Aygorzi

10 th Banem 1092

Deep within the dwarven city's heart laid the second most protected region of the entire town after the king's palace. A stalwart detachment of dwarven soldiers armored to the teeth guarded the only entrance to the hidden chamber. Each dwarf's steady gaze held an almost worship-level reverence that belied the honor and pride they felt in defending that location.

The select few individuals granted access past the doors would find themselves in a narrow hallway with decorated bronze sculptures of some figures with their names and accomplishments written on steles next to them. Some of these sculptures were of dwarfs, but curiously, most of these sculptures belonged to humes of different races. The humes wore armor with the emblem of a wolf howling to the moon. Despite their varied poses, the statues all seemed to be looking somewhere down the hallway.

After walking down the hallway, the individuals would be greeted by a semicircular chamber that housed a set of massive white doors at the opposite end. This would also mark the endpoint of the similarly armored statues. Six three-meter tall figures, three on either side of the door, took their place, each with an imposing presence that made it difficult to maintain eye contact for extended periods.

If any Maggot were present, they would recognize the figures depicted. Leading from the left was Absalon in his mage armor. The calculating coldness in his eyes gave off the vibe of a no-nonsense general willing to do anything for the sake of victory. Next to him was Jade with a playful smirk. Her left hand was coated with a luminescent material that gave it a warm glow while her right hard sparked with vicious energy.

Syèl stood larger than the rest with numerous glowing orbs of different forms floating around him. Amidst the chaos stood the halben with a nasty, murderous grin. The tongue on his lips quickly brought to mind the image of a deranged man savoring the blood of his enemies.

A massive drakul led the right side. The stoic yet powerful form marred by blade scars and puncture wounds displayed the brave, undying courage of the tribe for the world to see.

Following the drakul was a shrouded figure slightly shorter than the rest. The assassin, whose features were hidden, grasped his blade in a tight grip. His body was taut like he was ready to explode forth should the need arise.

Finally, at the tail end was a magnificent prince-like figure, with her hand on the hilt of her blade. Shoko's regal aura filled onlookers with a sense of reverence. Gazing on her figure was like being in the presence of a royal; one could not help but hold their breath.

All these statues guarded a five-meters-tall crystal door that reached the hallway’s ceiling. Carved into the door was the most majestic image of a cold, confident daeben with a teasing smile at the edge of his lips sat on a marble throne. The daeben's right hand rested on the side of a massive black direwolf whose eyes seemed to hold equal parts wisdom and ferocity. The daeben's left hand firmly grasped that of a stunningly beautiful woman whose warm, inviting smile warmed the hearts of all who gazed upon her.

The doors opened to the interior of a crystal dome that was suspiciously sparse except for a bed, piano, and workstation near its center. It was almost like the owner of this hall only brought things in as needed.

Currently, atop the bed, a daeben opened his eyes after five days of sleep. Kashi winced and clutched his chest as an all too familiar pain flared up. "Damn, those birds didn't say anything about the pain." Kashi's expression softened as the pain ebbed then rose from his bed. He scanned the room, not surprised to find it empty.

With a light shrug, Kashi donned a casual jacket from his inventory over his top then contacted Lunette. Luckily, she seemed to be online as after only a few short rings, her ever welcome voice graced Kashi's ears.

"Hey there, sleepyhead," Lunette greeted with a giggle. "How was your break?"

"Uneventful for the most part," Kashi replied as he walked to the door. "There isn't much for me to do in the other world. What about you? What've you been up to? Kira with you?"

"Yeah, she's with me," Lunette confirmed. "Don’t have to worry about stalkers with her around. Especially after what she did to the first guy."

"First guy?" Kashi's brow rose as the doors opened, and the sculptures came into view. A part of him felt honored by the gesture, but a larger amount was in awe of how quickly the dwarfs worked.

"Never mind that," Lunette interrupted with an awkward laugh. "Point is I've been fine with Kira's protection. In that time, I took a short break then returned to the Emporium at Meilfour. I'm thinking of hosting a musical competition to recruit more people into the guild's music division. We're holding a few auditions later this evening."

"That's great. Do what you have to do," Kashi said. "Any funds you need is yours."

"Doubt Miote will like that," Lunette laughed.

"Miote will understand," Kashi insisted. "Your music is one of our major sources of income. It's a smart investment."

"I hope he sees it that way."

"He will," Kashi stated. Noticing he was approaching the exit, he bid goodbye. "Say hi to Kira for me. I'll come see you guys soon."

"I'll let her know. See you."

Kashi cut the call and greeted the dwarfs at the main entrance with a polite nod. They informed him that Zeing had come by twice in the past two days, and he promised to see Zeing as soon as possible.

"Hey! Little Darkling!"

"Speak of the..." Kashi muttered under his breath as the hulking dwarf he'd just been talking about literally popped out of the earth. "Good..." Kashi quickly glanced at the in-game clock. "Afternoon Zeing, how's it going?"

"Same old, same old," Zeing complained with a shrug. "Nothing really gets my blood boiling."

Kashi rolled his eyes as he walked to the flight of stairs nearby. "I'd say that's a good thing. I hate to be around anything that can get your blood boiling."

"Tch. That's just mean," Zeing snorted.

Kashi laughed, but a sharp pain in his chest cut it off early.

"Looks like those birdies really did a number on you," Zeing noted with a grave expression. "Nothing we can do about the curse, but there is one person who can help with the pain."

Kashi let out a wry smile in response. "She would not happen to be a thousand-year-old wisben grandma, would she?"

"How did you know?" Zeing froze in his tracks, a frown etched on his forehead.

"Lucky guess," Kashi carelessly threw over his shoulder. "I've met a dwarf, a human wizard, a hybrid vampire, and a beastman. Seemed only right that the next member of your little club would be elven. Since we're talking healing here, I leaned more toward wisben." Kashi's words were convincing, but his heart was in chaos. With Zeing's confirmation, he was now sure of the identities of five of seven members of the so-called guardians.

If Kashi's conjecture was correct, then all seven guardians had some sort of personal relationship with Razznik. Of course, all these relationships ended terribly. No wonder Rider was adamant about him not telling anyone about his relationship with Razznik. With this piece of intel, Kashi was now sure of Fladnag's real identity.

There was once a mage who dubbed himself as the protector of the sacred tree Yggdrasil and the Treants who lived underneath its branches. Unfortunately, when creating his 12 series, Razznik needed many high-quality products, including Yggdrasil's branches. Suffice to say, the Treants did not agree to his request.

Razznik took the branches anyway.

As for the treants who fought to protect the core of their home…

Kashi sighed as he recalled the old, wizened wisben from Razznik's lifetime. Of all Razznik's antics, perhaps the only one the madman felt a tinge of reluctance for was the task regarding the old wisben. Kashi shook his head as he tossed the thought out of his head. Whatever. He would cross that bridge when he came to it. There were far too many things to consider at the moment.

Zeing felt something was off, but as he could not put a finger on where the issue lay, he promptly tossed it aside. He matched Kashi's pace as they ascended the stairs. "Don't really have a direct means of contact with her, but everyone's meeting up soon. I'll ask her to help you then."

"Soon, huh," Kashi muttered with a grave expression. Yes, there was one significant matter he still had to settle. Worse yet, the deadline was fast approaching. Only a few weeks remained until the destined date of Skyrm's return. Kashi had a feeling that matter would not be as simple as it initially seemed, so he had to ensure everything was ready for the inevitable battle.

Kashi and Zeing spent their time up the stairs chatting about the dwarven state of affairs. Kashi was delighted to hear the dwarfs had almost finished construction on the flying boat prototype. In fact, they would have made even more progress, but there were a few materials that were proving difficult to procure.

Kashi was not bothered by this. There would be hundreds of Maggots rushing about to gather any materials after a simple post on the guild channel.

This was one of the indisputable advantages of being a part of a guild.

Kashi and Zeing finally reached the top of the stairs, where they met an impatient Otto Knutsen pacing up and down.

"Otto-san," Kashi politely greeted with an amused glint in his eyes. "What seems to be the matter?"

"Ah! Kashi-dono! Zeing-sama!" Knutsen instantly brightened upon catching sight of the influential duo. "Thank the gods you're awake," Knutsen said to the daeben with a relieved sigh. "Was just considering finding a way to barge into the sanctum."

"Wouldn't have done much," Kashi laughed as he clasped the dwarf's arm in a vice grip. "Once our kind return to our world, there's no way to contact us from this side."

"I know that," Knutsen replied with an embarrassed grunt. "You also could've returned but then working on some project again. Your lass told us you could get cooped up in your projects for weeks."

"Haha, it is fine," Kashi returned. "I have yet to begin my next project. Too many choices. Yet to settle on one." Kashi's gaze softened with traces of concern. "So, tell me. What is it that is so urgent?"

"Mm... This way," Knutsen said as he walked into the complicated, maze-like corridors that were the trademark of all dwarven settlements. Curiously, Zeing silently tagged along a few meters behind. It seemed he was genuinely bored and wanted to see what surprises this daeben could bring him.

As he led them through the corridors, Knutsen recounted the shocking event that had warranted his hasty departure for Kashi's sanctum. "The daeben you left behind. They've shown no signs of resistance, but they refuse to do any work. Their leader is that woman Shadow captured, Larsial. She has said she would only give the order for her people to do as we ask after she has spoken to you."

Kashi nodded. "That much, I expected. She looks the crafty type." Kashi, smelling something fishy about the story, however, raised a brow and challenged, "Why does this bother you, though? It should not have been enough to send you running to the sanctum?"

"Hehe, you caught me," Knutsen admitted. "After she made her demands, I challenged her to show us something of value so we can decide if they're worth our time."

"Oh?" Kashi's eyes lit up as his interest piqued. "It would seem whatever she showed you was much too enticing?"

"Haha," Knutsen let out an awkward chuckle. "Yes, it was certainly enticing." With a longing gaze, Knutsen recounted, "She tasked four daeben to construct some runes we had been having trouble with." Knutsen grunted with displeasure as he grabbed his beard. "Those daebens freaking drew those runes as easily as writing ABC's. Even worse, the performance was at least three times better than ours!"

"Oh? How sure are you those were not her best people?" Kashi proposed with a hidden glint in his eyes. "Wouldn't it be a shame if the rest of the daeben were piss-poor runecrafters?"

"Exactly!" Knutsen exclaimed with a loud shout. "I thought the same too! So I asked her to choose whoever I selected." Knutsen's head drooped low as he let out a dejected sigh.

"And?" Kashi inquired with a knowing smirk. "How did it go?"

"About how you would expect," Knutsen grumbled. "Each daeben I picked turned out to be better than the last. It turns out those initial four were their worst rune-crafters. They were trying to spare my feelings."

"Heh," Kashi let out a soft chuckle. He patted the dwarf on his back as he consoled, "Don't take it to heart. The better they are at runecrafting, the better for us." Kashi increased his pace as an excited glint shone in his eyes. "Come on then, let's see what she wants."

Knutsen nodded, increasing his pace to match the daeben's. The duo engaged in light conversation as they walked through the corridors of the underground city. Several dwarfs on their way to and from their various workplaces greeted both men with respect. Kashi reciprocated the gestures with a contented smile.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

Kashi's and Knutsen's discussions took a turn as they neared the dungeons. As a man of the forge, it was only a matter of time before Knutsen began to report the states of the various projects and city construction.

Kashi was pleased to learn that all projects were on schedule. The construction of the dwarven city had, however, hit a snag in its design phase. The council was not sure how to layout the buildings in the city. Some even hesitated, unsure if they should even develop all the land.

"Hm, I have some ideas on that," Kashi offered. "If you'll have me, I can present them to the King's Council."

"Of course, Kashi-dono!" Knutsen vigorously nodded his head, eyes lit up like a jewel in the night. "Whenever it's convenient for you."

Kashi nodded. "We're here."

Knutsen looked up, and his gaze clouded over, a mixture of violent emotions flashing in his eyes as he stared at the two ten-meter tall statues that guarded the new gate to the dungeons. The 'gate' as it were, was comprised of the business end of two hammers held by the statues. The thousand-ton hammerheads sat next to each other with a nearly invisible seam between them.

Two dwarven guards stood by the foot of the statues. Upon seeing Knutsen, the saluted and simultaneously pushed down levers hidden in the statues' feet. A soft clicking sound echoed in the cavern, then the statues lifted their hands, which raised the hammers, clearing the way.

Knutsen thanked the guards, then accepted a torch from one of the guards as he led Kashi and Zeing down into the dungeons. The hammers dropped behind them, instantly plunging the cave into near darkness. Luckily, the dungeon walls were lined with soft, luminous algae-like plants. These algae emitted a soft glow which prevented the dungeon from being pitch-black. The algae, coupled with Knutsen's torch, ensured the trio could see where they were going.

Well, really, it ensured Knutsen could see where he was going. To warriors like Kashi and Zeing, there was no difference between night and day. Knutsen's led them past many cells filled with throngs of silent daeben, all quietly sitting cross-legged at the center of their cells without a care in the world.

"They've been like this since we brought them here," Knutsen murmured. "There've been no fights, arguments, even shouts. They just sit in their cells. I've never seen prisoners like these. It's too eerie."

"Mmm," Kashi nodded distractedly, his attention focused on the daebens' eyes. "What tough resolve." Kashi marveled at the firm conviction in the daebens’ eyes. They held nothing of the despair and resignation usually seen in war prisoners. In fact, there was no difference between the strength of their gaze now and the one they had on the battlefield.

"Kashi-dono."

Kashi's attention turned to Knutsen, who had stopped in front of a cell. "This is her cell," he muttered with his face turned away from the cell. Maybe it was the result of the torch, but Kashi could have sworn the dwarf's cheeks were red.

Curious, Kashi walked over to and peered into the cell. What he saw immediately intrigued him. Unlike the previous cells, the inhabitant of this cell was quite active.

Larsial, who only had a piece of cloth wrapped around her waist, was engaged in a set of one-handed handstands. Her muscles bunched and twitched each time she lowered herself, her alluring figure emphasized by the dull glow of the runic markings on her skin. Her firm, supple breasts, brought a lump to Knutsen's throat. He struggled to look away, but he could not help but turn around to sneak a peek every now and then.

Unlike Knutsen, Kashi shamelessly stared at Larsial, but rather than lust, there was only interest and curiosity in his gaze. While waiting for Larsial to finish her workout, Kashi examined the runic prints on her skin. Their faint glow might have been invisible in normal light, but here, in this darkness, it was like there was a spotlight on her skin, allowing Kashi to study the prints easily.

Like most daebens, Larsial's prints covered every inch of her body, from the crown of her forehead to the sole of her feet. Kashi could recognize some of the runes, but some were far too obscure to recognize. The daeben were indeed the leading researchers into runecrafting. Kashi only had to glimpse at the complicated rune structures created from a systematic combination of runes to understand just how far they had come.

Kashi had a feeling the daeben were only a few years away from creating arrays of their own.

Unfortunately for the daeben, and fortunately for Kashi, modern technology had beaten them to the formation of arrays, putting the Hopeful Maggots years ahead in the race.

"Um, maybe we should come back anoth-" Knutsen, still embarrassed, started to say, but when he saw the apt concentration on Kashi's face, he could not finish his sentence. Hmm, it seems Kashi-dono is human, after all.

Knutsen would have choked if he knew that behind those eyes, the daeben was not only examining the prints but was also considering the potential success of modern-day underwear for the women in this world. He had a feeling that with the right marketing strategy, it would be another cash cow for the guild. Kashi decided on the spot to delegate the task to the poor Miote.

"Seen enough?" Larsial's sensual voice interrupted Kashi's scrutiny as she returned to an upright position.

Kashi looked away from the prints to the confident smirk on Larsial's face. "Not really," he honestly replied. "I will need to conduct further studies in the future."

Larsial froze as the corner of her lips stiffened. "Surely, you jest."

"No," Kashi answered, his expression neutral. "I am very much interested in runic markings, especially the kind that can be applied directly to the body."

"Oh, I see." Larsial regained her composure with a light shrug of her shoulder. "If our conversation goes as I hope, I will have some of our rune crafters explain how these work."

"That's good then," Kashi replied. "I'll look forward to it." Kashi took a step closer, so there was barely any space between him and the bars. "Now tell me, what did you want to talk about?"

Larsial leaned against the bars and then pressed her lips together in a pitiful pout. "You wouldn't make a lady stand and talk, would you?"

"As you wish." Kashi signaled a nearby guard who promptly opened the cell gates with his key. Kashi entered the cell and calmly took out a set of chairs from his inventory. With Kashi's signal, Knutsen sat alongside him with Larsial opposite. Zeing declined, content to stand and watch.

"You Summoned and your magic pockets," Larsial murmured. "Is there anything you can't fit in there?"

"We can't put living beings..." Kashi thought of the beasts classified as pets. "Well, most living beings." Kashi's expression turned somber. "So, tell me what you want."

"Isn't it obvious?" Larsial stated as her gaze traveled along the walls of the dungeon. "I want out of here."

"Is that it?" The light in Kashi's eyes instantly died down as a disappointed sigh escaped his lips.

Sensing the displeasure in Kashi's cold gaze, Larsial shifted in her seat. She folded her arms underneath her bosom, her lips curled in a sultry smile. "Of course not. I would not call you all this way just for that."

"Good," Kashi coldly stated. "Let's hear it."

"Alright, there's no reason to be in such a rush," Larsial teased as she crossed her legs. However, Kashi's stern gaze never left her eyes, leaving her feeling very uncomfortable. Larsial coughed in a bid to regain her composure.

With an annoyed grunt, Larsial stood up and grabbed a dirty, loose robe from the floor, which she used to wrap herself. "Are you sure you're a man?" Larsial pointedly questioned as she returned to her seat.

"Last I checked," Kashi sardonically responded. "Enough games. Why did you call me here?"

"I wanted to see what kind of man you are," replied Larsial. "I've seen you fight. You're an excellent fighter. But bloodshed is not the only quality that makes up a man, let alone a leader."

"Oh? And what's your verdict?" questioned Kashi.

"You are stronger than most. Either that or there's something seriously wrong with you."

Kashi raised a brow. "It cannot be both?"

"Heh, why can't it be?" Larsial chuckled. "Okay, good. Down to business then." Larsial's gaze hardened, her aura one of confidence and strength. "I am considering joining your guild. But I need to make sure of some things first."

"Ask."

"So confident. I like it." Larsial smiled. "So tell me, what is the ultimate goal of the Hopeful Maggots?"

Kashi took a deep breath. Now that he thought about it, no one had ever truly asked what the guild's final goal was. Most members were content, completing daily tasks, and dominating leaderboards. Although whispers were guessing their goal, none of the leaders had ever stated anything outright, as if reaching a consensus that they would only speak after the guild leader.

Kashi could feel Knutsen's and even Zeing's gaze on him, both men eager to hear his answer. Kashi did not doubt that his next words would drastically change the situation of the Maggots in the world. But the time had come. For the sake of real progress, he could no longer hide behind the shield of Rosendun and pretend he did what he did just for the sake of the country.

"Our goal... Our goal is Unity. The unification of all the countries in Destia under one banner."

Larsial lips curled in a cynical grin. "Unity? I think you mean World Conquest."

"Eight months ago, that might have been true," Kashi conceded. "But I have learned and seen a lot since I began this quest." With a shake of his head, Kashi reiterated, "I assure you, I do not pursue Conquest but Unification."

"What is the difference?" Larsial challenged. "Both paths end up with lots of dead people."

"Yes, they do," Kashi agreed. "It is unfortunate that we live in an era of warring states. In most cases, diplomacy fails to achieve the desired effect." Kashi paused, a glint appearing in his eyes. "However, wars without purpose only end up creating larger and more wars. The only reason we have managed to keep the peace this long is because the world is still recovering from the horrors of the last war."

Kashi sighed. "You should know very well what I speak of. The various warlords and nations have used these eleven years to groom the next set of soldiers for their dreams of conquest." Kashi's gaze traveled past Larsial to the other cells. "Destia's current state is like a sealed pot of boiling water. No one can see the heat rising within the pot, but it's rising nonetheless. When that pressure reaches a certain point..."

Kashi met Larsial's gaze. "I do not want another war on the scale of eleven years ago. Too many lives were lost in that vortex of madness. It is time someone put an end to the cycle of war."

"And that someone is you?" Larsial remarked with a cynical grin. "What makes you any different from those warlords?"

"Approach," Kashi replied with a chuckle. Kashi raised his finger as he explained, "I said we sought unification, didn't I? The major difference between conquerors and those who seek unification is that one seeks to destroy everything and everyone in its path. In contrast, the other seeks to improve the lives of as many people as possible." Noticing Larsial's dubious expression, Kashi explained further, "Look at this way. If I were a conqueror, I would do anything to win, regardless of morality. As someone who seeks unification, all my actions have to be carefully considered if I want to reduce the number of rebels who rise in the future."

"Fine. Let's say you do accomplish this unification plan of yours," Larsial questioned. "What role do we daeben play in all this? What is our best-case scenario?"

"Best-case scenario?" Kashi's voice hardened as his aura grew thick and intimidating. "There is only one scenario should the guild complete its mission."

"Oh?" Larsial felt shivers down her spine, but she was a strong-willed woman. Entirely hiding the unease in her heart, she asked, "What scenario is that?"

"It seems you haven't been paying attention," Kashi joked, releasing the tension that had begun to suffocate the room. "I said it from the beginning. I seek unification. Unity of all races, tribes, walks of life... everything!" Kashi's eyes warmed. "Naturally, that includes the daeben."

Knutsen and Larsial simultaneously took sharp intakes of breath.

"Kashi-dono!?"

"That will never work!"

"That is where you are wrong," Kashi softly refuted. "I come from a world that proves that no matter how terrible the persecution between countries, humes are capable of love and peace when the right conditions are presented."

Larsial sat upright, her lips pressed together in a thin line. She studied the daeben's expression but found no hints of falsehood. Feeling a sudden tightening in her chest, she asked in a quivering voice, "What condition can be presented?"

"Education," Kashi stated. "We only have enough energy to hate because our minds are too free." Kashi got to his feet, speaking as he walked toward Larsial, "A country of educated minds is less likely to go to war at the random whims of their rulers. Furthermore, education improves the quality of life of the people of a nation. A civilian is less likely to desire war if he has a warm home, family, and comfortable life he stands to lose."

"You believe you can give the people that kind of life?" Larsial questioned, her lips curled in disdain. "Even now, as we speak, there are countless in just Merriheim alone without a place to hide from the elements. People are starving, beast attacks have destroyed fields and farms, and most youths without jobs have turned to banditry. You think you are capable of turning all that around?"

"Alone? Not a chance," Kashi candidly conceded. "However, I have the best men and women helping to fill in where I lack." Kashi walked over to Larsial's side. He looked down, meeting Larsial's questioning gaze. "With your help, we will be able to hasten that reality." Kashi paused. "I do not ask you to believe everything I say now." Kashi raised his right hand and spread out his fingers. "Six months. Give us six months of your total aid. In the end, you can decide for yourselves if we do have a chance at this reality." A smile rose at the corner of Kashi's lips, softening his expression. "I only ask that you be honest with yourself. If there is indeed a chance, you will stay with us rather than go back to your people."

"That should not be a problem," Larsial replied with sarcastic laughter. "To the daeben, failure on the scale of ours is only redeemable by death." Larsial sighed. "Well, at least it was. The current matriarch, crowned after the previous matriarch perished in the last war, added the option of self-imposed exile for those who wish to escape the death penalty."

"Hmm? A break away from tradition," Kashi muttered with disbelief. Daeben were notorious for their extremely conservative nature. They never veered from tradition; each daeben required to strictly follow the mandates of their tribe passed down from the very first generations. "I would very much like to one day meet this matriarch of yours. She sounds interesting."

Larsial shook her head. "For your sake, pray you never get to meet her."

"Hoh? Sounds ominous," Kashi joked. "So, do we have a deal?"

Larsial rose from her seat with her hand stretched out. "Six months, it is then."

Kashi accepted the handshake with a firm grip. "I look forward to seeing what you bring to the guild." Kashi was about to go on, but he was interrupted by a buzz in his pockets. He took out his Rink and accepted the call.

"Kashi, you have to get to the forge quick!" Absalon's urgent voice cut through. "Jade and that Jerxas dude just did something crazy and nearly blew up half the forge!"

"Jerxas!" Knutsen screamed with rage, his gaze a mixture of worry and wrath. "Excuse me, Kashi-dono, I have to-"

"Of course, Otto-san. I will come with you." Kashi made to move out of the cell but then paused when he noticed Larsial sitting back down. "What are you doing?" Kashi questioned as he took out some clean clothes and a pair of combat boots from his inventory. He placed the combat boots on the ground and tossed the clothes to Larsial. "Get dressed and meet us at the forge! Your six-month inspection begins now."

Larsial caught the clothes, her eyes wide with shock as they followed the daeben's back as he ran down the hallway. She clutched the fabric, stunned to realize it was not just any random set of clothes but a high-grade set of cloth and leather armor. The kind assassins loved to wear.

"Not once did he look at me like I was a monster," Larsial muttered underneath her breath as she began to change. "if it's him, then maybe..."