“And on to very exciting and recent business that I am sure some of you have been busting to hear,” Renee said, clasping her hands behind her posterior and for a moment pausing as she soak in the room’s anticipation.
“The Sword of Truth exists.”
Stunned silence enveloped from the room as the meaning of her words took hold, then everyone in the room talked at once. Renee giggled as the questions all came at once.
‘The sword from the play?’
‘Where is it?’
‘Who has it?’
‘Does it really slay Karh’Thul in one swing?’
‘Did we find it?’
‘The one from the Battle of Millenguard?’
‘Is the pommel gem still intact, does it still glow?’
‘Does the government know?’
‘Will the government destroy it?’
‘Pfft, they probably will waste it on a statue!’
‘How can we get it?’
‘Will you wield it Renee?’
Almost every kid in the room had burst out with a question, their words tripping over each other in excitement. Renee raised her hand for quiet and continued, still smiling.
“It is very exciting news, for this sword, used to save the Kingdom in a battle over 14 centuries ago, has been nothing but a myth according to our beloved government. Even though the sword plays as a third leading role in some of the plays that are occurring in the theaters right above our heads as I speak.” Renee pointed to the wood ceiling, which was the bottom floor of an unused warehouse basement in the Theater District. Either Mark or John, or perhaps even one of the guild runners would be stationed there now, listening in, and watching the basement entrance.
Renee acquiesced to the bright, beckoning eyes of the children who knew there was more, Renee never gave information based on hunches.
“Within the library, my source tells me that invisible arcane symbols have been discovered in various children’s books. Cleverly hidden in fairy tales that have nothing to do with the sword, which seems to be missing in every historical text and serious “adult” books of education and fact in the rest of the library,” Renee’s smile had vanished and turned to a look of questioning concern. All knew Renee wanted to love the government, but as an abused child would love the offending parent, she would still run away, question, and be disillusioned.
“This source searched for countless hours through every book of the Arts section. Not an easy task. And was rewarded for the effort with a scrambled mass of letters, that once the source, and Emma and I decoded, turned into a message that not only gave me hope, but once again renewed my distrust of those above who would lie to us.”
“That section is enormous, it must of taken him weeks,” Jared exclaimed.
“It did my friend,” Renee replied.
“What was the message? I am dieing of anticipation here!” Ashley asked with a smile.
“The Sword of Truth still exists within reach of a Hero.”
The whole group of starry-eyed kids let out an audible exclamation of awe, which sounded really funny, so therefore a burst of laughter exploded in the room.
After a moment of goodly-founded sillyness, Renee put her hand again for attention.
“Now it is up to us to find it before a member of the government does. We have no further clues to go on, even though our source is now working diligently in other stacks to find more symbols.”
Renee never revealed certain sources, trying to keep facets of the members in separate cells should the unthinkable happen. Better to keep hidden those directly responsible for transgressions of a certain nature, and therefore safe from future over-zealous questioning of soldiers. She had seen first hand the questioning, the torture, of black market criminals at the hands of the city guard, and that is why she was leader of Whisper today.
“So this is what I need you to do my friends, I need you to peek into your parents history. Those few of you who have parents who support this guild, ask them directly. Those of you who do not have this trust, I need to ask you to betray your parents this one time for the good of all that this guild represents. Seek out notes, journals or any clues within their “private” cubbies, invade their privacy and please do not get caught. I am hoping that somewhere we may find a clue. My deepest apologies for asking you to perform this task, but we must have that sword first. If you do get caught, well, we are kids aren’t we? Parents always except ‘I don’t know’ (Renee said dumbly) when caught.”
The whole room giggled.
