NT veRse - Bad End Guide 24 - Bring Out & Reserve Self (Patreon)

You flinched away from August for the offer. His desperation was not odd, considering he was a friend of Maggie. You would have wanted to do the same if it were Sun or Milk in the same position. From his perspective, you were a friend that had been afflicted with something and he wanted to help. He genuinely seemed to want to help. But you had your own reservations.
“I think I want to have that part of me back.”

“Eve...” Sun frowned, but he could not really say anything in regards to that desire. Instead he made the obvious inquiry.
“How do we know we can trust what this guy is saying?”

August turned to address Sun. “I want Maggie to remember me again because we are friends. That is all. You all came to me. I am glad, however, it is very rude to come into someone's home to ask for help, then rudely accuse them of having ill intentions.”

“Master typically says exactly what he means. He doesn't lie.” Sphinx remarked.

“That's the opinion of the person who's on his side. Milk! Back me up.” Sun looked to the Minotaur. She shifted uncomfortable.

“I've never heard any bad things relating to this one. The problems were always with the other two. Mostly Maggie...” Milk stared at Eve closely.
“You're a person that I stopped being able to call Meekling. I grew to respect you, and I decided I wanted to follow you. As soon as I saw you unleash 'that' against the centaur I had my guesses. It was familiar... Too familiar to someone I've seen and fought before. I began making indirect comments that would've spurred that person into fighting and going wild.”

“Ah! You always called 'that person' a bitch and made sure to insult them whenever we spoke about her...” You observed.

Milk nodded and ruffled your white hair. “I can say with certainty you aren't that person. But I don't think I can get along with anyone other than you.”

You gave her a solemn nod. “I agree. I wouldn't want you to. That's where my reservations are at.” You brought your attention back to the Traveler.
“August? I want to bring those parts of me back that were apparently lost, but I'm also a person right now. Eve... Regardless of what my name is or was, I feel like myself. I don't want to be just Maggie. I also don't want to be just me if there are memories I'm missing. I hope you can understand.”

August smiles brightly. “Of course. I would never want to destroy the person you are now. What you are now will become one with what was. It should be the same as remembering. Not destruction but... Assimilation.”

“Who assimilates who?” Sun asked suspiciously.

August placed his hands into a prayer position. “If Eve had wholeheartedly wished to go through with this I suspect that Maggie would become a dominant soul, though aspects of this person named Eve would reign her in. The relationships she has made-”

“See, Eve!” Sun shouted.

“Allow me to finish.” August said. You considered him a saint for not showing any annoyance.

“That is not what Eve showed. Eve showed a strong desire to remain. That likely means that this will be a union. A meshing of both memories. Then, as would have happened anyway, the relationships and connections made will begin to weigh things further.”

“You don't sound upset that it sounds like I'll be the winner at the end of this tug-of-war rope...” You stared at August sympathetically. He did seem saddened, which eased your suspicions.

'If he wasn”t upset at all, I would suspect something was up.'

“I just want my friend back. So long as you remember me and call me the thing you always called me first time you see me I will be happy.” He stepped forward.
“Will you allow me to look into your soul to understand what the issue is?”

“Go ahead. I feel comfortable about this now. Right guys?” You looked to Sun and Milk. Though they seemed to be less than warm to it, their faith in you was strong, and neither of them tried to top you once the decision had been made. Sphinx waved, he at least seemed quite confident that no harm would come to you.

“It must have been fate that I offered to marry you.” He giggled to himself.

“Enough of that...” You groaned, following August to the front of the Cathedral where light shined in from some unknown source.

“Please kneel.” He asked, still holding his hands together below his chin. You knelt down in front of him. August kept one hand raised, but lowered his right and drew circle perfectly over your forehead.
“Irisia, allow me the power to look into this Child's circumstances.” He paused, waiting for something. A small smile crossed his lips.
“Interesting. I can not claim to understand her designs, but she has not even asked me to spend a Favor for this act.”

“Is that something good?”

“Utilizing Divinity without artifacts that draw the power consistently requires approval from the entity you are drawing from. For service, most Gods also offer Favors in exchange for selfless acts which propel their influence. These Favors are like an investment in the individual that allows them to summon the God's power without needing permission. I am not lacking Favor with Irisia, however it is interesting that she is not exacting a price. Let us see now...” He closed his eyes and began to concentrate. You stared up at him, wondering if you had to be doing something. You guessed that if you did he would have told you, so you merely remained still. He opened his eyes, looking startled.
“Oh no...” August was upset.

“What's wrong?”

He covered his mouth. You re under the influence of another power... Primal.” He looked faint and began to stagger back. You stood up quickly and caught him by his thin wrist. You guided the pale Traveler over to one of the front pews to sit. He stared up at you apologetically.
“It seems... It will be more complicated returning Maggie to us than I thought.”

“Why?”

“Because your soul is actually housed somewhere else. Everything about you is split into pieces. It was done haphazardly by an ignorant entity. Synra...”

“The Writer?”

“That one. Are you familiar?”

“The stated goal of the group this body was a part of was to fight and beat the Writer.”

He leaned back, closing his eyes to think. “Ah... I think I see now. I still do not completely understand but it seems as though Synra wanted to use you to get to the Library. The Temple she lost.”

“I got there but Jhiana sent me away to 'grow,'”

August smiled. “If it is that person, she probably knew you were being manipulated and guided you away so that you would have no chance to accidentally do something that would endanger the Temple. Synra would observe everything you do and there would always be the possibility that you relay sensitive information without realizing it.”

“Oh god, wait... What about now? Wouldn't she be watching now?”

August laughed. “She will have no vision here because of the nature of this space and the protection around it. I imagine it will frustrate her to be blind and you will have to explain it to her.”

“I don't even remember talking with her... But, I have this guide that I've been writing in. It seems to predict the future.” You offered the guide to August. He looked it over. You explained.
“Whenever I get close to something dangerous a passage, or multiple passages are being written ever since I decided to write everything down that I experience.

“You are even writing this down.” He commented admiringly.
“You are so different from Maggie in so many ways... I'm looking forward to seeing what your union will be like.”

“What would Maggie do in this situation?”

He scratched his chin. “She would tell the Primal to do nasty things to herself. Maggie only ever listened to one person, to my knowledge.”

“Georgius?”

August nodded. “You two were close, even before I met you both. He saw you as his disciple and his charge.”

“What did I see him as?”

August for the first time looked vaguely uncomfortable. “Your god.” He muttered.
“Though, there is not a person alive that could avoid being swayed by him.”

“What about you?”

“Me?” August motioned towards himself. “I am not alive.” You could sense that it was a n answer to dodge the question. You bit regardless.

“Are you a zombie or something?”

“Yes.” August answered simply. You were a bit shocked by the curt admission.

“Our bodies are a complicated thing here. We are filled entirely by the Soma that makes up the Cores we absorb. This is actually enough to sustain our lives but there is a difficulty. For, all of the normal functions of our body do not belong here. Eventually without air to breath or food and water to eat and drink our veins dry and our skin becomes pale. We are like walking corpses, supported only by that which can be supported by this world.”

If that was true for Augest then you as well. Your lip quivered. “If we die... If our brains shut down what makes you so sure that we are still 'ourselves.'”

“Hmm.” August hummed, staring off towards on of the lit windows.
“Not even Irisia knows. For humans to remain ourselves even after our minds should have stopped working... We assume there is nothing called magic in our world. That this world is everything and that we need it for miracles. But perhaps there is something like a soul that can not be cut into or pulled apart or destroyed no matter what. That is what I choose to believe. I do not want to believe that the Core, as it overlaps us, creates an imprint of us. If that is true then we truly are dead. What we are now is just a copy of something that is long gone.”

You stare down at your shaking palms. “I was put into this body... No one even knows I'm a Traveler but here I am with this mind. I can only be a copy, right? I-”

August pressed a finger to your lips. “Some questions beg too many answers.” He stood up and began walking. You followed him.
“What are we going to do?”

he talked over his shoulder, moving towards a small door to the side of the large Cathedral doors. “There are many options for what we want to do. You are marked by me. That mark should be shared between all versions of yourself. When you are set to return to Synra's domain I could follow and we could fight her. But neither you nor I knows what waits for us in there.” Without taking a breath he continued. It seemed like Travelers only performed the motion of breathing out of habit. The older ones at least.
“The second option is to leave it for now. Synra is a foolish entity, even by her siblings own words. She is predisposed towards making mistakes and refusing to check her own work. She is the Writer in name, but in reality can not create anything unique of her own. What you have is a unique little mistake of hers. I doubt it would be a part of her plan for you to have a hint as to the loop you are in.”

“But then we're just spinning our wheels...”

“Nonsense. You have made many wonderful connections. You have met my student and captured his heart.” He chuckled to himself.
“I believe that Jhiana decided to send you out for a reason. She likely knew that you would be able to overcome this somehow. I think so too, because part of you is Maggie. I will also be researching more. I will seek out Georgius...”

“Why'd you two cut ties?”

August grimaced. “When we last spoke... I thought I saw that he was throwing you away as a sacrifice. Your appearance tells me that there are things in this world that I still do not know. If you do not wish to confront Synra with me now, I will set about on my own path to understand what actually happened to you.”

“August, do you have a private place where I can talk to my friends?”

“Yes.” He motioned off to another side door.
“I will retract my sense from that portion of the space so that you all can speak privately.” He was worried, his pale, porcelain face frowning uncomfortably.
“Of- of course, you will have to take me at my word that I will not be listening.” He admitted.

“That's fine, August. Thank you.” You ushered everyone into the room. It was a quaint library. Nothing like the temple that the Cultivators lived and trained in. As you stepped in last, before you shut the door you noticed him standing alone in the center of the hall, staring after you longingly. You felt a sense of isolation from him. The door shut and immediately Sun spoke.

“What are you thinking, Eve?”

“I'm thinking-” You smiled at Sun warmly, stepping in to hug him over his shoulders. His hands hovered around your waist as he absorbed the shock of the embrace.
“That you've been defending me a lot. You're a truly loyal person, Sun.”

“I notice you didn't say friend.”

“Because you're not really my friend, are you?” You stated. He seemed hurt before letting you finish.
“You're more than that, I think. I think I decided that a long time ago and you just kept confirming it over and over again. You're something very very important, but not a friend.” You offered suggestively. Sun's eyes became Misty, then the elephant in the room drew attention.

“Eve that's... I'm so happy to hear that but what is that guy doing here when he's on August's side?” Sun pointed out Sphinx standing in the corner.

Sphinx blushed, opening the fan to hide his frown, but you could see annoyance in his eyes. “I thought I was a part of the friend group.”

You shook your head. “Sphinx proved himself by helping me avoid a consequence in the club. He also stopped his little game with us a long time ago. Sphinx does qualify as a friend.”

“I'm touched!” The blue haired boy said proudly.

“This is a difficult conversation with my power. Allow me a moment to-” He grunted, placing two fingers to his eyes as if putting in contacts. His pupils shook as something like tint appeared over the two sapphire orbs that were his pupils.

“It is no longer an issue. So... Eve. What are you going to do? Oh, also, you can ask me questions at any time. I just play along because it's fun.” He giggled.

“Do you think August can beat Synra, Sphinx? You know him better than I do at the moment.”

Sphinx tried to think. “To be frank. Yes. August is one of the oldest Travelers on this world. He's too humble... Synra is a Primal without a home, meaning that the base of swirling power that created her by accident, the cracked ring, is no longer under her control.”

“Would there be no risk?” You wondered out loud.

“I wouldn't say that. There are variables. That is likely what he is worried about. If he goes in and she is ready for him it could be a problem, but even if Synra wounds him she would never be able to kill him as she is now.”