located somewhere around the Sea of the Gods and that you would be my best chance of finding its whereabouts.”
“Morcyth?” he asks. “Are you a historian?”
“Nothing like that, no,” James replies. “I am on kind of a quest and this is where it has led me.”
“Hmmmm…” Ollinearn muses as he sits back in his chair thinking. “We have several books detailing Morcyth and his religion,” he says to James. “Though most of those are already on their way to a safe area north of the Sea.”
“Is there anything you can tell me?” James asks.
He says to James, “There are a few books here that have yet to be packed for shipping which deals with religious history and related subjects.” He brings his hands together before him on the table and continues, “But we are very busy and do not have much time before the Empire knocks on our door. I am afraid that I will not have the time to spend in searching for the information you are after. I am sorry.”
James reaches inside his shirt and pulls out the medallion, showing it to Ollinearn. “This medallion was given to me.” He takes it off and lays it on the table before him. “I wasn’t told anything about it, but have learned that it has something to do with Morcyth.”
Ollinearn reaches out to the medallion and looks to James questioningly. When James nods his head, he picks it up and examines it closely. “I know this,” he says as his fingers trace the design on the medallion. He looks up to James, “Maybe I’ll find the time to help you after all, follow me.”
Still holding the medallion, Ollinearn leads James back out to the hallway and returns to the room where his helpers are almost finished packing the few remaining books. When they enter the room, he says to one of the men, “Pack as quickly as you can, I will be occupied for a short time.”
“Where will you be?” the man asks.
“Back with the histories,” he replies. “I shouldn’t be too long.” Taking a candelabrum with several lit candles, he leads James through another doorway and down a long sloping hallway. They pass several doors, many are open and James can see room after room of empty shelves. Ollinearn comes to the final doorway and is the only one which remains closed. Opening it, he precedes James into a room where the light from the candelabrum reveals dozens of neatly stacked books lining many shelves around the room.
“This is where the books chronicling the history of this region are stored,” he explains. “They are not of any great importance, so are to be packed last.” Turning to glance at James he says, “Which may prove to be providential.” Waving to a chair by a table against a side wall, he says, “Please rest a moment while I find the book I believe to have this design depicted.”
James sits in a chair and watches as Ollinearn closely examines one book after another until finally pulling one off the shelf and brings it over to the table where he is seated. Placing the candelabrum on the table, the old man takes a seat across from him and sets the book down between them.
“This book was written four hundred years ago by one of my predecessors,” he explains as he opens it and begins turning the pages. On the second page is a picture showing the exact same design as is on the front of the medallion, Ollinearn holds up the medallion next to the picture and compares one to the other. “As I thought,” he says as he hands the medallion back to James. “This design on your medallion is called the Star of Morcyth.”
“Star?” James asks. A cold shiver runs down his spine, ‘With the star, seal your fate’.
“Yes, it was the symbol of the religion, and was embossed on all important artifacts,” explains Ollinearn. “There must be some significance as to why you are carrying it.”
“That’s what I am trying to find out,” he says.
Nodding, he reads a little more and says, “The writer tells of a conflict between two major religions nearly half a millennium before this was written.”
“The church of Morcyth was one and the other was…,” he pauses as he takes a moment to read the passage. “Ah yes, here it is, Dmon-Li. That was the other one.”
“Dmon-Li?” James asks questioningly. “I’ve never heard of it.”
Ollinearn looks up from his book and says, “Not too surprising, unless you come from the south. It’s widely worshiped still in many parts of the Empire. In fact, I believe it has influence with the Emperor as well but do not know for sure.”
“What kind of god is Dmon-Li?” James asks.
“You see, where Morcyth was a god of good whose main tenets taught teaching and learning, Dmon-Li’s followers thrived on chaos and warfare. His priests often were great warriors, given great strength and skill that was used to foment wars and conflict.”
He reads several more passages and then says, “It seems at some point, Dmon-Li set about annihilating Morcyth’s priests. His warrior priests began hunting them down one by one until only a few were left.” He continues to read as he relates the tale. “It says here that there came a time when all had been slaughtered save a few priests who made their way to the High Temple.” He pauses a moment and then looks up at James and adds, “Here in the City of Light.”
“The High Temple was here?” James asks excitedly. “Here in the City of Light?”
“Apparently so,” Ollinearn affirms. “It seems that the last of the priests of Morcyth gathered together at the Temple while the High Priest began a period of fasting and prayer.” He looks up from the book, “Most likely to find a resolution to the problem of Dmon-Li, the book doesn’t give the exact reason.”
“Did anything come of it?” James asks.
Referring back to the book, he says, “There are no specifics, just that when the period of fasting ended, the priests all left the High Temple and as far as the author of this book knew, were never seen again. He goes on to say that they left everything behind, taking very little with them.”
“That’s it?” James asks. “It doesn’t say where they went?”
Ollinearn flips through a couple more pages, scanning the writing, “No, it doesn’t. It does say that over time the temple was looted and was finally destroyed during a great quake that brought down most of the city in the year 2322, two hundred years prior to the writing of this book.”
“Does it say where the temple had been located?” James asks.
“No, it doesn’t,” Ollinearn replies as he continues examining the pages. “Here may be something,” he says, making eye contact with James. “It says that the last High Priest was born in the city of Saragon, maybe he returned home.”
“Possibly,” agrees James. “But the Empire now controls it and from what I hear to venture there would be very unwise right now.”
“True, true,” nods Ollinearn. He reads a little bit further and then says, “That is all there is about Morcyth and your medallion.” Closing the book he comes to his feet. “I hope I have been able to help you further your quest.”
“Yes, thank you,” replies James. “You have been most helpful.”
Ollinearn takes the candelabrum and motions for James to precede him out the door. He shuts the door and then leads James out to the main library area. “Good luck on your quest,” Ollinearn says. “I really must have the rest of these books packed before the ship sails.”
“I understand and thank you again,” he says and then moves to leave through the front door and back to where Miko waits with the horse.
“Did you find out anything?” Miko asks expectantly as James approaches.
“I’ll tell you later,” he says. “Let’s find a place to eat and then get out of here before the Empire shows up.”
“Good plan,” says Miko.
With Miko leading the horse, they travel through the crowded streets until they see an inn. Not wanting to leave their horse out front where someone fleeing may try to help themselves to it, they go around back and secure it near the back door before proceeding inside.
The inn is deserted save a lone serving girl who sits at a table near the front window watching the people making their way to the gates to get out of the city.
She fails to take notice of them until they get close and James says, “Excuse me.”
Startled, she jumps from her seat and turns around, “Sorry, I didn’t hear you come in. What can I do for you gentlemen?”
“Are you open for dinner?” James asks.
