Chapter 161: King Laggarma [3] (1/2)
”And you, young man. Maybe, just maybe, there's something you can do about the darkness surrounding your soul.”
”Huh?” Ju Feng exclaimed. Something about his death? There was nothing he could about it, was it? Everybody confirmed that to him.
”Don't get me wrong, you'll certainly die, but there could be a way to go about your death. I've seen it done before. If you all help out, I will tell you about it.”
The king replied after seeing Ju Feng expression.
”I'll leave you now, so you can discuss this without my shadow cast over you. I'll send a guard to you in a while to show you to where you'll be staying.”
The king said, as if he sensed his shock and anxiety.
They all stood as the king left the hall. Chang Chang listened to the dwarf's heavy, echoing boot tread recede until the great doors opened and shut, and they were alone.
”I don't trust him. He's hiding something.”
Chang Chang said. She didn't care if the guards overheard her. She shook her head before drinking the rest of her wine in one gulp.
”He's hiding many things,” Ju Feng said. ”But he's also desperate.”
”Must be, if he wants our help,” Chang Chang said.
”Desperate men are dangerous, especially desperate rulers.” Ju Feng added.
”Even if we stay, what can we possibly do to make a difference in this fight? Many dwarves don't even want outsiders here. Will we truly find a welcome?”
”It doesn't matter.”
Ju Feng said before continuing.
”He offered us the sphere that you need. He also want to help me about the death that's following me around.”
”And if I die trying to strip the magical energy from this yaomo prisoner or you die in a fight against a yaoguai army, the sphere will mean nothing,”
Chang Chang said and continued.
”And the knowledge you are aiming to receive will mean nothing. Too many things could go wrong here.”
”It's best if we aid the dwarves however we can, but we'll be careful,”
Ruen said and raised a hand before Chang Chang could protest.
”It's dangerous, yes, but that part of the bargain is easy enough for me to fulfill. The dwarves obviously need all the help they can get.”
”That's true. I don't like the idea of any of these folk bein' herded like rats by their enemies. It's not a fair fight.”
Chang Chang had to agree. Droya and her dwarven family were good people. They didn't deserve the doom fast approaching them. Weariness hit her again. She put her chin in her hand, resisting the urge to lay her head on the table. But the gesture failed to deceive Ju Feng.
”It's time to rest.”
He said, standing. He held Chang Chang's glaive out to her. The blade glowed faintly when she took it. Though she hadn't had it long, the glaive seemed to recognize her touch, knew it apart from any other. After all, it was her soul weapon. She drew the glaive into her soul space which attracted Ju Feng's interest, but she wasn't paying any attention to it. Her mind was on the heavenly artifact. Would the Arcane Script Sphere be the same? Would the divine's memory reach out to her? Chang Chang's heartbeat quickened at the possibility, the temptation so near at hand.
Ah, Mystra. What great mess have we stumbled into, and will we regret it before the end?
The guards snapped to attention when king Laggarma entered the dungeons, a black glare fixed on his face. ”Open the cell,” he commanded the nearest guard.
”Yes, my king.”
The dwarf hurried ahead and fumbled with the keys.
”Be careful, my king. He got hold of some poison somehow. We searched him and chained him, but he might have more of the stuff hidden.”
”I'm not afraid of his godsdamned poison.”