The moment Lord Michael spoke, Evelyn could not muster even a single peep. She began to feel a tightness in her chest build up. Her mouth could not move, her eyes felt like they were glued directly to Lord Michael’s. As Evelyn’s gaze met with Lord Michael’s, his gaze began to pierce into hers. Evelyn felt his gaze was something more than that. As he looked at her, it felt almost as if his eyes were boring directly into her. Digging somewhere she would never let anyone in. To a place, she may not even know existed within her herself. Her hands began to shake violently, yet the rest of her body stood almost frigidly still. Like she was made of stone, her body would not move, and her eyes would not move, as Lord Michael looked at her, Evelyn finally felt a burning in her chest as if her heart was being torn from her chest slowly.

“Well met, good Lord”

Evelyn then saw Lord Michael’s eyes flick over to Adrith. She could feel his absolutely menacing and overly intense aura lift off of her like the weight of the world was pulled from her shoulders. She felt herself be pulled out of the water by Adrith’s words, as she took in such a deep breath that the breath felt euphoric. She could see the guards look at her with disgust as if she had committed some disgusting act in front of them, yet it seemed only they minded her haggard state after that intense stare.

Evelyn turned as she tried to now pay attention to the conversation that was to be taken between Lord Michael and Adrtih. Lord Michael’s response to the greeting was but a nod, as Adrith continued.

“My name is Adrith Catalus, Knight of the Last Crusade, I’ve come to make my presence known”.

Adrith took his hand and placed it over his heart as he lightly bowed his head as he spoke. He allowed a moment as he waited for Lord Michael to speak.

“I see, a knight of a bygone time. Pray tell. Of which order do you hold heraldry from?”

Adrith brought his head back up as he spoke, “We were not known of any order. We dedicated ourselves to Fellwinter and her people. We bore no flag except her own, and we were known by no other name than the Knights of Fellwinter”

Lord Michael nodded his head as he listened, his eyes were inspecting Adrith inquisitively. Yet it was Evelyn who saw something more. As she looked between the two, she could see a silent tension building as Lord Michael seemed to try and figure Adrith out as a person. Yet Evelyn knew that he was hiding things already. She knew Adrith had spoken the opposite of what she just heard to the conversation he had a few days ago when he spoke with Maidrin. As he said, they both came from the same order, yet they walk very different paths.

The only things she couldn’t figure out, even now, why?

“The Knights of Fellwinter. I see. An order who must have given themselves and everything they coud have to the Crusade, no? How noble. I must commend the sacrifice you and your own made”

Michael asked, seeming to slightly prod, Evelyn had never seen something like this. From what she knew and heard of Lord Michael, he was a stern man who rarely spoke himself. Yet right now, he spoke more words within this single conversation than speeches she could recount of her time. She was unsure if this came from the time she was dead and some form of change happened. Yet she couldn’t believe that. Within maybe a few generations, Lord Michael would go from a cold and tyrannical leader who sends any who can fight into the dungeons to a talkative and somewhat friendly man.

Maybe it was because Adrith was a knight. Evelyn wasn’t sure if that alone would be enough. Yet the situation seemed well enough as is for now.

“Thank you Lord Michael. I’m sure my brothers in arms would have loved to hear that their existence was recognized by one of your stature”. Adrith nodded, a light smile was on his face.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

His smile seemed both so natural and odd to Evelyn, maybe it was because of all the time she had seen him, he only wore a scowl.

Lord Michael continued, “Please, in the light of our lady, all are guided to the light. She recognizes all good that has been done, and rewards us for it”.

Michael spoke with much sincerity. This much Evelyn knew, he was a man who was through and through a devout believer. It was much the reason why many followed him. He was the personification of purity, and even after death, he returned in what many believe was their greatest time of need. If she was not one who had to enter the dungeon, maybe she too would have loved Lord Michael as much as many other people in Fellwinter did.

Lord Michael continued, “Let me ask then, why did you wish to make your presence known?”

Adrith answered quite easily, “Because I wished to know what has become of my home”

Lord Michael nodded his head as he said, “Well, the land might have changed quite a bit. Yet her people are much the same. Strong, willful, and will always be so. As they have survived some of the worst of winters, and even the overrunning of the walls. They are willful and strong, and the city is surviving because of their spirit”,

Adrith nodded as he wore his smile, “That is good to hear, I had missed my home, and seeing and hearing it has survived so long after I had given myself to the protection of the city. Hearing this makes me feel there was some good done by our service, even if we were unable to complete it”

Lord Michael nodded as before he was able to speak, there was a knock at the door, and coming in were 3 men wearing long robes of green and gold with slivers of white cloth. Among the three of them, one stepped forward with the most bright and vibrant of colors as he wore a large hat and sash that must have denoted his status. He entered firm and strong while the other 2 men were carrying multiple large leather bound tomes. Both of these men while carrying these tomes looked to be younger men who held their heads low and never allowed their gaze to even rise above their shoulders.

The leading and more senior man of the three speaks first, “Your Grace”.

Lord Michael spoke simply, “Advisor Wilhelm”.

The man spoke as he gave a light bow, “I have brought the required tomes for the processing”

Lord Michael nodded as he spoke, “Then process them”.

Wilhelm bowed once more before he spoke, “Of course mi lord”.

The man turned as he looked to Adrith and Evelyn as the other 2 men began to open the tomes to Wilhelm to read from, “Evelyn Lucero was your name?”

Evelyn nodded her head, “Yes it is”

The man scoffed before he then continued, “Shame, a wasted name”

Evelyn felt taken aback, yet she took a breath in. It was Adrith whose expression changed. He nearly made a move until he felt an immense pressure begin to be placed onto his back. He did not move, as Lord Michael seemed to make his presence assuredly known, yet the only ones who seemed to have any worry of it were Adrith, Evelyn, and the 2 assistants. The Advisor seemed to pay no mind, he even seemed to be amused by it as he continued.

“Let us see. Ah here we are”, the man began to read through the tomes as he eventually found a name that matched hers and he began to ask questions. Much of which were details to figure out if this was her, he asked her if she owned land, but she did not. He then asked her occupation from her time, as the moment she spoke she was an adventurer he asked her then, her if she was a mage. Which she answered yes, which was followed by him asking for her trigger words.

Evelyn was hesitant for a moment yet then felt the pressure begin to increase from behind her as she answered, “My trigger words are: Hear me, starlight, answer me, starlight”. The moment she spoke those words, he magic flared for a moment and then left, leaving a light glow on the page. The Advisor nodded as he then looked through the page, “Ah, I see, yes, this is you. Very well, your remaining balances are still well intact. So, you owe the good city of Fellwinter, 50 years of labor. As you have been presumed dead for that amount of time”.

Evelyn was taken aback as her eyes widened at the immediate debt as she asked, “What?”