Ask him! Quickly, said the man, looking directly at Persimmon.
“I don’t understand what you mean,” she whispered to the ghost man, but Stone heard her.
“Who are you talking to?” he asked, looking around. “And what don’t you understand?”
“I will make the proper preparations and notify the gravedigger.” Darium started for the door.
“Sin Eater,” she repeated the words aloud, still puzzled by what they meant. Darium stopped in his tracks. His head slowly turned and his blue eyes fixated on her.
“What did you say?” he asked in a deep voice, making her feel as if she’d somehow said something wrong.
Go on. Ask him. He’s the one. The old couple huddled together, looking so lost and forlorn. She had to try to help them somehow even if she wasn’t able to save their lives.
“They’ll need a sin eater,” she said, dropping her gaze to the ground and swallowing deeply.
“What the hell is a Sin Eater?” asked Stone, seeming amused by the words.
“I—I’m not sure,” she whispered, staring at the floor now and wringing her hands together.
“I am a Sin Eater.” Darium turned and scrutinized Stone now. “Or, should I say I used to be.”
“Oh.” Stone’s smiled disappeared. “So, it is a real thing then?”
“My husband doesn’t sin eat anymore, I’m sorry.” Talia hurried over to join them.
Please. Don’t let us go to The Dark Abyss, begged the old woman, but, of course, Persimmon was the only one who could hear or see the ghosts.
“He has to,” said Persimmon. “If not, the couple might go to The Great Abyss?” She wasn’t sure what any of this meant. They didn’t speak this way on Lornoon. She just repeated the message, hoping someone would understand.
“The Great Abyss? What is that?” asked Stone.
“It’s a place that no one ever wants to go. And that means me, too,” answered Darium.
“I don’t understand,” said Persimmon. “What does this all mean?”
“My husband used to be a Sin Eater, taking on the sins of others at death,” explained Talia. “However, by doing this, in exchange, it condemned him to spend eternity in The Dark Abyss instead.”
“The Dark Abyss is what some people call Hell,” explained Darium, seeing that she and Stone didn’t understand.
“He eats…sins?” Stone ran a hand through his long hair, looking like he couldn’t believe it.
“Yes. Food and drink is placed atop the chests of the dead who died before they were able to confess their sins,” Darium explained. “I absorb their sins by eating and drinking the items from their bodies.”
“I have never heard anything so absurd,” said Stone. “You are not really going to do it?”
“Is that what you saw in the crystal orb?” asked Darium. “Is that what I’m to do?”
“Well I…yes, it is.” Persimmon answered, not wanting the old couple to go to such a dark place for all eternity. She also didn’t want to explain about her lack of power with the crystal orb or the fact she could see ghosts. She wasn’t sure how others would view her if they knew the truth.
“But you weren’t even looking into the gazing orb when you told us that,” said Stone softly, but thankfully no one else heard him.
“Even if that is what the prophetess saw, you shouldn’t do it, Darium,” warned Talia. “Please, don’t risk it again.”
“Remember, I make my own destiny now, Talia.” Darium told his wife. “Besides, I was given a healing kiss by the Elemental of the Air, Portia-Maer. She said, even if I did sin eat from now on it would be my choice. She told me I won’t take on the darkness of others anymore, either way.”
“There is no one here that knows this couple to mourn them or to ask you to sin eat for them,” Talia pointed out. “I don’t see the purpose in it.”
“That’s true,” agreed Lira. “You usually do it to help the living of the deceased find solace. This couple have no one that we know of. It’s not necessary.”
We have a son, said the man.
His name is Gregor, added the woman. Gregor Lithum. He needs to know. Please find him and tell him what happened.
Persimmon quickly pulled the orb back out and held it in two hands before she spoke. “They have a son and they want us to find him,” she told the others, seeing the sadness on the couple’s faces.
“Really. What else do you see in the gazing crystal?” asked Stone, sounding suspicious of her. “And why aren’t you even looking at it?”
Persimmon closed her eyes and released a deep breath. “It is important to the elderly couple that their son comes to them now.”
“Ask the gazing orb where we can find their son,” said Darium.
The woman answered, having heard the question. Our son resides at Macada Castle.
Gregor works for King Sethor, although we don’t agree with it. We haven’t spoken with him for years, added the man.
“I know his name and where to find him.” Persimmon quickly put away her gazing ball once more before Stone could point out again to everyone that she wasn’t even looking into it.
“Great,” said Darium. “So tell me, and I will go and fetch him. Where can I find their son?”
