The Prodigies: The Return of Equinox

Chapter Fifty-Nine: Actions Unforgivable

Allyn and Aegon sat in a study, by request of the Southern Councilor.

"We, all of us," proposed Allyn, "will come to regret some of the actions being taken soon."

"What do you mean?" asked Aegon. "If what the Crea guild is doing is so bad, then getting rid of it will do good for the entire kingdom. Don't you think?"

"Don't you think that it could have some adverse effects to everything that comes in our future?"

"Like what?"

"Well, didn't the Crea heal your granddaughter when she fell ill. They gave her some broth or something didn't they?

"Oh yeah," he chuckled a bit, "she said it tasted so bad."

"Well, if they could do that, something that almost no one comes back from, then they could make all kinds of other stuff that could benefit us." Aegon had a long think about that statement. He had no real evidence for the evilness of the Crea guild that they should act upon. All they had to go by was that ferocious plea by that masked man. The one worth killing himself over.

"Uh, well, I guess that true, but a lack of negative evidence doesn't mean that one isn't doing bad. A criminal isn't good until he gets caught, he is still bad throughout all of his actions."

"Are you saying that until one is proven innocent that we should assume guilt?"

"Maybe in this instance, yes. There are often many things to consider in determining innocence."

"But there is nothing else other than a word of mouth claim from someone who died after they spoke."

"That also! The oracle who came to us after his plea. The Scry is on the other side of the capitol building and underground. The only light source in that level is torches leading to the chamber and that damned Seeing Stone that sits in the ceiling. We are told now that their visions have been told to them by another source. They are supposedly not even visions of any kind, but they have always been right."

"But don't you think that whoever this source is could be using this pattern of truth, to deceive us. Wouldn't the previous credible claims be used against us to bring about our downfall?"

"While I see your reasoning, I don't think we should change our course of action. Besides, the Crea have been working in secrecy for too long and they've slowly stopped showing their hands when it comes to the progress that they've made on anything. They could be saving everything for themselves to use against us!"

"Listen! I've heard things Aegon. Seen things. Little scrawlings, whispers. All pointing toward one thing! Doom. Death. And these are not the hexes and jinxes of the quarter kin we discussed earlier today."

"Well how do you know that?"

"Because, quarter kin never write warnings. They either act, or they don't. These are the works of those with the Crea. Who knows what they're capable of right now!"

"Your argument of withdrawal is the same as mine for attacking! Why don't you agree with me?"

"It is better to make friends of the giants than to make enemies of them, Aegon. I'm sure you've heard the same before."

"Then why are there no giants left? We have their bones to prove they lived. We have ages old writings that we made peace and then war. Peace was made with those under Solstice and its traitorous son long before you and I were thoughts in anyone's heads. It is about time we broke that peace." With those last words Aegon lifted himself off of his chair and made his way out of the study.

"Don't tell me I didn't warn you! Don't tell me that you had no clue!"

. . .

Ellondra's mentor, Fox, had borrowed some books once she had heard of her student's new assignment. She hadn't heard of the tower that was mentioned in the action plan. These books were no easy find either. Ever since Mel had requested to change his post he hasn't helped find reading material. There had been no brilliant warming fires in the cabin either. No candle making, no odd ingredients, nothing.

Either way, these books were notoriously difficult to find. It had taken her a whole day to find just one, but the rest cane easily after that. These were ancient books, and they were difficult to read. The language had gone through a couple of changes, and the paper itself was deteriorated beyond repair. At least, any repair she could hope to perform.

In those books she managed to decipher the origins of the Crea, their troublesome past. She learned when they had bound themselves together as one group under the same ideology. They had no man to name as the originator. They had no beast either. Rather, another idea. An idea that had become more concrete than anything that came before it. An idea that self perpetuated into existence and physical form. And beyond that. To the level of the divine.

A god, created by the thought of man. He came after the original gods had left, almost out of spite of them. He had a name fitting of such a phenomenon. A name that signified his importance. Eclipse.

A god as wholly unnatural as his origins. He claimed the strength of man as his own. He fostered action independent of and against himself. He encouraged devotion to human desires. He lifted man up to higher and higher statuses through man himself.

He then had a son. This son was weak compared to the other demigods, and he treated him the same as his subject. He challenged this boy to grow as he wanted. To learn secrets yet to be known by any, including those of divine origin. To find strength both traditional and unique. To strive for everything he could touch and think of.

This ambition, while strong and unwavering, had unseen consequences. Unseen to all men. Once Eclipse left his son vowed to return to him in life. He spent many years finding the solution, and the answer held fatal results to those of similar ilk. The boy was Equinox. The name was not without meaning. Just as both night and day are the same length, he would be the one to equalize the man and god.