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Erasmus pursed his lips "And so you have been told"

"More than told!" Lukias said defiantly "I have helped lead the investigation into his crimes I have known Tyrus of Kenatos for many years I have seen these recordsI am an expert on the Paracelsus order and their rituals Do you kno many books were in his tower before it exploded? How rated in an instant due to his pride and reckless ambition?"

Annon’s tean to swell "The entire Paracelsus order was forrily "The lights that power your great city shine because they are beings trapped into servitude!"

"Spare ly "There is no servitude or bondage It is only because you do not understand the principles of matter involved that you scorn it In the past, the Druidecht developed superstitions to explain forces of nature You are jealous because you do not understand the truth Wayland is a backward kingdo about it"

Annon stepped forward Khiara shot hi look "I have been to Kenatos, as you well know I have seen this imprisonment with my own eyes I visited my uncle’s tower I took a blade from a Preachán in Havenrook, one that had been constructed by a Paracelsus, and released the spirit trapped inside Does your ring tell you that I a?"

The Rike looked at him with a preposterous expression "You believe what you want to believe What you have been trained to believe Mirrowen does not exist It is a fool’s legend to bind a fool’s ic," Erasmus said "What do you know but what you have been told and trained to believe?"

Annon nodded firmly "My mentor was a wise Druidecht He said that there are many men ished to deceive, but not one ished to be deceived Since they are unwilling to be deceived, they are unwilling to be convinced that they have been deceived"

"I know that precept," Lukias responded flatly "I tell you, boy, that you have been deceived I can feel the passion in your words and can discern that you have not knowingly told uided"

"Why is that?" Annon challenged "What does the Arch-Rike say causes the Plague?"

Lukias looked at him with disdain "It is obvious to anyone with a ues are caused by bad air And it does not require an oracle to predict that Havenrook will be the next kingdom to succumb to it You have traveled there yourself and can vouch that it reeks of corruption and insufficient means to drain away its own excre preparations to replace the trade routes The Ro violated even the most basic laws of commerce Yet I a the fall of Havenrook Wisdom often appears as evil to those who do not have it"

Annon shook his head "I see hoerful he is in persuading his own followers Truly, your mind is imprisoned as much as the spirits"

Lukias chuckled "There are no spirits, boy What you have been taught is a tradition, nothing more Even your power over fire, in the end, will be understood after sufficient research is coht forcefully You must helpreply

"You say that Mirrowen is a hoax," Annon said "You are convinced that there are no spirits being imprisoned by the Paracelsus of Kenatos Not only did I learn this from my uncle, but I learned it from another Paracelsus who quit the order and became a Druidecht I learned it from Drosta"

Lukias’s eyes widened with concern "He is dead"

Annon approached him "He and ed a weapon for the Arch-Rike, a blade known as Iddawc I have held it in h the talisman I wear Believe me, Lukias, that the spirits of Mirrowen are real There’s one in this very room with us"

Lukias smiled sickly His expression exuded doubt "I will not fall for your superstitious tricks, Druidecht I must have evidence No one but the Druidecht can see these beings That is the very nature of deception, is it not?"

"Not all spirits are invisible," Annon replied "Some take the form of birds or insects Some are as tiny as pollen But there are others more powerful Nizeera, welcome our new companion He travels with us to Basilides"