Chosen By The Lover's Constellation-Chapter 144: Children of Mana, Part Twenty-Eight

{Zura}

Zura lay sprawled out on the bed in the inn’s bedroom, her mind drifting in the quiet solitude of the room. She hadn’t had much of a chance to just relax like this lately.

The gentle hum of the bustling city outside seeped through the walls, along with the hearty laughs coming from downstairs, a comforting backdrop to her thoughts.

Suddenly, some quick knocking on the door jolted her from her reverie, causing her to sit up with a start.

With cautious steps, she made her way to the door, her senses alert for any sign of danger.

As she swung open the door, she was met with the sight of Vayn standing in the hallway, her expression stern yet faintly amused.

"Should know better than to answer the door without a weapon drawn, Zura," Vayn scolded her playfully, her lips twitching into a small smirk. "You never know what might be waiting on the other side."

Zura shrugged nonchalantly, though she made a mental note to be more cautious in the future.

"So," Vayn continued, looking around the room. "Where are the, uh, first and second wheels at?"

Zura sighed.

"My friends are out meeting with Mel. The girl from the Starlight Association," she replied, stepping back to allow Vayn entry into the room. "They should be back in a bit."

Vayn seemed pleasantly surprised to hear that.

"Ah, perfect," she said, a hint of excitement in her voice. "That gives us the chance to do a little recon of our own."

Arms crossed, Zura raised a brow.

"Hm? What do you have in mind?"

"Come. I’ll show you."

With a nod of agreement, Zura followed Vayn out of the inn and into the busy daytime streets of Garriden.

They walked in silence for a while. Zura made sure to let her eyes land on every single person around them at least once, the way Vayn usually told her to do.

"You don’t want to be that obvious, Zura, chill," Vayn whispered, however.

[Right.]

Eventually, they arrived at an old church tucked away in a quiet corner of the city. Vayn pulled Zura into a nearby alley, glancing around, her sharp eyes scanning the area for any sign of movement.

"I’ve been tailing some of these people since the incident at the tower with Jack," Vayn explained, her voice low and deliberate. "I’m fairly certain one of them was there that day."

"I could have sworn we killed everyone."

"I think this guy turned and ran before the fight even started."

Zura frowned, her mind racing with the implications of Vayn’s words.

"So, what does that mean?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "Is this a ’no loose ends’ type of deal?"

Zura was no stranger to that, but it did leave a sour taste in her mouth.

Vayn’s lips curled into a smirk.

"Well, yes, but additionally, it means he’s a coward," she replied, her tone dripping with disdain. "And cowards are usually more willing to spill their guts when faced with a little... persuasion."

With a shared glance, Zura and Vayn settled into a concealed spot near the church, hidden from view by the dense foliage that surrounded them.

Under the scorching sun, they waited patiently, their senses attuned to the slightest movement.

Finally, their patience was rewarded as the man they had been waiting for emerged from the church, his movements cautious and furtive.

Without hesitation, Zura and Vayn sprang into action, closing in on their unsuspecting target.

With a well-placed blow, Vayn knocked the man unconscious, his body crumpling to the ground at her feet.

"Good. Now, let’s get this poor sap away from any prying eyes."

As they dragged him away from the church and into the shadows, a sense of grim determination settled over them.

Maybe they could extract some answers.

---

{Lianna}

The sun beat down upon the small field of flowers, casting a golden hue over the landscape as Lianna, Enverna, and Mel ventured forth, their steps light and purposeful.

The air was alive with the faint hum of Fiends in the distance, slithering and writhing amidst the vibrant blooms, their dark forms a stark contrast against the natural beauty of their surroundings.

Lianna’s gaze swept over the scene before her, her mind buzzing with anticipation as she prepared to put the artifact to the test once more.

This time, she was determined to push its limits, to see just how many Fiends she could control at once, and what the extent of her power truly was.

Beside her, Enverna and Mel stood ready, their expressions a mix of curiosity and apprehension.

"Are you ready, Lianna?" Mel asked, her voice tinged with concern as she glanced at her friend.

Lianna nodded, her jaw set with determination.

"Yep," she replied, her voice steady despite the butterflies that fluttered in her stomach. "Let’s do this."

With a shared nod, the trio sprang into action, their movements swift and coordinated as they set their plan into motion.

Enverna and Mel positioned themselves strategically around the field. Lianna kept her distance, holding the artifact in her hands.

[Okay... Hopefully, it’s in the mood to work.]

By now, though, Lianna did think she had it figured out.

She closed her eyes and focused her thoughts on pleasant memories, trying to use them to silence her mental voice.

She didn’t pick any in particular. Just whatever came to mind first.

And, what popped up was Mel.

She recalled their first kiss, the warmth of Mel’s embrace and the softness of her lips lingering like a distant dream.

For a brief moment, she allowed herself to bask in the sweetness of the memory, letting it wash over her like a soothing balm.

Doing so allowed her to focus, quieting her thoughts.

With her mind at a lust-induced peace, she reached out to the rock in her hands, her thoughts intertwining with the essence of the artifact.

A surge of mana pulsed through her veins as she willed the artifact to activate, her senses sharpening as she felt the subtle shift in the air around her.

Slowly, the Fiends began to stir, their movements growing sluggish as Lianna commanded:

[STOP!]

Enverna and Mel watched in awe as the Fiends froze in place, their dark forms rendered motionless by Lianna’s order.

It was a testament to the strength of her newfound abilities, a glimpse of the power this thing had to offer.

[... But, the eye, whatever or whoever that was, still just called it a "toy".]

Eager to find out if it really was that quaint of an item, Lianna was not content to stop there.

With a determined glint in her eye, she reached out with her mind once more, seeking to extend her control to the other Fiends nearby.

One, two, three of them fell under her sway, their movements pausing one after the other.

Yet, as Lianna attempted to exert her influence over the fourth Fiend, a sudden surge of resistance met her efforts.

Pain shot out through her arms, stemming from the artifact.

"AGH!"

With a frustrated, pained growl, she withdrew her hold, the Fiends snapping back to life with renewed vigor.

Enverna and Mel sprang into action, the instant they saw that. Together, they dispatched the Fiends before they could cause any trouble for them.

As the girls finished up, both of them then jogged to Lianna’s position, concerned eyes falling over her.

"Three," Lianna said, taking deep, steady breaths. "That’s how many Fiends I can control at once right now."

Enverna’s brows furrowed in thought as she processed Lianna’s statement.

"Three Fiends at once... That’s impressive."

Lianna nodded, a hint of pride in her voice.

"Yeah, but we still have a long way to go if we’re going to use this thing to beat a whole army of them."

Enverna turned her attention to the next question.

"And what about the strongest Fiend you can control? Have you been able to determine that yet?"

Lianna shook her head, her expression thoughtful.

"No, not yet. None of the Fiends we encountered just now were particularly strong. It’s something we’ll need to test further."

Before they could delve deeper into their discussion, Mel interjected with a suggestion that caught both Lianna and Enverna off guard.

"What if... what if you tried to control me?" Mel proposed, her voice hesitant yet determined.

Lianna and Enverna both blinked.

There was a long, long pause.

"I mean, children of mana are connected to Fiends. We share the same origin. Maybe... maybe the artifact can control me too," Mel explained.

Lianna’s eyes widened in disbelief at the suggestion, her mind racing with the implications of such an experiment.

"I don’t know, Mel. That’s... I mean... That’s crazy."

But Mel persisted, her gaze unwavering as she stepped closer to Lianna.

"I want you to try it, Lianna. I’m volunteering. If it means we can better understand the artifact’s capabilities, then it’s worth whatever risks are associated with it."

[I... I guess it would be nice to know....]

Feeling a mixture of apprehension and curiosity, Lianna reluctantly nodded, her fingers tightening around the artifact as she closed her eyes in concentration.

With a deep breath, she focused her thoughts on Mel, channeling the artifact’s power towards her friend.

For a tense moment, nothing happened.

The air seemed to crackle with anticipation as Lianna waited with bated breath, her heart pounding in her chest.

[Okay, the artifact is on, I’m aiming my mind at you, Mel... How about... Slap me.]

Then, suddenly, Lianna’s eyes widened in surprise as Mel raised her hand and delivered a light slap to Lianna’s cheek, just as she had been commanded, even though Lianna hadn’t said a word out loud.

Everyone stopped.

Lianna recoiled in shock, her eyes wide with disbelief at the realization of what had just occurred.

"It worked..."

Enverna’s expression mirrored Lianna’s astonishment as she processed the implications of their discovery.

"So, the artifact can control children of mana as well..."

The revelation left the girls speechless, their minds reeling with the possibilities of what they had just uncovered.

What that meant for them and their struggle against the Fiends, they had no idea. But, it was an important fact to know.