Andrew Rowe - On the Shoulders of Titans

“It doesn’t work like that. When I’m invoking someone, I’m only able to cast their spells with their mana, not mine. It’s basically like I have all of their abilities, on top of my own, but I can’t mix them together freely. Not yet, anyway.”

“That’s still pretty incredible.”

Sera smiled. “No kidding. I wish I could do it more often.” She paused for a moment. “I still can’t believe we beat Mizuchi.”

“Well, we didn’t, really. We just teleported her off. And she was much weaker than the last time we fought her, if you didn’t notice.”

Sera nodded. “I did. The banishment spell was probably weakening her, and I think Tristan drained some of her mana with his attunement while they were grappling with each other.”

I hadn’t actually noticed that last part, but it certainly made sense. It also led me to a more awkward, and more important, discussion. “What’s your take on the situation with Tristan?” I asked.

“I don’t trust him.” Sera shook her head. “But I don’t know what we should do.”

I bobbed my head in agreement. “I feel the same way. But I want to trust him. He’s our brother.”

Sera winced when I said that. “…I suppose he is.”

I frowned. “Is there something you’re not telling me?”

Sera sighed. “I told you before. Tristan… he didn’t always treat me well. You always idolized him, but he’s not… he’s not the perfect person you think he is.”

“I…are you saying he… He didn’t touch you, did he?”

She shook her head vehemently. “Not in the way you’re thinking.”

That was good, because if he had, I probably would have gone straight back to the spire to have a very different conversation.

“He was cruel, Corin.” She wiped at her eyes. “There’s a lot of your father in him. More than I think you realize.”

I didn’t want to think about the implications of that. “I’m sorry, Sera. Is there something…what do you want me to do?”

She shrugged a shoulder. “I know how much Tristan means to you. But when you’re considering whether or not you trust him…just remember that there’s another side to him that he doesn’t show around you.”

“I’ll try.” I put a hand on hers. “And for what it’s worth? I’m not going to make any more big decisions without you. I mean, barring cases when we’re in completely different locations and—”

“I know what you meant, Corin.” She paused, then smiled and squeezed my hand. “Thank you, that means a lot.”

After that, we chatted a little longer, then washed up and went to sleep in the same room.

In the morning, I had a new message in my book.

Sera and I read it together.

Dear Brother,

I regret that our meeting was so brief.

As a result, I was not able to share as much as I wished with you, and I failed to ask you for a direct answer to an important question.

You know my mission now.

It will not be an easy one.

My resources are thin, and my allies are few.

My enemies are numerous and powerful.

I know that you cannot entirely trust me. That is something that will take time and knowledge.

But, if you are willing, I could use your help.

I have contacts in Caelford working on something important. Given what you already know, I’m certain you can guess what field of study it pertains to. I need someone I can trust to go and work with them. Someone who isn’t known to be a member of my organization.

Will you join my cause, and help give humanity the power that it needs to stand among the gods?

I await your answer.

-Tristan Cadence

I spoke with Sera for a time. Debated. Considered. Analyzed.

In the end, I wrote a single word in reply.

Yes.

I had a few visits to make before I left the country.

The first was the easiest. Cecily had left House Theas and gone home, but her family didn’t live far away.

I knocked on the door.

It was her sister, Yunika Lambert, that answered.

Her eyes widened a little when she saw me. “Corin Cadence?” She blinked. “It’s been a long time…what brings you here?”

“I was here to see Cecily, actually. But I think there are a few things you should know, too.”

Yunika nodded. “Come inside.”

I followed Yunika in.

She waved. “I think she’s in her room. I have questions for you, but I think you should probably talk to Cecily first.”

I found my way to Cecily’s door and hesitated.

It had been so easy just to walk in here and visit her.

Why had I waited this long?

Why was my hand trembling?

People were so much more terrifying than monsters.

I knocked softly on the door.

“Who is it?”

I hesitated again.

After a moment, I managed, “It’s Corin.”

I heard footsteps running for the door. She flung the door open.

I braced myself as she threw her arms around me. “Corin! You’re okay!”

“…Yeah, I’m fine.”

She buried her head in my shoulder. “Thank the goddess… I… I was so worried you wouldn’t come back.”

I awkwardly pat her on the back. “I’m okay. It’s okay now.”

I was still terrible at this sort of thing.

But as much as I didn’t like being touched….there was something important about the fact that she’d worried about me.

That she’d cared.

I took a breath and then pulled her just a little bit closer.

“It’s going to be okay.”

I wasn’t sure that I believed that, but on occasion, it felt good to pretend.

I spent some time telling Cecily about what had happened in the spire.

I didn’t share every single detail. I didn’t know how secure their house was.

But I did confirm that I’d found Tristan. That he was really alive in there.

Cecily smiled, brushing her eyes. “I’m so happy for you. I’m sure Yunika will be thrilled, too. Do you know when she’ll get to see him again?”

I shook my head. “…I think it might be a while.”

“That’s unfortunate.” Cecily turned her head away. “But I know she’ll wait as long as it takes.”

I didn’t know what to say to that, so I changed the topic. “I have a little something for you.”

Cecily blinked. “A souvenir, perhaps?”

I shook my head. “No, not something from the spire. I’ll try to remember that next time.”

I pulled the mana watch out of my bag and handed it to her. I’d fixed it earlier in the day. “You said you liked this when you saw it at the party. I thought you might want it.”

It was true that I thought she’d like the watch, but there was another reason I was giving it to her.

It was my way of getting telling myself that I needed to stop using it as a crutch.

If I wanted to grow stronger, I needed to stop letting my fear restrict my methods of training.

She accepted the watch with a grin. “Thank you! It’s a lovely gift. I’m afraid I don’t have anything ready for you right now, but…”

I shook my head. “Actually, if you don’t mind, I have a rather large favor to ask for.”

“Would you like to come with me on an adventure?”

Cecily agreed to come with us to Caelford, of course.

I couldn’t explain why I was so excited that she accepted.

Maybe I just wanted another Enchanter’s opinions on my research. A peer that I could share my excitement with. Someone who might understand bits of artificial attunement theory that could work with me on new ideas and tests.

Perhaps she represented a tie to a brighter spot in my past, something I wished I’d been able to hold onto a little tighter.