Chapter 34: The Information Broker?

With dinner eaten the party and the broker once more begin discussing Isla’s past and why she might be here.

“Well I am sure that you have heard the rumour that Ehccihster’s crown summoned the Dark King, I can confirm that they were responsible for summoning them. The crown had learnt of the secret use for summoning magic and started to experiment with it, for what reason I have no idea. But the Dark King was summoned and after a while the pair fell out and the Dark King fled Ehccihster to start their own kingdom. And when they did that they themselves summoned four beings to act as lieutenants. If you are wondering how I know all of this I am originally from Ehccihster and saw this all with my own eyes, I fled that place because the crown changed once the Dark King left and they wanted anyone with knowledge of the summoning to be eliminated. But the Dark King summoned for themselves the monster known as the Burasu the representation of power, a Kitsune who are known for being the race with the most knowledge on magic as the representation of wisdom, for the representation of courage they summoned an Ogre and finally they summoned Isla. But Isla quickly ran away as they had no clue who they were nor why they were suddenly there. I fled not long after and was the one who guided Isla to Seolford before she disappeared not long after arriving in the city. Isla was meant to be the leader of the four lieutenants as she was to embody equal measure of all three traits. The Dark King while being referred to as a King is actually a girl, and a demon to boot, they only started referring to themselves as King when they left Ehccihster because the rumour that they were not actually that strong and were in fact quite weak to anything other than magic had begun to circulate and so they tried to make themselves sound stronger by calling themselves a King.”
“Well that proves the coachman right on a few things, do you happen to know if the Dark King can use the voids to transport people to their castle to brainwash them. Is that what the coachman said?”
“The coachman actually said was ‘the Dark King was using the voids to take people into their castle and subjugate them and make them sympathetic to his cause and spread lies around what their goals really were’ Ilev.”
“Ah, well is there any truth to that do you know?”
“I want to know who this mysterious coachman is and how they know so many of the rumours that people called me crazy for spouting. Before I tell you what I know about the voids could you describe the coachman to me.”
“Sure. He looked to be around the same age as you, in fact he looked very similar to you. They had the same black hair except they had it cut very short, they also has blue eyes instead of the brown ones you have, their build and complexion wa the same as yours, and they had a daughter.”
“I think I know who you are talking about, did you get a look at what their carriage was called?”
“I personally didn’t, anyone see what it was called.”
“I did, when I was purifying a crystal I saw a name painted on the side of the carriage that read Trinity.”
“Lexa what do you mean you were purifying a crystal.”
“Ilev was can talk about that later.”
“Trinity. Thank you adventurer’s it seems like my brother was listening to me and reading my letters after all. That is why what I am telling you here is validating what he told you, it is because I told him those parts, as for what the voids are used for I did not tell him that but I have also heard that rumour. As for the validity of it I cannot personally say the Dark King only started to create them after they left Ehccihster, but I cannot rule out the possibility as we already know they started calling themselves the Dark King in order to make themselves appear stronger than they actually are. So taking people into the void to feed them false information to control the narrative she wants for herself would not be too farfetched.”
“I see. Well thank you for sharing your information with us, how much do you want in compensation and we’ll be out of your hair. As we have our next goal, thanks to you.”
“And what would that be Ilev?”
“We’re going back to Ehccihster to get more information on the Dark King from the person that summoned them.”
“Well I would like nothing in terms of payment, but please do stay here for the night before beginning your long journey back to Ehccihster.”
“Why thank you, we will take you up on that offer. And why do you all look so concerned about going back to Ehccihster, we’re much stronger than we were before and it’s the best location to find more information on the Dark King so we can complete Lord Connor Leon Seolfor the Fourth’s Grand Quest.”
“They did kick us out pretty harshly when we first arrived Ilev that’s why. But I see your point so I guess there is no helping it, let’s go back to where this journey began. After all it’s probably worth it to find out all we can about the Dark King and the three lieutenants that are a threat before we try to fight them.”

The party then set up their camping beds on the floor of the brokers house as they prepared to stay the night before, they began the long journey back to Ehccihster. In order to confront the crown about why they summoned the Dark King, and if there is any way to defeat them as while they might not be that strong and weak to physical attack they have no clue if any physical attack can actually hurt the Dark King.