Gnothi Se Auton
-Act I-
The Trine Prophecy
A Final Fantasy IV Story
By SpacemanSpiff
Chapter XVII
Kain's Confession
Scene – Mysidia Village
The burning white light of the sun clawed at his eyes, as though it were reaching into him effortlessly. It didn't matter that he tilted his head down, watching the ground move beneath his feet as he walked with purpose yet with no destination. The light still burned, reflecting off of every surface except the back of his eyelids. But closing his eyes only brought his focus to the voices echoing between his temples, as though his head was a vast cavern from which he could find no escape. No matter how hard he tried, he could not bring the same clarity to the message he had received before, instead only hearing a cacophony of too many sounds coming from too many directions.
Worse still, images flashed through his mind that he could not ignore. Images of brutal torture and scarring pain that taunted him, reminding him of the chips that had been chiseled from his soul, the pieces scattered just out of reach. He had worked so hard to steel himself against these intrusive emotions, but in a matter of days they had worked themselves back into the frenzy from which he had been desperately trying to escape for years. The brief connection that he had shared with Matoya was like a spark landing on kindling, and the voice of his former master rose with a crescendo, twisting discordantly with the chorus in his head, clouding the message he had received from the light on Mount Ordeals.
All he knew was that he needed to get away. He was all too familiar with the feeling coursing through him, and it caused a swell of pain in his stomach that sent him stumbling towards the nearest building, leaning heavily against it as he shut his eyes tight. His shaking hands gripped the armor around his waist, as though he wanted to tear his body apart. His breathing was deep and quivering, as though he was trying to release the pressure that had built up inside with every exhale. He eventually succeeded in swallowing his emotions as the mental thunderhead began to subside, but not before freeing a few tears upon his cheeks.
"You must not let him get to you."
Kain's eyes shot open and he turned quickly toward the familiar voice. Leaning against the wall of the building across the dusty side-street, Erasmus tapped his staff with mild irritation, his face filled with a mix of concern and frustration. Kain blinked hard, as though he was trying to shake off a delusion, but the bearded man in white robes remained, the sun reflecting brightly off his gold-rimmed, half-moon spectacles.
"What?" Kain asked irritably as he straightened up slowly, still keeping a hand on the wall to steady himself. He was in no mood to be toyed with, and he felt drained and weak. "What are you talking about, old man?"
"You know exactly what I'm talking about, boy!" Erasmus shot back as he pushed himself off the wall, walking boldly towards the azure knight. Kain felt the cold seep into his bones once again, just as it had atop the mountain, as the old sage thrust the staff against his chest. The force barely registered through his armor, but Kain still felt paralyzed, frozen in place. "If you cannot overcome this, then you will fail, and if you fail then this world will cease to exist. Is that simple enough for you?"
Kain didn't dare to move. He didn't even speak. He simply stared into the eyes of truth and certainty. There was no use in covering up what was so exposed, and it made him realize that he would have to find some way to deal with his demons sooner rather than later. The challenge was inspiring, but it also left some nagging concern that he would not be able to hide from this anymore. Erasmus seemed to read all of this in the dragon knight's eyes, and the old man relaxed his posture, letting the butt of his staff rest on the dirt once again. Kain was surprised when the other hand was lifted with an offering of a full flask of whiskey.
"Here…this one's on me," the sage spirit spoke with a warmer tone, followed by a sly grin. "It'll help take your mind off of things."
Kain took the flask, watched the golden-brown liquid swirl inside the glass for a moment before yanking the cork and taking a generous swig. It had been a useful substance not only for keeping him warm in the frigid climate of Mount Ordeals, but also for dulling the underlying venom that flowed through his veins. The burn was like a purification, the intoxication of alcohol in his blood his only weapon against the parasitic presence that resided there. He closed his eyes as he bit back the urge to cough, releasing his lips from the bottle. When he opened his eyes again, the old man was gone, just a swirl of dust that spun aimlessly down the path.
"Erasmus?" Kain called as he placed the cork in the flask. He received no answer, and he saw no sign of the spirit. He placed the flask in his pouch before realizing that it was the same one he had always had with him. Somehow the old man had pilfered it and refilled it without him knowing. This didn't concern him nearly as much as realizing that the voices were gone, and his head felt clear. This brought him some comfort, but he started to wonder if Erasmus was somehow connected to the voices, or if he had some ability to control the whispers in his head.
The thought was unsettling, to say the least. Kain took another moment to observe his surroundings, to ensure that Erasmus was not still lurking somewhere nearby. He found no trace of the old man. The faint hint of whiskey on his lips tempted him to reach into his pouch once more, but he brushed the urge aside and began walking. This time he had a destination in mind.
It had been years since Kain last spent any appreciable time with the Elder of Mysidia. When he first came to the village after the war, he was a broken man, feeling as though the Earth was not a place he deserved to walk upon. It didn't matter that he had helped to save the planet from an unimaginable evil. He had been a part of that evil. He had turned against this world, forsaken it for the hollow promise of insurmountable power and the chance to crush the heart of his envy. After the war he wanted only to bury the past, even if that meant burying his future along with the hatred of what his life had become.
The day that he first set foot in Mysidia, he went to the Elder solely to ask for the details of Cecil's journey on Mount Ordeals. He had not planned to divulge any information about his own purposes in traveling there, but the Elder was able to see through his façade quickly. The conversation was brief, as Kain was unwilling to admit to the Elder's assertions that he was desperately seeking something that he could not find alone. They parted on less than good terms, but Kain knew that the Elder was a forgiving man. After all of his struggles these past two years, he realized that the Elder was right all along, and a debt of respect was owed for his wisdom and foresight.
He shook off whatever weakness he had felt before as he made his way into the Mysidian Abbey, walking past mages of black and white that studied him carefully as he passed. He made his way through the sandstone archways, their shadows crawling over his impressive frame before he entered a sunlit courtyard, where a solitary white mage knelt in silent prayer before a statue. Something within him caused him to stop for a moment, just to watch her, the purity of her immaculately clean robes a striking juxtaposition to the ebony obelisk to which she was paying her respect. Upon further observation, Kain noticed that despite the midday sun raining strong upon the black stone, it cast neither reflection nor shadow, as though it was simply absorbing the light. This confounded him, but he could only assume that it was some type of magical illusion.
"It is called libratic aurum," the Elder's voice broke the dragon knight's focus. Kain turned to see the man approaching calmly, two mages at his side. The Elder whispered some instructions to them and they continued making their way out of the Abbey, presumably running some errand for the magister.
"I'm sorry?" Kain responded as the Elder came to stand next to him, turning his gaze to the statue with the mage bowing before it.
"The stone from which that totem was crafted," the Elder responded, his humble voice neither joyful nor sad. Something was on his mind, but Kain was not ready to inquire. "I assume what distracted you most about it was that it casts no glare in broad daylight. It is no magical parlor trick, I assure you, but rather a property of the stone itself."
"So then this ore actually absorbs light?" Kain asked.
"Yes," the Elder responded, letting out a brief smile. "That is the true significance of this monument. The figure itself lost its name and importance long ago, but what it stands for is everlasting. It represents the balance of light and dark."
"How so? It seems only to exist in perpetual darkness," Kain queried respectfully.
"Indeed, in the light of day it will remain as black as the deepest crevasse," the Elder began to explain, watching one of his faithful finally stand from her prayer and shuffle off towards one of the many studies that lined the arched perimeter hallway. The Elder then turned to look at the conflicted man beside him. "But in the darkness of night, the stone will radiate the light that it has collected, and it will appear as white as fresh snow. In this way, we are reminded that no light is ever absolutely free of darkness, just as no darkness is so strong that it cannot be overcome when given enough light. There is a sacred balance that must exist in order for life to persist."
"That is…interesting," Kain responded, still observing the statue with curious wonder. He had never heard of such a stone, but then again he rarely entered the Mysidian Abbey, and when he did he had never cared to learn more about it. This seemingly insignificant realization caused his brow to crease involuntarily, and it was a gesture not lost on the Elder of Mysidia.
"I presume that you did not come here to speak of ores and theology?" the Elder pried gently, to which Kain finally turned to face him.
"No…not today," Kain replied. "I have things that I need to tell you. And I…need your help."
"I understand," the Elder nodded before extending his hand towards the heart of the Abbey, where the Tower of Prayers extended into the sky like an earthen hand. "We may speak privately in my quarters, if you wish."
Kain simply nodded his approval, and the two began the journey down one of the arched hallways in silence. They entered the main foyer through humble, wooden double doors, and Kain took in the smell of incense burning from several altars giving praise to gods he did not believe in, felt the heat of the candles radiating against his cheeks giving him warmth that he felt he didn't deserve. He didn't bother looking down the hallways that led to libraries and study chambers for those mages reaching their highest levels of practiced magics. He kept his eyes forward, as they ascended the stairs to the Great Crystal Chamber, pushing against an ornate golden door that gave way to cold reflections from every surface.
His eyes couldn't help but perform a cursory glance around the chamber, every surface of carved crystal shimmering like a cavern of ice, the crystalline pillars like magnificent icicles piercing the floors. Its layout was nearly identical to the one in the palace of Fabul, the only other crystal chamber he had visited in the upperworld. A memory flashed through his mind: warm light pulsing between his fingers, the heart of a nation beating in his hand, the ice in his veins when he hears her scream. He did well to hide his anxiety, as he kept his pace with the Elder, showing no concern on his face as he strode by the empty podium where the crystal of water had once been perched. He wondered if Cecil still felt something like this whenever he set foot within this chamber.
After passing through another set of gold doors they found themselves at the foot of the spiral staircase leading up to the top of the tower. A wooden door beckoned them off to the side, and the Elder guided the dragon knight into his private study, the door opening on its own as it sensed their presence. Kain's eyes widened slightly as he took in the dimly lit corridor lined with bookshelves that ended in a small circular room. A table with a candelabra and two chairs awaited them with a haunting warmth.
"Would you care to take a seat?" the Elder asked kindly, gesturing with his hand towards one of the chairs. It pulled itself out from the table on its own.
"I would prefer to stand, actually," Kain responded, a bit wary of any furniture imbued with magical enchantments.
"As you wish," the Elder conceded promptly as he took his own seat on the other side of the table. His wise old eyes studied the knight as the dragon helm was removed and tucked under the left arm, the deep blue eyes now clearly visible. In them the Elder saw desperation. "How can I help you?"
"I…" Kain began before realizing that he had not prepared for this in the least. He had not planned any strategy for engaging this conversation, and he immediately felt lost. "I don't know exactly where to begin."
"Perhaps we should start with your experiences on Mount Ordeals," the Elder suggested, watching the man before him carefully for his reaction. "When last we spoke you had mentioned that the Light had reached out to you with guidance. Can you tell me what happened there?"
"Yes, but before I tell you there is something you should know."
"What is it?" the Elder asked with concerned interest.
Kain took a moment of introspective silence as he weighed the truth that he wasn't sure he should release. Tensions between the Mysidians and the apostates dredging up the Magi tenets were clearly something of concern after the altercation in the forest, but Kain was not here to swirl up a political and philosophical maelstrom. His concerns over Erasmus and his intentions were what propelled him into this meeting, and he wanted answers from the only person he thought could provide them.
"I spoke with one of the Magi on the mountain," Kain confessed, not confident in the least that he could foresee where this might lead the conversation. The Elder's widening eyes gave Kain a few clues.
"You…you spoke with one of the Magi?" the Elder barely passed the question through his bumbling lips. "Are you sure? The Magi have been extinct from this world for 500 years."
"Do you remember the story you told me in the forest?" Kain gave the Elder a hint. "The one about the Magi who burned at that pillar?"
"Erasmus the Wise…he succeeded?" the Elder whispered, now leaning over the table on his elbows, his fingers intertwined. He was intent on absorbing all that Kain would tell him. "Please tell me what he said to you."
"He…helped me see that my isolation on Mount Ordeals was no longer necessary…that I was needed here to help Cecil prepare to fight a new enemy, one that threatens the world once more," Kain explained. "At first I wanted to trust him, to believe in him, but now…he has come to me twice since then, and each time it is as though he was reaching into my mind and…" Kain stopped as he shook his head, placing his hand upon his temple. "It makes me wonder if I am truly thinking for myself."
"That is understandable, considering your experiences during the war," said the Elder.
"Do you think he is manipulating me?" Kain asked, staring intensely across the small room at the magister's weathered face.
"That you are standing before me, able to ask that question is reason enough for me to suspect that is not the case," the Elder answered considerately. Kain's eyes softened a bit upon hearing the words. The dragon knight still did not seem fully convinced.
"You'll understand if I remain skeptical," said Kain. "I do not always feel as though I have fully regained control of my mind from Golbez, even now. I still…hear him…feel him."
"You hear his voice still to this day?" asked the Elder.
"Yes, and I worry that Erasmus may find some way to…" Kain couldn't even finish the thought, it repulsed and angered him to the point that he closed his eyes to push the swell of emotion back down.
"If you are asking whether or not he uses the same dark magic to which you were once exposed, then I am inclined to say no," the Elder responded. Kain opened his eyes again, brightened slightly by the words. "Our records do not indicate that mind control magic was ever discovered by any Magi. It is considered one of the forbidden magics, along with Meteo, Ultima, and Trine, and as such it is incredibly rare for any mage to obtain it, much less possess the magical will to properly cast it. Historically, the secrets of these spells have only been obtained by blessings from the Light in times of need, and until the war they had not been unsealed for a thousand years. Golbez only possessed that power due to his Lunarian blood, which the Magi do not share."
"That is more convincing," Kain responded, feeling the tension in his jaw relax as his anxiety cooled down.
"But if what you tell me is true, then Erasmus has immortalized himself as a spirit being," the Elder continued carefully, not wanting to give Kain much more to worry about. "This would give him ample time to access the shrine and subsequently learn the secrets of these spells."
"He may have succeeded in becoming immortal, but he did not succeed in entering the shrine," Kain replied confidently, to which the Elder looked both shocked and somewhat pleased.
"So the Light denied him?" the Elder whispered as he leaned against the back of his chair, stroking his beard with reserved delight. "He told you this?"
"Yes," Kain replied stoically, folding his arms across his chest, not wishing to show favor to any one religious philosophy.
"That is interesting," the Elder said as the candles flickered. "If that is true, then I do not believe he can manipulate you the same way that Golbez did, but that does not mean he is not still trying to manipulate you in other ways. You mentioned that he convinced you to seek Cecil's aid in addressing a new threat to the world. What exactly did he say to you?"
"He did not provide specifics," Kain replied. "He said that I would find out on my own in time, but he has convinced me that if I fail to fight this new enemy that the Earth will cease to exist."
"Thus far, you have only convinced me that he is trying to help you," the Elder commented. "So then why do you want to believe otherwise?"
"I…" Kain began, his eyes diverted to his blue reflection in his armored arm. "Because I am…afraid, Elder. I fear that I…am unable to…"
"I understand, Kain. It is not easy living with what you have gone through," the Elder interrupted, seeing the pain it caused the damaged man before him. "But trust that your experiences do not weaken you, but have hardened you against that fate."
Kain looked up to meet the Elder's compassionate eyes, and he found truth and warmth in them. It was a small gesture of words, but its effect surprised him in making him feel that his mind was sound. Kain gave his thanks with a respectful nod. The Elder took that as a sign to move on.
"I should tell you that I have also had visions of a possible future that haunts me, of a world overwhelmed with blight and decay," the Elder continued, hoping that he could convince the dragon knight of his righteous quest. "It may be that our interests in preventing this future are aligned for the time being. If Erasmus wished the world to fall then I see no reason why he would bother to help you."
"So you believe I can trust him?"
"I would advise you to maintain your natural skepticism," the Elder replied with a slight grin. "It has served you well, thus far. If you learn anything more from him, please do not hesitate to come see me. Knowing that a spirit of the Magi roams freely brings clarity to many things that have happened since the end of the war. I thank you for being so forthcoming."
Kain simply nodded, still standing with his arms folded as he leaned against the bookshelf.
"And what of the guidance you received from the Light?" the Elder asked. Kain seemed to relax a little, letting his arms fall to his sides, still holding tight to his helmet as though he may wish to escape at a moment's notice. His eyes stared at the orange glow of the stone floor as he thought of how to explain the voice that first spoke to him on Mount Ordeals.
"It…it started as whispers…incoherent mutterings," Kain began, staring intently at the candlelight pulsing on the sandstone tiles. "For two years I heard nothing, and then the voices suddenly arose a few weeks ago during my meditations. As many times as had I travelled to that shrine at the summit…" Kain shook his head slightly before turning his eyes toward one of the bookshelves at his side. "I thought I had finally lost my mind."
"These whispers," the Elder began, keeping his tone even and without judgement. "You believe them to be born from the Light on the mountain?"
"At first, yes…but I had also considered the possibility that Erasmus…" Kain stopped himself from retreading that subject. He turned his gaze to the Elder. The aging magister was reading anything he could from the lines in Kain's face. "Regardless, some part of me knows the words to be true, and I feel that this message is of great importance."
"So the whispers eventually became clear? What message did they deliver?" the Elder's eyes widened slightly with contained excitement.
"When I finally understood the message, I realized it was a chant repeated over and over," Kain explained. "It said: An ancient evil awakens, the dark heart shall shepherd the light."
The Elder's face noticeably changed from excitement to a pensive stare that penetrated Kain's hardened eyes. It was the same look that Kain had noticed in him before, a strange undertone of woe that could not be hidden by skin or beard. These words had apparently struck the chord of his concern, yet he was still not prepared for the Elder's next words.
"Is that all that the voice said to you?" the Elder asked firmly.
"I'm sorry?" Kain replied reflexively.
"Kain, you come to me asking for my help," the Elder said as he stood from his chair, bent over the flames of the candelabra, his arms propping him up on the table as he leaned towards the dragon knight. His face had hardened considerably. "I cannot help you if you are not completely honest with me."
Kain began to feel uncomfortable, as the Elder clearly saw through him. The voice had indeed told him more, but Kain had not wished to divulge that with anyone, not even Cecil. This moment of truth filled his chest with anxious thumps of his heartbeat, as he shifted nervously against the bookshelf behind him. A book slid across the wood against the weight of his touch, the scratch of the parchment normally drowned out by the quietest of ambience was a reverberant hiss to his ear.
"What you have just told me is part of an age-old prophecy," the Elder broke the thick silence, revealing his reason for pressing this issue. "A prophecy espoused by the Magi. Based on what I know, I cannot believe you would be moved to act on those words alone. Were you or were you not given the prophecy in its entirety?"
"Yes," Kain answered hesitantly, feeling cornered with the pressure of interrogation coming from across the room. At the same time, the fact that these words were somehow linked to Erasmus and the Magi was disturbing, and he suddenly felt the urge to sit down.
With a deep breath of release he calmly made his way to the table where the Elder still stood watching and laid his helmet upon the table, the candlelight reflecting off the steel in an azure aura. As he took the seat the Elder had originally pulled for him, his shadow grew long against the wall where he once stood before shrinking and vanishing into the floor. The Elder remained silent and contemplative as he eyed the stonewalled man now sitting before him, waiting for answers.
"You're right…I came to you for help," Kain admitted, a gesture of his willingness to get everything out in the open. "Allow me to give you the whole truth."
"Forgive me if I came across as demanding," the Elder assured the dragon knight as he reclaimed his seat, looking worried and weary. "But what you heard on that mountain…if it was truly the Light that delivered this message to you…the ripples it might send throughout the commune could do irreparable harm to the faith of my people."
"I understand," Kain responded, quickly gleaning that the balance of faiths between Mysidians and the resurgent Magi belief system held by the apostates had become a deeply rooted issue since the end of the war.
"Can we both agree that whatever is said within the confines of this room shall never leave it?" asked the Elder. He was solemn but stern with his words, and his worn face looked as though it was preparing to carry a heavy burden.
"Agreed."
"Now please continue," the Elder urged. "Can you recite the prophecy?"
Kain closed his eyes and let the words come back to him, let them ring in his mind until their melody played without thinking. When he was ready to speak, he opened his eyes to the light of the room and delivered the message.
Once Mother Earth finds stillness at last
Ancient evil awakens from aeons past
Three shall rise in order and caste
One whose conviction burns pure and devout
One whose heart is clouded with doubt
One whose blood carries evil throughout
Ere the dark heart shall shepherd the light
A bond of blood must seal their plight
Ere the hallowed dragon shall ever return
A price of reason that all must learn
Ere Mother Earth is granted bounty and mercy
A sacrifice must be made by one of three
When Kain finished reciting the prophecy, he noticed the Elder seemed somewhat perplexed, as though the words he spoke were not exactly what he was expecting. There was a confusing silence that filled the room until Kain finally spoke up.
"You seem incredulous."
"Forgive me," the Elder seemed to come to after a moment of deep thought. "It's just that the words you have spoken are not quite identical to the Magi prophecy."
"Not quite identical?" asked Kain with eyebrow quirked.
"Yes, that is what is so strange," the Elder said as he stood suddenly to turn and grab a book from the shelf behind him. The smooth leather slid gently from the grasp of its neighbors as the Elder held it reverently, studying the cover for a moment before returning to his seat. He turned the pages swiftly, the smell of parchment wafting up into the air. He stopped when he found what he was looking for. "Yes, you will see here in the recorded history from the last decade of Magi rule that this prophecy was heralded much like the Mysidian Legend during the war. Except this prophecy never came to fruition."
The Elder slid the book across the table to the dragon knight waiting patiently on the other side. Kain carefully grabbed the binding, worried that he might desecrate some invaluable artifact of a dead culture. He scanned the words quickly, seeing that the words were strikingly similar to the ones he had just spoken, but were different in a few keys places. The differences were enough to change the message almost entirely.
Once Mother Earth finds stillness at last
Ancient evil awakens from aeons past
Ye shall rise in order and caste
One whose conviction burns pure and devout
None whose heart is clouded with doubt
None whose blood carries evil throughout
Ere the dark heart shall shepherd the light
A bond of blood must seal their plight
Ere the Hallowed One shall ever return
A price of treason that all must learn
Ere Mother Earth is granted bounty and mercy
A sacrifice must be made by one of thee
"What does this mean?" Kain asked, looking up from the book with a hint of surprise.
"I cannot be sure, but perhaps the Magi misinterpreted the prophecy, or worse perverted it to suit their tyrannical agenda," the Elder responded with a hint of disdain. "I am hopeful that this means the voice you heard was the true message delivered by the Light of the mountain."
"It mentions the Hallowed One, much like the apostates we encountered in the forest," Kain noted, watching the Elder's sorrowed eyes as the memory replayed. "You made it seem as though they were trying to resurrect Erasmus, but this would suggest something else entirely."
"You are right to be dubious, for I have not given you the whole truth," the Elder said with remorse. He gestured for Kain to turn the page in the book before him. The Elder watched as Kain's eyes widened considerably at the image on the following page, the uncanny resemblance to the one man he feared more than any other. "That is the Hallowed One the apostates wished to resurrect. While you may believe that is a likeness of Golbez, I assure you it is not, but rather of his father. Cecil's father."
"They want to resurrect Cecil's father?" Kain asked, clearly confused. "Why?"
"It is said that the Magi rose to power after a visit from a strange wizard from a foreign land," the Elder explained. "This man gave them the gifts of great magical powers beyond anything they had seen, and greatly advanced their civilization in a matter of years. He then vanished, ascending to the heavens, leaving behind his prophecies. After learning of Cecil's father and his involvement in the evolution of our people, I can only surmise that KluYa is the Hallowed One from the Magi prophecy."
"Which, over the course of centuries, has undoubtedly been rewritten by the rich and powerful to subjugate the meek," Kain added, allowing his own disdain for political inequality to break through the surface.
"It would seem so," the Elder replied, a slight smile evident in his beard as he glimpsed a bit of Kain's true integrity. "But before Golbez rose to power in Baron, it was said that he descended from Mount Ordeals as though he was born from the mountain itself, gathering followers as he did so. With his resemblance to the Hallowed One, this rekindled the interest in the Magi prophecy, which has led to more and more apostates leaving Mysidia to seek ways of bringing him back after the war."
"Why would they ever want to bring him back?" Kain let his simmering hatred spill over for a moment. "He nearly destroyed this world!"
"That is not the way the apostates see it," the Elder responded calmly, trying to keep the tone of the conversation level. "If you'll remember, I told you that the Magi believed in a land of eternal bliss known as Aevum. They believe that Golbez was trying to usher in this new world. Perhaps they believe that the death of all who opposed him was simply the price of treason that all must learn."
"How anyone could believe—" Kain stopped himself short as he realized the sickening irony of what he was about to say. He closed his eyes and tried to steady his temper with a deep, relaxing breath. He opened his eyes and continued in his normal, reserved manner. "Perhaps we should speak more of this another time."
"As you wish," the Elder replied with a firm glare. "But know that if you continue to disengage from conversations that reveal your feelings you will never truly be free of your burden."
Kain thought on this for a moment, letting his gaze wander down to the grain of the wooden table. He noticed the smallest shadow crawling across it in the candlelight, an insect carrying a splinter to its home, nestled within one of the knots in the plank. He wondered if, given enough time, this small presence could dismantle the table entirely.
"We all must live with things inside of us that we wish we could forget," the Elder spoke with genuine empathy. "You know that forgetting what you have done is impossible. But forgiving what you have done is within reason, and forgiveness is only found by opening yourself to those that recognize the pain you have suffered from living with the weight of your past."
"I should go," Kain said curtly as he stood from his seat. He grabbed his helmet swiftly before turning for the door.
"Do you drink to silence him?" the Elder called out, to which Kain stopped dead in his tracks, his free hand pressed against the bookshelf as he leaned into it, his head sagging. The Elder heard a sigh coming from the fragile man across the room. "Do not take me for a fool, I have noticed this habit since the day you arrived here two years ago. I can smell it on your breath now. It is a temporary solution, at best. Forgiveness is the only true path to redemption."
"You believe that simple forgiveness will make him go away?" Kain growled, still keeping his back to the Elder.
"I did not say that," the Elder shot back. "I do not believe he will ever go away."
"Then what's the point?!" Kain roared as he swiveled around with a furious glare. The light of the flames were alive in his eyes.
"You must accept it, Kain!" the Elder shouted back as he stood from his seat, feeling the heat of the conversation rising with the smoke of the candles. "You must accept that Golbez will always be a part of you, that his curse will follow you wherever you go. It is what you choose to do about it that matters most!"
"Well I have chosen, Elder," Kain replied coldly. "I know exactly what I must do."
"Then you have failed," the Elder responded. The words caught Kain off guard.
"What? How—"
"You have made this decision alone, and that is why you will fail," the Elder cut him off, standing firm. "I know why you did not wish to tell me the prophecy in its entirety. It is the same reason you have not told Cecil. You're afraid that we might try to stop you."
"Cecil knows all that he needs to know, for now," Kain deflected. "I have already asked to serve as his protector, and he has granted me that honor."
"Under what conditions, Kain?" asked the Elder, his tone unyielding. "You cannot expect Cecil to willingly allow you the chance to throw your life away without fully understanding your motives. A noble sacrifice is only as noble as the conscience of the martyr. Is your conscience clear?"
Kain seemed petrified, his breath caught in his throat. Once again, the Elder had easily seen through him, and without words his confession was laid bare before them. They stared at each other for a long moment as the whispers of candlelight echoed through the settling dust. The Elder eventually relaxed his stance, slumping down in his chair in defeat.
"Go if you must," the Elder said as he raised his hand, the door opening with the gentle force of his magic. "I have other matters to attend to. Unless you are willing to accept my help, I will not waste valuable time trying to offer it. You may return to me at any time when you feel you are ready."
"I'm sorry, Elder. I have made up my mind."
"Do not apologize to me," the Elder responded as he reached for the book to flip back to the page with the Magi prophecy. He didn't even look at the dragon knight as he spoke, tracing his fingers along lines of text. "It is Cecil who will feel the greatest sting from your decision. If you do not tell him what you plan to do, then trust that I will."
With that, Kain simply shut himself off from the conversation, placing his helmet on his head before turning and walking out the door. The Elder continued to read the prophecy, taking a feather quill and parchment from a drawer to write down the version that Kain had recited for him. When he had finished, his eyes hovered over the sacred lines of text, and a pang of grief shuddered over him as he thought of what this meant to the man he had just let walk away.
