I'd failed to find riah's last words… or whatever she had left . I interpreted those mask-maker's words in a way that ant that riah had left a last letter, one that had answers, but I knew there was a chance she had not left written words but rather sothing else. Sotis a single item told more than a book did, depending on the situation.
There were only two locations here in Telmik, one within and one outside of it, where riah and I have left correspondences between one another throughout the years… and neither had anything of note worth at them. I had even spent more ti than I had felt comfortable checking them, and had co up empty handed. Which ant riah's final words… whatever they were, were elsewhere.
But where…? It wasn't as if riah and I had any special locations. We simply left each other letters and notes occasionally since I relied on her insight, or at least had, concerning so aspects of not just the Society but the world itself. She was one of the handful in the Society that I relied on to relay to important events and warnings… or at least had been.
I sighed as I rounded a corner and wondered if it was possible that those humans, those mask makers, and Coin had been both mistaken. Coin had not doubted them, based on the way her letter told to go to them and speak to them, but…
Just what could have killed her…? They spoke of wounds. Terrible ones. Which ant she had suffered an attack, but by who? And where…? This was Telmik… even though she was not very welco here she had no real enemies here. At least, none that I was aware of. There was a chance though that she had not suffered the wounds here, but rather nearby. She had supposedly taken several days to die from them… so there was a chance she had gotten them not far from here. But most of the villages and towns surrounding Telmik were all smaller, typical places. In fact most of them were so peaceful, at least in a broader sense, that it was almost comical.
Maybe she had simply been caught by humans…? But then the Chronicler would have known of it. She keeps a very close eye on not just the churchn but the nobles and knights of this nation. If soone had caught her, or engaged in combat with her, then the Chronicler would have figured it out. Soone, sowhere, would have noticed an odd report of people dead in odd ways.
I could not imagine riah dying easily. If humans, no matter their order, had been her foe then she would have taken many with her. If not several, maybe even dozens. That many knights or any human really dying at one ti, to a singular woman of all things, got noticed. Even when people tried to cover it up.
Was it possible that such reports had simply not hit her desk yet…? Maybe I should look into it. Rather, I should… but how did I do so without raising alarm and causing more issues than not?
Thanks to that stupid illusionist's actions, I was already being looked at oddly amongst the mbers here. Which was saying sothing since I'd always been kind of treated oddly here in the Cathedral, what with my aversion to their faith and all.
But of course I had to find out what happened. I'd always expected riah to just… one day disappear. Like so many before her, what with her being the reclusive type t that she was. Those like her usually just one day were never seen again… so if anything us getting at least confirmation of what happened was sothing to be thankful for. Yet at the very least, both to avenge her if needed but also to handle any possible threat facing the Society I had to do whatever it took to find the answers needed.
"It's all really piling up," I whispered as I rounded another corner.
I was near the mansio, but knew Renn wouldn't be there. A few of the returnees from the other continent were in it at the mont, and as such Renn was staying in one of the many rooms underneath the Cathedral. And… yes, I indeed could feel her down below. I couldn't tell if she was in her room sleeping or not, but I could at least feel she was still alive.
"Protector!" I passed a pair of won, both dressed up as nuns, who smiled and waved as we passed one another. I nodded in greeting, and searched my mories for their nas and faces but couldn't co close to doing so.
They were obvious mbers. Not only had they recognized and called by na, one of them had sharp teeth and the other had a bit of a slit to the edges of her eyes. The kind that made them look ever so slightly angled, the kind of angle that no typical human ever had. Such traits were tiny, but like usual I noticed them instantly.
Just who were they? What were their stories? Were they those who had lived here once before, or were they amongst those born after leaving this continent and thus had never t before until now?
I grinded my teeth as I kept walking, with no real goal yet in mind for my destination, as I felt the terrible weight of the recent events.
I should be ecstatic beyond asure. So many new mbers was… a miracle. The kind their faiths would use as proof to their god's existence. Such a thing was that rare, that impossible, yet here I was ignoring it completely.
Or was I…? It wasn't as if I was outright neglecting them… I'd been going around and helping when asked… but…
"But I have been negligent," I whispered as I rounded a corner and headed for a stairwell.
My plan, originally, had been to step down. As to both avoid conflict within the Society and to better focus my efforts on those who were willing to let do so. Yet now…?
I paused before the door of a stairwell. One that would lead downstairs, to where Renn and many others were.
The door remained closed as I glared at it… as if it was a great hurdle to overco. An enemy to defeat, one that the world needed to lay low less a great calamity befell it.
The Society has again beco active. And in a way that brought along chaos. Hundreds, if not thousands, of lives would over the next decade or so require constant attention and assistance… and without soone like to give it to them there would be losses. Great ones.
Then, to make matters worse, the world itself was getting active once more. I still believed that the underground volcano was the main reason for Light and her people's return… and with its eruption would bring forth a whole new set of dangers and issues, ones that will heavily influence and burden the already stretched thin Society.
Add all that to the already troubled and endangered Society as it exists in its current form… it was a special kind of threat. One that if not handled and addressed properly, the Society as a whole would end up falling apart. And not just into small branches and groups, but outright collapse to where everyone would then end up having no one else to rely on. And that completely neglected the fact that such a rift was already ford, if not breaking at this very mont, between the different factions within it. Such as those who belonged to this church and those who didn't.
To… to what length should I go? If I step down, and the Society collapsed because of it, would all those souls lost be on my shoulders? Or would by staying the protector, and forcing my will on everyone just cause more problems than I'd fix? What if by stepping down, and thus giving myself the ability to have a bit more freedom in my actions, I saved more than I would by being beholden to the accord and rules I've agreed to…?
That was why so many had died during the wars. And even Celine had admitted that…
"Vim?"
I blinked, and made sure by doing so eliminated the glare on my face, and turned to greet the one who had stepped up to … and didn't believe what I saw.
"Mordo…?" I frowned at the old cal who was frowning back up at .
"Why are you looking at as if you're shocked to see I'm still alive?" Mordo asked with a huff.
I always looked at him that way when I saw him for the first ti in a while. He was that old, the kind of old that made expect his death after every visit… but… "What're you doing here…? Is all well?" I asked. He, like the rest of his cal family, lived far to the south. And also didn't care much for traveling or leaving their ho, particularly not to do so as to visit… wait…
"I decided to join Oplar halfway north, alongside Riz," he said.
Ah… I see. So he's likely been here for a short ti then, since Oplar had most recently visited us up north. That ant he had accompanied her and Celine, the young shark girl, up north for a distance before we had t a few months ago. Why had she not said anything…? Especially since Riz had sent a letter requesting to pick her up on my next trip down her way…
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"She's searching for a husband," I said as I rembered her letter.
"Isn't it fun? Plus we figured we'd stick around until the vote, may as well. Especially since it might take that long for her to find the right one, anyway," Mordo said with a chuckle.
Oh…? "Has she t Renn yet?" I asked.
Mordo tilted his old, wrinkled face at . "I'm not sure."
"Well… I'm glad to see you're well. The rest of the family doing okay?" I asked.
"Aye. The south is fine, Vim… though it might not be for long. A lot of drama surrounding Landi and her queendom," he said.
"Yes… she plans to abandon it, so I've heard," I said. That too was on my very long list of things to address.
"And the church wants to take it from her. I'm glad I need not get involved in any of it," Mordo said.
Oh…? I had not heard that. Great. Landi hated the church sothing fierce, which ant she would sabotage the Nation of Stone on purpose just to spite Light and the rest… but…
I sighed at the thoughts that followed such information. "It's always sothing," I said.
"Such is life. I assu you are busy?"
"To a degree… but I'll be here a few days, if you need sothing?" I asked.
Mordo shook his head. "Not . My kin. Riz. She'd like to ask you a few things, if you'd be willing to grant her a few monts."
"Of course… I'll make sure to find her, and I'll bring Renn. She'd love to see her," I said.
"Hm… so it is true, then?"
"What is?"
"That you've taken her for your mate," Mordo stated.
Ah. "Yes. She's my wife. Weird huh?" I said with a small smile. It was a bit refreshing to have such a silly little topic right now, what with the world being so heavy on my shoulders.
"Hm… it is admittedly a little weird, but only because she's the first I know of. Have you not had other wives, Vim?"
"Not officially," I said simply. There had been a couple I'd spent ti with, the kind that would have justified calling them my wives, but I'd never really seen them that way.
Mordo simply nodded with a small huff. "Right? All the sa, I'm glad to hear it. Maybe you'll finally have so offspring, I've always wondered who could take up your mantle if you ever did actually step down or die… well, now I'll not need to worry. Have a mighty son, will you?" Mordo said.
I smirked at that. "Odds are it'll be a daughter, Mordo."
"Hm…? Does it matter?"
Ah… right. He had likely just said son out of instinct. "No… I suppose not," I said.
He nodded and sighed. "Ah well… are you headed down below?"
"Yes, would you like to join ?" I asked as I went ahead and stepped forward as to open the door. I found the stairwell dark, but that was not a surprise. It would lead a few floors down to a hallway with a locked door, and beyond that would be the hallways with lanterns and whatnot.
"No… I plan to go enjoy the sun. I don't mind sleeping beneath the earth, but it is unhealthy. Can't live long that way, you know," Mordo said simply as he nodded and turned away. I watched him leave without saying goodbye, but was not surprised he had done so.
Mordo was old. The kind of old that made him both uncaring of certain social norms and also unaware of others. But that was fine, I liked him that way.
"Sun, huh…" I whispered, a play of words, as I thought of not the great light in the sky but instead a child.
I'd never even thought about an heir. Ever.
But I an… why would I? To need a replacent would an the impossible… but was it impossible anymore?
Not only was it now likely I would step down from my position, even if only politically, there was now a chance sothing more sinister could happen… what with the gods being active again.
But if I died to those like Renka, would I even have a child to leave as an heir to my position anyway? Or…
Heading downstairs, I frowned in thought as I wondered if maybe this was why children were always seemingly born when they weren't expected or wanted to. Like in tis of war or struggle. It had always been an odd fact, that the population would rise and spark back after great disasters… but maybe it was just a way for the natural order to right itself. Like how a forest would return in greater strength after a massive fire.
I'd always figured myself untouched by such unspoken rules. But… maybe I wasn't? I'd always considered myself, like the gods I so despised, a piece outside of the natural puzzle. Thanks to who and I what I was… but maybe that assumption was misplaced?
Or maybe I was just looking for an excuse, any excuse, to give it just cause.
Stepping into the dark hallway that led to the door which led to the catacombs, I paused half a mont before opening the door to wonder if I should talk to Renn about it.
I knew what she'd say, or want. She wanted children… especially so thanks to those stupid prophecies given to her. But… was now really the right ti? Not only was the Society in chaos, and so too was the world about to be, Renka and her cohorts were now also breathing down our necks…
But if I allowed such a thing to be a distraction, when ever would we get the opportunity…?
What if Renn or I died in the coming confrontation with Renka and her people? What if the Society collapsed, or the world went through a terrible uproar, and beca a place far worse? What if now was not just the perfect ti to have a child, but possibly the only ti?
After all, as much as I hate to admit it… there were obviously prophecies concerning our children. I of all people knew how easily a prophecy could break or fall apart before it even has a chance to co to fruition, but… usually there was still a fraction of truth in them.
It'd be hard to imagine the current conflict of
Sighing softly at my mind that couldn't decide on what it wanted to focus on; I opened the door and entered a stone hallway. One a bit darker than I had expected it to be… but not to the point it was concerning. I heard and slled activity, a distance away, and headed for it.
How long has it been since these underground hallways had been so active, I wonder? Occasionally people did live down here, or stay or work down here, but it has been… many years since more than a handful of people wandered these halls at once.
Wonder how long it'll last…
"Oh my! Hello Protector!"
I rounded a corner and found a woman and a child. They had been heading down the hallway I had just entered, heading opposite my own direction.
"Hello, how are you?" I asked as I tried to rember who they were. I recognized the kid, from the group on that ship I'd gone to et not too long ago, thanks to his reddish hair… but I couldn't rember their nas. I did however rember the woman was not the kid's mother but instead her older sister. Their mother was dead.
"Great! Or well, kind of… to be honest we're ready to leave. Being stuck underground is rather boring," the woman said with a sigh.
"And cold!" The kid added, though did so from behind the woman. He was peering at from around her thigh as if I was soone to be wary of. Maybe I was.
"Do you already have a destination in mind?" I asked.
She nodded. "We're heading eastward? In a couple months."
Lun, maybe? "I see. Is there anything I can do to make your stay a bit easier?" I asked, giving them a chance to give a request if they had one.
The woman frowned as the boy glanced up at her. "Not really…? We've actually been rather comfortable. A lot better than that ship, or the wagon here, for sure."
"I've always personally enjoyed my ti on the ocean. Tight and cramped quarters or no," I said, a little glad they hadn't added to my pile of things to do.
The woman giggled at that. "No thanks! I hope I never have to sail again!"
"I didn't mind the boat," the boy said.
"You're tiny enough to not feel cramped, so of course you didn't," the woman said with a tone that only an older sister could have.
"I'm not tiny!"
"You are…!" the woman said as she turned away and then gave a small nod. "See you later, Protector."
"Hm," I nodded back as the two walked away, heading down the hallway to wherever their destination was. A bedroom, maybe? That way led to the southern area of these underground halls, where there weren't much else but normal rooms.
Heading down the hallway the other way, I wondered when the next ship was supposed to land.
They'd been kind of neglecting telling certain things… but was it really their fault? They knew how much I despised getting involved in prophetic monts, but…
Slowing a little as I neared a corner that led to a noisier hallway, one with many voices lingering in it, I realized it was very likely no one had ntioned a prophecy concerning Renka, or any of the others yet.
Renn would have said sothing… right? She had seed as surprised as she should have been, to a point, with Renka's arrival… but…
Reaching up, I rubbed my eyes as I realized I had a lot to do. And not just in terms of tasks for the Society, or stuff like tracking down riah's cause of death.
I had much to say to Renn. Much to explain and answers to give… I owed it to her… especially if this was going to continue getting worse for . It was one thing to avoid speaking about the gods, the past in general, when the past stayed in the past… but now it was not just the future but the present.
Not only did I owe Renn the truth, that very truth might be what keeps her alive. So it had to be given.
But how to do it…? How to give it properly, without causing more issues…?
By being honest, I guess…
Sighing at myself, I decided to confront this first. May as well, since I felt Renn nearby. Down a couple more hallways.
Heading for her, I tried not to get distracted… inwardly or outwardly, as I did so.
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