"Such as?"
"The main force behind this for the humans remains a complete aberration. Why would Prilgrat risk his status as regional steward to allow goblins to invade his lands? Perhaps they are paying him a great deal, but wealth is nothing compared to power. He could not be that shortsighted. You saw him. He wants people to underestimate him. I will not make that mistake. He stands to lose much more than he would gain, and he would not make that kind of mistake… not when it is so obvious."
"I agree that doesn't make much sense. Anything else?"
Holli once again pointed to the bane of both her and Ryson.
"The magic. It bends into Huntston and Ashlan, and I have no idea why. A human fire mage in Ashlan speculated that it was a reminder, but again, that seems a forced explanation. I have nothing to substantiate it."
"Reminder? You mean like some kind of message?"
"That is what he believes."
"Maybe he's right," Ryson offered. "You felt it in Ashlan and Huntston, right?"
Holli nodded.
"That's where the most goblin activity was," Ryson noted. "Maybe the magic is keeping the goblins in line."
"That would then beg the question of who is twisting the magic to serve as a subtle message to goblins. Certainly not the dwarves, and not Prilgrat. I am certain of that."
"What about the inferns?"
"It is possible, but the inferns were not in Huntston. In Ashlan, they maintained control over the goblins by their presence, not by magic. There is an inconsistency there."
Ryson had to agree. The pieces just wouldn't fit together. Something was missing. He also realized something was missing on him. His war blades were gone, and the Sword of Decree was not on his back. He saw the handle of the blade over Holli's shoulder.
"Let me have my sword," he requested. "Please."
"Are you sure?"
"Positive."
Holli slipped the sheath from off her back, leaving the blade untouched. She held out the strap for Ryson and allowed him to take it without objection. She watched curiously as the delver did not immediately strap it over his shoulder and across his back. Instead, he held the sheath in one hand and took hold of the handle in the other.
As Ryson pulled out the sword, the light magnified around them over a hundredfold. The delver knew they were giving away their position, but it was something he had to do. An image came to mind, a building he knew very well. While he wasn't sure why, there was no question in his mind of what they had to do.
"Can you teleport us to Connel," he asked of the elf.
"I have the ability, but not the energy. Not yet anyway. If given a few moments of concentration, I should be able to cast the spell, but is that the wisest direction? I admit I do not know where we should turn our attention, but we do not yet have all the answers. Are you seeking to return to Enin?"
"No," Ryson announced. "We have to go somewhere else. The sword showed me. We have to go to the Church of Godson."
Chapter 22
After teleporting across the hills and central plains, Holli and Ryson arrived near the outskirts of Connel in order to avoid suddenly appearing in a crowded market or city square. They did not run through the streets, but moved at a brisk walking pace to Connel's lone Church of Godson. They entered the ancient building respectfully and waited to be acknowledged.
The members welcomed the elf and delver warmly, as most knew Ryson Acumen and believed his presence was a blessing upon them all. The Book of Godson included references to all the races, and an elf's arrival was considered an honor as well as a reaffirmation of their faith. They directed their visitors to a back office where Holli and Ryson could wait for the church's reader. Not wanting to leave their guests waiting long, the church members rushed to inform their leader, and she hurried to meet them.
"Hello Ryson, hello Holli," she said, as she entered her office with a beaming smile. She was not surprised to see them. She didn't know for sure who would come or exactly when, but she deeply believed someone would eventually call on her. It pleased her to find two important figures who were known to her.
Reader Rachael had met both the delver and elf on previous occasions. Connel's Church of Godson had been the initial meeting place for representatives of all the races. It was in that very building that dwarves, algors, humans, elves, a delver, and even a cliff behemoth agreed to enter Sanctum Mountain and destroy Ingar's sphere. It served as the sanctuary that brought all the races together for the first time since the long separation.
The current meeting, however, was bittersweet for them all. It was not Rachael who served as the church's reader during the reunification of the races. The office they occupied belonged to the previous reader, Reader Matthew, another of Ryson's close friends who sacrificed himself to save both Holli and Ryson. The elf and the delver could not help but feel a great stab of torment when they recalled the loss. Rachael served as Matthew's assistant, and she, too, felt the sorrow of not so distant memories.
Though they would always honor the memory of Matthew, the three quickly moved past the sadness. Life was not always easy, nor was it kind. In order to survive, it was often necessary to move on from the lingering pains of the past. For her part, Rachael focused on what she believed brought the delver and elf to her church.
"You're here about the refugees, aren't you?"
Ryson was only mildly surprised by the reader's insight. He and Holli said nothing to the members upon their arrival. They did not wish to cause any alarm. In fact, Ryson wasn't sure exactly what he was supposed to do at the church. The message from the sword was simply to go there. The blade failed to pass any greater enlightenment.
Still, Rachael perceived the point of their mission as if she had been previously informed. Holli might have found discomfort in that point, but Ryson understood these people of Godson far better than most. The followers based their outlook of life not on the accepted norms of every day events, but upon the structure of their unique faith. Such devotion always seemed to give them greater awareness of the happenings across Uton, and it allowed them to meet each calamity with calm acceptance.
Despite his understanding, Ryson could not help being a delver, and his curiosity forced the obvious question.
"How did you know?"
"The crisis is reaching a critical point. The refugees continue to arrive from the valleys. It's not surprising that Godson would direct you here."
Ryson suddenly felt hesitant about what he should ask. He didn't wish to request information from Rachael's faith just when it served him, treat the Book of Godson as some unfrequented repository of assistance to reference only when the need arose. It diminished the importance of everything that had happened in the past, his memory of Reader Matthew, as well as Rachael's beliefs. He didn't wish to treat her in that fashion.
At the same time, the Book of Godson remained an enigma to him. He was a purebred delver, and though he did his best to honor the legends and respect the beliefs of others, he was always driven by what he could see, hear, smell and touch. Yes, he had seen, even spoken to the spirits of legends… and departed friends. He had traveled to realms beyond Uton and battled monsters and demons. He witnessed magic on an unimaginable scale, even stood on a mountaintop surrounded by angels. Still, the Book carried messages that went beyond his delver senses. Despite being sent to the church by an enchanted sword, he had no idea of what to ask, what information to seek, or even if he was entitled to hear it.
Noticing Ryson's discomfort, Rachael offered the knowledge to him freely.
"Would you like to know about the prophecies regarding the refugees?"
The invitation relieved the delver, and though he would have liked to question the reader again regarding her keen perception, he simply accepted the offer. The sword had guided him to the church, and it was necessary to let things fall into place as they were designed. That was all he could do.