Starry Resonance Ch. 04

"You told him to apologize?" Michael asked.

"He's as muscle-headed as you are and he hurt you, why would I not?" the goddess said calmly. She then addressed Yvain, "I'll at least thank you for speaking candidly."

Yvain simply nodded and went straight to the point, "I'm looking for my friend. He's pretty skinny and small, always looks like he's searching for something."

"I saw him," Lydia said, "made quite a spectacle before leaving in a rush."

Yvain was about to ask of his whereabouts, but she stopped him.

"Before I tell you where he went though, I'd like to talk with you," she said and went back inside. Michael didn't bother to argue and went in after her. With no other option Yvain followed behind him.

The large man stood by the door as Yvain walked in and closed it once everyone was inside. He took position right in front of it, putting on a bored expression with arms crossed.

Was he trying to be intimidating? Yvain didn't pay it any mind as they already knew who the superior combatant was.

"Take a seat," Lydia said and pointed at a chair nearby.

The goddess was at her usual spot, this time studying Yvain instead of her concoction inside the bowl at the table.

"So, what do you need of me?" Yvain asked, sitting down.

"Just to answer a few questions," Lydia said, "Do you know that Nora is part of the beast race?"

To say that Yvain felt put on the spot was an understatement. He tried his best to not let his expression give anything away as he figured out how to respond. How in the stars did she know? When did she figure it out? Maybe there was a trait Yvain and the rest missed, and Nora's disguise wasn't perfect after all.

"What makes you say that?" Yvain asked, trying to buy some time. Should he feign ignorance? Or make a stand and say he already knew? Lydia had shown approval toward Nelimir's ideals for the future, but could Yvain risk giving too much away on just that?

"It's hard to miss such an illustrious personage, now answer the question please," Lydia said.

Would he have to kill them both? Yvain didn't think he could do it, but anyone could go to a guild building and give possible leads relating to beasts for rewards. Who could say how much they would give for royalty, and a goddess to boot? That title alone had pushed an emperor to ruin.

"Has anyone told you that you're very easy to read?" Lydia said.

Yvain's head snapped up. "Just once," he said uneasily.

"I know who Nora is, child; I'm asking you because I need to make sure that you do," she said. "Your friend's vision for the future is admirable but men and women that could move mountains have tried the same and failed. Yet your current group hasn't even begun to understand what a pebble is." Lydia sighed sadly, "That same group is now traveling with the goddess of one of the most powerful races."

"Don't forget she's an empress too," Michael chimed in, but Lydia waved him away.

"That's inconsequential in face of her godhood," she said.

Yvain sat straighter in his chair, uncomfortable at being out of his depth. Michael too? Who in the stars were these people? One of the most important reasons that Nelimir was dead-set on leaving Empryon was because he could feel a gap in his understanding of the realities of his environment--their group as a whole wasn't as preoccupied with gathering such knowledge, but they all wanted to see more outside of their constraints. Even the general populace, despite their susceptibility to propaganda, held a tension of uncertainty. Lydia and her bodyguard weren't exhibiting any of those shortcomings now and it made Yvain feel inadequate, unsure of how he should approach the conversation or what the best course of action was.

The goddess pinned him under her stare once more. "Not even mentioning a possible war breaking out, the current situation will shift once more heedless of our wants and you and your friends are right in the line of fire," Lydia said. "Knowing all this..." as she spoke, her expression became lost for a moment, preoccupied even.

"Let me rephrase the question," she said. "Do any of you know what you're getting into?"

Yvain had absolutely no idea what he was getting into. None of them did. Ironically, that was the reason they needed to push onward.

"We don't," he said.

"What are your plans to--" Yvain raised a hand, cutting Lydia off. He couldn't let himself remain there. He was at a vast disadvantage and could too easily put his friends in danger with a single slip of the tongue. He wouldn't hurt these people, but he wouldn't engage with them in conversation anymore.

"Thank you for your time Lydia, I'll look for my friend on my own," Yvain said and stood without waiting for the goddess to respond. Then a hand clasped onto his shoulder, forcing him to sit down again. The thin edge of a dagger appeared on the surface of his neck.

Yvain violently moved out of reflex, conditioned by a lifetime of strength superiority, and the dagger slightly cut into skin. Unfortunately he couldn't budge himself free, even with just one hand now holding him in place.

Lydia glared at the space above Yvain's head.

"I didn't expect him to struggle so hard," Michael said.

How?! Yvain thought. Michael wasn't this strong before. No one Yvain had met, outside of those inside Nora's dungeon, had been this strong before. Especially no human. It was one thing to lose to an unknown, but he knew humans, he knew them like the back of his hand. He didn't lose to them. But Yvain only knew the ones from Empryon. Did that mean Michael was from the outside?

Giving Michael a slight frown in reproach, Lydia completed her question, "What are your plans to counteract your lack of knowledge?"

"I don't have anything to tell you," Yvain said, trying to keep the little dignity he felt he had left.

Lydia watched Michael and then gave him an almost reluctant nod.

"Are you sure about that?" the man said and allowed the knife at Yvain's neck to draw more blood.

Yvain didn't react though. As the knife trailed a red path all he did was give the goddess a motionless gaze. They both looked at each other for a few tense seconds as more blood fell. Lydia's eyes were the first to waver.

"Enough," she said, and Michael instantly released Yvain.

The goddess sighed, "This really doesn't suit me."

"I thought it was hot," Michael laughed as he went to stand beside her.

"Of course you would," she said with a roll of her eyes.

Michael cleaned his knife and put it away before setting an affectionate hand on Lydia's shoulder which she covered with her own.

Yvain's first impulse was to go for Michael's throat, but he held it back. To start, he was at a disadvantage on knowledge. Now he was also outclassed in strength and he didn't bring a weapon. He could only glare at Michael, but the older man just grinned back.

"That's payback for last time," he said.

"Shush," Lydia said and swatted Michael's hand. "I know that your guild is in sore need for someone with medical knowledge and I'd like to recommend a candidate," she told Yvain.

"And you had to threaten me to do so?" Yvain said, gingerly touching the wound on his neck.

"Forgive me," Lydia said with a gentle smile. "Blame it on the follies of a mother."

Unlike the goddess, Michael was sporting a frown.

"That wasn't the plan," he said, looking at Lydia with annoyance.

"The alternative just leaves him wasting away his talents and working as a professional drunk," Lydia said, her expression turning just a tad sour but not meeting her eyes.

Michael removed his hand from her shoulder.

"And alive," he said, "If he joins these riffraff he'll only end up dead."

"We're all going to end up dead someday," Lydia said in a sharp tone, but then immediately changed to a softer one. 'This is Empryon we're talking about; his best fighting chance is with the prince's guild."

"His best fighting chance is with us," Michael tried his best to keep his voice down, but it was proving to be difficult. "We can keep him safe."

"Honey you can't protect him forever," Lydia said. "What matters is how he lives his life, and I won't have him do it in the gutter with a bottle in hand while the world around him burns."

"That's rich coming from you," Michael said with furrowed brow and unblinking gaze.

The words made Lydia give Michael a hard look and the couple entered a stare off, but her eyes were quickly becoming red-rimmed against her will. Michael didn't miss this, and his shoulders deflated.

"Sorry," he said in almost a whisper. His head then snapped to Yvain as if he had completely forgotten their guest's presence, and with a derisive snort walked out of the humble dwelling.

In the awkward silence the goddess tried to compose herself as she stared at the spot where Michael had been standing. She tried to blink away whatever tears were threatening to come out.

"Who did you have in mind?" Yvain asked. He was taken aback by the revelation that the one he thought was just a guard and the goddess of villages were in a closer relationship than expected. They even had a child. He also didn't see any ring on either of them.

Whatever their situation, he didn't have time for their domestic problems. Lydia was right in that they needed someone with more knowledge than how to stitch up a wound.

She did her best to calm herself and faced Yvain. "The person I want to recommend is our son, Julius. He was personally trained by me and has inherited my knowledge." She gestured at their surroundings: her ingredients and her bowl. "I'll admit it won't be enough to sustain you all outside of Empryon, but he is young and has proven to have a knack for discerning maladies and their treatment. Any other medical professional on the outside would trip over themselves trying to have him as an apprentice."

If he was able to recreate what Lydia did then it was already more than enough to join Draconian's Tavern.

"Where can we find him?" Yvain asked.

Lydia looked at him in consternation before speaking, "You'll find him in Canrun, most likely in a bar called The Weeping Merchant."

Yvain hoped it wouldn't cause much of a detour from Nelimir's chosen path. "I can promise we'll look for him at the very least," he said. "Now about my friend."

"Of course," Lydia nodded, sounding a bit more cheerful. "He left for the largest hill southeast of the village," she said and pointed at a general direction, "there's a giant oak tree on it, you can't miss it."

"Thanks," Yvain said. Should he ask her for more details on what she knew about Nora and the beast races? But where to even begin? Unfortunately he hesitated for too long and the goddess took over the conversation again.

"Do you know what I do as the goddess of villages?" she asked.

"You...take care of villagers?" Yvain said, unsure of his own answer.

"It's that simple," Lydia laughed. But the laughter soon tapered off into somberness. "It's my duty...no, it's more than a duty. As a being I need to watch over my subjects, they all deserve my patronage no matter who or what they are as long as they are part of a village."

Is that how Nora felt about her own race? Yvain tried to feel the weight Lydia's words carried, but he was having a difficult time doing so.

"Yet, most villages have been left unattended by me because of how fractured the continent is," Lydia said. "I wasn't offering pleasantries when I said I stood behind Nelimir's plan of unification, no matter how impossible it sounds."

"Then can you tell me more about the races outside of Empryon? What did you mean by a war? Anything would help." Yvain took her support as a chance to gleam off all the information he could get, but the goddess shook her head.

"I won't take the risk of offering that information," she said.

Yvain sighed. He shouldn't be surprised. Before a goddess, Lydia was a citizen of Empryon and subject to its laws. Any knowledge of the world outside the walls was forbidden. Leaving Empryon was forbidden. The only way to gain freedom in those laws was through Cosmos. And he was beginning to suspect that even being in a guild wasn't a one-way pass to intelligence. Yet she did contain that knowledge, how did she come about it?

Lydia stood from her chair and gathered several herbs from her shelves practically without looking. She dropped them all in her bowl and grounded them to a paste before scooping up some of it with her fingers.

"May I?" she asked as she stood near Yvain with the concoction.

Yvain pulled back his head, allowing the goddess to apply the medicine for his wound.

As she applied the salve, she spoke, "Now, I'm sure you remember what I told you all yesterday, that still stands." Once she finished the treatment, she pulled back and sat down. Same as last time, Lydia courteously pointed Yvain toward the door.

Partially disappointed, but eager to find Selt, Yvain acquiesced and stood to leave.

"I recommend you ask Nora any questions you have regarding the outside," Lydia said and turned to her herbs without waiting for Yvain to respond.

Yvain watched the goddess quietly work for a few seconds before giving a silent thanks and leaving her abode. Michael was outside standing in his usual position, a line of villagers already forming again. The man didn't offer the smallest hint of recognition as Yvain walked by him.

"I'm taking back my apology," Yvain said without looking at the warrior besides him.

"You'll have to take it from me," Michael said.

Yvain just shook his head and exhaled a humorless chuckle before leaving. He couldn't believe he found someone even stronger than his master in the boring village. He would never forget the feeling of being held down so effortlessly by a human he considered inferior to him. But the discrepancy wouldn't last. He had Nora to train him, and with how powerful she was it was only a matter of time before he soared to greater heights.

Yvain followed the goddess's directions once he had the village behind him. And like she said, the oak tree wasn't hard to miss. It stood lonely in the horizon, a green paintbrush coloring the sky.

For the love of the stars Selt, tell me you're nearby, Yvain thought. After the experience he just had all he wanted to do was to be on the road again. Start his training under Nora. Be with Nora. It had only been an hour since they separated yet it felt like he hadn't met her still and had to do so all over again.

As Yvain got closer to the hill, he entertained himself by watching Great Divider. From where he stood the imposing wall stretched to either side endlessly until it couldn't be seen anymore. How was the thing created? He could faintly remember Nora calling it a barrier, but he had never before questioned its existence. Considering the things he had seen now though, it didn't feel as natural as he made it out to be in the past. It was still impressive, and Yvain couldn't wait for the moment Draconian's Tavern would be able to climb it again and leave this place. Hopefully they wouldn't get caught the second time around either.

When Yvain reached the foot of the hill he had to tilt his head up considerably. It was much steeper than it looked from far away.

What could have possibly made him come this way? Yvain though. There was absolutely nothing around him besides grass and other trees scattered in the distance alongside the one he was nearing now. He still hadn't seen Selt, but hopefully with a higher vintage point he'd find him.

This is the second time I'll be apologizing today, Yvain thought with some amusement. He just hoped that this time around it would go smoother.

When Yvain reached the top he surveyed his immediate surroundings. Morning dew still covered most of the grass. Some parts of it told the passing of many people, probably villagers that came to relax. Understandable, as the hill offered an amazing view, and it wasn't too difficult to reach. The sound of wind rustling leaves offered a cacophony that eased the stress of the day too. The large oak tree that held said leaves was in the middle offering shade to a large area.

With a rope tied around his neck, Selt hung from one of its branches.

Yvain's thoughts shut down under the searing image. The foremost question 'did he cause this?' ran circles in the hidden depths of his mind. Yet he didn't want to think about such a line of query or its answer. What would he tell his friends? What would they think of him? The shame when Elly screamed at him came back with a vengeance. Then anger at what Selt had just done, as if the kid were somehow the one at fault. He knew he wasn't.

Yvain took frightened steps as Selt's body gently rocked from side to side, the soft wind pushing it around playfully, when one of the tree's branches snapped.

The kid fell to the ground, the thud against the wet grass startling Yvain, and he began to cough violently as his body forced him to draw large intakes of breath. Once more his impossible luck had saved him.

Yvain didn't know what to do; he only watched on--part relieved and part numb--as the kid attempted to breathe normally. When his hacking finally subsided, he rubbed his scarred neck in pain and slowly stood, but his dizzied steps pushed him to grab on to the tree or risk hitting the ground again.

Yvain was immediately at his side and grabbed one of his arms, helping him stand straight.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"What happened?" Selt said before giving another rough cough.

"I..." What was he supposed to tell him?

"Are we still going to scout Great Divider?" Selt asked.

What?

"We already did," Yvain said hesitantly.

"You went without me?!" Selt yelled, but the strain on his neck had him entering another coughing fit.

"I mean that you and I already scouted it," Yvain said. What was going on?

"Oh, alright then," Selt said. He immediately accepted Yvain's answer and started heading back toward the village as if nothing were out of place.

Unable to keep up with the changes in the kid, Yvain watched as he walked away before jogging after him.

"Wait!" he said. The kid turned back with a questioning look. Face to face, Yvain didn't know what to say next, so he stuck to what he had decided on when leaving the carriage.

"I'm..I'm sorry," Yvain said. The words sounded hollow in his ears. He had always treated Selt's life as a plaything. His implausible dance with death had made Yvain insensitive to how the kid might feel despite surviving it. Now he was seeing the results of his apathy and no words could justify it.

"For what?" Selt asked as he tilted his head.

"At breakfast, I shouldn't have..." Yvain cut his words short. He searched the kid's face as an unnerving new idea took shape.

"Selt what did you eat this morning?" he asked.

"Oh stars don't remind me!" Selt said as he gagged. "Why do we even let that book-nympho cook?"

Yvain's eyebrows went up to his hairline. Did he lose his memories? he thought. If he did though, then why did the kid so readily accept that they did in fact scout Great Divider?

"Thankfully it's your turn tomorrow," Selt said and pointed a finger at Yvain, "I want pork."

Yvain numbly nodded.

Pleased with his answer, Selt grinned and turned once more to head for the village. But the aftereffects of being denied breath still lingered and his legs lost all strength. Instead of complaining though, he just tried to stand again, disregarding his physical condition.

Yvain shook himself out of his reverie and walked to Selt's front.

"Here, get on my back," he said as he bent down.

"Ooooh good idea!" Selt said as he latched on without a second thought, "Jump off the hill!" and without missing a beat he began to make unreasonable demands.