Chapter 29 #2
A low growl erupted from Dion, and I nudged him with my elbow. “It seems you aren’t the only one disapproving of being in each other’s company. And that confuses me. From what I’ve been told, you don’t know each other.”
“Naya, focus on the important questions,” Dion interrupted, and Larithia’s eyes darted from me to him and back.
“I know about the males you’re traveling with, especially of this one here, the one you consider surrendering your strength to.
And that’s enough.” Larithia sent another sharp look full of daggers toward Dion, who returned it with even more ferocity.
“And he thinks he can intimidate me and that it will protect you.”
Right on cue, another growl burst from Dion, louder this time.
She turned to him again. “Think of me when your house of cards collapses, will you?”
“Shut up.”
I frowned. Why was I always missing all the context? I hated that everyone was always speaking in riddles, and soon, I wouldn’t permit Dion to dodge my questions anymore.
“We need information.” I’d had enough, and the earlier we would be done here, the better.
Larithia was obviously acquainted with who we were and what we were doing, so there was no reason to waste our time with introductions.
“Why did Antas’ dreams lead to me? What are we supposed to do?
And do you know anything about that rip we encountered? ”
Tapping my foot on the floor, I waited for the seer to overcome her godsdamned reluctance. Sure, Dion could very well be some sort of villain, but our host was too prejudiced for my taste. Condemning him without giving him a chance to prove himself was simply vile.
“I don’t have the answers to your first two questions, but I believe everything you’ve asked is interconnected. I have theories and will tell you what I can and also where you might be able to find more answers.”
Disappointment settled deep in my stomach and crawled through my insides like a rotten parasite, sapping my strength. Dion was growling again—no surprise here—and I sighed, deciding to eat my feelings and not let them show. “Please tell us what you know.”
“What you’ve encountered will soon be known as Wild Rift throughout the worlds, and yours wasn’t the first, nor will it be the last. For reasons unknown to me, the fabric between the two worlds has been thinning for quite a while now, and if things proceed as they are, the barrier will break down completely in the near future.
I’ve seen the outcome, and the consequences are not going to be pretty.
Everything here will perish. Nothing will survive.
” Larithia’s eyes appeared slightly unfocused.
“There are forces working toward this goal, players who have long since discovered the thinning of the fabric and are doing everything to accelerate it. It’ll be the ancients who’ll be the first to die if we don’t protect the roots, and if they do, all hope will be lost.”
The shock that her words caused was visible on our faces, both on Dion’s and mine. He’d even stopped scowling at Larithia.
“That’s horrible. Why should anyone want that?” I had trouble forming coherent words. “Someone has to do something about it.”
Dion was paler than I’d ever seen him before, and he observed the seer with a multitude of questions in his gaze. “Is that why Antas had those dreams?”
My lungs were tight, and every breath was a struggle that became harder and harder to fight.
“It’s a possibility. There’s just the question of which side you are on.” Larithia sounded even colder.
“Can you cut the crap for just one minute?” Dion showed his teeth in a vicious snarl. “You’ve just told us the worlds are steering toward total destruction, signs point to me, Nayana, and my people being involved, and all you do is let your prejudices get in the way of being productive.”
Larithia stared at him and finally sighed. “Very well. But if you find yourself on the wrong end of history, I’ll come for you relentlessly.”
“Yes, yes. Just go on.”
I was too lost in spiraling thoughts to analyze the mysterious argument between the two of them. “So, you had a vision of the world—the worlds ending, and some people actually want that?”
“Yes.” The seer drank a sip of her tea.
“Do you know who?”
“Not with certainty.”
“Then what else can you give us?”
“My guess is as good as any, but it can’t be a coincidence that you aren’t only the first Amplifier found in decades but also got picked up by the company you’re traveling with.
Just as I think it’s suspicious in this context that you have all the elemental predispositions, something completely unheard of.
I don’t know why, but I think it might be of importance.
Fate has surely cast its attention on you, young Nayana. ”
Both Dion and I were silent, thinking. Something in her words triggered some buried memories, but I was too preoccupied with the present and the future to dwell on the past.
“I can’t tell you more, but if you hope for better answers, consider visiting the Lost City of Amalach.”