Contents
Chapter Thirty
Overview
Lore and Gabe break Anton’s prophecy case and, with Nyxara briefly taking control, decode hidden lines naming Lore the catalyst and warning that the god seeking immortality will kill the others. Nyxara urges Lore to find Her in the catacombs. Lore resolves to oppose Apollius. At dawn, chaos erupts: a mangled body, likely Amelia Demonde, is found in the royal apartments.
Summary
Before dawn, Lore and Gabe slip into the Church to revisit Anton’s sealed prophecy. Gabe cautiously uses new fire threads to crack the glass dome without burning the parchment, revealing strange symbols Lore cannot read.
Nyxara urges control to interpret the ancient script. Lore reluctantly yields, experiencing Nyxara’s brief takeover. The hidden lines resolve: Lore is the key and seed; if other gods rise, the one seeking true immortality must kill Them and claim the whole Fount. Power is made and unmade the same way. A choice among the three who care most must be made; help will come from the place that was fled; someone must mend what’s broken.
Nyxara withdraws in fear, warning that none are safe and urging, “Find Me. Catacombs.” Shaken, Lore and Gabe debate the meaning. Lore concludes those showing god-signs must leave to avoid Apollius’s culling and voices a hard resolve to end Apollius before He remakes the world.
Exhausted, they plan to rest and consult Alie and Malcolm. Emerging into morning, they find the Citadel in turmoil as Presque Mort evacuate courtiers. Alexis reports a mangled corpse found in the royal apartments, likely Amelia Demonde, to be identified by her husband’s testimony.
Who Appears
- LoreProtagonist; breaks into prophecy chamber, lets Nyxara read hidden lines, resolves to oppose Apollius and protect loved ones.
- GabeUses nascent fire-god power to open the glass, struggles with faith, seeks ways to lessen divine hold.
- NyxaraGoddess in Lore; briefly takes control to decode prophecy, warns Apollius wants all, directs Lore to catacombs.
- ApolliusBleeding God; implicated by prophecy as seeking true immortality by killing other gods.
- AlexisPresque Mort who informs Lore and Gabe about the mangled body found in the royal apartments.
- Amelia DemondeNamed as the likely identity of the mangled corpse discovered in the royal apartments.
- MalcolmScholar briefly referenced; Lore notes he would object to handling the parchment barehanded.
- AlieAlly mentioned; Lore and Gabe plan to meet her after resting.
- HestraonFire god linked to Gabe; evoked during Gabe’s crisis of faith by Hestraon’s window.