Chapter 48: Time reveals all

Chapter 48: Time reveals all

“There are no secrets that time does not reveal.”

Jean Racine

“We all have our own little secrets.” My mother’s words echoed in my mind. I certainly do and I guess some have more than others. But it made me wonder what other secrets the rest of my family might be hiding from me. Were they even hiding them at all though? I was so young and they were so old in comparison. Everyone can accumulate a lot of different secrets over time even if they were never secrets to start off with. Merely facts of life that they had yet to mention. But it made me wonder what else people weren’t talking about. I still had so much to learn.

Mother had never mentioned the caves. Grandfather had never mentioned the caves. Did it count as them keeping secrets? Or simply failing to tell us something we would find interesting.

What more could she do?

What more could everybody do?

It seemed almost taboo to speak about stats and skills at least the specific stats and skills of individuals. But I really wanted to know. What they were and who had what? Probably the easiest person to ask would be Aleera but she would probably also be the most suspicious. Maybe if I got Des and Sinis to speak Bussola then I could order them to tell me theirs, but that seemed a bit of a selfish move and taking advantage of the weird power dynamic between us. Off the island, they would be my slaves. On the island slavery did not exist. It was weird and I tried not to think about it too much.

“Aleera, Aleera, what level are you?” I whispered to her one night. Whether it was worth whispering to her I didn’t know. I had realised that if I could hear everything that was happening in and around the house then maybe they could too. Who knew what their senses stat might be at.

“Kai, don’t ask me that. It’s incredibly rude.” She whispered back.

“Why?” I mean I didn’t want to tell anyone my stats but then I thought I was probably a little weird with my stats and still paranoid about telling anyone them despite my family's unbelievable acceptance of me, my magic, and my survival.The inaugural upload of this chapter took place via N0v3l-B1n.

“You will know when you get your stats. They are very ...” she paused, “Private. If you knew yours would you tell me?” she asked.

“Oh, I know this one. Is this the story where the Lion lets the mouse go and then the mouse helps the lion?” I ask.

“What a strange story, no not quite.” She answered.

“Once upon a time a Lion was sleeping alone in the jungle when a mouse came rushing past. In his fright and flight, he accidentally ran across the mighty lion and awoke him from his slumber. Despite his attempt to flee he was caught quick and held fast by the strong and might lion. Please don’t eat me great and mighty lion the mouse pleaded I can help you one day he declared. But the mighty lion just laughed and laughed. You’ll taste good as a mid-morning snack he chuckled as he lifted the mouse to his lips. Oh, great and mighty lion then at least tell me your stats so I might know by what a great and mighty Lion it is that is eating me, the mouse begged with his last words. The lion proudly told the mouse of his hundred stats in strength. The mouse flattered him about his strength and asked him to reveal more of his greatness and proud of his abilities the Lion went on to tell the rest of them. He went on to tell all who could hear his strengths and fro those listening carefully his weaknesses.”

“Did the mouse escape? Did he have a high dexterity?” I asked intrigued by how the mouse was going to escape the lion.

“Not quite, the mouse pointed out that although he had very no strength stat to speak of he had a very strong mind, and the one day if the Lion let him go then he might be able to repay the favour somehow. Finally convinced the Lion let the little mouse go on the condition that one day he would repay the favour. It was just as the Lion was letting the mouse go that a hawk who had been listening in the whole time blessed as he was with 100 senses and 100 dexterity swept in and ate the pardoned mouse.”

I sat there in shock, “That’s not how the story goes.” I complained.

“Yes, it is.” She calmly replied.

“Well, that’s not a very good story,” I complained frustrated by this world’s twisting of what I had thought would be a fable similar to Aesop’s.

“It is not supposed to be a nice story, it’s supposed to point out the dangers of telling your stats out loud. You never know who is listening and who is going to gobble you up. Go to sleep Kai!” she said rolling back over to go to sleep.

Left with my thoughts I lay sulking in silence.