“The person who took Jasey, summoned Red, and got him to take Jasey to Devil’s Cavern… We know them.”
Jarl breathes deeply through his nose. In the back of his mind, he hears Sophie’s voice ironically praising him for using Father Liam’s deep breathing exercises so much lately—right before reminding him to breathe in 3s. Beside him, Gina calms him down in a similar manner with her heavy gaze, herbal candy, and healing tea.
Across from him, Manus watches nervously as the priest slowly picks his jaw up off the floor.
He then begins sweating after Áesta grabs Gina and leaves them both alone.
~
“… How do you know this?”
Jarl frowns as he watches the magician shake and shiver under his gaze. He tries to soften it—really—but finds that he can’t. The insinuation that someone he KNOWS (someone that must be TRUSTED) did this…
The most he can do right now is listen and remain calm.
Harder done than said; but he’ll do it: for Jasey.
~
“I went to… the plane that all magical beings have access to: The Magic Realm or World of Magic, if you will.”
Jarl raises a doubtful eyebrow. He knows he’s been travelling Ireland via this so-called magic for days now; but experiencing something and believing in it is different to believing in it when you haven’t experienced it.
A whole plane, realm, or world of magic???
(What a joke…)
Still, Jarl takes a breath. He reminds himself of WHY he’s doing this—why MANUS is doing this—and nods.
He then motions for Manus to continue.
The mage relaxes slightly at this. A bit calmer now that his normally doubtful audience is listening so openly, the magician plows onward with his description: “We call this place Nexus because it’s a connection point, basically, for all of us. It doesn’t really matter where we are in the physical world, either: it’s entirely mental. That’s why I was able to go there while sick and—”
“Wait, you WHAT?” Jarl balks.
He stares as Manus only blinks. He appears confused by the priest’s outburst and cants his head to study Jarl as he suddenly stands with a horrified expression.
“Why would you do that while SICK‽‽‽”
“… Because Jasey needed me to.”
(Jarl’s chest tightens.)
~
“I met with someone there—an old sage or what we sometimes call a wise user.
“Now, what that means isn’t really important. What IS important is that this person had information.
“They were able to explain to me why the Elders blocked off Bailecastle.
“A non-magic user—yes, I know that sounds convenient but hear me out! A non-magic user USED magic. They used it to summon a daemon—which we assume to be Red—and orchestrate this whole plot.
“The readings from this unregistered user—which just means they don’t have a known magical signature—were last noted in Bailecastle, hence the Elders blacklisting it.
“But… it began in Shantown…”
~
“…”
Jarl stares into the remains of Gina’s second round of tea (it was, in fact, more chamomile). He never stopped holding onto the cup he’d picked up minutes ago when he tried to comfort himself and appease his host. Now, he clutches it as he thinks—tries to understand what he’s just been told—and watches the leaves drift.
“So, someone in my parish took Jasey from me…” he says slowly, “And then lied to me about it?”
Manus shifts uncomfortably before nodding. “Áesta thinks it’s just a passer-by…”
“…” Jarl is deathly silent as he sips his stone-cold tea.
Then, “We still need to tell Sophie and Hagen.”
~
When they return inside, they find Áesta and Gina snuggling together on the witch’s hot pink couch.
“Done already?” the witchy woman asks, unique purple eyes shining with amusement. Her long fingers comb through Áesta’s hair like bone through fur as the daemon’s head cants a bit from its perch on her shoulder. “We expected ye’d be longer.”
“And angrier,” the tiny devil comments, eyes solely focused on Jarl.
The priest frowns at him, obviously feeling insulted, but doesn’t argue against his assumption (or Gina’s, really). Instead, he shrugs and sits, albeit a bit stiffly, in the same single chair he sat in when he first arrived, “It would explain the use of the Axis Mundi, the similar path, the Elder’s actions, and even Red’s behavior.” He crosses his arms over his chest in an unconscious gesture caught between self-comfort and self-defence, “The only thing it DOESN’T explain is WHY.”
Manus nods, as confused about that as Jarl; “It must be in relation to the prophecy,” he hazards anyway—which is fair as it’s probably the best explanation they have.
Jarl looks perturbed by the idea (mainly because, as a man of faith, he’s dealt with his fair share of prophets—including false ones—and finds it disturbing that THAT could be the reason his brother is missing) but nods in acceptance again (shockingly). Then, he turns back to Gina, “I’d like to talk to you alone, if I may.”
“What???” Manus and Áesta both stare at Jarl, shocked; “Why???”
“You want to know more about Red?” Gina asks with a smile.
Jarl only nods, determined as his companions gape.
(Ok, but why ALONE???)
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