Chapter 29: The Cost of Survival

Calen arrived on the island of Amaris late the following night. He hated the levitator transport pods; they were slow, cramped, and reeked of rust and dust. But they were the only way to travel from Aeris. The fierce winds and constant gravitational pull surrounding Aeris caused the islands of the Rainshadow archipelago to shift positions unpredictably, making personal levitation devices entirely useless. It had been over six years since he last set foot on any of the Rainshadow Isles, and the memories they stirred were far from pleasant.

Valtheris had ordered him to serve as a guide for some high-profile individuals, but Calen’s true intention was finding Balthar Drik. He knew the mercenary was the one he’d been sent to meet, even though Valtheris had avoided mentioning him by name. Calen hoped to find answers about Livra’s whereabouts. On top of that, he had his own mission: he would hire Balthar to find Rion, no matter the cost of his services.

But the lingering questions gnawed at him—what did Balthar Drik have to do with Valtheris and Magistrate Vosca? And how was it all tied to the sabotage of the levicita during the festival or the events at the LCC?

The bar, doubling as a decrepit inn, was a far cry from the refined establishments in Aeris. It was grimy, stale-smelling, and dimly lit. Calen walked in, sat at the bar, and ordered a beer. He didn’t need to wait long; the mercenary would find him.

Sure enough, not even thirty seconds passed before Balthar Drik slid onto the stool beside him.

“How’s it going, kid? How’s the LCC treating you?” Balthar’s gravelly voice cut through the noise. “I heard things have been a bit… turbulent.”

“So, you remember my name?” Calen said sharply.

“Of course. I never forget a name or a face,” Balthar replied with a tone of pride.

Calen exhaled sharply. “Yeah, there’s been a murder—one that might be tied to the sabotage at the levicite center during the festival. They’ve pinned a bunch of accusations on a close friend of mine. They sent me to find you, didn’t they? So, tell me, Balthar—what the hell do you have to do with all this?”

Balthar didn’t answer immediately. He swirled his drink with an impassive expression, letting Calen fume.

“But before we get into that,” Calen continued, his voice tight, “I’ve got a question. Did you find who you were looking for? I’m curious.”

Balthar barked a short, dry laugh. “Curiosity, huh? No. You know exactly who I was looking for, kid. You just want to know if I turned her over to her family or not.”

Calen sprang to his feet, fists clenched, but Balthar moved faster. With a strength that bordered on inhuman, he clamped his hands down on the younger man’s shoulders and pushed him firmly back into his seat.

“Calm down, boy. Relax,” Balthar said with the air of someone accustomed to keeping chaos in check. “She’s fine. I was going to return her to her father and wrap up my contract, but some… things happened. That’s why you’re here.”

“Where is Livra, you bastard?” Calen spat.

“Sit down and listen to what I have to say. Calm yourself first.” Balthar finished his drink in one swig, ordered another round for them both, and then finally leaned closer. “The murder at the LCC wasn’t the only one that happened in recent days. Hell, I don’t think it was even the only one that night. And the victim… well, he wasn’t just anybody. It was Kael Torsonn.”

Calen’s brow furrowed. “The Kael Torsonn? From the levicita mines on the Outer Continent?”

“The same,” Balthar said gruffly. “A big fish, and the fact that he was there that night is more than suspicious. Magistrate Vosca and Administrator Valtheris hired me to untangle this whole mess.”

Calen narrowed his eyes. “And Rion? What does this have to do with Rion?”

Balthar exhaled through his nose, his voice softening just a bit. “That’s what I was getting to. Your friend—Rion Zilion, right?—he’s been implicated in the sabotage and the murder. From what I hear, he was close to you.”

Calen nodded, his expression dark.

“Look, kid, I know you didn’t have anything to do with this,” Balthar continued. “I’ve been keeping an eye on you for a while now, and other than living a pretty reckless social life, you haven’t done anything suspicious.”

“You’ve been watching me? Why?”

Balthar snorted. “Don’t be so thick. That curly-haired girl of yours—jealousy’s a nasty business. Took her all of five seconds to spill the beans about some ‘other girl’ you were meeting. Livra, obviously. I followed you from there. The night Kael Torsonn died, she left your apartment. That’s when I caught her.”

“Also”.He continued. “You were supposed to be in the LCC that night. You were the target, kid. She saved your life. Be grateful.”Calen paled slightly. “Livra saved me? What do you mean?”

“I mean she was ordered to.... whatever, I prefer she tells you, I don’t want to meddle here.” Said the mercenary.

Balthar paused, pulling something from his pocket. He dropped it onto the bar with a clatter—a small identification plaque. His tone was dry, almost regretful. “I’m sorry, kid.”

Calen’s gaze fell to the plaque, and his heart froze when he read the name etched into the metal.

Rion Zilion.

“Rion!” Calen’s voice cracked.

“Two days ago, we found his body on a cliffside here on Amaris,” Balthar said bluntly. “It wasn’t pretty.”

Rion. His best friend. Gone. Murdered.

Calen slammed his fists onto the bar. “Balthar, I don’t care who did this. I’ll make them pay. I want to hire you.”

“Calm down, boy. I’ve already been hired to solve this mess. You’re here to help me, not the other way around. You’re as impulsive as she is. The two of you are going to be the death of me.” Balthar downed the drink that had been meant for Calen and sighed.

“Oh, by the way,” Balthar added casually, “she’s here.”

“Livra’s here?” Calen blurted out, his heart pounding heavily.

“Third floor, second door.” Balthar gave a dismissive wave of his hand.

Calen didn’t waste another second. He shot off his stool and darted toward the stairs.

Balthar watched him go, a half-smile playing at the corner of his mouth. “Kids,” he muttered. “They’re such a pain. But damn, I envy them sometimes.” He chuckled to himself and ordered another drink.