It took the entirety of the sun-hours for us to reach the house.
"We're here." We were greeted by a large red house made of weathered crystal. You wouldn't be a fool for mistaking it for a normal house were it not for the incredible amount of Prana oozing out of it.
"Fire crystal?"
"His Majesty sent it to me when he found out that I was going to live here." The heat had melted the land around it allowing trees to grow.
In fact there was quite a sizeable farming situation going on.
"It wasn't always like this, the farm could barely grow food enough to feed four people, but then a lady wearing modest black clothes came and trees sprouted from where she stood. Come to think of it she was even more unprepared than you lot." My eyes started glowing. I had no doubt who it was. A smile crept up on my face.
"The Apostle." I mumbled.
"Was that who she was? You know she found this house on her own, only stayed a day before leaving inland."
"Popa, who're you talking to?" I heard a voice from inside.
"Oh yeah, here are the other boys I found lost in the snow."
Cleaning a cup with his apron the man walked outside. I went through my registry of faces because I knew I recognised him and then it immediately fit.
"Glut?"
He looked confused for a moment.
"Ah!" He put his mug in the apron's pocket. "No. No idea still. But wait Popa, did you bring over even more people? We can't accommodate 3 more. I'll show them back tomorrow."
"Shh, you imbecile. These kids will only stay here for a small time, rig-"
"I was the drunk girl right before the night you left!" I cut the old lady off. This was turning into a bad habit. Anyway, it was as if Glut's brain shot up for a second. "I'm her."
"Ahhh! Her!" He stepped back. "I- Wow. That's such a weird coincidence. Wow! Fate really is something. How have you been?"
"Wait who're you talking to?" Four other men joined us from the inside.
"Why don't we head inside…" The old lady grabbed our hands and pulled us in. We introduced ourselves to each other and chatted over a large meal. Some salad, bread and soup. It was hearty and filling.
The inside of the house was warm both from the crystal and the people.
They apparently got separated from their group during the expedition to Letchkia.
"Why help people?" I asked tactlessly after getting so tired. Everyone everywhere has some sort of ulterior motive. It wasn't something to be ashamed of.
"I'm people too, you know."
"I mean-"
"Humans, right?" She put her fork down. "I help you bunch because you're people like me. Also, these fit men help me run the farm. It'd be too difficult to run it myself after all. Free labour."
The four men blushed.
"Strange."
"Indeed, but I would hope that if a Human found my kid over Topaz, you'd help him too." She started eating again. "I would much rather my kid be alive and far away than with me and dead." Her words triggered a conversation I had with my father way back.
I would never understand what it was like to be a parent but something told me that it was pointlessly complicated.
"Speaking of kids, Miss Apostle, do you have a minute?" Glut got up and guided me outside the house. There was an extended slab of stone to sit on outside. I took some space next to him.
"It's such a surprise to see that that little girl turned into an Apostle." He chuckled. "Got big weights on your shoulder now."
"I try not to overwhelm myself."
"I would assume that the shrine is where you go to decompress, seeing how you grew up there. Do you still visit there often?"
Just his mentioning it drew my heart down as if the devil were swinging on it.
"I haven't been in two years." I lied.
"Is that so? Well, the previous Apostle said that Gwan- My wife and daughter were living there safely. If it is not too much to ask… do you have any news on them from the last time you met? Has Rita-my little girl grown?"
I raised my shoulder to show that I wasn't too well-versed about the situation.
"The last time I met her, your wife was a seamstress for the temple. She was living a happy life. She talke-talks about her childhood with you quite a lot. And Rita has grown into a fine little girl. Always polite. A little on the quiet side though. She gets along with the other kids too. Sorry, I'm not great at describing people. Even the last time I visited I was extremely busy."
"No, it's fine." He gazed up at the sky as bands of green lit it up. "I feel so pathetic sometimes. Living while hiding like a rat in a corner of the world. I can't even go back knowing the military would catch me for deserting." In a moment like this, I couldn't even tell him that he was a free man with the death of the previous king and the corrupt military he fostered. If I did it would only take him a few days to head back to the horrific atrocity in Ipspar.
But I also knew that staying here forever was unsustainable.
"You can't stay here forever." I tapped his shoulder. "One day you'll have to leave this place. I will make it happen for you. I promise that by the time I get back, you'll be welcomed back into humanity.."
I turned around and headed back inside not being able to confront him anymore.
"Are you not coming in?"
"I will be outside for a moment." He fell down on his knees and started sobbing. Something told me that those were neither tears of happiness.
I might have done something unfixible.