Nostrum: Tales of Valor

Unwanted

Hael places her index finger and thumb above her head, then looks at the stars surrounding them. Once she is seemingly satisfied, she begins moving toward an undisclosed location. Lee, Marne, and Yuler follow, sticking as close as they can without burning one another with the flames of their torches. As they go on, Lee can't help but to look over his shoulder, sensing something to be near, but not near enough to be a threat, yet.

"Are we sure that this Kirk will still be standing?" He asks, attempting not to come across negatively. "I mean, with all that is going on, even Maciofim is having a hard time staying standing."

"We can't be sure of anything," Hael begins, "but we must attempt... something. Otherwise, all will fall without a fight."

"Perhaps there are others also seeking answers." Marne offers, wanting to be part of the conversation.

"Perhaps so, but I find it unlikely that any have come as far as us." Hael states, stepping around a large boulder in their path. "What are the chances that anyone else has uncovered as much as us?"

"You call what we've done progress, then?" Lee asks with a chuckle. "My dear, we're merely guessing at this point."

"With all else that we've accomplished, I'd hardly consider it guessing."

"I'd hardly consider any of it an accomplishment." Marne mutters under his breath.

"What was that?" Asks Yuler, who turns to face him in an apologetic manner.

"N-Nothing. Just talking to myself." He says with a smile.

"Let us remain focused." Lee demands in a shushing fashion. "The last thing we need is to be caught off-guard by whatever might be lurking out here." He shuffles his torch from one hand to another and slowly turns it about, trying to uncover the darkness that surrounds them. "You can never be too careful."

"No need to be so on guard, Lee." Hael assures. "What lingers near us poses no threat."

Lee looks back towards Hael, then the darkness once more.

"So I sensed correctly. We are being followed."

"Yes, but there is no need to scare them off. Remain focused on our objective. I am sure they will come out of the woodwork when they are good and ready."

"They?" Yuler questions.

"Shh." Hael marches forward without even a pause to her step and slings a finger back at Yuler.

"How much further to the Kirk?" Marne wonders, not wanting to press too much.

"Not far now." Hael raises her hand to the sky once more, then looks ahead of them. "It should be just beyond this clearing."

The party presses on, being sure to keep an eye on the shadows that travel with them, but not such a close eye that they truly see anything. Once they have passed through the clearing, a small building comes into sight. Then another, and another. Each of the buildings offer a circular sanctuary within, and their layout displays precise design. Forming a large triangle, the buildings face one another, but nothing more can be seen. No lights illuminate them from within, nor from their outskirts. No people are seen in the area, and no livestock fills the nearby pasture. Only darkness and silence reside here.

"This is it!" Hael exclaims as she rushes ahead. "Come, come!"

The group moves with her until they are all standing in the center of the triangle.

"What now?" Asks Marne, who steps away from the group.

"We search for answers." Hael moves towards one point of the triangle, seeking out a door. "So long as there is still information within these stone walls, there is a chance that we will find what we are looking for. The Bethel used these Kirks as a means to protect artifacts, relics, and literature. Perhaps, we will find more information on the Moon Children here."

"Perhaps." Yuler follows Marne as he ventures towards another of the buildings, and Lee travels to the third. Each finds that there are no windows, nor doors, leading into the curious domes, but there are loose bricks. Yuler slides one out, then Marne assists with another. They continue to do so until they have created a large enough hole for one of them to slip through at a time, but as Yuler finds her way in and Marne begins to do the same, a voice that belongs to none of them is heard.

"Stop!" The voice shouts, catching all of their attention.

"You?" Lee is heard shouting.

"What's going on?" Asks Yuler, whose torch lights nothing but the Kirk's interior.

"I'm not sure," begins Marne, "I'll have a look before I join you." Marne gets back to his feet and marches off towards Lee's voice with his sword drawn.

"What are you all doing? You can't destroy sacred grounds."

"What we do is none of your concern, Samuel." Lee spits, grinding his teeth and flailing his torch about. "If not for the words of your sister, we might not even be here!"

"Leave Samara out of this, Fardel." Samuel demands. As these words are spoken, Lee pauses in place and blinks several times.

"How did you know... I thought you said you never met your father?"

"I-I didn't." Stutters Samuel, who then shakes off his awkwardness before approaching Hael. "Hael, you must know that this is a highly forbidden act you are taking."

"I understand that tremendously, Samuel, but it is the only act we can take. Someone must put a stop to all this."

"Why must it be you?"

"It needs not be, but as far as we are concerned, we are the only ones willing to do so."

"Samuel, leave them alone." Samara says, making her presence known. "You know what she says to be true."

Samuel rolls his tongue as he studies the woman before him, then sighs.

"Fine. Fine. Afterall, it must be someone here who has all the answers yet to be told."

"Answers yet to be told?" Lee furrows his brow and lets his mouth hang open. "What exactly is that supposed to mean?"

"Only that someone is meant to stop Dabria, but we know not who. Someone is to discover the Moon Children, yet we know not how. And someone is going to perish along the way, but we know not why." With these last words, Samuel looks to Lee, who scowls in turn.

"Mind your tone, boy."

"Ignore my brother's words. he utters nonsense." Samara states, folding her hands into one another in front of her. "I understand that you must do what you must. Please, continue with our work and forgive our intrusion."

"Of course." Hael accepts, turning back towards the Kirk.

"No, stop!" Samuel demands in a defeated tone. "There is no need for you to go butting noses into ancient texts such as these."

"Why might that be?" Marne wonders, watching as Yuler retreats from the Kirk and makes herself known to the others.

"Thanks for updating me." She says with a roll of her eyes in Marne's direction.

"S-Sorry." He says, scratching the back of his head.

"There once was a night of the blackest eye," Samuel begins, "one which crept with the Devil's spy. Until a great light burst from high heaven, and sent down to Earth a comet with bevan. Unto the land the rock did strike, unto the land came two wee tykes. Holy bearers blessed us that day, bringing about this red, boldened ray." Samuel points to Impar as he speaks these words. "Now fret not both youthful and elder, as this is the answer to our every prayer. Bless us all, Children of the Moon. Bless Crater's Crown, our world, our boon."

"That's it!" Shouts Hael. "Crater's Crown! Where is it?"

Samuel sighs heavily and shakes his head.

"Samuel, I suggest you continue talking." Lee approaches the young man in a threatening manner, but doesn't yet lay a finger on him.

"If I take you there, you must promise me that you will do nothing like what you have begun to do here. Cater's Crown is holy land as well, and it must be treated as such."

Hael raises her right hand and nods her head.

"I promise."

"I do as well." Yuler assures.

"Me too." Comes the voice of Marne.

Samuel looks to Lee, who then squints his eyes.

"I'll do nothing more than what I see being done."

"Very well." Samuel sighs once more and adjusts the waist of his bottoms before looking back towards Samara, who's white gown flows with a gentle breeze. "I suggest we await morning before continuing with our travels."

"If that is what you wish, then that is what we'll do." Hael states, not wanting to argue with their new guide.

"Why must we wait until morning? How can we be sure that you aren't simply stalling for the sake of preventing us from moving on?" Lee questions, interrogating the boy as he does so.

"I have some unfinished business at Crater's Crown myself," Samuel begins, "so it is in both our interests that we get there. Regardless of if it is tonight or tomorrow evening."

"Very well." Lee grumbles before stepping away from everyone else. "I'll seek out some firewood. I suggest you all look for something soft to lay on. It's going to be a long night without our gear."

*****

Once everyone has managed a pallet of leaves and mosses, they all huddle around a fire and lay down for the night. Yet they do not sleep right away, as each has something left to say.

"Where do you think the Moon Children would have gone?" Asks Marne, who lays on his back and allows his tricorn to slide off. "Surely they couldn't have simply disappeared, right?"

"Where ever they are now, I am sure The Bethel managed to make quick work of their otherworldly nature." Hael claims.

"What does that mean?" Questions Sameul, who rests his head against a small log at one corner of their swarmed camp.

"Only that The Bethel would never allow such powerful beings to be anywhere else but within their own ranks."

"So you believe that The Bethel has... stowed them away?"

"Not necessarily, but... something of the sort." Hael rolls over onto her side, facing away from Lee as she speaks. "I simply believe that they are either still a part of The Bethel's work, or that they have been long forgotten. Either in appearance or in death."

"You think death is a possibility for them?" Asks Yuler, who gazes up at the stars. "For something... celestial?"

"Death is a possibility for all things. So long as a heart beats within them." Lee explains, shutting his eyes for the night.

"I choose to think not of them." Samara admits, frowning at her brother as she does so. "Children should never be subjected to anything that is not natural to them."

"What does that mean? 'Natural to them'?" Marne wonders, now looking off in the direction of the twins.

"Well, if they are nothing like we are, then they wouldn't deserve being subjected to the religions of man, nor the ways of man. It's unfair, in my opinion."

"I never thought of it that way." Marne admits, now looking off towards the stars himself.

"I'd think it best if we all got some sleep." Comes the voice of Lee, who yawns as he speaks. "Best to rest up if we're to walk all day."

"Of course." Marne admits, now placing his tricorn over his eyes.

"Be sure to sleep with your masks up." Hael reminds them all. "Especially with the winds the way they are tonight."

Yuler looks about the campsite, noticing for the first time that there haven't been any seeds floating about them since they arrived at the Kirk. She then looks to the fire and accepts it as an appropriate size for the time being.

"Should the fire begin to die out, and someone else is still awake, please stir me. I'll tend to it."

"Well, with everyone else still talking, I can assure you, I will remain awake to wake you myself." Lee grumbles as he says this with obvious distaste. "Let us rest, or we will never make the walk in one day."