Quest SMASH

by Joseph Lallo

  "A slave is branded once when purchased, and again when they begin to work. The bottom mark is the symbol of the slaveholder I was sold to. The three lines denote my value. One line indicates the highest value, young men mostly. A second line may be added when a slave is less useful. These are given to most women, aging or weak men, and those with permanent injury. A third is added when a slave is considered worthless. The elderly, the infirm, and undesirables such as myself.

  "I was treated to the full three on the day I was deemed capable of working. Life was bad until the owner died and left us all to his son. It became much worse very quickly after that. He made a series of bad decisions that drained the coffers in a matter of years. In response, he sold all of the most valuable slaves and switched to more valuable crops. Lower quality workers coupled with crops that left the land nearly barren after only a few seasons worsened matters. Most of the two stripes were sold as well as a fair amount of the land. I was one of the only able-bodied workers left. We were all doing triple the work as in past years. I personally was doing the work of an ox. I had been lashed to a plow.

  "One day Ben died at the whips of the drivers and I . . . lost control. When I regained my senses, I was standing over the new owner's youngest son, scythe in my hand and death all around me. I fled into the woods. Later, I learned he was the only survivor of the staff and family," he said.

  Myranda shifted uncomfortably. She had almost managed to put aside the fact that Lain was an assassin, and had even begun to see hints of the warmth that had made her fond of him in the past. Now he sat, telling this tale of his torturous youth, followed by his unapologetic account of a murderous rampage. He was a monster, a murderer. She'd known it since her first question. Now she knew of the life that made him so. He went on.

  "I found myself free for the first time. I had to find a way to support myself, and if possible, get revenge for the years that had been stolen from me. I had only two skills, it would seem. I could work a farm, and I could take lives. I swore never again to do the former, so I chose the latter. After a few years, I developed the Red Shadow legend, as well as one or two others. My travels brought me here, and I took away the knowledge and skill to continue my task with a good deal more success. Since then, life has been an endless hunt for my next target," he said.

  Myranda sat silently. There was a look in Lain's eyes as though he expected this answer to be the last, at least for today. He knew that what she had learned sickened her. Perhaps it was just to avoid proving him right again, but Myranda decided to continue.

  "How many questions left?" she asked.

  "Three," he said.

  "Very well, then. I know you are a killer. What sort of people pay you to do so?" she asked, her voice shaking a bit.

  "Rich ones. Not only because they have the funds, but they tend to be the only ones arrogant enough to believe they may choose who lives and dies," he said.

  "You'll have to do better than that. I want names," she said.

  "Over one hundred years have brought me more employers than I can recall. It is safe to say that nearly every powerful family in the north has been on one side of my blade or the other," he said.

  "I am still waiting for names," she said.

  "Then you will have to be more specific. Refine your question," he said.

  "Fine. But this is still the same question. Have you ever worked for anyone I might have known? Someone in Kenvard?" she asked.

  There was a reason she had danced around the question. She feared the answer. Kenvard was the former capital of the nation of the same name. Every influential family in the west had a representative there, and her parents had known all of them. What she knew of them told her they were good people who would never make use of a hired blade. What she knew of the world made her fear otherwise.

  "My answer remains the same. More than I can name," he said.

  "Choose one," she demanded.

  "Sam Rinthorne," he said.

  "The Lord! You were hired by the Lord of all of Kenvard! For what? Tell me everything, and this is one question," she said.

  "The people of Kenvard, your people, were taking terrible losses, disproportionate to both Ulvard and Vulcrest. Military strikes were hitting their mark with accuracy that could only be the result of a leak in the intelligence chain. I was hired to find and kill the responsible party, or parties," he said.

  "Continue," she said.

  "I followed the flow of the information to a messenger. To keep any more information from escaping, I killed him--and eventually followed the trail to a military headquarters in Terital," he said.

  "Terital? That is the old capital of Ulvard. It's on the other side of the continent," Myranda remarked.

  "Indeed. In those days, it was home to the five generals. At least, it had been until a few days before I arrived," he said.

  "But the generals didn't move north until--" she began.

  "The massacre happened a few days later," he said. "Since my employer was killed, I had no reason to continue."

  Myranda froze as a thought passed through her mind.

  "What information was the spy carrying?" she asked.

  "As I recall, he was carrying orders from the general to change the patrol route around Kenvard. He also carried a letter written in Tresson detailing the unique weaknesses that the new patrol offered," Lain answered.

  "What did you do with the information?" she asked.

  "Nothing," he said.

  "Then what--" she began.

  "You have had your questions. If you want to know more, earn it," he said, turning and entering his hut.

  "You had the orders. You knew there was a weakness. You could have done something, and you did nothing!" she cried.

  Lain sat on the ground in his hut, eyes closed.

  "You are a monster!" she growled.

  Lain sat motionless. Myranda picked up the staff. Her hands shook with frustration as she stood helpless. Every hardship in her life was born that day, and he could have stopped it. The thought of it overwhelmed her. Before she knew what she was doing, she had thrust the staff at Lain. An attack with all of the force she could muster. In a blur, Lain's hand was around the end of the staff. A fast, painful twist wrenched the weapon from her grip and hurled it to the wall. His eyes never opened.

  "I am proud to know that I have lit a fire in your soul. I warn you, though: do not let it consume you," he said.

  Myranda stormed out of the hut. Myn, who had watched the display with more than a bit of uneasiness, followed after her. She had watched them trade blows for so long, she had learned that it was a game. There was something different in this last attack. The dragon had detected much anger between them, and it troubled her in the same way that a child might be affected by an argument between parents. She was further troubled when Myranda did not eat afterward, as she commonly did when strong enough. Instead, the human collapsed into her bed and wept.

  Myn comforted her as best she could without words until both fell asleep.

  Chapter 28

  The night was riddled with nightmares. Myranda saw images of the atrocities Lain had admitted to. She saw the day of the massacre replayed over and over. More than once during the night, she was jarred from sleep, and once gone it was slow to return. After scarcely an hour of real sleep, she was awakened by the last voice she wanted to hear.

  "Oh, you and the beast share a bed. How appropriate," Ayna said.

  "Why are you here?" Myranda mumbled.

  "Well, the time has come for you to display all that I have taught you. I suggest you eat first," she said.

  Myranda pulled herself out of bed, grabbed her staff, and trudged to the food hut. Ayna fluttered along beside her.

  "You don't seem particularly well-rested. I seem to recall ordering you to have a long and full rest," Ayna muttered angrily.

  "My dreams kept me awake," Myranda explained, as she tried to eat.

  "That is a sign of a
very weak mind," Ayna reprimanded. "And must you eat so slowly?"

  Deacon entered and took a seat beside Myranda.

  "Lovely, your shadow has arrived," Ayna sneered.

  "Myranda, you do not look very well. Are you sure you are up to this?" Deacon asked.

  "She hasn't got a choice. I will test her today," Ayna said.

  "And what have you got in store for her?" Deacon asked accusingly.

  "A suitable test of skill for our little prodigy," the fairy said.

  "And something certain to make you stand out as a teacher," he offered.

  "My mere existence is quite enough to make me stand out," Ayna said, sniffing at the air before remarking, "What is that smell? Your food? How can you eat that?"

  "It is the only food available," she said.

  "To you, perhaps," Ayna said. "Those with more evolved palates have alternatives."

  "What do you eat?" Myranda asked.

  "Nectar. It is the only proper food that nature has ever provided," Ayna said.

  "Have you ever tried anything else?" Myranda asked.

  "I cannot eat anything else," she answered. "Quickly--finish. I am eager for you to begin."

  Myranda obeyed and made her way to the tree, which still bore a pair of scars from her last trip there. A reed flute, identical to the one she'd been practicing on, was attached to a pole beneath it.

  "Now, the tasks you are to complete are rather simple. First, you will hold a single note on this flute for twenty-four hours, then you will--" she began.

  "A whole day!" Myranda exclaimed.

  "To state it another way, yes. And please do not interrupt me again. Following the endurance test, you will play the elegy flawlessly, from beginning to end, while standing no less than ten paces from the instrument," she continued.

  "The most that a Master test has ever required before was three hours," Deacon offered.

  "Congratulations, your knowledge of our history remains unchallenged. I frankly have never been fond of the fact that the test has been so . . . insubstantial in the past. This is far more fitting, I feel," she said.

  "I have trouble remaining awake for more than a day," Myranda said.

  "Well, with a spell to occupy you, you should have no trouble at all avoiding sleep. Now, no more dawdling. Begin," Ayna ordered.

  It was clear that she was serious. Myranda set her mind to the task. Fortunately, it took very little effort to conjure a breeze strong enough to produce a note. Unfortunately, Ayna would not be satisfied until the note was loud enough for all to hear. Her effort had to be more than tripled before the fairy stopped badgering her to bolster her efforts. The sound was enough to gather a crowd. The strain was not terrible, but it was noticeable.

  She looked over the crowd, which continued to grow as her test approached the end of the first hour. Ayna seemed to delight in informing each newcomer of the circumstances of the test.

  Time passed slowly. The sun crept across the sky. It was nearly impossible to know how long she had been at it. Deacon knew this, and was kind enough to keep a running tally for her in the form of marks etched into the ground. His visits seemed to get further and further apart as the day progressed. By the time the daylight of the short day had waned, she had to devote all of her mind to maintaining the note. Most of her crowd retired for the night, including Ayna. The only ones that remained were Deacon, who spent the time between hourly updates writing in his book, and Myn, who stood faithfully beside her.

  The night was a dark one, and cold. At some point a blanket found its way about her shoulders. It must have been Deacon, but she lacked the awareness to know when it had been placed there. She locked her eyes on the horizon. When the sun finally peeked over, she knew that she would be through. Her eyes closed without her noticing a handful of times as she slipped into some bizarre state between sleep and concentration. She wrestled them open each time to the same dark sky.

  Around the fifteenth hour, the most curious thing began to happen. The spell she was casting seemed to have worked its way into the back of her mind. It was as though her consciousness had split. One part was devoted to the spell, the other was free.

  "Deacon?" she managed to speak.

  "Yes?" he answered. His voice was a bit slurred, as though he had begun to doze.

  "I feel strange. I . . . I don't feel that I am the one casting the spell any longer," she said.

  "Ah, yes. Your mind is becoming accustomed to casting as a whole. It is becoming second nature to you. This is a huge step toward becoming a successful wizard. Before long, the spells you use most will become reflexive in nature. Defense, healing, they will be cast in some small way on their own when needed. This skill cannot be taught; it must come with experience. What can I say? You continue to amaze," he said.

  While casting the spell now seemed to take much less conscious effort, it took no less of a toll on her strength. By the time the sky had begun to redden, she was having trouble sitting up. Her mind lacked the will to control her muscles. Myn allowed Myranda to lean on her to stay upright. The hours ticked by until, finally, Ayna awoke and fluttered down.

  "Well, not much longer. How is my student?" she asked.

  Myranda found that she hadn't the will to blink her eyes, let alone answer. Even after the fire test she had not been so weary. At least then it was a lot of power over a relatively short time. This was more akin to a marathon to a sprint, and she was left with her reserves utterly drained.

  "You should know better than to expect her to answer that," Deacon said, fighting to keep his own eyes open as he etched the twenty-third mark on the ground.

  The minutes passed and the crowd reformed. The tone of the note was wavering slightly as the sands of Deacon's hourglass trickled down. As the last minute of the endurance test began, Ayna offered some advice.

  "You will need to play through the elegy once. I would not lift the spell that you are casting, lest the sudden release of focus set your mind to rest. Instead, use the stream you've been conjuring to play the tune. And . . . begin," She said.

  Myranda pulled the notes of the song to mind and plodded her way through them. It was not a spirited performance, by any means, but neither was it incorrect. The last note rang out, prompting a deafening roar from the crowd. The approval reached Myranda's tattered consciousness in the form of a distant whisper.

  Deacon was left again with the task of bringing her to her bed, though this time with little objection from Myn, once the customary bribe of a potato was offered. Ayna deliberated over the performance, criticizing the tempo of the tune and taking full credit for the success of her pupil. As the assembled crowd lavished praise upon the fairy, Myranda was lowered to her bed and left in peace.

  #

  The black carriage lurched to a stop and General Teloran pushed the door open. By rights, this should have been her first destination, but she'd left it until last. The elf paced up the path to the church. Inside, a service was just ending, and the sparse congregation was rising to depart. When they had climbed aboard their meager transportation and left for their homes, Trigorah stepped inside, leaving the other Elites to guard the door.

  "Father?" Trigorah called out.

  "Enter, my child," came his voice from his chamber.

  The general stepped inside.

  "If my memory serves, I am again being honored by a visit from one of our esteemed generals," the priest said.

  "I must ask you to come with me, Father," Trigorah stated.

  "Much as I would like to aid you with whatever it is you seek, I am afraid my duties here forbid my absence," the priest assured her.

  "It is not a request," Trigorah replied coldly.

  "Not a request? Have I committed some crime?" the priest asked.

  "Please, come with me," Trigorah pleaded.

  She could feel something inside of her rebelling, and did all that she could to silence it.

  "What have I done?" he demanded.

/>   "You spoke with the girl, and she had the sword. I am ordered to detain all who may have touched it," Trigorah stated.

  It was the first time she'd explained herself. It was the first time she'd felt compelled to. Until now, she'd been able to separate herself from her task. Now, even while his unseeing eyes were hidden, Trigorah swore she could feel his gaze searing her.

  "I refuse to believe that our just and noble army would arrest an innocent man merely for having met some woman. I cast her out! She was a sympathizer, nothing more! My faith in our people and our war remains firm!" objected the holy man. "What could that horrid girl have said or done to warrant this! What could I have possibly done!?"

  "I am a general. It is your duty as a subject of the Northern Alliance to do as I tell you," the general reminded him.

  "It is in my nature to trust in the word of my fellow man, but there is no way that a general would do such a thing. Prove it to me. Generals carry a seal, do they not? Let me feel it!" he demanded.

  Before she could stop herself, Trigorah found that she was undoing the fastening on her left arm, to reveal the symbol of service. Normally, she would have refused, but there was something about his words. They were spoken with such conviction, such strength. This was a man who knew what he believed to be true. There was no doubt. His faith was unshakable. The force of it permeated his every word. It was something that she had to respect. Finally she was able to reveal the gold band against her skin.

  "The band awarded to me on the day of my selection as a general. The symbol of my rank, and of my loyalty to the Alliance," she said, guiding his hand to it.

  "Yes . . . yes, I see . . . That is how it is done," he said, his voice distant. "Then you are a general after all. And you believe that it is right to take me away with you?"

  "I believe it is necessary," she replied.

  "That is not what I asked," he said.

  "It doesn't matter what is right. What must be done must be done," she said, drawing her blade with a slow, deliberate motion to prolong its ring.