Swift Decline

Requiem of the Moth S02 C07

Content warnings¹

Usira doesn't understand how anyone would choose the Zillia Downs for a pleasant stroll. With every step, he has to bat away twigs, leaves, tiny bugs that scatter his attention and irritate his skin. Compared to the high and airy cave system of Kandamsin, these caverns are cramped and wet. After several days, every bead of sweat trickling down his neck into his soaked collar is a cry for a change of clothes, for ventilation shafts, even cold lakes deep under the mountain.

"It always feels like swimming in a hot spring," Selin says, as if he's read his mind, but then he adds: "Well-lubricated."

"Please stop." Velin sighs. He carefully navigates along the edge of a muddy clearing and turns to wait for his companions. "What do you say we look for a place to set up camp for the night? We've barely seen a flutter all day."

They have been looking for clues of the moth illness following their intuition but had no luck so far. Even for the insects, the oppressive humidity is too much. "I'd rather rest and discuss plans for tomorrow," Usira agrees.

Once they have spread their tarps and constructed the usual rickety shelter out of brass poles and oiled canvas, they can hear the occasional drip landing from far above. "What's the word for this weather again?" Usira asks.

"Rain," Selin supplies. Usira can't help but return his cousin's smile. Rain, a rare marvel to them, is all but unknown to the rest of Sedrivaris. He wonders how Yun would respond to the experience and then, with effort, puts the thought out of his mind.

As the diffuse light fades—another rarity—, Selin leaves to scout ahead. Velin and Usira huddle together in the shelter, listening to small animal sounds in the underbrush, conserving body warmth and energy. "Have you found him yet?" Usira asks, to get his mind off Yun but also out of curiosity.

"Who?"

"That poet."

"Ryliss." On Velin's lips, it is a lover's caress. "I'm getting closer."

"What do you know?"

Velin ticks the points off his fingers as he goes. "One, Ryliss isn't his civil name. It doesn't exist, not even outside the city. Two, I'm almost certain he has helpers who know his identity. He wouldn't be able to publish his poetry books if he were operating alone. Three, those helpers probably shelter him from time to time, which means they must be powerful enough to have some sort of headquarters where he can come and go unnoticed."

"Any idea who these helpers might be?"

Velin grimaces. "That's where it gets murky. I've hit a wall."

"Why can't it be a clan member acting as his patron?" Usira remembers Yvara saying that her mistress donated some books to the bathhouse in their neighbourhood. Among those books was one by Ryliss but Vylira is far from the capital now. He also thinks of the organisation he has been approached by. Would a writer of spicy stories like Ryliss agree to fight for justice and equality in exchange for shelter and printing services?

There is no way to know, he concludes. Velin explains his reasoning and nudges Usira's shoulder. "What about you?"

Usira startles. "What about me?"

Velin manages to roll his eyes and grin suggestively at the same time. "I've heard about your... relations with the Vessi. After what you discussed in the shrine, you can't tell us he's just your clan contact anymore."

Usira vows to keep his cousins far away from Yun. Clearly, they cannot be trusted not to gossip, if only with each other. Velin reads his expression and scoots out of range. "Come on, I shared too! Besides, I'm worried. Investigating some poet for fun isn't the same as getting cosy with a high official."

"I do not get cosy with him, not now, not ever," Usira growls.

"Fine! Fine... but what's the story?" And before Usira can lash out again: "Don't bother denying it. We all know Selin has a sixth sense for that sort of thing."

Sadly, he is right. "It's complicated," Usira starts slowly. "I don't want to keep secrets from you but I fear you would be in danger if you knew what I know. I'm trying to protect you."

Velin is silent, staring out into the dripping foliage. "There's just one thing I want to say: There are rumours about you which is worrying in itself. When it comes to that sort of thing, we're much more vulnerable than them. We rely on our reputation, our honour to keep the business going, and for that, we will always be dependent on them. They might think they need us but they don't. It's a huge difference."

Usira shudders. It is as if Yvara had risen from the Deep to repeat the warning she gave that day in the bath—back when he didn't know what it meant to follow Noe Yun. I should be wiser now, he chides himself. All he says is: "I know."

That night, Usira lies awake and listens. The Downs are much noisier than their hunting grounds closer to home. He imagines lizards, foxes and hares in the underbrush. At some point, a Lougi comes sniffing around their packs, probably smelling the dried food rations, before deciding the reward isn't worth the effort and scurrying away.

After a light breakfast, they march on. Despite the lavender sachets in their pockets, Velin and Selin nurse multiple insect bites. Usira, who was able to defend himself thanks to his sleeplessness, says nothing. His head is heavy with misery and he pins up his dishevelled braid.

When they reach the far wall, they discover a flock of Noble Swifts. The sooty grey white-collared birds nest in nooks and crannies in the stone, feeding off flies, butterflies, moths, and other insects. These ones are dead, killed by moth pupae that poke out of their bloated stomachs. The colours are wrong, sickly yellow and dirty white. Less superstitious than his cousins, Usira still shares their unease.

They all know what the discovery means without saying it out loud: There is a parasite, after all. Another plague in the making? It's too soon to tell.

As they search the area for more hibernating pupae, Usira's thoughts are germinating. A parasite means fewer moths to hunt. Fewer moths mean reduced income for their family. Reduced income means they will have to lean on the Noe, their patrons, to keep them afloat. And that means the balance between him and Yun will only tilt further in Yun's favour.

It's a huge difference.

First Yvara, now Velin—everyone keeps telling him to stay away.

Unfortunately, their words only spur him on. After declaring that he won't let Yun off the hook, Usira is determined to follow through. And yes, he admits—at least to himself—that the righteous outrage he flung into Yun's face might have been a foil for his personal hurt and sense of betrayal. An excuse to reach out once more.

If he is too weak to stay away, he just has to turn that weakness into an advantage for himself and his family. He will bind Yun to himself so tightly that the honourable Vessi can't help but protect his family.

This time, it will be different. No longer blinded by naive hope, he knows that Yun is driven by nothing but selfish ambition and disdain for his fellow clanspeople. He has never been and will never be a noble saviour. In a way, that makes it easier for Usira.

They find a handful of pupae that look like they were infected by the same parasite. They collect their samples. As they trek back through the still dripping forest, Velin remarks: "You're awfully quiet today."

Usira shrugs. "Just thinking about how to fix all our problems." His laugh is weak but it is a start.

Author Notes

Remember the season 2 prologue? If you've been following along, I hope you're starting to see some connections and answers…

Metamorphosis

I've been sitting on this chapter for so long, it's embarrassing. At first I needed to plot ahead but had no clarity on what should happen next. More often than not, procrastination happens when I only have a vague idea of the plot and hesitate to narrow it down. Something about reality never living up to the ideal? Later, I knew what had to happen in and past this chapter but still hesitated because I felt it wasn't flashy enough. My inner critic went: Here is a rare chance to insert some action into an otherwise very quiet and non-action-y story! If you don't take it, everyone will be bored and disappointed and never read any of your stories again! So I thought of an obstacle Usira had to overcome to collect his parasite samples but I couldn't quite get the logic to work. So I kept hesitating. Ideal vs. reality.

From a reader's perspective, however, any chapter is always better than no chapter at all. And so I am hitting Submit once again.

I've lived and pursued goals long enough to learn some basic pattern recognition. Whether in writing or in life, you probably don't hit Submit nearly often enough. Sometimes I get into a good habit chain where it's almost effortless but when I break the chain for some reason or other, suddenly it's hard again. Hitting Submit, of course, means output. Finishing projects. Learning by doing.

Admittedly, in between hesitating to post this chapter, I've been hitting Submit on other things too. I'm back to writing now (probably). I'd hate to leave you hanging before the season end!

1. Moths, parasites