The man responded with a loud, miserable and yet careless sigh, but agreed to help.
He directed me into the right route and I soon found a large cathedral in the middle of the city clearing, surrounded by other homes and workshops.
The skies were alive as thunder rumbled in the distance, rolling across the clouds.
Making my way through various crowds of unpleasant people, I finally reached the grand cathedral door, giving three loud knocks, equally spaced, and waited for the door to open. It wasn’t long until the door swung open and a… uh... rather stocky man wearing a brown robe showed his face, merely peering through the crack.
“Yes? Are you in need of my help?” the man asked politely with a warming grin puffing his cheeks.
“Er, yes, in fact I am.”
“Then how can I be of assistance?” I took a deep breath and met the man’s eyes.
“I am looking for someone. You might know her. Carlaylin?”
The man’s eyes widened, but soon recollected himself and calmed down. Though, he seemed sceptic and rather unsure of my true intentions. I was kept under a cautious eye.
“Why yes, I do know her. And, uh, who are you?”
His eyes narrowed and he leaned in closer. I noticed his hand trembling, but I reassured him that I meant no harm.
“I am Terrowin Belanos, son of the Great Commander, Rowan Belanos, and apprentice of the one you might know as Merlin the Fifth and or Merlin the Great.”
It clearly helped the man to understanding and reassurance. The tension eased and he seemed more welcoming and openhearted to my cause. He extended a hand.
“Ah, I am truly pleased to meet you. Brother Deodonatus, at your service.”
Our hands shook.
“Uh, want to come in?” Deodonatus timidly gestured to the inside, but I denied.
“I thank you for your kind offer, but I cannot accept for I am only here to ask questions and seek answers.”
“Ah, of course.” All of a sudden his expression turned to concern.
“Wait! You said Merlin sent you…?”
“Yes, that is correct.”
“I thought you were dead!”
“Uh...”
“No matter now. I am glad you are here and I will be glad to help.” I scratched my head, fairly bewildered. Who knows what Carlaylin has been telling them about me?
Quite frankly, I was too scared to ask or even think about it.
“Is she is all right?”
Deodonatus looked rather hesitant on answering.
“Not completely. You should know that she came here in a great crises state, accompanied by one of my associates, apprentice in better terms, though I haven’t seen or heard from him in about three years, but enough about him. This girl was not able to walk and infected by a deadly sickness. I tried to do the best I could, honestly I did, but found her dead only a few days after.”
I was sure my heart stopped when he said those words. I had no idea how to reply or react. I felt as my heart tore into pieces, weighed down to the very soles of my boots. I felt as all hope and spirit drained from my person, but the monk continued his story.
“But don’t worry. For some strange reason I simply can’t explain, she awoke after a few days, able to walk. I found it impossible and hard to believe, but there she was… alive and well after an incurable illness. I saw it with my own eyes. I think that’s something only my apprentice can explain, but yet… perhaps it is the will of grace…?”
He raised his gaze to the clouded heavens, raising his hands in praise.
“Forgive my curiosity, but what is his name? Your apprentice.”
“Adrian Colay.”
I asked the kind man of Carlaylin’s whereabouts and found him able to gladly answer to my query. He answered, but gave me somewhat of an unexpected answer... almost shocking. It had me on edge. He told me that she would be at the arena right about now. I found it hard to believe, but there was one thing I’ve learned from all my years of experience, and that was to always believe monks… trust me.
I thanked Brother Deodonatus for his time and took my leave, searching for the arena, but stopped when passing a tavern. I was parched and determined to get a drink before doing anything else. My hood was good in hiding my identity in case someone would recognise me as Rowan Belanos’ son.
I noticed the tavern to be quite crowded. People enjoyed themselves with tales, mugs of mead and liquor and flirting with women. It almost reminded me of that one moment at Borin’s little party. A lute played somewhere nearby for entertainment of song and some even found the desire to jollily sing along. At the far end of the small tavern was a platform accompanied by a single step. The bar area stood on that platform. The seats were empty but for one girl sitting restfully with her cheek resting gently on the palm of her hand, waiting for her next drink.
I moved in closer, trying to make my way through the barbaric crowd and stepped onto the platform. My anticipations were confirmed.
It was no one else but the Carlaylin I knew. I couldn’t help but smile, relieved and joyful, my search ending as a success. She was there, alive and… well… she looked quite pale with dark circles underneath her eyes, but I was sure it would recover with time.
It was obvious that she had clearly suffered a great deal…
She wore the same clothes when I first met her at Santaria, shoulder blade and sword and all. To me she still looked like the same girl I knew before the mines.
I walked closer, titling my head. Coming in too close, she must’ve seen and recognised me. I never expected her to withdraw her dagger and rapidly holding me in a tight locked grip, her dagger’s piercing blade pressed against my throat.
It all happened so fast, but I must say that her reflexes seemed to have improved incredibly, nothing reassuring for me at the moment though.
“Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t kill you on the spot,” she spat through gritted teeth.
“Because I know you wouldn’t dare to risk it. You don’t have the heart.”
She tightened her grip on my arm.
“Try me!” I closed my eyes with dignity and gave in, saying, “Go ahead then.”
I waited for a dagger to slit my throat, but nothing happened. Instead Carlaylin furiously let go of me in the form of a push and sat back on the bar chair, sharpening the dagger on the wooden bar table, leaving behind only damaging cuts and scrapes.
I took the risk and sat on the chair next to hers.
“You have changed since the last time I saw you.”
Carlaylin shot me a hateful look, holding out her dagger and pressing the tip of the blade to my neck.
“Obvious?”
She took a moment to stare silently at me before lowering the weapon.
“Oh, no, working in the mines for three months doesn’t change you at all. In fact, I quite enjoyed being hit with a whip repeatedly and having a deadly incurable deceases.”
I guess sarcasm was her new way of telling me to ‘drop dead’. She turned her gaze back to the bar table and continued sharpening her blade.
“By the second month I actually wished I was dead,” she mumbled to herself, not specifically trying to draw my attention.
“I can explain all of this.”
“Sure you can.”
Carlaylin stood, grabbed her crutches and gradually started making her way to the step on the other side of the platform near the hanging lantern. Seeing her like this truly gave me the idea of the circumstance she was in. I had absolutely no idea that the agony within her was this dreadful. I admit that I actually pity her.
I acted fast and stopped her by grabbing her by the arm. Thereafter I stood.
“Just leave me alone, would you? I never want to see you again. Got it?”
She tried to pull away, but I didn’t let go of my grip. She gave me a glare.
“I’m not letting go.”
“Well, you have to or I’ll frea
king whack you with my stick!” I dropped my gaze, but soon met her eyes again.
“I didn’t realise how much pain I have cost you. And I assure you that I tried everything to get you out of there. I even tried to prove your innocence. I did everything I could, I swear, until I had no choice but to pay them to release you. I worked all three months, day and night, to come up with the money to pay them to set you free. Even with my arm in that state, but hard labour did not pay well enough, though I tried to get you out of there as quickly as possible. I am truly sorry.”
By the time I ended my apology, her lips quivered and her eyes glistened. The anger in her eyes was vivid.
“You don’t know what it’s like in there. It’s hell! I’m pretty sure it scarred me for life. Ever since then I had endless nightmares and I’m pretty sure that I will never be able to fully recover.”
I let go of her arm as she reeled away.
“It’s all my fault. I know... But… But I couldn’t keep on fighting. If I did, they would’ve either killed me and or taken me into custody for defying the guard. They would’ve recognised who I am. And I would’ve been taken away. For good. And then who would be left to help you out of those mines? Believe me, the very same happened to my Uncle Jerry once. I told them that he was innocent, but they refused to believe me and ended up arresting us both. If my uncle wasn’t so rich, then I don’t know how we would’ve gotten out of that situation… I couldn’t risk it. I tried to break into the mines. I tried an escape tunnel. I studied maps of Suntaria to see which catacombs might lead into the mines. I tried contacting Borin myself. Nothing seemed to work, so I worked for a wage. As my arm healed, I resided to higher extremes. I swam Suntaria’s waterways. I tried breaking through the bars to get into the mines’ water canals. You have no idea what I’ve done. And nothing will ever make up for that lost time, I know, but if there is one thing I do know: I will never leave your side ever again, even if you threaten to kill me. I’ll stay. I’ll walk to the ends of the earth and back with you and for you, even if it kills me. I’ll spend three months on the Snowy Blue Mountains without something to keep me warm to prove my remorse. I’ll get hit by a horse carriage. I’ll jump off the master’s tower. Heck, I even came all the way from Suntaria in search for no one other than you.”
Carlaylin looked speechless. She couldn’t utter single word. She only stood there, though I could see her anger subside and fall to mild realisation. A single tear unwillingly left her eye, but she didn’t break. She didn’t give in to emotion. She bit down on her lip, closed her eyes tightly and shot her gaze up to face the ceiling. She let go of a single breath.
After a moment of deep thought, she took a deep breath, tossed the crutches aside and fell into my arms, embracing me, clutching me firmly in her grasp. I was surprised. I didn’t quite expect something like this. I was pretty sure that she would never let go, but I couldn’t care less. I returned the favour and my arms hesitantly folded around her.
You did it… You made things right again. Good.
I could feel the faint shake at her shoulders as she sobbed softly in my shoulder. I comforted her.
I rested my chin on her shoulder.
“I’m sorry… I’m sorry,” she said, forcing her words. I swear I even saw a tear leaving the bartender’s eye.
“No, I’m the one that should be sorry.”
Within the dark nooks and crannies and dark shades and sorrow of the Dark City, Morrowburg… I found hope.
***
“You tell this to anyone and I swear I’ll kill you right on the spot,” Carlaylin said as she crossed her arms and sat back in her chair, blowing the fringe out of her face.
“Trust me, I wouldn’t take the chance.”
I looked at the mug in front of me.
We were sitting at one of the rounded wooden tables near the steps, still in the exact same tavern. A torch was mounted to the wall next to us, shedding a bright light alongside the old rusted chandelier creaking above and the small candle situated in the middle of our table.
The noise of the tavern was great as everyone were completely engrossed in conversation and arguments of their own.
Carlaylin uncaringly rested her feet on the table, arms still folded.
“Tell me, Terrowin. How do you know that Borin guy in the first place?”
I focused my gaze on the mug and sighed. Our eyes locked. I decided to tell her for what she asked for, yet mostly summing it all up, for it wasn’t something I was so keen on reliving again.
“Ah, that explains quite a lot.” Carlaylin studied her nails before turning her gaze to me.
“Perhaps I haven’t been completely honest with you as well.”
I gave a questioning frown.
“What do you mean?”
Carlaylin pursed her lips and lowered her hand. “Well, that little stunt you pulled, almost got me killed. It landed me in the Realm of the Void.”
I leaned in closer, eager to hear what else she had to say. And so we exchanged our stories about what occurred in each other’s absence. I must admit that hers was something out of the ordinary and quite shocking. It was something hard to take in, a rock to swallow, but soon enough I came to terms with it.
After all that, Carlaylin gave me a scheming crooked half-smile, taking her feet off the table for a change. Her one eyebrow’s mysterious curve improved the effect greatly. I cocked my head in pure curiosity as I watched her and the ideas that rushed in and out of her busy head, a mind unable to break or be silenced.
Carlaylin sat up straight and leaned in closer.
“Money?”
I raised an eyebrow.
“What?”
“Ysellian Artums. How many did you earn within those three months?” I knitted my eyebrows at her thoughts. What has she become? It had me realizing just how much I actually missed the old Carlaylin. Yet, I made the mistake in actually answering.
“About six hundred Artums.”
Carlaylin smirked.
“Nice.” She looked around and finally came to her senses.
“Come on, Terri. Let’s go.” She immediately stood and grabbed her crutches, exiting the tavern thereafter, leaving me alone for but a minute to myself. I crossed my arms and let my thoughts freely rush in.
I sat quietly, leaned back in my chair and folded both my arms across my chest. I couldn’t help but give a single chuckle.
“Terri?” I shook my head, enjoying the humour. “New nickname then, eh?”
CHAPTER 29
SAFETY PROMISED,
DANGER ACQUIRED
TERROWIN
Carlaylin told me all about what Brother Deodonatus had said and I must say that I was absolutely shocked with the information of the artefact’s whereabouts, but the frightening idea soon died down.
The master sent us to retrieve the Star, and I wasn’t about to shirk my duties.
We were walking down the wet, widened streets of dark cobblestone. The rain wasn’t about to subside soon and hammered down at the city, pittering and pattering at rooftops and wildly running down the gutters.
The thunder kept on rumbling as the dark hanging clouds kept an ominous watch over the city. I walked side by side with Carlaylin clinging to my arm to keep her balance. Even though she so clearly needed more time to recover, she didn’t show it. Her will to carry on was too strong, but her stances and sauntering have improved. She really did heal fast, especially after the right care Deodonatus had given her back at the cathedral.
She was at the point where she didn’t need her crutches anymore. She tossed them away, accidentally hitting another man over the head on its way down.
She claimed that she wouldn’t need them anymore… but I could still feel her heavy weight pressing down on my arm.
I still wore my silk black cloak and hood, but I must say that I was a little worried about Carlaylin.
“Doesn’t the rain bother you?” I asked curiously.
She sh
ot me a glance.
“Nope. In fact, I’m actually quite enjoying it.”
I left her to her own opinion and walked on, but we soon came to a stop, marvelling at the arena ahead. It was a good number of paces away from where we stood.
Morrowburg was about the only city that had an arena like this.
Carlaylin, on the other hand, seemed most impressed with the stadium.
“Would you just look at this place?” she marvelled.
The arena was massive and built in a circular form. It had quite a lot of entrances at the bottom level and what looked like bent, iron spikes emerged from the top. Like expected, the arena was built of dark stone, capable of withstanding any temperatures and weather that forced against it. It was a threatening, ominous and eerie, but great site.
“Are you sure this is a good idea?” I asked, somewhat apprehended of her hastily made decisions.
“No.” Carlaylin paused to take a deep breath. With her eyes still focused on the arena, she said, “But I need to.” I knew I would never forgive myself if something were to happen to her... again.
“Let me do it instead. I shall fight in your place.” Carlaylin shot me a doubted look.
“You know that weapons are validated and magic is strictly forbidden, right?”
“Err, on second thought, come to think of it, you will make a more worthy opponent. They’ll never see it coming.”
She snorted teasingly and rolled her eyes.
I tried to think of another approach to this and soon came across one.
“Can’t we rather go with plan B?” Carlaylin looked puzzled.
“What plan B?” I looked around to see that we were out of earshot from any wanderers dwelling the streets, eager to pick up on some new schemes.
“I’m talking about going in and stealing the artefacts ourselves.”
She sighed.
“No, it will surely get us on the wanted list and ruin our chances of moving freely throughout the kingdom. Besides, I promised Deodonatus that I wouldn’t and I’m not planning on breaking my vows.” I sighed and didn’t argue. Though I would rather go with this option, I needed to accept the fact that she was right.
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