Verdant leaves shaded the great stone seats high atop the shoulder of the Utopian valley.
Upon them sat Headmaster Abraxas, Professor Helen, Thales, William, and Irina. There were a few more whose names Elwin had yet to know; likely allies of his Tanaar. On the central seat rested Professor Aionia, the 50th Encarnacion.
Elwin, Mirai, Isaac, and Katherine all sat across from the Masters, hands upon the knees of their ceremonial robes.
"You have been summoned here to this council, for you are the champions of the tournament of Aeternitas, and we find you worthy of a responsibility greater than any in the world," Headmaster Abraxas announced. "For one-thousand and one-hundred years since its founding, we, the Mahamusha, has worked with the Encarnacion to keep Mahanai's evil at bay, from Encarnacion Astinel Arcana to Encarnacion Aionia Hana Arcansale. As their speaker and voice, I humbly present their minds and wishes on this pivotal occasion."
Headmaster Abraxas glanced to his sides. "If you would please," he gestured, and from each of their pockets, Professor Thales included, the Masters withdrew a badge of gold emblazoned with the sigil of a star, with 4 rays stretching like a cross, and 4 smaller rays protruding from the diagonals. A crescent halo bordered the halfway lines of the cross, so the symbol looked like half of a compass, an explorer's compass – And that's when Elwin realized a similar symbol was upon his watch, his father's pocket-watch. It must have derived from it somehow.
"The star of the order of Knights of Emperor Yanasura," the headmaster announced, "belonging to the last, his descendants AHURA and MITHRA."
"There was once a time, twenty years ago, when Encarnacion Aionia could shake the axis of the world. Under her tireless crusade the forces of Mahanai were driven back, its Angel utterly shattered, their leadership and hierarchy broken. This is why you have been able to enjoy the momentary peace of your youths."
"But a great shadow is draping over the skies once again, the servants of Mahanai beginning to crawl out of their holes. Encarnacion Aionia can no longer battle as she once did in her prime. Her strength wanes, the embers of her flesh beginning to unravel. The world needs a new colossus."
"Time has come for a successor."
"Time has arrived for the choosing of the 51st Encarnacion."
"One of you, may take on this heavy mantle."
The kismets all looked to each other, eyes wide in shock. The successor, here and now?
Katherine raised her hand before Headmaster Abraxas could speak further, and asked the most sensible question that could have been enunciated in that moment. "Must we choose now?"
Professor Aionia answered her calmly. "No, Katherine, none of you are obligated to choose now. In fact, none of you are obligated to choose at all. Whoever desires must decide out of their free will. All of you are being offered thus because you are this year's champions."
Elwin raised his hand. "Was Maximus and his team made aware of this knowledge as well?"
"Correct. And none of them chose to become the 51st Encarnacion."
What? Why didn't he... that's why their shoulders looked heavy.
"What does being a successor entail?"
Professor Aionia looked to Headmaster Abraxas. He nodded.
"The successor shall train throughout their 3 remaining years at Aeternitas with Professor Aionia as their Tanaar, and upon the conclusion of their cultivation, inherit the powers of the Encarnacion in the Dance of the Entwined Kaha atop the summit of Mount AIEN."
"What happens to Professor Aionia then? Does she... does she –"
"Fear not," Professor Aionia assured. "Though the Kahas within me shall find and pool into yours, I will not perish. But I will greatly weaken, left only with the smoldering embers of my once-divine status. I will be like the rest of the council in the Mahamusha."
"Why can't the Encarnacion split their powers to multiple successors?" asked Katherine. "Why haven't people shared in such an enormous power?"
"We have attempted such a feat numerous times in the past 1,800 years," sighed Headmaster Abraxas. "But the original oath made by Lord Ahura with the two billion souls does not permit him, nor any of his successors, to juggle and divide their quantities. The souls, however many, are indivisible as one by contract. Only one person can wield its torch."
Headmaster Abraxas perused them all. "You may discuss among yourselves as you wish. We shall convene here again in a week's time, to know of your decisions."
The kismets looked upon the earth.
Leaves were falling upon their feet, though it was only summer.
***
Elwin and his kismets looked out upon the valley, the suburbs of Utopia stretching far below them, nestled, scattered, blended with the rich viridian of forests. Farther away, where the vale opened to meet the great plateaued plains, lay the city of Utopia proper. They spied the boulevards, roads, and harmonious structures catching the glint of the mid-afternoon sun, shaded a light, creamy hazel; the skyrails that weaved through the city made itself known only through its glint of rosy-gold, moving in concord with the rhythm and flow of the city's paths. Trees and shrubs and flowery green made the city its home, an antithesis to the stereotype of the city which Elwin and his kismets had only known. It was hard to believe that more than 3 million people lived here.
3 million people living without the knowledge they now had.
3 million people and beyond protected by those whose efforts went unsung.
"Have you made up your mind yet?" asked Isaac, hair of dark peridot grazing the leaves above.
"No," replied Mirai.
"Professor Aionia said that none of us can be forced to become the next Encarnacion," remarked Katherine, her eyes upon the limestone balustrade instead of the valley ahead. Her head weighed heavy with thoughts of duty and home. "I'm not going to make a decision so hastily. It's barely been a day."
"Right," Elwin nodded.
"I'm going to get some fresh air," Katherine turned, jogging down the steps.
"But we're outside already!" complained Isaac, chasing after her.
"Eh, might as well follow them. Want to grab a snack?" asked Mirai.
"I'm good, thanks."
"Okay – see you back at the quarters!"
In a moment, Elwin was alone. He was not alone like many times he'd been, wanted by no one; he was now alone, and all the world asked of him to be its defender, its champion. In this regard he was perhaps more alone.
Professor Thales – the real Professor Thales – appeared wordlessly at his side, having glided down the steps from the council's repose. From the tug on his Asha, Elwin knew the Master of the Waters was there; but possessing the truth, his presence no longer played in Elwin any unease.
"Elwin."
"Professor Thales," he replied, making a respectful glance towards the professor.
"I feel your heart is calmer now than when you first arrived."
"You can feel its rhythm?"
"When there aren't many around."
"I see," Elwin nodded, subtly.
"I am sorry," confided the Master of the Waters, his head held low.
Elwin looked upon him with mild surprise.
"It is my fault that Lucian was ensnared by the Mora. Had I been more attentive to his needs, and his expressions at the Headmaster's Office, I could have put a stop to everything before it began. Through my ignorance I permitted the Mora to infiltrate Aeternitas and take hold of Lucian's deathly fears; through my inaction I allowed Lucian to drive you to despair. I allowed the Mora to emulate my image, and let it tarnish my own name in the eyes of our Artens, betraying what should've been a bastion of faith. For all of this, please accept my apology," he said, lowering his head to kneel in front of him. His pristine robes brushed the leaves and dust on the ground, tarnishing the fabrics.
Elwin opened his mouth to speak, but found no adequate word for what he felt except one.
"...It's not your fault, professor."
The Master of the Waters murmured, his head still lowered. "How Lucian would have thought of me when I reprimanded him for goading you into rage, when the Mora disguised as me was the one to have tasked such a purpose... what a hypocrite I must have looked, how he would have felt there was no one to defend him, nowhere else to go..."
Elwin listened on.
Professor Thales appeared forlorn, exhausted. Elwin could glimpse something he hadn't noticed when the professor raised his head to meet the sun shine through the leaves; beneath those waves of azure, his eyes were also ladled with arrows received one too many times.
"Professor Thales," asked Elwin, "What did you do back then at the Ministry of Order?" Elwin had always wanted to get an answer from him. Why was the Order so ruthless, so heartless towards the dispossessed? Was that a relic of Professor Thales's leadership?
The Master of the Waters nodded and slowly stood, pursing his lip. His beard of soft white seemed to follow its crinkle.
"I fought to secure a future for our Republics, free of the grasp of Mahanai. I was well into my forties when I became Chief Director, and Mahanai's existence was finally revealed to me as an explanation to the evils I fought as a detective."
"Well into your forties? What... you were a detective then? For how long?"
"For half a decade. Before it, I was a ship's captain, a sailor, an itinerant traveler, pursuer of odd jobs, having departed home in my teenage years."
Elwin had not expected such a history from Professor Thales. All this time, he thought he had only worked with the state.
"Where are you from, Professor?"
Professor Thales glanced briefly at Elwin in a mixture of surprise and mirth. He had not expected Elwin to be open to dialogue after his failures.
"The Republic of Serien, the republic of the inland sea."
"I saw in photograms that the cities there were quite beautiful – did something compel you to leave?" inquired Elwin, thinking to his childhood at The Marlin.
An ocean of emotions emerged on the expression of the Master of the Waters.
"I had always wanted to explore and see what the world was like. But I did not enjoy such an opportunity when little. My family's trade was salt farming – we made our livelihood from its traditional art, and I helped my father and mother in the salt fields. But there came a day where we could no longer compete with the auspices of industrial technology. They could produce far more salt at more affordable prices than we could."
Elwin thought back to how many families lost their businesses to Alexander Heriz – though judging from Professor Thales's age, Alexander Heriz probably came much after him. "They competed you out?"
"In a sense. We could have revised our trade to become salt artisans, but my father saw that I wanted to travel the world. So he closed up shop, and let me chase the destiny I wanted upon newer shores."
"And you took up on that golden offer..."
"Right away. I sailed the first boat out and never looked back. I visited every port of our Unified Mythrisian Republics, marveled at the cuisine of each and every cranny, learned their many languages of tradition. No pain from hauling barrels for hours nor sprained back from sleeping on a shaky rig could keep me from visiting and exploring, to know everything there was about the world," he replied in reminiscence. "I was not good with books, so I decided to know by doing – and by chance, a young professor from Aeternitas by the name of Stanislaus Kosmogorov recognized me for my skill with my Maht, and encouraged me to apply."
Elwin made an involuntary smile.
"I was admitted, enrolled, and learned a great many things from Aeternitas. It awakened to me what civilization was, why people endeavored for a shared future, and why it was worth pursuing. Though I did not win any of the tournaments, I gleaned a great deal of knowledge in experimental philosophy and the Four Mahamastra."
"What was your House?"
"House MANASURA, of course."
"Were you happy there? I mean, at Aeternitas?"
"Somewhat. But I could not shake the feeling that something was missing. Post-graduation, after finishing my sojourn to every nook and cranny in the Republics, I thought it was finally time to set sail for something bigger. So I scraped together enough money for a dhow of my own, and set sail to the Empire of Jin."