Path to the Void [Points of Light 1 - RPG fantasy]

1.09

I was drowsy, on the edge of sleep myself when I heard the footsteps of someone approaching up the staircase. They were the heavy footsteps of someone in armor, and so my first thought was of that person, XIII, who had opened the temple in the first place.

I nudged Jack with an elbow, jostling them into something resembling wakefulness. Jack's head shot up, their mouth open to ask a question, but I promptly hissed them into silence.

By now, night had fallen, and the storm practically dissipated; only a few stray clouds blocked out the stars above us, and the light of a thin crescent moon didn't quite provide enough illumination to see clearly. Up on the altar, though, Jack and I would be obvious to whoever was approaching.

The figure stepped out from the archway, and I could at least be relieved at the way the moonlight reflected off their armor; that silvery light would have just disappeared into the black armor XIII was wearing.

My relief was not long-lasting, however, as within the next few breaths, I recognized the woman I had met at the market - the one who had already been suspicious of me as some thief of temple artifacts. Which, while I was innocent, I was fairly sure the missing artifact in question was the one that had opened the temple sanctum where I now sat alongside a quickly rousing Jack.

(Who, being at the very least some definition of a thief, was probably not a help to my case.)

"You again?" Clearly, she had recognized me as well. "I knew there was something suspicious about you. Hand over the Key, now!"

She put one hand on the sword at her side, the threat implied by it obvious. I flinched, and started as calmly as I could, "I know this looks really bad, but - "

"But we don't have your damn key," Jack cut in, before I had the chance to finish.

"Clearly a lie. How else could you have entered the temple?" The words were accompanied by the quiet sound of her sword being drawn a little higher in its sheath. "The sealing magic could only have been opened by the Key, or another such artifact from one of the other temples."

I glanced at Jack. "We're not arguing with that. But we weren't the ones who opened the temple; we just came in after it was opened."

The paladin's stare upon us didn't lessen; it felt almost like we were isolated in a point of light, the better that she could examine us. "And why should I believe you?"

"You can look down at the entrance," Jack cut in, their voice full of firm confidence. "Most of the stuff's packed up, but I'm sure you can still see sounds of them... Once it's daylight again, anyway." The last few words carried a note of wry amusement, and Jack gave a little shrug as though to say uptoyouifyoudon'twanttowait.

What I could see of the paladin's face in the dim light did not look pleased by Jack's usual joking tone, or perhaps simply the fact that there was actual evidence that she was wrong. Even having only met her twice, I could guess that she didn't appreciate very much when someone proved her to have made a mistake.

"Then what of this?" she asked, tone still imperious. She drew her sword fully, stepping forward onto the altar stairs as she pointed her sword at Jack. "How is it that you've stolen the power of the spirit of storm itself?"

"It's not stolen!" Jack protested immediately. "Vayesao trusted me - you think the two of us could force one of the spirits to do anything?"

Apparently we were convincingly pitiful in that regard; the tip of the sword wavered in the air, before its owner lowered it to point at the ground. When she spoke again, her voice was less harsh. "I see."