It was just over an hour’s walk to their house from Chelis. Antios walked up front alongside Havia’s brother, Juko. The half elf was pleasant enough company. Throwing himself into small talk, like the politician he had been groomed to be.

Havia and her father had been given a rather large distance behind them. Both Antios and Juko had sped up the pace until the gap was large enough that they were safe from any conversational friendly fire.

“So, Juko, what’s it like in the elven empire?” Antios asked. “I hear they have some of the finest wines.” Small talk was not his greatest skill and he had run out of subject matter by the time they reached the gate leading into their estate.

“Oh yes!” Juko replied enthusiastically. “Something to do with the way they purify the grapes before fermentation. The wines are exquisite.” He gesticulated squashing and wringing, as if making wine himself in some bizarre fashion. They both laughed, realising they were in the same boat. Becalmed by the differences in their lives. Antios decided to take a different approach. A more honest one.

“Do you enjoy it, being your father’s aide?” He asked, keeping eye contact with the half elf. “ All the court machinations and backstabbing?” He turned and began walking down the wide path beyond the gate, making a point of showing Juko his back. A peace offering. Juko chuckled to himself as they meandered down the over grown trail. Waiting a moment before responding.

“If I’m being honest, and despite what you might think, dealing in facts is trickier. And we do it much more often than you would believe.” The half elf paused and looked back up the path. Antios stopped and waited. “I do enjoy it though. I never used to. Like Hav, I had my doubts.” The half elf was looking back over his shoulder. His features were decidedly more elven than Havia, thinner of face and longer of ear. A smile tentatively played at his lips as he watched his little sister and father talking animatedly in the distance.

“She was always the stubborn one. Refusing to attend court, or lessons, despite being a sharp learner.” Antios could see the respect Juko had for his sister, despite their differences.

“I eventually came to enjoy it. Being at court, the politics. And now I can’t imagine doing anything else.” He turned and faced antios again, satisfied they hadn’t lost his father too far behind.

“How about you? Still enjoying stabbing things in dank dungeons?” The jibe was playful, and Juko went quiet as he viewed the large house and grounds that came into view as they crested the valley.

“Adventuring has its perks, and has definitely got a little more interesting of late.” Antios retorted, he waited for him to join him as he descended the last rise of the path and the sounds of blade against wood could be heard clearly. Utig was working outside the large barn, chiselling the edges of a very large timber. He was stripped to his waist, sweat glistening all over his monstrous muscles.

“Ho, Antios, I will need your help shortly. If you dont mind doing a bit of actual work.” The barbarian called as they got closer.

“I can see why you would buy this property. The valley is lovely, and the house is large. I can’t help thinking there must be more to it though?” Juko said. Placing a hand to his forehead to shield his eyes from the sun as he viewed the front of the house.

“Utig, this is Havia’s Brother Juko. Her father Kirvos will be joining us soon, could you give Dath and Quink a heads up.” He asked as he gestured towards the front door.

“Sure thing, I need to get a drink anyways.” The barbarian replied. “I will still need your help in a bit. If I can get this support in place today I can start putting flooring down tomorrow.” Utig wiped sweat and sawdust from his face as he smiled. Antios laughed and nodded as Juko began walking towards the entrance to the house.

“I’m going to show our guest around. I’ll catch you in the kitchen for an ale. then we can manoeuvre that tree into the barn for you.” He pointed at the squared timber and grinned as Utig wiped more sweat from his brow.

“Aye, appreciated. I’ll take five and go give the others a heads up.” Utig threw on a tunic as he walked away from his work and down the side of the house. Probably heading for the back door that led into the kitchen.

“So, Juko.” Antios said, obviously it needs a bit more work, but, what do you think of our house?” He waved a hand at the ivy strewn block work that was the front of their home. Antios pondered for a moment if they should think of a name for the property. If they were going to have guests they couldn’t just refer to it as ‘Their house’. His train of thought was broken as the half elf, with hand on chin, replied.

“Well, you have clearly made a good start at repairing a few years of neglect. Are all those windows new?” Juko asked, pointing at some of the various windows Utig had already worked on.

“No, we’ve only replaced the ones that were letting in the rain. The roof is solid though, no leaks through that. And most of the rooms are now ready for furnishing.” There was pride in Antios’ voice as he said it, something he hadn’t felt for a long time. Maybe even since the time spent with his parents cutting stone and making homes for the locals of his home town. The realisation was good. Although it did remind him he had to reach out to his folks.

“How big is it? Hard to tell from the front, what with all the tress and greenery.” Juko asked.

“Eight bedrooms in total, and one of those will be freed up once Utig has finished his renovations of the barn.” They both turned to view the monstrous beam the barbarian had been cutting by hand.

“There is no stopping you lot once an idea is in your head.” Juko laughed. “It’s no wonder my sister treats you like family. Your’e so alike.” It was Antios’s time to laugh.

“I will take that as a compliment, I guess you didn’t spend long adventuring? When you find a party that works well together, you become like family. With all the trouble that brings.” He slapped Juko on the shoulder and grunted whilst pushing open the slightly seized front door.

“We dont use this much, I’ll have a look at it at some point.” He chuckled as he forced the door wide open and entered the main entrance hall. A wide staircase curved up to a balcony on the first floor on their left, with several doorways leading off on the ground floor.

“That way is a drawing room and the kitchen.” Antios pointed to the left behind the staircase. “This way are a few rooms of interest, but to be honest we mostly setup in the kitchen or our private chambers. Still, worth showing you.” He led the way as dust swept up and out of the open front door. In the distance, cresting the valleys edge, Havia and Kirvos could be heard talking animatedly.

***

“So that bitch from the guild was actually up to no good, I thought she was just naturally inclined to pissing everyone off.’ Havia said, when her father had finished explaining how he had come to be checking in on her.

“Well, the guild-master is investigating her, I’ll send a message to him this evening and find out what came of it.” He stopped and looked down into the valley, surveying the extent of the land, the beauty of the afternoon sun, and the size of the property her daughter had invested in.

“So, Havia, tell me why and how you bought this estate. Isn’t it a bit far away from any active dungeons for working adventurers?” He raised an eyebrow as his daughter looked him up and down.

“Guess.” She said, knowing damn well he already had his suspicions.

“Hmmm, you know, as much as we used to clash, I do miss your confrontational personality around home. You were my most fun child. Thats for sure.” He placed a hand on his chin and turned back to the view, tilting his head as the faint sounds of the nearby river travelled up the slopes.

Havia didn’t know what to say, she stood, blushing in the silence. In her memory her father was this overbearing man who wanted her to do things his way, always. Now, maybe, she was only remembering half of the situation. A stubborn teenager railing against a rigid politician of a father. They hadn’t really given each other a chance.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

Her train of thought was interrupted by her fathers musings.

“When I was younger I made an effort to study the Matrius. You know? The network between the guilds and the dungeons, how they are all connected.” He spun a simple illusion in front of his hands, a spiders web of silver light with every connection glowing yellow. “I was always stumped with why the central kingdom had so few dungeons, that was until I drew a map, with lines between the dungeons.” The spiders web grew, the outer edges lined with many intercepting strands whilst the middle fell away. “They all skirt past but not through this area.” He turned to his daughter, a childish grin on his face that bought back memories of her childhood. Her mother darting off to perform a mission, or errand for certain dignitaries, her father regaling his impatient daughter with tales of how strong and dangerous her mother was. He had that same admiration in his eye, as he looked at her. The illusion disappeared like an after thought.

“Well, if it was me, and I had the money and the know how. I’d stick a private teleportation circle right in the middle, that way I can jump to any major city with the least amount of mana spent. Make my way to the dungeons from there.” For a moment he looked confused as Havia began to laugh, then joined in.

“You know, I spent so long being angry at you. Angry that you wanted me coddled and well behaved. A prim little girl diligently following in your footsteps. Angry that you were stopping me doing all the stuff that looked like the most fun, stuff that would have got me killed.” She raised a hand to her chest, nervously making eye contact with Kirvos. “Even after I left, I blamed you for most of my more irrational choices.” She moved the hand from her chest to his arm, squeezing slightly as she smiled at her father.

“I’d forgotten how smart you were, and how much I missed that look on your face, the one when you just figured out a puzzle, a mystery or trade deal. It’s taken me a while, to find myself, and I’m not angry anymore. We just didn’t see eye to eye, and we were too close for it not to cause fights.” She caught him off guard, diving in for a hug.

“And yes, smart arse. We have our own teleportation circle now.”

***

Aiegwin had died.

Levi had to throw her corpse over his shoulder, making a run to the Temple of Irinis, the nearest temple with resurrection capabilities. He made the offering to the priest, laying her down at the foot of the goddesses shrine whilst trying not to think about how much this was going to cost.

Resurrections weren’t cheap at the best of times, an essential service from the main deities. Especially for adventurers. Thusly it was expensive. Tove would have stern words with him about spending guild resources.

Aiegwin had suffered trauma to her heart when the mysterious young man had removed the stone from her chest. The priest, after a quick consultation with his god, informed Levi that her very soul had been damaged by the attack. A rare occurrence, but it jeopardised a successful resurrection, and meant the process had to be done slowly.

He left two Guild-guard with the priest, with orders to wait until she recovered. If she could shed any light on what was occurring, it was worth the cost and the man power. They would bring her back as soon as she was fit to travel.

He was walking back to the guild house in Flindora, his remaining guild-guard flanking him, when a familiar voice stopped him in his tracks. It took a moment for his guard to realise he’d stopped and by then he was outside of formation.

“It was never meant to be easy, it’s the challenge that matters, right?” It was barely a whisper, but Levi had no doubt he was meant to have heard that voice.

It came from a side street. He turned to see who was talking, craning his neck to check all the shadows as his guard looked around suspiciously. He raised a hand to them, then cupped his ear, a signal that he had heard something out of the ordinary.

The side street was empty, rundown. Only a few shops could be made out in the pre dawn light. The street lights were mostly broken, or the glow stones had been stolen. Shadows hid alleys, stacks of empty crates could hide anyone. He pushed out his senses, using one of his lesser skills to its fullest.

Searching with his senses for anyone who could have spoken. Any living thing in the area should be revealed to him, even if covered by an invisibility spell.

Nothing.

It had been a long day, he was tired, maybe his mind was playing tricks on him. Why would he hear his brother’s voice. He’d been long dead, with nothing left to resurrect. He let out a sigh and was about to turn and proceed down the main straight when the voice was there again. Further away down the street, now coming from one of the shadow shrouded doorways.

“Dont worry, it’s a low level dungeon, not even guild listed yet. I’ll be back before you know it.”

They weren’t the last words he’d ever said to Levi, but they were the most poignant. He looked to his guards, not trusting himself anymore. They were clearly spooked by his behaviour.

“Did you hear that?” He asked Haz, pointing off down the alley.

The tracker tilted their head to one side and focused, his search skill was levels above Levi’s, a focus of his tracker skill set.

“There was something just there, but they are now gone. No sounds of movement in any direction though? No residual signs of teleport, maybe a jump of some kind? I hear the phase skill is appearing more often amongst new adventurers.” Haz spoke quietly, still with their head tilted. “Must be nice to blip in and out all over the place. Although my understanding is its line of site or places of familiarity.” Haz made to walk down the side street, towards the last place Levi had heard the voice.

“Wait, I, I think I should check it out. Be on your guard.” He waved the guard back, drew his sword, and walked towards the doorway.

As he entered the much darker street he felt a presence, his skill registering something ahead, but not a living creature. He looked around, ,confused by the mixed energies in the area. Something about it felt, divine. Like back in the temples.

Despite what his skill’s senses were telling him, someone stood not ten yards to his left, leaning in a doorway. He turned, expecting the figure they had seen earlier, assuming he had just stepped into an ambush of some kind. He didn’t actually expect to see his brother Garrod, eating an apple.

“How?” He forced out, unable to move, unable to take in what he was seeing.

Garrod smiled, with Levi’s face. His twin was thinner, and slightly taller than the guild master. Favouring the robes of a spell-caster instead of the heavy armour of the fighter.

“I’m not really here Levi, sorry brother.” He said with a sad smile, but it was definitely his smile. “The twins thought, seeing as the desecration took place on their temple grounds, that I would be an apt messenger.” Levi’s stomach turned to stone. He was holding his breath. Watching every detail of Garrod, as if the last twenty odd years hadn’t gone by.

Even with the apparition before him, he reached inside for that empty, cold part of him that screamed his brother was dead. It had never gone away, a permanent broken tooth that he prodded and poked when fatigued or feeling particularly morose.

“look, I know, this is painful, its painful for me as well. But, I’ve been told it’s all connected. Theres a reason I’m here. A reason you’re here. But you also need to be somewhere else. You’re going to stop something horrible from happening. Another K’valaor. But much much worst. And you, brother, are going to stop it.

With a bit of help from your better looking sibling.” Garrod smiled, that smile. Levi had practiced, relentlessly, but he could never look as charming as his brother. And they had the same face. How did that even work?

“Ok, Garrod.” Levi took a deep breath in. “What do you have to tell me, I’m listening.” He rocked back slightly on his heels. The gods didn’t waist these messages for no good reason, best see it for what it is. An extremely painful and messy way to get his attention.

“The key to all this is with Kirvos, right now. Or rather, its where he is. And what his daughter and her party are doing. You need to be flexible with them. they are skirting your guild’s rules. My Advice to you is this. Talk to Kirvos and his daughter, give them what help they need, and find a Matrius Fulcrum. now I don’t really know what that is, and the Twins are being twitchy about it as it has something to do with how the dungeon Matrius and the Weave were affected during the chaos war.” Garrod stepped out of the shadows of the doorway, dropping the apple to the floor.

“More importantly, your enemy is unsure how to proceed. They are fumbling in the dark with a cinder stick, while a pile of gnomish fire powder is inches from their hand. If you can find the fulcrum, and help Kirvos’s daughter, you will be attacking on two fronts. The twins like duality and balance. Your enemy is unbalancing things.” He tilted his ear to the air, the smile returning to his lips.

“Ok, so I’ve been told I’m complicating things. And theres only a limited amount of time I’m allowed back on this plane of existence.” He now stood a foot away from Levi. He could smell him, that familiar odour of herbs and static. His hand twitched, slowly lifting of its own Accord, the urge to touch his brother, so strong.

“Ok. Find the Matrius fulcrum and you delay your enemy. Help Kirvos’s daughter, they need to reset their dungeon, and you free an ally of some kind. Restoring a balance. Your enemy can’t be killed, but apparently they can be repurposed, whatever that means.” Garrod reached forward, placing a hand on Levi’s shoulder. He was real, he was there. How was that possible. A tear escaped from his eye to meander into his beard.

“Its been good to see you brother, I’m sorry, for what happened to me, and what happened to Garit. Your son deserved a better mentor than me.” He squeezed Levi’s shoulder. “The Gods are watching. And they can be generous with their rewards, once this is over.” He leaned forward and hugged his brother awkwardly. Holding him tight for a fraction of a second before he was suddenly alone, arms outstretched in the darkness.

“Oh, one last thing.” His brother whispered from the shadows.

“A name, to watch for, something new, unexpected.” Levi nodded, already stung by the cold reclaiming his heart. His brothers last word reached him like a leaf on the wind. A breathy sigh punctuating his absence.

“Iki”