Chapter 149: Frustration(P2)

It didn't take much convincing to get Kaylin up and riled for a march into the Mayor's Palace.

In fact, it took more effort to tamper her vigour than it did bringing it up in the first place.

"We have to be careful," I say, holding her by the arms, she's gotten a lot fleshier, far more than when we met. I suppose lunches in the underground her mother ran were no different from what the rest of the people down there ate.

"I am not certain I slipped through all the traps, for most of the time I was floating and intangible. If there were any traps I wouldn't have felt it."

"But you can see, can't you?" Is her quick and holstered rebuttal, "You said you didn't see any traps or anyone for that matter."

"Except for Aren, who is currently out cold, with Goddess knows what injuries underneath his clothes."

Anselm isn't exempt from the eager panicking and anxiety it seems. Though, while I was away it seemed he took his time to pray to Frozia; his arm is slowly regenerating, I can see up to his wrist is back now.

Kaylin snatches her arm out of my grip with a grunt and glares, "Aren is not an elf, and he's not a bad person either. All he wanted was to start some little farming business and retire early, you pulled him into this. You have to get him out Asher!"

Breathing in deeply and trying not to let any of the screaming get to me, I speak in the calmest voice I can, "I am not abandoning Aren."

"Oh really?" the two say in a united voice, their arms crossed and their eyes levelling me with an accusing gaze.

Again, I breath, "Fine, I will testify to the fact that I have, albeit in the past, thought of Aren as a bit…expendable." This admittance does not satiate my two companions however.

"But, seeing him in such a state and considering all the good work he's done for my goals and plans with the North…as well as the attachments you and he have made…I cannot leave him behind, and I won't."

At last, the deep frown on Kaylin's otherwise smooth face is lifted.

"But," It's back. "We still have to take caution, charging in blindly and getting caught in some inescapable fuckery the Mayor could have set won't help anyone, least of all Aren."

To this, Anselm agrees. "That is true, but I can't move past the barriers like you can so I can't snatch him out of there, and you can't turn physical in your…Astral form so that's a no go."

He frowns, scratching his chin, "What do we do?"

At this Kaylin finally relaxes, dumping herself on one of the couches they brought out of the scattered, destroyed homes from Anselm's battle. For some reason they thought it a good idea to get really comfortable while they waited for me to return from the Astral.

"So? Do you have a plan?" She asks, fully resigned to listen.

I wear a smile as I nod, "Hopefully it works better than most my plans. Since we're the only ones it lets through, we'll have to go in and look for the spell that's keeping the barriers up and end it."

"If there's really no one in the Palace then it means the spell is maintained by a crystal, we have to find it and break it, then Anselm will be able to get in. But more importantly, we'll have to be the ones to get Aren to wake up."

"If he has any injuries, I can heal him up with my Healing Dire, if it's extensive then we might have to take him to your mother." I shrug at the narrowing gaze Kaylin shoots at me, "We'll have to go see here anyway, I know for certain the Mayor should be skulking around somewhere."

Although, at this very moment I'm grateful he's nowhere to be seen, Kaylin is still not at her prime state, far from it in fact, and the Elven North elves are still a bit jitterish about whether to leave or stay.

I'm pretty sure some have already left.

"Fine then, lets do that." She huffs, getting to her feet again, tossing her hair aside as she does, "As long as we get Aren out safe."

I nod and look to Anselm, "Mind giving us a lift?"

His face goes blank, "You should really consider getting a flight spell."

***

Anselm drops us off at the very edge of the Palace. The complete absence of life or movement aside ours is even more eerie seeing it in the physical.

"You were right," Kaylin mutters, her head scanning all around, "The place really is empty."

"So…quiet."

"You ready?" I ask Kaylin as I'm just about ready to walk through the boundary. The Palace gates are wide and towering with two guard towers manned with crossbows beside it, but like every thing else around the place, it's devoid of life.

There aren't any guards to stop us entering. In fact, it's almost like the entire strata had vanished right along with the Mayor.

Kaylin nods and takes my hand, together, with Anselm nervously waving, we march through.

Peeking with a single eye I find that Kaylin and I are still in one piece. "So far so good."

Giving Anselm a thumbs up we head out in a single line, not deviating one bit. And just like the first barrier, the other two have no outwardly effect on our being. And as far as the System is concerned, nothing has tried to attack me just yet.

Finally, after walking the distance, we stand at the unnecessarily large rectangular doors of the Palace.

Kaylin and I share a look and let go of our hands, "Here's where the true test begins." I chuckle dryly.

She doesn't laugh.

Instead, she steps forward and pushes the doors open. Without resistance, like every other thing we've come across on the way, it swings agar.

And there he is, still seated on the chair with the large beautiful carpet underneath.

"Aren!" Kaylin screams, running over to him, "Wake up!"

I think it unwise to rush in like that but nonetheless, I follow closely behind her. She pulls his fancy clothing apart and starts checking for injuries, thankfully, he is unscathed.

"Let's pick him up and get out of here for now, it's giving me the creeps." I mutter, my eyes dashing around as it suddenly feels like something or someone is watching me.

Just as Kaylin begins to pull Aren off the chair, a strong acrid smell strikes my senses, almost like burning or…ozone. Crinkling my nose, I'm not prepared when the space in front of us splits open and a man steps out. 

Clapping.