Project: TheirWorld - Chapter 041 - Part 2

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Graduation

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TheirWorld

Dawl stepped forward then with Mrs Noin. The Master Hunter mussed Guin’s hair as she huggled little Alta Noin tightly. “You are a good girl,” Mrs Noin told her as they pulled apart. “As dear to me as any. There is a part of me that wishes you wouldn’t go, but I know you must. You have your own adventure to come! Here, I’ve made something for you,” The old grandmother handed her a small bag. “Some bread, and cheese, and cookies. Make sure you eat them! Keep your strength up! Also,” Mrs Noin slipped a necklace from around her neck and handed to Guin. It was a piece of blue jade carved into a tree. Guin took it gingerly and looked at Mrs Noin with tearfilled eyes. “Rew gave this to me, not long before he proposed. It carries all of our hopes and wishes for your safety! Make this old woman happy and wear it well!”

Guin gave up on trying not to cry, and equipped the necklace. Alta Noin gave her another tearfilled hug and kissed her on the cheek.

Dawl rubbed his grandmother’s back and said, “It looks good on you!”

Guin looked up at him, but gaped in shock. “Your eyes!” she exclaimed as she saw that his eyes were completely different then they had been. They were no longer the dark hazel* they were before - instead, they were a bright, icy blue.

“Ah, yeah,” Dawl scratched the back of his head. “I’ve been told they are different - haven’t had much of a chance to figure things out yet,” he said and pulled out a bag. “This isn’t much; just some leather armor and tools. Figured you might find them useful. You’ve done well - for a kid!” Guin hit him in the stomach, causing him to chuckle.

“If you are finished, move,” growled Liorax, climbing on to Dawl’s head. Dawl looked up at the cat with great uncertainty, but said nothing. As he helped little Alta Noin go back into line, Liorax hopped off his head and floated before Guin with wide eyes. “You,” he started. “You belong to me anyway, so I will make this short,” he told her. His eyes glowed, and in the air appeared a… large black cat pelt?”

“What is this for?” Guin asked taking it. “Please, don’t tell me…”

“The foxes left thiers for you, so I thought you could add mine to your morbid little collection,” Liorax mused. “I mean, you get to keep me anyway.”

“Gee,” went Guin, not altogether happy as she plucked it from the air. “Thanks.”

Amikavi came up and snorted in Liorax’s face. “Don’t waste time,” she said. “Daughter of Gomi, so afflicted with Che blood - as you are, you are weak. My gift to you shall also be the gift of Reili and her kit. Pass your cloak to me that it may receive my blessing.” Frowning, Guin took her cloak off and held it out to her. The great fox opened mouth mide and chomped right down on it.

“What the-!” Guin shouted, tugging to get it back.

Snarling, the Amikavi tore it out of Guin’s hands - and smoke began to rise from her paws as they began to glow like embers. Guin fell back, the combination of the fox’s nine tails swirling around with the smoke snakes, obscuring her vision. When the smoke dissipated, the great fox spirit spit the coak out onto the ground without any ceremony at all. Somewhat hurt by the treatment of her friend’s skins, Guin scrambled to pick it up.

“Yes, take it,” Amikavi told her. Irritated, Guin glared at her - but she was quite unimpressed. “Go on,” she said.

Guin looked at the cloak. Though she couldn’t approve of the way Amikavi treated the pelts, it seemed she hadn’t hurt them. In fact, she had identified the cloak itself.

> <<[ Guise of the Untailed ]>> > >

<< It appears to be a cloak made of two fox furs. Gives the wearer the ability [True Form].

This item can be upgraded.

This item activates a quest. (Level 10) >>

> > > <<[True Form]>> > > > > > > >

“What…?” Guin started as a boat load of questions rose up into her mind - but Amikavi just stared down at her haughty.

“Come to me when you are… not quite so… hopeless,” the fox said, flicking her tails. “I shall teach you about what you can be. Farewell, child of Gomi.”

“Ah- But - What - This is…!” Guin tried to shape her flurry of questions into something intelligible, but failed as the fox dissipated into a wisp of pink flame. “...Huh.” Looking at the cloak, it seemed unchanged, so she re-equipped it. An upgradable item? An ability that requires a catalyst? A quest? What is all this? She wondered, her shock quickly turning into excitement.

“Candidate?” came the voice of the webspinner. She would be the last of the eight, Guin remembered. “Candidate, if I may - you have come far. If, however, my webs speak true, then you must know: this is only the beginning. Friends will come. Friends will go. You will meet many who pretend to be things they are not - what you do with them, that choice falls to you,” her soft voice told her. “Remember that memories from the past can influence your choices for good - and for ill. The choices that you make are yours, but this does not mean you must make them alone. You have your own strength, but be not afraid to borrow the strength of others. This is my boon to you, Candidate: These words and the weavings of past and future. Believe in yourself and dare to believe in others. The answers that you seek are there, within you.”

Guin furrowed her brow. “What answers? What weavings?”

“Everything as its time,” the Webspinner told her. “The web of fate is woven, and it is time for you to go on and meet the Second of the Fates. Say now, your farewells.”

“But, I have questions…” Guin started, but Grimhai came up to her.

“Your questions will be answered in time,” the earar teacher told her. “This is only the beginning of your journey. I am quite confident that you will find you will make your own story out there, just as you have here,” Grimhai pat her on the shoulder, and went back with everyone else.

Sighing, Guin looked up at all her friends’ smiling faces, as tearstained as her own. Bowing deeply, she said, “Thank you! So very, very much!”

“Be well, darling child,” Alta Noin, told her waving. “Remember we will always be thinking of you! Next time you come, let’s bake sweets again!” Guin nodded enthusiastically.

“Take care of yourself!” Dawl said, with the others nodding.

“I’d tell you to stay out of the woods but…” Jormund started, and laughed.

While she hit Jormund’s shoulder, Melora gave Guin a sweet smile, “We shall all await your return, Candidate!”

Making her fingers into a frame at eye level, she took a handful of screenshots of them as they waved at her. It may just be a stupid tutorial but… somehow, these NPCs had come to mean more to her than most real people did.

Her heart sank as mist began to flood the area, a spring-like breeze brushing against her skin.

“Goodbye!” Guin waved, jumping up and down. “I’ll come back! I promise! Goodbye!”

Then, as she rubbed the tears off her face, she found herself in a world of white.