3 - The Library of Whispers (3)

"We have found our new purpose, Gratien…" Elsa sighed, a slight, relaxed smile crossing her face.

"Really, Elsa? Is it…"

"Yes, the Child of Darkness stands before us…" she responded, locking eyes with Imbra, who, alongside the others, stood wordless sentry, attempting to grasp the gravity of the situation.

"I'm… I'm Gratien, it's a pleasure to meet the prophesied Unborn," Gratien acknowledged, his head tilted slightly to the side, as his eyes began to illuminate his wretched facade.

"Is the boy supposed to aid us, Elsa?"

"Ah, well… yes. He is also someone whose soul has been rendered Nill, a fellow betrayer of the Church he is."

"Oh?" Lunar interrupted, slightly raising his eyebrows as he stepped toward Imbra. "It is quite rare to see a betrayer alive, nowadays."

"Yes. Although, I can still feel my soul slowly decreasing into its Nill state. I guess most people really do turn into Desolate Souls without the triumphing purpose of the Holy Church."

"Purpose is not finite," Lunar reassured. "Especially not for us. Most people just don't see it, resulting in these Desolate Souls, wandering aimlessly as they await an end to their pitiful existence."

"Gratien," Elsa added. "Remember what I told you all those years ago? Orlan was right, after all… your soul hasn't succumbed to Nill yet for this very reason. He knew you would find another purpose, albeit siding with the Damned, you have found a new purpose…"

"It is like what the other guy just said, I guess our purpose really isn't finite, hehe…" Gratien responded, his laugh lines evidently visible, as his whole demeanor had a sudden uplifting change. His voice sounded considerably elevated, as if everything that was being said truly meant something to him.

"That is right," Elsa responded as she turned toward the library's hallowed interior. "There is something I must give Gratien so that he will be of great aid to you, please, give us a few moments."

"That is fine, take your time," Imbra reassured, as Elsa took Gratien back into the library, gently closing the door behind her, leaving Imbra alone with the others.

"It is quite unlike you to be lowering your guard to this degree, Imbra," said Lunar.

"I agree!" Gravesyn exclaimed. "What are the chances they might be secretly working with the Holy Church?"

"This entire library is devoid of even the concept of light. Its interior appeared even more dusk than I would have imagined. If the Holy Church was still associated with the Library of Whispers, its caretaker would not have been turned into Nill," responded Imbra.

"Fair, what do you think about the boy? I can see a slight difference in your demeanor, Imbra," Lunar said, tilting his head to the side.

"His eyes are similar to mine."

"Hehe…" Zynphina's deep, monstrous voice interrupted. "…seems I am not the only one. That is a young man whose heart is encapsulated with contempt and hatred."

"The same eyes, you say… he could be someone of good use, but, are we certain that he will be able to guide us through?"

"We will see," Imbra responded.

Within the library's oblivious interior, adorned with weathered large, bookshelves, countless historical texts that have greatly eroded with time, their voidness birthing soft whispers of histories long lost and forgotten. The overarching silence of the space only broken by the muffled sounds of a ticking clock that echoed through the endless, hallowed halls.

Amidst the library stood Elsa and Gratien. Elsa began to feel the gravity of the situation, bearing great weight on her tarnished soul. She stood before Gratien with a certain Amulet in her hands, fixating her welling eyes on it as she murmured, "Orlan was right…"

"Elsa, what is this?"

"This… it is something extremely significant in your aid for the Child of Darkness. It was handed over to me by Orlan himself. It all happened over 10 years ago when he was still alive…"

…..

Amidst the same library, regardless of it still encapsulated in the eternal twilight, the ambience was evidently more vibrant than it was now. It was the time when Orlan, the Fourth Oracle, was still alive. He was a cunning elderly man that was draped in a flowing robe that seemed to shimmer with a faint, ethereal glow. The robe itself was crafted from a rich, midnight-blue fabric, interwoven with intricate patterns reminiscent of constellations across the night sky, manifesting the importance the Fourth Oracle once held.

Elsa was called upon his chambers, while this was a frequent occasion, something felt evidently different from the usual. She hurried toward Orlan's chambers with a set of books in her arms, razing through the greyscaled corridor, her footsteps echoing softly against the polished stone floor, the sound contradicting with the overarching silence that always permeated the library.

Arriving at Orlan's chamber, her suspicions seemed to have been right. She opened the door as the chamber slowly materialized before her eyes. Amidst the myriad of books and antique furnishments sat Orlan, upon an ornately carved wooden chair. It was embellished with runic symbols, intertwined with motifs of celestial bodies.

With a knowing smile, Orlan gestured for Elsa's approach, his voice carrying a melodic resonance that seemed to harmonize with the very essence of magic. "Come, Elsa," he said, his voice tinged with anticipation. "There is something I must divulge to you."

"Of course, Master Orlan," Elsa retorted, taking a seat in front of Orlan.

"I have surely been visited by him, Elsa."

"By whom?"

"The banished Watcher, it… must have been him…"

"The banished Watcher? What have you dreamt about?"

"My death is forthcoming, Elsa. Not only mine but the death of my kin, my fellow Oracles."

"What? Please, Master, don't say that! Why would you have such a dream? Are you getting sick, maybe it is…"

"Elsa," he interjected, rummaging through his pockets, as he brought forth an Amulet that seemed to radiate with the very essence of magnificence. Its design was intricate and symbolic, featuring elaborate engravings that depicted intertwining elemental motifs. Each element—earth, air, fire, and water—was represented by a distinct symbol, forming a harmonious unity on the surface of the Amulet.

At its core, a radiant gemstone, pulsating with a soft glow, sat nestled within a delicate framework of interlocking spokes. The gemstone captured the Elemental Realm, shimmering with hues that reflected the powers of the symbols within.

"Take this," Orlan said, handing over the Amulet. "This is the Key of Transcendence. One day, there will be a young man, his soul chained by his own ghost laced with vengeance and hatred who will seek solace amidst this Desolate world. When the right time comes, and he is called upon the one who leads the cursed herd of Fallen lions, you must hand him this Key, for your, and his soul are destined to be met with a new purpose, a new chance for salvation… A salvation enveloped in destined obscurity."

"Orlan…"

"I entrust you with this Key, Elsa, even after my death, I must tell you, to persevere through the years in Desolation, because one day, you will be met with a light that swims within darkness..."

-----

"Gratien, I entrust you with this key, for that is what Orlan had wished for all this time. The least we could do is to fulfil his wish, is that not right?"

"I… understand. But… why am I being told this now, Elsa?"

"You betrayed the Holy Church, and turned yourself away from The Light, just like I have. Our only purpose lies in the hands of the Unborn, it is true… we must aid him in finding the Silent One. See this for our sake, Gratien… because we might just end up as Desolate Souls, wandering through the forsaken cities, left without a single purpose, for all eternity."

"Oh no, Elsa, you don't understand. I am more than grateful to have found a new purpose. I was just… afraid we could have ended up just like them… but now that the Unborn has arrived, maybe, just maybe, we might find a new purpose in our lives. However, Elsa, what do you believe?"

"Believe what, Gratien?"

"Do you believe fate can be rewritten?"

"….."

"Is that why you are so devoted to helping the Child of Darkness, the one destined to be slain with the Sword of Virtue? Are you also seeking revenge?"

"This is our only purpose, Gratien. This is our only chance to have our vengeance fulfilled. Even if it goes against the Flow of Luminosity, even if… we are aiding the idea that brought the Age of Heretics into fruition… ultimately, it was the Holy Church that orchestrated it all. The Church bears marks of malevolence… Orlan was told a truth that was buried under a sea of lies, a fragment of it emerging from the depths, and that fragment displayed itself before Orlan."

"We're both on the same page then, in that case. I fervently believe that fate can be altered…" Gratien responded with a cold, unsettling smile.

"It seems that you will be leaving me for quite some time again, Gratien. However, I can finally spend days without worrying in apprehension there could be someone else arriving here. I am glad that it had become you…" Elsa said, handing over the Key to Gratien. "I will have to get used to living in Desolation again, but promise me that you will return unscathed."

"Don't you worry, Elsa, I will return. You take care of the place while I'm gone, alright?"

"Gratien… it saddens me to burden you with such a grand task, but… it relieves me to know you also bear a grudge toward the Holy Church. But, how has this affected your relationship with Serpio?"

"We're still good friends," Gratien smiled. "We don't let our backgrounds affect our relationships, he knows much better than that. I will be sure to visit him sometime after my journey again. He might miss me even more than you do, Elsa, hehe…"

"I am more than glad to hear this, Gratien," Elsa responded as she retrieved a note from her pocket. "Before you go, however, I must tell you where you must go. I have a chant written on this note you ought to repeat upon arriving at the secluded faraway mountain, that lies beyond the Forlorn Tombs…"

…..

"They sure are taking their time, are they not?" Gravesyn pondered.

"As long as we get our answers. This is our only safest way to reach the Great Western Cathedral. We cannot risk losing even more soldiers," said Imbra, his back still turned away from the others. Prompting Lunar to contemplate, resting his chin on his fingers, "That boy seems oddly familiar…"

"Does he?" Gravesyn queried.

"I wager to have seen him before, during my time serving the Holy Church, but, I'm not too sure."

"Hm… are you going to let him rest within our base, Imbra?" Gravesyn pondered.

"I will have someone prepare a room for him, yes."

As Gravesyn sat against Zynphina's ginormous hand with her arms crossed, her hands began to clench in annoyance. She let out a deep breath as she closed her furrowed eyes, exclaiming, "Great, not even a day has passed, and we're letting him rest alongside us already! I wager we will be losing another handful of soldiers by the time the moon rises again"

Zynphina took no wary of this, as she lifted her head upward, her squinted eyes fixated on the library's entirety, her monstrous voice breaking through the once serene conversation. "I must say, I find it quite odd to learn about the fourth Oracle's demise… what do you think, my Lord?"

"She said that it was a fabricated story, that they did not fall under the Heretic Trials. However, with my limitations, even I cannot birth a reasonable explanation for this."

"But since they fled the Holy Church," Gravesyn added, "Would it not seem obvious that they could have been behind this?" Lunar nodded in agreement, his eyes downcast, as he still rested his chin on his fingers.

"I have a foreboding feeling that the narrative is not completely fabricated. They were well known for their betrayal against the Church."

"Something does not add up, however…" Imbra murmured. "Why would the Silent One be alive?"

A long silence broke through the conversation, a nobody, not even Zynphina could answer Imbra's question. For as deep as they would try to search for any reasonable answer, they were simply met with empty air. They all were slowly swallowed in their thoughts until suddenly, the door re-opened once again.

Emerging from the library's hallowed interior were Elsa and Gratien, his hands now clutching on something else—the Key of Transcendence.

"We're sorry for the wait, I wanted to properly hand my goodbye's to Gratien, as well as give him an Amulet that you will surely need in the foreseeable future," said Elsa.

"What is it?" Imbra queried.

"This is the Key of Transcendence. It was given to me by Orlan himself. It allows its user to be transported into the Elemental Realm… there, is where you ought to claim the Four Remnants of the Sixth Barrier, these remnants will allow a path to be carved, leading you to the Forgotten Library."

"So the Forgotten Library is concealed?"

"Indeed it is. However, even I myself have limited knowledge of why exactly it was concealed. I believe it must have been connected to their true narrative. However, I must tell you that this journey will not be an easy task… these Elemental Spirits are formidable entities that will not falter as easily."

"That shall not be a problem," Imbra retorted, glancing at Gratien. "Say, Gratien, how long will this journey take us, you wager?"

"Not sure. Time within the Elemental Realm moves faster than here on Aradon, on top of which, once we have claimed the remnants, we should be able to enter the Forgotten Library's concealed realm from any location whatsoever."

"I see… also, Elsa, you must have forgotten to apprise me regarding the fabricated tale of the Oracles' persecutions.

"Ah…well…it was not as well explained to me, either. To my knowledge, one of the Five current Watchers played a role in this."

"One of the Watchers?" Gravesyn pondered, as Zynphina's crimson-red eyes squinted once more, "So that is the case…"

"It was the First Watcher who persecuted the Oracles," Elsa added, her tone laced with a foreboding tone.

"The First Watcher, you say… that does not seem too surprising, given he had quite the relentless past," Imbra responded.

"Indeed. The current Age of Nocturn was brought forth by the First Watcher, as he eradicated half of Aradon as punishment for humanity's betrayal against The Light. However, the deed he has done this time could never be influenced by The Light…"

"It was not? How come?"

"The Heretic Trials happened because of the eradication… fearful of the Prophecy's implications, the Holy Church attempted to eradicate any possible sign of the Child of Darkness, resulting in the accusations of many, many…people… However, this phenomenon is akin to the persecution of the Oracles, the First Watcher could not have acted through The Light's will, as it would not correspond to the prophecy, but rather the Church's will. The tale tells that they perished as punishment for their betrayal of the Holy Church…however, there seems to be another motivation behind this that is shrouded in obscurity, a kind of obscurity I cannot break through…"

"In that case, we shall seek more answers as we reach the Forgotten Library. I presume I shall be taking the boy with us?" Imbra pondered.

"Yes… but please, take care of him. He has been through relentless suffering, I cannot bear to learn that he has been met with even more misfortune."

"That will depend on himself, not me," Imbra retorted, as he turned back toward the others, walking toward Zynphina, "We will have a room prepared for you, Gratien. We shall discuss our plans further on the next moonrise."

"Wait, are we going to be walking all the way to…"

"No," Imbra interjected, turning toward Gratien. "Perch on Zynphina's palm, she shall fly us back to our base."

"Oh! Is that not a Whelm form? I never thought these existed!" Gratien exclaimed.

"Correcto, I had the same reaction when she fled me for the first time," Lunar responded.

"Let us go, then," said Imbra, and as he turned his way back to Zynphina, Gratien interjected, asking him, "Wait, are you capable of ensuring the safety of Elsa? I cannot go alongside you knowing that she might be in potential danger…"

"Gratien…" Elsa murmured.

"Heh, it is of no concern. Zynphina," he ordered, as Gravesyn stepped off her palm. Zynphina propelled herself into the air with a tremendous leap. As she ascended, her colossal Whelm form assumed a serene and meditative pose, emanating an aura of soothing and revitalizing energy. In an instant, a radiant beam of light enveloped the entire library, materializing out of thin air as an expansive circle that enfolded the entire area.

"You shall be safe, from now on," Imbra reassured, as Zynphina gracefully descended upon the surface, allowing Lunar and Gravesyn to retake their spots.

"Then, let us take our leaves. I thank you for your time, Elsa," said Imbra.

"It is of no concern, thank you for your protection… and you, Gratien, do not forget our promise, okay?"

"Of course, Elsa. Keep the place safe while I'm gone, and remember to catch some fresh air occasionally, the library's interior won't do you very well," Gratien responded with an upturned demeanor. "I will see you when I have finished the journey just how you wish, unscathed," he winked, as he followed Imbra's trail onwards Zynphina, where Lunar and Gravesyn awaited them both, leaving Elsa behind. She could only wordlessly stare at Gratien walking beside the towering Imbra, still cloaked in his menacing black robe. A strange picture, she thought. A picture, she would have never imagined for all her life to bare witness to.

"Welcome abroad, Gratien!" Lunar exclaimed, a glint of mischief in his eyes. "Given that you seamlessly passed through Imbra's eyes, I think it is okay to tell you that both I and Gravesyn hail from the Valerius family, the fourth Division of the Holy Church. A pleasure to come across another fellow betrayer," Lunar welcomed him, extending his hand.

"Oh, wow, a betrayer originating from the Holy Crusaders, that is quite unheard of. What order are you both from?"

"I am of the Valmar Order, while Gravesyn hails from the Sun Order. What about you?"

"Valmar and Sun… that means that you both have managed to pass through the First Dream, given that both Valmar and Sun are two Awakenings within the Second Dream… the Fallen Ones really are no joke, it seems," Gratien responded, shaking Lunar's hand.

"Well, I come from the Ghost Order, a former member of the Elias family, the eighth Division of the Holy Church, the Acolytes. It is an honour to meet such high-ranking peers."

"Save the praising for later, kid," Gravesyn interjected. "There is a lot for us to do, make sure you will be of good use for us. Let's head back already, I'm starting to get tired."

"Let us go," Zynphina responded, as she let everyone step in her palms. As the others stepped onto her palm, Gratien struggled to maintain his balance, his awe evident. "This seems… surreal…" he muttered, trying to find his footing on Zynphina's colossal hand.

Lunar chuckled, understanding Gratien's amazement. "It sure isn't. I had the same reaction on my first flight. Brace yourself, my friend. Countless more extraordinary journey awaits us."

Gratien stole one last glance at Elsa, who stood at the ajar door, her hands clasped over her chest. They both exchanged their final waves before Zynphina lunged into the air once again, the wind pressure fluttering Elsa's clothes, as she stared at the gigantic Whelm form flying off into the faraway oblivious sky.

"Please, guide them well, Gratien…"

As time passed, the group traversed through the soaring grey skies as the night was forthcoming. Gratien, ever the rebellious type was now, as resilient as ever. Seemingly becoming a fully changed person, trying to protect himself from the malice that boiled within him. However, this was something Imbra perceived upon locking eyes with him for the first time.

Imbra smiled, a soft smile tugging at one corner of his lips as he glanced at Gratien spectating the spectacular view as his hair fluttered in the wind.