The Oracle

Chapter 56: One with Patience

AKARI

"Excuse me," I scowl and shove Valentine away once I get my wits back. "What the hell just happened and where did our friends go?"

"Right...your friends," Valentine sighs before he waves a hand and the others appear before us once again, appearing just as they had disappeared.

"Akari!" Kaito shouts and runs towards me, pulling me into a bone crushing hug. "You're okay."

"Yeah," I breathe out, slowly hugging back as my eyes flicker over to Valentine beyond Kaito's shoulder. "I'm glad you're all safe as well."

"I believe she asked you a question," Sander crosses his arms and raises a brow, making all of us glance expectantly to Valentine.

"If you don't tell her, I will," Miroslava tests.

"You wouldn't dare," Valentine scoffs.

"Why not? It's her life, not yours," Miroslava scowls. "She has the right to know."

"Exactly what the hell is going on here?" I frown, looking between Miroslava and Valentine, Kaito lingering close by me.

"Once upon a time, my brother fell in love with a beautiful young woman, the epitome of wisdom, kindness, and compassion," Miroslava starts, making Valentine scowl, his eyes pained. "That young woman was the original Patience. She was the best parts of him that he could never bring himself to be without her to guide him. With her by his side, he learned not how to survive but how to live."

Miroslava uses her abilities to transport us to memories of the past, allowing us to see what Valentine went through.

"Patience's name was Jaqueline, but Valentine called her Jaquel, sometimes Jackie," Miroslava continues, the image of a young blonde woman with bright blue eyes smiling at Valentine as they stand in a meadow near a well, a water pitcher hugging Jackie's hip, flashing before us. "He spent the most time with her out of anyone he ever knew, especially after Mariposa died. That was when they grew the closest because that was when they truly started talking more. He opened up to her like he did no one else, and she was one of my best friends. She was like an older sister to me. Jackie died during the first war, saving Valentine. She gave her time, her life, to Valentine."

"What do you mean?" I ask softly, feeling breathless as I glance between the vision before us and Miroslava.

"She sacrificed her immortality for him to heal a lethal wound laced with poison in his side," Miroslava says quietly. "She sacrificed her life essence so that he wouldn't lose his."

"How is that even possible?" I ask, watching sadly as Jaqueline holds a white cloth to Valentine's wound in a field by some rocks, the sounds of war heavy in the air, desperately trying to save him before she ultimately gives her life for him, collapsing into his arms as she dies, a sad smile and purple poison trickling down the corner of her mouth as she dies, her blue eyes fluttering shut for the last time while Valentine's expression turns into one of sheer panic and grief.

"Patience is not only able to manipulate time and speed, but they can also give their own time, their own life essence, to heal others," Miroslava explains. "Sometimes they regenerate that lost essence back, but in Jaqueline's case, it was permanent. It was a trade— her life for his."

"What does this have to do with Akari?" Kaito asks once the vision fades away, the surrounding area turning back to normal.

"I'm glad you asked," Miroslava sighs as the turns to me, her eyes landing on me. "Meet Akari Hana, the current Patience."

"Wait," I start, dumbfounded. "What?"

"Your father was the previous Patience," Miroslava explains. "He was shunned from Aria and had his weapon shattered when he was killed by Arias for his so called crimes."

"So called crimes?" Evory asks.

"Aria stated it was strictly forbidden to have any form of romantic encounters with the current oracle because it could have unforeseen consequences," Miroslava continues. "Akari's father fell in love with the oracle at the time. He then helped her transfer her abilities to her sister instead so that they could more safely have and raise a child. As you can imagine, Aria wasn't pleased about the romantic engagements between them, but they especially weren't pleased about the transferring of oracle abilities. Technically speaking, by blood right, Akari would have been Patience and the next oracle."

"So..." I start, mind still reeling. "You're telling me that...I'm Patience...and that I would have been the rightful oracle? What does...what does this mean moving forward? I don't— I never even used any abilities. I don't even have the weapon of Patience because it was shattered."

"I think you're more ready than you know," Miroslava says, meeting my gaze. "And, Akari?"

"Yeah?" I ask, still breathless.

"You're your own person. Always know that," Miroslava says, her eyes flickering from me to Valentine.

"Trust me," I say, my expression turning firm. "I know."

"So, can we count on you to help?" Sander crosses his arms and raises a brow at Valentine.

"Yeah..." Valentine says after a few moments, frowning, his eyes flickering over to me. "I suppose. If you want to save your friends, you should hurry to them."

"What're you talking about?" Evory frowns worriedly. "Did something happen?"

"No," Valentine says, meeting Evory's gaze. "But something's about to."

"We don't even know where they're at though, do we?" Evory continues to frown, glancing at all of us for confirmation.

"They're in Aurora," Miroslava says. "I can see that they reached there several hours ago. They had a run in with Carmin's special team."

"Aikaterina..." I breathe out, making Kaito's breath hitch.

"Come on, we should hurry," Darius says.

"Wait, Valentine," Azuma frowns. "Who will watch over your realm?"

"You will, of course," Valentine says nonchalantly.

"Wh— what?" Azuma stammers, her eyes going comically wide. "But who will look after you?"

"I trust them to," Valentine motions towards all of us. "Besides, I'm more than capable of taking care of myself."

"So be it," Azuma bows respectfully, but I don't miss the hateful glance she throws my way.

Still uncertain about my true destiny and all of this newfound information, I set out with the others to do what matters most— save our family.