Chapter Seventy-Seven: Jade And Anni
Yue is alive! Inside, Jade always knew that, but it is good to see her up and walking. Xander is still missing, but she’s sure he’ll turn up eventually. For now, Yue looks tired and angry, and while Jade doesn’t think she’s the best person to talk to her, she decides to anyway.
“Ms. Zhang!” She calls, and when Yue turns confusedly, she beams. “I find that if you call someone a strange name, they’ll turn around more often.”
“So you’re saying I’m lucky you didn’t call me something insulting?” Yue asks, crossing her arms playfully. Jade shrugs.
“You would’ve turned if I insulted you too. But, truthfully, I’m here just to talk to you.”
“What about?”
“Well, you. I couldn’t help but notice that whatever happened before you entered that coma seems to have struck you deeply.”
Scowling, Yue nods. “It did, and it’s not something I want to talk about.”
“You don’t need to say what it is,” Jade promises her. “You can skirt around the issue if you want, but it’s good to get your feelings across.”
“If I didn’t do that for Zade or Alyx, why would I do it for you?” Yue winces, then continues. “I’m sorry, that sounded wrong, but I think you get the meaning.”
“I do,” Jade nods. “I do understand you, but you would’ve told Xander, wouldn’t you??” Yue starts. “Whatever happened had to do with him. Doesn’t take a genius to figure that out, and I won’t prod. If you won’t talk, that’s okay. I just hope you get what you want and need, Yue.”
“Thank you,” the other girl responds genuinely.
“Emotional support,” the guard replies. “It’s what I’m here for.”
Jade stares after Yue’s retreating form, brow furrowed in thought. She did agree with herself when she said it wasn’t good to prod, but she couldn’t deny she was really curious about what was happening. Was this how life always was in Magefell?
Well, training is already over for today, which is good, and Jade is proud of how the Ajutoare are becoming better at working together as an army. Already, Jade knows the names of most of the army.
The warehouse being used for the Ajutoare barracks looks small, as if it can fit only fifty people, but it seems a mage has enlarged it on the inside, and now it has one hundred and twenty rooms. More than necessary for the army, but it’s welcome. It lies on the far side of the grounds, far enough that the green can not be seen from there.
“Hey, Jade,” Giulia calls to her as she lays on a tree. “Where were you?”
“Oh, just about,” She replies. “Have you seen Robin and Mothe?”
“I don’t think you’ll see them for a while,” Guilia laughs. “You heard them last night.”
“No, I was asleep.”
“You should’ve heard them last night then. I think Mothe has gotten used to the idea of having a hot Snjornin girlfriend.”
“I’m not sure about that,” Jade admits. “Just yesterday he was talking about how much he hated Robin.”
“One night changes a lot,” Her guard friend points out. “It sounded like Mothe was having fun.”
“You’re messing with me, right?” Jade asks. “There is no way that Mothe and Robin were making out last night.”
“Making out?” Guilia asks. “It went way—”
A giggling noise sounds from inside the warehouse, and a couple erupts from it, entangled in each other. Jade gapes as she recognizes them.
“Mothe!” She screams. “What the hell happened to you? You get hypnotized or something?”
Guiltily, Mothe twists around and smiles at Yue.
“Just realized the truth,” He says. “Much like you should.”
Rolling her eyes, Jade matches his grin. “Well, I’m happy to see you together.”
“Me too, sister,” Robin embraces her strongly. “My fellow sisters and brothers will be proud of me for finding a husband. Right, brother?”
“No, don’t call him that,” Guilia exclaims. “That’s not okay. And husband? You don’t think it’s a little early.”
“I do,” Mothe admits. “Somehow, I convinced her to postpone it.”
“Unfair,” Robin crosses her arms. “What if you die in battle, brother? What happens then?”
“I still don’t like that she calls him brother.”
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“It’s endearing,” Mothe tells her.
“That it is not!”
“It’s a Snjornin practice,” Robin huffs. “If you have anything against my country, say it now.”
“I don’t,” Guilia replies. “It’s just that in our country, dating your sister or brother is a little strange and very immoral. Say, how do you get married as a Snjornin anyway.”
“Oh, like you do, except for one little change,” Robin says. “At the end, instead of a normal kiss, we cut ourselves, put our lips on the wound, and kiss in blood. A symbolism to show how united we are.”
“That is…strangely romantic,” Jade admits. “I wish luck to both of you.”
“I definitely will, to survive this woman,” Mothe teases.
“Call me sister,” Robin kisses him and they move him.
“Oh, no, that sounded horrible,” Guilia groans. “Can never get what she said out of my head again.”
“Lay off,” Jade tells her. “It’s only a strange Snjornin practice. At least they don’t really date their siblings.”
“You don’t know that!” Guilia exclaims. “For all you know, they just casually hit their siblings and it’s totally normal!”
“And how would you know that?” Jade asks. “You’re just being prejudiced.”
“Maybe,” Guilia crosses her arms. “But, personally, I’m glad I’m not Mothe.”
“Aren’t we all?”
“Mothe?”
“No, I mean, glad to not be Mothe.”
“Ah, ok. Aren’t we?”
“Yeah.”
“Where the hell is this conversation going?”
— — —
Jade doesn’t understand how anyone can just live in Magefell and not explore the city every day. Every shop, building, and inn jumps out at her, and, for the week she’s been here, she feels like she’s explored more than anyone else in the city, and still she hasn’t seen that much. She particularly loves magefell at night, but it isn’t night yet.
As she looks through the city, exploring new nooks and crannies she’s never seen, she reflects on the Horde. They must be getting closer. Some of the army might even be crossing the ocean already. If that is true, then the situation is dire. The Magefell Wall is already being erected slowly by the mages, and that only means they believe they need to be in a state of emergency. It’s a bad portent. Clearly, they must not know how to combat the Horde. Jade herself feels scared often as she thinks of what is coming, knowing that she can’t take on more than one at a time, and even that might be enough to kill her.
Not to mention that the Cult is out there, and they aren’t the ones controlling the Horde, at least, that’s what she thinks. As much as she remembers, the leader of the Horde had no magic. If they did, Magefell was doomed.
But if the Cult isn’t controlling them, who was? This Infinite that the Goddess has told Zade about? Or is it a third evil corporation? If it is the Infinite, then at least they already know of their existence, but they still don’t know much about the group, if anything at all. They stay in the shadows even more than the Cult does. At least the Cult wants more followers. The Infinite seems glad to not be seen or heard. Well, if the Goddess is right, they’ll be seen or heard soon enough.
Not to mention that Jade still can’t reconcile herself with the fact that there was a literal Goddess speaking through Zade. It is rare, but it does seem to happen. Jade has always believed there is something out there, but this just is not something she had ever expected. And she is just supposed to believe the Goddess was good if Dautha is bad? While she does believe Zade, she’s never met Eva herself, and so she still feels suspicion toward her. But at least Zade has cool magic now.
Turning the corner, Jade, lost in thought, does not notice the girl walking towards her, and they collide, Jade staying upright, slipping slightly, while the other girl tumbles to the ground.
“Anni?” Jade asks. “Is that you?”
“No, it’s another blonde mage-in-training who you’ve met.” The girl smiles to show she is teasing, but the smile looks fake to her. “How are you?”
“I’m good,” Jade replies. “But how are you?”
“I’m perfect!” Anni replies, hanging her head.
“Anni?”
“Just one of those days,” Anni replies. “I’ll be fine, probably.”
“Have you talked to anyone about it?” Jade asks. She hasn’t seen much of Anni since she came, but she can tell the girl is tormented.
“Yes,” the girl replies. “I talked to Th’ul about it, and he’s really nice about it, but I don’t think it helped to much. He just doesn’t understand me as much, and he’s so emotionless. Do you understand?”
“That is Th’ul,” Jade agrees. “But at least he’s trying. Do you want to talk about it?”
“Gods, yes!” Anni exclaims. “You sure you want me to shove my problems onto you?”
“Honey, I live for that,” the guard replies. “Helping people is the greatest job in the world. Why do you think I became a guard?”
“We should probably sit down,” Anni says. “It’s not a long story, but to me, it’s heartbreaking.”
— — —
Anni finds a little park nearby, one Jade has never seen. It looks strange amidst this metropolis, but it’s a welcome sight. Small and empty the park provides a lot of comfort, perfect for a cry session. Jade already feels empathetic as she stares at the depressed Anni, and hopes she can provide comfort to the sweet girl.
“I already know most of the story, but I’ll be happy to hear it from your perspective,” Jade tells her. “I assume you’re talking about Astil.”
“Yes,” Anni whimpered. “It’s about Atty.”
“I’m sorry about him,” Jade says. “I never met him, but I truly wish I did. I’ve heard so much about him. I’ll let you tell your story, but I’ve lost people too. Never someone I’ve loved like that, but I promise I can relate in some way.”
“That’s sweet,” the mage-in-training says. “Not that you lost someone, but that I’m not alone. I know that the others relate too, but you’re a girl, you know. It just feels more…”
“Real?”
“Exactly.” Tears well up in Anni’s eyes and she begins to sob softly.
“Take the time you need,” Jade tells her. “I can wait for a long time. Whenever you’re ready, I can hear it.”
For a minute or two, Anni cries on Jade’s shoulder, reliving what happened with Astil. Jade can feel tears in her own eyes.
“I’m ready now,” Anni says eventually.
“Go ahead,” Jade hugs her.