I returned to my level in frustration. I had certainly discovered how all the other beings were created but Mist- possibly my mother! - remained a mystery.
And of course, I was oddly hungry.
I was so annoyed I didn't even notice Soahban come up to speak to me. Until she was basically in my face. I glared at her.
"What do you want?"
"Jason sent me", ugh the other one, "He asked me to make sure you get fitted and to tell you, you'll be rooming with me. And that as soon as I sort all those out that the big four would like to speak with you"
My curiosity had me swallowing my nasty retort, "The big four?"
She looked at me seriously for a moment, "Yes, the four Elemental Beings. King Arvi for Air, Queen Elijac for Earth, King Waynt for Water and King Fiernz for Fire"
How on earth did she say those names with a straight face?
I decided not to ask.
"Great", I muttered. "Let's get this over with."
"Glad you're not mad", she said airily, "Let's start with the fitting."
We walked in utter silence towards a large canopy some ways behind what Soahban identified as the ALevel dorms. The silence was unbearably awkward. Luckily, I was able to preserve my dignity by letting Soahban break it first.
"Look, Akane. Can we just start over?", she asked stopping in her tracks.
I stopped too, "What do you mean?"
"I just mean, I'm extra sorry for how I behaved earlier, I should have known just from your Aura that you would never do anything like that", she said hurriedly.
"Hm. I don't know. That was pretty bold of you", I said stretching my revenge a little longer.
"Just- just accept this bracelet as a token of my apologies", she said her face completely vulnerable as she held out a pretty charm bracelet for me. It was deep purple, the color of my Mist. I took it and smiled.
"No blood, no foul Soahban", I said trying to be good natured.
She smiled widely and we continued to the canopy, the silence no longer awkward.
"Welcome to the Vault Akane", Soahban said throwing open a door.
The inside was once again bigger than the outside. Every wall was lined with beautifully decorated weapons of all types and sizes as well of battle armor of different colors and varieties. I was awed.
"Hiya Michael!", Soahban called out, then said to me, "Michael is in charge of fitting. He and his team work together to make sure we all have the most comfortable tools."
I shook hands with Michael, a super buff dude who looked like he ate cows for dinner. Then again, he might. I struggled not to laugh out loud.
"New here? Let's get you some gear", we followed him into a room lined to the ceiling with multi- colored pallets, "Choose a color miss."
"Ou, go with royal purple Akane. Like your Mist!", Soahban exclaimed.
I decided I liked Michael when he didn't jump. He simply nodded and said, "But you know it's not only your battle armor that would be that color. Everything from evening wear to personal clothes, to everyday shirts will be color coded with very few variations. I you're sure then let's move on to weapons."
"I'm sure", I said, not really knowing what other color to pick.
"Good. Choose your weapon", he said taking us into a similar room lined with various weapons, "The mallet, mobility is not to good cause of the weight, attack power kind of makes up for it, speed isn't great either."
I considered these quietly, "No, my upper body strength won't take it. Isn't there something else?"
"How about the double-edged sword?", he suggested taking down a beautiful gold and silver sword from the wall. The silver side morphs into the shape the wielders mind wants it to, so the attack power is crazy, mobility and speed are okay too, but better depending on how strong your arms are."
"Don't you have like, a double-edged dagger?", I asked knowing fully well that my speed was basically all I had. Take away that from me and I would probably be useless in a fight."
"I think that would be perfect for you. Here. Its name is Jade. The more you use it the more familiar it becomes to you. I suggest you start getting used to it", Michael said handing me a shiny dagger. I smiled at him and thanked him quickly as the bell sounded again and Soahban said we had better get gong to the big Four.
The big Four basically lived in a castle.
We actually needed a ride up there and that's when I realized there was actually a ferrying service from the bottom of the path to the top where an old stone Manor sat. It was beautiful in a very medieval way.
Soahban knocked on the door five times in quick succession and a very aged woman came out to meet us. Her hair was graying and her body frail, but her eyes where sharp and I got the feeling nothing passed her.
"Is there a problem?"
"I've brought Akane Miss. Weaver. The Kings and Queens requested to see her", Soahban said.
The woman didn't reply, she turned around and left the door wide open, after a moment, we followed. When I turned back, the door was shut.
She led us- surprisingly quickly for her age- into a large room filled with five thrones smack in the middle. The walls were lined in gold and a majestic red, and four of the thrones were occupied. Miss. Weaver had disappeared, and the doors were shut behind us- me. A quick glance around told me that Soahban was gone as well.
"Well, well, well. Isn't this interesting. And you are?"
I looked up at the one who addressed me. Her voice was rough and hallow, but comfortingly smooth. I knew immediately this was Queen Elijac.
I didn't know whether to smile or reply or curtsey, so I said my name.
"Akane"
"A pretty name", the Queen replied, "Guys I LIKE her, I don't want such a pretty little thing blown up!"
Hang on a minute.
Blown up?