Fate weaver’s convergence

 

It took what felt like an eternity to describe what occurred under the scrutinizing gaze of Lorn, Gregor, and Cressida. Though it felt tedious to go over the events from the entire morning, Lorn insisted I start from the time I woke up. Obliging the request, I went over the events of the entire day as Lorn listened intently. None of them said anything the entire time, instead, holding serious expressions and the occasional shift in position as someone drank their tea. Lorn listened as always, with her head propped by her arms as she nearly peered into my soul. Gregor looked down now and then, possibly thinking over my words from time to time. Cressida sat on her coils as she was before, starring through me, her arms crossed as she picked my words apart to herself silently. Maria stood at the corner of the room, quietly awaiting anyone's request; however, she mostly refilled tea from time to time. My cup remained full, however; I was unable to drink anything in this circumstance for some reason. 

I can't stomach anything like this.

Around the time I described our lunch was when they became eerily quiet. Not even the sound of their breathing could be heard within the pauses of my speech, only the faint muffled sound of conversation from downstairs. I recollected everything, random bits of our conversations, my training with Vaughn, Beryl being concerned because I skipped breakfast, and even us teasing each other as we ate. Each minute memory built up to the climax of the day as I poured out whatever information my brain was able to retain. And then it began, the description of the system message. Our reaction, what I could remember of Vaughn and Beryl's argument, and the ensuing fight. I stopped just short of when Cressida, Sophia, and the guards found us. And lastly, the short note supposedly left by Solah. 

"Forcibly forming a party- "

Lorn leaned back into the couch, rubbing the temples of her head as she paused for a moment to absorb what she'd heard. Gregor and Cressida were both showing their own independent reactions. Gregor's reaction was relatively emotionless, the only sign that he'd actually absorbed the contents of the conversation was the occasional clenching of his jowls as he rubbed at his jaw. Cressida however, appeared particularly conflicted by the description, considering it was yet to be met with an ounce of questioning.

"I entrust in Sophia's word, she said Kiyomi wasn't lying when she began her recollection with naming the Gods. Her being an imperial interrogator... there's no way... right?"

Cressida looked to Lorn, hoping the Elf would somehow assuage her worries. Lorn responded by talking as she stared at the ceiling, her arms dropping to her sides.

"If Sophia couldn't discern anything... It's all real."

Lorn sighed soon after, leaning forward to prop herself on her knees.

"-And the note from Solah is very much real."

Lorn looked up to the charred sword that was centered on the coffee table.

"The swords condition after such a use-"

Lorn looked at me before looking back to Cressida and Gregor.

"-It's out of our hands."

Lorn clenched her teeth. 

"What do you mean 'it's out of our hands?"

Cressida suddenly yelled, raising from her coils; her impatience having boiled to the surface.

"You're telling me there's nothing we can do?!  Bullshit, the first thing we can do is shoot this down now! None of them are going to be adventurers! They can stay in the city! Nothing else about it! Get rid of the variables and they'll be safe."

"Cressida, sheltering them won't solve any-"

"Bullshit it won't solve anything! What will letting them out do? They'll simply be at nature's whim!"

Cressida yelled, cutting Lorn off.

"And what will keeping them inside do all the same?”

Gregor spoke, his tone almost indifferent as he continued to stare forward blankly.

"Cressida, the fact that this is very much real, means we cannot afford to make such rash decisions. Knowing what we do, the wisest action is to prepare them as much as possible."

Gregor's head was strangely level considering his son was targeted as well. 

"If stepping in is the path to truly take, don't you think Solah would have made a more direct appearance?"

"She's a God for fuck sake, why would she?"

Cressida and Gregor proceeded to enter a spat, minor points being brought up or cut down by either party over the next few minutes. With Gregor and Cressida arguing, Lorn was surprisingly patient. She watched the two calmly, waiting for the Lamia and the older Human to burn off their energy. 

"Can we really let them roam around as they have been? For Goddesses sake Gregor, your own son is still out-cold as well!"

Gregor showed the first hint of emotion in his voice, his face shifting in anger as he brought himself to his feet. 

"Don't you say a Gods damned thing of my concern for my boy! I've known a time and place to worry and grieve, you know well enough his place in my mind!-"

Gregors face was turning red with the anger he was holding down. The outburst putting me on edge as I felt sweat roll down the back of my neck. 

"-What you NEED to ask, is what your daughter wants! My boy was keen as ever to go on this adventuring charade instead of following in my immediate steps! Since he gained direction, he's been as zealous as ever! your daughter was surprisingly spry and gay when not under your, nor your wife's shade!"

A vein could be seen bulging on Gregor's head before he dropped his weight back down on the couch. Cressida in comparison was still standing silently where she was with her fists clenched. Seeing that the argument was deadened by Gregor's outburst, Lorn took her opportunity to voice her own opinion. 

"Cressida, why not wait for Beryl to awaken- for her condition to recover before making a decision. Let her come to her own conclusion, and support her in her choice. No?"

Lorn's tone gave a familiar feeling; it was reminiscent of when she proposed Hatsumi look after me.

This snake tongued-

Cressida's stance loosened and she slowly backed down onto her coils, the silent anger that appeared to be held in evaporated as her expression shifted to one of concern.

"The wall is by no means a method to keep any of them safe. Kiyomi-"

"Ah, yes?"

I sat up straight in my seat, a small audible gulp escaping my throat as the eyes of everyone in the room fell back onto me alone. 

"You should feel special, you've been given a direct blessing... How do you intend to use it?"

Lorn nodded to me as she asked her question, as If I was to know an answer straight away.

"I don't quite follow..."

I nervously eeked the words out. My reaction prompted Lorn to stand, grabbing my sword from the table as she did so. With my sword in hand, Lorn motioned the blade from one side to the other as she looked it over; her eyes tracing up and down its edges. 

"Kiyomi, of all the adventurers in this city, only around fifty have a blessing from their worshipped deity. Each of you was given a gift. Your skills. Your path- your path is paved only by yourself. The tools you've all been given, especially at such an age, means you've been trusted to follow your heart. To waste the gift by simply cowering, by shying away from its purpose... How will you use it?"

Lorn shifted the hilt in her grasp, the hilt now presented to me fully as Lorn held it towards me. 

I want Beryl and Vaughn to be safe... I want to figure out how to help Kiyomi...

I bit down on my tongue as I wracked my mind for my true feelings on the subject. Thinking through the full context of Lorn's word's as I searched for an answer myself. 

"I-"

Hesistation was very evident in my voice as I slowly got up from the couch, loosely wrapping my hands around the hilt of the sword. Noticing I have yet to fully take hold of this sword, Lorn began pulling away, as If to give me an idea that my time for a response was shortening. 

"-I want to protect them!"

My hands clamped down on the hilt; one hand on its pommel and the other just behind the crossguard where Lorn held on. As I did so, the sword lit up faintly and a very weak flow of mana appeared to pass through it as Lorn released the charred leather. 

"There you have it, the one who should be scared the most has given her thoughts, now we have only to wait for the other two to choose."

Lorn spoke as she looked to Cressida, locking her eyes on her.

"Solah turned the sword into a mana conduit, that's the other reason your daughter cooked the Bulette so thoroughly. If she decides to continue her path, she'll be in safer hands than any of us could ever hope to provide-"

Looking to the sword as Lorn released it, the faint glow faded quickly. 

"-that said, Kiyomi- Thank you for your assistance, without you, Beryl, or Vaughn; that Bulette would have likely claimed another dozen lives before being culled. You've done something almost no beginning adventurer has ever managed. Granted divine intervention was a factor, consider yourself proud. You are not to speak a word of this event to anyone but your mother and your friends. Do you understand?"

Lorn asked me in a rather flat voice; crossing her arms as she stood, an imposing figure considering my size as a preteen.

"Yes, Ma'am."

I looked to the ground, somehow feeling forced down by her stare. 

"Maria, take Kiyomi to the stay-in quarters, tend to her until Hatsumi returns.-"

Lorn ordered as she nodded towards Maria, uncrossing her arms as she turned back to the other two whilst taking her seat.

"As for you all, preparations will be made to provide quarters in, or around the Guildhall as soon as possible."

Lorn began the next phase of a conversation I was never meant to be a part of as Maria ushered me along, back to my home. 

"We can't have our leading individuals for 'Stalwart' being that far out of the walls anymore-"

The sound of Lorns conversation cutting off as Maria led me away, the door clicking shut behind us.