A Tainted Story

23: Histories

Fela truly felt the axe drop when she stepped outside and saw green-brown tar seeping across the neat yard of the Lodestone. Despite the resignation she'd built up over the past few days, her blood still ran cold at the sight of the ruined well. Her potencia spring must have corrupted overnight, and the poisonous fluid was laid bare for her, a taunting reminder of their predicament. It only took her a minute to gather herself and rush towards Spirit Town, hopelessness fighting against the wall of composure she was trying to maintain.

Despite the drought, Valle managed, in most places, to maintain an air of normalcy. But Spirit Town was dying, struggling much more than the rest. She could see it in the piles of rotting vegetation that now lined the streets, the lack of people. Just a few days ago, Fela had resented this place, refusing to accept her connection to a group of people she didn't know. Now, she wanted nothing more than to find a way to help. She found Viktor's home to be the busiest spot in town, his aides rushing about with bundles of clothing and supplies in their hands. When she finally found him, standing along the outside deck, she couldn't help but note how haggard his face had become.

"You're going somewhere." She said. A statement, not a question.

He nodded, looking over at her. "I want to make an appeal to Valle in person, since my messenger failed to return. As ff there wasn't enough to deal with, apparently there's been wild animal attacks reported throughout the mountains recently, and I can only assume that's what my messenger had been stopped by." Viktor seemed to trail off here, eyes glazed over for a moment. "The responsibility of a Master.," He murmured. "Handpicked by the sovereign crown, governing the land with a duty to the people... I would say that Valle's only done a halfway-job of it. But still, we need the crown's aid, and he's the only connection we have. Sometimes, Fela," he said, stepping closer to her. "It's the people who have to take matters into their own hands." His look was intense, and she simply nodded, for lack of a better response. "Take a look around, Fela. While my world has come crashing down around me, the rest of Valle might just survive- but it's an illusion. A shopkeeper might think all they've lost is the strength of a Bestian, or a butcher might have to do without the aid of an ice-controlling Frume. But the lives of the humans around us have grown to depend on potencia just as much. They've grown dependant on the striders for access to the outside world. Still, it might be tough, but there's a chance they'll make it." Viktor's voice went brittle. "I wonder, though, how Valle would respond if its human residents were in the same state of crisis as us."

After a moment's pause, Viktor looked at Fela's stricken face. He wrung his hands as if abashed, and gave a tiny smile. "Not to worry. The Senate will act accordingly. Anyway, there's another reason why I'd like to reach the Estate. The place was built on the largest potencia well in the entire mountain range. If that spring has already been, ah-"

"-been corrupted." Fela offered. She couldn't help herself.

"Yes," he said, nodding to himself. "Even if it's been corrupted already, The Estate must have potencia in storage we could use."

Fela nodded. It only took her a moment to make her own decision. "I'd like to go along with you," She said. "My well's gone too." She backpedaled, realizing the magnitude of her request. "I'm sure you were going to have the Senate join you, someone with authority... but still." she trailed off, her mouth moving far too quickly.

Viktor gently shook off the question, putting a hand on her shoulder. "I'm hesitant to waste potencia on spirit-powered travel, since it's such a short distance to Valle. So instead of flight, or control the wind and such," he said, with a faint smile, "the most efficient way to Valle's estate is by strider. And the Lodestone," he added after a thought, "might be the only team with a strider, a pilot, and a storehold of potencia we could use on such short notice."