Chapter 385: A Worthy Quest

Srixa sat with a smug expression in the Moon Hall’s waiting room. Stryg, Tauri, and Plum sat across a large oaken table from her. Tauri stared at the huntress with a suspicious gaze. Plum was twiddling her thumbs, regretting once again not having brought a book, any book really, with her from Undergrowth.

“So, Stryg, how long has it been? Less than a week? What brings you back so soon?” Srixa asked.

“What? You don’t want me here?” Stryg asked with a confident smile.

“Not at all, I always welcome the chance to hunt my prey. But I must admit, I was quite surprised when my patrol team spotted you. Your stealth skills are slacking.”

“I wanted you or whoever else was on patrol to find us. I didn’t see the need to try and sneak into the village again,” Stryg said.

“You’ll find we’ve doubled our defenses since then. You wouldn’t have been able to sneak in had you wanted to.”

“Maybe, maybe not,” Stryg grinned.

“So are you two like flirting or do you really just want to fight? I can never tell,” Plum said curiously.

“That depends, are you looking to pick a fight, drow girl?” Srixa bared her teeth.

Tauri leaned forward, “I’ll fight you gladly.”

The door suddenly swung open and First Mother and Jahn strode inside.

“What is the meaning of this? Why are you back here?” First Mother asked in a stern tone.

Stryg winced. Of course, she didn’t want to see him. In her eyes he must have just been a troublemaker, always causing problems. Why else would she always be trying to find out what he was up to?

“Why must you always assume the worst?” Jahn asked his older sister. He turned to Stryg with a bright smile, “It’s good to see you, kid. Did you have a change of heart? Ready to rise to the calling of the tribe’s shaman?”

“Not exactly,” Stryg said apologetically. “When we reached the edge of the forest we encountered enemies.”

“They are preparing for war,” Tauri added.

Jahn’s smile fell, “Oh, it really is bad.”

First narrowed her eyes, “Explain.”

Stryg took a deep breath, “Where to begin…?”

~~~

“...And that’s why we want to go with you to the Moon Fang mountain,” Stryg said.

“So that Jahn and I can get you an audience with the Lunar Elect?” First Mother asked.

“Yes.”

“In the hopes that you can somehow convince the tribunal to rally the Sylvan armies to ride into battle for the aid of their centuries-long mortal enemy, Holo’s Shade?”

“...Yes.”

“And you want Jahn and I to back your ridiculous plan in the halls of the Silver Keep itself? In front of every chieftain and First Mother?”

“Yes?”

“Are you a complete moron?”

“Uh…”

First leaned back, covered her face with her hand, and groaned, “I raised an idiot.”

“The Sylvan wouldn’t be fighting for Hollow Shade,” Tauri interrupted. “They would be fighting for—”

“—For the goblins still living in Hollow Shade, yes, I heard Stryg the first time. That doesn’t change how the tribunal will see it. In their eyes, all those goblins are still a part of Hollow Shade.”

“But they didn’t choose to be there. They didn’t choose to be mistreated and abused all these centuries by their conquerors!” Stryg objected. “They don’t even remember who they are anymore! Hollow Shade took their history away from them.”

First shook her head. “I think you are under a grave misunderstanding, child. Our tribes may be descended from Lunis, but we are not Lunisian, we are Sylvan Folk. And the goblins living in that damned city are Hollow Shaders. The tribunal would rather see that entire city burn than save a single one of those Great Houses, even if it means letting every goblin there burn as well.”

Stryg’s expression fell in disappointment, “That can’t be true… Someone must care. They are still our people.”

“The tribunal won’t see it that way. No one will speak for your cause in the Silver Halls,” First said in her usual cold tone, though there was a trace of sympathy in her voice.

“I will,” Jahn said in a quiet but assured tone.

First stared at him as if he was crazy, “Jahn, what are you saying!?”

He glanced at his sister and smiled softly, “A very wise woman once told us that Not all Hollow Shaders are alike. Some of them are worth fighting for. A rare few are even worth living for.”

First’s eyes widened in surprise. “How do you…?”

“I may have been small, but I was listening. I never forgot our grandmother’s words.”

First bit her lip, but she said nothing more.

Jahn turned to Stryg, “If you believe that the goblins in Hollow Shade are worthy of our help, then I will go to the Silver Halls and speak on behalf of your cause. And even if the tribunal does not listen, I promise you, you will not be alone when you face your enemies in Dusk Valley.”

“I… I’m not sure what to say. Thank you,” Stryg bowed his head deeply.

“Yes… Yes!” Srixa nodded and jumped to her feet. “A quest worthy of the ages! Many of the other young hunters and I swore that if you were ever in need of help we would answer the call and so we shall! If you are to go to war, then we shall be by your side, shaman.”

Stryg smiled gratefully, “Thank you.”

“Thank you,” Plum bowed her head.

“From one warrior to another, thank you,” Tauri bowed solemnly.

Srixa blushed at the sudden show of appreciation. She nodded bashfully, “...You’re welcome.”

“You’re all idiots,” First scoffed in disgust. She stood up from her chair and headed for the door. She stopped in the doorway and sighed, “Have your things ready by sunrise.”

“What?” Stryg blinked.

“The tribes are all gathering on the mountain, each carrying their own petitions no doubt. If we are to convince the Lunar Elect tribunal of the impossible then we must act quickly.” First Mother left without another word.

Jahn smiled at the empty doorway, “She can be quite cold, but my sister means well… usually.”

~~~

One week ago…

The Singing Willow Troupe traveled through the lush green hills of Dusk Valley with a familiar beat. The minstrels played their flutes and lutes as the actors sang and some even danced to the charming tunes.

The whole thing seemed surreal to Loh. The people here seemed like ordinary entertainers, practicing their craft while on the road before their next performance. If she hadn’t seen them slaughter countless soldiers in Undergrowth she might have even joined them in a song or two.

But as it stood, Loh wasn’t sure what to make about any of them. Nothing here was as simple as it seemed. They were all mageborns, every single last one of them. A small unit of deadly mages traveling through the realm in the guise of a troupe.

She had so many questions, none of which they seemed to want to answer. Though that didn’t stop them from being pleasant and all-around kind people towards her. Which only irked her more.

Even worse was her grand-aunt, Una. The long-thought-dead Noir was walking at the head of the caravan by herself. The entire troupe seemed to hold great respect and deference towards her, but whenever Loh asked they would only smile. It was infuriating. But not as infuriating as Una herself. Her aunt refused to respond to any of her questions. The most she was ever able to get out of her was, We’ll speak more at Hollow Shade.

Which seemed promising, except Loh had the strange inkling that Una had no plans to speak with her at all.

After all, why would she? Una had pretended to be dead for the last 50 years. Why would she care to get to know her grand-niece now?

Loh sighed.

None of this made sense. Who were these people? Why were they pretending to be a musical troupe? What was their real purpose for helping her? And who in all the damned Null Realms was Captain?

“They really are performers, some of the best in the Ebon Realm,” Unalla said as if reading her mind.

Loh glanced at her cousin and tried her best not to let her surprise appear on her face. Unalla somehow always seemed to know what she was thinking. Even more annoying, Unalla loved sneaking up on her and surprising her.

Had anyone else dared such disrespect Loh would have smacked them across the head, but there was something strangely familiar in Unalla’s ashen grey eyes. They were filled with the inquisitiveness of youth, but tempered by trials that should never have been given to one so young.

She reminded Loh of herself.

“You know, you’re pretty talkative for a girl who hardly spoke a word back at the tourney,” Loh said.

Unalla shrugged, “There was no one worth talking to back there, except maybe cousin Stryg.”

“Stryg? Oh, right.” Loh frowned.

Elzri had adopted Stryg as a way to gain his favor and a way to endow him with the protection of House Noir. Elzri held no particular love for Stryg, nor did he care to have Stryg be an actual part of the family. It was all just a cold calculating political maneuver through and through, but Loh had almost forgotten that it also technically made Stryg her uncle.

Gods, she hated her grandfather.

Still… she needed his help.

Loh glanced at the rose-painted wagon rolling behind them. Vayu was laying on a small cot inside the wagon. He still hadn’t regained consciousness. Kaitlin, the troupe’s white high-master mage, was keeping him alive, but his life force was dwindling. He wouldn’t last much longer.

They needed to reach Hollow Shade soon, Elzri was the only one who could save Vayu now.

“Do you love him?” Unalla asked.

“Huh? What?”

“Do you love Vayu Glaz?”

Loh burst into laughter.

“What’s so funny?” Unalla frowned.

“Sorry, it’s just,” Loh wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. “I haven’t laughed like that in a while.”

“So you’re not in love with him then?”

“No, I am not,” Loh couldn’t help but crack a smile. “I’ve never been in love with any man for that matter and I am quite certain I never will be.”

Unalla looked at her curiously for a moment, then her eyes widened. “Oooh.”

“Yeah,” Loh chuckled.

“Wait,” Unalla wrinkled her brow. “Then why were you going to marry him?”

Loh sighed, “I never wanted to marry Vayu Glaz. My grandfather wanted me to marry him.”

“So it was my uncle’s fault…” Unalla muttered.

“All for the sake of continuing the great line of Noir or some such bullshit,” Loh spat. She glanced at Unalla and her face suddenly brightened, “Now that I think about it, the line has already continued, with you.”

“Huh? W-Well, I guess. But I’m not interested in getting married anytime soon,” Unalla said defensively.

“Oh, of course not. Believe me, I’m the last person who would try to force anybody into a marriage.”

Unalla smiled at that, “You’re nothing like how I pictured.”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah, I’m glad I finally got to meet you.”

“Same,” Loh smiled. I wish I could say the same about your mother.

She had always wanted to meet Una, ever since she could remember. But when it finally happened it seemed Una didn’t share the sentiment. If Unalla reminded Loh of her younger self, then Una reminded her of Elzri in almost every aspect. Cold, cunning, dangerous, and probably an asshole.

“So, if you weren’t in love with Vayu Glaz and you didn’t even want to marry him, then why do you care what happens to him?” Unalla asked.

“That’s… complicated. He’s my friend, weirdly enough. When we first met and became affianced I made it clear to Vayu that I had no interest in men, but Vayu didn’t care, he said he loved me and he thought he could make me love him.”

“Ugh,” Unalla groaned. “Typical pampered son of a Great House. The ego on them I swear. Some men really think they can just swing their dick around and change who a woman is.”

Loh laughed, “I take it you’ve had your own distasteful experiences?”

“There are assholes everywhere.”

“I knew I liked you.”

Unalla smiled. “So, what happened with Vayu after that?”

Loh’s expression darkened, “I did things I wasn’t proud of. I realized that if I could dangle the possibility that there ‘might’ be a chance for Vayu and me to be together, then he’d go along with anything I said. At first, it was just simple manipulation to keep him from bothering me. But eventually, we became friends and we came to an agreement of sorts.”

“What kind of agreement?”

“The kind where we would get married for the sake of both our Houses, but secretly we wouldn’t consummate our marriage. Vayu would live his life, I would live mine.”

“What about the ‘continuing the family line’ part?”

“I hadn’t exactly figured that part out yet. In the end, it didn’t matter though… I forced Vayu into doing something that broke him… it broke me. It was my fault. I went too far and I ruined everything. I hurt everyone I cared about…”

“Elohnoir…” Unalla whispered sympathetically.

She sniffed and shrugged, “It’s Loh now, just Loh… I deserved everything I got. I ended up leaving our House and never looked back, until I met Stryg. Fate wasn’t without irony I suppose. Vayu ended up becoming one of Stryg’s teachers and for whatever gods damned reason he still wanted to marry me.”

“Vayu sounds like a world-class idiot.”

“Oh, he definitely is. But that idiot stood by me and held off an entire regiment of Undergrowth’s army… He’s lying in that cot because of me. He might die because of me. I won’t abandon him now, I owe him that much.”

“Well, it seems like Vayu might be in luck.” Unalla pointed her finger to the green hills ahead of them.

Past the hills, on the edge of the horizon stood the ebon wall of Hollow Shade.