And then there was The Voice.
Waytan Blucardain had been a simple priest back when Kaytlin had been a very young girl and given the honor of becoming a Seeker. He had been a shoulder to cry on when her trainers had beaten her down, time and again, someone she could tell her secrets too without fearing judgment. But during her last year of training, The Voice at the time had passed and Waytan had been placed in the highest position possible in the church by Alistar himself. Kaytlin's shoulder had disappeared behind a fate much grander than either of them could have imagined.
But now, he too, was blinded by fear.
Fear of failure.
He watched as those underneath him failed and was too fearful to act. Too afraid to disrupt the “peace” their realm was enjoying. The fact that he would refuse to even consider that something as dangerous as a new Plaguebringer was walking the land spoke of his complacency. If this man was a Plaguebringer . . . if they let him grow in power . . .
Kaytlin shook the dark thoughts from her head as she walked through the temple. There was nothing she could do but trust that Holy Alistar would lead The Voice down the proper path and point her towards her enemies. For now, she needed to go someplace to clear her head and bring at least some measure of happiness. Stopping off at her room only long enough to don her armor, Kaytlin headed towards the main entrance of the temple.
She was going to visit Sister Reilane, one of the few people who knew her as a child. One of the few who knew her before she became a Seeker.
Chapter 17
Sister Reilane ran four separate food houses in Lurthalan, distributing food and the occasional night's sleep to those that couldn't even find a place to live in the slums of Fisher's Row. When Kaytlin had first wandered into Lurthalan as a child, orphaned and starving, Sister Reilane had been the only person not to avert her gaze. Reilane had taken her in, cleaned and fed her, and most importantly, had introduced her to Olleander. Olleander who protected her like a sister and argued with a god to make sure she was given the same opportunity to become a Seeker.
That brought a smile to Kaytlin's face. She missed her “brother” and would have loved to sit and have a few drinks with him. But spending time with Sister Reilane would calm her nerves just as well as a few cups of ale.
Kaytlin left the temple grounds, past the various gardens lining the path to the main road, and made her way to Melcoi bridge. The site of the massive structure, its large stone blocks spanning across the river, always made her respect what skilled Elementalists could do. At this point of the day, the bridge was packed with people crossing from one side to the other. Most moved out of her way as she strolled across, but the occasional citizen bore down on Kaytlin with anger in his or her eyes. Never breaking stride, all Kaytlin would do was narrow her eyes at the person and eventually they would step to the side.
By the seventh time it happened, she couldn't help but let a sigh escape her lips. Too many people saw the Seekers in the wrong light. Kaytlin couldn't fathom why those that despised her, Olleander, and EliZane didn't understand how important their work was to protect everyone in the realm. A small amount of disgruntlement was understandable, especially if it came from the family member of someone they had to put down because the person was corrupted by the energy of the Abyss. Most rarely showed signs of the corruption by the time the Seekers found them, so it was natural that family members would be in denial of their danger. But too many people hated or feared the Seekers just because of the power they held and hard decisions they were forced to make. It made no sense to her why they would hold such animosity for her group.
Not all held her group with disdain. The occasional citizen did bow their heads slightly in respect as she moved across the bridge. A few even went as far as to drop to a knee and offer up praise. Kaytlin would always offer them a small smile or a gentle touch on the shoulder to show her appreciation. For the most part, though, the majority of people she passed avoided looking at her completely.
Passing the shipyard on her right, Kaytlin followed the road to the main crossing then moved into Fisher's Row. A dense collection of pieced together shacks and other small dwellings placed randomly in the area, Fisher's Row was like a wall of poverty separating the docks to the north and the Merchant's Circle to the south. A majority of the citizens lived in this section of the city, if you could call pieces of metal, wood, and cloth thrown together a home. Most were barely enough to provide the most basic protection from the elements.
The only saving grace that kept the area from becoming a den of thieves, vultures, and murderers was the aid provided by Sister Reilane and the food houses she ran. In the walls of each, Reilane and the few other priests and priestesses of Alistar that volunteered, dished out morals and instilled generosity in those they served just as much as the warm broth to their bellies. Many of those still shied away from the worship of Alistar, but the people of Fisher's Row looked out for each other, and Sister Reilane saw that as a victory in and of itself.
The main food house sat just inside Fisher's Row. Two stories tall, its stone walls and tiled roof shot out of the center of the ramshackle homes like a flower amongst weeds, stretching to reach the warmth of the sun. Windows covered most of the walls of the first and second floor, and a simple sign with Alistar's sigil sat just to the right of the main entrance. It only took Kaytlin a few moments to navigate the maze of shacks and reach the door. A few people were already gathered outside, their disheveled and dirty clothes hanging from their thin bodies, as they waited for the first offering of free meals. They moved out of her way as she opened the door and went inside.
The main hall of the food house was a wide, open space filled with long benches and tables. A double set of doors in the back led to the kitchen, where volunteers would be hard at work at the moment preparing warm meals for those that needed the assistance. Three robed priests and two other volunteers moved about the room, performing any last second chores that needed to be done before they allowed the people in. And of course, moving amongst all of them and giving orders was Sister Reilane.
A woman in her late sixties, Sister Reilane was as energetic as any woman a quarter of her age. Not a single wrinkle touched her porcelain skin, and her emerald-colored eyes were always filled with compassion. She wore a simple white robe with the golden sigil of Alistar on its breast that constantly caught the sunlight streaming through the windows. Her sandals padded away on the wooden floor as she bustled about the room. When she caught sight of Kaytlin standing just inside the doorway, a smile lit up her face and she hurried over.
"My dear Kay, it’s been too long."
"I know," Kaytlin replied, taking the woman in a warm embrace. She winced slightly as a twang of pain reverberated in her injured shoulder. "My duties have had me traveling a great deal recently."
"Keeping safe, I hope?" Reilane took a step back and gave Kay a look over. "I felt that winch as I hugged you and I know my arms are not strong enough to cause that on their own."
"As safe as I can. Injuries come with what I do."
"Indeed they do, indeed they do . . . Well, you are here in mostly good health. Come, have a seat with me so we can catch up. We have some time before we provide food to those in need."
Kaytlin followed as Reilane moved to one of the tables and took a seat on the bench. She took a seat beside the priestess and looked around.
"Only five people helping you today? A much smaller number than the dozen or so I am accustomed to seeing when I visit."
"Yes. Sadly the temple can only provide two priests to help each day at the moment, and the volunteers from the community seem to be dwindling. People seem less inclined to help out when the only reward is the good feeling that comes with helping those in need. Times are difficult for everyone, and it’s hard to convince someone to come in during the day to help when they could be out working hard to earn money for their families."
"And what excuse do the more wealthy of the city give you for not providing aid?"
Reilane let out a laugh. "Oh, child. You assume the rich would spend their time receiving me. The only Hawkpurses I see now are that poor Ciantar family, if they can still be called Hawkpurses. Sad story there, to lose everything your family has had for generations."
"Wealth comes and goes for many people. I can't find myself feeling sorry for a family that worshipped the coin and an overindulgent god when hard times befall them."
"Careful. Drenks might not be our deity, but he is a deity. Best not to offend. And the Ciantar were a good family. They didn't make donations in wealth to our food houses but their farms did provide a steady supply of food at lower costs than anyone else would offer us. With their downfall and the other houses bickering over who should own those farms, we've struggled to find places to purchase the food we need here without spending what little budget we have."
"You know that I can offer a larger percentage of my wages towards--"
"No, no, no. You and the portions we receive from temple collections provide enough as it is. I don't want you giving me all of your money and then having you with only a few coins to rub together as you traipse about the realm. If you are to continue going about serving Alistar in this way, I would feel much better knowing you could afford a good room and a nice meal wherever you find yourself."
"Comfort is of little concern to us, but I will treat myself better if that is what you want. I would feel better if EliZane started to contribute as well instead of hoarding all that he is paid."
"EliZane . . . is different from you and Olleander. He has always held in a great deal of anger towards the world for what happened to his family."
"A similar thing to what happened to both mine and Olleander's families as well."
"True, but he came from a very wealthy family where as you and Olleander came from simpler lives. I believe that he misses the life he used to live and the things he could afford. That regret has turned him bitter inside. I've seen it countless times amongst those I help."
"But he serves a higher calling now than the sad pursuit of money and possessions."
"That is how you and Olleander see it, child." Reilane shook her head. "I believe for EliZane, it has always been more about the power he has regained than the mission itself."
They grew silent for a moment, both lost in thought. Everything Reilane said about EliZane had been a reflection of what Kaytlin had grown to believe over the years. That did not make it any easier to hear from someone else's lips though. The fact that Olleander was blind to his friend’s true motives made everything doubly frustrating.
"But enough talk about sad things. Tell me how you have been. It’s been over a season since I've seen you, and I'm sure you've been all over during that time."
"Not very far. I spent some time in west Rensen woods with Olleander and EliZane hunting Scars, then we split up. Olleander went north to see if he could discover what caused the death of the Ciantar patriarch and the downfall of his family. EliZane went east to cross the Melcoi and investigate rumors about a cult of Nexmortis hiding out in the woods. I went west to Halyquain on what ended up being a wild goose chase, then headed down to Rensen to investigate a possible Scar . . . "
"And this is how you injured yourself? Fighting monsters of the Abyss?"
"Partially. I faced a Yulari, a dark creature that--"
"You let a Yulari harm you?" a voice boomed from the entrance. "Were you blindfolded at the time?"
Olleander ducked as he entered through the door, his white armor gleaming in the daylight. Striding up to their table, Kaytlin had to strain her neck to look up at his square chin and deep-set eyes. His usually stern face did hold a smile, a rare sight on her oldest friend.
"I wish I was blindfolded now," she said, trying to keep a straight face. "Whenever we are in here, the light from all of the windows shines off your shaved head like a beacon."
He let out a laugh and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "That it does. We can't all have beautiful hair like you and Sister Reilane."
"Flatterer," Reilane said. She rose and wrapped Olleander’s muscular chest in a motherly hug. "I am truly blessed that two of my favorite children have come back for a surprise visit on the same day."
"Alistar guides us," Kaytlin said, rising as well. "To both seek out the dangers of the world and into the company of those we love. Did you enjoy your trip to the north?"
"Bah. Wethrintir is nothing but a haven of thieves, bullies, and murderers. Those that live on the main street, the only halfway decent folk, are too afraid to say the wrong thing. The trip was a complete waste of time."
"Sorry to hear that."
"Thank you. But before I interrupted you, it sounded like you had quite the time down in Rensen."
"Yes."
Olleander looked at her expectantly.
"A Yulari got the better of me."
"If a Yulari got the better of you, you wouldn't be here."
"She wasn't alone, a magic user helped her. I'm not sure, but . . . I think he made her spare me."
"Are you sure? A Yulari can seduce and control a dozen humans at a time–"
"I know this."
"Why are you being so tight-lipped? What else is it?"
"The Voice told me not to speak of it."
"The Voice . . . " Olleandar shook his head. "The Seekers are above the Voice in some regards--"
"The Voice speaks for Alistar himself--"
"The Voice speaks for Alistar on occasion but also speaks for himself. Was Alistar there when Waytan told you not to speak of whatever secret you keep?"
"No."
"Then his words were just the words of an old man. A respected old man, but still just a man. Tell me what is bothering you."
Letting out a sigh, Kaytlin turned to Reilane. "Would you excuse us a moment."
"Of course, of course. Plenty for me to do without having to hear about Seeker business. Just promise me that when you are done, you will stay a bit longer and we can talk of happier things. All three of us."
"Agreed," Kaytlin said with a smile. "I would like that as well."
"Well then, if you will excuse me."
Sister Reilane gave them both a kiss on the cheek before returning to her duties.
"Alright," Olleander said. "Now tell me."
“I was ordered not to speak of it.”
“The Voice speaks for Alistar, but that does not always mean his words come from our god. He’s just a man, vulnerable to his own desires and fears. We follow the directions of The Voice but we must always do what Alistar would desire above all else. He may speak for Alistar but do not forget that I was chosen to lead our holy mission by Alistar as well. Any possible threat to us, even if it turns out to be a false one, cannot be ignored.”
Kaytlin gave the slightest of nods.
“You must do what you think is best, Kaytlin. You know I trust you.”
And she trusted Olleander. On a personal level, she trusted him a great deal more than anyone else in the world. But to go against The Voice was no easy decision either. When it came down to it, she had to trust her gut and hope that in some way, Alistar was guiding her. And in the end, her gut told her that the man she faced was more of a threat to their land than The Voice realized.
"The young man's magic, the one with the Yulari . . . my amulet reacted to it. I believe it came from the Abyss."
"I see."
"Olleander, do you remember a few seasons ago . . . when we closed that Scar in Rensen woods?"
"When EliZane went after those three young people and came back with a Crux on his heels? Of course, that was the one and only time we've ever seen a Crux. The beast beat you and EliZane badly and broke my arm before we could bring it down. Not something one forgets."
"EliZane said when he confronted one of those he chased after, the young man had magic that reacted with his amulet in such a way that it tossed him through the woods. Olleander, when this man's magic tried to touch me, the reaction almost took down the front of an inn."
"That and more. His magic is connected to the Abyss. The two times one of us has come across him, we've had to face off against a creature from the Abyss . . . "
"Kaytlin, you can't possibly be saying--"
"Yes I am. And The Voice had the same reaction as you."
"Well, you can understand my skepticism. A new Plaguebringer. It’s been almost two hundred years and the people still whisper about him in the darkness. We have the Deadlands as a constant reminder of the horrible things he brought. EliZane, you, and I travel around cleaning up any Scars that creatures from the Abyss can use to escape into our world. This realm is just barely starting to recover from the Plaguebringer’s influence on it. For another to have come so soon, if it is even possible, it’s not something to claim based on a few encounters."
"Which is more or less what The Voice told me before ordering me not to speak of my fears again."
"And we have no need to speak of it."
"But Dee--"
"No need to discuss it . . . "–he gave her a small grin–"until after we have investigated it further."
"Do not joke with me."
"Never about something like this." The small smile disappeared. "The threat of a Plaguebringer is not something that should be brushed off as idle rumor. We will continue our duty, destroy anything that escapes out of the Abyss. But now, when our duty does not require our immediate attention, we will hunt down this man that has sway over monsters. If he turns out to be the pawn of some creature, we will free him from this life. On the other hand, if he truly is a Plaguebringer, we will erase him from existence before he can make any impact on the realm."
Enemies and Allies (Bound to the Abyss Book 3) Page 14
