Chapter 433

“So, back to Floria, huh?” Nick asked, glancing at the empty chair Tholm had just vacated. “They’ll just let us pack up and leave?”“They will, if they know what’s good for them,” Xander said smoothly, eyes sparkling as he sipped his tea, as if he hadn’t just hinted at disastrous consequences if they proceed. "The Tidemaster wields significant influence in the city, but currently, his power is only political. He cannot send inquisitors into Prelate Marthas's territory without solid evidence, as doing so could ignite a jurisdictional conflict between the faiths, one that Bishop Umlaut's influence won't be able to control. I'll also be with you to ensure the way is free of overzealous patrols, so you can be confident that nothing will stop you from returning to your House’s fief.”

Nick raised an eyebrow, leaning back in his chair. "Can the city afford to lose you right now? With the power vacuum Hone left behind, I would assume the Duke would need you to secure his influence.”

Xander offered a faint, razor-sharp smile. "I hold my position because I am the foremost swordsman in the West, Nicholas. The title of Grandmaster was earned with blood, and the players of the game in Alluria know better than to think of me as a pawn to be moved around. My reputation affords me a certain degree of freedom.”

Devon had been silent while listening to all this, but he seemed to be finished thinking through the situation. "The knights are stretched thin managing the lower districts anyway. Taking a few weeks to let the political fires burn themselves out is the smartest play we have. Sonya and I will start packing the essentials.”

Once the two had left, Nick turned to the Grandmaster. "There is one loose end that bothers me," he said, tracing the rim of his porcelain cup. "Marius. Hone used him and discarded him just as easily, but leaving him in that state doesn’t sit well with me.”

Not that he was concerned about the young noble’s fate, but he represented a House that had supported Hone, and they would probably argue that they were forced by the Archmage, successfully so, considering their scion’s condition.

The idea that House Illismonde could exploit the situation to gain influence made his anger rise.

“You need not worry about them,” Xander replied, clearly reading what had annoyed him. “My men relinquished him to Bluetear, who personally took him into custody. The boy is currently undergoing a rigorous purification process to strip the abyssal taint from his soul. He will survive, though his progression as a mage will likely be stalled for years.”

Nick hummed.

Bluetear plans to keep him hidden under the excuse of healing for quite some time," Xander continued. "House Illismonde is very wealthy and somewhat influential, despite being minor nobility. With their heir directly involved in the breach, even as an unwilling vessel, they are in a very fragile legal position. Bluetear will use it as a political leverage, using the boy's safety and recovery to pressure them into supporting the Tower both financially and politically as it works to restore its influence in the Duchy.”

“How very pragmatic," Nick noted with a thin smile.

The Tower needed resources to repair its reputation, and House Illismonde would pay any price to prevent their heir from facing execution for high treason.

"Very," Xander agreed. “You should put him out of your mind. Take care of your affairs in the city, because we leave at the end of the week.”

The next evening, Nick found himself walking through the winding alleys of the undercity.

One of the changes he noticed from his soul-stretching was that he could clearly sense faint footsteps half a mile away without needing to filter out everything else.

He easily tracked the dense mana signatures of the knight patrols moving through the district, navigating the shadowy paths smoothly, and preventing anyone who might have been looking for him from noticing he’d even left the manor.

Soon after, he reached the Hooded Man, quietly slipping through the door and entering the familiar room without any disturbance.

The tavern was unexpectedly busy, packed with opportunists and fences attempting to exploit the chaos left behind by what was supposedly called the Shadow War.

Nick bypassed the main room and went straight to the private booths in the back, slipping past a heavily scarred bouncer who wisely chose not to question the young man carrying a wooden staff.

One-Ear sat in a dim corner booth, nursing a half-empty mug of dark stout. The informant looked up as Nick slid into the seat across from him.

His eyes immediately darted to the Shard of Human Ambition, then up to Nick's face, relaxing only once he realized it was really him.

Though details of what had happened inside the Tower were kept secret and known only to the most powerful, the fact that a young mage had broken the demonic hold and restored the wards had long since spread through the undercity. For someone like One-Ear, piecing everything together didn’t even require much effort.

"Lord Crowley," the broker greeted him in a respectful tone. "I admit, I wasn't sure I'd see you down here again. Not with the heavy armor marching around and the priests being so ruffled.”

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"I have a few final arrangements to make before I leave the city," Nick said quietly. He reached into his robes and pulled out a heavy velvet pouch, placing it firmly in the center of the scratched wooden table. The unmistakable clink of solid coinage made One-Ear's good ear twitch.

“For the next few months, I need you to cast your net wider," Nick instructed. "I want to know about the North.”

One-Ear slowly reached out and untied the pouch, peering inside. His eyes went wide, reflecting the dull lamplight. Nick had given him fifty gold coins. For an informant, it was a princely sum, enough to buy a small tavern or live very comfortably for years.

"That's a lot of weight, my lord," One-Ear murmured, hiding how his nervousness spiked. He sighed and pushed the pouch back an inch. “The war in the north is too scattered for me to gain any insight, and the interests there are closely tied to the true powers of the Kingdom. If you're paying this much, you're asking for something that could get people like me killed.”

"I don’t care about the war beyond a general idea of where it’s going," Nick clarified. “What I want is information about Toneburg. House Ultimer, specifically. Anything and everything you can find will be a bonus.”

One-Ear relaxed slightly, tapping his fingers on the table as he thought about the request. "House Ultimer practically owns Toneburg, as far as I know. They're second only to Duke Mordhau up there, so finding information won’t be hard, but finding anything of value will.”

"I am aware," Nick said. "Which is exactly why I need you to be cautious. Do not reveal yourself or the fact that someone in Alluria is investigating them. I’m not asking you to break into their vaults, nor do I want you asking specific, targeted questions that could attract the attention of their counterintelligence. Just feel out your contacts, listen to the merchants coming down from the northern roads, and track their supply lines.”

One-Ear stared at the pouch of gold, torn between his professional greed and his survival instincts. Nick knew the man was perceptive enough to realize that someone like him looking into the second most powerful house in the North meant something big was brewing, but he thought he understood the broker’s desires well enough, and a challenge might be worth more than the coin.

"I'll keep my ear to the ground," One-Ear finally agreed, his hand covering the pouch. "I have a few people who run caravan security up near the frost lines, so I should be able to get a feel for their deployments without making any waves.”

"Good," Nick said, standing up from the booth. “Gather as much information as you can. When I return, if the intelligence is useful, I will double that amount.”

One-Ear raised an eyebrow, surprised by how generous he was being, considering that Nick usually haggled like a fisherwoman, but if anything, that made him even warier.

With a final casual wave, Nick left the Hooded Man behind, feeling confident that he had taken the first step of his northern campaign.

The next afternoon, Nick met up with his friends at a quiet, upscale tea house in the commercial district near the Tower.

The city was gradually returning to its usual rhythm, though the sight of so many soldiers on the street corners constantly reminded everyone of what nearly happened.

Bellamy, Eona, and Tim were already sitting at a sunlit table when Nick arrived. They looked refreshed, their minor injuries having healed over the past week, but there was a new confidence in their posture. Surviving the invasion had toughened them, burning away the last traces of their innocence.

"Nick," Bellamy greeted him warmly, standing up to clasp his forearm. Eona offered a small smile, and Tim flagged down a server to order another pot of tea.

"You look considerably better than the last time we saw you," Eona noted. “The healers were whispering that you nearly burned your coils up, so we were worried it’d take a long time to get you back in shape. I should have known better than to listen to that old gossip.”

"I pushed my limits," Nick admitted, ignoring the fact that the healer who had treated him had gone around talking about his condition, and taking a seat. "But the recovery has been smooth, and I wanted to see you all before I leave.”

Tim paused mid-sip, lowering his cup. “Leave?”

"I'm taking a leave of absence from the Tower," Nick said, twisting one of his fingers to summon a thin barrier of air to keep their conversation private. "I will be departing Alluria for a while.”

A heavy silence settled over the table. Bellamy frowned, his brow creasing as he processed the information. "Is this because of the Tidemaster? Did he realize?”

“It’s nothing bad," Nick reassured them. "The Tower Master and the Duke have been very accommodating. But the political climate in the city is highly volatile right now, and certain factions within the temples are asking uncomfortable questions about the magic I used to break the siege. It is in everyone's best interest if I step away and let the heat die down.”

Eona sighed. “My father sent me a letter to warn me to stay away from the temple of the waves for a while. Apparently, they’re even petitioning the Royal Court to send more priests west to Alluria.”

Nick hadn’t known that, but it only strengthened his resolution. "Which is why I cannot stay," he said, then looked at his three friends, reflecting on the bond they had built over the past year. They had planned to disrupt the Festival together, stood firm when the Tower fell, and trusted him completely. He owed them honesty.

“This isn't just a political retreat," Nick continued, lowering his voice further. "I have a secret mission I need to prepare for. Something I committed to long before I came to the city.”

Bellamy met Nick's gaze, recognizing the unspoken boundaries of their conversation. Nick was now far beyond their reach, operating at a level involving powers they couldn’t match. "Is it dangerous?”

"It will be," Nick said simply. "But I have time to prepare.”

And really, that was enough.

The morning of their departure was crisp and clear.

A reinforced carriage waited in the courtyard of Xander's estate. The vehicle was entirely free of noble crests or other identifying marks, painted a plain, subdued black.

Despite its plain look, Nick's senses quickly detected the mighty layers of protective enchantments embedded directly into the reinforced wood.

Devon was busy securing the last of their leather trunks to the rear rack, while Sonya quietly talked with the estate's new head groundskeeper, leaving final instructions for the household staff.

Xander stepped out of the manor dressed in durable, dark leather travel gear, with a long gray travel cloak that effectively concealed the legendary blade strapped to his hip, almost making him look like an ordinary old man.

“Let’s get a move on,” he muttered. “I cleared the path ahead of time, but it won’t be long before someone opens their mouth.”

Nick climbed into the spacious interior of the carriage, taking a seat by the window and resting the Shard across his knees. Sonya and Devon joined him a moment later, settling into the plush leather seats opposite him. Xander took the driver's seat up front, choosing to handle the reins himself rather than bring another driver into their confidence.

With a sharp crack of the reins, the carriage lurched forward, rolling out of the estate gates and merging into the morning traffic.

They made their way through the streets of Alluria smoothly, slowly pulling away from the Tower, while Nick watched the city pass by through the tinted window.

Alluria was the beating heart and administrative center of the Duchy, a place that tested him, broke him down, and forged him into something greater than he had been, and for that, it would always hold a special place in his heart.

When the carriage approached the western gates of the city, it slowed down, but the knights manning the gate recognized Xander and waved them through without a secondary inspection.

A moment later, they rolled beneath the massive stone archway and into the open air.

The carriage wheels quietly transitioned from cobblestone to slabs as they approached the grand bridge crossing the Valis River. The water raged beneath, a broad, swirling expanse of deep blue that marked the city’s natural border.

As they crossed over, the landscape opened up entirely.

Ahead lay the vast, rolling grasslands that separated the dense civilization of Alluria from the frontier. The sea of tall, golden grass swayed gently in the morning breeze, an endless horizon of wild nature.

Nick leaned his head against the window, feeling the rhythmic sway of the carriage, and looked back one last time, watching the white Tower shrink against the sky.

He drew the privacy curtain shut, shifting his attention from the past and toward the comfort of Floria, if only for a little while.