To anyone still following this I apologize again for how long it takes me between chapters ^_^;; I
realize this may be too little too late, but I promise that it's going to pick up by Chapter Eight
and become much more interesting!
--Eliza
=================
Pearl opened her mouth and replied, "I suspected as much."
"What do you mean?" I asked her.
Pearl smiled. "What but a Jumi could drive you to want to come here so urgently? And who is the only Jumi not living in the Bejeweled City?"
I smiled. "You've got me there," I told her. "But how do you know there aren't others?"
"Sandra would have seen to them," she said simply, and grew quiet. I sensed that I had said the wrong thing.
"Pearl," Elazul said, breaking the silence, "I don't think that Leora knows about the Order of Jewels. In fact, I don't know much myself. Only what my foster father told me, a long time ago…"
Elazul looked wistful.
"Foster father?" I asked, against my better judgement. Stupid me; I really should have known better by then than to pry into the past of a Jumi.
"My parents were taken by jewelers," Elazul explained, "so I lived with a foster father. He was taken by Deathbringer's army, though…"
"I shouldn't have asked," I told him. "You know, both of you may feel free to tell me something's none of my business."
"Why should we, we're pressing you for painful information, aren't we?" Elazul said, lightly. I noticed that even though he wasn't happy about this, he was a much more cheerful person than he'd been when I'd met him.
"It's not quite the same thing—"
"Please," Pearl said. "We've been asking you questions for some time now, with no explanation. As Elazul has suggested, I shall tell you about the Order of Jewels."
As I watched her begin to tell her story, I saw less of Pearl and more of Blackpearl in her face. Even if they were truly the same person nowadays, I found it hard not to separate the two… when I'd known them, they had truly been two different entities, trapped in the same body except in the Room of Fate at Leires…
But I digress…
"A long time ago," Pearl said, "before my generation, even… and perhaps when Rubens and Diana were still infants, but perhaps not, there was a cult of sorts, known as the Order of Jewels."
I leaned over on my elbows on the little table and let Pearl tell her story. It was almost like she was telling a fairy tale.
"The Order of Jewels always claimed that they served a higher power than even our Mana Goddess, a male deity who perhaps ruled over her with an iron fist. Their rituals included strange songs, and dances, always played on an ocarina. They traveled in groups of six—there were always four Dancers—the harpies that you spoke of, no doubt—one Piper, and the Singer; the leader. She was most often a syenite elf."
"Syenite…" I said. "Isn't that—"
"Yes," Pearl told me, smiling brightly, her brandy-colored eyes twinkling at me. "It's an igneous stone. Blue, very pretty. We have certainly seen Jumi in the past with syene cores.
"Zaffer elves—yes, it's another stone, quite similar to Elazul's core, here—sometimes joined, but from what we gathered, they were mainly against the Order… but they do not live in Fa'Diel, so we cannot be sure.
"Anyhow, the Order of Jewels demanded Jumi cores to do their more magical rituals with. They tried hunting for them, and when they could not be received, they would perform a Jumi's curse on an innocent human and take their core once they died. Though these cores were artificial, they were nearly as magical. We lost quite a few Jumi to them and their strange rituals, but they disappeared when the Jumi poachers showed up a few decades later. They obviously did not want their collected cores to be stolen… perhaps they've received word that the Jumi had finally found peace and took that as their chance."
As she finished her story, I watched her thoughtfully. "She—the Singer, Ianthe—seems to have the whole town of Domina under her spell. I suppose we cannot just storm in and fight them."
"Or maybe we can," Elazul said gruffly, "and get it over with quick as possible. They'll be afraid of Lady Blackpearl, won't they?" he looked at his partner, meaningfully.
"That is possible," Pearl said, seriously, "but Elazul, I am your guardian. I have no wishes for my duties as a Jumi but to protect you in battles."
Elazul smiled at her, and for a wild moment, I almost expected to say something to each other. Those two are—trust me—crazy about each other, but neither of them has ever said anything. I think Elazul's still kind of scared of Blackpearl, and Pearl's too shy.
"Could we go in without Blackpearl?" I asked, thoughtfully. "We may end up needing a guardian on our side… especially if we just storm their headquarters."
"I agree," Pearl said, "but Leora, you have no guardian…"
"Esmeralda?" I asked.
"She's pursuing knighthood, like she wanted to," Elazul said.
"Well, then," I said, "perhaps Bud could act as a guardian… of course, he doesn't know the first thing about healing…"
"You're not a Jumi," Pearl said. "With the right type of magical instruments, you could be healed. Perhaps I should act as guardian for both of you..? Leora, I know you could craft an instrument for healing."
"With the right books and materials, sure," I said. "but I don't want you to have to be a guardian for both of us…"
"Humans fight differently than the Jumi, Pearl," Elazul reminded her. "Leora could be her own guardian if she needed to."
I nodded. "I've never really fought with magic before, but I suppose it could be done."
"Then it is settled," Elazul said, standing up quickly. "We will leave for Domina soon, then. There isn't a lot of time to waste."
I stood, as well. "I agree," I told him. "I cannot let the Jumi die…" I murmured.
"Don't worry about us, Leora," Pearl told me softly, her large brown eyes focused on me. She smiled wanly. "This time, we Jumi will protect ourselves. Never again will our society implode on itself."
I grinned at Pearl. She was so different from when I'd first met her, yet still so lovable. "Either way, Pearl," I said, "I've got to get back at the people who involved Lisa in such a thing."
"You love Lisa as your daughter," Pearl smiled. "I understand."
I cocked my head at her, curious. "I love Lisa," I said, "but I'm not exactly the motherly type."
Pearl laughed, then. "Well, there are all sorts of people in this world and whichever way you look at yourself, Leora, you are an asset." She then bowed. "I hope you two will excuse me. I have to meet with Diana and Rubens now, to discuss our plans."
Pearl walked away from Elazul and I, and we began to stroll down another way, back to the place where I was staying.
"Lisa should be all right in the morning, then," I said, hoping to spark conversation.
Elazul, however, didn't reply right away. "She's changed," he said. I knew immediately it was Pearl he meant, and not Lisa.
"Yes," I agreed.
Elazul continued to look deep in thought. "It's very hard to get used to," he said, finally. I tried to read his face; it was difficult.
Suddenly, I laughed merrily. "Elazul, you've changed some, too, since I met you."
He looked at me with surprised azure eyes. "Have I?"
"You used to be so cold," I said, "to everyone. You even used to boss Pearl around all the time… you liked to seem superior to strangers. You're different now, though. You've become more sociable."
"I've stopped threatening to kill people, too," he said, a slight air in his voice. "However, if things go as I'm afraid they will, that could change. And," he continued, "I will never forgive anyone who is responsible for any harm done to Pearl."
I briefly remembered the time when, in Leires, he had threatened to kill me if I let anything happen to her.
"You… care greatly for Pearl," I said, hoping to provoke a response out of him. I'd forgotten to stop myself from being nosy.
"She is my guardian," Elazul said simply. And then, he left me abruptly as I stood outside the door of my temporary quarters.
realize this may be too little too late, but I promise that it's going to pick up by Chapter Eight
and become much more interesting!
--Eliza
=================
Pearl opened her mouth and replied, "I suspected as much."
"What do you mean?" I asked her.
Pearl smiled. "What but a Jumi could drive you to want to come here so urgently? And who is the only Jumi not living in the Bejeweled City?"
I smiled. "You've got me there," I told her. "But how do you know there aren't others?"
"Sandra would have seen to them," she said simply, and grew quiet. I sensed that I had said the wrong thing.
"Pearl," Elazul said, breaking the silence, "I don't think that Leora knows about the Order of Jewels. In fact, I don't know much myself. Only what my foster father told me, a long time ago…"
Elazul looked wistful.
"Foster father?" I asked, against my better judgement. Stupid me; I really should have known better by then than to pry into the past of a Jumi.
"My parents were taken by jewelers," Elazul explained, "so I lived with a foster father. He was taken by Deathbringer's army, though…"
"I shouldn't have asked," I told him. "You know, both of you may feel free to tell me something's none of my business."
"Why should we, we're pressing you for painful information, aren't we?" Elazul said, lightly. I noticed that even though he wasn't happy about this, he was a much more cheerful person than he'd been when I'd met him.
"It's not quite the same thing—"
"Please," Pearl said. "We've been asking you questions for some time now, with no explanation. As Elazul has suggested, I shall tell you about the Order of Jewels."
As I watched her begin to tell her story, I saw less of Pearl and more of Blackpearl in her face. Even if they were truly the same person nowadays, I found it hard not to separate the two… when I'd known them, they had truly been two different entities, trapped in the same body except in the Room of Fate at Leires…
But I digress…
"A long time ago," Pearl said, "before my generation, even… and perhaps when Rubens and Diana were still infants, but perhaps not, there was a cult of sorts, known as the Order of Jewels."
I leaned over on my elbows on the little table and let Pearl tell her story. It was almost like she was telling a fairy tale.
"The Order of Jewels always claimed that they served a higher power than even our Mana Goddess, a male deity who perhaps ruled over her with an iron fist. Their rituals included strange songs, and dances, always played on an ocarina. They traveled in groups of six—there were always four Dancers—the harpies that you spoke of, no doubt—one Piper, and the Singer; the leader. She was most often a syenite elf."
"Syenite…" I said. "Isn't that—"
"Yes," Pearl told me, smiling brightly, her brandy-colored eyes twinkling at me. "It's an igneous stone. Blue, very pretty. We have certainly seen Jumi in the past with syene cores.
"Zaffer elves—yes, it's another stone, quite similar to Elazul's core, here—sometimes joined, but from what we gathered, they were mainly against the Order… but they do not live in Fa'Diel, so we cannot be sure.
"Anyhow, the Order of Jewels demanded Jumi cores to do their more magical rituals with. They tried hunting for them, and when they could not be received, they would perform a Jumi's curse on an innocent human and take their core once they died. Though these cores were artificial, they were nearly as magical. We lost quite a few Jumi to them and their strange rituals, but they disappeared when the Jumi poachers showed up a few decades later. They obviously did not want their collected cores to be stolen… perhaps they've received word that the Jumi had finally found peace and took that as their chance."
As she finished her story, I watched her thoughtfully. "She—the Singer, Ianthe—seems to have the whole town of Domina under her spell. I suppose we cannot just storm in and fight them."
"Or maybe we can," Elazul said gruffly, "and get it over with quick as possible. They'll be afraid of Lady Blackpearl, won't they?" he looked at his partner, meaningfully.
"That is possible," Pearl said, seriously, "but Elazul, I am your guardian. I have no wishes for my duties as a Jumi but to protect you in battles."
Elazul smiled at her, and for a wild moment, I almost expected to say something to each other. Those two are—trust me—crazy about each other, but neither of them has ever said anything. I think Elazul's still kind of scared of Blackpearl, and Pearl's too shy.
"Could we go in without Blackpearl?" I asked, thoughtfully. "We may end up needing a guardian on our side… especially if we just storm their headquarters."
"I agree," Pearl said, "but Leora, you have no guardian…"
"Esmeralda?" I asked.
"She's pursuing knighthood, like she wanted to," Elazul said.
"Well, then," I said, "perhaps Bud could act as a guardian… of course, he doesn't know the first thing about healing…"
"You're not a Jumi," Pearl said. "With the right type of magical instruments, you could be healed. Perhaps I should act as guardian for both of you..? Leora, I know you could craft an instrument for healing."
"With the right books and materials, sure," I said. "but I don't want you to have to be a guardian for both of us…"
"Humans fight differently than the Jumi, Pearl," Elazul reminded her. "Leora could be her own guardian if she needed to."
I nodded. "I've never really fought with magic before, but I suppose it could be done."
"Then it is settled," Elazul said, standing up quickly. "We will leave for Domina soon, then. There isn't a lot of time to waste."
I stood, as well. "I agree," I told him. "I cannot let the Jumi die…" I murmured.
"Don't worry about us, Leora," Pearl told me softly, her large brown eyes focused on me. She smiled wanly. "This time, we Jumi will protect ourselves. Never again will our society implode on itself."
I grinned at Pearl. She was so different from when I'd first met her, yet still so lovable. "Either way, Pearl," I said, "I've got to get back at the people who involved Lisa in such a thing."
"You love Lisa as your daughter," Pearl smiled. "I understand."
I cocked my head at her, curious. "I love Lisa," I said, "but I'm not exactly the motherly type."
Pearl laughed, then. "Well, there are all sorts of people in this world and whichever way you look at yourself, Leora, you are an asset." She then bowed. "I hope you two will excuse me. I have to meet with Diana and Rubens now, to discuss our plans."
Pearl walked away from Elazul and I, and we began to stroll down another way, back to the place where I was staying.
"Lisa should be all right in the morning, then," I said, hoping to spark conversation.
Elazul, however, didn't reply right away. "She's changed," he said. I knew immediately it was Pearl he meant, and not Lisa.
"Yes," I agreed.
Elazul continued to look deep in thought. "It's very hard to get used to," he said, finally. I tried to read his face; it was difficult.
Suddenly, I laughed merrily. "Elazul, you've changed some, too, since I met you."
He looked at me with surprised azure eyes. "Have I?"
"You used to be so cold," I said, "to everyone. You even used to boss Pearl around all the time… you liked to seem superior to strangers. You're different now, though. You've become more sociable."
"I've stopped threatening to kill people, too," he said, a slight air in his voice. "However, if things go as I'm afraid they will, that could change. And," he continued, "I will never forgive anyone who is responsible for any harm done to Pearl."
I briefly remembered the time when, in Leires, he had threatened to kill me if I let anything happen to her.
"You… care greatly for Pearl," I said, hoping to provoke a response out of him. I'd forgotten to stop myself from being nosy.
"She is my guardian," Elazul said simply. And then, he left me abruptly as I stood outside the door of my temporary quarters.