Vol. 3: Chapter 33
Alaric Thorne shuffled slowly to the door, Sophia rushing to his side to support him.
“You damn fool,” Alaric growled, his voice thick with contempt. “I was blind the day I chose to pass my skills on to you!”
Alaric’s hostility baffled Kael. He quickly raised his hands in a placating gesture. “I don’t understand what I’ve done to anger you, Master. Please, just tell me.”
Alaric Thorne pointed a trembling finger at Kael, his face a mask of rage. “You… you don’t even know what you’ve done wrong! You’re hopeless!”
Still completely lost, Kael turned his gaze to Sophia, hoping she would clarify. Her expression had softened slightly, the initial outrage fading. “You joined the Blackwind Brotherhood, occupied Starlight Village, and openly defied the lord of Crescent City…”
“Sophia!” Alaric cut her off. “Don’t waste your breath on his kind! Get him out of my sight!” He turned and started back into the house.
It all clicked for Kael in that instant. Alaric Thorne had defended the frontier for decades, a man whose loyalty to the Mythrosia Empire was absolute. Of course he would despise bandits and outlaws.
Kael’s mind raced, searching for an opening. If Alaric went back inside, this hidden quest was likely gone for good. As he scrambled for a response, Alaric was already halfway through the door, and Sophia was beginning to swing the heavy gate shut.
In a last-ditch effort, Kael yelled, “Master Thorne, does being an outlaw mean I have no right to fight WarChief Kromgar?!”
Alaric stopped dead in his tracks. Sophia’s hands froze on the gate.
“Yesterday, I killed the Burning Horde Commander who invaded Starlight Village,” Kael pressed. “Was that also a mistake?”
Alaric turned back, his eyes burning with fury. “Days ago, when the Burning Horde assaulted villages across the Empire, we all rose to fight back. The rolls of honor were filled with the names of heroes, but your name is nowhere to be found. Where were you?”
Kael knew what he meant. No official record meant no system points. No points meant no contribution, no proof of his deeds. It was a tricky accusation to counter.
But Kael didn’t hesitate. “I fight to defend the Empire’s honor, not to get my name on some list or win anyone’s approval,” he said, his voice ringing with conviction. “Regardless of what anyone thinks, does that change the fact that I killed their leader?”
Kael met Alaric’s glare head-on. “Master Thorne, back when you were fighting on the frontiers, did you give a damn about the slander whispered by nobles back in the capital?”
Alaric flinched slightly. He hadn’t expected Kael to know about his past.
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Kael knew he was taking a huge risk. Exposing Alaric’s history was the key to triggering the hidden quest, but deploying it at a moment of such high tension could easily backfire. When he saw the anger in Alaric’s face soften just a fraction, however, Kael knew his gamble had paid off.
“Then explain yourself,” Alaric demanded, his tone still harsh. “Explain why you led the Blackwind Brotherhood to seize Starlight Village.”
“You must have heard the reports,” Kael said. “Kromgar’s forces were already surrounding the village. We had intel that a spy inside was planning to open the gates for them. We had no choice. We moved in first, secured the village’s teleportation array, and killed a Burning Horde boss, disrupting their entire invasion plan.”
Alaric stepped back outside, and Sophia pulled the gate wide open again.
Kael continued, “Since we’ve been there, we’ve invested heavily in its defense and infrastructure. We even opened new teleportation routes. Starlight Village has been upgraded to Starlight Town, and it’s more prosperous than ever. If you don’t believe me, you can teleport there from Beryl Creek and see for yourself.”
Alaric snorted. “Fine. I’ll let the past be the past. But now that the immediate crisis is over, you will lead Starlight Town back into the fold of the Mythrosia Empire, under the jurisdiction of Crescent City.”
Yeah, right, Kael thought. Like hell I’m handing over my town. After all the blood and sweat I poured into defending it, you think you can just take it with a word?
He organized his thoughts before speaking again. “Master Thorne, are you familiar with three brothers named Korbin, Bork, and Fenris?”
Alaric nodded. “There were four of them originally. The youngest, Rurik, even served in the Imperial legions. He died ten years ago in the last war against the Burning Horde.”
A fourth brother? That was news to Kael.
He didn’t pause. “The four brothers dedicated their lives to fighting the orcs, but they discovered that certain factions within the Empire were secretly colluding with the Burning Horde. Disgusted, they left to fight the war on their own terms.”
Alaric fell into a deep, troubled silence. He was no stranger to the corruption rotting the Empire from within.
Seeing the look on his face, Kael knew his words had hit their mark. He hadn't just made things up; he had woven together key pieces of information the system recognized as true—the Horde's attack, the spy, the brothers' history. It was the only way to win over an NPC like Alaric.
Alaric remained silent for a long time. Kael waited patiently, knowing he had cleared the first major hurdle. The only question now was whether it was enough to trigger the quest he was after.
After what felt like an eternity, Alaric let out a heavy sigh. “Ah, so be it. Youth is always so… absolute. I was the same, once.” He paused, then looked Kael in the eye. “Tell me, what is it you came here for today?”
Kael’s heart leaped.
“Master Thorne,” he said quickly, “I was involved in a… conflict. A few people died, and now I can’t enter towns without being arrested. I was hoping you knew of a way to help me.”
Alaric rolled his eyes. “Is that all? Every town has military officers posting bounties. Complete a few of their tasks and you’ll clear your Infamy score.”
“With all due respect, Master,” Kael replied, “the people I’ve angered are powerful. Even if I clear my name today, I’ll be a wanted man again tomorrow. I need a permanent solution.”
A small smile touched Alaric’s lips. “Indeed… I possess a Merchant’s Writ that could solve your little problem. But whether you have the skill to earn it is another matter.”
Kael knew the questline was finally falling into place. “What do you need me to do?” he asked, his voice eager.
“I once had a Centurion under my command named Roderic,” Alaric explained. “He committed a grave error and deserted to escape punishment. I’ve had reports that he was recently spotted northwest of Crescent City. Go, and bring me his head.”
System: You have accepted the quest [Kill Roderic]. This quest must be completed alone.