"Make sure that you are able to dissuade them into moving further into Caerthalas. Their current position is too exposed to way too many invariables." Such words could be heard echo through the ear of an elven operative. His faint blue eyes glimmered with undying determination of making his mission a success .
His name was Wenston, a man donned in royal blue with etches of gold seeping through. The air around him crisp and professional as he made his way to the town where the rumored pair were acclaimed to be at.
"Understood." His response sharp as he terminated the call and alighted the carriage. What greeted him was the fallen walls, soldiers moving about while kids and other citizens closely watching his arrival. 'It would seem that something grand happened here.' He could tell that much as he made his way to the nearest station.
There operatives buzzed without rest. His presence turning heads to face him. "Where is the inspector of this station." His tone calm with his eyes beaming through the cool dark glasses onto the registrar. "Unfortunately sir Norrick is no longer with us however Jarren and Callista have informed me to direct you to their abode."
She posed with her hands gesturing to a man who towered behind him. 'It would seem that the two had already anticipated my arrival. I wonder what their limits are.' Tasked with the persuasion of convincing two of the most powerful people in Arcania, the toll that clung to hue shoulders was more than enough to make any person decline the task.
And yet he had to take it or it spoke the demise of Caerthalas and that was far grimmer fate. "Thank you." He urged as he turned around and followed the man meant to escort him. Walking down the street, he could see the ruined state of the town however his sight seeing was brought to a halt with the beg of a nearby kid. "Excuse me sir but do you have some food that you could spare."
The kid's frame was showing, bones protruding beneath his skin, his face spent with frail hands spread out for something, anything to be handed to him. 'This shouldn't be. What truly happened here?' He had expected the town to leave much to be desired but this was far from what he had expected.
Stretching his hand out,he gifted the child a hundred blue malcore shards. "Make sure to spend it wisely." He urged as he went on with his walk. "What happened here? Why is this town in such a decrepit state?" He finally managed to ask. His guide barely swung his head back, his tone oddly calm among the wreckage.
"Those two happened to be here. They launched a horde to attack the town first which was then followed with another attack. The latter being two goblins that managed to claim the lives of many knights. From there a lot of people had began to love deeper into Caerthalas but the two stayed."
Wenston's eyes narrowed hearing this. 'If this town is getting progressively worse with each passing day then why would they choose to stay here?' Unable to wrap his head around it, he finally managed to arrive at his allocated destination. The hotel unlike the backwater town he was in was rather lavish.
It's opulence easily stood out from the ruins of the buildings next to it. The air around it felt wrong, none dared to approach it as the man came to a stop. "This is as far as I can take you." He mused flatly gesturing Wenston to keep on going forward. "I'm sure that you will have a productive meeting with the two."
He finished making Wenston freeze with suspicion. 'Why would he say that?' Looking back at the man, he was met with a faint knowing smile that made his scalp tingle. 'Let's just get this over with.' He sighed in his heart as he made his way to the inn.
*Creak*
The lounge area was dead silent. Clean but completely vacated making one doubt whether anyone truly lived in such an establishment. Still he persisted as he adjusted his tie and cleared his throat. A few steps followed to which the first sound that rang across his ears was the muses of a child.
'What could a child be doing at a place like this?' He wondered to himself as another scene came to play out. He saw Polly, in her hands dolls that played around on the halls and not far from where she was a mother hovered. 'Who are these people?' He wondered making his way closer to the two.
Polly now taking notice of Wenston rose to her feet beaming a smile. "You must be the man to take my mother to the capital." Harriet looked bothered with Polly's words with her shift but didn't say anything as she rolled her eyes to the side. "Who are you little girl?" Wenston said as he placed his hand on Polly's head faintly ruffling her hair.
"I'm Polly and this is my mom Harriet. She's a bit grumpy but she's really nice." The state didn't fit with what lay ahead. Wenston looked at Harriet who seemed to be willingly ignoring his gaze. "The two are at the end of the hallway." Rather than a click a chuckle escaped his lips. "I can see what you mean by grumpy."
Polly laughed at his response. "I try to make her smile but she doesn't want to. Rising to his feet, Wenston made his way to Harriet who now had a look of worry etched on her face. It was clear that she knew something Polly didn't. "Can you save us from those monsters? Even if it's for a little while it's better than nothing."
Harriet reached out to Wenston taking him by surprise. "Save you? From those two? Why?" Harriet didn't seem thrilled with the questions thrown at her. "Those two want to take my daughter away. I'm sure that they'll kill me but if I can get as far away from them I'm sure that we should be okay even if it's for a little while." Wenston took note of Harriet's distressed state.
Her eyes once dodgy were now laced with fear and circles. Her hands shook uncontrollably with her frame leaning towards Wenston. Her breathe was out of pace with a thin sweat dripping down her face. 'It would seem that those two aren't as saintly as I had anticipated.' He mused inwardly.
"I'll make sure that you and your daughter are safe but for now I have to meet to two. I have a mission to complete." Harriet seemed hesitant at his words. "Just make sure that you keep your words." And with that she let go of Wenston's hand. Straightening the edges of his couplings, he treaded down the hall till he came to the final room.
He took a deep sigh before knocking on the door.
*Knock-Knock-Knock*
There was no answer. 'Are they not here? But if so then why was that woman so afraid?' He didn't have much time to think before a response came through. "You can come in, the door is open." With a final short sigh, he reached for the knob and opened the door.
What met him was a crisp clean room. Not big or lavish but functional but the air twisted in a way that didn't feel natural. His stomach churned and twisted warning him to leave but his inner voice gave him the strength to commit.
"Wenston, I was wondering when you would get here." The tone light and the source lounged at the corner of the room. His starry eyes frisking his entire being with a mere glance that made his skin crawl. Closer to him was a lady, her beauty felt ethereal and unnatural as she donned a smile that didn't quite reach her lips.
He felt like a lamb thrown in a cage with wolves sizing him like prey, ready to end his life with a mere breathe. His hands began to sweat, his breathe hitched as he moved further away from the door. "Callista Vaewlyn and Jarren Velros, it's an honor to meet the two of you." His tone dry that elicited a chuckle from Callista.
"There's no need to be so wary of us Wenston. I'm not feeling peckish, well not right now at least." Her tone playful yet something darker resided beneath her smile. Gesturing to take a seat, his body collapsed on the chair and yet the tension in his body didn't wane.
"I take it that you are here to convince us to move further into Caerthalas, right?" Callista posed with a serpentine smile on her face. Her head supported with her hand as she took a sip of her tea. "Yes." Wenston's voice dimming with each word that escaped from his lips.
"Tell me Wenston, do you fear dying?" The question was simple and the intent felt neutral. Not meant to unnerve him nor to comfort him either. His fingers began to dig into his palms that dripped with sweat. "Yes." His voice now akin to a mouse's shrill. The sight of his eventual slope into fear a feast for the two.
"There's no need to be so afraid. I won't kill you Wenston." She posed which failed to calm him down. She didn't bother anymore. "I understand why you would want this however I'm sure that we could work out some form of a deal between us two." The mention of a deal seemed to break his trance of fear that had began to claim him.
'What will this deal be?' He muttered to himself. "We'll move deeper into Caerthalas and have that waste of a time of a meeting with your ruler but you have to yield to Redfall. If not then you will not be allowed to interfere with the affairs of other human kingdoms. A breach to this should be treated as a violation of the deal we have established."
Wenston anticipated a waiver of some sort and yet what met him was a smile. "Should we have some form of basis for this? Something other than just words." His intent being that the two don't change their minds on a whim and attack Caerthalas regardless. "We don't need trivial papers for something as light as this. I'm sure that you should be able to agree to this, right?"
He was the representative of Caerthalas and he knew that was what the two viewed him as. 'If I decline this deal then the immediate attack from Redfall could be imminent.' Taking the deal was preferable but he knew the problems with that as well. 'We could risk raising anger and bad faith with other kingdoms. And with the coalition between the dwarves and Redfall, should another kingdom side with them, they will be harder to curb.'
As much as he didn't want to see Redfall grow stronger by the day, any form of aggression between the two sides won't fair well with Caerthalas. 'Redfall has the net safety of depending on demons for numbers, dwarves for military supplies and assimilated kingdoms for manpower and intellect.'
With a final sigh, he came to his unwilling conclusion. "I as Wenston representing Caerthalas agree with your terms." His words eliciting a playful smile from Callista. "That's good to hear." Her response though light felt performative. 'It's not apathy but dismissal.' He realized seeing her actions. He knew that she didn't have to propose a deal with him given that with her level of power, she could force Caerthalas to bend the knee.
It was nothing more than games for her at this point. "As for the mother and child down the hall, I'm sure that you wouldn't mind taking them to a far more safer place
With the declining conditions of this little town, it would be best for the two and for you as well." His tone elated as he had manage to convince the two.
As much as he didn't want to make a deal, he had no other choice. "Those two? I'm rather intrigued with what Harriet could have possibly told you." Callista posed as she rose to her feet, her dainty fingers gracing the fine linen of her couch. "Nothing much. After all I'm sure that with your protection they are in safe hands
I'm merely helping you with your task." His chuckle dry as he grew wary with each step Callista took to get closer to him.
Her head tilted , falling into contemplation as she let out a faint buzzing hum. "Wenston, do you have a child or a family?" She finally posed.