Chapter 901: Chaos in the Wild and Order in the Material

Chapter 901: Chaos in the Wild and Order in the Material

“All of Och Fir Nog’s leadership collapsed. By the time the smoke had cleared and the last Ravener-spawn gasped its final breath, folk realised that there weren’t anyone around to tell them what to do. And that’s about when everything went to shite and the whole realm collapsed within a fortnight, turning into tiny, squabbling kingdoms. Everybody that had two followers just declared themselves kings and queens even if they ruled over a single village.”

“Smokin’ hells,” Alex swore. “There must have been someone from Aenflynn’s family or court or army that could have taken power. There must have been somebody!”

“Well, there were a few, but they started gutting each other like there was no tomorrow!” Gwyllain chuckled. “Pompous bastards, it served them right! And anyone who even whispered a kind word about Aenflynn got poisoned the moment they gained even a sliver of power. Everyone blames our dearly departed lord for what happened. He’s the one that invited the Ravener to our realm, and if it weren’t for him, well...we’d still have a bloody realm! So don’t worry, Alexander, everyone’s too busy picking fights with one another, and they’re also too afraid of all of youto pick a fight with you. I reckon the realm won’t see anything close to ‘order’ for a good few centuries at the least!”

Alex’s jaw was hanging open. “Wow...uh, I guess that’s good for us, then. But why are you so happy about what happened? And how did you become an asrai of means?”

Gwyllain grinned evilly. “Like I said, a lot of asses died when you all came through Och Fir Nog like some destroyers of realms. A lot of very rich asses. When I got back after the dust was settling, I had this thought: “Gwyllain, I said to myself, you keep letting everyone run you about. You should get something of your own.” So, myself, and a few other fine folk raided every empty mansion, palace and castle in what remained of Och Fir Nog. We carried off a nice fortune while everyone else was hiding in the deepest holes, shaking and praying you wouldn’t come back.”

The asrai tapped the side of his head, grinning. “But, you see, I figured things out a bit better than they did. I figured that once you avenged yourself on the Ravener, and since you didn’t seem like the type to go about slaughtering folk for the sake of slaughtering folk. Even though you did drag me through some scary shite, you still treated with me kindly. So, that’s how I knew to scurry into all the mansions and get first pick of all the wealth that was left behind. Just so you know, I don’t go advertising my fortune, I just live a very fine, quiet life. I’m thinking that when someone with a good head on their shoulders turns up, someone who looks like they might make a good leader, I’ll fund them and get myself a nice cushy position in the new society.”

Alex laughed. “Sounds like you made out like a bandit!”

“I did, I did! And I’ve got you to thank!” Gwyllain chuckled. “Anyway, there’s some fine bottles of honey-wine I stumbled across in my search. Had Aenflynn’s seal on the cases, so I think they were meant for his private stock. Now they’re in my private stock, and I’ll share them with you, gladly! It’s the least I can do in return for my good fortune...and...” He looked sly. “Mayhaps I could call on you in the future. I’m sure you’d like some eyes and ears in the fae wild, sinceyou are the terror that brought Aenflynn low! I bet you could keep me safe from any fool who might think to muscle me out of my fortune!”

Alex returned Gwyllain’s sly grin. “Well, that sounds like a wonderful idea.”

“Good.” The asrai rubbed his hands together. “You know, for the first time, I’m glad I was tied to you at that windmill. To think when I first met you I was about to be a blue annis hag’s supper. Now look at me!”

He twirled in his new clothes.

“You know, I once told you that the Ravener time here in Thameland was called the Time of Plenty among us fae.”

Gwyllain leaned in, giving Alex a delighted giggle. He stuck his tiny hand out for a handshake.

Alex chuckled, taking the little asrai’s hand and shaking it.

“Well, Alexander—for me, at least—you brought the Time of Plenty to Och Fir Nog! Glad I met you, friend.”

###

“Representing King Athelstan, High Priest Tobias Jay, the Traveller and myself, I—St. Merzhin do declare this Church of the Traveller open for worship!” the Saint of Thameland’s voice rang out over Luthering.

The small man lifted a bottle of sanctified water, and smashed it against the stone. The building had been rebuilt, crafted atop the old foundation of the church of Uldar.

Cheers and excited applause erupted from the gathered crowd as Merzhin raised his hands.

“May the Traveller bless us, and may Thameland continue onward through a new age of wonder!”

The cheers grew even more enthusiastic, and Merzhin allowed himself a small, genuine smile as he looked over the village. In the nine months since the Ravener’s destruction, Thameland had developed and changed in ways that warmed the Saint’s heart.

And there were few places that demonstrated this more than the small village of Luthering.

...being... that it was not such a small village anymore.

Winter had come, and snow lay upon the rooftops of stout buildings of stone, standing around the rebuilt church, replacing many of the wood and thatchstructures that once filled the village square. The battle against the Ravener had left Luthering devastated, little more than a burnt out-husk, but after many months of labour, a sprinkle of divinity, and a touch of magic, it was rebuilt better than it ever was.

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Like many towns and villages that had been destroyed across the kingdom, when people rebuilt them, they rebuilt stronger. The realm, thanks to the dungeon core essence scattered across its wilderness, was awash with gold.

Lords, ladies and landed knights—Sir Sean being one—had gone out as soon as they could to gather up any dungeon core remains they could find on their own lands. Greymoor happily bought every speck, helping to fund the kingdom’s massive rebuilding plans.

The wizards even traded services for dungeon core essence, using their magic to help with the reconstruction.

“Whoooooa!” The selachar captain shouted, holding on to a mast near him as the crew braced themselves. “I hope I never get used to that! I love it!”

“You won’t be satisfied until Ek-U-Dari swipes us out of the sky and back into the water where we belong!” An identical-looking selachar shouted at the captain. “This is madness!”

“Fan-Dor! Gel-Dor!” Alex waved, grinning. “I guess you’re still disagreeing about the modifications I made to the Red Siren, eh?”

“We’re not disagreeing about anything!” the captain shouted. “Gel-Dor’s complaining and I’m ignoring him! A tale as old as time!”

The first mate shook his head. “Alex, the goods are ready for you to inspect! You want to get up here?”

“Right away!” Alex nodded to the others. “This should only take a few minutes.”

With that, Alex teleported onto the deck of the Red Siren, leaving Merzhin wondering why they were there.

###

“I bet you’re all wondering why I called you here,” Alex said.

He was standing at the head of a long table in his lab, and gathered around it were some familiar faces.

On the young archwizard’s left was Khalik, with Najyah perched on his shoulder, and beside them Isolde, Thundar, Grimloch and Bjorgrund. On his right was Theresa and Brutus, and the four Heroes of Thameland.

Behind him stood Claygon.

Everyone who’d fought the Ravener in its lair, aside from Asmaldestre the Unmaker, had gathered in his laboratory.

“You are acting very mysteriously,” Isolde said. “Is it for a reason besides needlessly dramatic antics?”

“Hey, they might be dramatic, but these antics aren’t needless,” Alex said. “Granted, I did always want to say something like, ‘I bet you’re all wondering why I called you here’, but I’m in a good mood and just finished pulling off the impossible. So I think I deserve a little amusement.”

“What do you mean?” Theresa asked.

Thundar looked at her sharply. “You mean, you don’t even know what’s going on?”

She shook her head as Alex pointed at the table.

Suddenly, several cases appeared; they looked like the type of cases that would hold wine bottles, except these were covered in protective glyphs.

“Careful,” Alex said. “If anyone even touches those cases without me or Baelin deactivating the protections...well you wouldn’t even want to know what would happen.”

He spoke a word of power, and each case opened with hiss.

The others gasped.

Within them were clear bottles of pure crystal, each containing a liquid that shone with a startling radiance.

Alex’s smiles and high spirits disappeared. He looked at his friends soberly.

“Alex...” Khalik whispered. “Is that what I think it is?”

“Yeah, probably,” Alex said. “What you’re all looking at are actual, genuine elixirs of immortality. Baelin and I finally finished them last night.”

He watched them intently.

“My friends, you all have some decisions to make.”