The party had been admittedly passive, perhaps lazy by many standards, it gave Iridia time to reflect on her journey so far and try to find where she fit in this story, certain moments had brought into question whether she was on the forces of true goodness. Kaleb was—as he proclaimed—a man of principles, however in the greater world they seemed to longer slide into place, and forcing the issues brought them no value now.

The Orcs who casually stood guard over the hideout entrance shifted aside with agitation in their bones, Kaleb had left his mark on their hearts and turned them cold, much like the Wendigo’s. They kept their eyes down as the party passed through.

“Ah, you’re back.” Esme was knelt on the rug with armour arranged before her.

“Yes, you found the armour for me?” Kaleb inspected it, he found the ornate nature of the blue and gold mantle to be distasteful, he prided himself on being as unassuming as possible, ironic for a man his size who carried a war hammer fit for a bullman.

“I believe you can acquaint yourself with this, I need to take your Neophyte for a walk.” Esme leaned back to get a look at the robed Irida.

Kaleb nodded at Flencer, “Flencer follow in toe.”

“I shouldn’t think that necessary, I don’t bite, Morgan can come along too as he’ll be assisting, mm?”

“Flencer, you will follow.”

Flencer nodded and Esme shook her head softly. “You’re going to need to put some trust in me.”

“Impossible.”

Esme rose, she stood tall like Kaleb, a giantess one might call her, certainly not the type one would consider incognito. “Irida, you will need to leave your shield and armour here, it will do you no good and you won’t fit through with it.”

“I can bring my spear at least.”

“Of course, the spear is slender like you and Morgan.”

Iridia nodded, “I suppose we can’t all be blessed with a manly heft.” she bit back this time, but it only brought a wide smile to Esme's lips.

“Good, save the mind you have for the tongue and apply it to the task ahead and you’ll be sharp for success.”

Iridia rolled her eyes and disrobed to remove her armour.

Esme smiled at Kaleb, “Well then, the plan is set, this evening, on the eighth chime, you will call out from the front of the tower, you will declare them false Paladins, they will challenge you. If your Neophyte is successful, the draw bridge will lower and we will storm the tower.”

“We?” Kaleb looked around.

“You, me, the dwarf and the orcs outside.”

Kaleb raised a brow, “You plan to have me wade in there and cut down Imperial soldiers?”

Esme shook her head, “My dear Paladin, there are no Imperials in that tower, what is beyond the gates is much worse.”

“Explain.”

She shook her head, “I cannot, I have said too much, but a name you seek will be revealed if you are victorious.”

Kaleb’s body tensed, how could she know that he seeks a name, the name of a demon to present to the Elves as a song? “Who are you?”

Esme whispered in his ear. “Fairies dance in the holes, Kaleb, place trust in me, search the divine heart.” She pulled back and looked over Morgan and Iridia, leaving Kaleb with glazed-over eyes as he fell into deep thought, “Let’s hope Master Kaleb here trained you well.”

“I haven’t died yet,” Iridia said proudly.

“You’re hard to kill.” Esme turned back to Kaleb quickly, “One final word of advice, I do not know the name, but it is one of great pride, and so its minions are boastful.”

Kaleb just nodded, mouth agape, eyes still glazed. He shook his head and cleared his mind. Flencer picked up his crossbow and made to follow. “Hold, Flencer.”

“Aye?”

“Take vantage outside the tower.”

***

Iridia followed Esme and Morgan was close behind, they moved through the flooded underlayer of the city, it smelt rotten and water splashed at their knees as they waded in the brackish pool, Flencer would have had quite the time down here with his short stature.

Esme stopped at a hole in the mossy brick wall, only a hand lantern guided their way and it was stolen by the more enclosed nature of the tunnel, no grates above their head allowed the fading daylight to seep in. Esme’s visage was made all the more enchanting by the dancing flicker of the oil lamp's flame as she turned to address them. “Here I go no further, I cannot fit where you two may.”

“In there?”

“In there, it will be blacker than the night, it will be long and it will be winding.”

Morgan and Iridia shared a glance, the whites of their eyes brightened by the lamp which enunciated their trepidations.”

“When you enter the tower you are to find the draw bridge lever, you are to pull it when the time is right.”

“How will we know?”

“Listen for Kaleb through the divine heart, he will yearn for action, when two Paladins work in unison they can make miracles.”

Iridia frowned at the sudden change of heart Esme had regarding Paladins and their behaviours, she was about to say but Esme cut her short with a tone so sharp.

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“Now, you must listen close, remember this.”

Iridia closed her mouth, Esme reminded her of Kaleb in the way she spoke for a moment there.

“Left, right, right, right, left, left, straight.”

Iridia blinked.

“Repeat it.”

“Eh..right..”

“Left, right, right, right, left, left, straight,” Morgan said confidently.

Esme bowed her head, “You have a good partner here, the memory of a Half-Elf.” Esme placed her hand on Iridia’s shoulder, and looked between the two, “You can do this, and you must.” She leaned in and kissed Iridia on the forehead and then kissed Morgan all the same upon his head. Morgan's heart did flutter, but he was only a man after all.

Iridia went first with a leg up from Esme and Morgan followed. Carefully Esme slid her spear into the hole behind them. It was tight and dark, the air was thick and clawed at the back of their throats. “Right then, can you hear well Morgan?”

“Indeed.”

They made forward, trusting that Esme had guided them right so, in the darkness they only had their wits to guide them, how Iridia did wish her spear glowed like the hammer of Zale, thinking upon another moment, perhaps it wouldn’t be best to see what she was crawling through.

Iridia made to grab at the slippy stone to pull herself onward and caught air, a hole, a gap, a turn. “What was the first direction, Morgan?”

“Can’t remember.”

Iridia groaned.

“I make a joke, it’s left.” Morgan chortled from behind.

“This is not the time for jokes.”

“I disagree,” Morgan grunted and huffed, letting out a yelp when his sword hilt dug into his hip, “Mmmf, now is the best time for funnies, it could be our last chance to laugh.”

Iridia worked her body around the corner, pushing her with a groan, “Pessimistic of you.”

“Well, ngh, you will live, I may not.”

Iridia squeezed her eyes shut and held her breath as she wiggled around the bend like a rat in a drain pipe and shuffled onwards, she gasped and made room for Morgan’s attempt, ignoring his morbid analysis.

“Perhaps we should marry if we live.”

Iridia’s eyes widened, “More funnies?”

“Maybe,” Morgan grunted as he worked about the corner. “Life is too short.”

Iridia smiled and was blushing brightly if only it would illuminate the way some. The tunnel seemed to get tighter and it squeezed her as if she was blood passing through veins. She could hair dripping of water ahead and feint voices, they couldn’t be from the tunnel, must be overhead, she understood how fairies might pose a threat to secrets with all these miniature roads ways that could drop eaves upon the darkest nooks in the most well-hidden crannies.

Esme had returned smelling less sweet but with an unchanged radiance. “Still haven’t got dressed up for me?” She nodded to the armour which was still laid out.

“Don’t tease, woman, or whatever you are.”

“I can assure you, Kaleb, I’m all woman.”

“You don’t smell like one.”

Esme wandered into the bathroom and undressed, leaving the door open to fling her clothes into the hallway. Kaleb followed the sounds of the running water and stood beside the open door, Esme's naked beauty on display. “Planning on joining me?”

Kaleb shook his head, “Who are you, who is Vince?”

“I told you, we are people you can trust,” She bit her lip as stepped into the hot bath, sinking into the warmth and sighing.

“I need more than that.”

“As I have already said, ears flutter in the corners behind the cobwebs, be ready though.” She lifted her long leg and washed water down her calf, her toes pointed to the ceiling.

Kaleb averted his eyes, hesitated, then left.

Esme soon joined him, dressed anew and looking more beautiful than before, “You are a good man, Kaleb, many weaker-a-man would have joined me in that bath and revealed to me they are easily tempted, you were chosen wisely.”

Kaleb sneered. “I need no judgement from you, I know exactly what I am.”

Esme nodded, and clapped her hands, “Stand.”

“Excuse me?”

“Stand, I will dress adorn you with your armour, a Paladin of your stature needn’t clad himself now.”

Kaleb rose slowly.

Esme circled him, running her palm over his body and arms, she brought her hand to his face and touched his scars. “Something of great evil did this.”

“How would you know?”

She smirked, “You are a Paladin of Zale, you cannot be hurt by simple tools, this has left its mark.” she caressed his face and leaned in to place a kiss on his cheek, “You are burdened in mind and body, I can see, and I am sorry.”

“Why would you be sorry for anything?” Kaleb frowned and took her by the wrist, easing it away from his face.

She nodded, “Good question,”

“I wish I could say the same about the answers.”

Esme fell quiet and like a child about a maypole she applied the ornate armour piece by piece, carefully strapping him up and ensuring the fit was comfortable. She was quite the expert, knowing which order the equipment should be applied and where to check for joint movement. She did ever so slowly, savouring the moment or perhaps killing time until the eighth bell struck.

“The fit is good.”

“I know, I ensured that so,” Esme lifted the helmet and held it before him, it was gold and blue with a pure white crista arching over the top, it dazzled and delighted the eyes and on a Paladin so large would gain all the attention he would ever need.

“Ridiculous bucket.”

Esme smiled and shook her head before pulling it down over Kaleb and adjusting it for him, “Perfect, one final piece.”

Kaleb watched Esme leave and return with Zale, his mighty hammer.

“Thought I’d surprise him,” She held the war hammer up and it vibrated and glowed vibrantly.

“Where did you find this?” Zale hummed.

Kaleb shrugged with a metallic clunk, “Find what?”

“By the Divine Heart, it is like looking into a mirror, it makes me yearn for legs and arms, I desire action once more! I wish to curse this curse of inability and in action, mind preserved but body as ash!”

Kaleb shook his head, “Calm down Zale, you speak poetically and with a madness befit a street beggar!”

“I speak clear and forthright, the armour you wear is mine of old! You have never looked more like the Paladin of Zale than you have done so this day.”

“You wore this?”

“Every day my dear apprentice, it was a gift from the Emperor upon founding the house.”

Esme smiled at Kaleb and bowed her head.

Kaleb was about to mock the armour and its ugliness, but he was resigned to making amends for his recent behaviour, Morgan’s advice is that he should learn a lesson and he much agreed with it. “Thank you,” he bowed his head.

A silence fell over the room.

“It looked better on me.”