by JD Franx
Kael’s energy was fading fast so he pulled his magic from Grodin’s mind and face. The black tentacles retreated just as fast as they had entered. Physically and mentally exhausted, Kael dropped further onto his knees and Grodin fell to the ground unconscious. The puppet’s strings vanished without Kael’s power.
A moan from Giddeon at Kael’s side made him glance over his shoulder. The ArchWizard glared back. “Your powers have grown greatly, son,” he said. “You shadow-walk already and are capable of mind control. But I see that you’ve little compassion left, just like the prophecy predicted, and for that, I am sorry.”
“Don’t waste your pity, Giddeon,” Kael snapped. “You and your group never gave me a chance to be anything other than what you think I should be.”
Giddeon held Kael’s stare as he continued. “I knew there was no way your heart could remain free of evil. Using dark magics to invade someone’s mind and force knowledge from them leaves lasting damage no matter how careful you are. Grodin will never be the same. You’ve destroyed a man’s mind just to get information. It proves what DeathWizards are capable of. Of course we’ll hunt you down!”
Kael’s rage surged with renewed vigour as an intense desire to destroy Giddeon washed over him. He grabbed the ArchWizard’s face in the same manner as he had Grodin’s, but stopped for a moment to take a good look at the man who was so determined to kill everyone like him. The thought of adding to the man’s current misery was more than Kael could handle, and the ever-present, growing vines slowed and became idle as he forced himself to calm down.
“I’m not what you think I am, ArchWizard,” Kael said. “I have seen true evil, and you cannot imagine what it’s like until it destroys all that you care about.”
Kael could see the beating Giddeon received at the hands of Grodin and his men. Both eyes were swollen shut and his nose was shattered. His fingers had all been dislocated and so had his right elbow—Kael winced at the odd angle and protruding joint. But it was the Gyhurra collar that was doing the most damage. Memories flooded Kael’s mind as he remembered the suffering and intense pain the spikes from the collar caused when they pierced the large nerve clusters in his neck.
The rage storming through his body for so long finally cooled. The agony in Giddeon’s eyes was all too familiar. Kael took a deep breath and shook his head and was swarmed by agony more intense than the last flash back. He screamed, grabbing his head and falling to the leaf-mold. Kyah grabbed him, holding him tight as again she began the spell to help him.
“What’s wrong with him?” Giddeon asked as Kael’s cry came to an end.
“The collar around your neck, Kael wore one like it for five months...”
“Merciful Mylla...” Giddeon began, but clearly could not finish.
“The collar has lasting effects, I think.”
Struggling and using sheer willpower, Kael forced the memories from his mind and empathy crept back in. “Cut him down, Kyah. He can’t hurt us with that collar on.” Though exhausted from the flashback and the spell he had used on Grodin, Kael regained his feet and held onto Giddeon as Kyah cut him down, then helped drag him to the nearest tent where they laid him against one of the poles.
It did nothing to relieve Giddeon’s suspicions. “What do want from me, Kael? You might as well kill us all now, or we will continue the hunt for you.”
Kael knelt in front of Giddeon and lifted his head by placing a single finger under his chin. The ArchWizard grunted at the pain as the Gyhurra’s four spikes dragged against the nerves inside his neck.
“You should be more careful of exactly what you ask for, Giddeon, especially when you’re staring into the face of my kind. After all, I did come here looking for you as well,” Kael said, as he let Giddeon’s head fall to his chest.
It was long past time the ArchWizard provided him with some answers.
Chapter Six
“I have trained hundreds, if not thousands, of Broken Blade assassins. Long before there was a guild, I placed the first enchanted wooden blade in the hands of Yrlissa Blackmist. I have never trained nor seen an assassin of her equal since. Until now. If Desiree Star can manage to control her emotions and focus her instincts on anticipation, she will become a killer who may one day surpass the best assassin to ever live.”
Ella Navasha
From a journal found inside a house in Argela, 5025 PC
ARGELA, ELLORYA
Desiree Star hit the stone and mortar wall hard, crumpling to the floor in a heap.
“Again, Miss Star,” Ella said. No emotion crept into her voice, not even disappointment. Desiree stood slowly. Her body ached, every square inch of it. Bruises, scrapes, and contusions covered her skin. She even had bruises in areas she could not see. Weeks had passed as they tried to hunt down Kael, but news about him was extremely rare and progress had been slow. This meant more time Desiree had to spend training and sparring against a fighter centuries beyond her own skills. Desiree sighed.
After returning to Argela with the White witch, Ella Navasha, and meeting up with her apprentice, Katarina Desolla, the three rented a small house with an open basement for training and had been waiting for two weeks on information about Kael’s whereabouts.
During those two weeks, Katarina and Desiree sparred every day, and every day Desiree got pounded on, tossed around, and beat to a living pulp by the tall, dark-haired woman. Desiree studied hard and paid close attention to her lessons, but Katarina had been Ella’s apprentice for many years and had clearly learned her own lessons well. After spending hours each morning teaching Desiree skills she had yet to learn when still with the guild, Ella watched the two fight for hours every afternoon. The witch would offer guidance and advice to both fighters, but would not allow magic to be used until Desiree had advanced to a certain level. At that point, Desiree hoped Ella would fix her tattoo, which would restore her speed, strength, and reflexes.
The thoughts cost Desiree dearly as a spinning kick sent her twisting sideways through the air.
“Desiree!’” Ella barked. “Stop your mind from wandering. Focus.”
“Yes, Mistress,” Desiree groaned, pulling herself to her feet.
“Again,” Ella said, her voice returning to normal.
Desiree set her feet, knowing the powerful attack that would be coming could knock her back down. She was right. Katarina lunged, and Desiree put her arms together, blocking the front kick. It still slid her back a full foot as Katarina exploded with violence, punch after punch darting in at Desiree’s head.
“Control, Katarina,” Ella said with just an edge of warning.
As Katarina slowed the pace of punches, gaining more accuracy and control, Desiree focused harder, not wanting one of the strong blows to slide past her defence and knock her out. Blocking and deflecting every swing, Desiree knew the kick was coming. It always came, but she could never predict it quickly enough to stop herself from being launched into the wall.
Katarina’s knee shot up. Desiree thrust her open palm down, slamming her attacker’s knee hard enough to stagger her for a single second. Something clicked in Desiree’s mind and she knew the spinning kick was coming. She ducked instantly, and swept her foot out as the kick whistled over her head. Knocking Katarina’s foot out from under her, Desiree jumped to her feet as the dark-haired woman crashed to the floor, hard.
“Excellent, Desiree,” Ella said, clapping slowly. “Perfect anticipation. So, you did learn something from Yrlissa after all. Enough for today. Both of you head over to Natalia’s and soak in a hot mineral bath to soothe your aches. Return here before the evening meal. We have a special guest joining us tonight.
“Info on Kael’s location, Mistress?” Katarina asked, pulling herself up with a wince.
“No. Something about a crazy alchemist capable of changing our world as we know it. I think our hunt has shifted. For the moment.”
WILDLANDS NORTHERN FOREST
“I came here looking just for you, Giddeon,” Kael said. “When I first arr
ived here, a bounty hunter captured me and tried to take me to a city called Corynth. Just before he died, he told me that my wife Ember and my friend Max died during the crossing that brought me here. Yet, last night, Ember came to me in a dream begging for my help.”
“What? Why did you not tell me?” Kyah asked. He gave her a dirty look, warning her not to do it again, and continued.
“She told me she was with you, here in the forest, captives of the tribals and that you needed help. And here I find you, Giddeon. In the dream, I saw you in a cage with others. Max and Ember were with you. Where are they?”
The silence that followed lasted several minutes before the ArchWizard spoke. “I am truly sorry, Kael, but your magic dragged them into the bridge. My daughter, Saleece, almost lost her life by dragging them away from you in an attempt to save them, but when they arrived in my tower it was already too late, they were dead. A dimensional bridge can only support one life and most often that one life doesn’t survive. We tried, Kael, I swear, we tried, but there was no way to save them. I’m sorry,” he said. “I truly am. You have my condolences.”
The little bit of hope Kael had vanished quicker than it had grown when seeing Ember in his dream. Kael’s eyes glossed over and another onslaught of horrific memories set in, this time from the day he was pulled off the picnic table at Tinker’s Bar and Grill and dragged into Talohna through a twisting dimensional vortex.
“It’s not your fault, Giddeon,” Kael whispered, as if in a daze. “It’s mine. I reached to them for help... I didn’t know...” Kael’s voice faded at the images storming his mind. Kyah placed her hand on his shoulder.
“It’s never too late. Stop running and come back with us. Show the kingdoms you’re not a killer, and maybe all this will stop. Please, son. It’s never too late,” Giddeon begged, his voice filled with hope.
“I’m not your son, Giddeon. I’m a thing that’s been condemned to death from the moment I first drew breath as a baby. You took me from my parents, who likely wanted me, and you left me in a world that was not mine with people who didn’t want me. Ember and I have been on our own since we were both fifteen years old. Being pulled back here caused the death of the only two people important to me. It is long past too late for me, Giddeon, but I won’t surrender to you until I know for sure there’s no cure for what’s happening to me. I wasn’t always like this. Maybe I can get rid of it.”
“It’s not a disease, Kael. You can’t get rid of it,” Giddeon said in disbelief. “Any more than you could get rid of an arm or leg. This world doesn’t work that way...”
Not in the mood to argue, Kael frowned. “Don’t waste your breath, I’m not listening. Now, hold still unless you want to spend the rest of your life with the Gyhurra around your neck. I’m the only one who can remove one,” he informed Giddeon.
“Please, Kael, listen,” he said, quickly.
“Go ahead, but I won’t discuss what we already have,” he warned.
“Fair enough. Can you actually remove this collar? I’ve never felt the likes of it. My magic can’t touch it...”
“Like your cruus is gone right?”
“Yes, exactly. My daughter, Saleece, she’s in the tent over there. They put one on her as well. Please help her, too.”
“I will. No one should live like that. Kyah, bring her here, and be gentle, she’s probably terrified.”
Her response was not what Kael expected. She shook her head. “Kael! They will heal each other and be hunting us in less than an hour. You cannot do this. They will kill you the first chance they get.”
“Kael?” Giddeon asked, interrupting. “Get these things off of us and I promise, we’ll not come after you. We’re down here because the King’s daughter was captured by the Taktala tribe and he tasked us with returning her. We must rescue her first. It will give you time to get away, likely a few weeks head start.” Kael didn’t believe him, but he nodded to Kyah to bring Saleece anyway.
“Thank you, Kael. I mean it,” Giddeon said, sincerity filling his voice. Kael nodded as he prepared to remove another of the cursed magic suppressing collars.
“All right, don’t move, or your head will come with the collar. And don’t attempt to heal yourselves until we’re gone or all promises with be forgotten. I may have little magic left, but my blades don’t require magic. Besides it’ll be a couple of days before you can use magic without experiencing intense pain. Understand?”
The ArchWizard nodded and then sat perfectly still as Kael placed a single fingertip to the collar. A crack of power split the metal down the middle. Without hesitation, Kael’s fingers shifted to each of the spikes driven into Giddeon’s neck, and a black magical fluid coiled around the spikes like a snake on a branch. The spikes dissolved under the touch of underworld magic. Without having to sustain Giddeon’s life force and create a new bond like he did with Galen and Kalmar, removing the Gyhurra was much easier. Kael grabbed the remains of the smoking collar and tossed it into the bushes, a streak of black lightning followed, destroying it. Giddeon’s sigh of relief was loud enough to hear. Kyah returned with Saleece at the same moment.
“Father,” Saleece cried out, rushing to his side and giving him a hug. “Are you all right?” Sitting back a moment she stared at his neck. “Your collar’s gone... Who are these...” Her sentence cut off in mid-sentence when she noticed Kael. “I know you! Your name is Kael. Em..”
Giddeon interrupted before she could finish. “You’re right, Saleece, Kael has been looking for us with the hope that he could find out what happened to his wife and friend. They’re the ones you tried to save in the dimensional bridge the day Kael was brought here. I told him that they didn’t make it despite your efforts, and I told him how sorry we are for his loss.”
Saleece turned to her father, with her back to Kael and lowered her head, as if in shame. “I’m sorry, Kael, I tried to help them, but the gate exploded, there was too much power.” Kael grabbed her arm and spun her around, her moist glossy eyes revealed the truth.
“It’s not your fault. Thank you for trying.” She nodded and wiped her eyes with her sleeve.
Giddeon shifted his position, coughing. “Kael has agreed to remove our collars in exchange for a two-week head start while we’re trying to find Princess Corleya.” Saleece nodded to her father and then stepped up to Kael.
“I’m sorry for what has happened to you. Please return with us so we can help you. I can see the conflict in your eyes. You’re not the person you are turning into. Give us the chance to help you. Please,” she begged.
“I may have little to live for, but I’m not handing my life to the people who have been trying to kill me for months. You might want to help, Saleece, but your King has made it clear my life is worth nothing. If I am going to die in this god-forsaken world, then I have someone to kill first. At least I can leave this world better than I found it. If I survive, I’ll be waiting in the Dwarven Mountains for you to come get me.”
“Kael, you cannot,” Kyah snapped, as she grasped his cloak, but he raised his hand to quiet her.
“I’m not gonna spend my life always running. That’s no life for anyone. Now enough. Saleece, sit back and don’t move. I won’t let you live your life with that collar on.”
Saleece winced at the pain in his eyes. “You wore one, didn’t you? After they took you?” Once more, Kael pulled his cloak aside to reveal the scars.
“Four or five months,” he replied. He matched her stare as she spoke.
“Four... Five... months” she echoed, “Mother Inara, what in all Perdition are these things? How did you survive? I’d rather die. My connection to the earth mother is gone, and the pain...”
“Not gone, that feels even worse. If you ever see Galen Vihr or Kalmar Ibess again, ask them. They can tell you.”
“They’re alive?” Giddeon asked, nearly dumbfounded.
Kyah nodded. “Kael freed them from Arkum Zul when we escaped.”
“You were inside the old Dwarven prison?” Saleece whis
pered. Kyah nodded.
“How did you escape?” Giddeon asked.
“We fought. Now be quiet. These collars are old, ancient even, their secrets are far beyond me...” As they talked, Kael watched Saleece’s face and actions for signs of sincerity, but his eyes kept shifting to her strange hair. His voice faded as he focused on the distraction. Strange ripples of colour stood out as an emerald sheen undulated through her long, blonde, braid. Something tugged at his mind, a power hidden deep inside her, foreign compared to her cruus, but there none the less. Perplexed, he intensified his scrutiny, almost as if he was in a dream. Without conscious thought, he reached out and touched her braided ponytail. Her aura mushroomed out around her, making him gasp.
Dazzling lights of varied hues chased each other like little wisps, circling her body as they emanating with a restrained energy. Kael smiled at the beauty being created by the wisps, he had seen them before. It was the polar opposite of what he witnessed the odd time he had seen an aura produced by a Dead Sister.
“You’re not Human,” he whispered, still smiling with awe at the hidden magic. He shook his head and the trance was broken.
“What did you just say?” Giddeon asked, squinting, as he turned his head, trying to get a better look at what Kael was doing to his daughter. It was clear he had not heard Kael’s statement. Saleece had, though. Her face paled and her eyes opened wide in confusion.
“Nothing, he told her she’s gonna have to sit still,” Kyah said to Giddeon, as she handed the ArchWizard a water-skin before returning to Kael’s side.
“You need to be more careful, Kael,” Kyah breathed into his ear. Not bothering to look her way, he nodded. No longer able to see the multitude of dancing colours, he focused on removing Saleece’s Gyhurra collar instead.
“What did you see, Kael?” Saleece asked, nervousness making her voice climb in pitch. “Is something wrong with me? Please, if you can help...”
