Lunar Heart, Shadow Bound ✓ [when the moon lies]

Ch.25: Tales Over Food and Drink

"Well, that was good," Daero began, "You were going to tell us about the whens and whys?"

"Basil bread first," Thereanbold said, "then we talk."

So, Pinti, Daero, and Lalina all tried his basil bread. The sweetness of the basil matched quite well with melted butter and a bit of salt. Once Lalina praised Thereanbold for his 'genius', did Thereanbold begin to tell them about Kathula's past with Edglings and how it all was. Since he had lived for over two centuries, he could remember a time before Edglings oppressed Kathula, secluding them in the Third Ring.

"Kathula were, in fact, quite powerful." He licked his fingers of powdered sugar until Lalina handed him a napkin. "Magically and politically, because, in fact," He gave a chuckle, "I do say 'in fact' a lot, don't I? But, in fact, just twice. Three times now."

"In fact, what?" Daero said. He was sitting cross-legged on the sofa with his tail wrapped around his waist.

"Well, they had been the ones making all the decisions for all anthropomorphics, or humanoids, or anthros, you could say, and so, even after Humans came to invade our Six-Ringed World Elgana, and anthros were enslaved, those Halfhumans followed Kathula. Follow Kathula. Everyone. Wouldn't you know, even Sorcerers. Ah, can you pass me the uh, Scepter book?" He reached for the book and Pinti handed it to him.

He flipped through the pages until it came to a sketch of the world and all its six Rings. They were more like doughnut-shaped Rings, each with its own race occupying it. "It says, if my ancient Kathulan is right, that Kathula lived in the Fourth Ring, not Third, because they could access the thick magick air. Edglings lived in the Sixth Ring, because no one else could occupy it."

Daero nodded. "Humans in the first, remaining anthros in both, but lots of wars between the two, right?"

Thereanbold nodded.

"A lot. So many scuffles," Lalina said with a sigh, "so many. I think Humans like war and confrontation. Anthros were the most peaceful creatures you could have ever met! Kathula were just a kind of anthro until everyone else went extinct."

If Kathula were so powerful, it sounded strange they would just end up secluded. They could have helped their fellow anthros, if they had so much power.

"So why do we live in the Third Ring?"

"Well, Pinti, it was to escape the war between Humans and remaining anthros," Thereanbold put the book down, "but then things changed and soon Edglings and Kathula became very hostile toward each other. I say even much more so than you two are now. There weren't any such things as Saboteurs so every Kathula was in danger. Frumph!" He blew air out his nose making his mustache wiggle. "But so were Edglings. Many fights were had. Kathula versus Edglings. Over and over, back and forth, promises made to keep peace and then one side would break it."

Daero uncrossed his legs and dangled them off the sofa. His tail twitched in thought as did Pinti's. It sounded like Kathula weren't submissively oppressed back then. She had thought they were. Kathula couldn't project magick like Edglings could. They could only heal.

"Mortal enemies," Thereanbold said after a pause, "Shadow and light, a cliché of a contrast, but one that is very much true." He picked up the book again and carefully leafed through the pages until he came upon another sketch and faced it towards her. It was of a white moon with dark blue speckles and a black moon with golden speckles. Underneath was some writing and Pinti followed the squiggles with her tail, sounding out the ancient Kathulan in her mind. At last, she translated it.

"Ikyliell, Lunar Goddess, Light, Kathula, Aurvandil. And Nyliell, Umbra Warrior, Shadow, Shaa, S-ka-ah-van-dil," she read with difficulty. "What's that?"