The Deceiver's Path - Chapter 115 - A New Frenemy (Patreon)

As Piper walked back toward her quarters with Ophelia at her side, she heard a horn sounding. Glancing up at the sun sitting high in the sky, she realized the sparring had taken up most of the morning. The horn signaled that it was time for the communal lunch to begin.

At the thought of food, her stomach rumbled noisily. While the amount of mana she’d used had only been a tiny drop in the ocean she now possessed, regenerating it always made her hungry.

Plus, she always looked forward to mealtime at the villa. Well, almost always. Just the other day, the kitchen had served honeyed eels. No matter how much everyone else raved about the food, she would die on the hill that meat and sweets didn’t belong together.

Ophelia increased her pace at the sound of the lunch horn and glanced over her shoulder with a mischievous grin on her face. “I’ll race you to the dining hall.”

“I’m not…” she trailed off as her friend broke into a run.

“Darn, Ophelia,” she whispered under her breath. Then, with a shrug, she raced after her friend. Her superior attributes would allow her to beat Ophelia easily, but she liked to make it close. No one enjoyed being shown up.

She kept pace with Ophelia until they reached the doors. Once inside, she increased her stride slightly, her little legs having to do twice the work of her friend’s, only to slow down as she pulled ahead. As they neared the dining hall, she slowed down even more, allowing Ophelia to win by a single pace.

“I’ll get you next time,” Piper said with a grin.

“I know you let me win, you mammoth’s ass.” Ophelia bent forward, bracing herself on her knees. “I’m not stupid.”

“I would never do such a thing!” Piper exclaimed with mock outrage.

“Just for that, you’re getting such a poking later.”

Piper grinned despite herself. At least with her improved stats, the bruises inflicted by her friend’s stick tended to heal quickly. She’d also gotten good at disarming Ophelia before she struck. Her tail had become especially adept at wrapping around sticks and wrenching them from her friend’s grip. Though recently, Ophelia had learned to attack from the front, preventing[Ambush Detection] from giving her a warning.

Together, they picked their way through the dozens of long, rectangular tables with chairs arrayed around them. As usual, they chose seats in the corner, far away from the others. Both of them enjoyed eating semi-privately with each other.

Settling down on a sturdy wooden chair, Piper watched as adventurers, wayfarers, and aspirants filtered into the room. The aspirants had a nervous energy about them, most likely from the announcement that some of them would be starting quests soon. They exchanged whispers and laughed slightly too loudly.

Meanwhile, the handful of wayfarers and adventurers entering the dining hall had haunted expressions on their faces, with many of them gazing off into the distance. The word around the villa was that anyone above the rank of aspirant was only sent here after facing something truly horrific.

For a while, she’d expected Eleni to join them at the villa. The woman had lost five of her groupmates in a failed attack against an undead cult. But apparently, she’d chosen to remain in the city.

To be honest, Piper would have liked to see the woman again. Near the end of her time in Kalmyros, she thought they were becoming friends.

Ophelia tapped her fingers on the table. “I hope it’s honeyed eels again.”

Piper’s brow rose in surprise. “You actually enjoyed that?”

“What’s not to love? It has meat and honey.” Her tapping increased in intensity. “Do you think I’m going to do well tomorrow?”

Piper reached out to stop her friend’s fingers from drumming against the table. There was nothing that drove her crazier than tapping noises. “Is the girl who faced an ooze alone asking if she’s going to do well?”

The young woman’s face clouded for a moment. “But you got hurt during that…”

She took her friend’s hand and squeezed it reassuringly. “I’ve fought with a lot of people, and there’s no one I’d rather have at my side than you. You’re the bravest, toughest girl I’ve ever met.”

“Thanks, Pip.” Ophelia squeezed her hand back.

“Well, I wouldn’t mind having Alfred at my side…”

“As soon as we’re done here, we’re crossing the mountains to see our family.”

Piper nodded in agreement. She could tell that Ophelia had been growing homesick. Over the past few weeks, her friend had been mentioning her parents and the farm more and more often. Truthfully, Piper wanted to check on them herself to make sure they were all right. A lot could happen in a year and a half.

I swear, before heading back to Kalmyros, I’m going to go check on them.

Maybe they could even bring them back to the Empire. Both of them should be wayfarers soon, which paid a lot more money. With their combined income, they could probably buy Alfred and Ethel a nice farm close to the city. Though the longer she was in the Arissian Empire, the more she wondered if life was better under the vampires.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Zenos appearing at their table. The young man looked slightly pale, but otherwise unharmed.

“Do you mind if I join you?” he asked, gesturing at an empty chair.

“Of course,” Piper said hurriedly. “Are you alright? I didn’t mean to hit you so hard…” She winced as she trailed off, hoping he wasn’t insulted by what she’d just said. A lot of the aspirants here came from noble families and were incredibly touchy about losing.

“The healer fixed me up no problem.” Zenos pulled out the chair and settled down lightly. “But I was really impressed by your skill. After our fight, I asked Asterion if he could place me in your group.”

“You did?” Piper blurted out. She hadn’t expected that outcome after sending him flying. If anything, she’d been worried that she’d created yet another enemy for life.

“I need to grow stronger, and someone like you is going to help me. I have a score that needs settling back in Kalmyros. I think you more than anyone will want to help me with it.”

Ophelia looked at him askance. “Why in the world would we want to help you? We’re not going to go beat up your old bully or something.”

Piper nodded along with her friend. “I’m not looking to start a fight with anyone.”

The man’s expression went flat. “No, it’s nothing so frivolous as a bully. An infernal caster killed my sister; the same one who captured you and stole your face. Once I’m strong enough, I’m going to track her down and make her pay.”

Piper’s eyes widened slightly before she managed to control her emotions. She used carefully measured words as she spoke, “I thought the infernal caster was defeated by the nuns...”

Zenos shook his head. “I was among the crowd thronging that square that day, and I watched her walk away very much alive. The story you heard was a lie to cover up the government’s failure. That evil bitch is out there somewhere, and I’m going to hunt her down.”

“Are you sure the infernal caster killed her?” Piper insisted, hoping against hope that she wasn’t responsible for the death of this young man’s sister. “A lot of people died at the nuns’ hands.”

The young man leaned back in his chair, the wood creaking slightly. “My sister was only an aspirant when she was conscripted to fight the infernal caster. When she didn’t come home that night, my mother and I went out looking for her. We discovered her body left to rot in the street. She’d been… mangled by the massive demon that appeared. Now I’m going to find the infernal caster and make lute strings out of her guts.”

Ophelia’s mouth dropped open. “That’s really graphic.”

Zenos’ face darkened. “It’s all she deserves.”

As Piper listened to the man talk, she had a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. Memories of that terrible day came flooding back as she relived fighting for her life against the assembled might of the city’s adventurers and the Dawnward host.

Piper knew at least a few aspirants had died at her hands, but until now she’d managed to repress her guilt. She truly hadn’t meant to kill anyone. But her intent meant nothing when her demons had blood on their hands. Or, in this case, on their flippers.

I should have thought of another way to escape, she thought bitterly. Why didn’t I try something else?

She needed to find a way to make it up to this man. If that were even possible.

“I’m sorry about your sister,” she said quietly. “What was her name?”

“Hera,” he said, looking down at the table. “She was only sixteen.”

“Is there anything I can do for you?”

Zenos’ mood immediately lightened. “Why would you need to do anything for me? You were a prisoner of the same infernal caster. Together, we’ll make her pay for everything she did. But you have to promise me that she won’t die a quick death. I want her to suffer just like Hera.”

Ophelia shook her head. “Sounds like a super good plan. The three of us will take on a crazy strong infernal caster. Should I dig my grave now or later? While we’re at it, why don’t we go fight some more undead? Those are always so much fun.”

“I don’t expect us to be able to defeat her immediately,” Zenos retorted. “When I watched her walk away from the battle, I didn’t attack because I knew I couldn’t hope to harm someone so powerful. However, once we’ve grown strong enough, the three of us can hunt her down.”

Piper ran a hand through her hair. “I think Ophelia might be right. This is a caster who managed to take on an entire army of nuns and survive. What are we supposed to do against her?”

“All that I ask is that you consider my offer.” He smiled, dimples forming at the sides of his mouth. “Even if you don’t join me, at least we can gain levels together as a group.”

Before Piper could think of a way to decline his invitation, a pair of servants appeared holding plates overflowing with steaming food. Placing them down on the table, they hurried back to the kitchen.

Piper leaned forward and inhaled the scent of the perfectly roasted beef on her plate. Arrayed around the beef were thick slices of freshly baked bread, wedges of cheese, and salted strips of dried fish along with a bowl of pottage; the dish was a mix of oatmeal, herbs, vegetables, and sometimes had bits of bacon.

A few minutes earlier, she would have devoured everything on the plate. However, after the conversation with Zenos, she felt vaguely nauseous.

While Ophelia tucked into her food, Zenos continued to regard Piper with cool eyes. “Your sister mentioned you fought some undead in the past. That seems unusual for an aspirant. What did you face?”

“I’ve fought a few different ones,” Piper said vaguely, not wanting to reveal the extent of her experience.

“Vampires for one,” Ophelia said with her mouth full of bread. When Piper shot her a glare, she simply shrugged. “No one cares about vampires here.”

After a second, Piper had to admit that her friend was right. While it still annoyed her the way Ophelia revealed their secrets sometimes, her friend was getting slightly better. Plus, Ophelia hadn’t said a single word about the bone monarch or the other monsters they’d faced.

“Vampires?” Zeno asked incredulously. “Where in the name of the Emperor did you encounter a vampire?”

Piper popped a morsel of bread into her mouth before replying. “My sister and I are both from the Bloodveil Empire,” she said, repeating the lie about them being sisters. Though truthfully, they were far closer than many blood-related siblings. “To escape, we had to fight a bunch of vampires.”

“That’s… pretty amazing,” he said, sounding genuinely impressed. “I knew you would be the right person to join my quest. It’s why I joined the Silver Hippogriffs in the first place, for a chance to meet you.”

Ophelia leaned forward and pointed at Zenos. “You know, I was a prisoner of the infernal caster, too. Was I just not good enough to recruit for your little vengeance quest?”

“You were?” His brow furrowed. “To be honest, I never learned the names of the others captured. It’s not like Lord Mayor Constantine made the information public. Were the two of you taken together?”

“Something like that.” Piper pushed her food around the plate, her appetite having disappeared. Why in the world would the guild master send someone to the villa who wanted to kill her… unless he didn’t know.

The more she thought about it, the more that seemed likely. It wasn’t as if they had an interview when she joined the guild to learn about her past. For all the guild might know, Zenos was nothing more than an air mage looking to make a name for himself.

An air mage who wants me dead.

Zenos tore a hunk off his bread. “Before long, all three of us will have our revenge on the infernal caster. The Emperor will watch over us until then.”

“All I want to do is become an adventurer,” Piper said quickly. “I’m not signing up to go fight a war against an infernal caster.”

“I see,” Zeno said, sounding disappointed. “Regardless, I look forward to grouping up with you—”

A man pulling out a chair beside Zenos interrupted him. The wooden legs scraped across the floor, making a tortured noise before the new arrival dropped onto the seat. “I’m pretty sure you’re my gravebait,” he said, his gaze flickering across them. “Piper, Zenos, and Ophelia, right?”

All three of them paused eating to stare at the new arrival. The man’s dark hair was cropped closely to his head, and his hooked nose almost overhung his mouth. He had a coiled energy about his heavily muscled body, almost as if he could spring into action at any moment. A silver wayfarer badge was pinned to his shirt.

“You going to eat that?” he said, snagging a piece of bread from Zenos’ plate before the young man could reply. He immediately stuffed it into his mouth. “Name’s Lysander. The Silver Hippogriffs have assigned me to keep you alive, and I take my job very seriously. I haven’t lost a group member in five years, and I expect all of you to work your asses off to make sure that doesn’t change. Now, which one of you is Piper?”

Piper raised her hand hesitantly. “I am?”

“Great. You’ve been assigned as leader for this group. All the decisions will be made by you, but the entire time I’ll be watching to make sure you don’t screw up. Like I said, none of you have permission to die on my watch.”

When Lysander reached out for Ophelia’s plate, the blond-haired woman reversed the knife she was using to cut the beef and brandished it in his direction.

He stopped with his arm half extended and guffawed. “I think I’m going to like you. You’re Ophelia, right?”

“I am,” Ophelia said, still watching the man intently. “And don’t you dare touch my food.”

“My class is a warrior, too.” Lysander settled back in his chair. “I’m going to be spending extra time training you. I’ve heard good things about you from Asterion.”

Turning to look at Piper, his dark eyes scrutinized her as if he were sizing up a prize pig. “But first things first, why is an illusionist trying to become an adventurer? Why not live an easy life by making good money enchanting some fat noblewoman’s dresses? Your class is hardly common in our field.”

Zenos chuckled. “I wouldn’t underestimate her. Earlier today, she kicked my butt in a sparring match.”

“Oh, wow,” Lysander said, sarcasm dripping from his words. “She beat a Noise Mage? Next thing you’ll tell me she defeated a fluffy bunny rabbit.”

Piper glared at the man. “My class is no different from most of the other aspirants I’ve met.”

“Perhaps not,” he said, snagging another piece of bread from Zenos’ plate. “But it’s unusual for a Silver Hippogriff, which has me wondering. I guess I’ll have my answers tomorrow.”

Lysander rose to his feet and addressed the group, “At first light, we’re heading into Helidros. If any of you screw up, I’ll have you thrown out of the guild so fast your head will spin.”

Piper watched him walk over to another table and snagged some cheese from a surprised aspirant. She couldn’t help but wonder why he didn’t just get a plate for himself. The kitchen allowed a person to eat as much as they wanted here.

Turning back to the others, she scowled. “This is going to be fun.”

Zenos shrugged. “We’ll be fine. I bet his bark is worse than his bite.”

Ophelia stuffed an entire piece of bread into her mouth. “I think he’s great,” she said, crumbs tumbling off her lips. “He said he’s going to give me extra training!”

“Big surprise you like a warrior,” Piper grumbled.

Still, she had to admit that her friend had a knack for transforming even the sourest fighters into friends. She immediately thought back to Seraphina, the grumpy guard at the Aspirant’s Guild in Kalmyros.

During the few minutes she’d left Ophelia alone with the guard, her friend had somehow managed to convince the woman to teach her a few moves. Hopefully, Ophelia could soften Lysander in the same way.

Still, while the man was abrasive, at least he seemed to care about keeping them alive. His motives might be purely selfish, but it was a huge improvement from her experiences in Kalmyros. No one seemed to care about aspirants back in the city.

Returning to her meal, she ate in silence, barely tasting the perfectly roasted beef. The others didn’t say anything either, each of them lost in their own thoughts. Tomorrow, she would head to Helidros and become an aspirant once more. She could only pray that it went better than the last time.