A/N Not quite a full chapter so I'm just doing this as an added bit.
Khalenhad's tapped his foot. This was worrying. The boy had dragged him out, talking about a nethergate somewhere in the city. At first he thought it had been some half-drunk rambling but then it became clear it wasn't. They'd found it relatively quickly, down a well in an abandoned courtyard that had been half flooded with rain and the paving woven up by roots. They'd some back to the castle, and were now waiting for Baleon to be finished with his meeting before entering. It was ironic that they were waiting outside a meeting on military strategy while having a route directly into the enemies stronghold, which was thought to have been unassailable.
"The sniffing thing." Tristan began. "Do you literally smell magic?"
"No, it's more to keep me focused. I knew a woman from the south who used to taste the air like a snake." He replied, continuing with the tapping.
"Can anyone learn to do that?" He asked.
"I suppose, but it takes a while. I'm assuming that you're interested."
"It could be useful."
"We'll talk about this at a later date." Khalenhad finished as the doors swung open and the steady stream of dignitaries, generals, and nobles who thought themselves great commanders walked out, most of them chattering to each other, almost none of them noticing the pair, or ignoring them if they did. The paladin's nose twitched as the king was left with two other figures, the smaller of them looking over the board and tracing the line between the capital and Nordberg. Khalenhad let out a gulp. He did not want to go back. He'd had enough of that place.
"It appears we have a guest." The short man stated, gesturing for Baleon to turn to the newcomers.
"Khalenhad, is there something wrong?"
"Yes, and no." The paladin replied, keeping an eye on the figure. Something was wrong.
"Let's start with the yes part." The stranger said.
"There is a nethergate inside the city walls, however, we have located it."
Baleon took a pause for a moment, glancing over the map again. "Are you saying they have a way inside my city?"
"Yes, but we should be able to block it." Khalenhad froze again. As his nose twitched against his will for the third time. "We should be able to fill it in."
The stranger gave a look to the king, something that set the paladin on edge. No, it wasn't the look, it was the man himself. Khalenhad drew his sword. "Abomination." He hissed.
"What are you doing?" Tristan asked, his tone mirroring the paladin's.
"That, thing, needs to be killed. Step aside and I'll deal with it." As the paladin stepped forward he gestured for Baleon to move, though the man remained in place. "Step aside."
"Stand down, Khalenhad."
"What?"
"He said stand down." The stranger repeated.
A frown crossed the paladins face. "You know don't you."
Baleen nodded.
There was a cough from the back as Tristan began to speak. "Can someone tell me what's going on?"
"Our brave and noble king is working with monsters."
"We prefer the term infused actually."
"I don't care what damn term you use."
"Khalenhad, leave, now." Baleon stated, command ringing in his tone.
"No."
The silent stranger stepped forward. He was significantly larger than Khalenhad, with a full helmet covering his face, not even his eyes visible as his boots rang with each step.
"Leave paladin, or my friend will remove you." The other said, a smile twisting onto his face. "Though I already know how this ends."
The paladin remained still for a dozen seconds, before deciding to make his move. He raised his blade and brought it down, attempting to remove an arm and only to have his blade ring before bouncing off. He gave a grunt as he brought the blade down again, aiming for the shoulder this time. A dint in the pauldron, but no sound of pain, it even annoyance
"Khalenhad stop this n."
His words wouldn't help. Khalenhad swung the blade down again, his blade arcing towards the neck, more specifically, the section of cloth that allowed the turning of the head. The blade cut through the fabric with ease, yet there was still a ringing noise.
The creature grabbed his wrist, tightening its grasp before using the other clutch at his throat. "What would you like doing with him?" The stranger asked, tilting his head slightly.
Baleon remained silent for a moment, then a moment longer. "Take him to a cell for now, I'll contact the appropriate people."
The larger figure let go of the man for a moment before delivering a quick blow to the head that knocked him out. There was the sound of the door being opened and a slight thud before the figure returned, standing next to Tristan with its head tilted towards him. Though it couldn't speak, the message was clear.
"You are not to tell anyone this. Do you understand?" The masked man stated flatly, to which the reply was a gulp and a nod.
"Lead my friend to the Nethergate. He'll handle the situation from there."
Tristan gave a rapid and anxious nod, remaining perfectly silent as he left the room and the, thing, followed him. It was then he asked a single question. "What are you?"
The creature lifted an arm up, undoing one of the leather straps on its gauntlet to reveal a metallic arm with a set of words and numbers engraved in it.
Odysseus Reiker, No 003, Guardsman.