Altered Destiny

Ch. 10

Leah paused, doing the math in her head, then nodded. "Okay. You can come."

Ingressus shook their hands in a deal.

"What's your name again?" Matt asked. "Voran, Veltis... no."

"Ingressus Voltaris."

"Oh."

Leah elbowed Matt teasingly, and Matt rolled his eyes. "Hey, I could've had it more wrong."

"Where and when do I meet you?" Ingressus asked.

"Midnight tonight," Leah said. "At the bridge to the mainland. The mines are about a twenty-minute walk from there."

"You'll have to bring your own sword," Matt added. "We don't have enough to spare."

"That's fine."

Galleous had stopped keeping the sharp objects locked away from Ingressus several years ago, once he was sure Ingressus could be trusted to not maim him or anyone else, and that his judgment on the "unless I have to" caveat could be trusted as well. Instead of keeping the weapons he forged in the locked chest like he had in the beginning, Galleous now stored them in the same chest as the rest of his wares.

This wasn't the first time Ingressus had borrowed a sword to train with. Tiris Sendaris had forbidden Galleous from training Ingressus with weapons, but Galleous pretended not to notice when Ingressus practiced on his own. Nor was it the first time he had taken it to go monster hunting. After a particularly bad day, often after having to put up with one too many taunts from Selarin or his friends, Ingressus would take "his" sword and sneak off to the mainland to find some undead to challenge and to work out his frustrations. Whether Galleous knew about that, he wasn't sure; the Sendaris had never mentioned it. But still, Ingressus waited until Galleous was soundly asleep before sneaking out to the bridge.

Matt and Leah were already waiting on the other side, just outside the glow of the torches and under a stand of trees. He hadn't seen them at first, until Leah waved at him and gestured for him to join them. Humans' lack of bioluminescence must have its advantages.

Ingressus joined them under the trees as Matt greeted him. "Good to see you. You have your weapon? Spare torches?"

Ingressus nodded, tapping the handle of his sword. "You?"

"Torches, charcoal, sword, spear." He gestured to Leah on the last one. "We're just waiting for our last person to show up."

"Is it Joseph?" Ingressus asked, remembering the name Leah had mentioned in the orchard.

"He's ten, so, no," Leah said. "It's his... friend's older brother, I believe he said. Oh, that should be him."

Ingressus turned to see a Kaltaris darting along the bridge. He paused, looked around, then started towards them. But when he got near he paused, staring at Ingressus.

"He's your fourth person?" the Kaltaris asked.

Ingressus squared his shoulders, holding the Kaltaris's gaze. The Kaltaris looked away first, muttering something about "thought he was a Magnorite."

Ingressus groaned. "I am not a Magnorite."

"Obviously," the Kaltaris muttered.

"Okay!" Matt clapped his hands together. "Saylor, this is Ingressus. Ingressus, Saylor. If we're all ready, then let's go!"

He turned and marched off away from the islands. The other three followed, and though Ingressus could feel Saylor's gaze on him, the Kaltaris made no further comment. Good. As long as he kept his mouth shut, he could think whatever he wanted and there wouldn't be a problem.