Finding Answers: Chapter Twelve
The High Priest
"We have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens"
Ruth had gone to help her mother, and the twins went back into her room, stunned and shaken.
"What have I done?" Andrew muttered silently.
"First day as the guardians of the long lost Book of Truth, and we've already ruined the world," Deborah said, collapsing onto Ruth's bed. She buried her face in her hands, guilt heavy in her voice.
Andrew paced across the room, his hands buried deep in his pockets. "Alright, let's not panic just yet. We don't know for sure that this illness is connected to the book."
Deborah lifted her face, her eyes red. "Really?"
"I mean, it could be a coincidence," Andrew offered, though even he didn't sound convinced even to himself.
Just then, Ruth burst through the door and shut it behind her. Her expression alone answered their fears.
"That was us," she said, breathless. "The illness... it's connected to what we changed in the book."
Both twins froze.
"What?" Deborah asked, nearly whispering.
"What do you mean? How are you so sure about that?" Andrew added, though dread had already begun to settle in his chest.
Ruth stepped away from the door, visibly anxious. "It's a rare type of the Valley Flu, what we did...fast-forwarded time, skipping the early symptoms. Now it's progressed into a contagious form that's affecting entire families."
"But it's treatable?" Deborah asked, hopeful.
"Yes. It's not fatal, but it spreads fast and weakens people. The problem is... the Festival of Lights starts tomorrow, and gatherings are only going to make it worse."
There was a silence. Ruth had never sounded so sure of herself. Deborah, usually the most informed of the trio, now found herself grasping for answers.
"Shouldn't you have warned us?" Deborah shot at Ruth, tension rising in her voice. "This is your thing, your knowledge, your craft. Why didn't you say anything earlier?"
"Deb no," Andy interjected, his voice firm. "Don't do that, we made the choice as a group."
Deborah didn't back down. "No, we decided to remedy the situation but it was you who came up with that lame little line that only made things worse."
"DEBORAH!" Andrew thundered, then his voice went calm as he said slowly, "We're in this together, we would fix it together."
Deborah sighed. "I'm sorry... I'm just... overwhelmed."
"We all are," he added quietly.
Deborah stood and opened the book again, searching frantically. "Can we undo it? Go back and fix it?"
"No," Ruth said sharply. "The book warned us, prepare for the future, not rewrite it, remember?"
Deborah rubbed her forehead. "I can't believe we missed that. We were so focused on what the book could do, we never thought about what we should be doing."
Andrew picked up the book from his sister and turned it over in his hands. As he flipped it to the other side, he noticed something etched into the back cover.
"We have a High Priest," he read aloud.
The three of them exchanged glances.
"That's what we're supposed to do," Andrew said. "Go to the High Priest."
"It couldn't be the last thing written by accident," Deborah said, her brow furrowed with concern. "Besides, something of this magnitude needs to be reported to someone in authority, like... the High Priest," she added, looking at Ruth and Andrew with a serious gaze.
"But what if we get into trouble?" Ruth asked.
Andrew gave a small nod, this wasn't his first time getting into trouble. "Then we face it. Whatever the consequences."
By the time they reached the capital, the sun had already gone beneath the horizon. Shadows stretched across the marble streets of the Clan of Prophets, a place known for its balance, beauty, and order.
Even the shrubbery seemed to have been trimmed with reverence. Light bearing gem stones lined the path, giving illumination to the polished stone roads. Behind them, numerous white marbled bungalows with blue roofs lined the landscape.
Everything in the capital clan whispered of harmony, except, their hearts.
They walked in silence down a path that stretched to the Temple, the only structure that stood out. The temple rose majestically at 70 feet, its radiant white marble glistening in the moonlight. Several large marble pillars, intricately carved with delicate patterns, surrounded the structure, creating a sense of grandeur and serenity.
They approached the majestic temple in a hallowed fashion, as if the very air demanded respect. Each step bringing them closer to what they hoped would be their redemption.
Priests clad in blue robes stood scattered around the temple's perimeter in twos and threes, whispering quietly. They were obviously preparing for the festival. None paid much attention to the three outsiders; even up till they began ascending the steps.
Inside the inner court, a white marbled and expansive circular room, more priests moved about. Then, from across the room, Deborah spotted him at the northern most part.
"There," she whispered. "The one with the turban."
One look at the High Priest and you could tell that he was a man advanced in both age and wisdom. He wore the usual royal blue robes common to all the priests but had an additional golden vest adorned with 12 precious stones, each representing one of the 12 clans of Sion. A golden turban crowned his head, completing the majestic ensemble.
He had been attending to a group of priests and he dismissed them shortly after.
Andrew took a deep breath, this was their chance. He wasn't used to taking charge, but he felt burdened to act. Maybe it was guilt, a quiet weight he had carried since the situation spiraled out of control.
He summoned courage and stepped forward, as the girls followed suit. The High Priest, Elder Hosea, turned his gaze to them as soon as they made their move, like he knew they had come for him.
"Speak," Elder Hosea said, as soon as Andrew stood before him, his voice calm but commanding.
So, Andrew did. He told him everything; from the day they found the Veiled Archives, to the hidden doorway, the stairway that led to heaven, the Book of Truth, their decision to alter the future and the ill fate that followed that decision. He spared no important detail. Elder Hosea listened with unwavering attention, his hands folded behind his back.
When Andrew finished, silence filled the air.
"The journeys you've undertaken and the discoveries you've made are no ordinary feat, but one reserved for those chosen to be entrusted with mysteries hidden for ages; mysteries that demand reverence, not recklessness." Elder Hosea said finally with seriousness in his tone.
"I'm sorry, it was my fault." Andrew said, bent with defeat, he failed, the girls trusted him but he let them down, unleashed a plague and ruined the most important festival in their city.
Hosea's expression didn't change, but there was something kind in his eyes.
"It takes courage to admit fault," he said. "That's the mark of a leader."
Andrew blinked, unsure how to respond. A leader? No one had ever called him that before. Especially not in this situation.
"Can you help us undo the damage?" he asked. "The book of truth makes reference to a High Priest...."
"I cannot change what's been done," Elder Hosea replied gently. "The Healer Clans have informed me of this new development. The festival will be held differently this year. We will treat the sick, reduce the spread and honor the Father of Lights in a quieter way."
"But... surely there's something else you can do?" Deborah pressed.
"It is only wise we let it lie, lest we bring a greater disaster upon ourselves," Elder Hosea said. "Let this be a lesson to you; about power, restraint, and unity. You were chosen for a reason. Continue to walk together and let me know what the book reveals next, that no step be taken in haste."
He placed a hand on Andrew's shoulder, a gesture of blessing and trust.
Andrew turned back to the girls. They were standing close together, arms linked, looking at him. He needed to be strong for them.
He forced a smile. "Well... that was some adventure, huh? Definitely something to write about. Right? Deborah the scribe."
They gave weak nods in response to Andrew's failed attempt at lightening the mood.
As they began to leave, Hosea called out one last time.
"Wait. There is one more thing you must know..."
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