Realm of Monsters

Chapter 743: I’m Home

The soldiers stared at their lord’s corpse in stunned silence. Even General Maud was speechless. The duel had ended in a single, unexpected moment. The War Master of Frost Rim, the archmage of House Aldine, Lord Edil, lay dead in a pool of his own blood.

“Victory!” Rhian cheered and threw her arms up, breaking the silence.

Gale and Gian looked around with a wary gaze, searching for the spark of a threat that could break out into an all-out battle. But the soldiers didn’t move, rather, their faces were filled with dismay.

Stryg ignored the stares and ripped Nameless out of the old vampire’s head. The broken blade came out with a wet plop, spilling more blood everywhere. Stryg drew Krikolm and let the crimson blade drink. The blood floated into the air and swirled around the sword as it was slowly devoured.

The line of soldiers shifted and General Maud stepped out, and made her way to Stryg. “It seems you have won, Lord Veres.” She spoke in a rather stiff manner compared to before.

“It seems so.” Stryg looked her up and down. “I take it you will keep Lord Edil’s word?”

Maud glanced at Krikolm, still drinking her former lord’s blood. “...I will,” she said reluctantly. “Though I cannot promise the rest of my city’s council will agree when I return and deliver the news of what happened here today. House Aldine and Lilith will certainly be displeased.”

“Let them be. I’m sure when your council realizes that if they break this pact they will face not only the full forces of Hollow Shade, Undergrowth, and the Valley Tribes, but also the newly reborn City of Lunis. I think your council would rather not go to war against the entire Ebon Realm.”

“I imagine so.” And then she did something Stryg did not expect, she bowed low. “Farewell, Ebon Lord Veres.”

“I’m not an Ebon Lord.”

“Aren’t you?” She gave him a knowing look and walked away. General Maud shouted several orders to her soldiers in quick succession. They snapped to attention and marched away from the clearing, their first step in their long journey home.

Gale rushed over to Stryg and hugged him. “Are you alright?” She pushed him to arm’s length and looked him over.

“I’m fine,” Stryg assured her.

“You won!” Rhian swooped them both into her arms and wrapped them in a hug.

Stryg laughed, and Gale found herself joining in, Rhian’s grin infectious.

The others joined them and Rhian let the two go. “I knew you would win.” Aurelia slapped her son on the arm, “But it was still foolish of you to risk your life.”

“It needed to be done,” Stryg said.

“Did it?” Aurelia cocked an eyebrow.

“The forces of Undergrowth are retreating. I will take my leave and order my forces to do the same,” Calex Thorn said.

“As will I. Thank you for keeping your word, Dusk Wolf,” Chieftess Mylaril bowed her head.

“I haven’t kept all my promises yet,” Stryg said. “I hope to see both of you in my city’s council meeting this evening.”

“As you wish,” Mylaril said.

“It will be good to have our pact formalized in ink,” Calex gave a slight bow, hand on his chest. “Until then.”

“We should get going too,” Holo said.

“Agreed, best not to linger,” Gian said.

As the small retinue walked, Holo motioned for Stryg to join him at the back of the group, though Gale insisted on standing behind them in case of an attack, though they had already crested the hill where the soldiers lay and were walking through the green pastures of the valley.

“I noticed you used chaos at the end of your duel. You’ve improved,” Holo said.

“I’ve gained some control of my aspects,” Stryg grinned.

“Good, it was about time,” she nudged him playfully.

“Thanks,” he nudged her back.

“By the way, why didn’t you use your powers earlier in the duel? It would have helped against an archmage as skilled as Edil.”

The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

“I needed to fight him as a man, not a god. If I hadn’t, then it wouldn’t have been Hollow Shade’s victory. And besides, it was good to see where I stand without those powers,” Stryg said.

“I could have told you that. You’re a master mage,” Holo clicked her tongue.

“For now.”

“You know, you shouldn’t underestimate your opponents. Edil was a mortal mage. People like him will always have a weakness, their fragile bodies. But what if you had been up against someone like Gian? A simple punch to his chest wouldn’t have left him stunned and exposed. Or worse, you’d have fought a dragon? Then what?”

“You’re saying I have to train more.”

“You catch on quick,” Holo winked. “Well, I’d love to stick around, but I don’t like walking at the pace of a snail. I’ll see you all back in the city.” She Flickered away before he could even say goodbye.

“She reminds me of you,” Gale said, walking up beside him.

“Oh? How so?” Stryg asked.

“She can never sit still.”

“Yeah… I guess so,” he said thoughtfully.

“Stryg?” Gale gave him a weird look. “What’s going on?”

“Stryg! I have a question!” Rhian trotted back to them.

“What is it, Rhiannon?” he asked, happy to not have to answer Gale’s own question.

“I know you talked to the Thorn King yesterday and made peace and all that, but how did you end up getting injured? You came home and bloody,” Rhian asked.

“I’ve been wondering the same thing,” Gale crossed her arms.

Stryg raised his hands, “To be fair, most of that blood wasn’t mine.”

~~~

…The night before…

Stryg walked out of Calex’s tent and threw on his hood. The night was still fairly young. If he hurried, he could probably meet up with Tauri and the others. They were probably just arriving back in the city.

With a plan forming in his mind, Stryg walked past the perimeter of battle mages guarding Calex’s tent. Like before, they didn’t even glance in his direction as he passed them by.

“Great job, guys,” Stryg gave a mock salute.

The line of battlemages immediately turned and stared at him as if he had just transformed into a dragon.

“Assassin!” shouted one of them.

“Oh shit.” Stryg blinked.

The rest didn’t even bother to shout. They channeled their mana and flung every spell they could at him as alarms rang out across the camp.

~~~

“And you survived!?” Rhian gasped.

“It wasn’t easy,” Stryg admitted. “I wasn’t trying to kill them and I couldn’t just tell them who I was—”

“Because you were trying to keep it a secret that you met with Calex. And this is why you shouldn’t engage in subterfuge,” Gale chastised him with a wagging finger.

“It worked out,” Stryg shrugged.

“You almost got yourself killed,” Gale said.

“I heal quickly,” Stryg said. “But I promise next time I’ll tell you before I do something risky.”

“Good,” Gale nodded, satisfied.

The gates of Hollow Shade stood before them. Ancient arcana words inscribed into the magestone above; ‘Protection of Death.’ A dozen guards flanked each side of the gate. They saluted as the group approached and shouted an order to open the gates.

It had been some time since Stryg had stood in front of the city wall like this. He had flown above the wall last night and gone straight to the Central District.

Stryg couldn’t help but think of the first time he had arrived in Hollow Shade. Alone. Afraid. Uncertain of what would happen to him. Three years had passed since then.

“Why are you smiling like that?” Rhian asked out of curiosity.

“It’s just… I was thinking about what I wanted to achieve when I first came to this place. My dreams,” Stryg said.

“What were they?”

“I wanted lots of things. Power. Honor. Redemption. But if I’m being honest with myself, I think what I really wanted was to be accepted. A family.” Stryg looked up at her and his smile grew ever so slightly, “And I found that.”

Rhian blushed and grinned. “Hehe. I am pretty great.”

“Yeah. You are.”

“So, what’s your dream now?” Gale asked him.

The gates opened with a loud groan. Thousands of people were waiting on the other side. Soldiers, commoners, merchants, and nobles alike crowded the area, all of them trying to get a look at the ones standing surprised at the gate.

A line of trumpets blared from somewhere and a shout amplified by yellow magic reverberated in the air. “The Ebon Prince has returned!”

Cheers exploded across the plaza, chanting praises and gratitude.

“What’s going on?” Stryg mumbled.

“I think that one went ahead of us and shared the good news with the people,” Gale gestured to Holo leaning on the wall next to the gate, with the most innocent of looks.

“I helped,” Elise Veres walked over, a smirk on her red lips.

“Of course, you did,” Gale said.

“I expected victory, so I may have had a bit of a parade planned,” Evelyn said.

“I’d expect no less from you, cousin,” Gale said. “Thank you,” she added begrudgingly.

“No need, but you’re welcome,” Evelyn said.

“I hate this. It’s too loud,” Aurelia covered her ears as best she could.

Gian stepped up behind her and placed his larger hands gently over her hands and ears.

“I don’t understand,” Stryg said, though it was almost drowned out by the people who kept chanting his name.

Gale smiled. “The people know that you fought for them and saved their lives. Don’t you see? They love you.”

Stryg looked around the crowd. There was no malice nor fear in the eyes of those who looked back, only pride and warmth.

Evelyn walked over next to him, hands clasped behind her back, and leaned over to his ear. “Welcome home, my lord.”

Stryg slowly broke into a smile. “I’m home.”