Chapter 163: Last Night In Vega

Chapter 163: Last Night In Vega

Unlike last time, this visit to the Glass Pyramid was much more hostile. They rushed processing. The Magi handling the group of Pendragons and Knights weren't sure how to manage them, given they'd just killed other non-citizens in their streets. So, they found a medium ground in that they didn't say a word to the prisoners. Nope, they threw glyph-shackles on the Pendragons and Knights. Then, they shoved them into the council room for the Arch-Magi, which was noticeably absent any Arch-Magi. Still, when they left, the black veil around them closed and sealed them in, as well as any cell. Whatever magic made this a place of power had enough juice to make it near-impossible for sealed prisoners to break free from, or so they thought.

Like that, they left them in an utterly black void to await judgment while sorting out the mess.

Under Boldwick's orders, they cooperated the best they could, including handing over all their weapons. And yes, that meant Erec handed over his Armor—it made him extremely nervous since VAL's real 'body' was in it, but what could he do? Given the first chance alone with Boldwick, he'd delivered the Arch-Magi's message, and that was that.

Everything was out of his hands, and he had to do his best to keep himself together.

Having Enide at his side made it easier. She leaned against him, a big grin on her face, along with some blood. The sight drove him wild despite the situation. It was a good distraction.

They kept saying the ‘bodies,’ but really, how many priests had the Knights killed? They’d had their hands forced since the red robes went in with lethal intent. He’d personally dropped two into a fire pit... And hoped, well, wished it hadn’t been lethal.

Erec looked over the notification in the corner of his vision. It’d been there since the fight, but in the rush, he didn’t take the time to look.

Soul (Aspect: Fire): Rank D - Tier 1 → Rank D - Tier 2

“Well, I’ll do the talking when they come in,” Boldwick said to Rochester, “They have Seven-Snakes; I suppose they probably intend to take the other Knights into custody before judgment. I believe our stay in this place has reached its end. Regardless of the deal that Arch-Magi offered.”

“Easy come, easy go,” Yniol grumbled under his breath.

Rochester rubbed his tattoos, but he seemed the most nonplussed out of those in charge. “It’ll all work out fine, we heard the kids. The enemy of yesterday could always be the friend of today. And then, tomorrow, if you decide he needs a bullet in his head, that’s an issue for the next day.”

“I’m not comfortable with this. And as much as I hate to admit it, there’s a point. Right now, we do what it takes to leave Vega, hopefully not on irreparable terms with their council. Once we’re out of this city, we can reevaluate our options. The next destination is clear, and we’ll be traveling with your lot, so that is fine enough. If we leave without help, we’ll have to determine if an Arch-Magi is needed to breach it,” Boldwick replied.

“Aye, on that, we agree. We get in our rides and fly out of dodge. Or that’s how the saying goes. But don’t forget, absent this deal, we have a favor with the Council. They have their hands on Seven-Snakes and are bound to the terms. There’s more than one road out of Vega.”

The two of them went on like that, putting together a strategy the best they could. The senior members of the Pendragon Pack and the rest of the Knights joined in, sorting the logistics of an exit. Should it be allowed?

That’s what leadership meant. Not to dwell on the unsaid, the idea that the Council might not let them free. Given their desires to tie themselves to the Kingdom, there was a good chance they would if it opened up, but this wasn’t the Kingdom. Nor was it the wasteland. They had laws and ways of doing things, which could end with them all thrown in cells if it was stringent enough. But they didn’t want to put that thought in the head of those under them, even if they were there under the surface.

Enide let out a yawn. “So, Garin, that was some decent fighting. I didn’t realize you had an attack squirrel, though. How long did you take to train him to pull that off, he doesn't seem like much of a fighter?”

Munchy grunted on the boy’s shoulder, twitching with rage. His hair was messy, and his whiskers had dried blood on them. Garin absently patted the creature, still working it down from the unexpected rampage. “It’s fight or flight. And since he saw we were fighting, I guess he put his lot in with ours, not training. Squirrels are brilliant.”

“Good squirrel,” Colin murmured, lying on the ground next to the three of them. After assessing their conditions, the Magi gave them an icepack to keep on his head. They’d said he had a minor concussion and to let him not sleep for a few hours. “Father will buy me one.”

“It’s irresponsible to take them from the bio-caverns,” Erec cut in to squash that idea. Garin doing it was bad enough, and Colin was spoiled sufficiently that if he committed to the idea, he could make it a reality.

“He’s not the type to keep a pet anyway. Not much of the loving sort. Daddy issues can do that sometimes.” Enide laughed.

“My father is a hard-working man. A hero, you know.” Colin started to close his eyes.

“And... Back to bed.” Erec sighed, gathered himself, then braced to move. His body was still fighting him for every inch, and his back screamed at the idea of squatting next to his friend to wake him up. But there wasn’t much of a choice.

“Alright, Mr. ‘Very skilled,’ then tell me why the fucking priests are fighting with zealots on our streets and quit pretending you don’t know the answer.”

“Ask them. I cannot fathom why they are not our priests.” He didn’t budge an inch.

In response, the room flooded with an almost tangible and oppressive energy. The Arch-Magi leaned even more forward, her sneer growing wider as mana rippled off her. She was an inch away from launching an attack, or so it felt to Erec. But surely that would be mad to do. None of the other Arch-Magi were stepping in the middle of it either, cowards. Watching from the sidelines. The man in bandages stared with rapt attention, but not even he, their supposed ally, was trying to deflect from this line of questioning.

“I will not make a pretense on how to tell your government how to do its job, but, as you’ve pointed out. We delivered Seven-Snakes, and our allies are owed their payment for his delivery. I apologize for the conflict. But it was self-defense.” Boldwick crossed his arms. He stopped looking at the Arch-Magi with pointed teeth and instead focused on the bearded Magi. “Are we done?”

“Well... Very insightful. I can’t help but believe some facts and motives are out of understanding, and perhaps we will never fully reason out the peculiar act of the red robes, as their ‘bishop’ is now deceased. Boldwick, self-defense is perfectly legal within our city, in proportion to threat and intent. Our brief interrogations with the priests has been... inconclusive, as they claim ignorance over the event, asserting that they woke up to being slain by Knights. However, witness testimony places them moving in mass towards the battle area. I won’t dive too deep into your motives for holding onto Seven-Snakes and not immediately turning him over, as we did lose him in a secure transport.” He looked over the council, his attention lingering on the Arch-Magi with bandages. “But... As of now, he’s in custody, and therefore we have a bounty to pay.”

“Aye, so let's pay the debt and be done,” Pompadour ended with a sigh.

“...However, it is in the council's interest to take a public stance on violence of this level. We do the same when gangs commit such acts, and this one has an odd religious air to it that will incite demands and questions from the public. Vega is hailed as the Jewel of the Wasteland because we’re a place that’s seen as secure. A destination where even outsiders can come and forget their troubles. It’s difficult to do so when rumors of priests and Armored men whispered about in the wasteland spilling blood in our street. So, it’s not as simple as that. Not levying any punishment for this is bad public policy, yet we do not want to limit future opportunities with a potential ally over such strange occurrences.”

“Fuck that, send them to Gaia.” Waved the pointy-toothed woman.

“I would have alternatives to such a proposal,” countered the bearded man.

The bandaged Arch-Magi raised a hand, and the bearded one gave him a downright hostile look. His eyes burned as if he were laying this entire situation on the guy's feet, which was true in a way. Not that the Knights had confirmed anything.

“Speak.”

“The answer is simple. Kick them out of Vega and send a Magi with them to fulfill their favor. A single Magi. It can be seen as a token gesture to pay our debt while enforcing safety on our streets. In the future, we will send a delegation to the Kingdom and reinforce our looming diplomatic ties once this has faded from the public's memory,” the bandaged man rasped.

“And who do you suggest is to go with them? Anyone willing to? Raise your hands now.”

None of them did, including the bandaged man, which shocked Erec.

The bearded magi narrowed his eyes. “Considering the reasonable suggestion from the otherwise suspiciously quiet Arch-Magi Olfson, I think it most prudent to assign such a responsibility to him.”

“I cannot.” The bandaged man protested.

“All in favor. Vote.”

Within seconds, the rest of the Arch-Magi overwhelmingly agreed with the bearded man’s proposal. Part of it, Erec thought, was to remove this whole fiasco from being anywhere near their plate, and they relished a chance to condemn one of their competitors on a mission out of the city. Some of them sought to punish him. Had he not known the guy’s intent, he would’ve thought him genuinely upset over the events. He tricked them. That’s how it was done here—smokes and mirrors to get what you wanted.

Well. It was decided then. In a single move, he’d secured what they needed and made it so he’d be the sole Arch-Magi on their expedition.

The rest were formalities. Most of the Arch-Magi left, save the bandaged Arch-Magi and the bearded one, who spoke to Boldwick. The guards went around removing shackles and planned on the supplies they’d need and their equipment to be returned. This whole conflict would fade from memory, but yet the lingering question remained for the Knights.

Why had the priests attacked?

Without an answer, and a day later, they were back on the road, off to find the promised vault.