Obsidian's Reign ¹

∷ Chapter 33 ∷

CELDRIC WAS CERTAIN with the help of the Elite as well as his brother, Adric, he would have better luck coming in possession of the weapon rather than searching for it aimlessly on his own. But convincing them to join his efforts was another thing altogether.

It was clear that the Elite did not trust him. And though the notion was troubling, it was justified. After all, he'd lied about a majority of things leading up to their present predicament. If he hadn't been caught skulking about the hallways, he'd probably still be living a lie.

"How certain are you that the weapon exists?" Rylan asked, testing the waters on behalf of the trio.

"The general has made mention of it several times. The weapon being in possession of the demons brings about a certain level of unease. I reckon he has intentions of retrieving the weapon himself at some point."

"Why is it that you know of the existence of such a weapon and yet none of us has ever heard of it before?" Jae asked, and though he sounded mildly disinterested, there was no mistaking the way he was scrutinising Celdric behind his gaze.

"I'm sure its existence was kept a secret to prevent breaching the treaty that has been keeping the peace between the three realms."

"A weapon like that falling into the hands of the wrong demon could cause potential chaos," Rylan agreed.

"And you have no idea where this weapon is kept?" Jae asked.

To this, Celdric shook his head, his expression dashed with a loss of hope.

"All I know is that it's stashed somewhere close to the king. I figured it had to be in the castle. As to its exact location . . . My guess is as good as yours."

"How far have you searched?"

Celdric laughed awkwardly as he rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment.

"Most of the east wing, though I haven't gotten anywhere with my search . . ."

"You're determined," the prince commented, his voice expressing his boredom. "The castle is impossible to navigate with ill intentions. It toys with the confused minds of those who are uninvited. It's a wonder you made it as far as you did."

"I thought as much," Celdric responded, a worried frown gracing his features before he said, "Which brings me to my next point. I was wondering if perhaps you'd be willing to help me in my search for the weapon."

His question, though sudden, was not entirely unexpected. It was only natural to assume he'd request for assistance soon after being found out. It was becoming obvious even to him that working alone was not productive in the least.

Celdric watched in nervous anticipation as the Elite shared a look between them, conferring amongst themselves through hurried murmurs of whispered words. From the little an observer might deduce, it was easy to assume that Rylan seemed to have the biggest issue working with Celdric. It wasn't him per se, but rather the fact that he had connections with the angels that seemed to irk him beyond measure.

Even so, it didn't take much to convince him in favour of the request. A furtive glance in Clara's direction was all it took to bring his indecisiveness to an end. He could hear Zephyr's argument lull into the background as he looked at her, aware that retrieving the weapon could make the difference between her living and her death.

He shifted towards Jae, and with a heavy sigh, nodded his head in agreement. The message was conveyed to the expectant Celdric who hurriedly thanked them for their relatively prompt cooperation.

"I can count on your help too, right, Adric?" he asked, turning to face his brother. When he failed to provide an immediate response, Celdric continued by saying, "You know I can't do this without you. Luther would have my head if he hears of my betrayal."

Adric's eyes widened in sudden realisation as the weight of Celdric's words finally sank in. He seemed to have frozen for a millisecond before his eyes narrowed into threatening slits and brightened to a flashing shade of red.

"If he tries anything with you, I will not hesitate to rip his throat out and feed his carcass to our hounds," he said, his voice appearing as a snarl.

Celdric winced, giving his brother a hesitant smile as he tried placating him before his anger spiralled out of control.

"Perhaps, we ought to try for a less violent means to do away with Luther."

And in a softer voice, meant only for his brother's ears, Celdric added, "I have faith in you and I'm sure that if we work together, we'll have a higher chance at succeeding."

Adric paused to consider his brother's words carefully. He thought over the careful explanation and after casting a glance towards Clara, he exhaled.

"Sure, I guess," he said noncommittally.

But just before Celdric could express his elation, Adric said in an annoyed tone, "But I'm not doing it for her."

Celdric looked at Clara and gave her a sympathetic smile. She shrugged, trying to convey her nonchalance on his reasoning behind his assistance.

"I'm doing it for you, brother," he continued. "For all the years I stood by whilst you slaved away at the hands of that bastard, Luther."

Celdric nodded.

"That's good enough for me, Adric. Thank you."

"Well, then," the prince said, turning to the others who were seated facing them. "Here's to a glorious partnership."

The sarcasm was clear in his tone as he tilted his head and gave them a rather sardonic smile.

"Right . . ." Clara mumbled, uncertain if Adric's involvement would be beneficial or if it would send them further into the turmoil they were in.

"I'm not entirely psyched at the prospect of having to work with you either, your Highness," Adric said, eyeing Clara in disdain. "That said, I can ignore your presence and tolerate you for a duration unstated."

"Adric, listen," Celdric whispered. "I truly appreciate your willingness in helping me, but I need you to keep yourself from provoking the others. Otherwise, we'd never get along."

Prince Adric scoffed.

"We can find the weapon by ourselves. I don't see the need in having them around."

"They've already agreed to help me, Adric. The least you can do is try to cooperate," he sighed. "I need to do this and I need as much help as I can get. Won't you overlook this just once?"

The two stared at each other in silent regard.

At long last the prince turned away from Celdric's imploring gaze, saying nothing and keeping his silence.

"How can we look for something without knowing what it is?" Zephyr interjected before the argument could escalate.

"He has a point," Rylan said. "You've been referring to it as the weapon, but what is it exactly?"

Celdric visibly faltered before saying, "The truth is . . . I haven't a clue. Luther never once elaborated on the fact, but there's been hearsay about it being a dagger."

The group fell into silence as they scoured their brains for possible locations within the castle where the supposed dagger might be kept. A thought occurred to Clara just then as she turned towards Celdric.

"What about the king's private office?" she asked, earning everyone's attention in the process. "You mentioned that the weapon would be kept close to him and the only person who has access to the office is the king himself. It could be a possibility."

Celdric nodded, "It would make sense to have it hidden in a private office if the king was the only one with knowledge of its existence."

"Do you know how to get there?" Zephyr asked.

"I think so," she replied, though without much enthusiasm.

"If no one has any other suggestion, let's go with Clara's."

Rather unexpectedly, his words were met with a flurry of agreement. And as simple as that, the search for the weapon with the power to end the lives of angels—and possibly the general himself—was afoot.