"Well, well, well. A bounty hunter. A healer. One of my own and—" Orionis' big yellow eyes flickered from Selene, Lilith, to Zeph before finally falling on Elian in confusion. "Who the fuck are you?"
Elian pursed his lips and did not respond. Without a uniform, he had no means of identification. And he wasn't about to tell Orionis he was from Destitropolis, knowing how much everyone looked down on the talentless folks.
Instead, his mind was in a whirl as he tried to figure out how to escape their situation. They were surrounded by guards, lots of them. Even if they wanted to fight it out, they were outnumbered.
Orionis turned to Zephyrion.
"You're quite something, huh?" He drawled. "You escaped from confinement, then you returned but not alone. You returned with fugitives who don't belong in this citadel. You are the most wanted forger with a 2000 Aether coin bounty, but I'm sure you already know that. You may be many things, Zephyrion, but you're not a fool."
His wicked eyes took in Selene one more time. "Is that why you're with him? To claim the bounty? I guess not. If that were the case, you would have him tied up, wouldn't you?"
Orionis stroked his beardless chin with his short fingers, trying to figure out why the unusual crew had shown up at the back of his mansion. He was a true elf with rich elf blood, making him one of the last of his kind and an important figure in Aetherforge.
But his looks did not match his position.
In contrast to most typical elves, Orionis' body lacked the grace elves were known for. Dressed in flowing robes that draped over his rounded form, his movement was slower. His large, protruding stomach stretched beneath his robes and hung over his belt.
As he shifted slightly, a subtle ripple ran through the air, tracing the outline of the invisible shield around his mansion. While his bodyguards surrounded Elian and his friends outside the shield, Orionis was well protected inside, afraid that if he stepped outside for a second, the creatures would attack him.
Elian feared the same circumstances and decided to intervene. He cleared his throat. "We are not—"
"Shut up, boy!" Orionis ordered, speaking with the same drawn-out tone. "Anyone I can't recognize by their uniform is irrelevant. So don't speak until you are spoken to."
Elian fell silent, and others shifted uneasily.
"Master," One of the bodyguards who held a gun to Lilith's back turned to Orionis. "What should we do with them?"
Elian and his crew were not the first to use the tunnel or show up behind Orionis' mansion. As Aetherforge was attacked, many forgers sought refuge in Orionis' mansion, hoping he would save them.
Unfortunately, Orionis did not lift his shield, and they were all killed. To prevent any unwarranted visitors, Orionis tasked his bodyguards to watch the tunnel.
The bodyguards kept glancing around, nervously shifting from one foot to another. Only Orionis, standing in the doorway of his mansion, was protected by the shield.
The rest of them, standing outside, were completely exposed to the Beakstorm Reapers if they decided to make an appearance.
Orionis rolled his eyes and ignored the guard's question. He took a deep breath and smiled at his prisoners. "Now tell me, what are you four up to?"
Lilith tried to speak, but Zeph cut in immediately.
"Protection," he said loudly.
Elian, Lilith and Selene stiffened, wondering why Zeph had answered the question. Had he forgotten the plan? Lilith was supposed to talk to Orionis.
Zeph continued. "The entire citadel is under attack by those monsters. You're protected by the shield, so we came to seek refuge."
Orionis stared down at Zephyrion's ripped, bloodstained clothes in disgust. "What did you just say?"
Zeph licked his dry, chapped lips. "We came to seek refuge from the att—"
"Hit him," Orionis ordered the guard holding Zeph.
It happened so fast that Zeph didn't have time to react. The guard struck Zeph on the face, his lips grinding against his teeth.
Another blow landed on his throat. Zeph almost fell on his knees, but the guard roughly yanked him up.
Orionis chuckled, rubbing his pudgy hands together. "That will teach you."
Making sure he was still within the coverage of the shield, he moved to the other side of the door on his short legs to get a better look at Zeph's face. He nodded in satisfaction when he saw Zeph's mouth was stained with blood.
"You are an idiot and a fool to think that I, one of the most important superior officers in this realm and leader of this citadel, will let you into my house. Do I look like I harbour criminals and the less privileged?"
Orionis tenderly fingered the fabric of his robe. His fingers caressed the shiny gold buttons fixed so tightly around his stomach that they looked like they would pop at any moment. Then he brushed off an invisible speck of dirt from his shoulders.
"Aside from the bounty hunter who has free passage, the rest of you will be arrested for being in Aetherforge." Orionis showed his yellowing teeth in a grin. "I'm sure none of you have the clearance to be here. Am I right?"
"Orionis," Lilith said quietly. She took a couple of steps forward and managed a small smile.
"What?" Orionis asked. "Want to tell me I'm wrong?"
Lilith shook her head, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "I don't know if you remember me. I—I—"
She swallowed nervously and glanced at the others. The fact that they were all looking up to her to get them out of the mess gave her the courage to carry on. "I came here earlier today with my team to cure your ailment."
Orionis observed her green uniform and the belt around her waist for keeping small potion bottles. It was the uniform for healers in the realm.
"I got separated from my team during the attack," Lilith continued. "Zeph saved me from the creatures, and we met these two on the way. We tried to hide, but the whole citadel was overrun with those things. We had nowhere else to go, so we came here. Please. Please don't turn us away."
Lilith's heart sank when she saw that Orionis' expression did not change. She may have been talking to the wall all this time.
"You!" Orionis barked, turning to Elian. "Not from around these parts, are you? Where are you from?"
"Destitropolis," Elian answered confidently. He knew lying wouldn't change Orionis' mind, nor would telling the truth.
Orionis frowned and glared at Elian with sheer disgust. "You are far away from home, boy. Aetherforge is no place for a filthy scavenger. Here to steal?"
Elian briefly shut his eyes, trying to control his temper, but he failed. Like a pot set to boil, the anger bubbled over and spilt.
"You're wicked and cruel," He blurted before he could stop himself. "You stand there with a shield around your mansion, yet I don't see you providing refuge for those who need it, even your own kind! You don't give a damn about what happens to anyone but yourself. Even you guards can get eaten, and I bet you'll just stand there and watch."
This reminded the guards of their own danger, and they tensed up.
Elian spat on the ground, then lifted his gaze to Orionis. "I may be a scavenger, but I'm way better and braver than a coward hiding behind the walls of his mansion!"
Orionis' eyes darkened in anger, his chest rising and falling as he and Elian glared at each other for a long moment.
"Guards," Orionis drawled in his smooth, calm voice without taking his eyes off Elian. "Round these scum up, search them, take all their weapons and tie them to the big tree by the gate. Let's see how brave they are when those things show up." He pointed a stubby finger glittering with rings at Lilith. "Bring the healer inside."
The guards moved at once to carry out Orionis' orders. They grabbed Elian, Zeph and Selene while one of Orionis' personal bodyguards dragged a protesting Lilith inside. Orionis stormed away into his mansion, not sparing a glance backwards.
"Don't come near me, assholes!" Selene warned, trying to back away.
"Don't let them take you!" Elian yelled.
Zeph swung at a guard and missed, only to have his arm twisted painfully behind his back. Selene and Elian struggled but couldn't do anything against so many guards. They were all forced to their knees while they were aggressively searched.
Selene was searched the longest. The guard searching her cursed under his breath each time he found a weapon in the unlikeliest places. Finally, she was stripped clean, a pile of blades and other weapons heaped beside her.
As quickly as they could, the guards dragged them to the tree and tied them up just as Orionis had instructed.
Once they finished, they took their weapons and carried them back to the mansion, leaving Elian, Zeph and Selene unprotected and defenseless from any attack.