98. Reistein
Reistein came into view during the fifth day of their journey. The party hadn’t faced any trials following the giants’ attack. One of the stalkers sighted a warband of snowmen across the river. Their scout seemed to have also spotted the human group. Neither side attacked the other. Instead, both sides moved on, travelling in opposite directions.
“No point in attacking them if they’re not a threat,” Liesel commented. “The tribes war with one another. I wouldn’t be surprised if they were on their way to raid another snowman village.”
“The conflicts keep their population numbers in check and don’t interfere with the kingdom or Union’s activities,” Xander added. After the conflict with the giants, he seemed to have decided that he was second in command. No one cared enough to correct him or say otherwise.
“It's all about keeping the balance,” Liesel continued. “There are some tribes who are far too aggressive and we have instructions to attack their parties on site. But otherwise its best to keep our distance. Maybe have one of your golems look out for them. Just in case they double back.”
Lukas liked the local philosophy. The snowmen were the indigenous population, and human civilization had spread into their territory, likely having eliminated several tribes while at it. He saw no reason to antagonize the creatures or exterminate them if they were happy to stick to their own territories.
Things had heated up once again between him and the party leader. She invited him to share her bedroll the day after the attack, and they had slept together since. Whatever issues Liesel had with him, she had either overcome or decided to set aside for the time being. Lukas liked her company but expected her to give him the cold shoulder once they were back in the Gray. He didn’t mind. There were greater concerns in Lukas’s mind. He had accepted the journal’s quest, but more out of curiosity and self-interest than any sort of ambition or pressure.
Maybe I don’t want to help Silverspine. I just want to screw over all of the dragons. They’re all egomaniacal dicks. Take what you can. Give nothing back.
The Aquila pair maintained their distance for the remainder of the journey. Xander seemed to have sensed something was going on and kept an eye on all interactions, forcing Mira to stay away. She and Lukas only exchanged words while Xander was away for his morning training and snow baths, or during the handful of minutes between Liesel going to bed and Lukas joining her.
After much thought, Lukas decided against involving Penelope. He wanted to try to resolve the quest first. The journal believed the ritual would be effective, and he wanted to believe it. Lukas hoped the sorcerer wouldn’t know the difference since she hadn’t yet sensed the black or silver dragonfire personally. Mira seemed trustworthy and much too trusting. If he were a worse person, she’d likely lose her life or have her magic used for nefarious means.
At first, he had assumed her naivety was due to age. But then it turned out that she was in her early twenties, making her as old as his current body, if not a bit older. Liesel appeared closer to her thirties. No one seemed to care about age in the world of adventurers as long as everyone was a consenting adult. Lukas still wasn’t used to dating, relationships, and trysts since everyone was younger than his eighty. He had lost most of his knowledge from the past six decades, but the experiences and growth were all still there.
Best not to think like that. You lived among immortal couples with centuries in age difference.
All involved guilds had been informed about the Frost Giants’ mysterious behavior. The Frozen Phoenixes didn’t have the manpower to spare, but the Aquila and Shadow Seekers were launching a joint operation to investigate the matter. Lukas had left the ‘shadow golem’ with the guilds to guide them to the site of battle. All the remains were gone, but signs of battle remained.
It wasn’t local wildlife. There would’ve been traces and trails. All Frost Giant and warbeast corpses were gone. Something or someone had removed them without leaving a trace, which was already an unprecedented mystery. No one could fathom how else everything could’ve disappeared into thin air. The clone dispelled himself after the initial inspection, and Lukas had no information on how the investigating party proceeded.
Lukas suspected that either the wagon contained something they desired or they were after someone in the party. The warbeasts had all targeted it like someone had programmed the need to assault the vehicle into their simple brains. Alternatively, it had something to do with Reistein. They were behind whatever was going on with the town. He also wondered whether Mira was a possible target.
He recalled wandering once upon a time whether the Great Black Dragon was connected to Niddhogg from Norse mythology. The wyrm was known for gnawing on the roots of Yggdrasil. Lukas didn’t remember whether he ever got confirmation, but the connection felt plausible. If it were true, the entity could also be an enemy of the Jotun.
You’re pulling at threads. Things might not be as nefarious as you want to be.
Reistein looked like an ordinary town as the party descended the hills toward it. Smoke rose from chimneys. A watermill rotated in the river, and people moved around the buildings. The surroundings were surprisingly green, and several greenhouses sat within the stout walls. The air grew warmer, and the scent of sulfur became more intense as they approached.
“There are natural hot springs in the caves,” Leisel told him when she caught Lukas sniffing at the air. She pointed at the center of the town where the ground had been carved out into a wide circle. Stairs spiralled downward along the sides, and a pulley system hung over the center. “The scholars say there is a volcano deep underground.”
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“I imagined that’s why the town is so important,” Lukas stated. “I bet there are rare, arcane materials, sulfur, and a bunch of other valuable materials down there.”
“Indeed. The alchemists love bits from the salamanders, slugs, and other things that crawl out from the depths. There is a lot of money to be made here. Its stewardship was an important gift from the Union, and the guild is afraid they let too much fall through the cracks. If we lose Reistein to someone else, a major income source will go with it. We can’t afford to lose anymore currently.”
“Which is why I’m surprised the Aquila offered us for the mission,” Xander stated. “If you fail, we’re most likely to get the job. A guild that needs this much help to stay afloat doesn’t deserve to retain its status. It's better to downgrade or let a larger, better-equipped entity absorb you.”
“Is that why the Aquila guild has been so charitable?” Haima asked, eyes narrowing. “Play the good guy with the assistance, prepare a list of all of Frozen Phoenix’s shortcomings, and then petition a takeover?”
“Not the time or place,” Leisel stated. Haima glared but said nothing more.
“Things look rather ordinary from up here,” Lukas said. “Should I send a couple of golems down to investigate?”
“That won’t be necessary. I see a couple of familiar faces.” Liesel waved. An old man sitting on a bench and watching the road flashed a wide, friendly smile, waving back. “The old guy is a mouthy bastard. If the town were to be raided, the attackers would put him down just for some peace and quiet.”
“That’s not a good enough sign,” Xander said, but went ignored.
The town’s architecture featured far more wood than the structures in the Gray. It wasn’t as spread out either. All the buildings were cramped into a small space. There was barely enough room to move between most of them. It seemed impractical; leaving spaces between the buildings would grant them cover during attacks, especially if anything or anyone were to attack from above.
As they got closer, he began to rethink his previous assumptions. A complex network of irrigation channels crisscrossed the settlement, running underneath buildings and through the greenhouses. Steam rose from the water that flowed through them. It was a natural heating system. The buildings were clumped together to conserve as much geothermal energy as possible.
Before his first transmigration, Lukas had taken a solotrip to Iceland. It was six days of endless driving and visiting natural wonders. Initially, he had planned on sleeping in the rented car, but the elements made it impossible. He ended up staying in whatever hot spring town had cheap accommodation. Geothermal power kept them ticking, warming their homes, lighting their streets, and everything in between. Reistein seemed similar, except it also used the river.
The town’s rock wall was heavily scarred, but all the cracks, gouges, and burns that covered it appeared fairly old. It hadn’t suffered a direct attack; that much was clear.
“Don’t talk to anyone about why we’re here,” Liesel reminded them, as the party went around the final bend before the direct descent to the town’s gates. “We’re heading further upriver on a classified expedition. After suffering attacks on the road, we’re here to rest for a couple of days and resupply. Leave the matter to the auditor unless asked. Understood?”
“Yes, boss,” Morph said, throwing up a mock salute. The rest of the party echoed the sentiment but were more serious. “Does that mean we’re free to do whatever we want?”
“As long as you don’t break local laws and behave like adventurers do, you’re all good.”
“So, party and cause chaos?” Haima asked, grinning.
“Don’t make a mess for me or get in the auditor’s way.” The party leader smiled. Since the life of an adventurer came with the constant risk of death, it wasn’t uncommon for them to be a raucous, pleasure-seeking bunch. “The job is far from over, and I’d rather not have to clean up after you.”
“I’ll be spending all of my time down in the hot springs,” Xander said. “They say training in the depths is great for the muscles and lung capacity.” The shieldbearer looked at Haima. “You should join me, Hammer.” The man’s eyes narrowed as they focused on Lukas. “You should join me also.”
“You invite Sneak and not me?!” Morph exclaimed, clutching his left breast. “Am I that bad?”
“No. We fought shoulder to shoulder. I expect you to keep an eye on Mira while I’m below. Sneak—I mean, Lukas. I mean to keep an eye on him. The party leader might ignore you sniffing around my guild member, but I won’t.”
“You needn’t worry.” Lukas flashed a polite smile. “I prefer older women.”
Leisel smacked the back of Lukas’s head. Several party members laughed, including the auditor and her apprentice. The still-silent woman had returned to the wagon’s driver's seat. There was something off about her, and Lukas couldn’t quite put his finger on it. One thing he was sure of was that the pair weren’t ordinary humans or sharded. Powerful magic radiated from the two, leaving him to wonder if they were scryers or truthseekers. Divination magic was perfect for a pair in their role.
He didn’t need to be reminded to stay away from the auditor and her apprentice. At first, Lukas had assumed it was for the sake of the mission or a strange hierarchical decision. Now, he wondered whether it was for his own protection. He was sure the pair had spoken to him directly a couple of times, but he couldn’t remember a thing about their conversation. Lukas was starting to suspect that the pair had the power to extract information and then erase memories of the conversation.
“Who goes there?” The gate guard called as the party and wagon approached.
“Party from the Gray,” the auditor called back. “We’re heading to the glacier and need to rest and restock.”
“Reistein is closed to visitors,” the man replied.
“It is a Union-funded and serving town, is it not? If you want to continue conducting business with the city, you’re to continue cooperating with related guilds.”
Liesel stepped forward. “Especially, the Frozen Phoenix. We have considerable investment here, and if turned away, we’ll have no choice but to withdraw—”
“No. No. There is no need for that.” The man gestured to someone behind the wall, and gate mechanisms began to move. “We’re merely being cautious. The beasts have been acting strangely after dark, and the people passing through have been more violent and chaotic than usual. They carry guild badges but don’t act with the same decorum.”
“What badges?” The auditor asked, raising an eyebrow.
“There have been Aquila, Manticores, and also Fenrir’s Children,” the guard replied. “Impostors, mostly. I think.”
“And you’ll let us in?” Leisel asked. “Why?”
The man pointed at her badge. “Your guild members sacrificed their lives protecting us from the last horde. Maybe you can help us. Maybe you’re here to restore order.”