“Are we really underground? Because something doesn’t add up. This place is amazing and- Good gods!” Only when she looked outside the nearest window did Tista notice that the light didn’t come from the sun but from some yellow crystals hanging to the ceiling of the cave.
Lightkeep had been built on both the ground and the ceiling of a huge natural formation below Mogar’s surface. Most undead could walk on walls like insects or fly thanks to their bloodline abilities so they had no problem moving from the lower to the upper level of the city.
The ceiling had been painted blue and white to resemble a cloudy sky while the ground was rich in gardens and parks, making it no different from a surface dwelling. People of all races and ages walked along the streets and only a few of them were undead.
“Yes, we are.” Vladion chuckled. “My sunstones produce heat and light in a similar fashion to the sun but pose no danger to the undead. They are one of my most prized achievements, second only to my son.”
“Who are those people?” Tista pointed at the short line of undead standing in front of the main gate of the Firstborn’s mansion.
“One of the reasons you are here. I’ll let Nyka explain it to you.” Kalla led them to a living room with golden-painted decorations covering its white walls.
In the middle of the room, there was a long oval table surrounded by padded cherrywood chairs. A few people were sitting there, Baba Yaga in her Maiden form, Ilthin, and Nyka were among them.
A single chandelier enchanted with light magic illuminated the place thanks to the pristine walls spreading the light evenly like mirrors.
“It’s so good to see you, Solus.” The Maiden said while walking toward her.
Baba Yaga was the oldest white core still alive on Mogar, yet in that form, she looked barely sixteen. Her silvery voice brimmed with joy and innocence while her lithe body moved with the overeager energy of youth
“I’ve been worrying for you every time you went to the battlefield. I’m glad that you came out of it in one piece.” The Maiden’s clear blue eyes sized Solus up, checking on the status of her life force and mana core.
“It’s good to see you too, Malyshka.” Solus hugged her friend, resting her head on the Maiden’s shoulder. “We wouldn’t have done it without your help. Thank you for sending Dawn and Dusk to our aid.”
Between the small height gap and their waist-long almost matching hair, they looked like sisters.
“Aren’t thou, I mean you forgetting someone?” A blonde man with a finely trimmed beard said while raising his green eyes from the book he was reading. “The Horsemen weren’t alone. Us Firstborns did our part as well.”
He had a thick accent that belonged to a different time, when Tyris’ universal language was spoken by nobles in a different way from commoners. Back then, it was meant to represent the social and educational divide between them.
In the present day, however, it just sounded pretentious.
“Do I know you?” Solus was puzzled.
Aside from Vladion, there were two men and a woman in the room but she couldn’t recognize any of them. Once a Firstborn assumed human form, their body came back to life and their energy signature changed as well.
“Seriously? How hard is it to recognize a Knight amid rogues?” He pointed at his shiny white armor and then at his brethren.
The woman had reddish bronze skin like Solus had never seen before and wore foreign clothes. The other man, instead, had reddish hair and an anonymous look. If not for his fine clothes, Solus would have mistaken him for a member of the house staff.
“Fine! Since no one bothers introducing us like it should be proper, I’ll do it myself.” The man snorted, turning his whole body into an orange mist. “I am Sir Essian Lormon, Firstborn Mage Slayer. At your service.”
The armor gave them a perfect bow, worthy of the Royal Court.
“Don’t touch him while he’s like that, or he will suck you dry.” The woman had clear chestnut eyes and hair so black that they looked almost blue. “I’m Ahote, Firstborn Wendigo. Nice to meet you.”
“You are a Wendigo?” Solus shook the hand that was being offered to her, almost refusing to believe her eyes.
That particular species of undead were comprised of cannibalistic monsters covered in thick white fur whose mouth was filled with fangs the size of a short knife. Not only was Ahote graceful, but also her touch was warm, without any trace of the cold aura typical of Wendigos.
“Not by choice.” She sighed. “My people are used to a warm climate so when a long and harsh winter trapped us inside our homes, we didn’t have much of a choice. To not starve we had to make a terrible choice and when the other tribes discovered what we had done, they killed us like rabid animals.
“I’m the only survivor and only because the Red Mother found me in time.”
“What about him?” Solus pointed at Lormont, eager to change the topic.f?ℯe???n?ѵ?l. ???
“His story is almost as tragic as mine or Ilthin’s.” Ahote’s voice dripped sarcasm and the other Firstborns laughed. “He was once a noble Knight. His ego was so great that he thought himself capable of besting anyone with his sword, even mages.”
“And?” Tista tilted her head while the orange mist turned beet red.
“And he was wrong. The end.” The Wendigo shrugged.
“That’s it?” Solus said in disbelief.
“Yeah.” Baba Yaga nodded. “Why do you think the only things he has left are his heart and sword? Because they are the only things a true knight needs.”
She said with a pompous voice, making her children laugh harder.
“Which makes you the Firstborn Ghoul, correct?” Tista asked.
“Indeed. My name is Bogdan. Nice to meet you.” He offered the girls his hand and they shook it.
“What’s your story?” Solus asked.
“Nothing much.” He shrugged as a cold light passed behind his eyes. “I was a doctor and spent my days dissecting corpses trying to understand what had killed them and how to save those suffering from the same afflictions.
“Too bad that superstitious idiots took me for a Necromancer bent on spreading plagues and buried me alive. I starved and thirsted for days until Mother found me, but it was too late.”
“After turning him, I warned him that his first meal would also be the only source of nourishment he would have.” Baba Yaga sighed. “Sadly, in his rage Bogdan decided to settle the score and sate his hunger, killing two birds with one stone.”
“What do you… oh!” Tista said.
“Poetic justice, if you ask me.” The Ghoul snarled.
“Why did you have us come here, Nyka?” Solus asked, still not understanding the reason behind her friend’s request.
“Because I wanted to give people one last gift before Baba Yaga takes my prisms away.” The young Vampire replied.
“Prisms? As in plural?”
“Yeah.” Vladion opened the first buttons of his shirt, showing the gem-shaped crystal in his chest.
