Lucidity

Chapter Six: Friend Or Foe

"Look, I didn't know he was going to take me up on it," whined Kosa.

After Oburon had translated what she'd said to the Northeners, several people had been giving her a hard time. Namely, Anwyn, who was pestering her so much that it felt like several people.

"Look at these people! They all look so smart and strong and cool! I mean, one flew in on a pegasus! How can I top that? Nokia?" Anwyn buried her face in the puppy's fur. Kosa sat down next to her friend and rubbed her back reassuring with one hand and stroked Nokia with the other. "That must have been his plan anyway, me saying that won't have changed anything. Besides, I don't know what these tests are going to be, but it wouldn't surprise me to find that they're not looking for someone who can just ace every test. They'll want someone with the heart for it and a mind that can think up worlds. And I think we both know you have those."

Anwyn looked up at her taller friend with the most heartfelt smile and teary eyes, "You really think so?"

Kosa nodded and Anwyn hugged her. "You're the second best, only bested by Nokia." Some friends would have been offended by that, but Kosa grinned, "I can live with that."

Meanwhile, Oburon was actually having a conversation with Libros. He was actually kind of rambling, both excited and astounded, "You're a liberated Gaspia."

"I assure you, I am the Guardian of Words, not a... Gapsa? What is that, anyway," inquired Libros a while later, furrowing his brow. Situations could get rather awkward when the Guardian of Words didn't understand a word.

"I'm a Gaspa, able to speak and understand all languages, but only through pain. But a Gaspia can understand all languages and speaks in one universally understood, magically translated so that the listener can understand," explained Oburon, "But I've never met a free Gaspa, nor a free Gaspia."

A few heartbeats later, Libros tilted his head the side slightly, "But aren't you free?"

Oburon shook his head hastily, then said, "No, Lypera no. I belong to a family as a Gaspa should. I serve them."

"Then where is this family now?"

"I had to leave them. For my destiny. I left a letter saying I had reason to believe my mother was dying and I had to go and visit her... I hope they can forgive me," Oburon mumbled, emitting a cloud of shame. For the entirety of his journey, he had been dripping with guilt. He wasn't the type of person to seek freedom, all he'd ever known was the cycle of duty and service he'd been born into. In his mind, that was just how things go - he had been gifted linguistic powers, hence he must repay his debts by serving others.

"Peculiar," muttered Libros after a short pause, then turned to the small crowd to address them all, "I will leave you for the rest of the day to prepare your tests. In the meantime, I suggest you gather your energy and recover from the journey. The tests will commence tomorrow at sunrise."

Most of them nodded but as usual, Kosa spoke, "And? Could you maybe tell us what the great threat that's endangering Lypera is? Thank you."

Libros considered for a while, before pursing his lips, "Very well. There is a mage, Java, who has acquired considerable power and betrayed his order. He has found a way of creating sentient sand that he can bend to his will and turn into his minions. This wouldn't be a problem, however his intentions are rather... Deplorable. We know little of his plans, yet many claim that he's always fancied himself a king, take from that what you will. Now, farewell."

The large rotund man left and Yaz ended up joining Junior and Hjalmar. Junior immediately winked at her, yet his companion remained cold.

"Have you decided to grace us with you presence?", sneered Hjalmar, his pride still stinging from the verbal beating Yaz had given him earlier. Yaz hung her head in shame, then raised her head again so that she could meet Hjalmar's blue eyes, "I'm sorry. Someone I was close to told me he's joining the army just before I left. I was upset about that, so that combined with you having tried to sabotage me earlier at the market made me lash out at you a bit more than I should have done. But since we're all from Surtren, we ought to stick together."