The Ogre Strength Fairy and the Eldest 'Son'-Chapter 32 - Myths and Portents

Author’s Note:

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With a unique view of the city from atop the shoulders of the blonde haired teenager, Elua was able to notice and point out some of the buildings she had been to recently to the girl.

"Three days ago I was at that Guild’s compound helping to carve new sigils to make their Voidling defenses more efficient. You’ll probably read about it in my letters, so now you’ll have a visual reference!"

"I’ll remember."

"Oh, and over there I-"

For dozens of minutes they talked about things they’d written and experienced in the last couple months away from each other. There was less than a year until the next predicted Voidling Descent, so a lot of things that every Guild was doing was related to that. Not only them, but merchants, mortals, and pretty much everyone had the invasion in their minds.

Movement of stockpiles of foodstuffs and other supplies to the many exterior strongholds had begun in earnest. The cultivators had learned long ago that trying to make just one ’impenetrable’ area to disperse those items only made the loss of those things more impactful. The invaders did their best throughout the war to cause as much damage as possible, so that even if a foothold couldn’t be kept between Descents, the later rebuilding efforts might make the next scheduled battles more and more fruitful.

The underlying tension that slowly grew in the populace was exactly why bits of entertainment like the one they approached was needed. Many dozens of people organized themselves on the street. Some had been brought by rumor like the pair - who themselves were drawing many eyes for just standing there waiting stacked together - and others had been tugged along by the actors wandering the streets and working as callers.

A musician playing a wind instrument switched from playing traditional tunes to settling the crowd, then launched into the music meant to accompany the story. It set the mood as a bit mysterious and a bit ancient. The narrator dressed in gaudy finery stood out from the rest of the players and began to speak.

"Our small story begins ten thousand years ago, well before the many calamities we all know about so well. A very, very powerful cultivator the likes of which our humble continent has never seen was said to be on a strange personal mission."

The characters in the background began to move. One was covered in a myriad of colors with a mask shaped like a bird beak. The other was a woman with long and straight hair that seemed like it must be a wig due to the sickly color of luminous green it sheened with.

’Uh... hold on...’

"Accompanied by her terrifying pet bird, she would seek out new places and people to challenge and conquer."

’No, no... I didn’t... I mean I did, but-’

"Many other powerful cultivators of the era would try their best to surpass her cunning and prowess."

A male actor took the stage with a prop blade and engaged in combat with the woman. While the players danced and pretended to fight, Qat placed her hand on one of the thighs that had tensed on her neck.

"Are you alright?"

Elua forced herself to calm down. Literally. She discarded a fraction of her facade so that it wouldn’t continue to ’panic’ in her place.

"No, I’m kind of terrified. I don’t want you to watch this because..."

The now dull voice trailed off, but took too long to explain.

"However, she slew all who dared to confront her. Her peculiar quest and way of thinking were just too divergent for the heroes of the past to overcome. One by one they fell to her power over Acid."

Streamers of green cloth flew from the sleeve of the woman and the man screamed and pretended to die an agonizing death. The effect was very good! It was a shame that the one most able to actually compliment it with foreknowledge was seething.

’That’s a damned lie! I only killed the ones that refused to back down or seemed like they would come after me again! Many of them I could convince and trick with illusions...’

Despite hoping she would be less prone to reacting without her other half on the surface, her thighs again tightened around the neck of the swordswoman, who quickly kneeled and helped the young heiress to get down.

"Do we need to go?"

Sensing all the tendrils of Qat’s spirit waving protectively around her in the direction of the play actors scratched through the reborn cultivators outer emotional dismay at happening upon a ’story’ referencing her in the past life.

"No. Watch all of it, that way I can explain every detail of how they are wrong. I... I trust you to listen to my side."

The Yecine stood and nodded. Then she placed a firm hand on the shoulder of the smaller girl and held her back to her front as they faced the ’stage’. She couldn’t understand why the storyteller being wrong about the content of the play would upset the fiancee this much - but the fact that the mint-eyed girl knew the truth didn’t actually bother her as much as it probably should.

’El always seems to know things that I don’t.’

The story wasn’t long - only about ten minutes including the talking phases and the dynamic reenactments. After the basic things were introduced, it spoke about how the woman would seek out entrances to other worlds to plunder their bounty, leaving them desolate and barren. That she arrogantly sought to possess more power and wealth than anyone while giving nothing back to those in need. How she was known to target virtuous individuals to try and corrupt them towards her own vile path of existence.

The one being disparaged could only grit her teeth!

’It wouldn’t be right to kill them, they don’t know any better. There is no way they were the ones who came up with it, this tastes of an older acquaintance who decided it would be grand to make fun of me after I died.’

She had also thought it might be something her enemies would mention, but the part about being accompanied by a *bird* staying in all this time made it much more likely to have been a ’friend’.

’Okay, calm down. Maybe they knew that reincarnation was a possibility and wanted me to find them if I managed to keep my spirit and memories this intact? No, I’m still leaning towards it being mere petty revenge. It’s a shame that it doesn’t narrow down my guesses!?’

Elua was especially worried that it might be the doing of her last disciple... who may either be a current Demi-God or have already ascended to Divinity. In any case, she could not strike back directly no matter who was the source!

"Qat, please assist me. I’m not ready to go back to ’normal’ yet, but I want to ask the master of the troupe about the origin of this story. If there is a book they used or if it is an oral tradition."

The swordswoman was a little concerned that the girl was ’willingly’ sitting in public with a set of lifeless eyes.

"Okay, I can help. Will you be walking over there to listen?"

"Yes."

The answer was prompt and terse.

"Are you sure you’ll be fine with everyone around?"

"Don’t worry, no one else but you is even aware I’m here anymore."

...

The revelation was a little shocking but the older girl’s face remained fairly impassive.

"Uh, does that mean anyone looking thinks I’m looking down and talking to myself?"

"That is exactly what it means, darling. You should probably stop doing it."

A hand shot forward and gripped the teasing schemer’s skull. Even though the voice was dull, the ’younger’ girl’s spirit had swept across and imparted an emotion that could best be described as ’smug’.

"I suddenly don’t feel like helping as much without... ’payment’, as you once put things. I want that explanation afterwards, El."

"I’d already planned on that, Qat. You are the only person I’d ever want to tell. Now if you don’t mind, I’m getting a little annoyed that this matter is taking up the time you’ve graciously set aside to go on a date with me."

While tapping her fingers on the swordswoman’s wrist, Elua pushed some of her spirit into contact again to prove it. A combination of ’irritation’, ’fear’, and ’determination’ sat over the mass of strange ’obsession’ that the younger girl no longer tried to hide so much as ’tone down’.

As hoped, the fiance focused more on the first set as she felt a resonance that it was *true*. The hand on her head smoothed out the distressed brown locks with care before turning towards the performers. A few coins were pushed into Qatrand’s palm as she walked over.

"To celebrate their performance and make them more willing to answer your questions."

Deciding not to answer back aloud, she just tightened her fingers on the money. The method wasn’t the way of her Guild, but the task also wasn’t one of theirs. It didn’t take long for the narrator’s attention to be caught and he came over with smiles.

"What is it I can do for you, young sir?"

"Your play was interesting. I wanted to give you this and possibly ask a few questions about it."

"Oh, we always appreciate any donations. Especially from esteemed cultivators like yourself. What is it you’d like to ask?"

Elua watched his spirit intently. He was an actor, even if the role he played today was storyteller. She’d noticed a deviance from his normal when looking at the money in her palm and the term ’questions’ being spoken. He was aware that it was a bribe.

’That means whatever he says now will be useless at worst beyond knowing that it isn’t the full truth.’

"What kind of bird was it supposed to be?"

The question spoken threw two manipulative personas off guard. Both of them thought the serious looking member of The Ironclad Order was going to get right to business! The reborn cultivator preened her mental opinion of her husband-wife.

’She must have noticed he was going to be insincere!’

Meanwhile...

’I bet a pet with colors like that would serve as a cute gift to get for her if I can find one.’

"I’m afraid no one knows the name of its kind. Was that really all?"

The set of ’his’ shoulders became clearly dejected.

"Yes. So the book that tells this fable doesn’t say what kind it is either? Does it at least give a good description that allowed you to pick these colors on your partner’s costume?"

’She’s tying it to this made up thing of importance for her so well! She’s a natural!’

Meanwhile...

’If he can’t tell me more about the bird, I might as well ask what she wanted to know after this. My next question will be the name of the book.’

In a manner of speaking, she really was a natural. The narrator had been completely disarmed by her straightforward nature and already considered the bribe as merely an incentive to ask after the creature.

"The one who taught me the story claimed that it was from an old manuscript, but I have never come across anyone with a copy. I’m sorry to disappoint you. The bird character is actually quite popular, so it truly is a shame."

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