Ben stared at the darkening indigo sky as he lay on his back amidst the packed pine needle and dirt forest floor of his domain. Ethel vanished after imparting her knowledge of the concept, Mastery, and he had been alone with his thoughts for the better part of what felt like two hours in the clearing near the rocky outcrop. Time flowed differently in his domain, and though he wasn’t sure of the exact ratio compared to the waking world, Ben estimated it to be roughly forty hours to one. His Avatar had been absent, which was probably for the best, he thought, as he would no doubt have spent most of the time bombarding the usually reluctant entity with questions. The time for reflection was a boon in more ways than one, and he decided to take full advantage of it.
The newest concept was… different from the others. Where Overwhelm and Subjugate were near tangible wells of power, he could draw upon or activate —Mastery was more of a background layer. A framework within his being or a foundation and understanding of his abilities. Ben had struggled to quantify the new ‘sense’; it felt as natural as if he’d had it all of his life. Yet, it was raw and new enough that he felt compelled to explore its limits.
The most significant change he became aware of was the shift in his way of thinking. His mind felt keener, more logical, and almost detached from his emotions. He learned this after his thoughts had drifted toward Jor, her betrayal, and the lingering question of why she had returned. Ben could no longer blissfully ignore the unknown, and the holes in his memory were no longer leaden walls; they grated on him like jagged pits on otherwise neatly carved paths. He needed to know. Connect the fragmented knowledge of lives he hadn’t lived to their source.
He reclined on the forest floor as he tried to recall all he had discovered of his origins. The Archmage’s letter and Ethel had spoken of an advanced, ancient civilization that ruled the world several millennia ago; their rapid advancement and desire to transcend was their downfall, and a world-ending calamity had all but erased them from existence.
The First Keeper’s insight was particularly intriguing when considering what he had learned from the Master Necromancer. Beings of the Old World had sealed away their offspring in seeds and scattered them throughout the world —the Archmage had referred to the seeds as stasis shells and offspring as manufactured, or test-tube, infants— with the intention that these perfect creations would emerge once the destruction had passed, carrying with them the knowledge of the doomed civilization. The Old Worlders were meant to be Teachers and Preservers of knowledge.
“What went wrong with me, then?” He thought aloud.
Ben wondered if Deidre had experienced the same amnesia or a lack of complete memories as he had. In the vision of his awakening beneath the waves in Moon Vale —in the stasis shell— a voice had mentioned that his imprints hadn’t correctly synchronized. Were the imprints memories of my creators? My parents? He considered the question. Ben decided he needed to go to the Aeyr, wherever that was, and meet the Oracle, as suggested by Master Durrene if he intended to find answers. He recalled Ethel naming herself as ‘of the Aeyr’ and wondered at the significance of the connection.
Ben took a deep breath and stood while rolling his shoulders. He glanced around the clearing yet didn’t feel the presence of his Avatar nearby. He had many more burning questions regarding the nature of his divine powers given to him by a dead God and the prophecy to which he had reluctantly bound himself in order to save his companion. Ben felt the old woman had manipulated him, as she could have offered her aid sooner and possibly prevented Kieran’s death. His new logical, emotionless detachment when considering other quandaries didn’t apply to his opinion of the prophecy and the apparent impending calamity. He was… reluctant, perhaps angry, and the fact that his new concept didn’t affect his feelings toward being thrust into a position he didn’t want, Ben was content that his stance was genuinely his.
“I was looking for answers in the wrong places,” he said to no one in particular. “First, we’ve got work to do.”
Ben closed his eyes and willed himself to the waking world. His body began to feel weightless before a rush of wind against his nude form told him that the process of waking up had begun.
A familiar, gentle radiance encompassed his being. He smiled as warm hands stroked his hair, and he felt a soft cushion beneath his cheek. A droplet of water splashed against his forehead, and Ben opened his eyes to see the same dimly lit room glowing with runes in the ceiling. He looked upwards to see the face of Ann, eyes closed with tears streaming down her pale cheeks. He shifted on her lap, and the blonde woman gasped.
“My heart, I was worried sick. I can’t feel your presence as well as I could before… and Ethel…” Ann sniffed.
Ben sat up on the bed to see the lifeless form of the First Keeper on the tattered rug before them. Her face seemed to be gaunter than he had remembered. He leaned closer to inspect the woman with wide eyes as the low light in the large chamber hid her features.
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“Annie, could you cast that light spell for me?” he asked.
Ann appeared confused at the request as she tilted her head and parted her lips to speak before nodding. “Of course,” she said after clearing her throat. “Illuminate.”
A bright mote of light hovered above the pair and illuminated the decayed corpse of Etheldreda of the Aeyr. Ben frowned as he inspected the body. It appeared almost mummified, yet most certainly dead for a very long time. He turned to his Keeper.
“What happened while I was out?”
The blonde woman was distressed as the emotion that billowed through their bond spoke of fear and uncertainty. “When she- When you touched, she just crumpled to the floor. You went unconscious, and I tried…” Ann hiccuped. “I tried to tend to you, but I couldn’t reach you. I can’t reach you while we’re here. It was a mistake coming…I don’t want to be here, my love.”
Ann met his gaze with red eyelids and slanted brows, and Ben subtly recoiled at the outburst of emotion. He had never heard his Keeper refer to him by that pet name; it had always been ‘my darling’ or ‘my heart.’ She was distraught and possibly at her limit, he thought. Without hesitation, he leaned toward his companion and embraced her tightly, stroking her hair as he spoke.
“It’s okay. We’ll be out of here soon,” he said softly. “No one will put you through this again. I’ll make sure of it.”
The pair sat in each other’s embrace for a few heartbeats. Ben squeezed her shoulders lightly as they parted.
Ann sniffed. “Forgive me. I feel a bit… lost-”
Ben shook his head and patted her knee. “Don’t worry about it. You can be yourself with me if you want. Don’t hold it in, just let it out.” He smiled. “Anything you want, just let me know.”
Ann sniffed and paused; her soft blue eyes wandered from his own to his lips. An unspoken question permeated the space between them. One that he’d felt been asked several times before. A moment of silence saw the blonde woman avert her gaze.
“Perhaps this isn’t the best place for…” she trailed off as she glanced at the corpse at their feet.
“Right,” he said abruptly before standing. He gestured toward the passageway with a tilt of his head. “Let’s head on back unless you have more you wanted to show me?”
Ann shook her head and silently stood while patting her lap free of non-existent wrinkles. Ben nodded and led his Keeper, who gave Ethel’s body a wide berth, out of the dilapidated room toward the narthex. They walked silently for the first few bends along the passageway and up the stairs before Ann spoke quietly.
“Why not just leave?” she said, and Ben paused. “Leave the temple and never come back. The Speaker can’t harm you if you don’t go to her. She is a powerful Aura user, but even that is limited by range.”
He regarded his companion and felt his stomach twist. Ben had wondered what her reaction to the news would be. Would she defend her abuser, or would she see that what they did to her was not in any way in her best interests? He pondered the question momentarily before tilting his head at the woman. The pair stood under the flickering torchlight in the archway to the entrance chamber, and Ben hesitated before speaking.
“So, I’ve been meaning to ask,” he began. “How do you feel about the Speaker, now that you know she is the Champion of Ruin and not a follower of Illephrre?”
Ann gasped. “My heart, we don’t even know if that’s true,” she said as her eyes darted to the ceiling, the walls, and everywhere else besides his face. “Ethel was always a bit eccentric; surely you can understand that the ramblings of one touched in the head shouldn’t be taken seriously.”
“I see.” He nodded. “You didn’t answer my question, though.”
“What? What was the question, my darling?” Ann said. The oddly frantic tone caused him to regard the woman with drawn eyes.
“How do you feel about the Speaker?” he repeated.
“I love her,” she answered immediately, allowing no time to pass between the question and her response as if it were a trained reflex. “I. I mean to say that the Speaker has given me so much. She made me strong. Strong enough to fight by your side,”
“Against?”
“Against. Against… Ruin, of course.”
Ben stared at his Keeper and nodded slowly, yet his chest felt as if it was being crushed ever so slowly. Ann seemed to have had a semblance of free will while they were under the protection of the ancient wards in the restricted living quarters. Ben wondered if the Speaker maintained an active connection to her victim, as it would explain the drastic change in demeanor after they left the room —let alone the fact that he and Ainsle suspected the creature they had fought in the domain of Sacrifice to be the same woman he vowed to kill.
“That’s nice,” he said, schooling his tone to an even one. “I have an idea. But first, let’s go gather Ainsle and June.”
“As you wish, my heart,” Ann said, voice devoid of the fervor he had heard only moments prior.
He turned, and the Keeper followed him down the passageway toward the med bay, where a sleeping June and Ainsle lay on cots pushed together near the far wall. Their entry went unnoticed, undoubtedly due to the constant noise of the rattling stained-glass window and the howling winds outside. He pointed with a finger toward their pile of supplies, namely, their food and camping gear.
“Annie, could you grab some food for breakfast? We’ll be camping out for the rest of the evening.”
“We’re leaving?” she asked.
“Not quite yet. I’d still love to meet your Speaker to… thank her for all she’s done for you.”
The genuine smile that radiated from the blonde woman’s face made Ben’s stomach churn with guilt. She complied and cheerfully began sorting through their supplies. He approached Ainsle’s sleeping form and whispered in her ear.
“Miss O’Seighin,” he said softly.
The single eye of his mentor shot open, yet her body remained as still as a log. “Hmm,” she rasped. “You feel different.” The old Berserker reached up to cup his jaw, eye searching his face for something.
“I feel different,” he grinned. “And I have a plan.”
Ainsle returned his grin, yet hers was magnitudes more menacing.
“Well, it’s about bloody time.”