Chapter 49

The Elves, with their remarkable farstriding ability, led the way. Suphial had allowed them to use the concealed paths, enabling them to make rapid progress. In just a day, they were within sight of the smuggling encampment, observing a very military-style setup.

“What are they smuggling?” Demala asked, looking through a spyglass Erren had provided.

“A drug called krennoth; it’s banned in Asul, though not Korch,” Darras replied.

“Addictive?”

“Mildly,” Darras replied, remembering the details Erren gave him. “People normally have no issues should they stop taking it.”

“So why has Asul banned it?”

“It’s cheaper than their own grown drug.”

“Ah...”

“But now, because of the meddling of this shadow, they are smuggling Crusalian agitators and enabling them to cause issues in Korch and Asul,” Darras added.

“So, you’re after the shadow?” Tinara asked. “Anything else?”

“Any irredeemables,” Darras replied. “Though the shadow takes priority.”

“Is there a shadow there? Only from what you’ve said, they are moving on once they set a scheme in motion.”

“Yes, it’s well hidden, but it’s there.”

“We’ll rest up and get you in there tonight,” Firios said.

“Thank you, my friends.”

A well-concealed encampment was established, though no fire was lit. The wind blew towards the smugglers’ encampment, and caution was called for. Hence, Darras and the Elves ate jerky and cheese and washed them down with water as they waited for the sun to set.

“They have a barrier of detection,” Demala warned.

“I suspect that’s the shadow,” Darras replied. “I can’t imagine smugglers holding a magic user’s interest.”

“You’re likely right,” Demala conceded.

“Can you get me past it?”

“Yes, I believe so.”

With Traskis guarding the entry point, Demala led Darras and the Elves to the compound wall and gave a low chant before using her staffwand to touch the wall. Darras then threw a rope up to the top, tested it to ensure it was secure, heaved himself silently upwards, checked to ensure he was not observed and dropped silently onto the parapet. Firios, Tinara and Demala followed, and all lowered themselves to the ground in the deep shadows of what Darras presumed was a storehouse.

“All quiet so far,” Firios commented. “They appear quite well organised for smugglers.”

“Erren believes them to be ex-military types of some sort, both Korchian and Asulian,” Darras replied.

“This drug must have a high resale value,” Tinara added.

“They sell it at half the price of the equivalent drug in Asul and make a healthy profit off it.”

“Why do I suspect Darmelans are involved in this somewhere?” Firios chuckled.

“On both sides,” Darras confirmed. “Though nothing that Erren’s particularly concerned with.”

Darras, watched by the Elves, cautiously made his way through the compound, sticking to the narrow spaces to the rear until his senses confirmed which building he was looking for. Like most of the compound, the building itself was in darkness, with all lighting concentrated at the entrance where two bored guards stood. With the help of the Elves, Darras was lifted to an unglazed window, where, after a quick check to ensure no occupancy, he pulled himself inside. Being a storeroom, the room was locked, though Darras was able to use his blade to pry the lock open and check the outside of the room. From there, listening carefully, Darras padded along the corridor towards a door where his senses told him a shadow was.

Peering through a keyhole, Darras checked the room, seeing the feet of a recumbent man and the hint of a possessing shadow. Darras moved swiftly to grab and deal with the shadow, silently opening the door as the sleeping man remained in an even more profound slumber.

‘Careful, something is amiss here, ’ Erren warned as the sense of shadow never left.

“Yes,” Darras murmured. “Can’t feel a direction, though.”

‘It’s like it’s surrounding you, ’ Erren agreed.

Darras paused as a shadow seemed to flow down from the roof area, forming a humanoid shape, yet also with faintly glowing eyes.

“At last, we have you,” the shadow hissed. “You cannot escape this time!”

“Not planning on escaping,” Darras replied, dodging a swinging limb that smashed hard into the wall.

Instead of going for his normal choke hold, Darras punched the creature, knocking it back and leaving a mark where the blow fell. Taking advantage of the moment of surprise, Darras launched several blows at the shadow, all connecting, but only his exposed hands doing any damage. He also received several powerful blows in return, though his armour stood him in good stead. The shadow had miscalculated its ability to deal with Darras in an enclosed space, as its limbs could not fully swing at Darras’s body. However, it accidentally killed the smuggler when the man awoke and took a blow meant for Darras. Despite the agony in his exposed hands due to the curse binding, Darras continued to pound the shadow until it collapsed. Darras then fell upon it, using his fists to hold the shadow down until it finally dissipated.

‘Well done, my love, ’ Erren congratulated Darras.

“Going to be sorry and sore for a few days until I can return,” Darras sighed. “Just hope I can get out of here as I can’t move my hands.”

‘Be careful and trust in your friends, ’ Erren advised.

“I’m going to have to,” Darras sighed.

The spirit of Erren separated from Darras’s body to sweep through the paperwork on a desk in the room before rejoining Darras as he made his way back to the storeroom. Sticking his head through the window, he whispered to Firios about the damage to his hands, getting an acknowledgement from the Elf. Darras then pushed his body through the window and, assisted by the Elves, was helped to the ground. The group returned to the entry point, where Darras was unceremoniously hauled over the wall with a rope.

From there, they slipped back into the woods, where the Dryad Suphial met them and spoke a prayer over Darras’s hands, alleviating the curses’ effects, though it could not entirely remove them.

“My thanks,” Darras said to Suphial. “Erren’s blessings be upon you.”

“Lomarris bid me help,” Suphial replied. “Her blessings be upon you all.”

“So, the more powerful shadows have curse bindings?” Demala enquired.

“They do,” Darras confirmed. “My armour has an anti-curse silk layer, though my hands and face are still exposed.”

“I see,” Demala nodded. “I will speak to Mesoli and Gallira to see if a solution can be found.”

‘It’s unlikely; only a priest or a god can remove these curses, ’ Erren advised.

“I see,” Demala acquiesced after Darras passed the message on. “This is concerning.”

“My very nature rejects any magical status effects,” Darras explained. “What you saw was the physical damage of the curse, not the curse itself.”

“Healing potions do not work?”

“Ones imbued by magic, no,” Darras replied. “I do have the spirit of Erren aiding me, however.”

“Your very nature will limit that,” Demala sighed.

“It does.”

“I will continue to look into it, limited as I am,” Demala nodded.

“My thanks, friend Demala,” Darras replied.

“You acknowledge me?”

“I do; why would I not?”

“My thanks, friend Darras.”

“And now you are the same as the rest of us,” Firios chuckled. “And likely a curiosity amongst our people, once they find out, as they will.”

“It used to bother Fintra, my husband,” Tinara added. “But he got over it.”

“He appears happier working under Harinas,” Traskis replied.

“He is, despite coming into contact with Humans and Dwarves,” Tinara smiled.

“There are Dwarven students now?” Darras asked.

“Yes, from the Dwarven realm; they’re studying fire magics under Mesoli the Dryad.”

“Ah, goblin elimination,” Darras nodded.

“And forge control ... whatever that is.”

“I take it there have been no incidents?” Darras asked.

“They tend to remain within the University unless travelling to the gateway, so no.”

“And no one in their right mind will annoy Mesoli,” Firios chuckled.

“I should think not,” Darras laughed.

“So, what now?” Firios asked.”

“I’ll need to eliminate the leader of one of the agitator groups, a champion of Colanthus,” Darras replied.

“Do you know where?”

“Here,” Darras pointed to a small town in northern Korch.

“Mozlin?” Firios frowned. “Seems an odd place to stir up mischief.”

“He’s causing issues for the Korchian garrison up there by pretending to be Asulian saboteurs,” Darras shrugged. “He’s having to be cautious, though, as none of them look like Asulians.”

“Seems an odd activity for a champion of Colanthus to be involved with,” Tinara shrugged.

“True, but that’s where he is,” Darras replied.

“I will permit you to use the hidden paths,” Suphial informed the group. “May Lomarris bless your work.”

“Our thanks,” Darras replied respectfully. “Could we go via the gateway? I need to have my hands fixed.”

“Of course, sir Darras.”

With the Elves’ farstriding ability, it did not take long to reach the gateway with Suphial leading the way. Darras stepped through and was met and blessed by a smiling Erren before returning to his friends.

“Astonishing,” Suphial said when examining Darras’s now healed hands ... as well as his now clean-shaven visage.

“Such is the power of our gods,” Darras chuckled.

“So it would seem,” Suphial replied. “The ways are cleared for you; go with the blessings of Lomarris.”

As there was no need to scout when upon the hidden paths, the group made rapid progress to the town of Mozlin. Once there, Darras entered the town, finding the residents tense and on edge, as well as suspicious of Darras’s looks, at least until he spoke.