Chapter Five Hundred And Ninety Three - 593

Chapter Five Hundred And Ninety Three - 593

Would my lord wish for a menu? Or perhaps just a wine list?

No, no, Im still waiting, Atar said. Hell be here, any moment. My apologies for the trouble.

For the esteemed Glyphmaster, it is no trouble at all. The server gave a wide smile and retreated back into the hustle of the restaurant. He no doubt had other, actual customers to attend.

The restaurant was a fine establishment called Savinas and it was practically buzzing with custom. The interior was packed and the street dining just as full despite the chill winds that stole down the wide thoroughfare. One could attribute it to the people of Elderthrone and their indomitable Spirits no matter the weatheror to the heat arrays that Atars apprentices had installed across most of the towns streets.

The cast iron table Atar lounged in was chilly but not frozen, and a number of patrons around him had unbuttoned their jackets and loosened ties. Snow fell in frequent flurries, but none of it accumulated or even reached them. Yellow heat Mana pulsed in regular intervals along the major arteries crossing the Foot and Scale districts, making for a pleasant experience on even the coldest of days. Atar planned to have the Wings done within the next week. Hopefully.

Atar toyed with the empty goblet in front of him, tilting it in circles as his Mind ran new thoughts to the ground. New Quests had fallen into his lap ever since the Glyphworks was upgraded, and the sheer variety of them had buried him over the past two days. It was all he could do to make the time for this dinner, in fact. Yet here he was, sitting. Waiting.

where could your alister be? perhaps he is in trouble. in dire danger.

Be quiet, Atar commanded. Flame settled back, a bird in its cage. The mini Urge never seemed particularly put out when Atar shot down its constant rants. Just patient. It unnerved Atar more than he liked to admit. Alister is fine.

His beau had been overworked as much as Atar had, these last few days, if for different reasons.

Ah! Atar said, finally spying his date. He flagged down his server. Id appreciate that wine list, now.

Of course. Here is the menu as well. The man proffered two thick pieces of cardstock to the mage and bowed himself out just as Alister closed in.

So sorry Im late, he said, twisting between cast iron seating and other patrons. He approached Atar with a wide grin and a distinct hitch to his gait. Gods, its good to see you outside of that stuffy lab.

They embraced, pressing close for a brief moment before Atar held the man out as if to inspect him. Youre limping. What happened?

This? Nothing particularly interesting, just foolish. Alister sat down carefully at the table, wincing as he did so. The steps up to the Eye were icier than I expected. I slipped. I may have finally advanced into Adept, but my Body isnt so stalwart as some.

Tch. The apprentices are supposed to take turns clearing those steps!

Its fine, Atar. Im fine. Better me than someone more frail. Alister shifted in the hard seat, clearly uncomfortable. The ice is being cleared now anyway. Lets just enjoy our dinner.

Very well, Atar said, but a piece of him was already reviewing the duty roster.

yes. find them and end them. insubordination cannot be condoned.

I said quiet, Flame.

look at him, atar. he aches. if you grew your power, if you let me join you, then we could ensure nothing bad ever happened to him. we could boil the seas and burn the very moons

Atar shoved his talkative Urge back and lifted the wine list, handing it over to his date. Since youre walking wounded, Ill let you do the honors.

How magnanimous, Alister drawled. He glanced at the list. This wouldnt have anything to do with the menu being in Levantian?

Of course not. Atar picked a piece of dust from his doublet. I am simply being exceptionally thoughtful.

Mhm. Im still surprised you havent learned that language yet, considering how many of the Pagewrights use it. All nobility is forced to learn it from youth, if for nothing other than proving how refined we are.

It has beensomething I havent had the time to master, Atar admitted. He tucked a lock of white hair behind his ear. Self-study outside of the Glyphworks has been entirely too rare.

Dont I know it. I barely see you anymore. Alister reached across the table, threading his fingers into Atars own. This is nice, though.

Atar grinned.

My lords, compliments of the chef. The server had returned, this time carrying a small green bottle capped with crimson and gold wax. A number of small sigils were inscribed into the top, and they glimmered with power.

Alister took the bottle and his eyes widened. This is a Nowabrev.

Atar raised an eyebrow. Isnt that very expensive?

More than expensive. This bottle would be enough to retire to Levantier permanently. Alister tried to hand the bottle back. We cannot take this.

The server smiled, and Atar felt the mans Spirit pulse in genuine joy and pride. He did not take the wine. Ah, but we insist. It is one of our few Adept Tier wines, thankfully saved from the fall of our previous establishment in Haarwatch. And while the walls were destroyed, my life and the lives of all that work here at Savinas were saved by the Autarch and those that fought by his side.

I heard it! He lifted his hands, and grasped Flame within his chest. The fires. Take them. Dont hurt anyone inside!

a paltry task. i shall end the conflagration and grow with its

Just do it!

All at once, the raging flames extinguished, turning to threads of molten light that coiled inward toward Atars palms. Terrible, inexorable heat surged through his channels, lighting up his gray skin as if his blood had turned to firebefore fading as it all reached his core. Flame spread its wings and wove the threads into its form, growing the tiniest bit bigger.

Within the burnt shop, there was only blue-lit smoke, and the coughing of survivors. Atar dove into the rubble. Hold on! Im coming in!

Inside it was a maze of fallen beams, charred wood, and crumbling plaster. He had to step carefully over places where the broken glass had fused to the floor, creating slick footingand again when he encountered two bodies. Or what was left of them.

Hello? Where are you? he called into the shop. The only response was a deep, unsettling groaning from wood and stone.

The smoke was awful, but Atar fished a fresh keystone and stylus from his pouch. He quickly inscribed sigils for air, current, adding hastily deduced parameters before capping it all with the glyph for purification. He pushed his fiery Mana into it, forcing it along the air-attuned array hed created until a small but steady breeze whistled into existence. The smoke moved, pushed away from him as if he were the center of a spinning vortexbecause he was.

Debris was kicked into the air, but without the smoke it was far easier to see where he was going. Atar found the first survivor in the back, behind a heavy counter that must have shielded her and the two little ones from the blast.

Are you alright? Can you stand? he asked.

The Dwarven woman blinked at him owlishly. Perhaps she couldnt hear him, but when Atar moved to help her up, she stood without issue. Two children, no older than five years old, were clutched to her chest. They all had blood running down their ears, but they were breathing. Atar just about fell over in relief.

Lets get you outside.

You absolute fool!

Lilians words were soft but her tone was harder than mithril. Dabney, the great brute, hung his head beside her as they hustled away from the merchants district.

He was wringing his hands, casting frequent glances behind them. Smoke still poured into the sky, visible in the magelights that swarmed the district. I didnt think itd fail. I

No! You dont think! Lilian smacked the man with her cane, and her veil nearly fell from her face. She hurriedly adjusted it back before yanking on her idiotic accomplice with the other. That has always been your problem. Remember! I do the thinking here.

Yes, Ophelia.

Good. At least he can remember that much. Lilian rubbed her temples as they walked, slowing their pace so they didnt look so suspicious. They were far enough away from the explosion that few would link two simple, poorly-dressed crafters to it all. Light, where did this go wrong?

The two of them had been heading out with the intent to test their newest alchemical solution when they had chanced upon her cousin and that two-faced slime Atar. Shed been eager to stop and listen in on their conversationthe situation in Elderthrone was changing, fast. She had been in the Alchemical Lab when Aenea had gotten visibly excited about some sort of upgrades, and it had only taken a few well-placed compliments to get the woman to explain. Somehow, Felix had upgraded the rank of the Stronghold, which meant all sorts of opportunities.

What she really wanted to know was if Felix was returning, and when. No one had noticed him leaving at first, but that secret had gotten out relatively fast. Lilians true work was far from complete, but the longer Felix remained away, the better.

Then the two mages had erected a sound ward, and despite her various tools, it proved too strong to breach. She had ordered Dabney to keep marching to the forest, as they had originally planned.

That, of course, was when the thick brutes containment vessel had broken. The entire thing started glowing a brilliant, cherry red and theyd been forced to toss the reagents as far as they couldright onto the roof of a nearby shop.

Those poor people, Dabney moaned. Do you think anyone?

Lilian didnt answer that. Even if they had, it couldnt matter. It was a clothier for used woolens. A commoners shop. No one of any import was there.

If anyone had been, of course, then it was Felixs fault. Why were commoners out in a wealthy merchants district, next to one of the finest restaurants, at that time of night? They should have been abed, resting for the important work they provided in the mines and forests. All of this free time and fair income that Felix had mandated was ruining an entire generation of workers. Spoiling them, and for what? His government was balanced atop of a few unqualified fools. There was no nobility to support it, to create true value for it all.

It would fall, whether Lilian acted or not. How, was another matter entirely.

At least we know they are effective, Lilian muttered. The entire roof was blown off that shop.

Yeah but the Fiendstone wasnt scratched, Dabney pointed out. I saw it as we ran. The rest burned.

Lilian cursed. Stop looking back. It makes you look guilty.

I am guilty. That shop, it

Enough. If that wretched material was unmarred by their concoctionit meant problems for their plan. Still. This is good to know. We must increase the Tier of the batch. That will be easier to do, now that the Crafting Halls have upgraded.

Dunno. That Dwarf wont let me touch a forge. Says Im clumsy. I had to cobble the mechanism together while she slept.

Dont use that as an excuse. Your sloppiness nearly cost us our lives and potentially exposed our plan. We will need to be much more cautious after this. Lilian increased her pace, the tapping of her cane now a rapid tattoo. Come. We should return, before we are missed.