How to Find your Way in the Incomplete Archives

Four

"My Lady, the Priest is looking for you," Arlan bowed at the cave entrance.

"Send her to me,"

"As you wish, My Lady,"

Archaea returned to sharpening her blades.

"Preparing for battle, I see," a woman approached the Princess. A pleasant tinkle accompanied her bejeweled form at each measured step.

The slight frame was covered in layers of ceremonial robes. A veil of colourful beads hid her face. Even her voice afforded little clues to determine her true age.

Some said she was a young girl in precocious bloom who had inherited the position of Priest from the last titleholder while others argued she was a matron with years of experience. Rumours even suggested that she was the one and same being who had travelled with their forebears when the tribe first settled in the Boglands.

No matter the story, everyone agreed on one thing – the Priest was a powerful oracle who had averted countless disasters from affecting their lives.

The Princess knelt down out of respect, "Lady Erdith, how may I be of service today?"

"Please arise, you have done well already, Princess. Accepting a painful death for the sake of your people is no small feat. I'm here today to see how you are doing,"

"I'm doing well, by the grace of the Darkness, and of course, by the grace of Your Holiness,"

"You exaggerate,"

"Not in the least. If it were not for your intervention with the Resurrection ceremony, many brave souls would have been lost that day. If our tribe has secured a future today, it is only by virtue of your wise guidance,"

"You flatter me too much, Princess. In better times, such words would surely earn you favours at the Demon Court," the woman carefully lifted her long sleeves out of the way as she sat down on a flat rock, "But the days ahead are fraught with uncertainty."

The Princess tested the sharpness of her longsword on a piece of leather, "Indeed. Our people must be prepared for the worst,"

"With that sentiment in mind, would you entertain a request from this lowly tribeswoman?" the Priest clasped her hands together.

She put down the weapon and mirrored the humbling gesture, "You show me too much respect, Your Holiness. It would be my honour to serve you. Please tell me what I must do,"

"Give up on your quest to take down the Holy Maiden,"

Archaea froze in her tracks, "Pardon me, Lady Erdith, I'm not quite sure I understood you,"

"I want you to give up on this dangerous mission that you have set for yourself. The path forward is difficult, too much for one individual. It would be wise for us to leave confrontation as a last resort,"

The Princess stood up, "Is this your personal opinion?"

"Nay, I have had a glimpse into the times to come."

Fear seeped into her heart. Along with it, a foggy conversation came to her mind, one where she had asked an unknown entity about a 'happy ending'. Perhaps it was a dream, "Do my actions not succeed in bringing down the Holy Maiden?"

"They do," the veiled oracle conceded, "But,"

"I must stop you there, Your Holiness. It is my sincere wish to dispel the unsteady Light that threatens to blind the path ahead of our people."

"But the price will be too great,"

"Lady Erdith, I respect your will as our Elder and Priest. You have saved us from a great many calamities. But I cannot agree with you on this. If my actions lead to a day where we may be free of the Holy Army, I must act. I will do it gladly even if I am but a single cog that moves the machine."