In the dim underground chamber, only the faint glow of an oil lamp at the center of the round table offered light. Three witches of the Cestisia Confederacy sat facing one another. Vela Rosa, with her crimson hair cascading freely; Azul Othwyn, pale-faced with sharp eyes; and Erik Mazed, restless fingers toying with the ring on his hand.
Behind a black curtain in the corner, Carmilla stood in silence, releasing the occasional short sigh.
Vela opened the meeting with a calm voice.
"As always, let's begin with the report. Azul?"
Azul leaned back in his chair.
"The black market at the western port is stable. Trade routes to the other continents remain open. But several shipments were seized by Esperalza's soldiers. Their vigilance is growing."
Erik cut in quickly.
"That has to be the inquisitors. They never stop hunting us. Just last week, two witches were captured in the northern district. Their corpses were hanged in the square as a warning."
Azul clicked his tongue.
"That's the price of carelessness. We already know the risks."
Vela glanced between them before murmuring,
"The pressure is tightening. But we still need someone on the inside. We'll wait for Bailo."
Silence fell, broken only by the scrape of Erik's nails against the wooden table.
Suddenly, the door creaked open. A plump man in a noble's robe, face worn with exhaustion, hurried inside.
"Forgive me, forgive me—I'm late." Bailo raised a hand, sweat beading down his face.
Azul slammed the table with his palm.
"You nearly made us think you'd been captured!"
Erik followed sharply.
"Late at a time like this? If the inquisitors had tailed you, we'd all be dead!"
Bailo dragged a chair out and dropped heavily into it, his gaze sharpening.
"No. I came here unseen. But it wasn't easy… the city of Domeralith, the one under my rule, is being watched closely. I had to sneak out."
Vela narrowed her eyes.
"Why the sudden surveillance? What happened in Domeralith?"
Bailo hesitated, then looked at each of them in turn.
"Something… significant has occurred in Abythralis."
Erik frowned.
"Abythralis again? That cursed forest."
Azul's tone was cold.
"What now? The miasma illusions?"
Bailo pulled a book from his robe, opening it to reveal a sketch of a colossal tower.
"This."
Vela's eyes widened.
"A… tower?"
"According to Captain Zenorius himself," Bailo continued, "this tower appeared overnight, piercing the clouds. He entered the forest and lived to tell the tale after approaching it."
Erik leaned forward.
"Impossible. Just another illusion of the miasma."
Azul shook his head.
"No illusion could be that vast. Are you serious, Bailo?"
Bailo tapped the page with a trembling finger.
"I'm not joking. From Domeralith, its silhouette is clearly visible. A towering shadow. Zenorius swore the tower is real."
The black curtain stirred slightly. Carmilla's soft voice broke through.
"Silence. Let Bailo continue."
All fell still at once.
Bailo drew in a long breath.
"The tower… it isn't made from any material we know. Stone, metal—I can't say. But its scale… Zenorius estimated it spans the size of a great city. Perhaps larger than any magical spire in Cestisia."
Vela whispered, stunned.
"The size of a city…?"
"Yes," Bailo confirmed. "And stranger still—Zenorius sensed nothing. No magic, no divinity, no natural essence of any race. It was simply an empty tower standing there."
Erik slammed his fist on the table.
"Impossible. A structure that massive cannot appear overnight without energy of some kind."
Azul raised an eyebrow.
"Elves, perhaps? Or dwarves? Their craft is unmatched."
Bailo shook his head furiously.
"Elves? Dwarves? Not even they could raise such a structure in a single night. It's impossible."
Vela murmured, eyes narrowing.
"Could it be… dragons?"
Azul dismissed it instantly.
"No. Dragons never intervene. They see our affairs as beneath them."
Once again, silence reigned. Only the hiss of the oil lamp filled the room.
From behind the curtain, Carmilla's voice came sharper this time.
"You'll never learn the truth by guessing. The tower must be seen directly."
Azul hissed.
"If witches are caught wandering Esperalza, the inquisitors will seize us."
Carmilla cut him off.
"That is Bailo's problem."
All eyes turned to the corpulent noble. Bailo jolted.
"M–Me?!"
Carmilla continued,
"You are a noble of Esperalza. Use your position. Bribe, pay, deceive—whatever it takes. Create a path for us to approach without suspicion."
Bailo swallowed hard.
"That's… an enormous risk."
Vela leaned forward.
"But it's your task. Without you, infiltration is impossible."
Erik glared sharply.
"Or are you more afraid of the inquisitors than of us?"
Azul added coldly,
"You've profited more than enough from this network. Now it's your turn to work harder."
Bailo clenched his fists.
"Fine… fine! I'll find a way. But if the inquisitors discover me, I'll lose my head."
A low laugh drifted from behind the curtain.
"If you fail," Carmilla said, "you'll lose your head anyway. So don't fail."
Bailo froze, his face paling.
Vela closed the book with a sigh.
"Then we'll await your news, Bailo. Find a way. We must learn what this tower truly is."
Azul leaned back in his chair.
"The sooner, the better. I despise waiting."
Erik muttered under his breath,
"A tower without energy… it defies reason. If it's real, it could shake the entire continent."
Carmilla offered no reply. She only stared from behind the curtain, her eyes dim, her thoughts already wandering far ahead.
Bailo bowed his head, cold sweat trailing down his temples. Inwardly, he cursed the day he had stepped too deep into this game. Now, there was no way out.
Bailo walked alone along the cobblestone road leading to his mansion in Domeralith. The night air was cold, and the wind carried with it the damp scent of the forest.
He cursed inwardly.
Damn it. They want me to meddle with Abythralis? Under the Inquisitors' watch? That's no different from handing them my head.
His hand clenched at his cloak.
If the priests of Esperalza ever found out I was involved with sorcerers… I'd be hanged in the square. They wouldn't care if I'm a noble or not. This isn't about power anymore… this is life and death.
The iron gates of his mansion opened. Servants lined up neatly, bowing as he passed.
"Welcome home, Lord Bailo."
He gave a curt nod, striding quickly inside. From the parlor, the sound of soft laughter drifted out. A small boy came running toward him.
"Father!"
Bailo crouched down and swept his son into his arms, lifting him high.
"Hahaha, my boy! Still awake? Isn't it far past your bedtime?"
The child giggled. "I was waiting for you! Mother said you were busy, but I wanted to see you."
The tension in Bailo's chest melted in an instant. He kissed his son's forehead.
"Forgive me for keeping you waiting. Now, tell me—what did you do today?"
The boy's eyes sparkled. "I practiced reading prayers! Mother taught me, and I memorized a whole line!"
Bailo chuckled. "Impressive! Smarter than your father was at your age."
From the doorway, a woman in a modest gown entered. His wife, Lady Serena. Her face was gentle, though her eyes carried a quiet vigilance.
"Welcome home, Bailo. You look exhausted."
He set his son down and stood. "A long day. City matters are splitting my head apart."
"More problems at the council?" she asked softly as she came closer.
Bailo exhaled. "The Inquisitors. They've planted spies all over Domeralith. They claim it's to protect the people from heretics. But in truth, they're just tightening their grip on the nobility."
Serena's brows furrowed. "Do they suspect anything of you?"
"I don't know." Bailo sank into a chair, shoulders heavy. "But they watch every minor decision I make. Even market taxes must be reported in absurd detail. As though I'm some child under their thumb."
Serena sat beside him. "Then endure. Your duty is to keep the city steady. Don't give them any excuse to doubt you."
Bailo met her gaze. "You speak as if it's simple. But every step feels like walking on a tightrope. One misstep, and I'll fall."
A small pair of arms hugged his leg. "Don't fall, Father. If you fall, who will play with me?"
For a moment, Bailo was silent. Then he let out a small laugh.
"No, I won't fall. I'll always be here for you."
Serena's eyes softened, yet her voice was firm. "That's why you can't be reckless. Everything you do… isn't it for us?"
Bailo nodded faintly. Deep inside, he murmured to himself:
Yes… all of this is for them. I may be corrupt, tainted, but it's all for my wife and my son. At least, that's what I must believe.
He ruffled his boy's hair. "Shall I read you a story tonight?"
The child's face lit up. "Yes!"
Serena smiled gently. "I'll prepare his room."
Together, the three of them went upstairs. Bailo sat at the bedside, opening a simple storybook.
"Once upon a time, there was a knight who swore to protect his kingdom…"
Gradually, his son's eyes closed, drifting to sleep with his father's voice as a lullaby.
After extinguishing the lamp, Bailo stepped out with Serena.
"Serena," he called quietly.
"Yes?"
"If one day… I couldn't come home, what would you do?"
She froze for a moment, then answered calmly, "I would raise our son. I would teach him that his father was a man who worked hard for his family."
Bailo lowered his gaze. "That sounds beautiful. But I want more than that. I want to live… to see him grow."
Serena clasped his hand tightly. "Then live. Don't invite the Inquisitors' wrath."
Inside, Bailo sighed.
If only you knew… trouble has already come knocking. I have to let sorcerers into Esperalzan lands. I have to deceive the Inquisitors for their sake. But I can never tell you. Not now. Not ever.
He forced a smile. "Yes. I'll be careful."
They returned to the parlor, where Serena prepared warm drinks.
"Tomorrow, you'll be at the market council, won't you?" she asked.
Bailo nodded. "Yes. The merchants complain that taxes are too high. But what choice do I have? If I lower them, the council will accuse me of collusion. If I raise them, the people will despise me."
Serena looked at him with quiet sympathy. "You're always caught in the middle. But… I believe you'll find a way."
Bailo gazed at her for a long time. A faint smile formed on his lips.
"Yes… for you, I'll find a way."
But in his mind, Carmilla's cold voice echoed:
If you fail… your head will roll all the same.
He closed his eyes for a moment, hiding the tremor in his hands.
All for them. For my wife. For my son. I must keep believing that. Otherwise… I won't be able to go on.