Verity

"Dying just wasn't on the schedule today. Not sure how I missed that one." Was it the rain? No. Great Storms caused it to rain days after they accomplished what they came for. "I should not have been so quick to open up, should I?"

"Verity, none of this was your fault."

No, Whisper, you do not fight Storms. But I could not bring myself to say that. I knew better, and still I found myself challenging something so much bigger than me.

How many would now get hurt for this selfish act of mine? Not Whisper. Not if I could help it.

 

***

 

How much time was passing? I braved the Storm. I had reached its heart, but I could go no further.

A pressure. Two chitin-plated hands pressing against my exposed Core. Shattered, again.

When I closed my eyes, the waking world ceased to be. A Storm's heart being a place of calm was a small blessing. I could rest.

 

***

 

Pain. Lady Night? No. It was Whisper holding me together. I was awake again.

I showed her the source of my doubts. The lie I clung to. That I wasn't ready to be something else. Not entirely.

When did it start, really? When I spun for her to show off the dress made of stars and dreams?

Was it when I robbed Vessel of the thunder they clung to?

Or was it earlier?

It wasn't just any rock I clung to with every fiber of my being. I sought to be unmade by clinging to the largest Bolt Stone I could find. I was so desperate to not carry on their greatness that I sought out a place that boasted about having the most anti-storm emplacements. In my desperation to not be this thing anymore, I clung to that Bolt Stone until the entire town drowned.

I was scared.

I was uncertain.

I was...

No. I remain selfish.

In the present, I pulled Whisper close. This was not a Storm of my making, but the opposite come to celebrate my finest hour. All I could do was shield Whisper from their attention. Again, my vision faded as the Storm raged around us.

 

***

 

NOBLE SCION.

A discarded title beckoned me from my slumber. Wind, rain, and thunder hammered at the protective clouds I held at my side to shield Whisper from the worst of it. The eye of the storm was moving and we needed to move with it. I just had to hold it together. We'd figure something out. Maybe I just needed rest. "You okay Whisper?"

"A little scared. But I'm alright."

"Think you could do something for me?"

"I'm not letting go. Lady Night wouldn't forgive me if I did."

I coughed. That wasn't a laugh. "Nothing like that."

"Promise?"

"Can you just keep talking? I need something to focus on."

"Oh. Alright."

"Anything will do."

"Well, um. Before anything else, in case I don't get another chance. I mean, if you're struggling to stay awake, I think I would want most if-"

"You're talking in circles again sweetie."

"Sorry."

"It's alright. But you should say what's on your mind."

"I just wanted to say that this was nice."

I paused. "You sure? I thought confronting a Storm might rain on your night a bit."

She laughed. That was good. Knowing Whisper was okay was what I needed. I was achieving something. "It's alright. I'd never gone out specifically to spend time with someone before."

"I see." The clouds around us grew a little warmer.

"No, really. It was nice doing things just for me. I've never had that before."

"It wasn't too soon? This wasn't too rushed?"

"I mean. A little. But you've been waiting all your life for a night like tonight, weren't you?"

That should have been easy to answer. Yes, a thousand times yes. Why was I holding back?

"You're not beating yourself up, are you?"

"A little."

"This isn't you. You know that, right?"

"How do you know?"

Whisper beat her beautiful wings and narrowed her red eyes at me. She was limited in what she could do without letting go of of my brittle heart of stone that I built my identity around.  "I can see you. What you're doing? It says more than words could. At least ones I could think of."

I had to maintain my focus to keep a cloud around her. To absorb the rain, wind, and lightning that came our way. Every thunderous boom left me a little rattled, but left Whisper unharmed. Seeing me falter did make her wince though.

"Right, talking. I can do that. What would Lady Night say?"

"Never mind that. What do you want to say?"

It took Whisper only a moment, surprising me. "That where I come from, a guardian and a soldier are very different roles. One's a bully. The other puts themselves in harms way on behalf of those that cannot fight."

"I can't be both?"

Whisper shook her head and held me tight. "No. What you did tonight was brave. Thank you, Verity. Hang in there for just a little longer. Someone will come. We won't have to do this alone."

"Yeah." I wanted to believe her. But who was willing to confront the older and more terrifying Storm that created me? "Just a little longer." Maybe I could have done more. Whether I liked it or not, there was a whole lot less of me now than there had been a few nights ago. What could I do to bring out more of myself?

 

 

Vessel

I was having a good night.

Whisper let me borrow a handheld mirror before being caught up in Verity's gravitational pull. It was an opportunity to check in and make sure I was holding up okay. That and for me to weigh in on Amari's many attempts at styling my hair.

"I'll find something you're happy with. It'll help the hair stick if you like it." This was the first explanation Amari offered that made sense to me. She was back to hiding her eye color behind bland lenses. I could pick them out now, those swept up under the care of Chorus. Sweeping generalizations are hard, but I was starting to be able to pick out how the others bounced off of casual interaction with others. Seeing where we all did find places and company that fit brought a special kind of joy.

Whisper and Verity were apparently well enough versed on Reconstitution to skip the lesson. The two of them looked so comfortable in dresses. Whisper ditched the swarm cloak for a backless red dress that left room for a large pair of wings and chitinous plates along her arms. Verity's dress was no humble affair either. The two of them together had enough of an effect that I casually track their movements through the crowds. There was something about a dress woven from what looked like the night sky itself that suited Verity greatly.

"She wears her soul on her sleeve, doesn't she?" I turned away from Verity to glance down at Amari and myself in the hand mirror. She pinned my hair up with a crystal pin that matched my eyes. Sandy blonde hair apparently suited me. Those were Ruin's words, not ones I would have chosen.

No, I was piecing myself back together starting with what I was used to. I was in a blue kind of mood, but I would have time to experiment later. Tonight was a time to rest and restore ourselves. Picking out what felt right could wait for when I could make decisions about what a whole Vessel looked like.

"Don't mistake me for an authority, but I hesitate to call Verity anything but unbound. She needs to feel free I think, before anything else." The look Amari wore when she turned to look at Verity was thoughtful, but not one I could read. I on the opposite end of self-expression was dressed in an unassuming white robe. It was all Amari had on hand to attempt to keep me in one piece when I'd begun to fall apart. I was now loathe to give Amari her robe back. She for her part mysteriously made no attempt to reclaim it.

Amari, all five of them, were now dressed in bright red robes. My Amari seemed to be identified by a hesitation to leave me alone for too long, which was understandable. The rest scattered across the beach. One Amari for each of the five shelters people sheltered under from  the fourth night of steady rain.

Tonight was the last night to gather to say and goodbye before departing. Three days seemed to be the limit most could afford to linger and scavenge. Food that could not be preserved any longer would be shared tonight. Orbital Hall's guardians would provide what previsions they could spare to those who wished to make their own way. Those that remained would be taken in by the Orbital Hall, which would in turn travel to its next destination. There was no lingering here, not when the town would remain underwater for weeks. This also meant that anyone with any authority or responsibility to Orbital Hall was too busy to attend this little gathering. I was sure someone would bring them food at least.

While not mandatory, everyone needed to get energy from somewhere. Food could be an activity, an art, and a gift all at once. It was little wonder that most chose the active act of consuming food to get their energy. I had an opportunity to sample oh so much food tonight. True to her word, Ruin brought me something to try from each pot of stew or skewered piece of meat she could get her claws on.

Ruin was apparently an accomplished fisher or huntress? I wasn't sure on the distinction yet, but I'd overhead both used when more than a few expressed gratitude over Ruin providing fresh meat for tonight's meal preparations. For as large as she was, she wrapped only her chest, hands, and waist in small stretches of a black material. Whatever her clothes were made from, they apparently held up under the water better than most. No one thrust a water-repellent tool into her hands as she darted in and out of the rain.

The Storm had only been bad for the first day. What lingered now were only remains. Amari described it as trappings of shed Aspects with no immaterial soul to animate them further. She none the less clung tight to anything that could shield her delicate robe and fur from the rain. Sometimes that meant she clung to me as I held the tools providing safety from the rain overhead.

 

 

No one really saw the Storm worsening until it was too late.

When distant thunder sounded, I felt it echo at my very core.

Whisper poked her head into the group, her red eyes alight with fluttering black shapes expressing concern. She was shivering. "Verity thinks we should be getting everyone to head inside."

Everyone else turned to her. My gaze fell to the ground instead, a sense of despondence beginning to form. I didn't need to hear her reasons. What I needed was to turn away from the conversation and try to find answers to questions I'd been avoiding.

It had been such a good night. Could I not have one good thing?

Verity was next to join our little group. She ignored the others, her bright violet eyes seemed only interested in how I'd react. A wordless understanding passed between us. My other half closed the distance to throw her arms around me. I met my sister with a hug, not violence.

Thunder sounded. Closer than before. Wind was picking up and putting out the weakest of fires being used for light.

"You don't have to confront this. This is my mess. Let me handle it." Verity's words got the attention of the others. They seemed hesitant to approach.

"I want to say we should face family together. But I'm not ready." I turned to look at the others, who took something as an invitation. They all joined us. Amari wrapping an arm around one of mine, Whisper doing the same for Verity, and Ruin placing hands atop both our heads. Ruffled hair brought cries out of both Verity and I.

"You are not alone in this. Both of you have friends now, and should get used to them supporting ya." Verity and I looked away from Ruin, eyes turning to find the other smiling.

The rain began to blow in at an angle, invalidating the shelters for many.

Ruin gave us space, positioning herself to intercept the bulk of the rain. I was still made largely out of clay and sand, getting wet was less than ideal. Amari just hated being wet. "Now that that's settled, do either of ya want to explain what is going on?" Ruin's scarred arms were now folded.

"The best way I can think of phrasing it is that our parent is here." Verity said with concern enough in her voice to communicate that this was a dreadful thing. I wasn't sure if I could imagine anything worse, and we'd destroyed this whole town just days ago.

I had to search for the right words. "Two Storms hitting the same location just isn't done. Which means someone is coming to check and find out why we haven't returned."

"And are not boasting of our accomplishments here." Verity added, biting her lip.

Amari and Whispered nodded their understanding. Ruin needed a moment to study our expressions. Her mouth flattened into a thin line as she connected the dots. "This Storm will find no welcome here." She looked between Verity and I. "Nor is it likely to find any of its own kind. I can make sure they get the message. If you want of course."

Verity nodded. I was unsure.

Whisper offered as comforting a smile as she could manage with her new blank's face. "I hear Ruin is something of an apex predator in these waters. I'm sure she'll be fine."

This wasn't right. They should not have felt the need to stand up for me. Not after Verity and I-

"SCION!" Thunder boomed. It was close enough to cause all capable of hearing to shake in pain. The air grew cold and biting as the wind grew more violent.

I turned to leave. That wasn't me. I wasn't him. I would not be what they were looking for. Never again.

Besides, I was in a blank shell not meant for fighting. Bodies of flesh and clay that served as a base for the majority of blank forms were made only to handle the occasional small tool use. I carried only an umbrella. There were precious few here actually prepared to remain in proximity to a raging storm, let alone confront it.

Ruin gave me a supporting pat and Whisper pulled me into hug before departing. They would join Verity for whatever she had in mind.

 

***

 

This was not my finest moment.

Verity could fly and carry Whisper with her. Ruin could swim. According to Amari she also had the capacity to breathe underwater. For all I knew they could have fled in directions I couldn't see and this was a fool's errand. I could fall apart at any moment, but I knew this Storm. It wasn't just going to go away. Besides, I had an approximation of a plan. It was a bad one, but when had that stopped Verity?

I just had to reach the Storm's heart intact.

There was no shortage of floating debris that came and went with the tides. Finding transportation was easy.

The hard part was holding myself together. It was everything Amari could do to track down someone with some spare liquid skin, the stuff used to patch wounds, and apply it over everywhere we missed. Then I had to sit and wait until it dried. I used that time to convince Amari that I had to do this. However easily she let me go, I remained unable to convince myself. This was rash and stupid but here I was doing it anyway. At least I wouldn't melt in the rain anymore.

I could still turn back. It would be easy. Amari assured me that she would help no matter what I decided. She would not brave the storm, but she trusted me to carry a glass knife. It was all part of this horrible plan that nothing good would come from.

I was a Scion of Storms no longer, but something inside me demanded I face this. Was it defiance or something else?

And so I braved gale and tide with only a glass knife in hand.

I did not make it far. Not alone.

 

***

 

Ruin's eyes filled my vision. They were deep and dark with faint hints of green that assured you there was life even in the depths of the ocean. "I can't believe Amari let you come out here. What were you thinking?"

At the heart of every storm was a place of calm. I knew better now. The eye of the Storm was a sham that had no excuse pretending to mimic the worlds behind the eyes of those I'd met. I sat up before having a coughing fit to expel water from my lungs.

"Easy there. You're in one piece."

I waved her off with the hand not dedicated to gripping the glass knife tight.

Ruin gave me a look but said nothing further.

"A part of me was thinking I might never be whole if I ran from this." I resumed coughing. My lungs hurt more than anything else, which was good enough for my purposes. Ruin's eyes told me she didn't understand, so I continued as soon as I was able. "I'm not just the parts of this Scion that Verity discarded. I'm all of it. Before, after, and a lot of bitterness tied up in not getting a say at any point."

Ruin glanced to the side. I followed her gaze. There was a little pink cloud in the distance attempting to hide something bright red. "Well," she started, offering me a hand. "We're all here now. A bunch of fools, us."

I shook my head, wincing as I tried and failed to stand. "I don't think I can walk. You think you could carry me?"

"Ya won't stab me will ya?" She chuckled before sliding an arm beneath my back and legs. My chest ached. I could barely feel the latter.

"Nope. I might ask you to throw me, but kinda hoping I can come up with a better plan."

"I'm glad you've at least got something resembling one. I kinda ran out of ideas a whole turn ago." Ruin lifted me into her arms and began to start in the direction of Verity and Whisper. "Getting here sure was a pain in the tail. But I haven't the foggiest idea of what I was supposed to do next. Verity and Whisper are, well, you'll see."

"Never mind them."

Ruin raised an eyebrow.

"Carry me to the eye's center. If I pass out before then, I'm gonna ask that you take this glass knife and stab me."

She stiffened, her face darkening a bit. "You're gonna need to do some mighty crafty convincing to get me to do that."

I gave Ruin my best tooth-filled predatory smile that I'd seen Amari do once. "If I'm gonna stick with the name Vessel, I've gotta fill myself with something. I was kinda hoping to siphon off some of this Storm for myself."

Ruin stopped in her tracks, looking me dead in the eyes before closing hers. She sighed. "I fished you out of raging storm waters for that? That isn't even close to a plan. You're operating on hopes and stubborness at this point."

"I don't think this Storm will leave without us." I turned my head to look at Verity, still in the distance. "One of us has to do this. It's in her nature to think this is worth resorting to violence. I'm not sure what I'm made of, but I won't find out unless I try. This feels right."

"I can't say no to that Vessel. But please, if this gets to be too much, don't be angry if I carry you away from all this." I turned to look at Ruin, her gaze was far away.

"Hey. Ruin?"

"I'm all ears Ves."

"I'm glad you're here."

"Oh. Same here. I'd heard you were a scrappy one. Wouldn't be right for ya to miss this."

My head came to rest against Ruin's shoulder. What we were about to attempt was scary, but it felt right. I wanted to find myself. That led me here even if it meant not being able to stand on my own two feet. But I didn't have to face this alone, not anymore. I clutched at the knife in my hands. Amari believed in me. It may not have looked like much, but it was something.

It would have to be enough.