Heir of the Underground

Chapter 17: Leviathan

"I'm sorry about all that." The apology left Aurelia's lips the moment that Prissayne—as she had been called—was out of earshot. "I know we're not really supposed to talk to the enemy, but we were sort of friends, her and I. At least at one point."

Kassius seemed understanding, nodding along. Of course. Leviathan could only manage a frown. It didn't seem fair to talk out against Aurelia. No one had gotten harmed, not that the princess would've done much damage anyway, but their conversation had put their mission on pause. And with it being so out in the open, the wrong person could've walked by.

They needed to be quick. In and out.

Still, "It's fine" was all that Leviathan said in response, though he really just wanted to urge the group to move faster.

They were at least headed in the right direction. And with Aurelia there to guide them around Rheolaeth, time had already been saved.

"Well, we're at the building we need to be at," Aurelia declared. They reached the doors to the chapel, lowering their voices and walking only on the toes of their feet now. This part of the journey would certainly be about sneaking, about disguise.

"And it's teeming with Children of the Patron, correct?" Kassius wondered. He was already stretching his fingers, anticipating the need to use his powers.

To his question, Aurelia gave a slight sigh. "Unfortunately, yes. Which means you'll have to—"

Before she could finish the rest of her words, Kassius waved his hands and conjured up disguises: lime green robes, scratchy and so long they touched the floor.

She wrinkled her nose in immediate disgust. "Ugh, I never thought I'd be back in one of these."

He did another swift wave of his hand. "Would this be better?" he asked. The robes dissolved, leaving them all back in their true clothes. "The disguises are still there, but not visible to us."

Aurelia chuckled. "Yeah, thanks."

"I went ahead and normalized our features too. We should seem pretty boring to others."

Leviathan and Aurelia nodded. "Sounds efficient," the captain remarked. "How long until this all wears off?"

Kassius gave a small shrug of his shoulders. "As long as I don't have to use my magic in any other capacity, I should be able to keep this up as long as I need to."

"Noted." Leviathan looked to Aurelia, his eyes narrow—serious, for a moment. "That means that you and I should be prepared to do most of the looking, lest he need to cover us or provide a distraction, so our mission isn't compromised."

Aurelia nodded quickly, understandingly, then she turned suddenly, facing the door, and took a moment to pause. Perhaps to get over any fear or unease at being back.

Then, when she was ready, she pushed the doors open and stepped inside. Kassius and Leviathan followed suit.

The smell of incense immediately hit Leviathan in the face, overpowering his nose. The smell of must and dust lingered in the air too. The walls were stony and sad looking, and the hall they stood in was dimly lit with a raggedy carpet under their feet.

"For a group so important worshipping a deity so esteemed, you certainly don't live the best," he marveled, equally baffled and amused, though not so much by the smell.

"The Children may be important, but they insist on being more humble than anything else. That's why they can't marry, or why I couldn't cut my hair, and why I only ate two meals a day when I lived with them."