"And so I went back and gave the ring to his son, Deleon. I hear rumors that there's a new Metamorph in Aubury. The ring must've been special." Gelland shook her head. "I hadn't thought of it until now, but I could have sent them back with my corpse. They would have been seen as avengers. I could have changed my name. I could have started a new life.
"There are so many things I wish I had done differently. But I think that's what astonishes me about my Master's patience with me. I could make all these mistakes and morally wrong things. He's still there, and there's still hope. And I'll continue to learn. That wall had said 'Long-Suffering.' And that's who He is."
There was a long silence. They breathed it in. She dared not break into the silence with more words. She could only think of things to defend herself with, and nothing good would come of that.
"So those four who acted like they were your friends, you think those were spirits?" Acacia asked. It was the first time she was hearing the whole story, and had only known that Gelland had killed Lixo.
"I think they must have been, and I don't know if they were acting or not. They did start to become strange at the end, though..."
"And how did they get involved in all of that? It's not like they were involved with Lixo." Yarden said. The man had sat patiently while Gelland had said her entire story. He had nodded his head several times at different points, and didn't seem even a little fearful of her.
"It seems that they followed Lixo and my friend Cross out of the city. There was a fire... Cross' parents died... then we met up at the mouth of the mount. I wasn't there in the city, and I can't explain it. But they did mention smoke as well, which might have led them to me, but it was black." Gelland said.
She had wondered why they came in the first place for a long time. Other people could have seen the fire at Cross' house, yet no one else came. But
"But they helped you, yes? What were they after if they came?" Quoi asked.
"Well, you tried taking over Yarden for safety, why wouldn't they have as well?" Acacia asked.
"I was of very few who did this. Others doing this, unlikely." Quoi said.
"They had to have been good spirits to have helped you. They took on a Metamorph with you. You were basically a cripple at that point. They were brave, they don't have to be up to something." Acacia said, folding her arms. Gelland couldn't tell if she was being optimistic, or just defiant.
"I don't doubt it, Acacia." Gelland said. "I would have been dead sooner if they hadn't helped me. And I don't know if I would have come to the realization that I need help outside of myself if they weren't there."
"Yet you proceeded to try to block attacks with your own body for them." Acacia said, turning to her. "That's what I'm talking about Gelland. They wanted to save you, yet you put yourself in harms way, for what? In spite of them? You can't be so reckless! Yes, maybe your god is looking out for you.
"For instance, do you know how rare Kosmoid Scales are? They are said to appear on the continent twice a year. At random. To include your father, that makes three Scales that you've come into contact within two years. Zil, or whoever, wanted you to have them for yourself. You are the luckiest person alive, and it should stay that way until you die of really old age, not killed and left in a ditch somewhere. Respect the gifts given to you."
"It's funny, I never really thought about how many I've run into. It's really unfair, Acacia. I've never deserved any of these powers, not even plasma Densing. I lost everything in losing my father, Kolen. He was the one truly good person I've known in my life. He should have had these things. But now I do, and I have to deal with that.
"My Master gave me these. Gifts are supposed to be used, not sit on a shelf collecting dust to eventually turn back into dust. Those girls might just survive, and we may even get them out. But what good is it if I have hope and never give it out, huh? To keep on living without true hope, a person might as well die."
"You're being extreme." Acacia said through clenched teeth.
"Extreme is the word people use when they are too cowardly to pick a side."
The table went silent as the two stared at each other. Gelland was sometimes frightened by just how much they differed at times, but could be so similar at others. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught Yarden raising a hand.
"Excuse me, but would you mind filling me in? Who are these girls?"
"Hals." Acacia answered, turning back to him. "We go in and free them. Loads of girls are brought into the city. Then the government defiles them for years."
"What? How do they defile them?" Yarden asked.
"Just how you'd think. The so called 'Masters' of the different functions of the country torture them as sex slaves. Little did they know that a bigger Master was watching. We have taken down two so far out of six."
"Takutahn Veril Rissing has to be the one behind it all." Acacia added.
"They really do all that? Makes me feel dirty for just living here."
"It's not like we think that every man would do the same. You are responsible for what you do, not for other men's actions. We are each judged for our own perversions."
Gelland hadn't meant to say that word. Ziligism didn't have wrongdoing, it only had views that some things were unsavory. They were so loose, that they didn't use a concept of evil. Just then she remembered that Kolen had also used the word perversion on occasion. It didn't just refer to what the masters were doing. It meant that something meant for good was changed or added to. It fit.
"Well, it's not as if I've ever talked with a Hal before. I believed the stories the same as everyone else that you all sucked blood and cooked people over a spit." Yarden said, looking down.
"What is this? They do what?" Quoi asked.
"A myth, Quoi. People simultaneously believe that Hals wear halos above their heads, hence the name, and walk around in the dark seeking people to harm. Although that does describe Gelland pretty well." Acacia said.
"This reminds me of those we called vampires where I'm from. You have these, yes?"
Gelland shook her head. "What does that mean when you say, 'Where I'm from'? Aren't ysbrydion from the past?"
"I cannot tell. I'm not sure if I don't remember, or if the past was so different from your current times. Or maybe I'm confused. But I do feel as if there were other beings and creatures than you have now. Your story, you said you died. But you came back, like you were reborn. I never was not- I am no ghost. But there was the pheonix legend, where I'm from. A being that can be, not, and be again."
"I have never heard of such a thing, Quoi." Gelland said.
"Hmm. I do not like not remembering these things. What about gryphons? Do you have these?"
"What is a gri-fins, some kind of fish?" Acacia asked.
Yarden shook his head. "I am sorry, friend." he said. Every time he turned his eyes away from the two of them, Gelland could tell that he was speaking to Quoi. "I know it pains you to go without memory. Maybe, just like my body, the connection will get better over time."
"I hope so. You have so much I want to know." Gelland said.
"I hope I can be more to you than a store of information." Quoi said.
Gelland blushed. "You're a tad old for me, Quoi. Or... Yarden?"
"That's not- you know what I meant. So, how can we help you to help these girls? And yes, I'm volunteering us, Yarden."
"I was thinking the same thing." Yarden replied, leaning forward.
Gelland and Acacia talked it over for a moment. "I think the best thing to have you help with is their departure. We've been sending them out of the city. You being able to see where I may be and who I interact with will be critical. " Gelland decided.
"We decided to send them out in wagons towards Al Magza." Acacia added. "Their driver drops them off just past Dreg, and they walk the rest of the way."
"The wagon drivers do not turn them in?" Yarden asked.
"They get paid enough to not ask questions. So long as the girls keep their mouths closed, they'll be fine." Acacia said. "The fortress in Al Magza also protects the Hals who have hunkered down, away from those who would attack them. We send them with food and the heap that we take from their captors."
"I also give them some encouragement. I sent this last group off with letters that I wrote to them about The Master. I will add The Name to my list of references for Him. But, what you would need to do is guide them to inns, and buy them whatever they need with the money we come out with. They would leave in the morning, and you'll make sure that they get out of the walls safely."
"What if I laid them up here?" Yarden said. "I'll have enough room in the workshop room you both came in through."
"They wouldn't get very good sleep, then." Gelland said, thinking on it.
"A night of discomfort beats a night in danger. The more groups of girls we send to the inns, the more questions that will be asked at them." Acacia said.
"You're right. But how? It would look extremely conspicuous to passersby to see a group of girls entering your home late at night." Gelland said.
Yarden gulped. "I'll try and come up with something. There may be another shop that we can rent space for. I can lead them there and stock food. But when I go, I can't defend myself very well, you know." Yarden said.
"You shouldn't have to worry about that. We will take care of any guards they may have. Though, by travelling at night the Hals can guide you in the darkness." Gelland said.
"We?" Acacia said, catching on. "So I'm coming with you this time?"
Gelland nodded. "Absolutely. We are The Slag now."
Acacia smiled and Yarden started. Seems I left out that bit, but he should have realized by now. He didn't question them about it. Even with all her questioning, I knew she'd want to be involved. It's not like she can give up now, with how invested in training she's been.
"Since you know about us now, it would be best if you referred to me by my other name, Bristel. No one knows I'm here. Can you do something else for me? Can you look up what happened to the four that helped me with Lixo? Two boys and two girls in Aubury. As well as Lixo's heir, Deleon Bloom. I never found out what happened with them, but I suspect they're facing charges, even though the public originally thought I was using 'mind control'."
"And your old flame, Cross?" Acacia said.
Gelland groaned. "I wish everyone would stop asking about that. We weren't a couple!"
Acacia threw up her hands. "Whatever you tell yourself, Gel."
He nodded, taking the hands of Gelland and Acacia in his own. "I am with you. I'm sorry that you have to handle them on your own, because of my disability. But feel free to come eat with me whenever you'd like!" Yarden said with a big smile.
"We will, I think we'll enjoy your company a lot! I think it's nice to have someone that has a different perspective or several." Gelland said.
"As for me, try another day." Quoi said. "My mind seems to flow from day to day, and I may have something new for you."
The girls stood and made their way to the door, snatching mangos he had offered from the table's basket. "Until we meet again!"
The two started walking towards the south, towards the gate. Gelland stopped. "What is it?" Acacia asked.
"We need to go north. We need to."
She turned, facing the far wall. Acacia shrugged, but they went. The followed the eastern wall to a place where it met the rock face of the mountain. Not far to the west of them was the Gold Seed, the palace of the Takutahn. They said that the palace floated underwater, and the Takutahn made it float and breathed out from his own lungs all the oxygen for his servants. He was as close to Zil as one could be without being the Kairos. She sniffed at the notion.
Gelland pointed to sections of the wall for Acacia to propriocept through. "What are we looking for?"
"Rubble." Gelland said. They tried to be nonchalant, leaning against the wall. They were eyed by a few guards. But they turned away when noticing that Acacia didn't have the divot in her chin. Acacia spent a long moment lingering on a spot. She started to sweat.
"I can't move through this. It's not too far, I think it's open air. But there are still walls."
Gelland perked up. "That may be what we're looking for."
"I do see bumps and jagged edges. Is that the rubble?"
"That may be al we need to know. Come on."
"Hold on. There's something else. Movement. But I can't move through it..." Acacia paused. "There's water. The walls follow it down into... I can't go down that far."
Gelland stared. She grabbed Acacia, leading her to her feet. She turned them back towards the southern gate. "What was that about?"
"You've not been to where I live. You connected to my cave. I wanted to see if we could lead the Hals through a different way. But we also found something else."
Getting to the cave, they went in. After some remarks about her living situation, Gelland had Acacia clear a liquid path through the rubble. It did not stretch far. Beyond, they came to a trickling sound. When Gelland lit the room, they found a pool. Gelland threw a white light down it. It sank, tumbling further in down a slope away from them until it disappeared.
Acacia gasped. "We found the way to the Gold Seed."
