Nen Feaster; Part 2: The Cat's Journey

Chapter 4: Guidance

They came to the central building, everyone along the way eyeing Nef curiously. Nef wasn't used to having so many eyes on her, so many people looking at her, making assumptions and judging her without ever giving the slightest bit of thought. It made her very uncomfortable. "We're here." Juno said as they approached the central building. "Go inside. Ask what you want, but if Amelia gives you a vision, don't ask for the finer details. That is the only rule." "Okay... thank you." Nef said. Juno nodded and stepped aside. Nef stepped inside.

There was a massive glass chamber that stretched to the ceiling, taking up most of the space in the building. Inside, sitting quietly and solemnly, was Amelia. "Please, sit down, Neferpitou." She said.

"You... you know my name?" Nef asked.

"I know many things. It's why I am called the Wise One, after all." Nef went over to the glass chamber and sat down on a pillow that was set in front of it.

"If you know who I am, then... I assume that you know of..." Nef couldn't get it out.

"Yes, I know of Eli's fate." Amelia said sadly.

"I'm... so sorry I couldn't save him." Nef said with her head hung low.

"Don't apologize for that. There was nothing you could do."

"That doesn't make it hurt any less." Amelia looked to Nef as she sat quietly in her grief.

"I know why you're here. It's best if you asked your questions quickly." Amelia said.

"Did Eli really not have any friends?" Nef asked.

"He had you and your brothers... you were his only friends."

"I see... what can you tell me about Shroud?"

"He's older than any Shade. He's been alive for three thousand years. He was made specifically to imprison the most powerful nen user on Eilsar. His strength was immeasurable..."

"Amelia." Nef said to stop Amelia from going into a long explanation.

"Yes?" Amelia asked.

"Do you know how Eli freed himself from Shroud?"

"He overfed him." Amelia said simply.

"Over... fed him?"

"Yes. He forced his nen into Shroud. It was too much for him, causing him to explode." Nef remembered the pillar of light she had seen the night of Eli's death.

"How did Eli find us? I read in his journal that it was you that told him." Nef said.

"I can peer into the future. I saw your kind, and the futures where Eli interacted with you."

"What do you mean?" Nef asked.

"I have a nen ability. It allows me to see one thousand possible futures."

"What did you see?"

"There were thirteen futures where Eli freed himself from Shroud and left you all. There were one hundred and six futures where you and Eli ran away together, leaving everyone behind." Amelia said. Nef thought about that for a moment, about what it would have been like if it was just her and Eli. She liked the idea of her and Eli having a future, but not the idea of abandoning her family. "There were one hundred and seventy-two futures where you brought Cheetu with you, another one hundred and eight where you took Komugi with you." Nef liked those futures better, but she wanted everyone to get out.

"What were the other futures?" Nef asked.

Amelia sighed and said, "Do you really want to know?"