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.