Chosen By The Lover's Constellation-Chapter 147: Children of Mana, Part Thirty

As Mel ushered Lianna, Enverna, and Zura into her inn, Lianna’s mind drifted to the events of the past few hours.

Specifically, the quest she’d gotten.

{Invite Caroline to stay with you and your friends}

{Reward: 10 RP}

Because she’d completed it, her RP was now at 50, making her proximity buff with Enverna just a tiny bit stronger.

The Lover’s request had caught her off guard. Lianna couldn’t help but wonder what motive lay behind the Lover’s seemingly innocuous suggestion.

[Well...] Lianna smirked. [I can probably take an educated guess.]

"Here we are," Mel said, as they went up the stairs. This inn was significantly smaller and cozier than Lianna’s. That statement could be said about Mel’s room as well.

A single bed, a small drawer, a mirror, and a bathroom in the hall outside. That was all.

[... That’s definitely not gonna be awkward,] Lianna thought, holding back giggles.

Tthe soft ring of Lianna’s phone broke through the silence. It was Zura.

"Hey," Lianna greeted, her voice laced with a hint of urgency. "We’re at Mel’s inn. I’ll send you the location."

"Wait, what? Why?" Zura asked over the phone.

"We figured it would be safer, given that we all have a target on our backs. Come on over."

"Alright, uh, on my way."

Meanwhile, Enverna made her own call to Caroline, her voice calm yet firm as she relayed the directions to Mel’s inn.

Half an hour passed. Finally, the sound of footsteps echoed through the hallway, and Caroline was the first to appear at the door.

As Lianna opened the door, her eyes immediately caught sight of the blood staining Caroline’s shirt.

"Holy shit, are you okay?" Lianna asked, her voice tinged with concern.

Caroline’s response was dismissive, her tone brimming with confidence as she brushed off the concern with a nonchalant wave of her hand.

"Oh, I’m fine. It’s not my blood."

[Oh.]

"I was making my way back home," Caroline started to say as she walked in. "Two individuals attacked me. Broad daylight, middle of the street. No one cared."

[Ah. I see.]

Leaning against the wall, Caroline crossed her arms. It looked like the event was flashing right before her eyes.

"Like I said before, it’s a miracle that hadn’t happened thus far," Caroline muttered.

"In that case, we’ll-"

Lianna was about to say something but a knock on the door interrupted her. Caroline confidently went to answer it and they found Zura on the opposite side, along with Vayn.

"Wow," Vayn remarked. "So many wheels!"

Zura gave her an elbow to the gut for that remark. Vayn just laughed.

[When did they get so close?] Lianna wondered.

"Alright, we’re here," Zura said, hands on her hips. "What did we miss?"

Lianna answered that question for her quickly.

As Lianna finished recounting the day’s events to Zura, she leaned back against the wall, her mind buzzing with the weight of their discoveries.

"Aaaand that’s everything," Lianna concluded, her voice laced with a sense of urgency. "We’re all caught up."

Zura nodded.

"Yeah, that’s all pretty much what we found out too."

Lianna raised a brow, prompting Zura to continue.

"Vayn and I did some digging of our own," Zura explained, her words carrying a sense of urgency. "We found a member of the church who was there during our little ’attack’ on the chapel. He was pretty cooperative," she stated with a smirk.

Vayn chimed in.

"As it turns out, most of the church has been converted to Jack’s cause. Those who haven’t are either in hiding or have left Garriden altogether."

Lianna’s eyes narrowed.

"... A few people are still on our side, though, right?" Lianna asked.

"Some people harbor doubts," Vayn nodded. "The return of Saren is a pretty grand thing to promise, after all. But, those who do believe are fully committed." 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

"So, did you learn what their plan is?" Lianna asked, her voice tinged with concern.

Zura took a deep breath, her words measured as she spoke.

"They’re planning a Fiend raid on the 30th. If they’re successful, their plan is to then raise an army large enough to take down Telvan as well."

Lianna tried her hardest to look shocked. The Lover had, of course, already spoiled this for her.

"Anything else?" Lianna asked, wanting and hoping for new information. Something the Lover hadn’t told her.

"Yeah, that’s not all," Vayn interjected, her tone serious. "There’s something bigger at play here. Apparently, Jack is planning something just before the raid, but no one knows what it is. Not the guy we spoke to or any of his followers. Only one who knows about it is Jack himself."

There it was.

The missing piece of the puzzle was beginning to take shape.

[This must be it,] Lianna thought to herself, her mind flashing back to the cryptic warnings the Lover had given her. [This must be the key to the end of the world.]

This whole time, Lianna had been wondering what could cause that.

The assassination of the president, Mel becoming an actual Fiend, Jack absorbing Instructor Vara, and even the fall of Garriden itself. Lianna understood how all of this would cause chaos, how all of this would be, to put it lightly, bad for society. But, she hadn’t quite connected the dots on how any of them would lead to the world itself ending.

With a sinking feeling in her chest, Lianna realized that this miscellaneous "thing" Jack planned to do right before the raid must have been it. Or, at least, it would contribute to it greatly.

[Maybe I’m wrong. But, something feels sketchy about that.]

"We need to find out what Jack is planning," Lianna declared, her voice firm with resolve. "And we need to stop him before it’s too late."

Vayn spoke up once more, her voice casual as she suggested:

"If we’re going to do that, we’ll need to form an actual plan of attack instead of just hiding here."

Lianna nodded.

"For now, I think we should wait until our friends from Telvan arrive," Lianna finally spoke up, her tone resolute yet tinged with caution. "Once they do, we can figure that out."

Vayn nodded in agreement, acknowledging the wisdom in Lianna’s words.

"Yeah, sounds good. We could use all the backup we can get. Now," Vayn clapped her hands, "unless we’re all keen on having a giant sleepover and cramming into one bed, I think it’s time we check in," she teased, a mischievous glint dancing in her eyes.

"I think we’ll pass on the giant sleepover, thanks," Zura replied with a giggle.

"Aw, and here I was getting all excited," Lianna added.

With a shared chuckle, the group began to settle in, their minds already turning towards the challenges that lay ahead and the allies they hoped would soon join them in their fight against Jack and his nefarious plans.

The soft glow of lanterns cast gentle shadows across the wooden beams of the inn’s second-floor balcony, creating a very tranquil atmosphere as Lianna stepped out into the cool night air.

She closed the door behind her, the latch clicking softly, and took a moment to appreciate the quiet serenity that enveloped them.

Enverna stood at the railing up ahead, her silhouette outlined against the backdrop of the starlit sky.

Her gaze was fixed on the distant horizon, lost in thought as she surveyed the land below. Lianna couldn’t help but admire her, the way the moonlight danced across her features, casting her in an ethereal glow.

Approaching Enverna quietly, Lianna paused beside her, her own eyes drawn to the beauty of the night.

"Stunning, isn’t it?" Enverna remarked, her voice soft with a hint of wistfulness.

Lianna nodded in agreement, her gaze following Enverna’s out into the expanse of darkness that stretched before them.

The world seemed vast and full of possibilities. But, they’d have to survive everything set to happen in the coming days to see any of them.

"Yeah," Lianna replied, her voice barely above a whisper. "It really is."

They stood together in comfortable silence for a moment, the only sound the faint rustle of leaves in the breeze.

Lianna took a deep breath, feeling the cool night air fill her lungs as she gazed out at the twinkling stars overhead.

"It’s funny, isn’t it?" Enverna spoke up suddenly, her tone light yet tinged with amusement. "Caroline sharing a room with a child of mana. I wonder if she can tolerate that."

Lianna chuckled softly at the thought, picturing Caroline’s discomfort at the arrangement.

Unfortunately for her, the inn didn’t have that many rooms, so Caroline ended up having to bunk with Mel.

"I’m sure she’ll manage," Lianna replied with a grin, her eyes twinkling with amusement.

As they settled into a comfortable silence once more, Enverna’s demeanor seemed to shift, a hint of vulnerability creeping into her expression.

Lianna sensed the change immediately, her instincts urging her to offer support and reassurance.

"You know," Enverna began, her voice tinged with uncertainty, "I’m not sure if we can win against Jack, the church, and the Fiends."

Lianna’s heart ached at the doubt in Enverna’s words, the weight of their situation pressing down on them like a heavy burden. She reached out, resting a hand gently on Enverna’s arm, offering a silent gesture of solidarity and understanding.

"We’ll find a way," Lianna said softly, her voice filled with quiet determination. "Together. We’ve faced worse odds before, and we’ve always come out on top."

Enverna’s gaze softened at Lianna’s words, a flicker of gratitude shining in her eyes as she turned to face her fully. There was a depth to their connection, a bond forged through trials and tribulations, that gave Lianna hope even in the darkest of times.

"Thank you, Lianna," Enverna whispered, her voice barely audible above the gentle rustle of the night. "For always being there."

Lianna smiled warmly, her heart swelling with affection for her friend. They may face challenges ahead, but as long as they stood together, Lianna knew they could overcome anything that came their way.

"Anytime, Enverna," Lianna replied, her voice filled with unwavering resolve. "We’re in this together, no matter what."