Jules sprinted through the smoldering garden, past the crumpled trellis, and towards the dilapidated remains of what used to be his home. He shoveled stones and planks away from the debris, desperate to find someone, anyone, in the wreckage.
“Jules…”
“Evelyn!” Jules cleared a pile of rubble and found her, her lower body crushed by a massive beam. Jules heaved against it, to no avail.
“Jules, are you alright?” Evelyn asked while he struggled.
“Don’t move—I’ll save you.” Jules squatted down and reverse gripped the beam. He dead lifted straight up until his fingers started to rip skin and break bone. Green fire erupted from his eyes and he finally lifted the pillar off of her and dropped it beyond her feet. His hands steamed while they Regenerated.
[?5,200 // ?10,000]
“It’s too late, Jules. My body…" She smiled at him. Tears filled Jules’ eyes. "It’s been too long.”
“I’m sorry, Evelyn.” He knelt down next to her. The hate he’d felt just a day ago faded away. “Dad? Azura?”
She grabbed his hand in hers. “I’m not sure, Jules. They left when that boy spoke to everyone about capturing us. That boy… Oh, Jules. I was such a fool to trust him. I’ve been a fool about a lot of things.” Tears streamed down her beaten face.
Jules tried to swallow the lump in his throat. “I’m sorry,” Jules repeated.
“No, Jules. You have nothing to apologize for. It’s been all me the entire time. I… I’m sorry.” Jules cried into her hand. “You know, I was proud of you yesterday, for standing up for yourself to me. For giving it to me straight. You’ve become strong. Without my help.”
“What are you saying?” Why now?
“I’ve been terrible. I should have loved you more.”
“No, Evelyn. You were right. I did all this, I destroyed the town, I—”
“No, Jules. I did." Evelyn averted her teary eyes. She drew a deep breath and turned back to face her deepest fears. "You don’t get to take the blame this time. The source of your wrath—Is it inherent to you, or does it come from my mistreatment of you? I don’t know what you’ve done for the past two years,” she cried more at that admission, “but I’m sure it’s nothing in comparison to what I put you through.”
“Evelyn, I—”
“I’m proud of you, Son. I forgive you for what you said to me yesterday. It was well deserved, and I shouldn’t even have to forgive you for it. It was true. But I don’t want you to carry that around in your heart.” She reached her other hand out and embraced his with both of hers.
“Liam, he told me about Cy and your friend, the other Sin—the girl, I mean.” She laughed at herself with a soft smile. “Brainwashed until the end.”
“I never wanted to do this to you, to anyone.”
“It’s OK, Jules. There’s something larger at play here. I’ve realized that now, a little too late. It’s beyond my capacity to understand, but… At least I didn’t die before I could give you what you need.”
Jules’ heart raced. All he could do was stare off into space.
“You were right,” she said, “and I was wrong. The way I raised you was despicable, and I… It’s selfish of me to say, or ask, but I hope it’s not how you remember me. I hope that you remember me in this moment, apologizing to you. Because I truly love you, Jules. Just know that, whatever happened today, I carry the burden of it all, as it drags me down to Hell, where I belong.”
“Please." Jules squeezed her hands and choked up. "Don’t leave me.” Not after we’ve started to make amends.
“Jules.” She coughed. “I don’t have much time left. But please, I know I shouldn’t ask for this, but please, just… Just stay with me a while. Until—until it’s time.”
She ran her fingers across his cheek and tousled his hair. Jules felt empty inside. He felt the joy of this moment, drowned out by the same moment’s sorrow.
“My son. My beautiful son…”
“Mom, I—”
She put a finger to his lips and hushed him.
“You don’t have to say it. In this of all moments. I don’t deserve it. Hearing you call me that is enough for me. But Jules, listen to me. I am beyond saving, so I will break my Binding Vow for you.”
Jules’ eyes widened and filled with tears.
“We—you—are from the Serene Archipelago.”
The Binding Vow's mark, a tattoo on the bottom of her tongue, lit up her entire mouth gold as she spoke. What…?
You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.
“Yes, we couldn’t even break our Vow to you, Jules."
From its origin, the gold light turned black. It radiated and spread out slowly. Jules had never seen it happen before, but knew what it meant.
"When you are ready, Jules, and when it’s time to face your destiny, find your grandfather. My father. His name is Noah Canaan. But whatever you do, Jules—Stay aware from the Tideshapers. Liam defected from them, long before you were born, for good reason."
“Dad abandoned his own family?”
“Yes, Jules, your father, he… He was…” Her mouth was nearly all black.
"He was what!?"
"Was…"
The golden light from Evelyn’s Binding Vow faded, along with her life, away to darkness.
“Mom. Mom? Mom!”
Jules rocked her head in his arms.
[New Quest Available: Maternal Instincts]
[New Reward Available for Maternal Instincts: Familial knowledge.]
[Maternal Instincts — Quest Objective ADDED: When you are ready to face your destiny, find your grandfather, Noah Canaan.]
[New Quest Available: Paternal Problems]
[New Reward Available for Paternal Problems: Familial knowledge.]
[Paternal Problems — Quest Objective ADDED: Listen to Evelyn and avoid the Tideshapers.]
[Paternal Problems — Quest Objective ADDED: Disobey Evelyn and find the Tideshapers.]
CYRUS
It was well past midnight when Cy felt his perimeter system trip again.
“Kat. It’s Jules,” he said. No one and nothing else could have tripped his sensors. Everything else was dead. No animals, no villagers, no sign of the Iron Maidens…
When they made their way down to the beach, they saw him, safe at last. Jules carried someone, a feminine figure, slumped across his arms. Limp limbs hung low and swayed with each step.
Selene!?
Cy sprinted to his friend. Just as Jules fell to his knees, Cy grabbed the body in his own arms. She bumped up against the dagger hilt, and he winced.
Not Selene—Evelyn. Her eyes are closed. Not good.
Cy waited to feel her take a breath, but none came. “Jules…”
Envy rushed in behind Cy and wrapped her arms around Jules’ neck. “Thank Salvos, you're OK,” she shouted in Jules’ ear.
Jules just stared straight ahead without acknowledging any of them. Rukia hung just behind them all.
Just as I suspected. He still isn’t back. Not fully.
Cy looked down at Evelyn again. He was happy this wasn't Selene, given Evelyn's state, but also longed for the assassin to be around. Black and white. Not sure that's how the world operates anymore. But one thing I am sure about—he glanced at Jules and Envy—is that I need to step up right now.
“Kat, get Jules and Rukia aboard," Cy ordered. "We set sail soon."
Envy returned a dirty look, but obeyed the command. Jules avoided answering any of their questions the entire trip up to the deck. Whiskers and Rukia at least seemed happy to see each other. Odd that they haven’t spoken yet, though.
[Shrine Hunting — Quest Objective COMPLETED: Capture the Shrine in Coralhaven.]
Cy surveyed the ship for a fifth time while he waited for Jules to snap out of it. This far out, the damning rain barely affected their ship, but the Iron Maidens had put a few holes in her before their battle on the rolling hills. The mast wouldn't last long, and each sail had dozens of holes. A cannonball had ripped a massive gash in the hull. Even the smallest storm at sea would result in a capsize.
“Rukia, ready the ship,” he ordered.
“Where to?” she asked, a little too pleasantly.
Salvos, it’s like she enjoys the chaos. Cy glanced at Jules, who sat beside Envy and the small fire she'd made for him. Evelyn lied motionless to the side. A blanket covered her body. “Not sure yet. But have her ready.”
“Aye aye!” Rukia scurried away.
Cy took as deep a breath as the dagger would allow. This won’t be fun, but we need to set a course before anyone comes for us. We’ve already lost a ton of time. He sat with the others, between them and Evelyn, so she'd be out of sight. Cy placed his emotions in a box for now.
“Jules…” Cy said. Jules stared at the flickering flames of the fire. “Listen. This is going to be tougher for me than—than killing you during training, but we are on a time crunch. We need to share information with each other so we can choose the wisest course.” Ah, fuck. “Come on, Jules!”
Jules looked up at him finally. He bore the expression of someone who didn’t care whether he lived or died anymore. At least he’s paying attention. Envy rubbed Jules’ back and gave Cy another stare that made him feel like a heartless bastard.
“I don’t remember what happened after the Shrine,” Jules said. He looked at Evelyn. “I remember visiting my family, before. I left…on poor terms. Mom told me to leave and never come back. Then I made my way to the Shrine.”
So you entered the Shrine in a poor emotional state, great.
“Dad and Azura—” Jules choked up and paused. “I saw the memorial in the forest. I saw the Warg, we went into the Shrine. I fought him, then I fought a Leshen. I was dying, and Wrath offered me a deal.”
“What do you mean, you were dying?” Cy studied his face.
“My power was stripped."
"The Painter didn't mention that…" He just said you had to go in alone.
"I don’t know if I would have died or been stuck in the Shrine, but I was about to die. I was dying.”
“So were we,” Envy said softly.
“Yes. I know," Jules said. "He showed me. So I took the deal.”
Un-fucking-believable. Cy focused on his breathing to calm himself down, for his sake and theirs.
“I left the Shrine with him, then I woke up in the forest. Rukia and Kaizen found me.”
“How could he have taken your powers?”
“Cy, is that important right now?” Envy asked.
“It is. Kaizen might have an answer,” Jules said. He stared at the flames again. “I don’t know the details. I don’t want to know the details. But they…filled me in. I went home, I saw Eve—Mom. She didn’t make it.”
“What about…?” Envy asked.
“My mother was alone.”
“How was that, saying goodbye?” Envy rubbed his back and leaned in closer to him.
“A story for another time.”
Losing his power? Shit. Though I assume he has it back now, since he’s fully healed. Should we keep hunting Shrines? Kat and I still need them. But now Wrath is a way bigger problem than I honestly ever thought he’d be.
“Cy—What’s that?” Jules asked.
Glad you finally noticed.
“Oh, this? It’s nothing.”
“It’s an Enchanted blade," Whiskers said. "If he removes it, he dies."
“I’m… I’m sorry I didn’t notice it earlier.” Jules buried his head in his hands.
Patience, Cy, patience. Not everyone is as rational as you are right now. “It’s OK. And thank you for your report. I know that wasn’t easy. But I need you to listen to ours now, OK?”
Jules remained silent.
“We went to Coralhaven and found out a lot. First, a lead on where I’m from.” Cy and Envy locked eyes. He shook his head. Not gonna go into how I got that info now. “Second, Isolda was taken prisoner, but it, uh, wasn’t her. And her double is…” Dead. “We came back and waited for you all night. Rukia assured us you were…safe. Liam visited us in the morning. He met Kat and Whiskers and knows who she is—”
“Knew,” Jules corrected. "They knew."
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