A Soldier's Life - 452 - I Know People (edited 9-9-25 +200 words)

Chapter 452:

We sank together to the sea floor, maybe a hundred feet down, but not deep enough to lose the light of the sun. Small fish darted away from us as we touched down in the sand. Fenlorian's gaze remained above, fixed on the outline of the ship drifting away from us. I tried to drag him along, but he resisted. He wanted to ensure the ship sank, or perhaps he sought to reclaim something in the cargo when it did. I didn’t know his mind, but staying was dangerous.

Baelira agreed and pulled me, motioning for us to head toward Sanctuary. At least one of us had enough orientation to know which direction Sanctuary was. We watched as the two other ship hulls came alongside while water flooded the sinking ship. Grapples were thrown, and the sinking ship was anchored to prevent it from sinking completely. The hole I made in the hull wasn’t big enough to sink it quickly. Fenlorian started to unbuckle his armor. I shook my head, trying to show him it was useless. Hopefully, the shadow demon was dead because going back to the surface would be suicide. At least the books for the world gates construction should be burned—if they were all on that ship.

Reluctantly, Fenlorian began walking with us along the sandy bottom and between the reefs on volcanic rock. Baelira refreshed the water-breathing spell as needed while we moved toward Sanctuary. It was a surreal world after the fight, with colorful fish, eels, crabs, and even small sharks came to check out the armored aliens invading their territory. Moving through the water was slow because swimming was too cumbersome with our armor, so it was slow plodding steps in the sand.

We had a sense of urgency since the remaining Sentinels still needed to deal with the lich emperor. Sunken bodies of the soulless in their chain mail armor dotted the floor as we approached Sanctuary. Climbing out of the water, we saw Sentinels with bows aimed at us. “High Sentinel! You are alive?” one exclaimed excitedly.

“I’m alive too,” Baelira muttered under her breath as excited shouts of the High Sentinel’s survival echoed through the cavern.

The High Sentinel was met with fanfare as he stood in the cavern. “Not all of us made it,” the High Sentinel said heatedly, silencing the assembled weary men and women. Fenlorian pushed back the crowd as he climbed to a vantage point to look back at the ships in the distance. “Did one of the ships burn and sink?” he questioned harshly while salt water dripped off him.

“One ship was aflame, but the Nashasari did manage to stop it,” a Sentinel replied. Fenlorian growled and looked into the distance, where six sails could be seen. I raised my spyglass and quickly assessed the situation. The two ships that had tried to rescue the burning ship had only delayed its sinking. The hull was deep in the water and would likely be scuttled soon, but it was clear they had a chance to salvage anything that didn’t burn in the hold.

I scanned the decks for the shadow demon but saw no sign of it. Dozens of Nashasari were scrambling over all three ships while the other three ships in the fleet waited a short distance away. That left one ship unaccounted for. I handed the spyglass to the disgusted High Sentinel.

“What of the lich emperor?” I asked, which caused Fenlorian to turn to hear the answer.

“His body was destroyed, but the price was heavy. Lepidus said he was forced to incarnate in a phylactery back on the isle,” a Sentinel reported.

I looked and did not see Lepidus in this crowd. Everyone was murmuring while they waited for their leader to give orders. The spyglass was eventually passed back to me, and in a whisper only I could hear, he muttered, “The shadow demon lives.” Fenlorian stormed up the stairs without giving any orders.

I brought the spyglass back up and scanned the decks. The sinking ship was causing the two support ships to list, and they would have to cut it loose or it would capsize them. On the stern of one of the ships, a young, large Nashasari stared back at Sanctuary with malice. I couldn’t be certain, but like Fenlorian, I could feel that the shadow demon had possessed this new host.

I remained watching the ships as the Sentinels were at a loss about what to do with their leader storming away, and most of his council now dead. I didn’t even realize that Baelira was still at my side when I lowered the spyglass as the grappling lines were finally cut, and the waves finally consumed the ship.

“Do you think I will have to go investigate the wreck?” Baelira asked me as I slid the spyglass into the leftmost belt pouch.

“I think they took everything they could. There were dozens of Nashasari swarming over those ships, but Fenlorian will probably want it confirmed.” I said, looking at the elf. Her hair was stiff but dry from seawater.

Baelira slowly nodded. “What are you going to do now?” she asked.

“Tell Bleiz and Evie I am alive, and then go to the baths,” I replied seriously.

“A bath doesn’t sound like a terrible idea,” Baelira said thoughtfully.

The Castellan chose that moment to arrive at the docks. He looked over the Sentinels milling about, numb in the aftermath. “I need these bodies hauled outside and burned! And I need two teams to start sweeping for enemy survivors!”

Baelira, two Sentinels, and I were part of the team tasked with searching for Brotherhood and soulless ghouls hiding on the third level. The ghouls were plentiful on the lower level, as once the lich emperor was slain, they were free from being controlled and wandered aimlessly.

We only encountered four living Nashasari; three were crippled, while the fourth appeared to have gotten trapped in a storeroom when shelves collapsed. It allowed me to harvest a few essences. Baelira covered for me while I used the collector, and I gave her a lesser constitution and lesser endurance essence, while I took a lesser endurance and lesser reasoning essence for myself.

After we dragged the bodies to the stairwell for others to drag them down the stairs and outside so they could be burned, I made my way to the plateau. Night had fallen, but the Sentinels still moved mechanically to do repairs and clean up. The Repository was in a terrible state. Not only had the archives been looted, but many books had been stacked and burned in malice. There was just too much for the Nashasari to destroy everything, but they had certainly tried. Ironically, they might have succeeded if the lich emperor hadn’t taken objection to the Nashasari raiding the world gate knowledge.

The levels above the Repository were clear of damage, but hastily assembled defenses still remained on the landings as I climbed to the plateau. I found Jalorien on the plateau, still organizing the defense in case the undead returned. I headed to my room to find Blaze sleeping in my chair next to the bed and Evie sleeping in the bed. Blaze stirred as I entered. “We heard you made it through unscathed.”

“I would have returned sooner, but we were clearing floors of the last of the undead,” I said as I stripped off my boots and still-wet socks. I held up my hand to indicate that Blaze could keep my chair, and I would take his.

Evie stirred and sat up. “Did you kill the lich emperor?” She asks drowsily.

Before I could reply, Blaze said, concerned, “Tell him.”

Evie looked at me. “I could feel him when he entered Sanctuary…and I think he could feel me. The mark protected me, but his presence was…overwhelming. I felt the edge of his thoughts.”

I stopped taking off my boots, apprehensive. “Was he trying to control you?”

“No. More like introduce himself. His thoughts eventually got turbulent and angry,” Evie said slowly.

“That was likely when the Brotherhood betrayed him,” I said unsympathetically. “Did you feel the lich emperor after he died?”

“I felt him being yanked far away—his voice faded rapidly away. I think that is when he died,” she said. She was taking this remarkably well after being mentally assaulted by a 2000-year-old lich.

“Yes. That was probably when his body was destroyed, and he was forced into a phylactery back on the Isle of the Dead.” I started putting my boots back on.

“Where are you going?” they both asked in unison.

“I am going to get something to eat and head to the showers,” I said as my stomach agreed with the plan by growling. “You two rest. We can talk tomorrow.” I removed the surefootedness ring and returned my ring of sustenance to its rightful place. It was still going to take a week to reacclimate to the ring, and in the meantime, I was going to need to eat—a lot.

In the kitchen, I seared a few fillets from my space, but it took a few before the abyss in my belly filled. My intestines, unfamiliar with the heavy load, were already rumbling in protest. I made my way to the showers to find a few Sentinels under the drizzle of fresh, cold water with their eyes closed. I scoffed at their ability to fall asleep, but after I lathered up and rinsed off, I joined them in the cool water slumber.

The onslaught of mental fatigue was something I had not experienced in a long time. A Sentinel came and checked on me, and I thanked her for her concern and left. I planned to return to the residence and spend a few hours in the dreamscape. I was a bit surprised to see the sun cresting on the plateau, and I didn’t get halfway across the plaza before I was called upon. I didn’t recognize the Sentinel, but he recognized me. “They found you! The High Sentinel has called for your attendance, Seeker.” Of course he has, I grumbled and altered my path.

Inside the audience hall, Fenlorian sat in his seat, wearing clean gray robes. His features were sunken, and his face appeared thin. Someone needed to remind him to eat. He nodded to me as I entered. “We are discussing the next steps, Seeker Eryk.” He gestured to an open seat at the table, and I reluctantly took it. Almost all the faces around the table were new, except for Tovin, the young orc necromancer, the Castellan Jalorien, Lepidus, and one other aged elf. These were apparently the only ones who had survived.

“What are you planning?” I asked, looking around, as it looked like I had arrived late. Other Sentinels stood around the table, having not earned a seat. No one objected to me taking a seat this time.

“When the Salty Widow returns, we will send out envoys to every nation, raise the greatest army ever seen on Desia, and eradicate the Brotherhood!” An old dwarf Sentinel barked. Murmurs of agreement echoed at the table.

Fenlorian silenced the table with a look. “We are tracking some of the stolen objects, and we believe they are headed home to the Brotherhood of Mitzra. The shadow demon has no reason to leave his lands, and can open a world gate there, unleashing the demon plague. They must be stopped. With just one ship, we were discussing which nations to visit in which order.”

“Stone Mountain Island,” I offered immediately for my own reasons.

Confusion crossed the faces at the table and those standing. Jalorien spoke, being the most knowledgeable. “The goliaths would not offer much in terms of numbers. They keep to themselves and rarely leave the island.” He looked at the map, shaking his head, “It would add a week of sailing.”

I almost volunteered information on the manticore dungeon as the source of the golden figs, but held my tongue. “I know the goliath as a people. They will understand the urgency and send what aid they can. I think you will be surprised how capable and loyal they are to a righteous cause.”

A discussion broke out, and I could tell the majority either knew little of the goliaths as a people, and most were opposed to the extra sailing. Fenlorian let the discussion play out before ending it. “Although it will add a week to the journey to Nausis, I will trust Seeker Eryk’s judgement. It will be added as our first stop.”

“Do message sendings still not work?” I asked.

Fenlorian looked over at a Sentinel to answer. The auburn-haired elf nodded, “We believe there is an artifact on the Isle of the Dead preventing it. Once the Salty Widow returns, they should be able to confirm it. But as of right now, we still have no contact with the Death Hunter Citadels.” I nodded my thanks for the information.

Fenlorian continued. “We will be looking to assemble an armada in Nausis to sail south. I will treat with the king to allow the fleet to assemble in his harbor and prepare provisions, but we need to send diplomatic missions across both continents to convince other rulers to send soldiers and mages. Most of our retired Death Hunters at Sanctuary died in the fighting, and we will lean heavily on the Death Hunters across the world to deliver messages. Does anyone here have past relations with the Heptarchy of Tegairosia?” He placed his finger on the map.

The table was silent, so I offered, “I know the knight champion of Queen Adelin. I have an open invitation to her court.” Surprised looks flittered across the assembled Sentinels.

“If you are willing, then, we will send you to represent our interests in the Heptarchy Court,” Fenlorian said with a pleased nod to me. “Tovin has agreed to go to the Caliphate and petition the new Supreme.”

“Um,” I interrupted. “I actually know the new Supreme personally, and she owes me a few favors.” A few Sentinels thought I was joking to break the tension and chuckled. A little irritated, I added with seriousness, “I served as her First during the Trials. Supreme Mynasha is a friend—and she is an otherworlder.”

Silence settled on the table as they digested my words. Fenlorian finally spoke, breaking the disbelief, “And do you know any other leaders of nations, Seeker Eryk?”

I thought quickly. “The new Empress of the Telhian Empire is a friend. Her name was Renna, but I do not know what name she took when she took the throne. I know one of the General’s sisters from the Bartiradian Kingdom, but I don’t think he would be very friendly toward me. I was supposed to meet him a few months ago and had been—delayed. I know an elven ambassador in Gramney in the Duchy of Manch. He could bring the petition to their court.”

Some jaws hung, and a period of silence ensued. “Do you know any of the Mage Lords of Keisinia?” Fenlorian asked, clearly impressed.

“No, I think I covered everyone who doesn’t want to kill me,” I said with a slight smug smile.

Fenlorian gestured at Lepidus. “Lepidus believes it will take them at least two years, probably longer, to artifice a world gate.”

“Only if they have not already started,” Lepidus said, interrupting.

Fenlorian nodded to the point. “Given that, we plan to sail with whoever arrives in Nausis fifteen months from now. The Brotherhood of Mitzra is eight days by ship to the south of Nausis, and from there we will march and destroy every city until the shadow demon is found and the knowledge of the world gates is destroyed.” I looked at Lepidus, who didn’t make eye contact. There was one other place on Desia where the knowledge of the world gates was contained—in the head of the Titan Hephestus.

The discussion quickly shifted to the map, focusing on how to best use a few portals to spread the word and where message sendings could be employed once the magic was available. All this planning would be pointless if the Salty Widow never returned. I had one message I really needed to send to apologize again for my delay in meeting Raelia’s parents. That kept bothering me as the planning session went on for hours…

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