Celestia awoke with a start to the sound of yelling outside. Violet stood between her and the door, ready to attack.
"Celestia!" Byron yelled as he burst into the cottage. As soon as he laid eyes upon her he ran over and hugged her. "I was so worried."
Celestia was immobile in his arms, completely lost as to what was going on. She exchanged a look with Violet who all but shrugged, as if a cat were able. "Good morning, Byron," she said, letting all her confusion show in each word.
Byron pulled back, wiping tears from his face. "We found bodies in the forest on the way here. Well, what's left of bodies. We thought for certain that you didn't make it home. There are men searching the forest for you now," he said quickly. "I was so scared that you wouldn't be here."
"What's left of bodies? What bodies?" Celestia asked.
"Three orithuns were found ripped to pieces. The pieces started at a briar patch not far into the forest and stretched all the way back to the road leading here. Their heads were found on spikes not even five minutes from here, like a warning," he explained.
Her blood ran colder with each word. "The briar patch is from me. I was followed on the way home. They had to have been spying on us over dinner. When I was certain that I was being followed, I took off into the forest and summoned briars to trap them but that was all that I did. They were very much alive and intact when I left them."
"No one thinks that you did it, Cel. We were afraid that whatever killed them had killed you too," Byron said as he started to cry again. He was shaking like a leaf in a wind storm.
"I am okay, Byron," she said, locking eyes with him. "I don't know what attacked the orithuns but I didn't even see it. I got home safely."
Byron nodded and wiped his face again. "I need to notify everyone that you are okay."
"Alright. I will join everyone shortly."
Byron stood and walked over to the door, glancing back as if to make sure that she was really there before leaving. Celestia spent the next half-hour changing her clothes, freshening up, tending to the animals, and eating a light breakfast with Violet. As soon as they were done, they were out the door and headed to meet Byron.
Celestia could already smell the blood, heavy in the air, before they even saw the scene. Violet let out a low growl of concern. Uldin and Byron were instructing some to gather the body parts and having others comb the forest for any clues as to who or what had done this. Celestia went over to the detached heads and knelt by them. Their faces were frozen in permanent terror.
"I may be of help," she said while petting Violet. Uldin and Byron both gave her startled looks, clearly not having noticed her. She couldn't really blame them; given the current scene it was difficult to notice anything else. "When there is death this gruesome, it leaves behind a footprint of sorts in the surrounding area. Their souls are here still, trapped in agony. I am familiar with an art that can be utilized so as to reconstruct what happened in the moments just before their deaths," she said as she stood up and turned to face them. She waved her hand over her staff. The crystals embedded therein, a white life crystal, a marbled time crystal, and a black death crystal, began to glow and shimmer in turn. Closely followed by Uldin and Byron, she walked into the forest to where the briar patch she had created the previous night was. The air around them shimmered. Black and white orbs of light floated freely around them as white figures came into view.
They were the three orithuns from the previous night, hung in the briar patch and arguing amongst themselves. One was small and nimble-looking with scales in scattered patches on his body. He had slit pupils and long, straight, black hair. He was hissing and cursing, baring long, sharp fangs. He appeared to be a hybrid of equal parts orithun and naga descent.
"I told you that you were being too loud!" The smallest orithun was yelling at the larger two. They were huge, beastly creatures, larger than even Uldin and sporting arms as thick as small tree trunks. They were all black-and-white in the view offered from the memory reconstruction but Celestia had seen the pieces of them and knew that the larger two were a deep shade of red. They had scars covering their chests, marking their victories. One had a braid reaching all the way down to his knees and the other's head was shaved except for the top which he had tied in a bun.
They were both snarling at the smaller one. "We told you that we should have grabbed the sorceress after she left the library. The other humans warned her of us. This is your fault for waiting."
"If we had grabbed her then the whole village would have been searching for us!" the half-naga hissed.
"The whole village was already looking for us thanks to you letting that little girl live!" the orithun with the braid snapped back.
"I didn't know she was—"
Just then the half-naga's arm twisted, snapping and ripping away from his body, tearing a blood-curdling scream from his lips. The larger two drew massive swords from their sheaths and the smaller one ran to stand between them.
"Who's there?! Show yourself!" he yelled as he clasped the gaping wound on his shoulder where his arm had once been attached. The orithun with a bun was sent flying into a tree. No sooner than he hit the ground was his left leg twisted and ripped off. The other large orithun ran over, swinging his sword wildly.
"Coward!" he snarled. His hands stopped mid swing. His chest was pushed away from his arms until they were both ripped off and tossed to the side where they remained. The half-naga took off screaming in horror, followed by the newly armless orithun. The one-legged orithun desperately crawled after them.
"Don't leave me!" he pleaded despairingly. The other two looked back just in time to see his spine ripped from his body and tossed aside. They ran faster. The armless orithun was suddenly launched into the air by a pair of blood-covered hands. He landed with a sickening, snapping sound. His head was twisted into a position that was difficult to look at, his feet twitching.
The half-naga stumbled and fell. He hopelessly crawled backward with his remaining arm, looking around wildly, sheer terror on his face. "Pl… please… spare me…" he begged. He was lifted by his neck. Choking and gurgling, he again pleaded, "Pl… please… I beg you…"
"Would you have spared the sorceress from her fate?" a cold voice asked. It cut through the air like ice.
"We… we were sent to bring her to the king. That's all," he barely managed to choke out.
"Did you spare the others?" the icy voice asked.
"Wha—" he started but was cut off. His heart was suddenly in front of his face, leaving a gaping hole in his chest. As the heartbeat wavered away the vision faded in turn, leaving the remains as its final answer.
Celestia heard a man retching in a bush behind her. She, too, felt ill but she wouldn't be showing it so openly. She swallowed hard. "So who did this?" Uldin asked.
Celestia simply shook her head. She didn't know. "They were using cloaking magic. Otherwise, we would have seen them." Her stomach betrayed her and she ran to a bush of her own. Her breakfast was on the ground faster than she had eaten it. She had only ever read about death gazing; she had never actually done it or seen it done before. Considering that such a graphic sight marked her first time, she hoped that she never had to do it again. She ran her fingers along Violet's fur, trying to ground herself.
Byron brought her a handkerchief. She accepted it graciously, cleaning her face before turning around. "I'm sorry. I've just never seen anything like that before," she stammered.
"It's quite alright. Honestly, I would have been more concerned if you hadn't wretched. I'm pretty sure the only reason we didn't is because we already have," Uldin said as a way of comforting her. She appreciated it more than he probably realized. It made her feel significantly less pathetic. "So we are now looking for an invisible psychopath. I can't wait to share the news with the village."
"He asked if they spared the others, sir, if they would have spared me," Celestia started. "I don't think they are necessarily as psychopathic as meets the eye. It seemed more like a vigilante got carried away, like they were angry with them for the attacks."
Uldin crossed his arms over his chest, thinking over what she had said. "Father, I think she is right," Byron added. "I'm not strong enough to have done this but… I think if I had been and I had the opportunity to… I think I would have likely done the same, sir."
Uldin's brow furrowed. "Yes. If I were younger I think I would probably say the same, especially after little Merry and then going after Celestia. Perhaps you're right. It doesn't take away from the fact that we don't know for sure, though; we don't even know what they look like, much less who they are. Until we do we cannot make assumptions and must treat them as a threat for the good of everyone."
Celestia nodded. She understood. She was also concerned; not only were three orithuns following her the night before, but presumably an invisible man with unknown power was as well. She dug her staff into the ground and the brown and green crystals in her staff animated, coming to life at once. The earth and trees around them consumed the blood, guts, and bodies of the fallen orithuns as well as the briar patch.
"What does the king want with Celestia?" Byron asked.
"I don't know. I don't think I want to know after what happened to her father; sorcerers don't meet good ends when they go to the capital at the king's behest."
He was, of course, talking about how her father had been summoned by the king a week after her sixteenth birthday. He wouldn't say why he was summoned, only that he couldn't ignore it. He never returned. Her mother fell ill two weeks after he was reported missing. She died shortly thereafter, leaving Celestia alone. She wasn't left completely alone, however, as she had the animals and she had Uldin and Byron. Celestia and Byron were already close but when her parents died Uldin all but adopted her. She had insisted that she continued to live in her family home but Byron visited her daily and she ate with the two of them almost every night in the beginning.
Then Violet appeared on her front step one day, the one thing she hadn't known she needed. She and Violet were inseparable for years. They still were for the most part. Violet would take off on her own from time to time but was virtually always at her side. Today was no different. Even now Violet was leaning against her comfortingly, seeming to know she needed her.
"We will step up our efforts to get the soul crystals you need collected. Since you took care of the scene here, I can get a group of men on it today," Uldin said as he patted her shoulder. "Byron will escort you anywhere you need to go today. I don't think you should be alone for now."
All Celestia could do was nod in agreement. He was right. She really shouldn't be alone while the king was actively sending orithuns to hunt her down. She knelt down and hugged Violet, stroking her fur as she did so. When she felt like she was in a better place mentally, she stood up. "Alright, Byron. Let's go see Albus. Maybe he will know something."
Twenty minutes later the three of them walked into the library. Violet went into Albus' office to announce their arrival. "Ah. Hello there, Violet. I see Celestia must have come to see me again today." A moment later he appeared, followed by Violet. "Good morning, Celestia. How are you on this fine day?"
"I am well enough given everything that has transpired since yesterday," she replied.
He looked her over carefully, then Byron. "My goodness. What has happened?"
Celestia recanted the events that had happened since she left the library. "I want to know if you know what kind of creature could have done something like that," Celestia said in reference to the attack.
"More than you would like, I'm afraid, dearie. A great deal of magical creatures can use cloaking spells, not unlike your own. Many of them have inhuman strength. Many of them could also commission a sorcerer to make a cloak for them. Many of fae could have done it. Even a human could have with a strength serum and a cloaking spell. I'm afraid, based on the limited information we have, there simply isn't enough to narrow it down," Albus told her, looking truly apologetic. "Is there anything else I might can help you with?"
"Protection spells. I have a few of my own but I want to read over a few to make sure I use the best one," Celestia said, feeling slightly defeated.
Albus disappeared into the rows of bookshelves and came back a moment later with a stack of books. "Here you are, dearie: All I have on protection spells. You're welcome to take them with you."
"Thank you, Albus. I will bring them back as soon as I'm done with them," Celestia said as she tucked the books into her sack. "We will get out of your hair for the day. Stay safe." With that the three of them headed out.
They were on their way out of town when a familiar voice rang through the air. "Well if it isn't my future husband." Celestia grimaced. She would rather watch the scene she watched this morning again than deal with Bernadette right now.
"I told you we should have went the other way," Byron scolded her quietly. As they turned around to face Bernadette, Celestia cursed him quietly for being right.
"Hello, Bernadette. To what do we owe the pleasure?" Byron asked in a sarcastic tone.
Bernadette fluttered her eyelashes at him, completely oblivious to his sarcasm. "Why, honey, the pleasure is all mine," she said, the flirtation in her voice practically oozing off of her. She was a short, curvy woman with tightly curled black hair, brown eyes, and lightly tanned skin. She had a pointed nose and high cheek bones that made her already sharp face look even more so. She wore a pink, pinstriped, button-up blouse that revealed all her cleavage and a skirt with padding sufficient to make her otherwise flat bottom look larger than life.
"Oh, trust me. It most certainly is," Byron said.
"So when are you going to stop playing hard to get and make an honest woman of me? People are starting to talk, what with you spending so much time with her and all. It makes me look bad, lovie," said Bernadette, placing emphasis on her as if Celestia were a serious problem that she simply couldn't put up with any longer.
"Well that is most unfortunate for you as Celestia happens to be a lifelong friend and isn't going anywhere. Why don't you let Hendrix court you officially?" he suggested. "It was him that I saw sneaking out of your house the night before last, was it not?" With that he turned on his heel and walked off, leaving Bernadette blabbering about preposterousness, how he must be mistaken, and that it must have been the maid, while Celestia followed behind him.
It wasn't long before they were back at Celestia's cottage and she was bringing her grimoires and a backet of snacks outside along with a quilt to sit on. Celestia spread the books out, then the snacks for them to munch on as they read. If wasn't an uncommon practice. She did so at least once per week. Betty and Hean, the farm animals, came over to rest beside them and Celestia leaned back against Betty as Byron leaned against Hean. They each picked up a book and began to read. It wasn't long before Celestia had all the books sprawled out around her, each opened to various protection, guarding, and cloaking spells.
"I should be able to put up a combination of each on the main roads going into town. Once I have them up, we can send out word to neighboring villages to stick to the main roads. We should presume there will be more orithuns sent to replace those three when they don't check in," Celestia said to Byron.
"What do we need for you to be able to cast so many?" Byron asked her while absent-mindedly petting Violet, who was sprawled out in the sun beside him.
"Mostly I just need the river. The first two roads have access to the river. I will be able to draw power from there. I will replenish my strength before we leave for the last road. For that road the best we can do is to make sure there are powerful soul crystals in place," she replied. She thought of her prism crystal that she had found in the river a few days ago. She could use the crystal to help with casting. "I have a prism crystal but I shouldn't need it with your father providing soul crystals and the river being available at the first two locations."
"You have a prism crystal? How did you manage to find one of those?" Byron asked, clearly surprised.
"When I went to the river the other day it just floated up to me like I was meant to have it."
"That's pretty insane luck."
Celestia nodded in agreement. It was. She had even thought so at the time. "I want to save it for when I really need it."
"That's understandable. Father will make sure there are plenty of soul crystals."
Celestia tried to put her mind at ease by continuing to read the books around her, discussing with Byron which spells would work together best and wouldn't be too much for Celestia to cast. Dark came quickly. They put the animals in the barn and went inside to eat. Celestia readied her old room for Byron to sleep in and they turned in for the night. The next three days passed by quickly. They tended to the animals, read books, and Celestia refreshed the cloaking and protection spells on the cottage and her cloak as practice for the roads.
The dawn of the fourth day was greeted by a message from Byron's father informing Celestia that they had collected the crystals needed for the spells. Celestia and Byron headed out to meet him at the first road. When they arrived there was a group of six men in place, armed with swords and bows.
"Good morning, Celestia," Garrett said in greeting. "We will be protecting you today." Garrett was short compared to Byron but still taller than Celestia. He had tanned skin and dark-green clothes on. His eyes were the color of warm amber and his hair was an ashy brown color.
"Hello, Garrett. It's nice to see you again. How is Pearl doing?" Celestia asked.
"She is well. The doctor says the baby should be here next month," he replied. "Pearl says it will be a little girl."
Celestia smiled. "She always did want a daughter. Well, let's get started so you can get back to her." She removed her cloak and handed it to Byron along with her bag. She wore an ivory top with ivory skirts beneath it. She took her staff and walked out into the water until she was in up to her waist. Once she was there she closed her eyes and let the energy from the river and soul crystals beneath the surface flow into her. Her staff floated out in front of her as she extended her arms from her sides. The waters around her churned. The wind picked up. "Xenojiva, we beseech you. Protect any who should pass this way from harm. Protect them from those who hold ill will and let them travel safely." Soul crystals floated up from the water around her. "Xenojiva, we beseech you. Hide those who would pass this way. Shield them from eyes unknown." The crystals glowed brightly, swirling around her. "Xenojiva, we ask that you guard the innocent from the cruelty and maliciousness that would otherwise befall them." The crystals all floated up into the air and slowly arranged themselves along the sides of the road. Celestia waded out of the water to Byron and Garrett. Byron wrapped her cloak back around her and offered her bag to her. "On to the next road, shall we?"
They all climbed on horses that Uldin had provided and traveled to the next road. Celestia gave Byron her cloak and bag again and waded back out into the water. She extended her arms as her staff floated ahead of her, the crystals inside it shining brightly, and repeated the spell. As the crystals floated out to line the road, Celestia could feel her soul draining. She stayed in the water for a moment after she had completed the spell, letting the soul of the river and the crystals around her replenish her strength. Byron held out his hand to help her up the hill back onto the road, then wrapped her in her cloak again.
"How are you holding up?" he asked.
"I'm okay. I should be able to finish the last spell," she replied wearily. She was feeling drained but not so much so that it would be dangerous for her to cast again. They climbed back onto their horses and rode onward to the last road.
The last road was farther away, on the opposite side of the village, and was seldom traveled. It was used only just enough to warrant shielding it. They arrived at the casting area within the hour. The soul crystals were already lining the road, waiting for Celestia. There were more than enough to feed the spell and keep it up for a while.
She walked out into the middle of the road and extended her arms. Her staff was floating ahead yet again when a man cried out behind her. She spun around just in time to see one of the men who had been guarding her crumble to the ground, clenching his stomach in his hands. A tall, bulky orithun stood over him, bloody blade in hand. His head was shaved clean and he had long tusks extending from his mouth, adorned with beads and gold. He wore only a pair of brown leather pants, his chest bare as to display his battle markings, flaunting his victories. Two more orithuns were already cutting through the other men while Garrett and Byron put themselves between the orithuns and Celestia.
"Move aside, humans," the big orithun said in a low, rumbling voice.
"Not a chance," Byron quickly replied.
"Ruk, Ternik, kill them," the big one ordered. Ruk and Ternik both walked towards Garrett and Byron. Ruk charged Garrett, who simply sidestepped him and plunged his blade into his back. Ternik swung his blade at Byron, who blocked with his sword. Ternik continued furiously, swinging at Byron even as he repeatedly blocked his blows until Byron was unhanded. The orithun then promptly stabbed him in the gut.
"Byron!" Celestia cried out, rushing over to him. Garrett was now fighting with the large orithun when a sickening crack rang through the air. She looked over to see him fall over, his head bleeding profusely. She stood up, staff in hand, ready to fight when Ternik snatched her staff from her and held her up by her arm. She could feel her arm sliding out of its socket when Ternik's head seemingly spontaneously imploded and she dropped down, covered in blood. The orithun fell to the ground and a man was now standing beside her.
He was as tall as Byron and lean. His skin was paler than even her own ivory skin. He had short, messy, white hair and icy-blue eyes. His facial features were soft and boyish yet somehow masculine. He had a straight, angular nose, full lips, and a straight jaw line. He wore black pants topped with a white shirt and ending with black boots. It was the man from her dream the other night. He was real and he was in front of her.
She became aware that she was gawking and closed her mouth, turning her attention to Byron who was bleeding out in her arms. She pulled her staff over to her and placed a hand on his stab wound. Heal, she thought to herself. She felt her soul going into the wound. She felt it pulling the pieces of him that had been cut apart back together, pulling the blood back into him, and closing his wound. She could feel sweat budding on her head as she finished.
"Thank you, Celestia," Byron whispered weakly. The wound was healed but his soul was still weak from bleeding out.
"And who the fuck are you?" the big orithun asked, clearly irritated by this sudden intrusion.
The man took his eyes off of Celestia and looked over at the remaining orithun. "My name is Ilios. I would ask for yours but you won't be alive long enough for it to matter." In the apparent blink of an eye, he was in front of the orithun. The large orithun jumped and stumbled backward.
"How—" the orithun started to ask but was cut off by Ilios plunging his hand into his neck and ripping out his trachea. The large orithun first looked confused then futilely grasped at his gaping neck as he drowned in his own blood.
Celestia watched in abject horror as he crumbled to the ground next to Garrett. Her attention being redirected to Garrett brought her back to reality and she rushed to his side with her staff in hand. She pulled his head into her lap and examined his wound. His head was gaping open. She placed her hand on the wound and let her soul seep into the wound through her palm. She channeled the soul from the white and green stones in her staff. As she was halfway through mending his wound, she saw the crystals beginning to crack. She pushed soul into his wound faster still, sewing bone and tissue back together. Just as she pulled the last bit of blood back into the wound, the crystals in her staff finally shattered. She was winded. She laid him down and went to check the other men.
"Don't," said Ilios.
She stopped and turned to look at him. "I have to help them."
"Only one of them lives and his wound isn't fatal," he said matter-of-factly. She looked at the fallen men. All were still as death except for the man who had been stabbed first. He was holding his stomach, crying in pain.
"I cannot just leave him to suffer," she said.
"And you do not have the soul crystal to heal him. You would expend your soul, become a hollow, and kill him anyway," he said sternly.
Once again someone was right and she didn't like it. She thought back on her decision to leave the prism stone at home today and cursed her foolishness. She felt a sudden wave of dizziness and went to sit beside Byron.
"Who are you?" she asked as she looked up at the enigmatic man.
"I have already stated that. My name is Ilios," he replied.
"Yes, you said your name, but who are you? What are you doing here? Where did you come from?" she pressed.
"I am a dragon from Borealis Mountain and, from the look of things, I was saving you," he paused for a moment and looked around before adding, "and some of your mortal friends as well as stopping you from making a fatal mistake."
She sighed heavily, annoyed with him dancing around her questions. She stood up and walked back to where she had been when the attack started. She extended her arms and her staff floated ahead of her as it so often did.
He walked over, plucking her staff from in front of her. "I'm pretty sure we just had this talk."
"I have to finish the protection spells on the road. Using the crystals around us, I can do that without endangering myself," she said, pulling her staff back to her. He narrowed his eyes at her but let go of the staff. She again assumed position, extending her arms, sending out her own soul to make contact with the soul crystals around her. As her soul touched each crystal, she felt more solid, more stable. Just as she reached the last of the crystals, she lifted them into the air. "Xenojiva, we beseech you. Protect any who should pass this way from harm. Protect them from those who hold ill will and let them travel safely. Xenojiva, we ask that you guard the innocent from the cruelty and maliciousness that would otherwise befall them." As she spoke the crystals illuminated brightly around the road. When she felt the spell expand along the road, she slowly lowered the crystals back into their positions. "It is done. We can leave now. We need to get these men back to the village as quickly as possible." She went over to Byron, who was still out of it, and helped him onto his horse. While she did helped Byron, Ilios laid both Garrett and the other survivor on their respective horses, then mounted one of the remaining horses himself. Celestia climbed onto the horse with Byron to make sure he didn't fall, grabbed the leads of the remaining two horses, and headed in the direction of the village.
A half-hour later they arrived at the borough master's home. Celestia climbed down and helped Byron off the horse while Ilios lifted the unconscious Garrett and helped the bleeding man into the house.
"Uldin! We need a doctor!" Celestia called out.
Uldin immediately jumped up from his seat and helped to get the men situated. "Helga, go fetch Dr. Faust," he ordered.
Helga ran out of the house and reappeared a moment later with Dr. Faust. Dr. Faust was a middle-aged man. He had messy, short, ash-blonde hair that had almost a silver hue to it. He wore a white coat on top of a robin egg-blue shirt with light-brown pants. He always had bags under his eyes that made it seem like he never slept. He wore small, round glasses that were always sliding down his face and he would push them up the bridge of his nose which he scrunched up every time he had to. He brought a large, brown briefcase of sorts with him that he kept medicinal concoctions and soul crystals in for healing and treating patients. "Gracious. What happened here?" he asked when he entered the room and saw the men as well as Celestia and Ilios covered in blood.
"We were ambushed by orithuns on the last road," Celestia answered. "I healed as much as I could with what I had with me but I only had my staff. My healing crystals shattered when I finished healing Garrett."
"I see," he said as he examined the men's wounds. "You did a fine job, Miss Celestia. You did a fine job, indeed. Garrett, especially, would be dead right now if you hadn't acted when you did." He got to the last man, whose name Celestia didn't already know, and started digging in his bag. He pulled out a balm and healing crystals. "I'm afraid this may be a little unpleasant for but a moment. It will, however, help the healing process," he said before he rubbed a handful of the balm on the man's wound. He then held the crystals in one hand and placed the other over the wound. As he did so the crystals glowed faintly and the wound slowly closed. "I'm afraid that's the best I can do at this point," he said while digging in his bag again. He pulled out a small bottle of pills. "Take one of these every six hours as needed for pain. It will finish healing. It will just take time." The man nodded and accepted the bottle. He may have still had a significant amount of blood on him but he looked a hundred times better than he had before.
Dr. Faust turned his attention to Garrett and Byron. "These flesh wounds are healed. Their wounds are in their souls. I advise you to drink this," he said as he dug out two vials of glowing, blue elixir and handed one to Byron, "and to go to the bath house and soak in the water there. It is from the river and will help the healing process." He then started examining Garrett. He dug in his bag again and pulled out a syringe. He filled it with the glowing, blue elixir, tied off and straightened Garrett's arm, then injected him with the syringe. Once he had emptied it into his vein, he released the tie, covered the injection site with a piece of cotton, and removed the needle. "He should wake up in an hour or so. I will continue periodic injections until he does. Uldin, you should let his wife know of his condition but also let her know he will be fine. His soul is just resting after a traumatic event."
"Alright, Doc," Uldin said before heading out. He came back roughly ten minutes later with Garrett's wife, Pearl. They had moved Garrett to a spare room so Celestia didn't see her so much as hear her sobbing in the other room.
Uldin returned after a moment, leaving Pearl with Garrett. "Now then. I didn't say anything before because we had more pressing matters to attend to, but those have been dealt with now. Who is he?" he asked in a stern voice while pointing directly at Ilios.
"He saved us. His name is Ilios," Celestia answered. Uldin looked from her to Byron, who reluctantly nodded in confirmation.
"Convenient that you were there just when they needed you the most," Uldin said, suspicion plain in his voice.
"Indeed, it was," Ilios said coolly. "I hate to think of what would have happened had I not intervened."
"Where was it you were coming from?" Uldin asked.
"I'm afraid that's personal information," Ilios replied, clearly trying to shut down the conversation.
Celestia cut in, "Yes, well, I need to rest. I'm afraid I may have expended myself too much today. Ilios, would you be so kind as to walk me home?"
"Yes. It would be my pleasure," he answered.
Celestia gave Byron and Uldin each a hug. "I will be back to check on you tomorrow," she said. She then grabbed her staff, wrapped her cloak around her, and left the borough master's home with the indecipherable Ilios.