There had been nothing in Retribution.
No. That was not quite true. There had been plenty. Plenty of all things, apart from the one thing he had searched for. It had not been a surprise, of course, because he had never expected very much for the simple reason that it had never been a fortress and so mirrored his finds. Swords, armour, and halls left unused, whatever need there may be for each. It was theirs. Therefore it was not touched.
He spun the ring of his finger. Purpose in Deed.
He had his doubts that they would approve of such a waste. For what reason was there? Fear? Respect? Hope? There was good reason for each, and no doubt they made use of all three with ascribed purpose. Nevertheless, if they wished for others to act in accordance with the Mandate of Dawn, there was good reason to doubt their approval for letting things such as fear, respect or even hope to stand in its way while providing nothing for purpose.
He spun the ring on his finger. Purpose in Deed.
They were gone now.
No. That was not quite true. They had not passed into the Halls of Midnight. Not yet. But they were not present either. He would not take to guess at their purpose in this. It was beyond him, and even those much wiser than he. That fact however, did not make him blind. He could still see. He could see with their absence that distortions reigned free, seeking the destruction of the world.
He spun the ring on his finger. Purpose in Deed.
Now, he stood in Locust Court in the garden and memorial of Winters of Ash. The only mask he had seen was here, broken. He could turn a fortress upside-down and still not find that which he sought. Very well. Conviction warded his heart from disappointment. There was only ever two ways to restore the Swirl of the Root. Only one was ever truly cleansing. "May corruption and distortion be undone, by your hands or mine own." He said to the broken mask, letting it be the symbol of the Masked Ones in their absence. He turned to leave.
He spun the ring on his finger. Purpose in Deed.
The distortions and the corrupted had no fear.
Yes. That was quite true. But it would not remain so.