Page 148 of Remnants: Disruption
“A strange honor to bestow upon an acolyte such as yourself,” Gareth says, voice low as Cass descends the stairs, not looking back.
Azazel, though, pauses as they reach the doorway. They don’t exactly turn around, but I know they’re listening.
“I’ll be really honest with you,” I say, giving him a toothy grin, “I have no fucking clue what’s going on or why I’m here. I do just do what I’m told.”
He reciprocates the grin, but it looks fake and just a tinge manic.
“A loyal soldier,” his voice drops lower though as he continues, “it’s a real shame that you didn’t turn out to be the one we’d all hoped for.”
He steps past me without another word and disappears down the stairs. Varun does the same, moving like he’s not exactly sure about this whole sentience thing.
I move to the stairs and of course they’re darker than the pits of hell.
Why the fuck Tempest can’t invest in lighting is beyond me.
A tendril of shadow peaks out of my palm and feels out the steps ahead of me as I begin down the passage.
I can hear the steps of those ahead of me, but sure as shit can’t see them. It’s only after what feels like a solid minute of pitch black that I see the barest hint of light.
“—the fuck is she doing here?” Gareth’s words are hushed, but I pick up the latter half.
I reach the bottom of the stairs and first see him standing beside Varun, the former looking as if he’d been leading the conversation. Varun stares at me like theshein question is undoubtedly me.
Then I take in the rest of the room.
It’s a wooded grotto with leaves and vines hanging from the rocky ceiling. At the farthest end is a sequence of six stone stools arrayed in a horizontal line. Each erected in a shallow pond that’s cordoned off from the rest of the room.
In front of the pond seating stands Cass, Azazel, Morgana, and Bast. The latter three seem to be in conversation, but the echoey ambience down here obscure their voices. Cass, however, watches them quietly.
No one turns to me as I reach the grassy area where the other four stand. Varun and Gareth file in past me and both go to stand alongside the other councilors, leaving me in the back.
A breeze that hadn’t been there before picks up and swirls around the grotto. It’s frigid and chills to the bone, like an ominous warning.
“I hardly think it’s proper to have an acolyte down here for this,” Gareth says into the silence. “She’s clearly only here because the God Queen feels she might be relevant to the Prophecy. If she is, I say we inform her later. She’ll no doubt go and spread rumors otherwise.”
”She’sright behind you,” I growl, hands clenching.
I should just fucking kill him. Damn the consequences. Not only does he piss me off, but he’s clearly not on our side. He’s a danger to everyone down hereandeveryone topside.
“Did you say something, acolyte?” Gareth asks, turning towards me with a stupid grin.
“Enough,” Cass’ voice reverberates through the room. “Hiraeth stays. That is final.”
“As you say, God Queen,” Gareth says, tone reeking of sarcasm.
Cass still doesn’t turn to look at me, but I suppose this is our public dynamic for the time being.
I look back to the stones and startle when I find six men sitting along them. They all look relatively normal. And almost identical, each bald with a robe tied along their torsos.
“Godwin,” Cass’ voice calls to one of them. “The Prophecy?”
The third from the left opens his eyes and finds Cass. He focuses on her for a few seconds before his eyes find me.
Pain lances through my eyes, hot and violent.
Images rush through my mind. Death. Destruction. Absolute decimation of entire landmasses. Fire and brimstone. The entire world itself hinging on a singular choice. A singular goal.
Faces leap out at me. Cass is amongst them, but so many of them are people I don’t recognize.
