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021 - Smouldering Inferno
🕑 Added 2024-12-31 17:36:43 +0000 UTC“Bullshit!” Gloria exclaimed, barely able to contain her temper. If not for Gilbert restraining her, she might have burned a portion of the Library down, extinguishing countless years of accumulation of knowledge. She took a breath and calmed down—barely.
“What makes them think so? What evidence do they have for this claim?” Gilbert asked steadily, yet his eyes were slightly narrowed.
The room's atmosphere shifted, so much that the green spirit floating above made itself scarce, disappearing into the shining blackness above. Although she wished to hear the details, the auburn-haired woman knew what was best for her and left. She still remembered the punishment this man had given her. Even now, her spirit remained estranged, sealed within its contract stone, unable to emerge or communicate.
“There's an eyewitness—someone who saw the student follow the Major's brother in the forest. While it isn't confirmed that they made contact, they believe the probability is high," the Corporal said.
She felt sweat begin to pool on her skin, and her hands trembled slightly. She had seen her fair share of battle, yet even she couldn't sustain the deadly gazes headed her way. She felt she could collapse at any moment, yet she gritted her teeth through it, remaining straight and stable, gaze pointed forward.
"That's all?" Gloria exclaimed, eyebrows rising slightly. "They think they can defame the Lancaster name on such a pitiful testimony? Seems these students are in need of stricter guidance if they wish to flourish within the Imperium's military. I should have a word with the Dean regarding this."
Gloria let the words hang, yet their meanings were clear—so much so that the Corporal felt a chill down her spine just imagining what hell these helpless students would be put in from now on, as she herself had been put through the same to finally join the Archon's personal guard—an honour she barely deserved with her lacking ability.
“Which student gave the testimony? Can they be trusted?" Gilbert asked, gently patting his wife's head, if only for her to restrain the animosity spilling out of her eyes. She felt like a big cat, just waiting to pounce on her prey and rip it apart.
The Corporal hesitated, her gaze shifting between the two. She opened her mouth a few times yet closed it soon after, unable to utter a word. Gloria could see the slight fear in her eyes, yet her patience was at its limit. She had been searching for Ethan for a few days already, only to be told he was implicated in a student's disappearance. The fact she could control herself and not destroy everything in her path was already a great boon for the Corporal—and the Academy in general.
“I would advise against keeping this from her any longer—for your own good if nothing else," Gilbert said, his voice just as steady, yet he now had to restrain her by offering his arm as a sacrifice. He felt her nails dig deep into his skin, almost drawing blood, yet he showed no pain, just a serene look devoid of emotion.
“Elizabeth Reinhardt," the Corporal said, her voice cutting through the silence, filled with nervousness and a slight tremble. "The witness was Ethan Lancaster's former fiancee. She admitted to meeting with him in a small clearing in the forest. Apparently, the Major's brother remained behind as she left, and then she encountered a mass of shadows moving steadily through the woods, heading in the opposite direction. She reckoned the two might have met at some point."
“That girl?" Gloria muttered, her anger fading slightly. Yet she now had so many more questions. "How could she be sure that mass of shadows was the missing student?"
“Because of her current fiancee,” the Corporal reported. “The missing student was one of his entourage. Although young, he was quite talented and was soon recruited by the Hayes family to serve the young heir in the future. I believe the missing student spirit’s concept was related to shadows, making the young lady’s testimony much more believable.”
"That doesn't prove anything," Gilbert said. "For all we know, they may have never come in contact. And even if they did, it would be much more reasonable to think the student was responsible for Ethan's disappearance, not the inverse."
“Exactly!” Gloria exclaimed. “My brother is sundered from the veil. Even though he went through my training regiment, it would be too much to expect him to face an Adept in solo combat, especially when they possess the terrain advantage. It’s preposterous. What could possibly compel them to think so?”
“Not an Adept,” the Corporal shook her head. “The missing student was an Acolyte, barely one at that. From what I heard, his spirit was too strong for him, making the other students believe he might have lost control, allowing him to be ambushed."
“Even so, the missing student was the one to enter the woods alone, as if chasing after Ethan. This isn't nearly enough for people to believe such a rumour," Gilbert rationalized.
“There’s something else,” the Corporal hesitated. She then described the strange explosion of light within the clearing, which fell down a tree and alerted the nearby guards. As Gilbert and Gloria had spent most of their time within the Endless Library—a sub-dimension cut off from the main world—they were completely unaware of the shock it produced.
“I guess I should go see for myself," Gloria said softly, her anger slowly fading, yet Gilbert knew this was merely a facade. He knew it still smouldered in her heart, seeking a valid target to unleash itself upon the world again. "But first, I need to have a talk with Beth."
Gloria's hand finally released Gilbert's arms, yet she didn't even glance at him, her steel gaze fixed toward the exit. However, she was duly stopped before she could step through the threshold.
“Major!" the Corporal exclaimed, saluting as she did before. "What do you wish to do about the circulating rumour? With the personnel present within the Academy, we can probably squash it before it spreads beyond the walls and makes its way throughout the Capital. You only have to give the order!"
Gloria had stopped, her back facing the both of them, reflecting on the implication of such an order. The air was tense, yet Gilbert merely smiled, fully aware of what choice she would make in the end. While she may have been swept up by her emotions, when ordering her troops, she was colder and more calculative than most of the officers within the Imperium's armies.
"No need," she finally said. "Trying to extinguish this rumour would only give credence to it. Better to let it faze out naturally. The students are young and will eventually forget about it. Although, be sure to find the one responsible for its spread and bring him to me."
Her words were sharp as a blade, threatening to cut the world itself. The Corporal could barely keep herself upright under their weight, yet pride and awe welled in her heart, for she was the subordinate of such an incredible person. She felt the urge to follow her wherever she went and learn from her example. The Corporal knew she wasn't alone. Her whole squad also felt the same.
“Acknowledged!” the Corporal shouted, slamming her fist against her breast before departing first, leaving the two lovers alone in Gilbert’s office.
"I should probably go see the Dean," Gilbert sighed as he walked beside her. "Do try to leave collateral damage to a minimum, would you? The Dean is already less than amused with the amount of staff you brought here."
"I refuse," Gloria said plainly. There was a hint of a smile on her lips, but it existed for a mere moment before fading. "If she has a problem with me, tell her to face me herself if she dares."
“She probably won’t,” Gilbert shrugged. “You know how much she loathes conflict. I doubt she would make an exception for you.”
“She’s just a coward,” she spat back. “The Imperium was built on conquest. Our entire history is that of violence. To reject that is to reject over two millennia of bloodshed.”
“Why not try to see her viewpoint?” Gilbert sighed. “She loves the Imperium just as much as you do, yet simply seeks another path. For one, I understand her struggle. As Head Librarian, I have access to countless historical records, and according to them, the path we are headed has been travelled many times before. None of them led to a good ending.”
“The Imperium will be different,” Gloria said sternly. “Unlike them, we have the Archon. With her guidance, the Imperium will remain eternal.”
“Forgive me if I don't share your optimism, though this might be because I never had the opportunity to meet her in person. I would love to have the chance someday."
“If she wishes to," she replied, then paused, returning to the door. "I must go. You shouldn't wait for me. This might take a while."
She disappeared beyond the boundary, leaving Gilbert alone with his thoughts.
“Something’s definitely wrong here,” he muttered, only for the jewel on his ear to shine bright.
Less than a moment later, the green spirit appeared next to him alongside a strong gale that faded almost immediately.
"Have you found him?" he asked, yet his expression soon soured and became much darker. "So they found a body... Are you sure this isn't him?"
He waited for a bit, only for his expression to soften slightly.
“Continue to search for him. Ethan should be somewhere within the vicinity. We need to be the first to reach him.”
The spirit then departed, leaving a small vortex behind that soon dissipated. Gilbert then left his office and headed toward the Academy's highest peak.
******
“Sergeant! Why don’t you come here! I think I found something!”
A man's voice echoed off the sturdy stone walls of a cavern, seeking to reach the only opening through which a bright light shone. Despite the darkness deeper within, the cavern remained bright, illuminated by a glowing fish swimming above the ground.
“This better be worth it,” an old man said as he carefully stepped within the cave, hand following a nearby wall. “This place just begs me to fall and crack my skull. I’d rather not retire with irreversible brain damage.”
"Oh, it's worth it, I tell you," the first replied. "I think I found the missing student or what's left of him."
"What's left of him?" the sergeant questioned, advancing toward the depths. "Did he get dismembered or something?"
“Mauled, rather,” the second man said. “I think someone—or better yet, something’s been hungry. Our poor lad’s not in one piece anymore.”
The sergeant arrived next to the man and looked down upon the remains of the missing student. Despite his many years in the military, his eyes couldn't help but narrow. The sight was gruesome. Bits of flesh were everywhere, as was his blood, painted onto the stone. Two of his limbs were missing, as was half of his face, yet his tattered clothes proved he was once a student of the Academy.
“What do you think did this, Sergeant?” the younger man asked, eyes glued to the corpse, yet he showed no disgust at the sight, only interest.
"Look at those wounds," the old man pointed at where the left arm used to be. "That's a bear, no doubt. But I also noticed a few wolf bites on his stomach. No doubt the local fauna had a feast last night."
“It’s only been two days since he went missing. Is that enough time for him to be reduced to this state?”
The old man chuckled before turning to the younger man with the fish.
“In fact, this is rather tame. With the wildlife around here, I half expected only to discover bones by now. To find this much is already a blessing. Still, there ain’t much we can learn with him in this state. We’ll have to rely on magic for that,” he paused for a bit before stroking his chin and adding, “I hope the others are doing their job properly—”
“Sergeant!" A voice came from outside the cave. It was masculine yet winded as if the man had run a marathon before reaching them. The two men turned, only to see one of their colleagues, but before they could ask, the man added, “I think we found the scene where it happened. There’s blood everywhere! You need to see this!”
