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“I never thought that I'd be saying this,” you tell Kalthos, “But... thank you.”
“Me?” the old man asks, his bloodshot eyes widening, “Thank me?”
“You've been a great help to me. More so than most,” you explain, “And you've not asked for anything in return.”
“Well, think nothing of it lad,” he replies with a chuckle, “Besides, I like having people in my debt.”
You're going to assume, by his laughter, that he's joking. He's still laughing as he hobbles away, wagging a finger in disapproval as you move to follow him. Taking that you mean that your lesson for the day is over, you turn back to the job of exploration.
Alone once more, save for the occasional Denizen, you make a slow sweep of this layer of the Demesne in search of anything else that you might be able to make use of. You find a pair of seals, one marked with the crown symbol of Sovereignty and the other with the blank mask of Solitude. Both are sealed behind their third Lessons, and even with Kalthos' strange methods at your disposal, neither one shows any sign of giving way. Fine. So be it.
Your wanderings take you through narrow, winding corridors – corridors that seem to double back on themselves and overlap in impossible ways – before finally opening up into a descending staircase. Approaching the blank wall at the end of the stairs, you have a fair idea of what to expect.
“Attain the sixth Lesson,” you think aloud, resting your forehead against the stone.
You've got your next objective.
-
“I've always preferred the bird's head grip,” Ariel is saying as you return to the real world, “Personally, I find it sits better in the hand.”
“A square grip helps with the-” Captain Milgrim is replying, only to cut himself short as he notices your arrival. “Ah, Master Pale!” he says, “Good to see you again. Were your explorations successful?”
“Some progress was made,” you reply cautiously, “I see you've been keeping the ladies occupied.”
“We've been having a... fascinating... conversation about firearms,” Elle remarks, a pained look on her face, “A very... very extensive conversation. I never realised that there was so much to talk about.”
“And we've only talked about the sidearms!” Ariel laughs, her words causing Elle to turn pale with dread.
It must be a Teilhard thing, you decide, as you guide your companions off to a more secluded chamber to discuss your findings. “So. Progress,” you begin, “I was able to pass through the first seal. The second layer was much larger than I was expecting, and... I wasn't the only person there. I met an old man. Kalthos Tomoe.”
“Tomoe...” Elle murmurs, her eyes narrowing with suspicion.
“I know, I know. I need to be careful,” you agree, “But, he knew about my father... and Gratia. They're both deeper in the Demesne. I'll need to keep going.”
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