The Chronicle of the Worthy Son

The Darkness Roams

"I helped some of my friends with their things. By the time most of us were ready, the gate opened and Larbant enforcers started to come out, so we all just ran at that point. We thought they were coming for us, but they didn't give chase. The Resistance set us up in a grotto with some temporary shelters and told us they would let us know when it was safe. That ended up being pretty well after dark, and then the guy said it wasn't actually all that safe and asked if anyone wanted to be relocated, at least for the next few days. Sounded like maybe some things happened that were not according to plan, maybe?"

"I don't know what their plan was, but the realization of it was...messy." Despite having broached the subject himself, Able still didn't want to talk about it.

"Right, so about half of everyone decided to do that, but the others decided to stick it out and try to get their houses back."

"That's...I hope they don't suffer more for that," Able sighed heavily. "What do you suppose is going to happen to that Oaktree fellow? Reeve said something about arresting him."

"Who, Punctual? I wouldn't worry about him."

"But—what? Why?"

"He's a—well, he's like a sorcerer," Lark stated without a hint of humor.

"Uh...you... So, like...what does that mean? He can...work magic?"

"Let's call it magic, sure," Lark agreed casually.

Did Lark delight in the discomfort of others, or did he just not remember Larbantry? Attempting to work magic was expressly forbidden, as though such a thing were even possible. Some people thought it was, though, and would accuse others of trying to work curses or charms. Anyone who claimed visions would be sent to the clergy so they might determine if the person was indeed been visited by God or if they had worked magic— cold points crept across Able's skin as he recalled his dream.

"You know," he said cautiously, "the Shadow said something about the Bear. The Bear and punishment for taking from his grove?"

"The Shadow said that? You saw him?" Lark looked back at him, face open with excitement.

"Yeah, I...I did." Able swallowed at the dryness in his throat. "What was he talking about?"

"Okay, the Bear." Lark paused and wobbled his head uncertainly, surely considering how to dumb this down for a skeptical foreigner. "The Bear is not a bear, He's...the spirit of what is bear. The darkness in the forest is the Bear. You felt it, right? That place is holy to Him."

Able did remember that feeling. Yet another thing that happened today that he wished hadn't. It was fortunate that Able's body was too sore to give away his discomfort by fidgeting.

"So..." Lark scrunched up his face, "the darkness needs to stay in the forest. You take the forest away and the darkness will, uh...roam. Unless the Bear is appeased. That's what he was talking about."

"...does that mean the Shadow is a sorcerer too?" Something that threatened to make sense, at this point.

"Not necessarily, and the term we'd use is 'Bear-Servant.' People who serve the Spirits are our priests."

"You can't call them—" Able stopped himself. He didn't even have faith in the priests, yet he'd reacted as they'd want him to. Then again, his lack of faith felt risky to even think about in a world where the acknowledged god saw everything and might tell his chosen prophets. "I mean, the priesthood in Larbantry won't much like that."

Lark flashed a wry grin over his shoulder. "You don't say? And the Bear is the sleeper and the protector, not just the darkness. So, people would probably run with any story about him being a Bear-Servant."