Alright kids, strap in, because this is the longest chapter I've written so far. Just over 7900 words, beating out chapter 11's 6500. Not only that, there are only two scenes in this chapter, making them each the two longest scenes I've written for the story so far! I feel it's a genuine 'quality over quantity' scenario here, as I'm actually kinda proud of the plot progression and world building presented by both of them.
Anyone ever play the Dragon Age games? If so, are you familiar with the character Stroud? I imagine Percerin's voice and accent to be identical to Stroud's. Just seems fitting, to me.
CHAPTER START
"So, what do we know about this Spirit?" Darrian asked as he looked up and down the shoreline. It was still early in the morning, and nothing beyond mild flooding appeared to be happening in the region. After meeting up in front of the d'Orleans manor, the group had flown out on Sylphiid's back, landing on a little peninsula of waterlogged grass and loose stones. With a whisper from Tabitha, Sylphiid had immediately taken back to the air, and could be seen skimming her wings over the surface of the lake.
"Well, it's very old," Montmorency answered, setting herself down on her knees at the edge of the water, shivering slightly as the liquid soaked into the fabric of her tights. With a swish of her wand, the blonde dipped a few fingers into the water, as if to try and feel out the Spirit's presence. "It's older than our society, if you can believe it. My family hasn't been bound to it for nearly that long, and it's always been peaceful as long as it was left alone."
"Something must have happened for it to start flooding the area," Louise commented, narrowing her eyes at the offending lake as she tried to set the gears in her mind to work. "Question is, why? I've never heard of anyone attacking the Spirit before, and I can't imagine anyone would be able to escape once they tried…"
"Hopefully it'll be willing to spill the details," Darrian muttered, crossing his arms with a sigh, which earned him a side eye glance from Montmorency.
"I'm glad you're hoping for a peaceful resolution," Montmorency started carefully, making a clear effort to handle her statement with caution. "If you don't mind me saying, you seem to be hoping for it a good deal more than before."
Darrian turned and regarded the blonde with a blank look, causing her to shrink in on herself and point her eyes back down at the lake with an embarrassed expression.
"Your opinion of me must be pretty low, if you thought I was hoping for a fight in the first place," Darrian stated evenly. Montmorency said nothing in response, somehow managing to shrink further in upon herself. Off to the side, Louise couldn't help but start snickering, only shaking her head when Darrian's attention moved to her instead. "After giving it some thought, I realized the Water Spirit is probably an amorphous construct that uses energy to hold physical things together. I'm not sure any of us can really fight that. So, I'd rather not."
"Focus, please," Tabitha sighed, leaning on her staff with one hand and rubbing her temple with the other. "How long does your family's rite take?"
"Not more than a moment…" Montmorency mumbled, trying desperately to stamp down on the blush that threatened to creep up her cheeks. Taking a moment to center herself, the blonde tapped her wand against one of her fingertips, silently parting her skin long enough to produce a single drop of her blood. With a deep breath, Montmorency held her finger out with her wand balanced on her palm, and began the chant.
"O Water Spirit of Ragdorian Lake… I am Montmorency of the Montmorency family. With great humility, I beg that you hear my call in this time of need! Please, honor your pact with my family and make your presence known!"
Montmorency turned her hand over, allowing the droplets of her blood to fall into the water. With another swish of her wand, the blood vanished beneath the surface, causing a tangible pulse to emanate in the water around the blonde.
Everything remained still. For a moment, it seemed as though the Spirit simply ignored Montmoreny's summons, though it quickly became apparent that the stillness had even infected the tidal movements of the lake. The waves were still clearly formed, like little hills of water, but they were completely locked in place.
A moment later, a glow appeared in the center of the lake. Motion returned to the waves, even as a portion of the water in front of the group rose gently to tower over them. The column of water wobbled unnaturally as it compressed upon itself, taking a shape almost identical to Montmorency, though it refrained from extending its mimicry to her clothes.
Standing at nearly thirty feet tall, the naked liquid lookalike of Montmorency towered over them, though the glow of the spirit's presence remained far below the surface of the lake.
"I have heard thy call, tiny one," The Spirit spoke, its voice warbled and thick with the sound of rushing water. Montmorency looked up from where she was kneeling, only to let out a small 'eep!' when she saw the appearance that the Spirit had chosen, blushing madly to herself out of mortal embarrassment. The other girls were quick to join the blonde in kneeling out of reverence, though Darrian chose to remain standing, simply hanging back near the treeline. "Tell me, for what purpose would thee beg my presence? Speak quickly, for I bear the gravest of tasks."
"G-great Water Spirit…" Montmorency started with a mumble, trying desperately to ignore said Spirit's appearance as she began her appeal. "I would not call upon you if it were not for the greatest of needs…! It's just… I beg to know the purpose of your movement! The recent flooding of Ragdorian Lake has caused a minor calamity to those that live nearby, and-"
"The purpose of my movement is knowledge for myself alone," The Spirit intoned, wobbling agitatedly and causing Montmorency to shrink in on herself once again. "Begone, insignificant mortals. Thy kind have stolen enough of my time."
The column of water immediately began sinking back down into the lake, causing Montmorency to sigh and turn to Tabitha with a look of apology. Tabitha's only response was to push herself up with a look of resignation, ready to fight, but was stopped when a chakram of water flew over her head. Rotating at incredibly high speeds and emitting a highly pitched sound of energy, the Razorblade Typhoon tore through a section of the water column, stopping it from disappearing into the lake entirely.
All eyes turned back to Darrian, an eye-catching neon green book tucked under his arm and a mildly annoyed expression on his face. The column of water rose back to its full height, returning to the form that mimicked Montmorency, though the anger it was feeling was nearly palpable. Noticing this, Montmorency nearly began panicking, shooting Darrian a look of warning that went wholly ignored.
"Apologies for the attack, Spirit," Darrian started, though his voice was thick with an underlying annoyance that made it clear he wasn't too sorry. "But I'm afraid we can't let the conversation end quite that quickly."
"And what, pray tell, gives thee cause to delay my task further?" The Spirit responded, her own voice thick with a quickly escalating anger.
"Darrian…" Louise called, her voice low in warning as she turned to face him fully. Darrian's eyes met hers briefly as she silently pleaded with him to not provoke the Spirit.
"The suffering you've inflicted on the people living near the lake is what gives me cause," Darrian responded bluntly, stepping forward to join the others at the edge of the water, gently laying a hand on top of Louise's head. "Actions have consequences, Spirit. Whatever your reasons, I can't imagine the lake people here are too happy with you destroying their homes or lives."
"As if thy kind would dare to stand against me," The Spirit dismissed, outright ignoring that Darrian had already done exactly that by attacking. "I say again, my purpose is mine alone, and thy kind have stolen enough-"
"That isn't good enough!" Darrian snapped, glaring up at the Spirit as he swept out an arm in the direction of the nearby villages. "Look at the damage you're causing! The lives you're ruining! You can't just bet on the hope that no one will come for you when you pull something like this! We came here to talk this out, to settle things peacefully, but dismissing us outright leaves us with no other option!"
"Darrian, please, stop trying to provoke the Water Spirit," Louise begged, glaring up at her summon with a panicked glare.
"What would thee have me do, mortal?" The Spirit snapped back, her watery form wobbling unnaturally as it grew further enraged. "Would thee have me lay back and ignore how I have been wronged? Thy kind have stolen more than my time! The further I am delayed, the further my purpose is lost!"
"Then let us help!" Louise turned and pleaded with the Spirit, her panic growing in tandem with the agitation around her, more so that she was the only one actively trying to avoid confrontation. "You say you've been wronged, but lashing out at the people living near you won't make it better! If you just tell us what happened, maybe we can-!"
"Enough!" The Spirit roared, causing Louise and Montmorency to flinch, and causing the others to settle into combat mode. "The gall, forcing me to repeat myself once again! My purpose is my own, and I tire of thy kind standing in my way! You will be gone, in one manner or another!"
"No, please!" Louise begged again, growing further panicked as Kirche and Tabitha prepared for combat, and Darrian sent a flurry of Razorblades up at the spirit. "We don't need to fight!"
As if to directly spite her, the Spirit sent a spiral of water directly at Louise, though she was quickly saved when Tabitha pushed the attack away with a gust of wind.
"Sorry, Louise, but I think negotiations kinda fell through," Kirche snarked as she sent a gust of flame at the Spirit, which was quickly put out by another spiraling water attack.
Montmorency yelled in panic as fighting broke out around her, causing her to try and flatten herself into the shallow water beneath her and screw her eyes shut. As another water attack was sent her way, Darrian called on his Stardust Guardian to heft the blonde girl up from the ground and away from the attack, back towards the treeline, though the sudden movement caused her to scream the whole way.
A flurry of water columns appeared from the lake, all descending on the group of fighters at the shore. Tabitha froze whatever water tendrils she could, giving Darrian an opportunity to break them apart and hurl them back into the lake using his hooks. The frozen bits that remained were quickly engulfed in flames, causing them to melt and expand in explosions of steam, which was quickly pushed back towards the Spirit by Tabitha's wind.
Somehow, Louise managed to remain at the edge of the fighting, panic rising in her gut as she exploded the few tendrils of water that came her way. As it was, the fight was at just as much of an impasse as the prior conversation, with neither side gaining any ground over the other. Louise knew that wouldn't hold forever, though. The Water Spirit had an entire lake to draw upon, and its human opponents had limited stamina to work with. Sooner or later, they would tire out, and likely meet a watery demise.
There was more to Louise's desire to avoid confrontation, though she couldn't rightly tell what it was. As much as she just wanted a peaceful resolution to the conflict, she felt there was something else tugging at the edge of her mind. This was the last Water Spirit in Halkeginia, and Louise didn't want to see such a long lived existence come to an end over some wrongdoing it had suffered at the hands of humans.
Louise exploded another tendril of water, just in time to see a frozen tendril slam into Darrian's chest, sending him flying backwards and slamming directly into a tree with a grunt.
"Mother f-" Darrian cursed, though it was drowned out by a drilling hum as an array of lights sprouted from his hand. As he hit the ground, those lights converged into a single point, and a thick beam of light blasted from his hand to tear apart whatever tendrils of water were left as it swept over the shore. As impressive as the attack was, it had little effect, as an array of fresh water tendrils were quick to replace the ones that had been erased by the beam of light. With a resigned sigh, Darrian pushed himself back to his feet, and it was clear that the prolonged fight was beginning to take a toll on his stamina. Nearby, Tabitha and Kirche were casting in tandem, combining their spells to create powerful gusts of flame and explosions of steam that quickly evaporated all the water around them, though it was clear they were beginning to tire as well.
"Please…" Louise begged to herself as she screwed her eyes shut. Images of memories that she'd seen of Terraria began flashing in her mind, of Darrian's friends as they fought together, and the haunting memories of how each of them had met their ends. Deep down, Louise knew that history would inevitably repeat itself if she didn't find a way to end the fighting.
Briefly, the images of Terraria vanished, replaced by memories of her own family. Louise's sickly elder sister, the constantly fraying annoyance of her eldest sister, her well meaning but ultimately overbearing father… Most of all, she remembered the look of disappointment on her mother's face when Louise insisted on going to the academy regardless of the state of her spellcasting. All at once, the years of dreaming and hope that Louise had suffered under came crashing into her mind at once, her innermost desires lighting a new flame in her heart. Squaring her feet and holding her wand close to her chest, Louise took a single deep breath and prepared herself, magic that was as familiar as it was alien thrumming in her gut.
I am Louise of the Vallière family, confidant of Princess Henrietta and scion of the Void!
The Water Spirit dropped its avatar into the lake, causing a massive tidal wave to rise up, what looked like a hundred feet tall as it loomed over them. Darrian called up a staff with what looked like a heavy tome at the end, and began conjuring up a heavy gust of wind to try and cancel out the coming wave. Tabitha and Kirche where quick to pick up on the lead, conjuring similar movements of magic in their own elements, and the three of them sent their attacks out as the massive wave descended upon them.
"Dispel!" Louise screamed, a great pulse of pure energy emanating in every direction. As the wave of energy passed over the lake, Kirche and Tabitha's gusts of flame and wind disappeared into nothing, and the Spirit's tidal wave immediately dropped. Splashing harmlessly into the water below, the resulting wave was quite shallow indeed, barely threatening the knees of those it passed under. Though the spell didn't have any effect on Darrian's wind, he quickly let it drop as he was startled by the sudden turn of events, and all signs of fighting ceased entirely as all eyes turned upon Louise.
"The fighting has to stop," Louise pleaded, casting her gaze imploringly around at her friends, and even in the direction of the lake as a new avatar rose from the depths. The new avatar was much smaller in size, and the form it took was only barely humanoid, not mimicking anyone's appearance as it had before.
"A descendant of Brimir, child of the void…" The Water Spirit's voice wobbled in mild confusion as it struggled to make sense of Louise's nature.
"Aren't all mages in this world descendant from Brimir?" Darrian asked, clutching his Tome of Infinite Wisdom tightly as he eyed the Spirit suspiciously.
"None so closely as this one," The Spirit answered, whatever rage or agitation it had felt prior having apparently slipped away entirely. "Few there have been to cast the magicks of the Ancients, the Void that Brimir inherited and passed down in pieces."
"'In pieces'? What's that mean?" Kirche asked, furrowing her eyebrows as she swapped her gaze between the Spirit and a mildly embarrassed Louise. "And what are these Ancients you're talking about?"
"The Ancients are the former masters of this world," The Spirit explained, causing the eyebrows of all present to shoot up in surprise. "I know precious little about them. I was but a fledgeling wisp when I learned about them from Brimir, before he came to be known as thy Founder. When he died, his Void was split into pieces and passed down to his sons, though they knew not the gift they carried. In the eons since, many have carried the gift of the Void, as this one does now."
"So I really am…" Louise breathed, causing all eyes to turn back to her once again. The only one that didn't look even remotely surprised was Darrian, though he was quick to lay a hand on the pink haired girl's shoulder with an encouraging smile. Kirche regarded her rival with a mildly impressed expression, as though she were thoroughly pleased with the revelation. Tabitha was stoic as ever, though she did offer Louise a single nod, as if to accept the knowledge without complaint.
"While it's good to finally have confirmation for that," Darrian started, offering Louise another little smile, "there's still the matter of the shoreline. That needs to be dealt with."
"Indeed…" The Spirit's voice wobbled with mild resignation, as though it was reluctant to return to the main focus of their interaction. "I am loathe to divulge the secret of my purpose. However, I shall respect thy revered descendance, and offer a pact."
"A pact?" Louise asked, seeming unsure of herself. "If that means we can settle things peacefully, I'll accept, but…"
"If thee would accept this pact," The Spirit picked up where Louise trailed off, "I would entrust thee with my purpose. With thy promise to accomplish it in my stead, I would return these shores to their proper place."
"Alright, and what is that purpose?" Louise questioned, laying a hand on her hip as she shot a confused look at the avatar of water before her.
"The reclamation of an artifact stolen," The Spirit answered, causing all eyebrows to shoot up in surprise once again. "A ring of great power, the likes of which was entrusted to me by Brimir himself. Such was the reason I valued this purpose above even the mortals that surround my waters."
"And since it was stolen by humans, you didn't want to ask humans for help, even though you have a pact with some of those humans," Darrian snarked, rubbing his temple lightly.
"How are we supposed to find it?" Kirche asked, crossing her arms under her chest with a quizzical look. "There are lots of rings with great power. How do we know we have the right one?"
"It is black, set with an amethyst," The Spirit explained. "Known to thy kind as the Ring of Andvari, those who wield it may grant the seeming of life to those lost in death."
"Necromancy," Tabitha muttered, turning somewhat pale at the thought.
"Well, even if it isn't my problem, I'll help find it," Kirche spat in disgust before wrinkling her nose at the thought. "Ring like that doesn't have a place in the human world."
"Agreed," Louise commented, wrinkling her own nose in similar disgust. "We have your word, then? If we promise to find and return the Ring of Andvari, you'll put the lake back to normal?"
"I shall, child of the Void," The Spirit confirmed. "Do this for me, and you shall know my favor, along with all your descendants."
"Very well, then," Louise said, bowing respectfully to the Spirit's avatar. "Here and now, I swear this oath: I shall return the Ring of Andvari to you."
The Spirit said nothing in response, simply bowing in equal measure to Louise, before dropping back into the water. Almost immediately, the water began to recede, exposing the lost bits of sand and shore that had been flooded by the Water Spirit. Across the lake, a similar sight could be seen as the water fell back away from the village, allowing the roads and buildings to breathe air again.
"So, Void, huh?" Kirche asked with a mischievous smile that caused Louise to sag somewhat in despair. "Well, I guess that explains the history research you've been doing…"
"Don't start, Zerbst," Louise snarked tiredly, rubbing her temples lightly. Despite her spell being less intense than her usual explosions, she was still finding herself quite drained, all of a sudden.
"I-is it over…?" squeaked Montmorency's voice as she emerged from the treeline. From the looks she was sending Louise, it was clear she'd overheard the entire conversation, and was trying to pretend like she hadn't.
"Yes, Monmon, it's over," Louise sighed, reaching under her mantle to retrieve her coin purse with a resigned expression. "I know you heard. How much for your discretion?"
"Very funny, Vallière," Montmorency sighed, looking mildly offended at the notion, which earned a single raised eyebrow and a dry expression from the pink haired girl. "As if you would need to buy my silence. Either of you. Honestly, I'm almost offended that you don't seem to trust me."
"Stalking, eavesdropping, butting your way into a mission that didn't have anything to do with you," Louise began listing off with a dry grin, earning an intense glare from Montmorency.
"Choose your next words very carefully, Vallière," Montmorency growled, narrowing her eyes dangerously as her fingers itched for her wand. When Montmorency and Louise began arguing in earnest, Kirche stepped between the two girls to try and mediate, though not without an incredibly amused expression.
"Can we go home now?" Darrian asked with a weary expression, one that was matched by an equally weary Tabitha.
"Please…" Tabitha answered, tapping her staff against the ground as she called for Sylphiid.
Thankfully, Sylphiid was quick to return to the shore line, and the group set off back in the direction of the d'Orleans manor. It was a short trip, one that Montmorency and Louise spent the entirety of angrily ignoring one another, much to the amusement of Kirche.
Despite the fight with the Water Spirit not being particularly long, all involved in the fight had been particularly winded by the time it was over. Thus, it was agreed that the group would stay at the manor for one more night, and then embark towards the academy on Sylphiid's back the following morning. Montmorency, who had been dreading the return trip, was relieved greatly by the news.
Little happened over the course of the morning and afternoon that followed. In an effort to keep her friends entertained, Tabitha broke out an old chess board, though she handily defeated all who challenged her.
Montmorency and Louise continued bickering throughout the day, though it eventually became more genial in nature, and Kirche was quick to jump in on the action once it did.
The afternoon and evening meals came and went, and with more time to prepare, Percerin and Ellana were able to provide dishes that were a far sight more impressive than the stew that had been presented the night prior.
As the evening came to a close and people began retiring to their rooms for the evening, Darrian found himself somewhat restless. The short conversation he'd had with the Duchess that morning was still weighing on his mind, so much so that it was inhibiting his ability to sleep. With an aggravated sigh, he pushed himself up from his bed and stepped out.
His footsteps were slow and light as he wandered up and down the halls, tracing his fingers over the various bits of disrepair in the walls as he wondered who it was the Duchess had mentioned to him.
Charlotte and Josette… Tabitha hasn't said anything about sisters. Who are they?
Darrian came to a halt with another aggravated sigh, leaning against the sill of a cracked window, staring out over the moonlight world. As those two names passed through his mind a few more times, he felt the hairs on his neck stand up as they had the night before. Keeping his reaction tempered, Darrian glanced away from the window just in time to see the elven person from the night prior step up beside him.
"Evenin'," Darrian greeted with a curt nod, earning a similarly curt nod from the elf that had approached him.
"Good evening," the elf responded in a light, silky but distinctly male voice as he regarded Darrian with mild curiosity. "I am Bidashal. If I startled you last night, I apologize."
"Eh, it's fine," Darrian said with a little hand wave, dismissing the idea that any harm had been done, before offering his hand to Bidashal. "Nice to meet you, Bidashal. I'm Darrian."
The offered hand was taken briefly as the two shook, before they both set their gazes out the window.
"So then, did you need something?" Darrian asked with a curious glance, prompting the elf to turn and regard him curiously.
"I am curious about something," Bidashal admitted, clasping his hands behind his back. "How is it that you can perform ancient magic? Such things should be impossible for humans."
"'Ancient magic'?" Darrian quoted with a mildly puzzled expression. "Y'know, the Water Spirit mentioned something about Ancients too… what makes you think I can use their magic?"
"Last night, your eyes glowed brightly, the same way mine did," Bidashal explained. "It is an ancient spell, to enhance one's night vision, though not without the cost of making those eyes visible in the dark."
"Well, there's the difference, then," Darrian snarked with an amused expression, earning a confused look from the long haired elf. "My magic is different from anything you'd find in this world. Terrarian magic, fictional stuff made real by a malicious elder god for the sake of entertainment. The eye glow thing didn't actually help me see better, I just do it for intimidation."
"I see…" Bidashal mumbled, looking very much like he didn't understand much of what Darrian had just said. "Fictional magic, made real by an elder god… That sounds like the work of an Ancient. They were known to be exceptionally powerful magisters, who could make their will into reality."
"Is that so?" Darrian questioned rhetorically with an amusedly curious expression. "Even still, I imagine any resemblance is just coincidence. I'm not actually from this world."
"Ah, the other side of the gate, then. Earth, is it?" Bidashal remarked, causing Darrian's eyebrows to shoot up in shock.
"You know!?" Darrian exclaimed, taking a step back in disbelief, his mind reeling that anyone in this world would even know the name of his home planet.
"Our worlds have been connected for many thousands of years," Bidashal commented dryly, seeming amused at Darrian's shock. "Indeed, the humans of this world are entirely descended from Earth. As I understand, it was an experiment by the Ancients that formed the gate between our worlds."
"That… actually makes some sense," Darrian admitted after he gave it some thought. "Would explain the 'Staff of Destruction', at least. It was a weapon from Earth, carried by a soldier from my homeland. Could it have actually been one of these Ancients that I fought against in Terraria?"
"It's a possibility. Most of the Ancients were wiped out long before Halkeginian society was formed, but they do still appear from time to time."
Darrian remained silent, leaning against the window sill once again as he chewed on that nugget of information. It was definitely an earth shattering revelation, one that he should have seen coming, given the Fouquet incident. If Void magic was a descendant form of Ancient magic, and it was Ancient magic that connected the two worlds, Louise summoning him suddenly seemed a lot less insane.
"If you don't mind me asking," Darrian said, his thought process taking a hard turn into unrelated things. "What's an elf doing in a human manor?"
Bidashal immediately dropped whatever genial amusement he'd been displaying, and he turned a critical eye upon Darrian with a flat expression.
"I'm a… watcher," Bidashal answered stiffly, his expression turning sour as he turned his gaze back out the window. "It is my duty to observe, and report out of place goings on to my… superiors."
"I'm guessing then, you work for whoever is assigning Tabitha to these bullshit suicide missions," Darrian accused, his eyes narrowed suspiciously at the elf, who regarded him once more with an empty expression.
"Not by choice, if you must know," Bidashal remanded with another sour expression. "If you're concerned about the girl being punished for acquiring help, don't be. I need only report the success of her missions. My own little act of rebellion, you understand."
"I see…" Darrian mumbled, regarding the elf with his own critical eye. "You're in the same situation as she is, aren't you? Trapped by a hostage situation."
"Very astute," Bidashal replied dryly, seeming somewhat pleased at Darrian's guess. It made sense. The elven man had seemed to use the word 'superiors' with immense distaste. He clearly wasn't any more pleased with the situation than anyone else involved, except perhaps the puppeteer. "Indeed, someone I care for is being used against me. My niece, Luctiana, is being forced to do research. Her fiançe, Ari, is being kept prisoner to keep her in line. I do not know where either of them are located."
"Figures…" Darrian muttered acidly, his own expression souring at the thought. Beside him, Bidashal put on a similar face, seeming to agree with his displeasure. It was with mild frustration that Darrian realized he wasn't surprised at all. Having an agent planted where oversight could be kept at all times only made too much sense. At least, given the similar situation, some leniency would be granted to Tabitha by her watcher…
Y'know, there might be an angle there….
"Maybe… maybe we could help each other…" Darrian mumbled, earning a mildly unimpressed look from Bidashal. "I know, just hear me out. I was already planning to build a place for Tabitha and her family to be safe. Who's to say there wouldn't be room for you and yours too?"
"Presuming you'd be able to find them," Bidashal commented dryly, though he didn't dismiss the idea outright. "Were it so easy, would I not have freed my people and returned home?"
"I'm not being blackmailed into staying put," Darrian pointed out. "It'd take some time, but I could find them, break them free, give them safe harbor. Then, you could help me get Tabitha and her family to safety. Even trade!"
"I suppose…" Bidashal muttered, crossing his arms over his chest with a reluctant expression. "How do you expect me to trust you at your word?"
"I mean, this plan kinda hinges on your people being freed first," Darrian commented, earning a slow nod from Bidashal. "If it's updates you're worried about, I have something that'll let us communicate over long distances. I can-"
"What are you up to now?" a new voice piped up, causing Darrian and Bidashal to turn sharply towards the hall. Out of the shadows stepped Percerin, who regarded them both with a mildly cross expression.
"Good evening, Percerin," Bidashal greeted, turning to face the butler with a genial expression, though this did nothing to deter Percerin's apparent annoyance.
"Ah, I couldn't sleep, so I went for a walk," Darrian explained hastily, holding his hands up placatingly, though it was just as successful as the elf's demeanor to calm the annoyed butler. "Bidashal approached me, and we got to talking. That's really about it!"
"Is that so," Percerin responded flatly as he approached the pair by the window. "That is to say nothing of the conspiracy that was the focus of your conversation just now, yes?"
Bidashal couldn't help but suppress a little smile as he side eyed Darrian, who was busy cringing to himself over the butler's blunt assessment. With a beleaguered sigh, Darrian nodded in confirmation, raking a hand through his hair as Percerin pinched the bridge of nose.
"I know it sounds bad when you say it like that, but…" Darrian started, before trailing off as he considered his next words. An image of Tabitha appeared in his mind for a moment before disappearing, prompting Darrian to grimace as he was reminded of the worry caused by her situation. "Look, I know more than Tabitha realizes. I know she's being used by someone that's looking for an excuse to get rid of her, and I want to save her before that happens. It just so happens that saving her, means saving her family as well. That's what I'm trying to do."
Bidashal and Percerin's expressions both softened somewhat at Darrian's admission, and the two shared a conflicted look.
"While I appreciate the sentiment, young man," Percerin said, clasping his hands behind his back in a manner similar to Bidashal. "I'm not certain I can abide such a conspiracy, not unless you have a plan that could assure this family's safety without fear of retaliation."
"As it happens, I sort of do," Darrian countered, earning a look of surprise from the butler, and a look of curiosity from Bidashal. "I was recently made an Agent of the Tristanian Crown. I work directly for Princess Henrietta, who is aware of my plan. Under the counsel of her and her main bodyguard, I was directed to appeal to the Founderist Church to acquire a Holy Writ. To my knowledge, that'll get your family out of Gallia safely, and any retaliation would result in an Inquisition being brought down."
Bidashal's expression changed to match Percerin's surprise, and the two shared another look as the gears in their heads began turning. Darrian knew it was an incomplete plan, but even something fragmented was better than waiting around for the worst to occur.
"It… could work, I suppose," Percerin admitted, grasping his chin in a classic thinking man pose as he considered it.
"It would require my silence, as the watcher of this family," Bidashal commented, earning a small glare from the butler at his side. "I see now why you would appeal to me for assistance, even knowing my position. Smart."
"It's more than just that, though," Darrian admitted, earning another look of surprise from Bidashal. "You shouldn't have to deal with the shit you've been dealt. It's just a bonus that it could work out in my favor."
"I… appreciate that, young man," Bidashal responded softly, before nodding in general confirmation. "Very well. I cannot say my hopes are high, but I will take a chance on your plan. You have my support."
"And mine as well," Percerin said, earning a look of curiosity from Darrian. "You seem to have an idea as to how this may be done. Whether you will succeed, we shall see. And if you do… I would be grateful."
"Right…" Darrian sighed, before offering the two men an appreciative smile. With a wave of his hand, he called forth one of his remaining Cell Phones, and presented it. "I mentioned having something that we could use to communicate over long distances. With this, I keep you both updated in real time, and we can discuss any potential changes to the plan as they may happen."
"It would be wise to leave such an item to Master Percerin," Bidashal commented, waving in the butler's general direction. "Such a useful magic tool could be discovered by the one I answer to, should it be left in my possession; it would be safer out of my hands."
"Perhaps that would be best," Percerin agreed, taking the Phone gingerly and inspecting it, nearly mimicking Tabitha's reaction to her own Phone when it was given to her. It took a bit of time for Percerin and Bidashal to understand how it was used, and longer still before they could do so without any reminders, but Darrian was confident that this addition to his network would be well worth it.
Shortly after, Bidashal said good night and wandered away, seeming a bit lighter in demeanor than he had when he'd approached Darrian. Just as Darrian himself was about to wander back in the direction of his room, Percerin stopped him, pulling him back with a mildly concerned expression.
"There was a reason that I sought you out this evening, young man," Percerin admitted, tucking his Phone into a pocket before clasping his hands behind his back once again. "Your… conversation with the Duchess, this morning. She does not usually take so kindly to strangers, and yet she has remained silent on your presence thus far."
"Oh, that…" Darrian commented with a mildly sheepish expression, earning a raised eyebrow from the butler. "She, uh… kinda thinks I'm an angel."
"An angel?" Percerin repeated incredulously with an equally incredulous expression.
"I have a lot of unique powers, one of which is to sprout wings and fly around," Darrian explained hastily, taking a step away from the butler to demonstrate, and though he did summon his wings, he refrained from spreading them fully. "I just didn't want to make her angry, I didn't think she'd call me an angel or anything…"
"I am… uncertain how I should respond to this," Percerin muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose, seeming more exasperated by the situation than anything else.
"Maybe don't respond? At least then we can pretend like it didn't happen…" Darrian replied lightly, earning a nod of agreement from the butler. For a moment, the two remained silent, until Darrian remembered exactly how that conversation with the Duchess had ended. "She did mention something to me that I want to ask about, though. Who are Charlotte and Josette?"
Percerin's response was immediate and pronounced, an expression of shock and near dread that was so palpable, Darrian almost immediately regretted asking.
"She… told you!?" Percerin breathed, taking a step back and grasping at the window sill for support, looking like he'd fall over otherwise. Darrian was at his side in a flash, though the butler was quick to hold up a hand, rejecting the unspoken offer of support. "I'm alright, young man, just… surprised."
"Not the sort of information she'd just share freely, eh?" Darrian joked nervously, earning an equally nervous chuckle from the butler. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, or if you think you shouldn't…"
"No, if my Duchess has entrusted you with this knowledge, then I shall as well," Percerin said with a look of resolve, taking a moment to compose himself and right his posture. "Firstly, Charlotte is Tabitha's true identity. 'Tabitha' was originally my lady's childhood doll, and when Duchess Charmain fell ill, she believed the doll to be her true daughter. Thus, Charlotte chose to… switch places with the doll, claiming the name Tabitha for herself, and leaving her true name behind. She has requested myself and Ellana to refrain from using her true name as well."
"That's… so much worse than I could have imagined," Darrian said in a low voice, a look of horror clear on his face. Raking a hand through his hair and closing his eyes with a sigh, he promised himself that Tabitha would get extra cuddles at the earliest opportunity. "So then… What about Josette?"
"Josette is the reason my reaction was so pronounced," Percerin admitted, nervously casting his gaze up and down the hall, and again out the window. "Until today, only two people remained alive who knew of Josette's existence; myself, and Duchess Charmain."
"You're sure you want to tell me, then?" Darrian asked, offering the butler a way out of the conversation. "If we leave it at this, I won't know who she is, and nothing will come of it."
"Perhaps," Percerin conceded with a subdued nod, though he pressed on regardless. "Perhaps I simply find myself riding high upon the hopes of this evening's discussions. I will tell you, regardless. Josette is Charlotte's younger twin sister, separated at birth."
"Twin sister…" Darrian muttered in shock, and it was his turn to lean on the window sill for support, for fear of losing his balance otherwise. "I suspected it might be a sibling thing, but twins…?"
"Indeed," Percerin confirmed, sympathizing entirely with Darrian's reaction. "Josette's existence was concealed, at first because her parents feared a coming political storm. It was intended for my elder brother Percival to bring Josette to the d'Orleans summer home for safe keeping, though word of his arrival never came."
"So the secret was kept because she disappeared," Darrian connected the dots, earning a nod of confirmation from Percerin. "Wait, is that why her father was out on those hunting trips? He was looking for Josette?"
"That he was," Percerin confirmed again, visibly steeling himself for the next portion of the explanation, something that unnerved Darrian a bit. "Prince Charles was a very dedicated man. Not only would finding Josette mean the return of his daughter, it would mean a potential fail safe for the country's throne if the worst came to pass."
Darrian actually fell over at that, knocking his head against the window sill on his way down, though his mind was reeling too hard for him to really notice the pain. Having anticipated the reaction, Percerin fell silent, prepared to offer a hand should Darrian move to stand.
"Prince Charles?" Darrian repeated, clutching the back of his head to quell both the confusion and whatever sprouting pain he'd been able to notice. "Tabitha is a princess!?"
"By blood, yes," Percerin answered, kneeling down beside Darrian when it was clear he wasn't going to get up just yet. "When my lady was ordained as a knight, her right to the throne was stripped from her, though I doubt this would stop the upper nobility from supporting her ascendance if the opportunity arose. Joseph is not a very popular king."
"Well, now it all makes sense," Darrian spat, resting his arms on his knees as he contemplated the revelation. "Good ol' King Joseph is worried about a threat to his royal status, so he tries to off the competition through political engineering. Puts the dick back into dictator."
"Just so," Percerin agreed, chuckling sardonically over Darrian's wording as he lowered himself to sit by the young man's side. "Young man… If this conversation has told me anything, it's that you will now attempt to find Josette, if for no other reason than to make my lady happy. If this is true, then… I would ask you to keep the results of your search entirely to yourself, at least until your current plan sees some success."
"Why?" Darrian asked, offering the butler a perplexed expression. "If Josette is still out there somewhere, wouldn't it be better to have her here? After everything you guys have lost, I think you're about due for some positive change."
"Tell me honestly, does our happiness outweigh the risk of her existence being discovered by the Crown?" Percerin retorted calmly, causing Darrian to cringe. "Bidashal does not leave here to deliver his reports; an agent of the Crown comes here to receive them. If Josette were to remain here at all, she would be discovered, and dealt with by Joseph. I cannot allow that, which is why I have kept her secret even from Charlotte all these years."
"I… understand," Darrian groaned, staring off into space as he accepted the butler's logic. "So then. What do we tell Tabitha? I haven't said anything to her about my plans yet, but…"
"I would suggest you continue to refrain from mentioning these plans to my lady," Percerin sighed with a resigned expression. "If ever there was one to have lost all hope, it is Charlotte. She is simply incapable of believing that things could improve; if she were to learn of these plans, she would almost certainly act against them."
"Yeah, that's what I was afraid of," Darrian said with his own equally resigned expression. "So, don't say anything. Her name, her sister, the plans, none of it. Just pretend this conversation never happened, how good."
"I know it will be hard," Percerin said with a sympathetic expression. "I did not believe it at first, but I can see that you care deeply for my lady. Your silence is a heavy request, but I truly believe it will be the key to ending this all for good."
"Yeah, yeah…" Darrian muttered, pushing himself to his feet and offering the butler a hand up as well. With a nod of resolution, the two parted ways for the evening. Wandering back in the direction of his room, Darrian's mind drifted back over the contents of the conversations that had just taken place. There were more pieces on the board than there had been previously, and another layer had been added to the foundation of his plans.
The locations of Luctiana and Ari were still unknown. Gallia was a large country, and whatever facilities the two were being held at could very well be hidden from the public. The only thing Darrian could think of to try and map it out, was a trip to the capital. The set bonus of Vortex armor combined with a healthy stock of invisibility potions would be in order, assuming there weren't any detection spells or wards in the area, if they even existed. For the sake of being fully safe, he had to assume they did.
Then there was Josette. There was absolutely no telling whether she was even still alive, or where she could possibly be if she was. Furthermore, would she know about her blood family? Would she even know her birth name of Josette? The only concrete hope Darrian had for possibly finding her was wandering the countryside and hoping to see someone that looked like Tabitha.
Speaking of Tabitha, Darrian was certainly not appreciating the growing number of secrets he was having to keep from her, no matter how justified he felt in doing so. It was especially difficult when he returned to his room, only to find her sitting at the edge of his bed, a book cracked open in the moonlight. As soon as he entered, her gaze flitted to him, worry clear on her face.
"Hey," Darrian greeted gently as Tabitha closed her book and stood to face him. "I… couldn't sleep, so I took a walk."
"Did it work?" Tabitha asked, earning a noncommittal nod from Darrian as he kicked off his shoes.
"More or less," Darrian answered evasively, though if Tabitha picked up on that, she didn't show it. As the two laid down and settled themselves under the covers, Darrian wrapped his arms around Tabitha, pulling her close. Now that she was here, next to him… the concept of keeping such important secrets was seeming a lot more difficult than it had before.
"Are you really okay?" Tabitha asked gently, lightly nuzzling head into the crook of his neck as the two began drifting off to sleep.
"I don't know, my heart…" Darrian answered honestly, resting his chin on the top of her head. If either of them noticed how he'd just referred to her, neither mentioned it.
"I really don't know."
CHAPTER END
d'aww, that end. If it wasn't abundantly clear by now, yes. The planned romance in this story is Darrian x Tabitha.
Lots of bomb shells being dropped all over the plot as Darrian knows it.
Now, someone commented about "another Tabitha? That's new". The truth is, that's actually not new. Josette is an actually established character within the canon, she just didn't appear in the anime. I've never seen anything but the anime, so I don't know a whole lot about how she's supposed to appear, so I'm going along with my own narrative on this one.
Bidashal. I don't remember what his original motivation was for serving Joseph, if he was being blackmailed or what, but I find this to be a fairly believable reason for him to be where he is, especially considering the canonical strength of the elves in this world.
Then we get to the Ancients. To my knowledge, they never made a proper appearance even in the light novels or original format of the story, and were only referenced in notes and such that were released after the original FoZ auther passed away. Everything that's included about them in this chapter is entirely my new made up canon.
In terms of shorter notes, Louise gets screen time as a proper Void Mage for the first time. Her friends find out about it, she casts her first proper spell, etc etc. Her development does not end here though, she's got lots of good stuff coming up, especially with the first trip home arc.