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Chapter 742 Drinking
🕑 Added 2021-08-03 11:13:21 +0000 UTCAuthor's note: Heya. New chapters up and more hopefully on Saturday.
Thanks for reading and thanks for another month of support. July was quite shit and writing really helped :).
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Chapter 742 Drinking
“She came to save us, back in Salia,” Lily said. She watched Edwin, his eyes focused on the large fountain before them. “Elves had attacked the city… killed nearly ever-”
“I know,” Edwin interrupted. He looked at a small rock he had taken from the ground, moving it around his fingers before he threw it into the water.
Nobody else occupied the stone benches around the fountain. People still walked through the square but there were fewer than during the day. Lily made sure to keep a watchful eye on the figures, many of them adventurers. She didn’t miss the guards either, Sentinels and Shadows moving through from time to time, some on the rooftops.
And here he goes again, she thought, seeing the man’s eyes lose focus. She grit her teeth and stood up.
“Why do you want to fight?” he asked.
She looked at him. “What do you mean? I need gold. For me and Roland.”
“No you don’t,” he said. He looked at her now.
Lily took a step back. She had to remind herself that she knew him. Do I? He looked at her in a way that made her uncomfortable. Something she hadn’t experienced in a long time. He looked at her with scrutiny. “Fuck off,” she said and walked away.
“You’re lying to yourself,” he said.
Sure. The miserable shitbag drunkard tells me I’m lying to myself. Her eyes opened wide before she moved into the shadows. She came out a few meters away, her pack at the ready, dagger drawn. “What the fuck are you doing?”
Edwin stood where she had just been, the back of his hand where her neck would’ve been. He swayed a little before he shook his head. The man ground his teeth, looking at her with hard eyes. He didn’t say a word and walked past her.
“What was that? Why would you just attack me out of nowhere? What’s wrong with you? Did you lose your goddamn mind?” she said, her arms wide as she stared at him but the man vanished a moment later.
A few onlookers stared at her, some making comments.
She glared back and growled, her canines growing in size. Stop it, idiot. She walked away before anyone gave her too much attention. It took a few minutes for her to feel reasonably safe again, continuously checking the movements of the nearby guards. Looking up, she saw a black winged figure fly past with incredible speed. Lily grit her teeth, her mind going back to what the man had said. Lying to herself? In what way? Why was she even considering him? She shook her head. The tournament would start a noon. She had to get some sleep before that.
_____________________________
Edwin teleported into the store, staying quiet as he crouched and looked through the various shelves. No Pearl. This will do, he thought and grabbed a dark bottle. He broke off the top and started drinking, ignoring the sharp glass edges pushing against his chin. The bottle done, he threw it away and grabbed another.
Five bottles later, the trap door to the damp cellar opened up.
“Who’s down there?” an angry voice called out.
Edwin grabbed another two bottles and teleported out, immediately stumbling into a nearby wall. The world spun from the impact but he just staggered back a few steps, shrugging off the dull pain. He looked down and saw shards of glass fall from his hand, a few cuts already closing up. Dark liquid mixed with his blood. “Fuck,” he murmured, looking at his other hand instead. There he still had a bottle. That was good.
He cracked it open with his injured hand and started drinking, the angle of the world changing again. He saw boots and heard something. His head hurt. Just a little.
Someone crouched down. Ash armor.
“Fuck oooff, Illea,” he slurred out, rolling onto his back before he raised the bottle to his mouth. Nothing came out. He let go of it.
“Does he know her?” a voice asked.
“Doesn’t matter. He stole a bunch of bottles. Look at him,” a woman said. “And he stinks.”
Edwin felt something warm and opened his eyes wide. “NO!” But it was too late. His world refocused. He was back. “You fucking… pieces of shit,” he said and went for his blades.
The four people moved as one, teleporting the short distance before they grabbed his arms and weapons, held him there with moving limbs of ash.
He strained against their hold but found himself unable to move. “Let… me… go,” he growled.
“You stole those bottles and you will either pay for them or you will have to come with us. Conscious and uninjured, or not,” the ash covered healer said, his voice calm.
[Battle Healer – lvl 185]
“You don’t know who I am…” he said through gritted teeth.
“You heard what I said,” the healer said.
Edwin strained against their hold again and failed to get out. He closed his eyes and sighed. His arms went slack. The four jumped away at their leader’s signal, making some distance. He glared at the man and slowly drew his first sword. He looked at the thing. The metal had a red sheen to it, light from a nearby lantern reflected off the blade. A few onlookers had gathered, quickly shooed away by two Shadowguard that now secured the exits from the alleyway.
Redleaf blades.
The pride of our glorious House.
He glanced at the pommel, the scratched out family crest unrecognizable. “I didn’t ask to be healed,” he said and threw the blade on the ground. The metal clattered. “Give that to the owner,” he said in a dry tone. He slowly unsheathed his other blade and threw that one down as well. “With that. You get me a crate of those bottles.”
“We don’t have time for this,” one of the Sentinels said.
The leader looked at him for a long moment. “The name you said before…”
Edwin looked at him and shook his head. “Just get me that fucking crate, man.”
“Nathan…” one of them said. “You’re not seriously going to help this guy.”
“I get you that crate. You don’t break into more establishments?” the man asked.
“Sentinel promise,” Edwin said and showed him both middle fingers.
He expected a punch to his neck but instead the man started laughing.
“Fucking lunatic,” the woman said.
“We should move on,” another man said.
The Sentinel crouched down and looked at the weapons. He grabbed them and stood up. “These are well made. Worth more than a crate of booze.”
Edwin just puffed.
The man signaled something to the others. All of them vanished a moment later.
Took the blades.
Edwin looked up and sighed. The stars were visible. He saw one of the constellations he had often used to navigate the wilderness. The coiling snake. “Degenerate Ash fanatics,” he said when he heard a dull sound. He looked down and saw the Sentinel stand up again, a crate of bottles set on the ground before him.
“You don’t look well,” the man said and crossed his arms.
Edwin stared at him. “You don’t get to tell me how I look, boy.”
The Sentinel chuckled. He looked at Edwin for a few seconds, considered, then vanished.
Edwin crouched down and grabbed the crate. He teleported a few times until he stood in the cellar with Roland and Jyraiu, the two engaged in the most depressing looking game of cards he had ever seen.
He cracked open a bottle and started drinking.
“Where have you been?” the fire mage asked. He glanced down. “Your swords?”
Edwin didn’t reply. He drank and stared at Roland. Bald piece of shit. He cracked open another bottle.
Twenty minutes later and a sixth bottle done, he threw the empty thing at the man. It missed, instead shattering against the wall, drops of liquid rolling off the damp surface.
Jyraiu glanced back. Annoyed and scared.
Like he always is. Too fucking scared to do anything. To fucking scared to leave and live his fucking life. “Why are you sstill here?” he asked.
Jyraiu looked at him. “What do y-”
“I’m not taalking to y... you… I’m talking…” he said and stood up, nearly dropping the crate. He focused and set it down on the ground. He came up, his head swimming, vision going dark before it refocused. He pointed at Roland. “I’m talking to you. Bald shit.”
Roland glanced up but he just stared back. There was nothing there.
Edwin ground his teeth. “Berserker… what are you dooing? She’s your daughter, isn’t she?”
No response.
“And you’ve beeen dragging her… along. Having her care for you… like some old fucking man,” he said.
“You don’t know me,” Roland said in a quiet voice.
“I doon’t? NO?” Edwin asked, leaning forward a little. He had to steady himself against a shelf that shook lightly under his weight. “Killed everyone, didn’t they? Long eears… your wife? Children?”
Roland stood up, the cards falling from his hands.
“Edwin, I don’t think th-” Jyraiu said, stepping to the side.
Yes. Go h... hide.
Edwin walked a step closer. “And you did nothing. All of them slaughtered. And you’re still doing nothing.” He felt a dull impact to his head and staggered back. Edwin grinned and raised a hand to his chin. He tasted blood.
“Don’t talk about them,” Roland said, his fists raised and shaking.
“What? Why not? Have you k… killed any elves since it happened? How much stronger are you?” he demanded. Lilith fought beings we couldn’t even imagine. What did you do? “The least you could have done was avenge them.”
Roland growled and charged, his fist coming forward.
Edwin grabbed it and tripped the man, throwing him through the wooden door of the cellar and out against the stone stairwell. He walked out and kicked down on the berserker’s skull. The impact cracked something.
Roland got up with a push, slamming Edwin against the side of the entrance. Mana flowed now, a red aura around the man’s form as his fists crashed into Edwin. He punched six times, four hitting the noble’s head.
Edwin deflected the last punch and struck back. He stumbled sideways, his ears ringing. Up the stairs and onto the street. He watched the berserker rush up, like some wild animal. Edwin laughed, dodging backwards to avoid the swing of the small axe. “You’re weak,” he said and rushed forward, deflecting the savage strike before he punched Roland in the stomach, lifting him off the ground with the impact.
Roland growled while in the air and slammed his axe down on his opponent’s shoulder. The blade dug through the battered leather, biting into the flesh.
Edwin grabbed the handle and threw the man off. He ripped the thing out of his shoulder and threw it aside, just when he was tackled by Roland.
They fell, Edwin hitting his head before fists started to slam into his head. He blocked a few strikes but the impacts were growing stronger, his attempts to throw the wild warrior off failing. The stone cracked with another impact until it suddenly stopped. He could barely see anything, his left eye entirely gone and his right one covered with blood. He spat out a few teeth and cracked back his flattened nose, stumbling up before he fell back down.
He still heard growls from Roland, finally feeling warmth flow through him again. His vision cleared, the dull pain from his shoulder and face receding as his mind cleared in turn.
Roland was being held down by a large Sentinel, with one hand. A few more had gathered.
Edwin closed his eyes, still lying on the ground. What am I doing?
He rolled to his back and looked up at the stars, lanterns burning lazily at the corners of his vision. The coiled snake.
“Pent up anger?” someone asked. It was the same Sentinel that had given him the crate.
Edwin closed his eyes. “Fuck off.”
He heard the man sit down. “That was one shit fight.”
Shut up.
“Barely worthy of a level one hundred brawler,” the man said.
I said shut up.
“Let alone a level two hundred sword master. Tragic really,” he said.
Someone lightly kicked his side. “This shit again?” a woman asked. “Nathan, you’re wasting our time with your constant want to save people. This guy is lost.”
Nathan chuckled. “Exactly.”
The woman groaned and stepped away. “By fucking Lilith.”
“Just let him do his thing. We stopped the fight,” another man said.
“Gael stopped the fight. We didn’t do shit,” the woman said.
“What the fuck do you want?” Edwin asked when the man still didn’t leave.
Nathan stood up. “No. Edwin, the question is, what do you want?”
He groaned.
“You would normally have one option. We kick you out of the city. If you return during the festival, we’ll have you imprisoned. If you resist, you will die. I will offer you a second one. You participate in the main tournament,” Nathan said.
Edwin opened his eyes and glanced over. “How do you even know who I am?”
The ash covered man looked down at him. “You asked me before didn’t you? You don’t know who I am, you said. I didn’t. So I had someone ask around, had your blades checked, followed you and listened to the conversation you just had. Just because you hate us doesn’t mean we’re incompetent.”
“I don’t have my weapons,” Edwin said.
“I’m sure that’s not an obstacle for a man of your reputation. Gael will see you to the registration booth,” Nathan said and walked a few steps before he glanced back. “I suggest you show up to your fight sober. I’ve been told your sister is in town. I’m sure she’ll be watching.”
“You fucking piece of-” Edwin got out when the dark behemoth appeared above him.
The large man raised him up with one hand, his entire form shrouded in spiked ash, his eyes uncaring. “Tournament, or over the wall,” he said in a deep growl, an ashen limb pointing in the direction of the walls.
Edwin looked at the man for a few seconds, the ash around him. He was outclassed, and he knew it. Even her fucking cult.
“Tournament,” Edwin said through gritted teeth.
Black wings spread and he was in the air a moment later.
______________________________________
Lily watched the Sentinel fly off, carrying Edwin by the neck. She stepped back into the shadow of the alley she had chosen to sleep in, sliding down against the wall. He would’ve killed him. And she had watched. She had watched, unable to interfere. Did I come to sleep here to protect Roland? In case he was attacked?
She shook her head. Why did I come here? To get silver, for us? For him? For that man?
A shell of her father. A shell of the last thing that reminded her. Every day.
Wolves stepped from the shadows. They moved close. Protected her while she hugged her knees.
She stayed like that for a good twenty minutes, quietly crying. She hissed at a Sentinel that asked if she was fine. He left.
Her sobs finally turned into laughter, the voice stuck in her throat before she rubbed her eyes. She took a deep breath and shuddered. One sign of her hand and the wolves stepped back into the shadow. I can’t do this anymore.
Lily stood up and walked to the cellar.
Inside, she found both Jyraiu and Roland, playing cards as if nothing had happened. She steeled herself.
“I’m done,” she said with a weak voice. Then louder. “I’m done.”
Roland looked up. He didn’t say a word.
“You’re here now. You’re safe. As safe as you’re going to get. I will join the tournament, and then… I don’t know. I don’t know what I will do… but it won’t be with you,” she said and gulped. One of her ears started ringing.
The man who had been her father stood up.
“W… what do you mean? Lily… I… how… I have to protect you,” he said.
“By killing other people? By playing cards? By wasting our silver? By losing yourself to your magic? By-” she stopped, her eyes wet, her words growing faster, more frustrated. She took a deep breath and raised her head. “I’m Lily… Lily of Salia, daughter to Samantha. Daughter to Sophie. Daughter to George. And daughter to Roland. They all died… a long time ago in the city that I loved. And I will find my own way,” she said and waited. The man in front of her just stared. With the same look in his eyes. With the same slack shoulders. She vanished.
Lily teleported through the city and ran. She ran as fast as she could, as far away from that cellar. From that man. Tears streamed down her cheeks and her lips quivered. She felt light. So very light.
Comments
Chong Go
She's spent years being the adult in their relationship. She finally decided she had to stop being the parent to a grown man. That wasn't her role in life.
Juli Freixi
Thanks a lot for the chapter Rhaegar!!
Bat
It seems to me that her father has been a burden for her for a very long time. There is a limit on how much a person should excuse an individual for. He experienced trama but so did she and she is still trying to move forward. He doesn’t appear to be.
Relissi
Ilea should drop Edwin off as far north as she can. Once an asshole always an asshole. Good for you Lily, don’t let sad old men dictate your life!
Reodude
Logically sure, that was an option - bu she is very much not in a logical state of mind right now. She lost her family too and is very much not ok yet, and seems like she's basically been caring for a barely functioning father too. Slow build up of emotion over years with no way of expressing it and then this final straw resulting in an impulsive and emotionally charged action
Charles
His two wives and his husband, had a bit of polyamory going on.
Pierre Steiner
A...card against lilith. This 100~ level shadow tamer. A card against one of the only 500+ humans? Even trained by Helena, who's in the 300's herself, I don't see her coming close to being a card in whatever ploy Helena may hatch, should she even want to hatch a ploy against lilith. It wouldn't make any sense, she's sure to lose way more than she could gain. It seems outlandish of a prospect at best
Mr Bork
Was she even referring to him? The pronouns bamboozled me multiple times this chapter.
Todd Kloos
Lily just left her father, why would she want to team up with Edwin? He's like a more selfish, more irresponsible, and more alcoholic version of her father. He isn't even stronger than her father right now due to how drunk he always is.
Todd Kloos
I'm not sure why she seemed shocked that he almost killed someone either. Didn't she slaughter a bunch of people earlier? Previously it seemed like she was more aggressive and bloodthirsty than her father.
Thaabit Rivertree
I don't get why she felt the need to abandon her father. Was he really holding her back? Was he not able to live independently? For example, couldn't she explain she wanted to separate and help him get situated somewhere? Check up on him sometimes.
Forrest Minter
Her dad was that berserker dude illea shacked up with way back in the early chapters when illea was traveling with a merchant caravan. Later he introduced illea to his multiple wives and hoard of children. Illea gave Lilly the enchanted necklace she got from clearing that first dungeon with all the dog monsters. (The one that turned out to house the necromancer cult that she's friends with) Eventually elves sacked the town roland and Lilly lived in, and killed the rest of their family. Illea was getting revenge on the elves when she made first contact with the shadow's hand
bob barker
He was once decent?
Liedral
Hmm... I don't really remember Lily's backstory, can anyone provide a clue?
matthew gilley
I can see Helena finding lily, training her to have a card against lilth
Vortozan
Oof Lily, that's a tough choice to make. Thank you for the read!
ricky jackson
I see Roland drooping his berserker class and joining the sentinels. he isnt to high over lvl 100 so it wouldnt be a big deal since most sentinels get to tht lvl in a year. does any body remember his second class? I think it involves axes Roland and edwing would both make fir interesting shadows cus there weapon users first not brawlers, might even pass on some general skill knowledge for other sentinels
Blackmoon11
The story is told through Ilea's view and she rarely pays any attention to children. We know that she isn't particularly tall, since Jyarai was crouching slightly to speak to her. She is older than Cless, and it's been at least 3 years since Salia was destroyed. So I'm guessing 13 -15.
Jachin Nelson
I think she was like 12ish when we first saw her way back when. So maybe 15-16 now...I've never been sure how long in actual time this story is
Chopper
Anyone know how old Lily is?
Chopper
What are you talking about? Who said he's getting anything?
Jasonzerowars Playes
😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 poor lily she had to grow up to fast😭😭😭😭😭😭
Alsia
Thanks for the chapter :)
Tjark
and he still didn't react at all
Chopper
She basically told Roland he was dead to her. Damn, that's hardcore.
Shukketsu
Cant that drunken husk of a once decent being finally bite the dust against a straw dog or somthing? It does not seem like it will be able to add anything other than looking like the sorry husk it is to the story.
mightguyishot
Who else is salty edwand is getting a redemption arc btw? Whether he's deserving or not, his story arc really doesnt add to the story, other than show how far illea has come. I can't see him fighting against the elves or trying to find a solution to the large-scale problems we will be seeing in the future. He's narrow-minded n is only looking out for his self-interests. Also even if he became really powerful, he wouldn't do well in a leadership role. At best, I see him become a villain with a poor plotline. He's not even hot enough to pull off the hot n unhinged vibe.
mightguyishot
Or maybe she gets adopted by kyrian? He’s a powerhouse n has the means to train her n he has the incentive to want to give her a better life since he’s been through similar situations? Him n his girlfriend could raise her 🥺🥺🥺
mightguyishot
I like the idea of lily becoming a sentinel, but I think it would an easy cop out solution. All strays can’t keep becoming a sentinel. I’d much rather she finds some chosen family with ppl looking for bonds “not ilea” maybe Claire, lich? They have a stable lifestyle n could give her the stability she needs. She had a very mobile lifestyle for years n she could you a home n ppl that would care for her until she can get past a lot of her traumas. Maybe it would be exciting if she went North n trained with lich n down the line meet elf who she unexpectedly bonds with? That would be for a great side story
mightguyishot
Or she can go North n train with meadow n lich. They would probably bond really well. What she needs is stability not strength
Great couple of chapters. Hope to see more of Cless's antics too.
Endoria
I am looking forward to Lily joining the Sentinels
Nate
Hmm... I want to see how this mini arc ends but it doesn't feel like there's an easy solution here. Edwin on a team with Lily would be fun to see, but I don't think her class is good enough to fight above her weight class - especially with Sentinels in the mix.
Nate
It kinda seems like her wolves are magical constructs? That or they're stored pokemon-style in some sort of shadow dimension lol
Jeanean
Really hoping Lily becomes a Sentinel. Just imagine the horror of a Tamer/ Battlehealer. Imagine having to fight an entire pack of Shadowwalking, Asharmored, undying wolves! Now that, is one oponent I wouldn't want to face. Also, a Battlehealer Tamer doesn't run as much of a risk of losing a significant part of their power should one of their beasts die. Because before one of them dies, the Tamer themself would have to die first or they just heal their beast right back into fightingshape.
Torbjørn Nilsen
Meadow and Owl are the best moms there is. Never gonna give you up Never gonna let you down Never gonna run around and desert you Never gonna make you cry Never gonna say goodbye Never gonna tell a lie and hurt you
Blackmoon11
For once I am glad that Ilea doesn't just swoop down to save the day, some things you just got to do by yourself, having someone else do it for you ignores the underlying problem. Its been a long time since the story ventured into Grimdark territory(since Ilea can just punch her way out of any problem with her friendship fists), glad to see its back. Still, as strong as she is, Lily needs a stable figure in her life right now, I doubt it would be Ilea, she detests playing "the mom" role.
Brent Heustess
Gonna be real hard to get Cerethil Hunters accepted. Too many bad elf issues.
Michael C
Sad. Lily made me sad.
Matthias
Honestly, all I want is for ilea to get fed up with edwins shit and let him stew in the north for a month or two. Maybe he'll finally sobre up anough to have a mental breakdown, upon which he can fix his attitude
Jachin Nelson
I think it would be better to call it an Epic, instead of a book
Rhain
This
Straven
Hope lil finds her soon, that girl needs a shoulder bad. Thank you for the chapters.
Jonathan Walker
I really hope Illea helps them both because Roland needs it bad and Lily needs love from a mother figure and I hate how broken they both are.
Yotedom
This drama is really making some of the best chapters of this story, in my opinion. I applaud what you have created Harthane. I started reading your story almost 2 years ago on royalroad, and I love the world your mind can see!
Dantalia
I really hope illea finds lily or lily finds illea cause lily could use some help I am so surprised lily even showed up in the book again~ I really liked her in the few chapters she was in close to the beginning :)
RainyCats
I do hope Edwin finds himself throughout this Tournament, I don't really hate him.
Andrew
Thank you!
Ranyaws Bluefire
I really like this. Ilea always presses forward, to make things better and to greater hights, but to see the remnants of her past, to see a great part of the world is just as ugly as always, it really grounds things.
thkiw
illea should get together with lily. maybe talk to her. also, I'm starting to really like the character focus.
Dax
Not after so much time.
Julien Fellegara
Continu this way, so great guy!
Arttu
I would imagine that mental trauma + berserker class isn't healthy combination.
Max Scherer
Dunno Edwins PoV is kind of annoying, because he just doesnt get better and whatever the fuck happened to Roland? Did something happen after the city was atacked by elves? Did we know what they went throught after that?
Rick Baker
People mostly change through crises. One traumatic crisis changed him for the worst, maybe losing his daughter..his last family.. is the thing he needs to snap out of his funk and change for the better. Or not. He could just go postal. And commit suicide by elf. Either way Lily will probably do better for breaking it off and going her own way.
Joshua Little
Thanks for the chapter.
Run gal, run!
Luciaron
Thanks for the chapters!
tibbish
Hopefully Ilea finds them. Her healing should help with the mental trauma too I would think
Alexander Dupree
Edwin is so pathetic.
buca117
Also, really digging the humbled Golden Lily. They were way to arrogant around Ilea, so its nice to finally have them witness the sort of shoulders she rubs against. Show them what real power and influence looks like, maybe smack some sense into their overconfident, conniving, complacent heads. Hopefully enough to buckle down and improve, because as soon as she removes the Taleen, the elves are gonna start looking for blood, and there's no way the Golden Lily are prepared for what the Oracles and Monarchs are really capable of.
buca117
Glad Lily is actually willing to go her own way, even if it is a tragedy, what became of Roland. Also, I feel like Ilea is staying out of the way on purpose. Let the others come to grips with all the really crazy stuff before she shows up rocking her three marks. Get them accustomed to working with crazy, so that when she does finally show up they're less likely to feel inadequate.
buca117
Honestly, Ilea giving him a big fuck you would be pretty classless. Way beneath the Faen Arbiter of Ash. Her best friend is a sentient meadow deep in the four marks, and she's well on her way there herself. Picking on a low 200s warrior would be beyond petty, nevermind the fact that he's already a total wreck.
Cerber
Now let Lily move on. Her father obviously cant and the amount chinese novels ive read about children having to worship their parents, regardless of situation has been dead for me ages ago. Also, will Edwin become a footnote among other or what? Cant say i like him and i still want to see Ilea give him a big fuck you.
Ollie
Please let Lily have a happy moment with Ilea soon.
Veronica
Soo much juicy drama
IWannaBeATiger
Rip I hope Roland gets better somehow
