Chapter 473: Practice (1/2)

Trian tracked his target for the good part of the evening, listening to every conversation the warrior had with his peers.

He hoped the man didn’t need a reminder about his contract.

I should really be mad at her for insisting on both an archery and hammer trainer. To let them come into the headquarters.

He understood of course, knew that Ilea didn’t exactly enjoy spending every afternoon with the students and himself, using her ash and healing to help them train.

She had told him that both Gavin and Lauren could be trusted but he wouldn’t just take her word for it.

Ilea was getting better but he remembered how naive she had been, how trusting. Untainted by the world, he thought and smirked. How utterly idealistic.

He wondered how much of it remained.

Her involvement in the affairs of Riverwatch made him think her heart had remained in the right place. He had absolute trust that she would protect those she considered friends but how far would she go?

Would she raze all of Baralia for their transgressions? Or was it enough to repel an attack? Would she choose to kill the whole family of those that wronged her, like he did? Or would she just kill the responsible people?

Maybe she would even forgive.

He made sure to talk to her regularly, to offer counsel where he thought it necessary. It was the least he could do for her. For everything she had done for him and the new purpose she had bestowed upon him. For the trust she had in him.

Gavin refused to answer a question about Lilith, coming from one of his friends. The sound of his voice suggested he regretted even telling them about his employment in the first place.

Rumors about Lilith’s organization were spreading slowly, whispers from cooks who prepared meals, from leather workers and alchemists who sold equipment. Most of it could be contained but by now it was hard to completely subdue anything with the name of Lilith connected to it.

Most people liked her. Some loved and admired her. The worst respected her.

In Ravenhall that was.

Claire made it clear that the Sentinels should remain mostly secret until they could fight for themselves. If only to lift some weight off Ilea’s shoulders.

Trian agreed and tried his best to help with the endeavors.

He smiled when the conversation shifted away from Gavin without one word coming out of his mouth.

The man was easier to handle than Lauren, Ilea’s new archery trainer.

Despite her daring personality, short fuse and love for gold, the woman hadn’t shared information with anyone so far.

A trusted Shadow more capable at this kind of work had observed her for an entire week and found no reason to doubt her loyalty to Lilith.

Lauren was smart.

Trian just hoped she didn’t think herself too smart.

He disappeared, looking at the night sky as he rushed over the rooftops. Almost time for the next mission, he thought, hoping that their efforts would soon provide some results.

Morale was high, despite the dangers and pain. Trian just hoped they hadn’t become what he hated most.

__________________

Sophia sighed as she looked at the dark clouds above.It didn’t rain yet but she missed the good weather from the last week.

Venturing into the dungeon at night only provided them with quite a bit of free time in the mornings and afternoons.

Mostly, she just enjoyed it because she felt safe.

Both outside where the Abominations wouldn’t reach and at a time where Ilea stayed away.

Lilith, the savior of Riverwatch, she thought. At first the stories had been interesting, frightening, and unbelievable.

To most.

She had believed them immediately. If it really was the same Lilith, and why would it be anybody else? That woman could take on a whole city, she was sure of it.

By now, the songs were just a reminder to her that she had made a deal with the mother of demons herself. The deceiving shine of gold.

She looked at the mark on the back of her hand. Still remaining, taunting her, reminding her of her lack of self control.

Ilea had told her the mark was left behind in case of Specters coming up into the settlement but Sophia asked herself sometimes who the more dangerous monster was.

Some mornings she thought she saw the demon fly out into the darkness. A speck of black ash that vanished into the night sky like a shooting star.

____________________

Cless finally finished the piece she had worked on all morning.

Somehow it was more difficult to paint Ilea than anybody else. Trian was easy, as was Claire. Only Kyrian provided a small challenge but even him she could see with clarity.

She stepped back with a smile on her face and paint on her white shirt. A small twirl of joy later, she inspected her creation.

Claire sadly wasn’t here to tell her what a good job she did but she knew that this one was special.

It showed Ilea with a single wing, floating in mid air with three ghostly bone monsters attacking her with nasty looking swords.

Cless understood that Ilea and Kyrian were often fighting monsters. They were true heroes!

She would grow up to fight monsters too. Her spells were getting better but William and Claire haven’t let her join the combat classes yet.

At least I can pain, she thought and giggled when a ding resounded in her mind.

She really liked those, excited to see which of her abilities had become stronger. Unlike homework back in school, her efforts here were always rewarded. And painting was so much more fun than math.

Cless stuck her tongue out at the thought of addition when Claire stepped into the room.

The two looked at each other. “I did it!”

“You did?” Claire asked and joined her. “That’s her alright,” she said and giggled. “So those are the Specters of Rot she mentioned.”

“They look scary,” Cless said and hugged the woman’s leg.

The gesture always made Claire rub her head and this time too, it did not fail.

She had a smug smile on her face as she looked at the painting. The beings did look scary, but not to her. Ilea was strong. No monster could beat her.

“They do,” Claire said. “Can’t believe she’s fighting them for hours every day…,” she added in a murmur.

“Are you angry at her?” Cless asked and looked up.

“Angry? No, not really. Just sometimes worried,” the woman said.

Cless giggled. “Silly Claire,” she said and stepped away, brushing off her shirt like she had seen some of the Shadowguards do. “Nothing can beat Ilea.”

Claire laughed and ruffled the girl’s hair. “I hope you’re right, Cless.”

“It’s not a matter of right or wrong, Head Administrator. It’s a fact,” Cless said, trying to imitate William as best she could.

“You’re learning a little too much lately,” Claire said and lifted her up. “Can you draw Kyrian again next? I wonder if he’s still climbing that mountain.”

Cless rolled her eyes. “Aw, it’s been so boring to draw him. Drawing Ilea gives me more points!”

“More points… shouldn’t Kyrian give you points as well?”

“Some. Not as many,” Cless said.

“Because you always draw Ilea,” Claire said.

The girl understood the basics of skills and knew that the woman was right. She furrowed her brow and pouted. “Okay.”

“Are you going out again?” she asked to change the subject.

“Probably. If Trian has time. Ilea said she would show us a new dungeon,” Claire said with a smile.

“I’ll paint that!”

“First Kyrian,” the woman said. Her tone was final.

Damn metal man, climbing stupid mountains! she thought and placed a new canvas onto the wooden base.

Mana flowed and her magic activated, her sight changing as the canvas became everything she saw. A drop of pain splashed against the white, Cless focusing on the far away man, the feelings and thoughts she connected with him.

Her hand started moving and the paint followed.

_______________________

I’ve put this off for way to long, Ilea thought as she summoned the bulk steel construction that was Goliath’s gift to her.

The Armaments of Trials.