Converging Destinies: Part 1

Chapter 171

       Ara' Sei was standing behind the house, staring off into the distance. Zerai walked up next to her.

       "Oh goodness, I was not planning on this." Ara' Sei said.

       "Should I talk to Ella about it?" Zerai asked. Ara' Sei shook her head.

       "It was my fault she found out. I tried dragging you all into my lie without warning you beforehand." Ara' Sei replied.

       "Hmm, well, what are you going to do now?" Zerai asked.

       "I'll have to be completely honest to them. Tell them everything, even if it scares them." Ara' Sei said.

       "How did you originally leave here, over six months ago?" Zerai asked.

       "When I originally left, it was because divine visions began leading me forward. I told them I was going to meet a person I had been exchanging letters with, and I left before they could give any input." Ara' Sei said. Zerai gave Ara' Sei a weird look.

       "Yeah, not a very good lie, I know." Ara' Sei said with a laugh.

       "How smooth of you." Zerai said sarcastically. Ara' Sei laughed more.

       "Yeah, come to think of it I'm sure my mother is kind of laughing at me right now." Ara' Sei said.

       "Don't blame her. Going to meet someone who you were exchanging letters with. Is there even a courier service here?" Zerai asked. Ara' Sei shook her head.

       "Wow, you didn't think it through at all." Zerai said. Ara' Sei shook her head.

       "I mean, I was kind of panicking. The divine had always been there, but now they were asking me to do things. It was scary for me, so I thought it would be too scary for them as well." Ara' Sei said. Zerai clutched Ara' Sei's hand.

       "I'm sure they won't give you trouble or try to force you to stay or any of that." Zerai said.

       "You're right." Ara' Sei replied. The two stared out at the endless fields surrounding them.

       "Was this place boring growing up?" Zerai asked.

       "Very." Ara' Sei said.

       "So you've liked the past few months?" Zerai asked. Ara' Sei nodded.

       "As scary as it's been, it feels amazing. Magical power... feels amazing." Ara' Sei said.

       "Believe me, I know the feeling. It was quite a shocker discovering I had it. Now I could just make things happen." Zerai said. As he snapped his fingers, a streak of golden light emerged from his hand. Ara' Sei opened her hand and the wind picked up around the two of them.

       "I know it's a strange question, but how does it feel not having such things?" Ara' Sei asked. Zerai pondered for a second.

       "You feel a lot smaller." Zerai said.

       "Smaller?" Ara' Sei asked.

       "Yeah, you're just like every other person. All of those mages and archmages we hear stories about feel so much greater, larger than life." Zerai said.

       "There weren't many stories I heard here growing up. I mean, I've heard of the gods, the dragons in the mountains, and a couple fairy tales, but that's it. As beautiful and dear as this place is, there's almost nothing here." Ara' Sei said.

       "Have you ever been to Point Sathus?" Zerai asked. Ara' Sei shook her head.

       "It's boring here, but it's familiar. I think now that I've been in cities and towns it'll be easier to handle." Ara' Sei said.

       "Did Cresselbrooke feel big to you when you first arrived?" Zerai asked.

       "It felt huge, and then it was even more overwhelming with Aaronsworth and Duskholme. And Point Nordis, goodness! It was too much!" Ara' Sei said. Zerai laughed.

       "I can't imagine a place as quiet as this. How did you learn to talk to people?" Zerai asked.

       "Oh, haha, I would hunt for copper coins and beg the baker to give me things for half the price. I actually practiced some of my magic that way. I would magically raise my voice and threaten the poor man into giving me pastries." Ara' Sei said.

       "That's so cruel!" Zerai said.

       "I know, but that's how I learned to socialize with people." Ara' Sei said with a laugh. Another moment of silence passed where the two looked out over the endless fields, cast in the orange glow of the sun.

       "Are you ready to go back inside?" Zerai asked. Ara' Sei nodded. The two stood up, walked back to the front of the house, and walked back inside.