Chapter 75: Mysterious Figure In Red Cloak
The fire had stopped burning. The only thing that was left of the bodies was now just dark smudges on the grass..
While the magic users were just standing, the dragon riders were busy walking around their dragons, tightening the leather straps and checking the saddles, and preparing for immediate takeoff.
At one side field, Daven Power stood alone. He picked up a small stone, threw it into the air, and caught it again. Then he did it again and again. It was the only thing that was keeping his hands from shaking.
Valerius walked over and stopped beside him. He didn’t say anything at first. He just stood there, watching the same empty sky Power was watching.
Then, quietly, he said, "Losing someone you love is never easy."
Power did not answer right away. He threw the stone once, caught it, and finally he let his hand close around it.
"She used to annoy the hell out of me when she first got to the facility," he said as a small laugh left his lips. "One time... she actually hid my boots so I’d have no choice but to go talk to her."
He squeezed the stone in his palm.
"All she ever wanted was to get into the army. To serve this land." His voice cracked as he looked down at his clenched fist.. "She did not deserve to die like that."
Valerius pause for a moment before he spoke again. "No one deserves to die today. But if what she wanted was to serve this land, she did that. Every single day she she read those traitors and enemy mind, she was already doing it. What happened today was not suppose to have happened."
Valerius gave his shoulder a firm squeeze, then turned and walked back toward the main group.
Power stood there, staring into the empty sky for a few more seconds. He finally put the stone into his pocket and slowly walked back to join the others.
The riders were already climbing onto their dragons. The magic users waited behind each one and once a rider was settled, the magic user climbed up next.
Valerius walked over to where Magnus was watching one rider check the straps on his dragon’s saddle.
"The dragons who lost their riders today," Valerius said, "will be sent back and distributed among the various academies.."
Magnus nodded slowly, saying nothing.
"I’ll be making a stop at the inn on the way back," Valerius added.
"Alright," Magnus said simply.
Valerius then walked back and climbed up behind one of the riders, and with a heavy sound of of wings beating, they lifted off the field and into the sky.
.....
Aldenmoor City!
The faces of the men holding onto the Starweaver properties had turned more ugly after hearing what the leader’s words.
Garrick’s face was looking more ugly. Just a minute ago, he was secretly celebrating, hoping the four dangerous men would tear Reynold apart. Now, their leader basically told them to give everything back.
Draymond too hated how quickly everything shifted. When he first saw Reynold walk into the room, he had planned to negotiate and maybe end up with some clever deal. But looking at how everything turn out, Draymond knew negotiation was completely off the table.
Draymond let out a long breath.
"Fine," Draymond said reluctantly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Come back tomorrow. I’ll have the documents for the tavern ready for you."
Reynold did not answer. He slowly turned his attention to Garrick.
"God dammit," he muttered under his breath.
Giving up the Starweaver properties meant losing almost seventy percent of his entire income. It was the only reason he was fighting so hard and acting so stubborn. But looking at the situation now, he knew he was done for.
"Fine!" Garrick groaned, throwing his hands up. "I’ll hand it all over. The papers will be ready by tomorrow morning."
One by one, the other men in the room who still hold some of Starweaver property agreed to return it too.
Reynold turned his head slightly toward Alistair, who was standing nearby, watching the whole thing with wide eyes. "You’ll be the one collecting the documents."
Then, he turn to the room. "Alistair will be here tomorrow to collect the documents," Reynold announced. He looked back at the crowd of defeated men. "If any of you think for a single second that you can cross him, or play some cheap trick... you better be ready to meet your ancestors."
Alistair blinked as one eyebrow raised up.
Is Reynold putting him in charge of all this?
"We’re done here," Reynold said. "Let’s go."
Before Alistair could ask, Reynold turned toward the door. "Let’s go," he said.
As he wanted to leave, Alistair’s eyes caught a small side table. Right on top of it was a plate of freshly roasted meat skewers and a half-empty pitcher of ale.
"Hmm," Alistair muttered, stopping in his tracks. He stared at the meat, his stomach rumbling. "This actually looks amazing." He glanced around the room, then shrugged. "May I?"
Without waiting for anyone to answer, he grabbed a skewer. "Yes, I may."
Alistair hurried out of the room to catch up with Reynold. He took a huge bite of the meat. "Mmm," he moaned happily, chewing as they walked down the wooden hallway of the building. He tilted his head toward Reynold, holding the greasy stick out. "Want some? It’s actually really good."
"No," Reynold said.
Alistair took another big bite, completely unbothered.. "Man, you were on fire back there."
Reynold suddenly stopped dead in his tracks. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up as a strange, prickling sensation ran down his spine.
Someone was watching him.
He turned his head around, his eyes scanning the street. Just a few yards away, a figure wearing a deep red cloak quickly turned around and started walking away, and disappearing quickly into the crowd.
Reynold stared at the spot where the figure was before.
Alistair bumped his shoulder against Reynold’s, looking confused. "Dude, you okay? What are you looking at?"
Reynold blinked, pulling his eyes away. He gave a short nod.
"Yeah. Let’s go"
They started walking again, but Reynold could not help but look back over his shoulder again and again, his eyes searching for the red-cloaked figure.