Chapter 32: Liam
So sorry for the wait, guys. I'm trying my best here, haha 😅
Anyway, thanks for showing up anyway. I hope you enjoy this!
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I take calming breaths, my stomach aching. My face is flushed and I cover my face with my hands, laughter echoing around me. I take a lungful of air and let it out, stopping the giggles in my throat. Then I peak out from under my hands and catch Reid's gaze.
Just a simple look at him makes chuckles rack through my body, and to my sore stomach's dismay, we start another fit of laughter. Amber next to me lays flat out on her side, trying to calm herself, and Kate, leaning against the dragon, places her head in her hands.
At this point I can't even remember what was so funny. It doesn't matter anymore, really. We're just having fun, and at this point that is few and far between.
"S-stop!" Kate struggles through the laughter. "Stop making me laugh! It hurts!" A hand goes to her wounded shoulder, yet still she chuckles.
It's many minutes before we can finally calm down, whatever we had been laughing at no longer being funny, and our giggles dying in our throats. Sweat coats my forehead and my stomach aches. I turn to lay on my back, using Kate's legs as a pillow.
I see her stiffen above me before I close my eyes, and I wonder about it. I also notice her cheeks are redder than usual, though that's probably from the laughing. I heave a sigh and prop my legs up on Reid's. He places his hands on my feet and I wiggle them playfully. He laughs and slaps them from his face. It's amazing how loud his laugh can be, considering how quiet and soft he usually is.
"Phew! Is it hot in here or is it just me?" I say, unbuttoning my heavily patched jacket. I feel Kate shift as Amber sits up.
"Honey, you're always hot." She says. I open one eye to see her toss me a flirty wink and her best dragon smile. I roll my eyes with a smile and close them again. I interlace my fingers behind my head, nestling into my pillow, also known as Kate. Reid taps a tune into the side of my boot and a small smile graces my lips.
After a moment a tentative hand is placed on the top of my head, in my hair. I quickly lean up and expertly undo my bun, letting my shoulder-length hair out, and then I lay back.
"How greasy is my hair?" I ask Kate when her hand returns.
"Even greasier than…what are greasy things?"
"A hamburger. With bacon and extra fries." I say, immediately regretting it when the memory of the burgers I used to get at a diner near my old house comes back to me.
"A what?" I open my eyes to see her staring down at me. "Is that another thing from the Other Side?" She asks.
"Yes, it is. And it was heavenly." I smirk, staring up into her eyes. I notice how her cheeks are still that same flushed color, and how her pupils are all sparkly. I realize idly in the back of my mind that that might be a weird thing to notice, but I don't pay any mind it.
"Huh. Well I hope it was extremely greasy cause that's what your hair is." She shrugs.
"Hey! I haven't washed it in a few weeks. And neither have you. I bet yours is just as bad."
"Don't bet on it." Her face is stoic as always, but her eyes hold a familiar amusement.
"Don't make me reach up there and feel it!"
"Uh, guys, for what it's worth, I don't think your hair is that bad." Reid buts in with a soft smile.
"Oh, shut up, you don't get a voice in this conversation. Your hair is always flawlessly clean and shiny and soft." I nudge him with my shoe and toss him a playful smile. The grin he returns makes mine grow wider, his pale cheeks a pink color and his eyes nearly closed due to his smile.
"And I guess I don't get one either?" Amber says teasingly.
"Was it ever a question? Do you even know what clean hair is supposed to feel like?" I turn my head to see her better and she sheepishly glances away before looking back.
"Yes! Clean. And soft. There, you see? I know things." I shake my head and run a hand through my hair, accidently hitting Kate's hand. I mutter an apology under my breath and return my hand back under my head.
"Have we missed First Harvest?" Ried mutters after a long time of silence.
"Oh most definitely." I answer. "It's almost Frost Season, which means First Harvest probably happened at least two weeks ago."
"Aw…" Reid mutters. I get his disappointment. First Harvest is my favorite holiday of the year. It's a special time, evolved over the years to be a sort of Thanksgiving. It starts in the morning as everyone goes into the streets to watch the sunrise, and from the moment you see the sun to the moment it's completely over the horizon you forget about the past and forgive the wrongdoings both you and others did. Then it's followed by a day of partying, and during the sunset everyone goes into the streets once more. And this time, from the moment the sun hits the horizon until it completely disappears you wish for great things in the future year. Then everyone feasts the night away. In my opinion it's way better than even Christmas is.
"Don't worry," Amber comments. "I'm sure no one from New Eladea celebrated it. So maybe we can do a late one, once we get Derynas back."
"Right. And it'll be filled with stuffing our faces with more food than ever." I say, a smile gracing my lips at the blissful memory of delicious feasts, succulent food and sweet desserts.
"It'll be the most epic First Harvest ever." Reid continues, tracing his finger along the curves of my boots.
"It'll go down in history." Kate adds.
"More importantly, I'll go down in history by eating the most food a dragon has ever eaten in one sitting." Amber says with a sigh. "I miss good food."
"Ha! Don't we all. We've practically been living off of scraps." Kate scoffs.
"Have you guys ever had lamb from the royal kitchens? Gosh it's to die for. So juicy and tender, with a perfectly seasoned crust…" I close my eyes, my mouth watering at the memory.
"Oh for the love of the goddesses, stop! You're making me hungry." Reid groans.
"Since when do you use the goddesses name in vain?" I open my eyes to raise an eyebrow at him. He shakes his head with a smile. "Shut up." He mutters.
"I don't know about you guys but im going to sleep before my brain calls up my stomach with that image of the lamb. Night." Amber says. She's met with a chorus of "goodnight" before it falls silent.
It isn't long after that I feel myself slipping from consciousness. I snuggle in, feeling the warmth from the fire, hearing the rhythmic snore from Amber, and feeling the gentle movement of Kate and Reid under me. Soon enough, I slip from the waking world completely.
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I wake with a jolt and am immediately confused. Where am I?
It's completely white. So white it burns my eyes. It's as if I'm a tiny ant on a sheet of paper, only there's paper on top of me, and it never ends. I call out to see if anyone's there, but the only reply I receive is my echoing voice. I pull myself into a stand and look around.
I must be dreaming. Oddly vivid dream though…
I turn around and nearly jump out of my skin. Kate stands a few feet away, looking just as confused as me. She's calling out for someone, though she looks right at me.
"Kate!" I call. "Hey!" She doesn't even seem to see me. I then notice a few feet beyond her is Reid. He also looks as if he can't see me. Then there's Amber even beyond him. No one acknowledges the other. It's as if they're all invisible to everyone but me.
"Don't worry. They're fine." I nearly jump to Mars, whipping around at the voice. "In fact, they should all be having a conversation with me right now."
I'm too shocked to speak when I take in the form in front of me. It's a human-like form, yet the face never stays the same. It continually flips through new ones, so fast my eye can't comprehend each one. They're floating maybe a foot off the ground, clad in white robes that seem to float to their own rhythm. Their body changes continually as well. Body type, gender, height, weight, it all changes so fast it's one blur.
"Who…?" The words die in my throat before I finish my sentence.
"I go by many names in every world, but I believe the citizens of this one call me The Teller. I am one of the three fates of the universe, Queen of Prophecies and Lord of all things written since the beginning."
"S-so you're telling me…I'm talking to a Fate? Like…one of the only three entities to have more power than the goddesses themselves?"
"Indeed."
"But-but why? Why are you talking to me of all people?"
"You are more important than you give yourself credit for. Your friends too. Your destinies have been written since the beginning."
"They do not lie. I have seen your end, and it is a glorious one." A new voice enters my mind. Unlike the continually changing one of The Teller, this one is deep and booming, so much so I can feel it in my very soul.
I turn my head to my left and I see another floating form, this one slightly bigger than The Teller. Instead of white robes they are clad in black, layer upon layer, so thick I can't see their actual form. A hood covers their face, and a large blade is strapped to their back. They remind me of the Grim Reaper, but instead of a cold dread I always imagined I would feel if I ever met him, I instead feel a warm, welcoming and homey feeling.
"I am The Ender. The second of the Fates. I am the King of the Damned and Master of the Path to the Underworld." I feel like I'm going to faint.
"You're-You're…holy crap."
"Do not fear, young hero. You are not in danger." A third, warm and gentle voice floats from my right.
There is yet another floating form, this one clad in what I can only explain as a blanket of life. Every plant imaginable is woven into this Fate's robes, their "body" nothing but a ball of pure light, so bright it hurts my eyes. This one makes me feel a confusing mixture of fear and comfort, coldness and warmth, and an overwhelming sense of pure power.
"I am the first of the Fates. I am The Maker, Queen of Life and King of Destiny."
Now I really feel like fainting. "Ok ok ok, so you're telling me I'm standing here in front of the three most powerful beings in the universe and no one's killing me? Wait…am I dead?" A low chuckles sounds from The Maker.
"No, hero. You are not dead. We are merely here to help you, and warn you."
"You have an important part to play in the stability of this world. Your sister created peace, but you now must continue the legacy by achieving the most difficult thing in the universe: maintaining it." The Ender says.
"Well I know I am supposed to save Sage and all, and that's what I'm trying to do."
"You are destined for much more than to stay in your sister's shadow, Liam. You would do well to understand that." The Teller muses.
"But, we have come to tell you more. Advice, if you will." The Maker says.
"Yes. The Frosty Tide is the flower you search for. You can find this rare plant in Napolis territory, on the northernmost island. Find the broken tower in the lonesome lands, and go beyond that to the deepest valley. There you will find what you seek."
I glance next to me at my friends, who all seem to be having their own conversations, though I can't see the people they talk to. Boy...a criptic riddle. Wonderful. "Thank you."
"That is not all." The Ender says. "We have also come to warn you. In less than a week's time there will be a bloody battle. Heed my words, hero, for two of those who you know will not make it."
"What?! Two people are gonna die?!Are these people my friends? You just said I'll know them, but am I close to them? Who are they?" My voice is panicked as I look between the three deities.
"If I were to tell you this it would change the course of the world. And your destiny has not yet been set in stone. Many variables work against you, and the knowledge of who will die is one of these."
"You just told me two people I know are gonna die and that's it? No hints, no warnings on how to prevent it, just a heads up? Really?!" Ugh...dieties.
"Do not let this discourage you. You, along with your sister, have one of the greatest destinies in history. Why do you think the goddesses brought you here from your old world? It was us that told them of your destiny." The Maker continues.
"We cannot intervene, but the goddesses will help you to the best of their ability. We count on you, Liam Emmerson. The future of Eladea sits in the palm of your hand." The Teller says.
"Wonderful..." I find myself muttering.
"But you do not carry this burden alone. You cannot, or you will buckle under the weight. Your friends have been given to you for a reason. Utilize them."
"We will be watching your progress closely."
"We know you will not fail us."
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I jolt awake at the exact time as the other three do. We sit, gasping at the air, staring wide-eyed at each other.
"I-I just had the weirdest d-dream." Reid gasps.
"You saw the Fates?" I prompt.
"How did you know?"
"You too?" I turn to Kate. "And you?" I look at Amber. They both nod.
"Did you guys get directions to the flower?" I wipe the sweat from my forehead.
"Yes." Kate says, a haunted expression on her face. Did she get the death threat too?
"Then we all know where we're going once we get done with Willow Isle?" They nod. I clench my fists, the Fate's warning entering my mind. "Right. The sun's almost up, we need to get going." I only notice how cold that sounded after I said it.
I can't get those words out of my head. The death threat. It's the only thing I think about, it consumes my mind for the next few days. But I don't dare talk to them about it. After all, destinies can change with a simple word.
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Word count: 2497
Heyoooo! How was it? In my opinion it could have been better but every chapter feels like that lmao. I actually meant this just to be a tester but it ended up being the actual chapter lmaoo
So what do we think? Thoughts on the Fates? What they said? Has anything changed for you guys? Are you getting excited? It's all coming to an end! Any theories? I love to hear em!
Cya next week!