“Nawcy’s wisdom guide us aww, fo’ without it we wouwd be wost.”
[Motto of the observatory district]
I could feel the cold winter sun hitting my face, as I started waking up. Looking around I saw that everyone else in my unit must have already woke, as there beds were empty and I couldn’t see them. I get up and after doing a quick stretch, put on my gear and head out to go have breakfast, and to think about that letter… What did they mean by Judgement Day wasn’t an accident, how was that possible! I had to know who this person was, how they knew of Enoch’s existence, and there ultimate motive. Now in the mess hall I could see dozens of guards all eating and chatting about, but not my unit. Getting my usual breakfast (It Being two pieces of toasted bread, with a cup a cider) I sit down and begin eating, with me hearing a familiar voice only a few seconds later.
“Good to see you’re finally awake!” I turn to see Ix, with her also having a tray (It being 3 pieces of dried fruit, and a cup of water) and she sits next to me and continues speaking.
“Charles and Dar have already ate, so they gone somewhere… Emily are you doing ok? You loo-”
I speak interrupting Ix.
“Am fine, dah past few days hab just been a wot.”
Ix shrugs, and we continue eating and I speak.
“Seems we hab a few day’s to ouwsewbes, any pwans?”
Ix speaks as she chews on a piece of fruit.
“Don’t know to be honest, probably going to see if I can get new lenses. Mine are getting quite blurry if I do say.”
Ix takes off her glasses as she takes a piece of cloth from bag and begin to wipe them, than just as I was about to put away (now empty) plate. I hear Charles’s voice with him sounding exited.
“Finawwy it’s hewe, Ix!”
I turn to see both Charles and Dark walking towards us and Charles speaks again, noticing me.
“Oh Emiwy am hewe to, gud! fwuffy’s wettah fwom home has awwibed.”
Charles starts opening it and Dar speaks.
“Damn, a wettah fwom that up nowff must take months to get hewe. Fwuffy wondah what’s on it?”
Charles opens the letter and begins reading and around 20 seconds later he puts it down and has a slightly sad look to his face as he speaks.
“Dammit, I miss them su much…”
Dark speaks putting his hoove on his shoulder.
“‘Ou shouwd wwite back to them, sayin’ ‘ou am otay’. Dah news of judgment day has pwobabwy weft them feawin’ dah wowstes’.”
Charles speaks.
“Yeah am wight! I hab to go, bye!”
Charles begins to make his way to the mailing room, with me giving a short wave bye as he turns a corner.
For the next few hours I did chores as I waited anxiously for sundown. Despite Ix’s initial observation I think no one suspects anything is wrong, I thought for a second about maybe telling them for a bit of backup in case of an ambush. But nobody can know, so I’ll just risk it. As the sun slowly starts falling below the horizon I secretly head out, only taking my gear and Durandal. And begin making my way to the observatory district. As I walk through the streets I think to myself, why the observatory district? I haven’t been there before and all I knew was that it was a place of scholarly pursuits and learning, a place so prestigious and in high regard that only the most gifted and talented people ever got a chance to learn and study there. Now at the border of the district, I looked to see the district in all of it’s glory. In the center of the district was stone fountain with multiple small statues (mostly consisting of famous philosophers, theologians, inventors, architects and scholars) surrounding it and a large statue of Narcy (Goddess of knowledge) at it’s top. And the same grandeur could also be applied to the buildings, with it’s largest being the Temple of Narcy and all subsequent buildings being libraries, scholar halls, classrooms, personal chambers and of course the observatory. A large domed building with a telescope at the back of the district, where those knowledgeable enough go to search the stars.
I enter and begin heading to the fountain noticing how quiet and barren the place was. Who knows, Stablelot had just started recovering from a disaster and it was winter, maybe most of the students and staff already left for home. Sitting by the fountain I waited, with the inly sounds being of the dripping water and the wind. Finally after a few minutes I spoke hoping this person could hear me.
“Emiwy fowwowed am instwuctions, whewe am 'ou!”
Looking around I saw nobody than as I start getting up, I could hear the sounds of hoofSteps behind me. So grabbing my sword with haste, I made a quick turn pointing it at however was behind me.
“Nu huwt me, am not am enemy!”
I tilt my sword slightly down to see who was infront of me. He was an elderly unicorn with a greying tan mane and light greying yellow hair. The hair on the lower part of his face was longer, giving the appearance of grey bushy beard. And he wore a tight fitting robe with blue and gold stripes, wait is that… Tethius! The most renowned philosopher and teacher of our age, and personal advisor to Maximus iv and pre accident Lilian. He speaks.
“Pwease put dah swowd down! fwuffy’s name am Tethius, I was dah one who gabe 'ou that wettah.”
Looking around I see nobody around us, so I put away Durandal and speak.
“Why did 'ou sneak up on me wike that! What am dis aww about!”
Tethius speaks quickly before starting to wlak.
“Come fowwow fwuffy, an’ wook natuwaw! Tethius feews wike wewe bein’ spied on…”
I begin to follow him out of the district with me now extremely confused. Tethius speaks to me again, not even looking at me.
“What I said in fwuffy’s wettah am twue, Tethius feews wike dis whowe pawace “accident” was muwdah. Somethin’ that was pwanned weww in adbance.”
I speak as we exit the district and we make a turn left.
“That sounds cwazy! what ebidence do 'ou hab?”
Tethius speaks, us going down a quiet street.
“fiwstwy ‘ou hab dah obbious, dah date. A dynasty cewebwates 100 yeaws of wuwing, onwy to be destwoyed by dewe own pawace, pewfect symbowic gestuwe. Den dewe am awso dah buiwding, if it was goin’ to cowwapse dewe wouwd be cweaw signs pwoceedin’ it. Wet me teww ‘ou, dah expewts we had assigned to that buiwdin’ wouwd hab easiwy detected it. Den dewe am dis one othah thin’ that 100% confiwms fwuffy’s suspicions…”
What!? Tethius sounded like a rambling mad stallion! But I was still curious about the points he made, and thinking about them I could see why he came to that conclusion. But what was the other thing? He continues to speak.
“Few months back we had a new student. Dey wewe pwetty stwange, nebah attended any of dewe wectuwes, stayed inside most of dah time, had a stwange way of speakin, an’ wowe a stwange aww cobewin’ bwack cwock dey said was fo’ “wewigious weasons” Weww wess den a monff into comin’ hewe, dey bwoke into ouw undewgwound awchibes, steewin’ sebewaw pwe cibiwization documents. These documents, wewe about gunpowdah an’ expwosibes…”
I nearly faint hearing this, what is going on! I speak.
“Emiwy needs to teww Gusto, do 'ou know who was behind aww of dis!”
“Tuwwos StwongWing, it has to be… Fwuffy wasn’t at dah cewebwation, an’ wast’ time I saw him fwuffy was wiff his usuaw entouwage. wiff an added pewson, a pewson that wooked exactwy wike dah student, buh wiff a dawk beige wobe instead.”
Tullos StrongWing, the traitor. Why did do this? Still in complete shock, Tethius speaks to me one last time.
“Nu teww anybody dis… Not yet. Fwom a few pwibate souwces I know Gusto (Who Tethius has awso towd) Am about to announce dah existence of Enoch an’ we nee’ that to go as smoothwy as possibwe. We nu can wet them know, that we know. Am goin’ to waunch secwet pwibate inbestigation an’ gathah mowe ebidence, an’ once we hab it 100% pwoben wewe goin’ to waunch a quick stwike an’ hab him awwested befowe it’s to wate. Anu be wiff 'ou emiwy, goodbye.”
And Tethius left, not even waiting for me to respond. I sit by the street for a few minutes and process this information… How could a dynasty who’s founder was one of the most honorable hero’s this planet has ever known, turn into the very antithesis of everything he stood for. and who in the hell were this robed figures? Did Tullos really think that in order to desecrate everything his ancestors have built, he even had to create his own cheap copy of the Order of the Mask!? I felt myself trembling with rage and decided to just head home and get some rest. Walking back to the gate, I begin to walk upstairs arriving at the barracks and I see nobody as I make it to my bed. Sitting down I was still trembling, than just before I was about to have an outburst I heard a voice, Dar’s voice.
“Emiwy, am ebewythin’ otay?”
Still trembling I had no idea what to do or say, so I felt myself closing my eyes and acting independently, away from my mind.
“Ummm, Emiwy?”
I heard Dar’s voice, and opening my eyes I see what I have done. Both of my arms were wrapped around him and I felt my head on his shoulders. Now Dar putting his arms around me, we were now both hugging each other and I finally stop trembling. And begin to cry. Fin
Thank you for reading my story! I can’t wait to explore the impact of this revelation, and who these robed figures are! I hope to have part 3 done in a few day’s to a week, and of course constructive criticism is appreciated. May you have a good day!
