💎A Collision of Fates💎 (Straight to Gay) (MxM) (18+)

64 - Landel

"And another one here," Landel said. He checked the note one more time and then put a pin on the map.

The latest note had just arrived that morning. It was from a team of defenders and they had reported that they had spotted a group of robed cultists near a cave on the border of Boletara.

Landel took a step back from the map and looked at the pins they had put in it. Seven in all. One on the coastal cave. One on mingot mine. One on The Academy. And then four more in the west and north of Sesstria.

"They're infesting this country like maggots," Landel said. It made him sick. Suddenly, all he wanted to do was go to all of those points and kill any cultists he found. But no, his dad had made his point on that clear, and Landel wasn't going to disobey him so openly, not yet at least.

"Indeed, yes." Yerda rubbed his chin and looked at their map and chart. "Ever since the discovery that Maxil is the Shadow Knight, i've had a sinking suspicion that his conspiracy is much more embedded than we feared. I had hoped, vainly it seems, that this was a new phenomenon. But they must've been organizing this for years."

"Who is they," Adam said. He was sitting on a chair next to a messy desk. "That is the question, isn't it? Who is they."

"Half of Sesstria by the sounds of it," Landel said. "How could there be so many cultists? So many idiots?"

"Never underestimate the ability of an individual to rally a group," Yerda said. "This isn't the first time a single person has caused a large group to do stupid, foolish things, and it will not be the last."

"And, until the defenders find Maxil, we won't be able to figure out who The One is. We'll be no closer to figuring out their identity," Landel said.

Adam nodded, leaning back in the chair. "And... the way I see it, that's the only way to stop this. We need to kill The One, or stop him."

Yerda moved away from the map and turned towards the window. "And soon."

Landel followed him. He looked out of the small, glass window at the sun forest and The Goddess. "What do you mean?"

"She's dimming more and more everyday," Yerda said. He dragged a ledger on his table and tilted it towards them, pointing at the latest entry. "It's not... a big difference everyday, but it is a difference, and they add up."

Adam leaned over from his chair, reading the ledger. "Christ."

"So... this is not something that can wait," Yerda said. "I don't know how long we have, but it's not a matter that we can take lightly. I have been speaking to The King about international coordination, about getting the nations of the world to work together. But... so far... he says it isn't necessary."

Landel gritted his teeth. The fury that he felt when he talked with his dad about this welled up inside of him. The man was a politician. He was all talk and no action. He would let The Goddess die before risking an international incident.

"Well, unfortunately, you're going to have to hold down the fort for a little bit, Yerda," Adam said. "We're going to Boletara for a few days."

Right. Boletara. Landel really wanted to watch his friends play at worlds, but it would be strange to leave his investigation for those days.

"Ah, yes," Yerda said. "I forgot. When do you leave?"

"Today. Later today," Adam said.

"Well, when you're gone, I'll make sure to canvass the issues with King Esteck. I think i'm coming to realize that I may need to annoy the king a little bit, for the safety of the world at least." He pushed his glasses up his nose and fixed his heavy robes. "Though, a delicate touch may be warranted here."