The Mythos Trials

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Of all the elven settlements, the Antiqua Village was by far his least favourite. Still, Phenex rapped his knuckles against the door, ignoring the prickle of unease between his shoulder blades. The outpost had always been out of the way, this much was true. But even so, he couldn't quell the feeling that something was different, somehow. Wrong.

Shouldn't there be a guard posted out here?

The door swung open, dragging him from his ruminations. A wary face poked out from the other side of the door, opening it just enough to allow a sliver of light to pour out from the room beyond, but keeping it narrow enough that should Phenex and the others prove hostile, it could be shut quickly.

Phenex saw all of this register in the elf's gaze before she exhaled a shaky breath, her shoulders sagging with relief.

"Oh, it's just you." She opened the door the rest of the way, the narrow strip of light broadening into a triangle of pale yellow at their feet. "Zephyrus sent word ahead that we'd be receiving visitors, but when he said his mansion had fallen under attack..." She trailed off, rubbing a hand across the opposite shoulder, her expression meek.

"Don't worry about it," Phenex said, stepping past her into the room. "Even this far up in the mountain range, it's wise to stay on your guard."

Gwen reluctantly followed him, Forneus the last to enter before shutting the door with a satisfying click. Phenex spared the décor a cursory glance—dried bundles of flowers artfully hung on the walls and fitted into crystal vases, with scenic paintings and abstract sculptures everywhere else—before taking in the other occupants in the room.

Aside from their host, whose hair hung in coppery ringlets to brush against the collar of her cloak, three others were stationed around the room: two sitting at the solitary table just off the entrance, sipping from steaming mugs of what smelled like herbal tea, and the third seated at a wood-paneled console at the far end of the room.

Only the first two lifted their gazes to study the newcomers, the third seeming engrossed in his work. Flashing lights and projected images floated above the console, rotating this way and that as the elf's fingers travelled across the many buttons and knobs in front of him.

"So, Zephyrus mentioned you needed the teleportation dampeners offline?"

Phenex turned when the first elf spoke, honey-brown eyes meeting his with a hint of shy curiosity.

She must be young, even by elven standards, he mused, noting the bashful way she averted her gaze. They probably haven't had outsiders come through here since before she made rank.

Forneus was the first to answer. "Yes, if it wouldn't be too much trouble." He quickly explained their situation, leading up to their need to rendezvous with Horus. "I know it goes against your usual safety protocols, but—"

"It won't be a problem," the elf said, a sad smile softening her face. "Mythos' safety is already in question. If you need the dampeners offline, then offline they will be—though only temporarily. We still need to prevent what hostiles we can from entering our borders."

Forneus nodded. "We can't ask fairer than that. Thank you."

As the elf—who had introduced herself as Mira—began discussing the matter with her co-worker at the console station, Phenex turned to see a look of apprehension on Gwen's face, her lips pressed into a thin, white line.

"Gwen, what—" He faltered. The prickle of unease he'd felt upon finding the outpost intensified, radiating down the back of his neck and into his spine. A brief, silent exchange passed between him and Forneus, the other's silver eyes widening, before the outpost's west wall exploded inward in a shower of wood and stone.