Donare Donum: The Gift Giver's Chronicle

“So, as you can see, these white rock formations are typically indicative of a nearby Chillpool. Rather rare, especially this far south, but beneficial for those seeking to Adapt to the cold and grow more powerful. Simply ingesting the water…”

I fought to focus on the lecture but the pain of sitting down, which had been so helpful in keeping me alert, had faded to a dull ache, leaving only exhaustion. The fellow doing his best to teach me, despite myself, is Victor Clement. Julia’s elder brother shared green eyes with his sister, though on him they usually looked watery and pensive. He occasionally glanced back at me through a mop of unkempt brown hair and over a couple of days’ worth of stubble before going back to his stone drawing board and scratching out rough diagrams and words.

I sat next to the fireplace, its’ crackling heat slowly sending me into a stupor. I idly glanced at the bookshelves on the walls surrounding it, and the faded diagrams that had been scribbled on the chimney above it and poorly erased. My eyes wandered back to Victor’s board, down to the wood paneling of the floor, then to my left, where Julia was unrepentantly snoozing, a single lock of crimson hair falling between her eyebrows while her head lolled on her shoulder. To her credit, she had lasted an hour or two, before the rain started up and the sun had begun to set. I could still hear its’ soft patter on the roof and the dull rumble of thunder in the distance.

Victor had been kind enough to give me private lectures every Fourthday afternoon, as a favor to me and probably Lynn as well. I had asked because I knew that Fighters were given a shoddy education on the region of Corynth and basically no education on the world beyond. Though admittedly we had precious little info on the latter, with many records lost to time. I wanted to learn, of course, but right now I was starting to want a nap and dinner even more.

“Falling asleep during a lecture that could save your life isn’t the brightest idea, Steve.” Victor interrupted me a wry smile. “It was definitely smart to ask for extracurricular learning, but going to see the Sandman at the same time sort of defeats the purpose.”

“Then again,” he said, his grin expanding as he looked at his sister, “I can see why you could get a bit distracted today, all things considered.”

Schooling my expression, I retorted with my best deadpan expression “You’re certainly not one to talk about being distracted by another man’s sister.”

As if on cue, I heard the door open behind me. “It’s getting late you three. The two young ones really should be getting home for supper.” a calm voice supplied from the doorway. Lynn was the spitting image of our mother, mirroring her heart shaped face and kindly eyes. Lynn’s voice was even softer though, with a serenity that was unusual in this village of warriors. I love all my sisters, even Ann, but Lynn is my favorite.

Just as ordered, color rose to Victor’s cheeks. Even as a newlywed, he hadn’t totally lost his bashfulness around her. “Yes, Yes, quite right dear. Come on Jules, wake up!”, he prodded the redhead, causing her to wake with a squawk.

“What ish it? What time is it?”

“Time to go kiddo. Send mom and dad my love.”

She nodded blearily before going to the door and I started to rise and follow her. Victor stopped me with a wave.

“One moment, Steve. There was something I wanted to ask you before you go. Could you see Julia out, love?” Lynn nodded and moved to escort the sleepwalker to the door, and I sat back down. Victor gazed at me, eyes narrowing from their normal, absent pensiveness to a sharp focus, like he was trying to stare through me. Then again, he has the Gift of Sight, so I figure it’s not such a far-fetched possibility.

“Any news about your Giftseed? Has anything changed?”

I fought down yet another sigh, “I think it’s doing something. If it were totally useless, these morons would tear me apart. As it is, I still manage to win more than I lose.”

“But with your skills, you should be at the top of your class. Maybe you just have some type of enhanced perception, like me, but as a sixth sense. Something that helps you predict your opponent’s motions more easily.”

“Any decent fighter has at least some of that. But the point of the Gifts is to help us become superhuman, right? I’m very much lacking in the superhuman department.”

I’ve started to tap my fingers in an irritated rhythm at this point. I had already relitigated all of this numerous times with my father and Victor over the past several years, to no avail.

“Even if it were working, somehow, the fact that it isn’t helping me much anyways means that it’s redundant.” I grumble.

“Only if it isn’t nurtured properly.” He countered. “The Seed expanded after the ceremony, right? Has it expanded since?”

I stare back. “I haven’t checked.”

Victor raises his eyebrows, then makes a “go on” motion with his hands, before sitting back in his own chair, watching.

I obediently go into meditation for the umpteenth time, and stare at this stupid grey rock that I was stuck with. It was larger than it was when I was 9. My “awakening” had seen it swell to twice its’ dormant size. But it was the same stubborn slate gray and no bigger than it was after “awakening”. It had the decency to occasionally pulse with a silent beat, sending energy gently through my body, nourishing it. A totally dormant seed wouldn’t do that, but this was subtle. More subdued than it should be, like a quiet note from an timid flutist.

“It seems the same as it’s been since Awakening. Maybe slightly larger.”

“Push deeper. Try to look closer. Maybe the secret is with the Seed itself, not with its effects on you.”

Humoring him, though we had tried this before, I concentrate harder. It is a perfectly smooth sphere that rotates softly, smoothly, ponderously, like some unfathomably boring boulder rolling down a gentle hill. Wanting with all my heart for something to happen, I devoted all my faculties to staring at it. Begging it to do something. Then, as it pulsed again, I heard a faint noise. A low, animalistic rumble, like some sort of defiant cry. It left as quickly as it came, an illusory sensation passing through. More imagination than fact.

I let out a soft exhale, leaving the trance.

“Anything?”

I stare back at him, conflicted, before letting out a solemn “Nothing.”

He sighed, staring back, “That’s a problem. If we don’t know what your Gift is, they can’t teach you properly. Without proper teaching, you won’t be able to defend your position as successor.”

“And what if I don’t need a position as successor?” I responded, fighting to control my anger this time.

“Then Samuel will take the throne and generations of Argentum leadership will end.”

This acknowledgment sent us both into a pensive silence. I’d gone back to tapping my desk, without noticing.

“It wouldn’t be that bad.” I weakly supplied.

Now Victor was staring harder, his eyes flashing with viridian frustration. “I know you didn’t ask to be born with this responsibility, but the village is depending on you, whether they are smart enough to realize it or not. Letting that moron anywhere near power is suicidal.”

This sent us back into silence, as the rain began to fall harder outside. The fire had begun to wane, its’ hearty crackle reduced to softer popping, the coals glowing with steady heat. Victor’s face, already mature beyond his 21 years, was even more serious in the orange glow.

“If you keep Steve for any longer, he really will miss dinner, Vick.” Lynn called from the other room, breaking our reverie.

Victor sighed, “Just seriously consider your position, alright?”, he said to me, leaning back and staring at the ceiling now. “It’s time to grow up. I’ll do what I can to help.”

I nodded, though he wasn’t looking at me, and made my way out.