The journey back to the village was a tense one. Ronan, Indigena, and Minerva walked in a tight formation, their captive stumbling along, his hands bound in magical restraints that prevented any attempt at escape. The man's face had lost its earlier arrogance and was now etched with a mixture of fear and frustration.
As they entered the village, the villagers gathered, their eyes wide with curiosity and concern. Word had spread quickly about the battle that had taken place on the outskirts of their home. Indigena raised her hand in a calming gesture, assuring the villagers that they were safe for now.
The trio escorted the captive to a secure area, a makeshift holding cell that had been hastily constructed for just such occasions. It was a small, windowless room with stone walls and a heavy iron door. The man was placed inside, and the magical restraints were removed, replaced by ordinary iron shackles that would prevent him from using his magic.
Once the man was secured, Ronan took a step forward, his expression serious. "You're going to tell us everything," he said firmly, his voice carrying weariness he almost slumped over. "Who sent you?
The man glared at Ronan, his red eyes burning with resentment. "You Tarnished think you're so righteous," he spat. "You have no idea what's coming. The boss will consume everything, and there's nothing you can do to stop it."
Ronan drawled out with a small smile on his face “Sooo you have a master”.
“Yes I mean no ''. The man glared down at his lap and tried biting down on his tongue but Ronan wasn't quick enough to stop him. Red blood gushed out like a river. Cursing Indigina’s arm glowed a dule green as she reached out towards the man's face.
What happened disturbed Ronan it was the fact that the man's tongue started to heal but instead with the usual pink green was left in its place. The trio exchanged a worried glance before turning back to the man. "Who is your boss?" Indigena asked, her voice firm.
The man remained stubbornly silent, his eyes narrowed with defiance. Ronan sighed in frustration, his hand reaching out to grasp the man's chin and force him to look up. "We can do this the easy way or the hard way," he said, his voice low and dangerous.
The man spat in Ronan's face, his eyes filled with malice. "I'll never betray the boss," he growled, his voice muffled by the blood in his mouth.
Ronan and Indigena shared a look of determination. They knew what they had to do. With a single nod, she reached her hands, out the glow of their magic enveloping the man's body. The man screamed in agony as the magic tore through his mind, searching for the truth.
Finally, the man's eyes rolled back in his head as he went limp, unconscious. Ronan released his grip on the man's chin and the magic dissipated, and within moments, the man was snoring softly.
Indigena sighed, removing her hand from the man's head. He would have no memory of what had happened, and if questioned, he would not be able to provide any information.
Though she couldn't read minds in the traditional sense, she could look into someone's soul because souls are intertwined with the world, therefore nature.
"What did you see?" Ronan asked, his voice low and husky with exhaustion.
"Well nothing," Indigena said, as she turned to face Ronan. "He's blocking my scrying attempts but he can't block them forever. He may be powerful, but he's not invincible."
She paused, her eyes glancing down to the man's face, "That's all we can do for now. I don't want to risk killing him in the process."
Indigena glanced over at Ronan, noting the man's haggard look. His clothes were quarters, Minerva trailed behind, lost in her thoughts. She couldn't shake off the feeling that they were being watched, that their every move was being monitored by someone who wanted to see them fail.
Trying to shake off her unease, Minerva forced herself to focus on the task at hand. They needed to rest before they could face their enemy and put an end to the terror that had plagued their city for too long.
When they finally reached their room, Ronan and Indigena collapsed onto the bed, their eyes closing almost immediately. Minerva sat in a nearby chair, her eyes scanning the room for any signs of danger.
Just as she was about to let her guard down, she heard a faint creaking sound coming from the door. She sprang up, her hand reaching for the lamp in the room as the door slowly swung open.
A figure stepped into the room, their face hidden by a mask. Minerva tensed, ready to attack, when the figure spoke.
"I come with a message from your enemy," the figure said in a low, menacing voice. "He wants to meet with you."
Minerva's grip on her newly found weapon tightened as she took a step forward. "And why should we trust you?" she asked, her voice laced with suspicion.
The figure chuckled, pulling off their mask to reveal a familiar face. "Because I have no love for my boss," the man said with a sneer. "He's gone too far, and I want to see him brought down. I can help you do that."
Ronan and Indigena stirred on the bed, their eyes opening to take in the scene. It was the boy from the forest who was as skinny as their last encounter.
The man leaned forward, his eyes darting between the three of them. "I want protection," he said. "I can't stay with him anymore. He'll kill me if he finds out I turned on him."
Ronan and Indigena exchanged a look, silently agreeing to hear the man out. "What information can you give us?" Indigena asked, her voice calm but firm.
The man hesitated, his eyes flickering with fear. "He has a plan," he said finally. "A way to summon a powerful Patron that will do his bidding. He's been gathering all the materials he needs for the ritual."
The man nodded eagerly. "I'll tell you everything I know," he said. "Just please, protect me from him."
"Why should we trust you?" Indigena said
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The man looked at Indigena with a sly smile. "I want his head, and all the power that comes with it," he said, his eyes glinting with greed.
Ronan and Indigena exchanged a wary glance and got off their bed Ronan made sure to grab the Spear off the side of the bed as they approached.
The boy took a leap past Minerva and swerved around Indiginas' attempt to grab him and latched onto Ronans Spear.
The world for Ronan swirled into colors.
Swirling around him like water in a wash basin. When he opened his eyes he was traveling through another plane of dimension.
It was all gray, pink and orange lights. Things moved past him; it was a cacophony of lights and sounds. Every time he thought he had something figured out, his mind got stuck on the next object, like trying to peer through a dense mist.
Ronan tried to make sense of his surroundings, but it was all a blur. He could feel his body floating in this strange landscape, weightless and unbound by the laws of physics.
He was in a dimly lit room, filled with strange symbols etched into the walls and floor. A faint hum filled the air, and Ronan could feel the energy pulsing through the room. He looked at the boy, who was now facing him with a smug grin on his face.
"Who the… wait you're that crazy dude in the woods?" Ronan's tone was incredulous. Seriously, how weird can one day get. “What do you want with me”!
The boy shrugged. "I brought us to my new home somewhere in Valtara"
he said, his voice echoing in the chamber. "I thought it would be a better place to discuss things."
Ronan got to his feet, his grip tightening on the Spear. He had no idea what the boy's intentions were, but he knew he had to be careful.
"What do you want?" Ronan asked, again his voice low and dangerous.
The boy, who had introduced himself as Adrian, laughed, his eyes flashing with amusement. "I want the same thing as you," he said. "To take down our mutual enemy. You need information, and I have it. But first, let me introduce myself." He stepped forward, his hand outstretched. "My name is Adrian," he said. "And I'm here to help."
Ronan crossed his arms and glared at Adrian. His voice was harsh as he said, "Why should I help you? What could you possibly offer me to make it worth my trouble? Especially against someone as powerful as a Dark Lord?"
Adrian's expression turned serious. "Because he's not just a threat to me or to you, but to everyone, even your sister. He wants to use the Patron he's summoning for his own twisted purposes, and that can't be allowed to happen. We need to stop him before it's too late."
Ronan's mind swirled with indecision, his thoughts tumbling over each other like autumn leaves in the wind. He knew that he still didn't have a solid lead on where his sister was, and if Adrian truly had information that could help them find her, it could be worth the risk. His fingers tapped restlessly at his side as he contemplated this new development, his eyes fixated on the ground as if looking for an answer there.
After a few moments of silent deliberation, Ronan finally Came to a conclusion. "I guess we have no choice but to talk to this 'Patron' then," he thought, his voice in his mind laced with hesitation and doubt.
"Maybe they can give us some insight into where my sister is being held." The words tasted bitter on his tongue, but he knew it was their only hope.
"Fine," Ronan said finally, nodding his head. "But if we find out that you're leading us into a trap, you'll regret it."
Adrian grinned at Ronan. The smile was creepy, it was like it was forced yet not at the same time.
"I wouldn't dream of it," Adrian replied smoothly, his eyes glittering with a sly intelligence. "I just want to see the Dark Lord brought down. And I believe we can do it together."
Ronan didn't trust Adrian, but he had no other choice. He needed information, and Adrian had it. He couldn't risk letting his emotions cloud his judgment, not when his sister's life was on the line.
With a nod, Ronan signaled for Adrian to lead the way. As they walked through the dimly lit chamber, Ronan kept his senses on high alert. He didn't know what to expect, and the uncertainty made him uneasy. But he steeled himself, determined to see this through to the end.
As they emerged from the chamber, they found themselves in a vast underground complex. The walls were lined with torches, casting flickering shadows across the damp stone floor. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and stale air, making it difficult to breathe.
Adrian led them through a maze of twisting corridors and dark passages, his footsteps echoing loudly in the silence. Ronan couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched, and he kept his hand close to his Spear, ready to strike at a moment's notice.
Finally, they came to a massive set of doors, flanked by two towering statues of a woman with wings. The doors were made
He placed his hands on the door and a faint light glowed from beneath his palms. As he focused, the doors slowly began to swing outward with a loud creaking noise. On the other side of the doors was a dark chamber filled with an eerie blue glow that seemed to originate from nowhere in particular.
Adrian stepped into the chamber and Ronan followed, cautiously examining their surroundings. At the center of the room was an altar, upon which sat a large crystal ball that gave off a strange humming sound.
"This is where I can show you what you need." said Adrian as he approached the altar and began to chant softly in a language that Ronan didn’t know. He closed his eyes and waved his hands over the crystal ball until it lit up brightly, illuminating the room.
Ronan looked on in amazement as images appeared within the crystal ball, each one more bizarre than the last. He could make out city streets filled with people, armies marching across fields.
Grinning, Adrian let out a laugh "This ball is a fraud… me on the other hand... I'm the real deal, I can in fact see the future."
Ronan's dark eyes widened as he fixed them on Adrian, disbelief clear in his expression. He scoffed and shook his head slightly. “You can really see the future?” he asked, his voice tinged with disbelief.
Adrian looked at Ronan and the smile on his face disappeared; he had noticed Ronan's skepticism. "Yes," he said firmly. "I can. And I can help you find your sister and take down the Dark Lord. But we need to work together."
Ronan paused, considering Adrian's words.
He still didn't fully trust the boy, but the potential rewards were too great to ignore. He nodded slowly, his lips pressed into a thin line. "Alright," he said. "Let's do it."
Adrian's grin returned, wider than before. "Excellent," he said. "Now, let's get started."He motioned for Ronan to come closer to the crystal ball, and as they both gazed into its depths, a vision began to form. It was blurry at first, but as the images sharpened, Ronan could see a sprawling castle in the distance.
It was surrounded by a moat and high walls, with guards patrolling the perimeter. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest as he realized this castle was surrounded by a moat filled with dark, murky water, and guarded by a battalion of soldiers in dark armor.
Then suddenly there were fires. The people inside the castle started to revolt and kill the guards. A prominent figure, wearing royal robes and clean boots, darted back and forth to avoid the chaos between the guards. Another man appeared – Ronan – and attacked him. The vision ended.
Ronan stepped back, his eyes growing wide as he stared at Adrian. His mouth opened, poised to ask a question, when he finally blurted out, "Is that happening here?". He looked desperately at Adrian, willing him to answer in the affirmative.
Adrian's expression turned grim as he nodded slowly. "Yes," he said. "That vision is set to take place in the near future. The Dark Lord will be at the center of the chaos, and your sister will be caught in the middle of it all."
Ronan's jaw clenched as he thought about his sister being in danger. He knew he had to act fast if he wanted to save her.
"What can we do?" he asked, his tone urgent.
Adrian placed a reassuring hand on Ronan's shoulder. "We need to gather allies," he said firmly. "People who are willing to fight with us against the Dark Lord and his army. We can't take him down alone."
Ronan nodded, determination filling his gaze. "I'll do whatever it takes," he vowed.
Adrian smiled. "I knew you would," he said. "But we have to be careful. The Dark Lord has spies everywhere, and if he finds out what we're doing he will have us 'dealt with'.
Ronan's expression hardened. "I'm not afraid of the Dark Lord," he said resolutely. "I will do whatever it takes to protect my sister, even if it means risking my own life."
Adrian nodded approvingly. "That's the spirit," he said. "But we need to be smart about this if we're going to succeed. We'll start by looking for clues on his identity".
Ronan stopped following Adrian out of the door and looked at him.
"Aren't you his servant".
Adrian paused and decided to confess the truth with a shrug he started.
"I'm not actually one of his servants, I just saw that he would be in fact here for a month.
I hired someone in The Night Market. He did a good job and only had to spend twenty dollars".
Ronan nearly tripped over himself
"Twenty dollars?! We are going to take down a powerful dark lord with only TWENTY DOLLARS?!"
Adrian quickly backtracked.
"No no, it's just the cost of finding out information from someone in The Night Market who knows something about reading minds." He smiled reassuringly. "It won't be easy, but I'm sure we can gather enough allies to stop him before he takes over this town".
Ronan nodded slowly as they continued walking towards Town Square. "Let's do this," he said Impatiently.
Adrian stretched his arms when they reached a fountain.
"Alright, here is our plan. You and I will split up--you'll go to the Night market district while I take a look around The Palace," said Adrian.
Ronan thought about it for a moment before nodding in agreement. "Sounds like a plan," he replied with enthusiasm as he gestured towards the direction of the shopping district before walking off without another word.