The next morning when Amukelo and Eliss met in the narrow corridor of the inn. Amukelo was ready to head off. Eliss appeared, looking fresh, if not slightly sleepy, and they exchanged brief nods as they made their way to the entrance.
"So, it's time to head off," Amukelo said, tightening the straps on his gear as they reached the door. "This time, we'll head straight to Gathe. We've got enough supplies to make it there without stopping."
Eliss nodded but seemed distracted, her eyes drifting toward something outside as they left the inn and stepped onto the street. Amukelo mounted his horse, expecting her to do the same, but when he turned to look, he found her standing still, looking at a completely different direction.
"What are you looking at?" he asked, a hint of impatience creeping into his voice. "I'm ready. Let's go."
Eliss glanced at him, her face alight with anticipation. "I want to go to the pub."
Amukelo blinked, caught off guard by her unexpected request. "What?" He tilted his head, but then realization dawned on him, and he let out a long, resigned sigh. "Oh… you want more stew, don't you?"
Eliss didn't respond immediately, but her slight smile was enough of an answer. He shook his head, trying to hide his amusement as he let out another, heavier sigh. "Eliss, pubs don't open this early in the morning. It's barely past dawn."
She looked at him with suspicious expression. "And how can you be so sure?"
"Because I've been in plenty of pubs," he replied, crossing his arms. "We'd have to wait hours, if they even serve breakfast at all."
Eliss tilted her head, clearly unimpressed by his logic. "Well, I'm not leaving until I see for myself," she said with a defiant smile, turning in the direction of the pub.
Amukelo groaned, rubbing a hand over his face. "Of course," he muttered. He slid off his horse, adjusting his gear with a resigned look. "Fine, whatever. Let's go and see."
Eliss walked with a light step, practically beaming with anticipation, while Amukelo trudged alongside her, his expression a mixture of exasperation and reluctant amusement.
As they approached the pub, however, something caught Eliss's eye. Near the corner of a small alley, she noticed a man in dark robes, talking to a young child with an animated smile. The child was giggling, holding up what looked like a small wooden toy, and the man was nodding along, his expression warm and friendly.
Amukelo and Eliss would have walked right past, but something about the man's clothing made Eliss pause. Her eyes narrowed, and she took a step closer, trying to get a better look at his attire. The dark robe, the embroidered symbols near the cuffs and collar. She had seen these robes before, the very same worn by the people from satnic cult who had imprisoned.
Her heart pounded, a surge of fear and anger rising within her. Without thinking, she pulled out her staff. She pointed it in the man's direction as she called out, "Stay away from him!"
The child looked up, startled, and took a step back, clutching the wooden toy to his chest. The man turned, his friendly smile replaced by a look of confusion and concern. He raised his hands slightly, palms out in a placating gesture, clearly taken aback by her sudden outburst.
The man took a step back, his expression shifting from confusion to alarm. "W-wait, miss, what's going on?" he stammered, holding his hands up in a show of surrender. "I don't understand—"
Before he could say more, another figure stepped in front of him—a local man dressed in simple clothes, clearly a villager. He spread his arms wide, standing protectively between Eliss and the robed man.
"What are you doing?" he demanded, his tone a mixture of anger and confusion. "Leave him alone!"
Eliss's grip tightened on her staff, her eyes narrowing. "Move aside," she said. "That man is dangerous. I know what he is."
The villager's frown deepened, his expression growing incredulous. "What are you talking about? He's a member of the church! How could he possibly be dangerous?"
Eliss's gaze hardened, her voice filled with bitterness as she replied, "This church… it's not what you think. The people who wear those robes are corrupt. They're not the saints they claim to be."
The villager took a step closer to her, his eyes blazing with anger as he spoke. "Listen here, young lady, you don't come into our village and start accusing people—especially not members of the church. This man has done nothing wrong. You're the one causing trouble."
Amukelo shot Eliss a look, silently pleading for her to lower her staff, to step back and avoid causing more tension. But she stood her ground, still pointing her staff forward.
"You don't understand," she replied. "This church is rotten to the core. The people in these robes, they're not here to protect you. They're here to control you."
The robed man took a shaky breath, looking genuinely shaken. "Please… I don't know what you think I've done, but I'm here to help," he said, his voice trembling slightly. "This child… he's just asking for guidance, and I'm offering him kindness."
The villager's expression softened, and he turned to Eliss, his voice gentler, almost pleading. "You're mistaken, miss. This man is a good man. He's a member of the church, a man of God. He's not the monster you think he is."
"This church has fooled you. It fooled me, too, once. But I know the truth now." She glanced at the villager, her tone softening only slightly. "I'm not trying to disrespect your beliefs, but I can't stand by while people like him continue their lies and manipulation."
The villager's face contorted with confusion. He shook his head, his voice rough with frustration. "You're not making any sense, miss. Our village has been blessed by this church, kept safe by its people."
The man in the simple clothes stepped forward as he gestured toward the robed church member. "How can you accuse him of being evil?" he shouted, his voice carrying across the crowd that had begun to gather. "He's helped rescue children from slums, given them a better life here! You're the only one causing trouble."
Eliss's grip on her staff loosened slightly, her eyes narrowing in confusion. "What do you mean?" she asked, her voice faltering.
Another villager, a woman with tired eyes and a resolute expression, joined in, nodding emphatically. "He's right," she said, her voice filled with indignation. "These corrupt people you're accusing are the ones who built this settlement. They took children from the streets, from places no one else cared about, and they've given them safety, a chance at a future." She pointed a finger at Eliss, her expression turning cold. "You're the one stirring up fear and causing harm."
Others began to chime in, murmurs turning into a swell of voices, some indignant, others outright angry. "They're protecting these children!" one man shouted, his face twisted in outrage. "If it weren't for them, these kids would be starving or worse!"
"How dare you come in here and accuse them!" another voice yelled. "Who do you think you are?"
The crowd grew louder, their anger turning toward Eliss, their accusations hitting her like waves, each word chipping away at her earlier certainty. Her heart pounded, and she took a shaky step back, her gaze darting from face to face as they threw their words at her. She tried to steady her breathing, but each shout, each accusation, only intensified her panic.
Amukelo watched her, his face tense as he saw the color drain from her cheeks, her hands trembling as she lowered her staff. Her breaths grew quick, shallow, her vision blurring as she struggled to process what was happening. The voices blended into a chaotic roar, and she felt herself sinking.
Seeing this, Amukelo reached out, grabbing her arm firmly. "Let's go," he said, his voice low and steady, cutting through the noise around them. Without waiting for her response, he began to pull her away from the crowd.
Eliss allowed herself to be guided, barely registering his words as he led her through the narrow alleyways and out of the settlement. The shouts and angry voices faded behind them, but her mind remained clouded, her thoughts tangled in a whirlwind of guilt, confusion, and shame.
They walked in silence for a while, leaving the village behind, the open road stretching out before them under the early morning light. Once they were far enough away, Amukelo stopped, finally releasing her arm as he turned to face her.
Eliss stood still, her breaths coming in ragged gasps, her gaze fixed on the ground as she tried to steady herself. Her face was pale, and her eyes glistened with unshed tears, her shoulders slumped under the weight of everything that had just happened. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came, only a choked, shuddering breath as she struggled to hold back her emotions.
Amukelo turned to her as he said. "You did nothing wrong. Considering everything that cult has done to you, you had every reason to think that man was dangerous."
Eliss looked up at him, her eyes filled with guilt. "But… they were helping people," she whispered, her voice trembling. "I accused someone who was just… just doing good. I acted like a—like a monster."
He shook his head. "Look, I don't know whether this church is truly good or not, but the villagers didn't seem to be manipulated or forced. They're not under any spell or compulsion. They were genuinely defending him. Whatever he's done here, it's helped them in ways we can't understand from the outside."
Eliss tried to steady her breathing, but the guilt still gnawed at her. "But… shouldn't we… shouldn't we help these people?" she asked. "If there's even a chance that this church could be… hiding something?"
Amukelo's gaze turned thoughtful, his tone pragmatic. "If we go back there, we'll have to fight them—and possibly the entire settlement, not just the church members. But they don't look like they're being harassed or mistreated by the church. Sometimes things are more complicated than they seem."
"We don't know what's happening there," he continued. "And it's not our matter to solve. Unless you really want to turn around and fight an entire village over this?"
Eliss bit her lip, her shoulders tense, her gaze flickering back in the direction of the settlement. The anger that had driven her earlier had faded, replaced by a hollow ache, a sense of shame that wouldn't leave her.
He then repeated trying to calm her. "Eliss… you did nothing wrong. You reacted with the knowledge you had, and considering what that cult did to you, your response was justified. But… someone once told me that trying to control everything isn't always possible. Sometimes, we have to accept what's out of our hands."
Eliss took a deep, shuddering breath, his words slowly sinking in, easing the tightness in her chest. "That… that's a good approach," she murmured, her voice steadier.
Amukelo allowed a small smile, nodding. "I think so too," he replied.
Then Amukelo took a step back, giving her a bit of space as he glanced down the road. "Alright," he said, his tone shifting back to its usual straightforwardness. "We won't be stopping until we reach Gathe, unless there's somewhere else you want to go?"
Eliss shook her head, her expression resolute. "No… let's keep going," she replied quietly.
With a nod, Amukelo moved toward his horse, mounting it with practiced ease. Eliss followed suit, though her movements were slower, her gaze lingering on the distant silhouette of the settlement as if trying to find some final piece of closure.