"So, when do I move to the next node?" Maria asked Lady Elma who had a closed-off expression. The closed-off expression did not make things easier for Maria to interpret, nor did the words she heard.
"Ideally, I'll ask you to leave right now but we do have a little problem. There are only two circuits that are currently open. Our natural circuit leads to Jamaica but it's too dull to operate. I'm afraid that something happened there. Your only other options are Gerna and Albest" Lady Elma's words sounded practiced.
Maria could tell that she had a lot of practice in being able to deliver these kinds of news to the people. And what terrible news it was.
Ideally, Albest would be the next destination to aim for but Maria was not sure if it would be wise of her to go there. There were too many things that were connected to Albest for her not to worry.
"Can we force Jamaica's connection open? Even if the node could no longer be sealed, I can use it to move ahead" Maria explained with a hopeful voice. Going back to Gerna was not an ideal option right now. Not with how Maria had left it.
The only way to progress was to go ahead of the curve. The next world was waiting for her and it would be scary. Maria would be alone for the first time and that thought terrified her to no end.
"It is possible but we'll need to do it before we get the purification started. You'll have no time to prepare" Lady Elma explained and Maria nodded to show that she understood.
It was not like being prepared would help her out when she did not even know what to expect. For all she knew, she could be stepping into a world that wanted to eat her alive. Or it could be the modern world. But Maria owed it to these people to at least try.
"I've made up my mind. Hurry up and set the array" Maria called, trying not to second guess herself. She knew what she was capable of and so did her magic. She needed to leave Imu and seek out her destiny. Maria had a feeling it was her system that was responsible for it.
'There is not anything I can do for Imu, is there?' Maria felt guilty for turning tail in such a tough situation. The people of Imu had nothing but polite to her all this whole and Maria felt like she had not replayed them anything.
[The user is reminded that they chose these paths]
Her system reminded, trying to wash the blame from itself once again. And Maria hated how it worked as well in these situations because it was true.
Maria had been the one making the choice all along, not her system. She was sure things would have ended up this way with or without it.
"Follow me. I don't want anyone else to get caught up in the magic" Lady El. A shook her head at the few eager heads in the crowd. Maria hadn't even noticed them inching closer to the magic circle and the young heads dropped at the scolding tone.
ραпdα- n૦νe|`c,0m "B-But we want to help her. She saved Imu from falling apart" a young thirteen years old whispered as he looked at Maria with a familiar gaze. She had seen that look too much to mistake it for anything other than a young crush.
She needed to do something to discourage that look at all costs. The more Maria saw these looks, the more she hated to be in this position.
"You can't have to help me. You're not even taller than me right now, much less strong" Maria was not good at discouraging children. Her role as the oracle meant that she had been taught to encourage, not discourage.
These kinds of situations had always been handled by her guards or Nao. Maria felt awkward to be put in such a situation and she could hear light huffs or amusement from around her.
The one being let out by Suna was especially loud and Maria felt stressed out. How did one do this without sounding rude in the process? These children were just trying to help her out.
"I'm strong though. I'm sure I can protect you" the teen replied with a determined expression. Maria instantly turned toward Lady Elma for help. She was too out of the depths here.
She could tell that Lady Elma was laughing at her expense as well, even if it did not show up on her face. It made Maria's face redden even more at the obvious declaration.
"Now, I'm sure you can protect her perfectly but I can only send one person through right now. You'll need to wait your turn Shinji" the teen faltered at those words but his eagerness did not subdue. If anything, this fueled his determination even more.
Maria felt the next action coming but she could not stop it from happening. Her mind blanked and her body stopped moving as she watched the smaller body bow in front of her.
"Please wait for me to grow up and become stronger. I wish to repay you somehow" Maria stood there awkwardly, taking in the declaration. The teen kept on looking toward her in earnest.
She felt old, so old right now. She did draw on to her that her body was 17 but she was mentally much older. The child was barking up the wrong tree here.
The silence was stuffing but then laughter broke the tense atmosphere. Maria could hear almost everyone laughing at her expanse, even Suna. And the worst of it all - Maria did not even know the kid who had made this situation this awkward for her.
"Uh, alright?" That was almost a question at this point but the child took it as a challenge and raised his fist in a winning pose. Maria just shook her head as she found herself in such a predicament.
"Let's leave now. I don't want another declaration" Lady Elma's voice still had a laughing echo in her voice. Maria found her one voice lacking in the face of such a situation.
So she allowed herself to be led away and pushed around. She almost felt out of it till she was pushed in and felt a familiar motion around her. Magic was building up around her and Maria's eyes met Suna's before it all disappeared.
And Maria knew she was no longer in Imu. The node's influence was wavering by the second and something else was approaching her on the other end.
And this was how Maria crashed into a barrier, right in the middle of a celebration and almost naked woman.
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