The Siege of Evermere: Prologue

By the time this night ended - Evermere would turn into a living hell.

Itsuki wasn't able to focus on anything productive once Yuna had departed. Would she be killed or taken hostage? Would Bahamut allow him to retaliate if needed? What was the full reason behind their obsession with the Judge?

Minutes turned into hours - day began to turn to evening. Amane had retired to her room to rest, recover and wait to see what happened next. She had suggested Itsuki do the same, but he had no such luck. 

He couldn't just sit here knowing Yuna was working hard to better their situation. He had to contribute to their cause as well. He rose from his couch and began towards the exit.

"Is everything alright, sir Judge?" the guard posted at his door questioned. 

"Yes," Itsuki affirmed. "I'm heading to the archive..."

Itsuki began moving past them, but he lowered his halberd to block his path. 

"Apologies, sir Judge. The Goddess instructed us to keep you protected here in this room. She insisted that wandering about would be too dangerous given the circumstances..."

Itsuki assessed the situation. Even given their circumstances, Amane still didn't fully trust him wandering the archive of his own volition. The Directive army outside had not departed yet - the situation was still very dire. Under any normal circumstances, she should've welcomed his perusing the archive to try and come up with a solution.

Unless there was still something to hide. In which case, Itsuki had even more of a reason to get there. 

"I'm aware of the Goddess' orders," Itsuki admitted. "What does she say, now?"

"There's been no new orders, sir. She has remained silent while she recovers her strength."

"And so you believe that her instructions were that black-and-white?"

"That is my understanding, sir..."

As they conversed, Itsuki was finally able to make use of something he had been holding onto since before he arrived in Evermere - the Scale Feather from the previous Judge. 

The guard was not God-marked, nor was he currently under Amane's watchful gaze. Given the circumstances, he had free access to the guard's mind. 

It was an astonishing sensation. While he couldn't read thoughts directly, his emotions and judgment were like an open book to Itsuki. 

This guard believed in his Goddess wholeheartedly. Having said that, Itsuki's insistence made them uneasy. Being the Judge, he held a similar weight in their minds to Amane herself - like a personified deity. 

Under those circumstances, what do you do when one God commands something another God has forbade? Do you assume you have the best judgment - or do you get out of the way to hopefully avoid retaliation?

Itsuki simply chuckled and smiled. He put a gentle hand on the guard's shoulder, which caused the guard to stiffen. 

"What is your name?" Itsuki asked. 

"It's...Sandor, sir."

The Scale Feather worked instantly. He was telling the truth, but the question invoked a great deal of anxiety in the guard.

"Well then, Sandor. Amane was right to trust you with my protection," Itsuki explained. "With Directive spies being about, we both were nervous about who would be best-suited to watch over me. She insisted that she trusted in you, and I'm glad she wasn't mistaken. It must feel good, knowing your Goddess has this much faith in you?"

"Of...of course, sir!"

A complete fabrication on Itsuki's part, but it was working. The guard's emotions had relaxed and he was suddenly full of confidence and self-importance. 

"Now that we've confirmed this, it's time to reveal the truth," Itsuki continued. "My return to the archive is paramount to the next phase of our defensive strategy. Now that a few hours have passed, and the military has had time to snuff out inside threats, it's much safer for me to return and continue my work. I also now know that you are trustworthy and have Evermere's interests at-heart, which means there's no worry."

"But...the Goddess' orders..."

"Were exactly what they needed to be," Itsuki interjected. "It gave time for us to rest and recuperate. It also gave me time to use my powers of truth-seeing on you."

A fluctuation of surprise flared up in Sandor's mind. 

"Truth-seeing?" he questioned. 

"Yes. I'm the Judge, after all. Judging individuals and their intentions is one of my abilities - much like the Goddess has many abilities at her disposal. It takes some time to get a full read on someone's soul and their intentions, but it's done now. I can confirm you are not a threat. Of course, that also means you need to remain vigilant and tight-lipped about what we've just discussed. Spies could still be present, even with the military's efforts..."

"Y...yes, of course!" Sandor exclaimed. "I apologize for questioning you, sir Judge! I understand the situation, now. Let us depart to the archives with haste!"

***

Within fifteen minutes, Itsuki was back within the archives. 

The only obstacle they had run into were two additional soldiers guarding the archive doors. Fortunately, though Itsuki's conversation with Sandor, he had confirmed that none of them were currently linked via the Goddess' telepathy. As such, he made quick work of convincing them to grant passage. Sandor's enthusiasm and conviction after his recent 'praise' definitely helped to sell his story. 

Itsuki knew he was on a time limit. The archive was vast, and he had no doubt that Amane would be notified of his presence before long. Still, he had a plan already set in mind. 

At the front of this vast archive was a small desk. Sitting at it was a black-haired girl who appeared to be in her mid-thirties. Lucca the Librarian - in charge of organizing, documenting, and keeping tabs on the whereabouts of everything within the archive. 

She had assisted Yuna earlier in tracking down books that they used earlier to strategize. She was very knowledgeable about the locations of the books within the Archives. A portion of that certainly came down to good memory...

But much of it also came from the gigantic ledger on top of her desk. 

"Oh, sir Judge..." Lucca addressed Itsuki with astonishment. "I didn't realize you'd be returning - and without her Highness..."

"Yes - apologies for the abrupt visit," Itsuki interjected. "I am following up on a suggestion from the Goddess to help with our defense plan. I need you to direct me to a certain section of the library."

"Oh? And where would that be?"

Itsuki waited a moment, looking around to either side as if determining who was around to hear him. It was exaggerated, and was entirely meant to provide the facade of secrecy. People liked to feel "in on the secret", after all.

Once he had checked around, he motioned for her to learn forward so he could speak quietly. As she did so, he put his hands on the desk and leaned forward. 

One hand, in particular, was coincidentally placed on the cover of the Archive Ledger...

In an instant, years of archive documentation etched itself into his mind. An immediate rush of knowledge about the systems and intricacies of the archive were now his to command. Book titles, their locations, and unique terminology that only a select few would know about...

One piece of terminology, in particular, immediately stuck out like a glowing target. Itsuki couldn't help but chuckle internally.

"I need to access the Jibson Cafe..." he whispered to Lucca. 

The Jibson Cafe - a codename for one of the most secretive locations within the archive. It was also the cafe that Amane and Itsuki always visited back in their home world. It meant nothing here - but Itsuki knew that his answers would be there. 

Lucca's expression was wide-eyed when she pulled back. The Scale Feather noted a maelstrom of turmoil within her being. All the more confirmation that Itsuki was on the right track. 

Lucca looked like she wanted to speak so badly - to dig in and ask questions. She couldn't bring herself to do it, though. If Itsuki knew that term, there was no doubt - in her mind, at least - that the Goddess had given him this order. 

"Right this way..."

Itsuki nodded. He ordered Sandor to wait at the desk and let him know if anyone important came looking for him, then had Lucca lead him to the requested section. It was in the most remote location possible, behind a set of barred doors that only Lucca and Amane had the keys to. 

It wasn't your typical 'dark and dingy' forbidden section of tomes. It was even more pristine than the rest of the Archives. Itsuki knew from the ledger that Lucca prioritized regular cleanings of this place. The preservation of the items within here was paramount to Evermere.

"Here it is," Lucca asserted. "I will wait here by the door while you research. Unfortunately, I can't leave someone in here alone unattended..."

"Not a problem," Itsuki noted. "Thanks for understanding."

If anything, Itsuki felt more calm knowing that Lucca couldn't run off and tell Amane he was here. He got to work perusing the aisles, looking for and absorbing anything that appeared that it would be of particular interest. 

Unfortunately, as prepared as he was, he was not prepared for what he would find in these writings...