Chapter 136

Caelin Yor Baradin

The newcomer introduced himself as Caelin Yor Baradin, an itinerant Elf who was down on his luck. As he had lost his mount while traveling the road to a snake bite.

“It would take me hours to return to the last town. Especially when the sky had already grown dark. Thankfully I saw your fire and I dared myself to approach,” the man said with a handsome smile. “And to my luck, it is the infamous Lady Steelheart and her party! And not bandits who are hungry for my body.”

The Elf said jokingly. His words were not without point, however. For indeed he was handsome, with a swashbuckling demeanor about him. He had curly green locks, a pair of slanted oval blue eyes, and a jaw that you could cut a diamond with. Despite being technically of the same race, Illumca had never seen an Elf before.

He was garbed in a tanned leather coat that covered a white shirt, from which Martell could spot a hint of chainmail within. His trousers and boots were travel-worn. And strapped to his back was a well-made bow and a sword of high quality.

“You know of us?” Martell said.

“Well, it’s hard not to. I was only in the Capital for two days, but rumors about your party are abound!” the man said jovially. “But um…may I ask, if I did something to offend you, Miss Centaur?”

“I just have some…bad experiences with Elves,” she said bluntly. “No, not with Dark Elves, Illumca.”

“Ah, yes,” the man said with an understanding sigh. “I understand your apprehension. But I assure you, I am not like them. For one, I have already been exiled from my tribe for even daring to go out into the world!” Caelin guffawed.

“You are a jolly fellow, aren’t you?” Nick raised an eyebrow.

“Really? I think this is quite normal,” the Elf said as he bit into the bread Martell had given him. “Ah, yes. I’ve been meaning to ask you. Did any of you ever meet a very tall man accompanied by a woman? His height is about 2 meters. The man had a hunched back and the woman had long brown hair.” the Elf said as he rummaged around his bag and handed them a piece of thick paper with a man in an exotic ceremonial garb painted upon it. He then gave another with the picture of a plain-looking woman with long hair and a bored look.

“The man’s name is Rhoddes and the woman is Dhani. They are my companions.”

“But there’s no face in the drawing here. Just a cloth over his face,” Nick said when he saw the picture.

Akula’s brows raised in wonder. “Wait. Is your friend an Anukaran Nankhudi?”

“What is that?” Connie asked, unfamiliar with the term.

“Nankhudis worships the Dark-Mother Anukara. It is an old and terrible religion. Its followers believe that in darkness lie peace. And in death lie hope,” Akula spoke with a tone of awe. “The birth of their believers is mourned, and their deaths are celebrated. MyGreat Uncle had the fortune to have been laid to rest by a Nankhudi Priest. He was maimed in the stomach by three spears and still managed to kill one of his attackers before dying. It was a good death,” Akula spoke in respect.

“That is…pretty morbid,” Illumca commented at hearing the Tonsulde’s reminiscence. To which Akula merely scoffed.

“It was a great burial,” the Centaur said proudly. “We feasted on meat and drank wine for three days in his honor. His three wives and seven children were very proud.”

“I…was actually talking about the Nankhudi,” Illumca said.

“Haha, Despite how it sounds like, it is actually a peaceful religion. Aside from their tendency to self-harm and gloomy personality, they are decent people,” Caelin gave his comment. “It is even said that the burial of Kings and Queens must have a Nankhudi Priest to preside over it. To ensure that their souls are not taken to Sud-Ghazid,” he chuckled. “Of course, this was many hundred years ago. It is an antiquated practice. And there are no longer that many Nankhudi anymore. Just as there aren’t a lot of Thalamut worshippers.”

“Anyways, we’ve made arrangements to meet in the Capital, but the Guild there said that they had accepted a Quest in Greyvault in Arlaine.”

“A Quest? So, they are Hunters?” Martell inquired.

“Indeed. We are in a party together. We happen to be quite famous in the Eastern part of Calendia,” Caelin sighed. “It is rare for him to go off without saying anything to me. So, I was quite perplexed.”

“Greyvault, eh? We are heading there ourselves,” Nick said. He glanced at Connie, asking for her thoughts. Connie sipped on her wine and spoke. “You can travel with us if you want.”

“That would be great!” Caelin said with a slap on his thigh. “Much thanks, Lady Steelheart.”

“Well, now that that’s settled, we should all get some rest. Tomorrow, we wake early.”

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The next morning, they all had some cold leftover meat and some bread for breakfast before leaving for Greyvault.

They passed a few villages along the way. Their conditions were rather dismal, and they saw that there were quite a few men who were laying in front of their houses with vacant eyes. Their bodies looked thin and malnourished. This scene was not isolated in one village either, prompting Akula to ask a woman who was passing her about them. However, she did not manage to utter a word before a man came out from one of the houses and dragged her in.

“Don’t take it personally. Arlaine is not a prosperous land. So the people are warier of outsiders,” Caelin said to her.

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The five of them, six including the itinerant Elf, arrived before the gate of Greyvault just before lunch. The Centaur marveled at the town which was built on the foot of a mountain; half of which was built upwards as if challenging any daring attackers to try it.

Unlike the small town of Gouthe, Greyvault had proper fortifications made from local stones. The style of which seemed to be older than the one in Courandhel. Built for practical purposes rather than style.

While they were queueing behind a short line of carts trying to enter the town, Martell noticed that the wooden gate that served as its main entrance had its sides rounded from years of use. It did not have the imposing look of the Brookspire Gate, but he saw that it had seen its fair amount of fights, judging by the marks left upon its surface.

“Next!”

There were four guards posted before the gate. After waving them over, they all stared at Akula, not knowing how to react.

“Is that…a Centaur?” one of them whispered. “First time I’ve seen one.”

The man who waved them over gestured to Nick arrogantly. “Open the door. We need to inspect the carriage!”

“What?! That’s unacceptable - !”

Nick was about to complain when the carriage door swung open. “Is this enough, sir?”

The guard’s eyes widened and he tried to swallow his spit when he saw the people inside. There were a Beastfolk, two Elves, and a young girl sitting inside. All of them were exceedingly handsome and beautiful. The Guard, who was used to more homely looking people, quickly regained his wits after the surprise and said. “Y – you need identification papers to enter.”

“I don’t know that we need one,” Nick said with a frown. “Is this standard procedure?”

“Mayor’s order! Anyone who wants to enter Greyvault must provide proper identification papers!”

“And where…do we get this identification paper?” Connie asked from inside the Carriage.

The guards looked at each other and smirked. “Well, if you don’t have one. Perhaps we can arrange for another type of identification paper,” Nick noticed the guard was shaking a coin pouch discreetly. He groaned in response.

“Ah, they expect lubricants,” Caelin rubbed his forefinger and thumb together as he looked out from within the carriage. “Life in this part of Calendia is not easy for coinless men. Let me pay for us.”

“They are asking for money to let people inside. Shameless bastards!” Akula cried foul.

“Now, now, Zalkhin Altanghazar. We are not here to make enemies…” Martell tried to calm the Centaur down. He then looked at Connie warily. “…are we?”

“Indeed. Indeed, we aren’t,” Connie smiled. Caelin shuddered when he saw that smile. “Give them their coins, Martell. Including our Elven friend’s part. And add a Silver Coin each for them to keep mum.”

The guard outside became irate from the slow response. But his face suddenly brightened when Martell came over and handed him a sizeable pouch. “And one silver each for your silence.”

With a bright smile, they were allowed in with no further disturbance.

“Strange. You are a Lady of a Duke House, Lady Steelheart. Why not show them your stature? They would fall head over heels to serve you.”

“I have my reasons, mister Caelin.”

And the Elf did not ask anymore. He had seen much to see that the person before him was not what she seemed.

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Once they entered the town, Caelin got down from the Carriage and bowed thankfully to them.

“This is where I take my leave, Lady Steelheart, and companions. Although it was woefully short, I had a pleasant time. If you are still in the area after, please do visit me in the Hunter’s Guild.”

“I hope you find your friends, Caelin. Farewell.”

“Thank you for your kindness. Farewell.”

When the Elf was gone, the Carriage moved once again. Its wooden wheels clattered against the paved road.

“…the Elf is right, Connie,” Illumca inquired. “Why did you not use your authority? It would be far easier for us then.”

“Indeed, it would. But that would alarm the local government, won’t it? And we won’t be able to see how the town really is.”

“As for the coins we wasted on the guards in front of the gate?” the blonde-haired girl chuckled. “Think of them as severance pay.”

“Those guys don’t know the noose they’ve tied on their own neck,” Martell shrugged. “By the way, Mistress. Have you noticed? There are people here and there that looked the same as those we saw before. Sallow eyes, skinny body, and a vacant stare.”

“The people don’t seem to be bothered by it,” Illumca added. “It isn’t normal.”

Suddenly, the carriage pulled into an abrupt stop. Connie fell face-first into the wonderful cushion that was Illumca’s bosom, and a scent of sandalwood entered her nostrils. Martell had no such luck and bumped his head on the wooden door.

“Ouch! Why are we stopping?” Martell growled angrily.

“Trouble on the road!” he heard Nick’s loud voice from the coach seat.

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On the road, a disheveled woman had been pushed to the ground by a thuggish man. With him were two unsavory-looking men with nasty beards.

“Mom!” a small boy came over to the woman and tried to help her up.

“My husband!” the woman cried. “Give me back my husband!”

“I told you, I don’t know where your husband is! You crazy woman!”

“You lie! I saw your men with him before he was gone!!”

“Shut your mouth, woman!” the man roared as he came at her with a sword. Her son tried to protect her but was easily swatted away by him.

“Did you put a hand on a child?!” Akula came running once she saw this scene and slapped the man away. Unfortunately for him, even Akula’s casual slap could break bones. He was flung into a nearby stall. His nose was bloody and broken.

“You bastard!!” His followers came running at Akula, but Connie had kicked one on the leg so hard it snapped in twain with a nasty crunch. While the other suffered a kick from Akula’s rear legs, sending him literally flying across the road and crashing into a window.

Just then, guardsmen came running over to the scene. To Connie and her companion’s surprise, they did not take the thugs into custody and instead were surrounding them.

“Stop this at once!!” the leader shouted.

The leading thug crawled over from where he had fallen and laughed while holding onto her broken nose. “Haha! That’s what ‘ou get for puttin’ ‘our hands on me!!”

“Oho…I see,” Connie instantly understood what was happening and gestured to Illumca, who had taken the chance to stealthily take the mother and daughter away to safety using her newly raised Presence Concealment Skill.

Connie and Akula alone could have devastated the guards as easily as flipping their hands. But to Akula’s surprise, she simply raised her arms and then shouted with a calm voice.

“I surrender!”

The Centaur was confused by this decision. But when she saw her winking, she decided to follow suit and surrendered to the guards.

“Whoa, whoa! I surrender too!” Nick raised his arms hurriedly when he saw spears being waved threateningly at him.

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“Why are they surrendering?!” Martell almost cried out in frustration as he ran behind Illumca. He had escaped from the guards while they were busy trying to capture Connie and Akula. His size and habit made it quite easy to do.

“Connie must have a plan. For now, we must take these two away,” she looked behind and saw a few men following behind them.

“Ugh, some of the guards are actually competent,” Martell swore. “I like them soft and pathetic like the ones in Cairula!”

As they were rounding a corner, a figure, clad in a long brown coat called upon them from behind a storefront. Without wasting any time, Illumca and Martell dove inside the storefront before a curtain was pulled down and two old men came out and placed a makeshift table in front of the store.

“Hey, old men! Did you see two people running this way?!” the guards asked them.

The old men pointed to the left with their pipes lazily. To which direction the guards continued their pursuit.

Illumca watched the guards through the gap between the curtains until she was sure that they were gone before addressing the person who helped them.

“Who are you? Why did you help us?”

“I suppose you could say that…we have a mutual friend.” The figure said as she took off her hood, revealing a pair of mismatched Beastfolk ears of ginger and white. Her mischievous smile did not inspire any confidence in Illumca.

“My name is…Henri-Artur. Charmed, I’m sure.”