Re:Creation Book 1: Allegiance

Four:teen

Vivienne and Vistara approached the castle gate, their entry granted by the two knights standing guard. As they did, Reif was hit with an overwhelming, yet familiar feeling. It was most definitely the presence of a god - a powerful source, at that - but he couldn't identify it. When he tried to resonate his own power with it, all he received back was the same mind-numbing fuzzy sensation in his head, telling him that the power belonged to a god other than the four he communed with.

His eyes fell on Lysidia, only to see that she was already intently staring at him. She must have felt it too.

Reif's thoughts were confirmed the moment Lysidia opened her mouth to speak. "Vivienne, Vistara, I'll follow you two soon. I need to speak with Reif."

The twins exchanged a confused look with each other. "Is everything alright?" Vistara asked.

"Of course," Lysidia responded. "Just a matter among priests that needs to be discussed."

The twin princesses both looked at Reif and back to Lysidia almost in unison. Other than their hair, the girls' resemblance truly was uncanny.

"Alright," Vistara said, her confusion still notably in her voice.

"We will see you soon, then," Vivienne added.

The guards stationed outside the gate each inserted a square shaped iron key into wooden panels placed on the stone wall on either side of the castle gate. Next to the keyholes were wheels jutting out of the wall that were connected to an unseen mechanism that, when the wheels were turned, opened the gate. Once Vivienne and Vistara were safely on the other side, the guards turned the wheels in the opposite direction, shutting Castle Ralhana away from the world once more. They removed their keys, presumably locking the mechanism, and retook their positions.

Reif turned to his own companions, noticing that both of them were looking at him expectantly. Telk in particular looked somewhat troubled, but he said nothing. Reif opened his mouth to talk, but Therias held up his hand. signalling that Reif didn't need to speak.

"The two of us will wait back at the tavern," Therias told him. "Join us when you can."

Reif nodded gratefully and watched as Therias and Telk took their leave. As they headed off, Telk briefly glanced back over his shoulder in Reif's direction, the same nervous look in his eyes. What was it that made him so anxious all of a sudden? If there was anyone that Reif truly did not understand, it was Telk; his emotions and reactions were so varied in nature that it was impossible to guess what he was thinking. Whatever it was that was on Telk's mind, Reif had a feeling that it had something to do with the event that he refuses to talk about - otherwise he wouldn't have gone so quiet, would he? Then again, Reif still didn't know Telk very well. Maybe this was normal behavior for the former thief.

A pang of guilt struck Reif. He'd only just gained a new level of sympathy for Telk's mysterious burden, and yet he habitually reacted so callously to Telk's concern as they walked to the castle. If he wanted to understand Telk better, he would have to make more of an effort. Besides, if Lysidia, Vistara, and Vivienne liked him, then he couldn't be that bad, could he?

"Reif," Lysidia's voice snapped Reif away from his thoughts "Let's go for a walk."

Reif simply nodded his agreement, his mind focusing on the god's persisting presence that they were feeling. He followed Lysidia down a cobblestone path alongside the castle gate wall towards a sparsely populated area of the Market District. There were no vendors on the pathway and it seemed as though very few people used the pathway to walk at all, making it relatively easy for the two of them to find a secluded space where they could speak freely. They settled on a narrow alley that fed directly into a dead end, out of earshot from everyone around. Just in case, they spoke low, so as not to be heard by any passersby.