Cobalt Crown - Book One

11 Deep Wounds

     Astor and Viir were walking the streets of Kinsweyr. It was long past sunset, and they spoke in hushed tones. There were ears all over the kingdom.

     "Tell me again why we need to do this," spoke Astor.

     "Because our man reported seeing a new type of Lost in the woods south of Kinsweyr. 'E eliminated it, thankfully, but it got 'im good once. The wound left behind a blight, and he had to purge it with 'Oly Fire. The letter told us that the thing was huge, far larger than any Lost he had seen up until that point. We've also been gettin' reports from Dorun about strange rashes. The two have been in contact and Dorun 'finks the two may be related. 'E wanted us to meet with Vorital, who performed rites on the boy."

     "How is that important?" Astor's tone was genuinely inquisitive.

     "No Lost has spread its... Lost-ness... to anyfin' else wivout touchin' it first. If this rash is because of that Lost, we'll need to report that information back to the Golden Citadel."

     "What of these people here? Have they been treated?"

     "I don't know, my prince. But their well bein' is another reason we're 'ere. Kinsweyr is a... much different place than the rest of Aurum. Its founders chose this location because it's out o' the way of pretty much everyfin'. Which means-"

     "They aren't aware as to the true dangers of the world. Or at least, they're probably skeptical of it." Astor said, wondering how the truths he had grown up with weren't accepted world-wide.

     "Exactly. If someone saw a large, hulking dead man swingin' 'is arms about town, do you think we'd be able to walk into a little town like this wivout a fuss? They've got no clue, Astor. Nobody else has seen anyfin', probly because we've been able to keep the dangerous bits away for so long that most have forgotten about them, or chose to ignore them altogether."

     "Forgotten about it?" Astor snapped. "How in the bloody hell do they manage that?"

     Viir looked at him, and thought about all Astor had been through. What his childhood was like, the intensity of his training, the things his gifts and heritage brought him. It wasn't fair. And it led Astor to believe the world was a much more anxious place then he knew. But Astor didn't know that. Then Viir spoke. "Truthfully, I don't know. Maybe some people would rather ignore a problem than live in the same world as it." They stopped walking, and Astor looked at Viir expectantly. "But you are a prince. I am a knight. We are not like most people in this kingdom. We are tasked with the protection of the people who would forget. We can't forget its problems. So we fix 'em." He thought for a moment. "I s'pose that's the best answer I can give."

     They walked in silence for a time, reflecting their duties. "We're 'ere." Said Viir. They stood in front of the temple of Siora. As if he was waiting for them, Vorital opened the heavy doors.

     "I saw you approach. Come in. Quickly." The three hurried inside and Vorital guided them to a door near the back of the temple. The door led to a small room, where another door led to a stone staircase leading down. They descended in silence.

     The basement of the temple had a dirt floor. Symbolic, most likely, of the temple's meaning. In the center there was a stone altar, upon which sat a corpse, naked and grey. "That's the boy," said Vorital. "I had to retrieve some Holy Fire from the ranger, but I applied it liberally to the wounds. Luckily there were no blightings on any public parts of him, or else I would have had to improvise."

     "Did he have the rash, Vorital?" Astor asked. "We were told there was a strange rash showing up among your people and that you were worried it may be associated with the Lost who attacked him." He motioned towards Fen's body.