Chapter 505: What Took You So Long?

  Maeve looked at her friends and the children hiding in the small cramped alleyway. They were all shivering, whether from fear or the cold rain of the raging storm above, she did not know.

  She tried her best to smile reassuringly, “Follow me.”

  Feli reached out to grab her hand, “Wait—”

  But Maeve had already walked off into the dark street. Rhian trotted after her without hesitation, a wounded Shirleen still atop her saddle, barely holding onto consciousness. Muttering under her breath, Feli ran after them.

  “It’s going to be okay, everyone. Follow Lady Mora,” Karen said to the children and grabbed her younger sister’s hand, before hurried after their mother and the centaur.

  Witt and the high priest Elm pushed the children along with soft words of encouragement.

~~~

  Maeve’s movements were erratic. She was leading them down an empty street, then she’d turn the corner and disappear. Feli looked around, anxiously calling out to her in a quiet voice, only for Maeve to be standing all the way at the end of the street.

  “This way!” Maeve waved them on.

  And so it went, the petite vampiress guided them through various streets and back alleyways. She would order the group to stop and hide inside an abandoned home every few minutes to avoid an approaching band of Valley warriors.

  How Maeve knew they were even coming, Feli had no idea. After half an hour of wandering through what seemed an almost endless maze of dark streets, Maeve raised her hands and signaled for them to stop.

  “Quickly, hide!” Maeve whispered.

  She pointed to a lopsided wreckage of wood that Feli assumed was once a home. Stone shrapnel from a trebuchet boulder had ripped apart the house’s structural beams and caused it to collapse. Fortunately, the door was still somewhat working, if being cracked in half counted as working.

  Rhian was too big to get inside. She rushed to the back of the house and knelt down, hoping none would notice. The children crouched and crawled into the house, careful to not get too close to any of the splintered sharp wooden planks protruding from all around. Maeve ushered them all inside while keeping an eye on the edge of the street. There was a troubled expression on her pale face.

  “Maeve…? Are you coming inside?” Feli called out uncertainly.

  “…They’re stopping to rest. We won’t be able to get past them,” she replied.

  Karen had gotten over how Maeve knew such things and instead asked, “If we can’t get past them, then what do we do?”

  “…A diversion,” Maeve concluded after a moment.

  Karen glanced at the children and nodded, making up her mind. “I’ll do it.”

  “No, I’ll go,” said Maeve.

  “What? No! You are a Lady of a noble House! You can’t!” said Karen.

  “I’ll be fine, my real body isn’t here remember?” Maeve winked. And before anyone could stop her, she ran down the street and turned the corner. A group of thirty-some warriors were coming up the street, torches and weapons in hand.

  Maeve stood there, stock-still, her porcelain face frozen in shock and fear. The warriors spotted the petite vampiress in a scarlet cloak and shouted in alarm, before rushing at her. Maeve turned around and bolted.

  Feli watched from a small hole between two planks as Maeve led the warriors past the ruined house and down another nearby street.

  “That should keep them occupied for a while I think,” said Maeve from behind them.

  Feli spun around in shock. “Maeve!? How did you—? I thought you were—” She looked outside, then back at the blonde vampiress sitting behind her. “H-How!?”

  “Synchrony magic allows me to cast a spell of astral projection,” Maeve explained as she crawled outside.

  “I don’t understand,” said Feli and followed her back into the cold rain.

  “No one understands magic, save mages,” said Karen as if it were perfectly natural.

  “It’s true red magic. This astral projection doesn’t have the same physical limits like a body does,” added Maeve.

  “But, how did you even know the enemy was coming?” Feli asked curiously.

  “It’s the core of Synchrony magic. I can sense everything around myself and my astral projection.”

  “I still don’t really get it…” Feli admitted. Was this what Stryg was teaching her the last 2 years? She had never Stryg cast such magic before.

  Rhian trotted over, grinning. “It’s the might of our Ebon Tribe. Maeve is our tribe’s shaman, of course, she would be incredible. What more is there to understand?

  “Right…” Feli said wryly.

  “I promise I’ll explain more later,” said Maeve with a tired smile. “This is the first time I’ve projected my consciousness this far from my body and for this long. I don’t know how much longer I can keep this up. We need to hurry to my home.”

  “Sorry, of course,” said Feli. She turned and saw the last of the children crawl out from the broken doorway.

~~~

  “Just a little farther!” Maeve called out.

  It had been some time since they had crossed one of the few bridges leading into the Trade District. The merchant area had already been run over by battle. Valley warriors had raided their shops and set fire to many of them. Maeve had guided them around the marauders and had led them into the Villa District and away from the war.

  Feli was beginning to recognize some of the streets. They were close to the Mora Manor now.

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  The children were all breathing hard and shivering uncontrollably now. The younger children were struggling to even walk. The long walk in the freezing rain and howling winds had taken its toll on their small bodies.

  “There it is!” Rhian pointed excitedly to the manor in the distance.

  Two vampire guards stood at the gate, spears crossed, eyeing the area for anyone who might dare enter. One of them spotted their Lady leading the small group and hailed her.

  “We’re here, children,” Karen smiled.

  The kids looked up at the mansion looming behind the stone-chiseled walls. Their eyes widened to saucers and their mouths hung slack. It occurred to Karen that most of them had probably never been to the Villa District before.

  As if the thought of visiting such a home empowered them, the children gathered what remaining strength they had and made a run towards the gate.

  “Open the gate!” Maeve ordered.

  The guards outside bowed and repeated her words to the guards standing on the other side of the wall. With a screech of iron, the steel gate swung open.

  “Over there!” yelled a Valley scout from the corner of the street.

  A retinue of warriors answered his voice and poured into the street. They spotted the open gate and charged with a warcry.

  The children cried out in terror and ran towards the gate.

  “They’ve already reached this far into the city…?” Feli mumbled, shocked.

  “Karen!” Sophi yelled worriedly.

  “Everything is going to be alright, go with Witt, now!” Karen stood her ground and drew her bow. “Witt, get all the kids inside!”

  “On it!” The young man nodded and gazed at her with a look of worry before he grabbed two of the youngest children in his arms and ran to the gate. As he ran past Rhian, she snatched up his sword from his sheath.

  Rhian strode up beside Karen, sword at the ready, as the latter drew an arrow and fired into the charging warriors. The Mora guards filed in front of them and formed a small shield wall.

  Feli drew her dagger, tried to steady her cold trembling fingers, and whispered a prayer to the gods.

  Maeve glanced away from the battle and stared down the other end of the street. Her red lips slowly curled into a smirk. “What took you so long?”

  A looming shadow barreled into view. Blueberry sprinted through the street, a sleek shadow in the darkness, his muscles rippling underneath his black fur as he surged forward, his icy eyes fixed on the enemy.

  A roar broke loose from his wide-open maw and he leaped into the midst of the valley warriors. They screamed and stumbled back in alarm as the giant beast smacked one away with his heavy paw and clamped his jaws down on another.

  From atop the frost wolf’s back, orange mana filled Stryg’s arms and he thrust his hands out. Jets of flame erupted from his palms and engulfed the warriors. They cried out in agony as their flesh melted, the rain did nothing to spare them.

  Aurelia channeled Green and waved her arm in the air. Four stone walls erupted from the ground, enclosing the fleeing warriors in a box. With a snap of her fingers, two opposing walls slammed into each other, squashing the terrified warriors into a bloody paste.

  The children spotted Stryg and cheered at his appearance. Karen lowered her bow and laughed and cried in sheer relief.

  Maeve smiled and relaxed her shoulders. She swayed from side to side, her focus waning. She closed her eyes and let go of her spell. The astral projection faded into red motes of light in the rain.

  “Stryg!” Rhian yelled happily and waved at him.

  Feli stood stock-still and stared at him in disbelief.

  Stryg hopped off Blueberry and landed in a run. He rushed Feli and hugged her tightly.

  Feli breathed in his familiar scent mixed in with the smell of rain. She took a shuddering breath and mumbled shakily, “It’s really you. You came back.”

  “I’m sorry it took so long,” he whispered.

  Tears burned in Feli’s eyes and she buried her head in his shoulder and hugged him in return.

  Rhian bent down and wrapped her arms around both of them in a warm embrace. “Good to have you back, boss.”

  “Who are these people, Stryg?” Aurelia asked suspiciously.

  He looked up and saw his mother standing a few paces away, arms crossed, yellow eyes staring at him intently.

  Stryg hugged Feli and Rhian one last time, then slowly stepped back and faced Aurelia. “The children over there are members of the Cinder Brood tribe, the second Sylvan tribe of Hollow Shade.”

  Aurelia looked over the children, noting several human and drow faces, and even the scarlet eyes of a vampire. After a long look at them, she nodded, satisfied. “They seem weak, but there is strength in their eyes. Good. Now, where is their Sylvan Mother? Younglings should not be left alone, unguarded.”

  “Um, that would be me,” Karen raised her hand hesitantly.

  “You?” Aurelia asked skeptically.

  “I am their— First Mother, yes,” Karen said anxiously.

  Aurelia looked her over, noting the way she held her bow and the scars across her exposed arms. “Hm, yes, I see. The younglings will be in good care.”

  “T-Thank you,” Karen smiled abashedly. She didn’t know who this woman was, but the way she dealt with those valley warriors and how she carried herself left no doubt in Karen’s mind she was someone of great repute.

  “Where is your chieftain?” Aurelia asked.

  “He is… Melfyn is fighting the enemy,” Karen muttered. She was unable to hide the look of worry in her eyes.

  Aurelia placed a hand on her shoulder, “As it should be. A chieftain’s job is to fight and defend his tribe. You did well protecting your younglings this long, First Mother. Trust your chieftain to do the same.”

  “...Mm,” Karen nodded tentatively.

  Aurelia turned and glanced coldly at the two standing behind Stryg. “Who is this centaur and strange-colored-hair woman?”

  Stryg cleared his throat, “They are—”

  The centaur stood at attention and spoke firmly. “I am Rhiannon, daughter of the Ebon Hollow tribe.”

  “What is your path, Rhiannon?” asked Aurelia.

  “I follow the warrior path. I serve as the Spear of the Ebon Hollow tribe.”

  “I see, you must be the one who shattered the stone golem at the temple.”

  “Y-Yes! That was me!” Rhian smiled wide. “How did you know?”

  “We found the broken spearhead.”

  “Oh, um, that— I didn’t mean to—!”

  “Calm yourself, warrior. It is not your fault my son commissioned a poorly designed Sylvan spear. It was bound to break.”

  “Wait, son?” Rhian blinked and her grey eyes widened, “You’re Stryg’s MOM!?”

  “I am,” Aurelia inclined her head.

  Rhian bowed deeply, “It’s an honor, Miss—?”

  “I am the First Mother of the Blood Fang tribe, but you may call me Aurelia, warrior.”

  “Miss Aurelia, ma’am, it is an honor to meet you,” Rhian smiled respectfully.

  She nodded in approval and glanced at Feli, “And who might you be?”

  “H-Hello, I’m Feli,” she bowed and nervously pushed purple strands of wet hair away from her face.

  “Feli.” Aurelia narrowed her yellow eyes.

  Stryg stepped forward. “Mother, I—”

  Aurelia raised her hand, “Silence.”

  Stryg clamped his mouth shut, but he did not leave Feli’s side.

  “What path do you follow, Feli?” Aurelia asked.

  “I, uh, I don’t follow a particular Sylvan path.”

  “Unchosen, at your age? You’d have been fed to the wild beasts of Vulture Woods long ago,” she said disapprovingly.

  “She is a merchant, Mother,” Stryg tried to explain. “She buys and sells goods, and she’s quite good at it. She’s turned our coin into a decent fortune.”

  “So your mate barters for a living?” Aurelia glanced at Feli, “Can you hunt?”

  “No?”

  “Gather? Cook? Fight? Heal? Construct? Forge? Cast spells?”

  “I’m not a chef, but I can cook. And I’ve been in my fair share of bar fights.”

  Aurelia shook her head, “We have a lot of work to do, child.” Then she walked past them into the manor.

  “Am I in trouble…?” Feli whispered.

  “That depends,” Stryg replied.

  “On what?”

  “Your tolerance for pain.”

  Blueberry bent his head down and licked Feli’s face, his lolling tongue licking half her body in one swipe. She jumped back in surprise and yelped.

  “Who is this magnificent beast?” Rhian asked excitedly.

  “His name is Blueberry,” said Stryg. “He likes you, Feli.”

  She broke into a smile, “Nice to meet you, Blueberry.”

  The giant frost wolf cocked his head to the side and barked a response.

  “He says your head looks like a berry,” Stryg added.