Convergence: Eclipse Chapter 19: Chapter 19: The Mighty Puck

Read chapter 19 of Convergence: Eclipse by J.L.Hollingwell on NovelPedia.

The path of progression is a long and dangerous one, some can walk it alone, but not many. Most need people around them, to push them, to pull them back, to make sure they remember who they are. It is very easy to lose yourself to the pursuit of power. Diary of a lonely Moon Charon Their conversation had ended after Maeve had voiced her decision. Both had drifted off to sleep without any further deliberations or plans, so that when Laurie was awoken by the sudden blare of the bright, white daylight, it was with a pleasing sense of anticipation and possibility. He lay there for a moment, letting himself come back to full wakefulness slowly and without urgency. Maeve was by his side, curled up in her new bedroll. It looked very warm. And very soft. Trying to suppress his envy, Laurie stretched, and stood. He felt much better; some cuts remained but the bruises were already mostly faded, the sickly, grim yellow of injuries from weeks ago, not hours. Laurie poked at an impressive specimen on his forearm and pondered this newfound ability. How was he doing this? Was it a generic ability gifted on entering the Starting Zone? Was it his specific stats - maybe his increased Vitality? Was it his level? Laurie shook his head, and made himself stop deliberating. He felt better and was healing faster - both were things to be grateful for, and there were more pressing matters at hand, for now. Hope’s Dream came alive around him with the dawn. Cook fires were relit, the night watch retired, yawning, to their beds. Volunteers started to chop wood, and gather stones, and from all around him rose the sounds of conversation, laughter, even whistling. The GM hovered, unmoving, in its usual place and Laurie remembered he hadn't looked at the level ladder, when he had spoken to it the day before. He took a step toward it, but Maeve stirred and yawned, and he squatted down next to her, grinning. “You snore,” he said. It wasn’t remotely true, but he had a strange impulse to see how early in the day he could inspire one of those formidable scowls. He was not disappointed. Maeve, still rubbing the last traces of sleep from her eyes, glared at him. Laurie laughed and offered a hand, hauling her to her feet. “I do not,” Maeve replied, clearly trying to sound haughty and dignified. The effect was slightly diminished by the fact that one of her feet was tangled hopelessly in her bedroll. Laurie laughed again, and Maeve rolled her eyes, reaching down to extract herself. “I guess you're not hungry then,” she said, reaching into her pack to pull out one of the biscuits she got from the GM. Now it was Laurie’s turn to frown, and Maeve who laughed, even as she took a loud, satisfied bite. Laurie turned away, finding himself smiling, although it was short-lived. Eostra had approached them as they bantered, and was now standing, hands on her hips, frowning at them. “Good Morning.” The second-in-command was still bruskbrusque as ever, her voice coming out short and clipped, but Laurie decided to take the greeting as evidence that she was warming to him. “Dragonheart wanted to ask if you were going to stay,” Eostra continued, “or keep going it alone. He finally went to get some sleep, so if you’re going, I’d suggest you go. He’s going to want to try to talk you out of it.” The last was said with some exacerbation. Laurie and Meave shared a look, before Laurie answered. “We’re both going, today as it happens.” Eostra didn’t look surprised, simply nodding. She looked annoyed, but that was her default expression so Laurie didn’t take it personally. “Is there any chance of breakfast before we leave?” Laurie asked, purposefully not looking at Maeve as he spoke. “Does the mighty Puck not have supplies aplenty?” Eostra said dryly. Laurie caught the sarcastic tone and laughed, while Maeve just looked confused. “Alas, one as mighty as I tends to burn through resources at a prodigious rate!” Laurie announced with false bravado. Eostra let a half smile slip onto her normally