Adventure of Exiles
Chapter 37

Noah, Felix, and Isaac were waiting at the Whispering Oak Inn at a back table.

Noah’s leg was bouncing up and down. Felix clasped it.

“Hey!”

“Calm down. We got this.”

“Well, you might be able to calm down but I can’t. You’re the cool head of the operation. I’m a just scholar!”

“Can’t back out now. You are committed.”

“I’m not backing out I’m just nervous is all.”

“You’ll be fine. Just stick with the plan.”

“I will.”

Isaac looked up, “what about me?”

Felix looked up, “Isaac.”

“Yeah, what about me?”

“You are a dead man walking.”

“Oh yeah that’s right.”

“Just go in there, give your line and try to not die too quickly.”

“I said I was a fast runner.” Isaac replied as he got up.

Isaac looked back down at Noah and Felix, “don’t worry about me. I’ll see you guys soon. This is something I need to do alone. Whatever is coming for me, I’m ready. I’ll lure these guys to the outskirts of town by the beach.”

Noah and Felix waited as Isaac walked up the stairs.

Felix heard the knock on the door.

“By the gods! Is that you Thirteen? You are alive!”

“Thirteen? My name is Isaac. You been looking for me, commissioner Stephen. Well, here I am.”

“Why, yes I have! You are the first clue in a mystery we have been trying to solve. I was so worried. What the hell happened to you?”

“You need to tell me. I don’t remember my past and I need answers.”

“Come inside.”

“No. I have somewhere we can talk, let’s go. I’m giving you a chance. You won’t get a second.”

“Of course. Lead the way.”

“But sir this is very unusual shouldn’t we...”

“Don’t you dare get in my way here, Dietrich. This is important. Thirteen is here in the flesh.”

“But sir.”

“It’s alright Dietrich. This is my choice.”

“...yes, sir.”

“Leave it here. No one knows about the stupid hunk of wood anyways. Lock the door and let’s go.”

Felix motioned Noah to look away. Soon enough three pairs of footsteps came from upstairs and faded out of the building.

After a moment of waiting, Felix tapped Noah. “Let’s go.”

They both went back up where Dietrich and Stephen were roomed. Felix deftly picked the lock.

Back into the room, Felix checked below the bed, the strongbox was left at the same place as before.

Felix placed it on the floor and checked his lockpicking kit. The tension wrench was glowing faintly.

“It’s resonating with the ward looks like Lisa did a good job after all. Here.” Noah pointed his staff at the box and mumbled an incantation. The box’s glyph lost some glow.

“That should help suppress some of the magic from the seal.”

“Hope you know what you are doing. Last time this thing hurt like a motherfucker.” Felix commented as he went to pick the lock.

He carefully turned his wrench and inserted his rake. After a few minutes he felt something click.

The box opened.

“Ha! Got it.”

Noah sighed and nervously looked opened the door slightly to look out, “great. Now replace with fake piece so we can get out of here.”

“I know, I know.” Felix replied as he swapped the mimic staff piece with the real one in the box. He locked back up the box.

Noah pointed his staff over, the glyph started glowing.

Noah then said another incantation and the glyph dimmed again.

“There.”

Felix then put the box back in the original spot.

“Let’s get the fuck out of here.”

Felix and Noah left the room.

“This is going a bit too easily.” Noah said as they left the inn.

“Don’t say that. You will curse us.”

“I’m just saying.”

“We just have to keep our heads down and wait. Once we know we are clear. Come on let’s meet up with the ladies.”

“Why it is us that has to do the dangerous stuff?”

“Come on really? You aren’t suggesting putting Emily and Lisa at risk where is male pride?”

“I guess.”

“Besides I trust you.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. I trust I can outrun you if we get in trouble. As they say up north, I don’t have to outrun the bear, I just have to outrun you.”

“There it is. The real reason.”

Soon they were at the Astral Aetheria. The shop had a closed sign up.

Felix gave a knock.

The door opened a crack.

“Hey it’s the boys.” Emily said as she opened the door.

Felix and Noah came inside.

“Do you, have it?” Emily asked.

Felix pulled out the staff piece.

Lisa went over and grabbed the other staff pieces and put them out on the table.

“Time to assemble this thing!” She said excitedly as she snatched the staff piece out of Felix’s hand.

She then started connecting the parts.

Her hand then glowed in a green light and vines wrapped around the staff pieces.

“Hi Felix. I love you, Felix. Thanks for risking your life, Felix.” Felix muttered as he crossed his arms to watch.

“Oh hush. This is exciting!”

Noah walked over to the table and pushed up his glasses, “perhaps too exciting. Have you done some attunement with the magic of the staff?”

Lisa frowned, “of course! I’m a master alchemist. I’m not an idiot.”

“Have you considered the interaction potentially with the mending? An ancient staff like this might have a field effect that could interact strangely.”

Lisa and Noah got deep into discussion with Noah watching over Lisa’s work.

Boring and confusing. He decided to sit with Emily.

“Hey, kid.” Felix said.

“Hey. How did everything go?” Emily asked.

“Went smoothly. Isaac did his thing. We did our thing.”

“Is Isaac going to be okay? Did he remember anything?”

“He doesn’t remember his past. But Stephen seemed pretty convinced he’s part of the military.”

“I’m worried. Isaac not one for risky decisions.”

“Yeah well, he’s a big boy. He said he wanted to do this alone. He wanted to see for himself what his past was like.”

“I hope he’ll be alright.”

“Isaac has to do whatever he can to keep moving forward, princess. Sometimes that means striking out on your own.”

“I suppose.”

Felix ruffed Emily black hair.

“You understand anything these geeks are saying?”

“Not even the slightest. I learned a bit about healing magic before but that’s about it. Totally different field. Lisa is a master alchemist. She can figure it out.”

“Yeah, I trust her too.”

Felix moved his hand to shake Emily’s shoulder now.

“Have you decided what we should do with stupid relic yet, princess?”

Emily frowned, “...I’m still not sure.”

“Well, you should. Running out of time. Not only here but you know where. Soon enough all hell is going to break loose.”

“I know. It’s just that, I want to prevent more violence.”

“That’s a nice sentiment but I don’t think Manstein is going to roll over and give up because we have a fancy hunk of wood.”

“But maybe the staff could change things. There is power in the relics.”

“There is no guarantee and I’m not going to bet your life on some ancient magical artifact. I’ll trust the strength of northern arms.”

“I get it. But so many of my friends are back at Gdanskig. People who raised me since birth. I’m not willing to give up their lives so easily.”

“That’s what they signed up for princess. Same as me well, I made a killing off my contract. They are doing it for northern honor or something.”

“They are going to fight for me. I don’t want to throw their lives away.”

“Look I’m not trying to make you feel bad or anything but-”

“Woah! I got it!” Lisa exclaimed.

Felix looked over to see the staff finished having been mended back together.

Felix walked over to take a closer look. Beckoning Emily to come too.

All four surrounded the staff on the table.

The staff was a long wooden pole with a large round top carved in the shape of a crescent moon.

“Alright then. Pick it up.” Felix commented.

Lisa and Noah looked at each other.

Noah furiously shook his head and shivered, “no way! Don’t you feel the sinister aura around the thing?”

Lisa scoffed, “you are a mage. You should be fine.”

“Why don’t you do it?”

“Aren’t you the one who loves ancient history? You do it.”

Felix rolled his eyes and grabbed the staff.

He felt the dark vernal wood in his hand. It was coarse and rough. The staff had a nice heft to it like he could feel the weight of its history. His hand and eyes went down the staff looking at the craving on the side. Ancient runes perhaps?

“Woah, Felix are you completely fearless?” Noah asked.

“I’m not sure what you mean. I don’t feel anything. Just a staff in my hand.”

Noah rubbed his chin, “perhaps it’s because you haven’t been trained in the magical arts.”

“Maybe but shouldn’t this feel I don’t know. More powerful? Hardly seems like a legendary artifact.”

“Because you haven’t attuned with it. You can’t sense the magic flowing through it.”

“Go ahead.” Felix said as he handed the staff to Noah.

As soon as it was in Noah’s hands, the staff emitted a pitch-black shroud surrounded his hands.

Noah desperately tried to drop the staff in fright.

“Oh shit! Put it down!” Felix commanded.

“I’m trying!”

The shroud started to surround Noah’s arms.

“I can’t! Help!”

Emily grabbed the staff and pulled from Noah’s hands.

The shroud disappeared from Noah just as quickly as it happened.

Felix came over and patted Noah on the back, “by the gods man. Don’t scare me like that. You alright?”

Noah’s hands were shaking as he rubbed them together, “I’m fine. That was intense.”

“What the hell was that?”

“I don’t know. Something with the staff. That was terrifying.”

Felix looked over expecting Emily to have dropped the staff like a hot potato.

Instead, Emily was holding on to it just fine. In fact, the staff was faintly glowing in a pale light like moonlight.

“Woah, what the fuck? Emily are you okay?”

“Yes. I’m fine.”

“No strange feelings?”

“No. Just feels a bit soothing? Hard to describe but I can feel the magic. The wood feels nice in my hands.”

“Well, I’m glad. You have a good grip on it. Maybe you should hold onto it until we figure out what to do with the stupid thing.”

“Agreed.”

Felix looked down at Noah, “you have any idea why Emily can hold on to it no problem?”

“You know what Felix?”

“What?”

“I have no fucking clue. Whatever the reason she should keep it far, far away from me.”

Felix looked over at Lisa. She shrugged but to Felix he had a good guess he felt. Emily had royal blood. Could the staff only be wielded by those of royal blood?

Suddenly the staff emitted a bright beam of light. Pointing northwards.

“What did you do Emily?” Felix asked.

“I didn’t do anything! Well ok I tried channeling some mana into the staff to cast a spell. But instead of a spell this happened.”

Noah nodded, “perhaps...the staff is still yet incomplete. It’s pointing us towards something.”

Felix groaned, “please don’t tell me there are like a thousand pieces to this damn thing.”

“No, no. If what I read was correct there was a piece missing. See the top of the staff? There should be an orb hosted within that crescent. As written in ancient lore. I thought maybe it would manifest.”

Felix took a deep breath to stem his frustration.

“Fine, fine. Let’s follow this wild goose chase.”

“Should we check up on Isaac?” Lisa asked.

“What? And let Stephen know we have the staff?” Felix responded.

“We could hide it or leave it here.”

“No...have a little bit more faith in Isaac.”

“Are you sure? Stephen seemed like a pretty dangerous man.”

“If there was any man capable of taking care of himself. It’s Isaac. Let’s see what the staff wants first. We can leave a message for him here if you insist on doing something.”

Lisa looked at Emily.

Emily bit her lip, “he should be fine. I trust Felix.”

“Okay.” Lisa said with a sigh. She went behind the counter and wrote out a note and left on the table.

With that Emily pointed the staff outside. They followed the beam of light outside the store and down the streets of Kurkenburg.

They made it towards the north gate when they saw Michael waiting for them. Greatsword strapped to his back.

Emily ran up to Michael and gave him a big hug.

“What are you doing here?” Felix asked.

Michael chuckled, “call it an old soldier’s intuition. After all I already knew you, all are up to no good. Figured I would come and lend a hand after seeing Isaac leaving town with Stephen and Dietrich.”

“You saw them?”

“Oh yes. They looked to be deep in conversation. In fact, Stephen was smiling and laughing as they walked down the road.”

Felix turned over to Lisa, “see. Nothing to worry about. Not often you are going to stab someone after sharing some laughs with them.”

“I don’t know. I just have a bad feeling.”

“Can you see the beam of light from the staff, Michael?”

“Hmm barely. It’s a faint glow from the staff Emily has. Is that the staff of Eternal Night?”

“Yeah, but apparently it’s incomplete. We are following the beam to the last part.”

“Always something else. Have you even considered where it will lead you? What if it’s pointed at somewhere way back north? Or the other side of the world?”

“Well, we won’t know until we follow it. If we can’t get to where it leads within the day we can come back to town and figure out a new plan.”

“So that’s your plan then?” Michael asked.

“We just keep following the beam.”

“Very well.”

The group followed the beam outside of town and into the wilderness.

The path became harder and harder to follow the longer they traveled. The beam would be blocked by trees, sometimes would shoot out into the sky and the path would be filled with bushes, thickets and mud.

Eventually it led to a ruin.

The crumbling pillars were covered with moss and vines.

“Ah. This used to be a temple to Halja back during the ancient era. I remember these ruins from my childhood.” Noah remarked.

“So do I!” Lisa said as she grabbed Felix’s wrists.

“Oi?”

“I would go explore with Claudia, Chris and Noah as children. Come on let me show you something.”

Lisa led Felix to an overturned statue worn to the point its features are gone.

Lisa pointed at the chest of the statue.

“Look.” She said as she let go of Felix’s wrist.

“Alright, alright.”

Felix leaned down.

In black letters like charcoal was written, “Lisa was here.”

He was unimpressed.

“Why do you look so smug for desecrating a statue?”

“Oh, come on. You can make anything sound bad with the right wording. I didn’t desecrate anything. I enhanced it! One of the first times I used alchemy as a kid, it took some know how to make something that wouldn’t erode over all this time.”

“This was probably a statue to lady Halja. I can’t even to begin to imagine what she would say to having a statue in her likeness being defaced by a child.”

"She would think it’s funny.”

“I highly doubt that.”

Emily came over to look at what the two of them were discussing.

“Ah! You said you did this as a girl? Must have been a good memory.”

“It sure was.”

The staff emitted a pitch-black shroud again and instead of clinging on to Emily it flowed downwards and pooled in front of the statue.

“Emily, the staff.” Felix warned.

“I know.”

Lisa’s smile dropped.

Michael rushed in front of Emily to shield her.

The shroud stopped flowing and settled into a pool.

The pool of black mist started to take form and then seem to flow downwards like a waterfall.

Felix went over and crouched by the pool.

“What even is this?” Felix asked out loud.

He with little regard for his own safety put his hand into the pool.

It didn’t react in any way, didn’t stick to his hand. Just flowed around his hand like water.

He took his hand out completely fine.

“Not a trap at least.”

Noah came over as well and crouched. He inspected the pool carefully.

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“Looks like some sort of portal. Could this lead down to where we are heading?” Felix offered.

“Maybe.”

“Why don’t you hop down? After all you are the expert of magic and ancient history here.”

“Don’t joke with me, man. I already almost got consumed once I’m not so eager to test my luck again.”

Felix looked around, “anyone wants to volunteer to try to jump down?”

Lisa just gave him a look of bafflement.

Emily looked like she was thinking about it, but Michael was still shielding her.

“You aren’t seriously suggesting having Emily jump down there?” Michael admonished.

Felix sighed and stood back up. Giving a quick stretch, he looked back down at the pool.

“You know what, forget it.”

“What are you doing, Felix?” Noah asked.

“What does it look like? I’m going down.”

“Do you have a death wish or something?”

“Not at all.”

“Then why would you-”

“You think too much.” With that Felix leaped in.

He felt a chill go down his spine as he fell into the darkness.

It did not feel like water.

It felt like the empty void? He couldn’t see, smell, feel, hells even taste anything.

Eerily calming, the total lack of senses.

Darkness.

It couldn’t have been a long drop as he gently landed on a stone floor.

He started blinking.

His senses eventually started to return to him.

He was in a room with a dark blue marble floor and walls.

A faint glow came from the ceiling.

The walls had a pattern that was carved into them.

Strange geometric shapes and runes that were foreign to him.

No matter which way he looked the only way forward was a single door. The other direction opposite of the door might have led to somewhere but it was nothing but a bunch of rocks and shattered wood.

Felix had an instinctual sense. He looked back up and put out his arms.

Soon enough he heard a scream.

Felix caught Lisa in his arms.

“You know I was a bit scared there, you actually caught me. How romantic.” Lisa teased.

“Hush. Where are the others?”

“Coming, I guess.”

Felix carried Lisa out of the way.

Soon enough a bright glow came from above and Emily landed with the staff.

Michael came down next with Noah following behind.

Noah collapsed to the floor and prayed, “thank the Goddess Herta.”

“So, is this where we are going?” Michael asked.

“So, it would appear?” Felix answered.

“So, are we looking for a gemstone or something?”

“That’s as far as I understood.” Felix replied as he motioned his head at Noah who was still praying.

He let Lisa down on her feet.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Alright everyone up.”

Felix went over and pulled Noah up to his feet.

“Come on. Don’t you want to explore some ancient ruins?”

“What I want to do is go back home and drink apple cider with my sister. But I’m here so let’s get this over with.”

“Eh close enough.” Felix replied.

Michael already had his greatsword drawn.

“A bit dramatic don’t you think?”

“Given what has happened before? Not in the slightest.”

Felix got out his sword also, “I guess this is then.”

He turned back to Emily, “whatever happens, happens. Remember what I told you before. If it comes down to it, you run.”

“...Alright.”

“Alright then, let’s get a move on.”

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