Chapter 267: The Disaster at the Elven School

Elven healers eventually reached Ceryyn and tried to help her, but she was absolutely adamant that she wouldn't rest until she'd spoken with them. Eventually the Bludshard elves managed to get her to lie down and tended to her mangled arm, which soothed her enough to explain in calmer terms. Kai stood with the other two, anxiety building during the wait.

"They hit our school," Ceryyn said sorrowfully. "I don't even... how did they learn about it? Who would betray us?"

"Who attacked?" Kai asked. Even though their relationship had never advanced, he still knelt down beside her protectively. "Demons from the Commonwealth?"

"The Commonwealth, yes. Demons, no." She winced as the healers adjusted her arm, then sighed heavily. "I don't know why, but I think they're doing the same thing we are. They sent in proxies who aren't technically affiliated with them, pretending it was a feud. But the destruction..."

"How many died?" Omilaena asked.

"A few students. One of our elders sacrificed his life to protect others, and I almost lost my arm. The damage isn't as serious as the blow to our plans. They know what we're trying to do and they're willing to hit back. Who will ally with the elves now?"

"But you came here asking for our help. What do you think we can do?"

Ceryyn winced and pushed the healers away so she could sit up and appeal to them, her eyes shining mournfully. "I may be responsible for this. Perhaps I trusted too easily, recruited too carelessly. But you three helped, before any of this. Can I beg your help again?"

"That entirely depends on what you need us to do," Zae Zin Nim said. "We can't fight all the demons in the Commonwealth."

"No, nothing like that. We need non-elves to infiltrate the Commonwealth and find out what they're doing... or at least why. Everyone thought the demons were happy there and just got greedy. This... this is something much worse. I know the risk is great, but if you can help our nation this way, you'll earn a boon not just from me, but from the entire Council of Elders."

They immediately glanced at one another, most of the thoughts passing between them wordlessly. When they'd first arrived in Rosemount, they'd abandoned the idea of going to the Commonwealth even as private citizens. Even assuming that no word had leaked about their attack, they might be targets for the demons just due to their strength.

Then again, they'd changed since their arrival. Kai was stronger across the board, Omilaena had improved her primary abilities, and Zae Zin Nim had gone from a weak link to their linchpin. Going in was a huge risk, but they needed to take risks to advance. Since a lesser boon from the elves had benefited them so much, how much could a greater boon change things?

"We haven't agreed to anything yet," Kai said carefully, "but what exactly would we need to do?"

"It would have to be discussed with the Council," Ceryyn said weakly. "You don't need to decide now, but please, just give us a little hope..."

"The Commonwealth is the crossroads of all Rosemount, so of course there's a good chance there. All I have is possibilities, just like all the previous ideas I've offered you. If you've trusted me this far, can't you trust me when I say I think this is in our best interest?"

Zae Zin Nim glanced at Kai and he wasn't sure he fully understood the uncertainty he saw in her eyes. The relationship between the two women had certainly advanced since the times they hated one another, but he wasn't sure what had changed - maybe Zae Zin Nim wasn't sure either. In the end they both nodded and she spoke.

"I believe it could benefit us. The question is whether the risk is worth the reward."

Soon enough, when they met with Council representatives, they found out more about their potential mission. The elves would teleport them far to the south, into the Coiled Empire, and then they would travel normally into the Commonwealth. Apparently there was a treaty with the Empire that was keeping things stable, so they could cross the border without difficulty.

For a moment it looked like Zae Zin Nim would refuse, because there had been reports that the Brightwind sect was searching for her in the Coiled Empire. But it was an entire nation spread across a massive peninsula, and she had advanced invisibly while adding chakra. In the end she was convinced that she could slip through without being found, since the cultivators were mostly focusing on the coasts.

Things got trickier when it came to their exact tasks. The elves originally wanted them to carry totems that would allow elves to teleport forces into the Commonwealth, but Omilaena had flatly refused on the grounds that it would betray them if they were ever searched or scanned. For the same reason she refused to carry direct communication methods.

That meant they were essentially being thrown into the Commonwealth on their own, which might have helped the negotiations. For the Council of Elders, sending in some random allies was a low risk, medium reward gamble. Kai judged their own risks far higher, but at least this would give them new opportunities.

It took them a few days to prepare, including some time to rest so they went in at full strength. During that time Kai repeatedly wondered if this was the opportunity to discuss everything with Zae Zin Nim. She had wanted him to wait for her, and he'd thought that meant... surely she wouldn't have said she cared about him if she didn't mean something more? They definitely seemed so comfortable together, it was hard to believe there was something broken between them.

Then again, perhaps it simply wasn't the time. Tensions were rising across the continent and they were about to go into grave danger. He knew that if an incursion was about to start he wouldn't want to talk about relationships. Just being with the two of them was an improvement, perhaps even enough for now.

In the end the elves added an additional wrinkle: Heruul and the entire Cryswind faction disavowed Kai and insisted that he leave. He didn't think that they'd be stupid enough to tell them about the plan, so it must just be manipulations to give them a cover story. Since he'd never had a formal relationship with the Bludshards, and Sandflower City declared itself neutral, technically he had no more right to be in the Elven Wilds. If anyone looked into his previous activities, he wouldn't look like a likely spy.

If anyone researched more than a little... well, in that case something was probably very wrong.

When they all gathered together to teleport across the continent, both his allies seemed positive about the development. In their mind, this was the perfect compromise: they were getting to explore the Commonwealth while also potentially putting the elves in their debt. Most of their time was spent discussing the potential power to be found within the great nation.

Kai wasn't sure he agreed it was such a perfect compromise. They were heading directly into a tense situation that could easily turn into a war, and unlike in Krysal, they weren't even close to the top.