Chapter 257: Alone in the Dark
I stumbled through the streets, my cloak drawn tight about me. Alverin’s illusion had gone, yet the sun still felt cold and distant, shadows seeming to reach out to me wherever I went. The streets hummed with hushed murmurs, everyone looking over their shoulders, casting their eyes suspiciously at the other passersbys. Patrols of heavily armored guards ranged everywhere, stopping people at random for rough interrogations, still searching for the perpetrators of the battle.
Every step was labored and unsteady, and I had to stop many times to rest. Because I had burned my soul, it would be a long time until my mana began to trickle back, leaving me drained and dry. The summer breeze dragged over my skin, hot and oppressive, stinging my exposed wounds, yet the chill refused to depart from my bones, wracking me with shivers.
Sari. They had taken Sari, and Ror too. The thought of their small, innocent lives bound by chains, forced to serve the monsters of the Circle, filled me with dread. What if they chose to experiment on them with the Soul Crest? Would the children believe they were supposed to be slaves? Would they beg for the whip, for the cruel touch of their masters?
I came to a stop, slipping into an alley and collapsing, my chest heaving. Tears spilled down my cheeks, washing away thin lines of blood and dust from my face. For a time, I was reminded of Aurle, who willingly chose to be tortured and raped in my place, yet another Foxkin I had failed. She had died because of me, because I wouldn’t...wouldn’t...
No, it wasn’t the same. I wasn’t the same as before. This time would be different. I was free and could use magic, Fable was there, and the Glory Chasers were just as eager to destroy the circle as I was. Alverin had given me the location of the circle’s headquarters here, and, for some strange reason, I found myself trusting him. He had been brutally honest about everything, even if I refused to believe it.
Once I’d caught my breath, I forced myself to stand once more. The Guild House wasn’t far now, just a few streets away, and I could rest, safe with my party.
I hesitated before stepping back into the flow of the city, glancing around. Finding the coast clear, I slipped back into the flow of the city, sustaining as fast a pace as my weakened legs could handle. Guards were everywhere, but, somehow, I made it to the guild house without being apprehended.
The common room was abuzz with commotion, filled with as much nervous energy as the city without. A few glanced up as I entered, but their attention waned as their eyes found the emblem of the Glory Chasers on my chest.
"Ah, welcome, Starlight," the receptionist said, calling me over. "Your party is in one of the private rooms, on the second story. They said they’d like to remain completely undisturbed, but if it’s you, you’re probably okay to go in."