Qio blinked multiple times and stuck his finger in his ear to make sure it was clean. He knew he must have heard Irada incorrectly. “I’m sorry, what was that again?” Qio asked.31Please respect copyright.PENANAhaXJW2NeS6
Irada turned to him with a face full of guilt. “I’m the Tomekeeper of Heivara.”31Please respect copyright.PENANA5O6JVgPtRe
Qio smacked his lips and walked a few paces to the east. He took a deep breath, then let out a hearty laugh. “Okay, Irada. You got me. You had me fooled for a moment there, because I would’ve been really upset if I found out you were hiding such a big secret the whole time.”31Please respect copyright.PENANANZ6TlZErTD
Irada looked at Silban, then back to Qio. “I’m not joking, Qio. I didn’t want to tell you because I wasn’t sure how you would react.”31Please respect copyright.PENANAQEwWs3WbAo
“Alright, Irada. You can stop now,” Qio said. His tone grew more irate by the moment. “We all know there’s no possible way that Heivara, or any of the gods, would have chosen you. You’re just a farm boy nobody from backwoods nowhere!”31Please respect copyright.PENANAmZhXYvhmW9
Qio could tell his words stung Irada, but he had to say it. Irada had forced his hand. Besides, it was better to be on the receiving end of some harsh truths than a total betrayal.31Please respect copyright.PENANAbqnRKAd15p
Irada swallowed and pursed his lips. He closed his eyes, clapped his hands together and then spread his arms out wide. “Acoquilhei.”31Please respect copyright.PENANADj1ukibYVU
A cloud of bronze pollen-like spores swept across the courtyard and clung to anything they could find, including the burned floral remains and Qio’s own skin. They melted into the objects they covered, disappearing without a trace. Qio felt an odd warmth brush over him, like he had been covered snugly in a thick blanket or was seated by the flame of a campfire. It sunk deeper, moving past his skin and down into his bones. They popped and relaxed, tensions eased as the spores continued their journey. Finally, Qio felt a sense of relief deep within his conscience. For the briefest of moments, the world around him - and all the troubles that accompanied it - faded into nothing. No pain, no anxiety, no fear. There was only peace - of mind, body and soul. The feeling of the world around him tickled the edge of his psyche, then formed into a trickle before cascading into a rapid of emotions and feelings that swept him away into the reality he so desperately wanted to escape. 31Please respect copyright.PENANAujcoxYpZUR
Qio gasped for air, hands pressed against his chest. His senses screamed at one another, each vying for full control and attention. He had been blessed with total relief for the quickest of moments, then cursed with the reminder that such a thing could exist and was no longer attainable. New flowers sprouted from the ashes of the old, and the thousands of red and yellow petals that adorned them invoked the image of the very sun that gave them life. For once in his life, Qio was speechless.31Please respect copyright.PENANAtRmXNXpSCi
“Thank you for the demonstration, Irada,” Silban said. “The Monarch will be pleased to see his precious florals brought back to their full beauty. I take it you two are in need of rest and a cleanse?”31Please respect copyright.PENANAzaPZRjC5kL
Irada confirmed while Qio’s mouth still struggled to formulate the words that best matched his emotions. No matter how hard he tried, nothing would escape. The beauty he witnessed and the peace that he felt all seemed so exotic to him. It was natural and pure, for lack of a better word. He gave up and opted to follow Silban and Irada up the stairs and into the castle proper.
The candles within the castle’s foyer flickered from the breeze that entered as Silban pushed open the castle’s main doors. Their reflections danced among the crystal shards embedded in the cream-colored marble of the floors. Inside, three staircases broke up the space - a main staircase that ran down the center of the room, split at the bottom into three diverging paths, and two spiraling staircases that led to the towers connected on the left and right. A number of hallways extended out from underneath the staircase and along the walls, leading to a variety of rooms that Silban mapped in his memory. 31Please respect copyright.PENANAEzaAVdNub2
The foyer itself was filled with an array of opulent furniture, statues and rugs that covered almost everything. Silban had learned long ago to watch his step around the priceless artifacts, and proceeded to cautiously pass through them. “Touch nothing,” He instructed his followers. 31Please respect copyright.PENANA1UtGzmSsYK
He led Irada and Qio up the central path of the main staircase and to the second floor, where four hallways branched out in different directions, two on each side of another flight of stairs that continued upward. He moved down the hall on the far right side. Silban ensured that each of the Tomekeepers had been given their own space while at the castle, but he was careful to avoid placing them all in one wing. The doors to each room were made from the finest cherry-colored hardwood the Wingsong could find, and their handles were wrapped in a colored silk ribbon that correlated to each nation’s coat of arms. He stopped at the third door on the left side of the hall, where the marmalade ribbon signaled Qio’s quarters. 31Please respect copyright.PENANAEMyrn7uXsD
“Dinner will be served when the bell tolls nine times,” Silban informed the Asceniate. “I trust that should be sufficient time to cleanse yourself?”31Please respect copyright.PENANAXLzUU3hHgb
“I would prefer a little longer, but I’ll take what I can,” Qio voiced, as if Silban cared about his opinion. He pressed open the door for Qio and ushered him inside. “You’ll find that fresh clothing in the style of your nation has been provided, should you choose to use it. If you need additional assistance, ring the bell and one of the castle staff will be along as quickly as they can.” 31Please respect copyright.PENANAvYDYJD51xx
Silban turned and began walking. He didn’t want to give Qio the window to say anything else. Unsurprisingly, that didn’t stop the Asceniate from trying.
“Irada, you fool! Don’t think I’m letting you walk away without us discussing what you did,” He shouted out into the hall after them. “I demand an apology for being lied to!” 31Please respect copyright.PENANAxjeDuIf7U1
Silban heard the door slam shut. He looked back at Irada as he continued down the hall and past another four rooms. “Did you have to deal with that the whole time you traveled?”31Please respect copyright.PENANAhWfh45kok4
“More or less,” Irada responded quietly. 31Please respect copyright.PENANAIzJA7p5dvT
Silban couldn’t tell if the man was shy, or just used to being silent. He seemed to be wrapped up in his thoughts, or maybe conversing with the goddess that chose him. The idea of having a shared mental space with an ethereal being was absurd, in Silban’s mind. He questioned the privacy, if any, that the Tomekeepers had in their lives. “I imagine you must be a man of the highest levels of patience and understanding to deal with someone like that,” Silban remarked.31Please respect copyright.PENANAVJOaxg1itE
Irada let out a soft, uneasy chuckle. “Some would say that.”31Please respect copyright.PENANAcw66XoYHAa
They approached the last door at the right end of the hall, the ribbon that ran along the handle a slate gray.31Please respect copyright.PENANAdt0fGlnuHX
“Would you like me to repeat what I told your companion?” Silban offered.31Please respect copyright.PENANAT5qoSrmR9Z
"That won’t be necessary,” Irada answered. He bowed. “Thank you for your hospitality.”31Please respect copyright.PENANAWlXB6q9QiE
Silban opened the room and let Irada enter, then closed the door behind him. The Tomekeeper of Heivara came across as the most put-together out of the ones he had met. He swiveled and began the long walk back toward the foyer. Silban wanted to ensure that he had checked on each of the Tomekeepers before their impending meal. 31Please respect copyright.PENANAEj1wey9Jat
Three troublesome Tomekeepers were housed in the next hall over. Silban stopped at the first room, marked by a mint green ribbon, and knocked. There was silence on the other end. “Verina Hinlon,” Silban called. “Are you available to talk?”31Please respect copyright.PENANAqN4fdRnxbp
Silban waited a few minutes for an answer, then knocked again when there wasn’t one. The idea of the Terrolaff being loose in the castle perturbed him immensely. Though he had only seen a brief glimpse of her as she was brought in that morning, something about the woman came across as deadly and slightly unhinged. He ordered her to be kept under close watch, yet that had clearly failed. He admitted defeat, vowed to find Verina later, and moved on to the next room.
The purple ribbon of Fwen Inati’s room had been moved ever so slightly, as if inspected. Silban knocked, and was caught off-guard when the Noctide opened the door immediately. 31Please respect copyright.PENANAwoF4myu4vl
“I didn’t request any aid,” Fwen stated bluntly. “Please be on your way.”31Please respect copyright.PENANAdC20GXfffl
Silban placed his hand against the door as she tried to close it. She gave him a fierce look with her smoldering eyes. “I’m Silban Awn, Celenian in charge of the banquet,” He told her. “I’m making rounds and checking on my special guests. Is there anything you require?”31Please respect copyright.PENANA0uhOqVSUML
“We’re fine,” Fwen answered succinctly.31Please respect copyright.PENANARLSEWrUUat
“We?”31Please respect copyright.PENANAAEqm5hLNrM
Fwen opened the door a little and nudged her head toward the Terrolaff seated by her bedside. Verina dug at her nails with the tip of her dagger. “We were discussing proper dining etiquette,” Fwen explained, pressing the door closed once more.31Please respect copyright.PENANA3BtImucFIc
“I understand. I’ll see you two downstairs at the ninth chime,” Silban said and let the door close with a click. Fwen was just as eccentric as her companion, but she at least had an air of nobility around her. He supposed that she was well-versed in a number of studies and protocols if the nation of To’tenkhar operated similarly to Prodigium. He made a mental note to try and ask about the politics of the region over dinner, then pressed on.31Please respect copyright.PENANA1ZcKxuJYna
Silban rounded the L-shaped corner of the hall and came to a stop. Qurena was seated in a wooden chair outside the crimson-ribboned door, one leg propped up on the other. She gave him a small smile as he approached. 31Please respect copyright.PENANA3hklMzQjpf
“How’s the Pyrolite doing?” Silban inquired. “Has he cooled off yet?”31Please respect copyright.PENANAl0z5qtqNt0
Qurena groaned at the play on words. “You have to try better than that, Awn. As for our guest, he’s fine now. I’ve kept him in line.”31Please respect copyright.PENANAH30Rj2pW8E
“Do you think he’ll do anything if I enter?” Silban asked. Qurena’s ability to detect danger was second-to-none and a skill he had always valued. If she sensed anything was wrong or dangerous, he wanted to know.31Please respect copyright.PENANA3TdZhuFuNy
“You should be fine,” Qurena replied. She tilted her head and her ponytail slipped out from the neck of her chestplate and down the side of her pauldron. “I genuinely think he’s too tired to fight.”31Please respect copyright.PENANAOU9l5XpRnu
Silban stepped up to the door and pressed his hand against the handle. Qurena made a clicking noise to halt him. 31Please respect copyright.PENANAT4tt4zTxAK
“His name is Zall, by the way. Zall Destus. I don’t know if you were ever told.”31Please respect copyright.PENANAaQ15DwIUOl
Silban looked back at her with a sly grin. “You remembered his name? Did he leave that much of an impression on you?”31Please respect copyright.PENANANS2KQpVXCN
Qurena’s cheeks reddened at the suggestion and she enclosed herself in her wings. Silban entered the room and found Zall on his back, sprawled out across the bed and hands linked together by a pair of metal cuffs Qurena must have placed on him. He stared at the ceiling and didn’t move.31Please respect copyright.PENANANQeXSjJQpC
“This is quite the home you all have here,” Zall muttered. “It would be a real shame if something happened to it.”31Please respect copyright.PENANAxNKxidyYSc
“Are you going to behave or do I need to toss you back down into the dungeon?” Silban pressed with a sharp tone. He knew there was a strong chance he would have to fight Zall again by night’s end. Pyrolites never respected wordy diplomacy, only physical altercations. 31Please respect copyright.PENANACnAHftCfTe
“You beat me fair and square earlier, feathers,” Zall sighed. “I got a little caught up in myself. I’m not afraid to admit when I’ve been bested” 31Please respect copyright.PENANAinY0kONbfV
Zall sat up and Silban stepped back, hand close to his sheath, then remembered his sword was broken. “I live by the fray conventions,” Zall continued. “They state that when you lose two battles in a row, you’re forbidden from another fight until you ask the Hilvundata for mercy. Last I checked, since you don’t have an altar here, my hands are tied.”31Please respect copyright.PENANAtUfvJPhMad
He raised his cuffs up to Silban. “So can you please take these off of me?”31Please respect copyright.PENANAn70rPfOtzq
Silban hesitated, then saw the guilt in Zall’s eyes. The fierce embers that burned brightly during their earlier battle had dulled into pain and self-deprecation. Silban could tell he took these things quite seriously. Against his better judgment, he fished a key from his pouch and reached over to free the Pyrolite. 31Please respect copyright.PENANAEtVrOWdZKr
“What happens if you lose a third time?”31Please respect copyright.PENANA0kdVKpEWaq
“I won’t.”31Please respect copyright.PENANAHY8dExAB65
The cuffs rattled as they fell to the floor. Silban and Zall stared at each other, and the former prepared for the worst. The tension in the air was palpable. Zall threw himself back on the bed and closed his eyes. 31Please respect copyright.PENANAybdaJLtMtX
“Miss no-nonsense outside said nine chimes, right?”31Please respect copyright.PENANAj5HwtOMBfU
“Correct,” Silban acknowledged. 31Please respect copyright.PENANAUBRM5bB1AA
“Then I’m going to get some sleep. Wake me later, will you?”31Please respect copyright.PENANAmHrECPWp5X
Silban turned without a response and left back into the hallway. At the very least, it seemed Zall wouldn’t pose a threat like he originally thought the battle-crazed Pyrolite would. Qurena looked the other way as he walked by. “Take care, and don’t let your guard down,” Silban teased.31Please respect copyright.PENANA1ozmm1ZFe2
The distant chimes of the bell tower drifted through the windows, their sweet melodies like bite-sized bits of comfort for Silban’s psyche. He counted them as he entered the third hallway. Eight chimes. That meant he had to speed up his visits and get back downstairs as soon as he could. 31Please respect copyright.PENANAOMBrHAchVY
The first room in the third hall flaunted an ice white ribbon. Silban stuck his nose up and walked on by. Nothing would convince him to talk to Tuvhe. It was a waste of time for them both. Eslen’s Tomekeeper needed to be monitored at all times and treated with the utmost caution. He was, in Silban’s opinion, the most dangerous of them all. Silban reached the next door, its ribbon dark green like the leaves on the trees of the forest nation it symbolized, and knocked twice.
I’el Rivini sheepishly opened the door. Bright orange locks covered half of her face. She looked like she was in the middle of a wardrobe change. “Hello?”31Please respect copyright.PENANAxXc2pkcayS
Silban introduced himself and ran through his rehearsed lines. I’el turned receptive once she learned who he was, but there was still a sense of awkwardness about her. Small vines began to breach the underside of the door. He glanced down at them in confusion.31Please respect copyright.PENANAigOOhSS7vY
“Everything is fine!” I’el asserted in what came across as an attempt to curb any further questions. She promptly closed the door.31Please respect copyright.PENANAQDrNFk4CPv
Before Silban could react to the bizarre situation, the door to the last room in the hall opened and a blonde Wojlidoj man rushed out. He carried a handful of bottles and a pair of gardening shears in his arms. The man’s ears twitched as he counted the number of bottles aloud, unaware that he was headed straight for Silban. 31Please respect copyright.PENANA3xJQxb0ed8
“Kliev Rorn! Halt!” Silban shouted. The latter kept walking at a brisk pace, but looked up for the slightest of moments. Kliev registered the imminent collision and tried to stop his body, but it was too late. He smacked into Silban and dropped the contents of his hands onto the floor. The empty bottles all hit with hollowed thuds and rolled out, while the shears bounced across the ground.31Please respect copyright.PENANATh5FbGgkOp
“Hey, watch where you’re standing!” Kliev grumbled. He knelt down to pick the bottles back up. “It took me far too long to gather all these things.”31Please respect copyright.PENANAzh8Z4Su1ZS
Silban crossed his arms and gave Kliev a stern look. “Do you mind explaining what all is going on here?”31Please respect copyright.PENANAOVUCnxO4rw
The door cracked open, just enough for a single vine to whip out and around the shears and yank it into the room. Silban jumped back in surprise. He threw his hands into the air. “Nevermind. I’m sure whatever is going on, you two can handle it,” He told Kliev. “Just make sure you’re on time for dinner.”31Please respect copyright.PENANATLK1UbPRkj
The more time Silban spent around the Tomekeepers, the more he questioned the gods’ selection process. The Tomekeepers of the stories from his youth were adventurers and trailblazers, kings and queens. There were battle-hardened warriors and sages of peace. The collection of oddballs and impulsives that were assembled in the castle felt like a far cry from the image he had crafted. 31Please respect copyright.PENANAkpBD3WEDgX
“I guess not everyone can be like Reveticus,” He mumbled under his breath as he reached the next room in the last hall. F’jalla stood guard outside the door and placed her fist against her chest in a military salute.31Please respect copyright.PENANAxVuJgneE4T
“Miss Wrine told me she doesn’t want to be bothered,” F’jalla informed him. “My apologies, Silban. She said that she’s not feeling well and needs to rest.”31Please respect copyright.PENANA6oCe6eHdu8
Silban nodded in understanding. “No worries, F’jalla. I was just making my rounds to see if she needed anything. Keep me updated if her status changes.”31Please respect copyright.PENANAE3D53k1vmf
F’jalla agreed and leaned against her wings. She pointed further down. “The Clawgrave left his room a short while ago. He was already dressed and said something about needing some air. I’m sure you’ll be able to find him nearby.”31Please respect copyright.PENANA8mRsQBlyns
“Did he seem suspicious?”31Please respect copyright.PENANAHHKXDadhmI
“A bit blundering, but not dangerous.”31Please respect copyright.PENANAIBOgwQvXfg
“I’ll let him have his space as well, then,” Silban concluded. “No need for me to follow up.”31Please respect copyright.PENANAmcdaR16ffr
Silban walked down to the last room in the hall, and the last Tomekeeper he needed to meet. He inspected the ocean blue ribbon strung along the handle. It had been re-tied into a larger, more elegant bow. His fingers caressed the silk as he admired the handiwork. Something about it seemed different, but Silban couldn’t place his finger on what exactly it was. He tapped lightly against the door and waited for a response. 31Please respect copyright.PENANAo14LII5a1L
The door cracked, and he caught a flash of turquoise on the other end. As it opened fully, Silban was greeted by the most dazzling pair of emerald eyes he had ever seen.
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