FELIX
Felix felt sick. Mount Aleph had sunken, and with it Vale. He could vaguely hear his friends' soft words, or maybe he imagined them. He barely felt Garet and Kyle push past him to see for themselves. He was falling, deeper and deeper…
"Someone has to call them," Kraden said, putting a hand on Felix's shoulder. That meant he had to do it… Somewhere beneath the numbness, a spark of resentment flickered, why does it always have to be me? But he called them anyway. They would have to go back to Vault, and think of what to do next. But what was there to do? A hopeless voice said in Felix. There was nothing. He had triggered this. He felt cold, and his face hardened, he had to do this. Unconsciously, his hand went to his sword.
A touch on his arm made him turn and saw Sheba with a grin. It confused him, how can she be amused at a time like this? She pointed towards something, and Felix saw.
Towards the direction Sheba pointed to, there was the whole village. And Mia was walking with, Felix recognized, Garet's family up the hill. The sight made him feel suddenly lightheaded, like a drowned man who just returned to shore. He would not have the blood of the Valeans on his hand.
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"Felix,"
Felix turned and smiled when he saw who it was, "Sheba." He greeted in return.
It had been a while since he had the peace of mind to look at the wind adept. He looked now, and imagined he saw the curves of her body developed more. She was… she is young, Felix thought, at least physically. Her hair also outgrew her perfect coif she had when Felix first saw her. But it added to her beauty instead of diminishing it; she had changed from a haute princess to a wildcat, graceful, disdainful, but dangerous and powerful. Only her eyes remained the same piercing, knowing purple.
Sheba sat next to him by the grassy hill silently. In the distance, there were sounds of the villagers celebrating. They should have been celebrating too. They should have been celebrating the most, having saved Weyard from crumbling, having braved so many dangers with all their lives intact… yet Felix felt far from celebratory.
"You are always tempting to Mind Read," Sheba said, after a few minutes sitting next to him. Felix laughed a little, "You are welcomed to," he offered his hand. Sheba looked at it for a moment before taking it and closing her eyes. The air seemed to shudder and suck him to Sheba for a moment; the physical effect was false, but Felix knew the feeling came from Sheba using her psynergy.
"Images of childhood and an overall feeling of glumness unexplained," Sheba said, withdrawing her hand and rolling her eyes delicately, "Typical Felix."
"I was hoping you could explain it for me, that unexplainable glumness" Felix half-joked, folding his arms over his knees again.
"There are a lot of things about yourself you don't know Felix. Mind Reading won't help you know what you aren't aware of."
Felix frowned, "What sort of things?"
Sheba considered him, "You inspect situations well enough when we were journeying, a pity you don't have half the skill in introspection."
"You are not helping."
Sheba laughed with her tinkling voice, "Very well, shall we talk about something else? A guessing game? What do you think I will do now?"
"Now?" Felix asked in confusion, Sheba rolled her eyes and waved her hands helpfully as if to say Not right now, think. He paused, then, "…You will continue on your quest to find out more about your past?"
"Correct," Sheba said, amused, "with the Golden Sun risen, maybe I'll find more clues. I intend to return to Contigo and inspect the Crater."
"You won't return to Faran first?"
"Maybe, I'm in no rush for this quest." Sheba frowned, "But I'm getting old. Faran might have plans of marriage for me."
Felix was surprised, "Are you afraid?"
Sheba gazed directly at Felix, "Yes."
"Speak to Faran, he dotes on you, he would not pressure a marriage on you that you find unpleasing."
Sheba sighed, "No, I suppose he would not." She looked as if she was about to continue, but held her tongue.
"Is there something else?"
"Yes," Sheba looked at him.
Felix frowned, "Traveling to Contigo by yourself? But I think you are strong enough to travel, granted if you had a few companions it would worry me less. But I am sure if you persist, Faran would send a-"
"Enough." Sheba interrupted. But when it was clear she wasn't going to continue, Felix began to speak, only to be stopped again by her hand.
It was not the first time he has been hushed by Sheba in such a manner, but she rarely did so, only when she was concentrating or he had suggested a plan of action too brash. Felix thought he was undeserving of such a treatment this time, but he let it go. He turned back to the sunken crater where Vale once was, the sound of celebration behind him for the fresh beginnings of New Vale. He had been anxious and excited to return to Vale from Prox. Would the villagers hate him? Would he be forgiven? But he remembered the sweet, green grass of home, his mother baking fresh loaves in their house-at-the-falls, trees with fruits and small creatures bounding about.
He needn't have worried much about the villagers: they welcomed all hands in New Vale's raising. But he neither would he be ever be back in Vale again.
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And here it is! Please remember to review (that is, give in your praises- what you liked!- and your constructive criticisms- what could be done better?- I truly feed on those, because I want to be a real writer some time in my life) I hope I will get at least 2 thoughtful reviews. I am already working on the next chapter, so... look forward to it :)