Intentions

The first few hours were the worst of it. I had to manage persistent flailing and pain flare ups. She was completely soaked in sweat. I wiped her down trying to keep her body clean as she seemed to be working through something. All the pain made it difficult to know if she was improving. It felt like she just got worse and worse.

But then by nightfall, she calmed down significantly. The pain looked to have subsided as well. Though she was still sweating heavily, the state was more manageable. After another round of cleaning, I let her rest. There seemed to be a bit more awareness in her eyes and face than previously. It gave me hope that I had made the right answer.

As she didn’t need constant care, I started back on the book again. I had to borrow some candles to read. I wanted to be there when she finally woke up.

Reading through the texts that Gerth found ages ago, it had some details that I never knew. This must have been what he talked about when he found it. The Ganiza Kingdom began in the north according to the records. All I knew was the area that it was claimed to have covered at its height. I never knew where it was founded.

North wasn’t much to go on, but as I read the text claimed that the Pillar of Origin was located within the founding town. Ganiza's rise in power was said to have been Ministra’s blessing. If they truly did have the Origin from the start, that would make a lot of sense.

The problem was that war completely wiped the area out. Even knowing the name of the town, Entif, didn’t help. Once I read it, I remember hearing about it in fairy tales. I honestly didn’t even think of it as a real place, let alone part of the Ganiza Kingdom. We made up stories around the fabled city where magical beasts that could talk lived. It was supposed to be a land of ultimate reason that understood Ministra to such perfection that they rose to the sky. Yet in their arrogance to be with Her, She struck them down.

That such stories existed and if the Pillar resided there, a lot of it started to make sense. But Entif supposedly didn’t exist. Just a fable to teach children about being prideful and respecting Ministra. So there wasn’t a believed location to it. I think treasure hunters fancied finding it, but no one ever did as far as I knew.

And I’m supposed to discover the legendary Entif. That sounded like an impossible request normally, but I was already attempting it. So I couldn’t let such a status impede me. I just had to keep reading in the hopes of finding something that narrowed down my search.

Yawning, I looked up to see that the sun already started to rise. “Morning already…” I checked the book to see that I had only made it through about a third of it. It was dense and old. I did everything to be careful with it. But it was also a difficult read with fading ink.

“Where am I?”

Closing the book immediately, I hid it away. My heart immediately jumped to a double beat as I remembered I kidnapped the Head Priest. It was easier when she wasn’t very responsive to push that to the back of my mind. But now that I could see that she was alert and awake the guilt flooded in. “A-Announcement.”

She probably already noticed me as she sat up, but the look in her eye felt like she just found me. It was intense and hot. I tried to ignore the sweat building. “Announcement.” A flat tone, she sounded suspicious of me. “Who are you? And where am i?”

“I’m Speaker Eshikra from Linoth. You’re about a half day outside Berthon, Head Priest.”

They narrowed their eyes on me as they became increasingly more aware of everything. “So you’re aware then that you kidnapped the Head of the temple from her post.”

I nodded slowly. I probably shouldn’t be admitting to that, but it was pretty obvious as well. “You weren’t well. Taking you out of the capital was all I could think of doing to restore your health.” Which did seem to work. I hope she’s grateful that I saved her from that life of sleepwalking.

There was some quiet reflection as she stared down. I guess she was trying to put together all the events. It made me wonder if she could remember anything from when she was out of it. What was it like being in that state? I leaned in a little with the sudden urge to pepper her with questions. However, she glared at me oddly.

I reeled back with confusion. I immediately shrank. “And the capital?”

“They’re all like how I found you.”

“Describe it.”

“Sort of like sleepwalking, I guess? Everyone still went around their day living, but just at like half speed. No one interacted directly, but people still seemed to be able to communicate, somehow. It was very confusing.”

She nodded, almost pleased by my report. But that didn’t make any sense. “Do you remember what happened? I couldn’t find any reports or signs of the cause. If you recovered, we need to save everyone else!”

“No.” No? It sounded directed, but she didn’t give clarity. What’s going on with her? The way her face looked didn’t seem surprised by anything that I said. What happened in Berthon?

I braved leaning in again even though I was a mess of sweat. “Do you know what happened?”

“What happened? What happened was panic and chaos.”

“What do you mean?”

“You said you’re from Linoth?” I nodded. “What did Cathlin decide to do?”

“He didn’t convey Her words. Just the interpretation. He said it was a test to be overcome.”

The woman nodded in agreement. Her eyes darted around almost like she wanted to find something, but couldn’t locate it. “That was the correct answer. We should’ve done that.”

“Head Priest?”

“The Conveyance, the Speaker repeated Ministra’s words for all to hear. In the moment, they seemed to handle it well. Everyone returned to their homes and the day continued like any other. Until late that day when fires were started in the North Ward. We put it out, but that was only the start. Days of violence and riots continued. People stole and fought like beasts. There was no logic or reason, they tainted their souls as children of Ministra.”

I couldn’t help but think of Rastron. Though by the way she presented it, Berthon was far worse. I didn’t see the damage that she spoke of, but I also hadn’t been through the whole capital. So I could only imagine how bad it must have been.

“But everyone’s peaceful now, right?”

“Y-yes.” She turned to meet me directly. A wild look in her eyes came through, different from before and far more intense. I crawled back into the chair.

The Head Priest nodded firmly to me like she wanted me to agree with her. Technically, she was correct that they were peaceful, but not because of a choice they made. They were under the influence of something. It wasn’t natural. It just changed them so that they weren’t violent anymore. It’s not an answer. Answer?

A dark heavy lump settled into my stomach. The expressions and reactions on her started to make a fearful sort of sense to me. I hated it. I couldn’t be right. Please, tell me Ministra I’m wrong. “But Head Priest, they aren’t living. It’s just existing.”

“What does it matter? They aren’t acting like animals anymore. You should be pleased by the results.”

“Pleased?”

“They couldn’t handle the truth. Most can’t, Cathlin saw that. We shouldn’t have told them. This was the correct answer.”

“Head Priest? Did something happen?”

Her eyes flared out at me. My suspicions were all but confirmed with that look. I didn’t have to say more and she already looked ready to accuse me. Harsh lines carved up her face as she almost bared her teeth in anger. “Don’t you judge me, child! I did what was needed to save the capital and people. I made the decision no one else could!”

I shook my head as my hands covered my mouth in shock. It was her. She was the cause! She subjected them all to that horrible void!