ISLAND OF THE BIRDS

By A.M. Arktos

Brother Eleph could feel the sea-mist soaking his thick brown hair. The hood of his cloak was down and
he stood, hands grasped tightly on the railing near the bow of the small fishing boat that he was a passenger on.
He could feel the boat bobbing up and down as it moved gradually through the gray waters of the Outer Ocean,
only a tiny sliver of land visible far behind them. He took a deep and hearty breath, letting the salty air fill his

lungs; cool, refreshing, invigorating. He let it all out as he observed his surroundings. Behind where he stood,
Captain Marus and his two teenage sons were busy working the shiptending to the sails, tying off ropes, or
making sure the large torch near the bow stayed dry. Eleph himself was content to observe the sea; he had had
enough conversation during the start of their journey and had told himself that he would manage at least some
moments of solid reflection before his true work began.

For nearly two hours, the waves had been placid, lapping gently against the sides of the boat as the gray
ocean bobbed serenely around them. Now Brother Eleph could feel the wind picking up; a light but chilling
breeze spraying across his cheek as the waters crashed against the side of the boat. Still, it was no storm, and
neither captain Marus nor his two sons seemed to notice anything amiss. Eleph figured they were likely better
judges of the sea than he, who had grown up in a land-bound farming community.
Thus, he continued to remain above deck, his cold hands grasping onto the ships wooden railing as he
felt the boat bobbing up and down, drifting slowly through the cool waters off the Eastern Seaboard. They had
told him that this journey would be brief; Jaelug Isle stood only a few hours journey from the mainland; and
besides, Eleph liked the sea, despite a slight unease he still felt while on a ship. To be sure, there was a certain
subtle terror in all the vastness around him; the open ocean, no land in sight, below him an immense oceanic
depth that could hide anything. Yet with that sort of terror, at least for Brother Eleph, came a fascination. The
way to deal with fears, said the teachings of his order, was to face them and observe them. When he first saw it
at fifteen years old, he had feared the sea; had feared the endless vastness of it all, the mystery of it, the terror of
squamous and unseen beings lurking below the waves. As a man he had learned to look at that fear from a
detached perspective; to observe it, to know it, to separate it from himself and know that it was but an
experience, not the core of his being. So he kept his eyes fixated on the waves; watching as they formed their
continuous patterns across the oceans surface, observing the briny foam as it gathered across the ships hull,
and smelling the salty waters as they sprayed up in the ships wake. It was a kind of mediation, as anything
could be.

Soon he saw what must have been the isle, visible as a dark gray rock jutting out from the still waters of
the endless sea. The boat drew onward and Brother Eleph remained near the prow, grasping his railing and
staring intently at his destination while it gradually grew larger and larger over the course of about an hour and
a half. One of the first things he noticed were the birds: masses of both white and black forms, gliding and
darting about the isle, or nesting within the nooks of its stone. Even from this distance he could see them as a
swarm, like the bees in the hives at Saint Mandors, where he had been stationed a year ago. Eleph had never
seen so many birds, in truth, and in a way it almost disturbed himthe sheer mass of the things, their clustered
and hectic behavior as they swooped down into the ocean to fight over meals or nested among the hole-covered
rocks like so many boring insects. Their constant cawing and screeching became a regular thing as he drew
closer to the isle, and he wondered if he would ever get used to it during his stay here. Soon the details of the
isle came into view; the jagged and irregular shaped rock that it was, rising up in successive levels out of the
cool gray ocean, its stones covered in patches of moss or lichen, in greens, reds and even purples; its sooty
black earth host to sporadic patches of surprising white flowers that broke up the scenes bleakness. It was
practically split down the middle by a cliff-lined pit: a bowl-shaped depression where the waters gathered,

churned and dashed against the cliffs. Fog wreathed the isles lower reaches, cloaking it in white garments that
swirled about the shores as the waves crashed in and out. From above the fog, he could see parts of the
monastery; a dull gray stone that was slightly lighter than the isles rock. The residencesunimaginatively built
rectangular buildingsstood closer to the stony shore, the mists partially obscuring the cloaked figures of
clergy moving about. Up above, perched like a bird itself atop the rock, stood the chapel; equally bleak and
uninviting, save for a few delicate pillars and adornments.

Within moments, the boat was deep inside of that fog, and for the next twenty minutes, all was a haze to
Elephs sight, as his vision became nothing more than the view of the waves just a few feet from the boat. As
the fog enclosed them, Eleph could hear the hundreds of birds above, squawking and yelping while diving for
their morning meal through the haze. Occasionally one of their dark forms would pass overhead, from over the
fog.

Left to his own thoughts as the fog enshrouded the vessel, Brother Eleph could not help but wonder why
they were sending him to Jaelug Isle, a barren island off the Eastern Seaboard, once called the Isle of Birds
after the only creature that dwelt upon it. Was this a den of corruption? This isolated little rock, bereft of outside
contact? The rock was so barren, he had been told, that the brothers and sisters had to rely on boats to supply
them with food. He pushed back his coarse brown hair, wiping away some condensation. The monastery had
been built here specifically because of its isolation. Mostly populated by adherents to Saint Caudila, the monks
here were asceticsthey who swore off all worldly pleasures in order to more fully embrace the Virtue of
Moderation. By all common understanding, such men and women should be the least prone to temptation or
madness. But Brother Eleph had long ago learned that common understanding was usually the grossest of
ignorance. After all, it was in the deepest isolation that a mans mind could wander to all sorts of mad topics
that would not normally intrude upon the thoughts of the busy and the social. Left to his own notions, bereft of
companionship and conversation, dark and devious concepts could easily intrude upon his mind. A lonely man
might readily fall to the temptation of lust, and in his deprived mind, ordinary fantasies might quickly become
diabolical perversions.

Such were the teachings of the Lakkisites: a holy order within the United Church named for Saint
Lakkis. Following the sacred Virtue of Reason, their purpose was a dual one: first, to seek knowledge of holy
things, and also to watch the minds of their fellow Churchmen to keep them on the correct course; thus their
role as internal investigators for the rest of the Church. They were called the Observers, for their role was to
watch both the actions and thoughts of their fellows. Eleph himself had only been a full Observer for two years,
since his twenty-eighth year. Since that time, his most strenuous assignments had involved investigating local
scandals; a priest suspected of adultery, a holy knight overstepping his authority, or even certain cases of clergy
possessing banned books. His assignment here was a tad more serious in nature, if also more ambiguous.

Eleph took a deep breath in and then exhaled out, mentally sending away any thoughts of prejudgment
for these monastics. He was no Red Priest, after all; he had pledged to temper his faith with reason. Any
judgment would be cast after the investigation, not before; and his role was to gather facts, not proclaim guilt.
All the facts he knew so far were hearsay, other than the simple fact of three individuals falling from the cliffs.

The latest, Brother Morsi, had died over a month ago, his body plunging into the cold waters just below the
cliffs of the isles bowl. Normally such a thing would be passed off as an accident, he surmised; even from this
distance the cliffs looked steep, and on an obscured day it would not be unheard of for a man to slip and fall to
his death. Yet there had been two other similar deaths over the past year, a rare occurrence even in such a
hazardous locale. His superiors had been unclear as to what they actually suspected. Was it a murderer? Some
sort of suicide pact? Perhaps the only supporting evidence was the words of a visiting abbess from two months
back, who had come back reporting a most definite strangeness to the monks here, particularly Brother Morsi.
Lustful glances, leering glares, and what to her seemed like a strange kind of disconnectedness in their attitudes.
In truth, to Eleph it did not seem enough to go on; not nearly enough to launch an investigation. Abbess Hasila
was certainly respected: the head of a flourishing nunnery just outside of Coridine itself, which is why, he
supposed, her letter had received any reception at all.
Well, he supposed, thats why they sent me and not a red-robed Savorite with a platoon of soldiers.
Elephs mission was to be subtle: an investigation. He was to keep as low a profile as possible. For this short
week, he was but a simple monk from Beladren, seeking a respite and time of meditation. The Savorites
commonly referred to as the Red Priests for the color of their clothingwhere a far more martial wing of the
Church than Elephs own Lakkisites, and known for their heavy-handed judgment and often lethal tactics. Eleph
had seen and worked with a few of the Reds; bald-headed eunuchs who seemed single-minded in their desire to
root out corruption, and would not hesitate to bring violence to those who stood against them or the Churchs
ideals.

Eleph was pulled from his thoughts by the sudden appearance of land from the fog; only a few yards
away, they had already come to the stone pier that marked the landing site for Jaelug. The boat hit the pier with
a thud, and soon the captain and his sons were off to tie it to the mooring post and inform the isle of their
arrival. Eleph took his satchel in hand and pulled the hood of his gray cloak up. The fog was still present, but
thinner here on shore. Less than ten yards away, nestled beneath an overhanging moss-covered rock, stood a
hunched wooden shack with peeling white paint and a single shuttered window. Beyond, a twisting pathway led
further up into the rest of the small isle, precariously positioned along the edges of the bowl-shaped depression
that nearly bisected the little island. All around, the birds still lingered, squawking and jeering, flittering up into
their nests as Eleph and the captain moved to the shack. Some of the thingsmostly gulls, but a few of them
curiously colored puffin birdslooked down at them with a mix of interest and mockery as they passed.
A figure emerged from the lonely homes doorway; a fellow that must have been the islands caretaker
or ship-master. He was a grim-faced man with lines on his face that brought to mind one of the dried-up
riverbeds down in the Feltemar Deserts. Wrapped in a tattered old coat, his left hand grasping a lit lantern for
the fog, the old fellow grunted, nodded to Eleph and pointed to the pathway that led up and around the bowl
depression. The caretaker said not a word, but began to shuffle toward the path, his right arm holding onto a
rusted-over harpoon like the sort he had seen on the fishing ship, clearly now used as a walking stick.

So he followed the wrinkly-faced caretaker as the man hobbled up the trail, a rocky overhang to their
right, sprawling with red moss and dotted with puffin nests. Less than two feet to their left, the path ended in

sheer cliff. He could see fifty feet below, into the great churning bowl at the isles center; the dark gray water
foaming around algae-covered rocks that sometimes jutted up out of the sea. This, he realized as he looked
down, must have been the spot; two Brothers and a Sister had fallen to their deaths on these cliffs, all within the
year. His stomach tightened as he felt himself instinctively wanting to NOT look down. Eleph suppressed the
vertigo with a well-trained thought. He could feel an increased wetness on his face now, the crashing waves
below creating a misty vapor that floated up. The rocks felt slippery at points, though the old caretaker barely
seemed to notice. Eleph caught himself taking a few cautionary glances at the man. Out here, it would have
been so easy for a man to push another man to his death. Just one surprise shove and a fellow would plummet
fifty feet, his body breaking on the rocks below. If he survived the fall, he would drown, his limbs likely
broken, his corpse pulled below by the constant movement of the waters.

Eleph considered such grim notions as he followed quietly along, his hood pulled forward, not saying a
word to the deathly caretaker who plodded silently along, bearing his lantern like a sea-ghost from a story. He
let himself absorb his thoughts, to take in his observations and process them without concluding a thing. Such
was his training; such was his role. Eleph pushed away thoughts of panic or fear, and took in what he could: his
eyes noted a scrap of black cloth, hanging from a rock some twenty feet below. From Brother Morsis robes? It
was too far to tell, and venturing down the cliff-side in this weather would be impractical, if not straight-out
suicidal. For later, he noted. They walked onward, following the lip of the cliff as it traversed the great bowl in
a semi-circle.

A few minutes later, they found themselves on more certain ground. A bit higher than the dock where he
had landed, now, he realized. Their traverse up the bowls side had taken them about twenty feet higher. They
were now at the residences he had spied from the boat. Figures in coarse brown robes moved about the area; the
men and women of the monastery, their forms obscured by their clothes and the fog as they went about their
business, seemingly oblivious to his arrival.

Eleph began the climb up the winding stone stairway that was carved from the rock of the island and
twisted its way through the dark rocks, providing him an ever lofty view of the sea below while puffins and
seagulls continued to circle overhead, their cacophonies echoing off the solid stone around him. Minutes later
he passed what must have been the womens living quarters; a smaller and yet somewhat newer looking section.
Finally, he came to the topmost part of the island; the solid chapel, black stone brick and a gabled wood roof.
The chapel was only a hand more decorated than the simple dwellings below, its entrance presided over by two
statues: one a carving of Michaleus the Liberator himself, the god-man holding his hands clasped together, his
traditional twin swords sheathed at his hips. The other statue was slightly smaller, depicting a thin woman with
a sallow face and lowered head: Saint Caudila, Eleph knew, patroness of the monastery. Through a tinted
window he could detect the faint flickering of candlelight. Not hesitating a moment, he pushed open the heavy
oak doors and stepped inside.
The chapel was lit by flickering lights from eight candelabras. The main room was a roughly square
chamber, the crumbly brick walls plastered white. Elephs eyes were drawn to the faded tapestry on the right
walla five-color woven piece depicting the Seven Prime SaintsBeleves, Jamascia, Caudila, Lunadro,
Jusnarian, Lakkis and Savoreseach said to embody one of Michaleus Seven Virtues, and all standing side-

by-side in front of rolling green hills and pasture land. At the far end of the chapel stood an alcove with a simple
wood altar that held a chalice, where the morning and evening offerings to the God would be burned. Between
Eleph and the altar, two rows of four wooden benches sat for the supplicants, though at the moment he was the
only person in the room.
Greetings! he said at a slightly louder than talking voice. Father Jaynus? Elephs eyes waited on the
closed door to the right of the altar, which opened mere moments later. A sleepy looking fellow shuffled
through, clothed in white with a violet-colored stole across his shoulders. Closing the door behind him, the man
slowly moved over to Eleph and lowered his head for a moment.

With only a half-circle of hair remaining on his head, the man who must have been Father Jaynus was
almost entirely bald, and Eleph couldnt help but notice his pale skin appearing almost gray in the dim
flickering light of the chapel. He looked up at the taller Eleph with sleepy eyes.
Ah, the visitor, he stated, his right hand making the customary M-shaped star in the air in front of him.
Brother Eleph.

Indeed, Father Jaynus, if that is who I am speaking with?

The older man nodded absently.

I take it the parish in Beladren sent appropriate notice of my arrival, then.

Again, the priest nodded, barely looking at him.

Then, I shall get to the point, Father, he continued. As you have been informed, I am here
investigating the death of Brother Morsi, who recently served under you at the monastery. Nobody here is under
any suspicion at the moment, and there is no need to worry. We are all servants of the Liberator, and I am
merely here to make sure all is well. Eleph did his best to smile. He still felt he had a hard time with this part
of the work: the people part.

Father Jaynus seemed not to notice, at least. The ageing priest merely nodded again and looked to his
right, just over Elephs shoulder, as if staring transfixed at some mystical aura.
Father? Is everything well?

Ohohyes, answered Jaynus, shaking his head as if waking from a dream. II understand that
you will be doing some.some investigation here. As an agent of our holy Church, you are, of course,
permitted full use of our facilities. You have free reign of the grounds, provided you keep the peace, and may
partake in our twice-daily meals
Father, interrupted Eleph, I feel it is best if I spoke with you about the matter beforehand, as I will be
maintaining an inconspicuous presence among the general monastics. I shall get to the point. Did you observe
anything unusual about Brother Morsi before hishis fall?
Oh, that. Jaynus shook his head. No, nothing at all. I suppose he had been bit distant, but it is hardly
considered unusual for a monk to prefer his solitude. I am still of the belief that what occurred to our brother
was a sad accident.
And tell me, how did events that day play out? When was his body discovered, how and by whom?
I the priest looked to the left, to where a candelabrum was steadily burning away, its light
illuminating his thin, pale-skinned features. He began to speak some more, but trailed off into a fit of muttering.
I dont recall all of the specifics, the priest finally said, again looking at Eleph. As the clergyman in charge
of this monastery, I find myself overburdened by such details. Alas, I was not there to witness the event.
And what of the other deaths this past year? asked Eleph, his voice tightening. Sister Arvina, Brother
Yoselus? According to my reports, both fell to their deaths at various points along the same cliffs.

Again, Jaynus seemed to wait a moment to respond. Was he contemplating a lie?

Well, Jaynus said, finally. The cliffs can indeed be treacherous, particularly as it draws closer to the
winter months. Our isle is blessed by the Liberator for its solitude and beauty, though with that comes inherent
dangers.
I see, said Eleph, flatly. As for these others; did either of them exhibit any signs of depression or
melancholy?

The old priest shook his head in denial.

Also, I must ask if any of the deceased displayed any unusual amount of sexual behavior? Did any of
them appear outwardly promiscuous, flirtatious or romantically aggressive with others?

No, not at all, said the priest, still distant in his tone. Eleph would have expected that question to rile
him up a bit more, but he remained as placid as ever. Please, continued Jaynus. Like I said, I am rather busy
with matters of delegation, as well as my own personal prayers. I allow the monastics to manage their own
lives, and tend to my own business when I may. I assure you, I am not a man to keep track of mundane details
such as those you speak of.
Eleph looked straight at the priest, who was still not meeting his gaze. What was this mans ploy? Was
he attempting to hide something, or merely a fool?
Very well, Father. With whom may I speak to for more information?
Brother Cardon knows more than I, said Jaynus. He is our records-keeper at the monastery, and
maintains such details.
I see.
Yes. You will be able to find him in our library room on the morrow. Sister Myla will be bringing your
morning meals. Shell be able to direct you to him at your pleasure.
Thank you, Father, said Eleph, neutrally.
Indeed, said Jaynus, nodding. I am sure, Liberator willing, that you will solve this matter with much
haste. Now, he said, once more glancing at the ever-so-entrancing candelabra. Is there more I can do for your,
Brother?
No, Father, answered Eleph, wondering just why this man was being so unhelpful, I observe that
there is not.
Well then, said the priest, turning fully away from Eleph. May the Liberator clothe you in light, and
may your work flow unobstructed.

***
Eleph believed it to be late afternoon by the time he had become situated to the monastery layout and
had been shown his room. Still the fog was ever-present, and Eleph watched from his window as it drifted down
the gravel paths of the isle, rolling over rocks, shrubs and the humble gardens outside of the living quarters,
where the residents grew an assortment of root vegetables. In the hours until supper, he spent his time inscribing

a few notes into the onion-leaf notebook that he kept tucked into his satchel. The notes were sparse at besta
few peoples names, a general sketch of the isles layout. Eleph had precious little to go on just yet, and as of
this moment there still remained the distinct possibility that his endeavor here would prove pointless. Already
he worked by candlelight, as the fog blocked out a good portion of the sun. His chamber was as he expected: a
simple room with a cloth cot in one corner and a straw-covered brick floor, affording him enough room to lay
down, with a foots extra length. At one end, a crude shrine to Michaleus was set into the wall; the Liberators
indistinct image molded from clay and colored with two types of ochre. The chamber smelled of wet earth.
Humble, for certain; but it would serve his purposes. In many ways, Eleph was glad for it. Certainly, an
assignment to a wealthy parish would have granted him finer luxuries, but this was good. Simplicity would help
him focus, keep him away from distractions.

As the clouded-over sky grew darker, he spied a figure behind the crack in his door. Opening it up he
saw that it was one of the sisters; Myla, most likelythe one who Jaynus had said would bring him his meals.
She was young for the clergy; probably no older than seventeen years. She peered up at him from behind her
gray livery, revealing a moon-shaped face, two handfuls of freckles and a hint of carrot-colored hair. The girl
carried a wooden tray that held a bowl of steaming broth and half a loaf of thick brown bread.
Thank you, Sister, he said with a smile. You may place the tray next to my cot.

Myla stared at him for a moment, as if transfixed, then quickly placed the tray down and turned around
to leave. He noticed her glancing back for an instant, as if to say something more to him, then just as quickly
she turned back to her duties and walked around the corner.

Eleph closed the door that the Sister had entirely forgotten about, then took the bowl and placed it onto
his lap. Curious behavior, he noted. Shyness would have been his first guess about the Sister. The girl was still
young, and would have little contact with the outside world. Perhaps she fancied him, though Eleph knew that
most adherents to Saint Caudila took vows of chastity. Shyness; probably. Yet the probable answer was not
always the actual one. He made a note of that, and put the bowl to his lips. It was fish broth; salty and not
pleasant, but nourishing enough.

By the time he was done with his meal, and had taken a handful of notes, Eleph was feeling the
drowsiness of the day settling down upon him. Already the sun was beginning to set, and long shadows were
stretching out over Jaelug Isle. Little sounds issued from the neighboring cells, and as he looked from his sole
window, only a few cloaked monks were still outside. As the darkness set over the monastery, more fog rolled
in, obscuring the moons pale light and cloaking the isle in darkness. The loud cries of the birds died down,
giving way to the ever-present and steady crash of the oceans waves. Eleph said a short prayer and put out his
candle, letting the blackness spread around him as the melody of the waves gradually put him to sleep.

***

Eleph awoke to diluted sunlight spilling onto him from the sole window in his room, along with a faint
but chilling breeze that snuck in through the curtain. The remnants of dreams lingered in his mind, quickly
leaving him like water from a cracked pitcher. Yes, water. He reached over to where his notebook lay, atop his
satchel next to bed, quickly noting with his leaden pencil what he could recall from those dreams. They had
been liquid in nature. Water. Swimming; swimming through a vast and endless sea. Warmth all around him; but
not comforting. The sort of warmth that bred life; slimy, crawling, teeming life. For a moment, he could almost
feel tendrils slithering across his skin. Eleph shook the feeling, but noted it in his book. Despite his revulsion,
perhaps even related to it, he realized that his body was aroused, a strong bulge still present beneath the
underclothes he had slept in. His thoughts naturally went to the girl, to Sister Myla; to her shy demeanor and
that curious look she had thrown at him. A part of him wondered what she looked like beneath the livery; young
and supple and plump. Eleph shook off such thoughts as he took on more of his waking mind-state.

Liberator guide me and focus my intent, he thought in a silent prayer. All such thoughts and notions
were ordinary; expected things. He was no Savorian Eunuch, but a man in his prime. Saint Lakkis himself had
said that It is not a mans thoughts which harm him, but rather the actions caused by those thoughts. I am not
my thoughts, they are but a tool, Eleph told himself as he began his normal morning prayer and focusing
meditation. Even those dreams were ordinary; perhaps a result of spending too much time on a boat the
previous day, or inspired by the fact that he was, indeed, surrounded by water.

That day he made a concerted effort to mingle among the monastics. For breakfast he went to the
common room that stood in the middle of the living quarters, in a large rectangular building nestled between the
dormitories. Inside, it was oddly quiet for a common roomthough he saw that thirteen of the residents were
already there, seated at two long wooden tables. Nobody raised an eye when Eleph walked in, all keeping their
gazes locked onto their lumpy brown porridge as they shoveled it into their mouths with wooden spoons. Not a
word was said as he made his way to the serving counter, where a bone-thin old sister stood, a dirty apron over
her livery, her hands clasped around the serving ladle like she was wielding a sword. The old crone was as silent
as the others as he approached with bowl in hand. Eleph tried a half-smile and a nod of his head at her, but the
ancient sister simply plopped a ladle full of plaster-shaded porridge into his bowl and gave him not a glance.

Shrugging, Eleph walked over to one of the tables and sat between two monks, a plain-faced sister
opposite him.
Good morning and God bless, all, he stated, finding that it came out more like a question than a
statement.

The nun looked up, a glazed-over look in her eyes, but said nothing. The brother to his right issued forth
a mumbled response, but didnt even look Elephs way. Eleph placed his bowl to the table and the spoon to his
mouth. The porridge was likely one of the blandest things he had ever tasted; though a moment after
swallowing it he noticed an unpleasantly fishy aftertaste to it, as if the cook had boiled it in the same pot as last
nights dinner. Still, he lowered his head in thanks to the Liberator. Over the course of the next uncomfortable

forty minutes, Eleph attempted to make conversation with the people around him, though the most he got out of
any of them were grunts and automatic responses. They seemed not to speak to one another either, and for a
moment he wondered if Jaelugs monastery had a vow of silence in place that he was not aware of. Where these
people drugged? Under a kind of mental influence?

After his fifth attempt at conversation ended in him being stonewalled by stares and mutterings, Eleph
gave up. Quickly swallowing down the rest of his porridge, he dropped his bowl and spoon in a tub next to the
kitchen and made his way out of the hall and back to the chilled environs of outside, where he was greeted with
a cloudy sky and Jaelugs usually oppressive atmosphere. Eleph realized that he was starting to feel frustrated,
like everyone but him was in on some private joke and nobody would interact with him for fear of giving it up.
This island was getting to him too: its constant nasty weather, its gloomy environs, and always those birds. He
saw two puffins perched on the rooftop of the common building as he exited. One of them squawked at him and
a part of Eleph wished for nothing more than to take out a rock and crush the thing. He took a deep breath and
focused inward, on his mediation; on the prayer of Saint Lakkis. Observing his surroundings, he let out all of his
frustration and began to walk away, towards his room. There was still work to do.

Leaving the living area, Eleph began walking the island grounds. This day, the fog had grown less
dense, affording him an increased sight of the isle, with its dozens of gray stone outcroppings where birds
nested in every little nook; where ancient stone stairs were chiseled out of the earth and wound their way from
the chapel on the highest elevation to the womens residences on the middle level and the mens on the lower
level, and then finally to the cliff-side pathway that ringed the great bowl and ended in the lone dock and the
caretakers hut. He spent the better part of two hours walking the grounds; casually strolling by and waving at
the occasional cloaked figure of a monastic about their daily routine. A few waved back, though most seemed
content to keep their hoods low, seeming to either overlook or ignore his presence. He examined more closely
their communal gardena sparse bed of root vegetables and hard-leafed lettucewhich grew just outside of
the second-tier dorms he was housed in. Eleph then made his way back up to the chapel itself, and spent a
moment observing the twenty-or-so residents gathered for a group chanting; a ponderous hymn to Michaleus
that praised the Living Gods prowess in battle against the Old Pantheon, sung in a deep baritone that seemed
somehow off-key to Eleph, who was used to hearing the hymn in a more upbeat style. From there, he stepped
twenty paces from the chapel to where the isles graveyard was; a collection of forty-five tombstones, from
more recent additions to some weathered markers dating back nearly five hundred years. This brought up in his
mind the curious fact of this monasterys age, and how it had been established very close to the Churchs rise in
power, back when the disaster at Nenkal was fresh in mens minds and the corrupt old religion was starting to
fade. Eleph briefly pondered as to what ancient things might lie buried here; but set his mind to more recent
affairs. The graves of the three killed this year were strangely small; only thin posts struck into the ground, each
bearing one of the decedents names. His eyes were naturally drawn to the ground near each of them, where he
noticed that the earth had not been recently dug. Another curious fact. Where had the bodies gone if not into the
ground? Another question for Brother Cardon, for when Eleph had a chance to visit the man.

He took a breather after he examined the last of the graves. Now the fog was nearly gone. From his
vantage at the graveyard, which stood on a high point and overlooked much of the bleak isle, Eleph could see

that Jaelug was a bit more than merely the church lands, if not enough ground for village, field or flock. Still,
amid the boulder-strewn vistas and maze-work of rock he spied some stones that displayed a most fascinating
angle to them, as if they had not been formed by natures hand alone. The stones weren't far: on the southern
side of the isle; just over some boulders near the lower residences. The off-trail areas, as far as he could tell,
featured moss-covered boulders and rock that was likely volcanic in origin; at times being sharp enough to cut
an ungloved hand, and at other times crumbly and unreliable.

Nevertheless, Eleph began his walk around the grounds beyond the monastery, dashing down the steps
to the lower tiers and scrambling up the mossy boulders as best he could in his travelling cloak. He soon found
himself among overgrown land: a veritable labyrinth of lichen-covered boulders, squat shrubs and tiny withered
trees that pushed their way out of cracks in the stony ground and displayed only the barest hint of life. As he
made his way past the normal bounds of human travel here at Jaelug, the birds darted up and away, squawking
menacingly as Eleph skirted around their treasured nests and hunting grounds.

There he spied what must have been his goal. From here, the old wall looked barely discernible; a line of
semi-regular stones that had once been piled atop one another but now lay fallen upon the ground in a pattern
that was only recognizable as manmade from afar. But at the end of the wall; at the end of the wall was
something far more definite. It was a pillar, or rather, the bottom half of a pillar; its top uneven and covered in a
mass of vines. It was clear to Elephs eyes that it was not built by the same men who had put up any of the isles
current structures. Even in its weathered and crumbling state, it was clearly of a more delicate construction,
made from a stone that while similar to the isles own gray, had a subtle vein of blue set into it. Eleph took a
step closer, leaning onto his knees to get a better look.

While Brother Eleph had not studied much architecture, he was more than a bit of an antiquarian.
Immediately he could tell that the pillar was not modern; by its rounded corners and the lines on its curves, it
was clear to him that the pillar belonged in the old days of the Markenian Empire, from before that fated day
when the old capitals Holy Mountain had erupted and slain thousands, forever shifting the lives and beliefs of
its citizens.

He noticed too that the topmost part of the pillar that still remained was flat, and contained the remnant
of some sort of script; a fluid alphabet whose letters ended in sharp points. This was not Old Markenian; Eleph
knew that for certain: the old language was archaic but not foreign to the modern script. This was foreign, its
character bringing to mind alien traditions and strange ways. Eleph felt shivers running down the back of his
neck; shivers of fascination. For a moment, he knew it must all be connected; this old ruin, the deaths, the
strange behavior among the clergy here. Or at least, he admitted that he wanted it to be connected. Eleph took a
deep breath and stopped his line of thinking, calming himself with a simple mental prayer. It would not do, he
told himself, to jump to conclusions. He had learned years ago that he had a mind that tended to see patterns,
even when there were no such patterns to be found. Part of the Virtue of Reason was seeing your own habits
and accounting for them. Still, he would get to the bottom of this. First thing first, he needed to study those
symbols more. Charcoal and rubbing paper would do for that; perhaps the islands small library might contain

some.

By the time Eleph had finished inspecting the ruins, twilight was already descending over the isle, and
the shadows cast from the nearby boulders were growing longer and longer by the minute. He made his way
back to the living quarters and walked past the room where Jaynus had indicated Brother Cardon kept his small
library. The stone above the door was marked with the Old Markenian letter Ota, often used as a symbol of
knowledge. This was indeed the library, though Eleph noticed no lights on beneath the door, and his three
knocks yielded no answer. As it was already growing late, he decided to make a trip to the library on the
morrow.

***

Brother Eleph stood upon the cliffs edge, his thin frame propped up against a moss-covered boulder, his
thick brown hair blown back by the salt-scented winds. His eyes stared out at the slowly drifting waves,
watching as the last light of the days sun cast its glimmer onto the seemingly endless expanse of ocean that
surrounded the isle. He took a deep breath in and a deep breath out, each to the count of four heartbeats. Eleph
could feel the cool wind on his skin, the damp and salty air that seemed an ever-present thing on Jaelug Isle.
Below him, the sounds of ocean birds echoed across the rocks. He pushed back the hood of his thick woolen
cloak, but still kept his gaze focused on the waves and their constant rhythm. Now he needed focus.

Michaleus, he began his prayer, intoning the words in his mind. Grant me clarity. Liberator, Lightbringer, shed your rays of illumination upon my minds eye. He closed his eyes, envisioning a clear image of a
golden grail, its sides inlaid with three purple gems. Within it burned a violet flame; the symbol of his God, the
one True God; He who had walked the world as the warrior-prophet Michaleus, he who had liberated humanity
from the oppression of the corrupt Old Gods and freed all from their lies. Eleph breathed in and out again, and
with the last out-breath he imagined all of his worries and fears falling into the cleansing violet flame within the
grail and burning away.

Two full days now, he had been here, on this desolate and dreary little isle; home to only a lonely
monastery and twelve thousand sea birds. Still, he had uncovered very little to aid him in his mission. The
monks and nuns were a closed-mouthed lot, almost uniform in their dismal and apathetic character. He was
little closer to solving the riddle of the deaths. Suicide? Murder? Simple accidents? It all seemed equally likely.
All he could say was that Jaelug was an odd place, and that there was a certain quiet dread in the locale; a dread
mixed with an equally silent and subtle beauty, both likely linked to its isolation.

The past few days had seemed to pass both slowly and with an amazing rapidity. Much of that time had
been spent shrouded in the encompassing fog that seemed to cling to the island, limiting vision to about ten feet,
except when the wind blew. The birds were a constant companion, to be certain; their regular chirping,

squawking, the ever-present white stains of their excrement and the sight of their ratty nests, sprawled all over
the island in every nook and cranny. The rains had fallen liberally on those two days, drenching the already wet
rocks in water and keeping the residents inside at most hours. Eleph knew he had spent too much time
dawdling, too many moments scribing in his notebook and casually exploring the grounds.

Now he needed focus. Now he needed purpose; direction. In a way he could imagine dead Brother
Morsis feelings, how the monk could have gone mad living in this desolate spot, the constant tedium of life
simply driving him to throw his body into the deep gray ocean to become food for fish. Eleph again
concentrated on his prayer, once more pushing away such morose thoughts. He was not a depressed man, not
normally; but his time at Jaelug seemed to bring out such spirits. There was certainly a melancholy here. His
logical training said it was likely due to the weather; the lack of sunlight. That was the logical answer, but deep
in his heart he could feel something more; a silent malice here, lurking just below the surface.

None of that was the sort of information he could supply to his superiors in the order. He needed true
and provable facts. The ruins today had been a start. That was something; something to at least point him in a
direction: but not enough. Tomorrow, he affirmed, he would find Cardon and his library, and get his facts. As
he took one last look out at the ocean, he saw that storm-clouds were once again gathering above, drifting down
upon the eastern winds. Their dark masses were already obscuring the moons silvery light. Rain again, he
surmised, glad it was only rain and not snow, which would likely starting falling in the north during Tebral, a
few months away.

Eleph began to feel the first droplets, cold against his cheeks and exposed hair. In less than a minute he
was back inside his darkening cell, preparing to light the lone candle he kept by his bedside. By then he could
hear the waters falling regularly, making a tittering sound as they splattered down on the rough flagstones
outside.
It was not long before Sister Myla came with tonights supper; a thick and milky chowder of fish that
seemed to resemble that mornings breakfast, albeit with somewhat altered ingredients. Though her hood was
up, the girl looked soaked, the food only protected from the wetness by a cover that had been on the tray. Again,
Myla looked like she was about to say something to him as she put the food tray down next to his cot. He
looked at her and motioned for her to speak, but she once more turned away shyly and walked straight out, into
the cool rain.
Hold a moment, he said, stepping out after her.

The rain was falling in sheets now, pushed nearly sideways by a howling wind that wrenched across the
isles surface. He could see Myla a few paces away, quickening her stride as she made for the higher ground of
the womens quarters. He increased his own pace, easily catching up to the shorter sister despite the rains
catapulting his face.

Stop! he shouted, his voice barely audible over the cacophonous howl. He grabbed her shoulder and
Myla spun to meet him, looking as startled as a doe in a hunters sights.
Eleph gently pulled her into a nearby doorway, at least half-way shielded from the storm.
Twice, it seems you wished to speak with me, but twice you delayed. I suggest you tell me whatever
has been troubling you, before we both become far too busy for it, he said.
The girl shuddered, her small body shaking under her livery, only partially from the rain.
Come now, he added, I wish you no harm.
Eleph took Mylas arm and led her back to his cell. They were both dripping wet by then, their heavy
clothing looking like they had taken a plunge into the ocean.
B-brother, she began, looking up at him from between waterlogged strands of hair, D-did you come
here to have us taken away. Punished?
He looked down at her and shook his head. No, he said, taking a gentler tone than he often used. I am
merely here to find out what happened to those people: the ones who fell from the cliffs.
Butbut youre an Observer, arent you? Yes, theythey only send you out if things are going wrong,
and, well She trailed off and looked away.
Well, he began, Are they going wrong?
I only came here a bit over a month ago, at the end of Hadrel. But already I feelwell, troubled.
What do you mean by troubled?
My thoughts; they dont feel like my own. I feel so tired at times, though I know Ive gotten enough
sleepbut not tired, exactly, but more likelike a lonely kind of boredom, as if theres nothing I want to do in
all the world and like Im all alone. Every night I have these dreams; dreams I know must be terrible. I wake
feeling shivery and dirty, but I cant seem to remember a bit of them. Then the days begin andwell, I told you
already. I was always a happy girl back home, but here its as if the Fallen One himself is trying to bring my
spirits down.

Have you spoken to any of the others about this? Father Jaynus? Eleph already knew the answer.
Yes; and they ignored me. Father Jaynus seemed to think it was only the weather making me feel so.
Youve seen the others; all so distant, so unfriendly. I fear that something terrible is happening here.
Yet you cannot fully define it, I presume?

She nodded.
Hmm, he continued, A general moroseness, then; a kind of creeping ennui that seems to lurk in the
background, subtly affecting the moods and thoughts of those around itmost curious.
Excuse me, brother?
Merely muttering to myself, I suppose. Pay no heed to it. He gave a half-smile.
Anyway, continued Eleph, you have only been on the grounds for around a month, so presumably
you have not seen the worst of what has occurred here. Eleph paused to wring some water out of his robe. But
I suppose you might have known Brother Morsi?
Only a little, she said softly. Hethe Liberator took him only a week after I arrived here. II did
speak with the brother on one occasion. He seemed a quiet type at first; withdrawn, the sort more focused on his
own thoughts than on the world around him. We walked along seaside as we talkedmainly of our prayers,
about our faithbut as he stared out into the ocean he seemed to take on a most odd character. He spoke only in
vague terms, but told me that he would soon be returning home, that he was being called away. He looked out at
the waves, and I assumed him to be referring to a distant home on the mainland, or that he was being reassigned by the Beladren diocese. When he jumped, I. She trailed off, her eyes shifting away from Eleph
and to the shut-up window, where rain could be seen falling steadily.
So, you believe he willingly jumped?
I dont know, said Myla, still looking away. He didnt seem a sad man, exactly. He spoke so
distantly, it seemed, like his words werent even his own: like some demon had been speaking into his ears and
making him say those things.
You believe there to be a supernatural influence here?

Myla let out a light gasp and shook her head. No, she let out, I just.its not like that, itsI
meanI dont know what to say. Things have just been so odd here; with what happened to Brother Morsi, and
the way Ive been feeling lately. It all feels so unnatural, so strange, and yet I cant say where any of it is
coming from. Please, she continued, now looking at him, Were not heretics here or anything of the sort.
Dont send the Reds in, Brother. None of us have been praying to Chevultegon, or conjuring spirits, or doing
any other sinful things. Im sure its all just like Father Jaynus said; an accident
No, no, he said softly. I dont intend to do anything of the sort. Worry not, sister, Ive seen nothing to
indicate that the Order of Saint Savores should be sent to this place. Remain calm; Im merely looking into
things, and so far youve been a great help. He tried to put on his finest, fakest, smile. If anything, Ill send
the diocese a letter of commendation for you.

Myla returned his smile with one of her own, the tears ceasing to fall from her eyes as she let out a sigh.
For a moment, she just stood there in the cell and looked up at the taller Eleph. In the faint light of one candle,
her features looked so innocent, so young and inexperienced, like the child she wasnt far off from being. He
silently berated himself for his earlier lustful thoughts of her.

Eleph reached over and gently touched her shoulder, feeling the dampness of her rain-soaked livery.
All will be well, he told her. Whatever is transpiring here, sister, we will solve it.
Thank you, she said, reaching out and embracing him. Despite the wetness, her body felt warm against
his own, though he could feel her shaking beneath the besotted garments. Another burst of lust filled him, then;
a brief fantasy of having her remove those soaked garments; of drying off her young, supple, body and having
her spend the rest of the cold night in his quarters, away from the others, lying close together for warmth
through the night. Eleph severed that line of thoughta mere fantasy, after all, and one he knew he would never
allow. Myla was an innocent; it was his role to protect her, not prey upon her.
Well, he said, after a pause. I suppose it is time you get back to your own dormitory and begin trying
off. I would suggest you eat well, focus on your prayers and get some rest.
Yes, I suppose that would be best, she said, moving towards the door.
An hour after Myla was gone, Eleph was in bed, his mind filled with his evening prayer, his soaked robes
drying upon a hook in the wall. Sleep came harder for him this night, as he lay there, his body still shivering
from the cold and the wetness.

His dreams that night were different, nearing the point of lucidity at several moments. In them, he stood
upon the shores of Jaelug Isle; on a stony, flat beach he had never seen in his waking hours. He looked out at
the vast ocean, watching as the waters coursed and flowed around one another, his perspective gradually
spreading further and further into the sea, until land vanished from sight and only the churning waves of the

cold outer ocean filled his senses. He felt himself drawn down and down, into the gray waters and the half-lit
vastness below. Elephs mind could feel the cool waters surrounding him, could hear the distant echoing cries
of the sea-beasts and the alien whispers of beings whose flesh had never known warmth.

Here in the depths, he could hear their minds, could sense their inhuman desires throbbing all around
him, reaching to him and calling out to him. He did not see the things, but it did not matter. Their minds were
there; vast and alien things, their thoughts pulsating masses of hunger, fear and unknowable desire.
Elephs every instinct told him to open his eyes and wake up. He knew he could do it, could simply step
out of this dream and back into his bed. Yet he chose not to. With all his training present, he remained in the
moment, feeling the horrific presence scanning over him as waves of terror surrounded him. Images filled his
mind; sunken masses of squirming flesh and writhing sea-filth; cyclopean in proportion and unthinkable in their
putrescence, dotted with oversized anemones, tubes and other gelatinous monstrosities. He saw beings living
among this mass: things with vaguely anthropomorphic features that swam over the ocean floor with only
squirming tails where legs should have been and long tentacles in the place of arms. They had no mouths, but
only empty black eyes, pitiless and unconscious. They swarmed around their squamous cities of filth, massing
in the thousands, or perhaps millions, their numbers so great that they practically blocked out the sight of the
oceans bed below. From above, near the surface, something called to them, pulsing with that same unholy
thought-pattern and reaching out to those teeming masses of monstrosities that waited below. He could hear it in
his thoughts; a thrumming, continuous rhythm that called to them like a dinner bell. Down below, the thousands
of octopoid beings began to stir.

***
Eleph awoke with a start, his mouth dry and a slight ache between his temples. As he lay in his cot,
Elephs mind went over the fleeting images from the night before. It was all quickly spilling from his mind, like
water from a damaged bucket, so he reached for his pencil and journal and began to write what he could. Some
might call it madness, he observed; as fanciful as any sailors tales of octopoid men and unseen entities. Still,
Eleph did his best to note it all. Dreams, he knew, seldom made sense on the surface, though only fools
dismissed them.

Eleph had spent some time studying dreaming, during his seminary time at the Order of Saint Lakkis.
There were some among the priesthood that took dreams very seriously. Officially, the Church taught that
dreams could be a portal to the Divine. It was in the sleep state that mans lesser nature was suppressed and the
veils of consciousness were lowered. During certain dream states, they claimed, a man could receive messages
from supernatural sources; whether it was benevolent communication with Michaleus and his Saints, or
messages from the fallen Aeter, those dark spirits who had betrayed the One God and still existed. The second
option was generally thought to be the most common, sadly. Eleph had even observed a few trials where the
Savorians presented dreams as evidence that the accused was in contact with Chevultegon or one of the Fallen.
The Lakkisites were seldom so literal in their views, but could be even more obsessive about dreams, and had

put together exhaustive volumes for interpreting the symbols found within.

As to what symbols Eleph could pick out of his most recent dream, he was not certain. The depths of the
sea could easily be construed as a message to look below the surface and delve deeper into unseen matters.
Following the same school of thought, the creatures in the dream would represent repressed thoughts, desires or
unpleasant secrets. That explanation seemed simple enough, and could even point to Elephs own repressed
desires, which he was more aware of than most people. Still, it seemed incomplete, and the sheer vivid
grotesquerie of the dream could not be so easily dismissed.

Eleph shrugged, rubbing his temples to push away the remainder of the mild headache he had awoken
with. He would have plenty of time to think about the dream later. Today, he had to focus on his mission. He
pushed himself up out of the cot and took a swig of water from the half-full cup by his bedside. Eleph knew he
needed to plan his course of action, and do it efficiently if he was to get anything at all done here. He took
another gulp of water, leaned over his satchel and pulled out his notebook.

Eleph looked down at his notebook, his eyes scanning over the four pages of scrawl that seemed
haphazardly thrown aroundbundles of associated words grouped together, with arrows pointing between
various spots. His notes were a mess, in truth. During his seminary days at Coridine, Eleph had studied a bit of
cryptography, and fancied that it would take a rather decent cryptographer to actually figure out his notebook,
with its poor penmanship, hastily-scrawled symbols and intermixed doodles. These notes were only for his own
eyes; to help him gather his thoughts. Elegantly-worded letters would be prepared later, carefully detailing the
case for the benefit of his superiors.

For now he was intent on making something of this situation, or at least coming to an understanding of
it. Jaelug Isle was a riddle. On the surface, very little was happening here. The monastics were a nearly
inanimate bunch, barely talking even to one another, let alone Eleph. That in itself was a riddle. Eleph knew
monastic communities, having spent years in them himself. They were like small villages, but exaggerated.
Every person knew every other person. Try as they might to be holy and proper, it was an environment that felt
nearly incestuous at times, and was brimming with gossip and cliquishness. The arrival of an outsider like
himself into such close-knit community as Jaelug should have been stirring things up, and yet few seemed to
notice; either that or they were being evasive. Eleph had been trained to expect evasiveness at times. It was a
natural defense for those who felt an outsider was trying to intrude in their affairs. Father Jaynus might be doing
so; such would be the most logical excuse for his behavior, and also for the behavior of the unresponsive people
in the common room. Yet there was something more to it all; a general sluggishness to the lot of them, as if they
were not fully awake or aware of their surroundings. It seemed to have been growing steadily since his arrival.
Elephs notes on the people confirmed this. Usually he would have all sorts of arrows on his pages, linking one
person to another in possible friendships, infatuations and even affairs. Here it seemed like every person was an
island, as isolated as the physical island they all dwelt upon. It was as if there was something else; something
standing between them all, separating the brothers and sisters like some kind of mental fence. Only Sister Myla
had shown even the vaguest interest in his arrival.

A part of Eleph stirred up at the thought of the sister, barely in her womanhood; that part of him which
he had largely suppressed since joining the clergy in his late teenage years. He thought about the curves of her
body, so modestly hidden beneath the billowing livery she wore, her soft carrot-colored hair and moon-shaped
face. All too often he found himself thinking of women in this way. He supposed it was natural, considering
how much he had denied such urges in recent years. Oh, he had taken no oaths. Few among the Lakkisites did.
Only three of the seven main Orders in the church practiced any sort of celibacy, and his was not among them.
He could take a wife if he wished, it was within his rights. Yet Eleph found himself having so little time to even
consider such matters. He was always busy with his duties; studying the Churchs vast collections of lore or else
engaged in missions such as this one. He had spent so much time among books, clergy and academics that he
had barely an idea of what to do with a woman. How would he even approach one?

He forced away such thoughts, and looked back to his notes. He would have to speak with Myla again, if
only for answersnothing more. The current matter was vital, of course. What had killed those people? Were
the monastics all covering up for some kind of murder, or something even more insidious? They all seemed to
have that same look in their eyes; sleepy and distracted. Eleph had not seen it himself, but had heard of a few
occasions where isolated Church communities fell into cult activity, all becoming entranced by some insidious
heresy and developing a kind of group-think that inevitably led to their downfall. In each of those cases, the
Church had ended up sending in the Reds, resulting in dozens of needless deaths. He did not want it to happen
here; not when he could prevent it. But was this a cult? He didnt think so. Where was their charismatic leader?
Father Jaynus didnt suit the role, and neither did any of those Eleph had met. It had to be something elsebut
what? Could it be related to those old ruins? At this point, he had little basis for any conclusion without taking a
logical leap.

He closed the cloth cover of his notebook, placing it back into his satchel. Eleph knew he would get
little else from mere thinking. Thus, after a trip to the nearby well for some more water, followed by a quick
meal of dried fruit, Eleph found himself strolling to the opposite end of the mens living quarters, to where
Brother Cardon kept his books. This time, the door was unlocked. After a polite knock, Eleph walked right in.
Jaelug Isles so-called library was a single room; about twice the size of the chamber Eleph slept in. A
simple chamber of clay and brick; it contained two shoddily-built bookshelves and a table with a stack of
haphazardly-balanced paperwork and books. Elephs eyes briefly scanned the chamber, noting that most of the
books on the half-empty shelves were religious in nature: all seven volumes of the Tracts of Unity, The
Memoirs of Saint Beledar and about two dozen books of prayers or hymns. There were texts that stood out to
Eleph; Jomar Trayths Early History of the Markenian Empire, along with Heresies of the Old Age, which
Eleph knew dealt explicitly with the pre-Church Empires faith. Neither book was openly blasphemous; with
both mentioning the Old Religion, albeit not in a positive light. Other than that, there was nothing of any real
note, unless it was contained in the large wooden box that Brother Cardon kept under his desk. At least it
smelled like a library, noted Eleph, his nostrils taking in the all-too-familiar old book scent that held a fond
place in his memories of the seminary.

Cardon himself was sitting down as Eleph entered, his hands clasped around his protruding belly, over
which his brown cassock seemed rather tight. The man was perhaps around forty years old, with graying black
hair and a long nose. Cardon barely noticed him as he walked into the chamber, as he seemed deep into a clothbound book that was sitting on his desk. The fat monk looked up as Eleph let out an intentional cough.
Yes? asked the monk, looking up from his studies with bulging brown eyes. Eleph noticed his eye-lids
were both rather puffed-out, and when he opened his mouth, the left side twitched slightly.
Are you Brother Cardon?

The other man nodded.

Eleph is my name. Most likely you were told of my arrival by Father Jaynus. As you might have
already heard, I am here investigating certain matters for the Church.
Cardons eyes immediately rose, while a smile came to his lips. Ah, yes, he said. I do recall the good
Father speaking of you nearly a week ago. I had not realized you had already arrived. A pleasure to meet you,
Brother Eleph.

Brother Cardon rose up out of his chair, both of his hands firmly pressing into the armrests in order to
lift his considerable bulk out of it. Fully on his feet, he faced Eleph and made a traditional bow.
It is rather nice to have a new guest at our monastery, Brother Eleph, he continued. While I am fond
of the monastic life, at times even a recluse like myself can enjoy a bit of company; and of Saint Lakkis Order,
at that. At times I wonder if I should have joined your Order instead of my own. I do enjoy the contemplative
life, yet at times I find myself craving all the diverse knowledge the Lakkisites have at their disposal.
There is no fault in that, responded Eleph, a half-smile coming to his own lips. Even the Church does
not blame a man for having too much passion for knowledge, provided it is of a sort condoned by our
institution.
Of course, of course, added Cardon with a chuckle. You have questions for me, then?
Yes, stated Eleph, his tone growing more serious, I do. It is not a pleasant topic, but three people
have died here this past year, all in similar circumstances. Father Jaynus stated that you might have more details
on their deaths.

The smile slowly receded from Cardons face, though his eyes kept their luster. He turned his head back
towards his cluttered table, reached slowly down and pulled out a leather-bound stack of vellum. Pulling it forth
and muttering to himself about details, Brother Cardon shuffled through the heavy sheets of vellum for several
minutes, sending a subtle crackling sound throughout the room.
Yes, he finally said, looking up from his work, These are my notes from each of the three deaths this
year. Cardon handed Eleph one of the vellum sheets, looking crinkly and stained with ink. A couple of
details you should know of, he continued, as Eleph began to scan over the relevant lines, is that all three
perished while walking between the lower dormitories and the caretakers shack. Two died on days with a slight
drizzle, and one on a clear day. Sister Arvina was known to be withdrawn and prone to fits of melancholy; I can
see why people might suspect her of jumping, though I cannot say for certain. Yoselus was elderly and prone to
forget himself; his death was most likely accidental. As for Morsi; well, our late brother was clear-headed and
quick-witteda master of memorization and rather unemotional.
Interesting, commented Eleph, his eyes looking over the notes. Only Sister Arvina had actually been
seen falling; and only at a distance, by one of her fellow sisters airing out laundry upon a nearby cliff. Brother
Yoselus had merely vanished on his way to the caretakers shack to bring in the morning shipment of food. He
had never returned and his basket of fish had been found discarded on the cliff side. Morsi, the most recent loss,
had not even been seen going in the direction, though a bit of blood, along with tattered fragments of his robe
exactly what Eleph had seen on his way inhad been found upon the jagged rocks.
What of the bodies? asked Eleph, noticing the missing detail. How were they discovered?
Cardon shrugged and shook his head. They were not, Brother. Sadly, the sea is a savage predator. All
were lost; their corpses assumed to have been sucked out to sea by the strong currents in the bowl.

The fat monk stared down at the table and shook his head. Eleph felt the hairs on the back of his neck
stand up. Yes, he realized; the reason there had been no graves dug out, but only markers. This was connected.
He knew it. It had to be important. There had to have been a reason no bodies were found, other than the
explanation of the sea having dragged them off. Elephs mind ran through the possibilities: were the bodies
hidden by a secret killer? Were the people still alive somewhere? Was there some conspiracy among the clergy
to hide these facts? Eleph quickly stopped the train of thought and concentrated on the facts he had. Again, he
knew his mind was prone to formulating such theories, whether they were true or not. Still, that chill across his
neck had been something; an intuition. His best teachers had told him to never ignore that.

Eleph placed the vellum back down to the table and let out a bit of a breath. Cardon looked up at him
curiously, his rather bulging eyelids appearing almost batrachian.

To change the subject, Brother, began Eleph, again, I noticed as I walked the grounds today that
there are a few old ruins here, seeming to predate the current monastery. Do you happen to know much of
these?
Oh, yes, said Brother Cardon with delight, his fat jowls bouncing, This island is quite the old place,
indeed. Oh, mind you, all islands are old places, made by your Creator and minewhat I mean to say is that
mans presence here far predates that of our own Church.
That much was made to clear to me when I spied those ruins, replied Eleph. By the fact that the vines
were cleared away from the one pillar, I surmise that you too have been studying them.
For certain, Brother, he said hungrily. There are old thing here; old things indeed. From what I have
gathered in my searches, this isle has long stood as a holy site. This is not the first, but the third monastery to be
built here. Its predecessor was a simple structure of wood, built by the post-Nenkal priesthood during our
Churchs missionary days. It stood where the current chapel stands, though was torn down three centuries ago.
Before that, records say that Jaelug Isle was used by the early Churchmen, when our faith was forbidden across
the Empire and men were murdered for praying to the Liberator. It is said that they sought Jaelug for its hiding
places; deep sea-caves where our predecessors could pray in secret.
Eleph shook his head. No, stated, The pillar I found was something else entirely. It was aged, but the
script upon it was not Old Markenian, and I know for a fact that none among our brethren dwelt this far north
when there was still a local dialect.
Cardon grinned ecstatically. Yes, he said, You are learned indeed, Brother. That pillar, I have
surmised, must predate even our earliest Church settlement here.
You mean
Yes, this site has been sacred long before our Church found it. That writing was of no local dialect, but
rather a religious script, from one of the cults of the old Empire.

Again, a shiver ran across the back of his neck, but Eleph was not surprised. This was the sort of thing
he had been trained to look for, after allsigns of the heretical; the blasphemous; the occult. That was exactly
what he had felt when first visiting Jaelug. It had the feel of an old place, a primordial place, the sort of place
that had existed since the dawn of time and had a tendency to pull men to it. Locations like this felt different;
subtle and yet powerful, the effects of nature somehow stronger and the habits of the people altered in strange
ways. It was like visiting the holy city of Coridine; where Michaleus himself was said to have ascended to the
heavens in a shower of light, or what Nenkal Isle must have been like before the eruption of the sacred mount,

or like over two dozen monolithic sites scattered across the remnants of the Markenian Empire. This place was
different.

Eleph could feel the shaky sensation all over his body now. Finally, since he started this mission, he felt
excitement. Things were going to come together soon, he knew it. Knowing that a brightness must be gathering
in his own eyes now, he smiled at Brother Cardon and nodded in acknowledgement.
Fascinating, is all he could say. Ill have to get a better look at the pillar; get some rubbings of the
symbols. Would you have any suitable paper for the task, and some charcoal?

Brother Cardon nodded enthusiastically, moving with surprising agility as he retrieved both of the items
from a nearby chest. Within moments, their conversation was done, and Eleph was on his way back to the ruin
site.

He marched past the rest of the dormitories, then proceeded to hoist himself up over the nearby rocks
and began walking towards where he had found the pillar. In the daylight he had no trouble finding it again, and
in mere moments he once more stood next to the centuries-old foundation, looking down at the vine-encrusted
pillar that stood out from one corner.

He pressed the paper down with a crinkle and began to make an impression upon it with his charcoal. It
only produced a barely-legible mess, the surface of the pillar was so encrusted with vines. Eleph began to brush
them off, most of the withered plants falling away at his hands touch. Soon he had scraped off enough vines to
get a better view of the writing. It was then that he saw a truth which had previously eluded him: the top of the
pillar was broken off, a clear chisel-mark visible where the breaker had done their work. No, this was no
supporting pillar, but rather a pedestal. Perhaps it had held a piece of art; a statue or a symbol of some sort.
Eleph put his wax paper on the ground and began to move his hands over the jagged break. This had been done
intentionally, and not in ancient times. The break had been covered by about a years worth of old vines, no
more, and as he examined the ground nearby, a few rock chips looked like they might have belonged on the
pedestal. Curious, thought Eleph, feeling once more the tingle of intuition.

That moment, a chorus of squawks filled his ears. Eleph spun around, still holding onto his paper. He
wasnt able to react in time as a seagull, now level with his face, thrust the tip of its beak into his cheek. He
screamed in both surprise and pain, reflexively using the charcoal in his right hand to swat the bird away,
though it continued to flaps its wings, hovering a foot away from his face. Eleph felt a sudden stab of pain in his
shoulder too, and could barely make out another seagull perched atop his back as it tried to repeatedly peck at
him. In his peripheral sight he could see several more of them, circling just above him. Eleph could already feel
a stream of warm blood pouring down his cheek.

With his pulse quickening and his left cheek throbbing, Eleph could barely think. The birds screeched as
they circled him, the more distant ones quickly drawing closer. Reflexively, he punched forward with his
charcoal-laden hand, striking the one who had wounded his cheek in the wing, sending it off balance as it spun
and hit the ground.
Eleph let loose a guttural howl as he swung wildly at the birds still flapping their wings above him. The
gulls darted back for an instant, out of his reach. At that moment he ran, grasping his bleeding cheek with one
hand as he clasped the rolled-up paper in another, doing his best to maintain his footing while he leapt and
hurdled over unsteady rocks. Eleph could the gulls behind him, their fiendish chirping following him for some
time, though it gradually faded off by the time he arrived back in sight of the dormitories and practically hurled
himself down the boulder-lined ridge and back down to the cobbled pathway behind Cardons library.
Eleph gasped for breath as he stumbled back to his room, the frantic mindset of the chase leaving him at
last as his heart-rate slowed and he regained his ordinary composure. Finally, back in his chamber, he looked
over his wounds using the small hand mirror he had taken along in his pack. The hole in his cheek was not deep,
though it had drawn a remarkable amount of blood, and on his back there was nothing much more than a welt
where the bird had pecked at him. Still, he washed both thoroughly with the water and cloth that he had, and
then laid down upon his cot, feeling exhausted.
Still, the thoughts ran through his mind like a rapid stream. What in the Liberators name was happening
here? Gulls would not normally attack a man, not in such an aggressive manner. Yet they had, and had done so
with a barely-relenting madness. It was as if the subtle strangeness of Jaelug were affecting them as well as it
had the people. Or had they been protecting that old ruin?
That thought sent a shiver up Elephs spine. Yes, he realized. The birds had struck the moment he had
uncovered the break in the pedestal. Something about his actions had driven them on, he knew, driven them to
madness. But what? All possible answers to that question were somewhat beyond the range of reason, bordering
on the paranormal if not outright supernatural.

Eleph immediately sat straight up in his cot, feeling the shivers covering his whole body and creeping
across his flesh. His eyes wide, he could barely feel the pain now, as the strange feeling washed over his body.
It was like he was being watched; like a thousand alien eyes were looking at him from every possible angle. The
feeling was a frightening one, but at the same time invigoratinga welcome change from the morose dreariness
that had been his constant companion on Jaelug.

It all had to be connected, he realized, as his mind began spinning together the various threads he had
uncovered: the oddly withdrawn monastics, the isles mysterious past and even those dreams he been having.
They were all related; each one, woven together in some sort of blasphemous tapestry. All he needed were a
few more details; and it began with finding out how that pedestal had been broken, and what had been atop it.

Eleph stood up. Cardon must have done it, he realized. He was the only man who had known about the
ruin, the only monk around curious enough to care about it. He must have chipped it off some time ago. A

wonder the loquacious Brother hadn't said a thing, but Eleph was already starting to feel that something else
entirely was happening with that frog-faced fellow back in the library.

Eleph stepped out of the room, seeing that the sun was already drifting lower in the sky. He must have
lain in his room longer than he thought. He began walking, and a minute later he was back at Cardons library.
Oddly, the door was open a crack, but as Eleph peeked in at the haphazardly arranged books and papers, he
noticed that the room was quite empty of Cardon himself.
Brother? he called in, softly, before deciding to step within the room. Cardon was indeed absent, he
realized, and neither was he in the small chamber in the back that served as his sleeping area. The room was a
tad altered from Elephs last visit: Brother Cardons chair was knocked onto its side, and a stack of thick papers
had also been thrown from the nearby table and now lay scattered across the stone floor.
Elephs eyes scanned the room, also noticing a small puddle of some kind of liquid between the door
and table: water, by the look of it; salty-smelling sea-water with tiny blue-green algae floating in it. Eleph took
mental note of the entire scene, also of his unusual revulsion at the waters smell. His mind kept going back to
the dream of last nightthe ocean, the squirming beings.

He focused once more on the present moment. A vague notion told him to look under the table. It looked
like one of those boxes beneath had been shifted a bit in whatever commotion had occurred here. Eleph pulled
the box fully into view. A large object inside was covered by a tarp. When he pulled that aside he was not
surprised to see a fragment of gray stone, ringed with veins of blue. It was the missing top of the pedestal, an
irregularly-shaped object about the size of two fists. Eleph pulled it from the box. It was, as he might have
guessed, a sort of statue, which his order would have referred to as an idol. Carved from that same blue-veined
rock, it resembled nothing so much as a gross hybridization of fish and cephalopod, with all the most unpleasant
features of shark and octopus combined in its hateful glare, dagger-sharp teeth and body of entwined tentacles.
Immediately he knew, and in a part of Elephs mind, this should have been obvious to him all along.
This was Knour: the old god of the sea, a pitiless stalker of the deep that the ancients prayed to not so much out
of reverence but rather fearsacrificing bloody offerings to keep him and his dreaded offspring at bay. Shark,
octopus, or some combination of the two: he was often depicted such, or in some equally grotesque form. Jaelug
Isle must have once been his temple, perhaps in some ways was still his temple; this quiet rock where humble
people said their prayers to a God of humanity, knowing little of the abominable horrors once practiced here.

Eleph was sure, now, that they were practiced still: the seemingly accidental deaths, all bodies lost to the
sea, the ruins, the dreams of both himself and Sister Myla. It all came together in a rush of realization. The
legends spoke of the Knourel, servants to the sea god, who would call sailors to their doom by entrancing their
minds; loathsome monsters who ate the flesh of men and used their still-living bodies as incubators for their
offspring. Most men today spoke of such things as mere legend, the domain of sailors stories and old
mythology. The poor and uneducated believed in such tales; civilized men were prone not to. Despite the

Churchs official stance, which said that the creations of the Old Gods were alive and real, many among even
the Lakkisites claimed that the old stories of the Knourel and others were but allegory. Eleph was starting to
suspect they were very, very wrong.

He could feel his heart beating faster, the abominable statue cold in his hands. He quickly placed it back
into the box, but as Eleph began to put the tarp back over it, he noticed something else within, a small leatherbound book that had been pressed against the boxs side by the heavy statue. Immediately he pulled it out and
placed it on the table. The book was worn; its black leather faded into gray, many of its fifty-or-so pages
sticking together or turning yellow.
Nevertheless, Eleph opened it to the first page. It was a journal, Cardons own. The handwriting
matched that on the ledger Eleph had looked over earlier. The journal looked to have been started shortly over a
year ago, beginning last Juercondel, with each entry dated. Most were mundanethe notations of a quiet life,
concerning the migratory patterns of the isles birds, the sea-life found in tidal pools, or complaints about
Cardons own poor health. Eleph skimmed over most of these, finding little of interest, save for a few
comments on the monastics habits. As he read on, however, he noticed the handwriting shifting a bit, growing
shakier and more cluttered as he neared the middle of the book. He turned a few pages back, and began to read
more carefully:

7 Hadrel: I have begun exploring the grounds more, and it seems that the old church fathers
journals are right; this place does indeed have quite the history. I found a barren old ruin among the
rocks; a vine-encrusted foundation and a single pedestal remaining intact. Under the vines I found a
most blasphemous sight; a statue clearly dedicated to old Knour, foul lord of the seas. I prayed to the
Liberator to shield me from the dead gods curses, and then promptly removed the monstrous statue
from its base with my hammer and chisel. I will get Caretaker Homir to help me smash the thing in a
few days and rid us of such a frightful relic.

9 Hadrel: I have spent a full day studying the blasphemous statue. Though I am rightfully
disturbed by its unpleasant features, as well as the memory of what it invokes, I cannot help but be
fascinated by its skilled construction and material composition. The blue veins running through the stone
are most curious, and may contain trace amounts of Maerentium, a substance rarely found south of the
polar climes of Amdariak. Surisos classic Treatise clearly states how the metal was treasured by
occultists of old, and I dread to think what the old Knour worshippers did with such a vile thing. Yes,
indeed, I will have it smashed to bits as soon as I am able. Still, such relics have much to tell us in terms
of history and culture, so I will extract what I can from it beforehand.

11 Hadrel: I began walking the grounds again, though I must admit to a certain weariness, due to
odd dreams. Still, my walk was a fruitful one. I went past where I found the curious idol, traversing a
barely-discernible footpath that wound its way between heavy boulders and slowly snaked down to the
western shore of Jaelug. There, between a cleft in the rocks I found it: an ancient sea-cave, its walls
carved with faded bas-reliefs depicting the fish of the sea, along with a peculiar sort of ship that I am
unfamiliar with. Perhaps this site was once used by ancestors of Markenias nomadic harbor-men?
Rumors still abound of those squat and filthy folk worshipping unwholesome entities, so I would not be
surprised at such a fact. Sadly, the cavern did not go deeply into the ground before ending in a heavy
slab that I was unable to move by hand.

14 Hadrel: The rains were of the icy sort today. The season is shifting, and soon it will grow too
hazardous to conduct my research here. I must move that slab in the cave, and uncover whatever secrets
this isle still hides. Earlier today I borrowed the caretakers sledge for the task. I was also planning on
using it to smash that abominable idol, but again I could not bear to destroy such a valuable find. Later it
shall be done, after I open up the rest of the cave and am able to fully reveal what is inside of it to Father
Jaynus. Then we will conduct a purge of all this foulness.

15 Hadrel: Finally, I have managed to push aside heavy slab over the deep cave. The sledge did
not do for it, but I was able to use the caretakers crowbar as a lever, and pried the slab aside enough to
look inside. There in the darkness I found that the cavern opened up to a yawning grotto that seemed to
spread out to nearly half the length of Jaelug itself! The stench of untold centuries of rot assailed my
senses, but still I explored onward, climbing down a series of ledges until I at last reached the waters;
still, dark and shadowy. I shall not write here what I behold in those waters; for indeed, the others should
be brought to see it, not merely read about it. All I shall say is that it was both terrible and glorious. Like
the visions of the prophet-saints, it was something of a holy and yet frightful sort. I still feel it in my
thoughts, in my head; speaking without words and bringing me promises of home and paradise. I feel
something has shifted here at Jaelug; I feel its pull, its pure and wondrous lure. I know the others will
soon see it too, and appreciate it for all its greatness.

The rest of the journal was more of the same; a series of progressively brief entries that made note of the
ruins, the cave and the mysterious something that Brother Cardon had found inside. Each entry appeared shorter
than the last, and by the time Eleph had skimmed to the more recent parts, they were nearly gibberish; a series
of semi-literate ravings about the being inside the cave and how it would soon take them all home.

Eleph shut the book, feeling nauseous. Had this been the source of all the madness going on here? Had
Cardon unleashed something terrible upon them all? It was a wonder that the man could retain any semblance of
sanity. Cardon had not seemed a madman. If anything, the fat monk was far more lucid than most people Eleph

had met here. Yet if anything was madness, this was. Eleph could not help himself from shaking at the thought
of it. If there was any truth at all to Cardons ramblings, then the supernatural was indeed at work here. In the
depths of that cave he had found something demonic and unnatural; the sort of thing that educated men denied
and peasants feared. A part of Eleph could still not believe it all, despite the evidence before him. Yet another
part of him delighted in it; found a queer sort of fascination in the ghastliness of it allthe idea of a sea-demon
actually being real and lurking somewhere not far from where he stood. All his life he had heard tales of such
things. The Reds, in particular, were fervent in their belief that the monstrous children of the Old Gods still
walked this world, and they hired so-called demon-hunters to search them out and slay them. Even Elephs
own order was said to keep knowledge of the old exorcism rites, though he had never been trained in such a
thing.

As Eleph walked out of the door, his mind swarmed with the possibilities, reeling with imagery of
grotesque beings and mythical abominations. He could feel his heart beating as the cool wind of Jaelug Isle
blew down on him. Was it beating in fear? Or in excitement? A bit of both, he figured, as he looked around the
grounds for any sign of Cardon.

***

Jaelug Isle stood illuminated in the pale light of the moon, causing the monastery buildings and rocks to
take on a kind of ephemeral shine, and giving the whole scene a white glow. Eleph knew it must have taken
him some time to finish reading Cardons journal, but he was still surprised to see it dark already by the time he
emerged from the library.

Out upon the grounds, the air was chill and the land was silent. For a moment, Eleph stood there, simply
staring up at the moon, feeling overwhelmed and lost, thoughts of occult forces and unspeakable secrets filling
his mind. There was a sinking feeling in his gut; the sense of uncertainty, of fear, of panic beginning to set
in. His heart was beating faster now, as he searched for what exactly he had to do next.

He closed his eyes and focused his will inward. This is what he had trained for. It was his sacred
duty. Eleph took a deep breath in, mentally expelling all of his worthless and unproductive thoughts. He would
resolve this situation as quickly as possible. He knew the proper course of action, whatever abominable truths
the island held beneath it. He began walking for the upper levels of Jaelug, towards the chapel. However
unresponsive the man was, he would find Father Jaynus and tell him everythingwith all of the potentially
blasphemous things in Cardons journal, Jaynus had no choice but to respond.

Brother Eleph began making his way across the mens dormitories and towards the winding stairs that
would eventually lead him up to the chapel. Moments later, he stopped, as shivers began to wash over his flesh
like crawling worms. Again, it was like he was being watched by a thousand different eyes, all prodding at his
being with what could only be compared to tentacles of thought. Then the throbbing feeling begana pulse
like the beating of an all-present but unseen heart, something alive and yet invisible to his senses. He began to
move again, but quickly felt his gait growing unsteady. He leaned against a nearby wall to get ahold of his
senses, but still he could feel that oddness all over.

At first it was like being in a crowded tavern, with dozens of different voices all talking about disparate
topics, all shouting over one another and seeming to blend into one chaotic mass of ideas. Eleph was reminded
of when he first began meditating, and was surprised to find his mind wandering into all sorts of random
thoughts that didnt seem like his own.

With every step he took up the stairs, he could feel it intensifying; a chorus of chattering, cacophonous
thoughts that rushed through his mental background. They were not concrete thoughtsnothing like must
prepare dinner or isnt she prettybut packets of unutterable oddness that clung to his mindscape, gibbering
masses of guttural nonsense that almost seemed to have meaning, but only held an alien and discomforting
madness.

By the time he had gone up the seventh step, he felt it starting to wear upon him. He could barely
discern his own thoughts from the grinding masses of gibberish that swam through his mind. Eleph might as
well have been blind. All of his concentration was now on the random thoughts, and even the stairway right in
front of him was only present as a vague blur in his sight.

Knowing he could go no further, Eleph stopped, took a deep breath and hoisted himself up onto a nearby
boulder to the side of the ascending trail. There he sat, doing his best to concentrate on the sights before him;
on the stony rises and curves of Jaelug, shrouded in silvery moonlight that white-washed the rocks and
glimmered off of the seawater below. He focused on the feeling of wind on his exposed face, the slight touch of
water droplets carried from the waves below, on the sound those waves made as they lapped regularly upon the
shore.

The alien thoughts remained: squirmy and stubborn pests that clung to the edges of his awareness,
gurgling their unimaginable strangeness to him. Each of the alien thoughts was like a sieve in his mind, like a
kind of psychic leech that pulled at his motivation, his attention and his will. Every moment that Eleph gave to
them, he could feel his own energies fading, slowly being replaced by the same kind of blank lethargy he had
observed in the isles residents.

This would not do. Eleph closed his eyes and focused inward, taking an even breath in and out, all the
while visualizing the foreign thoughts flowing out of him as his breath moved like a circle. They barely abated,
still clinging to his mind like parasites: yet he continued on, breathing in a circular motion and keeping every
thought focused on that one act.

Eleph did not know how long he did this, but he kept to it, despite the unwholesome patterns that ran
repeatedly in his mental background, squirming and chittering as they mouthed empty blasphemies in the
darkness. The thoughts became small things now, as his world became only one act: the simple act of
breathing, the air moving in and out of his lungs in a continuous circle that allowed for nothing else to exist.

The thoughts did not go away, but grew progressively irrelevant, buzzing mental gnats whose bite could
barely be felt. As he breathed and breathed, Eleph could still sense their presence; lurking in the corners of his
mind, but as the minutes and then the hours wore on, he found them receding into the background where they
became merely another thing to observe, like stray thoughts in his own meditation: present but insignificant,
there to be observed and nothing more.

Now he was clear, his will formed into a single point in a vast void. He took one last breath out, pursing
his lips as he exhaled and visualizing a wave rolling out from him and washing over the remainder of those
alien thoughts.

Liberator, guide me toward clarity, he said to himself in a whisper. Make me the observer of my
environment and my self. Show me that I am not my body, merely that I dwell within it, that I am not my
feelings, they are merely experienced by me and that I am not my thoughts, they are but my tools.

Eleph finally opened up his eyes to see the orange glow of dawn arriving, the sun a burning sliver
peeking out from behind the northern cliffs. The morning light was warm upon his skin, and the persistent fogs
of Jaelug were already gathering upon the seashore. Eleph could feel his body now; his muscles stiff, his joints
chilled from a night of stillness. He stood up from his rock, shaking off the stiffness and taking in the sights of
the day.

Yes, he realized, the alien thoughts were still there, still prodding at poking for attention; yet the nights
meditation was still active as well, a pattern that had been set in motion by his mind and now held its
focus. Eleph allowed himself a small smile as he stepped off of the boulder and back on to the stairs, giving a
tiny prayer of thanks to the Liberator.

It was then that he saw them: their brown and white robes flapping in the wind as they descended the
stairs above him, one-by-one. The brothers and sister of Jaelug Isle, near twenty of them in total, marched in
single-file, making their way down from the chapel and towards where he stood on the stairs.

Stop! he yelled as he saw them approach his spot, though he already knew they would not listen. He
saw Father Jaynus at their head, his eyes staring blankly ahead, his arms stiff at his side. The others were
behind him, men and women both, all with identically empty gazes, moving like automatons.

Eleph took a step forward and placed his hands on Jaynus shoulders. The man kept walking, ignoring
him completely. Eleph pushed his heels down and stood his ground. Jaynus placed his hands on Elephs arms,
pushing him aside with a surprising strength, and hurling him against the rock wall on the left. Jaynus kept
walking, as if he had never been there. The others continued to move as well, closer now. Eleph stood and took
a step back, feeling pain in his shoulder.

In the name of Michaleus the Liberator, I order you to stop! he shouted in desperation, waving his
arms in the air and once more stepping ahead of the quickly approaching crowd. Again they continued to walk,
drawing closer and closer. In moments he would be trampled. He took more steps back, until he could once
more see the mens dormitories standing empty on his left, and behind them the cliffs and the sea.

The crowd continued to shamble forward, spreading out when they reached the bottom of the stairs and
moving around Eleph as they went for the lone path leading to the docks, where the bowl-shaped depression
and its jagged cliffs waited grimly.

For a moment, he could only watch, feeling impotent as they shuffled towards their doom. He paused,
watching as brothers and sisters walked around him, oblivious, while all the while the alien thoughts droned on
in the background of his mind. A second later, his training kicked in and Eleph regained his composure. He
had to think of something to do and do it quickly.

A quick glance around the crowd told him that it contained nearly all the monastics, though he noticed,
curiously enough, that neither Cardon nor Sister Myla were among them. He didnt stop to think about the
implications and instead broke into a dash, weaving between the oblivious people to get ahead of them once
more. Eleph nearly slipped on the slick stones of the cliff-side trail, but grasped onto a protruding bush before
he could plummet into the churning waters below.

They were nearly upon him once more, and half a dozen people were already beginning to line up along
the cliffs edge. The first of thema bald, wrinkly-faced monktook a step forward, lifting his arms in the air
like a bird as he prepared to make the final leap. Eleph grabbed the mans waist and pulled him back, propping
the old monks body against the rock wall opposite the cliff. For an instant the old man lay limp, then suddenly
thrust himself forward and wringed his hands around Elephs neck.

Eleph struggled to breathe as he tried to push the monk off him, but was surprised to find anothera
yellow-haired young sistergrabbing his arm and tugging as if it were a water-pump. A moment later they
were joined by a thirda tall, gangly monkand proceeded to push Eleph to the ground, all of their eyes rolled
into the back of their heads and their bodies moving in oddly disjointed ways.

They held him down, the elder monk still firmly grasping his windpipe. All he could do was flail
helplessly as his vision grew hazy and blood rushed to his head. From the corner of his left eye he saw one man
jump, his body plummeting downward, soon disappearing from sight, followed by a distant splash and
gurgle. Another few seconds passed and that sight too was lost to him, dark splotches starting to appear across
his sight. In the backdrop of his mind, the monstrous thoughts were shouting with glee.

One moment he was awash in pain, his neck feeling ready to explode, his vision a cluttered haze. Then
he heard several quick thuds and he was lying alone on the ground, gasping for breath and looking up as clouds
slowly drifted in the sky above. Beyond his sight, there was shuffling, groaning and other, indiscernible
sounds. He rolled to his side and began coughing, wheezing up phlegm and blood. Every breath was a labor,
but at least he could breathe. Now he saw them; the three clergy who had been atop him, all splayed out across
the ground. Above them stood a strangely familiar figure: the caretaker. The old man looked as grim as ever, a
cool look in his eyes as he held onto his old harpoon with both hands. Before Eleph could get to his feet he saw
another mana short, chubby brotherstep into view and lurch right for the caretaker. The old fellow simply
took the handle of his harpoon and smacked the man between the temples, sending him careening to the ground.

After several more heavy gasps of air, Eleph pushed himself to his feet. He was woozy for a few
moments, dark speckled dancing on the edges of his vision. After a moment it began to clear. He glanced
around, seeing several monastics still milling about in a daze, a few precariously close to the edge of the cliff
still, though many were like those who had attacked himvictims of the caretaker and his harpoon.

Thank you, he said, hoarsely, looking towards the wrinkly old fellow.

Yep answered the caretaker, his voice crackly yet somewhat slurred. Seems yous not crazy like all
dem.

Indeed, said Eleph. I could say the same for you. He noticed that the man had the scent of liquor
about him.

Heh, said the old man with a spit. Been thinkin a long time somethin be going on wit all o dem
holy folk. Not actin right since a years back. Folks goin all blank on me, then all quiet and dead-eyed.

Ol Homir figured there be somethin getting to them; somethin dark and old and wrong. Homir aint
no holy man, but he hears them too; at night, whisperin in the dark. Jaelug be an old place and this world be an
old place. Dark and nasty things be hidin in every shadow, things that dont be likin us people much save for
as food or somethin. The old man nodded to himself, then shook his head again and spat to the side.

How did you manage to not be affected by it? asked Eleph.

Heh, said old Homir, I aint be no holy man; our Lord dont protect me like he protect you; but there
be other ways to drown out things like those old beasties in yer head. For old Homir its the rum. Been havin
Marus and his lads bring it down from Beladren for years. Holy men say it aint the best habit, but I aint never
had the chance to give it up. Guess that be a good thing. Enough liquor in your head and none of them old
fishy thoughts can find a way in.

Well, I suppose if it works, I cannot fault you for it, said Eleph. Im glad to have an ally in this, at
least.

Ol Homirs doin his jobtakin care o this place, for sure. Now the Observer better do his job n
make all this stop. Gotta get to da heart o the matter. Got a place to start?
Yes, I think I do, he said.

Homir put on a grin as he looked at Eleph, then to the few monastics who were still in a daze and not on
the ground.

Here, said the old man, pushing the handle of his harpoon toward Eleph. Take it. Ya need it more
than Igot this here lot taken care of.

Thank you, he said, as he hesitantly wrapped his hand around the heavy harpoon.

Old Homir grinned again as he made his way to one of the wandering brothers and pushed him to the
ground.

Eleph knew what he had to do. He needed to find the source of this madness and put an end to it. He
grasped the harpoon firmly in his hands, gave the caretaker a final nod and began walking.

Whatever dark monstrosity was truly at the heart of all this, he knew, it was in that cave Cardon had
written of in his journal. Eleph broke into a run when reached the mens dormitories, until he got to Cardons
library and the boulder-strewn ridgeline that stood behind it. Once more he hoisted himself up the ridge and
began walking in the same direction where he had discovered the ruin.

As the journal had described, the path was a twisting thing, loosely beaten into the dirt below by foot
travel, going between boulders and down hills. The trail was remarkably easy to follow, due to the wet ground;
Brother Cardons heavy footprints clearly visible most of the time. He walked at a brisk pace for nearly a half
hour, descending gradually down and down until the monastery buildings were out of sight completely and all
Eleph could see was rugged, grass-covered rocks and teeming masses of birds that were in even greater
abundance on this side of the isle. Mainly puffins, they screamed and squawked at his approach, and twice he
had to raise his hands in front of his face as the birds darted right at him. Still, Eleph pushed onward, as the trail
sloped down and down until he could see the western shore of Jaelug, the cold waters lapping slowly against a
rocky shoreline dotted with colonies of sea anemones and barnacles. There he finally saw it, the sea cave; a
semi-triangular opening in a large rock outcropping that lay about five yards within the high tide line.

Eleph stepped inside the dark opening, swallowing his revulsion as he took in the foul stench of the
rotten sea, of old kelp and dead fish left too long in the air. He stopped just within the entrance, where the light
still shone, and took out a candle from his pack. Several moments of fumbling with his flint and he was able to
light it.

His meager light now flickered across the cave interior: walls lined in drooping clusters of sickly green
seaweed, its lower reaches housing more of the anemones from outsidepuckered, fleshy mouths that

somehow made his flesh squirm at the thought of brushing against them. The cave was small at this point; a
tunnel that dashed forward about twelve feet before snaking to his right. On the sandy floor of the cave he
could see the clear indentation of heavy footprints.

Eleph steeled himself and moved forward, keeping the candle between his body and the life-covered
walls. The rotten scent of dying sea-things grew stronger as he walked forward, and at times he could see tiny
insects dashing between the clumps of seaweed as his light shone upon them. He tried to keep his will focused
on his meditation, if only to shut away the sheer revulsion he was feeling. Still, those unholy thoughts were
therescreaming in his mind as he walked deeper and deeper into the cave.

He turned the corner and there it was, less than five feet away: the stone slab from Cardons journal. It
stood pushed against the wall, which was encrusted with yellow algae that glistened in his candlelight. The wall
to the right of it looked carved with a set of ancient etchings that depicted several stylized boats on the surface
of the sea. Below the boats, dozens of figures were carved: large fish of varying types, squid, jellyfish and other
beings that were largely unrecognizable but held a curiously anthropoid appearance. Beyond it stood a mansized doorway, leading into more blackness beyond. The alien thoughts were stronger than ever, and Eleph
could almost touch them as if they were as physical as the slimy walls of this place. Mouthing another silent
prayer for protection, he stepped forward.

A warm and unwholesomely moist wind blew upon him, nearly putting out his candle. As his eyes
adjusted to the light in the new chamber, its full expanse came into view. It was vast; a subterranean grotto that
spread out well beyond the light of his candle, its expanse highlighted by the occasional strand of light that
shone down from cracks in the earth above. The rocky walls of the cavern extended up at least a hundred feet,
and their lower reaches were ringed with what must have been countless generations of that same drooping
seaweed that clung to the smaller tunnel behind him. From where he stood, a winding path led rapidly
downward, ending some forty feet below, where Eleph could see light reflecting off of a placid surface of water
that extended well beyond his range of vision. Though it was hard to be certain from this distance, he thought
he could make out a person, standing at the waters edge, cloaked in a concealing robe. For a moment, the still
water behind the figure seemed to ripple. Holding onto the harpoon firmly in his right hand, Eleph rushed down
the stony path, as fast as he could without slipping on the slick stones.

He was nearly out of breath by the time he arrived at the bottom, where he could clearly see the
shimmering surface of the water, spreading out before him like a nocturnal sea. Lining the shore were dozens
of pillars like the one he had found in the ruins outside, and each covered in a blasphemous idol.

There, between two of them, stood the man he had seen from above, his back to Eleph. The man turned
around and it was indeed Cardon. The fat monk stared ahead with his bulging eyes, and mouthed something to

himself when he saw Eleph drawing closer. The top part of Cardons robes had been torn open, revealing his
bulging midsection. In the distorted light of the underground chamber a part of Brother Cardons stomach
appeared distended and pulsing with an unnatural life of its own, seeming to throb and jiggle as it radiated a
subtly green light.

Eleph took a step forward, pointing his harpoon in Cardons direction.

Stop right there, Brother, he said in the firmest voice he could fathom.

Im afraid I cant do that, Observer, said Cardon as he stood there, putting his hands to the side of his
belly, where the oddly gyrating tumor was. As Eleph drew closer, he could it in more detaila pulsing pocket
of flesh, parts of it tinged greenish-blue. Up close it was translucent, and Eleph suppressed a shudder as beheld
dozens of tiny larval things swimming within. Cardon caressed his tumor, a smile coming to his lips as he
fondled it lovingly.

I do not know what madness may have gripped you, Cardon, began Eleph, But put a stop to it and the
Church will be forgiving. He said his words hollowly, and knew in his heart that this could not end well.

Cardon did not respond immediately, but instead turned his head back to the water, where Eleph heard a
sudden splash and a gurgle.

Madness? responded the fat monk, at last. I am afraid it is not that. Would that it was, but I am
afraid that my conditionand that of all the souls upon this isleis based on Truth, rather than madness. You
see, I have been shown things, dear Observer, Truths about the nature of our world, about the destiny of our
human race and most of all about the great fallacy that is your god. You see, the Truth is not always a beautiful
thing, but when it finally seizes you, there is little choice but to follow it

I do not need to hear any more of your ramblings, said Eleph with a shake of his head. Just tell me
where Sister Myla is, and this can all end.

Cardon looked at him, his mouth twisting into a lurid smile as the things in his belly shifted and
squirmed. At that moment, another splash echoed through the chamber, and Eleph could see the water shifting
once more. He saw a pale hand pop up out of the water, followed by a drenched woman, gasping for breath as

she reached the surface. Eleph pushed Cardon out of the way and went for Myla, who floated there for an
instant, terror in her eyes as she reached up out of the water. Then there was a terrible gurgling from behind
her, as the formerly still water was disturbed by something far greater rising from below. Myla let forth an earpiercing shriek as something lifted her straight into the air by her leg. That scream was quickly choked away as
her body vanished into the bloated immensity that rose from below.

Eleph stood frozen, his mouth agape and his eyes tryingbut failingto fully take in the sight before
him. All his eyes could fathom was a hazy outline, with terrible suggestions of the beings true visage hinted at
in his peripheral vision. Afterward, Eleph could distinctly recall its blubbery form, vaguely shaped like that of a
spider or a crab, but pale white in color with a body spotted in fleshy red growths, with at least six rubbery
appendages hanging to its sides . It had one eye that he recalled; an equally red and pulsating thing, constantly
darting about as it alternated between Eleph and Cardon, the terrible outline of its blubbery star-shaped figure
shifting into and out of haziness as it clumsily spluttered through the waters. More than its appearance, he
could recall what it FELT like; the alien emotions and thoughts that pulsed from out of that fiend like the
constant beaming of a lighthouse calling to distant ships.

What followed was a blur. As he struggled to merely look at the thing, Eleph could feel its abysmal
thoughts growing more and more distinct. The silent voices he had heard on the surface now erupted as guttural
growls, primitive and yet possessing a kind of supreme intellect. He could clearly sense it in the thing now; a
will so clear and focused that it could dominate an entire monastery. He did his best to stand his ground, to
focus his own will while the monstrosity beat down upon him with its ungodly intellect. Everything seemed to
slow, his reality condensing down to just himself and the creature. For a moment, Eleph saw Cardon, heard the
man laugh with maniacal glee and saw him leap towards the water and the creatures blubbering
tentacles. Then the darkness was upon him.

He stood alone in a voidbut no, not alonethe thing was with him, not in body but rather as an allpervasive presence, its slimy thoughts and unfathomable ego surrounding him completely. It was the
void. Eleph did all he could to focus, to draw his attention inward and avoid being completely crushed by the
being. The scene shifted and he could see the ocean, in all its grand beauty and primal filth. Again, those
things from his dreams appeared. He saw them in great detaila roughly manlike body, with a bulbous head,
two glossy black eyes and no mouth to speak of. In place of arms they had two ropy tentacles, extending out far
past where mans arms would end and instead of legs, their abdomens eventually narrowed down into equally
ropy tails. These things swarmed in the masses, like in his dream. They swarmed and they swam and they
made for the surface. He saw them reaching up from the sea with their tentacles and dragging down sailors
from their ships, or fishermen from their wharfs. They would drag them into the sea and poke their flesh with
tiny little spikes at the end of their tendrils. Then, as the men slowly wasted away, their bodies would become
food for the youngthose thousands of tiny larvae that had been injected into them. They would grow and
grow until the surviving ones would burst from the corpses and leap for the water, beginning their lives as one
of the man-squid-things. But that was just one stage. Eleph received brief glimpses of their life-cycle. Some
would keep growing and growing as they survived through the centuries. Some would change forms as they

grew; becoming super-minds like the one here, their prime function to stupefy and lure mankind to their
doom. Others were more monstrous stillresembling lampreys as large as ships, yet capable of moving on
hundreds of legs. Some were so large and alien as to be indescribable, and a few evolved even beyond the form
of the creature who was here, and seemed to lose corporeal form altogether.

The Mind assailed him with such thoughts, feeding him an overwhelming set of horrifying images, all
spliced into Elephs memories as if they were his own. He knew now what these beings were and what they
regarded humanity asnothing much more than the way a man would regard his cattle, or a bottle of babys
milk. These beings were kin to the gods; the children of old Knour, who the ancients had so feared: beings
who had, for centuries, hidden so deeply that men barely remembered they were real.

Yet real they were. He could feel their presence nownot just the one Mind but thousands, or even
more, all linked together by some kind of invisible connection that allowed many to think as one. They were
real, they were here, and they were waking up. Soon they would lure all those on Jaelugs surface to their
deaths. The brothers and sisters would leap into the sea, and their bodies would all be used as incubators and
then as food. More of the squid-thingsthe Knourelwould be born, and even more after that. In time, so
the Mind showed him, they would spread and spread until they once again dominated the world that had once
been theirs.

Eleph was so intertwined with the Mind, now, that the thoughts almost felt like his own. A part of him
already felt the futility in fighting these beingsthese gods. What could he even fight for, after all? Did he
truly have faith in Michaleus the Liberator or his Church, even?

From the darkness he sensed a wave of doubt and fear assail him. You cannot defeat us,it seemed to
say, you have no reason to fight us. Give in, human, and fulfill your purpose.

A part of him truly felt like giving up. Awash in apathy, it knew that there was no fighting these things;
these monsters who could warp the very thoughts of feeble mankind. Yet the patterns of his meditation were
still there; his constantly focused breathing, that regular rhythm that had prevented him from simply going mad
during the night. He could still observe his own thoughts. By extension, he knew that all of the darkness
around himthe fear, the apathy, the doubtwas other. Again, he focused inward, shutting away the slimy
presence of the Mind and closing himself to its horrors.

Eleph found he could see again, could feel and smell again. He was at the edge of the underground
lake. Before him was the being itself; that throbbing white monstrosity, rising up from the briny waters, its

pulsing eye only a few feet away from him now. He could smell its awfulness and could feel one of its tendrils
reaching up his leg, getting ready to pull him forward.

He could still feel his right hand grasped tightly around the caretakers harpoon. In a moment of
instinct, he hurled it forward, straight into the lone red eye of the beast. It shook and it throbbed as black ichor
sprayed from its socket, then let go of its grip on him while it flailed about with its tentacles. Finally, the
abomination fell limp, rolling backward and falling into the sea that had birthed it, where it slowly began
sinking out of his sight.

Eleph slumped against the nearby pedestal, a sense of both relief and weariness coming over him. The
strange thoughts and emotions fell away, the creatures alien influence going with it, sinking away like filth in a
drain. The air felt clear now; his thoughts were his own.

In the cavern, there was no sign of Sister Myla or Brother Cardon. Eleph would have wept for them, but
there was little feeling left in him for tears. Instead, he slowly made his way out of the fetid cave and to the
surface. There, a cool and refreshing wind blew down upon Jaelug. In the skies above, clouds drifted rapidly,
occasionally revealing a spot of blue behind their gray cover. He made his way back across the terrain of
boulder-strewn land, noticing quite a few birds dead on the ground, and many more taking off rapidly and flying
southward, away from the island. Back at the monastery, more than a dozen clergy gathered about the lower
dormitories, looking bewildered. An occasional sob could be heard as they peered down the cliffs at the broken
bodies of the few who had leapt. Many of the survivors simply sat upon stones, grasping their heads in pain due
to the welts the caretaker had given them. Old Homir himself stood by the gardens, sipping from a flask of rum
and looking satisfied. He nodded to Eleph as he arrived back, but didnt say a word.

Eleph himself was in no mood to talk, so he leaned up against a nearby boulder and took a deep breath
as he glanced out at the sea and its constantly shifting waves. He supposed he should be thinking of all manner
of things; about the creature he had encountered below, about the implications that had on his life and his
reality, about the report he had to prepare for his superiors at the Church. At the moment, however, he was too
tired to think, and his thoughts were free from both exterior and interior disturbances. Thus, Brother Eleph the
Observer allowed himself a moment of silence.

THE END