- Chapter 10: The challenges ahead -
Of all the dangers that Everlight had to offer, neither venomous spiders or renegade elves could ever hope to match the most dreadful hazard of them all: boredom.
For as much as Juno had come to enjoy this place, with its tropical beaches, endless festivities and surplus of rich, old fools to swindle, part of her just couldn't help but wish for something a little more... exciting! It had been so long – too long, really – since she had a real challenge! Most of these men, rich and powerful though they may be, were either old enough to be her father or drunk enough to confuse a latrine for a bed – or both. And while that had certainly never stopped her before, it just didn't give her the satisfaction it used to, seeing them buckle and bend to her charms.
And so, masking her indifference behind a practised smile, the imperial vixen continued to nod along as she pretended to listen to the drunken centurion spinning his tales of battle and bravery, all the while wishing herself far, far away.
I should really visit the arena again, Juno thought as she extended her empty glass towards the nearest servant, silently calling for another drink. I could use a bit of bloodshed right about now...!
Meanwhile, elsewhere on the coast, a robed woman stood at the top of a seaside cliff, flanked, as always, by a pair of hooded sentinels.
Peeling her hood back just enough to feel the sunlight dance upon her face, the woman drew a deep breath and allowed her thoughts to be swept away by the soothing sound of ocean waves crashing against the rocks below. As always, the shores of Everlight delivered on the promise of natural beauty and tranquillity. A welcome distraction for a weary mind, brief as it may be, she made sure to enjoy every fleeting moment of it, before her mind inevitably shifted back to the matter at hand.
Part of her didn't want to believe it at first. Still, she knew it had to be him.
Who else, if not him?
She watched in pensive silence as the Nordbergian longship came into view. As if able to read her thoughts, one of the sentinels proceeded to hand her a spyglass. Putting it up to her eye, the woman frowned as she studied the dark warrior towards the back of the ship.
Even through the lens of a spyglass, it was almost frightening how similar they were...!
If it weren't for his towering stature and the fur on his cloak, she could have almost sworn she was gazing into the past. For a moment, even her heart seemed fooled by the notion as a distant memory blinked into view: a gentle hand against her cheek, ember eyes gazing deeply into hers as a familiar voice lovingly whispered her name.
Then she blinked – and realized she had been holding her breath.
Scowling at the notion, the woman proceeded to shun herself for even entertaining the thought. She had always prided herself on being rational, never her letting her emotions get the better of her. To think that seeing him again would evoke such a strong reaction...!
He's gone, she reminded herself as she focused the spyglass back onto the warrior, And you know it!
To be fair, it wasn't just the armour that reminded of his predecessor, but the way in which he carried himself: Like a giant among men. Strong and determined, seemingly undaunted by the challenges that lay ahead.
A foolish mistake, the woman remarked with a knowing frown as she handed the spyglass back to her escort. "Cut off their magic as soon as they enter the reef. The spiders will handle the rest." she instructed shortly.
Nodding in affirmation, the sentinels bowed respectfully and disappeared in a flash of light. Sparing one final glance towards the ocean, the woman proceeded to pull her hood down once more, drowning her face in shadow.
Victory will not come so easy, young Overlord, the hooded woman thought to herself as she turned and disappeared into the jungle. Let us see if you are up to the task...!
Removing his helmet just enough to expel a mouthful of seawater, the Overlord made a mental note to waterboard Gnarl as soon as he got back to the tower.
"Twelve stinkin' years of daily sparring sessions and not a single damn swimmin' lesson!" the waterlogged warrior grumbled as he turned to inspect the sad, broken remains of his ship, floating in the water.
Dismissing any hope of repairing the wreckage, the Overlord turned his attention to the coast, where a thick wad of web could be seen, hanging from a nearby palm tree. Seeing a clawed foot poking out from the cocoon-like structure, the warrior sighed wearily.
So much for smooth sailing...!
Author's note: Been gone for a while due to writer's block and lack of interest. Slowly but surely getting back into writing. This is another in-between chapter. It's short, but I hope you enjoy it! Take care!