Bueres held the scroll in his shaking hands. It was a writing from a etching of what was once written in stone. The scroll was one of many that had been buried in the deepest part of the archives. Chief Examiner Geinn stood in front of Bueres and waited for him to answer. Bueres wasn't sure he could.
"Are you certain that this is what the scroll says? There is no mistake?" Chief Examiner Geinn asked again.
"I translated it directly to you," Bueres replied.
"How many know of this, besides you?" Geinn asked quietly.
"The Junior Examiner who found it might. He gave it to a Senior Examiner because it contains the word for Queen. The Senior Examiner brought it to me when he translated it so that I could confirm it. That is three of us, if none have spoken to anyone else." Bueres explained.
"Do you understand what this would do if it became known? That is why the earlier Examiners buried it so deep. Do you comprehend the nature of this," Geinn waved at the scroll but he watched Bueres carefully.
"I do, Chief Examiner. But," Bueres hesitated, "isn't this what you were looking for?"
Geinn stared at him. "Are you insane? I was looking for leads that would tell us if this Aeronwyn should be killed or aided. This," Geinn pointed at the scroll, "this is the end of us!"
"I know it contradicts all the legends we have. It tells us that the end of the world wasn't caused by men puffed up by writings so terrible that the Gods decreed that they would take back the gift and destroy those who used it. Quite the contrary. It says that the Gods saved the world by using terrible magic and that we should preserve that truth," Bueres, an academic, believed in truth.
"You are naive. Preserve that truth it says. By writing it out and teaching our children! By teaching that the buried Queen will restore magic and the Gods themselves. How can we, who have sworn to eradicate reading and writing except for the guild now tell people that we were wrong. Oh, by the way, we want to teach you to read and write so accurate accounts can be kept of the destruction of the world? Is that what you are suggesting?" Geinn spoke calmly and very softly. Bueres knew that was not a good sign.
"I am your humble servant, Chief Examiner. I will only do as you ask." Bueres said. Geinn stepped forward until they were inches apart.
"As I ask?" Geinn said, as he drove a knife into Bueres' heart. "Then I ask you to forget."
Taking the offending scroll, Geinn threw it in the fireplace and watched it flash into oblivion. He called in one of the Junior Examiners that he had standing by for such emergencies and issued some commands.
When the Examiners showed up the next day to resume their work at the archive, they were informed that it was done. Brother Bueres had, sadly, died of a heart attack the previous night. The Chief Examiner was convinced the search was fruitless and would they all please resume their previous duties? That night, the long awaited purge began. Two Senior Examiners, by coincidence the same two that had been assisting Bueres' search and one Junior Examiner were suddenly gone. The Archives were sealed shut and the Examiners went back about their normal business.
Geinn heard the soft whispers in his mind. They had been there since childhood. Inviting and loving, the whispers encouraged what he had done, reminding him that power is all that matters. And Geinn listened.
