"I was chosen to deliver this revelation to the people--to bring dragon and man together, as they once were, and should ever be!" Lady Iceheart spoke calmly yet every word imbued with a resolve as solid and unshakable as Ishgard's walls.
Is this what the so-called heretics were putting their lives on the line for? Are those very dreams why we killed them?
"I am neither a saint nor a savior--just another sinner. Yet I will not forsake this cause. I cannot. I will see this cycle broken and peace restored" Even now back in the inn with Orianne, her words remained with me.
<br><br>
[["Seluk?"->Ch1_1-1]] </br></br>Orianne leans back in her chair, rhythmically tapping on the table beside her. "I didn’t think I made such ill company for you to ignore me like this."
"You need more bring up more interesting topics."
"Hm? I'm already interesting enough as it is."
"I'm halfway asleep having this conversation."
"You know," she starts with a slight upturn of her lips. “I can make you fully asleep if you'd like." She cracks her knuckles as a hint.
"Pass. I don't want to miss lunch."
A moment of silence falls between us. I sit up from my bed and swivel around to plant my feet on the floor. I glance at the window and sigh. It's still early in the day as well as much too cold. I shiver, grabbing my blanket and throwing it over my shoulders.
The word 'peace' buzzes in my head. I want to ask Orianne since I can't make sense of it myself yet.
"Are we doing the right thing this time?"
Orianne remains silent, so I elaborate. "The heretics... Lady Iceheart said she wanted peace. That's why they're doing all of this."
She continues to remain silent, but I wait.
"We mustn't take what she said at face value. Or even if she believes that," Orianne pauses for moment. "That is not to say that everyone in her faction believes the same."
She has a point.
"However, it’s not like we can say that there aren't alternate or ulterior motives for some of these nobles, as hospitable as few of them are." Afterall, it was only one month ago when we thought Ilberd and the Crystal Braves were our allies.
“So, we’ve learned...” She frowns, turning her gaze away from me and towards the window. “What makes matters worse is that we have fewer allies to confide in since…since the others are still missing.”
“Yeah.”
We fall silent again.
It’s an uncomfortable one. All the questions we have linger in the air, locked in this room with us, untethered by their respective answers. What may we yet encounter in pursuit of these answers? Better yet, are we even posing the appropriate questions? I glance at Orianne who seems to be lost in her own thoughts.
This room, this place, this situation, is becoming suffocating.
[[ “I’m going for a walk” -> Ch1_1-2]] or [[ Lie back down -> Ch1_1-3]]
Orianne makes a noncommittal grunt in response, gazing out the window. I discard my blanket and replace it with a thick coat drape on one of the other chairs. I notice after putting on my boots that she hasn’t gotten up to do the same. I’ll be taking this walk alone but that’s fine with me.
“Love you, bye.”
“Bye, stay safe.”
[[Head out->Ch1_2-1]]
I don’t feel tired, yet I want to put my mind at ease less I want to conjure more
questions to add to my growing pile. There must be something else I can do.
“I need to get out of here. Some fresh air might do me some good.”
Orianne makes a noncommittal grunt in response, gazing out the window. I discard my blanket and replace it with a thick coat drape on one of the other chairs. I notice after putting on my boots that she hasn’t gotten up to do the same. I’ll be taking this walk alone but that’s fine with me.
“Bye.”
“Bye.”
[[Head out->Ch1_2-1]]
Ishgard, much like its weather, was dreary and bland. The few citizens that walk about and the tall grey stone structures are unwelcoming. The relative silence is unnerving. I easily stick out because of my long ears and wardrobe. Most steal a glance or change their paths as I wander around The Pillars. I’m not surprised if I’m the first viera some of them have seen since elezens and hyurs are the great majority. I stop walking near the end of one of the bridges heading furthest away from the Fortemps Manor, lest I come across Lord Edmont, Artoriel or, even worse, Emmanellain.
The view from here offers the foggy silhouettes of the mountain range that isolate Ishgard from the other city-states. Lady Iceheart claims that children were taught to fear the same sky. But is that true? Do the children in the Brume and the ones in The Pillars have the same unifying fear? I’m not so sure or at least their skies are not the same.
“—a spectacle like that, everyday life seems rather dull in comparison.” I catch a part of the conversation behind me. What could possibly be interesting here. The pair try but fail to speak softer in their zeal to recount what they had seen. They must be on the other side of the bridge.
“Hush! If someone happens upon our conversation, then we might be put on trial next.” They laugh.
“The way that **heretic** swung that ghastly weapon at the knights, nary a shield on hand. A fanatical pauper till the end. Pitiful yet deserved.”
I want to walk away but I want to know more. I train my gaze on one of the mountain peaks before me, unwilling to turn around and catch their attention.
“Poor sop fought like a demon from the deepest pits of the seventh hell, bellowing threats and working his arts. He got ran through so those arts were all for naught.”
“I heard someone say he must be a dark knight. How foul and twisted…”
“Halone be praised. The righteous stand firm and our home remain safe from heretic and dragons alike! Good riddance.”
“I spoke to one of the knights and he said that they dumped the body in the Brume. It will probably be stripped bare by sunset and then tossed over the walls by night—”
“Abandon that uncouth talk. More importantly was this knight a certain Sir Drioveaux? You know it’s unwise to sneak around with him when you are not yet enga–”
“We shall end this discussion as well since I was not—”
I can’t hear them anymore. I walk towards the stairs with a barely restrained stride. I’m no longer cold, heat rushing through my veins. My speed remains constant as I descend towards the Brume. To speak so callously of a person. Someone who might have dreamed of peace for this nation tossed like garbage. What do I know. Perhaps, this is a different type of heretic. But do Ishgardians make that distinction? Or is anyone who disturbs their peace branded with that label and left at the mercy of the temple knights. Serpents nipping at their tails.
I nearly trip over the armor-clad individual propped against the wall of the stair landing. A greatsword laid beside them. This must be that person they were talking about. They’re unnaturally still yet there’s something odd about them: there are no open wounds that I could see. I kneel to examine further.
[[And then there was darkness.->Ch1_2-2]]
(live: 1s) [<h3>Is this it? Is this all that awaits?</h3>]
(live: 2s)[<h3>No...No more. Enough...</h3>]
(live: 4s) [<h3>Open your eyes.</h3>]
(live: 5s) [<h2>Look</h2>]
(live: 7s) [<h2>Do you see now?</h2>]
(live: 8s) [<h1>Do you// see//?</h1>]
[[........->Ch1_2-3]](More to come later)