A Hand-Woven Universe 14 14. A Proper Opportunity p2

Noone's eyes shot open - looking up at Elder Azelle. Had he fallen asleep? That was unusual, he hadn't felt tired.

"Sorry Elder, I must have dozed off." He stood up, adjusting his clothes.

"Not at all, it was my fault for keeping you waiting." The elder seemed less scattered than he had been when Noone had seen him earlier. It seemed as though the elder had made some kind of decision on something that had been bothering him, as to what it was though, Noone couldn't have known.
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Noone and the elder were both stood in the middle of the Elders Hall. A large spherical room with multi-colored lights flowing through the stones in the walls. Noone hadn't been inside for a long time.

The elder walked towards a wall and placed his palm on it. Immediately the elemental lights in the stone jumped as though at his command. The area in front of the elder became a whirlpool of blue energy, reacting to the elder's affinity.

When he pulled his hand away the blue dispersed back into its regular erratic patterns.

"This room," he started, gesturing around him and looking to Noone. "This room in many ways is like a historical record of all the elders of Tapestry… since the dawn of our world." The elder cleared his throat, and Noone was surprised, the elder was emotional? There was a sorrow in the elder's words that Noone couldn't understand.

"Noone. Epoch ago - far longer than any of us dare to imagine - The ancestor came to the people of this world and warned of a world ending catastrophe. He stated that almost all would die. Civilizations would be lost. History would be unraveled." The Elder's voice rose as he recounted their history, getting louder with each phrase. "And then he told us he would pass down his will onto us, providing protection from the coming calamity."

"He dug the city of Tapestry out of a cliff at the edge of the world and told us we would be safe here. One day, the world above would become habitable again. He had told us that we must not leave tapestry before that time or we would die. The world was going to become a place that would actively strive to kill us."

"So, we waited, but how long were we supposed to wait? He never said."

Noone had heard much of this before, however never in such fine detail.

"Thus, a tradition became born. When the time is right, the oldest elder will pass his seat along, and leave the conclave to scout out the world above. Although we cannot know for certain, what we do know is no one has returned yet in all the time we have lived in Tapestry." Noone's eyes widened, he swallowed in nervousness. He was starting to understand where this was leading. "Thus, though many do not speak of it, most believe this to be no different than suicide."

The elder chuckled bitterly, no one wanted to die, but what else could be done?

Noone did not know how old the elder was but Elder Azelle had been the reigning as the leader of Tapestry since he was born, and though no one said it, many believed he was well over the 500 years usually allotted to them.

"I see…"

"No, I am afraid you don't." The elder took a moment to sigh, he was here to offer Noone an opportunity, but it felt like he was pushing Noone's hand. If he and Adria left, would Noone dare not follow?

"With the oldest elder, the youngest prodigy will also join him." The elder said, giving Noone a deep look. Noone was struck still. Adria?

"I will be acting as the vanguard, to protect her within all my power from whatever world lies above. Adria will be the seed - for if there is a world above that we can survive in - she will be the one to start building the foundations for the arrival of Tapestry."

Noone was silent. Many moments passed in total quiet. He thought about everything the Elder said.

The reasoning behind this decision was fair. Without knowing anything of the desolate lands above, it was the most efficient solution. But his mind shook… what if it really was just a suicide mission? How was he supposed to be okay with that?

And then… If Adria and Elder Azelle left, he would only have Liter to talk to. One other person in a city of ten thousand.

Noone's head was hung low, his usual sturdy posture was now shadowed in a vague gloom. Depressing thoughts coursed through his mind. All of this was too unexpected. But why is the elder telling me all this now? Noone couldn't help but wonder.

"Do you want to join us Noone?" Noone did not even need to think of his answer.

Without hesitation. "Yes elder. I want to go as well."

Elder Azelle nodded casually, trying to come off as nonchalant as possible. However, Noone saw the flash of happiness in the elder's eyes. Was it weird to feel happiness about going off to certain death? Perhaps. But maybe that was better than living and feeling alone.

Noone knew he wasn't going in order to be with Adria. Or Elder Azelle. He wanted to go merely so he wouldn't have to stay there, in Tapestry.

Chapter end