Cain and the girls returned to Gracie's fortress and found Gracie checking the place's politics with the other succubi. "Gracie, we returned," Cain called her.
Graice looked at Cain, bowing slightly, "Welcome back. How was the trip?" She asked with a passive face.
"It was bad. The cockroaches kicked us out." Cain replied.
"Cockroaches? Did you try the broom?" Gracie replied with a smile.
"They like the hulking cockroaches. I asked Lilia, and she will make something to take care of them," Cain sat off the chair, and all the succubi moved away, bowing down.
Lolth, Bela, Zaleria, Morena, and Hati found a place to sit and watched from the side. Cain sighed, staring at the ceiling. "I should head directly to the elvish capital. We need to meet with Sylph as fast as possible,"
Gracie nodded, "Of course, we shall move immediately." she looked at the succubi, "I will check on you each night. If I found things lacking, you know the punishment is awaiting,"
"As you order." the succubi replied, bowing deeply.
Cain stood, and the girls approached him. He lifted his staff and created a blue portal, "See you later," He waved his hand, disappearing from the room with everyone.
The succubi sighed, falling to their knees, "He's gone. What kind of aura is that?" One of them cried.
"It's always painful to have a divine being walk beside you." One of them looked up, "His divine magic burns us,"
***
ZON! Cain appeared again inside the mansion.
"Cain, you're back!" Sofia rushed to him, "That was fast. Did you finish?"
"No, we weren't able to break through Maladomini. A swarm of over a million hulking cockroaches stopped us. To deal with them, we need Lilia to make us something." Cain explained.
"So, we're heading directly to the elvish kingdom?" Sofia asked.
"Of course," Cain nodded.
Alice approached, "Won't it be faster if you went alone? Or flew on Zaleria's back?"
Cain shook his head, "We came here together and will head there together. We won't be that much slower anyway." Cain smiled, "I will go take a bath. Those cockroaches were a pain."
***
Back in the drow kingdom, Kayden walked back to the boat to find Jack sitting there, drinking. "Drinking at noon?" Kayden asked.
"Noon? What the hell can you tell down here? All I see are stones," Jack replied with a smile, showing the bottle to Kayden.
"The city lights are half turned off at night and completely lit at daytime." Kayden pointed back.
CREEK! The mansion door opened, and Cain walked into the deck, stretching his arms, "It's been a while since I've been here," He smiled,
"Cain, you're back?" Kayden looked at him with a smile.
"Of course. How are you doing?"
"We did miss you? When shall we sail back?" Jack approached him.
"As soon as possible, we will go right through the hole we came from," Cain pointed up.
Jack looked up, "You must be joking. This ship can't fly, and the hole is draining water. We will get pushed back."
"I saw ships go in that way to leave." Kayden pointed toward a canal going into the caves.
"That route is long. It will be faster to go up." Cain smiled, "Get the crew ready and inform me," Cain walked out of the ship with Kayden.
"Of course, we should be ready in no time," Jack shouted.
Cain looked around. Most people were staring at them. "Kayden, did you do something bad?"
"I built a shrine to Kali, but stray dogs keep attacking the children and stealing their food and money. Putting them down was a chore." Kayden said with a passive face. "Well, Lily is doing most of the work now."
"Can't you just capture and hand them to the guards or Eilistraee's maidens?" Cain asked with a wry smile.
"There is a difference between normal stray dogs and who attack children." Kayden explained, "The moment they lay their fangs on people. Their life is forfeit. They could carry dog madness for all we know."
Cain is confused, Kayden could see children, but he still mistakes thugs for dogs.
"Is that so?" Cain said.
"As much as I like dogs, humans are more important, especially children. I haven't seen them in years." Kayden smiled. Kali's power wasn't that omnipotent. The stronger he gets, the deeper his madness runs. Just the fact she can keep him sane enough is a miracle.
"Can you show me that shrine?" Cain asked with a smile.
"Of course," Kayden replied, changing their direction and heading toward the shrine. "It's up ahead, don't scare the children."
"What do you think am I?" Cain looked at Kayden with a wry smile.
"Children are rare. This is the only place I saw them." Kayden said with a smile, pointing toward the shrine.
The moment the children spotted Kayden, they rushed toward him, "Uncle six eyes!" They jumped on him, latching on to his clothes.
"Get off me, stop!" Kayden tried to push them away, but there were stuck on him like glue.
"Where is aunt Lily?" The children asked.
Cain looked at Kayden, giggling, "They remember her name and not you." He looked at the children, "His name is Kayden. At least remember that."
The children stopped for a moment, staring at Cain's face. "Why is your hair old while you look young? Are you a childish old man?" One of them asked.
"No, my hair while, like Eilistraee," Cain replied with a smile. He was an old man who looked like a young man.
"Kayden, what are you doing?" Lily called from the back. She had returned with bags full of food.
"You think Eilistraee would have taken care of this," Cain sighed. The government here seemed lacking.
Lily looked at him as she put the food down, "They are paying for the food. It's just that their soldiers are spread think after the fall of Lolth's church. There are some cults claiming the goddess is back, and they represent her."
"So Eilistraee is weeding them out," Cain thought, scratching his chin.
"Is there anything I can help with?" Cain asked.
Lily thought, "How about you go with Kayden to clean some thieves in the eastern caverns? You two can do it, right?"
"You realize who you are talking to, right?" Cain smiled.
This content is taken from fr(e)ewebn(o)vel.𝓬𝓸𝓶