The Ascender's Legacy [A CHAOTIC STORM LITRPG]

"Case number 74, Aldric Brystion, accused of piracy and seafaring. Let the accused step forward."

Aodhán looked to the side entrance from where Thatcher had stepped out and sighed in relief when he saw Aldric step into the chamber, looking none the worse for wear. He was dressed in his normal clothes, and aside from a bruise on his cheeks and the chains on his arms and legs, he looked completely healthy.

However, his fear was obvious. His usual smirk of nonchalance and slouch was absent. Instead, he stood rigidly, his head held high and spine straight. That might have been a sign of confidence in any other person, but Aodhán knew Aldric well enough to know that wasn't the case in this scenario.

With the null chains suppressing his abilities, Aldric was dealing with his emotions like every normal human being for the first time in nearly eight years. It was bound to be scary and unfamiliar, but it wasn't just his stance that gave his fear away. No, it was his hands—trembling just slightly despite the heavy chains that bound them. Aldric was trying to hide it, curling his fingers into fists and pressing them tight against his thighs, but Aodhán saw through it.

"He's scared." Daruk echoed his thoughts, and Aodhán nodded. For those who knew Aldric well, the tension in his shoulders was unmistakable.

Aodhán clenched his jaw in anger, knowing exactly how it felt to stand before all those judges and their familiars and be judged. Unlike his case, which had been a mere case of ignorance, smuggling was a serious crime. Aldric couldn't claim ignorance, and unless he said something really, really crazy, there was no way he wouldn't be deemed guilty."

"Don't worry. He'll be fine." Rahim tried to comfort them. "They are usually coached through these proceedings by legal representatives. He must have been told what to say and what not to. If this case goes without any hiccup, we should all be out of here in an hour, all free men."

"Hopefully," Daruk muttered, but Aodhán couldn't be optimistic about the whole thing knowing what he knew about the council and their intents.

Already, they were playing games. Had he not been awarded an honorary military title by the military, he would have been forced to negotiate with the council for Aldric's freedom, which would have placed him right within their trap. Fortunately, he had jumped that hoop, but he couldn't help but feel that many more would present themselves soon enough.

Aldric soon reached the stage—the same stage that had just opened up to swallow Thatcher— and bowed in greeting. "This one greets the esteemed judges of the Awakened Council."

The judges acknowledged his greeting with nods, and a moment later, the 7th judge announced, his black robe rippling with every word he spoke. "Aldric Brystion, you stand before us accused of piracy and contraband smuggling alongside the infamous pirate group known as the Ravens. You have violated multiple border laws, repeatedly evaded capture, and trafficked both people and goods into the kingdom, the latter of which were discovered in your spatial ring upon inspection. Having heard these charges, how do you plead?"

Aldric hesitated, the silence dragging on for a moment before he responded. "I plead not guilty."

A chorus of murmurs rose from the crowd, but the 1st judge raised a hand to silence them, her crimson sleeve cutting through the air like a slash of blood, and the chamber fell silent. She leaned forward on her throne, eyes sharp and voice sharper. "Perhaps you should expatiate, Aldric, because the evidence before us suggests otherwise."

Aldric nodded. "Thank you for the opportunity to defend myself, esteemed judges." He clasped his hands behind his back, shifting his stance just enough to look composed. "I will not insult the court by claiming I am innocent of all wrongdoing. I acknowledge that I have engaged in activities that some would call… illicit. However, accusing me of piracy is a dangerous misrepresentation of my actions. I am a navigator, a guide, and—yes—a smuggler, but not a pirate. I do not raid ships, nor do I burn villages or shed innocent blood. I have never taken a hostage, nor have I ever flown a pirate's flag."

His gaze swept slowly across the judges. "You accuse me of working with the Ravens, but I was never one of them. I've dealt with them as many merchants have. As have—dare I say—some of the councilmen and women within this hall who profit from secrets and rare goods."

Another chorus of murmurs rose in outrage, but Aldric pressed on without regard for them. "My true crime, the one I stand before you for, is smuggling. And smuggling is an economic crime, not a violent one. For this reason, I plead not guilty."

His words settled like a stone at the bottom of the sea—quiet, but undeniable in their weight. Aodhán held his breath, eyes flicking from one judge to the next, searching for any flicker of reaction. It was clear Aldric had been coached on what to say—every word and pause carefully chosen to steer the narrative. Piracy was a grave offense, often punished with the harshest of measures. By framing his actions as mere smuggling, Aldric had carved out a slim—but—real chance at bail for himself.

Silence stretched across the chamber, taut and suffocating, as everyone waited for one of the judges to speak—to do anything more than glare down at Aldric with varying degrees of disdain. The low hissing and growling of familiars only added to the unease, their restless energy prickling at the edges of the chamber.

The longer the silence dragged on, the more Aodhán's nerves frayed—until, at last, a full minute later, the white judge spoke, his voice smooth and cold, like the hiss of the water snakes coiled behind him. Drumming his fingers against the armrest of his throne, he said, "So… you claim you merely transported goods?"

"And people, on occasion," Aldric admitted, his tone almost begrudging, "but never by force. Those who sought our services came willingly. I didn't steal them from their homes, nor did I enslave them. I simply… delivered what was requested."

"You're very careful with your words." The white judge hissed, his gaze flicking to the truth seeker to make sure Aldric was still telling the truth. "Speak plainly. Were you a part of the Ravens or not?"

Aldric hesitated, then spoke, his voice measured. "I've crossed paths with them, yes. I've worked with them on occasion, but not in the way you may think. I was never one of their core members—just a contractor, a… messenger of sorts."

"That is still a crime," the third judge said, speaking for the first time since Aldric had entered the chamber. The ice golem behind him glared down at Aldric, its eyes glinting like frozen gems. "Some of the people you delivered were fugitives—fleeing conscription, or worse, fleeing justice. What if they were criminals? Slavers, spies, murderers? What if they carried plagues or weapons meant to bring ruin to our kingdom?"

He leaned forward, tone hardening. "You are guilty of smuggling and the evasion of border laws. Your guilt is determined. There is no point in dragging this out any longer than necessary."

"I do not dispute—" Aldric began, but a soft, commanding voice cut him short. It belonged to the fifth judge, the presiding voice in all but title. She was small in frame, barely five feet tall, yet the jaguar behind her stood with such regal presence it nearly rivaled the towering stone golem beside the fourth judge, the tallest familiar in the chamber.

She leaned forward, her slight figure radiating a gravity that felt boundless. "I think you've said enough," she said, calm but resolute. "You may not be guilty of piracy, but you are guilty of smuggling—and for that, you will be judged."

She exchanged a brief, unreadable glance with the fourth judge, then raised her voice, each word resonating with unmistakable finality. "Aldric Brystion, for the crimes of smuggling and seafaring, you are hereby sentenced to twenty years of imprisonment in the Null Hold, effective immediately."

Aodhán's breath caught in his throat, and he would have jumped to his feet in protest had Rahim not fixed him with a deathly glare that rooted him in place. Around them, discontented whispers rippled through the chamber like a rising tide. Councilmen and women leaned toward one another, their voices low but their expressions sharp, clearly unsettled by the severity of the sentence and the lack of precedent.

Clenching his jaw in annoyance, Aodhán gritted out. "Where was the option of bail? This isn't right. They can't sentence him without the option of bail. He has to at least be given a choice."

"And why do you think they didn't give him a choice?" Rahim murmured as he fixed Daruk with a glare, too. "Stay in your seats—both of you. They're baiting you. Pushing for a reaction. One outburst, and they'll have reason to strip you of your right to speak. Maybe even your right to bail him out."

His voice lowered to a whisper. "What we need to do is stay quiet and let the High Councilors plead on his behalf."

Aodhán glanced at the murmuring councilors before forcing a nod. Rahim waited until Daruk did the same, then eased back into his seat. "Now we wait—"

But before he could finish, Aldric's voice cut through the chamber, sharp with panic. "You can't do that!" he cried. "There has to be an option for bail—this was an economic crime!"

Aodhán's stomach dropped. His eyes snapped to the judges, mind racing. Was that it? Had Aldric just walked into their trap?

Beside him, Rahim closed his eyes with a quiet curse. "Fuck," he muttered. "He took the bait."

The murmurs in the chamber faltered, thinning into silence as the weight of the outburst settled. All eyes turned toward the judges. Aodhán's hand clenched around the edge of his seat, knuckles white, pulse thudding in his ears. Daruk grabbed his hand, and he held it tight, giving strength he didn't have.

The judges, however, didn't respond immediately. They simply shared a few knowing glances, then fixed their attention back on Aldric—their gazes expectant, patient, like predators who had played this game before.

"Do not say a word," Rahim whispered tightly, his voice laced with urgency.

Aodhán stared forward, brows furrowed in frustration. He could see it now—the deliberate cruelty of it. The trap. The performance. But knowing didn't make it easier to act. Should Aldric stay silent and hope one of the High Councilors found the courage to intervene? Or speak up and risk making things worse?

Aodhán didn't know. He hated not knowing.

But Aldric had already made his choice. Drawing a breath to steady himself, he spoke again, this time with less panic. "As per Section 47, Clause 3 of the Awakened Charter, no accused shall be denied the right to bail unless charged with crimes of bloodshed, treason, sexual violence, or any act causing grievous harm. I have not committed bloodshed or treason. I have not committed any act of sexual violence. I retain the right to request bail."

Aodhán's gaze flicked back to the judges, and his heart sank.

Like predators settling into the satisfaction of a successful trap, all seven judges reclined into their thrones in unison, eyes glittering with manic delight.

The fifth judge leaned forward slightly, her smile razor-thin as she clicked her nails together, the sound sharp and deliberate like the sealing of a coffin. "So, you've read the laws. You know them by heart… and still you chose to violate them. "That speaks not of ignorance, but of contempt—a complete disregard for the law and all that it stands for. It is arrogance. And arrogance must be corrected."

She straightened, eyes gleaming. "For this, your original sentence is hereby quadrupled. Bail is set at sixty thousand gold coins, payable within twenty-four hours by a family member. Failure to do so will result in indefinite imprisonment."

She looked around the chamber, her smile never fading. "Case dismissed."

"What!" Aldric exclaimed as the chamber exploded with noise, but before he could protest the sentence, a squad of court guards dragged him off the stage. He struggled, shouting something incoherent, but his efforts were futile.

Above it all, the 7th judge spoke, his voice cold and indifferent. "Case number 75, Miranda Voideye…"

Aodhán watched, anger boiling within him as the guards dragged Aldric away. The emotion surged, swelling with every breath he forced into his lungs. Rahim said something, and Daruk nudged him, but Aodhán heard nothing over the storm raging in his mind.

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He stared until Aldric was pulled out of sight—then stood and stormed out, his entire body shuddering with barely contained fury. Daruk and Rahim called after him, but he didn't stop. He couldn't. Not when the walls felt like they were closing in.

Whispers trailed behind him, but he ignored them, his entire focus fixed on the exit. He needed out. He needed air. He needed—

He shoved open the heavy doors with a force that startled the nearby guards and stumbled into the corridor like a man set ablaze. The cold air struck his face, but it didn't cool him.

He gasped—a raw, desperate breath clawing its way from his chest as though it were trying to escape the fire inside him. And still, it wasn't enough.

"Sixty thousand fucking gold coins?" He roared, his voice thundering down the marble corridor. "Where in the Void are we supposed to find that in twenty-four hours?"

He turned sharply, fist clenched and lightning prickling just beneath his skin, but Daruk grabbed his shoulders and hissed. "Calm down, Aodhán. This is bad, I know—but we still have a chance. We still have—"

"No!" Aodhán snapped. "This is manipulation. They're making this impossible on purpose. They want me to crawl to them for help. Sixty fucking thousand? For smuggling?" He turned on Rahim now. "Where has that ever been done? This whole charade—for what? Just to make me indebted to them?"

"Yes." A voice cut in, like ice water on the flame of his anger. They all turned to see Thalia Lightus standing behind them. She offered a sympathetic smile and stepped closer. "We expected something like this to happen—especially with your involvement—but even I didn't think they'd go this far. The council wants to control you, Aodhán. And they'll do anything to achieve it." She glanced past them toward the courtroom doors. "I doubt this will be the only roadblock you face today."

"We'll cross those roadblocks when they come, Champion," Rahim responded evenly, but Aodhán just sighed, the weight in his chest settling deeper. He felt drained—mentally, emotionally, completely.

Sixty thousand gold coins. The number echoed in his skull like a curse. It was more than what some noble houses made in an entire month, yet they were expected to scrape it together in less than twenty-four hours.

They would have to borrow it, but after collecting twenty thousand coins from the principal, Aodhán couldn't bear to ask her for more. Already, he was feeling indebted, which only gave Zatya more power over him. He couldn't afford to owe her more lest he completely lose his backbone in her presence.

He needed someone else. He needed someone with pure intentions or at least neutral ones. Someone who didn't want to manipulate and use him just like the Awakened Council. Someone who—

His eyes snapped to Rahim. "Rahim, can you help us?"

Rahim stuttered, caught off guard by the sudden question. "Uhm…no, not in twenty-four hours. I wish I could, but my family's wealth isn't as free as it seems. It's all tied up in estates, contracts, and investments. I can't just access it at will—especially not in the quantities we're talking about."

"What about thirty?" Aodhán pressed, with Daruk adding, "We have approximately thirty thousand already."

Rahim shook his head. "I'm sorry, guys, but I can't. If I loan out a sum like that, it'll raise a lot of political questions. My family would be scrutinized, and it could complicate things for all of us. The highest I can manage is ten thousand."

"That's something," Daruk replied, glancing at Aodhán. "That puts us at forty thousand. We still need twenty thousand."

"I can help you," Thalia spoke again, and Aodhán sighed.

He turned to face her, and she smiled as if this was just an easy favor. With a casual wave of her hand, she produced a cloth pouch filled with the unmistakable sound of jiggling gold coins. "In this pouch are fifty thousand gold coins. It should be enough to cover Aldric's bail."

Despite his desperate need for money, Aodhán hesitated. Thalia Lightus was a variable he didn't understand, a champion whose motives he couldn't decipher. Even her father, his benefactor, was a wild card. He had never met the man or had a conversation with him. Just like Zatya, Ascendant Candidate Lightus could have sinister motives. He couldn't be sure. The man was surrounded by too much mystery that he would be a fool to trust either of them.

Pushing aside his immediate desire for the coins, Aodhán shook his head. "Sorry, I can't accept—"

"It's not a gift. You'll pay me back." Thalia insisted, the smile never leaving her face.

Aodhán's expression hardened. "That's exactly what I'm worried about."

Thalia blinked, her gaze innocent, but she nodded. "As you please. But if you don't find the money before the deadline—"

"We'll find it." Daruk cut in gently, glancing between Aodhán and Thalia. "Thank you for your concern."

"Then I shall take my leave." She took a few steps, then turned back, flashing that same unsettling smile. "My father sends his regards, by the way. He asked me to tell you that he's very impressed with your progress so far."

Her smile widened, and Aodhán couldn't decide if it was a compliment or a threat. With a grimace, he watched her leave. She hadn't said or done anything that truly made her untrustworthy, but still, something felt off. Very, very off. Their interactions so far had done little to inspire any confidence in her motives.

Once she was out of their line of sight, Rahim sighed. "I would've advised you to take the money, but I suppose you have your reasons. What now?"

"I don't know." Aodhán sighed and massaged his temples. "I could try calling in some favors, but…" He sighed again. "I just got one debt off my neck, but now I'm about to accrue another. It's draining."

"You won't be accruing it alone," Daruk replied, his face hard. "We are in this together, remember?"

Aodhán smiled. "Yes, we are. Now we'd better start looking for—

His words were cut off abruptly as a blazing core materialized a few feet away from them. A wave of lightning essence swept over the area as the man stepped out of what appeared to be a portal of red lightning. He was dressed in black leather armor, trimmed with gold lapels, and the way he carried himself immediately marked him as a noble.

Nobility or not, though, the man was a lightning-awakened, and their shared aspect sparked an instant sense of kinship between them. The man locked golden eyes with Aodhán and smiled, his expression eager.

He walked toward them and stretched a hand in greeting. Nodding to Daruk and Rahim, he clasped Aodhán's hands and said, "It is an honor to meet you, Aodhán Brystion. I am High Councilman Valsarin Thryzael. I must say, I am proud of how well you're doing. Your understanding of the storm affinity is truly an inspiration."

"Thank you," Aodhán smiled. "I'm glad to be an inspiration."

Valsarin clapped him on the shoulder and chuckled. "I just returned from my travels to Calodan, and I was amazed to find that stories of your feats have reached the academies there. Although greatly exaggerated, it is still a thing to take immense pride in."

"I try to be humble," Aodhán chuckled in return, and Valsarin nodded.

"Humility is very important. Speaking of…" His expression sobered. "My deepest sympathies on your brother's case. I wish it had been carried out more fairly, but all hope isn't lost yet. I have spoken to a few councilmen, and in our sympathy, we decided to extend you an offer, or better still, an alternative, compared to the debt you will no doubt accrue to get the bail."

Aodhán's smile wavered, and his shoulders tensed. His mind seized on the implications of Valsarin's offer, and the sense of kinship he had felt earlier died. Taking a step backward, he muttered. "Go on."

Valsarin studied him for a moment, noticing the shift in his demeanor, but his smile never faltered. "Oh, it's nothing serious. We're prepared to help you with the amount you need because we sympathize with your situation." He waved a hand, and a parchment materialized in his grasp, its edges crackling with lightning. "We recognize your potential, Aodhán, and the burden the judges have placed on you. So, rather than simply posting bail, we'd like to propose an… arrangement."

Aodhán hummed. "And are you their spokesperson or their leader?"

Valsarin paused, eyes narrowing slightly. "I'm not sure how that matters."

"Oh, but it does." Aodhán suppressed a scowl and asked. "What is this proposal? Is it a contract?"

Valsarin hesitated, clearly taken aback. "Well, yes, but—

"I'm not interested." Aodhán cut him off, unable to suppress his anger anymore.

Oh, it was clever—sending a lightning awakened to speak to him. They were banking on their shared aspect and the sense of kinship it might invoke to manipulate him. Admittedly, Aodhán would have fallen for it, had he not heard the word contract. He'd rather beg the principal for more gold than sign a contract with the council. Didn't they realize that, or were they hoping he would be too desperate to think straight?

Valsarin's smile faltered for just a moment, and his eyes widened. "What?! You—you're rejecting it? Just like that? You haven't even read—"

"I don't need to read it, High Councilor Valsarin, before I know I'm not interested. Thank you for the offer, but I'm sorry. My answer remains no. You can go now and let your fellow sympathizers know I rejected their offer."

Valsarin's expression darkened. "You should at least read the contract; you might need some time to consider—."

"I think Aodhán has made his position clear, high councilor." Rahim stepped in, his gaze hard. "If he changes his mind, he can always find you."

Valsarin glared at Rahim, then at the two of them for a moment, his face set in a grimace before he stalked off. A lightning portal crackled open and swallowed him whole, leaving only arcs of electricity sparking in the air before they disappeared.

As soon as he left, Rahim spat. "The council really is relentless."

Aodhán sighed again, shaking his head. "We need to get that money before the council does something else." He glanced at Daruk. "I only have a single person in mind."

"Who?" Daruk asked.

Aodhán raised his chips to his lips. "Let's hope Champion Geneve Rhyntharion has a few thousand gold stashed somewhere."

He sent her a message, explaining the situation he was in and what he needed the money for. Once it was sent, he sat back and waited, feeling the tension rise as he had no one else to turn to if Geneve couldn't help.

Fifteen minutes later, Geneve finally responded, and Aodhán opened the message with haste.

I'm not going to gift you twenty thousand gold coins, Aodhan. This is a loan. Aldric has to pay me back. Not you. It's not your debt. Deal?

Aodhán read the message aloud, then glanced at Daruk before replying. "Deal."

The moment he sent his reply, a purple portal tore itself open, and Artemis' scowling face emerged. His eyes landed on Aodhán, deepening his scowl. "Of course, it's you." He extended his hand, revealing a shiny spatial ring. "You and Geneve better keep me out of your business. I am not a fucking delivery man."

Aodhán grabbed the spatial ring. "Thank you—

The portal snapped shut before he could finish, leaving him holding the ring. Daruk smirked. "Well, isn't he charming?"

Rahim scoffed, grabbing the spatial ring from Aodhán's hands. "He's a fucking prick."

He examined the ring for a moment, then smiled. "She added an extra five thousand gold."

Aodhán exhaled in relief, feeling the weight finally lift off his shoulders. Rahim added his ten thousand coins to the ring, bringing the total to thirty-five thousand gold coins. With a final push, Aodhán and Daruk pooled together the remaining twenty-five thousand gold coins needed to complete the bail.

With the sum now complete, they quickly headed to the bail area, determined to get the payment through before the council found another way to block it.

Once they reached the bail office, Aodhán wasted no time. He marched up to the nearest clerk and slammed a copy of his Decree of Honorary Rank onto the table, startling the woman with his abrupt appearance.

Her eyes went wide as she looked up, and Aodhán spoke before she could react. "I want to post bail for Aldric Brystion. I am Aodhán Brystion, his brother and bail sponsor." He placed the spatial ring on the counter. "There. That makes a total of sixty thousand gold coins."

The clerk grabbed the ring and squinted to peruse its contents before placing it aside and turning her attention to the small holographic screen in front of her. Her tone was clipped and formal, as if repeating a line she'd been told to deliver. "I'm sorry, Sir Brystion, but you cannot be his bail sponsor as you are still owing—" She blinked, leaned forward, and squinted at the screen. "What?!"

Her eyes bulged, and she immediately began typing. She repeated the action three times, fingers striking the keys harder each time, before finally looking up.
"I'm sorry, excuse me. There seems to be an error somewhere. It says here that you've cleared your fine, which is impossible — it was still active this morning. Our policy requires a full week to process such payments. This has to be a mistake."

"No, it's not," Aodhán growled, relief barely veiling his contempt. He had slipped through one of the council's traps, and he knew it. "My fine was cleared an hour ago. I'm eligible to pay his bail."

"No, no... There has to be a mistake," she muttered, panic rising in her voice. "Excuse me."

She raced out of the hall before Aodhán could utter another word, and he shook his head. He had severely underestimated the lengths the council was willing to go to tie him down. This wasn't incompetence — it was sabotage, almost elegant in its execution. If he hadn't insisted on getting his fine cleared immediately, they would've blocked the bail on policy grounds, citing the usual processing delay. It would've worked, too.

Aldric would have been locked up indefinitely, and he would've had no choice but to bend to the council's offers just to reduce his brother's sentence. It was scary how close he had come to falling into their traps, and the fact that it wasn't yet over only made him more anxious. What other traps were waiting?

He paced by the counter, every step tightening the coil in his gut. Daruk and Rahim lingered at the far end of the hall, visibly uneasy after he explained the near miss.

Almost half an hour passed before the clerk returned. Her steps were slow and hesitant as she trudged back to her seat. Avoiding his gaze, she sat down and said. "An additional five thousand gold coins is required, as per the regulations of the Awakened Court, for transactions of this magnitude. The fee ensures proper handling and documentation of the case. It is non-negotiable and must be paid in full before release proceedings may continue."

Aodhán gritted his teeth in annoyance but didn't bother arguing. All he and Daruk had left was seven thousand. They pooled their resources together once more, and a moment later, Aodhán handed over the five thousand gold coins to the clerk. "There, paid in full. Now, can I have my brother?"

The clerk swallowed nervously, took the money, and began typing something on the holographic screen. When she was done, she looked at him and smiled politely. "Congratulations. Your brother has been released. He'll be brought to the main entrance in a few minutes."

Aodhán nearly collapsed in relief, and he turned to smile at Daruk and Rahim, but while Rahim returned his smile of relief, Daruk scowled and turned to glare at the main entrance where Aldric would be brought out from.

They stepped outside, and a moment later, Aldric arrived, escorted by two guards. His hair was a mess, and there was a new bruise forming along his jaw, but when he saw them, his face lit up. "Hah! I knew it. The High Councilors came through, didn't they?" He spread his arms as if to welcome applause. "I knew that speaking up against that unfair sentence was the right way to go."

Aodhán blinked in surprise, but before he could speak, Daruk's shoulder twitched in anger. He took a step forward, his voice low and sharp as he demanded, "You think the councilors paid for you?"

"Well, yeah." Aldric frowned. "I mean—come on. Sixty thousand gold. Where would we get that kind of money?"

Daruk sputtered, shocked silent for a moment. Then, his face contorted in anger, and he snarled. "We had to borrow—you fucking prick?"

Before anyone could react, Daruk lunged forward and punched Aldric in the face with a force that sent him flying back nearly a dozen feet.

Aodhán moved to stop the fight before it could escalate, but Rahim grabbed his arm, pulling him back. "Let them fight. Daruk needs to get it out of his system." He hesitated a moment before adding, "And perhaps Aldric could use the lesson in humility."

Aodhán frowned, but he couldn't deny that the thought brought him a tiny bit of pleasure. Biting back a smile, he leaned in to whisper, "We are terrible people."

"Yes, we are." Rahim intoned as they both folded their arms and leaned back to watch as Daruk raced after Aldric, ice spreading across the floor as he launched himself forward and sent a hammer of ice flying straight at Aldric's face.