Vulgar yells. Angry neighs. Multiple sounds should have filled Arden's ears, yet the only thing he could hear was a persistent ringing, invading all of his senses.

His case clinked and tinkered, making him once again grateful he had the premonition to pack a bottle of tranquilizer with him. It contained no identification or passport, though, and he wasn't sure that whichever member of the Council was in the carriage would appreciate his wide collection of knives or the hundreds of fake gold coins packed in brown pouches.

"So this one night--" Salo continued with his trivial blabbering nonchalantly, completely ignorant to the fact that his enemy was right behind him, speeding towards him in a huge, fancy carriage.

"Shut your mouth or I'll stuff it with cotton, I swear!" Arden exclaimed and, without waiting to hear Salo's objections, he shoved him and the weirdly silent spy out of the way, into some soft grass on the side of the road. He hoped Ailyn had the sense to step away as well, and luckily enough he spotted her rushing behind some bushes.

The problem was, the dual bender was nowhere to be seen. Arden cursed, running a hand through his already wet hair.

Some light crackling was audible, followed by a sudden yelp and the sharp yank of leather reins. The boy dared to peek over the edge of the road, evaluating the situation. Elara had slipped. She was pushing herself off the mud, rubbing the soil off her face and dusting her black uniform. The carriage's driver shook his head, sputtering various Gweini insults Arden did not recognize. The door of the coach sprang open, almost being thrown off its hinges.

The Price of Shadows, he will hang us all. Upside down. With his people having been provided with spears to poke our limb bodies. Arden had no doubt that had Ela had the chance to run back to the safety of her home, she would take it any day.

A tall figure dressed in black silk exited the carriage. Arden let out a confused sigh, his eyebrows coming so close together one could assume they were connected.

A prince, he thought. But not the one I was expecting.

Edel Kainet, the Seyali Prince of Nature, grabbed Ela's narrow shoulders, pulling her up from her fallen state and examining her body for any injuries. When he spotted none, he removed his hands and stepped back, making a short bow. His dark auburn hair fell in front of his wide eyes, shock and distress obvious in his round features. "I deeply apologize you were almost hurt! You must excuse us, we are in a hurry." He stood straight, his pearl-like teeth glowing as he smiled at the confounded Ela. "I suppose you were leaving the academy after the explosion. I heard it was something with the stoves. Do you want us to return you to your dormitories? That is the least we can do."

Ela stood baffled for a second. Arden could almost see her thoughts above her head as she struggled to find her words. Will she sell us out? He couldn't help but wonder. She swiped a temporarily blonde lock away from her cheek, clearing her throat. Finally, she spoke with a quivering voice. "All is fine. I am heading home for the weekend."

Edel cocked his head to the side, his soft brown eyes glittering. "But it was all an accident. You do not have to go since there is no real danger. Besides, it is improper for a young lady to wander alone this late at night."

"Um..." Arden didn't think he would ever see someone like Ela search for her words, or not resort to blowing the man's brains out. I don't even know who I am, he realized as he examined the rare sight. "After this shock, I wish to see my family. Does the Ascended Council have any business infringing my right to communication?"

Nora broke her long silence with a muffled snort.

Edel's fair eyebrows shot up in sudden amusement. After studying Ela's features exhaustively, the prince sighed and smiled a gentle grin. "I suppose not. Excuse my indiscretion." He turned around, pacing towards the coach in a contemplative manner. He paused at the steps.

"I reckon I should not ask why there is an illusion over your face."

Salo's breath audibly stuck to his throat.

Arden placed a hand over his face, digging his fingernails into the skin of his forehead. It would be normal for them to run away, to leave while they still could. But something kept the boy rooted to the ground, watching the situation play out.

Ela paled all over, shaking her head vigorously. "Uh, I--"

"Nobody is that symmetrical. I hope whatever it is you are doing," Edel insisted firmly, gazing at the young girl with chocolate eyes full of meaning, "it is worth the repercussions. Because there will be repercussions." And with a final bow that contained more irony than his first, the man disappeared back into his carriage, which took off hastily.

When even the hammering hooves faded, everyone stood in complete silence.

Ela's eyes seemed to be stuck wide open. She ran her thin fingers through her rich blonde hair, shaking her head in disbelief. "I... Wait!"

But the coach was long gone. It was no more than a shiny blue dot in the distance, a spark in the darkness that soon faded behind a hill. Ailyn emerged from her bush hesitantly, her gaze plain and distant. She approached Ela, placing a hand on her arm and squeezing it, creasing the thick fabric of her black uniform's jacket.

"You had your chance," Ailyn muttered, a hint of envy in her quiet voice. Arden was shocked to realize it weirdly resembled regret. "Now please refrain from hindering our mission. If even Edel suspected who you are and let you go..." She paused, possibly reminiscing about the prince's characteristic devotion to the law. "Then maybe you are not as needed as you think you are."

Arden let out a cough, watching the scene bewildered. He knew those two wouldn't become best friends, but he certainly did not expect them to fight in the middle of the road. Judging by Nora and Salo's puzzled expressions, they were surprised by the princess's words as well.

Ela laughed sharply, shoving Ailyn's hand off her. "I am the one who isn't needed? What did you ever do for the kingdom? Light the burnt lanterns on the road? Be Kage's loose woman?"

It was visible that Ailyn was holding back a scoff, yet she managed to keep her face neutral. "Making false accusations will not make you any more useful."

"Oh, you can deny it all you want. But the only thing that has changed ever since you came into the Council is that now we're at war and our prince looks fresh every morning!"

"I am not about to reply to a fifteen-year-old girl's delirium. Shut your mouth and let us proceed." Ailyn's face had turned a new shade of red, the shock from seeing her past friend and the fury that the teen girl was spawning with her insults blending into a deep shade of crimson.

Salo stood straight, raising his arms as if he was attempting to tame a wild beast. "In my opinion, we should just--"

"At least I have my head out of the clouds! Gosh, how can you be manipulated so easily? You really think you matter to him?"

"Yes, I do. More than his vanished family, that's for sure!"

It was Nora's turn to stomp towards the two figures and separate them with a shove. Ailyn stumbled back, but Ela pushed the spy's extended arm back with a groan. In return, she grabbed the young girl's shoulders and gave them a disturbing shake nobody thought she could muster.

"Will you stop acting like little children for a second?" she spat, glancing back at Ailyn with a warning gaze. "Don't forget who you're referring to. I'm pretty sure that psychotic arrogant asshole doesn't really give a shit about either one of you."

Ela huffed, crossing her arms in front of her chest. Strands of her now golden hair fell on her face, shielding her expression from the rest. Ailyn tried to say something, but her words died in her throat once she caught a glance of Arden's exasperated grimace.

"Alright," Arden exhaled heavily, signaling to the road ahead of them. "Get a move on."

Ailyn didn't hesitate. She headed down the path violently, her hammering feet splashing mud everywhere as they came down. Nora trailed after her, muttering something as she approached her, and seeing the remaining people left behind, Salo vanished from sight. Ela hissed a low insult under her breath and reluctantly followed the group. Arden grabbed her shoulder and hauled her back.

"Not so fast. Let's have a friendly talk."

Ela gazed at him wearily. "We have nothing to talk about."

"We have much to talk about," Arden corrected, pushing her arm forward. The two began walking down the path, their pace tormentingly slow. Soon, the three figures before them became but insignificant dots in the distance.

Arden sighed. He didn't want to push Ela before, but it seemed she had newfound determination to get them all caught. "I want to make something clear," he stated solemnly, squeezing Ela's clothed arm. "This isn't your little royal playground. You either do as we say, or you do as we say."

"The range of my options is stupendous."

"Yes. So I would appreciate it greatly if you would just stop calling Ailyn a harlot."

Ela frowned. "Why do you care?"

"It hinders progress," he offered, although he wasn't sure himself. "And watching two people fight over a lunatic is disturbing me."

"Are you calling my brother a lunatic?"

"Am I wrong?"

Arden's bitterness seemed to startle Ela. She grudgingly raised her shoulders, looking at the ground. "I suppose not. What's wrong with being a little crazy?"

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe embezzling state money and basically stealing people's life fortunes? Burning homes and slaughtering villages, perhaps?" Arden hypothesized caustically, making the girl stop in her tracks. Without waiting for her to process his words, he shoved her forward and kept walking.

Arden hadn't realized how much suppressed rage was boiling inside of him for the whole Sillich family until small purple bruises started forming on Ela's pale forearm under his fingers. She shook herself from his grip, putting distance between them. "I don't understand..." she trailed off.

"Yes, I'm sure you don't." Arden rolled his neck around, closing his eyes and sighing. Don't scare her off now. "Just try to keep your mouth shut unless you are in a dire situation."

"I am in a dire situation."

Arden groaned in frustration. Why does everyone keep saying that? "Okay, then just... Don't talk at all. Yes, that's it."

The silence spread around them like a cool winter breeze, clinging to Arden's skin, suffocating him in the gentlest way. It had been a long and rough day. The boy couldn't help but rub his temples in depletion as he checked through the events of the last twenty-four hours. The boat. Halim Terko. Zhao. Ela. Zhao. Zhao. The illusion manipulator's face stubbornly crept in his mind, sending electric chills down his spine.

It had been a serene night. The girl's dress had flowed along with the brisk wind, causing complaints to come out of her mouth like a waterfall. It was cold. Until it wasn't.

Arden shook his head violently, emptying his head. No, he couldn't have known. But all he could see when his eyes slid closed was her smile, her forever wide eyes. The smell of burning flesh tickled his nose tenderly. So he stared ahead, dragging Ela along.

Zhao Koroka will die. I'll make sure of it.

Minutes passed by. Maybe even hours. The dual bender uttered no word, silenced by the constant pressure applied to her wrist. Arden kept counting the pebbles they passed by, or perhaps looking for the biggest star in the sky. Anything to distract him from the memories hovering over his head, begging to be addressed. He shut it all off; every emotion, each thought dangerous to the task at hand. Find civilization. Find the Kingfisher.

Find her.

He erased that last part. Because she wasn't important. Something in his heart stung as he thought that, making him clench his fists tighter closed. Ela gave his locked hand a shake of objection.

"Guys! Look!"

Salo's obnoxious screech brought Arden back to reality. His head shot up almost immediately. A faded sign stood tall, hammered to the soil. Although the letters were next to illegible, the faint lights and ruby roofs behind it were quite self-explanatory; a town. An inhabited one.

The borough's roads were packed with ghosts and shadows, the stillness being replaced by the soft whistle of the wind. Most houses were dark, their windows closed and their doors locked. One illuminated building was surrounded by travelers of all races and castes, framing a wide sign with hastily painted letters on it.

Beer. Venison. Fresh fish.

Arden glanced at his crew dully. They all shrugged, except for Ela, who had a terrified expression plastered on her features. "There is no fresh fish in this area. We are hundreds of miles away from water." Seeing the others' desperate faces, she hesitated. "Are you... sure?"

The tavern didn't seem much different from The Three Cups. Although the meat smelled slightly more spoiled, and the drinks seemed overly aged, the loudness of all typical taverns was present even in such a deserted place. It did little to uplift the team, but everyone else appeared to be having the time of their life, singing and screaming. A group of middle-aged men clutched each other's palm on one table, wrestling to bring their opponent's down. Once they saw new faces enter, they eyed them up and down through narrowed eyes.

The crew chose a discreet table next to the window. Salo slumped down on one of the termite-eaten chairs, wiping some sweat from his forehead and exhaling dramatically. Ailyn reluctantly sat next to him, shrinking towards herself as much as her limbs allowed her. Arden pushed Ela on one of the seats, sending her a warning glare, before relaxing his muscles on another. As they all breathed in exhaustion, Nora stood with her arms crossed, gazing at them with doubt.

"Who do you think will pay for you to eat like pigs?" she inquired. Arden didn't hesitate to reach into his bag and launch a heavy pouch on the table. The coins in it tinkered, drawing all costumers' attention to the small table. Nora's eyes nearly popped out of her sockets and a gasp escaped Salo, while Ailyn and Ela glanced at the sack unamused. The spy grasped the cloth, hiding it inside her coat. "Are you insane? Don't throw money around in this area!"

"That's one of them," Arden pointed out, raising his hand and beckoning to one of the almost asleep waiters lounging on a stool. "A platter of meat here."

The old woman groaned, slumping down the seat and dragging her feet towards the round table. "That's not on the menu."

"I've got two gold pieces. Do you want them or not?"

The waiter's sullen eyes widened as she nodded hastily and disappeared into the kitchen, screaming something about how they were going to be able to afford a leather couch.

Salo cleared his throat, leaning towards the table. He stared at Arden expectantly. "So. What's the plan?"

"This may surprise you, Canbar," Arden articulated, crossing his leg over the other and shrugging nonchalantly, "but there is no plan."

Nora cocked her head to the side, pouting her lips. She grudgingly occupied a chair next to him. "There's not? How do we know where we go now?"

"That's why our lovely Ela has joined us today." Arden turned to the girl, raising his eyebrows. "You attended the war meetings as the head of the royal search party. Where would they begin their mission?"

She looked taken aback as she frowned, thumbing a loose thread on her uniform restlessly. "I... didn't attend the meetings. Since you know so much about me, then you should also learn that--"

"Yes, yes. You kept acting like a spoiled brat and didn't participate in anything concerning the Kingfisher. But I also have the suspicion that you received reports after every conference you didn't attend, no?"

Ela bit her lip, averting her gaze. She attempted to shake her head, to deny everything, but it all looked rigid, forced. Arden ran his palm across his face, heaving a sign of annoyance.

Nora huffed, clicking her tongue in exasperation. She jumped up, banging her fists on the old-looking table and grabbing Ela's jacket. She yanked the dual bender towards her, sending an agitated nod to her surprised features. "Listen here, you holy terror. Does it look like we have all day for you to act haughty? That's the only thing we need you for. So, except you do us the honor of telling us what we want to know, I can throw you into a ditch and I swear they'll find you with half your limbs intact."

Seeing the others' amused expressions, Ela clenched her jaw and pointed a warning finger at Nora's chest. "I could blow you all up if I really wanted to."

Arden almost interfered. He raised his hand, trying to divide the two. Before he could reach them, the spy let out a dry chuckle, shaking her head. Is the idea of death really that funny to her? Arden pondered. His growing irritation was cut short when Nora grabbed the girl's head and slammed it on the wooden table.

Ela let out a pained cry as Nora raised her elbow behind her back, seizing her into place. Salo almost shrieked as he pushed his chair back, taking a few steps away from the scene. The former princess nearly looked amused as she stared into Ela's half closed eyes.

"Fine," she croaked, pushing the spy back and distancing herself. As they all reluctantly returned to their chairs, Ela cleared her throat and rubbed the back of her head. "I remember something about Musha. Some maps were marked on Karahi, others on the northern borders. I don't know what evidence they were based on, I only looked at the pictures."

"There," Arden sighed, smiling cheekily. "Now was that so hard?"

" 'Musha' is a very vague clue," Ailyn speculated, talking for the first time since they sat in the tavern. "It is a large country. Half of it is water. We need more than that."

"That's all I've got," Ela snapped.

"Gods, give me patience." Arden pinched the bridge of his nose and leaned forward, looking between Ailyn and Ela. "You know what? Whatever you have against each other, say it here. Right now. If this goes on for much longer I'll dump you both in the lake, I guarantee you."

Ailyn rubbed her forehead before she looked at Ela in the eye, raising her chin. "You need to stop insulting others simply out of envy," she smiled provocatively. Arden raised a brow. Since when is she so degrading?

Ela balled her fingers into two tight fists, narrowing her eyes. "You need to stop assuming everyone is jealous of you. Right now, you're nothing."

"So you are jealous of my past, is that it?"

"Yes!" Ela screamed, turning all heads towards her. If the other customers hadn't noticed their previous quarrel, this one undoubtedly caught their attention. Arden's forehead creased as his eyebrows curved. She really went there, huh? The girl cupped her face, breathing out sharply. "How do you not see? You had everything! Your palace, your people, even Kage! Every time I was dragged to those cursed war meetings, all conversations seemed to end with you. Ailyn this, Ailyn that. And everyone listened! Because they cared," she hissed, pointing at Ailyn's startled features. "And now that is all gone. Why? Because you decided that divine power is more important than all of that."

Divine... what?

"Wait," Salo shook his head, echoing Arden's confusion, "what are you saying? What divine--"

"I never had any of that," Ailyn protested, her eyebrows furrowing. "It may have looked like everything was perfect. But I was never more than the Princess of Light to anyone. Not to Kage, not to Seyal. That everything was never mine."

Ela bit the inside of her cheeks. "He loved you."

"He loved my power."

"Oh, Ailyn had the attention of our supreme ruler, the omnipotent Kage Sillich!" Nora cheered sarcastically, clapping her hands. Her features went serious almost immediately after. "Who gives a shit about who that weirdo notices? Elara, dear, I honestly pity you. Mostly because you think that being off this guy's radar is a bad thing." She pointed at her left cheekbone, which was still slightly swollen. "See this? This is what I got for telling him what you just said. All Ailyn was to him was an asset. Be glad you were a nothing."

"Enough with the sentimentalities!" Arden yelled, staring at Ela. His eyes glinted with something more than exhaustion; hope, probably. There really is something more to the artifact than clay. He had doubted Halim Terko before, but now his brain rushed to find an answer. "You mentioned something about... divine power, yes?"

Ela nodded, taking a matter-of-fact expression. "Didn't you know? The Kingfisher is just a vessel. It is said that it contains information on how to become Ascended."

Suddenly, everything seemed to click into place. Why Ailyn ran away, why Kage had that disturbing fixation to get her and the artifact back. Arden felt a drained yet eager smile grow on his lips, which had nearly turned purple from the harsh weather. I'll really never see the Gutter again, Arden realized, a thousand thoughts and plans on his brain. I'll finally be alone. I'm going to be free of the gang.

 Salo shook his head, mouthing a 'what?' to him. But he didn't have time to explain. A tall man in white approached the table, holding a wide plate with what looked like a whole roasted wild boar lying on it. Once he placed it in front of the team, he disappeared into the kitchen, looking back with an almost terrified expression.

"Keep it down now," Arden hissed, the excitement a little too obvious as he grabbed one of the forks that were on the platter and stabbed one of the overcooked boar's legs. "Eat as much as you can. And quit mentioning names. I need details later.

Silence overtook the table. They all ate quietly and fast, the anticipation of having new information hovering over the platter like a ghost. Finally, Arden cried in his head, we finally know something. He didn't want to think about the fact that everyone else knew before them, because it didn't matter; the greatest thing of all was that they were belatedly cooperating for a common cause.

It was not long after that Salo starting coughing violently.

The boy slammed his fist on his chest, leaning towards the table and choking on his food. Trying to talk only made desperate wheezes escape his throat and his face turned a dark shade of blue soon. He clutched his throat, rocking back and forth in silent torment.

Nora shot up from her seat, grabbing Salo's shoulders. "Shit! Does anyone know how to do that weird maneuver we're supposed to perform when someone is choking?"

"Abdominal thrusts?" Arden offered, his heart pounding.

Nora snapped her fingers, giggling slightly. "Yes! Fifty points for you."

"Is anyone going to help him?!" Ailyn screeched, pacing back and forth panicked. Beads of sweat had started forming on her forehead as she pushed back her hair, taking fast breaths in and out. "Gods, help us all!"

"The gods aren't going to do the abdominal thrusts for you," Ela retorted as she grabbed Salo's shoulder, hauling him to his feet. "Stop being so dramatic, you big baby."

Despite her height, Ela managed to perform the maneuver just fine. She reached around his waist, balling her hands in fists and pulling them sharply backward and upward a few times in a row. Soon, Salo drew a large breath and nodded, collapsing on the chair he was previously seated on.

"Are you okay, Canbar?" Arden demanded, grabbing his arm and shaking it.

Salo scrunched his face, nodding slightly before looking around as if he was searching something. To Arden's disgust, he reached into his mouth and pulled a crumbled yellowish stripe out.

"Ew!" Nora exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air. "What the hell is that?"

The boy unwrapped the thin sheet with the tips for his fingers, grimacing as faint ink appeared on its surface. "It's a piece of paper! 'Meet me outside'?" he read, squinting his eyes to make out the next to illegible words hurriedly jotted down.

Arden made a gesture to take it into his hands and examine it, but he pulled his arm back as soon as he remembered where it came from. Instead, he looked around, searching for the potential culprit.

After Salo's accident, almost nobody was around. The men who were previously arm wrestling were now sitting discreetly on a leather couch, keeping to themselves. Most of the travelers were now whispering to themselves, throwing suspicious glances towards the round table Arden had occupied. Any waiters that were previously roaming the tavern, taking orders and serving plates of pungent dishes, had vanished into the kitchen, peeking out occasionally to make sure nobody had died.

The boy turned back to his crew. They all looked either disgusted or uncomfortable, or something in between. Salo pinched the little message, holding out. Nobody seemed too eager to pick it up. "Maybe we should go out?"

"Are you insane?" Nora huffed and pulled his hand down, trying to shield the wet stripe from the other travelers' eyes. "What 'meet me outside' really means is 'come into this dark ditch and let me gut you like a fish'."

 Arden rubbed his head, squeezing his eyes shut. Since the food had come only after they had talked quite indiscreetly about the artifact, a message requesting their presence outside could only be someone who had information -- or perhaps a royal guard ready to arrest them. "What other choice do we have?" he quizzed.

Nora raised her shoulders sharply. "If we don't follow a weird stranger's orders, we just leave and go to Musha as planned. If we do, there's a pretty high chance they'll simply want to kill us after hearing you all yap about a stolen artifact. Why try our luck now?" she muttered, glaring back at the multiple other customers in the tavern.

"Because Musha isn't a real lead," he reiterated Ailyn's accusations, his patience ticking away. "Now let's get the hell out of here before our only hope flies away." 

Nora reluctantly pulled the brown pouch out of her coat, popping two yellow coins on the table and rushing out of the tavern. Ailyn and Ela stayed silent, the ghost of a reticent apology haunting their features. Salo didn't hesitate to jabber away.

"Is this really a good idea? Oh, gods. What if it's just a serial killer looking for preys? There's already been one murder attempt."

"I'm sure whoever put that note in there thought the one who would come across it would have the sense not to put it in their mouth."

It hadn't been long ago that they were wandering in the dark, but the atmosphere behind the tavern somehow felt stiffer. One single lonely lamp above the rusty door illuminated the murk of the night, and the air felt somewhat suffocating. Arden, being the last who exited, kicked the door closed behind them as the crew took hesitant steps out of the building.

"You can come out now," Nora called, a slight quiver in her voice.

Almost immediately, a tall figure dressed in black emerged from the shadows. His hands were buried in his wool coat's pockets as he strolled in a casual pace towards the five, the wide brim of a hat casting a shadow on his features. "I didn't think you would come."

"Neither did I," Arden admitted before stepping towards the person. "What is it?"

Silence. Then, "I heard you talking about the Kingfisher."

Arden raised his brows, nodding slowly. "Not impressive. We were shouting," he corrected.

The man raised his hand, taking off his hat and smiling at the group. An involuntary low hiss escaped Nora. He initially seemed young, but the deep wrinkles and lines decorating his skin betrayed his age. Broad dark circles lined his deep-set eyes and an almost condescending smile seized his lips. "You see, I was a corporal of an important regiment in the Seyali army. Today I was dismissed."

"How tragic. And let me guess, you're looking for drinking buddies?"

The former corporal laughed, shaking his head. He reached into his pocket, pulling out one gold coin and holding it up, examining it thoroughly. "I harbor a lot of rage for the man who deprived me of my job. I would not say Kage Sillich is the calmest and most rational of commanders. Then again, this is still my country."

Ela broke her long silence, grinding her teeth. "What are you getting at?"

"Whenever there is a difficult decision to make, I tend to trust lady luck. Should I tell you what I know or should I inform the guards inside the tavern something is wrong?"

Arden was skeptical. That man had nothing to gain from giving away a secret, or from giving them away. Well, except for a sense of justice, perhaps. This has to be a trap, he pondered, taking a step back from the smiling man.

As if he had read his mind, the man shrugged. "Revenge. I want revenge." He balanced the shiny coin on his thumb, and maintaining his provocative grin, he cocked his head to the side. 

"Head or tails?"

***

Oof, midweek update? I don't know her.

I don't believe there are many active readers, we're almost at 400! Wow~

I honestly feel like nothing has happened in this chapter, probably because I wrote it over many days haha. I mean so much has happened in the past few chapters that we just need a b r e a k okay just know that a storm is coming

I want my 3 readers to know that there could be no update next week. I'll be super busy up until Sunday, so I do not guarantee anything ;)

Thank you for reading ♥ Please consider voting and commenting, it helps me a ton!

PUBLISH DATE — 19/06/24

EDIT DATES — 19/07/04 | 19/07/11 | 19/07/15