Chapter 14: Allied Territory

The Nether portal had deposited Celia and her companions in a cramped, stuffy cave with a ladder leading up a dirt shaft. Climbing to the surface brought them to a lovely plains biome, lush with flowers and overseen by a bright midday sun. Ember hadn't specified which direction Luxmouth was five hours away in, but there was no need.

Flowing nearby, as rapid and beautiful as ever, was the city's namesake: the River Lux. The sunlight gleamed amidst the rolling waters, reflections dancing with the current on the river bed. It was a display which had never failed to dazzle Celia- especially not then, after the recent hardships.

"But this is no time to be taking in the scenery," she'd told herself after emerging from the Nether at last. "People are suffering far more than us at this very moment. We need to go."

And so the trio had set off, following the southwestern flow of the river toward where it met the ocean- and where their destination was built. They traveled in relative silence for a while, until Blake spoke up with a sheepish remark. "Uh… you know, we're all a little filthy. Is there anywhere we can clean up a bit?"

Celia giggled. "You could jump into the river. It's quite… well, no, it's not warm at all. Otherwise I might have suggested we take our places amongst the salmon and ride the current to the city."

"Would that work?" Blake asked, now looking rather intently at the water.

"N-no, that was a joke," she blurted out. "Don't overthink the possibility; we'd likely drown in the rapids. It's much calmer where it flows through Luxmouth, however."

"…oh. Heh, I guess you're right."

"Some mobs have figured out how to avoid being swept away all the time," Felix added. "Take a look at that."

He pointed toward the opposite side of the river, where a squid appeared to be clinging to the bed with its tentacles, digging into the silt to keep it steady.

"I've even seen some squids crawl along the bottom like watery spiders," Felix continued.

Blake shivered and grimaced, a reaction which made Celia pause in her step. "Please never give me that image again," he groaned.

"Do you have a problem with spiders?"

He didn't look Celia in the eye, though she didn't get the sense it was out of annoyance- rather, a slight flush had appeared on his cheeks.

"They freak me out a little. Too many legs…"

"What about creepers?" she asked as they kept moving.

Blake scratched his head. "I wouldn't say I'm afraid of them. Definitely don't want 'em getting anywhere near me, though."

"After you've worked in construction long enough, you'll start to be more worried for your building than yourself," Felix said.

Celia smiled. When they had snuck out of Luxmouth, they came across several hostile mobs on their way to a shore to less conspicuously row out from. Among them had been creepers, the explosive menaces known and feared the world over. Yet while Celia had rarely seen them in person- and thus found them utterly terrifying- Felix's reactions were more akin to weary annoyance. It intrigued her; he seemed more afraid of the far less powerful zombies.

"I'm no good when it comes to designing things," Blake replied, "or at least not aesthetically. Then again, I don't think it really matters. Function over form, you know?"

"Really? But what's the point of building something if it isn't going to look presentable?" asked Felix.

"The Usurpation's equipment isn't exactly spotless," Celia pointed out. "They had crude armor and weapons, and they were covered by little more than ragged cloaks."

Her attention went to her dress. The many scrapes and cuts she'd suffered from the battle had healed, as had the arrow wound, but she could still vividly recall the pain she'd felt. Innumerable rips in the fabric, as well as several areas stained dark red, served to remind her of just how narrow the escape had been.

Blake spoke up again. "Actually, I've been meaning to ask about that. You guys said the Usurpers were unstoppable when they first showed up, right?"

"It seemed so," Felix said, his tone grim. "They conquered tons of small villages, and day by day their forces are said to be building up more weapons. Soon, they might be strong enough to take on the larger cities in this region."

There was a puzzled furrow in Blake's brow. "That doesn't add up, though. I know we barely got away from those two squads, but there was something about 'em that seemed weird. While I was fighting Ray in the village, I noticed his swordplay was… well, pretty mediocre. If he didn't have his grass powers to try and trip me up at every step, I probably could've taken him easily. His goons weren't all that impressive, either."

Celia raised a brow of her own. "I'm not sure I follow your point."

"What I'm saying is, they didn't seem like 'soldier' material to me. They were closer to bandits. Maybe they could terrorize defenseless villagers easily enough, but when it came to taking us down, they had a much harder time. And we aren't exactly soldiers either."

She was taken aback- such a thought hadn't even crossed her mind. Could the panicked reports from escapees of the conquered towns really have exaggerated the threat? The Usurpation had swept over much of the territories to the north; did the initial surprise simply make them appear more organized than they really were?

The notion, which might have inspired some small amount of confidence, was ruined a moment later when Felix put forth a much more ominous suggestion.

"Ray and Tara could just be low-ranking members on a scouting mission, and the real strength of the army might not have spread that far out yet."

A grim quiet loomed in spite of the river's ambience. With unknown origins, numbers, and motives, the Usurpation's true scope seemed all but intangible- and there was no telling how much more Celia and the people of Luxmouth would have to endure until the invasion was quelled.

Blake wasn't sure if he should have tried to start up another conversation as they carried on in uneasy silence, but he couldn't seem to work up the energy to say anything regardless. It was really starting to sink in just how out of his element he was; following a noble from across the ocean in her efforts to thwart an army that would likely want him dead, all because he stumbled across some magical crystal ball.

"And I don't even know anything about the Usurpation OR the Genesis Cores. What place do I have in all this?"

It seemed only time would tell whether he found himself regretting the decision to leave home. For the moment, at least until the Bonemeal Core was safe within the city confines, he was just along for the ride.

Celia suddenly gave a delighted cheer, snapping him out of his introspection. She was pointing into the distance, where Blake could see a wide stone wall stretching across the land, dotted with small gates both on the ground and over the river. Behind it, a very large, very wide mass of more intricate buildings was visible. He hadn't even fully registered the sight before he found himself running along the River Lux's banks with his two companions, a tremendous weight seemingly lifted from their shoulders.

"Luxmouth! We're home!" Celia was laughing.

"I-I can't believe we really did it," Felix kept repeating to himself, sounding the happiest he had since Blake first met him.

"Wait, we've only known each other for… a few days… it feels like it's been weeks already!"

Whatever the case, he allowed himself to share in the delight of his new friends. Their perseverance had paid off. Of course, he wasn't so elated as to not notice the trampling of hooves bearing down on them from behind.

"Guys! We have company!"

Vague as the alert was, it got Celia and Felix to stop with him. They were approached by a group of iron-clad knights on horseback, each wielding a sword and shield. Blake's hand instinctively grasped for the stolen Usurpation blade, but these people were clearly not Usurpers themselves, so he didn't draw it quite yet. They looked more confused than hostile, at any rate. Their shields were all emblazoned with a white and gold emblem of a sun over flowing water.

"Guess it makes sense. We probably look like lost street silverfish."

He didn't want to consider what they must have smelled like.

"Are you three okay?" the man at the front asked. "You look like you've seen better days. Need a lift back into town?"

"Thank goodness," Celia exhaled, strolling toward his horse with a wide grin. "We need to return to Luxmouth's inner district."

The knights muttered to each other, but went quiet when their captain put up a hand. He had an odd frown, and his eyes widened. "Wait… you're…"

"Countess Celia Lumis, yes! I know I must appear most unkempt, but I assure you-"

She'd barely gotten through her sentence before the knight captain had swept his horse between Celia and him and Felix, while his troops surrounded the pair of them with their swords gripped tight.

"What happened, Lady Celia? Are you hurt? Are they responsible?!"

Though Blake was on the verge of panicking, his hands raised, he noticed Felix's shoulders slumping in a way he could only describe as resignedly frustrated.

"I-it's nothing like that!" Celia was blurting out. "They're with me, I swear!"

The knights backed off very slightly, looking to her and to the captain.

"When you disappeared, the Duke put out an alert. He feared you'd been kidnapped, but the Usurpation never set up a ransom for your return."

"That definitely crossed their minds, though," Blake thought, recalling their encounter with Ray.

Celia flinched, trying to step around to rejoin them. "I understand. I must have caused quite an uproar, and I will accept the consequences." When the knight captain finally conceded to letting her out from behind him, she pointed at Blake and Felix. "But! These two are not to blame. It was my idea to leave; they have been nothing but helpful to me."

"Wait a second," another of the soldiers said, nodding toward Felix, "I recognize this one. You're Emily Silverhand's brother, aren't you?"

This drew more surprised chatter. Blake, feeling more out of his depth than ever, looked from his companions to the knights and back.

"Uh… t-that's right," Felix replied. "I accompanied Lady Celia out of the city…"

The captain raised a brow, but didn't question him further. No, his attention fell to Blake instead. "Okay. And who are you?"

"I'm new. Um, I mean I'm new here. I met the P- Countess when she was away, and we helped each other out. I'm Blake… and I don't have two names, sir… captain… knight…?"

Everyone's eyes were on him. He prayed for the ground to open up and swallow him whole.

"At any rate," Celia chimed in, coming to his rescue, "would you be able to bring us back into the city? I have much to discuss with the Duke."

"O-of course, Lady Celia! It would be an honor."

With that- and no further input from Blake- the three of them were brought onto the knights' horses and carried toward the outer wall.

They were close enough for a bustling crowd to be visible, lined up in a moderately orderly fashion outside the cobblestone barrier- about twenty blocks high. Several guards patrolled a walkway at the top, monitoring the mass of incoming travelers while others dealt with them personally on the ground. Gates of pistons and iron bars opened along the wall to let in clusters of people at a time.

There did seem to be a selection process, however. When they reached one of the less crowded gates, Blake saw guards questioning the incoming people and handing out buckets of milk. Only after they drank the milk were the travelers permitted to join the next wave of entries.

"Wonder what that's about…"

Their escort went around the crowd and came to a stop at the gate, where two soldiers approached with more milk.

"Forgive us, Countess," said the captain, "but we must follow protocol."

Celia nodded. "I understand. Blake, please take a drink."

He didn't argue, but couldn't resist raising a brow as he complied. Felix, Celia, and the knights they rode with all followed suit. Afterwards, the gate was opened and they continued through.

"Is this some tradition I don't know about? There something special about your cows here?"

That earned him more puzzled stares.

"It's a precaution against a bad omen," Felix explained. "Like any other condition such as poison, milk can cure it."

"We wouldn't want a traveler to enter the walls and bring an Illager raid with them, would we?" added Celia.

"Huh. Pretty smart, actually."

He couldn't believe he was thinking it, but the raid's arrival with Ray really had saved them. Blake didn't have to ponder whether he owed his life to Illagers for long, however; the sight of the gorgeous cityscape coming into view had his full attention once they'd cleared the stone gates of the outer wall. Celia had spoken highly of it on the voyage back, and for all her flair for the dramatic, Blake couldn't deny she hadn't undersold her home's beauty.

Even the outskirts they passed through first were more impressive than anything he'd ever seen. The buildings were consistent with typical village architecture, all cobblestone and wooden planks, yet arranged with a greater sense of organization that even Blake could appreciate. It was nothing like the rather jumbled mess of houses placed haphazardly about back home, and just being in the midst of the orderly little place instilled a sense of awe as they continued their gallop alongside the River Lux. Villagers and humans alike watched them pass by with interest from their homes, their planters, or the small bridges extending over the water. More mounted knights were patrolling the area, alongside iron golems and even tamed wolves. And the further they went, the louder the roar of dozens upon dozens of voices became.

"To think this is the LEAST high-class this place gets…!"

"Impressed?" Celia giggled.

"Very. Did your family design all this, Felix?"

"We're architects, not street planners. Making a building that matches the aesthetics of the surroundings is one thing; this takes a whole other skill set."

"You'll have to show me some of your work sometime," Blake said with a smile. "Once we're done with the important business, anyway."

Felix could only reply with an embarrassed grin.

Beyond the outer district, they crossed another gated wall- this one built with stone bricks- and found themselves in Luxmouth proper. Celia had mentioned the city contained over a thousand residents, but it hadn't quite occurred to Blake just how many people that was until he saw it for himself.

Villagers and human citizens bustled about as far as the eye could see. Traveling merchants hawked their wares, guiding llamas behind them on tethers. Iron golems keept watchful eyes over the bustling streets, occasionally offering flowers to passersby and patrolling alongside armored guards, all bearing the same crests as on their knight escorts' shields. It almost felt impossible how populated the city was.

"Never a dull moment around here," Celia quipped.

"Make way! Make way for the Countess!"

The captain's shout caused a stir, and the crowd ahead of them rapidly parted in the street. Blake, truthfully, wouldn't have minded the trip taking longer; he was trying to take in about a thousand sights at once.

As varied as the residents were, the locales were even more so. He didn't even know what most of the buildings he could see were, but he recognized enough shops and workplaces to know that he wanted to just wander the streets for hours to experience everything. The buildings were the tallest he'd ever seen, made of all sorts of materials- some of which Blake couldn't even identify. His nose twitched at the smell of seawater, and he realized the River Lux had to lead somewhere.

"This is a seaside city?"

"With a lovely view from the port," added Felix. "My sister helped build some observation decks."

"I'll admit it," Blake said, "this is the nicest place I've ever seen."

But the best was yet to come. Ahead of them, gleaming in the sunlight like the river itself, stood a marble-white building which had to have been larger than his whole village.

"Celia. Don't tell me that's where you live!"

Surprisingly, he saw the hint of a blush on her cheeks. "I've always thought it was a bit much… but, yes, this is the palace of House Lumis."

The streets were clearer of pedestrians as they approached, but even more soldiers stood nearby. Celia's presence hadn't gone unnoticed; Blake could see them all looking their way and calling to one another. An iron gate was opened to allow them into a courtyard full of flowers and neatly trimmed shrubs on either side of the path, and on their way to the front entrance they were flanked by guards standing at attention.

"Talk about a royal welcome…"

They were finally allowed off the horses, with only Celia making a graceful dismount- Felix stumbled, while Blake fell to the ground with a grunt. He'd only been in front of the palace for less than a minute before making a fool of himself.

"Celia."

A man much older than any of them had emerged from the iron front doors, surrounded by guards clad in diamond armor that shimmered purple. He himself wore a white robe decorated with small gold trimmings, and the same sun-and-river emblem embroidered on the front. The family resemblance couldn't be more apparent: he had Celia's fair skin and brown eyes, and though his hair was graying it had undeniably once been as red as hers. Out of the corner of his eye, Blake saw Felix drop to one knee with his head bowed and hurriedly did the same.

"Father," Celia replied. "I… I'm home..."

The Duke was silent. Blake dared to look up and saw the man's eyes scan across the three of them as slowly as seemed possible until they settled on him, to which the man frowned. He dropped his gaze like a stone, praying he hadn't come across as offensive.

"Come inside," he said, not a hint of emotion in his voice. "You all have some explaining to do."