Chapter 514: Seeking the Faithful (1/2)

“I don’t have an issue with you if what you said is true. Soon your slaves will be free however,” she said.

His heart rate increased. “It’s true… you’re the one from the songs. The one to defend Riverwatch.”

He got up and paced through the room. “Then perhaps you speak the truth after all… do you have proof?”

Ilea spread her wings and smiled. “Proof for the ritual? No. But you know that the cities were wiped out, their people turned into monsters. I’ve seen them, fought them. Is the Empire capable of that?”

“Of course they are but you’re right. Nara doesn’t make sense. Lys is not known to push so far, so quickly, nor should they employ such destructive blood magic. It took them so long just to break the siege of Virilya,” he said. “And with the High King… what are they planning?”

“You’re pretty well informed,” Ilea said and chuckled.

“Of course I am. My life might depend on it. Are you certain the Order is behind these rituals?” he asked.

“I have second hand information but I’ve seen the halls, the Cursed clad in robes. Someone would have had to infiltrate and take over the various temples, set up a complicated ritual, all under the nose of the nobility, the Order, the guard? Plus in Nara, apparently the nobles were told about it too. They left beforehand,” she said.

He touched his hair with both hands before he sighed. “Alright… I believe you, Lilith. If only because it seems to be the most logical explanation. What do you need from me? Potions? Contacts?” he asked, starting to look through the cabinets.

“You talked about members of the Order who helped out the slaves for free… I doubt someone like that would support what the Order at large is doing. They might not even know about it, or it’s just a fringe group that plans the rituals… I doubt that however, with how extensive they were,” she said.

“It’s possible… in that case you should speak to Acolyte Benedict. He lives in this district, a fifteen minute walk. I don’t think he would be in the temple at this hour,” he said. “If anybody I know can point you in the right direction, it’s him.”

He grabbed a piece of paper and started sketching down a small map with his shop at the center. His hand was trembling slightly.

“I told you, I won’t kill you. Just forget about this meeting after we’re done,” she said.

He finished before saying anything, handing her the piece of paper. “You’re just the first to make it into the city. Troops from Nipha have already shown their presence and more are on the way. I fear what will happen to Yinnahall, no matter if your words were the truth or not. I fear what will happen to me and those I hold dear.”

“You seem decent enough… hmm… hey are there any mentions of Lilith from the siege of Virilya?” she asked.

“I’m not aware of any,” he said. “Most of the soldiers did not return. And your name is not uttered in the open.”

“Then maybe it’s time to add a little fuel to my reputation…,” she said.

“What did you have in mind? If your name can prevent some of what’s to come, I’ll gladly assist you,” the man said.

“You’ll have to spread a few rumors,” she said with a grin.

Ilea hoped her assessment of Yinnis hadn’t been wrong. A single person talking to the wrong people could cause a lot of trouble in regards to the ritual. She wasn’t versed in stealth, infiltration, or information gathering however, nor were any of her skills particularly helpful in this endeavor.

If she kept refraining from torture that was. The thought made her remember the noble in Nara, her treatment of him perhaps too harsh. A single punch to his face might have been enough. She didn’t overly regret it but reminded herself to stay aware of her power. Not to end up like Hector or his younger self.

She bought a few meet skewers from a street vendor who accepted her copper without asking any questions.

Yinnis’ map was enough to lead her to Benedict’s house. She would have likely stumbled upon it with loose directions too, seeing the many sick, injured, or starving people waiting in front of the door.

Ilea didn’t bother trying to speak to them, instead checking for guard patrols, soldiers, or otherwise troublesome people in the nearby streets. Nobody immediately dangerous seemed to be around.

She wordlessly stepped into a close by dark alley, summoning casual clothes and a cloak to cover a part of her face.

A kid sitting nearby rubbed his eyes as he watched her.

Ilea raised a finger to her mouth before checking him with her ash. He stuttered something in the native tongue but she had already healed his minor cuts and bruises, handing him a few silver coins.

“Lilith,” she said and stepped out into the street again. No guards or soldiers had turned up. She quickly walked to each person waiting, summoning a silver coin and healing them with a casual touch. Most were below level forty, the process near instant.

Nearly all of them were lost for words, looking at the silver in their hands before they hid it or rushed off, saying a few words to her that she didn’t understand.

Ilea had to shoo a few people away after they either tried to thank her excessively or begged for more.

One of the last people she healed and gave silver to asked her something in a calm voice. A few of her ribs had been cracked.

Ilea continued without saying anything.

“Who are you stranger?” the woman asked again, in Standard.

Ilea healed the last patient. “Lilith,” she whispered, loud enough for the woman to hear.

“Our thanks to you, Lilith, giver of life,” the woman said. “You should be careful in these streets. Charity is met with greed, envy, and suspicion.”

Ilea just nodded, smiling at the thought of thugs trying to mug her. She assumed the authorities wouldn’t exactly like her actions either but doubted anybody with a new piece of silver would report her. If someone envious did it, she assumed at least that nobody would investigate for the coming half hour or likely much longer.

The door opened and a young woman with white hair and deep red eyes glanced out. She said something in the native tongue looking at Ilea.

[Healer – lvl 32]

A simple brown robe covered the woman.

Ilea didn’t reply, not knowing what was said to her.

The healer looked past Ilea before slamming the door shut.

Not fast enough.

Ilea had already blinked inside, amused by the enchantments flashing to life behind her.

“I was told this is where a certain Acolyte Benedict resides. Can you show me the way?” she asked.

The woman staggered back a few steps, nearly falling before she caught herself. “Who are you? What did you do to the hopeless?”

“The hopeless? You mean the people outside?” Ilea asked.

The woman seemed slightly irritated. “Of course.”

“I’m not from around here,” Ilea said with a smile. “I healed them.”

“All of them?” the woman asked, her heart beating faster.

“Of course,” Ilea said.

“Are you here to kill him, kill us?” the woman asked again. She seemed more defiant now, her body tense and ready to do, something.

“That depends. I’m here to talk first and foremost,” Ilea said. “You better show me to him though, I’m in a bit of a rush.”

The woman gulped and nodded. “Follow me,” she said and led Ilea through a door in the back of the large entrance room and then down into the cellar.

Ilea already noted the enchantments, some of them familiar as noise canceling and anti teleportation spells. She didn’t expect much from this place however, casually displacing a pebble up into the hall above just to make sure she could escape. The spell worked flawlessly.

The girl stopped in front of a thick reinforced wooden door, knocking in an obvious pattern.

Ilea’s sphere wasn’t stopped by any of the enchantments, letting her see the four people inside scramble into a defensive position. Two women and a man with a variety of weapons standing in front of a desk and the man sitting behind it.

Benedict I hope, Ilea thought. The anti teleportation enchantments would work in her benefit this time. She just had to make sure they wouldn’t disable them. Just in case the talks didn’t go in the right direction.

Ilea checked the rest of the building, finding about a dozen people working on different things, nothing out of the ordinary. Two patients with missing limbs were resting in beds in the second floor, what seemed like a nurse was talking to them as she cleaned a few pieces of cloth under running water.

“That was a little obvious,” Ilea said to the girl.

She shied back, holding her arms in front of her defensively.

Ilea laughed for a few seconds before gesturing her to enter. “Come on, you go in first.”