Karina's Quest

by John Evans

  "Lady Karina? I was told to expect your arrival," said the priest. "Please follow me."

  The priest turned and walked into the temple. The gloom was even more oppressive inside. He led Karina through the main temple and into an antechamber. Dead silence permeated everything. Even Karina's steel-shod feet seemed wrapped in cotton for all the noise that they made.

  The antechamber was sheathed in black marble with gray columns rising up to support the roof. A huge black marble throne and a round brass gong were the only items in the room. The priest turned to Karina as one of the acolytes rang the gong.

  "We must leave you now," said the priest. "If you need anything, ring the gong. It will summon one of the acolytes."

  "Thank you," said Karina and the three men left the room.

  "Hello, Karina," said a woman from behind Karina.

  Karina turned around to face the throne. Adelpha, surrounded by a golden nimbus, was standing beside it. On the throne sat a man dressed in long back robes. He had strong facial features with long black hair and a short beard.

  "Karina, this is Shades, God of the Underworld," said Adelpha.

  Karina started to curtsey. "We can dispense with the pleasantries," interrupted Shades. "I've watched you ever since Adelpha came to me about releasing the girl. Death, even when surrounded by friends and family, is a solitary experience. You, Karina, must travel to the Sharak Islands to the town of Firehold. My temple is located in the town. You may not ask your companions to join you. Once at the temple, the priest will take you to where you have to go. If you are brave and skilled enough to meet me again, I will give you a mission to accomplish and, no, I will not give it to you now. I will help you one time right now. There is a ship called the Windspirit leaving the docks for the Sharak Islands within one hour. Who knows when the next one will be?"

  With that, Shades disappeared into a cloud of smoke. Adelpha turned sad eyes towards Karina.

  "Shades has always been for individual accomplishment," said Adelpha. "I don't know what the mission is, but expect something dangerous and difficult. I still cannot interfere, which means you have to run if you want to make that ship. There won't be another one that can meet your deadline."

  "Shades said I couldn't ask my friends to accompany me, correct?" asked Karina.

  Adelpha smiled. "Yes, he did say that. Now, go! Go!"

  Karina turned and ran out the door, startling an acolyte. With a yelp, he sprang back and then started running after Karina to escort her out. The acolyte did not even see Adelpha or the reappeared Shades in the antechamber.

  "A smart one, for once," commented Shades.

  "Couldn't you make an exception just this once and release the girl without all the fuss?" asked Adelpha.

  "No, I can't and you know why. Come, it is time for us to leave."

  Karina ran two blocks and then slowed down to a walk for the last one. She wanted for her breathing to be normal when she reached the inn. As soon as Karina entered the inn, she saw Octavia waving to her from a side room.

  "We're in here," called out Octavia. "Are you okay?" she asked as Karina came closer.

  "I'm fine. It's just been a bitch of a day."

  Octavia surprised Karina then by wrapping her arms around her and hugging her tightly. Karina stroked Octavia's short hair and smiled.

  "Not so tight, you'll bend the armor," chided Karina softly.

  "Not hardly," responded Octavia. "I'm just sorry I was away from the inn when Melinar came by. Come on in. Most of us are here."

  Inside the room were Helga, Ivin, Cendri, Gedda, Melinar, Vail, Nyrandurril, Karlto, and Pawl. They all looked up at Karina with questioning eyes.

  "Thank you all for rescuing me," said Karina. "Both for this afternoon and from the time when we first started this search. I wouldn't have gotten this far without you."

  "Karina, what's wrong?" asked Ivin.

  "Nothing's wrong," said Karina. "I guess I'm just stressed out from today. I just wanted you to know how grateful I am. I'm going upstairs to rest. We'll discuss what I've learned at the temple in the morning. It's still early enough though for Octavia to take you all out carousing."

  "Sounds like a plan to me," said Octavia cheerfully.

  "Just don't wake me up when you come staggering in," said Karina as she left and went up to her room.

  Karina was surprised when she entered her room and saw Genese sitting there. The maid jumped to her feet and Karina suddenly remembered that she had asked the girl to stay until she returned.

  "Milady," said Genese with a curtsey.

  "Genese, I don't have a lot of time," said Karina, going over to the dresser to pull out her things. The drawers were empty. "Where are my clothes?"

  "Already packed and I thank you for what you did for us."

  "Huh? What are you talking about?"

  "I've packed your clothes and they're on your horse and mule," explained Genese. "Lady Triarii herself came by a few minutes ago to take me mum, Tabitha, and me to live in her villa. I stayed because you asked me to."

  "Genese, how did you know I needed to pack up?" asked Karina.

  "I don't know. I just knew."

  "Is there paper and ink here?" asked Karina.

  Genese produced parchment and a quill. Karina quickly wrote what she had been told to do without naming any locations. She thought for a moment and then appointed Octavia as seneschal to the barony with full authority. She closed telling Octavia to report to the Overlord in the morning and to present this letter to him.

  "Are there back stairs out of here?" Karina asked Genese.

  "Yes, milady, to the left at the end of the hall. The stairs lead down to the back door at the kitchen. Your horse and mule are just outside that door. Let me take a look first to see if the coast is clear."

  Genese opened to door and looked to the left and right. She then signaled Karina to come. Karina went out the door and stopped, pressing four gold coins into Genese's hand before moving quietly down the hall. The cooks were too busy to take notice of Karina coming down the stairs and going out the back door.

  Karina's one dread was that she would meet any of her friends out on the street as she led her horse and mule towards the docks. It was dusk and in the twilight, she made it there without being seen. A quick question of the harbormaster guided her to the pier where the Windspirit was moored.

  "Is the captain here?" asked Karina to a sailor on the gangplank.

  "I be the captain," replied a gray-haired, grizzled man at the ship's rail. "What can I do for ye?"

  "Passage for myself and my animals," said Karina.

  "We be bound for the Sharak Islands," the captain told her. "If that be where you're heading, come aboard and we'll work out a price."

  "I only pay in cash, nothing else," warned Karina as she walked up the gangplank.

  "Better that way," replied the captain, taking in Karina's armor. "I'd just a soon not lose a crewman because he thought he could take liberties."

  Karina and the captain quickly settled on a price. She was shown to her cabin as the crew placed her horse and mule into the hold. Karina had just stowed her packs away when someone knocked on her door.

  "Come in," she called out.

  "Sorry to disturb you," apologized the first mate as he opened the door. "There's a woman on the pier who demand to see you."

  "Oh, great!" thought Karina, wondering who of her companions had tracked her down. "You had better send her in."

  "Make it quick," said the mate as he left. "We're casting off soon."

  Karina's door burst open a minute or two later. "Ivin!" exclaimed Karina at the sight of the woman in the doorway. She then revised it and said with a sneer, "Lorilei."

  "Where is she?" asked Lorilei coldly.

  "Who?" asked Karina

  "Helga, dearie. She's disappeared and then I spotted you sneaking out of the inn."

  "She's not here," said Karina. "She's probably out with Octavia and the others."

  "Oh, yes, I see,"
said Lorilei sarcastically. "You just decided to take a moonlight cruise without her. Do you take me for a fool?"

  "No, more like a clown…or a buffoon," retorted Karina angrily.

  Their conversation degenerated from there. The name calling and snide remarks probably would have gone on all night long if a small voice had not interrupted the two women.

  "Miladies, the captain requests that you stop so the crew can get some sleep."

  Karina turned to look at the person and exclaimed, "Genese! What are you doing here?"

  "I saw this lady following you so I followed her," replied Genese.

  "We have to get you off this ship," said Karina, heading towards the steps. "It's going to the Sharak Islands."

  "Sharak Islands?" repeated Lorilei. "Why?"

  "That doesn't matter," said Karina. "We have to get both of you off."

  "It's too late, milady," said Genese as she followed Karina up onto the deck. "They were tossing off the ropes when I came up the plank."

  Indeed, Genese's words were true. Karina could see the lights of the Capitol shrinking away behind the stern of the ship.