With the request filled out, the group separated into two teams: Lyra’s party would head to Featherwynd with Sly, Aurora, and Malakyh. Team Two consisted of Cassandra, Tierney, and Alivier to defeat the Fiends who were disrupting the beacon signals.
“We'll meet back at the guild tomorrow morning. It will least take us half a day to get back,” Lyra told Cassandra and her group.
“No worries there. Stay safe, everyone.”
The two groups departed east and west to their respective destination.
As Lyra and her party traveled back to Raven Country, unbeknownst to them, they were being watched by two Sovran’s.
“Well, well, looks like they've separated their group. It would make things more fun ruffling their feathers a bit.”
Raelina, Sovran #12's Death Mistress, was perched in a tree and hidden among the forest leaves. She wasn't alone either. Sitting perched on a branch, legs swinging, was Sovran #11, the Southern Belladonna.
“As long as I get to play with Sly again! We didn't finish our last encounter, but now Lyra Ashbourne is with them!”
Raelina pursed her painted red lips together. Shaking her head at the jubilant child. “Calm yourself, Bella. You're starting to sound like The Trickster.”
She pouted. Her arms crossed over her chest. “Least Finn is fun!”
She sighed. “Why on earth would Walsh assign me to work with this child?”
“That's not nice! Say you're sorry, or I'll get Blackthorn.”
She smirked. “He's a bit indisposed at the moment, but no matter, let's hurry so we can catch up with them.”
“Mmph. Fine. When is the other girl going to join? I want someone my age to play with.”
“Dear child, you sure ask many questions, don't you? But it'll be soon, just wait...”
They zipped through the tree lines to stay at a distance from their target.
•†•
When they reached Featherwynd, it was already afternoon. The quaint village was beautiful. The cottages were aligned on each side with a wide berth from one another. The surrounding area had colorful orange and pink trees that gave the afternoon glow an idyllic feel as if it came from a painting.
Yet, even as they walked across the curved bridge over a flowing stream, something seemed off about the environment.
“Do you sense anything?” Sly asked Malakyh if there were hostile forces or spirits in their presence.
“None. But something isn't right. I can feel it,” he told her. His eyes darted around him.
Sly nodded. “Agreed. It's too quiet as well.”
“Stay near me, Aurora.” Lyra had a dimly lit Riftblade at the ready in case anything happened.
As they entered the village, someone ran to them in the distance. They tightened in formation, unaware of the presence, but on closer inspection, the person who started getting closer was a woman, and she looked frightened.
Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.
She fell to the ground. Malakyh reached her first, making sure she didn't need healing. She was whimpering, but her long, mousy hair covered her face.
“Ma'am, if you aren't injured,” Sly firmly but patiently asked the weeping. “Can you please tell us the state of what happened here? We're Locksmiths here to help.”
“L-Locksmiths? Yes. Yes. Help. There were some other Locksmiths that had come to help, too.”
Sly and Lyra gave the other a look. There was no doubt that she referred to the Locksmiths who went missing. The only thing that mattered now was what danger was ahead.
“Ma'am, I know you are terrified, but we need to know what is ahead to prepare accordingly. What happened to the people here?”
She was still weeping. She still had not looked at her.
“Everyone… they all started to act funny and…and…their eyes. Their eyes were distant and cloudy. They were lethargic and became manic so suddenly, I barely escaped an inch of my life.” She trembled as she tried to recall what had happened to the town.
“She’s traumatized. I don't think she can recall anything else without it putting strain on her.” Malakyh guessed. “I can try a basic healing spell, but she'll need medical attention.”
“It's that Apathy illness,” Lyra said. “The way she talked about feeling ill, how they looked and acted before and after the Apathy took over. “It could be an Altar in place.”
“Or a very powerful Rift summoning a Magycte Beast,” Sly took another guess. “Whatever the issue, we need to find the other Locksmiths and civilians who need saving. Malakyh? Can we count on you to heal this woman enough and head in our direction for any fight, or should we close a Rift from the inside of an Altar while you close the outside?”
“Can do, Sly. Leave it to me.”
“W-What about me? What can I do? I wanna help, too.” Aurora pleaded with them. Again, Lyra and Sly exchanged looks. She might have been capable, but she was still an untrained newbie.
“For now, just stay close behind me and watch my six. Can I trust you to watch my back, Aurora? This is very important if something otherworldly takes shape. You and Malakyh were the only ones to dispel it the last time successfully.”
Aurora gripped her hands together. Her head bobbed once. Determination filled her eyes. “R-Right. I can do that!”
“And don't push yourself either,” Sly added. “Even if Lyra and I are surrounded, or the worst comes to worst, do not intervene. You run, and you get help. That's a direct order. That's what it means to be a part of a team.”
“I-I understand. Yes. I won't take risks.”
“Alright, once we're ready to go, let's move forward. Malakyh, we'll meet you then.”
“Understood.”
Once ready, they continued into town, with Lyra taking the lead, Aurora behind her, and Sly at the rear.
Nothing was out of order until they heard a scream back where they had come.
“That's Malakyh!” Lyra exclaimed. She was about to return to help him when a black Nightshade materialized from the ground, and the purple miasma gas filtered the air.
Lyra gritted her teeth. “It’s Miasma.” She pulled a piece of cloth from her and around her mouth. “Don't inhale it in.” Her order was directed at Aurora. Sly had already donned a cloth to her face.
From the smoke-filled Miasma, an amalgamation of abnormal creatures fused together, with protruding blue crystals coming out of their bodies. They formed from the mist, blocking their way.
“Hmm, these Fiends don't look normal. They've somehow mutated with the Curse.”
“Hmph, the last time Nightshade and Miasma showed up was when an Altar appeared.” Lyra crouched in a fight stance. “But why do I get the feeling there is no Altar here? The Apathy Illness is one thanks to the strength of the Curse. As long as that Astral Contract is active, the Curse can do anything within the realms of possibility.”
“And the possibility of that Codex and Deimos’ Power is beyond possibility,” Sly agreed.
“Look, something is out there!” Aurora pointed out.
Also emerging from the shadows were humanoid figures walking discombobulated.
“Those are people…” Lyra gasped. “But… something isn't right with them.”
Sly sucked in a breath as she recognized two of the humans with distant and cloudy eyes: Earl and Reilly. Ginny was nowhere to be found.
“Those are your Locksmith friends, Sly? I recognize the emblem. They're completely out of it, too?”
Though it was painful, Sly nodded. There was no time to get emotional. To help them, they would need to dispel the nightshade miasma to weaken the Apathy in its hosts.
“The Fiends are getting smart. More strategic. They know we won't hurt them if they use humans as shields.”
Lyra frowned. “That's just foul, even for them. So what are we going to do?”
Through panicked decision-making and the lurking creatures coming closer, using the civilians as shields, Aurora got an idea.
“I have an idea!” They looked at her. “Why don't we use their Apathy to our advantage? Let's put them to sleep. We can use Essentia for that!”
Sly smirked. “Not a bad idea, kid.”
Lyra grinned. Ruffling her hair with one hand. “Good idea, Aurora. That's thinking like a Locksmith.”
Aurora grinned at the praise. Now, it was time to put it into action.