by A. D. Wills
“I know everyone wants their city back, but we haven't been able to do anything about it—not even seem like we're dissenting. The slightest hint of anything, and we're thrown in the mines, so I can't blame anyone for trying to pretend like nothing is wrong here. And honestly, sometimes I wish I could do the same.”
“It doesn't matter who is willing to help us though if we don't know anything. We're at a huge disadvantage as is, and by now, I'm sure Workal knows four adventurers have arrived,” Zasha reminded them.
“So you are an adventurer,” a goading smirk crept across Caden's face.
“It's just easier to say for all of us.” Zasha reached around Sappo's back to smack Caden in the back of his head.
“Then it would seem as if a proper investigation is in order,” Snillrik suggested.
“Sounds good, I'll just head over, and check it out then—get an idea of the place,” Caden declared.
“I'm coming with you, or else you're just going to blow our cover,” said Zasha. “If we're lucky, maybe we can capture a guard, and ask them some questions.”
“What?” Sappo snapped his neck over in shock.
“How else do you expect to get information?” Zasha asked.
“Well...just be careful then at least...” Sappo conceded, slumping his shoulders in admission.
“I can try asking around too. There might be someone who can help us get some answers, I think,” Chryssa averted her eyes, casting doubt upon her suggestion. “There's a descendant of a first builder who lives here. He wasn't there when the first builders built this city, but maybe he has some information about what's in the quarry—what Workal's after.”
“Sappo and I can join you then, while Caden and Zasha look around the quarry,” Snillrik suggested.
“Thanks,” Chryssa accepted.
“No problem,” Sappo chopped a nervous laugh together.
“Then we wait until tomorrow night to go,” Zasha threw out.
“Why not now?” Caden asked.
“We shouldn't risk a lack of daylight. The sun will be up soon, and we won't have much of a chance to sneak around.”
“Alright, then how about we make some use of this honey eh? I bet you can whip up a mean dessert with it, Sappo,” Caden pulled the jaw of shimmering silver honey he stole back in Floralopolis.
“Well if we have it, I wouldn't want it to go to waste...” Sappo softly conceded, despite how guilty he might feel about using stolen goods.
“Then tonight we feast!” Caden cheered.
The five of them all sat together, waiting for Sappo to whip up whatever he could with the ingredients offered up by Chryssa in her dusty old kitchen. As always though, Sappo made the most of it with his fine culinary skills, serving up a hearty meal, before dishing out a new dessert from the silver honey for all to enjoy in peace before tomorrow, when they take their first steps into a quagmire of conspiracy.
Chapter 18: Eszu
Upon returning home defeated and furious from the summit of leaders, Eszu told his people everything that transpired—that they had a plan to take down the dragons, but instead, they would be alone in their fight from now on. Their once thought to be close allies abandoning them in their blustery tundra atop their lonely mountainous home.
All the Dracus tried to keep their spirits high, but when they saw Eszu like this, it was difficult. Eszu was the one who always kept them all going through tough times, but since returning, no one's seen him emerge from his hut. They waited and waited, the past couple of days feeling like weeks at a time, hoping something would be able to give them their once hopeful, unabashed leader back.
“What do we do, Ralak?” Eszu said through a dry, tired voice that hasn't rested since returning. His eyes sunken in, drooped, and detached. He was a shell of his usual self. “I refuse to let us do this on our own, even with the opportunity we have. There's...we wouldn't have a chance...” Eszu choked up at the thought. Knowing their chance at freedom was right there, but nothing they could do about it.
Despite going over multiple plans, wild ones, last ditch efforts—anything at all, nothing ever seemed remotely possible to either Ralak or Eszu. Not without any help at least.
Ralak couldn't come up with anything to assure his friend. He knew just as well they didn't stand a chance, not on their own. And now, they had no allies to call on. No one who would be willing to stand with them in their hour of need.
It was bleak, no one could deny that among the Dracus. Their family and friends recently ravaged, and now their only hopes of a way out snuffed before the flames of freedom could ever be sparked in the first place. For now, all they could do is wait, just like they've been forced to for generations.
But then, a knock.
“Was that you?” Eszu asked. It was light enough to where it could have just been Ralak hitting the leg of the table.
“I didn't hear anything...” Ralak seemed puzzled.
Eszu shook it off, before again, a knock, but this time they both heard that one.
Eszu went to the door—hardly ready or willing to have much of a conversation with anyone other than Ralak, but if someone needed him, he wouldn't turn them away.
When Eszu opened it up, a wild wind blew in, but behind the blinding snow, a visitor appeared, wearing thick black clothes all over his body, and cloth wrapping all around his face to hide it from the beating frost pellets blowing at him.
“What brings you here, and at this hour? State your name and intentions,” Eszu snapped into focus upon a stranger showing up in the dead of night, and sneaking up to his hut no less.
“My name is Theron,” he uttered through his cloth, and pulled it down to reveal his face—cheeks red from the cold, and eyelashes caked in frost. “My apologies for the unannounced intrusion, but I come bearing an urgent message for you, Chief Eszu, one of the utmost importance. Please, I assure you, I mean no harm.”
“Out with it then, if you mean no harm."
“I'm here to offer aid in your fight against the Dragons—I come offering you all an opportunity at freedom and independence. And I fear if my message is not reached, you will all be in grave danger.”
Eszu's eyes scrunched, and looked Theron up and down with judging eyes, immediately discerning he was of no threat at least. “You come here at this hour offering help? Seems a little convenient and suspicious.”
“I assure you, Eszu, I could not wait until morning. I had to come here right away to pass along vital information,” Theron pleaded his case. “My intentions were not to sow suspicion and nerves, I promise you.”
“Come in then, let's hear it. Got nothing better to do at this hour anyway,” Eszu opened the way for Theron to come in.
“Is this an emissary?” Ralak overheard the conversation.
“Pleased to make your acquaintance,” Theron stuck his hand out to shake Ralak's, and took a seat across the table.
“So, out with it then, who exactly are you? This better not be some trick just to get an audience with me, I'm not in the mood,” Eszu urged on.
“I assure you, my intentions are true,” Theron began. “I am an emissary from an order of who feels the oppression of the realm we all live in. Simply put, we unite based on our shared oppression, and seek to help each other in freeing ourselves from it. The reason I am here is to ask you to join our cause, and in turn, help you realize freedom and independence from the Dragons, Humans and Etai.”
“That seems like a pretty tall order to say so plainly like that,” Eszu joked aloud to himself, thinking all this talk to simply be blind optimism. “Besides, the Humans and Etai are still our allies...despite our differences,” Eszu said with a slightly curled fist, obviously still frustrated at how the summit went. But even so, they would still need to work with them again at some point.
“Are they?” Theron fished out a rolled up scroll from his garb, and handed it over to Eszu.
"What's this?” Eszu asked.
“That right there is an official treaty drawn up between th
e Etai, Humans, and Pixies swearing that should the Dracus go forward in their fight against the Dragons, the Dracus will no longer be included in their alliance. You would be banished and branded as enemies.”
Eszu read over the scroll, but it was just as Theron said. Dreymond, Zaes, and even Wonoda's signatures were right there beneath the decree. His grip tightening, scrunched in, and nearly ripping right through the paper at the sight. It felt like a wave of hatred surged through him from the scroll, opening up his, and allowing his pent up seething to bubble and boil up to the surface.
“This has to be fake...”
“I'm afraid it isn't, I promise,” Theron said with a pained look watching Eszu in denial. “You're more than welcome to confirm it with your former allies first, if you don't believe me. I will wait, but right now, time is also of the essence.”
“They didn't even tell us, the cowards. They couldn't even muster up the courage to tell us to our faces at the Summit.” Eszu tossed the scroll on the floor. “The moment we ask for one favor, this is how we're answered.”
Eszu never anticipated Dreymond and Zaes casting him aside so readily like this. They had their disagreements in the past, and this was no different, at least Eszu had initially thought—regardless how disappointed he was upon leaving the summit.
“First they reject us, and now they try to take control of our lives. What business is it of theirs?” Ralak echoed Eszu's inner turmoil and anger.
“I regret to be the one bearing such news, but you can now see why it had to be brought to your attention immediately,” Theron said in relief. “If you hadn't known about it, and went ahead with your attack on the Dragons, I fear the worst would have happened. They would have justified themselves in completely blindsiding you and your people.”
“And how did you manage to get your hands on something like this?”
“We have many dissatisfied eyes and ears around the world in our united front against the powers that be. That was just one of many drafts distributed all across Ethril that you now hold. What Dreymond and Zaes don't know, is that plenty would rather sympathize with you, than them.”
“Showing and telling me all of this, what's in it for you?” Eszu knew there was no such thing as true charity.
“As I mentioned before, I come here requesting you join our cause. If you were to join us, we will be able to send a message to everyone that we don't need to rely on them anymore—that we won't be pressed beneath their thumbs. No longer would you be used and disposed of on a whim, but be a valued partner in a loyal order, as it always should have been.”
“What's this message you want to send then?” Everything sounded tempting to Eszu, but a bit of an unease crept within him, hanging on those specific words.
“We will attack the heart of Ethril, the symbol of all its so-called stability and peace, Lyndenwell. Perhaps then, they might listen to us. Perhaps then we might get their attention, and be taken seriously as equal players in this world,” Theron said with impassioned eyes, willing his spirit into Eszu and Ralak.
Eszu and Ralak both felt a weighing tension come over them. Their hearts sinking into their chests upon realizing what this meant. Lyndenwell and Dreymond in specific were only just recently Eszu's ally. They had a strained relationship to say the least, but they hadn't ever been aggressive toward one another, or even entertained the thought. But being humiliated, and betrayed like this, it was beyond insulting. It was as if these past twenty years meant nothing at all.
“I understand if this is too soon,” Theron cut in. “They were only just recently supposed to be your closest allies after all. If you cannot fight them, then we will not force you to do so.”
“Then I assume you'd pull back in helping us, if we couldn't bring ourselves to go along with this attack,” Eszu figured it would only make sense.
“No, if you join us, we will still help you. Remember, this isn't supposed to be some partnership based around extorting favors out of each other,” Theron assured and surprised both Eszu and Ralak. “Certainly, with your help it would be much easier, but we would understand either way.”
Eszu wasn't used to this sort of treatment at all. To be welcomed, and receive aid without any strings, it was something he once hoped might achieve with Zaes and Dreymond, but it was obvious now they never wanted the same thing.
Despite the generous offer, Eszu lowered his gaze, his eyes narrowing, and a sense of guilt washing over him.
“I can't allow that...” Eszu let out a weighing pent up sigh. “I'd be just as bad as Zaes and Dreymond if I accepted your help, and offered nothing in return. They may have been our allies before, but they've made it painfully clear what they think about us now. We won't just sit around and wait for them to attack us, or continue to hold us hostage. I won't let myself, and my people be made fools of. I'm finished playing by their rules.”
Eszu looked over at Ralak for a silent exchange, to which Ralak nodded back. He didn't think twice about it.
Eszu looked back Theron's way, focused, and fiery. “We accept.” For once, Eszu felt free. For a moment, his rage ran over him, consuming him in a comforting warmth he hadn't felt before.
“Even with a united force though, you have to know there's a good reason why they've never been attacked since the war,” Ralak pointed out.
“Ralak is right, it will be difficult to overwhelm them for long, let alone capture the city itself,” Eszu conceded, knowing full well the defensive capabilities of Lyndenwell.
“I promise that we are quite the formidable force on our own.” Theron showed Eszu and Ralak another decree, but this one was signed by Grog, who leads the Ogres of Black Marsh—striking fear in the nastiest of foes with his freakishly large stature, and famed brutality. The other signatures being from various rebels in the realm, as well as even Kuxori and Tepis commanders brought together in this unlikely common cause.
“Unbelievable. So many signatures, and from so many different places,” Eszu looked the decree up and down.
“Before now the Humans, Etai and everyone else in power could do as they please. They could abandon former allies who only ask for help, only to be left or dead, or banish an entire people like the ogres without so much as any explanation. Not to mention uniting a country no one asked to be united in the first place, leaving the people of Kuxori and Tepis lost without cause or identity. Their histories erased, buried in ashes. But we're no longer divided. The one thing they fear, is us uniting against them.”
“Then what is the plan, when do we attack?” Eszu asked.
“I've received word that Lyndenwell has mobilized a few groups of forces nearing Eldaesa, in case you were to go ahead with your plan."
“Unbelievable, they dare tread that far into the waters of war with us over something they have nothing to do with.” Eszu smashed his fist against the table, rattling around the empty bottles.
“Which is why we have decided it is wise to attack as soon as possible. Their forces are divided, and they're completely unaware that you have received any of the information I have given you. They aren't even aware of our budding alliance. We have every possible advantage here, Eszu, but not for long."
“We're truly indebted to you, Theron,” Eszu thanked Theron. “To think we could've been attacked just like that...”
“Oh no, I am merely a messenger, as I said before. There is no debt to be paid here, I assure you,” Theron implored.
“How many of us will you need to aid in the fight then?” Eszu inquired.
“As many as you are willing to send,” Theron said. “Grog and his ogres have already met with the other rebels, and are on their way to Lyndenwell now. Try to meet us all in two days behind the hills and out of sight. And be sure to leave down the backside of the mountain, so as to avoid any potential approaching forces from spotting you.”
Eszu acknowledged. “I'll be there myself. I want to face Dreymond, to ask what it feels like to feel helpless and defenseless—unable to answer his people's pleas for safety
.” Eszu imagined and savored the very moment he craved, his eyes almost turning ravenous with rage.
“Well, as our leader in this fight, I see no one more fitting to take the heads of theirs."
Eszu froze up for a moment. “Leader?”
“The last thing I was told to relay, was to ask if you would do us the honor in leading our forces. Grog himself conceded that you would be best suited to lead us.”
“There's no one better, you know that as well as anyone,” Ralak proudly remarked.
“I'd be honored, and promise nothing short of victory. We'll send a message to the world that we won't be stepped on or shoved to the side, I swear it,” Eszu said with a fire in his eyes—the likes of which Ralak and the other Dracus thought might have disappeared these past few days.
“Very good! I'm glad to hear it,” A pleased Theron got up to his feet, as he readied to take his leave, taking his scrolls with him. “Then everyone will be eagerly awaiting for your arrival in a couple of short days. As for myself, I must return immediately and inform everyone of the wonderful news of your joining us.”
“You can take one of our rocs, if you need to,” Eszu stood up to shake Theron's hand.
“Thank you, take care.” With that, Theron left Eszu's hut with a gracious bow.
Eszu and Ralak could hardly contain themselves, fired up and feeling liberated for the first time for as long as they could remember. They were still on somewhat shaky legs just at the thought of what they just joined and agreed to, but Theron's words gave them hope to cling to, and hope they wouldn't waste any time rallying the other Dracus with when telling them the news.
“You know what, Ralak?”
Ralak turned his attention to Eszu.
“I thought this would be a lot harder to do, but I can't wait to see the look on Dreymond's face when we soar over those walls, and rain down all of our people's suffering onto theirs.”
Eszu stared at the map on his opposite wall, focused solely on Lyndenwell with a heated stare that could burn right through it, as if he were twisted into one thought, and one thought only; killing Dreymond.
