Repercussions Of Familiarity

Fen, leaning back on his oak, slightly worn seat, began his introduction.

"Ah, I suppose I should identify myself now then - I go by the name of Fen, I'm nineteen, nearly twenty now, and I was granted this precious emblem after assisting Ms Auxley in a rather strenuous task. Pleased to meet you all, also."

Their reactions were mixed. The Magistrate seemed a little shocked, but this was quickly replaced with a much more intense curiosity. Fen couldn't blame him - he clearly held a very high opinion of Auxley, so anyone who could provide assistance worth a reward as seemingly invaluable as the majestic emblem would clearly hold an air of immense mysteriousness.

The Captain, as Fen expected, was a little less impressed. Still, he allowed a look of incredulous respect to slip through his complexion of suspicion - that was enough to give Fen a slight grin.

Lucia, as she had earlier, let out a slightly surprise ridden grin, clearly expecting something different to come from the slightly dishevelled and seemingly inexperienced young man in front of her - Fen also did not blame her, his appearance was certainly closer to that of a beggar than a capable individual able to assist an almighty oracle.

That being said…

'She can't be any more than a year, at most two older than me though - I'm certainly not someone she should think of as a young man!'

Realising he was arguing with himself, based on the conjecture he had developed via a simple facial expression, Fen stopped himself.

'Urgh, this is what happens when I'm exceedingly tired and equally out of my depth - for what seems like the hundredth time this week.'

Pushing aside the immense pressure of fatigue steadily bearing upon him, Fen readied himself for what he guessed would be a flood of questions.

Thankfully, such a flood did not come - Lucia and the Captain clearly curious themselves, a slight frown forming on the formers face infact, but they restrained themselves - Fen was clearly not the only one who had noticed the immense aura of interest that Magistrate Elijah currently held.

Unsurprisingly, the aforementioned Magistrate soon asked Fen:

"You say you helped Madam Auxley with a, as you say, rather strenuous task; I hate to be blunt, but what… task, would someone of her caliber require your assistance in?"

Fen, a rather similair memory of a incredibly blunt woman who was currently being mentioned in their conversation rising to his mind, smiled at the Magistrate.

"No, I quite welcome bluntness - it helps cut to the point of the matter often. To answer your question, it wasn't a matter of Ms Auxley needing my assurance per say, it would be more like she received it - she was on some kind of mission to dispatch a rather horrific rift creature, and I happened to, regrettably, meet the foul being before she had a change to. Thanks to what was mostly sheer luck, I managed to prevail against the monster, shortly before I ran into Ms Auxley."

The Magistrate let out a quick nod, clearly approving of Fen's humble attitude.

"Ah, that certainly does explain it - still, defeating a rift creature deemed threatening enough to require Madam Auxley to combat it is no easy feat - may I ask, exactly how powerful are you?"

Fen frowned a little.

'Quite a broad question'

"I suppose not very? I'm hardly experienced in any kind of combat, and don't hold any kind of special ability's nor do I have any cores awakened. Like I said, I was simply lu-"

Lucia cut him off - frown still present, her curiousness clearly superseding her patience.

"But would I be wrong in saying you have begun upon your path of enlightenment?"

'Wha-'

Fen's mind flooded with shock - how had she known? Anyone less than an oracle such as Ms Auxley, or someone with a similar set of ability's, would not be able to peer within his essence as she had.

That being said…

'Damnnit, I should of realised much sooner!'

The unexplained familiarity Fen had felt coursing him when he first set eyes upon Lucia now seemed a little more elucidated - Fen didn't know how, but somehow not only had she had sensed some kind of similarity between them - assuming she had been overcome with a equal experience as he.

Unlike Fen, who had simply dismissed it, she had clearly thought more of it.

Fen, realising he was now expected to give some kind of retort or answer, replied - coldness and slight mistrust seeping through his previously relaxed tone.

"How did you know?"

A look of acknowledgment crossed Lucia's pastel face.

"It's simultaneously trivial, and hard to explain. I simply felt some kind of sense of similarity between us, a strange, almost overpowering feeling. Combined with the fact an almost identical feeling has been described as pre-enlightenment recognition? I took an educated guess."

'It seems I was correct in my previous hypothesis.'

Fen was not similair with any kind of specific terms such as 'pre-enlightenment recognition', but he had been able to deduce the fact Lucia had previously been an incredibly powerful asset to the city, but had recently been seemingly out of action - which would fit perfectly with someone who had recently begun upon the development stage of their path, hoping to reach their first enlightenment, but also temporarily giving up any supernatural ability's and enhancements they had previously owned.

'So - assuming pre-enlightenment recognition means what I think it does, Lucia has not only reached the development stage of her path, but has done so at what seems to be unmatched speed?'

Unmatched except possibly for him, Fen thought, but he hadn't exactly acquired his wondrous power through standard, or frankly fair means.

"Therefore you are also upon the so called 'path of enlightenment' Ms Lucia?"

She continued to gaze at him, smiling.

"Indeed, Mr Fen."

'This changes things.'

Previously, Fen had been reluctant to gamble his trust in the although respected, unknown Magistrate of Felhaven.

It seemed he had little choice now, however - mostly due to the Captain's intense gaze of newly acquired avarice-filled interest, and the Magistrate's look of a man who had seemingly discovered a immense trove of treasure.

They weren't going to let him go easily, but Fen didn't particually want to anyway - he had a lot to gain from staying in the city, partly since he would certainly hold at least some status, but mostly because he would be able to hopefully gain some kind of insight into how to reach the mythical first stage of enlightenment - one which the jet-black haired woman currently sitting at the same table as him would certainly also be striving for.

'Looks like I'll be in for an interesting time, I suppose.'