MERCHANT ADVENTURER

Abduction

Without warning, Lord Bromwell reached out his claw-like hands to snatch me from Lord Crohn's side. Suddenly, my vision was dizzy, as I soon found myself being carried and moving quickly.

Lord Bromwell had me hoisted over his shoulder. He was running for dear life, while his men fought, to block Lord Crohn and his men from preventing Lord Bromwell's escape. In this briefest of moments, I found myself abducted by the goddess Eris.

She flew quickly towards the warship and boarded it. Then before I could even shout for help, the ship had left the dock. Bacchanal and Garlan, who had been assisting the Salsburg residents to settle in, somehow heard the news of my abduction. They came to the riverbank.

Garlan shouted out, "Sir Caspian! Sir Caspian!"

Bacchanal screamed at the top of his lungs, worried that I wouldn't' be able to hear him. "We'll save you. We'll definitely save you. Wait for us!"

I screamed back that I would wait for them.

As we were on the ship and had moved away from the riverbank, the hope I had of being saved, also receded. Midas flew to me and desperately tried to allay my fears.

"Septimus is strong. I know he has a way to save you. He won't let you die."

I think the last sentence was said more for her own comfort than for mine.

Eris took me to her private cabin, and flung me onto her bed. With the door sealed, she turned and addressed Midas.

"Ah, Midas. I had heard rumors you and Septimus were at odds, but it seems the rumor is unreliable."

"I am at odds with Septimus," Midas answered hatefully. "You of all gods should know."

Eris laughed wryly. "Yes, I should be able to tell these things without even opening my eyes."

"You let my charge go," Midas shouted at Eris.

"Release him? How pedantic. Midas, you of all beings should know this young man harbors the power of transformation deep within him. With his help, I no longer have to suffer."

What exactly did Eris want with me? And this power of transformation within me, what exactly could it do? Was it a power that was highly desirable?

Despite being abducted, I didn't think Eris intended to hurt me. In fact, I think she needed me alive to use my power of transformation to help her. As long as I served some kind of service to her, Eris wouldn't let me go, nor would she kill me.

With Eris present, I couldn't ask Midas what exactly was the power of transformation.

Midas appeared angry at Eris, but she didn't attack her. This might be because of the black miasma. Midas tried to avoid the black fog as she moved about the cabin.

While Midas was thus occupied, Eris sat down at the desk facing a different direction. She picked up her quill and began to write down something onto the parchment in front of her. Then, she opened her cabin door, called for someone to take it. She whispered some directions to the person, before closing the door.

Afterwards, she breathed a sigh of relief before turning her attention back onto me.