Thomas tried to keep his patience in check. It was difficult, but he had kept from snapping at the Light Bearers while making his points. Theadus had seen the reason behind Thomas's words. Things would be alright and everything was in motion. Thomas's patience had been tested to a lesser degree as he approached his adventuring party to send them on diplomatic missions. Each one of his diverse party would go to their homelands and speak to their gods. While not gifted the Divine Rank title Job of Hero each had at least one job in the fourth and fifth job tiers of expert and master. Their lives had been dedicated to training to get so far so young.

  They hadn't taken very well to Thomas's plans after meeting up in their usual place. It was a bar and Inn run by a distant branch of Thomas's family.

  “You really think that this is a good plan Tommy?” Lyrica asked. She was born with the Ice, Water, and Life sparks, and later managed the Restoration spark upon bringing up her Healer job to the Master level.

  She was a powerful mage who followed Halspus's teachings and dedicated herself to worshiping the deity. She even wore enchanted shackles on her arms which were as powerful a symbol of her faith in her Goddess as any could manage. In fact she wore them all the time now, and sneered at any who dare look upon them with distaste. Her glare was bad enough, but it was all the worse when the ground froze under her feet.

  “He sends you off alone and practically the minute you're gone he sends the armies out in force to 'secure his holdings' against a threat no one knows about and then he kills off Istania? Who's to say he's not just going to take you off the table for speaking against him when you're off on your own again?” Lyrica asked, her voice sharp, but her sky gray eyes focused sharply on Thomas.

  Thomas stepped back from her, and her intense gaze.

  “He knows he has made a mistake. What we have to do now is mend fences. The empire is unsecured right now and the results of that will be bad for everyone. We need communication to be restored between the gods and meetings to be had. It's the least we can do to stem the flow of chaos coming out of these events.” Thomas argued.

  “If he has admitted his mistake, where is the proclamation? The formal apology to the followers of Istania that he ordered killed on sight? Was that a mistake too? Thousands of lives snuffed out over a few misspoken words to be forgiven because he's so terribly sorry about it?” Darrak asked. He was a Dragon-kin, a descendant of Gram himself according to his family records. He had the red scales for it at least. His voice was sober and calm behind its usual roughness.

  Darrak was tall, like all of his kind, humanoid though his skull carried many more bestial features. He was handsome in a strange way as long as he wasn't smiling. When he did smile it showed his massive canines and the split cheeks many of his kind had. Darrak's jaws were large enough to bite off most of a ham in one go when fully opened, but it was something that often made Thomas blink when he noticed it. His hand and feet were much the same. He never needed boots or gauntlets. While he wore other armor his extremities were as heavily armored as could be asked for, with his race gaining strength in their natural armor through various combat jobs.

  He was a fierce elemental warrior who followed the ancient traditions of his people. He had been born with the Fire and Earth sparks, and through quests and communes with nature he gained Wind and Water too. All that was atop his Dragon-kin Warrior job. He was wise, if a little hot headed at times, but he was typically the first to blow. This whole time Lyrica, normally the calm one, had been the one to jump down Thomas's throat first.

  “Your God Tommy... Has moved against the whole of your people with his actions. His mind does not think of the people as one, but divided.... Actions you take for him must be mirrored by him in turn or they will be meaningless... One pawn cannot move the hive without the scent of the queen upon him.” Rik'Tak put in. He was a Warrior breed of the Rikkak, a humanoid bug like people. As usual it took him a little time to speak as his insectoid kind spoke using stridulation. His kind were often seen as strange and less often seen than Dragon-kin, but they were fierce and loyal companions once one made friends with them.

  Rik'Tak hid his true height and length of limbs most of the time while they were in any human occupied cities or towns. He could unfold his limbs, including his torso, to be longer and gain more leverage. Together with his Blade Dancer and Nature magic alone that made him terrifying in most fights. For all others Rik'Tak was still a gifted Alchemist besides. No one knew nature and its properties better.

  Darrak grunted in agreement. Lyrica poked Thomas in the chest, rattling the chains on her arms as she did.

  “Now you want to send us off? To what? Beg our gods and leaders to speak to you God and King who broke all treaties and ties with his closest allies?” She asked and poked him again.

  Thomas sighed and took a step back from her. She was strong in her own way, and the air around her was getting chilly besides.

  “Yes. Please. Theadus needs to speak with them, but they have all closed the portals to their realms. He wants to find a neutral meeting place so things can be talked out without hostility. I suggested Zon's capital of Deep Mine since my lord is still in contact with him. We must have peace. Only more chaos can come from war. We have to prevent that at all costs or the lives lost already will pale in comparison. You understand don't you?” Thomas asked, his voice not far from begging. His patience was thin after arguing with the Light Bearers for so long. His God had seen reason though. He could manage this. Theadus had put his trust in Thomas and Thomas would do his duty as Hero.

  Lyrica threw up hands.

  “Of course we understand Tommy. We know what you would try to do, but we need to know that Theadus really means it. A trip like that might be pointless unless we can produce some kind of letter of apology and promise of safe passage.” She said dryly, her fists now planted on her hips.

  Darrak chuckled darkly.

  “My ancestor will not need a promise of safety. But as you know Tommy pride is a great point for him. Humility has its place as well and I think my Lord will expect a proper display of it when they next meet. One should not be proud of mistakes, but still own and learn from them.” Darrak said, gently tapping his chest with a fist as he did. That was an ancient salute of the Dragon-kin's army.

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  Thomas let out a sigh.

  “You will need...” Rik'Tak began, stepping forward as he did. “Many letters for me. Human. Dragon-Kin. Elves. Beast Kin. Rikkak. The Kingdoms and Hives of the Sands will all need respective letters to feel...important.”

  Thomas scrubbed at his hair and nodded.

  “Right. Right. I'll see what I can do about the letters, but there is a public declaration following the orders to stop the killing. That much I was able to handle early on, but I fear the damage has already been done even if the next is coming with something of an apology.” Thomas began. Lyrica's gaze fell on him and he nodded to her. With her Intelligence and Insight there was no way she hadn't picked up on some of the answers to her next question before she even asked it. Thomas had skills to shield his emotions from that kind of reading, but he had been holding it up all day and hadn't felt like keeping the act up while around friends.

  “That's your task then. Someone's already been causing trouble.” Lyrica guessed.

  Thomas nodded.

  “Near Istan. More than a dozen patrols have been vanished into the night weeks after the intial combat. An entire militia company was poisoned too in the weeks of the city's occupation. There's been reports of slavers and other raiders coming from across the sea too in recent days. The whole area to the east needs my help. I'll give it to them. Even if the sight of me fills them with hatred.” Thomas admitted, his voice carrying the same heavy expression as his voice.

  “The Followers of Istania did not lack in warriors.” Darrak said then, one claw stroking his chin in thought. “Have they already steeled themselves and risen against the empire? It may be desperate and stupid to fight against a nation so large, but their pride may demand it. Are you being sent in alone against this threat?” He asked.

  “No. No, I don't think it's anything like some kind of rebellion. We think it's either a small group or even a single individual, but it's something that needs investigating. Light Bearer Daybreak's forces are leaving the area to regroup and retire after the...the battle. Commander Volkstead is coming with me along with a contingent of regulars who will be more sympathetic to the peoples struggles.” Thomas told them.

  His friends were silent a little while as they took in Thomas's pained and sober expression. Finally Darrak stepped forward and took Thomas by the shoulder.

  “Today you carry a heavy burden for the Lord of Light. I will do my part to bring the peace that you seek, my brother.”

  Rik'Tak stepped forward and mimicked the gesture.

  “I will do... the same. More than hive and home, the world's peace... will bring us all to prosperity. I will not fail you...Honored Friend of the Hive.”

  Lyrica held her staff in both hands, and the chains of the decorative shackles on her arms jingled gently as she shifted her weight. Her eyes weighed Thomas heavily, and they stared each other down for some time. Finally Lyrica sighed.

  “She's going to be upset. Very upset. I can already sort of feel it, like she's worried about me.” Lyrica said, her voice somehow seeming to chide Thomas even though she sounded happy.

  Thomas chose to bear it and nodded.

  “Apologize for me. I--”

  “She won't want an apology from you!” Lyrica cut in, but Thomas raised a hand.

  “Apologize for me. I should have been more inquisitive of my God when he sent me away. I should have suspected something. Perhaps if I had left one of you to remind him of the values he once saw in me then maybe this wouldn't have turned out so badly.” Thomas said, finishing what he would have said before.

  Lyrica's shoulders slumped.

  “Hero or not Tommy, it's not your place to keep your God's behavior in check.” She argued.

  “Is it not? Was I not given my title as Hero of Light to embody the desired values and morals of my Lord? I cannot help but think that with so vast an empire even the divine might struggle to hold everything together without a team of specialists at his command. Is that not what I am? Am I not the better and gentler face Theadus wishes to show the world?” Thomas asked, his voice tight and sprinkled with his built up frustration.

  Lyrica frowned and dropped her eyes. Rik'Tak and Darrak both watched Thomas with serious eyes.

  “Yes Tommy. We know. But we also don't like seeing you blame yourself. It's not your fault and we all did what we could to stop the madness when the orders went out. Many people did. It's probably part of why Theadus agreed to stop killing people because it was going so badly. There are adventurers out there with the power to face down armies if they need to. Many of those people stood and claimed their towns and areas they lived in as safe havens.” Lyrica said. She looked up at Thomas who knew many specifics of just what she meant clearly, she then sighed, and finally looked to Darrak.

  Darrak nodded sagely.

  “Find those who stood against your Lord, Thomas. Support those who stood and did the right thing as you would have and bring them together in peace. It will be the quickest way to get back the trust of the people and with it security to the new region of the empire. It may be as your Lord has said, and a necessary action, but I know you can stop this foolish and senseless violence. Go with pride brother.”

  One by one his friends left him, each going to pack their things for the long journey ahead. Lyrica being the last to do so. She frowned heavily at her boots for a while before sighing and planting her head against his chest gently. It might have been cute and pleasant if she wasn't also gently tapping the side of his head with her staff. The chill aura of Halspus' gifted items and Lyrica's own potent magic made Thomas shiver, but he hugged his friend gently.

  “I might not see you for a while.” Lyrica said very softly. She rarely showed any of her emotions, but she wasn't far from sniffling now. “She's afraid, Tommy. And very angry.” Lyrica whispered.

  Her shoulders shook a little and she sank into his hug, finally ceasing the gentle battering of his skull. Finally some of her own warmth was coming through from under those icy shackles on her arms.

  “I know Lyrica. Many people are. That's why I've got to help them. Many people are confused and angry.” Thomas said to her, doing his best to comfort her with his voice as much as he was with his arms.

  Lyrica and he weren't in any kind of romantic relationship, but they had teetered on the brink a time or two as they grew closer as friends. Maybe that was natural with the two of them being the only humans in the party, but Thomas had never pushed her.

  Lyrica had been a studious person all her life. She kept to her books and magic, and in truth must have been a frightening young woman and girl child. It had made her a cool and reserved woman growing up that way, but over the few years she had warmed up to all of them. She often talked with Darrak, and Rik'Tak too back when their only worry was traveling the world and growing stronger as they took on one Dungeon after another to learn their secrets and test themselves. But she had grown close and rather possessive of Thomas.

  He had never minded it, but she was difficult at times.

  “Just don't go and get yourself killed okay?” She demanded.

  Thomas sighed and nodded.

  To his surprise she lifted her head, kissed his cheek, and then once more gently on the mouth. There were tears in her eyes, but she didn't let him see them for long. She hugged him again, this time without her staff in their way. Her sniffles ended and her voice suddenly became serious close to his ears.

  “Be careful. My Lady's followers have picked up on potent Demonic Corruption in the area you're headed. I've hidden a book in your bag back in your room....it's from my Lady. Don't try to find it or read it until you're out of the capital. You may need it to hunt down your hidden threat.” She whispered fiercely. She lifted her head and kissed his cheek again. “Be careful.” She demanded again.

  And like an icy breeze she was gone, striding off toward her rooms in the now abandoned embassy of her God on the lower levels of the city.

  She thought the information important enough to pass it under the guise of a lover's goodbye? That had Thomas worried, and, admittedly, his heart was beating rather fast too. He collected himself all the same however and returned to his room in the little Inn. It was a comfortable place where he was closer to the markets and good food than up in the palace, but that didn't serve him now. He collected some of his things and made himself ready to leave. He needed to go to the palace yet again.