Luckily for Layd and Airys, the rude debate ended. Unfortunately, it was along with the end of the day.
The first quarter moon was hidden behind clouds in the starry sky. A blast of cold made Airys's hair stand on end. From so much wandering following those they were supposed to lead, they ended up in an open meadow, devoid of the presence of humans in what Airys managed to observe.
They realized that the fight was over when Natsume and Seng went in different directions. Natsume walked over without noticing some green woolen sheep, and Seng leaned back on the only rock around. Airys squealed with laughter as Natsume accidentally tripped, fell, and scared away the poor little sheep who collided with each other.
Nobody knew, but she didn't know about the presence of the sheep because Seng, like a spiteful child, used his resonance to nullify the noise of them.
Actually, the two of them weren't that far away, about twenty meters. Still, the location they'd chosen for the night was high-end crap.
"The morning will be horrible" Layd sighed. "Not that I expected to sleep late, but how horrible the sun will be" she finished with her eyes on the clouds.
Airys nodded.
"Airys, I'm going to have a word with Seng, can you tell Sandy to take me to him?"
"Sure, I'm going with/" Airys quickly analyzed what she was about to say: "If I get anywhere near Seng, he will surely force me to stay awake all night with some silly training" She swallowed in dread. "I-I'm going with Natsume, I want to ask her more about what she told me, y-you know, because I haven't been able to try it well."
And so Airys was happy with life hopping around to pet one of those furry little sheep and Layd got ready to explain everything to Seng and request a favor.
"How are you Seng?" Layd commented casually." Does it bother you if I use my resonance to create a little house?
Seng had already settled in front of the rock, with his things next to him and after a silence that Layd felt was longer than necessary, he returned the word.
"Do whatever you want" Sure, without sounding very friendly. "And the brat?"
"S-she went to Natsume, to try the resonance thing and…"
"Aah?!" Layd closed his eyes with Seng's furious groan. "I've already said that that thing is a horrible lie!" Seng reluctantly started to stand up with obvious intentions to go to the girls.
"W-wait!" Sandy leaned back, putting Layd on a level with Seng "I-I totally agree with you, that imagining how you want your resonance to be doesn't make much sense."
Seng raised his eyebrow, he was about to say something, but Layd made a waiting face at him with his palms and continued:
"But! Going to forbid them to try it will only make you look insecure, or worse, they'll think you want to prevent them from confirming it's true."
"You are right." Layd celebrated inside to hear that and finished building a roof with two mediocre pillars, tremendous lazy.
"I'm sure that if we continue to travel together, they will see that they were wrong."
"I'm sorry, but I'm not going to the cathedral," Seng sputtered. "I'm interested in going to the nearest city, and" he glanced at the sky with a raised finger. "I'm pretty sure that's not it."
"No problem!" Layd flopped back onto the grass. "The truth is that I don't think it's a good idea to go back to the cathedral."
"You could tell me 'we'll travel with you for a while longer' and that's it" Seng snorted, that is, it wasn't difficult to realize that Layd wanted something from the beginning.
The stars reflected in the swamp of his eyes. The truth, it had been simple, in his mind Seng had turned into some kind of cruel and visceral ogre, which turned out to be incorrect.
"Seng," In hindsight, he never did anything against them, on the contrary, they were the ones who "got in" his way. "I have a favor to ask you." It was time to trust him, just like Echsos did.
———————————————————————————————————
As Airys approached Natsume the sheep that were not scared fell back to the ground, she didn't miss the opportunity and leaned on top of those soft balls. Natsume blinked a few times in puzzlement. Make sense, the girl who was loved by spirits was also loved by animals.
The rest of the sheep approached Airys, who was absorbed in the sensation and exaggerated laziness that she felt.
"So soft!" she screeched her. "Even more than a bed ... ahhhh I want to take one of these!"
"Tell me Airys," Natsume reached out to one of the sheep, patiently so as not to startle her, who got up and advanced towards Airys just out of reach of her. "how do you do it?"
"Do what?" she asked, wrapped in clouds with a silly smile. "Oh, this? Most herbivores have always loved me/"
Airys's voice was stopped by the excess wool of the sheep that cuddled closer and closer to Airys absurdly. Airys reached out her hand in a desperate act for help
"Airyyyyyyyyys!" Natsume exclaimed on her knees unable to save her friend from the most comfortable and fearsome fate.
"Ha ha ha!" They both burst out laughing as Airys stood up as if nothing had happened.
Natsume got up and threw herself on that fluffy circle, Airys stared at her with a happy face.
"Do you see how easy it is?"
"Shut up, they are like this because of you" Natsume replied jokingly.
"Do you really think that if I want to, I can have the resonance I want?" Airys relaxed her torso to lie beside her.
Her eyes met, Airys's doubt carried another meaning, it was what went through Natsume's mind; however, she had a hard time deciphering the exact reason. What kind of insecurities could a sweet girl like her have? Could it be that she wanted a chaotic or destructive resonance? Seng's image crossed her mind and she immediately remembered that he is her supposed guardian.
I mean, it's not that Seng is a bad person... it's just that it shows that he's not the most sensitive.
"Airys, why are you training your soul?"
Airys broke into a cold sweat.
Does she tell a lie or not?
What lie does she tell her?
Would she believe her if she didn't lie to her?
"I don't know what to say you" The words came out on their own and she had no other choice but to smile nervously.
She immediately noticed Natsume's dissatisfied and incongruous face and she decided to clarify as much as possible:
"Due to a certain circumstance I am being trained by him." She lowered her gaze. "Maybe… I could try to find someone else to teach me, although it would be very rude of me, he's doing this out of obligation… it's a mess."
Natsume thought about it for a minute.
"The most important thing when wishing for your resonance is that you are sure. I don't know if Seng would have you believe it, but resonances are not tools of destruction, they are a reflection of who we are and who we wish to be."
Strange, in the last few months —and in the past week —the concept of resonances had turned into some magic to inflict harm on others. She was supposed to know that they weren't just that, that adventures don't have to include hurting others.
Now what is she supposed to wish for as the chosen one? As much as she might wish in her for the ability to bring peace and joy to the world, her job was to kick the butt of some kind of ancient deity of hatred.
>>"What kind of person do you want to be Airys?" Natsume finished.
Each of the representations of a legendary heroine that she had imagined as a child was presented to her.
The fearless and brave sorceress who saves everyone with the powers of the elements and creates a perfect climate for every day.
The intelligent and silent hunter who always finds villains red-handed, with the ability to predict the future and warn everyone of danger.
The most famous protector of the entire continent, controlling shields through the air to take care of her friends on trips full of dangers.
Airys turned slightly to face the starry sky. Who would say it? When you have the opportunity to fulfill your dream, it is difficult to decide.
"Are you going to answer me or what?" Natsume called out to her when she perceived that she had closed her eyes as if she was going to sleep.
"S-sorry" said Airys. "I think I would like to be able to help others, you know, that they are not in danger."
"Good." Natsume turned her back on her to sleep. "I hope we achieve it soon."
Airys opened her mouth, made no sound, and for what was forever for her, wanted to apologize for failing her.
For failing Echsos.
———————————————————————————————————
"Good morning sleepyhead" Layd woke them both up, riding on Sandy.
"Come on, we have to move if we want to reach our destination" Seng warned as he advanced south.
"Huh? Where are we going?" fluffed Airys stammered.
"Before going to the Cathedral I have to go through Dingars."
"Why?" Natsume asked with narrowed eyes.
"The old man asked me for a favor, to stop by looking for someone on the way back" Layd lied.
The usual thing is that Layd's lies are as clear as water for Natsume, he was lucky that the excessive softness of the sheep managed to flood her with sleep.
On the other hand, it didn't take Airys long to wake up after processing the information in her head.
"Dingars?! That Dingars?! Mirror City?!" she squealed in exaltation.
"What other Dingars do you know?" Layd replied with an emotion similar to hers.