Return to Jorgaldur Volume IV: Reunion

The joy of the spirit

There was not a single inhabitant of the city who didn't feel it. It was an unusual joy that was like a breath of fresh air on a hot day. The feeling couldn't totally change people's hearts, but it could give them a bit of optimism, of hope.

They were all in some way connected to the spirit, which fed on them, on their feelings, on the mana that came from them. At the same time, it protected them. The connection was deeper as the time they had been in the city increased, as the bond strengthened. Therefore, the oldest were the ones who perceived it most clearly, while the outsiders were oblivious.

"He's happy..." an elderly woman murmured, feeling it.

"Who, granny?" a boy of about seven years old asked curiously.

"The city spirit," she responded, while smiling at her grandson's curiosity.

"Why?" the boy continued asking.

She remained silent for a moment, because she didn't know the reason. The elderly woman was as sure of what she had felt, as she had never perceived it before, at least, no so intensely. However, at that same moment, another equally unusual event was taking place, so she thought that they might be related.

"Surely, because of the arrival of Eldi Hnefa," the woman assumed.

"Why?" the boy didn't understand.

"Maybe, they were friends. The spirit was born around the time Eldi Hnefa came in the past. Surely, they knew each other," she responded.

She wasn't sure that it was the case, but it seemed reasonable. Why else could it be happy? Maybe had Eldi Hnefa brought something?

Nonetheless, that convinced the boy. He was happy too when he met his friends.

Lidia and Liodon also felt it clearly. They hadn't spent enough time in the capital to be able to call themselves inhabitants, but as kids, their father had taken them more than once to visit the spirit. They had even played with it. Hence, their connection was very strong.

Unfortunately, it was very difficult for them to approach the altar. They had done it a few times, and the snake had greeted them with the joy of seeing its old playmates. Although, it wasn't comparable to seeing Eldi again.

They looked around, and realized that many seemed to smile more, especially the servants. There was something that had encouraged them, although most of them didn't really know what. They simply felt happier, or less depressed.

That also made some nobles doubt, like a certain old retired duke. He had abdicated his title and lands to his daughter years ago, and he had lived almost his entire life in the capital.

Like the old woman, the duke quickly guessed where that sensation came from, and felt a deep chill. Her daughter was from the neutral branch, but she tended towards royalty.

If the spirit had truly been excited by the arrival of Eldi Hnefa, he didn't even want to imagine what would occur if something happened to the visitor. Stories of guardian spirits turning in anger against their own city were very rare events, but not non-existent.

Never had a city survived such an event, although it hadn't been immediate either. The wrath of a guardian spirit would gradually affect the inhabitants, thus creating a spiral of violence that would strengthen the already vengeful spirit. It would destroy the city from the inside. The best solution was abandon it.

He discreetly approached his daughter, and waited for a conversation to end, so he could take her to a corner.

"What's wrong, dad?" she asked him, a little surprised.

Her father didn't usually bother her when she was working, and her contacts with the other nobles were an important part of her job. He knew it very well.

"For the good of the kingdom, nothing can happen to Eldi Hnefa. If not, this city is finished," he predicted.

"Dad? What's that for?" she asked, confused.

Her father wasn't someone prone to such prophecies. Furthermore, he had remained totally indifferent to the matter of Eldi Hnefa, without showing the slightest interest. He was busy with his hobbies, such as visiting his friends, or magic fighting. It didn't make sense for him to suddenly change now.

"You have to have perceived it. Don't you feel happier?" he asked her.

"Well... Maybe... It's normal. It's a matter of the atmosphere, the conversations, the wine..." she believed, without understanding where her father was going.

"It's the city spirit. He's happy, as he's never been. I have felt it clearly. Look at the baroness, or any old one like me who has lived in the city for many years," he revealed.

She turned quickly, her heart racing. If what her father said was true...

She noticed other elderly nobles. As her father had said, they were acting strange, they had realized something, and perhaps were afraid of something similar.

It was more evident in some veteran servants. Like the governess of a young heiress. They didn't have to worry about conspiracies and intrigues, so they could just let themselves be carried away by that wave of joy. Many were smiling.

"Do you mean it has to do with Eldi Hnefa?" she asked, inquiring.

"I'm sure you've heard it too. He's opened the wall, and entered a moment ago. He's just met the spirit. It'd be too much of a coincidence if it didn't have a connection," he pointed out.

She nodded. Her own father had told her some of those legends as a child. That matter had become even more complicated. Now, the future of the capital could be linked to Eldi Hnefa.

Elsa and Ricardo had lived in the capital all their lives, although they weren't old enough to immediately realize what had happened. However, they did feel a certain level of euphoria, which evaporated when they understood the seriousness of the situation.

"There's no turning back. If it happens, we can only exorcise the spirit," Elsa stated gravely.

It was something that had never really been done. In the past, by the time they realized it, it had been too late. However, they were now on notice.

"In the worst case, we'll change capital. It'll be a hard blow, but it's the least bad," Ricardo accepted.

"The other option is to capture him alive. If we kill him outside the city, maybe we can avoid the worst," Elsa suggested.

"That won't be easy, too many witnesses. I'm going to order them to contact some spiritualists. The sooner we act, the better," he left.

The loss of the city's spirit would undoubtedly be a high price, but one they were willing to pay to retain their privileges. Most of the nobles allied to royalty thought this way, especially those who didn't live there, or who at least had a place to return to if necessary. For them, there was no turning back. Their hands were too stained.

However, for those who did, they began to maneuver discreetly.