Requiem for an Aberrant Chapter 15: Chapter 15- Breakthrough

Read chapter 15 of Requiem for an Aberrant by TheJestersGambit on NovelPedia.

As Cole sat around the table with Filoa and Faith he made an effort to maintain his composure. This was no ordinary meal. He watched Faith first, waiting for her to take the first bite, a way to gauge whether it was safe, edible, perhaps even enjoyable. But then doubt crept in. Was it wise? What if she was used to this? Should he watch Filoa instead? His eyes locked onto Filoa, hoping to catch a hint of her reaction. She looked back at him, her eyes instantly filling with uncertainty. She didn’t want to eat it, he could tell. He didn’t want to eat it, she could tell. ‘Come on, Filoa,’ he thought to himself. ‘ You have to eat it.’ Reluctantly, Filoa reached for the cooked leg. Her hands trembled as she brought it closer. Cole felt a pang of shame as he watched, but he pushed it aside. His resolve was firm. He couldn't afford to be weak, not now. The moment stretched, and finally, the leg entered Filoa's mouth. She chewed cautiously at first, and Cole's mind flashed to every horrible taste he'd ever endured. He could only imagine what she was going through. But as Filoa continued to chew her face changed. Her lips curled upwards, and the speed of her munching picked up, her act of disgust dropped. ‘ No way, ’ Cole thought. ' That can't be...' Filoa looked at him, a satisfied sigh escaping her lips. "See, Cole? I told you it was edible," she said, offering a cup of water to her mother. Cole glanced down at his own plate. The leg he had been given was nearly burnt, and he wondered if that was intentional. He pushed past his hesitation and took a bite before his brain could convince him otherwise. At first, he couldn’t taste anything. It was as if his hunger dulled his senses, but soon enough, the flavour began to register. To his surprise, it wasn't bad at all. In fact, it was... tolerable. ‘ No, actually,’ he admitted silently. ‘ It’s good!’ Faith opened her mouth expectantly. "Again!" she announced, gesturing for more food. Cole couldn’t help but notice how they shared a plate, and an odd bitterness crept into his chest at the sight. He forced himself to take a few more bites, bracing his stomach for any rebellion that might come. “Faith can have the rest of mine, if she wants,” Cole offered. As if it had an opinion of its own, his stomach growled loudly. He tensed his core to try and suppress the sound. Filoa burst into laughter. "She can have mine instead," she said, smiling. "I’m full." Cole nodded awkwardly, his face cringed with embarrassment. He quickly tried to shove the moment out of his mind. Once the meal was over, Filoa led Faith to bed. The air in the room changed when she returned. The light-hearted atmosphere had evaporated, replaced by something more intense. Filoa’s posture had changed, and her face seemed to carry a weight she hadn’t shown before, less gentle than before. “What are your plans going forward?” Her fingers clasped tight in front of her. “My plans?” Cole echoed. He let the question linger before answering. “Ultimately, to defeat Exrase. But right now… I need to help Aegis and Ariana first. The two companions I arrived with.” Filoa nodded, but before she could speak, Cole beat her to it. “Let’s get to the point.” He leaned forward. “Why haven’t you destroyed the spores yet?” Her eyes widened just slightly, then softened into a faint, almost sad smile. “You knew?” Cole nodded once. “That Umbrahedron went berserk after you used your Valour. It wasn't hard to notice. You could at least weaken the spores, if not destroy them completely.” Filoa let out a long, tired sigh. “You’re right. I could. But this garden… it’s the only safe place left for us. Out there in the Gorge… it’s just death. If I take my mother and run, we won’t last a week.” Cole slightly stiffened. “So what do you really want to ask me?”. Her eyes fell to the floor, but her words were stronger this time. “I’m asking you to help us. I don’t want my mother to die here, rotting in this valley. If we stay, it’ll swallow us whole and I’ll watc