VOIDWALKER

by M. L. Brooks

  “How long have you lived in Bosh Ragan?” Adair asked Dahlia, just making conversation.

  “As long as I can remember really. I had an accident a few years back and lost my memory. The girls here took me in and I made another life for myself,” said Dahlia.

  “Do you ever wonder what your life was like before the accident?” asked Adair.

  “Of course, I do,” said Dahlia, lifting her nose at the question.

  “I didn’t mean to offend! This is a pretty cool city. Are there any sights you would recommend to a tourist?” asked Adair.

  “The gambling is good. The girls know how to put on a show. Don’t drink the water. If you want to try something spooky, there’s just before you reach the main gate. It heads north into the forest. They say it’s haunted by the ghost of a swordsman. Others say that’s garbage and that they’ve seen a beautiful lady coming into town from that way. I’ve been up there and didn’t see anything so maybe it’s all made up.” Dahlia shrugged.

  “Interesting,” said Adair.

  Petra had finished giving Adair her makeover. The lady knight looked at herself in the mirror, running her hands along the fabric. It was far softer and more delicate than the dress she had been stuck in back in Guardia. She recognized that she was pretty but looking at her body in the mirror made her uncomfortable. She turned back to Petra.

  “Where am I supposed to put my sword?” asked Adair.

  “If this goes according to plan you won’t need it,” said Petra.

  Adair looked at herself in the mirror, running her hands along the fabric. It was far softer and more delicate than the dress she had been stuck in back in Guardia. She recognized that she was pretty but looking at her body in the mirror made her uncomfortable. She turned back to Petra.

  “Please don’t tell me we’re going to do what I think we’re going to do,” said Adair.

  “If your plans are going to get us in trouble, talk about them somewhere else. Also, bring back that dress when you’re done,” Dahlia said to them.

  Petra nodded and pulled Adair back into the hallway.

  “Just follow my lead,” winked Petra.

  CHAPTER 9

  Petra led Adair out through the back door of the resort. Night had fallen on Bosh Ragan, but the street was still lit with torches and people were active. Bars were full of merriment and people stumbled around in the streets. Some of them even waved and hollered at Petra and Adair. Adair tried to stretch the fabric over her to cover a little more skin. Petra didn’t even seem to notice.

  Just a few streets over from the resort was a large green tent. A couple of the men Adair had seen earlier in the green and black tabards stood in front of the tent. Candlelight illuminated the inside of the tent, and a pacing shadow made it apparent someone was inside. Petra approached them confidently. Not wanting to ruin her plan, Adair just copied Petra’s movements.

  “Hey, if you ain’t a Sword a you need to leave,” said one of the men.

  Petra immediately pushed her breasts against him and pulled him close to her. Not sure what to do, Adair quickly grabbed the other one and did the same with her body. She didn’t have the same kind of grace for this as Petra had.

  “The higher ups wanted to reward you boys with a little company,” said Petra, biting her lip flirtatiously. She was affecting an accent that Adair had never heard before.

  “I’ll leave her with you and I’ll take care of this gentleman inside,” Petra continued as she let go of the man and walked into the tent.

  The mercenaries outside didn’t object.

  The tent was a square room with a few shelves, locked trunks, and a big table with a map of Bosh Ragan and various letters and plans laid out. There was a candelabra on the edge of table with wax dripping down the edges that lit up the room. Inside was one mercenary, heavier set than the rest. He had a thin black mustache.

  “Who are you?” asked the man.

  “I am Giselda, and my tits say HEL-LO,” Petra replied boisterously. She flexed the muscles in her chest, causing each breast to bounce one and then the other with the syllables of her “HEL-LO”.

  The man looked down, eyes wide at her cleavage. Petra jumped on top of him, knocking him to the ground. Straddling his face, with her knees on his shoulders, she started strangling him with the bar of one of wooden rod weapons. He struggled and tried to throw her off, pushing his hips up to knock her away. He tried to shout for help but with her weight on his windpipe he barely let a gurgled whimper.

  “Honey, you’re going to have to thrust harder than that!” she laughed, still choking him.

  One of the mercenaries popped his head in to see what was happening. Noticing him, Petra tossed her back and started moaning as she pretended to be riding the face of the man in the tent. She turned her head slightly to look at the mercenary who was watching in. He started blushing and popped back out of the tent. The mercenary’s struggling stopped in an instant. She slapped his cheek and then got back to her feet.

  Petra scrambled through files on the table, trying to find something that resembled a ledger. Not seeing anything on the desk, she turned to the shelves. They were covered with trinkets and baubles without a single book or file in sight. She went to open the trunk closest to her. It was locked.

  “Shit,” she muttered, turning back to the mercenary who was laying on the ground unconscious.

  Petra turned and started rifling through his things. She took a pouch of coins off his belt, stuffing it in her bosom. She found a keyring with several keys dangling on it and then turned back to the trunk. The keyhole was small and she grabbed the only key she thought would be a good fit. It slid right in and with a soft click, the lock unhinged.

  Inside were stacks of book and a green file folder. She opened it up and saw a list of services including robbery, arson, and murder, all with prices and details written in organized columns next to them. She pressed the folder flat against her stomach and then rearranged the fabric of her wraps around it to conceal the ledger. Petra walked out.

  “The fun was over so fast,” she whined in her fake accent.

  “Come with me darling, we’ll be back downtown at the Skinny Nipple Brothel if you want to pick up where you left off,” she continued as she grabbed Adair out of the arms of one of the mercenaries. The mercenaries just watched in a surprised silence as Petra and Adair walked away.

  After rounding the corner, Petra picked up the pace. They jogged to the back entrance of the resort. Finding a servant’s hallway, Petra lead Adair back to the escorts changing room. She pulled the ledger out from her clothes and handed it to Adair. Adair jumped forward and hugged Petra.

  “We got something for you too,” laughed Petra as she tossed the mercenary’s pouch of gold over to Dahlia.

  “Well, silence is golden,” said Dahlia as she took the pouch and shared it with the girls in the room.

  Adair took the ledger, opened it up, and started reading through it. Looking through the ledger, she could see that most of their jobs were assigned from Ivor and covered a wide variety of tasks from “collecting taxes” to assassinations. She found the listing for Willis’s farm, however it said that the job was assigned by the Sword Theater. Adair closed the ledger and set it down on the vanity. As she changed her clothes back to her armor, she sniffed it and realized that in the time she had been gone they had laundered it for her.

  “Full services,” said Dahlia with a smile.

  “Thank you,” Adair thanked Dahlia and bowed to Petra before departing the room.

  Shea walked down the hallway to Adair.

  “Did you find what you needed?” asked Shea.

  “Yes, I did. I’ll talk to Prince Abel about it in the morning. Where is Prince Abel sleeping?” asked Adair.

  “He’ll be up late tonight watching the dancers, but we have rooms upstairs,” said Shea as she led Adair to the main room and up a flight of stairs.

  At the top of the stairs, there was a large pot of bright flowers and then a long hallway
with rooms on both sides. The last room at the end of the hall was sealed by double doors and had Guardia soldiers posted by them. This was most likely Prince’s suite. Shea lead Adair to a room adjacent to where Prince Abel was staying.

  Adair entered her room and hugged Shea. They said goodnight and parted ways. Adair’s room was a plain room with a bed, vanity, and a trunk to store her things in. It had a large window overlooking the street below. The room reminded her of being back in her apartment in Guardia. Her things had already been put into the room. She washed up in a basin by the vanity. Her eyes turned red from rubbing off the eyeliner that had been smudged onto her face.

  She put on a clean pair of pajamas. After that, she laid her armor out carefully on a chair by the vanity for in the morning. Her hands lifted the blanket of her bed and she crawled in. The fabric of the blanket was softer than the blanket she normally used at home. Not sure of how to handle the problem with bringing the Sword Theater to justice, Adair tossed and turned before finally being able to fall asleep.

  The next morning, Adair woke up later than she normally did. The days she spent on the road had caught up to her. Being able to sleep in a soft bed was a gift, but she was still sore. Shea knocked softly on the door, prompting Adair to jump into a sitting position in the bed.

  “What’s the plan boss?” asked Shea.

  “Let’s go see Prince Abel and present our evidence to him,” replied Adair.

  She jumped out of bed and changed into her armor. Once she was dressed, she tied her hair up into a ponytail. Shea picked up the ledger, thumbing through it while Adair got ready. Adair and Shea left the room and turned toward Prince Abel’s room. He had two guards posted out front but they let Adair through without a second thought.

  “Good morning your highness!” said Adair intentionally louder than normal to wake him.

  “Ugh. What?” he groaned as he groggily tried to sit up.

  Adair updated him on everything that happened from closing the breach in the swamp to meeting the farmer and taking possession of the ledger. Shea handed the green folder over to the prince. The prince opened it up and looked at although he did not understand what he was reading.

  “So, what do you want me to do with this?” asked the prince.

  “Well Ivor needs to be deposed, the Sword Theater disbanded, and their property paid out to their victims in reparation for what they’ve done,” said Adair.

  “There is no way that is going to happen. This is their city, and we do not have the authority to do any of that without losing their support to Fort Blackrun,” said Abel.

  “If we take the city, we can right these wrongs. Then if we put our own official in charge they can continue supporting Fort Blackrun,” Adair tried to reason.

  “Meanwhile we lose time and resources taking the city, and there is no guarantee that whomever we place in charge will be less fortified against corruption. Especially in a city as tempting as this one. Right now, the arrangement works in favor of the kingdom,” replied Abel.

  “We’re not talking about forgiving one or two crimes. This entire book is a written record of the atrocities they have been committing for a few coins. Our job is to protect the people of this country. It’s literally in our name. We’re Guardians!” said Adair, waving the ledger in the air.

  “And now because of your meddling we have to figure out how to give the book back and save face,” said Abel, almost completely ignoring what Adair was telling him.

  “Your highness, we will exercise proper discretion in putting the book back,” said Adair, bowing and then grabbing Shea and leaving the room.

  “Is that really all we’re going to do for them?” asked Shea.

  “We’re not going to be able to get justice for Willis and his wife. He knew it this whole time. We’re going to put the book back and then go tell Willis what happened,” said Adair.

  “Okay… I’m by your side,” said Shea.

  “Go put on something that won’t warn everyone that you’re a mage,” said Adair.

  Adair went back into her room and changed into civilian clothes. It was her regular style of clothes and boots. She switched out her decorative sword for the basic one she had carried with her while patrolling the street in Guardia. When Adair stepped out of her room, she saw Shea waiting patiently for her. She was in a basic brown dress that buttoned up in the front.

  “Perfect, let’s go,” said Adair.

  The two went out the back exit of the resort in the same path that Petra had taken Adair the night before. This time Adair walked around the block and circled up behind the Sword Theater’s tent. They crouched down and Adair whispered in Shea’s ear.

  “Blink in there and leave the ledger. It doesn’t matter where, just drop it off and then get out,” whispered Adair.

  “I don’t know if I can just do it like that,” replied Shea.

  “Listen Shea, I need you to control your powers. You’re capable of so much and if you don’t push yourself to keep growing you’re never going to find out. Blink in, set down the ledger, blink out,” requested Adair.

  Shea grunted in response, taking the ledger from Adair. In a flash of blue light, Shea had disappeared. Not even three seconds passed and then she reappeared in front of Adair. She had a big grin on her face as she materialized back in front of Adair.

  “Alright,” smiled Adair.

  Staying low, they walked back around the corner and proceeded away from the tent. They stood up straight and walked normally back to the resort. It was late in the morning and the people were just getting up and starting their activities. Bosh Ragan ran on an entirely different schedule than Guardia.

  When they got back through the back door, Petra was standing in the hallway. She eyed them with a puzzled look.

  “What kind of mischief are you two up to?” asked Petra.

  “I talked to Prince Abel, and we had to undo what you and I did last night. Now I have to go pay a visit to a farmer. We’ll have Raz look after Prince Abel, and then I want you two to come with me,” said Adair.

  They went and found Raz who was wandering aimlessly around the resort and gave him his instructions to guard Prince Abel. The prince had many guards and did not need extra help but Adair wanted to give the appearance that she was looking after the prince’s security. Leaving Raz with Abel, the trio went back outside and Adair led them to the farm.

  The day was overcast with a slight breeze. Adair enjoyed the brisk walk they took when heading to the farm. Shea and Petra didn’t seem to mind either and they kept pace with Adair. After an hour of walking, they reached the farm. From the distance Adair could see four mercenaries from the Sword Theater talking to Willis and his wife.

  “I’m getting tired of talking to you about the ledger. If you can’t tell me where it is, then there’s no point in us keeping you alive anymore,” said one of the mercenaries as he drew his sword.

  He was the only one wearing a plumed hat, and he had the bearing of someone who was in charge. Adair raced up with Petra and Shea behind her.

  “Put your sword away and let’s talk this out!” shouted Adair from behind.

  All of the mercenaries turned around to face Adair’s party. The man in the feathered hat looked her up and down, noticing her sword. Shea clutched her necklace, ready to start casting if she needed to. Petra just stood back and let Adair talk to them.

  “Did you hire your own sell swords? Thought you could get one over on my gang?” asked the man to Willis.

  “Are you the leader of the Sword Theater?” asked Adair.

  The man in the feathered hat paused and then replied, “You’re not leaving here alive so I’ll humor you. Yes, I’m Mahip Ragan, the notorious guild master of the Sword Theater.”

  “Guild master?” mouthed Shea to Petra.

  “Yes. Mercenaries have guilds too. We’re not just any street hooligans,” growled Mahip.

  “Then I challenge you. One on one. If I win, you leave these farmers alone and we go our separate ways. If
you win, I’ll tell you where your ledger is, and my life is forfeit,” said Adair.

  “You’re on,” he agreed with a smirk on his face.

  Sword in hand, he lunged at Adair. Adair could not even get her sword out of its sheath by the time he was upon her. She fell back into the ground, barely dodging his blade. Quickly rolling away and back to her feet she drew her sword. Their metal blades clashed and he pushed her back, opening her stance. He made another lunge, the tip of his blade leading his strike. Adair slapped his sword down with hers and then stepped back again. She winced, looking down and realizing he had managed to nick her and a trickle of blood was dripping from her stomach.

  He pressed on, their swords clanking against each other again. This time he pushed into her and dropped his sword. He took the wrist of her sword hand in his grip, and then wrapped his hand around her throat. He lifted Adair into the air by her neck and then slammed her down. Adair was shaken and disoriented. He picked up his sword and swung his blade down at Adair.

  Adair did not see what happened, but she heard what sounded like a clap of thunder. She looked over and saw Mahip on the ground in front of her. He was screaming and clutching a bloody and mangled arm. Standing above him with her chained battle sticks in hand was Petra. She held one in each hand and stood over Adair, protecting her.

  “Fucking kill them all,” shouted Mahip.

  The other mercenaries drew their swords and thrusted at Petra. She turned to the one closest to her and rushed at him, easily sidestepping the tip of his sword. She swung her nunchaku at his throat. The chain connected with his neck, and the battle stick swung around only to be caught by Petra. She lifted him up and flung him backwards over her shoulders by his neck. Adair scooted back and slid to her feet.

  Petra danced around the other two mercenaries. Two more cracks resounded through the air as Petra struck down each mercenary with one blow. Mahip forced himself up to his feet and furrowed his brow in shock at what was happening.

  “Remember who I am, boy. I am Petra Sideris, Warrior Queen of New Valar. This farm and these people are under my charge now. If you ever attempt to hurt any of them, I will ravage your armies, rape your women, and lay waste to everything you know. NOW BEGONE!” screamed Petra.