The Age of Solace: The Silver Wolf

Chapter 48: The Investigation Part 3

Stella could not believe what was happening. Raven had told her everything that he knew of Phoenix the Fire Lich. He was a hero. The Fire Lich, thought to be a bringer of doom, was a warning that all was not right in the world. It started with the surfacing of the fabled Lich King, who was a lich that created himself, sacrificing his own body and retaining his mind, yet still becoming a monster. He had powers over death itself, and raised an undead army to cleanse the world of the living. The denizens of the Crevasse would then be free to raze the world as it was known, and from the ashes rise to create their new home.

The denizens, of course, were demons. The Lich King's goal was to revive Archleon and bring the demons back from the Crevasse. No one knew why the Lich King would want this, but it also did not matter. The demons would then exact their vengeance on the beings that had defeated them in ages past, and nothing would remain. While Phoenix had destroyed the Lich King before this could come to pass, he was too late to stop the evil monster from breaking into the very place Stella was intending to go. Once there, the Lich King had done something that allowed demons to return without the aid of a vessel to dwell within.

After listening to the story that many of the higher ranks already knew, she was more convinced than ever that the place beneath the castle would bring the answers that she was seeking.

'And to think, I would not have come across this at all if Faradeigh had not brought it to my attention.' Stella realized.

She stopped for a moment when the thought of Faradeigh entered her mind. It had saddened her when she learned that Syrah found that she would never be able to look at him the same way again. Stella really had hoped that Syrah had found someone that she could be happy with. Yet, for some reason... Stella was glad that she did not harbor feelings for the powerless warrior. The very thought wrecked her frame with guilt, yet that was how she felt on the matter.

"You can either follow me, or tell me to drop the issue." Raven blurted, "None of this in-between, hesitation stuff!"

He was hastily leading her towards the castle dungeons, the place where she would find the Fire Lich in question. She recognized the corridors, and knew that they were fast approaching their destination. Even though it was not yet quite sundown, the candles in the castle's halls were already being lit. There were not too many people roaming around near the dungeons, but those that they did come across paid them no mind. One servant did ask if the Princess would like to have some tea waiting in her bedroom, something that Stella had respectfully declined.

Still, despite everything that was going on, and despite where she was headed to... she could not find it in herself to drop what Raven had said.

"I'll have you know-" Stella began to correct.

"Come on Princess!" Raven called, turning his back to her and pressing forward.

'Why do I get the feeling that he wasn't referring to me by title?' Stella inwardly groaned as she followed the fallen half-angel.

Obviously, she had spoken too soon. It seemed as though Raven would be able to get away with quite a lot around her.

"Faradeigh?" Stella asked, finding him already present when she arrived in the dungeons.

His back was turned to her. In fact, it looked as though he were about to turn into another corridor. The guards were instructed to allow Corvin's Blades through as they wished, regardless of the reason. There really was no point in having it any other way, as a Blade of Corvin with the will to enter would cause much more damage forcing their way in than they would if they were simply allowed past. They were much more powerful than standard warriors after all.