“Sir artisan… Did you work with my brother before?”

“Indeed, lord Ano, I did. This was when I moved the atelier to Metarom for a few days, he appeared there and asked for a price for a portrait of himself to put in his chambers, but at the end something seemed off with the piece, so I ended up convincing him to let me stay with the painting, at no cost.”

“He sure likes crimson. I’m more of a burgundy man myself. What’s the price for a group piece?” Said Ano smiling and pointing at the group in the room.

“Four people, I believe… Maybe… I don’t really know, I’ve been in quite a creative block recently, so I’m afraid I’ll not be able to fulfil this request my lord.” Answered the man in a low tone voice, in an almost silent cry. “Anyways, will your group join me for some tea in the evening?”

“I don’t have a problem with it.” Said Anny.

“So it’s set, we will come back when the sun sets mr artisan.” Said Ano.

While Orm, Ano, and Anny left, Mehel stayed at the Atelier catching up with his old friend.

“My friend, are you still trying to find a cure for those eyes of yours?” Asked the old man, reaching for a cookie set in a plate over the centre table.

“Mehel, I… After I saw them, The Umbra I mean, I realised I may not be that different from them at all… That Ilkayin knight, and the young master from Orhim, they probably noticed this as well” Zilman then took off his blindfold, revealing his eyes to Mehel once more. “The black one… I feel it twitching in my skull every time I approach an Ilkayin, that old legend, Mehel, I fear that I may be part of that.”

“Two failed parts, making the great saviour of the fey people… Any clues on the other part, the other vessel I mean?”

“That man, the youngest of the Yerehm, something’s off. He may not be the other vessel, but I’m sure he knows about some legends of the fey. The return of the Ilkayinn god… What awaits us, Mehel?”

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“Hell’am. He will certainly come, and, if you’re a vessel, we need to get to know your true name, and quickly.”

“The Ahkhlédhree words are certainly a way to fight its influence on me, but my time draws near to the end, we need their help. Ano has potential, Eimany is very perceptive, and Orm… certainly the most powerful man I’ve seen in ages.”

“May the words of Zuhr protect you my friend, I’ll be at your side, and I’ll make sure they understand our situation, until then, why don’t we work on a new piece together? Like the old times.”

“Sure Mehel, but you’ll get the things.”

Zilman took the old cloth, and once again put it on his face. When Mehel arrived with a box of paints, vegetable oil, and a medium sized horizontal canvas, they started working on a new piece.

***

The group walked through the streets in search of a place to just relax, Ano really thought that the mission would be harder, but aside from the Leher’s Umbra, there was really nothing to worry about at that point.

The knight felt something shivering in the shadows, but it quickly went away.

The group soon made their way to the central park, where a bunch of street artists reunited, some doing musical performances, others painting portraits for a fee, the city felt so alive. Ano and Anny decided to get a portrait of both of them done by an old man who sat on a wooden bench next to some trees. It came out beautifully.

Orm also had some fun listening to the string quartet playing in the open auditorium, they played an old piece from the fey people “Oimek music, that’s rare, I thought only the ilkayinn showed themselves to humans nowadays.” interjected Ano.

“No young master, they are still present in some communities, but the stone elfs are really more reserved than us, the dark ones.”

“I see… So, do you have any stories for us Mr. knight?” said Anny, hearing their conversation from the side.

“Actually, there is an old tale I would like to tell you, about the ruler of the fey, the Hell’am.”

“I’ve never heard that before, is it elf tongue?” asked Ano.

“No, we don’t have much of a specific language, but we do use the Ahkhlédhree like the humans, but it’s more widespread. Hell’am means The ruler above in the zuhrian language, it’s said that he will be born from two ilkayinn women and two human men. Divided in two vessels, when they reunite, the ruler above will come back from his eternal slumber, and once again lead the fey to glory.”

“I see, but… why exactly did you want to tell us that?”

“I suspect Mr. Zilman to be one of the vessels.”