“Hate if you will, but know in the end that I am right…” Shaed’s final words lingered in my mind as he slowly sank into the floor of that bathroom. The aged boards rippling like water as he dropped away unnaturally before vanishing from my line of sight. Yet despite his avatar no longer being visible, I could still faintly sense his presence in the back of my mind, ever watching and listening.
Another knock ca from the bathroom door. “Luna,” My father said again, urgency now present in his tone. “Is everything alright?”
Am I really alright? I wondered.
Of course you are, the rational goblin said. What Shaed said shouldn’t affect who we are.
But what even am I? I wondered to myself. Am I really Luna? Am I really anyone? Cereb said I was an echo of them, and Shaed confird that. I’m like… I’m like. My eyes widened briefly. I’m like Lucien, the Frenchman.
Perhaps. My goblins shrugged. But that doesn’t change the fact that you are Luna. Shaed even said so himself. Don’t let anything else change that. They tried to reassure .
“Yeah,” I finally said out loud, but not in response to my father. “Yeah, that’s right.” I gulped.
There was a brief pause until finally I heard my father clear his throat on the other side. “Alright,” He said hesitantly. “Are you going to be out soon?” He then chuckled nervously. “I need to use this too, and I don’t think I can run all the way downstairs in ti.” He half-joked.
I blushed faintly and glanced around for a second as if to make sure I wasn’t missing anything. Then again, I hadn’t done anything at all since I stepped in here.
You hadn’t even decided, let alone put any thought into Mr. Blaxen’s question. My goblins reminded .
I cursed faintly under my breath. That was right. I got so caught up in my skuffle with Shaed that I hadn’t even been concerned about that. “Yeah, I’ll be out in a second!” I called my father and stepped toward the sink, where I washed my hands and splashed cool water onto my face. I shivered as the cold shock of splashing myself was enough to calm the chattering voices in my head temporarily, and I reached over to grab a soft, warm towel, which I used to dab my face.
Once dry, I hung the towel back up on the small ring beside the door and sink and opened it. “Alright, I’m done,” I said, prepared to see my father, yet instead. There was no one. I frowned and grumbled, “I guess he ran afterall–Wah!” I yelped upon turning to the right just to find him resting upon the wall, his body almost flatly pressed against it.
“Finally!” He exclaid with a mischievous grin and kicked off the wall. “I about nearly started to run.” He smoothed his shirt and took hold of the door. I was about to open my mouth and scold him for scaring half to death, but paused when I noticed his expression had softened. “How’re you holding up?” He asked softly.
I held his eyes for only a mont, then looked away. You can tell him. A goblin said.
There isn’t enough ti. He had to pee, right? Another one snickered—no point in stalling him further. We could always tell him later.
Oh, shush, both of you! I snapped internally and gripped my fingers. I took a deep breath. “I’m… Not okay,” I said honestly and closed my eyes.
Father said nothing for a few monts. He took a deep breath, and suddenly, I felt his hand gripping my right shoulder. “I understand,” he said gruffly, but with a touch of warmth. “Well, at least so of it I do.” He chuckled lightly and gave a comforting squeeze.
I nodded. “Thanks,” I said softly and looked up at him. “Is Varis and Isa okay?” I asked.
Father’s moustache curled up into a smile. “Of course they are, all thanks to you. As I said earlier, so bumps and scrapes, but you.” He wagged a free finger at . “You saved them all, and I have to thank you for it.”
I blushed. “N-No need for that.” I said, breaking eye contact. “I-I was just… I was just doing–”
“Oi,” He barked in his old drill sergeant voice, which made jolt and look up at him. “Never turn down a genuine thanks for complint.” His smile returned. “You have no need to be humble, but also.” He tapped his forehead. “Don’t let it get to your head either. Papa can’t stand overly humble people, nor those with inflated egos, you hear ?”
I smiled faintly and gave him a nod. “Yes, Papa.”
He squeezed my shoulder again. “Alright. Mr. Blaxen wandered off shortly after you left, no one should be in the room. I’ll be out shortly, okay? Don’t go off too far.”
I nodded once again, and he let go. With the door closing behind him, I turned away from the restroom and breathed deeply.
See, that wasn’t so hard. The rational goblin humd triumphantly. You didn’t tell him everything, but you were honest with him and yourself!
Can we stop with all the overly optimistic stuff? I asked.
Truly, it’s really overbearing. Another goblin groaned.
With a sigh, I shook my head, smoothed my skirt, and began to walk back to the room I woke up in.
The return to the room was uneventful. The halls of the cabin tower, at least the section I was in, were bare. The place felt abandoned, and frankly, it reminded too much of Shaed’s ho. Unlike Shaed, my mother had not decorated the walls with various paintings of themselves and historic events. In fact, the walls were mostly empty save for the occasional magrite torch. Now and again, I would see an ornantal piece of tal molded into the shape of an arcane rune. Yet, I couldn’t tell if it was for a practical purpose or rely decorative.
If I had the power to detect ether like I’ve seen mother do in the past or Alexander. I could probably find out, except I didn’t. Now, I couldn’t help but think about that. Like a damn moth to a fla, my mind began to latch onto the idea of how undertrained I was. How much would things have changed if I had spent more ti with Mother learning magic? What if I had tried to start earlier rather than so late?
Don’t fool yourself. The rational said as I opened the door to the room and stepped inside—the castle-like halls changing to a scene like that of my ho in Oren. Even the smallest room reminded of a ti that felt like an eternity ago.
But it’s true, I thought as I closed the door behind with a soft click. My hand was still holding the handle. I’ve known about magic since my earliest days here. I knew my mother was familiar with it. I could’ve asked her about it when I was like five, hell, even four. I could’ve been training for years by now.
Training for what? The rational asked. For war? Combat? You sound like an idiot.
He-hey! I frowned as I flopped onto the bed face-first into the blankets, where I didn’t move.
I’m simply taking a page out of Truth’s book, Luna. Do you honestly believe your own Mother would teach how to harm soone at the age of four? Or five? Or any for that matter? Think. She had said it herself all those months ago.
She had. I recalled. The first ti I had entered this place, the cabin tower. My mother said she had been trying to shield Varis and from it all. From her ti adventuring, to magic, and fighting. She wanted us to live a calm and everyday life in their bakery in Oren.
She wouldn’t have taught what I wanted.
At most, she would’ve taught you more utility-style magic. Rational agreed. Thinking about “what ifs” won't help us. In fact, it’ll only make you feel worse.
“Dammit,” I sighed into the bedding. “I hate it when I’m right.”
The door to the room clicked and creaked as it opened. My ears twitched, and I perked my head up and rolled onto my side to see my father stepping into the room. “You’re back sooner than I thought,” I said, sitting up.
My father snorted. “It was just a quick restroom visit, Luna.” He said, coming over to the bed and sitting down beside . For a few monts, neither of us said anything, our hands rested idly on our laps as our eyes shifted slowly around the room, as if trying to look at anything else except each other.
It was a cold war; who would break the silence first? Or at least it was, until finally my father cleared his throat and said, “So… Wanna talk about it?” He side-eyed .
“Huh?” I said stupidly and looked at him, eyes widening.
He smirked. “Everything that happened.” He reached out and patted on the head. “How you saved us all and beat that thing controlling your aunt?”
My heart thumped heavily in my chest, and I gulped and shied away from the hand tussling my hair. “I-I don’t know,” I said honestly. “E-everything happened so fast…” I clutched my skirt anxiously; I was feeling hot, and my heartbeat was growing louder. I didn’t want to think about it. I shook my head. “No… It-it’s too soon.”
Father nodded. “I get it, your mother’s usually the sa way.” He sighed and looked toward the door.
I blinked and looked up at him. “How do you do it?” I asked genuinely. After everything that’s happened. From our ho being destroyed, to father being captured, to now having his entire body destroyed before my eyes. How was he not freaking out like ?
“Hm?” He humd curiously and looked at again, his moustache curling upwards with his smile. “How do I do what, Hon?”
“Uh,” I pursed my lips as I thought of how to phrase the question. “How do you stay cool?” I asked.
“Cool?” Father repeated, blinked, and then snorted when he saw my blush. He shook his head and reached over to grab my shoulder and squeeze it. “You think I’m cool?” He asked with a big smile.
I bit my lip and didn’t shy away this ti from his hand patting my head. “We-well yeah,” I said softly, “After everything we been through… You’ve been so calm, and well… You…” I mumbled the last bit. The only ti I’ve ever seen Father lose his composure was back when the carpenter, Mr. Henderson, stole the wagon he had bought.
Father sighed. “Then that ans I’ve been faking it well.” He winked at , and I looked up at him. “Luna,” He said softly, “I’ve been scared and worried just like everyone else. Dark Lord…” He cursed softly, then blushed. “Pardon my language, but there are nights when I can barely sleep. Even now…” He held a hand out before , and I noticed faint tremors around his fingers. “By the Seven, I’m barely keeping myself together while thinking about your mother.” He said hushedly, then took a deep breath.
“But, to keep us together, I know I need to stay strong and think about the now. As rough as things are or may beco, if I don’t think about and act on what’s happening right now, then things will never get done. If I spent all my ti worrying about what could, or will happen, I’d be paralyzed.” Father turned to , took my shoulder, and gave a reassuring squeeze. “Luna, for your age, you are wise and very mature. Seven above, I’d say at tis you’re as mature as your mother…” He took a breath. “What I’m getting at is that I need to be strong for not just you, but also your brother, Isa… Eh, she stronger than .” He winked. “But don’t tell her I said that, but it’s you two, Luna and your brother, that keep together.”
“Don’t forget, Momma,” I said softly with a smile, my heart budding slightly at his words.
Father chuckled. “Of course, your Mother sparks the fire within , too.” He squeezed my shoulder. “You three are my driving force, and that’s why, no matter what it takes. The three of us are going to save your mother.”
“Yes, we are,” I said, feeling a bit more confident, and Father nodded and released my shoulder.
“Speaking of which,” he said, “that notepad Varis had for that eting.” He reached into his vest and pulled it out. “He gave it to shortly after we took shelter here. Varis said it was yours.” He held it out to . “I copied everything in those notes onto another pad of my own.”
I took the pad and looked at him. “Okay. Any thoughts?”
Father pursed his lips. “A few, but none that are helpful, not yet. I plan on discussing with Isa, but… I do have a question.” He looked at . “Who’s this person called Truth?”
“Count Shineguard of Teivora, a noble ruler of southern Aeilvian, was said to be the first to encounter the Dark One’s invading forces. Or as we’ve co to learn in hindsight, their scouts. The army that first arrived in Aeilvian was none other than a scouting force ant to probe the kingdom of Aeilvian to gauge how strong the kingdoms forces were. To say that the Dark Lord’s caution was a bit much, was an understatent. Unaware to his knowledge, the force he had sent alone to act as a re scouting force at the ti was more than enough to conquer all of Aeilvian…”
- Enora’s Last War, a Modern take on the Twilight Conflict, Rodger Bribbleham.
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