“That was a lot, and that’s saying something as someone who has survived an apocalypse. However, I can’t help but feel you are still keeping something from me. It seems like you know who this entity that helped you is, but aren’t sharing,” Tesilim said, finally breaking the ice, and pointing out a key detail Jasmine had omitted. After all, there was no way that all this convoluted nonsense of gods acting out and hiding secrets happened and was revealed without their helper being leaked, especially considering Tesilim had an idea of who it was. There was only one entity Tesilim knew might be able to punish gods.
Hearing Tesilim's words, everyone in the room stared at Jasmine. Not even Rose and Alyx knew who the entity was, even if at this point they both had fairly good guesses of who it was. With this in mind, it's not like they were going to force the twins to answer them, but it was a key aspect of the twins' explanation, and one they all wanted confirmed. This was especially true for Lili; she hadn’t brought it up again, and it didn’t seem like Tesilim had made a connection yet, but she remembered the World Crystal’s words from when Tesilim died.
At the time, the World Crystal had very specifically said, “Can’t say, or she will get mad.” Those words gave the implication that there was someone out there whom the World Crystal itself feared. That alone was incredibly concerning, because sure, the World Crystal could be threatened by outsiders like Eldritch Gods, Monarchs, or even otherworlders. However, none of those pose an actual threat to the point that the Deity of the World would be concerned by. Lili had been around for a long time, and though these threats could be dangerous, from what she understood, they were merely part of existence. It was like an adventurer dealing with everyday monsters vs dealing with a god in their Celestial Realm. And as far-fetched as it seemed, whatever this entity was could possibly be what had intervened in the twins' case.
Jasmine squirmed under the gazes of her friends. She would eventually share their savior's identity with them, but at that point, she wanted to keep it a secret. Plus, it's not like they all didn’t already have an idea of who it was. Whereas before they might have had doubts, now, after she had revealed the involvement of gods, it was quite clear who their savior was. Yet she struggled to tell them the final detail, as it felt like a sacred secret to her, even after Tesilim had shared his own. Jasmine knew she was being selfish, but at that moment, she wanted to hold on to at least one piece of her story.
“I know, and I am sorry, but I'm sure that all of you already have some idea of who my savior is. So even though I will eventually tell you, I ask that at least for now you let me keep this one piece of the puzzle,” Jasmine told them, her voice cracking a little as she pleaded.
Hearing her words, even as irrational as they were, the party shared a few glances, and in unison they came to the same decision. Jasmine had poured out her heart to them, and it had clearly taken an emotional toll, so, as her friends, they were fine with letting her be. Plus, her own words had mostly confirmed their thoughts, which was a relief for most of them, while still leaving a few questions unanswered for one of them. That said, now with this glaring issue partially solved, everyone turned their gazes to the elf who had asked to begin with. Tesilim had still to decide whether the secret and the friendship were worth the trouble.
“So, Tesilim, what are your thoughts? What will you decide?” Jasmine asked, her words tender, as she took the opportunity the others offered.
However, after Tesilim did not reply, his eyes still fixed on the floor, she added, “I promise to hold no grudge if you decide it is best for us to go our separate ways.” This time, she sounded more resolute, trying to sound brave, even if everyone could hear the slight fear at the thought of rejection.
As they waited for Tesilim to respond, most of his companions were truly unsure of what the elf would decide. Jasmine, Alyx, and Rose had come to understand the elf, at least to some degree, and they knew he had a sense of justice and fairness. However, he could also be practical and realistic at times. Of course, most of all, and as someone from another world, he had a different view of things, which sometimes made his choices seem chaotic and unnatural. He had been swift to accept Rose and Alyx because Alyx had magical items and would teach him magic, and Rose because she was a Paladin of Sol. Of course, there was a possibility that there was more to his thoughts, but it was possible his Chaos Mana might be affecting his judgment or simply guiding him through sheer luck. So, it was really anyone’s guess whether Tesilim might choose to reduce the problems at hand and avoid even more difficulties in his journey, or choose to travel with the twins simply because their powers were cool.
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Meanwhile, on the other end of things, Lili and Drex already knew what the elf would choose. Drex knew due to his connection to Tesilim revealing some of what the elf was feeling. It was something they had slowly been noticing since they had strengthened their connection, and definitely something that had been odd for Tesilim to experience. On the other hand, Lili shared no mental connection with her boyfriend, but unlike the rest, who were only around during team activities, Lili spent almost all her time with him. As a result, she had learned a lot about him, his past, and his choices.
Tesilim was very much like anyone else; he had his own motives and ambitions. He could be practical, nonsensical, and, due to his so-called motto of not worrying about things he couldn’t change, a bit reckless or even callous. However, he was also sweet, caring, and definitely a bit weird. Lili had learned that he lived in the present and always looked forward to new things. Lastly, and possibly more importantly, Tesilim was one spontaneous elf. The way he would sometimes reason things made no sense, and he would choose a course of action for seemingly no reason. It wasn’t even something from Earth, as on Earth, he had been much the same. Sure, in his new world, his view of things through a new lens might seem odd, as well as his choices, but on Earth, his choices hadn’t necessarily been any better. Anyway, all of this is to say that, in these particular circumstances, it was incredibly clear to Lili what Tesilim would choose. After all, what was better than beating one or two evil organizations with the power of friendship, while learning magic, and traveling around with a set of twins that lived in one body? Well, not much, that’s for sure.
Tesilim finally picked up his head and met Jasmine's eye as a wide smile appeared on his face. Given the situation, he had to make sure it looked like he was really considering the decision. Which he had, in full honesty, as they waited for Jasmine to respond to his earlier question, and before then as well. He had gone through the various options that were now laid before him. At first, it had been going through the twins' story and making sense of it. He had to rationalize why they were with him to begin with, which was rather simple. They were looking to fix their situation, and the best course of action was to stick with Alyx. Tesilim could understand not wanting to be kidnapped by some idiotic researcher, as he feared it himself. What was even more obvious was that they didn't want to be stuck in the same body, as such an existence would bring many annoying complications. Of course, all of this didn't even scratch the surface of the issue: there were two godly organizations searching for them, even if one was more eager to capture them than the other.
Tesilim had also deduced that staying near him so they could stay with Alyx was also problematic for them, as his situation could bring unwanted attention. Of course, in the end, it came down to the fact that if they traveled together, he would be the one dealing with cultists and other possible celestial interventions. However, even after considering all these problems, a few factors prevented Tesilim from outright splitting off. First and foremost was the fact that even if the twins tagged along and they were attacked by cultists, the involvement of Rose, Alyx, Lili, and himself would reduce the limited options available to Setiel. From everything he had learned about gods, they couldn't necessarily just send a whole powerful Demigod to smite them down. Well, they could, but there will be serious repercussions. From what Jasmine told them, Setiel and Luxana were already playing with fire. So, when he thought about it, having an additional two gods at the minimum, if he just counted Alyx and Rose, to possibly more gods depending on the deal made due to him, coming down on Luxana and Setiel, things could get more complicated. Then there was Lili. He wished he knew more about her past, but it was clear that something was stopping her from telling him more. However, given that a 300-year-old elf must have had many friends, it was easy to assume that those friends would bring their own problems for the two organizations.
Now, even if he didn’t count godly or other interventions, another important reason was friendship. He and Jasmine were friends. Not best friends, but they got along well enough, and Tesilim wasn’t keen on letting her roast in the fire alone. At least not when he considered everything else, after all, he wasn’t mad they had hidden their secret, as they had good reason to. Then, even if the secret was dangerous, and due to the previously mentioned factors, it was easy to assume that they wouldn’t be dealing with insurmountable odds.
Finally, the entire thing sounded like a great adventure. Tesilim was already on an adventure to see the world, and he felt like this was the start of another one. From the many stories, movies, and games on Earth, it was clear that the twins were in the midst of something great that would surely bring them to somewhere greater. It was unquestionable that they would become powerhouses if they got the chance to shine, and Tesilim knew he would need strong friends in his future. As such, it was clear what decision he needed to make.
“You guys have been through a lot, and I admire you for staying strong throughout all of it. In fact, I can’t imagine having better allies than you all as I explore my new world. Plus, what would be better than beating some evil organizations with the power of friendship?” Tesilim told them, his smile growing wider as his gaze shifted from Jasmine, who released her held breath, to the rest of his companions, until he tilted back and received a kiss from a smiling Lili.
