Chương 133: Chapter 131- The Talk

Astra's POV" … and then as it leaped she lunged forward spearing the beast through the soft palate, felling it with a final blow directly to the brain." Astra smiled across the table as Mr Mason finished the retelling of their hunt, apparently there was more than one conspiracy floating around recently although, as she felt the surge of pride ripple across the tether from Eli, it was not such a bad thing everyone in her life was suddenly conspiring to brag about her feats to her brother.

The bemused smile on his face told her that he had long ago caught wind of their dastardly plot. She had commandeered one of the meeting rooms in the garrison near the mess hall to set up a large banquet for her brother and their closest retainers, although it had taken no small amount of effort on her part to corral Mr Cooper into attending instead of catering, but she had succeeded in the end.

Astra glanced around the room with a fond smile as her men had shared tales of their exploits with Darian's soldiers, the warm feelings in her heart a balm for her soul after the events of the past few weeks. The tales had grown a little more outlandish as the wine flowed, but for the most part everyone kept hold of both their wits and their cups, the wariness of recent battles keeping them from dulling their minds too heavily." Brevet Sergeant Mason, I am fairly sure the panther was about half that size.

Both your magic and Private Craft's stalwart defense played a major part in our success as well, may the Ancients keep watch for his soul." She lifted her glass upwards in a toast, " For the fallen, once remembered.." A resounding chorus from around the room answered her, " … shall never die!"

The chatter flowed back and forth as the men bonded, and as Astra watched Tiamat regale Lysette with a tale of a battle between her and a suspiciously large raven, courtesy of Eli's interpretation, she heard the soft clicking of a glass calling attention to the other head of the table across from her. Darian rose as he addressed the gathering as they quieted." I feel blessed to be included in such a joyous gathering, doubly so for the respect and admiration that you all share for both my sister and each other.

The steadfast bonds of brotherhood do make the best bulwark against the darkness of the night, but the night grows dark indeed…"" BOOOO… you sound like old man Forrester, one foot in the grave, and the other up his own arse!" Darian boomed out a laugh as Lysette, his feisty and slightly drunk executive officer, heckled him from her place on Astra's left side." All right, Lady Rowan has spoken!

It's damn near midnight, and I have had about three minutes alone with my sister since we scraped your sorry asses out of the gutter. I haven't seen her in ages, so get your ugly mugs out of here and take it to the tavern down the street!" He laughed once more and gestured towards them all with a shooing motion." It's family time, go on and get!" Laughter and the scraping of chairs fills the room as everyone stands to leave.

A small ripple of curiosity down the tether draws her eyes towards Eli, and as he arches a brow in her direction he nods as she gives a subtle tip of her head. He smiles at her as he stands and as he walks out of the room he stops to drop a hand on her shoulder and lean over to whisper in her ear." I like him by the way, I don't mind if you want to tell him, but don't let me tell you what to do. Sleep tight and we'll see you in the morning."

She smiled back up at him as they traded ripples of affection down the tether, and she turned back to catch Darian giving her a curious look as he walked over from the far side of the table. He sat down next to her propping his legs up on the next closest chair as he slumped in his seat with a sigh." … Finally. I had the feeling they might have gone until sunrise if we had given them half a chance." Astra laughed and nodded, " Aye, and it would hardly have been a surprise.

Although I am surprised that you are this anxious just to chat with me?" Darian snorted inelegantly in amusement, he may put on airs far more often than before, but this was the brother she remembered. She arched a brow at him, as he gestured derisively." Please. I am certainly loving our little story time chats, but it's hardly a real conversation when we are interrupted every few minutes." His face grew serious, " How are you doing really? Do you want to talk about it?"

Astra smiled and reached over to ruffle his curls fondly before sitting back and taking a sip of her drink, " Surprisingly well actually. Sleep still eludes me some nights, and there are times I find myself unexpectedly angry or upset, only to realize I was subconsciously dwelling on recent events. For what it is worth, being surrounded by close friends helps quite a bit." Darian nodded, " Aye, it would.

I still worry, especially since we have not gotten to the really gruesome parts yet, and the reports were grisly enough. Although I would rather not spoil the mood, how are the men doing?" Astra grimaced, " Aye, me neither. The Brevet Sergeants are doing well, as are the rest of the Corporals, we have all grown to trust each other over the past few months and they look out for each other even if I can not." He looked over at her with a bemused smile, " I imagine so…

You have the authority to sign off on their promotion by station alone, you know, you don't need to wait?" Astra sat back with a sigh, " I know, but it feels like I have stepped over my bounds a few too many times already, it just…" She fumbled for the right words for a moment, " … It feels like I should respect the codes as much as I can for now at least." Darian chuckled, " Aye, I can understand the sentiment, and what about the other one?" Astra wrinkled her brow as she looked back at him in confusion, " …

the other one?" His bemused smile grew into a grin, " You know… the one who you have refused to share details about, the one whispering sweet nothings into your ear, that one?" She could feel her face growing hot as she blushed and Darian laughed, " Aye, I'm not blind, at least not yet. Come now Astra, playing the blushing maiden does not suit you… just tell me about the man, now start talking."

Astra rolled her eyes, standing as she walked over to the door and sent a thread of mana into a rune on the wall next to the door. A shimmer of mana filled the air as a thin sheen painted over the walls of the room before fading into invisibility, at least to the naked eye. As she turned to return back to her seat she could see the mirth fading as he sat up straighter in his seat, a more serious expression settling over Darian's face." A privacy screen?

Is this the kind of conversation we should be completely sober for?" Astra waved him off, " No, but it is both a serious topic and a private one. Eli was not whispering sweet things to me, but rather telling me that he would not mind if I shared his secret with you." She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, " There is something rather important you should know before we begin. Eli…"

"… he's Godstouched." Darian narrowed his eyes at her, " Right…" he grunted and dropped one of his legs on the table, "... pull the other one." Astra laughed and swatted his foot back onto the floor, " No you dim wit, I am being serious. Mira and I swore an Oath to protect his secret, a System bound one, although I imagine the fires of the first flame would dim and fail before he would ever hold either of us to the terms, fond enough of us as he is."

She propped an elbow on the table and leaned on it, her chin in her hand as she smirked at the dumbfounded look on Darian's face, " He's from another realm entirely, Mira even confirmed it herself with a deep scan, although he was more than happy to discuss it with us himself." She waited patiently as he processed the information." … the first one in centuries, at least 400 years I think. Wait." Darian narrowed his eyes at Astra, " He's not one of the insane ones is he?

The ones that always rambled about great and terrible evil before going on a killing spree?" Astra laughed and flashed a bright smile at her brother, " No." She paused for a moment as she cocked her head in thought for a moment, " Or rather not in the same way… He has certainly gone on a few killing sprees, but bandits and blood cultists hardly count, and while you could say he is a little … unstable… it has less to do with his mental state and more about his penchant for poorly thought out and dangerous heroics.""

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. She smiled warmly, " He does have a tendency to dive in head first without concern for his own safety, especially if someone is in need." He hummed in thought for a moment, " Hmm."" Oh. Ohhhh …" Darian arched a brow, a grin slowly spreading across his face as he took in her expression." And is there possibly a certain damsel that he favors with such deeds, possibly one with flowing locks and a talent for swordplay?"

Astra fought a smile as she scowled at him and punched Darian in the chest, hard. He grunted, and gave a wheezing cough that swiftly turned into a low chuckle." Guh… So I was right!" She huffed petulantly as she sat back in her chair, crossing her legs, tapping one knee as she took another sip of her drink, eyeing Darian over the rim of her glass. As she stared at him, silently contemplating her response, the grin on his face returned in full force.

Astra searched through her memories, desperately looking for a counter example, and as she realized she was drawing a blank she could feel the heat creeping up face once more as she glanced away suddenly unwilling to meet his gaze." That's hardly the point." Darian chortled, slapping the table with one hand before tossing himself back in his seat.

He crossed his legs in a mirror of hers as he laced his hands behind his head and tipped his chair onto the rear two legs, slowly rocking it back and forth as he smirked at her." Well, well. I never thought I would see the day that someone would tame the blazing heart of the Matchstick."

"... Please, please, do not call me that. I have not heard that one in years." The smirk faded into a genuine smile, as he dropped the legs of his chair back to the ground with a thump as he spoke in a warm tone, " I am happy for you Astra, truly. He must be something special for you to regard him so. Is this a passing fancy, or something more?" Astra winced, " Probably… Can you keep this a secret for me? Just for a short while?"

Darian arched a brow at her, a mischievous grin on his face as he asked, " You're not about to ask me to smuggle a brand new little niece or nephew into hiding are you? I am terrible at intrigue, you know this Astra, you should really bring such a thing to Lysette." Astra scoffed and threw a dinner roll at his face, Darian snickered as it bounced off and she huffed before glaring at him, " That's enough out of you, you cad!"

She paused shifting in her seat for a moment, suddenly finding herself uncharacteristically unsure and nervous in the moment. Sharing her feelings with Eli was one thing, the man was heartfelt to a fault and it was easy to talk about such things when she knew for sure he would never judge her for them, but sharing the same news with her family was another beast entirely.

After all, once a tale was told, the story had a tendency to take flight on its own, the words carried to distant ears that one never intended to hear. Astra took a deep breath and let it out slowly, this is Darian we are talking about, not Father or Ancient's forbid Grandfather. If I am going to tell anyone first I could hardly ask for a more suitable candidate. She marshalled her emotions, grasping her nerves in an iron grip and began her tale."

Well you see, Eli is not just Godstouched, he is also songborn as well, and there has been a … resonance between us." Darian sat upright in his chair, a warm smile still on his face, but a serious glint entered his gaze as he leaned forward, his attention riveted entirely on Astra' s words." … Oh, really now? Now you have to tell me everything." And so she did. Astra laid out the events following the day at the inn in rapid succession.

She kept Elias's interactions with Vaelion a secret for now, as she had no idea how to even begin to address that one. She shared the rest of their tale, however, and with the hardest secret finally laid bare, Astra found herself recounting the remaining days almost without thinking. She spoke of the preparations to leave for Whittenburg, the desperate charge into the Fracture Yard and the long nights that followed.

Darian grinned at the tale of their valiant charge and the clearing of the yard, gently admonishing her for not taking greater care with her command while congratulating her on achieving so much on her own. His face grew grim as she relayed the tale of the final days before the tide from Mr Brewer, and the ritual they had found under the yard that had been triggering the tides.

When she arrived at the ambush in the woods before the estate, he arched a brow and grumbled at Eli's idiotic assault of the hill bunker, slightly mollified once she assured him that she had already scolded the man herself. The grin and joke about exactly what kind of scolding he had received earned her another blush, and Darian another jab, this one in the ribs.

Darian laughed and gave her silent applause after the breaching the castle with her new [Crimson Lance] Skill, and when she concluded the last charge and briefly touched on their battle with the [Siegebreaker] he demanded a full retelling later, preferably with Eli and Tia in attendance.

The contents of the Estate were no less stomach churning in the light of day, or rather in the ring light of the night several days later, and the retelling took far more time than it should as they both speculated to the root cause of the twisting of the victims and argued over preventative measures for how to detect new mass abductions in the future.

He was dumbfounded by the bizarrely industrial nature of the Cult's base, and horrified by the butchery they had performed on the citizens of the empire to harvest their blood." … and then we found the slaughterhouse." Darian's smile vanished, " … The what?" He later made her promise to relay any information she received from the results of the investigation if she could, swearing a vow to root them out the same as her.

The tale of the Viscount's downfall was far more satisfying to recount, and even Darian could not suppress a cheer at the bastard's final fall. He noticed, however, that she carefully skirted around her and Eli's role in the battle. The knowing look he gave her made it clear that he had noticed, but he let it pass as she moved on to the ritual itself. He had only recently broken into the third tier, and was no mage, but even he admitted that he would likely have failed to stop the ritual.

Severing was his specialty, and while he was impressed with the power of Eli's [Veilrend] and speculated whether his own [Severing Strike] would be better with a spatial affinity, he surmised that the additional power probably would not have helped. I mean cut is cut, I just do not understand how something could be more severed, but boys will be boys I guess…

Darian let out a startled grunt when he heard how Elias had lost his arm in her defense after the ritual exploded, leaving a massive crater leading to the vineyard above, bolting to his feet in shock as he yelled at her." YOU WERE STANDING IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT THING WHEN IT EXPLODED??"" Sit down, I'm not done yet…"" Don't brush me off Astra, I saw that crater!"" … So did I, I was there. Now sit down…"

Astra decided to skip over the part where Eli had promised to stand by her side, even at the cost of his life, she had endured enough teasing for one night already. Darian was on the edge of his seat at the news of Mira's arrival, hanging on her every word as she narrated her Master's breathtaking display of magic. He grew somber at the depiction of Mira's final stand as she drained the power from the ritual into the ring above, at the cost of grievous injury as she used her own body for the conduit.

As she finished the final moments of recovery after the ritual was halted, he sat back in his chair with an exhausted sigh. Astra could agree with his exhaustion, a distant bell tolled twice marking the hour as being well into the following morning. They sat in silence for a time and, now that the story had finally been told in full, Darian mulled over the events lost in thought, an impassive expression on his face. Eventually he took in a deep breath and let out an explosive sigh." …

Everyone speaks of your talent with your flames, and I can personally attest in the significant effort you put into learning the blade, but after hearing this tale in its entirety, you know what I think?"" Hmm?"" Your singular most impressive talent lies in finding the absolute worst place in the Empire to stand at any given moment."

Astra rolled her eyes and resisted throwing yet more food in his direction as the poor privates on scullery duty would have enough work tonight after Darian's antics, but she did take a moment to consider his words. He had plenty of experience that she lacked, and she should take his advice to heart when she could." Would you have done any differently?"" In your shoes?"" Not a thing." She looked up at him and his stony expression softened into a slight but warm smile as he spoke."

You shouldn't be so hard on yourself Astra."" You shouldered a burden that should not have been yours to bear and your performance was beyond reproach in that regard. Something I have come to expect from you." Silence lingered in the room for a moment as Astra fought to control her emotions, the simple acknowledgement of the burden she had been carrying far more potent than she expected. He gave the door a lingering look, contemplative look for a moment before finally asking." … Are the two of you twinborn?"

Astra froze unmoving, her eyes falling to her glass, unwilling to meet his gaze." … No comment? That's ok." The tension eased from her shoulders at his words." However, I know you hear the same rumors I do. You should prepare an answer even if you don't want to give one."" I suspect you will face the same question in the future, at some point likely from someone whom you can not refuse to answer." Darian sighed heavily, " I almost feel sorry for the man."

Astra glanced upwards and furrowed her brow at Darian in confusion, " What? Do you think Grandfather will not like him?" Darian cackled with laughter, " Oh… something so much worse than that…" A wild grin spread across his face, one that looked startlingly familiar. In that moment Astra had caught that same expression in her own reflection more than once after a long and hard-fought battle." He'll love him."