However instead of deciding a place to sleep they hung around talking about Damian's predicament. Even though the settings were different, and the reason Lotte was even participating in the discussion was not food related, Damian almost felt as though things hadn't changed.
No one really had any alternative ideas to convincing the people he wasn't here to possibly start the apocalypse. Not when he was walking around with the already infamous Sword. Speaking of the sword it has been really quiet since the bar fight. Maybe it was disappointed in it's new master? Damian stared at it as it was strewn across the table, not at all hidden.
"Alright let's go, it'll be sunset soon we should get going so we can see here," Lotte said opening the door. In her hands was a small lantern, but it wasn't yet lit.
"The sunset is really pretty," Lotte remarked.
Damian turned to admire it before continuing. "Yes, it is," he agreed calmly.
They approached a grey stone building with stain glass windows. Damian figured it must have once been a church.
"This woman is Morgan le Fae." Nico informed them, enter the old former church. Lotte shivered, Morgan was a higher ranking Fae than herself.
"I'll be the one to do the introductions here, Nicodemus Shroud," Morgan remarked then paused, observing her guests. Damian looked baffled at the woman wearing a dark blue cloak, a few thin locks of white pale blue tinted hair peeking out.
"A Guardian mage, an amusement and a human wielding the other half of the Sword of Destiny, I suppose Luck has decided to forgive me for my past actions." A gentle, almost saccharine sweet voice mused. The undertones of slight irritation implied danger, sending chills down his spine.
"What can I do for you, my intriguing guests?" She asked.
"We came, to be sure the prophecy really applies to Damian," Nico spoke. Damian was grateful Nico took charge because he was pretty sure he would have been intimidated.
"You carry the Sword of Destiny as though you have always held it. What more confirmation do you need?" Morgan responded simply. Damian
Nico blinked and
Damian scowled "you sure you aren't just saying that so that you can dump all this kingdom's problems on me and I only just got here?"
Barely visible beyond her hood, Morgan grinned sardonically. He did his best not to blink.
"Lady Morgan," Nico said, catching her attention.
"Nicodemus," she said in response. Her icy violet eyes almost glowing from under the hood.
"I request you to do a more thorough confirmation. For his sake, after all we are setting him up to essentially be executed." He bequeathed.
"And what would you have me do?" Morgan commented though her gaze seemed to flut over to Damian as if he was supposed to know.
"A vision of the future perhaps?" Nico tossed her what looked like a gold coin. She caught it with such ease and grace as if her limbs moved like water. Damian blinked the coin looked and from the way she held it, was different than the coins Nico used to pay the Tavern. The sword then chose to inform him that that wasn't actually a coin but a hardened form of mana. Mana of a Fae, far more intense and powerful than humans. The potential uses and dangers rendered it something only Fae and trained practitioners of magic could handle.
"Ah payment already? And you don't hold back A mana coin of one of the Nocturnal Moth Fae. Very well I can honor the request,"
'Wow he really knows her well doesn't he?'
"It also pays to know the behavior of your own race," the sword replied in his mind and he almost jumped.
"Hold on, why did she call you -" Damian startled.
"My full name is actually Nicodemus Shroud," Nico began. "I'm a half fae, unlike herself." He remarked, averting his eyes.
"The other half is..... human I'm guessing?" Damian asked. Nico didn't look at him.
"Very well," Morgan conceded.
"Clotho, Lachesis, Atropos, by divine origin, grant me foresight. Repeat after me,"
A glowing, navy blue magic circle appeared with red colored runes on the circumference of it.
"Reveal unto me that which is hidden"
"Reveal unto me that which is hidden," Damian repeated dutifully. The runes turned deep burgundy.
"That which is past,"
"That which is past," Damian hoped his questioning thoughts didn't leak into the repeated words. He wasn't sure if that affected it or not. The entire circle glowed pale blue and Damian tried not to worry about it as much as he was tempted to. He chalked up this nervousness to not really truly wanting to see. After all he didn't truly want to die.
"That which is yet to be" she recited.
"That which is yet to be," Damian said seriously.
In a blue tinted sphere the size of a large serving platter was a projected image akin to a hologram. Just like everyone else claimed Damian appeared to be causing destruction, apparently by leading an army. Various different races and people, most of which he didn't recognize, coming together to storm what looked like a golden castle.
The sword in his hand used to break down the enormous golden ornately carved gate and slay the guards present.
"Looks like a siege on the Castle Vesper," Lotte tensed. She had visited that place enough to easily recognize it even if it was supposed to be protected from view by the enchanted gates.
"Based on the looks on the faces of all the members of his army, he was successful," Morgan said, a smile in her tone. Damian bristled. 'Why is she happy about me, an outsider, harming the people of her own world?'
The vision changed and Damian stood in front of a myriad of people. Presumably not everyone in the entire land of Terravalonia, but maybe enough people for a village similar to this one. He was in front of what he immediately recognized to be a noose.
"What the hell?"
This new vision showed he was going to be executed. He gulped nervously.
"End it, that's enough," Damian mumbled.
The vision ended in an intense explosion of light and energy, eliciting more panic from Damian. The explosion was quickly nullified thanks to Nico who had activated a protective magic circle. "You and your jokes…" Nico muttered sardonically.
Damian panted breathlessly, driving the sword into the ground to prop himself up
"A warning would have been appreciated," he huffed at the sword, a few drops of sweat dripping down his forehead and the bridge of his nose. "Oh! Thanks Nico," he muttered, still trying to gather himself while Nico lowered the barrier.
"I'm surprised. I wouldn't think the future regent of Evil would kneel so willingly" she smirked.
"Kneel?" Damian asked, confused. He stood up and
"Not when you ask like that," Morgan snorted.
"I asked you to confirm something for us. I didn't say toy with him," Nico hissed icily a lot closer than Damian initially realized. He faltered looking to his sides and seeing Lotte slightly hovering at his left, and Nico at his right. In an instant he understood and he glared at her.
"You did that deliberately to see how we'd all react." he stated even though he meant it to be a question. Maybe he was just angry at all the crap he'd dealt with today.
Morgan pushed some white, pale blue tinted locks of hair back into the hood of her cloak, safely from view of the light.
"Perhaps, but I have the information you desire. If you let your anger get the best of you,do you plan to walk away when it's within reach? " She asked.
Lotte tensed and clenched her hands. Nico just narrowed his eyes and force smiled.
Damian stood up reluctantly.
"All right then, what's your outstanding observation," he demanded. Immediately half a dozen daggers circled around his head, the glow around them pale blue so he assumed it was Morgan's doing.
"Watch your tone," she hissed.
"And you watch who you're making a enemy," Nico threatened. Lotte looked surprised at Nico while Damian looked concerned.
"I thought you said you were going to stay neutral?"
Nico glowered at her and the daggers Morgan conjured turned into white Hydrangeas.
"Damian has been chosen by the Sword of Destiny, as such he will walk down that path to his predetermined fate and end in the place he has earned." She stated firmly. The words nothing more than another nail in the coffin.
"Very well, you have confirmed what lies ahead," Nico spoke first. In a very controlled and measured tone, barely hiding any hostility. Lotte said nothing.
"Thank you for your assistance, Lady Morgan le Fae." Damian commented. Morgan just smiled.
"Thank you, Damian for the polite pleasantries. Not many who learn such a future take it in stride," Morgan spoke calmly.