by J D Astra
The glass case barring the door shattered with a skull-rattling bang. The wood cracked at the center, spitting splinters across the floor.
“We must go!” Renzik cried, scrambling to collect the chains that bound him in his arms.
Naitee put the red-ribboned scroll in my hand. “Hurry now.” She took a step back, her shoulders trembling with the rising and falling of her chest. Her shop would be overrun and she would be punished for helping us. I didn’t know what that punishment would be, but her wide-open eyes and clenched jaw told me it wasn’t good. We couldn’t leave her to this.
“Come with us,” I urged, and she shook her head.
She pointed a finger at the ceiling. “The eggs haven’t hatched. I must stay with them.”
The drake eggs Otto and I brought her from my Firebrand quest. We’d slain the last remaining female Hoardling Drake in the region, but Naitee was hopeful one of the eggs would take the female drake’s place.
“May Asima be with you, my dear,” she said, rubbing her hands down my arms. Her fingers were shaking, and though her face was placid, her blue eyes were glossy with fear.
Bang-crack! The door split open and prying eyes glared in at us.
“I’m so sorry.” I sucked in a breath and pulled back my fist. With all my strength I twisted, slamming my knuckles into Naitee’s jaw with a bone-tingling smack. Pain shot up my arm and Naitee went down, hitting her head against the glass cabinet on the way. Her Health bar flashed, but was well above 70%. She’d be okay.
“Murderers and thieves!” the angry voice on the other side of the door bellowed, and a man with a bushy brown moustache popped his arm and face through the crack. “Ye’ll wish yer whore mother never pushed ye out when we get’ah hands on ye!”
Bushy-stache’s fingers searched for the latch and Otto charged the door with a heavy downward swipe of his sword. The man fell back with a yelp, barely pulling himself free before Otto could chop his arm clean off. The battering ram moved in for another blow. We were out of time.
I popped the seal on the red-ribboned scroll. The shimmering doorway sprung to being in front of me, a halo of warm, white light welcoming us in. I grabbed Renzik and pushed him toward the shimmering portal to who-knew-where in Alaunhylles. Otto had planted his feet with sword drawn, blue flames snaking up the hilt to the tip as his skin pulsed a luminous red.
“Let’s go!” I tugged on his arm. Otto’s head snapped my way with a snarl, then he came to his senses. The red pulsing under his skin died out and his battle face melted away when he saw the open portal. He sheathed his sword, pushing a hand against my back as he turned for the portal.
“Murderous cowards!” the man bellowed again.
I glanced over my shoulder. Bushy-stache was back at the door, his wiggling arm grabbing at the bolt. “Run, ye filth! Run so we can hunt ye down like the dogs y’are!”
Otto chewed his bottom lip with a growl, but stepped into the glowing wormhole through the game code.
With a shit-eating grin, I flipped double birds to the stache-man and stepped backward into the portal. The world around me zipped and spun. Brilliant light flashed against my eyelids as I held my eyes shut tight from the blinding pain. Nausea ripped into me as I felt my body careen around on a wild carousel without an operator to shut it down. Then, I hit the ground knees first.
Stinging cold wrapped up my arms and legs, holding me in place as a notification popped into view.
<<<>>>
Debuffs Added
Permafrost: You have been rooted to the ground by the icy tendrils of Permafrost. You cannot move and your Spirit regeneration is reduced by 35%.
Bonus Debuff! Your hands are trapped in the Permafrost, preventing spell casts requiring hand gestures. Duration, 2 minutes!
<<<>>>
Adrenaline surged as I fought to make out up from down, my eyes crossing as I tried to focus on the flowing white figure in front of me. I tugged hard at my arms, but they wouldn’t budge as the clear, glossy ice trickled even further up to my elbows.
Not today! Inferno Blast didn’t require hand gestures, and the modified Raging Inferno Blast was primed for action. Tremors shook the ice trapping me as I let the spell rip, and a burst of hot steam plumed up through my curly hair, blocking my vision. The trap dispelled around my wrists and focused on keeping the spell flowing to free my hands. My Spirit bar dropped like a frat boy at the end of a rager until finally my arms were released.
With my hands free, I aimed the spell at my knees. A cold bolt smacked against my back and a deep shiver worked up my spine. “Stay down, thieves!”
<<<>>>
Debuff Added:
Numb: You are numbed by the internal cold of an over-penetrated Ice Lance. Your movement and attack speeds are reduced by 35%, and your Health regeneration is reduced by 15%. Duration, 1 minute.
<<<>>>
My body convulsed and I slumped forward, cutting off the Inferno Blast spell. I took a quivering breath as the frost crept up my cheek and wrapped icy fingers through my hair. Where in the hell had Naitee sent us?
Otto was pinned beside me, his arms trapped in the Permafrost just as I had been. Renzik was nowhere to be seen, but I could hear him struggling nearby. The cold spread up the side of my face until my eyes hurt to move, so I kept them still.
The candlelit room was covered in woven tapestries telling stories of antlered beasts galloping over snowy mountains haloed by beautiful green and gold auroras. A glass-top table and woven wood chairs sat below the wall decorations. No windows, but a soft, glowing ball of white atop the solitary table lit the dark room far better than the candles.
“Now that we’re all calm,” a hauntingly familiar voice, but deeper, said with an air of accusation, “how is it that you’ve teleported into my home, and why are you wearing Wildfire?”
Eisen Mungal
“HAVE YOU HARMED MY sister?”
The countdown timer on the Permafrost debuff was at 20 seconds, and while I wanted nothing more than to fireblast my way out of the frigid cold, I guessed that being docile was more advantageous than trying to blow the guy up. Besides, he hadn’t tried to kill us, yet.
“She ga’e et to ne.” My lips were frozen in place, and my tongue wasn’t far behind.
“What?” The man nearly barked the question, though I wasn’t sure if it was out of amusement or outrage.
The Permafrost timer hit zero, and the ice that once held me securely in place melted, then evaporated. I was dry, but the lingering sensation of a frigid vice on my face sent shivers coursing through me.
I sat on my haunches, rubbing my cheeks in tiny circles to bring feeling back to them. “I said, she gave it to me. Wildfire.”
The Frostlock in front of me was a near mirror image of Naitee. Blond almost white hair, ghostly blue eyes, pale skin, but with a jaw much sharper than hers, and a small hook to his narrow nose. His light-colored brow rose as his thin lips pursed. He wore blue robes with opal gems sewn into the neck, and some sheer material at the cuffs. He looked regal, much like Naitee.
“Wildfire is her most prized piece of armor. She would not surrender it willingly.” His hands glowed a blue-white, and he pointed one palm at Otto and one at me.
“You think I took it from her by force?” I challenged, arms crossed. He opened his mouth for a rebuttal and I cut him off. “Then, while she was lying bested on the ground in her undergarments, I asked her, ‘Please make me a teleport scroll to your brother’s establishment,’ and she agreed?”
He closed his mouth. The white-blue glow of his palms faded and died. His pursed lips thinned until almost white and invisible against his pale complexion.
“I’m Abby, Naitee’s apprentice in sorcery.” I climbed to my feet, and the Frostlock didn’t try to stop me. “This is Otto”—I gestured to my NPC companion—“and that’s Renzik.” I whirled until I saw him crouched behind me.
“Eisen.” He tilted his head up as he spoke. “Eisen Mungal.”
I put my hand out fo
r a shake but he stared at it begrudgingly. “Alright,” I said as I dropped the offered hand to my side, “to answer your first question, Naitee sent us here. We needed to come to Alaunhylles, so she made us a teleport scroll to this place.”
Eisen moved to the tapestry on the wall, and with a fluid jerk of his hand, he pulled it free. There on the dark wood was a burnt mark, with a clean outline of a rune at the center.
He pointed to the clean runic mark. “That was expensive.”
I looked to Otto, then Renzik, who shrugged. “I’m sorry?” I asked.
“Naitee is always making a mess of things!” He threw the colorful cloth down in a fit. “First my ascension, then my coupling, now my wards!” He stomped about the room spouting words I didn’t understand.
“Okay, well, I’m sorry Naitee ruined your...” I paused and he looked to me with expectation. “Your wards?” I asked again.
“Thank you! I’m glad someone is sorry! She always does this to me.” He pushed his hands into his eye sockets as if to stop himself from crying.
I stepped closer. Naitee sent us here, and I trusted her enough to trust that we were safe with Eisen, as upset as he was. “It’s going to be okay.” I put my hand on his elbow and he jerked away.
“No it isn’t!” He pulled away from me and sniffled. “That was really expensive.” He sighed.
“I’m sorry,” I began, and he tutted.
“Stop saying that, you don’t need to be sorry.” He wiped at his eyes, though there were very obviously no tears there. We stood in silence, and I suddenly realized he was waiting for me to speak.
“Naitee sent us here because she trusted you.” I hoped this would placate his poor attitude, and he seemed to respond. He shifted his posture, shoulders relaxing.
I took a deep breath as Otto made a “cut it out” motion. Naitee trusted him, and I trusted her. He could help us. “We’re in trouble,” I went on. “We have a bounty on us. We’ve upset some very important people, and they want us more than dead, well, because dead would just put me back in Harrowick.”
He composed himself, tightening his jaw and straightening. “So, you’re a Traveler?”
“Yes, I am. Otto and”—I paused, looking to Renzik, who gave me a nod—“and Renzik are native to Eldgard.”
“So, who did you ‘upset’?” He air quoted the word.
“Very bad people—”
“Oh please.” He tutted again and grabbed the tapestry from the floor. It was with this I noticed the floor had scorch marks much like the one on the wall, and not just a few, but dozens. “Everyone has two sides. These bad people have their own good they’re fighting for, they have their own ideal future, and very likely don’t intend to hurt anyone. You’re so shortsighted.” He hung the cloth and adjusted the angle.
“Someone intends to dominate Eldgard using the Ever Victorious army to do so. We stole from one of their lieutenants.”
He spun on me, arms crossed. “Why would I care?”
I gritted my teeth. “You don’t want to be owned by this man. He’ll—”
“I won’t be owned.” He walked to the table and fidgeted with the cloth covering it. He was getting on my nerves with the interruptions.
“Robert Osmark will crush you under his boot. You will submit or you will die, that is his way. We”—I gestured to Otto—“are here to prevent that.” Eisen didn’t look up, just kept messing with the perfectly squared tablecloth.
“Naitee trusted me. She trusted me enough to send me to you.” His head jerked up, his surprise apparent for a second before he smoothed his features out. There it was. He admired his sister, loved her. He wanted her admiration.
“She trusts you to help us,” I went on, and his demeanor continued to improve. He was definitely opening up. “We want to ensure the safety of all people in Eldgard, to make sure everyone is safe and free. We’re rebels.” His eyes sparkled with some unfathomable joy as I told him of his sister’s acceptance. I was possibly mending old sibling wounds right now.
He nodded and sucked in his bottom lip as he closed his eyes. Had I almost brought him to tears with my moving speech, or perchance, my Leader’s Bandolier was finally pulling its weight?
He pulled in a deep breath. “Get out.”
“What?” I scowled. I’d just given him exactly what he wanted, exactly what he needed to hear. Get out? What the hell!
Eisen put his hands on his hips. “You heard me. Get out.”
“But Naitee—”
“I don’t care about your but. Naitee this and that, she’s always messing with things. You will ruin my reputation, you will destroy my home, you will uproot me. I don’t need that. I just got settled here and have more than enough going on for one man. So”—he leaned down, his face much too close to me—“get out.”
Why wasn’t this going my way? I had a magic belt that should’ve been bending him to my will! I had a scroll that took me directly into Eisen’s home! How was he not trusting me right now?
“But, Eisen, she sent us to you because she knew you could help us. Do you want to disappoint her?”
His brows pulled down, eyes widening and teeth baring. Shit. I’d done it.
“Get. Out. Now.” Eisen growled each word as he pointed to the door at the left side of the room.
I looked to Renzik, his chains. My fire couldn’t free him, but Eisen’s ice could. “Okay, just one more thing,”
“No!” he boomed, and I flinched. The cold essence of his presence surrounded me and I shivered. We definitely weren’t wanted.
I moved to Renzik and helped to collect his chains. “We’ll find somewhere to free you soon.” I shot a glare back to Eisen as I said it and saw his veneer of superiority crack. I gave extra special attention to Renzik and his needs as we moved toward the door, and he seemed to understand what I was doing. Within moments he had a limp he did not previously have, and Otto had to catch him as we moved toward the door.
“Oh by Kusamay.” Eisen sighed as he put a hand on my shoulder. “Hold the chains out,” Eisen ordered, and I held the metal at arm’s length out to him.
Brilliant blue lights shot from Eisen’s hands onto the chain, and it crackled with cold. “Set it down,” he ordered, and I complied. “You, Brute with the sword.” He pointed at Otto, then gestured to the chain. “Hit the metal.”
Otto ground his teeth side to side and removed his sword from the sheath. I held it above his head and grunted, “Ready.”
“Just there.” Eisen pointed to where he’d froze the chain.
Renzik shivered as he lowered himself to the ground. “Don’t miss.”
Otto chopped down with a clank! The chain separated and the short end slapped back in Renzik’s face. He pushed out his held breath with relief and fell back against the wall, holding the short end of the chain still attached to the cuff at his neck.
Eisen grabbed a brown cloak on the nearby chair and tossed it to Renzik. “Now get out, I’m no friend of rebels.” He shooed us to the closed door, and we moved without protest.
The hall outside the room we’d invaded was much like everything else. Dark wood walls, no windows, cloth tapestries, likely hiding other “wards,” and sparse candlelight. We marched single file to the front door, which sported a large, multifaceted ward outline: a large black smoldering mark blasting out from the center. I guess we did more damage than I’d previously thought.
I turned back to Eisen. He looked at me sternly, and I thought of adding one last comment of how disappointed Naitee would be, but didn’t. We were lucky he wasn’t going to turn us over to the Alaunhylles officials. As I understood it, Alaunhylles was already under New Viridian control. When Osmark took the throne, he’d automatically get control of this city, too. Who knew how long that would be.
I stepped onto the stoop and the door slammed shut behind me. I looked up the rough stone stairs to the road above, understanding now why there were no windows. The intricate metal handrail guided me as I pulled myself up each step, painfully awar
e of my physical disarray. I wanted to sleep for a week in a warm pool of thick jelly. My muscles ached like I’d run a marathon. My head was still spinning like I’d had too many tequilas. I was in sorry shape.
Renzik wrapped himself in the offered cloak, pulling the hood over his head and nearly obscuring the cuff at his neck. We’d have to get it off soon, as it was a dead giveaway... and I assumed the quest wouldn’t complete until we did.
Otto tromped heavily up the stairs. “We need a cover. Why are we here?”
I paused and looked at the three of us: Wode caster, Risi fighter, and a sorry looking Dokkalfar. He was certainly a sore thumb. Nothing worth sharing was coming to mind, so I focused on making it up the remaining stairs.
“There’s a harbor, right?” Renzik asked.
“Indeed,” Otto said from the top.
I could hear the grin in Renzik’s tone. “You’re taking me home to Rai Nam for a trial, hence the chains. You’re bounty hunters, and I’m your bounty.”
Otto stroked his chin. “That might work. Alaunhylles is law driven—they might not interfere with the proceedings of other countries’ laws.”
I groaned as I reached the top step, then took a deep breath and held it as I looked on the city of Alaunhylles. City was not the right name for it. It was a kingdom.
From where we stood the ground rolled gently upward to the south, where a Disney-like castle with golden spires sat atop the cliffs at the sea. Oceanic birds flapped and called as they flew overhead, scouring the ground for bites to eat. The air was warm for October and tasted of fishy salt.
To the west of the magnificent castle I could hear the faint cries of fishermen selling off the last of their morning haul at the harbor. The hill sloped back down until the edges of the port and the ocean horizon were in sight. Boats of all sizes and shapes glided about the crystal blue waters that shimmered with the noon sun.
To the northeast were towering mountain peaks, and further south was a massive grove, with trees at the center rivaling the heights of the castle turrets. Their branches sprawled and climbed, shading a huge white pit that sat at the edge of the massive forest. Roots from the gigantic trees stretched through the open pit, but the apparent mining operation continued around them, instead of cutting them down.
