Bab 46: Hearts and Minds
They met William just inside the gates.
As they entered the keep, Goleil transmuted his cloak to its normal tabard style.
William smiled as he saw it returning to its standard shape. "That's a cool trick, Goleil. Is that your ability or the cloaks?"
"The cloaks. I am still struggling with summoning fire."
William nodded and continued walking through the torch-lit stone halls. "Unfortunately, I have no aptitude for magic in any sense of the word. My father was surprised since he believed it was passed from parent to child. Apparently not."
"My apologies then."
"No need," he said with a tinge of sadness.
When they arrived at Lord Colm's study, the family heads were still seated and in quiet conversation. A group of eight guards stood outside the door, in four groups of two, each a different color marking whose faction they belonged to. The guards stared straight ahead, as if unfazed by their passing.
As Goleil entered, the room became quiet as Goleil looked at these new people, and they looked at him.
He noticed how they looked at him with a mix of excitement, fear, and curiosity.
"Judging by the trail of magic in your wake, you must be an accomplished mage," Ocargon said.
Minerva shook her head. "He just started his education yesterday."
"What?!" Ocargon and Lorcan shouted.
Lord Colm glanced at Minerva. "Guardsman Goleil just began learning from Court Mage Murdoc, but he had impressive accomplishments in magic even before he began his education." He looked pointedly at Goleil.
Aldritch Colm took a box from his desk and handed it to Goleil.
"First off, Goleil, I want to say that while giving you this item makes me physically sick, I will honor Tyria's word. If you had not defeated all of the knights in the Colosseo so spectacularly, this would've never happened. Please accept from me, the Perennial Band."
Goleil looked down at the black box in his hands. "Thank you, Lord Commander."
'What does this thing even do?' He thought as he held it.
"Moving on before I wrench that out of your hands is that we have come to a decision," Lord Colm said and handed his son a thin scroll wrapped in soft leather.
"That is a map to the Graven Mountains and hopefully where the Mountain Tribes reside. We are sending the five of you, along with some additional knights. Two mage practitioners will accompany you."
William opened the map and began to study it in the corner. Ty'Bral materialized behind him and read it as well.
"Seeing as Goleil is progressing quickly and the two mage practitioners should be able to handle a pseudo-eldritch, we think this mission will go well with a couple of knights and your friends here to assist you."
"And what mission would this be, Father?" William asked.
Lord Colm looked at Minerva, who stood.
"Well, William, we need to verify your report as to the location of the Mountain Tribe. You will travel the Outerlands to the location you had in your intelligence and meet the Tribe. This should be better anyway, as an advance party can make preparations for the larger main party."
William chuckled. "You didn't believe my intelligence, so you're sending me to verify it. I agree that this mission will go better this way. Perhaps you'll finally learn to trust me as my father learned years ago."
Minerva smiled slightly. "We believe you, William. We just can't stake whether our city lives or dies based upon rumors and the utterings of crazy people."
William nodded. "I accept this mission," He said and turned to Goleil. "Goleil, I'd be honored if you accompanied me." He turned to the other three. "Please try not to kill each other."
Rick shook his head. "I can make no promises, my Lord. The last time Mord and I were beyond the walls, he tried to get me to drink animal blood and dance around a fire naked."
"Rick! That was our thing! I swore you to secrecy!" Mord said, his eyes wide.
"You did no such thing."
Minerva sighed. "Are these two fools really who we are entrusting our future to?"
Gwen stepped forward. "My Lady, I can personally vouch for these two men's skill in my and father's honor. Mord is stronger than me when he isn't acting like a fool, and Rick is the only man who can rein him in."
Minerva nodded. "I will trust your word, Gwen. I trust you wouldn't betray your father's honor for two idiots."
Rick raised an eyebrow. "That's all I am? A handler?" He whispered to Gwen.
"Your sword arm is also strong."
Goleil sighed. "Lord Colm, when do we depart?"
"You leave in five days. You will meet at the gates at dawn and begin your journey. Don't allow my son to die, Goleil."
Goleil pounded his chest with his fist. "Your son is safe with me, Lord Commander."
Lord Colm nodded. "Very well. You're all dismissed, except Goleil. We still have matters to discuss."
They all filed out of the room, even the family heads.
When only Lord Colm and Goleil remained, the room fell silent.
Lord Colm looked out the window and watched the citizens.
"I won't ask how it's possible for you to be able to cast magic. I won't ask why your mana is a color I've never seen or heard of. I won't even ask you why you came here in the first place." The man rubbed the dark circles under his tired eyes.
"I just want you to know that the fate of Redvale is in your hands. Perhaps you don't see it, but Redvale is on the cusp of revolution. One good push and we are sent over the edge. Whenever I hear you've done something insane, I think: "This is it. We're done." But it never happens."
Lord Colm looked at the Sun Guard. "I will only ask you one question. Why have you stayed?"
Goleil looked towards the window.
'Why have I stayed? I'm strong, maybe not strong enough to take on an Eldritch by myself, but I could find companions to go with me.'
Ty'Bral materialized by the window, leaning on the frame. "I could teach you a fair amount of magic myself, so you've no reason to stay to learn magic."
'Yeah, but what about the patterns?'
Ty'Bral scoffed. "Do you seriously think a library within a starving city seriously has what you're looking for?! You know where that knowledge is, and it's not here."
Goleil thought of Gwen, Mord, and all the people he had met here. They would most likely die without his help.
"You said it yourself in the city dungeons, your religion is war, and there is no place for the weak on a battlefield. What do you care about these people? You only care about the guards because they remind you of the ghosts of your forgotten companions."
'Vrea told me to rebuild the Vreazil Empire. Redvale could be the first city loyal to my cause.'
Ty'Bral chuckled. "That assumes William has the ambition, because his father would not share that sentiment. It's a shallow excuse, but a start. What else?"
In the back of his mind, a tiny voice whispered, "They have locraf. I could remember more of my past."
'Locraf,' Goleil thought.
Ty'Bral stroked his tentacle chin. "Hm, not a bad reason at all. A good reason, even. Not just a method to get stronger extremely fast, but also a way to regain more memories by countering the radiant energy within you with more Elder energy. You have my seal of approval."
Goleil looked at Lord Colm.
"You have locraf, and I have a steady supply of it. As long as I have access to locraf, I will stay."
PERTIMBANGAN PENCIPTA 
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