Calista’s heart sank as she shot up to see that bloody scepter piercing Shamus’ chest through his back. The stones rumbled and fell to the side as Calict rose, lifting Shamus’ body higher in the air over his head. Shamus shuddered as his life drained away. Calista gasped when it hit zero and his body went limp on the end of the Demon Lord’s weapon. He slung him aside like he was nothing and dragged the rest of his body from the rubble.
“You will not defeat me so easily!” he raged. “You will all burn!”
“No.”
Calista wasn’t sure how she heard the whisper, it was so quiet, but it was there. She turned in the direction it came from, but only saw shadows in the trees. Then, a burst of white light appeared in the darkness. It lit a face for a brief second before the light shot out from the shadows and struck Calict in the chest. He exploded with a yell that seemed to echo on forever. The shockwave sent the players to their backs as the power rolled over them. By the time Calista caught her breath and made it to her feet, the figure in the trees was gone.
“Bishop,” she whispered. It was him, it had to be him. He had saved them.
And just as before, he was gone far too soon.
***
Bishop stared down at his shaking hands. He wandered aimlessly through the forests around Hillside. He’d taken himself away from the others before they could see him, but he knew one had seen him. Calista. Her eyes had landed right on him when he’d whispered in protest of watching Calict kill his friends. Seeing Shamus’ body hoisted in the air like that tore at him so violently, he sank to the ground and thought he’d be sick.
Two dead. He watched as two of his friends were killed.
You saved the rest of them, the voice in his head whispered. You could have let more die, but you didn’t. You saved them.
Bishop shook his head as memories poured in one after the other, but he couldn’t focus. Pain shot through his temples and he couldn’t take it. He clawed at the dirt, desperate to hang onto something, anything solid. He couldn’t do this. He couldn’t keep attacking them! He had to stop her, stop her before she took over everything.
The pain in his head was excruciating and his vision blurred before going black completely. He swore he heard Calista calling his name, but she couldn’t be here. It wasn’t possible. He tried to yell back, but his mouth didn’t work. Then, there was nothing but darkness and a face surrounded by green flames. He wanted to resist, but she was before him, in his mind, in his soul, dragging him back into the hell he had helped cause for this world. Bishop’s scream of agony resounded in his mind…
When he opened his eyes, he stared around confused. Why was he in the woods? He was meant to be in Hillside, and yet he was here. Why?
It didn’t matter. He would get back and continue the preparations. As he walked, he replayed the fight over in his head. He’d watched from a distance as Calict attempted to destroy the heroes. He’d nearly been successful, too, but something had changed in the last moments of the fight. Bishop had them in his sights. He’d been ready to attack, but he miss-timed his shot and the heroes had managed to kill Calict. His Queen would not be happy.
He would have to find some way to make it up to her, soon. Perhaps destroying a village or two would suffice. Bishop was in the mood for a good brawl anyway.
Chapter 10
The deaths of two players hit the guild hard as they teleported back to Weston. Calista couldn’t shake the image of Shamus ,usually carefree, face suddenly pale as he was stabbed and his helpless body hoisted high by Demon Lord Calict. Though it was a game, his death felt so real. Calista longed to log out of the game and see him in real life, make sure he was alright.
They trudged the long way up the street, not paying attention to any of the other players, and eventually reached the entrance to their house. Her bed called to her and, since they no longer had to do the eighth dungeon, she was willing to give herself a bit more time to sleep and recoup before they moved onto the next set of levels. From what she could tell based on the map, levels 70-80 were played out on a series of islands scattered around the coasts of Samar. They were probably loaded with sirens and other beasties she was in no mood to deal with.
On the bright side, they were ending today at level 70. After the battle in the woods, they had managed to get back to Seaside and turn in what quests they could. A man of the Order had been waiting for them instead of Winston. Calista was too exhausted to question the game and figured it was part of the script. The Knight hadn’t seemed worried in the least bit so she let it go, turned in her quest, and accepted her new chest piece and mace as rewards. They were useless really since they boosted levels so fast. She’d have to spend time soon crafting new gear.
“This is depressing,” Jimmy mumbled, stepping inside. “I can’t believe we lost two players.”
“Could’ve been worse,” Calista said, plopping down on the couch. “If Trajan hadn’t come back with the others, it’d be all of us.”
Trajan rested his hammer against the wall by the hearth. “We were too late.”
“No, we never expected a Demon Lord to leave the dungeon and bring an entire army with him.” Calista hung her head, holding her face in her hands. “Those other Demons we saw leaving the territory, you know where they’re headed.”
“Hillside no doubt,” Maverick said as she sat down on Jimmy’s lap. He held her close as she rested her cheek on his shoulder. “We’ve got to get eyes on that place somehow. See what’s going on.”
“Any volunteers?” Jimmy asked the room.
Calista held up her hand automatically. “Might as well.”
“I’ll go, too,” Trajan said. “It’s the least I can do.”
She stood and shook his hand. “It’s good to have you all back.”
“It’d be better if we hadn’t lost Shamus and Alonso, but we’ll avenge them.”
“Don’t you two at least want to wait until we have some time to rest?” Jimmy waved for them to sit back down and relax. “I say we unload and log out. Check in with Shamus and Alonso in the real world and then we can come back and figure out our next move. Deal?”
“If we log, I’m crashing for a few hours,” Calista warned. “All this running around wore me out.”
That and she needed time to get her thoughts in order. Her hopes for Bishop turning around had risen immensely when she had seen no sign of him helping Calict attack them in the woods. If he wanted to kill them, that would’ve been his best chance, catching them off guard and getting rid of them. But he’d been absent and, no matter what anyone else might think, she was going to take it as a good sign.
She stood and stretched, ready to empty her bags into the storage trunks when a knock came at the door. Calista paused and every single head turned to stare as a second knock came fast behind the first.
“Are we expecting company?” Jimmy asked as Maverick stood from his lap.
“Might be a player,” Giles suggested, walking for the door.
“They usually send messages, not show up at our front door.” Calista glanced at Trajan, his hammer already back in his hands. Calista’s hands rested on hers, too. “I guess open it. Let’s see who’s come to visit.”
Giles reached for the door and a collective breath was sucked in as he turned the knob and pulled it open. “Winston?”
Calista relaxed and Trajan set his hammer back against the wall as Winston stepped inside and glanced around. “Sorry to disturb you at your home. I heard of your troubles with Demon Lord Calict and wanted to see how you faired after the battle. Apologies for not being able to aid you in time.”
“It’s alright.” Calista resumed her seat on the couch. “We lost two of our number, though so I guess it’s really not alright.”
Winston’s lip twitched as he apologized again and Calista’s instincts kicked in. Something was wrong. His mannerisms were off as he paced around the living space, eyes on their weapons as if calculating who to attack first. And Dennis
told them quite clearly Winston wasn’t meant to aid them again until the fight against Valen.
“That is tragic, horribly tragic, but death is a part of life.”
“Yeah, sure,” Calista said. “Something we could help you with?”
He squared his shoulders as he faced her. “I am merely curious as to your future plans.”
Jimmy opened his mouth to speak, but Maverick stomped on his foot, shutting him up. He frowned as he hobbled on one foot, but said nothing else.
“Pertaining to what exactly?” Trajan asked, stepping forward and blocking Winston from the front door. Whoever this was, it was not Winston.
“Certainly you seek vengeance against those who killed your friends.”
“We already got that vengeance. Those Demons are dead.” Trajan shifted his grip on his hammer, swinging it wide as he rested it back on his shoulder. Winston swallowed hard and his eyes narrowed. “As for our other plans, well, we’re keeping those close to home for the moment. I’m sure a man of your strategic background would understand.”
Winston smiled and it stretched just a bit too far across his face to be natural.
“Damn,” Jimmy cursed, and Maverick rolled her eyes.
“Is there a problem my dear friend?” Winston asked as he whipped around faster than was possible to seek out Jimmy. “You seem distraught.”
Calista begged him to keep his mouth shut. Whatever this thing was might leave if they told it nothing. But Jimmy wasn’t one for doing what anyone else would do in this position. He stood toe to toe with what Calista assumed was a Demon, and poked the man in the chest.
“I’m distraught because we lost two friends today,” he said and poked him again, “spent all day running from an army of Demons.” He poked even harder that time. “And then you show up acting all weird so what the hell is your problem, Winston? Huh, what?”
A growl that was very much Demon and nothing like Winston erupted from his chest. He grabbed hold of Jimmy’s hand and squeezed. “Do not touch me again, priest.”
Jimmy winced as he backed away hastily from Winston, clutching his hand. “Uh guys? I don’t think that’s Winston.”
“It figures,” Maverick said and shoved him behind her.
“What do you want? Who are you?” Calista demanded.
The Demon cackled as it threw its head back, the sound high pitched and hurting Calista’s ears. It spun on the spot and the image of Winston faded away, revealing a Demon, ferociously snapping its jaws at them as its hands grabbed hold of two jagged swords at its hips.
“I’m merely a messenger, luckily for you.”
“I think we could hold our own against you,” Trajan challenged. “And what message?”
“From my Queen. She would have delivered it herself, but she is not welcome here in the city of men.” The Demon seethed at the word and gave a visible shudder. “I have come to tell you that you have failed.”
Calista’s gaze flickered to Trajan. “It’s not even close to being over. We haven’t failed anything,” she said firmly, but the Demon cackled again. “Speak or lose your head.”
“The second piece has been stolen,” the Demon uttered. “You may have killed Demon Lord Calict, but you have lost much more than my Queen. Soon, your time will come and Weston will fall. All of Samar will burn and my Queen shall rule the world.”
The Demon turned as if they were going to let him leave, but Trajan moved the same time Calista did. His hammer slammed into the Demon’s face as her mace and ax aimed for the neck. The Demon managed a muted grunt of surprise before its head landed with a squishy thump on their living room floor, the body thudding down after it.
“Second piece, what second piece?” Trajan gasped. “What did we miss?”
Calista took in the body on the floor and her heart sank. “Son of a… It was a distraction! Everything today was an effing distraction!”
“For what?” Maverick stepped over the Demon body as if they were used to having bodies in their home. “Calista?”
“Why do you think the Demon appeared as Winston?” Furious, she slammed her mace into the wall over and over again, but the wall held strong. She could never break it down no matter how hard she tried. It took her rage until she grew tired of hearing the nose and chucked her weapons across the room. “She has Winston and she’s going to kill him just as she killed Bronson.”
“No, no that’s not possible,” Jimmy said, shaking his head. “We would’ve known.”
“How? When was the last time any of you saw Winston?”
Trajan hung his head as he tugged his beard so hard, Calista was surprised chunks didn’t come off in his hand. “We were meant to see him at Seaside, but he wasn’t there when we arrived. Then we took off after you lot and never had a chance to look for him.”
“We saw him before you did, before we set out for that farm.” Calista opened her bags, searching for the horn to summon Winston to their side. She blew it hard, the deep sound rumbling in her chest. Winston didn’t appear. She tried a second, third time before she finally convinced herself it was too late. “She has him.”
“What’s going to happen now?” Jimmy asked.
Calista wasn’t sure, but then an urgent message appeared before her face, flashing intently. “Dennis. He’s pulling everyone out of the game again.”
“Think he knows?”
Calista retrieved her weapons before she accepted the log out, whispering a reply to Giles’ question. “Yeah, yeah he knows.”
***
Winston hung limp in the chains until Valenastrious slapped him hard across the face. He jerked awake, looking around wildly. “Glad you could join us, commander.”
He grunted, tugging hard at the chains. “How dare you!”
“Please, I’m in no mood for some sanctimonious talk from anyone today. Least of all someone who’s about to be dead.” She stepped back to stare at the numbers rolling along the chains and about to run down into Winston’s arms. “So very dead.”
Winston slung curses, fighting to get free, but she knew the chains would hold him. There was no breaking free, not now. Calict’s distraction had worked exactly how she had hoped, keeping the heroes well turned away from her swooping in and stealing away their precious Winston and getting her claws into the second fail-safe. She shivered with delight, ready to wipe Winston from the game. Her hand hovered over the panel, ready to strike, when a voice spoke up behind her.
“Wait, just wait.”
Valen’s brow rose as she turned. “Bishop, do you have a problem with my plan?”
“Two of the heroes were killed,” he reminded her, and she saw the way his eyes narrowed. “Are you certain this is what you want to do next?”
“Yes, why wouldn’t I?”
“You’re going to anger them even more.”
“The heroes are weak—”
“On the outset maybe, but they’re stronger, and the more you take from them, the stronger they’ll get.” He gripped the pommel of his sword as she turned to fully face him. “I’ve seen their cities recently and your attacks are not tearing them down. If anything, they’re rallying together. You’re only going to spur their need for revenge on more.”
Valen hissed quietly under her breath as she stalked towards him. “Their revenge?”
“Yes,” he stated and stood taller.
“And what of my revenge, my pet? You think I should wait to see them suffer?”
“No, but you have time, have you not? They won’t be making a move against you any time soon, but if you do this, I fear they will believe they have no choice.”
Valen held his gaze, but he didn’t blink, didn’t look away. Either he was being serious, or he was trying to pull one over on her. After his stunt of aiding the heroes and killing Calict himself, Valen knew her hold over him was losing ground quickly. She had extended much of her ability over the system to gain control of his mind again and convince him the fight had ended differ
ently. The altered memories held, but it wouldn’t last forever. Tavin’s words came back to haunt her. She’d underestimated Bishop’s friends and his feelings towards them. She would not let it happen again.
But either way, it didn’t matter as far as Winston was concerned. She had what she wanted from the recent distraction; two heroes dead was better than nothing. “You’re right, Bishop. You are absolutely right. They will think they don’t have a choice.”
She slammed her hand down on the panel and Winston bellowed in pain as the numbers lit up so bright it blinded all in the room. Valen squinted, peering through the beams of radiant light until she could see the numbers appear up and down Winston’s body. He thrashed violently, instinct kicking in as the program tried to save itself, but there was no point. Bit by bit, Winston faded away until there was nothing left. His yell faded away as if it never existed at all. And when the chains clanked empty against the wall, Valen walked over and grinned madly.
“Two down. Only one to go.”
“He’s…he’s just gone,” Bishop whispered. “What did you do?”
“I destroyed my enemy, as I expect you to do.” She grabbed him by the throat and lifted him off his feet. He pried at her hand, but her grip was too strong. “The next time you come face to face with anyone from your guild, I expect you to kill them. I know you were there, I know you saw their fight with Calict.”
“I…tried…” he gasped. “I missed…my shot.”
“And you will not miss again. I need them dead, Bishop,” she said, rolling her eyes as if she lectured a child on misbehaving. “You had them in your sights and again you failed to follow through. The end is coming and you do not wish to be on the losing side when this world is covered in ash and darkness.” She dropped him to the floor and stepped over him, her dress trailing across his body as if he was already a corpse. “Leave me, all of you. I have much to discuss with Tavin.”
Bishop was the first to his feet and hurried out the door. Valen watched him leave and settled her head back against her throne as the weakness from destroying Winston would’ve made it impossible for her to stand. She would be weak for a short time, but the moment she had power within her bones again, she would be going after the last piece to the puzzle.
The Final Chapter Page 13
