Crimson Anima, Chapter 24: To Find a Path
Meara woke up in the bed in her usual room at the inn with a gasp, as the last echoes of a dream started to fade from her mind.
It was a vague feeling; in that dream, someone had been holding her in their arms, a tall, strong figure, and he had spoken a single sentence.
"They will pay for what they have done."
She tried to repeat the scene in her mind, trying to keep it from fading away to nothing, trying to coax more details from the maw of oblivion.
It...had been more than a dream.
She'd remembered something.
As Meara racked her mind, trying to add more substance to this little shard of her past that had somehow come back to her, a dull pain flared up along the sides of her head, above her ears, where the headaches she kept getting always hit hardest. It was a feeling of building pressure, like something in her head was trying to beat its way out.
Ugh...it's back already. It's getting worse… I didn't even use any magic yesterday…
The beating on the inside of her skull throbbed in counterpoint with her heartbeat. She threw off the bedsheet, swung her feet over the side, and sat on the edge of the bed, slumped forward, hands on the side of her head.
Why are the headaches back already? I just rebirthed a few days ago; usually that gets rid of them for a couple weeks or more…
She pushed herself off the bed to stand up, and wearily rose to her feet.
They're coming back faster now; why? Maybe I'll ask Dilys… Later.
In a haze of pain, she fumbled through her belongings, dug out a peach-colored potion, and gulped down the sour concoction. The pain gradually faded away after a couple of minutes.
Good thing I can make wound remedy potions now; I may need them a lot more…
She left her room, crept down the stairs while clinging to the banister, and waved at Piaras as she walked out the door. After being here so long, she essentially had a permanent reservation at his inn. These days, though, now that she was making a decent income from potions, she just paid the standard rate in gold rather than take up her time doing tasks to earn her keep.
She was luckier than most. Two dozen tents were set up in the south fields of Tir Chonaill by otherwise homeless Milletians. There were more arriving every day, and every open field was starting to turn into a tent city.
Meara crossed the bridge outside the inn, mulling over that night's dream as she walked past the windmill. It had definitely been more than a dream. She'd committed what she could hold on to into her memory, a tiny piece of a lost past finally reclaimed. If only she could recall more… It seemed like...something bad had happened to her...but what?
Too little to go on, and no context.
Meara crossed another bridge, and went through the Moongate to the logging camp in Dugald Isle. She felt only slightly perturbed by the dislocation as reality shifted around her; first she was in one place, then in another.
Maybe she was getting used to it.
Today, the camp was abuzz with activity, the sounds of chopping and woodworking filling the air, a dozen workers hard at work cutting and shaping logs into palisade stakes. And there Price was, under a lean-to shelter, sitting at a table with his wares set up.
Meara warily approached his table.
"Good morning! See something you like?"
Oh, I certainly do... No! Pure thoughts, Meara. Stay focused.
"Actually, I'm more interested in some information... Like, what you might know about Redire? I've heard you knew him…"
Price's gaze narrowed. "Yeah...you could say I knew him. I knew him pretty well." He paused. "Haven't heard from him since the Fomors sacked Emain Macha several years ago, though. Why do you ask...?"
"Well, I've found myself in a rather difficult situation, and I'm wondering how a great hero the likes of him would have gone about dealing with it."
Price looked at Meara oddly, crossing his arms. His expression hardened.
Did I say something wrong?
"...difficult situation?" His expression lightened a bit. "Maybe you'd better explain this in more detail. I've never been that good at giving advice, but at least I'll hear you out."
Meara cautiously looked around, as if expecting someone to be eavesdropping, but everyone around the camp seemed to be focused on the tasks before them. Satisfied that nobody was listening in, she continued.
"Are you aware Paladin trainees are being used as forced labor to mine gold? Two of my friends are caught up with them and I'm not sure what to do about it… I can't stand to watch them suffering..."
Price raised an eyebrow. "Is that so? Well, it's not the first I've heard of it, but..." He put a hand to his chin. "The source of your problem is higher up the chain of command, I'm afraid. Things haven't been the same there since the Tragedy..."
"What, their leader Craig? Is he the problem?"
Price lowered his hand again. "No... He's a good man, but he's too naive to question his orders. If he was told to march off a cliff, he'd probably do it without asking why. At least not where anyone could hear him do it."
"Then...?"
"I'm talking about the prime minister, Esras. She's the one who's been pulling their strings the last few years. The Paladins answer to her now, and not the Church. She was only meant to be a temporary regent because of Lord Rian's age, but she's still in power now, even though Rian should be more than old enough to have taken the reins..."
Meara scowled. "Oh, that condescending minister that told me to mind my own business and 'not get involved in human matters.'" She put her hands on her hips. "She doesn't think very highly of elves, it seems."
Price's eyes widened. "You've met Esras? ...You went in for an audience with the Lord, I take it. Did you see Lord Rian? How was he?"
"He looked...very sick... Practically on death's door. He couldn't even speak…"
Maybe I shouldn't say anything about Lord Rian whispering, 'help me.' I'm not sure that I didn't just imagine it…
Price clenched his fists, and his expression turned more grim. Clearly he didn't like the sound of this. "I see… So, that's what's been going on. I was afraid of this..."
As quickly as his expression betrayed his distress, it just as quickly went back to neutral, as if he hadn't a care in the world. "Anyway... To answer your original question...? I take it your friends are convinced they can become Knights of Light just through training? If they really want to go down that path… Then they need to follow the example of Lugh Lavada. Now there's a real hero for you. Just about everyone in Uladh knows of him and his heroic deeds, blessed by the gods and spirits."
"Just my luck, I'm not from around here..." Meara said.
"That Redire, he was just a pale imitation. From what I hear, he got himself killed by the Dark Lord during the tragedy of Emain Macha. Well, that's how the rumors go, but I haven't seen him since then, so...who knows?"
"Dark Lord? ...knight in black armor, has a really big sword?" Meara said. "...My friends and I have dealt with him before...it's a long story..."
"Really, now?" This seemed to pique his interest. "Then maybe you've got the potential. If they really want to be Knights of Light, as you say...they're better off finding their own path to it, rather than trying to follow someone else's. Becoming a Knight of Light isn't something you're given, it's something you find within yourself. Though, that's not to say someone can't point them in the right direction..."
Meara shook her head. "I don't know… They're totally convinced they're on the right path, though. As much as they're suffering, they think there's some greater good they're serving, and...I can't bring myself to question them..."
"If your friends insist on staying the course under Esras' bootheel, maybe they need to be inspired to reconsider... Actions speak louder than words for most people. If you can't sway them with words, perhaps you should lead them by example?"
"Me?" Meara pointed at herself for a second. "It's not my place to go looking for that kind of power... I do want to point them in the right direction, though, but…" She tapped her right ear. "Besides, I'm not a human, would it even work the same way?"
"Hmm... Perhaps it wouldn't..." His expression turned pensive. "Well, then...guess we have to go to plan B." He reached into his pack and took out a small piece of paper, then handed it to Meara. "Here's a voucher for a book from Aeira's bookshop in Dunbarton. Try and get your friends to read it. And read it yourself, for good measure."
Meara took the paper, a folded coupon. She accepted it, and put it away after glancing at what was written on it.
Huh. 'Food for the Soul for True Good Deeds,' huh? Sounds preachy. Well, I'll give it a shot…
Price continued. "Don't take what you read in it literally, just treat it as a guide. As for what the Paladins are up to, they're carrying out Esras' orders now… Whatever they are, no good'll come of it in the end. Don't give up on your friends, and do your best to get them out."
"What do you think they're up to?" Meara asked.
"I can't say for sure… I'm looking into it. I still have connections among the Paladins, and some of Emain Macha's nobles. We're looking for evidence of Esras' intentions… What she's up to, what she's done... The unauthorized mining is only part of something bigger."
"Maybe they're building some kind of weapon?"
"It's possible… Once my contacts pick up on some leads, I'd like you to help me confirm their findings… Then we'll take action, if there's solid proof. When we have something to go on, I'll get back to you... Um, what's your name?"
"Meara."
He held his hand out. Meara put her hand in his, and they shook hands.
Ow, what a grip!
"I'll look forward to hearing from you, then." Meara withdrew her hand and shook it a bit.
"Ah, sorry about that," he said warily. "Well, there's just one issue, though… You see, some of my contacts have...either vanished, or starting acting oddly. I'm not sure who I can trust anymore. Since you're an...outsider, I think I can confide in you."
"All right." Meara nodded. "I think I'd like to get to the bottom of this as much as you."
"I'll send word when I think we've got something. Take care, and...keep out of trouble for now."
"Right. I'll be waiting." Meara turned, and walked away, heading back towards the Moongate.
Since I can't act on my own in Emain Macha without drawing unwanted attention, I guess I'm going to have to wait on Price...