They settled down around the fire, though they didn’t interact with anything. There was, after all, someone still living there; they needed to show some kind of courtesy, even if they all had a guess on who it was.
“What do you think Ki did after that?” Lydia was huddled near the fire, watching the embers dance. “He couldn’t be dead, could he?”
“‘You could keep her safe no matter what, even when your body fails you,’” Imre recalled. “I don’t think her plan was to kill him. At least, not immediately.”
Kiah shifted. “He’s not dead. There are only three.” Despite showing no interest in explaining it, she sounded incredibly confident in her answer. “Then again, who really knows when they’re involved…”
“They?” Imre repeated.
She gave it a moment of consideration before mumbling, “Ilethera.”
“What do they have to do with any of this?” Dimas asked.
Imre had done research on the topic in the past, having found an interest in it. The Ilethera were… something of a natural anomaly. They had things that no other human would. And there was one thing that characterized them and the memories they saw: misfortunate always seemed to follow them.
“Minne is an Ilethera. She has the kind of healing abilities of a mage; give her three minutes and, whatever it was, you’ll wonder if it was ever there at all. But she takes on all of it in the process. It’s a wonder she hasn’t gotten herself killed by it, however close she’s gotten…” Kiah glanced at all of them, slowly realizing why they all looked a bit confused. “None of you knew that. Am I seriously the only one she tells these things to?”
Their mutual silence was enough of an answer for her.
“Damn. I might know more about her than Casper does,” she then mumbled.
“The Ilethera are known for being unlucky,” Imre agreed. “The deaths of your guardian and three friends, then the disappearance of a fourth… No one would consider that a good thing. Especially not when, in most cases, you could’ve done something to help them. It’s the mark of someone’s cruel game, watching each light go out one by one…”
“So were the rest of them anything aside from innocent people who just happened to get caught in the web?” Samone was still distant from exhaustion. She was absently picking apart bits of a snack they brought, eating it one little piece at a time. “Was there even a reason for them to be there..?”
Dimas shook his head. “I don’t think it was the Ilethera that bound them together. Their fates all met and knotted at that time for another reason. I just… don’t know what.”
“It’s beyond me. She hasn’t mentioned why Haris adopted them all.” Kiah shrugged. “Probably something she never thought about. I definitely wouldn’t consider how we met, at least. It’s easier just to accept it as fate and leave it at that.”
“Some things need a better explanation than just ‘fate,’” Lydia remarked. “I agree with Dimas. Something’s just not natural about it.”
“We’re not going to find anything else here,” Imre sighed. “If we didn’t see anything in those few memories, then there’s nothing to be found. We could try asking Mother when we get back.”
“Remind me again why you’ve been so confident in all of this?” Samone questioned. “Don’t get me wrong, I have no interest in using my magic for you four times again. But you didn’t really think about where we were going. I doubt you knew about any of it beforehand. That’s not mentioning why we’re here to begin with.”
Imre’s response was delayed as he tried to think of a way to explain it—well, avoid it. Their collective gazes, however, told him that they needed some sort of answer. He couldn’t evade it any longer. So he gave him the least helpful answer he could as a start; “I don’t really know.”
He spent a moment afterwards choosing his words. “At first, I thought I did. Mother gave me a note before we left, and it said to go to Idale. I got Mathieu to show me where a map was, and we left. I was so sure of what we were doing. I thought there would be something obvious; someone to talk to in person, something straightforward and simple. But there was nothing. The only thing out of the ordinary was that it felt… familiar. I knew what was important about each of those places, even though no one’s ever told me and I’ve definitely never experienced them myself before.”
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“I got a bit of déjà vu when we watched Umber’s memories,” Lydia offered. “Maybe there’s something similar?”
“Zenas’s rung an uncanny bell for me,” Kiah mumbled. “Like I’d done that before or watched someone else do it.”
“They were all kinda creepy, but what happened to Takane was… downright unsettling and a little foreboding,” Dimas admitted. “It’s… a fate that’s a bit too close to comfort for me.”
“Did all of us experience something?” Despite the similarities, Imre had a feeling his was the only one that extended beyond the memories. If it wasn’t, then there’d be no reason for all of them to be so confused about his actions. Surely, if they did, they would’ve mentioned as much.
Samone didn’t say anything regarding the matter. “I’m going to try to get some sleep.”
That was their cue that it was time they all did the same. Imre offered to take the first watch (after all, someone needed to make sure they didn’t encounter Skiá), if not just because he knew he wouldn’t be sleeping that easily anyway.
The familiarity of the house truly sunk in after there was nothing else to think about. He could remember bits of conversations; if he closed his eyes, he could see what had once happened here. It became more of a swirling, emotional sensation the longer he thought about it. In an hour, it was more overwhelming than anything.
He glanced at the vague figure that should’ve been there but wasn’t. Her thin frame could almost be distinguished from her surroundings, but really, it was more like a mirage. That didn’t stop him from nudging her awake.
“I’m going to get some fresh air. Can you watch things until I come back?”
Her answer was jumbled words, blurring her voice and what she said. Only its effect was clear, making him give her a small but genuine smile.
Imre wandered outside, still staying close to the house. He wanted to wander further; he wanted to see every piece that was left of the village. Maybe he’d be able to figure out why no one lived here, even when it was bright and lively.
He wasn’t out there long before a little tree swallow joined him. It was surprisingly brave, given how close it was to him and how it didn’t fly away when he got closer. Carefully, he knelt down to watch it.
“Hey, little guy.” His smile had yet to fade, partially due to its presence. “I don’t suppose you would have any of the answers for me, huh? I’d even accept if you simply tell me when I’m going to be tired enough to sleep.”
It nudged him, which was really the reason he was interested. It flew off immediately after, towards where they went for Umber’s memory. He only looked back once before following it. He’d woken someone else up, so the others should be fine if he “mysteriously” disappeared for a couple of minutes.
Even if he lost sight of it, he knew that it was close. He wasn’t really surprised to hear a voice similar to the one at the party. Somehow, he almost expected it.
“It’s good that you followed me. It would’ve been a little hard to convince you to come otherwise.” It was a calm, level voice; though it sounded young, it also spoke of wisdom that only came with age. “I know what you want. I can see those kinds of thoughts in you, the ones that run like a river… thoughts that are beginning to run ruts in your mind. What you believe to be dark, hidden truths… and your aspiration to see what they truly are. What this phenomenon truly is. What you truly are, when it comes to your presence in this place.
“The complete matter of it, frustratingly, is something I cannot reveal just yet. But I would like to remind you of something you read. ‘Ki’ wrote down the general location of everything in this village. He specifically mentioned a willow. You’ll find, if you went there, that something there might be of use to you. Though you’ll need to remember something first.
“Look up at the stars and consider the constellations. What do each of them represent? The Bear is a strong, majestic creature. It may seem gentle on the outside, but its true colors show when its kin become involved. It will do whatever it takes to defend them, even at the risk of self-sacrifice. There are times when it strays away from everything; goes into a period of hibernation. But when it awakens again, it comes with newfound strengths.
“The Fox is tricky and cunning. It hides itself in the shadows, bathing in the darkness and the secrets lurking there. It longs for a piece of information to feed on, something dangerous that might just harm another. It will do anything to gain these secrets, even foul trickery and deceiving. Though it tends to stray from bustling life, it can put on a very social front.
“The Rabbit is a bit skittish, but all around good at heart. It considers others first and foremost, helping out wherever it can. It is considerably reserved when it comes to its own life, revealing facts about themselves slowly. It strives to be surrounded by and considered a part of a family, enjoying the company of relatives and all those who call them ‘Nokae.’
“The Cat is adventurous and quick-thinking. It hardly spares time for everyday tasks in favor of new, mysterious ones. It hopes to make its mark on the world by discovering something no one else has. It’s the most likely to make history, in a way, with how it cuts into situations that don’t involve it.
“Finally, the Eagle is a skilled and resourceful warrior. The only skill it can’t boast of having is patience, garnering much favor in tough situations. It seems that nothing can ever force it down, even when all else seems against it. It can prove to be rather destructive, though its determination and devotion normally outweigh it.”