The Remnant

Chapter 27

My eyes widened, my mind grappling to comprehend the implications of such a statement. The fire crackled and popped as if punctuating the gravity of Felix's words. The silence that followed seemed to stretch on, filled with unspoken questions and uncertain possibilities.

"Why would the elves want to invade Azurax?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Felix remained silent for a moment, his gaze fixed upon the flames as if searching for answers within their dance.

"I don't have evidence to support this theory, nor do I have an extensive rationale to explain why Claudius would want to invade Azurax. I've pondered that exact question for some time now, and the only answer I can think of is fear."

"Fear?"

"They're afraid, Vick. Claudius is scared that Valtair will attack."

This had to be a joke. If what Felix was saying turned out to be true, then it changed everything. Not just for me, but for the entire bloody universe. But wait! If that was true, if Claudius truly wanted to attack Azurax then why had he sent envoys to conduct negotiations?

I thought back to just over a year ago when Lord Amos had been in Valoria during the Grand Duel. As I ran the memories through my mind, I recalled that he'd been there with his niece. The elf princess. The emperor's daughter!

What was her name again? I think it started with an S, no, a T... Thalia! Her name was Thalia...

Regardless, none of it made sense. Why would Claudius risk sending his own daughter and brother to Valoria if he was planning an invasion? That seemed pretty ballsy if you asked me.

"I won't dismiss your theory, Felix. But I think there might be something else going on. Something fishy. I don't know what, but we should definitely look into it."

"I agree. Now, moving on to why I came out here. Has anyone told you about the new plans for tomorrow?"

I shook my head, indicating that I hadn't received any updates. It seemed that Elandril's protests had worked their magic after all.

Leaning back against his makeshift seat, Felix began to divulge the plan for the upcoming day. "A couple of things have changed from the original plan. Tomorrow, instead of Soren and Violet, Elandril and Soren will be the ones responsible for mapping the dungeon's interior."

"What about me?"

"You alongside Violet will be scouting the outer perimeters."

A sigh escaped me inwardly as I contemplated spending the entire day alongside the formidable and short-tempered elf girl. It was sure to be a test of my patience, and I had Elandril to thank for it.

"You two will be scouting the outer rims, surveying the area to find the best route of entry into Thornshade. Once you've determined the optimal entry point, we'll send the other two in to start mapping out a route inside."

I nodded, mentally preparing myself for the task at hand. The responsibility of finding a secure entrance to the treacherous dungeon weighed on my mind. There was a good chance we'd run into enemies, to be more precise, familiars. If I could get a good grasp on the strength of the familiars, I might be able to estimate the vampire's strength.

"If, by any chance, you encounter trouble that you cannot handle, do not hesitate to send a distress signal."

"A distress signal?"

Felix nodded. "Every member of our party, including Violet, carries a distress rune stone that can be activated at any moment."

"A rune stone?"