Chapter 23 — Infiltrating the Tower

After the others had been dismissed to go rest, Grandma Kaylie extended her aura into the room to ensure they wouldn’t be overheard and turned to Xyn, “Now, I'm sure you have many questions for me.”

Grandma Kaylie had promised to tell him more at his next lesson, and now that he thought about it, she never said what they would discuss more about… He shook the distraction from his head. That wasn’t the important question!

“Grandma… why do you look entirely human?!”

Xyn didn’t sense an illusion, but surely she was using one?

Grandma Kaylie chuckled. “Because I’m wearing my Human Ring, silly.”

What?!

His eyes sought her hands but didn’t see a ring… Didn’t see? Or didn’t notice? He squinted at one hand then the other. Maybe there was something on her left… dull, unimportant, uninteresting. Oh, so that was why no one noticed his ring. What a peculiar enchantment.

Xyn’s brows furrowed. “But why did my ring only make me look like you normally do?”

“If you read my letter, you already know the answer to that.” She gave him a gentle smile.

Xyn thought back to the letter’s contents…

‘The human blood within the current generation grows thin and must be renewed.’

He nodded in understanding. “If my kits have a human mother, then the ring will make them look fully human?”

“Yep. Even your father would probably turn fully human, except maybe his eyes.”

Remembering the reaction at the House of Flowers, Xyn asked, “Isn’t it harder for me to complete my mission like this?”

“Well, a certain someone ran off before I could finish his training.” Grandma Kaylie pretended to hide her laughter behind her hand, and Xyn could only groan at his stupidity.

Spatial aura flared briefly, and a silvered scroll wound around ornate rods appeared on the table. After his experience with the Shadow Raven, the use of his Grandmother’s storage bracelet caught his attention in a way it wouldn’t have before.

“How’s your progress with the scroll you borrowed from Elder Thanle?” Grandma Kaylie asked with a wink.

Of course, they would know. Just as he suspected. Though mentally facepalming, Xyn kept his expression neutral. He even made sure his tail didn’t betray his nervousness as he answered, “I’ve learned the technique.”

“Oh?” His grandmother happily clapped her hands in excitement. “As expected of my talented grandson! In that case, I can feel confident in entrusting this master-level technique to you.”

Xyn’s eyebrows rose in surprise as she slid the scroll toward him. Was she teasing him?

Taking great care with the valuable scroll, Xyn untied the securing ribbon and unrolled it.

~Vel Kassen’s Technique of a Thousand Faces~

Xyn couldn’t help looking up in surprise after reading the name of the technique. This was surely his grandmother’s legendary technique! The one that made her famous among the humans!

“Hahaha, now that’s a great expression,” Grandma Kaylie cackled with amusement. “With this and your ring, you should be able to appear fully human, and the illusion will be quite difficult to detect.”

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Xyn had stayed up half the night studying the scroll before he forced himself to set it aside and curled up to sleep. As excited as he was to learn another master-level technique, he clearly wasn’t going to learn it in one night.

“Hmm… now that I think about it, Xyn, how come you didn’t do anything strange at dinner last night, unlike last time? You drank the wine just like everyone else, didn’t you?” Yillian asked while holding his teleport spell at the ready.

In the middle of the secret room, Alennil was drawing up a divination to determine the survivability of their Tower incursion.

Yillian’s question came as a surprise, and Xyn could only feel relief that his carelessness hadn’t ruined his chance to make a good impression with Ayla’s parents. But didn’t that mean he wasn’t weak to alcohol after all?

“Unlike last time? Do Kyrren have problems with wine?” Ayla asked with a raised eyebrow, her hand on Yillian’s shoulder from behind.

“Only other time I’ve seen Xyn drink alcohol was at the inn in Lorel’s Watch. He drank an ale with dinner, and next thing I know, he’s challenging a certain red-haired noble’s guards for the right to claim said noble as a mate,” Yillian dryly clarified.

“Oh… that time,” Ayla realized and glanced over at Xyn, whose hand was on Yillian’s other shoulder.

“I suspect the cause of Xyn’s behavior was something different entirely,” Grandma Kaylie chuckled and turned to look back at Ayla from where she was holding onto Yillian’s upper arm. “What do you know of your bloodline?”

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Ayla’s eyebrows raised. “My bloodline? From my mother’s side?”

“Yes, quite,” Grandma Kaylie nodded confirmation and motioned for her to continue, eyes crinkling with secret amusement.

“The heraldry of my mother’s house is a flaming golden gryphon on a green background,” Ayla responded with brows furrowed in thought.

“No, your winged lion ancestor was no gryphon,” Grandma Kaylie corrected with a light laugh and teasing smirk. “Gryphons are noble creatures aligned with order.”

Ayla grimaced at the answer for some reason, but Xyn was thrilled at the revelation. A lion bloodline! Though Kyrren were closer to tigers and known for their fierceness, lion-kin were known for their courage and strength. And judging by Ayla’s strong Fire affinity, her ancestor was surely a divine beast capable of taking on human form.

No wonder his grandmother was showing clear approval of his efforts. He would have to try even harder to prove himself worthy to Ayla; if he could win her interest and bring such a great bloodline into his clan…

Xyn’s thoughts were distracted by Alennil completing his spell and the rising motes of light.

“Well, how is it?” Grandma Kaylie prompted the diviner once the light had faded.

“Uncertain fate.” Alennil shook his head. “There are too many threads, and I’m not skilled enough to see the outcome.”

Yillian gulped and Ayla gripped the half-elf’s shoulder a bit tighter with a determined set to her jaw.

“Good enough. Knowing there will be danger and being prepared for it should tilt fate in our direction. Seems I was right to insist on accompanying you,” Grandma Kaylie stated and motioned for Alennil to join them on the teleport circle. “Come. Yillian can’t hold the spell forever.”

Alennil reluctantly did as told, pulling his hood over his head and taking hold of Yillian’s free arm.

Reality stretched, and with a light pop of air, they found themselves in an alcove to a large round room with similar circle-inscribed alcoves spaced along the walls.

Grandma Kaylie quickly constructed an aura weave that expanded outside the alcove. “I’ve shielded us from notice. Try not to make any loud noises or use any techniques that will attract attention.”

A series of quiet pops announced new arrivals into the room.

“I could do without the morning meetings.”

“Tell me about it.”

“Quiet you two. Let’s get in there.”

The three hooded mages that appeared in the room, each arriving via a different alcove, left through a large pair of metal doors.

Once the mages were gone a collective breath was released.

“Looks like luck is on our side,” Grandma Kaylie whispered. “I’ll set up an illusion so Yillian can start modifying the teleport circle. Everyone else with me. If it comes to a fight, don’t worry about hitting me with your spells and techniques—go all out from the start.”

Xyn felt his heart beating with excitement. He would get to see his grandmother fighting seriously for the first time. Ayla and Alennil caught his gaze. Ayla seemed to share his excitement. Alennil’s wide eyes were considerably less enthusiastic about the rapidly approaching point of no return.

Grandma Kaylie stepped a little ways outside the alcove and started creating a second aura weave. Yillian looked nervous but eager to prove himself in front of Xyn’s grandmother, setting his pack down just outside the circle and determinedly pulling out his needed tools and vials.

The bubble of his grandmother’s initial aura weave followed her as she moved toward the doorway, Xyn, Ayla, and a very nervous Alennil in tow. From the stone hallway beyond the doorway, voices could be heard.

The hallway led to a meeting room with a large round table and two other similar entrances. A dozen or so mages were sitting around the table, each with shadows covering their faces.

Upon reaching where the hall opened into the room, Grandma Kaylie held up a hand to signal a stop.

“-there’s been no response from Unseen or the diviner, Alennil of Breckan, who were sent to Ravenhill,” a female voice was saying. “Though speculation, it might be a possibility that the person who attacked Nicolas Arden also beat us to Fenton Ravenhill’s research.”

“These setbacks are becoming more than annoyances,” one of the three mages sitting at the far end of the table growled out, his voice oddly distorted. “What’s the progress on the promised list of possible recruits?”

“Grensel of Besmir, an alchemist of some renown, Lentus of Aranth, a journeyman diviner, Sarlen of Haverin, an ice mage, and Ingrid of Ulthen, a martial artist with a nature-type blood line, have each been approached and responded with interest,” the female mage replied.

“Recruit them all.”

“Yes, Elder.”

“Have we been able to secure test subjects who won’t be missed?” another of the three elders spoke up, his voice also distorted.

A male voice replied this time, “We’ve taken control over a remote farm. Between the large family and the live-in workers we should have adequate test subjects for the initial experiments.”

“We’ve also secured a number of homeless and orphans in the sewers under Haverin City,” another mage added.

“Good. Once the ice mage is recruited, we’ll begin the first harvest-”

Suddenly, a sword’s blade was sticking through the elder mage’s chest, flower petals fluttering in the air as Grandma Kaylie appeared behind the mage.

“Ooops. My hand slipped, tehe,” Grandma Kaylie said to the gathered mages and stuck out her tongue cutely.

A pulse of aura from the sword exploded the elder into dispersing shadows.

Before any of the disbelieving mages at the table could make a move, two quick slashes dispersed the elders to each side in the same manner.

The female that had been speaking before moved with inhuman speed running across the table to slash at Grandma Kaylie, somersaulting over her to land behind and unleash a flurry of strikes too fast for Xyn to follow.

Spell mandalas began to form all around the table as mages jumped to their feet. Xyn didn’t wait and Petal-stepped into the room striking at the nearest mage. Out of the corner of his eye and in his aura sense, Xyn noticed Ayla doing the same, attacking a different mage.

The room exploded in a chaos of spells—fireballs, ice spears, defensive shields. Several of the mages ran for the exits, their retreat enhanced by movement spells.

Xyn’s and Ayla’s targets had been unlucky and felled by the surprise strikes. Or Xyn’s had at least. Ayla’s had been pierced through the heart, but instead of falling, the mage grabbed Ayla’s arm and aimed his spell at Ayla’s face.

Not hesitating, Xyn Petal-stepped and severed the mage's head. A defensive enchantment tried to deflect his strike, but having encountered similar with his first target, Xyn’s aura was fully focused on cutting through the defensive magic.

Blood shot out of the decapitated body and the flesh moved like it was trying to seal the wound. Disgusted, Ayla kicked the still-not-dead body at another mage that had finished erecting a shield.

A quick glance at the severed head showed tentacle like growths coming out of the neck. Xyn didn’t have time to watch for long as the other mages were aware of his and Ayla’s presence at that point.

A fireball from Alennil struck a mage that was aiming a wand at Ayla, and Xyn shot the diviner a thumbs-up as he Petal-stepped over to finish off the surprised mage. He made sure to decapitate this one as well—just in case.

A blood-curdling death scream snapped Xyn’s gaze to his grandmother’s fight, where the female mage’s headless body collapsed to the floor. That the blood didn’t spurt and the disconnected head was still screaming was seriously unnerving, but the screaming quickly faded as the head desiccated before his eyes.

Xyn turned to look for another target only to find the shielded mage to be the last one.

The shielded mage was doing all he could to maintain his shield against Ayla’s relentless strikes when Grandma Kaylie fluttered over and demanded, “Surrender.”