Chapter 605 Unwanted Visitor
After grabbing the shield and stowing it inside his inventory, Astaroth and Phoenix walked toward their tent. A few soldiers looked at him like he was a fool, while others grinned at him with big, dumb grins.
Arriving back at the tent, Violette was waiting on the outside, looking worried. But seeing Astaroth was fine, she went back to smiling.
"One of these days, Phoenix is going to incinerate you," she said, pulling her tongue out at him.
Astaroth chuckled, even though he knew she was probably right.
They entered the tent, where the rest of the party was waiting.
RedWing stepped up to Astaroth, with a shy look.
"I'm sorry to ask you this, guild leader. But could you teach me how to use these?" he asked, pointing at the two massive wings folded behind him.
Astaroth squinted for a moment, trying to figure out when they had gotten a dragon humanoid in their party. He hadn't had time to check out everyone's changes yet.
But looking around, he noticed SharpTusk was nowhere to be seen, and he assumed this dragonoid was him.
"Sure, Tus- I mean RedWing. But it might have to wait until after the battle. I'm not sure flying up is safe right now."
RedWing smiled a dangerous-looking smile, with teeth aplenty, nodding his head happily.
Watching the long snout go up and down vigorously, Astaroth had to contain the laughter that wanted to burst out of his mouth.
As RedWing walked back to his corner of the tent, doing a little fist bump to the air, Astaroth looked over his party.
He noticed the scales around Meat-Shield's eyes, and the new spear strapped to Galtion's back, as well as the large egg Jeanne seemed to be cradling with a soft smile, Jaxx hovering behind her, a curious look on his face.
He already knew what he had gotten from the last stage, so he turned to Phoenix. She wasn't wearing anything new, or sporting a change in her physical appearance.
"Did you get anything from the dragon you saved?" he asked her.
As soon as he finished his sentence, Phoenix's hair started flaring up. Her face darkened as she gritted her teeth in rage.
"No. I didn't," she said, through clenched teeth.
"What? That seems strange. We all got something… Did you piss off your quarry, or something?" Astaroth asked, frowning.
Phoenix looked at him with a murderous stare.
"Let's not talk about it. Unless you want to receive the dragon's punishment in his stead?" she said, her tone venomous.
Astaroth gulped as his face paled.
"Nope! I'm good with not talking about it! On to other matters then!" he said, turning to face the rest of the party.
"The battle seems to be scheduled for tomorrow, at dawn. But let's not get too complacent. The demons might ambush us before the night is over, so we shouldn't go to sleep. We can alternate who goes back out, to at least tend to basic needs. But since we don't need to sleep in New Eden, let's do just that." He said, putting his hands on his hips.
He was certain the demons wouldn't let the army sleep on their two ears until morning. So he preferred being cautious.
The party agreed to this and started deciding the order to go out. They had a long night ahead.
***
In Bastion City, sitting in a large round room, with books lying on the ground everywhere, Aberon was watching on the tied-up Argos. Ever since their fight, Aberon had kept him in magic-suppressing cuffs and waited for the mage's guild to send someone over.
He had expected an almost immediate confrontation after the incident. But it had already been days, and still no movement on their part.
"Hmm. They never wait this long when a mage acts against them. This is out of the norm…"
As he mumbled this to himself, a powerful surge of magic erupted in the room, sending many books on the ground flying to the walls.
"Speak of the wolf…" Aberon grumbled.
He would have almost preferred nothing happened. But it was too late now.
As a figure stepped out of the opening portal, Aberon sighed deeply.
"I should have known you would be coming, with how long it took for the guild to act."
A wise-looking Elven man stepped out of the portal, wearing a tight-fitting robe, strapped at his waist with a string of shiny orbs. His silver hair, along with emerald-green eyes, exuded a sense of power and wisdom which could only be acquired through a long-lived life.
"It is a pleasure to see you as well, Aberon. Although I would prefer to speak to your true self, not this disguise you put on to fool others."
The Elven man snapped his fingers, and the portal behind him disappeared, as did Aberon's old man facade.
"Bold of you to come to my home and start cancelling out my spells. What if I had linked that disguise to a trap?"
The Elf laughed elegantly.
"Oh, Aberon. Young and na?ve Aberon. You still think your magic would work against me? After all these years of trying? I see you still retain your arrogance."
Aberon growled at him, with his now young appearance restored.
"Enough of the verbal joust, Aravelle. Why did they send you? Why did they send one of the seven founders to iron out what we could consider a dispute, at worst?"
The old Elven mage looked at Aberon, his smile widening a bit.
"I am not here for this. That matter has already been put to rest. Argos is to be transferred out, and I am to take his place."
Aberon's heart skipped a beat.
"Excuse me, what?! Why would a founder come to a city, as a mage's guild representative?!"
Aravelle laughed once more.
"You misunderstand my role here, young Aberon. The mage's guild no longer offers its support to Bastion City and the kingdom of Stellar Woodlands. I am here on personal related business. But before we discuss any more of this, let us get rid of unwanted ears."
With another snap of his fingers, Argos was unbound of his manacles and teleported out of Bastion City. This left only Aberon and Aravelle in the room.
Aberon had a bad feeling about the old monster's presence here.
"Now. Let us discuss the future of this city, nay, this world. Shall we?"
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