Background[]
The first time I met Gavus, I was just a Celestial scout. When our squad was discovered while tracking the Hypogeans, I thought we were done for. But Gavus, leading a large force, arrived just in time.
Even though it was my first time seeing him in person, I knew a lot about Gavus. Among the Celestials, he was known for his brilliance. As the prize pupil of Morgana, the Goddess of Justice, he was utterly dedicated to his duties. No Hypogean could stand against his power; wherever he went, evil vanished.
After we won that unforgiving battle, the surviving Celestials hurried back to the mountains, but he stayed behind, guiding our fallen comrades' souls home, including my own best friend.
The seasons passed, and after suffering an injury, I retired and returned to the mountaintops, where I became a guard in the prison. Surprisingly, among the prisoners I watched, I found my former savior, Gavus.
Puzzled, I wondered to myself how this promising young man could have ended up here. I asked around and learned Gavus was accused of betraying our kin, allying with a Hypogean, and stealing lost Celestial weapons before fleeing.
But it didn't add up. In my eyes, he was upright and abhorred evil, even showing tenderness to fallen comrades. I couldn't shake the feeling that there might be secrets unbeknownst to others.
At first, Gavus was wary, assuming that I was a Celestial spy. But after proving myself and helping him recollect past events, he still remained guarded, perhaps even troubled.
I suspected he must have been worried about someone who returned with him—a boy named Liberta.
So, I began bringing Gavus news about Liberta, a talented youngling studying under Morgana. He showed rapid progress, garnering the praise of the gods. Quiet and introspective, he was reminiscent of Gavus. However, his past remained tragically sealed by the gods and he couldn't recall anything before arriving at the mountains.
Upon hearing this, Gavus seemed shocked but quickly regained his composure, quietly thanking me. It was the first time he reacted to something I said. Emboldened, I asked:
"Why don't you want to reconcile with the gods? To me, it doesn't seem like you seek power or to overthrow the mountains by having those weapons."
[...]