382. Of misconceptions, memories and a little vanity

Cassandra Pendragon 

"How much do you actually know about me," I breathed, the mosaic revelations she had shared were painting a much more detailed picture than I had expected. Apparently she not only knew who I was, no, she also knew about Ahri and our connection. Vaguely at least.

"Quite a bit but not nearly enough," she replied wistfully. "If you're done playing coy you'll see in a minute. Shall we?" She wiggled her fingers suggestively and scooted even closer until we were no more than a handspan apart. Her fresh, almost cold scent tickled my nose.

"As you wish." My wings flared brightly, silvery light flowed through the room like water and my perception changed. For a split second I was lost, disoriented by the sudden abundance of memories and thoughts that weren't my own. With a gentle push the kaleidoscopic sensations shuddered and dispersed, creating order from chaos in an instant as I entered a brave new world filled with pain and joy in equal measure, a confusing labyrinth of dreams and deeds long gone but still alive.

Cold and hunger, the harsh reality of a forgotten child, alone and abandoned on a piece of rock in the middle of nowhere. The pain of an exhausted body, moving well past what it was supposed to endure, the cramps of starvation that still forced it to put one foot in front of the other like the crack of a whip. The exuberant happiness clean, untainted water could evoked as it ran down a parched throat. The warmth and giddy satisfaction when small, fragile bones broke under a bleeding, shredded hand, the promise of nourishment hidden underneath coarse, scaly hides and the salty taste of blood as sharp canines tore through flesh. Like an animal she had lived and like an animal she had fought, clawing at the imaginary walls of her prison until she had eked out a meagre existence from the barren wastes. Time passed.

A shadow darkened the sun, magnificent, colourful sails blocked out the sky and deep, hoarse voices filled the natural silence with the sound of humanity approaching. At night the fires warmed the deadly darkness and a small body snuck past the ring of guards, drawn in by the scent of sizzling meat like a moth was drawn to the flame. Shouts and laughter, calloused fingers closing around her frail limbs like a trap until a thunderous command made them heel. A strong but gentle presence, the memories of a coarse beard against a soft, youthful cheek and… safety. Safety and hope. Time passed.

The great, bustling markets of Anapur, suffocating under a fragrant blanket the merciless sun had teased from poppy seed and cardamom, vanilla and saffron. A pair slowly made their meandering way through the maze, hand in hand, while the people stopped in their tracks to stare after them. A young kitsune girl was a rare sight indeed but her willingly accompanying a large, armed man made their imagination run wild. Who was he? And why did he treat the beast like his own daughter? 

A small house on the outskirts of the market, the yellow sandstone a thick, ancient barrier against the sweltering heat. In a dimly lit room inside the man and the girl were sitting on large cushions while an elderly woman appraised a jewel under a magnifying glass. "I'll have to get the owner," she croaked after a moment. Time passed.

Under a starry sky a large, worm like creature narrated the story of the Immortal Pearl, a present to a beautiful princess of ages past, delivered by the god of the night himself. When she had spurned his advances he had bound her soul to the Pearl and smashed it to pieces, fixing the fragments to the night sky so he'd always be able to admire her beauty. Small, fluffy ears twitched in the warm breeze as the kitsune girl leaned in closer to listen raptly, her eyes wide, her mouth open as the sonorous voice evoked wondrous scenes of ages past for her to enjoy. All her guardian could do was grimace, but, despite his uncomely appearance, the worm had left a deep impression on him and he wasn't going to judge a book by its cover. Time passed.

A deep vale, nestled between snowy peaks, too high for even a dragon to climb, resonated with the cheerful chatter of several dozen younglings. From humans to kitsune, from wolf kin to elves, none of them looked the same, except for their awestruck expressions, their eyes glued to a shimmering, taller than life obelisk. Far east and far north the worm had taken her and months had passed unnoticed. This place was as secluded as it was secret, the profound teachings of Dharma and Prajna protected by distance and the silence of the sect.

A warm, reassuring hand landed on the kitsune's shoulder, banishing her fear, as the worm's deep voice sounded in her ears: "I can't come with you but I'll be here, in this spot, each year, every year and I'll bring your pa. Stay as long as you like and listen, learn. We have all the time in the world. Don't take the words of the old coots as gospel, though. There is more to magic, more to life than even they know but when it comes to building a foundation there's nothing better than the guidance of an ascetic, ancient monk. Once you're done… there are many more places I'd like to show you, many more secrets I'd like to share." He paused, his thoughts apparently flitting between uncounted memories from uncountable ages. "Don't forget what I told you. You can share and cultivate your mana based magic but whatever you do, don't even hint at your esoteric capabilities. It's not often that a prospective disciple with access to her life force stumbles through this valley and I'd rather not have to burn this place to the ground to get you out." 

Distractedly the kitsune girl nodded, just as the obelisk flared with a soft, golden light and the ceremony began. As if in trance she raised her gaze to sky where a huge, scintillating sword had appeared, carrying a single person. Even from afar she could feel his aura like a slumbering beast, ready to pounce. Time passed.

A young woman, her two tails quivering excitedly, stood at the helm of a sky ship, the very same, worm like creature contently leaning against the railing at her side. "Don't get your hopes up. They might not even allow us to land," he mumbled. Despite his words he still reached for a gem and with a whispered command the silhouette of the woman as well as his own began to flow like water. A heartbeat later two humans stood in their place, just as the crown of a nature-defyingly large tree appeared on the horizon, its branches hung in silver to celebrate the birth of the youngest princess of the third palace. Time passed.

Even after she had surpassed her teachers, even after her magic had grown to unknown heights, her powers a tangible, burning sphere in her lower abdomen, she couldn't move. Under the suffocating gaze of a gargantuan, azure eye, surrounded by scintillating scales the size of her hand, she was as powerless as a newborn, as much prey as a startled deer under the full moon when the wolfs howled. Even Indigorath with his artefacts and tricks, his knowledge and magic, was nothing but an ant in front of a true dragon and the breathing, rumbling mountain of sapphires definitely wasn't a drake. With an elegant bow the worm, apparently unaware of the suppressive force, said warmly: "Caerulea, it's been too long! You've grown splendidly!" A boneshaking snort accompanied by a blue flame shook the cave.

"Indigorath, as insincere as ever. What has brought you here?"

"Straight to the point. I'm here to ask a favour." His long tail wrapped around the kitsune and pulled her to his side. "I'm here for her. Teach her. The price doesn't matter. Whatever you want, if it's within my capabilities, I'll comply." For the first time a gleam of curiosity entered the gem like eye. 

"Really? Then tell me, child, what have you done to touch the rotten stump this creature calls a heart? Or has he finally become senile?" Time passed.

Under the bright full moon a company of hunters, led by an imposing kitsune woman with four tails, stalked the night. Their prey, a rare variant of the Azure Snake, had eluded them the day before but they hadn't given up. They had been foiled too often, from the highest peaks of the Emerald Island to the lush forests of the Southern Cluster they had chased after elusive creatures and they wouldn't relent only because of a single mistake, a single failure. Time passed.

"Do we have enough," the kitsune asked, her eyes fixed onto the spoils of their endeavours. In a large cavern a variety of magical beasts, from unicorns to Emerald Bears and Cathithian butterflies, were frozen, like ants in ember. 

"Depends," Indigorath replied, his coils quivering. "If your spell works, we will. By the way, did I ever thank you? Without your magic and your ingenuity none of this would have been possible."

"There's no need. You need them and I'm not going to watch silently while you might hunt them into extinction. This way you can live and we can preserve our most precious treasures."

"It almost sounds like you care more for them than for me," the worm complained playfully.

"Maybe I do," she chuckled. "They, at least, don't have a family of murderous megalomaniacs chasing after us. That's more than you have to offer, isn't it?"

"Afraid so. Speaking of families… I promised to keep an eye on Boseiju, remember? Just in case… Well, something happened to her kingdom. As we know it would. I'm not sure what, exactly, but it's bad." Time passed.

"Are you really fine sharing your weaponry," Aglaia asked. "Once they see what you've accomplished, they'll make you divulge the blueprints."

"My dear," Indigorath answered, "if only a tenth of what we've heard and seen is true I won't begrudge them a few baubles, powerful as they might be and they're hers to begin with. Besides… you want to reconnect with your race, don't you? If that's all it's going to cost us I'll pay the price gladly." The kitsune's eyes narrowed: "And what if they decide that I'm no longer of their race? What if they decide that they'd be better off without us… without you?"

"Then, Aglaia," the worm replied with a sly grin, "we bargain. But I don't think it'll come to that."

"Why? She's…" she couldn't finish: "Because they're old. Both of them. With this kind of ages… you become either cruel or gentle. Do they seem cruel to you?" "Old? Haven't you…"

"Hush now. There's much you don't know and the world is many times larger than you can even imagine. Trust me, your… distant cousin and her girl, they are even more than you can see. Don't be blinded by their divine facade. Underneath… well, I'm not going to lie and tell you I know what they are but I recognise power when I see it, and that kind of strength… it's measured in aeons."

The kitsune frowned. "Aeons? Aren't you exaggerating? I've been taught by a dragon and…"

"Vixen, stop arguing and listen. Caerulea is my friend but she's neither of a strong line nor very old, yet she makes you tremble and me think twice before I'd ever cross her. But in comparison… see for yourself." His eyes glazed over, emitting a purple sheen, and a small crystal ball flew over from a nearby stand. Following a silent command its murky depths flickered and came to life.

A shadow rose from the mist, long and agile like a snake. Breathlessly the kitsune leaned in closer trying to glimpse the size or maybe the face of the creature. From one heartbeat to the next the clouds within the glass began to roil as if stirred by a giant's hand and an eerie, golden glow danced across the walls of the cabin.

A breathtaking golden dragoness appeared, her swan like neck craned, her eyes aglow with power but Aglaia only had eyes for the small, seemingly insignificant creature on her back. Another kitsune looked at her directly, her gaze piercing through the boundaries of the spell. Silvery eyes flickered with a hint of amusement on a face that would haunt her nights for weeks to come and the image faded.

The stream of memories subsided and I felt her gently push against my consciousness, a shy plea to be left alone. Normally I wouldn't have hesitated but this time… there was too much at stake. My thoughts shifted, my power surged and from one moment to the next I bore down on her, immobilising her mind, her will, her body in an instant. She wouldn't remember and I'd only need a second. Her innate magic stirred, trying to fend off the intruder but, as strong as she was, she could just as well have surrendered. Aside from a faint pressure, similar to a small change in altitude, I didn't even feel her subconscious efforts.

As soon as I took control of her thoughts she couldn't decide what she wanted to show me anymore and her mind returned to what it considered the most important. I was on the verge of brushing the images away impatiently but then I hesitated. I imagine you'd have done the same if your own face had suddenly winked at you from within a maelstrom of chaotic memories from a married woman. And a good thing I did. It wasn't the gratification of her admiration I was after, even though I'd be lying if I claimed that I didn't feel flattered, but rather the implications. It didn't take me long to realise that Aglaia had been much more enchanted by my beauty than the people of Free Land. They, at least, could talk to me quite normally once they had overcome the first moment of shock but if I had met that kitsune girl by chance on the street without any prior warnings she wouldn't even have been able to form a coherent sentence. And for the first time I understood why. Or so I thought. The real reason for her fascination was something else entirely, something I'd figure out a bit later.

I was right, though, where the possible implications were concerned. Ever since I had grown up I had been surrounded by people who knew me intimately well or by… I don't intend to sound conceited but by weaklings. Humans, especially the ones without any magic, their perception was simply different. They instinctively recoiled when they saw me, like a wolf pack recoiling from a dragon no matter how enticing the bounty might be. And the few instances where I had met someone powerful or shown a softer side… Viyara, Erya, Layla, Alassara, Liz, even Lyra, the list went on… you might have guessed where I'm going with this.

Every time the innate… fear I instilled in others had vanished they had become infatuated, charmed… mostly with a single glance. Now, as to why I'm even bothering mentioning this instead of shrugging it off… we were headed to the Emerald Island. A place where everyone was a mage, certainly of different calibres but still a… stronger existence. Which meant fear would turn into longing, shyness into possessiveness. In short, if I hadn't come across this little tidbit of information I might have caused problems the very moment my feet would have touched the soil of the Emerald Island. As for confirmation whether I had actually stumbled across something important or was simply delusional:

"Ahri, darling, a quick question… were you ever going to tell me that you're wearing a mask every time you leave your room?" She wasn't even surprised. She knew what I was thinking.

"Yes. I had one made for you yesterday. You're right. The more powerful a race is the more they feel our allure. I went out once without a veil. It was… educational."

"And you didn't bother telling me?"

"Well… I feared you'd overreact if I told you that I've been proposed to over a dozen times."