As the two of them stepped into the mountain, a sort of dust started illuminating the tunnel.

“Those are ground rocks, called Serya. The stone that was used to create the Silver City” the oracle explained pointing to the dust, “You will notice that the city of Diarum is also made out of it. It is the perfect material for something built in the dark.”

It made sense to the Ryan. The stone seemed to glow without a light source. While Ildurin’s city seemed to be made out of silver during the day, it radiated a light blue glow at night, brighter then the one in the cave. Aldryn once compared it to a snowy night, describing how snow caused everything to be visible during the night. While Klyran had yet to see snow himself, he both anticipated and dreaded the moment. He wanted to see the sight, but the cold it implied repulsed him.

The two of them walked slowly. At some point, the tunnel separated into a few more, all of them covered in the silvery dust. Without understanding how, the two companions knew which path to take. Each tunnel separated into more, creating a maze. While the two of them walked, Aldryn explained that it was old enchantments, meant to ward off any with evil intent. While Klyran accepted it, he considered the spell rather cruel. It did not expel those who wished to bring harm to Diarum, but rather made them wander its tunnels until death was not kind enough to take them. The oracle agreed, but did not said much spare for the fact that all ancient spells were powerful and unforgiving.

After what felt like days of walking, though it could have been only hours for all the Ryan knew, they reached another pair of double doors. Two big statues seemed to be holding an arch that did not allow the tunnel to collapse.

The two figures struck Klyran as odd. The one on the right was a young person, while the one on the left an old one. They had a general shape of a face, the ears and nose. But there were no eyes or mouth, no dimples, moles, nothing that could make them seem as the face of a certain person. Their clothes was also similar and the arch that they held had a golden plate. After meeting Aldryn, Klyran could easily understand the old language, and the plate said: “Those mountains are the home and domain of the Oracle of Earth. And may it lay under their protection till the end of time”, with a list of names written under those words.

“Are they not finished?” Klyran asked, gesturing to the faces, to which the priest simply shook his head.

“The statues represent all Oracles of Earth and their rebirth cycle, which is why they don’t bear a certain face and why one is a young person, while another is old”, Aldryn explained.

“So those names…”, the Ryan begun, quickly understanding the meaning of this monument.

“Yes”, the blonde nodded, “Those are the names of all the Oracles of Earth to have ever lived. They guard the entrance to the city of Diarum.”

“There is no more place on the plate”, Klyran then said, noticing that the last name on the list was Ylvis, a name that he recognized.

“When an Oracle of Earth dies, they take down the plate and create a new one, with the name of the new Oracle added to the list, while the old one is melted and made into a decoration for the statues. This is how the Monias believe that the spirits of the old Oracles are drawn back to their home during the Night of Yerin.”

“The Night of Yerin?” Klyran asked, as he gave one last look at the two statues and followed his friend inside.

“I will tell you later”, the priest simply said with a smile and stepped into the city, drawing the attention of everyone.

In less then a minute, he was surrounded by small Monias, all asking him questions. What has he been up to? Where has he travelled to? What was the word around the lands? Has anything interesting happened recently? and so on.

The questions were thrown around and even caused a small headache to the Ryan. But the crowd quickly dispersed when another man approached the pair.

“Ylvis”, Aldryn shouted and ran to the man, leaving his friend behind.

Klyran looked at the two of them, noticing both their similarities and differences. While their appearance were completely different, having nothing in common, their presence was similar. There was this silent threat, just underneath their skin. The aura the two emitted was also somewhat the same. But that was where it ended. Ylvis was much more paler than Aldryn, with brown hair and eyes, while Aldryn had blonde hair and blue eyes. Their clothes were also in contrast. While Ylvis had dark, nearly black clothes, Aldryn’s were of a bright white and orange. The only similarity in their attire being that is was baggy, though in different sense. The Oracle of Earth wore clothes more common to those worn in the south, while the Oracle of Light seemed most comfortable in clothes usually seen in the North.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

“It is good to see you”, Ylvis said, as the blonde was nearly jumping around him.

It was obvious who was the older between the two of them. While Aldryn looked like an excited child, and acted like one most of the times, the other apostle looked like someone who is both wise and patient. They both shared the easy smiles, Klyran noticed. But while Aldryn’s smile was somewhat innocent, Ylvis had a smile that seemed more polite than happy.

He seemed very patient with the blonde and his eyes seemed to follow his every more, like a parent would a child. In his little excitement, Aldryn forgot about the Ryan that stood behind him. It was not until the Oracle of Earth himself glanced in that direction, did the other priest remembered.

“This is Klyran” he said hastily, grabbing his friend by the hand pulling him toward them.

“The Ryan”, Ylvis said, his eyes glancing all over him, as if trying to understand how he could look so human.

Those words caused Aldryn to stumble a bit, thinking back and trying to remember if he ever told Ylvis about meeting him.

“How did you...?” he begun to ask, but was quickly interrupted.

“The Kenman”, was all that he said and it seemed that no other words were needed, as the blonde only nodded his head.

“I plan to introduce the two of them”, Aldryn then said, but paused as if remembered something, “But first, we need to visit a blacksmith”.

At those words, Ylvis simply nodded and begun leading them deeper into the city. Like always, Klyran could not help but look around himself. It was the second big city that he has ever been to. It was different from the Silver City. While build from the same material, Diarum was darker, due to it being located underground. There was no sun or moon to indicate whether it was day or night. What seemed to be bridges were stretched all over, uniting and twisting into various paths. There were doors stuck into the wall, which Aldryn mentioned were houses of Monias. There were also normal houses, made out of metal and stone that stood by themselves. There were bakeries, stores and even a small market within the city.

As the three of them walked among other Monias, Klyran noticed quite a few humans setting stalls in the market. His eyes then found a grant clock placed on the tallest point in the city, as well as numerous smaller clocks scattered all over. According to Ylvis, in the past, there was a family of Monias who were responsible for measuring time. They would use candles and whenever an hour passed would ring a bell once. The only exception being early morning, when it would ring five times to wake everyone up. It would afterwards ring another five times to announce midday and evening. It was only after the Kenman came to permanently live in the mines, a few years ago, did he teach the Monias some of the arts of his people.

“It surprised me actually”, Ylvis commented, before explaining that Kenmen were people that divided those in their society based on their skills and the Kenman living with them was clearly a warrior, therefore his knowledge greatly surprised everyone.

Apparently, he was the one to take Ylvis and the best Monia blacksmith, Mithrell and taught them how to make clocks. They now no longer needed to calculate time manually, because the machine could show it and ring its bell by itself.

“What about the families that used to ring the bell?” Klyran then asked.

“The Kenman taught them how to take care of the clocks. They apparently need to be often maintained. The mechanism needs to be oiled and the clocks sometimes needs to be tuned”, the priest of Earth explained.

The young Ryan quickly came to admire the Kenman. If he wished to challenge him before and ask him to be his teacher, he now truly wished to become his apprentice.

Ylvis led them to his house. It was set at the back of the city, close enough to be able to hear any commotion, yet far enough to enjoy some peace and quiet. Just like most Monias, he had a smithy.

“Now then… Show me the broken items” he said as they all stepped into the house.

While the Monias were considered the best blacksmiths in the world, nothing could compare to their oracle, who had the knowledge and skills of a few thousand years at the back of his mind. Aldryn then nudged Klyran and nodded his head toward the sword. With a sad sigh, the Ryan took out his beloved weapon and laid it upon the table.

The two broken pieces looked even stranger now that they no longer had the somewhat shape of a sword. Ylvis gently picked one of the pieces up and inspected it. His fingers moved gently along the blade, feeling every curve and memorising its texture.

“You made it yourself” he deducted, feeling a piece of Klyran’s soul embedded into it.

At his nod, the older oracle simply smiled.

“It’s a noble weapon. I can feel that it cares much for you”, at those words the Ryan frowned.

“It… cares for me?” he asked, unsure if he misunderstood the words or simply could not understand the expression.

“We lose pieces of our soul during our lives. Small enough to not feel its lack, but big enough to create a new life” Ylvis explained, “And when you pour your soul into something, a piece of it will become embedded. That is how divine and cursed objects are born. How stories come to life. This world is filled with pieces of other creature’s souls, be it a house, a garden, or something else. They say that magic is manipulation of an element, yet people lack the understanding that true magic, is giving life to something that lacked it before.”

Those words made Klyran smile. The though that his sword bore a piece of him made it seem that much more special to him.

“Why don’t you leave this with me?” the priest then said gesturing to the sword, “I will think of what can be done.”

“Will you let me help you?” Klyran asked and looked at his beloved weapon.

“Of course”, he replied with a smile and then extended his arm to Aldryn, who placed the amulet containing the fox in his palm.

“It started to break”, he gave a sheepish smile, handing over the necklace that begun to crumble.

“Will you be alright if you leave this with me?” Ylvis asked, looking at the blonde.

“I will be weaker without it, since it contains a part of me, but the Oracle is my host and I will not perish” the Thrae said, suddenly taking over.

After receiving a nod, the white-haired man turned back to blonde.

“On this note” Aldryn said cheerfully, “Do you happen to know where the Kenman is?” he tried to seem nonchalant, but the way he was nearly jumping on his feet said otherwise.

With a laugh, Ylvis chased them away from his house, but not before lending a sword to Klyran, while his own was being fixed. He then pointed them a direction and went back inside.