CHAPTER TWELVE
Past Deeds
As Dison and Starry strolled down the dimly lit corridor, a sense of anticipation hung as they neared the imposing cargo hold. A piercing shriek echoed off the metal walls, sending a thrill of excitement through Dison. Without hesitation, he rushed into the hold, his heart racing.
Inside, the sight that greeted him was nothing short of breathtaking. Caged within the sturdy iron bars were griffins, magnificent creatures that stood twice the size of a horse. Their feathers shimmered like molten gold in the faint light, and their mighty wings seemed to pulse with latent energy. Each griffin exuded a regal air, its keen eyes glimmering with intelligence and depth.
Drawn to one particular griffin, Dison stepped closer to its cage, heart pounding in exhilaration. He extended his hand through the bars, fingers trembling slightly with joy. The griffin leaned in, its rough beak brushing gently against his palm, sending a wave of wonder coursing through him. In that moment, the bond between human and beast felt almost remarkable, wrapping him in a cloak of awe that he would never forget.
Starry petted it alongside Dison. "They're beautiful, aren't they?"
"Yes. They are." Dison smiled like a child as he felt its feathers between his fingers.
"If you want to get to Galeirian, you must need these."
"Yeah, we kinda have to steal a few." Dison smiled mischievously.
"I can help with that."
"Oh, really. How so?"
Starry reached out her hand. "Twenty-five coins."
Dison rolled his eyes. "You're making this very difficult." He reached into his pouch and handed her the coins.
Starry put it in her pocket and reached out her hand with a smile. "That's twenty-five a griffin. You need two. So it comes to fifty."
"You're serious?" Dison moaned. "Well, I think I'll let the others pay for theirs," he said with a smirk while petting the griffin.
"That's fair, I suppose," Starry chuckled as the griffin grunted and stuck its head out through the bars, rubbing against her.
"I wish Kaida was here. She'd love to see this."
"Is that your girlfriend?" Starry teased.
Dison laughed. "My sister, she loves the old legends and tales of mystical creatures. I'll have to tell her all about this when I return to Silverstone," he said, hearing the shrieking of the surrounding griffins. "She'll be so jealous."
The ship's upper deck was empty except for Rosan, who was peering out into the distance. The northern mountains loomed larger as they approached. He felt the wind on his face and enjoyed the fresh air filling his lungs. Hearing footsteps nearby, Rosan smirked and said, "Shouldn't you two be resting?" He turned to see Rosetta and Urision standing beside him, gazing into the distance.
"Shouldn't you?" Rosetta said, smiling.
"You can't reserve the best spot on the ship for yourself," Urision said, looking at the mountains. "We'll be at the northern port soon," he added uncertainly. "I have my doubts, sir."
"Me too, Urision. But we are knights of Aardocia. We will follow our orders," Rosan said.
"Let's just enjoy the trip, you two," Rosetta said innocently.
Urision looked at her with fondness. "You're still that same little girl," he laughed.
"Shut up," Rosetta said, blushing. She turned to Urision. "You know you..." She stopped as she saw Dison gesturing to come to him from a corner of the wall. Her face turned redder from anger as she squinted.
Urision looked terrified. "What I do?"
Rosetta forced a smile. "It's nothing; I just remembered I have to take care of something," she said, walking toward the corner. "Or someone," she added quietly.
Dison smiled innocently as Rosetta rounded the corner. Unexpectedly, he felt a sharp hit to his stomach as she punched him. He let out a soft moan.
"What are you doing here? Do you know what would happen if Rosan finds out that you are here?"
"Not really." Dison laughed as he kissed her passionately, without warning.
Rosetta pulled back and readied her fist for another punch, but stopped. "You're going to get yourself in a lot of trouble."
"I don't care. I joined the army to see the world. Not stay in the capital forever."
"You just finished training, and you need a little more patience." Rosetta leaned her head on Dison's shoulder. "I'm not sure if I should feel this way, but I'm happy you're here," she said, looking at the fields behind them. "I shouldn't be." She growled and walked to the rail.
Dison gazed at Rosetta as the wind tousled her hair and the green fields behind her. "I would sneak anywhere to see this view," he smiled.
Rosetta blushed and squinted at him. "Shut up. You're going to get me into a lot of trouble."
"Would you have it any other way?"
"You should stay out of sight. I will update you when we reach Galeirian and know more," Rosetta said, pondering. "Wait, how are you going to get there?"
"We will need to commandeer some griffins. I hope some elves are ready to stay at the port."
"We?"
"Yeah, Rivera, Clara and Kale are with me."
Sighing in defeat, Rosetta rolled her eyes. "Just be careful, you big dummy," she said as she strolled away. Now, follow me."
"Oh, I will," Dison said, watching her walk away as her hips swayed. "Where are we going?"
Rosetta turned and shot an alluring glare. "Where else would it be? To my quarters."
Dison smiled and said, "Yes, ma'am," as he stepped into the ship after her. The stunning landscape momentarily captivated him: lush green fields stretched toward the horizon, their hues dancing in the breeze. The blue sky above was peppered with wispy clouds. After glancing at the beauty outside, he took a deep breath. He entered the vessel, anticipation swirling within him.
In a dark alley of Silverstone, a rodent runs alongside the wall to a puddle, where it stops to drink. It squeaks and runs away as Tina's boot steps into the puddle, splashing the water. She makes her way down the alley to an old shop. The door creaks as she opens it. A big, rough-looking guy sits at a desk with a jaw full of tobacco, looking at her, puzzled.
"What do you want, little girl?" The man spat into a bucket beside his seat. He leaned forward and grinned with his rotten, stained teeth.
Tina glanced at the junk piled in the room and turned to the man with disgust. "I need to speak with Mr. Goldwin," Tina said in a low, contemptuous tone.
"Listen, little one. This isn't the place for a child. Go home," the man said. I'm about to close up." He turned and grabbed his keys. Hearing a growl behind him, his eyes widened. Turning to see a monstrous wolf in his face with murderous intent. The man gasped. "What? Where did this thing come from?"
"This is Alivia. You seem like a nice guy." Tina hopped up on the counter and sat cross-legged. "I saw him come in here. Please open the door." She gestured for him to the bookshelf in the corner.
"Okay, just calm your dog," the man said, turning to move a book from the shelf behind him. As he did, he revealed a lever while keeping his gaze fixed on Alivia, whose mouth dripped with drool. He pulled the lever, and a click echoed through the room before the bookcase Tina had pointed to slid to one side, revealing an opening that led to a staircase.
Tina turned to the man and beamed. "Can I have one?" she asked, pointing to a candy jar.
The man looked at her with unease and smiled faintly. "Sure," he said, opening the jar and handing her a piece.
Tina grabbed the candy and shoved it into her mouth hastily. "Thank you, kind sir." She said as she hopped down and walked toward the door before returning to the man. "I'd leave if I were you." She walked down the staircase, followed by Alivia, as she heard the man run out of the shop and slam the door behind him.
As Tina reached the bottom of the staircase, she heard laughter echoing from the end of a long, dark tunnel. A door at the end had light shining beneath it. The noise grew louder as she opened the door, revealing an underground tavern. She walked calmly along the balcony, overlooking the people below who were drinking and smoking weed.
The powerful scent of the herbs turned Tina's stomach as she strolled down the staircase. When she reached the bottom, the tavern fell silent. She looked around at everyone staring at her in confusion.
The bartender looked around the room. "Hey, who brought this stupid kid?" He laughed. "You best be getting out of here, little girl!"
Tina looked around at everyone in disgust. Her eyes then fixated on the bartender. "I'm looking for Mr. Goldwin!"
"I don't care, kid. Get out!" The bartender yelled.
A man beside the bartender took a dagger and started playing with it. "Let her stay. She can entertain us!" The surrounding people laughed. "Tell me, girl, do you know how to dance?"
Tina noticed that the man with the dagger had a scar on his face—the only one in the room dressed like a nobleman. "I didn't come here to dance. I came to see..."
"Mr. Goldwin, yes, we heard," the man with the dagger declared. You delight us; maybe we'll let you see him." He pointed to a stage under the balcony. "It doesn't get used enough. Please indulge us." He said with a smile, revealing his golden tooth.
Tina glanced around at everyone, a smirk spreading across her face. "Okay," she said as she walked up on the stage. Staring at the man, then to the ceiling. "I'd like to tell a story first."
"No one wants to listen to a dumb story, kid!" an angry man yelled from the audience. He stood up and threw a glass that shattered against the wall behind her—the room was filled with laughter from men and women.
Tina looked at the people with anger. Their laughter disgusted her. She remembered the dark corner of the sewers. "It started with three children of a noble household."
The crowd booed, hurling glasses around her.
Tina kept her composure. "Two siblings loved their older brother very much and trusted him with their lives. One day, a terrible accident befell their family, resulting in their parents' deaths."
The crowd went silent. The man with the golden tooth looked with surprise. "What the fuck are you on about, girl?"
"The older brother deceived his younger siblings, who longed to see their parents so much that they believed him without hesitation. He led them into the sewers and stabbed them over and over." Tina remembered looking at Darecil and Bria at the fire. The flare lit up the corner, but for an instant. She remembered seeing the bodies of the two children who were stabbed to death. The doll lay in front of them. She looked at the man with the gold tooth. "Was it the inheritance? The greed of wanting it all for yourself? Mr. Goldwin, or should I call you Darin?"
The man with the gold tooth smirked. "You come down here alone to accuse me of murder. You're a fucking dumb kid, aren't you? Look around you. This is not a place of friendly people. Murder is just part of life. We've all done it before," he chuckled maniacally. He pointed the dagger at Tina. "I have no problem with killing another child."
"They're still down there, you know, waiting for you to join them." Tina declared.
"You come here alone for what? Tell me, who the fuck do you think you are?" Darin laughed loudly. "Are you supposed to be some avenger? Do you think this is some fairy-tale? Are you the little hero?" He pointed his dagger at one of his men. "You Beat this girl within an inch of her life. Then we'll throw her ass down in the sewers with my brother and sister."
The big thug smiled with his broken teeth. "My pleasure. Come here, you little shit." He walked up on the stage and drew brass knuckles out of his pocket. Placing them on his hands. "Some kids just need to know their place. Should've stayed home with mommy and daddy."
"I only came for you." Tina stared at Mr. Goldwin. "No one else has to die!"
The big thug laughed and looked toward the audience. "This damn kid."
"Shut her up already! She's getting on my damn nerves." Mr. Goldwin said as he took a drink.
"Sorry, kid. But this is going to hurt." The thug drew back his fist.
A growl came from behind as Alivia bit into his arm, completely off. The thug screamed before she bit his skull, crushing it and throwing his body into the crowd. The crowd panicked and rushed toward the stairs. Alivia blocked them and fiercely attacked. Screams echoed in the room.
The entrance door slammed shut. "I have no problem with killing murderers and scum like you." Tina looked at Mr. Goldwin. "It's just a part of life." She smirked.
Mr. Goldwin ran toward Tina, but a wraith appeared in front of him, stopping him. "What the fuck are you?" He looked down to see a sickle stabbed into his stomach.
"Darin!" the bartender yelled. He reached under his counter, pulled out a small crossbow, and pointed it at Tina. He let off a bolt before a wraith pinned his head to the counter with its sickle.
Tina glanced at the bolt that had lodged in her leg and pulled it out with a wince. Letting out a small cry as it came free, she limped over to Mr. Goldwin, who was lying on the ground, coughing up blood.
Mr. Goldwin's face filled with dread. "What are you?! What does my life have to do with you?!" He tried to crawl away but stopped when he heard nothing but silence. He looked around to see all the people torn apart and sliced up. He saw one man trying to fend off the creatures with a chair, but a wraith struck him from behind. The man fell lifelessly in front of him.
Tina stood over Mr. Goldwin. "You know what's truly sad about all of this?"
"Fuck you!" Mr. Goldwin shouted as he spat up blood.
"Your brother and sister still think you're just missing. They still love you. Their spirits never grasped what actually happened back then." Tina looked disgruntled. "Maybe they didn't want to believe what you did to them." She drew a dagger from her cloak. "This is the dagger you used to end their lives. Their blood is still on it."
Mr. Goldwin pleaded. "I'm sorry! I'm..." He watched as Tina lunged into his chest just like he did to his brother and sister before he took his final breath.
Tina got up and staggered past the bodies as she made her way out of the tavern. Her footsteps echoed in the tunnel and up the stairs as she limped. Pressing her hand against her leg to slow the bleeding, leaving a small trail behind. When she opened the door to the outside, she spotted the shop owner waiting for her.
He gazed at her with a mixture of unease and sadness. Looking at the blood dripping off her hands, he wondered what had happened. "Are they..." He stopped mid-sentence and sighed. "Dumb question... Why did you do this, girl?"
Tina pondered and looked sad. "Cause no one else would have. No one else even knew. Too much goes unknown in this world. Too much evil."
"You sacrifice your spirit while trying to correct the wrongs. I've known many who followed that path, and I can't say they came out of it in good condition." The shop owner said as he sat on a bench. "Why not kill me, too? I'm one of them."
"When we first met, I looked into your eyes and saw sorrow and suffering." Tina sat beside him. "You're tormented by your past. It's punishment enough."
The shop owner's eyes widened as tears began to form. "Go on. Get out of here, girl. I will seal up the tavern. That will be their last resting place. No one will ever know about it."
Tina touched him on the shoulder and straggled up the alley. "Thank you, Famir. Some spirits are always with us."
The shop owner looked up in surprise. "How?" he asked, glancing over to see a plump little woman standing before Tina. "Maddy?" The woman smiled sincerely before slowly fading away right before his eyes. He smiled momentarily, then broke down in tears, crying into his hands.
Tina hobbled around the corner and leaned against the wall. Alivia appeared and nuzzled her leg. Tina reached down and petted her. She recalled Azdarmell telling her to be ready whenever he needed her. "I wonder if I'll be strong enough to do what he asks of me," she thought, looking at Alivia. "Do you even remember being human, Alivia? You act so much like an animal now." Tina hugged Alivia tightly. "He should have never turned you into this. I swear I'll change you back." She stood up, adjusting herself. "Come on, let's go home." They walked down the empty alley toward the street.
The Airship flew over the mountains, giving Dison and Rosetta a grand view from her quarters' window that did not interest Dison. Sitting dissatisfied on the bed, he looked at Rosetta, who stood looking in a bag she had brought. "I feel misled," he murmured.
"What was that?"
"Oh, nothing, just thinking out loud." Dison lay back on the bed. "So, why did you bring me here again? You swung your hips and everything."
"I want to show you something. And the hips were to get you snared. I knew you'd follow like a puppy." She smiled and pulled out a bracelet from the bag. "These are magic Items I bought at the shop the other day." She sat next to Dison and handed him one.
Dison examined the bracelet thoroughly. The occult crystal wrapped around it was bright. "What does it do?"
"It's a together bracelet that glows brighter the closer we are to each other. That way, we know how close we are to one another."
"Oh, that's uh, neat, I guess." Dison's eyes widened as Rosetta looked at him with irritation. "Thank you." He said, with a worried expression.
Rosetta sighed. "Dison. Can I tell you something?"
Dison wrapped his arm around her. "Anything."
"I..." Rosetta hesitated and moaned. "Umm. Never mind."
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine," Rosetta said, forcing a smile that failed to convince.
Dison smiled awkwardly. "Alright, " he said, leaning his forehead against hers. "Well, I want you to follow me this time." Dison stood up and walked toward the door, swaying his hips.
Rosetta laughed. "What are you doing?"
"Ensnaring you, come on. You know you can't resist." Dison said, smiling.
Rosetta laughed lightly. "Alright, I'm coming." Her face turned as red as a rose as she followed him. "Okay, you can stop that now."
"Nope."
"Please." she begged as they walked down the corridor. Hiding her face, she giggled. "Oh, my goodness."
Wind circled Silvara on one of the decks as she performed combat moves. Her graceful execution of her style earned her an audience, and the ship's crew watched her curiously. The winds surrounding her turned into flames that followed her movements like a flaming dance until she shot them off the boat. The crew watched until she had finished her training. As the crew walked away, clanking armor caught Silvara's attention.
Ryallda's voice was reverberated by the helmet. "That's quite impressive. Very few elves can use two of the elements. With the training of the Wyrmguard, you would be a fascinating warrior."
Silvara turned with sincerity. "I've never been interested in anything that empire could give me. I fight for the ones I care about. Not some soulless emperor."
"I meant no disrespect, my lady. But please do not disrespect my emperor. He is a prominent leader." Ryallda walked beside Silvara.
Silvara looked down, filled with compassion. "I apologize. I did not mean to offend."
"I'll let it slide this time. Just remember who you are talking to: I am Wyrmguard of Lisorin, one of the most elite soldiers in the empire." Ryallda drew her rapier and added, "That said, I would love to see what you can do in combat."
"Maybe another ti..." Silvara saw Ryallda's rapier aimed at her face and quickly dodged. "What are you doing?" She tried to speak, but the swiftness of Ryallda's rapier made her hesitate.
"That was not a request," Ryallda said as she kept attacking. She backed off as Silvara boosted herself with the wind to gain distance. She pointed her weapon. "Draw your weapon! This is an order. You must fight and show me what kind of elf you are."
Silvara pulled her Urumi and whipped it around. It ignited into flames. "Fine, I guess I have no choice." She whipped it at Ryallda with intense flames, but Ryallda's wind blocked every flame.
"I expected better. Pitiful!" Ryallda lunged at Silvara, accompanied by gusts of wind that came with every swing of her rapier.
Silvara blocked what she could and dodged, but soon became overwhelmed and jumped away to gain distance again. Breathing heavily, she rested at the end of the ship's deck.
"Are you getting tired?" Ryallda turned to her. "Your magic and your stamina are weak." She blasted wind at Silvara's hand, knocking the Urumi out before lunging at her again. Her last attack was at Silvara's head. Clang. Ryallda's eyes widened as she looked at what blocked her strike—a sword made of solid ice. "Three of the elements, that's impossible. Only the highest of elves can wield that many." She said as she became overwhelmed by Silvara's attacks.
"You think I'm weak because I don't fight for the empire? Because I don't do things their way." Silvara said with power. "I do things my way."
Ryallda regained her composure and smiled. "It still doesn't matter." She blasted a gust of mighty wind that shattered Silvara's ice sword. She enjoyed the look of surprise on Silvara as she drove her knee into Silvara's stomach, causing her to fall to the ground. Ryallda looked at her with pity.
"I'm not..." Silvara attempted to stand, but a sharp pain shot through her side.
"Calm down. I might have broken a few ribs," Ryallda said, standing over her with an air of authority. "Do you see it? That is the difference between our powers. There are five types of magic: ground, wind, fire, water, and body. Wielding even one of them makes you incredibly powerful." She knelt closer to Silvara's face. "Don't think that because you wield three, you are above me. I have undergone a hundred years of intense training. I can generate more power in my wind than you can with all three elements at once."
"That's enough!" Rosan shouted from the doorway. He hurried to Silvara to help her, with Elayne following closely behind him. "Elayne, please heal her," he urged, then turned to Ryallda. "Do you think this is some sort of game? We are on a mission. You can't go around hurting your own allies."
Ryallda looked at him with a serious expression. "I was just putting her in her place, that is all. Will I have to put you in yours, human?" she said with authority, leaning closer to his face.
Rosan huffed, his rage in his eyes. "You can..." Rosan felt Elayne's hand on his leg and looked back at her, noticing she was shaking her head at him.
"Don't commander. I'm fine." Silvara interrupted.
Rosan glared at Ryallda in anger. "Please take her to the infirmary, Elayne. It's over now."
"The fire in your eyes is captivating," Ryallda said as she removed her helmet and let her long, flowing hair cascade down her shoulders. "I will overlook your ignorance this time. But if you speak to me like that again, you and your group will face the consequences." With that, she turned and walked away. She walked to the other side of the deck, where Voric approached her.
"Was all of that really necessary?" Voric said with concern.
"I wanted to know how strong they are. That elf wastes her potential."
"It is hers to waste. We must stop harming both elves and humans. This behavior towards other races must end," Voric said firmly. He walked away but added, "If we are to unite the world, we should do so with our hands, not our feet." With a sigh, he continued on his way.
Ryallda looked out over the mountains, the wind howling against her. "Maybe you're right, but the world will always value the strong." She thought aloud.
The shrieking sound reached Rosetta's ears as Dison led her into the griffin stables. She looked around in wonder. "I can't believe I haven't come here to see these beautiful creatures before," she said, approaching one griffin and gently petting its beak. "Hard to believe we'll be riding these." She looked at Dison petting the creature with a glow about him and felt passionate.
"I know, right?" Dison said.
"Hold on a moment. We have never trained in these matters."
Dison looked on in bafflement. "Uh, just don't fall," he said with a shrug. "Come on, it can't be that hard."
"Okay then, show me." Rosetta opened the pin to the one she was petting.
Dison looked uncertain. "Alright, I will." He approached the griffin, cracking his fingers. "How hard can it be? It already has a harness." He grabbed the harness's handle and struggled to pull himself up. "Damn, much bigger than a horse."
"You sure you can do this?"
"Yeah, why couldn't I? It's like a horse with wings and giant claws that could rip you apart." Dison gave Rosetta a concerned look and offered her a hand up with a smile. "Let's do this."
Rosetta took his hand. "Please don't kill us." She hopped into the back seat and held on to Dison tightly. "Okay, let me know when you're READY!" The griffin took off, flying around the enormous chamber.
"Yeah!" Dison yelled with excitement.
"Please help me! I want to get down!"
"You can fly on an airship, but not this!"
"Yes, because my feet are firmly on an airship!" Rosetta screamed. "Let me down!"
"Well, about that. I don't know how to tell it to land!" Dison said.
"I'm going to kill you!" Rosetta's screams reverberated through the corridors of the Airship, accompanied by Dison's laughter.
Starry walked into the chamber and shook her head. "Morons are going to get caught." She rolled her eyes as she looked at Rivera, Kale, and Clara coming in behind her.
"Are you ready Dison?!" Rivera shouted. "It's time!"
Starry walked over to a massive door on the side of the room and pulled a lever. The wind echoed through the corridor as the door swung open. "Let's get you all saddled up!" she said, smiling, with a lollipop in her mouth.