Shroud Arcanum

Back in the room, Alric approached Liam with a smirk. "Quite the turn of events, eh? You've managed to land yourself a job under a saint – something billions dream of. And you didn't even have to try!" The amusement in Alric's eyes was evident.

Still feeling disoriented from the recent events, Liam turned to face Alric. "Look, I appreciate the humor, but can you give me a clearer picture of what's happening? I've got a ton of questions right now."

Leaning against a column, Alric raised an eyebrow, "Shoot. But first, spill - how much are you in debt?"

Liam sighed, "10,200,000 credits.".

Alric's eyes widened in genuine shock. The joke vanished, replaced by a mix of sympathy and disbelief. "By the cosmos, Liam my friend, you are screwed."

Seeing the puzzled expression on Liam's face, Alric elaborated, "Just to give you a scale of your predicament, with a million credits, you could acquire a luxurious mansion, complete with a professional team of staff, in a prime location on Shroud. Given that I've never even heard of Earth till now, even if you plundered the entirety of your planet's resources, you'd probably barely make a dent in that debt."

Liam's heart sank, his mind grappling with the enormity of the sum. "Is it truly that much?"

Alric, noticing the dismay on Liam's face, attempted to lighten the mood. "Well, look at the bright side. Given Zalya's rapport with Irys, you're probably looking at a cushy administrative role on her planet. And let's be honest - this is Zalya we're talking about. She's been nothing but generous. This debt? It's probably her way of looking out for Irys in her own unique way. She's never made us pay for the resources she's provided until now."

Liam leaned against a nearby column, the weight of the recent events pressing down on him. Thoughts swirled in his mind. Zalya's intention, Irys' injury, and the overwhelming debt. One thing became clear: while he didn't know the full extent of Zalya's medicines, he was grateful she had provided only the best for Irys.

The idea of Irys losing her hand, or even her combat capabilities, due to his decisions gnawed at his conscience. Still, giving up is not in his dictionary. He resolved to find a way out, but that plan would need to wait until he returned.

Alric's mischievous grin broke his reverie. "Come on, spill the beans. Now tell me in detail what you did before?"

Liam raised an eyebrow, feigning ignorance. "What makes you think,I will tell you about it."

Alric chuckled, "Well, just curious, I noticed you two had a bit of a... moment before."

Liam exhaled deeply. "So what happened before? You seem to have a debate with Zalya."

Alric leaned in, his expression serious. "Let's start from the beginning," he began. "After our encounter, we rendezvoused with General Arthurn. With both you and Irys out of action, it was up to us to convey what had transpired. The general's surprise was evident when we detailed our clash with the Titan of Yore. They've since sent another battalion to recover the Titan's remains. As they say, it's very precious."

Liam grunted in mild annoyance. "So, they're claiming our loot."

Alric spread his hands in a placating gesture, "There's no way we could've transported that Titan. Besides, we were all running on fumes. Any delay and we risked another, possibly fatal, encounter."

Liam tilted his head, deep in thought, "So, have they outlined our next mission?"

Alric sighed heavily, the weight of the news pressing down on him, "That's where it gets complicated. We're in Country of Aeloria, specifically Ashenfall city, which serves as a fortress city marking the border with the Kingdom of Daedalus. The two countries are neck-deep in conflict. Our scouts have reported two battalions from Daedalus marching towards us, each from a different route. One of them, disturbingly, is set to pass through Duskdale village."

Recognition dawned on Liam's face, the image of Elder Marea and his family coming to mind. "Let me guess, the higher-ups don't plan on defending Duskdale or even warning the villagers?"

Alric nodded grimly, "You hit the nail on the head. They're wary of causing a panic by informing the villagers. Similarly, they aren't keen on diverting troops to defend a single village."

Zalya's expression tightened as the door swung open, allowing her and Irys entrance into the room. Her sharp hearing caught the tail end of their conversation, and she wasted no time adding her perspective. "That is why they are crazy. They could have discreetly informed the village elder and coordinated a quiet evacuation." She paused, brushing a stray hair from her face, "And, no way they don't have a secure way to contact the village from a distance."

Alric ran a hand through his hair, frustration evident in his eyes. "This isn't our only problem. We've had this debate with General Arthurn many times. The latest reports from our scouts estimate that each battalion from Daedalus has around 5,000 troops. That's 10,000 soldiers marching towards Ashenfall, while we have a meager force of 3,000 guarding the city. And that number doesn't even account for the losses we suffered during our journey. Our primary mission now? Hold the fort until reinforcements arrive."

Zalya's voice crackled with fury, her eyes blazing with anger. "And if they're so desperate for troops, why not conscript from Duskdale? Why not bring those villagers here to reinforce the city? Instead, they're practically leaving them out as bait, feeding them to the enemy to buy more time for Ashenfall. All this subterfuge and deception!"

Liam took a deep breath and then replied, "It's always about numbers and odds for these high-ranking officials. In their cold calculations, sacrificing a village to increase the survivability of a city seems worth it. But we are the ones who see the ground realities and bear the moral weight of their decisions." He paused, glancing between Zalya and Alric, "Given these circumstances, what do you propose? What moves can we make?" 𝑏𝑒𝘥𝑛𝘰𝑣𝑒𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

Alric sighed, running his hand through his hair. "Another wrinkle in our predicament is that after our rather heated exchange with General Arthurn, we're basically under house arrest. They've forbidden us from leaving the area. So our options, as you can imagine, are quite restricted."

Liam leaned back, feeling the weight of the situation pressing down on him. "Our options are slim. Can we somehow get a message out? Perhaps if we can meet with our soldiers... Ensign Caelum hails from Duskdale. He would never stand by while his hometown is in danger."

"That's your solution? Sending messages and hoping for the best?" Zalya's voice trembled with a mix of anger and worry. "The Marea family has deep roots in that village. Without solid proof and a trustworthy messenger, They'd consider it a hoax or even a trap."

Liam looked up, his eyes filled with frustration. "Zalya, it's not that I don't care. But let's be realistic here. We are just four individuals. How do you expect us to stand against an army of five thousand? Moreover, we're not exactly brimming with options here."

He paused, taking a deep breath before continuing, "How much time do we even have left?"

Alric, his face grim. "We've been here for three days already. According to the last report, they were approximately five days out. That means we have about two days. Two days to come up with a plan and to act on it."

Liam sighed. "Zalya, I am not underestimating you or our capabilities. I know the extent of what we can do, but the timelines and logistics are incredibly tight." He gestured around the room, emphasizing their current predicament. "First, we'd need to find a way out of this fortress undetected, then race against time to the village. And as you say, convincing an entire village to evacuate based on our word is not easy? even if they believed us, where would they go? How would they get there?"

Zalya stepped closer, determination is evident in her eyes. "Liam, with Ensign Caelum and Liora by our side, the elders will listen. Especially Elder Marea, she still owes Liora a favor, And as for escape, we have magic at our disposal. Manipulating metal and earth to carve out tunnels might be laborious, but it's possible. It's a way to slip out unnoticed." She paused, catching her breath. "Time might not be on our side, but with the right strategy and determination, we might pull it off."

Liam hesitated, still uncertain. "You realize the enormity of what you're proposing, right? The risks are incredibly high."

Zalya's gaze was unwavering, "I refuse to sit back and watch them die, without doing anything."

Irys, sensing the tension, leaned in, "Liam, once Zalya's mind is made up, there's no changing it. You should know that by now."

Liam exhaled, his eyes darting between Irys and Zalya. Deep down, he felt a pang of reluctance. The village had shown them kindness, true, but he was acutely aware of his limitations. Defending the village by himself was a tall order, but could they pull it off if they united as a team? The odds seemed to be stacked against them.

"Alright, Zalya," he finally conceded, " But you better have a solid plan in mind."

Zalya's face broke into a determined smile. "Now that we're on the same wavelength, let me lay it out for you."