THE KEEPERS RISE

Chapter 12 - Blessing in Disguise - Part 1

*Remember to click the play button to listen to the soundtrack as you read!*

As Trycho continued to collect information from Councilor Quin's officers, he sent two of his soldiers into the depths of the ship with key cards. They returned a few minutes later with the Keepers following confusedly behind them, stones unblocked and glowing again. Velda ran to greet them and hurriedly explained what she had seen as soon as the officers were out of earshot. She was sure to mention how no blood had been shed for some indiscernible reason.

Will'ym was immediately suspicious of Trycho. "Does this change anything, then?" he wondered aloud, peering at the bug-like mage dubiously from across the bridge. "If none of the Councilor's mages were even harmed, Trycho could easily be on Quin's side, giving us the illusion of security."

"It's far more than that," Velda fretted. "He was calling the Councilor 'Archie'. I have a feeling that they have a history together. If Trycho is anything like Quin, I doubt he's here to help us."

He's not acting threatening, Pecci thought to them. I think he's trying to gain our trust.

Iyan glanced around them, making sure they weren't being overheard. "We need to act complacent until there's an opportunity to take control of the ship ourselves," he told them. "We can take ourselves home just as easily as these mages can."

Titus looked like he was about to cut Iyan off, but stopped himself. "I was about to suggest that," he mumbled.

"You're both right," Will'ym said. "I suspect Trycho hasn't been completely transparent about what he did to Quin. We need to get both of them out of the picture, just to be safe."

As a few officers began to near them again, Velda suggested, Let's all look for somewhere to talk later, to plan our next move.

Don't go out of your way, though, Iyan pointed out, Since we wouldn't want anyone to suspect anything. Try to act normal. Titus begrudgingly nodded, and they parted ways.

As they dispersed, Will'ym approached a disoriented but standing Councilor Quin near the bridge window. "Can I have my sword and dagger back?" he asked as politely as he could manage. It wasn't easy to hide his contempt for the man.

Quin stared up at him blankly for a moment. "Your what?"

Will'ym glared at him. "The weapons that were confiscated from me. I wouldn't be surprised if you took them for yourself."

The Councilor swallowed hard and brought his hands up as if he expected the items to be in them. Then, something seemed to click in his mind and he took a sword and dagger out of the stone around his neck. Will'ym snatched them out of the air pointedly and stormed away, sliding the sword into the scabbard on his back with practiced ease. "That's... a beautiful sword," Quin murmured.

As Velda observed the bridge, Cha came out of her stone to examine its surroundings. It seems as if things have calmed down, it said. Now, what happened while I was gone?

Velda did her best to recall the events on the Councilor's ship since she had woken up. Cha occasionally stopped her to dig deeper into particular memories but was otherwise silent. After she finished, Cha asked, So, tell me again, when was your Powerstone unusable?

Whenever you weren't around, I guess. I unblocked my stone for a bit in the cell with Will'ym's magic, but otherwise, it didn't get unblocked again until Trycho boarded us.

If that is so, then what energy were you using to control the healing magic from Will'ym and Titus, and to detect Trycho and his mages' auras?

Velda paused pensively. I'm not sure. Do I need my Powerstone for that?