Chapter 78: Doubt

They thought they were being careful. They had rowed in so silently and hid their boat in the washed up wreck of a larger ship so that, at a glance, you could hardly tell that theirs was there. The three treasure hunters strapped packs of equipment to their backs and hips, tied cloth around their boots to muffle their steps, and passed around a flask filled with liquid courage. Lastly they each slipped a charm over their heads to protect themselves from the spirits here. It would be woefully insufficient.

Thresh would personally see to that. He was pleased that he had spotted this little incursion as they were approaching shore and took a position in the crumbling foundations of a tower so he could appraise them. Wicked thoughts swirled through his mind as he watched the group begin their doomed trek inland. He promised himself he would take his time with at least one of them. He needed that certain satisfaction that only came with screams of agony. Things had not been moving in accordance with his goals, and few things relieved his frustrations such as turning them into another's suffering.

Progress on studying the mark upon Achlys had all but come to a stop. Karthus had grown more emboldened after Viego's approval of her and was more controlling of what it is was Thresh was allowed to teach her and how often he was allowed to remove her soul from her body. He had only been allowed to do it once and only for a brief window of time despite the fact that Achlys was strong enough in body and spirit to survive the separation for longer durations.

Thresh played along. Achlys was too valuable a resource to let slip through his fingers. But to have to suffer the audacity with which Karthus lorded the knowledge of his intentions over his head filled him with a cold hatred. Thresh cursed himself for being so forthcoming with a true devout. He would not make that mistake again. The thought of Karthus holding any true influence over him was an affront! Perhaps in a century or two, long after Achlys was a wraith, he would visit his displeasure on the Deathsinger, but for now others would need to suffice.

Thresh ran his finger along the edge of his scythe as his skeletal face contorted into something that could be a scowl. The blade did not injure him; it was an extension of his spirit, his will. But oh, it was going to tear eagerly into mortal flesh.

He was so engrossed with his spiteful thoughts that he did not notice the soft clicking sounds of his unexpected visitor's approach until she was within twenty paces of him. Had she wished to attack him, the first strike would have been hers, but as it was she only wished to speak.

"Thresh."

For a second time that day, Thresh cursed himself. However he was not going to allow being caught momentarily unaware give his visitor the satisfaction of seeing him surprised. Calmly, he turned around to face the monstrously large spider glaring up at him with her ruby eyes.

"Elise," he said, "to what do I-"

"I'm not happy, Thresh." She spat.

The scowl returned to his face. He despised being cut off. If he had been in unpleasant mood before, Elise was pushing him towards hostility.

"What a coincidence, I'm not happy either."

Bitterness dripped from his voice as venom dripped from Elise's fangs. She returned his biting tone with her own.

"You are never happy."

"On the contrary, dear Elise, there are many things I take pleasure in. Rude guests are not one of them."

Elise's attention flickered briefly to the weapon he held. Two of her hind legs moved back half a step so that she could feel the silk she had laid behind her underclaw. At the slightest movement from him, she was ready to rappel away. They were in an alliance, but that did not mean she was about to let her guard down around him.

For several moments, they stared at each other. The tension refused to dissipate, but Elise was here for a purpose and she was going to pursue it whether Thresh was going to be cordial or not.

"Achlys's soul is in danger."

"She lives on the Shadow Isles," he answered with a wry inflection, "her soul is always in danger."

"I am in no mood for your jests today, Warden. Have you made progress in your work?"

"No."

Elise hissed and scraped one of her claws across the worn stone.

"Turn your frustrations towards Karthus, not me. Trust me on this, Elise, I desire nothing more than my freedom from Viego's whims."

"It is the one thing I do trust about you." She tucked her fangs downwards, the closest thing this form was capable of doing that resembled putting on a concerned expression. "Viego has a greater influence over Achlys's soul than I pleased with. She needs that freedom as well, more than she knows. Though, I believe she is beginning to understand the perils of her position."

That last statement was unexpected. As long as he known her, Achlys had been an obedient child, content with her place on the Isles, eager to serve her home, and seemingly unbothered by how close to death she was at all times. But if she was suddenly feeling doubt?

"Did something happen to her?"

"She angered Viego."

Now that was something unexpected.

"How?"

"She overstepped her bounds. From what she had told me, she had offered a suggestion in regards to the queen that was not well received."

"Dutiful little Achlys overstepping bounds?" Thresh barked out a harsh laugh. "Oh, I can imagine it! I have no doubt that whatever she suggested was said with best intentions. Her naive kindness returned with scorn. She must have been devastated."

Elise's fangs flashed out.

"Do not mock her pain!" She hissed.

"Surely you can see the irony in this."

"There is nothing humorous about this mess. He hurt her through their connection."

This statement gave Thresh a moment's pause.

"He hurt her?"

"She described the pain as being burned and that it was worst at the mark."

"So he can harm her soul even though it is still within a living body? Interesting."

"It is not interesting! It is concerning! I worry he may kill her."

"If he wishes to kill her, he does not need their connection through the Mist to do so."

"I am aware." Irritation turned her voice into a growl. "And I do not want the safety of her soul to be tied to the whims of a madman!"

"And I do not want my soul bound to him either. More than anyone, I am searching for a solution."

As controlled as he tried to keep his voice, Elise could tell that this conversation struck a nerve with him; she had centuries of experience in the Noxian courts learning how to read people. It was dangerous, she knew, to provoke him further, but she wanted to see if she could twist the blade. She was prepared to escape at a moment's notice and she felt as though she was owed a bit of spite for the death of her spiderlings years ago.

"You spoke of him harming her soul. From your tone, it had sounded as though you know what it was she felt." She rubbed her fangs together, making a sound reminiscent of a blade scraping over metal. "You have experienced it as well."

There was a slight shift in Thresh's shoulders. If he had muscles, perhaps they would have tensed, but as it was Elise could only infer his discontent with the motion.

"Once." Thresh answered.

The pain Viego had inflicted upon him had been nothing compared to the agony of learning that it could be done to him, that there was still another who held genuine power over him. His existence as a wraith was supposed to be his freedom. He had power, physical and magical. He could shackle and break the souls of those who had slighted him. If the whim to do so crossed his mind, he could do so with any soul unfortunate enough to gain his attention. By any mortal consideration, he should be unto a god!

But one still had power over him. Oh, that that one being still had power over him was anathema. And once Thresh had become aware of this power imbalance, he vowed to find a way to overcome it.

"I intend for it to never happen again. Achlys is my best lead in that regard and so I will see that she is kept safe enough."

Elise turned her head to the side and looked down the length of one of her legs, though her attention never fully left Thresh.

"You speak with conviction and yet you are hesitant to displease Karthus."

"You more than anyone else should know how protective he is of her, otherwise, why have you not kidnapped her away to Noxus and your Black Rose yet? Are you perhaps hesitant to displease Karthus and have his whole choir of wraiths pursuing you?"

Elise's fangs twitched in irritation.

"Patience stays me, not fear. Achlys is not ready for Noxus, but that does not mean I have stood idle. She needs guidance, I provide it, even without Karthus's direct approval. She is eager to learn and willing to follow." Elise turned her full attention back on Thresh. "At my gentle encouragement, she has lied to her father."

"And you worry I will be the one to corrupt her." Thresh said with a chuckle.

"I need her to be cunning and cruel enough, not a sadist."

Thresh shrugged. A part of him still wished needle Elise for her slight against him, but this new development about Achlys was far more interesting.

"What did she lie about?" he asked.

"Viego. Her fear of his disapproval is great and she wishes to conceal her overstep with him from Karthus. You will not reveal this information to him."

"I understand the value of a secret. She will not need to fear being exposed from me. I will admit though that I am surprised Karthus did not already know of her loss of favor."

"He knew something was amiss with her, but knew not what, though I believe he did suspect that Viego was involved. Achlys told him that her withdrawn behavior was due to being accidentally shoved over rather than her soul being attacked. Karthus believed her without question."

Thresh tiled his head.

"Perhaps that is something I should try." He said. "Spend time with Achlys beyond our limited lessons and offer her some gentle encouragement of my own."

"There is nothing gentle about you."

Though he could not see them, Thresh could sense the spiderlings hiding in the ruins surrounding him, clicking their fangs as their matron's tone darkened.

"I will not stop you from being with her to continue your work but if you use this as an opportunity to harm-"

"I have no intention of harming her." Thresh interrupted. "I have answered this question time and time again. You said earlier that you trusted me or was that a lie?"

"When I said that I trusted you it was that I trusted that you would always act in your own self-interests, that you were predictable in your behavior not that you were trustworthy."

"And presently my own self-interests are benefitted by keeping the dear girl alive. Does that satisfy your doubts?"

The red of Elise's many eyes seemed to glow in the darkness as she glowered at Thresh.

"Achlys trusts me." He said.

"Foolishly."

He had to suppress a laugh.

"Perhaps."

"And regrettably, so must I."

"Whether you regret it or not, the cruel reality of the situation is that time is not on your side Elise, and when time is your enemy, you need all the allies you can get. Ultimately, I have all the time in the world to learn how to free myself. Achlys, being mortal, does not have that time. Her time is actually even shorter than a normal mortal lifespan. Karthus wishes to see her 'transcend' in the prime of her life. Achlys desires this as well. So at most she has twenty, thirty perhaps, years before she becomes a wraith."

"I will see her off the Isles before that but first the mark must be removed."

"Of course. I would not allow you to take her away if she had not yielded results to me."

"You could try and stop me."

Reflexively, venom dripped from Elise's fangs as her immediate response was to argue, but she reigned in her emotions. She would not allow him to antagonize her. She flicked the venom down onto the stone. It sizzled for a moment.

"We are in agreement about what needs to be done. Arguing would be a waste of our efforts."

Thresh nodded in agreement.

"Here is what I propose," Elise continued, "we must convince Achlys that it is in her best interest that she be rid of the mark. If she is in agreement with us she will either seek to persuade Karthus to our side or go behind his back. We cannot be too forceful. We can guide her in this direction, but these thoughts must be her own. For all her shortcomings, Achlys is not weak willed when it comes to her convictions. If she believes in something, she will pursue it even at risk to herself."

"Yes, I have heard her recite how she believes she is meant to 'help wraiths,' that destiny Karthus has filled her head with. Tell me, her suggestion about the queen, was it said with the hope that it would better things for wraiths?"

The spider body made a rasping noise that might have been interpreted as a sigh.

"It was."

Again Thresh had to repress laughter.

"Very well. I will nurture her doubts." He said.

"We both shall."

"And the next time you return to the Isles, bring me what I need so that Achlys may be separated from her body longer. Your reward for doing so will be my results."

"I will find them."

Then, without another word, Elise rappelled away, pulling herself into the branches of a nearby tree faster than most could react. She spared a final look at Thresh from her perch.

"See that she does not die." She said as a final warning and then disappeared into the tangled growth with the sounds of dozens of smaller legs skittering after her.

Once she was gone, Thresh too departed and headed inland. He had something important to attend to. And what was more important than keeping promises to yourself?