Ethera was teeming with whispers.

"Have you heard what happened?"

"About Lord Hebikoti's son? It's all anyone is talking about. Do you know if the lord's wife is made it? Doctors from all over Itoroh were summoned..."

"She survived. Barely."

"Gods, she's lucky. So many others have died to that boy's heretical powers..."

Never had the beautiful temples seemed so rotten.

...

Ethera was teeming with whispers and Aristide hated it.

"Have you heard what happened?"

"No?"

"Itoroh and Tilica are at war again. Negotiations broke through. I think Tilica admitted to sending the troops to Itoroh last time."

"Idiots."

"I know. They endangered Itoroh's princess too."

"Gods. Do you think Ethera will be dragged into it?"

"With a heretic on Itoroh's side? Most likely."

"Junior Priest!"

Aristide lifted his chin, glaring at the disciples he'd caught. "If you are so idle in your work you have time to gossip, it is clear your work is not enough. You can copy scripture in the afternoons as well for the next month." They started to protest. Aristide stopped them with a frigid glare. "Do you want to make it six?"

For a moment, the whispers stopped.

...

Ethera was teeming with whispers and there was nothing that Aristide could do.

"Have you heard what happened?"

"I have a feeling you'll tell me regardless."

"Tilica surrendered. They lost over half their troops to the Hebikoti heretic. He's even stronger than the Angel of Death..."

"Shut up before Priest Aristide punishes both of us."

They didn't stop. Aristide didn't come forth and punish them. It wouldn't stop them from gossiping, only make their resentment towards him grow. Aristide sighed and walked away. He was so tired of fighting things.

...

Ethera was teeming with whispers but Aristide just ignored them.

"Have you heard what happened?"

"With the Hebikoti heretic?"

"Yes. He-"

"Oh, Priest Aristide."

He walked past with nothing more than a slight nod, not caring what was said. The disciples at least had the courtesy to stop gossiping and bow until Aristide passed, though both parties knew the gossiping would resume as soon as Aristide was out of earshot. Perhaps even the subject of the gossip would be changed to Aristide.

Aristide wouldn't have minded that. If only to get them to stop talking about Nerluce for half a candlemark.

He walked on and quickly forgot about the disciples when Kierli came running towards him with a delighted squeal. She was by no means the picture of grace nor did she really look like a chosen savior of the world. What she did look like was exactly what she was: a little girl who was almost six years old, smiling up at Aristide like he was her whole world.

"Ari!" she said. "Where have you been?"

She clung to his arm as she spoke, curling her fingers in between his so that they were holding hands. Aristide obliged the girl. "Nowhere important," Aristide said. "What have you been up to, today? How are your linguistics classes?"

"I don't like them," Kierli said with a frown.

"I'm sorry, 'Li," Aristide said. "What about your Magick? Have you gotten that under better control?"

Kierli's face darkened even further and Aristide cursed himself for saying the wrong thing. Again. He wasn't cut out for this task. He was a soldier. The Angel of Death. And no matter how much Aristide wanted to escape that shadow, he couldn't. He wasn't cut out to be a teacher. And he definitely wasn't cut out to be a... to be a... to assist the High Priestess in raising a child.

He never would understand why he was given this assignment.

"You've had a hard day," Aristide said. "I'm sorry for prying. What would make it better?"

"Can we have dinner together?" Kierli asked.

"Of course," Aristide said.

It had been a while since they'd eaten together. The High Priestess frequently called Kierli to eat with her - especially now that she knew how to operate utensils - and Aristide didn't always have the time to make a meal. Nor did he finish with his work that day until long after Kierli was already asleep.

He tried to always be there when she woke up and there when she went to sleep. He failed, a lot of the time too.

"I need to practice my Itorohian," Kierli said. "Do you know any?"

"I'm not as good as your tutor," Aristide said. "I don't want to accidentally teach you a word wrong. Or worse, you pick up one of my bad habits."

Kierli scrunched her nose. "What languages do you know?"

"Not many," Aristide said.

Another one of Aristide's many, many faults was his tendency to lie to Kierli. She didn't deserve it. But she did deserve a tutor who was better than him. Aristide knew Tilican but it was border Tilican and more slang than what Kierli ought to be learning. Same with his Itorohian. The last thing he wanted was for Kierli to make the same mistakes he had.

"I can tell you a story in Dumorian," Aristide offered. "Or you could tell me a story in Itorohian."

"Alright," Kierli said, brightening somewhat. "I'll tell you a story."

Aristide smiled and listened to Kierli stumble through Itorohian words as she tried to tell Aristide a story about... an angel, he thought. An angel who wanted to help everyone. He wasn't certain, though. He didn't know if that came from his own lack of Itorohian or if Kierli was making so many mistakes that the story was unintelligible. They walked up the stairs and Kierli finished her story and was smiling up at Aristide brighter than any star or sun.

She really was worthy of her title.

"I like that story," Aristide said. "Luce probably would have liked it too."

"Who?" Kierli asked.

Oh, right. Aristide shook his head and ruffled Kierli's hair. She had no memory of Nerluce. She had only been three when he left Ethera. It would be three years ago soon. It would be stranger if Kierli did remember Nerluce. Yet, a strange heartsickness overcame Aristide. It wasn't uncommon for him to wish Nerluce was here but rarely was it so intense.

But at that moment, Aristide swore there was nothing he would not give to be living this moment with Nerluce at his side. Nerluce, who could tell Kierli stories in a hundred different languages and dialects. Nerluce, who would be able to correct Kierli's stumbling Itorohian as he had once corrected Aristide's. Nerluce, who had promised to protect Kierli, who was supposed to be here.

Gods, Aristide missed him.

He thought about writing but instead went to the kitchen and started to make dinner. It probably wasn't proper. Besides, what would Aristide even say?

...

Ethera was teeming with whispers and they had reached the ears of the High Priestess.

"Have you heard what happened?"

"About the farmer that that little heretic killed?"

"The Hebikoti Clan says he hung himself."

"Damn liars."

"What happened to his farm?"

"They say the farmer had no children and no will. It was taken in by the Hebikoti Clan."

"Of course."

The High Priestess shut her eyes and tried to find inner clarity. The whispers did not help her find that. For night after night, she had been praying for a vision from the gods. For some idea of what she ought to do next. But they had been getting less and less frequent. Not just her's, but all the priests and priestesses of Ethera.

It was a sign that times were shifting. For as long as there had been Seers there had been the Old Prophecy, telling of a Chosen Light and a Darkest Shadow. No Seer could see past this event. Darkness blotted out their vision.

The High Priestess could remember her master telling her something, long ago. A piece of prophecy that was almost completely forgotten by the world. Darkest Shadow had gotten his name first. There was no light in the Chosen Light, in Kierli, but there was real darkness in Darkest Shadow. For as long as Seers had been there, they had seen this darkness where no future was set in stone.

For a long time, the High Priestess had thought that this darkness was the result of a single action of Darkest Shadow. Or the result of the war against him. Now she understood it differently.

Darkest Shadow's actions could not be seen by any Seer. That was why they had never known who he would be or where he would come from. There were no prophecies surrounding him as there were Kierli. Everything that Darkest Shadow did, every action and its consequences, were blotted out, made impossible for the High Priestess to see. She hated it and she hated him. But at least now, she knew who he was.

Nerluce Hebikoti was like an ink-blotch on an otherwise perfect painting.

...

Ethera was teeming with whispers.

"Have you heard what happened?"

"Darkest Shadow's identity has been discovered."

"It's no surprise."

"Can you believe he really infiltrated Ethera?"

"Rumor has it he tried to kill the Chosen Light as a baby. Elder Priest Aristide stopped him, though."

"We're marching to war, right?"

"The High Priestess herself is leading as many as we can spare to the Hebikoti Clan."

"Do you think they will win?"

"Without sacrificing the Chosen Light? It isn't likely."

"Gods save them."

Never had the beautiful temples been so rotten.