Triiffic-Soul: Can I Be In Control?

Chapter 144 – Guidance

Joseph spilled everything, secrets that they knew, and secrets that they didn’t.

The major points from what they were able to learn were: Jerry’s second attribute was Guidance and was likely the reason for this kidnapping; an important figure recommended by the central church was supposed to be coming soon, but Joseph had no idea who it was; and they were still unsure where Jerry was. The only clue to the latter point was that he was likely locked away somewhere where Alen, the blond man who captured him, was near.

[Luna, what the fuck is the Guidence gift?] (Syrus)

[I’m trying to remember…] Luna had read through many attributes, and she believed the knowledge had to be somewhere in her head.

[We…know some of the specifics of it?] Eva suggested. [By the name and what we know of it, with its abilities of aim assisting, which we have seen with his Lightning test, and I would assume, when we played bowling with last year… the attribute’s focus is about ensuring what a person aim’s at is hit, but I don’t know who it would work in practice.] 

[When it’s said by a church idiot the name really conveys a lot of bullshit.] (Syrus)

When an attribute held the name of Guidance and was said by a member of the church, the connotations, even if untrue, were blatant.

This internal conversation happened quickly, and they gave Luna a moment to think.

She tried remembering possible answers for Jerry’s attribute before, but she had no luck then. There was no clear answer to what it could be, and so she had no clear frame of reference to find a solution last time.

But now she at least knew the name of the attribute, so she tried.

However, she still gave no response to the group.

Still, she was coming up short, reaching dead end after dead end.

[I…] (Luna)

[It’s fine, we can get more answers out of Joseph. If you didn’t know of it in the first place, it makes sense you wouldn’t know it now.] Syrus wasn’t doubting Luna’s abilities. She simply believed Luna didn’t know everything, while it had been proven time and again that Luna had a wide range of knowledge that covered areas that neither Eva nor Syrus possessed information about. Her information was still limited to only one massive library.

However, not wanting to fall up short, she dug deeper, and before hitting another rock in her path, she decided to change her approach. 

How would Lilly do it?

The best way to describe Luna’s and Eva’s thinking processes when it comes to information. Luna used her past experience and knowledge as reference points, while Eva first investigated the situation and tried to come to a solution. Both these ways were born out of how they lived their lives; Luna collected knowledge but had no way to use it; Eva knew what was relevant to her field of study, which was about studying and learning about the world, but also had to the deal with the challenges of the common methods not always working for her due to her constitution, so she had to figure out patterns and create her own solutions. 

Luna asked, “Intervention, was it not? 

“That’s… is one of the public-facing names…” Joseph sighed in physical pain as he found difficulty breathing. 

[You figured something out?] (Syrus)

[Yes… I couldn’t think of any attribute named Guidance, and none of those attributes that were considered good for aiming were cutting it.] Said Luna. [Sight, and the other extra sensory attributes, couldn’t be the answer as Jerry’s aim is not just him having an advantage; his projectiles are guided to where they need to go.] 

[By your wording… You believe Guidance has been disguised as one of multiple attributes?] (Eva)

[Yes… despite how absurd it might sound.] (Luna)

[No, if you believe it so, I trust you.] (Syrus)

[Thank you.] Luna replied. [There are a few, what the church considered divine attributes; these are what I believed to be complete fabrications.] 

[More divine than the basic holy ones?] (Syrus)

[Yes, these are so-called attributes–Intervention, Heavenly Judgement, and Minor Miracle, to name a few. These were written down in books, non-public ones, but ones that also aren’t hard to get if a person was wealthy, noble, or a member of the church. None of these had appeared in centuries, but were still considered true.] (Luna)

The church already considered the light-based attributes integral to its image, but even they weren’t referred to as divine attributes. 

[Why were they hidden to that extent?] (Syrus)

[I don’t think they really were hidden. I had experience in not accessing the truly important documents, and these were considered that. I now believe that they were kept in a spot where only certain levels of people could access, so people would think they were real.] (Luna)

[You're still missing the main point. How do these relate to Guidance?] (Syrus)

[That I am. Sorry for getting off topic; I should’ve saved that for later. These divine attributes are likely simply a combination of attributes, used in tandem to create effects that seem more magical than they are.] 

[Just like our mana recycling ability…] (Eva)

[Yes…] Luna paused for a moment before continuing. [In a number of these attributes cases, they are believed to be powers given by God or one of the lords and contain their will and judgment. Heavenly Judgment was said to only strike the guilty, Intervention was said to be able to change one's fate with the toss of a coin, and so on. The idea behind many of these was a force that ensured only what was found wrong was targeted. Even the coin toss could be a more advanced version of guidance with enough practice.]

[The guilty are those whom the church picks, huh, sounds about right. Though I would assume this plan would work better if the ones using it were loyal or ran the church. Jerry doesn’t seem like a good choice; the best case for them is to get another Luna.] (Syrus)

[I will take that as a compliment.] (Luna)

It took a moment of explaining, but Anlesa finally felt they had an idea of what Guidance was supposed to be. They didn’t believe it had anything to do with an actual otherworldly power, and Eva felt she had a better way to test it now, once Jerry was back in their safety.

[Why didn’t Joseph use one of the fake names then?] (Eva)

[Could be too tired to lie about that, didn’t think about it, or was betting Luna wouldn’t know that attribute. All he would need to say is that he doesn't know what its effects were, and we would gain no information.] (Syrus)

[Do you believe that is the case?] (Eva)

[It’s irrelevant either way.] (Luna)

Their internal debate was quick, but they still left Joseph on the ground for a few moments.

“Well… Joseph, if that is the case, it might be best for me to remove the child from his miserable life.”

His eyes widened, despite everything she had done, what she said felt too far, “How could you…” 

“I am simply doing the child a favour. I can feel it, he was dragged against his will, kidnapped from his family, all to be enslaved.” Luna’s raw emotions flashed in her eyes, as simply speaking those rages brought forth a rage. 

However, she stopped herself and closed her eyes. Thinking happy thoughts. She didn’t want a repeat of their emotional cyclones. 

“As you said, I am simply a ghost, a spectre living off a gudge.”

“Grudge..?”

“Yes, a grudge, if I had it my way, no matter what life I lived, even if I came back, I would want nothing to do with the church again, but no, my grudge is too deep, too fresh to forgive or forget.” 

Luna said, “Goodnight, tell your sister I said hi bitch.”

In a flash of light which disrupted Joseph’s senses, Syrus sucker punched him in the face knocking him out.

[That should keep him down for a while. Let’s go rescue everyone.] (Syrus)

It wasn't spoken, but through their emotions, they knew tonight had to be the night to free them. That was decided the moment they chose to do the assassination attempt.

Even with Jerry’s location being unknown, they had more clues this time, and Luna had some ideas where to look, but it was in more risky locations.

There was still one more topic Joseph mentioned that could be important.

[Should we be worried about the individual coming to the church in a few days?] Eva asked.

[No.] (Syrus)

[Yes.] (Luna)

Luna and Syrus answered simultaneously.

[Oh why?] (Syrus)

[Central never comes down unless for routine inspections, and the few times they had come without months of warning ahead, they said which member of their church was coming down. The fact that it is apparently someone recommended is scary. No one is simply recommended to visit from central…] (Luna)