11
Orias

“Help with what?” Orias asked.

Niv didn’t look at him, keeping his focus towards the domain. “You and I have been stuck within the Trigala for a very long time,” he began. “I’ve spent our years apart trying to find a way out of our prison, and I believe I’ve made a breakthrough.”

“You have?” Orias had given up on such prospects, happy to spend the rest of his existence by the quiet waters of Maramagia. “What did you find?”

Niv did not respond immediately; instead, he began walking towards the domain and beckoned Orias to follow.

“The acquaintance you’re looking for, what was his name?”

“Vinnie,” said Orias.

“You met him at the excavation, did you not? Did you learn anything about him during your time together?”

“I suppose a few things,” Orias began, “but I don’t see how that’s relevant.”

They stopped in front of the domain’s entrance, and Niv looked up to examine the stained glass. He brought a hand to his chin as he spoke, “Did he tell you why he was at the site?”

“He said he was a historian.”

“Is that all? Nothing strange happened?”

“Well, I wouldn’t say nothing strange…” He hesitated, wondering if he should tell Niv about what happened at the site. It wasn’t particularly a secret that they had seen the domain open, but they had left the site rather abruptly. The only one who seemed to be cagey about the whole ordeal was Vinnie. “We did see the domain open. That was where we met Vinnie—”

“And he didn’t tell you anything about how it opened?”

“Would he have known?” Orias asked. What is he trying to say?

Niv paused, falling deep into thought. “Interesting that he’s chosen to keep his identity hidden,” he muttered. “I figured with a title so grandiose, he would have taken advantage of it.”

Orias waited for Niv to explain, but when he didn’t, he admitted, “I… I don’t think I follow.”

“I’m disappointed in you, Orias. I thought you would be better at piecing these things together.”

Perhaps if you weren’t so obtuse, I would be able to understand, but he decided it was best to keep that thought to himself. “Why are you so curious about Vinnie?”

“It’s quite simple, really— that little stray you picked up at the excavation site is the Regis Vicaria, and for some reason, he decided to keep that fact hidden from you.”

Orias blinked. “But I thought the Regis was an older gentleman.”

“You’re thinking of the last Regis,” he explained. “I don’t blame you. Regis Damascus’ death was kept quiet so his son had time take his place, but it still took several years before his face was ever shown to the public. I’ve been keeping an eye on that boy for quite some time now, waiting for him to leave Janahad to study him closer.”

“Study him?”

“Do you know what makes the Regis Vicaria so important?” he asked, though he did not let Orias answer. “It’s who appoints the Regis. They are the only raene that sits with equal footing to the deities— to the Patrons. Get to the Regis and you get to the Patrons.”

“So you want to use him,” said Orias.

“More than that, I want to become him. With his status, I’d have the Patrons at my beck and call. By the time they realized the truth, they won’t be around anymore. I’ll have made sure of it.”

“This is revenge—”

“Of course it is!” Niv snapped.” How else do you expect us to get out of this prison?! They took away our home, our friends—everything from us and we were left to burn under the desert sun for centuries. You think they’ll be merciful? That they’ll change their mind and let us go free? They’ll kill us unless we kill them first.

“When I learned that the new Regis was in Janahad, I knew that this was finally our chance. I have waited so long for the little Regis to come out of his birdcage. I would not let anyone hide him away again.”

It clicked with him. The miasma within the domain and the creature born from it— he had recognized it from the beginning.

“It was you… You were the monster in the domain…!”

You were the one that killed Vinnie’s friend.

Niv said nothing at first, instead rolling his eyes as he clicked his tongue.

“Yes, I was. I was the scary monster you saw.” He spoke bitterly despite the grin on his face. “Don’t look so worried. I don’t intend to take the boy quite yet. I may have acted overzealously at first, but to really get the data that I need, I need you.

“Help me, Orias,” Niv spoke. “I need you to gain the boy’s trust and lead him to me when the time is right. If we work together, then we will finally be free of this prison.”

He extended a hand out to Orias.

“What do you say?”

Orias hesitated. This is wrong. Of course it was, and yet he hesitated. How shameful it was to wish for things to be like they once were.

“No…” he said, despite the anxiety lacing his throat. “I can’t—I won’t…!” He smacked Niv’s hand away from him. “I won’t let you get close to Vinnie.”

The grin Niv had faltered when he struck him. He regarded Orias with malice, no longer looking at him like an equal.

“Have it your way,” Niv said, “but you’ll come around. You always do.”

With those final words, a miasma formed around Niv’s feet. His body began to be consumed by shadows, pulling him into the nothingness until he faded completely. The sound of water soon filled the silence that remained.

He had an inkling of what Niv would do to the young man. He had seen something like this before, and it was surely the reason as to why Niv wore a different face than the one Orias remembered. The desert might be their prison, but Vinnie was locked in here with them. There would be no place for him to hide.

How long can I truly keep Vinnie safe?

His thoughts were interrupted when he heard the heavy hum of the domain’s entrance. The doors opened just enough for someone to slip through, and a moment later he saw the young man in question stumble out.

“Orias?” Vinnie asked. He looked surprised to see him. “What are you doing here?”

I can’t tell him about Niv. If he did, then Orias’ own safety would be compromised. It would only be a matter of time before a deity would come after him. If he could just get Vinnie out of the Trigala without such knowledge, then he would be safe.