"I need to go," SJ said to the goblin child.
"What if they come back?"
"They won't." SJ didn't want to hang around and deal with the incompetent guard in District 3. Her dealings with Lurtew's disappearance had been bad enough previously. Trying to explain this would be a nightmare.
Returning to the backyard, SJ looked down at the still form of Raceillia once more before shrinking and taking off. She needed to check on Larianco. Flying straight back to the warehouse, the damage from the explosion was catastrophic. The front wall had been blown outwards, stone and wood scattered the street, and a group of mages were busy dowsing the flames. The roof had collapsed inwards, and there was no way that SJ could get near to check inside with the debris.
'I hope Larianco's okay,' SJ thought, her stomach churning with nervous tension. Her usual adrenaline came down and didn't appear as bad as previous occurrences.
"That shield she had was very strong, And I bet her fire resistance is very high, being a fire mage," Dave said.
'Look at this place, though.'
"There is nothing you can do here. I would try the sanctuary."
SJ continued over the warehouse, flying through the thick, acrid smoke from its burning contents. As she arrived at the sanctuary door, it was open, and she landed, growing and immediately equipping her claws.
"Larianco?" she called as she entered.
"In here," a pained voice replied.
SJ rushed to her voice in the lounge and found Larianco slumped in a chair. A wicked gash crossed her chest from her right shoulder blade, almost to her abdomen. Her clothes were covered in blood.
"Have you no potions?" SJ asked, looking at her woeful state.
"I've drunk some. The wound won't close. I think the wound is poisoned," Larianco said through gritted teeth.
SJ pulled her regeneration ring from her finger and handed it to her. "Here, put this on," SJ said, handing it to her. Larianco slipped the ring onto her finger. "Trigger the ring, and it will give you a boost."
Larianco gasped as health flooded back into her body, the 30% boost returning colour to her drawn face. SJ watched in trepidation as Larianco grimaced.
"My health is still dropping. It has helped, but unless I can get a cure, I won't survive."
SJ's mind raced. "I will be right back," she said as she sprinted back out of the sanctuary, shrinking and launching herself into the air. She immediately turned to the closest place she knew someone could help her. She almost fell as she grew on landing, only her boots keeping her upright, and she banged on Petunia's door.
"PETUNIA!" SJ called. There were no lights on inside. Cursing, SJ was about to head to find Wystria when her heart leapt when she heard Petunia's voice.
"SJ. Is that you? What's wrong? It is late."
SJ stepped back from the door and looked up at the window from which Petunia had looked out.
"Larianco is seriously injured. She is dying. I need your help. Please?" SJ pleaded.
Petunia didn't respond as she disappeared from the window. SJ heard banging and crashing, followed by cursing, as she descended the stairs.
"Where is she?" Petunia said, opening the front door. She stood wearing what SJ could only describe as a nightdress and had wooden rollers in her hair. SJ would have smiled at the old gnome's appearance if it had been any other moment.
"At the sanctuary," SJ said, turning. They ran. SJ was surprised at the speed Petunia maintained for both her size and her age as she kept up with SJ, although slightly out of breath. It only took them a couple of minutes to reach the sanctuary. The front door was still locked, so they went around to the rear, running in to find Larianco still in her chair.
"Oh my," Petunia said, as she rushed to her side, grabbing her wrist. Her face creased as she placed a hand on Larianco's chest, white light encasing her still body. "She is fading."
SJ felt sick. Larianco looked dead. Her face was grey, and her clothes and chair were covered in her life essence.
Petunia began chanting, the light from her hand pulsing as it thrust healing streams into her. Sweat formed on Petunia's brow as she closed her eyes, concentrating. Larianco's face still looked grey.
"Damn. I need more mana," Petunia cursed. "I haven't brought potions or my jewellery."
SJ grabbed Larianco's hand, pulled her mana regeneration ring from it, and handed it to Petunia. Petunia took it, placing it on her finger. Her eyebrows rose as she identified it. Petunia must have triggered the mana boost because the next moment she stepped back and, pointing both her palms towards Larianco, again cast a spell. The brilliance of the white light hurt SJ's eyes, and she squinted as its intensity increased when a bolt of pure white erupted from her palms and hit Larianco in the chest.
Larianco's body pulsed and twitched as the light poured into her. To SJ, it seemed like it had lasted for minutes, but it was mere moments in reality when the light stopped again. Petunia reached forward again, grabbing her wrist. Silence filled the room as SJ held her breath.
Petunia slowly released her wrist. "She is stable," she said.
SJ released her breath. "Thank you. I never would have forgiven myself."
Petunia turned to look at her. "While I keep an eye on her. You need to get me a brandy from that bottle on the side over there and then tell me what on Amathera has been going on!"
SJ poured two large glasses of brandy, handed one to Petunia, and drank the other as she explained what had happened.
"What on Amathera do you think you were doing with just the two of you? A mage and an assassin, I might add. Not the usual mix."
"We weren't expecting the others to return," SJ said, feeling a little sheepish.
"At least it sounds like the problem is now dealt with."
"I hope so. I didn't get a chance to ask Larianco." As SJ finished talking, Larianco stirred. Groaning, she opened her eyes, taking in SJ and Petunia sitting staring at her.
"Don't try and move," Petunia said. "You were on your last legs when I got here. I only just managed to save you, and that wound you took was vicious."
Coughing, Larianco shifted slightly, wincing. She put her hand to her chest, feeling the skin where the cut had been closed with Petunia's healing. "Thank you," she said, her voice weak.
"It is going to take you time to recover. You will require another round of healing. That was a nasty poison you were struck with."
"Is Carter dead?" SJ asked.
Larianco looked at SJ and shook her head. "No. He escaped after he struck me. I took out the others and thought I had hit him, but he had some skill which allowed him to move so quickly, and my shield didn't stop his blade when he attacked. It has to be charmed."
SJ cursed loudly. If Carter was still out there, he needed to be dealt with. Not caring anymore, SJ tapped her ear. It took several moments when a voice replied.
"Late for a social call," Carlito said. The noise of an inn drifted into her ear.
"Carlito. I need you to do me a favour. I will pay you?" SJ said, trying not to look at the faces of Petunia and Larianco as she did.
"First, tell me what, then I will decide."
"Do you know of a dark elf called Carter? I need him ended. We ran into him this evening while dealing with the other issue that you are already aware of, and he almost killed Larianco in the process, then fled the scene."
"Carter. I do know him. A pickpocket and thief," Carlito replied casually.
"Would you deal with him? And how much would it cost?"
"When by?"
"Tonight, if possible."
"Umm. Okay. In exchange, you must tell me your secret. Before I do it."
SJ closed her eyes. She knew Dave could hear what Carlito was saying through her thoughts. Turning, SJ looked at Petunia and Larianco, who were looking at her not in shock or anger but with genuine intrigue.
'In for a penny, in for a pound,' SJ thought.
Dave stayed silent, not replying. She could imagine him sitting on the edge of a seat, waiting to hear what she said. "You know the being that I told you I met?"
"Yes," Carlito replied.
"All I can say is that he gave me a gift."
"What kind of gift?"
"A special gift. That is all I can say. I'm unable to say anymore."
There was silence for several moments. SJ could only hear the distant bar where Carlito was and her own breathing.
When Carlito spoke, his voice was uncertain. It was the first time she had ever heard him speak without confidence. "There is only one thing that I can think of that could in any way present the details you have shown in resistance to me, and now you have said it, I should have thought of it before."
SJ didn't respond.
After a further moment's silence, Carlito spoke again. "I assume you can't confirm as sworn to an oath, but I will ask you one question you may be able to answer. Was this gift red?"
SJ hadn't been sworn to an oath, and to her knowledge, she could have said exactly what had happened when she had drunk Bob's blood and formed her symbiotic relationship.
"Yes," SJ replied, her single-word response being met with silence.
There was an almost silent gasp when someone breathed in, and then SJ heard Carlito moving, the sounds changing from within the bar as he did. She opened her display and saw Carlito's red dot at the Balck Griffin. Zooming in, she saw his dot heading towards where she thought the fight pits were. Her display had no interior map of buildings, but from the entrance, it had to be in that direction. It carried on across, moving towards where she believed they held the shark bait, and then proceeded past that area into an unfamiliar location.
There was a knock on a door, and SJ heard it being opened.
"I didn't ask for a drink." SJ heard Carter's voice. He must have gone to the Black Griffin to hide. The next sound was a gasp and gurgling, like someone was drowning, struggling to breathe.
"It's done," Carlito said as the link went dead.
SJ sat in shocked silence for several moments before composing herself. She had just listened to Carlito kill Carter. Not realising she had sat on the edge of her seat, gripping the armrests, she released her grip and looked back at Petunia and Larianco again.
"He's dead," SJ said.
Petunia looked at SJ with a severe look, although her eyes relayed humour behind them. "I believe you have some explaining to do."
When SJ finished explaining what had happened to her since her arrival, who the assassin was, and how he was now her sponsor, and without going into details of her job, both Larianco and Petunia were flabbergasted. Both were aware of elements, but not the entire story of Carlito's involvement. SJ didn't tell them he was a dragonling or about her resistance to his attacks. Often referring to the conversation taking place after she was a councillor and the contract against her was dropped when they both asked questions.
By the time SJ left between them, they had drank more medicinal brandy, in Petunia's words. Both Larianco and Petunia gave her the rings back. SJ was going to stay with Larianco, but she insisted she would be fine once she was cleaned up. She was still wearing her bloodied clothes, but having switched chairs, the other being moved outside ruined.
SJ walked back with Petunia after promising that she would see Larianco in the morning and leaving Petunia, whom she had promised she would meet at the tower in the morning to file her full audit report and have a conversation with the chancellor. Her room was welcoming when she entered through the balcony, closing and locking it out of habit. The incubating egg glowed softly as she settled on her bed. The notification icon flashed on her screen, but that could wait until the morning. She was too tired now to read through all the details.
Since arriving in Asterfal, her life had only got more complex. The interest of the misled fae and dark elves was not an issue that could be dealt with easily or quickly. If Jaristi was really involved, and pretending to be Gavia, the consequences never mind what had been happening or what could happen needed to be considered.
"SJ," Dave said.
'Yes.'
"Go to sleep. You can worry about that in the morning."
It took her a while still, but eventually, sleep took her.
When SJ awoke the next morning, she worked through her notifications after getting a coffee, and wrote up the official report for the audit. The dark elves had nothing of value apart from coins, although their weapons would fetch a few coins. Raceillia's loot was a little different. There were two items of interest.
Bracelet of Normal Fire Resistance 15%
Bracelet of Knowledge +4
Ward Breaker
The Bracelet of Knowledge was Intelligence, which, even with its increase, was still her lowest attribute at 16 but still a significant improvement. She noticed her mana pool had increased substantially due to it. Not that she used mana apart from creating her enchantment slots for tailoring.
The ward breaker was the most interesting item. It looked like a plain bronze-coloured disc with no discernible markings. When she saw Larianco, she would have to speak to her about it.
Between the four of them. Having looted the injured dark elf and removed all his belongings, she had gained 73 copper, 61 silver, and 2 gold. SJ had expected that Raceillia would have more coins than she did, with her having most of the coins with over two gold coins. There hadn't been enough room to stack all the items on the table, and she had placed the weapons on the floor.
'I am going to drop some coins off with Keru. I think he deserves to be paid for his trouble,' SJ thought.
Dave said nothing, just snorting like he had been expecting her to do something like that.
Leaving her house by her front door this morning, SJ looked up into the bright sky. The rain clouds of the past couple of days had blown over, and the difference she felt this morning, knowing that the threat over her had been dealt with, made her smile as she walked down the street.
"Today's job. Visit Larianco, see Petunia at the tower and hand in the report. Meet with the chancellor. Anything else?" Dave said.
'I think I may see Carlito. I want to thank him for last night.'
"I liked the way you explained to him. I was surprised that he worked it out. Symbiosis isn't common across any races."
'It surprised me as well, but I don't know what dragons think, do, or know.'
"Nor does anyone. Well, maybe a god might."
'Mentioning gods. I need to speak to Nexis again about Jaristi. Especially after our conversation and your thoughts as to what he may do if he is involved directly.'
"I am proud of my consideration," Dave said smugly.
'It was very intuitive of you. It's a shame you aren't like that all the time.'
"Hey!"
SJ laughed in her head as she arrived at the sanctuary. Larianco answered the door with a broad smile.
"You look a little healthier today," SJ said.
"Thanks to you and Petunia. She called in first thing this morning and refreshed me. I feel better this morning than I have in a long time."
"I found this on Raceillia," SJ said, handing the Ward Breaker to Larianco.
"These are only supposed to be issued to royal guards. They allow them to break into any sanctuary of the fae. They are controlled and accounted for regularly."
"Maybe you need to have another conversation with Val about it?"
"I will when I speak to her next. What are you planning to do today?"
"See Petunia, and the chancellor, and then I may consider going back home. I have nothing else pending at the moment and with the attacks against me resolved, I can hopefully spend some time relaxing. I have enjoyed being in the city, but it has been stressful."
Larianco smiled. "Definitely eventful. Oh. I found Raceillia's communication stone. I am going to send it back to the capital for Val to look into. Maybe she can work out who she was speaking to."
"Whoever it was from the conversation I overheard is someone that neither her nor Carter wished to upset."
"Hopefully she can find out."
"Right, I better go and hand in my report. I am so glad you are feeling and looking so much better."
"Thank you for your help," Larianco said, hugging SJ. SJ returned it, smiling. As she walked from Larianco's, her display triggered.
Congratulations! Your reputation with the Fae Angolis has increased to popular. Completed quests on behalf of the Fae Angolis will give you a 60% experience increase.
Be warned. Performing acts for other factions may decrease your reputation with the Angolis.
'Dave. Who are the Angolis?' SJ asked as she walked to the tower.
