The words blinked on the screen as all the people present started to look around and take in the situation. All of them had been seemingly kidnapped and pulled here by some unknown entity, one with enough power to toy with multiple Saints like nothing.
Nephis instinctively tried to summon her sword to arm herself, but froze the next second.
Nothing happened.
She had failed to summon her memories, and couldn't even summon her flames. The Nightmare spell had been completely cut off from them, more importantly even her aspect had been sealed. Immediately she closed her eyes and tried to delve into her Soul Sea, only for her fists to tighten. Her Soul Sea had also been cut off.
'An ability..? No… the rank of a person and their aspect have a dependent influence on another party in proportion to the difference in their status as an Awakened. As a Saint, and a Divine one at that, not even a Sovereign should have the ability to completely sever a Saint like Nephis from her connection to the Nightmare Spell and more importantly her Soul Sea and Aspect.'
'Aspects and Soul Sea were unique assets that were part of one's self and body, to cut one off was closer to killing a person entirely…'
Her face darkened as a cold emotionless mask dawned her
'This level of influence is above Sovereigns… Sacred? Divine? Could it be…at the level…of Gods?'
Her eyes widened as she quickly whipped around to check on Cassie, an unusual look of concern dawning the usual steadfast face of Changing Star.
"Cassie… are you also-"
Before she could even finish her sentence, she immediately turned to Nephis and cut her off.
"Yes, I also seem to have been cut off from everything…including my Soul Sea"
Nephis's shoulders stiffened as she replied in a hushed tone, "Does this also mean…you can't see at all?"
Cassie pivoted her head up to look directly at where Nephis's face was and warmly smiled.
"Thankfully I can, however…it is a bit strange. I cannot borrow the eyesight of the people around me, but instead my vision has been somehow, "attached" to something on my face. I know it sounds like I've forgotten how it feels to be not blind, heh, but trust me, it's as if someone has placed some invisible artificial eyes on my face which I have been given…permission to look through."
Nephis's shoulders slowly lowered as a quiet sigh escaped her lips, she was relieved that Cassie didn't have to relive the past in this place.
Before she could ask the other members how they were doing, a cold melancholic voice resounded from behind her shoulder.
"Sister, care to explain what this is?"
Nephis slowly turned around to face Morgan, and the rest of the Valor Saints including most notably, Jest, Summer Knight, Tryis and her husband who stood closely behind her, as the rest huddled not far away.
"I'm not quite sure either… sister. Our cohort was having a meal when we were abruptly kidnapped by some unknown White Light. When we came to, we were here".
Morgan remained silent for a few seconds, tilting her head to scan the room, her eyes pausing on the Saints and Blood Sisters of Ravenheart on the opposite side of the room for a few seconds before turning back to Nephis.
"It seems, some unknown force has brought us here for a…purpose, one with enough power to restrain us, and make us equivalent to Mundane."
Nephis slowly nodded as Morgan continued,
"At first, I assumed this was some ploy from the… others, to separate us; however I do not believe anyone, including their "mother" has the capability to initiate such a feat. For the time being, we can only comply with whoever has brought us here until the King can locate and rescue us."
Nephis turned her head to the side, to look at her cohort for a second, before facing Morgan once more.
"Indeed, cooperation seems like the only solution"
**************
On the other side of the room, Rain was freaking out.
Just a second ago, she had been miserably walking through the snow back from a failed hunt, and the next second she had been transported to some unknown theatre. Worst of all she was losing her mind as soon as she realised she was surrounded by Saints, freaking Saints! Why in the Spells name did a mundane girl like her somehow get involved with the most prominent people of humanity!?
'I can't do this'
She subtly looked down at her shadow and kicked at it with her feet before letting out a venomous hiss.
"Teacher! Your beloved pupil has been kidnapped and placed in a room full of Saints and humans which you so dearly avoid! If you would have the slightest bit of decency to save your student or maybe even explain what is happening!?!"
Her shadow however, was completely silent.
Rain's face turned red, filled with rage, on the verge of exploding. She kneeled down and came face to face with her shadow, her voice now even louder.
"If you don't do something, so help the Spell, I will rat you out! I will not go into this alone, do you hear me!"
Still, her shadow remained silent.
The rage from her face quickly disappeared, now replaced with utter concern and fear.
"T-teacher, i'm sorry for raising my voice, can you please just give a response?" her voice now a shaky hush.
Yet, she still got no response.
What little rage that was displayed on her face, was now completely replaced with absolute fear, a single silent thought now permeating her mind.
'I'm..scared'
She had been completely alone for the last four years of her life, surviving the worsening situation of humanity. However, she had been accompanied by and been training with her teacher, a mysterious shadow who had appeared and resided in her own shadow in secrecy. Although she had suspicions he was some malevolent entity, every time she was with him, she felt an unfamiliar…warmth, deep inside her as if something was… reacting to him. Thus, she had come to the conclusion that he was a remnant of some ancient ancestor in their family who was trying to help her, albeit through stingy and cheap methods.
But now, although she hated to admit it, she was scared. She missed him, she wanted to see his whimsical smile, hear his nonsensical jokes and ridiculous tales of his past, no matter how far-fetched they were.
'I'm alone…'
A hand slightly rested on her shoulder.
"Are you okay child? You look troubled…" A warm voice resounded from behind her.
Rain quickly wiped her reddening eyes and stood up and turned to face the voice.
An old lady, slightly shorter in stature, stood next to her. Her face was a painting of wrinkles that told a story of age, her white hair neatly wrapped in a knot while a weird mask that resembled a sinister demonic face, hung from the right side of her head. Her attire was ancient but stylish, a loosely fastened black sash that covered her entire body, resembling some type of ancient ceremonial robe. The woman, although unfamiliar, brought an unusual feeling of warmth, like a kind hearted relative who loved all her nieces and nephews unconditionally.
Rained warmly smiled and awkwardly coughed, "I-I'm sorry, I was just a bit overwhelmed, one second I was walking through the snow in a forest, and the next thing i'm here"
The old woman smiled, before gently grabbing her hand and giving it a light, but reassuring squeeze.
"Do not worry child, it seems we are all in the same boat. I was also suddenly brought to this unusual place."
She slowly looked around before chuckling.
"Honestly what surprises me the most, is the place itself. I've never quite seen architecture and furniture like this, it is truly fascinating!"
It was Rain's turn to look away as she carefully studied the room. It was quite large, in the shape of a standard movie theatre, with one wall larger than the rest, mounted by a glowing screen. Rows of comfy looking leather seats stood in front of the screen and ascended backwards at a slope until they touched the back wall. However, the most peculiar feature was that there seemed to be… no walls. Where walls should have been, were instead replaced by vibrant velvet curtains which descended from the ceiling to the ground. She was tempted to walk over and lift them up to see what was behind them, but at the thought, a shiver ran down her spine, giving her a bad premonition they hid something not meant for the eyes of humans to see.
Rain turned back to the lady and slightly scoffed, "Well it's not too extravagant for a movie theatre except for the flashy curtains, it looks like a place more on the pricey side".
The woman only looked at her and slowly blinked before flatly responding.
"Pardon, but what is this "Movie Theatre" you speak of?"
It was Rain's turn to be stunned as she looked at the elderly woman in confusion, before stammering.
"What? H-how do you not know wha-" before she could finish, a charismatic laugh interrupted her as both Rain and the elderly woman turned to face the source of the voice.
It was a tall but thin man, quite handsome although Rain would rather die than tell him. He was adorned with a long red rob that covered his body, fitted with a stylish white rope that hung around his waist. His hair was black and long, flowing past his shoulders like an umbral waterfall; his face chiseled and appealing with a unique symbol of a crescent moon pronounced on his forehead. Currently, he was hunched over with a bit of the red curtain in his hand, his eyes twinkling, seemingly captivated by the fabric.
Soon vigorous ramblings reached their ears.
"Elegant..no.. Sublime! Truly Sublime! I must meet the craftsman of this fabric, I have never met someone with a sense of style close enough to mine! By the Gods, how did they do it? This fabric rivals my own, I must meet them and have them fashion me a new wardrobe."
"No… I will have them do it!"
"Such a person cannot escape my grasp, hence I have no right to call myself the Lord of the East, the one with the most fashionable style!"
He put his arms on his waist as he cocked his head back and laughed, the type of laugh that would cause people close to uncontrollably feel a stitch in their stomach and join in.
Rain stared at the bizarre scene for a few seconds before bringing a fist to her mouth and loudly coughing.
"Ahem"
The man's focus immediately snapped from the fabric to the two women, as a ludicrous smile plastered his face. He dropped the curtain and walked over, stopping a step away from them. He beamed, and lifted his hand forward beckoning them to shake it.
"Greetings! I am Noctis, Lord of the East, the one with the most exalted sense of style in all worlds! How might I address you two?"
Rain looked at the outstretched hand before her and awkwardly clasped it.
"Hi… I am Rain, a simple mundane human"
The man chuckled and leaned forward, making Rain stagger back.
"Rain…a pleasure to meet you, quite a peculiar name I'd say, but what's even more peculiar is your clothing. I've never seen anything like it, and why black for God's sake! Have you no sense of fashion girl?"
Rain was stunlocked, unsure of how to respond to the overly charismatic and social stranger who she had just met.
Noctis turned his head to the elderly woman, eyes slightly twitching as his mood seemed to shift. This time his tone was quieter and more formal.
"And you may be..?" he asked questioningly.
The woman smiled "Ananke, Priestess of the Nightmare Spell, it's a pleasure to meet an esteemed Lord" she said with a humble and respectful tone.
Rain could not contain herself as she whipped her head to look at the elderly woman she had just held hands with and casually conversed, her lips slightly trembling as her eyes dilated.
'D-Did she just say P-Priestess of the Nightmare Spell?!? The Nightmare Spell?! The greatest mystery of humanity, the source of misfortune that nearly caused the extinction of the human race!?!?'
Rain felt like a mountain had crashed on to her, she didn't know how to react. A part of her wanted to immediately tackle the woman and question her on what she meant about being a Priestess of the Nightmare Spell, while another wanted to reject even the thought. She could tell that the woman was pure, a truly kind and selfless human that would never strive to cause death, pain and misfortune. She refused to accept it.
'I-I can't just assume things…I need more answers'
Rain found herself swaying on the spot, only finding her balance when the man named Noctis brought a hand to his chin and hummed.
"I see, one of Weavers are you?" his eyes gleaming with curiosity.
Ananke humbly bowed, "In the flesh your Lord"
Noctis remained silent for a few more seconds before bursting into a fit of laughter, "Haha! Aaahhh, truly this must be his doing… this must be Fate! I was just in the midst of considering searching him out, but it looks like Fate acted first. I am humbled by your honest admittance to your identity, while I suspected due to the smell of Daemon coming from you…"
"I am not ashamed of who I follow, I believe in Weaver" she said without faltering.
Noctis vigorously nodded, seemingly in approval, "Speaking of smell…"
Both him and Ananke silently turned to look at Rain, causing her shoulders to stiffen.
"Tell me Rain…why do you also carry the same smell..?"
Rain's face flushed as her mouth quickly opened and closed in embarrassment.
"I-I do not s-smell! I'll h-have you know that I thoroughly clean myself every day!" she loudly stammered in pure embarrassment.
Before Noctis could retort, a low chuckle sounded as it approached them, all three turning to face the source of the voice.
A tall and stoic man clad in ancient ivory armour, slowly approached them. His presence was powerful, that of a King, every step he took felt like it had meaning and purpose, Rain almost unconsciously lowered her head. From his shoulders a gracious black cape flowed, with an emblem of a giant serpent made out on the back. His face was hardworn, it was a face that told unseen tales of bravery and leadership, but his most notable feature was a delicate crown that rested atop his head. It was not your typical pointy gold crown with jewels, it was a simple iron ring that resembled a serpent devouring itself from the tail. Although it was not flamboyant, Rain felt its simplicity spoke a history longer than she could ever imagine.
By his side a gorgeous woman trod next to him. Her face was an indescribable beauty, something that could be acclaimed to be the pinnacle of aesthetic, luscious black hair flowed from her head, cascading over shoulders and stopping at her waist, with noticeable white strands that added even more appeal to the eye. Her attire was that of royalty, an ocean blue dress that clung to her boldly, tight where it needed to be to emphasize features. As well as the man next to her, she also donned an ornament on her head, only it was not a crown, but instead a delicate looking flower that rested above her right ear. Rain could not tell if it was marble, glass, ice or something even more valuable which she had never heard of in her entire middle class life.
The man and woman stopped next to the group of three.
"Apologies girl, this man seems to take pleasure in causing a ruse in those he converses with." he said in an enchanting deep voice.
The corners of Noctis's mouth curled up as he scoffed.
The man's tone turned slightly serious, "What this man intended to ask… is why you smell like a Daemon? These are entities that are secretive and all powerful, one does not happen to just "smell" like them"
Noctis chimed in, "Indeed, more specifically why do you smell like Weaver, the Daemon of Fate? Although the smell is… different…. it shares similarities."
Rain knees buckled as she sank to the ground, the questioning figures seemed to grow and loom over her, awaiting her response.
Tears started to well in her eyes as she choked trying to form a cohesive sentence.
'I-i'm dead, i'm so dead'
Fortunately, like a guardian angel, Ananke gently grabbed her shoulders and lifted her up, supporting her. Before turning to the others.
"Please, let's take it easy on the poor child. While I am also curious myself, I have conversed with her already and can tell she is a kind hearted soul. It is very possible that her Fate might have been influenced in some way, which is why a remnant smell remains on her, unknown to her knowledge.
Ananke then paused, before smiling and stretching her hand out.
"Also, I think it would be polite to introduce yourself before springing questions on the poor lass"
The man blinked, seemingly caught off guard, before quietly coughing. The woman next to him seemed to slightly shake and quickly stole a glance at the man next to her, as if amused by the flustered sight.
"Indeed, I may have been a bit rash upon introduction, allow me to properly acquaint myself."
He straightened his back and raised his chest slightly.
"Greetings, I am Daeron, Serpent of Twilight, King and leader of the Twilight people, children of the Storm God", his voice echoing as he finished.
The lady next to him grabbed the corners of her gown and politely curtseyed, flashing a captivating smile.
"Likewise, I am Windflower of Twilight, Daughter of Daeron and the princess of the children of Storm".
Rain was thankful that Ananke was still by her side supporting her shoulders, if not, she might have collapsed again, only this time passing out. She closed her eyes, taking a shaky breath.
'Gods…why me? I'm just a mundane girl who hasn't even Awakened and yet i'm in the presence of Lords, Princesses, Kings and even the supposed Priestess of the Nightmare Spell'
She held back the urge to whine, and kept her mouth shut, intimidated and feeling unfit to casually converse with the great figures present before her. Her attention slightly wavered as she felt Ananke's hands slightly tremble on her shoulders, as her soothing voice soon sounded.
"My apologies, I was not aware of your identity and may have spoken out of line, I hope you may forgive me. I am Ananke, Priestess of the Nightmare Spell" her tone slightly serious.
Daeron nodded, "At ease, your intentions are just"
He paused for a second before quietly asking.
"I would like to ask, how has the Nightmare Spell developed? I have heard tales of its promise of a safe future to those who seek refuge. I myself…am also troubled with the impending growth of corruption and was in the midst of deciding whether to lead my people into the Tomb of Ariel to seek refuge".
Windflower turned to Daeron, a look of alarm on her face.
"Father! We cannot reveal this sensitive information to strangers!"
Daeron looked down at her with kind eyes and lightly rested his hand on her shoulder.
"Calm, child. I can't tell these are good people and mean no harm. Also…you must have noticed it as well, we are in a… situation, where we must cooperate and work together."
Windflower opened her mouth to protest but quietly closed it and adorned a face of composure, turning back to face the rest.
The awkward atmosphere didn't last, as hurried steps could be heard approaching their direction. Before any could react, a short old man made his way next to Daeron and looked up at him with a friendly smile. His attire was plain and simple, his presence like a social golden retriever. A hand stretched out to greet him.
"Apologies, I do not mean to intrude, but this old man heard some fascinating history about the children of Storm! If you don't mind I am someone who loves history and would kindly ask if you could share this information with me" he enthusiastically remarked.
He then coughed and slightly adjusted his glasses before a sheepish grin found its way on his face.
"Of course, I politely ask if you wish to share. I would not dare to be rude and pry into information that's sensitive to oneself".
Tension hung in the air, Windflower looked like she was on the verge of exploding. This unknown man had just casually addressed a King, and a powerful one at that. Who knew how Daeron would react? But to everyone's surprise, something unexpected happened.
Daeron looked at the outstretched hand before him, dawning a warm smile, and then to everyone's shock…met the hand with a shake of equal sociability.
He looked the old man in the eyes.
"Please, we are both old fossils, formality should be equal"
The man smiled, "Professor Julius, you may or may not have heard of my name, but fret not, my motivation lies not in recognition, but aspiration to explore and discover the unknown!"
Daeron nodded, "Daeron, Serpent of Twilight, I am saddened to admit I've not heard of your work, but would be welcome to share some knowledge and possibly be enlightened by you, after this ordeal we've been dragged into sees a conclusion".
Rain shoulders dropped as she let out a long exhale. It seemed like they had all finally reached a common ground.
Well, nearly all of them.
Windflower was visibly shaking, seemingly shocked by the carefree attitude of the man named Julius used when conversing with her father. At the sight of this, something unusual arose in Rain. She wanted…to laugh! The contrast between the early image of nobility Windflower portrayed and the current pouty mess of a child was hilarious, it was what she needed.
A carefree, ridiculous smile found itself onto Rain's face.
'It seems like I forgot, that even the most unapproachable people at the top of humanity are still….human."
At the same time four people shortly followed behind professor Julius. A man and woman who Rain assumed were a couple, an elegant woman with black hair who adorned a tight red robe and lastly an…ordinary man with black hair. His face was unique, it was strangely appealing yet unnerving, like it was hiding something. His attire was formal, a simple black suit with a tie. The man seemed to notice her gaze and quickly met it with a simple smile.
Rain froze. A single word screamed in her mind.
Danger.
'That man is dangerous, possibly even the most dangerous person here..'
She averted her gaze and unknowingly shifted slightly closer to Ananke. Her teacher had always preached that the most ordinary and harmless looking person was often the most dangerous and hid something terrible.
Rain said a silent prayer.
"Teacher, although you are questionable at times, thank you for teaching me something useful".
After the four new people introduced themselves, the couple by the name of Kim and Luster proclaimed to be out of action soldiers, the beauty Solvanne who claimed to be a priestess and lastly there was the man who called himself Mordret, who simply described himself as a harmless victim of the event. Rain's eyes narrowed at the use of "harmless", more importantly everything about him put Rain on edge. Everyone had different reactions upon introductions, some were noticeable while others were carefully hidden. But what scared Rain the most, is that Mordret was devoid of any reaction.
She couldn't tell if he was new to the information or whether he was already aware of it and had carefully masked it. Most importantly, she couldn't tell if she was being paranoid, but she could swear that he was looking at her more than the others.
After all the introductions, Daeron coughed and raised his voice.
"Now that some grounds have been established, it's best we conveen with the other two groups of people" he said while turning to face the unknown forces of Valor and Song who were now walking towards each other.
The others nodded and followed behind him as they walked over to meet the rest.
While they moved over, Mordret glided next to Rain, slowing down to match her pace. She looked at him with questioning eyes.
"What do you want?" she said in a cold tone.
Mordret looked at her with an innocent face, "You said you were training with your master to Awaken, may I ask who your master is?" he cooed in a polite tone.
Rain paused for a moment, before lowering her voice.
"None of your business", quickening her pace to get away from him.
Mordret watched her avoid him as his pace remained leisurely, a creepy smile finding its way onto his face, unbeknownst to the others.
"Interesting…" he said in a low voice
**************
The three groups arrived, standing opposite each other, as each waited for the other to speak.
Nephis was the one to break the ice.
"I assume we all understand the situation. Someone or something has brought us all here for a purpose, and in the process has stripped us of our Aspects and more"
A dejecting scoff sounded from Ravenheart's group.
"Us? Who's to say that it was just you who was blocked from your Aspect and that the rest can use ours completely fine" Beastmaster lamented in a mocking tone.
Morgan stepped forward with an audible stomp.
"Then why don't we test the truth you wretched Song cur? I'd be more than happy to escalate things if this is what your "mother" intended by bringing us here" she said in a threatening tone.
Beastmaster smiled, seemingly delighted at the invitation and raised her foot to take a step forward, but was gently pulled back by a hand on her shoulder. The hand belonged to Seishan, who looked at Beastmaster calmly and shook her head. Beastmaster paused before taking a step back, as Seishan walked forward.
"I am aware of your suspicion and hostility, but understand that we are also very on edge. Truthfully, our "mother" is not behind this and if anything, we have reason to suspect that the King was the one behind this."
She paused for a second before continuing to speak.
"Additionally this…event, seems to be beyond conflict between Song and Valor, as we can see that outliers without affiliation have been dragged into this situation" she remarked, pointing a finger towards Daeron's group.
All eyes moved and planted their focus on the variable group. However, Daeron did not waver and simply nodded.
"Indeed, our group seems to have diverse origins with no recollection of how we ended up here, nor any distinguishable figures we can reconcile with or rely on. Except…a few" he finished as he took a short glance at Ananke and Windflower.
Morgan stepped forward and met his gaze, "State your affiliation and identity"
The air became tense as both parties waited for the third response. Daeron studied Morgan silently for a second, before he responded by also taking a step forward.
"I am Dearon, Serpent of twilight, King of the children of Storm, this is my daughter Windflower, Princess of Twilight, at my side is Ananke, Priestess of the Nightmare Spell and behind me stands Noctis, Lord of the East, Solvanne, Priestess of War, Professor Julius, Awakened soldiers Kim and Luster; lastly, two unfortunate mundane victims, Rain and Mordret. At the mention of Mordrets name both Valor and Song shot daggers in his direction. Mordret simply smiled and shrugged his shoulders.
Following that, both Valor and Song introduced themselves, their presence however, only garnering reactions from Kim, Luster, Julius and Rain while the others remained benevolent of their identity.
While the silence was loud, it was not as quiet inside the minds of others.
Nephis was shaken. Daeron, the once violent serpent who had hunted her for months now stood before her, tall and proud like the true leader he had been in the past. She recognized a few of the other names, most notably Mordret and sadly…Rain. Nephis was troubled, out of all the people here, Rain was most definitely the weakest, and had done nothing wrong to be brought into this situation. Quickly she shot her a look of concern.
Thankfully, Rain noticed and nodded slightly in response.
However, the most notable figure…was Ananke. It had taken all of her concentration to remain composed upon noticing her. Ananke was precious to her, an important person who she cherished, who had guided and saved her in the Third Nightmare and been like a mother figure. She met her eyes with her own, hoping, praying that this was the Ananke which she knew and remembered. And to her delight, Ananke met her gaze, and her features softened as she returned a heart piercing smile.
It was a smile of recognition.
Nephis had to divert her gaze to hide her happiness at the revelation, but quickly turned back and was about to open her mouth, but Kai beat her to it.
"NOCTIS?? How are you here??" he shouted without restraint, causing everyone's attention to shift.
Anyone would have folded under the pressure, however Noctis seemed to strangely bask as the mark of attention, seemingly glowing at the prospect of being seen. He brought his hand to his chin and chuckled.
"My, my, even when I'm in a room full of strangers, someone knows my name" he said in a soothing voice.
"Sir Nightingale, who is this individual you seem to be familiar with?" Morgan asked with a serious questioning tone.
Startled, Kai quickly straightened himself and spoke up for everyone to hear.
"This may sound impossible, but Noctis here was a figure that members of our cohort met in our second Nightmare. He was an important ally who greatly contributed to our survival and success".
The realization dawned at the level of authority behind the scheme, being able to pull figures out of Nightmare seeds and seemingly into reality. Some still held animosity and disbelief to the statement.
"Impossible, no authority alive has the ability to do such a thing, not even the Sovereigns who are Supreme" Gilead retorted
Daeron shifted.
"This matter is beyond the Supreme, possibly at the level of gods…or something higher" he said in a flat tone.
Jest cocked his head.
"Oh, dear majesty, why are you so certain of this and that the King and Queen are not currently doing something right now?" he said in a mocking tone.
A heavy sigh escaped Daeron's lips as he closed his eyes for a second before opening them.
"Because…I am also a Supreme, and yet this place has also stripped me of all my abilities, so i doubt your leaders can do anything"
The words on Jests lips died, as he visibly stiffened. Everyone was silent at the weight of the words. They were in the presence of a Supreme, a real Supreme, a being who stood at the highest point of existence. However, what followed was not admiration but instead despair and uncertainty. If a Supreme had been dragged into this scuffle and stripped of everything, what hope did the Sovereigns have of doing anything?
Sensing the weight behind the statement and what it brought, Daeron quickly continued.
"Regardless, we should realize one thing. And that is whatever force has brought us here, does not seem to have ill intentions or regards that may threaten our lives."
"Then why make us powerless?" Effie snorted defiantly.
"Because otherwise everyone would be at each other's throats trying to kill one another" Mordret said in a jokingly uplifted tone.
As if in response to the questions, the screen once again blinked, causing everyone to look at it.
A single phrase now flashed.
[Please take your seats, questions may be answered shortly]
Everyone remained silent and unmoving, waiting for someone to make a move.
Annoyed, Noctis rolled his eyes and made his way towards the seats, plopping down right in the middle, kicking his feet onto the headrest of the lower seat in front of him. He looked at the others, a nonchalant look smug on his face.
"What? Might as well do what it asks to get things moving? I'd rather something happen then sit around doing nothing…" he audibly mumbled.
Both groups looked at each other before lumbering over.
The cohort occupied the front row, with Rain sitting in between Nephis and Ananke while Morgan joined them on the furthest seat. The Saints of Valor sat on the row above, behind Morgan, while Daeron sat next to Noctis and the rest to his left. Lastly the Saints of Song along with the Blood Sisters made their way to the 3rd row and filled it up.
Everyone was now seated and ready.
The screen responded, and flashed again, forming a list of new statements for everyone.
[Welcome Spectators, witness the full story and you shall be allowed to return]
[Violence is prohibited, and any attempts will be met with an according punishment]
[Drinks and snacks may be requested in due time]
[Additional questions, depending on the context may be answered or rejected]
[Please be patient, the story will soon start]
Silence hung heavy, as everyone digested the information, most importantly the warning of punishment. The silence didn't last long as Nephis quickly raised her voice to ask the big question on everyone's mind.
"Why were we brought here to watch this story?"
Heads silently nodded in agreement at the statement, everyone wanted to know. The screen turned blank for a few seconds before blinking a new statement.
[You are all part of the story, both what has and will be]
Cassie flinched slightly, mumbling under her breath, too quiet for any to hear.
'Will be?'
Without giving anyone a second to think, Effie quickly shouted, catching everyone off guard.
"Who's story is it? If it's someone here, then that's completely unoriginal"
Mouths hung open at Effie's display of bravado, almost certain that in the next second she would meet a fate worse than death. Cassie flashed her hand over and tightly pinched Effie on the arm, causing her to yelp.
"What was that for Cassie?" she whined while rubbing her forearm.
"What the hell are you doing Effie, why would you go and do something so random!?!? You can be turned into a pile of mush on the spot from one wrong word for all we know!! she hissed loud enough for everyone to hear.
Effie shrugged, "What? If it wanted to kill us then it would have done so already, the fact that i'm still kicking and breathing is proof that this thing won't do that."
Cassie shook in her seat as she grabbed Effie's arm.
"You don't know that!!"
Before Effie was hit with a bombardment of beration, a voice quickly chimed in from behind to Effie's aid.
"She's not wrong. It stated that questions can be asked, so the only thing that can happen is gaining more information and learning about the situation" hummed Saint Cormac while leaning back.
"I also agree with the old man, the more info the better" Jet added.
Before Cassie could retort, the screen once again blinked.
[The story is of the Forgotten One]
"The forgotten one…" Nephis mumbled as something momentarily appeared in her mind before disappearing the next before she could grasp it.
Heads turned as people looked at each other, but nobody was able to give an answer.
"What is the name of the forgotten one", echoed from back as Revel leaned forward. To their disappointment, the screen didn't change.
"Of course it wouldn't be that easy," Rain muttered while sinking back into her seat.
This time, Daeron stood up, making his intention to ask clear.
"What are the titles of the Forgotten One?" he said in a low voice.
"Great stuff!" Noctis chortled while leaning back
Others nodded in agreement, truly it was fortunate to have a wise and experienced veteran among them. The screen paused before blinking again. The new statement however, caused half of the people to rise, while others eyes widened as they stood shocked at what they saw.
[They are known as many]
[The Rightful Heir of Death]
[The Bastard Son of Fate]
Immediately a hushed whispers sounded in the theatre.
"Many? What is that supposed to mean?"
"Heir of Death, how can one be such a thing?"
"Bastard Son of Fate, how does that make him a bastard? Can someone even be the child of a concept?"
"How does one even attain such titles?"
The whispers continued as comrades quickly turned their heads to share their thoughts to their companions in hushed voices. However, the most notably shaken out of the lot was Noctis, frozen with a look of utter bewilderment, and a slight hint of curiosity.
"Weaver…has a child?"
To his right, Solvanne slowly turned to face him, a look of utter disgust and disappointment as her lips muttered a single statement loud enough for him to hear.
"Imbecile.."
On the row below, Cassie's hands tightened as the leather her hands rested on, creased in response.
"Son of Fate" she silently muttered.
She was lost. Immediately, she had developed a hostile opinion towards however this was, as Fate had been her cruel tormented since her journey began, and now she had supposedly been presented with the possible perpetrator who had been pulling the strings all along. But Cassie was a Seer, and one thing that couldn't be questioned from a Seer was intuition. And her Intuition was leaning in a different direction. Gathering her thoughts she re-evaluated what had just been told.
'Clearly this person has some deep connection with Fate, however it is unclear whether it is a complaint or parasitic one, the use of "bastard" is plausible about them being more of a victim or hated. But how can one be hated by Fate? Equilibrium was a staple law of Fate, if man deserved his fate, deny it who can; yes, but the fate did not deserve the man. So it was unheard of to be openly condemned and tormented by Fate, it was too human.'
Nephis, seemingly hearing Cassie's train of thought, turned to face her.
"What do you think" she asked
Cassie paused, wavering, before uttering a familiar statement.
"There's a possibility…they may be related to the man-shaped hole in the world".
The words hung in the air as Nephis looked back at the screen.
In her heart an unusual, painful sinking feeling began to swell, an alien feeling Nephis had never felt before.
'The missing piece…'
Daeron slowly lowered himself back into his seat, clasping his hands in silence for a few seconds before speaking up.
"If what has been said is true, then this person is something unseen in history before. I humbly admit I do not find myself having the pride to claim such titles, one that does, can only be above me and possibly even more".
Jest turned around and stood up
"How do we know if this is even true? Who's to say these titles are not self proclaimed, who governs whether I am allowed to give myself the title, for example, as the "One with the best jokes"?" he chuckled.
Silent Stalker stood up in response, "What does this thing gain from lying to us about such matters? It has made its position clear, how would it gain anything more than what it already has by fabricating such statements?"
Fingers could be heard rapping on leather, as everyone followed the noise to the second row. It was the man named Professor Julius.
He sighed.
"I think we are possibly looking at this wrong. True, these statements could be real but they could equally be false. Most importantly this "person" is a piece of history, thus as history usually goes, information may have been misinterpreted and filtered, resulting in misleading definitions."
"Heir of Death could mean that this person has caused a lot of death in their time, while Bastard Son of Fate could mean they constantly ran into misfortune or met some form of harrowing end."
He paused and smiled.
"History is all about looking at something, coming up with a hypothesis, then looking at it from another angle, developing another hypothesis and then constantly repeating until a plausible one forms or a clear trend is established."
"Therefore, we should take this statement lightly, and only reevaluate it if we learn something vital".
The edges of Daerons lips slightly curled, in admiration at the display of intelligence of the fellow he became acquainted with.
Silence again once again took the theatre as everyone seemed to dive deep into thought at the possibility. The statement was strong and clear, causing nobody to dare retort it.
Feeling a spark of courage, Rain slowly stood up, "So why don't we clear whether this person is history or still alive?" she turned towards the screen before nervously gulping.
"Is the Forgotten One still alive till this moment?" she asked, her voice slightly cracking.
The screen quickly blinked.
[Yes]
A few audible gasps sounded as everyone leaned forward slightly at the revelation, but to their dismay a new message soon flashed below.
[Questions have passed, please be patient]
Audible thumping noises could be heard as people uniformly slumped into their seats, the mood now sour. They had just lost the opportunity to learn more about the perpetrator.
Before the mood could worsen, Effie charismatically spoke up.
"Soo…uh…can we get those promised snacks?"
Cassie once again shot her a hidden glare, yet Effie stood her ground, looking even somewhat annoyed.
"What is with you? Aren't you supposed to have the most perfect memory? Have you already forgotten that it stated that snacks and drinks are allowed?" she said in a mocking tone
Cassie's face flushed, but before she could retort Effie cut her off again.
"So what's on the menu", her hands shifting against each other in anticipation.
The screen blinked once more, before two new lines appeared.
[Fresh black coffee]
[Salted popcorn]
"Coffee?? What kind of psycho has coffee while watching a movie? Where's the soda and candy, that's a universal law for watching movies!" Effie whined in complaint
The screen, while lenient to questions and demands, did not seem waver at the statement.
Effe pushed herself deeper into her seat, a scowl on her face.
"I'll have the popcorn," she muttered.
In the next second, a large bucket of popcorn materialized on her lap, causing her to correct her posture.
"One bucket? Are you not supposed to be an omniscient entity? Don't you know that this won't even last 5 minutes for me?" she exclaimed.
The screen blinked again, the new content leaving Effie's mouth open in shock.
[All snacks and drinks will be automatically refilled]
Without wasting a second, Effie grabbed the bucket and tipped it over, causing the popcorn to spill all over her lap and onto the floor. Eyes widened among the audience at the gall of her unruly behaviour. This time, it was Kai who grabbed her arm and gave her a look of alarm.
"Effie are you insa-"
But before he could finish his question, something magical happened, causing some to raise an eyebrow in both amusement and interest.
The bucket had already been refilled.
A grin crept itself onto Effie's face as she turned to Nephis in excitement.
"Princess, I think it's very important that we take our time to get through this ordeal. No! Scratch that! Let's just stay here forever!"
Nephis looked at her indifferently before turning back to face the screen.
Two more voices sounded, one next to Nephis and the other in the second row.
"I'll have some Popcorn"
"Indeed, I am also interested in this…"popcorn"
The voices belonged to Rain and Noctis, who soon found respective buckets on their laps.
"I would like a cup of warm coffee", Julius said while raising a hand.
Soon, a delicate porcelain cup with some freshly brewed coffee materialized on his arm rest. Daeron looked at it and raised an eyebrow.
"Is this a delicacy?" he calmly questioned.
Julius took a light sip before nodding and turning to face him.
"Not quite at the standard of nobility, however it is a simple but enjoyable commodity".
Daeron pondered for a second, before turning to face the screen.
"I would also like some of this….coffee"
Another porcelain cup soon materialized next to him, which he gingerly picked up and took a swig of, swishing it in his mouth for a few seconds.
He smiled, "Quite enjoyable"
Windflower watched the whole scene, as her lips slightly quivered, unsure whether she should indulge as her father had done or maintain her image. Before her and the others could make a decision, the lights slowly dimmed as a single statement now slowly flashed on the screen before dissipating.
[The story shall now commence]
Others adjusted themselves, some in comfortable positions, while others in anticipation of something happening the next second.
Effie leaned back as she tossed some popcorn into her mouth,
"Let's get this show started!"
The screen flashed again, now portraying a scene for the audience.
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Holey moley that was quite a long chapter! But it was worth it I think :)
One thing I aim for in this fanfiction is to make the characters feel accurate, and to also write some fun interactions that readers may have wanted but never thought they'd see.
I hope I met this goal, and you found the characters enjoyable
On to the real story now!
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