17, enjoy! Apologies for the late chapter, life's been busy lately.

Made some amendments in Chapter 15 so the timeline makes more sense. Thanks @mousefu for pointing it out!

Chapter 17: Preparations

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“Lukas. What are you doing here?”

“I could ask the same of you…Royal Advisor Stefan.”

“This is going to be a long day…” Draygor sighed as the two similarly-aged men stared each other down. It was his last day of freedom, since he would have to start attending classes – at least the warrior ones – the next day. The High Priestess had surprisingly managed to come up with a small force, though Draygor hadn’t expected the day to be this troublesome.

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His grandparents had arrived the day before, eager to meet their grandchildren. Tears were shed as they rejoiced for Draygor’s return, and they were overjoyed at the new addition of the family, Tah’ra. They even welcomed Kha’na whole-heartedly when they were told that she was the one that had saved Draygor. It was an emotional day, and it became even more hectic with the arrival of the High Priestess, who had come to ‘give her blessings for Draygor’s return’, as she phrased it. Lhi’ra still held a small grudge against her for the incident, but the Mithras family hardly had the status to turn her away. As his parents ran around the house to welcome her presence, Lah’ra managed to pull him aside.

“What you asked for is done. We’re gathering at first light. Will you be able to get out of the house then, Draygor?” she asked, having been unable to make arrangements for a more convenient time.

“Hmm… It’s fine. I’ll cook up an excuse,” Draygor answered with a shrug.

“I had to pull some strings to get the manpower, and our benefactor insisted on coming along when I gave him the reason. He also made the condition that I tell him everything, so I… uhh, basically told him everything about our conversation. Is that alright? Ah! I didn’t tell him about Kha’na’s position though. He’s probably going to assume that you’re the one who will lead the way,” Lah’ra added nervously.

“It’s no problem, as long as he is trustworthy. Thank you for hiding Kha’na’s identity, Lah’ra. It’s possible that Kha’na may simply be killed if her role as the Mouth is revealed. In any case, I’ll ‘convince’ him not to talk if things go wrong,” Draygor said.

“Ah… it might be a good idea if you refrain from doing that… you see, our benefactor is – ”

“Are you staying for dinner, High Priestess?” Draygor suddenly asked in a loud voice, cutting Lah’ra off. Lukas had noticed them talking at one side, and was coming towards them.

“What? I told you to call me Lah’ra, have you – oh! No, no, I’ve got many things to settle after this, I’m afraid I won’t be joining your family for dinner!” Lah’ra said aloud in a nervous voice, having caught on to Draygor’s intentions as soon as she noticed Lukas making his way over.

“That’s a shame, High Priestess. I was just about to ask that you join us myself. Will you be staying long?” Lukas asked, giving Draygor a curious look. If he had heard their conversation though, he made no other indication.

“No… I’ll have to leave in a few. Why don’t we head over to where the baby is sleeping? I have just enough time to give Draygor and the little one a blessing before I leave,” Lah’ra suggested, shifting nervously under Lukas’ gaze. “It’s a pleasure to meet you by the way, sir. I’ve heard many stories about the General of Flame in his youth, and it’s a little overwhelming to meet you in person.”

“Hahaha! I was wondering why you seemed so nervous, High Priestess. I thought the two of you were up to something over here! It’s a pleasure to meet you as well! You have quite the reputation yourself, being the youngest ever to take up the mantle of High Priestess. Didn’t your predecessor get the position at the age of 50? The goddess must have had an eye on your for instructing the previous High Priestess to choose you!” Lukas laughed at he rambled on. Draygor and Lah’ra gave each other looks of relief, since he was seemingly oblivious to the contents of their conversation.

“Haha, sorry about that! I seem to ramble on too much nowadays. Let’s go before I waste anymore of your time, High Priestess. Tah’ra’s sleeping in the nursery. Draygor, bring her up! I’ll call the rest up for the blessing!” Lukas finished with a wink as he went off to call the rest of the family.

“Remember, first light at the north gate. I’ll wait if you’re late, but I can’t promise that our benefactor will be so patient,” Lah’ra reminded Draygor as they climbed the stairs toward the nursery.

“He’ll have to wait for Kha’na and I to show up, regardless. How else will you guys find the Cult’s headquarters?” Draygor answered with a chuckle.

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“Where do the both of you think you’re going, hmm?” Lukas hummed in amusement as he waved a small slip of paper in his hands. The pair he called out to stopped dead in their tracks, like deer caught in headlights.

“Nothing ever goes smoothly, does it…” Draygor mumbled as he and Kha’na turned hesitantly to face Lukas. “How much did you hear, grandfather?”

The sky was still dark. It would take a short walk to reach the north gate, so Draygor had decided to leave with Kha’na earlier in the morning. Of course, things had to go wrong right from the beginning.

“Just enough to know that something was going on,” Lukas chuckled softly as he walked up to Draygor. “So, what’s this all about, Draygor? You know your parents will be worried sick if you disappear like that again, right?”

“Yes… that’s why I left a note…” Draygor muttered, glancing at the slip of paper in Lukas’ hand. He raised his head, looking at Lukas with pleading eyes. “Won’t you let me go this time, grandfather? I’ve got something really important to do with the High Priestess.”

“Oh really?” Lukas questioned with a raised eyebrow. “Sure, you can go,” he paused, raising a hand to emphasise his point, “but only if I come with you. I know Kha’na saved you, but I – and everyone else – worry about your safety, more than ever now since your return. Besides, you need a proper excuse, right?”

With a smirk, Lukas handed the note in his hands to Draygor. “Lhi’ra, I brought Draygor and Kha’na out to see my old workplace. The boy’s really interested about his grandpa’s incredible past, you know. We’re planning on taking our time, so don’t worry. – Lukas,” Draygor read the new contents of the note aloud.

“Crafty old man…” Draygor thought helplessly. He couldn’t think of a reason to reject Lukas’ suggestion to bring him along. “… Fine. Quick, put the note back, grandfather! We’re going to be late!” he agreed urgently.

As soon as that was done, the three of them made their way towards the north gate of the city. It was still early in the morning, thus the streets were empty. Even merchants and grocers wouldn’t start preparing to do business for another hour or two. Their haste wasn’t left unnoticed, however, as a shadowy figure followed them unnoticed through the unlit streets.

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“The Royal Advisor, huh. He’s our benefactor?” Draygor asked as they watched the two old men exchange pleasantries with each other.

“Mhm. Remember the information that I told you about the Abyss? He’s the one that told me about it when he came to ask me for advice on the matter. Apparently he’s been asking around for clues on the identity of the Abyss, so when I brought up the fact that you’d heard its name before, he insisted on coming along to verify it,” Lah’ra explained.

“He provided the soldiers too, then? How generous,” Draygor mused, looking over his shoulder at the squadron of soldiers. The soldiers were standing neatly in formation, nearly fifty of them. Surprisingly, he noted that almost half of them were male. If he was right, this was an elite unit, which meant that they were all extremely capable warriors. Since the male Gar’nash didn’t usually have the same physical strength as females, seeing this many male soldiers was impressive.

“I’m here on official military business with the High Priestess, the details of which are confidential,” Stefan, the Royal Advisor, snorted.

“And I’m here with my grandson, who also has official business with the High Priestess,” Lukas retorted proudly. Most of the soldiers knew who he was: the General of Flame, one of the best mages in the Queen’s magick division when he was still in service. Though he was retired now, they still accorded him with the utmost respect, and had saluted him when he arrived with Draygor.

Draygor sighed again as the two men continued. “Have they always been like that?” he asked Lah’ra.

“Well, they were in their prime before I was even hatched, but I have heard stories. Apparently your grandfather and the Royal Advisor were bitter rivals – in the Academy, in the military, and even in love. Your grandfather managed to win the heart of your grandmother, and the both of them have not let that fact go. Your grandfather gloated about it often to the Royal Advisor, and the Royal Advisor still hates his guts for it,” Lah’ra shrugged as she explained their past to Draygor.

“Ah… so grandfather’s in the wrong then…” Draygor’s impression of his grandfather went down just a little, though he still loved the old man. Perhaps he’d ask for Lukas’ side of the story another day, just to be fair.

“Don’t you ignore me, Stefan!” Lukas called out, and Draygor realised that the pair were now coming up to him.

“You must be Draygor,” Stefan greeted Draygor. Lukas was standing beside him with a childish pout on his face, unhappy that Stefan had moved the conversation on without him. He soon turned serious as Stefan continued, however. “I understand that you’ve heard of this… Abyss before? That the goddess and… Shaitan told you?”

Draygor gave a curt nod in acknowledgement. Several of the soldiers gritted their teeth at the mention of Shaitan’s name. Even Lukas narrowed his eyes as he heard it. It was indoctrinated in them that Shaitan was the enemy, since the country had been at odds with the Cult for time immemorial.

“Are you saying that my grandson has been consorting with the Cult? And what is this Abyss that you speak of?” Lukas glared at Stefan accusingly. Kha’na glared at Stefan as well. She didn’t like the way he addressed her master in his tone of voice.

“Just… keep quiet, Lukas! Let me speak with Draygor,” Stefan snapped back at his rival, unhappy at having been interrupted. “Now, Draygor. If the High Priestess has told me everything about your conversation with her truthfully, then it would mean that the Cult is hardly a threat any longer. If that is the case, it would mean that the Abyss is a separate entity from the Cult, which would mean that we have a bigger problem on our hands.”

“For now, I will believe your words, thought I still find it impossible to believe that you nearly destroyed the Cult singlehandedly,” Everyone, excluding Lah’ra and Kha’na, turned to stare at Draygor in shock and disbelief. “Of course, this could simply be a trick, to lure us deep into the heart of the Cult’s territory. If that turns out to be the case, my men will execute you on the spot for treason. Is that understood?” Lukas attempted to raise protest at Stefan’s statement, but could find no words. He would protect his grandson with his life, but for treason? He wasn’t so sure. The country always came first, after all. It was the first thing he’d learnt in the military.

Draygor thought Stefan was pretty rude. Understandably so, since there were certain risks heading into an enemy’s headquarters at the words of a young boy. Still, it didn’t mean that Draygor had to take it lying down. “You do realise that, if it’s true I nearly exterminated the Cult, your soldiers mean nothing to me?” he replied, staring brazenly back at the Stefan. Lukas and Lah’ra were stunned by his boldness. A few of the soldiers moved to apprehend him; an eight year old boy insulting the Royal Advisor, as well as their ability, certainly needed to be punished.

Lukas, Lah’ra and Kha’na moved in response to defend Draygor. He was important to them, and they wouldn’t let any harm come to him. This was especially true for Kha’na, who drew her daggers with a snarl, ready to cut down whoever laid a hand on her master. “Wait, Stefan! The boy’s still young! You don’t have to – ” Lukas was cut off as Draygor spoke.

“Sleep.”

The air seemed to grow heavier as his words resounded in the minds of the soldiers moving towards him. As if they were puppets with their strings cut, they crumpled to the ground, their armour and weapons colliding with one another in a series of clangs. The other soldiers went pale at the sight. Their fellow brothers and sisters were defeated seemingly effortlessly by an eight year old boy. They were the elite! There were few warriors and mages that could beat them in single-handed combat, yet, some of their number had been bested so easily.

“I mean no offense, of course, Royal Advisor,” Draygor added with a smile as he released his control over the collapsed soldiers. “I do hope you’ll accept my apology. I was only defending myself. Just like I did when the Cult tried to mess with me.”

Draygor was a fearsome sight to behold. Even though he was smiling, the soldiers felt no good will. Instead, those old enough were reminded of someone that they never wanted to meet in person ever again. That person was long dead, executed by his own people, but the memory still haunted those who were unfortunate to be his opponent during the war. They had watched as their own people cut each other down, their minds turned by his control.

“White… mind control…? Exactly like him…” Stefan muttered under his breath as he witnessed the sight. He had been present during the war too. Lukas’ mind spun as well – not only with the memories of the war, but with the thoughts of his grandson. “When – no, how did Draygor get this strong?”

They were pulled from their thoughts as Draygor spoke up again. “Now, we’re just wasting time standing around. Kha’na, let’s go!”

No one moved as Draygor and Kha’na began to walk further away from the city’s northern gates, deeper into the forest. They were still in shock from the events of the past few minutes. Some of the soldiers looked at Stefan expectantly, awaiting his orders.

“Lah’ra? Grandfather? Are the both of you coming?” Draygor called out, a fair distance away from them now. “Come on, Royal Advisor! We haven’t got all day!”

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“He’s on his way,” the figure clad in the shadows reported.

“Excellent, excellent…” a hooded figure answered, clasping its hands together in satisfaction. “Are all the preparations done?”

“Yes… everyone is ready to… welcome him,” another hooded figure replied breathily.

“Excellent. We shall not make the same mistakes as we did previously. Inform the rest to get into position. Dismissed,” the first hooded figure instructed, extinguishing the candle illuminating the room with a flick of his hand.