Page 44 of Quest

As I moved away from the altar to allow the next in line to proceed, I couldn’t resist casting Ren another sidelong glance. Despite my best efforts, the seeds of doubt and curiosity had been sown. Had the sacred grove attempted to reveal a deeper truth, or had the illusion been nothing more than a trick of my mind? The unresolved question lingered as we continued our solemn procession.

After Jiang successfully passed the test, Kael was the next to approach the altar. I watched him with a curiosity sharpened by the recent confusion surrounding Ren. Kael’s demeanor appeared calm, almost unnervingly so. He had always been a quiet presence among us—his keen focus often observing more than he let on—but today there was a deliberate confidence in his step, a serenity that almost appeared practiced.

He placed his hands on the moss-covered altar. It took much longer for the magic to search his character, but in the end its welcoming light glowed in seeming acceptance. Whispers of relief rippled through our group as Kael stepped back with a modest nod, acknowledging the grove’s acceptance with a stoic façade. For some inexplicable reason the ease of his success left me with a nagging suspicion, an itch at the back of my mind that wouldn’t settle.

I watched intently when it came to Ren’s turn, both curious and admittedly anxious about his performance considering how much his knowledge had guided our steps up until this point and the strange image I’d seen earlier.

The air thickened with tangible expectancy as Ren approached the altar with a steady stride, as the atmosphere itself had shifted. But as he placed his hands upon the withered stone the shadows deepened and the air around us suddenly chilled, a harsh wind causing the trees to groan and sway. Instead of glowing with the soft acceptance shown to others, the altar remained dark.

He stepped back, his expression etched with confusion and a trace of fear at the grove’s rejection, a stark denial that was impossible to ignore. Murmurs rippled through our group, a mix of uncertainty and burgeoning suspicion. Ren had led us here on the strength of his knowledge, and his failure cast a shadow not over his previous assertions and decisions, but on his character that we’d come to trust.

“What happened, Ren?” I moved close, pitching my voice low to conceal our conversation, trying to keep doubt from seeping through. He shook his head, his eyes frantically scanning the inscriptions, as if seeking an answer in the weathered stone.

“I—I don't know. I must have misunderstood the test’s requirements, or perhaps there’s something I missed.” His voice wavered, clearly shaken by his sudden position as a man unexpectedly set apart by distrust.

The others cast Ren sidelong glances as they whispered amongst themselves. “Purity of heart is required to advance to the eternal flame,” I overheard Jiang mutter. “Does this mean that he’s deceived us?”

“Maybe he’s not who he claims to be,” Kael suggested.

Suspicion tightened the atmosphere among us. I felt a pang of unease at their words, causing my doubt to grow unchecked. Jiang was the first to break the heavy silence.

“Something isn’t right.” His voice carried a sharp edge of accusation. “Doesn’t it seem strange that Ren has led us based on his knowledge, yet fails a test of purity and truth?”

Kael’s own look became almost calculating. “I too have my doubts. If Ren is as loyal as he claims, why would the magic protecting the very element we need to save the kingdom reject him? We must consider the possibility that we have a traitor among us…though we must also consider that we may not be able to finish our quest without him.”

His words triggered another ripple of murmurs, Jiang’s and Kael’s eyes shifting uneasily between me and Ren. I felt the weight of their suspicions and my responsibility to maintain order, yet my own thoughts were in turmoil. Ren’s failure at the altar was undeniable, shaking me more deeply than I cared to admit.

“Let’s not hastily jump to conclusions,” I began, my voice firm despite my gnawing uncertainty. “Ren has proven his worth time and again throughout our journey. This test might not judge what we initially presumed; there could be other factors at play beyond our understanding.”

Jiang scoffed. “Or perhaps it’s exactly as it appears. We are in a place guarded by magic that sees through deceit. Blind trust in this situation could lead us into peril. We should be cautious, Your Highness.”

Kael nodded in agreement. “Perhaps it’s time we reconsider whom we trust, especially if placing it in those who don’t deserve it puts us all at risk.”

Ren’s posture stiffened against the swirling accusations, the set of his jaw firm in the face of our rising suspicion. His eyes shone with frustration and unwavering resolve as he looked around at the gathered faces, each marked by varying degrees of doubt and concern. We all waited as he hesitantly stepped forward, our attention fixed on him in anxious anticipation.

“I understand your concerns,” he began, his voice steady despite the palpable tension. “I know it looks bad to fail a test of integrity and purity of character, but I assure you that my intentions are aligned with the mission and the well-being of this group. While I can’t explain why the magic’s guardianship found me wanting, I do know it doesn’t negate everything we’ve achieved together, nor indicate that I possess ill-intentions.” Though he spoke confidently, his gaze wavered, as if he couldn’t quite look us in the eye.

Jiang folded his arms, his expression unyielding. “Such assurances are empty when we don’t know the reasons your character has been brought into question. The fact remains that the magic’s protection has rejected you; that’s not something we can simply overlook.”

Ren bit his lip, enough of a falter in his expression that made me fear he was indeed hiding something. Whether his deceit had anything to do with the quest remained to be determined. Memories sifted through my mind: catching Ren in a lie about plants that could only be harvested at dawn, his odd standoffishness that seemed more than mere shyness, the strange vision I’d seen with my hands on the altar. Yet even in the face of this doubt, I still wanted to believe in him.

I stepped forward to intervene. “I know how this appears, but perhaps the grove tests more than just the surface truths and challenges our deeper fears and secrets…even those we keep for the right reasons.”

Jiang spun on me, demonstrating a rare show of defiance that showed the extent of the strain rendered by the situation. “You’re always defending him.”

I didn’t deny it. I’d subconsciously been aware of how often I sided with Ren, but there wasn’t any special meaning behind my actions—it was natural to want to protect the physically weakest member of our entourage. “The concerns against him are valid, but whatever the nature of his secrets, it doesn’t change the fact that he saved my life against that poison that infected me, making it impossible for me to entirely distrust him.”

“Nor does it change the fact that those secrets we know nothing about are far too risky with the stakes as high as they are for our kingdom.”

As desperate as I was to defend Ren, unfortunately I couldn’t deny Jiang’s point. My resolve faltered…until Ren slowly lifted his head and met my gaze, earnestly seeking an ally midst this sea of skepticism. Try as I might to be impartial for the good of the group, I was helpless to his silent plea, his need for me to come to his rescue that I’d been unable to ignore once throughout our quest.

I sighed in defeat and turned to the others. “We’ve all kept secrets at some point. If we discard trust at the first sign of uncertainty, we’ll only fracture what we’ve worked so hard to build. Rather than a moment influenced by a mysterious force we don’t possess sufficient knowledge to understand, let Ren prove his loyalty through his actions. Until then we will continue to assess the situation. If there is deceit to find, it will come to light. Until then, Ren remains under my protection, as do all members of this expedition.”

Kael snorted, skepticism written all over his hardened expression, but Jiang seemed to consider, his brow furrowed in thought. There was a pause, heavy with contemplation as they digested the implications of my words. Despite their lingering doubts, they each nodded in turn. Even with the group's acceptance, I couldn't shake the discomfort that clung to me like the chill of a shadow as I wondered whether I’d made the right decision to keep Ren with us despite the magic’s disapproval.

I released a relieved breath. “Very well, then. We will rest for the night and reconvene tomorrow to determine how to proceed, all the while remaining vigilant.”

Ren nodded solemnly in gratitude for the opportunity to restore his standing among us, even as he seemed weary of the burden of proving himself under the weight of such mistrust with his usual quiet strength I had come to admire.

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