After I had talked to Basil about the village being burned down, everything else is a blur. I do know I went back to the city eventually. I started to learn about the government. Most of my studies have been forgotten between then and now, but I do remember I learned of the heads of the government - the Judges. There are seven sectors of the empire. Each sector has a capital city and a few dotted cities like the one I was sent to. (I hear the government's after them next.) Each capital city is headed by a Judge. I'm not sure of their role, but I do know that they jump-started the campaign.
The Judges have meetings every few weeks in the capital city of the empire, which is also the capital of the Seventh Sector. Seventh City is said to be the grandest city in the world. The seven Judges have a special hall in the Seventh City that they lock themselves up in. What they do in there is a mystery, but after every meeting, papers come out of the hall that are called decrees. What is decreed must be done. One of the decrees was the campaign.
If I had one wish, it would be to rid the government of the corrupt Judges and replace them with just officials. But that will never happen.
"Raven," I said. "Where does Basil live now?"
"In a different sector. I know where it is, but I'm not sure of its title. I do know that she doesn't live in this sector anymore." Raven explained.
The weird thing is, I don't know the name of my home sector, either. It's almost like it's a secret..
We arrived at Basil's house after an indefinite amount of time. She was knitting inside of a cottage that must have been hers. Basil still didn't live near society. This time, she was living in a serene forest clearing. But with her living in a forest, she could get burned up with it when the government's campaign extends to this forest. "You're finally here!" She welcomed us in and insisted on letting us eat some of the meal she had prepared.
She sat down her knitting project and headed into the kitchen, which was almost a part of the living room. She put a glob of butter into a concoction in a pot on her stove. Basil's dish was smelling very good and I couldn't wait to eat it. "So, Raven, what has taken so long to get yourself here?" Basil inquired as she stirred.
"I had...complications gathering together the party you requested." Raven said. He must have been talking about me...
"I see, I see..." Basil's stirring was rhythmic and mesmerizing. As I stared at her spoon spin, time seemed to melt. Before long, Basil proclaimed that dinner was ready. Everyone sat at her small table. A kitten in the corner purred and stretched onto the armchair I had just occupied. I changed my gaze to the plate. I don't remember what was on it, but I do remember that I ate it and it was the best thing I had had since I was a child in the village. "What do you think?"
"It's wonderful," I said through bites of food. Raven and I had had to ration food during the long journey to visit Basil.
"I'm surprised I still have that magic touch. I hardly notice how good it is anymore, myself. You're the first person other than myself to eat my cooking for years." She turned her attention to Raven and changed the mood. "Are you ready?"
"Ready for what?" I wondered, perhaps aloud. Raven nodded.
"Excellent, it's down in the basement. I expect to see you both down there promptly as you finish." Basil exited the dining table and headed through a door. She hadn't so much as touched her plate. Raven and I finished several minutes later and followed her through the door. We were greeted by a long set of stairs going down.
"Let's go see what she wants," I muttered.
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