"Every root has an end; every end has a cause. At the same time, that cause keeps me from moving forward to see the end of the roots." - Vigil
Shortly after, he brought the crow into the conversation, which he was not supposed to be in. Eve left Anton and Stacy; the two of them saw Elyon, and they decided to thank him for being there when Oliver was being burned.
Vigil stood upon a fallen log, observing the two people trying to wake Elyon up.
His gaze shifted toward the flying church, which started to shift differently. This was the universal sign of the harmony—that the pilgrimage was going to start again.
Of course, Vigil knew what it meant. He sighed, and with great effort, got up. With a snap of his fingers, one crow landed on his shoulder.
"Who do I want to talk with? Why am I even talking out loud? I already know who."
Vigil turned toward Eve's general direction and started walking. He threaded around the people who were resting on the ground without a care in the world.
Once he reached Eve:
"Hey there."
Eve had her back turned and hadn't seen him coming, but once he spoke, she visibly stiffened.
"H-hello? Is something the matter?"
Vigil pointed toward the flying church. "It's time we strayed from the group."
"Why?"
"Because if we keep going, we will reach the Church of God. While our destination is the Citadel of Aureth."
"Practical as ever."
Vigil nodded while beckoning her to follow him. Eve did just that, and both of them started walking back toward Elyon and the other two.
In another part of the camp, Elyon felt lightheaded. He had no clue how he had even ended up talking with Anton and Stacy. As he tried to find something to say to them, he spotted both Vigil and Eve approaching, so he quickly excused himself.
The three of them reunited once more, for better or worse.
"What are you two doing?" Elyon asked.
Vigil just examined him for a moment. "We are leaving, and you are coming as well."
"Why?"
"Because if we keep going, we will reach the Church of God. While our destination is the Citadel of Aureth."
Elyon nodded in a jerky motion, prompting Eve to ask, "Do we even bid farewell, or are we just leaving silently?"
Vigil looked back at her. "Do whatever you want."
Eve left silently to say her goodbyes to Stacy, and perhaps Anton as well.
With Eve's departure, Vigil and Elyon were left alone. Elyon tried to look everywhere else, but the silence was getting to him. He cleared his throat.
"Look, Vigil, I want to ask you something."
Vigil stared at him in silence.
"A few minutes ago, I felt like I was going crazy. Things that I didn't even know existed started to take form. And... uhm, you were there in a way. You just kinda... bullied me."
Vigil exhaled. "I bullied you?"
Elyon nodded.
"Are your feelings hurt, or why are you even telling me this?"
"Yeah, they are kin—"
"Look here, Elyon, I barely sleep as it is. I don't have the patience to put up with your dreams. You are not a kid."
Elyon remained silent.
"Also, get ready. We are going to get in a fight soon."
Elyon's eyes widened. "What are you talking about?"
"The Harmony. You are their target, and we want to leave. Don't you think that would turn into a fight?"
"Yes... bu—"
"You and Eve will stay on the sidelines. Since you got on my nerves with those dreams of yours."
"Vigil! You can't possibly take on the Harmony. I coul—"
"You really think I can't?"
Elyon remained quiet again—a recurring habit during their talks. As Elyon fell silent, Eve returned, carrying a question of her own for Vigil.
"If we stayed the whole night and almost all of today here, why didn't we stray off sooner? Why does it have to be now, right when the pilgrimage started?"
Vigil turned back to look at her. "To form connections that won't last."
The answer felt strange to Eve, but by this point, she had grown used to it.
As the three of them started wandering off, a voice shouted from behind. It was Maryam. "Hey, you three, wait up!"
The older woman caught up to them, breathing heavily. "You three youngsters and your walking speed."
Elyon looked back at her. "Is something the matter?"
"Yes, yes it is. I wanted to give you three this."
She pulled out three freshly baked cookies and handed one to each of them. Vigil fed his to a crow, Elyon ate his right away, and Eve decided to save hers for later.
Once Maryam bid her farewell, Vigil spoke up. "It's time."
Eve looked back at him. "For what?"
"Maryam didn't realize it, but she was a distraction from the Harmony."
From the edge of the woods, the sound of clanking iron rang out, mingling with chanted prayers that filled the forest silence.
"God Most High, He who is infinity."
The flying church pivoted toward them, eclipsing the retreating sun as its colossal wings stretched to their limit.
"He who is boundless. He who is Heaven."
Out of the hundred Harmony members present on the pilgrimage, seventy-five were closing in on the three, while the remaining twenty-five stayed back at the flying church.
"He who wears the white helmet. We ask you to guide us, sinners, to salvation."
Their white veils materialized out of the dark forest, and their torches cast harsh light where there was none.
Eve readied Nightfall, but her will wavered. This was too much, even for her.
Once the Harmony fully surrounded them, a single knight stepped forward. "If you hand us that Elyon boy, we will let the two of you leave alive."
A bead of sweat rolled down Eve's forehead. Maybe she could survive if they gave up Elyon. Maybe she could convince Vigil t—
Elyon opened his mouth to speak, but the words died in his throat. He could take down a few, but not all of them. Maybe if they combined forces...
Vigil cleared his throat. "As much as I would love to give this bastard away, I need him. So it's a no."
The knight's expression hardened. "Then so be it."
Vigil brought his thumb and index finger to his mouth and whistled.
Caw-Caw... Kraa... Kraah.
The sky began to darken.
CAW-CAW... KRAA... KRAAH
Hundreds of thousands of crows began to grow agitated.
KRAAH... KRAAH... KRAAH
Ravencross was the home of the ravens, in a way.
But The Whispering—the forest they were currently traversing—was the home of the crows.
Vigil spread his arms wide toward the churning sky and shouted:
"My children, I have brought a feast."
And Vigil was the Earl of Rooks.