Chapter 7 - Learning

It was boring. Mila listened to Silinth drone about the kingdom's history. He went on and on. She glanced at her comrades in misery. Andrew was catatonic, while Isabel at least pretended to be listening.

They were sitting in a classroom made to fit for fifty people. Silinth was behind a table, giving the lecture.

Tiff and Kefo were furiously scribbling on large paper sheets, but Mila could tell. They were hating every second of this.

The worst part? For today, Silinth had simply inserted them into the already existing schedule made for Tiff and Kefo.

It meant they lacked the proper context for anything Silinth was blabbering about. Why he was telling them about the first Kingdom of Torgo King’s third concubine was beyond Mila. She had failed to sire any children and had led a boring life. The only notable thing about her was her supposed beauty.

Still, it wasn’t like Mila had not learnt anything. Silinth had used the map of the kingdom to point out where each King’s concubines had come from. It gave her a sense of scale and some basic information about the nation.

The lesson took entirely too long to finish. Mila had zoned out some time ago when Silinth finally sent Tiff and Kefo to start preparing lunch.

“Well, how was it?” Silinth appeared to be oblivious to their suffering.

Andrew finally showed a sign of life by blinking while Isabel gave the man a troubled smile. “It was a lot.” She tried to be polite.

“It sucked.” Mila was more direct. “I don’t know why you thought we needed to know about King's concubine's favourite food.”

“Well, it was an interesting tidbit, wasn’t it?” Silinth let out a nervous laugh. “They had to smuggle that meat across the sea from a Kingdom they were at war with.”

Mila scoffed. “It wasn’t interesting. We don’t even know where that kingdom is.”

“Clearly across the sea!” Andrew suddenly inserted. “What did I miss?”

“Nothing of value.” Mila glared at Silinth. “The whole lesson could be summarised with a couple of paragraphs.”

“Well, now, that’s mean.” Silinth raised his hands in defence. “Besides, I am not an expert of history by any means, so I may have not done justice to the topic.”

This was an interesting point. Isabel picked up on it immediately. “Then why go into so much detail?” She looked appalled. “Why tell us about King’s cousin's diarrhoea accident at a ball?”

“Hey, that sounds awesome!” Andrew was suddenly interested. “How come I missed that?”

“Because it was presented as dry as a desert floor in a summer sun,” Mila explained. “Also, because your soul had left your body.”

“Oh, you are brutal today.” Andrew looked at her in surprise. “I approve!” He gave her a thumbs up.

Silinth let out a mortified sigh. “Well, this was about what I expected.” He ruffled his hair. “Let’s move on to language lessons.”

“Uhm, Mr. Ampry?” Isabel shyly interrupted him. “Then why teach it this way?”

The older man was taken aback. “Well, it’s the only way I know how to.” He revealed. “I am using notes left by the previous teacher and-” Silinth hesitated. “He was a big fan of history and all the little details.” He reminisced. “You know, he was a great man. Knew most everything going on in the wast world. He guided us through some hairy situations more than once just by being smart. He could be very persuasive, too.”

The more Silinth talked, the more heated he became. Soon, he started to tell them about the time his teacher had predicted the movement of enemy forces just by listening to a gossiper.

It was clear Silinth respected the man a great deal. But there was something more. Mila could see happiness on his face when he recounted these past deeds. He looked alive the way he did not before.

And then it ended. Silinth’s story finished. He silently took out blank sheets and handed them over. Mila took hers and watched the man’s shoulders sag as he walked to the blackboard.

Another hour and a half later, Mila’s sheet was filled with her attempts at writing the local alphabet. She had done quite well, as most letters were somewhat familiar to her.

The same could not be said for Andrew and Isabel. Their sheets were covered in scribbles, barely resembling proper letters.

They also learned several simple words as well as how to spell them. The progress was small, but at least they knew how to say yes or no. That and how to ask where the toilets were.

After the lesson, they paused for lunch. This time, Silinth joined them as well. It meant Kefo and Tiff could join them in conversing. While Tiff kept quiet, Kefo had plenty of questions about the world they had come from.

It was a peaceful meal. With Andrew answering most of the questions, Mila could enjoy the time in silence. She still had trouble getting used to finishing her portion of the meal.

In fact, Mila felt like she could eat some more. Well, almost. After her burp made the table laugh, she decided against asking for seconds.

And then they were back in the classroom. Mila studied Silinth, who sat behind the table. There was a certain solemnity to his bearing.

When the trio sat at their tables, Silinth blinked and looked around. He made a gesture, and Mila felt the now familiar sensation of the spell Silinth used when he wanted to mention something important.

“There are a few things you have to know now that you are living in this world.” Silinth began. He interlocked his fingers and was visibly contemplating what to say. “Nothing I am going to say is a secret forbidden to talk about, but as it does involve gods and their sycophants, you shouldn’t mention any of this outside of this room.”

The nervousness was contagious. Mila shifted in her seat and noticed Andrew and Isabel do the same.

“Gods are-” Silinth paused. “Well, that’s what it is. They ‘ARE’. They exist and are present, but rarely do they interact with the world. They are ideas and feelings. They are the elements and the foundation of the earth itself. But they are not everywhere, nor do they know everything. They don’t even have proper names.”

Silinth sneered. “No, they are not something we can understand. Not fully. And those who try-” He shook his head. “They soon find themselves dead or worse, taken by the god's followers. That’s the first thing you have to keep in mind. Keep away from anything to do with gods.”

“And gods have their acolytes. I won't say that every god has them, as I do not know them all. Some are thought to be lost to time. But there are temples, holy places and even pantheons that are the centres of their beliefs. Stay away from those as well. They are usually peaceful and well-meaning, but all of them have their enforces and inquisitors sitting around. If they send them after you-” Silinth face faltered. “They are ruthless and impossible to reason with. And they are strong.”

With a sigh, Silinth continued. “Following a god can grant you power. A lot of it.” He paused. “And it will cost nothing but your devotion. Not everyone will be blessed, but do be careful of true believers. The power can come in many different shapes and forms. I have seen a cleric who could detect lies, a priest who could heal by prying and an inquisitor who could burn with the gaze.” He shuddered.

So far, everything Silinth had mentioned conformed with Mila’s knowledge, except for the last part. “Are such people common?” She wanted to know.

“I won't say they are common.” Silinth pondered. “Still, you can meet them in every larger settlement.”

This was concerning. Gods did not do that. Not in the past. At most, they would choose a single champion. So what had changed? So much intervention with the world would inevitably bring conflict between themselves.

While Mila mulled over his words, Silinth continued. “That said, I would advise against falling to the temptation of that power. In the end, it is not truly yours, merely borrowed. The gods can take it away at any time.” He mentioned with bitterness.

Isabel raised her hand, and Silinth waved her to speak. “So, why give this power? What do they want?”

Mila perked up. This was a question that bothered her as well.

“I don’t know.” Silinth gave a simple answer. He observed their expressions of disbelief. “Truly.” He shook his head. “The people in charge of the earthly business say they know and are bringing God’s will to the people, but,” He scoffed. “They are just humans. They are more concerned with entrapping more people under their reach. Those Elders and Prophets and whatnot. They are just furthering their own goals.”

“Would Gods allow them?” Mila whispered a question.

“That-” Silinth was startled and looked uncomfortable. “Perhaps not.” He finally admitted. “But do not make a mistake. My words still hold a lot of truth. Maybe gods do give them tasks and guide them, but how they follow is largely up to themselves.”

It was easy to tell that Silinth did not have a high opinion of religion and faith. Mila looked at the bitter man with pity. She did not know what he had gone through, but it had left him scared.

Once again, Mila was reminded not to blindly trust this man. But Silinth was already moving on.

They learned about the more popular gods. What they liked and hated. How they should act if they happened upon an altar or temple. The list went on and on.

Frankly, it was too much. Andrew even voiced it, and Silinth assured them that this was only an overview. The very basics.

And it was so strange for Mila. So many rules and deep-rooted customs. None of which had existed in the past. She carefully listened as she suspected that gods were involved in their summoning.

That was the only explanation. Otherwise, the odds of the three of them being at the same place and time were impossible. It was interesting to think about the ‘how,’ but what was important was ‘why.’

Silinth had targeted her specifically, but there was more to Andrew and Isabel than just being chosen heroes of some influential power. Mila glanced at the duo and tasted the air.

The mana inside them was ever-increasing. It was unnatural and unheard of. And they did not even feel it. Mila averted her gaze and resumed thinking.

There was something else. There always was. Mila did her best to control her thoughts and not let them wander.

The presence inside her dreams. What- Mila stopped. She had felt a faint disturbance in the air. Why- And there it was again. She stilled her trembling arms and balled them into fists.

Too many questions with no answers in sight. Mila returned her attention to Silinth’s endless outpour of words, hoping to get her answers soon.