“Before you kill me, at least you should thank me,” Oliver Roxion, the self-proclaimed High Priest of Erminux, said in a calm voice as if they were just having a cup of tea, as if the blade of the Mat's old sword did not just slide through his rope's collar and left a red bleeding mark on his neck. Helen squeezed the sword harder with both hands, “For what?” she asked, noticing at least three of the barge guards suddenly raise their crossbows and point at her. Is he worth it? If I finish him now, can I be fast enough to dodge those shafts? Is he truly worth dying for? Maybe, she thought. But then I'll never get to see my family again. “You should thank me for saving your life of course. Three times that I remember,” the High Priests raised his hands up, telling the guards to stop in their track as they have already started to move and circle Helen in her deadly embrace of the High Priest. "Everyone step down," he called on to the guards. "Put those crossbows down." Helen frowned. “Come again? You did what?” “I saved your life. Three times for sure. Not counting this here today either. If I wanted you, I could have used you as nothing more than a fish bait. But I wanted to save you." “Say what?” What the hell is he talking about? “And I did it fully knowing you were trying to kill me.” What the hell is he talking about?? "And when did you save my life for the first time?" "The first time was back on Semstron Corp Building in the City of Dove. Yeah, what is it now, five years ago already?" "What? Please do explain." "When you got to get spare parts for building wind turbine? Remember? Your fist kill. You saved three beautiful children back then?” "Don't talk to me about children." "But you did." How the fuck can he know that? Was he really there? Of course not. Could not be. "I know what you're thinking. But when you were going down the stairs, caring the baby in one of your hands, turning the back to the door on the floor you just passed down, you did not see anything did you? Or you thought that just two of them robbers committed the entire massacre up there? You did not see, did you? You did not see two more bandits sneaking up on you from your back, pointing their plasma rifles at you." “No way!” Helen shook her head. It could not have been. How does he know this??? "You were very careless back then. They would have killed you... If it was not for me." "It could not have been you. You've been on this planet for twenty-some years." "I wasn’t there. That’s true. But my agent was. Right Ekrun?" "Yes, it is true," came a voice from one of the men who stood now but a few feet from the High Priest, ready to defend him. Helen cast him a split-second glance. The man was two heads taller than her, wearing golden-trimmed armor, one hand on his sword, the other ready to grab Helen’s blade-holding hand. “I was there,” Ekrun said. “Killed them quietly with my blade. Just like I will you if you don’t drop your blade.” “You move an inch, I cut!” Helen yelled. “You see!” she sliced. “I’ll cut him so deep that nothing will be able to save him!” Think, thing… How, how is this possible? How could…? Are you kidding me? Of course, he could know, could know everything! I was chipped back then as well, everything I was seeing, feeling, and hearing, all my senses were documented. If he found the way to break into the system, look into it, he would have known. He would know everything about me. "I know you don't trust me, but-" the High Priest spoke, raising his hand again, letting Ekrun know to stop and move back. Play it smart, don't let him think you know. Play it gullible. That's right. Just keep staring at him, widen your eyes. Let him play his game. It's the only way you will survive to see your family again. "It can't be!" Helen said, the voice full of shock, her face frowning, eyes gleaming with disbelief. "But it is. I told you to keep her safe, follow her from far away when she leaves the compound, didn’t I?" "Yes, yes you did. To be a ghost. I’m good at being a ghost. Making others being a ghost too." the man answered. Play his game, look insecure, let go of that sword, and see what he wants. Give him a chance to be a hero. Look to the man behind. Be brave and smarter than him. He wants something from you. Find out first what it is. Find out his game. Now, look away! Helen told himself, yet, she could not take the eyes from the High Priest's. "I did as you commanded me, my Lord." Lord, is it?!? And you all think you’re so fucken’ smart. Play the game! Now. Helen eased the pressure of the sword against the High priest’s neck, but that was not enough to induce the High Priest to act, so she finally took her eyes off his, even turned her head around to look at Ekrun speaking. She relaxed and waited and let the High Priest finally move his hand up to push the blade away, twist her hand and take the sword away from her. "So, I guess i should thank you too?" Helen said, looking straight at Ekrun. “Easy!” the High Priest yelled as Ekrun took out his sword. “Back off.” "You don’t need to thank me,” Ekrun said as his eyes were locked with Helen’s. “I was just doing my job. And if he told me to kill you, I would have obliged as well. You’re lucky to be alive." The man is so blood-thirsty it’s coming out of his eyes. I bet he’s the one that killed little Reimar and his sister Xonoxia. Fucken’ asshole. "I just took this so you know what I tell you is the truth," the High Priest said, drawing attention back to himself. But there was just a bit too much breath in those words, too much relief. It did not go unnoticed by Helen. Just play stupid. You’re a stupid little girl. Confused and stupid. And weak. Beaten. "Why did you save my life back then? Why would you do that?" The High Priest came closer to her, looking so hard at her as if he was trying to see the very inside of her soul. He is trying to tell me something. Damn, he smells awful. What is that? Some kind of cheap mint aftershave? "That fragrance..." Helen asked, looking at him intensively. "It's..." Keep on going, look at his face, read his lines. "It's... Familiar." "Yes??" Look at his face. Suddenly like a puppy. Yes, frown, that's right, blink your eyes, as if you're thinking as if you’re trying to remember. "It's..." Hellen shook her head, suddenly her eyes dropping, blinking. "I smelled it before." "Of course you have. I can’t believe you could remember.” “I… I’m not sure. I was very small… my, my parents and…” “You remember?" "No... Just the smell." "Your mother and Orson... all of us used to be friends." 'Mother and Orson?' Are you fucken' kidding me? Are you fucken' kidding me???? No! No!!! Nooooo!!!! Please fucken no!!!! "My father, Orson, and you... two of you were friends?" Helen stuttered, not at all on purpose. Please, don't let it be. Please, don't let this asshole be my father. The shadow passed over the High Priest. Helen could see it clearly. "That's true. All three of us were friends. Used to spend a lot of time together. Well, before the Core took me away. You were only about five back then." Thank you. Thank you, Lord of the Light, Maker of Universe and Karma, thank you all that is holy! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!! Don't show him you're relieved. Look more confused. More confused, not understanding, like you don't know shit. Let him spill his story out. " I don't think you would remember me. But we used to go out together all the time. I even babysit you a few times when you were very small." So, he was in love with my mother? Is that what is going on here? Or could it be my father? Only men around here. Don't see any woman. Would not surprise me if he was. "I'm the one who helped your father Orson set up that underground compound, provided him with the tech he needed. But it seems he never talked much about me, did he?” Helen shook her head. "I'm the one who he called when he wanted to return to the family, asked for a favor.” “He only talked about his old partner… Joshua, if I remember it right. He did not... like Joshua very much.” “There were actually four of us. And yes, Joshua was always a bastard. But that's a long story. I'll tell it to you one day.” “Okay.” "I know you don't believe me... But I hope you do." "I... I don't know what to believe..." Can he track my thoughts? Maybe some. Who knows what he can track. Better not to think anything anymore. Clean your mind. "Well, now that I have your attention, just listen to me, and then, judge for yourself.” "Wait, wait... You were really friends with my parents?" "A good friend. Close friend." "Really??" "The next time you see them, you should ask them. Although, the Core will probably never let you see them again. Most likely, they will kill us all here." "Why?" “Because of politics, that’s why,” the High Priest said mysteriously while he started to examine the sword, Erkun there putting a clean cloth around the High Priest’s neck, covering his cut. "The last time I saw this sword it was whole, and it belonged to... someone else," the High Priest said, still examining the sword. "Well, let's just say, I needed it." "Is he still alive?" "The last I saw him." "What a waste. He had such potential. Well, he was always on a stupid side. Does not surprise me if you got the better of him." The High Priest tapped Erkun on the hand. “That’s good enough. I’m going to be fine. Just leave us alone now.” When everyone stepped away, the High Priest extended the broken sword to Helen. "Take it. I have no use for it. Why don’t you put it back in the scabbard? Besides, if you need a complete sword, I certainly can give you a better one. But first, let me tell you a few things, and then, if you still want to kill me, well, then you should do as you please. But, first of all, I think you're smart enough to listen to what I need to tell you." "I'm listening." "Things are not what you think they are. The Core is not the instrument of justice as you think it is. It’s… something completely different.” “But I’m not here because of the Core. Why did you kill all those villagers in Oromar plains? Kids included?!?” “That was not supposed to happen. You have to believe me. I sent my men to try and find you. But, they… did not do what they were supposed to. I never meant for that to happen. I even… ended up punishing them all.” “How?” “What do you mean how? I destroyed the Monastery, killed them all. They took my nobility and generosity, my faith in them and goodwill, twisted it all, and abused the power I bestowed on them. They could not have been allowed to pillage and kill another villager. If they did, if I allowed them to do, that would have been on me.” Helen's face frowned even more, her eyes dancing around the High Priest's face. “Don’t you see? When you just came to the Monastery. I was not there. I knew you would be upset, that you came to kill me. So, when they gave you wine…” “It was a sedative.” “Yes. It put you to sleep. But, I sent them an order to place you under the ground…” “That’s why I woke up in the dungeon?” “Yes. It was the best thing that could have happened for you. There were things that were happening and I could not pull you out of the Monastery. Paleskins around. And I was away. But I wanted those irresponsible, bad priests punished. So, I… destroyed them all. You see, to counter the Core, I have… worked on some alternative technologies. I had to. Ever since I saw what the Core is all about, I had to… find a way to… counter them.” “It all falls into place.” A long explanation. There must be more to it than that. Shut up! Clean your mind. “It all falls into place because it is the truth.” “You have to know the truth. I can show you what the Core is all about. You need to know.” “Why, but why do you want me?” “You know, I hand-picked you to come here. Worked through my influence through the Core for you to come here. If you were anything like your father, I knew… I knew you would not fall for their ‘do-gooder’ bullshit. They sell that to all the noble souls, bringing the best of us in, and then making us do the worst of it. You know, I was sent here to exterminate six races, to pave everything so that the Elves could live here. That’s what I was meant to do. That was my mission. But I turned it around. Realized it can’t be the way. It’s not what is good for one race. It is not just like that.” Yeah, all that talk, but he did not really answer 'why'. There is something else to this. Why am I important? Or am I? “And the Core… it’s dominated by Elves?” “Well, the quadrants around here are certainly dominated by Elves. I have not been everywhere to know how it is there, but here, their words count more than ours. Imagine, your father and I have done more for the Core. Should have been made the lords a long time ago. If an elf did half of what we had, he would have been already the Lord, but not us. It’s not fair. Not that I have anything against the elves. It’s just, I’m not ready to sacrifice a single human life so that they can have the planet all to themselves.” “I see. Did not know that.” “You see, I really believe that the Core once upon the time was pure. Good and righteous. But it has been corrupted ever since. And now, I’m supposed to kill you so they can have it their way? I prefer not to. I would rather you join me, and we change the Core for the better. What say you, Helen?” Helen sighed. “Would I be able to see my family again?” “If I have my way, if we beat those damn elves and… win over the Core, you can have whatever you want. I promise that.”