Chapter 10-314: Bonds and Promises (2/2)
Legion noted the wording I had suggested, and smiled, glancing at the east, where the dawn wasn’t that far away.
“I Wish...” they began.
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At Natural Renewal, the hair of some two hundred people across Europe and beyond spontaneously ignited, burning their scalps and leaving behind scars that looked disturbingly like demonic Brands.
Those waiting and watching for such events swooped down on them, got rid of their Aura-concealing magicks, and the vast majority of Queen Rayetizvisha’s network of Branded and Wish recipients was folded up in a very short period of time. Rumors spread very fast of what had happened, and those minions of hers in different places were soon identified, too. Even the roughest of men had about as much use for those who bargained with demons as they did for Dark Warlocks.
The vast majority of those people were in positions in society where their unknown allegiance would be most useful, and not, for instance, holding positions in a Church of the Dark Gods or an assassin’s cult, who would not care much about such things. The revealed Brands were extremely easy to identify as demonic in origin, while the Aural alterations made by receiving a demonic Wish were also quickly identifiable.
What those people had betrayed and done in service to their demonic Patron was something that was going to be worked out in dark places, lots of Charm magic, or possibly just interrogating their dead souls if they refused to be taken alive. Speak with Dead might not be admissible in a court of mortal law, but it was certainly good enough to lead investigators to what they needed to know.
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I entered the room of the Morningsun family quietly.
Being Undaunted, I was not afraid, or even nervous or trepidatious, which should have been standard in such a situation. Again, I was not going to deceive them as to who I really was, but I didn’t know the state they were in after undergoing literally Hellish torments for an extended period of time.
Morningflame had woken first; the first thing she spoke was the last date she remembered.
It had been over nine years since she was ambushed and replaced. It was also the main piece of information that the European forces needed to go back and look at what the demon posing as her had done. They already believed that at least three Paladins and a dozen Clerics of Good gods had been manipulated into being killed by the demon, and so lost to the undead.
I looked both of them over.
Their Auras were not that dissimilar. Morningfire was a Nuavan Bard-Socialite and Sorceress with the Phoenix Bloodline. Her daughter Morningflame also had the Phoenix Bloodline, but she was a Mageblade, not a Bard, and had invested heavily in the undead-killing power of fire, where her mother was something more of a social butterfly and stealer-of-hearts.
Fire’s last memory was also over seventeen years ago, just after the birth of Elrii. She didn’t even remember being Consumed, and the whole ordeal was just a horrible nightmare she was coming to grips with at this point.
Both of them were fiery-haired, bronze-skinned, and golden-eyed, looking more like sisters than mother and daughter. Their Auras were not strong, given what they’d been through, but they were stabilizing.
It was a horrific spiritual trauma that would challenge the strongest person. I was actually impressed that they were rebounding so fast, the Restorations I’d used on them notwithstanding.
Both of them studied me. Fire’s breath actually caught when she saw me, eyes widening, while Flame merely looked curious... then blinked as I sat down next to Azaia, and she instantly saw the resemblance.
“What?” she blurted out, looking back and forth between us. “Mother?” she protested, looking at Jaelez Morningfire in confusion.
“My little Elrii?” Fire whispered, shocked at seeing me there with Azaia. “I... you were just born...” I noted both of them were speaking Human instead of French or English, so Azaia must have broken them in.
“You... she... oh...” Flame blinked, realizing what was going on. Her mother looked at her for clarification. “That bastard... told us Elrii had died...”
Morningfire inhaled sharply, studying me with wide eyes. “How did they treat you?” she asked immediately. “They must have had dark plans for you...”
“And they succeeded. Elrii Morningdark was killed and her baby boy taken by Warlocks in the service of Shoul. I was brought down through the Shroud into her body. You may address me as Traveler.”
They both stared at me in shock.
I pointed at Fire. “Eaten by a Warlock and replaced for almost twenty years with no one the wiser.” I pointed at Morningflame. “Replaced by a demon for nine years, with no one the wiser.” I pointed at myself. “Stuck into the body of a murdered teenage mother, with no one the wiser.”
Despite themselves, they couldn’t keep the grim smiles off their lips. Azaia just shook her head.
“And Light is dead...” Flame said softly, and I nodded slightly.
“She was eaten and replaced by the doppelganger who raised Elrii, presumably as a reward for her service. My guess is it happened the very day Elrii was murdered and her son stolen, and the Ritual to make the deception impenetrable was undertaken at the same time.” I gestured at Azaia. “I have no doubt Azaia was a target as well, for after her training was complete, but they didn’t dare take her while she was studying full time in the temples.”
“Traveler,” Morningfire said hesitantly. “It appears we owe our freedom, such as it is, to you. Thank you for that, if we can give you nothing else.” She glanced at Azaia. “Azaia has said that you have taken her on as a student, and are ushering her into greater things. That you have brought... incredible revisions to magic during a very short period of time.”
“That is correct,” I replied, and lifted my Aura.
Both of them tensed as my command of the field of magic swirled around them, overwhelming in its power.