Chapter 20: The Paradox of Knowledge

  The sun was blinding. As the group stepped out of the mineshaft, their eyes were overwhelmed by the sunlight and could not tell where they had exited.

  By following the dragon’s directions, they had found a path out of the mines. They were glad to be out, but there was something they did not know.

  “Where are we?” Zhi asked covering her eyes.

  They all looked to Simeon.

  “How should I know?” He replied.

  They all looked to their surroundings once more. They were at the foothill of a large mountain. Just ahead of them they could see a lush forest. Over the forest they could see a setting sun. Even with the dim light it was hard for the group to adjust to the sunlight. They had been under the mountain for several days with only the barest glimmers of light to guide them and no way to count the days. Now outside and in full view of the setting sun, they did their best to adjust to the light.

  “How long do you think we spent in the mines?” Zhi asked.

  “I would assume we spent close to four days," Simeon replied scanning their surroundings.

  “So…” Corin began. “Where do we go now?”

  “Our destination, Yranto, is farther inland northwest,” Simeon began. “I do not believe we are close to where we should have left the mines. Our best hope is to move in the general direction of Yranto and try to find furtives that can help us on our way.”

  With no better plan, the group followed Simeon’s guidance, heading into the thick forest. By the time they entered the lush forest, there was little sunlight left.

  It did not take long for the group to stop for camp. Their previous time in the mines was anything but restful. They sat around a large fire as they ate a fresh lamb that Simeon had downed.

  Corin quickly gutted the fresh kill and prepared it. He was so tired from the previous days that he did not spend as much time as he would like preparing it before cooking. Despite the hasty preparations of the meat, the group enjoyed it thoroughly.

  “Ah! This is the best meal I can remember having in a long time!” Zhi exclaimed loudly.

  Simeon laughed.

  “Corin, you really did a great job this time,” Zhi added.

  He would have reacted to the compliment were he not too busy cooking for the group, while taking bites of his own food simultaneously.

  Nanaua did not even say a word as she ate her food. As soon as she was done with her first portion, she shouted, “More!”

  When Corin did not immediately react to her request, Nanaua repeated it louder, “MORE!”

  “I heard you!” Corin struggled to say with a full mouth. He chewed the food in his mouth and took a big gulp. “I am in the process of cooking it!”

  With one hand, he was moving the spits of meat over the flames to cook it, and with the other he was feeding himself. Despite the chaotic situation Corin found himself in, he was thankful to be out of the mines.

  Livia ate in solemn quiet, accompanied by Simeon. They both gazed at the stars above, glad to see anything but dark musty tunnels above, around, and beneath them.

  “You really do not appreciate these things until you don’t have them,” Livia said.

  Simeon was lost in his own world, focused on the beauty of the sights around him. Without really listening to what Livia had said, he replied, “Aye.”

  Corin finished cooking some more of the meat, which he promptly handed to Nanaua.

  “At long last!” Nanaua exclaimed.

  She grabbed the sizzling meat with her bare hands and ate the entire chunk in three bites. The meat still steamed, but it did not deter Nanaua one bit. Before she could even ask for more, Corin was already handing her another. Nanaua smiled at Corin as she grabbed her next portion.

  “I’ll have more too!” Zhi added.

  Nanaua and Corin both looked at her in disbelief. Zhi never had seconds.

  “What?” Zhi asked as she looked at the two of them.

  “Nothing,” Corin said, “of course you can have more!”

  The group continued conversing as they ate. Most of the conversation centered on their shared joy of not eating dried meats and the pleasantness of fresh air in comparison with musty air. The conversation died down as each focused on their meal, but in all their conversations there was something they did not mention. The encounter with the nameless dragon had not been brought up.

  “The dragon’s request to slay the giant, Bellum, what do you make of it?” Zhi asked.

  The group looked at her.

  “A simple request, is it not?” Simeon began. “If we are able to locate it, we need to infiltrate its territory, evade the titan, and destroy its heart. A titan that is even more prone to destruction than its brethren. I know the dragon seemed to hold us in high esteem, but I don’t know of any group of furtives able to accomplish such a monumental task. There is a reason furtives avoid titans.”

  “But what other group would have a better chance than us? We should search for it and strike!” Nanaua said as she stood gripping her pike. “We know its weakness and know where it lies.”

  “Aye, to search for a rampaging Titan and slay it. It does sound like something we should try to do, if our goal is to fight the Titans. But the risks it presents are too great, and it does not aid us in our ultimate goal to find all the pieces of the artifact. That is why we are here, not to try and fight every titan we learn of," Simeon replied.

  “But the dragon, he implored us to carry out this task. He helped us escape the mines!” Nanaua shouted.

  “Nanaua, I understand this might be difficult to accept, but we are already facing insurmountable obstacles on our journey. To deliberately seek out conflict with a titan is too much of a risk.” Simeon replied.

  “In battle, when you have the initiative, it is imperative to strike!” Nanaua replied. “We are ceding this opportunity to our opponent!”

  “Simeon is right,” Livia interjected. “I understand your desire to strike at the giant, but won’t our chances of success improve once we have acquired the weapon? When we have the weapon in our grasp, we can wield it to strike down not only Bellum but Tonatiuh and all the other titans as well! That is what we came together to do. That is why Corin and I joined. That is why Simeon agreed to join. If we fail now, the people in Grial, Genno’s tribe, all of that destruction will be for naught!”

  “That is cowardice!” Nanaua shot back as she held her pike.

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  “Nanaua, they are right,” Zhi implored her. “You saw how terribly powerful the dragon was. His power is nothing compared to that of a true titan. If we seek out Bellum right now, our death are certain.”

  Nanaua looked to Corin, trying to find an ally to her cause.

  “Nanaua, the two encounters we have had with a titan, with Arandu, almost led to our deaths,” Corin added in an almost apologetic tone. “I don’t even know how I survived the last time. If we keep tempting fate, our luck is bound to run out.”

  Nanaua seethed at the group.

  “Retreating from an unwinnable fight is not cowardice. It is tactical prudence,” Simeon urged.

  Nanaua gnashed her teeth. She stared around her, struggling to form any argument for why they should attack.

  “We all want the same as you, believe me we do. We want to strike at Bellum, we want to strike at all the titans. But we are at a great disadvantage in our struggle. It is imperative that we take every opportunity afforded to better our chances. Not for us, but for all furtives,” Simeon argued.

  Nanaua gripped her pike and began to leave.

  “Nanaua!” Zhi shouted.

  “I need to think,” Nanaua said. “I will return for the night watch.”

  She stepped off into the darkness of the forest.

  The group was silent. They had each said their piece. They continued on their own routine as they prepared for the night.

  Corin would be the first on watch, but there was something bothering him. There had been something specific gnawing at him since their encounter with the dragon, something he needed to know, and there was only one person who could help him.

  “Zhi, could I have a moment of your time?”

  Zhi seemed surprised at the request. She was halfway ready for sleep, and her eyes could barely stay open. Despite that, Zhi smiled at him.

  “Of course, Corin,” Zhi replied.

  “I’m setting in for the night.” Livia announced.

  “Oh, of course, love,” Corin replied.

  Livia had not said much since their encounter with the dragon, and Corin had not been able to speak with her about it. He still did not know how to broach the topic of their encounter. He had rarely ever seen Livia so quiet for such a long period of time.

  At the far end of camp, Corin could already hear Simeon snoring.

  As Corin sat down to begin his night guard rotation, Zhi sat next to him.

  Corin looked at her intently for the first time in a long while. He had only known her and Nanaua for over a month, but the things they had done in that short time frame felt as if a lifetime together had already elapsed.

  “It’s nice to be out of those mines,” Zhi said.

  “It truly is. Being there made me miss simple things. Fresh air, sunlight, the wind,” Corin said.

  “No undead,” Zhi added.

  Both Corin and Zhi laughed. The two of them looked at the sky for a brief moment.

  “What is on your mind, Corin?” Zhi asked.

  “I was trying to think of how to say this, but it might be an odd question,” Corin said. He felt a hint of embarrassment as he thought of what bothered him.

  “It’s alright. Take your time.”

  “After the encounter with the dragon, something has been bothering me. It’s about the gods. Is there more to what he said? Do you know more about them?”

  Zhi seemed to be caught by surprise. “I didn’t know what I was expecting, but this is a hard one to answer.” She laughed. “Let me think for a second.”

  Zhi closed her eyes in thought. Several moments elapsed, and Corin thought that she may have fallen asleep.

  “It has been a while since I read this,” Zhi began. “So my memory on this matter is not the best. And all I know are bits and pieces of a larger story. From what I remember, the legends always mention that in the beginning our world was completely devoid of life. The three domains existed. The sea, the land, and the skies, but they were empty. This barren world existed and persisted in this fashion for eons. But this world was not without turmoil. Despite the faceless feature of these three domains, there was still conflict between them.”

  She opened her eyes as the details began to come back to her.

  “The sea would burst out and swallow islands whole, stealing territory for itself from the land. The land itself would spew molten rock, creating massive mountains that would intrude upon the sky’s domain. The sky would breathe an icy wind that would freeze the sea in its place and create areas that would deny the sea its influence. This conflict between the domains continued for millennia, destined to continue forever, but something changed.”

  Corin was engrossed in Zhi’s tale. He had never heard any of this; he wanted to know more.

  “At some point, these three entities became more than physical domains. They became aware of their existence. At this point that each domain was embodied in the form of distinct beings. Speir, Uraqi, and Maji, the gods of the titans.” Zhi carefully uttered the names. Corin could tell they were of great importance. “Now with a distinct body and mind, these three domains continued their ceaseless war of attrition, but with more destructive effects. This conflict grew so violent that the very world was teetering on the verge of destruction. The gods knew that the conflict would not end in any of their victories, but rather the destruction of the world. So they came to an agreement. They would split their power and retreat to their respective domains. When they split their powers, each of the fragments created unique beings with only a fraction of their power, but still immensely powerful.”

  “So that is how the titans came to be?” Corin asked.

  “That is correct, according to the dragon legends,” Zhi said.

  “So these gods no longer exist in this world? They do not walk among us?” Corin asked.

  “From what I understood from the dragon legends, I do not believe so, and the dragon we met seemed to confirm it. It is only their essence within the titans that is still present. That is why whenever a titan dies another rises to take its place. Despite the titan itself dying, the fragment of the soul that existed within it persists and it eventually creates a new titan,” Zhi said.

  “So all these fragments are not equal?” Corin asked.

  “Indeed. No dragon is equal in power to any other dragon. Some are mightier than others. Our former master Tonatiuh is the second-strongest dragon, with Takaxluet being the strongest, the Prime Dragon Lord. The same is true for giants and leviathans. They each have a prime titan, the strongest of their kin.”

  Corin could not believe beings that were even stronger than titans existed. The thought frightened him. They already faced insurmountable odds, but this new revelation that the titans carry fragments of gods scared him more than he expected. Every new revelation instilled within him an ever-greater sense of insignificance. How could he, a small furtive, fight against something of such great power?

  Stop. Calm yourself. All we can do is to persevere. Corin breathed deeply.

  “There is one other thing I wanted to ask,” Corin said with a hint of embarrassment.

  “Which is?” Zhi asked curiously.

  “Well, it’s really what I wanted to ask from the beginning. But do you think it is possible that there are other gods?” Corin asked sheepishly.

  Zhi was surprised at the question. She took a moment to ponder it and looked up to the sky.

  “If you had asked me when you met me if I believed that the titans came from gods, I would have laughed at you. I would have said that is a myth the titans created to justify their superiority over furtives. I did not believe in any god at all. All I knew was the reality of our world. Titans rule with an iron fist and destroy any who oppose them. But now?

  “Now I don’t know what to believe. We heard it ourselves from the dragon. He had no reason to lie to us. And the curse magic that befell the dragon is one I have never seen a titan wielding. So perhaps their legends are true, and they are indeed blessed by the gods. But if that is the case, then I don’t know what to believe anymore. Maybe there are other gods. Maybe humans have a god, and maybe dwarves have a god, or the dragoors, or another possibility is that the dragon was right. Maybe we are not blessed by any gods,” Zhi replied.

  Corin had hoped that Zhi would have said something to reassure him. He felt as if everything he had known had been upended in such a short amount of time. He felt adrift.

  “I didn’t mean to upset you,” Zhi said, seeming concerned.

  Corin snapped out of his trance.

  “Oh, you only answered the questions I asked. I just wanted to know about this since we saw the dragon. It was pure curiosity.” He tried his best at feigning a smile.

  Zhi could see through the facade but understood what Corin was trying to say.

  “I don’t want to keep you up. Thanks for talking to me. Get some rest,” Corin told Zhi.

  She warmly patted Corin’s hand and went to her bedroll.

  Corin sat in silence as he pondered all that had occurred.

  Speir, Uraqi, and Maji. The gods of the sky, the earth, and the sea. The beings who granted the titans their immense power. But apparently there was no such deity to oversee the furtives.

  Corin had never been a strong believer in Jokasta. He never put much thought on who created them; he was most concerned with surviving. But this latest revelation struck a chord of melancholy. The fact that furtives held no special place upon this world, no greater being that blessed them, pulled at something deep within him, an unease that he was not familiar with.

  Corin held the pendant in his hand. He remembered Cyril. The one who had taught him about Jokasta. Unlike his brother, Cyril had been a devout believer of Jokasta.

  Cyril believed that despite the furtives struggle, Jokasta would one day come and help them. He was adamant that their suffering would be rewarded when Jokasta returned and ended the tyranny of the titans. Cyril believed he would be present when Jokasta came, but that day never came. Now Corin knew why.

  He closed his eyes in thought.

  What would you have said to the dragon, Cyril? Would you have believed that Jokasta is not real?

  A memory flooded Corin’s mind. It was one that he had not thought about for many years; from his childhood. It was a conversation between Cyril and him. He had awoken early and left his room to see his brother kneeling in front of the fire. Cyril held a small wooden carving in his hand. Corin studied his brother as he mumbled quietly in front of the flames, his eyes closed, completely focused on whatever he was doing. He thought for a moment that something was wrong with Cyril, that he might be hurt.

  Cyril continued in this fashion for a while. Corin felt he should leave and pretend he had not seen his brother, but he could not. He was too enthralled by what was happening. Eventually, Cyril stopped and looked at Corin. Corin panicked. He felt that he had been caught watching something he was not supposed to. Cyril laughed and went to his younger brother.

  “No need for alarm, Corin. I was praying.” Cyril smiled and knelt in front of his kid brother.

  Corin’s panic subsided. Now his panic was replaced with confusion.

  “Praying?” Corin asked.

  “Ah right,” Cyril laughed, “I guess you never learned about that. Where do I even start?” He rubbed his chin in thought.

  Corin was curious to hear what his brother would say.

  “Ah I know,” Cyril said. “You know how when you want a new wooden soldier to play with, you ask me to make it for you?”

  Corin nodded. His brother was great at carving the small wooden soldiers that Corin loved to play with.

  “And you know how you show your gratitude for carving the toy after I give it to you?”

  Corin once again nodded. Cyril taught him the importance being grateful whenever he received a gift.

  “A prayer is similar to that. You may ask for things that you may need. You see that you have an arduous task ahead of you and you reach out and ask for the strength to persevere. But it is also important that when you are praying that you are grateful for what you have received.” Cyril explained.

  Cyril’s explanation left Corin with so many questions.

  “So are you asking your big brother?” Corin asked Cyril.

  “What do you mean?” Cyril replied, confused.

  “When I need something, I ask you. Do you also ask your older brother?” Corin asked.

  Cyril understood and laughed. Out of all the things he could have expected, that was not it.

  “No, Corin, no. I only have one brother, and that is you.”

  “Oh good.” Corin sounded relieved. He was concerned that he might have had an older brother he was not aware of.

  “When I ask for help, when I pray, I pray to the Goddess Jokasta,” Cyril replied.

  “Jo…kasta?”

  Corin felt as if he had heard that name before, but he did not know who that was, or what a goddess was.

  “That’s right. Jokasta is the one who created all of us furtives,” Cyril answered.

  Corin thought about it for a moment. He knew about furtives but did not know that someone created them. This raised even more question for Corin.

  “But how can she hear you? Is this Goddess Jokasta here?” Corin asked as he looked around the room.

  “No Corin, she is not physically here,” Cyril replied. “She is everywhere, all around us. Always watching over us and guiding us.”

  Corin did not understand what Cyril was saying but knew Cyril was wise and trustworthy.

  “Did you know that mother and father would always pray over us to Jokasta each night before bedtime?” Cyril asked.

  Corin’s eyes widened. He was always curious to hear more about his mother and father. Any new detail that he heard from Cyril or from other townspeople helped him craft an image of what his parents were like.

  “Really?” Corin asked.

  “That’s right. Every night before going to sleep, they would say a prayer to make sure we were safe.” Cyril smiled at Corin, who listened with amazement. “They loved us very much and did everything they could to keep us safe.”

  “So this Jokasta is always watching us?” Corin said to Cyril, his excitement brimming over now.

  “Always,” Cyril replied and smiled.

  The memory faded, and now Corin found himself back in the present. He kept holding on to the pendant. The unease that had begun building within him abated, as Corin smiled.

  Of course, Cyril. I know you would not be deterred.