Chapter 152: Omake#12

Floating on the outside of the barrier I can't help the overwhelming feeling of loss that overcomes me.

Pressing my hand against the thin, yet strong barrier I feel that feeling boil with a rage within me, an anger at myself. Despite all I've done and gone through in service of the Goddess Frozia, I still find myself on the action.

Like I always did with these battles. When was the last time I truly had some kind of use to Asher? Some function to serve in his battles?

Perlman? Yes. Perlman.

I believe that has been the first and only time I've truly saved the man, otherwise all I've done by his side is whine, groan and moan about the promise I made him keep to me.

And now, without even knowing I've gone and aligned myself with the one being who he hates with a passion. The Goddess of Winter, the one who has bestowed upon me these powers of frost.

The one who holds my soul within her palm.

I may be gullible but I am no fool, the moment Asher protested my new allegiance, my new naivety and crutch, but still accepted it nonetheless…I knew I had made a mistake.

Shamefully, I am ever aware that I am the sole reason he does the bidding of the Goddess, and yet, I still hold her to esteem. She has, in some effort and way, given me the strength to stand upright beside Asher, to be a true comrade of battle.

To be his squire.

Except, floating over on the outside of this barrier, I begin to realize that he must have thought that of me all this time. After all, he still summons me, he still calls on me and wishes for my presence.

He still desires to have me around.

In this confusion I am left with a dilemma; Betray the Goddess and free Asher of the bondage I've unwittingly brought upon him or remain by his side and fight all the way to the prophesied battle.

A prophesy of which I'm begin to doubt the legitimacy of. Could it be that Frozia simply manufactured the prophesy as a means of attaining my soul? Of having me relinquish control over it to her?

I don't know. But the doubts eat at me, if her words are as false and as manipulating as Asher claims them to be then…then I have no reason to be at peace when he marches into a battle.

So far, I have been of the belief that as prophesied, he will make it all the way to the true battle, the one that decides the fate of this world and likely others. 

But if Frozia is deceitful, then this battle he has walked into could very well be his last.

"He didn't look especially confident about it either." I mutter out loud to myself. Spending so much time with the man, I've begun to decipher the meaning behind his scowls and frowns almost as easily as I fly.

Tonight, walking through this barrier with Kaylin, he had on the same look he wore so long ago when he fought Perlman, for the first in a long time, he had on a look of helplessness.

And I, as always, remain unable to aid him.

Perhaps Kaylin will serve that purpose in my place, although, I haven't much faith in her performance. And for several reasons.

First of which is the fact that she has yet to fully recover her strength, to fully renew her energies after such a long stay in the dark depths of the Mayor's dungeons.

The next reason and perhaps the most disconcerting would be the fact that she has already faced the Mayor and she's lost so woefully she cannot even identify what strengths nor weaknesses the man has.

Thinking of these notes does not inspire me with so much faith. Which is why I've long begun a speedy journey away from the barrier and to the only other Mage I am aware of in this forsaken place.

Maylin.

***

It isn't a difficult task finding where she operates nor where she stays. Piecing together the bits and pieces I've heard about the woman from both Kaylin and Asher, I figure my best bet would be to travel through the ground whilst intangible.

A lo and behold, the underground refuge lights up the dirty underneath of the city. With so many lanterns and candles I can't help but wonder how the inhabitants of the underbelly do not suffocate.

But my straying, muddled mind doesn't stay long on the thought. Instead, I try to figure out the best way out of my current situation without violence.

Before me stand several elven women, all finely healthy and sufficiently armoured. Although, from a single glance I can tell the armour they adorn is nothing compared to that of the Hunters Asher and I just fought.

The women present to me the sharp end of their pikes and sneer, their leader demanding answers.

"Who are you and why have you come here?" The one who speaks is a bit on the buffer side than most of her counterparts, her muscles almost seem to stretch the leather and bronze armour she wears.

With my hands – both of them complete and accounted for – raised in a harmless surrender, I answer her question, "I am Anselm…" I stop myself just short of reciting my old status as the squire to the Knight of Riveden; an archaic past I should forget.

"I am a companion to Kaylin." I purposefully make amiss of mentioning Asher's name, if Kaylin's frustrated mumbles back when things were still lax are anything to go by, then I know better than to bring up the main reason for the spilt between mother and child.

The mention of Kaylin has the elven women muttering and whispering to themselves and I know I've come to the right place.

"I'm looking for help on her behalf, the only one capable of giving it is her mother, Matron and proprietor of this place, Maylin."

With my introduction and purpose announced, I lower myself to the ground, setting my feet on the ground. "May I meet her?"

The warrior elves look between each other at this. Frankly I could have done this all without having this conversation and I still can; flying past them whilst intangible and invisible would be a piece of cake, but I think it would be prompt for me to act with honour and patience.

Especially when this woman's response could decide whether or not Asher and Kaylin live.

Their grumbling deliberation is fortunately interrupted when the door to the building behind them swings open, the sound of moaning and screaming from within strengthens.

Normally I would be nervous at this but Kaylin has already explained what her mother does for the people under her care.

The person standing in the doorway I quickly identify from the uncanny similarity to Kaylin, as Merlara, her sister. White hair, smooth round face and distinctive piercing eyes.

Asher, as far as I know, has had limited interaction with her, and Kaylin, not one to talk about home without getting riled up about her mother has only gone as far to designate her sister as 'Mother's precious little first'

I am completely ignorant to whatever drama hangs behind those words and for the most part, exhausted by her nagging, I never deigned to ask. A thing I am slightly beginning to regret as I may need that information to navigate my interaction with her.

Merlara steps out and struts forward. I straighten up in response and ready an explanation. 

Stepping up to me I find she's just as short, or…tall as her sister Kaylin, her head reaching the crux of my chest as she glares up at me.

"You're saying Kaylin is in trouble?" 

I nod mutely.

"This wouldn't have anything to do with the rather foolish uprising of the Elven North does it? She mentioned something about them the last time she came, and now, all across the city elves are being killed without anyone caring to bat an eye."

Her voice is soft but holds a steely edge to it, not at all like Kaylin's raw intonation.

"I uh.." I'm not sure what to say to anything she's said. Good part is, it seems they don't have the slightest clue what Kaylin's been up to up in the North, so they don't know that she's been imprisoned for a few days in the Mayor's dungeons.

"Speak." A thunderous voice commands. It's not Merlara. My eyes rise and I meet the glowing orbs of the woman herself, Maylin. Asher was right, she truly is powerful.

The elven warriors seem to think so to as they quickly part, making way as she steps out of the building.

"Speak and do not leave out a thing…spectre." 

Spectre?

Ignoring the rather…intriguing new name I've been given, I speak as asked, "Kaylin…and Asher need your help."

"Asher too?" She doesn't sound very pleased to hear his name, "He couldn't be the cause of all this ruckus, could he? The lockdowns, curfew and guards trooping all around?"

Before I can speak, she quickly pieces it out for herself, her eyes widens and her jaw falls, speechless.

"Merlara, get me my tools."

Merlara pauses at this, looking terribly concerned. "You mean…?"

"Yes, those tools."