Encounter in an Alley
Elias motioned for them to duck into a dark alley a few minutes after they left the Gatehouse. After following him for some time, they were nicely wedged in what could charitably be described as a chasm between two buildings.
"So what's this about Elias?" Vordea said with a smile. "Normally I wouldn't with an audience but I can make an exception."
"We got time for that later." Elias said dismissively, causing Vordea to blush slightly. "They clearly knew who you were at the Gate, which means you have a document you didn't show me."
Elias immediately started going through Vordea's pockets, but she immediately grabbed his hand. Only her demons were allowed to be that forward with her.
"I don't think so." Vordea said, admonishing him. "That's no way to treat a lady."
"Okay Mira I get the picture. Please let go." Elias said, trying to shake his hand out of her vice like grip.
"Your dishonesty is why he even tried that, you know." Francisco said. "Why don't you just start telling us the truth?"
"I wish I could, but I can't tell either of you." Vordea said quietly, as she slowly released her grip on Elias, who rubbed his wrist. "You're not ready if I told you now."
"Why aren't we ready?" Francisco asked. Elias stood quietly, looking at Vordea.
"Elias will... be somebody important." Vordea said, knowing she can't tell him he's the next High Priest. Not yet at least. "And if I told you, you'd tell Elias. You'd promise you wouldn't. You'd try really hard. But you would."
"Somebody important?" Elias asked, intrigued now.
"See if you can fuck the answer out of me tonight, loverboy." Vordea said, kissing him on the cheek.
"Oh? Is that a promise?" Elias asked, grinning. "What about the boy?"
"We'll find him a nice girl at the Inn." Vordea said, patting Francisco on the shoulder.
As Elias and Vordea laughed, Francisco motioned for them to be silent. "There's somebody crying. Somebody is beating them."
"Where?" Vordea whispered.
"End of the alley, make a right." Francisco said, after closing his eyes to focus on the sound.
"Wait here, boy. Elias, with me." Vordea said, inching her way down the narrow alley, barely wide enough to walk.
Vordea reached the end of the alley and peered around the corner. As little danger as she was in, she still wanted to at least pretend to be mortal. In a secluded square, 3 dwarves had an elf surrounded, who was laying on the ground sobbing as they continued to punch and kick her.
"Please, I didn't do anything!" The elf sobbed.
"That's the problem with these knife ears, they're all liars!" One of the dwarves said as he gave a swift kick to her stomach. The other 2 dwarves laughed in response as the beating continued.
"Somebody... help." The elf sobbed.
"There's our cue, Mira. Come on." Elias said, pushing past her and into the square. Vordea followed shortly behind him, impressed at how closely to her teachings he already was.
"Hoy, fuck off humies." One of the dwarves said. "This is between us and the knife ear."
"That makes it about us." Vordea said, the venom in her voice practically dripping out of her mouth. "I'll give you one chance. Walk away." Vordea continued, pulling Dungar's cutlass out of her belt, and tossing it between her hands.
Elias nodded, his hands already crackling with lightning. "On my honour, I will cut you down where you stand."
The first dwarf turned to look at his companions, only to find them already gone, all too eager to give up when faced with a fair fight.
"This isn't over!" He shouted as he followed them down the alley, leaving Elias and Vordea alone with the elf.
Deciding to let the 3 dwarves flee with their pathetic lives intact, Vordea and Elias turned their attention toward the elf in a heap on the pavement. Elias knelt down to check for wounds and leapt up immediately.
"Mira, she's got a goddamn sword through her. She's gonna die if we don't get her to a priest." Elias said, slightly frantic.
"She won't last that long. You're going to do it." Vordea replied, knowing exactly which spell he had to use.
"I can't! Creation magic is one of the few schools I can't do!" Elias argued.
"Like hell you can't." Vordea answered, knowing she already empowered his soul days ago. "Here, kneel next to me and repeat after me. You're going to use my mana reserves to cast this."
"Why can't you cast it?" Elias asked, as he knelt next to the elf with Vordea.
"I... can't use mortal magic. That's something I actually will explain later." Vordea answered, dodging the question. "Now repeat after me. Einsam."
"Einsam." Elias said, and both he and Francisco gasped as the entire square became bathed in blue light.
"Good. Now, We the wicked mortals beseech the God of Death for her guidance in this time of need." Vordea said, continuing.
"We, the wicked mortals, beseech the God of Death for her guidance in this time of need." Elias continued, speaking evenly. He hadn't cast a spoken word spell since he was a child, so this was somewhat new to him.
"If this is her fate so be it, but if it is not give me the providence to heal these wounds." Vordea finished, a smile on her face. Won't Eigengrau be surprised, she thought to herself.
"If this is her fate, so be it, but if it is not, give me the providence to heal these wounds." Elias finished, his eyes closed and focusing on the spell.
"Open your eyes, Mr. Malliot." Vordea said. "Your hands."
Elias opened his eyes and to his shock, they were glowing a soft yellow, almost golden. Understanding immediately what to do, he pulled the sword from the elf's stomach, and the wound closed in seconds. As the elf's breathing returned to normal, the blue glow in the square faded, and the Goddess of Death stepped out of the shadows.
"Care to explain?" Eigengrau asked, looking directly at Vordea.
"No." Vordea replied, smiling and raising her eyebrows.
"As frustrating as ever. Fine." Eigengrau said, leaving immediately.
"Was that-" Elias began to say.
"Eigengrau, the Goddess of Death? Yes. Yes it was." Vordea answered, cutting off Elias and nodding her head. "You can come out now boy, it's quite safe."
Francisco dashed out from the alley he was peering out of, and ran over to Elias and Vordea. "What was that spell he cast?"
"A very special spell called Einsam. It can save anyone from anything, as long as they were not fated to die that day." Vordea explained, patting Francisco on the head, much to his annoyance.
"I sense a however in that sentence. What aren't you telling us?" Elias asked, looking over the sword that was in the elf.
"Eigengrau has to personally approve the usage of the spell." Vordea finished. "The Great Hunter of the Deep will come and judge if the target is worthy."
"You're doing that thing again." Francisco said as he checked on the elf. "Where you say titles nobody has ever heard of."
"We'll have time to be suspicious of Mira later, let's get our new friend to the Inn with us." Elias said, as he and Vordea lifted her up. Noticing she was unconscious, Vordea motioned for her to be placed on her back.
"It'll be less suspicious if I'm carrying her, Elias. Come on." Vordea said.
Francisco looked around as they left the secluded square, unable to shake the feeling someone was watching them. After they left, Eigengrau stepped back out of the shadows.
"Just what is she up to?" She asked to nobody in particular, before disappearing again.