Chosen By The Lover's Constellation-Chapter 94: Mana Ties, Part Six

{Lianna}

Later, the night enveloped the dorm room in a hushed atmosphere, the soft glow of the moonlight slipping through the window curtains.

Lianna and Enverna lay side by side, the covers drawn up to their shoulders. Lianna could hear the TV on in the living room, suggesting Zura was still awake.

The room harbored a slight tension, though Lianna couldn’t tell why.

Enverna’s gaze was fixed on the ceiling. After a moment, she took a deep breath, turning to face Lianna.

"Lianna, there’s something I need to tell you," Enverna began, her voice soft but tinged with the gravity of her revelation.

Lianna turned her attention to Enverna, concern etching her features.

"What is it?"

"My family wants me to come back to Garriden," Enverna admitted, her eyes flickering with a mix of frustration and sadness.

That... had not been what Lianna was expecting to hear.

"What?"

"On the 6th of November," Enverna added. "They’ve arranged for transportation."

Lianna’s heart sank. The news felt like a tidal wave crashing over her.

"November 6th? But that’s..." She trailed off, turning her face up to the ceiling.

[Okay... So, that quest wasn’t just The Lover wanting me to put on a show for her, huh? The deadline is right before this.]

Enverna sighed. Lianna could feel her eyes on the side of her face.

"I don’t want to leave you or the Watchful," Enverna confessed, her voice barely above a whisper. "But my family... They..."

Enverna couldn’t even get the words out.

Lianna’s thoughts raced, grappling with the harsh reality they faced.

[So much is happening all at once. What am I supposed to do?]

For now, she settled for saying:

"You can’t say no?"

"It is not so simple," Enverna turned away. "I have a responsibility to them. I’m only even here because they sponsored my journey. If I refuse, if I turn my back on them... I... I likely won’t have a family to go back to anymore."

Lianna felt the pain in those words. Enverna’s fear was quite literally her reality, so she knew what that was like.

"We’ll figure something out," Lianna reassured, her determination flickering like a solitary flame in the darkness.

"I hope so."

Enverna managed a weak smile.

---

The next morning, Lianna, Enverna, and Zura gathered their belongings, preparing for the journey ahead.

The Shields of Saren gave them the instruction to head to the beach southwest.

It was bathed in the early sunlight stretching endlessly before them, an expansive canvas meeting the sea’s gentle embrace.

As they approached the meeting point, Lianna’s eyes flitted between Enverna and Zura, silently acknowledging the challenges that potentially awaited them.

"So, Zura. You been to this part of Telvan before?" Lianna asked, making a bit of conversation.

"Nah, I’ve only left the city a handful of times. I was busy enough with my old gang."

"Speaking of those people, you haven’t heard anything from them?" Lianna asked and Zura shook her head.

"Nope, and I’m glad I haven’t. I can’t imagine they’d act too friendly if they ran into me."

"Right."

Beneath her apathetic expression, Lianna could see a bit of resentment. She wanted to ask about it but figured maybe focusing on the matter at hand was the better move.

A figure emerged in the distance, wearing some green robes. Layla, the same woman who had extended the gala invitation, stood waiting. Her expression bore a mix of professionalism and curiosity as she approached them.

"Enverna, Lianna, Zura," Layla greeted them, her voice carrying a note of formality. "I’m glad you could make it."

"Glad to be here," Lianna replied. "Where is everyone?"

"We’ve set up camp just a short walk away. I’ll take you to them."

A couple of minutes away, they arrived at a bustling space amidst the palm trees and the sand, where a massive group of people worked on various things.

Staff members moved with purpose, arranging equipment and preparing for the adventure that lay ahead. Some players, wearing flashy armor and wielding elegant weapons, noticed the four women arriving.

A sense of anticipation filled the air as Enverna, Lianna, and Zura stood among the assembled adventurers, their faces a tapestry of diverse expressions.

Layla exchanged words with them and then approached the trio carrying some body cameras.

"We’ll be recording the mission for documentation and analysis," she explained, handing a camera to each member. "Wear these throughout, and make sure they remain functional. It helps us review strategies and improve our collaborative efforts."

Zura and Lianna shared a glance.

[Oh, so she was right. Okay then.]

Lianna nodded, attaching the camera securely to her leather armor.

As the adventurers gathered, Enverna noticed a girl among them who seemed to fixate on her with a sneer, poking Lianna in the hip subtly to get her to notice too.

She was scowling. For what reason they did not know. Enverna met her gaze with a steady, measured expression, unwilling to be provoked by the unspoken animosity, and the girl looked away.

[Alright...]

As per usual, Lianna took this moment to scan everyone. Not just because she wanted to be ready in case things took a turn somehow, but also because she wanted to keep building up {Target Analysis}.

[C, C-, oh, that guy has two Instincts but neither of them is good... Okay,] she finished up. [Everyone is around our same power level. So, they actually are mostly recruits.]

As the group readied themselves, Lianna decided to introduce herself to a few of them.

"Hey, I’m Lianna," she greeted with a warm smile, extending a hand. "This is Enverna and Zura. We’re really looking forward to working together."

The adventurers reciprocated the introductions, sharing their names and guild affiliations.

Lianna’s outgoing demeanor eased some of the initial awkwardness, and the atmosphere began to shift to being far more friendly.

Soon, Lianna walked up to the girl who’d been staring daggers through Enverna.

"Uh, hey. What’s your name?" Lianna asked easily.

However, the girl with the lingering resentment approached with a cold demeanor.

"Mara," she introduced herself curtly, avoiding eye contact with Enverna.

Lianna, undeterred by the icy reception, extended her hand to Mara.

"Nice to meet you!" 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

Mara hesitated for a moment before reluctantly accepting the handshake.

As the group gathered for a briefing, Layla addressed them with a blend of authority and encouragement.

"This mission is a crucial opportunity for collaboration between our guilds. Remember, teamwork is paramount. The challenges you’ll face today require coordination and trust."

She kept going, just as Lianna noticed a camera capturing this little speech.

"I know that sometimes, there’s tension between people from Garriden and Telvan. But here, right now, we have a chance to show that we can work together, and support each other. We’re all adventurers, striving for a common goal. Let’s break these barriers and make this mission a testament to unity."

The adventurers exchanged glances, some nodding in agreement while others remained guarded.

"On that note," Layla continued, "how about we take a moment to hear from our special guests?"

She gestured toward Enverna.

Given that she was the woman from Garriden, it made sense to Lianna why she wanted her to be the one to speak.

Enverna, standing beside Lianna, added her own perspective.

"We all have our differences, but we share the same passion for exploration and discovery. Today, let us set aside preconceptions and focus solely on doing our best."

"Well said!" Layla clapped a bit, which prompted a soft round of applause from the rest of the group. "Okay, let’s head out!"

The group moved in unison after that, their footsteps leaving imprints in the soft sand.

The rhythmic crash of waves accompanied Layla’s low explanation to Enverna, detailing the distinct characteristics of the Fiends they were tasked with hunting.

"A lot of these monsters like to wait in the water for any poor saps who come to fish or swim. We’re going to be luring them out first, then we’ll fight them."

Lianna, walking alongside Enverna, observed the sand beneath her feet, feeling the subtle vibrations beneath the surface.

A peculiar sensation resonated from her Inventory, where she had stored the mysterious rock she’d gotten from that mission she went on with Enverna and Xi.

Glancing at Enverna, who was engaged in conversation with Layla, Lianna discreetly accessed her Inventory.

The rock, seemingly mundane at first glance, now vibrated with a quiet intensity. Lianna furrowed her brow, a curious mix of confusion and intrigue clouding her features.

[Uh... Something’s happening, I think. But, I can’t tell what.]

"Everything okay?" Enverna whispered, sensing Lianna’s distraction.

Lianna nodded, her eyes flickering to the artifact.

"I don’t know. This rock is... acting weird."

Enverna’s gaze shifted to the item in question, and a shadow of concern crossed her features.

"You may want to keep it out of sight, given what it did last time."

Lianna nodded.

"Right."

As they ventured farther onto the beach, the artifact’s vibrations intensified.

Lianna couldn’t shake the feeling that something was up. With every step, the enigma within her Inventory pulsed with energy.

[I’ll need to keep this in mind, I guess. Though, maybe this would be a good opportunity to try to use it. Ah, but then I’d get too many eyes on me. Besides, this is being recorded. I’ll just keep it tucked away for now.]