This day has just become a whole lot more complicated, didn’t it?
Jacob sighed as he lifted the woman into his arms and raced toward the nearest town.
If he was going to chase the person who had kidnapped Enyo, then he needed answers.
He had a feeling that this woman could provide them.
***
It took Jacob far longer to reach Deterion than he wanted. Truth be told, he hadn’t even wanted to return to Deterion at all. Lack of options forced him to return. However, the chances of Enyo’s kidnapper having come here, or indeed, even traveling this way, were so slim as to be non-existent.
Jacob had to rent out a room at one of the taverns, and though he’d gotten some weird looks for carrying an unconscious woman around, no one had stopped him. The fact that he’d acted so unconcerned probably helped. Now, sitting in a small room, he waited for the woman to wake up.
“Do you think she’s really gonna help us, Partner?” asked Durandal.
“I don’t see why she wouldn’t,” Jacob said. His arms were crossed as he stared at the woman, who lay on the bed, unmoving save for the rise and fall of her chest. “She gave me those visions for a reason, and I believe that reason was to help rescue Enyo. Mind Manipulation, huh? What a frightening ability.”
Jacob had seen far more than just who had attacked Enyo. He’d been given a glimpse into her life as a child. While it might have been a mistake, something that happened because the woman hadn’t been in her right mind, he believed otherwise. She had shown him that part of Enyo’s life to make him realize how much that young woman meant to her.
Though showing me a vision of a younger Enyo saying she’ll marry me was a bit odd.
“But still… this woman is a member of the Dark Clan,” Durandal argued. “She could have shown you those visions to make you think she was on your side, and then she’ll stab you in the back when you least expect it.”
“No…” Jacob shook his head. “There’s no reason for her to go that far. Remember the fight with Shade? They were after Enyo from the beginning. The only reason I was attacked is because I would have tried to stop them. Since Enyo is now in their possession, there’s no reason for her to show me all that to try and earn my trust.”
“You’re right,” the woman spoke up. Her eyes were open, revealing yellows eyes as she turned her head to him. “There isn’t it.”
“I’m glad you’re up,” Jacob said. “How are you feeling?”
The woman twitched as if surprised. “I am fine. Tell me, hero, why have you not gone after Enyo?”
“Because I don’t which direction her kidnapper went in,” Jacob said. “I know that he is traveling to the darklands, but I need to know the route if I am to intercept them.”
“And so you were hoping I would help you,” she deduced.
“You have no reason not to.”
As silence ensued, Jacob studied the woman before him. Her shorts were hugging her hips, leaving all of her long legs on display, and her vest conformed to her figure and showed off a generous amount of cleavage. From her clothing and the whip at her side, he deduced that she was a seduction specialist. Her Mind Manipulation magic only confirmed this.
“What makes you think I’ll help you?”
“Are you really going to play the ‘I might be working against you’ card now?” Jacob asked. “The longer we spend talking, the more time Enyo’s kidnapper has to escape.”
The woman sighed. “You’re right. I apologize. My response was a habit.”
“It’s fine.” Jacob stood up as he waved her off. “Do you think you’re fit to travel?”
Trying to sit up, the woman winced several times before fully managing it. “I believe I can. However, if I end up slowing us down, you can feel free to leave me behind.”
“Considering how important you are to Enyo, I don’t think I could possibly abandon you.”
The woman smirked. “You really are a hero, just like you were portrayed in the stories I used to tell Enyo.”
“I’m no hero,” Jacob said. “A real hero would have never abandoned the people who relied on him. I’m just a kid who was forced into an unenviable situation. However, this is neither the time nor the place to discuss my sordid past. We need to leave. I have one more stop that I need to make before we can go after Enyo’s kidnapper.”
“Then let’s go,” the woman said. “By the way, my name is Fellis.”
He nodded. “I’m Jacob.”
“And I’m Durandal,” Durandal said.
… A moment of silence.
“Did that sword just talk?” asked a flabbergasted Fellis.
“Ignore the talking sword,” Jacob groused. “There are more important things to worry about.”
“Right you are,” Fellis said.
Their first stop was Dolton’s, the blacksmith shop where he and Enyo had ordered a pair of daggers to be made. He’d already cashed in the reward for the cockatrice. Since cockatrices were considered a fairly dangerous monster, the money he had earned was enough to pay for the daggers, though he would have very little left over.
Dolton must have sensed his haste. He didn’t even bother berating Jacob for bringing Durandal into his shop. Fortunately, Durandal also seemed capable of reading the mood. The sword remained silent.
“Here you go.” Dolton handed Jacob a rectangular box with clasps on it. “These are the daggers you ordered. You’re lucky I had no other orders on hand. It allowed me to work on them non-stop.”
Jacob undid the clasps and lifted the lid. Resting on a soft purple cushion, with long blades and short handles meant for one hand, were two daggers that glinted obsidian in the light. They were simple daggers. There was no real ornamentation to them. That said, Jacob could tell from the sharpness of the blade and the quality of the folding techniques used, that this was a weapon only the best blacksmiths could make. Running along the blade were several runes meant specifically for Magic Channeling.
“Thank you,” Jacob said, closing the lid and tucking the box underneath his arm. “I really appreciate you making these so quickly.”
“You’re welcome,” Dolton said. “Now, it looks like you’re in a hurry. Go help that friend of yours. She’s in trouble, right?”
It didn’t surprise him that Dolton had reasoned out why he was in a hurry. Enyo wasn’t there but a new woman was, he hadn’t set Durandal outside, and he was in a rush. It was easy to conclude that his companion was in danger.
“Thank you,” Jacob said, waving to Dolton as he raced out of the store with a still somewhat weakened Fellis following behind him. As he slowed down to let the Dark Clan member catch up with him, he turned his head and asked, “do you know how to find the person who took Enyo?”
“I do,” Fellis said, nodding. “Without a doubt, he will be taking the road through the Jörmungandr Mountain Pass.”
Jörmungandr Mountain Pass, so named because of the powerful monsters that resided there, which looked similar to the legendary serpent itself, was one of several passes that lead through the Tenebrae Mountains. It was an incredibly dangerous route. Fraught with dangers that couldn’t be found anywhere else, only the strongest and most powerful warriors could traverse it and come out with their lives intact.
When Jacob had left his companions during the war against the Dark Clan, that was the pass that he took to reach the darklands.
“That’s two weeks travel from Deterion,” Jacob murmured.
“The one that we’re after, Wraith, can travel through shadows,” Fellis said. “His magic is Shadow. He’ll be able to get there within a week.”
“Then we’ll need to procure a method of transportation.” Jacob sighed. This was just what he needed: more work. “A horse isn’t going to cut it. They’re not fast enough. We need something that flies. A griffin or a drake would be ideal, but where are we going to find one of those?”
As if summoned by his need, a familiar group of knights walked past them, their shining armor plates clinking together as they walk
ed up to citizens and spoke with them. No doubt they were asking about the whereabouts of himself and Enyo.
“Friends of yours?” asked Fellis.
“No, but they’re timing is fortuitous,” Jacob said. “Come on. If they’re here, then their drakes are likely in the stables.”
“We’re going to steal a drake, huh?” Fellis grinned. “What kind of hero steals from others?”
“I think I’ve already mentioned that I’m not a hero,” Jacob said. “I’m just a guy who wants to save his companion.”
Having used the stables here before, Jacob led Ellis to them, traveling past several numerous buildings. The stables were located on the top level near the outskirts of the city. There were two: one for flying creatures and one for land creatures. They were traveling to the one for flying mounts.
There was a person guarding the stables. It was just a young boy, however, and so Jacob walked up to him and tossed the lad the last few coins that he possessed.
“Thanks for all your hard work,” he said to the boy.
The boy looked at the coins, and then gave him a toothless smile. “Thanks, Mister!”
He and Fellis stepped into the stables. The scent of hay, manure, and unwashed animals filled the air. Jacob ignored this as he strode past several empty stalls.
There weren’t very many mounts. Ariel beasts were expensive. Not only were most of them vicious and therefore required extensive training, but they were also rare. Drakes, griffins, and other tamable flying creatures could only be located in certain parts of Terrasole.
Standing in several stalls, their four legs ending in a set of giant clawed feet, were six drakes. Armor plating hung from their muscular physiques. Horns jutting from either side of their head curled behind them, giving them a sort of demonic appearance. Most of them had green scales, signifying them as wind drakes, but one of them had red scales—a fire drake. That must have been the paladin’s.
“Fellis, can your Mind Manipulation affect animals?”
“It can,” Fellis said, stepping forward. “Hold on just a moment while I work my magic.”
Jacob stood back while Fellis walked forward some more, alerting the drakes to their presence. They craned their necks to look at the woman confidently striding toward them. Several growled. Fellis merely smile. She reached out her hand, muttering words that he couldn’t hear under her breath, and while it looked like the drakes were going to bite it off at first, they soon settled down and allowed her to pet them.
“All done,” Fellis said.
“Nice work.” Jacob walked up to the fire drake, which acted quite docile, and placed a hand on its muzzle. “Let’s mount up on this one and move out.”
“That sounds like a grand idea.”
Before either of them could actually commit on their actions, the door to the stables burst open, and a familiar man clad in silver armor glared at them.
“I thought I had recognized you from somewhere,” the paladin shouted as he pointed an accusing finger at Jacob. “You’re the ruffian who attacked me while I was trying to apprehend that criminal!”
Jacob swore as he leapt onto the drake’s back. He reached out his hand, which Fellis took, and then he pulled her onto the mount with him.
“I leave this to you,” he said to Fellis.
“Got it!”
Using her ability to control the drakes via Mind Manipulation, she immediately ordered the other drakes to attack the knights. The beasts charged at their masters. Several knights ran out of the stables as they were attacked. Only the paladin and two other braves souls remained. They tried to wrangle the drakes, to force them into a state of calm, but it was no use. Under Fellis’ mind control, the drakes had no choice but to obey.
Grabbing hold of the reins, Fellis directed the fire drake out of the stables. It rushed past the three knights, slamming one with its tail and headbutting another.
“Hold it, you fiends!” the paladin shouted. “I said stop!”
“Sorry, but my companion is in danger,” Jacob said. “I’ll return your mount to you after I’ve rescued her.”
“Hya!” Fellis cracked the reins, and the drake burst forward, knocking the paladin aside before it rushed outside.
Jacob felt his stomach drop as the drake took flight. He closed his eyes as the loud flapping of massive wings echoed in his ears, mixing with the howl of the wind. The loss of traction on his boots made his feet tingle. He didn’t need to open his eyes to know that they were far above the ground.
“What’s wrong?” Fellis asked. “Don’t tell me the big hero is afraid of heights.”
“I’m not afraid of heights.” He scowled. “Being this high up with nothing to keep me from such a long drop just makes me uncomfortable.”
“Is that so? And yet you’re still flying to rescue Enyo?”
“Of course I am. Enyo is my companion.”
“Is that all she is?” asked Fellis.
“What do you mean by that?” Jacob cast Fellis a suspicious glance.
“I mean: is Enyo just a companion to you, or is she something else, something more?”
Jacob knew what Fellis was referring to. She was asking if he thought of Enyo as someone he wanted to be with in a more intimate fashion, a lover or even as a potential wife. He didn’t know how to answer her, so he changed the subject.
“This guy we’re after, Wraith, I think you called him. What’s he like?”
“Wraith is one of the more dangerous assassins currently working for the Dark Council,” Fellis informed as she pulled hard on the reigns, changing the drake’s general heading. “I mentioned it before, but his magic is Shadow. Basically, he has the ability to manipulate any shadow regardless of whether or not he is touching it. He can also travel between shadows so long as the shadows are touching, making sneaking up on people quite easy.”
“That certainly sounds like a troublesome opponent.” Jacob narrowed his eyes. “But I’ve fought worse. He’s not going to take Enyo.”
“Speaking of Enyo… I know that now isn’t necessarily the time, but you should know that Enyo has been in love with you for a long time now.”
Jacob tried not to blush, but he could feel heat rising to his cheeks. “I don’t see how such a thing could be possible. We only met around a month ago.”
“My apologies.” Fellis shook her head while subtly redirecting the drake. “When I said that she was in love with you, I meant she fell in love with the Jacob the hero. She fell in love with the stories that I told her of you.”
He could accept that more readily than her being in love with him. After the war’s end, there had been many girls who’d professed their love. Of course, all of them had been in love with the hero, not Jacob. It seemed a little odd for the daughter of the Dark Lord, slain by his hand, to love Jacob the Hero, but, well, this was an unusual world that he lived in.
“However, just because she fell in love with the hero you, that doesn’t mean she doesn’t feel the same way about the real you,” Fellis continued. “It might be impertinent of me to say this, but I think you should talk with her about her feelings sometime. Enyo is an oddly compassionate young woman, especially for a member of the Dark Clan. Right now, I believe that she is burying a lot of her feelings to help you and not be a burden, but that’s not healthy.”
“I suppose I could agree with you on that,” Jacob said, sighing as he tried to block out the howling wind. “It’s not good to ignore your own feelings. I could certainly talk to her. However, are you saying that after we rescue her, you’re going to just let us go?”
“Of course not,” Fellis said. “Since my original plan of hiding her away failed, I’ve decided to join the two of you. I don’t know what you are hoping to accomplish yet, or what your goals are, but I have protected Enyo since she was a little girl. I’ll continue to do so for as long as I’m needed.”
It seemed Enyo wasn’t the only compassionate Dark Clan member. Of course, he knew from experience that not all members of the Dark Clan
were evil. Most, in fact, were just regular people who had a predisposition for darkness based magics. Still, though, those kinds of dark clansmen and women did seem to be in the minority.
“That’s fine,” Jacob said. “The more help we can get, the better off we’ll be, especially since what Enyo and I are trying to do is dangerous.”
“I thought that would be the case.” Fellis released a deep breath as though resigned. “Really, that girl, I have no idea what she was thinking, leaving the sanctity of our home and running off on her own like that.”
Jacob didn’t think Enyo was thinking when she ran away. He didn’t say anything, though. Truth be told, he had other things on his mind.
Talk about her feelings for me, huh?
Jacob looked up at the sky. The evening sun was beginning to set. It would be dark soon, and if they wanted to make good progress, they would need to reach the next town before nightfall.
Hold on, Enyo. I’m coming.
***
Enyo was jostled awake when something shook her. Blinking several times, she tried to figure out why the ceiling over her head was shaking so much. Also, why did the ceiling look like nothing but a simple cloth? She didn’t remember any of her beds ever having a canopy.
It wasn’t until she became more alert that she realized a few more facets about her situation—namely, the fact that she couldn’t move her arms.
Looking down, Enyo was shocked to discover that her arms and legs had been completely bound. Strange black threads wrapped around her body, ethereal but strong. They pinned her in place.
Another jostle that made her body shake caused Enyo to finally realize what was happening. She was in a wagon, being taken somewhere, though she knew not where.
How did this happen…?
She remembered. It wasn’t very clear, but she remembered fighting Fellis, remembered preparing to fight with everything that she had, but during the fight, someone had snuck up behind Fellis. Enyo didn’t know who they were. However, she’d instinctively called out a warning to the woman, right before darkness had engulfed her.
Someone must have snuck up behind me…
It was odd, though. As a member of the Dark Clan, she had a strong sensitivity to negative intentions. When someone desired to harm her, she could feel it, and, in certain cases, she could even sense the location of the one who intended her harm.
Journey of a Betrayed Hero- Volume 1 Page 16
