Zeke's words woke Ravi from his momentary stupor. He suddenly remembered why he had come here and what Zeke's success meant. "Later, Pete," he said urgently. "Come quick. I need you to help my son."
Despite the urging of the Archmage, Zeke remained calm. "That won't be possible."
Ravi's face turned dark. His bloodshot eyes narrowed as he gazed at Zeke. "What is that supposed to mean?"
The displeasure of an Archmage wasn't something to be taken lightly. Because their Core had fused with their body, an emotional outburst could often result in tangible physical pressure. However, Zeke acted like he didn't feel a thing. Instead of answering, he made his way over to the corner of the room and sat down at the table where the caretakers usually spent their leisure time.
Zeke casually brushed aside the playing cards and documents occupying the table before looking at Ravi with a calm gaze. It was an invitation for the Master of the Lion's Den to sit with him. After a tense moment, Ravi took a calming breath and took the seat opposite Zeke.
In the light of a nearby lantern, he now clearly saw the state the man was in. His once majestic beard and hair were in complete disarray; his eyes were bloodshot, and his clothes were wrinkled. It was obvious that he had neither slept nor taken care of himself ever since the incident that had crippled his son. No matter what else, Ravi Desai was a man who cared deeply for his family.
Zeke realized that he shouldn't push a man in such a state. Therefore, he immediately explained the reason behind his earlier statement. "My method isn't perfect yet. In fact, I took quite the risk when treating Miss Ripper earlier."
Hearing his words, Ravi calmed down as well. It seemed he understood what Zeke was getting at. "Is that the reason you asked to buy the slaves? for practice?"
Zeke nodded slowly. "It is one of the reasons, yes."
Ravi fell into deep thought. "There is no need for that. I will gift them to you if you promise to heal my son."
Zeke immediately shook his head. "That is not something I can promise," he quickly continued before Ravi could interrupt. "I swear to do my best for Sunil, but there is no guarantee that I will succeed. Therefore, I would be more comfortable paying for the slaves instead."
Ravi's gaze turned sharp for a moment but gradually relaxed as he listened to the full explanation. Considering that Zeke and his son were quite close, he didn't doubt the sincerity behind Zeke's words.
"Very well," he eventually said. "I will not demand such a promise from you. However, I still want to gift you with these slaves. After all, they barely have any value anymore. Just consider them as a token of my sincerity."
This time, Zeke didn't object. Crippled combat slaves were indeed almost worthless, and bickering over a few gold coins was beneath the dignity of an Archmage. However, now that his first objective had been reached, Zeke could finally address his true objective. "There is something else we need to discuss, Ravi."
"Speak."
"Our response," Zeke said in a calm voice.
Ravi narrowed his eyes. "Our response?" he repeated.
Zeke motioned at the empty spot where his right arm used to be. "Me, you, and the Nair family have suffered tremendous losses at the hands of the Firebrand school. If we take this lying down, there soon won't be a spot for any of us left in this city."
Ravi fell into deep thought. His withered body seemed to come back to life as he studied Zeke's missing arm, upright posture, and determined face. Many thoughts and calculations seemed to pass behind his increasingly sharp gaze. Eventually, his eyes locked onto Zeke's. "Do you have a plan?"
"Nothing concrete. But I do know one thing…"
"What's that?"
"This storm," Zeke said meaningfully, "is our only chance for revenge."
Ravi's gaze flickered. "I don't see how the two are related."
"The current situation has forced all of us underground. This gives us a lot of leeway in terms of what we can do. Do you know what I'm getting at?"
Ravi's eyes lit up. "There won't be any interference from the guards."
Zeke nodded. "Compared to the capital above, Undercity is rife with crime. Killings, muggings, and disappearances are par for the course, and the guards stay completely out of it," Zeke looked meaningfully at the master of the Lion's Den. "And right now, all our enemies are gathered here."
Ravi's smile turned bloodthirsty at the thought of revenge. However, it soon shifted into a frown and a shake of his head. "What you are saying makes sense, but we can't really take advantage of it, can we? It would be foolish to assume that the Firebrand school isn't prepared for a counterattack."
Zeke nodded gravely. "That's why we need to be smart about this."
"What do you suggest?"
Zeke pondered for a moment before sighing regretfully. "Right now, we know far too little. Our first step has to be reconnaissance."
Ravi nodded. "I can send out some of my men. However, I doubt we'll be able to find any crucial weaknesses. This storm isn't going to last forever."
Zeke shook his head. "Better not. We'd lose the element of surprise the moment your men are spotted."
"Then what?"
Zeke gazed intently at Ravi. "I'll go."
"Out of the question!" Ravi yelled. "If anything were to happen to you, my son would be doomed."
Zeke remained calm, having fully expected this reaction. However, it was of utmost importance for him to be the one to take on this task. They didn't have any chance to find a weakness in the Firebrand's defense using ordinary means.
"There is no other choice," Zeke said.
"Then forget about it altogether. Revenge is far less important than my son's well-being."
"It's not just about revenge," Zeke said while shaking his head. "If we let them off, they will just come at us again. You can't honestly believe that they will let you be after I cure your son, do you?"
Ravi didn't immediately refute the argument, but his expression indicated that he was anything but convinced. Zeke sighed. "Listen, Ravi. It'll most likely be weeks before I reach a level where I am confident enough to attempt healing your son. Do you think we have that much time?"
"…Time?"
"We are not the only ones who can take advantage of the current situation," Zeke said, putting emphasis on each word. "I would be very surprised to learn that the Firebrand people weren't planning an attack at this very moment."
Ravi remained silent. However, the slight crease in his brows gave away his state of mind. He most likely also realized that their opponents would try to grasp this chance. "Still, does it have to be you? If you were to get caught…"
Zeke smiled. The conversation was finally going the way he wanted. "I am not as easily caught as you might think," he said, his voice brimming with confidence. "They couldn't get rid of me with a well-prepared ambush. What chance do they have now that I am the one in the shadows?"
Ravi pondered those words. "They might be on the lookout for you."
"That is very unlikely. I was very close to death after the fight. To recuperate and cross the desert in a mere ten days would be nearly impossible for anybody else."
Ravi nodded slowly, but there was a hint of suspicion in his eyes. It was clear that he also wanted to know how Zeke had managed such a feat. However, he also knew that he was in no position to pry, not if he still wanted Zeke's help in curing his son. "Are you planning on taking those two along?"
Zeke thought about it for a moment before shaking his head resolutely. "Neither Vulcanos nor Gravitas are well suited for this kind of operation, and we can't afford them being spotted. After all, their presence would reveal that I am alive and well." Also, he already had a perfect candidate in mind to accompany him.
Ravi fell into deep thought. He seemed torn between going along with Zeke's scheme or trying to convince him to give up on it. However, eventually, his rational side won out. "What do you need me to do?"
Zeke smiled triumphantly. "For now, it would be best if you could continue to act despondent. The less wary our enemies are, the better. However, internally, the Lion's Den needs to be on high alert. We can't be caught off guard a second time."
Ravi nodded. "That shouldn't be a problem."
"Also, could you send the slaves to the Nair family?" Zeke said.
"What for?"
"To make it look like you got rid of them. This would help us sell the image of a man who doesn't care anymore."
Ravi considered the suggestion. "The house might still be under surveillance. I could invite a couple of unsavory merchants and brothel owners before sending them off."
Zeke nodded with a pleased expression. It seemed Ravi was finally fully on board. "I'll leave those arrangements to you. I am certain you are far more knowledgeable about how those things usually go."
Zeke extended his hand, gazing deeply at the man opposite him. After the slightest hesitation, Ravi stood, grasping the extended hand tightly. No words were exchanged, but Zeke could feel that they were united in spirit. Now that the Archmage had shaken off the trauma of losing his son, a thirst for revenge had taken the place of his previous melancholy.
"I'll be off."
***
The first time Zeke saw the splendor of Swarnaloka, he thought it to be a paradise. There were no slums, violence, or poverty. The city appeared to be a haven of prosperity without any blemishes. It was to the point where Zeke started to think that slavery might be a superior system of governance.
After all, even the slaves living in the capital were richly dressed and well-fed. It was only now that he understood how such a thing was possible. Undercity appeared as a twisted mirror to the grandeur of the capital. Instead of riches, virtue, and morality, this place reeked of poverty, sin, and debauchery.
Even though the place looked prosperous enough, most of the Chimeroi looked sickly. It was nothing like the city above, where slaves were symbols of status and wealth. Here, nobody cared about any of that. This was the place where people freely indulged the desires they would usually hide.
While making his way to the residence of the Nair family, Zeke found that the entirety of Undercity appeared to be a single den of debauchery. The central district was divided into different areas, each catering to a base desire. He passed an uncountable number of brothels, slave merchants, fighting rings, and other establishments catering to a range of fetishes that made his skin crawl.
Zeke pulled the hood of his robe deeper as he dodged the pleading grasp of a beggar. The man was missing both of his feet and most of his teeth. His once furry skin seemed to have been damaged by some kind of fire a long time ago, and the incident had left him marred. The man was far from the only one who carried the signs of a hard life on his body. In fact, it was rare to find a native who didn't appear to be maimed in one way or the other.
His frown deepened with every further step. Gradually, the wonderful image of Korrovan he had built up in his mind cracked like a fragile porcelain vase. By the time the entrance of the Nair family came into view, he was thoroughly disillusioned with this place. He couldn't wait to get back home.