Loren couldn’t help the sigh that escaped his lips. ”People keep telling me that. I just wished I believed it was true.” Mainly the Launceleyn was thinking of Remi—and the promise the summoner had made to the alchemist, to try and make more out of life—but it seemed that everyone was just praying the future would be better than the present. Given how the Abandoned’s prayers tended not to be answered, however, the Launceleyn might have to take matters into his own hands. ”I’d like to say, and think that it will be true as well.” But he didn’t.
As Jigano questioned the summoner about his knowledge, he shook his head. ”No. I hadn’t...no one told me how it...just that it happened.” Apparently landsharks of all things were involved, whatever those monsters were. Again, though the bard reminded Loren that people were the real monsters sometimes. ”I wish I could say the same.” But the truth of the matter was that the summoner had allowed Zariah to remain as head of the family back in Northaven, even as he’d seen how her actions were destroying the family she claimed to love. Maybe if he’d acted then, he could’ve prevented her ascension in Caido. Or maybe not, given how power hungry and selfish she’d always been.
Hopefully the book would answer everything he needed to know—because Loren really didn’t want to talk to people if he could help it—but the Launceleyn nodded. ”Thanks. I will.” Then the summoner hesitated, and bit his lip, a confused expression stealing over him. ”Although I have to ask, who are the Loreseekers?” He’d seen the door Jigano had indicated, of course, but had never had someone to ask about it before.
Loren was surprised the other man actually remembered the comment from the meeting. Most people tended to dismiss the Launceleyn, which he was normally fine with. ”I do. But Zariah didn’t have illusion magic. So unless she developed it while I was...away or Remi has it, which I’m sure he would’ve mentioned, I don’t know that it could be hidden through illusion.” Away was a generous interpretation of his behavior, but the summoner didn’t really have an explanation for what had happened to him beyond long term mental breakdown. ”But if all else fails I’ll give that a try. I can always use those while I’m hunting through other means.” They wouldn’t be a drain on his reserves, since they were an external item.
When Jigano cocked his head and started firing off all those questions, Loren cocked his right back. ”No, nothing like that. Outburst in the woods aside, which was caused by...puddles,” man he really hoped the bard bought that explanation, “which, again, I’m sorry about, most of my problems stem from not eating or sleeping enough for a long period of time. But I’m definitely interested in food. And I have no trouble falling asleep.” Keeping the nightmares at bay was a different question, but the summoner wasn’t going to get into that. He held up his hands to show their lack of a tremble. Then he narrowed his eyes and gave the other man a quizzical look. ”Is there something going around? I’ve got healing magic that’s stronger than most, so I might be able to do something about it.” Unless it was the blight, which sent a chill down the summoner’s spine. Still, he kept that thought to himself.
Loren was too excited to let Jigano’s doubt—if that’s what the tone in the other man’s voice actually was—pull him down. For the first time since his return, it seemed that he’d stumbled upon a solution to a problem almost entirely on his own. Of course they still needed to test it, but even if it didn’t expose the doors or the keys, it was still a useful summon to have on hand. ”Either the keys or the doors. Remi told me he made five keys, and that as far as he knew Zariah still held four.” Well, there was a small chance that the adopted Launceleyn, Peter, had one, but Loren hadn’t managed to track that man down yet. The summoner would get around to that soon, though.
As Jigano questioned the summoner about his knowledge, he shook his head. ”No. I hadn’t...no one told me how it...just that it happened.” Apparently landsharks of all things were involved, whatever those monsters were. Again, though the bard reminded Loren that people were the real monsters sometimes. ”I wish I could say the same.” But the truth of the matter was that the summoner had allowed Zariah to remain as head of the family back in Northaven, even as he’d seen how her actions were destroying the family she claimed to love. Maybe if he’d acted then, he could’ve prevented her ascension in Caido. Or maybe not, given how power hungry and selfish she’d always been.
Hopefully the book would answer everything he needed to know—because Loren really didn’t want to talk to people if he could help it—but the Launceleyn nodded. ”Thanks. I will.” Then the summoner hesitated, and bit his lip, a confused expression stealing over him. ”Although I have to ask, who are the Loreseekers?” He’d seen the door Jigano had indicated, of course, but had never had someone to ask about it before.
Loren was surprised the other man actually remembered the comment from the meeting. Most people tended to dismiss the Launceleyn, which he was normally fine with. ”I do. But Zariah didn’t have illusion magic. So unless she developed it while I was...away or Remi has it, which I’m sure he would’ve mentioned, I don’t know that it could be hidden through illusion.” Away was a generous interpretation of his behavior, but the summoner didn’t really have an explanation for what had happened to him beyond long term mental breakdown. ”But if all else fails I’ll give that a try. I can always use those while I’m hunting through other means.” They wouldn’t be a drain on his reserves, since they were an external item.
When Jigano cocked his head and started firing off all those questions, Loren cocked his right back. ”No, nothing like that. Outburst in the woods aside, which was caused by...puddles,” man he really hoped the bard bought that explanation, “which, again, I’m sorry about, most of my problems stem from not eating or sleeping enough for a long period of time. But I’m definitely interested in food. And I have no trouble falling asleep.” Keeping the nightmares at bay was a different question, but the summoner wasn’t going to get into that. He held up his hands to show their lack of a tremble. Then he narrowed his eyes and gave the other man a quizzical look. ”Is there something going around? I’ve got healing magic that’s stronger than most, so I might be able to do something about it.” Unless it was the blight, which sent a chill down the summoner’s spine. Still, he kept that thought to himself.
Loren was too excited to let Jigano’s doubt—if that’s what the tone in the other man’s voice actually was—pull him down. For the first time since his return, it seemed that he’d stumbled upon a solution to a problem almost entirely on his own. Of course they still needed to test it, but even if it didn’t expose the doors or the keys, it was still a useful summon to have on hand. ”Either the keys or the doors. Remi told me he made five keys, and that as far as he knew Zariah still held four.” Well, there was a small chance that the adopted Launceleyn, Peter, had one, but Loren hadn’t managed to track that man down yet. The summoner would get around to that soon, though.
