Of Gods and Monsters

Much had been done during Deepfrost to clean and refurnish the long-disused Hall beneath the Atheneum, and Long Night's ravages were not immediately apparent in the main room with its great table and several bookshelves. The doors leading off to smaller chambers were all securely closed, and as Jigano led the way down the broad, shallow stone steps that spiraled into the cool earth, leading the way with the small lantern left at the entrance, he was glad to see things looking largely intact. Bypassing the table, he took them all the way to the back of the Hall where a large fireplace was intricately grated and sealed with hinged glass doors to prevent sparks from escaping onto the braided rug set just back from the hearth. Several comfortably stuffed chairs, shabby and worn but still usable, were placed around the hearth for warmer winter reading, and a basket with a plush blue pillow was tucked beside one of the chairs.

Jigano began laying a smile fire and filling the tea pot from a water barrel kept near at hand for that purpose - and for the immediate dousing of any fire that threatened the precious books. He glanced over his shoulder at his friends, nodding them towards the other chairs and giving Amalia an encouraging smile. " Seiji and I would both like to learn what you're willing to teach us, my friend. Today, we are your humble students." He winked to gentle the responsibility he offered her, but his intentions were genuine. After how she had rallied them at the perch he trusted her instincts, and looked forward to learning from her lifetime of collected wisdom on the local gods.