He faced to the side for a time, looking like he was listening carefully to something, before finally turning back to Orphen expressionlessly. “He just expressed his anger to me in a rather fearsome way because of you.”
“Don’t make this my fault.”
“I just got showered with the type of abuse that can cause lasting damage to a person’s sense of self.”
“You’ll make it. It won’t leave a single mark on that skin you wear.” Orphen took an annoyed breath, thoroughly uncaring about all this, before shouting out the fundamental question that he had. “Why is Heartia in the sanctuary?!”
“I didn’t call him here. I didn’t want to involve everyone if I could, but there’s a fool who’s doing unnecessary things. In fact, you might say you can count on her to do so. Even to death.”
“What are you—”
“No, I don’t have time to waste talking about this.” Colgon cut short their chit chat and pointed at his feet. No, a little in front of his feet. He must have been indicating the barrier. “I’m sure you know, but this barrier is produced by spirit sorcery.”
He began a slow explanation. “Normally, the sanctuary is protected by the Deep Dragons. This barrier is pointless, but it was left behind as a result of Childman Powderfield’s pact with the sanctuary. He promised the sanctuary this...that one day human sorcerers would surpass Deep Dragons, rendering the sanctuary’s protections obsolete. And that that time would be the time of the pact.”
“The pact? Leki said something about that too...”
“By the time humans drifted to this continent, dragons were already fated to be destroyed. They had the Ayrmankar barrier to fall back on, but because of its flaws, they couldn’t defend against the gods’ attacks perfectly and fought with them again and again, whittling down their strength.”
“And?”
Colgon quietly continued, “The dragons’ sanctuary was going to be destroyed. One faction thought that after the dragons, there should be someone to inherit the continent. Successors who would be able to push the gods back and complete the barrier. The representative of the sanctuary at the time, Sister Istersiva, and the first lord of the Imminent Domain, Childman—”
“Huh? W-Wait a second...”
“Get caught up on things on your own time. I told you we don’t have time for this. Anyway, on the verge of their secret agreement becoming official as the ‘pact,’ the sorcerer hunts began. Another faction challenged them—let’s call it the anti-Istersiva faction—and tried to bury their pact. And it was buried functionally, but it survived in a part of the sanctuary that they couldn’t control.”
After that lengthy explanation, Colgon raised an arm and held up three fingers. “As part of that pact, this barrier was formed. It prevented anyone who shouldn’t come to the sanctuary from approaching it.”
“How does it decide who can and can’t?” Orphen asked.
Colgon nodded, folding one finger down and replying, “First, those who have been to the sanctuary before. The barrier can’t stop them.” Another finger. “Then, those who are led through the barrier by those who can pass through it. The barrier can’t stop them.” He folded down the last finger. “This is the barrier’s normal state. The last exception is those who prepare themselves for death...and truly desire to go to the sanctuary.”
After hearing all that, Orphen felt like he could actually see the barrier in front of him for the first time. He reached out to it but pulled his hand back to his chest at the last moment.
He felt sweat drip down his forehead. He’d just fought that battle and then run here, so it was only natural. He made the excuse to himself, but he knew that wasn’t why it was there.
On the other side of the wall, Colgon was still going, the same as ever. Orphen heard his voice but wasn’t taking in much of what he was saying. “To tell the truth, I only discovered this information myself very recently... I pressured one of the priestesses into telling me. It seems the sanctuary itself only recalled the existence of this pact a few days ago.”
Orphen looked up, readying himself. “So it’s a wall you can get past with a simple change of heart...”
“They’re simple yet cruel conditions. This wall only allows those who truly desire to pass through it to do so. Krylancelo, can you pass through it? It’s time for your resolve to be tested...”
“If what you say is to be believed, then my resolve hardly matters. You can just invite me in, can’t you?”
“I’m not there. It’s just an image. So I can’t lead you through.” Colgon’s voice sounded awfully cold—of course, that was probably how it had been this whole time.
“I have to be ready to die?” Orphen spat, unable to keep his emotions tamped down. He glared at Colgon. At his image. “So everyone who went through here was ready to die?”
Colgon didn’t answer. He stood there in his black cloak like a ghost, his eyes wide open.
“Even Claiomh?” Orphen asked him.
Colgon still didn’t move. Maybe he didn’t even remember who Claiomh was.
He tried to remember how she’d looked the last time he saw her—then bit his lip when he realized he wouldn’t be able to. She hadn’t looked at all like herself when she’d left with that sad smile.
Orphen took a deliberate step forward. He stepped into where he thought the barrier was. A wind whipped up around him and enveloped his body...
Then passed through it.
It was just a night breeze. It was a strong breeze, but not strong enough to send him flying. He took another step forward, then another. It really wasn’t that far. Before he knew it, he was right in front of Colgon—his image.
He didn’t have the emotional leeway to be relieved, and he wasn’t so confident that he was excited by this. He just wanted somewhere for his anger to go as he glared up at Colgon’s face.
“Ready to die? I’m not going to die. But I got through.” He considered that for a moment before saying, “Don’t underestimate people so much.”
“I’m not so surprised,” Colgon said so simply it was a bit of a letdown. “If you reveal the mechanism, it’s easy enough for most people to get through... Likely because what was only a subconscious rejection of death is brought to the conscious part of their mind. It’s as simple as changing one’s mindset. I’m sure Childman kept the conditions secret because he was aware of this flaw.” Colgon stepped back as he spoke, pulling away from Orphen.
Unsure how to feel about this, Orphen realized something. “Did you tell Pluto the same thing?”
The question didn’t even merit answering, apparently. Colgon simply tilted his head and said nothing. He simply began to fade into the darkness, his purpose fulfilled, but... Orphen realized he couldn’t let him leave.
Orphen reached out to grab Colgon by the shoulder before he disappeared, but the image was fading and he couldn’t touch it. He pulled his hand back—an indescribable, gross feeling remaining on it—and shouted, “Wait! You haven’t told me yet!”
“Told you what?”
“What I asked first! Colgon, what are you trying to do in the sanctuary?”
For just a second, Colgon hesitated. He opened his mouth, clearly intending to answer him, but what came out instead was a denial. “I’ve changed my mind. I want you to find out for yourself. Either way, I won’t be able to do anything until then. You’ll be the deciding factor.”
He faded completely, though his black shadow disappearing from the darkness didn’t change much about the scenery.
In Colgon’s final message, he mentioned names he hadn’t yet spoken. “Hurry and come to the sanctuary. Leticia’s here...and Azalie too. Your family’s all present.”
“This is a message, not a prediction.” To the other voice that echoed in his mind, Orphen said, “That’s right. It’s just a message.”
He groaned, pain throbbing in his heart. Jeez. Everyone’s the same...
He raised his head and looked around. If he passed through the barrier, the spirits would likely transport him to the sanctuary, but when that would happen was probably up to their whims.
Orphen decided to meet up with Majic before then.