It was raining in the capital. Grey clouds pouring water down onto the stone roofs and flowing into the street.

"You think he'll get up soon?" Tristen asked, leaning against a wall with Drez beside him.

"Don't know, since Red was taken prince has been sleeping in later than usual, talking less, more focused on training."

"You want to give him the news about Everlight, or should I?"

"I'll let you give him that bit, never thought she'd actually work for the Overlord."

"I know this is going to make me seem like a bit of a prick, but can I ask you something ?"

"Farm boy, you decided to get in the bed of the person your friend's in love with and future wife. Not much more you can do to seem like a prick."

"Was I that mopy when I got dumped."

"We all leave relationships in our own ways. He's sad, you were self-destructive."

"No I wasn't."

"You started drinking in the morning, apparently that's not the social norm up here."

"Got to admit though, the end was much worse."

"He was poisoned into being aggressive which forced her to be sent away, where she was captured by a monster, and is now killing people. You wanted to to change how your relationship worked.."

"He'd known her for less than a month, we'd been together for years."

"I suppose. Should we wake him up then?" Drez asked, moving to the door but still looking over his shoulder.

"I'm not sure."

"Should we tell her?" The Huntsman asked, lounging on a chair in the Netherworld. There were several lower levels on the main spire, with him converting a small area into a space for him. Unfortunately, The Cannibal had a similar idea, fortunately on different floors.

"I am unsure, telling the others we are working together could be problematic." His fellow abomination said, standing in front of him.

He took picked up a bottle of wine he'd gotten in Everlight, taking a long sip. "I heard The Beacon when I was travelling to the jungle, unfortunately I couldn't turn the ship around. I spent a month on the boat, and then three days in a cell. The others must be arriving at the site soon."

"The potential benefits out way the loses."

"Then it makes sense to."

"Unless there is an unforeseen variable."

"That's the thing about unforeseen things, you can't see them coming."

The rain carried on as Khalenhad stood outside of the door to the Baristan's quarters. He noticed something, or more accurately asked about something. He needed to talk. The man was one of King's most loyal men, acting as a personal guard and was only sent to look after the girl because of her importance.

There was the sound of a bolt sliding as the man he was waiting for appeared. "What evidence do you think you've found against the elves now Khalenhad?" Baristan groaned.

"I'm not entirely sure it's to do with them. It's to do with the king falling ill."

"But it somehow incriminates someone?"

"Possibly, it's to do with the poisoner."

"The Butcher's boy."

"Yes, he claimed he was taught by his parents that magic is wrong, that they said the empire was correct. Now the boy was fourteen, the empire fell sixty years ago, assuming his parents grew up under the empire till the age of eighteen, that means they were at least sixty four."

"What about grand parents?"

"I was thought that as well, so I decided to do some digging."

"And what did you find?"

"Nothing, the boy had no known parents, found outside an orphanage when he was just a whelp, no one adopted him and he was only taken in by the butcher two years ago."

Baristan glanced back at him. "When did you learn this?"

"Yesterday. I went to the orphanage and."

"You are to tell no one till we have more evidence, and a precise culprit."

"But if the boy told a lie, then surely someone else must be behind this, and if the King found out."

"And if the King found out, then a witch hunt would take place, with the nobles blaming other nobles and using it as an excuse to fight each other. We cannot have the world turning on itself."

"So, we lie."

"No, we do not tell them the truth, till it is possible for them to know it without turning on each other."

"I dislike this."

"I used to be like you, the war will probably make you more like me. That is not a good thing. Try to hold on to your beliefs. We'll talk about this later, but until then the subject is closed."

"But."

"I said closed."

Khalenhad sighed as Baristan walked away before feeling someone tap on his shoulder. When he turned around he saw Mirah, a look of even more displeasure on her face than usual. "Oberon wishes to speak with you."

"What about?"

"He wouldn't tell me." She said through gritted teeth before turning around.

With little choice but to follow, Khalenhad was lead to the guest wing. It was initially a spare wing that the dwarves were housed before a more permanent building was made to suit them. In the end the dwarves had left the rooms decorated with their own items, and unsurprisingly, they'd redecorated.

Whereas the dwarves had used blue and gold, the elves had gone with mostly green with the odd hint of silver. It was mostly bare. The odd chair or table the only furnishings until they came to a thick wooden door. Mirah tilted her head towards the door and gave a spiteful look. "Go in then."

The paladin was about to knock but found that the door opened before he did. Oberon was sat at a large desk, lent over some papers and his head tilted down, his eyes flying over them. Khalenhad moved over to the opposing chair, sitting down and waiting for the elf to look up.

After a few minuets he made cleared his throat.

"Yes?" Oberon asked, finally looking up.

"You asked me here." He stated.

"And?"

"I'd like to know why."

"Because I have a theoretical opportunity."

"Theoretical opportunity? How can an opportunity be theoretical?"

"Because it may or may not exist."

"I deal in facts, not riddles."

Khalenhad was about to walk out but found that a piece of paper was pushed over to him.

"A wedding invitation? That's it?"

The elf lifted the paper and started to read. "The wedding of the lord of Nordberg to the Second of the Mage's college. Likely to be First of the college if the current's health carries on declining."

"I've met Anise, I don't like her."

"Did she mention that she was a friend of Lo's."

"Yes, she threatened the prince if I remember correctly."

"Anise, as you called her, was her room mate, and the lord raised her from the age of eight till she left. I assume she will try to be at the wedding, or at least the reception."

"And?"

"If she is there, and you help us recover her, I will answer any questions you have."

"Any question?"

"Anything."

"I ask three questions now."

"No questions now."

"Three questions, or no deal." Khalenhad haggled.

"No questions."

"Two questions."

"Zero."

"One?"

"None."

"That's not how haggling works."

"This is not a farmer's stall, you either work with me or not."

''I want insurance."

"You shall have none." Oberon said, his voice remaining at its normal level.

"Then no deal."

"Fine, I have others."

"Wait," Khalenhad interrupted. "Why me?"

"You're like a dog, the only way to stop it chasing something is to give it a bone."

"Thank you for that comparison."

"Make your choice."

Khalenhad took a long pause. "I, will work with you, not for. Are we clear?"

"Perfectly. Now, there is another who I must speak to, so if you would leave."

Khalenhad gave a nod before standing up before taking his leave. Oberon returned to looking at his papers, opening a small leather book and ticking next to the paladins name and looking down at the next two names on his list. He looked over his other papers, making sure a certain set always stayed away from the others.

"Oberon." Emily chirped, giving a slight bow and smile as she walked in.

"You act very well."

"Pardon, me my lord, I don't know what you speak of."

"As you once said 'cut the crap'."

"I apologise my lord, I'm still unaware of what you think I've done."

"Do I need to tell your father about the little network of spies you have."

"I'm really sorry, but I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Mirah." Oberon shouted. "Bring in our guest." There was a short delay before the elf came into the room, half dragging one of the maids. "I believe you know each other."

"I honestly have no idea."

"Then why was she in here, searching through my papers, after one of my men overheard you telling her to do her job."

"I've never seen her before in my life."

Oberon turned his head and gave a nod to Mirah, who drew her knife and pressed it against the girl's throat. "Tell me, what, you know."

The maid glanced between the elf and the princess, her eyes darting between the pair before she gave a gulp. "Nothing sir."

Oberon gave Mirah another nod, who pressed the blade further in. "I, said, tell me."

He looked to Emily as she narrowed her eyes at the girl. "Nothing, sir." She repeated.

"Mirah, let her go."

The other elf gave nod before leaving, just the other two left in the room.

"Most impressive."

"Hypothetically, if I were to know what you were speaking of, why would you contact me?"

"I might have wanted some information, about a person you apparently met."

"And if I told you, then what would I have been given, if I knew what you were talking of?"

"If you refused I would have informed your father."

"My little brother had a similar strategy when he was little. Then what if I did know and had told you?""

"Considering that this is all hypothetical, I don't think telling you would be wise."

The desert night was surprisingly cold , almost as cold as Nordberg to Lo. She and The Huntsman had emerged from the Netherworld gate and instantly she had been surprised. It was like a great beach that never ended. The sky was empty of clouds and the stars could be seen clearly. The Huntsman was wearing the thick fur armour he normally wore. Lo on the other hand, being told stories of how the desert was hotter than the jungle, was wearing a loose fitting cloak, dirty brown trousers, and had a cloak with the hood drawn up to hide her face.

She leant on Fengir slightly, his wound had healed well. And he seemed to be enjoying the cool wind that he'd been deprived of for the past month and a half.

"Where is this meeting place?" Lo asked, rubbing her hands together for warmth.

"There's a tunnel to the south. An old group of thieves used it beforehand."

"How many of your kind are left?"

"I don't know, the question is how many will side with us. In all honesty there are several I know share my beliefs, mostly those at the siege."

"Why?"

"You don't want to know. The Alchemist will be good addition."

"Can he turn lead into gold? You all seem to be named after something."

"He can turn rock into a metal that is incapable of being acquired any other way."

"Any others?"

"The Golem, The Gambler, The Mist Bringer, The Portal Master, The Dragon, The Shade."

"How many of you are they?"

"Those were at the siege, the others, I do not know."

A/N TY for reading, sorry it's been a while since an update but I'm looking forward to writing the next few chapters so they should come out quickly.