Dragon's Archon - Ch. 13 - Arrival at Liberty Bay (Patreon)

After concluding my meeting with the queen, I ventured back to the queen’s great hall with an armed escort. Yda, Cartha, and Ophelia were right where I left them. Seeing Ophelia and Yda sharing smiles at the tail end of a conversation filled me with a sigh of relief. Having two prickly pears on my team with one in my head was more than enough drama that I needed.

“Devon!” Yda shouted as I approached. “How was the meeting with the queen?”

“It went well,” I said, resting my fists on my hip. “My priorities have shifted a bit.”

“Oh?” Ophelia asked, tilting her head. “How so?”

“Not here,” I said, extending my hand to Yda. “Let’s depart. Ophelia is it all right if we head back to your tower?”

“Certainly, Your Holiness.”

After the trio finished their drinks, we departed the queen’s palace. On our way through the city, Yda and Ophelia recalled what they’d discussed. They’d introduced themselves to save me the trouble. They also filled me in on the specifics of the time we were separated.

Yda’s and Cartha’s offering to Ikkala was rather uneventful. They met with Triace’s Head Priestess, who welcomed their hefty tribute that nearly brought us back to square one. Part of me wanted to shout, but Yda’s confidence in the matter made me realize it was the expected offering to the God of the Horde.

I spoke of my trials with Malice and introduced her to Yda and Cartha. While curt, I was pleased the fire vixen did not express her true feelings of Yda as my Head Priestess. I had a feeling she felt she was best poised for the position, given her convictions of how I should do things.

When we stepped into Ophelia’s tower, Yda gasped. “Wow, Lady Yarrow, your home is wonderful.”

“Thank you, Mother Ansi,” Ophelia said. “It suits my needs. Please make yourself at home. Should you need something, do not hesitate to ask.”

I paused when I heard the name and title. “Mother Ansi?”

“It’s the formal honorific for a Head Priestess with my family name,” Yda said before turning back to Ophelia. “Please do not feel like you have to be so formal with me, Lady Yarrow, given we both serve His Holiness.”

“Very well, Yda.”

The two shared a brief nod before Cartha spoke. “Same with me. If anyone here starts calling me Lady Orrawyn, we’re going to have problems.”

“Well, if everyone else is doing it,” I said. “Then you all can call me—”

“No!” Malice shouted. “I will not taint your position by calling you by your name. You are the Blackthorn! You demand our respect.”

“For once, I agree with Malice,” Ophelia said. “It’s fine for us because we are peers. You are our lord, our leader. Anything less would be a slight against you. Gods forbid we’re in a delegation with other archons or royalty. If they were to hear us call you by your first name, it could be taken as a sign of weakness.”

“Huh. I guess I never thought about it like that. I only wanted you all to feel comfortable.”

Cartha strolled over to my side and tapped my arm. “Don’t you worry, Devon. I’ll call you by your first name.”

“Cartha!” Yda yelled.

“Oh stop.” The huntress waved. “It was just a joke.”

The horned priestess walked over and pressed herself into my leg. “Don’t worry about us, Your Holiness. We’re comfortable.”

I reached down and rolled my hand through Yda’s hair, who beamed with delight.

With a wave of her hands, Ophelia summoned several bottles and goblets. She filled them up and handed them out to everyone. I assumed it was wine, but it tasted sweet and tart, like fruit juice with alcohol in it.

As the others sipped on their drinks, I sat mine down and asked, “Ophelia, can you get that map?”

“Of course,” the sorceress said. She walked over to a bookshelf that was stuffed full of rolled up scrolls. “I think I have one down here.” When she found it, she pulled it from the stack and set it down on the table. After unrolling it, she placed her goblet and wine bottle along the edges so it didn’t roll up.

The world was smaller than I expected, with only one enormous land mass and a few different island chains. I assumed the void in between each of the marked masses was the ocean. The northern part of the planet also seemed to be steeped in high altitude and mountains while the further south, the flatter the world got.

I found Nubia near the bottom and tapped it with my finger. “So we’re here.”

“Correct,” Ophelia said.

“And these islands to the right are the Free States of Marta.”

“That’s also correct. Do they have something to do with what the queen discussed with you?”

I double checked that the doors were completely sealed behind us before continuing. “Yeah. As I discussed with each of you, my priority for us has been to build the sect. Ideally, I’d like to establish a location where we have full control so we can spread Heluna’s message free of any constraints. However, this is going to require a significant amount of capital. Not only are we going to have to find the land, but we’ll need to improve upon it, and incentivize our followers to make the trek across Talis. But doing so will open us up to external threats. To defend ourselves, we’ll need defensive structures, an army, and supply stores. All of which is going to require a significant amount of capital.”

“But I'm still unclear what this has to do with the Free States of Marta?”

“I’m getting to that,” I said, holding up my hand. “The queen has offered us an opportunity to solve our capital problem. A few weeks ago, the queen sent a diplomatic envoy to Liberty Bay because she fears they are growing too fast and it will impact the trade and tourism of Nubia. Unfortunately for her, the leaders of Liberty Bay imprisoned the envoy and are now trying to ransom them back to the queen.”

“The fools think they can try to ransom with Queen Sekhet?” Ophelia scoffed. “They’ve just guaranteed their deaths and everyone else on that island.”

“But there’s a problem. The diplomat that the queen sent with the envoy was her daughter.”

Ophelia gasped and cupped her mouth. “I wondered where the princess was!”

“That’s horrible,” Yda said, lowering her head.

“Yeah,” I said. “Which is why the queen hasn’t sent her army storming Liberty Bay. She’s worried that by doing so, they’ll kill her.”

“They likely would if she’s not already dead,” Cartha said.

“Which is something that we’ll need to find out.”

Cartha hesitated and furrowed her brow. “Wait? You want us to rescue the princess?”

“Yes. Queen Sekhet asked me to.”

“Why would you accept that?”

“Because it solves our money problem. The queen has pretty much given me a blank promise of anything I ask for should we bring her daughter back. It’s my understanding that Queen Sekhet is extremely wealthy.”

“Easily one of the most wealthy rulers on Talis,” Ophelia said. “There’s a reason why Ikkala’s largest temple is here.”

“Then by bringing her daughter back safely, we’ve found ourselves a patron for our expansion,” I said with a bemused grin.

“What if she’s dead?” Cartha asked.

“Then we’ll be right back where we are. I don’t think Queen Sekhet will be hostile to us, but I also don’t think she’ll want us sticking around. We’d probably have to find somewhere else to locate, but we’re going to be doing that anyway once we’ve identified the best location for our kingdom.”

“What about me?” Yda asked, looking up through her eyelashes. “I’m not a fighter.”

“I know,” I said with a warm smile. “But I think it’s better for you to stay with us after what just happened. I’m not planning on going in there and blowing up the place. At least not initially. We’ll need to do some information gathering first. We can ensure someone is always here with you.”

“What is your plan?” Cartha asked.

“You’re a huntress, right?” I asked, pointing right back at her. “What if I were to ask you to hunt down the princess?”

“That’s not my purpose,” Cartha said, swiping her hand. “I’m here to protect Yda, not do your dirty work.”

“How dare you speak to the master that way!” Malice hissed. “I should boil you—”

“Malice, it’s all right,” I said before addressing Cartha again. “You’ve heard my plan. Yda is coming with me. With your help, we can find the princess quicker and build a settlement to protect her.”

“She’s more than welcome to stay in the tower,” Ophelia said. “It’s one of the safest places to be. It’s magically protected from internal and external threats.”

“Leaving Yda by herself in Nubia is out of the question,” Cartha said.

“I didn’t imply we’d leave her here. We’ll take her with us.”

“How?”

Ophelia walked into the center of the room. As she raised her hand, a pylon ascended from a hidden door in the floor. It continued until it was parallel with the crystals that hung above the arches.

“You didn’t really think this tower was built here, did you?” the sorceress asked.

“What is that?” I asked, pointing to the metal cylinder.

“It’s an electrical transversal rod that’s built into the tower. All the Chalice ruling members have their own abodes built with similar instruments. Given our tasks require relocating for decades at a time, it’s beneficial to transport your entire home with you.”

“That’s efficient. So if we want to head to Liberty Bay, can you get us there immediately?”

“Yes. It would take about a minute for the ritual and just a few seconds for us to reach the settlement.”

“That saves us having to charter a boat,” I laughed. “How often can you move it?”

“Ideally, no more than once per day. The ritual and amount of power required weighs not only a heavy toll on the structure but also on me. Doing it more often would be negligent.”

“Good to know.” I said before turning to Cartha. “So we have a way to protect Yda and bring her along. Is that sufficient for you?”

Cartha crossed her arms and turned away.

The small red-eyed priestess walked over to her friend and pulled on her arm. “Come on Cartha… for me?”

The huntress glanced back at me before looking down at Yda. She groaned and turned back around. “I still don’t like this. What would you have me do?”

I paced back and forth as I thought about it. “What do we know of the people who run Liberty Bay?”

“They call themselves Liberty’s Trinity. There are three heads: Lady Florence, Venom Vedatori, and Brick, The Butcher, Elkhart. Lady Florence runs the brothel. She… acquires talent from all across Talis.”

“When you say acquires do you mean—”

Cartha just nodded with a scowl as she continued. “Venom Vedatori is an alchemist famed for the creation of Phoenix Fire. It’s a recreational drug known for its intense out of body high. And Brick… I’m sure you can guess what he’s there for.”

“The muscle.”

“Yeah… his group of thugs keeps Liberty Bay running. But they’re known to shake down unlucky tourists and charge the locals exorbitant protection fees to maintain their businesses.”

“If it’s so bad, why do people stay?”

“Most people that are permanent residents are just as crooked as those three. They also don’t get taxed like most rulers. Sure, they may get shaken down or have to pay protection money, but people are stupid and see themselves free from royalty rule, only to exchange one leader for another.”

“The idea of burning the whole place down is becoming more and more appealing.”

“Yes!” Malice shouted. “The sooner we travel, the sooner you can reap souls for the goddess.”

“There will be a time for that later,” I said, holding up my hand. “Our first priority needs to be finding the princess and gathering information. Once she’s safe, we can see about the second priority.”

“You plan to destroy Liberty Bay?” Cartha asked with pointed brows.

“Yeah. It’s a request of Queen Sekhet’s. It’s a threat to Nubia. That was priority two. If we find her daughter dead, she wants it done as well.”

“Rescuing the princess, I understand. Even getting revenge on Liberty’s Trinity, I understand. But you’re seriously considering laying waste to the entire area? What of the civilians? Shopkeepers? Do they deserve to die?”

“You just said it yourself that the residents are just as crooked as those three.”

“Yeah… it’s just…”

While Cartha hesitated, Yda spoke up. “Death is part of the natural cycle, Cartha. And it is our duty to honor the cycle, whether or not we have a direct hand in it. And through these individual sacrifices, we fulfill our goddess’s mission. Do not weep for them, for they fulfill their purpose in the cycle.”

Cartha’s jaw dropped. “Yda… you can’t be serious. Back in Amonduin, you would have never advocated harming another.”

“I’m not the same girl when we first met,” the priestess said sternly. “When I accepted Heluna in my heart, her mission became mine. I serve her divine vision for which the Archon is the architect.”

Cartha laughed as she paced back and forth before pointing her thumb at her chest. “Fine. If this is what you want, then I will help you find the princess. But don’t expect me to just slaughter people just because your goddess deems it fair. I make my own choices. No one rules me.”

“No one is asking you to, Cartha,” I said calmly. “With your skills, I want you searching for her and gathering information.”

“Whatever,” the huntress said, turning away.

“Will the jump make a lot of noise?” I asked the sorceress.

“Oh yes,” Ophelia said smiling. “The tower rides a bolt of lightning. So that’s what it will sound like once we arrive. It will be startling if there is no rain.”

“Perfect!” I shouted.

“Perfect?” Cartha asked. “I thought our entire plan centered on infiltration?”

I took off my necklace and handed it to Cartha. “It is. This is for you.”

Just like before, Cartha hesitated and blushed before putting it around her neck and groaning. “Ugh, I hate this thing,”

“So this is the plan. We’re going to attack this from two different angles. One direct and one from the shadows.” I pointed to the huntress. “Cartha, I want you to jump ahead of us using the amulet and start searching for the princess and gathering information. Some important things that would be helpful: How many men does the Butcher employ? Are there any known weaknesses we can exploit? Is there anything we should be cautious of, like formidable foes, defenses, or weapons? Are there any magic wielders?”

“That’s a lot to gather in a short amount of time,” Cartha said.

“Just do your best,” I said with a smile. “I’m not expecting a miracle. Some of the information may reveal itself from our intervention.”

“I’d be surprised if there are any true sorcerers there,” Ophelia said. “The three heads of Liberty’s Trinity are the ones you’re most likely going to have to worry about.”

“What are you all going to be doing while I start?” Cartha asked.

“We’ll arrive shortly thereafter as the distraction,” I said. “I’ll pull all the attention on me as the Blackthorn, even playing it up a bit. When the Butcher’s men come to us, and I’m certain they will, I will demand an audience with Liberty’s Trinity.”

“Getting them together is wise, Your Holiness,” Ophelia said. “If I could join you, I could try to touch them or obtain an artifact of theirs. From that point forward, I will be able to perform a ritual to trace their steps. We could see where they travel.”

“How many can you do at once?” I asked.

“Just one. It requires my full concentration.”

“Got anything else you might find useful? You can’t just vision the princess’s location, can you?”

“No, unfortunately,” Ophelia said after a short laugh. “The visions are more of a burden than a boon.”

“Damn, that would have been useful.”

As the blonde bombshell and I shared a laugh, Cartha interjected. “What if Butcher doesn’t send his men?”

“Then it gives me more time to prepare,” I said, before glancing back to Ophelia. “You said you had a full library here, correct?”

“Yes, I have three.”

“Can I get all the books and scrolls you have on combat and death magic?”

Ophelia tapped on her chin as she thought for a moment. “Hmmm… I don’t think I have a lot on those topics, given they are outside of my expertise. However, I’m sure I can scrounge something up.”

“How would you learn new magic?”

“Through reading and application.”

“So when you call yourself a sorcerer, you’re more like a wizard?”

Ophelia furrowed her brow and leaned back. “I’ve never heard such a term. All the Star Touched are sorcerers, which gives us the ability to use the void to cast our magics. But to do so, we must learn the various spells and then apply those lessons through rigorous training.”

“Yeah, that sounds more like a wizard to me.”

As Ophelia shrugged, Yda asked, “What about me, Your Holiness? What shall I do?”

“That’s a great question,” I said. My eyes scoured about the room before landing on the map. “Ah… why don’t you work on our future plans?”

“How so?”

I leaned forward and tapped on the map. “Leverage Ophelia’s library and find us a perfect location for our kingdom. We’ll want to find somewhere self-sustaining, natural defenses, and somewhere either not claimed or where we could claim without issue. I’d also like you to work on plans for how we spread Heluna’s message throughout Talis. How do we get people to want to come to us? Does that make sense?”

Yda hopped with excitement. “Yes!”

“Good.”

“I can help you too, Yda,” Ophelia said.

“I would welcome any assistance you could offer,” the horned priestess said.

As the two shared a smile, Cartha cleared her throat to pull our attention to her. “Well, I guess I should get going.”

“Be careful!” Yda called.

“Yes, please take care of yourself,” I added. “If you run into any trouble, do not hesitate to retreat to the tower. We will be behind you in just a few minutes. If things get out of our control, we’ll have Ophelia move us back to Nubia, and I’ll deal with the queen.”

With a firm nod, Cartha gripped her hand on the necklace. She took a few quick breaths before triggering the spell. The red rock glowed before a sphere of darkness surrounded her in an instant. It pulled her into itself and she disappeared.

“Would you like me to gather your requested material first, or would you like us to follow?” Ophelia asked, pointing behind her.

“Let’s jump first and then we’ll go.”

“As you command.”

As the sorceress waved her arms in the air and spouted an incantation, small sparks of electricity popped from the metal sphere on top of the rod. With each passing second, the electricity faded in and out of existence until it became constant.

Ophelia directed a bolt to each of the crystals that hovered on the walls causing them to spin. A pulse of circular electricity ascended from each of the points into the endless void above. The state repeated until the ceiling was a constant cylinder of light.

The power presented astonished me. Loose papers flapped in the intensity. Static caused all of my hair to stand on end. The entire structure vibrated like a freight train.

“Get ready!” Ophelia shouted.

Yda wrapped herself around my leg and closed her eyes while I stared into the circle of light above. When the spell activated, the entire structure warped into a thin noodle. The speed was so fast I could barely follow its chaotic movements as it weaved toward our destination.

With a crackling boom of lightning, the tower slammed into the earth and shook. The winding discharge of the rod flickered before descending back into the floor. When I gazed over at Ophelia, sweat covered her body and she panted.

“Are you all right?” I asked.

“Y-yes,” Ophelia said, taking in a deep breath. “Just give me a moment and I should be fine.”

Once she caught her breath and straightened, I pointed upward. “Is it possible to get a view from the top of the tower?”

“Of course,” Ophelia said. She clutched her gut as she shuffled to one of the nearby arches. With a clenched jaw, she opened the golden portal at one of the nearby walls. “P-please feel free to enter,” she groaned.

When I approached, a small bead of blood dripped from her nose. “You’re bleeding,” I said, grabbing a nearby handkerchief and wiping her nose. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Y-yeah. The spell just takes a lot of power. I’m going to take a seat and recuperate while you look around.”

After taking the cloth from me, I nodded and walked with Yda into the portal. A gust of warm, humid air hit me in the face. The salty smell of the ocean weaved its way into my nose. Yda held on to me with a death grip as I walked to the tower’s unrailed edge.

Ophelia had landed our building on a small incline up the island's side overlooking Liberty Bay. Tropical forests surrounded us except for the settlement. Seabird and wild animal calls filled the nearby area.

As I looked down at the area below, I guessed there were over a thousand different shacks, homes, and shops. The buildings were all composed of the same white wood of the trees they replaced. Those close to the shore stood on wooden columns. Thatched roofs and awnings provided protection from the sun. They huddled together for support, leaving small winding alleyways perfect for ambushes.

The city was built around the docks which lined the nearby coast. Dozens of ships of all shapes and sizes waded in the local water. Sailors transported goods to and from the vessels.

As I continued to scour my surroundings, I saw the people exit the buildings like ants as they investigated our arrival. A loud horn echoed from the city, and I smiled.

“Looks like we got their attention.”