Meeting the Next Bandit Queen

We took our time heading back, both of us were exhausted. I had partially expected Lariss to jokingly try to get us to share a room at the inns we were staying at but she was slightly upset for reasons that I didn't understand until we arrived back at the city. This actually worked out fine for me since the moon Antona was in its full phase for the journey back to Torinheim, so every night alone in my room I would go through the forms of the Lydos Lineage. This didn't help with my exhaustion and I ended up not saying much during our travels during the day.

Even after I realized that I had offended her by having other female friends, I didn't have the chance to say I'm sorry since she was avoiding the Adventurer's Union so that she didn't have to deal with Borhildr. Lariss told me to let her know when I was ready to take on another quest.

I was sympathetic to her mood since I knew that her mother told her something about us having a relationship years ago when she told her a few prophetic things. She never fully told me what her mother said, so I don't know how serious it was. There was also the matter of telling her that part of those pieces of prophetic advice were just part of a trap to lure me to the entity in yellow.

Things were just getting more complicated as those that I had spirit marks with were becoming more entwined not only in my life but in each others as well. I was rethinking my idea of forming a guild. Originally I intended to bring in those that I had a spirit mark with but would they get along if I didn't sort out my feelings for them.

The second day back I visited Floriana to thank her for spreading rumors and to let her know what had happened at the keep. It was the least I could do to repay her for the information she had been providing me. I wasn't too surprised that she already knew that Bornhilda was dead and Skadi was still alive but she was grateful for the details.

When I visited the Flask and Anvil Uhtric had stopped spending all his time in his private workshop working on a 'camera'. Vegaror had convinced him that he couldn't keep putting off his commissions. He let me know that my gauntlets would be ready in about a week. I also took this time to rent their library and buy some of their mana powder to create my second psychic mote since it had been nearly a month since I created my last lightning mote. With just one more I'd be able to start learning the Taunt spells from Runa.

That also meant that I needed to get a copy of the first steps to learning the Osgar Lineage written out. On top of that I needed to practice sensing spiritual ripples, increasing my own auras, practicing my sword stances and spells, and trying to figure out what to do next in terms of my adventuring career. That troll hunting quest that Borhildr had brought up wasn't that bad of a deal but I didn't want to attach myself to her any more than I needed to.

It was two days after I returned to Torinheim that Thelora sent me a note. I met up with her at the Frosty Plate around dinner time. When I arrived she looked to be alone but I was still questioning if I should have brought Lariss or someone else with me.

"I wasn't sure if you'd show up." She said.

"As long as you don't involve me in anything illegal, we should still be able to remain friendly." I replied.

"I'm glad to hear that." She looked a little nervous for the first time since I had met her.

"Was there a reason that you wanted to meet?" I asked

"There is, but how about we enjoy a meal first?" She replied.

"That's fine by me." I said.

We spent the next hour eating, drinking, and enjoying each other's company. Even though it wasn't that long ago we reminisced about the tasks we just completed. She teased me about having to fake a relationship with Lariss and having to run from the three eyed gators. I tried to think of something to tease her about but couldn't think of anything that would be funny. Besides her information not always being accurate, which teasing her about might have been mean spirited, she had been pretty amazing.

As we finished our meal she seemed reluctant to move on to why she brought me here. I didn't push it since I suspected I wasn't going to like it. We ended up sitting in silence enjoying the atmosphere of the tavern for a while.

"I think it's time." She said.

"Why did you ask me here?" I said.

"Skadi wants to have one more meeting with you." She said.

"Is this a meeting I want to attend?" I asked.

"It's a meeting you need to attend if you want to put all of this behind you." She said.

"Is it a meeting that I'll be able to walk away from?" I asked.

"If I have my way, you will." She replied.

"Let's go then." I stood up and waited for her to join me.

She took me through a few back alleys and we used our Cloaking spells for parts of the way. After backtracking and crossing over our path for an hour, we ended up behind an abandoned shop in a poorer part of the city. We entered through the back door after Thelora gave a rhythmic knock. There were two larger men waiting on the inside. One of them held out his hand towards me and I raised an eyebrow to Thelora.

"He wants you to hand over your Storage Ring so that you go in unarmed." She said.

"No." Was all I said and stared the man down.

"I'll take responsibility for him. We can't keep Skadi waiting." Thelora said after a minute of neither of us budging.

He snorted in reply and stepped out of our way. Thelora led me down stairs into a well lit and maintained basement, a contrast to the run down upstairs. There were a few people down here surrounding Skadi who was reclining on a couch with a glass of wine. She gave me a seductive smile as she raised her glass to me.

"Ah, one the men who made all of this possible. You have my gratitude." She stood up and took a drink.

"Are we celebrating?" I said.

"With Bornhilda's death I've been able to take over most of her operations. These are some of her trusted lieutenants that have come to give me their loyalty. Despite recent rumors, Wassa's camp is in disarray. The Bandit Queen has invited me to her hideout next week. There's only one reason for that." She said as she took another sip of wine.

"You have my congratulations. Was there something you needed from me?" I asked. A few of the people around her gave me dirty looks. They didn't like how I spoke to their future queen.

She smiled and ran her finger along the edge of her glass. "There is something actually." After a nod to one of her attendants he pulled out what looked like a pale gold bracelet that let off a slight glow.

Thelora and I both tensed at the sight of the Soul Shackle.

"Mistress, I thought you were going to let him go after he fulfilled your deal?" Thelora said.

"I had thought that but changed my mind. He is far more valuable under my control." She replied.

"And you went right for the Soul Shackle." Thelora said.

"He's not really one of us and it's a little tactic I picked up from the Night Mistress." Skadi said.

"Do you really think I came here without an exit plan?" I said.

"Thelora would never have brought you here if you were being followed." She replied.

"I'm allied with the Rainbow Blades. They have a few guild members that can go places unnoticed, even by her." A few of those around her tensed when they heard that.

"Oh if only that was really true but we both know the extent of that relationship. Besides, I'd be one of the first to know if you went to them for help." She said with a smile. Did that mean that she had a spy in the Rainbow Blades?

"I have no intention to put that on." I said.

"Well if you die from it being forced it won't matter too much." She flicked her wrist and a few of her people started towards me.

In an instant my shield and sword were in my hands and I began to rotate my motes of my spells. They hesitated as I made sure to look as intimidating as possible. Thelora wasn't making any aggressive movements and I saw a bit of broken crystal fall from her hand.

"How many are you willing to lose to get me?" I said.

"You might be overestimating your abilities." She said.

I was slowly backing up towards the stairs as they tried to cut off my escape. Thelora moved away from me and towards Skadi with a disappointed look. From upstairs we heard the sound of the door breaking and two thuds. As the sound of footsteps started to descend the stairs, the air became thick as the pressure of a powerful aura came upon us. Talented Experts could put out pressure from their auras but mostly it was those at the Master or Grand Master stage that could do it and this felt like an aura of someone at the peak of the Master stage.

As everyone else was preoccupied with who was coming down the stairs I backed up into a corner. A massive man with a large warhammer in black armor, a black cloak, wearing a black mask was the first to come down the stairs and was the source of the powerful aura. The second person down the stairs was Wassa.

Skadi was on her feet staring daggers at the newcomers with Thelora right next to her. Wassa looked out over everyone in the basement, stopping for a moment to give me a smile.

"I will give all of you one chance to join me." Wassa said.

"Don't be an idiot. Everyone here has hated you since before this war started. But I do thank you for delivering yourself here, now I don't have to go out of my way to kill you." Skadi raised her hand and I thick Ice Lance shot towards Wassa.

The black armored man stepped in front of her and raised his hand. A spectral shield sprang from his bracelet, intercepted the spell. A few of the bandits closest to them tried to attack but were easily out matched by his speed and strength. The warhammer destroyed everything it touched and I saw runes glowing red as it made contact showing a powerful enchantment.

"How much did you spend on this mercenary? I have to admit you're going to make this difficult." Skadi said.

"Oh he's not a mercenary. If you understood how things worked in the north you'd know that. Also I want this to be over as quickly as possible so that I don't have to hear your annoying voice anymore. Kill her." Wassa ordered.

Even though they were terrified, Skadi's people still stepped in front of her to defend against the black armored man. But he wasn't who the order was meant for. Thelora slit Skadi's throat as her shortsword pierced her back. The room grew silent and still as the woman who thought she was about to get everything she wanted died.

This may explain a few things.

"I'm sorry I had to subject you to her for so long but everything worked out in the end." Wassa said.

"I've paid my debt and with this we're done." Thelora said.

"I guess. You can leave." Wassa said.

Thelora looked towards me and Wassa's gaze followed hers.

"Oh he gets to stay for a moment. I understand Skadi came into possession of some Soul Shackles. He'll be a replacement toy since he killed my last one." Wassa said.

I began to prepare myself knowing that there was almost no way I'd be able to survive this but I might be able to kill her before the black armored man killed me.

"No." The voice resonated through the basement with authority. "My orders are for him and his allies to be left alone. You aren't to touch him unless he directly interferes with your business and even then he's free game only during the altercation." The black armored man didn't even look at me or Wassa when he spoke.

"Fine. It's your lucky day again Wilmaer. Now I want the two of you out of here. I have business to discuss and heads to smash." Wassa said.

I was hesitant but made my way up the stairs followed by Thelora. Upstairs the two guards had their chests caved in and the door was obliterated. The two of us made our way through the back alleys again but at some point I lost track of Thelora and ended up back at my apartment alone.

I was left to wonder who that black armored man was and why Wassa had to listen to him. Mostly I was wondering if I'd ever see Thelora again. I ended up not having to wait too long to have an answer to that last question.