Manus Pluma Volantis

9 - Askerius

It had been two weeks since Callum and Rayla died. They were really getting used to life in Askerius. But there was one still unpleasant matter. Where were they? Rayla's parents. They were dead... right? So, where were they? Callum and Rayla searched, tirelessly, but to no avail. They were just... gone.

Rayla cried some nights, after Callum fell asleep. They were still nowhere to be found. That night, Rayla did the same thing she did every night. She would pretend to fall asleep, until Callum did. Then sit up and cry. She didn't want him to see her cry. It made her feel weak to cry in front of people.
Especially him. She would not cry in front of Callum.

He heard her sniffling and it caused him to stir. Before his eyes were open, she was laying down again. He peered over her, and saw the tears that streamed down her face. "Rayla..." he whispered. She sat up, knowing there was no crying alone now. Callum was awake. Callum saw her tears. Callum cared like nobody else seemed to. He placed a hand on her shoulder.

She turned to him. His face shone in the moonlight. Full moon. His favorite kind. He liked it because Rayla was at the height of her power. But now, she seemed at her lowest. "Where are they?" she whimpered, quietly. He gave her a hug. She just sat in his arms. "It's okay. We'll find them." "We've covered everywhere in Askerius. They aren't here." "Then we wait. They will be at some point. I'm sure of it. You know, they gotta die at some point."

This made it worse. "No, no. I didn't mean it like that. I mean we'll see them again. I'm positive." She nodded. She knew he didn't mean anything bad. He just wanted to reassure her. And it was working, but it still felt so weird. Callum said, "They fought. To the end." That's death, right? What else could it be? She remembered two weeks ago, in that... erm... odd... dream, that Viren was clutching three coins. She didn't think much of it, at first.

But what could they mean? Exactly three. Exactly how many relatives she had lost with no explanation. No explanation at all. Could it mean something? Did Viren have anything to do with this? She was glad she had killed him. Then the thought came. She could ask! He was dead, too. So she could ask! She turned to Callum. She told him about the coins.

She told him about how she could ask Viren. He thought about it for a moment, then looked at her and said, bluntly, "How?" She explained it to him. "We ask Harrow and Sarai where bad people go when they die. When they give us our answer, we go for a little visit." Callum contemplated it for a moment. Visiting Viren? What would he even know of this? How could they know for sure it was him, unless... of course! Unless they ask!