Realm of Monsters

Chapter 594: Dinner with the Katags Part 1

  The garden pavilion was set on the 4th floor of one of Hollow Shade’s premier restaurants. There was no ceiling, leaving an open-air venue. A single table lay on the floor, reserved for the most elite of guests. The elevated height gave the pavilion a beautiful view of the city and the setting sun. At least, it was supposed to. The sun had already set and the darkness of the night obscured most of the city’s landscape.

  The servants had already lit the candles on the table and served the guests wine, but none had yet to order their meal. Tauri fidgeted in her seat and sipped her wine, trying her best not to look at her parents who sat across from her.

  “Are we still waiting?” asked one of the servants politely as they came back with another bottle of wine.

  “Stryg will be here soon,” Tauri said with as much confidence as she could muster.

  He would be here, she knew he would. If he wasn’t, then she’d hunt him down and—

  Evelyn tapped the table impatiently. “Where exactly is your lover, Tauri?” 

  “Honey, we agreed we wouldn’t talk about their relationship until both of them were here,” Krall reminded her with a sweet voice.

  People always found it strange when Tauri told them that her berserker father was in fact the kind parent. It always seemed obvious to her, all anyone had to do was spend a few minutes with her parents to realize it too.

  “I’m simply inquiring about the obscene tardiness of the man our daughter decided to betray her family for,” said Evelyn innocently.

  Tauri frowned and met her gaze. She knew her mother was baiting her, but she didn’t care. “I didn’t betray the family, I just stopped obeying your every command. You know? Actually being your daughter, instead of your servant.”

  “I didn’t raise my daughter to sleep with her sister’s fiancé,” Evelyn noted calmly. “Did you, Krall?”

  Her husband looked away and sipped his wine, “My, this is a nice vintage, don’t you agree?”

  “You don’t know either? It is a wonder,” Evelyn said. “Enlighten us, daughter, of where you learned such ‘honorable’ tactics.”

  Tauri clenched her jaw and tried her best not to get up and walk away. This meeting needed to happen, for the sake of House Katag and House Veres. She knew that and yet all she wanted to do was flip the table over. Stryg had promised that they would face her parents together. So where in all the bloody Null Realms was he!?

  A blur caught the corner of her eye. She turned in time to see Stryg and Gale shooting just past the edge of the parapet before landing on the rooftop. Gale’s landing was elegant, her feet graced the floor softly, one step at a time. Stryg’s was heavier, his feet hit the ground hard with a heavy thud, his knees bending slightly.

  Evelyn’s calm expression cracked.

  “Stryg!” Tauri smiled briefly before her lips twisted into a scowl.

  “Oh thank the gods,” Krall muttered. He stood to his feet, smiled wide, and offered his hand, “If it isn't our resident war hero, welcome!”

  “Lord Krall, it’s good to see you,” Stryg reached out and grabbed his forearm, or at least tried to. The orc’s forearm was massive. Stryg barely managed to wrap his fingers around half of it. “I’m sorry for being late,” he said and glanced at the two ladies.

  “Sit, sit, please,” Krall gestured.

  Stryg took him up on his offer and sat next to Tauri. He glanced at Gale and was surprised she didn’t do the same. He gave her a questioning look.

  “I have already eaten; besides, my services are better used inspecting the perimeter. If you’ll excuse me, my lord,” Gale bowed, then slipped away.

  Gale hadn’t eaten, Stryg had been with her all day. He had a sneaking suspicion she just didn’t want to wade into the mess that dinner was bound to be, but he let it go. He had already dragged her into a deadly meeting with gods and dragons.

  Stryg turned his attention to Tauri and reached for her hand under the table mantle. His fingers brushed her hand but she pulled away, not deigning to look at him. That was odd. Usually, she’d hit him when she was angry.

  “Quite the entrance, Lord Veres. You couldn’t take the stairs?” asked Evelyn.

  “I was already late, I’d rather not have you wait any longer,” said Stryg.

  “And what, pray tell, was so important that you had us waiting almost an entire hour?” asked Evelyn.

  “I was speaking with the dragons that were flying over the city,” said Stryg casually.

  Evelyn stiffened at his words, Krall coughed up mid-sip of his wine, and Tauri turned to him. All three had their eyes wide open, staring at him with shock.

  “You— what?!” Tauri said.

  “What?” Stryg asked innocently, unsure why they were all panicking.

  “You spoke with the dragons…? How? Why?” Evelyn asked.

  “What did they want?” said Krall, all warmth gone from his voice. Gone was the cheerful lord and its place was Hollow Shade’s War Master.

  “They wanted to talk to Lunae and some of the other gods—” Stryg stopped in mid-sentence. The latter had slipped out. The people of Hollow Shade weren’t supposed to know about his sisters’ presence, were they? Now that he thought about it, he wasn’t really sure. Both of them were living legends throughout the Realms. People knew about them, but they didn’t necessarily know they were alive or in the city.

  “Lunae is here? In Hollow Shade?” Evelyn leaned forward, her voice shaking.

  “Uh. Yes,” Stryg nodded slowly. He supposed it didn’t hurt if people knew at least that much.

  “You are certain of this?” Evelyn pressed.

  “Yup. I rode with her into battle the night of the siege.”

  “You? Rode into battle with the Watcher herself?” Evelyn said skeptically. Now she knew he was lying.

  “Well, actually I rode on top of her head. She was a giant white wolf and I sort of just gripped onto her fur and held on as best I could. Not really easy if I’m being honest,” Stryg said.

  “It’s true, I was there,” said Tauri.

  Krall stroked his beard, “That seems…”

  “Ludicrous. Do you actually expect us to believe that your lover rode into battle atop a goddess as if she were just some steed?” said Evelyn, almost shouting with derision.

  Stryg glared at her, “The Mother Moon is not a steed. I rode with her because she thought it’s where I’d be safest since as War Master of the Sylvan, it was my duty to lead my warriors into battle.”

  “Yes, you did mention you were the Sylvan's War Master before,” nodded Krall in understanding. 

  “I didn’t want to be, but as Lunae’s Chosen I didn’t have much of a choice,” he admitted.

  “And now you claim to be the goddess’ Chosen?” Evelyn tried to keep her voice and expression calm, but her twitching eyebrow betrayed her. “Surely, you must understand how absurd your story sounds?”

  “How do you think I managed to bring the entire Sylvan army to Hollow Shade? I come from a small tribe with little influence among my people. The army arose to fight because Lunae deemed it so because of my request. If you still don’t believe me, then why don’t you just go meet her?”

  Tauri grabbed his hand, “Stryg—”

  “Meet her?” Evelyn scoffed playfully.

  “She’s in the Commoner District. If you want to talk to her, I’ll introduce you,” said Stryg.

  “You’re serious?” Evelyn cocked her eyebrow. 

  “I am.”

  “Stryg, don’t,” Tauri whispered.

  “And why not? If you both are telling the truth then what’s the problem?” Evelyn taunted.

  “Maybe it’s because gods are not to be trifled with?” snapped Tauri. “Or maybe it’s because Lunae is protective of her Chosen, very protective. So when an orc who clearly does not believe her Chosen and is outright disrespectful to him, arrives at her doorstep denying the goddess’ own existence I’m quite certain Lunae will outright kill you.”

  Evelyn tapped the table in thought, “You’re saying if I want to confirm Stryg is telling the truth I’ll die? So I just have to take your word for it? How convenient.”

  “Ugh!” Tauri threw her arms up in frustration. “Why are you being so difficult!?”

  “It’s difficult for me to trust my daughter after she’s been lying to me,” said Evelyn.

  Tauri had told Stryg her mother had a way of getting under her skin, it was one of the main reasons she wanted him to accompany her to dinner. Stryg hadn’t really understood what Tauri had meant until now.

  “You said there were other gods in this meeting, who were they?” It was Krall who spoke and pushed through the tension.

  “You believe him?” asked Evelyn.

  Krall ran his hand across the scars over his neck and chest. “A week ago our city was besieged by monsters as big as a house, with impenetrable skin and an immunity to magic. They broke through the wall’s enchantments and slaughtered our soldiers. Even Elzri was only able to defeat two of them before he fell. Then the Sylvan army suddenly came to save us and not long after the dragons came to our aid as well. I don’t believe that was a coincidence. Today we all saw dragons flying over our city and now the young Lord Veres, who led the Sylvan army, tells me he was at a meeting with the dragons and the gods. Do you still think that was a coincidence, honey?”

  Evelyn stared at her husband, a hint of pride in her eyes. “I suppose not,” she said begrudgingly. “So, what other gods were at this meeting?”

  Stryg scratched his cheek. “Two daughters of Stjerne.”

  “Stjerne has children?” Evelyn perked up at his words.

  Tauri glanced at Stryg questioningly. He had thought about what to say or how much to tell, but in the end, he decided these two people would soon be a part of his tribe, and he didn’t want Tauri having to lie to her parents for his sake.

  “He does. They have different names in different Realms. You’ve heard of one of them. Holo The Tall,” said Stryg.

  Evelyn furrowed her brow. “The founder of Hollow Shade?” 

  “There have been legends surrounding Holo for almost a millennia. I always thought it was different powerful mages taking up the mantle through the years. But if what you say is true, then Holo’s legend becomes more understandable,” said Krall.

  “Her sister is the Jade’s Saintess of Heroes, Melantha,” said Tauri.

  “Really?” Krall perked up. “She is here? In the city? You met her?”

  “She is the one who killed Marek at the execution,” said Stryg.

  “That was her!?” Krall laughed, “I was wondering how she somehow managed to stop the shades. A goddess’ powers are something else. No wonder the High Priestess remained so calm. She must have known who Melantha was.”

  “Yeah… I guess she did…” Stryg muttered. He hadn’t thought about it before. Now he wondered just how much the Chosen of Bellum really knew.

  “Could you arrange a meeting? I’d love to meet her,” said Krall excitedly.

  Evelyn smiled wryly, “Darling, if he is telling the truth, then these two women are goddesses. They may be willing to speak to dragons, but we are mortals, I do not think it wise to cross paths with such beings.”

  “I can arrange a meeting,” said Stryg.

  “You can?” Krall smiled, undeterred.

  “Really? Just like that?” asked Evelyn skeptically.

  “Well, Melantha is my sister, so yeah, I guess I can.”

  Evelyn and Krall glanced at each other and shared an unconvinced look.