The sun was blinding. As the group stepped out of the mineshaft their eyes were overwhelmed by the sunlight. It was challenging for them to see where exactly they had exited. As mentioned by the dragon the group found a path after the cavern where the top was covered in resplendent rocks. These led the group out of the mines and into a bright clear skied sunny day.
The sun was close to setting, yet despite its low point in the sky it was hard for the group to adjust to the light. They had been under the mountain for several days with only the barest glimmers of light to guide them and with no way to count the days. Now outside and in full view of the setting sun they tried their best to slowly adjust to the light.
“How long do you think we spent in the mines?” Zhi asked as she struggled to adjust her sight.
“I would assume we spent close to four days in the mines.” Simeon said while he covered his eyes.
Now that the group were out of the cave there was one issue that they needed to address before they could continue.
“So where are we supposed to go now?” Corin asked as he struggled to adjust.
After their initial blindness had left them and the group could focus on their surroundings they quickly discovered they were lost. They knew nothing about where they currently were located. Simeon had an idea of where they should go, had they followed their original path but this new route left them adrift. They did not know where they were and did not know where the nearest settlement could be found.
“Our destination, Yranto, is further inland north and west.” Simeon began. “I do not believe we are close to where we originally were to have left the mines. We should move westward and hope to find a town that can help with transportation, and help us find our way.”
With no better plan, the group followed Simeon’s guidance, heading in the direction of the thick forest. By the time they entered the lush forest there was little sunlight left.
It did not take long for the group to decide to stop for camp. Their previous time in the mines was anything but restful. They sat around a large fire as they ate a fresh lamb that Simeon had downed.
Corin quickly gutted the fresh kill and began preparing it. He was so tired from the previous days that he did not spend as much time as he would like preparing it before cooking. Despite the hasty preparations of the meat, the group enjoyed it thoroughly.
“Ah! This is the best meal I can remember having in a long time!” Zhi exclaimed loudly.
Simeon laughed at Zhi’s proclamation.
“Corin you really did a great job this time.” Zhi added.
Corin would have reacted to the compliment where he not too busy cooking for the group, while taking bites of his own food simultaneously.
Nanaua did not even say a word as she ate her food. As soon as she was done with her first portion she only shouted “More!”
When Corin did not immediately react to her request Nanaua repeated it louder.
“MORE!” She shouted at Corin.
“I heard you! I heard you!,” Corin struggled to say with a full mouth. He chewed the food in his mouth and took a big gulp.
“I am in the process of cooking it!” Corin reiterated.
With one hand he was moving the spits of meat over the flames to cook it, and with the other he was feeding himself. Despite the chaotic situation Corin found himself in, he was thankful to be out of the mines.
Livia ate in solemn quiet, accompanied by the apeman Simeon. They both gazed at the stars above, glad to see anything but dark musty tunnels above, around, and beneath them.
“You really do not appreciate these things until you don’t have them.” Livia said to Simeon.
Simeon was lost in his own world, also appreciating the beauty of the sights around him. Despite not really listening to what Livia had just said he replied “Aye, very true.”
Corin finally finished cooking some more of the meat, which he promptly handed to Nanaua.
“At long last!” Nanaua exclaimed as if she had been waiting ages for the food.
She grabbed the sizzling meat with her bare hands and ate the entire chunk of meat in three bites. The meat was still burning hot, but it did not deter Nanaua one bit. Before she could even begin asking for more Corin was already handing her another big chunk of meat. Nanaua smiled at Corin as she grabbed her next portion.
“I’ll have more too!” Zhi added.
Nanaua and Corin both looked at her in disbelief. Zhi was always the one who ate the least out of the group.
“What?” Zhi asked as she looked at the two of them.
“Nothing,” Corin said “of course you can have more!”
The group continued conversing as they ate. Most of the conversation centered on their shared joy of not eating dried meats and how pleasant fresh air was in comparison with musty stagnant air. The conversation died down as each focused on their meal, but in all their conversations there was something they did not mention. The conversation with the dragon was fresh in all their minds, it was something that they could not ignore, but none had yet mentioned it.
“The dragon's request, to slay the giant, Bellum, what do you make of it?” Zhi was the first one to broach the topic. Her question was not aimed at anyone in particular.
The group looked in her direction.
“A simple request is it not?” Simeon began, in a casual tone. “If we are able to locate it, we need to infiltrate its territory, ensure we don't come across the Titan and destroy its heart. A Titan that is even more destructive than its brethren. I know the dragon seemed to hold us in high esteem, but I don't know of any group of furtives that is able to accomplish such a monumental task. There is a reason furtives avoid Titans.“
“But what other group would have a better chance than us? We should search for it and we should strike!” Nanaua said as she stood. “We know its weakness and we know where it lies.”
Nanaua gripped her blackened pike. The power it exuded felt unnatural.
“Aye, to search for a rampaging Titan and slay it. It does sound like something we should try to do, if our goal is to fight the Titans. But the risks it presents are too great and it does not aid us in our ultimate goal, to find all the pieces of the artifact. That is why we are here, not to try and fight every Titan we are told about.” Simeon replied.
“But the dragon, he implored us to carry out this task. He helped us escape the mines, he gave us this power!” Nanaua shouted.
Simeon hesitated.
“Nanaua I understand this might be difficult to accept,” he began, “and while the dragon did aid us, we have to accept that we are already facing insurmountable obstacles on our journey. To deliberately seek out conflict with a Titan is something that we should avoid at all costs.”
“In battle when you have the initiative it is imperative to strike!” Nanaua replied. “We would be ceding this opportunity to our opponent!”
“Simeon is right Nanaua.” Livia interjected. “I understand your desire to strike at the giant, I truly do. But won't our chances of success be better once we have acquired the weapon? When we have the weapon in our grasp we can wield it to not only strike down Bellum, but Tonatiuh and all the other titans as well! That is what we came together to do! That is why Corin and I joined! That is why Simeon agreed to join! If we fail now, the people in Grial, Genno’s tribe, all of that destruction will be for naught!”
Nanaua was silent for several seconds as she thought.
“That is cowardice!” Nanaua shot back as she held her pike.
“Nanaua, they are right.” Zhi implored Nanaua. “You saw how terribly powerful the dragon was. His power is nothing compared to that of a true Titan. If we seek out Bellum right now our death will be certain.”
Nanaua looked to Corin trying to find an ally to her cause.
“Nanaua the two encounters we have had with a Titan, with Arandu, almost led to our deaths.” Corin added in an almost apologetic tone. “I don't even know how I survived the last time. If we keep tempting fate our luck is bound to run out.”
Nanaua seethed as she stared at the group.
“Nanaua, retreating from an unwinnable fight is not cowardice, it is tactical prudence.” Simeon urged.
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Nanaua gnashed her teeth. She stared around her, struggling to form any argument for why they should attack.
“Nanaua we all want the same as you, believe me we do. We want to strike at Bellum, we want to strike at all the Titans. But we are at a great disadvantage in our struggle against the Titans. It is imperative that we take every opportunity afforded to us to better our chances. Not for us, but for all furtives.” Simeon ended.
Nanaua gripped her pike and began to leave.
“Nanaua!” Zhi shouted.
“I need to think.” Nanaua said as she stopped. “I will return for the night watch.”
With that Nanaua stepped off into the darkness of the forest.
The group was silent. There was not much else they could do. They continued on their own routine as they prepared for the night.
As Zhi prepared herself to go to sleep Corin could not help his curiosity. There had been something specific gnawing at him since their encounter with the dragon, something he needed to know.
“Zhi, could I have a moment of your time?” He asked her.
Zhi looked surprised at the request, Corin could tell that she was very tired. Despite that Zhi did not seem bothered, she smiled at him.
“Of course Corin.” Zhi replied as she got up and walked towards him.
“I’m setting in for the night.” Livia announced.
“Oh, of course love.” Corin replied.
Livia went straight to sleep.
Livia had been very quiet since their encounter with the dragon and Corin had not been able to speak with her as much as he would like. He still did not know how to broach the topic of what had occurred with the dragon. He had rarely ever seen Livia so quiet for such a long period of time.
At the far end of camp, Corin could already hear Simeon snoring.
As Corin sat down to begin his night guard rotation, Zhi sat next to him.
Corin looked at her intently for the first time in a long while. He had only known her and Nanaua for over a month, but the things they had done in that short time frame felt to him as if a lifetime together had already elapsed.
“It's nice to be out of those mines.” Zhi said.
“It truly is. Being there made me miss simple things. Fresh air, sunlight, the wind.” Cotton said.
“No undead.” Zhi added.
Both Corin and Zhi laughed. The two of them looked at the sky for a brief moment.
“What is on your mind Corin?” Zhi smiled as she asked Corin.
“Well, I guess I was trying to think of how to say this, but it might be an odd question.* Corin said.
He paused as he struggled to think of how to phrase his question.
“It's ok Corin, take your time.” Zhi added with a smile.
“Well ever since we met with the dragon, something has been bothering me. I guess I just want to ask, this issue of the gods, is there more to what he said? Do you know more about the Gods?” Corin asked.
Zhi seemed to be caught by surprise by Corin's question.
“Well I didn’t know what I was expecting, but this one is a hard one to answer.” She laughed. “Let me think for a second.”
Zhi was quiet for a second as she closed her eyes in thought. Several moments elapsed and Corin thought that she may have fallen asleep.
“It has been a while since I read this.” Zhi began. “So my memory on this matter is not the best. And all I know are bits and pieces of a larger story. From what I remember the legends always mention that in the beginning our world was completely devoid of life. The three domains existed, the sea, the land, and the skies, but they were empty. This barren world existed and persisted in this fashion for eons. But this world was not without turmoil. Despite the faceless feature of these three domains there was still conflict between them.” Zhi said.
She opened her eyes as the details began to come back to her.
“The sea would burst out and swallow whole islands, stealing territory for itself from the land. The land itself would spew molten rock, creating massive mountains that would intrude upon the sky’s domain. The sky would breathe an icy wind that would freeze the sea in its place and create areas that would deny the sea its influence. This conflict between the domains continued for a long time, and it seemed as if it would continue on that way indefinitely, but that is not what happened.” Zhi continued.
Corin was engrossed in Zhi’s tale. He had never heard of such a thing before, and he wanted to know more.
“At some point these three entities became more than just physical domains, they became aware of their existence. It was at this point that each domain was embodied in the form of distinct beings. Speir, Uraqi, and Maji, the Gods of the Titans.” Zhi carefully uttered the names. Corin could tell they were of great importance. “Now with a distinct body and mind these three domains continued their ceaseless war of attrition, but with more destructive effects. This conflict grew so violent that the very world was teetering on the verge of destruction. The Gods knew that the conflict would not end in any of their victories, but rather the destruction of the world. So they came to an agreement. They would split their power and retreat to their respective domains. When they split their powers, each of the fragments created unique beings with only a fraction of their power, but still immensely powerful.”
“So that is how the Titans came to be?” Corin asked.
“That is correct, well according to the Dragon legends.” Zhi said.
“So these Gods, they no longer exist in this world? They do not walk among us?” Corin asked.
“From what I understood from the Dragon legends I do not believe so, and the dragon we met seemed to confirm it. It is only their essence within the Titans that is still present. That is why whenever a Titan dies another rises to take its place. Despite the Titan itself dying, the fragment of the soul that existed within it persists and it eventually creates a new Titan.” Zhi said.
“So all these fragments are not equal?” Corin asked.
“Indeed. No dragon is equal in power to any other dragon. Some are mightier than others. Our former master Tonatiuh is the second strongest dragon, with Takaxluet being the strongest, and the Prime Dragon lord. The same is true for Giants and Leviathans. They each have a Prime Titan, the strongest of their kin.” Zhi added.
Corin thought about what he heard. He could not believe that beings that were even stronger than Titans themselves could have ever existed. The thought seemed to frighten Corin. He already thought they were facing insurmountable odds, but these beings that they are confronting, they have fragments of Gods themselves. Every new revelation seemed to instill within Corin the knowledge of his insignificance even deeper. How could he, a small furtive, fight against something of such great power.
Stop. Calm yourself.
Corin had to do his best to keep his composure. He knew that despite their odds they already had come too far to now begin to question whether or not they could win. They had to see this through to the end. He had to. But there was still one thing he wanted to know.
“There is one other thing I wanted to ask.” Corin said with a hint of embarrassment.
“Which is?” Zhi asked curiously.
“Well, I guess it's really what I wanted to ask from the beginning. But do you think it is possible that there are other Gods?” Corin asked sheepishly.
Zhi seemed surprised at the question. She fell quiet for a second.
“Do I think it is possible that there are other Gods?” Zhi repeated. She took a second as she thought about the question. She looked up to the sky.
“If you had asked me when you met me if I believed that the Titans came from Gods I would have laughed at you. I would have said that is just a myth the Titans created to justify their superiority over furtives. I did not believe in any God at all. All I knew was the reality of our world, Titans rule with an iron fist and destroy any who oppose them. But now?” Zhi paused.
“Now I don’t know what to believe. We heard it ourselves from the dragon. He had no reason to lie to us. And the magic that was used to place the curse is one that I have never seen a Titan being capable of wielding. So perhaps their legends are true, and they are indeed blessed by the Gods. But if that is the case, then I don’t know what to believe anymore. Maybe there are other Gods. Maybe humans have a God, and maybe Dwarves have a god, or the dragoors, or another possibility is that the dragon was right. Maybe we are not blessed by any gods.” Zhi replied.
Corin did not know what to say. He had hoped that Zhi would have said something to reassure him. He felt as if everything he had known had been upended in such a short amount of time. He felt adrift.
“I’m sorry Corin, I didn't mean to upset you.” Zhi mentioned seeming concerned. She was not sure if she had said something to upset him.
Corin snapped out of his trance.
“Oh you don’t need to apologize. Don’t worry, you only answered the questions I asked. I just wanted to know about this since we saw the dragon. It was just a curiosity.” He tried his best at feigning a smile.
Zhi could tell that it was just a facade, but she did not want to force the issue.
“I don’t want to keep you up. Thanks for talking to me. Get some rest” Corin spoke to Zhi.
She understood, she warmly patted Corin’s hand and went to her bedroll.
Corin sat in silence as he pondered all that had occurred.
Speir, Uraqi, and Maji. The gods of the sky, the earth and the sea. The beings who grant the Titans the immense power they wield. But apparently there was no such deity to oversee the furtives.
Corin had never been a strong believer in Jokasta. He never put much thought on who created them; he was most concerned with surviving. But this latest revelation struck within him a chord of melancholy. The knowledge that furtives held no special place upon this world, no greater being that blessed them, pulled at something deep within Corin, an unease that he was not familiar with.
Corin held the pendant in his hand. He remembered Cyril. The one who had taught him about Jokasta. Unlike his brother, Cyril had been a particularly devout believer of Jokasta.
Cyril always believed that despite the furtives struggle Jokasta would one day come and help them. He was adamant that their suffering would one day be rewarded when Jokasta came and helped them end the tyranny of the Titans. Cyril always believed that he would be present when Jokasta came, but that day never came. Now Corin knew why.
He closed his eyes in thought.
What would you have said to the dragon, Cyril? Would you have believed it? That Jokasta is not real?
A memory flooded Corin’s mind. It was one that he had not thought about for many years, from his childhood. He remembered a conversation that he and Cyril had when he was still very young. He had awoken early and gone out of his room to see his brother on one knee in front of the fire. In his hand he held a small wooden carving. Corin studied his brother as he mumbled quietly in front of the flames, his eyes closed, completely focused on his activity. Corin was unsure what exactly his brother was doing. He thought for a moment that there might be something wrong with Cyril, that he might be hurt.
Cyril continued in this fashion for several minutes. Corin felt as if he should leave and pretend he had not seen his brother, but he could not. He was too enthralled by what he was seeing. Eventually Cyril stopped and looked at Corin. Corin panicked. He felt as if he had been caught watching something he was not supposed to. Cyril laughed and stood up as he went to his younger brother.
“No need for alarm Corin. I was just praying.” Cyril smiled and knelt in front of his kid brother.
Corin’s panic subsided. Now he only eyed his brother curiously as he struggled to understand what his brother spoke to him about.
“Praying?” Corin asked.
Cyril looked at Corin confused and then began to laugh.
“Ah right.” Cyril laughed. “I guess you never learned about that. Where do I even start?”
Cyril rubbed his chin in thought as Corin watched. He then nodded as if he realized something.
“You know how when you want a new wooden soldier to play with you ask me to make it for you?” Cyril asked Corin.
Corin nodded. His brother was great at carving the small wooden soldiers that Corin loved to play with.
“And you know how you show your gratitude for carving the toy after I give it to you?” Cyril followed up.
Corin once again nodded. Cyril taught him the importance of showing gratitude whenever he received a gift.
“Well a prayer is similar to that. You may ask for things that you may need, you may see that you have an arduous task ahead of you and you reach out and ask for the strength to persevere. But it is also important that when you are praying that you are grateful for what you have received.” Cyril ended.
Corin looked at Cyril and listened to his explanation. Cyril’s explanation left Corin with so many questions.
“So are you asking your big brother?” Corin asked Cyril.
“What do you mean?” Cyril replied, confused.
“Well when I need something I ask you. Do you also ask your older brother?” Corin asked.
Cyril understood Corin and laughed at his question. Out of all the things he could have expected that was not it.
“No, Corin, no.” Cyril laughed. “I only have one brother and that is you.”
“Oh ok.” Corin sounded relieved. He was concerned that he might have had an even older brother he was not aware of.
“When I ask for help, when I pray, I pray to the Goddess, Jokasta.” Cyril replied.
“Jo…kasta?” Corin asked.
Corin felt as if he had heard that name before, but he did not know who that was, or what a Goddess was.
“That’s right. Jokasta is the one who created us. All of us furtives.” Cyril answered.
Corin thought about it for a second. He knew about furtives. Beings like him, that could talk, that lived in the sea, the land and the sky. He did not know about a being that had created them. This began to raise even more question for Corin.
“But how can she hear you, is this Goddess Jokasta here?” Corin asked as he looked around the room.
“Hah, no Corin, she is not physically here.” Cyril replied. “She is everywhere, all around us. Always watching over us and making sure that we are safe.”
Corin nodded. He did not understand any of what Cyril was saying, but Corin knew that Cyril knew more things than he did and he knew to trust him.
“Do you know that mother and father would always pray over us to Jokasta before we would fall asleep?” Cyril asked Corin.
Corin’s eyes widened. He was always curious to hear more about his mother and father. Any new detail that he heard from Cyril or from other townspeople helped him craft an image of what his parents were like.
“Really?” Corin asked.
“That’s right, every night before going to sleep they would say a prayer, to make sure that we were safe.” Cyril smiled at Corin, who listened to every word with amazement. “They loved us very much and they always did everything they could to keep us safe.”
“So this Jokasta is always watching us?” Corin said to Cyril, his excitement brimming over now.
“Always.” Cyril replied as he smiled.
The memory faded and now Corin found himself back in the present. He kept holding on to the pendant. The unease that had begun building within him abated, as Corin smiled.
Of course Cyril. I know you would not be deterred.