Chapter 12: Where Lilia Went
Lilia follows Eiramor into the depths of the Underbelly.
“You’re not from Anthropa, are you?” Lilia asked, to which Eiramor shook his head for the nth time. That was the only response she got from him; a nod or shake of his head. His face betrayed no emotion, like a stone statue.
Eiramor navigated the Underbelly with a powerful disposition, his shoulders squared and his chin raised with such dominance none dared to look his way too long.
Essentially, he behaved like every beggar, thief, prostitute, and killer here was far beneath him.
Eiramor looked the part too, Lilia noted as she made a proper once-over. Not only was he honed like a fine blade, but judging from the sophisticated craft of his black uniform, he wasn’t your everyday sellsword; the black halter with a folded collar allowed for flexible upper movement. The same stood for the loose-fitting black pants, tucked into steel-layered boots. One dagger was strapped to his thigh. Steel gauntlets covered his hands and forearms.
It was an unorthodox comfort for Lilia. Nobody else would touch her, knowing a pale warrior stood at her side. With that security as a buffer, she’d let his hand go and followed him with her classic meander at play. Sometimes, she was beside, behind, or in front of him and walking backward.
“I’m lucky I ran into you,” Lilia said with a shallow laugh. Even her attempt at a smile didn’t yield anything from him.
As the minutes ticked by and they traversed the winding paths and alleys of the Underbelly, she inevitably grew bored and fell into step beside Eiramor.
“My father was from the north,” she began. “Way up in Lahia. My mother hailed from the Wastes, somewhere in Fuogo or Bliksem. However, my big brother and I lived in Anthropa our whole lives.”
All of a sudden, Eiramor spoke. “Your brother… You both live with your parents?”
“Just my brother… My parents passed away nine years ago,” Lilia mumbled, nervously fiddling with her knotted hair and picking dust from it. “And before you ask, I don’t know how. They left one day.”
“I’m… sorry.” Eiramor spoke like the words were foreign on his lips.
With a smile and a twinkle in her silver eyes, Lilia found some excuse to chalk it up and limit the awkwardness. “It’s not all bad. Karst—a family friend—took us in! He’s a knight, and he’s really strong. Kind of like you!” Dodging a puddle of something Lilia didn’t want to name, she asked, “So, Eiramor.” She stole another look at his stony face. “Are you a mercenary? A bounty hunter? My brother deals with a lot of those people at his work.”
“I’m not,” Eiramor said. Another second passed before he added, “I work for someone under contract.”
“Is that why you’re here?”
“Yes. I and a coworker arrived not long ago.”
“Coworker,” Lilia hummed, bobbing her head to his words. “Are you part of an organization?”
Eiramor shook his head. Silence. Again.
He saved me, Lilia reasoned against the building suspicion in her gut. What reason would Eiramor have to harm her? Keeping that in mind, she followed him through the bleak streets.
Somehow, their route only turned darker, as if the sun many levels above was fading away. Lanterns were brought out, casting rusted bronze light on the crumbling stone sidewalks. If anything, the light only paved the way for crooked shadows that leered tauntingly.
How very different from Grand Avenue, indeed. The memory of Adlos buying Lilia as many blueberry pastries as she could stuff her cheeks with lessened the weight on her mind. She’d be home soon enough and never take Crosus’ warnings for granted again. How many horrors could her big brother stomach? What exactly could be confided without causing guilt or grief to manifest?
While practicing Eiramor’s advice to keep her chin up and her spirits unbroken, Lilia contemplated such things while mulling over the white-haired man from the Otherness. He who bore silver eyes, like hers. Was there a connection to be drawn?
She nearly didn’t notice how bleak the alleys had become, nor how destitute the residents were. Some even shifted away from Eiramor like he bore some plague or sickness.
Dusk had fallen.
Water dripped from above along the storm drains from upper levels, pooling in the gutters and becoming polluted with refuse. The distinct buzz of gnats registered. And the smell–Lilia hated it. Her nose wrinkled.
More questions arose in her mind. Mainly… Eiramor seemed well to do. Too well, considering he based himself presumably in the Underbelly. Lilia had noticed their gradual descent to even lower levels.
That instinct in her chest had been incessantly bleating at her like a crippled lamb.
Lilia’s gait slowed to a shuffle.
Stopping and looking back at her, those depthless ebony eyes stained with a quizzical glint as Eiramor jerked his chin; a silent order to follow.
But to where?
Something felt wrong, Lilia realized, and the relief of being saved had dulled her instincts to complacency. No longer. Swallowing the sludge in her throat, she demanded, “where are you taking me? Why not return me home?”
Immovable was that expression cut by darkened shadows into something more unknown. Eiramor faced her, and said too methodically, “I assumed you’d be reluctant to reveal any address. I intended to take you to my refuge, to recover until morning, when I could leave you in the market.”
Too slowly said, too planned out. Rehearsed. Like he was trying to subdue an animal.
“I’d like to go now,” Lilia said, feeling sweat bead on her brow. “Please.”
“And brave the Underbelly alone?” He cocked a silver brow. “That didn’t end so well last time. There is a difference between confidence and folly.”
“Then at least help me as far as possible.”
“No time.”
“Eiramor, please,” Lilia said, panic nipping at her rationale.
Eiramor opened his mouth, a flicker of impatience in his expression–but stopped as his gaze slid to whatever came from behind Lilia, back down the road they came from. The sound of prowling, feline-like footsteps rang softly along the crumbling walls.
No. No.
“... Katsuho,” Eiramor greeted, inclining his head as whatever humanity lay in his eyes flickered away and died.
Lilia turned to face the person behind her.
She regretted it.
Tall, muscled, and looming came the male down the alley with a languid swagger. His shaggy coal-black hair hung loose around his white mask, which hid all but his innate ear-split grin. From the mask protruded two pointed horns, evoking the thought of a demon made flesh. Lilia was the prey, and this person, Katsuho, was the predator.
“Well, I see you were busy, friend,” Katsuho rumbled, his voice as dark as the shadows cutting across his monstrously built form.
Though he spoke to Eiramor, Katsuho’s hidden gaze never split from Lilia’s now trembling frame. One look at the black uniform confirmed that he worked alongside Eiramor. The uniform was unbuttoned, flaunting the scarred muscle of his chest and his abdominals colored a sickly grey, like he was undead. Unnatural.
Not. Human.
Lilia whirled, only to see Eiramor had moved to block the path ahead. Katsuho was behind.
She was caged.
“You saved me,” Lilia said, looking for even a trace of mercy in Eiramor’s eyes, silently begging for it.
Without a hint of remorse, Eiramor replied, “it was not I that made that assumption.”
So that was it. Betrayal roared through Lilia’s veins like fire as she realized she had two choices. To curl up and let these people take her to gods knew where, or to run.
Lilia ran.
Quick as a hare, she darted at Eiramor, vying to see a blindspot she could slip through and escape. Anything–
Faster than what was humanly possible, Katsuho lunged, fisted a handful of hair at the base of her neck, and twisted. The agony that shot through her was enough to pull a scream as her legs gave out. Into those cold arms, she was pulled as Katsuho laughed into her ear.
“No!” Lilia shrieked, kicking, thrashing, twisting as Katsuho lifted her clean off the ground by her hair alone. “Let me go! Stop it!”
“You’re a loud one, aren’t you?” Katsuho taunted, holding her out and letting her flail. “All the better. It makes it fun.”
Lilia screamed louder, hoping that someone would hear her. “Crosus!” she sobbed through her teeth. “Let me go! Crosus!”
She wanted her big brother. Wanted help–
A sharp pain stung in the back of Lilia’s neck, and she felt her voice die in her throat. The salty brine of tears wetted her tongue, the ache of her body numbing as the waking world fell away.
The last thought in her mind was a phrase she now knew to be true.
No help comes in the Underbelly.
When Lilia woke up and felt nothing, she hoped for a moment that it had all been one, long, terrible nightmare. That Crosus would be there, stroking back her mussed hair, whispering comforting words as his silver eyes glimmered with compassion and understanding. That Lilia would awake to the plushness of her bed and the smooth pink fluff of her duvet. She’d hoped she wasn’t alone.
But she was.
The ache in her scalp where Katsuho had snatched her was the first thing to return. Then the brand-like feel where his hand touched her side, where his chin had grazed her cheek.
Vile. Just that touch alone made her feel utterly filthy.
Her eyes fluttered and opened, taking in swirling shadows as she heard garbled voices before she blacked out again.
When she awoke, she stayed conscious, unmoving on the coarse stone floor. Throbbing pain pulsed down her spine, a reminder of the ache in her head and the thrumming heartbeat between her ribs.
The room was cramped and devoid of anything. Simply four walls of stone, with a low roof. One wall framed a splintered wood door, from which a red light flickered through the gap underneath.
Too quiet, stale, and lonely. This room was a tomb meant to suck the soul from whoever lay in it.
And Lilia was bound, she realized, by ropes tying together her wrists and ankles. All she could do was painfully shuffle towards a wall and prop herself against it, whimpering as the afterpains of Arcane burnout amplified the physical pain at the junction of her neck and shoulder.
Betrayed. Eiramor had betrayed her. Or rather, he’d never helped her to begin with.
No help comes in the Underbelly.
A sob tore past Lilia’s clenched teeth. That same moment, the door roared open, blinding her with the red light of the hall she glimpsed beyond. Then the door closed, and Katsuho knelt before her with a low laugh.
“You’re like a little kitten,” Katsuho said, “curled in a corner, with it’s hackles splayed.”
“Don’t touch me,” Lilia whimpered–begged.
The rumble in Katsuho’s chest shook the foundation of Lilia’s bones. This thing wearing human skin enjoyed the fear he wrought. He lifted a lock of her red-white hair and hummed. “So young. Why, you’re hardly a concern, let alone a threat.”
Lilia jerked away from him, biting down the weak whimper in her imploding chest as that sickening laugh filled the air.
Katsuho drawled, “you must have at least some questions. Let’s play a game… You ask me what you want to know, and I’ll give you an answer. You must guess that answer to be true or false.”
“I don’t want to play that game,” Lilia refuted. “I don’t want to be anywhere near you.”
That grin was wolfish and feral. As though never at rest, Katsuho’s fingers fiddled with the necklace hanging off his shoulders. A chain of bones and metal shards that Lilia didn’t want to know the story behind. “Who said you could choose? Let’s add another rule; if you guess wrong, you get punished.”
“Get away from me.”
“No.”
Right before tears threatened to spill, the door slammed open and Eiramor strode in, his face as cold as ever, though his eyes narrowed when he saw Katsuho looming over her. All he had to do was ball his fists and Katsuho sighed as he stood in one smooth movement.
The next moment, the demon in mortal flesh left, hissing directly in Eiramor’s face on his way out.
Not paying any mind, like it was a common occurrence, Eiramor faced Lilia and took a step closer–
“Get away from me,” Lilia spat, glaring at him and curling in on herself. Her arms strained as they bent behind her, bound too tight to move.
Eiramor, at least, had the decency to step back. “How do you feel?”
“Get out.”
“I need to know if you’re injured.”
“I said get out!”
“I won’t do that.” Eiramor kicked the door closed again and leaned against it, arms folding as he stared down his nose at her. “I have orders I must obey.”
She hated him. That impenetrable shield that was his flawless face—it was abhorrent to her. It made him as inhuman as Katsuho.
“Where did you take me?” Lilia finally said.
Katsuho seemed to want to play with her like food, but Eiramor was more straightforward. As expected, he responded automatically, “still in Anthropa.”
Still in Anthropa. Still home. Although the hopelessness did not ebb away, Lilia willed strength to her soul. She asked, “why did you take me? I didn’t do anything.”
“You’re right. As far as Velizem is concerned, you haven’t ‘done anything’ at all.”
Velizem. The Void’s birthplace. The nation of Shadows, ruled by a faceless king and his monstrous court.
The dots came together and Lilia felt the blood drain from her face.
Eiramor nodded. He and Katsuho worked for Velizem. “You’re smart,” he praised, “I and Katsuho both serve the royal army of Velizem. You may as well know.”
And suddenly it made sense, how easily the shadows welcomed him. How empty his gaze was. Eiramor was one of those nightmares spoken of in whispers at dusk; a servant of the Void. And he said it with such calmness there was no room for it to be a lie.
“What do you want?” Lilia whispered.
The scuff of Eiramor’s boot bounced off the walls as he slid down to sit against the door, across from Lilia, attempting to get on her level; to disarm her in any way he could. Lilia wouldn’t let him.
Softening his tone slightly, Eiramor answered, “my king wants your head on a platter. Same with your brother.”
Dead. The Shadow King wanted Lilia and her big brother dead. Bile surged and Lilia barely swallowed it in time as she stared at Eiramor, unable to hide her terror. “Why?”
“Does it matter?” Eiramor countered.
Yes, but Lilia knew a refusal when she saw one. Instead, she switched gears. “Then why haven’t you killed me already?” She felt sick admitting those words and how they showed her utter helplessness in the face of these males. Whatever they were, neither were entirely human. That humane piece had been removed from them long ago, no doubt.
Eiramor considered her question, weighing if he should answer. Deciding there was no harm in it, he said, “your brother. We need to find him. Or have him come to us. What better bait than his beloved sister?”
“You’re a monster,” Lilia breathed.
Eiramor blinked. “I’d warn you to tell Katsuho whatever he wants to know. If not, he’ll make your final hours as painful as possible.”
“You don’t know where my brother is,” Lilia whispered nervously, choosing to block out the ideas of what Katsuho could do to her, as vulnerable as she was. “Which means whatever dark magic you use is useless in finding him. That you’re counting on luck.”
“We’re counting on you,” Eiramor said, his voice dropping low in solemn warning as his gaze sharpened. “Do you want to know firsthand what Katsuho has done to others like you? There will be nothing left.”
Lilia was silent. Even so, her round silver hues spoke volumes. You won’t stop him.
Eiramor’s eyes flashed. No, I will not.
Lilia was doomed. In a handful of moments, it crashed down on her just how hopeless her situation was. She’d been spirited away in such a manner that Crosus and Karst could never hope to track her down. Not even Nikolai might be able to help.
Nobody knew where Lilia went.
The only way Eiramor and Katsuho would reveal that information would be to trap the ones she loved most and lead them like lambs to the slaughter.
As if he read her thoughts, Eiramor cocked his head to the side and said methodically, “I can… strike a bargain.”
“No,” Lilia said automatically.
Eiramor ignored her. “If you tell me where your brother is, or might be, I’ll keep Katsuho away from you. You won’t even see his face. If the time comes that your brother is found, I’ll ensure a quick end for you both. Painless.”
“Even if I believed you, I’d never accept,” Lilia spat, “And I want you to get out.”
The shadow warrior didn’t budge an inch, keeping his broad shoulders flush against the splintered door as he stared Lilia down.
Each muscle whined as Lilia pulled her knees closer to her chest and turned from him, refusing to acknowledge the rest of his existence for the time being.
Eventually, Eiramor stood up and opened the door.
A thought fluttered through Lilia’s mind. She was held captive here and had no way of warning anyone outside. And for her, nothing was to be done… but could that be said for Crosus? For the rest of the people she cared about? Left to their devices, Eiramor and Katsuho would find Crosus whether Lilia said anything or not.
Unless she bought her big brother time.
Just as he slipped out and pulled the door closed, Lilia suddenly said, “Baker’s Lane.”
Eiramor listened through the single crack left, leaking a vein of crimson light directly upon her dirty face.
Lilia willed the fire in her soul to burn bright—to scorch away any mark of a lie in her words as she fibbed, “I like the smells, and go there to do my studies because of the ambiance. It’s… a place where my brother would look for me.” She’d never gone there to work in her life. To drool over tasty sweets and delectables, yes, but not to work; nor would Crosus think to look there first.
Whether or not Eiramor believed her, he closed the door and locked it with a resonating clunk that chilled the marrow in her bones.
The footsteps drifted into nothingness.
Only when utter silence engulfed Lilia in her cramped room did she break. Then, did every raking sob tear through her chest as she wept bitterly for her fate, for she was alone.
And she was afraid.