Industrial Mage: Modernizing a Magical World

26 - Tangled Webs

Author's Note:

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"Sir Thomas, what are you doing here?" Ethan asked, surprised at the man's arrival.

Thomas was a burly man. Not just large, he was a mountain of a man. Encased in a dented and polished steel plate, his chest seemed broad enough to shield two men. Beneath his helm, a grizzled beard the color of iron filings spilled over the mail protecting his neck. He was old, too. One hand, the size of a dinner plate, rested casually on the pommel of a longsword that seemed almost dainty in his grasp.

Holy, it's another thing seeing him in Theo's memories, and a whole different thing seeing him in person—the dude's massive.

Ethan watched, stunned, as the colossal figure of Thomas dominated the room. The knight's gaze remained fixed on Edgar.

"What exactly brings you here?" Ethan finally said, breaking the silence.

Thomas shifted his weight. He turned his head towards Ethan, his expression unreadable beneath the metal helm. For a moment, the room held its breath. Then, Thomas spoke.

"We've sent a letter to the crown," he said. "About the situation in Holden."

Ethan's brow furrowed. "The situation?"

"The Blight, boy," Thomas clarified, his voice devoid of warmth. "We spotted one of the living dead in the Deadwoods a while back. We were... distracted with the recent dungeon incursion near Corinth. But things are getting serious, faster than expected."

"And?"

"And," Thomas continued, "I had the pleasure of meeting Lady Karmichael just recently."

"What... why?" asked Ethan, then recalled his conversation with Juliana.

What about Aunt Karmichael? He'd asked Juliana. Didn't she come with you?

She did, Juliana had replied, but she needed to meet an old friend or something.

Was Thomas the 'old friend' Juliana was talking about? Ethan wondered. It's entirely possible. Given that Aunt Karmichael is probably old as fuck—and she appears younger due to a high-level class or race—I can safely assume that Thomas is some old powerful goat stationed in the bordertowns for the safety of the, well, borders. Regardless, he should be far stronger than I'd initially thought, if he has someone like Aunt Karmichael calling him an 'old friend'.

Anyhow, I need to know what Aunt Karmichael said to Thomas. Thinking so, Ethan eyed Thomas. "What did Aunt say?"

A faint flicker of something that could have been amusement crossed Thomas' face. "Let's just say," the knight rumbled, "the information she shared made it very clear why the crown decided to intervene."

"What information?" Ethan pressed.

Thomas sighed, the sound heavy and laden with worry. "It seems the Blight is a deliberate act—we'd expected as much, but now, we know who it is for sure. They're using the Blight to weaken the people of Holden, Corinth, Westford, and sooner or later, they will target Argent too—to make them... pliable."

Ethan hummed to himself.

"Regardless, she practically confirmed what we suspected and she had some orders from my king," Thomas stated grimly. "There will be another dungeon incursion. In, or very near, Holden. And they're using the Blight to weaken the townsfolk. Make them easier to control."