Wizard's House

[wizardseason]

"Hey"

The Wizard greets the evil-allured knights the same way every night, with the same word, while casually sitting on the steps of the porch outside of her little home. The building looks handmade, like it was built by people who cared about the place they were going to live. Surrounding it on all sides are fields as far as the eye can see. Vegetables of all kinds, with fruit trees and bushes placed throughout the landscape. Closer to the home are bigger trees, willows and others, providing shade from the strange three suns above. Wherever this is, it isn't the world that the knights know.

Plunged into the ground a mere few feet away from the steps leading up to the home is a handwritten sign that states the following:

Knight Rules:
- Tell others if you want
- You can't reveal others
- The world ends this year

Comments

[wizardseason]

As if they'd always been there, Fumicq's head rises up from where it had been set against their clawed feet on the ceiling. Their form slowly unfolds from the ceiling, they'd been resting against it like they were a cat on the floor but now they're needed.

"Yes?"

[tropicalstorm]

She thinks for a moment. What exactly does she want to know? Honestly, nothing. She doesn't really care about the history of this whole situation, she only cares about beating the monsters and getting home. But she had helped to convince Gyre not to confront Luka in part by advocating that they talk to their companions, so... Might as well ask about something that directly affects HER, at least to start.

"Do you and the other companions know who the knights that were chosen for the Wizard are?"

[wizardseason]

"I wish it were that easy." They answer, slowly starting to float down in a circle around Haizea.

"Have you begun to suspect that some of your allies do not have your best interests in mind?"

[tropicalstorm]

Haizea pauses. If the companions don't know who's getting wizard dreams... then Fumicq doesn't know about her. What would they do if they knew? Would they tell the other companions? Would the companions tell their knights? Would the knights tell Luka? Would Luka tell the Protector? She can't have that, better play it cool for now.

"No, nothing like that, everyone's been cool. I'm just curious, I guess. You know I didn't pay much attention to all this before, and it's starting to get to me how little I know." She shifts her position in bed and looks concerned. The best lies are based in truth.

"In earlier years, if a companion found out their knight was Wizard allied, would they tell anyone else? Or did the knights themselves just end up telling everyone? Was there ever a year where no one ever found out who was with the Wizard?"

[wizardseason]

Fumicq would tell the others literally in a heartbeat. What they did with that information wasn't their business.

"I see." They answer, flatly, watching the way Haizea considers the situation.

"Every year has been different, but secrets such as those are not easy to keep. Wizard knights have typically revealed themselves in a bid of desperation to prove their trustworthiness. Turning themselves in, you would say."

[tropicalstorm]

Fumicq you snitch!!!!!! Good thing she didn't assume they knew already.

"Makes sense, but I bet it didn't always go well for them. People probably figured it was a trick or something, huh?" She keeps her tone light, the same way you would talk about a topic that was interesting but didn't concern you at all. "Do you remember how long any Wizard knight managed to keep the secret?"

[wizardseason]

"Of course. Once it is known that there is a risk, it cannot be forgotten." They answer immediately, watching Haizea.

"Some lasted the entire time, they were not known at all. You are certain you do not suspect someone is keeping a secret?"

[tropicalstorm]

Hm, maybe she can get through this then. If she survives, it’ll be bad enough to be known as a knight, let alone to be known as a Wizard knight. She shrugs nonchalantly when Fumicq asks her about secrets.

“Suspect anyone? Nah, I don’t.” This isn’t a lie, she doesn’t suspect anyone, she KNOWS who they are. “I guess it don’t really matter though, so long as we all kill the monsters then who cares?”

[wizardseason]

"You are correct. I hope we see nothing from the wizard knights. Things are better without them." They answer plainly, still floating in a circle around the room.

[tropicalstorm]

Hm, well, that doesn’t feel great. She never asked to be a wizard knight!! She keeps her cool though, maintaining her facade of nonchalance. But then another question hits her-

“What did you and the other companions do before this yearly bullshit started? Did you even exist before then?”

[wizardseason]

"We did not exist." They answer without any hesitation, though their slow float around the room does pause for a moment before resuming.

"At least we did not in our current forms; I have no memory before that time."

[tropicalstorm]

"Huh," Haizea says, drawing her knees up to her chest and leaning her head on them pensively. "Do you think the Wizard or the Protector made you all like this? Or was it something else?"

[wizardseason]

They continue floating around the room, letting their gaze drift away from Haizea.

"Neither. They wouldn't avoid us if they had made us." They answer, slowly twisting in a circle in midair.

"I don't like that I don't have the answer."

[tropicalstorm]

"I don't like that much either, buddy. Not knowin' who made you sucks," she sighs, leaning back in bed a bit and thinking of her own unknown origin. She feels a bit of kinship now with Fumicq, and doesn't like that she's keeping the fact that she's a wizard knight a secret from them. But she doesn't like a lot of things that she does.

"What do you want to happen, in all this? Like if the Wizard were to be stopped for good, what would you do?"

[wizardseason]

There's a little puff of fire and smoke from their mouth as they consider how to answer Haizea's question. They float through a ring they'd made, idly twisting again.

"If that happened, we'd probably be gone. Our purpose would be fulfilled." They answer, calmly.

"And I would be satisfied with that."

[tropicalstorm]

She raises an eyebrow at that. While she believes them, it's kind of hard for her to understand.

"Really? There's nothin' else you wanna do, nothin' else you wanna see?"

[wizardseason]

"No." Their response comes immediately, without even the slightest hesitation. They're set in their decision here.

"I will do what I wish in the time I have."