Project: TheirWorld - Chapter 040 - Part 2

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Rewards and Revelations

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TheirWorld

Guin saw Jormund’s knuckles go white as he gripped his spear. “... Must I abandon one flock for another?” he questioned.

Tethaigou shrugged. “That is a rather singular way of thinking about it. The spirits care not about what god you believe in, so long as you fight with the balance of both worlds in mind. How you fight for your causes, whatever you're causes are - so long as you seek to hold the corruption at bay, so long as you maintain the balance in the relationships of the Veil and the Che, the choice is yours.”

“It is not easy,” the pastor’s voice went soft. “But, if I may take on the role that Master Rew had intended for me to take, I would at least like to try.”

The Dragon King grinned. “Then, it shall be as Rew wished,” it said. “You reward shall be all the power of the Servants of the Dragon King - and the knowledge kept from you all these years. My fool servant did not give his life to stop the corruption.”

“He didn’t?” Jormund asked. “But then…”

Wise flew down to the Dragon King’s shoulder. “Master Rew made a deal with the Dragon King,” she said, her voice soft. “Back then, the young woman in the woods had been killed in her attempt to save the Spirit Stag,” Wise told them. Guin could see the light in Jormund’s eyes fade as she spoke. “The corruption was caused not by the death of the stag itself, but the woman’s. In it’s sorrow, it tied it’s spirit power to her soul.”

“So,” went Jormund. “That’s why she was still alive back then…”

“Master Rew saw this, and knew that he had to separate her soul from the corruption, lest it suffer a terrible fate,” Wise continued.

“Melora,” Jormund choked, his face pale. “What happened to Melora?”

“Rew wasn’t sure he had enough power on his own, so the two made a deal with me,” the Dragon King said. “I would help separate the souls - if Melora swore to serve me in his place.”

Guin blinked a few times as the revelation set in. “What?” she asked. “But, Melora died - how could she serve you?”

“Well to start with, death is such a relative concept,” Tethaigou grinned. “As the power of the Spirit Stag had been transferred to her, it was easy to… change her. The rest was simply her choice.”

“M-My Melora… Where has she gone?” Jormund pleaded to know.

The great owl, Wise, landed gently before the pastor, and began to burn in a white flame. Taking on the form of a thin, freckled-faced young woman in a simple dress, she put her hand up to Jormund’s face. “Hello, Jormund.”

Jormund fell to his knees, reaching out to the spirit. “Lora…”

Chuckling, she knelt beside him and took his hand. “I am sorry, my love,” she said. “It was important for you to choose to become a Servant of your own volition. We - Master Rew and I - did not want to force the hand of fate upon you.”

Wordless, Jormund wrapped his arms around her, sobbing into her chest like a child as she pet and cooed at him with a soft voice.

Guin hugged Liorax as she fought tear of her own. Wise was Melora. I thought those stories she told sounded familiar, she thought to herself happily. And Jormund became a Servant all on his own! It was sad to think that Jormund the Pale and Jormund the Celestial Paladin would never have know that his beloved wife was still alive.

“Gmm,” went the Dragon King as he looked on the heartwarming scene. “Che-kind are so very emotional. As for you, Candidate,” it said, finally turning its attention toward Guin. “This. This is all your doing.”

“You make it sound like a bad thing,” she observed.

“You appear to be a granter of wishes,” it told her. “I wonder, when will you grant mine?” The Dragon King’s eyes narrowed as he looked her over. “For now, I suppose you have served your purpose, and should be rewarded. What should I give to you?”

Fuin hesitated as it looked at her expectantly. Why do I get the impression that I am supposed to decline... Not that it mattered for her, at this point. “All i really want it to graduate,” she mumbled, thinking that there was probably nothing left of value she could get from the tutorial anyway.

The Dragon King laughed as Guin’s hand flew to her mouth. “Is that so! I am afraid that I cannot help you with that, Candidate. No. Actually, though I asked, your reward has already been arranged.”

“It has?” Guin asked.

“Well,” it went, thinking about it. “More like, the responsibility has been passed to someone else. Your reward shall be far more appropriate coming from them, Child of the Gumiho.”

Slightly stunned to hear her trait title come from the Dragon King’s mouth, Guin stared at him.

Liorax struggled out from her arms and instead took to resting on her head. “You’ve spoken to them, then.”

Tehtaigou shugged. “I have. But their conditions were pointlessly specific. They will only meet with the Candidate during her graduation. It would be pointless before then. They say. Not me. I don’t see how it matters.”

“Everything has its time,” Liorax replied, brushing his tail against Guin’s face. Tethaigou continued to stare at Guin’s face.

Starting to feel self conscious, Guin asked, “Is there something else?”

“Candidate,” it seemed to test the word as it spoke it. “What do you think the Grand Heart is?”

“Isn’t it a person?” she asked. “Wise told e before that the Grand Heart leads the Tenmath. They make and uphold the laws of the world… or something. Like King or Queen.”

The Dragon King snorted at her. “I don’t mean that story. Stories be damned. I mean what you fight for - what you fight to become. This task that is now thrust upon your shoulders - our hope! Do you know what it is that rests here,” it pointed to her heart. “In this head. This soul. Surely, you must know!”

“Uhh,” Guin went, as Liorax eyed him.

“...You’ve grown old, Master Dragon,” the cat spirit told him. Impatient.”

“Perhaps…” Tethaigou’s face fell. “But… To receive hope, after so very long…” it looked over to where Jormund and Melora were still wrapped in their embrace. “I seek freedom. I seek… End.”

Liorax looked at Guin with his head cocked, but then looked back at the Dragon King. “Everything has its time, Master Dragon,” he said in a stern voice. “Everything has an end - it its time. Death comes for all.”

“I know my fate,” the Dragon King sighed bitterly. “Candidate, forget my thoughtless words. Return now, to your business. Graduate as you will. Wise shall see to these two.”

Guin looked between the cat and the Dragon King, unsure of what to think about the conversation. Is it a tie-in to the main game’s story? She wondered, though she couldn’t think for what it could mean. Still, she nodded. “I will do what I can,” she told him. “Maybe I can give you a better answer, someday.”

Tethaigou’s smile looked pained. “I hope I get the chance to hear your answer.”

Though Guin wanted to ask what he meant, Liorax floated between them. “If you want to graduate, we should head back to town,” he said. “You’ll have to talk to that Che-bat at the school.”

“O-Okay,” she said. “But-”

Liorax pushed her back. “Let’s go, let’s go!” Guin tried to resist, but Liorax kept pushing her.

The Dragon King waved his goodbye, saying, “Listen to Liorax. Run back now, Candidate Guin! Run back that you might graduate. Grow up well; grow up quickly. Become powerful. Become a warrior. Become a Heart and find your Tenmath. Then, after you realize who - what - you are, come back. Come back, and grant me my dearest wish, Candidate. Come back, and set me free.”

She looked back at him with mixed feelings. Why do I feel like I’ll never see him again? “Liorax!” she called the floating cat. “Give me a speed buff, would you?”

“Yes, mistress,” the cat rubbed against her face and disappeared from her sight.

Giving the Dragon King one last look, she took her fox form, and sped back to the town.