Chapter 78: False Dawn 2

Elania and Yolani entered their bedroom, exhaustion etched on their faces. As they stepped inside, a low growl emanated from the corner of the room. Shadow stood with his hackles raised, his eyes fixed on Elania.

Elania froze, her brows knitting together in confusion as Shadow’s growls intensified. “What’s wrong, buddy?”

Yolani slowly approached him, but Shadow moved swiftly, positioning himself as a barrier between her and Elania while continuing to growl.

Elania took a step forward, only to be met with a sharp hiss.

“Stop that,” Yolani admonished. Shadow glanced up at her, his growls subsiding into a plaintive mewl.

Elania frowned. “He shouldn’t be growling at me like that.”

Yolani knelt beside Shadow, running her hand along his fur. “It’s just Elania, Shadow. You know her.”

The darkwalker regarded Elania with a wary gaze, making a show of sniffing the air. Suddenly, he began batting at his nose, as if trying to rid himself of an unpleasant scent.

Elania’s cheeks flushed with embarrassment. “Is he... is he saying I stink?”

As if in response, Shadow bounded out of the room, his unhappy cat noises echoing down the hallway.

Elania turned to Yolani. “What was that?”

“Maybe it’s the changes in your essence distribution from the arcane creatures,” Yolani suggested with a shrug. "It could have altered your scent enough for him to notice.”

Elania’s frown deepened. “Darkwalkers have a keen sense of smell, but I doubt a mere 14% ‘other’ essence would cause such a reaction.”

“Well, there’s one way to find out,” Yolani said, her lips quirking into a mischievous grin. “Get naked.”

Elania raised an eyebrow as she shut the bedroom door. “I’m always happy to get naked for you, love.”

Yolani snorted, rolling her eyes. “That’s all you’ll be doing for me right now. I need to take your gear and repair it.”

Elania pouted, her lower lip jutting out in an exaggerated display of disappointment.

Yolani sighed, her hands deftly working to remove the flight gear. “You should take a bath,” she suggested. “Maybe Shadow will forgive you.”

Elania’s eyes sparkled with an idea. “We could take one together, and then I could help you with the repairs.”

Yolani hesitated. “A bath would be nice,” she mumbled, her gaze meeting Elania’s.

Elania grinned. “After such a long battle?”

Yolani turned to face her, a sour look on her face. It slowly morphed into a smile. “Fine, I’ll join you,” she relented.

And wonderful it was. When Elania stepped out of the tub, there was a spring in her step that hadn’t been there before. Yolani hummed as she followed.

They dried off and headed towards the workshop, their footsteps echoing in the hallway. As they approached, Shadow lifted his head and sniffed the air, his eyes fixed on Elania.

“Do I smell better now, buddy?” Elania asked, a hopeful smile on her face.

Shadow responded by batting at his nose, his ears flattening against his head before he turned and darted away.

Elania frowned, her shoulders slumping in disappointment. Yolani snickered beside her, earning a pointed look from Elania.

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“It’s not funny,” Elania grumbled. “What if he never recovers?”

“It’ll be fine,” Yolani said with a dismissive wave of her hand. “Come on, let’s get to work.”

They entered the workshop, and Yolani began arranging Elania’s battle-worn gear on the workbenches. Most of the damage was from hundreds of tiny little pinprick holes that covered just about all the gear that wasn’t metal, and the regular outfit she wore underneath had to be entirely replaced.

“So, how do we get started?” Elania asked, rubbing her hands together.

Yolani glanced over her shoulder, giving Elania a flat look. “I mostly caved because I wanted to have a bath with you, not because I needed your help.”

Elania’s lower lip jutted out in an exaggerated pout.

Yolani sighed. "You can pass me the tools," she conceded.

Elania grinned and snapped a mock salute. "Yes, boss. Right away, boss."

With practiced precision, Yolani wove literal magic into the gear, her hands deftly navigating wands and instruments that crowded the workspace.

Her partner’s mastery filled Elania with pride. Though this kind of crafting was beyond her, she admired every moment.

A knock at the door interrupted the work.

Elania opened it to find Darius standing there, his expression serious.

“You have a guest from the Bank of Contia,” he informed them.

Elania glanced back at Yolani.

The other girl nodded toward her. “If you want to help, you can prevent distractions, too.”

With a nod, Elania followed Darius out of the workshop and down the stairs. At the bottom, she recognized the man that was waiting, Gresham Goldscales, the head banker.

“Mr. Gresham,” Elania greeted. “What brings you here?”

Gresham’s eyes met hers. “I have a request and a mission for a demi-divine. The Red Tower said you could assist.”

Elania straightened. “And what might that be?”

Darius coughed, drawing Elania and Gresham’s attention. “Why don’t we sit in the dining room? I can provide some tea.”

Elania nodded. “That’s fine.”

Gresham inclined his head. “Thank you for the hospitality.”

A smile tugged at Elania’s lips. “Sorry, I’m not used to this noble bearing thing.”

Gresham waved his hand dismissively. “The courtesy is appreciated but not expected. You’re doing fine.”

They settled into the dining room, and Elania turned her focus back to the head banker. “So, what’s this mission and request?”

Gresham leaned forward, his hands clasped on the table. “We need assistance taking a package of assets to Freyhoi and delivering it to the town. Then, we’ll require someone with your abilities to clear out the old mines there.”

“The mines? Why do they need to be cleared, and from what?” Elania asked.

“A nest of spider monsters have taken up residence after the mines were abandoned a few decades ago,” Gresham explained. “They don’t come out, and people don’t go in, so it hasn’t been a problem. But now… the town needs to use the mines as a potential shelter.”

Elania leaned back in her seat. “Is going underground the safest idea?”

Gresham sighed. “The mines would be safer. They go deep and are stable as such things go. When demi-divines war…”

Elania nodded hesitantly. “We can have the Heart or Gold do the delivery, and disaster permitting, I can clear the mines.”

Gresham nodded, a hint of relief in his eyes. “Of course, you will be compensated for your efforts.”

“Naturally,” Elania agreed, her mind already turning to the logistics of the mission.

“The package will be ready tomorrow. If you could be prepared by then, that would be excellent. We would be willing to pay an extra fee to expedite,” Gresham said.

“What exactly is in this package, and why is it so important?” Elania asked. “If it isn’t critical, rushing might be a bit much. Yolani and I are working on other important matters, as well.”

Gresham frowned, leaning back in his chair before nodding in understanding. “The package contains precious works and items that could be damaged if the city goes into battle again,” he explained.

Elania’s frown deepened. “And very valuable, too?” she pressed.

Gresham confirmed with a nod. “They are.”

“Do you really think they’ll be safer in Freyhoi than here on Contia?” Elania asked. “Especially considering you’re also asking me to clear a place for them to hide in?”

“The city could very well see combat again, and such events could lead to great loss,” Gresham warned. “Freyhoi is a small town, barely a footnote. Its obscurity is its protection. The mines would be shelter just in case… something very damaging occurred to the country.”

Elania’s frown persisted, prompting Gresham to add, “It’s also wise not to put all of one’s eggs in one basket.”

It wasn’t hard to draw up images of Arlois or one of the other Towers obliterating a chunk of terrain. Heck, she’d done so herself multiple times in Neftasu. What if an angry, mature demi-divine let loose without a care in the world?

Hiding in a mine probably wasn’t going to make a difference, but...

Elania’s thoughts drifted to the mushroohums.

The colony had emerged unscathed from the recent battle, with most of the city remaining untouched. However, the prospect of an enemy airship smashing the arena... They would have all perished.

Eggs in one basket, indeed.

Elania nodded. “We’ll do it tomorrow. I just need to confirm that Yolani won’t be busy.”

Gresham expressed his gratitude, and Elania stood up and instructed Darius to take care of their guest before heading back upstairs to the workshop.

Yolani glanced up from her repairs as Elania entered. “What was that about?” she inquired.

“We need to check on the airships and prepare for a mission to Freyhoi,” Elania informed her.

Yolani held out her hand. “One thing at a time. Pass me the melder, please.”

Elania’s eyes widened, panic rising as she surveyed the array of unrecognizable tools.