The room was swallowed by darkness except for Aegis, Zerra and Kel. They were painted by a thin strip of light that crept in through the slightly open door. Aegis turned toward Zerra, and half of his face was lit. While the other half was shrouded in shadows.
Aegis spoke, "Deron the disgraced."
Zerra blinked. One of her eyebrows was raised, while her eyes turned narrow.
Aegis was sure she knew him.
The same blank look.
Aegis let the silence stretch as he thought and anticipated a question from her.
As if returning his anticipation, she spoke. "What?"
Huh?
Aegis thought and scratched his head. He expected her to bombard him with questions. This was unlike her.
He returned her gaze and answered, "You know him."
Zerra crossed her arms as she looked up, and Kel gripped his chin as he stared at the ground. Aegis stared at both of them. He bit his lower lip while waiting for an answer.
Zerra's voice resounded as she straightened her back, "The beast slayer, right? "
While Kel's voice followed, correcting her, "Sensitised beast slayer, that is why he fell." His voice pressed as he pronounced the word sensitised.
Zerra frowned as she heard the word, while Aegis scoffed. It was an insult used to define weaker fiends. She snapped back, "It is just a rumour!"
Aegis, however, hated them. In his past experiences, he never came across one, and believed fiends cannot feel warm feelings. He continued biting his lower lip as he stared at them.
Zerra turned back and passed a look to Kel.
Kel shrugged, saying, "What? It is true."
Zerra turned back, her eyes were now fixed on Aegis. The frown on her face was still fixed as she spoke. "What of him?"
Aegis stopped biting his lips as he spoke, "I know how he died."
Both of his friends' eyes widened as his words reached them. He tapped his thigh rhythmically. The room was cut by silence, as the words died.
Aegis looked into their eyes, which held understanding. Ignoring their prying gaze, he continued, "He is right."
Aegis looked at Kaelran. "He crossed the wall."
He took a glance at his friends as they both sat in silence, looking at him.
Aegis did not prolong the silence, "He was a bandit."
The stares directed at him intensified with anticipation as he said. Aegis exchanged glances with them; their eyebrows raised as he did. He noticed Kel's eyes widening as if he realised something.
Kaelran opens his mouth, "Half the rumours are true then."
Aegis nodded and replied, "Yes, and he entered the chapel."
Zerra loosened her arms, and they were no longer crossed. Her eyes were fixed on Aegis.
Aegis did not make her wait and started explaining his dream.
…
It took a while for Aegis to completely explain his dream as he spoke from his recollection. But he was sure that he had explained everything correctly.
Zerra now stood up, stomping her feet. Her eyebrows got closer together in a serious expression. "No! We are not doing!"
Aegis opened his mouth, but he got cut off by Zerra.
Her voice tensed as she spoke, "Is the gold really worth it?"
Aegis and Kel exchanged glances, but Aegis stood up. "Yes."
The sound in the air was interrupted by those words, and the silence took over.
Zerra stared at him with her arms crossed, her eyes piercing his soul. Her words cut the silence, "What about the husks? What will you do when hordes of them surround us?"
Aegis opened his mouth, but no words came out. He stood in silence.
She is right.
Zerra stepped forward, her voice echoed in the hall again. "Tell me, what will you do if the green flame touches any one of us?"
Aegis stepped back, as he had no answer. Each word hit him like a punch, and he felt his dream of freedom being choked.
What if I am being greedy?
Zerra stepped forward again, this time her voice filled the hall. "How will you fight a monster that killed three fiends? Not just any fiends, one of them was a beast slayer. He killed a dragon with his bare hands. The other two were skilled with their weapons."
Aegis hit the bed as Zerra now loomed in front of his face. Her eyes pierced his.
The image of the gold vault and Aegis was now foggy and unclear. Instead, the death of the bandits and the sight of headless Deron played in Aegis's mind. The barrage of questions he expected from Zerra was now forming in his own mind.
What if I die? What if I can't reach the chapel? What if I can't get the gold?
Zerra wasted no time, "So tell me, how will you face the terror in the chapel?"
Aegis looked at his friend as her eyes were fixed on him. He took a glance at Kel, and he looked at him for an answer. He rubbed his eyes and took a deep breath. The influence of fear now lessened as he focused on his friends.
Not good, I have to answer quickly.
Aegis thought, and he said. "Ananke!"
The words hung in the air, and the name pierced the air like an arrow. Gloomy dark corners of the hall now deepened in Aegis's eyes. The strip of light now dimmed.
Zerra stepped back, and Kel stopped looking at him.
Aegis's voice echoed again as he spoke, "The eldari."
Zerra no longer stood close to him, but her eyes were still fixed on him.
She spoke, cutting the tension. "What if he is not the one who appeared in your dream? What if he is not as strong as you think?"
Kel spoke, re-firming Zerra's doubt. "She is not wrong, your dreams are not full. It could mean anything."
Aegis shook his head in response, he replied. "If you doubt him, visit the arena."
Zerra and Kel both fell silent, and they exchanged glances.
Aegis sighed inwardly and spoke again. "Decide after that."
Both stared at each other for a while before Kel replied. "Okay-"
Zerra cut him off before he finished. "If he is not impressive, we drop this plan. That's it!"
Aegis opened his mouth to speak, but he was interrupted by Zerra. "No, only if you agree to this. We will give your Eldari a chance."
Aegis nodded as he felt he reached the limit of bargaining.
He looked at both of his friends and stood up, "Well, I need to go now."
Zerra and Kel nodded, but before Aegis could leave, Zerra spoke. "Take the piece of filth with you."
Aegis rolled his eyes at her and replied, "Yes, your nobility."
He stepped out and went back to the place where he dropped the filth. Aegis pinched his nose and knelt near it. With a grimace, he picked it up and put it back in his pocket. When he turned back, a frown appeared on his face.
Behind him, Zerra stood, leaning on the wall. Her face carried a grin witnessing Aegis pick up filth. He rolled his eyes again and ignored her walking forward.
…
Aegis finally reached the tavern, and the passerby pinched their noses as the stench hit them. He got rid of the piece of filth, but the smell remained. Aegis had to get rid of the shirt, or he had to ready his back for whips.
But I only have this.
Opposite to his thought. He sighed and removed his shirt. Only a pale, greasy white undershirt was left on his thin body. It only covered his torso, and his arms were completely exposed. The charred scar on his chest was now visible, but the undershirt covered most of it. The bed bugs were about to have a feast tonight.
Great. Now I can scratch all night long.
Aegis opened the door of the tavern, and the bell rang as he did.