69 Savan

Elya was conflicted. What sort of inspection could be carried out at night?

For all his other talents, Nikolai's excuses were as pathetic as his cooking ability. Except for boiled eggs of course.She would have questioned him if the Black Raven hadn't shown up to arrange her meeting with the Savant. Fortunately, Nikolai's absence meant she could leave without too many questions. None, once Alexis joined a circle of inn patrons playing some strange Volhiniyan drinking game. She only hoped the Vice-Captain was in better condition for their entry into Arkhangelsk than during the day. The Suzdals would be waiting for their entourage alongside members of House Barsi and throwing up on her elders would only lead to… issues. Intertwined since the Reclamation, their families were almost one in thought and action. 'To see the silver hair is to know a Barsi walks in the shadows' was a common saying in the Empire.

For good reason.

[Turn right at the interssssection.] The strange hissing which passed for the Black Raven's 'voice' was almost familiar now. At least, it didn't make her think of a sack of gravel being dragged over slate anymore.

Elya followed its directions, checking the hood of her cloak to make sure her hair was hidden. Even in the faint, worn Magelights hanging on the walls, the distinctive silver hair would glisten and announce her presence to the world. Their hair was the main reason none of the Suzdals joined the Ministry of the Interior as agents. That, and their penchant for direct action.

The cold wind slid under her cloak and Elya shivered, wrapping it tighter. Alone except for a voice in her head, the town appeared ominous, flickering shadows and creaking wood dancing amongst the buildings. Orzega at night was devoid of life. All she could see were a few lamps shining within houses and the Merchant District glowing in the distance, yet despite the dim signs of life in her surroundings, her eyes were drawn to the shadow of the twisted mountain in the west.

Remnant of a Demon gate.

Nikolai went out of his way to describe the horrors of the last known Demon incursion to Jarek as they ambled into town. According to him, Mages despised Demons. He refused to explain why, saying the boy would learn in the future, but when they first glimpsed the mountain he leaned out of his carriage and called her over.

["That is why the border ends a dozen miles to the North." His fingers trembled, whether from fear or the odd affliction he'd caught in Galicia, Elya didn't know. He was evasive, claiming the condition was under control but his already erratic behaviour was now interspersed with darker mood swings. "The Mages Council rotates a watcher to sit and stare at the gate for a year at a time. Ostensibly, to make sure nothing damages the fabric of existence..." He paused, staring down at his hands with a slight frown stuttering across his features.

"But?" Elya brought Stormchaser closer to the carriage, leaning down from her perch on the horse to catch Nikolai's lecture.

Shaking his head Nikolai tapped Jarek's shoulder. "But it serves as a relatively peaceful yet strange land for journeymen or novice Mages to practise. So, the Council keeps a Master here to watch over them. There are remnants of Demonic energies which warp the lands and create all manner of creatures. Enough for practicing Magical combat with minor Demonic creatures and honing the mind." Elya shuddered and Nikolai smiled at her, confident and in control. "Not like Galicia. Here the Nameless and their ilk are safely locked behind the gate."

"Why don't they purify the land Khan?" Jarek peered at the mountain with a complicated expression. "You always told me that even a fragment of Demonic influence was dangerous."

"Call me Master. I could say the land is carefully monitored by the Council. It is. But the full truth," Nikolai grinned athis apprentice. "The full truth is, they have no idea how to purify the gate. Reality is too weak here and our spells don't… stick."

"Magic doesn't work?" The boy stared wide-eyed, making a warding gesture and huddling within the carriage.

"It works, but sustained spells lose coherence quickly." Nikolai observed them for a moment, lips pursed in thought. "It's a topic for another day. Just remember, this place has a lot of history."]

She shuddered, squeezing Razor's Edge for comfort. Demon incursions were filled with nothing but death and devastation. They were terrible business, especially to those who faced them. Elya smiled at how insecure she was, wishing for Nikolai's presence to keep the Demons away. Not without good reason. Nikolai was one of the most powerful War Mages in the Empire. Still, it was absurd. She wasn't weak, having fought a giant Demonic snake in Konstanz, let alone other, darker beings in the past.

In Galicia.

Elya slid behind a cart, dodging the hushed whispers coming from an alley. She listened for a moment, grinning at the young lovers arguing under the moonlight. Whatever taboos existed, keeping the populace within their homes, teenagers would never believe them. She peered down the alley, marking the increasingly passionate couple before sneaking past them to her destination.

[That compound. Do not enter through the gate.]

Elya waited for more information, but with no response she could only sigh and whisper. "Then where do I go?"

[There'ssss a wall behind the courtyard. Crossss it.]

Elya circled the manor, bypassing the gatehouse and side entrances to stare at the crumbling masonry that marked the courtyard. After making sure no one was nearby she hopped over the wall, Aura imbued muscles taking her over the parapet without much effort. She pulled at the wall on the way down to slow her descent, landing with bent knees and blade drawn. It was always better to be careful, even when the mysterious Black Hand guaranteed security. Elya hugged the masonry, studying the manor in front of her while trying to minimise her presence. While she wasn't an expert in the covert arts, Madame Rose taught her enough to avoid notice.

The building was old, moss and vines winding their way around the structure to slide into cracked windows and missing bricks. Exactly the sort of location one would expect criminals to meet up. A dim glow from a window was the only sign of life, the light casting twisted shadows around her. The Black Raven hovered silently in her mind, and Elya could sense its anticipation, pulling towards the light.

"I'm already here." She murmured, striding to the window and hopping through.There was no point in having second thoughts.

The world twisted, a thin membrane rippling around her. Elya felt like she was passing through water, the air thick and chaotic around her. She clenched her teeth, trying to control the bile that rose in her throat at the strange sensation. In a few breaths she was through, shoes hitting a grassy plain that stretched into the distance. The sun floated above the horizon, bathing the entire plain with warmth and light.

She froze.

"Elya Suzdal, or should I call you Elya Morales? Either way, it is a true pleasure to be able to make your acquaintance." The man draped in black robes was terrifying, his very existence cowed the Draconic Aura that flowed through her veins. He stood beside a small table set under the shade of an oddly shaped crystal tree, a smile playing across his lips and eyes radiating such intensity, Elya wanted to turn and run back through the shimmering window frame behind her.

Still, she'd faced the Nameless and Dragons. A man, no matter how powerful, wasn't enough to send her running. The woman beside him on the other hand was.

"Mother?"

"It took quite some time for you to arrive." Eva Morales complained, eyes shadowed in mock sadness.