Through some vague mercy, the boy from the cathedral did not move from his spot near the banister after the travelers moved to chase him. He was still looking out over the water below, his glassy eyes proving that mentally, he was far from Goldshore. Ophilia slowed to a stop at his side, brushing out the wrinkles that had appeared in her robes during her pursuit. "There you are. I saw you in the church earlier." Ophilia didn't tell the boy that she felt inclined to follow him in a way that she simply could not describe. He probably wouldn't have wanted to hear it anyway. 

The boy whirled around to face Ophilia with panic and rage in his eyes. His fear far outweighed his anger, and he staggered backwards to try and grab the stone railing. "What do you want?! I don't know anything!" 

Ophilia shook her head. "Settle down. I never said you did anything," she assured him, but the boy's shoulders remained tense anyway. "My name is Sister Ophilia. What's your name?"

The boy finally looked up at Ophilia properly, and the terror in his eyes slowly but surely began to subside. "I'm... I'm Daniel," he replied carefully, almost as if he feared he would be attacked if he admitted his name. 

Ophilia didn't let her panic rise to meet his, instead pressing a kind smile on her face that betrayed none of the sudden anxiety in her stomach. "What a lovely name. It's nice to meet you, Daniel," she told him. 

Daniel nodded dully, though something in his eyes told Ophilia he didn't believe it. "Yeah... Nice to meet you..."

"Were you there in the cathedral to see the bishop about something?" Ophilia asked next. 

Daniel's eyes went wide before he schooled expression back into composure. "Uh... Yeah, I guess..."

"He sure seemed to have a lot on his mind," Ophilia remarked, and Daniel suddenly found the stones beneath his shoes far more interesting than Ophilia's eyes. "It was as though he was anxious about something... Or even... Afraid."

Daniel nearly tripped over himself in an attempt to escape, pressing his back against the banister. "I... I don't..."

Ophilia pressed her hands to her knees and leaned a bit closer, keeping her voice to a whisper. "Daniel, if you know something, will you tell me?" she asked softly. "If there's any way in which I might be able to help, I'll do it."

Daniel remained quiet for a long moment before he let out a breath he had been holding for their entire conversation. "I brought a letter to the bishop," he explained. 

Ophilia's eyes went slightly wider. "A letter?" she echoed. 

Daniel nodded. "Somebody asked me to give it to him. It was a stranger," he went on. "But when the bishop read the letter, he went all pale. I'd never seen him look like that before..." All of a sudden, Donovan's paranoia made a lot more sense, but at the same time, it didn't make any sense at all. 

Ophilia's frown threatened to grow deeper, but she didn't let it as long as Daniel was watching. The last thing the boy needed was something else to be afraid of. "I'll bet you don't know what the letter said," she hummed, and Daniel nodded his confirmation. "Can you remember anything about the person who gave you the letter?"

Daniel thought about it for a long moment before he took to pushing the toe of his shoe into the ground absentmindedly. "Hm... Well, I'd never seen him in town before," he started. "And I've lived here in Goldshore my whole life. I know a lot of people."

Ophilia hummed and nodded. "A newcomer to town... I see," she murmured. "Thank you, Daniel." She shared an uneasy glance with the rest of the travelers before looking back down to Daniel. "I think it's time for me to go and talk to the bishop about this. Would you come with me to speak with him?"

Daniel nodded slowly, and Ophilia reached out to take his hand. When she started to walk back to the cathedral though, Daniel did not move. "Um... Sister Ophilia?" he questioned quietly, his voice barely audible above the nearby clamor of the crowed. 

Ophilia looked down at him with kindness in her eyes. "What is it?"

Daniel went back to pushing his toe against the stone path beneath him. "Did I... Did I do a bad thing? To the bishop, I mean," he murmured. 

Ophilia shook her head immediately. "Of course not. But if you're worried for him, then we can speak with him together. I can help figure out what all of this means. Everything will be okay. I promise."

Daniel's face lit up at the promise of everything settling down again, and he nodded. "You'd do that for me?" Ophilia nodded with a smile. "Thank you, Sister Ophilia!"

The cleric cast Daniel one final smile before she started walking back up the path leading to the cathedral. Daniel stuck close to her the whole way there, and the rest of the travelers followed them quietly from behind. Ophilia was certain that each of them had their own theories about everything that had happened, but they were choosing to not speak up about it yet out of courtesy to Daniel. The last thing any of them wanted to do was scare the poor boy when he had already been through more than enough that day. 

Even so, Ophilia couldn't help thinking through everything he had said. A newcomer to town had given Daniel a letter to give to the bishop, and Donovan had been anxious and unsettled ever since then. He had been so distracted that he hadn't even thought to prepare for the Kindling even though he knew to expect Ophilia soon. Whatever was written in that letter must have been bad, and Ophilia could only hope she was ready to find out what all of it meant. She needed to stay strong for Daniel's sake and for Donovan's too. They needed her, and Ophilia couldn't let them down. 

She couldn't let any of her friends down either. The gods only knew she would have to soon, but Ophilia wouldn't disappoint them a minute sooner than absolutely necessary. 

When the travelers arrived back at the cathedral, Donovan had found his way back to the brazier in front of the Sacred Flame. He didn't seem to be preparing for the ritual though. Instead, his hands were clasped together tightly in front of his chest. He was praying, and yet, no words left his lips. He refused to let himself speak as long as there were others present to bear witness. Somehow, that realization only made Ophilia more anxious than before, and she hadn't even thought such a thing was possible. 

"Your Excellency?" Ophilia started. Donovan jumped and turned to face her, his eyes wide and his face pale. "It is me. Sister Ophilia."

But Donovan wasn't looking at Ophilia at all. Instead, his eyes had fallen to Daniel, and the sight of the boy was enough to make Donovan's hands suddenly shake. "Sister Ophilia... That boy with you!" Donovan cried out, barely seeming to care about the attention he had earned from the other visitors of the church. 

Ophilia nodded, fighting to keep her composure in the face of Donovan's new wave of anxiety. "Young Daniel has something he wished to say to you, Your Excellency," Ophilia began. 

"And... And what might that be?" Donovan asked, the fear in his eyes only growing. If not for the table behind him, Donovan would have been scrambling to put as much distance between himself and Daniel as he could stand. 

Ophilia stepped aside as Daniel approached Donovan, and the bishop once again resisted the urge to jump over the table just to get away from him. "Is it all my fault? Is it all because of that letter?" Daniel asked softly, almost afraid of the words he was speaking. 

Donovan stared at Daniel for as long as he could stand before he forced himself to look down at the floor. "It's... It's nothing, truly..." His refutation was nowhere near as strong as it needed to be, and that was all Ophilia needed to hear. Whatever was written in that letter was the reason for Donovan's strange behavior, and he was terrified of having anyone find out. He was especially afraid of Daniel having read the letter and sharing its contents with the world. 

Daniel would not let up even in the face of Donovan's discomfort, and he took a step toward the bishop. "But you've been acting strange ever since I gave it to you," he argued. 

Donovan finally realized that trying to escape from Daniel by walking straight back wouldn't do him any good, so he instead took to pacing off to the side of the table that stood between him and the Sacred Flame. "N-No! No, child, you are to blame for nothing. Everything is... Everything is mine own fault."

Ophilia took a step after him as Donovan bowed his head in shame. "If something worries you, Your Excellency, please share it with us," Ophilia pleaded. "I know I am still a stranger, but I would be happy to help in whatever way I can. Please do not bear this burden on your own." All of a sudden, calling Donovan by his title felt wrong. It only reminded her of the man she wanted to refer to by that name, but Ophilia could not be with Josef just yet. She was glad to have been given a reason to keep traveling even for just a short while longer, but it was a bittersweet victory. Nothing was going according to plan, and Ophilia had no idea of what she was meant to do to fix it. 

Donovan remained silent for a few seconds more before he sighed. Even so, the tension in his shoulders remained. "Sister Ophilia..."

"Pray tell, whatever was written in that letter?" Ophilia asked, and nasty, nauseating fear rose up in the pit of her stomach. She already knew that whatever Donovan had to say would not be fun to fear, and she could only hope that she would be ready to face it. 

Donovan pressed his lips together for as long as he could stand, but the pressure grew to be too much. He truly breathed for the first time since Ophilia had arrived back at the cathedral, and his shoulders caved over themselves like he was on the verge of collapse. "I suppose there is no point in hiding the truth any longer," he murmured. He closed the distance between himself and Ophilia all at once, digging the letter from Daniel out of his pocket and passing it over to her. Ophilia accepted it carefully, doing her best to hide the way that her hands shook. How long had she been trembling? Did she even want to know the answer? Ophilia pushed the thought aside and began to read: 

Your Excellency, 

We have your daughter. If you wish to see her again... Seize the Ember from the Flamebringer and bring it to the cavern by the sea. Speak to anyone of this matter and you may consider your daughter's life forfeit. 

"Kidnapping?!" Ophilia cried out before she could hold her tongue. Around her, the rest of the travelers' eyes went wide. "What villainy is this?!" Beside Ophilia, Alfyn took the letter out of her hands, though it was a battle to worm the page out from between her fingers. Alfyn read the letter silently, Therion and Tressa looking over either shoulder to read it too. Afterwards, Alfyn passed the letter on to Olberic and Primrose. Cyrus and H'aanit accepted the page last. 

Alfyn's rage refused to dwindle after he had read the letter, and his fingers clenched into fists that shook with the force of an earthquake. Alfyn had seen what kidnapping could do to a child, and he couldn't simply stand back and watch it happen again. Once had been more than enough. Alfyn had managed to stop Miguel before he could kill Timothy, but if he had been even a bit too late, the boy would have died with no one there to look after him. Alfyn couldn't go through it a second time. He couldn't let anyone suffer that way after witnessing it once. 

Donovan's eyes had filled with grief, guilt, and fear in equal measure by the time he next spoke. "I must be honest with you, Sister Ophilia. Until a short time ago, I was agonizing over whether or not I should do as the letter says," he confessed. "My Lysa has seen but seven summers. When I pictured her together with such evil men, crying out for me, I... I..." He shook his head in a desperate but futile attempt to banish the thought. "But to give in would be to betray everything I stand for as a man of the church. The Flame protects all our people. It is not mine to steal." Donovan looked down at his hands like he thought they would give him the understanding he needed more than anything. "I must trust that the gods have their plans for us all. Even if it means my daughter... Even if it means my dear Lysa will never again..." 

Ophilia barely registered that Donovan's eyes were rolling back into his head before he collapsed against the wooded floors of the cathedral. "Your Excellency!" Ophilia cried out. If her voice had not attracted the attention of the clergy before, it certainly did then. Churchgoers from all over Saintsbridge rushed into the main hall upon hearing Ophilia scream, and a handful of clerics clustered around Donovan's side. A few of them hauled him off the ground with plans to carry him into a room in the medical ward. Ophilia knew she should have joined them, but all she could do was stare. At some point in the chaos, H'aanit handed her back the letter that Donovan had given her. Ophilia folded it up and hid it away in her pocket, pretending its weight wasn't trying to drag her down through the earth and into an early grave. 

The next few minutes were a haze of activity that Ophilia could not truly comprehend, and she gave up on trying after a while. Donovan was placed in one of the church's beds, and the clerics that had come to his aid continued to buzz around his bedside. Ophilia knew he had collapsed from the stress of the day, but she hoped there was nothing else they needed to worry about with healing him. Ophilia's heart was beating strong and terrified in her ears, but she couldn't let it drown out the world around her. Ophilia still had a duty to carry out, and it started with finding the truth behind what had happened to Donovan's daughter. 

Daniel remained close to Ophilia's side in the midst of the chaos, clinging to her robes for dear life. When he finally swallowed down his terror enough to speak, Daniel's knuckles had gone white from where the clutched at Ophilia's skirt. "Is the bishop going to be alright?" he asked softly, almost afraid of the answer Ophilia was going to give him. 

Ophilia nodded, and the pounding in her head started to subside slowly but surely. "Yes. He is resting peacefully now," she assured Daniel. "He must have been under a great deal of strain..." Ophilia's head bowed in something that tasted too much like shame for her to bear. "A father's love for his daughter... Is a thing beyond measure." Ophilia didn't say that the love of a daughter could be just as strong when it was allowed to thrive. "To manipulate that for evil is a sin the gods will not overlook." The guilt of what she would need to do washed through her all over again, and Ophilia did her best to keep herself held together. She didn't know how she had gone so long denying that Josef thought of her as his daughter. Josef would have done anything for her, and Ophilia had refused to let herself admit it. She had refused to be loved until there was a threat that it was too late... But Ophilia would set it right. When she got home, she would make sure her father knew how much she admired him. She would allow herself to be a member of a true family with Josef and Lianna. It was the least she could do for them both after all they had already done for her. 

Ophilia forced herself out of her trance and nodded dully. She couldn't let anyone know of her crisis yet. She needed to stay focused. Lysa's safety was counting on her, and Ophilia couldn't let her or Donovan down. "I will go to this cave by the sea and bring Lysa back safe and sound. You needn't worry at all, Daniel. All will be alright." 

Ophilia started toward the door without missing a beat, doing her best to fight through the dull throbbing of grief in the back of her head. Daniel stared at her in wide-eyed shock. "But... But you could be killed!" Daniel cried out. 

Ophilia was too tired to try and reassure him that all would be well, and she shook her head with a vacant shine to her eyes. "Maybe. But I won't stand by and do nothing either," she told him. Daniel's head bowed in fear, and Ophilia smiled softly at him. "Don't worry. I can take care of myself. I won't be alone either. All of my friends will be with me, and they will make sure I stay safe. I promise."

That still didn't seem to be enough for Daniel, but he nodded anyway. "Okay... But please come back safe." His voice caught on itself with pleading, and Ophilia cast him a nod. No matter what, she would return in one piece, and she would bring Lysa along with her. The grief of the bishop would not be for nothing. Ophilia would set this right, and she wouldn't let anyone get in her way. 

The travelers walked out of the side room at the cathedral, starting to wind out of the building and to the path leading out to the south of town. The cave system near Goldshore was bound to be a dangerous place, but Ophilia couldn't bring herself to care. If Lysa was still alive, then Ophilia had to chase after her. She would make sure the girl was returned home safe. No child deserved to go through that, and the people who had kidnapped Lysa... They would be given every bit of retribution they deserved. 

"Phili?"

Alfyn's voice cut through Ophilia's thoughts like a knife, and she looked up to see that he had fallen into pace beside her. "I'm glad you're goin' after Lysa," he went on when Ophilia's throat refused to let her speak just yet. "It ain't right for a father to turn his back on his daughter. It ain't right for someone to kidnap a little kid either." Alfyn's fingers clenched into fists, and Ophilia could feel his rage from Saintsbridge threatening to smother him. "And when I see someone usin' kids for their own ends... It makes my blood boil."

"I feel the same, Alfyn," Ophilia agreed with a nod. "I don't know who could have taken Lysa, but I won't let them get away with it. I'll bring her home no matter what it takes." She took in a careful breath to try and soothe her rage, but it only halfway worked. "How are you feeling? I know this is... An awfully familiar situation."

Alfyn paused for a moment before reminding himself to keep moving. "Yeah... It is," he confirmed softly. "But I can't let myself get caught up in all that right now. There's too much on the line. We need to go after that little girl and bring her home. If we're gonna punish the kidnappers, that'll have to wait until after we've made sure Lysa is safe." He swallowed down his anxiety with a heavy sigh. "I can't separate father and daughter like that. The bishop can't be expected to abandon her either."

Ophilia watched Alfyn carefully, a deeper frown rising on her lips. There was something strangely dark and personal about Alfyn's tone, and she wished she knew how she was meant to make sense of it. "Is there something else on your mind, Alfyn?" Ophilia didn't plead with him to tell her of everything he was going through so that she could help, but she certainly felt that way. She would have done anything to help the rest of her friends one last time before she had to leave. If they needed her, Ophilia needed to be there to cushion their falls. She wouldn't have the chance for too much longer, so she needed to take advantage of it while she still could. 

Alfyn remained quiet for a few seconds, and Ophilia knew she had struck gold. Alfyn faltered before sighing, and Ophilia noticed his hands were shaking from some blend of rage and grief. "I... I don't like the idea of a father leavin' his kid behind," Alfyn replied carefully, choosing his words like he feared they could tear him to shreds if he gave them the chance. "My father was never around. He left my mother and I before I could ever remember him. He didn't want to settle down with a family, I guess." Alfyn paused and shook his head. "The idea of a father havin' to leave his daughter to suffer just... It struck me, I guess. You're right. No father should do that, and... It hit a bit harder than I thought it too."

Ophilia felt her heart splinter, and she reached out to take Alfyn's hands between her own. "I'm sorry," she murmured. "You deserved better than that, and if he couldn't see it... Then the rest of us can. We're all here for you no matter what. I promise."

Alfyn allowed himself a small smile, and he nodded gently. "Thanks, Phili... That means a lot." The use of the nickname made Ophilia's stomach churn, but she did her best to keep it hidden. She couldn't let Alfyn see just how little she wanted to be called by Lianna's nickname for her. She could talk about that after she had managed to rescue Lysa. Ophilia's emotions needed to wait for a little bit longer. 

And Ophilia wanted them to wait. She wouldn't have been able to stand dropping the truth on everyone when they had enough to worry about as it was. They had to save Lysa first, and everything else could come after that. Ophilia didn't need to think about it yet. For a short while longer, her travels were safe, and she would preserve that bubble of relative security for as long as she could. It wouldn't last, but nothing worthy in life ever did. 

By now, the travelers had arrived at the path leading to the caves near Goldshore. Ophilia hadn't realized just how quickly they were moving or how much time had gone by. She was less in touch with her body and mind today than she expected, and that was certainly saying a lot. Ophilia turned her full attention back to the road ahead, willing her mind to concentrate, but when she did, she was met with a familiar figure. 

Mattias was leaving the tavern, pulling the door shut behind him. His expression was solemn in a way Ophilia hadn't expected from him, but it all faded when he looked up and saw Ophilia. "Ah, Sister Ophilia," he greeted. "Our paths cross again. I trust everything went well with the Kindling?"

Ophilia shook her head. She had almost completely forgotten that she hadn't carried out the ritual with everything that was going on. "I fear... There have been some extenuating circumstances," she replied. She knew she couldn't tell Mattias everything that had happened with Donovan. It would have been too much, and it could have put Lysa in danger. Even just Ophilia knowing was risky enough. Mattias was too much of an outsider for telling him to be a good idea. Besides, he wasn't owed any information about the Kindling. Surely he was fully aware of that. 

Just as Ophilia had hoped, Mattias didn't push the point. Instead, he simply nodded his understanding. "Is that so? I'm sorry to hear it," he remarked. "It must be quite the crisis if it has kept you from your duties... Though I cannot say I find it surprising in these dire times. In every land that I travel to in my work, I find such troubles."

Ophilia forced her shoulders to remain still, not letting tension sneak into them at Mattias' words. How could he make comparisons to Ophilia's current issues and dilemmas when he didn't even know what they were? Once again, Ophilia was all too aware of just how elaborate his clothing was for a simple merchant... And more importantly, she realized just how little it seemed to fit in anywhere. At the end of the day, Mattias did not belong in Flamesgrace, Goldshore, or anywhere else in between. "Is that so?" Ophilia said tersely, fighting to keep her tone as even as possible. It was a losing battle, but she could at least say that she had put in the effort. 

"It is just as I spoke of before, Sister. Disease, poverty, war... Why, it is as if for every person in the world who finds happiness, another must suffer indescribable pain..." Mattias cast Ophilia a smile so dark that it seemed to pierce through her chest and suck out all her blood in the process. "Curious, is it not? We all put our faith in the Sacred Flame. Why does it lend its warmth to some while forsaking others?" He closed his eyes and tilted his head away like he was ashamed of the glow Ophilia brought everywhere she went, his grin melting away like wax off the sides of a candle. "Sometimes, I even find myself wondering... Do the gods truly exist?"

"Master Mattias..." Ophilia bit back every word she could have shared about her experiences with the gods. Somehow, she already knew that sharing them would only hurt her in the long run. She pressed her shoulders into the most neutral stance she could manage, but it still didn't come as easily to her as she would have liked. "I believe that it is precisely because we live in such a harsh world that the guidance of the Sacred Flame is necessary."

Mattias' smile changed somehow, and Ophilia's fingers drifted to the lanthorn in search of the comfort only the Ember could provide her. "Sister Ophilia, you are always so kind. To everyone at all times," Mattias remarked. It said so much, and yet, it said nothing at the same time. "How is it that you can maintain such unwavering faith?"

"How?" Ophilia echoed, her eyes widening. She hadn't ever thought much about why she was able to place her trust in the gods or the world around her. It had simply come natural to her, and growing up in the church had only reinforced that loyalty. On the road, Ophilia had seen just how trying life could be and how dark a journey could become... But she still chose to believe that there was good waiting for her somewhere. It didn't matter how dark the path she walked was. At the end of it all, there would be light as long as Ophilia was willing to believe in it. "I have never given it much thought, but... I suppose that I believe because I choose to believe."

"Some people might take advantage of such innocent thinking," Mattias cautioned her. His voice suddenly seemed worn and ragged, like it had weathered unspeakable horrors that he would never dare to share aloud. "Does that not concern you?"

Ophilia nodded. "I realize that such a thing is possible." I have seen it for myself many times. "And still... I would rather believe in others than doubt them." Ophilia had seen what betrayal could do to a person over the last few weeks, but she still believed that trust was always the best option. She would not isolate herself because she was afraid to place her faith in others, especially when believing in her friends had brought her this far in the first place. Ophilia was strong because of her friends, and they were strong because of her too. 

She just hoped they could all be strong when she was forced to leave. 

"How very interesting," Mattias hummed, his gaze just as unreadable as ever. "I find your way of looking at the world to be most fascinating, Sister Ophilia. Clearly you have more important matters on your mind today, but I hope that we might discuss the topic further another time."

Ophilia wished she could bring herself to want to return the favor. "It would be my pleasure, sir," she lied, her grip on the lanthorn tightening ever so slightly. "And with that, I should be on my way." 

Ophilia gestured for the rest of the travelers to follow her, and she started off down the path leading to the south of Goldshore. She didn't have time to doubt herself now. A child's life was on the line, and Ophilia couldn't place Lysa in any more danger than she already had. Ophilia would make sure all of this was set right, and no amount of jaded fear of the world could change her mind now. 

Ophilia didn't know how to make sense of the situation at hand, but she wasn't going to let herself overthink it. She had thought too much already that day. At the end of this road, Ophilia would find the truth, and she would see the villains stopped. It was the least she could do for herself, her friends, Lysa, and the rest of Orsterra. 

Ophilia just hoped it was enough. 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

We're getting closer to the end of the chapter threes now. Wow. 

Right now, my hope is to have the main story stuff wrapped up within the next two chapters. After that, we've got a lot of aftermath to explore in the remaining chapters, and I'm very excited to see it all through. The travelers aren't going to have anywhere near as much fun, but that tends to be the case in this story. 

As a minor detail, I'm glad I was able to bring up Alfyn's father again. That's a side detail that hasn't come up in ages (not since his chapter one, as a matter of fact), but I felt like now was a good time to mention it. That's by no means the focus of the scene, but I'm glad I was able to slip it in even so. It's a nice detail. 

Next time, we're going to investigate the cave and probably hit the boss fight for the chapter. Until then, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Feedback is appreciated as always. Have a nice day, everyone!

-Digital