Book 4 | Agent 34 and the Last Gem

Chapter 43 | Plor's Arrival

Thad sat in the room that he had chosen in Harper's bunker. His head was clutched in his hands, combing through his hair slowly. The dwarf didn't know what to do exactly. He had a major decision to make for the Zena and for Renya itself.

Rumors were going around the Zena. The rumors stated that the Zena would be departing Renya for good and setting sail for a continent somewhere else beyond the waters. Many of the Zena's men were discussing this, more excited than worried. Lots of people liked the idea about exploring beyond the coasts. For the few that didn't, Thad had not heard much from them.

If they stayed at the Island of Death, Braunick would eventually launch an attack upon them to expel them from either Renya or this world for good. It was a known fact that he wasn't very fond of Thad or the Zena in general.

On the other hand, if they left Renya while they still could, they would have a chance to start a civilization without the problems of Braunick arising. They could be successful in whatever other continent was out there.

A knock sounded on his door. He told them to come inside.

Vrängr walked in. "They're back," he said.

"Arenia and Marque?"

"Yes." The elf replied.

Thad gleefully leapt out of his chair, following Vrängr to the surface and outside of the bunker. They walked along the trail they had constructed and down to the west and frontal coast of the Island of Death and spotted Barjual parked there. Arenia and Marque were climbing off his back, another figure whom Thad didn't recognize following them.

"Welcome back," The leader greeted them. "How many survivors did you get?"

"Only one," the stranger told them. "The name is Plor," The human jumped off the dragon's back, extending his hand towards Thad.

The dwarf took his hand, shaking it as he did. "Lord Thad, leader of the Zena," He introduced himself.

"Pleased to meet you," Plor told him. "As I said previously, I was the only survivor from that poor village. All of my friends and family had either perished or had become one with the evil of the storm and was doomed to be a mindless slave to the dangers looming overhead,"

"It's truly a shame that this is what has become of Renya," The dwarf told him. "The word used to be such a beautiful place,"

"And it still is," Barjual piped in. "Beyond the waters and to the rest of the world. Renya is so, so small compared to the other continents,"

"The thing that scares me about that," Thad told him. "Is if we were to retreat there, as the rumors say, we need to know what it's like. Is it different, is it the same?"

"It's both," The dragon explained. "I have gone there and back. I can sum all of how it is in one sentence: Agent 34 and Braunick are not the only elf-humans in this world."

Plor's eyes widened. "I had assumed that species had cross-bred in Renya but never thought that Braunick himself was one. And who is Agent 34?"

Thad stiffened as he listened to his lost friend's name come out of Plor's mouth. "Agent 34 was Braunick's twin brother. Their dad was a human, their mother an elf. Braunick is more human-like, while Agent 34 is more elf-like. The two are complete opposites, both fighting for different sides, different hair colors, personalities. The only similarity is their bloodline and how they fight. 34 fought for us in battle and went head-on with his own brother most of the time until we sadly lost him in a battle above the ocean when he fell into the water, never to be seen again,"

"And why is he called Agent 34?"

"Braunick had stolen his memories from him to prevent him from seeing something. The reason for his memories being gone is still unknown to this very day after around two years of having him fight by our sides. He dubbed himself Agent 34 by finding a note in his pocket that said those very words on it,"

"He wasn't evil right? Like he didn't have evil in his veins like Braunick does?"

"Heavens no," Thad told him. "Agent 34 was one of the smartest men on the battlefield. No one really knows how he knew how to fight, probably learned before he lost his memories and his fighting style just stuck with him. Either way, the man was a man of honor and that is what we should do to him. May he rest in peace,"