Connection

Chapter Twenty-Six: Cliff

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Chapter Twenty-Six: Cliff

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"We are here for a very specific reason. I know you're probably confused as to why we're in Esternesse but bear with me. I want to be quick so will try to explain as briefly as possible, but every word will be important so listen closely," Grez began. Cliff and Jean both nodded.

Cliff called fire to his control and reached within himself to start a fire in the firepit. The flames sprung to life at once and the smoke billowed.

"Make that smaller. We don't want anyone to see the smoke."

Cliff did as he was told and once Grez was content that they would not be found he continued on.

"We'll start when I was about nineteen. My father wasn't necessarily the best and he was often going away, leaving us for weeks at a time. At nineteen, I was in the process of getting my own house and looking into my profession of choice when he went on another one of those 'trips.' He never told us where he was going or what he was doing and at that point I was sick of it.

"He left and that was just a stronger incentive for me to find my own place and get away from him. Fast forward a week and he came back. It was the shortest amount of time he'd ever been gone for so, naturally, we knew something was wrong." Grez's eyes grew glassy as he spoke and his gaze was unfocused, staring away from both Cliff and Jean. "He made me take a walk with him the next day, saying that he wanted to show me something. He took me to the woods and made me a proposal.

"He said that the people he'd been working with all these years wanted a new member and they very much hoped it would be someone who was younger; had more energy in them. He said when he heard it, he jumped at the chance. He kept telling me how much of an honor it was. He told me how proud it would make him and how he knew I would do so well.

"I'm pretty sure neither of you can relate to this, but when you have parents who are so distant and so unloving so often, sometimes the idea of their affection is infatuating. He was giving me so much attention; making me feel so worthy of him that I said yes. Looking back at it, I want nothing more than to scream at myself to stop, but at the time it seemed like the best decision I could make.

"He brought me to them the next day and before I knew it, I was wrapped up with a radical rebel group who called themselves the Ironhunters. At that point in time, I knew it was wrong but wasn't strong enough to leave them so I participated in their unlawful acts. Some things weren't so bad, but others were absolutely terrible. Like I said, I now regret it but there's nothing I can do about my choices then."

"So, these Ironhunters," Cliff asked, "are probably the ones who took Charlotte?"

"Yes, that was my guess from the moment this happened. I didn't say anything, though because I just figured I was being biased. After all, I equate every evil to them. But, I asked you to investigate the area she was taken regardless. Even if it wasn't them it could have yielded clues but they always leave behind their symbol in some way or other.

"That trip that I took earlier was to see if I could find them. I was trying desperately to make contact, but I had no luck. But, on those journies I found something that was a bit shocking; it seems your mayor knows all about them. His men were tracking them down from the looks of it. I knew that they couldn't understand everything that was happening, but I came home because you were relying on me.

"Everything still seemed a bit foggy, but I was pretty sure at this point that the Ironhunters were behind this. While I was still a part of their group, I'd heard whispers of their plans. No one ever told me much because they never fully trusted me, but there are some things you can't hide, no matter how hard you try. Eventually, I pieced together the truth and wasn't happy with what I heard.