The Primordials: A Joyless Life (Book Two)

Chapter V: Resolve

      Back inside Naomi's cave, we sat briefly to discuss some things. I figured I should let her know what was going on.

      "So, where to start...." I began.

      "Oh, that's okay; I already know everything that's been going on," Naomi quickly declared. "I've been listening to you occasionally since I sensed the sudden suppression of Tymon's spirit energy a few months ago."

      "Listening?" I said, a little confused. Was she spying on us? Have we been bugged this entire time?

      "Yes, please elaborate," Trik stated, expressing his concern.

      Naomi exposed her wrist, showing us her two dark markings.

      "From what I understand, one of my cintracies allows me to manipulate sound waves. If I concentrate, I can hear really far away. If I fly high enough, I can even hear across an ocean," she informed while beaming at us.

      My holo-bracelet buzzed to life as Viraa's voice emitted from it.

      "That cintracy is called Seismic Reign. It's a temp cintracy that lets you manipulate soundwaves and create powerful shockwaves strong enough to crumble steel if trained well. Your other cintracy is the eutierric cintracy, Arctic Release. It allows you to give your spirit energy the qualities of ice and grants you limited power of the element in general," Viraa explained to Naomi.

      "Wait, if you could hear us, why didn't you come help," I asked her.

      "I was in no rush to help you," she responded, still smiling.

      I was momentarily baffled.

      "Is there something wrong with me? Why'd you agree to come to help us then?" I asked impatiently.

      "No, no, that's not what I mean," Naomi reassured me. "After listening to you, I knew you'd eventually track the rest of us down, so I continued to mind my business until you got to me."

      "What about when Za'Fia was taken," Tymon inserted.

      "When Za'Fia was kidnapped, I knew she was fine, so I didn't see a reason to charge in," Naomi said with a nervous laugh.

      "Naomi isn't big on fighting, so I'm actually happy that she didn't come charging in," Za'Fia said.

      "Oh, but when I heard your encounter with Avarice's High Gods, I was about to give my support, really! But then I heard someone else already heading there, so I stayed put," Naomi added.

      Naomi looked at me.

      "That's why I wasn't in a rush to help you. And I agreed to come with you now because I actually like you. Your pure nature is very welcoming compared to most humans in this corrupted world," she said, clasping my hand.

      Her words filled me with so much elation that I couldn't help but smile back.

      After that, we decided to travel a couple of hours south to find a hotel to spend the night at since it was too cold to stay at Naomi's.

      The next afternoon, we arrived home with a new Primordial friend to introduce to everyone.

      Naomi warmed up to everyone faster than I thought she would. I guess she'd also been keeping an ear on them and knew she could trust them.

      While the rest of us sat in the private office, eating snacks, Naomi was registered into our database.

      After being registered, the moment she'd been waiting for finally came. My mom handed her the gift box from the pedestal under the empty canvas with the tag "Ice Kitsune."