Hovering midair was his Soul Core as a sparking and spinning gold orb of light: a constant and relaxing drone was being emitted.
He sat down crossed leg before it and began to ponder upon the truth of what it was and what made his soul. Becoming like an ancient elvhen was not his ideal aspiration, yet Ray had given him a path to follow. Still, he wasn't about to blindly accept the word of a powerful spirit, as much as Ray had helped him. All spirits wanted something.
He got up and walked the length of his sea until he saw Ray's vague image near a perfect horizon line. The man was sitting crossed-legged and with eyes closed like he was in a deep meditation. He wondered if Ray's consciousness still existed during the Uthenera.
"Why did you truly attach yourself to me?" Anri sat before Ray, mirroring his pose. "And when?"
He thought back to the moment he had been bleeding against the obsidian column. It felt too convenient for the spirit to heal him with the offer of help. Yet, if Ray wanted to possess him, he would've been able to do so before... maybe.
He looked at his half-arm, feeling the irregular curve of his amputation line. It wasn't visible, but the tingles to his fingertips hinted at his residual fade energy. As he touched some of his scarred skin at the base of his stump, he saw energy flow out from it. A light-green and blue glow like a wisp flew about the space before him. It spun and swelled before it exploded into fine particles of light, which gathered to form column of words in elven.
See through a grain of sand; gaze upon the ages of truth.
The light blinked thrice then went out, leaving Anri pondering the riddle.
"See through a grain of sand?" He sighed not fathoming the answer and rose, bowing his respects to Ray.
Anri closed his eyes as he walked, willing his mind back to his reality. When he woke, daylight touched his eyes and he felt an emptiness by his side. Sensing Dorian was already up, he pushed off his bedcovers and rose to prepare for the day.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.
Instead of dressing in a suit, he donned his dark leather rogue armor set with alchemical liquid, slapping a dual-end blade on his back holster that his brother had loaned him. Unfortunately, he lost his crossbow at Ash Hills, so he compensated by strapping a sheathed dagger to his stump to make up the full length of his half-arm. He hoped he didn't need to fight, but it was best to be armed as he went about his corruption mapping.
He tightened the buckles to his calf-high boots and adjusted his belt and armor bits and pieces.
"Baba, are you going now?" Elana quietly said as she hugged his bedroom doorway.
Anri finished adjusting his last strap and knelt down to greet her with a smile. "I'll be home for dinner. Listen to Lantina and Keeper." He ruffled her hair and rose to greet an elven woman from his clan.
"Are you sure you want to do this Anri?" Lantina didn't hide her worry for her clan brother.
Anri nodded to the woman who wore the soft leather green-blue dyed armor of a Lavellan rogue hunter. She was the same age as him, highly attractive with bright blue eyes, slender features and plush lips. The dark Sylaise vallaslin on her right eye adding to her beauty. Her flowing blond hair was held in a pristine high ponytail with a soft, wispy fringe sweeping her forehead.
She and Anri grew up like siblings. When everyone was ready to turn their backs on him because of his romantic partnerships, she stood up for him. Like Dennerisan, she had been worried the whole time he was the Inquisitor, feeling the weight of the world might crush him. Unlike Dennerisan, she liked Dorian and felt he was her clan brother's lifeline.
"Wycome will be destroyed if I don't. Please, if you can look after Elana, I'd really appreciate it."
Lantina pouted and bonked his head lightly with a fist. "Idiot. Of course I'll look after her." Her expression eased. "Be careful and don't do anything stupid."
Anri nodded and went back to Elana to give her a hug. "Aunt Lanny here will look after you."
"Aunty Lanny?" Elana looked puzzled as she stared at the elven huntress.
"Lanny?!" Lantina slapped Anri's arm. She lightly kicked his butt as he got up to make his way out the door, laughing.
"Boys." The woman shook her head and kindly addressed Elana. "Let's see what fun we can get up to. Do you like pranks?"
Elana chuckled, feeling at ease. "What is pranks?"
Lantina let out a cheeky grin as she grabbed the young girl's hand and led her through the villa to give her a fun day.