"No, if you attack while holding it like that you are only going to hurt yourself. Here," Gaspare grumbled, "Hold it like this."

From atop the cathedral's stairs, Karthus watched Gaspare attempt to teach Achlys how to safely wield the dagger Elise had given her and wondered if he was ever going to be free from worrying about her safety. He had thought things were getting better, but the events of the last Harrowing had dragged his dimming concerns back into the forefront of his mind. Once again, he was concerned that Viego was a danger to her. The king had suddenly developed an interest in her, calling her to join in the last Harrowing and, when she was unable to do so, flying into a fit of rage that Karthus was mercifully able to calm him from. The price for this calm though was that Achlys was to be brought before him.

Karthus had not told Achlys about this yet. He didn't want to pile more troubles onto her. As he had feared, she had felt the Harrowing's call and he had not been there to help guide her through it. Achlys had clung tightly to his side when he had returned for her and had been unwilling to talk about what had happened. He did not know what she had experienced, but judging by how exhausted she had looked and her skinned knee, he imagined it wasn't pleasant. Further adding to his confusion over the whole thing was the wraith of an albatross that now followed after Achlys.

He could sense it at once, the creature's connection to her. It was the first wraith Achlys had created, the first thing she had killed. It only made him wish he had been there all the more to witness the moment. He was so proud of her and he let her know it, lavishing her with praise but Achlys did not seem to care. If anything, she seemed embarrassed by it, reluctant to even acknowledge the bird.

At that moment, as if sensing it was being thought of, the ghostly albatross glided down from its lookout on top the cathedral and tried to perch on Achlys's shoulders.

"Ack, no!" Achlys cried out as the massive bird flapped around her head, "Get away!"

"Away with you," Gaspare growled.

He took a more aggressive approach to shooing off the avian wraith, grabbing it from the air and tossing it back. The albatross gave an indignant cry and landed on the far side of the courtyard where it remained, leering back at the two. Achlys eyed the bird warily for a moment before turning her attention back to Gaspare. Luckily though, it remained there until the lesson was complete.

At last, Achlys sheathed the dagger and Gaspare asked if he could be dismissed from his teaching obligations for the day. Karthus obliged and Gaspare departed to follow the soldier's compulsions still within him and patrol the area.

"Achlys," Karthus said, "I need to speak with you about something."

"Okay," she said, "but can we go inside first? I felt some raindrops."

Karthus reflexively held out his hand, even though his body could feel no rain, even if it were a downpour, and looked to the sky. It was as dismal as ever.

"We can go inside."

Achlys followed her father into the ancient building and sat down in one of the preserved pews. Karthus took a seat next to her.

"What did you want to talk about?" she asked.

"You recall King Viego?"

"I do," she answered, "I promised to serve him."

Ever so slightly, Achlys's expression changed as she spoke, the confident statement quickly shriveled by unease.

"He wants to speak with you."

"What? Why?"

Karthus felt a pang of fear ripple from Achlys.

"It is about the Harrowing."

Another ripple.

"I can sense you are afraid," he continued, "but you cannot refuse a summons from him."

"I know that and I'm not afraid."

Karthus knew that was untrue. Mortals always wore their hearts on their sleeves and fear was an emotion every wraith on the Isles could sense in them.

"The thought still makes you nervous," Karthus said, "is there a reason why? Last time you were nervous but also excited. Is it the same feeling?"

Achlys shook her head.

"No. This time it's just nervous nervous because I know he's going to be mad at me."

Now it was Karthus's turn to feel a pang of fear as Achlys's concerns matched his own.

"Why would he be mad at you?" he asked, "You have done nothing wrong."

But Karthus already knew the answer to that question and his follow up statement was said just as much to reassure himself as it was to comfort Achlys.

"But I haven't done anything right either!" Achlys said, "He wanted me in that last Harrowing but I couldn't do anything and now he's mad at me."

She wasn't entirely wrong.

"You did the best you were able to," Karthus said, "and I am proud of you for that. I believe he too will recognize that."

"But all I did was run in circles and look through rubble, and make one lousy wraith."

"And it is the first of many, I am sure of that."

"I suppose."

"Were you expecting that the first would be another human."

"I don't know. Yeah, maybe. You always bring more people into the choir. I thought I would do the same. I at least wish what I killed would be more useful than a bird."

The wraith in question suddenly made a shrill squawk and strode in through the open door.

"No," Achlys hissed at it, "I told you to go away. Acheron, make it go away."

Obeying her command, Acheron flew to the bird and shoved against its chest until it retreated back outside into the drizzle that had begun. Achlys pushed her way past Karthus on the pew and ran to shut the cathedral doors.

"Now stay away," she grunted as the heavy door closed.

"What happened is not the bird's fault."

"I know that," Achlys said as she returned to his side, "but right now I don't want a wraith bothering me."

"But you still drive it off. You do not behave like this when the drakehound follows you."

"I like the drakehound. I don't even want to look at the bird."

"But why? I always thought you would cherish the first wraith you created."

Achlys turned her eyes down.

"When I look at it, all I can think of is the Harrowing."

Karthus too turned his eyes downward.

"I wish I could have been there with you," he said, "If I had known you were going to feel the call, I would have stayed by your side. The sensation can be overwhelming."

Karthus had only the vaguest memory of his first Harrowing. Memories of it were a confused blur of sights and sounds and emotions.

"It might have been the worst feeling," Achlys said, "Even worse than being mist sick. At least with that, I would cough and shiver but then it would be over. This feeling didn't stop. All day it felt like my soul was being pulled but it wouldn't leave my body. Do all wraiths feel that when are called to a Harrowing?"

"We do. It persists until the call is answered."

"Is that why all the wraiths get angry during a Harrowing?"

"No because few resist the call. They obey."

"I tried to too, I really did but I couldn't."

"Did the tugging on your soul stop at all?"

"After I killed the bird."

"Then by killing it, you answered the call."

"But it doesn't feel like it was enough! I didn't go anywhere. I didn't find anything. I am useless and the king is mad at me."

Karthus placed a withered hand on Achlys's shoulder and tilted her chin towards him with the other.

"Look at me," he said.

She raised her head but couldn't bring her eyes to meet her father's.

"Please look at me," he repeated.

Reluctantly, she obeyed and when Karthus was sure she was not going to turn away from him, he continued.

"You are not useless. You are young, inexperienced, and you are not yet a wraith. It is not fair to compare what you are capable of doing to others."

"But the king –"

"The king will understand. You did not willfully disobey him. You did everything in your power to serve, you created a wraith in his name."

"I didn't say anyone's name when I killed it."

"Tell him you did."

An idea suddenly came to Karthus.

"Tell him you killed the albatross in his name and offer it to him as tribute."

"A tribute?"

"As a gift."

"Okay, but why would I give him a gift? Is it his finding day soon?"

"A tribute is a different kind of gift. When Elise gave you that dagger, I assume it was a gift because she wanted to keep you safe. By giving it to you she was saying "I care about you." When you give a tribute, it is a gift that says "I am loyal to you." Does that make sense?"

Achlys nodded.

This worked for her. Not only would this hopefully appease Viego but then she would be free of the accursed albatross.

"I will do that," she agreed, "When does he want to see me?"

"As soon as possible. I was hoping to bring you to him tomorrow."

"Tomorrow? Oh, that's very soon."

"I know."

"I'll do it. You said that I can't refuse a summons, so I will go. I don't want to make him angrier at me."

"This meeting will go well," Karthus reassured her, "you understand what needs to be done."

Achlys nodded, offering Karthus a weak smile, before turning her head back down towards the ground.

"Um, father," she asked, her words quiet with doubt, "do you think it would be okay if I ask King Viego a question?"

"That would depend on the question. What did you want to ask him?"

"He's the one who calls all the wraiths to Harrowings, right? Is his power like mine, like how I can make a wraith feel calm by thinking calming thoughts or make them angry by getting mad? If it is, is that why the Harrowing makes all the wraiths feel bad? Is he making us all feel this way? And if he is, why? Wouldn't a king want his subjects to feel good instead?"

Karthus looked down at Achlys in surprise.

"I do not think it would be wise for you to ask these questions. Do you remember when you first met him, how you began to cry? You were overcome by his sorrow. I believe he fills wraiths with fury instead so that they may be bold enough to venture beyond the Isles instead of wallowing in lethargy."

"But why would they need to be brave when the living can't hurt them? And why does it have to sorrow or anger? Why can't it be a nice feeling? Why-"

"Achlys, do not ask him this question."

He did not yell, but there was a hardness to his words that let Achlys know his decision on this matter would not be swayed.

"Oh, okay," she mumbled, taken aback by the suddenness of his interruption, "I'm sorry."

"Do not be, your thoughts have the best intentions."

He did not want to admit it and fuel to Achlys's desire for answers, but he too had wondered why rage was the feeling that accompanied Harrowings. Would it not be better to instill in others a longing to free others from suffering as he would when he called upon the choir to attack the living? In that way would the newly dead not be greeted by a sense of sublime bliss instead of churning malice? He never questioned this aloud though. He had not the power to conjure vast Harrowings as Viego could and what was most important to him was that more mortals' souls be pulled into Mist, something the current Harrowings were incredibly efficient at doing. Perhaps, once the queen was found, the Harrowing could be a moment of revelry instead of rage.

But now was not that time, and though he was content to allow Viego continue as he was, Karthus did understand Achlys's concerns. He reached down and gave her hand a gentle squeeze, the words of his own master drifting up from some forgotten memory as he did.

"You may cry out and demand answers, but Death cannot be reasoned with. Our mortal concerns mean nothing to the Kindred. But I am not the Kindred. Share your troubles and doubts with me, Karthus. Let me guide you."

"Achlys, you have always been a curious child. I know you want answers, but I do not want you asking these questions to King Viego. There are greater things on his mind that concern him. But I am not him. Share your troubles and doubts with me. They can be about your dreams, the Harrowing, you magic, wraiths, anything. Let me guide you."

She squeezed his hand back.

"Okay," she sighed, "I will."

"Is there anything else you want to talk about now?"

"No. I just want to think right now."

"Then we can think."

In silence they sat, holding each other's hands, thinking about the future, and listening to the gentle patter of rainfall.