Day 27 (5th day together)

Day 27 (5th day together):

If anyone reading this notices a change in writing, it is because Kayla didn't write this part. I am Callie. The reason for this is that, during this day, Kayla wouldn't wake up. None of the swords could tell us what happened. Even Sloth said she was "inaccessable" to him. Envy could only say that she "had company", whatever that meant. It was so weird seeing her lie there, kind of asleep, very peaceful, but trying to get into her mind was like hitting a wall. We told Lord Carmon and the others that she was sick and could we all just stay in today. They reminded us that the fey had only given us tomorrow for our information thing. We said we would try to have her well by then. Mara and Tess brought our meals and things to help wake her up, none of which worked. I was so worried, I barely ate, stayed near her all day. Ever since we became connected through the swords, her voice in my head kept me from getting too nervous or scared. Without it, I feel a little lost. Maybe because she was the first or because of her guidance or confidence, but we had all come to depend upon her. to have her here but not here was making all of us a little nervous and a bit lost.



It took me a moment to focus when I awoke. By the pile of dishes, I guessed it was late in the day. Callie was beside my bed, chewing what little fingernails she had. I smiled to see her childhood habit unchanged.
"You're going to start bleeding if you bite too far," I said as I sat up.
"Kayla!" Callie shreiked as she jumped from her chair and landed on top of me. The other girls, Tess and Mara included, came running over and all of them started chattering away about how I'd slept all day and no one could find out why. They also said they had told the three leaders I was sick and our thing tomorrow. Finally, I bade them all to be silent. I motioned for them to get comfortable.
Once they had, I explained, "All of Vanity's previous guardians came to me as I slept. They each imparted wisdom to me that they had learned during their time as guardian. I even saw Vanity as she appeared in the flesh. A more wonderous being I have yet to see. She told me I was the only one of her guardians to desire to meet the previous ones. I have learned so much and understand more than I ever thought possible."
Lisa stood as she spoke, "I never though to meet those who held him before. After being told that they died, I just assumed the post like any other assignment I had ever been given. I would not have considered it now if you had not said anything."
All of the others agreed that it had not crossed their minds either. I smiled. I could feel that they were content with their connections as it stood and I was happy for them.
We went to where the dishes were piled and dinner waited. Tess and Mara gathered up the dirty ones and left. I spent a few hours telling my sisters about Vanity and her previous guardians. When I saw heavy eyelids and yawning, I shooed them all to bed like a mother. Tess and Mara, having returned during my telling, took the last of the dishes and we said goodnight.
I went to the balcony and looked at the darkened city of Thantos. A few lights could be seen in the night time businesses and here and there in houses. Above all, the stars twinkled and burned, nearly unchanged since Breanne had held Vanity. I had never felt so complete. Everything seemed more alive. With the lightest of effort, I could see the emotions of all those still awake within sight of our balcony. I looked down at the dark area in front of the castle. Standing there was the same necromancer from before but without his undead servants. He did not move when our eyes met. He pulled something out of a pouch and held it up to me. With little effort, I called it to my hand. It was a piece of bone made into a coin-sized circle. One side was smooth, polished, and clean. The other was scarred, dark, and rough. He waved to get my attention again. He held something else up for me. I called this as well. It was a scrap of parchment. All it said was, "Remember me kindly." I looked down to ask what he meant, but he was walking away. I thought for a moment. Placing the bone disk on the table, I asked it to show me this man who had carried it. The poilshed side shimmered. I saw him unearthing the women we had seen him with yesterday. After passing us, he took them to a couple of houses. Words were exchanged, people cried, one was even hugged by the children of the house. After that, he took them back to the cemetery and returned them to their graves. He, then, waited outside, under our balcony, for one of us to appear. I was touched. He did not use his skill to make armies of undear to serve him, he gave families one last chance to say what they didn't get to before their loved one died. Lightly, I froze his face on the shiny side of the disk. I slid it onto Vanity's sheath. Simultaniously, we said, "I will". We laughed.
Walking back inside, I saw my sleeping sisters. Even asleep, I could feel them inside me as see their dreams. Many were good, one or two were indifferent. I went to Sarah. Her dreams were getting bad, not yet nightmares, but very close. I gently pushed against the dark thoughts. Before they gave, I felt another's presence in that darkness that was neither Sarah nor Lust. I did not allow it to stay but Vanity and I both "tasted" it before it left. Sarah settled into sweet dreams of her days at the convent. I dozed lightly.

Day 26 (4th together)

Day 26 (4th day together):
We were awakened by Tess, Mara, and the historian. Once fully awake, the historian informed us that a location had been found to meet our instructions. A rise with a natural hot spring surrounded by forest that is constantly buffetted by the wind. A request to use this site was left in as many languages as the wizards and historians could find. Early this morning, a response was delivered on pixie wing to the castle. On the full moon, two days from this, we were permitted to use this rise to fully extend the senses of the swords and ourselves to uncover all we could about the Baalocs and Maalicus. The message also stated that all arrangements were being handled and all we had to do is show up. One historian, one wizard, one cleric, and "the three humans who think they hold power" were all permitted to be there as well. We laughed at how the fey refered to Lord Carmon, Major Kendar, and Commander Lehand. We were sure they did not take too kindly to that reference. Tess and Mara had breakfast ready as the historian relayed this information. They got so caught up in the telling that they sat down with us and began eating. None of us noticed until Mara jumped up with a piece of fruit in her hand with a bite taken out of it. Tess also jumped when she, too, realized. The historian was lost for words. We all laughed. Several of us motioned for them to sit and finish. Timidly at first, they continued, becoming more relaxed when they realized they would not be punished. Even the historian ate with us.
We had finished, the other three had left, and we were finishing getting dressed when the three leaders arrived. I could see the residual irritation on their faces. They did not mention our permitted future activity. They wanted to explore more about the swords' powers and gifts. Having read our explanations of our gifts, they wanted to see them for themselves. Once again, we went out into Thantos. We spent half the day showing how we used our gifts to help others. We thought we would end up doing this the whole day. We entered a square to witness an all out fight. Things and people were being broken left and right. The three men made to intervene when Anna stepped forward. I held the three back and only said, "Watch".
She drew the massive sword and touched it to the ground. Invisible to almost everyone, lines of power coursed over the ground. As each touched a person, they no longer cared to fight. Soon, everyone in the square lazily returned to whatever activity they were doing before the fight. Anna turned to face the three, saluted, and sheathed Sloth. The three stood in shock. It had never occurred to them that a "sin" could be used to help. The injured were helped and the shops began repairs. I did not draw Vanity, but we extended her to lightly encourage them to build them better than before. We left as shop keepers boasted of new and better things for their shops. I could see the internal conflict the three were having: Would they be evil if they used the swords to fight a greater evil? How necessary was our attachment to using the swords? Could they, unlike everyone else before, get the swords away from us without them vanishing?
I did not let them know the thoughts I gleened from them, but I let my sisters know what was on the men's minds. They held their tongues, too. We did, however, decide to let them test how necessary we were to the swords and they to us. Out of sight, we stopped the three leaders.
"You need to understand the deep connection between us and the swords. Vanity is one of the lightest among them. Here, hold her," I said, handing Vanity pommel first to Commander Lehand. With a slight sneer, he grabbed near the end of the pommel. I let go. Vanity clattered to the ground, pinning his hand under her. Try as he may, the commander could not lift Vanity nor get his hand out from underneath. All three tried together. They failed.
Having mercy, I took her by the handle, one handed, and removed her from the ground and his hand. He examined his hand but there was no damage.
"That is with my permission. Try to take one."
We all turned our backs so we could not see which one he was going to grab. Lord Carmon yelped in pain. We turned to see him behind Alice, staring at his hand. A slight tendril of smoke curled from both his hand and Envy's handle.
"I see why those of the past had to be conned or forced from their swords," Lord Carmon defeatedly replied. "I thought, since it was my daughter's sword, I could take it easily."
"She," we all said in unison.
"Right, right, I forget that they have genders."
Major Kendar watched all of this in his silent way. He then asked if I would hold Vanity out as if she were an ordinary sword. I did. With a practiced flick of his sword, he knocked her from my hand. He went to grab it in mid-air as he would a normal sword. There was nothing there. He looked around.
"Looking for her?" I asked, showing him Vanity safely in her sheath.
He was dumb struck. He replayed the sequence in his mind to try to figure it out, but gave up in frustration. We continued through the city. The men, absorbed in their own thoughts, wandered aimlessly. We managed to guide them back to the castle. Just before the gates, I felt a feeling I recognized: cold hatred. I warned my sisters and we warned the men. Hearing "necromancer", they snapped from the preoccupation. I showed them the man and his undead servants. These were not soldiers, but women like Mara and Tess. I met the necromancer's gaze and he flinched. He looked at the seven of us and swiftly went another way. None of us could believe it. Had we gained enough power to make such as he fear us? We did not dwell on it but went inside. The men told us they needed to talk over some thing. We returned to our suite.
Tess and Mara were there with dinner laid out and ready. They were overly formal. We laughed. We told them we were not angry about this morning. They had become our friends, companions in this place that for everyone, but Alice, was far from home. They relaxed and chatted with us about our outing with the three leaders. We ate then headed to bed.
As we laid down, I placed Vanity beside me as I had since were found each other. We shielded ourselves from the others to talk privately.
"Vanity, that necromancer flinched when we locked eyes. Could he feel our power? Are we all strong enough for other magic users to see our power?"
"Kayla, other than Breanne and one other, you are the strongest, most confident guardian I have had as a partner. You never waivered in your belief that I was out there for you. I believe you are all strong to face a strong foe. Your set may be the most tested since our first guardians."
"It would have been nice to learn from the previous guardians. Alice is the only one who came closest to even seeing the previous guardian of Envy. Mattis and Leo are the only two we know who has met two generations of guardians. It is sad that each has to die for you to meet the next one."
"Yes, it would be nice to be handed to my next guardian by my last one. Even better would be to have one teach the next."
"That would be incredible! I would love that! Anyway, it is late. Good night, Vanity."
"Good night, Kayla."
I drifted off to sleep.

"Kayla, Kayla, wake up sister."
I opened my eyes to a wonderous sight. I was in a room I didn't know. Before we were about a dozen women in a broad range of dress, both in style and class. The one in the oldest style spoke again.
"Greetings, sister. I am Breanne. We have all held Vanity. You are the only one of al of us who has wanted to meet the prior guardians. There is someone else for you to meet."
The women parted. From the darkness of the room, a gorgeous woman glided into the circle of women. Nearly half a head taller than the tallest of them, I had to look up to meet her eyes. Without being told, I knew who she was.
"Vanity!"
"Greetings, daughter of the sword. I told you that you were special. By your will alone, we have entered your mind during your slumber. We are here for you, Kayla. All night, as long as needed."
Realizing it was a dream, I was afraid I was making all of this up myself. Sensing my apprehension, Vanity took my hands, raised my chin to meet her eyes. Beautiful amythyst eyes with pupils of silver.
"This is very real, Kayla. Very real."
The women encircled us, a smile on all of their faces.