Do You See That Storm? (Season Finale)

The room felt empty. Even with all those eyes on him, all the fancy decoration and exquisite painting decorating the walls, floor, and ceiling, the space still felt lacking.

Well, not that I expected much more.

Glaring at him from the ostentatious high chair, the woman draped in golden fabrics and wearing a pristine white robe continued to play with the rings in her fingers.

“…you said your name was Jay, correct?”

Standing tall with both hands at his back, the man didn’t hesitate to reply. “Correct. I was under the care of Arch Bishop Decimus, before the incident.”

Her gaze ran throw him, as if her eyes wanted to devour him—strip him of every secret and lie he had ever told. Quite a dangerous one, this Arch Bishop.

“My knights informed me you were present during the attack.” Though she did not continue, Jay understood her real question perfectly well.

He met her gaze, his voice not faltering for a single second as he spoke.

“I fought beside His Excellency Decimus, yet unfortunately the intruders were stronger than we anticipated. He managed to open a portal, ordered me to bring reinforcements, yet by the time I came back it was too late.”

A grin slowly formed on her lips, the woman’s fingers stopping spinning the rings for a moment. 

“Did you come to get punished, then? For failing to protect petty Decimus?”

Jay smiled.

“I came to help you. You wish to purge and exterminate the evil demon who killed one of your own, do you not?”

Arch Bishop Septima, the Seventh Ray, leaned toward him. Her eyes felt cold, piercing, eager. “Why me? Arch Bishop Octavus and Arch Bishop Nona were closer to Khunar than me.”

Because you have the information I want.

“In my short time with His Excellency Decimus, I heard many things from the great Arch Bishop Septima. I wanted to meet you in person.”

For the first few seconds, there was no reply. Just the intoxicating, nauseating air around the room. The woman’s red eyes gazing at him. And as she stared, Jay could see it—almost too clearly—the faint glow in those eyes. The glow of magic.

Jay reached for his Soulchant with ease, the energy surrounding him not a second later.

I won’t let you probe into my mind like that, sorry.

Her grin got wider—brighter—as she leaned back, her fingers going back to spinning and playing with the many rings.

“…you are amusing, for a being not born here. I can see why Decimus chose to keep you.”

Jay gave her a short bow, her words and opinion meaningless to him. “You honor me, Your Excellency.”

The Arch Bishop licked her lips, lost in thought as her gaze wandered, taking a few more seconds to shift her focus back to him.

“This is how we can proceed.” The woman snapped her fingers, two templar knights stepping forward. “We’ve been trying to contact the dragon clan for a temporary alliance, yet they have been ignoring all of our attempts at contact.”

A hint of satisfaction crossed his eyes.

Thank you for, at the very least, being predictable.

“And since the investigation showed one of their royals may have been involved in the attack, Veritux must approach this matter with caution, yes?”

Septima raised her brows for a split second, amusement reflecting the woman’s crimson eyes for a moment. “Since you are new to Ekkarys, you may not be...as much aware of this, yet the dragon clan is but a plighted-blessed rose on our side—they can be extremely beneficial to our needs, yet we cannot dare to leave them alone, with no supervision."

A plighted-blessed rose...

That is the term Arch Bishop Decimus called Yuushin, when the man asked Jay to convince his friend to join the attack against the demon ruler. Someone powerful enough to exploit and use, a star too bright to be left alone and uncared for. 

Yet a force that, if not controlled, will turn into an unstoppable menace.

Yet this is where Decimus, as well as the rest of those people, were wrong.

Even a ripple can become a tidal wave—all it needs is for things to be in the right place.

To know how to strike at the right time.

Septima kept her gaze locked on him, the woman's long white hair almost reaching her feet as it cascaded down her shoulders. "If you can get Veritux one audience with one of their representatives, I will acknowledge your worth.”

Jay bowed once more, his smile even brighter. “Consider it done, Your Excellency.”

She stood up, the entire air in the room shifting and moving with her. “You may ask for further details from my guard. The sooner you leave the better, since it would be most beneficial to you. However, I am in no rush. Yet.”

Then she walked away, her shoulder almost touching his as she passed by his side—her gaze lingering on him when she did. Jay held back the urge to laugh.

Hah, I hate her already.

Without wasting time, Jay turned to the templar knights. Knights who appeared to be quite uncomfortable and uncertain with that whole situation. Normally, the man should be feeling just as uncomfortable as them, but to Jay that didn’t matter.

“So. Would you like to discuss things elsewhere?”

In the end, even if Septima appeared to be more difficult to deal with than Decimus, in the end they were the same.

Nothing but pieces he only had to know how to move to get what he wanted.

Wait for me, Penelope. Wait with our daughters—with our family.

I’ll make my way back to you.

No matter what he had to do.