Hell to Pay (Ascend Online Book 2)

by Luke Chmilenko

  “Really?” I said with a bit of surprise as I picked up another book from the stack titled ‘The Ardent Elven Chambermaid’ while passing the first book I was holding over to Molly. “I can understand a book being dangerous because of what it contains, such as magical knowledge or even just regular knowledge. But how can a book be dangerous to the reader?”

  “Some books contain knowledge so perverse or otherworldly that simply reading it is enough to damage your mind, regardless if you understand the language or not,” William replied. “While others are bespelled with protections to ensure a certain level of…competence, before the book can be opened. Should someone unknowingly attempt to read or open such books, their mind could be scarred permanently, if they’re not killed outright. But aside from that, some books are simply just cursed, either as practical jokes or as defense mechanisms from would-be thieves, much like the book you’ve just picked up.”

  “Uh, what?” It took me a moment to process what William had just said as I lifted a third book off the stack.

  Glancing downward, I didn’t even have enough time to read the book’s title before it somehow shifted in my grasp and bit into my hand, a pair of gleaming white teeth flashing in the light. A spike of pain shot up my arm at the same moment a message appeared in the corner of my vision.

  A [Book] bites you for 6 points of damage!

  “Ah, what the fuck?!” I shouted as I reflexively shook my hand, causing the book to lose its grip and sail through the air. Landing with a dull thump in the middle of the floor, the book began moving on its own as it shot across the room and vanished behind several tall stacks of books. As it ran, I could have sworn I heard the book snicker.

  “What the hell was that?!” I demanded, casting a glance at William and Quinn, who both appeared to be barely holding back laughter.

  “That was a cursed book, if rather harmless,” William stated simply, with a smile on his face. “I call him Chomper, and he helps keep the rats in the place at a manageable level.”

  “Don’t feel too bad, Lazarus,” Quinn told me with a chuckle. “He does have a knack for appearing in the strangest of places. I think he’s gotten me at least three times now.”

  “Did you ever consider just getting a cat?” Molly’s voice had me turning to look towards her, seeing a grin on her face as well. “They’re a bit more manageable.”

  “And put Chomper on the streets?” Quinn countered, completely deadpan as he glanced towards William. “He’s too old now, he would never survive. He’s an indoor book through and through.”

  “I literally cannot believe that we are having this conversation right now,” I grunted as I put the book I was holding back on the stack and checked my hand where the book had bitten me. “But I think I’ll start keeping my hands to myself now.”

  “It does pay to be mindful of what you touch in a magician’s library,” William replied sagely.

  “Truer words have never been spoken,” Molly commented, holding the book I had given her close to her chest. “Speaking of a library, though, Quinn told us all these books came from Assara, but based on what I have heard about The Fall, there wasn’t that much time to evacuate, nor to bring so much.”

  “There was not.” William’s voice took a slightly sad tone as he looked around the room. “All that you see here is a small fraction compared to what I left behind…”

  “What do you mean ‘left behind’?” I asked, looking to Quinn for explanation.

  “William used to be the Head Librarian of the Imperial Library in Meridian before The Fall,” Quinn helpfully added as he found himself a clear spot to lean against the wall just behind the elderly half-elf. “If William hadn’t fought tooth and nail for space on the ships to take something with them, all of this would have been lost.”

  “If I remember my lore right, Meridian was the city where all the settlers of Eberia launched from as they fled Assara,” Molly stated, taking a few more tentative steps into the room, watching carefully not to knock any of the book stacks over. “How did you even decide what to take? How could you decide what to take?”

  “Speed,” William replied, his eyes glazing over as he looked back into his memories. “Speed was my only concern.

  “When the decision was made to abandon Meridian, I had porters grab everything they could and throw it into crates without even bothering to sort or check anything,” the elderly half-elf continued. “I preserved the most important tomes from the archives, but so much was just lost to the shuffle…there is so much that I’ve catalogued, and yet so much more to go.”

  “Why are you the only one working on this?” I asked, starting to get a better picture of why Quinn had made such an effort to get to know William. “These books are near priceless; you should have dozens of people helping you catalogue all this.”

  “Oh, I did once,” William answered with a sigh. “Unfortunately, learning about the past isn’t that important when there is a war on your doorstep, let alone one that lasts for nearly four decades. By the time my few assistants grew old and retired, Eberia had forgotten what it meant to be a scholar, and I found replacements far too much trouble than they were worth. Well, at least until Quinn showed up on my doorstep.”

  “I’m always happy to help,” Quinn acknowledged with a smile. “We were actually hoping to pick your brain while we’re here about a few things that we’ve come across.”

  “Oh?” the old man said, looking between the three of us with sudden curiosity. “You Adventurers tend to lead interesting lives; I hope that I am up to the task.”

  “I’m sure you are,” Quinn said warmly while motioning for Molly or me to start.

  Casting a quick glance at me, Molly nodded to herself as she took another step forward into the room before speaking, “Yesterday, a woman managed to somehow summon four devils into this plane of existence.

  “But these devils weren’t summoned as magical entities like a warlock would create, but she somehow physically manifested them by using an actual person as a host,” Molly continued to explain. “Based on what I have learned about the other planes…what she did should not be possible.”

  “She summoned devils physically into our world?” William echoed, a concerned expression coming over his face. “You’re right, that should not be possible…short of the hosts inviting the devils to take possession of their mortal bodies, but they would have known that would make their lives forfeit.”

  “I don’t think it was a willing possession,” I added, remembering the burning talismans that I had seen the Urchins wearing. “Those who transformed all wore strange necklaces that began to glow after the woman shouted a trigger word. They had no idea it was coming.”

  “Hmmm, a forced possession, then. Most unusual…” The old librarian looked down at the desk as he tapped his finger idly. “I am far from an expert in these matters, but a forced possession might be possible if an object holding the devil’s spirit was touching flesh. Especially if the wearer was not expecting resist the devil’s assault.”

  “How easy is it to get a devil’s spirit?” I asked. “I can’t imagine that’s something you’d be able to find at the market.”

  “Unless things have changed drastically since the last time I left the house, no…I agree it wouldn’t be.” William nodded at me with a curious expression. “The spirits would have had to have been bound to the talismans by a ritual, a feat that would take a rather in-depth knowledge of demonology and fairly powerful magic to execute.”

  “I don’t think Edith would have been able to manage that,” I stated. “I’m pretty sure she took the Disciple base class.”

  “But Ransom, on the other hand, is a Warlock,” Molly countered as she glanced at me grimly, then back over to William. “Do you have any idea how much time it would take to create such a talisman?”

  “I have no way of knowing for certain.” The old man shrugged. “A few hours, maybe? That would also be in addition to whatever materials were needed to create such a talisman in th
e first place. Simple rocks or jewelry wouldn’t suffice; it would have to be something that the devils would have an affinity with.”

  “Which really puts us back to square one,” I sighed loudly. “We strongly suspected that someone powerful was backing her, this just more or less confirms it.”

  “What exactly is going on?” William asked, glancing suspiciously between Molly and me, then turning to look at Quinn. “This Edith, she is an Adventurer?”

  “She is,” Quinn replied with a nod. “She is an independent thief that contracted to the Thieves Guilds in Eberia, but it appears she’s gotten herself mixed up in powers we don’t quite understand.”

  “And your two friends here have been sent by the guilds to find her,” William stated flatly, turning his gaze towards Molly and me. “Which of the guilds do you two represent?”

  Silence gripped the room as the three of us stared at the ancient half-elf in surprise, none of us knowing what to say.

  “H-How did you even—” I started to say before William let out a loud bark of laughter.

  “You young folk are all alike! Thinking that just because I am old that I’m also blind!” He started at me intently as he thrust a finger out at me. “I am one hundred and fifty-three years old and I have likely lived at least twice as long as all three of you put together! Do you honestly think that you are the first thieves to have stepped into this place? I had you both figured out the moment that you walked into the room.”

  “We can leave if this is a problem,” Molly said in a small voice, clearly caught off guard by the man.

  “Goodness, no!” William snorted. “I’m not in the habit of turning away guests seeking knowledge. Well, truthfully…I’m not in the habit of guests at all…but back to my previous question, which guild do you two represent?”

  “The Grim Shadows,” I admitted, glancing over at Quinn who was staring at William in surprise.

  “Now was that difficult?” William shook his head at us, causing his wispy hair to fly side to side. “Now tell me what really happened to get you all involved in this. What else did she do to get the guild so interested?”

  “We think she may have had a hand in killing our Thief Lord, Fairfax Grimm, two nights ago,” I told William, feeling the familiar pang of sadness well in my chest.

  “Well”—William’s eyes widened at that admission and he inclined his head to the both of us—“my apologies for your loss.”

  “Thank you,” I acknowledged, feeling the sudden tension in the room begin to dissipate. “It’s a bit of a long story how everything happened.”

  “Do I look like I have many places to be?” William asked, motioning to the room around him. “Tell me what happened.”

  “Well,” I started to explain, after seeing both Molly and Quinn nod at me in acceptance, “I guess it all started when I woke up strapped to a cold table with a strange sigil tattooed on—”

  “What did you say?” William interrupted, his voice completely flat as he slowly stood up from his chair and grabbed a wand off the desk, pointing it directly at me.

  “A sigil. I woke up with a sigil tattooed onto my chest,” I repeated looking at the intense expression on the half-elf’s face.

  Glancing at Quinn behind him, William pushed himself off of the desk with one hand and slowly began to move around the table, his face completely blank.

  “Show it to me, now.”

  Chapter 12

  “W-what?” I took a step backward as the half-elf advanced towards me with a glowing wand in his hand, pointing it directly at me.

  “Take. Your. Shirt. Off,” William demanded, waving the wand in the air threateningly. “Show me the sigil.”

  “Uh…” I felt my back hit the wall as I ran out of space, the elderly half-elf crossing the room faster than I would have thought possible for someone his age. “Quinn?”

  “William, what is this about?” Quinn had a confused expression on his face as he put a hand on the man’s shoulder. “Why does Lazarus need to take his shirt off?”

  “Let go of me!” William barked, throwing the mage’s hand off his shoulder with surprising strength. “I need to see if his will is still his own! Show me the sigil, or get out!”

  “Lazarus…” Molly whispered in a worried tone as she too backed away from the advancing librarian.

  “Okay, okay!” I raised a hand in front of me to get the man to stop his advance while the other went to a buckle to undo a strap. “I’ll show it to you! Just give me a moment!”

  “Quickly now,” William ordered, keeping his wand pointed directly at me.

  “I didn’t plan to put a show on today,” I quipped nervously as I continued to loosen a number of straps on my armor and slowly pulled it over my head. Holding my tunic in one hand, I turned sideways slightly as I pulled up my shirt, giving William a perfect view of the Sigil of Rage.

  “How long have you had this sigil?” William asked me as his cold hand touched the side of my chest and stretched the sigil. “How many times have you used it?”

  “Uh, roughly a day, maybe slightly longer,” I told the man, feeling more than a little awkward as he invaded my personal space. “I’ve used it twice, well, three times…but it didn’t work the third time.”

  “It didn’t work?” William looked up at me, alarm visible on his face. “What do you mean didn’t work?”

  “It was while we were fighting Edith after she had summoned the devils,” I told him, effectively skipping over half the night’s events. “It’s a long story, but she knew about the sigil and wanted to have it cut from my chest. She had some sort of stone with her that somehow kept the sigil from working.”

  “A Chaos Stone,” William stated. “It absorbed the energy of the sigil.”

  “Yeah.” I nodded, remembering the message that had come up when the strange stone that Edith had had begun to glow purple. “It blocked the sigil from working for a while, but it feels fine to me now; I could probably activate it if I needed to. What does a Chaos Stone do?”

  “It traps Primal Energy, which you unknowingly fed it full of when you activated your sigil within its range,” William said, taking a step back from me, trembling with anger. “You are fine. There are no compulsion elements written into the sigil; it is a plainly written Sigil of Rage.”

  “Compulsion elements?” A look a panic crossed Molly’s face as she watched William nervously. “Are you alright? Do you know what these sigils are?”

  “Oh, I know them alright,” William’s face turned red as he began to yell, anger clearly visible on his face. “I grew up seeing these sigils all my life back in the Ascendant Empire. I had hoped, prayed, that they had died with Assara, but it seems to me I was wrong!”

  “You saw these before?” I asked, looking at the librarian intently. “What are they, exactly?”

  “Hubris!” William spat as he began to gasp for air, his recent exertions having taken their toll on him. “They were once considered to be gifts from the gods themselves, but the Ascendant Emperor perverted them over the course of millennia. He twisted them in his vain pursuit to become a god, and killed a civilization! They should have been left behind. I made sure they were left behind!”

  “William, slow down!” Quinn shouted as the elderly librarian’s gasps for air became more and more desperate. “You’re going to give yourself a heart attack!”

  “I-I…” the elderly man wheezed as Quinn slowly led him back towards the desk and sat him down into his chair.

  “Take deep breaths,” Quinn ordered, giving the two of us a worried look as William began to violently cough.

  The three of us watched on in panic as the librarian’s coughing slowly evened out and he began to regain control of his breathing.

  “I’m okay,” William said after a few minutes, color having returned back to his face. “I was just surprised, that’s all.”

  “Are you sure you’re okay?” Molly asked, having made her way to Quinn’s side, watching the elderly man carefully. “We can take
you somewhere if you’re not.”

  “I’m fine,” William repeated, waving a hand weakly through the air. “It’s just been a while since I’ve gotten that worked up.”

  The three of us traded glances as both Molly and Quinn stood up, looking towards me as I readjusted my armor.

  “Can you tell us what these sigils are?” I asked the recovering man as I walked across the room towards him. “I have no idea how I even got it, let alone why Edith wants it so badly. I just woke up with the last day completely missing from my memory.”

  “You wouldn’t remember getting it,” William replied after taking a deep breath, his gasping and wheezing having finally stabilized. “The power of the sigils does not play well with mortal minds, and memory loss was—is—a common side effect.”

  Looking up at Molly and me, William took a second, even deeper breath before motioning for us to continue speaking. “Tell me everything that happened yesterday, everything that you remember, at least. Then I’ll tell you what I know about the sigils.”

  “Well,” I started slowly, taking a moment to collect my thoughts. “The last thing that I remember before the memory loss was getting ready for a heist…”

  I then went on to explain everything that had happened over the last day, from waking up in the Undertaker torture chamber, to killing Cayden, and being crushed by the falling statue.

  “Then as soon as I resurrected, I felt the sigil’s presence as if nothing had ever happened,” I finished, watching the amazed expression on William’s face.

  “I have only known your kind for a few scant weeks, and yet your adventures already astound me. To be so cavalier about death…” William shook his head in amazement at the three of us. “Without knowing what Edith has stolen from the Arcaneum, I cannot even begin to fathom what her end goals could be. But if she has discovered a way to physically manifest devils into this world in addition to finding a Chaos Stone, then whatever she is planning certainly does not bode well for the city.”