Blossom Fable

Chapter 19

At first, I feel nothing. But in a training session a week later, I point my staff at a Featherpig and feel an undercurrent of energy jolt through me. Already? Trusting myself, I say, "Comet." A mage's fifth skill. Tiny particles of meteors, tinted pink, surround the Featherpig and fall down with the speed of actual comets. The Featherpig disappears, its dust sinking back into the atmosphere to fuel the spawning of another monster.

My party praises me for my grand advancement. Learning your fifth skill is a major milestone.

The whole way back to Callena, Mist regards me with suspicion. He squints at me, rarely speaking. Does he see that part of my soul is missing? Does he know what I did at the Sapphire Sauna Outpost?

I visualize the brother god, wondering whether it was a fake instead which I stumbled upon. No. It was him. I couldn't mistake his power, like he could kill me in a fatal blow with just a single wink.

And I know that I would do it again. Give him my devotion for power—a power that might just save my party members one day. I would like to be the defender for once, instead of having to be saved.

Mist walks by my side as we reach home. Do you have something you want to say, Hope?

Recently, I learned to talk to him telepathically, at least a few phrases at a time. No....

He harrumphs, almost smacking me with his tail. An imprinter should always trust his dragon.

Regrettably, I ignore him. As our party winds down in our usual way after a hard day of training, I come to attention when someone knocks on our door. I open it, half expecting the brother god.

Instead, Elder River stands with a cool disposition. "Hope, long time no see."

A part of me sinks in fear. Could he have known what I did in the sauna? Was there some sort of disturbance on the island that gave me away?

"It seems that your party is on the right track," the elder says instead of reprimanding me.

"Thank... thank you." I gulp and look back at Mist, who has curled up on the floor, sighing and snoring at the same time.

"I wanted to give you this invitation," Elder River says. "It looks like you captured the attention of someone in Nin."

"Nin?" I say. The second continent. How could we have gained notice from someone a whole sea away?

"With your interesting powers and your new dragon," Elder River continues, "people have begun to guess that your party may become the heroes that Blossom Fable needs. They would like to celebrate that. So you're invited to the Grand Wedding, as long as you complete the prerequisites."

I take the card that he hands me, which feels heavy as if weighted with metal. I open the envelope and find a list of quests that need fulfilling.

"With each quest that you complete," the elder says, "you will receive one charm. You need a total of five charms to pass the quest and attend the Grand Wedding. I hope to see you there, as I will be working on the quests as well."

"That should be no problem for you..." I say, again stiffening. Could he really not know what I did?

"Great," he says. "I hope to see you there." He leaves, but not before casting a glance over my shoulder and admiring Mist. Mist shifts in response, but not without another loud snore. Elder River chuckles a bit before turning and whipping out a scroll. I watch him disappear, taken up by the power of the scroll.

I don't wait a second to tell my party members. The Grand Wedding is the greatest festival of all time, and there is one in Nin and one in Miria every year. It will feature the two most powerful heroes of the current age, or at least the two most powerful that have also fallen in love.