A Sword For Gold

Chapter 20 - Dazolece III

"Is that what's happening?"

Baros Delvis' father seemed to be in immense disbelief, but his face showed an expression that did not seem too overly surprised, as if it was something that was to be expected. It was as if he wanted to be surprised, but not one bit in his body and soul was he shocked. Velenya Martel had just explained everything to him, why his son had returned with some friends, and what their intentions in Dazolece were. Baros' father seemed to believe them and trust them completely, much to Baros' surprise, considering the fact that his entire childhood, he had always loathed his father and mother. The father that he, or rather, they were speaking to was not the man he had remembered from all those years ago.

"I would say I'm surprised," his father reacted, "Lord Pietrus Llayne is a tyrant. Only he would think of something like this."

"Make no mistake, Balin Delvis," replied Velenya, "The collection of the Unwieldables is most definitely not Pietrus Llayne's plan. It's the main plan of his right-hand maiden, Alyria Desolas."

"Alyria Desolas?" asked Balin, "Never heard of her. There's no way that tyrant would ever want a right-hand man or woman."

"Well, believe it," insisted Velenya, "Perhaps she's helping him retain control of the entire land of Dazolece in exchange for his help in giving her a settlement for where The Rising could operate from, and perhaps aid in searching for all of the Unwieldables. That is exactly why we came here. There's an Unwieldable in the depths underneath Dazolece."

"You mean inside the mines?" asked Balin, "If that's the case, I can take you there. I'm a foreman at the mines during the evening, and I could get you all into the mines and through security without a hitch."

"New job, father?" asked Baros, "I thought you were a stableman."

"Horses die in this land, son," Balin explained briefly, "I had to find a job that survives in this kingdom. Thankfully, the demand of miners increased drastically, so I took advantage of that."

Vaelia and Velenya immediately shared a look, one of concern and alarm, as if what Balin Delvis had said was a sign of warning that they needed to be even more worried with the urgency than they already were.

"How long have you been a miner, Mister Delvis?" asked Vaelia.

"Six months," answered Balin, "When the major mining project started."

"Damn it," cursed Velenya, "Alyria has been ahead of us this whole time."

"I'm not following," Baros admitted sheepishly, "What does that mean?"

Vaelia sighed, frustrated about how behind they have been all this time. "It means that Alyria Desolas knew all along where the Master Key was located," she answered, "And she's using her puppet ruler, Pietrus Llayne, to give the order for a massive mining project that would lead her to the Unwieldable. Mister Delvis, have you been informed of what you have been mining for all this time?"

"I've had no knowledge of that until now," answered Balin, who seemed to glance around the windows a lot more than usual, his attention drifting away from the conversation from time to time, and his eyes roaming around, checking from window to window, as if he was worried about something.

"Father, is something wrong?" asked Baros, quick to notice his father's subtle anxiety.

"We're surrounded," his father answered silently, all while looking his son in the eye with a kind of prompting seriousness. Immediately, Baros' eyes widened, fully understanding just what his father was trying to say.

Confused, Vaelia immediately focused her energies into her sensory, intent on sensing out and drawing out the location of what seemed to alarm Baros and his father, to check if they were surrounded by enemies. Immediately, within five seconds, Vaelia's eyes widened in alert, glancing at Baros, as she whispered back, this time announcing to everyone, "We're surrounded. Twenty Demonstalkers and ten sorcerers."