The Oracle

Chapter 20: Lost and Found

AKARI

Once it was made sure that Glade was free from any future attacks, we headed out the next morning for Elvenowl. As of now, we're still about fifteen minutes away from the city and the snowstorm has passed, leaving a few feet of snow on the ground in its wake.

"So," Sora starts as he walks next to me and I glance over at him, his hands in his pockets, "yesterday, you asked Clea about Patience too. I was wondering what happened to the previous one, if you don't mind me asking."

"The last Patience died years ago," I shrug. "His name was erased from all records for some reason. According to rumors, it was because of committing some forbidden act. Nobody nowadays really knows. I'm sure Carmin would, though."

"Not even Clea knows?" Sora frowns slightly.

"No," I shake my head. "If she did, she would've mentioned it when I asked. She wouldn't have had a reason to hide it. Plus, I saw that it wasn't on the page."

"Well, what happened to the original weapon of Patience, then?" Sora asks.

"It was broken," I say after a few moments. "It was the only original weapon to have ever been broken."

"What?" Sora's eyes widen. "How?"

"It was broken in battle whenever he died. Whoever broke it must've had some serious abilities because nothing like that has ever been done before, nothing anywhere even close," I say. "It would've been hard for even Wrath to do that."

"But there has to be one of every sin and virtue alive, right?" Sora frowns. "So, now what?"

"There's a Patience alive somewhere," I nod in thought, "but whoever they are, I must say I feel rather sorry for them. They'd never get their weapon or unleash their true potential."

"That sucks," Sora sighs and I offer a sad smile.

"I'm sure they're managing," I offer and Sora smiles in return. "They probably live on some little farm off in the country somewhere, far from danger. I'd say they'll live a happy life. Maybe they're better off that way anyway."

"I don't know," Sora's smile slips slightly. "If it were me, I'd want to know so that I could do whatever I could to help people. I mean, wouldn't you? In my mind, if I don't do it then how do I know anyone else will?"

"That's true," I sigh. "Very, very true."

"Hey guys, look!" Isabella shouts and points ahead to a city in the distance. "We made it!"

"Wow," Clea breathes out as we approach the city.

"Wow, indeed," Shae smiles fondly as he looks around inside the entrance and adjusts his glasses.

"Welcome to Elvenowl, girls and boys," Gambit grins as she places her hands in her hips and admires the view ahead of her.

Elvenowl, unlike the rest of the mountaintops, is a city that has high tan walls with a glass ceiling overlooking the entire city to ensure that it's free of snow, the snow going to the tan tiled floor that starts just before the giant tan and red designed stone doors that lead into the city. Additionally, the city feels like spring, unlike the cold winter outside. The city itself has roads made of tan stones and has different colors of banners hanging from the sky that are strung between poles, as well as multiple strings of fairy lights, vendor booths on the sides of the roads, and a public square with a giant stone water fountain with rose petals in the water and aspen trees and rose bushes surrounding the fountain and the square. Further in the city, businesses and homes start popping up, each building pressed fairly closely to another, only a few feet between each one. However, the pretty stone sidewalks and sleek black lamp posts add a pretty sort of aesthetic to the areas.