Chương 112: Chapter 111- The Estate

Astra's POV Exhilaration and relief washed through Astra at finding Elias whole and well, mostly hale, after the battle with the Siegebreaker, as the din of battle clamored around her she glanced back over at the body as a grimace flashed across her face. The memory of the battle was fresh in her mind, the gambeson under her armor sodden, heavy with sweat as her and Eli raced at reckless speeds to dodge the whipping chain and flashing pick.

A single misstep could have marked their last breath on this plane, and as they had gasped desperately for breath, there had been none left for speech. We were beyond lucky, without the song to coordinate our movements we would have been cut down in the first exchange. Astra glanced back over as another memory surfaced, a moment that was easily missed in battle, but in retrospect stood out. As her and Eli wove through the last exchange of blows to set up the final strike, he had nearly missed a dodge.

The chain had whipped towards his face with enough force to tear it clear away, only for a stray gust of wind to catch the links at the last moment, shifting them just a hair's breadth wide. She gave Eli a considering glance as he also looked at the body of the Siegebreaker. It could have been a coincidence. There was an ice mage somewhere kicking up a blizzard, and the haze of smoke and drifting snow in the air certainly obscured vision, yet she found herself remembering a small mark hidden beneath his collar.

A small smile crossed her face, Mayhap fortune had not acted alone this day. The sound of boots descending stone steps behind her caused Astra to turn as Mr Cooper exited the gatehouse at the head of her guards, joining her and Eli as they stood against the wall, sheltered underneath battlements.

Elias stood close, keeping a wary eye on the sky, and as the guards rushed over and Mr Cooper saluted to give his report, one hand flicked upwards and emitted a hum as an arrow ricocheted off his palm to clatter across the flagstones of the courtyard. While the song had faded, the hymns still sang a low chant in her chest and she could hear the beat of drums tick up just a little louder, as Eli spoke, " Maybe we should move this conversation to some cover."

Cooper gave his report in a raised voice to be heard over the clamor in the courtyard as the squad jogged back to the enclosure that the Company had set up near the warehouse." The gatehouse is clear, my Lady." He paused to huff a few breaths before continuing, " There were a couple dozen inside, which combined with the group we ran down on the way in, accounts for around a little over half of the expected forces."

He paused again as they vaulted the low stone wall and ducked under the hastily erected ceiling made of lashed together shields. The mismatch of the shield designs grated on the eyes, but if they were going to mangle perfectly good arms, Astra preferred to use seized equipment instead of fine Emberholdt steel. The space was still crowded as the mass of Ridgebacks were pressed in close along the backwall, but many of the soldiers were missing, likely sent out by the Captain to clear the towers and ramparts.

Cooper's gaze shifted over to the still body of the massive man in the courtyard, his expression a mix of pride and shame warring for supremacy, eventually setting on pride before turning to continue at a more reasonable volume." Seems the Viscount's champion came to you instead of the other way around my Lady." He grimaced, a light blush dusted his cheeks in chagrin as he glanced downwards for a moment before meeting her eyes again, " I didnae expect the big bastard to just leap from the wall!

It was so loud in the stairs we couldn't hear anything and, with the tight space no one noticed until we got to the top, and then there was no time for anything but fighting and killing."" I am truly sorry you had to fight alone, I reckon we failed ye my Lady." Astra waved him off before patting his arm, " You are no failure in my eyes, you accomplished the task I set before you. The gatehouse is clear and all of your charges are still alive."

She jerked a nod over her shoulder towards Eli, " Besides, I was hardly alone, I had this big oaf and the little scaly devil. Twas a close thing, but we managed." She gave him a proud smile, " I will have to tell you the tale some time Mr Cooper, it was an exhilarating battle, one for the ages!" Mr Cooper laughed as a gruff voice over her other shoulder marked the approach of Captain Winterbrook, " Aye, I haven't seen the like in a long while, for someone trying to avoid rumors my Lady, you sure put on a show."

He slapped a fist to his breastplate in a salute, " With the gatehouse clear and the Champion slain, we should have the situation outside mostly contained. We have yet to find that Abyss damned mage, but we are still sweeping the walls and I suspect we'll find him soon." Winterbrook nodded in her direction, " We can afford to spare our heavy hitters my Lady, so if you want to take your people and begin sweeping the estate we should be able complete our tasks without your assistance."

The company will be able to hold the gate should an evacuation be deemed necessary and, per your previous orders, we will be scavenging for carts and wagons, and rigging as many mounts to carry civilians as we can." His stony expression hid his emotions as Winterbrook looked up at the massive stone keep across the courtyard, but his words provided a window into his anxiety at the rapidly closing window to accomplish their mission." We are all still breathing, so maybe the Ancient's favor will hold."

He turned back towards Astra, " Their blessing be upon you my Lady. I do not envy you, given what you may find there." Astra nodded, sweeping her gaze across the enclosure, suppressing a frown at the row of still bodies in Emberholdt colors beside the mass of Ridgebacks, " Very well Captain, excellent work." She turned to Mr Cooper, " Gather 3rd and 5th squad, we may need the armor."

Astra's POV Astra stood before the austere stone keep that was the centerpiece of the estate; it had changed very little in the decade or so since she had last visited. The large banners that had adorned the walls that night had most likely only been erected for the ball, but the smooth weathered stone of the exterior and the heavy, ornately carved and painted redwood doors were just as she remembered, albeit they had stood flung upon in warm welcome and not tightly closed and barred.

The quiet tap of claws on her cuisses broke her from her reverie as she looked down to find Tiamat chittering up at her. She glanced over at Eli as he translated, " She's asking if you're ok, she thinks you look worried." Astra smiled down at the young wyvern, " Just lost in my thoughts Tia. My last visit here was a happy one and it is just affecting my mood a bit." She grinned, " Well, I was not happy about having to wear a dress, but I was happy to see a few friends…

And to go on the hunt my mother promised me the following day if I behaved." Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. Eli barked a laugh as Tia chittered and chirped, " Tia thinks you should just grow some scales and go all natural like she does." He glanced over and gave her a sly wink, " It's hard to imagine you looking better in something than that armor, but I wouldn't mind taking a peek at you in that dress."

Astra rolled her eyes while failing to suppress a grin, " Please, a dress is hardly more fitting on me than it would be on you." Eli smirked, " Hey I'll put on a dress for you, if it means I get to see you wrapped up in something nice." Astra froze before snickering at the image in her mind as she tried to fight down a blush. By the Ancient's, he would actually do it.

A small swell of warmth rose in her chest as she felt the ripple of mirth travel down the tether, and she flashed him a smile before turning back to the door as the rest of the soldiers from their detachment gathered behind her. Cooper gave her a small nod as the men and women arrayed behind her, Astra glanced at Eli and nodded her head to the doorway, " Eli would you mind doing me a favor? The doors had brackets for a bar midway down the far side, a cut through the bar should suffice."

Eli shrugged and stepped forwards, a pane of distorted air coating the blade of his poleaxe, as he heaved a single overhead swipe. The head of the weapon arced through the center of the doors, cutting a finger wide swath between them as a clatter can be heard on the far side, likely the halves of the bar falling behind the barrier. He leaned forward and with a heavy shove slammed them both open. The soldiers of the patrol behind her braced weapons out for a charge, but looked about in confusion as none appeared.

There was no resistance at all, as the doors swung open to an empty poorly lit hallway. Astra looked on in confusion, turning to glance at the remnants of the previous battles in the courtyard, the ongoing battle to control the ramparts above, before turning back to the empty hallway, unease growing in her chest. Elias backed up to stand next to her, they shared a glance before stepping forward, pausing just inside the empty entranceway.

The inside was fairly well appointed, just as she remembered, the tapestries adorning the walls and the carpets covering the cool stone floors were clean and well maintained. Further down the hall, paintings still hung, the scattered seating along the walls with small cushions were neatly made, but the hanging chandeliers were dark and only a few of the wall sconces were still lit.

Whoever was using the place was no longer lighting candles, or possibly simply not replacing them, and was solely relying on the few enchanted lightstones interspersed throughout the decorations. The hallway stretched forth a little over a hundred feet, occasionally interrupted by closed doors along the walls, until it terminated at the doors to the great hall, the large dining room where the Viscount would welcome visiting guests.

The shieldbearers and pikemen of 5th squad swept forward in two pairs as they took the lead, stopping by the doors along the hallway to cautiously peek through and briefly clear them in turns. If my memory serves, they are just a few parlors and sitting rooms, not exactly big enough to hide any reasonable amount of people in.

Astra strode forward steadily aiming to project confidence to the men, although she inwardly cringed at the tap of their sabatons on the paving stones when they trode across flooring not covered by carpets. Her wariness slowly built as they approached the end of the hallway, ratcheting up slightly every time they checked yet another room only to find it empty. A firm hand on her shoulder steadied her nerves, but she could feel a mirrored trepidation in Elias as a ripple of unease drifted down the tether.

Astra reached forward to test the door to the great hall and, finding them unsecured, she pushed them open, only to find yet another empty space. The trio paused in the doorway and, as the clicking of claws indicated that Tia had joined them, they gazed around the room looking for signs of life. The ceilings rose to a set of timber rafters nearly 30 feet in the air, banners hanging from their lengths, and row after row of empty wooden dining tables and benches stretched out before them.

At the far end of the room the high table sat on a raised dias, empty like all the others, and as she swept her gaze along the walls the tapestries were still, the only movement the soft drifting of snow outside the windows between them. There were at least some signs of use, which was better than the vacant hallway. While most of the tables were clear there were a few dozen that had been set, as if in preparation of a meal that had yet to arrive.

The longer her gaze lingered though, the more she noticed that the settings were wrong, they were not the precisely aligned array of tableware that would be expected at a noble's banquet. She took a few steps forward to examine the closest setting, the enchantments on her armor causing her to drift silently through the still air.

The pieces of the table setting were mismatched, a finely engraved chalice fit for the high table paired with the common earthenware plate that a stableboy might take outside to eat his midday meal. The utensils were wrong and jumbled, as if placed by an unsteady hand that had never actually done the work, but had only heard the setting described to them outloud.

Elias stepped up next to her looking down in confusion, his voice the first sound to break the silence in the still room, " Isn't there supposed to be a lot of people here? Where are they? And why does this table look like it was set by a child?" Astra's head snapped up as a flurry of movement caught her eye from the far side of the room, she was only able to make out a rustle and a flash of black and white.

Whatever she saw leapt from beneath a table in the back of the hall and vanished into a side room, the door slamming closed behind it. She shared a wary glance with Eli before rushing over to follow the movement, and as she approached the door, Astra could hear the faint sounds of soft whimpering from inside. She gave Mr Cooper a signal to halt, as she approached the door slowly, not wanting the clatter of the men's armor to alert whatever laid inside.

Astra leaned near the door, listening for a moment, before speaking softly through the wooden barrier, " Be at ease, no harm will befall you, we are here to provide assistance in your hour of need." The whimpering hitched for a moment at her words before continuing unabated. She nodded towards Eli gesturing with one hand to move slowly as she gripped the hilt of her sidearm in the other.

He reached forward, turning the knob, and gently pulling the door open to reveal a servants preparatory chamber, a small room lined with shelves, which were filled with all the materials used to decorate the hall beyond. A figure was pressed into one corner, a table cloth draped over its shoulders as it faced the corner, the cloth clutched shut from the far side. The person was short but fully grown, likely a young maid trying to hide from the terrors of the battle.

Astra started to step into the room before Eli's arm shot across the doorway halting her, and as she looked up, he fixed her with stern glare and gave her a slow shake of his head. Keeping one eye on her to ensure that she did not enter, he turned to wave Sasha forward, and she recoiled slightly as she stepped into the doorway giving Eli a pointed glare that she did not want to do this. At a nod towards Astra, Sasha gave a silent huff and stepped forwards speaking softly, " Hey now, don't be scared.

I won't hurt ya, I promise. We just have some questions for you." The woman hunched as Sasha drew close, reaching forward, " We just want to talk." As Sasha pulled on the cloth the woman tugged back, and a faint note of exasperation entered Sasha's tone, " None of that now, I just want a look at ya." She gave a firmer tug, and as she pulled the cloth free, the woman spun. The unraveling shroud turned her to face the doorway as Sasha gasped in horror.

Astra froze at the sight as their first glimpse of the extent of the Viscount's crimes were revealed. Her estimation was correct in that it was a young maid they found, or rather she most likely had been a young maid before the monster had gotten a hold of her. The left said of her face was that of a young woman but the right side face, as well as much of that side of her body, had been twisted and fused.

Her flesh had twisted and ran like wax, the side of her mouth was sealed shut, and her right eye and cheekbones had drooped, the displaced orb glassy and clouded. Where her right arm protruded from her dress was lower than it should be, and the arm was long and twisted, hanging nearly to her knee and tipped with a hand sporting claws that would better fit a goblin than a young human girl.

The maid's long dress covered most of her body but from the lumpiness of the fabric Astra suspected the mutations inflicted on her form were not restricted just to the parts they could see. Her remaining good eye was darting around the room in panic and terror, tears running down her cheek as she stared at their weapons, as she emitted piteous whimpering moans from the small portion of her mouth that could still move.

Astra schooled her expression into one of compassion and comfort as she swept aside Elias's arm and stepped into the room crouching before the stricken woman, doing her best to frighten her no further. She spoke low and soft, " We are not here to harm you, we are here to take you from this place, and do what we can to help you. Do you think you can help us?" The only response she received was more staring and whimpering, although the rolling of her eyes slowed as she calmed somewhat.

Astra tried again, " Well, do you think you can help us? Where are the others?" There was no response, " We will not hurt you, but we could use your help." Nothing." Can you not speak?" Astra suppressed a frown, " Nod once if you can understand me." There was no response other than the whimpering slowing just a little bit more, Astra slowly stood keeping her tone gentle as she spoke, " We are going to get you out of here just wait."

Astra strode from the room out into the great hall cursing quietly under her breath as she waved over Ms Farrier as Eli joined them.

She gestured to the room, " We seem to have found one of the victims, her flesh is twisted, and after speaking with her I suspect her mind is too. Take her to the Captain if you can, but if the fighting is still ongoing, shelter in one of the sitting rooms by the entrance. If we find more, we will send them your way." As she turned to leave, Astra stopped her, " Take Mr Smith with you, no one goes anywhere alone in this place."