Chapter 62 - A Plot of Envy

The flame of Adam’s motivation had flickered upon learning Cath and Eric had never been his family. That he was alone. That those he fought so hard to see again had never been waiting for him at all.

Now, Adam’s drive flared up again. Bright like a searing inferno. Borne anew by a new sense of purpose: to save Caine and Emily from the demented fiend that Oliver had become.

Adam’s mind raced for a way out. He remembered the sequence of events since he had gotten back to Gotterburg. Although he used to be convinced Caine was behind everything, he pulled the chain of cause and effect apart and tried to reconnect it in a way that made sense.

“All of you women are just the same!” Oliver sneered at Emily. “All of you just play with the feelings of honest men! In all those years, you knew how I felt, but chose to toy with me, leading me on, never being clear on what you wanted so you could get more out of me! I loved Erica with all my heart, but she just left me for someone more popular. And Zachalynn…” Oliver shivered in anger. A jealous and bitter man; one that Adam had never expected to hide inside his old buddy. A lonely, childish one, and more dangerous than Adam had ever realised.

Adam finally bit through the second batch of leaves and vines and swallowed them, ignoring the bitter taste. “You worked with the Starwing Order for all of this, didn’t you? Can’t imagine the Starwing Grove of Gotterburg to be empty by chance. Or that it happened to have an Invocation ready to bring us to Caine’s Realm.”

Oliver cocked his head aside. His chest swelled with pride. “I received approval, yes. But I wrote and executed all the plans.”

“And it was all about Reminiscence: the key to winning the war against the Penduli.” Adam laughed. “You were so focused on the disaster of Ziecherhein because you wanted to replicate that Invocation and use it as a weapon. You never cared about retrieving my memories for me, you fished for the forgotten knowledge of my research! Which means…” Adam frowned as his mind raced. “After Ziecherhein, I had forgotten so much. But it wasn’t you who erased those memories.”

Oliver raised an eyebrow, the hint of a smile betrayed how much he liked the recognition for his scheme. “It’s this analytic ability of yours I counted on. When I found out you survived Ziecherhein, your memories of many things like Reminiscence, the Forbidden Arts, and the Siege of Ziecherhein were already gone. Priceless knowledge locked away behind the Mask of Silence. But I would get it back, one way or another.”

Adam’s mind worked overtime. The Mask of Silence… is that inside the Realm? I’ve seen how memories are stored in the libraries. But I have remembered multiple things I had forgotten before; how would that work?

In a flash, Adam remembered how familiar Oliver’s whip had been. The one Oliver had conjured to use on the Thaler. How Adam had felt an instinctive pang of fear when he saw it. “You weren’t subtle when you interrogated me, were you?” Adam growled through gritted teeth.

“What was I supposed to do, let the authorities execute you again for being ‘dangerous?’ ” Oliver scrunched up his face and raised his hands in endless frustration. “If you’d only remember, you imbecile, I could prove you were useful to them! I did everything I could to make sure you survived! You should thank me; I took extra care in deleting those memories. And that sack of meat you call a body healed anyway. Do you think it was easy for me to do it, to hurt you? Would you rather have been dead, huh?”

Adam barked a savage laugh. “Oh, indeed, you’re totally the victim over here. I’d fall on my knees in gratitude if you hadn’t tied me up! So, when all your interrogation didn’t work, you planned to bring us here instead. To force us to learn about Reminiscence in order to escape Caine’s Realm. To learn all that Caine knew about it. You made me want to remember what I had forgotten and bring it back from behind this ‘Mask of Silence.’ All to save a family you made me believe I had.”

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A smile of sweet satisfaction spread over Oliver’s face. “And it worked like clockwork. You see, Adam, bringing back forgotten memories is very hard to do, even with Reminiscence. It’s difficult to force someone to remember where they left their keys, right?” He laughed. “So, I figured the best chance for you to remember would be if you wanted to yourself.” Oliver leaned in towards Adam with an enthusiastic glint in his eyes, as if he was all excited to share and discuss new findings with him. “No better motivation than some internal drive with a little external pressure, right? While your friends were there to support you. And we were there for each other while we learned the workings of the Realm, together. I had already suspected Caine to have been part of the Emerald Circle. And then, Caine confirmed it by somehow being able to partially resist my Taint, so I knew he had secrets on Reminiscence that I didn’t. However, inside Caine’s Realm of Remembrance, all knowledge necessary for me to acquire would be on a platter. All the sensitive info on the damned Penduli wouldn’t hurt either, of course.”

“Proud of it, aren’t you?” Adam asked, drenching every word in venom. “Sickening the minds of those who trusted you. Make old friends fight each other.” Adam spat at Oliver’s feet. “And now? You’ll deliver us to Zachalynn so she can give you a pat on the head? Was a bigger badge on your chest worth it?”

Oliver narrowed his eyes at Adam, seeming rather disappointed. After a gesture of his hand, purple leaves of the overgrowth cleaned away the spit. “You’re so ungrateful. Always been, really. And naïve for being blind to the bigger picture. Don’t you see I saved the three of you from the wrath of the Starwing Order? They would’ve executed or assassinated all three of you if I hadn’t intervened!”

Before Adam could answer, new vines from the Root Behemoth grew around his jaw and head to clamp it shut from the outside, preventing him from eating through.

“But it hardly matters, right?” Oliver chuckled humourlessly. “Because it was I that did it. Silly, stupid Oliver, why would anyone take him seriously.” He sighed deeply and his head drooped. “How long it took me before I realised your mistakes. All of your messed-up decisions that traumatised me, the stupid man that no one listened to. But not anymore; I’ve grown as a person. While the three of you messed around and caused chaos, I was the only one brave enough to do what is necessary. I don’t need Reminiscence as a weapon, nor was Reminiscence a goal in itself. It is a tool. And I gather knowledge about it whatever way I can, for the greater good.

Oliver clenched his hand into a fist. “There is so much pain in this world. Suffering, hatred, and… sin. Aves knows I’ve seen it. Heretics like the Penduli roam free and the Mist is covering the world faster than ever. How long do you think it’ll take before everything we love and cherish is gone? How long before the surviving humans are huddled together, waiting for their demise on the only strip of land that is left, enclosed on all sides by the walls of the all-consuming white dread? But you should understand. I’m not the only one who has lost loved ones to the Mist.” Oliver looked at Adam. “Don’t you want to know what truly happened to your mother?”

Adam’s furious eyes bored into Oliver’s. How dare you…

“Getting angry will help no one,” Oliver said, not impressed in the slightest. “Have you ever considered we could actually do something about it? Reminiscence must be the key. If we explore its secrets together, backed by the Starwing Order, the four of us could learn to understand and clear the Mist! Not only that; by using Reminiscence within the Order, we can make a new world together. A safe and peaceful one for all future generations.

Oliver sighed as he walked amidst his struggling former friends. “I haven’t forgotten what the three of you have done to me. Yet, you have been my partners in paradise as well. I… treasure the good times we’ve had. I missed them, actually. The banter, the parties, or the times I’ve laughed so hard I got tears in my eyes.” With a sad smile, he took a deep breath.

“I have an offer, now that you understand what I’m capable of. Now that you realise I won’t tolerate any ridicule, insubordination, or disagreement.” Oliver said with a dignified tone, lifting his chin. “However, in the name of our old friendship, I will have mercy on you. In return, you will atone for all you’ve done to me. And together, we will relive the good times again.” A hopeful glint shimmered in Oliver’s eyes. “Ha, without the mistakes of the past, the new times will be even better! And with our combined skills, we can make this world a paradise, as we’ve always been fated to do. What do you say?”

With a gesture from Oliver, the vines and leaves that covered the mouths of Adam, Caine, and Emily released. All three of them yelled together.

“YOU’RE SICK IN THE HEAD! YOU CAN—”

“—PSYCHOPATIC PIECE OF SHIT! HOW DARE—”

“—YOU LOST YOUR DAMN MIND! HOW COULD YOU—”

The leaves slapped around their mouths, silencing them once again. Oliver sighed, looking mildly disappointed. “I figured as much. That you weren’t ready to see the truth. But don’t worry, the Taint will make you agree with me soon enough.” He beckoned at Emily and the vines brought her closer. “And you will be first. I hoped you’d realise yourself that we belong together, but you left me no other choice.”