Dragonieth 10 Return To Lochlea

Corin groaned. He eagerly raced through the forest and led the way back to Lochlea to see if their father and Grand Magika were still alive.

He felt certain the old timers would be shocked and mad about the news of his son being a sponsor to a male Seriph. He was still mad and reluctant on the matter, not understanding how men can be in that sort of union. It didn't feel right.

Regardless, there were more important matters and dangers to face. He needed to know where Hannah could've been taken. The immediate goal was finding his people and bringing them back home.

Luck was on their side when the skies were clear blue and the sting of the sun was lessened by the cool breeze from the swaying tall poppies of the open plain the three of them sprinted through to reach the desolate ruins of their once thriving and peaceful village.

Luca gasped at the burnt out rubble, white ashed ground and misshaped huts and stone buildings. The damage was long done and now settling with unforgiving onion weeds already compensating for the change, growing over or around the changes. A faded scent of iron lingered about smell of musk and mildew.

"This was the Vorn." Luca's soberly voiced, taking in the devastation and unnerving silence.

"Corin, Darick." Alroy called out to his sons from the sh.e.l.l of a burnt out hut.

He crawled out with Avarack who's majestic robes were burnt at the hemlines. Both old timers looked like they had weathered a seige. Corin sighed when he noticed the youthful twinkle in the men's eyes.

"Glad you're well. So..." He sighed.

Alroy greeted his sons and keenly observed Luca standing next to Darick.

Luca held his solemn expression, doing his best not to give away anything to the man.

Alroy sighed, nodded and patted Darick's head.

"Treat him well. He relies on you for life." Alroy whispered his fatherly wisdom into Darick's ear.
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He moved to the conversation Corin was having with Avarack.

"So, Luca is the one to shadow your journey. Well that's good. I imagine Darick is his sponsor?" Avarack pressed the question to Corin and chuckled at the man's deep frown.

He sarcastically patted the man's head like a kid.

"Avarack. The Vorn, what did you learn from the Nightstalker patterns." Corin shook off the man's pats and kept the conversation on business.

"Not much. I saw a deep valley pit of a quarry, I gleaned from one of their eyes before I stabbed it out. They'd be at the Glan." Avarack soberly informed Corin.

Corin chuckled at the man's subtle gloating. It was the most hopeful news he had heard in a long time. Hannah was only a few leagues away.

Although, the Glan wasn't a place a person could walk into. It was a star-shaped valley bastion managed by the Bragdon Mafia who was sponsored by the West Clan Kingdom's crowned prince, the Duke of Westfall.

The fortress's dense iron walls was secured by magic. Only through the front door, could a person enter and leave.

They would have to find a way in that wasn't going to tip off the Vorn. It was likely going to cost lots of coin.

"I need to get to them before the Vorn moves them again." Corin spoke his thought aloud. "Is that slimy beast of little man still the Chief of Guards?"

Alroy hissed at Corin. "Tinker."

"Father. I understand the man is despicable, we need a way in." Corin frowned, remembering the man's bullying on his Hannah when they were kids. "I'll use him to get in, then maybe slit this throat."

Alroy sighed off his hiss with nod, seeming appeased by Corin's self-confessed promise.

Corin sighed with understanding as to why Luca was with them. His face was the type that slimy sneak of a man called Tinker liked even if he was a man. Luca was going to come in handy for this purpose.

"Luca. Can you be unmarried and woo the Chief of Guards when we get there?" Corin cast an eye to Luca, ignoring Darick's protests.

Luca showed no emotion when he coolly answered with a yes. An estranged silence fell over the brothers during their talks and planning.

"Avarack and I head for the Summerfell Clan Council. We press readiness for war." Alroy informed the younger men of his next steps.

Everyone checked their provisions and weapons for their journeys before going their separate ways: the old men towards the North and the younger men towards the South.