Tales of Cadence/Chapter XIV

Stephen folded his arms over his chest, smiling lightheartedly as he watched the motionless form on the ground mutter inaudible words in his sleep. “Does he always oversleep like this?” he questioned. “This is my first time really camping out with you guys... Besides the time in the forest, of course, but Raven tried to distance himself...”

“Your bag kept making scary noises!” Felix protested. “Of course we were trying to get away!”

“Well...” Stephen took the bag in his hands and shook it lightly. Felix let out a yelp when something inside groaned mechanically, started ticking, then stopped. “I was going to say there’s nothing dangerous inside, but you never really know, I guess.”

Elsynne cast a sideways glance in Raven’s direction as she rolled up her own small, slightly torn blanket. His arms were thrown haphazardly over his face and he was mumbling incoherently.

‘It must be that recurring nightmare,’ she decided, frowning sympathetically.

“I think it’s about time he woke up, anyway,” Skylar said, gently kicking Raven in the ribs. “That’s enough sleep-talking for now.”

He didn’t budge. Skylar sighed and stepped aside. “Anyone else want to try?”

Stephen – much to Felix’s chagrin – reached into his bag and pulled out a small device. “Do you think this will help?” he asked, holding it up in the light. It was made of a dust-colored metal; the sun shone brightly off its smooth, metallic surface.

Skylar shrugged, “I wouldn’t know. I don’t know what it is.”

“D-Do you know how to use it properly?” Felix questioned hesitantly.

“Well... I think I might know how it’ll work,” Stephen replied sheepishly, squeezing the device in his palm. “I mean, it wouldn’t hurt to test it, now, would it?”

“Raven! Stephen’s going to use his explosives on you!” Felix shouted despairingly, throwing himself down at his side. He took Raven by the shoulders and shook him roughly, nearly pounding his head on the ground.

“Wh-What the hell?” Raven gasped, his eyes finally opening. He pulled himself from Felix’s grasp and shot backwards, holding up his hands as defense. “What the hell are you doing?” he demanded, watching them hesitantly.

“Stephen was going to throw one of his weird inventions at you. He hasn’t tested it before.”

Raven blinked a few times, digesting the information. Anger settled into his features as he slowly understood Felix’s words. “That could’ve killed me!”

Stephen shrugged again. “I never said it would kill you. Heck, we don’t know if it will. Well, there’s that small percentage, but still...”

“Get out of this group. Now.”

“Aw, Raven...”

“I mean it this time! If you’re going to keep pulling out these crazy bombs-“

Stephen calmly replaced the device and swung the bag over his shoulder. “See? No harm done. I won’t take it out anymore...unless there’s a monster around.”

Raven breathed a sigh of relief, but still watched him with cautious eyes. “A-All right, then...”

“The underground cave where Evadne should be isn’t far from here,” Skylar said as Raven finished cleaning up his belongings. “With any luck we’ll get there before the end of the day.”

Their walk across the empty plains began as normally as any other; Skylar kept his nose to the map while Felix chattered excitedly to whomever would listen. Elsynne listened quietly, responding to questions, or chiming in if the time was right. Stephen continued to hum off-tune, pausing for a moment each time Raven yelled “Shut up!” before persisting.

The monotony of it all was enough to make Raven want to tear his hair out. Already he was craving some sort of change in his new lifestyle; he was growing tired of hearing their religious stories. It sickened him that people could believe something with so little evidence. Of course, seeing a real Spirit with his own eyes was enlightening, but it could be easily dismissed. The Spirits were just as Elsynne described them; controllers of the magical elements that elves and half-elves used on a daily basis.

But something – more than likely his rabid curiosity and need for a constant pay – kept him from abandoning Elsynne’s job.

‘But it wouldn’t hurt if there was just a little more action out here...’

“The cave’s pretty close now!” Skylar said, smiling as he looked over his shoulder. “And don’t worry, Raven, the monsters should start appearing more frequently in this area.”

“I’m not that bored.”

“Don’t lie, I can see that glazed-over sheen in your eyes. You’re waiting for one of us to be mauled like Felix was in the forest.”

“I can’t deny that...”

“Aww, Raven!” Felix pouted, grabbing his arm. “You don’t mean that, do you? You don’t really want me to die!”

Raven stood rigid, fighting his almost overpowering urge to knock Felix aside. “I’m getting paid well for all this, I’m getting paid well for all this...”

“I think one day, you’ll be able to fully appreciate our company,” Stephen mused, grinning.

“Oh, like hell I will.”

Elsynne smiled nervously. “Shouldn’t we get going? I’d like to get the Spirit’s help before nightfall...”

“Oh yeah! The Spirit’s waiting for us!” Felix said excitedly, releasing Raven from his grip. “I wonder if Evadne will pick me, or Skylar, or...S-Stephen...”

“What’s wrong with the Spirit choosing me?” Stephen asked curiously, tilting his head to the side.

“Oh, ah, nothing! Just thinking out loud...”

“Evadne’s the Spirit of Lightning, right? Putting Stephen’s stupid inventions and lightning together isn’t a good idea at all,” Raven said, narrowing his eyes.

Stephen sighed, “I already promised that I was going to be more careful!”

Both Raven and Felix looked at him incredulously. “We don’t believe you.”

The inventor lowered his head, muttering dejectedly as he followed them across the unfamiliar plains.

-

The sun was nearing the edges of the purple mountain range by the time the small group made it to the low cavern Skylar had told them about. The dark, ominous mouth of the cave was set in an outcropping of jagged, rocky hills silhouetted against the fiery sky.

“Have you ever been inside, Skylar?” Elsynne asked tentatively as they stood outside, peering in nervously. The ground inside sloped downwards and disappeared completely into darkness.

“No, I’ve just been to this area a few times with Glacier. And I’ve heard the rumors, of course.”

“Do you know what’s inside?” Felix questioned nervously, suppressing a shiver. “Monsters?”

Skylar shrugged again, “I can’t say.”

Stephen pulled a gun from the holster at his waist and cocked it. “No need to worry. I can take care of anyth-“

Felix had thrown himself away from the barrel of the gun; in his excitement, Stephen accidentally pointed the loaded weapon at the boy.

“Heheh, oops...”

“Th-That thing’s dangerous! Stop throwing it around!” Felix protested, hiding himself behind a sullen Raven. “You could shoot someone!”

“So stop hiding behind me!” Raven protested, pushing him towards the mouth of the cave. “Dumb kid...”

“Ah-ah,” Skylar chided teasingly, “would you behave yourself for a few hours, Edward?”

“I told you, if you call me by the name again I swear to Baldur-“

“You can’t swear on a god you don’t believe in.”

“I swear on my life-“

“I wouldn’t swear on something you obviously cherish.”

Raven began to grit his teeth together as he quickly amended himself for a third time, “I swear on your life-“

“Please, both of you. That’s enough,” Elsynne said exasperatedly. Raven turned and saw her standing on the sloped entrance of the cave, partially concealed by the thick shadows. Stephen and Felix were both gone; he assumed that the two had already ventured inside without them.

“Come along,” Skylar said, pressing his hand against Raven’s shoulders as he guided him inside. Elsynne smiled pleasantly and stepped aside, allowing the two men to pass ahead of her.

Once inside, Skylar gave Raven a nudge that almost sent him to his knees. “You idiot! If you push me, I’ll slide down to the bottom!” Raven said angrily, clenching his hands into tight fists, willing himself not to punch the elf in the jaw.

“I know that. You’d get to the bottom faster that way, though, wouldn’t you?” Skylar asked, tilting his head to the side.

Elsynne looked at Raven reproachfully, cutting off his frustrated protest. “We’ve spent enough time messing around already. We need to get out of here before the sun’s completely set.”

“I could smell rain...there were storm clouds on the horizon,” Skylar added as Elsynne held out her palm and a sphere of light illuminated the darkness. “If it rains, the water could flood the cavern and the sloping path would be too slippery for us to climb.”

“We could always make sacrifices,” Raven said pointedly.

“Oh, yes, we could. The world could always be a lot better off it was lacking one bratty, spoiled young noble,” Skylar replied slyly.

“You damn-“

“Raaaaaaveeeeeeeeen!” Felix called from somewhere beneath them. Raven stopped himself and looked down; he could just barely see Felix at the bottom of the slope, waving his hands excitedly. “The Spirit’s down here!”

“Did Evadne materialize already?” Elsynne asked.

“Yeah! She came out the second we got down here!”

“That’s odd...I thought Spirits were a bit pickier,” Skylar said quietly, brushing a strand of his green hair from his face. “I wonder if perhaps...”

Raven did not wait for him to finish his sentence. In his haste to make it to the end of the slope he tripped and fell, hitting the ground with a dull thud. He tried digging his fingers into the smooth stone floor as he slid the rest of the way down, colliding with Felix and sending him flying backwards.

“I told you it would get you to the bottom faster!” Skylar said, smiling cruelly.

Raven remained facedown, seething angrily as Felix picked himself up.

“Ow, ow...” Felix muttered, rubbing his reddening forehead. “That really hurt...”

“It’s your fault for getting in my way!” Raven protested, pushing himself onto his knees. His elbows were scraped and stung painfully. He put a hand to his face and winced as he felt a fresh cut on the corner of his mouth.

“Are you all right?” Elsynne asked, kneeling beside him as she placed her hands on his lower arm. Hot, burning pain suddenly exploded through his skin.

“Gaah! Let go of me!” Raven hissed, pulling himself away. Elsynne realized what she had done and drew back quickly, placing her hands on her lap. “I-I’m sorry...I thought I could heal you.”

“Are all of you out to kill me today?” Raven demanded, ignoring the dull throb in his arm as he got to his feet. “Damn...”

“It’s just our way of expressing how much we care about you.” Skylar replied, giving him one of his good-natured smiles. Raven muttered another violent curse under his breath and pushed past him, travelling deeper into the tunnels towards the small, hollowed out area where Stephen was.

“...and I’ve experimented a bit with electricity myself, although the results were somewhat painful,” Stephen was telling a dark form perched on a pedestal of stone.

A low female voice replied, “I see.”

“The Spirit appeared when Stephen and I came into this room,” Felix whispered loudly as he, Elsynne, and Skylar followed Raven inside.

Stephen turned his head at the sound of his companion’s voice and grinned. “You all certainly took your time, didn’t you?”

“I have no time for humans...and elves, Penna...” the Spirit corrected herself as she saw expectant glares from Skylar and Elsynne, “who arrive at their engagements a few steps behind those with more precise schedules.”

The light from Elsynne’s palm illuminated the beautiful face of the Spirit. Although her skin seemed pale and wan in the flickering, dim light, her eyes were a stunning shade of violet and her hair was a warm, faded auburn. She only wore a black, hooded cloak; the deep v-neck of the garment exposed some of the alabaster skin of her chest.

“I am prepared to choose the one I will bond with,” she said, looking over each member of the group. Her eyes hovered hesitantly over Raven before moving on.

“As I stated earlier, I waste no time on the sluggish. Those who act swiftly outside of a battle often prove to be quick-minded and well-rounded on the field.” As she spoke, her gaze rested on Stephen. “This soul is filled to the brim with many hopes and dreams – albeit far-fetched and sometimes unimaginable dreams. However, he still seeks to fulfill these desires at whatever cost, even if it means working towards a single goal his entire life.”

“Ehh?” Felix’s jaw dropped and he cocked his head to the side. “Why Stephen?”

“I already explained my reasoning,” Evadne replied, shaking her head. She turned back to Stephen, “Upon what desire do you choose to form our pact?”

“Well...” Stephen smiled sheepishly, trying to remember Felix’s pact to Rhett. “I want to...protect the Heir at all costs and defend her from the Messenger...right?” he asked, turning to Elsynne and Felix for approval.

“I see. But I do sense some reluctance in your heart. You are not willing to base our pact on that, are you?”

“To be perfectly honest... I’m uneasy because I’ve always grown up being told that the Messenger’s the good guy, and the Heir’s the bad one. But Elsynne...she’s a sweet girl. I couldn’t see her hurting anyone unless she has to. For now, I can use your power to protect her, but I cannot bring myself to go back on my teachings and kill the Messenger.”

“Very well.” Evadne nodded approvingly. “You’re an honest and just one. Make sure you keep to your pact, as I will not tolerate a human’s stupidity.”

“Then you shouldn’t have formed a pact with Stephen,” Raven said in undertone.

Stephen held out his hands as pale lavender light formed on his palm. The light dissipated and Evadne disappeared, fading into the darkness like a shadow.

“Well, that was much easier than I was anticipating,” Stephen said, breathing a sigh of relief. “You know, I was expecting it to be a lot harder to form pacts with Spirits and such...”

“Not all Spirits are the same. I’m sure that, in the future, we might run into a more stubborn one,” Elsynne said as they turned to leave the cavern.

“I hope so. Things around here are getting really boring,” Raven grumbled.

“That’s enough of that. You agreed to come with us,” Skylar pointed out.

“I didn’t agree, I was practically blackmailed!”

With one swift and silent movement, Skylar grabbed a handful of coins from the gald pouch Raven carried. He held a few fat gold Penna coins in his hands, tossing them deftly into the air before Raven could react. “Blackmail, eh? I’d like this kind of blackmail.”

“Give that back! That’s my payment for putting up with morons like you all day!”

“Ugh! We took too long,” Elsynne said, interrupting the argument. Raven turned and saw a stream of water trickling down the sloped path.

“It’s raining already?” he asked, trying to see the mouth of the cave as they carefully ascended the slope. “The clouds didn’t look that dark...”

“Ah, well. A little rain never hurt,” Stephen said optimistically. “Besides, maybe this is my chance to use Evadne’s power to help us out.”

“Uh, water and electricity aren’t such a good combination,” Raven said. “You should know that.”

“I do, but still... I was hoping, you know?”

“No. I don’t want to know.”

A fork of white-hot lightning outside illuminated the cavern, followed by a peal of loud, drumming thunder. Reo meowed anxiously and ducked her head back inside of Elsynne’s pouch, whiskers twitching wildly as they approached the entrance.

“Is something wrong?” Elsynne asked gently, patting the cream-colored cat on the head. “Or are you afraid of getting wet?”

Skylar narrowed his eyes and went ahead of the group. “Hm, it appears that we have visitors...”

Raven hastened his pace, stumbling slightly on the slippery stone beneath his feet. He threw out his hands, trying to steady himself before he fell and tumbled back down the steep incline. Elsynne, without thinking, reached out and grabbed his hands to keep him from falling.

“That was close...” she murmured, keeping a tight grip on his clenched fists. “Be careful, okay?”

Raven lifted his head slowly, biting his lip to keep from crying out. “E-Elsynne...my hands...”

“Ah! I’m sorry! I forgot again!” Elsynne exclaimed, letting go of his burning hands. Raven flexed his fingers a few times, wincing as the pain began to recede from the surface of his skin. Although his hands looked perfectly fine, they felt as if they were smoldering.

“Thanks anyway,” he said quickly, ignoring burn as he followed the others up the slope. Elsynne followed somewhat slower, making sure that Raven would not lose his balance again.

Outside a steady rain was falling from the heavy gray clouds. Skylar, Stephen, and Felix were already out in the field, their weapons drawn as they faced several figures standing opposite of them in the long grass. Raven cursed when he saw Lukas and Ilia; both had obviously been waiting for quite some time, as their clothes were completely soaked through.

“I knew you’d show up eventually,” Raven said, drawing his sword as he faced his brother. “I thought I told you that I was coming home once I was finished!”

“Something’s come up. You need to come back to Itona,” Lukas replied stiffly, all signs of his former brotherly friendliness gone. He had taken an offensive stance against Stephen, who had one of his guns aimed towards his forehead.

“Tsk, you’re focusing your energy on the wrong person.” Another all-too-familiar voice spoke in a disapproving tone. When Raven turned he saw Ophelia and the dragonling they had met on the boat to Arcion standing behind them, perched just outside the mouth of the cave.

“Ugh, there are four people to fend off now...” Felix said, shaking his head. “Can we handle this?”

“No way! We’re way out of your league,” Ilia said, flipping her long hair over one shoulder. “My magic and Lukas’s skill with a sword combined with Ophelia and Arngon’s versatility-“

“Whoa, wait a second. You’re all working together?” Raven demanded, tightening his grip on the hilt of his sword as he looked back and forth between Lukas and Ilia, Ophelia and the dragonling. “But I thought-“

“I can explain things later,” Lukas interrupted tensely. “Just surrender; all of you are out skilled.”

Skylar smirked cruelly, “Not quite.” He extended his hand towards Ilia. She looked at him oddly, tilting her head to the side.

“What is that, some kind of weird pose?” she asked, raising an eyebrow. “Heh, that’s not gonna do a thing.”

“Are you so sure?”

Before she could reply, several vines shot up from the ground and wrapped themselves around her slim body. She gave a yelp of surprise, trying in vain to struggle against her bonds.

Raven quickly took advantage of the distraction and charged at Lukas, throwing up his sword to block his brother’s rapid parry.

“I’m not going to fight you!” Lukas protested, thrusting outwards and knocking Raven back. “I’m not supposed to hurt you.”

“That’s just an excuse because you don’t want to be beaten!” Raven replied, wiping the corner of his mouth. He could taste the salty tang of blood; he had bitten his tongue when Lukas struck him hard in the chest.

There was a sharp crack and Raven heard the dragonling growl with a rough, almost baritone voice. From the corner of his eye he saw Stephen drawing his second gun to fire another quick shot at the dragonling before he could counterattack. Behind him he could hear the clang of metal against metal as Felix and Skylar fought off Ophelia; there was a burst of hot energy nearby as she cast a powerful fire spell.

“Don’t get distracted in a sword fight!” Lukas chastised his younger brother, ducking down and slashing upwards in a clean arc. Raven deftly rolled to the side, just barely missing the blade as he threw up his sword to block the attack. Several sparks flew off the blades and extinguished in the driving, freezing rain.

“Wahhh, Lukas!” Ilia cried, still trying to break free from the vines Skylar had summoned earlier. “I can’t get out of these things!”

“I’ll be right there, Ilia.” Lukas said impatiently, his eyes still locked on Raven. The brothers circled each other slowly, each waiting for the other to make a move.

''‘He’s not going to do a thing. He always strikes second,’'' Raven reminded himself, silently deciding how to attack. He could still remember his brief training sessions with his brother when they were younger; Lukas always waited for him to make a move and often parried or blocked easily, throwing Raven off-balance.

But Raven was ready this time; he was sure of it. He knew that he could easily beat Lukas and hopefully give them enough time to escape the group and get to Estershore.

''‘Why does he want me to come home so badly, anyway? And why the hell is he working with Ophelia? Didn’t they exile her a few years ago?’''

“Back off, Stephen!” Ophelia cried from somewhere behind them. A loud explosion rocked the earth and Raven heard the dull thud of a body hitting the ground.

That brief distraction was all Lukas need. He feinted to the left and struck, catching Raven off-guard and throwing him to the side. Raven’s vision exploded as the world began to spin dizzily; green mixed with gray and brown as he tried to regain his senses, ignoring the kaleidoscope of colors suddenly filling his line of vision.

Cold metal touched the side of his neck. “Please, Edward. I can’t hurt you.”

“Lukas...” Raven muttered, closing his eyes tightly as he tried to bring himself back into focus. “Why...”

“I know who Elsynne is. So do Father and Mother... Ophelia wants to help us.”

Raven’s blood ran cold in his veins. He reached blindly for his sword, but his fingers closed around slimy mud and slick grass. “Elsynne’s just a girl. And Ophelia’s our enemy! She’s been messing with the black magic, remember?”

“Elsynne’s our enemy, Edward, not Ophelia. She has her reasons for dabbling in black magic,” Lukas explained. Raven strained his ears for the sounds of combat, but heard nothing. He opened his eyes again and saw Lukas holding a sword at his throat. Ilia was still bound by the vines, but Skylar was standing beside her, an arrow aimed for her head. Stephen was sitting up, clutching his chest and breathing heavily while Felix stood nearby, trying to listen to Lukas and Raven’s exchange while watching Ophelia’s every movement. The dragonling hovered by Ophelia’s side, staring at them with his dull eyes.

Where was Elsynne?

“That girl...the Penna girl is our enemy, Edward. It’s supposed to be your job to stop her.”

“My job?” Raven scoffed, forcing a smirk despite the faint throb in the back of his skull. “I’m not obligated to do anything. Although, if you want to kill her, you’re going to have to fight me first; it is my job to protect her.”

Lukas shook his head. “No, you don’t understand. When you left home after the accident – after Mother was hurt because of what you did-“

“That wasn’t...” Raven faltered for a moment, choosing his wording carefully. “What happened to our mother wasn’t my fault.”

“I know that you stopped going to the church and never really listened to any of the scriptures of Baldur while we were growing up,” Lukas continued, ignoring Raven’s interruption. “But you’ve heard about the Messenger, haven’t you? And by now I’m positive that you’re quite familiar with the role of the Heir.”

Raven sighed exasperatedly. “Not another one...”

“No, listen to me! It’s not your place to protect that girl. She’s trying to destroy us – she’s trying to destroy the human race and all of Austror. And by helping her, you’re committing treason against the continent!”

“Do you know how absolutely ridiculous you sound?! The Messenger and the Heir aren’t real! I’m only going along with her stupid stories because they won’t listen to me otherwise!”

“Edward, the stories are real. The Tower, the black magic, and the Heir and Messenger themselves are proof of this.”

“Hardly! That tower could have easily been manmade. The black magic is a natural phenomena; it’s a mist emanating from the cracks in the earth. The Messenger and the Heir are just stupid titles people have given themselves so that they have some sort of false hope that their beloved gods will come back.”

“Raven, please! That’s enough!” Elsynne called, her voice lined with frustration. Raven turned, ignoring the sharp blade at his neck and saw her standing behind him, her arms hanging rigidly at her sides as she continued speaking. “Everything I’ve told you is true! I am what I say I am! Why won’t you believe me?!”

“Dammit, Elsynne, show me some proof or else I won’t believe any of this nonsense!”

“Don’t listen to her!” Lukas said harshly, using the point of his blade to turn Raven’s head. “You’re supposed to stop her from reviving Albasta! If the goddess were to come alive again, everything we know would be destroyed!”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“Edward, do you know why you caused that fire in the castle when you were fifteen?” Lukas asked, his voice shaking.

“Don’t you dare bring that up again,” Raven said, lowering his voice to a loud whisper. “That was an accident.”

“Yes, it was an accident, I’ll admit that much,” Lukas amended, gritting his teeth. “But, please, you have to admit to me that no normal human could cause a fire like that.”

Raven closed his eyes; he could see the flashes of bright, leaping flames again as if the event had taken place only mere hours before. The entire room filled with fire, overwhelming the bodies of several soldiers, ripping through everything in it’s wake-

“That was...an accident,” He repeated quietly.

“I know it was,” Lukas said gently, “but you know you caused the fire, right?”

Raven did not reply. Although he had tried so hard for the past three years to block out the painful memories of the fire that nearly killed his family – it had consumed the side of his own mother’s face and killed several of the castle guards – he would still have to admit that he had caused it himself. The question had always been how; he had not been carrying a torch or any other flame, and pureblood humans could not cause fires through magic.

How had that fire started in the first place?

“The only human that could possibly start a fire so violent...is the Messenger,” Lukas said.

Raven’s eyes flew open and he stared at his brother with disbelief. “The Messenger isn’t real.”

Skylar chucked quietly, “Naive, young Raven...you’re so ready to rebuke all religious claims, aren’t you?”

“I’ve been raised on the scriptures telling about the Messenger and the Heir.” Stephen offered, grimacing as he still held a hand to his chest; there was a very faint, scarlet bloodstain forming beneath his white shirt. “The Messenger is always accompanied by a plume of ‘fire from Baldur’, or so they say...”

“I wouldn’t be trying to protect a brat like you unless you were important,” Ophelia said proudly, putting her hands on her hips as she grinned maliciously. “Stupid boy. Just because you don’t believe in something doesn’t mean it isn’t true.”

Raven shook his head again, “I know for a fact that he scriptures aren’t true. There’s never been any solid evidence to back up the claims of the church; there’s just faith. And I have none of it.”

“How do you explain the fire?” Ophelia challenged, brushing her dry brown hair from her face.

“That was...” Raven paused for a moment, thinking back to that day. He could come up with nothing.

“Our parents knew, too. And I’m sure your...friend was aware of the fact as well,” Lukas said, motioning towards Elsynne. “I’m positive that she’s been planning your death as well.”

Raven turned to face Elsynne; her face was full of sympathy as she stared back.

“Raven, I...I knew you were always my enemy, ever since I realized that I hurt you when I touched you, but...I can’t kill you. I want to-“

“You couldn’t kill me,” Raven said bitterly.

“Her touch hurts you?” Lukas repeated.

Ophelia’s smile widened. “More evidence to add to the ever-growing collection. Of course the Heir’s touch affects him; their body structures conflict. They’re meant to kill each other, so there’s no way around it.”

“Father wanted to see what would happen if you remained in the presence of the Heir. He sent Ilia to monitor you and make sure that she made no attempts on your life, but we realized that she’s gathering the help of the Spirits so that she could kill you,” Lukas explained quickly and confidently.

“...You’re all damned liars,” Raven said, ignoring the tip of the blade as he forced himself to stand. “What’s wrong with you?! There’s no such thing as the Messenger!”

“Raven...” Elsynne said soothingly, gently placing her hand on his shoulder. “I promise, I’ve meant you no ill will-“

“Take your hands off him!” Lukas protested, thrusting out his sword again. Elsynne quickly dodged to the side, missing the blade as she took her hand away from Raven.

“Why?!” Raven demanded, his voice coursing with frustration and anger. “They’re all lies! There’s no such thing as the Heir or Messenger! Why is my own family feeding me these lies?!”

“Edward...” Lukas said softly, reaching out to his brother.

“No! Get the hell away from me! You’re a traitor, and you’re a liar! I’m not...I’m...”

Elsynne took him by the shoulders and steadied him. “Raven! Calm down!”

“Elsynne, they’re lying, aren’t they? The Messenger and Heir are fake religious titles. They’re not real...are they?” By now he sounded as if he even doubted his own judgment. “My brother...my family...they’re all lying!”

“Why would they lie, Raven?” Ophelia asked scornfully. “Why would your family label you as a Messenger?”

“Shut up!” he yelled, clenching his fists at his sides. “The stories about Messengers, Heirs, Scales...they’re all myths! People made them up because they wanted something to believe in. That’s why I’m not your ‘Messenger’, don’t you see?”

“Raven, our mother’s face was destroyed because you couldn’t control yourself back then,” Lukas explained quickly. “The fire was your doing, but-“

“Shut up! That wasn’t me! I can’t just conjure fire from nowhere! I’m a human!”

“Please, just calm down,” Elsynne urged, squeezing his shoulders. “Raven, I know that this information will take a while to settle, but you need to take a deep breath. Take it slow, okay?”

“No! It’s a lie-“

“Elsynne, it won’t do him any good,” Skylar said, shouting over Raven’s continued protests. “He can’t calm himself down, he’s too worked up now.”

“There’s nothing else I can do...”

“Felix, Stephen, distract them,” Skylar said, motioning towards Ophelia and Lukas. He cut the vines at their base, but kept a firm grip on them so that Ilia was still bound.

“H-Hey! What about me!” The mage protested, struggling to get out of Skylar’s grip. “This isn’t fair! It’s harassment!”

Skylar ignored her and waited until Felix and Stephen had each summoned Rhett and Evadne. Reo had transformed into her massive beast form and rounded on Lukas, Ophelia, and the dragonling.

“Raven, I need you to stop yelling or I’ll make you stop myself,” Skylar warned, handing Ilia off to Stephen, who reluctantly took the girl by the wrists and struggled to keep her from breaking free of his grasp.

“Get the hell away from me!” Raven said, his tone sharp and livid.

Skylar sighed, ignoring Raven’s curses as he took him from Elsynne and kept a firm grip on his shoulder. “I hate to have to do this to you, but if it’s the only way you’ll stop...”

Raven opened his mouth to reply – quite possibly with the most violent curse he could think of – but was cut short as he felt a sharp pain in the back of his head. He slumped forward uselessly into Skylar’s outstretched arms.

“Now that we have one deadweight out of the way...” Skylar paused and looked up at Lukas and Ophelia.

Ophelia gestured to Arngon, who nodded curtly and took a more relaxed position. “I suppose my time here is up,” she said, lowering her arms.

Lukas looked at her with surprise. “Ophelia-“

“I agreed to help you try to recapture him. We tried, and failed...for now.”

“But-“

“Let it go. The others in the group obviously aren’t willing to give in without a fight, and they have Elsynne with them. She might not look it, but she could either kill us or incapacitate us if she really wanted to. We should back off for now.”

Lukas opened his mouth to protest, paused for a moment, then nodded unwillingly. “For now...” he repeated, sheathing his sword.

“What about m- Uph!” Ilia tried again to break free, but was quickly silenced by the barrel of Stephen’s gun.

Ophelia turned to Skylar and smiled knowingly, giving him a half-wave. “We’ll finish this up another time, Marridor.”