Chapter 310: Opinions and food (1/2)

“Figured as much. I’m Ilea, joined a couple years ago. Any reason you’re here in the North instead of you know… doing your duty as an elder?”

The man looked at her and laughed again, pulling on his pipe. “My dear. The duties of an elder aren’t very well defined. Perhaps it is changed now… well it is no concern of mine.”

Of course it is…, Ilea was confused, the man certainly not making the most competent impression. “Maybe helping out when another elder destroys the whole city?”

He nodded and sighed, “Maybe. Yes. I’m sorry. Being so far away, I didn’t even know.”

Maro touched her shoulder as she noticed the ash coming to live around her. She swatted his hand away, “I’m sorry? Hundreds of thousands of people died… turned into demons and nearly wiping out all of humanity!” She kept her voice leveled, more ash moving around her.

“Now now.” The man said in a calm voice, moving his hands as he nervously looked at the ash, “I am sure you handled it well my dear. I’m far removed…,”

“Would you have cared had you known?” She asked, sitting back again as her ash vanished. The answer didn’t matter of course, either way he hadn’t known, couldn’t have. Still, somehow she felt like blaming him. The other elders that weren’t there are at fault too. He knew immediately that it was Adam.

He murmured something to himself before he spoke, “You did well. I’m glad you were there. If I could give you my title, I would. Sadly it involved votes by current elders… well. I suppose it doesn’t matter anymore.”

It matters that you didn’t stop Adam. Ilea ground her teeth, thinking back on the carnage left behind by the demons, all the people that had been slaughtered. A statistic, hard to grasp. A numbing feeling she hadn’t thought about much. Perhaps now that someone who could have prevented it stood in front of her, it became more real, not an unavoidable tragedy but the massacre it had been.

The elder stopped and sighed, “We have arrived.” He said and pointed at the ruined house missing a roof and half of its front.

Ilea blinked up, finding a nice table with a good view before seating herself. Maro appeared a moment later and sat down too after looking around. “Certainly changed.” Ilea didn’t react to his comment, waiting for the old man slowly entering below.

“Ah, no no it is quite alright. Bring whatever you have. How is the family? Another three hundred babies… well I hope you can get some sleep.” They heard the elder talk below. He laughed at the answer Ilea didn’t understand, spoken in a language she had never heard, “Don’t worry about it. The plums should be ripe in two weeks. Beautiful, the taste is exquisite I tell you.”

Is that code? She wondered but if he spoke the language why use code in standard? He walked up the stairs a moment later, groaning at the movement. “Why don’t you teleport?” She asked in an annoyed tone, staring at the man while he avoided her eyes.

“Aaaah, no no. These old bones need some movement too. It took too long to reach the two hundreds and now?” He paused, “I pay for it.” He sat down with a loud sigh and rested his back, the staff vanishing from his hand.

Ilea leaned forward, resting her head on her hands, “You knew about Adam then? Why not prevent it?” She felt herself get agitated again at the sheer thought. It annoyed herbut she couldn’t ignore it, thousands had died because of that man.

“I know Adam.” He said and paused, “If… if what you say is true, then perhaps I hadn’t known him as well as I thought.” He puffed on his pipe and leaned back, “I’m aware of some things about him that others do not know. Yet I couldn’t have fathomed him going as far as summoning demons into Ravenhall. Unthinkable.” He shook his head.

“How did you know it was him when I mentioned the demons?” Ilea asked, impatient with his slow explanations.

Lucas looked at her then, “Hmm.” He removed the pipe and leaned forward, “He is the only summoner I know that is capable of such a feat. The only one who could hide something like that.” Seeing that Ilea wasn’t satisfied with his answer he continued, “You know… the man has been looking for a way to get there. To bring back something that was taken.”

“Bring back something from the demon realms?” Maro asked, the elder nodding in return. “What exactly? Are you suggesting demons can steal things from our realm? Steal people?”

The elder waved him off, “Hmm, yes. Well no. I do not know. Summoning as well as the demonic realm are no interests of mine, Adam is the one I learned from about these things but… well I forgot most of it.”

“Are you fucking kidding me?” Ilea asked, “You could have prevented this, prevented the summoning and saved all those lives.” Her ash was back as he held up his hands in a placating gesture.

“Hey now dear. I have summoned nothing. You have the wrong elder.” He said in a shaky voice, smiling again as he put his pipe back into his mouth.

“He’s right you know. I get that you’re angry Ilea but trust me on this… some people’s actions can hardly be predicted.” Maro said, calming her down somewhat.

The elder relaxed, touching her arm despite the ash that twirled around her, “I am truly sorry my dear. It is past… let bygones be bygones.”

“So Adam is looking for something in the demon realm? Any idea how to get there?” Ilea asked, her ash casually moving away his hand from her arm. He shook his head slowly. “What is he looking for?”

“I… ehm… I forgot.” He said. “If you find him… tell him I am disappointed.”

Disappointed…, Ilea couldn’t help but laugh, sitting back as she calmed down. She looked at him with contempt. You did nothing. Hid here in the nor…, She stopped the thought and looked down, her ash receding. It’s different. She heard herself justify herself.

“You were the human that fought the spirit last.” Maro said suddenly, interrupting the awkward silence and changing the topic.

Lucas smiled, puffing on his pipe, “Hmm, perhaps. Maybe I have sought to discoursewith the undying lord. I am not keen on fighting anyone but I suppose that one has a way to make me show the worst of me. I’m thankful you took that burden from this town. One of the few things remaining to retain the feeling of a dungeon.”

Ilea sighed and sat back, her chair leaning on a wall of ash she had created. “Why are you here? Just to help out the community?”

“I am sorry I disappointed you my dear.” Lucas said, “I tend to have that impact on people.” He added with a quieter tone, “I meant that before you know, you becoming an elder. Or doing something similarly impacting. Surviving here is enough to get you a high position in any human order, kingdom or empire.” He pointed at her, “I am frankly tired of it all. The constant wars… battles. Dark Ones are much more relaxed.”

“I came here for the exact opposite reason.” Ilea retorted, his talk about the wars and battles resonating with her. The only thing she disagreed on was that the Dark Ones were any different. Some perhaps but she knew plenty of humans who just sought to live their lives in peace.

The elder nodded, “I’m here to study the north, the events that changed this environment two to four thousand years ago. More so I’m here to try and change it back. The trees and vegetation you see growing in this dungeon are the first step. With time I’m sure at least a part of the magical imbalance can be restrained. Not perhaps to the extent it had been before but better at least.”

“That event. We believe Elos had three suns before.” Maro interjected, the elder nodding and pointing his pipe at him.

“A theory. Well many exist but one can’t realistically replace a sun. Trees is the next best thing, water and a working ecosystem. Introducing animals and monsters back into the environment.” The elder replied but Maro shook his head.

“No, no. I was there. Before. I was trapped and unconscious for thousands of years. There were three suns before. These lands were normal, the beasts below level one hundred. At least outside of dungeons. Lisburg was the pride of Rhyvor, its wine unparalleled.” He explained, the elder nodding as he looked at the king.

“You must tell me about before… how it looked, where the lakes and rivers were.”

“Later.” Ilea interrupted, glaring at him, “Why not fix the war down south?” she asked with a smile.

The man pointed at her with his pipe, the pipe she was about to rip out of his hand and snap. She wasn’t quite sure why he irritated her so much, “Hmm, Baralia. They areincapable of winning such a war. At least not if anything major changed in the last decade.” He laughed and shrugged.

“Why don’t you go and stop it?” Maro asked Ilea instead, “You seem to care a great deal. I have fought Rhyvor’s enemies whenever necessary.”

Ilea was about to answer when the elder stood up, “Ah yes, the food is here.”He laughed as a tiny dark one with two leathery wings brought eight plates filled with food at the same time. More quickly followed.

“To answer your question Maro.” Ilea said, finishing another plate. “I’m not even from there. I don’t know the politics, background or anything else. Even if I know Baralia with its slavery sucks, what do you think happens if I run in there and kill a bunch of royals? A month after I left the whole country would be in flames. All the soldiers now leaderless might just scatter and burn down whatever settlements they can find.”

Lucas re lit his pipe and nodded, “Mhm, you’re probably right.You should listen to her.” He said to Maro.

Ilea burst out laughing, the elder smiling at her before she pointed at him with a bone she had cleaned off of meat, “You’re not excused. You’re obviously knowledgeable and could do something with both your influence and power.”

“I am the king of Rhyvor.” Maro said, “To get disrespected like this… refreshing.” He wasn’t wearing his helmet anymore either, a content expression on his face.

“Ah, the king of Rhyvor. My respects.” He bowed without really moving. “A necromancer. Well most of the surviving records and murals only talk about the queen.” Lucas said. “As I said young one, Ilea. I have not been down in the south for a decade. My intervention would be… problematic.”

Maro smiled, “Good to know that at least history will remember the true ruler.”

He lifted his mug and spoke, stopping Ilea’s retort, “To Rhyvor, Elana and to Gadrian.”