Chapter Eighteen - Heroes

5 Seleszeni 10.076 Z.C., Late Afternoon

Nadine stared wide-eyed out the window of the carriage at the rich and privileged elite of Ravnica’s Tenth District, queued up to enter Senator Orric’s exclusive party. Lilla studied the awestruck look on her face, then the ostentatious architecture of the Precinct One ballroom hosting them.

The ride up here took almost an hour, most of it waiting in line for the vehicle lift to clear, and then sitting on the lift as the streets and skybridges shrank below them. She spent most of her life in the rubblebelt, or walking the mid-level of the city proper, the horizon always shrouded by brush or buildings. But this high up, the empty skyline emphasized the imposing height of the ballroom, whose spires scraped the clouds. She felt like all the world was beneath her feet.

And they’re all here for me, Lilla thought, a smug smile spreading across her face as she surveyed the line. Only a few weeks in and I’ve already climbed this high. It’s about time someone recognized my greatness!

A human footman opened the door of the carriage, handing them down. As they joined the ranks of the elite, Lilla partook the sweet, purified air of Ravnica’s uppermost hive. It tasted even better than a clear rubblebelt morning, which even in winter carried enough pollen to agitate her sinuses. I belong here, she resolved, fighting her own memories. And soon, they’ll accept me.

She hesitated as Nadine started up the grand entry stairs, packed with the senator’s cosmopolitan associates. Their smiles, so liberated and carefree ... just like his smile. Just like Jin’s. He still haunted her. She did belong here, once upon a time, during that whirlwind summer with him. And they would both still be here, if only he hadn’t been taken from her.

Lilla felt her fingers curl into fists, counting her breaths as she pushed away another memory, this time of the gleaming engagement ring hidden in his coat pocket the night she found him dead. Suicide, the Azorius lawmages said, after interrogating her for three straight days; as if she would kill her beloved.

No. Not now. Her time with Jin felt like a halcyon dream. That summer she ran away from what Boulder Tooth did to her parents, whiling away the innocence of childhood before committing herself to vengeance. But she couldn’t just ignore her past anymore, she’d sacrificed too much to get this far.

As an outsider, an impostor in their midst, they wouldn’t even recognize her. They couldn’t hurt her. She wouldn’t let them, not again.

Nadine paused and, noticing her shieldmate lagging, threw an expectant glance over her shoulder. Her brow furrowed, eyes questioning Lilla’s enigmatic expression. Emptying her mind, the vedalken smoothed the scowl from her face and smiled. Nadine did not look reassured, even as Lilla hurried to rejoin her.

“You okay?” she whispered, looping her arm through Lilla’s.

“Sorry, I was just thinking about how much I hate those Rakdos thugs who attacked the parade. They almost killed me!” Lilla half-lied, and Nadine rolled her eyes.

“Yeah, but look where those jokers got us!”

Once inside, small bubbles of glittering, high-class gentry mingled in an open-air courtyard, while servers weaved through them with deft grace. A human server offered them sparkling wines in mastercraft glass flutes. Nadine helped herself to one and handed Lilla another, giving a flirty thanks and smile to the handsome young man before standing on tiptoe to look around for a familiar face. Lilla didn’t mind Nadine’s incessant hunt for Mav this time. After all, he wouldn’t be here tonight.

She took in the decor and the obvious wealth of the partygoers, keeping an eye open for any ravenous fans. That O-whatever guy might show up at any time. Gross, Lilla mused, taking a sip of her wine. The blend of flavors transported her to a place far away from all the stresses of the moment. She closed her eyes, savoring the blissful taste. Finally, a moment to myself… Ugh, why does the barracks have to stink so bad?

She opened her eyes to discover Nadine watching her and grinning.

“What?”

“I don’t think I’ve seen you this relaxed before,” Nadine admitted. “It’s nice.”

Lilla took another deep breath of purified air, picking up traces of expensive perfumes from the crowd. Way better than the smelly barracks.

“I’m just glad I was there to save the senator,” she sighed, content. “Soldiering is usually such thankless work, it’s nice to be appreciated for once.”

Nadine laughed. “No need to waste the speech on me, I’ve heard it enough. But yeah, after a few thankless weeks as a squire and initiate, it’s nice to unwind. Thanks again for inviting me, this is great.”

For the most part, the other attendees also clustered together in the small groups they came with, speaking in hushed tones. A few veteran carousers toured the courtyard, plucking handfuls of delicacies from serving trays while comparing their thoughts on the bite-sized dishes with whomever stood nearest.

Lilla and Nadine stood in companionable silence for several minutes, sipping their wine and letting their senses come alive with the sights, smells, and sounds of the party warming up around them. A charged energy built up in the air, invigorating all present. Before long, Lilla noticed Nadine’s posture shift to an expectant one again, her finger sliding up and down the stem of her glass as she resumed her vigil for Mav.

Scanning the crowd herself, Lilla spotted a few other faces she recognized from the parade. The old Azorius minister who accompanied Senator Orric approached from the entryway, followed by his flaxen family. Lilla noticed Rafiel tagging along too - he and Bron seemed inseparable. She nudged Nadine with her elbow, trying to look cool and casual as she smiled and waved to them.

The parents, who either didn’t see or didn’t care, beelined to another well-dressed group of Azorius ministers. The pretty blonde who owed Lilla her life smiled and waved back, but followed her parents to hobnob with the politicians. Behind her Bron rolled his eyes; Lilla almost missed the movement of his lips as he muttered something under his breath to Rafiel.

Oh well, Lilla resigned. Earlier she visualised the family regaling Nadine with her heroics as she beamed with pride, her story proven right. Maybe the daughter would come over and say something, she witnessed Lilla’s injury first-hand, after all.

But instead, Bron and Raf split off from the group, heading in the girls’ direction. Lilla’s sweet smile faded and her eyes narrowed, sizing them up. Mav wouldn’t tell her about the secret mission she couldn’t go on, arrogant tryhard. But these two, they might crack if she applied the right pressure.

Nadine smiled and curtseyed when Lilla introduced her, before peeping over their shoulders to scan the new arrivals.

“You ladies look nice tonight,” Bron offered after the introductions, quite sharp himself in an Azor-blue suit that brought out the gold in his blond hair. “Do you always stand so close to the refreshments table?”

Wait, what is that supposed to mean? As if intuiting, Raf opened his mouth to answer, and Lilla saw Bron kick his companion in the calf. The tall elf-hybrid closed his mouth, his face twisting perturbed frustration. Lilla hoped Nadine would fire off a witty comeback, but doubted it based on her thousand-yard stare.

“Welcome, friends!” Lilla jumped as a loud voice boomed nearby, whirling to face a large human, already beside them with hands outspread. How did such a big man sneak up on them? She recognized him now as the senator’s incognito bodyguard from the parade. What was his name? Yakyak?

“Glad you could make it! Now, come along to the VIP lounge,” he invited with a broad smile, heavy brown hands clamping down on Bron and Raf’s shoulders. “You all ought to be properly introduced to everyone. We have a welcoming ceremony planned to start soon. Now, if you’ll follow me…” Bron frowned at the thick, oily fingers wrinkling his pressed suit.

“It’s a bit soon to separate us from the festivities, but then, if there is an itinerary, lead the way,” Bron replied for the group, puffing up his chest like a songbird. Rather than leading, Yarik smiled wider and gestured to the back of the courtyard with the hand he removed from Raf’s shoulder, almost forcing Bron ahead with his other hand. Lilla smiled, amused by this interaction.

“Who’s he?” Nadine whispered, eyeing the large man. Lilla opened her mouth to respond, but before she could, he spoke for himself.

“Ismaele. Yarik Ismaele. At your service, Miss …?” he trailed off with charismatic timing, opening the floor for Nadine to supply her name.

“Stoutheart,” she answered with a nervous smile, her fingers tightening around the delicate stem of the wine glass.

Lilla glanced back at Yarik, considering his self-perceptions and how she could use them. After so much time in the Gruul, around hulking giants, minotaurs, and centaurs, his size didn’t intimidate her at all. She reckoned from his confident posture he was used to being the biggest human in the room, and Nadine wasn’t immune to his brutish presence. Even without the bulk of his armor, his shoulders loomed broad behind Raf and Bron. He might even make Mav seem lean.

Yarik again insisted they go, his deep voice carrying over the chatter as he nodded towards a small cottage in the back of the courtyard. Lilla and Nadine exchanged shrugs, but led the way. Before long, they arrived at a subtle door tucked into a shady corner of the building. Lilla stopped, looking around.

“When the ceremony starts, it’s only a short walk from here to the stage for your awards,” Yarik explained, motioning toward a nearby ramp leading up to the speaker’s podium. Satisfied, Lilla nodded and waited for one of the boys to open the door.

The cottage, although plain on the outside, featured extravagant decor within, including plush furnishings and a table overflowing with refreshments, all of the finest quality. Nadine moaned as she looked around the lavish room. I should have this every day, Lilla thought, pushing Nadine inside. They tested and jumped onto the comfiest of the couches, while Bron introduced Raf to the expensive and exclusive food and drink offered to them.

Lilla eyed Yarik with wary suspicion as he reached between them, taking a beverage for himself before settling into a comfortable armchair near the door.

“Are you being awarded a medal, too?” she probed. Yarik shrugged.

“Just doing my job,” he demurred.

“... there’s weird algae doesn’t mean the Golgari are involved,” Bron asserted from the refreshments table, his voice clear and audible in the quiet room. He glanced up from his would-be private conversation with Rafiel, flushing.

Lilla looked over with interest. Is this about the secret mission?

“What algae?” she asked, looking at Rafiel. He opened his mouth to answer when Bron interrupted, taking no shame in changing the subject.

“It’s not important. But who else thinks it was the real Rocman at the Guildpact Day parade? The article in the Beacon didn’t confirm or deny it,” Bron pivoted, cutting off Raf’s long-winded explanation of the algae before it began.

Lilla shrugged. “I don’t know much about Roman, but who really cares in the end? I mean, he sounds pretty cool, and someone needs to keep those crazy Rakdos under control.” As Lilla spoke, a human woman slipped into the room, walked over to Yarik and leaned down to murmur something in his ear. Lilla strained to catch the words.

“... guests have arrived. We are about to get started.”

Yarik nodded but didn’t move, unfazed by her news. Lilla looked at Nadine as she finished speaking, noting her aloof expression.

“Are your brains broken?” Nadine spat, taking a cordial sip of her drink. “There isn’t a real Rocman to begin with, so how could this wannabe be the real one? Besides, wasn’t Mav the one who saved your life?” she retorted with a sniff. “He’s a real hero.”

Strutting over to sprawl across another one of the couches, Bron snorted. “Who even cares what that shirtless barbarian thinks - if he thinks,” he scoffed, his voice laced with bravado and a hint of jealousy. Nadine stared at him like a gorgon petrifying a trespasser.

“Wait, when was Mav shirtless?” she asked, a little too eager. Lilla sighed, tired of her friend’s overzealous infatuation.

“Oh, you know, during our secret mission infiltrating the Gruul,” Bron bragged, with canny awareness of the spotlight shifting to him. He spread his legs and lounged back on the sofa.

Now’s my chance. Lilla considered how best to pry information out of the Azorius dandy without arousing suspicions.

“When is Mav coming, by the way?”

Nadine’s question caught her off guard. She’d dreaded this moment for days, and realized her facade slipped when Nadine’s face contorted with rage and betrayal.

The room went quiet, the men all sensing a change in the weather. Bron seemed miffed, muttering something under his breath as he checked his timepiece. Yarik cleared his throat and stood to refill his glass.

“Can I get you ladies anything to drink?” he offered in a dulcet tone as the girls stared each other down. Nadine appeared to calm a little once she remembered present company.

Lilla felt bad about concealing the truth, but she didn’t have a choice. Mav and Nadine were both stubborn as batterboars, and forced between a rock and a hard place like that, she chose to say nothing when the topic came up. But now she felt like she lied to one friend to spare another. Frowning, she turned back to Bron.

“Yeah right, like you infiltrated the Gruul,” she accused, ignoring Nadine for now. She’d come around. “A city boy like you would stick out like a sphinx in the clan.”

Bron sniffed, unimpressed, as Raf brought the platter of hybridized shrimp and sauce over to one of the armchairs, perching on its side as he dug in.

“I understand it may seem impossible to one of your meager station,” Bron fired back, at ease here, “but it’s quite simple to blend in with the unwashed masses when you give your servants the day off.” Lilla detected sarcasm in his dry tone.

“Anyways, getting in was child’s play. After scouting their camp, I decided infiltration was the best route, so I mixed up some warpaint out of dirt and clay to disguise myself as one of those treachers…” Lilla tuned out the bulk of his story, although she found the part about Bron riding a maaka to safety a little unbelievable.

“... And there you have it, mission accomplished, thanks to my quick thinking and selfless heroism. I’m sure Azor smiled on us when we defeated that bull-hydra, foul aberration of the wild!”

Lilla narrowed her eyes. His story seemed a little far-fetched. Plus, Mav would have told me about a hydra … Right? Raf’s face revealed nothing as he inhaled a steady supply of shrimp. She looked over her shoulder at Yarik, now hovering over the refreshments table. He shrugged.

“What were you doing in the Red Wastes anyways?” Nadine asked, still bitter.

Bron paused, thinking a little too hard to be composing a truthful reply. He started to speak when Nadine held up a hand, her head cocked to the side.

“Shhhhh, do you hear that?” she whispered. The room stilled, besides Yarik crunching on snacks.

“I said, shhh!” Nadine sounded a lot like her mother as she shushed Yarik with a menacing glare.

Lilla listened, raised voices and commotion filtered in from outside. But not the usual cheering one would expect at a party. Instead, they sounded like panicked shouts and screams.