Tempering the Sword, Part Three
Parts One is Here. Part Two is Here.
There were a great deal of preparations to make and not much time left.
Mira was still not finished with the maps, and they were spread all over her living room, as she pieced together the ley lines but not by how they were… she had been arranging them starting from the core of the planet, connecting each land to there, not paying attention to the natural boundaries, instead putting them side by side in a circle, moving one here and one there, checking the wells and arranging them into a near face, taking her time until she finally stopped and stepped back.
“...the ley lines… it’s a cardiovascular system…” she said quietly, “The cave where Varotin and Vonic are…” she stepped over to it, “It’s near the heart, on the vein leading to it, it’s natural, unlike the actual chamber that’s titan made…which is how... how have I never noticed this before?!?”
That was the least of her worries.
She glanced over at her mother’s scepter, leaning quietly in the corner of her laboratory, and took a deep breath as she looked away, crossing over to where she laid out the map of Silithus.
“They’ll be going near the Sword to do this, we need to be in the correct place,” she said quietly, her voice going through the bond to Varotin, “The blood flows from the Wound, but we need to siphon the corruption from the veins to ensure that it no longer reaches the heart. I believe I can tell which are the veins and which are the arteries, your cave is the last line of protection, so… I’ll send the swords to you, you stand at the vein there and be ready. They should stop any that Magni’s group of heroes will miss if I’m wrong.”
She walked over to the couch where Leona had left the swords, whispering a few words as pink fire surrounded them and they vanished across the bond, then took a deep breath and crossed over to her mother’s specter.
“...You’re just going to leave all that out?”
Mira looked over at Levi and chuckled, “Yes I was actually. I need to make more calculations, and Leona comes in through her window anyways.”
“See this. This is why your assistants quit on you,” he sighed, “Do you want me to number them as I pick them up so you don’t have to spend three hours remapping it?”
“That… isn’t a bad idea, do you think you can transcribe it into those goggles as well? We might need to pull up a smaller one.”
“What does it mean anyways? Is this why our old Master didn’t like this place so much? Or… were all the planets we went to…?” Levi blinked, “I never thought of it before?”
“Neither did I and countless mages tried to tell me, the lifeblood of the planet…” Mira took a deep breath, “So damn obvious, I never thought to think of it this way. This is why Leona fell when the Wound happened. And why she didn’t die during Undercity.”
“And now I’m more confused.”
She sighed, “Her heart! She gave it up during the Trials, Azeroth’s giving it back to her! But she can’t do it properly, she’s injured as well and…” Mira blinked.
The apartment was no longer there, and neither was her brother, Instead she was standing behind her child shelf, who was quietly walking beside her Third eldest sister in a hall she recognized as belonging to her father.
“Seventh, I have a secret to tell you…”
“Mira?”
She took a breath and stared at her brother, back home, not understanding any of it, “You weren’t there for a second, it was like the…” Levi grabbed her arms, “Sis! The doll shut down! Does that happen often? Why is that happening?”
“It’s nothing,” she said quietly, “Just a glitch. I promise, I’m alright,” she kissed his cheek, “Take care while I’m gone, Leona’s no longer grounded, and she’ll tell someone before she goes on an adventure,” she stepped away from him, going to pick up the scepter, “Levi…” she paused for a moment, her fingers resting on the shaft, “...do you remember anything about Third?”
“She died right after Mother did, she was the first one Lil and Bea ate,” he said chewing the inside of his cheek, “I was just a baby then, so no. And none of the others would talk about her much. It was like… well, when any of them were eaten, it was like they didn’t exist anymore. I noticed it after Tenth was eaten, the others just… acted like nothing had happened. And it wasn’t fear. It was…”
“Their names were erased from their minds, we were protected by something, but what...” Mira frowned, “Levi, when I return… we need to talk. About my memories, Mother… everything. I want you to tell me everything I ever told you.”
He smiled, “Sure Sis. I’ve been waiting for that anyways, I’m glad you’re starting to remember… especially remembering me. But…” he took a deep breath, “We don’t have to. You and me being a family now is what’s important right? We’re both refugees of the Legion, let’s let that past lie.”
Mira nodded, “...make a welcome home meal for me then? With those little tarts with the different things inside?”
“You like my quiche surprise?” he blinked, then grinned, “I’ve got some that I haven’t tried making yet! You just come back safe Sis! I’ll make a whole lot of stuff that you’d really like!”
Taking a deep breath, she grabbed hold of the scepter and flames surrounded her, “I will be done with this before you know it.”
The fire died out and she was in the desert, looking up at the giant sword sticking out of the planet.
“Well then,” she whispered, pulling at her bond, “Ready Varotin?” she pulled the feather that Raine had given her out, tied to a cord of silk that she tied to the scepter, “Magni seems about to start.”
@generalcero
