Chaosbound: Elarith Chronicles

The humid air of their hidden sanctuary in the hills of Arkhanis Kingdom hung heavy with unspoken anxieties. The silence was a physical weight, pressing down on Luci after Aurel's retreating figure vanished through the hastily concealed exit. A knot of disappointment tightened in her chest. She turned to Nephra, his usually sharp eyes clouded with a momentary sadness, a flicker of shared grief for their fallen brethren, before hardening with a familiar, unwavering resolve.

"What now, Nephra?" Luci's voice was edged with concern. "You just let him leave like that? Are you not even going to try to convince him? He's... he's the Thyranthe."

Nephra sighed, a sound that carried the weight of their fallen kin. "I am not blind to his reluctance, Luci. Aurel is a force of nature, one that does not take kindly to being steered. We tried that before, with the prophecy, and it only pushed him further away." His gaze sharpened, memories of that disastrous confrontation flashing in his eyes. He had watched Aurel's face contort in defiance, not of the truth, but of the burden. "He saw a chain, not a path. He will not be a pawn in our game, not even for a prophecy." Nephra's voice dropped to a low, intense whisper. "But Aurel cannot escape the currents of fate that swirl around him. Sooner or later, he will be swept into the heart of this conflict, whether he desires it or not."

A flicker of understanding crossed Luci's face. "So, we wait?"

"No," Nephra said, a cunning glint returning to his eyes. "We do not wait for the storm to break; we prepare the ground for it. We will not force him to join our cause, but we will ensure that when the time comes, he finds allies and opportunities, even if he believes he acts alone."

He turned, his gaze distant as he outlined his plan. "Lysara's network will be our instrument. The whispers have already begun – tales of a powerful being in the South, one who defies the Luminaries and embodies the untamed chaos they fear. We will amplify these rumors, subtly weaving the name 'Thyranthe' into the narrative, associating it with hope for those oppressed by Lumiel's iron fist."

Luci nodded slowly. "So, we fight in the shadows."

"For now, it is our only recourse," Nephra confirmed. "Lumiel's power is vast, his purges relentless. A direct confrontation would be suicide. We will fight with the weapons of the unseen: information, influence, the very chaos they seek to control. We will sow discord among Lumiel's enemies and allies alike, subtly guiding those who already resist, turning their grievances into open rebellion. We gather allies where we can, and where we cannot find allies, we will instigate chaos against our common foe."

He paused, his thoughts turning to their secluded haven. "Vyran continues his work in Arkhanis. Their technology, though still developing, will be our shield in the future, a necessary deterrent should a large-scale war become unavoidable. We must be ready on all fronts."

Luci watched Nephra, a newfound respect blossoming within her. Despite the horrors they had endured, the loss of so many, he remained unbroken, his mind a whirlwind of strategic possibilities. "You… you're not disheartened at all, are you?"

A faint, almost sad smile touched Nephra's lips. "We have mourned, Luci. We will continue to mourn. But grief cannot paralyze us. Our survival, and perhaps the fate of more than just our kind, depends on our actions now."

He turned his gaze back to her, his expression firm. "Luci, your path is clear. You have always felt a connection to Aurel, a belief in his potential. Go to him. Aid him in whatever way you can, without revealing the full extent of our manipulations. Be his ally, his confidante."

Luci's eyes widened, a rush of excitement and purpose filling her. "That was my intention from the moment I became involved with you."

"Aurel still has that communication device with him," Nephra said, a small, knowing smile on his face. "It seems he didn't truly cut all ties with us. We can track him with that."

Luci's expression hardened with resolve. "Leave it to me, I'll do whatever it takes to convince him to let me join him."

Nephra's expression grew serious again. "I must warn you. Aurel can read through emotions. Pretending or manipulating him won't work."

Luci's smile was genuine. "That makes things easier. I am aware. My intentions are true, and if he sees through that, then he will at least trust me."

"Very well," Nephra said, his voice laced with confidence. "You know where to find us and how to contact us. Whatever support you need, just tell us."

Luci nodded, a determined light in her eyes. "I will." With a final glance at Nephra, she and her bodyguard, Hans, prepared to depart from Arkhanis.

A New Path

In a sleek, black jet provided by Nephra, Luci and Hans traveled to find Aurel. The interior was a study in minimalist technology, with soft, ambient lighting and a panoramic view of the world below. The hum of the engine was a constant, low thrum. The silence of their flight was broken when Hans spoke up, his voice a low rumble. "So we're doing this again?" he asked.

Luci turned to him, a faint smile on her face. "Yes, but this time, we aren't bringing him to the Abyssals. We are joining him."

"The goal remains the same: help the Thyranthe," she continued. "And besides, we've already established an alliance with the Abyssals."

Hans was skeptical. "They were crippled by Lumiel's purge, and Aurel seems uncooperative with them."

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

"I know that," Luci said, her gaze fixed on the shifting clouds outside. "But as Nephra said, Aurel won't be able to escape his fate. Chaos revolves around him, and he is bound to confront Lumiel sooner or later. In order to break the chains that bind the Athenari to Lumiel, Aurel is my best hope." Her resolve was a quiet force, born from her deep-seated belief in his potential, a fire she had kept burning since the day she first laid eyes on him.

"I will follow you to death, my lady, and you know that," Hans replied, "but I think staying with the Abyssals and helping them rebuild their forces has more teeth if we wage war. Aurel is just one man, and from what I see, he doesn't even care about this."

A smirk played on Luci's lips. "I understand how you feel, but it's not just me who believes in him. Nephra seems to believe in him, despite his capability he is still thinking of Aurel as their savior. I'm not gambling here, Hans, we are just capitalizing on Aurel as a potential power against Lumiel. Have you forgotten that he defeated the Swordking?"

"Oh, that," Hans said, his tone shifting. "Okay, milady, I will follow you with whatever plans you have in mind. If Aurel will be a threat to you I promise I will fight him for you."

"Thanks, Hans," Luci said, "but I hope it won't come to that."

Then a beeping signal from the tracking device that Nephra gave Luci, . Luci said, "We found him." The two were locked on to Aurel.

Back with Aurel

The crackle of the campfire filled the night, a small bastion of warmth in the vast, open land. The air smelled of woodsmoke and grilling mutton, a simple, comforting scent that Aurel had come to love. He sat with Rindel and Eryn, plucking his teeth with a weed stalk to dislodge some stubborn meat. Rindel, with his usual silent focus, was tending to another piece of mutton. He poked at it with a stick, his gaze never leaving the sizzling fat.

Eryn, perched on a nearby log, noticed. "Give it some time, Rindel, it's still raw and I don't think master is gonna eat some more meat."

Rindel gave a sharp, decisive gesture, signing that this one was his to keep. Eryn smiled and said, "Ah, sure, sure, Rindel, you can have it for yourself."

Then, Eryn's demeanor changed. His head snapped up, his ears twitching as he caught a sound on the wind. A low, distant thrumming that grew steadily louder. "Not good," he said, his voice tense. "Enemies?"

Rindel automatically shifted into a fighting pose, his lean body coiled with an instinct for combat. Eryn took to the air, flying toward the approaching object with surprising speed. Aurel stretched, the movement a lazy grace. "Ahh, another enemy coming. Well, I guess peace really doesn't suit us and I think trouble will find us anywhere."

Just then, Rindel's thoughts breached his mind. Master, it's that lady Luci with her sidekick.

A pang of disappointment hit Aurel. He was almost hoping for a fight. "Oh, that lady," he thought, a familiar wave of confusion washing over him. So she was serious. "Does she like me that much? I'm not that good-looking," he wondered, before Rindel sent a psychic signal of emphatic agreement that he was indeed good-looking. Aurel sighed. Hmm, well, maybe I am, but seeking me in this place seems she is serious. Should I reject her outright? No, that won't be right, that would be so ungentlemanly of him. Oh, did Nephra send her again? He felt a flutter of awkwardness. I guess I'll have to receive and greet her properly. Rindel, be on your best behavior, he instructed. Rindel nodded and relaxed his stance, his form becoming placid once more.

The jet arrived and landed slowly, its engines whining down to a low thrum. Eryn, like a proper escort, floated beside it. The hatch opened, and two figures appeared – it was Luci and Hans. Eryn, as if he had been doing this for years, assisted Luci, holding her hand like a true gentleman and guiding her toward Aurel. Luci noticed how proper Eryn was, and Hans, ever the bodyguard, stood on guard.

"Master Aurel, it's Lady Luci who came to see you," Eryn announced, with a respectable bow, then guided his right arm showing Luci the way to Aurel as if introducing Aurel to her.

Luci said, "Thank you, Eryn," and responded with a curtsy. Aurel saw their formal gestures and wasn't sure if he should do the same. He tried to at least do some noble greeting or gesture, but he wasn't sure how to do it. His mind raced, fumbling for a gesture of courtly grace, but it came up empty. Instead, he gave a clumsy, decisive warrior's nod, a motion that felt far more natural to him, and mentally winced at how ridiculous it must have looked. Luci showed a little smile, thinking about how Aurel was putting in the effort.

"Aurel, no need to be so formal, I apologize I seek you tonight."

(Aurel in his mind, what? Is she proposing?)

Then Luci said, "I need you.."

(Aurel then again, no, how straightforward of her? Why would I let the girl do this instead?) Aurel spoke, "I apologize, Luci, but I can't give you what I want. My heart right now is not available, as my mind is set on a mission of territorial conquest."

Luci, smiled as if she had heard great news. "Conquest? Territory?" Luci then, "you finally plan on doing something?" Then Luci, knelt and Hans followed her lady's gesture. "Please, Aurel, let me help you. If it's conquest, domination I am confident in helping you, as an Athenari, I will dedicate my life to serving your cause." Aurel then thought, is that how Luci reacts after I rejected her feelings? she really wants to be with me even if I rejected her feelings? Aurel then said, "please don't kneel, I merely said I have some plans in making my own territory along with Rindel and Eryn." Luci said, "yes I understood, and I will help. I promise my knowledge, my skills, I can help that happen." Eryn while hearing this is signaling to Aurel to accept it, along with Rindel also approving.

Aurel looking in their direction, felt awkward and still not sure how to respond to it. Then he tried to muster his confidence in front of Luci and then think that he should look cool in front of Luci so he thought, I should speak and say some good lines. "My lady the path I'm taking is dark, I will face enemies, I can't dare a lady like you to join my cause because of my own greed. It is true I plan to make some kind of territory but... somehow he got stuck in his thought... I don't know how to start." Eryn and Rindel seemed to have dropped their jaw, as if they were disappointed in how their master was speaking to Luci.

Luci got serious and floated and then summoned some light divinity in her. "Hear my words, Aurel, sense my intention." (She was speaking like a queen, like a goddess.) Aurel, mesmerized, then tried to analyze the malice and chaos emanating from her, but it didn't show any malicious intent. Instead, he read the emotions as pure and so honest. Aurel said to himself, "Is she gonna propose marriage to me?" Then Luci continued, summoning some sigil on the ground, making a pact. "I, Lucielle Eliora, of the Athenari, swear by my blood and my spirit, to serve Aurel the Thyranthe. I will dedicate my life to your cause, to your ambition, and to the path you have chosen. I will lend my knowledge and my power to ensure your path to power will happen. I will make it happen. My destiny is bound to yours, my will is your will." Aurel was speechless and his jaw dropped too, as if he didn't know how to respond to it. But he saw the intention was clear and it was a magical pact that Luci was declaring. He knew he should respond somehow, so Hans signaled to Aurel that he should step into the circle sigil below. Aurel followed through and stepped into it and blindly answered, "OK, I accept." He wasn't actually sure why he replied and accepted the pact. Then the magical energy surrounding them disappeared while Luci fell into Aurel's arms. "Got you, lady," he said, catching her. Luci then said, "I will serve you Master." Aurel shook, "Master!?"