Crossing the Veil

Thirteen’s wisdom had been at the front of my mind as we’d made our way back to the manor. Everything about him from his character to all that he’d said still continued to process through my mind while Justice and I had spend our time back in idle conversation.

As we’d entered entered the manor, I knew it was time to follow after the voice that was now beckoning me. The voice of my own heart that had been so excitedly beating for all of the road home.

“I’m glad that you’d come along.” I turn and speak to Justice. “It was fun getting to know you even better and I think we’d gotten something important set and sealed.”

“I couldn’t let you go off alone, of course. You already know what’s at stake.”

“I’m just grateful that you’d been able to lighten up a bit. Even if you’re still mostly serious, you make for fun company beyond all of that.”

“I wish I could be more at ease, but it proves to be difficult. Still, what that man had said was something that even I have to spend some time thinking over.”

Showing the truth of her statement, even if so unconsciously, a contemplative expression makes its way onto her features. With eyes whose sights trail off far away into her own thoughts, she takes a moment in silence as she already begins to find herself contemplating what our new friend had to say.

“He’d really caught my attention for sure.” I reel her back into the moment with a thought of my own. “It’s gotten me motivated enough to give something a try. I’ll be taking off to my room. Feel free to hang around.”

“I understand. I’ll be spending my time in the manor. If you need me, I won’t be far.”

Sending her a nod, I start towards my room.

✩ ✩ ✩

I’d shuffled through all of my wardrobe until I’d found clothes that I could settle with. Before the mirror, I see the fit while I finish securing the tie in my collar. Slacks, a dress shirt, a black vest and dress shoes. Though not all that unlike what would be usual for me, their quality is finer than the common sort that I don. Taken from my reserves set aside for special occasions.

And what a special occasion I’d be making for the day.

“That should do it.” I say with a sigh, feeling my heart bouncing in my chest. “It’ll be easy, just take her along with you and then say it when the time is right.”

I give my reflection a pep talk and attempt to settle into my new garb with a deep sigh.

“I’ve… let that scar hold me back for all this time… Whether or not this goes…”

The fears of failure and rejection, of fear for this curse I bear return to my mind but I take in another draw of air to settle myself again. To forge forward and make use of the keys to bravery that Thirteen had offered me.

I step away and back towards my desk where I find the notice Jupa had handed to me waiting. The letter made out for one Juna Rozenhilde. As I pick it up from its resting place and begin to wonder to myself, thinking of whether or not I could soon enough lead her to return to her esteem as a knight, a sense of deja vu strikes me.

In just mere moments, I feel, a knock will sound at my door.

When I turn to face the entryway to my room, that strange sense proves to be more than a tick of the mind. A light, dainty knock sounds.

“…Is that Neptanie?” I raise my voice to the one who stands at the other side of the door.

“A-Ah, yes! Can I come in?”

For a spell, I find myself in awe, disbelieving the prescience I’d suddenly found. But I straighten up and keep her from standing around in silence.

“That’s fine. Come in.”

Peeking through the slowly opening door, a little light of intrigue jumps into the blue pools of her eyes. She opens the door the rest of the way and gives me a once over.

“Wow. You look really nice. You’re always so well dressed, but this is… wow. Is there something important you’re off to? A meeting?”

“In a sense. It will be a meeting if I can manage it.”

She steps the rest of the way inside and shuts the door with a firm click. Making herself at home, she glances around absentmindedly before retraining her eyes on me.

“I have a little feeling that it’s going to be an important night for you.” Her dainty smile gives a teasing aura to her statement.

“Is that something to do with those cards?”

“Not so much that as just… intuition, perhaps. Is that lucky girl Juna?”

“If that’s your intuition, then it’s coming out pretty sharp. You’re beginning to remind me of Celine.”

“We do spend enough time around each other. I think she’s gotten a bit of that magic of hers to rub off onto me.”

“It’s a bit embarrassing, but you’re correct. I’m going to be meeting Juna in a moment.”

“I’d thought so. I was thinking that it would only be a matter of time before you’d go and try your hand at really pulling her out of that rut.”

“That is a bit of the idea.”

Taking pause, her eyes flit to the letter in my hand and she shows a cute, girlish curiosity as she knits her fingers behind her hips and leans forward, unabashedly eyeing it.

“So what’s that? A little note for her? I was thinking you’d be more forward than a giving a letter like a school boy. Does it say check yes or no on it?”

“Have you always been this nosy and jesting?” I question her and although it comes out in a joking tone, it’s a true question for something that stumps me.

“You can’t just forget me so simply like that! It’ll break my heart!”

Confusion begins to mist in my head for but a second, but it’s just as quickly gone. I find myself having a hard time remembering why I’d felt that way at all.

“This isn’t a love letter. It’s an official document from the knighthood for Juna. It’s about the security detail for the carnival.”

“Oh! I was thinking that you were going to be lovey-dovey with her, but instead you’re dressing up so nicely to serve up some papers! Maybe you’re the real tease?”

“If you’d like to believe that.” I chuckle.

“So it is a little romantic date you have up your sleeve?”

“I’ll leave that to your imagination. But I should be going real soon if I want to make it on time. Hope you don’t mind that-”

As I turn to gather my blazer from the bed, I naturally gaze out into the afternoon sky. The moment I do, I’m frozen solid as my blood turns to ice.

There. Out in the heavens.

“Neptanie…” I speak while I continue staring out, my heart pounding for a new, frightening reason. “Those towers in those cards… what did they mean again?”

“…By themselves they can be seen as symbols of power. But I don’t want to really talk about that right now.”

She becomes silent for a moment and my eyes refuse to budge from the spectacle they witness. In all of the disbelief that seizes me, I can feel madness locking its chains around my heart.

“Before I lose my chance… I want to thank you, Khiron.”

“Thank me… for what?”

“For saving me. If it wasn’t for you, I’d have died. I’m safe now thanks to you.”

“Safe? How are you safe now?”

“I’m no longer sick like I used to be.”

“What do you-?”

With wonder and confusion for her words, I finally find the strength to break my eyes free from that fearful sight in the skies. But when I turn around…

“Neptanie?”

There’s nobody there behind me.

It all quickly comes back to me and I remember the simple fact that I’d been alone in my room this entire time. I’d began to reminisce as I’d stared out that window.

“What was I doing just now?” I run my hand across my face and take a breath. “I’d really let my mind wander away, hadn’t I? I’d better get it together before I take Juna out tonight.”

I step before the mirror one more time with my blazer in hand and throw it over my shoulders. But as I look at my neck, I find myself lightly puzzled once more.

“When did I put this old thing on?” I tug at the buckle around my neck before I loose it and slide it off. “It’s been a while since I’d worn this.”

I slip my blazer on and move to my dresser to choose scarf to wrap around my neck. With my usual look completed, I step out to the date I have waiting for me.

“Suppose I should visit Neptanie before I go. She really hasn’t been looking that well lately.”

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Thank you for your read! With this chapter up and out, I'm going to be taking a hiatus break from uploading for a bit to prepare more content as well as to take a break for my own health.

Get ready, because after this, this story will be reaching its turning point and will be heading towards the action and its climactic conclusion!

Until then!

Be back April 5th, 2024!