We waited a total of three days. L toarry showed up at dawn holding a sword that seemed to glow in the early morning light. The exact shape resembled a longsword used by a crusader, but even from a distance I could tell it didn't have an actual bladed edge since he was holding it sideways across his arm. I called the rest of the group just as he arrived.
"My praetor, I seek forgiveness and ask a question. Whatever you wish, I will do," Larry said. I couldn't tell if he was milking it, or if this was sincere. Bill and Lucy were shocked. Everyone else was under orders to stay silent, but Skylar and Loretta both looked ready to punch him.
With a sigh, I told him the rules Lucy and I had set. "You aren't asking my forgiveness, because it's not that easy. If you wish to join, you will be in probatio until everyone you wronged with your actions feels like you changed. And you will follow each of their instructions separately until they see you are truly sorry for your actions. If you ask your question, I will take it as you confirming to these rules."
Loretta, Skylar, Lucy, and Harry all had their expressions change when he asked me his question. "How did she pass?" He lifted his head with tears running down his face. I looked at everyone knowing I couldn't say it out loud yet. "I'll tell you myself," turning to the group behind me, "Everyone go to your posts. I want to speak with Larry. Harry come with us. I might need your help."
I took Larry to the Shrine. The past 3 days, we've decorated it as best we can. Even going as far as to use gems summoned by our resident daughter of Pluto and the trees from the foot of the mountain to create designs in the floor. When we entered, I told Larry as much as I knew. "She passed away because of her connection to her father. We realized too late that when a deity dies without passing on their role, it kills their legacy. I don't know how long I have, and we know Bill is safe. Harry, tell him if I lied about anything." I looked to our human lie detector knowing if anyone else found out so soon after Omoro's death, the entire Regiment was going to collapse in on itself out of fear and anger.
Larry looked down, "I knew it. Her spirit went to me, but I didn't want to believe she had passed. I wish I could have just said how I felt."
I reached out to help him look me in the eye. "Larry, I know how you feel. You don't think I didn't feel that way for years while I ran across the US with her? But don't think of her as gone, think of her as waiting. I'm positive she's in Elysium. It's not too late to do what you can to get there, too." I turned to Harry, "Ok, I'm positive he's not lying, go ahead and bring Loretta over here. Larry has some penance to make." As Harry walked out, I asked Larry about his new sword.
"It's a gift. Celestial Bronze and Imperial Gold mixed together. After Omoro spoke with me, it was left behind on the ground. I named it Ortus, after her favorite time of day." He started shaking his head, "You probably think I'm a lovesick fool for all this." I turned to him laughing, "No, I just think you really do have a heart."
With a slight smile he answered, "What? Now I'm a tin man?"
After all we'd been through so far, it felt good knowing Larry had changed enough to joke around. However, with Loretta on her way, I had some business to do first. "Just realize this. Everyone who you wronged doesn't want to see the good yet. So, do as asked, or you're back to square one. And I'm happy to see you like this. You've already shown me you've changed."
Just as he was about to answer, Loretta got to the doorway. "Hmph. I'm first, so get ready Larry. I've got a week of gardening to do. So I hope you have a shovel."
He looked at me with a surprised face. "Did she say shovel? What kind of plants is she doing?" Loretta started laughing. "Oh, just a few trees to replace the ones for the floor you're on. And I'm starting an grape orchard in a few days."
"Well, it looks like you've matured a lot, Loretta. Let me try something." He held out his blade and it began to glow. After a few seconds, it had become a shovel with the same metals as the blade. "Useful, guess Ortus is meant only to help, then?" I was surprised, but after so much weird stuff this felt normal.
"There's an inscription on both sides of it in an language I don't know. It says "la tansaa 'abda. 'aynama tadhhab ... 'ana maeak daymana" on one side, and "daeuna naltaqi maratan 'ukhraa , fi alhayat alqadimat". But I don't know what they mean in english." Loretta was starting to crack her knuckles out of impatience.
"We'll get someone else to look into it, for now helping Loretta is the safest option." I started to get up with Larry doing the same. "I agree," he said, "time for my penance."