Armor
Chapter 45: Return

We all sat there for a while longer. I sorted through Rubrus’s memories and discarded everything in his personality. There was a part of me that admired his sheer brazenness, but I couldn’t risk how that would impact me.

While I sorted everything out and focused on repairing myself, Hrig, Kyren, and Stone explained to me what they’d been up to in my absence. They’d slain three children of Aurum, removed the cause of a war, and generally made nuisances of themselves. I found myself proud to call them my friends.

"Unfortunately, removing the reason for the war has only slowed things down," said Kyren. "The church has been moving to preach against it, and has done everything they can politically to slow things down, but the king’s grip on power is strong. If they’d started sooner, they may have been able to do more, but they’d been held back by Iomed and her faction."

Stone nodded. "We’ve had similar issues using the nobility angle. Duke Ellis and some other brave or blackmailed nobles have been up in arms about the conflict, actively slowing things down wherever they can. Unfortunately, people’s blood is already up. Rather than seeing the assassination of the Twin Kings as a reason to cease hostilities, many say that since it was Caedun that solved the problem, we’re entitled to their territory. Phyl the Fire-Touched even told me he’d heard some fresh recruits to the military say they want to slay some elves just like we adventurers did."

"Dorsia, Jade, and I have been more focused on Talen. While at first it seemed he was intent on supporting Caedus, what he was really doing was creating a portion of the army that was loyal to him. He was subtle at first, but since things have been slipping, he’s been slowly growing more antagonistic toward him. The worst part is that he’s managed to build a small army of mercenaries as well on the backs of his illicit operations in Cirros."

"Caedus and Talen are using war to compete for a prize that doesn’t even exist. Aurum has promised his children godhood, but the only thing they’re doing is feeding him. He’s just using them to pave the way for his own return," I said, and followed up by explaining everything I’d learned in my talks with Vash, my time at the university, and what I’d learned from consuming Rubrus. By the end of it, I was feeling fully recovered.

"We need to take the fight to them," said Stone.

"I agree. We can’t play at politics or worry about the repercussions at this point. Aurum is pushing this conflict because he knows it will lead to his resurrection, and I feel like he’s close to it. Though I don’t have any proof."

"I believe you. The gods themselves are pushing us in this direction. I can feel it," said Kyren.

Hrig smiled, and I realized she hadn’t let go of my hand since I’d regained control of my body. "Kingslayer. Now there’s a title I wouldn’t mind having."

After we finished talking, we made our way out of the dungeon. It was clear to me that while the party had had a difficult time their first time through, this time, they’d cleared it masterfully. Dead goblins were everywhere, cleaved in twain, broken into pieces, or scorched by holy fire. There were two dead trolls similarly afflicted and a cave drake twice the size of the last one with its head two yards from its lifeless body. The traps had been expertly dismantled or simply smashed, as well. My friends were much stronger than when I’d first met them. I was excited to show them the tricks I’d managed to pick up myself.

We made a trek a few miles from the dungeon, careful to avoid the main path, and made camp with a small fire. Stone went to cook, but I shooed him away. I wanted to show them what I’d learned in the kitchen at Usulaum and brought out the spices I’d stored in myself for easy access when cooking and took the meat Stone had started to prepare.

By the time I was done, I’d managed a solid approximation of a traditional orcish soup that had been given a spicy twist in Usulaum. Stone and Hrig were red in the face as they ate, but didn’t seem able to keep themselves from eating spoonful after spoonful, and Kyren managed to finish three bowls herself. Elves tended to have a strong preference for spicy food in my experience, but Kyren’s enjoyment was on another level.

At the end of the night, everyone settled in to sleep, and I took the first watch. In spite of everything that had gone wrong, and how much we had left to do, I felt more comfortable at that moment, watching over my companions, than I’d felt in a long time.

After a few hours, I felt a stir and saw Hrig approaching. She didn’t bother hiding her presence and sat next to me on the fallen log I’d been using as a chair. We sat together in silence for a while before she spoke.

"What are you planning to do?”

“Keep watch?"

She chuckled. "After that. After Talen, and Caedus, and Aurum. What are you going to do?"

I took a few moments to think about it. I probably wouldn’t be able to stay in Caedun, but by the end of things, it wasn’t clear whether they’d be able to either. They had friends, though, people they could stay with who could protect them, and connections they’d want to maintain.

"I think I’ll travel. I read about a lot of interesting places. Spires higher than the clouds, cities built on ash, islands the color of emeralds. I think I’d like to see them."

Hrig looked thoughtful for a few moments. "Would you like some company?"

I hesitated. "I would’ve thought you’d want to stay here. You have people."

"The people I had have been gone for a long time. Besides, I don’t think they’d want me to stick around for the rest of my life even if they were here."

"Then yes. I’d...really like it if you'd join me. Assuming we survive."

Hrig leaned over and kissed my faceplate gently. "It’ll be easy as long as we have a reason to. Tell me more about these places you’re intending to take me to."

* * *

The rest of the night passed uneventfully, with Hrig eventually falling asleep leaning against my pauldron. I’d removed my cape from my storage and draped it across her. She was snoring gently, a line of drool running from her mouth. I gently picked her up and laid her back on her bedroll. I then began reheating breakfast. It was a long road to Cirros, and I wanted to make sure everyone had a good meal.

Stone and Kyren awoke first, the smell of the food drawing them to the fire. Kyren looked at Hrig’s sleeping form, still wrapped in my cape, and regarded me with a raised eyebrow and her usual smile. Stone simply gave me a wink before grabbing himself a bowl of the reheated stew from last night.

By the time Hrig awoke, both Stone and Kyren were on their second bowls. She stretched and pulled a few small twigs from her hair before carefully folding my cape and returning it to me. I took it, feeling a kind of jump in my breastplate as her fingers brushed mine. I stored it and started to break down the camp as they finished their meals.

We planned on taking the road most of the way to Entden before diverting around to avoid trouble, but Stone held up a hand and we started to divert, stopping us.

"D’you smell that?" he asked.

Hrig took a deep breath into her nose. "Smoke."

Kyren quickly climbed the nearest tree. "It’s Entden. There’s smoke rising from the town."

We drew our weapons as a group as Kyren climbed down from the tree, and we moved toward the town. My first thoughts were of the goblins and kobolds. It was uncommon for them to attack a town, but it wasn’t as if things had been typical recently.

The gates to the town were open, but I saw no signs of struggle as we approached. Odder than that was the quiet. No sound of swords hitting shields, or arrows flying through the air.

We went through the front gate and found nothing, the streets clear and quiet. I led the way toward the source of the fire. We found it in the center of the town. A roaring bonfire made up of furniture that must’ve been taken from the surrounding houses.

Sitting in front of the fire facing us, flanked by a man and woman with golden eyes, was Talen. He was wearing the same black cloak, but no mask. His eyes twinkled in the firelight, and he wore a smile that didn’t reach them.

"Sevald, welcome," he said in the tone of a man meeting someone for lunch.

I took several quick steps forward.

The children of Aurum that flanked him stepped in front of him, blocking my path with weapons in hand. One wore colorful blue silk and wielded a long halberd, and the other was in a long overcoat and held a bastard sword in each hand. I’d noticed the children of Aurum didn’t favor any armor. I assumed it was because they had no need for it when they could simply ask the ancestor for some invulnerable scales and not concern themselves with what they might cost.

I hesitated. I knew my companions could more than handle themselves at this point, but three children of Aurum was a tricky proposition. It might have benefited them to size the enemy up a little, maybe subtly try to change position.

"What do you want, Talen? Are the people who live here okay?"

"They’re fine. I simply asked them to stay within their homes while I dealt with their monster problem."

"Planning on suicide, then?" asked Stone.

Talen grimaced. "I was hoping to have a civil discussion."

"Fine. Talk," I said.

"I’m aware that you hate me, but I think at this point, it’s clear we have something in common."

"What’s that?"

"An enemy. Caedus. Surely, your vitriol for him outweighs that which you have toward me at this point? I drove you from a single city; he drove you from a country. Seems that the scale of his activity is far above my own, doesn’t it?”

“In spite of that, I find that I hate you both in roughly equal measure, actually. What of your own hatred of me? After all, I slew your brother Donyin."

There was a twitch at the corner of Talen’s mouth as I spoke, but he only reacted to the first part of my comment. "I can work with equal hatred."

"Get to the point."

"Fine. Forgive me for indulging in a bit of buildup. My proposal is simple. Let’s join forces. I have a lot of support at my back, a lot of allies waiting for my signal to act against the king. With your muscle, things could go a lot more smoothly. After it’s done, we part ways, and we never need to see each other again."

I chuckled. "Except what you’re not sharing with me is that you think that will earn you godhood from your father, after which you believe you’ll be able to handle me easily."

Talen tensed, almost imperceptibly. "I see Caedus may have told you a bit more about things than I thought he would."

"He and Vash both. You’re wrong, though. It’s not godhood your father is promising, but death."

Talen’s companions tensed and looked at him, clearly feeling a little unsure.

Talen laughed. "Honestly, even if I’m wrong, it doesn’t matter, and I don’t believe I am. I want him out of my way, and I want a weak little stand-in to take over so I can run things. Will you assist, or do you choose death?"

I looked around. It didn’t make sense for Talen to have only two guards with him, but I supposed it wouldn’t have made sense for him to bring in any of his usual thugs. I could play along, pretend to work with him until I had a chance to make a move, but the thought of that made me feel as if there were flies crawling beneath my plate.

"I’ve been trying to do things peacefully, or work things out, or find some perfect solution to the problems you children of Aurum have been presenting me with since we first encountered you, and you know what I’ve realized?"

"That it’s better to join us?"

"No. The best way to deal with you is to kill you."