Victor awakens in a bed and looks up to see Ted standing by a window before the rising sun. “Good morning,” Ted said as Victor awakes.
“I’m not dead?” Victor asked.
“No, Lady Madeline and my apprentices dragged you back here. To the best of my knowledge, you are in fact still among the living,” Ted replied.
“You decided to let me live despite what I’d done?”
“Your village had just been massacred when you had believed that they were about to survive the tragedy that had befallen them. That sudden shift from bliss to despair can be a shock to anyone. However, that does not excuse your actions, and that is why we also have not left you unattended.”
“How do you know that I won’t kill you and escape?”
Ted reaches into his pocket and removes Victor’s whistle and flute. “I may be a man of faith, but I am not a fool. You have a powerful ability, but you require a device to help you channel it into its destructive force. Without it, you are just a Diviner.”
“Because you took my instruments you believed that you could heal me?”
“Maureen did not heal you. You’ve experienced firsthand the regenerative ability of a Diviner. Without a doubt, it was that which gave you the strength to make the trek to Xera where we crossed paths. If not for that, then you most likely would have perished with everyone else. However, your ailment must have been fairly severe if your natural regenerative ability could not purge it.”
“You must be in quite the predicament right now. One of the Diviners that you have been searching for just killed a group of bandits. What do you intend to do with me?”
“To be blunt, I intend to ask you to come with us. It is not my role to judge you, but if you feel any guilt, you are free to think of this quest as atonement.”
“You think that I should feel guilty for killing the people who killed everyone I know?”
“I have no idea how you should feel. I do know that Sean has barely been able to sleep knowing the harm that he accidentally inflicted upon you. He was aware of your actions and he still wished to save your life. No one seems to react quite the same way to tragedy.”
“You sheltered that apprentice too much. If left alone in the world, he would not survive.”
“I can’t say that with certainty. Sean is a bit of a unique case. The sense of responsibility and obligation that he feels to those he has wronged is commendable, and he seems to inspire those around him. Maureen however, I can easily see her being used and torn apart by the world if left unguarded.”
“How do you fit into all of this?”
“I’m just a simple cleric, hoping to make the world a better place than it was when I entered it. I was already an adult when all of you Diviners were born, so you don’t know how bad the world was before the rebellion. Sadly, not much has changed and I can only say that the rebellion served to accelerate the decay of the world.”
“That is the reason you undertook this quest?”
“It’s nothing as dramatic as being the lone survivor of a vicious battle swearing revenge upon those that killed his comrades. However, I think it is quite fitting for a simple man.”
“What do you have to gain from renewing the world?”
“At my age, most likely just a comfortable place to die. Give your situation some thought and tell me what you have decide to do. With your ability, you are one of the few that can make a difference in this world. I hope that you decide to side with us,” Ted answered as he leaves the hut.
As Ted walks outside, Lily staggers over to Ted. “Where is he? Where is the man that was in the forest?” she asked.
“I took the liberty of retrieving your scythe, but he was merely a burning corpse upon my arrival. Someone reached him before I arrived,” Ted answered.
“They just killed him?” Lily asked in disbelief.
“As twisted as it sounds, something like that was normal procedure during the rebellion. If someone who knows pivotal information and is about to be captured without the possibility of rescue, his or her allies would then kill her. In the cases where information was hidden within the body, such as a specific scar or tattoo, then destroying the body would be necessary as well,” Ted explained.
“I can’t believe it. I was so close,” Lily muttered.
“Do you know something about that man or the group that he works for?” Ted asked.
Everyone turns their attention to Lily. “He said something about someone known as the Infernal Hands,” Dominic said.
“The Infernal Hands?” Madeline repeated.
“Does that name have any meaning to you, Lady Madeline?” Ted asked.
“After we imprisoned Rose Crescent, she said that someone known as the Infernal Hands was responsible for starting the rebellion. I have heard his name come up in other places before though. Supposedly, he is a master of hand to hand combat, strategy, and even possesses a high skill level in fire manipulation. However, I never saw any proof that he even existed. The Royal Knights simply believed that he was a lie created to try to gather sympathy for Rose,” Madeline explained. “Why are you searching for him?”
Lily pauses for a moment before replying. “There is something that I didn’t tell you. I am an orphan as a result of the rebellion, but my father was not one of the King’s soldiers. He was one of the rebels,” Lily answered.
“The child of a traitor was in so close proximity to His Excellency?” Madeline roared.
“The actions of my father do not define me. If you already forgot, let me remind you that it was me who helped Angelo, Dominic, and Maureen escape the bandits,” Lily pointed out.
“Lady Madeline, Lily, this isn’t the time for this kind of argument. Without a doubt, Lily has proven her commitment to the cause. Now, we need to finish burying the rest of these bodies before we can leave for Kata,” Ted said.
“Is Victor coming with?” Maureen asked.
“That is still up to him,” Ted answered.
“What about you two?” Maureen asked Angelo and Dominic.
“We’re just students who went out to do a good deed. Our efforts were in vain, but we still have to return to our classes,” Dominic replied.
“You have my gratitude for your work. I wish you success with your studies,” Ted said.
“Thanks, but we really weren’t able to do anything,” Angelo muttered.
“We’ll leave once the last body is buried. If you ever need our help again, you know where to find us,” Dominic replied.