Cloak and Scalpel

THE CADIA ARC: Sea Legs

Author's Note:

Hello all! After my hiatus, I'm back! I'm sorry, I've just had so much going on with life. But to sum it up—the Ao3 Author curse is real. I didn't think it was, but oh goodness. Anyway, expect more frequent updates from me henceforth.

————————————
————————————
The Present Time

The Cadia Riverlands

The Scarlet Shadow
————————————
————————————

A wish.

Something that the heart desired above all else, something yearned for with one's whole being. I wasn't exactly sure what it was in my memories that made me yearn but whatever it was, it was enough to strengthen my resolve about my decision.

Zhu'an.

Described in the MLBB game lore as a 'dream-like' city, it was located much further inland than the Scarlet Shadow. It was the home of Zhuxin, the mage known as the 'Beacon of Spirits'. It was said that she was capable of granting wishes. The caveat was that Zhuxin had no interest in 'ordinary' or 'mundane' wishes. You wanted endless wealth? That bored her. You wanted fame? Not worth her time.

No one knew what wishes Zhuxin found interesting enough to entertain. But what I did remember was that she often asked a price for them. No one knew what price she wanted for each wish granted—that was what made her so capricious.

I knelt in front of the table, eyes fixed on the parchment I'd asked from Kagura earlier. On it, I'd painted out a rough sketch of the Land of Dawn, marking the continents and the different regions in each. I'd finished with my rough map of the Cadia Riverlands. It would come in handy when I started on my quest for Zhuxin. I had placed an 'x' over the city of Zhu'an for good measure.

I set down the brush and parchment before my eyes landed on the sketch of the Moniyan Empire I had made. I'd marked out the capital city—Lumina—and the three castles that belonged to the three duchies of Moniyan. Castle Gorge, the fief of House Baroque. Castle Grandrock, the seat of House Vance, and Castle...wait.

I hadn't marked out the third castle.

I frowned, drawing the parchment closer. I dimly recalled there was another castle, another duchy, that sat north of the Lantis Mountains. Castle...there was another castle. Castle...ruled by House...and a...duke...? Or was it a duchess?

"Ow." My hand jumped to my temple as a sharp, lancing pain spiked through my head. It always did when I kept trying to recall things I'd forgotten.

Like the name of this third castle.

Strange though. I'd marked every location on the map, even the Abyss, Necrokeep, the regions in the Agelta...except this third castle. Did this mystery duchy have anything to do with my memories?

I glanced at the sparkling ring on my left finger. Something told me this ring was tied to that third castle, to that unknown duchy.

"Diana? Are you all right?" I nearly jumped. Kagura was standing just outside the shoji, a look of concern in her eyes. "I heard you say 'ow'."

I blushed at that. "Oh, um...nothing, just a little headache," I reassured her as she came into the room. She knelt beside me at the table, eyes fixed on the parchment and the crude map of the Land of Dawn I'd drawn on it.

"Why are you making a map?" Kagura asked with a tilt of her head.

"Oh, well, I kinda figured it's better to write everything I know so far, since my memories are a little wonky," I explained as I pushed the map towards her. "I made the Cadia map first. Is it...accurate? Don't mind the drawing though, I'm not the best at drawing maps."