Chapter 22: Bloom

Vina dashed across the line of soldiers, a blur of motion fueled by adrenaline and desperation. Behind her, the creatures that had pursued her met swift destruction at the hands of the soldiers. But Vina was not unscathed. Pain lanced through her shoulder as she stumbled into the trench, clutching at it with a grimace. She tried to steady her arm against her side, willing the agony to fade

Instantly, a flurry of hands reached out to support her, guiding her away from the chaos of the front lines and into the relative safety of The Watch's trenches. Her Blood Sense lit up to the presence of others who approached her urgently.

She felt Gij’s vibrance race toward her before she saw her. As soon as she pushed her way through the soldiers, she gasped, “What in Trina’s name were you thinking?”

Vina gave her a weary look. "I guess I wasn't," she admitted, her voice ragged with exhaustion. As Gij produced a mixture, Vina waved it away with a feeble gesture. "I've already healed my wounds. But my shoulder is broken, and something's wrong with my eye."

Gij's insistence was unyielding. “Of course something is wrong with your eye. We can all see it’s pushed in too far and significantly redder than when I met you. It’s also not moving. Drink the mixture, Vina!” Gij ordered her as she pressed it into her right hand with the cork removed. “Get her to the field hospital,” Gij yelled to those surrounding her. She set her gaze behind Vina. “She’s wounded and doesn’t have time for you right now!” she yelled at the people standing behind her. Vina felt some of the crowd in the trench start to back away but none left.

As Vina swallowed the contents of the vial, she braced herself for its effects, hoping it would offer some relief. But her attention was diverted as Carda joined them in the trench, his presence unsettling in more ways than one.

"Wait, Vina," he implored. "Please, tell me what happened out there."

Vina winced at the memory. “That huge worm creature. It killed some friends of mine. When I saw it…” she sighed, “I couldn’t let it go unpunished.”

But Carda's response was crushing. “I’m sorry Vina, but we’ve seen many of those things you call worms. We call them Nelidredar. They spawn regularly from one particular assembler The Darkness has captured. It has used them as a form of siege weapon. I doubt it’s the same creature that you encountered.”

Disappointment washed over Vina, mingling with the physical pain pulsing through her body. She felt her eye nauseatingly slide forward in its socket, and a moment later she regained the ability to see light. “Fuck!” she swore, but not only from the pain she felt. “I didn’t… damnit! That was all a waste!” she yelled, gesturing behind herself as she tried to storm off.

But Carda's steady grip on her hand halted her retreat. "No, it wasn't," he insisted, his voice firm with conviction.

Vina looked down at their entwined hands and resisted activated Blood Stained Hands. “Don’t touch me!” she screamed at him, trying to shake herself loose from his grip, but the pain in her body stopped her.

"Don't touch her!" A woman's voice echoed Vina's own words, a rallying cry that sparked a chorus of solidarity among the assembled. Anger crackled in the air like lightning, volatile and palpable, causing soldiers to tense and draw their weapons, poised for action in defense of their Asharal.

Carda released Vina's hand, raising his own in a gesture of peace toward the soldiers behind her. "I promise you all that the Asharaina of Blood is not in danger from me," he reassured them, his voice soft yet commanding as he spoke to the crowd. "I understand your concerns, but can you wait until tomorrow?"

But the voices of dissent were adamant. "Asharal, Trina has guaranteed our right to ask her!" a woman near the front insisted, her words echoed by a chorus of agreement from those behind her.

"I know, I know..." Carda began, but Vina turned her attention to the crowd gathering in the supply trench.

Drawing upon her Blood Sense, she surveyed their faces, sensing their health and their vibrances. To her surprise, she found a mix of Paliternians and Stigandorians among them. "Are you all here to dedicate yourselves to me?" she asked, her voice tinged with uncertainty.

A chorus of eager affirmations met her question, accompanied by notifications flashing in her vision. She hesitated, weighing her words carefully. "You should know, I will be leaving as soon as I can. I have urgent business elsewhere and won't be able to provide teaching or protection once I'm gone. I would take you all to the City of Halos, where people like us can find safety, but..." She glanced at Carda. "...you are needed here. I will return once my task is complete, though I cannot say how long it will take."

The woman who had spoken earlier stepped forward, her determination clear. "Asharaina, I'm just grateful to have someone who can reclaim people from The Darkness. I want to help whoever can do that. Maybe even learn how to do it myself. If I can’t do it alone, maybe all of us can do it together.” She gestured to the crowd that stood behind her and there was another chorus of agreement.

Vina blinked in astonishment at the woman's resolve, silently contemplating the possibility. When the crowd settled, she spoke again. "Tomorrow, we'll discuss this further. For now, I accept your pledges. I apologize for not being able to offer more tonight." As she began approving the dedications flooding her senses, cheers erupted from the crowd, their jubilation contagious.

However, Carda's voice cut through the celebration with urgency. "Vina, please focus. You intervened with that woman out there, against The Darkness. What did you do?"

Vina exchanged a glance with Gij before turning back to Carda. "What did you see?" she inquired

"The entire section witnessed you intervene with a woman possessed by darkness. All the creatures ceased their advance and turned toward you. It looked as though you saved her. What happened?" His insistence was palpable.

"I bled her while infusing my own blood into her body," Vina admitted. "Or perhaps it was my lantern as well. It was a desperate attempt, something I've never done before." A sharp pain shot through her chest, but her breathing eased, though her vision remained limited. "It didn't matter. I think the creatures still killed her."

Carda motioned to his attendants, who retrieved a satchel of mixtures. "Would you be willing to try again?"

Vina eyed the satchel containing the remedies that had just mended one of her ribs. “You have someone else who needs saving?”

Carda nodded solemnly, and Vina's Blood Sense confirmed the woman who had spoken earlier remained nearby, watching intently. "I'll try, but I want to try to teach her," Vina declared.

Carda regarded the woman thoughtfully. "I'll require her promise of secrecy."

“Miss,” Vina called out at the woman who had spoken for the crowd. Vina looked at her closer now, seeing her brown hair was cut extremely short. She held her helmet under her arm, her stocky frame clearly heavily invested in strength. “Will you please join me tonight? What’s your name?”

“It would be my honor, Asharaina. I’m Nyaire.” She bowed her head deeply, and when she lifted her head, Vina saw she had chosen to place her tattoo just above her left eyebrow.

~~~

"Has the battle ended for the night?" Vina inquired of Carda, Gij, and Nyaire as they approached a separate tent. Two guards stood sentinel outside, but Carda dismissed them before addressing Vina's question.

"You stopped tonight's assault by vanquishing the Nelidredar," Carda informed her. "The Darkness may seem wasteful, but there's always a purpose behind its actions. You might not have realized it, but the creatures withdrew once you intervened. The wave that pursued you back didn't even attack our line; it served more as an escort guiding you to safety."

“Carda, you should warn them before… you know”, Gij suggested.

He nodded gravely and turned to Vina and Nyaire. "My wife is also one of the Twelve, but she fell prey to shadows several weeks ago. The Twelve know of her plight and have granted me time to bid her farewell. In a few days..." His voice faltered, and Vina sensed his distress swirling beneath the surface.

Vina gave him a gentle and knowing look. “I see why you wanted Nyaire’s promise. What is your wife’s name and aspect?”

"You can call her Zera. Her aspects are irrelevant," Gij replied tersely, while Carda struggled to compose himself.

Vina frowned at Gij's brusque tone but nodded in acknowledgment before turning to her Dedicated. "Nyaire, this will only be my second attempt at this. I'll follow the same steps as before because I'm unsure which are crucial. Watch closely so you can teach others. I'll begin by summoning Stine, The Darkness, to Zera. Then I'll activate my Lantern of Shadow Dispersion. Finally, I'll expel the black blood from her body while infusing her with my own. Can you perform any of these tasks yet?"

Nyaire shifted slightly. "I can give blood to people if they want it, Asharaina. But nobody's ever taken me up on it, even when they're dying."

Vina chuckled. “Ain’t that the truth. I would like you to show me later. Let’s go inside.”

Vina stepped into the tent first. She saw a long black haired woman chained to a heavy and thick plank of wood on which she knelt. A blanket and pillow had been provided for her comfort, but she had disregarded them with disdain. Her knees and shins were cut and leaked black blood from her prolonged position. Her hands bore the evidence of self-inflicted wounds, two fingers missing from each. Around her wrists and ankles were four bracelets that Carda had referred to as tranquils. All around the room, lanterns of shadow dispersion had been set up in a futile hope to disperse the shadows.

"Let me go," Zera pleaded, her voice tinged with desperation. "I need to return to the darkness."

Approaching cautiously, Vina knelt beside her, just out of reach. "Stine?" she called softly.

"My love, the darkness calls to me," Zera implored, her eyes beseeching Carda.

"Stiiiine," Vina repeated, her voice taking on a singsong quality.

"Please! I don't feel right in the light," Zera whimpered.

"STINE!" Vina's shout reverberated through the tent as she slammed her hand down on the wood.

The woman’s six eyes snapped toward her and she smiled, “Another lesson? I don’t think you’ve had enough time to reflect on our last.”

"I need answers," Vina insisted.

"Vina!" Carda's voice cut through the air.

Vina raised a hand in a placating gesture. "Part of the process," she explained before turning back to Zera.

A grin formed on Zera's face as Stine spoke. "Oh Asharaina, I am not here to give you answers. If you ask though, I will teach you the truth."

Vina's eye narrowed at the use of her title, "Why isn't there a world quest to kill you?"

Zera's smile widened. "You're a slow learner, Vina. I've already taught you that."

Vina's mind raced, recalling every conversation with Stine.

When I arrived, Trina did not know the truth. She learned quickly, but not fast enough to save herself from the consequences of ignorance.

Stolen story; please report.

“You insinuated Trina knows the truth now,” Vina muttered.

"I did indeed," Stine confirmed, her tone condescending

“If she knows the truth, then she doesn’t want you killed for a reason…” Vina told herself, her eyes narrowing as she tried to comprehend why. “Why doesn’t she want you killed?”

"Oh, Vina," Stine cooed. "Your survival depends on recognizing the patterns around you. Consider other calamities that have befallen this world, yet Trina did not seek their destruction."

"You mean Langternem?" Vina ventured. She hadn't confirmed it, but it seemed unlikely there was a world quest to eliminate Langternem; Trina had only cured the disease.

“In the most limited of ways, I include Langternem in my meaning,” Stine answered.

"What do you mean? Were there other threats?" Vina inquired, confusion forming on her face.

Zera nodded vigorously. "Indeed there were, and still are. In Trina's absence, I keep them at bay. Some I've eradicated altogether. You and I share in murdering those whom Trina doesn't wish dead. You know exactly what I mean. The shadows witness his decay from beneath a tall tower."

"The Shaper," Vina murmured.

“No. Their names were Kaliq and Siany. Together, they shaped your life. How curious it is that you distance yourself from your victims." Stine's words struck a nerve, and Vina sensed Carda and Gij understood the implication.

Addressing the unspoken question, Carda spoke up, "Is Kaliq truly... gone?" Doubt lingered in the air, and Vina knew it needed addressing.

“Yes!” she said with finality. “Siany… just gave me a quest to destroy Langternem.”

Gij muttered under her breath, "A binding quest."

Before Vina could elaborate, Stine interjected, "Along with that... other entity, Kaliq, spawned countless creatures to attack this world." She spoke with disdain. "He posed a significant threat to everyone. Imagine a world overrun by his creations. I control them to keep you all safe."

Vina brushed off Stine's deceptive interpretation of controlling the creatures. "The other entity... You mean Zel'alor. There wasn't a world quest to kill Kaliq or Zel'alor despite their creation of the assemblers," Vina reasoned.

“Do you see the pattern, Vina?” Stine asked.

"Because... Kaliq prevented Langternem from destroying the world," Vina realized.

"And... the other entity?" Stine's tone dripped with contempt.

Vina furrowed her brow in concentration. "Zel'alor... leads the Adventurers' Guild. It's hunting down the creatures." She hesitated, piecing it together. "But why? It created the assemblers to spawn the creatures, only to hunt them down." Realization dawned. "It's harvesting experience to bolster its soldiers against you."

“I am relieved to see you can be taught. Yes. No one makes more assemblers now. You, like Kaliq once did, now control Langternem. You have both broken a balance and then sustained it without ever knowing it existed. I maintain a different balance through control of… other entities. Trina is content.”

"Why would she be content? You're killing her people!" Vina retorted, her frustration mounting at Stine's comparison of her and Kaliq.

"Look at Zera. She chose to join me and still lives. Consider the people I brought to you earlier. I didn't kill them," Stine pointed out, a smile playing on Zera's lips as she locked eyes with Vina. "Trina's people thrive, even when they choose me."

"They're not truly dead...?" Vina pondered aloud. "If I can bring them back, then they can't be." She bit her lip, then quickly asked, "What have you done to them?"

"I've done nothing. They prefer my system over Trina's," Stine claimed. Zera's smile widened unnaturally. "She chose me over you," Zera declared, her gaze shifting to Carda.

Vina sensed Carda's rage simmering beneath the surface, but he remained composed and silent. Joining him in contemplative silence, Vina absorbed Stine's words. Zera's gaze moved from one to another, while Stine spoke again. "You're beginning to understand. I'm not the one you should fear. Trina has known this all along," Stine declared.

"Then who should I fear?" Vina asked absently, seeking time to process Stine's revelations

"Ohh! That is the perfect question," Zera sighed, closing all six eyes as if in profound satisfaction. "Thank you so very much for that one, Vina. Carda has commanded an innocent town to their death by ordering them to drown themselves for failing to pay taxes to The Watch. Gij sent her army to burn down towns and terrorize the people under a false flag, only for her to swoop in and rebuild it the next day under The Watch's in order to gain her victims' loyalty. Nyaire earned her blood class through the negligent murder of—"

Vina swiftly stepped forward, placing her hand on Zera's shoulder. The woman's six eyes flew open in surprise, locking onto Vina's. She activated her lantern and held it near Zera's face, simultaneously employing Blood Stained Hands and Infuse.

"I... I... thought..." Zera's voice faltered as black blood seeped from her body. "You wanted the truth."

"I do, but not that truth," Vina growled. "Now you get to experience this again."

Zera's lips curved downward into a frown. "What will... Trina do..."

“Shh,” Vina hushed her. “Just enjoy this.”

But Stine forced the final words out of the woman’s mouth despite the blood flowing from her face. “...if you destroy… Langternem?”

As Zera's tainted blood pooled on the floor, Vina felt the collective disgust of everyone in the room, except for Nyaire, whose fascination and curiosity remained undimmed. Unperturbed, Vina locked eyes with Stine, waiting for the red glow to fade completely from Zera's face. A moment later, a new vibrance flashed into existence in the room.

The woman’s eyes regained their natural color, and Vina deactivated her ability. She immediately activated Blood Aid, healing any wounds on the woman's body. When Zera focused on her, Vina discerned a profound intelligence behind her gaze.

Opening her mouth, Zera hesitated before speaking. "Carda? Are you here?"

"I'm here!" Carda's voice rang out joyfully as he hurried to his wife's side.

Stepping back to give them space, Vina beckoned Gij. "Let's go outside. They'll want some time alone," she whispered to her and Nyaire. Exiting the tent, she found a secluded spot on the ground to rest. Gij handed her another mixture, and she swallowed it, her concern lingering as her collarbone and vision stubbornly refused to mend. Yet, she found some comfort in the slight improvement of her ribs

"That was... amazing!" Nyaire exclaimed beside her.

"Gruesome, but impressive," Gij agreed.

Vina attempted to shrug, but a sharp pang shot through her collarbone, thwarting the movement. She winced and gingerly began to explore the injury with her fingers, focusing her Blood Sense on the affected area. Her clavicle was fractured inward, she discovered. "What are these mixtures? What do they do?" Vina inquired, holding up the empty bottle for Gij to inspect. She hadn't scrutinized the bottle before ingesting its contents, assuming they were health-related.

"We've been giving you Mendica Mixtures. They heal injuries to your body, like broken bones and damaged organs. Do you need a normal Health Mixture? It didn't seem like you had any other wounds on your body," Gij explained.

"No, I've healed those myself. It just seems like my eye isn't improving, and my collarbone hasn't changed at all. Do I need to realign it before it'll heal?" Vina asked.

"I'll be honest with you, Vina. I don't know exactly how they work, but you don't need to worry. They'll completely heal you over time. Injuries just take longer to recover from. Plus, you have to wait before taking another one of these mixtures; too many at once can be toxic, I'm told. I think you should spend the remainder of the night in the field hospital. Are you in pain?" Gij inquired

"Yeah..." Vina admitted with a sigh. "But I can manage." As she spoke, she felt a tingling sensation in her shoulder and arm, igniting a spark of hope within her.

Gij extended her hand, revealing some blue leaves that materialized in her palm. “Chew one of these leaves at a time. It’ll help a little. Swallow your saliva, but don’t swallow the leaves. Spit it out as soon as you see the affliction. Chew another leaf when it wears off.”

Accepting the leaves, Vina examined one with her ability.

Leaf: Sildown Leaf Uncommon This is a leaf from a Sildown plant. Sildown plants can be found deep in valleys by fresh water. They prefer partial shade and do not do well in bright sunlight. Forage: Chewed fresh Sildown Leaves can reduce pain by 10%. Effect increased 5.5% by foraging skill. Effect will last for 2 hours. Sildown leaves have been known to be poisonous if consumed entirely.

Vina popped the leaf into her mouth, chewing it eagerly. The affliction indicator appeared in her vision, and she breathed a sigh of relief at the 15.5% reduction in pain. It wasn't enough to eradicate the discomfort entirely, but it dulled the edge. "Thank you, Gij. Can you make a bunch more?" she requested weakly, mustering a faint grin.

Gij obliged, offering more leaves, and Vina began stowing them in her backpack with her uninjured hand. "Thank you for saving Zera," Gij said. "She's my friend too."

Vina paused, feeling the weight of Gij's words. "I... you're welcome," she responded cautiously, sensing there was still more to be done to fully redeem herself in Gij's eyes.

“Asharaina, I wish I could help you as well,” Nyaire said earnestly. “You've given so much of yourself tonight. We have given so little to you in return. I am able to give you some of my blood if you are in need of it, but we soldiers are not given much beyond what we need each day.”

Vina sensed the sincerity in Nyaire's vibrance and reached out to pat her hand. “It's okay. Today you gave me hope, and that's more than enough. I suppose I also need a few hours of rest as well though.”

Gij shifted the topic. “The Darkness. You summoned it by name, and it came when you called, just to talk to you.”

Vina looked away, anticipating where Gij was heading. “I didn't actually want to do that, but I was trying to reproduce the exact same situation as what happened on the battlefield. Stine was controlling the woman out there when I cured her. I didn't want to risk messing it up for Zera. I wasn't trying to hurt Zera more by making Stine take control of her.”

“That's not what I mean. I mean The Darkness, Stine... doesn't just come when people call it.”

“It doesn’t?” Vina asked, surprised.

“No. It speaks with Carda and the one you called Seassa very often, but only when it wants to. The random soldier reports hearing words on the battlefield. It spoke to me once in a dark hallway with a small animal when I was alone,” Gij explained.

“What did Stine tell you?” Vina inquired.

“It told me about what you did to my other friend,” Gij responded, her tone almost icy.

“Oh. That's how you found out,” Vina said quietly, reflexively questioning why Stine would inform Gij about Ebba's death. “Stine's made it clear it isn't just trying to destroy the relationships between us,” she thought to herself.

Turning to Nyaire, Vina asked, “Have you ever had Stine speak to you?”

Nyaire shook her head. “We hear the creatures speak sometimes, but it's rarely addressed any of us specifically. If it does, we are told to report it to our commanders. They then send us to Tacey...” Her voice trailed off, indicating it was a sensitive subject.

“Who is Tacey? What does she do?” Vina probed.

Nyaire appeared puzzled. “She's one of the twelve. They also call her The Covered Lady. She stops The Darkness from speaking to us. Have... have you read Shan's children's book, Vigil of Light?” she asked.

Shaking her head, Vina admitted, “No, I haven't. There's a lot about this world I don't yet know. What does this have to do with Tacey? How does she stop The Darkness from speaking to people? Don't tell me she kills those who hear from Stine.”

“No, she doesn't!” Gij interjected firmly. “And no one is forced to go to Tacey. It's a choice. If you don't want The Darkness talking to you, she makes it happen. Carda and I both declined her services. Your Dedicated doesn't know how Tacey does it, and I won't be sharing details either.”

Nyaire and Vina exchanged glances before Nyaire spoke again, “I'll see if I can find you a copy of that book before you leave. There's a lot of people who are still inspired by Shan's vision for The Twelve. Does Stine talk to you often?”

Sensing Nyaire's unease, Vina decided to divert the conversation for now. She could tell from Gij's irritated vibrance that further discussion would only aggravate the sole member of the Twelve present. Gently shaking her head, she responded, “Lately I can't seem to get away from it. I wish it didn't want to speak to me. Maybe I should go find Tacey,” she added half-jokingly. “But I'm trying to figure out what happened to this world so I can fix it. Stine seems to know a lot more than anyone else.”

“What did Stine mean: what would Trina do if you destroyed Langternem?” Nyaire queried.

Vina hesitated, given her audience. But she had already been asking herself this very question. “I… think it’s warning me about Trina. If Kaliq’s assemblers did threaten the world, but Trina didn’t create a world quest to kill him, it must be because he was protecting Langternem. I think Stine is telling me that Langternem is my guarantee to not get a world quest assigned to kill me.”

Gij and Nyaire stared back at her in surprise. “Why would Trina do that? Have you done something to earn one?”

Vina turned her gaze back on Gij. “I’ve done things I hate. Tonight I killed three people and saved a woman from Stine's control. She wasn't happy about being saved. I brought her back only to witness the fact I had killed her adult children,” she confessed, her voice trembling as tears threatened to surface. “All I can think is... how could I murder a family?” Her voice broke, and she fought to stifle a sob, feeling her face flush with shame. Nyaire reached out, gently patting Vina's hand in comfort.

Gij remained silent, looking down at her feet. “If Trina wants you dead for that, then you're not alone. If Stine knows what Carda and I have done, then Trina probably knows too. It didn't lie about our crimes against Trina's people. If she wants you dead, it'll be for a different reason than that,” Gij remarked, her tone subdued.

Vina sensed Nyaire's vibrance diminishing as well, and she glanced over at her Dedicated. “It didn't lie about me either. I did something horrible to earn my blood class,” Nyaire admitted.

Vina furrowed her eyebrows and clenched her teeth against her own sorrow and shame. Observing the impact of Stine's words on the people in the tent, she felt anger swell within her at the manipulation of one of Nyaire by Stine. “Alright. Stop it, both of you. We live in a world under attack by Stine. We are victims of circumstance. Whatever evils we've committed, we had to do to survive because of what Stine did to us. I was wrong to blame myself just now. We need to place the blame on the thing responsible for these tragedies.”

Turning her hand over, she squeezed Nyaire's hand instead. “Then we need to focus on how to fix them.” As she looked up, Nyaire returned her smile, and suddenly, the three of them received a notification window.

World Notification: World First Feat. Oyna, A Blood Collector, has destroyed the first assembler near The City of Halos. Oyna has earned the title Disassembler. This is a stacking title.

Vina's smile widened. “Well, now we know the swords work. Oyna has already used the one I made for her.”

“What a relief! We finally have a weapon against them,” Gij exclaimed. “Oy...na. Oyna,” she repeated, testing the name on her lips.

“Is she one of your Dedicated, too?” Nyaire asked.

Vina shook her head. “No, she is her own person. I'm just lucky to have met her.”