Legacy of Dreams: Freedom

by Thomas J. L. Green

  The air echoed with screams. Screams of fear. Shrieks of pain. Thousands of people were burning alive in that cave. Soldiers, slavers, scientists, demons, priests, mages, innocent prisoners, Addie… all were burning alive. For what felt like an eternity, only the shrieking echoed through Iowen. She saw Merewen exiting the inferno with her maul over the shoulder, her armor still wrapped in flames. The soldiers didn’t even bother to throw water at her as she passed to the front, the fire slowly faded from around her. Merewen said something to the men. Iowen didn’t hear that. All she heard was the cacophony of terror and pain that was coming from the cavern. It filled her body and soul. Filled it with horror. The soldiers closed the gate and started retreating to surface. They carried Iowen with them. Even through the closed gate, Iowen could hear nothing else than the shrieks of despair as the people were burning alive. They stopped in sewers. There was a blockade in the sewer at a side and soldiers were gathering here. A healer came to Iowen and tried to tell her something. When she didn’t react, he started working on her wounds. After a while, Iowen spat and the healer stopped. She said: “do not touch me.” She tried to get up on her feet. A soldier tried to help her, but she pushed him away.

  “Don’t touch me!” she threw at them.

  “Let her go,” Merewen ordered. The soldiers obeyed instantly. Iowen turned at Merewen to speak to her. Merewen had her helmet by the belt and maul in her hand. Her armor had marks of being burned, but she didn't. Merewen's armor looked cruder than that of the other soldiers, it was covered by spikes and looked like it has been repaired for a thousand times. It looked like a messed up blend of plates and spikes. What stopped Iowen was the look on Merewen’s face. She was calm and understanding. Iowen instantly realized that she knew. She knew what she had done, what she had her soldiers do, what the whole grand plan was. From the start. This wasn’t a plan B; it was the main plan which they had executed to perfection. She knew. She understood.

  “Get some rest. It won’t make things better, but you will at least stop dying,” she told Iowen with a faint smile. Then she went back to organizing the soldiers.

  They know too. They all know and now they are slowly starting to celebrate as Merewen is getting reports of the other groups making it out safely.

  Iowen used her sheathed sword as a cane and walked to the nearest ladder. Ignoring the excruciating pain that her body shot through her with every move, she got up the ladder onto the streets. When she turned to the arena, she saw the massive mansion next to it burning.

  33

  Lucas

  “You smell like roasted chicken!” Miranda greeted Lucas as he got up to the top of the clock tower. Lucas was sitting on the ledge of the clocktower and was playing with a small rosary in his hand.

  “You know Merewen, she hates when the party starts late,” Lucas smiled back. He was mostly alright, ends of his hair were a bit charred and he was covered by ashes, but he was alright. He didn’t get caught in the inferno directly, but it still grazed him when he was making his way out through a secret passage he found in the cavern city. Lucas was fast, but outrunning fire required more than that. Luckily, his clothes were made to not be flammable. All gear of the Shadowless was made that way. Lucas limped his way to the ledge and sat next to Miranda.

  “Don’t tell me you got hit. Are you getting old?” Miranda remarked poisonously.

  “I met the A, it was a touch bigger than I expected,” admitted Lucas.

  “And you ran like a little bitch,” Miranda stated.

  “I wouldn’t put it that way, but I did have to make a tactical retreat,” Lucas conceded.

  “You really need to get something to kill the bigger ones.”

  “You know it’s not that easy, plus there is always Merewen when there is something big in need of being killed,” Lucas admitted.

  “Not our job, I know,” Miranda made a sad smile, “but you do need to get me something better to kill. These guys were like kids throwing lollipops.”

  “You will have your share, don’t worry. The party is only getting started,” Lucas smiled at her.

  “You think the Slaver Union can regroup and put up a fight?”

  “I am sure of it.”

  “Good. Care to have a drink?” Miranda pulled out a bottle of spirits.

  “Drinking on duty? That’s unlike you,” Lucas observed, but didn’t refuse.

  Miranda took a long swig from the bottle before handing it to him.

  “Burned army, burned mansion, family with two kids about to burn soon… even I feel my gut when I think about it. Tonight’s been quite a victory,“ Miranda evaluated.

  “Indeed,” Lucas confirmed before drinking from the bottle.

  “It’s not easy to catch you alone,” Miranda started carefully.

  “Hmm?”

  “Since you are pretty much my only direct boss, I figured having a talk once upon a time wouldn’t be so bad,” Miranda revealed, “and this is pretty much the first time I got a chance.”

  “Are you having doubts?”

  “Oh, not at all. I am mostly just curious… how old are you?” Miranda started.

  “It’s written in my file, one you should have access to,” Lucas retorted.

  “Do you know what it says in there?” Miranda asked poisonously.

  “Perhaps.”

  “It says that on your recruitment day, you descended from the heavens on a pink unicorn and that if you ever read it and remember who you tasked with writing it, he will give you a bottle of the best whiskey he can get,” Miranda smiled.

  “I wonder when did the archivists figure out I’m not reading what I make them write,” Lucas smirked.

  “Probably two days after they handed over the first thing they ever wrote for you.”

  “I suppose, anyway, I can’t tell you my age, sorry,” Lucas stated.

  “That much, huh? I figured you would be about the same age as Elias, but I just can’t get out of him if you were around when he got promoted or not. The archbishop isn’t too talkative either,” Miranda tossed up.

  “What are you after, Miranda?” Lucas narrowed his eyes.

  “I want to find out who you are. The only personal item you got is that rosary… I see you play with it around the times we do something ugly. What does it mean?” Miranda pried. It was a short string of beads and the Palai symbol. Six beads, each of different color. Gold, black, violet, grey, green and red.

  “You are good at asking questions I’m not willing to answer,” Lucas smiled weakly but didn’t hide the rosary.

  “Oh come the fuck on! Are you seriously not going to tell me a single personal thing? Nothing? Look, I’m not even asking how come our magic is so similar, how are we related, what is your real name, who the fuck you actually are, what your main combat magic is or what’s with you hitting on girls you clearly don’t want to do anything with! Give me something!” Miranda shouted angrily.

  “I was wondering how long will it take you to drop the fake sweetness and go back to normal,” Lucas chuckled.

  “It got me fucking nowhere, didn’t it?” Miranda shot back.

  “It’s fine. I will trade you the answers, one for one. My name is Lucas. For real, just Lucas. It’s the only name I ever had,” Lucas offered.

  “No surname, no middle name, nothing else? Who gave that to you?” Miranda priest.

  “Just Lucas. Nothing around it. I chose it myself, in honor of a man who I respected more than I can express,” Lucas revealed.

  “What’d he do so grand?” Miranda tried.

  “He gave his life so I could be free.”

  “Now I’m interested, care to share the details?” Miranda pressed.

  “That would cost you another question. Now it’s my turn to ask. Do you have someone? And I mean serious romantic relationship, not one-night stands,” Lucas slashed.

  “WHAT?”

  “You heard me.”

  “That’s… what type of question is that?” Miranda exclaimed.

  “It
’s the question to which I will get the answer. I’m listening,” Lucas didn’t let up.

  “No,” Miranda whispered shyly.

  “When’s the last time you had someone?” Lucas pushed.

  “That’s another question!" Miranda contested.

  “I also answered follow-ups… so?”

  “I had one semi-serious relationship since I have joined the Order,” Miranda revealed.

  “That’s not the answer to my question; when was the last time?” Lucas did not allow an escape.

  “Before I joined the Order. Elaine was her name,” Miranda admitted.

  “I suppose that’s the story of the amulet you wear. Not the Palai one, the other one… because if we are talking about personal items, that, your weapon, and the three boxes under your bed are the only things you got,” Lucas remarked.

  “That’s enough from this question. I like this game, what’s with the Iowen thing? I understand she is somewhat useful, I understand that you do her because she is hot, but what’s with all the relationship-like bullshit?” Miranda pivoted.

  “I made a promise that I would find myself someone. Given my line of work, I don’t exactly get too many opportunities,” Lucas sighed.

  “Who the fuck could make you promise that? I know you and Nashimaeal got something more than just being friends, but I don’t think that’s enough for this,” Miranda observed.

  “You are right. It’s not just Nash,” Lucas admitted.

  “Now I’m fucking curious, so spit it out, because I am absolutely sure I don’t know that person… and I want to. It’s a woman, isn’t it?” Miranda demanded.

  “Yes, but that’s all I’m willing to say on that topic. My question now, how are you planning to find someone when all you do is work?” Lucas turned it around.

  “What’s your business with my private life? Seriously, what’s with these questions?” Miranda shook her head.

  “That’s not an answer to my question,” Lucas insisted.

  “I don’t know. I’m working on it!” Miranda stated strongly.

  “Are you? Because my Xona office happens to feature a view on entrance to Hungry Daisy. Now I don’t exactly sit there too often, but it is still enough to notice you go there quite often. From how it looks to me, you are working on your toy collection rather than actual partners,” Lucas mused. Miranda’s face turned bright red before he even finished.

  “A… a… a… I give up,” she squeezed out of herself.

  “I know what it’s like to spend all your time at the job. I really do. Just try to not let it consume you.”

  For a while, they just sat there watching across the main city square how the mansion of Mr. Woonard is burning.

  “I want a hug,” Miranda shot out of nowhere.

  “Huh?”

  “Just want to test something. Come on; I won’t bite… this time,” Miranda reassured him.

  “It’s a trap, isn’t it?” Lucas estimated.

  “How could a hug be a trap?” Miranda challenged.

  I can’t think of it. The damn woman is trapping me, I know it, but I don’t know in which way.

  “No,” Lucas refused.

  “Like this, you will never know what the trap was,” Miranda raised her eyebrows.

  Bitch.

  “Fine. Just don’t try anything weird,” Lucas agreed.

  They got up and hugged. It was awkward.

  “Interesting,” Miranda evaluated, “I expected you to be cold and mechanical. You aren’t. Instead, you have a volcano of emotions burning inside.”

  “How the fuck would you get that from a hug?” Lucas wondered.

  “I am a woman, Lucas, we get this whole set of superpowers you men cannot even dream to comprehend. One of them is having some basic empathy,” Miranda returned, “anyway, have fun with the rest.” Miranda turned around to leave, “and by the way, you really should cut your hair. You look like a girl from behind.”

  Lucas gave himself a few minutes to finish the bottle before he went on to inspect the bodies. Woonard and his family lay there behind him, all dead or unconscious. The rope and oil were all prepared too.

  Miranda did her mission perfectly, as always. I wish I knew how to help her become someone else. Someone other than the next me.

  He went on to attach the ropes to the metal peak of the clock tower. He attached the bodies to its other end and covered them all with oil. He took his dagger and made a slight cut across the belly of each of the body. Lucas put the bodies on fire and kicked them off the ledge. He looked across the ledge and saw they are hanging nicely.

  Time to go get some sleep.

  34

  Collward

  “Daddy! Daddy! I am scared!” the voice of a little girl woke him up.

  “What’s wrong, Ellie?” Edward Collward asked her softly. He was sleeping soundly and being woken up by his daughter, who seemed to have been scared out of her mind, was not a pleasant moment.

  “There is fire! It looks scary!” she breathed, clutching her toy cat.

  “Don’t worry, it will be alright,” Edward got up and put his hands on her shoulders to reassure her, “let’s go check it out,”

  Elizabeth went to him, hid behind his leg and pointed forward.

  “That way,” she said.

  He walked forward to her room where she pointed him and gazed out of the window. Across the long street, he could see the burning house of Mr. Woonard.

  “I hope Billy is alright,” she said in a worried voice.

  “Don’t worry; Billy is sure to be fine. They must have had enough time to escape before the house caught on fire” he told her softly. He knew he was lying.

  “And Mrs. Woonard too, she is always so nice. I hope she is fine,” Elizabeth added.

  “Don’t worry Ellie, Billy, Adam, Bobbie, Mr. and Mrs. Woonard are all surely alright,” he told her in a confident tone.

  “I am still scared,” Elizabeth protested, “we should go check on them!”

  “I will check on them in the morning, now you need to go to sleep to get to school tomorrow,” he told her softly and closed the curtains.

  Elizabeth looked like she wanted to protest but didn’t. He took her to the bed and tucked her into the sheets.

  “How about I read you a story,” he proposed.

  “Mmmhm,” she accepted.

  So, he lit a lamp and took out a book from the shelf and read her a story until she fell asleep. When she did, he softly kissed her on the forehead and went on to dress up.

  Edward Collward left the house early in the morning. He would go reach the other members of the Slaver Union to organize a regroup, but first, he had more important matters to attend to. When he was crossing the main city square, he saw the five bodies hanging from the clock tower. Two large, three small, their intestine spilled down all the way to the ground and the fire that was enveloping them was still burning.

  Farewell, Francis, you were a good friend. I am sorry I couldn’t help you or your children, but I will have you avenged.

  He paid a minute of silence to his deceased friend, Francis Woonard, and his family.

  The soldiers of Palai looked at him strangely when he arrived at the gate to the barracks and announced he is there to see Lucas.

  “We can’t let you in, sir,” one of them protested.

  “I am here to see Lucas and trust me, he will see me. I will wait here if necessary,” Edward Collward demanded in a steady tone.

  The soldiers looked at each other, then one of them opened the gate.

  “Please, follow me, sir.”

  He did. The soldier took a company of four more men along the way and led him to one of the guestrooms. One soldier disappeared, but the four men remained, trying to look as distant as they could. Edward sat down. The room was simple, but not uncomfortable. After a few minutes, a man appeared in the door. He was dressed in black and had silvery hair to the shoulders.

  “You are not a bad fake, but I am here to see Lucas,” Edward shot at
the men coldly before the man could say anything. He opened the mouth to protest but changed his mind.

  “Since you just failed your job, how about you get me some tea made to shorten my wait,” he ordered the man. The man disappeared with an embarrassed look.

  To his surprise, some man brought a kettle with tea and a couple of cups. Edward enjoyed the confusion on the faces of the soldiers as they had no idea what’s going on. He poured himself a cup of tea. It was cheap but had a strong flavor. A few minutes later, another man dressed in black appeared.

  “I said I am here to see Lucas. You are a better fake than the first one, but not nearly good enough,” Edward shot at the man without even looking at him.

  “Leave us,” a calm voice commanded from the shadowy corner of the room. The soldiers and the man who entered looked surprise, but obeyed. Lucas walked out of the corner and took a seat opposite of Collward. “You put my men to shame,” Lucas opened up. Edward Collward poured the tea into the second cup.

  “I see you intend to turn our ideological differences into a straightout war,” Edward went straight to the point.

  “What was your first hint?” Lucas asked sarcastically.

  “Woonard’s children were innocent. When did you stop caring about that?” Edward took another shot at Lucas.

  “You know how this works, Edward… there are no innocents under the heavens.”

  “So that’s what you are going to do? Kill every slaver and all of their family members you can find? They are just people who picked a line of business like any other,” Collward pressed.

  “This line of business is about to end; I won’t pursue those who get the point,” Lucas countered.

  “Is that what you want? Destroy the largest industry on the continent and scatter all the people connected to it into the wind?”

  “Yes. I will destroy everything you have built and annihilate all that stands in my way.”

  “Hundreds of thousands of people will lose their living, their way of life.”

  “Religion doesn’t deal in compromises.”