Malcolm Tent
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Wish upon the Stars chapter 648
🕑 Added 2024-06-14 22:25:01 +0000 UTCAfter the celebration, it was time for me to meet with the representatives of the factions. There was a prize for the winner, usually something like chits, Skill crystals, or personalized enchanted items. Of course, we’d done all this for one reason, and I was going to use the opportunity to get face time with the various faction reps to have Felicity transferred to our branch.
“This is a good thing you’re doing, Shane.” Said Callie as she stepped up beside me. It was the last day of the games, so all three of the winners would be meeting with the higher ups at the same time. I had to wait for my name to be called, which would be after they reset the arena so we had a place to hold the ceremony. “I’m proud of you.”
“It’s the right thing.” I said firmly. “You could have ended up like she did.” I gritted my teeth. “The thought of it makes me want to scream.”
She chuckled. “I know. I can feel it. You’re almost as worried about that as you are about Benny.” At my surprised glance, she rolled her eyes. “How are you still not getting how this works. Yes I can tell you’re still upset. But I don’t think you need to be.”
“I was scared and I lashed out at him.” I admitted. “I was kind of a dick. I wouldn’t forgive me if I was him.”
She nodded. “You were, and you did. But I think you’re underestimating the impact that watching that little show had on him. You showed him what having a Path MEANS. Hell, you showed all of us. That big guy with the hammer…that was a technique right? The thing he did to the mountain?”
“It was.” I acknowledged. “Though it was mostly just a really straightforward layering of Might from what I could tell. His Path is weaker than mine, but his stats are way stronger, I’m guessing he has a pretty high Fantasy on top of his Might.”
Waving me off, she shook her head. “Doesn’t matter. Benny was angry because he felt like you were being unfair, but seeing firsthand the kind of shit you’ll be up against…it’s hard to call that unfair. I can’t read him like I can read you, but I know him well enough by now to see how thoughtful he was about what he saw. Plus Celine will talk some sense into him.”
“I just hope it helps.” I said with a sigh. “He really does need a Path. Speaking of, how is yours coming along? Any ideas on solidifying it?”
Callie’s Path of the Abyss wasn’t Solid, obviously, but I had no clue how mine had become Solid, so I couldn’t really advise her. However, some of my experiments with Skill creation and making techniques had given her some ideas, and she’d been consulting my mom when possible too.
“Yeah.” She said with a nod. “A couple. But I need to learn more about it. I spent some time going over that book. It’s a bit dense, but I think I can splice my Path into a Skill manually. I just need to get a better grip on the Path, and maybe get some practice with Skill crafting.”
I was going to offer to help, but my mom called me over. Callie smiled encouragingly, pushing my mask aside to peck me on the cheek. “Go do your thing, you’ll do great.”
Nodding, I headed over to meet up with my mother. My grandfather was already down there with the other representatives, and I had to admit I was pretty impressed, as looking down into the arena, I could see the setting had completely changed. The whole mountain we’d been on earlier was gone, replaced with a stately throne room with seven thrones.
“The Vampire is sitting in too?” I asked in surprise. “Are the independents counted as one of the organizers?”
My mom nodded. “Special circumstances. We tried to involve them more, given the severity of the situation. We need them to side with us, and luckily Lark’s reputation made giving him some leeway easier. Are you ready?”
At my nod, she waved a hand, and a bridge of stars coalesced at the edge of the box. We stepped onto it and it carried us down into the arena. I landed next to a pair of people, one of them familiar. Felicity stood primly beside a small, tanned woman with bright blue hair shaved on one side. When they saw me, they both offered a casual greeting, and we turned as one to face the thrones.
My grandfather, Harrison, Captain Cataclysm, Morgan Lark, Princess Levinia Darksparrow, and the Deathwish Pope each sat in one of the chairs. There was a seventh member of the S-rank contingent, who I assumed must be the Imperial representative. He hadn’t been at the banquet.
I’d asked my mom about him after our training following the event, and apparently King Nod was considered extremely antisocial. His powers had something to do with dreams (though he was notoriously cagey about what, exactly) and he spent most of his time dozing. The King was lazy and rarely did anything unless forced, and sure enough, the small, pale man with the pencil mustache was snoring away on his throne.
Harrison was the first to speak, his eyes on Felicity and I and practically glowing with pleasure. Two of the three champions were from the WCP, and I knew that would give them leverage during negotiations. I was glad he was in a good mood. It might make this easier.
“Champions.” He said officiously. “You have worked hard to be here. Shown yourselves to be powerful and skilled combatants. Wisdom, power, courage. These qualities you have demonstrated and more besides, and as victors, you come before us, the strongest of your factions, and are offered a boon.”
His eyes flicked to Felicity. “Felicity Norquill, of the Wish Curse Palace. What gift would you receive for your victory?”
Felicity smiled. It was…disquieting. It was one of the first expressions I’d seen from her, and it looked wrong. When people smile, their eyes light up and crinkle at the edges, even smirks or bloodthirsty grins engage more than just the lower face muscles.
When Felicity smiled, she looked like someone was pulling her mouth up at the corners by hand. If you covered the bottom half of her face her eyes would have made it impossible to tell she had any expression at all. More than that though, there was no spark of happiness or emotion in the expression. It was just a tensing of muscles in a way that imitated joy.
“I thank you for the opportunity, your excellency.” She said in her usual flat tone. “But I am simply grateful to serve the Palace. If there must be a reward, please grant it to my father, for without him, I wouldn’t be here at all.”
My eyes shot to Craygen, who was standing behind Harrison’s throne with a smug expression. Harrison nodded amiably, letting her know that he accepted her request and that Craygen would be granted additional resources in his position as aide de camp. Princess Levinia was the next to speak.
“Deena Saffron.” Said the fairie princess, in a voice like the singing of joyful birds. “Of the Water Force Temple. What do you request as your reward.” The princess was staggeringly beautiful, and up close it was hard not to stare.
It wasn’t even a matter of any romantic appreciation, looking at Levinia Darksparrow was like watching the sun rise over a verdant valley, or seeing an aurora the light the sky with colors. She’d surpassed what one could categorize as attractiveness, and attained the sort of beauty reserved for wonders of the world.
The blue haired girl, who seemed just as poleaxed as I was, shook off her distraction. “Pardoning your majesty.” She said, giving an awkward attempt to curtsy (I didn’t blame her, Levinia just made that seem like the right kind of move) which was thwarted by the fact that she was wearing pants and a vest instead of any sort of gown. “I would like to apply for a single instance of aid for the Temple, in a situation where it is needed.”
The Princess smiled. “A worthy request. And one I will grant. Should your Temple fall into danger in the future, one of our number will be dispatched to your aid.”
That was…a big fucking deal. There was a WAR coming, and a promise of one time aid from the six was staggeringly valuable.
Deena seemed to think so too, as her face lit up with joy and she bowed deeply, offering profuse thanks. Finally, all eyes turned to me. Harrison, once again, was the one to address me. “Shane Wyndham.” He intoned. “You have brought great pride to your family and your faction, and are due a reward. State your request.”
I met his eyes. “I request Felicity Norquil be removed from her father’s custody and remanded to my branch of the WCP to act as a personal bodyguard. Given my victory, I do not believe accepting such a reward would violate the terms of my candidacy.”
Craygen, who had been looking pleased, froze. “What?” He hissed. “This is…this is lunacy! He can’t ask for that. Harrison! Tell him he can’t ask for that.”
The S-ranker turned a cold eye over his shoulder at his subordinate. “You will be SILENT.” He commanded. Craygen went pale. “The rewarding of the champion involves the honor of the entire faction. We will not renege on our responsibilities.” I started to relax, but he continued. “However, as Felicity too is a champion, her own honor is a factor as well. We will beseech the Wishmaster for a ruling. Amaya.”
A small woman with white hair and dark skin hurried forward, her eyes kind as she shot me a reassuring smile. She waved a hand, and a rainbow arced down from the empty sky, slamming into the air in front of him and warping the space. The ripples in the air warped and changed the skin of the world until a mirror coalesced from the disturbed area.
On the other side of it, a relaxed looking man with familiar sandy hair and green eyes sat reading a book on a couch. At the appearance of the mirror, he paused, sighing, and then closed his book with an annoyed expression.
“Father.” Said Aiden Wyndham, current Wishmaster of the Wish Curse Palace perfunctorily to Harrison. “I trust you have a reason for disturbing my leisure?”
Harrison nodded. “Of course. We’ve had a bit of a situation.” He described the events of the reward ceremony, and my request. Craygen looked like he was ready to vibrate through the floor with his desire to address his friend, but the order from earlier still hung over his head.
Aiden’s gaze turned to me. “How interesting.” He said with a wolfish grin. “Hello little cousin. I’ve heard positively amusing things about you. Trust Eli and Sasha’s brat to cause a ruckus.” His eyes scanned the assembled S-rankers. “Well played. Fine, take her. But you’ll be expected to abide by certain limits. The standard of a C-rank champion from the WCP is far above what you might find elsewhere, and there will be commensurate restrictions.”
I nodded, not really caring. The point of bringing her along was to help her, not to get an extra pair of fists. Not that I would turn down her help, but it was mostly just a bonus. “Thanks.” I said casually. “Keep my seat warm for me, will you?”
He burst out laughing, throwing his head back to let out a booming guffaw. It was staggering how…big, he was. Not physically, but just the sheer force of personality. He had a hint of wildness in his green eyes, a commanding madness I hadn’t seen before. “I’ll do that.” He said jovially. “Try not to get yourself killed. You’re a fun one.” And then the mirror dissolved into a watery mist, and I was left facing all the S-rankers. This had gone better than expected.
Comments
Malcolm Tent
Felicity doesn't want anything tbh. She's pretty much a walking puppet at this point. They're hoping to fix her.
Dylan Alexander
I mean, has anyone actually asked Felicity if she wants this? Seems a bit unfair to her. Maybe she likes being with her dad.🤷
Malcolm Tent
Nah, mostly the god war did that. Black Sorrow has bigger fish to fry. Plus Shane is actually valuable to the WCP at this point. Which means the Wishmaster is more likely to get involved if everything comes out.
AirSak2000
It feels like the recent semi public interactions between Shane and his mom as well as others knowing their relationship, like what just happened, make the whole reasoning for Sasha and Chelsea leaving Shane superfluous.
