A Demon's Quest the Beginning of the End the Trilogy Box Set

by Charles Carfagno Jr.

  She stumbled over to Tonles and was relieved to find him alive. The pain from her wound suddenly became unbearable and she gripped the table, gasping in discomfort. She needed to remove the blade if she wanted any kind of relief. She wrapped her hand around the hilt and closed her eyes. She was about to yank the weapon free when a hand covered hers and stopped her from removing it. She opened her eyes and Tonles was staring back at her.

  “You might die if you do it.” He said. “What smells?”

  Before she could answer, they heard people entering the cottage. A familiar voice called to them from the other room, and Tonles let them know they were in the back.

  Feet shuffled into the mending room and in walked a few guards assisting Konafar and Captain Strom onto two other tables.

  Captain Strom gritted in pain. “Go wake the healers from the House of the Blessed…” He winced. “Get them here right away. And get rid of the bodies.” He ordered the guards.

  Tonles got off of his table and helped Breen onto it, so she could lay down. He limped over to Konafar. “What happened to you?”

  Konafar winced as he sat up. “We found out the men you beat up last night hired three assassins to kill you, so we laid a trap for them at the inn. Unfortunately, only one showed and we killed him.”

  “There’s another one right there.” Breen said.

  “That leaves one more. Where are the men from last night; they’ll know?” Tonles asked.

  “They’re dead.” Strom added.

  “Damn, we need to find the last assassin.” He looked at Konafar’s stomach and noticed blood seeping from his bandages. “Your wound looks deep; what kind of weapon did he use?”

  “Nothing special, he fought with a walking stick that had a very sharp blade at one end.”

  Konafar turned his attention to the men dragging out the mangled body of the assassin. “What did you use on him?”

  “It was a liquid that could melt just about anything.” Breen said.

  “Where did you get it?”

  “At one of the stores in town.”

  “Which one?” Strom interjected.

  “Bontinhammer's Unusual Items.”

  “I’ll have to have a talk with him about what he is selling. Konafar, I want to thank you for what you did.”

  “Looks like you owe me again.”

  Just then, the healers entered the cottage, came right to the back room and began tending to the wounded. Two healers began stitching Konafar and Captain Strom, while another gave Breen a heavy sedative, then carefully removed the dagger from her chest. He commented, saying that she was lucky she didn’t remove the weapon herself, because the pointy spikes down the shaft of the blade would have proven fatal if she had.

  After wounds were sown and cleaned, the healers used the most potent herbs, potions, pastes, and salves to ensure that any infection would be killed off, and healing would happen at twice the normal pace. The healers left when they were through, so that the wounded would get some rest and many guards were posted outside.

  A few blocks away from the healer’s cottage, Nails hid on a rooftop waiting for Seiles to return. The assassin was already two hours late, so he figured he must’ve met a similar fate as Lope.

  Down below, guards constantly patrolled the streets looking for him. He was sure that no one was allowed to enter or leave the city, so he’d have to wait a few days before making an attempt to escape. He thought about attacking Strom and the others in the healer’s house, but when the rains began falling in heavy sheets, he decided to seek shelter instead of freezing to death.

  “This is why I hate big towns,” said Tonles. “You never know where an attack is coming from and by whom. Let’s leave as soon as we’re well enough, with or without Jacko and Sun.”

  “Sounds good, but let’s wait outside of the gates for a couple of days.” Konafar added.

  Strom looked over at Breen, who was trying to put something into her eye. “What are you doing?” He asked her.

  “I’m trying to put this lens into my eye.”

  The men looked at each other and then back at her. “And why?” Tonles asked.

  Breen didn’t answer, nor stop, until she placed it into her eye. “Got it.” She said and closed her eyes, knowing they would water.

  “What do they do?” Konafar asked.

  “Hopefully they’ll allow me to understand this book.” Breen said, then reached into her bag, took out the Tirip book and opened it. For many minutes, the words remained unchanged, then suddenly they began to swirl together and changed into a language she could understand. However, the symbols remained unaltered.

  “Did they work?” Konafar asked, after seeing a strange look upon her face.

  “Sort of, I can understand the words but not the symbols.”

  “Maybe I can send one of our scholars to assist.” Captain Strom offered.

  The men fell asleep shortly thereafter, while Breen remained and awake riveted to the pages for a few more hours until sleep took her as well.

  Earlier in the day, Jacko and Sun left the Order and headed back toward Mirkin. Their journey was quicker than expected, and they arrived at the city gates a few hours before nightfall. Several guards approached and told them no one was allowed to enter or leave the city anytime soon. When Jacko inquired why, the lead guard said that there was an incident, permission was only granted by the captain, and he wasn’t available during this time. Jacko showed him the armband, and one of the guards remembered giving it to him and allowed them to enter.

  Jacko asked about the incident again, but the guards told them they would have to find out on their own. Sun and Jacko eventually found out there were two attacks that day. One was a fight at the Inn of the Lion involving Captain Strom, several guards, and a big stranger with a mighty sword against an old man who was really an assassin in disguise. The other occurrence happened in the market square, but the details were sketchy.

  “Do you think it was Konafar?” Jacko asked feeling sick in his stomach.

  “We’d better go over to the healers’ and find out.”

  They made haste and when they arrived, several guards blocked their way.

  “This is as far as you can go.” One of them said with his sword drawn and pointed at them.

  “We need to know if our friend is inside.” Jacko said.

  The guard looked at them suspiciously, and more guards approached and began surrounding them in a semicircle.

  “I’d advise you both to leave.” Another guard said with his spear leveled.

  Sun tugged Jacko’s arm trying to get him to leave, but Jacko pulled his arm away.

  “Can you at least tell me if someone named Konafar, Breen or Tonles is inside?”

  The lead guard looked at them and then at the armband.

  “What’s your name?”

  “Jacko and this is Sun.”

  “Wait here and don’t leave.” He said and walked into the cottage.

  Several minutes later the guard came back out escorting Tonles, who was limping noticeably.

  “I see you finally returned.” Tonles said to them.

  The guards relaxed and lowered their weapons.

  “What happened to you?” Sun asked.

  “Let’s go inside, we have much to discuss.”

  Tonles led them to the back room. Breen was awake and reading her book. Konafar was lying down, and Captain Strom was still sleeping.

  “We leave for one day, and all three of you almost get killed.” Sun said.

  Breen looked up and smiled when she saw them.

  Konafar sat up. “Good to see you boys.” He said.

  “What happened?” Jacko asked.

  “It’s all Tonles’ fault. He did one good deed and almost got killed yesterday.” Breen said.

  “And she was hurt protecting me.” Tonles added.

  “Are you okay?” Sun asked Breen when he saw the large bandage on her chest.

  “Never mind her, take a look at my wounds.” Konafar sa
id showing them his many stitches.

  “How did you get hurt? I thought you were tougher than that.” Jacko said to him.

  Konafar chuckled. “Let’s just say Tonles pissed off a few people that knew some assassins.”

  “Is everyone going to be alright?”

  “We’ll be fine.” Breen said. “We just need rest.”

  Sun studied the partially dissolved floorboards and door. “What did this to the room?” He asked.

  “That was me. I bought something earlier that can dissolve anything it touches and used it on another assassin.”

  “So all the assassins are dead?”

  “There’s one more.” Tonles paused. “We’ll get him in a few days.” He smirked.

  “Did you find what you were looking for?” Konafar asked.

  Sun made sure Strom was still asleep before answering. “Not enough to clear his name.”

  “Keep looking, I’m sure you will.” Tonles said.

  Sun and Jacko stayed for another hour or so before returning to their room. Along the way, Jacko contemplated telling the captain that Torhan was his friend, but under the advisement of Sun, he thought better of it. Before falling asleep, they agreed to tell the others they were leaving in the morning without them.

  The morning came rather quickly; Jacko and Sun washed, dressed, ate breakfast, and then walked over to the healers’ house. Tonles and Captain Strom had already left; while Breen and Konafar were still waiting to have their wounds checked.

  “We’re leaving today.” Sun said as soon as they entered.

  “Why?” Breen asked.

  “Because they need to find their friend before I do; that's why.” Konafar answered for them.

  “He’s right we do, because he’s in grave danger and I don’t mean from you.” Jacko said looking at Konafar.

  “How so?” Breen asked.

  Sun pulled the diary out of his backpack. “Read this when you get a chance.” He handed it to her.

  “What is it?”

  “It’s the girl’s diary.”

  “Does it clear your friend?”

  Sun shook his head. “Not really. I think there was something very strange going on with the priest before Torhan even arrived.”

  “How will you find Torhan?”

  “They’ll never tell you.” Konafar smirked.

  Sun looked at him. “You know we did think about leaving without saying good-bye to you, but instead we decided that we have nothing to hide and still believe that he’s innocent.” Sun paused. “He went toward the town of Snowdrift to help some child come out of a deep sleep. We don’t know why, but I’m pretty sure all of this is tied together somehow.”

  “Can I go with you?” Breen asked.

  “I’m afraid that we don’t have time to wait for you to heal.”

  “I’m already on the mend.” Breen tried rising, and her injury caused her enough pain to force her to sit back down again.

  “Please tell Tonles we said good-bye." Jacko said to them.

  “Will we ever see you again?” She asked.

  “Meet us in Snowdrift if you like, and if we have to go somewhere else we’ll leave word at the inn as to our whereabouts.”

  “Breen,” Konafar began, “after Tonles and I, are better; we're going after the Red Knight, so if you don’t want to come with us, then you should go with them or stay here in Mirkin.”

  Breen got up from the chair wincing all the while.

  “What are you doing?” Jacko asked her.

  “I’m not staying in this town and I really don’t feel like going after that Red Knight character, so I am coming with you.”

  “Are you well enough to travel?”

  “I’ll manage.”

  “Good luck.” Konafar sincerely said to them.

  “And to you as well.” Sun replied.

  “No hard feelings.”

  Jacko and Sun took turns clasping arms with the big man and Breen kissed him on the cheek.

  On their way out the door, the healers gave Breen some herbs to ingest daily until her wound was healed, and a knap sack full of healing supplies. She thanked them and donated fifty gold pieces to their Order. Before leaving town, they purchased horses and supplies for their journey ahead.

  A few hours later Tonles returned.

  “Where’s Breen?” He asked when he noticed she wasn’t sitting on her chair.

  “She went with Jacko and Sun to Snowdrift.”

  “Snowdrift? Why?”

  “That’s where Jacko’s friend went. They said for me to tell you good-bye."

  “Did you want to go with them?”

  “I was thinking we should go after the Red Knight and kill him for what he did to Runit.” Konafar grinned.

  “Just the two of us?”

  Konafar nodded.

  “I like those odds.”

  Both men laughed and then coughed due to their wounds.

  “When do you want to leave?” Tonles asked.

  “In a couple of days. I want to get drunk and fool around with some of those girls back at the inn. Did you find anything out about the assassins?”

  Tonles smiled. “I went back to the marketplace and found the building the assassins used to attack me. While I was searching for clues on the rooftop, I came across a homeless person who happened to be hiding there the same day they attacked me and saw everything. He told me what they looked like, what they were wearing and their names”

  “Did he say anything else?”

  “Yes. After they attacked me, the bum got curious and followed them to their hideout.”

  “Did he show you where it was?”

  “After I paid him a few coins.”

  “Do you think the assassin left town?”

  “No. I think he’ll wait until things cool down.”

  “Well let’s go pay him a visit.” Konafar said; smiling sinisterly.

  A few nights later, in the worst part of town, Nails returned to his cramped, two-room dwelling, carrying a bag of loot from a recent robbery. On his way in through the window, the bag clanked against the windowpane, making enough noise to alert the two men waiting for the assassin.

  Nails had grown sloppy over the last few days, mainly because he was growing impatient waiting for things to quiet down enough for him to leave. His assumption was right about Seiles. The assassin did die the same night as Lope, and it made him uneasy with no one around.

  After lighting a candle and spilling the contents of the bag onto the table, he sat down and marveled at the wealth of diamonds, gems, platinum and gold rings, sapphire necklaces, and variety coins. He was in the middle of counting his good fortune, when he saw someone moving off to the right of the window. Nails slowly reached under the table and did not find his trusty crossbow.

  “I guess you’re looking for this?” The intruder said.

  Silhouetted in the darkness, Nails could see the crossbow pointing at him. “What do you want?” He said in a calm voice.

  “It’s not what I want, it’s what he wants.”

  From the bedroom Tonles walked into the room and Nails knew, without even turning around, who that person was.

  “You know, for an assassin you’re not very good at concealing your whereabouts or, for that matter, coming into the room quietly.”

  Nails reached for the dagger sheathed on his side and as soon as his fingers wrapped around the hilt, Tonles whacked his right collarbone with a wooden stick and shattered the bone. Nails screamed and fell off of the chair and onto the floor, reeling in pain.

  “You bastards!” He yelled at them.

  Konafar walked over and shot him with the crossbow in his left arm and then bent down close to his ear. “We’re going to have a good time.” He said.

  “You should have finished the job when you had the chance.” Tonles added.

  “You kill me then.” The assassin countered bravely.

  “In time coward. In time.”

  Konafar grabbed his jaw, forced his mouth open, pl
aced a very long knife into his mouth and skillfully removed the assassin’s tongue. “We wouldn’t want you to scream too loud now, would we?” He asked.

  Tonles took on a sinister look, and both men went to work. They tied him securely to the chair and began removing his fingers by using two very dull knives. He silently screamed as the digits crunched under the weight of the blades until they eventually were removed. Konafar smiled and then tied rope around his arms and legs in various places, in anticipation of where they were going to chop next so he wouldn’t bleed too quickly.

  Tonles handed him a small ax, and together they began their fun. Nails' hands were chopped off followed by his arms in three different places and then his feet and legs.

  Finally, when Nails was nothing more than a stump, they removed his eyes and proceeded to cut him down the middle of his chest and hack off his head. Covered in blood and gore, they gathered the stolen items and left the room.

  A Demon’s Quest

  the Beginning of the End

  Volume 3

  Chapter 20: The Peril (Blood Knights) Part 2

  It was mid-morning when Rustic arrived back at the camp. He hurried to Brim’s tent where he saw Clay still caring for him.

  “How is he?”

  Clay didn’t respond.

  “Clay!” Rustic raised his voice. “How is he?”

  Startled, Clay looked up. “I gave him the berries, but I think he is dying. Where’s Broc?” Clay asked, realizing his friend wasn’t with him.

  “He’s dead. I didn’t find him in time.” Rustic’s tone was somber.

  “What happened to him?”

  “He was captured, tortured, and killed by a band of creatures known as Mangalers.”

  “Mangalers? I never heard of them.”

  “The foul beasts are a cross between a wolf and a human. They must have taken him by surprise,” Rustic said. He was so angry that he wanted to hit something.