"Maybe it was my old age, or maybe, I feel, I had lost faith, by that point. But when the Spirits walked into our temple, and greeted me in my home, they looked human. Worn out and wary, travelers on a long road." - Izhar, High Priest of Pavilion, to his sons.
The walls and gates were not the only impressive thing that the Sacred City had to muster, Taylor realized. Vermilion was already huge, and she was able to dodge most of the population by staying inside the temple until they left. Here, however, she saw thousands of faces, staring at her.
All of them without horses,having arrived from who knows where else in the country, and all of them recognized her, going to their knees. Imp laughed. Stationed around the kingdom were knights, dressed in all kinds of armors with different emblems. She recognized the symbol of Elamia on some of them, and a few others that she couldn't place.
"Knights of all the kingdoms," Amal explained. "They are sent here to protect the temples. It's supposed to be a sign of unity."
Taylor wasn't blind, however. The men standing next to each other looked anything but united. Though some looked less hostile than others, the majority looked like they wanted to be anywhere but there.
Taylor sighed, her back feeling sore. The nights hadn't been very restful for her, so much that even Imp mentioned how she kept flailing in her sleep. She couldn't even remember her dreams that clearly, so all she could do was ignore them like usual. The horses slowly brought them closer to the gates, and the mass of people parted and bowed to them, chanting. She could hear Amal joining their prayer in whispers.
But while she heard the prayers through bugs as well, she used them to scout ahead, check for weapons that anyone could carry. The people on their pilgrim seemed less armed than the people in the kingdoms.
She tried to check how big the city was, but she couldn't. The giant gates and walls stretched far beyond of her range. Guards stationed on the wall and in towers nearby watched her approach.
"OPEN THE GATES!"
A man from the guards shouted suddenly, and a large cry accompanied the slow opening of the entrance. The city was impressive. A work of art, like something right out of a painting. Taylor shook her head, taking in the sight while Imp whistled low.
They were greeted by another group of knights, their faces hidden by helmets that gave them kind of a medieval look, compared to the armored guards she usually saw. The last time she saw some of those, it was when they were with Aaron and about to attack Friede.
"Sacred Spirit!" one of the six knights in front of her said loudly. "Let me welcome you, O blessed one, to this sacred place in honor to you and your brethren…"
"Alright," Taylor interrupted before he could continue with an obviously long and practiced speech.
"Bring me to your leaders," Imp said, waving her arms around. The tone of her voice was stilted slightly. "We come in peace."
Taylor glared at the girl, as the knights immediately turned around and began marching forwards.
"Of course, the high priest will be honored to see you!" the knight from before said.
The city was massive. The size probably not comparing to Brockton Bay, but the sheer density and amount of people: priests and pilgrims, Amal called them. The size of some of the buildings, made out of cut stone were impressive, and one of the first things that drew her attention as she walked down the streets.
Taylor glanced around, appreciating the scenery. They stepped off the horses and moved forward as the gates were closed again. Imp nearly stumbled off hers, but that was no wonder, considering the story of how she even learned to ride one.
Their destination was obviously the temple that was visible in the distance. The knights marched with steady steps in their heavy armor, while Amal and Taylor had bags slung over their backs, still filled with a bit of food that should have lasted them a day or two. Taylor took the time to look around with her bugs, finding quite a few locations like something that seemed to be a public bath, and inns for people on pilgrimage to stay in.
When they finally arrived, all they saw was another gate, engraved with the image of two men, holding a sword together. The images were a bit twisted, but she could recognize that these must be Eshmun and his brother.
One of the knights stepped up and knocked strongly. The gate swung open, much quicker than the entrance to the city and the brightly lit day was replaced by a dark hall illuminated by candles after they stepped in. Two doors to the left and the right, Taylor checked them all with the bugs. They were large and mostly empty, with identical shrines in them. And right in front of them, Imp and Amal trailing behind her, was a small room with stairs leading to the upper parts of the temple.
The knights opened the doors in front of them and yet another door a bit further, ignoring the stairs.
"The High Priest's temple," Amal muttered, excitement in her voice. "I'm actually [i]here[/i]."
"Breathe." Imp grinned at Amal. "Though this stuff looks awesome, you think they'd let me keep one of those swords on the walls?"
"No," Taylor said, still trailing after the knights. The men lined up next to the door as she walked inside, eventually reaching what looked similar to the throne room of Elamia. A man was sitting inside a less than impressive chair, younger than Amram by a decent few years from the looks of it. He stood up as he saw them approach.
"Spirit Skitter, Spirit Imp," he said, bowing. He was bald, wearing priest robes with jewelry hanging down from it, and a greying beard on his face. "Let me welcome you to the temple, I am High Priest Izhar, brother of King Amram of Elamia."
Taylor nodded her head in greeting, while Imp waved. Amal bowed to the priest.
"It's an honor," Amal said.
"Please, priestess Amal," he said. "Do not bow your head to anyone but your gods and king, you're as honored here as any other faithful."
"Thank you," Amal said, standing up. Taylor glanced at him. How did he do that? Taylor could never get her to stop that when she started going off on a tangent.
"I have heard of why you are here," Izhar continued, walking towards Taylor. "You are in search for other spirits. I have good news."
"Oh?" Taylor said, hopeful. The man's smile was disarming.
"Yes, please, follow me," he said, moving down the room and towards the stairs, nodding to the six knights. "As you might know, I am, for the most part, impartial to the politics of the kingdoms."
Taylor didn't really know that, but assumed, considering the different knights from all the kingdoms gathered around the gates.
"Elamia once owned all but the Theocracy, until the ancestors of the current kings became unhappy with how Eshmun's descendant ruled."
Taylor wasn't sure what prompted the history lesson, but she didn't interrupt him. If he had information about the others, she'd listen to everything he had to say.
"And eventually, the people became unhappy as well, and those that didn't wish to be priests went and took control of parts of the kingdoms, separating themselves and leaving Elamia smaller. It is not surprising that there have been… conflicts. Especially because it is still the Elamian line that takes the place of the high priest."
"Sounds tough," Imp said. Amal and Taylor glanced at her, but she just shrugged. "What? It does."
"Indeed, it was… tough, as you say," Izhar said. "So we swore and oath, and Pavilion is not allowed to favor one kingdom over another. The knights are as much guards here as they are a threat."
Amal drew a short breath as she heard that. Of course, that wasn't too surprising either, Taylor thought.
He led them up the stairs, towards a small office that had two more guards standing in front of them.
"All except Massad, of course, they decided that blood and legitimation of the kings didn't matter, and renounced both the monarchy and their belief," he continued. "That relationship has been… strained, so to speak."
"So…" Taylor concluded. "Even if one of the kingdoms told you that they found a spirit, you couldn't tell that to Elamia?"
"Yes." Izhar nodded. "That is to say, we are not forbidden from telling you, of course, even though the sword you carry shouldn't be in your hands, and back in Elamia."
"This old thing?" she asked, glancing at the sheath hanging on her back, slung over her shoulder next to her bag. "What's so special about it?"
The place they entered was an office, or it looked like one at least. A lot of papers and letters were sprawled over a table, and Izhar sat down on the chair next to it, gesturing towards a bunch of other chairs near the wall. Taylor grabbed one and moved it closer to him before sitting down. Imp and Amal followed suit.
"It's Eshmun's sword," he said. Amal began coughing. "And Amram must have had a good reason for giving it to you…"
"Moses gave it to me," Taylor corrected. The man's eyes widened.
"Oh," he said, his eyes downcast. "Oh."
"Is… everything alright?"
"I will explain, later, let me just…" he turned around, grabbing one of the letters on the desk and reading it. "A spirit named 'Bitch' has been sighted with two more named 'Clockblocker' and 'Miss Militia', near Khalil. They might have made their way to Massad."
Taylor smiled when she heard Bitch's name, but grimaced at the other two. This wasn't good. But if they were traveling together, it's doubtful that they were hostile right now. They might have the same idea she had, find Tattletale.
"Furthermore," he grabbed another letter. "The spirits named 'Grue', 'Tattletale' and 'Weld' have been sighted in the south."
"Whohoo!" Imp stood up, lifting her fists up. "They didn't lie to m-"
Taylor blinked, shaking her head. Imp was sitting in her chair, her arms crossed and looking as nonchalant as possible, while Amal was looking down. When it finally set in, she grinned, but…
"What about Regent?" she asked. The man pursed his lips, taking another letter.
"It seems that another spirit has been sighted in Massad, though we don't know where exactly, and what his plans are. Massad isn't very friendly, so it is possible that he might have been attacked-"
"Nah," Imp interrupted. "He's probably alright."
"Are you sure?" Taylor asked.
"Call it a gut feeling, I was right about bro too, right?" Imp smiled at her. "Don't worry too much."
"I'm the only one who seems to worry around here," Taylor muttered. "Okay, it's… is everything alright?"
The man was looking on the ground, rubbing his nose.
"I am afraid that my brother might be dead," Izhar admitted. "The sword is carried here by the crown prince before his coronation when the king is dead. If he sent you here beforehand, then perhaps…"
"Aaron and Moses seemed to be in conflict," Taylor said. "If I recall correctly, Aaron would have to take your place when Moses becomes king, right?"
"Yes, and I'm afraid that he might not keep the oath, Aaron has always been pushing for a reunification of the islands."
Taylor hated these politics. Stuff like this was at least kind of simple in Brockton Bay, even if they lived in worse conditions after Leviathan and the Slaughterhouse 9.
"But that doesn't have anything to do with you, does it?" Izhar laughed. It sounded hollow. "I shall send letters out so that your friends will know where to find you, and offer you shelter for as long as you wish to stay."
"Thank you," Taylor said, smiling. "I appreciate that."
"Everything for the spirits," the man said. "Please, keep the sword with you for now. If Moses arrives before you leave, we might learn more, and if you go back, give it to him."
"Of course," Taylor said, nodding. "I don't wish to impose, and I know that this place has a major lack of bedrooms." She checked, of course. "We will stay in an inn nearby, so you know where to find us."
"Very well," the man stood up and bowed to her, before Taylor sighed and bent down, making the man stand up again.
"I'm sorry about your brother," she said. "If there's anything I can do to help, tell me."
She wouldn't want Aaron to throw this entire place into war. She didn't want to actively mess with the politics either, but she couldn't allow him to do anything drastic, especially not when this might prevent them from finding a way home.
"Thank you, Spirit Skitter… thank you."