Chapter 420 (2/2)

Strengtheningfor the roughly anvil-shaped artifact A cloud of silt obscured the ground, but there was a subtle e on it, I pushed harder, swi as fast as I could, all too aware of the Scythe’swind-attributesilt The te up froround Dozens of scratches had been scored into the surface fro the dozens of raised welts all over ht, the Scythe’s shadowacross the top of the water in my peripheral vision

I was certain Wolfru the te He was trying to engage withtheir trap until Wolfrum arrived and the shi+eld opened, and it would have raised suspicion to prevent the otherthe artifact

Or so I hoped

The ground around the teh the soil, and a giant hand made of black iron formed, with the artifact in its pal into h the dark water Bubbles burst fro frorabbed , and more bubbles rushed fros

Both hands beganup toward the surface, but I could hardly see the behind th, I pressedme My eyes drifted closed I searched for the inborn confidence that always assuredI attee instead

My mind went blank Except for the mana—the soulfire that burned in my blood and my heart and my core That, I eathered every ounce of my power, and pushed

Black flaan to boil wildly as it was destroyed Soulfire ate into blood iron The hand quaked beneath rip lessened

A funnel of hipped the ocean water into a frenzy, ripping ht at the other hand, and the te to reach the teers

Spikes erupted from the surface of the hand I felt the pain, saw the red trails in the water, but had no tiers found the controls

I felt, rather than heard, the splash froravity, e, h the water like a bullet His eyes glea from his horns due to his speed One of his hands was curled into a tight fist, and the other pulled back as if to swat a fly The crushi+ng press of his aura was enough to e in his expression that drained all the warmth from me

The blood iron fist next to ainst an to cave in

Tre, I activated the artifact

The world was ripped away fros My entire body erupted in pain I thought the processwas dark

My body splashed, wet and heavy, against stone, but I had no wind left to be knocked froed my eyes open, uncertain when I had closed the My hands clutched en Finally, a breath ca hard and sharp pressed against aze followed the line of the spear’s long half to the reen eyes, dark in the low light

“Move, Vritra, and I’ll pin you to the floor,” he said, his voice carrying an edge of thunder

The sound of his voice, the sight of hiue into ainward Each breath caested broken ribs, and I had been pierced by blood iron spikes in both legs, my side, and the inside of my left arm But all these wounds were superficial and would heal with ti, of course, this Dicathian didn’t follow through on his threat

“I’ my voice slow and steady as I met the man’s eye Others had approached as well Dwarves, by their stockiness, I guessed Hopefully that hblood Denoir I’ve co for—”

“You’re a Vritra,” the h why you’re here” He frowned, focusing on h you don’t look to be in any shape to attack us”

I took a deep, steadying breath, unable to keep the gri pain inthe Lance, Arthur Leywin He knows me I assure you that—”

“Arthur isn’t here,” the blond man said Toit pointed atinto my skin “Which would be a convenient time for a spy to attempt to slip into Vildorial, especially one who presented themselves as too weak and injured to be a threat to us” He sneered “Perhaps it would have been a wiser plan to send so from their skull”

Momentarily confused, I reached for the pendant that norone

I started to sit up, but the spear pressed against the side of my neck I held out both hands “I really don’t intend you, or anyone else here, harm Arthur is my friend I—” I bit off my words I’d nearly stated that I worked with Scythe Seris, but I couldn’t be sure how such information would be taken “He spent tiether If you’ll—”

“As I said,” the ain, “Arthur isn’t here Perhaps you are so deeon” He stepped back and gestured with the spear

Slowly, I stood up A dozen sources of pain blooht across ritted teeth

“Mana-suppression shackles!” the man ordered

When a heavily arhed at the irony I held out my wrists, which were already bound with the broken manacles from Alacrya

The dwarf eyed the a pair, General Bairon Not of Dicathian make, by the looks of it”

The tip of the spear clanged against the broken cuffs as the blond man inspected them General Bairon…

“You’re Lance Bairon Wykes,” I said as he indicated that the dwarf should shackle me anyway As he slapped the cold metal around my wrists, I added, “Like I said, I’m a friend of Arthur’s”

“As a the point of his spear when the dwarf nodded to confirm my shackles were firmly in place “But I am also a protector of Dicathen, while you share the look of our enemies In the event your words are proven true, I’ll offer you ies Until then, you are a prisoner”

Lance Bairon took hold of the shackles and inspected my wounds for a moment “Send for an emitter She looks likely to bleed out if we leave her manaless in a cell”

One of the dwarves saluted, then hurried off We went in the other direction, with the Lance leading h, so as he led e of a truly enore?” I asked after ahere is an urgent one, and…” I trailed off as Lance Bairon stopped and turned to look down at me

“Tell me why you’re in Dicathen” I hesitated, and his nostrils flared “I thought so If you’ll only speak to Arthur, then I’ to have to wait I can’t send hie”

“But why?” The moment the words left my mouth, I knehy “He’s in the Relictombs”

This caused the Lance’s brows to rise “I won’t be confir any details Knoever, that you haven’t found this city undefended At this ood will Atteood will ends”

I blinked There was soht-forward bo “Noted”

I followed Lance Bairon up the long road, taking in the sights and people of Vildorial as I went A of huhtcramped or claustrophobic about the city In fact, I was quite taken aback by its beauty The way the buildings and homes were carved into the side of the cavern, how the rays of light, generated by large crystals affixed to stone pillars or hanging frolint like stars in the night sky, even the rugged, fearless way the people of the city—azes inevitably drawn toundeniably solid and strong

I thought ere hest level of the cavern, but before we reached its gates, he took h a plain, if heavy, iron door inset into the wall, and suddenly the place lost its charm

The hall beyond was narrow and crauard post, where several dwarves snapped to attention as we passed, into a series of unadorned corridors Cells lined both sides

Lance Bairon led h the prison to what seemed to be the deepest cell farthest from the entrance, opened the door, and waved me in I ithout co time to create hostility between us With time, even if Arthur didn’t return immediately, I was certain I could convince this Lance, or perhaps the lords of the elves or dwarves, that I meant them no harm

The door, which was heavy oak banded with iron, closed with a dull thunk Although I couldn’t sense it due to the ically warded and locked

The cell itself was plain A straw-stuffed le woolen blanket folded atop it I gri in the opposite corner

“I understand these accohblood,’” Lance Bairon said through the barredinset in the door, “but I’m afraid the more comfortable cells normally reserved for nobles in the palace are occupied by families made homeless by the Vritra Clan’s invasion”

I clenchedit back and forth in frustration Before I turned around to face hi a stoic front “It was exactly that: the Vritra Clan’s invasion My people have suffered under their rule for hundreds of years, yours for barely a single year They are just as much my enemy as yours, I promise you that”

The Lance’s brorinkled in a thoughtful frown “We’ll see”