Session 16

In the aftermath of the dreadnought adventures, my party and I returned to what had occupied our minds earlier. Primus. How do we defeat a deity recently unleashed unto the world, likely cloning and controlling plenty of others for no good? According to our new friend, the Magus of Beasts, the only ones with the possibility of answers, were the Arch Magi. Of the lot, the Magi of Myth was our best bet.

Unfortunately, he had gone missing in a land long abandoned by civilization. Solstice.

Even before my time, that ancient kingdom had been forsaken. Every mission to reclaim it, to learn about its destruction, ended with even more questions. Primarily because scouts never came back. That meant we were ripe for the job.

They had absolutely no way to stop me. They, meaning every adviser, Feeps and my aunt. Even Killian. Especially Killian. For the most part I avoided them and their nagging. I figured if I could pull this off, return safe and sound from the place that made people disappear, I could go anywhere at anytime. Even if I was just doing this for my ego.

The night before we set off, I ambled toward the kitchen thirsty for something strong. I stumbled across the familiar burly dwarf with silver arms. Dagon, the barbarian Cosmo hired and Maziel loathed, was haggling the serving crew for brew of some sort, but not politely. I calmly interposed between the two parties, and in a few short minutes, Dagon and I had a cask by the dwindling fire of the empty dining room.

Dagon was practically purring as he downed his first tankard and poured another contentedly. I sat back and watched for another round before speaking up.

“So,” I asked, sipping leisurely. “Glad my friends haven't killed you.”

Dagon slammed back another glass and grinned. “Aye, princess. It takes more than them to kill me. I've got the Pits to thank for that.” He looked thoughtful for a moment, but was in no way reminiscing.

Casually, I refilled his tankard before filling my own. A few pints later and we were swapping stories like old friends.

His hands were his curse. Dagon once served the royal family in the Asimba Mountains, and if I remembered anything from my history lessons (granted, that was little), that family was no more. Dagon had stolen something from their treasury, something magical, hence his cursed hands. Then he was banished, and wound up fighting in the Pits. Simple.

He’s going to fit right in.

Then it was my turn to tell. Mostly of how I met my friends and our recent endeavors. My lineage was already public knowledge. Everyone knew, and no one failed to remind me, I was a bastard. Yet , here I was, somehow still in charge.

I raised my pint and he mimicked the gesture as we clinked, sloshing mead over the table. “Welcome to the team.”

“Three days, Taelim.” Feeps said solemnly. For a warforged, he did a wonderful job of looking forlorn. Maybe sharing the responsibility of ruling was getting to him, though I hadn’t fully forsaken my role. I was just handling another issue.

I faced Feeps as I stood in the center of Illium’s teleportation circle. My party shifted at my side, and the wizards summoned to open Solstice's portal wavered nearby.

“If I don’t come back, at least we have the correct bloodline on the throne,” I smiled at Feeps.

“That is not funny, Taelim.”

I chuckled and waved. “We’ll be back.”

Feeps said nothing and gestured for the wizards to begin casting.

I continued to grin, but in truth I was terrified. There was a reason Viceak had disabled Solstice’s connection to Illium. Whatever was there he didn’t want trespassing into our city. Now we were heading straight for it, where countless others failed before us. I had ignored every pleading request to stay behind, and soon we would find out the truth. One way or another.

One moment we were standing in Illium’s busy hub, and in the next, we were shielding our eyes from the blinding sun that greeted us. Maziel mouthed a curse and pulled her hood as far over her eyes as she could.

It was hot and humid. I could already feel the sweat beading on my skin. It reminded me of the tropics, but even as we moved toward the shade of the tall canopies, the heat lingered.

Maziel was the first to stop under the shade, not for the comfort it offered, but to examine the skeleton there. Missing an arm, it bore the familiar emblem of Illium.

“How long has he been here?” Cosmo asked, his eyes already scanning for anything of value. It was futile though, there was nothing.

I shrugged. “I don’t remember the last time the portal was opened, though it was in my dad’s lifetime.”

“Cosmo,” Maziel said, pointing a finger up the length of a tree. “Climb and report.”

The kender was in the canopy and shouting landmarks before we got our bearings.

“Trees. Volcano….Oh, a gate! ….There's some more trees.”

Maziel folded her arms as she contemplated a route.

Yaup, our half-orc cleric, flexed his muscles while grumbling about moving on. He started to cite one his Kord- mandments. Something about idle hands not lifting weights. Of the others he preached, all I could remember was Honor Leg Day, and Thou Should Not Eat of Thy Carbs. I remembered those because I liked to thoroughly oppose them.

Cosmo eventually slid down the trunk with a feigned salute. Then all eyes fell to Maziel.

“We’re heading to the gate,” the drow declared.

It was an eerily quiet trek through the bramble. The thick jungle eventually gave way to muddy road that revealed a massive stone wall in the distance. As we approached, we gaped up at the gate that barred our way. Several feet of rope later, and we were successfully on the other side, panting and staring at the massive stone houses beyond. They looked abandoned and ready to crumble.

We only had a few heartbeats to study the area before a boulder came careening our way. It rippled the ground beside us, sending us diving away as shards went flying in all directions. Massive stone giants lumbered toward us, hurtling more boulders our way.

I wiped a trickle of blood from my cheek, and without another thought, I transformed into an allosaurus to match their size. I roared, then thundered toward our foes, despite Maziel's furious cries about formation.

Dagon let out a laugh, then ran after me, his inner rage taking over. Yaup followed, proclaiming the might that was Kord.

Giants with clubs hurt. Even at my size. I caught several blows directly, realizing that intimidating didn't always scare stupid. Still, the party managed to topple the giants after a few brutal exchanges.

“Oh! Oh, Taelim!” Dagon bounced up and down in front of me. “You're huge! Let me ride you! Please? Pleeaaseeee!”

I narrowed my reptilian eyes. Normally I had a thing against being a pet, but then another part of me considered how amazing we'd appear. Intimidation part two? I lowered my head and the dwarf clambered up and howled in excitement.

Maziel folded her arms and glared up at us. I thumped my tail and attempted a toothy grin.

“What happened to stealth recon?” Her gravelly voice demanded.

I snorted. Good luck at my size.

“Hey, where's Cosmo?” Klotonk broke the tension.

Maziel whipped around and counted our numbers. She threw up her hands with a curse. “Really?!” Then she picked up a trail and motioned for us to follow, muttering about a useless dog-conscious.

We followed the tracks to a half buried arena at the far end of the abandoned village. Somehow we had managed to pass without a trace. We quietly crept inside, and I barely managed to squeeze through the doors. The space within was another matter entirely.

A massive pit stretched below for all the rotted benches above to see. At the center, a ring of armed dragonborn closed in on Cosmo who was trying to chat them up.

“Maziel, thoughts?” Klotonk asked hurriedly.

I didn’t bother waiting for an answer. With a roar, I sprang into the ring, causing all of the dragonborn to turn our way. Dagon slipped off my back and drew his mace. The dragonborn did the honors of engaging.

Our distraction was just enough to get Cosmo scrambling out of enemies’ reach. The kender hurried up the ledge to where Maziel and Klotonk were providing cover fire.

Yaup didn’t hesitate, and quickly jumped down with us. “Surrender, fiends! Or Kord will smite you down!”

An enemy javelin sunk in the sank beside Yaup’s feet. The dragonborn grinned and taunted us in draconic. Then their sword-bearers charged.

“Smite it is!” Yaup proclaimed eagerly, drawing his greatsword.

While our front-line handled the charging opponents, a single dragonborn in robes slipped to the back of the pit.

Sorcerer.

I stomped toward the caster, and fell right into his trap. The spell seized me before I even had a chance to open my maw. Slowly, I turned toward my friends and roared, understanding only the order to kill.

Dagon was the closest target, and I could feel my body acting on it’s own accord. Completely dominated, I lunged and caught the dwarf by surprise. Luckily, he dived out of the way.

“Taelim! What are you--”

I swung my massive tail down, trying to slam him. Again, I missed.

“We need help here!” Yaup called to the rest of the group. Dagon and Yaup were now trapped between me and the dragonborn swordsmen.

“Taelim!” Klotonk called, running along the ring. “Stand still!”

Distracted, I lifted my head just in time to feel Klo launch a spell at me. The magic seized me for a moment, and then I felt the sweet comfort of being in control again. I turned and glared at the Sorcerer, then snapped up his closest companion and crushed him.

One by one, we cleaned up the area as if under the watch of an invisible audience. Our final foe, a red dragonborn threw down his sword and called out. “Please. Mercy.”

Maziel came forward, hands on her hips. “So you speak Common after all.”

“Please. Spare me, warriors.”

I loomed over the dragonborn and noticed the emblem on his armor. Tiamat. I hissed despite myself, causing the dragonborn to bow his head further.

“Give us a reason why.” Maziel said, pretending to study her short sword.

“You’re not from here. I know this. But how you got here,” he shrugged. “You’re trapped now. Like us.”

Maziel titled her head. “Trapped? No, we have means to get in and out.”

The dragonborn shook his head. “How long you been here?”

Maziel briefly considered answering truthfully, if at all. “A few hours at most.”

The dragonborn stared directly at the drow. “Time won’t work right here. Not like out there.”

Panic started to seep in. Even if this was a lie, the prospects of being trapped here seemed too much like a possibility.

“Yaup. Bind him.” Maziel motioned.

The massive half-orc obeyed, lifting the dragonborn up with ease. “What’s your name?” Yaup asked as he bound the dragonborn’s wrists.

“Slicer works.”

As a party, we swiftly returned outside. I glanced up at the sky, and most of us did the same. One by one we turned to face each other with the same terrifying conclusion. Slicer was right. Despite the sun being out, it had moved far faster in its race across the horizon then when we first started.

“Slicer,” Klotonk asked, his voice almost a whine. “Would you happened to know just how much faster time moves here than...outside?”

The dragonborn shrugged. “Three--maybe four times as fast.”

“If the day is almost up....”Maziel started.

“We need to get back to the portal!” Klotonk exclaimed.

It was an all-out sprint back along road we came through. Heedless of danger, we bolted the entire way, the dragonborn dragged in wake. We found the clearing we came from, and saw the shimmering portal back home. The one we would have missed by days. We didn’t have time to think, and one by one we leaped through.

The city that greeted us wasn’t the world I knew. The sky was dark and overcast, and where the proud city of Illium once stood, a ruined expanse of hollowed buildings remained. I dropped my dinosaur form and gaped, feeling the eyes of my friends upon me.

“T-this has to be some mistake, Taelim...” Klotonk was stammering, reaching for my hand.

Maziel was drawing close too, but I didn’t wait. I couldn’t. I bolted toward what remained of the palace sitting on the broken mountains ahead.

Session 15

I paced the lower deck of the airship cabin nervously, trying my best to appear calm and collected before the crew and my friends. I was very clearly failing. From the information gathered, the dreadnought was far bigger than originally anticipated, equipped with an artillery that would shoot down our airships. In order for an airstrike to work, we sent our best ships in to disable the cannons. That was Oliadner's charge, alongside some of my friends' clones.

"Coming into sight!" The pilot called out.

I turned toward the ship's windows, taking in the massive vessel that cruised the waters imposingly. Then I froze, my body forgetting to breathe entirely as I gaped at the ship in full view.

"What in the hells...." I muttered under my breath.

It was...a ship of sorts, a dreadnought as they claimed. But it was also something else. Its sides were wreathed with the bodies and bones of its victims. Severed limbs dangling from the railings, rotting pieces adorning nearly every inch above the water. The ship was the color of pale flesh to match. I leaned against the wall and steadied myself, barely holding onto the contents of my stomach.

"I guess you can say...it's a dead-nought. Eh?" I heard Cosmo chortle nearby. The slap of Maziel's hand followed right after.

My eyes scanned the port side of the dreadnought, and I spotted the almost small in comparison Illium vessels sailing beside it. Their hooks had clamped onto the enemy ship, and both parties bordered the other. They were locked in battle, Wroth shooting down at our ships while Illium soldiers swarmed the dreadnought deck. I could see a familiar group surging toward one of the artillery guns at the dreadnought’s rear, battling their way through a group of enemies.

Just one cannon, then we can land.

"INCOMING!" A crewman shouted as something slammed into the windshield. A blur of dark feathers shattered the glass as it slid across the floor. More figures darted inside, screeching as their talons swiped at targets.

“Defend the pilots!” I called out, drawing my scimitar and swiping at one of the winged demons. I wish Feeps was here. I thought miserably as I engaged my foe. Bringing him wasn’t a chance I wanted to take--leaving Illium without a capable leader. I had practically begged him to stay, but in the end he obliged.

Arrows whizzed by my ear, sinking into the demon that lunged at my side. I sliced up my own opponent, spilling black blood before rushing toward a cornered crewman. The cabin was crowded with crew and demons, one group fighting to crash the airship, the other to keep it afloat.

“HELP!” Cosmo screamed, as large demon with the head of a vulture dragged the kender out the window. Despite Cosmo’s attempts to sever its talons, the vulture-demon flung the kender out the window and took off before a volley of arrows pierced its chest.

“Taelim!” Maziel called, but I was already on it.

I jumped out after the kender, taking the form of a giant eagle. I caught Cosmo before he hit the thrashing sea below, and we returned atop the airship deck where a horde of flying demons were trying to stall the engines. There the vulture-demon watched us with glassy eyes, daring us to engage.

Cosmo shot a bolt into its wings, eager to reap his revenge.

With a  primal bellow, Dagon had clambered his way on top of the deck, followed by his Dagon clone. Both raging dwarves were frothing at the mouth and swinging their maul wildly, knocking demons off the ship with brutal efficiency. Maziel followed, sending arrow after arrow into the horde, thinning their numbers.

As we fought for control of the airship, an explosion rocked the air. A plume of fire and shrapnel billowed at the dreadnought’s rear, and I watched as the artillery gun shattered. Its base, and part of the deck, collapsed in on itself and exposed a massive hold into the ship’s interior.

The demons took off at once, scattering to the wind, most returning to the dreadnought as reinforcements. Only a few survived the flight back, shot down one after another by the crew and party.

I changed back into my half-elf form and grinned. Time to land.

We met up with the other group, just as they emerged from the smoldering remains of the dreadnoughts interior, battered and bloody. The bodies of Wroth littered the deck, and even the brine air couldn’t mask the smell of smoldering corpses.

Oliander stomped forward to greet us. “Princess,” his voice was curt, eyes continually scanning our surroundings. Not far off we could hear our soldiers fighting their way across the ship. “We defeated the Rudder Master, and--”

“It was glorious!” Yaup, the cleric of Kord, boomed. “The dead sphinx was no match for our--”

“It’s officially dead now.” Oliander growled, glaring at the half-orc still bristling with battle pride. “They follow some sort of leader far below deck...”

“Thanks, General.” I said, already putting space between us. “We’ll take care of it. Can your squad handle the other artillery gun?”

“We’ll render the ship defenseless, Princess. Have no fear.”

“Good, because I want it at the bottom of the ocean when all of this is done.”

Working our way down the dreadnought felt like being inside a living breathing creature. Granted, it was more along the lines of necromancy, but we still couldn’t shake the feeling of crawling through our enemy’s insides. Occasionally, we felt the vibrations of cannon fire hitting the ship, rocking our footing. More than once a group of Wroth tried and failed to stop our progression. At some point, it all grew eerily still, even enemies stopped harassing us. That’s when we knew we were close.

The hum of the engines made the floors vibrate, by now we were deep in the ship’s bowels. As we went down a winding staircase, huge double doors awaited at the end of a long passage. The smell of rotting flesh was so strong, every footfall deceived us into believing we were walking on sinew.

As we approached the doors I glanced over my shoulder at my friends, fully acknowledging I wouldn’t have the courage to face this alone. Whenever I bounded headlong into danger, it was only because I knew they’d follow.

“You ready, Taelim?” Maziel asked me quietly.

I think she was really asking: Are you ready to face what lies beyond? Good or bad? Survivors weren’t guaranteed. We had our shoulders against the door, ready to push inward. I pressed my lips into a thin line and nodded once,  trying to ignore the pools of blood at our feet.

The circular room was far bigger than the passage led me to believe. The ceiling rose at least sixty feet high, bodies chained to the walls in various states of decay. A wide walkway alongside the room looked over the pit of blood and bone, rusted cages were empty down below. Whatever housed them were hung on the wall or eaten by the creature at the far end of the room.

Gruesome didn’t really describe it. Though it had humanoid features, its huge blubbery limbs were strewn across its dais where it presumably watched us behind its golden mask. Its pale skin was wreathed with golden bangles and rings, contrasting against its ashen body. It held a squirming goblin in its ringed fingers, waving it just above its belly where a gaping hole with sharp teeth hungrily snapped at Snee.

He’s still alive? I thought initially. My eyes scanned the wall just beyond the blubbering mass. I could see Illium sailors shackled to the wall, alive but barely holding on. There, in my disbelief, I spotted Killian, chained with the rest.

“SAVE ME!” Snee screamed. As he was lowered toward the belly-mouth.

Klotonk unleashed a barrage of magic missiles that took the gluttonous Wroth by surprise.

It cocked its golden mask, as if nothing had ever dared to challenge it in its domain. The blubbering Wroth threw Snee back against the wall, laughing darkly. A giddy, unnerving titter. It pointed a fat finger in our direction, and I knew we had just earned first place on its menu.

What we had mistaken for more corpses littered across the room, were actually Wroth. Undead, half-devoured, Wroth. The tortured demons shambled toward us, doing their master’s bidding.

We did what came natural, and fought back. We split into two groups and worked our way around the pit. Two Dagons led the charge in a furious rage, maul slamming into whatever decomposing creature challenged him first. Arrows and crossbow bolts finished whatever wandered close.

Even as we neared, the glutinous Wroth continued to laugh, belly bouncing while it directed more Wroth our way. We brought them down, one by one, fatigued but determined. Just before we reached the dais, Klotonk sent off a fireball that exploded directly onto the blubbering mass.

As it howled in pain, I extended my hands and heated the metal on its ashen body. The howl became a high-pitched shriek as it clawed at its burning jewels.

My friends followed up like one our circus routines. Cosmo’s bolts buried themselves in its jugular, and Dagon was practically red with fury as he hammered away at the limbs. The rest of us cleaned house as we overwhelmed it entirely.

The glutinous Wroth swayed on its seat. It shivered violently as it fell backward, its skin melting away into pools of dark blood. The liquid bubbled at our feet, then splashed out in a boiling surge, producing curses from our lips. Other than the burns, a deep necromantic energy crept inside us, but we were far too busy ensuring the battle was over to care.

The ship rocked violently to one side, causing us to loose our footing. We felt the intermittent booms, and knew we only had minutes before we joined it at the bottom of the ocean.

“Let’s get the survives down!” I called out. “I’ll heal and put them on their feet.”

“Then we run.” Maziel added.

“Then we run.” I confirmed, already looking to the exit.

I leaned against the open doorway of our airship, watching the rest of the Illium fleet barrage the Wroth dreadnought. The vessel was sinking slowly in a fiery defeat, and I couldn't mask my contempt as it disappeared below the waves.

I headed to the back of the cabin where Killian sat on a makeshift bunk, still covered in bruises around his wrist and neck. At least he was mostly in one piece. He glanced at me sheepishly as I squeezed in beside him, not saying a word.

Killian was quick to fill the silence. “I know what you’re going to say,” he started, somewhat defensive.

“Do you now?”

His frown deepened. “Aye, that I was foolish to take them on. I was arrogant, you were right, I’m not allowed out again....All that and more, eh?”

Leaning back against the wall, I chuckled softly and closed my eyes. “I’ve got no right to talk about arrogance.” I paused for a moment, before finally admitting. “I guess I’m just glad you’re okay.”

“What’s the count? Twice now I’ve had my hide saved by you.”

I grinned widely. “And don’t you forget it.”

Session 14

My party’s reckoning came shortly after. Medusalon had sent a series of threats and accusations regarding riots, jailbreaks and attempts on their leaders’ lives. All thanks to my friends. I had the comfort of laughing in my study while trying to write a cohort apology letter. Luckily they weren’t Illium’s responsibility. They were mine. But, hey, the technicalities of politics.

An actual representative from Magaat showed up at Illium’s doorstep in a frenzy. They were quick to blame my friends for breaking into their Impenetrable Prison. To which I kindly reminded them that the heroes of Illium couldn’t conceivably be blamed. But clones under the influence of the newly freed god, Primus, that was entirely possible. That logic was accepted. Only now I had inherited the responsibility of dealing with Primus as reparations.

I don’t even get the fun of freeing Primus and having a clone. I thought bitterly. Just clean up.

I gazed out the window overlooking the coast. It had been a few days since Killian and his crew set sail for the Wroth dreadnought. Here I was, taking care of every other boring detail. Even Snee had gotten to go, offering his abilities to study the Wroth’s ship and advance Illium’s naval capabilities. Which was probably true, but mostly another way to avoid Klotonk. Still, it annoyed me that Killian accepted.

A soft knock at the door drew me away from my thoughts.

Elroar walked in. “You busy?” He asked.

“Nope, come in.” I lied, desperate for a distraction.

“Has your drow friend spoken to you?”

“Maziel?” My face fell. “What did they do?”

Elroar smiled grimly. “Nothing. It’s just when she told me about the role you’ve accepted here, I worried.” He paused to consider his next words carefully. “As leader, there are always threats Illium faces. Some direct, some indirect. Most lie in wait. The Ilithids for example.”

I frowned, cocking my head. “Ilithids?”

“You’ve not heard of the hive below the city?”

My stomach twisted. “No. I’m assuming this isn’t widely known.”

“Viceak knew,” Elroar said, his voice not entirely fond. Elroar stepped closer, pleading. “Leave them be. For now. They’ve not harmed anyone, and they are deep in the caverns below the city.”

I nodded my head, knowing full well that was the least of my intentions. Still, he seemed to buy it. We stood for a moment more in awkward silence before he turned to leave. He had tried regularly these last few days to “catch up” with me, at least before he rejoined his druid circle outside Illium’s reach.

“One more thing,” he said. “That pirate you intend to marry--”

“Bye, dad.” I cut him off, not unkindly.

He grumbled his annoyance, but left me alone to my thoughts.

There was a kind of subdued exhilaration to donning my armor and strapping on my sword. A freedom from the noble’s garb expected of me while at court. I crept out of the castle as twilight melted into night. I was free to come and go as I please, but the last thing I wanted was questioning, and certainly not outright opposition.

Once outside the castle walls I all but cheered. I continued through the city, making my way toward the underground tunnels I knew would twist deeper into the caverns below.

“Where you going, Taelim?”

My body froze, hand reaching for the hilt of my sword instinctively. A head of wild red hair climbed down from the building nearby and Cosmo grinned up at me. I relaxed, but only for a moment before a gloved hand squeezed my shoulder from behind.

“Taelim.” Maziel’s gravely voice greeted me. This time I did jump.

“Is everyone following me?” I demanded, pride stung at being caught.

“No. Just us.” Maziel said, face blank.

I eyed the drow, my heartbeat returning to a steady rhythm. I smiled wryly, deepening Maziel’s scowl. “Want to go on an adventure?”

Over the years I spent away from Illium coming into my own, I accumulated my fair share of memorable moments. Not to mention, an equal amount of regrets from hasty or poor decisions. You do not always think before you do, Feeps would say. Actions have consequences, Taelim.

This was one such consequence, and this time I dragged my friends into it.

We stopped at the start of a cavern tunnel, panting.

“Are they gone?” I asked Maziel breathlessly.

“I doubt it.”

“I want to go back to the castle!” Cosmo whined, rubbing his head where he was hit with some sort of psychic blast.

It hadn’t taken long to descend past Illium’s sewers and into the caverns far below the city. It was eerily easy to uncover the signs of life below. An entire civilization of hostile, brain sucking creatures. Our neighbor Ilithids, kept secret from the people of Illium.

Not for long. I thought miserably. It only took one encounter. Just one with the strange humanoids with tentacle features, hungering to grapple us. Just one to spot us with hostile intent. Just one to send the hive after us, not for dinner, but as dinner.

Maziel slapped a hand over Cosmo’s mouth, scanning the crags around us. A tentacle lashed out, and the snapping beak of a bizarre brain-looking creature clambered up the cliff.

“Run!” Maziel yelled, and took off down the cavern. With every full-speed footfall it became abundantly clear we were lost. The tunnel maze had melded into a complex network, and at every turn the Ilithids had their grimlock minions scrambling after us.

Again we stopped, exhausted and trying to gather our bearings.

“Can’t you teleport us out?” Maziel panted.

I shook my head. “No trees, though I can leave you both. Elroar’s shown me elemental shapes.”

Cosmo’s eyes widened, and I thought I glimpsed Maziel’s hand hover over her short sword then reconsider.  

“Didn’t think so,” I huffed. “On the bright side, you have more clone lives to lead when we die.”

“This isn’t where you die, druid,” a scratchy voice said from behind us. A hunched figure in furs and hides loomed at the end of the tunnel.

We instinctively drew weapons, but he snorted at the gesture. “Come with me, and live.” He offered gruffly.

“I like living.” Maziel immediately sheathed her weapon, Cosmo following suit.

I hesitated for a heartbeat, eyeing the bearded figure who carried the familiarity of a druid. As if to prove his point, he changed shape into a fearsome wolf and pattered down a passage we had missed entirely. I wasted no time running after.

The Arch Magi of Beasts. That was who saved our lives. A member of the elite group of legendary protectors I longed to join. This was a solid first impression. Turns out, he had been keeping an eye on the Ilithids regularly, a request from Viceak.

I sat at the edge of my desk gazing out the window while Feeps continued to condone my actions. Drowning out my friend’s nervous ramblings, I noted dawn began to fill the horizon with light. I'm sleeping past noon, that’s for sure. When I thought at last I was free to go, someone knocked at the door. Oliander, the Rose Knight of Illium, stepped inside.

I withheld a grimace. There’s no way he knows. Does he…? Shit, he’ll tell my aunt.
“Princess,” the armored gnome bowed his head. “We’ve received some troubling news?”

I held my breath, wondering what waterfall effect I had brought upon Illium.

“Lord Killian. His ship was destroyed. He was either killed or captured.”

Quietly, I slid off the desk, trying to reign in my emotions. I managed to calmly face the general and speak my command. “Ready an airship and crew, we’re going after him.”