5 Irving's Questions

Irving leans back into his chair fixing his gaze on the ceiling. It was surprising to find the small sadness that fills his heart. Irving had only minimal interaction with the man once known as the Blood General. "He was a good man even then." He says to himself trying to work his mind through the revelations.

"What about this letter sender?" Irving asks himself. "Did they know that I had a minor relationship with Theodor?" It is probably one of the more important questions roaming in his mind at the moment. "If they do, what else do they know of me. Are you one of the Sons?"

Irving's focus breaks as the gentle light of the runic lamps around him waver and the sound of a knock reaches his ears. A rush of air escapes his lungs as he slides his chair along the ground. He rubs his a face a bit before he forces composure upon himself.

He opens the door to find his captain of the guard. "What is the news Mal?" Irving asks as the candles flicker behind him. Irving watches as Mal's green eyes dart back and forth with their standard intensity. This man was always anxious, alert. Though it made for a good guard, it made Irving slightly uncomfortable as he was doing some secret things at the moment.

"Sir, one of my scouts report a large caravan heading our direction," Mal reports. "The banner they flew was of the king's guard." Irving could see the uncertainty in Mal's face. Irving felt it as well. Though they were flourishing in the wine trade, their manor was still minor. It is of little importance to the king as long as he gets his wine.

"Call all the reserves," Irving orders. "Not that we have many of those." he continues softer thinking his actions through. He needs to be on alert, but there wasn't really much he could do against the king. "How far out are they?"

"We just got word from our first scout. His partner should be returning sometime soon with a message from them." The light of the candles reflects off of Mal's perfectly smooth scalp as his face tilts down slightly. For as long as Irving knew the man, he shaved the thing, something about penance for a sin committed in error. From the look on Mal's face, It was clear that the other's scouts life was still on his mind.

"Inform Lord Bai, I will be out there in a time. I have a few things to finish." Irving orders. "Also," Irving says interrupting Mal's departing."It probably needed not be said, but inform me when the scout returns." Mal salutes slightly then continues on his way through the manor.

Another large sigh escapes Irving's mouth as he turns around. On the table was more paper. More information. Information that Irving needed. As much as Irving wanted to retire, to leave that world behind. There were too many questions left unanswered.

Pulling his chair back to his desk, he pulls out a new piece of paper placing it in front of him. For the next few moments, he scans the remaining coded papers trying to find the next paper in the chain. It was one of the more annoying segments about the decrypting process.

Each paper was coded, with dead words scattered all through the pages to fill them out. Finally, Irving feels he has found the next page on the list. Hopefully, inside it would contain more information about this unknown author. He was already starting to paint a slight picture of them in his mind.

'Unfortunately it is unknown to me whether Theodor lived or died. His trail and my story of him ends with the burning of the Dowee library.' As Irving reads this, he thought back to some news he had heard on a city in Rustaria burning. At least these pages were filling him in a bit on his former home. 'I wish I had more information about this man and his family, perhaps you have heard word from them with you being on the Nikloran continent. If you do, you know how to contact me. All that aside I have done my best to research his theories. Which leads me to my next issue.'

Irving didn't, of course, have any information regarding Theodor's family. Not that he would share that information if he did. He was still unsure about the author of these letters. Without that information, he couldn't give this person anything of true worth. For all he knew, this person was the one who awoke the Darkpeace.

'How to gain your trust Lord Master Irving. Without this, I will not be able to work with you. I will not be able to gain the information I seek. Without that information, I can't return rest to the Darkpeace. I implore you to find the truth in my words, to find the sincerity in my earnestness, and to see the hope in my questions. Of those questions here are a few. How does one awaken? How does the Kavikk grow? How do we fight the Darkpeace? And lastly are you the one the following enclosed letter is meant for?'

Irving lays his pen softly on the table. His eyes staring at the last four questions. The fourth one feeling so out of place as if it was an afterthought. It is clear that the author understands the severity of the situation. So was the question their way of easing this severity.

As his mind stares at the last bit to be decoded, he feels the stress of the whole thing finally bearing down on him. His head flops back against his neck as his eyes close. A deep breath later and his body relaxes.

"Who are you? I know you are giving me hints. I feel them faintly." Irving says talking to himself. His mind fighting to stay awake. "Well whatever I feel, I need to come back to that." his eyes burst open and he reaches for another new piece of paper. A few moments later and he has composed a simple letter with simple questions. All in the code the author requested.

That act done he places the letter and the final piece of coded paper in his coat pocket. Looking at the other papers on his desk he once again calls forth his bound chest. A small ornamented chest fades into view before him. Opening it up, he places into it his decrypted letters. The box was the only safe place he knew of. It was an old tide, a relic if you would. Most would laugh at the suggestion a simple box could be a relic. But it was one at that. No one but Irving would be able to open that box as long as he was bound to it. And upon his death, no one could bind it without Irving's code.

It was an heirloom passed down his family lines. He wasn't supposed to still have it. However, his successor was a man Irving didn't, no couldn't trust. His suspicions seemed to be validated now that the awakening has happened.

After a moment of staring at the box, Irving dismisses it. Letting it materialize in a sanctuary continents away. That simple act still amazes Irving. The tides before the loss of history were crafted with cunning long since lost. Sure there would be a few wrights that could make a tide capable of binding, but none could make one that would be able to materialize a mile away, let alone a world away.

Irving watches the last of the cracked letters burn, his mind still wandering, darting from topic to topic. Reaching over, he grabs his candle. Once it was lit, he proceeds to blow out all the ones left on the stands. His hand falls against the simple metal plate at the edge of his desk. The runic lamps quickly cut out. Their light fading leaving only the dancing light of a simple candle.

As Irving is closing the door to his study, he picks up the sounds of footsteps hurrying in his direction. "Master Irving!" Corey says bowing as soon as he comes around the corner. A slight smile crosses Irving's mouth as he waves the boy on through. Corey bows again then jogs past him down the hall. He was sure that Mal had him on another chore. Though the kid was Mal's squire, he used him more as a messenger.

As Irving walks through his halls heading towards the main gate he begins to look at the eyes of all his staff. Most of them were yellow and blue, a few of them had a green one. Aside from Mal and Corey, only two others that he knew of had the same color on both eyes.

Though not an impossibility, it was uncommon for one to be born with the same color eyes on this continent. Centuries ago, those without twin pupils were considered cursed. Though Irving knew the cause of it, he still found it strange. It was this superstition that leads to most of the people born here to have dual pupils of some sort.

Thankfully most of that superstition is gone. Though he has heard of people being discriminated against because they were a 'monoeye.' It is likely this is the reason Mal took Corey in as his squire.

The same discrimination didn't seem to fall upon Irving. He was a noble, and the nobles didn't discriminate for such reasons as they were known to marry from across the waters. They did, however, discriminate for other petty reasons. Politics made Irving glad he lives out here in the middle of nowhere. Or well, was glad, this coming caravan still had him on nerves.

The light of the sun was almost blinding as he takes his first few steps into the courtyard. Shielding his eyes for a few moments, Irving does his best to walk towards the rampart atop his walls. Finally, by the time he reaches the stairs, his eyes have adjusted enough he is able to walk normally.

It didn't take long for him to spot Mal atop the west tower. Two guards salute as he enters. A not so quick climb later, he is emerging out onto the rampart of the tower itself.

"Sir!" Mal says turning around to greet the lord. "I would have sent word for you should the scout return."

"Though we may be few, those who live here are my people. If you can stand and watch so can I" Irving says, his breathing a bit heavy. There was a time he could run up to here with nigh a second thought. Almost in rebellion to his body, his mind begins to reach out. A quick huff and Irving ends that line of thought. He has sworn to never use that again.

"You alright sir?" Mal says concerned, his eyes focusing on Irving's face.

Irving waves his hand towards him. "Of course I am." At the moment Irving felt Mal's eyes could reveal even the slightest bit of oddity. It was as if those green eyes could pierce through him. If Irving didn't know better he would have suspected mal of being gifted. His eyes, however, told him differently. This man was just one good bodyguard.

"Ho!" The guard next to Mal says. Turning, both Mal and Irving notice the small dot off in the distance. Quickly, Mal brings a spyglass to his eye.

"It's him!" Mal says, his face relaxing. "It seems you climbed this tower for naught."

"Nonsense, to see that smile on your face was all I needed," Irving says with his hand moving towards the trap door. "Now let's go greet ourselves a scout."