The morning was surprisingly serene, with everyone in my crew but Rachel waking up naturally while the dwarven rebels went about their day.
As I pondered how to wake Rachel from her peaceful slumber, Ethan interjected with a mischievous grin. "You know what you should do, right?"
“Of course.” I nodded, understanding exactly the kind of wake-up call he had in mind. I had the mana for it, and Dosor tactfully blocked the others' view of us.
I conjured just a small cube of water, freezing it before grabbing it out of the air and pushing it against her exposed neck.
Ethan had already turned around after I nodded and I assumed that he'd just want to get out of Rachel's range, but his panicked expression as he saw her squirming had me wavering.
Rachel, still asleep, attempted to wipe away the ice, but her efforts proved futile as I kept it firmly pressed against her skin.
The cube slipped down the back of her shirt as I lost my grip on it.
“Motherfucker-” she shrieked, instantly awake from the ice melting down her back.
I laughed but helped her get rid of the ice, grabbing it and tossing it away. “It's just me. Good morning.”
“This is worse than the bucket!” exclaimed Rachel, standing up.
Ethan giggled, but questioned me “What are you doing?”
“What do you mean? I did what you said!” I defended myself, placing a kiss on Rachels cheek.
Rachel whipped around to glare at him, silently threatening him with her finger.
He raised his arms in defence, backing up and holding back his laughter as he explained “That is not what I meant! I thought you’d be romantic, not drop an ice cube into her robe!”
“Oh…”
Rachel slowly turned to me, a fixed grin plastered on her face as she asked “Caleb, why? Simply why?”
“I- That's not the first time we played pranks on each other,” I protested, sitting up. “You pulled us into a freezing river multiple times.”
She stemmed her fists into her hips.
“That was different,” she insisted with a pout, leaning onto Dosor. “You were fully awake and already in the water. This is my beauty sleep we are talking about.”
“You don't need beauty sleep,” I replied, reaching out to her.
“Thanks.” She ran a hand over Dosor's scales before continuing with a mischievous smile as she leaned into me, “but it's still important to maintain my beauty and intelligence keeping up a healthy diet and proper sleep schedule.”
Ethan whispered to me, keeping a healthy distance from Rachel, “We should let her sleep more often, maybe she'll be able to compete with Eva then.”
Rachel seethed silently, glaring at him but keeping quiet as she watched Eva for a reaction and leaned into me.
Ethan had finally put his claims of proficiency at romance to the test and tried to flirt with her and I knew that Rachel wanted to know how it would turn out just as much as I did.
I felt like I was putting more weight to this little move than I should, but I had barely any experience with romance so it was difficult for me to gauge the significance.
I had never read romance stories in the library and the staff didn't openly express their affections while at work so I didn't know if this was a big deal or not. Rachel just asking me one evening probably didn’t help that either.
Eva looked at Ethan as she heard her name, not having listened to us before.
This was one of the moments where I disliked her impassive expressions, even if she got better at expressing her emotions over the past months.
“Oh…” she noticed all of us looking at her and turned around, walking off into the tunnels without another word.
“Eva?”
She walked down a tunnel, passing two guards and calling back over her shoulder “I'll patrol the tunnels.”
“Uhmm,” Rachel glanced at me, pointing down the tunnel, “Should you… you know?”
“I probably should talk with her,” I agreed, standing up and starting to walk after her with a last stolen kiss from Rachel.
Whatever happened, she probably needed to talk about it and it was my responsibility as the Knight to make sure my crew got along.
Ethan moved to follow me but got stopped by Rachel as she stepped in front of him, shaking her head.
I left Dosor with them, not wanting to leave them alone just yet.
I trusted Bruel with all my heart but I didn’t know every single person in the camp and Dosor is the best protection they could get.
Eva hadn’t gotten all that far, still performing her duties and checking for devoured or any clues as she walked down the tunnel, so I caught up pretty quickly.
“Eva, wait,” I called out, falling in step next to her and gathering my thoughts.
She turned to me, a glimpse of worry slipping through before she managed to correct her expression and asked “What do you need?”
Catching up to her took way too little time for me to properly think of what to say.
I fumbled, stopping dead in my tracks as I thought of what to say.
“Are you alright?” I questioned her, not quite comfortable with the situation.
If they got into a fight while all the way in Khazur, with no way to get time for themselves or any distance from each other, it would end badly for the crew, not to mention Ethan.
I couldn’t allow that to happen, especially not on our first mission. It was my responsibility as Knight, I couldn't embarrass us like that.
“No,” she finally answered after a few moments of deliberation, not stopping nor slowing down for me, dead set on finishing her patrol.
Or was she just trying to avoid me?
I picked up the pace as I asked “Do you want to talk about it?”
“No.”
We turned around a corner. She was checking a side tunnel as I followed with my eyes peeled for any sign of danger.
“Hey,” I called out, grabbing her arm to stop her nervous pacing, “You're a part of my crew, just like he is. I won't tell him if you don't want me to, but silently stewing in your worries is not going to help.”
I didn't like how she dealt with it, Mom used to chide me for not talking about stuff like this.
She pulled her arm free and continued onwards. “It doesn't matter.”
“Yes, it does,” I insisted, running after her.
She was obviously distraught!
Why can't she just admit that?!
I felt myself getting more angry at her, a slow insidious bubbling that I couldn’t stop like a curse.
“No, it doesn't,” she replied without turning around, “Father is going to fix me when we get back to Dragon's Heart. It's not fatal.”
“What?” I stopped, the rage washed away by utter confusion as I waited for an explanation.
It never came.
She walked into the tunnels with only her lantern as guidance and no more explanations for me, content to leave it at that.
I ran after, overtaking her and blocking her path without even checking for dangers. “What do you mean by that?” I asked, glaring at her in defiance.
I didn't care that I was shorter and non threatening or if this wasn't my place to speak but that sounded serious.
I barely spared a thought to monsters or devoured attacking us.
“That Father will fix me once we return and that it won't be a problem for this mission,” she elaborated, even if it didn't explain anything.
I exhaled sharply, already getting tired of this repetition. “What is there to fix?” I asked.
She would go to Rachel for anything physical so it has to be something else, like something magical that she can't deal with.
Something like a curse.
My eyes widened in realisation, but I left her a chance to explain herself.
“Me.” She tried to push past me to no avail.
Once she realised that I wouldn't let up, she turned around and tried to walk down another tunnel.
“Who?” I simply asked, stopping her immediately, “Who cursed you?”
Her answer didn't come immediately as she stared at me in an abject mixture of confusion and…
…something deeper, something primal…
Fear.
She was terrified, shaking as she mustered the courage to speak up again, horrified as I forced her to confront what terrors plagued her instead of realising what it was she actually needed.
Tears started to well up in the corners of her eyes before I could correct my behaviour. She looked down at me, lip quivering as she hesitantly answered “I- Ignatius.”
Once she managed to utter the first word, she began rattling off explanations, trying to get through the story as fast as possible “I was born faulty, a destroyed soul with no emotions. It's painful.”
I stepped forward, only for her to recoil and close her arms in front of her chest as if to protect herself.
She tried to protect herself from me.
She was terrified of me.
I closed the gap and wrapped her in a hug, at a loss for words but wanting to help her.
“It's alright, ” I reassured her, tightening my hug. “You aren't faulty.”
“Then why do I feel so empty when Ethan flatters me so openly?” she asked desperately, wiggling her arms to her sides so they aren't awkwardly between us anymore.
“I don't know,” I replied honestly, looking back up at her, “but I know that not everyone's the same. I don't know anything about relationships but enjoy the time I spend with Rachel all the same. She might enjoy it a lot more but that doesn't matter, does it?”
“That's not the same,” she insisted, still sobbing.
“It might not be,” I agreed, “but doesn't the fact that you are so distraught about it go against what you said?”
Her sobbing suddenly stopped as confusion crept onto her face.
Tears rolling down her cheeks, the only sound she produced was a shaky “Huh?”
“That's an emotion, isn't it?”
I haven't had much sad stuff happen to me except Dad dying- and I barely dealt with that- but Mom taught me enough to know I shouldn't repress it.
It's important, even if it's bad.
“You're… right,” she said, sounding genuinely amazed like that had never crossed her mind before. She picked me up, hugging me tightly. “It's- just thanks.”
“It's not a problem,” I deflected, letting her hug me even if I didn't like being picked up.
She wanted- maybe even needed- this.
Something cracked in the distance, just a distant reminder of where we were.
She stayed quiet as she put me down, looking down the tunnel. “I think there's something here,” she said, wiping away tears.
It could only really be devoured this deep in the mines unless a monster managed to sneak through the rest.
“Let's go back to the camp,” I agreed, smiling up at her in my best reassuring expression. “We can talk with the others about it, Rachel might be able to help you.”
“Nuh uh.” She immediately shook her head, letting go of me and insisting “We can't tell them about this!”
“They're trustworthy,” I reassured her before backpedalling, “but alright, I'll keep your secret. I trust that you know when to tell them.”
“Thank you.”
“It's not a problem,” I replied before even thinking about it.
She looked at me but didn't say anything, turning around to make her way back to the camp.
Barely a step away, I felt a crossbow bolt fly just past my face and into Eva's shoulder.
She whipped around as I tackled her to the ground, yelping in surprise.
I knelt up and started casting a spell, throwing a glance down the tunnel to check the situation.
Three more bolts flew past, two impacting my back.
I couldn't see down the entire tunnel, but gleaming metal betrayed the hidden troops wielding crossbows.
Lines of magic flared to life as I threw up a plane of force as a shield, searching through a spell I could use at this range.
None of the spells I'd been taught would deal damage over this distance and I didn't want to kill them anyway.
Two bolts impacted the plane of force.
Fleeing would just lead them to the rebels and put the others in danger, even with Dosor there, unless we could lose them in the maze that were the tunnels down here.
Any fire spells I knew would fizzle out before reaching them because I couldn't put the ridiculous amounts of mana into the framework like my Mom would be able to.
Earth spells would be great but I only knew utility spells, with a singular spell that accelerated a shard of stone like an arrow.
Three more bolts impacted the plane, starting to strain my mana.
Lightning lacked accuracy in the tunnels and Water didn't have any of the firepower of the other, mostly focusing on inconveniencing the enemies.
Necromancy was off the table completely, not even in the banquet hall, but it could help me get the oomph needed here.
Eva looked around for something to defend herself with, sitting up behind the plane of force.
“What do we do?” she asked, holding her wounded shoulder.
I didn't know.
I didn't have anything that I could do except fling shards of stone at the darkness where I thought they could be.
We needed to treat our wounds first and Eva started ripping her pants into strips of cloth, ripping the bolt out of her shoulder and bandaging, handing me the rest.
I followed her lead, ripping out the bolts and applying a spell Rachel had taught me that made the bandages stick to my skin by threading a string of mana through it and applying them to my back.
It wouldn't be enough for it to heal but it should get us to the camp.
I needed to apply the bandages to both of us because of how the spell worked. I needed to cast it as I applied it but Eva helped me.
Maybe…
A cloud of dust could provide enough cover for us to flee, even if I disliked such a cowardly approach.
“Caleb?” she asked.
I gulped before starting to trace an enchantment onto the ground, a simple rune that would throw up dust and debris if someone touched a tripwire made of mana I spanned across the tunnel.
Bolts impacted the plane of force as they slowly advanced, sticking to the darkness. Whoever they were, they knew how to batter down magical barriers- constant badgering- and concealed their identity well.
“Once I activate the enchantment, we'll have to run because the barrier will drop,” I explained to Eva in a hushed tone, not wanting them to overhear my plan. “It's a trap that will blow them away and cover the entire tunnel.”
She pulled out a small kitchen knife and started scraping at the ground.
It hurt me to see her destroy the delicate blade by roughly dragging it across the stone but knew what she was doing- creating more dust.
I grabbed a stone from the ground and repeatedly bashed it onto the ground, kicking up more dust and shards of stone.
“Ready?” I asked once we collected a sizable pile, my mana reaching half from the barrage of bolts.
The barrage stopped.
Eva nodded and pocketed her knife, getting ready to dash.
With a final exhale to calm my nerves, I pumped the remainder of my mana into the framework and battery and ran.
We dashed down the tunnel to the cries of the enemies, somebody ordering a chase.
Bolts flew past, chasing us around the turn in the tunnel and bending magically midair, entombing themselves in the walls.
At least a dozen heavily armoured footsteps followed us, the sound of crossbows being drawn echoing down the tunnels.
We ducked into a side tunnel as the trap blew up, a wave of dust and rubble catching up to us in seconds.
A few detours and an hour long wait later, we staggered back into the camp, our bandages soaking wet with blood.
Rachel looked at us with a gentle smile that instantly turned into a blank stare as she saw the state we were in.
“What happened?” she asked, approaching us with a badly hidden scowl.
Eva answered first, looking around for Ethan, “Nothing. We just talked and then got into an ambush.”
Dosor dashed over and blocked the view of the rest of the camp, raising her wings in an effort to protect us from more attacks or maybe just stares.
“What…” She mustered us but decided to check on me first, ordering me to stay still with a gesture. “What did you talk about?”
“Nothing,” I echoed Eva, “Just talked about the mission.”
“You're a horrible liar,” Rachel said, kissing my cheek before circling around me to get to my back.
Ethan dashed over, having been on the opposite side of the camp when we arrived. “What happened?”
Pulling down my shirt, she stared at the patchwork of bandages I applied. “I don't know whether to be proud that you listened and how well the threads are formed, or disappointed in your application of it,” she mused, dissolving my threads to check the actual wounds, “you dug the threads way too deep and this one is bleeding through. None of these would hold long enough for the wounds to heal.”
“It only needed to hold long enough for us to get here,” I murmured. Speaking up so Ethan could hear me, I explained “We were talking and patrolling when suddenly crossbows shot at us, Eva took a bolt before I managed to get her down, erecting a barrier shortly after.”
“You took multiple bolts,” mumbled Rachel, preparing new bandages after having me sit down on a stray rock, “I'd say shielding both of you would have been your first priority.”
“Did they track you?” asked Ethan, casting a glance down the tunnel before focusing on Eva. “Let me check your wound before Rachel does, she's gonna take some time.”
“Alright,” she replied, pulling down her shirt.
He stopped her once he could clearly see the wound. “That's enough, thanks.”
“No, they didn't track us,” I answered in mock annoyance, checking on Rachel's progress.
She was making something to soak the bandages in and had a satchel sitting next to her in preparation.
Ethan checked on Eva but obviously lacked Rachel's skill in medicine, mostly checking the bandage and getting the details from her.
She looked impassive, quietly explaining what happened.
Curiosity overwhelmed me so I asked Rachel “Why not just hand me a potion and be done with it?”
Find this and other great novels on the author's preferred platform. Support original creators!
“Simple, cost,” she replied in a soft, caring tone reminiscent of a teacher explaining something to the less gifted pupil, “but I can explain it to you when you aren't bleeding this badly.”
“Oh, I am bleeding?” I asked.
That was definitely a mistake.
She slapped one of the soaked bandages over two wounds that were close to each other, a spike of pain racing through my body as the solution acted.
“Yes,” she deadpanned, keeping me steady after I flinched from the pain. “You'll need a new shirt.”
“Oh, bother…”
She grabbed me by the back of my neck, forcing me to look at her as she reminded me “You could have died, Caleb.”
“But-”
“No,” she cut me off, gently applying the next bandage. “No but’s. A simple ambush in hostile lands shouldn't have bothered you, especially not having you get shot multiple times. Why didn't either of you pay attention?”
“We did, we were just…” I thought of a way to phrase it without having her worry, “distracted.”
She dropped the eye contact and applied the last bandage, pressing it onto the wound with more force than needed. She began applying the threads of magic to attach them. “Great.”
I didn't like that answer.
“We got it all sorted out,” I explained, fiddling with my belt as she finished her work. I felt just the same as when Mom used to scold me after I got into trouble. “It won't happen again.”
She pulled a small ball of medicine out of the satchel and held it up for me. “Open wide.”
I followed her lead and opened my mouth, expecting her to just put the medicine in.
Instead, she closed the gap and kissed me, wrapping her free arm around my shoulders and pulling me down.
It took me off guard but I reciprocated quickly, wrapping my arms around her and indulging.
It just felt right and if she thought that the medicine wasn't this urgent, it could wait.
I loved her antics, her chaos that kept me on my toes whenever we weren't on missions.
She drew back an inch and tried to speak but I pulled her into my lap and continued the kiss, tangling a hand in her hair.
The kiss ended a few moments later, a blissful eternity.
She slipped the medicine in my mouth immediately after, a smile on her face. “Chew for twenty seconds, wash down with water,” she instructed, bouncing in my lap. “The wounds should heal by the evening but I'll check tonight.”
I chewed as instructed.
“Thymisca mentioned something about recruiting,” said Rachel with a smirk, still happily glowing from the kiss. “We got a rough plan but I advised her to wait for you to actually depart.”
“You just want to undress me tonight, do you?” I asked with a shit-eating grin, an opportunity having arisen earlier that I finally noticed.
“Huh?”
Ethan stared at me. “What?!”
“It is understandable,” said Eva, glancing over to us.
Ethan whipped around and looked at Eva in utter confusion.
“What?” she asked, glancing at Rachel. “They are still in a relationship, are they not?”
“Yes we are,” Rachel immediately answered, a self satisfied smirk on her face. She decided to ignore that outburst and asked Ethan “How are her wounds?”
“Doing good,” he replied, “it barely penetrated her skin. She'll be fine with just the bandages.”
Rachel scowled and reluctantly got up. Walking over to Eva, she reminded me “Waterskin is at the front left of the saddle.”
I got up and washed down the medicine as she checked on Eva.
She didn't take long, deciding to simply hand her one of the medicine balls with identical instructions.
“What was that about recruitment?” I asked Ethan, wanting to get past my mistakes at the moment and talk about something else.
“Princess Thymisca planned to speak at a tavern which is frequented by potential supporters, soldiers and mercenaries,” he explained, not appearing very convinced by her plan, “It's risky and I don’t think many people will join us but I didn't want to shoot it down… and you know I want to see a proper dwarven tavern for myself.”
“It's far-fetched,” I agreed, patting and reassuring Dosor. I handed the waterskin to Ethan who had gestured that he wanted a sip.
She was very calm considering that I got hurt, which was great, so I wanted to reward her.
It'd have to wait. We didn't have the rations to easily sate Dosor's appetite while hiding with the rebels.
Giving it some more thought, I asked Ethan “Why exactly are we wanting to recruit more people? We’ve got the troops here, Bruel and us.”
“Because Boldrin is a Necromancer,” he said matter of factly, sipping from the waterskin, “people are too scared to fight him, even with us at their side. They want more insurance.”
“This will end with just us fighting him personally, won’t it?” I asked, scratching Dosor’s side.
Ethan shrugged, handing the waterskin to Eva. “Probably, but this fits me just fine,” he said with a grin.
“Going to make us the sole heroes in your story?” I asked, accustomed to his antics.
He gave me a cheeky grin but avoided the question, not that I needed him to confirm it. “They aren’t planning to join us in the actual fight but keep the guards away from us and prevent them from interrupting. Thymisca wants to try and convince Boldrin to jail himself, probably hoping that he didn’t go crazy yet.”
Rachel chimed in, wrapping an arm around my waist, “I wouldn’t be surprised if he was just a bumbling mess with the amount of devoured he has been sending our way. At least he just sticks to the standard Bruisers and none of the advanced variants.”
“I doubt he has the time or resources to use for advanced devoured,” I mused, “although he is the king and raised the taxes. He probably doesn’t have a Juggernaut waiting in the bastion, right?”
Eva looked at me. “He probably has something as a contingency in the bastion,” she agreed.
Dosor stepped aside, making way for Thymisca who had heard us returning.
Her two guards flanked her as usual.
“Good morning, Riders,” she greeted us, keeping a distance from Dosor, “I see you have gotten into a little bit of a fight first thing in the morning. Although I appreciate your dedication, I would prefer it if you prepared before storming off into uncharted tunnels. We have a busy day planned.”
Dosor lowered her head in a nod of acknowledgment, and I felt a twinge of guilt for causing a stir in the camp. A hurt Dragonknight coming back to the camp first thing in the morning must be a scare.
Well, first thing in the morning for us.
Rachel, still by my side, spoke up with a playful grin, "Well, Your Highness, sometimes the best-laid plans take unexpected turns. Keeps things interesting, doesn't it?"
Thymisca's expression remained composed, but I detected a flicker of amusement in her eyes. "Interesting is one way to describe it, Lady Tonitrus. Now, let's discuss the matters at hand. I've arranged for a meeting at the Rusty Hammer this evening. We need to garner support for our cause, and your presence will lend us credibility."
Ethan, who had been quietly observing, interjected, "How do you plan to convince people to join our cause, especially when painting Boldrin as a Necromancer?"
A bold way to put it but it was a valid question, even with the thinly veiled shot at her.
Thymisca's gaze turned steely as she replied, "We play to their fears. The common folk are unsettled over the raised taxes and might believe us quickly when faced with an opportunity and even the slightest proof. We need to show them that there is a force willing to stand against him, even if it means facing those fears head-on. Your actions, despite the morning's... incident, can serve as a testament to our commitment. None of our soldiers could have taken out an entire horde of devoured like you did yesterday."
I couldn't help but feel a sense of responsibility. If our encounters with the devoured could inspire others to join the fight, then perhaps our sacrifices were not in vain. It was only money we lost until now but if we actually had to fight a Juggernaut, I wanted to do my best.
Rachel squeezed my hand, offering silent support.
"Before we proceed," Thymisca continued when none of us answered, "I want your assurance that you are fit for the task. I won't send you into the Hydra's den if you're not at your best."
Rachel shot me a knowing look, and I nodded in response. "We'll be ready," I affirmed.
Thymisca nodded in satisfaction. "Good. We have a few hours before the meeting. Use that time wisely to rest and recover. Dosor, ensure they have what they need."
Dosor gave a low growl of acknowledgment, her protective instincts kicking in.
Thymisca turned to leave but paused, looking back at us. "And, Riders, let's make this evening count. The fate of our realm may very well rest on the choices made tonight."
With that, she strode away, her guards following her closely.
“It’s not going to be that major of a mission, is it?” asked Rachel nervously, gazing up at me.
“Of course not,” I answered, ruffling her hair, “She just means her country, not all of Tera.”
Rachel prepared some more potions and salves for the worst scenario while we went through some drills, joining us shortly before we finished.
----------------------------------------
We departed before anyone else did, arriving at the Rusty Hammer and arranging for Dosor to rest in their stable.
Although they didn't use horses nor dragon's, apparently they had a need for stables.
Upon questioning, the stablemate simply replied “First time in Khazur? Our scuttlebugs aren't widely known but vital for our mining operations, being able to sniff out ores and survive on lichen.”
Drembar never mentioned them!
I felt dumb but we left Dosor with them after copious explaining and reassuring.
The Rusty Hammer turned out to be exactly how I had been imagining it.
It was a gloomy tavern full of gambling, smoking, and drugs. Military personnel, guards and soldiers mostly, laughed loudly with no concern for disturbing the neighbours and shared drinks over tales of heroism or drunken escapades.
A band of four played atop a solid looking stage, a female dwarf gently singing along to folk songs and encouraging others to join her.
A few even did, their tongues loosened by alcohol. They weren’t particularly good singers but they were confident.
We took a corner table near the stage and ordered a round of drinks, opting for non-alcoholic ones to stay prepared.
“So…” Rachel started once we settled, swirling the liquid in her wooden mug around, “what had you two so occupied that neither of you spotted a group of soldiers?”
“Nothing,” I said, avoiding eye contact and sipping my beer.
It was not my secret to tell.
Ethan scowled, looking at me with an expression I didn't recognize.
Was that suspicion or confusion?
I tried to change the subject, picking one out at random. “Do you think anyone will join us after her speech?”
“I don't know,” answered Ethan, checking on what the other patrons were doing, “We are supposed to lend credibility but I don't know how we can without Dosor. You have impressive mana reserves but not impossible ones.”
Rachel rolled her eyes at Ethan. “Could you not check out the waitress like that?”
Oh, that's what he was doing.
“I wasn't!”
“I've seen that look before,” Rachel teased, narrowing her eyes at him and subtly nodding her head towards Eva. “Let's focus on our mission, shall we? You can flirt your way through the taverns after the mission.”
“I won't be doing any of that!” interjected Ethan. Shifting attention away from himself, he continued “Dosor does help sell us as Dragonriders. Without her, we might struggle to convince them.”
Rachel nursed her drink, using the mug to hide her mouth as she spoke “I wonder why he won't be doing that…”
“We could emphasise our skills, share our tales, or impress them with our magic. Caleb has gotten pretty impressive,” Eva thought aloud, leaning back in her seat.
Ethan nodded thoughtfully. “We did go through some interesting stuff. The market we went through alone would have some people accuse us of drug use. We haven't done a lot of diplomacy but our combat feats are impressive!” he got carried away, raising his voice in excitement.
A soldier sitting at the table next to us turned around with a mug of ale in his hand, cheeks tinted red.
“So you're bragging about your fighting prowess?” he challenged good naturedly, “At your age, I find that hard to believe.”
“Here we go…” Rachel sighed, grinning as Ethan got started.
It was his turn to brag and he surely wouldn't let it go to waste.
“Although I fancy myself a storyteller, this should come from our Captain,” deflected Ethan, motioning to me.
The soldier raised an eyebrow, mustering me.
I started telling the highlights of our journey so far, gathering a crowd even with my meagre storytelling skills.
The Manticore, and the foraging in the forest that let me delegate to Rachel. She went on a long tangent about the different mushrooms growing there until a soldier yelled for someone to shut her up.
I shot him a glare and wrapped an arm around Rachel but continued for her.
I mentioned the training with Bruel which got a lot of cheers but quickly moved on after mentioning the training with others.
The Hydra got most of their attention- and with a lot of cut ins from Ethan- they got a great story where the Destroyer herself tutored us and totally didn't interfere in the fighting.
The goblins and the devoured in the mines barely got any attention from them, being more than regular stories here, while I left out the market.
“What are you doing now?” came the shout from somewhere.
The music stopped playing, Thymisca taking the stage as if she had been waiting for that cue.
She wore a regal dress mixed with armour, a battle dress befitting her current position. Sheets of metal covering her vitals with intricate decorations and gems harbouring magic to protect herself. Her dress was kept short and practical but looked more expensive than even my armour including all the enchantments I had put on it.
“Loyal soldiers of Khazur,” she called out, her guards following her onto the stage and flanking her, “I ultimately came here not as your Princess, but as the leader of a Rebellion to reclaim the throne.”
Four heavily armed dwarves, including Bruel, stood up and walked over to the door, blocking it.
People started looking over to Thymisca, her bold declaration grabbing their attention.
“As many of you know, my once dear Uncle, Boldrin Flamesmith, has taken the throne under mysterious circumstances. He has steadily been raising taxes, shutting down mines under false pretence, and prepared for War,” she explained, her gaze gliding over the room in a search for reactions.
The list of actions Boldrin had taken had the entire room in unease, such bold accusations leaving the soldiers wondering.
The question filled the room: If this was all a preparation for war, who are we going to fight?
It even took me by surprise, they had been territorial for as long as history had been recorded. Solely protecting their lands and advancing further down into the mountain to fuel their forges.
I knew they wouldn't dare fight us, Mom alone could eradicate their armies if they made a move.
Thymisca threw a momentary glance at the bar, which immediately continued handing out drinks.
She continued after a sizable pause for the room to digest her words “he tried to steal the throne from my father but failed to convince the court that I wasn't ready. You know the rest of the story, my years as Queen until I supposedly fell to corruption.”
A few cheers rang out in the room when she mentioned her years as Queen. She must have had some good years for the soldiers to cheer like that.
“Wasn't the big story that she became a Necromancer?” asked Rachel, keeping a hand on mine.
I focused my attention back on my crew.
Ethan and Rachel were fidgeting, anxious to get on the stage with the princess, but Eva appeared calm.
Thymisca didn’t notice nor care for Rachel’s comment and continued "I have gathered a group of loyal supporters, individuals who believe in justice, in the rightful ruler taking the throne. We are here to ask for your aid in this endeavour, to help us reclaim Khazur from the clutches of corruption and tyranny."
The room fell into a hushed murmur as soldiers exchanged glances, contemplating the gravity of Thymisca's words. Ethan, Rachel, and I exchanged glances, our unspoken communication signalling the need to act. I rose from my seat, gesturing for my companions to follow me towards the stage.
As we approached, Thymisca's eyes met mine, and she gave a subtle nod of acknowledgment. The four of us joined her on the stage, standing alongside the rebels. The room's attention shifted to us, and I could feel the weight of their scrutiny.
"We are Dragonriders," I announced, trying to project confidence. "We've faced formidable challenges, battled mythical creatures, and emerged victorious- as you may know. But we are not here to boast. We are here because we believe in justice, and we believe in restoring the rightful ruler to the throne."
Ethan stepped forward, his charismatic demeanour taking over. "We may not have Dosor with us at the moment, but our skills, our experiences, and our determination are undeniably powerful. Together, we can overthrow the corruption that has taken root in Khazur."
Rachel, always quick-witted, added, "And we're not just here for a good story. We're here to make history, to ensure a better future for all of Khazur. Will you stand with us?"
The room fell into a thoughtful silence. The soldiers exchanged glances once again, weighing the risks and rewards of joining the rebellion. Thymisca's gaze never wavered, her presence commanding attention and respect.
As the weight of the room's silence pressed down, my mind raced with uncertainty. I stole a glance at Ethan, his usual confidence slightly shaken. Rachel's grip on my hand tightened, her eyes reflecting the shared anxiety that gripped us all. This was the pivotal moment — the turning point that could either forge alliances or leave us isolated in the heart of an unfamiliar rebellion.
A barrage of questions stormed my thoughts. Had our tales of magical conquests truly inspired conviction, or were they perceived as nothing more than exaggerated fantasies? Was the absence of Dosor a glaring vulnerability that would undermine our credibility? The echo of Thymisca's declaration lingered in my mind — the call for justice and the daunting responsibility that hung in the air.
As seconds stretched into an agonising eternity, I couldn't escape the gnawing anxiety that threatened to consume me. Were we, the Dragonriders, the heroes they needed, or just unwitting pawns in a larger game? The heavy air seemed to magnify every doubt, turning the silence into an oppressive force.
Ethan shifted nervously beside me, his eyes flickering between the soldiers. Rachel's gaze remained fixed on the crowd, her brows furrowed in anticipation. My own heart thudded in my chest, the silence amplifying the echoes of my racing pulse.
Then, breaking through the suffocating stillness, a grizzled veteran's declaration shattered the tension. "For justice, for Khazur!" His words cut through the uncertainty, a rallying cry that sparked a wave of fervour.
The room erupted into cheers, and the weight lifted, replaced by a surge of relief.
Thymisca smiled, the glimmer of hope evident in her eyes as almost every soldier stood up and shouted out their allegiance. She decided to drive home the point and secure the last supporters by throwing out a last declaration “The next round is on us, for all supporters of the cause!”
That got a way more enthusiastic cheer than the speech, every single Dwarf joining in.
I allowed myself to relax, the motivated soldiers easing my worries.
Just as I turned to Rachel, someone shouted “I will join you, but I won't fight alongside a Dragonknight! Filthy humans should stay out of our business!”
I turned back to see who went against the tide, yelling out such obscenities under the influence of alcohol.
At least I hoped he was drunk.
I couldn't identify the voice but Thymisca merely pointed a hand toward the crowd, singling out an old dwarf in armour, proudly wearing his medals on his chest. “Speak, Soldier.”
The people surrounding him, his allies, tried to help hide him but bailed when they saw Thymisca's unwavering gaze piercing right through them.
Noticing his lack of cover, he puffed out his chest and glared at us defiantly. “That's right, I said it! They never helped us before and Boldrin is doing fine!”
“Taxes are always rising!” added someone else.
I stepped forward, mustering confidence in spite of the rage that bubbled up. “Though Boldrin appears as a formidable King, his actions are an affront. The use of Necromancy can not be permitted under any circumstances and war doesn't help anyone.”
“Everyone uses a little Necromancy! It's no crime and saves more lives than it destroys.”
“Wha-” I didn't just want to yell back how stupid it was because that would get us nowhere even if it simply boggled my mind at his sheer ignorance.
How a technique that actively fed the god of chaos and drove the user insane could save lives was honestly beyond me but just denying him could make me appear ignorant.
Asking him for clarification would make me look inexperienced and young- which I was, but that wasn't the point- and discredit everything I could say in his eyes.
But his announcement that everyone used Necromancy baffled me.
I couldn't imagine how or why a common farmer or miner used Necromancy on a regular basis.
Everything that they could do with Necromancy was possible with hard work and small spells or magical items, and that's not even considering the toll that casting Necromancy took.
No smith would want to work a giant order when suffering from damage to the soul, much less the more intricate damages Necromancy causes.
I had to say something, staying silent would look just as bad as saying something stupid.
But what…
Thymisca answered before I managed to come up with something.
“Necromancy does provide a momentary boost in power when needed,” she agreed, keeping a neutral expression on her face, “but it has no room in the royal courts. A leader needs a clear head to serve their subjects and his liberal use of Necromancy directly inhibits it.”
“He's still better than you,” shouted the veteran, “at least he knows what he's doing!”
Thymisca smiled at him, a gentle but condescending smile. “I'd gladly debate my competence with you, but I don't think it'd be fair to take the stage for the entire night when we have such a talented band here tonight.”
She motioned for the band to take back the stage and started to move towards the veteran. “Unless you'd prefer to do this another time so you can prepare and read up on our laws. I wouldn't want to waste both of our time for a discussion that's completely one-sided because it's something you aren't educated about.”
We followed after her but got barraged by questions, the dwarven patrons seeking reassurance and explanations from us as she arrived at the veteran's table undisturbed.
It took what felt like hours just for us to get back to our table through the constant questions and drinks being carried around only for more to swarm around us.
Rachel's hand in mine kept me focused, a reassuring touch with her soft fingers stroking over the back of my hand.
Ethan spoke the most, regaling everyone with tales and anecdotes of our stories. He had always been an endless treasure trove of stories so he was right in his element.
Dozens of people introduced themselves to me, but I couldn't remember a singular name.
The entire evening was a flurry of activity, people wanting to get advice or asking to see Dosor. A few scholars wanted to expand their knowledge about dragons so I pointed them to Eva and left it at that, trusting her judgement.
Drinks were shared, stories told, and I'd like to think that we recruited almost everyone in the bar that day.
The Rusty Hammer wasn't the only tavern we hit that day, Thymisca repeating her speech under the protection of her private guard and coordinating the entire rebellion for an attack.
We met the next day for a strategy meeting in one of the private rooms of the Rusty Hammer with Thymisca, Bruel, and some high-ranking soldiers.
The plan turned out to be way simpler than I had expected, or at least the part we were privy to.
Cut off the support of Boldrin before confronting him directly, putting him away for good. His practice of Necromancy made imprisoning him particularly difficult and only left execution as a real option if he tried to defend himself.
Incapacitating someone willing to burn away their own soul for power has always been a nearly impossible task, something not even the Allfather was capable of.
Cutting off his support turned out to be surprisingly simple, albeit not easy.
The bastion had a few secret passages that were easily sealed by a singular mage each, with the bridge being the only real challenge.
Unless we managed to silently kill or convince every guard on rotation to join us, we'd be surrounded by enemy troops and support from the city guards. This would only lead to huge losses and us needing to break through the massive stone gates using Dosor or my magic, which would leave both of us weakened for the final confrontation.
One of the soldiers proposed an assassination campaign that instantly got shot down by us.
We weren't assassinating dozens of guards that were only doing their job without giving them a fair chance!
The final decision was to have my crew go in for another meeting with Boldrin and pretend like we captured the rebels Necromancer, only to incapacitate the guards in charge of operating the gate. Bruel will lead our forces in a frontal assault against all the other stations, preventing them from sending reinforcements. His second in command leads a group over the bridge, taking out the guards and holding the gate.
Then, we seal everyone inside the bastion and confront Boldrin.
It was a simple enough plan with dozens of contingencies and variations depending on how prepared Boldrin was but we really leaned on the element of surprise and that the guards kept their usual rotations.
The majority of the rebels would be positioned elsewhere, to keep reinforcements away from the bastion. The big battle would only be led by us and a small elite force.
Once settled on the plan, we barely had a moment to rest, having to prepare or help out wherever possible.
Bombs and potions were made and Rachel had to take care of a minor disease outbreak amongst the rebels. She handled it well, earning us a lot of reputation.
Equipment and enchantments got revised and improved, a task that I gladly spent sleepless nights on to learn more about the endlessly expanding field that was enchanting.
Even though I was pretty proficient in the base enchantments and multiple variations, my self made enchantments were still lacking in comparison to those of professional enchanters. A lifetime of constant improvement, no matter how small, provided a much more complete grasp on magic than I got through my self taught enchantments.
At least I didn't lack behind when it came to my expertise in smithing.
Both Eva and Ethan helped out wherever they could, from keeping up morale to cooking or lugging materials, and Dosor especially moved more cargo than anyone else or even the scuttlebugs.
She was pretty competitive considering that she only heard of the scuttlebugs once.
We spent the evenings practising simple spells to ward off Necromancy.
Just like that, another six days passed.
The night before the fateful day, I sat down away from the camp, Ethan sitting beside to help me if we encountered any devoured.
I gripped the stone Mom had given me, and with one last look toward Ethan, activated it.
“Everything is good here, we are about to storm the bastion with the rebels to reestablish Thymisca's seat of power. Do you… have any hints? How are you doing?” I whispered into the stone, holding it tightly. I wanted to know… anything.
Ethan's expression remained stoic as he checked the tunnel, eager to let me finish this conversation without any interruptions.
I waited, holding the stone up to my forehead. It was still magical, but rapidly fading, the complex construct unravelling before my very eyes. Mom's personal mana, fleeting before my very eyes and joining the tunnels.
I exhaled as the last of the magic disappeared, turning into a small stain on the stone. It wasn't even enough to notice normally- I only knew it was there because I watched the prior enchantment turn into this.
Her mana faded…
I-
A single tear rolled down my cheek, dripping onto the smooth stone as Ethan rushed over.
“Hey, hey, hey,” he softly called out, falling to his knees next to me. He put a hand on my shoulder, looking at me with a worrisome scowl on his face. “What is it? What did she say?”
“Nothing,” I choked out. It was all I could say.
It was never good when personal mana faded, enchantments that weren't properly anchored lived and died with their owner.
Once anchored, they're untethered from their owner but she made this in a rush, only laying an enchantment into solid stone.
He checked the rock and a look of realisation crossed his face as he wrapped me in a hug. “It can just mean that she didn't do the enchantment properly. She would never die to something like Orcs. She can't…”
I wrapped my arms around him, tightening my hold on the stone as I answered “Yeah. Mom's invincible. I haven't seen her get hurt in sixteen years, she fought Al'kaar and lived. Uldru… he'd protect her.”
I didn't know what came over me but I somehow believed my own words.
Like a command to myself, I started to calm down as my self-made reality settled in.
Nadia Interita was invincible, stronger than any Dragonknight, and the strongest Spellblade in all of Tera.
She was a Behemoth of brute strength… she probably had a tiny slight in her enchanting, it was such a small scale after all.
Her armour alone makes Kings jealous, worth more than some cities.
Right, she was fine.
Mom was fine, the strongest there is.
It took me a second to realise what Mom's death would imply.
Ethan's dad, Oscar…
I wiped away my tears and steadied myself, looking Ethan in the eyes. “They're alright. I- I know they're alright. They're the biggest and strongest crew in all of Tera. She probably just made a tiny mistake in the spell. Even Lin would have struggled.“
“Right.”
I helped him up, and after a few seconds of gathering our thoughts, we walked back to camp.
Once there, I immediately sought out Rachel, grabbing her in a crushing hug and joining her around the fire.
“Ohh, to what do I owe this pleasure?” She teased, wrapping her arms around me in response.
“Nothing important,” I said, not wanting to worry her. “Just… glad you're here, with me.”
She chuckled, but nuzzled further into my embrace. “Thank you. I am glad you're here with me as well. I am really looking forward to exploring the markets when we're done with this. Do you think we'll have time?”
I leaned against Dosor, pulling Rachel back with me so she rested atop me. I chuckled before replying “I'll make time. You deserve it.”
“We deserve it,” she corrected me, playfully swatting my arm. “You're our fearless leader after all.”
Fearless…
“Yeah,” I weakly agreed, placing a kiss on her cheek.