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Chapter 43: Betrayal

The strange mage had them in quite the dilemma. Though he was still mysterious and seemingly mad, they had no solutions to guide them to Nivra and Nigel. Sure they could have stumbled blindly through this place, but here they had gift horse, ready to offer them the solution. So after finding the wizard’s hat pinned beneath one of his leg chairs, they left without fuss.

He moved with the energy of a man thirty years his lesser, a grin spread across his face. Doors seemed to materialize with his arrival, throwing themselves open as if knowing better than to barr their way. The constructs that had plagued them through the halls were disarmed by a knowing nod, unfortunately taking the lights with them. Florimel, with a heavy sigh was forced to will into being a floating flame of red light, whisking it along with a gesture.

Voidwing swayed along after the brown robed magician with a joyous chirp, casting away whatever miasma of concern that had gripped him. Everything was looking up for them, it wouldn’t be long until they found Nivra and gave Nigel a tongue lashing he’d not forget. Plus they had gotten a new mage to replace the unsettling undead one, this one being far more welcoming. Unfortunately for Arcturus, this aura of good cheer had yet to reach him, the man was a fortress of suspicion and concern.

Steeled emerald eyes often drifted to the whimsical wizard, even as the air started to grow damp and smell of stagnant water. He stalled, almost certain they’d wandered into a swamp.

“Don’t be silly, the swamp is three levels down!” said Florimel, muttering to himself how it couldn’t wind up here ‘again’.

Arcturus’ brow furrowed as he leaned in whispering into Voidwing’s ear, “With each passing moment, I’m more convinced he’s a witless fool. Ten doors now we’ve been told would be our destination, ten proving fruitless distractions. Or…He’s an ally of Nigel and deceiving us, keeping us apart.”

The gryphon tilted his head, throwing up his wing to shield them from view. Apricot eyes glistened like tiny gems in the sliver of light slithering through his feathers. “Now you’re the skeptical one? He might be a bit strange Arcturus, but answer me this, would our enemy turn me back? Shift back your sword he easily robbed you of? Why not be rid of then and there?” The gryphon chuckled and shook his head, “He’s silly, but good. I can feel it in my pads.”

Arcturus could only frown, “You don’t find it a tad ironic you’re asking me to trust your paws now?”

“You asked me to trust your gut!” He tapped the man’s chest with a talon. “Besides, if you really put in the thought, your instincts are still the culprit…. Even if it’s not, I do believe it’s my turn to trust something. So, in summary, I vote yes, yes, we follow him. I’m sure the madness is but a deception, to hide the power we’ve observed. Besides, do you have an alternative to enact? Your alternative can’t simply to ditch him and wander about.”

His tongue stilled at the thought, the gryphon indeed was right, that didn’t mean he had to like it. Guiding the gryphon’s wing down revealed the wizard was hunched over his floating flame, muttering nonsensically to it, like it was an unruly child. Arcturus could only groan at this delay as he padded over, “What hinders our progress now? Is it another door that’s got away from you? A riddle you don’t remember, or possibly the wrong spell that turns our hair blue?”

“Mine turned green.” Voidwing tapped his beak, “Though I do prefer my natural colors.”

“Oh, nothing like that of course.” Florimel put his hands to his waist, sharpened eyes falling to his magical creation. “My light seems to be scared of the dark, refuses to go on it’s so terrified!”

There were no words to describe the mental collapse going between Arcturus’ ears. He could only stare in utter bewilderment as Florimel prattled on how exactly a flame could fear the thing it got rid of. When he shook his head, frustration got the best of him, he was right in Florimel’s face. “Listen here old man. I care not for whatever game or delusion you entrap us in. Do you or do you not know how to get us to this vault where they should be going? We need to know if we’re better off aimlessly searching about. Where I stand now, I see not the difference.”

Florimel didn’t immediately reply, merely blinking in utter shock at being addressed in such a manner. He recoiled and cupped the flame with his palms, whispering that it wasn’t the paladin’s fault he was being cross. ‘He’s only worried for a friend.’

“That’s the ticket!” Voidwing trilled, with a smile. “You could summon another flame, make sure it has a friend!”

“Don’t humor him.” Groaned Arcturus, only to find himself utterly ignored.

“Such a wonderful thought my gryphon!” Florimel slid back, sweeping an arm around the gryphon’s neck. “So marvelously simple! Why didn’t I think of that?”

“B-because you have so much going on in your head?” Voidwing replied, ears splayed.

“Exactly my boy!”

“Has the world just gone mad when I wasn’t looking?” Arcturus held the bridge of his nose as Florimel weaved into existence another flame for his light so it wouldn’t be lonely.

The wizard was not to be deterred, “Or has it always been, and you’ve not been as perceptive?” He gestured them onward, “Me here or not you’re still wandering aimlessly through the dark. So what matters of my inclusion? At least I offer better companionship than the dark!”

Arcturus was silent for a moment, eyes flicking to Voidwing for some support. The gryphon it seemed was all more than willing to throw in his feathers with the magician. How mad could he truly be at him? The bird was following his advice. He could only sigh in defeat and take solace that at least their wandering wouldn’t be boring. “Lead the way Florimel. Pray that Nigel hasn’t yet made a move against our friend.”

“Stars, I had not known your friend had such…depraved tastes.”

“Not like that!” Voidwing shrieked as Arcturus desperately tried to clarify that ‘definitely’ wasn’t what he’d meant. “If anything, her tastes are all of this!” He gestured seductively to his body with a wing, “Me with a capital V!”

“Course she is!” Florimel laughed, smacking the feather fluffed gryphon on the flank before tugging at his beard. “Now does reminds me, when are you going to marry her?”

“M-marry her?” Onyx ears perked; his head tilted. He then sputtered and wheezed through some half-hearted excuses that weren’t even convincing himself. “How could I do that?”

“Ever considered just asking? You’ve known her long enough!” He nudged, gesturing them onward. “I used to know this fellow east of Mirefield, could call in a favor if you’d like. Are you a partaker of cakes? Pies I must admit are one hundred percent superior-“

Arcturus could only shake his head as he picked up the rear, wondering if their truly was no alternative.

*

Silence filled the sparse halls of the network of corridors, stilling the tongue and scattering the mind. It only broke with anxious breaths, or the uneven steps of those that traveled within. Stone had long since been weathered away, slowly replaced with slates of pure metal until that’s all that remained. In a way it was a reflection of Nigel’s soul, a skeletal shell of what once was, humanity pulped and drained away till nothing remained.

Rusted lights hung from the ceiling by nests of worn chains, their meager strength ill equipped to beat back the encroaching darkness around them. Moisture dripped in an uneven rhythm, glinting for fleeting moments like little, brilliant eyes. In this Nivra ventured with her un-nerving procession.

Forced to use her hand, Nivra had brought a brilliant beacon to bear, luminating their way through the grim atmosphere. Hair stood on edge, her heart rapidly beat, it was all she could do to stop herself from curling her hair out of habit. Why the lich chose such a place to be his home she’d never know, his tower back in Lumara had the appearance of a typical wizard tower. But this? She shivered, swearing something darted out of the edge of her vision. This place seemed to be forged from the nightmarish depths of a cruel mind, haunting and dreadful to say the least. Despite this, Nigel and Axton proceeded unphased, beacons of serenity within this dark place.

Eventually the passage widened enough for a doorway covered in layers of corroded steel and complicated locks. Upon Nigel’s instruction she dragged her palm against the frigid steel, noting the gears and tumblers inside springing open with punctuated clunks. With a final pat the doors sprung open with an ear-splitting creak, revealing the massive cavern within.

It was like a gigantic running clock, the room filled with a network of gears, wires, springs, and metal beams. They all sprouted from a column at it’s center, branching outward like the many limbs of a tree. Diamonds the size of wagons dangled on chains above, flaring with the intensity of suns, chasing away the shadows. The air was a cacophony of metal on metal and the whizzing of a thousand different contraptions, reeking heavily of oil mixed with steel.

Platforms dotted across the metal landscape, covered in tile, held only by one of the many metal limbs within. Upon them were scores of machinery and furniture, doo dads and Knick knacks from seemingly every age. There seemed to be no rhyme or reason for their positions around the cavern, but one ensured that Nigel and the others did not find themselves crashing into the mass of gears far below. The walls around them were a vast network of honeycombed vaults, each sealed shut with a thick door of adamantine, numbers methodically seared to the surface.

“What’s the matter Nivra, awe caught your tongue?” Mused the undead magician, casually striding onto the platform before them. “I’d forgotten that look you have.”

Indeed, it had, she had to close her mouth shut, ensuring she didn’t look like some utter buffoon. Pressing down her robes she followed on Axton’s heels, searching through the sea of unorganized objects around them. She spied mirrors, jackets, lengths of twine, portraits lovingly painted of a family of humans, blissfully smiling away. The inclusion of such mundane things made her halt, tossing a curious glance to their undead benefactor. He’d turned away from her, gazing out to the honeycomb around them.

“So many years and it becomes mundane to the eye, behold Nivra. Contained within these vaults are secrets and knowledge I’ve hoarded through these many years, some far more wonderous than the place we dwell. Though I warn you,” He slyly smirked to her, “Your jaw might distend to the floor.”

She blushed at the prospect, her mind twisting and turning at the application of such things. Had he the solutions to their undead problems? How about the mana crystals in Lumara? Surely with this laboratory and the vault, such a thing would be simple. Caution however pulled her spirits back to earth, away from the tumbling gears. “But why the works of art?” She gestured to the dark-skinned woman’s smile as she held close a child to her breast.

Turning to it, Nigel levied a stare, his smile fading away in the blink of an eye. He approached without a word, staring intimately to the woman, losing himself in her eyes, drifting to ages past. “That is myself and my wife and our child.” He muttered, “All but ghosts of the days long since passed.” With a composed sigh he turned, returning his attentions to the panels of bronze and brass at the edge of the platform.

“You had a wife and child?” Sputtered Nivra, almost at a loss, chasing after the mage. “You’ve never said!”

“Should I? I tend not to spell out the wounds upon my soul. Look to that and see that I was happy once…But as I said…Your enemies will strip them from you. You mustn’t give them any quarter. Which reminds me.” He cleared his throat with a cough, “Alexa, I require new arms.”

“Affirmative sir.” Came a metallic voice from the panels of levers and buttons, as dormant machinery sprung to life from the floor.

Before Nivra could act, tiles folded in on themselves, letting twin pillars of silver emerge on either side of the lich, electricity crackling malevolently from base to tip. With a clap that pierced through the whirling gears, electric bolts sprung like fishnets to dance across form. The air sizzled and bubbled with terrible aroma of burned flesh as twin metal orbs condensed within his empty arm sockets. They started to glow a vibrant red-orange as if plucked from the depths of a forge. Wind began to swirl around him, pushing both Axton and Nivra back as the lich hissed in victory.

“This wasn’t part of the deal!” Nivra shouted as the winds battered her face.

“But one, that I just had to correct!”

From the bubbles of metal came skeletal limbs, twisting and writhing into perfect shape. As he turned them over, they cooled, leaving only their shiny surface gleaming devilishly in the light. Smoke curled and twisted from each of them as the lich turned, a smile spread across his crooked face.

“As you can imagine…” He twirled his metal palms before his eyes, “I shan’t be returning to my cage.”

She grit her teeth, the plan was spiraling recklessly out of control by the moment. “But you made a deal, how can you just turn your back on it?” She pulled back, “How do you expect them to trust us with your absence? You leave us all in quite the precarious position, uniting might be out of the question!”

He clicked his tongue, caressing the levers near him like an old lover. “Do you think I care of what those little brained imbeciles think? They will see the error in their judgement or be doomed to death, such is the consequence of those without vision, too ridged in their beliefs. Axton, would you call up vault 581?”

Axton nodded without a word, slinking over to a keypad, and inputting the numbers before pulling down a lever with a heavy clunk. Around them the platform shook as ancient machinery that had not known the touch of a human hand for ages was given life. Gigantic metal gears started to churn, singing a symphony of clicks. Below them the platform began to shift and shake as the metal beam supporting them began to move. Around the hall they were whisked, slowly descending the while.

Captivating as this was, Nivra found herself staring to Nigel. Where they not supposed to be in the control room? What of the others? “I thought we were shutting off the defenses. Should we not solve that before locking away the orb of dragonkind?”

Nigel admired his artificial limbs, clenching and releasing his gleaming fists. “Look around you dear apprentice. Does it look like we need to silence the defenses? Here we are, heart of the mechanism, no lights, or alarms to warn us. Your friends are quite safe.”

“To that we’re in disagreement.” She replied sternly, “Explain.”

“My dear, it was as I just explained! I would never do a thing to harm you or your companions!” Nigel slid to her, complimenting what fire swirled within her eyes, “It must have been a localized fault! The problem seems to have corrected itself, so rest your wary stare and take solace in that we shall retrieve your lover and knight in our departure.”

To that she could only offer her reserved silence, not offering any rebuttal. She however didn’t stray far from him as the platform descended, filling the space between them with the ear twitching groan of metal upon metal. The lich turned away from her, not regarding her as a threat and proceeded to try and explain the scattered vaults above, how he’d plucked them from the hands of powerful magicians, or traversed ancient booby traps, only to emerge victorious.

“I hope that one day this vast place will be past down, I’d hoped it would go to my son one day-“ Nigel paused, a hardened look traveling across his face. “But that time was long ago, it has now shifted to you. Which begs me to ask the question my dear, have you ever traversed the pass of the mountains of Varesh? Deep within the land of Covania?”

“Down near Trudaren?” She raised a brow. “Known for it’s maple grain? What of it?”

“Just like that path, the road ahead is rough and perilous, requiring much determination and conviction to traverse. Not all have the endurance or courage to match stretch with it’s peaks, the question is if you fall or your climb?” He rose a brow, searching her face for signs of doubt. “I need to know you have the strength Nivra, like your father never saw in you.”

She held her tongue, feeling the thick tension grace her cheeks. She met his blackened gaze, keeping her chin raised, her defenses strong. He was going to ask of her another difficult task. “You imply we have a hard decision to make? One that my companions will not agree?”

“Indeed my young apprentice. For so long I’ve observed you grow and flourish into the strong willed woman before me. Your father lacked the vision of what you’d become, but I’ve always known the greatness within.” Nigel paced around her, “You care for your people, your kingdom, their prosperity. I’d even say the very soul of this place is of great importance. You are the future of Lumara.”

She blushed at the compliments but saw through the visage, he was trying to butter her up. She furrowed her brow, meeting his gaze with steel. “I see through the kind words Nigel, speak plainly what you wish of me. Do not waste more of my time.”

To that he chuckled, knowing he’d raised her too well. “Very well child, this emperor and his golden claws, the vast undead army that work at his children’s command. For you there is a hard choice to be made in regards to them all. If it’s not made, all those that have struggled and strived for our success will be in vain. Any light we have will darkened and decay.” He turned to her, arms folded behind him, a look of calm about him, as if he already knew what she’d say. “I fear that your knight Arcturus cannot be allowed to depart this facility. The shard bound within his soul is far too valuable to our enemy. If this fragment of Bahamut falls into the enemies’ claws, they will be one step closer to godhood. I shouldn’t have to tell you why this is an outcome we must strive to avoid.”

The air grew cold between them, the night where Shandalar fall bubbling to the forefront of her mind. For a moment to agree with him whispered to her thoughts, but she resisted with a biting of her lip. “So in addition to this orb you would have me betray the paladin? Surely you can see what division this would bring. You speak madness.”

“Do I?” He gestured to the chest. “I feared this would be the outcome when we spoke, but the reality was not made clear until we teleported here. I fear the orb in which we brought, never left the material plain. Too attached to our sphere it was, our enemy was far cleverer than we gave them credit for.” He gestured to the hovering chest at Axton’s side, “You’ll find it quite devoid of anything.”

What? That couldn’t be right! Nivra’s heart skipped a beat as she unintentionally snapped to the chest. He must have been trying to deceive her. Narrowed eyes traveled back to the calm undead magician as her tone hardened like a blade. She would not be made a fool. “If this is a jest it is not amusing. You’d be asking me to betray the trust of those I’ve worked to win.”

“Betrayal?” Nigel scoffed, “That’s a harsh word for the betterment of the world itself. The knight shall not be harmed, and it would guarantee the safety of our sphere. Is that not worth the discomfort of one solitary soul?” Nigel placed his arms behind him, staring off to the shifting hall around them, “I’d call that a bargain if I ever saw one. And if he complains, the fact remains he can depart once I’ve found a way to sever the connection between him and the shard. But for now, his freedom is too costly for us to risk the fate of the world upon.”

Oh, how the logic made perfect sense to Nivra’s mind. Years of study and dedication to cold facts hounded at her thoughts to simply nod and agree. Yet, Veledar’s phantom eyes shone great sapphire beacons upon her, reminded her of the trust instilled upon her by the two. Siding with him would drive a wedge between her and the others. Peace might not even be held between her nation and the others, sure they would save the day, but at what cost?

She shook her head, “We can’t. It would mean conflict with Lyndis and the others, especially Arcturus’ dragon. Each of them would allow their emotions to hold sway over their actions. Cold facts and logic will do little to convince them of our correctness. They will resist and we will have conflict. We will have war in a different way.”

Nigel spun to her with a critical eye, black robes writing like maggots over the stone. “But that’s the hard choice you must make. The safety and security of Lumara, your kingdom and people, or the feelings of a handful of adventurers you associate with. Which if I’m correct, you’ve only known for a mere sliver of time.”

She shied away from that truth, the words gnawing at her insides like a pack of wolves. He knew he was right, she just wished it weren’t so. When you peeled away everything else, that was the crude fact that remained. Curling her hair she paced across the shifting platform, her mind a fragmented mess. Could she throw away what she’d worked towards, taking solace in the cold facts, regardless of the outcome? Sure Arcturus would understand the argument made against him, paladins were supposed to value life of the innocents above all else. Even then, the thought chilled her bones.

“But what of his dragon?” She whirled around, meeting Nigel’s confident, inky pools. “Though Arcturus can be made to see, I doubt his stubborn dragon will agree.”

“Ah, such is often the problem with those, prideful, arrogant beasts.” He slid to her side, arms folded behind him, searching the passing vaults. “Perhaps this obstacle could be shifted with a bribe of sorts, if not, he would be welcome to join his betrothed here…Its not as if we want for space.”

“And if…by some miraculous miracle, they come to a far different conclusion? Resist when they should comply?”

Within his wicked stern gaze was the visage of the creature on that terrible night, when he shredded Shandalar from the world. “Then we make them comply. We cannot afford to suffer the stubborn opinion of fools. Especially with the dangerous game you’ve brought to my doorstep.”

“But why seek such a confrontation? Surely you can see that being united will be far more fortuitus. I know you don’t trust, but where we Lumara be if we’d thought the same of the gryphons, or the minotaur? This conflict could be what is needed to bring about true unity across this continent, far greater than my father could have ever dreamed.”

He shook his head, clicking his tongue. “Your journey has twisted your thoughts to ruinous ends apprentice. They have you put trust in this constructs that can shift or change, thrust daggers into your spine when you least expect it…Or drag you back to conflicts you thought long dead and gone-“ He side eyed the portrait of his loved ones, his hands balling to fists.

The platform shuttered to a stop before one of the countless vaults, the door easily taller than even the largest dragon Nivra had ever seen. Machinery below them powered down, returning to their deep slumber. An eriee calm swept around them like a cloak, only broken by the piercing explosion of steam, loosed from the entryway’s darkened edges. As they stepped back the mechanism yanked the entryway upwards, slamming into place with a heavy thump. Inside was a sizable room, cerulean mist curling across the floor as a wave of cold rushed out to greet them.

“Why is it empty save mist?” Axton rose a brow, confusion twisting about his features.

She rose a brow, “If the chest is empty as you say, why bring us here?” She eyed the floating chest, striding to it, doubt painting her features. She flung open the container before Nigel could speak, partly wishing he had lied to her. Despite her hopes, it was empty as he said, lending credit to his story. She performed a spell, verifying there were no illusions at work. There wen’t. “This can’t be where you hope to keep my companions, the facilities are dreadful.”

“I’m glad you asked.” Nigel remarked, his voice as frigid as the arctic winds. “You mentioned betrayal this night, but the betrayal was not to be mine first. The first blow you’d find in the minds of the sapphire guardians and the dragon at their head. They wished make use of my vault and rid the sphere of me, cast me away to the cosmos. Is that not right, Ramakox?” Nigel’s sharpened gaze fell upon Axton, the boy turning icy eyes filled with bewilderment.

“Master…What madness has afflicted you? Can you not recognize me?” Axton raised his palms, almost shrinking as Nigel’s gaze narrowed into blades.

“Do you take me for a fool? That I cannot recognize the hints of transmutation magic on the ethereal winds? Your disguise is as pitiful as your plan Ramakox, even as you plotting it I was fully aware. You’ve always been too slow.” Nigel pulled back and thrust his arms, hurling a tunnel of wind with a word of power. The boy was flung backwards into the vault, tumbling with a pained grunt, recovering only when Nigel snapped his fingers. “This vault was for you.”

From the ceiling came a shimmering blue wall of force, cutting the air between them in two.

“Storm?” Nivra pulled back as the child rested a hand against the barrier, insisting that Nigel was terribly wrong. “I thought blue dragons were unable to change their shape?”

“Common misconception, they can’t adjust their size normally. Changing the form due to polymorph? Even an ignoramus such as he could perform the spell, amusing he thought it would even pull the wool over my eyes.” He crouched before the barrier, meeting Axton’s eye. “Ramakox, my son was always mine, far before you met him. You think a few months of talks, casting magics and star gazing could really unshackle him from me? Everything you two discussed was reported straight to me, even helping you formulate this little scheme. Your arrogance betrayed you Ramakox, a child had you wrapped around his finger. Oh come now, save the steeled expression and excuses. There is no sense in maintaining that ridiculous disguise now.”

“There is no disguise father, you’ve come to the wrong-“

Axton went ridged as Nigel began his chant, weaving with his metallic limbs through the air. Lavender light burst in his eye sockets, slithering down like snakes to wrap each of his limbs tightly within their grasp. He began to shake and quiver, skin bubbling as if oil in a pot. Nivra tried to tug the wizard away, insist that he was wrong, but she was shoved away with inhuman strength. With a final hiss the spell was complete, and Axton burst into a mass of ever writhing fog.

Inside a shadow swelled to prominence, easily towering over the humanoids before it. Massive wings burst out of it’s back, filled the cell from wall to wall with their bulk. It’s tail thrust itself free like a massive snake, covered in thick, blue scales. Powerful paws slammed down with such force the stone beneath them cracked, little valley racing away as if to avoid this creature’s ire. The low, guttural growl that came would instill fear into the bravest men that would hear it. The dragon’s horned head emerged as the fog descended, silver flames burning in his sockets.

Lightning crackled across the dragon’s exposed fangs, traveling down the thin line of ivory scales that ran the length of his body. With a fluff of his wings the scales surged to life, power building to prominence within. With a lash of his armored tail the barrier was struck with a massive bolt of lightning, rippling and cascading across it’s surface like a wave. But despite this the shimmering field held.

“Again, you hide behind barriers and schemes, lacking the courage to face me.” Growled Storm.

Nigel wagged a finger, unphased in the glare of death he was receiving. “And play into your strengths? Old friend, we’ve discussed this a life time ago, what sort of fool do you take me for?”

“One that doesn’t truly know his son, his loyalty isn’t as secure as you think.”

“Is it? Look at your surroundings old friend. You’re right where I wanted you to be, and I am where I wanted to be. It looks as though there is a hole in your statement.”

Shaking his head, the blue dragon rested his gaze upon Nivra, eyes deep as the sea. There were questions twisting within, uncertainty of what was to transpire. “Nivra. You are different from the line of royals we have come to know. True you’re brash and arrogant, but the same could be said of us all in our youth. You wished to show you’ve grown out of your people’s shadow, this is your chance to prove it. Listen not to what lies he spins, the price to pay is never worth whatever trinket you receive.” He gave a heavy snort, lashing his tail against the stone. “I too once thought I knew him, under a different face and a different name. He helped us then, aided to bring about the end of the vampires in the last war. Once your usefulness ends and he gets what he wants, your discarded.”

He snapped to Nigel, the air practically being lit by the fire in his eyes. “From me he took my friends and their daughter, that was the reward for my complacency and friendship-“

“I do think that’s enough of that.” Nigel calmly remarked, tapping a few buttons, and slamming down the lever. The door slammed shut, cutting the blue dragon’s plea off at the head. The wizard turned, a heavy sigh leaving him. “You don’t know how many time’s I’ve heard that drivel, especially by him. It’s ever so wearisome. Then again…It is quite amusing he got this far. Furthest he’s ever gotten, he and his righteous son.”

Was the dragon telling the truth? Or manipulating her like the lich was clearly doing? Nivra had to shake her head free of the shock that had frozen her to silence. As Nigel punched in a few keys she finally found her voice, she was different than she was before. “You can’t kill him.” She stated flatly, leaving no room for questions. “Even if the dragon meant to end you. Waylaying Arcturus is one thing, but killing Storm? He is a symbol to those of Struport, a hero in their eyes. If we ever wish to have peace with the other kingdoms, he must survive.” When Nigel turned to her, there was a flicker of hesitation within her, but she stood firm. “They’d fight us at every turn.”

“Oh, I’m quite aware.” Nigel sighed, leaving the dragon to uselessly pound at the vault’s door. “He’ll live this day and no doubt remember. For decades he’s sought my death, yet he’s always three steps behind. It’s almost touching he holds such contempt for me even after all these years.” The lich frowned, “Makes you long for the days when you had friends to brighten your day. Remember that Nivra.” He gestured to the snarling face of the blue dragon, “That is the face of one whose vision is narrow, ridged. Won’t compromise their ideals, even in the face of calamity.”

So she did, at least long enough to satisfy Nigel’s grim suspicions of her loyalty. She never strayed from the dragon’s eye, hoping he understood somehow what she’d said. In a way they were both alike, driven by their guilt. “Funny vault number. 581.” She muttered loudly, softly tapping at her pouch. “Why was that?”

“His age. Thought it was rather funny.” Nigel chuckled, flicking another lever to cause the platform to shake and shift, elevating itself within the cavern. “Although I don’t think he will appreciate it.”

Head held high, Nivra slipped to Nigel’s side, wrapping herself in a cloak of confidence. She had to ensure he didn’t suspect, detect the rapid beating of her heart, the shallowness of her breaths. They had prepared for this she told herself.

“So, what say you, my apprentice” He turned to her as he did years ago, master to a rising apprentice. “Willing to do what’s required for your people?”

His piercing stare stilled her tongue, almost made her falter. No she thought, taking a deep breath of the metal tinged air, “You doubt my convictions to such a task?” Her voice was filled with command, “I will do as you ask my old master, but find my gryphon and Arcturus first. Save the spells and let me do the talking, I’m certain we can put this to an end without conflict.”

To that the lich had no answer, only offering a knowing nod. With a few button strokes and a resounding clunk, their destination had been set, the control room. He held the cavern in amused silence, who could have predicted things going so swimmingly? He stole a fleeting look of his regained apprentice, seeing only bright futures for them both.

*