Chapter Text
The rhythmic pattering of raindrops upon leaves, the countless droplets that roll off the awnings of shops on Main Street, and the clear puddles that reflected a tranquil sky after the rain. These were things Lumine had known all her life. Born into a land where rainy days outnumbered the sunny days, she was accustomed to the gloomy atmosphere and much preferred it to the brighter days.
"Lumine, come downstairs! There's a new job for you!" The voice of a woman called out from the first floor of the building.
"Coming!" Lumine yelled back as she slipped on her coat and gingerly made her way down the stairs as fast as her feet could take her. She peeked her head through the ajar door, "What's the job?"
"Oh good, you're here." Lisa turned around, a small smile dancing on her lips, "This is for you." She handed Lumine several papers and glanced at her watch, "I have a job further out the city today. I'll probably be back late, good luck with your commission!"
She watched the front door click shut, then turned her attention to the papers in her hands, "The farmer down by Lindale Lane needs someone to water his crops? Sounds like an easy job for me."
Lumine packed a few things into her bag—umbrella included—and stepped outside, quietly closing the door behind her. Lindale Lane was a short walk out the city—perhaps she could enjoy the scenery on the way there?
Another sunny day? The weather has been bright lately. Lumine noted the sun shining high in the sky. The puddles on the sidewalk had evaporated under the heat of the sun. No puddles to jump in? How boring.
She could never get used to the brightness that came with the sunny days. Always squinting when she couldn't see her surroundings well. It was a minor annoyance so she hid under whatever shade she could find, today it would be the shade of the cedar trees that she took refuge under.
Azure skies spread as far as the eye could see with fluffy white clouds dotting the blue canvas in sparse strokes and dabbles. The lively chirps of birds resounded from the trees high above her with the occasional rustling of leaves as a bird hopped off a branch and onto another. Even if she preferred the rainy days more, there was still a certain charm on days with nice weather that she admired.
Minutes later the forest opened up and rolling fields of crops came into view. Lumine looked to the right, a wooden sign with simple lettering carved into board, "The Miller's Farm, looks like I made it on time." A man stood on the porch of the small house, scanning the road for something. His eyes lit up when he saw Lumine.
"I sent a request for a rain caller this morning, is that you?"
"Yup, that's me. I saw your commission, you need your crops watered?" Lumine scanned his fields, the plants did look a little wilted in the relentless heat.
"I do. Normally I wouldn't need a rain caller for this sort of thing, but the weather has been strange lately. There's been less and less rain in the spring and summer months." The farmer sighed in exasperation while gazing at his crops, "I'd usually have a reservoir of rain water for days like these, but the lack of rain has made my supply run dry."
"I see," Lumine nodded slowly, "don't worry Mr. Miller, I'll have this solved in a few minutes."
Lumine stepped back onto the road that separated the farmer's fields. She closed her eyes and concentrated on her surroundings. The air is warm today. Both her arms raised to the sky, hands outstretched as if she were asking the sky for a hug. A silent prayer to the Water Dragon spilled from her moving lips:
From the oceans to the skies,
From dawn to dusk,
The living thrive on your blessings,
I call upon thee once more,
Lend me your power!
She listened to the area in silence, her ears straining for any sudden changes. The air remained warm and stagnant. Why isn't this working? Lumine was confused, she wasn't a rookie rain caller by any means, so why was there nothing? She repeated the prayer again and waited.
A sudden drop in the temperature and darkening skies signalled her rain call finally worked. Lumine turned around and walked back to Mr. Miller's house at a brisk pace. As she pulled out her umbrella, the first drops of rain began to fall from the sky.
"I'm done Mr. Miller! If you don't need anything else, I'm heading back to the city." The farmer stood up from his bench as she approached the porch where he sat waiting.
"Nothing else, thank you for your help today. Here's your commission fee." Mr. Miller handed her a small pouch of coins, "Have a safe trip back."
After confirming the coins in the pouch were the correct amount, Lumine bid farewell to the farmer and started her short walk back to the city. The lack of response to her rain call was still on her mind as she trekked down the dirt path. The rain was starting to pick up; countless raindrops slid off her umbrella in noisy rhythmic beats, but did nothing to distract her from her stewing thoughts. This is concerning, I should ask Lisa about this when I get back.
Rain pittered and pattered on the stone street as she made her way up the front steps of the office. The bell jingled as Lumine opened the front door, she stepped inside and realized Lisa still wasn't back yet, "I guess I'll grab the errand list and run some errands while waiting." She picked up the list from her desk and read the contents, "Restock office supplies, buy coffee beans, and pick up a book. I can probably get this done in an hour or so."
As she visualized the route she would take from store to store in her head, the sound of the front door opening caught Lumine's attention, Was that Lisa? She stood by her desk, waiting for the woman to come through the office door, however a different head peeked in. "Barbara?"
"Lumine! I just got back from a job. I didn't see you when I got to the office, were you running errands?" Barbara's curled-to-perfection pigtails bounced as she walked across the room to where Lumine stood.
"About to, I had a commission outside the city. Farmer needed his crops watered." She held up the pouch of coins before putting it back on her desk.
"There's been an uptick in commissions for us rain callers this year. I had a similar commission with a gardener." Barbara's eyes flitted to the errand list Lumine was holding, "Do you need help with the errands?"
"I'll be fine, these tasks aren't too much trouble for me." Lumine replied with a small smile. As she turned to leave she recalled the issue she had earlier, "Say, Barbara, have you ever had any troubles with calling rain before?"
At this question Barbara's expression was one of mild confusion, "I haven't, did it happen to you?"
"Yeah," Lumine sighed, "It worked after I tried again, but it's strange. I've never had this happen to me before. Is there something wrong with me?" She could feel the anxious beating of her heart as she remembered the lack of response from the skies. It was like she was disconnected from the elements.
"Don't worry about it, Lumine. I'm sure it's nothing!" Barbara squeezed Lumine's arm gently, "You can ask Lisa about it when she gets back. She's the most experienced rain caller out of everyone here. I'm sure she knows something!"
"I hope so." Lumine smiled weakly. Barbara's cheery personality always managed to lift her spirits and this time was no exception, "I got to run these errands before Lisa gets back. I'll talk to you later!" She bid the other girl farewell and stepped outside again, the rain trickled down to a light shower now.
Her first destination would be the cafe down in Main Street. She opened her umbrella and set off for the shop at a leisurely pace. The stony street glistened under the warm yellow glow of the street lamps, the puddles rippled with every raindrop that broke the surface; endless rings of water clashing against one another, fighting for space on the puddle.
Although it was raining, Main Street was still bustling with activity; people swarmed the various stalls at the outdoor market looking for the latest sale or discount that they could get their hands on. Lively chatter echoed throughout the streets, from children playing in the puddles or running up and down the street, to shoppers attempting to negotiate the price down on an item with the shop owner. The faint scent of coffee wafted around the area, its strong aroma masked by the rain.
She was drawing closer to the cafe, the tables and chairs that were usually situated outside had been stored away. Lumine closed her umbrella under the awning of the cafe, shaking off the excess water before she pushed open the door. The comforting warmth of the cafe and smell of coffee and pastries instantly put her at ease.
"Welcome! Are you here for your order?" A chipper voice of a young woman called out to her.
"Yes, I'm here to pick up the coffee beans for the office." Lumine nodded. "How are you today, Amber?"
"Great as usual!" Amber pulled out a list and moved her finger down all the orders before stopping at the one she was looking for, "Ah, here it is. Two bags of coffee beans, right?" She ducked under the counter and pulled out a wax paper bag, then turned behind her to grab the bags of beans before putting them into the bag. She handed the bag to Lumine, "Do you need anything else?"
"That will be all," Lumine replied, she didn't want to stay too long chatting as she had other things to do, "thank you, Amber."
Amber's eyes narrowed in concern, "You don't look too well today, Lumine. Is everything alright?" She crossed her arms.
Nothing gets past her, huh? Lumine shook her head internally, Amber's ability to notice when she wasn't feeling great was uncanny, "It's not a huge deal, I'll figure it out."
She was silent for a moment, "If you don't want to tell me, that's alright. How about this, I'll give you one apple strudel on the house. It's fresh!" Amber was already getting to work, getting the tongs to pick up one of the freshly baked strudels to hand to Lumine, "There's nothing like eating a sweet pastry to pick yourself up!"
"Oh no, you really don't have to." Lumine waved her hands frantically, "I can pay for it!"
"Don't worry about it, I can't have my friend feeling down now, can I?" Amber waved away her attempts to pay for the strudel and handed her a small paper bag, "Here you go, I put the napkin inside, in case you need to wipe your hands after and be careful, it's hot!"
"Thank you," Lumine sheepishly took the bag from Amber's hand, "I'll repay you somehow."
"I said not to worry about it!" Amber pouted, "Just take my present gratefully and I'll be more than satisfied."
"Yes, yes, I hear you." Lumine waved goodbye to Amber before she stepped outside with two bags in tow.
She decided to open the smaller bag containing the strudel, it would be a waste to not eat it while it was still hot. The contrast of the cold weather to the hot strudel was a small comfort for her as she bit into the pastry. The flakiness of the puff pastry was a perfect pairing to the sweet apple filling. It was a harmonious dance of textures and flavours in her mouth that alleviated her worries momentarily.
She put up her umbrella, and started for the stationery shop, she would finish her snack before she got there. A few minutes of her happily munching on her pastry go by and the stationery shop comes into view. Above the shop, elegant cursive was painted onto the wooden sign, 'Noelle's Stationery Shop' with blooming red roses surrounding the lettering.
Lumine wiped her hands with the napkin Amber put in the bag, folded it, then tucked it into her pocket before opening the door. The interior of the shop had a colourful assortment of pens, markers, and paper that greeted her. Carefully constructed flower arrangements were spread throughout the store; bringing the room's floral theme together.
She admired the intricate patterns on the stationary paper, some had flowers, while others had scenic mountains, and there was even one with cute round birds perched atop snowy branches! Behind her, a meek voice spoke.
"Hello, do you need help?"
Lumine swivelled her head to see Noelle standing by a pen display, "Noelle! The office put in an order for pen nibs and ink, are they ready?"
The young woman thought for a moment, "I had a shipment of nibs come in the other day, I should be able to fulfill your order now." She disappeared into the inventory room for a few minutes before coming back with a small box wrapped in patterned paper and sealed with a rose sticker, then placed it on the countertop, "Oh! Let me grab the ink bottles too. I'll be right back." And ran back to the inventory room.
A fountain pen to the side caught Lumine's eye, "What a beautiful pen!" The cherry wood body was an excellent choice, the warm colour was a fitting combination with the finely engraved etchings on the pen's nib. She's been wanting a new pen for a while now, it wouldn't hurt to pick one up for herself on her way back to the office.
Moments later, Noelle reappeared with the ink bottles, "Do you want a bag for everything?"
"Yes please, and I'd like to purchase this pen too." Lumine handed the fountain pen to Noelle and took out her coin pouch.
Noelle took her payment and returned the change, "Thank you for your purchase!" Her expression momentarily flickered between conflict and hesitation before continuing, "I—I, um, wanted apologize. Your order was delayed for two weeks due to the lack of inventory. This thing doesn't usually happen, but there's been a shortage of rain lately and the forge temperatures are hard to regulate without it."
Lumine tilted her head, "Isn't that why we have rain callers?"
Noelle nodded, "Yes, but even the rain callers can't call down rain if there's nothing to work with. The droughts haven't made it easy especially in the area where the World Forge is located." She looked out the window, worry tinging her green eyes, "I hope we won't have to face a similar problem here."
"Yeah," Lumine watched the gentle rain outside, "I hope so too."
Their lingering thoughts were left unspoken as they parted ways.
Could my failed rain call be related to that drought? Lumine thought, Mr. Miller did mention the weather being strange lately. She continued walking to the last location on her errand list. Before long, she arrived outside a bookstore, Oz & Amy's.
"Hello? I'm here to pick up a book for Lisa." She called out to the seemingly empty store. Where is everyone? A swift swoop flew right above her head, she looked up to briefly catch a glimpse of something purple. "Oz? Where's Fischl?"
The purple raven descended gracefully, his wings rustling a bit, "Apologies, Mein Fräulein is out on business today. She left me in charge, how may I be of assistance?"
"Lisa ordered a book. Is it ready?"
"Yes, I have it." The purple raven vanished in a puff of purple particles before reappearing with a floating book in tow, "A Detailed Overview into the History of Rain Callers?"
"That's the one, thank you." Lumine took the book and inspected the cover, the title was gold-embossed with various water-related imagery surrounding a teardrop-shaped jewel on the centre of the cover. It looked a little worn, but it was still gorgeous. She quickly bowed to the raven before leaving the store and rushing back to the office.
By the time she started walking back to the office, the rain had stopped. Lumine made sure to jump in any puddles she passed. There was no need to worry about getting the contents inside her bag wet since they were protected anyways. Several puddle jumps later, she would be standing in front of the office steps once again.
As she turned the knob of the door, she could hear faint chattering and laughter coming from within the office. She entered the room to see Lisa and Barbara chatting. Some of the other employees were beginning to wrap up their work for the day.
"I'm back! I finished running errands, here's the book you ordered," she took out the book and handed it to Lisa, "The pen nibs and ink are in here." She placed the bag on Lisa's desk.
"Thank you," Lisa smiled, "I heard from Barbara, you had some problems with calling rain today?"
"Yes..." Lumine trailed off, "it was strange." She crouched down and put the coffee beans into the pantry.
"It might not be so strange," Lisa sat on her desk, her head leaning on her hand, "the Great Flame running the World Forge requires a lot of rain in order for it to operate smoothly. Well, it wouldn't be so strange if we were closer to the World Forge, however it's some distance away from the city." She frowned, the location Lumine went to shouldn't be anywhere near the industrial zone.
"I heard something similar from Noelle. The rain callers there are having trouble calling the rain." Lumine responded.
Lisa nodded, "It's a growing issue. The World Forge is important for large and small scale forging operations. I'd hate to imagine what mess will come out of operations ceasing." She stood up and walked towards Lumine, book in hand, "I'm not sure if your issue with calling rain is related to this. I'll have to look into it later."
"Thanks," Lumine smiled wearily, "I'll leave closing the office to you."
"Before you leave, take this book," Lisa placed the worn book in Lumine's hands, "I feel it's about time for you to brush up on your history." She smiled knowingly.
Lumine held the book carefully, "But I already have a general idea about our history."
"There's always more to learn," Lisa pat her on the shoulder before returning to her desk, "go rest up now."
"Alright."
Lumine climbed the wooden steps up to her room and settled down for the night. She put the book on her nightstand, climbed under her covers, and drifted off to sleep.
—
Drip.
Drip.
Drip.
The sound of heavy rain hitting the stony path permeated the area. Lumine opened her eyes, she was standing in the rain yet she wasn't soaked. Was this a dream?
A man stood beneath a street lamp, unmoving and staring up at the grey sky. The man's face appeared ghostly pale under the white light of the lamp—unlike the warm yellow glow of the city street lamps that Lumine was used to.
His expression was blank yet lonely. His clothes soaked head to toe, yet it elicited no reaction from him.
"Hello? Do you need help?" Lumine called out to him.
The rain was falling heavily, she wasn't sure if he could even hear her. She started walking in his direction and stopped when she was no more than an arm's reach away from the man.
The man turned to look at her, his silvery-blue irises contained hints of other colours dappled onto the round canvas with vertical slit pupils nearly separating it into half. Despite the beauty contained within his eyes, they were devoid of any life.
"Who are you?"
Before Lumine could reply, he vanished.