Starry Resonance Ch. 12

"Forgive me," Nora began but Yvain stopped her.

"We'll discuss it once we're back at the carriage."

The goddess didn't say anymore, only standing in silence and leading the way out of the bedroom.

Everybody was already waiting by the house's exit when they arrived downstairs.

"What in the name of the stars are you doing here?" Roesia asked when she saw Selt.

The kid pushed out his chest and rose his nose high, "Rescuing our fearless leader from an untimely death."

"Something we'll be discussing at length once we get back," Nelimir said, eyeing Selt who began to whistle out of tune.

Life had returned to their leader's face, though Yvain couldn't say if it was the healing effects of the succubus's food or something else.

The strange trio were all lined up by the door, waiting for the group to be done with their small meeting. The exit was wide open, and on the other side the ravaged area they had left behind when Yvain and Nora began the Godless trial; the carriage miraculously standing, lights still on, farther away in the dark.

The first one to go out was Nelimir. He didn't show any relief or sadness, simply walking out and standing with a relaxed posture while waiting for the rest to follow. Selt wasn't far behind. Elly was next. And finally, Nora stepped across, with Yvain and Roesia slowly making their way.

When the two of them were about to cross the threshold, the elegant man put an arm out front.

"Firefly, do you mind taking Roesia? I need to talk with Yvain," he said. It was obvious that whatever he wanted to say would be said in private.

Firefly?

Nora's look was plain, she was not going to allow this, but this was an opportunity to gather more information.

"Here," Yvain said and gently pushed the sorceress into his girlfriend's arms. "I'll be out soon."

Nelimir gave him a look of concern, Elly and Selt already halfway to reaching the carriage.

"Fine," Nora said with a rare pout and took Roesia with her.

"We'll be waiting nearby," Nelimir said and pulled back with both women.

Turning to face the elegant man, he asked, "So?"

The man only held his visage while the larger of them left without a word and the succubus handed him a medium-sized corked bottle.

"One drop of this, directly or with food, and they'll be able to temporarily accommodate all of your releases; it lasts around a day give or take. More than one won't do anything but the same so don't waste it. Once the effect ends the contents will be forcefully discharged, so be careful when and where you use it."

She gave him a knowing wink and sashayed away.

Yvain held the concoction in his hands like a precious jewel. Internally celebrating while laughing at himself for suddenly trusting the succubus completely if it meant he could experience such an event again.

"She told me that you didn't know succubi consumed sexual energies," the elegant man said, pointing with his chin toward where the succubus exited. "That Nora had to explain to you such a common detail means you find yourself in a very poor position while also severely lacking information. Am I correct?"

"You called Nora firefly, what is she to you?" Yvain remained transfixed on the bottle which held a pinkish hue.

"Reach the protos rank and I might answer that question."

Yvain raised his head. "If you won't answer something as simple as that, why should I tell you anything?"

Both men stared each other down without making a move.

Yvain had no doubts about how easily the beast in front of him could kill him. His guts screamed it so. But they also retained a calm silence in face of this possible threat, giving him the confidence to act as he was wont.

"Fair enough, but I am beholden to others. Offering you that information would be a breach of trust. I can tell you this though, I'm grateful you helped Nora kill her abusive partner. I would have ripped him apart had I been there." The elegant man looked out the doors into the field Nora was waiting in. "Sadly, that was, and still is, an impossibility." Looking at Yvain again, his eyes softened. "I'm depending on you to keep her safe. She is yours and yours alone, don't let anyone think otherwise."

The words somehow filled Yvain with grateful determination. Like some respected general had just given him a rousing speech before a brutal war. He could only nod in understanding.

"You are correct," Yvain said. "I'm from Empryon, a secluded island in Astros. Everyone is kept in the dark of what happens on the outside. Starlight, other races, everything."

"Just as I feared," the elegant man said with a disgruntled sigh. "Humans have always been prone to such tendencies. It seems you've been dealt a shitty hand." Holding a fist to his chin, he continued. "Listen to me well Yvain. Reach the Protos rank as fast as possible. Risk death if you must. Absorb starlight and break down the final wall by force. Once you surpass that first limit all the ignorance that has been forced upon you will disappear in the blink of an eye. In that instance you will gain the strength you so desperately seek."

"Don't you think that's what I've been doing?" Yvain said with some annoyance.

"I know you haven't," the elegant man said, giving a pointed look at the bottle.

Yvain quickly put it inside one of his pockets.

"I'll do my best," he said with a sigh.

A heavy hand landed on his shoulder, and just like with Michael, he found himself unable to escape.

"I need more than your best," the educated looking man said almost sadly, "she needs more than your best. Nora will not remain by your side merely by the grace of the connection you share--oh yes, I know of it--and you know who she is, but you don't understand the full implications of her position. I do. If by the end of all this you haven't had to kill a few hundred of her subjects, then you already lost her."

The elegant man pushed Yvain out the door before they closed with a loud thud, like an angry fist to his face, effectively stopping any possible questions he might have asked.

'Then you already lost her'. Yvain wouldn't allow it. He couldn't. But his warnings. The elegant man wasn't trying to scare him. He himself sounded desperate, as if he was pleading to Yvain. As if he was attempting his damn best to impress upon him the severity of the situation. Yet what could her people do? Not even their emperor had been able to stand up to her.

Unlike the first dungeon he experienced, this one had taken the shape of its insides--his parents' home.

"I was also surprised," Nelimir said, walking up to him.

Yvain remained quiet, and so the friends watched on as the familiar building crumbled on itself.

"I met Haradriel."

"An illusion?" Yvain asked.

"I doubt it. We have a lot to discuss."

"No kidding. Any idea who those people were?"

"None," Nelimir said. "Though I'm alive thanks to one of them."

"So is Roesia," Yvain said as the final particles of the dungeon flew away on the winds rustling through the surroundings. Strong enough that they could probably be linked to the storm created by the sorceress.

"Come on, we'll have a meeting tomorrow morning and see where we all stand," Nelimir said before turning for the carriage.

Yvain was about to follow when something caught his eyes; three figures closing in on the outer ring of light made by the carriage. Covered by the night, they only became clear once inside the glowing circumference.

Two men, and one woman.

"Your Imperial Majesty," the older of the two men said with a personable smile, "I'm glad we've found you."

----------

It was a good thing Alskar was physically stronger than Orlia.

It was also a good thing he managed to get the jump on her.

Such were his thoughts as he pinned down the struggling woman.

"What part of 'no starlight' do you not understand!?" he said.

When they arrived at the source of the explosion a large house was sitting in the middle of all the destruction. A carriage not too far away from it. Both were tightly locked. Physical strength proved no match, and so their lovable zealot had decided to use starlight.

"I need to go to her!" She repeated ad infinitum, but whenever he asked her why or anything about the explosion and the weird fixation with this weird building standing in the middle of nowhere, she ignored him.

All he and Seppo had to run off of was that apparently Nora had been challenged. Regardless of the validity of such a statement, this was someone stronger than the emperor. No one in Empryon was strong enough to face her and anyone from the outside that could had no reason to be here.

After such a discharge though...the god of humans should know something was up by now. Hopefully Alskar's brethren could keep him occupied long enough for them to finish things here, but his agents could show up at any moment.

"Should we shut her up at least?" Seppo said.

"No, we might need her help," he said when the doors to the mysterious house opened.

Immediately Alskar covered Orlia's mouth and dashed back into the trees, Seppo following.

"Silence you idiot!" he harshly whispered in the zealot's ear. "If she's really in trouble, whoever comes out won't be easy to deal with. We need to get the jump on them."

Mercifully, that seemed to be enough to calm her down.

Orlia pushed his hand away and concentrated on the person coming out, acting as if she hadn't just made a scene.

Seppo scoffed, but everyone remained quiet, observing.

It was...a human? He was shirtless and in rough shape, barely able to stand. Stepping aside, he seemed to be waiting for more people to come out. Barely several seconds later a boy and a large woman exited. Also humans. They were in better condition, but neither were strong. Seppo could take on them by himself.

Then, finally, Alskar's empress walked out holding one of her subjects. He hadn't seen the woman before, but it wasn't surprising that Nora would take a servant with her.

"Hold!" Alskar said, holding back Orlia, who almost sprinted out at the sight of their empress. "There might be more of them."

How he wished to listen in on their words. The group's mouths kept moving. Yet risking being found was out of the question.

Eventually, everyone but the tired looking man walked toward the carriage. Was there someone else?

Indeed, around a minute later another man staggered out the door which shut close. He just stood there with a pensive expression as he took in the building.

"Can I go now!?" Orlia whispered.

"Patience, for the sake of the stars," Alskar said. No one out there seemed to be at odds with each other. In fact, if he didn't know his empress, he'd say they were all companions. Yet, she was wearing her true skin, so was the other woman.

Isolated instances of people from different races joining hands wasn't unheard of, but the goddess of dragons? The empress? Ridiculous. They had to be human sympathizers, sent into Empryon for information gathering.

"What should we do?" Seppo asked.

The same doubts were in the young man's expression. And Orlia, after taking in the details of what was happening, quieted down.

"If these are followers of hers, then we treat them as such," he said before standing.

The building the group had come out from had completely disintegrated, but that was inconsequential.

Taking leisure steps, Alskar motioned for Seppo and Orlia to follow him.

Halfway to the light, the man that had remained staring at the building swiveled his head toward them.

Had they been found? Nothing to it.

"Your Imperial Majesty," Alskar said, walking into view, "I'm glad we've found you."

----------

"What are you doing here?" Nora beathed.

Was that fear in her voice?

Yvain immediately went on guard, the rest doing the same. To call Nora by her title could only mean one thing.

"We heard the call," the young man said with furrowed brows, taking a step forward, "Who killed him?"

The older man backhanded him, making his head whip to the side.

"Is that how you talk to Her Majesty!?" he raged, some spittle flying out. "I thought you better than that boy! Remain silent before I give you a true beating."

"My creator," the woman accompanying the other two said, paying no mind to her companions and running toward Nora before prostrating herself. "I have come to swiftly bring you back to safety. Now that the emperor has died, we need your strength and leadership. Mother especially has been sick with worry since your disappearance."

No one made a move or said anything. These people looked human, yet they were anything but. Any wrong step could see a fight unfolding. Good thing Selt's demeanor had completely changed, he simply hung back in silence. It was up to the goddess to decide on how to handle the situation.

Nora's eyes were like saucers, and she looked to Yvain before attaining a measure of control over her expression.

"Rise," she said, and the woman complied with a certainty that rivaled Yvain's commands over the goddess. "Do any of you know why Mitrel and I came here?"

"No one does, Your Majesty," the apparent leader of the group said. "All we know is that he was murdered. We are here to aide you and your daughter and find His killer."

Nora nodded with apparent understanding. Yet, what was there to say? They were the ones who killed him. The murder had finally caught up to them.

Elly didn't look smug about the whole thing at least. She was simply prepared for a fight to break out, as was Yvain.

"Mitrel and I left because our daughter was kidnaped by human slavers."

"What!?" the hooded woman said.

"They dared to kidnap the princess?" the older man asked.

Nora continued, "It was those same kidnappers who attacked us. Something we could have easily brushed off, but they came prepared." The goddess gave the subservient woman a meaningful look which she seemed to understand immediately.

"What preparations could they have possibly come up with to handle both of you at once?" the older man asked. He wasn't questioning Nora though. He simply looked into nothingness, probably attempting to conjure up the means by which such a thing was made possible on his own.

It was the young man who didn't seemed convinced, yet he kept his council.

The hooded woman didn't bother to answer, keeping her back toward her two companions. Neither did Nora.

"We did manage to kill them in the end," Nora said, "but it came at the cost of the emperor's life. They couldn't have been working alone though, and my daughter remains in their captivity." The goddess waved her arm, pointing at every member of Draconian's Tavern. "Thankfully I already had servants in place. Thanks to them I managed to recover from my injuries and blend into human society."

"And now you're on the hunt for your daughter," the older man said, nodding to himself.

The younger one scoffed but said nothing.

"Do not despair Your Majesty, we're here now," the older man said, pinning Nora with a fervent look. "It won't be long before we find her."

Truths interwoven in lies, and they all seemed to have worked for the most part. Yet they could all fall apart at the seams if the trio followed them.

"I am glad you are all here," Nora said. "With your help finding her is a certainty."

Yvain's heart seized as he controlled his facial muscles.

The younger man had failed on the other hand, eyebrows raising into his scalp as the goddess accepted them into their group.

What in the stars was she thinking? But...did they have any other recourse? If Nora considered these people a problem, then turning them against the guild would be a disaster.

"I will have Orlia attend to me," Nora said. "You two will investigate the surrounding areas for any clues of abnormal activity. Once your search is done, meet us at the city west from here."

"It shall be done, Your Majesty," the older man said with a bow and motioned for the young man to follow him.

Once they had disappeared into the darkness, Nora put a finger up to her lips, indicating for everyone to remain quiet. After at least a minute had passed, she spoke.

"Are they far enough?" she asked Orlia with a lower-than-normal voice.

"Yes, my creator."

Nora addressed the group, "They might be a problem, but we can trust Orlia."

"How much trouble are we in?" Yvain asked when suddenly he was off the ground, a powerful hand closing his windpipe.

"You dare speak to her in such a tone!?" Orlia's eyes spit venom.

"Release him!" Nora yelled and as fast as the hand came, it left; giving no chance to Yvain or Elly, who was half-way into a dash, to act.

The enraged woman was again bowing on the ground.

"My creator."

The goddess gave a tired sigh.

"You are to touch none of them," she said. "I will explain the situation tomorrow. As for trouble...Orlia specializes in magic, while the other two specialize in the physical." Nora said before turning for the carriage, carrying Roesia along.

The implied words were clear, this woman was physically weaker than the other men. Yet her grip had been like a vice. Yvain would have acted regardless, but the outcome was uncertain. How many more people would he meet that could manhandle him so easily?

'Break down the final wall by force'

Orlia stood as soon as Nora showed her back and fell in step, almost like a shadow.

All three women disappeared into the carriage.

Selt was already climbing the steps when they did.

"It's not like we didn't see this coming," Nelimir said and made his way into their headquarters.

Elly gave Yvain a long look before she too left.

One mess after the other, each one increasingly distressing. They hadn't even begun to locate Nora's daughter, though her followers were now on the case, unaware that the emperor's killers were right in front of them.

Yvain looked up at the stars shining brightly on the sky's black coat, pouring down starlight for all living beings to enjoy, and envisioned all his problems flying up and away into the void.

It was high time he took back the reins on his training.

----------

"I don't trust her," Seppo said.

He and Alskar had chosen the south to start their investigation. With their starlight powered speed and eyesight, it would take at most a day to look for any clues that didn't require to talk to somebody. Shifty characters, private buildings, isolated places. Anything unreachable to the layman.

"You don't have to," Alskar said, "but she is our empress, and you will treat her as such."

Nora's words had come too easy, their content too convenient. Yet she was the most powerful woman in their country. Whatever the truth was, it didn't matter. Sadly Seppo had always been a fanatic of Mitrel's. Despite the command the goddess might employ, he was a ruler loved by all. Fair and charismatic. It took the arrival of the goddess of dragons for anyone that had a chance at taking a higher position in the hearts of everyone to appear. Something that didn't exactly happen with all.

Trees and bushes sped by as the due neared one of the many settlements that needed to be investigated.

"At least we know that it was Mitrel who took the drug," he said.

Seppo grunted, either in assent or an inability to create some counter argument.

It was, after all, only a feeling of something being off that made them doubt her at all.

What if she killed him though, Alskar thought. A civil war would quickly arise. There was no way that the emperor's followers would remain quiet. Nora's own wouldn't allow her to be hurt.

He would choose her side, even if it meant working together with the prudish Maidens. And with Mitrel out of the picture maybe they could even...

No, first focus on finding the princess.

"Remember, no outward displays of starlight," Alskar warned.