Finding Answers: Chapter Six
The Journey Begins
"And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love"
Last night was still a blur in Ruth's mind.
So much had happened in so little time that it all felt like pieces of a dream, disconnected and fleeting.
She lay in her bed beside the fairly large window, where the cool northern breeze drifted in, brushing against her face. As her eyes stared at the ceiling of her minimally decorated room; a white bed that took up most of the room, a wooden drawer and clematis creeping around the white walls.
Her thoughts replayed yesterday's events again and again, meeting Deborah and Andrew, wandering into the hidden part of The Archives, speaking with Elder Ezekiel, and hearing the ancient tales of creation and times long past.
Ruth had never been one for company. She usually kept to herself, content in her own little world. But something about this new turn of events had stirred curiosity in her, it was a new adventure and a much bigger one at that. She loved it already.
And now, with a quest laid before them by the mysterious elder, she found herself wanting more. They were tasked with finding what Elder Ezekiel had called 'The Book of Truth'.
Ruth was surprised her mother hadn't been furious about her coming home so late. Worried, yes, but the worry melted into joy the moment she saw Ruth walking up the path with friends by her side. Ruth hadn't just come home. She had come home with others. That alone was enough for her mother to beam.
Today, another adventure awaited, but first, chores. She cleaned a few rooms, watered the plants, and tended to the small farm her mother kept. She had just finished with the last row when she saw Andrew running up the hill, his figure dipping and rising along the path toward her.
She stood still with concern written on her face, he wasn't supposed to be here. They had all agreed to meet at the archives by noon today.
"What's wrong?" she asked as he reached her.
Andrew, panting, glanced back at the hill. "Why... why did...why did your parents build their house on top of a mountain?"
Ruth blinked. Before she could respond, he straightened and his face turned serious.
"Elder Ezekiel... he's dead."
Her watering can dropped to the soil with a dull thud. Her mouth parted in shock. "How... how?"
"We need to meet. Now."
Within an hour, Ruth had said goodbye to her mother and rushed down the trail with Andrew. They entered the Archive, mostly empty, as the clan was mourning the loss of a Guardian. They went through the grand door and made their way to the Hall of Learning. Deborah stood inside, staring blankly at the wall, bathed in gentle sunlight from the glass dome above.
"Thanks for coming, Ruth," she said quietly as she turned.
"It's nothing. I want to help. I want to go on this quest too."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes," Ruth nodded firmly. "I mean it."
Deborah voice trembled. "We don't know what we're looking for. We don't even know where we're going...and Elder Ezekiel is gone"
"We're in this together," Andrew said, stepping beside her and placing a hand on her shoulder. He locked eyes with his sister. "All of us."
Deborah's eyes welled up, and Andrew pulled her into a hug. Ruth smiled at the sight lost in the beauty of the moment, until Andrew reached out and brought her into the embrace.
After a few moments, they separated. Deborah stepped toward the center of the hall where Elder Ezekiel used to teach as the others followed suit.
"I was studing last night," Deborah began. "All we know is that we have to find a 'Book of Truth' and follow a certain 'Way' to find it, and we don't even know what the book looks like or where this way is!?"
Andrew calmly added, "... and Elder Ezekiel said there was only one way, so which is it?."
"Yes," Deborah echoed. "And there is."
She turned toward them, her voice steadier now.
"In the chronicles, there's a road referred to over and over again. It's narrow, hard to walk, forgotten by many. But it is said to run through the village"
Andrew's eyes lit up. "The first road ever built?"
"Exactly. That's where we start."
"When do we leave?" Ruth asked.
Deborah looked at them both and said, "Now, we have to find the book before the Festival of Lights which is in a few days".
"Well, let's hit the road, it wouldn't be so hard to find" Andrew replied.
Hours later, they were still walking.
They had passed rivers, trudged through meadows, even crossed farmlands from the Farmers' Clan to the Fishery Tribe. But they have found nothing indicative of what they seemed to be looking for.
Deborah was visibly exhausted. She collapsed onto the root of a giant tree, burying her face in her hands. Ruth sat beside her. Andrew stood nearby, frowning.
"I can't do this," Deborah whispered, then screamed into her hands. "I can't do this!"
Ruth frowned. "Maybe you're overthinking it. Like with the Archives."
Deborah shot her a sharp glare, but Andrew intervened.
"She's right. Whatever we're looking for might be hidden in plain sight. Just like the doorway to the Velied Archives before."
Deborah's expression softened as she stared ahead. "Ezekiel said I had hope, and that I needed Ruth's faith in finding the answers I had been seeking."
"So... we need faith again?" Andrew asked.
"No. Remember the three great tenets?" Deborah stood slowly.
"Faith, hope, and..." Andrew began.
"Love," the twins said in unison. "The greatest of all."
Ruth stood too. "But what does that mean for our search?"
"And where are we, anyway?" Deborah added, turning to survey their surroundings.
The trees were taller now. Denser. The sun barely touched the forest floor. Somehow, in their determined journey, they had wandered deep into the unknown.
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