Saturday, May 31, 2014

Page 714

“I am aware,” said Mariana. “I was hoping you would have someone already nearby.”

<“I’m sorry. Several candidates come to mind, but I don’t know where to find them. You know how reapers are, especially without a servant tying them down.”>

“I thought as much. It was worth asking.” Searching for any single reaper could take months or even years, she knew. It was not uncommon for them to disappear, particularly after releasing a long-held servant. For many, replacing their servant meant replacing their very best friend. It wasn’t a thing they liked to rush into. Or, depending on their circumstances, some reapers might go into hiding while they built up a new servant’s power.

<“I’ll make some calls to the other families and see if any of them have someone lined up for your son. With any luck--”>

“You would only be wasting your time,” said Mariana. “Unless you give me your word that you have met the reaper personally and would entrust them with your own child’s life, then I will certainly not be entrusting them with mine.”

There came a long pause. <“I see. And you are planning to...?”>

“Yes.”

More quietly, Octavia asked, <“What can I do for you?”>

“I would like to see Emiliana. Did you take her to Red Lake Castle?”

<“I did. Can you make it here safely?”>

“Yes, that shouldn’t be a problem. I will be there shortly.”

<“Very well.”>

“Thank you for all your help, Octavia.”

<“Ah, before you go--do you know why your family has been targeted? Your daughter mentioned that the assailants were Vanguard.”>

“No, I don’t know. I will see you soon.” She hung up.

Shenado floated in front of her.

And Mariana could see her son’s soul in the reaper’s grasp. It was a faint, bluish thing to her eyes, a somehow pyramidic liquid, impossibly holding its shape with slow, trembling effort. She remembered the first time she’d started seeing souls, after years of being a servant already. It was unequivocally strange, suddenly being able to see what Shenado saw. The only apparent difference seemed to be that Shenado could see them even before a person had died, while Mariana could not--with the exception of aberrations, which were suddenly quite easy to pick out of a crowd.

9 comments:

  1. time she’d starting seeing souls > Started seeing

    The only apparent difference seemed to be that Shendo could > Shenado


    P.s. Nice to see you incorporating peoples questions into the story line. Makes me feel good about giving feedback.

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  2. Oh thank god, I finally caught up.

    And I have no idea what these people are going to have to do with Hector and the gang, but I know I want to find out.

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  3. Let me guess, if they don't find a reaper in time, Mariana is gonna make Shenado release her and take her son on as a servant.

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  4. More likely Mariana is going to demand it and Shenado will refuse. Then Octavia will step in with the whole selfless, " I'm old and he is so young, he can have my reaper."

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  5. Aw man, I might really tear up if this happens...

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  6. I find that very doubtful for some reason, but I hope it happens

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  7. I am having so many Deja Vu moments while reading this story... it's really weird.

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