The Lost Scholar

CHAPTER: 08

THE HANGED MAN

He admired every single detail till his eyes dried up. The God of Song, The God of Stars and Dreams, The Knightess of Amesthyn, The Goddess of the Skies, The Shadow of Amesthyn, and The Hermit of knowing and God of Creation, all carefully painted and each fragment of glass placed one at a time, and then, slowly decaying and altering tints of color due to the purple lights. All of them so called fictional characters in the book of epics. “This can’t be real…” Gabriel whispered as he took the sight.

“What can’t be real?” Yuri, the phantom advisor, asked.

"Spirits! What is this altar of a fallen kingdom even doing in my house?!" Gabriel was hysterical and didn't know where to stand. Roy, however, was entranced by the room. “This is a strictly catholic household!” Yuri chuckled and Roy barely contained his laughter. “You realize the term catholic means all-embracing, right?” The phantom asked the embarrassed and confused child.

“Come on, he is seven years old, cut the boy some universal slack,” the cleromancer sniggered quietly with the mocking advisor.

“All bad jokes aside, of course your parents are catholic. Minds broad with curiosity and accepting of everything. A true Amesthyn quality,” the advisor explained glancing at the murals dedicated to the first Amesthyn generations. “And to answer your previous question,” Yuri added and turned to Gabriel. “They are real, Jehova was afraid of spirits, he banned them from the garden as unnatural. He only believed in living in the sky after death. Yehovah was correct, but sometimes a spirit can stay and wonder about."

"You are not real..." Gabriel shivered and hid behind the cleromancer thick, leather pant leg.

"Why not?" Yuri tilted his head, bewildered.

"You are speaking my language fluently..." Gabriel remarked. “Wouldn't you be speaking your natural tongue?”

"He lived here for centuries. The only thing he could do was learn the language," Roy pointed out.

"He is right,” Yuri agreed with the cleromancer. “I learned vast more languages, the hardest of all being the language of gods. If you want evidence of me living in that time you can test me,” the phantom encouraged.

"How can I confirm it...?” Gabriel asked. The phantom smiled and breathed a soft laugh. “You are not a dumb child. You will tell if I am lying,” Yuri responded.

“All right. How did King Amesthyn died?”

Yuri did not expect to be questioned the passing of his brother, even Roy felt slightly offended by it. “Gabriel, what the hell?”

“He said to test him, what better way to do so by asking something he would know?”

“Would you like it if someone asked you why your father is a wo--”

“U-Uhh! It’s okay!!” Yuri panicked. “I will answer your query…” After regaining his composure and straightened his long dark blue robe he spoke. “The downfall of the kingdom began with the disappearance of The God of Stars and Dreams, his father screamed so loud it created a massive cataclysm and the world broke into pieces. His own scream harmed his own ears and even killed the creatures and demons around him. His wife died after losing her mind searching for her lost child, and their only daughter searched endlessly in the sky for her dear brother. Meteors rained down and the entire region became a wasteland.

‘After Amesthyn’s kin ceased to exist, and the war was too much for his crumbled soul to handle, Adam and Eva broke through the throne room. My brother was on his knees as he bleeds to death with the knife Eva plunged into his heart. A knife blessed with holy light…” Yuri turned to the crystallized tomb of the fallen king and drew a cold breath, staring at his brother longingly. “His last words were, ‘deijra, mokunba niee shii gia, Lojkwa sshinad cherga zxinb loomna…Merxill Umnai.’”

“What does it mean?” Gabriel asked.

“‘Your god will suffer as much as I did on this day. Mark my words: his kin will hate him once they find out what he really did...’ ”

“What were you doing while your brother died?”

“...I watched his body become this solid amethyst. I was dead, long ago a phantom since the siege began. After centuries, all I can do is pick up things for a limited time before my grasp can’t hold anything anymore.”

“My mother is a real witch, isn't she…?"

“Why do you say it as if it were a bad thing? In our court, they were very important. One of the oldest witch in history was Lilith, my wife. She helped my brother have his first child.”

“The first woman on Eden was your wife?!”

“A lovely woman with a heart made of rubies and gold dust!” Yuri smiled fondly remembering her antics. “She was a beautiful redhead and a phenomenal witch!”

“Then, why does god hate witches so much?” Gabriel asked.

“Jehovah is a racist, misogynist asshole that didn’t like whatever didn’t please him,” Yuri spat. “For evil’s sakes, he had sex with his own daughter for the sake of his faith and loyalty… That is a crime punishable by death in our court.” The phantom growled. “Only when something is convenient is when it is truly allowed and labeled as a virtue.”

“Why is the tomb doing here of all places…? Shouldn’t it be hidden better?”

“Why should we leave our home? This city is still entirely an Amesthyn territory,” Yuri asked, taking the epic tale in his hands and finding one of the ancient maps to show Gabriel. “King Amesthyn took leadership and slowly built his empire,” Yuri explained and flipped through more maps of the expanding territory. “Soon, my brother ran the entire world, ruling over humans and demons that peacefully coexist. They trusted his guidance and because of his witches and councils of scholars was he able to protect his domain. Don’t you see, little one? This entire kingdom it is yours to inherit…” the advisor smiled warmly and closed the book to hold it against his chest.

“W-what!?” Gabriel sputtered. “I am just a child! I barely had any rights, I can’t run that much land!” the little one protested.

“That was the joke of the court,” Yuri chuckled. “Amesthyn was looking for a successor, not even his daughter felt ready or adequate to run so much land. Everyone he asked gaved the same answer, except for one…” he paused with a sad smiled. “As much as I warned him he could continue to live if he ran away from the invasion, instead, he said; ‘Elyan, flohrem diseyinma…’ "

“He wanted to wait for the God of Stars and Dreams…” Roy translated.

“Sad, isn't…?” Yuri said in a tone full of gloom. “The God of Stars and Dreams was the next King, and now he is lost forever.”

“Is it all right for me to ask you something…?” Roy stood forward and tall.

“By all means!” Yuri said and turned with a smile to the bewitched drunk.

“Why did you write the epics? What were the purpose?”

“Because I took the responsibility of waiting for the long-lost king to arrive, and in the event I fail to receive him, these tales will remind him of who he is and whatever happened to his home.”

“What if he never comes?” Gabriel said out loud. Yuri refused to answer, he struggled to find any in his translucent mind. “I have faith he continues to exist… Not too long ago I heard a song not too far from the forest where the old iron fortress lies. It was about the same time Johan vanished.” Yuri trailed off.

“M-My father?” Gabriel was at a loss with so much information he felt overwhelmed.

“Yes, I am sure Johan went to investigate the child disappearances, he said they were taken there.”

“How would my father known that?”

“Because they were found near the area. One was found inside the fortress. After he went to investigate, he never came back… whatever happened to him I am sure he is there.”

“That means my mother had nothing to do with it… but why blame my mother…”

“Your mother is a midwife. She was the last to see these children, and not to mention her husband,” Roy theorized.

“Correct. All of this can categorize her into a modern witch. Specially if she does things differently…” Yuri added.

Gabriel stared down at the journal in his hands, he knew now that even if he found evidence of witchcraft his mother was never a killer. “What do witches do?” Gabriel asked the advisor.

“In our court? A number of things. They serve the king and the court with their knowledge and talents in magic and science. Not all witches knew the same facts and practiced crafts, some valued certain topics and pressured them for the sake of the kingdom or personal gain. The topic or craft can be from anything complex such as the understanding of the expanding universe, or as simple as crafting trinkets for everyday use.” Gabriel agreed that is a term his mother falls in comfortably. She was smart, loyal, and talented. She used it for the good of the people and even then she was criticised by her own peers. “I have to help my mother, in any way I can.” Gabriel said with a determination evident in his voice.

“Spoken like a true stubborn Amesthyn,” Yuri grinned with pride.

“In your opinion, how can I help my mother in this predicament?” the little Amesthyn asked.

“Truly, someone wants your mother out of the picture, but they rather have someone else dirty their hands. It must relate someone in her records to the children found dead,” Yuri suggested.

Gabriel opened the journal, until recently there were two different handwritings. He didn't know where to start, so he started from the end. And right off the bat, he found something weird, a different handwriting from his mother and father, the name on the book was Louwing, Matilda Lauriel. “There is her name…” Gabriel whispered. Roy glanced over and pressed his thick finger over the name. “Look at the date, they put her name in last night,” said the cleromancer.

“Yuri, I know you walk around the clinic, do you know who Matilda is?”

“Yes, she frequented the clinic with her friend. Something about them didn’t feel right…” Yuri pondered.

“What about them?” Roy asked.

“They were snooping around the clinic. Grizelda kicked them out after I alert her of their presence. That was several days into Gabriel's spiritual journey.”

“But… I met Matilda outside. This makes little sense. Why would Matilda write her own name in the book on the night of her death? The night she died she was at the winter feast in the mayor's house. I saw Roy put her out of her misery,” Gabriel explained.

Roy realized way too late. “And died in the very forest near your home, close to the Fortress…” he said.

"Are you insinuating someone set her up to make my mother guilty? Isn't that too complicated?” Gabriel was at a loss. He scratched the back of his head in a nervous tick.

“It is just as Yuri showed, whoever is doing this, is making others do her dirty work… and I was stupid enough for playing along,” the drunk growled at his carelessness and momentary rash lapse of judgment. “Now that I see this clearly, it makes this being a bitch to take out. I bet her face is hidden, isn't?” Roy asked the advisor.

“Now that you mention it… I can’t remember her name or her face. It is very odd,” Yuri looked perplexed and felt useless. “Oh dear I should have written it down when I had the chance.

“Was the girl alone?”

“Yes, when she wrote the name down she was by herself,” Yuri confirmed Roy’s suspicion. “Shit, this bitch craft is tougher than I thought…”

“What do you mean?” Gabriel asked.

“There is a strange connection between the children’s death, the fortress, and witches. I don’t wanna sound like your average fanatic but I am afraid this witch is affiliated with a demon… That cloaking magic is very common with demonic presence,” Firestorm explained.

“Oh my, but… that can’t be right… I haven’t— Are you certain? Demons are not evil--!”

“I am sure it could be what you call The God of Stars and Dreams…”

“N-no! Impossible! That child would never lay a hand on anyone!” Yuri bursted into a rage and glanced at the depiction of the god. Curly brown, almost black hair waving with the moon air. “I can’t accept that…”

“I am only speculating. And if it is the case, we have to deal with him… But the only way to find him is through the witch.”

“How do we plan on finding her? She is cloaked…” Gabriel turn back the pages mindlessly looking for a clue hoping his eyes were well enough to see them. Then, dread pooled at the pit of his heart. He endlessly searched a particular name, the last time it ever showed was a month ago; Suvah, Amelia. Then a while thought festered in his mind. “What if… what if she is a ghost…?” Gabriel whispered.

“What are you talking about?” Roy queried.

“What if… she is a spirit? Just like Yuri….”

“Uh… she would be seen just like him. What are you getting at?”

“A while back… I was outside in the middle of the snow when I saw the ghost of Amelia the Lost Child… they accused that girl of being and she hung for her crimes. Both times I saw her she wanted me to follow her, maybe she was trying to lure me to the forest. And to make matters even creepier, I never knew her when she clearly was in the clinic for my mother to treat.”

“She was your age, what sort of soul trading sin would a child even want?”

“...I threatened god when his church took my mother… I can’t imagine what the church took from her.”

“The child has a fair point,” both the cleromancer and the apprentice turned towards Yuri. “I honestly don’t think it is her.”

“What choice do we have…?" Gabriel asked exasperatedly. "All we have is speculations and we have gotten nowhere.”

“I know you will find out who it is, in due time. I will aid you in any way I can. I shall take care of this place and protect your mother and father from any incrimination. Take the books with you. You will need them for your journey ahead.”

“Thank you, Yuri. I am glad you made yourself known to us.”

“Gabriel. I have one more thing to tell you…” The advisor kneeled and placed his dark hands over the small shoulders. “Everything you are doing, is for a purpose. Whether it is good or evil intentions, it is to flow forward. I see you and I see the long-lost heir…. Growing up fast to fill in great responsibilities.”

Gabriel stared up at the king frozen in quartz realizing what his life had become. All he needed was some sort of understanding to give significance to his tiny life. “It is a sacrifice I will make," the small Amesthyn swore before leaving the altar with Roy in tow and locking it tightly.