Because getting the illustrations completed while at the same time debugging the new design and sorting everything out is causing a bit of a delay (the chapter itself will be released sometime over the weekend!) I’ve decided to give you a peace offering. Here’s the first thousand words of the next chapter!
With her poster-spreading assignment finished, and Katrina’s revealing diagram nestled in her pocket, Phantasia swung into Sapphire Second’s form room and bounced across the cobalt carpet towards her waiting handmaiden. The disapproval on Faye’s face brought back memories of the Innerworld, and of stern lectures Phantasia would receive upon returning from clandestine adventures with Prince Dionysus.
“I would advise you to neuter your self-satisfaction,” said the blue-haired faerie, “Although your creative use of the Veritas materials has created a striking display, their ability to inform has been greatly diminished,”
Phantasia hopped onto the desk between Faye and John Smith, whose eyes were seduced by the usual streams of information that weaved their way across the colourful surface of his computer. She leaned over for a peek as she said, “Why be so boring about it? It’s not like you’re keeping score of who’s display gave the best performance, is it?”
The computer displayed one of those graph-things humans used to record information too abstract for their minds. As unfathomable and alien as such things were to faeries, Phantasia had at least learned enough to realise that, as a matter of fact, there really was a competition!
“Chris Shaw and Lance Algar have thus-far created the most visible and successful campaign,” said Faye, “Your own is the least successful,”
Phantasia peered even closer at the monitor, as if somehow she could reach into that strange world beyond and come to understand its strange numeric mysteries. When she turned to face John in the hopes of an explanation he bolted backwards, as if the brush of Phantasia’s white hair or the closeness of her peering diamond eyes had somehow given him an electric shock.
“John Smith is able to compute the current position of every newspaper, who has come into contact it, and how much of the contained data has been perused,” said Faye as Phantasia pulled away from the screen and the red-faced boy shuffled his chair back to the desk, “By compiling this information and cross-referencing with the thoughts flowing through the area, we are able to form a confident appraisal of the situation,”
John adjusted his turquoise lenses and grinned. “Technology is just as capable as any magical power,”
The young student and the water-elemental made a good team. It was a shame, then, that Faye was more willing to manipulate John’s admiration than she was return it. Before Phantasia’s thoughts delved too deep into the frustration she felt towards her handmaiden, she took the crumpled paper from her pocket and put on the biggest grin she could muster.
“Well Kat and I came to our own conclusions,” she said, handing the chart over to Faye, “And I think you’ll find they’re way more relevant than some silly competition!”
Faye didn’t have to unfold the paper to know what information it contained. Katrina’s thoughts stained the page like the ink from her pen. In a rare sign of tactfulness – since Dante was sitting alone in the corner, staring out of the window – Faye voiced her conclusions telepathically.
It is an interesting theory. However, I am unwilling to place my confidence in it.
And why’s that? You can’t say you don’t trust Kat, especially after how much she’s trusted you!
It is not Katrina Ritches I do not trust – it is the extent of her knowledge. Much of the information contained within this theory is based on assumptions and unverified conclusions. I also have no doubts that Katrina herself is biased in this matter – as are you.
Dante was looking out across the Academy field, now scarred by a crater left from Phantasia’s confrontation with Cethin Sarff’s golem. Back then she couldn’t have been happier to hear that matter-of-fact voice, but now, less than two weeks later, Faye was pushing the limits of her patience.
Your emotional attachments have impaired your judgement. There is no conclusive evidence that Dante Orpheus could become an Apostle. If we were to use your argument – that he has demonstrated a dark, spiritually overwhelming power – we must consider Katrina herself an equal threat, for her chi is just as potent. The only difference lies in their emotional well-being.
But that’s it, isn’t it? The whole ‘darkness’ thing is about negative feelings, right, and the Apostles are dark powers fuelled by powerful auras, right? So that means Dante…
Assumptions, Princess. We do not know the nature of the Apostles. That is why it has taken so long just for a potential to be narrowed down. If all it took was a potent aura and emotional instability, the human race would be spawning Apostles on a regular basis. You may argue all you wish, but I will not base my conclusions, and thus my actions, upon the wistful fantasies of an emotionally biased young girl.
The connection snapped. Faye stumbled back, wincing as her ethereal connection was slammed back at her. Never before had Phantasia severed a friendly telepathic link with such anger, and right now she didn’t regret it one bit. Had she been human, she would have poured all her frustration into a sharp slap across her handmaiden’s face – a thought vivid enough for Faye to overhear.
“Such immature reaction is not befitting of you, Princess,” she replied upon regaining her composure, “I would
hope the human world has not contaminated you that far,”
The following silence was punctuated only by the tapping of John’s fingers. His aura was wrapped around him like a shield against the confrontation, its only outlet fixed on the computer in front of him. Dante, meanwhile, cast a lazy eye in the faeries’ direction, then returned to his daydreaming. Phantasia wanted to—
“The papers are disappearing!” John’s high-pitched squeal crushed the emotional stalemate.
Again, the full chapter will come out sometime over the weekend. I’ll detail more about the new site, and the incoming new content then!
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