[THE ST. THEOTOKOS, ARCHBISHOP SUITE]
Richard Black sat in a chair by his bay window with his head resting against the glass. The clouds outside obscured the twinkling lights of the cities they passed below with a murky somberness. In his hands, he flipped through a page of braille written on old parchment paper and sighed solemnly, folding it as he turned his blind eyes back toward the sky.
The St. Theotokos was a gold-ranked Wyvern Ship, reserved only for high-ranking members of the Church and almost exclusively used by the Archbishops and their Evangelists. The only other person who used the ship was the Pope himself, and those occasions would be rare. He hardly ever left Nazareth.
Richard and Damien shared the suite together. Every single time they boarded, the crew would urge them to enjoy their amenities and supply them with two individual suites, and every single time, the brothers refused. The suite room was already larger than the most expensive apartment in Regalvia, and had three floors accented in gold and white, with pillars that melted into the painted ceiling of a dove flying freely through a red forest. Chandeliers engraved with the Church Of Gabriel's symbol hung overhead too, bathing the room in a dim white hue that made everything feel priceless.
Damien was always of the excitable sort, and yet even he never cared much for rooms or design. Richard was the same. Even if he could see, he never cared much about material things like looks or colors. What he could feel was much more important. And what he felt right now… that was what worried him.
Someone's hand knocked on the door far away as it opened. Richard turned his head to see Damien enter with a towel around his waist and a smaller one drying his head.
"Feel any cleaner yet?" he asked his brother with a smile.
Damien's eyes glew with pride. "Yeah! The water on board is always top-notch! I might not even have to take another bath for the rest of the week!"
"Well, let's not go that far," Richard joked.
He beckoned him to sit next to him and waited until he heard his brother's towel crunch into the seat cushion before he leaned forward to face him.
"I've gotten a response from the Father," Richard said after a pause. Damien blinked.
"Really? What does he say?"
Richard passed him the paper. "He thanks us for the excavation in Durlin and says he'll be sending one of the Bishops to handle it. He and the Conclave are worried about the massacre, and with good reason. After what happened during the Eden Search, the Church has kept an eye on the Rockpoint Canyons for over a decade to ensure no trouble occurs. They weren't a part of it after all."
"Right!" Damien added. He reached for the small coffee table between them and removed a lid from one of the containers before him. He plucked three cubes of sugar and tossed them in his mouth. "Those Durlians haven't been part of Verglas for over thirty years! They had nothing to do with what happened twelve years ago!"
Richard reached for the lid and put it back on the container before Damien could take any more. It was a bad habit his brother had: his insatiable sweet tooth.
"But therein remains the problem," Richard continued. "The Father trusts us with much, but even he is secretive, brother. I've been doing some digging and had Marceus go ahead while we escorted those boys from Xastol. Apparently, he's heard whispers of a Bishop from the Punishment Force being appointed as the overseer of Durlin."
Damien's eyes narrowed with seriousness. "Those five Bishops haven't been revealed to the public yet," He slicked back his wet bangs and looked at his brother with a newfound understanding. "The only two the father has allowed in and out of Zenica are Leonard and Nero."
Richard nodded. "Yes, and even Nero's outings are few."
"So you suspect Nero was tasked with overseeing the Rockpoint Canyons these past few years?"
Richard leaned back into his seat and sighed. "It's all speculation at this point, but he is the only Bishop we have yet to meet face to face. I've heard he even makes himself scarce in the Punishment Force. I fear only the Pope has seen his face at this point. But what bothers me about all of this…" He brushed his bangs back too. "...Is the matter of all that secrecy three months ago."
"You mean the sudden convening of the Bishops at Punishment Hall?" Damien asked. "The one Father didn't ask us to attend?"
Richard nodded. "Precisely. Whatever it was, it's a closely guarded secret. No one other than the Pope, the Bishops, and their aides were present. The last time such a thing happened, all of those powers were faced off against the Cursed Sinner. Father has never been foolish enough to amass so much power for something insignificant. It had to have been something of great importance that he didn't want us to know about."
Damien didn't respond for a moment. He looked at his brother's torn expression, his brows softening as he gave him a tight-lipped smile.
Richard noticed. "You're staring, Damien."
"I know, I know!" Damien laughed. "But I can't help it. I can tell what's going through your mind, little brother."
Richard let go of his hair and faced him, his eyes as tender as the sunset.
"You think that Father doesn't trust us enough to tell us what's really going on, right?" Damien asked. "That's why you've been stressing over this so much, because despite everything we've done since he rescued us from Verglas and became Archbishops… Father still treats us like precious glass: too fragile to hold, and too important to be around."
Richard could feel his brother's vibrating smile without having to see it. His sincerity was the trait he loved the most in Damien. He smiled and hung his head back. "You're right," he said, his grin widening. "You always are."
"Father may not tell us everything," Damien said with something in his mouth, "but he'll love us always. Even if he has trouble showing it!"
"Hey…" Richard muttered. "You're not eating that sugar again, are you?"
He heard his brother gulp something down and hastily answer, "Nope!", before the lid of the sugar container closed yet again.
Richard let out a small laugh and shook his head. Damien laughed, too. "You seem to be feeling much better, huh?!"
"Yes," Richard answered. "All our answers will become clear once we arrive at Nazareth. And even if they aren't, I'm sure the Father is handling it to the best of his ability without us. All we can hope is that we're able to assist him in any way once the time comes."
"Right!" Damien beamed and stood, making his way for the door. "So let's relax and enjoy the ride! The future is on the horizon! We'll get there eventually!"
He waved goodbye to his brother as the door shut. He was off to find some clothes, Richard knew. And perhaps a few more sugar cubes somewhere he wouldn't be able to stop him.
Richard smiled and faced the window again. He couldn't see, but the night sky's clouds had cleared, making the world below look so perfectly clear as the St. Theotokos hurried through the sky for Nazareth.
The future is on the horizon, huh? He repeated to himself. I wonder how those boys are doing. They should be halfway to Pendragon by now.
He closed his eyes and rested with thoughts of Jacender and Aleximus, who traveled through the clouds elsewhere in the continent's skies. As he drifted off, his brother's words played again and again in his mind:
The future is on the horizon.
-------🅰🆂🅷🅵🅸🅴🅻🅳-----—
[THE ST.ROSEBURY, THE KIDS' ROOM — MEANWHILE]
Jacender and Hidemi watched as Leon rolled up the bed and back down again moments after touching the headboard. The smile on the cub's face brought a wider one to theirs.
Aurora and Alexander sat by the window, tossing down pumpkin-sleeved cards and wheeling black die across the table every few seconds. After her anger over losing her wand subsided, Aurora decided to give in and pass the time playing games from her homeland. They'd found the cards in one of the living room drawers and had been gaming since Aleximus went downstairs to fetch food. He'd expressed disinterest in the game Aurora called Salem's Lot and closed the door in Alexander's face after mumbling something to him. Alexander had scowled, more ashamed than angry, and stormed back into the corner alone until Jace recommended he join the next round. He, as well as Hidemi, had lost horribly, drawing the wrong four cards over and over; eventually, they chose to exit and sit with Leon, having him be their entertainment for the day. Alex begrudgingly took their spots and soon found himself having some semblance of fun.
They weren't even five minutes through the round before the room door opened.
RMMM
Jacender watched Aleximus enter with a flat, orange box he could only assume to be food. The smell filled the room, traveling from the closed door past the living room sofas and into the modest bedroom they all occupied together. His stomach, as well as Hidemi's, grumbled in unison.
"Smells good," he sniffed, starting up.
Hidemi followed suit, mumbling, "Ahn!" and placed his hand over his belly. He signed a few words, eager to know what it was, but Aleximus shook his head.
"I don't know," he said. He dropped the box on the dresser closest to him and opened its lid to reveal a circular disk of what looked like melted cheese and pureed tomatoes stacked with a few different cuts of roasted meats. Thin, wooden skewers shaped like small swords were spit through the sliced-up disk, waiting to be picked up. "I got it from that Emberlight Table place in the speculum."
Aurora turned her head to them as the smell hit her. She pressed her cards down flatly and pushed off her chair, approaching the dresser with hungry eyes. "A Pizzer!" she smiled. She greedily grabbed one of the sticks and stuffed the hot cheese in her mouth. "I've… mhm… always wanted… mhm… to try one of… these…mhm!"
Jacender grinned and copied her, stealing a Pizzer for himself and gobbling it with a single bite. "It's good!" he laughed, reaching for another. He'd already shoved five more into his mouth before Hidemi got his first one. Aleximus kicked him behind his knee, forcing him to stumble and almost choke on his skewer.
"Have some manners!"
Jacender grabbed onto Aurora for support, earning him a red blush and then an exasperated squeal. "You villain!" she cried, shaking him off. "That's bad manners!"
Jace grit his teeth, gulping down what he hadn't before, and took in a deep breath of air. "You bastards," he breathed, angry. "Are you trying to kill me?!"
"That would make all my problems easier," Aleximus muttered.
"What was that?!"
Hidemi grabbed the back of Jacender's hoodie and stopped him from lunging. Their time together hadn't been nothing. The twins were very caring for one-another, and yet their temperaments could at times be like day and night. It was best when they acted in the shade.
"Owa?" Hidemi noised as he faced Alex. He remained the only one who hadn't moved. Alexander eyed the food nervously for a moment and then looked at Aleximus's unflinching face before looking back to the window as if he hadn't heard him.
"Hidemi asked if you're hungry," Jace told him. Alexander didn't turn, but they could see the pink in his cheeks.
"I heard him. I'm not hungry."
GRRWLL
Alexander's ears became a shade so red it was a wonder his sword-chain earring hadn't taken on the same color. Jacender and Hidemi's lips crumpled up as they sucked in their upper lips, desperately trying not to laugh as the boy's stomach howled.
"D-Damn it, stop laughing!" Alex roared with a spin. He shoved an accusing finger Hidemi's way and tripped over his words with embarrassment. "Who is he anyway?! I didn't say anything when Ms.Illmari questioned us, both I stuck out my neck helping you two and almost died for it; so spill it! He's a dwarf, right? Only an idiot couldn't recognize the symbol of Xastol City! So tell me: how do you know him? I heard the Church of Gabriel banned all people from going there after the last Eden Search!"
The Eden Search? Aleximus's eyes narrowed as he took in the words. This isn't the first time I've heard someone talk about it, but what exactly is it? Does everyone on the continent know? If so, then why did Uncle Matsuda and Hatagi… no, even Mr.Ivan… they all acted as if there was something more to it that others didn't know.
He glanced quickly at Hidemi's back, to the golden dragon inscribed on his clothing, and then back to Alexander, who continued to blab thoughtlessly. Tsk. Being ignorant is annoying. I wish I could just ask and get a straight answer, but I can't. Whatever happened twelve years ago with our parents won't let us even claim our last names.
Just as he finished his thought, Alexander had also completed his rant about Hidemi. "Well? Aren't you going to say anything?"
"He's deaf," Jace said plainly with open palms. "I dunno what you want him to say—"
"—S-Shut up! I meant you!" Alex spluttered. "I think Aurora and I deserve the truth!"
"Huh?!" Aurora flinched. "Don't drag me into this! All I care about is my wand!"
"No," Aleximus's voice finally cut in. "If anyone deserves the truth, it's us." He folded his arms over his chest and stared at him with cold, calculating eyes. There was still something he needed to know. Something straight from Alexander's mouth itself.
"Back in the pilot's cabin, that aviator woman said something strange."
Alexander's muscles stiffened as if he'd been turned to stone. Aleximus pressed upon his hunch, noting the change: "She called us all out on what we did wrong and why, yet in the end, she gave each one of us a pass. I might not be as familiar with Wyvern Ships as you are, but that doesn't add up, does it?"
Aurora's eyebrows touched as she looked from Alexander's tight-lipped expression to Aleximus's. "What are you saying?" she asked with a hint of suspicion.
"Who knows?" Aleximus said sarcastically. "Maybe Alexander does. He was the only one of us she called out by name, wasn't he?"
Each pair of eyes widened. They looked to Alex slowly, as though processing, and hoped for him to explain. Alexander made no such move. So, instead, Aleximus continued.
"I've had my suspicion since we were on the caboose trying to get Hidemi onboard. The instant that lady showed her face, you were the most surprised of us all. But it wasn't then, was it? It was when that guard called her out by name. You recognized her—either personally or through someone else."
Alexander crossed his legs over the other, mimicking him with a sudden arrogant shrug.
"So?" he asked, "that doesn't prove anything. I heard her name when they called us to the speculum earlier, too, didn't I? There wasn't any reaction then."
Aleximus uncrossed his arms and approached him slowly. "Hey—" Jacender began, worried a fight would soon break out. Aleximus held up his hand and gestured for him to stay silent. This was between the two of them; there didn't exist room for outside interference.
"Maybe there wasn't a reaction then," Aleximus admitted, "but seeing and hearing are two different things. You remember, don't you? When we first ran into her after Aurora stole our tickets?"
Aurora cringed slightly at the mention of her thieving. So much had happened in the past few hours that the time felt so long ago.
"You helped aviator Bodil up after I almost knocked her down and returned her keys to her. I saw it all from the top of those moving stairs. You might not have noticed, but when you did, she recognized your face too. It was quick, but I saw the flicker in her eyes."
He stopped in front of Alex's chair and leaned in until they were eye level. A quiet fury sat behind Aleximus's disgusted eyes. Jace was all too familiar with it, and so was Hidemi. He'd only ever worn it when someone jeopardized their safety.
"I won't say you knew her before—it's clear that you didn't. On that account, you're innocent. But what you are guilty of—and believe me, you are—is something much more severe. You withheld information."
Alexander saw the glow behind his eyes—the madness. It swirled like a vortex, consuming everything that dared meet his gaze.
"You're someone important," Aleximus said firmly. "Important enough for an aviator of a 'Church Sanctioned' Wyvern Ship to let you off the hook as a favor. You told us you came to Zenica without your family knowing. You spent the last of your Sol and ended up begging us to help you. Had it not been for Jace, you'd be licking the floor for a way back home, and yet… Yet you're someone important." A long moment passed before he stood upright. The way he'd emphasized the word 'important' made Alexander feel something sickly in the pit of his stomach, like he didn't deserve such a title and would never be deserving, no matter how much he tried.
He shot up, his earring and jacket flapping with the air he'd accumulated, and glared at Aleximus. "And so what if I am?" he spat. "Why does it matter if I'm important or not? Who are you to judge me?!"
"Who am I?" Aleximus repeated incredulously. He turned up his nose at him, revolted, and returned his glare. "You have some nerve, you idiot. If you're important, it stands to reason that someone would come looking for you eventually. If you're important, it makes sense that there are people who might want to hurt you, too! If you're important, it means that you've put my brother in danger just by being here, damn it!"
Leon stopped rolling atop the bed and glanced at the two, suddenly interested in their conversation. It felt as if there were sparks flying from just their words. Had there not been any Illodium lined within the St.Rosebury's walls, the pair's Sanctum Energy might have already begun to clash. Aurora seemed to feel the same way.
Such enmity, she thought, with a look at Aleximus's eyes. How can someone so young so easily look at someone like that? She felt a coldness tingle up and down her spine.
Jacender marched forward with a stern expression. He'd heard enough. "Are you satisfied?" he asked Aleximus bitterly. He wedged himself between the two and pushed him away. "I've told you before: you can't control everything. We won't know everything, and there are some things we will never know if others don't tell us!"
"Stay out of it, Jace," Aleximus said coldly.
"I don't think so, you bastard," his brother replied. "We're not exactly in a position to question his secrets, are we?"
His eyes were the opposite of Aleximus's. There was no swirl, no vortex, no madness—just a grave solemnity that mirrored the look of someone five times his age. Even in his words, there had been a grave severity. Aleximus remembered that from their early childhood: the rash and cruel periods of anger his brother would suffer from. It had been a part of the reason Aleximus himself was often the one who was so easily provoked on his brother's behalf. If Jacender were allowed to truly be angry… Well, he suspected it would be more wrathful than fury.
It felt like minutes before Aleximus and Jacender's eyes divorced. Aleximus took in a deep breath and nodded. "Hmph, I guess you're right," he said softly. "We're not in any position to question him."
His eyes flitted to Alex, staying there for a quick beat, and then he spun, his heel barely touching the ground, and made for the living room door.
"I'm thirsty," he said with a wave of his hand before Jace could ask. "Be back soon."
He was already past the sofa when Alexander dashed to the bedroom door's frame with a look of fiery passion. "Like hell you will! Maybe you didn't understand, but I'll say it again!" he boomed, freezing Aleximus as he touched the door handle. "Who I am doesn't matter, and I mean it! You know how many times people have told me that? Too many to count! Who I'm going to be is all that should matter, and if anyone doesn't agree, to hell with them, anyway! The same goes for you! I don't owe anyone a single answer!"
"Alex," Jace warned, afraid that he was pushing it. He glanced at Aleximus; his brother didn't seem to react. Instead, they all heard another, "Hmph," as the door swung open and closed again. This time, Aleximus was gone.
Alexander hit the wall next to him with a closed fist and sucked his teeth. He ignored me again… Are my words that flimsy to be brushed aside so easily?! Tsk!
Jacender scanned his expression and thought it best not to say anything. He knew how his brother could be, and because of that, he knew that it would be impossible to change his brother. It was something they would just have to accept about Aleximus.
But just as he was about to turn, a hand touched Alexander's shoulder, prompting him to spin around.
Hidemi held out a pizzer stick and gestured for him to take it. Alex stared at him at first, unsure if he was serious, and glared. Hidemi didn't back down, however. He stuck the pizzer out again, grinning as he did and said, "Owa!"
"I already told you," Alex began, "I'm not hung—"
"Owa!" Hidemi stuck the pizzer into his open mouth before he could close it and smiled again, happy that it'd worked. Alexander instinctively crunched down on the cheese and swallowed to avoid choking.
"What the hell!" he wheezed, grabbing onto Hidemi's collar. He pulled him close and blushed red again. "Were you trying to kill me?!"
"Owa, owa, owa!!" Hidemi laughed. He made some gestures with his hands and looked to Jace to explain. Jacender smiled and grabbed another pizzer from the box.
"He says you remind him of Aleximus," he told him. "He's surprised you're not related to him, too."
Alexander's eyebrows felt like jelly as they unhitched. His grip around the half-dwarf's collar loosened, and he averted his gaze. "Like hell," he mumbled. "Me and that spike-head are nothing alike. Nothing, got it?!"
"Yeah, yeah," Aurora sighed. She popped another pizzer in her mouth and took out another. "Well, if you want to prove him wrong, then maybe start by proving yourself right. I swear you're all so strange."
Jacender thumped her on the back and grinned. "You said it! Now hurry up and have some more of these pizzers before Aurora swallows the rest."
"A-Aghh!" Aurora groaned, dropping the pizzer in her hand. "You villain! I'm not fat!"
Jace's eyebrows lifted. "I never said you were."
"S-S-Shut up!"
Hidemi looked at Alex and gestured for him to join them. Alexander's stomach rumbled. He looked from Hidemi to Jace and Aurora to the pizzer box and finally nodded.
"Alright," he said, regaining his usual air of slickness.
"A bite wouldn't hurt."
[THE FUTURE IS ON THE HORIZON]