CAIUS: Crown of Threads and Shadows

Before presenting the news to the Patriarch, Old Bones walked down the dim corridors of the subterranean archives, his mechanical eyepatch glinting in the pale magical light of the floating crystals. He found Elder Orven poring over ancient leather-bound tomes, his long white hair tied back and his robes smelling faintly of old parchment and dust.”Elder Orven,” Old Bones called out, leaning against a stone archway.The old elf looked up, his violet eyes narrowing slightly. ”Old Bones. What brings a retired assassin to the archives? Did you finally lose your favorite dagger, or are you looking for a new way to avoid working?””Neither,” Old Bones said, stepping closer. ”I have a question about the human boy. Caius.”Orven set his quill down, folding his hands over the desk. ”The young human who trained with us. What about him?””Word from the surface says he has conquered the Shattered Steppes, united the orc clans, and brought dead warlords back to life as obedient puppets using necromancy and spatial magic,” Old Bones explained, his single eye fixed on the elder mage. ”I came to ask you a straight question. Did you ever teach him any necromancy while he was under your supervision?”Elder Orven blinked in surprise, then let out a dry, dismissive chuckle. ”Necromancy? Absolutely not. I taught him spatial combat magic, core refinement, and blade mastery. Nothing more.””Are you sure?” Old Bones pressed. ”The archives here contain all sorts of dark arts.”Orven shook his head firmly. ”The archives have very small information in regards to necromancy. It is not strictly forbidden by House Vel’drin, but our clan never focused on necromancy. Our entire lineage and mastery lie in spatial combat magic and shadow arts. Raising the dead was never part of his training.”Old Bones muttered under his breath, scratching his chin. ”Then the brat figured out how to weave flesh and command souls entirely on his own...”With a brief nod of thanks, Old Bones left the archives and made his way straight toward the central sanctum of House Vel’drin.Deep within the subterranean domain, the heavy stone doors of the central sanctum swung open. Old Bones stepped through the shadows, moving past the towering obsidian pillars until he stopped before the raised dais.Patriarch Vane sat upon his throne, his dark eyes reflecting the faint luminescent glow of the surrounding crystals. Beside him stood his son, Sereth, dressed in dark leather with a slender blade resting against his hip.”You move quickly for a retired assassin, Old Bones,” Patriarch Vane said, his deep voice echoing in the cavernous chamber. ”What news could possibly pull you away from your tavern?””The rumors from the surface are true,” Old Bones said, a raspy grin cutting across his scarred face. ”The Orc clans of the Shattered Steppes have been united under a single ruler. The Sovereign of the Steppes.” Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. Sereth shifted, his dark eyes narrowing slightly. ”Which chieftain managed such a feat?””None of them,” Old Bones replied. ”Caius did it.”Silence settled over the sanctum.”The boy?” Sereth asked.”The boy,” Old Bones confirmed. ”He did not just hunt down the chieftain responsible for his father’s death. He slaughtered all five Grand Chieftains, bound their corpses to his will, and forced five thousand elite veterans to bow before him. The entire region belongs to him now.”Sereth fell quiet for a moment. Then, a slow, faint smile appeared on his lips, a rare expression for Caius’s first teacher.Patriarch Vane chuckled softly, the deep sound reverberating through his chest. ”That human child... it seems he hid his true skills well while under our roof.”Vane reached beneath the armrest of his throne and pulled out a small, dark stone. It was a message token, recently delivered through the clan’s subterranean trade houses by a shadow goblin scout who had traveled directly from the surface.”It arrived less than an hour ago,” Patriarch Vane said, tossing the token toward Old Bones. ”It seems your former pupil knew you would hear the news.”Old Bones caught the token in one hand. As dark energy flowed from his palm into the stone, a small projection of pale violet script materialized in the air before him.Old Bones,Prepare a gift. Three female Arachne warriors. Come to the Steppes on my birthday. Guides will wait at the Orc land border. Open a tavern here at the Steppes.~ COld Bones stared at the glowing letters for a few seconds before letting out a loud, booming laugh that echoed off the stone walls.”That brat,” Old Bones muttered, shaking his head. ”He really doesn’t want me to retire.”He closed his hand, shattering the projection.”Fine,” Old Bones grinned, his single eye glinting with amusement. ”He will get his gifts earlier. He still has nine months left until his birthday anyway.”With a final raspy chuckle, the old assassin turned on his heel. He pushed himself toward the exit, his movements fluid and swift.Patriarch Vane watched from his throne as the veteran walked away. For the first time in decades, the old retired assassin walked with a completely light step, leaving the chamber without even a trace of a limp.