"And so on our travels back we stopped to hunt for some rabbit when we stumbled upon our little friend here!" Said Colwyn gesturing to Azel who now had a hood pulled over him as far as it could go.
Apparently planning was not something Colwyn often did. So when the trio saw the gates, instead of finding some time to prepare an appropriate, Azel could only watch in horror as Colwyn and Lyra moved to pass through.
Surely there was some kind of plan here? After all Colwyn had not prepared any kind of way to stop people seeing Azel's eyes. And he was starting to sincerely doubt if the hood which was now pulled over his entire upper face actually less suspicious or even worse.
There was a horrifying silence as the gate guards observed Azel. If he was still alive the zombie would be sure his heart would of beat out his chest... Perhaps Colwyn really had no intention of keeping him alive? Was he just as fickle about letting the young, pitiful zombie survive as he was when it came to where they should set up camp?
Azel wouldn't put it past him. And he was sure Lyra wouldn't either, Colwyn had certainly made an impression on Azel as someone who followed their whims over any sense of duty.
The zombie had respected this mentality earlier, but now that he was suffering from the knight's lack of foresight he was beginning to understand Lyra's general discontent mood.
Luckily the guards kept quiet and gestured for the three of them to move into the city without much issue.
As they stepped through the wide gates and left the guards earshot Azel shot a glare at Colwyn, "Couldn't you of planned a bit next time?"
Colwyn didn't bother responding with an answer so Lyra did it for him, "The guards wouldn't dare stop a knight from entering, even if they noticed your "uniqueness" they would of probably just ignored it, examining us is just a formality,"
Azel sighed but kept quite. He was aware of the standing that came with being a knight, especially one as strong as Colwyn, but it didn't hurt to be cautious. What if say a Templar happened to be in the area and spotted Azel?
The rank of knight demanded respect, sure, but there were far more dangerous individuals affiliated with the Enclave. And Azel did not want to risk encountering any of them while his eyes still shone red.
As they continued through the bustling streets, Azel kept his head down, trying to draw as little attention as possible. The city was alive with activity, merchants calling out their wares, children darting between stalls, and various guild members going about their business.
Eventually, they reached a quieter part of the city, where the buildings were older and more closely packed. Colwyn led them to a small shop with a faded sign that read "Gryphon's Goods." He pushed open the door, a small bell tinkling above them.
Inside, the shop was dimly lit, with shelves filled with various magical artifacts, potions, and curious trinkets. The air was thick with the scent of incense and dust. A tall, wiry man with sharp features and piercing blue eyes looked up from behind the counter. He was polishing a delicate, crystalline orb that glowed faintly in his hands.
"Ah, Colwyn," the shopkeeper greeted, a sly smile curling his lips. "Back so soon? And with new company, I see."
"Afternoon, Gryphon," Colwyn replied, his tone casual. "We need a bit of help for our friend here."
Gryphon's eyes shifted to Azel, taking in the hood pulled low over his face. He raised an eyebrow but said nothing as he came out from behind the counter. He moved with a fluid grace, his steps almost silent on the wooden floor.
"A special request, then," Gryphon said, more a statement than a question. "Let's see what we're dealing with."
Azel hesitated, glancing at Colwyn and Lyra. Lyra gave him a reassuring nod, and Colwyn just grinned, or at lest Azel assumed he did... it was impossible to discern Colwyn's features from behind his helm.
With a sigh, Azel pushed back his hood, revealing his unnaturally glowing red eyes.
Gryphon's eyebrows rose higher, and he let out a low whistle. "Interesting. Undead, but still sentient. I assume you're looking to hide those eyes of yours?"
Azel was a bit shocked at the storekeepers calmness. Azel was under the impression that undead were the greatest enemy of mankind. due to their unnatural strength and violent minds, yet "Gryphon," remained tranquil, scarily so.
"Yeah, Can you help him?" Asked Colwyn, it seemed slightly rhetorical, as if he already knew what Gryphon's answer would be.
"Of course I can! It will just take some time for me to make the artifact from scratch, the boy will have to stay, but you and your squire are free to leave," responded Gryphon, already digging behind his counter for materials.
Colwyn nodded before turning to Azel, "Then me and Lyra will go ahead to report to the Chasers, we'll pick you up on our way back, yeah?"
Azel nodded, he felt a bit on edge being left alone with the unfamiliar and eccentric shopkeeper, but he doubted the old man could do much harm if thinks went south. Gryphon was like a bird whose talons have dulled with age.
He can no longer hunt with the skill he once had before but must instead rely on the future generation to survive.
As Lyra followed Colwyn out the door she gave Azel a small wave which he returned, this was the best way things could of gone. First, Azel would rather not go to the Sunchaser's main base for as long as possible.
The undead knew that he would have to eventually if he ever wanted to find a permanent solution to his hunger. But being surrounded by people who have a prejudice that undead are all man eating monsters unnerved him.
Secondly being left alone was enjoyable, because quite frankly, Azel found himself getting annoyed at the laid back attitude of Colwyn and Lyra. Even if he new that they did have far more experience than him it was still worrying to see them so relaxed when his life seemed to be at risk.
Gryphon continued to rummage through his supplies, occasionally glancing at Azel with a curious expression. "Well, my young friend, it seems we have some time together. Let's make the most of it. Tell me, how did you come to be in such a...unique situation?"
Azel hesitated but then decided to speak. After all, Gryphon was already helping him, and maybe understanding his story would make the old man more sympathetic. "It's a long story, but the short version is, I woke up like this with no memory of how it happened. Colwyn and Lyra found me and have been helping me ever since."
Gryphon nodded thoughtfully, pulling out various crystals and vials. After a short silence he asked, "Did you know my daughter became an undead?"
Azel was taken aback by Gryphon's statement. He supposed it explained Gryphons calmness when dealing with him, maybe that was why Colwyn introduced the two of them... The personal connection served to stop Gryphon from rashly reporting them.
"Your daughter?" he asked, his voice tinged with surprise. "What happened?"
Gryphon was silent for a long moment to the point where Azel begun to question if the shopkeeper had even heard him, finally Gryphon spoke, "Perhaps I have overshared, come over here and try on these lenses..."
Azel nodded, but inwardly he was annoyed, who says something like that and then casually changes the topic of conversation? Of course, Azel knew that now that Gryphon knew his secret, antagonizing the shop keep would be a foolish thing to do.
Azel walked over to the counter, where Gryphon had laid out a pair of lenses that glowed faintly with an inner light. They looked delicate, almost ethereal, with intricate runes etched around their edges.
"These lenses," Gryphon explained, "are enchanted to mask the crimson colour of your eyes. They should help you blend in, but they'll need to be recharged every few days."
Azel reached out and picked up one of the lenses, marvelling at its craftsmanship. "Thank you," he said, doing his best to be sincere. "I appreciate your help."
"Yes, you're welcome, that'll be 25 notes." Said Gryphon, a pleasant smile on his face, which contrasted with Azel's sudden look of horror.
"Ah..."
Gryphon frowned, "Ah?"
Azel was silent for a moment, his expression unreadable, but inwardly he was panicking. It was a stupid mistake, he was purchasing a product and didn't have any money.
In his arrogance Azel assumed that Colwyn had already paid... And now he had to explain to this kind old man that he couldn't afford it.