CH835 Thera’s Perspective

She tried to keep the headache from touching her face as she left Ben, taking her first step through the gate to her old room and trying to seem positive for Mora and Bloom both as she went, even if she was expecting things to instantly become a mess.

When Ben had brought Ogilt back with him, all of the nearby great spirits had reacted almost immediately. She was sure the same thing was going to happen there but for whatever bit of mercy it held, they didn’t rush to her side, instead letting her lead the two through her home, trying to make sure they were both comfortable while she did.

“So, this is where I grew up,” She told them. “My old home and homeland. A bit bigger than what we’ve got in Stonewall, huh?”

“I remember it,” Bloom said, bearing the histories of all of the original spirits that had made it up while Mora stayed quiet, still withdrawn from it all like the child he was, scared of what he’d done and what was going to come from it, with Thera trying to provide a bit of comfort by giving his hand a squeeze.

“It’s going to be fine, sweety. A bit awkward at first, maybe, but fine in the end.”

All it is is introducing my family to two new types of spirits that have never existed before in the history of the universe and explaining that one of them created the other. How hard could that be?

…I really hope I haven’t accidentally been screaming with my mana and just not noticed.

She tried her best to steel herself. It would be fine in the end, she would make sure of it. She just needed to get through one long conversation first and trying to put it off no longer, let her mana sense guide her, feeling the point where it was practically screaming as it led her to the lounge and all who waited within.

With the crowd there making it clear they were trying to show some level of tact. The fact that her father, Lux, Funa, Ogilt, and Incedis were all gathered and waited certainly showed they had all known when she’d arrived and had made the choice to not just swarm her room but now there they were, face to face as all of the original spirits subtly shifted their attention between the two with her, her father speaking first.

“So, this is the end product of Vividus’s experiments?”

A comment with no emotion behind it but a sentiment cold enough that Mora took a step closer to her, with Thera not only shooting her father a glare but a small magic nullification spell as well to really drive home her displeasure.

“No, this is her son, Mora. Me and Ben have been raising him but something came up so I’ve come here so he can meet the rest of his family but if you can’t have any manners around your new nephew we’ll go back.”

“And is the other one in your arms the issue in question?” Funa asked. “I can’t imagine Abrus and Salinoth contributing anything of themselves to her to make something like that happen.”

“I’m Bloom,” The new spirit added, seeing they were talking about it while Thera extended her glare to the rest of them.

“And it doesn’t matter, if the rest of you don’t shape up right now we’re going back. I just told you, this child is Mora. If you have the slightest inclination of acting like family, there’s something else you should all be doing right now.”

Lux was the first one to understand what she meant, seeming like the most open of them all as she spoke up, even if she herself still didn’t sound confident as she went.

“Hello Mora, my name is Lux, the great light spirit. You can call me either Lux or aunty if you’d like, whatever you’re comfortable with. And Bloom… We can take some time later to figure out how to think of each other.”

With her introduction made, it was enough for everyone else to catch on too as the others spoke up, one by one.

“I’m Funa.”

“The great fire spirit, Incedis.”

“Ogilt.”

“I’m Thera’s father, Abrus, now-”

“We can talk a bit more about Mora,” Thera said, cutting her dad off. “We can focus on all of the more relevant stuff for now. If any of you had any doubts, he is a genuine great spirit and he has power over souls so he’s the first mixed spirit but he’s not like any of you with all of your years and history. He’s been shaped by his birth, you can think of him as being like a ten-year-old incubus but without ten years of experience behind him.”

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

“And are you sure he’s not just acting like that?” Incedus asked, flinching back as Thera shot another nullification spell his way.

“Ben was able to confirm it,” She told him coldly. “Now, since we’ve established that you’re talking to and about a child here, all of you think long and hard about just how you’re going to act with him, understood?”

“Ahem, alright,” Her father said. “But there’s not just one new spirit here. Where did Bloom come from?”

“…Mora made him.”

“…I see. How?”

“Same way all of you were supposedly born, a bunch of regular spirits merging together. In their case, it was just the three affinities that typically go into plant magic. It was a little… surprising when it happened which is why we’re here.”

“I handled existing poorly,” Bloom said brightly, the contrast between the words and the sentiment bringing subtle looks between it and Ogilt as they were forced to wonder if they had an insane great spirit as an issue now to add to their depressed one.

“He’s better now, Ben’s dealing with it. I can give you the details later.”

“Yes, later in general feels like it will be for the best. Thera, we need a little to talk about all of this, would you all mind giving us just a bit of time?”