Theurgy: Forsaken Oaths (Book Two)

Chapter 24 The Spacial Magician

The door opened.

      Lyse has been in his room for the past hour. He hoped Ryan was taking this brief time to think a bit. He could tell that he was on edge. And if Lyse was completely honest, he was too. So he found the best distraction for the moment. In his own given quarters within the central hall, they had given him practically all the documentation from previous excavations into the tunnels and information on earlier underlords. It was an effective distraction because Lyse quickly found himself engrossed within the details he could gleam off the page. The reports weren't the most detailed, but they were better than nothing. Most of the excavation reports were old, though; perhaps a hundred or so years at their earliest. And those were either written in Asedian or other native tongues he wasn't well versed in. But what he could decipher was interesting. 

       It was another ruined city, as far as they could tell. Some treasure and such could be turned up, which attracted the initial settlers to come. Then the land was claimed by Hath, who began the port city around the initial excavation site, around the middle of the town. Excavation slowed over time as fewer and fewer valuables turned up. Once the bloody queen gave away the city to an outland warlord, excavations ceased altogether, and the entrances to the dig sites were sealed off and turned into homes. Perhaps that central structure was one of those dig-sites? Perhaps. Either way, these tunnels, and underground ruins made a good place for things to be smuggled in undetected or stored. Over the years, thieves have used them before, and some have even been caught. But then they started organizing, trying to use the tunnel more efficiently, using bribes and desperate traders and merchants to sell their wares. And these efforts were often led by Underlords, men who have claimed sections of the tunnels for use. They became akin to gangs in Antalya as glorified warlords, even with captains and the military police trying to keep them at bay. But then, suddenly, they seemed to disappear. First Underlord Grimsby. Underlord Bok claimed with tunnels. Then Underlord Crowe, Wesker, Hollman. All fell to Underlord Bok as his control of the city tightened. None dares opposed him, not even the police, it seemed. None dared oppose him.

     Lyse now surmises that this Lord Bok is working with Talin somehow and is helping them use Antalya as their little testing ground for something quite ambitious. Something with this drug. Lyse must get a sample of it, something to see its effects firsthand to glean something, anything.

    He heard a knock on his door. He hadn't heard about servants coming about, but he wouldn't be surprised if one were sent to tend to him after all.

    "You may enter."

   The door opened to Vivian, much to his surprise. He would have thought procuring the men for this corporation would take a bit longer, but she was dressed in far more humble and relaxed clothing, more comfortable than usual, with a place of what appeared to be sweets and tea. Lyse hadn't eaten in a while, so the smell of the warm tea was a welcoming fragrance.

    "Forgive my intrusions," Vivian said politely, setting the plate opposite the table but sitting on the chair next to him.

     "No, it is nothing," he said. "It is amazing you could get me this many documents, captain. I thank you."   

     "It was a simple matter, my lord Colt," she said. Every time she said that name, he felt a tinge of guilt. Lying wasn't against the knight's code of honor, but it felt wrong to deceive someone about his identity, even if it was for his safety. And this wasn't the only time he used that name. Vivian went on. "I came to make amends of sorts. I can tell that some of my actions weren't in line with your view of what a captain means, my lord."

     Lyse nodded. "I will be honest. Though what could I expect? You have been away from Thiria for so long; who could blame you. I certainly can not."