NOVEL WEB Chapter 305: Acceptance And Bargaining
"Your ancestor, Shing, is alive. And I know where to find him."
Ren's words fell like thunder.
For a moment, no one spoke. The silence was total. Not even the sound of waves could be heard from the water flowing through the council chamber.
That kind of statement wasn't anything that any Tidecaller would even believe was in the realm of possibility. How could Shing still be alive? He would have to be older than the five oldest Tidecallers combined. Maybe more.
What Ren was speaking of wasn't just impossible. It was sacrilege.
And then the uproar exploded.
Dozens of elders rose from their seats, shouting over one another. Some surged to their feet, slamming fists against the stone railing before them. Others turned in confusion or disbelief to their neighbors.
"Impossible!"
"This is madness!"
"Blasphemy!"
"How dare he lie to our faces with the name of our sacred ancestor! He must pay!"
Korrin watched it all, eyes glittering and a dark smile on his face. If any of the other elders formerly harbored doubts or feelings of guilt, it was gone now. After all, no one is allowed to mess with the name of Shing.
It was as if the floor beneath their feet was trembling with the chaos of the elders' voices.
The channel of water that coiled along the room like a living stream rippled weirdly in agitation, as if even the water could feel the tension. And no one noticed it. They were too preoccupied with trying to crucify the outsiders.
"Err… I hope this is your plan, because you just made things worse." Thorn whispered to Ren. "I think."
"Enough!" The High Elder's voice cracked through the pandemonium like a whip. Her hands were raised in the air as she glared at the elders, and one by one, they grew quiet.
While everything was calm now, there was still an undercurrent of disbelief running through the room.
The High Elder turned from her fellow elders to stare down at Ren, her eyes narrowing with barely suppressed rage.
"Are you aware of the gravity of your words?" She asked, her voice low and dangerous.
Ren nodded slowly. "I am. And I meant every one."
The High Elder slowly descended from the dais, her robes dragging across the stone.
"You claim that our ancestor, Shing, still lives. This is a serious statement to make. And if found to be a lie, you and your companions will answer with your lives. Are you aware of this?"
"Yes I am."
"Then, prove it. Show us that your words are true."
With a confident smile on his face, Ren raised his hand and pointed toward the channel of water.
"I ask nothing more than this. Place your hands in the water. Search for Shing like every Tidecaller always has. But this time, don't just search for his name. Search for his life."
Korrin shot to his feet. "This is foolishness! His name is engraved in the sea. We feel it daily. His soul returned to the water generations ago. If he lived, we would know it!"
Ren tilted his head. "Have you ever looked past the engraving? Felt deeper? Felt for a heartbeat, not a memory? You've all assumed for so long."
A ripple of doubt passed through the council.
Elder Shai spoke, her voice tearing through the uncertainty.
"I will look." She said confidently. "But if I find nothing, you shall pay with your lives."
Ren gave a single nod in response. "So be it."
She watched him for a few seconds, unnerved by his confidence, before striding to the channel. She knelt and submerged both hands, closing her eyes.
For a long time, there was silence. Then a sharp gasp escaped her lips, and her eyes flew open.
"I... I feel him." She whispered, barely louder than the ripple of water. "It's not a memory. It's alive."
Shock rolled through the chamber. Elders murmured to each other. A few stood without waiting and approached the water.
Korrin stepped forward, almost growling. "You're deceived by hope, Shai."
Elder Shai spun to face him, her voice rising. "Then see for yourself, Korrin. But do not search like a cynic. Search like one who wants to know the truth."
One by one, the elders approached the channel. Hands dipped. Eyes closed. Composure shattered.
"What the fuck…"
"The current moves... it answers."
"He's there! Beneath it all. Still fucking breathing!"
"Shing... lives."
Korrin watched them all, refusing to move from the dais.
The High Elder knelt last. She bowed her head, resting her hands in the water for longer than the others. The hall waited.
When she finally rose, her face was pale but composed.
"It is true." She said, as if she couldn't believe it. "Shing is alive."
Silence crashed into the room again, deeper and colder this time.
She turned to Ren. "Then we ask you plainly. What do you want for this knowledge?"
Ren met her gaze. "Freedom. For me. For all of us. Starting with the full clearing of our names. Then, safe passage from Patino."
Korrin barked, "You cannot barter with us, outsider! You withhold what belongs to us all!"
Ren remained calm. "I offer it to you freely, but not cheaply."
Another elder stood. "They ask only to leave. And they brought us the truth."
"Why would you oppose this, Korrin?" Elder Shai snarled. "He uncovered what we never thought to check."
The tide had turned. Korrin stared at them all with wide eyes, unbelieving. His head snapped to the High Elder, meeting her eyes. She stared at him for a few seconds, before turning away.
"No…"
The High Elder exhaled slowly. "You offer us Shing. That is no small thing. We have judged harshly. Perhaps wrongly. I support acquittal."
Murmurs of agreement swelled. Korrin tried to interrupt, but this time, the tide turned against him.
The High Elder raised her voice. "Then let it be so. Here is my verdict! The outsiders are not guilty. You are free to leave Patino."
"Thank the heavens." Thorn whispered with a breathless laugh as relief swept through the group.
The High Elder looked at Ren again. "Now, where is he?"
Ren opened his mouth, and the ground quivered.
A deep, groaning rumble rippled through the room. The channel bubbled. The hanging lanterns swayed.
Shouts filled the air and the sounds of drums began to rumble around the city.
"What's going on?" One of the elders stood, eyes wide.
A priest sprinted inside. "The sea! It's rising! A tsunami is coming!"
"How? Why now?!"
The ground shifted again.
Ren narrowed his eyes.
"That's not a coincidence." He murmured. "That's your ancestor. He knows."
The sea had awakened.
And it was no longer content to sleep.