Chapter 289 Birth of the Order (1/2)
CHAPTER 289
BIRTH OF THE ORDER
Lino sat inside a small tent decorated with a single torch, a bed, and an assortment of old books strewn across the blanketed earth beneath. The light was dim, yet bright enough to illuminate the expression of awe on the elder's face, and the gleam in the pair of honest eyes. He could faintly hear the excited choir of children's laughter over Hannah's 'magic trick show', and the muffled chatter of others, all unable to peel their gazes away from the tent.
On one of the walls of the tent was an old-looking painting, its frame heavily discolored and chipped. The canvas, however, was perfectly preserved, depicting the sign for infinity superimposed over the golden halo of the sun. A bit on the nose, he mused inwardly, yet inspiring nonetheless.
The old man in front of him, he'd learned, was the closest thing to the leader the Order had -- an old, thousands of years old, washed out, weary mind who'd spent most of his life not trying to enact revenge upon the world, but keep his people safe and sound. It was hardly a cult, Lino quickly realized, an organization threatening the world; they were more like an exiled tribe, shunned by the world.
”A drink?” Lino asked, taking out a bottle of ale.
”A-ah, yes. Thank you.” the old man stuttered, accepting the cup with shaky hands.
”Your people are rather blessed,” Lino said, smiling faintly. ”Having you as their leader.”
”Ha ha, hardly,” the old man laughed bitterly. ”I've promised them a world once... and all I can offer is... well, this.”
”More than most ever get,” Lino said. ”What's your name?”
”It's Av, Your--”
”Call me Lino.” he quickly interrupted, fearing the words he'd come to despise.
”Ah, y-yes... Lino.”
”To be honest Av, I thought I'd have to do some convincing first. I didn't think you guys would fold immediately.”
”... truth be told,” Av said, lowering his head slightly. ”We have just recently sent some of our youngest and brightest to the Holy City -- which you already know. It was with hopes of locating you.”
”Oh? Me?”
”... you were right. We've hardly a friend out there in the world. We're chased like dogs by whoever fancies a hunt. The world... is hardly our home no more.”
”... I can give you a home,” Lino said, smiling faintly. ”But, you must know it won't come for free.”
”... what do you have in mind?” Av asked.
”... I'm sure you already know I've declared the war on the world. What you may not know is that they've already sent the hounds to find me. Or anyone I care about, for that matter. I intend to repay in kind.”
”...” Av listened carefully, his heart shuddering upon meeting the cold gaze.
”For the time being, I'd only have one task for you; it's up to you who you send, how you have them do it and whatnot.” Lino explained. ”Afterwards... well, you'd have joined a war, Av. I'll provide a sanctuary for the feeble--”
”--but you need our abled to fight?” Av finished the sentence.
”Ha ha, no, no, of course not,” Lino laughed freely for a moment, taking a sip of the ale. ”No, the only soldier my army will have is me. What I need are limbs, Av. Many, many, many limbs. Extending all the world over, covering every nook, every cranny, every god-forsaken valley... I want to see the entire world, and I want the entire world to hear me when I speak.”
”... grand ambitions.” Av laughed for a moment, taking a sip as well.
”... ambitions are for the dreamers,” Lino said. ”But, well, dreams can be rather uplifting.” Av turned to the sound of faint footsteps, realizing that it was the other Descender who joined them -- the crimson-haired woman. ”For all my status as an Empyrean, I can hardly expect you to trust me.” Hannah sat next to him, smiling faintly. ”So it's up to you, Av. Whether you take this leap of faith or not.”
”... what do you know about us?” Av suddenly asked, surprising Lino.
”What I was told,” Lino said, glancing at Hannah. ”A splinter group of the Holy Ground, deemed unworthy successor, banished and hunted.”
”Hah, a fitting tale, no? Hardly the truthful one, though.”
”Oh? Do tell.” Lino said.
”I was a small child, barely twenty, when my grandfather told me what happened,” Av said. ”This was... hah, I'd long since forgotten the count of years. A long... long time ago. Eternal Paradise... do you know how they got that name?”
”...”
”The founding father of the Sect... was the Bearer of Immortality,” Hannah's eyes turned into slits for a moment, but she said nothing. ”And, fittingly, she wanted to create a paradise... for all those who didn't want to become the part of the world's struggle. That was the creed, carved out into the foundational stone of the Sect's Ancestral Grounds. For millions... tens of millions years thereafter, the creed was upheld. The Eternal Paradise was just a small Sect, obscure, a place the tired went to rest. Until two generations prior to the split.”