One might wonder how a pocket could overturn like that. The truth was, it didn’t really matter.
“I don’t think we have to tell him,” Hagen proposed to Jeso. “If the kingdom truly is doomed, no one needs a prophet anymore.”
“Shut up, Hagen.”
Jeso was pacing in front of the temple and the purple sphere that engulfed it. Hagen chose to stand inside the allegro domain; the churning energy was a nice change of pace from the dull world clock.
“His Majesty will have to know about this,” Jeso continued. “His last prophet is dead.”
“We have the relic locations,” Hagen said. “And we know Mount March is on a time schedule. We should head there soon.”
Jeso looked over Hagen’s shoulder at the disheveled corpse of the prophet. It was definitely one of the sights he’d ever seen.
“You’ll stand trial later,” Jeso said. “I’m sorry, but I’ll make sure of it.”
“Right, but what about Mount March?” Hagen asked.
Bringing it up twice was enough to get Jeso to stop sulking. “Okay fine. The mines will be turgid in seven days. It’s about a two day journey, and I assume we’ll have to take a day to prepare.”
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“Perfect. So who do we find first?”
Jeso sucked in a breath; he knew Hagen didn’t mean which Princcair.
Hagen scuttled out of the battle clock’s domain with a devious smile. “How about Chan?”
“We haven’t seen him since the war started,” Jeso murmured.
“So?”
“People change.”
Hagen backed away and let his gaze wander past the ruined temple, past the wavering stalks of kelp, past the megalithic monuments of the old empire. Somewhere out there was a cave tucked in the side of a ravine, filled with exotic rocks, half-finished jars of jam, and old instruments.
“Maybe. But don’t you miss it?” Hagen asked.
Jeso closed his eyes. It was true that his happiest memories were with his childhood friends. Their little group of seven had already gotten luckier than most; they’d gone to the same academy, joined the same branch of the military, and had made it through two whole promotions together. But then the seeds of war had begun to sprout, and they had drifted apart.
How long had it been since Jeso had talked to Chan? To everyone else?
It won’t hurt to catch up a little, right?
“If Chan’s not available, we don’t go looking for anyone else, got it?”
Hagen nodded.