The Veiled Gift Chapter 20 - A Trial of Faith, a dreamkeepers fanfic

Chapter 20 - A Trial of Faith

Veil stared up at Serapis, the most important being in her life, her mind wrestling with the implications of having been brought before Her. On one hand, being noticed by Serapis Herself had been a longstanding fantasy of hers, one she could have never imagined actually happening. On the other hand, the current circumstances soured the once in a lifetime experience.

To her side, Zahra had a wavering expression on her face as Serapis addressed her. Each word the Goddess spoke struck with the weight of the world itself, and even if the gilded halls of Her Inner Sanctum weren't echoing with Her voice, Veil was sure she would have been just as shaken as her friend was if she was their target.

"…Did you truly believe that an act of theft, even in my supposed interest, would go overlooked?" Serapis asked, looking down from Her throne at Zahra.

"I… I'm sorry, my Goddess," Zahra stuttered, "but what about the Fatewielding-"

"The results of that duel were a test of your loyalty, Zahra. I have given you the right to possess the prophecy scroll, that much is true. But taking it out of my temple was a breach of my trust. If that scroll were to fall into the wrong hands…"

As Zahra's face fell, Mistress Adelin spoke up. "My Goddess, if I may be so bold… I believe Walker Zahra had no intention of letting the scroll out of her sight. Even bringing it to me to read it was done with utmost secrecy-"

Serapis turned Her gaze to the Mistress and lifted a hand to silence her. "Adelin, my Daughter," She said with a much gentler tone, "you are here as a victim of circumstance, and only a potential accessory to my Eye's crimes. Do you truly wish to waste my good will defending the actions of a traitor?"

"A traitor…" Nuha muttered. "That's what that nightmare called you…"

Veil paled as she saw Serapis turn Her attention to Nuha. The Inner Sanctum began to shudder.

"You speak out of turn, Servant, and your words have damning implications. For you to suggest that I would collude with those… demons…"

The Inner Sanctum started shaking even more intensely, and Nuha quivered as Serapis continued to speak. "I could strike you dead where you stand for such an affront-"

"She didn't mean it, my Goddess!"

The shaking in the room came to a halt, and all eyes in the room turned towards Veil. She had hardly even noticed the words she blurted out before the chamber began echoing with Serapis's voice once more.

"Servant Tenebri Veil… You are treading a fine line defending your fellow Servant over this insult. And yet…"

The Goddess trailed off, and Nuha gave Veil a sympathetic, yet grateful look. For a span of time afterward, Veil's mind raced, barely able to predict what Serapis would say next.

"To interrupt my judgment with such a bold declaration, I presume you have an explanation for her outburst. So tell me then, in your own words. What did she mean, saying such a thing before me?"

Veil gave Serapis a reverent bow before responding. "My Goddess, Nuha, she… she's been struggling with doubt ever since the contract. Back then, a nightmare suggested that you betrayed them in the past… I know there's no way you would ever do that, but it was compelled to tell the truth because of a power… because of one of Your Gifts… My Goddess Serapis, I think Nuha's been having a hard time coming to terms with that…"

Serapis stared at Veil for what felt like an eternity. Veil could feel a dull rumbling in the room coming to a halt as She finally spoke once more.

"I see. Considering the circumstances, it is understandable that such doubt could fester in Servant Nuha's heart. But there will be time to deal with those doubts later. For now, the issue of-"

"My Goddess! Serapeum… It's under attack!"

Everyone's attention turned to the entrance to the Inner Sanctum. There, a lone Praetorian stood, nearly doubled over and gasping for breath.

Serapis reacted calmly. "My dear High Son. What do you mean by this? I have been keeping a vigil over the desert as always; there have been no forces gathering around us."

"Not… around us, my Goddess… from within! Strange Unseen… with scarred arms… all over Serapeum… they came out of hiding, and-"

"That is enough, my child. You have done well, informing me of this. Go and rest now. The issue will be resolved soon enough."

"But… Serapis…"

"Rest easy, my child. I have already given the signal to your fellow Praetorians to see the matter handled. Whatever threat these invaders pose, my other High Sons will eliminate it."

For a moment, the Praetorian was silent, save for a few heaving breaths. Righting himself shortly afterward, he gave Serapis a deep bow.

"Yes, my Goddess. Your will be done."

As the Praetorian turned and left the Inner Sanctum, the group returned their attention to Serapis. The sound of stone grinding behind them did little to turn their attention as the Goddess addressed them once more.

"Now, then. Let us continue with no further distractions. Slave," Serapis said, turning Her gaze to Arc, "we have not addressed your crimes yet. Tell me, what possessed you of the delusion that you could steal from your Goddess?"

Arc bowed, stuttering as he spoke up. "I… W-well…"

While Arc struggled to find the words to defend himself, Veil turned to look at Zahra. With a single nod, she knew the thoughts going through her friend's head mirrored her own.

That Praetorian… What was he trying to tell Serapis?

And the attacks… could they be part of Kumarbi's real plan…?

—

Just outside of the capitol temple, a contingent of Praetorians prepared for battle. A signal from Serapis Herself had been sounded in their barracks, and Her High Sons dutifully armed themselves and mounted their respective ryuu-nekos to respond to it.

One of the Praetorians climbed onto his lengthy verdant mount, the one that had been his companion ever since childhood. As his mind raced going over the various techniques of Wood-style Tanniyn, he forced the questions he had about the nature of Serapeum's attackers to the back of his thoughts.

Tonight, these Unseen heretics will face the wrath of the Goddess. Whoever they are, however they came here, they will learn the folly of attacking Her city before we send them to burn away in Her womb…

With a gentle stroke of his ryuu-neko's soft, leaflike fur followed by a shouted command, the Praetorian and his loyal mount headed off into the city, with a number of his fellow High Sons following behind.

Wood-style Tanniyn was a support-oriented fighting style. Drawing attacks away from points of interest and holding fast against attackers while supporting allies were the style's main goals. To that end, the Praetorian and his fellow Wood-style users were headed to offer support to a House that could already hold its own in combat - namely, the nightmare slayers of House Mut.

But as the Praetorian and his brothers in arms approached the Mut Estate, something gradually began to feel off. His ryuu-neko, once just as eager for battle as he was, had been slowing down the closer the pair got to their goal. Plant ryuu-nekos were naturally more docile than the other elemental variants of their species, but the complete lack of enthusiasm to proceed once the creature reached the estate's gates had the Praetorian in a complete state of shock.

"Hey, what's wrong, girl? You're usually so…"

The Praetorian drifted off as he saw a dazed look in his mount's eyes. Waving his hand in front of them seemed to have no effect, and neither did calling out commands or even her name. Behind his golden helmet, the Praetorian's brow furrowed in frustration. Gripping his halberd and summoning a radiant green halo over his head, he made a quick dismount before moving towards the gate.

With the help of a couple of other Praetorians whose ryuu-nekos seemed to be similarly afflicted, it took only a little bit of force to break through the wooden doors, and a quick use of his own power healed what little damage he and his fellow soldiers sustained from the exertion. But once they made their way inside, the Praetorians gaped at what they saw.

Much like their respective mounts, a large number of House Mut's members simply stood around in a daze. The ones that weren't dazed had their powers active, flinging destructive attacks at a small group of dreamkeepers whose arms had been scarred in various places that reminded the Praetorian of the locations of lower-caste tattoos.

But the most startling thing about the invaders was not their scars, but their powers. Serapis had been known to give them to the Unseen to test Her children, but the wall of energy one of the heathens was holding up seemed to absorb everything that the House Mut members could throw at it, offering Serapis's faithful no chance for glory.

"You cannot hope to best the might of our Faith," the shield power-using invader said. "Our God has blessed us in ways that Serapis never could for you."

"Low-caste members of House Mut," another invader spoke, her own power amplifying her voice, "reject the brutish nature of this House of the Deceiver, and follow us towards a God who will see you as more than objects and assets!"

To the shock of all of the Serapean power users, the Servants and slaves among the dazed group began walking around the ongoing conflict in the direction of the speaker's voice. Upon getting close enough to the group of invaders, a third, frog-like power user swiftly struck at them with his webbed hands, causing them to sink into the shadows beneath them.

The Praetorian shook himself from his shock as the scene unfolded. Hefting his halberd in his hands, he began moving around the shield towards the invaders, thrusting his weapon at the nearest heathen. Unfortunately, his attack never made it close, as another invader's power sliced the halberd to pieces with an invisible force.

"Come no closer, pawn of the Deceiver. Unless you want us to make an example of you."

"Who… who are you?" The Praetorian grunted in frustration.

"We serve a higher power, one that will eventually see the Deceiver Serapis undone. That is all that a pawn like you needs to know."

Before the Praetorian or any of his allies had a chance to react, the frog man quickly finished sending the lower-caste members of House Mut into the shadows. With his hands moving as quickly as they could, he did the same to his fellow invaders and then to himself, leaving the House's estate devoid of their presence.

Silence dominated the estate as House Mut's power users dispelled their halos. As the Praetorian looked down at the remains of his weapon, he could hear someone behind him falling to the ground. Turning to look, he could see one of the House's Walkers on her knees, slamming her fist into the ground.

"It happened again… Couldn't even… All my slaves, and me too… How did that bastard manage to… FUCK!"

—

Kamal shot a blast of frigid winds at a feline Unseen, who raised her halo just too slowly to avoid being assaulted by the worst that his power could offer.

"Interrupting my sleep… And more importantly stealing from House Tenebri… You bastards have a lot to answer for…" The Walker grumbled as he turned away from the frozen corpse.

An entire day of keeping the farm in order had forced Kamal to postpone his worship of Serapis until nearly midnight. A few hours after he had finally managed to venerate Her, his attempts to get some rest had been interrupted by strange sounds that he couldn't bring himself to ignore. As soon as he had discovered the nature of the disturbance, the Unseen who were corralling his subordinates away from House Tenebri's farm had earned the full extent of his wrath as a result.

But for all his wrath, Kamal silently wished for more support bringing the invaders to death. The House's guards seemed to be in a collective daze, limiting their ability to enact the House's justice on the intruders. Fortunately, a small group of Praetorians had made their way to the farm and were offering what assistance they could.

Some distance away, Kamal saw a Praetorian plunge his halberd through the heart of an invader, and he allowed himself a faint smile at the sight. The only thing that soured his mood from there was the sheer number of invaders. Given how many there were, he and the few of Serapis's High Sons who had arrived could do little to stop them.

And I can't just use my power to freeze the bastards all at once either… The House's crops won't be able to take it, and if I end up killing any of the slaves, Mistress Adelin'll never let me hear the end of it…

Come to think of it… I hate to have to rely on her of all people, but what the hell is she doing while this is all happening? With her power, she could easily-

You know what? Doesn't matter. I'll just carry all the weight she never could… Just like always…

Kamal turned his attention back to the task at hand. The lower-caste members of House Tenebri were slowly plodding through the fields, heeding the voice of one of the Unseen. If he could close the gap and kill that one…

Recalling his arena experience the day before, Kamal knelt down and reached his left hand into the waters of a nearby irrigation canal, focusing on letting his power flow in the shape of a club. The moment he felt something tangible in his grip, he pulled the frozen weapon out and began rushing the invader whose voice his subordinates were following.

With his right hand, Kamal reached for the whip at his belt. Following a quick flick of the wrist to unfurl it, he gauged the distance between himself and his target as he got closer. The moment the Unseen was within the whip's radius, he swung it out to deliver punishment to its next victim…

A red and white blur suddenly flew through the air, intercepting the whip before it could strike its target. Once the figure landed, Kamal could hardly believe his eyes. He had never been particularly good with names, but one of the intruder's standout features was all he needed to remember hers, as well as the last time he saw her. The last time the farm was attacked.

"Serapis… Wing? How the fuck are you still-"

The red-feathered dreamkeeper across from Kamal gave him an empty look. Ten years ago, she had been one of his younger slaves, only a little older than Veil when Kumarbi had attacked the farm.

The name he had given her, Wing, was in reference to the feathery wing the avian girl had on the right side of her back. She had two of them at birth, but in a fit of rage, Kamal had torn one of them off for some insult he could barely remember now.

Her slender frame, draped in a white cloth robe, had only changed in height over the decade that had passed. Apart from that, the other changes Kamal could see filled his mind with questions. Her right hand, once marked with the sigil of House Tenebri, was now marred with a scar, and a bright red halo glowed over the uneven mess of crimson feathers covering her head.

"Former master," Wing said dryly, looking down at the whip in her hands, "I see you're still using this old instrument of torture. I wonder, how many slaves have felt its sting? Do you still feel nothing for them?"

"That's… What are you even doing here?"

"Isn't it obvious? I'm here to free more of your victims. There have been some changes around here, it seems. I haven't seen my old friends anywhere, but the promoted Servant boy is new…"

"The Servant… Don't you fucking dare! You let Dom and the others go right now, or I'll-"

Wing smiled faintly. "Oh, his name is Dom? I expected you would have called him 'Horns' or something like that. And for you to single him out like that… Is a simple tattoo all it takes for you to actually treat someone like a person? At least Lord Kumarbi gives us-"

Kamal tugged on his whip the moment Wing mentioned Kumarbi, nearly bringing her to the ground as he did.

"Kumarbi? That nightmare bastard stole you, and now you're calling him your lord? And helping steal more slaves for him? You traitorous little bitch, I'll crush you for that!"

With a roar, Kamal rushed towards Wing, raising his icy club to cave her skull in. The moment he got close enough to swing it down on her, though, Wing's halo flared and she moved out of the way in a blur.

As the frozen bludgeon made contact with the ground, Kamal winced in pain as something collided with his back. He fell to one knee as the pain from an all too familiar wound was amplified by the sting of talons sinking into it.

"That was always your weakest point, former Master," Wing said from behind Kamal. "So slow and brutish. I guess some things never change… But now, I can finally repay you for what you did to my-"

"Wing!" Another voice called out, making the former slave pause. "We need to leave. The slaves and Servants are ready; all we need now is you."

"Hm, seems that I'm needed. You're lucky, former master… You might just live long enough to see the Deceiver get deposed by our Lord."

Wing kicked Kamal to the ground before rushing away to the group of his subordinates and the other invaders. The last thing Kamal saw before his fatigue caught up with him was the entire group speeding away from the farm in a large multicolored blur.

S-Serapis… I couldn't keep the House's holdings safe…

I failed… again…

—

"Everyone, please! Stop following these heathens! Have the Precepts of Serapis truly impacted you so little?"

Chanda shouted through the flames born from her power, desperately trying to get a reaction from the Unseen and slaves she had been tasked with overseeing. At the same time, she used those same flames to assault some of the invaders who were responsible for the current attack.

The Unseen who had started the attack had hidden in plain sight, blending in with a group that House Ardeo had recently Reaped. Once midnight had arrived, they sprung their true plan, and had been secretly gathering the House's slaves and Unseen in a place just outside of the Ardeo Estate.

It was only through coincidence that Chanda had noticed the mass exodus of her charges, but she strained her voice and power to attempt to get their attention ever since. But a number of the invaders were quick to intercept her and her House members in the interest of seeing their kidnapping to completion. One of the invading Unseen, an insectoid man with a blue halo over his head, gave Chanda a blank stare as she continued to cry out.

"They can't hear you, Hand Chanda. Only our Lord's will is in their minds now."

Chanda turned her attention to the speaker, and with a thought, her flames began to harry him in particular. "Then tell me," she said, "who is your lord? How does he command them so?"

The Unseen let out a dull laugh. "You've seen Him before, that much I can read from your history. And your attacks are just as easy to read. Your mind shows a history of attacking with a pattern, Hand. And a laughably predictable pattern at that."

As he spoke, the Unseen dodged Chanda's flames with little effort. Nonetheless, she continued attacking him, and he kept speaking as casually as he had been.

"I've read your charges' brief histories in this place too, you know. Many of them resent you, and I can't blame them. A woman from a high caste, insisting that they give up the freedom they've known all their lives. Have you ever wondered what it's like to be in their position? If you did, I'm certain you would hate yourself for being the shameless slaver that you are."

"That… they will come to accept Serapis's love in time! She only wants the best for them!"

"You don't truly believe that," the insect man said flatly. "Ever since you saw our Lord, your mind has been plagued with doubt."

Chanda felt her blood run cold. "You… how could you even…"

"I can read it plainly, Hand. To think, all of your striving to become a proper leader for your House, and yet seeing one member of the caste you've been longing to join meet his end, someone who should have had her divine protection, could affect you so… Do you think the Deceiver would even allow someone like you to ascend from your current caste? Someone who no longer believes in her so-called perfection?"

Behind the Unseen, Chanda could see the steady procession of her charges being displaced by another power user. As she saw that nearly all of them had vanished, she let out a labored breath.

"Y-you… this is one of Her tests… that power of yours…"

"Say…" the Unseen said as Chanda wavered in place, "what if I turned the same offer you presented those Unseen back on to you? I think you could be a wonderful prize for our Lord… What do you think? You could abandon the Deceiver Serapis, and rise to the side of a god who truly values-"

The Unseen jumped out of the way of Chanda's flames, which began burning even more intensely.

Chanda glared at the invader. "Serapis… Even if I have some doubts, She is still my Goddess! For you to tell me to abandon Her… Your power must not be as good at reading me as you claim."

As Chanda focused her power on attacking the Unseen, she turned her attention to the rest of the area. All around her, the other power users from her House handled the threats posed by other invaders. Among them, a number of Praetorians joined in to help end the threat. But most importantly, the procession of Unseen and slaves had vanished, along with the power user responsible.

My charges… they've all been taken while we were occupied… But some of the attackers are still here… There's still hope for us to salvage something from this…

Focusing on her nearest ally, one of the Praetorians who had just killed an invader, Chanda whispered a tongue of flame into existence and sent it over to him as quickly as she could. As soon as it got near his head, she whispered through it to him. "I need your help subduing the insect Unseen. Discreetly."

With half of her attention on the Praetorian, Chanda returned to her conversation with the Unseen. "Suppose I entertained your offer. You claim that I've met your lord. He wouldn't happen to be called Kumarbi, would he?"

The Unseen perked up as he continued to evade Chanda's flames. "Yes, indeed. Lord Kumarbi. The one who will personally see the death of your so-called goddess."

"So you claim. I do know some extent of that nightmare's abilities. The unpowered here have been affected by… his will, as you call it. Does that mean Kumarbi is close to us, even now?"

"Close, and yet far… Lord Kumarbi tasked us with coming here as a Holy Trial. He is not here in person, but His influence is present with each of His Faithful…"

Chanda noticed the slightest movement of the Unseen clenching something in one of his hands. "I see… he gave you some kind of boon, then?"

"You are a sharp one, Hand Chanda… Yes, a boon indeed. One that is unlike anything that the Deceiver could-"

The Unseen paused as the blade of a halberd made its way under his neck.

"Unlike what Serapis could give us? Somehow, I doubt that very much, Unseen."

Chanda let out a sigh of relief as the Praetorian struck the invader unconscious. The sigh turned into a gasp as he moved the blade of his polearm closer to his captive's neck.

"Wait! Thank you for your help, sir, but might I ask that you spare his life?"

The Praetorian blinked. "I could, but tell me. Why should I suffer this heretic to live?"

"Well, for one, it is House Ardeo's way to spare the lives of the Unseen, however deep their heretical beliefs go. And besides that…"

Chanda walked over to the Unseen and wrenched the pouch he was holding out of his hand. All around the estate, the few remaining invaders had already been killed or otherwise made themselves scarce.

"Something tells me that we could get more information about our enemies out of him alive. Things like where they have taken my charges, for instance."

The Praetorian nodded. "I see. You have Serapis's own foresight, Hand. It may serve Her well if what this one was saying had any truth to it."

Chanda nodded. Her, and everyone we failed to save… But I swear, I will do everything I can to save them.

Those slaves and Unseen… Whatever Kumarbi has planned for them, there's no chance it could be good…

—

In a secluded part of Serapeum, a prepubescent Unseen boy pulled at the ragged blanket covering his body, shivering as the cold night winds chilled him to the bones. Looking at the other pariahs all around him sharing in his suffering, he could only wonder if he would be able to get any sleep tonight.

The boy had grown up almost completely without a family. He never knew his father, and his mother had ended up being victimized by a group of Seen Serapeans only a few years after he was born. The stories he heard from the other Unseen of what they had done to her before leaving her for dead were the kinds of things that a boy his age should never have had to know about.

Not that there was anyone who would have defended her in the entire city, much less him now that he was on his own. As a Serapeum-born Unseen, and a male child besides that, he was one of the single most cursed beings that he knew about. Even the Unseen born outside of the city had hope to be converted and promoted to slaves. But that chance did not exist for those who were reincarnated to live in the slums of Serapeum.

It was beyond unlikely that Serapis would ever look upon him or any of the others. According to everything he had heard about her, she was a distant god who had no love for the Unseen, and would sooner have the entire forgotten slum where he lived destroyed to preserve the purity of her chosen people than ever offer the members of the cursed non-caste a chance at redemption.

But there's nothing I can do about that… nothing but wait to-

The boy paused in his thoughts as he saw something he had hoped not to see that night. A man with a halo glowing over his head. A power user. Throughout his life, he had only ever seen them abusing the Unseen to their hearts' content. But the boy had the faintest suspicion in his mind that something was different about this one.

Normally, the sight of even a single person walking through the slum bearing one of Serapis's gifts was enough to stir panic in the entire group. And yet to the boy's surprise, no one seemed to be in a hurry to get out of the power user's line of sight. Not even himself.

"Poor souls…" the stranger said, more to himself than anyone around him, "their existence is little more than a joke to the Deceiver…"

The Deceiver? The boy thought. Who could that even-

Once again, the young Unseen's thoughts trailed away. Another power user approached behind the strange man and began speaking to him in hushed tones. After a while, more power users appeared, and the boy's train of thought became even foggier.

He barely even noticed one of the power users approaching him.

"…Leave this cursed land… Lord Kumarbi shall…"

Most of what the power user said was a blur, but the name "Lord Kumarbi" seemed to echo clearly with a number of concepts in the boy's mind.