>>397506
He’s stopped and been idle for at least an hour, he’s decently far, deep within the eyeless desert. According to the maps he’s within an area labeled as the “Atrayan Sanctuary”. The exactness of this ritual is disturbing to say the least. I know where Papa is, his relation in terms of distance in every sense and using that I can pinpoint him upon a map. I can sense his physical state of being, slowly recovering. However I cannot sense his mind…
It seems that every magic has its limitations.
From upstairs, I can hear some arguing. Not specifics, just some things about “We’re involved”. My sister seems to hear them as well, judging from her expression she might be hearing more than I.
“What are they saying?”
“Kala seems to be demanding information from the beholder…”
“Clementine”
“Right, Clementine… Wait, why is a beholder named Clementine?”
“Is that odd?”
“More than a little, but we’re off topic, let’s see what is going on upstairs.”
“Can you hear them?”
“They closed a door, its heavily muted now.”
“Then they’re in the lounge.”
Father spent little time decorating the villa, though his preference for gothic architecture is very apparent among the designs. We spent much more time making it look less dreary. Paintings of the ocean, flowering the thorned vine motifs on the walls, changing the railings, window coverings and adding flower baskets to the outside. Now it looks like a happy home, if large.
I can hear Yhammena from within the lounge, the door closed.
“…That’s what the prophecy says.”
“If it comes to pass then we might not get him back. How accurate is this particular one?”
“It’s fifty fifty, the timeline is distorted. Things with significant power are becoming involved is what that signifies.”
I push open the door.
Nearly everyone is in this room, staring at me.
“Now what’s this about Father not coming back?”
The older fox. Yome, is the first to break the silence.
“If this is going to work Mei Ling, you’re going to have to trust me. It may be the best chance we have.”
Yhammena looks tired, bag underneath her eyes. I can see her energies, her magic has been stretched thin. Looking toward possible futures with her eyes. I look towards her, asking.
“Am I able to know?”
“You cannot. If you do it will change.”
“Yhammena, you need to get some rest, using your eyes is far too strenuous in your current state, I’ll find Father and bring him back, trust me.”
She smiles, leaning back in her chair. “I Believe that you will.”
“Yome, sister, if Father doesn’t move within a day we will start our way to him. As fast as we can by air. Yhammena you’re staying home, So are you Clementine…”
Clementine smirks a toothy grin, floating in the air laying upon her side.
“No I’m not, little girl.”
“But…”
“Shhh, I’m coming, trust in me.”
“Fine, Quill, I might need your help.”
She bows, but states carefully
“No, Quill will stay at home to keep everything ready for the master. Take Kala instead.”
“But…”
Kala furrows her brow before nodding.
Quill smiles, her still features showing a doll-like beauty.
“Clementine will be sufficient, she is stronger than I.”
Kala moves to kneel, but I stop her. She has no need to do something like that to degrade herself when she’s already done so much.
“All you need to do Kala, is be prepared. We need to be ready.”
I turn to leave, trusting in them, in Yome, my sister, Kala, Yhammena, Clementine, Quill, Minerva, Haku, Pan… and most importantly in myself.
My sister looks to me, wrapping a tail around my shoulder and pulling me into a warm hug. After I’m out of the room, I can’t stop crying. I just want my Papa. I just want him back. After several minutes I find myself calm and collected.
“Thank you Kama.”
“Mei Ling, where are we?”
“Father’s office.”
I kneel down underneath the desk, tapping the wall along a small design similar to a constellation. After several gentle movements it depresses into the wall with a “Click”. The tile in front of the bed pops upward and slides to the side revealing a ladder down into the dark depths.
“What is…”
“Father’s real workshop. Inside he has armour for me he was holding for my birthday. I’m going to bond with it. We may need the help.”
“Why did you prevent Yhammenna from coming then?”
“Two reasons. The first is she is important here, well spoken and could explain everything to the Empress if a request comes in…”
“Makes sense, but her prophecies…”
“Secondly, I forgot that you can’t quite see what I do. How her life-force is intermingled.”
“Is she sick?”
“In a sense, if you consider the side effects of early-stage pregnancy. Your other sister, soon to be.”