Chapter 33 – A Flow of Information
Taiyang Xiao Long sat down on the couch in the living room and put his forehead against his palms. Over a week had passed since the Fall of Beacon, and he still had had no contact from anyone. It was the worst feeling for any father: knowing that your own children are potentially in danger and being unable to do anything about it. He waited by the front window, or in the garden every day, refusing to eat or sleep properly. Nothing mattered other than knowing whether or not his two daughters were okay.
He moaned in aggravation. 'C'mon, c'mon, where are my girls at?! If you're out there, please just come home! I can't lose the pair of you too…'
Taiyang picked up the TV remote and pointed it at the sensor bar, on top of the table of three drawers. The projection flickered momentarily before presenting a large screen. The large headline at the bottom read: "Beacon Still Under Quarantine" next to the VBC logo. Taiyang gripped his knees with his hands so tightly that his nails were digging into his skin.
The reporter had a rather monotone voice.
'The situation at Beacon Academy is still a large mystery. Details have been censored due to what Headmaster Ozpin is describing as "severely unforeseen circumstances". However, it has been hinted at that a certain level of control of the Beacon grounds has been reclaimed. The Atlas Military has finally granted the Vale Police Department assess to the city, which was immediately evacuated following the incident on that tragic night. Reports from the Chief of Police state that there seems to be no remaining signs of Grimm activity, but the city itself is in total ruins. The Vale Council is dubious to say how long it will take to fully repair the city and for citizens to move back into their homes, but everyone from Vale has been forced to take refugee elsewhere. People also living close to the city have been advised to move out by word of General Ironwood and the Atlas Military. More details will be revealed when they are disclosed by those working onsite. A suspension has also been placed on all trade coming in and out of the City of Vale, and will instead be directed to-'
Taiyang fumbled for the remote on the couch with his right hand, pointed it at the screen, and changed the channel. The new headline read: "CCT Repairs Planned", with a sub-headline underneath, which said: "Work has yet to commence due to a "beast'".
This reporter seemed more invested in what she was reading.
'Although the fail-safes have supported wireless communication within the Kingdom, the loss of the CCT Tower continues to prevent contact with the outside world. The reason for the falling of the tower has been placed on what Headmaster Ozpin has tenuously described as a "winged beast with a giant sword". Talks with Atlas officials regarding any repairs have so far been put aside in favour of aiding-'
Once again, Taiyang changed the channel: this time to the VNN broadcast, with Lisa Lavender reporting, and the caption "WHITE FANG MEMBER, ADAM TAURUS AND RUMOURED SWORD-WIELDING MONSTER PRESENT DURING BEACON GRIMM ATTACK" at the bottom.
'Multiple rumours continue to circulate as to who was behind the attacks at the Vytal Festival Tournament.' A profile image of Adam Taurus was displayed next to Lisa. 'Whilst no one knows for sure, officials have confirmed that high-ranking White Fang member, Adam Taurus was present for the attack. Any and all attempts to bring him into custody have been met with brutal force. His current whereabouts at the moment however are unknown. On a separate note, even more rumours are being spread of a giant monster wielding a sword, which is allegedly responsible for destroying the CCT Tower at Beacon. Although hesitant, Professor Ozpin has declared this to be true, and has advised for everyone to be on the alert, for like with Adam Taurus, its last known location was at Beacon but has subsequently left the school grounds, and no one knows where it is at present. In other news, nefarious criminal, Roman Torchwick, has recently escaped from the Atlas Military's captivity, following the catastrophe at Beacon. Any of his accomplices who engineered his escape are so far unknown. It seems as if-'
Taiyang clicked and turned off the TV. He placed the remote on the coffee table in front of him and sighed. Nothing about the students whatsoever. Any information, any hint would give him a sliver of reassurance.
Taiyang got up and went to the front door. He jogged to the mailbox and pulled the lid open. A cylindrical brown parcel had been placed inside. Taiyang grabbed it, closed the mailbox lid, and ran back inside the house. He tore off the brown paper and saw that the cardboard cylinder had a lid. Frantically, almost like a child excitedly opening a birthday present, he wrenched it off and peered inside. A squashed, furry face was looking straight back at him.
Woof!
'Zwei?!' Taiyang exclaimed. He shook the cylinder until Zwei popped out and landed on his feet.
Zwei rubbed his body against Taiyang's feet, making barks that were loud, but filled with happiness.
In addition to Zwei, a piece of paper fell out of the parcel, uncurled and floated down. Taiyang caught it in his left hand, just before it hit the ground. He turned it over and saw handwriting. It was neat, but it looked like it had been written on a surface that wasn't exactly flat. He sat back down on the sofa and began to read it.
Dear Mr Xiao Long,
I must first apologise for not writing to you sooner, and I hope that you can forgive me, for I have been exceptionally busy over this last week.
Now that I have had the chance, I am writing to inform you about the state of your two daughters. I have no doubt that you have been severely worried about them since the public became aware of the attack on Beacon Academy.
Be rest assured that Yang and Ruby are safe and perfectly fine. I must also praise them for how hard they fought at Beacon during the attack.
However, I must also make you aware that you will not being seeing them again for a while. It is hard to fully explain the situation, but I shall try my best. I am sure that you are aware of the presence of a second moon in the sky, and how length of days and nights have increased by a few hours. The reason for this is because Remnant has been merged with another planet. The exact cause is still unknown, but this has resulted in some people travelling from this other planet (known as Runeterra) to Remnant. During the fight at Beacon Academy, three individuals made their debut and fought alongside us to fend off those who were leading the attack. In the aftermath of the Fall of Beacon, one of these gentlemen, Ryze, explained to us that he had come to Remnant for a highly important mission.
After some negotiation, Yang, Ruby, their teammates, their other friends, General Ironwood, and even your brother-in-law Qrow all agreed – voluntarily I must stress – to accompany Ryze to Runeterra with the aid of an Atlesian airship and another man from Runeterra who fought with us, and support him in his ongoing mission.
I also must highlight that this information I am providing is highly sensitive. The general public has yet to be informed about all of the events that have transpired over this last week; in particular the way Remnant has been stuck to another planet. So, might I ask that you please refrain from divulging this to anyone? I am only telling you because you have the right to know what Yang and Ruby are doing.
It is only expected that should be worried for your daughters, but you know as well as I do how formidable they are as Huntresses who are still in training. They are also going in a large group, so they will be able to look out for each other and will also have two people who are native to Runeterra guiding them. It should be an incredible experience for them all to embark on and should sharpen their skills as Huntsmen and Huntresses in ways that few others will have the opportunity of taking.
Once again, I apologise for not writing to you sooner. Furthermore, I most also apologise for not seeking your permission before allowing your daughters to go to Runeterra. All I can hope is that you take solace in the precautions that were taken, which I have mentioned above, and the fact that they gave their own wholehearted consent.
Best wishes,
Professor Ozpin
P.S. I was told by Doctor Oobleck that your dog is capable of fitting into seemingly impossibly tight spaces, and that you yourself once mailed him to Beacon, along with some canned food. I hope that you were okay with me sending him this way and most of all that he is happy to be back home.
P.P.S Although the media and news reports say otherwise. I do not think that Yang attacked an innocent student after her performance during the finals at the Vytal Festival Tournament. It is my firm belief that something else was at play. If it had been up to me, and me alone, I would declare that she is innocent and would not be disqualified.
Taiyang put the letter down on the couch to his left. A cauldron of his thoughts, concerns and emotions were brewing. It was natural for him to be worried. His two precious girls were going to a completely different planet. Who could know for sure that they would be fine? What was this winged beast that the news mentioned twice? How long would it be before he actually saw Ruby and Yang again?
On the other hand though, he was so happy to finally know that they had been fine during the Fall of Beacon. He was also really proud of them for stepping up to such a daunting task, which was to help an alien no less. And last, but not least though…
Woof, woof!
Zwei climbed onto the sofa and cuddled up next to Taiyang.
…he had his beloved dog back home.
Jacques Schnee flicked through the pages of a thick hardback book he had taken from the shelf in his study. It was titled "Schnee: The Making of a Modern World". The study and many of the books laid on the shelves were older than him. He was so busy that he seldom had time to even take a look at what the spines said, let alone wipe the dust off of them and actually have a read. Not even the chess board in the middle of the room ever got used. It had pretty much been relegated to decoration.
The Schnee Dust company was in a state of limbo at present. General Ironwood had abruptly gone off on a "highly classified mission" without anyone from the Atlas Military accompanying him, or any equipment: only a single airship. Jacques' own daughter, Winter, had somehow become the General's substitute, and had gone through with his absurd order to put an embargo on all Atlas Dust exports to other Kingdoms. A "precautionary measure" he had worded it in his brief letter to Jacques, until he was sure that Remnant was not going to enter a period of war. It had already cost the company millions of Lien, and to think that Ironwood had declared this whilst he wasn't even in Atlas itself. To top it all off, the sudden extension of the cycle of day and night had put a serious wrench into the long-established system of business working hours.
His blood boiled with anger and disbelief, far more than what was healthy for a coldblooded Schnee. He was so exasperated that he couldn't concentrate on reading and slammed the book down onto his desk. Jacques picked up a glass of water next his ornamental desk lamp and took a sip. The chilled liquid felt soothing: just what he needed to cool down, even if only a little.
When he replaced the glass of water, he glanced at the picture frame the right side of his desk. A portrait of Jacques youngest child, Whitley. His face reminded him of something. He had seen Whitley all year, but had not managed to get through to his middle child, Weiss, once throughout the entire time she had been studying at Beacon. Jacques hoped that cutting off her debit card and allowance money would force her to stop ignoring him, but it didn't work, and now he had no idea where Weiss even was. He had originally planned to go and collect her from Beacon after the fall, but the area had been evacuated immediately, and no one had informed him of where his own daughter was or what was happening with her.
It would do him no good to fret, especially since he couldn't do anything to ameliorate the situation – he had even tried calling her earlier that morning, only to find that her scroll was completely unreachable – but even with his disdain for the Huntsmen lifestyle, he knew how exceptional Weiss was and if she had been evacuated along with everyone else at Beacon, she was almost certainly safe.
There was a knock at the study door.
'Come in.' Jacques barked.
The door was pulled back, and in came Klein Sieben, the Schnee family's amicable and dedicated butler. 'Mr Schnee, sorry to disturb you.' he said politely.
'What is it?'
'A letter for you, Sir.' Klein walked over to Jacques and delicately handed the letter to him. 'Here you go, Sir.'
'Thanks, Klein.'
'Should I leave?'
'No. Stay here in case I need you to follow up on this letter.'
'Yes, Sir.'
Jacques tore the envelope open and unfolded the piece of paper. The handwriting was neat but was written on rather poor-quality paper.
Dear Mr Schnee,
I must first apologise for not writing to you sooner, for I have been exceptionally busy over this last week, but I have finally had the chance to send you this overdue letter.
I am writing to explain how things stand with your daughter, Weiss. I have no doubt that you have been worried about her ever since the attack on Beacon Academy.
I am glad to be able to inform you that Weiss is safe and currently in good care. I am also extremely proud of her for the contributions she made when the attack broke out at Beacon.
However, I must also somewhat regretfully say that you will still not see her again for a while. The situation is hard to explain, but I will try my best. I am sure that you are aware of the sudden appearance of a second moon in the sky, and how the length of days and nights have increased by a few hours. No doubt it has affected your business. The reason for this is because Remnant has been merged with another planet. The exact cause of this astronomical event is still unknown, but it has resulted in some people travelling from the planet that we have been merged with (known as Runeterra) to Remnant. During the fight at Beacon Academy, three individuals arrived on the scene and fought alongside us against those conducting the attack. Following the Fall of Beacon, one of these gentlemen, Ryze, explained to us that he had travelled to Remnant on a highly important mission.
After some negotiation, Weiss, her teammates, her other friends, General Ironwood, and two other individuals – voluntarily I must emphasise – agreed to accompany Ryze to Runeterra to offer him some support.
I also must stress that all of the above information is highly sensitive. Many of the events that have taken place over this last week have yet to be announced publicly. Therefore, I must implore you to not speak of these matters with anyone. I am only speaking of it now because you have the right to know where Weiss is.
I fully understand that you are concerned about your daughter, but please take solace in knowing how exceptional she is. They are all going in a large group as well, so they will have each other's' backs covered and will not be stumbling aimlessly around Runeterra. It will be an incredible experience for them, which should sharpen their skills as Huntsmen and Huntresses: a privilege that few others will have.
Once again, I apologise for not contacting you sooner. I most also fervently apologise for not being granted your permission before allowing Weiss to go to Runeterra. Rest assured though that you can take respite in knowing that Weiss will be using the experience to further develop as both a Huntress and a person. She is both safe and willing to do it.
Yours sincerely,
Professor Ozpin
Jacques placed the letter on the table and scowled.
'Is something of bother, Mr Schnee?'
'It's about Weiss. Ozpin has written to me, saying that Weiss won't be coming home. She's on a "mission", going somewhere that I am apparently not allowed to speak about. She seems to be going with her teammates and a few adults, but it is still very presumptuous of Ozpin to think that he can just take away my daughter without consulting me first.'
'How concerning. What should I do then?'
'Keep this to yourself, but if you feel inclined, go and tell Whitley that Weiss is still not coming home. If he demands to know why, tell him that you yourself don't know: only that she is still away.'
'Understood. I will be leaving now, Sir.'
Jacques nodded and watched as Klein left the study, closing the door gently behind him. He skim-read the letter before slamming his fist down on it. His plan to have Weiss sing at charity event to raise money had just been flushed down the drain due to ink on one sheet of paper.
Ghira Belladonna paced up and down and back and forth in his study, with his hands behind his back, grunting and growling nonstop. Over one week since the Beacon's demise, and he had still heard nothing at all about what had happened to his daughter. He only had two slight, slight saving graces. Firstly, he knew that Blake was more than capable of handling herself. The second was that his study was big enough for him to move and burn off some of his stress.
His study was held up by four large pillars, and had shelves of books and folders running all the way around the walls. His desk had stacks of paper on top, and with two large stone vases on the floor on each side, and a pair of green stemmed plants in them. A coffee table was in the centre of the room, accompanied by an armchair and a couch. The most decorative thing about the study was a large painting of a view of Kuo Kuana from the Belladonna household.
The side door was slid open. In came his wife, Kali Belladonna. She was holding a tray in her hands, with a teapot, a small bowl of sugar cubes and two cups on top. 'Hello, Honey.' she said.
Ghira forced a smile. 'Hi, Dear.'
'Ghira, you need to try and relax. It's not good for your blood pressure to keep up all this pacing.'
'Kali, we have no idea where our daughter is. I can't focus on work. I can't even sit still. I just need to let it off somehow, and I'd rather not punch a hole through the wall.'
'Well, I've made us some tea. Please, let's just sit down enjoy it together.'
'Alright, I guess it'll help me feel refreshed.'
Kali placed the tray on the coffee table and poured the tea into both of the cups. They both sat down on the sofa, next to each other, but let the tea cool before drinking it.
'Kali, I know that Blake is a brilliant Huntress, but it's the lack of information about her that's getting to me. Why is it that we've still had no word from anyone after what happened at Beacon?'
'The news said that Beacon was successfully evacuated, but that the area has been quarantined. If she's anywhere at all, I'm sure she's perfectly fine and is probably with her teammates.'
'Maybe so, but… I just want to be sure.' Ghira exhaled.
'They always say that a father is especially protective of his daughters. In some ways, it's probably a good thing that you feel this way.'
'Surely you're worried too though?'
'Of course I am. Don't think for a second that I'm not concerned for Blake. I personally just have faith in her, as well as her friends and teachers.'
They held each other's hands for a few minutes before they placed their lips against the teacups. It was still rather hot, but thankfully they did not burn their tongues, so they put it down again. Just a few more minutes would let it get to the perfect temperature.
The side door was slid open again, this time a household guard came in. 'Sorry to disturb you.' she said.
'No, no. It's absolutely fine.' said Ghira. 'What do you need?'
'Nothing. I'm just here bring you a letter. It arrived here just now and it's addressed to both of you.'
'Ahh, thank you so much.' Ghira got up and took the letter from the guard, whom left promptly afterwards. He ripped the envelope open, and straightened out the letter. 'Why don't we go and read it on the balcony and get some fresh air?'
'A good idea, Ghira.' Kali nodded. She stood up too and they both went outside. Ghira cleared his throat and began to read it out loud.
Dear Mr and Mrs Belladonna,
Please accept my apology for not writing to you sooner. I have been exceptionally busy over this last week following the events that occurred at Beacon.
I am writing to fill you in on what has happened to your daughter. Undoubtedly, you have been concerned for her ever since the Fall of Beacon Academy.
I can confirm that she is unscathed, and all is well with her. I also want to commend her for the effort she made to fight for Beacon.
However, I must also make you aware that you will not being seeing her again for a while. The situation at present is difficult to explain, but I shall try my best. I am sure that you have seen the second moon in the sky, and now know that the length of each day has been extended by a few hours. The explanation is because Remnant has been merged with another planet. We have yet to identify the exact cause for this extraordinary phenomenon, but because of this, some people from this other planet (known as Runeterra) have already made contact with Remnant. During the fight at Beacon Academy, we were blessed with three men who came and fought with us against those who led the assault on the school. In the aftermath of the Fall of Beacon, one of these gentlemen, Ryze, explained to us that he arrived in Remnant for a mission of great importance.
After some negotiation, Blake, her teammates, and friends, General Ironwood of Atlas, and a few others all agreed – voluntarily I must stress – to accompany Ryze to Runeterra with the intention of supporting him in his ongoing mission.
I most also specify that this information is highly sensitive. The public will soon be informed of the details of what has happened over this last week, but for now it is being held as too disruptive to deliver this news to them in what are already volatile times. Thus, I beseech you keep this information to yourself. I am only unveiling it to you because you possess the right to know where Blake is.
I fully understand that you are anxious for your daughter's safety but let me humbly remind you that Blake is a remarkable Huntress in training. She is going in a large group, who will look out for each other, and will also have people who are native to Runeterra keeping them free of danger. I expect that the experience for Blake and her peers will be both indelible and an amazing opportunity to put her skills as a Huntress to the test.
I apologise again for taking too long to write to you. Additionally, I want to say sorry for not reaching out to you for your permission before letting Blake go to Runeterra, but please take comfort in knowing that this will be a challenge that Blake is both willing and worthy to tackle head on.
Kind regards,
Professor Ozpin
Ghira and Kali looked at each other with a mixture of relief and newly found concern.
'Well, at least we know she was okay at Beacon.' said Kali.
'Yes, and I am very proud of her for handling the situation so well, but… going to an entirely different planet. Not only is it unbelievable, but it's also a terrifying prospect.'
'She's not going alone. She's with friends and adults. I'm worried as well, but also excited for her. You and I both know how fun travelling is.'
'But Kali, this is an alien planet. Who's to say what awaits them? At least we already have Remnant mapped out.'
'Ozpin said that they are going with someone who comes from this planet. Surely they will be steered clear of dangers.'
Ghira sighed.
'Be worried for her, but also be happy.'
'I know. I just wish we could've said goodbye to her…'
'Me too.' They hugged and patted each other on the back.
A creaking sound of wood met their ears, coming from above.
'Hmm?' Ghira murmured. He peered up at the roof. He had only seen a tiny bit of it, but something disappeared from the edge of the roof, moving out of sight. 'Who's there?!' Ghira called out.
'Darling, what is it?'
'I saw something up there…'
'On the roof?'
'Yes.'
'It was probably a bird. Don't worry about it.'
'No, it was too big to be a bird.'
'Whatever it was, I'm sure it's nothing to be wary of. How about we go inside and finish having our tea. It's got to be cool enough by now.'
Ghira looked down at Kali and smiled. 'Yes. Let's do that.'
"MESSAGE END"
Inside an ominous room, lit only by candles, furbished with a few bookshelves, tables, drooping banners of the White Fang logo and a square-red carpet, two Faunus wearing red hoods and black cloaks stood by a table with a TV censor bar that had just been turned off. Both had their hands clapped together.
'Your thoughts?' said the one on the left with a pair of fox ears, which went through his hood.
'Are of great disquietude.' replied the second one on the right, with a fox tail. His voice was quite a bit deeper than the other one. 'Adam Taurus was not efficacious in becoming High Leader of the White Fang. His failed leadership during the attack on Beacon Academy has lost him a lot of popularity. Our plan is not going as desired, so we must continue to comply with High Leader Sienna Khan in the meantime and postpone our advancement on Haven.'
'Understood, brother. But what of Sienna Khan's discovery of this new planet and her epiphany of this "godly dragon"?
'No one at this point can deny this new moon in the sky, or the longer days that we are experiencing, but am naturally sceptical about these claims. For now though, we can only follow her orders to carry out this new "Order of the Star Forger" and pray to this dragon.'
Someone knocked on the door. The two Faunus turned around.
'Come in.' said the Faunus with the fox tail.
The door opened, and in walked a young girl. She wore a tight, black tunic and short black boots. Her brown hair was tied behind her head in a long ponytail, and her skin was spotted in various places – almost like that of a reptile.
'Perfect timing, sister Ilia.' said the Faunus with the fox ears.
Ilia bowed on her left knee. 'Brother Fennec and Brother Corsac, how may I be of assistance?' she asked courteously.
'Please, stand.' Corsac invited. 'We have some bad news.'
'What is it?' said Ilia.
'Word has finally reached us from the Mistral Brotherhood.' Fennec explained. 'Adam Taurus has not been successful. The attack he led on Beacon Academy was a failure on part of the White Fang. Adam himself was heavily wounded by a man wielding a spear and shield, and his favourability has consequentially diminished. Sienna Khan is still currently the High Leader of the White Fang.'
'How unfortunate…' Ilia sighed.
'Furthermore, we bear even more… interesting news.' said Corsac.
'And what might that be?'
'The only good thing to come out of the Fall of Beacon was the destruction of the CCT Tower, so we now have the luxury of more control over the flow of information. However, this was not executed by the White Fang or any of Adam's affiliates. Sienna Khan described a giant monster, wielding a sword. It supposedly destroyed the Beacon Tower and proved to be unstoppable by multiple people. She received this information from a man that Adam brought into the White Fang's headquarters, Hazel, whom Adam is working with. The beast is apparently frozen in the Beacon grounds.'
'Moreover, Sienna Khan has given us a rather peculiar set of instructions, due to another discovery.' Fennec took over. 'Hazel also declared that Remnant has been merged with another planet.
Ilia's eyes widened.
'Sienna Khan was hesitant to believe it at first, but then she went a bit crazy.' Fennec continued. 'Hazel went on to claim that a little girl with "intricate magic" was the one responsible for the two planets being merged together, and that he had seen her for himself. Sienna did not believe him and came to conclusion that a wrathful god was the one who had done it.'
Corsac took over. 'She went outside and began praying so that she would be spared. Less than a minute later, and an intelligent dragon allegedly descended from the skies and boasted about how it was the cause of the combination of the two planets, and that it had also created every single star in the entire universe. After some continuous begging for mercy, Sienna Khan decided that everyone in the White Fang must take upon the regular practice of worshipping and praying to this dragon. She has also, out of nowhere, legislated that the White Fang will also become known alternatively as the "Order of the Star Forger".
Ilia had listened attentively to Fennec and Corsac's information. 'What does this mean for the future of the Faunus?'
'In addition to our goal of bringing the humans to their knees, it is also our duty now to venerate this dragon. Sienna Khan is aiming to earn its approval in the hopes that it might help us in our movement against the humans.' Corsac explained. 'I am personally unsure of all of this, but in case Sienna is right about this dragon, it is probably within our best interests to do what she says.'
'That's interesting, because it coincides with something that I heard less than an hour ago.' Ilia brought up.
'Hmm? Tell us more, Sister Ilia.' Corsac urged.
'I was spying on the Belladonnas. They read out a letter that they received from Beacon's headmaster. I've recorded it all on my scroll. Should I play it to you?'
'Please do.'
Ilia got out her scroll and opened up the recording. Ghira and Kali Belladonna were both standing on the balcony of their house. Ghira was reading the letter out loud.
The recording ended with Ghira and Kali hugging each other.
'Very intriguing.' Fennec commented. 'So Ozpin knows about this other planet, and some of his students, including Blake, are going there to help a native in a top-secret mission.'
'And what do you think this means for the Faunus and the White Fang?' Ilia asked.
'The way I see it, this most likely does not concern us or the White Fang.' Corsac conjectured. 'If anything, this could be good for us, because we won't have Ozpin's students getting in our way for a while. Adam is aware of what this Star Forger movement is, but I reckon he would like to hear this recording. Please forward it to me, so that I may send it to him.'
'Absolutely, Brother Corsac.' Ilia swiped her scroll and found Corsac's profile.
Corsac pulled out his scroll from underneath his garments and saw the file. 'Very good. Is there anything else you wish to tell us?'
Ilia shook her head. 'No, that is all I came here for, to show you this recording.'
'Well then, until next time, Sister Ilia.'
Both Corsac and Fennec bowed their heads.
Ilia nodded and left the room, slowly closing the door behind her.
Corsac and Fennec resumed their meditative stance in front of the candlelit table, clasping their hands together again.
'What shall we do now, Brother Corsac?' Fennec asked.
Corsac sighed. 'We pray… to the Star Forger.'
