Chapter 74

A/N: Numbering chapters is a pain when I make notices like the last one. So I'll be copy-pasting it in this chapter and deleting the notice so I may have a neat system :]

"

The latest spoilers from the original Shadow Slave story lie ahead. Read at your peril.

Dane's Aspect was the first to get caught in Guiltythree's crosshairs. Its description was revealed to be directly contradictory to the world's power system. And so, I changed it. Now, it is Dane's [Fateless] attribute that's got me between a rock and a hard place. Essentially, Sunny's fate was stolen by our dear friend, The Vile Thieving Bird, making him Fateless. Guess what? Here's what: the spell no longer responds to Sunny. He's been separated from the Spell. Probably cause Weaver made the Spell out of the Strings of Fate...you get the picture.

If I want to keep this story consistent, which I do, I'll have to edit my earlier chapters and get Fateless out. This is so disappointing lol T_T

Anyhow, this is the end of Nolan's chapters for a bit. The next chapter will begin with Nova's POV.

"

***

When she returned, Nova was both furious and relieved. During her time in the Dream Realm, the idiot, though he had promised to wait, fell asleep. Now, she was deeply concerned.

"What's wrong with him?" Nova asked Lancel, the Lord of the Gray Gust. For whatever reason, her brother had grown to like the man. To be sure, she had warmed to him, but only slightly. No man could replace father.

Lancel breathed in deeply. "I don't know. He didn't say a thing. I doubt he could, laughing that hard."

"His Flaw. It must be."

"That he can't stop laughing? Or that he finds everything funny?" 

Nova pushed back a lock of hair. "I don't know for sure…but I don't think it's that simple."

Lancel shifted. "Perhaps one of us should ask him?"

"I will." She knew him best. He would be more open with her.

Lancel sighed and reached for his cigarette. The man didn't look too good at the moment. Nova could understand his pain. His niece was dead, and his nephew, Heart's Bane, was missing.

He had called in a great many favors to Awakened all over the world. Not one had seen him in their Citadels or regions of the Dream Realm. The diviners said all they could see was that he was alive. The worry was consuming Lancel.

"...would you like to visit Dane?" she prompted.

The Master visibly perked up. Though he looked impossibly young for his age, he acted very much like old bones. He blew out a plume of smoke. "Yes. Do you want to come?"

She nodded. "What of Nolan?"

"Ask him if he wants to come."

He picked up his communicator. "I'll let them know we're coming," he said.

Nova left his office and took the elevator to the third floor. She put an ear against Nolan's door. No laughter…that was a good sign. She knocked on the door, and a few moments later, it swung open. "Nova," Nolan said.

She entered. She froze. Was that the smell of smoke? "What did you do?" she asked. Nolan cleared his throat. "I was trying out my Ability."

"Show me."

Nolan prompted her out. "In the training room. I've caused enough damage here."

He seemed normal…more or less.

The training room was heavily armored, and racks of weapons and tools lay against the wall. Nolan waltzed right in. "Be warned. It is bright." He raised his hand, and bright light bloomed from within. Electricity crackled against his finger, and with a breath, a bolt of lightning blasted into the alloy walls. Gods, that was loud.

When it subsided, she walked to the wall and traced a finger along where it struck. It was deeply scorched. "Powerful," she admitted.

"It is a Transcendent Aspect," Nolan said. His voice was calm, but his nose was turned up a good deal. She rolled her eyes. "Why were you laughing so much?"

Nolan crossed his arms. "That…would be my Flaw."

"What is it?"

"I am prone to…getting a bit mad. Randomly."

Nova sucked in a breath.

"A bit? You wouldn't stop laughing. The servants wouldn't stop talking about it, and now half the clan thinks you've lost your mind."

"I did, in a sense. But I'm back now!"

Nova didn't know why, but she was smiling. According to him, he was a half-mad, and she should have been losing her mind. But she had met people who had worse Flaws, and compared to them…this could be managed, right? She hoped so. Aside from that, she was just glad she hadn't completely lost Nolan.

She hugged him. "Come, now. We're going to the Academy to visit Dane."

Nolan sighed. "Again? Can I not come?"

…he could choose not to, but Nova would rather choke on hair than give him an option after the fright she suffered. Pulling away, she slapped the back of his head. And before he could react, she was running away, giggling. "No! You have to."

Nolan chased her down the corridor, shouting. What did it matter, Nova mused, if his Flaw made him mad? He'd always been a nitwit, and all the Flaw did was ensure that would never change. Behind her, Nolan yelped. She turned around. He had fallen. Instantly, she noticed that his shoelaces were untied. She sighed and went to help him up. Okay, she relented, maybe it's a problem.