Chapter 81 - Old Acquaintances - Pt.2

“Have you seen anything going in and out of that bunker?” Illias said.

Wrenna looked at him with pursed lips, her eye narrowing before she nodded, “I don’t care about the stuff going in, just if things come out. A long cart, six bullocks. Four sealed long crates, handled very carefully.”she said, before looking to Lili.

“I followed them to the docks, they were unpacked and loaded onto a frigate, dark sails.” Lili said, “They looked like long cylinders with fins at one end and a sharp tip at the other.”

Illias nodded, “Selera managed to shield the Fiddle, but we still lost the main mast.”

“Another failed in flight. But the last two…Selera.” Illias’s face blanched slightly.

“We heard the thunder here, like a lightening storm approaching in the distance.” Wrenna said, “Where is the Fiddle now?”

Illias met her eyes, “In the middle of the Dragon’s Breath, Alletair will make dock at sunrise, while the breath still hangs heavy.”

Wrenna’s eyes hardened, “You know how the Enclave is about magic and anyone not human, there will be trouble. It will give them an excuse to purge the city of the elder folk.”

He spread his hands on the table, “They attacked us, Wrenna. I saw money change hands in a bar dockside. One of the cloaked officials from the Enclave and three captains. You saw them loading tech, the same tech that was aimed at us. They set us up.”

“I know you are angry Illias, but as long as everyone…” Wrenna stopped as he lifted a finger.

“Survived? Is that what you mean to say? If everyone survived, don’t make a mess in the city? I owe too much to Alletair. I can’t have him take up his armour. I saw the look in his eyes, that same despair. I owe him, Wrenna. The least I can do is do what I couldn’t for so long.” Illias said through gritted teeth.

Wrenna looked at him, confused, “What are you speaking of, Illias? I have known both of you for a long time. I could never understand why he would always ignore your moods and… You are a gifted battle-mage gone to ruin. No matter how many times I asked, he wouldn’t tell me. Lord Septye also has a particular interest in you that I just don’t understand.” she met his eyes, “Now you sit here in garb I have never seen before, talking of things I am not aware of. I’m getting older, going grey, Illias. Hurry it up, I am not so long-lived like you.”

Illias reached for a wand and slipped it from its holster, handing it to her butt first.

“What does the symbol mean to you?” he asked.

Wrenna inspected the wand, made of a strange type of metal that shimmered in the low light. She glanced at him before scrutinising the butt of the handle, angling it toward the light. Rotating the wand, she looked again, squinting slightly.

“The crest of Aldal…” she looked up at him, “This is the crest of the Aldaliss. The order was reformed a couple of years ago.”

Wrenna placed it in Lili’s outstretched hand, the elf looked at it carefully, “That is the brand on your back, Illias.”

Wrenna stared at him hard and stood, her fists on the table, “You tell me now, for years both of you have been so damned tight-lipped. Now Illias!” she said, her voice coming out as a taut whisper.

Illias shook his head, “I was once known as the Bloodborn of Aldaliss.”

The colour drained from Wrenna’s face, “The order was destroyed in battle a few decades before I was born.” she whispered, her eyes on him, “If you are… Then that would mean. Gods. Alletair.”

She swallowed hard, a pained expression in her eye, “Has he told her?”

“He promised, soon.”

Wrenna nodded slowly, “What happened? Was his missus hurt? The children?”

“Selera destroyed our attackers, but the twins. They are gone.” he said quietly, watching as her lips pursed and her frown growing deeper.

“Gone?”

“Spirited away to who knows where. Some type of magical device, like the one that Septye is looking for. We are heading for our best bet, the Academy of Spyres.” he tapped his finger on the table.

“It is not our intent to join with the Enclave in battle, but we are prepared to defend ourselves to the utmost. Selera will approach the Chancellor in the morning, and then retrieve her materials and possessions while the crew fits our spare mast. We will leave for home before the sun sets.”

“You are really here to warn us, aren’t you?” Wrenna said.

Illias nodded, “Just us returning to port will give the Enclave enough of an excuse to start a purge within days of our departure. A whorehouse with no whores that only caters to approved clients only? You won’t stand a chance once they make you open the front door.”

Wrenna kept her eye on him, wincing slightly, “What are you proposing?”

“Withdraw your people and leave with us.”

“I have orders, Illias. I can’t just shut shop and leave because of a slim possibility.” she said.

“Then contact my father in law and tell him that I suggested it.” said Illias.

Wrenna stared at him, her brows knitting further, the scar bunching, “Your, father…?”

Lili glanced at him, a sad smile on her lips as Wrenna continued to glare at him.

“Septye, contact him. Tell him that Illias has finally come to his senses.” he said, reaching into a pocket of his vest and drawing out a folded piece of paper.

He looked at Lili, “Return with me to the Fiddle, I can’t assure your safety if you remain.”

“I have seen paintings. Do I remind you of her?” Lili asked quietly.

Illias’s eyes narrowed.

“Is that why you always treat me so delicately?” she asked, her eyes on him.

Wrenna shook her head, “Lili, no, not now, go, I will discuss this with you later.”

Lili gave him one more hurt look before leaving, quickly slipping out of the room. Wrenna fixed him with a stare after glancing at the door.

Illias shook his head, “Before you ask, no, it is not…”

“You’re still a bastard, Illias. You may have been regal before, but you have loathed yourself for too long to change your image at a whim with others. She’s a damaged kid, I warned her that you were no good.”

“You can say what you want, believe what you want, Lili is nothing like her, Wrenna. I am done with hiding, my offer and warning is genuine.” he said while sliding the paper over to her, “The Crimson Demon of Aldaliss, do you know where he is?”

She looked at the map, then back at him, “This is the coast, do you expect me to mark it as if I knew he was there? He could be anywhere.”

Illias breathed deeply, “He has the Demon’s Thread, he already has Sialin’s seal on his chest. We could track him down the easy way, but our homing pigeon is unfortunately unresponsive and unconscious.”

“The Crimson Demon of Aldaliss has the… The fyrelf and him?” Wrenna said with a curious expression.

He chuckled darkly, “Maybe I am a bastard; I saw his mark on her when she roughed me up and threw me overboard. Alletair confirmed it.”

“Alletair confirmed it? Are you sure, the Crimson Demon? From what I hear, he is not to be trifled with and his partner in the Order… She is a real piece of work.”

“He has a partner, a ‘she’?” Illias said with raised brow.

Wrenna nodded, “One is not seen without the other, I don’t know much about her, not even her name or title. But I have heard tales that makes my half-dwarven blood run ice cold. She’s a caster and she’s ruthless.’

He chuckled to himself, “Well, at least we know he’ll be able to handle Sialin’s temper.”

She slid the paper back to him, “I can’t help you. The last I heard, he was at the Spyres. And that was at least three months ago. It is news to me that he is near the coast, and here of all places. What would the Order be interested in out here, in this human infested hell hole?”

Illias shrugged slightly, shaking his head, “He is here, Sialin has been constantly singing and watching the coast like a lovesick pup.”

Wrenna watched him, he eye on his, “The fyrelf threw you overboard? You must have said something stupid.”

“Obviously.” he said.

Wrenna stared at him, “You are stone-cold sober, no herbs either. I don’t ever remember seeing you this clear.”

“You haven’t, not once. If I would have been myself, this would not have happened.” he said quietly, reaching into his breast pocket and withdrawing a gold coin.

He placed it on the table and slid it to Wrenna, “Contact Septye, tell him the situation, he will agree. That should take care of the materials for a sending.”

Wrenna glanced at the coin, she quickly stood and moved to the door, checking before returning and whispering in his ear, “He is here. In the city. Midday he will meet with me. God’s, he won’t be happy that I kept quiet.”

Illias watched as she sat and resettled her semi-transparent gown, the flickering candlelight throwing alluring shadows.

He leaned over the table, his elbows resting on its top, “Where is he staying?”

She shook her head and shrugged, “I only found out yesterday. He wants me to arrange passage on a ship I trust.” she said, her eye sharp, “If he is staying near to the docks, he will already know you are here.”

“Passage? To where?”

“Where you just came from.” she said quietly.

Illias stared, rubbing his jaw, thinking, “He wants to meet back up with the Crimson Demon, he is here for supplies and information. Gods. We need to re-rig and fast.”

“You thinking of running?” she asked, an eyebrow raised.

He shook his head, a smile on his face, “No. Get your people prepared to pull out. Have them ready at dawn. The Enclave would not dare touch him, and if they did…”

Wrenna looked at Illias’s cold smile in concern.

“He will kill them all.” Illias said quietly.

Shadow of the Eclipse: Chapter Timeline

(Click to enlarge in new tab)