A blind girl was on a visit in NQSC. Today was one of the days she wasn't going to spend in the Dream Realm. Nor she was going to spend that time in the manor, and there was always something she had to manage. If not management of Fire Keepers' assets, then Valor's administration, and progressing her mastery of runic sorcery. Her life is very busy, and engaging, to the point she was sometimes even doubtful if she will find time to do something meaningful. But not today. She was waiting at the Brilliant Emporium, its basement, for something to happen. What was going to happen? What was she going to learn? She didn't know at all.
How does one live knowing that the future is uncertain?
It's amazing - she could say. It's exactly what a being with no reliable visions of the future could feel, a mix of hope, and fear, sense of mystery, a romance, and the feeling of withdrawal, at least at the beginning… Fated love could seem to be romantic, but that couldn't be more wrong. If anything, it was almost bleak. It also applied to her. Knowing that people are destined for each other without having choice easily deprives it of charm. Perhaps that's the reason why she didn't find a boyfriend. Or maybe her shit is too great to share it with anyone.
It's not by chance that Nephis fell for a guy that seemed to know everything, but she, Song of the Fallen, didn't know a thing.
Above all it's blissful. As an oracle she should know that the best. Yet somehow she didn't. Her recollection of fate that awaits was at very least full of holes. That's nothing new. Her knowledge of the future was always flawed, which ironically was true also before. Fate is tricky, and it always finds a way to get what it wants. It allows knowledge of its working only when it doesn't go against the ultimate course. She suspects that the things she knows from the revelations of fate she learned mostly so fate could, or was more sure to achieve the final destination.
Implications are at least disturbing. For example, that means that if she didn't know Nephis is gonna be left alone on the Forgotten Shore then it's possible that Nephis wouldn't be left alone at the Forgotten Shore. Wasn't it actually very possible to just kick Caster's balls then hit his head really hard, keep him unconscious, and then leave him alone at the Forgotten Shore? At the casuistic level one way or another Cassie was gonna be responsible for that Nephis is gonna be at the Forgotten Shore. Fate already decided so.
Or worse, the fact she knows the word is gonna end, will cause the end of the world. Or, also bad, she will tell them, and the words are gonna crush the world to dust, just breaking the spirits.
Indeed knowledge is the heaviest thing in the world.
So how could she feel when she was denied such knowledge? Light as a feather. For the first time since many years ago she was free of the responsibility that came with the knowledge of the future. So light it was also unpleasant to not be disturbed by the visions as much as before. Not only that. She noticed that her memories have very strange, hard to explain gaps, very vast gaps. That one is really disturbing. She had many suspicions about what was responsible for that, some so vivid that it looked like she had to put one puzzle in place. Nephis' new boyfriend that came out of nowhere has to be the key to everything. And through Kai he established he's on their side.
The events, whatever has happened to Sunny, also affected her position as a renowned oracle. What was she going to say now when she doesn't see anything, when the future seems to be impossible to uncover? Cassie could at least consider herself to possess a repertoire of different abilities that assured her importance. She could access the vision of other beings, see their memories, change the way they remember things, see attributes, transfer, and hear thoughts, under the condition the target allowed her, and the power to see the immediate future still functioned despite the future being uncertain.
Those tricks are nowhere near the ability to access the visage of the vast tapestry of fate, her powers were… discomplete, but still held vast advantages, many able to cover the shortcomings. Those advantages were quite overwhelming, yet they were also nothing in the face or fate.
There was one point of view, her own, of a blind girl. But the rest of her senses were very sharp. Just by attuning to the ground vibrations she could generally tell where walking people are, even with just that it wasn't really that hopeless. The connection she shared with Quiet Dancer allowed her for some rudimentary chips of spatial awareness. Other than that there were various different points of view. Every person she left her mark on could be a subject to her borrowing their visions, each borrowing encompassed all senses, some of them were really unique.
That made her a perfect spy, actually even better than that since to the extent she could often even decipher the abilities of those seen by her marks. Being able to see that much should allow her to put her hand on the secrets of the Sovereigns in a swift manner. If only it was simple…
However it's not that simple. Apparently she's not able to delve into secrets of the Sovereigns simply by seeing them. She doesn't have many opportunities to see the Queen, and the King either. The Queen resides in her palace, where many aspect abilities have problems working, making it problematic to approach her by placing a mark, and waiting for the person in question to arrive in the Jade Palace, not that the Queen allows many people near her. The King… It's quite hard to tell. According to her guess that place in a sense doesn't even exist, it's a nightmarish version of Bastion.
Nonetheless some people arrive there, in this half-nightmare, and actually it's where Anvil spends most of his time, doing something, she still hasn't figured out what that might be cause he doesn't allow anyone near, except for a few people.
So till now the only thing she knows about the Queen is that her power allows her to raise the dead, and turn them into something not that dead, something like a puppet, which is a common knowledge. At the same time the only thing she knows about the King is that he can control swords.
That will soon change.
During last few months Julius helped her to reduce the number of people who might know something about Valor. She still had to get the opportunity to approach them, but after a few sessions of sorting through the memories, and breaking into academy records many clues pointed to one of the instructors, currently in old age, and body, Master Orum.
Together with Sunny she made a plan to kidnap him, bind in place, and then brutally read his memories at the expense of huge amounts of essence. She took a deep breath preparing herself mentally for the work she's gonna do.
Suddenly the shadows moved on it's own, and took a shape of two people. There was Sunny, and Master Orum who was still shocked.
"What…"
"Greetings, Master Orum."
Cassie bowed lightly. She spoke in the impassive polite voice of a humble servant, the one she definitely wasn't' in the current situation. She gave him some time to react, and compose himself.
Standing before her was an old Master, a man who has seen the first decades after Spell's descent.
"You are Saint Cassia. I have complaints, young lady. It's not proper to force your guests to arrive."
"Would you agree if I sent an official invitation to the Manor of Immortal Flame?"
"Probably. Though I would still question the reasons, and worry about the safety."
"Then please forgive my rudeness. You're not the one safe here. At least not the things you might want to hide. We want your secrets. Then probably we'll let you go unharmed."
She tried to announce her agenture in order to not treat the man totally unfairly. Who knows? Maybe he will even allow to see his memories? That would spare her from burning through all of her essence. Of course, the chances were very slim. You don't become a Master simply by being obedient to random people.
"*sigh* Even if I wanted there's no way I'm going to run away from a Saint, even a blind one like you. How much do you know about me? Are you doing this for Anvil? You're a part of Valor, but he doesn't have much affection for you. …or anyone, if I recall."
"You were an instructor at the Academy at some point. I want to learn whatever you might know about the Sovereigns. Both of them. I mean their powers, weaknesses."
"What a strange question… Why would you even want to know that? Well, young lady, I can tell you some things about Anvil. On Ki, however, you should understand it's not that simple. I taught her, but I was not so close, and she was insignificant at that time. How should I start? Anvil can control metal. The end. That's all I kn…"
Cassie cut the sentence abruptly. She shook her head in rejection.
"Please… Master Orum, sadly I will break the mood. Even with your full willingness I have to refuse you. I've just mistreated you, and I can't expect you to be truthful. No, actually I would force the answers out of you even without that. Let's put that shortly. Just look into my eyes, don't resist, and we'll call it a day. That will spare us unnecessary trouble."
The old man before her looked with determination, and courage. It was really a commendable sight. Even knowing there's nothing he can achieve, he still knew how to persist.
"Lady Cassia, I can't allow you that. I still have my own commitments."
"Sunny, if needed, make sure his eyes are open. Try to not harm him. He's not an enemy."
Sunny responded with a subtle nod.
Cassie approached Orum calmly. She took off her blindfold, and revealed her eyes.
Orum didn't appreciate her look. He took an attempt to struggle, turned around on his heel, and tried to run, even if there's nearly no hope. There had to be something really important there.
The old man was immediately grabbed by Sunny in a firm grip. Some shadows assumed the shape of ropes that wrapped around Orum, taking away the hope of escaping. Then the Master closed his eyes. But the hands of her comrade forcibly moved his eyelids exposing them to the influence of the gaze, Cassie didn't stop stepping towards.
Witnessing the scene through the eyes of Orum, Cassie internally accused herself of lacking in terms of good taste, but still, to her disgust, she was not above stealing other people's memories. It was a bad path, potentially depriving them of dignity, but also too convenient, and too necessary to not follow. Great ambitions require great audacity. And really, what else is she supposed to do? Wait till she's desperate enough to do the same thing, but a little bit of later?
Nah, normally she would be afraid that fate will strike against them, but with Sunny being around there's much hope changing events will go well, just for once. And she made a choice to involve herself, and carry the burden. Who knows? Maybe this one will give her the desired outcome?
"Don't worry. It will end soon…"
Orum stopped physically struggling, and fell into trance.