Bohdan quickly pushed through the crowd. Many fellow priests and the inhabitants of Equilum gathered in the shadow of the Grand Cathedral. An occasional glimpse towards the gallows showed, that the rope was yet to be put around the neck of the accused. Bohdan didn't come here to catch glimpses, he needed to be seen. The balcony of the Ad Ecclesiam was the perfect vantage point. People' chatter and children' laughter surrounded him. Another glimpse, a cowled man dressed in all black pushed the accused man under the beam from which he would hang. The dense crowd blocked Bohdan's path. There was no way inside. He looked around. A few others were lucky enough to find higher ground. The oak tables in front of the Ad Ecclesiam creaked under the weight of the people standing on them, trying to get a better look. Bohdan began scaling the side of the building. His foot slipped on an icy window sill. He tried again. He jumped and grabbed the railing of the balcony. The spectators recoiled from his sudden appearance. Ha clambered up and held onto the railing and looked back. The man awaiting his own execution now had a rope around his neck. A guard in ceremonial armor stood next to him. His face was hidden under an ornate helmet but he spoke with a loud, booming voice. 

"You stand here accused of heresy against the sanctity and good name of the Probare and inciting panic amongst the population! By the good graces of Enequila, here in the City of Justice, the gods grant you the opportunity to repent and retract your falsehoods. What say you?" The accused took a small step forward, his neck pulling on the rope and took a few seconds to look through the crowd and gather his thoughts.

"People of Equilum, I stand here accused of heresy for stating the truth! That man sitting in the Cathedral is a false Probare! He was never meant to be elected. The true Probare still lives in Lagburg!" A wave of gasps permeated the crowd of onlookers. Angry shouts of disbelief and calls for the man's death followed shortly. Bohdan himself shook his head, but he kept his gaze on the accused man. Stunned by the crowds reaction, the man's eyes began darting around, looking for something, while he continued even more desperately. "The prenunty was false! The great prophet, Aeron Cadogan was forced to make the prediction by the late Primas Jahab. I was there when he drew the plans to bring True Order and unite the Church by becoming the next Probare." His words fell on deaf ears as the crowd of people grew more and more agitated. Two drunks on the balcony began placing bets on whether the man will be able to finish his plea. "It was never meant to cause this divide! You must believe me! I stand here, innocently accused of crimes I..." the man locked eyes with Bohdan, and his speech suddenly stopped. While staring at Bohdan, he took a small step backwards. The guard in shining, ceremonial plate armor once again began to speak.

"Even when granted the good will of Enequila, this man refuses to repent.", said the guard and turned from the crowd to the man about to be hanged. "For your crimes against the Church of the Order and the city of Equilum, I, Benedict Carnifer, Keyman of the Tenet Wardens, by authority granted to me by the Probare and the gods of Order, sentence you to die." The executioner, who was standing ready for this moment, grabbed the lever on the edge of the platform. The accused finally tore his gaze away from Bohdan and began shouting.

"Wait! Wait! You must believe me! The prenunty was false, I'm telling the tru...", his last words were cut short by the pull of a lever. A trapdoor opened under him and he fell through, breaking his neck in an instant. At that moment, Bohdan looked up at the dome of the imposing cathedral as it stood over the execution. Enequila passed her judgement, clear as day. The blood-thirsty crowd cheered, betting men exchanged silver and the guards marched away from the gallows. As the people on the balcony began to disperse, Bohdan climbed over the railing onto the balcony, and headed down the stairs. He still had a fight ahead of him. Since the legion began organizing the competition, Bohdan fought there almost every week. It was good practice to keep himself in shape in case his sword arm is needed for something important. He exited the Ad Ecclesiam and headed towards Quarry Hill behind the cathedral. As he walked by the gallows, he looked at the statue of Probare I. The bronze likeness of the prophet as his disciples helped him up from the ground stood there for centuries, unmoving, unchanging, like the Church itself. The Probare gazed upon the sky, looking towards the gods who sent him. Even laying on the ground, the bronze man carried their teachings with pride and duty. Bohdan had no time to dwell on these things, he had a fight to win. He hastened his steps as he passed the cathedral. The group of guards who were present at the execution caught his eyes as they returned to their patrols. They were whistling and chatting as if they hadn't just condemned a man to die. Their leader, Keyman Carnifer headed towards their barracks which stood isolated in a field of dead flowers and dried grass. Behind it, Quarry Hill, currently occupied by the second legion of Pumilicornus. Since their arrival months ago, Bohdan grew quite used to this sight. Dark clouds gathered to the East behind the hill, a sign of worse days to come.

Bohdan reached the entrance of the encampment. Two legionnaires, wearing only their winter clothing, served as the gatekeepers of the camp. As he walked up to them, one of them asked "Did they hang the bastard? I heard he was bad-mouthing the Church." Bohdan simply nodded. "Good, I never liked heretics." replied the legionnaire as he waved Bohdan in. Bohdan headed back towards the fighting ring. There, his teammates and opponents already gathered amongst the tents and the makeshift arena. He silently walked up to his comrades, who were in deep discussion about the hanging, all agreeing to its necessity. The three men were so caught up in their talk, they didn't notice Bohdan walking towards them until he was right there. William, a huge man, both in height and in width turned to him. "Bohdan, you're finally back. What took you so long?"

"I... found a spot in Ad Ecclesiam, it took me a while to get through the crowd." replied Bohdan as he turned his head towards the Grand Cathedral. 

"Lucky you, we could only get to the outside of the crowd, I couldn't hear anything." said the giant man jovially while Robert and Boris, the other two of the company, nodded. "Anyways," continued William, "you are up next. We challenged those... peculiar mercenaries and we chose to do a duel. You can take that one, right?"  William gestured towards one of the two groups of mercenaries who enrolled into the tournament. A hooded figure dressed in all black known as the Raven stood by the weapon stand, trying out the various wooden weapons. He flourished rapidly with a sword while practicing footwork. The Raven's ragtag posse was fiercer than they looked, as they have defeated all teams so far except for one of the two legionnaire teams. Bohdan knew he had the favor of the gods on his side, so he confidently nodded and walked towards the arena. His teammates patted him on the back as he picked up one of the wooden swords and entered the ring. The Raven entered the opposite side at the same time. The legionnaires of the camp and the other contestants gathered around the ring. The orchestrator of the tournament and one of the officers of the camp, a centurio stood on a little podium fully dressed in pristine armor. Next to him stood Shiu, a beautiful Fealorean woman wearing an elegant purple dress under a winter cloak, holding a ledger and a pen. Her delicate appearance was a stark contrast to the rugged military encampment and the legionnaires that inhabited it, but she appeared to feel right at home, just like the first time she and Bohdan met at the Martyr's Bathhouse during the summer. Since then, Bohdan saw her frequently, mainly as the recordkeeper during these tournaments, but never talked to her outside of official business. As a crowd gathered around the fighting arena, the legionnaires cleared the way for two blindfolded legionnaires. Bohdan recalled the first time he saw these drakonaries. During the first tournament in the camp, he saw them stationed next to the latrine, isolated from most of the camp. Despite being blinded after their birth to hide the signs of their heritage, the military still found a use for those cursed by dragon blood. As they were led to two opposing corners of the ring, their comrades pulled away as if they smelled of sulfur. One drakonary was positioned behind each contestant and performed an anti-magic spell, ensuring that none of the combatants could use arcane tricks. The centurio proclaimed that this fight between teams 1 and 2 will be a duel. Once both fighters signaled that they were ready, the centurio started the contest. His opponent lunged towards him. Bohdan stood still. The dark hood of the Raven reminded him of the recent events. While he stood helplessly in inaction, the hooded figure leaned down to grab the lever and yanked it. Bohdan suddenly felt the man's grasp on his leg as his opponent pulled it with such force that Bohdan was sent flying. While he was mid air, his opponent delivered a strong blow to his chest on the way down. As he hit the mud, his eyes found one of the mages. While her eyes were covered with a blindfold, Bohdan felt the gaze of the mage fall upon him. He laid there for a second, trying to catch his breath, but the fight was over the moment his shoulders touched the ground. Team 2 was proclaimed as the winner and the Raven extended a hand towards Bohdan. He ignored it and got up on his own. Bohdan looked around to find the mage once again, but both of them had disappeared into the crowd of cheering legionnaires. The Raven, not even reacting to Bohdan's rudeness, patted him on the shoulder and wished him luck in the future. Bohdan's teammates rushed in, asking him if he was all right. He brushed their concern aside and asked for a few minutes to rest alone. Still aching from his recent experience, he shambled towards the edge of the cliff, which the arena was built upon. There, he found a comfortable looking stone and sat down, staring towards the city of Equilum and the Grand Cathedral. His mind once again returned to the executed man. Where will the guards lay him to rest? He was a priest after all. Surely, they will bury him in sacred ground. Maybe next to a great holy warrior, slain in righteous wars. Or amongst the many dedicated servants of Order. As he sat silently, holding his aching ribcage, his gaze once again wandered onto the dome of the cathedral. At its peak stood a single figure, a statue of Enequila. The Goddess of Justice faced away from Bohdan, staring at the setting sun. 

"Greetings." said a female voice behind him. At first, he ignored the sound, hoping to be left alone, but after the second greeting, he turned his head around just enough to catch a glimpse of the woman. A Getan priestess stood behind him. Her deep blue robes immediately gave away her devotion to Semernos. "Sorry to bother you, but were you at the execution?" asked the priestess. 

"Yes." replied Bohdan briefly as he turned back towards the cathedral. The early winter sunset was approaching rapidly, painting the cathedral in radiant orange light. A slight grimace settled on Bohdan's face as he watched the scenery.

"Did you know him? The person being hanged?" asked the priestess, continuing her inquiry.

"Yes." replied Bohdan silently, without turning towards her.

"My condolences. Do you know why he was hanged?" pushed the woman even further. Bohdan opened his mouth to answer, but the words didn't come out. Heresy, causing dissent, inciting panic, doubting the legitimacy of the Probare, all severe crimes. Crimes the man was not guilty of. Bohdan just sat there, silently contemplating his answer. "I apologize, this is clearly not the time for questions." said the priestess and walked away, leaving Bohdan alone with his thoughts. He sat there for several minutes, staring at the darkening landscape, surrounded by the revelry of legionnaires and mercenaries. At one point, he felt a large hand on his shoulder. He looked up and saw William standing there with a bottle in his hand.

"How are you faring? Our final round is coming up and we really need you out there. Here, drink this. It will give you a little boost." said the man and shoved the bottle into Bohdan's hand. The bottle, although probably made to hold wine, now held a bright red liquid. A healing potion. Bohdan hesitantly drank the concoction and felt his broken rib popping back to its place. He stood up and handed the bottle back to William. "Are you all right? You seem distraught. Did something happen?", asked William with concern. Bohdan looked at him, then towards the cathedral. The realization seemed to dawn on William. "Oh... You... you knew him? I... I didn't know, I'm sorry for your loss. Even if he was a heretic." he added. "Do you want to sit this one out? We can do three against three. We don't even have a chance to win, we lost too many bouts."

"No, no, it's fine. I just needed some time." responded Bohdan with a forced smile. William, immediately dropping all signs of concern, slapped him on the back and began marching back towards the arena, shouting "Excellent, we have five minutes!" as he turned away. Bohdan followed him. Boris and Robert talked tactics while William drank some wine as preparation. Bohdan just walked up to the ring and looked at the group of legionnaires they were about to face. The winner of the day was clear; the Raven and his group triumphed, but the tournament kept going until all fights were finished. There was nothing to lose or gain from this final fight, besides honor. The other contestants were either celebrating their victory or mourning their defeat, while Bohdan stood and waited. The two teams entered the arena and the fight began, just like before. The audience was smaller, the cheers quieter as the outcome of this fight was inconsequential. Armed with wooden weapons, the two teams squared off. The legionnaires seemed determined to defeat the priests and pushed them back while delivering blow after blow. Bohdan, despite besting many foes before, found himself on the backfoot. He held his guard up, defending himself while Robert and Boris were quickly eliminated, leaving him and William alone against the group of enemies. William was strong and shrugged off the opponents strikes while fighting back. He grabbed one of the legionnaires and tossed him outside of the arena. Bohdan knew that the two of them can still win this fight. He parried the enemies' blows and held his ground, while William went for another one of the legionnaires. However, the enemy switched tactics. While Bohdan was busy defending himself, his opponent disengaged and they surrounded William. Despite his strength, William was no match for three strong warriors and with great struggle, he was pushed down to the ground. Bohdan remained alone against overwhelming numbers and as they moved to surround him, he dropped his weapon and forfeited the fight. The Raven and his gang were proclaimed as the victors and Bohdan, without acknowledging the calls from his fellow priests, turned around and began walking away. As the contestants congratulated each other and the spectators began to slowly dissipate, Bohdan left the encampment and headed towards the cathedral.

The garden surrounding the massive building lied dry and dead, there were no signs of the many flowers that blanketed the area during the summer. The square, crowded by people merely an hour before, now looked empty with a few merchants packing up their wares in the market. As Bohdan turned the corner, he looked at the hanging heretic's corpse for a moment, then quickly turned towards the entrance of the cathedral. The large, open door stood wide open, intricate carvings of angels beckoning people inside. Bohdan answered their call and stepped into the Grand Cathedral.

The immense structure towered over him and although it was not the first time he entered this place, he felt the presence of the gods as strongly as ever before. The clicking and thumping sounds of the Great Mechanism gave a rhythm to his steps as he walked along the central aisle. Mostly empty pews in great number populated the gigantic room as six great pillars held up the dome atop the building and stood watch over them. Each pillar was dedicated to a god of Order, featuring their sculptures and symbols. Portraits of the previous 56 Probares hung from the pure, white walls amongst beautifully painted depictions of well-known tales and stories about the gods and their servants, angels and demons. Gazing upwards, stone gave way to gold and copper as interlocking gears covered the inside of the dome; an unmoving imitation of the vast Mechanism that governs the world. Bohdan walked towards the center of the space, but stopped in front of the first pair of pillars. Marvelously carved statues of the married gods, Semernos and Enequila looked towards the empty space in the middle of the room, surrounded by the gods. Even their backs, the most hidden parts of their bodies were carved with great care. On the left side, the likeness of Enequila held perfectly balanced scales while on the right, Semernos grasped an hourglass, with all of the sand already run out. From across the space, two gods - those closest to Bohdan's heart - looked towards him. Perviga, holding her bow, ever-vigilant in her hunt for the enemies of Order stood on the left. On the right, Ostinatos, holding his hammer high, ready to strike. Bohdan stood still on the precipice of the circle, looking at the statues of the gods he revered. Whom he worshipped and sacrificed so much for. His eyes wandered beyond the statues towards the far end of the immense building. A line of Tenet Wardens guarded the entrance to the Tenet Library, the source of the gods' teachings and home of the Probare. Bohdan wondered which tome could instruct the hanging of someone doubting the prenunty. An elven prophet dictating the life and death of the first servant of the gods. Why did they choose a faithless wizard as their conduit for prophecy instead of the many diligent and devoted servants that they led and taught for hundreds of years? Surely there was a purpose for it all, even if it eluded Bohdan.

As he stood there, contemplating, people walked past him, deep in prayer. A group of monks entered the central area and began praying to the gods. The once empty space, no longer abandoned filled up with devotees, yet Bohdan felt the gaze of the gods still falling upon him. He slowly took a step back and sat down in one of the pews to pray. He prayed to Enequila to allow the hanged man's essence into the Great Mechanism so that he can join the Vast Calculation. He prayed to Semernos to make this time of division end swiftly. He prayed to Perviga to stand watch over him. He prayed to Ostinatos to grant him the will and strength to continue his service to the gods. He prayed to Machina to shift the gears of the Great Mechanism in his favor. Lastly, he prayed to Elevalos to help him in these trying times. After hours of praying, he looked up to see the cathedral much more populated. Fellow priests, citizens and road-weary travelers filled the pews and joined him in prayer. He stood up and headed towards the entrance. Through the open door, illuminated by the many candles burning in the cathedral, he could only see a dark road leading away from the building. People wearing thick cloaks walked inside, taking off hats and gloves at the entrance as the warmth of the cathedral's many candles embraced them. Bohdan walked into the cold outside, towards the gallows, taking slow steps as his eyes got used to the much less illuminated square. When his eyes finally adjusted, he saw an empty structure, with a rope hanging loosely from the top of the beam. One young monk lingered nearby, looking to find a use for the broom in his hand. Bohdan walked up to him and asked with a forced smile. "Good evening! I saw a man being hanged here earlier. What happened to him?" 

"They usually get the bodies down from here quickly. The Tenet Wardens don't appreciate heretic corpses hanging around the cathedral." answered the young man with a smile he attempted to hide unsuccessfully. Bohdan narrowed his eyes and continued.

"Where did they take him? Where's the closest graveyard?" The young man quickly looked him up and down and responded.

"No, they didn't take him to a graveyard. Are heretics buried in sacred ground where you're from?" Bohdan didn't consider that an option. The man was a priest, after all. If the man was not buried in sacred ground, his essence won't join the Great Mechanism. Was the young monk probing for information or just curious?

"Of course not. They don't deserve proper burials. However... where I come from, their kind have their own graveyards that they share with other criminals." he answered. "Is there such a place here?" 

"Interesting. I guess there are not enough criminals and heretics in this city to warrant such a location." remarked the monk with pride. Bohdan looked up at the beam where the ropes have begun to carve a dent into the wood over decades of use. "Here, a small group of monks usually find an isolated place outside the city so no one can visit the graves of these... people. Why? What do you want with the man?" The monk placed his broom aside, leaning it onto the gallows. Bohdan thought for a second, if he should tell the truth or make up a lie.

"I think he robbed me the other day. We were playing Hamla in the Ad Ecclesiam. I had a ring that my mother left me and by the time we were finished playing, it was gone. I didn't notice until he'd already left. I'm hoping the wardens might not have taken it off of him. I don't want it getting stolen by some grave robbers." His gaze wandered away from the gallows and onto the statue of Enequila once again.

"Well, they took the corpse towards the Grain Road. If you hurry, you may reach them before they place the body in the hole." The young man pointed towards the South-East, past the cathedral. Bohdan thanked the monk and started walking in that direction. He quickly reached the Curvamnis River, which flowed through the city and the bridge called the Grain Road. This stone bridge, busy with farmers hauling goods into the city during the day, stretched across the river. Two gatehouses on either end of the bridge guarded it. Underneath the raised portcullises, tired members of the town guard stood watch, barely acknowledging Bohdan as he walked past them with great haste. On the other side of the river, the multi-story buildings of the inner city gave way to farmhouses and granaries. Bohdan moved with determined steps while scouring the horizon for a group of people burying a body. As he searched, a group of people led by a familiar woman walked past him. Shiu, the scribe from the tournament now carried another book. The two of them locked eyes for a quick moment and a very slight raise of an eyebrow with a knowing smile revealed that the woman had recognized Bohdan as well. She was accompanied by several monks dressed in unceremonious, brown habits, covered by wool cloaks. Two of them carried shovels, recently used. Bohdan realized that he was too late. He dared not ask them for directions. Instead, he said a quick prayer to Perviga to grant him good eyesight, so he can find the freshly moved earth on his own. He walked for around ten minutes and stopped. Here, amongst barren fields, he looked back towards the city. If the falsely accused man was indeed buried by the roadside, he'd have found the grave by now. The body must have been buried in a small graveyard somewhere. He looked around the dark landscape but couldn't spot a small chapel anywhere. There must have been a hidden graveyard at the edge of the city. Bohdan headed back towards Equilum while still searching the barren fields with his eyes. Only a few minutes have passed when he spotted a small mound of dirt a few hundred meters away at the border of two fields. He rushed through the field and reached the mound. Bohdan grabbed a bit of soil. It was ice-cold, but clearly recently moved. He dropped onto his knees and started digging the near-frozen soil with his bare hands. Little by little, he dug deeper and deeper, until his fingers couldn't feel anymore. Then, the brown dirt gave way to skin, a nose and a face. Bohdan scooped a little more soil from around the corpse's head and cleared away the dirt from its cheeks. He sat back on his heels while whispering "Forgive me, brother."

Bohdan sat there for a long time, staring at the lifeless body of his late brother, covered in frozen soil. His mind blocked out the outside world as he felt himself hanging onto the railing of the Ed Ecclesiam, he and his brother sharing one final moment. The executioner grabbing the lever, eagerly waiting for the sentence to be made. The audience, shouting slurs and wishing for the death of the man trying to enlighten them. Those men in the dark corners of an alehouse betting on an innocent's demise. The keyman stepping forward without allowing the man to finish his final plea for his own life, hastily declaring him a heretic. The hangman pulling the lever without hesitation, to the glee of the bloodthirsty people of this once holy city dedicated to the goddess of justice that had been reduced to a mockery. If the city is not going to serve justice, Bohdan himself shall.

His mind went through the execution again and again. He tried to recall all recognizable features of the executioner, the keyman and all of the tenet wardens who dragged his brother to the gallows. The toll of the midnight bells pulled him out of this trance and realized what his shivering body and blue lips tried to tell him for hours. He carefully covered up the body once again and dragged a larger stone to the grave. He carved the name 'Adrian' into the stone so he would not be forgotten by time. With a vengeful heart, he returned to the city that had betrayed him and his brother. He knew he needed some rest before making any moves, so he returned to the dormitory where he had been spending his nights. Inside the dormitory was a large open space with a multitude of beds where Bohdan had been given a place to rest. His bed was in a corner, between a now empty bed and the wall.

After a restless night there, surrounded by ignorant priests and pilgrims who knelt before the false Probare, Bohdan returned to the cathedral in the morning. A light snow started to fall during the night and the streets were covered in a fresh, white layer. The gallows were empty, as if they hadn't been used the day prior. Bohdan walked up to the statue of the first Probare, who brought the wisdom of the gods to the people. The figure lay on the ground, struggling to get up after his fall from the sky, yet the prophet still showed the way to the truth of the Great Mechanism. His disciples aided him, instead of pushing him down. Bohdan smiled at the absurdity of what the Church had become. Here, the people closest to the gods, oppressed those who would bring them the truth. Bohdan turned around and walked into the cathedral. As he stepped inside, the divinity of the Great Mechanism once again flowed through him. The gods were still there, waiting for worthy followers who are not blinded by arrogance, who are willing to do what is necessary. Bohdan walked to the center of the massive room; the sounds of the Great Mechanism once again giving a rhythm to his steps. He stopped in the middle, surrounded by the gods. The statue of Enequila looked expectantly towards the line of Tenet Wardens, who were guarding the false Probare. Bohdan looked at Semernos' statue that was looking down at him. The god had a mission for him and Bohdan knew that there must consequences for the killing of his brother. However, Bohdan didn't want to exact revenge on the wrong people, he needed to find those actually responsible. His brother always wanted to avoid doing harm to the faithful, however misguided should they be. While Bohdan didn't possess this weakness, he didn't want to dishonor his brother by going against his wishes in service of him. He turned towards the altar at the far end of the room. Priests were already preparing for the daily ceremony and walked around lighting candles. Bohdan walked to the front of the pews and sat down. He began praying to the gods once again. He prayed to Elevalos to aid him and let this pain subside. He prayed to Machina to find a good place for his brother's essence within the Great Mechanism. But he needed to ensure that his essence was allowed inside. He needed a proper burial for that to happen. While he was praying, more and more people arrived at the cathedral as the bells rung, calling the faithful to pray. Within minutes, the pews filled up with people and the false Probare approached the altar. The sounds of the Great Mechanism that permeated the gigantic room quieted down, allowing the voice of the impostor to be heard. Bohdan did not care for what he had to say. This man had taken the place of Primas Jahab and he was no more than a mere puppet. Bohdan continued his prayer, ignoring the lies of the false Probare. He prayed to Ostinatos to grant him the will to see his quest through. He prayed to Perviga to grant him great insight into the people of this city and to help him find those responsible for the death of his brother. An hour passed and the lies stopped. The people, blissful in their ignorance returned to their lives. Bohdan was not finished yet. He prayed to Semernos to show him the path towards the true cause of yesterday's tragedy. As he leaned forward in prayer, Bohdan noticed a pair of feet hiding under a familiar blue robe. The priestess of Semernos who bothered him yesterday approached him once again. 

"I'm sorry. May we talk?" Asked the woman. Bohdan looked up at her. A sympathetic face looked back. Bohdan quickly looked her up and down. The woman's clothes were made from a fine material, but showed wear. A much more rugged cloak sat on her shoulders covering a backpack. She held an intricate staff in her hand, adorned with a series of concentric rings at the top. The woman did not lean on it for support, so it must have served as a ceremonial staff or perhaps as a spellcasting focus. 

"Fine, we can talk. But I must finish my prayer first." Bohdan turned his attention back to the gods, while the woman stood still for a minute. Whispers of devotion filled the cathedral as she waited for Bohdan. After realizing that his prayer will take more than a minute, she leaned in closer.

"Of course, take your time. I will wait for you outside." The woman slowly walked away, leaving Bohdan to his prayer. He once again prayed to Semernos. If this woman is an agent of him, he will listen to what she has to say. Her sudden appearance was definitely no coincidence. Maybe through her, Semernos will provide guidance. Lastly, he prayed to Enequila to allow him to be his conduit of her justice. With his prayer finished, he stood up, looked around the cathedral and took note of the tenet wardens currently stationed there. The keyman who ordered his brother's execution stood proudly in front of the entrance to the Tenet Library, the only indisputable source of divine knowledge where the false Probare now lived. He walked out of the cathedral where the woman waited for him patiently.

"I would like to apologize for being so inconsiderate the other day." Started the priestess, once Bohdan was within talking distance. "I noticed that you had been affected by yesterday's events and I would like to hear what happened." Bohdan raised his eyebrow and looked at the gallows. Feelings of regret and anger rushed his mind, but he managed to keep his composure. He gestured with his head for the priestess to follow him and began walking towards the South-East, towards the river bank. The woman followed.

"What do you want to know?" Asked Bohdan while marching quickly. He didn't want to be within earshot of the guards. He knew what a few bad sentences can lead to.

"Firstly, I would like to say that I agree with him. I believe that the prenunty was false and he deserves to have his side of the events recorded. I would like to know who he was and what he believed that led to his execution. You knew him well, didn't you?" Asked the fellow priestess. Bohdan listened to her question but hesitated to answer until they were well away from the cathedral. Then he stopped near the river bank and turned towards the woman.

"He was my brother. His name was Adrian." Said Bohdan, still trying to say as little as possible. 

"I'm terribly sorry for your loss. It was unjust to execute him for telling what he believed to be true. I couldn't hear everything he said from the noise of the crowd. He looked like he was quite certain of his knowledge. How could he know that the prenunty was false?" For the first time since the old Probare escaped Equilum, Bohdan began to feel safe in a conversation. He was convinced that this woman represented the will of Semernos and he always confided in the god of time, so he could confide in his devotee.

"We were warrior priests in the Blakfort Kingdom and saw the terrible state that the church was in. From serving higher powers, priests became selfish, turning to politics and worldly desires while the rule of the gods waned. Primas Jahab realized this and worked to restore true Order to the Continent. One that strikes fear into the hearts of heretics... true heretics, worshippers of Kaos and Sinistos. One that is not subject to the whims of an elf, announcing the death of the Probare like the date of a royal wedding. The Primas recruited us to help him in his cause and we gladly joined him. His conviction made him very popular amongst the other Primases and he was to be elected for the role of Probare if the old one died. Through him, the gods of Order passed their judgement on the old Probare and he wanted to end the charade of the prenunty once and for all. The plan was there, the gods were by our side and the location of this 'Great Diviner' was revealed to him." Bohdan paused for a second and took a deep breath. "Then those brigands, servants of Sinistos ruined everything! They murdered the Primas right after the prenunty was delivered. They should all die for what they did!" Bohdan felt himself speaking louder and louder, so he paused and lowered his voice. "If I ever find out who murdered the Primas, I will not hesitate to kill them. I advise you to do the same, sister." The priestess stepped back and placed her free hand on her staff. Bohdan realized how furious he became and took a few seconds to cool down. "Without the Primas, our group had no purpose and disintegrated. Most of us returned to their old lives, but me and my brother could not stand the corrupt hierarchy of the Church of Order. We traveled here to see what Semernos' will ends up being. Adrian was afraid that the Church would fall apart and wanted to stop it from happening. How right he turned out to be. Despite my warnings, he began openly talking about the truth. You know the rest." The woman grabbed her chin and stared in the distance for a few seconds. Still processing all of this information, she looked back at Bohdan and thanked him for sharing. She apologized once again for disturbing his day and swore not to tell anyone about it. At this point, Bohdan wasn't paying much attention to her anymore. He was still thinking about the Primas' death and the servants of Chaos. They caused all of this. They caused the Schism, they killed the only man who could bring this land back from disarray and they caused the Order to execute Bohdan's brother for revealing the truth. Adrian only wanted to stop the hostility and divide within the church. He wanted to bring the people back to the light of the gods. He only wanted to reverse what Kaos' servants had done. And he was killed for it. Bohdan finally understood why the gods sent this woman to him. He needed to realize that until these servants of evil were vanquished, the world could not return to Order. He absentmindedly returned the woman's farewell as he planned the next steps. But first, he needed to give his brother a proper burial. He could not leave Adrian, a martyr of the Order in unsacred ground. His mind jumped to Shiu, whom he had first met in a place called the Martyr's Bathhouse. Was that part of the gods' plans from the beginning? There was only one way to find out.

Shortly after the priestess disappeared from his sight, Bohdan headed towards the Martyr's Bathhouse. He walked past the cathedral and headed to the Northern part of the city. The snow on the road was now dirty, blackened from the all the people who walked over it. 

Bohdan reached his destination quickly. The Martyr's Bathhouse was one of the most respectable establishments in the city, servicing the wealthy and the nobles who lived in the city or arrived here for a visit to the Grand Cathedral. The building was old, but sturdy. Its main entrance was only covered by a curtain. Bohdan stepped into the hall where a young girl stood behind a desk. The few chairs, set up for waiting customers were currently empty as the bathhouse saw less use during winter. The girl looked up and welcomed Bohdan to the Martyr's Bathhouse. Before she could begin to list all the available services, Bohdan interrupted her and asked to speak to Shiu directly. The girl ran off to check if Shiu is available and returned quickly to tell Bohdan that Shiu was currently meeting the owner of the establishment, and that she will be available shortly. He was allowed to wait for her inside, next to the central pool. He thanked the girl and walked inside. The central pool was open to the sky, currently covered in a thin layer of ice and snow. A thin walkway surrounded it with ornately carved columns holding the open terrace that formed the roof. The walls were decorated with mosaics depicting historical events. Bohdan's favorite, the one covering the bottom of the pool showed where the establishment got its name from. One of the Probares, on the day of his prophesized death, came here to relax, but slipped and died from hitting his head on the small steps leading into the central pool. As he could not see the artwork from the ice, Bohdan looked around and his eyes caught a spot on the steps where a small crack formed. Surprisingly, it was the only crack on the otherwise immaculate pool. On the other end of the space, a staircase led upwards, towards the terrace and the owner's office. Bohdan didn't dare to interrupt their meeting, so he waited patiently. On either side of the area, several doors led to offices and private bathrooms. Bohdan had been here a couple of times before to apply for the tournaments, which Shiu managed, so he knew exactly which door led to her office. After a couple of minutes, with careful steps, Shiu walked down the staircase and the moment she spotted Bohdan, loudly greeted him.

"Bohdan, it's so good to see you! Please, tell me what I can help you with!" She swiftly but elegantly walked around the pool and ushered Bohdan towards her office. She opened the door with her key and let Bohdan inside.

"Gods be with you, Shiu. I... have a very specific problem." Said Bohdan hesitantly while he sat down in the chair opposite of Shiu, who closed the door behind them and also took a seat. Before he could continue, Shiu interrupted him.

"My deepest condolences for your brother. We didn't converse much, but he was undoubtedly an inspiration to us all. A true believer to the very end. Could you say your final farewells? Oh, excuse me, I interrupted, what is this problem you're having?" Bohdan raised his eyebrow. Although she seemed mostly genuine, he could sense a bit of sarcasm in her voice.

"I am here about Adrian. As you know, his body lies under some farmland, instead of sacred ground, where he belongs." Shiu listened intently with a concerned look on her face. "I am going to find those truly responsible for his death, but first I need to rectify this mistake. I need some assistance with properly burying him. I thought you might know someone who can help me." 

"This is a serious matter, Bohdan. Serious indeed. He was branded a heretic and executed publicly. Half of the city had borne witness to his demise. Besides, burials in the cemeteries are even more documented than those outside of them." Shiu leaned back in her chair. "If you were to lay him to rest in sacred ground, you would have to have it recorded in the official tome of the gravekeeper. The gravekeepers will no doubt refuse to bury a heretic. Unless you can infiltrate a church and perfectly forge such a record, your best option remains to sanctify the ground he is buried in now. You remain an ordained priest, correct?" Bohdan ashamedly shook his head.

"No, it must be done right, I can't just let him rot there, only to be dug up by some peasant years later or even worse, turn into a ghoul. This is absurd, why can't a faithful man be buried along the others?" Bohdan leaned forward as he tried to think of the best solution. "What if I brought the book here? You would know what to write in it, right?" Shiu shrugged. "Then they wouldn't ask questions. I would still need to get him there though." Shiu raised a finger, prompting Bohdan to stop.

"I can more easily aid you with that. We have some strong lads here at the bathhouse. They can do anything for some money. But to forge an official record? Bohdan, I can not believe that you would ask such a criminal act of me." Shiu looked slightly offended and stood up from her chair. Bohdan wasn't quite sure if he should leave, but he didn't have anyone else to go to. There was no way he could create a convincing record. His comrades from the tournament would definitely refuse to help, or even worse, they would report him as well. Adrian could have done it, he was the educated one. He looked up at Shiu. She turned around and walked over to the drawer in the corner of her office. A bird cage stood there, but instead of a bird, a strange lizard was kept inside. A small, green creature with wide toes clung to the underside of the miniature tree kept inside. Shiu leaned in to watch the caged lizard closely. "So, what will it be? Shall I call the lads or will you find someone else to help in this... endeavor?" Asked Shiu while observing her pet. Then, she opened the cage and held out her finger towards it. "Fine... If you can do something for me, I may be able to help you with those records. But I will need assurances that it will not get back to me." The lizard quickly wrapped around her finger.

"Anything I can do, I'm willing to. Please." Answered Bohdan. "What do you need?" 

"Well, let's leave that open for now, shall we? First, let's shake on our mutually beneficial arrangement." Shiu reached into her pouch and the lizard clambered inside. She pulled out a small piece of paper and a golden needle from the pouch. As she slowly walked back to the table, she poked holes in seemingly very specific spots on the paper. Bohdan has never seen such a thing before, he wasn't sure if this was a magical item, a ritual or something else, but it was most likely some form of magic. Two magic users in a day, that's rare outside of armies, royal courts and universities. Shiu put the piece of paper in her hand and extended it for a handshake towards Bohdan. He did not wish to go along with an unknown magical process so he looked at Shiu who looked at him with a beautiful smile. Her face, both mischievous and warm, most likely drew many people to make such deals with her before. However, Bohdan had learnt to control his attraction towards the fairer sex and did not allow a pretty face to cloud his judgement. 

"I would prefer a written agreement if you don't mind. I don't trust whatever this is." Bohdan gestured vaguely towards her extended hand. Shiu pulled her hand back and placed the paper and needle back in her pouch. While still smiling, she sat down, took a normal, blank piece of paper and began writing.

"And who would enforce such a written contract, Bohdan? The city watch? The urban senate? The Tenet Wardens? All of them might find both sides of this agreement questionable. Would you risk being executed for heresy on the off-chance that I do not fulfill my end of our bargain? Asked Shiu mockingly while writing down the specifics of their arrangement. Bohdan patiently waited until she finished writing.

"The gods, Shiu, they will enforce it. If we dedicate our deal to Semernos, he will ensure that the agreement will be fulfilled." 

"That was my intention as well. My method is only a bit more... refined. I have some experience in deals overseen by the gods. Plenty of holy people around, you see." Shiu gestured towards the cathedral as she wrote up a copy of their deal. Bohdan was surprised. He couldn't imagine how a piece of paper could substantiate a deliberate prayer. He didn't trust this woman however. He waited until she finished writing and read through both papers. Despite his best efforts, he could find no flaws. He placed his hand on the papers and prayed. 

"I pray to you, Semernos, the oldest of the gods to witness this agreement we are about to make and write it into your records. I pray to you, Enequila, the goddess of justice to look over this deal and ensure that both parties keep their written word and work not to cheat or deceive the other. I pray to you both that appropriate punishment befalls any of us that breaks this contract. May the Great Mechanism enforce this deal." During his prayer, he looked up at Shiu. Although she hid it as well as any person could, a hint of annoyance slipped through her facade as she listened. After they both signed the paper, Shiu stood up and put the lizard back in its cage.

"If I were you, I would acquire that tome posthaste. I suggest that you visit the Church of Lady Juventia. It is past the grave of your brother, on the edge of the village of Juvena. It should be the closest one to your brother and if I remember correctly, they recently had many people die. It should only take about an hour on foot." Shiu carefully placed the paper in a drawer, turned around, and leaned on it. Bohdan stood up, nodded and stepped towards the door. "It is always a pleasure to see you here Bohdan. I shall await your return."

"Thank you, Shiu. I hope the gods award you appropriately for your generosity." Bohdan wasted no time and headed towards Juvena.

Once again, Bohdan had to walk past the cathedral. Every route he took forced him to return to the place of his brother's murder again and again. The gods probably wanted to make sure he understood what he needed to do and why. As he passed the cathedral and turned towards the Grain Road, he spotted the same Semernos priestess he talked to earlier, walking along a group of foreign mercenaries. He recognized them from yesterday's tournament, although one of them was missing. Maybe the priestess was sent to them by Semernos to guide them. Do they share her beliefs about the prenunty? Maybe she is there to convince them of it. Why wasn't she prosecuted? She revealed her beliefs to him straight away, does she do that every time? If so, where are the guards? Why is she not lying dead in a ditch somewhere, along with Adrian? Bohdan could not answer these questions and continued his journey. The weather became worse and the cold air penetrated deep into his skin. As he passed the spot of his brother's grave, he stopped and looked at it from the road. A layer of white snow covered the field and the grave like a freshly washed blanket. He didn't approach it as people now populated the road. Peasants and traders drove carts of goods to the city. He didn't want to draw too much attention to himself or the grave. Why did Adrian die now? It's going to be a chore to dig him up from the frozen soil. If he could keep his mouth shut for another month, he could lie in wet earth right now.

Bohdan moved on from the site and after some time, he reached the town of Juvena. An old, decrepit church stood at some distance from the edge of the village. Dried vines covered its walls and a small graveyard, filled with tombstones surrounded it. An old priest worked slowly on removing the snow from the path that led to the building. Bohdan almost turned around and walked away at the abysmal state of this church. The village looked similarly run-down. Several buildings had holes in their roofs and only a handful of people walked around in black clothes. But, Bohdan believed that if the church is properly sanctified, it would be a good burial site for Adrian, regardless of the state of it. He walked up to the church and noticed several recently dug holes for graves. He approached the old priest. "Machina protect you, father. What happened here?" The old man looked up from his chores.

"Ah, may the gods watch over you as well, brother. You arrived at an unfortunate time. A terrible disease struck our village. A lot of our folk have perished. I can barely keep track of the deceased." Said the priest, confirming Shiu's words. Bohdan bowed his head in reverence. 

"I am sad to hear that. May Elevalos provide a helping hand."

"Thank you, brother, I pray that he does. What brings you here in these dire times?" Asked the priest.

"I come from distant lands on a pilgrimage to Equilum. I have seen the grandeur of the gods in their most prestigious location. However, I wish to see how other holy places near the Sacred City look. May I go inside?" Bohdan already began walking towards the church as he assumed it was open to all, like most churches.

"Of course, brother, please step inside." The two of them entered the church. The interior of the church was in a similar state to the outside. Ancient frescoes covered the walls, with paint already peeling off in certain areas. The local priest closed the door behind them and shambled towards the nearest pew to take a seat. Bohdan looked around the church. The sound of the Great Mechanism permeated the space, but it felt distant, as if the sound came from outside. The pews themselves and the altar were in decent condition. At the other end of the room, behind the altar, was the door leading to the priest's quarters, where the book was most likely kept. Above the door, two figures were painted, a woman and a shorter man with a long beard. The two figures held their arms out towards each other and their fingers met in the middle, directly above the center of the door. At their feet, various weapons lay on the ground.

"That is Lady Juventia. This church and the entire village was named after her." Said the priest suddenly, startling Bohdan.

"Why? What did she do?" asked Bohdan. The priest slowly stood up and walked towards the painting. 

"She saved a lot of people. During the Dwarven Hegemony, the still young Church of Order was persecuted by the dwarves. Many villages that already followed the true faith had to do so in secret or face the wrath of dwarf lords. Lady Juventia resisted." He pointed at the woman above the door. "She led a group of faithful followers who wanted to practice their faith openly." The old priest walked to the painting of the dwarf. "They were found by a throng of dwarves led by Marbror Oresmelter. Lady Juventia and a couple of brave fighters met the dwarves in this valley to stall them and buy time for the others to escape. Lady Juventia challenged Marbror to a duel to spare their warrior's lives. The honorable dwarf accepted. During their duel however, Lady Juventia convinced the dwarves to join the Order. This painting commemorates the moment where the two held out their hands in peace and agreed to set aside their weapons. The dwarves joined the villagers and built a new town right here, along with this very church." The priest held a hand on the painting as he told the story, barely looking at Bohdan as he did. 

"And they lived happily ever after?" Asked Bohdan cynically. "I doubt that the dwarves would have left them alone after this." The priest's expression saddened.

"Unfortunately, they did not. Another painting in my quarters tells the rest of her story. Thankfully, most people don't know about that part. The dwarves sent a new group after her, one far less open-minded. To hide the location of this village, Lady Juventia went to the dwarves so they would leave the townsfolk alone. She was crushed to death by the dwarves and thus became a martyr for the Order." Said the priest with great sadness in his voice. Bohdan saw an opportunity to get inside.

"May I see that painting?"

"I'm sorry, but it is not visible anymore. It is covered by furniture. I hated to look at it for years, so I hid it from view."

"I can move a wardrobe aside if I need to father. I would really like to see it." Bohdan stepped to the door enthusiastically. 

"Oh, very nice of you, but it is really not much to look at. I would rather leave it covered." Said the priest. Bohdan began to grow annoyed with the priest's reluctance to let him in.

"I can put it back afterwards, just let me look at it, old man!" Bohdan raised his voice and stepped towards the priest, who recoiled. 

"Why are you so interested in this painting? What do you want?" Asked the now cornered priest.

"I just want the truth. What are you hiding from the people?"

"I'm not hiding anything, brother. It's just not worth looking at. It is not important what Lady Juventia did after the village was founded. Her inspirational act is what matters." The confused priest tried to keep his distance from Bohdan, who stepped closer and closer.

"But she died for the Order, so people can live in peace. Don't you think that people should know about that? Her sacrifice? She gave everything for the faithful and you hide her memory under dirt!" Said Bohdan with an elevated voice, almost shouting.

"Dirt? The painting is behind a bookshelf, what are you talking about?" asked the priest even more confused. Bohdan grabbed the frail priest. 

"It doesn't matter where it is, people deserve to know her sacrifice. Otherwise, he died for nothing. Just let me in so I can make things right." The priest tried to wrestle himself free from Bohdan's grasp, but the young man easily overpowered him.

"He? What is this about?" The priest turned pale as this foreign man shouted nonsense in his face. "Please, let me go. I don't know what you want from me." Pleaded the priest, while refusing to give Bohdan what he asked for many times. "Has Kaos clouded your mind, brother? You are not making any sense."

"I'm the only one with a clear mind here. Those in Equilum refuse to accept the truth, like you." Said Bohdan, seething. 

"Wait, Equilum? Truth? Are you one of those Usians?" Taken aback by the accusation, Bohdan pushed the old man away, into the wall. The man hit his head on the hard stone surface and fell to the ground. His head left a small, red imprint on the wall. Bohdan staggered backwards. The old man lay on the ground, unmoving. A small pool of blood began spreading underneath his head. Bohdan stared at the body. Maybe the priest was right. His emotions were out of control. But there was no time for reflection, he needed to move fast. He quickly took the keys of the priest and opened the door. The cylindrical room was filled with all sorts of furniture, bookshelves, drawers and chests, leaving only a small path from the door to a desk and a bed. All sorts of clothes and ceremonial items were lying around in disorder. Bohdan easily found the book he was looking for as it lay open on top of the desk. He quickly grabbed it and got out of the room. He locked the door behind him and placed the keys back into the pouch of the priest. Then, he ran out of the church, taking care to leave unobserved. During the short time he spent inside, the sun had already set and he fled the dim lights of the village, disappearing into the darkness.

Once he lost sight of the village and got near the main road, he slowed down. He knew that he only had a limited time to get the book to Shiu and return before somebody finds the body of the priest. At most, he had until the morning to finish the burial. If only he could control himself, he wouldn't be in this much of a rush. What if the priest was found before he returned? Would he need to steal another book? What if he survived? He would be a wanted man. Would they hang him as well? Bohdan's mind raced through these questions as he returned to Equilum. The first thing he saw from the city was Enequila's statue on top of the Grand Cathedral looming ominously over the hills. After crossing the Grain Road, he made sure to evade the cathedral. This was more difficult than he imagined as every major road in the city led towards the building. Even while taking the long route, he saw parts of the building. He knew that there was no way the guards here would be aware of his crime, but he knew that the goddess of justice did and was already planning his punishment. Killing a member of the clergy is a serious offense against the gods and Bohdan knew that he had to answer for it eventually. Surely, the gods know that it was an accident. He didn't even realize that he already reached the Martyr's Bathhouse, when the receptionist asked him what he wanted.

"I... I'm here to meet Shiu again, I have a delivery for her."  Bohdan looked around the room. A few customers sat in the waiting room and to his surprise, a large bear's head sat on the floor. It looked like a hunter's trophy. The receptionist looked much more stressed than the last time he saw her.

"Unfortunately, she's not here at this time. She asked me to tell you that she wished to meet you at the senate building." Said the receptionist while occasionally glancing at the bear head. Bohdan thanked her and headed towards the senate building. He had been there once before, shortly after he and Adrian arrived in the city. He was curious to see how they handle things in Westatoras. Before coming here, he loved to hear tales of how orderly everything is and how well the state handles the law. He wasn't sure about that anymore. Where was the due process and legal representation he heard so much about? Why didn't the lawyers of the empire defend his brother? He knew why, he wasn't a citizen. They should have tried to secure a citizenship as soon as they arrived. Instead, they sat around, doing nothing. They should have left after the fighting in the cathedral. Why didn't Bohdan listen to his brother? Adrian would still be alive and he would not be running around stealing and murdering. 

Bohdan reached the senate building. This overly decorated building sat mostly empty, only used for the sessions of the urban senate. A perfect location for a secret meeting. Shiu was standing outside, sipping some steaming drink from a small cup. When she saw Bohdan, she quickly drank the rest and waved at him. 

"Have you acquired the tome?" Asked Shiu quietly as soon as Bohdan reached her vicinity. Instead of answering, Bohdan revealed the book from underneath his cloak. "How fortuitous, let's head inside, we should be undisturbed there." Bohdan followed her. She led him through a few turns and hallways until they have reached an office. A big pile of documents covered the table at the center of the room and Shiu walked around it to a chest on the other side. "If you would place the tome on the table..." Bohdan obliged, then walked to the door to keep watch. Shiu placed a dozen inkwells next to it on the table and opened the book. She found the proper place for the forged entry and began comparing the colors of the inks to the writing in the book. She looked up at Bohdan and asked. "What shall he be named?"

"What do you mean?" Bohdan asked while checking the hallway.

"Well, I have to put a name in the tome for Adrian. Alas, I had already written his name into the official records here in the city. Some might find it odd that the same person was buried twice." 

"Why would anyone compare these two records? Just put his name in the book. He should have been buried like this anyway. I don't want him buried under a fake name."

"I apologize, but I cannot. I am also putting my neck under the blade here, Bohdan. I will not make such a blatant error. If you have no desire to pick a name, I can make one up for you."

"Seriously? What are you afraid of? Some investigator looking through records of burials and looking for discrepancies? Who would do that?"

"There is a reason we record these things Bohdan. Resolving inheritance issues, finding missing people, documenting family trees et cetera. There are plenty of reasons someone might wish to compare records. Would someone do that in the next week? Probably not. But a decade from now, a century?" 

"Fine." Bohdan rolled his eyes. "Let's give him a fake name. How about Johannes Smith? It's the most generic name I can think of."

"Fine by me. Is that final?" Bohdan nodded. Shiu sat down and began working on the entry. In a few minutes, she finished writing and stood back up. "So, how is it?" Bohdan approached the book. It took him a second to find the newly added entry of Johannes Smith, buried a week ago. The handwriting matched the rest of the book perfectly. The ink color was exactly the same. It looked as if it had been there to begin with.

"Impressive, it is indistinguishable from the others. I don't want to know how you've learnt to do that." Bohdan closed the book and hid it under his cloak. "So, can I count on your colleagues to rebury him? We'll need to move fast." Bohdan already began moving towards the door as Shiu carefully put the inks back in the chest.

"Why such haste, Bohdan? You weren't spotted while stealing this, were you?" Bohdan turned around.

"That stupid priest there refused to let me into his quarters. He was going on and on about Lady Juventia, and how she was a martyr. Kaos filled me with anger and I couldn't hold him back. Things got out of hand and I pushed him. He most likely died."

"Are you certain of his death? If he knows you wanted the tome and lives still, this whole operation was for nothing."

"He was old and weak. He was not moving when I left. He should have let me in. Anyway, I didn't mention anything about the book or burials. I'm not an idiot, Shiu."

"All right, we can work with this. However, we do indeed need to make haste. Go to your brother. I will send a few lads after you. I will be at the bathhouse tomorrow morning. We could discuss your part of our agreement. I'm certain you remember your way out." Shiu waved him goodbye and Bohdan left with a nod. 

Bohdan rushed out of the senate building and returned to the grave of his brother. Once again, he avoided the main square and the cathedral and took the longer route around the city. The mound was now completely covered in snow, blanketing the grave with a pure white layer. Tired from walking back and forth the whole day, Bohdan sat down next to the makeshift tombstone.

"I'm sorry brother. I should have stayed with you. If I hadn't become so invested in that stupid tournament, you would still be alive. But we needed the money and you couldn't work anymore. I couldn't sit idly while you wasted away. Maybe if we had left after the hostilities started, we wouldn't have been in this situation. You could have spoken more freely somewhere further east. Maybe we could have returned home; continued our work. The Order still needs a strong hand to guide it even without Primas Jahab." Bohdan looked towards Equilum and stared at the statue of Enequila atop the Grand Cathedral. It was illuminated with orange light. "Those bastards. They shouldn't have killed the Primas. They have no idea how they doomed us all. I should have gone with you. If I was there, I could have stopped them." Bohdan's gaze wandered around the cityscape and landed on the barracks of the Tenet Wardens. "Sure, the Primas didn't want more bodyguards. He had that knight with him. Of course he was betrayed. He shouldn't have trusted that Souljar dog with his life."

Bohdan turned away from the city, back towards the grave. He looked at his footprints that dotted the thin blanket of snow, leading all the way from Equilum to the grave. He might as well start the process while he waits. He stood up and started cleaning the grave of the snow, revealing the dirt underneath. "But you were there Adrian. Why didn't you stop them? You could have saved so many people. He should have trusted you. You were loyal to him since the very beginning. You could have protected him from those brigands. You could have spoken out then. Make the Primas understand that the foreigner was untrustworthy. You never knew when to speak and when to shut up." Bohdan's mouth curled into a slight smile as he remembered a few times where Adrian's big mouth have gotten them into trouble when they were young. As he reminisced, he spotted a cart drawn by a donkey and two men with shovels approaching him on the road. "I will make sure your essence has its place in the Great Mechanism. There, you can speak all you want. I still have purpose here. I must find those agents of Sinistos and right this wrong in the world. Semernos wants this of me and I shall not disappoint him."

The two men have arrived. They were clearly lowborn workers for hire, ones that knew not to ask more questions than necessary. Bohdan directed them and together they dug up his brother, put him on the cart and headed towards Juvena. Once they reached the edge of town, Bohdan ran ahead to check the church. Thankfully, it was far enough away from the village that no one there would see or hear them, unless they came directly to the church. Bohdan entered the building. In the far corner, next to the door, the body of the priest laid still. The pool of blood now somewhat dried. Bohdan made a quick circle around the cemetery and after he made sure that nobody was around, he signaled the two workers to follow him.

As they arrived, Bohdan went back inside the church to place the book in its place. He stopped at the priest's lifeless body and apologized to the old man. He said a prayer for him, then took the keys from the body to go inside his quarters. He carefully placed the book on the desk and his eyes caught a large hourglass in one of the windows. The sand had completely ran out. Bohdan immediately knew what this meant. It was past midnight. The rope for the bell was hanging in the middle of the room, so he rung the midnight bell and turned the hourglass. If the priest was still alive, he would have done the same. While he was there, he remembered the story of Lady Juventia and looked around the room. From behind a bookshelf, a small piece of a painting could be seen. He pulled the bookshelf away and revealed the whole fresco. On it, the lady was placed under a wooden board. On top of the board, dwarves were in the process of piling large stones, crushing her to death in a slow and painful process. In the background, the dwarf from the painting above the door was visible, swinging his axe at one of the other dwarves stacking stones.

"Hey boss, where should we ditch him?" asked one of the workers from the entrance of the church. Bohdan poked his head out of the door.

"I'll be there in a second, I'll show you." The worker nodded and walked out of the church. Bohdan quickly opened the book to memorize a few names around his brother's entry and went outside. He wanted to place the body in the most convincing place possible. With his directions, the three men quickly put Adrian's body in one of the graves already dug up for the recently departed members of the village and buried him. With their job done, the two men bid their farewell to Bohdan and left him in the graveyard alone. He still had one job. He didn't have the proper tools for a tombstone, but thankfully there were a few wooden cogs around. The carpenter of the village must have died in the recent sickness as these were haphazardly constructed wooden circles with a cross in the middle for the inscription and for structural support. He began carving the name Johannes Smith in big, bold letters into it. While carving, he felt that this might be his final opportunity to talk to his brother.

"I hope I wasn't too late and your essence can return to the Great Mechanism, Adrian. I did all I could to protect you, but it wasn't enough. I couldn't be there all the time to tell you when to stop speaking. You should have known better." Bohdan finished the carving. On the very bottom of the wooden cog, he made another, much smaller carving: Adrian. "I'm no longer responsible for you. I tried and tried, but you kept drifting towards your own demise. All I can do now is make sure your sacrifice was not in vain." With the cog finished, he stood up, and planted it at his brother's head. He brushed the cold soil off of himself and prayed to the Great Mechanism for his brother's essence. Now that he laid in sacred ground, his place in the afterlife was more certain. After his prayer, he slowly walked to the gate of the cemetery and stopped. He looked back one last time and whispered.

"Goodbye, brother."