B6 Chapter 4: A Rumor

“For me…” she repeated slowly.

“Indeed.” I glanced at the ceiling and saw the network of runes continue to change into a pink hue as it spread closer to the door. Line by line, it was falling under my control while adding to a growing static in my head. I shunted the mental load toward Galarion and cleared my throat. “In fact, it’s rather annoying that it took this much effort to find you. If this didn’t work out, I was going to sink your ship.”

Ellena, the Chained Lady, and Rigger’s captain stood in silence as she watched me wearily. Her emotions bled through her aura, the swirling mixture of silver and grey darkening as she processed my words.

“I see,” she said. Ellena returned to her chair and sat down with her hands folded in her lap, giving off the air of a proper lady. “May I ask why?”

Memories flashed. A particular one came to the forefront as I relived the memory.

We were standing in a border village, one that reached the coast and was about a three-week journey from Soluve. It was decently large and filled with trade as it had multiple ships from the port city docked in its waters. It sported a local dungeon nearby that helped supply the adventuring needs of a village and ensured its trade network remained profitable.

None of that mattered, as we weren’t there for trade. 

I shrank the memory using the new meditation exercise taught to me by Eraztis. I pictured the memory being wrapped in an orb and shrunk into a glowing ball. Then I chucked it away back into the sea of stars where it rested, adding another dot to the void.

Letting my voice resonate with the air, I let a slip of mana into my throat and stared directly at the captain. She didn’t bulk, but her aura fluctuated as she minutely adjusted her posture.

“You have something I want, and unlike last time, I’m not letting you get away without giving it to me.”

The rune on the ceiling flickered as I allowed it to slip, adding to the atmosphere. The captain’s emotions were strong enough to bleed out and I could taste the apprehension. It was strangely sour yet sweet.

“We’ve met,” she stated.

In response, I changed my mask to that of a wolf with bright green colors. I waited for the appropriate expression through her eyes and wasn’t disappointed. The captain sucked in a breath.

“We have. A deal was supposed to be made, but a certain someone ran with their tails between their legs. You managed to get away, that time.”

“So it’s you,” she sighed. “I had a feeling that we made a mistake. But I listened to the warnings of my crew. They said you were dangerous, critical. That trying to divine you was enough to make them weep blood.”

“Flattery gets you nowhere,” I said coolly.

She lowered her head in another bow. “My apologies, I was not trying to manipulate you.” I remained silent letting the awkward pause grow. Eventually, she caved first as she raised her chin and kept her eyes direct but without emotion. “Whatever it is you desire, I am willing to sacrifice it if it means you leave my crew and ship alone. Be it my services, my body or treasures. It is yours.”

I shook my head. This is why the crew members under Ellena were so devoted. Why someone like Rigger treated her like a goddess in his own head. 

I let disdain drip into my voice and scoffed. “Is that so?”

“Yes.”

“Have you no pride?”

“I value my life and theirs above all else.”

“I see.”

Sighing, I stood up. With a wave of my hand, I stretched the tendrils around my fingers and grabbed at the dagger still embedded in the den boss’s palm. It ripped out of the meat and settled comfortably around the side of my arm, appearing as if it were hovering in the air on its own.

The captain followed my movements and only tightened as I stopped next to the unconscious oni. My tail flicked and came to a rest with the point an inch from her neck. Next, I tossed the dagger and it landed with a thunk at the captain’s feet.

“Two months ago, you returned to Sedetra village. Crew members of yours were seen boasting at a tavern about rumors from the southern continent. Rumors that their captain had even managed to secure top secret information about an anomaly that appeared two months prior. They praised you well, captain.”

“I remember,” she said. “A rival captain tipped off the guards about false merchandise. I made the decision to leave after my diviner gave their report. We were then attacked by a crazed berserker and beset by lightning despite the clear skies.”

I repressed my annoyance, remembering the ship speeding away. For all my abilities, I wasn’t able to catch up.

“Smart to use your chains as lightning rods. Rather annoying, actually. But yes, you ran away with information I needed,” I continued.

“Is that what you are after?” she asked.

“Correct. I don’t give a shit what you do with your body. I want to know if those rumors are true. And if they are, how to get to that island.”

My tail tipped closer to the oni’s neck and I waited. It didn’t take long for the captain’s emotions to settle as she squared her shoulders and nodded.

“An island off the Rumblegrad coast. Approximately a week’s travel, depending on the weather. It’s part of an island chain, less frequented but with its own trade as the rear special flora on the island do to the dungeon nearby.”

I pushed the tip of my tail to the oni’s neck, drawing a bead of blood. “I don’t care about the excess details. Get on with it.”

She nodded stiffly and continued. “Four months ago, something strange happened to their dungeon. A monster surge appeared on a half moon. Thankfully for them, some adventurers were visiting and they teamed up with the local guards to eliminate the spill over from the dungeon break. The adventuring guild managed to send a team into the dungeon and they discovered a change. Somewhere on the fifth floor, the great lake inside had frozen over. Supposedly the figure of a muscular man with blue skin was seen inside. They tried to investigate closer, but the dungeon summoned monsters from the ocean and they were forced back.”

I breathed in and then out, keeping tight control of my mana. 

“What happened next?”

“The guild was forced into a retreat. Once they exited, they found the dungeon had sealed itself as the portal shifted into a pink hue. From there, the dungeon continues to spew enraged monsters every night.”

That was… interesting. Different, but something didn’t sit right.

“Why is this information being guarded? Protocol states the guild sends for help to stop dungeon outbreaks.”

Ellena adjusted her mask as she avoided looking at my tail. “The kingdom of Terracka has overtaken the guild and locked it down. The island is officially closed off from trade while they have their own teams guarding the dungeon.”

My eyes narrowed. The adventuring guild was its own entity. With enough force to rival kingdoms if what I remember from Brelten’s lessons. While adventuring guilds tried to follow local laws, they governed their own and didn’t take lightly to interference. To do something as crazy as overthrowing their guild could mean annexing from an entire kingdom. 

All kingdoms relied on adventurers, both for commerce, protection and exploration.

“I see,” I stated.

While the information about the kingdom was interesting, I didn’t care. The guild could handle their own thing, and the kingdom could suffer from their own stupidity. What mattered was the rumors–the anomaly. 

“What did he look like? How tall, how muscular. Hair color? Was there a sword?”

I pressed forward and leaned in close. The captain recoiled at the staccato of questions and her mana flared but she reigned it in.

She shook her head. “Unknown. Only the members of the first expedition would know.”

I wanted to growl. The anger started to bubble inside. It sounded too good to be true, a coincidence and yet I was being blocked from knowing the truth. 

Again!

Breathing in and then out, I pressed the anger thin and leaned back.

“Two fucking months of chasing you down, and all you have to show is a rumor,” I stated. Behind my back, shadows darkened as my familiar chuckled darkly. A vertical, ghostly maw formed behind me, just barely visible before it faded. “Is that all you know? Is that the truth?”

The unflappable, the cold lady, the captain of chains. She remained physically calm, no outward movements, as if she was a statue. But on the inside? I tasted the complex web of emotions she held within and watched her aura churn.

“I stand by what I said earlier. Be it my body, my services, or my riches. They are yours if it means you spare my crew and me,” she whispered.

“Is that so?”

“Yes.”

I pulled the shadows back and returned my mask to default, letting a fanged smile grow wide. “Good. Then let’s ensure that, shall we?”

The captain blinked and then looked down at the dagger. “How?”

I had to hand it to her; she didn’t sound afraid. Tough bitch.

I leaned forward. “Simple. We’ll bind it with a contract. You can’t lie without risking destroying your soul.”

The captain’s hands tightened. Mana pooled near her waist, but it retracted in a constant battle between wanting to surge forth and hold tight. When Ellena matched my gaze and looked past the demented smile on my mask, her eyes were steel.

“I accept. How do we begin?”

I closed my eyes briefly and pinged Galarion. He pulled up information and memories, bringing me back to knowledge I plundered four months prior. The process repeated in my mind, and I made adjustments using my own experience, basing them on the active contract I still held with Syrreisha and the healer’s guild.

It was an untested avenue to weave mana, but I was confident in the information. 

Opening my eyes, I glanced at the dagger. “Pick it up and then listen to my instructions. Mess around, and I take her life. Understood?”

The captain’s gaze flickered to her first mate. Her eyes were heavy but still determined. “I do.”

“Good. Begin.”