Once the prisoner had been dealt with, the dwarf king dismissed Selena's group for the evening. However, before leaving, one of the king's servants advised that His Majesty invited a proper conversation in the morning. Selena's spirits lifted; she would finally have her chance to speak with him about Ulrich's return.
Azrael warned when Selena expressed her content, "Remember, we don't have forever."
The three separated and went to their rooms for the rest of the night, though Selena couldn't ignore Thor as he poked and prodded her thoughts until she answered his burning questions. I swear to you and Doragon, we're all well.
I hope so because we were about to destroy the castle ourselves.
We're thrilled you didn't. I don't think His Majesty would have appreciated that.
We don't care. I serve neither god nor king.
Yet, her dreams swirled around the lone wolf as she gave in to the evening's torpor. Her visions of the girl haunted her; Selena watched as Ulrich swept through the Hinterlands, spewing his emerald lightning mixed inferno, strafing the ancient grove in one pass. His deadly conflagration engulfed the masked girl within the firestorm, spreading to the surrounding trees and consuming the forest in a torrent of fire and ash. However, what awoke her was a woman's voice gently pulling her from the nightmare, urging her to seek out the Aynu.
Thor expressed confusion about her vision when Selena jolted from the bed and rushed to her mirror, washing her face, tired from the lack of sleep. She looked at her reflection and almost panicked when she saw the wolf mask blaring from the surface. The glowing yellow eyes continued staring into her deep emeralds, but her image returned to normal when she blinked.
My dearest one, I don't believe that voice was from your dream, Thor carefully said. I feel a presence surrounding you, but it's not like before.
Thor was right; Selena shivered when she realized the aura, too. Perhaps a warning that the Aynu need help—I believe it has to do with Ulrich and the golden stone in the king's vault.
Hmm. I wonder.
Selena's heart raced when she heard a knock on her door, and Rahim asked, "Are you decent?"
She hurried to find her robes, draped them over her nightclothes, and fixed her hair before opening the door. "I am now."
Rahim trudged through when she gestured to a nearby chair with dark and heavy eyes. He stretched and yawned before sitting down, and Selena called for some morning tea and coffee. "How are you feeling?" he asked her. "I heard you scream a little while ago."
"I'm sorry you heard that. I'm afraid night terrors are quite common for me."
"I wonder how you ever get any sleep." Yet, Rahim was sighing tiredly; one of the chambermaids arrived with the requested refreshments but apologized for not having Selena's usual choice of green tea. Selena groaned, but she made do with earl grey and lemon while Rahim gulped down his coffee and cream.
"I pray that the dwarf king won't judge the Aynu girl too harshly," she whispered between sips, but Rahim nearly choked on his drink.
"You can't be serious. She's a thief who attempted to murder His Majesty."
"I'm beginning to wonder why she extended this effort to steal from the dwarf king. It doesn't make sense why she was explicitly after that egg, and she ignored attacking me." Selena paused when Rahim squinted at her. "Do you understand what I'm getting at?"
"Yes, and that is interesting, but maybe Azrael is right; we should leave Rhumbek as soon as possible before things get worse—I don't want us getting mixed up in all of this political nonsense."
Selena rubbed her chin and set her tea down, leaving Rahim bemused and dumbfounded; she regaled him of her nightmares, leaving him even more bamboozled than before. "Something's telling me we're not getting the whole story. Why would a lone wolf risk her life to steal from the dwarf king?" When Rahim couldn't give her an answer, Selena went as far as assuming that "I believe King Dionysus stole that from them."
"Now that's far-fetched, wouldn't you agree?"
"I don't believe so. Remember when we were returning to our rooms before the ball? He paid two mercenaries for that egg, and someone from the Aynu has come to reclaim what's rightfully theirs."
Thor listened intently to their conversation, and he snarled when now convinced the king was a thief and liar. If he had stolen from me, I would eat him. You say the word, my dear, and Doragon and I will tear his vault apart piece by piece.
Pray let's not jump to that.
Rahim's freckled face turned pale when he realized Selena was right. He clasped his hands over his lap and hung his head in defeat. "Perhaps the forest gave you a vision when you disappeared for that whole day," he whispered.
"What do you mean?"
"I dunno. Maybe you two were supposed to meet. The Hinterlands is cursed to lure travelers to their deaths, but perhaps the ancient grove is seeking your help—yours and Thor's." Rahim gobbled down another biscuit before saying, "If you genuinely believe King Dionysus stole their valuable trinket, I think you should go and talk to her."
Rahim excused himself from her room after the two shared morning tea and coffee, and Selena dressed in her dragonscale dress, ready for whatever awaited. As soon as she ventured outside the keep for some fresh air to help awaken her senses, Thor circled overhead, his jewelry gleaming against his blood-diamond scales, casting red and purple flecks across the ground. He descended through the soft flail of wings, hovering briefly before gracefully landing upon his haunches.
Thor wrapped his long tail around his legs, keeping it out of the public's way, and gently folded his wings as he wrapped a protective arm around her, herding her close. I know you're still thinking about her. You're terrified and curious about your visions, but I believe Rahim is right. I'm not sure who this girl is or how she's connected to you, but perhaps your destinies are somehow intertwined.
What makes you believe that?
The vision you had of her in the Hinterlands, the events from last night, and now this. It is more than just a coincidence. Thor gnashed his fangs together. I still believe we should make the dwarf king pay. If he had stolen from me, I would devour him like the fat pig he is.
No, please don't, but I want to rectify the mistakes. I don't even know her, but I fear the worst.
Thor ruffled his wings. You should do what Rahim suggested and meet her, or you will regret it forever.
She wasn't sure what gave her the courage to march into the dungeons before meeting with His Majesty, but Selena followed her instincts. She asked for directions from the troll guards standing post outside the main doors, and they pointed to a set of steps leading underground beside the castle.
Once Selena walked through a decrepit wooden door leading to the vaulted undercroft, her skin crawled from the horrible state in which the king kept the dungeons. Cold air carried the festering smell of rotting corpses, sending chills along her spine. The dark and damp prison corridor sent her the eerie message that she from the brightened world wasn't welcome.
She passed by the cells screaming for death; skeletons sat in one corner with their bony wrists chained, blood smeared across the walls, while others hung by what was once the neck from the arched ceiling. Yet, she stomached through the horrible place until approaching the last barred chamber, graced with one window catching a tiny ray of sunlight. Her pounding heart nearly exploded as she gazed into the box cell and cringed when she heard a small and crackled voice from the corner. "Yes?" Selena swallowed hard but couldn't reply. "I know you're there—you can't fool me."
Selena's throat nearly cracked when she reached out and grabbed the bars; the wolf girl shifted in her corner, but she didn't move from the shadows. "Please, listen to me. I just want to talk to you."
"Why do you care? I'm only a savage to you, yet you want to talk. Don't make me laugh." The girl tried, but her parched throat wouldn't allow her so much as a cackle.
Selena squinted at her, trying to make out her outline in the darkness, but the wolf kept her back turned. She pulled out a pocket-sized flask filled with water she always carried in case of emergencies and offered it; the girl was reluctant to drink at first, but eventually, she moved closer to the bars and reached out, snatching it from Selena's hands. She sniffed it and gulped it down within seconds before tossing it back. "Thanks," was all the girl could muster, and Selena took her flask back. "Why did you find me?"
"I had a couple of visions of you in the Hinterlands and last night after the king captured you—I want to understand why." The girl only shrugged, but Selena carefully added, "I think I realize why you wanted the golden egg. It belonged to you and your people, didn't it?"
The girl snorted, but she peered over her shoulder, her blazing yellow eyes burning from her mask. "That stupid fat king stole that golden egg from us, and I've been tracking down the thieves for the past week. Our goddess, Artio, gave us the egg to protect and regrow the forest."
Selena shared her resentment, and she tightened her grip on the cell bars. "I saw them. He paid them a hefty sum in exchange."
The girl hissed and slammed her fists against her metal floors, and Selena saw them ripple and give way to her fury. "I don't want to destroy this damn city if I don't have to, but I will if it means getting that artifact back."
"We shouldn't resort to that. What if we helped you?"
The girl slowly turned around, peering at her through her messy long white hair. "Why would you want to help me when I tried to kill you?"
"You weren't trying to kill me," Selena clarified, "you could have attacked me at any point, but you were going after the dwarf king, and rightfully so, I might add."
Silence lingered between them for almost an eternity, but the wolf inched closer to the cell bars and sniffed the air. "You're Selena, aren't you?" the girl said lazily, "And I remember your dragon's name was Thor. I heard about you from another dragon rider I saw in the forest while I was tracking the thieves. They were talking about you, Doragon or something, and—"
"Azrael," Selena interrupted, "You've been tracking us."
"Not really—you and your friends were always near whenever I was hunting those thieves. Honestly, it would be stupid of me to pick a fight I know I would have no chance at winning."
Selena glared at her, but the Aynu wouldn't last against two Divinity Dragons and Death. "You know our names, but what's yours?" she asked.
The girl approached close, her mask's nose poking through the bars. "Kiba," she finally said.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Kiba of the Aynu."
Yet, Kiba still didn't seem wholly convinced of Selena's true intentions. "You said you had visions of me, and I feel like I know you from somewhere; you remind me of someone I used to know." She hung her head and clicked her nails against the metal bars. "I don't even understand the forest, but sometimes it can lead to death, or it can reveal the path and destiny of others. No one can escape it."
You were right.
Thor hummed in delight. Of course, I'm right.
Selena sat down beside the cell, and she and Kiba spoke to great lengths about the history of the Aynu. "We lived among you before being outcasts," she explained, "But we were banished from your lands because we didn't believe in what you call the 'Divines.' We believe in the old ways, in Artio. We were forced out of our homes and out of what you now call Alfheim."
That was the first Selena had heard of this. "I thought the elves built the city after they rebelled against the dwarves."
"Kind of, but there's more to it. After the Aynu fled the Earth Kingdom, we sought refuge in what is now known as Alfheim. However, elf outsiders came, but we allowed them sanctuary. Artio blessed us with our wolf powers during our brief and peaceful union.
"We established and owned all the gold mines in the area after we took them back from the dwarves, and our city was the richest among the land, but we soon became blinded by our greed. At first, we planned to unify our races through an arranged marriage between the alpha's daughter and an outsider. They soon took advantage of our generosity, outnumbering us three to one, and eventually drove us out of our land in the name of the Divines. We've been in exile ever since.
"The alpha's daughter betrayed us and joined the interlopers with a few others. Like them, she was an elf, so it was easy to accept her. She and those who followed her lost their masks, but they still retained their powers to transform into wolves. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't witnessed their renouncing Artio's oath and still retaining their abilities. I wonder if they're still alive."
Selena bit her bottom lip. "Do you remember their names?"
Kiba shook her head. "She was only known as the Silver Wolf, and her betrothed was the Red Wolf. I still remember the Betrayer's scent, but not her actual name." She examined Selena a little more closely. "It's so strange—you remind me of her." Selena was left dumb, but she didn't think any of it; she reiterated her wish to help Kiba escape, and this time, Kiba agreed to the assistance.
Meanwhile, Thor listened the entire time, and he finally said, Be sure to run this plan by Azrael and Rahim. I shared our discovery with Doragon, but he warned that Azrael wasn't too happy.
Shortly after visiting Kiba, Selena met with Rahim and Azrael in the king's throne room. Ignoring Azrael's heated gaze, she immediately bowed before the king, doing her best to hide her scowls.
King Dionysus lifted his hands and ordered her to stand. "Thanks for yer patience, Yer Highness. I remember ye three wanted a private meetin' with me—it's the least I can do after what ya did for me last night. Now, spit it out; I don't have all mornin'."
Selena did her best not to take the king's rudeness personally, but she secretly scoffed at his blatant disrespect for not acknowledging her imperial authority. "Your Highness, on our way over here, we saw a giant green dragon circling Rhumbek. We fear that you and your city are in danger," she carefully explained, keeping her wrath in check.
Instead of showing concern, the dwarf king laughed at the news. Selena, Rahim, and Azrael exchanged glances. "Ya mean good ol' Ulrich? That means it's about time," King Dionysus explained.
"Time for what?" Rahim asked.
"Haven't ye ever heard of the stories? At the end of an era, every era, Ulrich grows mad and lays waste tae Rhumbek. After the destruction, the great Emerald Dragon grows sane and rebuilds the city. I be a survivor from the last time it happened. I watched me kingdom burn, but this—this temple has stood time and time again."
Selena realized that many she met on her travels were always much older than she initially thought. "Amazingly, dwarves can live that long," she said.
"Aye. I'm in the prime of me time: two hundred and fifty years. We dwarves are too stubborn, refusing tae kneel before Death." King Dionysus bellowed in laughter, but Azrael wasn't amused; his lips curled into a snarl.
Selena was displeased by his explanation. "That doesn't make any sense. How did the rest of the Empire not know of Rhumbek's destruction when this last happened?"
"We share in Ulrich's curse: the Empire doesn't know because of it. Everyone suddenly forgets we exist durin' his rampage, and when Ulrich rebuilds our realm, it's like nothin' had ever happened. The Divines punished us for bein' years ahead of our time." Surprisingly, there was neither hint of sadness nor remorse in the king's voice.
"You mean the technology left behind, like in the ancient dwarven ruins."
"Now that I remember. Yes, and our curse hasn't stopped us from continuin' where we left off. We recently started usin' these lights without magic and gas." The king beckoned them to follow when seeing their bewildered faces, leading Selena's group to an outside patio upstairs. High poles were covered with copper plates and glass bulbs underneath the covering, connected by copper wires.
"What are these?" Selena asked.
A huge grin spread across the king's face. "These are our first arc lamps—better than gas and oil. They last for hours, and we just got 'em up and workin'; they'll be on the streets soon. We call it electricity. Electrical generators fer our lamps are bein' built as we speak."
Azrael and Rahim looked at His Majesty in wonder, and Selena remarked, "That's amazing."
"Aye, it be a matter of time before we can finally get these contraptions goin' in every city."
Selena eyed the new inventions with bafflement, the dark realization that Armageddon may never see them. "But what about when Ulrich comes through here again? Since there are usually survivors from the destruction, I could only imagine there are secret tunnels or some escape system put in place."
"Aye, that we do, but if Ulrich catches ya, he will kill ya. But first, he must catch ya!" King Dionysus' laugh roared like thunder.
Selena felt relieved to hear that the dwarf king had a plan in place, but she noticed Azrael tapping his foot impatiently and growing fidgety. She wasn't sure if he wanted to leave right now or if he anticipated an unforeseeable deadly event, and she believed Ulrich would soon make his grand appearance. "Would there be anything we could do to help you, Your Majesty?" she asked.
"Nothin' that we can't do. Now, off with ya." Dionysus shooed them away with a wave of his hands.
The three returned to their rooms in silence, but Azrael mumbled and complained about his and Doragon's discussion while casting dirty glances in Selena's direction; yet, her determined and headstrong stare made Azrael recoil.
To say Azrael is angry is putting it lightly.
Thor grumbled when Selena packed her bag and slung it over her shoulder. Doragon is doing his best to ease his frustration, but Azrael detests being manipulated.
I'm not controlling him but using his assistance to save someone from a fate they don't deserve.
That sounds like a form of manipulation, my dear.
The three shuffled out of the castle with their bags and dragon eggs in hand under the mountain troll guards' watchful eye; Thor and Doragon patiently waited for them, their saddles dangling from their claws. The dragons assisted the three in harnessing properly before strapping down the eggs and their supplies and provisions. Selena polished Thor's ruby from his harness until it gleamed like his donned jewels.
Regardless of purchasing a new weapon for Rahim, Selena still had enough gold and banknotes for necessities to last for the remainder of their trip. She, Azrael, and Rahim separated briefly and returned to Thor and Doragon with food, water, and ammunition boxes—bullets to replace Rahim's practice rounds. When they finished their shopping and buckling their supplies to the harnesses, Azrael asked the two to follow him inside the Rose and Crown Inn, while Thor and Doragon agreed to wait outside Rhumbek until they decided on a plan.
The dwarf innkeeper snorted when the three approached his counter. "What can I get for ya?" The three gave him a few silver coins and ordered mead and bread before sitting next to the roaring fire, music blaring from the bard singing songs about Ulrich's return to the mortal world.
Selena slouched her shoulders as Azrael mumbled about Thor's and Doragon's current topic of discussion. "Now, they have this insane notion of taking out the dwarf king themselves. I swear either Ulrich or they will destroy this Divine forsaken city," he pointed at Selena with a shaky finger, "because you can't leave things well enough alone."
When Rahim raised a brow in confusion, Selena admitted her fault by explaining what she had learned from Kiba and her resolve to help her. "Now, Thor is ready to, and I quote, 'eat him like the fat pig he is' for stealing from the Aynu." Rahim spat out his mead and laughed, but Selena peered over her shoulder, ensuring their conversation remained safe; the Divines forbade if one of the citizens overheard her speaking ill of His Majesty, regardless of her imperial status. However, only Azrael was unamused.
Rahim took another gulp and set his bottle down beside the stone hearth. "I'm glad you finally spoke with that wolf girl, but I don't think there's anything you can do to help her."
Selena looked over at Azrael, who only shrugged before drinking. "Are you bothered whenever someone passes away?"
Shocked, he choked on his mead. "Why would you ask that?"
"Do you feel uneasy, knowing that Kiba is about to suffer and die alone? You were tormented by those killed from her pack—"
Azrael interrupted her. "You're asking questions you shouldn't be asking."
"How is it wrong for me to wonder if mortals dying disturbs you?"
Azrael sighed and explained with caution, "It's complicated, but yes. I detest feeling their last moments—it's always fear before finally accepting the end. I must bring them peace, but it's difficult."
Tight-lipped, Selena gently asked, "What about Kiba? Will she continue to suffer?"
He muttered, "I don't know."
Azrael looked away and bit his inner cheek before scowling, but his head swiveled back when Selena sneered. "That's all I needed to hear."
Thor snickered upon eavesdropping. My dear, I would advise against manipulating Death in the future.
He knows it's not her time yet because we're supposed to take action.
Azrael gritted his teeth. "I must learn not to answer you when you do that. You're meddling in affairs you shouldn't be involved in."
Selena ignored his warning and took a long swig of her mead before bolting towards the front door, but Azrael swore and snatched the hem of her dress, pulling her back. "What are you planning to do? You can't waltz into the dungeons and save her."
Selena sat down on the closest chair, the seat covered in an abundance of furs. "I think I will, along with reclaiming their paragon."
Both Azrael and Rahim gasped. "You're mad as a hatter."
"I assure you, I'm not mad. I will do what I have to on my own, so none of you are involved."
After making herself clear, Selena stood up and scoffed as she marched away, but Azrael grabbed her arm and glared at her before saying, "You will be wasting your time trying to get her out. You need to trust me if you want to help her." Selena squinted at him, but Azrael spun around and pointed at Rahim. "You've seen the vault: can you break into it and collect the egg?"
Rahim grunted but gave a quick nod. "Aye, I think I can manage, but you'll have to buy me some time."
Azrael released his grip when Selena was satisfied with his cooperation. "Take care, for you'll get your chance soon."
Selena crossed her arms, staring at him as if he were a fascinating creature. "How soon?"
Their heads whipped around before Azrael could answer when the city fell into an uproar; the innkeeper and his patrons suddenly rushed outside to the growing mob yelling for bloodshed: His Majesty was about to hang Kiba. Azrael gave Selena and Rahim a sly smile. "About now."