Chapter 45 - Final Decision
As minutes turned into hours, Couldn't help noticing that something had her lieutenants in an upstir, occupying their time and keeping them out much later than expected.
She sat behind her grand desk in the study, the warm sun shining through the domed glass roof above. The queen was watching the sheathed ornate greatsword in her hands.
On the desk in front of her, there were letters detailing all of the magical items she had recently gained, just by handing over valuable blades like the one in her hand. After all, Aubade blades were seen as the best in the Northern Territories. Incredibly strong and razor-sharp, even with their very basic enchantments or lack thereof.
Despite what should have been good, holding an important relic and knowing she was gaining more resources, she had an uncertain expression.
She set the sword on the desk, then opened the top drawer. She took out the old, weathered journal inside. She knew the very long story within had been written day by day, for more than a century, with an array of emotions behind them. Very few of those emotions -if any- were positive.
She opened the journal to the most recent entry, where the page had been torn out of anger. Not by her hand, but by a trespasser's.
"I wish she would have understood," Corelia murmured. "I may have hidden some things from her, but it was for her safety, and I didn't lie about anything until it regarded the demons. What was I supposed to do? She was so worried about them; if I had been honest, she would have been devastated. And gods know demons don't respond to a nice approach..."
Her hands started shaking, before she closed the journal and threw it out of anger. It cracked the solid wood shelf it struck.
"Beasts," Corelia spat under her breath. "Taking Kita, then having the nerve to strike down my daughter the way they did? And after I sunk so low as to show that cursed beta mercy, and restrain Chiro from doing so much worse. This has been a pure, unadulterated disaster."
She picked up a letter opener and practically flicked it behind her. Despite that simple blind motion, it landed perfectly in the wood behind her, sinking in like a dagger. Right in the middle of the page depicting the Zyrean Emblem.
"If that bastard thinks he's getting away with this..."
Before she could continue thinking along those lines, the large doors creaked open. Finally, she saw one of her lieutenants return. It was Atara, but she seemed different as she slowly walked inside. Like an empty husk, drained of all life and substance.
Corelia stood from the desk. "Atara, do you have something to report?"
Atara stopped halfway across the room, but didn't respond.
"Does it regard the Zyreans?"
"Yes," Atara mumbled in a voice hardly audible.
She didn't follow that up. Feeling even more confused, Corelia stepped out from behind the desk and approached her. She could see clearer now; Atara's fists were clenched and shaking, and her brown eyes were clouded with darkness. Finally, Corelia had an idea of what was happening, and had seen it far more times than she wished to remember.
Corelia spoke with a calm but demanding tone, "Atara. What happened?"
After another moment, Atara spoke dejectedly, "The demons nearly killed Maia."
"Yes, but she's still recovering. It's terrible, I know, but for the time being, she's stable-"
Atara sucked in a breath of air. "Now they've killed her too."
"Killed who?"
"Aunt Corelia..." Atara still choked up and croaked, "Shira's dead."
Corelia froze as if someone just stabbed her.
It was surreal at the very least; Atara and Shira were her second nieces, and their lives had been almost perfect. Premium schooling, loving parents, becoming incredible soldiers, and in Shira's case, starting her own family. To have that suddenly disrupted, torn away from them and destroyed by demons' claws, was almost impossible to fathom.
And it only made her more furious.
"How do you know that?" Corelia interrogated. "What makes you say that?"
When Atara didn't respond, the queen grew more concerned.
"Atara, explain!"
This time, when Atara remained silent, Corelia was ready to give up on her and find the answers herself. However, when Atara finally broke and started sobbing, hiding her face as if ashamed, she slowed back down. She pulled the distraught lieutenant into a comforting embrace, which Atara did not fight.
Finally, Atara weakly explained, "The survivors of her patrol told us everything, and they managed to retrieve her body from the Blood Forest. Shira was trying to protect Kita, but let her guard down and she..."
Again, Corelia found herself petrified. "Are you saying Kita did this?"
"It's what they said. And the mark on her neck -the one that killed her, i-it didn't match any of the demons' known weapons. It..." She lurched back, letting out a furious cry. "That traitorous little bitch killed my sister, and we're supposed to pretend like we still care!"
"Atara, please, slow down!" Corelia insisted. "Listen, I know you are upset, so am I. This just reached a whole new level, but you must bear in mind that Kita is being manipulated. She will not go unpunished for this, but at the same time, we can't lose sight of our true enemies. Likewise, we cannot let this bring us down as well."
"I can't keep this up," Atara growled. "I can't go back into that forest. Not without killing someone, I don't care who."
Atara muttered furiously under her breath, while two more lieutenants entered the observatory. One was the infamous Chiro, while the other was a husky lady with wild red-orange hair. With one look, Corelia could tell they were already informed on the matter.
"Okay, dear, take a deep breath," Corelia said softly, discreetly gesturing for the redhead to come closer. "You should go back home for a while and try to clear your head."
Atara looked like she was about to argue, but the redheaded lieutenant calmly pulled her back with a sympathetic look. After that, Atara sighed and left with her. Once they were a fair distance down the hallway outside, Chiro closed both of the doors. Corelia let out the sigh she'd been holding in, rubbing her temples as she struggled to think through the grief and anger.
"I take it you heard everything?" Asked Chiro.
Corelia returned to the desk, slumping into her seat. "This is too much. Kita gone, Maia down, now Shira..."
Chiro shook his head. "The fact that you can still list Kita in your list of concerns really speaks to your forgiveness. Are you aware of that little rat's role in-"
"I know," Corelia interfered, unable to hear it again. "She won't get away with this, but she is still a victim in another sense."
"Hardly," Chiro muttered. "Your majesty, directly or indirectly, the Zyreans have just killed another lieutenant. An Akane, no less, a family literally entwined with yours. We cannot ignore this. Now is the time to act; they will think we are weak, and they'll take our silence as proof. They may even come for you next, and we can't have that."
Chiro stopped in front of the desk, leaning against it with a firm tone.
"We need to do something."
Corelia sighed, "I know."
While she remained silent, Chiro found the iconic greatsword lying on the desk. Without thinking, he took the sword and partially unsheathed it. The pristine blade gleamed in the light, but more significantly, runes illuminated along it, adding a glittering quality to the piece.
"Y-Your majesty, these runes..." Chiro sheathed the sword, setting it back down. "Aren't these the new spells? The ones we got from the elves?"
"'Runes to banish darkness,'" Corelia concurred. "After reviewing their work, and why they failed with Maia's sword, the enchanters were able to apply them to mine. Successfully, this time..." She slid one of the letters toward him. "We also got more passive spells to work with, and fuel in the form of crystals."
"This is great!" Chiro exclaimed. "The weapon we were hoping for -it's here, this is it! Your majesty, we should forge a plan immediately!"
With a more determined look, Corelia slid some of the desk's papers out of the way. "I already have the foundation of one plan, from multiple accounts of Zyrean sightings and movements. One thing I now know is important is location. In the Blood Forest, the demons are familiar with the terrain and are wary of attacks from us. However, it's hard for us to go anywhere else because we don't know where their other territories are."
"We do have the account of the desert mission," Chiro replied.
"What do you mean?" Asked Corelia.
"Ah, let me see..."
Chiro took a moment, searching the cluttered shelves for something. He soon came across one notebook with many loose papers inside, flipping through them until he found what he needed. Afterward, he set the book down in front of Corelia, pointing to one paragraph.
"This was while we had a unit in the desert region," Chiro explained. "Obviously, we were initially only concerned with the Dark Elves and the continued scuffle over that jewel mine. After taking another route in an attempt to cut them off, though, the unit stumbled across some very old ruins. Inside, shockingly, they found a Zyrean portal, just like the one we've seen in the Blood Forest."
"So they have access to this area," Corelia murmured. "Could it be close to their fortress?"
"There were no recent traces of activity in the area," Chiro replied. "It may be just a place of interest, or a vantage point for traveling. Rumor has it they have a lot of those. Besides, the Zyreans don't seem like they're adapted to desert terrain."
"In other words, they may not be quite as familiar with the region."
"And they definitely wouldn't be expecting Aubades to be there."
Corelia nodded. "Good job remembering this, Chiro."
Chiro bowed slightly. "Thank you, your majesty, I'm just happy to help."
Corelia very faintly smiled. "I have a new task for you, as well."
"I'm listening."
"I know you have that 'Hitai-Akane' rivalry and whatnot, but please help me keep an eye on Atara. Likewise, with her being in this condition, I could also use someone to check in with Maia every so often. She has servants to help, but with how busy I am, it's much harder for them to send updates as opposed to someone within my inner circle. You could also get the boys to help, of course."
Chiro nodded. "I understand, your majesty. I will do that. Would you also like me to help arrange a proper funeral for Shira?"
Corelia slowed down again. "I never thought I would hear those words, not in my lifetime."
"We never do expect it, do we?" Chiro murmured.
"Leave that much to me, if you will," Corelia replied.
"Are you sure you'll manage, your majesty?"
Corelia sighed, "It's not the first friend or family I've had to see buried, tragic as it is. I'll get by, so don't worry about me. Focus on the others."
Chiro nodded. "Very well."
"And hopefully..." Corelia picked up the sword. "I can deliver some form of justice."
\\\\\
After returning from the mission in the Blood Forest, Kita still had a lingering queasy feeling from how things went down. Her stomach was in knots, and her dagger -retrieved and cleaned by one of the demons- weighed like a rock in its hiding place.
She was in the Hex Den now, with its rusty stone walls, general scattered supplies, and mess of a brewing table. Timbur and Zin were already present, and so was Seyber. From what Kita could tell, Zin was explaining what happened to her. Seyber was helplessly working to organize the scattered mess of potion tools on the table. Timbur was keeping a suspicious eye on her.
As Thundur stepped inside from the deeper areas of the fortress, Seyber's ears perked. "There you are. So, what do we take from this? Did she redeem herself?"
"There's nothing to redeem," Timbur spat. "She's still a useless sack of mortal meat."
"Well, she did bring down a lieutenant," said Zin. "I even think that one was a relative of Atara. That's a pretty big feat."
"Thanks, Zin," Kita remarked.
"Yeah, don't think that makes us even," Zin muttered.
Kita looked down. "Oh..."
Hiding a bit of blue mist in one hand, Zin tapped her shoulder. When Kita looked up, a ball of water hit her directly in the face, making her sputter. Seyber couldn't help laughing at that, while Timbur facepalmed.
"Alright, getting there," Zin remarked. "A few hundred more of those, and I may be able to work with her."
Kita wiped her face off. "I guess that's fair?"
Thundur finally sighed, "To be honest, I'm unsure how to feel about this, so I certainly don't know what to tell you to feel."
"No need," Timbur insisted. "Either way, I still say we throw her back in Sybilius. The risk is too high, and there's no payoff here."
As Kita listened silently, she couldn't help feeling more nervous. There was also the same guilt that she had been feeling.
"You should be at least a little more open, Timbur," Seyber remarked. "If Leiytning is willing to take her back. He looks like he knows what he's doing, and there must be a good premise for this. Even his most absurd-sounding orders usually have some benefit. Like when he told you to lure that gloom to the white crystal chamber, in the middle of a Raven's Cavern invasion, and it wound up killing the two basilisks when they followed Zin there because he was running in a panic? And that gave us the time we needed to finish the rest?"
Zin shuddered. "Snakes. Horrible, giant snakes..."
"Yeah, Leiytning's good with strategy," Timbur retorted. "But there is no strategy to this. This sylph offers literally nothing but the risk of another betrayal. And you all should know how much that means to us; every warrior counts, and the risk involved with losing them is too great. We've lost enough to that psychotic queen and her associates. We shouldn't give her the opportunity to take anything else."
"Hm..." Kita mumbled, "Hearing it like that, I understand better."
"You both made decent points," said Thundur.
"Timbur just made another reason to keep her," said Seyber. "We could always use more help, couldn't we?"
"Why are you defending her?" Timbur argued. "She sold you out!"
"Yeah, but..." Seyber looked away. "I can tell she's guilty, and she already served her punishment. I think ten nights in the Oculus Cavern is as bad as one night in Corelia's dungeon, just about."
Timbur sneered, then jabbed a finger toward Kita. "Second point. What does this offer?"
"That's fixable," said Seyber. "We've already been teaching her about the enemies we face, and our different systems. Even if she doesn't become a full-fledged warrior, we can also teach her to defend herself. She'll become more capable in due time."
"Maybe, but there are limits to a mortal's strength," Timbur retorted. "She won't be able to keep up with us, and no amount of training will change that much."
"I beg to differ," Thundur interfered. "There are plenty of Aubades to prove otherwise, including ones that never manipulate magic."
"Like, uh..." Kita hesitated.
"Like what?" Timbur spat.
Deciding to lighten her statement, Kita grinned awkwardly. "You're one of the strongest on the team, Timbur, and you're the youngest. If you can bring yourself to keep up with the others, why couldn't I-"
"What?" Timbur retorted. "Just because I'm the shortest, that's what you really meant, right? Well, guess what, pest? One, I'm not the youngest, that would be Jem. Two, at least I'm a demon! With you mortals, it's just one weakness after another."
Thundur crossed her arms. "She still had a point."
"Exactly, T, even you've overcome your disadvantages," Zin teased. "Despite the odds, you kept going, and you conquered the top shelf!"
Timbur punched him, while Seyber burst out laughing.
"Point in case," Thundur muttered. "Kita?"
Kita stepped forward. "Yes?"
"There's no question that you're staying with us," Thundur warily explained. "However, whether you stay as a companion or as a prisoner is up to you, and this is your absolute final chance to be a companion. You need to get it through your skull that you belong to the Zyrean tribe now, and that comes with responsibilities. You willobey our rules under any circumstance, regardless of what the sylphs tell you. The death of a lieutenant was a great start at mending this bridge, but it will take time to earn our full trust again."
Kita looked down, thinking hard. Is this what I'm going to do? I know I'm not going back to Sybilius, but there's something wrong with the demons. With Leiytning. That much, Corelia actually told the truth about...
She clenched her fist, determined.
But as I've already been told, I need to be more confident.
With a firm expression, Kita looked Thundur in the eye. "I understand, and I'm ready for it."
"Alright, then," Thundur replied. "Better not screw up this chance, though."
While Timbur tried to intervene again, Kita found herself lost in thought as she absorbed everyone's words.
I'm surprised by how Thundur's behaving. For being one of the most hostile demons when I first got here, she's now coming off as simply a thoughtful person with a bit of an edge. Not a mean one, but a cautious and protective one. Either way, I don't think she's nearly as brutal as she seems...
Kita took another look around the room, and couldn't help smiling.
Honestly, I don't think any of them are.
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