After having eaten dinner, Troy bid goodnight to the two brothers and went up to his room. His room had a simple bed and a chest next to it. There was also a wooden bucket filled with water from the nearby river and a cloth, that guests could use to wash themselves. Troy sat down on his bed and waited. After counting 500 heartbeats, he stepped out of his room and descended the stairs.
Making sure that none of the brothers were downstairs, he approached the woman at the counter. "What can I do for you at this late hour?" Turning to her he leaned in conspiratoriously and whispered to her. "Do you provide messenger service?" The woman frowned her brow and nodded her head. "Indeed we do. My son is quite fast, though he will not go further than to the capital or the western city." Troy nodded his head. "That's perfect. I need him to send a message to the capital." The woman nodded her head and gestured for him to continue. "Tell your son to run back to the capital, find the captain of the city guard and to tell him that Troy has encountered two suspicious individuals. I suspect them to be fleeing criminals. Your son served us dinner today, so he should know how to describe their appearances." The middle aged woman squinted her eyes at him, the silence stretching between them.
Just when Troy was starting to feel uncomfortable and was about to say something, the woman answered. "Two large copper coins." Troy almost relieved rummaged in his robes and produced the requested copper coins. After handing them over, the woman inspected them after which she called for her son. Troy thanked the woman and headed upstairs. When he ascended the stairs and turned into the hallway, he instinctively took a half step back and pulled out his bronze knife, entering a combat stance. "Whoa there, didn't mean to scare you. I simply wished to visit the outhouse." When Troy peered into the darkness, he could make out the silhouette of Telamon, and after a quick scan noticed that he had no weapons in his hands.
Troy let out an awkward laugh and lowered his blade. "Sorry, old habits. I too had to visit the outhouse just now." Telamon let out an awkward chuckle and walked by Troy, descending the stairs. He looked over his shoulder and saw as Troy was staring at him with a piercing gaze, just before hastily entering his room and closing the door. Telamon scratched his head and decided not to think too much about it. On his way out, he greeted the innkeeper and her son, who appeared to be busy preparing for a trip. Outside the inn, he approached the stable and the outhouse located next to it.
When he tried to pull the door, he heard a loud voice emanate from inside. "Can't you see it's occupied? Come back later!" Telamon revealed a puzzled expression. "Herodotos, is that you?" The angry voice responded. "Who else would it be? Now leave me alone, so I can do my business in peace." Telamon backed away from the outhouse door. "Alright. Do you know where the second outhouse is?" Herodotos' voice was gaining a tint of impatience. "What second outhouse? There is only one here. Now go away." A sneaking suspicion crept into Telamon's heart. "And Troy? Wasn't he just here?" Herodotos' voice once more came from the outhouse, the words practically dripping with venom. "Troy? Of course, he was here. We were sharing the outhouse together just now. Is that what you think happened? Stop asking weird questions and let me do what I must." Telamon didn't answer his brother as he heard the door to the inn opening and closing.
He saw the innkeeper's son scurry out of the building and run into the night, heading the way he and his traveling companions had come. He called out to the boy. "Hey, where are you going?" The boy shot him a hostile glance. "My business is my own." And with these parting words, the boy turned and left, heading into the night. On his back were traveling gear and rations for several days. Telamon entered the inn and approached the innkeeper. "Where is your son going at such a late time?" The innkeeper looked at him with an unimpressed face and simply shrugged. "He goes where he must." Telamon nodded his head. "And what will he do there?" The woman shrugged once more. "Whatever it is he has to do." Telamon grabbed into his cloak and pulled out a large bronze coin. "Perhaps this will convince you to talk?" The woman narrowed her eyes, before slowly taking the bronze coin. "You two seem like good people, so I don't mind telling you. The boy is headed to the capital, to deliver a message on behalf of your companion." Telamon gazed expectantly at the woman. After a brief silence, Telamon reached into his pocket and with a grieving heart pulled out another large bronze coin. The woman took the coin and nodded while giving a faint smile as if she were proud one of her students had finally learned something.
Dolo woke with a startle, as he felt what felt like a cold punch across his face. He sputtered and gasped for air, as he noticed that for some reason his clothes were drenching wet. "Come on, get up. The City Lord wishes to speak with you." Dolo squinted his eyes, letting them adjust to the light. He took in his surroundings. Dolo found himself in an underground cell, the walls made of stone and a single narrow window at the top of the cell providing a thin sliver of sunlight. He was sprawled on the ground, a puddle around him, and only now did he realize that a guard was towering over him. In his hands was a wooden bucket and attached to his hip was a bronze short sword.
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He groggily blinked his eyes, still confused as to where he was. The guard bent down and shouted in his ear. "I said get up!" Saying so, the guard kicked Dolo in the stomach, making him double over and groan in pain. "Come on, move it, or do you want me to kick you again?" Dolo held up one hand, while still clutching his stomach. He gasped for breath and after a brief moment found the strength to try to shakily get to his feet. His head felt cloudy and his thoughts were sluggish. When trying to support himself off the cold floor, his left arm suddenly gave out, and a sharp pain penetrated through the fog in his head. He cursed as he once more collapsed to the cold stone floor.
"If you don't get up this instant, I swear to Minsol, I am going to cut you down right here and now." Dolo ignored the meaningless chatter of the guard and instead looked down at his left arm, seeing a rough bandage had been placed on where the arrow had pierced him. Memories came back and he remembered his escape and eventual capture.
The man got on his feet and turned to the guard. "I'm sorry. You said the city lord wishes to speak with me? Could you please lead the way?" The guard shot him a disgusted glance as if he couldn't believe that the legendary heretic and resistance leader would act in such a manner. He scoffed and turned around, heading out of the damp cell. "As I said, the City Lord wishes to-" Suddenly the guard felt as the sword on his hip was pulled from its scabbard. He could just turn around in time, to see the weak and pathetic prisoner wielding the blade with one hand and driving it towards the guard's chest. The guard let out an animalistic guttural growl and gripped the hand of the prisoner.
Dolo pushed with all his might, pinning the guard to the far wall, and with his full body weight moved the sword towards the guard's chest. Even weak and wounded and with only one arm, Dolo was still able to bring the tip's edge ever closer to the heart of the guard. Soon the tip made contact with the guard's chest, straining the fabric and bending the skin. Dolo gazed into the eyes of the guard, seeing anger and desperation in them. Two soulless marbles stared back at the guard. Dolo pushed once more, the fabric and skin yielding, slowly getting pierced by the blade. The sword was now drawing blood and Dolo knew, that in but a few moments all would be over.
Just when despair started to overtake the guard's eyes Dolo heard a shout. "Get away from him!" As Dolo was suddenly tackled, making him drop the sword. It seemed that Dolo had been too slow and the guard's backup had arrived. Lying on the ground with kicks and punches raining down on him, Dolo couldn't help but wonder if it would have been wiser to use the blade on himself, to prevent the city lord the satisfaction of meeting him in such a state.
In the temple located in the middle of Victoria sat City Lord Feidi upon a bronze throne, her eldest daughter Eliana standing left of her. The spot where her husband would usually be was empty. The throne was not located in the central hall but in a relatively small side hall. The main hall was reserved for the statues of God and of his firstborn Minsol, who had joined Him in the Afterlife. Feidi looked to the advisor kneeling before her. "Where is that heretic?" The advisor wiped his brow nervously and responded in a slightly shaky voice. "The heretic is on his way. He is being brought here as we speak." Just when the advisor was about to make up more excuses, the doors to the throne room were opened and two guards entered with a half-dead man hanging over their shoulders.
Dolo's feet dragged across the floor as his head hung limply from his shoulders. Blood droplets followed wherever he passed, as if the red paw prints of a small rabbit, leaving red droplets wherever it stepped. Feidi glanced at him from over her nose, before shifting her gaze to the guards. "Why is he in such a state?" The guard bowed before offering a reply. "Apologies your Highness, the prisoner offered more resistance than anticipated, so we had to take some certain... measures." Feidi shot an icy gaze at the advisor responsible for the guards, making him shrivel up internally. The advisor in turn shot a glare at the guards which made them cringe.
"No matter, we shall talk about this later. Dolo, it's been a long time since we last spoke." The prisoner, still hanging by the arms of the guards raised his head, meeting Feidi's gaze. "Indeed it has been Feidi. I would say it's a pleasure, but I would be lying." Feidi let out a cold sneer and shook her head. "Yes, let's dispense with the false pleasantries. I shall be direct with you. I want two things. First is the location of Mundus's offspring. Second, are the patterns that you and Inpar discovered." Dolo's face contorted into a mask of rage, his eyes revealing such an intense hatred, as though they could render even the sun and moon asunder. "Don't you dare utter his name." Feidi laughed a hollow and despondent laugh. "Oh? So you're telling me what to do now? The way I see it, you're in no position to be making demands of me. Again, location of Mundus' child and the diagrams." Dolo sneered. "I will never tell you. Feidi showed an amused expression, as if she had been expecting this response all along. She motioned to one of the guards stationed next to a side door. The guard nodded and opened the door, revealing Paeon gagged and bound, held by another guard, who forced him into the hall. Feidi shot an expectant glance at Dolo. "Perhaps this will change things up a bit?" Panic flooded Dolo's mind, as he gritted his teeth.