Interlude

The Throne Room

INGRID

The Throne Room was dimly lit as always, but for some reason, it seemed drearier than usual this time. The torches hung on the sides of the stone walls, spaced far apart from each other, just like the Knights of Vengeance that stood guard in her room, lining the walls. Dressed in black like their leader, Prometheus, they seemed to blend into the shadows, and it helped that they were silent and unmoving.

Ingrid Grendstav sat on the big chair that looked like a throne, her mind racing. Things had fallen into place, though something had gone wrong. The Warriors. They weren't supposed to show up. They weren't even supposed to exist anymore. According to the intelligence she had received from the spies in Arendelle, the Warriors had disbanded months ago. It must have been Anna, the intrepid sister of Elsa, who had put the Alliance back together. Ingrid legitimately had not seen it coming, and thought that she would have gone unopposed in Quodrun.

She leaned back in her throne, a frown coming across her face. Now that the Warriors knew of her existence, things could get incredibly tricky. How did Anna manage it all by herself? Learning the truth about the League's existence and getting the Warriors back together? They had literally been scattered in different countries! Ingrid clenched her fist till the whites of her knuckles showed. Something was wrong. No one was supposed to know about the League's existence.

The Elemental Sorcerers had made a mess in Quodrun, but before they left through a Crossing Point, Ingrid had cast a spell that spread across the entire kingdom, erasing the locals' memories of the past few hours. It was a trick that had been passed down for generations from one Pilgrim to the next to conveniently conceal the League of Sorcerers' involvement in any affairs, and it had always worked. Nonetheless, the Warriors already knew of the League's existence, and really that was all that mattered now.

There was a knock on the door, and a mercenary from the Knights of Vengeance opened the door. Prometheus walked into the room with an air of authority. "Leave us." He commanded, and the Knights obeyed him swiftly, evacuating from the room within seconds, and the door shut behind him. He crossed the large hall and slowed down as he reached Ingrid, and knelt down with one knee to the ground.

"Will Daltrey is secure in a cell." He reported, his voice deep and mechanical from behind the mask that concealed his face. "Things are going according to plan, for now."

"Are they?" Ingrid said dangerously.

"I'm not sure what you me-"

"The Warriors," Ingrid snapped. "They weren't supposed to be in Quodrun!"

"We handled them without any issues."

"Really, Janus?" She snarled. "This was supposed to be a simple operation. In fact, it was supposed to be easier than capturing Elsa! But instead, you made a mess in Quodrun and a fool of yourself."

"My apologies, Mistress." Prometheus said. "But-"

"Take it off."

"Excuse me?"

"Take off that ridiculous thing." Ingrid snarled revoltingly.

Apprehensively, Janus slowly pulled back the cloth hood that covered his brown tousled hair, and reluctantly removed the black mask from his face, placing it on the floor beside him.

Ingrid stared at him. "Every time I see that scar on your face, I'm reminded of your failure and incompetence. Just like you displayed again tonight. You disgust me."

"I'm sorry, Mistress, but I don't understand." Janus said in his own clear baritone voice, shifting uncomfortable at having his face exposed. "No one could have foreseen that the Warriors would reunite and figure out our plans."

"My plan." Ingrid stood up from her throne. "Don't forget, it's your job to make sure you know everything before we head into a mission." She pointed a bony finger at him. "And you failed miserably tonight." She walked over to the kneeling Janus. "Because of you, the entire mission was almost compromised. We weren't prepared to face the Warriors."

"But Mistress, we still succeeded." Janus protested. "I know it was my job to get the intel right, but I couldn't have seen this coming. But we still beat them. Prepared or not, the Warriors are no match for the League."

"And one day, that's going to be your downfall." Ingrid said darkly, narrowing her deep set eyes. "You're cocky. You think that just because you've cut down everyone and everything in your path, you're a god?" she spat. "You're nothing more than a talented street rat. I took you in because I saw your potential. But sometimes, I wonder if I made the right choice in hiring you and taking you under my wing."

Janus kept his head down.

"In the past century of conquest as the Pilgrim, I have never encountered a more talented man at my disposal than you," She glanced at Janus quietly. "And I do not wish to lose you. But disappoint me one more time and I will have you cast out like a leper without your fee, and have someone replace you as the commander of the Knights of Vengeance." She walked back to her throne and sat down. "Now I have to clean up your mess and shift up my timetable because the Warriors are onto us."

"I'm sorry. I understand, Mistress." Janus looked up at Ingrid, who had begun coughing. "Mistress!"

Ingrid coughed hard, grasping at her throat. Weakly, she fell from her throne and grovelled on the ground.

Janus stood to his feet and rushed to an oak table at the side of the room where a beaker of lime green liquid stood. He scooped it up and poured it into a regular glass and ran back to Ingrid. He stooped down and handed it to her, and she gulped down the contents of the glass quickly.

"Are you alright?" Janus asked anxiously, watching as Ingrid sat up.

She shook her head weakly. "It's getting worse. We're running out of time. I can feel the potion losing its potency."

"We can find more Augbine Herbs. Increase the concentration of the potion."

"Magic doesn't…work that way." Ingrid said as she attempted to stand and Janus helped her up, holding her arm steadily. "I'm growing weaker. I'm running out of time." She solemnly glanced up at Janus as she sat down again. "Now do you see why the Warriors are a problem?"

Janus nodded.

"With them in the way, they pose a threat to my plan." She went pale and the colour drained from her already dull skin. "What if they stop me before I find what I need?"

"They won't." Janus shook his head firmly. "I won't let them."

Ingrid sighed, and stared straight ahead at the wall.

"Are you sure you're alright?"

Ingrid gazed at the beaker of potion across the room. She was dying. Slowly, but surely. Her lease on life was running out. Cheating death for the past century had not been easy, as Augbine Herbs were rare. The disease she had contracted a few decades ago had been held at bay by the healing properties of the Augbine Herbs combined with her magic, but each time Ingrid had used the potion to heal and restore herself, the potion lost its potency and the disease within her grew stronger.

Soon, the Augbine Herbs would have no more effect on her, and she would wither away, dying like any other mere mortal. But no, Ingrid was determined. She was going to hold on to the title of the Pilgrim and lead the League for at least another century into the future, striking fear into the hearts of the corrupt.

However, if all else failed, at least she had a backup plan. The reason why she had been so obsessed with Elsa was because she saw her potential as an apprentice. For a time, she had thought that Deirdre could become the Pilgrim's Apprentice but then as she watched Deirdre in the field, she realized that she was too rash, too full of hatred and pain which clouded her judgement.

And then there were Jordan and Jade, both of whom did not have what it took to be the Pilgrim's Apprentice. Definitely, their strength and power were not called into question, but they lacked vision, purpose or the immense willpower it took to be her apprentice.

However, when she had learnt that King Agnarr's daughter was an Elemental Sorceress, hope had sparked within her. She kept her spies trained on Elsa, and was increasingly convinced that the young Princess had what it took. And when Elsa had ascended to Queen and accidentally froze her kingdom, Ingrid had seen first hand what raw power she had, and she was overjoyed by the prospect of finally having a worthy apprentice.

"Should I summon Holli?"

Ingrid shook her head. "Gifted as she is, there's nothing she can do to reverse my condition."

"Are you certain?"

Ingrid nodded and changed the topic. "Tell me, how is Elsa?"

" She's…" Janus paused. "Coping. A little shaken after the battle in Quodrun, but she'll be fine."

"I want you to keep a close eye on her. And bring her to me in the morning."

"Are you sure she's the one you've been looking for?"

"Yes." Ingrid narrowed her eyes. "If not, why do you think I granted Tobias a small force after the referendum in Arendelle if I wasn't sure that she would beat him?"

"Tobias was a fool."

"A fool with purpose." Ingrid replied. "He tried his best, but he was no match for Elsa. You've seen her in action for yourself. Tell me, if not Elsa, who better to suit the role of the Pilgrim's Apprentice? Deirdre?"

"I understand, Mistress." Janus put on his mask and pulled the hood over his head. "I'll bring her in the morning." He said in his deep mechanical voice. Bowing, he turned and left the Throne room.

Ingrid watched as Janus left the room. He had a right to be concerned. Even though she was going to take Elsa as her apprentice, she knew she needed to keep her guard up. She remembered that more than a century ago, her own master, the Fifth Pilgrim, had let her get too close. A young Ingrid had been given away by her parents as a sacrifice to the League, and her master had taken her in as the Pilgrim's Apprentice. However, as she grew older and more powerful as a Ha'naeth, she knew the day was coming when she would be more powerful than her master, and yearned to be the next Pilgrim. Then one day when the time was right, Ingrid turned on him and struck him down in battle.

As her master was dying, he had placed a curse on her. He told Ingrid that one day, an Elemental Sorceress would be the one to end her reign as the Sixth Pilgrim, and ascend to the title of the Seventh Pilgrim. Since that day, Ingrid had kept a close lookout, but then when the time came and she knew that the Augbine Herbs were losing its potency, she had no choice but to rally the Elemental Sorcerers as a part of her new plan to achieve longevity.

All Ingrid had to do was make sure that none of the Elemental Sorceress ever got a chance to usurp the title of the Pilgrim from her. As a Ha'naeth, she had slowly influenced their minds and conditioned them to obey her will so that they would have no opportunity in turning against her. However, the same could not be said for Elsa or Will. She simply didn't have the time to condition their minds as time was running out and her plan needed to be executed quickly now that she had the complete set of Elemental Sorcerers.

Ingrid steepled her hands, looking at the beaker of potion. Time was running out.