Inquisitor's Promise (Act Three, Chapter Two)
The Holy League had been united, but the Grey Globe continued to move towards Earth. Aeneas and the members of his inner circle knew they had much to do and little time to prepare.
Chapter Two: Realm of the Recordkeepers
“In all honesty, I like your long hair better,” Aeneas said. The Inquisitor could tell Galatea’s heart was dropping already, he had to move quickly. “But that being said, very few girls can have short hair and still look good. And you are one of them.”
Aeneas could tell that the girl was processing what he had just said. He hated to break her heart, but he could not tell a lie.
He just couldn’t.
Much to his relief, Galatea gave Aeneas a sincere smile. “I understand. Thanks for being truthful with me. I know that you like it, and that is enough for me.”
Disaster averted.
And so, Aeneas and his group soon made their way southeast to the Great Pyramid of Mesr. Being located in the northern Afrique region, it did not take long for the Inquisitor’s airship to get there.
Aeneas and Galatea watched together as the airship neared its destination. The sands of the Sahara Desert extended far across the landscape. There was nothing but sand as far as the eye could see around the three triangular structures that formed the complex. But that only added to the majesty of the Great Pyramid.
As the airship neared the west-side pyramid, a large hole opened at its upper part. This allowed the airship to enter the structure. Aeneas heard Galatea’s gasp of awe as the two of them saw the inner structure of the pyramid. Walls and beams of metal, it was like entering a completely different world.
Aeneas decided to take Galatea, Antonio, and Jaya along with him as he stepped off his airship. It did not take long for him to be greeted by a yellow-colored recordkeeper.
The Inquisitor saw the small creature in front of him. About two Imperial feet in height, he was shorter than even the dwarves who could be found inhabiting Earth’s mountains.
“Welcome,” the creature said. “My name is Halpful. Inquisitors of the Church are always welcomed in the realm of the recordkeepers.”
“I’m glad that you still welcome me despite my father killing one of your kind,” Aeneas said sheepishly.
“You speak of Ayerefus,” Halpful said. “Such is the fate of those who seek to defy what had been predestined by the Almighty.”
“What do you mean, Sir Halpful?” Galatea asked.
“We realized our efforts to dissuade the Holy League from opening the Lektos Gate to be ultimately futile once we saw a vision from the Time Gate showing us the Grey Globe’s movements.”
“I’ve heard of the recordkeeper stuff,” Jaya chimed in. “You lot can see the future with that gate of yours. Pretty nifty.”
“But what’s wrong with changing the future?” Antonio spoke up. “What if we don’t like the future we see?”
“The Time Gate was made by the Dark Age Civilization to see the future. But little do they know that to see what is in the future is to access what God had decreed,” Halpful explained.
“I don’t follow,” Antonio said in confusion.
“When a vision of the future is shown, it is something that will happen. Something that God had told us, so to speak,” Halpful continued. “And that means to attempt to change it is to attempt to make a liar out of God.”
“That’s not good,” Galatea chimed in.
“But wait a sec,” Jaya said. “You made it sound like we’re doing bad by simply trying to change things. Are you saying we have no free will?”
Halpful shook his arms around, a recordkeeper’s way of shaking one’s head. “That is not what I’m saying. Free will and predestination exists side by side. God had made His eternal decree, with the use of our free will. And parts of that decree can be seen in the Time Gate.”
Antonio looked visibly confused by the recordkeeper’s explanation. “All of this talk is making my head spin.”
Galatea chuckled at her cousin. “You’ve always struggled at book studies, especially our catechesis. Tomas was ahead of you, and he is my age.”
“I know I’m a knucklehead, little cousin,” Antonio said in annoyance. “That’s why I’m a wyvern knight and my little brother is in the monastery.”
“Lord Aeneas is very strong, but he is also smart,” Galatea pointed out.
“He’s a warrior and a bookworm, sure. But it usually doesn’t work like that. Most warriors aren’t bookworms, and most bookworms aren’t warriors,” Antonio responded.
Aeneas smiled as he saw the two cousins conversing with one another. He had to remind himself that Antonio was only three years older than Galatea and was most likely the closest thing she had to an older brother.
But though he enjoyed listening to the two cousins talk, he knew that he had to move the conversation along.
“In any case, I assume this is how you were able to learn much about the Grey Globe?”
“Yes,” Halpful said while nodding. “We were given enough glimpse of the Grey Globe to know their language. Come, I’ll explain to you in the main pyramid.”
And so, Aeneas and his group were escorted by Halpful to the Main Chamber of the Recordkeepers. On the way, the group witnessed the wonders of the Great Pyramid. Chambers of relics and exhibits. They were able to view them from their rail shuttle. Aeneas saw a cloth that was known as the Shroud of Turini, said to had covered Jesus Christ over seven thousand years ago. And then there was the True Cross where Christ was crucified on.
Aeneas couldn’t help but frown when he heard the story of how the Recordkeepers were able to get their hands on it. The time gate wasn’t just used to view visions of the future but also to observe the past and occasionally, travel there.
At that time, the Recordkeepers had observed enough of the splintering of the True Cross. One day, the then Grandmaster of the Recordkeepers decided to interfere with the past and stole the fragments one by one. Afterwards, they put them together for display. They had done it in zeal, but it was theft, nonetheless.
As Aeneas and his group was about to transfer to another pyramid, the Inquisitor saw a large elaborate drawing. It was a simple drawing of landscape with houses and people. It looked to have covered an entire side of the pyramid.
“That’s quite the picture,” Jaya commented.
But Galatea noticed something odd with the people in the picture. “Did they just move?”
“I won’t lie, that’s a little unnerving,” Antonio said.
Halpful laughed as he saw the discomfort of his guests. “I can see why it troubles you. Though the good Inquisitor doesn’t seem to share your perturbation.”
Aeneas, for his part, knew what these pictures actually were. “Of course not. This the Realm of Flatland.”
“What’s that?” Jaya asked.
“It’s a land where everything is in two dimensions instead of three. And worry not, they are as much a part of Christendom as San Felipe or Nusantara,” Aeneas explained.
“Wow,” Galatea said in amazement.
“Our bookworm lord comes to the rescue,” Antonio commented, earning a dirty look from his cousin.
“But we’re not here for sightseeing,” Halpful interjected.
“True,” Aeneas admitted. “But much of the things you can find in the pyramid are products of the Dark Age Civilization.”
“Bunch of weird things,” Jaya said.
Aeneas nodded in agreement. “Exactly. And since we’re about to visit the Dark Age Capital, I suggest we get used to weird.”
Everyone in the group, including Halpful, nodded in agreement.
The shuttle continued to move on its railway and soon exited away from the west-side pyramid. Once more, Aeneas saw the sands of the Sahara from the bridge before the shuttle entered into the main pyramid.
The shuttle finally stopped at the very middle of the main pyramid. Aeneas and his group exited the rail station and saw a large room. A large circular structure with bluish glow can be seen. But around them, Aeneas saw various doors and windows on the walls.
“Welcome to Tiktok, everyone,” Halpful said.
“Are those houses?” Aeneas asked, his hand pointing to the structures that had piqued his interest.
“They are,” Halpful responded. “This is the capital of the recordkeepers’ realm, and the Masters of the Records live here.”
“A little cramped for the elites, don’t you think?” Jaya interjected.
But Halpful shook around in disagreement. “Not quite. Tiktok exists in a land where much of time and space converge. Therefore, those places are bigger than they look.”
“I think I get it,” Jaya said hesitantly.
“And furthermore,” Halpful continued. “We recordkeepers are not only small, but also very ethereal. It’s hard for us to stay too long outside of the Great Pyramid without help.”
“Not that you mention it,” Aeneas interjected. “Papa’s report did say that Ayerefus did not bleed.”
“Indeed. But let us not talk of the past!” a voice boomed.
“Who’s that?” Antonio cried in surprise.
As if to answer the wyvern knight’s question, a group of nine recordkeepers appeared before the group.
“Gentlemen and lady,” Halpful said excitedly. “I introduce you, the Council of Ten.”
“But there’s only nine of them,” Galatea pointed out.
“That’s because I’m the tenth member of that Council,” Halpful explained.
“Let us not waste time on pleasantries, we are in a hurry,” one of the recordkeepers said, one of purple coloring.
Aeneas recognized this recordkeeper. “You are the Grandmaster of the Recordkeepers, yes?”
“Indeed,” the recordkeeper said. “My name is Lider.”
At this point, Galatea stepped forward and knelt before the councilors. “Sir Lider, please tell us how to defeat the Grey Globe.”
“My lady, you can’t just do that with the head honcho!” Jaya cried.
But Lider took no offense. In fact, the Grandmaster laughed very loudly. This caused the other members of the Council to laugh.
Galatea looked down, her face red. She could not believe she had just embarrassed herself in front of everyone, especially her Aeneas.
Angered, Antonio moved to defend his cousin’s honor. But Aeneas stopped him, silently telling the wyvern knight that he would take care of it.
Seemingly oblivious to all that, the Grandmaster turned his attention to Aeneas. “Lord Inquisitor, I did not know your lady knight here can be so bold.”
“She is a woman without guile. I am glad to have her by my side,” Aeneas said calmly.
“Lord Aeneas…” Galatea smiled as she glanced at her lord. She thought that she had been embarrassed for her impertinence. But Aeneas had come to her rescue.
And the situation died down.
“No matter. She had the right idea,” Lider said as he waved his arms.
This turned out to be a cue as a large holographic screen showing a spherical object appeared in front of Aeneas’ group. Everyone who was not a recordkeeper watched in awe. Technological wonders like this were rare outside of the Great Pyramid.
“The Grey Globe,” Lider continued on. “It continues to be a problem for the Holy League. But we have learned more about its people since. In particular, their motivation.”
“You mean their desire for vengeance?” Aeneas asked. It had been a while since the Pope had given the Inquisitor said information. But he had re-read the written summary during the trip to the Great Pyramid.
Lider nodded. “Indeed. We have learned that the Grey Globe and its soldiers continue to repeat the same two phrases over and over again.”
“Which are?”
“The Terrans will pay and Atomia shall be avenged,” Lider answered.
“I see,” Aeneas responded. “Whoever this leader of the Grey Globe is, he wants revenge for what the Dark Age Civilization did to Atomia.”
“That is our deduction also,” Lider said. “Though this leader is a she. Her name is Fyuria.”
“Fyuria. At least we know the enemy’s name,” Antonio said.
“Alas, that is the only thing we know of her,” Lider said ruefully. “But that’s not really why we’re here, is it?”
Aeneas shook his head. “No, we’re here to figure out the way to stop her. God can deal with her motivations.”
“I wonder,” Galatea muttered under her breath. Aeneas could hear her but thought little of it.
Lider grinned. “My thoughts exactly. As His Holiness must have told you, the way to defeat the Grey Globe is hidden at the most remote parts of the Meridian Monolith.”
“Which is why you need my help to access it.” Halpful stepped forward. “I have good relations with the machine spirits at darkest Meridian.”
“Halpful here has spent his life’s work on unlocking the secrets of the Dark Age Civilization in Meridian. He will be necessary for your mission,” Lider explained.
Aeneas nodded. “I understand.”
“I can tell that you are ready to make haste, so allow me to tell you one more thing. It’s about Bashan Voronin,” Lider said.
“The Dark Lord of the Cabal?” Aeneas asked. “Surely he’ll be in the Azov defending against the upcoming Imperial invasion.”
Lider shook around. “You would think that, but no. We have received eyewitness reports of a male dark felinid in the vicinity of Meridian. One with a hunchback. It can only be him.”
Aeneas frowned as he heard this. He had expected the Cabal to have learned of their movements and act accordingly. But to think that Bashan would actually go to Meridian rather than to defend his own people.
“But why?”
“Who is to say?” Lider shrugged. “Our reports could be wrong, though. Just keep this information in mind as you make your way through the Monolith.”
That was the extent of the conversation and Aeneas’ party was soon dismissed by the Council of Ten.
As Aeneas and his group made their way back to their airship, the Inquisitor thought through of his journey ahead. On one hand, he was happy to have recruited the recordkeeper Halpful to his army.
On the other hand, the idea of Bashan Voronin deciding to crash into his mission unnerved him greatly. He had expected the Dark Lord to either go to the defense of his people in the Azov or be alongside his clone daughter in her sabotage operations.
Aeneas wondered if that man truly had any care at all, for country or kin.