Mark of the Fool

Chapter 635: A Parent

Merzhins despair had quietened.

The choir was silent.

Stillness hung heavy in the dead gods throne room as hardly a breath was heard.

More secrets? the Saint suddenly cried, shattering the silence. More hidden truths! More lies! Were you ever planning to share this information with me?Were you?

Oi, bloody use your damned noggin, Merzhin. Cedric shot him a fierce look. What dya think we coulda done? Bloody walked up tya, an said, Oi. Merzhin, we just talked tAenflynn an e went on wid some weird shite about a chair an the end o the world or somethin, so we guess Uldars dead? That dont make no sense!

II suppose youre rightbut the Saint backed down, his shoulders sagging as he looked at Uldars corpse.

Silence.

And then

Socan I eat that? Grimloch asked.

No! Everyone yelled.

Fine. No need to shout, the sharkman growled, licking his lips while staring at the dead god.

Carey looked at him for a long moment, before her image flickered. Ughthe pull is getting stronger.

Then wed better start looking around. Thundar nodded toward the left of the throne room. Look, theres a doorway over there. We might wanna check this place out.

No, not yet. Carey floated toward the doorway. Listen, theres a chance thatwhatever She threw an uncomfortable look at the throne. ...killed Uldar is still in here. Let me have a look around. You all stay here until I tell you its safe. Understand?

The look she gave them was that of a stern school teacher. And no rushing in this time like all your good sense is gone, alright?

Sheepish looks passed between everyone there.

Alright, Alex said. Be safe.

Im already dead, Alex, she said, throwing another glance at Uldars corpse. A bitter look crossed her face. I dont have much more to worry about. Let me do this.

Bebe careful, Merzhin said slowly.

I will, came her soft reply.

Then she was gone, floating across the throne room and through the doorway.

The light emanating from her spirit faded down the passage.

Silence returned to the chamber.

An uncomfortable silence.

Once again, all eyes fell on Uldars corpse.

Should weexamine it? Isolde asked. I do not know what to do.

I say we wait for Baelin, Watcher Hill said, her eyes darting around. Miss London is right: if whatever killed a god is still around here, then wed be better off having the chancellor here to help us.

We cannot leave this place unguarded, Prince Khalik reminded her. If this hidden church comes to reclaim it, then suppose they find something they shouldnt?

Maybe finding this place and Uldar will break their backs, Thundar suggested. Take the fight out of em: finding out your gods dead is a hell of a thing. I didnt even worship him and my knees get kinda shaky every time I look at that thing. He nodded to Uldars body.

Excuse me, but that thing, Merzhin said, with heat. Is my god. He is the god of Thameland!

He was the god of Thameland, Drestra corrected him.

There was a surge of magic, and the dragon began to shrink. Scales faded, turning to flesh. Her snout contracted,and her horns vanished beneath a mop of dark hair.

Soon, she was back to her human form, draconic eyes still fixed on the throne. Hes just a body now. Nothing more.

Do not say that, Merzhin pleaded.

Shes right, Hart rumbled, his large eyes tracing the path of ichor. Look, whether or not Uldar wanted to help or harm usis kinda pointless now. Hes dead. Gone. Hes not going to attack us, but hes not going to make our lives easier either. He was the god of Thameland, Merzhin. But now?

The Champion grimaced. Were on our ownor maybe not. Maybe the Travellers going to help us.

You dont need a god to help you, Watcher Hill said. Through magic, study and force of arms, Generasi has kept itself free and independent.

Aye, but this aint Generasi, Cedric said. We aint got no endless army o wizards an fancy magics tfend off He looked at Uldars remains. ...any god killers. A bloody god would be nice. Right about now. An if the Travellers gettin tbe a goddess? Then we should give er som help gettin there. We need somethin. Anythin.

The Chosen eased his body onto the floor, groaning as though he was five times his age. My heads spinnin wit so many bloody thoughts I cant even hear mself think right now.

Hearthats it, hear! Merzhin suddenly cried, looking around excitedly. In Uldars name: we heard his voice! We all heard it! Perhaps his spirit is still in these halls! Maybe we can reach him with enough faith ororsome trick of wizardry! Perhaps he can still hear us!

As Alex watched Merzhin, pity stabbed at his core.

The young waiflikeman looked so lost. So confused. Like a child whod lost his parents, his anchor. In some ways, he reminded Alex of that little boy whose parents had been guiding his life, then suddenly and tragically gone, leaving him without his anchor.

He swallowed, looking at Uldars throne.

In a way, all of Thameland was now like him and Selina; children whod lost their anchor. Thankfully, for him, he and Selina had Mr. and Mrs. Lu to turn to, their kindness had meant they could thrive until Alex was old enough, and strong enough to face the world on his own.

It was just another way Thameland was like his little sister and himself; people of the realm also had a Mr. and Mrs. Lu in the form of: Hannah Kim, the Traveller. If she was given enough power, then she could protect the land that she loved until the Thameish were strong enough to stand on their own.

And they would need her.

Alex remembered something hed been worried about a while ago: back when he and his companions were first considering that Uldar could be behind the Ravener, hed wondered if a truth with such great significance could ever be revealed to the citizens of Thameland. After all, the church was thebackbone of the realm.

It was herguardian.

Her teachers.

Scholars.

In many ways, her warriors.

People from the church tended to folk in times of sickness, they healed the injured and fed the hungry. Their monasteries and convents received the orphaned. Their preachers counselled the uncertain.

Alex couldntin all honestysay that the church hadnt greatly benefited Thameland; if it werent for them, he and nearly everyone else would probably be illiterate, and have no knowledge of the world beyond a days ride from Alric.

Folk across the realm, from sea to sea, had been blessed by the churchs efforts. At the time, hed thought long and hard about the fate of his people if the church was to fall. It looked bleak.

And that was when he was only thinking that Uldars biggest crime was acting like something of a bastard to everyone who worshipped him.

But now, he knew different.

Now he knew that things were far worse than his worst nightmare.

Now he knew that the god wasnt just ignoring them, or just being evil, now he knewhe could see it with his own two eyesthat he was actually dead.

What was going to happen when the realmand every priest within itlearned that theyd spent untold years praying to a dead god?

Therell be chaos, Alex thought. Despair. Infighting. Revolution. The royal family rules by divine right: a line of kings and queens empowered to rule by laws that Uldar dictated. With him dead, is there anything stopping a random duchess from claiming that she has more merit to rule? Hells, she could even be rightbut the amount of blood that would be shed

The cold hand of fear gripped Alexs spine as the full gravity of Uldars death hit him. Merzhin was just the beginning; how many more would become lost, just like him?

Would the land collapse as the church crumbled?

Those dire possibilities meant Alex and his companions had a major decision to make.

Do we tell anyone? he wondered. Do we keep this information to ourselves? Allow things to continue as they are foreverwe cant, butdo we tell folk eventually? Give them time? Is this even our secret to keep? Maybe Thameland would be fine without the churchor with a new one.

As indecision tore at him, Merzhin continued calling out for Uldar.

Andwith a deep sighhe knew he had to share what he was thinking. First, he opened his mana senses: whenever theyd heard Uldars voice, hed felt a surge of mana.

He suspected that

Ah.

Alex spotted a large glyph carved into the ceiling.

There it was; his confirmation.

UhmMerzhin he said slowly. I think when we heard Uldars voice, we were only hearing a recording. I think his voice was infused into a magical device. He pointed to the ceiling. See that? Thats a glyph for sound projection. Claygons voice box uses very similar magic.

As the young Thameish wizard cast flight magic on himself, the Saint fell silent. A pleading look in his eyes.

Sound projection? he murmured, sounding as though he was partially dreaming.

Yeah. Alex floated to the glyph.

Yes. Claygons metal face turned to the ceiling. It feelsfamiliar. Itfeels likeme.

It does, Alex said, pressing his hand to the ceiling.

Careful! Watcher Hill called out.

Ill be alright, he assured her, passing his mana into the glyph. Yeah, its what I thought, sound projection magi

His voice trailed off.

Alex! Theresa cried. Are you alright?

Yeah, its just he whistled. If Uldar made this, he must have been one incredible alchemist. The inner workings in this thingare so beautifully crafted, its actually like a work of art. Its rare for an alchemist to see magical items as gracefully made as this, I think itd even impress Professor Jules, or even Toraka Shale. This glyphs quite the masterpiece! Anyway, sorry, Im losing the point.

He passed his mana into the wondrous inner workings of the glyph. As he felt through its magic, he found the section that would activate sound projectionbut there was something else.

Something deeper.

Much deeper.

Sharpening his mana senses so thoroughly over time had helped him notice subtlety in the device. He could examine that in detail later.

For now

He activated the glyph.

Mana surged again, and

Welcome, children, a kindly voice called from the glyph. You must have many things to ask of me. Your guidance awaits. Come, see me.

It was the same voice that had beckoned them into the throne room.

Merzhin winced as though someone had physically struck him. Thatit cant bethats it? All my life I have served Uldar dutifully. With everything Ive ever had. All the lessons Ive learned. Everything Ive tried to embodyand it all leads to this?

He pointed at the glyph and the corpse of Uldar. A recorded voice in a magic trick and a dead body? Thats all?

He whimpered, hugging himself, his fingers digging into his arms. Everything for nothing. Everything for nothing. Everything for nothing. The young man began to sob, shaking like a leaf. Everythingfor nothing

Cedric looked up at Alex, something passed between them.

The Fool nodded.

And the Chosen turned to the Saint.

Look, Cedric said gently, moving toward Merzhin. I know this is hard fer ya

You know? the Saint looked at him in horror. Holy ChCedric. You do not understand. My whole life was a lie. All the times Ive wondered why Uldar has not given me guidancewas because he was dead! What have I been doing?

Salright, Cedric sighed. Slike yhad the rug pulled ou

No. Cedric, its not alright. It is not. I followed Eldin into this valley because I thought it was Uldars will, Merzhins voice wavered. I followed him because I thought it was what Uldar wished! I let him take Carey because I thought it was in Uldars plan! And for what? Cedric, I let Carey die because I was following the whim of a corpseor of nothing! I might as well have killed her myself!

His sobs grew louder. In one dayI lost my god and what might be my only friend. I

Suddenly, Cedric hugged him. Its okay. Its okay. Let er out.

Whatre you doing? Merzhin shook, heartbroken.

Grandda used tdo this for me when I was a lad, an I was tearin up. Let it out. Therere days when you gots tbe hard. But right now? No.

Y-youre treating me like a child, the Saint whimpered.

Aye, Cedric said. Today, were all wee. An we just lost our da. Dont matter who e was, its still gonna put us in our feelins. Let the tears flow while ycan. We wont have time fer em later.

And Merzhinafter a long momentdid let them flow. He hugged the Chosen back, continuing to cry like a heartsick child. What do we do? he whispered. What do we do?

You need to explore this place, Careys soul floated from the doorway.

Her image was fading, delicate like gossamer. Her voice, faint. Her form flickering.

Theres no danger here, from what I could tellbut I cant go with you any further, she said. As much as I would like to give more, and see what you seefor now, I have to go.

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