± was the spirit¡¯s casual response. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t stop you on a normal day, why should that matter now?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s with that condescending tone? You did all kinds of stuff Clari didn¡¯t want you to!¡±


    Lucas only shrugged.


    Casper considered his options, now that he knew neither of them were with him. ¡°Do you remember where Mother said the party was?¡±


    ¡°The Stones had offered to host it, didn¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°Alright, then I just need to avoid that area while being somewhere Grandfather can¡¯t get mad at me for¡­¡± He went into deep thought until he grew a mischievous grin. ¡°Got it! I¡¯ll go to Alyselin. Only those caretakers live there and if anyone asks I was visiting Grandmother¡¯s grave. There¡¯s got to be something special to do there aside from looking at graves, right?¡±


    ¡­


    He took Harriet and rode out on his own¡ªthat way, hardly anyone would notice that he left before it was too late to catch up to him. He¡¯d left a note too, of course, but the two of them missing already let them all know he¡¯d done it intentionally.


    It was getting dark when he got there, but he didn¡¯t care. He had yet to allow himself to fear the shadows and what lurked in them; he wasn¡¯t even certain that they existed, since he¡¯d never seen any of them himself.


    ¡°So, where should I start?¡± he wondered aloud. ¡°Were there any hidden secrets here when you were alive?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve told you before, this isn¡¯t the Alyselin of my time,¡± Lucas said with a bit of disappointment. ¡°They¡¯ve rebuilt a lot of things over the years. I wouldn¡¯t even say that these were the same streets I walked all those years ago.¡±


    ¡°They couldn¡¯t have gotten rid of everything, right? Maybe things on the outside look different, but the skeleton of the place is still over a thousand years old.¡±


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    ¡°The only thing I can recall was rumors of the barracks having an underground system to ones in the capital, but¡ª¡±


    ¡°Sounds perfect! Which direction were those in, again?¡±


    Lucas looked like he might¡¯ve objected, before remembering the person he was the spirit of. He pointed down one of the silent streets. ¡°That¡¯s where they were. Who knows if they¡¯re still there, though¡­¡±


    Casper practically ignored all of what the spirit said. Sure, it would be great if he could find something exciting. But, mostly, this was just him biding his time until he was able to get out of doing something he didn¡¯t want to. Anything would be better than hearing his mother list the ¡°unique qualities¡± of all those noblewomen.


    The thought alone was enough to bring him a step closer to insanity.


    ¡°You know, I¡¯d assumed you¡¯d be more interested in the offer,¡± Lucas remarked casually. Casper could never figure out if Lucas could read his thoughts or if he was just that good at understanding what the prince was thinking. ¡°Your grandfather made it quite clear last year that the only way you were going to take his place was if you were married.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, and that¡¯s not the only thing he said that he ended up changing his mind on. He¡¯s already old, in a year or two he¡¯ll probably either die or realize he really doesn¡¯t want to put up with it anymore.¡± Casper shrugged. ¡°It¡¯ll happen eventually. Can you blame me if I don¡¯t want a woman who¡¯s either only interested in the money or so stupid she can¡¯t think for herself?¡±


    ¡°Personally I feel that you¡¯re just more interested in running around.¡±


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯ve met probably all of the noble redheads in Mikkel territory. If they don¡¯t do it for me with the way I¡¯m connected to you, no one¡¯s going to. Maybe Tramos is where all the hot women are! How am I going to know if I never wander around?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe I was sparking rebellion at your age¡­¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±


    And a completely different, unfamiliar voice answered from somewhere nearby: ¡°We don¡¯t have all damn day, you know.¡±


    ¡°Oh, geez, you¡¯re so annoying!¡± another new voice moaned. ¡°I¡¯d kill you if I didn¡¯t have to work with you¡­¡±


    Then a third voice. ¡°Both of you, be quiet. Valgrin and Bozul said they saw someone nearby.¡±


    ¡°Oh, lighten up, no one lives here,¡± the second voice said. ¡°This isn¡¯t the same town it was before I became a Messenger¡ªit¡¯s a glorified graveyard now.¡± A pause. ¡°Damn, I¡¯m old. But not as old as you, Jun!¡±


    ¡°Age matters not,¡± the first voice muttered. ¡°What matters is that we spend that time properly serving out our gods¡¯ wills. Something you¡¯re both failing to do by taking so long.¡±


    A hmph. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t see you putting any effort into it! As far as I can tell, there¡¯s nothing here.¡±


    Casper carefully rounded the corner in order to get a good look at the strangers. One of them, the tallest, was masked with a cloak and hiding any possible distinguishing features. The other two were young women, both looking to be around the same age, one overly eager and the other nervously glancing around her.


    It was the nervous one that noticed him.


    ¡°That¡¯s who Valgrin and Bozul saw,¡± she said in a surprisingly calm tone. She¡¯d been the owner of the third voice.


    The eager one immediately stopped what she¡¯d been doing. She was the second voice. ¡°Oh hey, can we kill him? I want to kill him.¡±


    ¡°That would be necessary,¡± the tallest¡ªthe first voice¡ªconcluded after a moment of observation. ¡°We can use this. Mortal, send a message to your kin: the worst still has yet to come.¡±


    Casper was immediately just that much more interested in finding out what they were doing, but Lucas had quickly brought up points against it. It took a moment, but eventually Casper listened to him and quickly walked away again.


    He never considered that day to be anything special, at least not then. Lucas never explained what he thought was worth leaving in such a rush for. It took a few years, but Casper was able to see it all for himself; the troubles they¡¯d have to face on their road to a peaceful future.


    Yet, even looking at that, he was sure that wasn¡¯t what that stranger was talking about¡­

 Extras: Character Card and Sheet- Takane

    Extra character card info:


    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    The Rabbit of the previous set of Keys, and a lifelong friend of Haris¡¯s. Everything about her role with the others and what they needed to do brought her great unease, but she suffered through it for Haris¡¯s sake. When Zenas and Umber died and Kiraat and Minne grew older, she moved to a different village¡­ and sacrificed herself to protect the people there.

 What Time Forgot: Unknowing Dreamer (Lustris)

    The first line got her to mumble a foreign curse.


    Natheniel ran away.


    The second got a half-hearted chuckle out of her.


    If you think she can handle it, it might be time to tell her.


    Everything that followed in Imre¡¯s letter was all a part of a nervous explanation. Natheniel, right before the new year, had run away; they tried looking but he¡¯d disappeared. It had to have been because of them¡ªbecause they didn¡¯t talk to him, didn¡¯t sit down and tell him who he was. Tell him that what happened to the Qizarn princess wasn¡¯t his fault.


    Lustris, with her rather brief interactions with the boy, actually felt that being told ¡°You didn¡¯t do this. Your predispositions towards becoming a Ski¨¢ did.¡± would¡¯ve solved nothing. There was one part of the letter that she agreed with: that a large portion of it could be blamed on his parents. But she didn¡¯t think it started at the time Imre seemed certain it did. From her fragmented and distant view of things, the possibility of the prince fully accepting who he was had passed a long time ago¡ªthe moment they only called that feather necklace a gift.


    Then again, at that point, Lustris thought he¡¯d come back; give him a few weeks, maybe a month, and he¡¯d realize he didn¡¯t want to leave. It took her a while to let herself accept that this truly was something big.


    Certain at the time that Natheniel would return home soon enough, she considered the second part of Imre¡¯s letter. The thought of it was amusing, almost, despite what he must¡¯ve been considering as he suggested it.


    Tell Muriel who she was? The girl barely had the state of mind to be considered ¡°normal.¡± Mentioning what happened that day would tip her into instability. No matter how much the comfort ¡°it wasn¡¯t your fault¡± was told, or implications avoided, it would still linger. Lustris would give it a day before Imre found something else to regret.


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    She didn¡¯t show a single sign of the idea when Muriel eventually emerged from her room. Lustris didn¡¯t even bother to hide the fact she¡¯d gotten a letter; it was vague enough that it would be more damaging to hide it.


    ¡°Is that from King Imre..?¡± Muriel mumbled, glancing over Lustris¡¯s shoulder to read a line of it. She didn¡¯t even seem to acknowledge that it was important.


    ¡°Yes, but nothing you need to worry about.¡± To Lustris, that was the truth. ¡°It¡¯s just a few things he wanted me to be aware of. He asked us to keep Prince Natheniel in mind.¡±


    The pause suggested that Muriel had to remember who that was. ¡°Did something happen to him?¡±


    ¡°He disappeared.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯ll come back eventually, though, won¡¯t he?¡± An apathetic question. ¡°King Imre seemed nice. Mom liked him, anyway.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m certain he will.¡± Lustris glanced at her. ¡°Could you hand me the paper and quill over there? I¡¯d like to let him know that we understand.¡±


    Muriel nodded and did as she was asked. After standing there a moment longer, she wandered off to another room.


    Lustris knew Imre would want some kind of response, though it wasn¡¯t the one that he¡¯d be expecting.


    ¡®With all due respect,


    I understand what it must feel like to lose him but we should not jump to the solutions we should have done long ago. The time for the truth has passed. At this point it will not right what has gone wrong. I think you realize that.


    If you sent this to me then I assume Lady Enuolare received something as well concerning her dreamer. From what I have heard, they are an individual who could bear the weight of those secrets. Muriel is not. Whether this turns out for better or worse, I do not believe I will be telling her anytime soon¡ªif I ever do. It took a long time to settle into what we have now. I know you only mean well but it will do nothing but harm.


    I trust you to keep me updated on what our plans are now. Perhaps all three of us could find time to talk in person? Lady Enuolare had to cancel at the last second and I assume, now, you are busy with Natheniel¡¯s disappearance. I believe it is important that we try to schedule something as soon as possible. We must plan for the worst, after all, so that it may never come to pass.


    Keep in touch,


    Lustris¡¯

 Extras: Character Card and Portrait- Rok

    Extra character card info:


    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    The bishop of the Tulane Coast and Goblin and Fairy Provinces. He was always involved in the church, surprising no one when he took the position he has now. What was surprising, however, was what he spent his time doing; he¡¯s known for causing a revival of sorts in more traditional Qizarn values, solidifying lesser known facts about the Commandments and, of course, always reading one book or another.

 Redemption: Chapter 1

    {-Ouka-}


    She casually walked up behind the man, stopping at different stalls or occasionally taking a slightly different route. All it really did, though, was make sure that he didn¡¯t notice how close she was¡ªhow she gradually crept up behind him.


    And, after one quick glance around her, promptly snatched the coin pouch he¡¯d had carelessly attached to his belt.


    She¡¯d casually started walking away, wondering exactly how long it would take the man to notice¡­


    Before she heard the ¡°Hey, stop her! That woman¡¯s a thief!¡±


    ¡°Oh. That must be my cue,¡± she remarked with a certain level of nonchalance that only came with practice. ¡°See you later!¡±


    She waved and, before the soldiers could come to corner her, she darted off. Each time she passed another soldier, they stopped for a minute then went to chase after her, too. Whatever made them think they were going to be able to catch her, she supposed.


    But no one knew the backstreets like the people who were forced to live in them.


    She sharply turned into a narrow alley, already disorienting a few of her pursues. A handful kept trying to follow her, though. That¡¯s what knocking over the barrel was supposed to stop but, as expected, there were always those one or two too determined to see ¡°justice¡± done.


    Too bad they¡¯d be going home disappointed.


    Ouka swerved in between a couple of other alleys and streets, using whatever she could as distractions. She never let go of the coin pouch, but she did grab an extra apple from a random stall during the chase. She¡¯d already been caught for one crime, what was one more?


    On her run, she passed by two types of people. One group¡ªthe ones like her, in one way or another¡ªsimply looked up, realized what was happening, then turned away again. The other¡ªwho thought her nothing more than a petty thief¡ªsaw her and the chase and demanded more guards try to catch her.


    It didn¡¯t matter, though. By the time she¡¯d reached her destination, no one was following her. She slowed down once she was sure she was alone, then casually walked to her ¡°home.¡±


    She pushed back the torn curtain and went into the one room ¡°home¡± that, frankly, somehow hadn¡¯t fallen apart ten years ago. When she saw her companion, she grinned, and tossed him the apple.


    ¡°Have a good day, Brenan? And can you split that in half for us? You¡¯re the one with the knife.¡±


    He¡¯d seemed a bit distracted, at first, even if he effortlessly caught the apple. ¡°Yeah.¡± He pushed back a little bit of his messy red hair and grabbed his knife to complete her request.


    ¡°Something the matter?¡± she prompted. She wandered up behind him, then took a seat at the empty barrel in the corner and showed him the coin pouch. ¡°Look, maybe this will make you feel better. Can you imagine those dumbasses still just leave these kinds of things practically lying around? Guess those nobles don¡¯t think we exist. Definitely don¡¯t act like it. Suppose that just makes our job a little easier though, huh?¡±


    ¡°I got a little bit too but, uh¡­ it¡¯s probably not as much. An old lady gave me a couple to patch up a hole in her roof.¡± He passed one half of the apple to her, then dug in his pocket to add a couple of coins to her pile.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got to start actually doing something eventually. We¡¯re not going to get anywhere if all you do is a couple of odd jobs for old people. That¡¯s not going to get you much more than begging on the street will.¡±


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    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°Look, I get it. Kind of. But at least we¡¯re not killing people, right? And we¡¯re not taking stuff that others desperately need. I¡¯ve only stolen from those nobles¡ªthey¡¯re the only ones worth stealing from, anyway. And nobles aren¡¯t going to miss a couple of silver coins. They throw those things around like coppers¡­¡±


    He mumbled an agreement, even if he didn¡¯t really want to accept it. A part of her wished that they could¡¯ve done something better¡ªthat, somehow, they could get themselves out of here. She knew there was always the possibility of a miracle.


    And then there was just the stuff that was completely impossible.


    They¡¯d dug themselves in this grave. There was no going back out of it, not without having to be pushed right back in.


    Ouka decided to bring the conversation back around. ¡°But that¡¯s not everything, right? You look a little more distracted than usual. Did you run into something or someone while you were out..?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I¡­ thought I saw a couple of them.¡±


    ¡°Did they notice you?¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so. Didn¡¯t acknowledge me if they had, at least.¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯d you see them?¡±


    ¡°Down the street from that place with the weird looking mannequins.¡±


    ¡°Good, it¡¯s not near where we usually wander.¡±


    ¡°What do you think we should do..?¡±


    ¡°The most obvious thing in this situation: nothing. Just don¡¯t engage. Try to keep them from noticing you and, if they do, get the hell out of there as soon as possible. Sound like a good enough plan?¡±


    ¡°Mhm. You said it yourself, there¡¯s not really a lot of options, so¡­¡±


    Ouka, after eating, opened the pouch out of curiosity. It had a single silver coin and a couple of coppers; not the jackpot, but certainly enough to make things a little easier. Mostly to herself, she continued, ¡°I think the people around here are starting to recognize us. It¡¯s probably about time we got going.¡±


    Brenan mumbled something.


    ¡°What was that?¡±


    He shuffled nervously, then admitted, ¡°I didn¡¯t really want to go. That lady had introduced me to her friends, they all seemed so nice¡­ and when they heard about what we did, they all seemed willing to try to find something better for us.¡±


    ¡°I thought we¡¯ve gone over this already. We can¡¯t just go back. They aren¡¯t doing anything but telling you what you want to hear¡ªthat¡¯s just what they do. They don¡¯t really know what it takes to make a difference, in the end. I don¡¯t think there is anything that can bridge the gaps at this point¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re probably right.¡± He gestured to the coins. ¡°So I¡¯m guessing all of these are going to go towards traveling? Do you know where you¡¯d want to go?¡±


    ¡°I figured we¡¯d try to get by with what we have already, and touch this stuff if we need it.¡± She gave his second question some more thought. ¡°I don¡¯t know where we should go. Maybe towards the mountains? It can¡¯t be anywhere too different than here, at least. We won¡¯t exactly have a reliable way of keeping warm if the winters get any colder. I guess we could go to the coast, too, but there¡¯ll probably be more guards for the higher amount of dumb nobles¡­¡±


    Suddenly, one of the ¡°curtains¡± fluttered and Ouka was fairly certain she saw a glimpse of a person on the other side. A quick glance at Brenan and he was already hiding the coins. They could be gone in a moment if they needed to.


    So, cautiously, Ouka took a knife and walked to the ¡°door.¡±


    A girl was standing on the other side of the thin sheet.


    ¡°I think you¡¯re lost,¡± Ouka remarked. ¡°Go on and run back home. Someone like you will get eaten alive in a place like this.¡±


    The girl, though, didn¡¯t look fazed. Did¡­ she even realize that she didn¡¯t belong here? Her hair was carefully and neatly tied back in a braid, seemingly having gone through no form of trouble on her way here. Her dress, matching something worn by more traditional nobles, didn¡¯t even have a speck of dirt on it. She, frankly, looked like she hadn¡¯t actually worked for a single day in her life.


    Yet, somehow, she made it all the way here without being mugged or kidnapped. An act that, for someone seemingly her age, would¡¯ve taken either a lot of skill or a lot of struggling¡­


    Ouka couldn¡¯t shake that there was something strange about the girl, so she repeated, ¡°If you¡¯re lost, you¡¯re not going to find your way back home through here.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not lost,¡± the girl said bluntly. ¡°You¡¯re Ouka and Brenan, right? My name is Mazel. And the reason I¡¯m here is to speak with you.¡±

 Extras: Character Card and Sheet- Sukeena

    Extra character card info:


    The leader of a traveling circus troupe and an Ilethera with powerful magic. Even after the incident that killed her father, she¡¯s never lost her love of performing. She¡¯s gathered new members from all over the continent, regaining the reputation of her father¡¯s troupe before her. In her eyes, despite all she¡¯s gone through, nothing is better than seeing the smiling faces after a show.


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 Redemption: Chapter 2

    {-Brenan-}


    He, honestly, stopped being so tense the moment he realized that it was a kid. Kids that age didn¡¯t usually cause any trouble, not unless they needed to¡ªand, judging from her appearance, she had everything she needed.


    That didn¡¯t stop Ouka, though. Just as Mazel had announced she wanted to talk, Ouka remarked, ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure as hell not talking to you. Go away, kid. You¡¯re only going to get in trouble if you stay here.¡±


    Brenan, beating down a bit of nervousness, said, ¡°I think we should listen to her.¡±


    Ouka turned to look at him. ¡°Really? You think any bit of this kid actually seems anything more than a bigger problem waiting to happen?¡±


    ¡°She knows our names,¡± he explained. ¡°And she looks nice. If she wanted to do anything she¡¯d have done it while your back is turned. But she hasn¡¯t moved.¡±


    ¡°All I want you to do is hear me out,¡± Mazel said. ¡°I know you¡¯re not going to understand things immediately, but that¡¯s why we¡¯re going to have a chat. I think it¡¯ll make a lot more sense if you let me explain everything.¡±


    Ouka still seemed willing to resist, but Brenan kept staring at her, and eventually she sighed. ¡°Fine, get inside. But the moment you start saying something weird or yelling for soldiers or whatever, you¡¯re out of here. Got that?¡±


    Mazel nodded. It was¡­ a bit too calm, actually, for someone who¡¯d more or less just been given a threat. ¡°Mhm. I promise this¡¯ll all make sense in a little bit.¡±


    She walked inside and sat down. ¡°I think, first and foremost, you should understand that I know more than you think I do. I¡¯m not nearly as young as I look. I know what you¡¯ve done before now. I know what you were involved in, even the things you¡¯ve been keeping from each other¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going to want to tone down the mysteriousness,¡± Ouka remarked casually, making the knife a little more visible.


    Mazel didn¡¯t seem fazed by it at all. ¡°Alright. Day told me that there wasn¡¯t a point in lying to you. I¡¯m a Fos¡ªthe Messengers of Danai, the lights she uses to guide and protect mortals. And if you need proof¡±¡ªin front of both of them, she turned into some kind of bird, flew around the room, then transformed back and sat down again¡ª¡°there it is. My ¡®siblings¡¯ and I have been going all around the world, making sure as few people as possible get caught up in the storm of fate that¡¯s soon approaching. Everything in the world has a cause and an effect. I¡¯m here right now in order to help pull you out of a disaster you¡¯ve unknowingly placed yourself into.¡±


    Brenan found himself just barely following what she was saying up until that point. He¡¯d never been the smartest person¡ªhe literally never went to school for a day in his life¡ªbut he thought he just might understand her.


    And then she said something that was completely incomprehensible to him. ¡°The way I¡¯m going to do that is by allowing the two of you a chance at redemption. I¡¯ll walk you through the steps of becoming new people, so that you¡¯re no longer tied down to the path you¡¯re treading down now.¡±


    ¡°How¡¯s someone like you supposed to do anything, again?¡± Ouka prompted, obviously not the least bit convinced. ¡°Who¡¯s to say what we¡¯re doing now has anything to do with our pasts, anyway?¡±


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    Honestly, Brenan thought it was a weird question. He understood exactly how his past led to the life he now had¡ªhe¡¯d never had a chance to change what he¡¯d been born into. He assumed Ouka was a lot similar to him in that regard. So¡­ maybe she wasn¡¯t really asking because she didn¡¯t know.


    Maybe she was asking just to see what Mazel¡¯s reaction would be.


    ¡°I already said that nothing in this world acts independently,¡± she said. There was no hint of fear or panic in her expression; her tone showed nothing but gentle understanding. ¡°I would think you¡¯d see it. Two people like you don¡¯t just decide to be thieves because you want to. You had a reason to hide. A reason to lurk in the shadows. A reason to steal. If things had just been a little different, you both would¡¯ve had a different path¡ªthat¡¯s just how things work. But the path you¡¯re going down now is going to do nothing but harm you and others around you. All you have to do is let me help you choose a new path, one that you can truly control and mold into your own.¡±


    ¡°Ouka, I really don¡¯t think she¡¯s lying about any of this,¡± Brenan pointed out. ¡°I don¡¯t know how someone could lie about any of this¡­¡±


    And to his surprise, Ouka sighed. ¡°Fine. I guess we¡¯re just going to keep running in circles if we don¡¯t do this. But let me make one thing clear: if shit gets weird, we¡¯re out of here.¡±


    Mazel nodded. ¡°I¡¯m perfectly okay with that.¡±


    ¡°What are we going to have to do?¡± Brenan asked. ¡°Is it a ¡®three trials¡¯ sort of thing, or..?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to need you to face parts of your past. Only by overcoming the fears that brought you to be here can you learn to move past them and create a new future.¡± Mazel gave a glance to Ouka, undoubtedly just to make sure she didn¡¯t consider this to be stepping out of line. ¡°And the first step to doing that¡­ is going to have to be by making Brenan talk to the members of his old group.¡±


    Oh, Ouka didn¡¯t like that. ¡°That is an abso-fucking-lutely terrible idea! How the hell is that supposed to help things? As far as I¡¯m concerned, the only thing they are is bad news. Do you even realize what they do? Who they are?¡±


    ¡°Ouka,¡± Brenan began calmly, ¡°I think it¡¯s going to be okay. I trust Mazel and I¡¯m willing to trust whatever process she has in mind. If this is what it takes¡­ I¡¯m willing to try.¡±


    Mazel smiled. ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. I promise that I¡¯ve got this all under control, too¡ªI¡¯m here to make things better, not worse, and I¡¯m certain in my abilities to do so. This is, though, something only for Brenan to do. I¡¯m afraid you can¡¯t really be a part of it, Ouka.¡±


    ¡°Can I watch?¡± she asked, her frown deepening. Brenan knew that tone; no matter the answer, she was going to do it anyway.


    After a moment, Mazel nodded. ¡°As soon as you don¡¯t interfere with what happens, then it¡¯s alright for you to watch. Just stay out of the way and remember everything I¡¯ve told you so far.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± Brenan tried, in hopes it might assure Ouka more. He had his doubts about the situation as a whole, but¡­ he knew he could rely on Mazel, too. He knew she meant everything she¡¯d said so far. Even if he didn¡¯t have any real reason to, he just knew.


    Ouka didn¡¯t seem completely convinced, but she didn¡¯t say anything else.


    Mazel then turned to Brenan. ¡°So if that¡¯s all done, how about we get started? You¡¯ve already seen a couple of them in town, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Brenan nodded. ¡°They were on the other side of town.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like you to bring me to them. I¡¯m not going to be able to be with you as I am now, but I promise I¡¯ll stay close. I¡¯ll be watching how well you do.¡±


    ¡°And¡­ what is it that I¡¯m supposed to be doing..?¡±


    ¡°I want you to try to show them what they¡¯re doing and how it¡¯s hurting others¡­ and I want you to try to show them that change is possible, if they decide to fight where they stand now.¡±


    He suddenly had a feeling that his wasn¡¯t going to end well¡­

 Redemption: Chapter 3

    {-Brenan-}


    He was the kind of person that nobles¡ªmost people, probably¡ªliked to pretend didn¡¯t exist.


    The one with hardly a recollection of his birth parents. The one who became a street urchin, the one or two copper coins to his name gone by the evening for food. The one who had never had formal education, who couldn¡¯t write at all, and who could barely understand what letters made up his name.


    He¡¯d heard conversations from adults, and they never quite seemed to get it. They thought he was like this because of some fault of his parents; sometimes, they might claim it a fault of the region¡¯s policies. But they said it, they¡¯d look at him, and they¡¯d do nothing. In the end, it didn¡¯t matter what had brought him there. He was there now and, in their eyes, that was where he¡¯d stay.


    Wasn¡¯t exactly like anything else made it easier for him to change.


    Given his young age, he¡¯d bounced between a lot of different groups¡ªmostly between slightly-older boys, who¡¯d use him to get a couple of coins, then give him a piece of bread for his efforts. He didn¡¯t really think one would stick, until he found the last one he ultimately went to.


    The group seemed to have traveled, since he heard some of the kids¡ªthere was a variety of them¡ªtalking about their distant birthplaces. Or, at least, he assumed they were distant. Everything seemed so big, so vast, to him back then.


    But none of that compared to the leader.


    He was tall for someone his age and was just as confident as some of the older teens. Maybe that¡¯s why everyone was so willing to follow him; he promised to understand their troubles and he looked like someone who¡¯d keep his promises. At first, Brenan thought he was mean to the others¡ªsoon, though, he began to associate that part of the leader¡¯s personality with care. That¡¯s what it was: his care for the others, his wish to see them all survive in a hostile environment.


    It wasn¡¯t too long after he welcomed Brenan that he gathered everyone together.


    ¡°I¡¯m happy to announce that we¡¯ve finally done it!¡± the leader said once everyone had gathered together. ¡°We¡¯ve gained enough members that I think it¡¯s time we can make a real difference! We were just getting day to day before, but I have a new idea. All those nobles and rich guys¡­ we¡¯re going to even the playing fields a little. We steal from them, we help each other, then we can help the others, too. Together, we can make things better for everyone!¡±


    Brenan should¡¯ve known it sounded a little too good to be true.


    ¡­


    ¡°Hey, Brenan!¡± The leader walked up to him. ¡°I¡¯ve got a mission for you.¡±


    As soon as he heard those words, Brenan was up in an instant. He¡¯d seen what the older kids had done. He wanted to be a part of the good that they were doing. Excitedly, he asked, ¡°What is it?¡±


    The leader gestured towards the street, where several people were walking around. ¡°See that kid over there? The short and chubby one. I want you to see how many coins he has on him¡ªyou¡¯re the smallest out of all of us, a little bit of pickpocketing should be no problem for you.¡±


    Brenan, suddenly finding himself more cautious than happy, pointed to who he feared the leader was talking about. ¡°That one..?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°He looks like us¡­¡±


    ¡°But he¡¯s not.¡±


    ¡°Why? I think I saw him with his family. They didn¡¯t look noble¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because they aren¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°You said¡ª¡±


    ¡°I said that we took care of each other first.¡± The leader was rather casual when he said it. ¡°I don¡¯t care what else that kid¡¯s going through, the fact of the matter is, he has what we need. And you¡¯re either going to get out there and do what I asked, or you¡¯re getting out there and not coming back. It''s up to you whether or not you want to not go hungry.¡±


    Brenan knew he didn¡¯t really have a choice, so he nodded. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll do it¡­¡±


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    ¡­


    Things only got worse from there.


    At first, he was able to justify it to himself. After all, the leader still did make sure that all of the kids in the group were taken care of. Another kid could join if their situation ended up being similar to one of the others, right? So there wasn¡¯t really any harm done. He told himself he was only doing this to help his friends¡ªthe closest thing to a family that he had. He had to stick with them.


    Until¡­


    ¡°I¡¯m not doing it,¡± Brenan said, mustering a surprising amount of confidence. ¡°I¡¯m not taking anything from that kid.¡±


    The leader¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°And why not?¡±


    ¡°I talked with him earlier. His parents are dead, he¡¯s looking out for his little sister all on his own. I¡¯m not going to take anything from them. I think they need it more than I do.¡±


    The leader sighed. ¡°Gods, you should know by now that all of that¡¯s just a sob story. You¡¯re falling for it.¡±


    ¡°For what?¡±


    ¡°The tricks. Whatever that kid will say that will keep you from doing anything. He¡¯s just lying to you.¡±


    ¡°Then prove it to me.¡±


    ¡°Do you really need proof? What about the proof that we need it?¡±


    ¡°The past three times you¡¯ve asked me to do this, when I gave it to you, you acted like it never existed. As far as I can tell, no one saw that money¡ªor anything bought with it¡ªaside from you.¡±


    ¡°And what¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±


    The leader didn¡¯t give Brenan time to answer¡ªhe grabbed the edge of Brenan¡¯s shirt and tugged him closer.


    ¡°Look,¡± the leader hissed in his ear, ¡°you¡¯re still the runt. Need I remind you I¡¯m the only reason you¡¯re even alive right now? Go on and try to live on your own if you want. I¡¯m not going to stop you if you want to make the worst decision of your life.¡± He shoved Brenan back to the ground. ¡°So? What¡¯ll it be?¡±


    Brenan kept his eyes fixed on the ground. ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡±


    ¡°Good, there¡¯s still something left in that brain of yours. Now get going, we don¡¯t have all day.¡±


    ¡­


    When their names¡ªor, at least, what he assumed were their names¡ªgot plastered on wanted posters around town, that was their sign to move. That was how they found themselves in a large city that must¡¯ve been a day away from the border.


    It was also one of the harshest winters he could remember. Yet, on his way back from something in another town, he came across a girl in the snow.


    A girl that, though wrapped in a coat better than what he could¡¯ve gotten, almost seemed cold to the touch and didn¡¯t respond to a single word he said.


    So he carried her back to the others, hoping he could come up with some excuse of why he brought her in, instead of just robbing and leaving her.


    He wasn¡¯t the best at knowing exactly what to do, but another kid¡ªone of the nicer ones, and who was often called their medic¡ªwas willing to help him. Together, they figured the girl would be alright so long as she stayed warm and woke up soon.


    As he stayed with her¡ªtoo afraid to leave her, given she¡¯d be waking up in an unfamiliar place¡ªhe heard arguments between the medic and the leader. He just tried his best to ignore them.


    He decided he was going to help this girl, as much as he was able to, for as long as he could. Maybe that could make up for all of the bad things he¡¯d done over the past couple of years¡­


    ¡­


    The girl¡¯s name was Ouka. Her green hair was about shoulder length and looked like a mess. Underneath that coat¡ªwhich was taken as ¡°payment¡± for helping her¡ªwas nothing more than simple servant¡¯s clothes. The leader was upset when he saw it; he¡¯d been hoping she was a nobleman¡¯s daughter, or someone else they could hold ransom for. She proved from the moment she woke up, though, that she wasn¡¯t worth even a fragment of that.


    That she¡¯d been abandoned.


    But that was the only information Brenan could get from her about her past, even years later.


    And even though she proved to be a pretty good pickpocket, it wasn¡¯t long until the leader came up to them both and tossed a map at them.


    ¡°I want both of you gone in an hour,¡± he announced. ¡°And I don¡¯t want to see your faces here again.¡±


    Brenan couldn¡¯t quite believe what he was hearing. ¡°Wait, why? What did we do?¡±


    ¡°What haven¡¯t you done? You¡¯ve been opposing me for years, and this damn kid¡¯s nothing more than a dead weight.¡± The leader didn¡¯t have even a drop of sympathy in his tone. ¡°You¡¯re lucky I waited this long, really. You¡¯re both going to go, and we¡¯re never going to see each other again.¡±


    Ouka, always braver than Brenan in the face of authority, questioned, ¡°Or else?¡±


    The leader casually slipped out a dagger from somewhere. ¡°The both of you can see if Vriuh really does exist, and I¡¯m sure you¡¯re both smarter than to try to risk that. I know Brenan, at least, understands I¡¯m not a person of empty threats.¡±


    Slowly, Brenan nodded. ¡°Right. We¡¯ll leave as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°Good. I hope for your sake you never come around here again¡ªand that no one from here sees you out there.¡± The leader laughed. ¡°Hell, I hope that you realize exactly how right we were¡­ as you¡¯re both starving in some gods-forsaken back alley.¡±

 Extras: Art- Pride

    I''d originally intended to do some more chibis of characters holding pride flags, but... well, by the time I''m queuing this, I don''t have any of that done yet. I might just be able to get some drawings done, though, and posted on my Tumblr (link in the author''s note), so keep an eye out there if there''s something you might be interested in! Even if I can''t get around to doing it, I do still post art every Monday and Wednesday, and sometimes upload story snippets of past/upcoming chapters in Friday.


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 Redemption: Chapter 4

    {-Brenan-}


    He was as ready as he was going to be, stepping into where he¡¯d seen them, with Ouka trailing behind him and Mazel¡ªwho¡¯d turned into a bird again¡ªresting on a perch nearby. Or, at least, that¡¯s what he told himself as he came out into the open.


    But he soon realized that saying was much more different than doing, as nearly directly across from him was someone from the old group¡ªsomeone he¡¯d once looked up to¡­ Someone who was practically beating up a kid for just a little bit of spare coins.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything to you!¡± the kid cried.


    The thief from the group grabbed his arm. ¡°No, but you¡¯ve certainly got what I want! Come on and pay up¡ªyou¡¯re not walking through our territory without a payment!¡±


    Mazel made an enthusiastic chirp, which Brenan took to mean, Go! Do what I said! Now¡¯s your chance to change something!


    And he, quietly so then the kid and thief couldn¡¯t hear him, responded as if she¡¯d actually said it, ¡°I¡ªI think I might be having some second thoughts about how ready I was. Walking through their territory is one thing. Interrupting them from mugging somebody? I don¡¯t want someone to get hurt¡­¡±


    Another more defiant tweet, which he assumed meant, Someone¡¯s getting hurt right now, only because you aren¡¯t doing anything! You can change that!


    Brenan looked back at the kid, hoping that maybe he¡¯d be able to run away on his own. It didn¡¯t look like it.


    So, Brenan took a deep breath and, cautiously, moved a bit closer before calling, ¡°Hey, keep your hands off that kid! He¡¯s done nothing to you!¡±


    The thief looked over her shoulder, though visibly eased to see it was him. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you. I¡¯d say I barely recognize you, but you¡¯ve barely changed a bit, you know! Nice to see you¡¯re not any smarter, though. I thought Boss told you to stay out of our way.¡± There was nothing friendly about her tone; it was menacing, as she must¡¯ve truly felt that no shared past connected them now.


    ¡°Maybe, but at least I still have some kind of morals.¡± He dared to step a bit closer. ¡°Just let the kid go.¡±


    ¡°Or what?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I don¡¯t think either of us would like it.¡± He glanced at where Mazel was, wondering if he was doing the right thing. She let out another chirp, which he assumed meant that he was. He turned to the thief and said, ¡°Look, I¡­ don¡¯t really think you want to do this.¡±


    The thief seemed more confused than anything. ¡°And what the hell¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±


    ¡°I remember you. You were one of the first kids to join. I think¡­ you were there to try to help your parents, right? They didn¡¯t have a lot, but you wanted to help them.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, and? Or is that it, you¡¯re just trying to distract me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not trying to distract you. When he started ordering us to rob other kids¡ªpeople who weren¡¯t nobles, who really weren¡¯t any different from us¡ªyou tried arguing with him. You pointed out how your parents, the same people you were trying to help, were the same as the people he made you steal from. But he didn¡¯t listen and he knew that, no matter what, you¡¯d stay. Because you didn¡¯t think you¡¯d have a chance without him¡ªthat he was the only reason you¡¯d been able to feed your family. But you know the only one that ever said that? Him, right before he asked one of us to go against the reason we¡¯d joined him to begin with.¡±


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    The thief hesitated, but ultimately put her dagger closer to the kid. ¡°What gives you the right to talk about any of this, anyway? What makes you qualified to say all that? Last I checked, you weren¡¯t with us anymore.¡±


    Brenan took a deep breath to remind himself to stay calm. ¡°That¡¯s exactly why. He told me the same things he¡¯s telling you, and look where I am. Not dead. Not reliant on him. And you don¡¯t have to be, either.¡±


    ¡°So you really never did change. I¡¯d think by now you¡¯d know that the world isn¡¯t black and white. It isn¡¯t as simple as ¡®I did it, so you can too.¡¯ You don¡¯t have anyone. It¡¯s about the only thing you have going for you.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m not alone.¡±


    She raised an eyebrow. Brenan gestured for Ouka to come out, even if she was clearly apprehensive about the whole thing.


    ¡°Wait, that kid you hung around with?¡± The thief looked between the two of them in disbelief. ¡°You mean she didn¡¯t ditch you for wherever she came from?¡±


    ¡°Unlike all of you, I don¡¯t just abandon someone the moment they stop being useful,¡± Ouka remarked. ¡°And I¡¯m sure as hell a more reliable ally than any of you.¡±


    Brenan brought them back on topic. ¡°See? Things aren¡¯t really that different between us. So just let the kid go. You don¡¯t have to keep doing this.¡±


    The thief looked between him, Ouka, and the kid¡­ then let out a tsk, grabbed the kid¡¯s pouch, and ran.


    The kid was clearly confused, if not slightly afraid, for whatever was going to happen. He didn¡¯t look any better when Brenan slowly approached him.


    ¡°Do you have a family?¡± Brenan asked. ¡°Are you out here for them?¡±


    Cautiously, the boy nodded. ¡°My little sister¡¯s back home. I was just out to buy medicine for her, but got a little lost, and ended up here¡­¡±


    ¡°If you take that street, just keep walking straight until you¡¯re back in the main part of town. Stay out of the alleys and no one else is going to try to hurt you.¡± Brenan took out a couple of copper coins he¡¯d acquired. ¡°I don¡¯t know if this will make up for what she stole from you, but¡­ I hope it¡¯s enough for something.¡±


    ¡°It definitely is. I¡¯ll be able to get what I need with this.¡± The boy took one step to leave¡ªlikely planning to make a dash for it¡ªbefore hesitating. He looked at Brenan, and briefly made eye contact with Ouka. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Then the kid was running off, back to where he¡¯d hopefully be able to stay out of trouble.


    Brenan felt pretty good about himself, actually, before he noticed the look that Ouka had. ¡°What¡¯s that for? Come on, you heard what he said¡ªhe needed it.¡±


    ¡°And we could¡¯ve used that, too,¡± she pointed out, apparently indifferent to the act of kindness.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think that giving is supposed to be a part of making a better life for ourselves?¡±


    ¡°Not when we¡¯re just as hungry as they are.¡±


    He sighed, mumbling some sort of agreement since he knew he wasn¡¯t going to succeed in convincing her. Luckily, they didn¡¯t have to be in silence for long, because Mazel flew over to them and transformed back into her human form.


    ¡°He¡¯s right,¡± she said to Ouka. ¡°You can¡¯t stay in your old habits¡ªit¡¯s not going to lead to anything.¡±


    Ouka muttered something, but it was impossible to tell if it was in protest or agreement.


    Then Mazel turned to Brenan and smiled. ¡°I think you¡¯ve learned a lot¡ªor, rather, let yourself experience what you¡¯ve always believed. You did a great job.¡±


    ¡°But this¡­ isn¡¯t exactly the end, though, is it..?¡± Brenan prompted. She looked like she had more to say, more that she was planning.


    She shrugged. ¡°It could be, or there might still be a lot left to do. It¡¯s all up to you, in the end, to make your own future.¡± She looked at both of them. ¡°No matter what, there¡¯s still some other things we need to do. Ouka needs to come to face her past, too.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t know how you plan on making me do that,¡± Ouka remarked. It was hard to tell if she was nervous or just indifferent. ¡°All my demons are far away.¡±


    ¡°You say that like you¡¯re kept to one spot,¡± Mazel pointed out. ¡°There¡¯s no need to fear it¡ªyou saw how Brenan did. Even if you don¡¯t want to, you¡¯re going to need to face it like he did, too. I can¡¯t say we¡¯re completely done here, but we should start preparing like we are.¡±


    ¡°And that means..?¡±


    ¡°You two should start packing for a trip to Qizar.¡±

 Redemption: Chapter 5

    {-Brenan-}


    ¡°I think we¡¯re going to need to go out and get a few things¡­¡± Ouka mumbled. She¡¯d just gathered practically all of their belongings. ¡°All of this isn¡¯t going to last us a very long trip.¡±


    ¡°Do you think we have enough coins for it?¡± Brenan asked. ¡°I can talk to that old lady again. It sounded like she had more work I could do, I just have to ask for it.¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll need it, we¡¯re just going to have to go shopping. We should have enough to get something we can stretch out until we get there.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m assuming you honestly mean buying something, and not using it as another term for stealing?¡± Mazel prompted. She¡¯d been so quiet the past hour or so, he could¡¯ve nearly forgotten she was there.


    If it weren¡¯t for the fact that she was the only reason they were doing this, that is.


    ¡°Of course I mean actually buying it,¡± Ouka remarked. ¡°What do you think we intend to do, just go back on everything and probably ruin our chances of making this better?¡±


    Mazel casually shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m a lot older than I look¡ªI¡¯ve seen and heard all sorts of things. I know how it only takes one little thing for a mortal to default back to what they¡¯ve always known. I¡¯ve probably seen it more times than I can count, actually.¡±


    ¡°Well, then, I guess I can just thank you for your honesty,¡± Ouka muttered sarcastically. She turned to Brenan and, casually, asked, ¡°Are you ready to go yet? The sooner we get going, the sooner we can be done.¡±


    Brenan nodded. ¡°I think I¡¯ve got what we need.¡± He glanced at Mazel. ¡°Are you going to come..? You¡¯ve wanted to be around us for everything else, I figured you¡¯d want to be with us now, too.¡±


    She considered it, but ultimately shook her head. ¡°I think I¡¯m going to stay here, get a little bit more rest for myself. I¡¯ll be fine on my own, just make sure you have everything you need for your trip.¡±


    ¡°Then I guess that really is everything.¡± When he said it, Ouka was already heading out the door, but Brenan made sure to offer a quick wave goodbye before leaving.


    Ouka was walking quicker than usual. While a part of him knew it could¡¯ve just been the need to finish it, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder otherwise, and after a minute he found himself asking¡­


    ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    Of course, she gave the vaguest possible answer. ¡°We can talk about it later.¡±


    ¡°But maybe you¡¯ll feel better if you talk about it now..?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely not.¡±


    ¡°O-okay then, I guess I¡¯m just going to have to take your w¡ª¡°


    Suddenly, she pushed him to the side of the wall and covered his mouth. It didn¡¯t take him long to realize what it was for.


    The thief and her leader were talking, just barely out of earshot. When it seemed like they weren¡¯t paying attention, Ouka released Brenan, but she still remained tense.


    ¡°I think we should try to go a different way,¡± she said.


    ¡°But this is pretty much the only spot that¡¯s not going to immediately arrest us,¡± he pointed out. ¡°I don¡¯t think we have a lot of options here¡­¡±


    She might¡¯ve said something else, but they both grew silent realizing something. As the thief was talking to the leader, she kept glancing over at the two of them. Eventually the leader must¡¯ve asked her something, something she didn¡¯t immediately want to comply with¡­ but a dagger to the throat was a good motivator, and she pointed towards the two of them.


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    Ouka let out a blunt ¡°Well, shit.¡± when their eyes met the leader¡¯s. Brenan shared the sentiment.


    The leader walked up to them calmly, but nothing could mask his menacing air. ¡°So, the rumors are true¡ªthe two of you thought you¡¯d make this place your hunting grounds. Did you really think you¡¯d just slip past our notice? Must be pretty bold, too, if you¡¯re this close to it¡­¡±


    ¡°Just let us go,¡± Brenan said, trying to stay as level-toned as he could. He¡¯d learned a long time ago that the leader wasn¡¯t someone he should show fear around. ¡°We¡¯re not doing anything to you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re being the worst eyesore on this side of the damn continent,¡± the leader shot back. ¡°I¡¯d say that¡¯s worth some kind of punishment.¡±


    Ouka sighed. She was already pulling out her knife. ¡°Come on, Brenan, this guy¡¯s not going to give up. Wouldn¡¯t be surprised if he wouldn¡¯t get his people to corner us if we tried to leave. Let¡¯s just get this over with.¡±


    ¡°But I don¡¯t want to fight,¡± Brenan said. ¡°We¡¯re supposed to be better than this¡­¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re not, though. And sometimes, the only time you¡¯re going to get anything through a thick skull is to beat them at their own game.¡±


    He wanted to argue¡ªto point out this probably wasn¡¯t what Mazel wanted them to do¡ªbut he knew he wasn¡¯t going to be able to talk any sense into her. So he just nodded, revealing his own knife.


    The leader laughed. ¡°I would¡¯ve thought you¡¯d gone to someone that at least treated you better! The damn girl¡¯s walking all over you. Maybe that¡¯s exactly what you need¡ªsomeone to give you directions, to command your every movement. Wouldn¡¯t be surprised if you don¡¯t have any free will of your own.¡±


    ¡°Just leave us alone,¡± Brenan said, almost pleading. ¡°I don¡¯t want to start a fight.¡±


    ¡°Then you should¡¯ve never come here,¡± the leader responded simply. He drew a dagger, glaring at the thief until she did the same. ¡°I need to let you know that I¡¯ve never been a man of empty threats. It¡¯s about time you pay for messing with us.¡±


    He spared practically no time in rushing up to them. Unluckily for him, both of them had grown a fair bit of experience in these kinds of situations; unluckily for them, however, they were soon split up when the thief came into the mix.


    Eventually Brenan had the leader pinned, but the thief had more or less done the same to Ouka. One move would determine the outcome of the situation.


    And Brenan was the one who could make that decision.


    ¡°I bet you don¡¯t have the guts to do it,¡± the leader taunted. ¡°I¡¯d like to see you try.¡±


    ¡°I can get myself out of this!¡± Ouka shouted. ¡°If you can do it, Brenan, then no one¡¯s going to come after us anymore! Those guys aren¡¯t going to know what to do without their leader!¡±


    Brenan looked between the leader and Ouka. He knew the leader was capable of giving out last-minute commands, and how likely those would be to be followed. There was no guarantee that, either way, Ouka would be allowed to be let go.


    But he felt like he just had to hope for the best in others. Violence wasn¡¯t going to solve violence.


    So he stepped back from the leader, putting his knife back. ¡°Please go. I don¡¯t want to hurt you.¡±


    The leader was already running off, with the thief glancing between them all in confusion before doing the same.


    Brenan walked back to Ouka. ¡°You aren¡¯t hurt, right?¡±


    ¡°Of course I¡¯m not. I would¡¯ve been better if you¡¯d ended it, though. Then no one would have to worry about that damn guy anymore.¡±


    ¡°Then that other lady might¡¯ve hurt you. And if she didn¡¯t, then someone else would¡¯ve. It wouldn¡¯t have solved anything in the end.¡±


    ¡°When the hell did you get so philosophical?¡±


    A bird fluttered past them, before turning into Mazel. ¡°Brenan¡¯s right,¡± she said. ¡°I was following you from the beginning. I wanted to see if he was able to make the right choice on his own¡ªone that came completely from him, and not just because he knew I was there.¡± She turned to him and smiled. ¡°And I¡¯m proud to say that he¡¯s passed this test with flying colors.¡±


    ¡°Wait, really?¡± Brenan paused, then dared to ask, ¡°Does that mean what I think it does..?¡±


    She nodded. ¡°You¡¯ve earned your redemption. A new future¡¯s waiting for you¡ªyou¡¯ve already accepted it. You know that there¡¯s no going back, and you¡¯re okay with that. So let¡¯s get you both to the point where you can have your happily ever after.¡± She spoke to both of them when she continued, though her eyes were on Ouka. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯m going to follow you around for the rest of the shopping trip. I think you should buy what you need, then go back home and rest. We can make our way to Qizar in the morning. There, Ouka will be able to find her redemption, too. Oh, and Ouka? There¡¯s nothing to be worried about. I¡¯m sure yours will go just as well as Brenan¡¯s.¡±


    Ouka mumbled something that made it clear she wasn¡¯t so sure.

 Extras: Art- Volume 4

    ¡°There are some things that one might choose to forget¡ªwhether it might benefit or harm the generations to come after them. Sometimes, these things are best left in the past¡­ others, they¡¯re the only way to move forward. But what really makes the distinction? After all, they¡¯re both things that will only become apparent after those pieces of the past have already been rediscovered¡­¡±


    Stolen novel; please report.


    Volume 4 of The Butterfly Effect is out now! Well, it was actually out last week, but I didn''t update the extra then to announce it. This volume includes The Fiction in Fact and The Girl Under the Bed, and the cover art is of the mysterious friend of Tyrus, Feldr, and Komaeda. I''ll link the volume''s Amazon page in the author''s note!


    Thank you all for reading and I hope you join me for all the other things I have planned!

 Redemption: Chapter 6

    {-Ouka-}


    She hated everything about this. But she had to go along with it, because that was the only way things would change.


    A change she didn¡¯t necessarily want, granted, but a change a part of her knew she needed.


    She tried figuring out what she was going to be facing before they left, but Mazel refused to share anything. Maybe she thought that Ouka would just run away from the problem. And, well, that wasn¡¯t completely wrong.


    But Ouka wasn¡¯t about to admit that Mazel was completely right either. Ouka had a reputation to uphold, after all, and she wasn¡¯t about to let all of it fall apart now.


    After a couple of days of traveling, they eventually found themselves in a small town closer to the border. She didn¡¯t recognize the place, but she still felt something familiar about it. Probably just because it was the closest thing to her ¡°true home¡± that she¡¯d been since meeting Brenan.


    ¡°Hey, are you sure you¡¯re alright?¡± Brenan asked once they¡¯d both settled down at an inn. They¡¯d already ordered something simple for themselves and Mazel had disappeared about an hour ago. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen you like this¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Ouka was quieter than she wanted to be, though. ¡°I guess you could say I¡¯m a little nervous. But that¡¯s the extent of it.¡±


    ¡°Even just seeing you ¡®nervous¡¯ is a little bit disconcerting¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re just going to have to deal with it. This is just how it¡¯s going to have to be until we finish this whole thing.¡±


    It took him a moment, but eventually he asked, ¡°You really don¡¯t want to do this, do you..?¡±


    ¡°Of course I don¡¯t. I still can¡¯t exactly believe that kid¡¯s going to do anything more than waste our time.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve seen that she¡¯s what she says she is¡ªa Fos. That isn¡¯t reassurance enough that she can at least do something to change this?¡±


    ¡°Not when I¡¯ve been raised to believe that the gods don¡¯t have the powers to uphold their promises. Even if they did, they probably didn¡¯t have the intention of keeping them anyway. What has Mazel even done, really? Aside from turning into a bird, she hasn¡¯t made things any different. It wasn¡¯t really her that did anything. She¡¯s just been asking us to put us in situations that, frankly, could¡¯ve gone a lot different.¡±


    At the sight of Brenan¡¯s discouraged frown, Ouka sighed.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care whether or not I¡¯m going to spend the rest of my life wandering the streets, or even if I¡¯ve ended up doing something worse. I don¡¯t think there¡¯s really a way to reverse the kinds of things I¡¯ve been a part of, and I¡¯m perfectly fine with accepting the punishment for that. I know for a fact that you don¡¯t deserve this, though. The only fault you had was being in the wrong place at the wrong time. So¡­ I¡¯ll do this for you. Frankly you¡¯re the only reason I¡¯m putting up with this weird bullshit. For your sake¡­ I¡¯ll hope this all turns out alright in the end, and you get the ending you¡¯re hoping for.¡±


    Brenan faltered. She couldn¡¯t blame him, for thinking that she¡¯d see the challenges ahead of her and simply run away from them. After all, that¡¯s what she¡¯d done in the past, and that¡¯s what she preferred to do. But she didn¡¯t want to risk doing it now, because she made her mind up about something else; she needed to do this for him. The gods were unpredictable¡ªthough they claimed him redeemed now, what if she didn¡¯t do the same? Would they take it away from him, too? And that wasn¡¯t something he deserved.


    Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    So this was just something she had to suffer through.


    ¡°Well,¡± Brenan eventually said. ¡°We¡¯ll probably know what we¡¯re doing tomorrow morning¡ªMazel said she¡¯d explain it to us then. Maybe it won¡¯t be as bad as you fear it will.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not holding on to much hope.¡±


    ¡­


    Ouka was half expecting Mazel not to show up at all, or at least to show up at some completely inconvenient time. Surprisingly, though, she was there by the next morning¡ªand way too peppy for someone awake this early. Then again, if she was related to the gods, she probably didn¡¯t have the same needs mortals did from the beginning¡­


    ¡°Now,¡± Mazel said in what Ouka considered an almost condescending tone, ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re wondering what you¡¯re going to be doing.¡±


    ¡°Just get to the point,¡± Ouka remarked with a sigh. After a moment, she dared to ask, ¡°It¡¯s not¡­ going to take as much talking to others as Brenan had to do, right..? I want to avoid that level of confrontation if at all possible. I can¡¯t promise I¡¯m going to follow all your directions if I have to deal with people.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry. We want you to succeed, after all, so we took your individual strengths and weaknesses into account. I think you¡¯re going to like what your task is. Well¡­ maybe not like, but it definitely doesn¡¯t involve the same things that Brenan had to do.¡±


    ¡°So what is it? Probably still something complicated or probably dangerous, I¡¯m assuming?¡±


    Mazel gestured them both a little closer so she could show them a simple map. One messy possibly-town read We Are Here and another, just-as-indeterminate building had This is Where You Go beside it.


    ¡°If this is your handwriting, it¡¯s sloppy as hell,¡± Ouka couldn¡¯t stop herself from remarking.


    Mazel completely ignored her. ¡°This point right here is where you¡¯re going. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve heard of the White Ravens, right? I know you don¡¯t want to talk about it, so I won¡¯t go into too many details. Just know that this is one of their bases. Now I know what that look is for, but just hear me out.¡± She pointed, specifically, to the building on the map. ¡°There¡¯s two things in here I want you to get. The first is a copy of the reports they have¡ªnot the reports themselves, just some copies. They can keep the originals. The next, and what I feel is more important, is a bird they¡¯re keeping in the base. I don¡¯t know exactly where they are, but you need to set them free¡ªeven better if you can bring them back with you.¡±


    ¡°What do you need papers and a bird for?¡±


    ¡°We can talk about that part later.¡±


    ¡°Do you really want me to just accept that as an answer?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going to have to, because that¡¯s the most I¡¯m allowed to tell you right now.¡±


    ¡°And who¡¯s trying to stop me from knowing more than that? What else do you have planned with all of this stuff?¡±


    Mazel first seemed ready to say something, but then paused and took a deep breath. ¡°I know it¡¯s hard for you to just accept what I¡¯m trying to tell you, but you¡¯re going to have to trust me. Let¡¯s just say that both of the things I want you to get are very important. Possibly more than you realize. But I just can¡¯t share the details right now. I want you focused on completing the task, not thinking about everything else that¡¯s involved with it. Alright?¡±


    Ouka, though partially begrudging, nodded. ¡°When do you want me to get started?¡±


    ¡°I think it would be best if you could start now. I¡¯m not completely sure how many people would be there, but it¡¯s only going to get busier later in the day.¡±


    ¡°How do you expect me to get in, by the way? You do realize the Ravens guard their bases, right? It might not be with the conventional methods, but they¡¯ve got their ways, and I doubt they¡¯re going to let me in just because I ask nicely.¡±


    ¡°It probably won¡¯t be as hard as you¡¯re imagining it to be. Trust me, all you¡¯ve got to do is focus on your mission. Everything else will fall into place from there.¡± Mazel gestured for them to follow her. ¡°Now, come on. I¡¯ll walk the two of you to the base, then you can go inside and complete the mission. Once you do that, you¡¯ll both have your redemption. I can promise you that much, if you¡¯re willing to trust me.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t have too much of a choice if I want to change things, do I?¡± Ouka remarked. ¡°Let¡¯s just get this over with. The sooner it¡¯s done, the better. Then maybe we¡¯ll have something to show for all of this trouble¡­¡±

 Redemption: Chapter 7

    {-Ouka-}


    She¡¯d like to say she remembered something more substantial; a laugh, a smile. But there was nothing, aside from a couple of blurry memories and two figures she just assumed had been her parents. She couldn¡¯t be too sure, because soon enough all of her memories of them faded¡ªnearly to the point of wondering if they¡¯d ever really existed in the first place.


    She always assumed that it was real, though, because she didn¡¯t quite understand why she¡¯d make something like this up.


    ¡°You said we were going out to town,¡± Ouka pointed out, confused. ¡°This isn¡¯t town¡­¡±


    Her mother completely ignored her. ¡°You¡¯re going to be staying here for a while. See, Lord Hiero will be taking care of you.¡±


    Her father nodded. ¡°You¡¯re going to be what we call a vassal. As long as you listen to what he has to tell you, then you¡¯re going to do just fine.¡±


    Ouka looked between both of them, but she found no answers in their expressions. ¡°You¡¯re going to come back, right?¡±


    The door of the estate swung open, revealing a grin she thought menacing even then.


    ¡°Hello, there!¡± The man swept down and was already trying to usher her inside. She was able to spare one last glance at her parents before he said, ¡°I¡¯m Lord Hiero. I assure you, I have quite a few plans for someone like you¡­ You needn¡¯t worry about a thing, if you just do everything I say.¡±


    Then the door closed. Ouka couldn¡¯t remember if her parents were smiling or frowning¡ªif, once they no longer saw her, they laughed or cried.


    She was just sure that they never looked back.


    ¡­


    She was not the first of Hiero¡¯s ¡°vassals,¡± nor was she the last. She didn¡¯t know who truly held both of those titles and, frankly, she didn¡¯t think she wanted to. Something told her that both were long gone, whether damned in hell or having lost all sense of morality.


    Which she always thought was kind of funny, coming from her¡ªthe one who¡¯d be more than willing to kill a man if it meant a week¡¯s worth of food.


    Then again, perhaps she could claim that it was something Hiero taught her.


    ¡°I¡¯d like you to deliver this to a friend of mine,¡± he said. He didn¡¯t kneel to be at eye level; no, he towered over her, and seemed to enjoy every moment of it. He handed her a little envelope, one she was certain she didn¡¯t want to open. ¡°But that¡¯s all you should do. Get it where it needs to be and come right back, do you understand me? I believe you know what will happen if you go too slow.¡±


    Ouka nodded, but didn¡¯t dare to say a word. She didn¡¯t think she could¡ªall possible protests or arguments, the same ones she¡¯d spent the rest of the day forming, were gone at the sight of him. Hiero was not a man of empty threats.


    If anything, he was more likely to see one through even if the job was completed.


    ¡°It¡¯s a simple trip,¡± he continued as he started to walk away. ¡°I expect you back by tonight. Don¡¯t keep me waiting.¡±


    ¡­


    Ouka knew these letters weren¡¯t simple greetings or well wishes; she understood exactly what kinds of things¡ªevidence¡ªshe was told to get rid of; she acknowledged what she was doing with every drop of poison she administered in Hiero¡¯s orders. And he must¡¯ve known that she knew, too, because he made it clearer and clearer what would happen if she shared that information.


    All she had to go off of¡ªand all that she dared to learn¡ªwas that it was somehow worse than what happened when she made a mistake. It felt like a death wish even to risk an incomplete or failed mission. She couldn¡¯t, and didn¡¯t want to, imagine what could¡¯ve been worse than that.


    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    But at least there was something good that came out of it¡­ if ¡°good¡± was really the way to describe it, with how it all ended.


    Because, the fact of the matter was, there were other kids like her¡ªother ¡°vassals¡± of Hiero. And one of them was a boy around her age named Aravind.


    He had missions like her; delivering ¡°letters,¡± setting up ¡°snacks,¡± or preparing ¡°gifts¡± for Hiero. She never asked him if it bothered him like it bothered her; she didn¡¯t want to know the answer. It didn¡¯t seem right to ever bring it up, either. Spending time together meant acting like they were only kids, and to say anything to the contrary would be to break some unspoken rule between the two of them.


    Everything has to change eventually, though, and that¡¯s what happened.


    ¡°What¡¯s that face for?¡± Aravind snuck up behind her, looking over her shoulder to see the letter she was holding. There was an obvious shift in his tone when he remarked, ¡°You know, leaving now¡¯s gonna be a lot better than waiting. Hiero won¡¯t be happy to know you¡¯re still just sitting here.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to do this,¡± was Ouka¡¯s mumbled response.


    ¡°You know you can¡¯t tell Hiero that,¡± he pointed out. ¡°So, really, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s much of an excuse. Just go on and get it over with¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m hurting someone with this. Doesn¡¯t that bother you? That everything he¡¯s making us do¡ªit¡¯s just his way of doing whatever the hell he wants. We¡¯re just doing his dirty work.¡±


    ¡°Of course it bothers me. This isn¡¯t what the Ravens are supposed to be. But the thought of what happens to them doesn¡¯t bother me as much as the thought of what will happen to you.¡±


    Ouka considered whether she wanted to bring it up, then slowly asked, ¡°You really don¡¯t think the Ravens have anything to do with this?¡±


    ¡°They definitely don¡¯t,¡± he said confidently. ¡°All of this is just because of Hiero¡ªBoss would never agree to something like this. I¡¯m sure he wouldn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been over thirteen years at this point¡ªprobably longer, because we definitely aren¡¯t the first. If no one¡¯s said anything now, is anyone really going to?¡±


    Aravind didn¡¯t say anything; he just shook his head and walked away.


    ¡­


    ¡°I¡¯m telling Boss about all of this,¡± she said confidently. To the kids she was talking to, it was a promise; to Hiero, who she knew had to be listening somewhere, it was a threat. And she was okay with that. He¡¯d made enough threats to all of them; it was about time he learned what it felt like to be threatened.


    The others didn¡¯t seem to believe her. ¡°Like someone that important is going to give a second thought to kids like us¡­¡±


    Aravind was listening, though, and his frown deepened when he heard her. ¡°I don¡¯t know if that¡¯s a good idea¡­¡±


    ¡°You were the one who told me about it!¡± Ouka pointed out. ¡°You said that he wouldn¡¯t like what¡¯s going on, and you¡¯re the one who mentioned that he was coming here. This is our chance to end this, or at least find somewhere better. Don¡¯t you want that?¡±


    ¡°I want you to stay safe.¡±


    ¡°And you don¡¯t think trying to stop this will do that? I thought you were the one that wanted to prove that the Ravens aren¡¯t all as bad as Hiero. This is my chance to do that. Then we¡¯ll learn exactly who¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°This is a stupid idea.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s the only one I¡¯ve got.¡±


    ¡­


    She should¡¯ve known that bravery¡ªno, na?vet¨¦¡ªwas punished the moment Hiero heard about it. And she should¡¯ve known the kind of fate she¡¯d have by trying to threaten him.


    After all, she¡¯d been the one to punish some of Hiero¡¯s enemies. She knew that, once she was a threat to him, he was going to treat her the same way. Yet still she struggled, continuing to throw around false claims as if that was going to be able to save her.


    Even fading in and out of consciousness¡ªthe consequences of a child of Fleyw Bresh being forced to cut ties with their magic¡ªshe was sure that the only reason they were going out this far was because it made her death less suspicious. After all, who¡¯d notice if an orphan had died by the border? It wasn¡¯t like anyone who knew her, if they weren¡¯t part of the Ravens, would be by the border to say it.


    ¡°A stab wound would look too obvious.¡± Amidst one of her moments of half-awareness, she heard it¡ªwhat sounded like Aravind¡¯s voice. She didn¡¯t think he¡¯d come along on this trip. Or maybe he¡¯d been tricked like she had to come along, as someone who was close to her, to share a similar fate.


    ¡°That¡¯s what magic¡¯s for,¡± one of the older kids, who¡¯d been the leader of the trip, remarked. ¡°Unless you¡¯re telling me you¡¯ve gone soft for this kid? Because I¡¯d think you¡¯d know better than that.¡±


    ¡°Of course I don¡¯t like her! I just¡ªwe¡¯re here for another mission. We don¡¯t want to jeopardize that one by having a dead person showing up and ruining our plans. What if we just leave her? Then it¡¯ll just look like she ran away, overestimated how prepared she was, and ended up dead before she could get to the next town. And don¡¯t worry about if she¡¯ll survive it. Even if she did, I don¡¯t think she¡¯s dumb enough to try to come back¡­¡±

 Extras: Character Card and Sheet- Muriel

    Extra character card info:


    A dreamer who was adopted by Elena and, after the Stone Massacre, came into the care of Lustris. While she¡¯s always been known to be a bit odd, her past often troubles her as well. There might not be much of a difference in the daytime¡ªsometimes, it¡¯s possible to forget what she¡¯d seen at all¡ªbut that usually changes at night¡­ when she can¡¯t help but wonder what lurks in the shadows, and becomes a much quieter and skittish individual.


    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

 Redemption: Chapter 8

    {-Ouka-}


    She knew exactly what would happen to her if she failed, or if she got caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. But she forced herself to go inside the base anyway, with the reassurances of Brenan and Mazel that proved they didn¡¯t really know how she felt.


    She just told herself that this was a combination of all the missions Hiero had given her and all of her knowledge from the past few years on the street. Though¡­ it wasn¡¯t exactly like she had imagined.


    The building, for one, looked like an unassuming inn¡ªthe kind that would see many kinds of patrons throughout the day. There appeared to be three stories that, from an outsider¡¯s perspective, allowed for the restaurant portion, the inn portion, and the owner¡¯s apartment to each have their own floor. Though she crept in through a back entrance, she couldn¡¯t help but feel like she could¡¯ve just walked in and no one would¡¯ve batted an eye.


    Or maybe she just didn¡¯t want to acknowledge that all of these people were a part of the Ravens.


    ¡°Thank the gods that kid went upstairs,¡± she heard one of the likely-Ravens grumble. She only lingered, still praying that no one would draw attention to her, because she hoped he¡¯d give away what was here. ¡°If I had to stand another minute of his complaining, I would¡¯ve thrown him in front of the clergy then and there.¡±


    ¡°I wish I could argue with you. To think he really sees himself as being capable of replacing Boss one day¡­¡±


    ¡°He brought this on himself. Rumor has it he¡¯s been annoying the hell out of Boss. Apparently the kid keeps pestering Boss¡¯s charge and the new girl.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s definitely the kind of thing that¡¯ll get you put in an outpost like this for a few weeks¡­¡±


    Ouka, deciding she¡¯d heard enough, started to slip away again. The overheard conversation assured her, almost; ¡°Boss,¡± in her experience, only really stood in for the Ravens¡¯ or gangs¡¯ leaders, and ¡°outpost¡± suggested this wasn¡¯t just a normal inn. She guessed that ¡°upstairs¡± was wherever the stuff she was looking for was¡ªthe third floor, if she was right about her guesses about the first and second, would be the perfect place to put that kind of stuff.


    No one seemed to notice her, to the point she decided that she would¡¯ve just made herself more obvious by sneaking. It was almost surprising how, though she passed a fair amount of people, no one questioned why she was there or what she was doing. She heard others mentioning things that made it sound like this base was made up of Ravens from all over the nation; their words and actions were vague enough that, even if they later learned that who they¡¯d spoken to wasn¡¯t another Raven, it wouldn¡¯t make a difference.


    This didn¡¯t even change when she reached the third floor that, to her, was obviously more than just an apartment. She was able to piece out the decorations that were often used to symbolize the Ravens. And she knew how to use those decorations, and other subtle motifs, to determine where the records were most likely to be kept.


    When she began to wonder if this was too easy, she simply told herself that only someone with a good amount of knowledge of the Ravens would be able to get this far.


    She was actually reassured to see that the door to what she assumed to be the records room was locked. Unluckily for them, however, she¡¯d known how to pick locks even before meeting Brenan. It wasn¡¯t long before she could enter the room, gently closing the door behind her in hopes that no one would notice she was in here.


    Mazel said she wanted copies of their reports, so that¡¯s what Ouka set out to find. They had to be in here somewhere, at least¡­


    Ouka shuffled through some of the papers, hoping to find something useful. It actually wasn¡¯t long before she found the reports and the copies weren¡¯t too far from it. She gave a sigh of relief, hoping that meant her mission was halfway over.


    And then she heard someone walking down the hall, getting closer to where she was.


    Worse of all, she recognized that voice, even if she couldn¡¯t associate it with the words he spoke.


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    ¡°That damn girl is going to ruin everything. I¡¯d give it three more weeks, then she¡¯s going to let it slip, and we¡¯re all done for. Why the hell am I the only one who sees that?¡±


    Panicked, both at the idea of being caught and facing the owner of that voice, she tried to find a way to escape. The only other way into the hall¡ªwhere he undoubtedly was¡ªwas through that door. Otherwise, outside was the only option, and Mazel had told her that the bird was the more important of the things to get¡­


    Not like Ouka understood how important a bird could be, but she didn¡¯t quite want to risk it either.


    So, placing the reports somewhere she could grab and run if she needed to, she braced herself for the person walking ever closer to the door¡­


    ¡°Oh, great, something else they can blame me for. The damn door¡¯s unlocked.¡± There was a sound of him messing with the lock. ¡°And it¡¯s not locking again. I suppose I should go and make sure everything¡¯s¡ª¡°


    Then the door opened, revealing Aravind¡ªwho she recognized, yet somehow acknowledged she no longer ¡°knew.¡± And when their eyes met, he stopped, likely coming to the same conclusion she did.


    Finally, the one thing he said was, ¡°What the hell do you think you¡¯re doing here? You¡¯re supposed to be dead. And ¡®dead¡¯ people aren¡¯t dumb enough to come back to the same places that ¡®killed¡¯ them.¡± He noticed the reports she¡¯d taken out. ¡°And you¡¯re taking something with you? What are you trying to do?¡±


    ¡°Look, I don¡¯t want to be here any more than you want me to be,¡± Ouka said. ¡°But I¡¯ve got a mission here, and I¡¯ve got to see it through.¡±


    He laughed, though. ¡°There¡¯s only one reason you¡¯re here, right now, isn¡¯t there? What other fucking thing could it be? You¡¯re just the latest attempt at the universe doing whatever the hell it wants to try to mess with me! But guess what? I¡¯ve spent the last five years being beaten down. You¡¯re sure as hell not going to be the one who keeps me there.¡±


    Ouka hesitated. If it was anyone else, she would¡¯ve dismissed everything he was saying and just bolted. But¡­ she remembered their shared past, and despite her better judgment couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°What..?¡±


    ¡°So are you playing dumb, or do you really not know any better? What do you think I¡¯ve been doing since you left¡ªsince you were supposed to die out there? I¡¯ll tell you, it wasn¡¯t like you were the root of my problems! You weren¡¯t even the start! Hiero finally let go of me, sent me off to somewhere near Hyasari. Amazing, isn¡¯t it? It was my chance! Prove myself to Boss and assure myself the spot of his protege in one fell swoop. Except, guess what? Apparently he has some damn half-blind grandson, who somehow is a better fit than I am! It never mattered what, all I ever did was make a fool of myself. And that wasn¡¯t it! Then that girl came and I swear she will tell the queen all about us. But no! No! Apparently he thinks she¡¯ll be fine! Because, guess what? I never mattered. Not to Hiero, not to Boss, and certainly not to any of these Ravens. But you know what? I¡¯m going to find my place among them anyway. And I cut Hiero out of my life¡ªI thought I¡¯d done the same to you. Apparently I missed a few things, though¡ªand I¡¯m not afraid of fixing those mistakes now.¡±


    He slipped out his own dagger, making it clear that he wasn¡¯t afraid to use it. ¡°I suppose I probably should¡¯ve done this years ago¡­ but I was weaker then. And I¡¯m not about to face the consequences of failing twice.¡±


    ¡°Wait! Wait, before you do anything.¡± Ouka didn¡¯t really know what she intended to say. She just wanted to say something. ¡°Look, I really don¡¯t intend on being here any longer than I have to. My mission is just to get some copies of the reports and to get some bird that¡¯s in here. You help me find the bird, and I¡¯ll be out of your way. You can pretend like everything was all one big, bad dream, and neither of us has to do something we don¡¯t want to do. Alright?¡±


    That seemed to calm Aravind down a little, at least. He didn¡¯t quite relax, but he did curiously ask, ¡°A bird?¡±


    Ouka nodded. ¡°The person who gave me the mission told me that there was a captured bird somewhere in here. I need to get it for her.¡±


    Surprisingly, Aravind turned around then and there. He put away his dagger and, without looking over his shoulder, said, ¡°That loud thing¡¯s been nothing but a pain, I don¡¯t believe anyone would miss it. It¡¯s¡­ in the third hall on the right, second door.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t thank me. You¡¯ve got five minutes before I go and tell the others I saw you. It¡¯s just¡­ it would be a shame if someone survived the impossible once, yet died here. It makes the sacrifice worthless.¡±


    Then he left.

 Redemption: Chapter 9

    {-Ouka-}


    She decided she wasn¡¯t going to test the theory of if Aravind actually intended to wait on her, and how long he¡¯d wait if he did. There¡¯d be time to consider the encounter later. She just focused on the moment¡ªmaking sure she didn¡¯t drop any of the reports while desperately trying to figure out what room that bird was in.


    Eventually, she didn¡¯t need his instructions in order to find it; she could simply follow the weak, sorrowful birdsong. The door she was certain the noise was coming from wasn¡¯t locked¡ªit wasn¡¯t even closed all the way. It seemed, though, to be more of someone¡¯s bedroom. Maybe the bird had simply been put with someone who offered to take care of it, as there were also signs of birdseed and perhaps even some toys. Evidently, though, the bird didn¡¯t take well to being captive, even if the signs pointed to it being well taken care of.


    Ouka etched towards the birdcage, not wanting to scare it. She put a finger up to her lips, not expecting it to do anything, but the bird actually hushed when she made the gesture. She slowly opened up the birdcage and it took all of two seconds for the bird to unquestionably flutter up to her shoulder. It let out a happy chirp.


    Weird. Maybe this was some kind of domesticated bird, used to being someone¡¯s pet; she could almost swear it understood her actions more than any normal animal would¡­


    Just as she was considering it, though, she heard it¡ªthe sure signs that meant that Aravind had finished waiting. Ouka quickly spotted the window, not-so-gently pried it open, and slipped out with the reports in one hand and the bird resting on her shoulder.


    It wasn¡¯t hard to find where Brenan and Mazel were; they, honestly, weren¡¯t that far from the base. As soon as Brenan¡ªwho must¡¯ve been drawing in the dirt with a stick while he waited¡ªsaw her, he rushed up to check on her.


    ¡°Ouka! Are you okay? Did you run into any of the Ravens while you were there? No one did anything to you, right?¡± For someone who knew very little about the situation, Brenan was surprisingly panicked.


    Maybe that was just how partners¡ªfriends¡ªwere supposed to treat each other, when one acknowledged the uncomfortable situation the other had just been placed in.


    Ouka nodded. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine. Ran into one of them, but¡­ it wasn¡¯t a big deal. I could talk him out of doing anything serious. Then I just got what I needed and left before¡ª¡±


    She was stopped when the bird let out an excited chirp, suddenly flying off from her shoulder¡­


    And flew right towards Mazel, transforming into a kid at just the right moment to hug her.


    ¡°Mazel!¡± The used-to-be-bird only seemed to cling to her tighter, and it wasn¡¯t long before most of their words were muffled by crying. ¡°I didn¡¯t know if you¡¯d come! W-when Jacqueline came, she said you might not be able to do anything! I was scared I¡¯d stay there forever and I couldn¡¯t get out or that I was too much of a risk to get or¡ª¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Mazel said softly. ¡°It¡¯s alright now.¡± She gently pulled them away, mostly just to observe them. ¡°Have you gotten hurt at all? Did they take care of you okay, at least? I¡¯ve made some ambrosia while we were waiting¡ªit¡¯ll at least help you calm down a little bit. Oh, and I want you to know: you¡¯re never going to be too much of a risk. Day never would¡¯ve just let you stay there¡ªone way or another, we would¡¯ve brought you home.¡±


    The kid just nodded, clearly fighting back tears. When Mazel handed them a jar of something, they took it and sat down nearby to eat whatever was in it.


    Ouka, deciding it was probably a better time to do it, walked towards Mazel and handed her the reports. ¡°You said, after I got them, you¡¯d tell me why you wanted them. Can I get that explanation now?¡±


    Mazel nodded. ¡°I think one half, at least, is pretty self-explanatory at this point. This is one of my ¡®siblings,¡¯ Zephyr. Oh, and Zephyr, since you don¡¯t know them, these are Ouka and Brenan¡ªthey¡¯re who my mission is with.¡± The kid mumbled a quiet hello before Mazel continued addressing Ouka. ¡°They got lost on a mission around here and ultimately got ¡®taken in¡¯ by the Ravens. It was practically impossible to send another Fos to get them, and Messengers would draw too much attention if any of the Ravens saw them, so that¡¯s why I asked you. And on behalf of myself, my fellow Fos, and Danai, I¡¯d like to thank you for helping them.¡±


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    ¡°It wasn¡¯t that big of a deal,¡± Ouka muttered. Louder, she prompted, ¡°And what about the reports? Could you not get someone to get it for the same reasons, or what?¡±


    ¡°I guess you could say it was something like that. I wanted the duplicates because we just need to be able to keep track of a few things. Kiri¡¯s group does a pretty good job at collecting information¡ªand so do the other Messengers, obviously¡ªbut they can¡¯t get everything. There¡¯s just¡­ some places which are a little harder to access than others, and that¡¯s where these reports come in. The Ravens have access to places that we don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°No other relation, though,¡± Zephyr chimed in. ¡°We don¡¯t like getting caught up in mortal affairs, especially not the ones here. They¡¯re all about the gods and their roles in mortals¡¯ lives¡­ if the wrong person knew about a Messenger¡¯s presence or involvement somewhere, we could tip the scales too much. Keep them from really making their own decisions.¡±


    Ouka was filled with curiosity when they said that, deciding there was no harm in asking, ¡°So¡­ do you agree with what the Ravens are doing?¡± Do you agree with what Hiero did? is what she really wanted to ask, but that was too obvious. She¡¯d never get an answer like that.


    Brenan must¡¯ve understood what she didn¡¯t say, though, because he said¡ªas if he truly knew the answer¡ª¡°Aren¡¯t they the bad guys? It sounds like, to me, that they¡¯re the bad guys. And I don¡¯t know a lot about Qizarn mythology and stuff, but I assume the Fos are the good guys, since they¡¯re helping us and everything¡­ I know not everything is always that simple, but this really feels like it should be¡­¡±


    ¡°You said it yourself,¡± Mazel said. ¡°Nothing¡¯s that simple. There¡¯s Orestis¡¯s will, of course¡ªthat¡¯s the good, and what clearly opposes it is the bad. But there¡¯s a lot of ambiguity in there too, which most mortals fit into. That¡¯s where the Ravens are, doing enough good to not disrupt His plans, but doing enough bad to not fully be excusable.¡±


    Zephyr slightly stirred from their spot to mumble, ¡°And, well¡­ the Ravens aren¡¯t wrong. But we¡¯re not supposed to talk about that part.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, we¡¯re not.¡± Mazel gave them a stern look. ¡°Day¡¯s going to get in trouble if you keep trying to mention that kind of stuff. Maybe one day it won¡¯t matter. Right now, though, is not that time. Okay?¡±


    They nodded and mumbled mhm.


    ¡°You realize we¡¯re still here, right?¡± Ouka remarked dryly. ¡°I guess I¡¯ve gotten as many questions answered as I¡¯m ever going to get. Is all of this over now? Or do you still have a couple of weird things you want us to do for you?¡±


    Mazel shook her head. ¡°That¡¯s everything. You¡¯ve both faced your pasts, so now you¡¯re ready to move on to the future. Do you have any plans for your new beginning?¡±


    ¡°As far as I¡¯m concerned? Anywhere that¡¯s away from here,¡± Ouka answered. ¡°I don¡¯t know how interested the Ravens are in finding their little intruder and I don¡¯t think I want to find out.¡±


    She didn¡¯t feel any different, not really. All she¡¯d done was get some things and face someone she didn¡¯t even know if she could consider an old friend anymore. But¡­ maybe she could admit that the path she and Brenan were going down wouldn¡¯t have led to anything. At least, it wouldn¡¯t have led to anything that would be any better than what she wanted to avoid¡ªfrom the kinds of conditions she¡¯d already grown used to.


    Besides, Brenan seemed happy at the thought. And if he was happy, she was willing to take the chance of change.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he remarked. ¡°It¡¯s probably got to be somewhere close, though, won¡¯t it? At least for a little while? We don¡¯t really have the funds for long-term travel, or at least I don¡¯t think we do¡­¡±


    Mazel cheerily recommended, ¡°How about Ilystalos? It¡¯s a town right at the border. I think you¡¯ll both find familiar things there¡ªa place where you can embrace your differences, as well as your similarities.¡±


    Slowly, Ouka nodded. ¡°I guess that¡¯s as good of a place as any to start, huh..?¡± She turned to Brenan. ¡°Do you think you¡¯re ready for it? No looking back now.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m ever going to be looking back,¡± he responded effortlessly. Surprisingly, to Mazel, he said, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Mazel smiled. ¡°Just doing my job. I¡¯ll be sure to check in every now and again, at least for a little while¡ªI¡¯m interested in seeing what you¡¯re going to make of your new futures.¡±

 Extras: Character Card and Sheet- Danai

    Extra character card info:


    This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    The Goddess of Light in Qizarn myth and the ¡°mother¡± of the Fos. She has a maternal air around her, always caring about others¡ªsometimes to the point of sacrificing herself for them. Perhaps the best example of this is the very creation of the Fos, as a part of her powers went into each one of them until she had no more power left to give.

 What Time Forgot: Memories- Thero (Part 1)

    He always saw himself as a guard, a protector; though quite young, he was skilled with a blade and ready to defend those he cared for. He¡¯d always found he had someone to protect¡ªstarting with Cadence.


    He¡¯d only just finished cleaning up after training when he felt the five-year-old hug him.


    ¡°I thought you were supposed to be with Mother,¡± he pointed out softly.


    She stepped away from him, beaming. ¡°I heard you were done! I want to play, Master Veras has been keeping you all to himself and it¡¯s not fair!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve still got work to do.¡±


    Then a hearty laugh came from his instructor. ¡°Go on, kid, I¡¯ll be damned if I¡¯m the one to keep you from your sister.¡±


    Thero frowned. ¡°Master Veras¡ª¡°


    ¡°Can learn to deal with it. Make sure it¡¯s alright with your parents and go to the nearby river. Take your sword and, if anyone asks, I sent you out there to train.¡±


    He considered fighting it but soon remembered he shouldn¡¯t; this should be the kind of thing he would jump at the opportunity for, not question so much it never actually happens.


    Cadence only seemed to acknowledge the fact that they were going. She cheered, trying her best to pull her much bigger brother along.


    ¡­


    He sat peaceful, quiet, in the middle of the argument between his parents and Master Veras. There was nothing he could do or say to help the situation, so it was best to not even try.


    ¡°What?¡± His mother was the more vocal of the two. She always had a fighting spirit when it came to the kids. ¡°I¡¯m not going to let you take advantage of our son!¡±


    Master Veras let out a cold laugh. ¡°Are you, now? Tell me, do you have any better ideas? What I see is your debt that¡¯s still far from repaid and an option to pay it off in your lifetime.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t change the fact that you just want to use his talents for your own gain!¡±


    ¡°Now, ma¡¯am, let¡¯s think about this. I don¡¯t believe either of your children possess any other notable qualities. Do you?¡±


    ¡°I wonder who¡¯s damn fault that is! You! You¡¯ve controlled everything about what they did. If they didn¡¯t find something they excelled at, it¡¯s because you won¡¯t let them!¡±


    ¡°Consider: would you rather little Cadence be your age and still paying off your debt to me?¡±


    His mother seemed ready to argue even more, before his father put a calm hand on her shoulder. ¡°Master Veras, I think you can understand a portion of what she¡¯s trying to say. No one who serves this house can say that we trust you. We need some proof that you aren¡¯t the only one that¡¯s going to benefit from this.¡±


    Master Veras smirked and pushed a few papers in front of them. ¡°I had the church approve these the moment I¡¯d heard of the offer. Your son will go to Hyasari and serve as a soldier. He keeps a bit of it, for his own living, and the rest gets split between the two of us. What I gain is counted towards your debt. What you get you can use for whatever you¡¯d like. The church is allowed to get involved if any of us break our end of the deal¡ªand we all know I¡¯m a church-fearing man.¡±


    His father looked over the papers, as the only one of the three with enough knowledge to be able to understand it. ¡°This all sounds fine. We¡¯ll accept.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not doing anything,¡± his mother quickly interjected. She didn¡¯t even bother lowering her voice when she added, ¡°What are you thinking? Do you really think these papers are going to make a difference for that lying son of a¡ª¡±


    ¡°No matter what, we have no choice. We can¡¯t do anything but listen to Master Veras¡¯s orders.¡±


    ¡­


    It hadn¡¯t taken long for Cadence to find out. ¡°You¡¯re leaving?¡±


    He¡¯d decided to keep it as brief as possible. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°How long? Are you gonna come back?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ll probably serve for ten years or so.¡±


    ¡°Then you¡¯ll come back?¡±


    ¡°Then I suppose Master Veras and I will talk about whether I should continue to serve.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯ll say no, right? Because you want to be with us?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll say yes, because it¡¯ll help you.¡±


    ¡°How is leaving going to help me? I don¡¯t want you to go!¡±


    He¡¯d, somehow, managed a small smile and ruffled her hair. ¡°Sometimes, taking care of the people you love means making some sacrifices. If this is what I have to do, then I¡¯ll do it gladly, because it means you, Mother, and Father might be able to live a little more peacefully.¡±


    That was the scene that kept replaying in his head as the wagon carrying him and several other of House Veras¡¯s promising swordsmen traveled through the Andrea Province. He knew there was no returning home.


    But he never considered that it would be such a good thing.


    ¡­


    The queen had overseen their arrival and sent all of them off to some other place within Hyasari¡ªall of them except for Thero.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re curious as to why you¡¯re not with the others,¡± she said with a kind smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯re not in trouble.¡±


    He said nothing. He assumed he had no place to.


    She gestured behind him and, after a moment, he turned to look. She was pointing to a young woman who seemed to be patiently solving a dispute between two children.


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    ¡°That¡¯s my daughter,¡± the queen explained, ¡°Odelle. She runs around the city a lot, helping the clergy, playing with the kids. We need someone to watch over her¡ªthough I promise, she doesn¡¯t usually cause a lot of trouble. Out of everyone Lord Veras offered, we think you¡¯re the best fit.¡±


    The words came out before he could truly process them. ¡°But, if I may ask, Your Majesty, why? I¡¯m certain there are plenty who will be better suited to guard her.¡±


    He¡¯d spoken, somewhat, to those other men. Some of them had been training longer than he¡¯d been alive; some had served briefly as mercenaries, and often successful ones. He may have been considered the young prodigy among them, but there was no denying that they had more valuable experience than him.


    The queen didn¡¯t seem to mind; she partially answered it with a question of her own. ¡°You have a sister back home, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Thero nodded.


    ¡°Odelle doesn¡¯t need a powerful soldier to follow her around. She needs a companion, a friend¡ªsomeone to watch over her, and stay by her side no matter what happens. Though this may come off as insensitive, given what you¡¯ve had to leave behind¡­ I hope you¡¯ll eventually be able to call Hyasari home, and think of us as family of sorts.¡± She motioned for him to follow her inside, where a man was waiting. ¡°Let¡¯s get things off to the right start, shall we? There¡¯s no need for any of that ¡®Your Majesty¡¯ talk¡ªjust call me Kyra. This is my husband, Ision. What¡¯s your name?¡±


    He knew she already knew but, still, replied, ¡°Thero.¡±


    ¡­


    There was always a set of mixed feelings, when he considered the younger Odelle. She was brighter, happier, yet to be dragged down by her husband¡¯s actions or faced with the reality that her dream only barely came true. Yet were they memories of a better time¡ªsomething worth cherishing¡ªor the reminders that that young Odelle died a long time ago?


    Thero always had a clear, defined path mapped in his head of the road that ended in the death of that younger Odelle. The first event was one he was certain remained in the back of all of their minds even decades later.


    She was twenty-four, already speaking of her marriage to Nigel which was set to happen nearly as soon as she turned twenty-five. At that point, since they were certain they¡¯d be married, no one cared what they did when they were alone. They¡¯d all only been slightly surprised when she excitedly told them the news¡ªshe was going to have a child.


    It was about three months later that they were all gathered in the dining room. Kyra, Ision, and Odelle took their seats as the queen, king, and princess; Kadol sat beside his father, who still held the position of advisor; Nigel, though he¡¯d come late, now sat next to Odelle; Thero dutifully stood by the door. He¡¯d been here five years, and considered himself close to the royal family, yet still couldn¡¯t bring himself to truly be a part of their dinner. He never could¡ªif anyone asked, he simply told them he wanted to be prepared for anything, and he couldn¡¯t do that if he sat with them.


    The dinner had been quiet for a long time, though he wouldn¡¯t call it tense. Eventually, Ision¡ªwithout looking up from his plate¡ªasked, ¡°Has any of you heard of what happened to that young pastor?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll need to be more specific, dear, there¡¯s been a lot of them recently,¡± Kyra said with just as much interest.


    ¡°The boy,¡± he tried, ¡°the one who barely looked twenty-five. He had that terrible stutter, mentioned after service he was from the Pasha area.¡±


    Nigel took a sip of wine and remarked, ¡°I heard that he left because the clergy found out he¡¯d slept with another woman.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t spread rumors,¡± Kyra warned.


    He shrugged. ¡°Or, perhaps, you just don¡¯t want to believe that such a sin could be committed by one of Orestis¡¯s appointed ¡®teachers.¡¯¡±


    Ision cleared his throat and, a moment later, glanced at Odelle. ¡°You had that¡­ thing, with the nuns, and the baby. How¡¯d that go?¡±


    She shrunk, eyes only looking at her plate, and tried to force a laugh that only sounded like a choked sob. ¡°Funny you mention that¡­ you¡¯re not going to be grandparents for a little while longer. They said I¡­ lost the baby.¡±


    For the longest time, no one said a word.


    Then, Nigel drank the rest of his wine. As he sat the glass back on the table, he asked, ¡°Do they think it could happen again?¡± Only by a stretch of imagination could concern be found in his tone¡ªor, at least, that¡¯s how Thero had always remembered it.


    ¡°They said it probably doesn¡¯t mean anything,¡± she mumbled. ¡°It¡¯s just something that happens sometimes. It wasn¡¯t anything to be really worried about.¡±


    ¡°If they say it¡¯s nothing to worry about, then don¡¯t worry about it. It¡¯s just a one time thing.¡±


    ¡­


    Were they to be asked, everyone would¡¯ve lied and said they didn¡¯t think of that night when Odelle announced again that she was pregnant. If any of them had uncertain thoughts, no one voiced them. It was obvious, though, that there was something, because nearly as suddenly as she told them, she excused herself to do other things. She had a lot to prepare for in the months ahead¡ªwith her twenty-fifth birthday came her wedding and ascension to the throne.


    Thero hadn¡¯t paid attention to the exact number of months between the announcement and that night. All he remembered was that, about a week before their wedding, he awoke to the sound of the church bells and the frantic footsteps of servants.


    He¡¯d assumed something bad had happened, but as soon as he reached for his sword, a servant came in and assured him everything was fine. He picked up the context as she ushered him towards the church, where it seemed the whole city was flocked.


    It was impossible to tell exactly how long they all gathered there, only half-listening to the priest¡¯s rambling about Thales. There was whispering all around them, the closest to rumors they¡¯d dare spread, falling silent again whenever a nun rushed in or out.


    Then the priest stopped rattling on and everyone went still when a particular nun walked in and gave the announcement: Odelle was fine, but tonight, they mourned the loss of a child.


    Odelle, years later when the truth of the matter could no longer be avoided, had told Kadol and Thero that it had been the first time Nigel hit her. And it had been far from the last.


    ¡­


    Ision and Kyra were discussing if they wanted to leave Hyasari, since Odelle was queen; Kadol and Nigel were glaring at each other from across the table for some earlier dispute Thero decided he didn¡¯t want to know; Thero himself was by the door, since Odelle had asked him to go on without her.


    When she finally arrived, she seemed both relieved and disappointed that everyone was there. She slowly told them all what had happened, and once again, they fell into the same silence they did that first night.


    Nigel scoffed, finally breaking eye contact with Kadol to gulp down the rest of his wine and motion for a servant to get him more.


    Kyra was the first to actually say something. ¡°I¡¯ll contact my cousin. I believe her son¡¯s around your age and is happily married with a healthy baby girl. She was close to Ilena, I think she¡¯ll be overjoyed to have the opportunity of her granddaughter one day becoming queen¡­¡±


    ¡°Give me one more chance,¡± Odelle tried quickly. ¡°Just¡ªjust one more time. If it doesn¡¯t work out again, then it has to be a part of Orestis¡¯s plan, and I¡¯ll accept that. But let¡¯s see how it goes one last time.¡±


    ¡­


    They all seemed to hold their breath, letting out a sigh at every milestone reached, then nervously waiting for the next one. Thero, honestly, had only cared that Odelle was alright¡ªhe¡¯d considered the whole thing too much of a risk that they shouldn¡¯t be taking. But the eighth month came quickly, where nearly everyone was assured that, were the baby to be born tomorrow, they would live.


    Then the time came again when the whole of Hyasari was gathered at the church, listening to the priest calling on Thales. And, this time, when that same nun walked in, she had an announcement that sent the whole congregation erupted into praises.


    Odelle and her newborns were all safe and healthy. She¡¯d given birth to twins.


    The months after had their ups and downs, but, really, for the first time since that first night, they all allowed themselves to have a bit of hope. Even on the few times that might¡¯ve warranted concern, no one dared to say their thoughts out loud. To say them seemed to be like trying to taunt Darkness.


    Thero heard a lot of talk¡ªthrough the door to the nursery, over dinner, in the streets¡ªof the twins, but it took several months before Odelle had properly introduced them.


    ¡°That¡¯s Dimas,¡± she explained, softly, as she guided him to the cribs. She carefully lifted the other baby up. ¡°This is Zofie.¡± She turned to him and offered for him to hold the little girl.


    He tried to push down any uncertainty as he accepted the offer. He hadn¡¯t held a child this young since Cadence was born. The baby¡¯s eyes fluttered open but, at the sight of him, she smiled and closed her eyes again.


    ¡°I want you to look after her,¡± Odelle continued. ¡°I have a feeling that the future isn¡¯t going to be easy and I want to make sure she has someone reliable looking out for her. You¡¯re the best person I can think of that can keep her safe.¡±

 Extras: Comic- More Than a Friend

    A comic featuring Koyana and Evelina from The Fiction in Fact! The script is under the spoiler.


    Koyana and Evelina are going shopping.


    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Koyana, realizing Evelina slowed down: "Oh..." Blurred out are the words, "Evelina, are you okay?"


    Evelina is more focused thinking about her newest crush (Koyana).


    Flustered, she eventually responds, "I-I''m alright! Just, ah... got a little distracted. That''s all..."


    Koyana, none the wiser, states, "That''s good! Come on, there''s still a couple more places we have to stop at!"


    Evelina responds, "Yeah..."

 What Time Forgot: Memories- Thero (Part 2)

    He¡¯d always considered himself a guard, a protector¡ªbut he could do nothing to stop Nigel¡¯s drunken rage.


    Thero had seen the middle and endings of many fights but, since Zofie was hardly ever involved, to witness a beginning was rare. He wondered if they always started with such a spontaneous burst, or if perhaps there were cues he hadn¡¯t picked up on; he then wondered if there had been cues, and he was able to recognize them, if he could¡¯ve done any more for her.


    He couldn¡¯t remember what, exactly, compelled them to wait for everyone to come before sitting down. Perhaps they all had a feeling that something was going to happen. Odelle and Kadol were already in the dining room, having some hushed conversation, before Thero and Zofie came. Dimas came a moment or two after. Nigel came late, already drunk, and seemed completely disinterested before his eyes fell on Zofie.


    He usually did little more than acknowledge her. Even drunk, it seemed he understood her importance¡ªshe had to become queen, and as weak as she was, it put more at risk to hurt her than Odelle or Dimas. One wrong move could very well cause a string of consequences Nigel was smart enough to avoid. So, normally, the most he would do was push her away, or hit her once and leave.


    But something changed in his expression this time. There was no longer a sense of reason. Just a kind of rage that seemed to belong more to a beast than a man. And this time, there was no consideration of consequences. Without a moment of warning, he marched over to her, shoved her against the wall, and beat her.


    Odelle had tried to stop him, but he pushed her away; Thero held Dimas back to stop both of them from trying in vain to help Zofie; Kadol watched, an unmoving pillar, only a spark in his eyes and clenched fist hinting at a form of fury.


    Nigel stopped on his own, after what felt like hours. Maybe he¡¯d simply taken out his rage and decided to stop, or sobered up enough to realize what he was doing. No matter which it was, he scoffed and left, no part of him appearing to possess even a hint of remorse for what he¡¯d done to the now-unconscious princess lying on the floor.


    ¡­


    Thero thought of that night constantly. It had seemed like, before, he¡¯d witnessed Nigel¡¯s deeds as a distant observer. It wasn¡¯t that Thero hadn¡¯t cared about Odelle or Dimas¡ªfar from it. But something awoke in him that night, and grew as Zofie recovered from it. He was supposed to be there to protect her. Yet he, with all his strength, was still powerless against the king. It was a truth that he didn¡¯t want to face¡ªthat there would be some things he couldn¡¯t protect her from. He still decided to live in ignorance, instead swearing that he would never let such a thing happen again.


    It was a few years from that night; Dimas was in Seothia, a servant having just read aloud his letter to Odelle and Zofie. Thero didn¡¯t know where Kadol or Nigel were¡ªboth of them always seemed to be there one moment, and gone the next, so he¡¯d stopped trying to keep track.


    ¡°I think that Stone girl is going to get someone killed,¡± Zofie remarked with a frown.


    Odelle, though, had a soft smile. ¡°I think it¡¯s good that he¡¯s able to see the land.¡±


    ¡°Mother, they think trying to find a non-existent manticore in Seothia, of all places, is a good idea. It¡¯s stupid.¡±


    ¡°No one said they had to find anything.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think the Stone girl got the message.¡±


    There was a knock on the door before it slowly opened. Kadol, sounding more tired than anything else, said, ¡°Odelle, you have a meeting soon.¡±


    She nodded. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll be right there. Zofie, can you respond to him? And try to be nice¡ªlet them have their adventure.¡± Before her daughter could say anything else, she left with Kadol.


    Zofie sighed. ¡°Thero, could you be able to tell me why I¡¯m not happy?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t say I understand.¡± He knew exactly what she meant, actually, but was genuinely curious to see if she¡¯d be able to determine the cause for herself.


    ¡°Dimas doesn¡¯t need to be involved in any of this anymore¡ªnot as much as he used to be, anyway. He has the chance to make friends and be happy. And I should be happy, because he¡¯s happy. But I¡¯m not. I almost wish King Casper and Queen Minne hadn¡¯t agreed to let him keep coming. That¡¯s bad of me, isn¡¯t it..?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it is. As much as you don¡¯t want to see him get hurt, you don¡¯t want him to have to leave you to make it happen. You don¡¯t want to have to say goodbye¡­¡± He only trailed off because, for the first time in years, an image of Cadence flashed in his mind.


    Zofie tilted her head. ¡°Is something the matter?¡±


    ¡°No, nothing at all. Let¡¯s get that letter to Dimas written, shall we?¡±


    ¡­


    He wasn¡¯t sure what would¡¯ve happened if things had gone a bit differently. Zofie hadn¡¯t been feeling well that night and Thero had been able to convince her to rest instead of following her original plans. Immediately, when he heard what happened, he¡¯d considered it a good thing.


    But had it been, really?


    Yes, there was a chance that whoever murdered Odelle that night wouldn¡¯t have cared if Zofie was watching, or Thero was there¡ªworse yet, depending on who it was, they could¡¯ve killed both of them. But if Zofie had been there, then Thero would have too, meaning Odelle might have had someone with her. Who knows, maybe the person who did it wouldn¡¯t have acted if they knew she wasn¡¯t alone. Thero ultimately had to tell himself that it wasn¡¯t worth wasting time over considering.


    The only good thing that came out of it was that Nigel committed suicide the moment he¡¯d heard the news.


    It was in those coming weeks, as the kingdom mourned the death of their queen, and Zofie prepared to take her place, that Thero allowed a particular thought to linger in his mind. He¡¯d been serving the royal family for over two decades now. Most of that time he spent observing¡ªtheir surroundings, the people they had to interact with, those people¡¯s intentions. Usually he was able to determine some kind of motive behind the person; understand their thinking.


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    There was one person he could never figure out: Kadol. Both Kyra and Odelle seemed to sing his praises, pointing out how his family had been serving as royal advisors since Queen Philomena¡¯s reign. But there was something in that calculating glare, the cold stance, how he seemed to be there whenever he was needed but disappeared when no one thought to look for him.


    So one night, when the question couldn¡¯t stand to be left unanswered any longer, and he was certain Zofie was asleep, Thero sought out Kadol. The advisor was talking to a few clergy members but, when he noticed Thero, he bid them farewell.


    ¡°Zofie¡¯s sleeping, I assume?¡± Kadol prompted. ¡°She¡¯s got a lot of long days ahead of her. We need to assure she¡¯s as ready as possible to take on such challenges.¡±


    Thero decided to get straight to the point. He kept his voice low, knowing that the castle halls will carry any sound louder than average. ¡°Where were you that night?¡±


    Kadol gave him an amused grin. ¡°You think I would commit such an act of treason?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve never exactly given me a reason to think otherwise.¡±


    ¡°Alright, then tell me. What motive do you think I would have for murdering my oldest and closest friend? We¡¯ve all deemed Zofie capable of ascending to the throne despite her age¡ªI¡¯m still an advisor, not a regent. I have no more power, no more wealth, than I did before.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen how that magic you taught her affects her. I know there¡¯s more you aren¡¯t telling me. I may not be able to say exactly what it is, but I know you have a secret.¡±


    Kadol laughed and started to walk away. ¡°Do you, now?¡± He looked back, the amusement in his expression turned into something more wicked. ¡°And who are they more likely to believe? Me, the royal advisor, or you, the man who¡¯d be nothing without his skill for a blade?¡±


    Thero went to defend himself, but he stopped. It would¡¯ve been like trying to argue with Nigel¡ªsomeone who knew he possessed enough power to make challenging him a fool¡¯s mistake.


    ¡°Oh, and don¡¯t bother Zofie with this,¡± Kadol remarked as he continued to leave. ¡°She¡¯s got a lot to worry about. This little disagreement of ours doesn¡¯t need to be one of them.¡±


    ¡­


    Suffice to say, Zofie did not inherit even a fragment of her mother¡¯s love of children.


    ¡°Don¡¯t give me that look,¡± she said, coldly, to the baby Thero was now holding. ¡°You know you¡¯re a little nightmare spawn, don¡¯t you?¡±


    The baby laughed and she recoiled when he reached out to her.


    ¡°Take that gods-forsaken thing somewhere else,¡± she commanded. A nun dutifully came up, took the baby from Thero¡¯s arms, and rushed away with it. Zofie shivered. ¡°I want it out of my castle as soon as possible. Kadol, what can we do to get rid of it?¡±


    ¡°I suppose the church could take care of him,¡± he replied.


    ¡°I¡¯ll admit I know little on the matter, but would that be wise?¡± Thero asked. ¡°We¡¯ve proved who he is. He isn¡¯t just an Ilethera, he¡¯s a dreamer¡ªand a powerful one. We can¡¯t be sure of the kinds of things he¡¯s capable of.¡±


    Zofie sighed. ¡°You¡¯re right, the little demon¡¯s probably summoning Ski¨¢ right now.¡± She paused. ¡°Kadol, I want increased patrols around Hyasari and all nearby villages. Get the mages, not the soldiers. Let the church know.¡±


    He gave some sort of wave to another servant, who quickly left. ¡°Consider it done.¡± He wandered to the other side of the room. ¡°Remind me, didn¡¯t King Imre show an interest in learning about the dreamers? A way to solve Seothia¡¯s Ski¨¢ problem, if I recall correctly.¡±


    ¡°Are you suggesting I give my brother-in-law a creature that likely has the chance of murdering him? Can you imagine what Dimas would be like if that happened? Assuming that thing didn¡¯t kill him, too?¡±


    ¡°So would you like to admit that Qizar is actually a safer place for the child?¡±


    She stopped and, when the full extent of it reached her, she shook her head with a sense of urgency. ¡°I don¡¯t want that thing here any longer than it needs to be.¡±


    ¡°Shall I send something to Dimas, then? If they think they¡¯re ready for it, then I don¡¯t see why we shouldn¡¯t let them try.¡±


    She clearly didn¡¯t like either of the options, but eventually nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t tell him anything about what it is. It¡¯s going to take him longer if he knows it¡¯s a baby¡ªjust tell him I want to speak with him. We¡¯ll sort the rest out when he gets here.¡±


    ¡­


    Thero would consider himself rather patient, when it came to the matters that quickly arose as Zofie approached her twenty-fifth birthday. A few men were brave enough to try to approach her, but left disappointed and sometimes humiliated. Kadol and occasionally Dimas would remind her that she would soon need to find a husband; or, at the very least, find someone who would be willing to father an heir to the throne. But no such suggestions came from Thero.


    Perhaps it was because the politics of the matter were largely lost on him. He couldn¡¯t have been the only one that thought of Odelle. He didn¡¯t want to see Zofie faced with a similar heartbreak¡ªhe knew it was unlikely, but the thought was enough that he didn¡¯t even want to risk it. Besides, knowing her constitution¡­ he wasn¡¯t even sure if such a thing should be risked. It seemed he was the only one that might¡¯ve been willing to point it out, though. He thought those fears would be his only objection.


    Then he met Allen, who gave him more mixed signals than anyone ever had.


    On one hand, Allen clearly cared for Zofie. He made her smile and laugh, and she showed a kind of comfort around him that she didn¡¯t have with any other possible suitors. But he was also just like Kadol¡ªthere one minute, gone the next. There was one night¡ªone of the first¡ªwhen Kadol and Allen glared at each other over the table as Kadol and Nigel had done some days.


    Thero seemed to be the only one to possess such strong feelings, however. Kadol, for the most part, must have liked Allen¡ªthey spent a suspicious amount of time whispering to each other. Dimas held no clear stance on the matter but Thero knew that, if he had any doubts of Allen¡¯s intentions, he¡¯d have spared no time in pointing it out. It only occurred to Thero years later that Domenique was never explained the situation, though he was unsure if she even cared enough to know. Thero had considered voicing his opinions, but he knew how Zofie was. There was a chance he could be wrong, after all, and he understood that, if the idea was suggested, she wouldn¡¯t be able to forget it. If she couldn¡¯t trust the man she very well might have married, then how could she trust another?


    It turns out she''d figured it out on her own¡­ right when she¡¯d gone to tell him the exciting news.


    ¡­


    He watched as the toddler clumsily copied her mother¡¯s movements. Zofie was teaching her a children¡¯s song about Orestis¡¯s promises. Little Philyra likely didn¡¯t understand the meaning of the words so much as she enjoyed clapping along.


    Thero hadn¡¯t noticed Kadol standing beside him until he spoke. ¡°Seeing them peaceful like this reminds me a bit of Odelle. Don¡¯t you agree?¡±


    Though momentarily startled, Thero nodded. ¡°I suppose.¡±


    ¡°I hope this is a kind of peace that can last.¡±


    ¡°You know, that almost makes it sound like you¡¯re planning something.¡±


    Kadol chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m the royal advisor. Should I not be prepared for anything?¡±


    Thero resisted the urge to say anything that might start a disagreement. ¡°Well, you came here for a reason, didn¡¯t you? Should you or I tell her there¡¯s somewhere else she needs to be?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just Dimas and Natheniel,¡± Kadol remarked. ¡°I think they¡¯ll understand if she¡¯s a little late to meet with them. I¡¯ll give her and Philyra a little while longer.¡±

 Extras: Character Card and Sheet- Lydia

    Extra character card info:


    The oldest of Andrew and Diana¡¯s children and Tavin¡¯s mother. She gained national renown thanks to her adventurous nature, ¡°fun¡± personality (and the associated rumors), and lastly, the tragedy surrounding her death. She¡¯d been responsible for many seemingly-impossible discoveries during her lifetime and, indeed, stories of her travels will surely be remembered for a long time to come.


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 What Time Forgot: A Conflict of Opinion (Farrar)

    It was going to be another slow day at the shop, it seemed, but he didn¡¯t mind. At least he had some company.


    ¡°How are your parents doing? Efse¡¯s settling in well, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s nice for us all to actually be living together. This was the kind of thing Zadeer had wanted from the beginning¡­¡± Kiah shook her head. ¡°We really wouldn¡¯t have been able to do it with you, though.¡±


    Farrar laughed. ¡°Least I could do for my best helper¡ªit wasn¡¯t a problem at all.¡±


    He¡¯d been too busy with what he was working on to realize that a bird had come up to the window. He only processed it when Kiah walked over to accept the letter it had and shoo it away again.


    ¡°It says it¡¯s for you,¡± she remarked. Thankfully, unlike some others, she dutifully gave it to him. ¡°There¡¯s no sender from the looks of it, so it can¡¯t be an order for something¡­¡±


    He realized that he¡¯d never needed to explain this before¡ªwell, explain it convincingly. Before, if he¡¯d been with his father, he¡¯d give some terrible excuse, and if he was with friends or a customer, he¡¯d say there was some other order he had to get to. But Kiah was smart enough not to believe those kinds of excuses and, since she worked under him, she knew exactly how many orders they had.


    So he used the one other reasonable thing he could think of. ¡°It must be one of the guys from a study group I¡¯m in. Someone¡¯s wife is probably pregnant or grandmother¡¯s sick or something¡­ Do you think you could run this place on your own until I see what¡¯s up? It should only take a few hours at most.¡±


    ¡°No one¡¯s coming to pick anything up until later today, right? Shouldn¡¯t be too hard.¡± She shrugged, but there was a hint of skepticism in her tone. She didn¡¯t point anything out, though.


    Which was good, because he really wasn¡¯t looking forward to the day he might have to explain it to her.


    Farrar grinned and waved. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll see you in a couple of hours.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°What the hell? You guys realize I¡¯ve got a life outside of you, right?¡±


    The other Ravens only momentarily looked up before going back to their work.


    ¡°Seriously, I¡¯ve got more important things to do than answering your every whim!¡±


    ¡°Like flirting with the waitress who¡¯s obviously not interested?¡±


    Everyone was laughing, except for Farrar.


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    ¡°Like going to a dinner that a friend went through a lot of trouble to make for me.¡±


    ¡°So we¡¯re keeping them from stroking your ego,¡± one of the Ravens reiterated. ¡°You¡¯re cocky enough as it is, we don¡¯t need that head of yours getting any bigger.¡±


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you complaining about that a few days ago?¡± another asked. ¡°I remember you mentioning one of them having terrible cooking.¡±


    ¡°As it turns out, Zadeer made it all, and he¡¯s a surprisingly good cook,¡± Farrar defended, only vaguely aware that it wasn¡¯t helping at all. ¡°But that¡¯s not the point! What the hell do you want me for this time?¡±


    They looked at each other and shrugged.


    ¡°Dunno,¡± one of them said. ¡°It was by Boss¡¯s orders. Check his office and see if there¡¯s anything with your name on it.¡±


    Another, rather casually, remarked, ¡°Maybe he¡¯s just making you come in to test your excuses. You¡¯ve got to be able to convincingly step away from things, no matter how important, if you don¡¯t want to get caught.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to get caught because you keep making me do this,¡± Farrar grumbled as he left for the office.


    ¡­


    Their ultimate goal was revealing the forgotten truths of the Commandments¡ªthat the gods were not as almighty as they were made out to be. Orestis wasn¡¯t perfect. He wasn¡¯t even watching over them anymore. Farrar had never been much of a religious guy to begin with, so when he first heard it, it felt right. Of course he knew what he¡¯d been risking when he decided to join them. But he looked around him, and he saw the things in their world that were based on those lies, and he wanted to be a part of fixing it.


    He¡¯d figured anyone actually affected by it would think the same, if they knew. That was before Kiah told him who she was.


    Perhaps she wasn¡¯t the most zealous of goblins, nor the most exemplary. But one would be blind to not see someone who feared the gods as much as she revered them, who still every now and again might quote a fitting passage. It was because of what the Commandments taught, of things bent and molded to the whims of mortals, that had led her to be here. Because of what they believed, she or her mother could¡¯ve been killed. Yet it didn¡¯t seem to shake her faith at all.


    Eventually, right as the shop was about to close, he worked up the nerve to ask her. Somewhere in the question, he probably showed his own opinions¡ªhis disbelief. The way he asked it, for better or worse, proved that he¡¯d been thinking of it for a while.


    And when it took her a few moments to answer, he thought he might¡¯ve said something wrong. But when he looked over his shoulder at Kiah, she just had a thoughtful expression.


    ¡°It¡¯s about finding out what you believe, among what everyone else is whispering to you,¡± she said eventually, slowly, considerately. ¡°I know almost by heart every line, every story, they use to justify it. I can¡¯t say if they¡¯re wrong or right¡ªthat¡¯s not something any of us will know until we can talk with Vriuh, if then. But I know something for sure: no matter who we are or what we did, we all still go to the same afterlife. Vriuh doesn¡¯t turn people away because of what kind of blood runs through their veins. Orestis told us that every little thing that He created had a purpose, and anything that lived on the lands He created had His blessing. So I don¡¯t think it matters what their teachings say I should be. I¡¯ve done my own searching, and I know where my truth is: Orestis has a plan for me, and I have a place with Vriuh when the time comes.¡±


    Farrar didn¡¯t think he¡¯d ever hoped more that she would never learn who, exactly, were the members of that ¡°study group.¡±

 Extras: Character Card and Sheet- Natheniel

    Extra character card info:


    The adopted son of Imre and Dimas and Seothia¡¯s older prince. He was always completely unaware of his powers, thinking Iztali¡ªknown to him as Ihu¡ªas simply his pet and Lekra only his imaginary friend. His fears and insecurities caught up to him in the end, however, making the actions his guardians had done to protect him only harm him instead. Ultimately he ran away¡ªand now wanders the place between life and death.


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 Black Magic- Chapter 1

    The gods often seemed to enjoy things like testing how far a mortal could bend before breaking completely. She considered everything up to her current state¡ªbloody, barely conscious, and fully aware of the power that wanted to consume her very being¡ªas proof of that. After all, things had started out so simple, all those years ago¡­


    ¡°Can you tell us another story, Ms. Eme?¡± one of the children asked eagerly.


    One of the others nodded. ¡°I wanna hear another one, too!¡±


    Several others joined in with their agreement.


    Eme let out a soft laugh at their enthusiasm, but she still shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t think we have another time for a story. Your parents are probably going to be ready to pick you up soon.¡± She stood up from her chair, beginning to put the book away. ¡°Besides, I can¡¯t stay very long after service today. I¡¯ve got a bit of studying I¡¯ve got to do.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯re you studying for?¡± another child asked. ¡°My big brother¡¯s studying, too. He¡¯s got these big tests! Do you have big tests, too, Ms. Eme?¡±


    ¡°No, not quite,¡± she responded thoughtfully. ¡°I¡¯m researching something on my own. It¡¯s about magic.¡±


    That was all she had to tell them; they were young enough that they had yet to grasp a lot of the more specific details, so she didn¡¯t need to share them. That was one of the many things she liked about children¡ªshe could tell them a half-truth, and they wouldn¡¯t think anything else of it.


    ¡°Can you all help me clean up a little?¡± she then asked. ¡°We want this place to be nice and tidy by the time your parents come to pick you up.¡±


    Most of them nodded and said, ¡°Yes, Ms. Eme!¡±


    So, by the time some of the parents started to come down, pretty much everything in the little room was cleaned up. Eme talked with some of the parents as they went to get their children, and stayed until every last one of them were gone. Then she gave the room one last glance and, seeing it all in order, left and locked the door behind her.


    It seemed to be perfect timing, too, because the pastor was just coming down.


    ¡°Looking to use the library again?¡± he prompted. ¡°I¡¯d really like to advise you against your usual practices there, but I believe that¡¯s a battle I¡¯ve lost long ago¡­¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry.¡± She knew it wasn¡¯t really an assurance, not to someone who practically had every verse to the contrary memorized. ¡°I know what I¡¯m doing. I¡¯ll be careful, I promise.¡±


    Maybe he was going to try to argue with her, but he ultimately sighed and shook his head. ¡°I just hope you¡¯ll listen to Sachiel when they try to warn you, child. You¡¯re too young to dabble in Darkness¡¯s magic and lose yourself to it.¡± Still, he stepped out of the way, and took out another set of keys from his coat. ¡°I¡¯m going to be telling the nuns to lock the doors an hour after sundown, so if you don¡¯t want to get locked in again, you¡¯ll keep track of the time. Oh, and there¡¯s someone else who¡¯s been pestering me about access to that part of the library. I can¡¯t stop you from using it but, please, try to keep others out of it¡­¡±


    ¡°I will.¡±


    Possibly. She wasn¡¯t against letting someone else learn the kinds of things she was, if they could prove to her it was for the same reasons. But that wasn¡¯t any kind of thing to tell the already-worried priest, so she kept that part to herself.


    Since everyone else was leaving the church at that point, the most people Eme had to talk to on her way to the library was anyone who wanted to greet her. Nearly all of them didn¡¯t even know why she was making her way to the library. They probably thought she was looking for more ways to refine her Life magic¡­ and in a sense, they¡¯d be right. It¡¯s just that she felt that, in order to truly master Life magic, she had to master the other half of Daphni¡¯s gift¡­ Death magic.


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    Nearly as soon as she entered the library, she heard a voice from beside her remark, ¡°Ah, are you the young lady I¡¯m not supposed to be bothering? Might I¡­ bother you anyway?¡±


    A young man, maybe only a year or two older than her, walked up to her. He had a kind smile and she knew for a fact he wasn¡¯t from around here¡ªshe would¡¯ve definitely remembered someone who looked like him. Despite the mismatched clothes and messy hair, there was something¡­ knowledgeable about him, like the air the elders often carried.


    The idea only excited her, though. Someone with the knowledge of the elders, yet one who was interested in the same things she was? Nearly everyone, no matter what they knew, discouraged the use of M¨¢vri Mage¨ªa¡­ had she found a kindred spirit?


    She had to stop herself from wondering too much, though, and instead asked, ¡°So, you¡¯re the one who was bothering the priest earlier? Can I get a name..?¡±


    ¡°Oh, right, those would be rather important.¡± He gave her a little bow. ¡°I¡¯m Leander Tomai, a visitor to this quiet little town as I continue my search for knowledge. And you, miss?¡±


    ¡°Eme Takemra. I was born and raised here in Yllvamel.¡±


    ¡°Well, no wonder the priest trusts you, then! Though I have to wonder what led you to do the kind of research you¡¯re doing, when I presume you were raised in an area that didn¡¯t take kindly to the craft¡­¡±


    She made the decision to start going towards the part of the library she often worked in¡ªthe little room that the key was meant for. It wouldn¡¯t hurt to let him know where it was, though she had yet to decide if she¡¯d let him join her. ¡°It¡¯s just something of a curiosity of mine. I think there¡¯s a lot that we don¡¯t allow ourselves to know, because we¡¯re afraid it¡¯ll hurt us¡ªeven if it can have ultimately helpful applications. I want to know and understand those things, because I think it¡¯ll help me master the skills I need to truly make a difference.¡±


    ¡°My reason seems a little shallow now,¡± he remarked with a chuckle. ¡°All I want to do is prove the world wrong.¡±


    ¡°Oh, really?¡± She had a grin, though. She had a feeling that he was really going to change something¡ªeven if it wasn¡¯t quite in the way that he imagined. In a way, looking back¡­ it was in ways neither of them, at that point, would¡¯ve even thought about. ¡°Prove them wrong about what? And how?¡±


    There was a spark in his eyes when she asked that, as if he¡¯d been waiting years to hear it. But before he got too far ahead of himself, he took a deep breath and coolly explained, ¡°Everything about M¨¢vri Mage¨ªa. I mean, no one can deny the bad things it can do. But I think people discredit the good, too. And I¡¯ll make the world see that, even if it¡¯s the last thing I do.¡±


    ¡°Congratulations, you passed the test.¡± Eme gestured for him to follow her. ¡°I¡¯m going to show you into that room¡­ as long as you promise not to tell the priest I let you in, alright?¡±


    He seemed surprised for a moment, then nodded. ¡°You¡¯ve got yourself a deal.¡±


    They didn¡¯t just do research while they were there, of course; apparently it had been quite a while since either of them had a partner to work with. Even when the day was done, Leander decided to keep coming to Yllvamel to do his research. First, the only thing they shared were their theories¡ªthe things they¡¯ve read, some of the ways they¡¯ve begun to apply it to their lives. Next, they were talking about pieces of their pasts and some of the things that lead to their research. Then a few weeks had passed and they didn¡¯t even need to mention their research before they were talking about their families, their homes¡­ and if they might like to share some qualities of them. Sometimes they wouldn¡¯t even do research, instead opting for brunches or quiet nights alone. It wasn¡¯t too long before Leander had moved to Yllvamel for good, with a promise to take care of her and the child she soon bore.


    But nothing lasts forever, and there was always a reason the elders warned of M¨¢vri Mage¨ªa. It was a careful tightrope, but one Eme had thought they both mastered. She should¡¯ve remembered that no mortal was perfect, none able to manage the balancing act only gods could pull off.


    Because before he even got to see their child, Leander lost his balance and fell off. And it took seconds for the murky waters below to consume him, to the point where only Vriuh¡¯s soft embrace could save him.

 Black Magic- Chapter 2

    ¡°That¡¯s all for today,¡± she said as she closed the book. ¡°Your parents are going to be coming soon, so let¡¯s start to clean up, alright?¡±


    As all of those children started to clean up, she sat the book on a nearby table and turned to her own son. Little Astyu was just sitting up from his nap, recognizing the words as the sign that they¡¯d be going home soon. He honestly wasn¡¯t supposed to be in this room¡ªhe was a few years younger than the usual cut-off. But he never liked to be away from her and, frankly, she never liked to be away from him, either.


    Perhaps a part of her feared that, if she looked away, the only light she had left would suddenly disappear.


    ¡°Home..?¡± he mumbled.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to need to run a couple of errands first. But we¡¯re heading home right after.¡±


    He looked disappointed.


    ¡°I promise it¡¯ll just be a quick trip.¡± She started to put away some of his things, thanking him when he passed her a few of the toys he¡¯d taken out earlier. ¡°Then we¡¯ll be able to head right back home. Alright?¡±


    He gave a small, almost begrudging, nod. ¡°Okay¡­¡±


    They left as soon as all of the other kids did, and Eme made sure to keep her talk with the priest as she gave him the keys short. As they walked out of the church, she assured Astyu that she knew exactly what she wanted, and that she didn¡¯t intend for it to take more than an hour. She even hinted that, if he was polite and behaved, she might buy something for him while they were out.


    Not like he needed to be bribed. The worst thing he¡¯d ever done was refuse to talk to someone, and she wasn¡¯t going to force him to do too much more than a short ¡°hello.¡±


    Her plans for a short trip changed, though, when she noticed three unfamiliar women in front of an inn.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but there¡¯s not enough room,¡± the attendant was saying as Eme and Astyu passed. ¡°There¡¯s a big event being held a couple towns away, and a lot of people are staying with us to be closer. Unfortunately, I can¡¯t immediately think of any other towns that¡¯ll have open space, since Yllvamel was far from anyone¡¯s first choice¡­¡±


    ¡°I suppose we just have a bit more traveling ahead of us, then,¡± one of the women remarked. Astyu whimpered when he saw her; she wasn¡¯t exactly the friendliest looking individual.


    And he was far from happy when Eme still walked up to them.


    ¡°Is something wrong?¡± she prompted. ¡°I couldn¡¯t help but overhear you talking about getting a room at the inn¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s hardly a big deal,¡± the woman said. ¡°Just a bit of unforeseen circumstances.¡±


    Another woman, the one with green hair and a cane, sighed. ¡°You make that sound like we have any resources necessary to keep traveling¡­ We really needed to stop here.¡±


    The attendant realized something they didn¡¯t¡ªsomething Eme was about to point out herself. ¡°I might not have any room for you, but this kind woman might. See, she¡¯s Eme Takemra¡ªher family owns the estate right up there. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be able to work something out, if you only intend to stay for a couple of days.¡±


    The first woman didn¡¯t seem surprised, but that didn¡¯t keep her from remaining humble. ¡°Oh, we couldn¡¯t possibly bother you with something like that¡­¡±


    ¡°I think we can, and we should,¡± the third woman, the one with a more opulent appearance, muttered. ¡°I¡¯m done traveling. I want to actually be able to relax somewhere¡­¡±


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    ¡°I really wouldn¡¯t mind hosting you,¡± Eme said. ¡°My son and I live alone on the estate. It would be my pleasure to help a couple of desperate visitors.¡±


    The first woman laughed. ¡°Well, if you so insist. You¡¯re Eme, correct? I¡¯m Jasmin, and these two¡±¡ªshe gestured to the green-haired one first, then the opulent one¡ª¡°are Kiara and Brynn. It¡¯s certainly a pleasure to meet you. What would you like us to give you, in return for a few nights¡¯ stay?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t need anything,¡± Eme assured them. ¡°Just that you¡¯re comfortable at the estate. If you don¡¯t have anything else planned, I can show you there now, in fact.¡±


    ¡°That would be lovely.¡±


    ¡­


    Astyu had gone up to his room nearly as soon as they arrived, perhaps partially to avoid the ¡°strange¡± and ¡°scary¡± adults; that gave the women time for idle chatter as they drank the tea Eme had prepared.


    ¡°So, that little boy¡ªAstyu, you called him?¡ªis yours?¡± Jasmin only looked up from her tea for a moment, flashing Eme a smile.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Eme responded with a small nod.


    ¡°And what of his father?¡±


    Kiara sighed. ¡°Are you really going to ask that question to a stranger..? She looks young enough, there¡¯s a chance they just haven¡¯t married yet, or any number of reasons that are a bit too impolite to ask¡­¡±


    Somehow, Eme managed a soft smile when she shook her head. ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t mind, not really. I¡¯m almost flattered you think I look that young¡ªbut, unfortunately, it¡¯s not that simple. Leander¡ªAstyu¡¯s father¡ªhe¡­ died a few years ago. He wasn¡¯t even able to see his new son.¡±


    ¡°How¡¯d he die, then?¡± Brynn asked.


    ¡°Not you, too,¡± Kiara mumbled, exasperated. ¡°We don¡¯t want to be rude to our host. Don¡¯t either of you have any concept of that sort of thing?¡±


    ¡°Well, you know that doesn¡¯t stop my curiosity,¡± Jasmin said. ¡°I¡¯d be interested in hearing the story, Eme¡ªso long as you¡¯re willing to tell us.¡±


    Eme considered it, for a moment; wondering if she should tell them the half-truth she¡¯d told most of Yllvamel, or something closer to reality. ¡°He was careless in his use of magic,¡± she eventually settled on. ¡°He got himself too deep in something he couldn¡¯t get himself out of. And now he¡¯s gone.¡±


    ¡°And what kind of magic was it..?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯d¡­ been into learning more about M¨¢vri Mage¨ªa¡ªDark magic especially.¡± Eme didn¡¯t know why she kept talking, only that the words fell out so naturally it was hard to stop them. ¡°I used to help him, but I was more interested in Death magic. I don¡¯t do any of it now, though. I can¡¯t, not after seeing what it does. We were probably fools for trying to understand it in the first place. All I can do now is be grateful things aren¡¯t worse for me, and to stay away from it, so I can give my son the peaceful life he deserves¡­¡±


    All three of them gave forms of subtle reactions, but they weren¡¯t the kind Eme was used to getting when she mentioned it. No, it wasn¡¯t uneasiness or distrust of whatever she was getting herself into; it was more like¡­ a special kind of interest. Maybe even a desire to help.


    And her thought of ¡°that¡¯s silly, I must be imagining it¡± lasted up until Jasmin said something a moment later.


    ¡°Do you have strong magic, then?¡± she asked. In any other conversation, it could¡¯ve just seemed like a perfectly normal, albeit a bit personal, question. But Eme could tell there was another reason behind it.


    Slowly, Eme nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve mostly practiced Life magic, and according to the nuns, I¡¯m one of the better healers in town.¡±


    ¡°And would you say you¡¯d been good at Death magic, too, before you stopped..?¡±


    ¡°In theory, yes¡ªI¡¯d say I was probably one of the most knowledgeable in the whole of Pasha, at least when it came to written records. I never practiced too much on my own, though. I was never confident enough to raise or speak to the dead, nor was there anyone I wished to harm enough to give a fatal curse. The closest I¡¯ve gotten to using it was applying some of its concepts to Life Magic, in order to try to get better at helping others.¡±


    Jasmin let out a soft chuckle. ¡°Fate¡¯s a funny thing, you know.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe I understand.¡±


    ¡°We met by sheer coincidence¡ªnothing more than luck. Yet we have so much in common, and so much we can teach one another.¡±


    That just made Eme more confused and, frankly, mildly concerned. She didn¡¯t need to express any of these feelings, though. For better or worse, Jasmin continued.


    ¡°You see, Kiara, Brynn, and I have been studying M¨¢vri Mage¨ªa. We¡¯re mainly focusing on ways to prevent and reverse the negative effects it has on an individual¡¯s mind and body. And I think that you¡¯ll be a perfect new member of our little group.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask you one thing, Eme Takemra¡­ would you like to be able to revive your love, without fear of losing yourself? Because that is only the beginning of what we hope to achieve¡­¡±

 Extras: Character Card and Sheet- Elle

    Extra character card info:


    The Goddess of Wind in Qizarn myth. The legends surrounding her seem to show off her nature rather well. She was the one who taught the birds to fly¡ªand the one to curse a mortal who was more beautiful than herself¡­ then was promptly punished for upsetting Orestis. The punishment didn¡¯t keep her from using more subtle forms of her power¡ªmostly through her Messengers¡ªto mildly inconvenience certain mortals, however.


    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

 Black Magic- Chapter 3

    She told herself that she didn¡¯t really want to help them. Eme kept reminding them of everything she knew; all of the reasoning she¡¯d been told in the past, all of the things she learned for herself the hard way. But that didn¡¯t seem to persuade them. They barely even acknowledged what she told them, apparently having come to terms with all of it a long time ago. By the time Kiara admitted that she¡¯d already faced physical consequences for using M¨¢vri Mage¨ªa¡ªlosing her eyesight some years prior¡ªand still wanted to learn more about it¡­ well, Eme had to face the fact that there wasn¡¯t going to be any way she was convincing them out of it.


    Eventually, she offered to tell them what she¡¯d learned throughout her years of study, but adamantly refused to actually join them in the practice. She needed to be there for Astyu, after all. No matter what the others intended to achieve, it didn¡¯t change the fact they were likely still going to fail. She couldn¡¯t leave her son, no matter what promises she¡¯d been given.


    But even earlier in, she failed those promises she made to herself.


    ¡°You¡¯re a little earlier than I expected,¡± Eme admitted as she held the door open for the three of them. ¡°I take it you all found some place to stay nearby? I know that¡¯s something you were worried about¡­¡±


    Jasmin nodded. ¡°Kiara and I have been able to strike a deal with the family that owns the cabin just outside of town. We¡¯ll be able to stay there as long as we need.¡±


    ¡°But I wasn¡¯t going to stay in some bug-infested cabin in the woods,¡± Brynn remarked. ¡°I rented a proper apartment, as is fitting for someone like me. Between what I earn by myself and what Jasmin generously provides, it¡¯s well within my ability to maintain it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡± Eme shut the door once they¡¯d all entered. ¡°Would you like some tea? I was just about to make some lunch for Astyu and I, too, so I wouldn¡¯t mind making something for the three of you as well.¡±


    Jasmin smiled. Eme never could decide if the act, whenever Jasmin did it, was unnerving or reassuring. ¡°We¡¯d much appreciate that, if you wouldn¡¯t mind.¡±


    Eme led the way to the kitchen and dining room, even if they all knew where it was by now. Kiara slowly, but confidently, made her way to the table and took a seat there.


    ¡°Astyu¡¯s here?¡± she prompted. ¡°We wanted your help today, remember..? And you can¡¯t keep him busy if you¡¯re helping us. You wanted to keep him out of it.¡±


    ¡°Of course he¡¯s here¡ªhe isn¡¯t comfortable around anyone else, and I don¡¯t want to leave him somewhere he¡¯s not comfortable,¡± Eme responded. ¡°But he¡¯s in his room and I made sure he knew that he shouldn¡¯t bother me today. Just because he¡¯s here doesn¡¯t mean he¡¯s going to get involved¡ªI¡¯m trying my best to make sure he doesn¡¯t even know what¡¯s happening.¡± She paused. ¡°And I¡¯m not helping. All I¡¯m going to do is watch. It¡¯s a complicated process, I don¡¯t want you to accidentally miss something¡­¡±


    ¡°And for that, we¡¯re very grateful,¡± Jasmin said. ¡°I don¡¯t think we would¡¯ve been able to make it this far without your assistance. I¡¯ve been working on this kind of thing for years, but I think I¡¯d be hard-pressed to ever find someone as knowledgeable as you again.¡±


    Eme let out a bit of nervous laughter. ¡°It¡¯s not that much. I barely even know how to apply it¡ªnearly all of my knowledge is just in the fundamentals and the theories¡­¡±


    ¡°Yet even that might one day be able to save a life, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    Slowly, she nodded. ¡°Perhaps it will be.¡±


    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    They didn¡¯t say much more on the matter, instead focusing on small talk and other mostly-pointless chatter. Eme preferred those moments the most; it made it feel like they were simply regular women, whose paths had not crossed because of forbidden magic. In those moments, she was able to forget all about why they were here and what she was pulling herself into¡­


    Though, it also tended to pull her closer in. The more they talked, the more she acknowledged she didn¡¯t want anything bad to happen to them, and the more willing she was to share her knowledge. It made her toe the line that she¡¯d made for herself. She could never quite tell if that was something Jasmin intended¡ªunderstanding the situation in a near-ethereal sense that she did¡ªor if it was something that she ultimately regretted, seeing what it led to.


    Once they were done eating¡ªand Eme checked on Astyu, bringing his lunch and reminding him of her expectations¡ªthey went up to one of the guest rooms. It was where the three of them usually went to practice their magic and Eme often lingered by the door. This time, though, she entered when they did, finding a corner to judge their performance.


    ¡°You want it to be as balanced as possible,¡± she instructed. She didn¡¯t dare move from her spot, though. ¡°If one thing is imbalanced, then everything is. I don¡¯t think I need to explain just how bad that could get¡­¡±


    Jasmin let out a soft chuckle. ¡°Yes, that would be a good thing to avoid.¡± She adjusted the setup a little bit. ¡°Do you think that looks better?¡±


    ¡°Maybe,¡± was as honest of an answer as Eme was able to give. She didn¡¯t like this¡ªfeeling responsible for whatever might happen, as the one guiding them. It made her wonder if it was really for better or worse that she wasn¡¯t with Leander when he died.


    ¡°Are we ready yet?¡± Brynn asked. ¡°I want to get started. We¡¯re trying to summon illusions, aren¡¯t we? The strong kind? I want to see it.¡± In a way that sounded both melodic and threatening, she sang, ¡°I want to see them dance¡­¡±


    ¡°Impatience isn¡¯t going to get you anywhere,¡± Kiara responded. ¡°Unless, of course, you¡¯re hoping to meet Vriuh rather early.¡±


    Eme was about to say something¡ªremind them both that they needed to keep calm, clear minds if they were going to do it properly¡ªbut there was a knock on the door. She quickly gestured for the others not to make another sound and went to the door.


    She opened it just far enough that she could see the tiniest sliver of Astyu on the other side, hoping that her figure would¡¯ve also blocked out what was behind her. ¡°Do you need something, dear?¡±


    ¡°I know you don¡¯t want me bothering you,¡± Astyu mumbled, looking up at her for a moment before turning his attention to a little book he held in his hands. ¡°B-but¡­¡±


    She recognized the book he was holding. ¡°Do you want me to tell you a story?¡±


    Nervously, he nodded. ¡°I know you¡¯re busy, though¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a problem, dear. I¡¯m always willing to make some time for you.¡± She gave one last glance at the others, just to make sure they wouldn¡¯t need her for anything.


    ¡°Go on,¡± Jasmin said with a nod. ¡°I don¡¯t want to keep you from your son.¡±


    Eme nodded, too, and slipped out of the room without opening the door any more than necessary. She closed the door behind her and made sure Astyu followed her over to his room. ¡°Do you want a specific one?¡±


    ¡°I have to do a drawing for school,¡± he said. ¡°But I can¡¯t picture it until you read it to me. One about Peiros¡­¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    When she got to his room, he immediately went to the little rug on the floor, and she moved to the chair in front of him. She knew exactly where to open the book¡ªthis one held all of his favorite stories¡ªso it didn¡¯t take long for her to start reading.


    She tried to focus only on the text she was reading, though occasionally looked up to check Astyu¡¯s progress on his drawing. It was in those moments, as she read to him alone, that she could tell just how strong his magic was¡ªhow it probably rivaled both hers and Leander¡¯s combined.


    Eme had never taught Astyu Illusion magic, yet little figures danced around his paper and across his room. A part of her wanted to be proud, she really did.


    But she couldn¡¯t shake the fear that, if given the opportunity, he¡¯d stumble down the same path Leander did¡­ the same shortcomings she ultimately fell for as well. She remembered what was happening just down the hall and hoped that he¡¯d never even see it. She couldn¡¯t lose any more of her family.


    Unfortunately, she still ended up leaving him alone.

 Black Magic- Chapter 4

    ¡°I want you to join us this time, if you think you¡¯re up for it.¡±


    Jasmin had said it so casually, Eme nearly agreed thinking it wasn¡¯t anything significant. But then she thought about what Jasmin was really implying.


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t,¡± Eme said quickly. ¡°I can¡¯t, you know that. I¡¯m not going to do anything with you. I¡¯ll watch and I¡¯ll guide but I¡¯m not going to actually do any of it. It¡¯s too much of a risk.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve figured something out, you know,¡± Kiara remarked. She carefully took a sip of her tea. ¡°Jasmin¡¯s certain that we¡¯re capable of performing one of the big acts of forbidden magic without facing any negative side effects. But we can¡¯t do it with just the three of us¡ªthe negative force will only be neutralized if all four of us work on it.¡±


    Eme was about to shake her head again, but the other implications of it sunk in before she could do it.


    And Brynn was the first to take advantage of it. ¡°If we figure this out¡­ there¡¯s no stopping what we¡¯re capable of.¡±


    ¡°Please, Eme,¡± Jasmin said. ¡°I¡¯m sure we all perfectly understand your apprehensions¡ª¡±


    ¡°Frankly, I think you¡¯re just being annoying,¡± Brynn casually interjected.


    Jasmin glared at her then turned her attention back to Eme. ¡°But, despite those apprehensions, I want you to be a part of this. This wouldn¡¯t be possible without you and it will open up so much more if we can have your direct involvement¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± The question came quicker than Eme could really think it over. What was she saying? Was she really going to agree to this, cross the line she¡¯d made for herself? Even¡­ even if the promises of her dreams could be realized if she just took a step across..?


    ¡°As long as the four of us work together on it, I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll succeed,¡± Jasmin confirmed with a nod. ¡°So, would you be willing to join us..?¡±


    Every part of Eme wanted to refuse, deny becoming a part of any bit of this; she¡¯d stayed away this long, she didn¡¯t want to join now.


    Yet the more she thought of it, the more she acknowledged what it meant and the things they were possibly only months from achieving¡ªafter years of hard work.


    So before her better judgment had a chance to overtake her again, she cautiously nodded her head and said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll help. What do you want to try doing?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve yet to decide,¡± Jasmine replied. ¡°But given that we can do something big, that¡¯s what it¡¯ll be. We have the choices of a glimpse into the future, a chat with the dead, or the manipulation of a living body.¡± She paused, undoubtedly noticing Eme¡¯s expression. ¡°The third isn¡¯t exactly an option, though. We¡¯re here to prove the world wrong, not make them believe we¡¯re evil.¡±


    ¡°Well, I would¡¯ve wanted to try it,¡± Brynn remarked.


    Kiara nudged her. ¡°Not only do we have to make sure it¡¯s actually ethical, but we need to be careful of who else is here. Astyu¡¯s still at home, isn¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s up in his room now¡ªdoing schoolwork on his own,¡± Eme confirmed. ¡°But I don¡¯t want to bother him. According to my research, necromancy of any kind tends to lead to other anomalies in the surrounding area. It¡¯s probably too much of a risk to do here, especially if we want to keep him from knowing what we¡¯re doing or getting hurt from it.¡±


    ¡°Then a bit of future-seeing it is, then,¡± Jasmin said with a chuckle. ¡°You know, I started out this quest of mine as a fortune teller¡­ I suppose it seems fitting, in that regard, so long as everyone else is willing to try it.¡±


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    Kiara nodded her agreement and Brynn muttered something that, frankly, sounded more like reluctant acceptance. Eme still hesitated but, after all of their attention was brought on her, she also somewhat-hesitantly confirmed her acceptance.


    Jasmin gave a comforting-yet-unnerving smile and gestured towards the hall. ¡°Shall we get started, then?¡±


    ¡°Let me just check in with Astyu one more time,¡± Eme mumbled. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure he knows that I won¡¯t be able to be with him for a little while.¡±


    She left then, trying not to sound too distracted when she found Astyu and explained, vaguely, why she wanted him to stay in his room. He looked to have so many questions¡­ All she could do was hope that, eventually, she might not need to hide it from him.


    That she¡¯d be responsible for making M¨¢vri Mage¨ªa just as dangerous as any other type of magic.


    She should¡¯ve understood that it was far too good to be true. But, at that point, even if she knew exactly what would happen to her¡­ would she actually step away from it? Or would she keep going, hoping that somehow she¡¯d be able to change her fate?


    ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be too far ahead,¡± Kiara was saying as Eme walked into the room the others were in.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it should be too far from here, either,¡± Jasmin remarked thoughtfully. ¡°From my experience, it¡¯s usually more taxing the further out you have to go¡ªboth in the physical and metaphorical sense.¡±


    ¡°So we¡¯re just going to keep things boring,¡± Brynn said with a sigh. ¡°Fine. I suppose if that¡¯s what it takes for the rest of you to go along with it, then that¡¯s fine. Let¡¯s stop being indecisive¡ªwe¡¯ve got to do something, or else I¡¯m going to get bored.¡±


    Eme slowly took the empty space for her¡ªa spot on the floor between Kiara and Brynn. ¡°I thought about it a little, too, and I think the next festival will be a good place to try. It¡¯s right here in Yllvamel and it¡¯s only a week away. We should probably keep it to a specific street, though. Even with all four of us, it might be hard to find the fate of the whole town¡­¡±


    Jasmin nodded wisely. ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I was thinking. What about that street just behind the church? It usually doesn¡¯t see that many visitors, so we likely won¡¯t have to process too many things at once.¡±


    They all gave their signs of agreement, so they got started. Some part of the preparation¡ªwhat they¡¯d done research for, and what made most of this possible without harming them¡ªwas almost like instinct. The other portion came easily enough, even though it wasn¡¯t something Eme was quite as familiar with.


    And, before long, they were uttering the words that would allow them to see the future.


    When they¡¯d started, they¡¯d sat down at roughly even-spaced spots that, from above, probably resembled corners of a square. This projection of the future, that street during the festival, was placed in the center.


    ¡°Kiara,¡± Jasmin said calmly, though there was an undeniable tinge of excitement, ¡°can you ¡®see¡¯ your illusion, as well?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Kiara sounded a bit surprised, yet relieved all the same. ¡°What you added worked. Even if my¡­ actual eyes see nothing, I can still ¡®see¡¯ it. You won¡¯t have to describe it.¡±


    ¡°Wonderful. Now, let¡¯s see what awaits this little pocket of Yllvamel during the festival¡­¡±


    They all turned their attention to the projection, hushed and eagerly awaiting whatever it might have for them.


    Nothing eventful really seemed to happen; there weren¡¯t many people who walked past that spot, and none of the stalls had been set up that far away from the main streets. But still, Eme knew it wasn¡¯t exactly the quietest of spots¡ªthere didn¡¯t quite seem to be enough people walking through.


    And Eme couldn¡¯t help but notice that none of the four of them were there, even if she was quite certain she¡¯d probably walk through that path at some point. It certainly wasn¡¯t closed, and there were people who lived around there she thought she¡¯d visit¡­


    But before she could absorb too much of the information, the illusion ended.


    ¡°That barely showed us anything,¡± Brynn pointed out. ¡°I say we do another. Something that¡¯s going to actually predict something.¡±


    Jasmin shook her head. ¡°We should only do one for now. We need to make sure that it doesn¡¯t influence us, and doing multiple at once will only compound any existing issues.¡±


    ¡°Besides, I suddenly have a bad feeling about all of this,¡± Eme admitted. She looked at Jasmin. ¡°Are you sure this is safe?¡±


    ¡°Technically, I can¡¯t be sure of anything,¡± Jasmin remarked, though she must¡¯ve known it definitely didn¡¯t help. ¡°But I believe so, yes. You¡¯re worried about the fact none of us were in it, aren¡¯t you? Things like that are completely normal when seeing the future. It¡¯s not a sign of anything, at least not with the information that we have. Things will turn out just fine. I promise.¡±

 Extras: Comic- Smile

    Script:


    Domenique: You know, Kadol, I''m starting to realize what makes you seem so creepy and unapprochable.


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Kadol: Hm? What is it?


    Domenique: You never smile. It makes it seem like you don''t even have emotions.


    Kadol: I don''t believe that will help.


    Domenique: Why? I doubt it would be that--oh gods that''s worse than I thought.


    {shows Kadol giving a wide, creepy grin}


    Domenique: Yeah, I see what you mean. Never do that again.


    Kadol: I already presumed as much.

 Black Magic- Chapter 5

    She knew that, if there really was a problem, it would only come about because of a self-fulfilling prophecy; that, as long as she did nothing and didn¡¯t worry about it, then everything would be okay, if anything were to ever go wrong in the first place. Yet still she worried. She couldn¡¯t help but wonder why she¡¯d never gone over there, when she could recall going there for most other festivals.


    The thought haunted the back of her mind all up until the day of the festival itself. When the day came, all she could do was tell herself to go on as normal, and she¡¯ll see if there were any particular reasons none of them were there that day¡­


    ¡°Are you ready?¡± she prompted gently, her hand hovering over the door.


    Astyu was still fumbling with the chain on his belt, but he answered with a soft mhm. As soon as he snapped it into place, he rushed up to be by her side, and the two of them left the estate together.


    He was always a shy kid, but that demeanor tended to give away to his curiosity whenever they went out for a festival. She was able to see parts of him that he normally only showed when they were alone¡ªthe behaviors of any normal kid¡­ though still one who tended to stay close to her.


    ¡°Where do you want to go first?¡± Eme asked as soon as they got to the center of town. From here, it was fairly easy to see all of the different kinds of stalls each street was lined with.


    Astyu glanced at each of the streets, undoubtedly weighing all of his options and fully aware of the places he definitely wanted to go. After a moment, he pointed to one of them. ¡°That one. It looks like they¡¯ve got games¡­¡±


    She started leading the way there. ¡°Do you think you want to try any of them?¡±


    ¡°Maybe¡­¡±


    ¡°Would you like one of the prizes?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I haven¡¯t seen them yet.¡±


    ¡°Well, if you decide you do, I¡¯ll help you out.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    ¡°I want to try all on my own.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s alright, too. I¡¯ll still have to pay for it, though, if that¡¯s alright with you?¡±


    He nodded.


    It seemed that a lot of the games had been placed down this street, though very few of them seemed to spark Astyu¡¯s curiosity. There were a few of them that he gave passing glances to; otherwise, he walked to a certain one with confidence. The prizes¡ªseveral different kinds of plushies¡ªmust¡¯ve been really appealing to him, because he didn¡¯t even hide behind her on his way up to the attendant.


    ¡°I want to try to get that,¡± he explained, pointing to a turtle plush. ¡°Can I, please?¡±


    The attendant gave him a wide smile. ¡°Of course, dear! I¡¯ll just need one copper from you or your mum.¡±


    Eme pulled one out from her small bag and placed it on the counter.


    The attendant nodded her thanks, took the coin, and began sharing the rules with Astyu. Eme had, honestly, intended to watch, but she soon got distracted by another mother-son duo coming up to say hello.


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    ¡°Good evening, Eme!¡± Ms. Kadnekh called cheerfully. Her first name was something Eme could never remember, and it always felt too awkward to ask. ¡°It¡¯s nice to see the two of you out and about. It feels nearly impossible to catch a moment to chat nowadays!¡±


    Eme offered a small smile. ¡°It certainly does feel like that, doesn¡¯t it? Well, it¡¯s nice to see you and your son now. Ragnis has grown a lot since the last time I saw him.¡±


    ¡°And so is little Astyu! If you weren¡¯t with him, I don¡¯t know if I would¡¯ve been able to recognize him.¡± Ms. Kadnekh moved so that she could give him a smile, too, but the boy was now far too invested in the game. She let out a chuckle. ¡°I suppose he¡¯s busy right now, though. Probably best not to interrupt him.¡±


    Ragnis tugged on his mother¡¯s sleeve. ¡°Ma, you said we were going to go to the town square! I helped put up the banners! I want you to see them!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s my cue to go, then,¡± Ms. Kadnekh decided. ¡°Hopefully we¡¯ll see you later, Eme!¡±


    Eme nodded. As they left and she turned her attention back to Astyu, any of her previous apprehension began to disappear. This festival was just like any other. It almost felt silly that she¡¯d worried so much about it before¡­


    ¡­


    Near the end of the night, she realized that she naturally never went to the street. And, just as she was about to tell Astyu it was time to come home, she caught sight of Jasmin, Kiara, and Brynn.


    Jasmin noticed the two of them first and gestured them over. ¡°Good evening, Eme and Astyu.¡± Noticing the little turtle plush Astyu was now holding, she knelt down and gave him a soft smile. ¡°Oh, did you get a prize tonight?¡±


    ¡°Mhm! All by myself!¡± Astyu puffed his chest out in pride, though he pulled the plush close to him. ¡°But it¡¯s all mine, so I don¡¯t want anyone else to take it. Please.¡±


    ¡°He actually got it on his first try,¡± Eme said. ¡°I was a little surprised, it wasn¡¯t really the easiest game¡­¡±


    ¡°I got it through hard work and determination!¡± he declared. ¡°You said I could do anything like that. And I did!¡±


    Brynn ruined the moment by bluntly saying, ¡°We¡¯ve got more important things to do than listen to the kid, I think. Can we skip to the part where we talk about why we¡¯re all actually here?¡±


    ¡°I suddenly feel like we should listen to more of his stories, just to spite you,¡± Kiara remarked. ¡°There¡¯s more to life than whatever ends you¡¯re trying to meet with your magic. We should be enjoying these little moments, not trying to brush them all off.¡±


    Brynn shrugged. If there was one thing Eme was certain about her, it was that Brynn wasn¡¯t one to care about the little things. All she wanted was to see how far her magic could take her, what she¡¯d be able to accomplish if she just pushed the boundaries a little bit harder; for that reason, Eme had always been wary around her. Astyu had never been fond of her anyway.


    ¡°I suppose she still has a point,¡± Jasmin said. ¡°I¡¯m sure Astyu¡¯s had a big and exciting day, he¡¯s probably ready to head to bed soon. Eme, would the two of you like to come back to the cabin with us? I¡¯d like to talk.¡±


    ¡°Couldn¡¯t we just head back to the estate?¡± Eme prompted. ¡°Astyu would probably be more comfortable in his own bed¡­¡± She added after a moment, ¡°Besides, woods aren¡¯t exactly the best place to be in the middle of the night. The estate will also be easier to accommodate everyone, so that you won¡¯t have to travel back in the dark.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s just say you¡¯ve spent a long time accommodating us,¡± Kiara said. ¡°For once, we want to accommodate you. The cabin¡¯s a lot more spacious than you might think it is, it¡¯ll have no problem giving us all room for the night. I¡¯m sure Brynn is going to be leaving as soon as we¡¯re done, anyway.¡±


    ¡°Of course I am,¡± Brynn muttered. ¡°I¡¯m not staying in an old cabin in the woods. That just sounds like a recipe for disaster. I¡¯d much rather take my comfortable apartment, thank you.¡±


    Deciding to ignore the comment, Eme decided, ¡°I¡¯ll let Astyu make the call. Whatever you want to talk about can probably wait until tomorrow, right? I don¡¯t want him to be uncomfortable.¡± She looked at him and prompted, ¡°So, what do you think, dear? Would you like to spend a night with Jasmin and Kiara?¡±


    He thought about it for a moment, then nodded. ¡°I¡¯m just tired. I don¡¯t care where we go, if I can sleep¡­¡±


    ¡°Seems like things are settled, then.¡± Jasmin gestured for the others to follow her. ¡°It¡¯s not too much, really¡ªbut I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll all be excited to hear it.¡±


    And quite the excitement it was, indeed, once it became time for Jasmin to tell them.


    She was confident enough in what they were able to do that she felt like they were mere weeks away from a major breakthrough. With only a little bit more time, they could practice M¨¢vri Mage¨ªa freely without fear of all of its consequences.


    Eme hadn¡¯t thought about it too much during the conversation. Rather, all of its meaning and implications came to her as she tried to sleep¡ªall of the things she could do, the love that might not be too far from reigniting¡­

 Black Magic- Chapter 6

    ¡°I wanted us to try something a little bigger today,¡± Jasmin announced. They¡¯d all found their places in the room, with everything set up similarly to when they foresaw the festival. ¡°We¡¯re never going to know exactly how far this is going to take us until we¡¯re willing to take the risk to find out.¡±


    Eme gave a nervous nod. ¡°What do you want to try, then? Is it still going to be with Truth magic, or do you want to try something else this time..?¡±


    ¡°We were thinking about another glimpse into the future, but heightened by Illusion magic,¡± Kiara explained. ¡°Only the three of you are going to be able to see what the Illusion magic does, but I¡¯ll still contribute my efforts.¡±


    ¡°I was hoping we¡¯d do something more interesting,¡± Brynn grumbled. ¡°Must we keep seeing the future? Why not play around with any of Daphni¡¯s forbidden trades, or Faidon¡¯s? They¡¯re much more interesting than anything Vaso set up¡­¡±


    ¡°You should understand the purpose just as much as the rest of us,¡± Jasmin remarked wisely. ¡°We need to start slow and work our way into the bigger things. As long as you¡¯re patient, and we get the results we¡¯re looking for, then we¡¯ll get to that part eventually. But this has to be where we start.¡±


    Brynn muttered something that was, just barely, an agreement.


    With that settled, Jasmin continued with the rest of her announcement. ¡°I¡¯d like us to try to see how Yllvamel as a whole will be doing several years from now. Not only is it a much bigger jump than before, but we¡¯ll also add some Illusion magic¡ªI was thinking we could make the whole room part of the projection, instead of just a little spot. Something that made it seem like we were sitting in the very streets of the future Yllvamel.¡±


    ¡°Sounds fairly straightforward,¡± Eme mumbled, nodding to herself as well. ¡°That kind of Illusion magic generally isn¡¯t even considered M¨¢vri Mage¨ªa¡­¡±


    ¡°That was exactly my reasoning. It¡¯s something that tests both the limits of managing M¨¢vri Mage¨ªa, but also our capability of performing multiple spells at once.¡± Jasmin continued rather casually, despite the kind of levity her words had. ¡°Like usual, I want each of you to tell me if anything feels strange, and we¡¯ll end the spell immediately. I don¡¯t want anyone to be affected by M¨¢vri Mage¨ªa or overuse any of their magic, in case our calculations are wrong on something.¡±


    Each of them gave their mumbles of agreement, then they started the ritual. At first, it resembled the one they¡¯d done before the festival; just a small glimpse in the center of the room. But then they added the Illusion magic, and it was exactly like Jasmin had described it¡ªlike the entire room was a pocket of the future.


    ¡°Is it working?¡± Kiara prompted.


    Even Jasmin couldn¡¯t hide her excitement as she nodded and said, ¡°Better than I could¡¯ve imagined. Shall we try to explore? We¡¯re not going to learn much by staying in one place, after all. We can ¡®visit¡¯ each of the major streets, then we should end it.¡±


    As they ¡®wandered,¡¯ changing their viewpoints to various places around the town, Eme took in all the little changes. She caught a glimpse of a definitely-older Ragnis casually talking with the half-siren that sometimes visited him and his mother. A few shops seemed to have closed, or new ones opened, with a few newer faces. Overall, though, she couldn¡¯t notice any big differences between the town then and now.


    She supposed Yllvamel always was slow to change. She found it rather fitting and peaceful, actually, to know that it would continue to barely differ from year to year.


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    They ¡®visited¡¯ each of the major streets, just as Jasmin had suggested, taking in all of the sights and sounds the undoubtedly prospering town had to offer. For a moment, as they were clearly coming near the end of their ¡®tour,¡¯ Eme almost panicked at the realization that she hadn¡¯t seen any of them walking around. But in a moment, she connected it to what had happened with the festival, and she didn¡¯t find herself nearly as worried.


    After all, if this was working, then there was surely much more they could do later. Perhaps all of them had just been meeting at the estate on the day they¡¯d chosen, and that¡¯s why none of them were walking around. Or maybe they¡¯d even gotten chances to travel elsewhere to share their knowledge, as that was something Jasmin occasionally showed an interest in.


    The last thing they saw on their ¡®trip¡¯ was the Takemra estate just outside of town. All of the curtains were closed, but that was normal; ivy was growing up the walls and the fencing, but Eme always had trouble containing it; the flower bed was filling up with weeds, but perhaps it was just the beginning of the season, and she hadn¡¯t gotten around to cleaning it yet. She found perfectly reasonable excuses for all of them¡ªexcuses she could use against her creeping dread to beat it back down and stop it from ruining the moment.


    Then the projection ended, slowly fading out.


    ¡°That went remarkably smoothly,¡± Jasmin said, giving the most excited smile Eme had seen her have. ¡°Everyone¡¯s still feeling fine, right? I understand that this might¡¯ve been a little much¡ªI wouldn¡¯t be surprised if we used a little bit more magic than I¡¯d originally intended.¡±


    ¡°I think we might¡¯ve just seen each of our full potentials,¡± Eme offered. ¡°I feel perfectly fine¡ªbarely any different than getting some water for tea.¡±


    Kiara nodded. ¡°You probably underestimated what we could do¡ªjust to make sure we didn¡¯t overdo it. I can¡¯t speak much for the illusion portion, though.¡±


    ¡°All I am is bored,¡± Brynn remarked. ¡°I suppose I can understand the importance of practicing the small parts first. But now that we have this down, can we please do something more exciting? Any more of only the future and a few illusions and I¡¯m going to end up falling asleep during the spell.¡±


    Jasmin sighed. ¡°I suppose that¡¯s nearly to be expected, but we still need to practice more. It¡¯s good to hear that everyone¡¯s fine, but we need to ensure that these are the repeatable outcomes, not just luck or chance. We¡¯re going to have to do a couple more test runs before we can start doing anything more.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s only an unnecessary risk if we don¡¯t,¡± Kiara added. ¡°If you¡¯re willing to take that risk, go ahead and do it yourself. But you¡¯re not going to drag us all down with you if you¡¯re too eager to wait.¡±


    Eme nervously nodded. ¡°I¡¯m going to have to agree with both of them. We shouldn¡¯t do something that has too big of a chance to hurt someone. Something like that could even have the chance of ruining a good deal of the progress we¡¯ve made so far¡­¡±


    ¡°I would¡¯ve thought you¡¯d support me on this one,¡± Brynn grumbled. ¡°You¡¯re the one who¡¯s only a part of this because you want to raise someone from the dead. Doesn¡¯t this just feel like busywork to you? Don¡¯t you want to see him as soon as possible?¡±


    Eme hated how much she hesitated; how she knew that Brynn was right but, at the same time, understood the consequences of recklessly going along with it. As soon as Eme was sure that she¡¯d give the right answer, though, she confidently pointed out, ¡°None of that is going to matter if I have to sacrifice myself for it. Our family will only be complete when all three of us are together again.¡±


    Jasmin nodded. ¡°That¡¯s the perfect answer. It actually puts me a bit at ease, honestly, to hear that you¡¯re still willing to think these things through. That means I, hopefully, don¡¯t have to worry about you making any rash decisions later down the line.¡±


    ¡°Of course not. As much as I want to see Leander again¡­ I have to be there for Astyu, too. I¡¯m not going to just abandon him. He needs his mother, and I¡¯m certainly not going to deny him that.¡±


    Kiara slowly stood up. ¡°Well, it sounds like we¡¯re just about done here for today. Perhaps we could all enjoy a nice break for tea, then head our separate ways for now?¡±


    Eme got up as well. ¡°That sounds good. I¡¯ll go ahead and get it ready¡ªand ask Astyu if he¡¯d like to join us. I haven¡¯t had a chance to go to the store recently, so I¡¯m running a little low on tea, but it should be enough for the five of us to each have a cup.¡±


    Jasmin gave her a kind smile. ¡°Just the thought behind it is enough. Thank you.¡±

 Extras: Character Card and Sheet- Odelle and Nigel

    Extra character card info:


    Odelle: The previous queen of Qizar, the wife of Nigel and Dimas and Zofie¡¯s mother. Everyone who knew her would speak of her kindness and care towards children, even if she never had as big of a family as she¡¯d wanted. She worked with Casper in order to set the foundations of the peace between their two kingdoms, more than ready to put the bloody past behind them. Even her sudden death couldn¡¯t halt the change she¡¯d pushed into motion.


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    Nigel: The previous king of Qizar, the husband of Odelle and Dimas and Zofie¡¯s father. In public, one might find nothing wrong about him; to those unfortunately close to him, he was known to be just as indiscriminate in his sober anger as he was in his drunken rage. He thought he had immunity through the Ravens¡­ but, knowing who the blame will be pinned on, he committed suicide when he heard news of Odelle¡¯s murder.

 Black Magic- Chapter 7

    Yllvamel¡¯s cemetery was on the opposite side of town from the estate, meaning there was quite a walk from one to the other. Usually, Eme left early in the morning, so she¡¯d make breakfast for Astyu and be on her way before too many others woke up. This time, though, she was bringing him with her, so they left a little bit later. To make up for it, she tried to take the ways she knew very few people would be on, and never let a conversation get further than ¡°good morning¡± when she couldn¡¯t avoid it entirely.


    Astyu had been to the cemetery with her a few times before, but almost all of them¡ªand certainly all the ones he would¡¯ve remembered¡ªwere to visit his grandparents. So the confused look on his expression was quite clear when they only visited the graves in passing, to set down two candles and say their prayers. He was even more confused when, instead of leading him back out, she went to another part of the cemetery.


    She went to where Leander¡¯s grave was.


    She knelt down at the grave and, after a moment, Astyu mimicked her. She glanced over at him and kindly asked, ¡°Could you pass me that candle you¡¯re holding, dear?¡±


    Astyu nodded and did as she asked. As he watched her gently place it near the headstone, he asked, ¡°Why are we at this one?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve brought you here a few times before, when you were very little. Do you remember that?¡±


    He considered it for a moment, then shook his head.


    ¡°It was a long time ago. Either way, I¡­ don¡¯t think I ever explained who he was. This was your father. He died shortly before you were born¡­¡±


    That somber moment, however, was not one that Eme wanted them to maintain. After they lit the candle and did their prayer, calmed by Vriuh¡¯s comfort and the candle¡¯s scent, she was in the mood of reminiscing.


    So she once again turned to her son and asked him a simple question: ¡°Would you like to hear a story about him?¡±


    Astyu was much more interested immediately; he was clearly ready to put this quiet mourning behind them, too. Not to mention, he always was a fan of stories¡ªit seemed like she could keep telling him the same one over and over, and he¡¯d still never get bored of it.


    Eme considered the best story to tell, and smiled once she had one in mind.


    She told him the story in the same way she told the fairytales, partially because that¡¯s what they felt like to her. Those moments¡­ they were perfect glimpses of paradise, the kind of calm nearly everyone would want themselves surrounded in. She did keep parts of it to herself, though; the original reason they started talking to each other, the ¡°projects¡± they worked on with decreasing frequency as they got to know each other. Astyu didn¡¯t need to know that part.


    He was a smart kid, smart enough to see the parallels between anything that she might mention and what she was doing now. He¡¯d be worried. And if he were to know any part about what she was doing, she wanted him to be reassured¡­ to think it was a good thing, or at least one where the risks weren¡¯t quite as obvious.


    After a few of the stories, Eme decided that it was time to go. As much as she didn¡¯t want to leave, wondering about the future where they might be reunited, she knew there were other errands they needed to run. Besides, a couple of others were beginning to come, and she always preferred her reminiscing and mourning to be done in complete solitude.


    As they left and started towards some other places they needed to go to, Astyu asked, ¡°Do you want to hear a story?¡±


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    It took her a moment to realize he¡¯d said anything¡ªstill lost in memories¡ªand another for her to nod. ¡°Go ahead, dear. I¡¯m listening.¡±


    Well, that was a partial lie, but it made him happy, and that¡¯s all that mattered.


    ¡°Okay! Once upon a time, there were two siblings¡ªa boy and a girl. They lived with their parents in a little cabin in the woods¡­¡±


    He kept talking, but Eme started to tune out what he was saying. It wasn¡¯t because she wasn¡¯t interested in what he was telling her; of course not, she always enjoyed his stories made up of different elements of fairytales. She just couldn¡¯t stop herself from dwelling on the past, as well as considering what the future might hold for them. It might not be too much longer now. After so many years of research¡­ they might be ready for a major breakthrough.


    And Astyu could know for himself what Leander was like, instead of relying on her stories.


    Eme was still drawn out of her thoughts by something of Astyu¡¯s doing, though.


    ¡°Astyu, remember what we talked about. You can¡¯t use your Illusion magic in public¡­¡±


    The small illusions stopped all at once, though his expression proved that he didn¡¯t completely understand what she was talking about. He almost always made projections when hearing or telling a story. At home, she made the possible-mistake of encouraging¡ªor at least, not pointing out¡ªhis actions. But she had to remind him when they went out that that kind of thing wasn¡¯t polite; she acknowledged after the first couple of times, though, that she was more or less asking him to manage something that was barely in his control.


    He was quiet for a couple of moments before he caught sight of familiar faces in the growing crowd. He pointed right at the two of them and said, ¡°Mother, Jasmin and Kiara must be coming to visit.¡±


    Eme saw them as soon as he said it, and she started to walk over to them. It seemed like they might¡¯ve been slowly making their way towards the estate, but she figured it wouldn¡¯t hurt to talk anyway.


    ¡°Good morning, you two,¡± she called to catch their attention. Once she was closer, she asked, ¡°Are you just out for a walk, or were you on your way to the estate?¡±


    Jasmin offered a kind smile. ¡°A little bit of both, actually. We were slowly making our way there¡ªI know you like to run errands on days like these, so I didn¡¯t want us to arrive too early.¡±


    ¡°What did you want to talk about..? Brynn isn¡¯t wandering around here somewhere, is she?¡±


    ¡°No, I simply sent a letter to Brynn to tell her to meet with us at the regular time. And it¡¯s nothing too serious. In truth, we wouldn¡¯t have left this early, either, but we decided we could both use some fresh air.¡±


    Kiara casually corrected, ¡°Rather, Jasmin got a little too nervous to stay in one place.¡±


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t say that,¡± Jasmin whispered back. ¡°Poor Eme¡¯s going to think someone died, with the way you put it.¡±


    It was too late for that kind of comment, though. Eme was already worried. ¡°What happened?¡±


    Surprisingly, Astyu didn¡¯t seem very concerned, even if he was in perfect earshot of all of it. He actually seemed more ready to just move this conversation somewhere else, so that they could finish what they needed and head back home. Eme simply decided that was a good thing, though she still didn¡¯t want to mention too much around him.


    Jasmin gave a single glance to the boy, then casually remarked, ¡°It¡¯s not too much of an issue. Just a couple of¡­ odd coincidences.¡±


    ¡°Odd coincidences?¡± All that did was make Eme more nervous. She knew what that most likely meant, and it was nothing good. But that couldn¡¯t be the case, could it? Not after everything they¡¯ve done. Not after how far they¡¯ve gotten, the breakthroughs they certainly made¡­


    ¡°We don¡¯t know anything for certain,¡± Jasmin added quickly, undoubtedly aware of what Eme was thinking of. ¡°That¡¯s why we wanted to talk with both you and Brynn¡ªwith All four of us together, it won¡¯t be heard to piece together the nature of this. Besides, it¡¯s barely something to worry about here, no? We can talk about it more when you¡¯re done running errands. Go walk around town for a little bit longer, spend some time with your son. We can talk once you¡¯re ready.¡±


    ¡°Y-yeah, you¡¯re probably right. Well, you and Kiara know where the spare keys are¡ªgo ahead and let yourselves in when you¡¯re ready. You can even get some tea going if you want, or I think there¡¯s still some biscuits in the pantry. I¡¯m going to get more while I¡¯m out so don¡¯t feel bad for finishing them up.¡±


    ¡°We might just take you up on that offer, then. I¡¯ll be sure to make sure there¡¯s enough for all of us when we¡¯re all there to talk.¡±

 Black Magic- Chapter 8

    It started as minor inconveniences. One day, she might¡¯ve lost her copy of the Commandments¡ªnearly tearing up the entire estate just to find it, only to realize it was in a place she swore she¡¯d looked at least three times before. Another, she might¡¯ve misplaced something that the four of them needed for a spell, and they simply couldn¡¯t perform it until it decided to show back up again.


    Others, it was a nagging feeling that things were definitely getting worse, and that there was nothing they could do to stop it.


    And, well, that nagging feeling was almost definitely right. Because, soon enough, those minor inconveniences turned into things slightly more dangerous. Jasmin would recount a few tales of a bear wandering near their cabin and ruining some of their garden, or how Kiara cut herself when she was preparing something; Brynn would complain about the last festival, and how one of the displays near her inn caught fire; Eme had examples of her own, from papercuts to something killing most of the flowers in front of the estate.


    Every time they met, Jasmin tried to assure them that there wasn¡¯t anything special about it¡ªeven if, as time went on, it became clearer and clearer that she wasn¡¯t so sure of that herself. Eme knew better than to simply ignore it.


    So that¡¯s why she decided she wasn¡¯t just going to let them stand by and let it happen anymore. She asked them all to come, made sure Astyu knew to stay in his room, and didn¡¯t bother with the usual pleasantries when the ladies came.


    ¡°We need to talk about this,¡± Eme remarked almost immediately. She still poured out some tea and laid out some pastries, but she expected them all to go untouched. At the very least, she certainly wasn¡¯t hungry, and she doubted the rest of them would be given the situation. ¡°This is getting out of control.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t know that yet,¡± Jasmin said thoughtfully. ¡°We can¡¯t quite be certain of what is going on. It could be something we¡¯ve done, or it could be some set of unlucky situations. They happen every now and again¡ªI¡¯m sure you¡¯ve experienced them in the past, before you met us. You¡ªall of us¡ªhave simply forgotten about those moments, since they seemed like nothing more than bad luck.¡±


    ¡°It feels like even the gods themselves are toying with us,¡± Brynn muttered. ¡°It¡¯s one thing when it¡¯s on a stage or something else you see as an outsider. But when it¡¯s happening to me, I¡¯m nearly ready to find a way to march up wherever they are and tell them what I think of it all. This is all getting far too ridiculous¡ªeverything has turned into an inconvenience.¡±


    ¡°This will be much more than just an inconvenience if we don¡¯t do something,¡± Eme stressed.


    ¡°We don¡¯t know anything like that for certain,¡± Kiara reasoned. ¡°Jasmin¡¯s right about that. If she knew that there was any danger, then she would speak up about it. She doesn¡¯t want to see anyone hurt just as much as you do.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯d all rather we see if this all passes with time, or wait to see if it can get even worse? Things are already turning threatening, it seems the next reasonable step would be something actually harmful¡ªsomething that could very possibly kill one of us?¡±


    Jasmin sighed. ¡°Please, Eme, calm down. You¡¯re overexaggerating it.¡±


    ¡°Even if you were right, I thought this was something we all agreed on from the beginning,¡± Brynn grumbled. ¡°We knew what it would cost us. I would¡¯ve loved to say it was all worth it, too¡­ if it weren¡¯t for the fact that we barely accomplished anything.¡±


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    Well, that certainly didn¡¯t make Eme feel any better.


    And neither did the comment Kiara made afterward, even if she at least seemed to consider it. ¡°Brynn does have a point. If this was something we could¡¯ve prevented¡­ we¡¯ve long since passed the point of being able to reverse it. I don¡¯t think I¡¯d be like this if these consequences could be prevented by mortal means.¡±


    ¡°Both of you, you¡¯re only making things worse,¡± Jasmin chided. ¡°There¡¯s going to be a way out of this¡ªI know there will be. We just have to find it, and knowledge like that isn¡¯t going to come to us if we simply give up.¡±


    Quietly, Kiara mumbled, ¡°I think you acknowledge the consequences of all of this, too, though.¡±


    Jasmin didn¡¯t say anything that confirmed or denied it, but¡­ her expression gave it all away. Kiara was right: even Jasmin didn¡¯t truly believe there was any getting out of this. They simply gave away their lives with nothing to show for it, aside from perhaps a unique end¡ªif things followed the way they were going, at least¡­ there was always the chance they might end it sooner.


    Eme sank further into her chair, not quite sure if she wanted to be upset or angry or simply numb. This was very likely it.


    For all the promises she¡¯d made to Astyu, for all the precautions she made so that she wouldn¡¯t be like Leander, she would still lose herself to the same thing he did. Maybe there was never a point to it at all. Maybe all of this had been inevitable¡ªthat all of those breakthroughs and discoveries were really just the gods¡¯ way of playing tricks on them.


    That they were all destined to die in the end.


    A lingering silence in the room meant that the others felt the same way Eme did, or at least working towards the realization.


    In the end, she couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°So I suppose it doesn¡¯t matter what my intentions were. In the end, I¡¯ll be dead, just like he is¡­¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t be completely certain¡ª¡° But Jasmin stopped her false reassurances the moment Kiara touched her shoulder. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll admit there¡¯s a fairly good chance there¡¯s been a few things we¡¯ve miscalculated. But we shouldn¡¯t jump to rash conclusions or make mistakes we might regret. There¡¯s still a slight chance we can think of a way out of this.¡±


    ¡°No, there isn¡¯t. In all the research I¡¯ve done, there¡¯s never once been an option that this was something that could be reversed once it started. It had to be worked around¡ªbut just because it was prevented didn¡¯t mean it couldn¡¯t still happen. And it did. We¡¯ve made a wrong turn, and now we¡¯re here, and there¡¯s nothing we can do to get ourselves back out of it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m still going to try to sort out what I can,¡± Jasmin decided after a moment. ¡°Maybe, if we¡¯re quick enough, we can think of a way that stops it here¡ªeven if it takes a couple of sacrifices. I was the reason all of you got dragged into this, in one way or another. I¡¯d like to try everything I can to see if I can get you out of it.¡±


    And that seemed to be all there was to say.


    The others stayed for a little bit longer, taking a sip or two of tea or nibbling on a biscuit. Eventually, though, Jasmin and Kiara excused themselves, and Brynn followed shortly after. Eme¡ªknowing that things were going to be the end, in one way or another¡ªmade her way up to Astyu¡¯s room.


    She wasn¡¯t going to be able to save herself, but perhaps¡­ she wouldn¡¯t have to leave him completely alone. She could at least try, given the inevitability of it all.


    Astyu poked his head out of his room as soon as he heard her getting closer. ¡°Are you and your friends done?¡± he asked, showing his growing suspicion. ¡°You look worried about something¡­¡±


    Eme, knowing that it¡¯ll only lead to more confusion, just went to hug him. ¡°Something¡¯s going to happen, but I don¡¯t know what. It could be good, or it could be terrible. You¡¯re not going to understand it and that¡¯s okay. I¡¯d actually prefer if you never understand¡ªthat you never even glance down the path I¡¯m walking.¡±


    ¡°Mother..? I don¡¯t like this¡­¡±


    ¡°I know, dear. I don¡¯t like it either. But it¡¯s what¡¯s going to have to be done. Do you understand that part, at least? You mustn¡¯t get yourself involved in what I¡¯m doing. There¡¯s no going back for me, but you¡¯re not even close enough to be considered in it. I want to keep it that way.¡±


    ¡°Y-yes, Mother¡­¡±


    Though unwillingly, she backed away. ¡°Good. Now, I¡¯ve got some work to do. I promise I¡¯ll be out by dinner at the latest but, until then, just play in your room or outside, alright? Only knock if you need something¡ªand don¡¯t come in, I¡¯ll meet you at the door.¡±

 Extras: Character Card and Sheet- Sachiel

    Extra character card info:


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    The Angel of the Subconscious and Afterthought, otherwise known as the voice in the back of someone¡¯s head. They try their best to fulfill their role and guide mortals, though they acknowledge that most of their advice will be ignored. They hold no ill will towards these mortals¡ªthough they do feel a bit of remorse to see what happens when they don¡¯t listen.

 Black Magic- Chapter 9

    She poured herself into her research, reliving the days that had preceded Astyu¡¯s birth; there were long hours spent buried under books in her study, then a few sleepless nights either piecing it together or fearing what it might lead to. The only difference between those days and now was that she had Astyu¡ªand she certainly wasn¡¯t going to abandon him now. She made sure to spend time with him, at least a few hours every day; enough for him to know that she still cared and that she wasn¡¯t going to leave him alone. At least, she was going to do everything in her power to try to prevent it.


    Every time they were together, she reminded him not to bother her while she researched, and that he mustn¡¯t try to learn what she was doing on his own. She stressed, though kept it vague, the kinds of things it would lead to if he tried to follow her down this path. She knew that it scared him, but a part of her thought that might¡¯ve been a good thing¡ªif he was scared, then he¡¯d stay with the things he was familiar with.


    As curious as he might be, his fear about uncertainty or unfamiliar situations always kept him from doing more. Usually, she¡¯d be pushing him to brave the fears and do it anyway but, right now¡­ she was glad he never seemed to completely listen to those lectures.


    It meant she didn¡¯t have to worry about him.


    Then, one day, right before she was about to try it¡ªknowing she¡¯d soon run out of time if she didn¡¯t¡ªshe realized Jasmin and Kiara were at the door. Eme opened it for them, but didn¡¯t immediately let them in.


    ¡°What brings you two here today?¡± she asked. ¡°I thought I¡¯d told you I¡¯d be busy. Or did something serious come up..?¡±


    ¡°We know what you¡¯re doing,¡± Jasmin replied. ¡°We can¡¯t, in good conscience, let you keep doing this to yourself. You need to step away from this.¡±


    Kiara nodded, though she was quieter when she added, ¡°You¡¯re too close to the problem. You¡¯re only going to get yourself hurt if you don¡¯t step back now.¡±


    ¡°So neither of you will admit it, even after all of this? We¡¯ve already decided there was no going back,¡± Eme pointed out. ¡°And if there¡¯s no going back, then there¡¯s no reason why I shouldn¡¯t just keep testing the limit. The line¡¯s already been crossed, and I can¡¯t return¡ªmight as well see what¡¯s in all of that unmarked territory.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re just going to leave him alone, then?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯d be alone no matter what¡ªfrom the very beginning of this, that much was probably certain. The least I can do is do whatever I can to ensure that someone will be there for him. I know that, as long as he has a steady hand to guide him, he¡¯ll be alright without me.¡±


    Jasmin hesitated for a moment, though her tone was entirely confident when she said, ¡°If you were hoping we¡¯d help you in this, then you¡¯re wrong. You will fail on your own.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d fail even if the entirety of Yllvamel contributed their magic to help make it happen. This distribution of magic? It doesn¡¯t solve anything. It just delays the inevitable, leads people into a false sense of security until they build up enough reasons for the gods to smite them. I don¡¯t care if you help or not, I¡¯m going to do what I can. And you¡¯re not going to stop me.¡± Eme stepped back and made a clear motion of getting ready to shut the door. ¡°Now, if that¡¯s all, I¡¯ve got important things to take care of.¡±


    It was obvious that Jasmin had intended on arguing more¡ªeven trying to keep the door from closing¡ªbut it was already too late. She had to have known that because, as soon as Eme shut the door, she didn¡¯t hear anything else from either of them.


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    Still, Eme let out a shaky sigh to acknowledge that it was over. This was the finale, though it wasn¡¯t the grand one that Brynn always talked about¡­ It was certainly going to end up a tragedy.


    But trying was the only thing she could do at this point. So, Eme went up to the room where the four of them used to practice magic, and laid out everything she¡¯d need for one final show¡­


    ¡­


    ¡°This is the third this month,¡± she remarked with a frown. She pulled the handkerchief back, to see if her Life magic was helping him at all. ¡°Are you sure you know what you¡¯re doing?¡±


    Leander shrugged, though she could tell he wasn¡¯t nearly as confident as he made himself sound. ¡°I¡¯m certain. Trust me, I¡¯m not dumb enough to try if I didn¡¯t know that for sure.¡±


    She should¡¯ve stopped him then and there, but she didn¡¯t. She believed what he was telling her, was confident enough in his words not to second guess them.


    Maybe that was the first mistake she made that led to his death. Or, perhaps by that point, he¡¯d been as long gone as she was now, with no amount of words able to reverse it¡­


    .


    ¡°The brave knight traveled all across the land, finding the pieces that would help him on his journey¡­¡±


    Eme told the story from Astyu¡¯s bedside as he drifted to sleep. She could tell that he was tired, but that he still wanted to hear the end of the story. Perhaps he even thought of reading alongside her¡­ were it not for the fact that she wasn¡¯t reading from any book.


    There were some stories that should never be committed to paper, and Leander¡¯s was one of them, however much she hated to admit it. His was a story that tended towards the darker side of things, and she didn¡¯t want anyone else to make the same mistakes he did by trying to follow him¡­ because even if they thought they were better¡ªwiser¡ªevery mortal would make the same shortcomings on their path of defying the very gods themselves.


    ¡°Then, finally, he found a home¡ªa place to rest from all the years of his travels. He settled down and founded a family, one that neither mortals nor gods could break apart. And finally, they were all able to live happily ever after¡­¡±


    Except, reality was hardly as much of a fairytale as those stories, and there were rarely any happy endings¡­


    .


    ¡°I believe it might be best to prepare for some possible setbacks,¡± Jasmin remarked before taking a sip of her tea. It was one of the first meetings they had since Eme joined them, while Jasmin was still trying to reassure her that everything was going to turn out fine.


    Oddly enough, they talked more about failed plans when they seemingly had nothing to fear than they did when the threat was right in front of them.


    After no other comments, Jasmin continued, ¡°There¡¯s a chance that the magic might not be evenly distributed between us. Now, we¡¯ve done everything in our power to ensure that, if it does happen, it¡¯s nothing drastic. But there¡¯s always an element of uncertainty with these kinds of things, and that¡¯s something we¡¯ve got to approach carefully. And these are the kinds of things we should do if something like that were to happen¡­


    ¡­


    Eme had failed, and now she was reaping the consequences of having her body ravaged by the influence of the wild magic she tried to tame.


    She knew what she must¡¯ve looked like¡ªshe felt the blood drip from her, saw the new stains on her clothes from it¡ªbut she also knew she couldn¡¯t stay here. So she said goodbye to Astyu, wishing that his last time seeing her wouldn¡¯t have been like thia, and hoping that he would fear the path she¡¯d gone down¡­ then she staggered into the forest, to where Jasmin and Kiara were staying.


    After all, at this point, she could feel it surging through her¡ªa volatile host of uncontrollable magic, ready to burst at any moment.


    Jasmin needed to kill her, before that magic overtook her completely and she couldn¡¯t stop herself from letting it kill even more. But even if Jasmin couldn¡¯t do anything, the further Eme was from Yllvamel, the better; at least, according to the research Jasmin had done prior, which she¡¯d trained them all on beforehand.


    Eme barely had the strength to walk all the way there and, luckily, she didn¡¯t have to. Jasmin rushed out to talk to her, though every word spoken between them¡ªif any words were spoken at all¡ªwere left unregistered.


    And before she could do anyone any harm, Eme was killed, swallowed up by the same magic that had resulted in the death of Leander and so, so many others¡­


    Why did mortals always think they could break the rules of the very gods themselves?

 Extras: Character Card and Sheet- Orestis

    Extra character card info:


    Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    The Creator in Qizarn myth. He¡¯s highly praised by everyone who believes in the Commandments as the one who guides every mortal¡¯s path¡­ though, in truth, he¡¯s been closed off from the world for quite a while. Only the Angel Micah and the Messenger Jun have heard from him since the end of the Commandments, and he¡¯s long since decided his delusion will not end soon.

 What Time Forgot: Part of Two Worlds (Calum)

    He was in the kitchen, humming to some hymn he no longer remembered the words to, meticulously preparing dinner. His parents were coming over¡ªalong with some of their other friends who still hadn¡¯t met Rhenei. It had been a while since he had that many guests over, and he found the best way to reassure his parents was to show them how capable he was of doing things on his own. Though that didn¡¯t mean he didn¡¯t appreciate Rhenei¡¯s help.


    ¡°I came back with the stuff you wanted!¡± she said cheerfully.


    He looked over his shoulder and smiled at her. ¡°Thanks. Set it right over there, I¡¯ll get to it in a minute.¡±


    ¡°Is there something else I can do?¡±


    ¡°Have you set up everything?¡±


    ¡°Yep! Exactly like you told me to.¡±


    ¡°Then all you have to do is relax for a little while. My parents are probably going to come a little earlier than the rest¡ªmaybe in another half hour or so. I¡¯m almost done with this part and the rest is kind of hard to get right without a lot of practice¡­¡±


    She looked like she might¡¯ve tried protesting, for a moment, before there was a knock on the door. She eagerly darted to get it.


    At that moment, he didn¡¯t think anything special of it. His parents must¡¯ve just come a lot earlier than usual. Or, that¡¯s what he thought, until he realized that Rhenei was not giving them a warm welcome.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± she asked, sounding more curious than afraid. Calum slowly moved away from what he was preparing to head towards the front door.


    Then came two other familiar voices, which made him relieved, but also mildly annoyed.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t concern you,¡± the first, Jun, declared without hesitation.


    ¡°We¡¯re friends of Calum¡¯s!¡± the second, Bottle, said almost at the same time.


    Calum forced a smile when he came out of view. ¡°Ah, you two! Good afternoon, it¡¯s¡­ great that you decided to stop by.¡±


    ¡°Calum, who are they?¡± Rhenei asked, looking between him and the other two.


    ¡°They¡¯re Jun and Bottle. Something like acquaintances from work.¡± It took everything in him to try to act like he actually wanted to see them. ¡°What brings the two of you here, unannounced?¡±


    ¡°Our¡­ ¡®work¡¯ does not wait for your convenience,¡± Jun remarked simply.


    Bottle wandered inside and right to Rhenei. ¡°Who¡¯s this cutie? Another friend of yours? I thought all your friends were those older people your parents spent time with! Didn¡¯t realize you had one younger than that.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s Rhenei,¡± Calum explained, ¡°she¡¯s staying with me for a couple of years. It¡¯s nothing that concerns you.¡±


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    Jun shook their head. ¡°Not until it interferes with your work. You already need to comply with the whims of those parents of yours. Now you¡¯ve let someone into your home, too?¡±


    ¡°Am I supposed to understand what you¡¯re talking about..?¡± Rhenei etched a bit closer to Calum to mumble, ¡°Kalleira doesn¡¯t like them¡­¡±


    ¡°The instructions for dinner are on the counter,¡± he said, only partially acknowledging that it half solved both problems. ¡°Can you finish it up for me, while I talk with these two?¡±


    She gave a more nervous nod and left.


    Calum¡¯s smile dropped the moment he was assured Rhenei wouldn¡¯t see it. He could have no guarantee that Kalleira wasn¡¯t watching¡ªbut it was better to act like she wasn¡¯t, and not keep everything hidden.


    Still, he gave his warning with a sigh: ¡°She has a strong connection to a spirit. Her parents weren¡¯t all that nice to her, so she¡¯s staying with me until she¡¯s old enough to be on her own.¡± It might¡¯ve just seemed like some more background information. To the three of them, though, it told them not to mention anything that could raise more questions than what can easily be answered.


    He dropped his tone even lower, with that out of the way, to say, ¡°Now, care to explain why you¡¯ve come? You can¡¯t just randomly show up at my house. I¡¯m not like most of you. I didn¡¯t do this because I didn¡¯t have anywhere else to go¡ªunlike you, I still have a life and family.¡±


    ¡°Our tasks are urgent and cannot wait for you. Abandon the others.¡± Jun casually sat down. ¡°It needs to happen eventually. Sooner or later they¡¯re going to realize you¡¯ve stayed the same over the years.¡±


    ¡°Give him a break,¡± Bottle mumbled, flopping down beside Jun. ¡°He¡¯s like a baby compared to the two of us! He¡¯ll figure it out eventually.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s try this again. Why are you here?¡± Calum asked.


    ¡°Why else? Vaso requires you.¡± Jun looked around, undoubtedly noting the set table and the smaller decorations he only set up for guests. ¡°Though it seems you¡¯re going to be busy.¡±


    ¡°My parents and their friends are coming over. I¡¯ll talk with Vaso myself once this is all over, but I can¡¯t cancel on them now.¡±


    Jun did not move. ¡°Well, then I suppose we¡¯re going to have to stay for a little while longer. I can speak with your parents personally about the importance of ensuring that you are ready to receive all orders from your¡­ employer. These are important matters we¡¯re dealing with. World-altering ones.¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright, I get it. But I can¡¯t have you talking to my parents¡ªI¡¯ll try talking to them about it myself. If this isn¡¯t something that can be solved in an hour or so, then can you wait in town? I¡¯ll send a note when it¡¯s over.¡±


    Bottle pouted. ¡°I wanted to have a party with Calum¡¯s parents!¡±


    Calum was already trying¡ªand failing, mostly¡ªto motion them up and out of his house. ¡°They¡¯re definitely not going to want to have a party with you. This isn¡¯t even a party. It¡¯s just like a boring adult conversation, except it lasts a couple of hours over dinner. Seriously, most of it is going to be my mother worrying about me. The same mother that¡¯s probably going to be coming soon, so do you think you can leave?¡±


    Jun slowly got up, giving him a cold glare. ¡°I suppose we can wait for you¡­ this time. Just remember¡ª¡±


    ¡°One day I¡¯m going to have to choose between my life here and my duty as a Messenger,¡± Calum finished. ¡°I know.¡±


    They let out a chuckle. ¡°Yes, it seems so.¡± They casually walked out, Bottle scrambling to follow them.


    Calum was too grateful that they were gone to wonder what might¡¯ve needed the Messengers of the Creator, Water, and Earth in one place. He simply decided that was a thought for later, and went back to the kitchen to help Rhenei.

 Extras: Preview- Official Guide Seothia

    If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Some quickly found previews for Seothia''s section in the Official Guide to The Butterfly Effect. At present, I intend to release the guide either for free or very cheap ($1-2), and it will include a lot of details about The Butterfly Effect''s world, from each of the nations to the gods to magic. I plan on releasing the full thing by the end of the year, as nearly all of it is written, and I''ve completed a good deal of the necessary art pieces.


    Like always, what''s shown in these previews is subject to change prior to the final release.

 What Time Forgot: Memories- Jimar (Part 1)

    It was mainly a blur, at this point.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to be staying with them for a little while,¡± his mother explained, softly, as if it really mattered to him.


    Even back then, he knew he thought, Aren¡¯t we staying with them already? But he said nothing, just giving her a simple nod.


    He didn¡¯t find it strange that his parents never told him what had led them to serve Lord Tyrus. They were good friends¡ªthat much was clear, even when he knew so little. What he did often wonder was why they still stayed, despite it all, when it eventually came down to it.


    ¡­


    The initial announcement didn¡¯t faze him: ¡°We¡¯re going to be traveling, by Master Tyrus¡¯s request.¡±


    He hadn¡¯t look up from what he was doing or show a sign of interest. They¡¯d gone on trips like these before and he assumed he¡¯d never be invited.


    Until they added on, ¡°And we¡¯re going to bring you with us.¡±


    Consider. A five-year-old boy, traveling for the first time anywhere more than a few hours away from home. Not only that, he was going deeper into Solaris territory¡ªthe capital, in fact. What was the first thing this boy did?


    He ¡°lost¡± his parents among the bustling crowds, in order to see the sights for himself. The thought of running into trouble, or being unable to find them again, had never crossed his mind. He¡¯d been taken captive by the atmosphere of the night market, where the mutters of merchants and clients kept it from ever being quiet.


    In fact, he was so distracted by it, he hardly acknowledged that a girl on the other side of the street had just pickpocketed someone. It was only when their eyes met that he realized exactly what he saw, she knew that he¡¯d seen her, and she ran back into the alleyway.


    He didn¡¯t know why, but he found himself compelled to cross the street and into that alleyway. Even though the lights of the street barely reached here, it didn¡¯t take him long to figure out where she¡¯d hidden. It would¡¯ve been obvious even if she¡¯d not chosen to hide behind a box smaller than her, or she wasn¡¯t on the verge of crying.


    Only years later did he muse how odd it must¡¯ve been, to have just witnessed her commit a crime, yet casually sit down in front of her and say, ¡°Hi, my name¡¯s Jimar! My parents are here on a super important business trip. Who are you?¡± Only as an afterthought he added: ¡°What were you doing?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Tandi,¡± she said slowly, after a moment. ¡°I¡ªI know it¡¯s wrong, but I¡­¡± She looked from the pocket change in her hand, to Jimar, to somewhere deeper in the alley.


    Then, without another word, she stood up and darted away.


    ¡­


    Of course his younger self barely understood the situation. He told his parents about it casually, and watched as their expressions changed into something more. Only then did he realize that the girl was no one random, but a person that could be helped. Once he knew that, he was more than willing to show them where he¡¯d met her, and pointed her out when he saw her again.


    She must¡¯ve been terrified to have recognized him and when his parents asked her questions. But she understood it all the moment they said they wanted to help¡ªthat they were servants of a lord and thought they might be able to have her come back with them. She showed them where she lived.


    Jimar was only in the place once, but it left a clear impression on him. The building itself was run down, perhaps housing more people than it was built to; being tucked away at the edge of the capital, none of the noblemen who would¡¯ve been paying for its upkeep would care. The portion belonging to Tandi¡¯s family was no better, with not even a hint of decoration to try to hide its poor state.


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    Her mother, too, was a figure he could recall even decades later. She was an older woman, one that could not stand up to greet them without the help of two other children, one who squinted through ancient glasses to see them. This was the woman taking care of at least six kids¡ªgoing just off of what he¡¯d seen in that short visit. Even if some of them looked to be teenagers, even with his minimal knowledge back then, he knew it couldn¡¯t have been easy.


    But, still, a smile was not unknown to her. She looked happy the moment they made the offer. Only after hearing that one of the older kids couldn¡¯t go along that her smile faded, though it didn¡¯t change her mind. She carefully explained the situation to Tandi, and watched her leave with Jimar and his parents.


    ¡­


    It was strange to think that all this talent and grace would¡¯ve been wasted on a petty thief in the Solaris capital. Tandi had only been there for five years and even he, though at the time still too young to understand most of it, knew she was special. Whatever Master Tyrus had set to teach her, she mastered it in a few months while it took others years. She was a good dancer, especially, and everyone had to admit they spent more time watching her than the actual ¡°star¡± of any performance.


    Jimar waited for her to walk up to him after she¡¯d finished, and then he prompted, ¡°You don¡¯t have anything else to do, right?¡±


    Tandi jumped at first¡ªof course she hadn¡¯t noticed him standing there¡ªbut eventually nodded. ¡°Is there something you need?¡±


    ¡°I want to take you somewhere.¡±


    He hadn¡¯t let her overthink it. He didn¡¯t even answer her questions after he briefly told his parents where he was going and guided her out of town. Honestly, though, it was more because he hadn¡¯t yet memorized the paths and needed to make sure he didn¡¯t get them lost.


    He smirked when he finally reached the town.


    ¡°This is a quiet place,¡± he explained. ¡°I went here with my parents a few times and I wanted to share it with you. You look anxious so much, and this place always helps me relax, so I thought it might help you, too.¡±


    She seemed surprised for a moment, then gave him a soft smile. ¡°Could you¡­ show me around?¡±


    He did an over-exaggerated bow. ¡°It would be my pleasure.¡±


    ¡­


    His parents weren¡¯t there because of a debt, they were there because they were friends with Master Tyrus. That meant that, compared to those who needed to work, he had practically nothing to do. Usually he kept Tandi company, walking with her into town and bringing her to some quieter village when the work was done. If he couldn¡¯t do that, then he was just wandering around the area, trying to find new places to show her. The look on her face whenever he¡¯d brought her to a different place made it a worthwhile hobby.


    Jimar had decided that he wasn¡¯t going to tell her the reason they¡¯d both been allowed to go was because his mother had offered to do her work instead. Tandi was amazing at what she did¡ªMaster Tyrus kept finding more and more ways to use her. Jimar somehow knew that, soon, there was going to come a time where he could no longer talk with her; when she¡¯d be too busy and he might not even see her, or¡­ perhaps one or the other wouldn¡¯t be there at all.


    He wanted to be sure that, whatever the last place ended up being, it was one she¡¯d never forget.


    So, out of all the places he¡¯d shown her, which one had been the last? A lonely tree, just outside of town.


    ¡°I heard an interesting rumor about this tree,¡± he said, casually, as he laid out a blanket and sat their basket of lunch down on it. ¡°They say it¡¯s been here for ages¡ªbefore the founding of the town. Lovers had met under here once a week for years¡­ until the time came when, no matter what they did, they were unable to come. It took many years, but eventually they were reunited under this tree again¡ªand they founded the town, to show that such miracles were possible.¡±


    They both sat down on the blanket before he continued.


    ¡°There¡¯s still one last piece. The spirits of those two people are supposed to lurk around here. Any others who meet under this tree, no matter what might happen to them, will always reunite here again.¡± He leaned closer and gave her a kiss on the cheek. ¡°I¡¯m not usually one for superstitions, but this is one that I think I¡¯m willing to believe.¡±


    She laughed. She thought he was joking¡ªor, perhaps more accurately, she wished he was joking.


    They were both aware of the kinds of things waiting for them. But even then, they¡¯d chosen their sides for when the time came to stand by them.

 Extras: Character Card and Sheet- Philyra

    Extra character card info:


    The princess of Qizar, daughter of Zofie and Allen. She¡¯s known as a prodigy in music and has started performing more openly within the church¡¯s services¡­ though she¡¯s never quite been one for crowds, not helped by Zofie¡¯s constant hovering. It seems, however, that the princess isn¡¯t quite as ¡°innocently unaware¡± as she lets on; recently, she¡¯s started working with the Ravens, finding comfort among ¡°heretics.¡±


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 What Time Forgot: Memories- Part 1 (Jimar)

    Oh, Jimar had heard plenty of stories. The descendants of Tyrus and Feldr were ¡°cursed¡± by some unmentionable maiden. Feldr¡¯s line had problems with losing their magic, or as a within-the-past-couple-of-generations development, getting tied into the Saint¡¯s Curse. Sounded ¡°cursed¡± enough, right? Well, then came the part about Tyrus¡¯s line¡­ and at that point, Jimar was willing to believe that they just made the whole story up to feel special.


    He couldn¡¯t believe that anyone else would base a decision off of what seemed to be such a stupid idea.


    Master Tyrus, for some inexplicable reason, had first cut ties with whatever descendant of Feldr he¡¯d been writing to. Then, a few days later, he made an announcement that soon spread throughout all his servants.


    He decided to send his two children away, to live with his parents somewhere in the mountains. He spoke of doing what was best for the two of them¡­ but Jimar saw through it. The only person Master Tyrus had ever cared about was himself.


    It was hardly a day after that he made another announcement to all of them, too.


    ¡°I understand that some of you have doubts about my recent decisions,¡± Master Tyrus said, talking over the whispering collection of his servants. ¡°I assure you, though, that I know what I¡¯m doing. This is for the best, for all of us. We¡¯ll see that for ourselves in a little while. But it has come to my attention that not everyone will accept that as a viable reason. I am not changing my mind, and I know neither will you, so I have come up with a compromise.


    ¡°If you believe my actions were so unreasonable that you no longer wish to serve under me, then I grant you permission to leave. Anyone who doesn¡¯t agree with what I¡¯ve decided will have their debts forgiven. Just come to me, I¡¯ll assure that your debts are paid, and you can leave to go wherever you¡¯d like.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°You¡¯re going to leave, aren¡¯t you?¡± It was slow, nearly hopeless, and made him turn to see the speaker almost reluctantly. Tandi wasn¡¯t looking up at him. She probably couldn¡¯t, as the face of a friend had been turned into that of a traitor.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see anything worth staying for,¡± Jimar replied honestly. ¡°I never had any debts to begin with. I already talked with Master Tyrus, he¡¯ll give me some money that I can use to travel with instead. I¡¯m not going to stay with someone who lets superstitions control him.¡±


    ¡°He¡­ had me with him when he made the decision. It didn¡¯t come easily. He didn¡¯t want to make the sacrifice¡­¡±


    ¡°If he sees this as a ¡®necessary sacrifice,¡¯ then that only makes things worse. He¡¯s giving up things for a theory that he can¡¯t prove. There¡¯s no taking this back, and no telling what he¡¯s going to decide next. What happens if he decides it¡¯s better to end Tyrus¡¯s line altogether, or Feldr¡¯s? Where are you going to draw the line between accepting and denying his fantasies?¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t¡ª¡±


    ¡°Then what is it? No one¡¯s forcing you to stay either¡ªjust draw the line here and now.¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t that simple and you must realize that. Master Tyrus relies on me, I cannot just abandon him. My family still needs what I earn here¡­¡±


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    He sighed. ¡°You¡¯re making excuses. You know just as well as I do that Master Tyrus could find another way to make it work. Most of your siblings have better jobs now, some even have families, and I doubt your contribution means as much as it used to. Are you really going to say something like that and think I¡¯m going to take it as a good enough reason?¡±


    She was quiet for a moment. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡­ believe this is where our paths are meant to split apart. It seems that I can¡¯t leave, and you won¡¯t stay.¡±


    Why did he hesitate so much to hear her say it? Perhaps because he expected he¡¯d be able to get through to her¡­ but now he saw that she was nearly as bound by fear as Master Tyrus was.


    Jimar was able to say one last thing before Tandi started to walk away: ¡°I¡¯m going to finally start traveling, see what the rest of Qizar has to offer. But if you ever change your mind, I plan on making my base of operations at the first village I showed you. Even if I¡¯m not there, you can rest assured that I¡¯ll come the moment I hear that you visited.¡±


    ¡­


    She never did come.


    He wondered if he was really surprised. His parents would mention her, occasionally, in their letters; it seemed that she was the one that brought them to be delivered, but she never attached so much of a note. Jimar occasionally considered prompting a response from her, or perhaps even visiting Lord Tyrus¡¯s estate. But that would just put himself in that situation again, a kind of situation he swore that he wasn¡¯t ever going to get close to.


    He already had to take care of some box Lord Tyrus had given him before he left. The entirety of Jimar¡¯s departure seemed to mean nothing more than a means of keeping the ¡°truth¡± of the ¡°curse¡± from being shared.


    It was completely by accident that he stumbled upon the town Lord Tyrus¡¯s children had been sent to.


    Jimar had stopped at the town¡¯s bakery¡ªhe only intended to get something to eat, then keep traveling¡ªand was passed by two familiar-looking kids. They didn¡¯t notice him at all, and he chose not to draw attention to himself, at least not to them.


    ¡°Could I get one of those rolls?¡± he asked first, setting the coins down on the counter.


    The young woman behind it froze, frantically looked around her, first opening her mouth to say something before vigorously nodding. Even through all his later visits, he only ever knew her as Ms. Siavax¡ªshe¡¯d never properly introduced herself, and he could never catch the name her siblings used. He eventually assumed that she wanted to only be known by her family name.


    When she came back, she didn¡¯t look up at him, though not because of something bad. ¡°It¡¯ll be ready soon, sir.¡±


    He didn¡¯t spare much time in asking his second question: ¡°Do you know who those kids were?¡±


    ¡°Demery and Koyana,¡± she answered after a long pause. ¡°Their¡­ grandparents send them out here a lot¡­¡±


    ¡­


    Don¡¯t bring yourself back into that mess.


    That¡¯s what he kept trying to tell himself. Nothing good would come from doing anything related to Lord Tyrus. He¡¯d left that place for a reason; even interacting with a portion of it would ruin the purpose of that decision.


    Yet, from time to time, he found himself wandering up to the mountains. He visited that town, watched in the shadows as those siblings went about their day, gained information about their lives through Ms. Siavax. A few times he thought of coming up to them and telling them about who they were. But he always kept it to himself¡ªthey were unlikely to believe a stranger.


    Then came the day when he¡¯d returned from his travels, settling down in the room a kind neighbor would rent to him whenever he came back. A letter from his parents sat unread on the dresser. The box Lord Tyrus had given him was directly in front of him, glaring at him, perhaps taunting him.


    He looked at it and, for some reason, grew an amused grin.


    ¡°Well, Lord Tyrus, there¡¯s one thing you can¡¯t escape from. Your lies will catch up to you eventually¡­ and I have a feeling it¡¯s going to be soon.¡±

 Extras: Character Card and Sheet- Farrar

    Extra character card:


    A former blacksmith and member of the Ravens. One might consider him a relatively good guy¡­ if it weren¡¯t for his drinking habits and tendency to flirt with nearly every single lady he comes across. Though he was able to spend a long time without being suspected to be a heretic, one thing led to another and eventually he had to fake his death or risk actually being killed. He resided in a Raven¡¯s base until his death, sometimes helping the newer members.


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

 What Time Forgot: Memories- Jimar (Part 2)

    Oh, Jimar had heard plenty of stories. The descendants of Tyrus and Feldr were ¡°cursed¡± by some unmentionable maiden. Feldr¡¯s line had problems with losing their magic, or as a within-the-past-couple-of-generations development, getting tied into the Saint¡¯s Curse. Sounded ¡°cursed¡± enough, right? Well, then came the part about Tyrus¡¯s line¡­ and at that point, Jimar was willing to believe that they just made the whole story up to feel special.


    He couldn¡¯t believe that anyone else would base a decision off of what seemed to be such a stupid idea.


    Master Tyrus, for some inexplicable reason, had first cut ties with whatever descendant of Feldr he¡¯d been writing to. Then, a few days later, he made an announcement that soon spread throughout all his servants.


    He decided to send his two children away, to live with his parents somewhere in the mountains. He spoke of doing what was best for the two of them¡­ but Jimar saw through it. The only person Master Tyrus had ever cared about was himself.


    It was hardly a day after that he made another announcement to all of them, too.


    ¡°I understand that some of you have doubts about my recent decisions,¡± Master Tyrus said, talking over the whispering collection of his servants. ¡°I assure you, though, that I know what I¡¯m doing. This is for the best, for all of us. We¡¯ll see that for ourselves in a little while. But it has come to my attention that not everyone will accept that as a viable reason. I am not changing my mind, and I know neither will you, so I have come up with a compromise.


    ¡°If you believe my actions were so unreasonable that you no longer wish to serve under me, then I grant you permission to leave. Anyone who doesn¡¯t agree with what I¡¯ve decided will have their debts forgiven. Just come to me, I¡¯ll assure that your debts are paid, and you can leave to go wherever you¡¯d like.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°You¡¯re going to leave, aren¡¯t you?¡± It was slow, nearly hopeless, and made him turn to see the speaker almost reluctantly. Tandi wasn¡¯t looking up at him. She probably couldn¡¯t, as the face of a friend had been turned into that of a traitor.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see anything worth staying for,¡± Jimar replied honestly. ¡°I never had any debts to begin with. I already talked with Master Tyrus, he¡¯ll give me some money that I can use to travel with instead. I¡¯m not going to stay with someone who lets superstitions control him.¡±


    ¡°He¡­ had me with him when he made the decision. It didn¡¯t come easily. He didn¡¯t want to make the sacrifice¡­¡±


    ¡°If he sees this as a ¡®necessary sacrifice,¡¯ then that only makes things worse. He¡¯s giving up things for a theory that he can¡¯t prove. There¡¯s no taking this back, and no telling what he¡¯s going to decide next. What happens if he decides it¡¯s better to end Tyrus¡¯s line altogether, or Feldr¡¯s? Where are you going to draw the line between accepting and denying his fantasies?¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t¡ª¡±


    ¡°Then what is it? No one¡¯s forcing you to stay either¡ªjust draw the line here and now.¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t that simple and you must realize that. Master Tyrus relies on me, I cannot just abandon him. My family still needs what I earn here¡­¡±


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    He sighed. ¡°You¡¯re making excuses. You know just as well as I do that Master Tyrus could find another way to make it work. Most of your siblings have better jobs now, some even have families, and I doubt your contribution means as much as it used to. Are you really going to say something like that and think I¡¯m going to take it as a good enough reason?¡±


    She was quiet for a moment. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡­ believe this is where our paths are meant to split apart. It seems that I can¡¯t leave, and you won¡¯t stay.¡±


    Why did he hesitate so much to hear her say it? Perhaps because he expected he¡¯d be able to get through to her¡­ but now he saw that she was nearly as bound by fear as Master Tyrus was.


    Jimar was able to say one last thing before Tandi started to walk away: ¡°I¡¯m going to finally start traveling, see what the rest of Qizar has to offer. But if you ever change your mind, I plan on making my base of operations at the first village I showed you. Even if I¡¯m not there, you can rest assured that I¡¯ll come the moment I hear that you visited.¡±


    ¡­


    She never did come.


    He wondered if he was really surprised. His parents would mention her, occasionally, in their letters; it seemed that she was the one that brought them to be delivered, but she never attached so much of a note. Jimar occasionally considered prompting a response from her, or perhaps even visiting Lord Tyrus¡¯s estate. But that would just put himself in that situation again, a kind of situation he swore that he wasn¡¯t ever going to get close to.


    He already had to take care of some box Lord Tyrus had given him before he left. The entirety of Jimar¡¯s departure seemed to mean nothing more than a means of keeping the ¡°truth¡± of the ¡°curse¡± from being shared.


    It was completely by accident that he stumbled upon the town Lord Tyrus¡¯s children had been sent to.


    Jimar had stopped at the town¡¯s bakery¡ªhe only intended to get something to eat, then keep traveling¡ªand was passed by two familiar-looking kids. They didn¡¯t notice him at all, and he chose not to draw attention to himself, at least not to them.


    ¡°Could I get one of those rolls?¡± he asked first, setting the coins down on the counter.


    The young woman behind it froze, frantically looked around her, first opening her mouth to say something before vigorously nodding. Even through all his later visits, he only ever knew her as Ms. Siavax¡ªshe¡¯d never properly introduced herself, and he could never catch the name her siblings used. He eventually assumed that she wanted to only be known by her family name.


    When she came back, she didn¡¯t look up at him, though not because of something bad. ¡°It¡¯ll be ready soon, sir.¡±


    He didn¡¯t spare much time in asking his second question: ¡°Do you know who those kids were?¡±


    ¡°Demery and Koyana,¡± she answered after a long pause. ¡°Their¡­ grandparents send them out here a lot¡­¡±


    ¡­


    Don¡¯t bring yourself back into that mess.


    That¡¯s what he kept trying to tell himself. Nothing good would come from doing anything related to Lord Tyrus. He¡¯d left that place for a reason; even interacting with a portion of it would ruin the purpose of that decision.


    Yet, from time to time, he found himself wandering up to the mountains. He visited that town, watched in the shadows as those siblings went about their day, gained information about their lives through Ms. Siavax. A few times he thought of coming up to them and telling them about who they were. But he always kept it to himself¡ªthey were unlikely to believe a stranger.


    Then came the day when he¡¯d returned from his travels, settling down in the room a kind neighbor would rent to him whenever he came back. A letter from his parents sat unread on the dresser. The box Lord Tyrus had given him was directly in front of him, glaring at him, perhaps taunting him.


    He looked at it and, for some reason, grew an amused grin.


    ¡°Well, Lord Tyrus, there¡¯s one thing you can¡¯t escape from. Your lies will catch up to you eventually¡­ and I have a feeling it¡¯s going to be soon.¡±

 Extras: Character Card and Sheet- Leon

    Extra character card info:


    Nadia¡¯s uncle and a member of the Seothian army. His ties to Adidell has led him to be a more mysterious individual, raised to avoid unveiling any secrets. He stepped away from that life a long time ago, though, and eventually mustered the courage to get his niece out of Adidell¡¯s business as well. The two now live together in Mikkel territory, and he¡¯s just trying to remind himself that everything is finally okay now.


    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

 Dualities of Messengers: Book I- Chapter 1

    {-Kiri-}


    Another day, another mission. Not that they knew what it was yet¡ªMicah had only just come to tell them that they should gather the others. Or, rather, they volunteered to gather the others. They were just thinking about how tired they were sitting around anyway.


    The first two Messengers on their list to find were Kaius and Hayze. The two of them were together, talking to some of the ¡°younger¡± Messengers.


    ¡°I was put on missions before the very thought of your beloved Saint-King even existed,¡± Kaius remarked proudly. As he said it, he casually tied up his red hair into a loose bun. ¡°I daresay even the thought of finding fault within the Old Kings was nigh unthinkable. It led to an awfully boring time, might I add.¡±


    Hayze sighed. Her wings were enough to show who she was¡ªa fairy, albeit one who often worked at human-size to match her coworkers. ¡°Oh, would you stop being so dramatic? You didn¡¯t do anything. You don¡¯t hear me boasting about seeing the very end of legends themselves, now do you?¡±


    ¡°I do believe I just did. Besides, I wasn¡¯t the one who had to be picked up from the ashes¡­¡±


    ¡°I have no idea how or why I¡¯ve dealt with you for over a thousand years.¡±


    Kaius smirked when he noticed Kiri, gesturing to them. ¡°I¡¯m sure this Fos certainly has something to do with it. Need something, Kiri?¡±


    They nodded. ¡°I came to tell you that Micah has a mission for us¡ªjust go meet with him, I¡¯ve got to find the others. Do you know where they might be?¡±


    ¡°If I recall correctly, I last saw Neville and Jacqueline with the other Fos. Try there?¡±


    Hayze added, ¡°Verity mentioned helping Elle with something, so they¡¯re probably together. Oh, and assuming he hasn¡¯t left by now, I noticed Tevie had a new plant with him, so he likely went to the garden.¡±


    Kiri offered a smile. ¡°Thanks. Go on and head to Micah, I¡¯ll be back with the others in a couple of minutes.¡±


    They waved goodbye and started to where the Fos usually gathered. A part of them did wonder if they should do everything else and come to that part later, in the hopes that others would have gone out to missions by then; they also knew, though, that the numbers of who were out and who were resting would remain the same no matter what. They were, after all, one of the people who regularly coordinated that kind of stuff¡ªif they thought just a bit longer, they might even be able to list all of their siblings who were either here or away.


    When they got to the room, though, they only pushed open the door once they heard that the twins they were looking for were there. Neville and Jacqueline were surrounded by other, younger Fos, advising them on their missions and helping with both their big and small problems.


    Surprisingly enough, though, it wasn¡¯t either of the twins that noticed Kiri first. It was some of the younger Fos¡ªthe ones who weren¡¯t there to understand their whole story.


    The ones who didn¡¯t give them a nervous glance, then quietly mumbled their farewell.


    ¡°Oh, hello, Kiri!¡± one of the younger Fos practically cheered.


    Another crept up beside her. ¡°But if you¡¯re here, that means Neville and Jacqueline have to go soon, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    Jacqueline stood up in one fluid motion. ¡°It likely does, at least for a little while. You¡¯ve all got to remember, though: we all have our roles to play in Orestis¡¯s plan, and we must work before we can rest.¡±


    Neville nodded as he got up. ¡°Yes. Then you can tell us about your own successful missions when we return.¡±


    Most of the Fos seemed to accept that, and all of them dispersed from there. Kiri was actually quite grateful that the three of them were left alone.


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    ¡°We have a mission,¡± they explained. ¡°Can you two meet up with Micah? I¡¯ve still got to talk to Verity and Tevie.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll be there shortly,¡± Neville confirmed.


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    And with that, Kiri was off again, heading to the hallway that the gods resided in. That was, at least, where they guessed they¡¯d find her if she was helping Elle. And, well¡­ they didn¡¯t have to get too much further to hear a familiar argument.


    ¡°Verity agrees. I am the better of the two of us.¡±


    ¡°Of course your Messenger is going to say good things about you! At least I¡¯m not resorting to tricks to try to even the scales!¡±


    ¡°Oh, please. You¡¯d be doing the same thing if any of yours weren¡¯t away. You¡¯ve done it before. You must calm down, Daphni, I¡¯m afraid your vanity is going to lead to every boat on the water to overturn.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be smug with me! And don¡¯t even try to claim this is about vanity. You¡¯ve killed a mortal over it!¡±


    ¡°Now that¡¯s just rude. Can¡¯t you see I¡¯ve paid the price for my actions, and have redeemed myself?¡±


    Then, completely calm, Verity chimed in, ¡°You are always learning and adapting.¡±


    Daphni was the first to notice Kiri walking through the archway. ¡°Finally, a neutral party! Kiri, dear, you settle the matter. Am I, the very embodiment of all the waters, better, or is Elle, with her annoying wind, better?¡±


    ¡°I politely refuse to answer,¡± was their simple response. ¡°I know you¡¯re in the middle of something, but Micah has a mission for us, so I¡¯m going to need to borrow Verity.¡±


    Elle let out a hmph. ¡°Well, if Orestis asked for it, then there¡¯s nothing I can say about it. Go on and do what you need to, we¡¯ll undoubtedly still be waiting for an answer.¡±


    Verity nodded. ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll be sure to remind Kiri of all your wonderful qualities by the time they return to give an answer.¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯d once again like to point out that I don¡¯t want any part of this,¡± Kiri remarked. They turned their full attention back on Verity. ¡°I¡¯ve only got to check on Tevie next, so can you join the others and Micah? I¡¯ll be there as soon as I can.¡±


    Verity mumbled her agreement and the two of them left, though they both went in different directions.


    The only place Kiri had left to check was the garden, and they had a pretty good feeling about finding who they were looking for there. They knew they were right when they entered the garden and noticed the subtle signs of Thalis¡¯s presence; everything there looked more vibrant, and nearly every flower was open to its fullest. It was the only place in Sanctuary where ¡°mortal¡± things were allowed, even if those things were only flowers.


    They could never tell whether they wanted to simply appreciate the beauty of them, or to take it as a reminder that this was the closest they were going to get to stepping foot outside of Sanctuary.


    But they weren¡¯t here to think about that. They quickly located Tevie, who was holding a potted plant in his hand and showing it to Thalis.


    ¡°¡­and this one lures bugs in, it gets trapped inside, then the plant dissolves it and breaks down the useful parts,¡± Tevie was saying. He spoke casually¡ªalmost affectionately¡ªand seemingly unaware of Thalis¡¯s more nervous expression.


    ¡°Quite, ah¡­ interesting,¡± Thalis eventually mumbled, coupled with a weak and nearly forced smile. ¡°Some things have certainly adapted since the last time I was able to see them¡­ and this is one of the more drastic ones.¡±


    ¡°Oh! I found another one, too.¡± Tevie put that pot to the side and picked one beside it. In the same tone as before, he asked, ¡°Did you know that this little buddy may taste delicious, but can cause paralysis? Practically the entire plant is poisonous! Isn¡¯t that fascinating?¡±


    ¡°Y-yeah¡­ fascinating.¡± Thalis looked like he was about ready to curl up somewhere and never reemerge. Which was quite common for this kind of conversation, actually, as he tended not to enjoy the more violent means nature operated on.


    Kiri walked up to the two of them and prompted, ¡°I know you¡¯re in the middle of something, but do you have a moment?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve got a mission?¡± Tevie asked. When they nodded, he placed the other pot back. ¡°Am I allowed to go?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Thalis carefully took both of the pots. He didn¡¯t even hide his thankfulness for the conversation being over. ¡°I¡¯ll go give these two a proper place, and I¡¯ll wait for anything else you might come across on your trip. Stay safe down there, whatever Orestis wants you to do.¡±

 Dualities of Messengers: Book I- Chapter 2

    {-Kiri-}


    They were waiting with the others for a couple of minutes before Micah returned.


    ¡°Sorry about that, guys!¡± he said as he landed in front of them. ¡°You know how it is, I go to deliver one message, end up picking up three more on the way! But I should have everything cleared now, so you¡¯ll all have my undivided attention until you¡¯re ready to head off.¡±


    Each of them mumbled their understanding; it wasn¡¯t like any of them had anything better to do. This was their job and, besides, they were all rather good at filling in the waiting time with chatter.


    ¡°What¡¯s our mission?¡± Kiri prompted.


    At the question, Micah¡¯s usually casual demeanor faltered for a moment¡ªhe almost seemed nervous. ¡°Before I get to that part there¡¯s, uh, something Orestis wanted me to ask you. None of you¡­ have heard of a guy named Achadus, have you..?¡±


    Kiri and the Messengers each either shook their heads or gave a small mumble to deny it. To Kiri, at least, it just sounded like the name of any other mortal; they could barely keep track of the ones they¡¯d been responsible for helping, let alone anyone outside of that.


    Neville was the one willing to ask, ¡°Why does it matter?¡±


    Micah certainly wasn¡¯t too excited to answer it, though he must¡¯ve been expecting some form of the question. That didn¡¯t make his apprehension on the matter any less confusing. ¡°That¡¯s something I¡¯m not supposed to tell you. Let¡¯s just sum it up with ¡®bad stuff.¡¯ You know, like half the things Orestis Himself sends you down there to take care of? Anyway, He¡¯s also not someone we want to keep waiting, so let me actually get to explaining the mission, yeah?


    ¡°Without going into too much detail, there¡¯s stuff about this guy that you need to get rid of. Orestis wants all traces of him in the mortal realm completely gone, and there¡¯s two key places you¡¯re going to have to go to: a specific river in Seothia¡¯s Palus Mountains, and some ruins in the southern part of the Deoyros Plains. I¡¯ve got more information on the specific spots you¡¯re headed to, just say the word and I¡¯ll give it. Your mission is to get down there, find evidence of his existence, then get rid of it without hesitation. Orestis specifically requested none of you bring anything that you find back¡ªwe want nothing of Achadus¡¯s even getting remotely close to Sanctuary. Is that understood?¡±


    Kaius nodded. ¡°We go down there, destroy whatever we find that might be tied to this mysterious person, and then head back. Sounds simple enough.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll get it done,¡± Kiri assured. ¡°You¡¯ll be able to report a successful mission to Orestis in no time.¡±


    Micah smirked. ¡°I don¡¯t expect anything less from you! Before I forget, here¡¯s the more exact locations of where you¡¯re going.¡± He pulled out a slip of paper from one of his bags, then handed it to Kiri. ¡°I think that¡¯s everything I needed to be here for, but if you need my help for something, you know how to call for me. I¡¯ll see you guys when you get back, and good luck on the mission!¡±


    Then with a flurry of three sets of wingbeats, Micah was gone.


    The seven of them walked to somewhere else¡ªthe spot they usually went to when they ended to figure out their plan, and where Kiri usually guided them from once the Messengers had left. None of them sat down, though, as Kiri placed the paper on a table for all of them to see.


    ¡°It mentions there probably isn¡¯t anything else around the Palus area, but there are towns nearby in the spot in the Plains,¡± they said. ¡°We should do everything that we can to avoid mortals, but if there¡¯s any chance we¡¯re going to run into mortals, we need to be prepared for it.


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    ¡°Given there¡¯s only two locations, you¡¯ll go in groups of three. Let¡¯s see¡­ Kaius, Hayze, and Tevie should be well-suited for the Palus area. You¡¯re all capable of handling yourselves in possibly-harsher conditions and your magic covers a good enough range that you¡¯ll be able to handle almost everything I can think of you encountering. Neville, Jacqueline, and Verity can go to the area in the Plains. The three of you will be better at talking to any mortals you might come across, which will probably be your biggest setback. Is everyone okay with that?¡±


    ¡°Aside from the fact I¡¯m yet again paired with Kaius?¡± Hayze questioned half-jokingly. ¡°I suppose, though, I can¡¯t deny the fact that we work well together. Somehow.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll see to it that they don¡¯t argue so much they accidentally walk over a cliff,¡± Tevie mumbled.


    ¡°We¡¯ll do what we can from our side,¡± Neville said, all his attention still on Kiri.


    Jacqueline nodded. ¡°Neville and I will be sure to successfully complete the mission. You can count on us.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t leave me out of this,¡± Verity remarked. ¡°Need I remind you, I¡¯m going to be the oldest of our team. There will undoubtedly be a use for my talents there, and one of us is going to need to do what you two won¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°We should try to keep things civil, though,¡± Kiri reminded her. ¡°I can¡¯t be sure what Orestis really wants, but I doubt He wants us to go hurting any mortal we come across. I can ask Micah later to be sure. Until then, though, just try not to engage. There¡¯s a chance you¡¯re not going to encounter any mortals at all¡ªlet¡¯s just assume for now that you¡¯re not going to.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re both in the middle of nowhere,¡± Tevie pointed out. ¡°I think it¡¯s going to take a particularly brave or stupid mortal to wander that far.¡±


    Kaius chuckled. ¡°As brave or stupid as we all were for accepting the offer from a little voice in our heads?¡±


    Tevie shrugged. ¡°Fair point.¡±


    ¡°If there¡¯s one thing we can agree on, it¡¯s that mortals are nothing if not tenacious and unpredictable,¡± Hayze remarked. She glanced at Verity, Neville, and Jacqueline. ¡°I don¡¯t pity you for possibly having to deal with them. It¡¯s far too much work for me.¡±


    Jacqueline offered a weak smile. ¡°I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll be able to come up with a peaceful solution. If we get stuck on something, Kiri will be able to help.¡±


    ¡°Yep! You know the drill, if you¡¯ve got a problem, I¡¯ll probably be there to answer it. And speaking of¡­¡± Kiri walked over to a box and pulled out six little¡­ well, even after having them for a couple hundred years, they still didn¡¯t know what to call them. They were almost like earrings, but they fit inside the ear more than hang from it. Eventually, the group just started calling them charms. ¡°You¡¯re all going to want these. We can do a quick check to make sure they¡¯re all working properly once you get down there, then go from there.¡±


    Each of the Messengers got in a more or less orderly line and took a charm.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if Mazel¡¯s here or not,¡± Kiri continued, ¡°so I want to check on the other Fos before we get too deep into the mission. We can do some basic checks, though. It just means I¡¯m not going to be ready if you happen to run into any situations as soon as you get down there.¡±


    Kaius let out a hmph, pretending to be upset. ¡°What, you don¡¯t trust us on our own? I thought after all this time, you would¡¯ve been able to put some trust in us.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll be alright,¡± Jacqueline assured. She offered a kind smile. ¡°I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll be heading back before you know it!¡±


    Neville nodded. ¡°If we all do our parts, I¡¯m sure this will all go smoothly.¡±


    Kiri had to force themself to give a small smile of their own. What they wouldn¡¯t say was pretty obvious; that they wished they could come with them, watch over them in a more physical sense. But that was something they haven¡¯t been able to do for a long time. It was stupid, really.


    Why were they longing for the past, when they should just feel lucky that they were able to see the future?


    ¡°I¡¯ll see you out,¡± they mumbled. ¡°We¡¯ll do some quick communication tests, then go our separate ways for now. In case I don¡¯t get the chance to say it later, good luck out there.¡±

 Extras: Preview- Official Guide Qizar

    Just two quick previews of Qizar''s section in the Official Guide because, uh... I didn''t spend time beforehand finding stuff. As with all of the other updates, what''s here is subject to change as things go forward. I''d like to say that soon I''ll be able to announce some kind of spin-off or something, but it seems like that''s going to be one of the things I was hoping to happen this year that probably won''t. Not that it won''t ever, I''ve just got seven projects going on right now and, as much as I want to work on another, I really shouldn''t.


    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    On a possibly related note, if there''s anything you''d like to see out of the series, let me know! I''d love to hear from you!

 Dualities of Messengers: Book 1- Chapter 3

    {-Kaius-}


    Their communication test worked fine, as usual; enchantments made by the very gods themselves didn¡¯t wear down nearly as much as mortal alchemy did. But he understood the purpose of it all, too. Messengers might need a lot in order to be taken down, but that doesn¡¯t mean they shouldn¡¯t still be careful. They didn¡¯t want anyone to end up getting hurt.


    It was chilly this close to Palus¡¯s section of the sea, and it certainly wasn¡¯t helped by the dense trees above them. He could barely tell which direction they were headed in. If he was any less confident in his companions, in fact, he might¡¯ve even suggested that they were simply going around in circles.


    But he was willing to trust the process. Besides, Tevie was kind enough to ¡°ask¡± the plants to clear a path for them, so it was just like a leisurely stroll.


    And like a leisurely stroll, there was, of course, a conversation.


    ¡°What do you think we¡¯re supposed to be finding here?¡± Tevie asked. ¡°As far as I can tell, there¡¯s nothing big that we¡¯ll need to take care of¡ªnothing that¡¯s taking up the forest¡¯s space.¡±


    ¡°We were all there¡ªnone of us know for sure,¡± Hayze muttered. ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s something that ¡®we¡¯ll know when we see it¡¯ or ¡®just use your best judgment.¡¯ Those are always the worst missions¡­¡±


    They each heard Kiri¡¯s voice through their charms remarking, ¡°Yeah, pretty much. I can try, but I don¡¯t think I¡¯m going to get any more information on it. You¡¯re just going to have to do as Hayze said¡ªuse your best judgment.¡±


    Kaius shrugged. ¡°I presume, if something starts eerily glowing or it simply reeks of best-forgotten things, we get rid of it. This far out in the forest, we¡¯re unlikely to find anything besides that and Ski¨¢.¡±


    ¡°Just be careful, alright?¡± Kiri stressed after a moment. Hearing the mild panic under the otherwise calm tone, he felt bad mentioning it. ¡°Destroying the traces of Achadus aren¡¯t going to mean much if you end up spilling ichor in the process.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry,¡± he assured them. ¡°It¡¯s rather unlikely we¡¯re going to run into anything, let alone something dangerous. We¡¯ll be back in Sanctuary with a completed mission before you know it.¡±


    Hayze and Tevie both mumbled their agreements, so that Kiri could hear it.


    ¡°Alright. Let me know if there¡¯s anything else you¡¯ll need.¡± There wasn¡¯t really any sign of it, but they all knew that Kiri was ¡®gone¡¯ and no longer a part of the conversation.


    Hayze sighed. ¡°Well, if no one knows what we¡¯re looking for, then we better get moving. It isn¡¯t going to find itself¡­¡±


    The following silence, though, seemed to be something that none of them wanted. And, while it might not have been the best topic of conversation, Tevie was once again the one to break the quiet.


    ¡°What do you think Orestis has against this guy?¡± he asked, though it was more hesitant than before. He might¡¯ve been the youngest among the group, but that didn¡¯t make him dumb¡ªhe could recognize the patterns in some of their missions.


    ¡°Whatever it is, it¡¯s something we¡¯re not supposed to know,¡± Kaius remarked. ¡°If it¡¯s something Orestis wants done, then I¡¯m afraid there¡¯s nothing we can do but follow His orders.¡±


    ¡°This kind of mission is far from new,¡± Hayze mumbled. ¡°Kaius and I have seen how these kinds of things play out. And it almost always turned out better if we didn¡¯t know the why. All we should focus on is our mission at hand, not all the little pieces of backstory behind it.¡±


    Kaius began to think of something else they could focus on¡ªperhaps he could ask Tevie about the plants here, that¡¯ll keep his mind occupied¡ªwhen a voice echoed through the trees.


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    ¡°W-what did I dr¡ªag you¡­ into, my¡ªmy dear..?¡±


    It didn¡¯t sound right. It came in pieces, fragments¡ªbut it was different than if someone was speaking slowly and stumbling over their words still.


    ¡°Is there someone else here?¡± Tevie looked around, but Kaius was beginning to think that there was no one to look for.


    Hayze confirmed it when she shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s got to be a projection¡ªand one either attached to a rather worn object, or an inexperienced magic user. Given the region we¡¯re in, I have the feeling it¡¯s the former.¡±


    ¡°Do you know where it¡¯s coming from?¡± Kaius prompted. ¡°I am, unfortunately, not as adept at such things as you.¡±


    She considered it for a moment, then said, ¡°Probably just north of here. I¡¯ll lead you to it.¡±


    He¡¯d thought he¡¯d want some kind of noise before, but voices of projections were never a welcoming distraction. They always sounded so real, even if there was the slightest bit of something off about them. It didn¡¯t help that they usually signaled something bad.


    This particular illusion was worse, because it wasn¡¯t just a scene meant to scare or intimidate. It took a more melancholy tone.


    ¡°Y¡ªyou didn¡¯t¡­ to¡­¡±


    Kaius decided that he probably spoke for all of them when he remarked, ¡°Let¡¯s just get rid of this. The sooner it¡¯s gone, the better¡ªundoubtedly something we¡¯re supposed to be getting rid of.¡±


    ¡°Its magic has faded a long time ago,¡± Hayze remarked. ¡°It¡¯s a little hard to figure out where it is when it barely gives off more of a magical signature than either of you do.¡±


    Tevie sighed. ¡°I couldn¡¯t tell where the forest parted earlier, either. Whatever it is, it¡¯s tiny, and that¡¯s just going to make things harder¡­¡±


    ¡°Both¡­ goi¡ªing to d¡­ ere¡­¡± the projection yet again echoed. Kaius usually prided himself in being mysterious, but that thing was just downright creepy.


    He hadn¡¯t even realized they were nearing a river, to be honest; he didn¡¯t know Seothian geography, not like he used to, and there weren¡¯t any telltale signs. There was no sound of rushing water, no obvious change in the flora or fauna, nothing. Yet still, they found themselves at the bank of a river, only mere moments away from stepping onto the likely-thin layer of ice.


    There was a vague wisp¡ªlike the smallest sliver of smoke¡ªnear the river, slightly splitting off into two. It must have been the figures to accompany the voices; a feat of moderate magic, but one that even some Seothians would be able to manage with enough practice. Whatever was making the illusion, though, was either far older than he¡¯d been imagining, or certainly not something chosen to weather these conditions.


    Given the implications of the former, he much preferred the idea of the latter.


    While they slightly spread out to look for the cause of the illusion, they heard a few more disjointed voices.


    ¡°But we¡­ House of¡ªthe Phoenix. Even if we¡­ ce¡ªase to be in the¡­ like those¡ªwill return from¡­ ashes. We¡¯ve done it¡ªit¡­ I¡¯m sure that we¡­ it again¡­¡±


    Well, if that wasn¡¯t the third most sacrilegious and, quite frankly, completely wrong statement Kaius had ever heard. Then again, once upon a time, he might¡¯ve even shared that point of view.


    Old Seothians certainly were stupid, weren¡¯t they? Or perhaps he could only say that as one who now served the gods, having had all those years to understand the true scope of things.


    ¡°Worshiping phoenixes, were they?¡± Hayze muttered. It wasn¡¯t necessarily the same kind of vague understanding that the other two might¡¯ve had; her mortal life had been in Idkor. Even before giving up that life to serve the gods, she knew the truth. ¡°No wonder we have to get rid of their existence. They¡¯re dumb enough, I¡¯m surprised they even made it that far to begin with¡­¡±


    ¡°Do you think one of them was Achadus, then?¡± Tevie prompted. ¡°This is all just about someone with an interest in phoenixes?¡±


    ¡°I have a feeling it¡¯s more than that,¡± Kaius remarked. ¡°I suppose we¡¯re just going to have to keep going in order to find out, though. Do either of you have luck finding the enchanted object?¡±


    Just then, Hayze bent down and brushed away some foliage. ¡°This might be it. Only one way to find out, though.¡± She picked it up¡ªsome kind of stone¡ªand destroyed it with her magic. In a second, those vague wisps were gone, and all of the voices seemed to have disappeared.


    ¡°That¡¯s one down,¡± Kaius said, once they could be sure that it was really it. ¡°Only who-knows-how-many left to go.¡±


    ¡°Maybe we should just keep following the river,¡± Tevie suggested. ¡°It¡¯s just about the only notable thing here. There¡¯s a chance more of the projections¡ªor whatever else we¡¯re supposed to be getting rid of¡ªare in the area.¡±


    Hayze nodded. ¡°Seems to be the best option. Let¡¯s get going.¡±

 Dualities of Messengers: Book 1- Chapter 4

    {-Tevie-}


    Now, he usually liked forests, even before he became Thalis¡¯s Messenger. They were vast spaces filled with all sorts of life¡ªpreferably, every kind of life except for mortals¡¯. It was usually calming to be surrounded by them, to take in every aspect of it and appreciate just how wonderful it was. It didn¡¯t matter the season, the weather, or the time of day¡ªhe¡¯d much prefer nature over any kind of mortal settlement. The exceptions of that were, of course, few and far between.


    And this was one of the exceptions.


    There didn¡¯t seem to be any of the familiar aspects here; there were trees and bushes, but no wildlife. The only sound was their own footsteps, the slight breeze, and a random branch snapping every now and again. It wasn¡¯t comforting, it was unsettling. Perhaps the worst part was, he couldn¡¯t even determine how, just that it was, leaving him with no means to fix it.


    His unease only got much worse when he noticed a tree whose shadow had practically disappeared.


    ¡°Guys¡ª¡±


    But he hadn¡¯t needed to warn them, because they both immediately noticed it as well.


    ¡°Is this just another one of those projections?¡± Kaius asked. The near nonchalance was, in part, mildly annoying, but that was simply the way he wanted to present himself.


    Hayze considered it for a moment and said, ¡°Some of them might be, but I don¡¯t think they all are. I can sense some kind of magical object nearby, but I don¡¯t think whatever it is is powerful enough to create all of these Ski¨¢.¡±


    Tevie glanced back at the trees, now clearly seeing a few wisps of shadows move from one spot to another. Instincts and the memories of a mortal told him to run, even if he knew that the Ski¨¢ could do little against a prepared Messenger. ¡°What¡¯s our plan?¡±


    ¡°I presume we should do whatever we can to find what¡¯s causing these projections,¡± Kaius decided. ¡°We¡¯ll be able to navigate through this forest a lot better if we didn¡¯t have the threat of real Ski¨¢ mixed in with those illusions.¡±


    ¡°If you give me a minute, I should be able to figure out a more specific location of where they are,¡± Hayze mumbled. ¡°It¡¯s a little harder to tell it apart from the actual Ski¨¢, but I should be able to do it. Until then, we should see where they¡¯re going.¡±


    ¡°You want to walk through them?¡± Tevie repeated. ¡°Just making sure I heard you right, because walking right into a bunch of Ski¨¢ is rarely a good idea, no matter how many of them are real.¡±


    Kaius shrugged. ¡°Well, consider the range of the illusion. We must be just inside of it, if the fake Ski¨¢ have only just started appearing, so it goes to stand that we¡¯ll get closer the further we go.¡±


    ¡°They can¡¯t do anything lasting to us,¡± Hayze pointed out. ¡°Trust me, the two of us have dealt with worse before. As long as we don¡¯t do anything stupidly reckless, we¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    Without missing a beat, Kaius replied, ¡°I have absolutely no idea why you¡¯re looking at me, dear Hayze. Need I remind you, I don¡¯t take well to those who desire others for saving. Why would I make myself one of them?¡±


    ¡°I can think of a couple examples, at least, of a new Messenger who didn¡¯t even know how magic worked¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah, but I was but an ignorant Old Seothian. I wouldn¡¯t dare to do such a thing now.¡±


    Tevie sighed. He hated being paired with these two for this exact reason. Even with all their time together, there was still something slightly alienating between the oldest Messengers and youngest of the group. ¡°Let¡¯s just keep going. We¡¯re not going to get anything done if we just stay here.¡±


    As they walked further along, there became more and more Ski¨¢. It wasn¡¯t really a lot; definitely more than what forests were supposed to have, but not enough that would¡¯ve caused a widespread panic in the next three towns over. Maybe it could be considered just enough to make him uneasy. Of course he knew that they could do nothing to him; their missions weren¡¯t always without a fight and they¡¯ve dealt with far worse than a handful of Ski¨¢. But that didn¡¯t erase that mortal instinct to fear them, and the memories he had proving that they were bad news no matter if he was a mortal or a Messenger.


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    ¡°Are you sure these really aren¡¯t all projections?¡± Kaius asked after they¡¯d walked for a while. ¡°None of them seem to notice us. They¡¯re either all heading in one direction¡ªwhich doesn¡¯t seem significant, at least from where we are¡ªor just wandering around. There¡¯s no order to their pattern.¡±


    ¡°Order is definitely a bad thing,¡± Tevie pointed out. ¡°Disorder should be something we want to happen. It means they don¡¯t have a goal¡ªthey weren¡¯t sent here by a certain someone.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s definitely some real ones,¡± Hayze confirmed. ¡°It¡¯s probably most of the ones who are just wandering. They might not have been sent here by her, but¡­ they didn¡¯t just manifest here, either. There¡¯s a specific reason they¡¯re all here instead of scattered around the forest¡­ something here that causes them to stay here, even when they¡¯ve long since killed any prey there might¡¯ve been.¡±


    ¡°Maybe it has to do with Achadus,¡± Tevie mumbled. ¡°He has to have had some kind of power, if Orestis doesn¡¯t want him to exist. We would¡¯ve heard about him before now if he was another Messenger of Darkness¡ªshe¡¯s only got the two, doesn¡¯t she?¡ªso maybe he was a dreamer. They can control Ski¨¢ sometimes, can¡¯t they? And some of those dream-related Ilethera.¡±


    Kaius, after a moment¡¯s consideration, shook his head. ¡°I feel that, whoever we¡¯re dealing with, he¡¯s much older than we think he is.¡±


    Hayze nodded. ¡°These enchanted objects, at least, were probably put here an extremely long time ago. It¡¯s more likely that these projections, at the time, had shown the future, and not parts of the past.¡±


    ¡°Future-seeing isn¡¯t exactly something everyone can do, let alone create an enchantment for,¡± Tevie pointed out.


    Kaius let out a soft chuckle. ¡°Well, perhaps it wasn¡¯t a simple mortal that did all of it. Even if it wasn¡¯t Vaso, any god would easily be able to do something like this. And if this dealt with the gods, it¡¯ll be little wonder Orestis wants him gone. Who knows what kind of information he could¡¯ve hidden away somewhere? What threats he might possess, even if he¡¯s gone?¡±


    Hayze scoffed. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯d even suggest that. What god in their right mind would do something like that for a mortal? That¡¯s blatantly going against practically everything Orestis tells them¡ªand they tell us¡ªwhat not to do.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I think we¡¯d have heard of it by now¡­¡± Tevie mumbled. ¡°I¡¯m open to a lot of possible explanations, but not that one. I don¡¯t think a god that did that would even be able to exist anymore.¡±


    He assumed Orestis had the power to destroy the gods, anyway. He created all of them. Probably had the power to take all of it away, too, right? Kind of hard to fear someone who hasn¡¯t exactly left his room in a few thousand years¡­


    There was a brief glimpse of something orange through the trees.


    ¡°Well, there¡¯s certainly one god that Orestis wishes didn¡¯t exist anymore¡­¡± Kaius remarked. ¡°I have a feeling we¡¯re going to start being able to piece all of this together soon enough.¡±


    Hayze suddenly stopped. ¡°Both of you, shut up for a moment. I think we¡¯re around the centerpoint of this projection. I should be able to figure out and destroy whatever¡¯s causing it, as long as I focus.¡± She glanced at Tevie. ¡°Can you try to keep the real Ski¨¢ in check? It¡¯ll be easier if they¡¯re not throwing me off.¡±


    ¡°Need I remind you, I haven¡¯t exactly been a Messenger for a thousand and a half years,¡± he said. ¡°How am I supposed to be able to determine something that you weren¡¯t even able to do for at least the first thousand? I can¡¯t pinpoint anything.¡±


    Kaius shrugged. ¡°You know how Fos feel, surely.¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s practically the exact opposite of that.¡±


    ¡°Great. Just helpful. The absolutely best piece of advice I¡¯ve ever been given.¡±


    Kaius didn¡¯t quite seem to acknowledge the sarcasm in the statement, because he casually responded, ¡°Besides, we¡¯re in a forest. I can¡¯t do it, because I¡¯ll set things on fire. Probably. And Hayze, as a fairy, is the most magically-attuned of us. The two of us are, alas, only magically inept Seothians.¡±


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll try. Can you at least try to tell me what I¡¯m targeting? I don¡¯t want to waste energy on just the projections.¡±


    ¡°Simple! If you see a Ski¨¢ walking in the opposite direction of the others, shoot it.¡± Kaius, maintaining a grin, turned around to face the river. ¡°I¡¯ll help Hayze. It¡¯ll be much easier to spot the fakes when they all disappear.¡±


    ¡°I hate both of you,¡± Tevie grumbled.


    ¡°We believe in you!¡±

 Extras: Character Card and Sheet- Zulana

    Extra character card info:


    The overseer of Sobechi territory. She is, perhaps, the most obvious Northern Overseer to show her thoughts on the throne¡­ which is to say, she¡¯s generally against it. She¡¯s rather clear on her stance that Qizar is nothing but trouble, even if she otherwise supports any suggestion that might benefit Seothia. Whether this has anything to do with the experiments she does in her freetime, well, that¡¯s up to debate¡­


    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

 Dualities of Messengers: Book I- Chapter 5

    {-Hayze-}


    It wasn¡¯t just any Messenger who could feel this attuned to magic, or use the powers given to them by their patron god so masterfully. That was something that came with centuries of practice¡ªwith no insignificant amount coming from times of dire need of such abilities¡ªand a certain kind of luck.


    For instance, Kaius¡ªdespite being similar in age¡ªwould likely never be able to reach Hayze¡¯s level of understanding of the magic around them. He might¡¯ve mastered the talents that Faidon had given him, but he couldn¡¯t sense the deeper way that magic influenced every part of the world. His age may have taught him how to use magic, but not how to completely understand it, as someone who became a Messenger with little to no connection to magic at all. Not even Jacqueline, born and raised in the lands of the Fleyw Bresh, would reach that level of connection with enough time. That was a kind of skill that only those with deep roots with magic prior to becoming Messengers¡ªthe goblins and fairies of Qizar and, sometimes, Fleyw Bresh¡ªcould ever hope to reach.


    That was what made Hayze¡¯s contributions indisputable, especially in times like this where they found themselves hunting down enchanted objects. And it was something she prided herself in, knowing that none of her teammates¡ªand all but a handful of other Messengers, for that matter¡ªcould replace her.


    Hayze rather confidently¡ªdespite all of the surrounding distractions¡ªbroke the pebble that had been holding the illusion of Ski¨¢. Getting rid of it didn¡¯t make all of the Ski¨¢ fade, since there were a fair bit of them now that weren¡¯t part of the illusion, but it did clear out a few. In fact, it was an almost comforting fact to acknowledge that there weren¡¯t nearly as many real Ski¨¢ as she thought there might¡¯ve been. Far more than what the average mortal would expect to see in a forest like this, but¡­ still nothing to pose any kind of threat to a Messenger.


    ¡°There¡¯s still more enchanted objects around here,¡± she mumbled. ¡°I can¡¯t tell exactly where right now, but the Ski¨¢ still aren¡¯t the only thing here. We should keep following the river and see where it takes us.¡±


    Kaius nodded. ¡°Lead the way, then.¡±


    That she did, being the first to walk along the river¡¯s edge. This river¡­ it couldn¡¯t have lead into the Lake. It was going in the wrong direction, and there didn¡¯t seem to be any others that it met up with. That alone would¡¯ve stopped her, centuries ago, from continuing any further.


    But now, she was a Messenger, with a mission to fulfill the wishes of her patron goddess and Orestis. She had far more important matters than listening to the superstitions of her now long-gone mortal self, in a society that was now practically tearing itself apart.


    They didn¡¯t have to walk too much further before they saw another projection¡ªor a glimpse of one, at least. It was the same one they¡¯d seen earlier; a glimpse of orange, and the unmistakable presence of wings behind them. Whoever it was, they were a fairy.


    And given why they were all here, it wasn¡¯t too hard to guess who that fairy was. The broken echoes of the projections practically proved it.


    ¡°What¡­ you think¡ªDree?¡± It was a male voice, but Hayze couldn¡¯t quite tell who it was supposed to belong to. She caught a brief glimpse of something other than that orange fairy; maybe that was who this man was.


    ¡°...s¡ªso com¡­icated.¡± That was a female voice, probably the fairy¡¯s. It was hard to tell for certain, but¡­ Hayze had a feeling she knew who it belonged to¡ªwho this projection was supposed to show.


    It just made her all the more eager to find whatever was causing it, so that they could get this done and over with for good. Lingering in these kind of forbidden memories was only going to make things worse.


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    ¡°I¡ªain it¡­ someone out¡­ app¨Cappreciate this. I¡­ who¡ªwhat they¡¯re¡­ here for, but this¡ªto h¡­ help with¡­ something. I f¡ªfeel like this¡­ contribution¡­ name from¡ªforgotten.¡±


    ¡°Yo¡ªur name¡­ never be forgotten. As long as I¡ªsomeone to¡­ remember you.¡±


    ¡°Th¡ªmean nearly¡­ much¡­ who lives forever.¡±


    ¡°...it doesn¡¯t¡­¡±


    Finally, Hayze found the rock she thought this projection was tied to, and was all too happy to crush it. The projection stopped then, the two figures mysteriously disappearing.


    ¡°So, uh¡­ one of those was the person I think it was, right?¡± Tevie prompted. ¡°There¡¯s only so many fairies who are immortal, and just one with wings like that, as far as I¡¯m aware¡­¡±


    Kaius grimly nodded. ¡°It wasn¡¯t a Messenger. I believe that should be more than enough of an answer, without saying enough that we draw Orestis¡¯s attention.¡±


    They all knew that was simply an expression; barely anything could grab Orestis¡¯s attention at this point, given the place he¡¯s willingly kept himself in since the end of the Commandments. But the meaning still stood¡ªthat they were things better left unsaid, and that dredging up such pieces of the past was only going to lead to bad things.


    It couldn¡¯t stop them all from wondering, though.


    ¡°That man must¡¯ve been Achadus,¡± Hayze mumbled, nearly against her better judgment. She scoffed. ¡°No wonder Orestis wants this place gone, then. It doesn¡¯t just have to do with her before her Fall. It deals with someone else, too¡ªsomeone that, by the looks of it, must¡¯ve been pretty close to her.¡±


    ¡°Do you think she realizes what she¡¯s done?¡± Kaius mused. ¡°Achadus was clearly important to her. Even gods can have trouble controlling portions of their power when emotions get in the way¡­ that must be why there are so many Ski¨¢ here. And, in the process, she¡¯s kept anyone else from experiencing the things that it seems Achadus put so much care into creating¡­¡±


    ¡°It would take a pretty stupid or brave mortal to try to walk through the forest with this many Ski¨¢,¡± Tevie mumbled. ¡°It would take a mortal who¡¯s just undeniably reckless to keep trying to press on anyway. Whatever might¡¯ve been planned for this place doesn¡¯t matter anymore. I¡¯d almost say we¡¯re doing him a favor by getting rid of all of it, so then no one can even try risking getting this far.¡±


    ¡°Darkness corrupts everything she touches,¡± Hayze muttered. ¡°If there¡¯s one thing that was confirmed in my time as a Messenger, it¡¯s that. It¡¯s no wonder something like this happened¡ªanything she gets involved in is bound to have a similar fate, no matter what the original intentions were. The only thing left to wonder is just as Kaius said: if she realizes that she¡¯s the reason Achadus¡¯s vision could never come to pass¡­¡±


    Kaius hummed. ¡°Regardless of whether she knows or not, this place undoubtedly meant quite a lot to her. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if, soon enough, the Ski¨¢ aren¡¯t our only setbacks¡­¡±


    Hayze nodded. ¡°We don¡¯t know how connected she is with this place¡ªif she can sense what we¡¯re doing¡ªbut we should prepare for it, anyway. Even if it¡¯s three on one, neither of Eldrianna¡¯s Messengers should be underestimated, especially if they decide to use the Ski¨¢.¡±


    ¡°So, what I¡¯m hearing is that it¡¯s only going to get more complicated,¡± Tevie said with a sigh. He reached a hand up to press a little button on his charm¡ªthat was supposed to signal Sanctuary that he was talking to them. ¡°Kiri, can you check in with Micah to try to see what we¡¯re supposed to do if we run into another Messenger?¡±


    All three of them could tell there was silence on the other end, which sparked another moment of silence between them. Kiri very rarely didn¡¯t at least respond with a quick ¡°I¡¯m busy, I¡¯ll get to you in a minute¡± unless something had happened.


    But before any of them could get too deep into wondering what that something was, Kaius very reasonably pointed out, ¡°They¡¯re probably just busy with the other team. Neville, Jacqueline, and Verity are more likely to come across mortals, after all. Mortals certainly make missions more complicated, and they¡¯ve probably got to have more help in making sure it goes smoothly.¡±


    Hayze and Tevie both gave mumbles of agreement. That¡¯s all there was to it: Kiri was helping the other team. They¡¯d get back as soon as they were able to.


    ¡°We¡¯ll just have to use our best judgment for now,¡± Hayze decided. ¡°It¡¯s not the worst situation we could get ourselves in, so we¡¯ll be able to get ourselves back out of it.¡±

 Dualities of Messengers: Book I- Chapter 6

    {-Kaius-}


    Messengers didn¡¯t need any of the forms of subsistence mortals did; they didn¡¯t need to eat or sleep, so long as they had their gods¡¯ blessings and the gift of ambrosia. But that didn¡¯t mean they knew no such thing as rest. In fact, Kaius was certain there was not a single Messenger that would not admit to indulging in the now-needless acts of eating or sleeping¡­ even Jun, when they thought no one else was looking.


    Which was a lot of words to say, the team rested for a couple of hours during the night. They weren¡¯t in that big of a rush to get this done, so they knew they could spare the time.


    But they were all up and ready to keep going by the time even the tiniest sliver of sunlight started to seep through the trees.


    ¡°Must we get going already?¡± Kaius asked with an overdramatic sigh. ¡°I was just starting to get comfortable.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m grateful for the interruption, actually,¡± Tevie remarked. ¡°I hate those half-dream, half-memory things. Somehow worse than mortal nightmares¡­¡±


    Hayze¡ªthe one responsible for waking them up¡ªdidn¡¯t seem to acknowledge either of them. ¡°I¡¯m fairly certain we¡¯re not alone here anymore. The Ski¨¢ activity is more organized and I¡¯m beginning to feel the presence of another Messenger¡ªone that belongs to Darkness.¡±


    Kaius, after a moment, knew that she was right¡ªhe could feel it, too. ¡°Ah. Well, then, I suppose it¡¯s justified. Let¡¯s go meet with this mysterious Messenger, shall we? I daresay they¡¯re probably at the end of their patience, if they were waiting for us.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll try this one more time.¡± Once again, Tevie reached a hand up to the charm. ¡°Kiri, we think we¡¯re about to come across one of Eldrianna¡¯s Messengers. What¡¯s the gods expecting us to do if we end up needing to confront them?¡±


    And yet again, there was silence.


    ¡°They¡¯re probably busy helping the Fos,¡± Kaius said casually. It was just another generic response, though, to keep their minds from wandering. ¡°I do believe I heard that Mazel was out, so there¡¯s probably not a lot of ¡®older siblings¡¯ there to watch over things.¡±


    There were obvious flaws in his logic, most obviously that Kiri nearly always announced when they had to go help the other Fos. But despite all its flaws, they all took it to be truth, because it was the better of several possibilities.


    Hayze brought them back to the matter at hand to remark, ¡°It¡¯s not like this is something completely new to us. We can handle this on our own for a little while, if not completely, while we wait for Kiri to respond. As long as we don¡¯t do anything too reckless, it should be fine.¡±


    ¡°Just try to tire them out, right?¡± Tevie prompted. ¡°Stall long enough that whoever it is decides it¡¯s not worth the trouble?¡±


    Kaius nodded. ¡°That¡¯s what we¡¯re going to have to try to do, at least. It¡¯s safe to assume that the gods don¡¯t like Darkness, but that doesn¡¯t mean we should confront one of her Messengers directly. Getting into a full-blown fight is only going to cause problems that are much, much worse than simply waiting it out.¡±


    A fourth voice¡ªfamiliar, but not friendly¡ªechoed through the forest. ¡°Or, you could walk away and stop interfering at all. There¡¯d be no reason for a confrontation then.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you know that we can¡¯t do that, Talia,¡± Kaius casually remarked. ¡°We¡¯re doing just the same thing that you are¡ªfollowing orders. Believe it or not, our gods dislike incomplete missions just as much as yours does.¡±


    ¡°But at the end of this, someone is going to have to come back empty-handed, and I¡¯d rather it not be me.¡±


    Just then, the Messenger walked out, proving Kaius¡¯s theory; it was Talia, just the same as when they¡¯d last seen each other, whether or not either of them truly knew when that was. And, for once, she seemed to carry herself with a certain air of confidence¡ªor, rather, fear.


    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Darkness was one that controlled people nearly solely by their fear, and her Messengers were no exception to this.


    He¡¯d feel bad for Talia, honestly, if it wasn¡¯t the kind of scenario that she pictured: that one of them was going to have to end up being unsuccessful, and neither of them wanted to be that person.


    ¡°It¡¯s not too late for you to walk away, either,¡± Kaius remarked. ¡°I¡¯m sure Darkness, for all of her Ski¨¢, can¡¯t control or know everything. I mean, if she did, she would¡¯ve acknowledged the kind of state this place has gone into¡­¡±


    ¡°Kaius,¡± Hayze hissed, ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s making it any better. You¡¯re either trying to talk or down, or you¡¯re going to shut up to let one of us to it instead. I am not going to sit by and just let you make this worse.¡±


    Talia barely seemed to notice. ¡°Whether or not you¡¯re right, that¡¯s not something I want to risk. I think you can understand that, can¡¯t you? So just leave. I¡¯m not going to back away from this¡ªthose were my orders. If you try to do this the ¡®peaceful¡¯ way, you¡¯re going to very quickly realize that Eldrianna doesn¡¯t care about that. There¡¯s no distinction, so long as you¡¯re in her way.¡±


    Tevie pulled both Hayze and Kaius closer, though they were all still able to keep an eye on Talia.


    ¡°Look,¡± Tevie mumbled, ¡°what¡¯s really our plan? Because I¡¯m pretty sure she¡¯s right. The other gods might care about whatever natural balance remains between them, but Eldrianna rarely does. As long as it¡¯s something she wants, she¡¯s going to get it, even if that means directly working against us. She¡¯s done it before, she¡¯s doing it now, and she¡¯ll do it again. That¡¯s the full extent of it, and that¡¯s not going to change depending on what we do and don¡¯t do now.¡±


    Hayze sighed. ¡°Well, we can¡¯t fight her.¡± She touched the charm. ¡°Now would be a pretty great time for some advice if you¡¯ve got it, Kiri! Could really use some information about how we¡¯re going to dance around this problem!¡±


    And still, there was no answer.


    There wasn¡¯t any true reason why they should keep trying to keep up a lie, but Kaius still muttered, ¡°They have to be taking care of something else. Probably taking them longer than expected.¡±


    Though it turns out they weren¡¯t as quiet as they thought they were, because Talia tilted her head and repeated, ¡°Kiri? Isn¡¯t that the Fos that you all cared so much for?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t see how it matters to you,¡± Hayze shot back. ¡°They¡¯re in Sanctuary. There¡¯s nothing the Ski¨¢ can do about that.¡±


    Talia, slowly, raised her hands up and shrugged. Her voice lacked any true emotion to it, but that was pretty normal for her. ¡°I was just asking a simple question. I didn¡¯t mean to make this yet another point of conflict.¡±


    ¡°Either way, I don¡¯t see how it matters to the task at hand,¡± Kaius pointed out, more calmly than his fairy friend. ¡°Kiri isn¡¯t someone that you should be concerning yourself with. I daresay they¡¯re not even related to the situation at hand. If I thought that you had anything to try to hide, then I would¡¯ve simply assumed that you were stalling.¡±


    ¡°Because everything that Darkness or her spawns do need some kind of ulterior motive, right? You should see Kiraat. Only about half the things he does is something that Eldrianna wants, yet she doesn¡¯t seem to care where he¡¯s gone off to or what he¡¯s doing.¡±


    Tevie, even if his tone made it sound like it wasn¡¯t going to work, remarked, ¡°Look, this isn¡¯t really getting anywhere. What if we just pretended to fight? No one actually touches each other but it looks enough like a fight that Eldrianna is happy about whatever she wants you to do, and we get to do what we came here for. Not the most ideal of circumstances, but certainly something you can agree with, no?¡±


    Talia shook her head. She made a quick gesture, and a Ski¨¢ formed on either side of her. ¡°My mission is to protect what remains of this place from you. I was expressly told that that mission was not complete unless you were gone and nothing else was harmed. I¡¯m not going to be able to get away with something just because we all struck a ¡®deal.¡¯¡±


    ¡°Oh, well.¡± Tevie glanced at Hayze. ¡°Think you can figure out where the next thing we¡¯re supposed to be getting rid of is? There¡¯s got to be at least one more, if Talia hasn¡¯t given up already.¡±


    With a bit of confusion, she responded, ¡°If you give me another moment, I might be able to determine a more exact area, but I¡¯m pretty sure I can guess the general idea now.¡±


    ¡°Would you, hypothetically speaking, be ready to run in that direction in, say, another couple of seconds?¡±


    ¡°Wha¡ª¡±


    ¡°Did I say hypothetical? I meant that I¡¯m about to do it right now.¡±


    Tevie snapped his fingers and a large amount of vines grew around Talia. It wasn¡¯t a lot¡ªjust a momentary distraction.


    But it was enough of a distraction for Hayze and Kaius to understand what he was trying to do, and they were all darting away within moments. Talia was undoubtedly going to catch up to them soon but, well, at least they were able to get the head start.

 Extras: Character Card and Sheet- Calum

    Extra character card info:


    One of Vaso¡¯s Messengers. He was chosen not because of his physical strength, but by his strong nature and talent for magic. The people who know of his becoming a Messenger, however, are limited to his ¡°coworkers,¡± as he continuously puts off separating himself from his mortal life. He¡¯s kept in close touch with Rhenei after helping her many years ago, fully aware that he¡¯ll need to move on eventually.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

 Dualities of Messengers: Book I- Chapter 7

    {-Hayze-}


    A part of her simply wanted to return to her fairy size, flee into the forest, and leave the boys to deal with the mess that they, by all rights, were the ones to cause. She could easily allow them to be a distraction, while she found the final enchanted object and destroyed it. But, unfortunately, they were a team.


    And she wasn¡¯t about to abandon her teammates.


    Didn¡¯t mean she had to be nice about it, though.


    ¡°You better have a real plan, plant boy,¡± she hissed. ¡°Because ¡®get there before she does¡¯ isn¡¯t really one of them.¡±


    Tevie flicked his hand to cause more plants to move in behind them, allowing for a bigger gap between them and Talia. ¡°She¡¯s just an Ilethera, right? Not a dreamer?¡±


    ¡°Anyone with any capacity to control Ski¨¢ is going to need a more substantial distraction than bushes.¡±


    ¡°Could you actually answer the question, please?¡±


    ¡°She has the Saint¡¯s Curse. No Messenger is a dreamer.¡±


    ¡°And only dreamers can have the same level of control over Ski¨¢ that Eldrianna does, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Ilethera don¡¯t have the kind of connection to the shadows as dreamers do.¡±


    Kaius gave that annoying smirk of his. ¡°I see where you¡¯re going, Tevie. She might act in control now, but she¡¯s bound to lose control at some point, right?¡±


    ¡°Maybe not bound to,¡± Hayze remarked. ¡°It¡¯s just more likely. It¡¯s like trying to tame wild animals instead of domesticated ones.¡± As much as she hated to, she felt she had to ask, ¡°Your whole plan doesn¡¯t revolve around that, does it..?¡±


    ¡°My plan is to stall long enough that she¡¯s either forced to leave or we get what we¡¯re looking for. The Ski¨¢ thing just means one might come sooner than the other.¡±


    Hayze hated these ¡°plans.¡± But, unfortunately, there was nothing she could do than to go with it¡ªthey didn¡¯t exactly have any better options.


    ¡°I think this is it,¡± she announced after another couple of minutes, slowing to a stop. ¡°I¡¯m sensing some kind of magical presence here that isn¡¯t just the Ski¨¢, so this has to be where the last enchanted object is. Can I trust the two of you to keep Talia and the Ski¨¢ away from me?¡±


    Tevie nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll keep Talia distracted¡ªshe still has to worry about physical obstructions. I¡¯ll try to force her to take another path.¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯ll take care of the Ski¨¢,¡± Kaius said with a smirk. It took a rather harsh glare from Tevie to add, ¡°Without the prevalent use of Fire magic. Fire would, of course, be far too obvious.¡± The glare persisted, so he continued, ¡°And would ruin the local ecosystem.¡±


    ¡°You know we don¡¯t exactly have time for this, right?¡± Hayze prompted. ¡°Go on, get to it! Talia and the Ski¨¢ are going to end up getting too close if the two of you don¡¯t get a move on.¡±


    It was clear that Talia was already getting too close for comfort, because her voice echoed throughout the trees saying, ¡°You cannot ruin what she made! I¡ªI can¡¯t let you!¡±


    And the time to be sorry for her would have to come later because, at this moment, they all had their mission to complete.


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    Kaius and Tevie both went in more or less the same direction, though she could tell they diverted after a moment. Hayze, then, was left trying to focus hard enough to determine exactly where this last object was.


    It couldn¡¯t have been something that would cause another projection; if it was, then the illusion would¡¯ve started by now. It had to simply be an enchanted object, though¡­ that only made things more difficult and a bit more confusing. She supposed the time to consider what it was doing here wasn¡¯t now, however, and simply tried her best to do her part.


    Hayze first looked around the river, since that¡¯s where every other enchanted object had ended up being near. As far as she could tell, though, there wasn¡¯t anything there¡ªjust a couple of Ski¨¢ on the other side, but she was focused enough to quickly take care of them before they became a bigger problem. Eventually, she decided that she shouldn¡¯t just focus on what she could sense, but what the Ski¨¢ were doing, too. With any luck, they understood that their presence interfered with her ability to find the enchanted object¡­ which meant that, the closer she got, the more of them there would be.


    And eventually, it wasn¡¯t just the Ski¨¢ that she could use as an indicator of how close she was getting. Talia ended up getting close enough to notice what Hayze was doing, too, and certainly tried everything in her power to stop it.


    ¡°Stay away from this!¡± Talia tried, no longer bothering to hide her desperation. ¡°This was all things that she made, and the only memories she has left of him. I can¡¯t let you ruin this. I can¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°If you haven¡¯t already noticed,¡± Hayze remarked, taking the risk that she was on the right track, ¡°Eldrianna already ruined this. She was the one that caused all these Ski¨¢ to be here¡ªthe Ski¨¢ that you¡¯re controlling right now, and the countless others that have come to this forest. It¡¯s because of her that no one else will be able to enjoy the things that Achadus had set up. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s better, then, to let this whole place fade into memory? I¡¯m almost certain he would¡¯ve preferred it that way.¡±


    ¡°You know nothing,¡± Talia hissed. ¡°And I¡¯d advise that, unless you want to cause even more trouble for yourself and your gods, you step away from all of this right now.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so you¡¯re saying I¡¯m in the right spot? Thanks, it was getting a little hard to focus with all of the Ski¨¢ surrounding me. I must admit that it was a nice try, though.¡±


    Before Talia could get close enough to try to stop her physically, Hayze darted towards a part of a tree¡¯s roots that were sticking out of the ground. There was just enough room to be able to tuck something inside and, if her hunch was right, she¡¯d find something there.


    And she was right¡ªnestled just below a layer of dirt was a locket. Its apparent age didn¡¯t faze her; she already knew that most of the things here were far older than what they first predicted. It seemed to just have the faintest bit of magic attached to it, though she couldn¡¯t quite tell what the enchantment was supposed to do.


    ¡°Get away from that,¡± Talia said. ¡°Step away from all of this. This is your last chance.¡±


    ¡°Well, thank you for reassuring me that this is what I needed,¡± Hayze remarked. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine this thing is going to be too hard to get rid of¡­¡±


    Several Ski¨¢ came up to her as she gripped it more firmly, but Kaius took care of them before they got too close. Talia attempted something, too, before Tevie likewise occupied her. Hayze likely only had a moment to do what she needed to do.


    And that was exactly how long it took for her to destroy the locket, getting rid of all of the remaining magical energy. The only thing left were the Ski¨¢, and she was almost certain those would all be leaving soon enough.


    Talia still fought out of the foliage Tevie had trapped her in, darting over to the spot where Hayze was. She willingly moved out of the way for the other Messenger, just so that Talia could be sure that all of it was gone.


    ¡°How could you do this?¡± she whispered. ¡°This meant something to somebody, and you just got rid of it. Now the only thing that remains is memory.¡±


    ¡°There are some things that should stay only within memory,¡± Kaius remarked. ¡°You know that we were only completing our mission, the same as you. I don¡¯t believe you should keep Darkness waiting.¡±


    Tevie nodded. ¡°You can at least say you put up a good fight. You were a lot more persistent than I thought you were going to be.¡±


    Hayze stood up, brushing the dirt off of her robes. ¡°Our mission here is complete. Perhaps we¡¯ll see each other again soon, but¡­ I do hope it¡¯s as those on the same side. I¡¯m sure I speak for all of us when I say there¡¯s no hard feelings between us, if we do end up seeing each other again.¡±


    ¡°Just go, if you¡¯re leaving,¡± Talia muttered. ¡°There¡¯s no place for you here anymore. All that remains here are unfulfilled promises and broken futures. You have better things to be doing than lingering here.¡±


    With a shared nod between the three, they turned around and left.

 Dualities of Messengers: Book I- Chapter 8

    {-Tevie-}


    ¡°I don¡¯t sense anything else, but let¡¯s do one last scan of the area,¡± Hayze announced. ¡°I want to make sure we haven¡¯t missed something. It keeps us from having to go back later.¡±


    ¡°Do you think it¡¯s safe to split up a bit?¡± Tevie prompted. ¡°Seems like Talia¡¯s gone and none of the Ski¨¢ seem too interested in us anymore. We could probably handle whatever else might happen on our own.¡±


    Kaius considered it, then nodded. ¡°I believe so. After all, we¡¯re all quite capable, and I¡¯m guessing we¡¯ve gotten through the bulk of any possible conflicts.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll meet back here in a couple of minutes,¡± Hayze decided. ¡°The two of you won¡¯t be able to sense any enchanted objects, but just keep an eye out for anything else suspicious. If it seems like something that doesn¡¯t belong in the forest, then it¡¯s probably safe to get rid of it.¡±


    With that, they all went their separate ways, at least for the time being.


    Tevie, frankly, had little intention of seriously searching for anything. Given the show that Talia had put up, and given that she¡¯d left already, he guessed that there wasn¡¯t anything left for them to try to find. He took the opportunity, instead, to simply spend some time in a peaceful mortal forest. The gardens of Thalis in Sanctuary did lack a certain kind of tranquility that only the mortals¡¯ lands could create, after all. Maybe Tevie would find some small plant to bring back, too. Wouldn¡¯t hurt to try.


    Disrupting his peace and quiet, though, was a voice he hadn¡¯t realized he¡¯d been hoping to hear.


    ¡°Hey, guys, it¡¯s Kiri. Sorry it took me so long, I¡­ was busy with something else. What¡¯s the situation? Do you still need me to talk to Micah?¡±


    ¡°The situation has been handled,¡± Kaius responded. Though they were physically far away from each other, Tevie could hear him perfectly; the charms picked up on his voice. ¡°To a degree that I hope is satisfactory to the gods, as well.¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°We encountered Talia,¡± Hayze explained. ¡°She was here because of an order from Eldrianna¡ªshe didn¡¯t want us to continue with our own mission. We were able to distract her long enough to complete it, though. No one was hurt, so I doubt there will be any lasting tensions between us¡­ at least none that weren¡¯t already present.¡±


    Kiri was quiet for a little bit, then said, ¡°Sorry I wasn¡¯t there for you guys. I¡­ wish I could¡¯ve done something to actually help¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, whatever else you were doing must¡¯ve been important,¡± Tevie remarked. He shrugged even if no one could see him. ¡°What matters most is that you¡¯re doing your best and taking care of yourself. We¡¯re able to be on our own for a little bit, so you don¡¯t have to worry.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I guess you¡¯re right¡­¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t say I¡¯m not a little curious, though,¡± Kaius said. Tevie could tell that he was beginning to walk back to where the Messengers said they would reconvene. ¡°What were you doing? Did a Fos need something? Usually you give a little bit more warning than that, if the other team or the Fos ended up needing you. I suppose if it was something serious, though, you wouldn¡¯t have had time to¡­¡±


    ¡°It was¡­ definitely something sudden. I wasn¡¯t able to give you any kind of warning. Any other Fos who was here wouldn¡¯t know how to operate the charm.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re not going to say anything about what it was?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s handled now, and that¡¯s what matters. Maybe we can all talk about it later. Were you able to complete the mission?¡±


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    As Hayze walked closer to where the other two were, she nodded. ¡°We¡¯ve just finished a final sweep of the area, so we¡¯re going to start heading back now. Do you know if the others could use our help?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t checked on them yet, but I think they¡¯ve got it handled. Or, at the very least, it¡¯s not a problem that¡¯s capable of being solved with more Messengers being present. Just go on and return to Sanctuary, we can all meet up there.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll see you there, then.¡±


    Then there was a little beep to signal that Kiri had disconnected.


    ¡°This place is a little too open for us to return to Sanctuary here,¡± Kaius said. ¡°Well, without sacrificing some mystery, that is. Besides, there¡¯s still a lot of Ski¨¢ in this area, and we don¡¯t want them catching a ride back.¡±


    ¡°The area I was looking through barely had any Ski¨¢, compared to this,¡± Hayze offered. ¡°We can return from there.¡±


    Tevie shrugged. ¡°Fine by me. It gives us some time to talk about stuff that only really matters to Messengers, anyway.¡± He figured he might as well be honest outright with what he was thinking of, so he explained, ¡°The root of the problem of having to fight Talia. I know it probably sounds stupid to the two of you, and I¡±m old enough that I should know better, but I¡¯ve just kept thinking¡­ We only had to do that because her orders conflicted with ours. Even the gods within Sanctuary might have conflicting goals on occasion. So¡­¡±


    Kaius grew a bit more solemn. ¡°You fear that we¡¯re one day going to have to set aside our personal connections, in order to achieve the goals of our individual gods?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Tevie let out a nervous chuckle. ¡°Sounds pretty stupid when I say it out loud, though. I should know a lot better than that.¡±


    ¡°Neither of us can really blame you,¡± Hayze remarked. The topic had made her a bit quieter as well¡ªanother reason that, perhaps, it wasn¡¯t worth bringing up. ¡°But it¡¯s not something worth worrying over. After all, it¡¯s not something we¡¯ll ever be able to control¡ªwe¡¯re only here now because of the will of our individual gods, after all. We owe them for everything they¡¯ve done for us, whether or not we agree with everything they ask us to do. It was our choice to serve them, but their will keeps us going.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s any comfort at all, I feel as though we¡¯ll have much bigger problems if something like that ever becomes a possibility,¡± Kaius said. ¡°After all, it¡¯s not like one of us is working for Darkness¡ªfor the most part, the goals of the gods of Sanctuary tend to overlap with one another. Even besides that, they try their best to sympathize with their Messengers, and they understand the friendship between us.¡±


    Tevie didn¡¯t know if he felt better or worse decoding that out loud. ¡°So, unless there¡¯s a serious threat, we probably won¡¯t ever need to worry about it? And ¡®serious threat¡¯ as in, something that definitely threatens probably every mortal, along with possibly the gods?¡±


    ¡°That was a bad example,¡± Hayze remarked. She nudged Kaius. ¡°Wasn¡¯t it? I feel like you¡¯ve just worried him more.¡±


    ¡°N-no, it¡¯s fine.¡± Why did all of this make Tevie so nervous? Of all the things that they¡¯d done together¡ªall of the things that would terrify a mortal¡ªwhy was this the one that stuck with him the most? ¡°I probably shouldn¡¯t have brought it up anyway. Let¡¯s just head back and forget about it.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re not going to have the last say that easily,¡± Kaius remarked. ¡°You know why? What we have is more than just ¡®temporary team members.¡¯ Even if we one day have to cross each other, like we¡¯ve turned against other Messengers whose goals conflicted with our own, it¡¯s only for a mission. And once that¡¯s over? We can pretend like it all never happened.¡±


    Hayze nodded. ¡°That¡¯s something much better. A brighter note to consider, at least. Either way, a day like that is far, far away from now¡ªthere¡¯s no point in dwelling on it now. Let¡¯s simply enjoy this time we have together, without worrying about what the future might hold for us.¡±


    Finally, Tevie was able to manage a smile. ¡°Yeah. Thanks, you two. It means a lot.¡±


    Kaius smirked. ¡°Well, we¡¯ve got to look out for the youngest of us, don¡¯t we? We¡¯re a team. It¡¯s going to take far more than even the direct conflict of the gods to ruin everything that we have together.¡±


    So they continued to walk to a better place to return to Sanctuary, and came back with the same kind of casualness as they had left. The fear of one day having their gods¡¯ goals conflict, so much so that they would be turned against each other¡­ it wasn¡¯t gone. THere was likely nothing that could be said or done that would completely remove the possibility, after all.


    But it was clear that, whatever happened, even if their gods wanted them to stay apart¡­ they would figure it out together. After all, they¡¯d done so much together; they¡¯ve come back from worse situations.


    So they would be able to conquer anything like that, too. Their bonds weren¡¯t so easily broken.

 Extras: Character Card and Sheet- Jesper

    Extra character card info:


    A boy who works for the Ravens, as well as being Kadol¡¯s grandson. He was practically raised by the Ravens in the base outside of Hyasari after the execution of his parents when he was young. Within the last couple of months, he¡¯s had his first successful mission, as well as finding a new friend¡ªPhilyra. And he¡¯s looking forward to many more successful missions to come, certain that he¡¯ll do all he can to fulfill their goal.


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 Dualities of Messengers: Book II- Chapter 1

    {-Neville-}


    They didn¡¯t descend at the exact location that they needed to go; that would¡¯ve made it a bit too obvious. No, they entered the mortal land a little ways away from the ruins, then walked from there to where they needed to be.


    ¡°This must be the ruins of Kevabel,¡± he remarked. They¡¯d just passed through what, once, might¡¯ve been the town gate¡ªit was nothing but rubble now. ¡°It is still quite intact, all things considered. There doesn¡¯t seem to be the faintest hint of phoenix fires.¡±


    ¡°Does it matter if phoenixes were here or not?¡± Verity questioned. ¡°We¡¯ve got a mission to destroy everything that might have to do with ¡®Achadus.¡¯ Since apparently nature hasn¡¯t done all of that for us, that means we¡¯re going to have to do it ourselves.¡±


    Jaqueline tilted her head. ¡°It¡¯s strange, though. Isn¡¯t this area known for the wildfires caused by the phoenixes¡¯ migration? Not to mention the other natural disasters I recall others mentioning this area was known for¡­¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Neville said with a nod. ¡°This is all rather unusual.¡±


    Verity shrugged. ¡°Well, what else were you expecting? Orestis wants this place gone for a reason¡ªthere¡¯s bound to be a lot of reasons it¡¯s far different from everywhere else.¡±


    He considered it for a moment, trying to think of what the best course of action might be. After a moment, he touched the charm in his ear and asked, ¡°Kiri, what do you think we should do?¡±


    It took a moment, but they responded, ¡°Just proceed with caution. I can¡¯t get a hold of Micah right now to try to ask for more specifics, but there¡¯s got to be something wrong here. Try looking for enchanted objects or signs of magic¡ªthat¡¯ll probably be your best bet.¡±


    He nodded to himself, then turned to the other two. ¡°Shall we look around, then? Perhaps things will be a little bit more evident once we probably have a look around the area.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll be quicker if we split up for this part,¡± Verity remarked. ¡°There¡¯s a lot of ground to cover and there doesn¡¯t seem to be any imminent threats. We could all come back here in, say, ten minutes? That should be plenty of time to get a good look at what we¡¯re dealing with.¡±


    Jacqueline nodded. ¡°That sounds good. We¡¯re not that far away from each other and we have the charms in case anything happens.¡±


    ¡°Shall we be off, then?¡± Neville gestured to three separate buildings, and each went off towards one of them.


    He was, in all honesty, quite glad that he had been allowed the one in the middle. It took some more walking to get to, but it was by far the most promising out of all of these buildings; it reminded him of an old town hall. He wondered if there had once been a town square where he walked, too, full of bustling mortals and their families. Of course, none of that was here now. All that was left was the memories that the Messengers had to get rid of by will of the Creator. That was, perhaps, the only thing that justified destroying all of this knowledge.


    At least his memories could not be taken away from him¡ªeven if he could never share the information¡ªso that the memory could live on in someone. That was about the extent of comfort Neville was going to find in this situation.


    And even that comfort was soon replaced with nervousness as the full extent of where he was sunk in.


    This wasn¡¯t just any normal ruin; there was something that separated it from countless other places they¡¯d visited before. There were signs of something¡ªsomething bad, and something unusual.


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    Neville didn¡¯t have the talents of Kaius and Hayze of being able to exactly determine exactly what kind of presence was around the area¡ªhe couldn¡¯t sense the presence of darkness. But he was capable of picking up on other signs, which led him to the conclusion that she had been here at some point.


    It wasn¡¯t just her, either.


    He picked up on signs of Light being here, too.


    The only other thing he did was looking around for any remnants of records¡ªthere didn¡¯t seem to be any written ones, as he expected¡ªbefore heading back to where he¡¯d meet up with the others.


    ¡°Notice anything odd?¡± he prompted as soon as they all came back together.


    ¡°Gods were here once,¡± Jacqueline mumbled. ¡°Weren¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s no wonder, is it?¡± Verity remarked. ¡°How many times do I have to say it: Orestis willed for this place to be destroyed. Obviously something had to have happened here, and that something was probably one of the gods. If I had to guess, Eldrianna, since she¡¯s the root of so many of the other problems we have to deal with¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a little bit more than that, I¡¯m afraid.¡± Neville shook his head solemnly. ¡°I¡¯ve found signs that, aside from Darkness, another god has spent quite a lot of time here. More specifically¡­ the Goddess of Light.¡±


    Verity tilted her head. ¡°What the hell would Danai have to be in a place like this? As far as I know, she hardly stepped outside of Sanctuary during the time of the Commandments, and definitely never to the same place twice or for long. Unless the great Messenger of the God of Knowledge himself has found more clues about what made this place so special?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t gotten enough evidence yet to make a proper conclusion, but I feel as though Eldrianna and Danai had come here together.¡± Neville gestured towards the town hall. ¡°I could show you what I saw and, perhaps, with the three of us looking, we could find something out for certain. Unless, of course, the two of you found anything that was also worth further investigating?¡±


    ¡°Nothing for certain,¡± Jacqueline responded in a mumble. ¡°But¡­ is this really something we should be looking into? What if it¡¯s just something else that Orestis wants gone? If we get involved in it, it¡¯s only going to make it worse, and then we might get the others in trouble¡­¡±


    He gave her a kind smile, in hopes that it reassured her at least somewhat. ¡°Quite the contrary, if my theory is correct. The more we know about who was here and what they did, the more thorough we can be when it comes to getting rid of it. We don¡¯t want anyone else to be able to find what we have, after all.¡±


    ¡°I say we should simply burn the whole place down and call this mission successful,¡± Verity remarked. ¡°The sooner we get this done, the better. At least that way we¡¯ll be back in the comfort of Sanctuary instead of this hot and dreadful place.¡±


    ¡°There could be things that wouldn¡¯t burn,¡± Neville pointed out reasonably. ¡°We can¡¯t quite say that our mission was successful until we know for certain that we¡¯ve gotten rid of absolutely everything. And we will only know what ¡®absolutely everything¡¯ involves once we put some effort into uncovering it.¡±


    Jacqueline slowly nodded. ¡°We have to make sure we complete this as thoroughly as possible. That is what our gods would want us to do.¡± She glanced at her brother. ¡°You said you¡¯d been investigating the town hall..? If Verity hasn¡¯t found anything, then that¡¯s probably our best option. A lot of things can be found in a place like that¡­¡±


    They both turned their attention to Verity, who sighed. ¡°Oh, come on, stop looking at me with that creepy twin glare. No, I didn¡¯t find anything. Just rubble and animal carcasses. As long as the town hall isn¡¯t likely to fall on top of us, I suppose it¡¯s worth trying to find what we can there.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not my area of expertise, but if it means anything to you, all of these ruins seem remarkably stable,¡± Neville said. ¡°For ruins, that is. I don¡¯t believe we should spend too long here, but it should be well enough off for our purposes.¡±


    ¡°Lead the way, then. I¡¯d just rather not get ichor anywhere. Who knows what other defiled things have touched this land¡­¡±


    Jacqueline shuffled nervously. ¡°You¡¯re right. As much as we need to be thorough, we need to get this done as soon as possible. Would¡­ you like to lead the way, then, Neville? We¡¯ll both be right behind you.¡±


    He nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s see what¡¯s there, then. I have a rather good feeling about what we¡¯re going to find there¡ªit¡¯s certainly going to help our mission. At least, give us a better understanding of what we¡¯re going to need to do to successfully complete it.¡±

 Dualities of Messengers: Book II- Chapter 2

    {-Jacqueline-}


    She actually got a kind of comfort out of knowing that Eldrianna had been here. It made those uncertain feelings, the foreboding air, actually mean something¡ªit gave them a reason to exist, beyond simply her imagination. Even if it came with its own set of questions and concerns, the explanation was enough to at least justify herself.


    But, of course, that kind of reassurance was only momentary, until they started to come across much more definitive proof.


    Neville had led them to the town hall, and they¡¯d all gone to different parts of what might have once been the main room. All Jacqueline could find were decrepit walls, worn furniture, and everything else that was to be expected with ruins. But for better or worse, it wasn¡¯t like that for long.


    ¡°Neville, how long is paper supposed to last?¡± Verity asked.


    He thought about it for a moment, then answered, ¡°In conditions like these, I would expect a couple of years, at most. While our ancestors were rather good at making things capable of being passed down from generations, I don¡¯t believe anything here would¡¯ve been considered the ideal storage conditions.¡±


    ¡°So, I take it¡­ certainly not in a legible condition?¡± She paused. ¡°Or, I think it¡¯s legible. I can¡¯t tell. Whoever wrote this either had terrible penmanship, didn¡¯t know how to spell, or both. I can barely tell what it says.¡±


    That certainly piqued his interest. ¡°You found something, then? Why don¡¯t you show it to all of us?¡±


    They all walked back towards the center of the room, and Verity placed the object of interest¡ªa very old-looking book¡ªon a piece of rubble. Jacqueline watched her brother¡¯s eyes light up immediately when he saw it, and how his fascination only grew as he carefully opened it up and skimmed through some of the pages.


    ¡°Nearly all of this is in remarkable condition,¡± he mumbled. ¡°It¡¯s clearly as old as everything else here, but it¡¯s still completely legible, far more than I would expect from something that has been here for however long¡­¡±


    Gently, she prompted, ¡°That¡¯s definitely interesting, but¡­ do you know what it says? It sort of looks like you do.¡±


    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s rather old, but as luck would have it, Sokratas and I were just discussing ancient language.¡± He was practically beaming at the accomplishment, or at least she felt like he was.


    ¡°So you can read it?¡± Verity asked. ¡°And it actually means something?¡±


    He nodded. ¡°Give me a moment, please. I should be able to decipher it.¡± He paused. ¡°It does seem quite long, though, so I¡¯ll keep it to the brief version. From what I can tell so far, it looks like it might¡¯ve been a journal¡ªnot everything in it will be useful to us.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t a moment later that he completely gave himself to the effort of translating it, and Jacqueline knew there was hardly anything that would get him out of that concentration. She simply brushed some dust off of another piece of rubble¡ªit might¡¯ve been the fragments of a step¡ªand sat down, gesturing for Verity to join her.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sitting on that,¡± was Verity¡¯s quick response. ¡°Who knows what kinds of things have been on it. You can do whatever you want, but I¡¯d much prefer to stand.¡±


    ¡°I just thought, we don¡¯t know how long he¡¯s going to take,¡± Jacqueline pointed out gently. ¡°The only thing we have to do right now is wait, unless you want to see if we could find anything else.¡±


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    ¡°Whatever this is should probably be enough. Even if it isn¡¯t, it seems¡­ too convenient if everything we needed was all in one place like this. I¡¯d like to hope that this was all there was to find here.¡±


    After a couple of moments in silence, Neville spoke up again. ¡°I believe I understand the gist of it. The author of this  journal was a townsperson here¡ªperhaps even for their entire life. But something had recently started to bother them¡­ the arrival of a mysterious individual. A mysterious individual who seemed quite fond of the town¡¯s leader, and who must have called herself ¡®Dree¡¯ among them.¡±


    ¡°Do you think..?¡± Jacqueline didn¡¯t feel it was right to even finish the thought. It was the whole point of why they were reading the journal in the first place, yet¡­ it still felt too wrong to utter aloud.


    He nodded grimly. ¡°I believe this confirms our suspicion. While ¡®Dree¡¯ could be anyone, the author also mentions some of her qualities. She seemed to hold an air of shadow, and¡­ she had wings. Dragonfly wings, to be precise.¡±


    ¡°So we really are dealing with Eldrianna?¡± Verity prompted. ¡°What¡¯s our mission supposed to look like from here, then? Will we need to do anything special in order to get rid of all of her remaining presence or something?¡±


    He let out a soft hmm as he considered it. ¡°No, I don¡¯t believe we have to change our original plan of destroying this place. At least for the time being. We should still try to gather more information, however, to be sure we will be as thorough as possible when dealing with this information.¡± He tucked the book away in his coat. ¡°For now, I will hold onto this. As evidence, it will need to be destroyed, and it¡¯s better if it stays accounted for.¡±


    Both Jacqueline and Verity nodded.


    ¡°Are we just going to look around more, then?¡± Jacqueline prompted. Nervously, she added, ¡°the more we learn about Eldrianna¡¯s involvement here, the less willing I am to see what else there is, though¡­¡±


    Verity shrugged, though perhaps she too understood a bit of the sentiment. ¡°It¡¯s not like anything here can hurt us. Without the threat of Ski¨¢ or any of Eldrianna¡¯s other tricks, there¡¯s hardly anything to be afraid of. Anything that remains will simply be distractions.¡±


    Jacqueline shrunk, mumbling some kind of half-agreement, half-apology.


    ¡°You and I can go together,¡± Neville offered, ¡°and Verity can investigate on her own. While it¡¯s true that we should get this done as quickly as possible, and that there is nothing that can harm us, we should all still be comfortable. Having two teams seems like a fair compromise.¡±


    She gave a small smile and nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll be alright with that. With you there, I¡¯ll know for sure that there¡¯s nothing to worry about.¡±


    ¡°The two of you are nearly as sentimental as Calum,¡± Verity muttered. She didn¡¯t seem to have any real complaints about it, though, because she waved and turned around. ¡°Though I suppose you¡¯ve got more sense than him. I¡¯ll go and look more about here, you two can go wherever. I¡¯ll let you know with the charms if I find anything else.¡±


    They both agreed, and walked back out of the ruins of the town hall.


    ¡°Where do you think we should start..?¡± Jacqueline prompted. ¡°There¡¯s still so much here, but even what looks like it might have something might not¡­¡±


    ¡°I believe it might be best if we simply look around,¡± Neville decided. ¡°There is¡­ something I noticed back at the entrance, however. Something I feel is worth looking at again.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to jump to conclusions too early. If I¡¯m right, then our mission might be a bit more complicated but, if I¡¯m wrong, then I would worry you for nothing.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s just see what¡¯s there, then.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    They walked together to the entrance, and she stood and waited while he looked through some of the ruins. She didn¡¯t see anything out of the ordinary here¡ªbut she wasn¡¯t as perceptive as he was, so maybe that was why.


    When she saw his expression grow darker, she prompted, ¡°What did you find..?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe we were the first to come here,¡± he said, simply. ¡°There¡¯s someone else in the area.¡±


    And just as she was about to ask who, a completely unfamiliar voice came from behind her.


    ¡°Oh, hello there, strangers! Didn¡¯t think I¡¯d see anyone else out here in these parts. Are you researchers, too, perhaps? Look a little young but, eh, I¡¯m not one to judge¡­¡±


    The voice soon gained a visible host, though he was far from intimidating. He was short and clearly older¡ªshe was nearly surprised he had the strength to carry his huge backpack and other supplies. But it wasn¡¯t something about his appearance that made her afraid.


    It was the fact that a mortal was so close to interfering with the gods¡¯ work.

 Extras: Art- Spirits Coming 2024

    Some art of Natheniel and Muriel dressed up for Spirit''s Coming, TBE''s version of Halloween.


    This is probably as good of a time as any to mention some of the things I have planned, especially in terms of extra content, for The Butterfly Effect. First of all, Volume 5 should be out on Amazon soon (in fact, I expect it to be ready to be announced by next Saturday). I''ve also got two Amazon-exclusive stories that will tie into The Butterfly Effect that are in early stages of development: a folktale-esque story that may or may not discuss a mysterious character''s past, and a novel set in Seothia around the time of King Selik''s reign. I plan on getting the former published by the end of the year, but the latter will be longer (if not something that spans 2-3 books) and likely will not be ready by then.


    Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    As always, thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoy all the content to come!

 Dualities of Messengers: Book II- Chapter 3

    {-Verity-}


    Neville¡¯s voice was rather grim when she heard it over the charm say, ¡°Verity, I¡¯d advise returning to the entrance.¡± She was nearly dreading going there, wondering what could have possibly warranted such a tone.


    But when she got there, she understood¡ªto an extent. It was a mortal.


    And an extremely chipper one at that.


    ¡°Oh, look at that! I¡¯ve rambled to you about my thesis, but I have yet to introduce myself! I¡¯m Professor Askel Visindi. And what about the two of you?¡± He caught sight of Verity and his smile grew wider. ¡°Is this another one of your friends, too? Come on over here, let¡¯s all get acquainted! It¡¯s not very often I get to see other researchers out in the field.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, we¡¯re not researchers¡­¡± Jacqueline mumbled. Her awkwardness was overwhelmingly clear¡ªshe always got like that when a mission unexpectedly led to a mortal. ¡°And our names are something that are probably left untold¡­¡±


    ¡°Nonsense! You¡¯ve ought to be here for something, and I¡¯d very much like to put names to these faces! Besides, if you¡¯re willing to help me, I can include you in the special thanks of my thesis¡ªeven if you¡¯re not researchers. This is a big investigation, I assure you. If I make enough, I¡¯ll even ensure some of the royalties are sent to you.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t need the money, either¡­¡±


    Verity sighed. ¡°We might as well talk to him. Annoying mortals like this aren¡¯t going to go away.¡± She dismissively glanced at the researcher and said, ¡°I am Verity. It would be pointless for me to tie myself to a house that I have long since given up on.¡±


    Perhaps that was the wrong thing to say, because it seemed to spark his curiosity more. Luckily, Neville was able to fill in before the researcher could ask any questions.


    ¡°We are Neville and Jacqueline Florent,¡± he said. ¡°Though I would advise you to turn around and find a new place to focus on your research. There are many dangers here that one such as yourself should not involve yourself in.¡±


    ¡°Oh, but isn¡¯t a little bit of danger on par with the course?¡± One thing was clear: this Askel guy was way too enthusiastic. ¡°No one makes discoveries within the comfort of their own home! They¡¯ve got to get out there, push the limits of what we already know! Besides, my thesis revolves around a place like this. You know, this might be one of the only ruins remaining from the times of the Commandments. Can you imagine? It was such amazing luck that I found it when I did!¡±


    ¡°This ruin is no longer stable,¡± Neville tried calmly. ¡°There are too many unpredictable factors, ones that people like you aren¡¯t going to be able to handle. You cannot write your thesis if you are dead.¡±


    ¡°No, but someone ought to be able to learn from my example, won¡¯t they? I left plenty of research back at the inn, with express instructions to send them back to my home if I do not return. I prepare for these kinds of things, you know.¡±


    ¡°I would strongly advise against going any further.¡±


    ¡°Well, then, let me ask this. If you are not researchers, what business do the three of you have here? You don¡¯t seem all that different from me. In fact, you might have more numbers, but you seem laughably unprepared. I don¡¯t see a single bag or kit among the three of you!¡±


    The Messengers looked between each other. Verity hoped that her expression made her standpoint quite clear; she felt the only way to get rid of this guy was to force him out. Of course, both Neville and Jacqueline were a bit too soft for that, so of course they were going to have to come up with some other solution¡­


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    ¡°We didn¡¯t travel far from where we came,¡± Jacqueline said. She was terrible at lying. ¡°Since we didn¡¯t need to go very far, we didn¡¯t bring anything with us.¡±


    Askel tilted his head. ¡°Well, that can¡¯t be right. There¡¯s no town for a few days out from here.¡± He considered it for a moment, and seemed to come up with a solution. ¡°Ah! You¡¯re trying to save face, aren¡¯t you? Pretend like you have things under control so that you don¡¯t have to worry me? If that¡¯s the case, then never fear! I always come prepared with more than enough supplies. Good to see the old habit finally getting some use!¡±


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t worry about us,¡± Neville remarked. ¡°Without going into too much detail, we know exactly what we¡¯re doing and what we need to do it. You, on the other hand, are about to endanger yourself with things you have no hope of understanding. If you wish to see tomorrow, you will leave now.¡±


    Verity sighed. ¡°You tried that already, remember? Things like that aren¡¯t going to get through this guy¡¯s thick skull.¡± She turned her attention to Askel, making sure he knew that she was dead serious. ¡°I think we should just kill him.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Jacqueline squeaked. ¡°Of course not! If we interfere with mortals, then we might just end up causing more problems.¡±


    ¡°At least it¡¯s a problem that¡¯s not going to keep evolving to be a pain in the ass.¡±


    Askel, rather brightly, pointed out, ¡°I can¡¯t help but notice you just referred to me as a mortal. Is that some new trend among people your age? I suppose the younger generation always does view themselves as immortal, no?¡±


    The more this guy talked, the more Verity seriously debated killing him, and making up some excuse to get away with it.


    No matter what, though, it was clear that Neville and Jacqueline had no idea what to do from here. So, knowing that nothing was going to get done, Verity sighed and said, ¡°We can go and ask Kiri. This definitely complicates things, and I don¡¯t think we¡¯re going to be able to talk some common sense into that guy.¡±


    All but proving her point, Askel asked, ¡°Who¡¯s Kiri? Is that another friend of yours? You¡¯ve got yourself quite the group of travelers!¡±


    ¡°Kiri¡¯s a friend, yes,¡± Jacqueline said nervously. ¡°But we can¡¯t talk to them while you¡¯re here. Would you mind¡­ staying right there for a little bit? Or at least, don¡¯t wander very far..? We¡¯ve got to go for a little bit, but we¡¯ll come back as soon as we¡¯re done¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah, of course, of course! Take all the time you need. I¡¯ll do my best to stay right here, but you never know when the urge to explore will kick in! Oh, I know, I¡¯ll write down some notes about what I¡¯ve found so far. That¡¯s bound to be important for my thesis¡ªeven if it¡¯s not, the extra documentation can¡¯t hurt!¡±


    Deciding that was enough, Verity practically dragged Neville and Jacqueline out of the mortal¡¯s earshot. She was still quiet, though, when she touched the charm and said, ¡°Kiri, there¡¯s a mortal here. A really stubborn and annoying one. What are we supposed to do with him? I don¡¯t think ignoring him is going to get anything done¡ªespecially not if he learns something about this place.¡±


    There was no immediate answer, but there was no reason to be concerned about that; if Kiri was busy, it wasn¡¯t unusual for them to take a little longer to respond. But a minute or two passed, and there still weren¡¯t any answers.


    ¡°They may be busy with the others,¡± Neville decided, ¡°or a Fos that didn¡¯t know they were on a mission needed their help. It¡¯s likely nothing to be concerned about, at least for the time being.¡±


    Jacqueline nervously shuffled. ¡°But that means that we¡¯re left to figure out on our own what to do with Askel. We don¡¯t have specific instructions about what to do when we encounter a mortal on this mission¡ªwe shouldn¡¯t risk doing something we¡¯re not supposed to.¡±


    ¡°One of us could head back to Sanctuary,¡± Verity offered. ¡°Have a quick chat with Micah, get our orders, then come back.¡±


    Neville considered it for a moment, then shook his head. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t risk him seeing us going or coming back from Sanctuary. It¡¯s more likely to lead to a negative outcome, especially if he wanders.¡±


    She muttered a curse. ¡°You¡¯re right. Him seeing us doing that would be just as bad as him finding something he¡¯s not supposed to here¡­¡± Out of begrudging curiosity, she glanced over to where he¡¯d been. ¡°And speaking of, he¡¯s wandered off already. I guess our mission has changed to babysitting until we can do what we actually came for¡­¡±

 Dualities of Messengers: Book II- Chapter 4

    {-Neville-}


    He was, in all honesty, a little worried when he realized that Askel was no longer where he was supposed to be. No matter how Neville looked at it, there were only bad things that could happen by getting a mortal involved in any part of what they were doing here; he wanted to avoid such an outcome at all costs, and he was sure the others did, too.


    Luckily, it seemed that the researcher had not wandered far. And, when he noticed the three of them returning, he immediately stopped what he was doing and gave them a wide smile.


    ¡°Oh, I must¡¯ve given you quite the scare!¡± he said brightly. ¡°I thought I¡¯d wait, like you told me to, but I just couldn¡¯t help myself. Every moment I¡¯m just standing here is a moment I could be perfecting my thesis, you see, so I had to investigate. I tried not to wander too far, as you can likely tell.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t do that again,¡± Neville warned as politely as he could. ¡°You don¡¯t know the sort of things this place may have lurking within it. It¡¯s best if you do not go in unprepared.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m most certainly prepared. After all, I came knowing that I should expect the unexpected. I¡¯ve got everything I need in this pack of mine.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe you¡¯re fully understanding the point¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, even if I don¡¯t, it¡¯s rather unusual for kids to try to tell someone as old as me what they should do. And I don¡¯t believe I ever got a proper explanation of what the three of you¡ªwell, four, as it sounds you have another friend in hiding¡ªare doing here.¡±


    Neville weighed all of his options, and decided to go with the most half-truth out of all of his possible answers. ¡°We¡¯re out here to investigate some of the surrounding area. It¡¯s how we know what we do about the dangers of this place. We also intend on leaving as soon as we complete a couple of things, so why don¡¯t we all leave together?¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯ve explored this place, then can you tell me what¡¯s in it? That way, I won¡¯t be missing anything for my thesis. I¡¯m afraid if you fail to present any useful information, however, I¡¯m still going to have to go in for myself.¡±


    ¡°What about any other ruins you might want to see?¡± Jacqueline prompted. ¡°Could we help you with those, instead? This really isn¡¯t a place that anyone should be lingering in for long¡­¡±


    Askel thought about it, then nodded. ¡°There are a few other places in the general area, I suppose. They weren¡¯t involved in my main area of study, but they could serve as good supplementary material for my paper.¡± He smiled. ¡°But I would also like to know more about the three of you. You are quite mysterious, and I¡¯d like to know more about who I¡¯m going to be giving special thanks to in my thesis.¡±


    ¡°Once we start going to one of the other locations,¡± Neville said. He smiled, too, and Jacqueline followed his lead. Verity, on the other hand, didn¡¯t even seem to try. ¡°Will that suffice?¡±


    Askel nodded once again. ¡°Yes, that sounds fair enough. Shall we get going, then? There aren¡¯t very many spots that are close to this one, but there is one a few hours out. I could even share some of my snacks with you¡ªI made them just before I left on my travels. They¡¯re quite good. Would you like one?¡±


    Before Neville could come up with a better excuse, Verity bluntly said, ¡°We don¡¯t eat. Save it for yourself.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you young kids, always trying to push your limits! I know I did when I was your age¡ªI try my best to do it even now! I believe that challenging your mental and physical abilities is the only way to keep ourselves in tip-top shape, you know.¡± As he started walking, he dug through one of his bags. Once he located another, smaller bag, he pulled what looked to be oddly-shaped biscuits. ¡°Go on, each of you, try one! Oh, would you like me to hand you one for that other friend of yours, too? Will they be joining us?¡±


    If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    ¡°Kiri has to stay in the same place, though I¡¯m sure they appreciate the offer.¡± Neville passed out each of the biscuits¡ªglaring at Verity to make sure she didn¡¯t just toss hers¡ªbefore taking a cautious bite out of it. Genuinely, he said, ¡°These are quite a bit better than what I was expecting.¡±


    Askel gave a prideful smirk. ¡°Well, of course, I used my family¡¯s secret recipe! Ah, and that can give us a perfect line of conversation, too. Do any of your families have secret recipes? And while we¡¯re on the topic, where are all of you kids from, anyway? I¡¯m from Casmel¡ªyou know, the capital of Xannon territory? What about the rest of you?¡±


    ¡°Neville and I are from the border,¡± Jacqueline said thoughtfully. ¡°We¡¯re siblings, but he was raised within Seothia and I within Qizar. By the time we reunited, we were our only family left, so we try to make the most of the time we have¡­¡±


    ¡°So¡­ I suppose that explains the question of your parents¡¯ knowledge of you being out here.¡±


    ¡°Yes. They died quite a long time ago.¡±


    ¡°My apologies, truly. And at what must¡¯ve been such a young age¡­¡± Askel shook his head, then glanced over his shoulder at Verity. ¡°What about you? I believe that, before, you mentioned that you¡¯d given up on your house, but that certainly can¡¯t be all, can it..?¡±


    ¡°It seems to be all that I need to tell you,¡± was Verity¡¯s immediate response. It took Neville¡¯s glance, though, for her to sigh, and give a more satisfactory answer. ¡°My house had fallen a long time ago. I see no reason to stand beside a banner that has long since lost all of its meaning.¡±


    Askel paused, until he was able to think of something else. ¡°Well, could you at least tell me where you¡¯re from? Surely you must still hold some ties to the place you were born, no?¡±


    ¡°Given how long it¡¯s been since I left, I see no reason to, but I will if I must. I was born and raised along the border¡ªthe town itself no longer exists. Due to the passage of time, nothing of my old life remains and, frankly, I¡¯m quite alright with that. I am content with the life I now lead, and I see no reason to continue to dwell on a past that no longer exists.¡±


    A longer pause. ¡°I see. I still feel as though you¡¯re being a bit dramatic, though. But I won¡¯t push the matter any further.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    Neville decided to slightly divert the subject and ask, ¡°What makes you so interested in the ruins? Or, rather, why decide to base your thesis on them?¡±


    ¡°I suppose I just found them interesting.¡± Still, there was a glimmer in Askel¡¯s eyes as he said it. He¡¯d been waiting for someone to ask him this for a long time. ¡°These fragments of the past¡ªthey tell of a part of history we have no recollection of. I believe there¡¯s something wonderful about that: the fact there are things left in this world that we still don¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°Did you ever stop to wonder¡­ if whatever you¡¯re trying to uncover, should really be found?¡± Neville never considered himself an academic, not really, not he had enough knowledge to make himself appear like one. He thought himself rather good at such topics of theory, even if Sokratas tended to avoid most debate-like discussions.


    That honestly seemed to take Askel aback, before he recomposed himself with a bit of nervous laughter. ¡°Isn¡¯t the purpose of these sorts of things to be uncovered? Shouldn¡¯t we seek every possible way of learning more about our past?¡±


    ¡°I assume that you are not familiar with the workings of the Qizarn gods. I may had been raised in Seothia, but I am a child of Fleyw Bresh nonetheless, and later in life found my role within Orestis¡¯s plans. All of that to say, everything happens for a reason¡ªincluding why some places seem to be left abandoned for so long. Some information is the kind that mortals are not supposed to know. The reason we do not know for certain is either because others have acknowledged that it is supposed to stay hidden, or they have faced the consequences for trying to find it anyway.¡±


    ¡°And¡­ do you have proof of such a phenomenon?¡±


    ¡°No, but I would advise you to heed my warning. At least consider it, please. We would hate for anything unfortunate to happen due to mortals interfering with the business of the gods.¡±

 Extras: Art- The Butterfly Effect Volume 5

    The Butterfly Effect Volume 5: "The Rise From Ashes" is available on Amazon now! The link will be down below in the post-chapter author''s note.


    There are many ways to interpret the flames of the phoenix. Some of us find them as symbols of bad luck, signs that one is heading towards disaster¡ªthat they will burn up in their own flames, never to be seen again. Others think of them as immortal, always rising from their ashes¡ªforging their own paths for themselves, no matter how many obstacles stand in their way. There is only one way to know the difference between them¡­


    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.--


    This volume contains:


    -the full-length stories Raven Feathers and Traveler''s Tales


    -the short stories An Old Friend, Memories (Haris) Part 1 and 2, Whodunit?, Dedication to the Lost, and Following Fear

 Dualities of Messengers: Book II- Chapter 5

    {-Jacqueline-}


    It was by what she was only comfortable calling the blessing of the gods themselves that she and Neville were able to convince Askel not to return to Kevabel. They¡¯d parted ways at the end of the day, with Askel staying in the ruin they¡¯d brought him to and the Messengers saying that they were going to check out another for him. What they actually did was quite simple: they headed back and tried to determine their next course of action.


    Unfortunately, just making sure they had all the necessary information to even start deciding that course of action lasted until the sun rose again.


    Verity let out a frustrated sigh. ¡°Are we finally done? We¡¯ve collected nearly all the information we could find in this place, along with everything else we might need to get rid of. Do we know enough that we can just burn it all already?¡±


    Neville looked over some of the notes he¡¯d made while they talked; he was able to borrow the supplies from Askel, so that they made sure that they left nothing out of consideration. ¡°I believe we are able to make a thorough evaluation now, yes. Though I would like to point out that simply setting the place ablaze will not solve our problems¡ªthere are some things that will not burn. Even aside from that, there are curious mortals who will attempt to learn the truth if they have reason to believe it wasn¡¯t natural. Thus, we have to make sure we¡¯re careful.¡±


    ¡°What do you think we should do?¡± Jacqueline didn¡¯t have any ideas herself; most of her time had been worrying about whether or not Askel would actually stay gone. A lot of their plan relied on the fact he stayed away, after all, and she didn¡¯t like what they¡¯d have to do in the alternatives.


    ¡°If we go about it the right way, we should be able to look like most of it was lost by natural means,¡± Neville explained. ¡°Phoenixes, tornadoes¡ªwith some Fire and Wind magic, that shouldn¡¯t be too difficult to replicate. But it will cause some damage to the surrounding areas, and it¡¯s going to alert others to what we¡¯re doing. Because of that, we need to make sure that no one is here when we do it, and that we leave as soon as possible again.¡±


    ¡°So let¡¯s just do it now,¡± Verity said. ¡°Simple as that. We destroy what we need to, get out, and return to Sanctuary.¡± She touched the charm again. ¡°Unless Kiri has some input for us?¡±


    There was just silence on the other side. Kiri must¡¯ve still been busy¡ªthat was the only explanation any of them were going to let linger.


    Not that they weren¡¯t soon given something else to focus on.


    ¡°You¡­ you plan to destroy this place?¡±


    Jacqueline felt her heart sink when she heard that voice, and she dreaded looking to actually see its owner¡ªAskel, right in front of them, and likely having heard a bit more than he was supposed to.


    ¡°Certainly, I heard you wrong?¡± he prompted. ¡°I was under the impression that we were all people brought together by the lure of knowledge! Tell me that I misheard you now, and not that you had never meant anything else you said!¡±


    The Messengers looked between each other. It was clear immediately what Verity wanted to do¡ªthe same thing she¡¯d been encouraging them to do since the beginning. But Jacqueline hoped her own look could speak for her; gave all of the reasons why they couldn¡¯t do that. This man has a family¡ªa life. We can¡¯t take that away from him.


    The amount of time it took for any of them to answer Askel¡¯s question must¡¯ve been enough of an answer to him. Still, Neville eventually said, ¡°We do strive to find out what we can about the world, but we are also aware of the things that are better left lost to time. As much as it pains me to say it, despite all that will be lost¡­ we understand that this is one of those places.¡±


    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    Askel shook his head. ¡°But what about all of this knowledge? How are we supposed to know that it should be gotten rid of, if we don¡¯t even know what¡¯s in it? Who gets to decide what stays and what goes, anyway? The whims of however people hope to forge their image into, so that their kin will remember them in only the way that they wanted them to?¡±


    ¡°I understand that it is hard, but it is something that must be done,¡± Neville maintained. ¡°We know what is hidden here, and we know that it shouldn¡¯t be uncovered by mortals. The extent of it is¡­ something I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t tell you. You¡¯re simply going to have to believe in what we¡¯re telling you.¡±


    Verity sighed. She snapped her fingers and a flame emerged from them. ¡°If we were able to get this done any other way, we would¡¯ve done it by now. Let¡¯s just kill this guy, get rid of what we need to, and get this whole thing done and over with.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Neville and Jacqueline said in unison.


    ¡°Now, what would you want to kill me for?¡± Despite the situation at hand, Askel seemed to be taking it all rather well. Or, perhaps, he didn¡¯t quite see the purpose behind it all. ¡°Surely I didn¡¯t do that much to get on your bad side? Or is there another reason you¡¯re doing all of this..?¡±


    ¡°The simple answer is that, yes, we do have some ulterior motives,¡± Neville tried. ¡°It was something we were trying to warn you about from the beginning. Unfortunately, we¡ª¡°


    ¡°Should honestly just end things now because this is getting nowhere.¡± Verity flicked her hand and let the flame in it grow bigger. ¡°I¡¯m going to need you to drop your bag right there. Take out what you need to make it to the next town over, and leave.¡±


    Askel cautiously raised a brow. ¡°Or else..?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to like what the alternative is, trust me. So just do it.¡±


    Just as soon as Jacqueline thought of saying something, she caught the glances of Neville and Verity, and she had to admit¡­ Verity was right. Perhaps this really was the only way that they were going to get him to stay away.


    Askel seemed to be realizing that, too, as he looked between the three of them. Slowly, he nodded, and slid his bag off and onto the ground. Still, it didn¡¯t keep him from muttering, ¡°I truly did think that you were here for a good reason. To think I could¡¯ve been deceived like this¡­ that you likely didn¡¯t mean so much of what you had told me¡­¡±


    ¡°This is for the best,¡± Jacqueline mumbled, if not just to reassure herself. When Verity stepped a bit closer to Askel¡¯s bags, she asked, ¡°What are you doing..? Isn¡¯t letting him sort through his things enough?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve got to make sure he doesn¡¯t try to sneak anything out,¡± was Verity¡¯s simple answer. She glared at Askel. ¡°What do you think you¡¯ll need to make it to the next town? I¡¯ll make sure you get all of it. Then I¡¯m burning the rest.¡±


    Defeated, he said, ¡°About two days of rations¡ªthey¡¯re all labeled in that pocket there. And there¡¯s¡­ one more thing I¡¯d like. I brought a trinket from one of my coworkers along with me. It¡¯s in the pouch on the side. Could I have that, as well? It¡¯s something like a good luck charm of mine. I¡¯d hate to be without it.¡±


    ¡°We should be able to let him keep it,¡± Neville whispered to Verity. ¡°I can¡¯t see how something like that would do any harm.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re both too sentimental,¡± she grumbled. Thankfully, however, she still pulled out the charm and set it with the rations.


    When she finished, she pulled the rest of the bag a little further away before setting it on fire. ¡°Get going. We don¡¯t want anything else to happen, now do we?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Askel mumbled, ¡°we don¡¯t. I would like to say it was nice meeting the three of you but given the circumstances, well¡­ I don¡¯t think you can blame me for withholding that kind of pleasantry.¡±


    ¡°Just go.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going.¡±


    With a half-hearted wave, he gathered up what comparatively little he was allowed to keep and left.


    ¡°I hope that¡¯s enough to keep him out of the way¡­¡± Jacqueline said, nervously shuffling. ¡°I don¡¯t want to see him get hurt.¡±


    Verity turned around, back towards the center of the ruin. ¡°If he tries despite all of this, the world might be better off with one less idiot in it. Let¡¯s just do our part so we can be done here.¡±


    Neville nodded. ¡°Yes, let¡¯s get to work.¡±

 Dualities of Messengers: Book II- Chapter 6

    {-Verity-}


    She quite liked the feeling of a mission successfully completed. It nearly made her willing to ignore the terrible smell of smoke and ashes.


    It took a while to set it all up, and then a little bit longer in order to actually do it. Then, of course, they had to watch, just to make sure that everything they needed to get rid of was gone. The entire mission could very well depend on the tiniest bit of information that would have otherwise been considered insignificant, after all.


    Finally, she thought that it was a sufficient enough time to ask, ¡°Do you think we¡¯re almost done here?¡±


    She hoped the answer was yes. She was ready to return to the comfort of Sanctuary, back where she could relax within the gardens before allowing Elle to fawn over her. Verity never had been able to let go of that desire to have attention.


    Neville looked over every part of their surroundings, perhaps mourning for all of the information they had made sure would never see the light of day. ¡°Once the flames have calmed down naturally, we can check one more time. After that, I believe that we¡¯ll be ready to return.¡±


    Suddenly, another voice came through on the charm¡ªand one they had, unknowingly, likely all been waiting to hear. ¡°Hey! It¡¯s Kiri. I wasn¡¯t able to get to you until just now. What¡¯s the situation?¡±


    ¡°Handled, for the most part,¡± Neville responded.


    ¡°Verity mentioned that there was a mortal involved, right? How did that go?¡±


    Simply, Verity answered, ¡°We got him to leave. We had to use a bit of force in the end, but as long as he¡¯s smart, there wasn¡¯t any real harm done. It could¡¯ve been a lot worse.¡±


    ¡°We tried to find a more peaceful solution,¡± Jacqueline offered nervously. ¡°But¡­ he was a little too curious. It was the only option that we had¡­ If he hadn¡¯t left when he did, there was no telling the kind of information he could find, and that wasn¡¯t something we could risk.¡±


    There was an almost-uncomfortable hmm from Kiri, then they gave a proper response. ¡°So you were able to get it all handled without me? Everything¡¯s been sufficiently taken care of..?¡±


    Verity nodded, even if they couldn¡¯t see it. ¡°Just wrapping things up here. And since I¡¯m sure we¡¯re all curious and we¡¯ve got nothing better to do while we wait, what were you doing when we contacted you? It took you quite a while to get around to responding, you know.¡±


    ¡°I was busy.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a lot of things you could be busy with. And, frankly, you being vague about it doesn¡¯t make any of us less curious¡ªor worried.¡±


    ¡°There was just something important that came up. I wasn¡¯t able to warn you guys, and all of the Fos that know how to operate the charm are out on missions right now. No one could contact you, until I was able to get back to this right now.¡±


    ¡°Sokratas knows how to operate the charm, doesn¡¯t he?¡± Neville prompted. ¡°I¡¯m actually quite certain he, Vaso, and Faidon all do¡ªthey were responsible for their creation, after all. Even if Vaso and Faidon both have other matters to attend to, Sokratas often doesn¡¯t if most Fos are out on missions.¡±


    That was, actually, a very good point. And a point they probably would¡¯ve all preferred if he kept to himself, for that matter, given the other implications it would have.


    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    ¡°They were all busy,¡± Kiri answered, but they all knew that what they said was only the half of it. ¡°Besides, things happened suddenly enough that I don¡¯t think it really crossed anyone¡¯s mind to contact you. But you know what? All of that isn¡¯t important right now. If you really want to know, then maybe we¡¯ll talk about it when you all come back to Sanctuary. For right now, though, just focus on wrapping up your mission. Good job so far.¡± And then there was the sound signaling that they were no longer listening.


    ¡°I wonder if they acknowledge how absolutely suspicious that was,¡± Verity remarked.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just hope it was nothing serious¡­¡± Jacqueline mumbled. ¡°They¡¯re usually pretty honest when something happens. If they¡¯re avoiding it, then it was either embarrassing or something they don¡¯t want us to worry about¡­¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not going to know at this point,¡± Neville pointed out. ¡°We can see if they¡¯re more willing to talk about it once we¡¯re all together¡ªperhaps the others can also help. I¡¯m assuming, at least, that if the situation had involved the others, Kiri would¡¯ve been more open about it.¡± He shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s a conversation for later, however. Let us just focus on doing what we can to get this done now, and we can worry about the rest later.¡±


    The other two gave mumbles of agreement, even if the words left unspoken still clearly lingered between them.


    That¡¯s when Jacqueline asked, ¡°Do you think Askel¡¯s going to be alright..? What if he tries to come back here, or to another place, once he¡¯s gotten all the supplies he needs again?¡±


    ¡°Not our problem,¡± was Verity¡¯s curt answer. ¡°As far as we¡¯re concerned, our mission ends with this. Since we¡¯ll be doing our job thoroughly, there¡¯s nothing here for him. If he wants to come back, fine, but there¡¯s not going to be anything else for him aside from these ashes.¡±


    ¡°We did what we had to,¡± Neville confirmed to reassure his sister. ¡°We had proven that we weren¡¯t going to be able to convince him to leave in any other way. In the end, it was our only option. In truth, we should likely be glad that we didn¡¯t have to resort to more drastic measures.¡±


    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t have mattered if we did,¡± Verity pointed out. ¡°Our job as Messengers rarely has anything to do with the direct wellbeing of mortals. It doesn¡¯t matter what they do, as long as they stay out of our way¡ªand if they do get in our way, then they¡¯re asking for some kind of intervention. What we did was all a part of a mission¡ªa mission that, need I remind you, would¡¯ve gotten completed a lot sooner if you had both been more willing to accept what needed to be done. I¡¯ll say it again, you¡¯re both a bit too sentimental for your own good. It¡¯s going to lead you into an unsuccessful mission one way or another, and that¡¯s far worse than simply hurting a mortal.¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s a good thing not to get used to it, though,¡± Jacqueline said. ¡°Our lives as mortals¡­ they may have ended a long time ago, but we wouldn¡¯t be here without them. I don¡¯t believe it¡¯s right to just abandon everything that led to us becoming Messengers, or to forget what lands we first came from. It should never be easy to hurt someone, or to take a life. I¡¯m sure we can all think of Messengers who are too quick to choose that kind of option and, honestly, I think it poses just as much of a risk as trying to find a peaceful solution.¡±


    Neville nodded wisely. ¡°The best way is to determine all of the options, and which one will bring the best results. Impartiality is important, but¡­ I do believe a certain level of compassion towards mortals can go a long way, as well.¡±


    Verity sighed. ¡°I¡¯m in a losing fight no matter what I do. Just try to promise you¡¯re not going to do anything stupid because you think it¡¯s going to save a mortal, alright? Even if you think you¡¯re helping someone, you could just end up making the situation worse. No one wants that.¡±


    ¡°As long as you agree not to resort to violence at the first opportunity,¡± Jacqueline said. ¡°This should be a group effort between all of us. Now that I think about it, it should be a rather good topic of group discussion. It¡¯s been a while since we¡¯ve gone over made up scenarios.¡±


    ¡°That might be wise, if Kiri gets busy again,¡± Neville agreed. ¡°It could be entertaining, as well. We could ask some Fos to provide us with their experiences with modern mortals, too, to allow us to understand their current struggles better. It would serve many purposes.¡±


    The thought actually gave Verity a vague sense of dread. ¡°Not another one of those¡­¡±


    But of course Kiri had to chime in to say, ¡°I think it¡¯s a great idea! I¡¯ll talk with Micah to see if the other Messengers could come, too. It¡¯ll be a lot easier to quickly and effectively complete missions if there¡¯s some groundwork about how it should be done.¡±


    Hoping that, possibly, if she distracted them long enough she could keep the boring, days-long meeting from happening, she gestured to their surroundings and prompted, ¡°It seems that the flames have started to die down, shall we make sure everything is taken care of?¡±

 Extras: Character Card and Sheet- Talmi

    Extra character card and sheet info:


    The Angel of Love and the opposing force of Amitael. Though myths generalize her abilities, older legends state that she¡¯s the founding basis of most relationships, both romantic and platonic. She will be the first to admit most of what she does is on a whim, to very mixed results. She denies, however, that this has anything to do with Orestis asking her to allow more mortals to choose their own paths.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

 Dualities of Messengers: Book II- Chapter 7

    {-Kaius-}


    Upon their return to Sanctuary, he dramatically flung himself onto one of the seats for the Messengers. Spreading out on it, he almost found himself reminiscing¡ªit was at this very spot a certain ferret Fos would curl up on his chest and nap with him. But alas, those days were long gone, and certainly nothing more than a distant memory¡­


    ¡°You didn¡¯t even do that much,¡± Hayze scoffed. ¡°Yet here you are, acting like you¡¯ve just completed the most taxing mission possible.¡±


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we all take ample time to rest?¡± he responded with a smirk. ¡°I believe you¡¯ll do quite well to take a break, as well. Perhaps you won¡¯t be so snappy.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve more important things to do for the moment. The others should be back soon, too, and we still need to talk about the outcomes of the mission.¡±


    ¡°But there¡¯s no harm in relaxing while we can, is there? Go on, sit down. The world won¡¯t end, I promise.¡±


    As she sat down, she muttered, ¡°Now you¡¯re just mocking me.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that what old friends are for?¡± Kaius glanced to the other side of him, where Tevie was still standing. ¡°That goes to you, too. There¡¯s definitely enough seats here for all of us. No point in standing.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Tevie wandered over to another one of the seats. ¡°Do you think Kiri¡¯s going to tell us what happened? They didn¡¯t mention anything about it, and that¡¯s one good reason to want to know.¡±


    ¡°Well, if they weren¡¯t with the three of you, then they weren¡¯t able to help any of us.¡± That was Neville; he, Jacqueline, and Verity walked up to where the others were as he talked. They clearly just got here. ¡°I¡¯m afraid we¡¯re just as in the dark about it as the rest of you are.¡±


    ¡°Which just has its own mess of problems¡­¡± Jacqueline mumbled.


    Kaius would have shrugged, if his position had allowed for it. ¡°We can try asking, at least, even if I¡¯m sure we all acknowledge they¡¯re not going to say anything if they haven¡¯t already. Let¡¯s all sit, relax, and wait for them¡ªand possibly Micah, depending on how busy he is. Then we can all share stories of our adventures.¡±


    ¡°Can we keep it short?¡± Verity prompted. ¡°I¡¯ve got a feeling it¡¯s going to take a while to get this smell of ashes off of me. For some reason, we apparently had to go digging around in it.¡±


    ¡°All a part of making sure a mission is done as thoroughly as possible,¡± Neville responded calmly.


    A flurry of wingbeats announced the arrival of their next visitor before he even spoke a word. ¡°And what a successful mission it was! Orestis was rather pleased with the results, you know. So pleased, in fact, He muttered something that could have, very loosely, been considered praise. Very loosely. But you all should take that as a win nonetheless!¡±


    Micah landed right next to them, carefully setting Kiri¡ªwho quietly thanked him for the ride¡ªdown.


    Kiri nodded as part of an address to all of them. ¡°That was all great work! Even though we lost connection, you were all still able to assess your situations, decide on the appropriate course of action, and sufficiently complete the mission.¡±


    Kaius decided there was no point in holding back, so he questioned, ¡°So you really did lose connection with both teams? Care to shed some light on all of that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not really that important, is it?¡± Kiri tried, even though they all knew that it wasn¡¯t going to work. ¡°What matters is that you were all able to do what you were sent out to do. What happened here isn¡¯t related to your mission, so it¡¯s not anything you¡¯ve got to worry about.¡±


    ¡°But it has to do with you, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Jacqueline cautiously asked.  ¡°That seems like something that, as your friends, we should be worried about.¡±You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    Micah distracted them all¡ªjust for a moment¡ªby clapping his hands together. ¡°Well! If you¡¯re all done needing me, I think the results were the only thing I came to tell you. You know how it is, always got to keep moving! You¡¯re all probably going to have some time to rest before the next mission. So, until then, I¡¯m off!¡± Then he spread his wings and left, in perhaps one of the best displays of ¡®I know what this is about, but I¡¯m not going to get involved¡¯ that Kaius had ever seen.


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk about your missions first,¡± Kiri decided quickly. ¡°I know you were able to handle everything on your own, but how was it?¡±


    ¡°Well, it seems like neither of the groups had a completely boring mission,¡± Hayze remarked. ¡°It turns out that Eldrianna figured out what we were there for and sent Talia to try to stop us. We were able to avoid a worse situation, of course¡ªbeat her to the last enchanted object, so there was no reason for her to be there anymore.¡±


    Tevie nodded. ¡°There was a lot there¡ªstuff about something that Eldrianna and Achadus had done together. A¡­ quest that someone else could take on, I think was how he kind of put it. Even if we didn¡¯t destroy it all, though, there wasn¡¯t really a lot left for others to find¡­¡±


    ¡°I believe the place we went to was where Achadus used to live,¡± Neville said. ¡°It¡¯s interesting that you mentioned that Eldrianna was where your team was sent¡ªwe were quite certain she¡¯d been to that ruin as well.¡±


    Jacqueline thoughtfully added, ¡°And we don¡¯t think that she was alone when she went, either. We think¡­ she might¡¯ve had someone else with her. Someone else from Sanctuary.¡±


    ¡°You might as well just outright say it,¡± Verity remarked, ¡°since we already all know who you¡¯re talking about. Danai had gone with Eldrianna to that place.¡±


    That was curious enough to get Kaius to sit up, so that he could properly look at each of them. They certainly weren¡¯t lying, at least. ¡°Oh, really? I was under the impression that the fair Goddess of Light never left Sanctuary. I mean, as I understand it, Orestis quite adamantly opposed any gods going down there unless they absolutely needed to. Danai never struck me as someone who would do anything that even remotely broke the rules.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Kiri let out a thoughtful hmm. ¡°I¡¯ve known Day for a long time. I never would¡¯ve thought she¡¯d done something like that, and she certainly never mentioned anything related to it¡­¡±


    Neville shrugged. ¡°It was, undoubtedly, before the Fall of Eldrianna. None of us have seen those days¡ªnot a single Fos or Messenger, or even the later gods. Things could have been quite different in those times.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ can¡¯t say that doesn¡¯t make me curious,¡± Kiri remarked. They started to trail off as they continued, ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll ask her about it later. Just¡­ not right now, since I don¡¯t want to worry her more¡­¡±


    And of course they all picked up on the little hint, but Hayze beat the rest of them to acknowledge it. ¡°Oh, so what you were doing had to involve worrying Danai? Are you sure it¡¯s not something you¡¯d like to talk to us about?¡±


    Kiri let out a sheepish chuckle. ¡°I walked myself right into that one, didn¡¯t I? But, uh, can we save that for later? It¡¯s not that important to know right away. It can wait.¡±


    Carefully, Jacqueline pointed out, ¡°If you were with Danai, then something serious happened. I think that¡¯s something we should know about.¡±


    Alas, however, their group effort of getting Kiri to talk about it was interrupted. A mourning dove flew over and transformed back into a Fos right behind them.


    ¡°Kiri! I was wondering where you were.¡± Mazel seemed to acknowledge the rest of them then, though¡ªshe tilted her head and acquired a more nervous grin. ¡°Wait, was I interrupting something? I can come back later if you¡¯re busy.¡±


    ¡°No, you came at the perfect time, actually!¡± Kiri gave one last, possibly apologetic, look at the others before stepping closer to Mazel. ¡°What is it that you need help with? Something that¡¯ll take a little while, right? I¡¯m sure these guys would all like some rest, too, so it¡¯s fine to leave them alone for a little bit.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure..?¡±


    ¡°Never been more certain!¡± They were practically the one ushering her away from the Messengers, giving a couple of follow-up questions of, ¡°Is it one of the younger Fos? Did someone just come back from a hard mission? I¡¯ll do what I can to help.¡±


    Kaius couldn¡¯t help but let out a chuckle, once the two Fos had moved on. ¡°I¡¯m quite certain there went all of our hopes of getting a clear answer soon.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not really surprising,¡± Tevie mumbled, ¡°but it¡¯s definitely concerning, too. I guess we¡¯re not going to learn anything either way, though.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s think of it this way: it gives us time to talk, just as Messengers,¡± Neville offered. ¡°I get the impression that we¡¯ve both come across some insights while we were out. There¡¯s likely a fair bit we can learn from discussion. Who wants to share their team¡¯s story first?¡±

 Extras: Character Card and Sheet- Glykeria

    Extra character card info:


    The Goddess of Weather in Qizarn myth, born of the essences of Fertility and Wind. She¡¯s rather energetic, though it often verges into a chaotic air¡ªit¡¯s rare for even the other gods or her Messengers to really understand her actions. Still, it seems rather fitting, regarding her position; she, just like the weather, can never truly be predicted, and there¡¯s always the chance of the unexpected¡­ for better or worse.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

 What Time Forgot: Messenger of the Gods (Jun)

    It was amusing, almost, to look back on it. They were living in the times of the Minotaur and of Ekambar¡­ yet the most eventful thing that happened in their life was finding a little mourning dove with a broken wing.


    If they were being honest, they didn¡¯t know what they were doing. Their parents were more likely to simply kill an animal in such a condition than to try to help it. But they found themself drawn to it, like they had some kind of subconscious desire to do what they could. It wasn¡¯t until years later that they realized that it wasn¡¯t their careful attention, their nurturing of the poor little thing, that had helped it fly again. No, it had been the ikretta they¡¯d picked and brought so the mounting dove could have some semblance of nature with it as it recovered. Ikretta that had always mysteriously disappeared whenever he left it alone for too long.


    Because it hadn¡¯t just been a normal mourning dove¡ªit had been a Fos.


    But that discovery was still many years away.


    ¡­


    Depending on the view, they¡¯d always been a part of the sidelines of legends. But it wasn¡¯t until that day that they were involved in one themself. They witnessed something grand, a piece of Orestis¡¯s plan that few at the time were lucky enough to understand. They¡¯d understood the moment of that scene, the way that moment will make its mark on history, as soon as they heard the voice.


    Would you like to be a part of this?


    They knew exactly who it was. And, as their parents had taught them¡ªas their mind and body willed it, almost as if not their own¡ªthey knelt down where they stood. After all, they were hearing the voice of the Creator; one would never dare to disobey Him.


    I have mighty plans for you, ones that will bring life and destruction to some places you might have once called home. It will not be a path for those unwilling to hold true to their faith.


    ¡°But if the will is yours,¡± they muttered, captivated, thoughts surprisingly empty despite the implications, ¡°then my body, too, is at your command.¡±If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    A sound similar to a laugh echoed through the back of their mind.


    Very well, then. Come to me in my domain, and I shall make you a Messenger of the Gods.


    They stood up and followed some hidden instinct. They hadn¡¯t paid attention to what they were doing or where they were going; it wasn¡¯t long, though, before they realized this was how they accessed Sanctuary.


    Orestis continued to speak with them, as they made their way to Him.


    You will be venerated, feared¡ªyour role in fate will be crucial. You will witness the birth and death of many mortals, for you will no longer be one of them. You will reside with Me, in My Sanctuary, where the trouble of mortals will not bother you. If this seems to your liking, then enter.


    They stepped inside, entering Sanctuary for the first time.


    ¡­


    Sanctuary was a strange place. The gods and angels met here, seeming more like an average community than the grand hierarchy that they¡¯d been expecting. Among these holy creatures were children who seemed capable of turning into certain animals¡ªthat was when they¡¯d first learned of the Fos. The role of the Fos, and the Ski¨¢ they fought, was underappreciated in the eyes of mortals at the time¡­ it wasn¡¯t until the legends would leave the land, that mortals must trust in faith instead of a clear figure in front of them, that their importance was acknowledged by the world.


    Though, they certainly weren¡¯t expecting one of them to rush up to them on their way back from getting their orders from Orestis.


    ¡°Jun, it is you!¡± She was one of the oldest-looking of the Fos there, perhaps ten or eleven, though it was a certain aura that showed she¡¯d one day be considered an ¡®elder¡¯ among them. ¡°I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d ever have the chance to see you again!¡±


    They spoke to her like they did any other Fos that decided to talk to them: a colder tone, one that hinted they¡¯d much rather be left alone. ¡°And you are?¡±


    ¡°Mazel! You helped me, remember? I was that mourning dove! I wanted to thank you for what you did, but Day wouldn¡¯t let me back around where it happened, and I never got to see you again! But now that you¡¯re¡ª¡±


    ¡°I believe you¡¯re still mistaken.¡± They stepped around her and went back on their way. ¡°When I took this role in Orestis¡¯s plan, I swore that I was someone different. The same person that stepped into Sanctuary for that first time was not the same that stepped out of it. Any portion of my old life is gone, resting with Vriuh, so anything that happened in it matters not.¡±


    They walked away without giving her a glance, firm in their stance and beliefs. They couldn¡¯t be the herald of the Creator¡¯s future if they themself were always looking back at the past. In this, they were certain.

 Extras: Character Card and Sheet- Mei

    Extra character card info:


    One of the most influential members in Adidell, devoting most of her life to seeing their goals to fruition. She is the mother of the homunculi, though only two of her hundred attempts were ever successful. Even if she¡¯s quite secluded, her work in other parts of medicine and science are acknowledged by every one of those circles within the nation. Her ideals, goals, and general personality are beginning to conflict, however, leading her down a self-destructive path¡­A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

 What Time Forgot: Last Night (Elena)

    There was a certain folktale of a young, traveling woman. One day she¡¯d gone to a village and asked if the townsfolk would help her make a grand feast. They all loved the idea of a feast, so they agreed. But some of them didn¡¯t show up to actually help, others failed to follow directions, and several snuck a few bites in for themselves without offering anything in return. She was, of course, aware of everything but she didn¡¯t say anything until the very end. With the feast¡ªthat she¡¯d ultimately prepared all by herself¡ªlaid out in front of them, she then, depending on the version, either destroyed it by hand, with magic, or with the help of a manticore or dragon. She¡¯d say, ¡°Since none of you helped me, none of you will eat.¡± It was meant to convince children that, if they want something, they need to be willing to help make it happen.


    Elena always thought of that folktale, then looked around the estate, and confidently decided, Yeah, that definitely wouldn¡¯t work for us.


    It seemed the Stones were nothing if not driven by their own desires, precious few looking back to make sure there was someone cleaning up their messes.


    Perhaps it didn¡¯t matter as much because she honestly didn¡¯t care. After all, to her, keeping track of over a dozen kids and sometimes their irresponsible parents was enough of an adventure for her. She¡¯d definitely rather be here, at the estate, than gods-know-where on one trip or another like Andrew or Lydia.


    And, while Adrian never liked how she did it, Elena always found herself more comfortable shoving all the attention on to one of her more capable siblings or family members.


    ¡°I think Lydia¡¯s been doing some traveling,¡± she remarked casually as she sat a batch of freshly-baked goods on another table. Clare was helping her, of course, but there was still a lot to do. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ not really sure. She¡¯s definitely not been here in a while.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to ask her myself,¡± Clare decided. ¡°You said she was coming, right? I assume you must¡¯ve included it in the invite. My kids certainly didn¡¯t show up so early because they wanted to see me.¡± She gave a dark glare to several of Elena¡¯s cousins.


    ¡°She pretty much always comes to these, so she¡¯s definitely coming tonight. She¡¯d told me she was coming, but not when. Definitely soon, though¡ªI don¡¯t expect her to miss out on any of the drinks that are¡±¡ªshe bit back the word unfortunately, imagining the mess afterwards¡ª¡°going to be served tonight.¡±Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    Clare gave a wise nod. ¡°Did she say she was bringing her son? Feels like I haven¡¯t seen the boy in years. I¡¯d like to give him something so he remembers his amazing Aunt Clare when he¡¯s older.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t remember her mentioning anything in her letter. I doubt she¡¯s going to bring him.¡±


    ¡°You think so?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s honestly only familiar with Lewis and I and I don¡¯t think he¡¯d like the crowd, even if we are all family. Besides, he and Muriel¡­ don¡¯t exactly get along.¡± Elena, of course, knew the reason why. But her fear of Clare¡¯s reaction aside, she¡¯d made a promise to Imre to keep it between them, and that mattered more to her than what her family would think.


    ¡°Muriel¡¯s that newest one you adopted, right?¡±


    ¡°Mhm, it¡¯s been about two years now.¡±


    ¡°And¡­ how many does that make it?¡±


    ¡°Eleven.¡±


    ¡°It must keep you busy, taking care of all of them! But I suppose you have, ah, uhm¡ª¡°


    ¡°Lustris.¡±


    ¡°¡ªLustris to help! I¡¯m sure Diana¡¯s happy, though. Plenty of heirs to choose from, I suppose, with no competition from your siblings.¡± Clare shrugged to show she, at least, didn¡¯t share the idea. ¡°At least your kids are here! Plenty of presents for my favorite Elena¡¯s adorable children!¡±


    Elena gave a weak smile, so that Clare knew she appreciated the thought, then brought the rest of her attention to baking. Between that, yelling at almost every kid there for one reason or another, and getting dragged into conversations with other family members, she hadn¡¯t kept track of the time.


    It was rather obvious, though, when Lydia came¡ªthings got a lot louder almost too quickly. She didn¡¯t have Tavin with her for more or less the same reasons Elena had given Clare. But, since she was here, everyone flocked to talk with her. Elena took the time to quickly finish up everything they¡¯d need for the night.


    When she knew everything was ready, she walked into the living room where most of the family rested and announced, ¡°Dinner¡¯s ready. Let the older ones go first and take your time¡ªthe food isn¡¯t going anywhere.¡±


    Surprisingly, most of them listened; the older family members went first in a more or less orderly fashion¡­ then all the kids practically rushed into the kitchen at once. Elena, seeing Lustris and several other servants heading inside, decided that they¡¯d be able to handle it. She wandered to a spot no one had been sitting at before and allowed herself the moment to relax.


    ¡°You want me to get yours?¡± Adrian asked gently, as the first wave of family members came back into the living room. ¡°You¡¯ve done a lot today, you deserve the night off.¡±


    She smiled and nodded. ¡°Thank you.¡± He leaned in to give her a kiss on the cheek.


    And she told herself she¡¯d imagined that quick flash of shadow across the floor.

 Extras: Comic- Incorrect Quotes #1

    Script:


    Dimas: "Name a way to be nice to others."Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    Zofie: "Not kill them."


    Dimas: "Setting the bar a little low, but I''ll take it."


    I (from about two months ago) have discovered the treasure trove that is Incorrect Quote templates. I have so many of these guys just waiting to be drawn and shown to the world...

 What Time Forgot: Messenger of the Gods (Calum)

    ¡°I¡¯m not living that far away, you¡¯ll be able to visit me whenever you want.¡± Calum wondered how he¡¯d been able to convince them this far, if this was the reaction that they were giving him now. ¡°I promise you won¡¯t have to worry about me.¡±


    His mother still did not stop hugging him. ¡°Oh, honey, you know I¡¯m never going to stop worrying about you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve seen me, I¡¯ve been practicing! For years! I¡¯m going to be fine¡ª¡°


    ¡°You should get a bird. That way you¡¯ll know you can send a letter to us if you need anything.¡± She stepped back from him only to look at his father, who showed his concern through an emotionless mask. ¡°Don¡¯t you think?¡±


    ¡°Takes a lot of effort to take care of a bird, doesn¡¯t it? And not much use aside from letters.¡± He shrugged.


    ¡°What if I ended up getting a roommate?¡± Calum asked. ¡°Would that make you both feel better about me being on my own?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure that would help your mother some,¡± his father remarked. ¡°But we all know you came here to be on your own. You know what you¡¯re doing¡ªyou¡¯ve done your research and I assume you¡¯re going to act on it as soon as we stop bothering you and allow you time to do it. Stay safe and use that brain of yours. You¡¯ll be fine without us hovering over you¡ªjust let us know if there¡¯s anything you need.¡±


    ¡­


    One does not need physical strength in order to move mountains.


    It was a phrase he found sprawled across stray sheets of paper, between margins of the devotional he worked his way through when he had the time. The fact he was strangely fascinated with the phrase¡ªhow he kept writing it, so he kept finding them in new places¡ªwasn¡¯t exactly the strange part to him.


    No, the strange part was that he didn¡¯t know who had first told it to him. He¡¯d casually mentioned it to his parents and the town¡¯s priest, but each of them considered the wisdom behind it as if it had been their first time hearing it. He tried to think of the first time he found himself marking it down, but the only thing he could recall was a fuzzy dream.


    It would be amusing, he¡¯d found on a note he must¡¯ve used to collect his thoughts, though never remembered writing, if I, of all people, had some divine revelation¡­ and forgot it, like any other dream.


    He¡¯d tried, admittedly somewhat half-heartedly, to understand it over the course of the month. It seemed it took returning from a completely unrelated service for another mysterious phrase to come to him.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    And why would one move mountains, if not by the will of a god?


    If someone had ever asked Calum, it was just like a random thought that popped into his head. Yet, unlike most, it caused him to stop what he was doing to listen to what else it might tell him.


    There is something within you that I, in my countless centuries of watching mortals, have been hard-pressed to ever find. I believe it would be a shame to let such talent go to waste.


    ¡°Alright, talent shouldn¡¯t be wasted,¡± he responded with a bit of caution. He glanced out the window just to make sure no one would¡¯ve thought he was going insane. ¡°What are you hoping I do, then?¡±


    So you sense that this isn¡¯t normal. Good. Before I bind you to any obligation, I would like to ask: Who do you think I am?


    ¡°A god, first of all, if you¡¯re definitely not my own thoughts. Vaso, I¡¯m assuming. There¡¯s not many others who would mention moving mountains.¡±


    There was something that sounded like a laugh. You¡¯re correct, Calum. Now, I have a mission for you. I would like to make you my Messenger¡ªa bearer, if you will, of my powers as tools to guide these mortals. You won¡¯t be mortal anymore, you¡¯ll be one of the divines¡­ though that doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯ll immediately have to leave your family.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ a great honor, but I don¡¯t know¡­¡±


    I¡¯ll answer all the questions you have; unlike some of my peers, I will not subject you to a future to which you had no control of. I don¡¯t request an immediate answer. Quite the contrary¡ªI want you to deeply consider each of these things. This is not a decision that should be rushed.


    ¡­


    At first he was unnerved to see Micah. Calum had seen the stained glass of the angel, of course, but there was something more striking about the three sets of wings and eyes that the Angel of Messages possessed. Since Sanctuary was decidedly not very wheelchair friendly, however, Calum went from being uncomfortable in the angel¡¯s presence to truly grateful for his assistance.


    ¡°Thanks again,¡± he said with a smile to the angel.


    Micah shrugged. ¡°Trust me, you¡¯re the lighter of some of the loads I¡¯ve got to carry. I¡¯ll let Vaso know that you¡¯re here and see what he wanted to talk to you about.¡±


    Calum nodded his thanks and went to where the other Messengers were gathered.


    ¡°Oh, hey, it¡¯s the new guy!¡± one of them, who he hadn¡¯t yet been introduced to, said when she saw him. She walked up to him and held out her hand. ¡°I¡¯m Bottle, one of Daphni¡¯s! Seems like I¡¯ve been on mission after mission these days, I heard of you but I never got to see you!¡±


    ¡°To be fair, I also haven¡¯t been in Sanctuary often¡­¡± Calum shook her hand, though, to return the gesture. ¡°I¡¯m Calum, and you probably know by now that I¡¯m one of Vaso¡¯s Messengers.¡±


    She was smiling, but he found something oddly unnerving and a bit unhinged about it. ¡°Great! Have you met with all the others yet? You probably know Jun, they¡¯re so boring it¡¯s hard not to notice them. But what about the rest?¡±


    ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen this many in one place¡­ and I definitely don¡¯t know all of them.¡±


    ¡°Then let me introduce you! You should have some time before Micah comes back, anyway. That¡¯s what the rest of us are waiting for¡ªthat guy goes to send one message and comes back with three more!¡±

 Extras: Character Card and Sheet- Vaso

    Extra character card info:


    The God of Earth in Qizarn myth. He¡¯s a wise individual, one with answers to all sorts of questions¡­ if one can work out what he¡¯s trying to say through the cryptic answers he gives. Even among the gods, he¡¯s rather secluded, and tends not to appear if he isn¡¯t needed, though that doesn¡¯t mean he lacks empathy; in fact, he seems quite aware of mortal troubles, even if he doesn¡¯t often step in to fix them.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

 Soul Shattered- Chapter 1

    Clover pinned another drawing to the board¡ªa collection of information they knew about their next trip. Everything was placed in a way that aided understanding, and knowledge was available at just a quick glance. She didn¡¯t need to do something like this for every trip that they took. But she certainly enjoyed it, and found that it got her even more excited for what they¡¯d find there¡ªif they¡¯d be able to uncover any of the pieces that remained unsolved.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got one hell of an adventure ahead of you,¡± she said to herself, glancing over each and every detail. ¡°But there¡¯s nothing that¡¯s going to stop you. Maybe this¡¯ll be what we need to get the experience to feel more comfortable traveling further¡­¡±


    They never did go far, after all. For one, they never quite had the funds, but that was something that they¡¯ve been slowly working on for the past couple of years. Second, they needed experience to make sure that all of those funds were able to go to good use, and that they didn¡¯t waste it all on things they didn¡¯t need. That was what the last couple of trips had had the goal of building up to, since they were finally getting ready to do something more¡ªsomething bigger.


    She got so excited to think that this was only the beginning, and a wider world awaited the two of them from here on out.


    But her thoughts were interrupted when the door to her room suddenly flung open.


    ¡°Clover! I was wondering if you were in here. Your parents must¡¯ve thought we already left, because they didn¡¯t know where you were and were surprised I came over. Turns out you¡¯ve just been in here all day!¡±


    Nik wandered over to where she was, and gave a cursory glance at the board. ¡°What do you think? How much of this stuff do you really think we¡¯re going to figure out?¡± It was clear in his tone that he felt the same way that she did about all of it¡ªif not a bit more eager to get going.


    ¡°All of it!¡± Clover answered enthusiastically. ¡°We¡¯re not going to stop until there¡¯s nothing left to uncover! This place is going to share its secrets with us, even if we don¡¯t get to it all on an initial trip.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the spirit!¡± He nudged her, signaling that it was time to step away from the board. ¡°To think, you weren¡¯t too sure of this when I first suggested it.¡± He then motioned back towards the door. ¡°I got a handful of the stuff we need, but there¡¯s still some information to be gathered. Do you want to go together?¡±


    She nodded. ¡°Then, as soon as we¡¯re sure we¡¯re not missing anything, we¡¯ll be ready to go.¡±


    He mockingly bowed as he held open the door. ¡°After you, Milady.¡±


    Clover grabbed her notebook and something to Artie with before following him outside.


    They simply walked around town for a little bit at first, taking in the fresh sea air and giving occasional glances off towards the coast. Just beyond the piers was were their next adventure lied¡ªout on an island no one had been to for decades. To think something so fascinating had been this close to her hometown all this time, and she was only just now realizing it¡­


    Not like it was talked about all that much, though the reasons varied from moderately plausible to just downright ridiculous.


    Like the quite frankly odd suggestions of the old woman who ran the most popular corner store in town¡ªif not just because there were only four corner stores. ¡°That place is haunted, you know,¡± she told them every time they came over. Honestly, Clover didn¡¯t really know why they bothered trying to get more information out of her. ¡°We used to hear stories about that old place all the time when I was growing up. It was nothing but trouble. Every now and again, young kids like you would go out there and get yourselves killed¡ªor worse, used for whatever delusional experiments that man used to run.¡±The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡°What man?¡± Nik almost always tried to ask, like he was doing right now. He never got an answer. ¡°You¡¯re the only person who mentions him.¡±


    ¡°The man who used to own it!¡± the old woman barked back, as if it was always obvious. ¡°He disappeared randomly too, you know. He was a loner¡ªdon¡¯t think anyone ever remembered him coming. My poppa, all those years ago, used to be in real estate. He didn¡¯t know anyone had bought that island, even if he could prove that it didn¡¯t belong to anybody until recently. Well, recently as in before it was abandoned. That alone was well over sixty years ago at this rate¡­¡±


    Clover honestly didn¡¯t expect to get anything out of it, but she still asked, ¡°What did you hear about this guy? Aside from the fact that he owned that island and may or may not have done ¡®delusional experiments,¡¯ that is.¡±


    ¡°I already told you, he didn¡¯t interact with people here much. Don¡¯t think a single soul even knew his name. Going there¡ªtrying to find anything about him¡ªis going to be pointless, if it doesn¡¯t result in something terrible. You kids have bright futures ahead of you. Don¡¯t go ruining it with something stupid like this.¡±


    Clover couldn¡¯t stop herself from hesitating, but Nik¡¯s hand on her shoulder convinced her that she wasn¡¯t going to think about it anymore.


    ¡°This old woman¡¯s not going to tell us anything,¡± he said in barely a whisper. ¡°Let¡¯s just get going. We¡¯re going to find bounds of more information out of literally anyone else.¡±


    Trying to beat down a lingering sense of uncertainty, she nodded. ¡°Yeah, maybe you¡¯re right.¡± She turned again to the old woman. ¡°Thank you for talking to us.¡±


    As they walked away, they could hear her say, ¡°If you want to thank me, you¡¯ll make sure you kids stay safe. I assume there¡¯s nothing I¡¯m going to be able to do to stop you, but I¡¯m going to ask you to at least make smart decisions. You¡¯re too young to have those kinds of regrets.¡±


    ¡°The only regret we¡¯re going to have is if we don¡¯t go,¡± Nik mumbled. ¡°We¡¯ve spent too long planning all of this. We¡¯re definitely not going to let it go to waste now. Right, Clover?¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    The next person they went to talk to was, perhaps, one of the most crucial parts of their adventure: the boat rental guy.


    He noticed them as soon as they walked in, but waited a moment before greeting them. ¡°You two are here for the boat already? Remember, I don¡¯t care what you do with it, as long as you bring it back to me in one piece. And within a week of leaving¡ªbelieve it or not, other people need the boat, and since I¡¯ve got a business to run, I need to keep them happy. Understand that?¡±


    Clover nodded. ¡°We do, but we¡¯re not leaving just yet. We¡¯re just gathering our last bit of information, to make sure we don¡¯t miss anything while we¡¯re out. What did you say you knew about the island, again?¡±


    ¡°I know you¡¯re not the first set of kids who¡¯ve asked me for a boat to go out there,¡± he answered gruffly. ¡°And that it¡¯s close enough to sure not to be too big of a risk for me to rent it to them. Maybe it¡¯s a little rough for people who have never sailed before, but to kids like you, I¡¯m fairly confident you¡¯ll do fine. So long as you don¡¯t go past the island. Then you¡¯re just asking for a death wish.¡±


    ¡°The corner store lady talked about a man who used to live there,¡± Nik began. ¡°Do you know anything about him or what he might¡¯ve been doing?¡±


    The boat rental guy shrugged. ¡°If you¡¯re dumb enough to listen to whatever half-remembered stories that old woman has to say, then I don¡¯t know if I trust you with one of my boats. There might be some truth to what she¡¯s saying¡ªmaybe. But I don¡¯t think it¡¯s worth looking too deep into. She¡¯d make up all kinds of stories if she thinks someone other than her will believe it.¡±


    Clover knew she shouldn¡¯t, but she couldn¡¯t stop her nervous curiosity, and she asked, ¡°How much of what she said do you think is true?¡±


    ¡°Eh, I¡¯m pretty sure some guy lived there. Maybe he was a scientist. He didn¡¯t come into town a lot and, when he did, he didn¡¯t need one of my boats for it. I can¡¯t say I even saw him, let alone talked to him. All it is is rumors, and you¡¯re old enough to know that those are hardly reliable around here. They¡¯d tell stories about anything, even if they know no one believes them.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re probably right. I got the impression she didn¡¯t really know what she was talking about anyway.¡± Nik turned his attention back to Clover. ¡°Where else do you want to go? We¡¯ve still got some time.¡±

 Soul Shattered- Chapter 2

    They made their final sets of preparations, with clear goals about what they planned to do while they were there, and then they left as soon as the sun was rising the next morning.


    They worked together to row the little boat, aiming straight for the island that wasn¡¯t too far from the coast. All she could see from here was the fuzzy outlines the trees gave the island. It honestly didn¡¯t seem like much, but¡­ it was still intimidating. She tried to tell herself, though, that the apprehension just came from exploring someplace new¡ªit was curiosity, not nervousness, and it would fade as soon as the excitement completely overtook her.


    Still, she found herself asking, ¡°Why do you think the record of anyone staying there is three days? As far as we could tell, there¡¯s no definitive reason why someone wouldn¡¯t stay longer. There were, at least, a few people who had intended on staying longer¡­¡±


    ¡°Probably got scared by a random twig or something,¡± Nik answered with a shrug. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure everyone who¡¯d tried to go here were locals¡ªno one else knows about the place. And there¡¯s not exactly anything exciting here for them to ¡®practice¡¯ with. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if these guys would even feel comfortable camping out on the edge of a perfectly safe forest, let alone a mysterious island. With the exception of the two of us, of course. We¡¯re the knowledgeable, adventurous type of local. We¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    ¡°But you remember what the back up plans were, right? Just in case.¡±


    He rolled his eyes. ¡°Do you really think we¡¯re going to have to know those? Half the time you admit it¡¯s just so then your mom feels better about you leaving for a couple of days.¡±


    ¡°This is serious, though. I¡¯m pretty sure this place has the most substantial evidence towards some kind of threat out of everywhere that we¡¯ve gone. I¡¯m not asking because I think something¡¯s going to happen¡±¡ªshe was, actually, partially asking because of that, but that was beside the point¡ª¡°but just in case it does. Do you remember them or not?¡±


    ¡°We pack up our stuff and leave,¡± he muttered. ¡°Not a lot to it. If we somehow get trapped on the island, it¡¯s not going to be that long until someone notices that we¡¯re there. Probably waiting for us to come back crying, anyway.¡± He looked her dead in the eye and asked, ¡°So, are you really ready for this, or should I be waiting for you to turn back around as soon as something weird happens?¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°No, we¡¯re doing this. I just wanted to make sure. Sure, this whole thing makes me a little nervous, but¡­ we¡¯re going to get to the bottom of whatever¡¯s going on here. Otherwise, there hasn¡¯t really been a point to the past couple of weeks, and we won¡¯t be able to do anything better.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I wanted to hear! Can we row a little faster, then? I want to be able to see what¡¯s there.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not going to take us that long,¡± she pointed out, though she was at least grinning now. ¡°But I know what you mean. I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m excited for what¡¯s there, too.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Do you think this is a good place to keep it?¡± Clover prompted, gesturing towards the boat. ¡°This tree should be pretty sturdy, anyway, even if it is a little close to the beach.¡±


    Nik only gave a passing glance over to it, then shrugged. ¡°Eh, it¡¯s good enough. Just keep our stuff back away from the water a little more, and it¡¯ll all be good.¡±Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    ¡°Got it.¡± She carefully pulled out both backpacks and sat them in the shade of another tree. ¡°You don¡¯t think anything¡¯s going to get into them? I mean, it might be pretty hard for deer and stuff, but it shouldn¡¯t be much trouble for a bear.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re on an island, Clover. I don¡¯t think we¡¯re going to run into any bears or deer. Probably the worst will be a snake or something. Besides, for the most part, our stuff is going to be staying with us, right? There¡¯s only, like, two things that we packed that we might not need later. If you¡¯re really worried about safety, it¡¯s easier to just bring everything.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right. Why hadn¡¯t I thought about it?¡±


    ¡°Probably tired. Most definitely too nervous. You¡¯re not thinking straight! That¡¯s why we¡¯ve got to do something to clear your head while the sun¡¯s still fully up. Are you ready to go for a walk?¡±


    She nodded. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t go too far right now, though. Let me just grab my sketchbook and we can leave the rest right here for now. Did you already pull out the map of the island?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve kept it on me this whole time, but I don¡¯t know how much help it¡¯s going to be. Seems to be pretty old, and just by looking at it, I can tell some things have changed since then.¡±


    ¡°Can you keep track of where we¡¯re going and update the map accordingly, then?¡±


    ¡°You bet I will! Make sure to keep an eye out for anything interesting. I¡¯m not leaving this place until I¡¯ve got a good haul to bring back to the shop. There¡¯s got to be plenty of old junk around here, it¡¯s just a matter of making sure it¡¯s expensive old junk¡­¡±


    She pulled her sketchbook out of her bag, then went to stand beside him. Really, she just wanted the vague sense of comfort that came from it while she looked for her next subject.


    Still, she maintained some casual conversation. ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s going to be too many things this close to the shore. There have been plenty of groups before us¡ªif there was anything this close to begin with, then it¡¯s definitely gone by now. Not to mention, three days is probably plenty of time to at least glance over every part of this place¡­¡±


    He smirked. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s where you¡¯re wrong. There¡¯s only a few people with my level of intuition and attention to detail. What everyone else might consider junk is my exact definition of treasure. You know, Clover, I¡¯m almost offended! I can¡¯t believe that you would doubt me like that.¡± He playfully nudged her. ¡°Do you want to go a little further in right now, or do you just want to stay by the shore? I¡¯ll wander wherever you want to be.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ think I want to stay here for a little bit longer. Maybe until tomorrow morning. Soon, it¡¯s going to get a little too dark to wander around a forest like that¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll protect you.¡± After she whacked him, he chuckled. ¡°I walked myself right into that one.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you did. Go dig around for some scrap metal or something.¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯ll leave you to draw these lovely trees!¡±


    He gave an overly dramatic wave, then only moved a few steps away from her. His back was turned, but he was still close, and that was all she felt he needed to be.


    After all, while they traveled together, the thing they always made sure they did while they were out was done separately; she sketched any part of their surroundings that she found interesting, and he tried to find something worth bringing back with them. This little tradition of theirs had been here from the very beginning¡ªfragments of the talents both of them possessed before they met the other.


    So, Clover started looking around for her new subject. She soon found a little patch of trees¡ªthere was just enough space between them to frame the shore on the other side. She sat down in the dirt and began the sketch, trying to get every basic shape down so that she had something to go off of later. She didn¡¯t need to finish it now, and she wanted to get one or two more sketches done before the sun set. She knew a base idea was all she needed to continue from later.


    Then she just kept drawing, getting as many interesting aspects of this place down on paper as soon as she could. If Nik, for some reason, thought she might be paying attention to his own ramblings, then he was pretty quickly proven wrong. At that moment, Clover was just in her own little world, focused on nothing else but getting her subject drawn, and not even thinking of stopping until the sun had set so much that there was no more light left.

 Extras: Character Card and Sheet- Dusek

    Extra character card info:If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    The current Vulture of the Lysha. He¡¯s more or less the only one of the three heads that actually does anything; he tends to do a couple of jobs whenever the Lysha needs someone to do it, and he¡¯s rather involved in the community. In fact, he¡¯s earned himself the nickname of the ¡°amiable vulture¡± due to his generally kind nature.

 Soul Shattered: Chapter 3

    They were all backed up and ready to go practically first thing in the morning, heading deeper into the woods nearly as soon as there was enough light to do so. Clover still found herself sticking close to Nik, but that was to be expected, she figured; this place had a lot more rumors attached to it than any of the other places they went to, and the creepy forest definitely didn¡¯t help matters.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t seem to be much here,¡± Nik remarked. ¡°There has to be a cabin or something somewhere, right? If that old lady was right and there was a guy living here at some point, then he needed to have somewhere to sleep.¡±


    Clover more hesitantly pointed out, ¡°But no one mentioned something like that around here. It looked like someone had mapped out the interior of the place, but there¡¯s nothing suggesting a building there, either. And it¡¯s not like it¡¯s big enough that something like that could be missed by someone who isn¡¯t thorough enough¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, we already determined at least some of them were just going for the legends. If they expected something bad to happen¡ªwhich it won¡¯t, because those rumors aren¡¯t true¡ªthen they probably didn¡¯t stay too long, or looked too hard. People like them wouldn¡¯t realize the stuff that¡¯s right in front of them if they were too busy looking around for threats.¡±


    ¡°That seems just as far-fetched as all of the rumors¡­¡±


    He pushed aside some shrubbery and looked pretty surprised at whatever he saw. She was almost too afraid to ask until he turned to her, smirked, and said, ¡°Well, I think we just found the answer to that question. And it¡¯s definitely more than just a cabin. Maybe we¡¯ll figure out why no one¡¯s mentioned it once we go inside, too. You are up for heading inside, right?¡±


    By the time he¡¯d asked her that, though, she¡¯d already frozen in place by the estate in front of her. Aside from the general condition one might expect of a home rarely taken care of in the middle of the woods, it seemed to be structurally sound and perfectly preserved. It wouldn¡¯t be too odd to say that it may have even been taken care of sometime in the past decade which, according to the other timelines they¡¯d gathered, should¡¯ve been when no one was here.


    So, it was with a mix of curiosity and nervousness that she nodded and answered, ¡°I think it¡¯s worth getting a closer look at it, at least.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I wanted to hear! I¡¯ve got a good feeling about it, so let¡¯s get a move on!¡±


    Together, they traveled through the almost-clear pathway leading up to the front door of the estate. They passed what once might have been a garden, though now weeds had moved in and made the area its home; there was even a statue, though what it was supposed to depict was unclear. She made a mental note to go back and sketch it once she had the opportunity to. Maybe she¡¯d learn more about its secrets that way, or she could show it to someone in town and see if anyone there knew¡­


    Nik was the first at the door, naturally, and didn¡¯t seem to hesitate when he opened the door. In fact, he also gave a casual shout when he poked his head inside: ¡°Hey, is there anyone in here? Don¡¯t mind us, mysterious guys or ghosts or whatever! We¡¯re just here for your stuff. You know, generic explorer stuff.¡±


    Clover gave him a pointed glare.


    ¡°What? It¡¯s not like anyone¡¯s really in here. This place has definitely been abandoned for a while, I bet we were the only two who heard it.¡± He gestured her inside. ¡°Do you want to look around or not? This place hasn¡¯t been neglected long enough to have any real risks aside from a giant spider or snake or something, so there¡¯s no reason not to see what¡¯s in it.¡±Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean we want to draw attention to ourselves. And if there was someone here¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah, and there isn¡¯t someone here. Your hypothetical doesn¡¯t really matter.¡± Nik stepped further inside, and Clover followed. ¡°But take a look at this place! I¡¯m sure we¡¯re going to find some interesting stuff in here. At least some answers to a couple of questions, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    ¡°It feels¡­ knowledgeable, somehow.¡± She tried to scan the area, but it was hard to see much in the dimly lit room. ¡°It would probably be even more impressive if I could see anything, though. Do you think there¡¯s a candle or something around there..? It¡¯s got to be one of the few things we didn¡¯t pack¡­¡±


    ¡°What, do you don¡¯t just want to use a torch?¡±


    ¡°I think you know the pretty obvious answer to that question.¡±


    He looked around himself, though she didn¡¯t know how well he could actually do it given the lighting situation. Maybe his eyes just adjusted better than hers did, or he was listening completely to his intuition. ¡°We should check out that room to the right first. It looks like it could¡¯ve been the dining room or kitchen. If there¡¯s a candle we could carry anywhere, it would probably be there.¡±


    They walked over there slowly, considering everything else around them as they went. Something didn¡¯t feel right but, with this lighting, she couldn¡¯t really tell if there was a reason for the apprehension. Not like knowing would really make it any better.


    After pushing the door open, they each took a different side of the room, trying to see or feel anything that could help them. Clover, honestly, wasn¡¯t too excited to be doing it; she might¡¯ve been all for an adventure every now and again, but she certainly didn¡¯t want to end up angering a snake or brushing against a big spider. Nik was pretty quiet, too, though she knew it was for a different reason¡ªhe didn¡¯t want to disrupt anything that he hasn¡¯t had yet to look over.


    ¡°Oh, I think I found something!¡± she said, carefully picking up a candleholder. ¡°There¡¯s a candle on this, and it doesn¡¯t seem to be too worn. It¡¯ll at least let us see if there¡¯s any more around here.¡±


    ¡°Let me get over there to light it for you.¡±


    She heard his footsteps get louder, and then a thump when he sat his backpack on the ground to search through it. Finally, he gestured for her to hand him the candleholder, and he lit it.


    Closer was very, very happy that it turned out that they¡¯d been in a completely normal dining room this whole time.


    Less so that it seemed so normal, in fact, that nearly everything was still in the same place as if it had just been set out for a meal. Only a couple of worn or moth-eaten spots told a different story¡ªa more accurate representation of how long it had been abandoned. There were no comically large spiders or snakes, no rotting body in one of the chairs. Pretty silly of her to ever be afraid of it in the first place, huh?


    Nik smirked. ¡°This¡¯ll be perfect. Looks like one of the longer-lasting ones, too, so it¡¯ll probably be good for a while. But let¡¯s get a better look at all of this. For a place this obvious, and no one¡¯s seemed to have mentioned, there¡¯s an awfully lot of interesting stuff in here¡­¡±


    ¡°Just put it back if you start to feel a chill down your spine,¡± Clover responded as a half-joke. ¡°We don¡¯t want to upset any ghosts, if there happen to be any here.¡±


    He playfully put a hand up to his ear, and he was ultimately able to get a small smile out of her. ¡°Oh, what¡¯s that, Mr. Mysterious Ghost? You¡¯re alright with me and my friend taking whatever we want from you? Why, that¡¯s very generous of you! Don¡¯t mind if we do¡­¡± He trailed off as he started to observe some of the decorations on the wall.


    Clover pulled out her sketchbook again, trying to look for the best place to capture the atmosphere of the room. It was while she was doing it, though, that she noticed something on the table. Slowly, she walked up to it.


    ¡°It looks like there¡¯s a journal here,¡± she said as she cautiously picked it up. She started to flip through the pages, though was both grateful and disappointed at what she found in it. ¡°There doesn¡¯t seem to be anything in it. There¡¯s a couple of lines here and there, but they don¡¯t make any sense¡­¡±


    ¡°Let me have a look at them.¡± Nik shone some light on it, and read it from over her shoulder. ¡°Looks like a log. Can¡¯t really tell for what from what¡¯s here, though.¡±


    ¡°Do you think the answer is deeper inside of the estate?¡±


    ¡°Probably. Does that mean you want to keep looking?¡±


    Clover nodded. ¡°We said we weren¡¯t going to leave a single question unanswered, didn¡¯t we?¡±

 Soul Shattered: Chapter 4

    With the light, they were able to see a lot more of what was around them. And, well, not all of it was as moderately boring as the dining room had been. For one, the room they had entered in the first place?


    Yeah, it got a lot creepier when there was actually light here.


    For one, it was pretty obvious that this place definitely wasn¡¯t quite as innocent as it had any hopes of being when they first entered. There were marks of something that certainly weren¡¯t just the general wear of time; something had been here, and she really hated to think about how recently it had been.


    ¡°I think we just made one hell of a discovery,¡± Nik remarked, casually shining light on more and more odd signs. There were marks on the walls, the floor¡ªand so much scattered paper that Clover was honestly surprised they didn¡¯t step on any of it until now. ¡°This place is practically a gold mine at this rate.¡±


    ¡°And a ghost mansion,¡± she mumbled. ¡°What do you think made those marks..? It definitely wasn¡¯t an animal, was it? It couldn¡¯t have been. It¡¯s not deep enough for that, but¡­ it¡¯s too obvious to just be a part of the weather or something.¡±


    He shrugged. ¡°My bets are still on an animal. You never know what they¡¯re capable of. Or, hey, it might¡¯ve even been a Ski¨¢. Those things come in all different shapes and sizes from what I¡¯ve heard.¡±


    ¡°Is that supposed to make me feel any better? This is creeping me out a little more than I thought it would¡­¡± And yet, she knew she had to admit, ¡°It does make me even more curious, too, though. What happened here..? Is this part of the reason no one¡¯s talked about this place before..?¡±


    ¡°Well, do you want to find out?¡± He stooped down to pick up one of the pieces of paper off of the floor. Despite the display, though, he must¡¯ve been unsatisfied with the one he picked up, because he mumbled something, tossed it back on the ground, and took another from a nearby shelf. ¡°Let¡¯s see what we have here¡­ It looks like more logs. There¡¯s a bunch of dates, and I think there¡¯s supposed to be notes, but that handwriting is terrible as hell.¡±


    ¡°Let me see.¡± She carefully took the paper from him, though had to stay close in order to keep the light on it. ¡°They¡¯re¡­ research notes? Or at least, they look like they could¡¯ve been. I think this one says something about a ¡®patient,¡¯ and this here looks a little bit like ¡®reaction.¡¯ Maybe he was testing something.¡±


    ¡°Oh, must be all that magical eldritch stuff. You know, the demon summoning or whatever else that guy does in his spare time. What was it that that old lady said he did? Was it just¡­ be a recluse?¡±


    She glared at him.


    ¡°What? I¡¯m just joking around! It¡¯s not like there¡¯s anything more interesting to do in here other than speculate.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think this is something we should be messing with. If anyone else had seen this, then there was a good reason they didn¡¯t mention it to anyone.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, they didn¡¯t want to admit they got creeped out by a couple of that old woman¡¯s stories and left again. Look, for all we know, this guy ran a haunted house a hundred years ago and never got around to redecorating it. Just think of all of this as cheap decoration on the way to actually learning something. Would that make you feel any better?¡±


    She sighed. ¡°I do want to know what¡¯s going on¡­¡± She looked around, giving passing glances to each of the doors. ¡°Where do you think we should look first? Maybe each of the rooms on this floor, then follow the staircase? Assuming we don¡¯t notice any holes in the floor or anything between then and now, of course. We don¡¯t want to go walking up there if it¡¯s not going to hold our weight¡­¡±Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°It¡¯s about as good of a plan as any. I¡¯m just willing to see what kind of stuff this guy has locked away in here. There sure is a mystery building up, and I¡¯m ready to uncover it. Keep an eye out for any suspicious-looking papers or journals, alright? Maybe there¡¯ll be something else to help us make sense of this place.¡±


    So, yet again, they took to wandering around. Clover¡¯s attention kept getting drawn to all of the more subtle hints of their surroundings¡ªthe complete silence, the way scratch marks tainted nearly every surface. She started to notice pictures, too, with dates at the bottom right corner of them. She didn¡¯t want to get close enough to be able to read them. That would mean she would have no excuse not to look at them all closer, to acknowledge that they had too many different characteristics in order to be reasonably called a family.


    Which meant that they had another relation to this place, and she didn¡¯t think she¡¯d want to learn what it was.


    Even if they found out on their own sooner or later.


    ¡°This book actually has something interesting in it!¡± Nik called from the other side of the room.


    ¡°Actually interesting this time?¡± she prompted as she walked over there. ¡°I¡¯ve been trying to sketch for the past thirty minutes, but you keep interrupting me¡­ If I see one more ¡®vaguely related to science log,¡¯ I¡¯m just going to start ignoring you.¡±


    ¡°No, no, this one actually has something substantial in it! It¡¯s got names and¡ªyou won¡¯t believe this¡ªdetails about whatever this guy was doing!¡± He paused. ¡°So, uh, it¡¯s definitely interesting, but I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s really something that you want to know, exactly¡­¡±


    She got herself to look at it anyway, just to see what it said. She didn¡¯t really know what she was expecting but, well¡­ what it was certainly wasn¡¯t what she was prepared for.


    ¡®Log 398


    Subject: Iva Lior


    Hypothesis: A soul may find a new host if it finds that it has nowhere else to go.


    Details: I placed Ms. Lior in a special room, the same one mentioned in my Log 349. This is, for the future scientists and grant givers that may be reading this in the future, when I decided what a spirit can and cannot travel to, and how one might ¡®trap¡¯ a spirit by preventing it to ¡®sink¡¯ back into the earth. The spirit in question was that of Stefan Handel, who has been in my care for quite a while after their separation from their previous host detailed in Log 284. I begin my current log, Log 398, after many failed attempts of a very similar hypothesis, as I have made tweaks to all of the systems along the way according to my past findings. This is, of course, detailed elsewhere. But onto the subject at hand, shall we?


    After placing Ms. Lior in the room, I released the spirit. Under most circumstances, as the spirit did not have a host, it would have ¡®sunk¡¯ back into the earth, to find its rest within the Underworld, as the children of Fleyw Bresh call it. But, due to the limitations of the room I created, it was not able to move down, nor outside of the room in any way. So, ¡®dying¡¯ without the fake host I had provided for it and had since taken away, it clung to the soul of Ms. Lior.


    The results were even better than I could have imagined. Right from the¡ª¡®


    And then it cut off.


    ¡°So, there¡¯s no denying there was a guy living here,¡± Clover remarked, trying very hard not to sound too panicked. ¡°And he was definitely doing some moderately questionable experiments. Experiments about¡­ spirits? Or maybe souls? That¡¯s at least what it sounds like¡­¡±


    Nik considered it for a little bit. ¡°Sounds a bit like a bunch of Lysha stuff. Are we sure this guy didn¡¯t work for them or something? They¡¯ve got to get all their knowledge somehow, other than that magic they learned from the Fleyw Bresh. It might sound a little weird to us, but we¡¯re also outsiders, so who knows what kinds of context clues we¡¯re missing.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ guess our next step is to find them, then,¡± she muttered. ¡°That¡¯s what it¡¯s going to end up being, right? Maybe we¡¯ll figure out what happened to these people¡­ and if there¡¯s anyone to tell all of this to. I¡¯m sure they weren¡¯t isolated before whatever happened here. It might be a good thing to know more about them, if anyone in town had heard of them¡­¡±


    He nodded, likely one of the most serious gestures she¡¯d seen him make. ¡°Could you sketch each of those portraits again, too? They might be able to help if we find more information about these guys. They¡¯re a little too big and definitely too fragile for me to bring back with us.¡±

 Extras: Character Card and Sheet- Rhenei

    Extra character card info:Stolen story; please report.


    Someone who had run away from home to determine the past of her spirit, Kalleira, as well as find her own future away from her abusive parents. With the help of Calum, she was able to break away from her past, learning magic and traveling to a small town. She¡¯s been there since, teaching magic to the younger generation.

 Soul Shattered: Chapter 5

    ¡°There¡¯s even more notes over here,¡± Clover remarked, digging through some more old papers. ¡°I can¡¯t make sense of any of it, though. The writing¡¯s too off. Even if I could read any of it, it doesn¡¯t seem coherent enough to understand¡­¡±


    Nik sighed. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m finding on my end, too. Only that one paper seemed to have any names tied to them. Are you sure those weren¡¯t familiar? They had to have been from around here, right?¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°I didn¡¯t recognize either of those names, or any of these portraits. If they had been people who lived in the town, they either didn¡¯t have any family, or came here a long time ago. I can¡¯t help but wonder if anyone would be able to recognize them¡­¡±


    ¡°Hey, there¡¯s plenty of people around here. I¡¯m sure that old lady would recognize them, or maybe even that boat rental guy. We¡¯ve just got to do what we can to get as much about these guys as possible.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Something¡¯s happened here, and I¡¯m pretty sure they didn¡¯t sign up for whatever it was.¡± She glanced around the room, to all of the scattered notebooks to the scratch marks. ¡°You know, when we decided to go here, I was kind of expecting something creepy, but¡­ not anything that was actually bad. Not like this¡­¡±


    ¡°But we¡¯re going to stay here until the end, right?¡± he prompted. ¡°Do what we can to solve this mystery? I think it¡¯s what these people would¡¯ve wanted.¡±


    She nodded nervously. ¡°I think we¡¯ve searched just about everything we could in here¡ªboth the first and second floor are basically empty of anything worthwhile. At least, when it comes to finding out who these people were and what happened to them. Where else do you think we should go..? Is there anywhere else for us to go..?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure there¡¯s a garden outside. I saw it through one of the windows. There was a shed there, too. After we check that place, we would¡¯ve seen practically everything this place has to offer. I have a feeling there¡¯ll be something there, anyway.¡±


    ¡°Is it just because it¡¯s a creepy shed in an already creepy house?¡±


    ¡°Maybe. But we won¡¯t know until we look, right? So, what do you say?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    She tucked her sketchbook¡ªnow full of the copied portraits of people she almost wished she found familiar, but didn¡¯t¡ªunder her arm and went to follow him to the hallway. From there, they wandered into the garden. If¡­ it could really be called a garden. It was more of two flower beds filled with weeds, but there were one or two sturdy plants who were trying to fight against them. Surprisingly, the path through the garden was still rather well-defined, so they were able to follow it straight to the shed without fighting with the tall weeds.


    Nik ran a hand along the edge of the door frame. ¡°This doesn¡¯t look quite as good as the rest of the estate, but it should still be sturdy enough for us to go through. If it looks worse inside, though, we should probably leave. Whatever information ends up being in there probably won¡¯t be worth risking it, at least at the rate that we¡¯re going¡­¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll try,¡± Clover said. For once, she was the one to push the door open. ¡°I feel, as someone who ran into this place, we owe the people who were here before us that much.¡±


    The room, at first glance, wasn¡¯t too much different from some of the areas of the estate. But even if it didn¡¯t look like there was anything worth paying attention to, it seemed more¡­ organized than the rest of it. There were still the same kinds of stuff, sure, but it felt like there was more of a system to it. The journals and logs had marked shelves that most of them were up on; the marks either weren¡¯t present at all, or craftily hidden behind something else. And yet, that only made it more eerie.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    That wasn¡¯t even mentioning the obvious hatch into the basement.


    Nik lifted up a couple of stray papers, but they all seemed to be blank. ¡°Do you want to head down there? We could look through this stuff, too, but there¡¯s nothing about ¡®subjects¡¯ or whatever else that guy would call those people.¡±


    Despite how anxious it made her feel, she couldn¡¯t keep her eyes off of the hatch. ¡°Do¡­ do you think that¡¯s where his lab is? Where he did whatever experiments he was running? We checked everywhere else, and there were just logs¡ªnone of the stuff he mentioned actually using. Is this hatch going to lead us down there..?¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s as good of a shot as any. Seems the most reasonable, anyway, unless he also has a secret bunker somewhere else on the island. But I get if you¡¯re worried about it. I could go alone, if you¡¯d rather stay up here and look around.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure that staying somewhere alone in a place like this is going to be worse than going into a place that¡¯s probably going to be weirder than anything else we¡¯ve seen here. I¡¯m not staying here, so I¡¯m going with you.¡±


    He started to open the hatch. ¡°Alright. We¡¯ll try to make it quick, then. Keep that sketchbook of yours ready in case we find any more pictures or names. We¡¯ll find whatever information we can, and we¡¯ll bring the rest up with the officials in town when we get back.¡±


    ¡°Do you think they¡¯re going to listen to us..?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what we¡¯re gathering evidence for. Given the fact that no one¡¯s mentioned it, whatever anyone else said¡ªif they said anything¡ªmay have just been taken as rumors. If we¡¯ve got some kind of hard proof about whatever this guy was working on, then we¡¯ll be able to get to the bottom of this. Even if we don¡¯t do it on our own.¡±


    She slowly nodded. ¡°Alright. Just to make sure, the candle definitely has enough light for us to get through all of that, right..? I don¡¯t want it to burn out in a place we¡¯re definitely not going to be able to see anything in¡­¡±


    He glanced at it, mentally calculated it, then nodded. ¡°It sputtered a couple of times, but I think it¡¯s because it¡¯s marked by the hour. Knowing that, and seeing how much is left in there, there should still be two or so hours left. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s somehow burned quicker than that.¡±


    ¡°Okay. It¡¯s¡­ definitely time to go in now. No more distractions¡­¡±


    Nik sat the candle down to lift the hatch up the rest of the way, then carefully made his way down. After she passed him the candle and he gave a brief look around, he gestured for her to join him.


    And, well, it was every bit of a creepy mad scientist laboratory. There actually weren¡¯t any notes or logs scattered around, but there were definitely a few odd contraptions, and far from a few signs of struggle. As far as she could tell, it was practically completely clean, which made the odd parts stand out even more.


    But this was likely the only way that they were going to get information about those people, and she wanted to have something to bring back to the town. So, for once, she took the first step into the darkness.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not mess with anything more than we need to,¡± she mumbled. She didn¡¯t even dare brush up against something, or run her hand along the wall to get a better idea of what might be masked by the dim lighting. ¡°We don¡¯t know what any of this does. All we want is some names, or some other details, about who was here before us. Maybe we can even find something about the man who owned this island, so someone can look into him more.¡±


    Nik nodded grimly. ¡°This is more than just a treasure hunt at this point. We should stay close together, too. We¡¯ve only got one light and we don¡¯t want to disrupt anything we might not be able to see.¡±


    They walked together through the room, taking in everything they could about it and whatever else might be worth remembering. It was nearly impossible to tell how big the room was, or if there were others, from where they were. Quite frankly, the only thing that Clover could do to assure herself is to consider how straightforward their path was¡ªthere did seem to be some kind of organization to the mess, with clear ¡°landmarks¡± in the machines and tools. Even when they were forced to take a turn, it wouldn¡¯t be too hard to tell where they had been, and how to get back to the entrance.


    Or, at least, that¡¯s what she hoped. And it turns out, she was actually quite wrong.

 Soul Shattered: Chapter 6

    ¡°¡®Subject struggled immensely until he lost consciousness. I continued on until he died. This can be ruled out as a failure, though it will not be long before I make a better breakthrough¡­¡¯¡±


    Nik had been reading each and every one of the notes they came across aloud, that one included. They had hoped that it would give them some kind of information that they could use. All it did was make them sure that they didn¡¯t want to stay in this place any longer than they had to.


    Clover knew that, whoever had done all of this, he wasn¡¯t here now¡ªsome of the earlier notes proved it. Still, she constantly found herself looking over her shoulder, or trying to fight an overwhelming sense of dread. ¡°How could he do something like this..? He obviously knows what it¡¯s doing to those people. He just doesn¡¯t seem to care, unless it has to do with the results of the experiment itself¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure I¡¯ve heard of people like this before,¡± Nik remarked. ¡°Rumors of them, at least. Scientists who are too desperate to prove their hypotheses to care about the ethical parts of their research, or even what they were doing this for. In all those stories, though, they were caught before they could get too far. Or they happened long enough ago that no one really thought about it anymore. But this guy¡­ he was active more recently than those that are just forgotten about, and he definitely never got caught. He didn¡¯t stop because of any kind of external pressure, either. It sounds like he tried to do an experiment on himself after he ran out of other subjects, and it¡­ didn¡¯t go well. In the slightest.¡± He scoffed. ¡°Not like that kind of guy deserved a nice end to begin with.¡±


    ¡°So the results were just worth whatever means he had to do in order to get them..? I just don¡¯t get how someone like that hadn¡¯t been noticed by anyone else before. I mean, you¡¯ve seen¡ªor I guess I should say, heard¡ªthe kinds of things my town talks about. If there was so much as a single unexplained disappearance, or one sighting of some weird guy, I would¡¯ve thought everyone would know about it.¡±


    ¡°None of these have dates to them, the bulk of what happened could¡¯ve been several decades ago.¡± He shrugged. ¡°The old lady mentioned how it was something that she noticed as a kid, right? Maybe that¡¯s when he got all of the people who were here.¡±


    ¡°I was getting the impression that they didn¡¯t all come at the same time, though, and some were definitely a lot younger or older than others. They couldn¡¯t have all come at such a short time from one another.¡±


    ¡°This is probably a stretch, but maybe no one thought it was that important to think about for too long. You know, it was something that was the talk of the town for a summer or two, and then everyone forgot about it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I would think, too, if it wasn¡¯t for the fact that everyone talks about stuff that happened decades ago. Pretty much everyone knows the stories the old woman tells about her childhood, or what the mayor did when he was younger, or that one girl who ran away to Qizar. I don¡¯t get why those stories, which are pretty much just as relevant as these peoples¡¯ would be, are still remembered when disappearances aren¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°You said you didn¡¯t recognize any of the names, right? What if they¡¯re just not from your town? Wouldn¡¯t that explain why no one talks about them?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, except we seem to know gossip from all over the kingdom, and we¡¯ve heard of plenty other serial disappearance cases that happened much further away. Unless this scientist found these people all around the kingdom, or maybe even from Qizar, then I don¡¯t think there¡¯s a chance that someone wouldn¡¯t know something about it.¡±


    ¡°Maybe we¡¯ll figure it out if we look around a little more. If we could find a concrete date or two, that should let us put everything else into perspective. And if we¡¯re really lucky, we might find something that could solve this thing a whole lot quickly.¡±The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    They reached another note, so he stopped to read it. She knew from the moment he saw his expression, however, that it wasn¡¯t something she wanted to know the content of.


    ¡°What¡­ does it say..?¡± she prompted nervously. She didn¡¯t want to look over to read it for herself. The sense of dread she was getting was already almost too much for her. ¡°Is it something about the scientist? Or his victims?¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s a pretty good sign that we¡¯re supposed to be his newest ones,¡± was the first thing that Nik said. He scanned the paper over at least three more times, as if he needed to be sure that it meant exactly what he thought it did. ¡°It says that this place has some kind of defense mechanism in it. No one, except for him, should be able to figure out how to get past. It¡¯s ¡¯a test of the body and soul,¡¯ according to this note, and it definitely sounds like it¡¯s going to live up to that reputation.¡±


    ¡°What is it, then?¡± Clover beat down a growing sense of panic. ¡°I didn¡¯t see anything weird while we were getting here. I definitely don¡¯t think we hit any obvious triggers¡­¡±


    ¡°It says something about changing the area, but¡­ that shouldn¡¯t be possible. Not unless this guy has magic. I¡­ think it might be possible with magic, anyway. Can¡¯t say I know anything about it aside from the rumors, for obvious reasons¡­¡± He shook his head. ¡°There¡¯s a chance, though, that this is all just an elaborate joke or something.¡±


    ¡°Do you really think it could be..?¡±


    The pause before his response was enough of an answer, and it only made her fear their current situation that much more. Nik was supposed to be the fearless one. What did it say about their predicament, if even he clearly had some reservations towards what they were about to try?


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± was his honest answer. ¡°We¡¯re not going to, though, unless we try. I think it¡¯s about time we leave this place anyway. It shouldn¡¯t be that hard to retrace our steps from the beginning. We¡¯ll know if there¡¯s trouble if we don¡¯t pass any similar things, or if we do and we still don¡¯t seem to be making any progress.¡± Mostly to himself, he mumbled, ¡°If only this room was small enough to be lit completely¡­ we could¡¯ve used the light to judge where the walls were. Too far in now, though.¡±


    He led the way back through the path they had come from. At first, it seemed to turn out just the same, as the first couple of machines they encountered seemed to be the same they passed before. When Clover started to notice small differences¡ªless or more marks on something than there had been before, a note placed in an alternate part of the machine¡ªshe didn¡¯t say anything about it. Maybe she was just misremembering it. That had to be what it was, right? If it wasn¡¯t, then she would¡¯ve thought Nik would say something, too.


    Unless he was just as in denial as she was about the mess that they had just walked into.


    With each step, she wished more and more that they hadn¡¯t decided to go here. All of the stories about the place, no matter how varied or fanciful they seemed, should have been the first sign that something like this would happen. The others who had traveled here before them seemed to understand the dangers; they stayed for three days to explore everything outside, perhaps give a glimpse inside, and then realize this wasn¡¯t a place they should be, and left. But of course the two of them had chosen differently. Of course they were called in by the mystery, and stayed trapped in the promises of what it would offer.


    Now she just had to fight the fear that they weren¡¯t going to make it back out.


    They walked a little further, passing the same things that they had before, just slightly different. And then she saw something that filled her with a bit of hope, even if she felt like they shouldn¡¯t have reached it yet.


    ¡°That¡¯s the wall, isn¡¯t it?¡± she asked, gesturing in front of her. ¡°Seems like it, anyway. I don¡¯t remember that many papers being placed on it before, but it¡¯s not the only change that may or may not have happened, so¡­¡±


    There was a small clink, but she didn¡¯t pay attention to it immediately. What she did notice, however, was the lack of response from her friend. They¡¯d been walking side by side before this, close enough that they only had to look over to see one another.


    ¡°Nik?¡±


    But when she looked over, she saw no one. Just the candle holder, sitting on one of the metal machines. That must¡¯ve been what made the noise. Why had Nik put it down, though? If he¡¯d wanted her to grab it, he would¡¯ve just asked her to.


    ¡°Nik?¡±


    Once again, there was no answer.


    And she had to consider the possibility that, somehow, he had left¡ªand now, she was alone.

 Extras: Preview- Official Guide (Idkor)

    I''ll be honest, Idkor''s section is still a huge WIP because, among everything else I''ve been trying to work on, the Official Guide isn''t that big of a priority. That''s also why there''s a giant blank space where the capital''s name should be! I hid the placeholder I was using since I haven''t gotten around to naming all of the region capitals yet. Whoops?The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    As you might''ve guessed, the overall Official Guide progress has kind of stagnated at around 85%, but don''t worry, I still intend to get it done. And also... well, I''ve got a lot of other surprises in store for the new year!

 Soul Shattered: Chapter 7

    ¡°Nik? Nik!?¡±


    She kept calling, but there was never an answer. She would¡¯ve thought that the light, at least, could give a hint of her position if he was anywhere near her. Still, though, he didn¡¯t say anything.


    ¡°I-if this is supposed to be a joke, this isn¡¯t funny!¡±


    She knew it wasn¡¯t a joke. She just didn¡¯t know what else it could be. What else it meant.


    What if something happened? What if this was part of whatever defense mechanism that note had apparently talked about? She hadn¡¯t read it for herself, and Nik hadn¡¯t really explained it, so maybe there was something about this in it. Not like it made it any better. Not like it changed the fact that Nik was gone, she was alone, and a part of her was beginning to doubt she really knew the way back.


    No. She was just starting to panic. She needed to not panic. That wasn¡¯t something she¡¯d ever told herself before and actually had it work but, hey, worth a shot, right? As long as she focused and thought about this rationally, she should be able to think of something.


    ¡°Nik!¡± she called again. ¡°Nik, if you can hear me, I¡¯m going to try to follow the wall! It¡¯s got to lead to an exit somewhere. I¡¯m going to walk to the left of it! That¡ªthat¡¯s where we came from, right? Hopefully, you had the same thought I did, and we¡¯ll see each other there¡­¡± She trailed off at the end, but she hoped that it was going to be enough.


    There was no point in just standing there anymore. With one last look, as if he would magically appear, she started to follow the wall. She could only pray that she knew how to get back out.


    ¡°Did we pass this before..?¡± Of course, she ended up talking to herself; she couldn¡¯t stand the silence. At least this way, she felt a little bit less alone. It was probably the only kind of noise she¡¯d like to hear, unless it happened to be some joke or comment of Nik¡¯s, that would have made her feel better. Compared to some of the things it could be, though, she supposed the silence could be for the better,


    Aside from her overthinking, anyway.


    ¡°I feel like we didn¡¯t pass this. Had we gone a different way..? Or¡­ maybe we did go this way, and it just looks a lot different from behind. I didn¡¯t give it that hard of a look when we passed it. No matter if or how it changed, I probably wouldn¡¯t notice the difference¡­¡±


    She remembered something, though, and stepped a little bit closer. Maybe she¡¯d be able to recognize it if she could find the note saying what it did. It might not have been in the same place it was before¡ªthat much had been proven before the two of them lost each other¡ªbut the contents would still be the same, if it really was something they had passed. And if she didn¡¯t recognize that, then she¡¯d retrace her steps and try to figure out where she went wrong.


    After a brief look¡ªmaking sure she didn¡¯t touch anything, since she didn¡¯t know what it would do¡ªshe found it. She carefully took off the paper in order to hold it up to the light, as it seemed to have been attached to something fabric. There was a set of numbers, and some text that read, Purpose: check for spirits.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    Clover looked over at the machine again, trying to figure out if that was really right. She didn¡¯t know a lot about spirits, but she was pretty sure they didn¡¯t need weird and clunky things like this in order to do something so seemingly simple. Didn¡¯t they¡­ just use Qizarn magic? She remembered people in town talking about that, anyway. It made it more reliable than the other methods. Did¡­ this scientist not know that, or did he want to do it in a way that was just as predictable without magic?


    Either way, it looked a lot more like a torture device¡­


    But it was one that she and Nik had passed before so, however creepy it was, it at least assured her that she was going in the right direction. Never mind the fact that it hadn¡¯t looked like that before, and she couldn¡¯t quite recall several of the other things she passed. But she was following the wall, so she had to reach the exit sometime, right? It wasn¡¯t like there was a magical, lone door in the middle of the room that led to an exit.


    Though the thought of the possibility was enough for her to curse herself for the idea. Now she¡¯d be worried about that, however unlikely she acknowledged it was.


    She tried grounding herself by focusing on her surroundings, but that only made her anxiety worse. She tried thinking of something more positive, but it got replaced with the wonder of if it would ever be able to happen. No matter what she tried, it didn¡¯t seem to work. Maybe that was how it was supposed to be.


    The note had said that this was supposed to be a ¡°test of body and soul.¡± Of course it was going to try to do everything in its power to break her¡ªshe wouldn¡¯t be surprised if that was its whole purpose. It certainly wouldn¡¯t be the only thing that this scientist created that seemed to just be borne from a desire to harm. She almost wondered if Nik had seen some set of numbers on that note¡ªif there was a record of successes and losses, and which side was favored. Somehow, that was the one thought that seemed to bring her more encouragement. She¡ªand Nik¡ªwould come out together as perhaps one of the only two successful people to make it out of this strange defense measure. This can all be a story they laugh about years from now, when they¡¯ve had much more experience, and were able to see things for the not-quite-as-scary things that they were.


    And then the candle flickered.


    ¡°Don¡¯t panic,¡± she mumbled to herself, before she mustered the will to look at it. ¡°Nik had said that it probably signaled the hour. That was probably just why¡­¡±


    But when she looked at the candle, she had to admit it was much worse. It was almost to the end now. Probably within thirty minutes, she¡¯d be in the dark.


    She glanced around her, trying to see if there were any other landmarks she¡¯d be able to make out. Aside from one or two particularly tall machines just within the reach of the candle, there didn¡¯t seem to be anything. Not¡­ aside from the wall, which itself was lined with cabinets, notes, and a few more machines.


    As much as she didn¡¯t want to, she placed her hand along the wall, keeping it near, if not on, it as she walked. She needed it to ground her when the light finally went out; something that would continue to guide her even after it was too dark to see. She knew there wasn¡¯t a hope of beating the light. Even if she could¡¯ve sworn they hadn¡¯t been here that long, the candle had already lost this much, and it was undoubtedly going to lose the rest. She just had to stay calm.


    Just. Stay. Calm.


    Calm.


    Don¡¯t panic. There¡¯s no need to panic. Just¡­ breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, breathe¡ª


    Her hand hit something. But it didn¡¯t just hit it¡ªthe lever, which must¡¯ve been what she touched, was completely pulled down. She just stood there and stared at it, though, too afraid to move from her spot or try to return it to its original position.


    But as the candle flickered one last time, she was able to read what the note on the machine read.


    ¡¯Purpose: remove a spirit from the soul, and return them both to a usable state.


    Notes: untested. This is one of many iterations. The others¡­ have not been as successful. As soon as I have a good test subject, however, I will have to test this one. I have high hopes¡­¡¯

 Soul Shattered: Chapter 8

    Blink. That was all he did¡ªblink. Then he turned around, and Clover was gone.


    ¡°Clover?¡±


    Nik¡¯s voice echoed through every surface in the room, even if he could hardly see any of them.


    ¡°Clover!¡±


    He stood still, barely even allowing himself to breathe, to try to catch even the vaguest of noises. But he heard nothing. He didn¡¯t hear anyone call back his name. He didn¡¯t even hear something like a rustle, or a word too muffled or distorted to really make out. It was just silence.


    Silence.


    He resisted the urge to hit the nearest machine, instead just muttering one of the worst curses he could think of. Clover wasn¡¯t here. He didn¡¯t even think there was a way he could tell where she was, if she couldn¡¯t hear him. And since the candle was still in his hand, that had to have meant that she was completely in the dark.


    Wait, the candle.


    It was definitely more melted than it had been before, far more than he thought should¡¯ve been possible with how long they¡¯d been here. Unless they were here a lot longer than they thought they were? No, that couldn¡¯t be it. It looked completely fine until he blinked. Why did he have to blink?


    I have to find Clover, was the first thing that came into his mind. I have to get out of here, was the second.


    No one¡¯s going to be able to help Clover if we¡¯re both stuck here.


    He forced his mind to slow down, and try to grasp his surroundings. Not like there was really much to see. Just stupid machines, dumb notes, and the complete lack of his friend. But he couldn¡¯t just plow through this.


    ¡°What would she do?¡± he questioned aloud with a sigh. ¡°She¡¯s smart. Smarter than me. She¡¯d probably have a system or something, right? A way to know what we passed and how to make sure we could meet somewhere¡­¡±


    The first thing he did was try to find the nearest note. He seemed to be in the same place he was before, so they should¡¯ve been on their way back out the way they came, right? He had to, unless this scientist guy was also capable of manipulating time and space. Which, actually, he might very well be, given the fact a second was all it took for the friends to be separated.


    But as hard as he looked¡ªgetting as close as he dared to the machine closest to him, unwilling to see what it would suddenly do if he did so¡ªhe couldn¡¯t find a note. Slowly, he moved to the one in front of him. There wasn¡¯t a note on that one, either. Or on the third one he checked. Not even the fourth.


    Slowly, and with a growing sense of dread, he reached into his bag. He¡¯d put a couple of notes in there from before, so that he had something more concrete that he could bring back to town. He knew that he put them in there.


    Yet when he reached in¡ªeven when he sat the candle up, took off his bag, and dug through it¡ªhe found nothing.


    All of the notes were gone.


    He even pulled out one of the log books, but that was empty, too. Before he was able to stop himself, he threw the book as hard as he could into the darkness.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    His anger was soon subsided by curiosity as, when he heard the book hit something, it wasn¡¯t a metallic sound. He would¡¯ve figured it would hit one of the machines, but it didn¡¯t sound like it did. So he quickly packed up his bag again and went to see what it had hit.


    It was the wall.


    He couldn¡¯t remember the last time that he actually saw one of the walls to this room. Maybe not since they¡¯d gotten there. But he knew that they had entered near one. If he could just follow the wall, then he¡¯d be able to find the hatch again. He hoped. It was probably the closest thing he had to a plan, and it was one that Clover¡ªif she ever saw the wall¡ªwould notice, too. Even if they didn¡¯t meet up with each other before then, they¡¯d see each other once they were out of this room.


    They had to be.


    Nik chose a random direction and just kept walking. He stopped for a second or two, to try to see if any of the notes had magically reappeared, but they were still all gone. How could someone have the ability to do that, anyway? Maybe this scientist guy did know some magic. That was just about the only explanation he had for something that, otherwise, would defy all other laws that he knew of.


    And if it was magic, that meant two things: one, that it was fake, even if it seemed pretty real in the moment, and two, it would have to come to an end eventually. Even those fancy enchanted things couldn¡¯t last forever, right? He hoped they didn¡¯t. That was just about the only reassurance he could give himself.


    The candle flickered after a little bit, and he looked down to see that it wouldn¡¯t last much longer. Either I¡¯ve seriously lost track of time, or this thing is burning faster than it¡¯s supposed to. Great. He just resolved to walk a little quicker¡ªhe wasn¡¯t going to get any further just by standing around and panicking.


    As he walked, he tried his best to be as aware of his situation as he could. Anything that he could use to help Clover, or to convince anyone else to come here in the first place, needed to be taken note of and remembered. He was probably lucky that they liked her. He knew what the town thought about this place, and the apathy they were capable of showing if they didn¡¯t want to get themselves involved in something. Maybe if it had been the other way around¡ªClover had left, without finding him¡ªthey would¡¯ve needed a lot more convincing. He was an outsider, after all. But he knew Clover was more important to them  than he was. They¡¯ll put in the effort if she was the one who needed it.


    But wait, wasn¡¯t he just getting ahead of himself? Maybe Clover wasn¡¯t really stuck. Maybe she was already out, waiting up in the shed for him. That had to be it. No way that she¡¯d let some place like this stop her that easily. Right?


    It wasn¡¯t long after the thought crossed his mind that he saw some light from above. That had to be the hatch back into the shed.


    Had they shut in on their way down? He couldn¡¯t quite remember, and at that moment, he didn¡¯t quite care. He quickly walked over to the hatch, then climbed up the ladder.


    ¡°Looks like it¡¯s all the same up here¡­¡± he mumbled as he took a look around. ¡°Clover¡¯s not up here¡­¡±


    He noticed something else, too. There¡¯d been notes here before, but like all the others, they were gone now. From how the defense mechanism was explained, he would¡¯ve thought that it only lasted in that room. Did it have a wider effect..? Or maybe someone else came and took some, even if that didn¡¯t necessarily bring him any comfort.


    The candle had flickered out nearly as soon as he got up there, so he was just left staring into the darkness for a moment or so. As much as he hated to admit it, he really couldn¡¯t go back for Clover; he didn¡¯t have a light anymore, not one that would¡¯ve taken a while to search for. And at that point, his time would probably be better spent just getting back to the town.


    They¡¯ll know what to do.


    He did, however, decide to shout one last thing down the hatch before preparing to leave: ¡°Clover, if you can hear me, I¡¯m going to head back and get some help! If you¡¯re stuck, just¡­ focus on getting back up here! If you¡¯re not stuck, then let me know! I can¡¯t wait here for long if you¡¯re in trouble somewhere¡­¡± There was no response. He¡¯d even go so far as to say there were no sounds at all, aside from his own breathing and the gentle creak of the shed. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ll be back! I¡¯m going to leave some supplies right by the entrance, but I should return before you need them. I¡¯ll leave the hatch open, too. Maybe you¡¯ll be able to use that light to get out. Okay?¡±


    He didn¡¯t know why he was still waiting; there wasn¡¯t going to be any more answers.


    He simply nodded to himself, then dug through his bag to pull out some emergency supplies. Food, water, and first aid kit, all tucked into a bag that, for the most part, would keep wildlife out of it. He sat it right beside the hatch, then forced himself to leave. The only thing keeping him from staying and waiting for her was a simple reality: that wasn¡¯t going to solve anything.


    Only getting back to town as fast as possible would.

 Extras: Character Card and Sheet- Delphine

    Extra character card info:You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    A child of Fleyw Bresh who resided within the Anysia Caverns. Though she¡¯d lost her twin when her family came down into the caves, her misfortune wasn¡¯t for nothing; she ended up befriending the Minotaur, allowing the Fleyw Bresh to maintain their guardian. While the others went up to the surface once Lucas became king, she stayed with the Minotaur until her death.

 Soul Shattered: Chapter 9

    It was so late at night that he was almost willing to call it early morning by the time he got back to town. But he wasn¡¯t tired¡ªhe couldn¡¯t be, not when the other member of his team wasn¡¯t with him, not when she needed his help. A part of him had hoped that, anywhere along his hurried trip back, he would see a sign that Clover had simply just come out before him. But the boat was still there, with no note¡ªand he knew she¡¯d leave a note. She was too meticulous, too careful, to leave without any kind of explanation or reassurance.


    And all of that hope was dead when he returned to the dock, knocked on the door of the boat rental guy¡¯s cabin, and explained the situation.


    ¡°Knew letting you kids out there was a bad idea,¡± the man muttered. ¡°I should¡¯ve trusted my gut when it said that you were going to do nothing but get into trouble.¡±


    ¡°This is serious!¡± Nik gave an exaggerated gesture towards the door. ¡°I don¡¯t know anything about where she is or what she¡¯s dealing with right now!¡±


    ¡°I thought you were supposed to be extremely well-prepared?¡±


    ¡°Oh! I guess we should¡¯ve prepared for some lunatic¡¯s experiments then!¡± He was nearly ready to push the man out of the door and into town. ¡°Are you going to help or not?¡±


    In a frankly surprising twist, it was the man who pushed Nik out of the way. He gave one look back at the boy and waved for him to follow. ¡°Of course I am. Don¡¯t know who you think I am, kid, but I¡¯m not the kind of guy who leaves a well-paying customer out to die somewhere. The two of you are practically one of the few people keeping this business of mine alive, you know. Don¡¯t suppose you had a plan?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ get help, and get back to Clover. Isn¡¯t that enough?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I can tell which one of you is the planner. You need more of a plan than that if you¡¯re going to want to rescue somebody. You¡¯ve got to make sure you know what you¡¯re going to need and what your plan is going to be. Luckily for you, though, you¡¯re not the one doing this alone.¡±


    ¡°So does that mean you have a better plan..?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going to talk to the knights and get a few of them to help. I know some of them work the graveyard shift. They¡¯ll put one of their teams together, and then we¡¯ll be ready to go. Oh, and we should probably get someone to talk to Clover¡¯s parents. They¡¯re going to want to know what¡¯s happening.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound like it¡¯s going to be very quick.¡±


    ¡°How fast you do it doesn¡¯t matter if you¡¯re underprepared, kid. Trust me.¡±


    If there was one thing Nik hated most about that night¡ªmorning?¡ªit was how often he ended up having to explain what happened. Practically every person that they came across, he had to tell the story to. It never got easier to say it; it seemed to only remind him of how stupid he was, for not somehow predicting this in the first place. Clover hadn¡¯t really wanted to go there anyway. Maybe he should¡¯ve listened to her.


    And now see where they were.


    It took an agonizingly long time in order to get to the knights and have them let Nik lead the way. That wasn¡¯t even half of it¡ªthey had to keep asking questions as they walked, as if this was just a casual scroll with not-so-casual conversation topics.


    ¡°You said there was a scientist there?¡± one of the knights¡ªprobably the leader, given how the others acted around her¡ªasked. ¡°Do you have any details about him? His name, appearance, time of residence?¡±Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t all that interested in the scientist, but we did try to find the details about some of the people he might¡¯ve ¡®worked¡¯ with. Iva Lior and Stefan Handel. He used them in his experiments.¡±


    ¡°And where is your proof of this..?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already mentioned it to you, it¡¯s all gone!¡±


    ¡°I hope you understand that there¡¯s nothing I can do about that half of the situation if there¡¯s nothing to back it up with. There¡¯s very likely several other possible solutions, most of which can have nothing to do with what you¡¯re talking about.¡±


    ¡°I think you¡¯re going to change your mind once you see it¡­¡±


    He didn¡¯t like the head of the town¡¯s knights. This was, of course, the first time he¡¯d ever had to interact with her¡ªor, honestly, even acknowledge that she existed¡ªbut that didn¡¯t change his opinions. Wasn¡¯t she supposed to be here in order to keep everyone safe? Why did he get the feeling that she didn¡¯t really care? There were probably a handful of reasons for it, though his mind chose to ignore all of them.


    All he really thought about was how much she must¡¯ve questioned him. Him, an outsider, getting one of their better liked locals into danger. She probably thought he was stupid.


    And, frankly, he didn¡¯t disagree with that assumption.


    ¡°With all due respect, milady, I believe I¡¯ve heard those names on some reports before,¡± another knight remarked, getting closer to the leader.


    She gave a passing glance over to him, though she seemed to consider him in the same way she considered Nik. So maybe she thought all of them were stupid. ¡°What about them? They weren¡¯t a part of anything that happened in our viscount¡¯s lands, that I know for certain.¡±


    ¡°They were from nearby towns, but not under our viscount. Lior was a maid, if I recall correctly, who went missing about ten years ago. And while I don¡¯t remember all the details, I believe Handel was a scholar from another section of Jaden territory.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t necessarily sound like something that would concern us. For all we know, Lior ran away for one reason or another. Whatever happened to her after that falls only within her own hands.¡±


    Nik scuffed. ¡°Do you really not care that something like that happened in your area? What kind of knights are you, if you don¡¯t even seem to care about what you¡¯re responsible for taking care of?¡±


    The leader only shot him a dark glare. There seemed to be many things she could say, but she just shook her head. ¡°We don¡¯t have the evidence of anything yet, is all. Once we have some concrete proof, all of this will become a lot easier, and I believe we might even come to a mutual agreement about the situation. But I think you fail to realize that I¡¯ve dealt with too many false alarms regarding this stupid island in order to take all of them seriously.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going to end up making a mistake,¡± he grumbled. He knew, because that¡¯s what he¡¯d done. It was a lot easier to do than he imagined.


    ¡°We¡¯ll see about that.¡±


    The other soldier then moved a bit closer to Nik. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± he whispered, as if everyone couldn¡¯t hear him anyway, ¡°she¡¯s always like that. As long as we can find something to back your story up with, she¡¯ll change her tune.¡±


    Nik felt his heart drop when he heard the tone. ¡°You think I¡¯m lying, too?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t take it the wrong way, kid.¡± The soldier shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ there¡¯s a lot of stories around that place. Minds like to make stuff up, you know? So when they¡¯ve got a story to base it all off of, they can warp things to match those possibly false perceptions. You¡¯re not the first person that has said they saw something here and wanted us to investigate it. You¡¯re probably going to be far from the last. But in almost all of those cases, there wasn¡¯t a single piece of evidence that backed up what they thought they heard or saw. In those cases when they did, it was just some wild animal or convenient weather damage.¡±


    ¡°So you don¡¯t believe me at all.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say that. In fact, I¡¯m more inclined to believe you than not. There¡­ have been a couple of disappearances around that island. I¡¯m sure that you already realized that, with all of the research it sounded like you and Clover did. And, as you can see now, we take those much more seriously.¡± He patted Nik¡¯s shoulder, as if it was really supposed to be reassuring. ¡°You did a good thing coming to us, and anyone would be lucky to have a friend as caring as you are about her. We¡¯ll find her and bring her home safely, alright? You were quick, and so are we. We¡¯ll be able to sort out what happened in no time.¡±

 Soul Shattered: Chapter 10

    Well, they¡¯d found her. They¡¯d gone back to where the two of them had separated to find the place all lit up, each and every one of the machines that had been in here before gone. All but one, anyway¡ªthe one that Clover was next to. For a minute, Nik had feared the worst when he saw her lying down on the ground. But the knights had told him that she was only unconscious, and that she was completely fine otherwise. They brought her back home and made sure her parents understood every bit of the situation.


    Honestly, a part of him had hoped that they¡¯d be mad. That they¡¯d blame him. But they didn¡¯t¡ªthey thanked the knights for their service, and then made it explicitly clear that he couldn¡¯t have known something like this was going to happen.


    But he found himself determined to do something else then: to set things right. He worked with the knights to uncover and interpret the minimal evidence that they were able to find on the island, even convincing them to completely shut the place off while they investigated. Apparently no one thought about it before.


    Or maybe they thought no one was ever stupid enough to try.


    No matter how busy he found himself in the weeks that followed, he always made sure to visit Clover¡¯s parents. There was a lot they were going through. The least he could do was be there with them.


    As soon as Mrs. Glynn saw him, she eagerly gestured him inside. ¡°Oh, Nik! It¡¯s been a couple of days. Did you take a short break to go visit home? Tell me, how are your parents doing?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I checked up on them.¡± That was a lie. Well, kind of. He¡¯d sent them a letter a couple of days ago to tell him that he was still in the middle of the investigation and that he still wasn¡¯t going to come back for another couple of weeks at the earliest. He¡¯d gotten a response from them, but¡­ he hadn¡¯t looked at it yet. ¡°They¡¯re both doing good.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s wonderful. Would you like some tea while you¡¯re here? As luck would have it, I was just starting a pot.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but¡­ I didn¡¯t really intend on staying long. There¡¯s still a lot of work I¡¯ve got to do.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense! Let¡¯s go and relax for a little bit. You deserve it for all the hard work you¡¯ve been doing. Besides, there¡¯s something I want to tell you that I think you¡¯re going to like to hear.¡±


    ¡°There is..?¡±


    He followed her inside, and took a seat in the living room. He watched her dart in and out a couple of rooms, including to drag her husband out and sit him down in the armchair across the room.


    After setting a cup of tea in front of Mr. Glynn and Nik, Mrs. Glynn finally sat down and took a sip from her own cup.


    ¡°Do you remember, Nik, when we said that the doctor suggested we get someone from the Lysha? Since that note you found next to her mentioned something about a spirit?¡±


    He nodded. ¡°Were you able to get in contact with one of them? I assume it wouldn¡¯t be too hard to do¡ªall things considered, Levi Asari isn¡¯t that far away from here¡­¡±


    ¡°Actually, it was the original reason that I was preparing tea. We were able to get in touch with them much quicker than we thought, and we just got word that they¡¯ll be coming by soon.¡±


    Mr. Glynn nodded. ¡°Seems the case has caught some interest there. The letter mentioned them sending the Vulture, didn¡¯t it?¡±Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    ¡°Mhm. That and a child of Fleyw Bresh. Just to be sure.¡± She took another calm sip of tea, then seemed to remember something. ¡°Oh! Nik, do you know where those notes they found are being kept? I¡¯m quite certain the letter mentioned wanting to see that, too. I know that no one here was able to make any sense of them, but if it¡¯s the Vulture that¡¯s going to be here, then maybe he can.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re with the knights. Remind me and I¡¯ll show it to them when they get here. I don¡¯t want to end up missing them if they¡¯re coming soon.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure that will be perfect. Thank you, dear.¡±


    They talked for a little bit about nothing in particular¡ªliterally anything that would fill in the silence while they waited for their next guest. It was a special kind of agony to wait, honestly; Nik remembered the reason he had almost avoided visiting them, despite how guilty and responsible he felt for the whole mess they now found themselves in.


    But he didn¡¯t have too long to think about that, fortunately, when there was another knock on the door. Mr. Glynn was the one to get up and welcome who it was and, soon enough, two new people walked into the living room with him: a ugly in his early thirties holding a handful of papers and wore the signal of the Vulture on his belt, and a younger kid who¡­ honestly didn¡¯t look like much, but who must¡¯ve been the child of Fleyw Bresh. There wasn¡¯t really a lot of them in this place anyway, it was probably the best that they could find. And as long as they knew what they were doing, Nik didn¡¯t mind that.


    ¡°She¡¯s in her room now, I can show her to you,¡± Mr. Glynn was saying as they walked in. ¡°Unless you¡¯d like to meet my wife and a friend of Clover¡¯s first. You could have a cup of tea if you want, too. Really, there¡¯s not that big of a rush¡­¡±


    ¡°No, you were right the first time.¡± The Vulture nodded wisely at his own words. ¡°At least in concept. The earlier we¡¯re able to get this done and get some results, the better. Oh! But I should properly introduce myself, before getting to my business. I¡¯m Nehi, the Vulture. This is simply a new recruit of the Lysha. I brought them along because of their ties to the Fleyw Bresh¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m quite good with Truth magic,¡± they said in a near-whisper. ¡°Th-that¡¯s the kind of magic we use to interact with spirits. I¡¯ll do all I can to help.¡±


    Mrs Glynn nodded. ¡°I believe I can speak for us all when I say that we¡¯re already more at ease with the two of you here. Go on and check on her. I¡¯ll make sure some tea and snacks are ready for you when you¡¯re all done.¡±


    ¡­


    After probably only about ten minutes but what felt like ten hours, Nehi calmly came back down and explained that he had absolutely no idea what had happened. ¡°The young lady doesn¡¯t have a spirit,¡± he¡¯d said, as if that was something that they didn¡¯t already know, like it really explained anything. ¡°That is about the extent of what I was able to learn. Unfortunately, the Lysha deals in spirits, not in souls.¡±


    And that was when he pushed the child of Fleyw Bresh¡ªwho had been nervously hiding behind him¡ªout into the open. Then they explained, ¡°But I was able to learn something. I-I wasn¡¯t able to learn the specifics, but I was able to tell that her soul had split. A part of it currently resides in her. The other part¡­ it is not with Vriuh, because otherwise the other part would¡¯ve drifted down to join it, but it is not with her. If, by some miracle, the missing part can be met with what remains with her, then she should return to normal.¡±


    After some questioning, they also gave the half-reassurance, ¡°She will not want for anything in this state. It is¡ªwhat¡¯s a good way to put this for you..? Oh!¡ªin ¡®hibernation.¡¯ She will sleep until her soul is whole again, but in her stasis, she does not need subsistence. I only recommend that you take care of her body, so that her soul has something to return to when it is found.¡±


    Clover¡¯s parents still had questions, so the child of Fleyw Bresh stayed with them. Nehi had asked Nik about the notes, so they left for the knights¡¯ headquarters.


    ¡°You know, I could use some help with my research,¡± Nehi remarked. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that you¡¯re already well involved in the matter as it is. If I¡¯m to sort this out, I¡¯m going to need someone who¡¯s aware of some details I can¡¯t learn on my own.¡±


    Nik kicked a pebble. ¡°Dunno if you want to listen to anything I say,¡± he grumbled. ¡°According to everyone else, there¡¯s no proof for any of it. Probably made the rest of it up.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡±


    He looked up at the Vulture, waiting to hear perhaps the same things he¡¯d been hoping for this entire time.


    ¡°There¡¯s something else going on here. I have all the resources and time capable of figuring out what it is. All I¡¯m missing is someone who was there, who can guide me in the right direction. So, will you help me?¡±

 Extras: Character Card and Sheet- Natharie

    Extra character card info:


    A beast tamer from Insith¡¯s circus but hasn¡¯t stepped into the spotlight since his death and Sukeena took over. Now working on many of the behind-the-scenes details, the closest Natharie has gotten to joining the show is when she¡¯s training their newest member, Dabur. Otherwise, she much enjoys the lack of attention, though it means she often has time to consider the past and all the memories that come with it.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

 What Time Forgot: A Dying Light (Mazel)

    A Fos like her¡ªone of the oldest¡ªcouldn¡¯t escape the sight of ichor. She had, most likely, seen more of it than many of the others. That didn¡¯t mean she liked it or ever got comfortable seeing it. She would say she definitely was never prepared for it.


    Especially not when it came from Danai¡¯s now-shattered wings.


    She also stood among them as one of the few that realized what was going on, the handful that maintained a false sense of calm as they helped usher the other Fos out of the way. She¡¯d been there for many of the births of these Fos; she¡¯d heard how, almost every time, Sokratas would remind Danai that the Fos were not like Eldrianna¡¯s Ski¨¢. The Ski¨¢ were created from the shadows, meant to be servants and soldiers. The Fos were made from Danai¡¯s power alone, born from her light to be guides and companions. While there was no limit to Eldrianna¡¯s army, there was for Danai¡¯s messengers.


    And the Fos sitting in front of Danai, with the white robes and blank expression, must¡¯ve been the last one.


    Mazel, in her mind, had prepared the explanation she would give the others. Being the elder among them, she was the most likely to quell their fears. But¡­ the longer she thought about it, making quiet promises to the others to help ease their anxieties, she realized she didn¡¯t know as much as she needed to. She couldn¡¯t really assure them. Not when she herself grew nervous thinking of the implications. As the scene went on, she became less confident; Daphni emerged from her room to guide Danai into it and Sokratas and Natasa worked together to bring the new Fos into where the rest were. Sokratas left again, asking something of Micah, before also going to Daphni¡¯s room. Natasa stayed with the Fos, her kind voice and eventual harp performance contributing to the lack of chaos.


    ¡°What¡¯s going to happen..?¡± Aither dared to ask. He usually went on missions with the older Fos¡ªhe was probably the youngest to not instead ask, What happened?


    Natasa didn¡¯t lose her soft expression. ¡°We don¡¯t know. Micah should be talking with Orestis now¡ªHe¡¯ll know what we should do. Until then, we¡¯ve just got to wait for His answer. There¡¯s certainly nothing that we can do on our own.¡±Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    None of them seemed to like that answer, but none of them were in a position to question it.


    ¡°Well, we should go about work like usual, right?¡± Mazel asked.


    ¡°See if Kiri¡¯s busy,¡± Natasa suggested with a nod. ¡°They can help you get all the Fos where they need to be. Then you can take care of your new sibling.¡±


    ¡­


    The new Fos was given the name Iztali. He had a Ski¨¢ counterpart¡ªLekra¡ªwho stayed with their dreamer. Even though Iztali was meant to be with that dreamer, too, the gods decided to keep him in Sanctuary for six years. Mazel liked talking to him during that time; he was kind, but there was a lot happening that he either didn¡¯t know or didn¡¯t understand. She wanted to help him, for some reason more than the hundreds of Fos that she¡¯d been present for the births of.


    Maybe it was because everyone knew how important he was, and most decided not to interact with him because of it.


    After those six years, Iztali went to be with his dreamer. He¡¯d never returned to Sanctuary once in that time¡ªit never seemed to be a good moment to do so. Mazel visited him once or twice, though, as a mourning dove to see how he was doing. His dreamer really took good care of him. She¡¯d heard fragments of what the gods¡¯ plans were and, seeing them together, she¡¯d felt confident that they¡¯d be able to work.


    But things didn¡¯t work out that way. Now his dreamer and Lekra were in a place where gods could not help them, and Iztali was back in Sanctuary¡­ unable to transform, surrounded by darkness, and kept alive through the ambrosia-feeding contraption Faidon and Sokratas had built.


    Mazel still visited him between her own missions; she was the only Fos brave enough to step into the room, or walk past its doors without exchanging nervous glances or whispers. She didn¡¯t know if he could feel it, but she held his hand when he started getting nightmares. Sometimes she and Danai would be there together, and they¡¯d bring up the possibility of his light going out¡ªneither of them knew, so it always ended with a simple ¡°Let¡¯s hope we don¡¯t find out.¡±


    But this time, Mazel was alone. She held his hand though it did nothing to help his frantic mumbles.


    Her role as a Fos was to make the most impossible of wishes come true. Yet only mortals would ever be able to feel that satisfaction; she could do nothing for the other Fos. She couldn¡¯t help Iztali¡­ and she couldn¡¯t save herself from seeing any more of her fellow lights getting snuffed out.

 Extras: Character Card and Sheet- Jun

    Extra character card info:


    Orestis¡¯s only Messenger and, aside from Micah, the only one who can directly speak with him. They became a Messenger during the time of legends, leaving all fragments of their past life behind them. They care not for mortals, past relationships, or future allies¡ªthey simply care about doing what Orestis wants done¡­ which can be seen as a problem by a certain Fos they had met as a child.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

 What Time Forgot: Relying on a Hope and a Prayer (Evelina)

    Was it her, or did Koyana get cuter the longer they knew each other? Of course she did. She was already beautiful and kind. It only seemed to grow when they all sat around the table with their little strips of paper, and there she was¡ªthoughtfully considering what she might write, before laughing and declaring, ¡°You know? I can¡¯t think of a single thing I want to wish for this year. I¡¯ve gotten everything I wanted.¡±


    Almost against her own will, Evelina had hidden her own paper and its writing from view. She could¡¯ve even fooled herself when she managed a smile and lied, ¡°Neither can I.¡±


    That afternoon, they joined the rest of the town in tying all their paper strips to the large oak that had, for as long as anyone remembered, held this burden of wishes. Two days later Evelina was watching all those wishes sway in the breeze from the kitchen window. Tonight, they¡¯d all go up to the heavens, where the gods would decide if the wishes would come true or not.


    Now, it wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t believe in divine timing and intervention. It was just that her life had taught her that, sometimes, things call for a little more than a hope and a prayer.


    Not like she was doing anything but sitting here, glaring at that oak like it had the answer yet refused to give it.


    ¡°Something bothering you?¡± Olle¡¯s voice startled her, but the question was only meant as general conversation. He gave her an almost worried look before continuing to start preparing dinner.


    Evelina let out a bit of nervous laughter. ¡°Is it that obvious..?¡±


    ¡°To an average person? Probably not. But you know there¡¯s not a lot that¡¯ll get past me.¡±


    ¡°Right¡­¡±


    ¡°Want to tell me what it is? Maybe I¡¯ll be able to help.¡±


    ¡°I doubt there¡¯s a lot you can do.¡± Yet, despite knowing that, she¡ªfor the first time in likely an hour¡ªturned her attention away from that oak to face him. ¡°What would you do if¡­ you realized you liked someone, but you don¡¯t know how to tell that to her, or what to do to show her that, or even if she¡¯d be interested in you¡­¡± She trailed off, realizing exactly what she was up against, and sighed. ¡°This is hopeless¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, if I were you in this totally-hypothetical situation,¡± Olle began casually, ¡°I¡¯d ask Demery.¡±You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    ¡°Wh-who said it was¡ª¡°


    ¡°Your face, just now. Don¡¯t worry, my lips are sealed.¡±


    Fighting back down her brief panic, she mumbled, ¡°How¡¯s he going to help anything?¡±


    ¡°Well, he¡¯s her brother. I¡¯d say if anyone would have the kind of knowledge that will help you out, if not just answer a couple of your questions, it¡¯s going to be him.¡±


    ¡°What if he can¡¯t help?¡± It was a substitute for what she really didn¡¯t want to ask out loud: What if he tells me what I¡¯m afraid of?


    ¡°Then at least you¡¯ll know for sure.¡±


    ¡­


    She woke up the next morning to see that, as per tradition, the paper strips were no longer there. But she didn¡¯t spend more time wistfully considering which wishes the gods might fulfill. She worked up the courage to talk with Demery and, when he offered to get groceries, she elected herself as his helper.


    They took two steps outside the house before he asked, ¡°I¡¯m assuming there¡¯s something you want to talk to me about?¡±


    She beat down her first instinct to deny it, then nodded. ¡°I¡­ wanted to ask you some questions about Koyana. I think she¡¯s¡­ really great, and I want her to know that, but I¡ª¡°


    ¡°She wouldn¡¯t think of you the same.¡± Those were the exact words she dreaded.


    She wished she could merge into the shadows and never come out. ¡°I¡ªI assumed as much, after what she said about¡ª¡°


    ¡°She didn¡¯t think that about Vero either.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    He seemed amused at how utterly confused she was. ¡°She¡¯s practically told me herself that she doesn¡¯t think of anyone like that. I¡¯ve seen it myself¡ªVero wasn¡¯t the only guy who flirted with her, he was just the only one she wasn¡¯t oblivious to. And even that had its limits.¡± He shrugged. ¡°If you want to try to talk with her, then go for it. It won¡¯t hurt to ask if she¡¯d like to walk around town with you or admit how you feel about her. But you¡¯ve got to pay attention to where she draws the line, and make sure you stand well away from it.¡±


    ¡­


    She was going to ask, she really was. Now that both Olle and Demery knew, they must¡¯ve constructed some elaborate excuse to allow the two of them time together. Evelina felt that she was on the verge of saying it, of showing Koyana the little trinket Demery had helped her pick out, of bracing herself for whatever the response would be. But whenever she opened her mouth, Koyana did or said something that made her words disappear, and she had to build them up all over again. Eventually she¡¯d attempted casual conversation, though there never came a time to mention it then. They spent all that time without a single mention of deeper feelings or gifts given.


    So¡­ maybe Evelina had been wrong in her first guess. There were some situations that she could handle on her own. But she had a feeling her hopes and prayers were the only thing she could offer; if she couldn¡¯t find the words herself, perhaps Talmi would help her¡­

 Extras: Art- Covers and Preview

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    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    The full versions of the cover art for Soul Shattered (featuring Clover) and Dualities of Messengers (featuring Kiri in the center and, counterclockwise from bottom left, Verity, Jaceuqline, Neville, Hayze, Kaius, and Tevie), including a preview for the cover of The Butterfly Effect Volume 6 (featuring... a random siren I designed on the spot, to be honest)! As you might be able to guess, the next extra will probably be to announce Volume 6.

 What Time Forgot: Origin of Darkness (Eldrianna)

    It was almost funny, in a terribly painful way. He was the only one that deserved the fate that the world would suffer in due time. But she no longer cared for the others, for in their nature they were his, and anything of his was best left in ruins.


    The world was in its infant stages. Civilizations were being born but they had yet to truly prosper or branch off from one another. She found those times quite fascinating. Both of them did.


    She knew Danai would deny it now¡ªthat she had ever stepped foot outside of Sanctuary, ever interacted with the mortals and their budding cultures. Yet it was a sin they had both committed.


    Danai peered from one side of the street to the next, her smile getting wider each time she did so. Eldrianna alternated between watching her¡ªshe could vaguely recall being happy in seeing her sister¡¯s delight¡ªand the people on the street. That¡¯s when a certain individual caught her attention.


    ¡°Danai, what if we actually go down there?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Her eyes grew wide and she stepped closer into the shadows, as if that really made them less noticeable.


    Eldrianna laughed. ¡°Go out there, talk with them. We¡¯re still their goddesses, aren¡¯t we? Why don¡¯t we give them something to write about?¡±


    ¡°That sounds like a terrible idea. What if Orestis found out?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m very disappointed in both of you,¡± Eldrianna began in the intentionally worst impression of Orestis she could do, ¡°even though I somehow haven¡¯t cared to notice it until now. How dare you. Now you must stand in a corner or something. Honestly I don¡¯t care as long as you don¡¯t bother me as I create my ¡®master plan.¡¯¡±


    She laughed at Danai¡¯s expression. That was the only true difference between them¡ªone saw Orestis on the same level as the rest of them, and the other exalted him to such heights no one could¡¯ve naturally reached.


    After a conflicted moment, Danai shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ll stay here and watch.¡± She retreated to a place where it was pretty unlikely she was going to be able to see anything. ¡°Have fun.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I will,¡± Eldrianna said with a smirk. ¡°You¡¯ll wish you were with me.¡±


    She was only half surprised that Danai still hadn¡¯t ended up following her. Eldrianna didn¡¯t mind being alone, though. She almost blended in that way¡ªthough still stood out enough to get the kind of attention she was hoping for.


    Most of them, unfortunately, did nothing but stare. That was normal; mortals could sense someone of greater power among them and it was the kind of air she was certain she radiated, as a goddess. She¡¯d be told later a part of it was the aura of darkness that mortals could pick up on, too. She hadn¡¯t minded it then, but¡­ sometimes she wondered why Orestis had made them that way, if her turning was not in his plan.


    Or, if he¡¯d always expected her to Fall, why he bothered keeping her around in the first place¡­ and why he seemed so unprepared and desperate when she started tearing things down around him. He certainly wasn¡¯t the one with a trap planned; she knew for certain he never truly watched over his creations.


    ¡°Hey!¡± a young man, one about the age that she and Danai presented themselves as, walked up to her. He grinned. ¡°I don¡¯t know if this is rude to ask, but, ah¡­ are those wings?¡±


    ¡°Of course they are,¡± she answered effortlessly.


    ¡°Does that make you a fairy?¡±


    ¡°A little more than that, actually.¡±


    He seemed curious and about to ask another question, before some older man called, ¡°Achadus! Stop wandering off, I need you!¡±


    The young man let out a sheepish chuckle. ¡°Well, that¡¯s my cue to go. Maybe I¡¯ll see you later.¡±


    She could barely get a mhm out before he ran off again.


    ¡­


    She found herself¡­ drawn to him. She wanted to be with him. She wanted to tell him stories, to hear his own. She¡¯d always wondered what it would feel like to participate in those mortal dances, the ones in groups or the ones with couples. Before, she could only ever imagine being alone in them¡ªnow, he was with her in every single one of those fantasies.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    He called her Dree, a nickname he chose to make her ¡°a little less goddess-y¡± or ¡°more approachable.¡± She loved to hear him whisper it to her.


    Eldrianna was upset, at first, when Danai began to refuse to join her on her trips out of Sanctuary. It had, honestly, been the first sign of the soon-to-be traitor. But, in Achadus¡¯s presence, all such thoughts disappeared; she didn¡¯t feel like a goddess, or have the lingering fear that her sister would betray her.


    There was¡­ one problem, however.


    ¡°What do you think, Dree? Aren¡¯t I a genius for having come up with something like this?¡± Achadus puffed his chest with pride, getting a small giggle out of her.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand why you¡¯ve made it all so complicated,¡± she remarked, still smiling. ¡°Though it does take a certain mix of cleverness and stupidity to do the things you¡¯ve decided to do.¡±


    He took on a more thoughtful expression; she always considered such a thing to be ill-fitting on him. ¡°I can¡¯t explain it, but I¡¯m sure that someone out there is going to appreciate this. I don¡¯t know who it¡¯s going to be or what they¡¯re going to be here for, but this is going to help them with¡­ something. I feel like this is my contribution to the world¡ªthe thing I do that keeps my name from becoming forgotten.¡±


    Panic coursed through every part of her being. ¡°Your name will never be forgotten. As long as I still exist, there will always be someone to remember you.¡±


    He chuckled, then pointed out, ¡°Thanks for the sentiment, but it doesn¡¯t mean nearly as much when it¡¯s coming from someone who lives forever.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ suppose it doesn¡¯t¡­¡±


    There was one thing keeping this from being perfect.


    He was mortal¡ªbound to join Vriuh¡¯s domain.


    ¡­


    Then, she was naive¡ªnaive enough to believe she could confide in Danai. Eldrianna told her sister all of her thoughts and feelings in one, nervous ramble, then ended off with what she planned to do. It would turn out to be her biggest mistake.


    She found him pale, leaning over papers, mumbling things. He hadn¡¯t quite been the same after his father¡¯s death¡ªhe usually denied spending large amounts of time with her.


    ¡°Achadus,¡± she said softly.


    That caught his attention and he gave her a weak smile. ¡°Dree. Have a special surprise for me?¡±


    ¡°I want to tell you something.¡±


    ¡°Really? If it¡¯s that you¡¯ve always loved me, I think I might feel better if you could show me.¡±


    She smiled. ¡°I can give you something better than a kiss. I can give you the gift of immortality¡ªto be a god, like me, so we won¡¯t have to ever be apart¡­¡±


    ¡­


    A few days passed until the time came when they were going to go through with it. But, as they walked together, sharing exciting plans of all the things they could see and do in their infinite time together¡­ she felt her surroundings change.


    Quietly, she could hear Achadus calling her that nickname and, distantly, feel the stares of the other townspeople. But she stood in the center of Sanctuary, Orestis just in front of her. Daphni, Faidon, Vaso, and Elle stared down with blank expressions. Eldrianna understood immediately what had happened, when she noticed Danai practically hiding behind Orestis, giving Eldrianna a glance before looking away.


    Fueled by anger and betrayal, Eldrianna asked the question she already knew the answer to. ¡°You told him?¡±


    Danai said nothing.


    Eldrianna would¡¯ve marched right next to her¡ªdemand a reason, something that made her deserve this, why her sister would choose to do it¡ªif some grander force had not forced her to stay still.


    ¡°You have disobeyed Me,¡± Orestis said in that lofty voice, one devoid of all emotion yet radiated power near impossible to face. ¡°You have not only interfered with My plan, but you have shared unspeakable secrets. For this, surely you understand the consequence.¡±


    ¡°Danai was with me!¡± Eldrianna insisted. She knew she was going down¡ªit was a matter of if she could drag someone down with her now. ¡°She did it, too!¡±


    Orestis didn¡¯t take his eyes off of Eldrianna. ¡°Danai, does she speak the truth?¡±


    A moment of silence, then, ¡°I would never disobey You. My Light is forever Yours.¡± Danai never looked up.


    ¡°Liar!¡± Eldrianna tried harder to break the invisible restraints, but she couldn¡¯t. As much as she wanted to force Danai to say it one more time to her face, loud enough for the world to hear, she couldn¡¯t.


    She froze completely when she felt her hand wrap around a dagger, one that had formed from nothing. Her betrayal turned to distress as Sanctuary began to fade again, yet she had no control over her body.


    ¡°You will suffer for this grave transgression.¡± Still, Orestis¡¯s voice was empty, unchanging. ¡°You will kill him¡ªhis soul will be one that Vriuh will never harbor. Then you will be banished from Sanctuary. Such a blatant sinner is not welcome among My blessed halls.¡±


    She couldn¡¯t argue. She couldn¡¯t fight. In a moment, she was standing in front of Achadus, who gently held her shoulders with a concerned expression.


    She¡¯d never cried before this, nor any time after, but it was the only thing she did at that point. Somehow, however, she managed the words ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡± before she stabbed him.


    As they both fell to the ground, she felt it¡ªthe thing that would mark her as Darkness, traitor of Orestis. Her wings shattered, the pain choking out whatever curses she might¡¯ve uttered. She was glad that Achadus was dead by then, because she didn¡¯t want him to suffer more¡ªto watch her ichor drip down her back and mix with his own pooling blood.


    She saw the mix of blood and ichor that day and assured herself of one thing:


    The whole world will remember this day, one way or another.

 Extras: Art- The Butterfly Effect Volume 6

    The Butterfly Effect Volume 6: "The Quest for a Home" will be out on Amazon now!


    Everyone longs to find a place where they belong, or return to a place of comfort. To some, that means running far away from all troubles and responsibilities, leaving every fragment of their old life behind¡­ until, of course, it all catches back up to them. To others, the journey only begins when they¡¯re forced out of their comfortable places¡­ and, despite all the hardships, perhaps even find an even better home than the one they¡¯d left behind.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    --


    This volume contains:


    -the full-length stories Second Chances and Uncharted Waters


    -the short stories Nightmare¡¯s Heart Part 1 and 2, Another Dreamer, The Tree Swallow, Spirits, and Keeping a Promise

 Old Friends- Chapter 1

    He liked when it was just the two of them. It may not have been much, but they had each other, and that¡¯s all he needed.


    ¡°Another!¡± He enthusiastically clapped his hands together, hoping that he might be able to sway her. He wanted them to stay together a little longer. He didn¡¯t want her to have to go.


    But she did exactly what he was afraid of: let out a soft chuckle and ruffled his hair. ¡°I¡±m sorry, Astyu, but I¡¯ve got work I need to do. How about you stay here and play with some of your other toys? I¡¯ll come check on you again when I¡¯m done.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to go¡­¡±


    Eme shook her head slowly. ¡°You know I¡¯ve got to go for now, dear. But I¡¯ll be back as soon as I¡¯ve done a few things. There¡¯s¡­ something I¡¯d like to take a look at. It won¡¯t take me long, I promise.¡±


    He mumbled something that certainly wasn¡¯t an agreement, but knew that there wasn¡¯t anything he could say, even at that age. ¡°Okay, Mother¡­¡± was what he could manage instead. He shouldn¡¯t get upset. That would just make her feel bad about doing the things he knew she had to do, and that wasn¡¯t going to get them anywhere¡­


    ¡­


    It took a little while, but he finally figured out what had been taking his mother¡¯s attention. Well, it wasn¡¯t really a what¡ªrather, it was a who. And even then, there was more than just a single person that was responsible for it.


    There were three.


    ¡°Thank you for hosting us again, Eme,¡± the scarier one¡ªJasmin¡ªsaid as she and her friends entered the estate. ¡°Kiara and I brought something for you as well. We thought that you and little Astyu might like it.¡±


    Kiara¡ªthe other odd one, but more unnerving, with his minimal understanding at his age¡ªnodded, and held out a little bag that she was carrying. ¡°You¡¯ve treated us to a lot of things while we were here. We wanted to treat you to something as well.¡±


    Eme smiled. It was the kind of smile she had only given him, once. But now there were others to share the attention with. Should he have been happy that she was happy? Maybe.


    But he knew something wasn¡¯t right. These weren¡¯t his mother¡¯s friends. He didn¡¯t know what they were, but he knew they weren¡¯t friendly. Not really.


    Not that¡­ he ever had the reasoning behind that, either.


    The third ¡°friend¡±¡ªher name was Brynn, and he thought she was the worst, since she didn¡¯t even try to talk to him¡ªstepped inside and wandered over to the parlor. ¡°Go on and open it. It¡¯ll keep the kid distracted, so maybe he won¡¯t be interrupting us so much like last time.¡±


    ¡°First of all, he¡¯s not interrupting us. I¡­ would like it if he tried not to, but he is allowed to ask me something if he really needs it. I¡¯m going to prioritize him over what we¡¯re doing.¡± Still, Eme gently took the bag and mumbled a small thank you. She got them all to sit down in the parlor before she sat it on the table and opened it. ¡°Oh! Astyu, come here and see what Jasmin and Kiara were kind enough to give you.¡±


    With a bit of reluctance¡ªhe didn¡¯t know if he trusted what those two not-really-friends might trick his mother with¡ªhe went over to her to look. And, to the surprise of the young boy, it wasn¡¯t rocks or snakes or some ancient and unspeakable curse.


    It was a little wooden doll, and a box of what must¡¯ve been candy.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    As he slowly pulled out the doll, Eme nudged him and whispered, ¡°Say ¡®thank you,¡¯ Astyu.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± he mumbled. He couldn¡¯t tell if he really meant it or not. What if this ended up being what had the weird and ancient curse on it? It certainly looked the part. At the same time that it was a bit comforting, it was also¡­ creepy.


    Eme turned her attention back to Jasmin and asked, ¡°Where did you get these from? It couldn¡¯t be from anywhere around here. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen things like this before.¡±


    ¡°Do you remember how we went out on a trip a few weeks ago? We got them both then. We saw them and thought they¡¯d make great presents for the two of you. We¡¯ve come across a lot of things while we were traveling before, but¡­ things like that never really seemed to matter. So I suppose, in a way, it¡¯s also a thank you for all that you¡¯ve helped us with¡­ and a symbol of hope that we¡¯ll be able to achieve much more.¡±


    ¡­


    Astyu didn¡¯t want to be alone. He kept thinking about what his mother and her friends were doing in one of the spare rooms. They never let him in¡ªand when he came to get Eme, she only opened the door just enough to see him¡ªbut he could tell something bad was happening. Sometimes, when he snuck past, he could see a dull glow shining through the gap at the bottom of the door. He could hear them talk to each other, but it didn¡¯t seem to make sense. He was able to piece together a few of the words that he¡¯d heard Eme or someone else use for other spells, but the rest were all foreign to him.


    And he wanted to understand what they meant just as much as she did. Which, simply put, was ¡°not at all.¡±


    It was evil, he knew that. He just didn¡¯t know exactly how it was evil. Or how he could prove that to his mother, for that matter. She liked her friends. He almost did, too. But¡­ something was wrong. Just like that doll.


    ¡°They¡¯re all nice women,¡± Eme told him every time he tried to say something. ¡°You need to stop this. At this point, you have no excuse for this kind of behavior. You¡¯re just being rude to them.¡±


    For a moment or two, he was actually able to believe what she said¡ªthat he was just making it up, that there really was no reason to be wary of them. Maybe he was just too young to understand it, and that was the only thing to it.


    Except, as soon as she started to think that¡­ things started happening.


    Bad things.


    Eme started to lose things around the house, and then something started ruining the estate¡¯s gardens. Her friends mentioned similar occurrences, varying from inconvenient problems to situations that, to him, seemed like a miracle they survived. It scared him.


    But what scared him more was what his mother started doing, and the things she would say to him whenever they came across each other in the halls.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got to make sure that you¡¯re a good boy, alright?¡± She pulled him into a hug. ¡°And I need you to promise that you¡¯re never going to make the same mistakes that I did. You need to keep yourself safe, and away from all of this. Don¡¯t ever repeat what you see or hear. Do you understand?¡±


    And he nodded, but what he really wanted to do was to say You¡¯re scaring me.


    ¡­


    He wouldn¡¯t be able to tell anyone what had happened to his mother. In theory, he knew what he saw¡ªbut it didn¡¯t make sense. He was stuck trying to figure out how it had happened, why she¡¯d left him. A couple of people had tried to come to the estate in the time¡ªhe wasn¡¯t really sure how long it was, honestly¡ªthat followed. But they were all just strangers. And strangers, he was certain, had been what had killed his mother. He wasn¡¯t going to trust them anymore. No matter who they were, no matter how friendly their faces, he remembered the people his mother had called friends¡­ and he was certain that things would only end up worse if he were to let someone else in.


    And then¡­ someone forced their way in. Which was to say, four people came through the door that had been unlocked all these years, and reminded him of the illusion that he lived in. He hadn¡¯t liked those illusions. But amidst it all, his magic was never something that he learned to control¡ªespecially not when emotions got involved.


    But those people let him out of those illusions. For the first time in a while, he was able to acknowledge just how lonely he had been¡­ and how he wasn¡¯t lonely anymore. Could¡­ could they really be trusted, though..? Friends had hurt his family before¡­


    As soon as that thought came¡ªas soon as he thought they had left¡ªthey¡¯d return. Or, at least, one of them would return.


    The half-siren that had introduced herself as Loraena.

 Old Friends- Chapter 2

    At first, he thought that he shouldn¡¯t¡ªno, couldn¡¯t¡ªtrust them. But¡­ they grew on him. They gave a kind of understanding that he was barely able to give himself, and in their presence, he no longer felt tied to the illusions. Eme had told him many times before that he should only stay with people who made him feel safe. He hadn¡¯t really thought that was possible, when she¡¯d told him; she was the only one he felt safe around, the only one he knew would always be there for him. He didn¡¯t think anyone who wasn¡¯t his mother could do something like that for him.


    And he certainly was pleasantly surprised.


    After a gentle knock on the door, Astyu was immediately opening it. Loraena stood on the other side holding a small bag, but the rest of them weren¡¯t here.


    ¡°I brought some snacks,¡± she explained with a warm smile. ¡°Ms. Kadnekh really wants you to visit, but she understands if you¡¯re not ready to be in an unfamiliar place for so long. So she made sure I brought some of these for you instead!¡±


    He smiled, too. It was hard not to, being in her presence. ¡°Maybe¡­ I can try. She sounds nice¡­¡±


    She seemed surprised at first, but then she enthusiastically nodded. ¡°That sounds great! I¡¯ll be sure to tell her and we can find a time for you to meet her.¡±


    ¡°But I¡­ had something else I wanted to ask, too.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Did I interrupt you..?¡±


    ¡°N-no. I just¡­ I was wondering¡­ Where¡¯s the others?¡±


    She let out a bit of nervous laughter. ¡°They¡¯re all a little busy. Do you remember what I told you last time? Regind¡¯s got this big alchemy event thing she¡¯s working really hard on, and Lynette¡¯s helping her with that, so neither of them could come. And Ragnis is always busy with something, but it¡¯s about time for another festival, so he¡¯s setting up some of that stuff.¡±


    Slowly, he stepped aside to let her in. Then he answered the question he knew that she was about to ask. ¡°I wanted to talk to you. All of you.¡±


    ¡°I know that it¡¯s not really a substitute, but I¡¯m always here if you don¡¯t mind having to repeat it for the others. Or if it¡¯s really important, I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll be able to ask them all to meet somewhere.¡±


    A sudden fear of everything that might happen came to mind. ¡°I-it doesn¡¯t matter that much.¡±


    She placed a hand on his shoulder, and made sure that they were making eye contact. ¡°You don¡¯t need to hide it from me if you have something you want to say. I¡¯m here to help. No matter what it is, I¡¯ll listen.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ think I¡¯m ready. I want to know. I¡¯m done not understanding everything, and only having a couple of unreliable memories to make sense of it. I want¡ªno, need¡ªto understand what happened.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± It was hard to tell if she was excited or a little bit concerned. ¡°You really think you¡¯re ready? There¡¯s no rush if you aren¡¯t¡­¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°I thought about it, and I¡¯m sure. I¡¯m ready to learn what happened to her¡ªwhat really happened. I don¡¯t want to just make guesses based on what little I know anymore.¡±Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s sit down and talk about it. This is a big step for you, and the others can be¡­ overwhelming sometimes. You¡¯ll probably feel a bit more confident and ready to talk to them¡ªand I¡¯ll be able to help you more, if you want it¡ªif you¡¯ve got a plan for it.¡±


    ¡°I have¡­ something. I don¡¯t really know if it¡¯s a good idea, though¡­¡±


    Astyu motioned for her to sit down before he did. That¡¯s what his mother would¡¯ve wanted, after all¡ªfor him to be polite. And he was sure that his mother would like him doing this, too, even if he still had his fears.


    Loraena took one of the treats out of the bag, handed it to Astyu, and then got one for herself. After taking a bite¡ªand mumbling how much she liked it, in a way he found rather endearing¡ªshe kindly pointed out, ¡°It¡¯s easier to start from somewhere. Most ideas aren¡¯t bad ideas, after all, and I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve got a good one!¡±


    He ate a bit of what she¡¯d given him, even if he wasn¡¯t really hungry, before slowly telling her more. It was his way of testing the waters, carefully deciding if the full thing was worth telling her. ¡°Do you remember the friends that Mother had that I told you about..? The ones that left around the same time she¡­ she died?¡±


    ¡°Those three that she always spent time with, right? I¡¯m pretty sure Ragnis mentioned remembering them. I don¡¯t think I ever saw them, though, or at least can¡¯t remember us interacting¡­¡± She shook her head. ¡°But that¡¯s not the point right now. Do you think they could help?¡±


    ¡°No one in Yllvamel really knows what happens. Most of them probably don¡¯t even realize that anything happened at all. But¡­ Mother¡¯s friends had been with her throughout all of it. If anyone has answers, it¡¯s them¡ªand I know that they do. As long as they¡¯re still¡­¡±


    He remembered the things they did, the conversations they had when they didn¡¯t think he was listening. Eme wasn¡¯t the only one that was suffering from it. And whatever had led to her death¡­ it wasn¡¯t unlikely that it had happened to the others.


    ¡°Hey. Stay in the moment, alright?¡± Loraena¡¯s calm voice dragged him out of the memories, and he nodded. He saw a glance of an illusion right behind her before it disappeared. Just another sign that he had a long way to go¡­ ¡°Do you know where her friends were? I thought you mentioned before that you haven¡¯t been in contact with them since Eme left.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ haven¡¯t. Really, I hadn¡¯t talked to them for a little bit before then¡ªall of them had a fight or something, and what Mother did was completely on her own. I don¡¯t really know where they went after they left Yllvamel, only that they did, and they haven¡¯t made any signs of wanting to come back¡­¡±


    ¡°Then what¡¯s your plan? We can¡¯t look for someone we don¡¯t know even a bit about where they are. I mean, there¡¯s a couple of things we can try, but not a lot of people know about them, and certainly wouldn¡¯t still be in touch¡­¡±


    ¡°I know. And I have a way to get past that. Maybe.¡± He used a bit of his magic for something useful, intentional¡ªcreating a small cabin, recreating the one that he was thinking about to the best of his memory. ¡°Two of them¡ªJasmin and Kiara¡ªlived in a cabin a little bit outside of town. I know they¡¯re not there anymore, but¡­ there¡¯s a chance they might¡¯ve left something there, or the owner can talk to us. It¡¯s the only thing I can think of that might help.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m assuming you still know how to get there?¡±


    ¡°I remember. I¡¯ve only been there once, but it¡¯s not that hard of a place to find. I was kind of hoping that we¡¯d be able to go today¡­¡±


    Loraena tilted her head. ¡°Right now?¡±


    ¡°I¡ªI mean, we don¡¯t have to, but it would make me feel better¡­ It¡¯s the only lead I have. If it turns out not to lead to anything, then that¡¯s the end of that. But I want to make sure that it¡¯s something that we could turn to.¡±


    ¡°So¡­ I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re alright with leaving the others away for now? We can talk to them if we know that there¡¯s something worth talking about them. That way, we don¡¯t have to interrupt them¡ªnot that they wouldn¡¯t mind helping, of course¡ªif there turns out not to be anything.¡±


    Astyu nodded. ¡°I think that would be better. I don¡¯t want to bother them¡­¡±


    ¡°Alright! Let¡¯s just stay here for a little bit longer, and relax a bit. We can work out a bit of a plan in case there ends up being something there. Does that sound good to you?¡±


    ¡°Mhm.¡±

 Old Friends- Chapter 3

    It was something he¡¯d been thinking about a lot, actually. In fact, it was one of the few attempts at an answer he thought about between his mother¡¯s death and meeting Loraena and the others. After all, it seemed so close¡ªhe couldn¡¯t remember exactly how long it had taken him to get there with Eme, but he knew it couldn¡¯t have been far. The only thing that kept him away was fear.


    He was afraid of what he¡¯d find there, afraid of the disappointment or confusion. Those already had such a strong hold on him; the illusions, the way his magic nearly acted on its own, proved that. There was so much he didn¡¯t know. And as much as there was a fear that he would never know, he was also afraid of what he would end up learning. Eme was doing something she didn¡¯t want him getting involved in, not even in the worst of situations.


    So would this have disappointed her, for him to go out and seek the truth like this?


    A part of him had wanted to tell himself that he was overthinking it. The other part¡­ well, it couldn¡¯t help but wonder. So, he¡¯d stayed paralyzed, unable to do anything more than continue the same circle of thoughts.


    But this time would be different. He was actually doing something, going somewhere. And he wasn¡¯t alone while he did it.


    Loraena was right behind him, with him for every step of the way.


    ¡°Are you sure this is where the cabin was..?¡± she prompted. Every now and again, she glanced around, and seemed to have gotten more and more nervous with the absence of just about everything. ¡°I mean, I certainly believe that you know what you¡¯re doing. It¡¯s just¡­ it was a long time ago, and you were young. It¡¯s totally possible that you missed a turn or that the path has changed completely since then.¡±


    ¡°I know where I¡¯m going.¡± It was also one of the only things he was confident in about the situation, surprisingly. ¡°We can¡¯t be far from it now¡­¡±


    Just then, they caught sight of an old man walking in the opposite direction as them. When he noticed them on the trail, he waved to get their attention, then walked up.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see kids like you out in these parts often!¡± he called. Maybe Astyu was a little sensitive, but he could¡¯ve sworn the man was much louder than he needed to be.


    But that didn¡¯t matter a whole lot, since Astyu also got straight to the point. ¡°Are you the one renting out that cabin?¡±


    ¡°Well, yes, but I haven¡¯t had anyone in it in a while. I don¡¯t know what you could want in there, aside from¡­ a couple of things I assume your parents wouldn¡¯t agree with.¡±


    Loraena¡¯s face turned red as she furiously shook her head. ¡°No, nothing like that, sir! See, my friend here used to know one of the people you¡¯d rented it to, and he wanted to find them again. It¡¯s¡­ a bit of a long story.¡±


    ¡°Her name was Jasmin. I¡­ I think it was Khadi? Jasmin Khadi,¡± Astyu interjected, hoping that he¡¯d be able to make himself helpful. Anything could aid them in finding the mysterious duo. ¡°And she had this blind woman named Kiara with her. Does that ring any bells to you?¡±


    The man thought for a little bit. ¡°Yeah, but I don¡¯t know why I should tell you. There¡¯s business confidentiality, you know. I can¡¯t go talking to anyone just because they know somebody. Not unless you can prove to me that you know them and that they¡¯d agree to letting you have any kind of information about them.¡± He glanced at Loraena. ¡°No matter if you¡¯re somewhat popular in this small town or not. Hate to say it, but that¡¯s just the truth of the matter.¡±Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    ¡°My mother and them were close friends,¡± Astyu tried. It was the only thing he could think of. He didn¡¯t want his only lead to end up turning out like this. ¡°If you¡¯re not going to do this just because I asked, then what if I said that I was the son of Eme Takemra? Would that change anything..?¡±


    ¡°Wait, you¡¯re her son? I knew you were still around and that you were coming back out into the open, but I¡¯d never been able to see you for myself just yet. Guess I should¡¯ve been tipped off by such similar appearances, though. You¡¯re a spitting image of her¡­¡±


    Astyu dared to let himself hope for a moment. ¡°So does that mean you¡¯ll tell me about them?¡±


    ¡°Under normal circumstances, I¡¯d still say no.¡± There was a long pause, and Astyu had to wonder if the man had intended that at all. Either way, it was certainly annoying. ¡°But, I do remember the two of them saying something about guiding you to the cabin if you ever came asking. I don¡¯t know exactly what for, and they¡¯re lucky that I never ended up renting out the place to anyone else. I figure, though, that that¡¯s what you¡¯re here for?¡±


    Finally, Astyu really let himself hope for something good. ¡°They¡¯ve left something for me..?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what they said. I have no idea what it is, just that it¡¯s not some dead body or something else big hidden in the cabin. Unless they kept it pretty well hidden. But we¡¯re in the middle of a forest¡ªif they wanted to hide a body, there are far better places for it¡­¡± He gestured for them to follow him, as he started walking along the path again.


    Cautiously, Loraena asked, ¡°Why do you sound like you wouldn¡¯t be surprised if they were doing something bad?¡±


    ¡°You might not be from here, but you¡¯re sure to have heard all the stories. Those old women in the market do love their gossip, even if it¡¯s the same old stuff they¡¯ve been repeating for years. They¡¯ve got all sorts of theories on what those three women were here for¡ªthe three that showed up one day, and left just as suddenly a couple years later. Especially Jasmin. Heard she¡¯d been a fortune teller before coming here. Possibly worked with the not-so-safe versions of Truth magic. Who knows what other stuff a woman like her got up to when no one was looking?¡±


    ¡°So, if you don¡¯t mind me asking¡­ why did you rent the cabin out to them, if you don¡¯t seem to trust them..?¡±


    ¡°Why does anyone do anything around here? Money, obviously. I don¡¯t know how she got it and, frankly, I don¡¯t think I want to know, but Jasmin might as well have had an endless fountain of coins in her pocket. Anything can be done with the right price, after all, and I didn¡¯t see it as too much of a risk so long as they kept their dark magic away from me.¡± He shrugged. ¡°I barely knew them outside of a simple professional relationship¡ªand even then, it was only out of necessity. I don¡¯t think you¡¯re going to be getting any grand snippets of information from this old guy.¡±


    Astyu, however, had already been starting to tune out the conversation. His attention started to waver when he saw the cabin through the trees, and it was almost completely gone by the time they were more or less walking up the front steps.


    Suddenly, he couldn¡¯t stop himself from interrupting whatever Loraena and the man were talking about. ¡°This is where Jasmin and Kiara stayed, I remember it. You said there¡¯s something in there for me? Something they left behind?¡±


    The man nodded. ¡°Sounded that way, at least.¡± He unlocked the door and gestured the two of them inside. ¡°Go on and have a look, I¡¯ll stay out here. Just don¡¯t mess with anything more than what¡¯s already out, got that? I tidied this place up good for anyone else who wants to come by and use it. I¡¯m not going to be happy if I see that you kids messed with it.¡±


    Loraena nodded. ¡°Of course! We¡¯ll keep everything exactly how we left it, and be done as soon as we can. Right, Astyu?¡±


    And he mumbled an agreement, even if he really wasn¡¯t paying attention to what they were saying. He was so close now. He¡¯d already allowed himself to hope that the fragments of Jasmin that were left behind would be able to show him the answers. Now, though, he was almost certain that it would. He was going to find something here. He knew it.

 Old Friends- Chapter 4

    He hoped that Loraena was proud of him and the amount of restraint he was showing. Maybe she didn¡¯t notice, but there were definitely some impulses that he was fighting back. For one, if he could, he knew that he¡¯d completely scour the entire place for something¡ªleave nothing left unchecked, and probably leave things in a much worse state than what they¡¯d been in when he entered. But he suppressed that urge.


    And, instead, just wildly looked around in hopes that whatever it was would be in plain sight.


    ¡°Do you have an idea of what you¡¯re looking for..?¡± Loraena prompted. ¡°Everything seems pretty normal to me, at least right now, but I don¡¯t know what I should be paying attention to. Is there anything specific about them that you think we¡¯d be able to find here?¡±


    ¡°Well, he said there was a message for me, didn¡¯t he? We should focus on that. I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything else that¡¯s going to be worth looking for.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t think I can really help, then. I don¡¯t know what Jasmin¡¯s handwriting looked like and there¡¯s probably no good way to describe it, if you even know. We¡¯re just going to have to keep an eye out for anything that seems a bit unconventional, I suppose¡­¡±


    ¡°Then just let me look for it. It won¡¯t take me long. I¡¯ve just got to figure out what it is¡­¡± He shot her a small smile, in the hopes that she¡¯d understand he¡¯d be alright on his own.


    He couldn¡¯t blame her for doubting it, though. There was more than just the urge to turn the palace upside down that he was fighting with¡ªhe also had to make a conscious effort to make sure that he didn¡¯t end up creating any illusions around them. Probably just a glance of one of them, and she¡¯d be trying to convince him to take a break and come back later.


    But he couldn¡¯t get distracted here.


    Not like being distracted or not was really going to make a difference. The most he found were fragments of old memories; his mother talking to her friends about thinly-veiled topics, the promises Jasmin made to her about keeping her away from the worst of it¡­ of keeping Astyu safe. Of course, like everything else, it never turned out to be true. Maybe they weren¡¯t meant to be lies. But to him, given how it all ended up turning out, they felt no different.


    He was dragged out of his thoughts by Loraena touching his shoulder.


    ¡°I think this might be able to help,¡± she said, and handed him a small note. He didn¡¯t really recognize the handwriting¡ªhe¡¯d never seen it before¡ªbut he knew that it belonged to Jasmin.


    Astyu quickly took it from her but, in order to try to stay somewhat grounded, forced himself to ask, ¡°Where did you find this?¡±


    Honestly, it felt like it took forever before she answered. But that¡¯s what happened, when the only thing he could think about was finding out what Jasmin had left for him.


    ¡°It was right over there. I honestly thought it was a grocery list or something at first, but¡­ I thought that it was odd that it was left here, so I got a closer look at it, and I think it¡¯s what you¡¯re looking for.¡±


    ¡°I know it is.¡±


    Then, he went to read it. He couldn¡¯t stop himself from waiting any longer.


    ¡®Dear Astyu,


    I knew it was only a matter of time before you started seeking answers. Whatever Eme tried to tell herself, I believe all four of us understood that having even the vaguest connection with others will lead to them wondering about the path we took. And, well¡­ wondering is not so far off from wandering, all things considered. I can only hope that you do not want to know of our path because you hope to walk it yourself¡ªthat you have found yourself seeing it only in passing. That is what she would have wanted. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Just like I know she would have wanted you to have all of those unsolved mysteries of yours finally make sense.


    I want you to come and find us. There will undoubtedly be much more to discuss by the time you read this, so I will leave all of that for when we meet again. Just know that, unless worse may happen, you will only find Kiara and I there. Though perhaps I am getting a bit ahead of myself¡ªI have not yet told you where ¡®there¡¯ is.


    We have moved to a town within the Lower Rhodes Region known as Revarius. It is a rather well-known town within the area, and you were always a smart kid, so I have no doubts that you will find it. I have left a few extra instructions on the other side of this paper.


    I hope this finds you well and that we will meet again soon,


    Jasmin¡¯


    ¡­


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry to intrude like this, but I thought if anyone around here knew, it would be you!¡±


    If there was one thing that Astyu would truly never understand, it was why Loraena was making this sound like they interrupted a funeral. Or maybe a birthday party? Definitely something that she wasn¡¯t supposed to be a part of.


    When, in reality, Regind¡¯s grandfather had been quick to open the door, gesture them both inside, and gladly announce their presence. From there, Regind¡¯s grandmother started preparing them a cup of tea and giving them some sweets, and Regind and Lynette poked their heads in to see what was happening.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a problem, dear!¡± Regind¡¯s grandmother sat a cup down in front of Loraena and Astyu, then gestured Regind and Lynette inside. ¡°Oh! You two should come in, too. I could use your help anyway. Were you able to get that thing ready for that thing you had to do for the visiting nobles?¡±


    ¡°We were just finishing some things, actually! Hopefully we¡¯ll be able to get it done soon,¡± Regind responded. ¡°But we heard someone come in and we knew we should come and see who it was.¡±


    Lynette nodded. ¡°Our work can wait for a little bit longer. What was that town you mentioned? Revarius?¡±


    ¡°Do you know where it is?¡± Astyu prompted.


    Of course she¡¯d be able to help! Loraena had mentioned that Lynette traveled before she ended up in Yllvamel. That had to be what she was talking about, right?


    Except there was a flaw in that¡ªa flaw that Astyu repeatedly forgot, because it never seemed like anything even slightly worth remembering.


    ¡°Kind of¡­¡± She shrugged. ¡°More like something I heard from someone. I don¡¯t know how useful it¡¯s going to be. I don¡¯t want to bring your hopes up if you¡¯re already looking for something specific.¡±


    ¡°I think anything you have will help,¡± Loraena remarked. ¡°We¡­ really weren¡¯t given much to go off of. If we could get something like an important landmark or a nearby noble, then we should be able to figure something out.¡±


    ¡°Someone that I used to travel with mentioned going there. I¡­ don¡¯t think I remember hearing anything about where it was, though. Just that it was by this river or lake, and she complained about the locals enough that it was probably in Qizar. All she did was talk about how amazing the view was from her hotel, as if any of us really cared since she wasn¡¯t even bothering to hide the fact she wasn¡¯t doing anything¡­¡±


    ¡°Wait. You said a river or lake?¡±


    ¡°I mean, yeah. But there are plenty of those all over the place, and it¡¯s not like building a town near one is unusual. I don¡¯t think just knowing something like that will¡ªohh.¡± Realization dawned on Lynette¡¯s face. ¡°I just remembered who I¡¯m talking to. Someone who is literally part siren¡­¡±


    ¡°Is that what you¡¯re planning, Loraena?¡± Regind prompted. ¡°Do you think your mom¡¯s going to know anything about it?¡±


    Loraena nodded. ¡°If she doesn¡¯t, then one of my aunts will know. It might take a little bit to find which one, but if it¡¯s a body of water in Qizar, I¡¯m sure I¡¯ve got family around the area somewhere. Ah! Could you let everyone know that I¡¯m going to need to talk to my mom tonight? I know it¡¯s still on short notice, but I¡¯d really like to get it done sooner¡­¡±


    Regind¡¯s grandfather came up to pat Loraena on the shoulder. ¡°If it¡¯s something you¡¯ve got to do, then I¡¯m sure everyone here will understand. I¡¯ll talk with the church and get it all sorted out for you.¡±

 Extras: Character Card and Sheet- Mati

    Extra character card info:


    One of the performers in Sukeena¡¯s circus, currently taking on the role of a magician. Mati¡¯s journey to the circus was quite the odd one, however¡ªshe¡¯d earned herself a position in a prestigious college, before dropping out for ¡°reasons.¡± Despite such a sudden change in her future, though, she quite likes where she is now, and her ability to brighten the days of all those who come to the shows.


    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

 Old Friends- Chapter 5

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to go. I get it if it¡¯s too far for you.¡± He¡¯d meant it genuinely¡ªhe knew that this was his mission alone. ¡°And I don¡¯t want to drag you all the way out there if there¡¯s no reason to.¡±


    Loraena vigorously shook her head. She hadn¡¯t wanted to hear a single bit of it. ¡°Of course I¡¯m going to go with you! I don¡¯t mind, really! I want someone to be there with you. You¡¯re going to end up interacting with a lot of new and unfamiliar people, and I want to make sure you don¡¯t feel completely alone there. Besides, everyone could use a change of scenery every now and again.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s so far, though¡­¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s exactly why we should go together. A part of traveling is having fun, and I doubt you¡¯re going to do that without someone by your side. So, as long as you¡¯re willing to have me, I¡¯m willing to go with you.¡±


    He quickly understood then that there was no real reason to argue. There probably hadn¡¯t been a point in starting it to begin with. But the extra confirmation was enough to make his worries thaw a bit, and he found himself managing a small smile. ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ I¡¯ll be glad to have you with me. Thank you.¡±


    So, with that, they did the preparations they needed and then set off for Revarius.


    Astyu had never been outside of Yllvamel before¡ªor, at least, not far enough to really constitute as going somewhere else. But Eme had told him a couple of stories about adventurers and heroes, as well as the grand journeys they would take. And, honestly¡­ he thought that this trip with Loraena would have at least some element of that.


    But it was just¡­ a trip. Was it long? Kind of, but not really, with the help of Travel magic. Was it hard? No, they literally just got a ride with some merchants Regind¡¯s grandfather knew. Did they learn anything interesting or insightful about themselves or each other? Certainly not, aside from the fact that Loraena really didn¡¯t like having to explain over and over about being part siren, and Astyu was getting tired of being asked if the two of them were ¡°eloping.¡±


    And while he knew it wasn¡¯t the ultimate lesson that he should be taking away from it, he reminded himself that the journey wasn¡¯t what mattered in this situation.


    It was the destination.


    He just hoped¡ªafter a day¡¯s rest at an inn and now standing in the center of a busy street in Revarius¡ªthat the destination would hold the answers he was hoping for.


    ¡°This place is a lot bigger than I was imagining¡­¡± Loraena mumbled. She looked around, but Astyu didn¡¯t really know how that was going to help anything. There was too much to see, too much noise.


    It was actually the perfect¡ªalbeit unwelcome¡ªreminder that Yllvamel, though always seeming big to him, was nothing compared to what other towns were like.


    But just as he felt himself starting to get lost in all of it, he felt Loraena¡¯s hand on his shoulder.


    ¡°Hey,¡± she said, softly, ¡°where do you think we should start? We might be able to ask around and see if anyone¡¯s heard anything. All things considered, the people here seem pretty friendly. They might know something about Jasmin and Kiara.¡±


    Slowly, he shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s going to work.¡±


    ¡°Well, it might be worth a shot, wouldn¡¯t it..?¡±


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t really understand¡­ Jasmin kept to herself, I think. Or, at least from what I could tell, she tried to. Especially if something bad happened between her and Mother, or there were rumors of it, then she wouldn¡¯t go around letting everyone know where she was.¡±


    ¡°But if this is really where she lives, then someone is bound to know something. Maybe not where she¡¯s staying, but I¡¯m sure someone knows something like places she usually visits or some way that we can contact her.¡±


    If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    ¡°I doubt that would work either. She¡¯s¡­ probably pretty good at keeping a low profile, if she wants to. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if she could do everything she wanted without anyone even acknowledging that she was there.¡±


    ¡°Then how do you think we should handle this?¡±


    ¡°We¡­ should just look around. She might not have told anyone we were here, but I¡¯m sure she¡¯d be well-aware of whatever happens here, especially if she expected me to come eventually. She¡¯ll know that we¡¯re here.¡±


    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll trust your judgment.¡±


    So, they just¡­ took to wandering. There wasn¡¯t anything else they could do, really; Astyu knew that they shouldn¡¯t draw attention to themselves, and he was somewhat certain of what he said about Jasmin¡¯s knowledge. Not like he really had anything else to go off of, in the end.


    ¡°What do you think they¡¯re going to say?¡± He couldn¡¯t stop himself from asking the question; something that kept some noise between the two of them. Something grounding and familiar, compared to everything around him.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s really something we¡¯re going to be able to know,¡± Loraena remarked.


    ¡°I guess you¡¯re right¡­¡±


    ¡°But there¡¯s something else you can ask yourself instead: what are you hoping for?¡±


    ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m a little afraid that if I hope for something, it¡¯s not going to happen¡­¡±


    ¡°The only thing that¡¯s going to do is demotivate you. You shouldn¡¯t worry about what hasn¡¯t happened yet. And if you don¡¯t think you can do that, then think of it this way: when, not if, you see them, what do you want to ask? What answers are you looking for?¡±


    ¡°I just¡­ want to know what happened. I want to understand why Mother did what she did, and how it affected her. I want it to finally make sense, to have answers to all the questions I¡¯ve had circulating in my head since she died. I¡­ I¡¯ll accept anything at this point, really. Just about anything is better than nothing¡­¡±


    He trailed off when he noticed something in the corner of his eye. It was just a glimpse, but he was nearly certain of what it was.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Loraena prompted, after she noticed he started staring into one of the alleys. ¡°Did you see something..?¡±


    ¡°I just saw Jasmin.¡±


    ¡°Wait, really? I really have to ask this, but¡­ are you sure that¡¯s what you saw, and that it was real..? I didn¡¯t see anything just now, but I know that your magic is capable of a lot, and it seems well within what you¡¯ve done in the past. I don¡¯t want it to turn out that your magic just made it up.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m confident it was her. If it wasn¡¯t¡­ well, I¡¯ve barely been fooled by my own illusions before, all things considered. I always knew that they were fake, even if I didn¡¯t want to believe it. That one, though? I know that that one was real.¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t just follow her, though. What if it turns out that you mistook someone else for her?¡±


    But by that point, Astyu had stopped listening to her. If he kept standing there, then he was going to lose track of Jasmin. He couldn¡¯t let her get too far ahead of him. Not when they were in such an unfamiliar place, and when she had all of the information he wanted.


    So he simply went after her, assuming that Loraena would either follow along or meet back up with him somewhere else. At that moment, he didn¡¯t exactly care what happened. All he could think about was answers.


    He made sure to always keep an eye on Jasmin, even when it seemed that even the crowds wanted him to lose track of her. Astyu weaved through the crowds, ducked past obstacles, went through smaller alleys¡ªanything in order to catch up with her. If there were disruptions in his wake, he didn¡¯t care about them. Those things could be dealt with later, when he had what he wanted, and there wasn¡¯t anything to lose.


    And finally, he watched as Jasmin went into a house, giving a passing glance over her shoulder at him while she did so.


    Before he was able to walk up to the front gates himself, he felt a hand catch his shoulder.


    ¡°Hold on a moment,¡± Loraena said, nearly breathless, ¡°we shouldn¡¯t just¡ª¡±


    ¡°I know it was her,¡± he interrupted. He gently pulled his hand out of her grasp. ¡°She led me here for a reason. You were the one who wanted me to find answers, right? Well, this is how it¡¯s going to happen. So let¡¯s go see what she says.¡±


    He barely acknowledged her mumble, ¡°I suppose it won¡¯t matter that much if it turns out to be the wrong person. We¡¯ll just apologize and be on our way¡­¡±


    Did even she truly not believe him?

 Old Friends- Chapter 6

    Astyu knocked on the door with confidence, unwilling to let anything stop him from finally getting answers. And he knew that this is where the answers would be¡ªhe didn¡¯t need any more reassurances or signs of that.


    There was silence for a moment, before he heard shuffling on the other side of the door.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be there in just a minute,¡± a woman called from the other side. She mumbled something else, too, that he couldn¡¯t quite make out. But he knew that it was Jasmin¡¯s voice, and he glanced over at Loraena and nodded so that she knew the same thing.


    He felt like he was waiting for more than just a minute by the time Jasmin finally opened the door.


    All things considered, she looked quite similar to what he remembered; she didn¡¯t seem to have aged at all, though perhaps looked a bit more tired. Of course, the similarities between her past self also meant that she still seemed rather threatening, despite knowing¡ªmaybe¡ªthat she wasn¡¯t harmful. Something still felt wrong about her, like she was hiding some kind of deep and ancient secret, but he decided that was just his younger self reemerging. That secret, he thought, would be answered as soon as he was let inside.


    Her smile was no less unnerving, either, even if he still knew that it was meant to be comforting. ¡°It¡¯s been quite a while, little Astyu. And I see you¡¯ve brought a new friend with you. No need to keep standing here, why don¡¯t you both head inside? I¡¯ve got some tea ready for you.¡±


    ¡°Did you, uh, know we were coming..?¡± Loraena prompted as they came inside. ¡°I hope you don¡¯t mind that we were following you the whole way here¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t mind at all. In fact, I knew it was the best way I was going to guide you here. Call it a¡­ hunch, if you must put a word on it.¡±


    Jasmin guided Astyu and Loraena into the living room and gestured for them to have a seat. Four cups of tea were already laid out so, seeing that everything was in order, she sat across from them and beside Kiara.


    ¡°These are our guests,¡± Jasmin said softly to Kiara, touching her shoulder. Kiara put down her knitting to listen. ¡°Astyu is here¡ªhe looks so much like Eme now, even more than he did before, if you can imagine it. His friend¡­ she seems to have siren blood. She has their eyes. Quite lovely, I think.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s Loraena,¡± Astyu explained. ¡°She¡¯s¡­ a friend. A close one. She helped me a lot over the past few years¡­¡±


    Loraena sheepishly chuckled. ¡°I think the others helped, too. There¡¯s no reason to give me all the credit¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, if you¡¯re here with him now, that means you¡¯re part of the reason he¡¯s here at all,¡± Kiara remarked. ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you.¡±


    Astyu decided, however, that they had had enough casual conversation for now. ¡°I¡¯m here for answers,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ been a long time. I haven¡¯t been able to figure out anything on my own. I want to know what happened. I want to be able to make sense of what I remember¡­¡±


    Jasmin picked up her cup and took a sip of tea. ¡°I know it must be hard, to be in front of the only ones capable of giving you an answer and still having to wait. But in order to make sure you leave here without any questions left, I have to know what you do. I can¡¯t fill in gaps I don¡¯t know are there. I can¡¯t very well cover up holes that never existed in the first place, either. So, please, if it¡¯s not too much trouble¡ªwhat do you know?¡±


    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    ¡°I¡­ know that she was doing something with all of you. Whatever it was, it wasn¡¯t good. Mother hid most of it from me, but I was able to understand bits and pieces, and how none of it was right. Then all these things started happening, and she said there wasn¡¯t any reason to worry, but she was worried, and then she¡ª¡±


    He cut himself off when he felt a hand on his. He looked up at the table to see a small scene from his memory being reenacted there¡ªthe last time he saw his mother. But then he looked over, and he acknowledged that Loraena was right there with him, and the illusion was gone with a nod and steady breath.


    ¡°Is¡­ that normal?¡± Jasmin prompted, gesturing to the table. To Kiara, she whispered, ¡°He just created a small illusion of him and Eme. It was¡­ involuntary. Unstable. I know Eme mentioned that he hadn¡¯t quite controlled his magic yet, but I hadn¡¯t thought it would be of such clear projections¡­¡±


    He felt himself shrink a little when he heard it. It was one thing to acknowledge what his magic did when he wasn¡¯t quite aware of it¡­ but he never usually dwelled on what other people thought about it. How they saw it, and how they reacted, when they didn¡¯t really think that he was going to be paying attention to whatever they had to say¡­


    But slowly, he forced himself to nod. Not like he was able to make eye contact with her. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ happened a lot, since Mother left. It was practically the only thing I was around for a while. Alone, with just projections and old memories. I was¡­ trapped there. And since that was the only way things made sense, I stayed. Until Loraeana and her friends were able to help, and did what they could to make sure I knew I didn¡¯t have to be alone anymore¡­¡±


    ¡°It was wrong to leave you like that,¡± Kiara mumbled. ¡°You must¡¯ve been so lost, hurt, confused¡­ and we were responsible for it.¡±


    Jasmin shook her head. ¡°Astyu wouldn¡¯t have been able to understand it at his age. It was better to let him try to process things on his own.¡±


    A little spark of something¡ªof anger¡ªstirred within him. ¡°And why were you the one to make that decision, when it was me that it affected?¡±


    The silence that followed led him to realize something: he was right. More than just the only two people who could explain things to him were sitting across from him¡ªthey were, at least partially, responsible for why there was so much he didn¡¯t know.


    ¡°Everyone makes mistakes,¡± Jasmin said slowly, carefully, ¡°and I am not going to excuse mine. I was¡­ not quite a different person at the time I knew Eme, but I was not the same person I am now. I made mistakes¡ªmany of them. And it seems a bit like a joke from the gods that those around me would suffer the consequences for them, while I remain largely ¡®unaffected.¡¯ I pulled others in on the road I first thought I would travel alone, and it seems they have paid the price for it in my stead. But I know that you¡¯re not asking for my own shortcomings¡ªyou¡¯re asking for now Eme ended up where she was.


    ¡°I¡­ honestly can¡¯t say whether it makes it better or worse, but Eme was already aware of black magic and what it could do. She had toyed with it when she was younger, as well as learning more about it alongside her love¡ªyour father¡ªLeander. Now, this was long before I knew her, so all I have is what she told me later, but¡­ I know that he died, and it was directly related to the forces he was trying to tame. She swore off any kind of magic related to it, until¡­ she met us. I convinced her to give it a second chance and she started working with us to find a way to remove the negative effects of using black magic.


    ¡°Things were good for a time¡ªI¡¯m sure you¡¯ll remember that, even if you didn¡¯t know all of the context behind it. And something I know you¡¯ll also remember is¡­ just how much it came back to haunt us, just when we thought we might¡¯ve gotten close to getting rid of it. When she learned about this, Eme¡­ sunk deeper into it. I believe she thought that, if nothing else, she could try to bring back Leander, the whole reason she was trying to begin with. I¡¯m sure she thought she would die anyway, so she might as well do what she could while she still could. In the end, however¡­ it wasn¡¯t enough. The magic overwhelmed her and, sure that it would consume her from the inside until all of it could devour her, she came to us. All that was left was for me to make sure that she no longer suffered, and that no one else would pay the price for our mistakes.¡±

 Old Friends- Chapter 7

    That was it, then. The answer he was looking for¡ªthe truth behind what Eme was doing, and ultimately why she left him. It was all that he went in here hoping to know. So¡­ why was he still so unsatisfied?


    Jasmin and Kiara had practically insisted that the two of them stay for a few days¡ªespecially since they traveled that far¡ªso he had plenty of time to think about it. And¡­ by think about it, he meant letting it keep him up all night, to the fact he found himself simply staring out the kitchen window.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re up this late, too? I thought you went to bed a while ago. Back home, you always seemed to fall asleep as soon as your head hit the pillow¡­¡±


    Astyu looked over his shoulder to see Loraena standing in the doorway. ¡°I guess I could ask you the same thing. Couldn¡¯t sleep..?¡±


    She let out a bit of nervous laughter. ¡°It¡¯s hard for me to sleep in unfamiliar places. Being near water or being able to talk to my aunts helps, but even if there¡¯s water, I don¡¯t want to bother anyone with a song¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°Hm? What for?¡±


    ¡°Dragging you out here. You went practically halfway across the nation for me, just to end up with next to nothing to show for it. This wasn¡¯t what I thought it would be. Even after everything, it doesn¡¯t feel like anything¡¯s changed. Except now, I¡¯ve wasted your time, too.¡±


    ¡°What? No! You¡¯re not wasting my time at all!¡± She took both of her hands on his, and forced him to make eye contact. ¡°I was the one who decided to come with you¡ªI made that decision for myself. You didn¡¯t make me do anything, and you don¡¯t have to feel responsible for anything.¡±


    ¡°This wasn¡¯t what I thought it would be. I thought¡­ I thought I¡¯d feel better, having the truth in front of me, knowing exactly what happened. But something must be wrong or missing, right? Because it doesn¡¯t really feel like anything¡¯s changed. I know she left¡­ and she¡¯d wanted to protect me, but¡­ she still hurt me. And I thought it would make more sense, but it doesn¡¯t, and it still hurts¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay to not feel fine about all of this. In fact, I¡¯d say it¡¯s perfectly normal. You got your answers, and¡­ maybe they weren¡¯t what you were hoping for them to be. But¡­ that could also be a sign that you never really needed it to begin with. You¡¯ve already made peace with it in your own way. And that can only be a good thing.¡±


    ¡°But that doesn¡¯t change the fact that we went all the way out here for what amounted to nothing.¡±


    ¡°This wasn¡¯t for nothing. You learned something new, didn¡¯t you? Something that could help. And, maybe tomorrow morning, you could talk to them a bit more. Maybe a simple answer isn¡¯t what you need, because you¡¯ve already made one¡ªand it¡¯s alright to desire more. We can stay here until you think you¡¯re ready to go.¡±


    ¡°What about..?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about anyone or anything else. This is all about you. Just do what you think is right and listen to what your heart¡¯s trying to tell you. I¡¯ll go where you go, because I want to. There¡¯s nothing to feel bad about. I don¡¯t even want to hear you suggest something like that again, okay?¡±


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    A bit taken aback, Astyu nodded. Even though a part of him still wanted to argue¡ªstill thought that it wasn¡¯t enough¡ªhe knew that she was right. Just like he knew what had happened, and had already processed that on his own terms. Or, at least, he was in the process of it, and there were plenty of people who could guide him along the way to that.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± he mumbled, ¡°you¡¯re right. Sorry.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to apologize for that, either. Just try to get some sleep, alright? Maybe you¡¯ll feel a bit better when you¡¯re able to talk to Jasmin and Kiara some more. You have plenty of time to ask them more questions if you think you need those answers.¡±


    ¡°Alright. You try to sleep, too, okay..? I know they¡¯re strangers to you, and they¡¯ve dealt with dangerous things before, but¡­ Jasmin and Kiara are good people. You don¡¯t have to worry about them. We¡¯re safe.¡±


    ¡­


    After eventually falling asleep, Astyu woke up the next morning and started thinking of everything he felt was left unanswered. He knew that Loraena meant what she said about staying longer, but he really didn¡¯t want to keep her here and away from home for so long. To a degree, he just wanted to go home, too, but he knew he had to be careful with the chance he had now.


    Somehow, he got the feeling that this opportunity was never going to come again. He had to make the most of their time here.


    ¡°A morning person, are we?¡± Jasmin prompted as she walked into the living room. She came in with a cup of what smelled like coffee, and had walked in on him scribbling down whatever questions he might¡¯ve had remaining. ¡°Or are you just working on something important?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ want to figure out what I¡¯m missing,¡± he mumbled. He figured he might as well be honest about it. ¡°I want to make sure I leave without anything left unanswered. I couldn¡¯t really organize everything in my head, so I started writing it down on paper¡­¡±


    He thought that she might¡¯ve tried to look over, just to get a peek at what he was trying to do. But instead, she completely avoided it, walking over to a chair on the other side of the room and staring out the window as she sipped on her coffee. Astyu got the feeling that she wasn¡¯t just doing it in order to avoid having to talk to him¡ªshe was giving him space, time to sort it out on his own before he spoke it all out loud.


    After a couple of minutes, though, she did ask something. ¡°Do you think you¡¯re making any progress?¡±


    At first, he wasn¡¯t sure that he knew the answer, so he looked over everything he¡¯d written down. Seeing it all, some parts of it started to come together¡­ and he nodded. ¡°Yeah, I think so. I should be ready to talk a bit more soon, if that¡¯s alright with you.¡±


    ¡°Of course. Kiara and I want to make sure you¡¯re completely ready when it¡¯s time to go. We owe that much to you¡ªyou¡¯ve been left in the dark for far too long.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s wait for Loraena and Kiara, then we can talk. I¡¯ll figure out what the really important stuff is in the meantime¡­¡±


    ¡°Take all the time you need. I don¡¯t expect you to be ready to leave right away¡ªyou don¡¯t have to go anywhere until you¡¯re completely ready for it.¡±


    A bit surprised, he looked up at her. That was¡­ familiar, and a comparison he didn¡¯t really expect to make.


    She must¡¯ve noticed, even if she was still looking out the window, because she prompted, ¡°Is something the matter?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s just¡­ Loraena said something really similar last night. I guess I didn¡¯t expect to hear the same thing from you.¡±


    Jasmin sighed. ¡°I couldn¡¯t protect Eme and I nearly failed to protect Kiara. Brynn¡­ perhaps she was already too far gone by the time I knew her, but the fate she had was partially because of my influence on her. Eme left with regrets. We all did, I think. I don¡¯t want you to return home with anything left unanswered. I¡¯m sure that friend of yours feels the same way, as much as someone from the outside can.¡± She took a sip of coffee. ¡°You know¡­ she¡¯s a good girl. I¡¯m sure Eme would have loved her. Keep her close to you, alright? Knowing you aren¡¯t alone¡­ perhaps it¡¯ll bring us all that sense of peace we¡¯ve been lacking.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ I don¡¯t know where I¡¯d be right now if it wasn¡¯t for her. I owe a lot to her. I just¡­ don¡¯t know if I¡¯d really ever be able to make it up to her¡­¡±


    ¡°If you really care for each other¡ªand from what I can see, you do¡ªI believe you¡¯ve got nothing to worry about. I think you¡¯re what each other needs, even if you don¡¯t realize it.¡± Jasmin managed a smile. ¡°Eme would be proud to see how much you¡¯ve grown. Keep up the good work¡ªI can¡¯t wait to see what you become.¡±

 Old Friends- Chapter 8

    Honestly, he felt a little guilty¡ªbringing up things like this when everyone seemed relaxed. But he couldn¡¯t let something like that stop him from getting answers; he knew that everyone would prefer that he asked questions if he had them. So he compiled his final list, took a deep breath, and then prompted,


    ¡°Jasmin, Kiara, is it alright if we talk now..?¡±


    Kiara nodded. ¡°We don¡¯t have anywhere to be or anything else to do. If there¡¯s something on your mind, you can tell us. I know you¡¯ve probably still got a lot of questions¡­¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t claim to know all the answers,¡± Jasmin remarked, ¡°but I¡¯ll try my best.¡±


    Loraena placed a hand on Astyu¡¯s and gave him a small smile of comfort. ¡°Go on. Remember that I¡¯m here for you¡ªwe all are. You can take breaks if you need to, too. None of us are going anywhere.¡±


    ¡°Thank you¡ªall of you. I know I probably wouldn¡¯t be here without Loraena, and I don¡¯t know what I would¡¯ve done if I didn¡¯t know that Jasmin and Kiara had the answers. So¡­ I¡¯m glad you¡¯re all here, and willing to help. I feel a lot better already just knowing that.¡± Astyu managed a smile of his own, then turned back to his list. ¡°I¡­ was wondering something about the group. Mother had another friend. Brynn, right? Obviously she¡¯s not here, and I¡¯ve never heard from her again in Yllvamel, so where did she go..? Jasmin mentioned her earlier, but I never heard what happened¡­¡±


    Jasmin sighed. ¡°I suppose you could say she was a bit like your mother. Brynn was fascinated with M¨¢vri Mage¨ªa, ready to do whatever it took to see how far she could push it. I don¡¯t know what her end goal was for joining us, ultimately¡­ but I can only imagine it had something to do with her own gain, though it may have just as easily been harmless. After Eme died, and I had made it clear that we were no longer going to try to tame M¨¢vri Mage¨ªa¡ªor even touch it, seeing what it had done to us¡ªBrynn went off on her own. While what exactly happened to her were only rumors, I understand that she fell too deep. She lost herself to M¨¢vri Mage¨ªa and paid the price for it.¡±


    A long pause, and then he mumbled, ¡°Sorry¡­¡±


    ¡°No need to apologize. Everything in that time was a learning experience¡ªa list of things we best not repeat. There were a lot of consequences for it, but¡­ it told us what we should avoid in the future. It gave us a clear reminder of what we were attempting to tame, and how much of a truly wild beast it was.¡± Jasmin still gained a small frown, though¡ªone that seemed much darker, just by the way her nature seemed to darken things.


    Astyu reminded himself that there were no such things as bad questions, especially not right now. He shouldn¡¯t feel bad for wanting answers; he should just be ready to get them, no matter what they ended up being.


    And so, he continued. ¡°Do you¡­ know anything else about my father..? Mother talked about him, a little, but she didn¡¯t tell me much¡­ said I was too young for some of it. Only ever talked about how amazing he was¡­¡±


    Kiara was the one to answer. ¡°I don¡¯t think Eme liked talking about Leadner all that much. It seemed to hurt her just to think about it. From what I can remember, though, he also dabbled in M¨¢vri Mage¨ªa¡ªit¡¯s how the two of them met, and what ultimately led to his death. The details weren¡¯t something she was too fond of sharing, however. And despite the part of her that drove her to do what she did, that told her that she needed to bring him back¡­ I think she understood that what she was doing likely wouldn¡¯t help. She loved him, but that didn¡¯t stop her from caring about you.¡±


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    ¡°But¡­ she didn¡¯t really choose me in the end. At least, that¡¯s definitely not what it feels like¡­¡±


    Jasmin shook her head. ¡°What she did, she did for you. The truth of the matter was, she was already far too gone in order to completely reverse her path. By the time we stopped, someone was going to end up paying the price for what we did. Eme was driven by desperation. She thought that it was the only thing she could do. She saw that both options led to death and, though her fear sometimes delayed her first step, she always did what she thought would lead to the best¡­ She thought what we were doing could bring her family back together then, in the end, thought that she might be able to use what she learned to at least keep you from being alone.¡±


    ¡°Couldn¡¯t you have done anything? If the two of you are still here, even if Mother and Brynn are gone, that means you¡¯ve done something, right? Was there any way you could¡¯ve helped¡ªno, saved¡ªher..?¡±


    ¡°By all other accounts, I should be the only one among us remaining¡ªthe only one that was somehow able to evade the punishment of the gods. It was by a sheer act of desperation that Kiara is still with me.¡±


    Slowly, Kiara nodded. ¡°If there was one thing that led to your mother¡¯s death, it was the fact she kept looking to the past for answers. She stayed there¡ªworked towards bringing the person closest to her from the past into the present, because she thought it would make things better. I know it¡¯s probably hard to accept, but¡­ nothing can change the past. There¡¯s no point in even suggesting that something could, because that¡¯s exactly what she did, and that¡¯s exactly what led to her end. She¡¯d want you to look towards the future and take advantage of what¡¯s in front of you now.¡±


    ¡°She¡­ she would,¡± Astyu mumbled. ¡°Even if she expected me to want to find answers at some point, she would¡¯ve wanted me to move on. That¡¯s just what I have to do¡­¡±


    ¡°And remember, you¡¯re not going to be walking this path on your own,¡± Loraena said. ¡°You¡¯ll have all of us with you, every step of the way.¡±


    He was even able to manage a smile. ¡°Yeah. Thanks.¡± He turned his attention back to Jasmin and Kiara. ¡°So, I guess, one of the only other questions I really wanted answered¡­ What about the two of you? Is there¡­ ever a chance I¡¯m going to see you in Yllvamel again?¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so.¡± Jasmin shook her head as she said it. ¡°There¡¯s no reason for us to be there anymore¡ªit¡¯s best to leave it in the past where it belongs. Besides, I know that our reputation there was¡­ rocky at best. I wouldn¡¯t want to disrupt anything that¡¯s going on, just to see what had happened in my absence. I don¡¯t need to be there to know it must¡¯ve gotten even better than when we¡¯d left.¡±


    ¡°But if you¡¯d like¡­ I wouldn¡¯t mind hearing about what¡¯s new,¡± Kiara remarked. ¡°Maybe it was just because of all the time we spent there, but I think I grew a soft spot for it. I¡¯d like to know how the little town is doing, if you¡¯re willing to share. Oh, and try to be as descriptive as possible. And that goes for you, too, Loraena¡ªI want to hear both of your experiences. Perhaps hearing something good is just how we need to close things off here.¡±

 What Time Forgot: Three Dreamers (Imre)

    He had simply resolved to himself that if he did not enter that room, did not see that face, did not hear those words, that it was not true. That he¡¯d somehow imagined it all¡ªthat it wasn¡¯t true.


    The fact that Casper was dying.


    Imre decided, somewhere between the sleepless nights and late-night rides, that he needed to do something. No, not about the situation at hand¡ªthat part was inevitable, a responsibility he¡¯d drown in no matter how long he tried to swim. He wanted to find a way to help his kingdom, to make sure everyone considered him more than ¡°the kid who had to replace Casper.¡± A mix of a desire to be useful, really, and a sense of desperation¡ªthough still not a single bit of selfish desires or even self-confidence¡ªbrought him to spend those nights in the library instead. An admittedly awful coping strategy, but he learned over the years that it was those books, theories, and motives he kept falling back on.


    The focus of his research was, frankly, the easiest part of it. To say Seothia had a Ski¨¢ problem was an understatement; it was more like a one-sided war that Seothia was definitely losing. More kept appearing, from the barely-unnoticeable-until-fatal Myal¨®, from the ever-increasing Sched¨®n Fysik¨ª, and the chilling Fysik¨®s. Nearly half the army¡¯s reports were about Ski¨¢, with the number steadily increasing, most including some fatalities.


    Honestly, in his research, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder if he¡¯d be the king of Seothia when half of their population had been killed off by these Ski¨¢. He could imagine the history chapter¡¯s title now¡ªKing Imre, The Failure, Letting Shadow Creatures Kill Countless People.


    He shook his head at the thought. He needed to stay focused.


    It was just as easy to find the root of Seothia¡¯s problem¡ªor a theory behind it, anyway. They lacked magic. Or, more specifically, the dragons and manticores that wandered around Qizar and Idkor. But that wasn¡¯t exactly something he could fix. Dragons and manticores were just as sentient as the humans were; he couldn¡¯t even blame them for leaving, after what Seothians did to their brethren, and he certainly wouldn¡¯t force them to come back. They could not have the kind of magic users that Qizar or Idkor had, the ley lines wouldn¡¯t allow for that. It took extremely powerful light mages in Qizar to create the artifacts that weren¡¯t even guaranteed to work. How was Seothia supposed to compare to that?


    Then¡­ he came across something else. The Xypnima ¨®neiro¡ªor, the dreamer. Someone who should have the ability to manipulate dreams and nightmares¡ªFos and Ski¨¢¡ªto their whim. Details were blurry, but he was able to piece together some information about them. They were a type of Ilethera, or at least closely associated with them, who were simply born into the world. Their connections to Fos and Ski¨¢ were, presumably, easy enough to determine with a bit of observation, magic, and process of elimination. Best yet, they seemed to be the perfect solution.


    The one problem was that there was not a single one recorded in any of the three nations, let alone one that could help them.


    ¡­


    After officially becoming king, Imre sent letters to each of the region controllers and Zofie about the dreamers; the kinds of things they should look out for, what to do if they think they found one, and their importance to Seothia¡¯s future. He, honestly, was expecting only to get laughed at or completely ignored.


    He thought he was misreading when Enuolare wrote to him saying that she¡¯d recently taken in a child just like that. Thankfully, she agreed to travel to Lelishara so he could see it for himself.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± he asked. He should, probably, have been relieved. Instead, he looked at the baby and wondered if this happened to be an elaborate joke.


    Enuolare nodded. ¡°At least, from what I was able to do on my own. I was able to talk to the Hyacinth that had first found her. She was all alone out there¡ªthere were no nearby towns and no one even willing to claim they¡¯d recently had a child. She wasn¡¯t crying when the Hyacinth found her¡ªthere wasn¡¯t even a scratch.¡±


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    Imre nodded, slowly. ¡°So she¡¯s at least an Ilethera. Would you mind staying for a little bit longer? Samone¡¯s not here right now, but she should be able to make sure.¡±


    ¡°Even if she¡¯s what you¡¯re looking for¡­ we wouldn¡¯t know what it means until she¡¯s a little older, right? What she¡¯ll be capable of doing, I mean.¡±


    ¡°Yes. We need to make sure she stays with someone safe that I can keep in touch with¡­¡±


    ¡°My husband and I can do it.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re dealing with something closely related to the Ski¨¢¡ªwe don¡¯t know how dangerous that could be. I can¡¯t ask you to put you and your family at risk.¡±


    Enuolare seemed rather resolved, though. She must¡¯ve thought about this on her ride here. ¡°We¡¯ve already talked about it and we¡¯re both ready to take the risk. Your best choice is to leave her with someone who will be able to protect her, watch over her, and observe her growth. That means a noble. We¡¯re more than willing to help.¡±


    ¡°A-alright. Just stay safe. I don¡¯t want to hear that someone got hurt because of this¡­¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s fine,¡± Minne said in an attempt at reassurance. Really, after this many years, she should¡¯ve known by now that it wouldn¡¯t have worked.


    Imre had not stopped pacing since he realized that Dimas should be coming back soon. ¡°He said that Zofie believed that this was a strong dreamer¡ªmore than what Enebish was. A lot more. They realized that there was a Ski¨¢ attached to him, but no one had noticed a Fos. And he¡¯s coming home with my husband any minute now. Or, he should. If something didn¡¯t happen on their way here¡­¡±


    ¡°Nokae, when was the last time you slept for longer than three hours?¡± Samone asked.


    He actually stopped pacing for a minute to think about it. When he decided not to give an answer and continued pacing, she sighed.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing you have to worry about,¡± Minne continued. ¡°Dimas will come back safely. We have everything we need to keep the baby¡ªand everyone else¡ªsafe. You should think on the bright side of things. You¡¯re going to be a father. Isn¡¯t that amazing?¡±


    He let out a bit of nervous laughter. ¡°The father of the boy who can either save or destroy the entire kingdom.¡±


    ¡°Well, you¡¯ll have all of us with you. Together, I¡¯m sure everything will be fine.¡±


    ¡­


    He was bent over a dozen reports, all with similarly grim contents, forcing himself to remember that Lydia and Tavin would be coming back soon. He¡¯d gotten a letter not too long ago from them. They¡¯ll be fine.


    Still, when there was a knock on the door, he partially dreaded who he might see when he said, ¡°Come in.¡±


    Elena nervously entered. Before he could ask anything, she quickly said, ¡°Lydia¡¯s keeping Tavin busy and told Kiah to keep Natheniel with her at the army¡¯s base.¡±


    ¡°Why..?¡±


    To answer his question, she gestured a girl inside, whispering some kind of reassurance to her. An eight-year-old, from the looks of it, who seemed rather apathetic considering the circumstances.


    ¡°This is Muriel,¡± Elena explained. ¡°We found her while we were there. She doesn¡¯t remember anything before us and no one recognized her in town. We were hoping you could help us figure out what we should do¡­¡±


    He realized immediately what she meant. He looked between her and the girl and, more out of caution than disbelief, mumbled, ¡°She¡¯s too old.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what we thought too, at first. But we looked into it¡ªthere¡¯s nothing that should prevent it.¡±


    ¡°But that shouldn¡¯t be possible.¡± There were no records of Ilethera or dreamers being found any older than a year old. Yet, something must¡¯ve been going on if there was a girl with no memory that no one recognized¡­


    Elena¡¯s response may have seemed random then, but he understood its meaning. ¡°What I didn¡¯t think was possible was that Tavin could be rude to a girl he¡¯d just met.¡±


    It was the real thing, then. That made it a bit hard to deny¡­


    ¡°Alright,¡± he decided. ¡°I¡¯ll have to see what I can do, but I think it can work. I¡¯ll try to find someone¡ª¡±


    ¡°I was going to volunteer myself, actually,¡± Elena interrupted. She looked down and smiled at the girl, who seemed to treat the conversation with a kind of curiosity. ¡°I don¡¯t mind, really. She¡¯s gotten to know us a bit on our trip back. I think it¡¯ll be better if she¡¯s with someone she¡¯s at least somewhat familiar with¡ªit might make the process a little easier for her.¡± There were no double meanings behind it.


    ¡°You¡¯re sure?¡±


    ¡°Certain.¡±


    ¡°Then I won¡¯t stop you. Just keep her safe, alright? Everyone deserves as much.¡±

 What Time Forgot: Facing the Facts (Leon)

    Now, the invitation wasn¡¯t surprising to him. Tavin was, honestly, a rather frequent visitor¡ªand the way Nadia talked about him was evidence enough outside of that. So it wasn¡¯t completely unexpected when he asked them both to dinner at the castle. After all, it was better for them all to get to know each other sooner or later.


    Leon¡¯s first ¡°red flag,¡± if it deserved to be called such a thing, was how Tavin assured that the kings would actually be there. They were busy people, surely. But¡­ busy enough that they couldn¡¯t even guarantee an hour or so at the end of their day?


    The second¡ªthat became less of overthinking and more of being very obvious¡ªhappened, well¡­ over the course of the entire dinner. Tavin introduced them to Imre, Dimas, and Samone; Nadia acted like she hadn¡¯t actually met them before. Then Leon realized she wasn¡¯t acting.


    Well, he guessed she¡¯d at least talked to Samone before. But any vague sense of familiarity they shared was nonexistent towards Imre or Dimas. Not to mention that Leon got the impression casual conversations really weren¡¯t all that common.


    Somehow, though, no one else seemed to notice it. Or¡­ maybe they chose not to. Eventually the dinner came to an end, after Samone left to take care of work and Tavin and Nadia decided to go to the garden.


    ¡°They seem to get along well,¡± Leon remarked. ¡°I hope things go well for them.¡±


    Dimas smiled. ¡°Yeah, I can tell. I think I speak for both of us when I say we were a little surprised.¡±


    ¡°Surprised?¡±


    Imre let out a small, half-hollow laugh. ¡°I imagined Natheniel would be the first one to bring someone home. I wasn¡¯t exactly mentally prepared.¡±


    Leon was quiet for a moment, then, ¡°Was this really your first time meeting Nadia?¡±


    ¡°Officially, anyway,¡± Dimas responded with a nod. ¡°I¡¯ve seen her around the castle a couple of times but I¡¯d figured she was just a friend. We trust his judgment.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve¡­ known, you know. About their relationship. Tavin¡¯s been visiting every now and again.¡±


    ¡°He has?¡± Imre asked.


    ¡°I think there¡¯s a difference between trusting his judgment and simply not knowing,¡± Leon pointed out cautiously. ¡°If there¡¯s one thing I learned growing up, it¡¯s how to pick apart a simple situation and get information out of it. You¡­ really don¡¯t do this very often, do you?¡±


    The question seemed to hold much more weight than he¡¯d intended. ¡°Natheniel barricaded his door with magic and left through the window in his room. To him, that was more favorable than staying here. Now only the gods, if that, know where he is. What do you think that says about us?¡±


    Dimas frowned. ¡°Imre¡­¡±


    Imre stood up. ¡°I¡¯ve got work to do. The two of you can stay however long you¡¯d like, Leon¡ªat this point it¡¯s probably better if you stay the night anyway. Someone can show you to the guest rooms.¡±


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    He made his way to the door, but Dimas got up to intercept him. A hushed conversation followed but, though it seemed to be resolved, Imre still left. Dimas stepped a bit closer to the table and sighed.


    ¡°Sorry about that. I can¡­ show you to that room, if you want. I know you probably weren¡¯t planning to stay the night but it¡¯s better to be safe than sorry.¡±


    Leon, slowly, stood and wandered next to Dimas. ¡°Would it be too much trouble to ask someone to tell Nadia? I don¡¯t want to bother them¡ªnot with the two of us.¡±


    Dimas nodded, gestured over one of the servants still there, and mumbled something to them. They left and, after a moment, he motioned for Leon to follow him.


    They were in silence for a minute, then Dimas said, ¡°I feel like I need to apologize¡­ again.¡±


    ¡°If anyone¡¯s at fault for anything, it¡¯s me,¡± Leon pointed out. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have brought it up. I hadn¡¯t realized it would lead to that kind of sensitive topic.¡±


    ¡°No, you didn¡¯t do anything. You have a right to be concerned. And, if I¡¯m being honest, you said exactly what we needed to hear¡ªtwo years ago, when we still had a chance to do something.¡± Dimas only looked forward, never sparing a glance over to Leon. ¡°It¡¯s something that we need to talk about. Something we should¡¯ve already talked about. The way I see it, there¡¯s a good chance you¡¯re going to be involved in this. I¡¯m not going to stop you from knowing what your niece might very well become a part of.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mean to drag up anything¡­¡±


    Dimas shook his head. ¡°Of course it isn¡¯t easy, but that doesn¡¯t mean we should avoid it, either. We learned that the hard way.¡± He paused to consider it. ¡°Things were never in our favor, really. Zofie gets upset if I don¡¯t come to visit every now and again. When I am here, I spend a lot of time helping whoever needs it. Imre, Kiah, Samone, and occasionally Raisul run a council that¡¯s supposed to have ten members. On top of that, it¡­ takes a lot, sometimes, for Imre to be around people. He spends most of his time in his office alone, especially on ¡®off¡¯ days.¡±


    He stopped talking just long enough for them to walk past the garden. Tavin and Nadia were still chatting away. ¡°You know, we¡¯d¡­ walk around Lelishara together, when Lydia was still alive. I¡¯d like to say I don¡¯t know what happened to those days, but that would be a lie. We let work take priority over our family. More than that¡­ we weren¡¯t honest. There were things we needed to prepare for that we couldn¡¯t tell the kids. Sometimes Natheniel, and occasionally Tavin, had to go to Qizar when we discussed important things¡­ when we had to meet with other important people. We thought we¡¯d tell them when they were older.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ guessing that opportunity never came,¡± Leon said slowly.


    ¡°We told Tavin pieces¡ªhe didn¡¯t know the full story until last year, though. Philyra had to have pieced together something, too, from overhearing Zofie and I. But Natheniel knew nothing. He didn¡¯t know what he was or what powers he had. He didn¡¯t know that what he did wasn¡¯t his fault. Because¡­ we always said he wasn¡¯t ready. Because we were afraid he would think we only cared because of it.¡± Dimas sighed. ¡°Instead, we made him think that we didn¡¯t care at all.¡±


    ¡°What Imre mentioned¡­ was that what happened when he ran away..?¡±


    ¡°According to them, yes¡ªI wasn¡¯t there myself. I was at Qizar at the time. There¡¯s¡­ a lot of things worth regretting about it¡ªa lot of things we realize we could¡¯ve avoided. Signs we ignored until it was too late. But his disappearance came with other problems. Imre¡¯s working hard to convince everyone that we still have everything under control, even though we still don¡¯t know where Natheniel is. That¡¯s not counting all the other related issues, like the Ski¨¢ or Ihu¡¯s current state¡­¡± There was something else he seemed to think of, but he didn¡¯t say it. ¡°We¡¯re¡­ nearing the anniversary, too¡ªof the last few weeks before he ran away. Suffice to say, it may be a slight understatement to say things are kind of hell right now.¡±


    He actually turned to Leon then, giving him a genuine smile. ¡°But you know what? That¡¯s why I¡¯m glad today happened. It¡¯s nice to know that Tavin¡¯s got some normal people to hang out with, and Nadia seems like a nice girl. I have a feeling they¡¯ll help each other out through whatever happens.¡±


    Leon nodded, managing a smile too. ¡°Let¡¯s hope so.¡±


    Dimas stopped and gestured to a door. ¡°Here¡¯s where you can stay the night. I¡¯ll ask someone on my way back to make sure you¡¯re comfortable. I don¡¯t advise wandering around the castle on your own, you¡¯ll almost certainly get lost.¡±

 What Time Forgot: False Home (Olle)

    He¡¯d grown used to the hostility and apprehension that seemed to follow them wherever they went¡­ the air that replaced any casualness with something suffocating at the mere mention of their names. Maybe that¡¯s why he didn¡¯t notice a difference immediately.


    He still wondered, sometimes, if anything would¡¯ve changed if he¡¯d sensed something and spoke up about it.


    But he also knew they wouldn¡¯t want him dwelling on it.


    Instead, he thought about something different: how absolutely mundane the turn of events started out as.


    Evelina¡¯s face had been red for the better half of dinner, after Olle¡¯s father had prompted her about the boy that had walked her home the day before. She was mostly embarrassed, but Olle could tell there were hints of something else, too. ¡°A-and then he realized I¡¯d stayed home on my birthday. He offered to walk me home and promised he¡¯d get me a late birthday present during Light¡¯s Call.¡±


    Olle, knowing full well what the comment would do, smirked and remarked, ¡°Well, I think he¡¯s a pretty nice guy. Never seemed as hostile as the others¡ªespecially around you.¡±


    ¡°Y-yeah,¡± Evelina said, blushing more.


    Olle¡¯s mother smiled. ¡°Why don¡¯t you see if he¡¯d like to come over for dinner?¡±


    Olle¡¯s father nodded. ¡°They might want to make enemies of us, but we don¡¯t need to make enemies out of them. Orestis teaches treating each other with kindness¡ªso long as you¡¯re careful, there¡¯s no harm in it.¡±


    A sudden bang on the door disrupted the normalcy of the situation¡ªreminded them of what being normal for them really meant. Like always, there was a moment when they all felt panicked; Olle¡¯s parents quickly calmed themselves down, though, to match the expressions that never faltered. Evelina never quite got the hang of beating down her emotions that quickly, though perhaps that was for the better.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see who it is,¡± Olle¡¯s father said. He gave them a smile but they all knew that it was fake.


    His mother, meanwhile, tried to start a casual conversation as if there wasn¡¯t an argument and very angry people at the door. ¡°We¡¯ve been considering taking a trip outside of town tomorrow as a family. We¡¯ve seen how the people here hold up Danai¡ªwe thought it would be interesting to see how others celebrate. Does that interfere with any of your other plans?¡±


    Evelina¡¯s anxieties seemed to quell then, replaced by an air of excitement. ¡°No, I said I¡¯d be spending the festival with my family. Where do you think we¡¯ll go?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± His mother¡¯s smile faltered. ¡°Just away from here.¡±


    ¡­


    If there was one thing his parents couldn¡¯t do, it was tricking him into thinking everything was alright. His ¡°sense¡± assured that¡ªas much as he sometimes wished for Evelina¡¯s ignorance.


    When he woke up the next morning, he could tell that things were very wrong. Hearing his parents mumbling about something, he went down to warn them, but¡­


    His mother just looked up at him. She didn¡¯t mask any emotions¡ªher fear and her sadness was impossible to deny. ¡°We might not be able to come with you, but the two of you should still go on that trip. Lunch is in the kitchen, and if you go to our room you¡¯ll find some spare coins for souvenirs.¡±


    ¡°Mom, what are you talking about?¡± Olle knew he didn¡¯t want to know the answer. He looked to his father. ¡°D-Dad, it¡¯s not¡ª-¡°


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    ¡°Keep an eye on Evelina, alright?¡± His father walked towards the door. ¡°Neither of you are a part of this. If they acknowledge that, then they¡¯ll leave you alone.¡±


    Then Evelina must¡¯ve woken up and heard them all talking, because she came down, too. She glanced at the three of them, and then at the window¡ªit looked like nearly the whole town was outside, the priest and a few others nearly to the door. The moment she pieced it together was obvious; the fear, the confusion¡­ the guilt.


    ¡°What¡¯s going to happen to you?¡± she dared to whisper.


    A forceful knock on the door¡ªsoon followed by an attempt to enter regardless¡ªwas enough of an answer. Olle¡¯s father went to get it, while his mother gestured Evelina closer.


    His mother pulled them both into a hug, her soft voice contrasting the accusations made at the front door. ¡°Take care of each other. Get what you need here and find somewhere safe. Never feel like this was because of the two of you. I speak for us both that we¡¯ve cherished every moment with you. The only thing we regret is that we couldn¡¯t see who you became¡ªthat we didn¡¯t leave this place sooner.¡± She pulled them back to look at them for, what they all knew to be, the last time. ¡°Please, don¡¯t let this be the end. Let it be a new chapter¡ªone we¡¯ll hear all about, when you¡¯ve lived your lives and it¡¯s finally time for us to be reunited.¡±


    At the door, there was a different conversation:


    ¡°We¡¯re giving you one last chance. This is a matter of life or death for you. Prove that you are not like them.¡±


    Calmly, Olle¡¯s father answered, ¡°We both know, even if I gave you proof, you would find another reason to condemn me.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to do this, you know.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a little hard to believe. You¡¯ve seemed desperate to do this for the past thirteen years.¡±


    ¡°Just show us. Then no family has to be torn apart.¡±


    ¡°I have nothing to show.¡±


    Olle often wondered, looking back, what they¡¯d talked about. It wasn¡¯t until after Tandi had talked to them about Feldr¡¯s curse that he had a guess. They¡¯d been talking about his father¡¯s magic. To them, not having it would prove the gods had forsaken him¡ªthat he and his line deserved the fate of those who defied the gods. And who knows how long it had been since he¡¯d lost that ability.


    ¡°Let¡¯s hope your souls will find redemption in the flames.¡± The priest then shouted to the spectators, ¡°Today, we honor Danai by fulfilling the will of her father, Orestis! The cursed line of Feldr ends here!¡±


    A cheer erupted¡ªso happy, despite what it meant what they¡¯d be doing¡ªuntil Olle¡¯s mother stepped closer to the door.


    ¡°Leave Olle and Evelina out of this,¡± she said firmly. ¡°We¡¯re the ones you want. Let them go.¡±


    The priest, for a moment, looked like he was going to object. But he glanced at the crowd¡ªand they faltered. After all¡­ it was effortless to find fault in adults but what, truly, could they say the children had done? They¡¯d watched the two grow up¡­ they knew their only ¡°sins¡± came from their bloodline, and not themselves.


    So instead, he glared right at the two of them and declared, ¡°They have ten minutes to get out. This home was a resting place for the condemned, so it too shall be burned¡ªwith or without anyone in it. And if they dare come here again¡­ we will give them the fate they deserve.¡±


    A moment was given to let it all sink in, then the countdown started. Everyone aside from Olle and Evelina, including his parents, went to the town square. Meanwhile, the two of them gathered what they couldn¡¯t bear to leave behind.


    It turns out, those ¡°packed lunches¡± were enough to keep four people satisfied for three days. The ¡°souvenir money¡± was a handful of gold and silver coins, and¡­ his parents had already packed their valuables, with a note about each item¡¯s price, should they need to be sold. His parents¡¯ engagement rings were included¡­ he put them both into a separate bag, and promised himself to keep them despite whatever happened. Olle took to carrying all of it, since it was the most important. Evelina gathered their clothes, one of his mother¡¯s coats, and four mugs¡ªthe ¡°special¡± mug for each member of the family. She had to have known there was no coming back, and soon there¡¯d be no more traces of the family at all.


    They left then, Olle desperately trying to remember where the next nearest town was. He figured, though, that anything was better than there.


    It wasn¡¯t until the shouts and cheers faded, and the smell of smoke no longer felt like a threat, that it sunk in completely. Evelina stopped, her breath becoming shaky as she tried to fight back tears.


    And Olle, knowing that saying a word would ruin his own attempt at stability, just opened up his arms. She hugged him¡ªtighter than he¡¯d ever known her to hug¡ªand cried into his shoulder. All he could think of was a promise¡ªto himself, to her, to his parents.


    We¡¯re going to find where we belong¡­ a new home, where our blood and our past means nothing.

 What Time Forgot: Spirit Therapist (Dusek)

    When he was chosen to be Nehi¡¯s replacement, he expected his first day at work to be doing the paperwork or helping the people that Tyche was avoiding. Instead, he was the one to reveal Seothia¡¯s newest saint¡ªPrince Tavin.


    Also, when Dusek thought of the conversation that had to be had afterward, he imagined them all being there. This was something best discussed with the whole family¡­ though, he supposed, when nearly every member of that family was politically involved, that wasn¡¯t going to happen.


    Instead he had to settle with a worried father, a confused son, and a handful of informational papers. For a moment he thought he might also have a figurative aunt¡ªbefore she walked out after mumbling something about working. Well, he knew where Tyche was going to be for a little while.


    Dusek put on the most reassuring smile he could, hoping that would help things. ¡°Sorry I was a bit late! I hope you weren¡¯t waiting too long. Go on and have a seat.¡±


    Imre and Tavin both sat down on one side of the table, while Dusek made his way to the other. Neither said anything so he just continued.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re probably aware of a lot of the stuff spirits can do¡ªsomeone else probably told you when he was found to have the Saint-King¡¯s spirit¡ªbut I¡¯d like to go over some other stuff, too.¡± He sat the papers on the table in front of the two of them. ¡°I got someone to copy these for you, they¡¯re basically everything I¡¯m about to go over with you now. Be sure to talk to your family about them, too, alright? It¡¯s important that everyone¡¯s on the same page.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll try to get everyone together,¡± Imre mumbled with a nod. ¡°There¡¯s a lot we¡¯ll need to sort out when we get back anyway¡­¡±


    ¡°Sounds good enough to me. I¡¯m going to skip past the generic ¡®what to expect from your new spirit¡¯ stuff and get into the specifics¡­ what to expect from your new, traumatic spirit.¡± Dusek considered the best way to begin the explanation. ¡°First, I¡¯d like to ask: are you still experiencing those nightmares?¡±


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    Tavin simply nodded.


    ¡°Those, most likely, will go away soon. Nightmares, especially of the spirit¡¯s death, are common signs of developing spirits¡ªmost will go away a little while after getting them. They¡¯ll probably still show up eventually, though. Especially during similar circumstances. See, spirits usually have a good control on keeping things from the person bound to them. Sometimes, though, if the bound person is put into similar life-threatening or even the cause of death of a spirit, they lose that control. They don¡¯t mean to¡ªit just happens. It''s their instinct, in a way, to try to protect the person they¡¯re bound to.


    ¡°Given your age, I think the thing all of you should be most concerned about are the phobias associated with their death. I get that it¡¯s probably going to be hard, but I can show you some methods of managing that. Remember that, first and foremost, it is your mind that the spirits reside in. A lot of people are afraid to tell them no, or to ignore them, because they¡¯re family¡ªbut it helps a lot more to remember that you are the one in control. Stuff about that is included in the papers, too.¡±


    Dusek considered what he said already, and figured it was time to ask, ¡°Any questions? I should be able to answer most of them.¡±


    Tavin shook his head.


    Imre gave something closer to an answer with the remark, ¡°I¡¯ll probably think of plenty on our trip back¡­¡±


    ¡°Alright, that¡¯s fair enough. You can always come to me if you need it¡ªI might be the Vulture but I was a Lily before that. Spirit therapy is literally what I was trained for.¡±


    ¡°We couldn¡¯t bother you¡ª¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I don¡¯t mind, really. I think it might actually be for the better. I honestly don¡¯t have a lot of work to do. I don¡¯t care that I¡¯m working with the prince and I¡¯m not working with anyone else, which is something not a lot of other Lilies can say. I might be young, but I think that could work out well, too. It¡¯ll all help him be more comfortable.¡± He glanced at Tavin. ¡°As long as you¡¯re okay with that.¡±


    ¡°We can try, right..?¡± the boy replied quietly.


    Imre looked like he had more he could say, but must¡¯ve decided against it. ¡°Alright. Thank you, we¡¯ll be sure to take you up on that offer if we need anything.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll answer any letters I get as soon as I see them, I promise. I can probably spare a few trips to Lelishara, too, if it really calls for it. Just let me know and I¡¯ll help any way I can.¡±