Chapter 633 Filling The Hole Pt2
I rose from the ground, simultaneously taking in my surroundings and scanning the various curiously shocked faces of the Morkath. They were humanoid, but not human, with a slight blue tint to their skin with contrasting sharp gold eyes, a stark reminder that I was not among my kin.
A heavy silence hung in the air as all eyes turned to me, frozen in anticipation of my next move. Baffled yet resolute, I decided to go along with their beliefs, hopeful that this path would lead to some answers.
My newfound guide, a seemingly noble Morkath called Jorum, led me through the various lands of Kathorn. We traveled using their strange hovering devices, which seemed to defy the laws of gravity I was accustomed to, a reminder of the difference between our worlds.
The journey was harrowing, to say the least. Scattered remnants of decimated villages, charred skeletons of sacred temples, and the ravaged lands of the Morkath tore at my heart. I couldn't help but ask myself, could a single being, a woman named Xieus, be capable of causing such destruction?
During our grueling journey, I could not get rid of the sensation of uneasiness. Something was off. The stories Jorum relayed about Xieus felt manipulated, and altered to paint a horrifying picture of a tyrant. Yet, my intuition whispered there was more to her.
As the central capital of the Morkath came to view, a grand structure built upon a towering cliff overlooking the devastated lands, anxiety twisted my gut. The ruler of the Morkath, Eridor, awaited my arrival.
Upon stepping into his throne room, I could feel the palpable tension, the air thick with unspoken words and hidden fears. Faces of the high-ranking officials, advisors, and nobles wore carefully calculated masks of indifference but their eyes betrayed their apprehension. The moment Eridor began speaking of Xieus, confirming what Jorum had relayed earlier, I felt that familiar wave of uneasiness rush over me.
His words sounded almost rehearsed, perfected over ages to reinforce the horrifying image of Xieus. Each anecdote was more terrifying than the last, painting Xieus as a monster relishing in pain and destruction. Yet, his gestures, his eyes... something was off, wrong in a way that further deepened the mystery. For a moment, I locked eyes with Eridor, a silent exchange that only confirmed my suspicions.
I wanted to ask questions, but it was clear that Eridor would not be truthful. It was also plain to see by the looks around me that he held sway and influence over everyone. I was not sure exactly how, but the True Magic inside of me stirred in discourses.
"I will go explore, and see what I can do about Xieus, but I can't promise anything," I said, and Eridor gave me what I now knew to be a fake smile. I could now feel animosity coming from him.
"That is good to hear, Traveler from the Divine Planes!" Eridor laughed, and I turned and left the building.
After leaving the throne room, Jorum rushed to catch up with me. At first, he didn't say anything, but soon he spoke up. "What do you plan to do?"
"Ask questions, and try to find answers. This is not my world, so I would like to minimize my effect here. Though, that is entirely up to the truth. Something doesn't feel right, and I know that you are all hiding parts of this story from me," I said and stopped as Jorum froze. "Whatever it is, you do not have to tell me. I can tell from the emotions in that room that Eridor is not all that he seems. I will find the truth, and then stop this war."
Jorum's look was fearful at first, but then he let out a sigh. "I think it best if you look for the answers yourself."
"Thank you, Jorum." I nodded. Though his cooperation was far from total, I appreciated his honesty. Some part of him was speaking up against the fear implanted by Eridor. That was something.
With renewed vigor, I embarked on my mission to disentangle the complex web of deceit surrounding Xieus. This was going to be far from easy, yet I had never been one to back off from a challenge.
First, I needed more information and for that, I had to go to the source. I needed to meet Xieus, the Dark Empress of Selvack, herself. The decision brought a heavy silence between Jorum and me. After minutes that seemed to stretch into eons, Jorum nodded, clearly restrained by fear yet agreeing to guide me to Selvack territory.
Following Jorum through the bizarre winding paths of Kathorn, every bone in my body screamed that something was off. Whether it was the cold and calculated Eridor, the misrepresented stories of Xieus, or the enigma surrounding my arrival to Kathorn, I could not shake off the feeling of disquiet.
As we traveled deeper into the heart of the Dark Empress's claimed lands, the devastation on display was shocking. According to the tales, Xieus took delight in this destruction, this torment of the world's inhabitants, but I struggled to reconcile that image with the Xieus I had gotten hints of from Jorum's stories. Every instinct, every gut feeling, pointed towards discrepancies that I couldn't ignore. Despite my tumultuous thoughts, I was very aware that I wasn't just stepping into a war-ridden territory. It was something more enigmatic, more profound that was shrouded in this land's history and its peoples' despair.
Upon our arrival at Selvack, my sight was overwhelmed by an eerie quietness and ruinous desolation. I could tell that this was no ordinary ruin. Rather, it was a harsh display of power and possibly a desperate measure of some sort. It was a cold reminder of the fractured narratives that I had been presented with. The sight of it only magnified my resolve to find the truth.
Jorum pointed to a foreboding castle perched at the top of a steep hill surrounded by desolate wilderness. This, he said, was where Xieus resided. I thanked him, seeing the trepidation reflected in his eyes despite his assurances of safety. He agreed to wait for me at the boundaries of the Selvack territory, his loyalty speaking louder than his fear. There was a mutual, unspoken pact of trust between us.
As I moved towards the castle, the desolation seemed to echo the stories, and yet something at the back of my mind kept poking at me. The narrative I had been sold still felt suspiciously well-crafted, a bit too perfect to seamlessly fit into the mold of a Dark Empress. Naturally, the half-lies and incomplete truths only fueled my determination to dig deeper into the mystery that was Xieus.
As I approached the castle, the absence of guards or any form of security was notably odd. Either Xieus felt untouchable within her stronghold, or there was another layer of her defense that wasn't apparent to the naked eye.
Cautiously stepping through the open castle gates, the inside was an extraordinary contradiction to its austere exterior. Though unoccupied and silent, the grand hall was adorned with intricate designs and glimmering lights. This was not the dwelling of a stereotypical monstrous queen; instead, it beheld a sophistication that just added to the growing enigma of Xieus.
Confronted by the eerie silence and an imminent confrontation with the so-called Dark Empress, a strange calm washed over me. This was no longer just an eccentric interstellar misadventure that I happened upon. I realized I had been drawn into a narrative that transcended my comprehension of right and wrong, good and evil. I had stepped into the heart of a much more profound conflict, the depths of it were still unknown to me, and at the core of it all was Xieus.
Though my intent was initially merely to help, I found myself ensnared in the allure of this enigma, this fracture in the seams of truth and lies. I had been forced to take part in the destruction of my world and the people I loved. Seeing this world in peril made me want to mend and heal it like I could never do on my own.
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