Morta and Mortis followed the disciples of fulgcere up white marble stairs. Stories of old were engraved into the walls. The further one went up the older the stories got. The walls at the beginning of the stairs depicted Mortis, Morta, Taldry, and two luxcians around a table. As the group walked upwards, scenes of fighting and bloodshed met them. In many, Mortis was engaged with one of the luxcians from the most recent engraving. Though there were also scenes which didn’t involve the disciples of Tenebrage at all. Scenes of cities being raised from the earth, caetum growing wings, strange ships landing on familiar shores, a geodine presenting weapons in throne rooms, a female caetum crying over a bundle, and many more. Not a word came from the tenebrage or fulgcere as they ascended, but when they reached the top of the stairs, the scene that greeted them on the wall was one of Mortis and a luxcian greeting the disciples of fulgcere.

Mortis cast his gaze away from the wall, focusing on the steps in front of him.

Taldry noticed this, “Good times, weren’t they? Pity they had to end.”

Mortis didn’t say a word, but Morta spoke in a weak voice, “Yes…pity.”

Cere took in the scene with an inquisitive glint to her eye, and a judgmental frown.

When the disciples went through the entrance at the top of the steps, they were met with the sight of a small open amphitheater that surrounded a pink trapezoid, which seemed to be alive. Its color changed shades as it slowly spun in a circle.

All those present knew what it was. If they weren’t disciples, they would have been overcome with reverence.

“Never knew why Fulgcere was so much smaller compared to the other gods.” Mortis said.

Cere gave a snark laugh, “What are you trying to say Mortis? Such physical traits shouldn’t concern being so great as our gods, should they?”

Mortis gave a smirk, “I was just making an observation. Isn’t that all you fulgcere do?”

“Now Mortis, don't be rude to our host.” Morta cautioned.

Taldry waved his hand, “Oh it is nothing. He does have a point in a way,” Taldry’s eyes popped open, “Geb! Sorry I didn’t see you there!”

Across from the group on the other side of the amphitheater was a giant muscle man with dark skin. He stood as still as stone with his hands crossed and eyes closed. Though after Taldry’s comment they slowly opened, Revealing dark green circular pupils.

Morta greeted him with a wide smile as she made her way over to him, “Geb, it’s been forever how have you been.”

Geb matched her smile with one of his own, “Morta, I’ve been well, but not as good as you I would think. I see that you have found Night.”

Geb gestured to the glaive on her back, “It must be a pain to carry it around all the time, I never understood why Talthia made it so you and Mortis’ weapons can’t be held by anyone else. At least Tenebrence and Deantoir can be summoned from someplace else.”

Morta shook her head, “It’s alright its usefulness makes up for that. Though how is Talthia? Is she with you?”

Geb’s smile disappeared and was replaced with a serious line, “She is happier than ever, but…”

“But?”

“Well…it’s one of the reasons I came here.”

Mortis, Cere, and Taldry came up behind Morta. Mortis and Geb exchanged a brief nod of recognition while Taldry cut into Morta and Geb’s conversation, “It will come up in due time, but I think we should get started, don’t you all?”

The other disciples agreed, and made their way to their assigned positions. It had been over a hundred years since Morta and Mortis had been in the amphitheater, a crescent still displayed their place.

The disciples of Tenebrage sat to the left of the entrance. Geb sat diagonally across from them with the disciples of Fulgcere placed across from the entrance above everyone else.

Mortis mumbled under his breath, apparently giving some grievance at the organization of each race’s position around Fulgcere.

When each person present sat down, Taldry gave an eager smile and a clap of his hands, “Now I thank you all for coming.”

Geb gave a nod at this, “Yes, but I will say I was a bit confused by the message.”

“Did you expect anything less?” Mortis called out.

The two male disciples shared a brief smile at that.

Taldry shook his head with a light-hearted smile, “We will get around to that in a while, but I think we should first discuss the events in Anknown since we have last met.”

Taldry pulled a piece of parchment out of his pocket and cleared his throat, “Firstly, the war between the tenebrage and luxcians ended and a peace treaty was drawn up by me. This peace lasted five years until the death of Lady Direth,” Taldry bowed his head out of respect. The others followed to respect the loss of their fellow disciple. However, Morta clenched her fist and forced her eyes shut, noticing this, Mortis placed a comforting hand on her back.

Taldry took a deep breath, continuing, “and Mortis’ subsequent destruction of Fotos the luxcian capital,” Taldry looked up from the parchment at Mortis, “Am I right so far.”

“Soluriel sent troops into Skotous, breaking the peace treaty before that.” Mortis said dryly.

Taldry nodded, “I see,” and continued reading the parchment, “The war has been a stalemate because of the decai infestation on the border between Skotous and Lysets every autumn and winter season. In more recent news, the last child of Morta and Mortis, madame Shelta, passed away last year.”

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

Geb was shocked, “Shelta’s dead! Mortis, why didn’t you tell me when we met about the trade deal.”

“I didn’t think it was worth mentioning,” Mortis’ voice had a certain lifeless edge to it.

Geb bowed his head, “I’m sorry for your loss.”

Morta mouthed a “thank you” at him and bowed her head.

Taldry cleared his throat once more to break the melancholic mood, and continued to read, “In the same year, Mortis burned and massacred an entire luxcian city, and on the same night Morta retrieved Night which had been lost for some time.”

Mortis shrugged, “I know what you're doing Taldry. War calls for desperate measures. I am simply doing my duty.”

“Duty.” Morta spit

Mortis didn’t seem to be fazed by her comment.

Mortis’ defense of his actions didn’t seem to ease Taldry’s concerns, “Mortis you have the death of thousands of innocents on your hands. Why did you do such a thing on the anniversary of Dilreth’s death? Don’t you think that you’ve gone too far? Do you have no guilt?”

“It’s war Taldry. In war your goal is to make your enemy submit through whatever means necessary.”

Morta spoke up, her voice filled with contempt, “Taldry is trying to be understanding, but Mortis what you did was reprehensible. How do you not understand that?”

Mortis gave a sigh at her words and looked to Taldry , “If you’re worried that anything like this will happen again, I can assure you that I wouldn’t be able to even if I tried. Now that Morta has Night, I’d be dead if I did anything even remotely close to Sanghai. I also have a certain Hound advising me when I go too far, so nothing else like that night will occur again in this war.”

Cere gave a brief smile, “You’re a stubborn one, aren’t you? Not that I should be surprised, you said the same thing after the incident with Yoshin, and look where we are now..”

“What was that Cere?” Mortis questioned

Taldry ran his hands through his hair in frustration, “What she means Mortis is that you don’t understand at all. You promise these things, but never keep them. When you revived Yoshin, you promised, right at that spot mind you, that you would set the situation right. I honestly had little faith that you would follow through.”

“But I did, Yoshin is dead and his rebellion squashed.”

Cere raised her brow, “Is he now? How are the people of The Desert of Dawn?”

“Why are you talking about them now? They keep to themselves. How should I know what their affairs are?”

Cere gave a wry smile, “I was just wondering.”

Mortis inched forward, but Morta held him back, “I believe that we are beginning to stray from the focus of our gathering,” she glanced at Taldry and he nodded back.

“Anyway, after the Yoshin incident you destroyed Fotos, debately more deplorable.”

Mortis simply glared back at Taldry’s words.

Taldry gave a sigh, “Do you even care? You just don’t want this war to end, do you? I Just can’t understand why you would want to keep fighting a fourteen-year war.”

“I never said that.”

“Then why don’t you hold talks with Soluriel to end it!”

“THAT’S NOT POSSIBLE!!” All heads turned to Morta who now gripped Night. She held a deadly gaze in her eyes.

Taldry backed away in surprise while Cere gave an exciting smile. Geb’s eyes were wide open in shock, but he didn’t move an inch.

“Morta, you out of all people…” Taldry let out.

“I said it’s not possible.” Her voice held a deathly chill.

Mortis held himself tall with a prideful smile, “See, not possible. There’s no talking to him.”

“How childish.” Cere let out.

Mortis jabed his fingers at the disciples of Fulgcere, “What business so you have to judge our actions. You simply sit in this city and watch. You do nothing. You chose to not be apart of the rest of our affairs. Me and Soluriel even had to drag you out of your palace for that peace treaty. You were even hesitant to do that, so you have no place to judge us,” Mortis let out a laugh, “And now you want me and Geb to make your isolation permanent, and frankly you're going to have to do a lot of convincing before I do that.”

Morta seized his hand, “Don’t be so rude. You're embarrassing us!”

Taldry appeared to be ready to defend himself, but Geb prevented him, “Make your isolation permanent? What does he mean Taldry, and how does he know?”

Taldry gazes a groan before bursting into an explanation, “I tried to ease into the topic, but Mortis is right! How he knows is a bit complicated, but he’s right. Things have become too complicated on Ankown. The tenbrage and luxcians are becoming more and more desperate because of the stalemate. That much is seen by your two’s new trade deal. Not in all my years would I think that Mortis would do such a thing.”

Geb held out his hand to Taldry, “My affairs are my own. However, I apologize if they have negatively affected you in any way. Though I for one am happy that Mortis has become more open to collaborating with others.”

Taldry became increasingly more frustrated as he picked his nails, “No, no you don’t understand! He did it out of desperation, and Soluriel will follow. It won’t take long for him to seek out a deal with the caetum or-the gods forbid-others because of your trade deal.”

“Others?” Morta and Mortis let out.

Geb didn’t seem to care for that part, “That may be so, but the deal was a necessity.”

Taldry seemed dumbfounded, but Cere understood. Mortis seemed to be filled with pride by the sentiment, and Morta confused.

Geb continued, “Nilowin is making concerning moves. She’s converting more caetum to The Penance, and is mining the Maelstrom mountains for metals which can be used for weapons and armor.”

“Even if Nilowin makes a move, I don’t see why the deal would be a necessity. Arden is supportive of her but doesn’t assist her in such endeavors, so if war did break out it would be you and Talthia against her, two disciples against one.” Taldry said

Geb was grim, “That’s the thing, Talthia is no longer a disciple.”

Morta gasped, Taldry let out a declaration of surprise, Mortis furrowed his brow, and Cere gave out a humorous “oh.”

“How!” Morta called.

Geb shook his head, “She started to become depressed. She’s a crafter, and her blessing took the challenge out of such a calling. One day she visited many of the best geodine builders and crafters, and came back happier than I have ever seen her, I no longer sensed that she was a disciple.”

Taldry frantically looked from Cere to Morta and Mortis, “Is such a thing possible!”

Mortis took on a suspicious glare, while Morta shook her head. Though Cere put a hand to her chin in thought, “Such a thing is interesting. The first question that comes to mind is where her blessing went, or if Geodine chose another to replace her. Do you know of any such person?”

Geb looked down in disappointment, “I haven’t sensed a disciple in Tamarilth or anywhere else in Erdem,” he gazed up in determination, “So that is why I need to know what exactly the disciples of Fulgcere want. I can’t afford to make any mistakes.

Taldry gave out a heavy sigh and slouched back in the seat behind him, “We need you to raise Canalith into the heavens, far away from the affairs of Ankown.”