After a long time together, Xerxes, Airi, and Leiya discussed many things, including their battles, future aspirations, and new things they could try once they arrived in Amento.
However, it was clear that there was something neither of them had escaped—and it was exactly what they had come here to face.
Airi chimed in, "Do you both think we should speak with Zoron? I am particularly interested; maybe I will uncover more memories."
Leiya, who was holding the phoenix possessively, "You're right. There are things I need to learn. The Saint of the church told me that answers would rest here."
Xerxes frowned, "How did she know?"
Leiya tried to recall. The saint had claimed an item from Luminaria's sanctuary; it was some artIfact that granted her prophetic abilities. "Yeah, she had some artifact from the sanctuary, it granted her prophetic abilities. Speaking of sanctuaries, you went there."
Xerxes nodded, taking a glance at the artifact tucked away in her pocket, "The peerer artifact, honestly, I could have picked out anything, but I'm glad I chose what I did. I have a feeling that it will come in use for the future."
He also dwelt on Leiya's statement.
The prophetic abilities, how would artifacts even be created with their unique ability? Luminare's influence over the lands was evident, and if people could enhance their powers with wordship, then something made sense.
He theorised that not only weapons - like Luminare's weapons - but worship provided people with powers.
Yves didn't have a clear weapon, but he and Aemon were both labelled 'apostles'. Whilst Aemon inherited the eyes of the original god of truth, what could Yves have obtained?
Was it something overt, or could it be something as simple as worship?
He shook his head and looked at them both, "I'm thinking too much. We'll receive some answers when we speak to Zoron. Let's get ready."
With that, Leiya and Xerxes both rose and confirmed everyone was still sleeping. Then they began walking to Zoron.
Through the ruins, they noticed that progress was steady, kids were playing, and they were eating.
Within a few minutes, Zoron noticed them and excused himself, where many voices couldn't be heard.
He sat down on a piece of stone, whilst Leiya, Xerxes, and Airi all stayed standing.
"I hope you both rested well," he said, whilst looking at them.
"What I am about to share is not only knowledge, but it is a burden. Graver than some of you may know." He reflected on his life and spoke in a tone tinged with horror. "I've seen ignorance be better than understanding in this regard."
Xerxes and Leiya both looked at each other, and their answer didn't need to be exchanged with words
They both had something to carry out. Xerxes had to understand why he lived that day protecting Aya when he should have been dead. He needed to figure out what about him drew Yves to the Fallen Kingdom.
As for Leiya, she needed to know more about the Apostles, the Gods, and everything her grandfather harboured.
He then cleared his throat. "It seems as if you all are comfortable with the terms. I shall not waste any time. Alright. So, what would you like to learn? Be careful with your questions, as I can only answer three."
"Three?" Leiya echoed.
But as she glanced at Xerxes, it seemed he already accepted that fact.
"It's probably not out of volition, Leiya. Zoron isn't the type to hold this back."
Airi's analytical side took over, "You would be right, and there is something that holds it back. I think the first question should be, 'Why can he only answer three?'"
Leiya pondered Airi's words, and realisation slowly started to creep in.
All her life, not even her own grandfather had spoken on it. If he held so much love for his master, why didn't he?
She lingered for a moment and said aloud, "No one inherently knows what happens from that time. History is scattered and fragmented. I think it would be best to know if there's some restraint."
Xerxes didn't have a problem; it seemed he was on the same trail she thought he was. "It would explain a lot. Why Aemon kept the story of his past so brief, and many other things."
So to try and get to the root of the obscurity, they asked, "What are you only allowed to speak of three things?"
An ephemeral shroud of grey fog seeped from him, and Zoron seemed to strain slightly.
The grey fog then rushed outward in all directions, covering everyone in a field of ashen grey.
Stumbling slightly, they looked around in this field of constricted space and felt that this fog was already one part of their answer.
"The teachings of truth were something even the gods revered, and it caused ruin. Kalaryss Atasis Truth sparked a rift in reality that was to be covered by lies."
Leiya's eyes immediately widened, and Xerxes noticed it. That was the god Aemon inherited his eyes from.
The question of 'what ruin it caused' likely played in her mind. Xerxes knew that Aemon ran from the war, but the 'teachings of truth' were the catalyst?
What did the god of truth reveal that could cause that much chaos?
Leiya leaned in and demanded to know, "What li—"
Xerxes stopped her. "I know, Leiya. I know, but our questions are limited, just let him explain."
He could see the frustration build on her face; however, Xerxes' words calmed her down slightly.
"The lie was what humanity came to know, and those who harbour the truth merely accept it, but cannot escape the destiny inscribed to them."
He sighed. "This is the curse of the blinding rot. And now you three are bound to it. Speak of the war, and your vision fails you. The tongue becomes ever so quiet, and the mind is filled with rot. By the accursed Seraphim."
They all shivered, and Leiya in particular seemed to react slightly to these words.
It was as if some invisible pressure latched onto the soul core, but Xerxes couldn't understand, as he felt nothing.
He crouched down to ask if she was okay. She gripped her sternum and rose very slowly.
With her well-being confirmed, it seemed that Zoron was done speaking. He reached his limit.
Without the certainty of a 'time limit' or anything graver being applied to this conversation, they both took the initiative not review the knowledge here.
Yet, it was difficult to think coherently; one simple question led to so many more.
It was confirmed that Aemon's master was dead, but had he been killed for what he spoke?
The series of questions led him to the consequence of this 'curse'. Blinding rot. As a kid, he heard this in passing back at the Crossed Seas Guild, but to actually confirm its truth was chilling.
Leiya was trapped in thought, and it made sense why her grandfather never spoke. It's not that he didn't want to; he simply couldn't.
And that must have clawed at his core. Aemon dealt with this knowledge and everything it entailed.
A look of sorrow appeared on her face, "It must've been hard for you..." she mumbled.
Airi landed on Leiya's shoulder and rubbed her head on her cheek, in an attempt to cheer her up.
Though Leiya was still trapped in thought, Airi broke it slightly, making her acknowledge that time was of the essence.
Xerxes spoke, "Our second question. If you're all okay with it, I have one in mind."
Though Leiya had questions of her own, their original answer gave her a lot of knowledge about her past, so it was only fair.
She nodded affirmatively, so did Airi.
"What exactly are these 'gods'?"
The two didn't seem to have any problem with the question, so Zoron went on to explain, the fog growing more dense and slightly suffocating.
But for a moment, it faltered.
Zoron's gaze drifted upward, not toward it, but somewhere deep into the angulated clouds of grey.
"They were never what you imagine," he said quietly.
"The gods...they shared the same skin as man. They bled. They breathed. They walked beneath the same sky we do now."
Xerxes mentally questioned, "Then what could possibly make them gods?"
It seemed that his answer came.
"Strength, Influence, and Indulgence."
He lifted one thick finger.
"Their strength wasn't grounded in mana. Mana bends the world; their power authored it."
A second finger rose.
"Their influence was not over people, kingdoms, or belief. It was over the laws that decide possibility and impossibility."
A third.
"Their indulgence wasn't in gold, flesh, or worship. It was in the concepts of truth, entropy, dominion, and destiny. Things mortals cannot desire without breaking."
Zoron's words seemed to impact Xerxes more than he would have liked.
Silence followed, heavy, and it gave Xerxes a moment to reflect on his theories and ambitions.
Firstly, the theory of 'worship' didn't give an individual power, as the gods didn't desire that, nor did they influence the masses to do that.
But what seemed to trouble him more was his aspiration.
Was this why everything I touched seemed to push me toward breaking??
He glanced at Leiya, and she was already gazing at him.
Back then, she called his goal of breaking destiny 'foolish'. Her words were, 'Why would you focus on something so abstract?' Could she have been right? Was there something that distinguished between his and a god's perception of truth, of dominion, of entropy... of destiny
His demeanour slowly changed as he was swarmed with the naivety of what he was actually striving for.
However, Zoron wasn't finished. He began coughing, sharp and wet, blood darkening his beard.
They all staggered for a moment, but the elder weakly raised his hand, adamant on continuing.
Xerxes' head lifted as he met Zoron's expression.
"These gods called themselves the Aurora," he continued. "And even they did not stand as one."
The fog seemed to rattle at the very mention of the name 'Aurora'.
He drew a slow breath. "There were five great clans recorded in their history; as for their names holding merit and reverence now, I cannot be so sure."
"The Atasis," he said first, "rulers of law and order. They bound the world with structure, decree, and inevitability."
Leiya took a mental note of it, realising that her path was more than likely connected to them. Truth was the end result of law and order more often than not.
"The Edsin," next, "rulers of life, growth, beasts, and endless continuation."
Suddenly, Airi's eyes began to roll back, and she fell from Leiya's shoulder.
Xerxes crouched down, "Airi, Airi!" He repeated profusely.
He tried to shake her awake, but she wasn't moving.
Leiya was about to drop down, but Zoron wasn't pausing, and they couldn't miss anything.
It was evident that Edsin likely had some correlation with Airi's memories. She only reacted this way when something directly infiltrated her past, whether it was the aspect of 'beasts', being in their title. They didn't know, but Xerxes didn't stop trying to help.
"The Valaris," his voice lowered, "rulers of reality itself. What is seen, what is perceived, and what may exist."
It was chilling to hear that someone could actually have dominion over reality, and it made Leiya question his position in the world.
"The Seraphim," he said, almost reverent and afraid to speak of them, "rulers of death and souls. The most obscure of them all; their role was deeply tied to humanity, but in what way, I wouldn't know."
Every word seemed to slow Leiya's world.
The conversation tinged with memories of the fallen kingdom flashed by, with a slight ringing sound in her hears.
"Acursed Seraphim...Dominion, could it be dominion of power, then-then death would encompass.."
Her words came slowly, and with each word, she punished herself.
Pieces of Aemon and Yves' battle flashed in her mind.
"Then… Yves with the powers of rot, is an apostle to the Seraphim…" She finished with a tense look, yet there was still one more clan to name.
Zoron paused for a moment and pressed a hand against his throat. His expression grew more fierce, and he spoke the last name.
"And the last clan were the rulers of time and space… The Ezurewrath"