Grand Game 429: Into the Court (Patreon)

Day Thirty-Five in Draven’s Reach

It was early morning when we approached our destination.

“That’s the archlich’s court?” Ceruvax asked, his eyebrows rising as he studied the elegant compound backed up against the dungeon’s southern rim.

I grinned. “That was my first reaction, too.”

Adriel sniffed. “Being dead doesn’t stop one from appreciating finer things.”

I glanced at her sideways. “Did you have a hand in the complex’s design?”

“Well, of course, I did. I couldn’t leave it to Farren and Loskin, could I?”

“Of course not,” I murmured as we marched across the canyon.

“There’s a ward, I see,” Ceruvax observed. “Your work?”

Adriel shook her head. “Farren’s.”

My eyes drifted to the wrought iron gate at the main entrance. There were no guards on duty this time. Only a single figure. Regus.

“What’s he doing here?” I muttered. The possessed should’ve been in the underground tunnel with Ghost and Nyra.

Adriel followed my gaze. “Farren sent him. And don’t worry, the New Haveners are fine.”

I looked at her. “You have been speaking to him?” The two lichs had their own means of communicating that allowed them to keep in contact even while halfway across the dungeon from each other.

Adriel nodded. “The possessed are gathered in the central courtyard.” She paused. “No one knows you’re coming or what you intend yet.”

I quickened my pace. Farren knew the plan, of course. What I intended could not be done without his aid, and Adriel had stayed in close contact with him throughout our journey. Yet, even with both lich’s help, there was no guarantee of success, especially with a thousand odd volatile possessed thrown in the mix.

“Before I forget, you better take this.” Reaching into my cloak, I withdrew a slim glass object and handed it to her.

You have lost Adriel’s phylactery.

She took it wordlessly, one eyebrow arched in question.

“Neither of us knows what’s going to happen in the next few hours, and if I’m going to die, I shouldn’t do so without that on me.”

She smiled. “I won’t say everything’s going to be alright because I admit, I don’t know how things will turn out.”

“Well, at least this should be easier than taking on the harbinger and void tree,” I said lightly.

Adriel snorted. “I’m not so sure about that.”

“You’re certain you don’t want us to buff you?” Ceruvax asked. Even the old wolf was looking a little out of sorts. His gaze never settling, he studied the approaching court with the intensity of an hunter—or a hunted.

“No,” I said firmly. Some of the possessed would recognize any buffs cast about me, and going into this, I needed them relaxed, not wary, and worried about what I would do next.

Regus uncrossed his arms as we drew to a halt before the gate, and his eyes skipped over us before settling on the former envoy. “You must be Ceruvax,” he greeted.

The old wolf inclined his head, though I caught his gaze lingering on the ugly wound on Regus’ head.

The possessed swung back the gate and waved us in. “Everything is ready,” he reported.

With Adriel leading the way, we passed through.

You have entered a tier 6 protection field. Only entities who have been granted access by the ward’s controllers can cross this barrier.

The moment I passed through the barrier, my mindsight rippled out, no longer blocked by the protection field. Letting my awareness expand outward and downward, I began searching the surroundings.

Ceruvax’s eyebrows rose. “A powerful ward,” he murmured.

Adriel threw him a wry look. “Don’t worry, you won’t be trapped inside. The ward has been keyed to allow all of us passage—both in and out.” She shrugged. “If the worst happens, you will have an escape route.”

“And the possessed?” Ceruvax asked quietly.

“They will be trapped,” Adriel replied. “Until they figure out how to take down the ward, of course.” She glanced at me. “You remember the exit portal’s location?”

I nodded. It was also protected by wards that Farren had keyed to us. Using it would be an option of last resort, though, and the lich didn’t bother advising me to flee in its direction if things went awry. She knew I wouldn’t leave without Ghost, Nyra, and the warband.

I strode up to Regus’ side. “How did everything go?”

“There were some problems,” he admitted, “But only a few and nothing we couldn’t handle. The possessed are all together now, waiting, if a trifle impatiently.”

“Farren has done well then.” Better than I imagined. “I was half-expecting us needing to run down the stragglers and the disaffected.”

Regus chuckled. “Gathering together is no great hardship, and truly most were too curious to resist complying with the archlich’s orders.”

I nodded. “Let’s hope keeping them together goes just as smoothly,” I murmured. That would be up to me.

He shot me an indecipherable look. “You think this plan of yours will work?”

I studied Regus thoughtfully. It was not an idle question, I knew.

Ceruvax, I, and even Adriel might be able to consider the matter objectively, but for the possessed themselves, it was a question of singular importance.

“I can’t say for sure,” I replied, making no attempt to hide my own uncertainty. “But it’s a chance.”

He barked a laugh. “That’s enough, then.”

I looked at him in surprise.

Regus gestured at his body. “This existence has not been what I thought it would be.” He waved his arms, encompassing both the court and the dungeon. “None of it has been. A chance for something better will be good.”

I clamped a hand on his shoulder. “I will do my best to see you get it.”

✵ ✵ ✵

We navigated the compound without incident.

Adriel had spoken truly, and the streets around us were deserted. As we drew closer to the central plaza outside Loskin’s mansion—Farren’s now, I supposed—I felt a familiar mind tickle the edge of my awareness.

“Prime!” the pyre wolf exclaimed.

“Ghost,” I greeted in relief. Despite Adriel’s earlier reassurance, having more direct confirmation of her well-being was nice. “Are you and Nyra alright?”

“Yes,” she replied. “The possessed have not bothered us. Regus has kept them away.”

“That’s good. How is Algar and the warband doing?”

“The Bane Wolves, you mean?” she asked, with a teasing note in her voice. “They’re bored and tired of sitting around doing nothing; otherwise, they can’t complain.”

I smiled. “You are all still in the underground tunnel then?”

“We are,” Ghost said. “What about you? How did things go?”

My smile widened. “Better than expected. I found Ceruvax, and he is eager to meet you.”

“He is?”

“Of course,” My amusement died. “But Ghost, listen, things are about to get tricky.”

She laughed.

“What?” I asked in confusion.

“Prime, things always get tricky with you.”

I chuckled helplessly. “It does seem that way, doesn’t it? Anyway, here’s the plan…”

✵ ✵ ✵

The court’s large central courtyard was packed.

Every possessed still part of the court was present, even bitter enemies like Avery. The possessed stood together, yet apart, in one big disorderly crowd—spread out here and clumped together there. According to Adriel, many still aligned themselves according to old House allegiances, which explained the groups.

For this, the possessed’s day of reckoning, the lichs and I had agreed everyone had to be included. If we were lucky, our ploy might earn us a bit of goodwill or unsettle the dissenters long enough for my message to get through. But neither of these was why I’d asked Farren to rehome every spirit.

At the end of the day, all the possessed deserved a choice—even those like Avery. The options on offer might not be to their liking, but it was a choice nonetheless and the only one I was prepared to give them.

As we crossed the square’s outer edge, passing beyond the buildings bordering it, faces turned our way. A murmur rippled through the crowd as the possessed beheld me. Some recognized me, many didn’t. But I was sure by the time we reached the awaiting dais, every possessed would know that the player who had killed the archlich was back.

To our left was the archlich’s mansion. To our right was the destroyed vault. The damage still hadn’t been repaired. In between was the statue fountain. It, too, was a ruinous mess. A dais that had been erected for just this meeting waited on the western end of the square. With Regus cutting a path through the possessed, we made straight for it.

Ceruvax eyed the scarred and damaged surroundings as we crossed the square. “What did all this?” he asked, ignoring the hundreds of onlookers.

“The harbinger,” Adriel replied just as nonchalantly.

“It came here?” he asked, sounding surprised.

“It wasn’t my idea,” she said, with a pointed look in my direction.

Keeping my eyes fixed on the dais, I ignored the pair. Their chatter might mislead the possessed into believing the two were oblivious to the danger surrounding them, but I knew both were ready to respond to the least hint of trouble.

Farren came into sight. Standing at the fore of the dais with his arms folded behind his back, he, too, appeared at ease, but that was also a lie. The archlich was tense and alert.

Behind Farren were six others. Ghost, Nyra, Algar, and his three captains. I’d thought long and hard about including the New Haveners in today’s proceedings, but after listening to Adriel and Ceruvax, I’d reluctantly conceded they needed to be here, if only as witnesses on New Haven’s behalf. Their presence, though, would not be without cost, and I only hoped Algar would understand when I broke the news to him.

“Hail, scion of House Wolf,” Farren proclaimed loudly.

A palpable hush descended over the courtyard.

I kept advancing, unfazed by the greeting or the possessed’s sudden silence. Both were expected. After lengthy and protracted arguments, Ceruvax, Adriel, and I had agreed there was no way we could enact our plan without revealing my House allegiance.

The Ritual Circle alone would make many of the possessed suspicious, and certainly, none of them could be expected to willingly enter into combat with me unless they understood the stakes. That being the case, we’d agreed that instead of shunning my identity, it was best to use it for what it truly was.

A weapon.

Around me, I felt the crowd’s mood change. Where before they’d exuded the watchfulness of cornered prey, now I sensed surprise.

And curiosity.

I could work with both.

I strode onto the dais and joined Farren while Ceruvax, Adriel, and Regus—silent shadows now—peeled off to merge into the line the other six formed behind the archlich. Raising my chin, I looked down at the sea of faces assembled in front of me. I would have to work hard to win them. And if I could not do that, I would have to at least secure their cooperation.

Settling my thoughts, I began. “At this very minute, each of you is likely wondering what game your archlich is playing. ‘He can’t be serious, can he?’ you must be thinking. ‘I can’t truly be what he claims, can I?’”

I paused. “But there is no game. I am what Farren says I am—a scion of House Wolf.”

A murmur rippled through the possessed, and while most took pains to hide their disdain and scoffs, I didn’t fail to mark the many that didn’t.

“No doubt you think I lie. I promise you, though, that before this day is done, you will have ample proof I am an anointed scion of House Wolf. For now, all I ask is that you listen.”

The whispers grew, but I waited patiently until silence fell again.

“Thank you,” I said gravely before continuing. “It is my goal to see Wolf rise again. Even now, the adherents of the House are gathering. And soon, other Houses will follow in Wolf’s wake. The new Powers may have defeated the Primes in your day, but the war is not yet done. I—we—will challenge them yet.”

The murmurs swelled further this time, sparking some open discussion and even a few shouted comments. The prevalent tone was that of contempt and derision, but here and there, I caught a more hopeful voice.

I raised my arms for silence. “I know, I know. You don’t believe me. But I’m not asking you to—not yet.” The seed had been planted, and it was time to move on. “We will have ample opportunity to talk of the future, but for now, it is the past we must focus on.”

It took nearly a minute for the possessed to settle down again. “I’m not ignorant of your history either,” I said when they did. “Adriel and Farren have shared your tales.

“I know you came to Draven’s Reach fleeing the new Powers and their rebellion. I know Loskin promised you a chance to fight back one day. I know you yourselves are scions. And I know you came here with the best of intentions.”

I paused and swept my gaze across the courtyard, drawing out the silence. “Yet, it all went astray, didn’t it?

“You did not carry out any of the brave acts you envisioned. Instead, you preyed on a weak and desperate people. You committed atrocities the likes of which the new Powers performed against your own Houses. You slaughtered players for their bodies. You held an entire city hostage!”

The hush deepened, so much so that the quiet click of Ghost’s claws on the dais carried clearly to my ears.

“If we are to challenge the new Powers, it will not be on the backs of the non-players. They will be our allies, not our victims. We will not persecute them, we will not abuse them, and any crimes committed against them will be punished.”

I shook my head. “Your misdeeds cannot be forgotten. Nor will they be swept under the rug.” I inhaled deeply. “Before we move forward, there will be—there must be—a reckoning.”