"Hold out that disc," Narikas commanded.

Meera complied and did so with a trembling hand. Narikas pointed to it, and a small beam of darkness shot out of his finger and hit the disc. The disc became ice cold as the gold took on a darker hue. Meera immediately dropped the disc. Shadows engulfed the golden disc as it became pitch black before the shadows were absorbed into it, and its original golden color returned.

"Pick it up," the Warlord said. "I'm sure it's fine now."

Meera bent down and touched it gingerly. It was cool to the touch but not cold.

"That will let us communicate over long distances. No matter where you are in Azeria, all you have to do is call out my name while holding the disc, and I will answer if I am not preoccupied. If I am, then your assigned Scribe will answer for me. Conversely, it will also tell me where you are, who you're talking to, and what you are saying at all times."

Meera gulped. It's like a cellphone that will be spying on me.

"You said, assigned Scribe. Won't it be Perilla?" Meera asked. "I figured you're telling her all this for a reason."

"Thank you for reminding me. Perilla, your book, please." He extended a hand to her.

"Your Highness, I promise I won't tell anyone." The poor girl shivered as tears dripped from her eyes.

"I won't ask again."

Meera's gaze jumped from the Warlord to the Scribe. What did I do?

Perilla took a shaky step forward, then another. She was trembling by the time she reached Narikas, who sat still on his throne, eyes on Meera. Perilla set her book in Narikas' hand, but the girl sobbed like she was parting with her child.

"You see, Scribes bond with their books for life. When a book is hurt, so is its master." He flipped the book open and ripped out a page.

Perilla screamed and fell to her knees, weeping. "I won't tell anyone, Your Highness. Please have mercy."

"You should curse the god Lorendor for your fate. For he made it so that you would be the one to capture these two." Narikas ripped out a handful of pages.

Another bloodcurdling scream escaped the Scribe's throat as she fell face first on the ground, twitching in pain. Meera swallowed as she watched the girl tremble and sob as if Narikas had cut off a limb.

"Shh, don't cry," Narikas said in his calming voice again. He set a hand on her head. "I cannot have all this information leaking or you talking to the King's spies. I'm sorry, but your pain is only just beginning. Azeria, thanks you for your service."

He closed his fist, gripping her hair tight, and closed his eyes. Perilla screamed and tried to fight him, but he was too strong. She tried to run but couldn't get free. Meera stood numb, wanting to act, but she was too scared. She didn't know if it was a skill that induced terror or if it was how strong the man felt. She was glued to the spot, shaking.

Narikas breathed deep, shadowy tendrils from his armor wrapped around the frantic girl and pulled her towards the armor. Perilla fought and screamed, but, in the end, it was for naught. She was absorbed into Narikas' armor to join the shadowy faces in agony.

Narikas opened his eyes and dropped the Scribe's book to the ground. The thud echoed in the room, making Meera jump. "I hope you won't disappoint me, Meera."

Meera shook her head, shaking uncontrollably. The temperature in the room had dropped to that of an icy chill day. Even when the darkness receded into the Shadowsteel Warlord, the room was still cold, and the torches did little to provide warmth.

"Now, to conclude this meeting." Narikas turned his head to the ceiling. "You can show yourself, Hilnoa."

A woman appeared standing on a disc of darkness with a book in hand. She floated down to stand where Perilla was standing. She was a woman with greying hair, wrinkles, and a small scar on the bridge of her nose.

[Shadow Scribe – Level ??]

Meera's inability to see her levels meant she was even stronger than Perilla. Just how strong are these scribes?

"Meera, this is Hilnoa. This is your assigned Scribe," Narikas said. "She will answer if I cannot. Hilnoa, get Meera ready. You know what to do."

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Hilnoa bowed her head. "Yes, Your Highness. Follow me, girl." Without even looking at Meera, the Scribe moved for the door.

Meera stayed where she was. "And she can be trusted with this information."

"I trust Hilnoa with my life," he answered as he stood. He turned his back to Meera, signaling the conversation was over.

"Come girl, we have lots to do," Hilnoa said. Her voice was not monotone like Perilla's. She spoke like a normal person.

"And Tamas?" Meera asked her.

Hilnoa wrote in her book, and Tamas vanished. "He will be delivered to the prison from where he escaped."

"And I am to take your word for it?" Meera crossed her arms.

"Yes. Now, as His Highness said, we don't have much time. So, you better hurry." She hurried for the door, forcing Meera to follow.

With her Mirror Eagle's Perceptivity, she kept an eye on the Warlord and his shadowy armor, where the faces screamed voiceless screams. Meera wondered which one was Perilla's. All the stories about him were true—the man was a monster. And if he had tried to do the same to Neel, she would kill him.

When they crossed into the hallway, the massive doors closed on their own. Through the gap in the closing doors, Meera saw Narikas fall to his knees and cry out in pain. She only heard it thanks to her Gem of Echoes. Meera's eyes widened, but Hilnoa showed no reaction and kept walking.

What was that?

When the doors fully closed, she heard Narikas scream, making her jump. Again, Hilnoa showed no reaction aside from walking away even faster.

"Did you hear that?" Meera asked. “I think, Narikas is in pain.”

"That's Prince Narikas or His Highness to you, girl," Hilnoa said without turning. "And I heard nothing. You must've heard someone else's screams. This place is famous for them."

Meera kept quiet after that, but she was sure it was Narikas. The hallways were as high as Narikas' throne room, about thirty feet high. Torches lined the walls, but there were no windows. The walls were made of metal, which Meera figured to be steel, going with the whole Shadowsteel motif.

There were stark grey drapes with the sigil of Shadowsteel Warlord etched on them, hanging from the ceiling. The sigil was also etched into the wall at regular intervals. The whole place gave a very creepy vibe.

Hilnoa led her through more corridors and then down three sets of stairs. But no matter where she walked, Meera heard screams. She finally crossed a room and saw a man in shadowy armor fighting with a man in traditional steel armor. It seemed to be a training room as many other soldiers of each faction rooted for their side.

She couldn't see much of their fight but wanted their skills, especially the shadow soldiers. The Shadow Vanguard was what Tamas had called them.

The following few rooms were locked. Then she heard shouting.

"You can't keep us here forever," barked a man. "We are Bloodstone Watchmen. The King will hear of this."

"Now, it is just routine questioning, and then you'll be free to go," replied a woman's voice, which Meera figured to be another Scribe.

They finally came to the room from where the shouting came from, and the door was slightly open, and there must've been twenty or so Bleeders in there—archers and otherwise.

Hilnoa stopped and pushed the door open. "Phoetera, this should have been dealt with already."

"Yes, sorry Matron, right away," Phoetera said with a bow of the head. She scribbled something in her book, and every Bleeder in the room was gone, and in their place were black boxes like the ones Meera had been imprisoned in.

"They were the ones that caught me," Meera said.

"No, Perilla caught you. These were mere witnesses that needed to be taken care of," Hilnoa, the Matron of the Scribes, said. "But they'll be put to use eventually."

Once again, I'm in over my head…

Meera kept quiet and followed the Matron. Hilnoa took her to a room a few doors down. There were items laid out for Meera on a table. There were weapons of different sorts, like throwing knives, a sword, a metal club, and even a spear. All the weapons were made of the same dark steel metal that the fortress was made of. There was even a leather-plated armor, along with Health and Mana potions. But of all these things, only one item caught her eye. It was a belt similar to her Lunar Hoard Belt.

Meera focused on the belt and used Identify.

[Dragon Hoard Belt – 300 Units]

Her eyes popped open right away. "Is all this for me?"

"Yes. Take what you think you need to accomplish your mission," Hilnoa said.

Meera smiled and took everything. She didn't need the weapons or the armor, but she could always sell it and get more money. After all, the rich remained rich only by selling more stuff. She transferred all her things to the Dragon Hoard Belt, even her Lunar Hoard Belt. She had two belts, totaling to a capacity of 450 Units, but even with all this new stuff, she still had half of the units remaining in her Dragon Belt.

Hilnoa gave her a skeptical look. "Do you really need everything to complete your mission?"

Meera smiled. "Yes."

Hilnoa sighed lightly and produced a coin pouch from her robe. "For any expenses. If you need more, you need but ask."

Meera took the pouch and used Identify.

[50 Gold] [200 Silver] [300 Copper]

Well, more money is always good.

"Lastly, you are to relay all information of your findings to us so it can be spread to others as it may help them in their endeavors. Like His Highness said, if he is busy, then I will respond to you."

Meera nodded. "That is all good, but what about the Mistblades and Bleeders looking for me? Won't they be coming for a 'Varshan'?"

"You don't need to worry about the Bloodstone Watchmen. We have relayed new information that you were killed, and with Tamas returned to the prison, that matter should be resolved. Now, on your way, you go."

She wrote something in her book, and a door opened in the wall. Meera squinted as the light was blinding again, as sunlight assaulted her eyes.

"It's day?" Meera couldn't help asking. "Why do you all like to live in the dark? You should think about getting some windows in here."

Hilnoa didn't answer her and handed a folded piece of thick paper. "This is a map of Azeria and a picture of Prince Delkoris. Your first stop is Nelees. Establish contact with Crown Prince Delkoris and discreetly find out what he knows."

"Great. That should be easy." Hilnoa completely missed the sarcasm.

"Now, be on your way. You only have a week to find the queen. I don't need to remind you what will happen if you fail."

"Everyone dies?" Meera asked to be sure.

"Starting with you."