Chalter 26 - Part 2

"Hurry up! The day is still young and I am in need of some much deserved relief." Ad'hm called out at Danil that walked lazily admiring the city.

"I pray to all Creators and any shred of decency you have towards Then that you are referring to a good cold glass of ale." Danil said looking up to one of the stone homes of the commoner area, it had a small turret that hung over with a lovely small balcony that hung a few flowers overhead.

"The girl's no more than a sister." Ad'hm said under his breath.

"I'm certain that's not what she believes," Ad'hm jumped as he didn't expect Danil to close in so rapidly. "Or Araya for that matter." Danil smiled and walked passed leaving Ad'hm stunned in place.

"You need to learn how to mind your business."

"It's everyone's business when Then is telling everyone you two are lovers."

"I...I never!"

"Don't lie to mie, Ad'hm, you know how good I am a reading people. She's half your age. What were you thinking?" He shook his head in disapproval. "Oh! Look at that, that would make a great souvenir." Danil pointed to the big glass pane of a shop's display. It had a beautiful carving of the mistress of Elo'yn.

"Souvenir, you don't have anyone in your life aside for The Creators and his Imperial Majesty." Ad'hm laughed and looked through the window where Danil pointed.

"I have plenty of people in my life, I just don't make them everyone's business. Let's go inside." Danil pushed through the door.

"Welcome!" The vendor called from the counter. "Most detailed carvings clay, stone, wood, metal you name it!" The walls had vertical wooden shelves displaying all sorts of masterfully crafted pieces of art while tables of wears and knick knacks connected to the counter on top which an old till sat.

"Oh yeah? Who do you have?" Ad'hm asked mockingly, his cheeks dusted pink. He followed suit and started admiring the works along Danil.

"I have two beautiful daughters." He replied picking up a detailed bracelet of weaved silver, small florets were scattered across, each having a small green gem inside. "This would go perfectly with Gemea's eyes." he said to himself. "Among others." His hand reached momentarily to the brow stone tied in chain around his neck.

"You are married?" Ad'hm was taken aback, he almost dropped a ceramic statue of a herder, were it not for his Wielder he would have had to pay for the hideous thing.

"No." Danil grabbed the bracelet and moved to the other wall.

"Don't make me pull every word out of your tongue. What do you mean "no", and what else have you been hiding?!" Ad'hm followed right behind him, pretending to look interested in a statue encased in glass.

Danil sighed. "It's really not your business but if you insist."She died eleven years, seven months and two week ago. A low life that had qualms with the Emperor had targeted me because of my position and I was easier to get than Ryel. Came home to a bloodbath. The servants fought but he was a powerful wielder. My girls hid in a secret room along with the maid that took them to safety. They waited two days without water or food for my arrival. I found them half dead." Danils sighed again and resumed his perusing.

"I-I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked." Ad'hm felt bad.

"No, no you shouldn't have."Danil agreed.

"And that bastard?"

"Of course I had hunted him down, he was the owner of multiple gambling locals across the Empire. Ryel had signed a decree of sinful acts that month and his business was being run into the ground. I made sure that he watched everyone in his family die along with every man and woman that was involved." Danil said casually then gasping at a beautiful ceramic doll covering his mouth with a gloved hand. "Mira is going to be so happy when she sees this. Excuse me!" He called to the merchant.

They headed out towards a tavern Ad'hm was familiar with, going through every store they saw on the way.

"Well, I'm set." Danil patted his bag full of souvenirs. "You didn't buy anything. I'm sure Araya would have loved those earrings you ogled at for an hour."

"Shut it!" Ad'hm pushed through the door of the "Open Bosom"

Danil stopped for a moment to frown at the sign, he second guessed his step before walking past the local's threshold and followed in reluctance. Inside a joyful atmosphere with pleasant floral smells washed over him. Beautiful women, skimpily dressed, tended tables and laughed with their patrons. "I see why you'd be familiar with such place." Danil commented.

"Ad'hm, sugar." A woman with flawless tan skin rushed over, her clothes left nothing to the imagination. She smiled seductively at the man, grabbing his hand and placing her chest tight on his shoulder. "Came for your usual?"

"Not today, Jamira." Ad'hm said embarrassed and pushed the woman away. "Just a private table for two, bring us a warm meal and cold ale when you have a moment.

"I don't even want to know..." Danil shook his head in disapproval. "Creators have mercy on your soul."

"It's not what you think..."

"How many times do you even visit Elo'yn to get a 'usual'. This is my first time even if I had plenty of missions nearby." Danil asked as he followed the woman to the back. The light was dim and pleasant.

"Every chance I get. I grew up here before I went to become a Wielder." he replied and settled at the table. It was just as he remembered it, the low ceiling, backrooms for nightly visits and delicious smelling food and great ale but as much as he ate and drank and laughed and sang with the rest of the patrons of the Open Bosom there was one intrusive thought that he could not escape from. Araya. She had communicated to them a while ago that she had found the location where they kept Lwora and will report once she had more information. Not one word came from her after that and he pondered daily to check on her but something kept him from doing so. She has been the only woman in his life to ever reject him. At first he saw her as a challenge, a peak to be conquered, and before he knew it he fell deeply in love with her. She wasn't like any other woman that flung themselves at his feet. She was independent, fair, intelligent, kind, and so powerful. She thought for herself and even stood up to the Emperor when she needed to. Many lives have been saved by just having the guts to say no to that man.

"You're thinking about her again, aren't you?" Danil asked. Ad'hm looked away, he already had one too many. "I told you, just get those earrings, she'll love them. I noticed she only wears studs so they're a good choice, and her color." Ad'hm looked at him in confusion. "What? I told you I have two daughters."

"It's not that, I'm not concerned about the earrings. We haven't heard anything back from her and I'm worried." Ad'hm admitted.

"Don't be a fool, Ad'hm. She's stronger than both of us put together, do you think a wormy head of the Order that bribed his way up will stand a chance?" Danil laughed. "Now quit your moping and dink! Another one!" He yelled for Jamira.

"I know show's powerful, but I have this heavy feeling in my gut, -"

"Hello boys!" A woman much unlike the rest of the wenches, fully clothed in a dark blue overcoat, underneath flowed a thick bluer, and a black shawl on top. Her raven hair tight neatly in a bun, with round face and beady eyes that stared into their very soul.

"Can we help you, m'am" Ad'hm replied annoyed.

"Oh, but I am here to make meself useful." The woman did a bad curtsy.

"And how can you help us?" Danil asked with skeptic eyes.

"I see you two are new around here. Never seen you two with me own two eyes, I didn't." She began.

"I'm new."

"Well I'm not! I've spent all first eighteen years of my life in this city!" Ad'hm pounded his chest in pride.

"And I see you're not eighteen anymore, so you've been gone a long time." The woman smiled politely and placed a frail hand to cover it.

"He certainly doesn't look eighteen. Look at those bags!" Danil commented.

"I don't have bags!"

"Should try some honey ointment, will clean that right up." Her smile was unsettling, while she sounded like she meant good her jibes definitely hurt Ad'm.

"Honey ointment, add that to your list, Ad'hm." Danil laughed.

"Glad that we settled that, now, boys. Since you're not from here, or I mean have been gone a long period of time, you might not have heard of the attacks!" The woman began.

"Attacks?" Danil's brows rose.

"Right so, attacks. Elo'yn might seem nice and cheerful but when the sun sets, creatures of the night prowl and hunt for souls!" The woman exaggerated with comical gestures which neither Wielder could take seriously.

"Aha, creatures of the night, souls." Ad'hm rolled his eyes.

"Lady's right." Jamira brought the ale and placed it neatly from a full tray onto their table in a fluid motion.

"She is?" both said in unison.

"How rude! Of course I am!" The woman objected.

"There been attacks on people ever since last beginning of end cycle. Everyone said they saw the same exact monster. One of my most loyal patrons, Creators rest his soul, died in the first attack."

"Oh, Jarid." The woman said.

"Yes, Jarid. He was a good man, tipped well."

"A wife beater." The lady shook her head.

"No!" Jamira gasped in disbelief. "He used to talk to us so gently! Always that whoever bagged him was a lucky woman. When you think you know someone..."

"Indeed. Some people deserve to be taken. My good friend Patty, you know her, the baker's wife," Jamira nodded, shifting the weight of the tray on the other hand. "Well she said - "

Ad'hm cleared his throat. "How would you be able to help us against those creatures, m'am."

"Oh, thought you would never ask. Me name's Aliza, boys and I have a deal for you that you simply would not be able to refuse."

"A deal you say?" Ad'hm rolled his eyes and motioned to Danil with his finger that the lady was crazy.

"You see, the attacks became more frequent, nobody knows why! Only attacks us poor common folk with no power no nothing. Many people died, and they even nabbed me two pound bird!"

"A ChickHog?" Danil asked and the woman nodded energetically.

"The plumpest and juiciest you've ever seen. Right out me hand." The woman enacted the attack with wild gesticulations. "But fear not, boys," She took a look at Ad'hm. "Or rather grown men." she shahid under her breath. Danil couldn't help but snort a laugh. "I have this special ointment that will protect any unblessed from these vicious creatures, predators of the red sister!" The woman's eyes looked crazy, almost sparkling as she waved her hands in the air she whispered. "Souleaters.'

"Never heard of them." Ad'hm quickly replied.

"Well of'course you haven't, been gone for twenty some years, haven't you? Old man. Now stop interrupting me." Aliza tapped her foot on the wooden floor, losing her patience. Danil laughed again. "What I have here is a special ointment that would mask your scent and the creatures will know you're of the unblessed by E'a!" The woman wood trying to make it sound more horrifying but it only failed miserably.

"Sorry lady, but you got the wrong audience, we're Wielders." Danil raised his hand in sign that he didn't want to purchase anything.

"Powerful ones to boot." Ad'hm pitched in. "We can handle these... souleaters."

"You are?" Aliza asked with her mouth ajar. "No wonder you're such gits." Her voice turning from sweet to spiteful really fast, both Danil and Ad'hm were taken aback.

"Well I'll take one, Aliza. Can't be too safe these days." Jamira pulled a few coins out of nowhere and dropped them to the woman taking a can of ointment and returning to her rounds.

"Sure you don't want one just in case?" Aliza turned to them and they both shook their heads. "Well worth a try." and she took her leave and badgered another table in the back. She made her way around the room taking to as many people and selling as much ointment as she could then took her leave outside in the dark.

It was the red sister's reign tonight she noted as she moved through the darkened streets dimly illuminated by light stones. She rolled her sleeve where she had a tight bracelet containing a brown oval stone. She lightly touched it and said. "The seed has been planted." as she walked into the night.

"What a crazy woman." Ad'hm sipped on his alea.

"Attacks...Do you believe her?" Danil played with his remaining food, a cold stew that had a few pieces of meat left.

"Jamira has no reason to lie. If she says so too, it must be true." Ad'hm confirmed looking at the scantily dressed woman from across the room. She was almost flying through the busy tables.

"What kind of creature do you think a souleater is?" Danil asked before his face sobered up immediately as he received a transmission from his leather glove covered in brown stones that had become part of the uniform for the Royal Guard,

"Your Imperial Grace, I have important information!" Araya sent in all three minds.

"Araya, I'm in the middle of an important meeting with the Earl of Elo'yn, can this wait?" Emperor Ryel replied, Ad'hm and Danil settled quietly and listened.

"No, your grace. You're going to want to hear this." She began her report, it was quick and succinct Only the necessary information. Ad'hm's gut churned as he heard about the attack in the lower district and almost jumped from his chair as Araya recounted what had happened that night. To the creatures that attacked only the unbless, to Ameral's current location being Elo'yn and about the deal he had with someone from the same city that made the beasts, to finally the safe return of Lwora. Ad'hm was happy to hear that Araya's friend was unharmed, but couldn't help worry about Araya's safety instead.

"That's impossible, only Creators are able to make a Neva." Emperor Ryel scoffed mentally. They could tell he was keeping up conversation with the Earl while paying attention and conversing mentally with Araya.

"It might not be so far fetched, your grace." We just heard about these creature from the locals.They've been attacking the unblessed ever since last beginning of end cycle."

"That adds it up, that's around the time Ameral sent his brat, apologies your grace, to the Elo'yn Academy." Araya confirmed.

"None taken, he always has been a brat. This has serious implications into which i must look into first before making any claims, Araya. We need more proof and for now I can't spare more than two days in this town, otherwise we risk delaying the plan." Ryel replied. "We just don't have time to look for clues."

"We might not have to. Cornelius confirm that Ameral sent his most loyal man to keep an eye on the operation, I know who that is and I know where you can find him. If his man is there, the conspirator and the sick mind behind the creature should be close." Araya tried to seem helpful.

"Ad'hm, Danil, you have two days. I'm not risking taking Jurissa because my idiot cousin wants to play with power beyond his comprehension. I'm sure it will end up biting him in the ass as it usually does. And while we're both in Elo'yn I think I might pay him a visit. I'm sure he'll be at the Trials tomorrow seeing how his son will fight the vessel of my power."

"Your grace, you don't mean to..."Araya gasped.

"If it can't defeat Bras it's not even worth it. One more thing, Araya. Casualties?"

"Four thousand and thirty, all unblessed your grace." They could feel the frustrations and anger emanating from the man.

"Very well. I trust you can deal with the aftermath, Araya, feel free to dip into the tresorery for compensation to the people that lost their families. Do not let my good name be tarnished. I won't let his plan of muddying my legacy bear fruit."

"Yes, your grace. Already making the necessary arrangements." Araya confirmed.

"As I thought you would. Now, no more bad news, It's time to celebrate! Can't wait to see the damned thing in action."