Filling In (Saden)

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Tres was well settled and Lilith had been brought home, night had fallen and shops and such were shut down for the night. A small figure walked alone in the night, her footsteps not making a sound. It was easy to miss the small figure, dressed in a black cloak with a large hood over her head. She made her way up into the second district to the library. Getting into the library after hours really wasn’t any worry for her, she had done it more times then she could remember. She had come to make up Liliths hours that she had missed. Aria was prepared for a long night, so she was dressed comfortably in her black pants, soft leather shoes, and oversized white shirt over her more form fitting black shirt. Her hair was pulled back in a low pony tail, as to make sure not to get ink in it as she worked. A pack was slung over her shoulder with some small snack cakes, and a flask of tea to help her stay awake.



Aria entered the library using her magic to pick the locks, and relock the door behind her. She quietly made her way to the desk where Lilith worked and pulled out her ever blossom lantern. It cast a soft glow around the table as bright as any candle would. She took a seat and started to go over the paper work to see what Lilith had been working on. It would seem she had been repairing some texts; mending pages or replacing them… simple enough. She had one plenty of this time consuming work with her father. She calmly took out some of her own quills from the bag and pulled out some ink from Liliths work space and got to work. After all she was here to fill in some work hours for Lilith, and not to visit.

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A voice calls out to the redhead as she enters into the library. "Aria I know you are there." Calls a familiar but not recently heard voice. Aria's father Saden was calling out to her from the main room of the library after having closed it for the day. The statement was spoken softly, as if he had been near her, but it was clear that it had spread across the entire library, a strange phenomenon.

When Aria arrives in the main room of the library she would find a man who looked unlike the gangling pale scholar she had met here before. Saden sat in one of the chairs reading what seemed to be a blank journal. He looks up at her as she enters the room and his eyes drift slowly towards the empty chair across from him. "I am sure you are surprised to see me here, but I sent Mr. Locke home for the day. I have a matter of some importance I wish to discuss with you and I wished for an isolated place to have the discussion." Saden explains, in a calm and level voice, as if he were discussing the weather.

Saden was tall and had long wavy brown hair, his tan skin and rich deep brown eyes almost game the impression of a stoic reliable oak that had persisted for generation, and would continue to do so until the world stopped spinning. The man's eyes fall onto Aria and he taps a finger, an unconscious gesture of impatience. "When you sit we will begin."

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Aria blinked….well it would seem tricks were done for the day…. Aria calmly placed down her quill and strolled deeper into the library. She stopped by a nearby book case with an arched brow, she leaned against it with her arms crossed over her chest and a bemused expression on her face.

”Sent him home? I assumed he slept here; or lurked around the bookcases…”

Really she wasn’t surprised to see him here at all, but she supposed he had appearances to keep up. Her eyes glanced over to his hand…tapping the chair….she sighed and did as she was bid and came and sat across from him in the other chair. Her blue green orbs meeting his.

”So what is bothering you?”

She knew her father to have more patients then most people, not much irked him.

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Saden examined the girl as she walked in, it was just the barest motion, but his eyes seemed to take in every detail. His gaze was firm and the corners of his mouth turned down slightly into a frown, even a few lines around the eyes could be seen. All of the signs were subtle though and compared to the majesty of the Scion of Knowledge the effect only seemed to make him contemplative. As Aria sits down the in the chair across from him Saden remains silent for several moments, carefully picking the words he would use for the questions he had and the information he was to give.

"Fated Aria, I will speak candidly. I wish to hear about the world you and the man Gale are from, events have been, building and I wish to know about the history of our era from your world." He requests, speaking slowly and putting weight and emphasis behind each word. It was not often that he asked things of others, and even less often that he made his intention clear, but alas he did not have time to follow the natural order of things.

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Arias sat back in her chair, she figured something like this would eventually pop up…but now was the time to tread lightly. Even more so considering….Saden definitely couldn’t be used to being the one in the position of asking questions. She rested her arms on the side of the chair and laced her hands in front of her.

”He prefers to be referred to as Rivers…name suites him better.”

She sighed; here she thought she was going to have a relaxing evening.

”Events? That sounds concerning…Why are you curious to the events that happened in my world? They really don’t make for very good bed time stories…”

Question was; how much did he know already? She prepared herself: in her time her and her father would have these give and take conversations all the time…it took years for her to get him to be frank with her. This Saden could always be different….

”Do you want me to go get some tea, I brought some from home”

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Saden listens to her response on the man, Gale's name and nods. No sense upsetting the girl he supposed. "As I said, events are building, I wish to know about what happened in this time period in your world. I am aware you two are from much farther in the future, so I will understand if you do not have much knowledge regarding the history of your world, but let us say that there are some factors that I did not expect occurring and I wish to know the results of another scenario. I would appreciate it if you could be as detailed as possible." He says, though when she asks if he wants tea he simply nods.

Saden did not seem to be intending to answer questions at the moment.

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Aria just smiled at his attempt to bait the information out of her via insult to her lack of knowledge. She nodded when he seemed to not minding some tea.

”Just one moment then”

Aria got up and went back to the desk taking her flask, and some cups out of her bag. She walked back over to where Saden was sitting and calmly placed the two cups down on the table. She poured the tea which was surprisingly still hot. The smell of mint rising from the glasses; she handed him the cup before taking her own and going to sit down once again.

”You know as well as I do that ignorance is sometimes bliss….however I’m not so ignorant not to know when I have a very large chance of putting my foot in my mouth…”

She took a couple of sips from her tea.

”Factors? You mean the demi god Fate pulling in people from other timelines and worlds?”

She scratched the bridge of her nose in thought.

”I suppose we do learn from history, whether it’s this one or a similar one…But are you really interested in events from my time line or are you more concerned with the role I’ll play in this one? You seemed to have already tried to check up information on me and my companion…what did your little red book tell you?”

It was time to throw a more direct question at him; her eyes sharp as she studied his actions. She was measuring him up as much as he was her. Really if she was detailed enough she’d be putting her foot in her mouth…considering her father had tried to wipe the information out twice. Aria was curious to how much this Saden had found out about her...Really she could play this game with him all night.

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Saden looks at her, measuring and weighing possible responses. This was not as simple as just giving her an answer, and regardless of the girl's history if she was being this cagey he would likely only get half the story, if any of it anyways. His expression grows a bit darker as he messages his temples, despite his splendor he looked very old for that moment, someone with too many worries that only seemed to be increasing. After a long moment he opens his eyes and looks at her again.

"You are good at extracting information, but you have shared none of your own. If this is how the conversation will continue, then I will ask you to take your leave." He replies in a tired voice, he does not even twitch at her reference to the little red book, he simply watches her. When she brings the tea over he nods to indicate he acknowledges it, but does nothing more as he closes his book and sets it on the table.

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Aria calmly continued to sip the tea as it looked as though he was going to have a brain aneurism. Her eyes soft; this version of himself hadn’t faced half the difficulties he had in her time. She had been taught by someone who had played this game a good thousand years longer than he had.

”I had a very good teacher…He always had this wonderful habit of avoiding questions or giving obsure answers when I hit the nail on the head….usually though when I’m being this pert he had the habit of throwing his left shoe at me to dismiss me…took him good two years to get to that point though. I had a wonderful collection.”

Aria smiled.

”But really forgive me, you know as well as I do that certain subject matter is….sensitive. I rather not be the only one putting my foot in my mouth. Since I feel bad for giving you a head ache if you must know….I don’t want to see what happened in my time happen here….It doesn’t end well for any of you. I may be a sucky choice as your champion….but I will fight to protect you and the others until my last breath….even if you and the others don’t feel the same”


Aria paused and scratched the tip of her nose…it was odd having to communicate with her father this way. They both had come to the understanding on how to communicate with one another, Daddy always had the habit of loop holing around Grandpa’s rules. Then again there was a chance that Grandpas rules didn’t exist yet…she never did ask how long they had been in place. She looked at this version of her father with a slightly sad expression, she missed her real father all the more.



”I’m not use to being direct; least not any more….and frankly I do enjoy a good chat… It would help if I knew exactly what you wanted to know. A thousand years is a lot to cover….But if I am to assume right you already gather I know things I probably should not. The events your worried about repeat themselves twice in my time. Once around this point in my timeline, and another in the point of time in which I was present.”

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Saden shakes his head and smiles. "You must have had a fickled teacher indeed."

He takes a sip of the tea as he listens to her words then slowly sets the cup down. "Aria, saying you are going to fight to the death to protect me and the others is touching, but in this case irrelevant." He says with a stern gaze. Then he closes his eyes once again and leans back in his chair.

"What I wish to know about is what happened during this period of Noku's reign in your time period." He says simply. The girl gave snippets of information, but working this way would only give an incomplete picture. He rests his elbow on the table and then leans forward and places his cheek on his palm.

"What I need is not overarching concepts from your time, I need details. What is happening at this point in time? Who are the major players? How was it dealt with and the outcome." He asks looking into her eyes with a deep desire for knowledge. The ability to piece more together would give him an advantage and he an edge. "I believe we have the same end goal in mind."

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When he smiled she grinned, she amused her father in her time but never got him to smile. This one was certainly free with them.
”I did but I love him to bits anyways, I wouldn’t have it any other way. I miss him dearly and all his left shoes.”

She chuckled a bit; but her face turned somber as he spoke his opinion on her resolve.

”If things line up the way they did in my time you will….there were many things happening during Nokus reign. The god’s eyes were pulled to themselves as they began losing what was most dear to them.”

Aria stared at her cup of tea, contemplating…. The gods were very much likely to have been distracted….it would explain why Noku and …Garrett had gotten so far with activating the center of Nova. By telling this Saden all that she knew…even if it raised questions about her….well…it was a risk she was going to have to take in order to at least have one of them looking in the right direction. Her father was there best defense, but if Tes was killed during this time….which she believed she was. Then that would explain a lot. Aria looked up and met his gaze; pausing for only a moment longer when he finished…

”….ok….Well…my story starts with you in my time. When you first defeated the previous god of knowledge and took his place.”

Aria technically shouldn’t have known this….but it was one of the things from his past that her father and Mylee did share with her. After much persistence they both decided it was something she could know.

”Mylee said you were a very curious young boy, full of questions, and the drive to find them out. However your mind set was still human, so to teach you a lesson and to test you Mylee gave you a wager. He let you make your first choice as a god….There was a woman who was devastated, her infant son was dying. She was praying to Mylee to save him; Mylee gave you the choice. Whether to save the child or let him pass….It was a pivotal turning point in which all events moving forward would rest….I am sure you know how the rest turned out considering that boys children …or child is alive and still cursed during this time. I’m making the assumption events have been the same up until that point.”

Aria rubbed the bridge of her nose, pulling from her memory what information she knew, considering not being directly involved until a thousand years later she had a very good picture of what happened in the past.
”Unlike this time, both twins survived. Core and Noku; were raised by a mother who hated them. Core was the more charismatic one…Noku…while a gentlemen he was horrible at communication….frankly I’m beginning to think he still his. Anyways their mother eventually tried to kill them, not able to live with what her children could become when the curse was activated. Cain killed their mother in front of them. Frankly not the best way to start off life….Anyways…. As they grew older Cain was murdered, and Core was banished from the castle by his brother whom became king. Frankly not the brightest of ideas. Noku was horrible with communication and his brother Core, generally a good translator for him helped him interact and deal with people. Without him Noku became more isolated and in his isolation more and more paranoid. However there was a small hope; for the cursed twins. A goddess; one that could potentially break the curse was promised to each of them; Ai’s daughter for one, and Casters daughter for the other.”

Aria paused to take a sip of her tea; this was going to be a long story indeed. Funny when this part was told to her…she hadn’t known Tes was her father’s daughter as well….that had been a bit of a surprise when she came tho this world….and explained so much.

”However…Melania apprentice of Caster at the time. Caster goaded her student to fight one of these goddess….to test her. The goddess was defeated and killed…leaving only one of the Noru brother’s salvation. Caster was also defeated by her student eventually and trapped in the fruit of time; Melania then carried that fruit….including this detail will make sense in a bit just bear with me.”

Aria scratched her head this was where she’d have to tell several stories at once….it all didn’t just fit in a nice neat story line.

”While Core was banished he set up the Thieves of Nova. Originally meant to help the situation in the third district, which was much like it is now. He was King of the Thieves….anyways he liked to be a pain to his brother as much as he possibly could. Frankly he’s very good at being a butt wad….so as you can imagine sibling relationships weren’t their strong suit. Moving on Vennessa went on to marry Noku; however she had fallen in love with Core. Vennessa had relations with Core and they had a child…frankly I’m fuzzy on the details during this time…but Noku took the child and raised him as his own. Core on the other hand fell in love with another woman; this woman in this area was called Claire. She became the thieves second in command. One thing led to another, Vennessa was killed, Noku took Claire, Claire helped raise the child…..After Vennessa was killed the gods turned their back on Nova and left for the glade.”

Aria had spent many years piecing together this puzzle…. Always difficult because none of them ever gave the full picture. Only a snippet here or a snippet there.

”As time was passing Noku grew more and more paranoid; Due to the nature of the twins curse, when one gets hurt the other does, coupled with his position as king getting pulled this way and that….one I assume has to feel a loss of control. I can see how it would be maddening…. Noku became more and more controlling; he eventually had his advisor make collars to place on those who opposed him. The collars ….I have mixed opinions on the collars. Frankly I find them absolutely brilliant, horrible but brilliantly useful none the less. I’ve based one of my own spells slightly off of them… these collars forced the wearer to do what Noku asked of them…the use of these collars created the monster I knew in my time as Ambrosia. His brother began to rise up against him more and more; eventually Noku snapped and sought out to finish what their father started.”

This story was fairly long….. she never had to tell the whole thing before.

”In the end Noku forced Melania via a slave collar to summon the red rain; there was a mass massacre on the streets of Nova…spilling the blood of innocents. Core was determined to stop his brother; they both ended up dueling. In the end Core sacrificed himself and killed Noku….The son however; having all the pieces arranged and the blood still running in the streets…went to activate the weapon. It backfired; however in order to save the city; Melania froze the entire thing in time. Sinking it below the earth. All the people, buildings….everything frozen as it was on that horrible day. The son…the son was punished. Forced to live for eternity making sure that the center would not be used again…Thus the Thieves of Nova gained a new purpose.”

Aria sighed….Garrett had done a horrible thing….but he knew it, and has been atoning for it all this while. But she could understand a childs love for a parent…. Noku had been suffering; it made him bitter and he lashed out… how frustrating it must have been to not be able to help…..Aria didn’t feel that it was right…but she could understand the motivations that led to it…and only feel pity that things and fallen like they had. But she also knew most people didn’t share her sentiments.

”After the city was hidden underground a new one was built, completely of red stone…the Norus were taken out of rule and a new line of kings was set up.”

Aria twirled the end of her hair….her hair had been the same shade as those stones….

”you all at that point thought it was best to stay hidden; let all form into a myth….What you were doing in that time never really was told to me. I’m not sure what happened to the other deities, or dovas….Whenever I asked, Mylee always told me it was something in the past and I didn’t need to know it. But I can make assumptions that something happened around this point in the story that made Mylee begin enforcing the no god shall interfere directly in a mortal affair….along with gods shall only have one child rule…Dova’s were a bit of a special exception, but by that point there was only one….So by the time I was born a thousand years later. All of you were supposedly myths; never existed, a fanciful story….”

That was at least that part of the story.

”….While this is past the point where you wanted to know; the center was activated again. In my time. So letting you all become a myth….not the best solution….”

Aria sat back; hoping that was detailed enough for him.

”From that past….I think it’s safe to assume. The key piece to this; is not getting caught unaware….and Also finding a way to preserve Noku’s sanity….with the assassination attempts and odd fated people being dragged into this world. The main key that set Noku off the deep end is being fulfilled even if it’s not from the same people….It may not do much….but I think he needs a friend he can trust. One that won’t drip poison in his ear…. But frankly being cursed as he is. I don’t think he’d give a normal person a chance. The whole there’s no way you possibly could know how I feel type….. I think I might have a chance.”

Aria pulled her hair back revealing a stitched up cut along the side of her temple.

”I’m harboring his brother’s soul who got trapped in the sword I carry, as long as I carry him I’m affected by the curse….his families curse. I’m a girl…a tiny one at that...easily mistaken for a child; I’m not very threatening. I think might have a chance….I’ve gotten along with every other Noru so far…and I’m hoping it’s a family thing. But if I can ease just a bit of his paranoia in anyway….I think that may be a good start….that and get me in a position where I can learn a lot more….Point is push comes to shove and questions start being asked…I may need your help.”

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Saden sat and listened to Aria's story, it was a high level explanation, covering a lot of events, but it was also the most dangerous kind of information since it lacked much of the intention and details behind it, but then again even if it was dangerous it was still useful. Saden found himself pondering the scenario that Aria had presented him with, it certainly sounded possible, absurdly unlikely, but possible. Saden's eyes slowly hardened as he thought about the events, the history about him was more or less correct, but the idea of Melania slaying Teleska and sealing Caster seemed both ridiculous and worrying.

But then again, there was no 'Core' in this time period, and without that man the entire situation had changed. He found himself running through possibilities, but he soon closed his eyes and let out the breath he hadn't realized he was holding. This information was interesting, but the situation was too different for it to be an accurate simulations of coming events...though a few of the events...maybe.

After several minutes Saden opens his eyes and looks at the girl in front of him, she was thinking about this situation in an interesting way. Noku could use a friend, but..."Aria, you should beware, friendship can turn into many things." He warns, again closing his eyes and taking a sip of the tea. Her idea was good, but he needed to consider and read before he came to any further conclusions.

"This is all interesting, but I called you here for another reason. As my champion, there is some knowledge I wish to impart upon you. Recently a man in darkness came from the castle with a question for me. We made an exchange and I told him of the treasure he had taken that would attract even Noku Noru's notice." He tells her, then finishes the last of his cup.

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Aria sighed and gave him a grimace of a smile and nodded; she was very well aware how things could turn out.

”One starting point many outcomes and only one in which I see can have any good come from it. I’m hoping if Noku thinks I’m related….even if its awkward…it may help prevent one path I REALLY don’t want to fallow….I have had plenty of friendships turn south….”

Aria rubbed the side of her face with a scowl and side.

”But for some reason the Noru men usually stick. It may be foolish to hope this one might as well; but I think it’s worth a chance to try. I’m more than sure questions will eventually be asked of you.”

Aria trailed off….her ears perked when he said he had some information to pass down to her….as champion….this caught her attention. She looked up at him sharply as he spoke of an object….her response was a fairly colorful swear.

”Where’s the piece now; and what did you exchanged the information for……and to whom….”

No games or beating around the bush on those questions.

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"We may each try our paths, and you are my champion, if I am asked I have no intention of denying that. If I am asked more, well it is not always for others to pry about one whom I am fond of." He replies simply to Aria's statement, he would not help her with Noku, but he would not hinder her either. This was her attempt to try for, and possibly to fail at.

Though when she suddenly starts demanding answers of him Saden's eyes turn downward. Then he raises his head to meet hers, and impassive expression on his face. "We may have been talking genially up until this point, but do not presume to demand answers of me." He tells her, though the stern expression soon melts away and he gets to his feet to get more tea.

"By virtue of our agreement we cannot reveal each other, and there is little more will tell you, but before I say anymore you must make a promise to me. You will not try to obtain this object by force nor will you try to steal it." Saden says simply.

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”Fond of? You barely know me. This is the first interaction we had at any length since I got my ass fated over here….”

Aria sighed and fought the urge to roll her eyes as she would if her father had given her a lecture…..she managed to keep them still remembering she wasn’t dealing with her father…. It was easy to fall into old habits at times. She rubbed the bridge of her nose impatiently.

”They weren’t demands; they were just put bluntly and without tact, I know every well you wont answer them unless you feel like it….”

She watched him help himself more to the tea she brought from home. Well at least he liked it. When he asked her to promise not to try to steal it or take it by force she frowned. It was a few moments before she responded as she thought over her response carefully. She hated giving her word to something not of her choosing….the annoyance showed as a sharp glint in her eyes…words were as binding as ropes…at least they were in her family.

”If you trust him to keep it I will have to abide by that; it’s not the place of a champion to go against the god they represent…plus I don’t like beating people up to get things anyways… as for trying to steal it from this person you have my word I won’t try to steal it from them.”

One known piece was better than not knowing it at all…