Rebirth: Over the Horizon

"The judgments are complete," Hadrene says, sombre as ever. "The trial is complete."

An ominous silence ensues.

Adam expects Hadrene to say something more, some comment on his judgments, a verdict on his performance in her trial.

Yet she is silent. After an uncomfortably long time passes, Adam dares to ask whether he have passed the trial or not.

"Did I...passed the trial or not?"

"Passed?" Hadrene almost sounds as if she hadn't considered the question herself.

"Hmmm."

There is another awkward silence, but this time Hadrene breaks it.

"Not all challenges are a matter of 'pass' or 'fail'. You will have to live with the judgments you have made today."

"You will have to decide for yourself whether they were right or wrong."

"I have a better sense of you, of your wisdom and judgment, than I did before this trial. That is sufficient for my purposes."

The dim light of the underworld brightens and envelops him.

Adam feels as if himself fading away.

"I will return you to the land of the living for your remaining trials."

Hadrene's voice is now little more than a whisper. "You will return here one day."

"I cannot tell you how long it will be, but one day you will return. Never forget: None can escape death forever."

His vision fades completely as he departs from the underworld

When vision returns, Adam is back in the realm of the living.

There is a chill in the air, one which lingers too long to be the chill of the Underworld.

Summer has ended, and it is now a crisp autumn evening, in the last waning minutes of dusk.

'How much time passed while I was a below?'

'I don't know for sure, but it will at least be 7-8 days in the real world.'

The scenery is at least reassuringly familiar.

He was back in the port of Mycelle, where he had first set sail on Ponrindan's trial.

As his vision clears, Adam can see that other fellow Chosen, once again.

Each looks decidedly melancholic, the group sharing difficulty shaking off their trials in the realm of the dead.

Chen Xi in particular appears pale and shaken. The docks are quieter at night, though a large ship was being loaded in preparation for an imminent departure.

Once again, the Twelve appears in front of the group.

"Welcome back." I Began Girkala, cheerful as ever. "Know that though we were not present, we know of what transpired in your trial. It made for an interesting spectacle."

"Bah." Palindera scoffs. "Far too much mercy, as ever."

"I wonder if any of you have the strength to do what is necessary."

"Personally, I found some of their judgments rather intriguing."

Adornick replies, smiling as dazzlingly as ever.

"Enough. It is time to proceed to your next trial." Interrupts Methris. "You shall-"

"Why?" Chen Xi shouts his interruption, falling to his knees before Utheral.

"My daughter. Why didn't you protect her? She was so young. Why didn't you…" He trailed off, sobbing."

Qora looks at him with wide eyes. "Your daughter…?"

Tears fall freely from Chen Xi's eyes. "I saw her there. Among the dead."

"She was taken while I was on this quest. Why? Why did you make me abandon her?"

Utheral's perpetually jolly smile falls, a look of genuine sadness appearing on the face of the God of Hearth and Home.

"I am sorry for your grief. I am… I only wish that I might have…"

Utheral is silenced by Sillene.

She raises one of her owl-like wings in front of his face as if to cut him off, stepping forward to glare at Chen Xi.

"It is not your place to question us yet. And it is not our place to speak of the reasons for such things."

Utheral seems uncertain, but nods in agreement with the Goddess of Secrets.

Chen Xi stares up at Utheral, upset and betrayed.

Utheral continues, "And you have to leave your mortal shackles to become a God."

Methris speaks again, cutting past the painful moment. "We have arranged transport for you."

"This ship will take you to the isle of Sankos, the most recent conquest of Emperor Urgran the Cruel. It is there you will face your next trial."

The Twelve fades, and the Chosen board the boat.

The ship is already stocked with provisions, and the former crew hands the vessel over without complaint.

One can only presume the Twelve compelled or compensated them in some fashion.

The voyage itself has an oddly uneventful start, a respite from the terrible trials they had already undergone.

Chen Xi is inconsolable, sealing himself away below decks and crying endlessly for the loss of his beloved daughter.

The rest of the Chosen find ways to occupy themselves.

Daedala spends her nights on deck, observing the horizon and sky with a variety of instruments of her devising.

By the third night of the journey, she seems quite troubled.

"Something is wrong." She declares to the rest of the group.

"Yes." Embris agrees, scowling as she chewed on a piece of hardtack. "What these sailors consider to be acceptable food is completely dreadful."

"Not that," Daedala replies, frowning. "In the past, the Twelve have always taken us directly to our trials."

"If our next trial is on Sankos, why have us set sail from Mycelle again?"

"Maybe they're giving us a break," Colosson says, lounging on the deck. "We've certainly earned one."

"Perhaps we're being judged on how we conduct ourselves during the voyage."

Qora suggests. "A trial held in secret seems like something your patron would do, Daedala."

"I had the same thought." The Inventor agrees. "But… It is one thing to hold a secret, another to openly deceive."

"And there are other things that trouble me. I have been taking measurements. The winds seem weaker. The stars dimmer."

"It is a cloudy night," Pergia replies, unconcerned.

"It is more than that. And think back to what Utheral said to Garst."

"It seemed he was going to say he 'wished' things had been different."

"Why would one of the Twelve have to wish anything? Their powers are absolute."

"Perhaps it was just his way of attempting to console the grieving."

Suggests Dannis. "Words can have great power."

"Perhaps," Daedala replies. "Perhaps. But I cannot shake the feeling that something is very wrong here."

'Has...Hecate already started to make her move...'

Adam thought as he stared at endless nights with dim stars.