Private Tales Bad Stakes

[Isak Lavelle]

I'm yours...

Those words rang inside Isak's head the whole night, and with each kiss and each whisper of her name, Isak felt whole. Even though he felt too dominated by desire to think properly, he was still careful and gentle with Eilerias, worried about giving her as much as pleasure as he was feeling. And every time he looked at her, he felt a burning sensation on his chest. It was like he could finally belong somewhere, in a place that wasn't filled with bad intentions and painful nightmares. Every time he was with her, Isak could barely remember the screams of the past, or hear the voices inside his head. Every thought was just her, the way she now mischievously looked at him, her purple eyes begging for more pleasure, for more of his touches.

To say that he belonged to her as well wouldn't even begin to scratch the surface. Isak didn't think he could put words to those thoughts, but he needed her, in more ways than he could imagine. She wasn't just the healer hired by Gwendolyn to mend their wounds, she was far more than that now.

She was his, and he was hers.

The night went past quickly as they got lost in each other touches, kisses and heavy moans filling the air along with the sharp scent of wine all over the room. He had thought those sensations couldn't get any better, but Eilerias was always proving him wrong now. He felt happy to have her under his control that night, to experience that thrill as he lead her movements, it just felt natural. They had only done that a few times now, but Isak could feel that their bodies were simply connected at that point, hungry for more of each other without even having to say a word. He left small marks all over her small body, something that unconsciously brought him great pleasure, and he could feel her clawing at his back several times, her nails also leaving her own marks on him.

When the first sun light started peeking inside the room, they were too exhausted to even move, Isak resting his head on one of the pillows that were still on the bed, while Eilerias comfortably put her head on his chest, giving him a few kisses on his still burning hot skin. His chest was up and down several times as he tried to catch his breath after that adventurous night, with a satisfied smile that wouldn't leave his lips.

Like her, Isak didn't know what to say either. He could think of a thousand words to describe what that moment had been, but it all escaped his grasp as soon as he looked at her, her eyes closed and the beautiful smile on her face as she lay on his chest. She looked so peaceful. "Fantastic." It was the only thing he could whisper as he slowly pushed back a few of the loose hair strands on her face before leaving a quick kiss ontop of her head.

He closed his eyes for a second, but felt her slowly tilting her head to look towards the window, where they could see the crystal blue of the sea from the open porthole. "Good morning, priestess." He replied, his voice low and tender, much unlike the heavy tone it usually carried. Isak just wished they could stay like that for the rest of the day, taking a break from the plans and the worries about what would happen - just the two of them, enjoying each other's company.

"Eile, I..." He had given much thought to what he was about to ask, but it didn't make it any easier. He wasn't sure if she would ever accept that. "Would you travel with me, some day?" He still had much to see of the world, and he knew Eilerias had only caught a small glimpse of all its beauty, so he wished to show her more of it. The breathtaking hot sands of Amol Kalit, the pure and harsh snow of the cold Tundra, and all of the lands in between. He wanted her to see the fabled griffins of Oban, the ones she was so curious about.

They spent a few more hours there, taking a much needed rest after staying up all night, ravishing each other's bodies. They only left the room at Ogden's request, once he knocked on the door for what looked like minutes, telling them they should eat something. The food wasn't as rich and tasty like the meals back at the Raven Club, but it would suffice for now, and Isak was just happy to see Eilerias eating well while having a few laughs with Ogden and some crewmates, who told them the most interesting stories - or exaggerated lies - about their sea voyages.

The days went by smoothly, with Isak and Eilerias enjoying themselves over a few bottles of wine some nights, or simply sharing stories with the rest of the crew in the lower deck, once the rains started to appear more frequently, strongly rocking the boat as if it were storms. In a couple weeks' time, they could already see the dark patches of land from the Black Bay from afar, just waiting for them.

Isak was ready to see that job through, and he knew Eilerias was as well.

 

[Eilerias]

His words lingered in her mind as the days went on. He wanted to bring her along on his travels. It warmed her heart to hear that. Him disappearing left her at a loss last time and when he promised it wouldn't happen again, he meant it. Of course she said yes, excited to see what the world had to offer and especially excited to see the mysterious griffins he spoke of.

She stayed inside the ship more often as the skies became darker and storms hit them. It was scary, but she felt safe in the care of Isak and Ogden. The days became enjoyable as they befriended the crew. Isak and Ogden didn't buy all of the crew's stories, but Eilerias would sit there wide eyed as she bombarded them with questions about anything and everything.

She would look over the side of the ship when the storms subsided and see dark, menacing islands. She recognized it as the splotches of black on Isak's map. She ran to tell Isak that they were close and force him to the top of the deck to watch as they arrived.

From her view, she could see the shanty town spread throughout Black Bay. It looked similar to the decrepit houses of the Shallows. Everything looked so broken down, yet she could make out a lot of people moving about the town.

Everything looked out of place. Though heavy black clouds loomed over the entire crescent of the Black Bay the town was very vibrant and it was surrounded by huge green trees and flowers that made up every color in the rainbow. It was a strangely beautiful sight for a town filled with people who seemed so vile.

As they docked, Eilerias went back inside the ship to go over the plan with Isak and Ogden. She needed to look the part of a slave if she was going to help infiltrate the ring. Ogden had somehow acquired some tattered cloths that barely covered her body, but he insisted it would allow her to fit in with the others. She began to get a bit nervous. What if the plan didn't work at all? What if Isak's plan was discovered and he got himself hurt or killed? All her worries lingered around what would happen to Isak.

"So..." She sat at the table looking at both Isak and Ogden. "How exactly am I going to get in again?"

 

[Isak Lavelle]

Isak had been inside his cabin for a while now, going over the last details of their very bold plan. His ideas, along with Eilerias and Ogden's had mashed together into a pile of schemes ever since they left Alliria, and it had been up to Isak to refine every little detail, and cover every possible exit. He had to make sure, he had to be perfect about every angle, so that they could free the slaves and for Eilerias to make it out unscathed. He would never forgive himself if she didn't.

He would burn Cerak to the ground if he had to, but she would make it out alive and well.

Eilerias opened the door and quickly got inside, the worry evident on her eyes as she looked at him. He knew her well enough to believe she wasn't even thinking of her own well being, much more preocuppied with thoughts about if he wouldn't be hurt or killed, if someone discovered their plans. Sometimes, Isak hated that Eilerias had such a good heart, always so willing to sacrifice herself for others, but he admired her even more for that.

She was so strong, far more stronger than him.

She told him that the crew had sighted land in the horizon, and Isak quickly got up from his seat, hands resting on the table near a few rolls of paper. Ogden soon entered the room as well, telling them that the ship would be ready to dock in half an hour. The dwarf stood next to them, glancing over the sketches of Cerak that Isak had managed to draw from a few pieces of map that he got from the crew. It wasn't a whole map, just a drawing of the area where he thought Khet's informant would be, and also where they could look for the slaves.

He also wasn't fond about the tattered pieces of clothing that Ogden had found for Eilerias to wear, but he knew she'd have to look the part if she wanted to infiltrate the slave ring. At least he had brought with him a large cloak that she could wear and keep her body well hidden once they were ready to meet the informant. No one in town could see her before she infiltrated the slaves, or the whole plan would fail, and she would come with them to the meeting with Khet's informant so they could be sure it was safe to move on with the plan.

"Here." Isak put his finger over a red circle on his papers. "There's a alehouse here, a few streets away from the main square, probably abandoned. Khet said that his informant would be there, waiting for us." He was wary of meeting a stranger in the middle of a city full of cutthroats and cold murderers, but Isak knew it was the only way to get information regarding the slavers. "He'll tell us what we need to know about the ring leaders, and then..."

Ogden stepped forward, pointing towards another marked spot on the sketch. "We'll take Lady Eilerias to the infiltration point, I remember that part." It was the most risky part of the plan, no matter what calculations he made, and Isak was almost silently begging her to reconsider all that and give Isak more time figure out something else to do, but he knew that Eilerias wouldn't budge. Some of the crew would play the part of mercenaries, selling her at a slaver's point. Khet had told Isak about the existence of several such points all across Cerak, where people would take new slaves to be sold.

"I'll set up the meeting with the ring leaders. Ogden will be the only one accompanying me, so they don't get suspicious." He walked over to Eilerias, standing close enough to her so he could reach her hand, squeezing it gently. He could no longer hide the worry on his own face, and Ogden left the room to give them a precious moment alone, before they could get on with the plan. Isak could hear some of the crew shouting from outside, orders being barked around that the ship was close to docking.

"I won't let you get hurt." His eyes were fierce and fiery, Isak felt determined and confident. But then, his gaze fell downwards, to look at their hands entwined. No doubt Eilerias could sense some his sadness, echoing through him. "But if something happens... I want you to run. Ogden will be able to get everyone out."

He was slowly caressing her cheek now, trying to find some kind of strength for himself in that moment, as well as comfort her. "Run and don't look back. I'll free you and the rest of the slaves, even if I have to stay behind."

He wasn't afraid, not of dying or what came after. He knew there was no forgiveness or mercy for people like him, and his only regret would be not being able to glance at her beauty again. At least he had new memories, of Eilerias and her bright smile, of all the nights they spent together, memories that he could take to the other side, if he was to give his life to see her live.

 

[Eilerias]

Eilerias paid careful attention to every word that came from Isak and Ogden's mouth. It was unusual for her to follow the instructions, but it was essential for this. Isak had planned each and every detail for this plan and there was very little wiggle room for errors or improvisation. There was no guarantee either of them would make it out alive.

She wouldn't let her uneasiness show on her face as she stood there in front of the two men. She needed to prove she wasn't weak and delicate like Isak treated her. She was strong and she could handle her own if need be. She knew Isak was nervous about her plan, but she was stubborn and committed to the role she chose to play.

"Abandoned alehouse, easy enough to remember." She said mostly to herself as they pointed out the various places on the map. "Infiltration point, yup." Her words sounded a little random, causing an odd look from Ogden and Isak, but she smiled and ensured them that she was paying attention for once.

"Ogden, tell the crew to be gentle when they bring me to the point. I know I'm supposed to look the part, but I don't want to have to waste energy healing myself." She had a certain cockiness behind her words. Maybe it was courage. "And tell them if any one of them gets handsy with me...well...they might regret that." She looked at Isak and winked playfully.

She watched Ogden leave the room and Isak's expression changed. She could feel her darkness feeding off of his fear and sadness as she held his hands in hers. She used her soothing touch to try to make him feel better, but it made her guilty to manipulate his emotions without him knowing.

"Please stop worrying so much about me." Her voice was quiet, but confident. She didn't want to cry, but it was hard not to while she was taking his worries and fear away. "I don't want you to get distracted. We have a mission and we will be successful. I'm sure of it." She gave his hands a tight squeeze as she delivered the last line.

She pulled her hands away as she turned to put on the cloak. It covered her nicely, even hiding her long white hair and bare feet from sight. "You worry too much for me. Have you ever known me to die?" She laughed. "Even if I have to use the darkness, I will get both of us out of here. I promise." He could see her smile under the hood of the cloak.

She walked towards the door, opening it slowly. "Come, come. We have a meeting to get to." She beckoned him to follow her as she skipped through the ship on her way to the upper decks.

 

[Isak Lavelle]

Isak could feel her confidence rubbing off on him, giving him the strength he needed. He had to gather himself and look ahead, to trust his plan and realize that it was all in their hands, and he knew they were more than capable of achieving anything they wanted. He could feel a bit more at ease now, thanks to her soothing touch and calming words, and quickly followed her out the cabin to see that the ship had already been docked. A few of the sailors were unloading some crates, looking for the harbormaster that could pay them for their cargo.

Cerak was also a pirate town, and most, if not all, of the cargo being stored and traded there had been taken from other ships or villages along the coast. Khet told him that many of the slaves being brought to the Black Bay arrived by ship, stored in small boxes like animals and taken to the trading points. A few slaves, the cheaper and bland ones, were shown in public, sold to the highest bidder, but the more profitable ones were transported from the trading points to a secure storage location. Isak's mission was to discover that location, and burn it down along with everyone involved in that bloody business.

He was wearing his most common clothing now, the high tailored dark coat that he wore like armor, the gloves hiding his hands and adding an air of mystique to his frame. He looked like a proper businessman again, one that could mistakenly be taken as interested in the slave market. Isak glanced at Eilerias, she was wearing the long cloak he had given to her, covering her whole body from neck to toe, and her hood was pulled up. Even so, he could still see the confident smile she had underneath it, her fingers looking for his touch as if to show him that everything would be alright.

He was supposed to be comforting her, giving her strength, but once again it was Eilerias who was saving him. He felt so lucky... and powerful. He knew he could do anything he set his mind on, especially if he had her by his side. A smirk formed on his lips as his own fingers reached hers, letting her feel the warm touch of his fabric gloves before they head out the ship to meet Khet's informant.

The trio - Isak, Eilerias and Ogden - managed to slip inside the town as simple mercenaries or people with enough dirty coin to spend on the local business, and they now arrived at the alehouse where the informant was located. Even in the dark, Isak caught sight of the man, the sunlight slowly revealing him once he stepped forward. It was a man of age, grey hair and a scruffy beard, a man that could easily be mistaken for a mercenary.

"You're Lavelle, then? Isak?" His rough voice echoed through the abandoned place, the cobwebs being exposed by the light and the cockroaches running around them. "Khet told me help was on the way. He didn't say there would be three of you, though."

"You don't need to worry about numbers. Just tell us everything you know about the slave rings. Give me names, locations, some clue as to where the slaves are being stored." Isak didn't have time for chatting, and as rude as it sounded, he preferred being straightforward about his business. The man didn't seem fazed by it, simply nodding as he started to spill out the information.

Turns out the slavers were smart enough not to stay in one place, with most of them running their businesses from all around Arethil, and only a few remaining in Cerak to ensure the smooth running of their operations. There were four bosses staying in Cerak, grabbing their cargo from ships that arrived daily with more slaves, and storing them in a warehouse in the outskirts of the city, near the forest where even the worst bandits feared entering. Some of the slaves were sold to the most powerful and rich mercenaries in Cerak, while a few remained with them to be 'used' until they were sent to other slavers across the continents, passing from hand to hand. He couldn't possibly track down all the slavers, but killing the ones in Cerak and freeing their 'properties' would be a nice start.

Isak could feel his teeth gritting at all that information, especially when he thought of Eilerias being infiltrated into such a group, at the mercy of those bosses.

"I've one last question for you." Isak took a step forward, confronting the man. "What do you care for all this? Khet told me you could be trusted, but he said nothing else, and I'm not one to walk blindly into a trap. Tell me, or we'll walk away from this." His voice was cold and his gaze was almost piercing. Isak could see a few drops of sweat falling down the man's face as he sought to evade his look. He seemed conflicted, which usually meant he was also hiding something. Finally, the man looked at Eilerias, sadness filling his eyes, before facing Isak again.

"They... They took my daughter, two years ago. She was travelling with me, she wanted to see the oceans. They attacked our ship, killed most of the crew and took others as slaves, with my Lidia amongst them. They thought I was dead, but I managed to swim back to shore, and I've been hunting them ever since. I met Khet at the Shallows a few months past, before I learned they were holed up here, hiding in the shadows of the Black Bay and ruining many other lives."

Isak listened to all of it, his face showing nothing but hatred for those slavers. He took something out of his inner pocket, a piece of paper that he opened to reveal the symbol he got from Khet. "Do they wear this symbol?" The man nodded, confirming Isak's suspicions. It seems that network of slavers had some sort of connection with his old master Atreon, and Isak would be glad to rid the land of that plague, like he did with him.

"We will avenge your daughter, and any others who suffered of the same fate." Deep down, Isak was talking about himself too. He clenched his gloved fists, letting the anger slowly fuel him, feeling its power coursing through his veins. It was time to move on with the plan. He bid farewell to the informant before leaving the place along with Eilerias and Ogden.

"Eile, Ogden and the crew will accompany you to the trading point. I'll reach you in a couple hours, once the meeting starts. We'll save them all, together."

He took her hand as a promise, his eyes set on her face even though it slightly was covered by the hood. He glanced deep into her golden eyes, trying his hardest to let her go. "Wait for me. I have something to say to you, once this is over."

 

[Eilerias]

Eilerias stood quietly beside Isak as they met with the informant. She was surprised he looked normal- at least compared to Khet. She wasn't fond of Isaks straightforward approach to the business, but it worked for him. She wanted details, descriptions, backstories to base her actions off of before proceeding, but she didn't dare to speak up and interrupt the two of them.

Her stomach dropped as the stranger described the state of the slaves. Some were stored like caged animals and some were taken to be some sort of toy for the slavers. The memories of the night she found the stranger in her house flooded her mind. She knew he was going to use her as the slavers did to some, but the combination of her darkness coming up with the courage to fight back and Gwendolyn's enchanted dagger. She wished silently that she would just be able to infiltrate as one of the less desirable slaves, but she knew deep down that wasn't her fate and she had to accept it.

Her ears perked up at the name the man spoke of. His daughter. "Lidia" She mouthed almost silently, committing it to her memory. She was going to make sure she found this girl and reunited her with her father. A new task had been added to her mission.

Eilerias nodded as Isak went over the plan one more time with her. His warm gloved hands grabbed hers once more and she smiled, staring into his eyes. "I'll be there, I promise." She gently kissed him on the nose and let go of his hands as Ogden ushered her away from Isak.

Shortly after the meeting, Eilerias was stripped of the cloak and being led to the trading point. She had been cuffed by Ogden who ensured she could get out if she needed to escape and ditch the plan. She was surprised the crew had been very gentle with her. She assumed either Isak or Ogden threatened their lives if anything happened to hers.

Then she saw it. The trading point. It was patrolled by large guards armed with swords that had strange carvings on them, probably stolen from a blacksmith who specialized in ornate cultural designs. The crew began to push her around a bit more to play the part of rough slavers as they approached.

Immediately as they came to the point, two guards approached, demanding to know the details of Eilerias: Where was she from? What was her age? And other questions she didn't remember as the poked and prodded at her like she was some cattle. One grabbed her jaw rather harshly and moved her head around, studying her face while the other grabbed at her arms and legs.

"She's not much good for manual labor." The one grabbing at her thigh commented, referring to her lack of muscle.
"Yeah, but she might be useful in the barracks." The other one commented and laughed cruelly.

Eilerias tried to hit the one grabbing at her with her knee but he grabbed it and knocked her other foot from underneath her causing her to lose balance and hit the ground. They laughed at her and her eyes started to get the flecks of purple as her blood began to boil. These people were savages. She couldn't wait for their end.

"She fights back." The one that she kneed laughed at her once again, making her even more angry. "Yeah, we'll take her off your hands." They offered the crew some coin and pulled her along by her cuffs. She shot a terrified look at Ogden as she was pulled out of sight and taken to the warehouse.

She was paraded through the warehouse like some new toy as she was being walked to the barracks. The people in the cages looked at her with a sadness she didn't understand. They were locked away to be sold and they felt bad for her. Most of the faces were a blur as she was dragged, but she took special notice of a small redheaded boy who looked more bored than anything. They made eye contact as she was dragged past him and then it was darkness.

Darkness everywhere.

She could hear herself screaming, but she didn't know why.

She could hear the slavers, but the noises they made were unfamiliar to her.

Her mind and body were separated and she couldn't see herself anywhere. She knew the darkness had taken over and she couldn't feel her body. Everything felt numb. She didn't know where she was or what was happening to her.

All she could do was wait for Isak to burn this place to the ground.

Even if it meant she would burn with them.

She wanted them dead.

 

[Isak Lavelle]

Arranging the meeting had been the easiest part of the plan, once he saw one of the slavers walking around the market. It was actually the slaver who approached Isak, taking him for a man of wealth who could possibly be looking for new servants. In all the time they talked, Isak could only think of the image of Eilerias being taken away by Ogden to be 'sold' at the trading points, and every time the disgusting man spoke to him about the new batch of slaves coming in, Isak wanted to just burn the life out of him right there. He could hear the raging howls of the demon inside him, almost daring him to do that, and it was hard for Isak to push him back.

He wanted that too. He wanted to just burn down that entire city, to see the blazes and the smoke conquer the air until there was nothing but a great pile of ashes, but he knew that there was more at stake than just his desire for vengeance. She was waiting for him, suffering through the same pain he once did, and Isak wanted nothing more than to see Eilerias again, to free her from those monsters.

The meeting was set for later that evening, and Isak arrived alone at the warehouse, being accompanied inside by a few guards. His eyes scanned through the whole environment as they walked inside, first through some small and empty rooms, and then to a larger one, where Isak could see many cells already holding some slaves. They all looked at him as if fearing for their lives, probably realizing that they would be passed on to someone else to hold their leashes. He could feel his skin crawling underneath his clothes, the memories of his gruesome training with Atreon, the beatings when he failed the lessons, the excruciating pain from the rituals performed on him...

Kill them all. He kept hearing it, the allure of that voice echoing inside him.

Isak opened his eyes in time to see the rest of the slavers entering the room through another door, dragging a few more slaves inside. And then, he saw her. He felt his whole body trembling, his gaze immediately set upon her pale body, and the blood in her tattered robes. He saw Eilerias, and they had hurt her. Isak tried his best to hide it, but he could see her looking at him, glimpsing at the desperation and sheer anger on his face as he seemed to forget everything around him and focused solely on her. Isak felt his jaw clenching, every inch of his body wanted to murder those people.

Kill them all, little sparrow. Take revenge for your putrid soul.

"Some of these poor bastards are from old deliveries, but we had a fresh batch this morning. Take your pick, my lord." The disgusting voice of one of the slavers brought him back from the edge of insanity, motioning Isak to take a few steps forward so he could have a better look at the slaves. He could feel the men staring at his back, probably no more than 8 of them. The four slavers, and 4 guards to match them. He was outnumbered, even if he knew Ogden was following him from a safe distance. "Some of these are meant to other partners, across the continent. Some of the girls will go to the whorehouses, to keep the business going, if you catch my meaning."

One of the guards walked over to Eilerias now, his dirty hand reaching for her jaw with a nauseating smile on his face. "This one though, I think we'll have a bit of fun with her first!"

"I'm taking her, along with the others." Isak cut him off, grabbing their attention as he stepped closer to one of the slavers who was about to contest his words. "It wasn't a request." It was the last thing he said before dark flames covered his gloved hand as it plunged through that man's chest, his blood falling over Isak's arm and staining his coat. From the corner of his eyes, he could see the rest of the slavers and their guards taking up their weapons to lunge at him, but one of them fell short as a axe hit him in the back, with Ogden's battle screams taking them by surprise. Isak moved quickly to grab one of the guards by his arm, locking it behind his back while his other hand was resting atop the man's head. Isak had a different smile on his face now, a sadistic and unhinged smile as he set that man on fire, throwing him towards one of the wooden pillars as he screamed in agony.

Kill them all.

The fight was messy and bloodied, with Isak and Ogden both taking wounds along the way. The dwarf managed to kill all but one slaver, who was battling Isak now. It was then that he saw the fire taking over the roof as the planks started to fall across the room. Defending one of the incoming blows, Isak screamed at Ogden. "Free Eilerias and the others, I'll hold off any reinforcements!"

"But boss--!" He already knew what Isak was doing, and he didn't want to think of that scenario, but Isak screamed at him again, making the dwarf run over to the slaves, breaking their cuffs and telling them to run outside. He freed Eilerias, and tried to hold her off from helping Isak as he swung his blade towards the slaver in another failed blow. He was bleeding from the side of his belly, but kept ignoring the pain. Finally, he saw Ogden and Eilerias fleeing the warehouse, his eyes focusing on her one last time. It had been worth it, and he would always remember her soothing smiles.

"This burning pile of shit will become your grave, boy!" The man shouted before swinging his sword towards Isak, who blocked it with some effort.

He shot him a deadly look along with a confident smirk. "If it becomes yours as well, then so be it."

Eilerias, Ogden and the rest of the slaves made it out in time to see the building crumbling and falling into a fiery ruin, the smokes darkening the skies above them. With tears streaming down his bloodied face, Ogden reached to Eilerias' arm, trying to move her away, back to the ship that would be waiting for them to leave that damned place behind.

 

[Eilerias]

Eilerias vision came back as she was being pulled into the meeting. Her hands and knees were all bloody, probably from being dragged. She had no idea what had happened for the past several hours, and for that she was thankful. She didn't want to know.

She was cold and everything hurt, but she could see Isak arriving. She had done her job. He was going to save her and the others. Her expression was neutral as she stared at him. She didn't have the energy to be angry.

She watched in silence as the slavers explained to Isak where some of the slaves would be distributed and noticed the fire in his eyes as one grabbed at her face again. A single tear went down her cheek as she prayed he would act quickly.

And he did. She hit the ground once again as he plunged his fiery hand through the mans chest and she was dropped to the floor. She wanted to yell at him to stop, when she began to feel the pain of every man Isak and Ogden had hurt, but it was too overwhelming. No words came out.

She watched as the fire crept up the walls and the roof began to burn wildly. It was going to fall any minute now with them all inside, but Isak's voice broke through her thoughts. He was telling them to get out. He was going to stay.

He was going to die.

Eilerias panicked and tried to fight back as Ogden picked her up off the ground after freeing the slaves, but she wasn't strong enough. She could hear the wooden planks crashing to the ground as the roof caved in on top of Isak and the last slaver.

There was nothing she could do. She fell to her bleeding hands and knees in the wet grass outside, crying. Her plan killed Isak.

She killed Isak.

Her pale body froze in place as if she was tied up again. She was perfectly statuesque as the tears streamed down her face and into the grass.

Her breathing slowed to almost nothing and what appeared to be dark purple smoke slowly poured from her mouth and pooled in front of her before flowing towards the crumbing fire pit of a building.

As the darkness approached the rubble, it began to take a human shape. She could see through its eyes, though in black and white. That was all she needed. She heard nothing but silence as she moved through the fire and felt nothing. She could see a grainy image of the last slaver looming over some sort of demonic being. It looked like Isak, but it was much darker. She couldn't make out the details of it. It wasn't human or elf, she knew that for sure.

She traveled through the limited darkness to get behind the last man. She put her smoky purple hands on his temple and began to fill his mind with nightmares and darkness. Something she only heard about once from Gwendolyn. She couldn't hear the man begging for mercy and screaming as she rotted his brain from the inside out.

She wanted him to suffer, and she enjoyed every minute of it.

The man was dead well before she dropped his body to the floor and made her way over to Isak. He looked dead, but she could see the demon still breathing as she picked up his bloody body and pushed her way through the rubble and set him on the grass in front of Ogden and Eilerias. Her shadowkin faded as she began to cough and open her eyes to see Isak bleeding out in front of her.

She was weak but she scrambled over to his body and began doing a more powerful healing spell. He wasn't dead yet and she wouldn't let that happen for him. His pain filled her and she filled him with soothing warmth as his wounds began to seal. She managed to curb the bleeding and seal all the cuts before she collapsed of exhaustion next to his body.

 

[Isak Lavelle]

Their blades clashed again, the sound of steel ringing across the room as wood and stone fell around them, creating a ring of fire that made it impossible for them to escape. Isak and the slaver took a few steps back, weighing each other from a distance while panting heavily, their bodies close to shutting down in pain and exhaustion. Only hatred was driving Isak now, as the blood kept flowing from his wounds.

He didn't like wielding swords, as they were usually heavy and impractical in most situations, but if he was to resort to his powers, Isak would certainly blow up the entire region, along with the people he was supposed to protect. He just had to buy them enough time to get to the ship, to sail away from that forsaken place. He could die happy at least, flashes of his days and nights with Eilerias passing by his mind as he remembered each scene vividly.

His only regret was not having said those words to her, the words she deserved to listen. For her to know the feelings that she had managed to bring out of him, out of the deep pool of his own pitifulness and darkness. Even through the pain, Isak let out a tiny smile as the memories gave him strength to fight on.

The slaver lunged at him again in another crude attempt to cut him down, but Isak acted faster, the man's blade barely grazing his back as he spun away from the blow and managed to plunge his sword across the slaver's side before falling away from him, feeling his energy slowly fade away. He truly was dying now. He only hoped Ogden had taken all of them to safety, so Isak couldn't fail one last time.

"You're a stupid boy, aren't you? Throwing your life away like this..." The slaver managed to say before he spout out blood, trying to walk towards Isak. "Our work is too vast, and ancient. From here, to the forbidden deserts, even to the woods of Fal'Addas, we are--" Even as his eyes slowly closed, Isak could see a figure made of pure shadows quickly navigate through the fiery rubbles, dark hands slithering their way to the side of the slaver's head while slowly and painfully robbing him of life, as the man's corpse fell near Isak's feet.

He couldn't feel a thing afterwards, just the cold embrace of nothingness and the smell of blood and fire.

"Rest easy, sparrow." A voice called to him, and Isak soon woke up in the middle of a endless void, surrounded by nothing but darkness. In the distance, he saw a silhouette approaching, eyes and sharp claws on fire, looking at him curiously.

It was the demon, Isak realized it almost instantly. "Am I dead then?"

"You still have much to do in this life. The woman, the one you call Eilerias, her power is keeping you from the brink, so I suppose we have time to... speak, for a moment. Will you indulge me?"

Isak couldn't help but nod in agreement after a few silent seconds. He had many questions for that beast, now that he seemed to clearly understand what it was saying, for the first time. "Speak then. What is your interest in me, after all?"

He could hear the demon laughing as it walked towards him, before suddenly disappearing. It showed itself beside Isak, towering over him so that Isak could see his abhorrent face, before stepping back. He didn't seem at all interested in taking over Isak's soul, which was a relief. "I am a... curious being. Some of my kind are so thirsty for blood. Pitiful, really."

"But not you?" Isak contested him, his brow furrowing. The demon seemed to smile. "Not me. I am more drawn to... philosophy, as you call. Virtue is a interesting tool, quite similar to power. You see, people like your former master are drawn to power, without ever understanding what comes after it."

Isak stepped forward. "And what comes after it?"

"Nothingness." The demon answered, bluntly. "It's a futile chase, to reach beyond what you can possibly grasp. It's better to realize your place in the wheels of existence, and there are many such wheels." Isak crossed his arms, intrigued by his words. "And you would know about your place? Or mine?" He asked. The demon merely laughed and shook his weirdly shaped head, horns coming out of the top.

"Many wheels are connected. Like yours and mine... and that woman's. I can sense a familiar power within her too, wrestling for control. Light and darkness, two sides of the same existence... You will get your answers soon enough, Isak. Both of you will."

Isak tried reaching for him, but the demon had disappeared, and soon after a light emerged from where he had been, pulling Isak towards it. He managed to open his eyes for a moment, seeing Eilerias' tears falling over him as he felt the warmth of her healing magic slowly closing his wounds.

He wasn't dead, and she still lived, freely. He felt a surge of relief course through his body before blacking out again. When he next opened his eyes, Isak was laying beside Eilerias in their bed, in his personal cabin back at the ship. Even as his body seemed wracked with pain and tiredness, he managed to slowly turn his head towards her, to glance upon her as she peacefully slept, no doubt exhausted from the events of that day. Overwhelmed with happiness, Isak's fingers painfully reached for her hand, feeling her soft skin once again.

He was alive, and he was with her again.

 

[Eilerias]

Eilerias had no memory of anything after Ogden pulled her from the burning building. The last thing she remembered were the hands of the slavers on her body before Isak arrived. After that, she blacked out. She spent days in Isak's bed, silent and unmoving like a corpse. She wanted to sleep. She was so tired, but her mind wouldn't let her. Instead, she listened to everything around her as her body ached from head to toe.

She could occasionally feel Isak's fingers interlacing with her scabbed hands as he lay next to her, worrying. She hadn't had enough energy to heal herself after she brought Isak back from death's door. She didn't have the heart to tell him it was hurting her to hold his hand. Nor did she have the energy.

She could hear Ogden check in to make sure they were alive and the voices of the crew and slaves they had saved. Occasionally, she would catch a glimpse of them through the eyes of a shadow. They looked happy and well, which made her feel better to watch.

By now, it had been weeks since they left that terrible place. Isak had been feeling well enough to sit with the others, though he spent a lot of time by her side, waiting for her to respond. She watched him from the shadows as he conversed with a cocky little redhead boy that reminded her of Charity. She could feel herself smiling as she watched them enjoy meals together and play cards the crew conveniently kept aboard.

For those weeks, she was suspended in the darkness. Surrounded by shadows that spoke to her in their language of lies and deceit. Praising her for what she had done and encouraging her to do more.

She didn't feel bad about killing the man.

She saved Isak. And the slaves. And herself. The plan worked out.

Her eyes began to flutter open and the room came into her vision. She was in Isak's cabin. In his bed. Looking out the porthole, she could see it was dark outside. She had no idea what day or time it actually was, but she needed to get up.

She groaned as she pushed herself out of the bed. She was hungry and no one was there with food, so she decided to go join the group for the remainder of their dinner. She was surprised to find herself in a long nightgown. Her skin was noticeably more pale than usual, she noticed as she stared at herself in a mirror. She looked horrible. Her eyes had deep dark circles underneath and she looked...hollow. It was a saddening sight. One that caused her to turn the mirror around. She didn't want to see herself.

Slowly and quite zombie-like, she made her way to the dining area on the ship where the others were. They went quiet as she walked in slowly and took a seat at the table, next to Isak. They looked scared of her, or maybe it was scared for her.

"Good evening." She struggled to get the words out as she smiled softly at Isak and the others, grabbing some food off of his plate and eating it.

 

[Isak Lavelle]

Isak had been sitting there all day. He didn't even feel his legs at that point, sat in a chair while looking over Eilerias as she looked to be in a deep slumber, in their bed. They left Cerak behind weeks ago, and by the winds it wouldn't be long until they reach Alliria, but Isak's only thoughts had been about Eilerias. She hadn't wake up ever since she prevented his death, probably using most of her energy to do so.

Although he had recovered well enough to roam the ship, talking to a few of the slaves as they sought to thank him for saving them, Isak preferred the quietness of his room, where he could be alone with Eilerias, to watch over her and ask for any higher power that'd listen to him that she wake up. She had to come back to him, or it would all be in vain. She had to.

"You should at least get some food, son. You've been there for hours." He heard a voice coming from the door, and Isak recognized it as being the captain, Ogden's friend, but he didn't even turn his head around to look at him. He was solely focused on Eilerias, on her pale face and the slow movements of her chest, indicating that she was still breathing, that she still belonged to that world.

The captain was a old man, a bit taller than Isak with a stern look of someone who had seen much that life had to offer. "I know that look on your face, and how it feels like." He took a few steps forward, sitting at the other chair across the room, switching his gaze between Eilerias and Isak. "You love her, don't you? And you're afraid to lose her." Isak couldn't take his eyes off her, even though he was unable to respond. He tried to, he tried to at least move his head and confirm it, but his whole body was beseached with fear - terrified that she would never wake up, that in keeping him from dying, Eilerias had sacrificed herself. And he didn't deserve it, he would never forgive himself for staying alive at the cost of her own life.

"You know..." He took a cigarette from his pockets, using the candle to light it up before smoking. "I had a wife, a long time ago. I was a mercenary, swinging my sword around with Ogden and many other bastards. We felt like the greatest men alive, pockets filled with gold and wine to last a lifetime. But then..." He paused, his gaze felt empty as he looked towards the open porthole, to look upon the darkness outside. One could barely even see the sea at night. "It had been many years since I left home to chase unknown riches, and when I got back, my whole village fell to the plague. Wife and kid died in my arms, and I felt like the gods were pissing all over me for abandoning them."

Isak finally turned his head to face the man, although his expression was cold and empty as well. He barely slept, all the time sitting next to Eilerias and hoping she'd wake up. "Why are you telling me this?" He asked, genuinely intrigued as to why that man was telling such a tragic and personal story out of his heart's will.

"Ogden told me a lot about you, Isak. He said you were a honorable man, sort of." He laughed before smoking his cigarette again, the smoke passing close to Isak's face though he didn't move an inch. "Men like us, we're too quick to forget life's true beauties. It's not the sea, or adventures, or the bloody gold... It's the people we love." Almost instantly, Isak glanced at Eilerias again, seeing that she had a blissful look on her face. She would survive, he was sure of it. She had to survive.

"Let's eat, son. We're still a long way from Alliria, and I hope the storms don't catch us this time." The captain pat him on the shoulder before leaving the room. Isak walked over to the bed, to have another look at Eilerias before he left. Carefully, he took a seat on the bed and slowly reached for her fingers, to feel the soft touch of her skin. "Don't you dare leave me, priestess. I will hunt down your god and make him return you to me, if I have to." He planted a tender kiss on her forehead before leaving to the lower deck, to get some food for his empty stomach.

He was enjoying some bread and water as the slaves suddenly stopped their chatter, looking stunned as someone entered the small dining room. It was her. She was alive, and standing, and had stubbornly left the bed. Isak felt like he could burst from happiness at any given moment, especially when she slowly walked towards him, taking a seat at the table by his side. And then he saw how frail she looked, realizing she really put all of her powers into healing him, and it almost cost her everything. Isak couldn't hide his guilty, but he tried to at least put on a dry smile as she greeted him.

Ogden arrived shortly after, calling the refugees for a game of cards - a excuse so that Isak and Eilerias could have some time alone. As Isak handed her a piece of bread, he finally broke the odd silence between them. "You should be resting." He wanted to just take her into his arms and carry her back to her bed, but he knew she would probably resent him for that. Of course she would, she was proud, strong and stubborn. "Why, Eile?" He said, suddenly. He was still unable to meet her eyes, still looking at his plate like he lost something there.

"I told you to run, to survive. And you came back for me, you almost killed yourself saving me. Why would you do that?" His voice started breaking down, and as he looked upwards to glance upon her face, she could probably see his watered eyes. "Why risk yourself for someone like me?"

 

[Eilerias]

Eilerias sat quietly as the slaves stared at her before Ogden whisked them away to play cards. The silence continued for a bit as her and Isak sat at the table. She could feel their stares and hear the whispers, noting Ogden's voice telling them to hush.

Isak broke the silence telling her what she already knew. She should be resting, that was true, but she couldn't do it. "I was hungry." She responded to his statement, shrugging. She grimaced as she did so, not hiding her pain well. "I was watching you all enjoying yourselves and I wanted to join in." Her golden eyes met his. "Through the shadows. The whole time. Every moment with my eyes shut I could just see you."

She truly didn't know how to respond to his question of 'why'. She didn't choose to go back in, it just happened. She looked away from his eyes, noticing the tears forming. She felt her own eyes watering and a few tears streaming down her cheeks.

"I..."She started to choke up as she spoke. "I don't know why." She thought back to the memories she had in Gwendolyn's archive. When she first asked what love was like. She knew that was what this was. She was in love, but the pain she felt in Gwendolyn's illusions scared her badly, so she had been afraid to say it out loud. Any time she thought of it, she was brought back to the stabbing pain in her ribs and the blackness creeping up the walls of her archive.

"The last thing I remembered was being in the barracks with some of the guards. I don't know what they did to me." Her voice was barely a whisper as she stared at her hands. They still had her blood on them. "Then it was all black and white. I couldn't hear or feel, but I saw you dying. He stabbed you and there was fire everywhere." She didn't mention the demonesque look Isak had about him. "I killed him." She put her head in her hands. "I murdered him."

She took a deep breath, trying not to cry and gather the unwanted attention from the slaves. "I told you I wasn't going to let either of us die." Her hands mixed with the tears, leaving some red stains on her cheeks. "You told me you had something to say and I didn't want to die before you told me." She coughed as she laughed and gripped her side. "Sorry, everything is a little sore." She admitted to him, leaning into him to rest her head.

She thought about his last question for a few minutes. What did he mean someone like me? Did he mean a murderer?

Sure, he was a murderer, but she was too.

"I promised I would get both of us out and I did my job." She was honest. It was her job to heal and sacrifice herself to save others. "I couldn't watch you die. It felt like my heart shattered when I saw your lifeless body. You were so close to death. I could see your soul, I think. I didn't even know if you'd make it, but I love you too much to let you die. I'd rather die than let that happen." She threw all of her words out as fast as possible, it was overwhelming, but it was her way to stop herself from holding back things she was afraid to say out loud.

She loved him and she would die for him.

 

[Isak Lavelle]

Isak carefully listened to her as Eilerias began to explain, feeling her gaze upon him. He could see that she was still in pain, and he couldn't help but feel guilty that she was in such a state because of him. When they finally locked eyes, it was like everything around them stopped, and Isak couldn't tear himself away from her look, her golden eyes almost glittering against the light of the lanterns in that room. It was small, but cozy, and the delicious smell of food brought some comfort to them.

As she spoke, Isak saw how her expression slowly changed, her eyes filling with sadness as she looked down on her hands, she still had a few bandages over her hands and knees. Isak changed them many times, wishing that she would somehow awake and tell him that she was a magical healer who didn't need such ancient methods, as she used to joke about. Those past weeks had been hell, and he only wished to see her smiling and laughing again, but now she was here with him, and he couldn't quite grasp what she was feeling. The way she looked at him was puzzling. If it was doubt over what to say, remorse for killing someone, or something else entirely... He only knew he felt something different inside him, a roar deep in his heart, begging him to tell her what had been on his mind ever since he woke up.

"Eilerias, look at me." He tried to calm her. He knew how hard it was to take a life, and he knew it was even worse for her, due to her vows. Even though he fought so hard against tearing her away from her faith, Isak feared that by staying with him, Eilerias would do many other terrible things. He would never try to push her away, but he didn't want her to lose something that was so precious to her, that was so pure. "You saved my life." Isak kept his eyes set on hers, as if trying to convey some kind of strength and comfort to her in that moment, to ease the burden on her shoulders. It was never easy, but she didn't do it out of vanity, she did it to save someone. To save him.

After taking a moment to collect herself, she pressed onwards and reminded him that he still had something to say to her, not that he had ever forgotten about it. She laughed, and he could feel that even such a simple thing took a toll on her still frail body, but before he could reach for her, Eilerias leaned in closer and put her head on his shoulder, resting against his body. Isak blushed slightly, hesitating for a moment before he finally put his arms around her, pulling her closer to his chest, but with enough care not to hurt her.

She was right, he still needed to tell her. But what? That she was beautiful, gentle, and brave, deserving of someone who didn't look so much like a cold blooded monster? That her smile never left his mind ever since they first kissed, when he ran away, too afraid to embrace the feelings that were taking over him? That he was so in love with her that he began to believe in a higher power, watching over them?

He didn't deserve her, and maybe he never would, but he had to at least tell her what he was feeling. Isak slowly traced a few lines on her arms with his fingers as she continued, spilling out the words so quickly that he could barely understand, and then... He felt the entire world stopping, gasping in surprise.

'...but I love you too much to let you die.' She... loved him? That couldn't be possible. He had no right to ever be loved, not by someone so kind and good like her. He was a terrible person - a murderer, a liar, a thief. He killed so many people out of pleasure, even if they were supposedly worse than him. How could she ever love someone like him? Isak felt his entire body shivering, his eyes trembling as he looked at her, unable to look at anything else. If she saw him now, she would probably think he was about to pass out.

"You..." He tried to speak, but the words were only choking him at that point. He could feel something powerful and foreign, something he had forgotten how it felt like, coursing through him, coming from deep in his loins and all the way to his head - a lonely tear, streaming down his face. He never cried before, not since he escaped the shackles of his old master. He almost forgot how it felt like, to bare his emotions like that, to feel so exposed. "You... love me?"

He was so pathetic, and broken. How could Eilerias love him?

He needed to say something, to tell her, to embrace those feelings. I love you too. Those words kept echoing on his mind, ringing like a bell that never seemed to stop, but he couldn't bring himself to say them out loud. Only a few seconds had passed, in silence, but it felt like a eternity. He was still embracing her tightly, too terrified to let her go. He didn't want to let her go, he needed her.

I love you too.

"I... Eilerias, I..." Speak, say the words. Tell her everything. He closed his eyes, searching for strength deep inside him, reaching for that warm feeling that he had on his chest, for the small catches in his breath every time he looked at her, like she was the most precious thing he ever laid his eyes on.

He opened his eyes, and he could see that she was waiting, anxious. Her mouth was opening slightly, the beautiful lips that always called to him, that begged him to touch them. He knew it from all those months ago, and he knew it now, that feeling on his chest, he knew what it was. "I... love you too." It felt like liberation, like the first breeze when he escaped from his old life, all those years ago. When he looked upon Alliria and knew that he was a free man.

He was more than a free man with her. With Eilerias, he was happy and fulfilled.

Isak slowly let his forehead touch hers, his arms holding her small body close to him, and his eyes closing as he took in her sweet scent. Vanilla and cinnamon. Even with weeks lying on that bed, her own life hanging by a thread, Isak could still smell her scent, so distinct from anything else. A smile formed on his lips, his fingers now caressing her soft and pale cheek. He had missed her touch so much.

He wanted to take her back to their room, to stay there with her and enjoy her company in peace for the rest of the trip back home, but he didn't mind that Ogden and a few of the slaves kept looking at them, a mix of awe and happiness in their faces.

"I want you, priestess. Now and forever." His voice was rasp but passionate, as Isak tried to steady his breathing before continuing. "I want you, Eilerias." He leaned in to kiss her, to make sure that it wasn't just a dream.

 

[Eilerias]

Eilerias' brow furrowed as she studied his face, looking for something other than shock and confusion. She wasn't sure what she expected after bombarding him with her words. His response, questioning her wasn't exactly reassuring as she nodded. Confirming what she had said. "I do, really."

She felt sad as she watched him, trying to figure out why she would love him. She didn't know either. She just did. She couldn't fight it. Their darkness was connected by some higher being, intertwined like the vines that hung from the trees in Cerak. She didn't want to exist without him. She would give her life to save him or at the least, end up in some abyss with him.

She flinched as he puller her closer to him. She didn't want him to know how bad she hurt. She wanted to be strong for him. She had to be strong for his sake. Even in such a bad state, she still stole his pain. The pain of seeing her so close to death. She wouldn't let him hurt.

He loved her too.

His words rang in her ears, drowning out the chatter of the others in the room as he gently felt her cheek. Tears started flowing, but for once they weren't heavy with sadness. She was relieved and happy. She finally felt like she could breathe again, knowing he felt the same way about her.

He loved her too.

"I promised you that I am your priestess." She smiled before he leaned in to kiss her. She kissed him back quickly and softly. She pulled away, breathing a little heavier than before. "I'm sorry." She grimaced at her sudden movement. "I'm just a little sore."

She didn't want him to bring her back yet. She wanted to enjoy a few moments with some of the people who may become future friends before she was forced to rest once again. "How long was I out?" She asked Isak, trying to figure out what day it was. They had to be getting home pretty soon, she figured. She was trying to count it out on her fingers as he responded that it had been weeks. That was the longest she's ever been out.

By now, Isak was trying to usher her back to the room, but she wasn't ready. "Please, can I stay for just a little while longer?" She begged. Her voice was scratchy, but she persisted, "I want to play some of the card games you taught me. What time is better than now?" She was a stubborn mess, but she wouldn't lose out on more precious moments.

 

[Isak Lavelle]

Isak didn't have her abilities to feel whenever someone was in pain, but he had come to know much about Eilerias, enough to realize when she was hurting, and trying to hide it. He could feel her squirming slightly in his arms as he inadvertently tightened his embrace, so lost in his feelings that he almost forgot she was far from fully recuperated from her injuries. He knew she didn't want him to be worried or to know that she was in pain, but just as Isak could no longer hide anything from her always attentive golden eyes, Eilerias couldn't hide from his ever vigilant look.

When their lips touched again after so long, it was like a new and ravaging thrill going all over his body, waves of sheer blissfulness and warm peace that made Isak believe that everything was right in the world, in their own world at least. It was only for a fleeting moment, before Eilerias could no longer hide the fact that she was still hurting and flinched away from him, being met with Isak's distraught gaze. She laughed it off, probably in the hope that he wouldn't just grab her and put her back on the bed to rest, and so Isak let it go, for the moment.

There would be plenty of time for rest, and with the way she looked towards the refugees playing cards with Ogden nearby, he wanted her to finally feel at ease after what happened back in Cerak. She grabbed his attention again, asking him about the time that she spent slumbering. She started counting the days and weeks on her small fingers, and even though Isak thought it adorable, he was quick to answer her that it had been a couple weeks, probably surprising her with the information.

It truly had been a long time, and Isak wondered many times if something hadn't gone wrong when she saved him. For the first few days, he even tried summoning forth the demon inside him, desperate for answers about his involvement in all that. He was thinking that perhaps the demon had done something to Eilerias when she was trying to bring him back from the brink of death, but the demon stayed in silence, almost driving Isak to insanity. Then came Ogden, trying to whisker him away from the bed, but Isak just wouldn't move. In that moment, he felt like the biggest hypocrite in the world, but he had started praying for any god that would listen to him, that she could return to him.

He was a selfish hypocrite, but he couldn't help it. He was deeply in love with her, and losing her would turn everything into a neverending darkness again, just like his old life. He started believing in a higher power because of her, thinking of the wheels of life mentioned by the demon, the wheels that seemed to connect them, bringing them together. Isak wasn't a firm believer in destiny, but when he looked at Eilerias now... It just felt right, being with her, like life could always be so easy.

He loved her, and she loved him, and it just felt right.

Eilerias asked him if she could stay a little longer, seemingly very interested in playing some cards with the rest of the people there. He took a few moments to consider it, but in the end gave up, fearing she would probably resent him for not allowing her some fun, even if she was still healing from her wounds. And also, he was anxious to see the tricks he had taught her in action. Taking her hand, Isak led her to the playing circle, with Ogden sitting right in front of them.

The hours went by quickly as they played and shouted with each other over many lost bets, even though they weren't really waging any coin in those matches. From the corner of his eye, Isak could see Eilerias using a few of his old tricks to win a few rounds, and she had been so good at it that even Ogden couldn't tell what she was doing, earning a few proud smiles from Isak, his eyes wandering from her only to look at his cards. He was at odds with Ogden for most of the matches, a relentless battle whose winner switched sides at every turn - the dwarf was a master at playing cards as well, but he fell short of Isak's tricks many times.

Many rounds of cards later, and most of the refugees and crew hands were yawning, in dire need of sleep. Some of them were still adapting to the idea of having somewhere warm and comfortable to sleep again, even if it was the wooden hull of the ship, near the crew's quarters, but it was definitely better than that cesspit back in Cerak, filled with vines, dust and cobwebs. They also seemed to find a small measure of peace after everything that's happened, and before each of them got up and left, they spoke a few quick words of gratitude towards Isak and Eilerias, hailing them as saviours.

Isak felt strange, he wasn't used to people looking up to him as a hero, or even as someone 'good'. He felt comfortable with the knowledge that he was a ruthless man, doing whatever it took to survive in such a wretched world, and he took pride in his reputation. Eilerias, though, was so different from him. She was showered in light, blessed by her faith and armed with only a warm and gentle heart, willing to take up the pain of anyone, be them good or bad, if it meant saving their lives. They really were like day and night, but Isak came to love that contrast as well. He welcomed her light now, the warm feeling that drove his nightmares away, that kept saving him whenever he felt he was losing himself.

Once they were alone, Isak looked to her again as she seemed busy collecting the cards that were left over. Even if she had slept for weeks, she was still beautifully mesmerizing. When he saw that white hair of hers after staying behind in that fiery ruin, Isak thought he had seen a glimpse of the afterlife, that even for all his sins and bad deeds, he could've found redemption. It had been fitting that it was her white hair the first thing he saw when he woke up again, lying next to her in their bed at the cabin. And now, there he was again, his eyes set upon her long white hair, a few loose strands falling over her face as he felt the need to trace her soft lines with his fingers.

The words rolled out of his tongue without any resistance then. "Thank you, Eile."

He had much to thank her for, but at least he could imagine now, that having his entire life to be next to her, he would have enough time to show her the gratitude she deserved every day. He put his hand forward for her to reach, waiting until she was ready so they could go back to the comfort of their cabin, a blissful smile on his face as he looked at her.

 

[Eilerias]

The hours flew by as Eilerias and the others enjoyed the card games. She could see Isak smiling anytime she pulled off one of the tricks he taught her. It took a lot of practice, but she was finally able to do them on her own. Of course, Ogden never found out. Who would have expected the innocent priestess to be a master of trickery?

Of course, manipulation of the shadows and lights in the room was a benefit she held over the others. If she was curious, she could see others cards from behind them. As long as they couldn't see the dark purple her eyes turned, they were none the wiser to her tricks.

She accepted the praises of their new friends gratefully. She never received praises before for doing her job, just payment. It was...nice to be appreciated for your sacrifices. She could tell Isak wasn't too comfortable being called their hero, but she gently squeezed his arm, letting him know it was okay to accept the praise.

After saying goodnight, she decided to clean up. It wasn't fair to make Ogden do all of the work. After all, he managed to bring two unconscious people aboard a ship without getting himself killed in the process. She collected the cards that had been thrown about after the last game, stacking them neatly in a pile in the center of one of the tables. Then she moved herself towards where they had been eating. She stacked up the plates and got rid of the food scraps before bringing them to the ship's kitchen and leaving them there.

She noticed Isak watching her as she took care of the room. His words caught her off guard.

Thank you.

"Pardon?" She tilted her head, as she looked at him. She had never heard him thank anyone. It was a weird thing to come out of his mouth, but her expression softened as she walked over to him. "You don't have to thank me for doing my job." She wrapped her arms around him lightly, struggling not to let a groan escape her mouth from the pain it caused her.

She leaned against him for a while, quietly staring out of the porthole. She sighed. She needed to accept that resting was required. She didn't want to look weak, but she couldn't hold the pain in.

"I...I think I need to rest. You were right." She admitted to him, not moving her gaze from the dark sea. "Everything hurts." She shut her eyes tightly as the pain started like bolts of electricity through her body. "I'm sorry, can you just bring me back." She didn't want to sleep for the rest of the trip. She wanted to enjoy the hot sun when it came back out before they were back in rainy, dreary Alliria.

 

[Isak Lavelle]

He felt her sudden yet slowed approach, waiting for her arms to reach him. Isak held his breath, looking like a boy who was about to get a new toy, except this gift was the embrace of the woman he loved. It felt warm, soothing and it filled his heart. He tried his best not to touch any of her injuries or squeeze her tighter than he should, resting his face slightly above her shoulder, breathing against her skin.

Isak could feel how she was struggling to hold herself against him, probably due to the pain. He wished his powers could do more than just destroy things, he wanted to take some of her pain to himself, like she's always done with him. He felt her head on his chest, and they stood in silence for a few minutes, lost on their thoughts and enjoying some of that peace. Isak had been terrified of thinking that they would never have such moments again, when he saw how weak she looked after she healed him. He wondered how many times she'd been through that, almost giving her life so that others could live.

Her sweet voice brought him back from his thoughts, and even though he still had his eyes set on the moonlit seas beyond the open porthole, she had Isak's full attention now, as she asked him about taking her back to the room to rest. He knew she wouldn't hold on for much longer, the pain must've been unbearable and she had even got out of bed just after she had waken up from her long sleep. He was displeased at her stubbornness but his admiration for Eilerias' strength only grew stronger. She had been captured by slavers, ran inside a burning warehouse to save his life, and used all her energy to make sure he wouldn't die, and only two weeks later, she was playing cards with Isak and the rest of the crew.

Isak smiled softly as he looked down to meet her eyes. "Whatever you need, my priestess." He responded playfully as he suddenly and very carefully swooped her from her feet, holding her small body in his arms like it was nothing. Isak was strong beyond his youthful appearance, remnants of his gruesome training and of having endured many of its painful punishments.

He carried her towards their room with ease, his eyes switching back and forth between Eilerias and the path beyond him, making sure that she wasn't hurting with each step he took. He carefully laid her down on the bed and hurried to one of the tables, filling a small glass with fresh water and offering it to her. Isak spent a few more minutes making sure he attended to all her needs before he sat beside her on the bed, letting his head finally rest against one of the pillows as they kept watching the wooden ceiling, in a blissful silence.

There wasn't any tension or need to fill that space with words, they just felt comfortable with each other's presence, enough that they could enjoy it without saying anything. He looked at her a few times, throwing small smiles towards her before focusing on the calm and repetitive sound of the waves hitting the ship's hull, the swinging of the large sails at the deck as the winds burst through, steering that massive piece of wood and metal across the endless waters. Ogden hadn't lied when he told Isak about the sea - it was such a peaceful place, isolated from the troubles of the land.

Isak closed his eyes, his fingers slowly reaching towards Eilerias' hand nearby. Once he felt the safety of her touch, he felt comfortable enough to share with her some of his thoughts. "The nightmares are... I haven't felt them in a while." He hadn't told her about it, that some of his old and torturing memories and haunting dreams seemed to fade from his mind a while ago, ever since he came back to Alliria and reunited with her. Ever since he learned to accept the feelings that she brought forth with every touch and every kiss, the ones that pushed away the darkness of his heart.

As they lay there in the bed, he remembered Eilerias felt puzzled about Isak's sudden showing of gratitude, probably thinking he was thanking her for cleaning up their mess after playing cards. But it wasn't that, it was far from that. He was thanking her for saving his life, for waiting for him, for accepting his broken self and loving him for what he truly was... for not running away once she saw his darkness.

"Once we find some place for those people to stay, perhaps we should travel to Oban. The griffins are magnificent beasts, you know?" He said, a discreet smile on the corner of his mouth before he turned his head to face her again. He wanted to experience more of that peace, be it at the sea or trekking through deserts and forests, and he wanted it to be with Eilerias at his side. "And their great libraries... You probably won't even want to go back to Alliria once you see them."

Isak loved teasing her, pampering to her more curious side. He knew Eilerias wanted to see many of the wonders of Arethil, and he'd love to be the one to show her.

"Maybe I should make sure Ogden doesn't waste all our money in cheap wine once we start travelling."

 

[Eilerias]

Eilerias listened as he spoke of his nightmares. She was unaware that he had been tortured by them for so long, but she smiled as he mentioned they hadn't been present in a while. "Lets keep them away." She took a sip of the water he poured for her. Maybe it was her keeping them away, she thought. Her light could drown out the darkness of his mind.

She rolled to face him as he spoke about traveling to Oban. Her eyes lit up once again as he spoke of the griffins and beautiful architecture. "A library?" She whispered. "Like Gwendolyn's?" She was surprised to hear him say the library in Odan was so much larger than Gwendolyn's archives. "Wow!"

He was right, she didn't want to go back to Alliria. She would have loved to bring her light somewhere so majestic. Somewhere where that wasn't always gloomy and dark. She wanted to be as close to the sun as possible. She wanted to see what she would look like with tanned skin and freckles. She wanted to wear ornate dresses and see how the other's lived.

But that wasn't her destiny. She was needed here. She had to spread her gospel- the truth of the light. She had to take care of her new family of criminals. Maybe one day when she was done with business, she could leave forever and enjoy that life.

She laughed as he spoke of Ogden and cheap wine. "I don't particularly care if he gets cheap wine or that bitter ale as long as we can bring some of that nice wine with us in our...." She yawned, her words trailing off.

Finally, she could sleep.

~Time Skip~

It was the morning they would arrive back in Alliria. Eilerias was finally feeling well enough to get out of bed and move about the ship. She took interest as the crew was preparing to dock. Watching how they all worked together while simultaneously shouting profanities at one another. It made her laugh.

She had been up for hours, watching as the sun rose and the clouds that covered Alliria began to roll in. The sun went from beautiful pink and orange to an all to familiar grey. It was comforting to her. She had begun to feel extremely homesick as they traveled. She just wanted to be in her own bed again, or Isak's.

She could see the refugees gather up on the deck with her as they began to dock. She questioned what they were going to do when they arrived in Alliria. She offered a home to them all in her small church, which some graciously accepted. The little redhead, the youngest of the bunch, refused any work or housing and chose to explore on his own.

Eilerias begged him to be safe. He was so young and this place was not kind to anyone. She made sure he knew he had a safe place to stay in her care if he decided he didn't want to be on the streets, but he insisted. She ruffled his hair and accepted that she had to let him go about his own life.

"Isak!" She called, making her way back to the lower area of the ship. "We are docking! We are home." She smiled.

Home.

She never thought of this place as anything more than temporary but in this moment, she was overjoyed to be back in a familiar place. A few tears of happiness fell down as she could see the buildings in the distance. The same ones that Isak could see from his own windows in the Raven Club. They were home.

 

[Isak Lavelle]

Seeing her excitement over such simple things always filled Isak with joy. He knew Eilerias had grown up alone and abandoned as well, she told him about her origins a few times, and it all made him even more thoughtful about what life could look like, many years from now, if they could just walk away from all the business, the thieving and the murders, and live a quiet life, somewhere else. He'd put on his mind that Oban would certainly be one of her favorite places to live, and with good reason.

He smiled a bit, admiring the way her eyes lit up once he spoke of the great libraries and the griffins again. Isak didn't want to take Eilerias away from their current life, they still had so much to do in Alliria, many lives to fix, but whenever he caught himself dreaming of something so different, he didn't feel bad about it all. It was almost like the shackles that kept him grounded to Alliria were slowly fading over time, and he knew he had her to thank for that.

He watched her brows furrowing slightly, her head falling to the side a bit as she looked elsewhere, deep in thoughts of her own. Even though he was afraid to interrupt her, Isak slowly put his arm under her, carefully pulling her closer so her head could rest over his chest. Over those long two weeks, when he thought he'd lose Eilerias forever, it was that moment he missed the most - laying on a bed with her, her arms touching his and her head resting on his chest like it was her favorite pillow. She started laughing about his stupid remarks with Ogden and watched her cheerfully ask for more of that fine wine from earlier in their trip, falling to her sleep before she could finish her words, while Isak spent a few more minutes just looking at how peaceful she looked when sleeping.

He wanted to return to Alliria, to their home, to his business and his schemes again, but a part of Isak also wished they could just keep sailing, aimlessly travelling those vast oceans in a endless journey, away from all the troubles that awaited for them back home. Sighing, he let his head fall back to his pillow and slowly closed his eyes once he felt comfortable enough, thankful and relieved that they were able to complete the mission they set out to do, and that they were both still alive.

Thankful that she loved him.

------------

It took a bit more than another week, as they eventually had to stop by a fishing village near the coast to resupply, but they were finally arriving in Alliria. Even in the dim solitude of his private quarters, Isak could feel it, and it didn't take long for Eilerias to reach him, opening his door with a huge smile on her face while she almost jumped of joy, telling him the news.

She had called it home as well, that poor city that seemed to give them nothing but worry and anguish. But at least, in the middle of all that, they found each other. They would have their business to take care of, the church and the dangerous jobs of the syndicate, but at least they had each other now. An anchor, to keep them grounded to safer waters. There was much to deal with in Alliria, and he still needed to help those people find a new place to call home, jobs that would keep them fed and give them the opportunity to build a new life, but Isak knew he wouldn't have to do it alone.

He had Eilerias now, and she was all he needed.

He quickly got up from his seat at the desk and followed Eilerias outside, their hands entwined as they looked on to the grey expanse in the horizon, marvelling at some of its tall buildings and sturdy walls. Home. It was such a funny word to him, but one he could get used to now. He glanced at Eilerias and noticed she was a bit overwhelmed, probably with that same thought, and carefully wiped some of her tears away, before pulling her closer to his embrace.

He watched as some of the refugees also started shedding some tears of happiness and relief, finally free of the terrible fate that they left behind in Cerak. It felt like a burden off their shoulders, and he knew it because he had once experienced that same feeling.

Perhaps it would be too sudden, but Isak felt the need to ask her a question that had been on his mind throughout that last week of their journey. He needed her closer, he wanted to wake beside her for many other mornings, and he didn't want to be left alone to his devious plans anymore. Slowly, he turned to face Eilerias just as the ship started approaching the harbor.

"Stay with me, at the club. Even if it's only for a short while, but..." His gaze wandered off to a few of the refugees, happily watching them as they embraced each other, at the door of a new life. A life where they wouldn't be frightened and alone anymore. He wanted to try something new as well.

With a smile on his face as he looked upon her again, Isak continued. "I don't want to be alone anymore."

 

[Eilerias]

As they approached, Eilerias was a little stunned to hear what Isak had to say. "Stay with you?" She didn't meant to say those words out loud, but she was a little scared to respond immediately. What would people think of her if she, a priestess, was staying with a man she wasn't married to in his home.

She had a reputation to uphold and this could crumble everything she built herself on. Her morals, her purity, her message. It was all on the line.

And then there was Gwendolyn. What would she think of Eilerias running of with the first person who's ever shown her affection? She was probably disappointed that she chose to disregard every big of advice she was ever given from the only figure of authority she's ever had.

"I...uh..." She turned to look at him. His genuine smile made her heart melt as she looked into his eyes. How could she say anything but yes when he looked at her like that?

"I'd love to!" She put her arms around him and rested her head on his chest. "I told you I'm yours, you will never be alone as long as I'm alive." She shut her eyes, standing there in his warm arms as they finally docked in the harbor.

"Just please don't tell Gwendolyn anything about us yet." Her voice was a little sad as she spoke. "I fear she will be disappointed in me for not following what she's lectured me about since she brought me to Alliria." She let go of him as she watched the refugees head towards the plank to get off the ship. "She's always told me to be careful about people and she doesn't seem to believe in love. Not anymore at least."

The night in Gwendolyn's archive was terrifying. She regretted asking her about love. It was so painful for her, but she couldn't take Gwendolyn's experiences as her own. It wasn't fair to do to herself.

"Before we left on our heist..."She hesitated, unsure if she should share with Isak. "I asked her if she'd even been in love and it was scary. I don't know what exactly happened, but she was casting illusions around both of us. The entire room slowly turned black and she had whispers mixing in with my own shadow's talking. There was this pain," She pointed to her ribs. "Like I'd been stabbed. It hurt so badly. I really don't know what happened to Gwendolyn, but I just don't want her to worry."

 

[Isak Lavelle]

He was terrified of what she would say. Isak wasn't a man of fears, he liked to believe that he had buried such feelings a long time ago, leaving no room for weakness on that armor of his. But that all seemed to fade away as soon as Eilerias said something, even her presence being enough to throw him off his balance and make his emotions run ragged. He hated not being in control, not calculating his every step and making decisions out of haste, but he did enjoy the thrill of letting his heart take over for a few moments, giving him the courage to say things like that to her.

He knew what she would risk, even by being close to him. She had her own reputation to uphold, she was someone pure and who other people looked up to. It wasn't fair to risk it all, especially for someone like him, but Isak had to ask her. He had to get those words out of his mind and make it known to her that he wished her to be closer.

That she could truly love and trust him, without fear. Even though he wasn't exactly the most experienced when it came to matters of the heart, but he wanted to make it right by her.

The seconds before she said something felt like the most excruciating time he had ever gone through, but it was all worth it in the end, seeing her smile as she accepted, right before throwing herself into his arms. He was left stunned a bit, but Isak quickly put his arms around her, breathing easier after it. She was his, and she wanted to be with him, he wouldn't be alone again.

And of course, the many troubles of Alliria waited for him, for them. How could he ever be alone again?

Those thoughts made him chuckle a bit against her head, right before he left her a small kiss, enjoying the sweet scent of her white hair. Even with weeks on the sea, her distinct scent was still there, while he probably smelled terrible. But before he could say any jokes about that, or tease her with thoughts of bathing with him again, Eilerias slowly got away from his embrace and looked at him, and he couldn't quite make it out what she carried with that gaze.

He couldn't tell if it was fear, or doubt, or something else entirely. But he listened to her, as she told him about Gwendolyn, her advices and things that had happened months ago, things that he had no idea about. He knew better than to risk her life by spreading gossip around, and he knew no one better than himself to guard the most important secrets, but he still gave her a reassuring nod that he would never tell anyone about them, unless she wished to.

Isak could sense that the memories flashing through Eilerias' head were painful, her eyes seemingly running away from him as he sought to comfort her. She told him many things about Gwendolyn and their previous enconter all those months ago, but Isak didn't look surprised. When she approached him, all those years ago, offering to pay for the last of the renovations in the Raven Club in exchange for protection and a quiet place to work, Isak took the money without any questions. Even back then, he could tell from his first glance that Gwendolyn was a woman who had seen much of life, and dealt with many of its terrifying aspects. He appreciated her sage advices from time to time, and he could always count on her to deliver him the best information possible, which made him very successful in his undertakings throughout Alliria, but he would never try to meddle in her private affairs, just as she never meddled in his own troubles.

Still, he understood some of Eilerias' fears, and wanted to help appease them a bit. His hands were still ungloved, and his pale fingers reached for the tip of her chin, bringing her head up a bit so she could look straight into his brown eyes. He wished her to see that Isak meant whatever he would say.

"Gwendolyn wasn't wrong. Trust can be a difficult thing, especially in a place like this." He said calmly, before looking over the sails to glance at the imposing walls of Alliria. "But she won't be disappointed in you, Eile. She cares deeply for you, as you care for her. She only wished to protect you, as do I." He showed her a comforting smile, before reaching for her hand, squeezing it gently.

Without them realizing it, many of the refugees and sailors had already left the ship after it was docked. The captain waved off a few of his crewmates, sending them off as they looked desperate to find a drink and the warm thighs of a woman to relax them. Ogden talked to Isak and Eile in a hurry, saying that he needed to check on the Raven Club and if it was still standing after they were gone for such a long time. Isak carefully guided Eilerias out of the ship, before they were approached by Khet's informant, and his daughter. They spoke a few times in the ship, but Isak barely listened to the man's words of gratitude - he was only thinking of Eilerias back then.

"Mr Lavelle, Lady Eilerias! May you two spare a moment?" He asked, happily hugging his daughter. She looked only a couple years younger than him and Eilerias, but she had probably seen hell during her time with those slavers.

He looked at Eilerias, conflicted as to if they should talk to them.

 

[Eilerias]

"I'm sorry." She said quietly as he talked about trust. She still felt guilty about the night he unveiled the plan for the heist. How he had planned to send her in alone and she yelled at him. She told him that she didn't trust him.

She looked at his face, realizing he probably had no idea what she had been thinking about. "About the night before we left for the heist. I said some hurtful things and I'm sorry. I didn't really mean it." She didn't want to dwell on the past, but it had been weighing on her mind while she was confined to a bed for weeks.

In that moment, she knew how truly terrible it was to be able to feel both the physical and emotional pain inflicted on someone. It felt sickening to say those things to his face and then leave him there to stew in his own pain. Meanwhile she carried the same burden like a dagger in her heart as she left him there in the club.

"Please in the future, can you remove the plethora of guards you have placed to babysit me?" She looked up at him, a smile breaking across her face. "Did you really think I wouldn't notice the same people standing near my house and my church every time I looked outside?"

He wasn't given a chance to respond as the informant and his daughter were beckoning them over to speak. She looked back at Isak who seemed to be searching for her approval before they could proceed.

Eilerias nodded, smiling warmly at the two of them as she dragged Isak behind her. "Hello again Sir, and you must be Miss Lidia I presume." She extended her hand and shook both of theirs. "How are you both feeling? I apologize for being a bit out of it for most of the trip back here. Do you have any injuries that need healing?" She began to inspect the girl, who she knew had been a victim of the abusive slavers.

The girl was a bit younger than them, but Eilerias reckoned she would fit in with the others who frequented her church. She didn't want to force the idea on her though, so she kept quiet and let Isak speak as well.

 

[Isak Lavelle]

He couldn't understand at first why she was apologizing, his face probably covered with confusion. Did he say anything wrong? She had no cause to feel guilty, especially after every good thing she had done for him. Just when Isak was about to ask, Eilerias started reminding him about that night before the heist, when he explained his stupid plans for the crew. When he almost sent her to her death.

Even remembering it made Isak felt disgusted with himself, his stomach turning in anger and his skin crawling. He was such a idiot. He had swore to never gamble with the lives of those he was responsible for, he had promised Gwendolyn that her healer and her thief wouldn't be killed while they were working for him, but he made a plan that hinged on sending Eilerias alone into a fort filled with mercenaries.

Back then, he feared she would never even look at his face again. He still recalled the look of surprise on her face, as well as the rest of the crew, when he revealed to have changed the plans, spinning some poor excuse for them to believe that it hadn't been all about keeping Eilerias safe, and making up for his mistake. They had put the past behind them, but Isak still felt guilty whenever he thought about it.

"You don't have to be sorry. It was my fault." He almost begged her, trying to hide his shame and disappointment in himself. "I betrayed your trust, and you were right to hate me. But..." He squeezed her hand even more, but still gently. He was afraid to let her go. "I could live with you hating me, if it meant you'd still be alive." He changed it all, all his plans, and he did it to keep her alive and unhurt. He tried to fix everything, even to the point of compromising the entire job, and he did it without hesitation.

He realized she had a much lighter look on her face now, a cheeky smile forming on her lips as she took control over his hands and began to lead him away from the ship, and then she surprised him. Isak was shocked, he never suspected that Eilerias could've known about the guards. He feared that she would resent him if she ever found out, but he needed to take every measure to ensure she would be safe, especially after what happened that night, when she was attacked in her own house. He wanted to tell her that he would never leave her unprotected again, even if she scolded him for it every day, but he heard a voice calling out for them.

It was the slave they rescued, a girl named Lidia, and her father, Khet's informant. Eilerias slowly pulled him along with her as they got close enough to greet them. Lidia seemed very taken with Eilerias, quickly showering her with questions about her faith and her healing powers, and her father motioned Isak to follow him, letting the girls have their own private conversation. Isak and the informant stopped near the harbormaster's stall, having a good view of the entire harbor, and the docks below and beyond. The Allirian Docks were enormous, and they had to be, since sea trade was one of the most profitable sources of income that the city had. Cargo from every land in Arethil arrived and left at every minute, entire merchant ships filled with sugar, spices, booze, silks and many other valuable things.

"I've never properly thanked you, both of you, for saving my daughter." The man spoke, breaking the silence. Isak looked at him from the corner of his eye, while still admiring the comings and goings of the docks below them. "My name is Lyonai, a humble sea traveler and now slave hunter, I suppose."

"You are reunited with your daughter at last, Lyonai. What do you intend now?" Isak asked him, genuinely curious about that man's intentions going forward. He could see that he still harbored a great deal of anger against those that had taken his daughter, as Isak did as well. Still, it was a war too great for even Isak to fight, and he had other business to take care of, right there in Alliria.

"I... wanted to ask you a final favor." He spoke, hesitant. Isak turned to face him now, his brown eyes ever inquisitive as he waited for the man to speak. "I feel that, after so much time hunting those bastards, I could never abandon my new purpose. There are so many Lidias out there, suffering alone in the hands of monsters like the ones back in Cerak."

Isak furrowed his brow, waiting for him to continue. "I feel that I must continue with my efforts, to try and stop how many slavers I can. But I can't take Lidia with me, Isak. Would you and your... your priestess, look after her?" He could've imagined that that would be his request, and Isak looked once more over to Eilerias and Lidia, seeing how they both looked so happy as they spoke with each other. He knew it would be a great responsibility for Eilerias, but he didn't know anyone better than her for that job. He glanced upon Lyonai again, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "She will be safe, with Eilerias and the others. That's the safest place for her to be. And I will watch over them, you have my word."

They shook their hands, before Lyonai left to talk to his daughter, and to express his gratitude to Eilerias. He had told Isak that he would come back to visit her, every once in a while. Isak watched the scene from afar, a proud smile on his face as he glanced at the kindhearted grace that seemed to surround Eilerias, conquering anyone she met. She was like a beacon of light and hope, shining brighter than anything else. There was truly not a safer place for that girl to be than Eilerias' church, following in her footsteps and learning from her gentleness, which would be so much better than staying with Isak and his shady schemes.

He surprised Eilerias a few moments later, his arms smoothly reaching across her waist and pulling her closer as they watched Lyonai and Lidia leave the docks to spend some precious time together before he departed, probably in the next morning. Now gazing upon the sunny horizon, Isak chuckled with some of the thoughts on his mind, before looking at the white haired woman beside him. "Now, I'll have another reason to keep guards at your church's doorstep at every moment."

He laughed, daring to bring about her anger and her scold before embracing her tighter, taking in the sweet sound of her giggles. He broke the embrace only to take her hand and look towards the gates that would eventually lead them all the way to the Outer City, back to their home.

"Ready to go back to the Raven Club?"

 

[Eilerias]

Eilerias squeezed Isak's hand before letting him go off to discuss with Khet's informant. She approached the young girl and smiled. "Hello, I'm Eilerias." She bowed in front of the girl. "You're Lidia, correct?" She asked the girl, to which she nodded.

Eilerias' expression softened as she grabbed the girl's arms. "I'm so sorry for what you've gone through. It must have been terrible." She began to soothe the girl, trying to make her feel comfortable in such a foreign place.

Her magic worked. The girl began to open up to her and share her questions.

"It's amazing you brought someone as dead as that man looked back to life." Her eyes were wide with wonder. "How did you do it?"

"Well, I'm glad you asked that!" Eilerias responded. "I was sent by the God of Light to spread his word and heal those in poor health!" A large smile spread across her face. "He was the one who fought back the darkness and evil a long time ago and those who he has chosen have been blessed with the ability to heal others, shield them, and even do some holy damage through him. Though I've only ever healed, I once met a man...a Paladin who could do all of it."

The girl looked amazed as Eilerias spilled out her entire life story of becoming a priestess, though not including when she was exiled from the church for helping criminals.

"So how did you do that weird smoke thing?" Lidia asked, tilting her head in amazement.

Eilerias looked confused. Smoke thing? "I'm not sure I understand what you mean."

"You know, we all watched when you fell over and this purpleish black smoke started pouring out of your mouth and formed this weird humanoid shape. That's how Isak got out. It carried him out and disappeared. You woke up and started healing him right after..." She said as though Eilerias had any memory of it.

"Oh that," She laughed nervously, "Must have been some strange blessing that was needed in the very moment. Sometimes The God of Light just has to save you!" She looked over to Isak with a bit of a confused face. "Maybe I could teach you in my church. There is much to learn in order to become a healer, but it is well worth the time and patience!"

The girl excitedly agreed before her father came back over and they both thanked Eilerias once more before taking their leave.

"I'm ready to go back, but can I ask what the hell happened on that island?" She raised an eyebrow as she looked up at him. "Something about purple smoke and a burning building...oh I don't know." She sighed. The only thing she could remember was her being inside the burning building but she was deaf, Isak looked strange, and she killed a man. Why was she being praised for that?

 

[Isak Lavelle]

Before Isak started walking, he glanced over at Eilerias again and saw how thoughtful she was. She said something about a purple smoke and a burning building, and Isak immediately realized something about those questions - she probably had no memory of the details of what happened, or how it happened. But even as hurt as he was that day, he remembered seeing a being made of pure shadows creeping up on that slaver, killing him slowly before taking Isak away from the burning warehouse. What came after was almost like a blank to him, and he only recalled his conversation with the demon inside him, before he woke up next to Eilerias, back at the ship. He knew then that she had risked her life to bring him back, and that she didn't do it alone. Something helped her.

"You... don't remember." It was more a assertion than a question, with Isak seemingly falling into a thoughtful state of his own. He didn't know exactly what happened back then, but he knew that the shadow being certainly didn't come from him, so he could only guess that it came from Eilerias. He knew of the dark power lying dormant inside her, even seen it a few times, but what he saw in Cerak was on another scale. Much more sinister and powerful.

Shadowmancy. It's what he had thought, back at the ship. When he was trying to put together all the pieces of what had happened in Cerak, and he had heard of such power before. His old master spoke to him about it, the domain over shadows and the darkness that they brought. It was a forbidden path of magic, even more dangerous than his own control over dark arts, which was given to him through a pact with a demonic being, while shadowmancy had other sources. He wasn't aware if it came from demons or anything of that kind, but Isak had no knowledge to help her in that regard, and he didn't know of any other shadowmancers hiding in Alliria.

No one would be insane enough to hide in such a big city, in danger of being chased, trialed and executed.

The thought of such power placing Eilerias in similar dangers filled Isak with worry and fear. He wanted to help her, but he didn't know exactly what to do. Even Khet was probably ill equipped to face such matters, her powers were very unique. He knew that her light came from her faith, but her darkness... Isak didn't know what to make of it.

Isak carefully placed his hand on her shoulder, giving it a slight squeeze in the hope of easing her worries, even though he wasn't much better. "Let us go back to the club. You still need some rest, and Ogden might be able to help us." The dwarf had probably seen it all happening, right in front of his eyes, when he thought that the building fell on top of Isak and when Eilerias used her powers to save him. Some of the other slaves could've seen it all as well, but they were gone with some of the crew. Isak had told the captain that they could seek shelter at the Raven Club or in Eilerias' church if they wanted to, but it seems they just wished to enjoy their newly found freedom for now.

The walk back to the club was quiet, and they soon arrived at the place to find it well kept and clean, with not as much as a single chair being out of place. Some of the guards greeted Isak and Eilerias upon seeing them, relieved that they were alive and well. Ogden was nowhere to be found, probably busy going through the crates of ale in the storage rooms, to see if there was nothing missing there as well. Isak led Eilerias upstairs, back to his room.

Their room now.

It felt like a lifetime ago that they had left that room to travel to Cerak, and being there again made them finally breathe easier, realizing that they were home, at last. Isak let go of his coat and took of his shoes, leaving them near the door before walking over to the water basin, taking a good look at himself in the mirror. "I look terrible." He said with a short smile. His dark hair was a bit longer than before, the tips almost reaching his eyes, and he had a few bits of a beard starting to grow on his face. He hated that.

He looked over to the bathtub, remembering about the night that he had returned to Alliria, when he was reunited with Eilerias. He glanced at her with a cheeky smile, yearning for the same warm sensations of that night. "Should we take another bath together, my darling?"

Ogden would be busy with his duties for a while, which meant more time for Eilerias and Isak to spend together, after such a dangerous and exhausting trip.