The Ring of the Oracles
Ravus watched anxiously as Chancellor Izunia - he had not yet gotten used to the idea of calling him by first name - held Lunafreya's hand, eyes closed, as though praying.
Izunia opened his eyes and placed Lunafreya's hand on the bed. "She'll be along shortly," he said to Ravus.
Indeed, her eyes fluttered open just seconds later. "Ravus," she murmured.
Ravus scooped her up into a warm embrace. "You've been out for five days," he said. "Welcome back."
"Where are we?" she asked, looking around. This room was unfamiliar, although cozy.
"Aranea Highwind's hideout," Ravus said. "How much do you remember?"
She looked over at Ardyn and held out a hand. He obligingly put his own in hers. "They're gone," she said, after a moment. "I remember that, but things are...a little fuzzy."
"How about the ring?" asked Ardyn. "Do you remember how you got that?"
Lunafreya looked down at her hands blankly. There was a vaguely familiar ring on one of her hands, but thinking about it made her head hurt.
There was a knock at the door, and Biggs entered carrying a plate of cheese, crackers, and fruit. He set it down next to Lunafreya and she had to resist grabbing the food with both hands. "Thank you," she said gratefully.
"All right, missus," said Biggs. "Only, this one time, me old China got himself in a spot of Barney like you did. When he woke up, he were completely Marvin so he ate up everything he could find! He ended up Tom, as you can well imagine, so I thought to myself, 'Biggs, bring her some grapes. That would have helped old Johnny.'"
"Thank you," she repeated, a little dazed, wondering if the story was about someone named Barney, Marvin, Tom, or Johnny.
"Cheers," said Biggs, and exited.
"Well…" said Ravus, "Aranea Highwind appeared after you fell unconscious and brought us here. She and I have been running reconnaissance to Tenebrae. We think the creatures that were in residence in Izunia have relocated to the dark crystal."
"Relocated? How can that be?"
"Remember what I told you about daemons and self-interest?" said Ardyn. "You rendered their previous host unappetizing, so they found a new one. Oh, you couldn't have destroyed them - they had grown far too powerful. Hence the crystal, the ring, the King of Light, et cetera."
"Then what can we do? Will I have to…?" she trailed off, wondering queasily if all she had done would be for naught.
"You will not," said Ardyn firmly. "I have an idea that this -" he pointed to the ring that had appeared on her finger "- may be able to amplify your power in the same way the Ring of the Lucii amplifies his. With some caveats, of course, but it just may be enough."
Lunafreya held up the ring and examined it. "This ring...I remember...my mother…."
"All the to-do over the Ring of the Lucii, but no one ever thought to harness the distaff power. And I thought I had lost the capacity to be surprised," said Ardyn wryly.
"The Ring of the Oracles, then," said Ravus, examining it with fascination.
"The Ring of the Oracles," Lunafreya repeated.
Lunafreya's fate was written in the stars long before she was born. She had always known that she was destined to die for the Chosen King, always found a certain comfort in it. She brought hope with her everywhere she went, and yet…. Her heart fluttered. For all her blessings, this was the first time she felt hope for herself.