The Founder's Grave

“The founding grave?”

“Someone went and turned it up! It’s a mess. Not a body left behind!”

“Someone from the outside must have done it.”

Erlana’s face seemed pale at the implication of what could happen, judging by the amount of talk that seemed to spread around the town. To Fumihito’s surprise, everybody began to look uneasy. People backed away from one another, the elderly talked amongst themselves, and the likes of even the other races seemed taken back. Was it really such a big topic? There were countless things that happened back on Earth that most people overlooked, but maybe that was because people had grown used to such things.

His eyes looked around before he leaned over the table and decided to broach the question.

“By chance, did you…”

Erlana’s face grew red hot with annoyance before she mashed her hands onto the table and leaned in, nearly pressing her temple against his.

“Of course not! I only did a summoning ritual. There was nothing that I did that could have dragged a corpse from the ground. S-Someone must have done it after we left. It’s the only answer, but…,” There was a worried look on Erlana’s face before she shook her head around. “N-Nevermind. It’s not possible for that last one.”

What did she mean by that last one? It sounded almost like she was afraid of what she might have said. Fumihito knitted his brows together before he finally realized their current predicament.

Mainly because of how close their faces were to one another.

“S-Sorry about that,” he apologized softly and leaned back. His face was red hot and it felt like he was burning up.

“Please don’t apologize! I was just taken aback by the question, but I know it’s not your fault. You’re going to be curious,” Erlana took a look over at some of the guards that stepped out onto the streets. They seemed to be investigating since they were approaching people in the town. Some of them were already asking questions and there were a few walking right by them.

Erlana even dipped her head low, her face nervous.

“Can you explain the founding grave? Is it a landmark or something like that?” There was no possible way a simple grave would have been the cause for an entire town to be interrogated, much less go into a panic.

He was a little worried about the idea of being interrogated once more. The only reason he got away with getting out was because Erlana vouched for him, but he didn’t exactly have much going for identification aside from his wallet.

Of which he was positive would mean very little to people here.

She practically sprung from her seat regarding the question before she calmly coughed into the palm of her hand and tilted her hat low. Even then, Fumihito could still make out the soft flush and the creeping smile that seemed to crawl across her face. If he didn’t know any better, it seemed like that nervous disposition of hers had vanished.

“Well, the reason I chose this town was because it’s a historic piece of treasure! To be more exact, this town was home to one of the greatest heroes known to the land since the Great Rebellion,” Erlana crossed her arms and puffed her chest out, a look of pride on her face now that she had the role of a teacher.

“The Great Rebellion?” Was there some kind of conflict in this world at some point?

“The Great Rebellion began centuries ago during a time when magic was originally seen as an unholy practice. At the time, most people were under the idea that magic was a destructive weapon, and in the hands of some it could be. Some people didn’t support that idea and those who didn’t possess it wanted to protect those. A war broke out within Mythos between the founding kingdom and the citizens here,” Erlana tapped at the table and dragged a hand back down to her pouch, right where her potions were stored.

“The greatest of those rebels at the time was the Paladin. We don’t have a lot of history about him personally, but we know he was there at the start. A courageous man who stood at a staggering eight feet tall…”

That sounded so unlikely.

“With such power that the mountains themselves crumbled beneath his sword swings…”

That also seemed very improbable.

“And a man amongst men who was said to have withstood a hailstorm of arrows without once batting an eye! He was the hero of the Great Rebellion and promptly fought for the freedom and rights of those like us today. This was his hometown. When he died in battle, his corpse was laid to rest here. So, do you see why his grave is so important?”

But what Erlana looked at was not a face of awe or shock. No, Fumihito’s face was scrunched up in utter confusion mixed with something resembling shame. Shame for her. It wasn’t that he couldn’t believe the story, which he couldn’t, but because of how it sounded. From the way it was told, this story seemed like the type of glorified tale told over the years that eventually lost every semblance of truth it had until it became nothing more than just crazy talk.

And Erlana looked like she believed every word of it.

“B-By chance, was he a magic user?”

Surely, that could at least offer some credibility.

“Nope! He was powerless. As normal as anybody else could be. That’s what made him so special. It’s also why the town reveres him as such. I don’t know why someone would desecrate his grave though. He wasn’t buried with anything special aside from the armor he wore, but that would have been worthless at this point.”

Well, there went any shred of possibility that the stories had some fabric of truth to them. Still, if what Erlana was saying was true, then why would someone go pilfer a corpse that offered nothing?

He stood from his seat and took a deep breath. It was probably better to leave while they had the chance. While he didn’t know Erlana too well, he knew for a fact that she wouldn’t have done something like this. Maybe accidentally, sure, but other than that? She couldn’t have possibly been the victim.

“We should go while we have the chance. If we stay any longer, it’ll probably look bad for us,” and him especially.

“I know, I know, but if we just leave without any explanation, it’s going to be worse on us. As long as we explain ourselves if they approach, we’ll be…,” and Erlana didn’t seem like the type to run away from something when she was innocent.

Great.

Well, as long as…

“Miss. Dagny? We have concerns about the ritual you conducted last night. The resident Inquisitor would like to speak with you regarding the process and what might have happened.”

One of the guards from last night approached them. A stern look on their face with two men on either side of him. They didn’t seem to be making a commotion. There were still more guards asking questions, but it looked like this was targeted at last. The look on his face died and Erlana’s face paled once more.

“T-The Inquisitor? That’s really not necessary… I’d be h-happy to explain this all…”

The lead guard stepped forward and narrowed his eyes, his nostrils bristling with air.

“And you’ll do so with the Inquisitor. That won’t be a problem for you or your companion, will it?”

Erlana gulped softly and Fumihito wished he could have gotten as far away as he possibly could.

“N-Not at all. F-Fumihito and I will be so glad!”

And there she was crying again…