Escaping Corruption (Seasons 1-3)

S3 - The greatness

AVENA'S footsteps echo as she strides briskly down the corridor.

Payam had informed her that the books on the Great War had been sealed away in the months following the War itself all those thirty years ago.

Sealed away in the hidden creaks and cracks stowed in the shadows at the very back of the library.

Exactly where Avena stood now.

The library was barren of people other then herself. It normally was. The people of Elisia preferred these hours to do their fishing and their trading and whatever else.

The witch wrapped a fist on a large oil painting of a violet dragon, and immediately, it swings open to reveal a small hatchet.

Just big enough for Avena to squeeze through.

She faintly hears the whistle of the painting clasping shut again behind her as she shuffles along on all fours down a small passageway no bigger than a cupboard.

Eventually she clambers out into a small, circular room.

The ceiling is coated in gold leaf, like the curved gilded bookshelves lining every inch of the wall.

Thick, leather bound books fill the shelves, faded titles rubbed away into the past.

Avena reaches for one, only to catch herself on a bookshelf as a tremor shakes through the ground.

Clouds of dust burst out from between the roof and the walls, scattering down on the bookshelves.

A few books flop out onto the ground. Avena clutches the shelf as the tremors worsen.

Then everything goes still again.

She sneezes, cringing at the billow of dust that poofs out when she does.

She snatches up one of the fallen books from the ground and wipes the thin coating of grime from the title.

The Great War; Volume 3.

It's good enough.

~~~~~~~~

Amato sighs, and slumps in his throne.

A horrible feeling has been festering in his gut for some time now, and he cannot help it.

He has been dismissing the intruding thoughts on what could be happening. It scares him too bad.

'Amato.'

He raises his head.

C'yra is standing in the doorway, red hair in a fishtail braid, dressed in a violet gown with intricate golden embroidery.

She is worried, he can tell.

'Hey Rara.' He smiles.

She rolls her eyes with a fond smile, and leaps onto the armrest of the throne.

'You're concerned, love. I know. I am, too. But we need to focus on Purrsia for now. The Governer of Pantherna has contacted me to inform us of protestors during the monthly Town meetings. Amato, there's been actual fights.' Her golden eyes darken.

'Well that isn't....great.' Amato mutters.

C'yra exhales loudly.

'There's a worse force rising in the west. Supposedly, they are planning a massive series of attacks over Purrsia. Something a little much like a war.' She explains.

'Not another one!' Amato groans, and slides out of his throne, one hand on his forehead.

'Yeah. This one is called Alya.' C'yra shakes her head with a roll of her eyes.

'Do we have to get involved?'

'Not yet.'

'Good.'

There is another moment of silence.

'Do you ever think about your parents?' Amato regrets speaking the moment he does.

'Sometimes. On the rare occasion.' She murmurs.

He nods slowly.

'Telrianti has been sealed up with titanium now, following the imprisonment of Puca's followers.' C'yra adds.

'What even happened to him? Catra never spilled.' Amato frowns.

'Catra transformed him into a pig and let him loose in the ivory labyrinth, all the way in the land of the light.' She cackles aloud.

'Holy shit. She did that?!' He jumps up.

'Yup. It was hilarious to watch.'

'And I didn't get to see it!?'

'Precisely.'

'Aww......But do you know what I was doing at the time?'

'What...?'

'Commiting arson.'

'That's nice, dear.

'C'YRA-'