by Devon Vesper
“Grand Master! News!”
One of the mercenaries—Valis couldn’t remember his name, and guilt tugged at him for that—ran toward him, and once he was inside the shield, Valis dismissed the mercenary’s personal invisibility shield. “Report.”
“The Qos adherents, sir. They’re performing some kind of ritual, and they’re going to sacrifice the women to Qos.”
Valis checked his watch and snapped it closed again. It was only just after midnight, but there was no choice. He had to move his plans up. The nest needed to be cleared now.
“Where are they being kept?” Valis asked. “The same place in the cellar?”
The man shook his head. “No, sir. They knocked the girls out and moved them. But after a few feet, they cast a spell and went invisible, just like the spell you use.” He shrugged and gave Valis a look between fearful and apologetic. “We lost them, sir. I’m sorry. There weren’t even any footprints to follow.”
Valis nodded and gave the man’s bicep a pat. “We know they’re alive for the moment, and we have the element of surprise.”
“Yes, sir.”
Raising his voice, Valis called to his army, “Armor on. Wake everyone up. We advance in fifteen minutes! Leaders, meeting in five!”
“No rest for the weary,” one of his men muttered. “I’d better get a nap after this.”
“If you can stay alive,” Valis said, “I’ll knock you on the head. You’ll rest like a baby.”
“Ass-hat.”
Quiet chuckles arose from those nearest, and Valis tried to keep alive the hope their brief happiness gave him.
In exactly five minutes, the leaders gathered around Valis where he’d taken up space next to one of the few fires they afforded themselves. Valis nodded to them and only began when his husband took his spot to Valis’s right. “We’re about to head into a hot zone. The place is crawling with Qos adherents like cockroaches. Somewhere on the estate, they are holding Cassavin and Nevesar, friends of ours and my students when we were back in Avristin.”
He looked from one pair of eyes to another as he spoke, his voice holding the gravity of the situation. “Our objective is to exterminate the roaches and rescue the women. Braywar is our greatest concern, however, as he is an anchor for Qos.
“Is everyone following?”
“Sir!”
Valis waited for the quiet exclamation to fade into silence before he went on. “I hate to say this, but between Cass and Nev’s life and Braywar’s death, Braywar wins. If you are faced with the choice of saving one and killing the other, you opt for the kill. Am I understood?”
And even as he said those words, it felt like his heart shriveled to nothing. But duty must be done, and Valis didn’t get to where he was by not adhering to duty above all things.
Wrong, son, Roba said in an unusually soft voice. You got to where you are because of your friends and their love. You got to where you are because you learned to trust and become a leader who people know they can look up to and count on.
Why do you have to be the voice of reason? Valis asked. You may need to screech at me once or twice or else I’ll start thinking I have the wrong ghost in my head.
Jokes won’t get you out of the predicament you are in. Roba heaved a ghostly sigh that Valis could almost feel. I am just saying you do not want to alienate those who serve under you.
Agreed.
When Valis came out of his father-induced staring session, he found everyone looking at him. Valis shook his head. “Sorry. Roba was making a point.”
He looked from one person to another and saw hard faces, angry eyes, and ticking muscles from clenched jaws. “Just because that is the order does not, in any way, mean we won’t try to rescue Cass and Nev. Sovras would not feed me their location and their predicament if we had no chance of saving the survivors of the massacre. Trust in Sovras, and do what you do best.”
Valis relaxed a touch as he saw faces and postures relaxing from the aggressive stances they were in. Now they seemed more human. Valis motioned to twenty pairs of reliquary guards. “I want twenty of you to divvy up the laymen, Aesriphos, and mercenaries. The rest of the reliquary guards, I want you with me. Maphias, Jedai, Seza, Zhasina, and Venabi, I’d like you to accompany me, as well. We’re taking the manse. I want the rest of you to take your chosen teams and clear out each guest house in the compound. Twenty houses, twenty teams. When you’ve completed your objective, surround the manse.”
He took a step forward and nodded toward the houses in question. “Try to do as little property damage as possible. Am I clear?”
“Why, sir?” one of the mercenaries asked.
Valis shrugged. “Would you rather sleep in a tent once we’re finished, or would you rather a bed?”
“You’re a confident one. Jintas was right.”
“I’m always right, lad,” Jintas said from the mercenary’s side. “Valis has an uncanny ability to always make the best split-second decisions. Or, that is what I’ve observed.”
The mercenary—whatever his name was, Valis couldn’t remember—just stared at Jintas like he’d grown another head, but finally acquiesced with a small nod. “Apologies.”
“Now, let’s get in there and clear this nest. Form up and move out.”
The moment the last words left Valis’s mouth, the entire army moved as a unit, forming up with their team leaders in orderly rows that made Valis proud. For some of these men and women, this could be the last time Valis ever saw them alive. … Or the last time they saw him alive. But he had to have faith. Sovras had plans for him, and Valis had never let a friend down. At least, not that he knew of. He didn’t plan on letting anyone down this time, either.
He shoved that thought out of his mind. If he kept going down that path, he might never be able to claw back out of it. Instead, he focused on the men and women forming ranks in front of him, and all too soon it was time to launch their attack.
Valis took a deep, steadying breath and with a strained thought, cast the invisibility shield over the bulk of each team, only sparing individual shields for the assassins and scouts of the mercenary and Kalutakeni bands.
The assassins and scouts sprinted ahead, their footfalls silent as the death they dealt. Valis waited a few moments before he gave the signal for the laymen footsoldiers to advance. They led, the Aesriphos following close behind. Then the reliquary guards advanced behind their designated teams, and it was Valis’s turn. Rather than leading his men and women toward the smaller guest houses, he headed straight for the main house with its grand wings, four stories, and enormous windows that must let in so much natural light during the day that they would have little need for lamps.
Hopefully, they wouldn’t have to break any of them. Valis had plans to sell the entire property if he could get away with it. That way he could more easily pay the mercenaries and the Kalutakeni.
Your mind is doing stupid acrobatics again, my son, Roba admonished. Focus, or die. You know this.
Yeah. Yeah, I do. Valis continued to lead the march. As they neared, the army behind him split off from Valis’s team to head for their own objective. You should have more people in your team, Roba said. He heaved a resigned sigh in Valis’s mind. Your team is too small to deal with the power you feel emanating from that manse.
No. Valis clenched his hands. I picked just enough. The fewer people I have to take into consideration when I’m throwing black lightning everywhere, the fewer people I kill on accident.
Roba went silent for a few moments before he grunted and said, You have a valid point. Your restraint with that power is still sorely lacking.
Valis smirked. I love you, too, Dad.
Focus. And I do love you. But you must focus, Valis.
Rather than replying, Valis did as he was told. The power that pulsed from the house kept distracting him. Something about it brought on a feeling of euphoria that Valis couldn’t shake. He knew it was false. His body, however, didn’t care. All it cared about was drawing Valis in like
a moth to a flame.
What is that?
Roba kept silent for a moment before murmuring, I think they are trying to create another anchor. That is the only thing I can think of that would take this many people and have such powerful residue.
You were an anchor, Valis said. Shouldn’t you know?
No. I was in the center of the spell—the spell’s sole focus. I was not on the periphery. And it was so euphoric, so visceral, that I couldn’t stop orgasming during the ceremony.
Well, fuck.
Indeed.
Please don’t go into the details.
They reached the manse and Valis opened the door as quietly as he could. He needed to get his entire team inside and seal the doors before the Qos adherents realized anything was amiss.
But just then shouts of alarm echoed in the night from one of the guesthouses. More followed from the other houses, and the manse as well.
“Venabi,” Valis said in a harsh whisper, “take a team to the back door and don’t let anyone in or out if you can manage it.”
Venabi growled and spat out what Valis guessed were strong, profane words in her native language.
He turned to Seza and nodded to the door they stood at. “You keep this door secure.”
“Yes, sir.”
She, Zhasina, and two reliquary guards took up position next to the door, and Valis quickly led his team into the sprawling sitting room. “We’re splitting up,” Valis said. “I want teams of two reliquary guards to cover each of the four wings. Shyvus, Phalin, you’re with me, Maphias, and Jedai.” He stared each of them in the eyes, one by one, trying to impress his next words onto their souls. “Play it safe. Do you understand me? Stay alive.”
“Yes, sir.”
Taking a deep breath, Valis nodded toward the hall that had exits to each wing. “Move out. Be careful.”
While the eight reliquary guards stalked up the grand staircase, Valis headed for the back of the hall where he figured the kitchen or a study to be. He opened the door and a whirlwind of motion caught Valis so off guard he dropped the invisibility shield on accident.
“Aesriphos!” a woman screamed. “There are Aesriphos here! They were right!”
Darkness limned her hands in an unhealthy black glow that leeched all color from her skin. With a scream of pure rage, she launched a volley of that sickening darkness at Valis’s chest. Everything seemed to slow down to nothing. He could see the volley of magic arcing toward him. He felt his magic respond. But something happened. Instead of his shields snapping into place, Valis flew back into the men behind him. His chest burned like he’d been splashed with caustic acid.
Amid the searing pain, Valis found just enough wherewithal to shield himself and start healing his chest. He didn’t want to know how bad it was. Whatever happened, that spell somehow went beneath his armor and clothes.
He panted through the agony and barely registered the fact that someone jerked him off his feet and back out the way they’d come. Valis’s ears rung, a steady bell that let him know he was close to passing out, and he couldn’t afford that.
Looking up, he found Tavros fighting someone off in the hall. He’d dropped Valis to the floor and shielded them both. Valis grunted as he shoved his gold magic into Tavros. He wasn’t helpless. He wasn’t useless. It was just a setback.
“Clear. How’s Valis?” Shyvus asked. “And we need to move. This hall has too many doors and too many ways we can get trapped.”
Valis struggled to his feet and leaned against his husband. “I’ll be all right in a few moments. I’m healing the damage.”
“Good. Then get your ass moving.”
Valis stared at Shyvus for a long moment. He’d always been deferential when it came to Valis since he became the Grand Master Aesriphos. Sure, sometimes that deference came as good-natured teasing, but when it came down to serious matters, he was ever proper with the utmost humility. Usually, it drove Valis nuts, but now he missed it. Until Shyvus winked and put his finger to his lips.
“Come on, kid. We don’t have all night for you to dawdle.” Shyvus led the way down the hall, his husband, Phalin, following behind Valis and Tavros as they stalked through the halls, opening doors to find empty rooms.
He is smart in his deception, Roba murmured. If the Qos adherents here knew you were the new Grand Master Aesriphos, they would focus on you to their last breath.
And that’s a bad thing? If I can keep my shield up, I’m golden. I just wasn’t expecting a screaming banshee the moment I opened the door.
Start expecting the unexpected, his father demanded. You are smarter than this. Better than this.
Yes, Dad.
Healing his chest only took a few more minutes. In that time, Shyvus and Tavros cleared six rooms of their occupants while Phalin kept Valis on his feet.
“What are we looking for?” Phalin asked. “Or are we just dispatching anyone and everyone we find?”
Valis stood tall now that the pain started to recede in earnest. “I’m looking for Braywar. And I’m almost certain that when we find him, Cass and Nev will be right there with him.”
“And you know where to find him?” Phalin asked.
Taking a deep breath to clear his chest of the memory of the pain he’d endured, Valis nodded and waved a hand in front of them. “Wherever the entrance to the cellar is, that’s where we’ll find them, I think. That’s what my gut is telling me. Jintas said they were in the cellar, and I’m almost certain they’re still down there.”
“And we always seem to trust your disgruntled intestines,” Shyvus groused. “Let’s go.”
Valis snapped his shield back up, not bothering with the invisibility parameter of the spell. He wasn’t worried about being seen anymore. As they cleared out every room they came across in their search to find the entrance to the cellar, Valis was more concerned with why they weren’t getting swarmed by Qos adherents. They almost seemed unconcerned, or oblivious.
The power is like a drug to them, Roba murmured. They are not in their right minds.
At least that’s something positive.
Roba laughed, an almost sinister sound. Trust me, my son. They would gladly kill you, because any deaths within a certain distance from the center of the spell, fuels the spell and makes it stronger. This, of course, in turn, makes it more euphoric for those within range.
Of course, it fucking does. Valis groaned and stalked the halls with his husband at his side giving him worried looks.
“I’m fine, love,” Valis muttered. “My father just told me what we’re about to deal with.”
“And what is that?” Phalin asked.
“The smell of sex everywhere. People orgasming all around us while simultaneously trying to kill us. The usual.”
“Your sense of humor needs work,” Shyvus said with a resigned sigh. “Now, where is the kitchen in this damned place? It’s usually at the back of a house.”
They kept silent for six rooms, only breaking that silence with grunts and gasps as they fought with the rooms’ occupants. But something didn’t sit well with Valis. His stomach wasn’t pitting, but this was much too easy for as many people as this compound was reported to have. Was everyone of importance down in the cellar with Braywar and the supposedly new anchor?
And were they really creating an anchor? Judging by the books he had read, they couldn’t create one this soon, which was the main reason they timed these attacks so precisely. They had needed to move before the Qos adherents could get the things they needed and secure their preparations.
Dad, could it be anything other than an anchor ceremony?
Roba remained quiet for a long while, long enough that they cleared four more rooms. Finally, he said, I am unsure. I was their tool, Valis. They used me to their own ends. They taught me what I needed to know, and nothing more. To get more inner knowledge of the magic Qos granted us, I would have to advance in rank. And I am certain you understand why they chose Rygas over me to hold that station.
He was
crueler. More sinister, Valis agreed. You were cruel and sinister, but you kept him away from me as much as you could.
Because you were mine. I didn’t play well with others, especially my elder brother.
They came across another richly decorated room filled with adherents who looked so drunk their eyes kept rolling in their sockets.
“What is wrong with these people?” Phalin demanded.
“Power-drunk,” Valis said. “There’s high-level magic going on below ground, and it’s so intense and visceral that it’s making them drunk and—and… well, they can’t quit orgasming.”
Shyvus swung his sword, decapitating the first man who tried to advance. He must have been a layman because he didn’t seem power-drunk at all. “At least the bastards will die happy, I suppose.”
Valis didn’t want to think about it. Instead, he concentrated on blasting the room with black magic without killing his team. And when they were done, Valis tilted his head. “Do you smell that?”
“Smell what?” Tavros asked.
“Food. I smell cooking food.”
Tavros looked around at the charred corpses. “Valis, that’s not even close to funny.”
Valis snorted and headed out of the room. “No, I mean I smell actual food, not cannibal delight. We must be near the kitchens. It doesn’t smell like fresh food, but the lingering scent after putting away leftovers.”
Tavros belched, warning Valis that his stomach had turned and he needed to quit while he was ahead. He led them quietly around corners, going deep into the bowels of the house. And Valis realized that they were almost in the exact center of the manse. Turning, he opened another door and instead of a room full of pheromones and power-drunk Qos adherents, the kitchens, or a pantry, he found a flight of stone stairs delving deep into the earth. Cold air wafted into his face, bringing with it the scent of stored vegetables, damp stone, and rivers of blood.
“I think we found it,” Shyvus said. He covered his nose and groaned. “Gods. It smells like an unclean butcher’s station… old blood mixed with new. What are we walking into?”
“I’m not sure, but let’s go,” Valis ordered. “You can vomit later.”
