Chapter 24 Festivities.

Isaac peered down at the little man that was tied up, both hands and feet, on the ground in front of him. “What’s, my, name?” Isaac asked to cement the feeling of terror and dread that was written on the man’s face.

“D-D-D-Darkness.” The little man stammered out.

“Good.” Isaac purred. “Now, who, am, I?”

The caravan leader looked both frightened and confused like he wasn’t sure how to answer. “Uh, um, Lord Wexler, I, uh, think?” He stammered.

Isaac’s irritation must have been seen in his barely visible eyes because the man tried to recoil but was stopped by a stout dwarf that loomed behind him. The dwarf had simply pressed his shield to the man’s back to keep him from retreating even an inch. “I, am, The Lord Of All That Is Dark.” Isaac spoke with every fiber of his being. The concentrated effort put into the words caused his Shadowcloak to ripple and everyone with mana sensitivity, save for Lenna, visibly recoiled, even the guards. They felt his words in their hearts as if the world itself had spoken them. The man in front of Isaac wet himself. “Now, explain to me, why you thought, that I would let you all get away with a dark deed that I have specifically forbidden?”

“I-I-I-I-I di-didn’t know. I swear. You have to believe me!” The little man pleaded.

“What didn’t you know?” Isaac pressed.

“I didn’t know that you had forbidden it! I swear!” The man continued to plead.

“Do you have all of Duncan’s slaves with you?” Isaac questioned and the man nodded repeatedly with much enthusiasm. “Do you, really?” Isaac purred.

The man looked like he was about to faint. “I-I think so?” He replied with almost manic fear in his eyes.

“Good.” Isaac replied and straightened. “Release his bindings.” Isaac told the dwarven guard behind him. “He will show you to the slaves.” The guard nodded curtly to Isaac and glanced towards his Captain. Captain Patty nodded once in reply and the guard immediately got to work.

Isaac surveyed everything in silence. Most of the prisoners that met his eyes immediately shied away from him. Lenna stood next to him casually with her spell and aura on full display. “They have certainly made this easier,” Lenna began. “but I think we could have done without them and still not had to kill anyone.”

“Someone would have tried to run.” Isaac replied, still just as deeply as before. “It would have been irritating. I would have killed some of them.”

Lenna nodded in agreement. “Fair point.” She conceded. “When this is over, want to get more of that fried dough net thing?”

Isaac chuckled but because he was still focused on being ‘The Lord of all that is Dark’, instead of just his normal self, it came out dark and villainous. Lenna didn’t mind though, she was used to Isaac’s multiple personalities. “Of course.” He agreed but despite the deepness of his voice and his current persona some warmth still bled through.

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—

“So that was what happened.” Isaac finished telling Izen about their recent adventurer. “After it was finished, I was somehow conned into buying an entire keg of ‘Patty’s Personal Pleasant-dreams Potion’ as he calls it.” Isaac grumbled. “Cost a damn fortune too. I don’t even drink.”

Izen chuckled. “Yes. Captain Stonewarden is known for that.” Izen explained. “I still have not finished the keg he, ‘conned’, me into buying twenty five years ago.” He confessed. “It is almost empty so I can take some of it off your hands, considering that you are the reason for my consumption of the last quarter of it.”

Isaac laughed. “I make your life just that much more interesting.” He joked. “But yes, you can have half of it and I’ll give the other half to Celeste. She has put up with a lot because of us as well.”

Izen nodded with a warm smile that was almost entirely hidden by his beard. “She will appreciate that.” The duke agreed. “Back on topic, do you think this will change Mr. Ebbenson’s business direction enough?”

“I think he will still be growing, selling, and shipping the extra tasty mushrooms if you get my meaning.” Isaac replied. “But hopefully he’ll keep his fingers out of the slave market drawer after getting them slammed in it.”

“We can only wait and see, I suppose.” Izen conceded. “For now, thank you for the update. Do let your, Phantom, know that I appreciate his assistance.”

Isaac nodded. “I will.” He assured the duke. “And if you ever need a less experienced, less potentially destructive, less politically know, more vulnerable version of me just let me know. I’m sure he would enjoy it,” Isaac said before continuing under his breath: “if he doesn’t get himself killed first.”

“Of course, now go, enjoy the festivities. We do not get to have these often.” The duke told the dark mage across from him. “Make sure you get Lenna something nice. That is what festivals are really for after all.”

Isaac stretched in the chair. “That might be a tall order. Picking out something that she likes is a nigh impossible task. I don’t want her to like it just because I got it for her. I want her to actually like it and then be happy that I got it for her.” Isaac half explained and half complained.

Izen gave Isaac a knowing smile. “Good luck.” He replied.

Isaac sighed as he stood up. “You’re no help.”

Izen chuckled. “Jewelry?” Izen asked.

“She only sees the practical uses for it. If it isn’t for station or being used as an enchantment carrier she doesn't care for it either way.” Isaac replied.

“Tea?” Izen offered.

“She only drinks herbal teas unless it’s with Sera. I think it is just medicated hot water to her.” Isaac stated evenly.

“Flowers?” Izen offered.

“She’s colorblind. I might be able to find a perfume that she likes though… thanks, I’ll have to try that.” Isaac replied with a smile.

“Glad to be of help.” Izen said with a returning smile of his own. “Now go spend time with your mate. It is only a matter of time before some other craziness shows up. Gods know you are a magnet for it.” Isaac could only chuckle as he shook his head before he vanished. The gods weren’t the only ones who knew that Isaac was a magnet for craziness. He knew as well.

—

Isaac and Lenna spent the rest of the festival acting like normal people. A few people stopped to thank Isaac for killing Jallen V’Nova but mostly people just treated them like normal individuals. It wasn’t until afterwards that Isaac realized it was because many of the stands were run and staffed by people from Sapphirestone who had no idea who they were. It was late evening and the festivities were wrapping up for the night when Isaac and Lenna stumbled across Clayton who was scurrying about with a clearly magical picnic basket. He was trying to get at least one of every kind of food that the stalls were selling, with varying degrees of success. When he saw them he froze momentarily. “Ah, Darkness, I wanted to let you know that I received the research materials. I haven’t had a chance to go through them yet but I will let you know once I am finished.”

“That’s great, Clayton.” Isaac replied wholeheartedly. “Let me know when you, me, and Alexander, maybe Jala as well, can sit down and have a discussion about it. At this point I am less concerned with people finding out about my abilities as, let’s be honest, everyone has seen almost everything already.”

Clayton nodded excitedly. “Certainly.” He seemed to realize something and hurried to leave. “Sorry, I’ll talk to you later!” He called as he rushed to the next stand.

“What was that about?” Isaac asked.

“I think he is collecting festival foods.” Lenna replied.

Isaac nodded. “Yeah, but why?”

It was at that moment that they both realized the most likely culprit: “Eliza.” They both said at the same time.

Isaac shook his head. “I wish we could meet the mad wizard that lives in the back of the dimensionally expanded building full of portals to demi-dimensions.” Isaac shook his head. “I know they are different but they just seem too similar to be, I don’t know, safe?”

Lenna shrugged. “If he hasn’t been shunted into the space between planes yet, I doubt he will soon.”