Chapter 77: Little necromancer
I'm surprised you asked to see me first," Silthus smirked, "I thought you were planning to ignore me to death? "
Ace sat opposite Silthus. His eyes remained fixed downwards as if inspecting the wine before him. There was a long pause. The candlelight flickered between them. Ace weakly rose the glass to lips and downed the entirety of its contents.
" Where is Michael? " He questioned in a low voice.
"Shall I invite him to join us?" Silthus mused," l ought to congratulate him for finally talking some sense into you,"
Ace's eyes flickered up, "No," he said flatly. The deadened look in his eyes met Silthus with intensity, "Where is Cora?"
"Cora ls... incapacitated at present," Silthus' expression showed a glimpse of agitation.
"Incapacitated? "Ace stared coldly, " What happened to her?"
"She and Michael had a disagreement," Silthus exhaled," It resulted in her being left without magic for the present,"
"So you have no control over Michael?" Ace interrogated.
"No, but Michael has proven his loyalty. Afterall, here you are," Silthus chuckled, "So let us discuss your surrender. I assume that's why you asked to meet with me,"
"You seem to trust Michael a great deal," Ace gave a lifeless smile," So much so that you have become completely blinded to his deception,"
" Ah!" Silthus laughed, " Is this the part where you attempt to divide us? Turn us against each other? And in doing so, free yourself?"
'" How can I divide you when you were never together?"Ace replied forebodingly,"Shall I tell you something interesting about Michael and Clover?"
"Clover? I thought that subject was off limits? " Silthus smiled.
"Clover and Michael were once friends. Before the war..." Ace began, "...more than friends...Clover was Michael's teacher,"
"Is that why he took you on? Some kind of reciprocity ?" Silthus asked amused.
"That is exactly why," Ace replied darkly, "Michael has a sense for stuffing out people's weaknesses. He realised I was Clover's weakness. That was the only reason he agreed to teach me. He manipulated me. Used me to trick Clover into revealing themselves. Then Michael took the person who had taught him everything he knew and shackled them with this," Ace pointed to the necklace around him neck.
" What are you trying to say?" Silthus' eyes narrowed.
"Then there was his best friend, the sword saint. They fought side by side in the war. When Michael was thrown out of the Emperor's palace, he broke back into steal something he thought would increase his power. He took a sword to that friend and set the wizard's tower alight," Ace recounted solemnly.
"All part of Michael's charm, I suppose," Silthus dismissed.
" And then there was me. He promised me loyalty and redemption. Yet here I am," Ace met Silthus gaze unflinchingly," do you know what all these stories have in common?"
"Enlighten me," Silthus answered flatly.
"A master, a friend, a disciple. Everyone and anyone who stood in the way of what Michael wanted, got the light crushed out of them. Now you, you think that Michael is your ally? Your friend? He's not. He's the worst enemy you've ever made. He gains your trust. Lures you into a false sense of security. Then he takes everything from you," Ace leant forward ominously, " You are nothing but a stepping stone to him,"
"You make a very convincing argument. However, you forget one thing, " Silthus sipped his wine gingerly, "Michael has no reason to betray me. I've given him everything he wanted,"
"And are you so sure you know what Michael wants?" Ace stared wildly. Even in his reduced state, his eyes held a darkness like no other.
"He wants power and I have given it to him," Silthus retorted.
" Yes, you've given him more power than you know, "Ace's jaw clenched," but what Michael wants is never what it seems. For instance, have you taken a look at your jail cells recently?"
"I gave Michael permission to make use of the boy. The other two remain imprisoned. Your little Yona and the woman Michael has taken a fancy to,"
"And have you never laid eyes on this woman? She didn't seem familiar to you?" Ace asked in a low voice.
"I didn't see the need," Silthus scoffed.
"If you trust in Michael so completely, then you will have no need to look upon her yourself,"
"What is it exactly that I will find there?"
Ace smiled, "The extent of Michael's loyalty,"
**************
Tomas reached the dungeons before dawn. Veretta was eagerly awaiting his arrival. She was propped against the stone wall and immediately met him at the bars. Tomas gave a small smile, the sight of her there was hard to look upon.
"What is going on,Tomas?" Veretta asked anxiously, " what couldn't you tell me yesterday? Who was that woman?"
Tomas fidgeted apprehensively," Estelle is the princess of Lucia,"
"What is she doing here?" Veretta's brow furrowed.
"Michael brought her here to..."
"Why don't I explain it?" Michael stood behind Tomas, "it's me you have questions for, isn't it?"
Tomas turned back surprised, "What are you doing here?"
"I could ask you the same," Michael cast him a wayward glance.
"She deserves to know," Tomas frowned.
"Well, here I am," Michael turned to Veretta, " Tomas, go and join the others,"
Tomas gave a hesitant glance to Veretta, "I'll be back. I promise,"
Veretta's eyes narrowed suspiciously, " Why did you send him away?"
"Because what I'm about to tell you, Tomas doesn't even know," Michael drew close to the bars.
"What would that be?" Veretta questioned.
"Today is the last time you and I will see each other," Michael said quietly.
"What?" Veretta's eyes widened.
"I've made a lot of promises in my life. Most of them were lies, but this one, I intend to keep," Michael said slowly, " I'm leaving. There's somewhere I have to go and I won't be coming back,"
" Where are you going?" Veretta demanded, "How can you just leave us all here? Because of you, Silthus has won! You've destroyed all the relationships you could have had. You've let down everyone who trusted you. I trusted you... "
"I know," Michael gave a light smile," I'm selfish. But you knew that, "
"So that's it? That's all you have to say to me before you escape by yourself?" Veretta cried.
"No, I have one more selfish act to commit,"
Michael leant across the bars and lightly kissed Veretta's lips. Veretta stared at him confused.
"I wish we could have met when I was young," Michael smiled sadly, " things could have been so different. I might have been different. But you have to forget. Forget this. Forget me,"
Veretta's bright, searching eyes became glazed. Michael took one last look upon her and turned away.
"Goodbye, little necromancer."
****************
"Well, what did you find?" Ace stared up from the barred cell.
Silthus looked down expressionless," I followed Michael down to the cell. That woman...she is the one who tried to kill me!"
Silthus threw his fist against the wall," He deceived me,"he hissed.
"You thought Michael didn't kill Cora out of the goodness of his heart?" Ace rose," no it was a calculated move to garner your trust whilst releasing himself from her spell,"
"So he has been planning this from the start..." Silthus uttered in disbelief, "but how? He shouldn't have been able to lie to me,"
"Your magic may prevail against ordinary wizards, but Michael spent years with the sword saint. He knows how to trick even holy magic users," Ace said thoughtfully, "Tell what else Michael has been doing in absence,"
"He brought back a woman from the West," Silthus answered impatiently.
" Why?" Ace questioned severely.
" He said she had potential, that she was a warrior," Silthus recalled.
"What was her name?" Ace demanded.
"Esther... or Estella.." Silthus shook his head with agitation.
" Estelle of Lucia?" Ace's eyes twitched, " The royal princess of Lucia..."
"What? How can that be? Darius reported to me that she had died in battle," Silthus let out an unhinged breath, "then Darius too. He has betrayed me. But why the princess of Lucia?"
"Her family are old allies with the house of Veral," Ace smiled bitterly.
"As in Leva Veral, the 10th grand wizard who is currently laying siege at our gates?!" Silthus snarled," they must be exterminated..."
"It's too late," Ace replied resentfully, "It's already started. That is why Michael came to me. He knew there was nothing I could do to stop them,"
"I'll Kill him!" Silthus exclaimed viciously.
"Without Cora that will be difficult. Your wizard's will be no match for him," Ace scoffed.
"Then I will deal with him myself," Silthus snapped.
"And while you do that, Leva Veral and the armies will storm the gates,"Ace chuckled mirthlessly, " That is exactly what he wants you to do,"
"Then what can I do?" Silthus gave a crooked and furious smile," release you, I suppose? Then you join Michael and get the scroll for yourself?"
" Michael will have already taken that into consideration," Ace said flatly, " he won't hand that scroll over so easily. No, we cannot act rashly or we'll play into his hands. Then neither of us will get the scroll,"
" What do you suggest?" Silthus glared
"Does Michael have all the pieces? " Ace questioned.
"No, he's not aware of what is needed to open the scroll," Silthus replied.
"Then we must use that to our advantage," Ace said cautiously, "We need a variable he can't control,"
"Like what?" Silthus demanded.
"Something that will catch him off-guard. Something that will rattle him to his very core."
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