Echoes of Broken Vows

Chapter 9

ANimbling approached Sam as he and Rowan sat in the garden, basking under the warm sun.

He held in his wrinkly hands a letter that he handed to Sam without meeting Rowan’s eyes.

Sam was to report to Garron’s office immediately.

Rowan watched Sam climbing the spiral staircase toward Garron’s office, feeling the stress of not knowing what was happening taking control over him.

Sam returned an hour later, Rowan still waited for him. It was clear that Sam didn’t know how to feel about what he heard within that office.

“I’ve been promoted,”

he whispered.

Rowan felt himself relaxing, he expected the worst.

“Senior Overseer of Mytholite Operations.”

The weight of this news hung between them, both a blessing and a curse.

They both knew, that with this new position came almost unlimited access to some of the Eidolon’s most guarded secrets, something they could use to their advantage.

The promotion brought immediate changes to their daily routines. Sam’s new role meant he had less free time for their activities.

Rowan found himself alone more often, trying to carefully maintain his facade of loyalty while Sam was almost drowning in the work of his new position.

In the following days, Sam’s absence became a constant reminder of the precarious nature of their situation. Rowan threw himself into his duties, selecting more innocents to sacrifice for the ascensions, wondering if it would ever come to a stop.

He was always aware of the eyes that seemed to follow his every move, even when he was alone he knew he had to stay alert. The temple’s atmosphere had shifted, whispers in corners ceased abruptly when he approached, and even long-time colleagues regarded him with a newfound wariness.

Only after a week after Sam’s promotion, they had finally managed to meet in secret. Under the cover of the night, they sneaked into a storage room on the temple’s lower floors, a place they had scouted before and knew about the lack of guards at this location.

The storage room was small, so small that it barely had enough room for both of them, but it was just enough. They had to switch locations occasionally, just in case they were being followed.

“Tell me everything,”

Rowan whispered urgently as soon as the door closed behind them.

Sam’s face was drawn, dark circles under his eyes betraying the toll of his new position. “It’s worse than we thought, Rowan,”

he began, his voice a faint murmur. “The scale of the ascensions they’re planning... It’s staggering. And the methods they’re developing...”

Rowan leaned in closer, his heart racing. “What kind of methods?”

Sam’s eyes met his, filled with a mixture of fear and determination. “They’re not just using Mytholite for individual ascensions anymore. They’re working on ways to perform mass ascensions, Rowan. Rituals that could transfer the life force of entire communities to a single individual.”

This revelation settled over them like a shroud. Rowan’s mind raced, trying to process the implications. Their act of rebellion, intended to weaken the Eidolon’s grip, seemed to have only accelerated their plans.

“We need to do something,”

Rowan said, his voice tight with urgency. “But what? How can we possibly counter this?”

Sam’s expression hardened, a glint of determination in his eyes. “We’re in a unique position now. With my access and your skills... We might have a chance to undermine them from within.”

As they huddled in the dim light of the storage room, the two friends began to formulate a plan that would either save their world or condemn them both.

“Do you think that we can destroy their Mytholite storage?”

Rowan suggested.

“Not without getting caught.”

Sam rubbed his chin, trying to come up with a plan. Then Sam’s face brightened with excitement, “We can use the information I have about the shipments to disrupt them.”

“If we use the shipping schedules to intercept and destroy the Mytholite, won’t they immediately suspect you?”

Rowan asked, his brow furrowed with concern.

Sam nodded gravely. “That’s the biggest risk. At my position, I’m the obvious suspect if anything goes wrong with the shipments.”

“We need to create a foolproof alibi for you,”

Rowan mused, pacing the small space. “Something that puts you far from the action when the shipments are hit.”

Sam’s eyes lit up. “I can be present in the actual delivery while you attack it, this way I’ll have a proper alibi”. Rowan nodded slowly, considering the implications. “It’s risky, but it could work. We’d need to coordinate our timing perfectly.”

“I can provide you with the exact route and schedule,”

Sam continued, his words coming faster now as the plan took shape.

“I’ll be expected to personally oversee some of the more crucial shipments. We can use that to our advantage, plus it will look good if I’ll be willing to be actually present to maintain the shipment quality.”

Rowan stopped his pacing, “I guess it’s settled then, I’ll keep some of the shipment crew alive for witnesses. You should try and stop me and then flee”.

“That’s a great idea, maybe even give me a black eye to make things more believable”, Sam laughed.

The two kept working on the plan’s details for an additional hour, making sure to think about every detail. Rowan knew that he had the skills to destroy the shipment alone, but still, he felt the need for the comfort of having someone with him.

They left their hiding spot, and as they neared their quarters, a patrolling guard’s torch flickered in the distance.

They froze, pressing themselves against a weathered stone wall. Rowan held his breath, acutely aware of his hammering heart. After an agonizing moment, the guard passed, oblivious to their presence.

With a shared glance of relief, they slipped into the safety of their room. As the door clicked shut behind each of them, Rowan exhaled slowly.

He knew that the Eidolon was going to enter a desperate position and that things would get even harder, but that’s a sacrifice needed to be made.