Chapter 79

As Thera finally came to consciousness, night had just fallen."Thank god you're finally awake," Ben said, filled with relief. "If you didn't get up soon I don't know what I would have done."

She was still groggy but now that she remembered where she was and what they were in the middle of she understood she'd just gone through part of the trial. "Thanks for being there for me." She said, giving his hands a squeeze and leaning back into his chest. It seemed like he was about to say something when she realised something was off and felt her face heat up. "But why are we sitting like this?"

He was laying against a tree, with her against him, wrapped in his arms while he held her hands, and she had no idea what she was supposed to make of it if it wasn't her god messing with her through another part of the trial. Ben answered with a level of casualness that made her believe it was just him being him.

"Oh yeah, sorry about that. When you were laying down before it was a bit hard on my back to crouch down while connected to you and trying to listen to you mutter at the same time. I just rearranged things after it seemed like it might take a while so I wouldn’t be hunched over you for hours."

"Couldn't you hear my thoughts while we were connected?"

"Well yeah, but it seemed like you couldn't hear mine. I had to actually speak to you so I wanted to be sure you could hear me. It cut out every attempt I made to ask you to wake up though."

He really didn't seem to think anything of it and she was too emotionally exhausted to make a big deal about it, instead choosing to stay there for a bit. It was at least a bit more comfortable than the forest floor.

"So… Want to talk about any of that?" He asked after some silence.

"How much of it did you hear?"

"Basically everything from when I called your aunt a bitch."

Thera couldn't help but laugh remembering it. Regressing to such a younger state had made it hard to enjoy the comment at the time, but looking at it now she couldn't agree more.

"Well, things didn't exactly go the way they did in my dream. I did what I thought mom wanted after I heard the other great spirits talking and spent years as a dancer. I still practiced my magic in secret during the nights though and after another decade of trying I succeeded and got level one in the skill. Almost destroyed the house when I did it too, thankfully dad was there to keep it together. It was only after that and when I completed my dancer job did I decide I needed to finally listen to my heart and take apprentice mage. I guess now I can't help but wonder what things would have been like if I had a friend back then, but oh well, I'm doing good now after all, and you better keep your promise to support me."

"Of course," He told her in a voice filled with cheer. "And you better keep your promise to show me your dancing later."

"What? When did I promise that?"

"In your dream. You said you'd show me tomorrow, but I'll let you off the hook until we finish the trial."

"There's no way that counts. I wasn't in my right mind, you can't hold me to that."

"Ha but you seemed so happy when I complimented you on it, and I want to see how much better you've gotten since then." He teased.

"Hmph, I'm not that much better. My heart really wasn't in it after I gave up on being a mage so my leveling slowed down, I only got to four."

"Cool, I can't wait to see how much of a difference those levels make then." He told her, not giving in.

"Has anyone ever told you you're impossible?"

"You and Falk all the time, Myriad too. Not sure why, I'm such a sweetheart and all."

She laughed and they fell into a comfortable silence for a bit as she felt herself wanting to open up more.

"They never ended up succeeding you know."

"Hmm?"

"The other great spirits. They never managed to have any children."

"Oh yeah, I figured as much when you told me you were the only one before."

"Yeah, I just can't help but wonder what things would be like if they did, you know? Would they have been born like me, without any control of their power, or would they be everything they hoped for, leaving me as the only one that would have these struggles? Even if they didn't work out none of them would be so dumb as to try it with a race that has a passive magic."

"You know, there's an expression from my homeworld I'm absolutely terrible at listening to but fond of nonetheless. Comparison is the thief of joy. I know it can be hard not to compare yourself to the people around you, god knows I shouldn't be the one trying to give this advice, but at the very least don't compare yourself to hypothetical people who don't even exist."

"Ha you're right, you really need to be working on that yourself."

"Yeah yeah I know, but that doesn't mean I'm wrong."

"No you're absolutely right on that, it's something I need to try a bit harder on anyway. Just make sure you do too."

"I’ll do my best at least. Anyway, this is nice and all but I've been awake for like an entire day now, mind if I get some sleep?"

"Of course." She said, quickly moving off of him. "I'll keep watch for the rest of the night. Thanks again Ben."

He waved it off and laid down. The day had been mentally draining, trying to figure out how to get her to wake up when any pleas on the subject didn't seem to make it through. He was just glad he was able to help.

He sent a prayer up to Myriad and let himself drift off to sleep.

He rested until the sun rose before they were ready to continue on. Anticipating another long day of walking before they came across whatever they would need to get through next they marched on, eager to get it done and over with. Both of them were getting sick of everything they were having to face for the trial, and the sooner it was done the sooner they would be free, they just dreaded how long it would take.

Their spirits changed though when they entered a clearing, and from far away thought they could spot a flower growing in front of a statue of a sleeping snake and six giant stone warriors around it.