6. waXing crescent

 
 

PROLOGUE | STOLEN MOON | WANING CRESCENT | SACRED SANDS | FALLEN SELENE | EPILOGUE

Waxing Crescent

The three women dismount their horses and investigate the entrance and search for a way in. The entrance had completely collapsed and much of the surrounding terrain was falling away. The Keep was built into the mountain so it seemed there was no access. Susanna is getting frustrated when she sees that there was a handful of bodies strewn across the rubble. Morgana and Aletheia stay by the entrance.

Morgana asks Aletheia if this is where her brother had died and Aletheia confirms that it is. Morgana than kneels and begins a small prayer as Aletheia hears a sound in the forest behind them. She sees nothing though and walks toward the river. A small waterfall flowed from the side of the Keep that fed into a river at its base.

RIVER RUINS

Aletheia takes in the quiet of the forest and comforts her horse as it drinks. She sees a white deer on the opposite side of the river, a female without antlers. It runs away and Aletheia touches her own antlers. She then takes out a bladder of water and begins to fill it for a drink. She is still beside the river with her horse as Susanna approaches.

She had brought her horse to drink water as well. Susanna states that she had found some tracks that head into the forest they will follow. They will take her home, first. Aletheia tries to protest but Susanna says that they won’t go any further with the princess. She then asks why Aletheia wants to go to Ophelia.

Aletheia tells her that she wants to find a man named Velu of Charis. She stumbles over her words and states that he has the answer to an important question she has. Before Susanna can ask what question needs an answer, a trail of fire surrounds them. They turn and see the PyroMancer with Morgana.

The Mancer greets them as he stands with his men. Morgana is being held by one of them. Susanna and Aletheia are facing them with the river to their backs. Susanna asks what they want from them. The PyroMancer states that he would love to repay her for what happened in Starvale but that has changed. He states that their little Elf friend is the Princess of Selene. Aletheia realizes that she is no longer wearing her hood. The PyroMancer says that there were rumors of her after the Lord of Faces fell. The Pyromancer takes off his broken mask and states that he was one of the Trionfi mercenaries at the Keep when the princess was kidnapped. He says that he should thank her as he no longer has to answer to the Lord of Faces. He will take her and ransom her himself. He tells Aletheia that she will now come with him.

Aletheia begins to walk forward but Susanna stops her. Susanna asks the Pyromancer if they were involved with the group that kidnapped Aletheia, then they must be in league with the Black Jester as well. She asks him where the kidnapped people from Ophelia are. The PyroMancer tells her that he has broken away from them but has no intention of revealing anything to her either way. He grabs Morgana himself and tells Aletheia that she is coming with him or Morgana dies.

Aletheia puts down Susanna's arm. She walks toward them and squirts the water bottle at Morgana. The water forms an arrow of water in the air. In a flash the arrow flies at the PyroMancer, piercing his shoulder and knocking him back. Morgana rolls away as Susanna grabs here spear and throws it at one of the thugs hitting him in the chest. The other assailant pulls his knife and advances on Morgana who is still on the ground. Aletheia grabs his face from behind and he collapses. Morgana is surprised to learn that the Princess is a Champion as well. Susanna grabs her spear and points it at the PyroMancer who is still on the ground. His arm is bleeding from the water arrow. Aletheia helps Morgana up and they watch Susanna from the riverbank.

Susanna then grabs the PyroMancer and pushes him into the water of the river. She points her spear at him as he stands there dripping with water. Susanna demands that he tell her where the missing people are being held and she might not kill him. The PyroMancer tells her that he doesn't know anything about that and Susanna stabs him in the leg. Both Aletheia and Morgana fear she may be going too far. Susanna tells him that the Faceless Man is dead and the little Elf girl killed him. She asks him where the rest of the Faceless Man's mercenaries are.

The PyroMancer then states that they would meet at a Manor that the Lord of Faces took over. They would use it to organize his plans. The Lord of Faces had begun to create a large mercenary group called the Trionfi. They needed skilled people to help with making equipment and weapons. It was where the Trionfi would meet when summoned and that is where the kidnapped lords would be.

Susanna asks where the Manor is and he states that he doesn't know where it is. He just knows that it is called the Silvayne Manor. Aletheia is disturbed by this and pushes past Susanna. She confirms he said Silvayne Manor, the residence of Velu of Charis. He says he thinks so and she grabs him and asks what happened to him and if he is alright. She accidently touches his skin and the Pyromanceer immediately goes unconscious and falls into the shallow water. Susanna asks what happened to him and Morgana explains that Aletheia is a Champion as well.

Aletheia looks defeated and Morgana asks who Velu of Charis is. She explains that his is supposedly her uncle and who she is looking for. She had intended to find Velu in Ophelia. It is why she is traveling with them. Susanna puts her hand on Aletheia's shoulder to comfort her and states that she isn't done traveling with them yet. Aletheia looks back at her friends and Susanna asks her if they are heading to Silvayne Manor. The three then leave to head toward Ophelia and Silvayne Manor.

Silvayne Manor

Aletheia and the Mithose sisters emerge from the mountains to see the town of Ophelia in the distance. They had traveled southeast from the Ruined Keep for a full day before they reached the road going toward Ophelia. Aletheia had read that the Silvayne estate was located just north of Ophelia, away of the larger town. At their current pace, the trio would be able to reach the estate by nightfall.

It is the late evening as the three women reach the gated entry to the Silvayne Estate. There is a path that leads to the Manor but the women leave their horses and approach on foot from the woods that surround the estate. They climb over the retaining wall that surrounds the lawn and pathway leading to the Manor. There are trees and shrubbery that decorate the lawn on either side of the pathway and the three are careful to stay within brush as they approach.  Susanna takes point and notes that there doesn't seem to be anyone around.  

They reach the front of the Manor and notice that it seems to be in disarray, with a few broken windows and an overgrowth of foliage. They sneak up to an unbroken window. Aletheia looks through, but sees no one and Susanna begins to doubt if there is anyone there. Aletheia notices that there are lit candles in one of the rooms but Morgana then hears horses in the distance behind them. They look back to see two lights approaching the Manor from the gate. They have no time to run back to cover and Susanna shatters the window. All three climb through and find themselves in a wine cellar.

The women look to see two riders are coming up the path. Aletheia recognizes them to be Trionfi mercenaries. One of the Trionfi is pulling a small cart attached to their horse where a man sits with a sack over his head. The pair dismount their horses and then pull off the man from out of the cart. The two soldiers then lead the man into the Manor.

Aletheia finds the stairway that leads out of the cellar and three enter the Kitchens that overlook the Dining Hall. The kitchen is in a mess and the dining hall seems to be unused but Morgana sees that the larder is full of food. They sneak to the edge of the kitchen to an outcropping that opens to the dining hall. The two men have taken the sack off the head of their captor to reveal an older man dressed in robes. He seems to be a priest.

One of the Trionfi sits down at the Dining Table and the other stands behind them. They tell the priest that he must be wondering why he is there. The priest seems unfazed and responds that he is is sure that they will tell him. He asks if they have his hat to cover his balding head. The mercenary tells him that their lord requires his expertise on Champions. The priest asks them what he means by expertise. They state that they know that he is Basildes, the Father of the High Champion and an authority on Champions. Their lord needs to be healed from an affliction from his power.

Basildes admits that they were mistaken in believing that he is an authority on Champions. The priest says that he is unsure if he will be able to help. The soldier then tells the other one to grab some wine. The three girls look at each other with worry as they crouch in the middle of the kitchen. Aletheia sees a wine bottle and motions for the girls to hide themselves. The soldier opens the door to see a wine bottle sitting in the middle of the floor. Aletheia grabs him from behind and knocks him out with her touch.

Back in the Dining Hall, the other soldier asks Basildes to clarify why he is sure he can't heal Donofrey. Basildes explains that all Champions suffer from their powers in some way but it is not an illness. It is a gift and that gift is a part of them. The soldier says that they will let the Lord sort that out as they were just told to bring him in. He then motions for Basildes to stand as he calls out to his companion in the kitchen.

Basildes stands and looks behind the soldier with surprise. The priest states that they must be out of wine. The soldier begins to turn but Susanna grabs him and holds a knife to his throat.