Mordret stopped writing the runes completely and stood up.
"You told me about them before, but never explained what they were doing there or what their names were."
His teacher nodded and patted the spot beside him.
"I know, come sit. My my, if only I could project my memories into your mind, that would make this far easier. I know you think of me as a perfect example of how a teacher and person should be, but I admittedly am not the best storyteller."
"Really?"
"I know, I know, it's shocking, isn't it? Someone as talented, exceptional, and intelligent as your teacher is lacking in storytelling. I'll give you time to process this information, as I'm sure it's world-shattering news."
"Teacher,"
"What?"
"You're stalling,"
"Was it that obvious? Never mind, don't answer that."
Mordret sat beside him.
"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."
His teacher's smile faded, revealing a tired man, someone who had lived and seen far too much, instead of the joyous one he was used to seeing most of the time.
"No, no, I want to, and I have to as someone needs to know about the pair and their tragic tale."
The man cleared his throat and took a deep breath.
"The two of them, along with a few thousand ascended warriors, traveled there by ship in search of a way to save their people, and that is when they came across me, who was hiding from one of the nine. When he did, Daeron told me that their ship was greatly damaged by the Dutchman, a ghost ship that housed a 'ghost fleet' as his people called them."
He paused and stared at Mordret for a while, making him raise an eyebrow.
"Is something wrong?"
"No, I'm just making sure you're paying attention. Anyway, the 'ghosts' were really the souls of a deathless crew whose captain was a foolish boy named Aletes, or the Cursed Wanderer, as the children of the storm god named him. He was a part of the nine and had traveled to the Eternal City because of his deep infatuation that was a borderline obsession with Rime, the daemon of Repose, and planned to profess his love to her."
'How disturbing,'
But that wasn't what caught Mordret off guard.
"They… They were ghosts? Ghosts are real?"
His teacher scoffed and shook his head.
"Of course not, they were corrupted or nightmare creatures, as you always call them. Then again, anything is possible, and there are things that exist when they shouldn't have existed to begin with, so maybe ghosts are real."
Mordret paused.
"Didn't you tell me that you had a ship once? Whatever happened to it?"
His teacher shrugged.
"I have no idea. I had to abandon it in the kingdom of hope because I was being hunted down. It's been centuries, maybe more, since I last saw it. Anyway, despite telling of their situation, Daeron was still wary and distrustful of me as he thought I was a nightmare creature pretending to be a human….whatever that is."
"Teacher, that's what I am….. at least I used to be.
His teacher ignored him and continued.
"Windflower was a curious and gentle soul who wondered what I was doing here, as compared to her father, who seemed to have a short fuse, still, over the months. We became friends, and he struck a deal with me. I would help him repair his ship, and in return, he would allow me on his ship so that I could leave that cursed place. One day, after a year of being there, Daeron told me that the reason he had come here was to look for a way to save his people because the dream realm was consuming his realm."
"What did you tell him?"
His teacher picked up a knife he always kept with him and sadly smiled.
"I told him that he could go to the Tomb of Ariel and that there was a place where he and his people could thrive and live, but only as a last resort as the desert was filled with horrors But if he did decide to go, then all he had to do was brave the white desert at night; it would be simple for him and his people since the storm god was known for traveling, guidance, and night."
"Wait, you told me that it was impossible because of the armies that were cursed by the shadow god occupying the desert and coming alive at night."
"That's why I said it was simple, not easy. Moving on, though, the man quickly came up with something. He planned to make an imprint of himself and his people in the tomb so that future challengers would have assistance in the nightmare, conquer Verge, and make a home there for himself and his people. I….I had no idea that the city had fallen to corruption at the time, as when I went there, it was full of life and thriving."
"What happened to them?"
His teacher sighed sadly and twirled the obsidian knife in his hand, his expression distant.
"They were all killed, his armies of ascended warriors didn't stand a chance against the seekers, a group of people whose greed for knowledge was paid for with their very existence being defiled. Daeron succumbed to corruption out of despair while his daughter remained in a tower on an island he had conquered."
The man took another deep breath and continued.
"Long before succumbing, though, Daeron made a rune that would trap the island in a loop. That way, she would never fall to corruption as she had been infected with the knowledge of the void by the first seeker. Daeron was a powerful king and an extraordinary sorcerer aside from myself, of course."
Mordret nodded absent-mindedly.
"Of course,"
His teacher barely acknowledged his response as he continued.
"So, I was devastated when I found out that Daeron failed, as I was sure he would succeed. So, before coming to hide here, I made it my mission to travel to the tomb of Ariel."
"How? I know you're powerful, but something like that is impossible for someone of your rank. Even my former teacher tried to brave the desert and failed."
His teacher nodded.
"Yes, I know. But you must know that, when they were still alive, they told me about many things, including another way into Ariel's tomb. I had no idea why they told me that until I went to retrieve the King and the Princess."
Mordret held up his hand.
"I'm really sorry for interrupting, but who is the they you keep mentioning ?"
His teacher turned his head and stared at the spider for a long moment before shivering and looking away.
"Weaver, and quit asking questions every five seconds!"
Mordret ignored the complaint and raised an eyebrow.
"Weaver? Do you think they told you knowing that you would go to retrieve Daeron and Windflower?"
His teacher immediately nodded.
"Yes, their domain was fate, so of course they knew. Everything they said and did was for a reason. But I digress. When I did make it in there, I found that they had fallen to corruption. Daeron…. Daeron was stuck in his transformation as a Great Beast, as a giant sea serpent, while Windflower roamed the island as a corrupted beast. Her roars were akin to a wail as if she were mourning someone, mourning her father."
Mordret was silent for a long time before looking his teacher in the eyes.
"You think you're responsible for all their deaths, don't you? Since you were the one who recommended they go there."
His teacher instantly masked his guilt behind his usual smile.
"Of course not, it was his decision, while I feel terrible for them, it was not my fault. Now, let…. let us move on, dear student,"
Mordret stared at him for a long time and noticed the trembling in his hand. He decided not to point it out and asked.
"Did you kill them?"
His teacher shook his head, put the obsidian knife down silently, and stared at it for a long time before answering.
"No, of course not, if I did, then their shadows would have gone to the shadow realm, and then my plan of taking them back to the Eternal City to cleanse them of corruption and resurrecting them would have been ruined."
"How did you get them out without killing them? You arrived there before Daeron and his people, so how did you pass Ghost fleets and enter the Eternal City? How did you get back to the Eternal City without a ship with the corrupted bodies of Daeron and Windflower? Let alone with someone whose form was that of a giant sea serpent. And even if you killed them and cleansed them of corruption as well as resurrected them, wouldn't they still become defiled because of the knowledge that remained in their head?"
His teacher softly sighed and chuckled.
"Questions, questions, questions, you have so many questions, boy."
"I wouldn't have so many if you weren't being so coy."
"My dear student, I've told you time and time again that the impossible has been made possible countless times before. As for the knowledge in their minds, no, that wasn't a problem at all."
"Why?"
"Because oblivion is the answer."
Mordret stared at him for a while before nodding.
"Alright then, where are they now?"
His teacher picked up the obsidian knife again and stared at it for a while before answering.
"Still in the Eternal City. Because of my foolish actions, they cannot leave; if they do, they will die. It is also very important."
"Why?"
"Because it is the place Weaver's unknown heir will have to go sooner rather than later."
I know this chapter was short, but I had to get out today, as I doubt it would've been out this weekend.