Orbs of light levitated outside each cell, they would shrink as Tarik walked past and return to normal size once he passed. A beam of silvery light connected both the orb and the prisoner within.

Stella was gripping her hammer and shield like it was the end times. She knew where they were, what this place is, everything was wrong about it. Dark and heavy thoughts raced through her mind.

“Tarik, why are we here?” Karolus whispered, seeing Stella and her tension, he too was not fond of their location.

“It was the only way.” Tarik knew it wasn’t a satisfactory answer, but it would have to do.

“Only way for what?” the highlander had a look of pleading. 

Tarik gestured at the cell before them. The orb hung in the air as the others did but three acne threads made their way from it deeper into the cell, to each wrist and to the forehead of a massive Douén.

Guards stepped aside as the party approached.

A wave of emotion crashed through Karolus. The last thing Glen had told him to do was find Galwyn and tell him everything that had happened. Now here seeing him chained with iron and magic, beaten bloody, clear signs of torture. 

He rushed over, dropping to his knees. Up Close the wounds were a mix of old and new. Scars that would forever remind him of this place. The wolf's braids were unwound and matted. Karolus raised the Douén’s head and looked into those storm bright eyes and swallowed hard, the light was almost gone. 

Stella’s features went cold. The bear within growled and filled her spirit. Immediately the guards reacted to magic being summoned. 

“Give me one reason I don’t call divine fire upon yer right now!” like a landslide of gravel her words came through gritted teeth.

Grips tightened on swords, waiting for the command to take action. Tarik looked at the orbs suspended in the air outside the cells down the corridor. 

He could dispel them all, start the flames of a prison break. But he was smarter than that. The thought faded. His gaze then met Stella’s.

“Because you don’t want to die.” Tarik saw in her eyes she missed the warning. He nodded to the guards waiting for any excuse. 

Yina reached out and took her hand giving it a gentle squeeze accompanied with a soft smile. Stella lowered her hammer a fraction. 

“You’ve grown.” Galwyn growled coughing flecks of crimson.

“Why?.” Karolus was lost, nothing made sense.

“You shouldn’t be here.” the wolf said again. Frustration and sadness in his tone. 

Karolus didn’t know what to say. Anger, loss, panic, confusion were just a few of the emotions he was fighting. Why hadn’t Tarik told him about Galwyn? 

“I’m here for Connor.” he made sure he didn’t say here to save Connor.

“Stay alive lad. He is going to need you.” Galwyn half whispered, his head leaning towards the highlanders.

“Away!” the old scaled Samos commanded. 

“You’ve seen the wolf, now out you go.” a sadistic toothy smile spread across their face.

Tarik stared at them. No words were passed but he saw what he needed. The glint of fear in the lizard's eyes. Only fleeting but he caught it. This meant the elder lizard knew of Tarik. They were used to power being theirs below the surface.

But now Tarik had people with him, and one had already managed to tap into divine magic. Not something easily done beneath the lake. Stay smart, he told himself.

“Why?” Karolus tried to help him stand but the guards pulled their blades and the magic of the orb brightened. Galwyn grunted against the pain and slumped to the ground. Coughing and spluttering.

“The Douén are enemies of Calvaria. Galwyn their leader. He is to share the locations of the rest. When they are all captured or killed, the wolf will join them in the afterlife.” Tarik spoke the rehearsed words with ease and an icy confidence. 

His eyes never left those of Karolus’. The Nabbatan didn’t need to look at the halflings to know they were planning every way they could to kill him. It was the Karolus he needed to read between the lines. 

The highlanders' trust broke. He had been certain that Tarik was becoming his friend. Had even made him smile. But now he saw that it was just part of the Nabbatans skill set, deception and deflection. 

“What now?” Karolus just managed to get the question out without his voice breaking. 

“Galwyn is mine to deal with. You and your friends here will continue your intended business in Calvaria.” Tarik stated emotionless. 

Violence hung in the atmosphere of the immediate area. The arcane orbs hummed and shook at the cell entrances. Whatever they were, they were reacting. The guards were made up of mostly Samos, but a few Tharros were positioned at the edges. 

None of them were welcome here, including Tarik. The hostility in their auras towards the visitors was on the cusp of being manifested. Likely in a blur of steel and magic.

Karolus turned slowly, taking in as much as he could, he needed fresh air, a bank on a hillside to lay upon and look at the clouds, to digest what was happening.  

Stella was a breath away from becoming a celestial avatar, bear in form, tearing into the scales of the Calvarians. 

Even Yina looked ready, he had not seen her this way before. It scared him to see those gentle hazel eyes seeking blood.  

Karolus placed his hand on Galwyns’ shoulder, a genuine care in his touch. The time he had spent with the Douén he had felt only power radiate from them. Their mere presence consumed the space they were in.

But here in the cell, it was the opposite, as if that aura had been taken from the wolf. Karolus searched for it with his heart, but felt nothing. Had they broken him?

Tension grew as if slowed by time. The highlander watched as everyone involved positioned themselves. All were ready to strike.

“Karolus.” Galwyn let out the growling whisper with painful effort. 

He leaned into the wolf. Brushing some of the long mess of fur from the Douén’s face.

“Leave.” his toothy grin was strained. 

“I can’t just walk away with you like this.” Karolus mirrored the whispered tone.

“You can boy, and you will. Now go.” his lupine head gesturing out the cell, stating every word took effort. 

Karolus let the words sink and settle. He had to leave, Connor was the priority. He put his forehead against Galwyns. 

“We will leave.” he said, almost an order given. Karolus stood and stepped to Yina and Stella.

Yina understood and calmed almost instantly, putting her hand in Stellas.

“Its ok Stella, we can come visit later.” She shared a gentle smile and squeezed.

“And you red eyes, think you should be leaving as well. We need to get the wolf ready for today's questioning.” The sadistic laugh followed them out.

The four of them stood on the surface of the lake. The bank guard looked at them with nothing more than acknowledgement. 

“Talk now before yer skull gets crushed!” Stella pointed her hammer at Tarik, her anger clearly not subdued on the ride up to the surface.

“As I explained, the Douén are enemies of….” he began but it was like lighting a torch.

“Bat dung is all I heard come out yer mouth. Yer knew all this time the wolf was ere, why the secret?.” Stella yelled at him.

Tarik took a long deep breath, the guards were now looking on with interest.

Yina stepped right into his personal space, forcing him to look down into her disappointed eyes.

“Secrets hurt people. Never do their edges blunt and always their wound deep.” Yina then took Stella by the wrist of the hand holding the hammer and gently lowered it. 

“Lets go have a drink Stella.” and the druid led the cleric from the lake back onto the marbled roads. 

Stella clearly needed an outburst of violence but Yina would not allow it, at least not here on a lake surrounded by Samos and Tharros. 

The moment between the halflings and Tarik had been nothing but background noise. Karolus mind was running through the events of months ago when he was camping with the Douén. Living among them, learning from them, the elemental spirits all about them. 

Glencora had shown him some of their own talents and Karolus had thought that one day he too would be a grand Toan hero, wielding magics and slaying evil. 

But slaying what, what great evil was he wanting to adventure against. His mother dead, brother captured by dragon folk preparing to magically make him one of their own. His best friend traded their soul and now the one person he thought would be the hero this terrible story was in chains awaiting death.

He heard the footsteps of Yina and Stella as they made it clear they didn’t want the company of others. The highlander made no move to stop them. It felt better to him that they were wandering off. Somehow it felt needed.

“Tarik.” Karolus straightened his posture.

“Yes.”

“What are my chances?”

Tarik didn’t answer right away. Knowing there wasn’t a great one to give.  

“There is no scenario I can see where you will succeed.”

Karolus had known that would be his response. 

“You are not well liked are you? I mean, by anyone it seems." The highlander looked deeper.

Tarik stared back, his hands placed behind his back. Looking ever the professional.

“Why the deceit?. Why cross the sea to make sure I get here. Is this just an elaborate trap I'm walking into?” Karolus didn’t expect an answer but he didn’t care he was looking for a twitch in the eyes or a shuffle that betrayed confidence.

“I have not lied to you Karolus. I was sent by Galwyn to escort you. Your brother is to be a Vendari.” Tarik was doing some reading of his own.

Karolus frowned.

“Of course, I’m the fool.” the highlander threw his hands to the sky. He paced back and forth in front of Tarik.

“I am sure there is more, more than we can share on this lake. But right now I am going to the House of the Bastion. I’m going to my brother. I will then take him home.” Karolus surprised himself with the conviction of his words.  

“I have already made arrangements for the introduction.” Tarik slipped a smile, mostly because he had guessed right.

“You won’t be staying beyond that will you?”

“I am not welcome among the Bastion. A difference of opinion.” 

Karolus nodded, smiled broadly. Not in the least bit surprised that Tarik was unwelcome. Despite that, he found he didn’t mind his company. 

“I cannot begin to fathom the truth of Galwyn being in this place. But I trust him with everything I know and love.”

“I know.” Tarik answered confidently.

Karolus thought he noticed something in the way Tarik spoke, a softness, a wanting to share more but couldn’t.

“He won’t break.” Karolus stood with pride. 

“Everyone breaks highlander.” Tarik was truly saddened by the thought.

Karolus felt it in his words, there was something about the Nabbatan that screamed at the highlander but he couldn’t put his finger on it. 

“Who were the other people in the cells? They weren’t Calvarian.” the subject of conversation needed to change for the moment. 

“They are prisoners from afar, individuals with knowledge or a skill set that those of Calvaria needed locking away or access to. Such is the politics of nations.” Tarik adjusted his tunic and wrapped a scarf around his shoulders and neck.

“They fear them?”

Tarik let the question hang, without answer.

“Let us leave this place and walk a while.” Tarik didn’t wait for Karolus to follow. He made his way to the bank of the lake and kept walking.

Karolus followed with a thousand and one thoughts racing through his mind. 

Tarik pulled a whistle from a pouch at his belt. It was made of bone and made a loud and low growling noise when it was blown into. It seemed this was the way to summon one of the many Wyverns flying overhead.

Its huge scaled head was very similar to the stories of dragons. Physically powerful but magic did not cling to the creature. 

“Ever flown before?” Tarik asked, placing several silver coins in the harness purse around the beast's back.

“No, I prefer mud and grass between my toes.”

“Well there is none of that up there. Get on.” The saddle was large enough for four but Tarik had paid for all the seats.

Climbing on to its back the leather was well worn and the rope straps didn’t look all that safe. He could see that Tarik wore no such safety.

Once on Tarik whispered a word in the draconic language and the beast took off to the skies. Karolus gripped the saddle harness tighter than he thought was possible. The beating of the wings and upward direction scared him half to death.

He mumbled a prayer to the Dair, the oak, asking for safety and protection. Tarik laughed out loud and it was enough of a shock to Karolus that the highlander forgot he was frightened for a moment.

“Stella will never believe me if I tell her you were laughing.” Karolus forced a smile.

Tarik nodded and let the wind wrap around him. He genuinely looked happy, or at least to Karolus.

It was much colder above the island, they were close to the rainbow aurora. Karolus could hardly believe the sights.

Dancing lights and arcane hues among the mountains, villages, rivers, lakes, towns and the colossal statues of dragons high upon hills. The massive volcanoes home to the elite of the island.

Karolus was in genuine awe at what he was seeing. 

“I thought you didn’t like heights?” he jested to Tarik.

“I don’t…but it’s quieter up here.” Tarik for the first time looked relaxed to the highlander. 

“I can see that.” Karolus closed his eyes and let the wind flow.

Tarik gave him a prod, now a more serious expression. 

“When you guest with the house of the Bastion there is one by the name of Sofi. She will make sure Connor and you are well looked after.”

“Is she a friend of yours?”

“Once upon a time.” Tarik smiled softly.

“Will she help me get Connor home?”

“Quite the opposite, Sofi will do everything in her power to keep Connor here, however she will die for him if needed.” 

“I don’t understand?” 

“You will.”

Tarik steered the Wyvern towards a three floor stacked villa. People were already in attendance to whatever merry making moment was happening. The villa had a massive garden. 

To Karolus it looked as though they were approaching a small village.

The wyvern landed and they were immediately met by armed guards all dressed in plate armour with shield and sword. 

It was a heavy welcome for two people on a wyvern.

“Tarik of the Rook and Karolus of the Toan Highlands. Welcome to the House of the Bastion. Vendari Sofi has been expecting you”