Astral Flow

Chapter 51

Before Lily could even process what was happening she found herself back in the war room, a concerned looking Vonder standing in front of her as the coal haired man now has his back turned, arms crossed as he mumbles something to himself.

Shara looked equally concerned, but not for Lily's safety, rather it was clear she hadn't seen her husband like this in who knows how long.

Aida and Vonder look at each other, now wondering what to do before finally the swordsman speaks up.

"So, uh, is everything alright?" Vonder's voice is clearly a bit shaky, now nervous as to what the king may have seen.

"Yes, everything is just fine... you may take your leave for now, I'll have someone deliver your pendant as soon as possible." The King says, still not looking back at them, seemingly still processing what he saw. "Now you're dismissed."

"Right! Thank you sir!" Vonder replies quickly before hastily leading Lily out of the room and subsequently the castle as well.

Once they were outside the castle gates Vonder let out a sigh of relief and looked at Lily. "Are you okay? I've never seen Flann so serious before... I mean you got approved, so that's good, but something had to have happened in there."

"No, not that I know of... I just saw an old memory of mine and then I was back out here." Lily replies, now walking in front of Vonder. "Maybe he's just confused at seeing an outlander's memories?"

"Maybe, though it usually takes more than that to unnerve a trained slayer like him." Aida comments loosely as she looks back. "Whatever he saw back there? It must've shaken him to the core."

"Well, no use lingering on it, if you don't know then only he knows the answer." Vonder says with a shrug. "Besides we did what we came here for, now we just need to wait for your pendant and you'll be good to travel anywhere you want."

"Oh yeah, I was meaning to ask, what's with the pendants anyway?" Lily lightly asks as she stops and looks back at him. "I mean I personally figured it would've been some formal decree or something, not a piece of jewelry."

"You're technically right as the Pendant acts as their decree, those carrying official ones are seen as honorary knights and are allowed to travel freely without restrictions." Vonder says as he holds up his own. "Otherwise you'd have to go through a whole process, but that's just to protect the average citizen from what's going on right now."

"Alright, but why specifically pendants? They could've chosen anything else." Lily asks, pausing and looking at his pendant for a brief moment.

Something about it seems to catch the eye like nothing else, almost jarringly so in comparison to even his swords.

"It's a small item easy to implant one of a kind identification enchantments into, and according to the head enchanter..." Vonder clears his throat and changes his tone to a calmer and more studious one. "Inanimate objects hold memories longer than any living creature, creating the perfect database for verification."

"Sounds pretty advanced for something so simple..." Lily quietly replies, now a little more impressed.

"Eh I guess, but that's just magic in general." Vonder shrugs while walking in front of her now. "Hey, how about we all go get some food? To celebrate a smooth acceptance?"

"Oh, where are you thinking of going?" Aida asks, now flying down in front of them. "The Drunken Dragon? Or perhaps The Dark Cauldron?"

"As good as those places are, they're kinda chaotic, you have to admit." Vonder replies while admiring Aida's enthusiasm. "I was thinking something a little more quiet right now, like say... Queller's Relief?"