Indenuel followed Tolomon. It was almost too easy getting into the Cathedral. He knew that after tomorrow they would put more restrictions on him, but for now he bowed to the guards before entering, asking them not to alert the High Elders.
The guards around the High Elder’s library agreed to go up the stairs. Tolomon waited for them to be at the top before slipping into the reading room, listening in at the door of the library before nodding. Indenuel opened the door to the library and walked in, taking a lantern with them. If they were careful enough, which he knew they had been because Tolomon was with him every step of the way, none of the High Elders would know he had come in here.
Indenuel found the book with the Warrior project and took it off the shelf. He about left, far too nervous that he had been in here long enough when he spied the only other book he recognized down here. It was Jaakob’s addition to the Divine Ages.
Curiosity tugged at his soul. He looked at the door, knowing he needed to leave, but ever since Garen almost broke him with the revelation of the savior, he wanted to look. He wanted to see what Jaakob wrote about the end of the world.
He couldn’t trust it, though. Jaakob had only ever seen what the devil wanted him to see. And yet curiosity was too much. He set the Warrior project book down before grabbing the Divine Ages and set it on the reading pedestal, placing his lamp on the hook. He flipped through the pages until he saw it.
The Savior’s Coming.
It was the last page of the entire book. There were only a couple paragraphs. Indenuel frowned as he leaned closer and started to read.
Many prophets have seen the end of the world, and only a few have come back from such a vision with their sanity. The horrors these people experience in the End of Days are incomprehensible. Despite everything I revealed of previous Divine Ages, I will not reveal what happens at the End of the World. It was enough to make some of the strongest prophets break. I will never speak of what I saw. To watch a people live in such a way, with the devil having such a hold on them, the misery and horror, was too much.
I understand why some of the prophets lost their minds. I understand why some of them had their faith shaken. I understand why all refuse to talk about it. No matter how dark your lives get, no matter how grim, be grateful you do not live in the End of Days. I have nothing but compassion for the people of that age, but my compassion will still not save them from the Hell they created for themselves. I’m not even sure the Savior can. I did not see it through to the end. I couldn’t.
I would have lost my mind.
Indenuel closed the book, feeling sick. He took a few deep breaths before returning the book to its spot. It was vague enough that it seemed to confirm what Garen said, but maybe not. His legs trembled as he grabbed the Warrior project and stuffed it in his bag before leaving the library.
“Are you alright?” Tolomon asked at the door of the reading room. Indenuel nodded numbly. Tolomon gave him a look. “Don’t hide things from me.”
Indenuel touched the book in his shoulder bag, feeling lightheaded. “It’s just… I honestly thought my life was hard. I thought our situation was grim.” Indenuel closed the door to the library. “I just read the prophecy about the last age. Before the Savior redeems the world.”
“Oh? Did it put it all into perspective for you?” Tolomon asked.
“Two, maybe three paragraphs. Vague, almost able to interpret whatever you wanted. From what I learned from Ga- the devil, I… I don’t think I want to know what actually happens,” Indenuel said.
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Tolomon patted his shoulder as they made their way up the stairs. “If the prophecy has taught us anything, maybe it’s better that some things are left unrevealed.”
They left the Cathedral with the book, and Indenuel was convinced that was the last time he’d ever see that library. Once he thought the High Elders were hoarding all the information to keep their power, but now he didn’t think so. In some twisted way, he honestly believed they were just as terrified of the information they kept and wanted to guard the people from those discoveries.
But it still didn’t excuse them from trying to create the Warrior.
***
It was just dawn when Indenuel got up to dress himself. Now that he shared his room with Inessa, the servants would have to set up separate barriers if he wanted the male servants to dress him. They hadn’t been set up yet, and Indenuel honestly didn’t care. He was just fine dressing himself.
“Up already?” Inessa asked, sleepily in her bed.
“Couldn’t sleep much anyway.” The next step in their plan was dangerous, and he had to be careful, or he would be spending tonight in the dungeon. He didn’t want to, and he certainly wasn’t going to tell Inessa his suspicions, even though he did tell her the plan.
He put on his blue jacket, and Inessa sat up. “No, wrong color.”
Indenuel looked down, straightening his jacket. “What?”
“Wrong shade of blue. They don’t match your pants,” Inessa said.
Indenuel brought his knee up, trying to check it with his jacket in the dawn light. “Are you sure?”
Inessa nodded before hopping out of bed. Indenuel stared, realizing she, just like him, had never bothered getting in any nightclothes last night. Inessa opened Indenuel’s wardrobe, searching through the hanging jackets there before walking over to him with a blue jacket, holding it out to his pants before nodding. “This is the color.”
Indenuel honestly didn’t know. He had completely forgotten what the conversation was about. Inessa waited, arm extended for him to take the jacket. She looked down at herself, then back at him before smiling. “You’ve got to get used to me eventually.”
“Never,” Indenuel said as he realized he had taken the jacket and was trying to get it on over his other jacket before he stopped himself. He took off his other jacket, giving it to her. “You are making it difficult to leave this room.”
She smiled, using his other blue jacket to cover herself as she walked over to her own wardrobe. “Will you wait for me? Or do you want to go down and start breakfast without me?”
“Oh, I’ll wait,” Indenuel said, leaning against the doorframe, trying to get himself calmed down enough to be presentable in public.
Once Inessa was finished changing, they had a quick breakfast before he, Inessa, and Tolomon left to impart information on the city as they discussed why anyone would create so many different shades of blue. It was an easier topic than the information they were about to give the public.
***
Martin was in his Cathedral study when Navir walked in. Martin hardly glanced up before focusing on his work. “I shut the door for a reason.”
“Tima left the city last night,” Navir said, ignoring everything else Martin said. “What do you know about it?”
“Nothing,” Martin said.
“Don’t play those games with me. We need to be a unified group. If you know something, you need to tell me,” Navir said.
“Unified, right. Is a group unified when there is one who is following along against his will?” Martin asked.
“You will come around eventually. Tima and her husband left with their assistants. There is no trace at all. The guard saw Tima return home from a visit with Indenuel,” Navir said.
“Then it seems like you need to visit Indenuel, not me,” Martin said.
“We will. Right after lunch. And I do not wish to be surprised. If you know anything and you’re not telling me, you will be punished,” Navir said.
“There isn’t much you can do to punish a fellow High Elder. Even less to punish the Warrior.” Martin stood. “This is what it feels like to be helpless, Navir. A feeling you cause thousands of people. I suggest we go back to showing them mercy.”
Navir about said something but froze. He took off one of his shoes, touching the ground, his eyes widening.
“What is it?” Martin asked.
Once the initial shock was over, Navir was glaring. “We need to leave. Now. Indenuel is causing a rebellion, and it needs to be shut down quickly.”
Martin stood up, worried. “Navir, we’ve got to look on-”
“So help me, Martin, if you tell me to show him mercy one more time, we will have a trial to deal out a fitting punishment for you. If all goes well, Indenuel will lose his temper and we can throw him in the dungeon for a couple days so we can hunt for Tima.”
“Navir, he’s-”
“He’s got the Warrior Project.”
Martin went pale. His mind immediately went to Inessa, and the dangerous information tucked away in that book.