Twilightfall

by Viktor Zólyomi

  I stare at the devastation in shock for a while, then I shout behind me.

  `Hey, Errak!'

  `Yeah?' he says, as he comes out of the tavern.

  `Have you seen this mess?'

  `Yeah. We all have. It sucks bigtime. But we'll rebuild it.'

  `Yeah... Well... Just so you know... This was Grenshaur's fault. Do you know what I'm gonna do now? I'm gonna find him, and I'm gonna kick his ass!'

  Errak nods in approval, and I begin to walk towards the Gateway to my stronghold. Yeah, I'm gonna kick Grenshaur's motherfucking ass for this. But more importantly, I'm gonna take the Shadestone for safekeeping. I'll put a fake replica into the amulet and give that back to Flora, but I'll keep the Shadestone for myself. Leaving such a powerful item in her hands is a bad idea...

  Besides, if she wants me to get Grenshaur off her back, she has to pay the price of it.

  Yes... So it's time for me to play my game, and then claim my prize!

  Tranquility

  Beheaded Buddy Tavern, Coldrock, present day (3 days and 13 hours before Twilightfall)

  `What's the matter?' I ask of Zack, sitting by his table in the tavern. He barged in here a minute ago, greeted me, and dropped himself on the chair. He seems to be thinking hard on something.

  `What do you mean, Flora?' he asks.

  `You look troubled.'

  `It's nothing. Tano just told me something about an old friend of mine. Nothing that would disturb us now. I'll take care of it after this business is over.'

  `Alright.'

  He leans back and rubs his forehead. He looks tired. No wonder, what with the way Coldrock was almost burnt to ash, and it was his doing alone that saved at least a portion of the village.

  I still hardly believe he did it. I never thought he'd have it in him. I always had the impression that he's a selfish asshole who cares only about himself and doesn't give a shit about anyone or anything else. But today, he could have easily ended up dead, and it wasn't himself he was trying to save. He has a much more complicated personality than what appears on the surface, it seems.

  `You took quite a risk earlier.' I tell him.

  `With what?' he asks, sounding absent-minded.

  `The tavern. The way you saved it from being burnt down.'

  `Oh, don't start that, please... I heard it a dozen times over from the orcs already.'

  `Is it strange to hear them praising your name?'

  `Yeah. It is.'

  `I thought they liked you.'

  `Yeah, they do, but they like me as the guy who brought them extraplanar music. Today's fiasco is a different story. Things like this don't happen much around here. I mean, this is the first time. I never expected they'd react like this.'

  `Like what? Being grateful?'

  `Yeah, I guess.' he says, shrugging his shoulders.

  `Is this actually annoying you?'

  `Let's forget what annoys me. Let's talk about what I like instead. Do you know what I like? I like the food in this joint. The cook is a fucking artist, and the oven works wonders with any kind of meat they stick into it. I didn't need to save this tavern to save the orcs' asses, they were safe enough below the ground, in the concert hall. But I didn't want this place to be razed. I wanted to have dinner here tonight.'

  `That's why you took that risk?'

  `Don't you believe me?' he asks, smiling.

  `Do you believe it?'

  `Well, I sure like to think it was this way. Ah, I almost forgot! I have your amulet here.'

  He takes my amulet out of his pocket and hands it to me. I reach for it. The stone is back in the silver, like it was before. Good. I want to keep it exactly as Jason gave it to me, so long ago...

  `I managed to put it back after a while.' he says. `Hopefully it still functions like it used to. We might need it later on.'

  `We might?' I ask, as I put the amulet around my neck.

  `Yeah. It can give us the edge against Grenshaur. The darkness it creates will work wonders. It will help me greatly.'

  `But you won't be able to see in the dark.'

  `No, but I won't need to. Perhaps you know that black magic only functions well in the dark.'

  `Yes, this I know.'

  `Well, that's the idea of using your amulet. The darkness will increase my power over black magic. I will be able to cast some very nasty target tracking spells that will take the fucking idiot lizardman down sooner than he could say fuck. Under such circumstances, the fact that I can't see will not matter much. Yeah, sure, it's still risky, but it may come in handy as a last resort. So I hope it works.'

  `Alright.'

  He goes silent and leans back again. He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath.

  `You look tired.' I tell him.

  `Yeah, but it's nothing. I expended almost all of my magic earlier today. I need a night's sleep and a day's rest and I'll be fine and at full power again. All I need is some tranquility. It works wonders, you know. Just you wait and see, tomorrow evening I'll be in top shape!'

  `This taverns hardly seems like a place to relax.' I tell him, as I glance around the tavern, sweeping my gaze over the dozens of orcs who are eating, burping, and talking loudly.

  `Actually, it's not so hard. You know, this place is like my home away from home. Knowing that, helps a lot.'

  `Your home away from home? Do you mean that place you call your stronghold?'

  `No, my stronghold is just a place where I go if I need to sleep or do some magical experiments, and it's where I keep the stuff I collect in the Multiverse. I don't spend much time there.

  My true home is among the Planes, roaming the countless worlds, exploring, seeking knowledge. But here... The orcs here have accepted me as their own. Made me feel at home here. It's why I'm still around. I never really wanted to be their boss. I just wanted to show them that I could beat their former leader in a duel. But they made me feel at home here, so I'm still sticking around.'

  `I thought it was the food that keeps you from leaving.'

  He laughs joyously.

  `Yeah, that's the main reason.'

  For the next several minutes, we both remain silent. He is not much of a talker, it seems.

  I have to realize, that I have developed a newfound liking for him this day. Previously I've only seen one side of him. But now I've seen how complicated his personality really is. He is a lot like Jason in this sense. He looks like he's a lonely soul. But he doesn't seem to care. He always seems to find joy in his existence. He is so much more fortunate than Jason was...

  `You okay?' he asks suddenly. `You look sad.'

  `I'm fine. I was just... Never mind.'

  `You were thinking of Jason, weren't you?'

  `Yes. You reminded me of him.'

  `Who, me?' he asks, surprised. `In what way?'

  `He had such a complex personality, you know. Most people never saw any of his sensitive side. But I knew him. Briefly, but I knew him well. You're a lot like him in this sense.'

  `What makes you think I have a sensitive side?' he asks, smiling.

  `Forget I said anything.' I tell him, with a sigh.

  `Hey, I'm just trying to cheer you up with some clowning around. You look really sad. I'm sorry if I reminded you of him.'

  `Don't be. I can never forget him...' I pause briefly. `I'm sorry... I don't want to talk about it any more.'

  `You sure?' he asks.

  `Yes. Very.'

  `As you wish.' he says, and then we both fall silent again.

  A while later, he stands up.

  `Well, we better go to rest. Are you sure you don't want to stay in my stronghold? It's safer.'

  `I can handle myself, thanks.'

  `Alright then. Until tomorrow.' he says, and then he starts walking towards the door.

  I call after him.

  `Zack!'

  He stops and turns around.

  `Yeah?'

  `Do you already know what we can do about Grenshaur?'

  `Don't worry!' he says as he smi
les widely, and then knocks his forehead with his index finger. `I've got a plan!'

  The bounty hunter

  Somewhere in Draconia, present day (3 days and 10 hours before Twilightfall)

  Zack, you lowdown son of a bitch, why the Hell did you have to stick your nose into my business again?

  I had enough of that the last time around. You are such a big pain in the ass!

  Now here I am, standing around in the middle of fucking Draconia like some bozo, and waiting for that cursed wizard to show up. He'd better get here fast! Last time I talked to him, he came quicker.

  Why do I have to put up with this? It's bad enough that the vampire bitch has been such a chore to hunt down. Hell, I've been a bounty hunter for ages, but this bitch takes the cake! She's far worse than anyone I ever had to catch.

  I've hunted her for over half a year by now. First time I met her, I thought she'd be little trouble. I've fought vampires before, but this bitch is different. She's stronger. She's even immune to fucking sunlight! I have no idea what kind of a freaking vampire she is, but she is much more powerful than ordinary vamps...

  My first encounter with her was pretty short. I had to run for it fast, I was completely unprepared. The second time I came with several mercenaries. I knew what she could do by then. My men proved to be insufficient, and some of them cowardly. But I didn't give up.

  I tried again, and again. I brought more men, hired more skilled mercenaries, I even hired a battlemage once. Yet somehow she always eluded me. Then she got on that ship to Mor'peri. Ambushing her on the ship would have been too risky, so instead I went to Port Mor'peri and waited for her there.

  Things would have gone smoothly, but some idiot mercenary thought to intervene on her behalf. Then she used her amulet and my men were cut down or ripped apart. And just when I'd have thought it couldn't get any worse than that, where do I find her trace? In a pathetic orcish village, with none other than Zack Sands to keep her company!

  I thought he was long dead, but sadly, the rumors were exaggerating...

  Now, after what happened in that village, I can see that catching the vampire bitch is going to be much harder than I ever could have imagined. That damn wizard had better pay me well for this.

  Speaking of which, where the fuck is he? I don't have all day...

  This just keeps getting better and better...

  Wait. I hear footsteps. There he is... Cursed wizard, why didn't you just teleport here?!

  `About time! I don't like being kept waiting!' I tell him, as he approaches me.

  `I was on time. I told you to wait right over there, Grenshaur!' he says, pointing behind him. `I actually had to scour the place with a spell to find you!'

  Idiot! We always met in this exact same spot before...

  `I have no time for this! Just tell me if you can help.'

  `Help? Exactly what do you want from me? As I recall, I asked you to retrieve the Amulet of Darkness from a certain vampire, and you have not yet done so.'

  `That's the problem. I need your help with that.'

  `No, no! It's like this. It's your job to get the amulet, and mine to pay you for it. It's not that we will get the amulet. It's that you will get the amulet.'

  `That was before she got herself a bodyguard.'

  `Bodyguard? What are you talking about?'

  `She ran for help, and hired someone who is causing me problems. A guy called Zack Sands. He's a problem. I need your help to get rid of him.'

  `I already told you, it's not we, it's you. Who is this man anyway? Why is he such a problem?'

  `Zack Sands... What can I tell you about him? The only thing bigger than his ego is his power over black magic. What I mean by that is that he is a bloody conceited bastard, but he is a bloody conceited bastard for a damn good reason...'

  `If he's a black magician, then all you have to do is take him by the light of day. He should be no trouble.'

  `Ha! He's nothing but trouble, even in broad daylight! He's got a lot of tricks up his sleeve. I ambushed him with half a hundred trolls and he killed them all with just two orcs aiding him. I tried breaking into his stronghold with a dozen earth elementals, and then he just teleported a fireball among them, and it blew up so big that everything was scorched in several miles, and I barely got away. I need something to get rid of him!'

  `My Master will not be pleased with your incompetence, bounty hunter. Just get the amulet, and don't come back until you have it!'

  `You listen to me, Drabangar! The vampire bitch has the amulet you want, and she is in the company of one of the most dangerous people of the entire Multiverse! If you still want that amulet, you need to help me out. I need some powerful magics to bring him down. So, are you gonna help me, or not?'

  He sighs.

  `Oh, very well. Here, take this!' he says, and he waves his hand towards me. A wand appears floating before me. I grab it.

  `Just speak the words lights out while the wand is aimed at him, and he will be blinded. He will not be able to reverse the effects of the curse, and so he will be at your mercy. You should be able to take the amulet while he is defenseless like that.'

  `I'm not so sure about that. But I'll see what I can do.'

  `You'd better get the amulet this time, bounty hunter!'

  `You just prepare something better in case this wand doesn't work on him. I told you, he has a lot of tricks up his sleeve. He's not somebody you want to fuck with. If you do fuck with him, you'd better be prepared for everything. And I mean, absolutely everything...'

  Among the Planes

  Coldrock, present day (2 days and 12 hours before Twilightfall)

  I walk towards the door of the Beheaded Buddy Tavern. I raise my foot and kick the door open. I step inside.

  Some of the orcs greet me as I walk past them and head towards my table. Flora sits there already.

  `Hi Flora!' I greet her, and sit down. `Did you sleep well?'

  `I didn't sleep.'

  `But you did feed, right?'

  She nods.

  `Great! So, let me have my breakfast, and then we'll deal with your little problem.' I tell her, then I yell to the bartender. `Hey, fatman! Bring me my fucking breakfast! I'm starving!'

  `Don't you mean dinner, Boss?' asks the bartender.

  Right, I slept through the day this time.

  `Of course that's what I mean, just fucking bring it out, and fast!'

  `Right up, Boss!' he says, and then he vanishes into the kitchen.

  `So, how do you want to do this?' asks Flora with a frown.

  `Do what?'

  `Kill the lizardman.'

  `We won't kill him.'

  `What?'

  `Look, it's very simple. Grenshaur is a bounty hunter. He's not the guy who wants your amulet, he is working for someone. Probably a mage. He is our only lead to whoever wants your amulet. We kill him, the asshole will just hire somebody else. So, we don't kill him. We catch him, and interrogate him. Then, we'll find the cocksucker.'

  `Are you saying we're going to wait until he comes after me again?'

  `No, we're not gonna wait here. We will be on the move, and we will force him into expending some of the power of his ring. We'll lure him among the Planes. More specifically, we will travel to a certain world, and set a trap for him there.'

  `What trap?'

  `I'll explain as we set it up, it's kind of complicated. Anyway, the basic idea is to make him lower his guard, and then catch him in a trap that will prevent him from using his ring to teleport away. Then we'll interrogate him. We might need to torture that son of a bitch, but I'm sure you will enjoy watching him scream in pain, now won't you?' I ask with a smile.

  `I don't care what it takes, but I want him off my back. I will not let anyone take this amulet from me!'

  `I'll see to that. Oh, by the way, I've been thinking... I'd like something in exchange for helping you.'

  `Fine.' she says, sighing, like she expected me saying this. `What is it?'

  `The spoils of war!
'

  `What?'

  `Spoils of war! Once we find the guy who wants your amulet and we kill him, I want everything he has on him. Everything.'

  `It's all yours. All I care is that he dies.'

  `So, we have a deal!' I exclaim with a wide, satisfied smile. `Excellent!'

  In the mean time, the bartender shows up with a large plate.

  `Here's the food, Boss!' he says, and he drops the plate on the table in the same fashion as he always does.

  `And my fucking coffee?' I ask him.

  `Right up, Boss.' he says, and walks back to the kitchen as I start eating.

  `You know, Flora, this stuff is fucking tasty!' I exclaim after the first bite.

  `You mentioned we were going to another plane.'

  `Yes, we are. We're going to a pocket plane. The home of a lesser Elemental Prince. Well, Princess is more accurate actually. But for some reason, the Elemental Princes are called Princes even if they are girls.'

  `Why there?'

  `It's a perfect spot to set up a trap. Grenshaur will think I went there for help, and he will try to ambush us at a moment when he thinks we don't expect. I would say we will not need to wait more than a day for him to show up. And then...'

  The bartender suddenly returns.

  `Here's your black water, Boss.' he says.

  `Ah, it's about fucking time!' I tell him, and grab the coffee before he could drop it on the table. I take a sip.

  `Ahhh, delicious! Where was I? Right. He will show up relatively quickly, but we'll have ample time to set up the trap for him. When he shows up, were gonna snap the trap on his sorry ass!'

  `What if he escapes?'

  `He won't.'

  `How can you be so sure?'

  `I know him. I had a run in with him long ago. I know how he thinks. I can outsmart him. That's the key. Outsmarting the asshole! That's all it takes, Flora! That's all it takes!

  Now let me finish my dinner, and then I'll open the Portal for us. I hope you don't mind cold weather, because it's a cold, cold world where we're going...'

  *

  After I finish my breakfast, we walk outside and I conjure the Portal. We step through, and a moment later we arrive. I look around and survey the landscape.