Brian Pratt - The mists of sorrow

“Stig!” Potbelly cries out.

Stumbling backward he yells, “I’m blind!”

As Potbelly rushes to aid Stig, Miko closes the book and hurries to his side. “None but myself may look upon the holy pages,” he says. Removing the Star, he silently prays to Morcyth and the glow suffuses him. Now stronger than it was before, it envelopes both Miko and Stig for a short time before going out.

“Open your eyes,” he tells Stig once the glow dissipates.

Everyone holds their breath in anticipation as he opens his eyes. Squinting, he glances at the others and says, “I can see again.”

Sighs of relief escape them as Potbelly helps Stig back to his feet.

Coming to Miko, James asks, “How do you feel?”

Laying a hand on James’ shoulder he says, “I am fine. This is why I had to come here.” Glancing around at the other he adds, “And why the malignant presence tried to keep me away.”

“To become the High Priest?” asks Jiron.

Nodding, Miko replies, “Yes.” Returning to the pedestal he lays his hand upon the Book of Morcyth and says, “And to retrieve this.”

“Why?” asks Scar. When everyone turns their attention to him he says, “I mean, he already had the Star, why was there an urgency for him to come here. Wasn’t he bound to come here at some point anyway?”

“It was time,” explains Miko.

“Also, consider this,” interjects Brother Willim. “Why did something work so hard to prevent him from understanding the dream? What did it have to gain for him to remain as plain Miko rather than the High Priest of Morcyth?”

The others shake their heads, not entirely understanding what he’s trying to get at.

“As a High Priest, he will now wield significantly more power, have greater understanding, and with the Book of Morcyth and the Star now in his possession, will be a force to be reckoned with.”

“So now what happens?” James asks. Turning to his friend, he asks, “Will you be continuing with us? Or are you to stay here?”

“Nothing has changed,” replies Miko. Putting the Book of Morcyth under his arm, he says, “I still travel with you. You’re my friend.”

Smiling, James says, “I’m glad to hear it.” Then he sees Miko’s grin that has been so much a part of him. Returning it he asks, “Shall we leave now?”

“Yes,” replies Miko with a nod. “We are finished here.” Turning toward the way they came in, he leads them back to the surface.

Once they’ve returned to where Shorty waits with the horses, Scar and Potbelly tell him of what happened within. Also that Miko is now the High Priest of Morcyth. Shorty’s laugh bursts out when they tell him. But then he glances to the others and sees them nodding in agreement.

“You’re not kidding,” he says, his amusement dying. Turning to Miko he hesitates a moment and then bows his head respectfully.

Miko comes over to him and says, “None of that.” Slightly embarrassed, he lays his hand upon Shorty’s shoulder. “I am still the same person I was before I entered there.”

Shorty raises his head and says hesitantly, “Uh, yeah. Sure.”

“We still have a long way to go before we’re back with Illan,” Jiron says as he swings into the saddle. “Best if we don’t tarry too long.”

Miko takes the Book of Morcyth and slips it into a saddlebag, securing it tightly. The last into the saddle, he looks to Jiron and nods that he’s ready.

Before they start to get underway, James asks him, “Shouldn’t we hide the entrance or something?”

“It doesn’t matter,” Miko replies. “The place will be rebuilt, so whatever damage may happen in the interim won’t make any difference.”

With that, Jiron moves to take the lead and they return along the same route back to the gates that they took on their way in. The group is silent as each tries to come to grips with this new development, Miko as a High Priest. How are they to treat him? What should they call him? All this runs through their heads as they make their way through the streets of the City of Light.

“Father?” Scar asks Miko and is immediately cut off by the raising of Miko’s hand.

“Please,” Miko says, “don’t call me Father. Or priest, or High Priest.” He glances behind him where Scar rides and says, “I’m still Miko.”

“Alright, Miko,” replies Scar and then he goes silent.

“What were you going to ask me?” he asks.

“Oh, uh,” he begins then seems to lose track of what he was going to say. “Oh yeah, right. What is in the Book of Morcyth?”

“From what I saw in the brief glimpse I was able to take,” he begins, “it describes customs, rules and other things that makes the Priesthood of Morcyth a body.”

“Every god has a set of rules that his priests must abide by,” comments Brother Willim. “Each has certain mandates that those who follow him must adhere to in order for the god’s interests on this world to be accurately reflected.”

“Like what?” Potbelly asks.

“Take my lord Asran for instance,” Brother Willim says. “As a priest of Asran, one of the mandates for me is to not harm another living person except under the most strictest of exceptions. And let me tell you, there are very few of those.”

“I take it the Hand has more leeway than others in your order?” Jiron asks.

“Not as much as you would expect,” he says. “Weeds must be pulled, branches at times must be pruned for the tree’s ultimate health.” Brother Willim sighs and then adds, “But that doesn’t mean every blow we deal or death we cause won’t have an accounting later on. At the end when we stand before Asran, we will have to justify every hurt that we gave others. Those who are found to have caused pain and suffering during their time as a priest for no good reason…” He trails off into silence, leaving the sentence incomplete.

“I think I get the idea,” Potbelly says.

Turning to Miko, Brother Willim says, “You may find that having people call you ‘Miko’ will not be allowed. As High Priest, you now must cultivate the dignity and prestige that comes with the title.”

Setting his face into a stern expression, Miko pats the saddlebag wherein lies the Book of Morcyth and says, “I have yet read in this book that that is so. And until I do, I wish to remain just Miko.”

“But remember,” Brother Willim says, “You are no longer ‘just Miko’.”

James turns in his saddle and looks back to Brother Willim and Miko. He can see the stubborn look on Miko’s face and tries to hide a grin. “If the High Priest of Morcyth wants me to call him Miko, then I shall,” he says much to Miko’s relief.

“So will I,” adds Jiron.

They proceed down two more blocks in silence until Miko suddenly breaks into laughter.

“What’s so funny?” asks Shorty.

“I just got to thinking that Scar and Potbelly now have another fantastic story to tell that no one will believe,” he explains, then breaks out into another fit of laughter. And with that, the uncertain mood of the group is shattered and everyone joins in with their own laughter.

“Yeah I can see it now, ‘It’s true! We were there when Miko the street brat became the High Priest of Morcyth!’” he says imitating Potbelly’s voice which only makes everyone laugh all the harder.

“You got one now that Jorry and Uther aren’t going to be able to top!” laughs Stig.

The few people they pass on the street pause in their work to watch the group of men riding down the street, laughing uproariously. A few of them simply shake their heads and return to their work.

Still scanning those they pass in the hopes of seeing an old friend that managed to survive the fall of the City, they continue working their way to the gates. Face after face go by, yet none that any of them recognize. As the gates come into view ahead of them, they have all but given up hope of finding anyone they know.