Chapter 68 — In which they bring light (1)

“Thank you… That’s a great gift.”

Amara finally said, as he slowly turned his gaze away.

Perlliar and Cotteo smiled knowingly, and then glanced at Alexandrit and Phlox.

Their smiles widened.

“We also have something for you.”

And before the two could speak, the priests took out another two bundles.

In their hands were another two sets of robes and masks.

They handed them to Alexandrit and Phlox.

“I can’t accept such…”

Alexandrit was about to refuse, but Amara cut in before he could finish.

“Excellent. Priest Perlliar and Priest Cotteo are most thoughtful. I was worried how to mask them, but didn’t dare to burden you even more.”

“Thank you. Your kindness is truly as high as heavens.”

Phlox, who quickly understood Amara’s meaning, accepted the bundle without hesitation, and then bowed deeply.

In this atmosphere, Alexandrit didn’t dare to refuse and also accepted the bundle.

The two priests of the Temple of Forgotten and Dead Gods just shook their heads and said:

“There is no reason to thank us.”

“You’re doing something of a great importance to us. Those little gifts cannot compare.”

Amara couldn’t argue with that.

*-*-*

They quickly changed their clothes.

Amara lightly stroked the edge of the blue jewel, before confirming that Alexandrit and Phlox were ready.

Then he said:

"Let's go."

They promptly left the room and the two priests of this temple led them to another corridor.

But before they reached their destination, they ran into someone.

"Oh, look at that! My son woke up!"

"Who the hell is your son here?"

Seven spit back at Cotteo's words, before looking at the three guests with a confused look.

He didn't seem to recognize them.

'It seems that the masks work we-'

But before Amara could finish that thought, Seven, who was staring hard at Alexandrit, suddenly said:

"Alex...andrit? Ah, no, I mean. Mr. Attendant?"

There was a moment of silence, before Alexandrit said:

"Seeing how you speak to this humble one, it seems you have orders for me, but I'm afraid that as you're not my master, I'll have to turn a deaf ear to your commands."

"What? Why the fuck would I give you orde..."

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Seven just covered his eyes and sighed deeply.

"That's impressive."

Seven jumped at Amara's voice.

"Saint."

He stared at him hard, blinking repeatedly.

"What sorcery…"

Amara took off the mask he was wearing, and Seven made an even more confused and suspicious expression.

"Those masks prevent the wearer from being recognized. Unless you know someone very well and know some very small details about them, it's really hard to recognize someone."

Amara then waved towards Alexandrit.

"It appears that Mr. Seven is quite close to Mr. Alexandrit to recognize him like this."

"Not at all, Your Excellency. It appears that this humble one is just that easily recognizable."

Alexandrit said that while glaring at Seven.

Seven turned his face away, while mumbling:

".... Cover your neck if you don't want me to recognize you ...."

Alexandrit glared at him for a second longer and then indeed covered his neck with a cloth.

Amara suppressed a smile and put on his mask again.

Seven who saw him become unrecognizable once more, frowned and asked:

"How does it work...? It’s not magic, is it?"

"It's similar. Those masks are a divine medium with holy formations engraved on them. They capture and twist light, just like illusion magic. The principle is the same, but the source power differs."

Perlliar explained, at which Phlox looked at them with surprised eyes.

"Do you know magic, Priest Perlliar?"

"Naturally. In old times, mana and divine were used side by side.”

Hearing that, Phlox very quietly mumbled:

"I see. No wonder His Excellency knows magic."

It seemed that though she didn't question when Amara made a communication stone to give it to Geod, and which needed a magic component, she was still quite bothered by it.

At the side, Seven also mumbled:

"So it doesn't affect the mind..."

He seemed quite relieved by that realization.

"Let's keep moving then. Ah, Mr. Seven, I have good news."

"What is it, Saint?"

As they started to move again, Amara spoke, while recalling the conversation he had with the head priest.

"I may get you out of here."

A fox-like grin appeared on his face, visible under the half-mask.

"At the beginning of the month, so in about two weeks, the younger brother of the Archmage will have a coming-of-age ceremony. And Purplus will be sending some gifts."

He glanced at Seven.

"I wish for Mr. Seven to be one of them."

*-*-*

Eight great rivers run through this land, with their source under the Universe Temple.

Like the veins of the world itself, they carried not only water, but also mana and souls.

It was a widespread belief that a soul which doesn't find itself close to flowing water will turn into a wandering ghost, unable to leave this world.

There were some grains of truth to it.

As all souls have to go down the river to join the cycle of reincarnation again.

But not every soul was strong or courageous enough to throw themselves into the river, so there were helpers, who traveled along the rivers.

Amara observed the calm flow of the deep river under the Temple of Forgotten and Dead Gods.

"Coming."

He announced, and people behind him stirred lightly.

Alexandrit and Phlox, who sat down to conserve energy, stood up.

Perlliar and Cotteo raised the lanterns in their hands a bit higher to illuminate the dark river.

Seven just looked around with a bit of confusion, not sure what everyone was waiting for.

Perhaps, also what he was doing here.

But as no one told him to leave, he just observed from a distance.

And soon...

Splash. Splash.

A steady sound of splashing water was heard.

Following that, they saw a shadow of a boat slowly approaching.

A figure draped in a worn-down cloak stood at the edge of the boat.

When the figure drew closer, Amara whistled.

A short song strangely didn't echo in the dark cave of underground river, but rather sunk down, like a stone thrown into the water.

And the figure on the boat stopped bowing and turned towards them.

Through the shadows of the cape, some white, cold vestige could be seen.

Amara bowed and said:

"Hello, Esteemed Boatman. My apologies for disturbing your journey, but I was wondering if you can take me and my two friends somewhere."

Amara heard a very quiet commotion behind his back, but his attention was fully on the boatman.

The figure bowed their head, as if hesitating.

"We will not disturb you, and though there is not a lot we can offer you, if you would consider that humble gift as a fare…"

Saying it, Amara took out a small basket and showed the boatman the content.

Inside were round dumplings, packed with meat and beams. Wrapped in the cloth, they were still warm.

"If you allow, we can also sing you some songs and share some stories."

Amara added with a friendly smile.

It was a brilliant smile, full of warmth.

The boatman observed him for a moment, and then nodded.

Obtaining a ride, success.

*-*-*

Seven, who observed the three disappear on the boat in the fog that surrounded the river, asked:

"Is it really okay to send them with a ghostly boatman?"

"Why not?"

Cotteo tilted his head.

"Even if they're young... Draining their life source is a bit ..."

Seven didn't speak any further, because it may seem like he was worried.

Which he was not.

The meaningful smiles those two shiny bastards were giving to him were more than enough.

Rather than smiling like that, shouldn't they be worried about their Saint or something?

There were many stories about someone crossing the river on the ghostly boatman's vessel and losing half of their lifetime.

Or accidentally crossing the border to the afterlife.

Or making a terrible deal with the boatman.

As if reading Seven's thoughts, Perlliar shook his head:

"Unless you meet a really nasty boatman or are terribly rude, it's perfectly okay to take a ride with the ghostly boatman."

Cotteo also added:

"Of course, if you do it wrongly, the boatman will probably refuse to take you on board. Those dragons are as shy as they're lonely."

"But give them a smile and some warm food, and they will gladly take you wherever you wish."

"Didn't His Holiness say that before? 'A small light of a candle may be more precious in the dense fog, than the brightest sun that is far away.' That dragon will probably treasure that short ride a lot. Why would they drain their passengers' vitality then?"

Seven nodded slowly in understanding.

'... That reminds me of that old story...'

He suddenly recalled a tragic story that his ancestors told him...

At the end of that story, the dragon tried to burn down his very soul, so it couldn't be led down the river to be reborn again. It was unknown if he succeeded, but ever since, the dragons who were about to die would carve themselves a boat and go with the river to become ghostly boatmen, in hope that they could find and bring back their lost kin.

*~*~*