Chapter 20

Revelation

The weak, nervous, and shy young priestess who'd entered Ste. Mere des Larmes just two months before was now the confident, determined, and self-assured woman standing before the council of scholars. Eliza had learned much in her search in the library, and she had found proof to support what she had read in Kendra's book and saw in her trip through the Mists. She didn't call it Kendra's book anymore, she called it the First Book of Ezra, even though she still had doubts about it. But she was sure about one thing, a lot of people in the church, high ranking members, who thought that they were right about Ezra couldn't be any more wrong.

This was to be Eliza's first test of her beliefs. She knew that if she was going to preach her vision to her fellow Ezrans that everyone would be asking her questions, hard questions. She knew that she needed to have the answers. And so when Joan suggested that she debate with the council of scholars of the Dementlieu sect, she saw it as an opportunity to test her faith.

The council members sat about her in a semi-circle. Joan was in the middle of the arc and Eliza sat in the center. She felt intimidated and told herself to be strong. When Joan smiled at her it made her feel more relaxed. Then the proceedings began.

"Warden Duval.", Joan began. "In your studies of the history of the church, and with the aid of your personal visions, you have come to your own interpretation of the faith. Could you tell us, briefly, your views in this matter?"

Eliza nodded and began to speak. "Our common view of our Lady Ezra is that of the Guardian. Whether we believe that she was once mortal or was always a goddess, her purpose in the Grand Scheme has been to protect her charges from the Legions of the Night.", she said, making sure to respect the differences between her beliefs and those of the Dementlieu sect. "It is my belief that over the centuries the definition of who qualifies as a charge worthy of her grace has been wrongfully changed. The scope of Ezra's love is much broader than some might think."

Eliza's voice trembled slightly as she spoke but the depth of her convictions granted her strength. "The Lady's protection is not limited to only Anchorites or only those who obey the Canon of the Virtues or other edicts of the worldly church. It is for all those who would accept her message to into their hearts, whether they realize consciously or not.", she said, silently breathing a sigh of relief as she finished.

"This is what we believe as well.", one of the scholars agreed. "We in the Dementlieu sect have always held that there are many paths to Ezra and that the one held by the Home Faith is not necessarily the one true path, much as they might want to think."

"Indeed.", another scholar chimed in. "And we also tire of the Home Faith insisting that we follow its edicts. We feel persecuted at times and this is unjust."

"Gentlemen.", Joan said, trying to calm them before they began ranting. "We are here to hear Eliza's vision, not debate church politics."

"Now, I heard two things that I would like Eliza to discuss further.", Joan continued. "One is that Ezra protects those who follow her teachings, and not necessarily those who attend church. The other is that the teachings of the church have been 'wrongfully' changed."

"We shall start with the first.", Joan announced, turning towards Eliza with a serene smile on her face. "How do you know who Ezra protects and who she does not?"

Eliza drew a slow breath as she remembered the events that had given rise to her current belief. "Some months ago, I was struck by a terrible illness.", she began. "I should have died but only by grace did I survive to stand before you today. While my body languished, my mind, my soul saw many things. I walked in the Mists and I saw people both living and dead. I also saw our Lady. She walked with a number of those souls. As I had expected, many were Anchorites or lay followers of our faith but others, I knew, were not members of the church. They were folk of all kinds who worshiped other gods in distant lands or even no gods at all."

One of the scholars turned to another. "That's blasphemy is it not?", he asked quietly, but loud enough for everyone to hear in the large empty hall.

A few of the other scholars began to murmur amongst themselves. Another one spoke up. "How do you know that your vision was not a hallucination brought on by your illness?", he asked with a gentle tone.

Eliza considered her response. "How do I know? I don't.", she admitted. "But I do have faith that it was genuine. How did Praesidius Dilisnya know that his revelation wasn't anything more than fever-induced madness? How do we know? We have faith."

"Many anchorites have had visions, Warden Duval.", one scholar replied. "Some of them are...well, they are not something a sane person would imagine. And if we changed the church's teachings every time an anchorite came in the door with a new vision we would no longer have a church. And so we must have a firm anchor for the church, and that is scripture."

"But what is scripture but a vision that someone had that they wrote down?", another scholar countered. "And just because a book is old does not make it any more right."

"Careful brother Malcolm.", the first scholar replied. "You attack the base upon which our sect stands."

"How many Ezras are there?", one of the younger scholars interjected. "Four? Eight? Twenty? Can there be more than one? No. There cannot. And it is our duty to find the true Ezra and not just believe whatever it is that we want."

The first scholar began to reply but the young scholar cut him off. "That is why I am more inclined to believe what this young woman has revealed.", he added, speaking forcefully. "She did not see what she expected to see."

"But are we to believe that Ezra protects those who worship other gods?", the first scholar asked.

"Is it a matter of who we worship or how we worship?", the young scholar answered.

The council went silent for a while.

Joan smiled and broke the silence. "And now to the second matter. That the teachings of the church have been wrongfully changed.", she said carefully. "That is a serious charge. Can you prove it?"

Eliza placed her hand on the book next to her. "I have with me what I believe to be a true, unedited of copy of the First Book of Ezra. I have found a number of discrepancies between it and the text I was taught from in Levkarest. You will certainly wonder where I acquired it. I received this book from a dark elf, a Drow sorceress by the name of Kendra.", Eliza said. She anticipated the, most likely vocal, objection that would be forthcoming, so she pressed on quickly. "I realize that that immediately renders the volume suspect. I was highly suspicious myself. That is why I came here. Unfortunately direct evidence has been elusive, I suspect due to the fact that agents of the Home Faith have been removing certain volumes from your library."

The scholars whispered among themselves but no one interrupted.

"I did manage to find these accounting records.", Eliza said,  touching another book. "They date back to the time of the Drow war and there are several references to a Sentire Kendra of Toyalis and funding for a school of Ezran wizardry."

For a while the scholars were too stunned to say anything, especially Joan, who was hearing Eliza's story about the Drow Sentire for the first time. One scholar sat back with his arms crossed across his chest. He looked around to the others.

"So, the ancient secret arises once more.", the scholar said with a smug look on his face.

"This truly is blasphemy!", gasped the scholar who had made the same charge before. "And now you call into question everything that you have said thus far."

"It does raise certain questions.", Joan responded, trying to calm the angry scholar.

"The young lady has been exposed to a Drow sorceress! To witchcraft!", the angry scholar erupted. "We should hear no more of this!"

"Brother Aaron.", the scholar who had his arms crossed said, almost condescendingly. "You know our church's history. Did the Drow not seek out our sect upon its founding? They believed as we do, that Ezra was a goddess. But we turned them away."

"And for good reason.", another scholar pointed out. "Our founders would have been branded as heretics and the Home Faith would have burned this temple to the ground."

"They meant to infiltrate the church and corrupt it!", Brother Aaron shouted. Then he pointed at Eliza. "Just as they seek to do now, through her."

"Brother Aaron, we must remain civil.", Joan insisted calmly but forcefully. The scholar wanted to say more, but instead only stared at his peers and tried to calm himself.

"Warden Eliza has found proof that her tome is an original, I have seen it.", Joan assured her brothers. "And I have come to believe that at least parts of the book are the revealed word of Yakov Dilysnia. Eliza, could you tell us of the differences between your book and the one which the Home Faith insists is correct?"

"There are a number of passages that have been slightly altered to change their meaning but I have not yet had the chance to completely compare both editions line by line. There are two differences which I believe are of the most importance. For one, there is mention of an alliance between the early church and the Drow nation.", Eliza glanced up at brother Aaron momentarily, then continued. "There was a time when our two peoples worked together in common purpose. Eventually, however, the church elders decided that their interests were better served if they disassociated themselves from the dark elves. Secondly, there is no mention at all of the Canon of the Virtues."

But Eliza only just got out her last sentence before being interrupted. "That's exactly what the Drow said.", announced the smug scholar triumphantly. "Look it up in the church records."

Brother Aaron scowled. "A conspiracy of lies!", Brother Aaron shot back. "That proves nothing."

"Brothers. You are missing the point.", Joan interrupted. "Eliza, tell us of the Canon of the Virtues."

"I was raised to follow the Canon of the Virtues.", Eliza explained. "I was told that it was the moral path which Ezra had laid out for her children to follow. To violate the Canon is a heinous sin, worthy of excommunication and banishment, sometimes worse. I have violated the Canon and, as you know, I was excommunicated by the Home Faith for it."

"What I did, I did out of love and so I could not believe that Ezra, a goddess whose nature is love, would look down upon that.", Eliza continued. "I have scoured this text and there is no reference to the Canon. There are no references to it in any volume until the writing of the Second Book of Ezra. The Canon of the Virtues was not a part of Yakov Dilysnia's revelation. It is not a part of Ezra's plan for us."

"Brothers I have heard enough.", Brother Aaron said firmly. "This woman is a harlot who associates with Drow and who is in the thrall of witchcraft. There is nothing that we can learn here."

"Brother Aaron.", Joan said admonishingly. "You know as well as I that the Home Faith changes what is in our sacred books every year. Eliza, through her diligent work in the library, has caught them in the act."

"And this is a most serious issue.", Brother Malcolm chimed in. "For it shows that we cannot trust our sacred texts, even the oldest ones. And you know how the Canon of the Virtues is used by the Home Faith."

Many of the Brothers nodded as they recalled how the Order of the Seekers had used that Canon to purge many anchorites from the church.

"But if we cannot trust the texts and we cannot trust the revealed visions of anchorites then how do we know the revealed word of Ezra?", one brother said with a hint of exasperation.

"As we always have.", Joan explained. "If Eliza can produce the shield of Ezra, then she is truly enlightened."

The other Brothers nodded and two of them began to chant.

"Brothers Malcolm and Yurich are invoking the hallowed eye. They will be able to tell if you are trying to deceive us.", Joan explained. "Now, Eliza, would you be so kind as to bring forth the shield?"

Eliza nodded to the Bastion and closed her eyes. Her heart was beating fiercely. This was it. This moment would prove to the scholars and to herself whether she was truly blessed or just delusional. She reached out through her ring to Lynn and thought to herself, "I need you now, love, more than ever."

On the other side of the ring Eliza could feel Lynn struggling herself. That wasn't unusual when she was at fighting school. Eliza felt a little love flowing back through the ring. Maybe it would be enough.

With that, Eliza began to pray aloud. "Blessed Mother, Holy Guardian, Our Lady in the Mists, Ezra. Please grant to this, your faithful daughter, the protection of your shield, that all might know your glory."

Eliza felt the power flowing through her body. It felt like the other powers she had summoned but this force was completely pure. She gasped and focused, letting the power build within her. She felt her skin tingling. Something was happening. Something wonderful.

"I see it.", Brother Yurich announced. "It is faint but it is there."

The other brothers nodded. They could see it even without the hallowed eye. Lynn could feel it too and she knew that Eliza needed everything that she could give her. So she let herself get clobbered by her classmates and then poured all of her love through the ring as she lay there on the ground. Eliza felt the surge of energy. It almost overwhelmed her. But again she focused and tried to project the shield.

Then she heard the Brothers gasping. She opened her eyes and looked down. Her body and clothes shimmered with a radiant white light, just as she had seen in portraits of the ancient prophets. But there was more, on her left arm the glow had formed into the shape of a shield and in her right hand was a glowing white sword.

The shock broke her concentration and the glow went away. The Brothers stared at the young priestess, not knowing what to say.

"A shield the likes of which has never been seen.", Joan finally said.

"The fifth prophet.", Brother Aaron gasped, now suddenly a believer.

Joan tried to calm herself, but she couldn't contain her smile. "Eliza, you have past the first test.", she said warmly.

Lynn and Eliza smiled quietly at each other as they ate dinner that night at the White Rose. They each felt calm, confident, and a little humbled by their experiences that day, and when they felt through their rings it was as if they were feeling a reflection of themselves.

Lynn showed Eliza the katana that she had received from her first fighting instructor long ago. Its blade now shined with a silvery glow from the tip to the base and all along its sharp edge.

"It's silver.", Eliza said with a gasp.

"Weamar said something about werewolves.", Lynn replied with an innocent smile. "So I had my old sword coated with silver, just in case."

"That must have cost a fortune.", Eliza said as she looked at the fine craftsmanship.

"Yes.", Lynn admitted. "But we still have over half of our share left."

Having money was something that neither Lynn nor Eliza was used to. Eliza had wanted to save it all for a rainy day, but Lynn felt that if they waited that long then it might be too late. So they had decided to save half and spend half. Lynn had used most of that share hiring the most expensive fighting instructor in town. She told Eliza that it was an investment in the future. Eliza agreed, but it made her think twice about the future that she was getting herself in to.


"Afraid of the Baron taking revenge?", Marinae's grandmother asked.

"Yes. I deprived him of something he wants: me. In jail.", Marinae answered.

"My dear.", the old woman said gracefully. "I don't know how you got out, but it must come from someone very high up."

"I believe it was the King, because of my service to the Crown in the war against Drakov.", Marinae replied. "I hardly even got a trial when I returned here. If this were to become known to the King, the Baron could lose his head."

"Azalin himself?", her grandmother gasped, both surprised and proud. "Then you have no reason to fear the Baron."

"I would think that this was public knowledge. Does the Baron have so tight a leash on the news?", Marinae asked.

"You were gone for so long. We didn't know what had happened to you.", the old elf replied. "We feared the worst."

"I tried several times to send messages, but there were limits on what could be sent. The King wished to keep his movements as secret as possible.", Marinae explained. "At any rate, I must see to Aselid, as much as I would like to stay with you, old crone.", she added with a loving smile.

"I understand.", her grandmother said as she looked at Marinae proudly. "And now you're going away again. Promise me this. That you'll return one day and tell us about all of your wonderful adventures."

Marinae raised an ironic eyebrow. "They weren't all so wonderful.", Marinae replied. "Ask Ellan about it. I don't think he's afraid of you now. At any rate, he knows you won't turn him into a frog for being around me."

"Maybe when you return your mother will let you two marry.", the old elf said with a smile.

"Uh...marry?!", Marinae said with a start. "Who said anything about marriage?"

Her grandmother grinned knowingly. "A young suitor came around one day...", she said, letting her voice trail off.

"Another one?", Marinae let off an exasperated sigh. "I am changing my hair color. I am so tired of being...exotic!"

The old elf let Marinae continue, knowing that she couldn't stop her.

"That's what it is. I'm the only raven in a coop full of doves and thrushes. That's how Ellan describes me.", Marinae continued. "It would be even worse if I had brown eyes like Father."

"I believe the suitor's name was, Ellan.", Marinae's grandmother added.

Marinae was shocked. "I'll kill him.", she hissed. Then she recovered her poise. "He is bluffing. Because he knows it'll amuse me. You know that seventy-year-old windbag, Corbett, of the Merchant's Guild?"

Her grandmother nodded.

"Fifty years ago, Corbett caught Ellan in bed with his wife. They'd only been married a few weeks.", Marinae said. Then she let out a laugh. "That, Grandmother mine, is why Corbett's wife won't dare show her face in court more than once a year or so."

"I wondered.", her grandmother replied, a little disappointed that she was never privy to that secret.

"I tell you this to show you that Ellan's...passions...can get carried away at times.", Marinae explained. "Still, were I looking for a trophy husband, I could do much worse."

"He is quite fond of you.", her grandmother replied. "Give yourself time to think about how you feel about him."

Marinae gave her a skeptical look. "I can't marry a one-hundred and fifty-year-old codger. He's almost as old as you are!", Marinae gasped, keeping her face absolutely straight other than a mischievous twinkle in her eyes.

Marinae's grandmother was almost a century older, but she let her granddaughter's words slide.

"Honestly, I think of him as a friend, sometimes as a lover. I love him, but I can't imagine spending my life with him.", Marinae confessed. "I do owe him gratitude, though. What if that Jonathan creature had been my first? I'd still be crying like a moon-eyed maiden!"

"Well, do what's best for you.", her grandmother says. "But I feel that you already know that."

Marinae nodded. "I learned independence from you, and stubbornness and self-interest from Mother.", she said.

"Be strong, Marinae.", her grandmother added.

"I got that from you, too.", Marinae replied and gave her grandmother a long hug.

Her grandmother let a tear come to her eye. "I'm so proud of you.", she said.

"I could wish Mother were here. She would be happy to see me leave.", Marinae said with a hint of both anger and sadness.

"One day she will be proud of you too.", her grandmother replied.

The thought struck Marinae as being odd. It was as if she never thought that that was even possible.

"I wonder.", Marinae began, changing the subject. "Will I still be an exile when I leave, this time?"

"That's up to the Baron, and the King I suppose.", her grandmother answered.

"I should not tell you this, but Shana made me an offer.", Marinae said as she lowered her voice. "If I agree to go back to that castle, if I succeed in removing the dark elf, my exile will be ended. Apparently she has some influence in high places, herself."

Marinae's grandmother stopped smiling. "The Kargat.", she said very quietly. Then she shook her head.

"Yes. I didn't say yes or no. But they are another reason I am leaving.", Marinae said in a whisper. "She forbade me any contact with Kendra, and then in the next breath she tried to seduce me into a headlong raid on her castle."

Her grandmother put a finger to her lips. "Be careful. They hear many things.", the old elf said with a look of great concern that Marinae had never seen before.

"I will.", Marinae added.

Marinae hugged her grandmother one last time and wondered when she would see her again.


Weamar led Tshaya out to the stables and got Dry ready to travel, but Tshaya wanted her own horse to ride and so they found a man who was willing to sell them one. Weamar looked the horse over and saw that it was young and healthy. The man wanted fifteen gold pieces for it but Tshaya only had six. So she pleaded with the man, and told him that she was lost and far from home and that she needed his horse to get back. Then she cast her suggestion spell and told him that if he lent her the use of his horse then he would forever have the blessings of the Vistani. Her spell worked and the man agreed to lend her the horse for only two gold pieces. Tshaya rode away quickly before her spell wore off, and Weamar was too concerned about other matters to realize what had happened.

The two journeyed northward towards Tricco, where Weamar had been the previous morning. Weamar was curious about Tshaya's background and asked her about her kumpania, but Tshaya didn't trust him and so she talked only vaguely about Vistani life and culture, much of it contradicting the other things that she had said.

Weamar caught her drift and let her decide the topic for a while. Tshaya asked about the White Knights of Ezra. Weamar didn't know where to begin. Petrov? Gladehaven? He decided to talk about the church itself.

"The Knights are the strong arm of the Church of Ezra. They are the 'foes of darkness' and such things.", Weamar explained, with some scorn in his voice.

"Yes, I know. This is what they call themselves.", Tshaya replied. "This is the excuse they use to kill innocent Vistani."

"Perhaps they once were noble, but now...", Weamar shook his head, "... it's all so confused. They burned an entire village to the ground, and put the inhabitants to the sword."

Tshaya looked down and nodded.

"The stories about the village vary from 'everyone there were werewolves' to 'the werewolves and the humans were living peacefully, and when the humans tried to defend the werewolves the Knights turned on them as well'.", Weamar explained.

"There were no werewolves in my kumpania.", Tshaya pointed out.

"Your 'kumpania' is that like a company, a small group...?", Weamar asked.

"That is my...family.", Tshaya replied. "The Knights and their mercenaries attacked us because we are Vistani. It is more than just werewolves."

"Oh. I'm sorry.", Weamar replied, suddenly realizing that that meant that women and children were also killed.

"Now I am leaving all that behind me.", Tshaya replied. "What more about the Knights?"

"Unfortunately not much very solid.", Weamar said with a sigh. "Their recent atrocities are a break from their past, as far as I can make out. Coinciding with a man named Petrov taking their command."

"I know this man.", Tshaya replied.

Weamar looked startled. But didn't want to ask the obvious question. He was too certain he already knew the answer.

"I will never forget his words. 'By the order of the Lady Ivana Boritsi, Queen and ruler of the land of Borca, and in accordance with the laws of Invidia and the Lord Malocchio Aderre, I, Petrov Nichola, do hereby place all the Vistani of Misha Rvachov under arrest.'", Tshaya said. "We all laughed because we were in Barovia and thought we were beyond his jurisdiction."

To Weamar, Petrov sounded like a man possessed. How many innocents had the man put to death, he wondered. Weamar wanted to ask more questions, but was too afraid to offend the young woman. He didn't want her to relive such painful memories.

By mid-afternoon the two rode into Tricco. It didn't take long before Weamar noticed that there was something very wrong. There was no one in the streets. There was no one anywhere.

"It is always this quiet?", Tshaya asked.

"No, not at all.", Weamar explained.

Weamar listened carefully and heard birds chirping and squirrels gathering nuts. Then he looked closer at the ground and saw the unmistakable footprints of wolves, dozens of wolves.

Weamar dismounted and walked over towards one of the houses. He stopped a few yards shy of the door when he saw it laying down on the ground. The door had been clawed and knocked off its hinges and there were signs of a struggle all around. Tshaya walked up behind Weamar, then went past him into the house.

Weamar followed her inside and they looked around for any survivors, but all they found was a little blood on the floor. They visited a few houses and found the same thing. Weamar could see all the telltale signs of a werewolf attack but he'd never seen one on such a scale before. There were no survivors, just chickens and livestock. And there are no bodies either. Just a little blood here and there. Tricco was a ghost town.

It didn't take long before the sense of impending doom grew too great for Weamar's comfort. This was Talrak's doing. And Weamar wondered if Talrak and his pack had been looking for him specifically when they attacked Tricco. Even if they hadn't, Weamar didn't feel safe, not in Tricco or anywhere else in Verbrek. He decided to put Tricco as far behind him as he could and he got no argument from Tshaya.

Nervously, Weamar led Dry and Tshaya out of town, following the tracks to the east where they stopped at a ford in the Arden river. Across the river Weamar found that the tracks went northwards into the woods. Weamar breathed a small sigh of relief. They hadn't continued on to Alyssum, at least, not yet. So Weamar led Dry down the well worn trail through the woods east to nearby Alyssum. Tshaya followed along behind and they traveled at a quick pace, hoping to reach the town before nightfall. Weamar also hoped that there would be someone there when they arrived.