Weeks had passed, weeks of writing. Still lowly but, more respected. They now knew the great mother wanted me to live. Well as far as they knew, I had my friend that couldn’t be seen anymore to thank for my chance at life again.

[Al] “it’s a lovely night, would love to see it in person. See it with all the clarity my eyes have… so have you thought of a way to practice with my gift?”

I shook my head, he’d catch that. I tried to talk to him before but it only works when I speak aloud, I’d rather not have others listening in.

[Al]”too bad. Well it seems you’re alright now, nothing you want to cover before I’m off to other projects right?”

I nod and for the night I’ll be alone with my thoughts. Back to the daily task of writing till my hands gave out, taking a break and writing again. Still there was one question that always danced in my mind. Why had the great mother brought new souls in after so long?

I woke, retrieved my rations, ate, then went to work. Copying texts of the scholar’s so it could be sent elsewhere. Texts of details, records, history that- this, this history was old… more an explanation of what the world used to be like. What it was before the soft ones and their gods came, before a barrier was left. A barrier that blocked beings, powers from other worlds interfering with ours… I looked around, seeing no one.

“al, al, al I actually have a question”

[Al] “oh? I’m all ears my friend”

“the barrier, listed in this book is it-”

[Al] “stopping me from coming? A bit yes, though it’s not the only factor. When someone or something has as much or more raw power as me coming to a world personally can be… cataclysmic, like forcing your way through a doorway to small and destroying it. Oh and this goes for the gods too, it’s why they use avatars, priests, and visions.”

“that’s, that’s a lot… you’re that, strong?”

[Al] “powerful yes. Keep reading and writing my friend, after all we want you in good graces”

The text went on, detailing what was known about the barrier, how it was made as a cage for the great mother and her children.

[Al] “mmhhh, correct description, wrong purpose”

“what is the purpose then?”

whispering and writing as best I could while I would wait for his answers and insights.

[Al] “just keep going”

It detailed how it altered the great mothers blood, made it unable to grant the same gifts it did before the barrier was put in place.

[Al] “the other races call it arcane magic my friend”

I stowed that bit of information away as I kept on my work. Soon it started to blur into a mess of words that put together left me with no understanding of what was being said. divine powers kept away and leaving but still involved? Powers of the burning pits and their various layers? Misshapen monstrosities of madness? All kept away by this barrier… was it, was the barrier good for us? At least in part? Questions I would have never expected to ask before today. The other texts were less interesting than that one, Al seemed to have left. At least that’s what I call it but it might be more like lost focus… another question to find an answer to. I slept on my assigned patch thinking on what I’d learned, running possibilities through my mind.

I woke to the same sunlight, the same rations that barely got me by. Another day of copying texts, only dull ones this time. Then another day and more texts, ones on construction. Both the old and the new, from slowly built, rounded and vertical to more flat, angular and quick constructions… like our enemies. Old records showing that before the soft ones arrived we didn’t build walls, defensive walls to keep enemies out. Before they arrived we didn’t often make doors, just what was needed for defeating the weather. This town of ours, it had doors everywhere. Every entrance of every building and all the divisions inside of them. It felt so strange, realizing how much we’d copied them. We’d become like them in a way… at least in architecture. At the end of my work I made a request to speak with the scholar, Revealer of hidden truths. An intimidating name, an earned name to denote his accomplishments.

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I wake, eat, work. Dull texts to be copied until I hear footsteps come to me, mys waves me over.

[mys] “i-i’m surprised moon, master scholar Revealer of hidden truths will see you”

In shock at being summoned to him so soon I follow mys. the door closing as mys leaves… the door.

[Rev] “why did you want to see me penitent?” his upper hands interlocked by his fingers while his lower hands sorted some papers.

“I, I read as I was copying texts and well. I don’t mean anything by it but I was-”

[Rev] “out with it! I have no use for wasting scholarly time on honorifics”

“...why did we become like our enemies?”

His lower hands stopped, upper ones lowering.

“i-in architecture that is master scholar!”

His lower hands resume movement and his head bobs.

[Rev] “I see, it’s understandable confusion for a new-soul. On the surface we took many of their building practices yes, when going below the surface less so. I have lived through… oh I think over a hundred lives since their arrival, we rarely have the time to build our cities up like they used to be. This time is… unusual, they’re divided among themselves more than ever before and their great guardian beasts haven’t been seen for several lifetimes. Moonshadow was it?”

I nod.

[Rev] “you copied the texts on the divine barrier did you not?”

“yes ma- yes.”

[Rev] nods “tell me, do you recall it and if so do you have any thoughts or questions about it?”

“I do recall it, I… well I couldn’t understand a great deal of it” he nods. “it’s well, odd. The writer says that it’s a cage to keep the great mother and us trapped. He also says that it keeps other, dangerous powers away from us… I didn’t see anything beyond their statement that it was a cage to support their idea” holding my breath as I finish.

[Rev] nods “she didn’t. So if it wasn’t meant to trap us what could it have been meant for?”

I breathed out, it seemed I hadn’t made the worst mistake. “it could be to keep the soft ones in as well. Though since the gods later left I’d guess it was so their followers were safe while the gods were away, they’d want as few things from beyond giving the soft ones… doubt, fear, death and whatever else as possible?”

[Rev] …takes a breath in. “EXCELLENT. Perhaps wrong and lacking in any detail or supporting facts but excellent. A very much different approach, precisely what I want. You will continue copying texts for now, however you will copy things more interesting so read as you do and Mys will show you your place of rest”

I stand blank for a moment. “what? I-i’m, a penitent… did I miss something?”

[Rev] “it was implied. I’m making you a scholar assistant moonshadow, now leave this room”

I do as he commands, confused a bit but more surprised. Mys leads me back.

[mys] “that is awesome! Oohh another scholar assistant to work with”

[Al] “well isn’t it a good thing I poointed out how wrong the writer was? Glad to see your success my friend”

[mys] “friend, right?”

I missed it, what had mys said?… “I, uh… y-yeah, sorry this is.”

[mys] “unusual, but you know how many receive the mothers favor? Almost none, I checked the records. You are an unusual and good person to have I think. Good thing the great mother smiles on you so”

“y-yeah it is isn’t it?” the rest of the day was more dull writing in a half numb state of mind. No one, NO ONE ever got moved out of being penitent so quickly… right? Maybe that’s something in the records to check… after all maybe it did happen in all those lifetimes and I didn’t know?

At the end of the day mys led me back to our shared room, one bed above the other. Small space for toilet use and a desk, two chairs, clothing cupboard. It was, it was small to many things but from nothing it was luxury. On my bed was, clothes; actual clothes to mark me as a scholars assistant. I held it close to me and curled up into a ball on my bed, MY BED. This was becoming one of the best days of my life.