The archive beneath the Temple, it seemed older than the temple itself, as if the temple was built on top of it. Kairo discovered it by accident, the entrance was behind the wall, concealed by the mural, depicting the founding miracle of dominion. When Kairo rested against the stone, it shifted slightly, revealing a seam. Curiosity outweighed his sense of caution. The stairs descended into cooler air, no guards, no priests. When he reached the bottom, the chamber was massive, it's ceiling was lost in the shadows, all he saw were rows of shelves, shelves that were carved into the bedrock, stacked with tablets, scrolls and thin metal slate, the same type of slate that the woman used. "This place isn't a library, it's an Audit.
Kairo moved slowly, reading fragments, dates without context, outcomes recorded without the cause. Year of the Sixth Bloom, Petition Denied, Balance Maintained.
Eastern Flood, Intervention Deferred, Outcome Acceptable.
Sacrifice rate is Tolerable.
He began to notice patterns, patterns he already hope where not true. Entire decades would pass by with no incidents, no wars, no famines. Just to be followed by clusters of tightly grouped events, all marked with the same subtle sigil in the margin. A drought here, a war there, a day of failed healing two cities apart. All linked by the same discreet notation.
"Looking for something?", Kairo turned sharply. The man from the square, the witness, stood at the end of the aisle, hands clasped behind his back, posture relaxed as if this were a gallery rather than a hidden archive. He looked unsurprised to see Kaen here.
"I could ask you the same, you followed me?", Kairo said, "I was here long before you found the door", the man replied, Kairo frowned, "And why is that?. "Because you're realizing these records don't explain magic", the man said as he steps closer, "They explain patterns and behaviors, they speak of miracles, but those are the conclusions. This is the process". "He said, "they never teach people to read between those lines".
He gestured to a tablet, "If three famines end at once, faith spikes too high, expectations rise. Next time, the miracle is delayed." Kairo stares at a tablet again, "So they stagger the people's belief", "They pace it", the man corrected. "But people die in that period of inaction!", "Yes", the man answered. He gestured to a shelf, "That shelves you're staring at, Famines, three of them, all resolved, not simultaneously. Kairo throat tightened, he had noticed it too, "They could have ended sooner", "Yes", the man agreed.
"This isn't worship", Kairo said quietly. The man stepped closer, "No, it's administration", Kairo faced him, "Why hasn't anyone questioned this?". "They have, they just didn't phrase it properly", Kairo gestured to the shelves, "This is proof!". "This is data, proof requires an audience that will listen", Kairo feels a flicker a rage, "You sound as if you approve of this". "I approve of understanding, approval beyond that, just tends to get people killed".
Footsteps echoed faintly above, Kairo stiffened, "Others know of this place". "Of course, you didn't meet this place in shambles", "By who?", Kairo asked. "By those who benefit from these so called miracles". The footsteps grew louder, voices murmured, muffled by the stone. Was it the patrol guards or scribes, Kairo couldn't tell. "You should go", he said. "But I still have questions", Kairo replied. "You have a good sense of timing, your questions can wait, time cannot", Kairo hesitated, then nodded once. "You said they never teach people to read these". "That's right", he replied, "Then how did you learn?". The man paused, considering the question, "By noticing what wasn't written".
The footsteps reached the stairwell, light spilled down as figures descended. Kairo moved away from the shelves, forcing himself to memorize what he could. Symbols, Miracles and Absences. Before he reached the stairs, he glanced back to see where the witness was, but he was already gone. Kairo ascended into the temple corridors, heart pounding. The patrol passed him without comment, eyes sliding over him with disinterest. Whatever authority protected the archive, also protected it's secrecy.
Back in the room, Kairo looked at the open night sky, looking at the stone spires and banners that now seemed less like symbols and more like altars. He came to a realization while in the archive, one that came with so much clarity it left him cold. He does not need familiarity with magic, he needs familiarity with whoever the curator of the magic is itself.