Chapter 201: Engage (1/2)

Chapter 201 Engage

“Still… you should’ve found out more.” Welk complained and walked to the castle, likely to tell his lord about it.

Maybe we’ll lose this job earlier than expected. Maurice thought, smiling at the idea.

“Any news from inside?” He asked the silent woman.

There was no response or reaction at all. “Nothing then. Well I’m sure they’ll get you when they find any of those killer machines.”

“How do they not scare you?” He asked in a joking manner, finishing his meal when a couple guards walked by, armored in red and gray. Colors of house Redleaf. What a stupid fucking name. He thought and smiled.

“They are just machines.” Zoy said, gracing them with her voice. Popi perched up and summoned a cupcake.

“I made a new one. You said you didn’t hate lemon.” The man said and shyly walked over to where Zoy was sitting. The woman didn’t look at him but didn’t stop him setting the cupcake down next to her on the stone.

“Thank you Popi.” She said before she placed her hand near the cupcake, moving it a little before she finally found it.

Don’t have to fool us lady. Maurice thought but he had that talk with her several times already. Maybe he would’ve believed it before he saw her fight.

“I’m gonna catch some sleep. Wake me when something interesting happens.” He said and lied down on his mat.

“Will do Maurice. Sweet dreams.” Popi said which made him smile.

“At least fifteen guards looking over the castle. And they’re just hanging out in front of it?” Ilea asked as they looked over their target isle.

“They have Redleaf colors. Likely not as high level as the others. That’s why we go in and check it out.” Kyrian said.

“Yea.” Ilea said and glided down to the tiny stone connection that bridged the two islands. Kyrian followed and landed behind her.

“Are you with me if I improvise a little?” Ilea asked the man a moment later.

“Like completely ignoring Edwin’s plan to fight him yourself?” Kyrian asked but she waved him off.

“I just don’t know if I’ll get an opportunity to talk to the man otherwise.” Ilea explained.

“Of course I’m with you. I’m here for Eve. And for you.” He said. Ilea felt the burden lessen a little. Hopefully she wasn’t dragging them both to death.

Well, Edwin will intervene at one point or the other anyway. Just depends who’s quicker. She thought and smiled as they made their way over the pathway.

There were three people near the fire, two of them she knew already. Two guards on the top of the stairs leading to the castle pointed at them but didn’t do anything yet. The third person sitting near the fire was a woman with somewhat short blond hair. None of them reacted before she shouted towards them.

“Hey Popi!” She waved and smiled when he turned towards her, taking off her helmet in the process.

“Lilith!” Popi answered and smiled as well, kicking at the third person who had been soundly asleep. Maurice grumbled and sat up with a skeptical look on his face.

“The Shadowgirl.” He said. “She’s pretty.”

“Thanks old man.” Ilea said. “This is Joe.” She said, pointing at Kyrian behind her.

“Old man. Ah well you’re right. The invisible angry one here too?” He asked, a little apprehension clear in his voice. The woman sitting in her white metal armor hadn’t moved at all so far, her eyes white as she stared into the distance.

“She didn’t feel like seeing your faces. Is she blind?” Ilea asked.

“You’re being rude.” Kyrian said and nodded to the woman. “It’s nice to meet you all. I apologize for her behavior.”

“No I think it’s cool actually.” Ilea said and tensed her body slightly, turning it a little towards the woman. Her Sphere told her enough. There was a slight twitch in the woman’s fingers and her breathing slowed down a bit.

“Hahaha. I knew it.” Ilea said and relaxed her body. “Popi how are you doing? I’m here to pay you and to buy more if you have anything else.” Ilea said and smiled at the man as she sat down next to him, opening her pack and getting her pouch.

“Your spending habits haven’t changed at all.” Kyrian said and sighed.

“Where did you get that armor?” The woman in white asked suddenly.

“Her or me?” Kyrian asked as he sat down as well. The two guards from the stairs had walked towards them in the meantime.

“What’s the meaning of this? Who are those people?” One of the guards asked.

[Warrior – lvl 141]

[Warrior – lvl 148]

Guards at a lower level. Ilea thought and smiled at them.

“Fuck off, they’re just here to buy cake.” Maurice said.

“What do you mean they’re just…,” The guard was interrupted when the woman in white held up her hand.

“Her armor.” She stated in a tense voice.

“Smith friend made it for me, why?” Ilea said as she bit into the cupcake Popi had handed to her.

“The metal.” The woman said.

Interesting. Not even Balduur knew what it was and this chick points it out immediately.

[Warrior – lvl ??]

Which means she’s higher than two fifty at least. Ilea thought and debated on how to handle this interaction. The truth seemed as good as anything.

“Found it in a Taleen dungeon about a year ago. Belonged to an elf I think. Wore it until it was too messed up and had it reforged. This is the result. Do you like it?” She asked and studied the woman’s reaction.

“Where is the dungeon?” The woman asked.

“Maybe I’ll tell you if you tell me your name?” Ilea asked and smiled. The guards looked at each other and shook their heads before they went back to their posts, entirely out of their comfort zone it seemed.

Shit guards. Ilea thought as she watched them leave, taking another bite of the cupcake. “That’s fucking delicious.” She said.

“Zoy.” The woman said after a while.

“Zoy… like in soy sauce? Interesting name. The dungeon is inside the massive mountain Karth. I wouldn’t recommend going in though, there’s two Praetorians waiting.” Ilea said and finished the cupcake, not missing the sudden tension in Zoy’s body, moving her head for the first time as she looked up to the sky.

“You. Fought them?” She asked after a while, looking at the same nothing again before her.

“You really are something.” Maurice said as he sat up and put something that looked like coffee into one of the pans, filling it with water from a flask. “Never seen the mute talk that much.”

“Means she’s not a mute.” Kyrian interjected and smiled when Maurice looked at him.

“Got bloody mauled by them. Centurions are one thing but Praetorians…,” Ilea started. “They seemed… intelligent. Dangerous.” Ilea said.

“Do you fear them?” Zoy asked, holding her breath.

“Fear them? I did, yes. For a while.” Ilea said and thought back on the two machines decimating the expedition. There was nothing she could do back then. And she doubted she could do anything now. Not yet.

“You do not fear them anymore?” Zoy asked.

“No. As soon as I’m ready, I’ll go there and take them apart, piece by piece. Until nothing remains.” Ilea said and looked at the woman.