(Ryla)

“Still nothing new…” I mumbled to myself, suppressing the urge to throw the reports across the room.

Even before Kalan had taken his leave of absence, I had instructed my spies to send me reports on any and all movements inside the satanists group. However, even with these numerous reports towering on my desk, I was still stuck where I’d started; nowhere. If I didn’t know any better, I might think the satanists weren’t out there.

“Well, whatever. There's still a few more to read through. Maybe I’ll have some luck in at least one of these.” I sighed in resignation.

As I opened the next report, I heard a knock at the door.

“You may enter.”

“Good morning Ms. Ryla.”

“Good morning, Henry. What can I do for you?”

“Archbishop Edwards sent me to get you. He requests an audience with you immediately.”

“Archbishop Edwards? Lead the way, then.”

‘Odd, what does the archbishop want with me? Maybe it’s to do with Kalan’s sudden leave.’

“Say Henry, you wouldn’t happen to know what the archbishop wants with me by any chance?”

“No ma’am, I’m just a lowly private.”

“I assumed that to be the case”

The archbishop being here in the first place was strange, considering that they never leave their chapels unless something of dire importance happens. While a satanist has snuck into the capital, the church no less, that wouldn't be classified as "dire".

Well, I'll find out in a few minutes anyways, no need to rack my brain over it.

After a short walk in silence, the private and I had reached the office of the archbishop.

“This is as far as I go, ma’am. Have a great rest of your morning.”

“You as well. Thank you.”

I watched as the private left, before taking a deep breath. While I had no issues with Archbishop Edwards, I could never get used to his overly familiar and warm attitude. It was exhausting for me to deal with him on my own.

After taking a moment to prepare myself, I opened the door to the spare office he was using while he was visiting.

“Ah, good morning Ryla. It’s so great to see you again, you're looking as lovely as always. ”

“Good morning to you as well, Archbishop Edwards. It has been quite some time.”

“Yes, what has it been now? Five years or so since the crowning of the new Archbishop?”

“Yes, I believe you are right."

Before he could continue on, I added.

"I apologize for my bluntness but I was in the middle of a desk full of reports.. Why have you called for me today?”

“Ah, no need to be so hasty. First, I want to ask how this "Eve" is doing? I still can't believe that Kalan has not just taken on one student, but two!”

I kept my face passive while I groaned internally.

“She’s still asleep. It’s a miracle in and of itself that she wasn’t more injured than she is. She’s truly a tough girl.”

“Very tough indeed. Have the healers said anything about when she should wake up?”

“They aren’t sure quite yet, but they believe it shouldn’t be more than a week at most.”

“Ah I see, that’s very good to hear. I know you’re quite close with those two girls.”

“I am, but Edwards," I said, mimicking his familiar way of speaking to catch him off guard. "What's the real reason you called me here? I'm sure you've already read the medical reports.”

As soon as I asked, the playful smile he adorned when I had entered the room vanished, being replaced with a grave expression, one I hadn't seen before. It was kind of refreshing. .

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

“You have a mission.”

“A mission? From who?”

“Kalan is deep in satanist territory, someplace called the Third Ring and unable to send direct messages himself, so he passed word along our spies directly to the cardinal himself. I'd just received word about it a few minutes before I had sent someone to get you.”

There was a slight pause, his frown deepening as he got further lost in his thoughts.

“Kalan has discovered a hidden satanist stronghold near the town of Arkville and worst of all that they have uncovered and are torturing one of our top spies. He needs you to rescue them and report on any happenings if possible, the spy's extraction being top priority. ”

“The cardinal said this?”

“Yes, and I know this is a bit sudden, but with your skillset you're perfect for this mission. We are unable to send a task force because it would reveal that someone is getting information from the Rings. You must extract the spy and make it appear that they simply escaped."”

“How long will I be on this mission?”

“That’s to be determined based on your reports.”

“When am I going to leave for this mission?”

“You’re to depart on this mission immediately.”

“Understood, sir.”

“Do you have any more questions?”

“No, Sir. But I do have a request. Can I go to see Eve before I leave?”

“Of course." He smiled, his serious expression wiped from his face.

"Thank you."

. "That's all I have for you. Good luck, Ryla.”

“Thank you, sir.” Bowing my head, before leaving the room.

I found my head full of thoughts as I made my way towards the room where Eve was resting.

I couldn’t wrap my head around why he’d talk to the cardinal instead of directly to me. Even if he had to send a message through spies, it's not like we hadn't been forced to do so numerous times before… Is he angrier than I thought that I didn’t intervene to help Eve? Had I ruined all the years of trust we’ve built?

No, there's no way that can be the case or he wouldn’t have left Eve in my care now.

I’m probably just thinking too much into this. It’s better if I just get this done as quickly as possible and get back. Then I can hopefully ask him myself.

After a few more minutes, I had finally arrived at the medical center and then Eve's private room.

Opening the door I saw exactly what I expected. Mayla was sitting straight up in a lounge chair directly across from where Eve lay in her small room. Her knuckles were white from how hard she was holding her fists together and she looked exhausted.

Noticing that she hadn't heard my arrival, I cleared my throat, causing her to jump.

“Oh! Ryla, I uh… how are you today?” She bowed slightly, cheeks turning red.

“Hello Mayla, I’m good and you?”

“I’m… alright, better than our friend here.”

“Any signs of improvement from her?”

“Nothing much really, she’s still just sleeping. Although the healers have done a great job so far. Most of her injuries are completely healed.”

“That’s good. I’m sure she’ll be back to being her adventurous self soon enough.”

“I hope you’re right.”

I wanted to say something, but seeing the forlorn expression on her face made me choke on my words.

A small wisp of relief battled the worry building up in my chest.

It honestly made me happier than I could express that Eve had found someone to call a friend, and someone who cared about her this much.

Seeing her at the selections smiling and laughing with someone, I almost couldn’t believe it was the same girl who’d locked herself in her room almost everyday after training.

“Listen Mayla, I have something I need to tell you.”

“What is it” Not taking her eyes off Eve.

“I’m going to have to go away for a while. I’ve been given a mission from Kalan, and I’m to depart immediately.”

“You're leaving too?”

“Yes, I just got told about it a few minutes ago.”

“He's making you leave her alone at a time like this? I can't believe Kalan would do that.”

I felt a slight hint of anger rise up inside me at her words.

“Are you questioning Kalan? I’ll have you know he may have taken you in and I know you’re Eve’s friend and all, but I won’t allow you to talk like that.”

She paled slightly and struggled to find the right words for a moment.

“I didn't mean it like that. I just meant that I was shocked he'd tell you to leave her right now. It seems like a totally different Kalan to how he acted after Eve was attacked. The timing is too strange.

I couldn't help but smile sadly at that.

“Kalan has lived for a long time and has been through a lot, you're going to see a lot of different faces from him. So just remember, if it’s Kalan, I’m sure there must be a reason.”

Mayla brightened up slightly and bowed her head.

“Alright, I will trust in Kalan's judgment."

“I don’t feel right leaving her either, trust me on that. So, while I’m gone, please look after her Mayla. You know she’s stubborn and is probably going to try and act like she’s fine. But help her, even if she tries to refuse it.”

“Don’t worry," she chuckled. "I know exactly just how hard headed she can be. I’ll make sure she’s taking it easy so she doesn’t injure herself again.”

“Thank you, Mayla.”

“It’s no problem, what should I tell her when she wakes up?”

“I’ll leave that up for you to decide, whether you lie to her or tell her the truth, just make sure she doesn’t try to follow.”

“I understand, good luck.”

“Thank you, Mayla. I’ll see you both again soon.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It had been two weeks since I had left the capital and Eve behind. As the days went by I found myself constantly thinking back to what Mayla had said.

I wanted to refute what she had said, but as I neared closer to the town. I couldn’t help but feel she might be right.

The order, the timing, the feeling I got in my stomach. None of it felt right or felt like it added up.

But, I decided to push it to the back of my mind as I had been this entire trip, and with the village finally coming into sight I knew I needed my mind clear.

However as the village fully came into view, I couldn’t help but feel confused.

As I looked on, the entire village looked abandoned. No lights on in any houses, no children playing in the streets, no adults tending to the crops. There was just nothing.

I knew I was supposed to be stealthy but I couldn't stop myself and ran. I expected, hoped, that I would be proven wrong but as I reached the entrance way to the village, it did nothing but further my confusion.

Home after home, business after business, the old stone buildings were cold and dark. Mother nature long since reclaiming her land.

Overgrown plants and grasses the height of a two story building, vines and moss painted over the crumbling walls and archways, some buildings held together by the very plant life overrunning them.

Frustration and fear intermingling, I released my shadows and searched. Every house, brick and through the mana itself, my shadows fed me information as they covered the entire town. The information all telling me the same thing; no one is or had been here for a very long time.

‘This doesn’t make any sense, Kalan said there’d be an undercover satanist group here, the captured spy too. Even if they were hiding, there should at least be some villagers here, a fire that was recently put out, even a single crop growing in the dirt. At minimum an echo of their presence in the ambient mana. Even someone with as perfect of control over mana as Kalan leaves signs in his wake.’

‘Why would Kalan send me here, this doesn’t make any sense at all. There’s obviously nothing here, no it may be more accurate to say there never was.’

As I stood in the center of this abandoned village, all the thoughts and doubts I’d built up over the past two weeks came flooding in at once.

My own doubts, what Mayla had said, the abandoned village, the timing, the distance.

And then it suddenly hit me, and all I could feel was a dread that threatened to swallow me up like my own shadows.

‘No, it couldn’t be.’