By the time Sir Joel arrived at the Goblin Pot, Ice had pretty much finished getting the Tavern ready to close. I am sitting at a small table in one of the darker corners of the tavern. When Ice opens the door for Sir Joel, I make sure to tuck myself a little further into the shadows so he can't see me.
"Thank you, Ice." Sir Joel nods to Ice as he steps through the door before looking around the tavern, "Where's Liaz? He should have been expecting me."
Joel is a tall, skinny, light-skinned man with the facial features of a human but the elongated ears of an elf. He has on a nice black suit with a rapier hanging from his belt. In his hand is a cane made of wood with veins of steel running throughout, which he leans on as he walks. I notice a slight limp in his right leg. I also note his blonde hair and grayish-green eyes.
"He uh…" I see Ice fidgeting with her hands, "...Liaz isn't here. He got arrested earlier…"
"He what?" Sir Joel looks disturbed. "That's not good. Do you know why they took him?"
"Somebody busted into the bar and started trouble and…" Ice suddenly bursts into tears, "...and the Knights… they took him to see First Knight Arathor!"
"Now, now, there's no need to cry." Sir Joel embraces Ice into a tight hug as she drops to the ground, trembling, "Would you like me to take you to see him? Even I can do that much."
I see Ice nod her head into Sir Joel's chest.
"Ok. Well, we need to go ahead before they close the barracks for the night." He gently helps Ice back onto her feet.
I trail behind them as they leave the Goblin Pot and head into the city. Everything is quiet, and not many people are on the streets. Most are probably asleep, preparing for the early morning rush. The night air is cool but comforting against the warmth of my fur. I follow Sir Joel and Ice around a few corners before we come to a towering, steel, castle-like structure. I slip into an alleyway to observe from a distance as they approach the gate. I see a figure in a full set of Gold Armor with a great axe on his back and a figure standing next to him with a set of White Armor. On his back I see a very similar shield and on his side I see another familiar object. A Saber.
"It can't be…" I mumble to myself. If my memory serves me right, the figure in the White Armor is Renald, at least I think he is.
A knight, who is wearing similar armor to the knights that arrested Liaz, is stationed in front of the gate. The figure in white armor and the figure in gold armor step aside to let Sir Joel and Ice pass through. When they reach the gate, the knight bows deeply and steps aside, allowing Sir Joel and Ice to walk through. I manage to spot a shadowy area within the courtyard, past the gate, as they walk inside. I make a mental note, as I'll be able to teleport there later if I need to. It's a skill called Shadow Stepping, which all Wardogs are required to master. It's a handy skill that allows us to use shadows as gateways between each other, giving us an easy escape route for dangerous missions.
I manage to spot another shadowy area inside the main structure when Sir Joel and Ice enter. I wait a few moments. Another knight comes rushing out of the main structure and up to the knight at the gate. A few inaudible words are exchanged before both of the Knights apologetically bow to the two armored figures. Then they lead them both into the building, and the gate shuts behind them.
"Alright, Let's do this" I take a deep breath and step into the wall of the building in front of me, which is bathed in shadow.
I feel my stomach drop and a sudden falling sensation, and then I step out of the shadows on the inside of the main structure. I barely have time to absorb the scenery before I spot the back of Sir Joel's suit, heading down a winding staircase. Thankfully, I also see the flickering shadow of a glow crystal in the same direction. I step backwards and emerge in the middle of the winding staircase. I take a couple of steps down and peek my head around the corner.
I see Sir Joel and Ice moving past an iron gate into what looks to be a prison. A single knight guides them inside while another holds the gate open. I spot a ton of shadows within the prison cells. Following as closely behind the group as I can, I step through each of the shadows within the cells, making sure to stay in the corners and not to wake the sleeping prisoners. I stop in the dark corner of a cell, which is inhabited by a single prisoner who is completely covered in a blanket. Probably to keep warm, as the temperature is even colder than the air outside. The group also stops, and the Knight guiding Sir Joel and Ice taps on the bars of the cell with the hilt of his sword, causing the prisoner to jump to his feet. To my surprise, it's Liaz.
"You must be pretty damn important." The Knight sneers before walking away, leaving Liaz, Ice, and Sir Joel alone with each other.
"Ice? Joel?" Liaz asks, squinting in the darkness, "Is that you?"
"Liaz!" Ice rushes to the bars of the cell, looking over her employer carefully, "They haven't hurt you, right? Oh Gods. Oh Gods."
"Don't worry about me." Liaz reaches his hand through the bars and gently touches Ice on her cheek, "Everything's fine. I should get out before too long."
"Oh, Liaz!" Ice burst into tears, "We all know that's not true! Even those people at the bar know!"
"Renald and Ironvine?" Liaz asks with a puzzled expression on his face, "What did they say?"
"Th-they said they were going to meet with First Knight Arathor!" Ice explains through gasping breaths, "I-I think they plan on staging a coup to help set you free!"
"A coup?" Liaz turns to Sir Joel, "Joel, this could be the opportunity we were waiting for."
"Who are these people you speak of?" Sir Joel looks tense now.
"A few patrons came into the tavern earlier today looking for a place to stay. They ended up getting rid of some rowdy customers for me." Liaz gives a dry laugh, "Anyway, one of them was named Renald, a half breed human with horns on his head. He was asking me about Blackthorn before…"
"I've already heard the majority about what happened from Ice." Sir Joel places his hand on Liaz's shoulder and gives Ice a concerned look, "However, she failed to mention anything about these rebels."
"They're not rebels…" Ice's face becomes stern, "...They just… they just want to help."
"And staging a coup against my father and the First Knight is their way of helping, I assume?" Sir Joel sounds just as, if not even more, stern than Ice, "We have laws in Amacedia for a reason. If we allow things to change like this, who's to say it won't happen again later on down the line?"
"Well, Joel…" Liaz says, "...We've been trying to figure out the best way for you to take your father's place non-violently, but things have only gotten worse. I overheard some of the knights talking, and apparently, Arathor has been keeping the Rangers out of the wilderness and inside the city walls. It's complete chaos out there. Goblins are everywhere, adventurers are getting mugged around every corner, bandits are freely walking the streets of Amacedia."
"What would you have me do, Liaz?" Sir Joel lets his head sink, "I was never an adventurer like you and Ice or even these rebels. The last time I tried to enforce some kind of change, Arathor broke my leg so badly that I'll never be able to use it again."
"I'm not asking you to do anything outside of the law." Liaz begs, "All we ask is that you take your father's place as Lord when the time comes."
Sir Joel stares at Liaz for a minute or two and then looks at Ice, who is pleading with her eyes.
"If what you're saying is true, I'll do it." Sir Joel says the words like a burden, "But all of you will have to leave Amacedia. The people will want a scapegoat, and as the new Lord, it will be my responsibility to give them one."
"That won't be a problem." I emerge from the shadowy corner of Laiz's prison cell. Everyone looks shocked to see me, Sir Joel especially.
"Whisperclaw?" Ice's eyes go wide. "How did you get past the knights?"
"More importantly, what are you doing here?" Liaz asks, "Shouldn't you be with your friends?"
"They're around, somewhere." I grin.
"They're here? Now?" I see true fear begin to rise in the eyes of Sir Joel, "Come now, Ice, we have to leave immediately."
"Wait, Joel." Liaz grabs Sir Joel's arm before he can rush away, "This is it. This is what we've been waiting for."
Sir Joel doesn't look at Liaz.
"I understand that if we do this, you and I can't be friends anymore." Liaz clenches his jaw, "Just swear me that you'll watch after Ice and the Goblin Pot."
"I…" Sir Joel still doesn't look at Liaz, "...I swear it before the Gods."
Then he grabs Ice, who is bawling her eyes out, by the wrist and gently guides her away from Liaz's cell. When they are out of eyeshot, Liaz turns to me with a determined look on his face.
"What are Renald and Ironvine doing here?" He asks, a passionate fire in his voice, "It's of the utmost importance that you tell me, if you know."
"Hmm." I hesitate for a moment but decide that he might know something we don't. "They told me they were going to meet the First Knight."
"This isn't good." Liaz spits on the wall, "If Arathor thinks he's in the slightest bit of danger or is being manipulated in any way, he'll have both of them thrown in here with me. Or worse, he'll have them both hanged. Tonight."