As their carriage emerged from the large structure housing Elystead’s Kilnstones, Scarlett and the others found themselves in a vast, snow-dusted plaza. To the north, the Ustrum Assembly stood proudly before an expansive artificial lake, its waters seemingly unaffected by the frigid January temperature.

Scarlett leaned against the windowsill, her chin resting on her hand as she surveyed the scene. A strange mixture of pride and nostalgia washed over her, like echoes of the original’s emotions. Those feelings were tempered somewhat, though, by the sprawling network of tents and temporary barracks that stretched out at the far end of the plaza, serving as a makeshift home for thousands of refugees and workers.

Elystead had become the center of many ongoing relief efforts, both because of its relative safety and its access to four Kilnstones rather than just one.

“So, Allyssa, Shin, how does it feel to be back home?” Rosa’s voice came from Scarlett’s left.

“Not much different from when we were last here,” Shin replied calmly.

Allyssa’s gaze remained fixed on the camps. “I’ve missed it, actually,” she admitted, a tinge of melancholy in her voice. “I just wish it could have been under better circumstances, you know?”

“I bet most do,” Rosa replied softly.

Lady Withersworth turned her attention to the two young Shielders, her eyes curious. “Have you both spent your entire lives in Elystead?”

Allyssa tore her gaze from the window to address the noblewoman. “I have, but Shin’s originally from Wildscar. He came to live with us after my father brought him here.”

“Ah, so your father is also a Shielder?” Lady Withersworth seemed to regard the girl more closely.

“He is.” A hint of shyness crept into Allyssa’s voice. “He’s…well, he’s kind of a big deal.”

“I thought I recognised your name,” Lady Withersworth said with a trace of amusement. “Your father is Arnaud Astrey, I presume? Who would have thought that man could produce such a charming daughter?”

“C-Charming? That’s a bit…”

“Arnaud often calls her his ‘little seraphim sprout’”, Shin interjected in a matter-of-fact tone. “Most at the Guild branch have their own nicknames for her as well.”

A poorly suppressed snort escaped Rosa, earning her and Shin a withering glare from Allyssa. Lady Withersworth’s soft chuckle did little to diffuse the tension.

Rosa, demonstrating at least a semblance of shame, cleared her throat, adopting a more serious expression. “Have you heard anything about what your father is doing at the moment, by the way?” she asked. “Is he helping the Shields Guild handle everything that’s going on?”

Allyssa’s expression softened slightly as she tucked a stray lock of blonde hair behind her ear. “I don’t know, but I don’t think so. Last I heard from him, he was still over in the Unresting Steppes, dealing with Ittar-knows-what. It’s possible he hasn’t even heard of what’s happened here yet. Otherwise, I’m sure he would have returned already.”

Scarlett listened with slight interest. As far as she knew, Allyssa’s father had been absent from the empire for a while now. While there were some game-related quests that might keep a high-ranking Shielder occupied in the Unresting Steppes, she had expected those to be over by now.

Hopefully, nothing too troublesome was going on over there.

Returning her attention to the window, Scarlett watched as their carriage rolled across the plaza and onto the broad expanse of the Sunset Way. Running southwards, the thoroughfare cut through more than half of the city. In the distance, Rellaria Lake’s snow-covered waters shone in the early morning light, cradling the island where Dawnlight Palace stood like a gleaming bastion.

That would be Scarlett’s destination this evening. The conclave was to be held on the palace grounds, which meant members of the imperial family would also be present.

Despite the early hour, Elystead’s streets were far from quiet. As the empire’s most populous city, it rarely experienced true peace, and the current crises had only swelled its numbers as both nobility and commoners sought refuge within its walls. The increased population and traffic made for slower progress through the city, but eventually, their carriage reached its first destination in the Eastgate District, where most of the city’s affluent residents lived.

They came to a stop outside the iron gates of a mansion built of white and grey stone, its three stories overlooking a walkway lined with sleet. This was the Hartfords’ mansion estate here in the capital.

As they made their way inside, they were greeted by a small retinue of servants and a middle-aged man with slicked-back hair, dressed in a black suit. He bowed deeply. “Welcome back to Elystead, My Lady. As always, we are honored by your presence.”

“I trust all the preparations I requested have been completed?” Scarlett asked in a businesslike tone.

“Of course, My Lady.”

“Excellent.” Scarlett turned to Lady Withersworth. “I understand you have chosen to stay with us during our time in the capital. Should you wish to meet with your family, simply inform Whiteley here, and he will arrange a carriage for you. We can also prepare rooms if your daughter or any other guests desire to stay.”

Lady Withersworth smiled warmly. “You’re too kind, dear. I may take you up on that offer, but for now, I think I will spend the morning and afternoon catching up on some work and resting before this evening’s events. I’ll be seeing my husband this evening, no doubt, and I’m sure it will drain these aging bones of mine more than I care to admit.”

“Very well.”

After ensuring Lady Withersworth was comfortably settled in at the estate, Scarlett and the others set out once more in the carriage to deal with other matters. Their first stop was the Coins district, which was very much the beating heart of Elystead’s commerce. There, Scarlett paid quick visits to the various establishments Evelyne had acquired and managed on her behalf, confirming that operations were proceeding smoothly despite the empire’s current troubles. Apparently, the capital wasn’t even close to struggling as much as some other cities were doing.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.

Having spent a couple of hours on business matters, Scarlett then took the others to visit some of Elystead’s specialty shops, stocking up on supplies that were harder to come by in Freybrook. With that handled, they returned to their carriage and set off for the other end of the city, where the Old Quarter awaited.

The Old Quarter, perched on an elevated section of the city along the eastern part of its bay, boasted streets worn smooth by the passage of time. Historic buildings lined the lanes, their weathered facades overlooking much of the city below and lending the area a unique charm.

As they traveled deeper into the Old Quarter, an old stone temple came into view. Tall vines crept up its walls, with a short flight of stairs leading up to the entrance flanked by two tall statues. Time had eroded their features, but their arms remained raised towards the sky.

This was the House of Fire, one of the temples of the Followers of Ittar, repurposed from a shrine once dedicated to the now largely forgotten goddess of fire. Scarlett had visited briefly during her first trip to Elystead, but on that occasion, she had only managed a cursory glance inside.

The party disembarked from the carriage and ascended the worn steps. As they reached the top, Allyssa turned to Scarlett, curiosity evident in her voice. “Sooo, what are we doing here?” she asked.

“Simply paying a brief visit,” Scarlett answered.

“So… No need for me to pull out the bandolier and crossbow?”

“We shall see.”

“…Alright then.”

The temple’s wooden doors groaned in protest as they pushed them open, revealing a long hall with high-vaulted ceilings. Pillared archways ran along the sides, supporting the ancient structure, and faded murals adorned sections of the walls, their subjects lost to time.

A handful of worshipers sat on pews, heads bowed in quiet prayer. Scarlett paid them little mind as she strode across the hall towards the gallery at the far end, where a marble altar stood. Behind it loomed a tall wall of wooden planks, interrupted only by a single, unassuming door.

A figure to the side took notice of their approach, rising from a low podium. Clad in thick red robes embellished with gold, their face was hidden behind a plain white mask decorated with golden lines. An acolyte.

“Ittar’s blessing upon you, visitors,” the acolyte greeted them, a man’s voice emanating from behind the mask. “Is there something I can help you with?”

“Yes.” Scarlett gestured towards the door behind the altar. “I wish to enter that area.”

Though the mask concealed the acolyte’s expression, his body language betrayed his surprise at her request.

“That area is restricted to members of Ittar’s clergy, I’m afraid,” he said.

“I am well aware,” Scarlett replied coolly. “However, that should not pose an issue in this instance. I am Baroness Scarlett Hartford. You should have been notified of my impending arrival.”

In her communications with Raimond, she’d asked this as a favor. The man had seemed intrigued about her reason for wanting to visit this place in particular, but he had agreed, even when she had been vague in her explanation.

The acolyte still appeared uncertain, but he confirmed her assumption when he started leading Scarlett and her companions to the back of the gallery and the door there. Producing a large key ring, he took a moment to unlock the door before motioning them through.

They entered into a chancel of sorts, which might once have been part of the temple proper, but now mostly appeared relegated to storage. Crates and miscellaneous items were scattered about, gathering dust in the dim light.

Scarlett’s gaze was immediately drawn to the far end of the room, where what looked to be a tall statue stood shrouded beneath a wide cloth.

She turned to the acolyte. “You may leave now.”

The man hesitated for a few seconds longer, but then bowed his head and left. He was likely uneasy about leaving strangers unsupervised in the temple like this, but whoever had informed him about Scarlett’s arrival clearly outranked him significantly.

Besides, as far as the Followers knew, they had nothing of particular importance here that needed protection from Scarlett.

“Poor guy,” Rosa remarked, sauntering over to one of the crates and perching herself on its edge, legs dangling. “He’ll spend the rest of the day fretting over if he messed up or not, and he didn’t even get a ‘thank you’ for his troubles.”

Scarlett glanced at her, eyebrow raised. “…I hardly treated him poorly.”

“Oh, no. For you, that was practically like baking him cookies and wishing him all the best. There’s just a rather wide gap between your heart and your manners, if you get what I mean.”

“Unfortunately, I do.” Scarlett turned her attention from the bard and crossed the room, heading towards the covered statue. Once there, she motioned at it. “Fynn, if you would.”

Fynn stepped up beside her and pulled off the drapery, releasing a cloud of dust into the air. Covering her mouth with a slight frown, Scarlett examined the worn statue before them. It depicted a woman encircled by flames, her hands reaching upwards, holding a large, empty silver brazier. At the base of the statue were three smaller bronze braziers, each engraved with a rune.

Most of the statue’s details had been eroded by time, seemingly neglected for ages. Perhaps that made sense, considering this was now a temple to Ittar, but Scarlett wondered if the goddess of fire ever felt sorrow over how small her following had become in this part of the world.

Did the gods even concern themselves with things like that? In the game, their role had been pretty distant, so she didn’t really know. It was probably for the best if they didn’t care too much, since Scarlett preferred not to attract their attention at the moment.

Pushing those thoughts aside for now, she focused on the three smaller braziers. Thanks to Thainnith’s legacy, she didn’t even need to bother with trying to translate their meanings. One said ‘Birth’, another ‘Death’ and ‘Rebirth’, and the last ‘Ascension’.

First, she conjured a weak flame to light the ‘Birth’ brazier, which ignited despite a lack of any visible fuel or kindling inside. As if in response, the ‘Death’ and ‘Rebirth’ brazier spontaneously ignited. Scarlett promptly extinguished it with her pyrokinesis before rekindling it.

Lastly, she turned her attention to the third brazier labeled ‘Ascension’. This one was meant to be ignited with a powerful pyromancy spell, but Scarlett felt pretty confident her abilities were enough. Concentrating on the brazier’s center, she willed it to light up.

The fire that burst forth was more intense than even she’d been expecting, eliciting startled gasps from her companions as its flames reached nearly a full meter into the air.

“Okay, I wouldn’t have said no to a warning for that,” Allyssa said, shielding her face as she stepped back.

“My apologies,” Scarlett replied, though she wasn’t finished yet. Using her pyrokinesis once more, she controlled the 'Ascension' flame, separating a portion and guiding it towards the large brazier in the statue’s hands. There, it settled, and all four fires suddenly turned blue.

From each brazier, a strand of azure fire streamed out to touch down on the floor in front of the statue, drawing a wide circle. The stone inside that circle evaporated into motes of ash and dust, revealing a steep, dark stone staircase leading straight down into unknown depths.

“That was impressive,” Fynn said.

“Sadly, yes.” A theatrical sigh escaped Rosa as she jumped down from her perch and strolled over. “I wonder if we’ll ever enter an ancient crypt that doesn’t have more floors than advertised for you to reveal dramatically. I’m starting to suspect you’re sneaking in the night before with a chisel and hammer just to show off in front of us ordinary mortals.”

Scarlett fought the urge to roll her eyes at the woman’s melodramatics, simply gesturing towards the newly revealed passage. “Come, let us proceed. As I said, we will make this brief.”

She still needed to return in time to prepare for the conclave this evening.