Anwill and Aurae moved briskly down the halls that led from the Antiquary back to the main section of the palace. Each step they took carried a weight of purpose and the potential to shift the balance of the future with them.
I wonder just how much he knows about this supposed Cry of the Voiceless and what that cryptic message meant, Aurae shared her thoughts with Anwill as they went. I think he might not be expecting to hear what we've found. That will determine just how severe our situation has become, Anwill replied, adjusting the scrolls beneath his arm.
Aurae sighed as a sense of worry began to grow deep within her. Forcibly, she pushed it down and continued onward with a furrowed brow as they entered the main hall once more. "Ah, there you are. What are those scrolls you're carrying?" Elhael asked, dismissing one of the captains of the Caegweni guard the moment he noticed them.
"We have discovered something, though its meaning is all but lost to us. We'll need to ask my father to help us solve this riddle," she replied, nodding her head in the direction of the council chamber they often used for meetings.
"Oh? Perhaps I might be able to take a look at them as well. The history of every item within the Antiquary was passed down to me when I became king, after all," he said, earning him a nod from the others. "Thank you, my sweet," Aurae said, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek before being ushered into the room.
With a wave of his hand, Elhael ignited the mana lamps and helped them to set out the scrolls according to their guidance. Once they had finished, they all stepped back to ensure everything was in its proper place.
"By the Graces, as Leona would say," he said with widened eyes. "I have only ever heard about these loosely, but I never would have imagined they would fit together to become one," he continued, leaning over the table and scrutinizing the text carefully.
"That's not all. Observe," Anwill said, pouring mana from his hand into the parchment, reigniting all the lines and hidden text just as before. As Elhael read on silently, his features grew more and more creased, as if the knowledge had aged him. "Ah, I see what you meant by needing your father's assistance," he began, a dour expression now overtaking his usually calm demeanor.
"Do you know what this means, my love?" Aurae asked, but he could only shake his head. "Unfortunately, I was never privy to the hidden text, only what surrounds it. However, I think I am beginning to get a grasp on what this could mean," he said, putting a hand to his sharp chin.
"We suspected it had something to do with the Benevolent Ring, but since we hardly even know its origin, it makes it difficult to ascertain its true purpose," Anwill began, pointing to the last paragraph of the hidden text.
"That does make sense, given the context, but what doesn't is why this potentially powerful Cry has just been hiding in plain sight," Elhael said, unable to draw any further conclusions as his words hung between them.
Father, I could really use your assistance right now, Aurae sent through their shared connection in the Wraith realm.
Within mere moments of her doing so, a swirling white portal appeared near the door they'd come through, with Ryfon stepping through with a worried expression. "I'm here, daughter. I apologize for my delayed return, but there were matters Karthus and I were required to… er… handle," he said, scrunching his face into a slight scowl.
"It is good to see you again, Lord Ryfon," Elhael and Anwill bowed. "You as well, but forget the formalities for now. You said you needed my help?" Ryfon said with a dismissive gesture, turning to Aurae. "Yes. Here, take a look at this. What do you make of it?" she asked, pointing to the glowing text that Anwill poured mana into once more.
Ryfon took a step closer to read the text thoroughly, though when his eyes landed on the final paragraph, they darkened.
There you are, Ryfon thought privately, taking a deep breath as if he were about to plunge into the darkest part of the Sea.
Aurae looked at him with visible concern, though any questions she had were immediately quelled a moment later when he shared his insight with her, prompting her eyes to widen in fear. "N-No, that should be impossible," she stammered, taking a step back.
Anwill and Elhael looked at them with a shared expression of utter confusion. "I-I don't mean to interrupt, but what is going on here?" Elhael asked, causing Ryfon to sigh. "It would seem I have made a grave mistake," he replied with a shake of his head, averting his gaze momentarily.
Again, another shared look of confusion.
"You've all heard of the story behind the Synners' origin, have you not?" he asked them, earning him a few nods of agreement. "Unfortunately, what you heard was only a half-truth, as there was another purpose behind our arrival," he said, glancing at the other three momentarily. With the incredible foresight he had, Anwill immediately put up a barrier around the room.
Ryfon acknowledged this with a nod as he pulled a seat toward him, gesturing for the others to do the same. "According to the legend permeating Kavrass: we, who were considered to be gods, came to this land to help the people of this realm defend themselves against the invading monsters by giving them easier access to mana, correct?" he asked plainly.
"Yes. At least, that's what we have always taught our New Bloods," Anwill nodded, his position as former Master aiding his credibility.
"Indeed. However, there is something that particular version of the story doesn't mention. Not because it doesn't accurately describe the events, but simply because the context behind them is lacking," Ryfon continued, folding his hands on the table as his mind began to recall the memories with a distant stare.
"What do you mean? Are you saying that the artifacts and the gift of the Gwynnleaf were brought here with a specific purpose?" Anwill asked, already feeling a sickening sensation growing in his stomach. "Precisely," Ryfon nodded with finality, causing the rest of them to stare at him in shock.
"You see, the situation we were dealing with in Polarion then is not much different from the one we are in right now. The only difference is that those artifacts have mostly been rendered inert or useless, given our rate of progress in my home realm. The Dreambinder Jerkin, for example, is one that would be essentially useless in a fight against one of our kind," Ryfon explained with a sigh.
Damn it. I've always wanted to wear it into battle, Anwill mentally sighed.
"That's not to say that it does not have cases where it could be useful, but that is merely an example I wanted to give," Ryfon added, easing the sting Anwill felt momentarily.
"However, those artifacts were brought not just to aid those few in battle, but to hide them from those under Mideia's influence. After all, a realm still in its infancy when it came to mana would have no real way to use them, according to the higher echelons of Polarion; that is," he continued, earning him a nod of agreement from Aurae.
"That does make more sense to me now, since I still cannot even begin to understand how to use this ring, outside of its most basic functions," she said, idly twisting the ring on her finger. "I know, which is also why I've never told you how to draw its full potential," Ryfon said, holding out his hand expectantly.
With a curious glance and a curled eyebrow, she gingerly pulled the ring from her finger and set it into the palm of his hand. "What I am about to show you all is not something that was ever meant to be done in this realm. As a result, I'll need to supplement your barrier with one of my own," he said, giving Anwill a nod.
"By all means," he replied with a slight stammer, watching as Ryfon lifted a hand and expelled mana to reinforce the barrier he'd created.
With a heavy sigh, Ryfon began to pour Meridian mana into the ring, causing it to grow and expand enough to fit around his wrist. The others watched with widened eyes, suddenly realizing what it really was.
"I-Is that a Warden's band?" Anwill asked breathlessly, having recognized it from when Erumon had given each of them a pearl containing the synthetic Authority. "Indeed, it is," Ryfon nodded gravely, causing Aurae's jaw to drop. "However, this isn't just any Warden's band; it's Mideia's," he said with finality. "Hera fy Hynafol," Elhael exclaimed, hardly believing his eyes.
Ryfon held the band between his index fingers and thumbs, presenting it to them. "The fact that no one native to Kavrass has been able to use Meridian mana has been a key factor in keeping its secrets safe, making this realm a prime place to hide something of this significance in plain sight," he said, turning it over once or twice.
"That explains why Liagon's alternate tried to attack you directly," Anwill said to Aurae, making her swallow dryly. "Y-Yes, I suppose it does. However, what does the text have to do with any of this?" she asked, causing Ryfon to sigh once more.
"Everything," he began, channeling mana through his fingertips into the band to shrink it back to its original size and handing it back to Aurae. She took it and placed it on her finger with newfound respect and fear, but she would never dare show it.
Of course, that didn't stop Ryfon from finding out through their connection.
"The text says that the Heart of Benevolence hath never forgotten the Cry of the Voiceless, correct?" he asked, earning him a nod of agreement from the others. "What if I told you that the Cry of the Voiceless isn't so much a power, but the core of one of the most powerful members of the Jera clan that had his powers sealed by the Eyes out of fear?" he asked, though the name brought more confusion to them.
"Ah, I see you don't know about them. Even in Polarion, only a few remember that name to this day. Tell me, have you heard of one named The Mouth of the Twilight Sea?" he asked, prompting Aurae to speak up first.
"I remember Thoma mentioning something regarding a mouth, but I didn't realize it was another dragon at the time," she said, furrowing her brow a little.
Just how many layers are there left to uncover? Elhael mentally sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose.