The Seer’s Verdict

Corridors with lots of doors greeted her on the other side of the dreaded passage. Maybe her earlier comparison involving a certain document A38 wasn’t even that far-fetched. If the clerk needed to fill out a form before seeing the seer, she’d run away. Even through the stone slabs, if necessary.

And with my magic, I’m sure I can do that.

They walked to the end of the corridor and turned left. Nia almost expected to see someone on a swing, but instead they entered a room with a large crystal ball that was floating between two metallic looking pillars. It glowed softly, bathing the room in a bluish light that seemed to erase each and all shadows.

The walls, ceiling and floor glittered, making it almost look as if they had stepped into space.

An old looking man, with short white hair and a long white beard stood in the corner of the room, staring into the crystal ball from a distance. He moved closer, stepped to the side and back, as if he was trying to see past something.

“Seer Stumbledoor?” The clerk stepped around the central pillar and toward the old man.

Stumbledoor? I hope this is just a translation error …

“What is it?” the old man asked, sounding annoyed. “I’m trying to look past the shadows, and I don’t want to be disturbed!”

“We won’t take much of your time.” The clerk sounded far more patient with the old man than with Nia and her group. “All we need is for you to confirm whether or not that girl over there is a saint.”

“A saint you say?” That was enough to make Stumbledoor tear his gaze from the crystal ball. “That could explain the shadow I am seeing …” He stood up tall, as if wanting to impress. “Lead me to the girl.”

“She’s over there.” The clerk did lead the short way, allowing the old man to stand right in front of her. His eyes seemed to be unseeing, a gray film covered his irises. That he could even see anything with those eyes bordered on a miracle. That he otherwise looked like a typical old mage, a mentor figure out of a fantasy novel, was only par for the course for this world.

“Ah, I see …”

I doubt that, old man.

“There’s something important the council needs to know about her,” he finally said. “It’s best if we see them immediately.”

That was fast. A bit too fast in my opinion. But then again, don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.

Nia smirked at the Clerk.

“Very well.” The clerk let out an audible sigh. “Follow me.” There was a lot of reluctance in his steps as he led the way back, past the countless doors and to the corridor that led to the antechamber of the council. He then took a deep breath, before pushing the large double doors open with both hands.

“… why I believe that we should lower the taxes on merchants.” A deep booming voice reached them immediately after the doors were opened. That she couldn’t hear the voice through the doors before was probably due to magic as well. “Trewalis? Why are you interrupting?”

“Someone claiming to be a saint has arrived, and the seer said that you should meet her immediately.” The clerk turned around and waved them over, allowing them to finally enter the council chamber.

Nia stepped forward, head held high. The council chamber was a large room, with three elevated seats that were arranged at the edge of a large circle, like the points of an equilateral triangle.

To the right of her stood a bald man, probably the one, who had been talking just now. Rahl, if she remembered correctly.

Then to the left was an elderly, but elegantly dressed lady, probably Rafhina. Which mean that the person directly in front of her was Zarah. The clothes made it hard to put a gender on them, and since they had their head shaved, Nia couldn’t say whether Zarah was male or female. Mother Clemens also hadn’t dropped any hints as to what their gender was.

“This is the one calling herself a saint?” Rahl crossed his arms in front of his chest. “Well, seer Stumbledoor, is she a saint?”

The old man walked slowly into the center of the ring. All his movements looked deliberate, rehearsed. “She is not of this world,” he finally said, to the gasps of their audience. Nia began to smile. “But that doesn’t mean she’s a saint.” And with that, the smile faded from her lips. “In fact, I believe her to be a danger to us.”

“A danger?” Rafhina asked, slowly standing herself. “What kind of danger?”

“She is … the shadow I have seen in my visions. She is the key. She is the last puzzle piece that Saesquar needs to usurp Luaria’s rightful rule!”

“What?” That word resounded in the whole chamber. Everyone there had spoken it, including Nia herself.

“We have come here to warn you-” she started, but was interrupted by Rahl. He stretched his hand out in one fluid motion while standing.

His voice resounded in her very bones. “Kill her! The danger can’t be allowed to live. Saesquar can’t be allowed to return!”

While Nia’s mind still reeled from that announcement, she heard a familiar voice behind her.

“As you wish!”

She turned around and stared in the eyes of Qiin. Where did he come from?

The monk ran at her, sword in hand. She was still too weak to react and the blade buried itself deep in her body.

Not again. The thought echoed in her mind just before she fell to the floor, her warm blood leaving her body far too fast.