"A Sigil is like a bloodline trait, or a power that only you can use. It's the makeup of who you are, in a sense. It defines your abilities, your affinity, everything that makes you, you. For me, I can create shield barriers, anything defensive that's light-based."
"Then what about that lightning bolt? That's not defensive," Nolan noted.
"Your Sigil doesn't stop you from doing other things. It's just that your body and power are most inclined to be used for that purpose."
"So like your main class in an RPG, while everything else can be considered professions. I understand." Nolan nodded his head.
"Correct, Sovereigns. That is exactly what Sigils are. You are all so smart," Vespa said flatly, with no smile on her face, as if the very joy of life had been snuffed out of her long ago.
"Thank you, angel robot lady." Nolan slightly bowed to Vespa.
Lyris just shook her head slightly.
"However, to clarify for both of you Lyris possesses the Sigil known as Radiant Aegis. It is a defensive and support-class affinity aligned with light-based energy. It works best by protecting people and things."
Lyris nodded. What Vespa described matched what she already knew about her Sigil. The only difference was the name.
"Radiant Aegis," she said quietly. "Huh. So that's what it's called here."
"Me next! Me next! What Sigil do I have?" Nolan asked, pointing at himself, excited.
'What if I get something like a lightning-you-touch-you-die Sigil? That would be cool. Oh, oh—or what about super flight, laser eyes, and super strength? Or maybe I get like a little dude and we morph together to become a bigger dude and I can beat the living crap out of people.' Nolan's thoughts went wild as he imagined what kind of Sigil he had.
Vespa's eyes turned toward him, and she paused.
"Your Sigil is…" Another pause, longer this time. "Unusual."
Nolan's face went wide in horror. "Unusual as in like bad unusual—like I can change my head into a cactus? Or unusual as in like god-given talent?"
"Unusual in that its classification is beyond the normal scope of initial orientation," Vespa said flatly. "What I can tell you is that it is a functional Sigil, recognized by the Veil, and it will define your capabilities as a Sovereign. In many ways that you will come to learn, it is rather problematic. For more information, please engage with the island core to unlock a greater truth of your Sigil."
"What kind of bullshit is that!?" Nolan said, throwing up his hands.
"Now hold on, you just described my Sigil down to a tee, and you can't even give him a name or a hint?" Lyris came to Nolan's aid.
"Thank you, Lyris." He turned back. "So what is it, Vespa? You can't even tell me the name of my Sigil?"
"It is not a matter of unwillingness, Sovereigns, it is instead the very nature of your Sigil. It requires direct engagement with your island core to be understood. It cannot be conveyed through description alone. You must feel it for yourself."
"That's a fancy way of saying 'I'm not going to tell you.'" Nolan muttered.
"It is an accurate way of saying you are not yet ready to receive the information." Vespa corrected.
"Ah whatever will just find wherever this island core thing is then." Nolan says waving his arm not wanting to fight an Angel Robot lady over what she could say and not say.
"Where exactly is this island core then?" Lyris asks for Nolan.
"It is in the center of the island down in a cave just north of here." Vespa says easily.
"Well at least we know where it is now." Nolan says.
"If that's where the Island core is then what is the portal like gate I used to summon Jeffrey?" Lyris asks, wanting more questions to be answered by Vespa.
"That is the summon arch, a tool to be used by Sovereigns to summon people to help them in their tasks. They are the backbone of any great Sovereigns as they are one of the ways to build up a formidable force. From farmers to blacksmith to knights you are able to summon people of old to come and help you."
"Wait then Jeffrey was dead then Lyris brought him back to life? Is that what you are saying?" Nolan realizes that if he is from the old then that would mean…
"Yes Jeffrey was once a lost soul left in the sea of consciences who answer to the call of Lyris becoming her sword and shield." Vespa says.
"So he was dead then he was in this sea thing and Lyris summoned him from the sea and it brought him back to life?"
"Yes."
'Ok that's a thing that happened.'
"Sovereigns if I may say I have little time left and while I'm sure you have more questions I believe this is suitable for the time being." Vespa's wings spring out from behind her back.
"Wait! You didn't tell us anything about the lay of the land, the monsters that inhabit the island or the surrounding areas you just can't leave!" Lyris calls out to Vespa demanding more answers.
"The Veil wishes for the Sovereigns to figure that out themselves." Vespa says as she takes off to the sky disappearing.
Watching her disappear both Nolan and Lyris look up dumbstruck that she just left without really telling them anything.
"Stupid Robot Angel thing lady person ARGH!" Nolan kicks the dirt in anger.
Lyris stood there, arms crossed, staring at the sky where Vespa had vanished. Her expression was one that promised violence the next time a certain translucent angel robot lady showed her face.
"She didn't even tell us how many of those goblins are left," Lyris said through her teeth.
"Or where they came from. Or if there's more of that hobgoblin thing. Or literally anything useful about not dying." Nolan threw his hands up. "She told us we're Sovereigns, handed us a word salad about Sigils, and then dipped. What kind of tutorial is that?"
'Worst tutorial NPC ever. Zero stars. Would not recommend.'
Lyris exhaled slowly, forcing the tension out of her shoulders. She turned back to the fire, which had burned down to a low amber glow, barely enough to light their faces.
"At least we know where the island core is," she said. "North. In a cave."
"Yeah at least we have that but we don't even know how far or if the goblins are over there ARgh whatever I am going to sit down this got me too worked up." Taking a seat by the fire, Nolan hatefully pokes the fire with a stick stirring it.
Lyris watched him jab at the fire for a moment before she sat down beside him, leaving a small gap between them.
"So," Nolan, still poking the fire, spoke. "Different planet, huh?"
Lyris glanced at him. "Yeah it's a bit different from here. Yourself?"
"Nothing like this." He scoffs. "But at least you know a bit more about this Sigil crap than I do. Back home everything follows the laws of physics but now I don't even know if those even really exist."
"Trust they are very much real and still exist; it's just that there's a few more variables now."
"I bet there is…" Nolan and Lyris then go quiet, letting the crackle of the flame be the only sound between them. Finding comfort in just being near each other in such a troubled time.
"You know my home is bright." Lyris breaking the silence seems to have a lot on her mind and wishes to vent.
"Our cities are built from white stone that shines bright in the sun. Everything glows and especially at night you can really see it as there's no need for torches as the very stones themselves glow to shine on. Creating almost cities that never sleep."
"Sounds pretty."
"Oh it is but it's also exhausting."
"How so?"
Lyris pulled her knees up resting her chin on them as she spoke. "I come from a rather large family, one that is as old as our empire. I have many siblings, 12 to be exact and every single one of us was raised with a list of duties longer than your arms. From ceremonies to training to political appearances it was so exhausting. And whenever I wanted to crawl away and hide it just felt like I was stuck unable to. All around me the light seemed to reach me, never letting me leave."
"Sounds like hell." Nolan turned, dropping his stick into the fire, and placed a hand on Lyris's shoulder, giving it a light pat. "I know it probably won't mean much coming from some guy you met today, but if you ever need a shoulder to lean on I'm right here."
Tears started to form in Lyris's eyes. She looked at Nolan, meeting his gaze, and for a moment all sense of bourdies down leaving only a vulnerable lady looking for help.
"Thank you," she said quietly, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. "I just… my whole life, I've never been able to tell anyone. It felt like anywhere the light touched, I was trapped. But here, I felt free for once." Her voice wavered. "Even that was a lonely dream, though. I hardly survived three days on my own, and if it wasn't for you, I'd be dead."
Nolan looked at her. The firelight caught the dampness on her cheeks, and for the first time since he'd met her, Lyris didn't look like a princess or a warrior or a noble from an ancient house. She just looked like a girl who was tired of carrying everything alone.
"Hey but look on the bright s- urrr dark side now you get to meet me and from now on your family can't control your life your free to do what you want. Whatever's that's jumping from this sky island to the abyss below or sleeping in till 4 in the afternoon you can do that."
Sniffing Lyris wipes her nose. "You're not very good at being serious are you?" She barely gets out.
"Terrible at it, always have been." He paused then spoke quieter. "But I meant what I said. If you need someone to lean on, I'm here. I may not be the best person for you but I can at least try." Nolan looks at Lyris making sure she got his message as he looked on with care.
Lyris wiped her eyes one more time and straightened up. Her composure coming back as if releasing her issues and problems with Nolan gave her a blank state. A new starting point, a place to begin anew.
"Enough of my sorrows, how about yourself, what is home really like for you."