by Kira Morgana
How did she know Grald is my brother? Freya stared up at the woman.
Vrenstalliren threw his naked body at the bars.
“No! You will not harm my holy charge!”
“And what are you going to do about it?” the mistress sneered, her attention taken away from Freya for a moment.
The dancing girl summoned up her strength and bit into the arm that passed across her face. Freya clenched her teeth as hard as she could and was rewarded with blood as she managed to penetrate the leather.
The Mistress shrieked and snatched her arm away, dropping the dagger into the water below Freya.
Blood spurted out over Freya’s face and she spat out the piece of leather and flesh left behind, into the trough. The fish swarmed on it gratefully.
“Bravo Freya!” Vrenstalliren cheered. “See that Grald? Your sister is…” his voice trailed away as the mistress laughed, even as she staunched the flow of blood from her arm with a spell.
Freya shook the blood out of her eyes and looked up as she realised that the noise of the fight had stopped. The fish finished with the lump of flesh and resumed jumping and snapping at her face.
Grald sheathed his blade and strode across to the mistress, the dragon spawn making way for him.
“Are you okay?”
“Oh, Grald my Love. This is nothing,” the mistress giggled. “You’ve given me worse wounds making love!”
Freya stared up at her brother, who had taken the mistress into his arms. What’s going on?
“I know, but I don’t like it when you get hurt in a battle. That was why you had the Dragon Spawn, remember?” Grald kissed the woman passionately.
“I’ll be fine. Don’t fuss,” the dark mistress said breathlessly when he released her lips.
“What in Espilieth’s name is going on, Grald?” Vrenstalliren shouted. “You were winning! You could have had us free in a few more moments.”
Grald spun on the Paladin, a broad smile wreathing his face.
“Oh yes, I’ve defeated much harder enemies than this bunch.” He gestured back at the remains of the Dragon Spawn squad who had gathered at the back of the torture chamber, cleaning their weapons on their tunics. “But free you? Now, that wasn’t part of the plan.”
Vrenstalliren’s jaw dropped and Freya gasped.
“What do you mean?”
Grald turned to her, his arm wrapped around the Dark Mistress’s waist.
“This was supposed to be a surprise for you, Little Sister. How else was I going to introduce my wife to you?”
The Dark Mistress smiled and took off her mask.
“The idea was that I was to almost torture you and Grald would burst in, destroy the Dragon Spawn protecting me and rescue you. Then the three of us would have gone to Grald’s quarters and celebrated.” The face under the mask was of a stunning dark elf, her deep ebony skin making her pale gold eyes and silver hair stand out in the torchlight. She snapped her fingers and a gremlin appeared and turned the wheel so Freya was upright. “I wouldn’t have hurt my sister-in-law.”
Freya looked at Grald who was beaming at his wife.
“Grald. Please, explain what’s going on. Why are you married to a dark elf?”
“Haven’t you figured it out yet? I thought you were more intelligent than that,” Vrenstalliren snorted. “He’s one of them.”
“Don’t insult my Sister, Elf,” Grald snapped and flung one arm out. Blue lightening streaked across the room and slammed Vrenstalliren into the far wall of the holding cell. He screamed and smoke began to rise from his hair.
“Stop it Grald, you’re hurting him!” Freya writhed against the grip of the straps on her limbs.
Grald stopped. “Yes, I was hurting him, wasn’t I? But it’s so much fun to have that much power, why shouldn’t I use it?”
Freya stared at her older brother and wept helplessly.
* * *
“Are we there yet?” Lin asked.
“Would you stop asking that? I can’t concentrate on what I am following if you keep talking,” Vox snapped.
Lin looked at Kraarz and the blind Urakh grinned.
“Be at peace my friend. Vox is following a scent in the otherworld instead of following it directly…”
“This corridor leads all the way round the outside of the dungeon.” Vox said absently.
“We’re going the long way round?” Lin burst in. “Why? My Lady could be dead by the time we get there!”
Vox stopped and looked up at her.
“Lin, please be patient. The route I’m taking avoids the majority of the rooms in this dungeon and with a bit of luck, we’ll reach the Prison without being detected.”
Lin nodded and the Flixen started moving again, his black nose held to the floor.
“How much bigger is Vox going to get?” Lin asked Kraarz quietly. “He won’t fit through the corridors if he gets much bigger, especially with that wingspan.” She glanced up at the folded wings, the tips of the flight feathers brushing through cobwebs near the ceiling.
Kraarz held one hand out and Vox swished its tail, the black tip brushing across his palm. “Hmm. I’d say that he had another foot to full growth. But we’ll be out of here before that happens.”
At the next junction, Vox stopped.
“The prison is to the left.” He sniffed the air and turned right.
“If the prison is to the left, why are we going right?” Lin halted and folded her arms. “I’m not moving any further unless you explain yourself.”
Vox blew out an expressive breath and turned his head back over his shoulder to look at her. “She isn’t there. Why would we go somewhere she isn’t?”
“You said she was in the prison!”
“I was wrong.” Vox shrugged. “It happens sometimes.”
Lin sighed. “All right. Let’s go.” She slipped her sword out of its sheath.
“Good idea.” Kraarz nodded approvingly and snapped his fingers. A ball of green fire appeared over the top of his staff.
The Flixen rolled his eyes. “There aren’t any creatures around. I’d be able to feel them if there were.”
“I thought you said that the Dark Gods shielded dungeons and their creatures from you?” Lin frowned. “Make your mind up.”
“I don’t have a mind, so how can I make it up?” Vox ignored her exasperated cry and moved forward again.
“Where do you think you two are going?” a voice asked from behind them.
“Two? Hello?” Vox blinked. “What about me?”
Lin spun round, the tip of her sword flying out to land in the throat of a large devil demon. A dribble of blue-black blood stained the steel and ran down the creature’s upper body. She pulled back into a defensive stance.
He backed away.
“Steady on. I mean you no harm. I just wanted to know why one of our allies was in the company of an Outlander.” The devil demon looked at Kraarz.
“My race turned from the Aracan Katuvana eons ago,” the Shaman replied. “We found our freedom and a home without him.”
The Devil Demon frowned; his golden cat slit eyes narrowed.
“Then you are an enemy; and the new Custodian was right.”
“New Custodian right? Right about what?” Vox asked.
The corpulent demon straightened his shoulders.
“Looks like I get to do a bit more training.”
Kraarz and Lin had shifted positions gradually, Lin moving in front of Kraarz, but allowing him a clear view of the demon. She raised her sword and the demon grinned, flexing the long black claws on his hands.
“Come on then, Little Outlander. I’ll snap you in half like a fresh femur.”
“Oi!” Vox growled, pushed Lin aside and stalked right up to the demon, tail stiff. “Can you even see me, Blubber butt?” Vox tapped the demon with one huge paw, knocking him off balance and onto the floor.
“What the…” the demon looked around confused and Lin took her moment. Leaping over Vox, she landed, turned and sliced
the demon’s head off all in one smooth motion.
“Very well done, Lin,” Kraarz applauded softly.
“I wouldn’t have been able to do it without Vox pushing him over.” Lin used the shaggy red fur on the demon’s twitching legs to clean her sword.
“The demon couldn’t see me,” Vox tilted his head to one side. “Vaarzasia, Hel and Fiör created this body for me. Maybe they have made me invisible to the creatures of the Dark Gods?”
Lin hid a smile at Vox’s confusion.
“Maybe they wanted you to realise that you aren’t the centre of everyone’s attention all the time.”
Vox growled at her and stalked away down the corridor.
Kraarz and Lin followed, laughing.
* * *
“So, Lord. What do you wish to do now?” the Jar asked as the window faded to black. “All the pieces are in place and we are already minus a Devil Demon, thanks to Goraln’s slothfulness.”
The Aracan Katuvana appeared to ponder the question for some time, then he shrugged and gestured. The Lych Mistress appeared on the Window.
“I am almost ready, my most wonderful Lord.” The Mistress curtseyed, her cleavage almost falling out of the low-necked purple gown she wore.
“Excellent,” the Jar said. “However, the Lord needs you to do one more thing for him.”
“Anything for my betrothed.”
“Send your Devil Demon to Jinra Dungeon. That fool Theraldin was too soft and let Goraln get out of shape.” The Jar spat green goo at the floor. “It’s just as well he’s dead.” A Gremlin appeared beside the pedestal and cleared up the goo.
The Lych Mistress made a note on a piece of parchment and passed it to a Gremlin who spun on the spot and disappeared.
“Lord Iniran will be there shortly, my Lord.”
“Thank you. Our Lord looks forward to greeting you in the flesh,” the Jar said.
The Lych Mistress curtseyed again and the Aracan Katuvana cleared the window. Then he stared at the Jar.
“What?” the Jar looked at the hooded figure. “I merely invited her over for a…getting-to-know-you-again party.” The Jar looked back at the window and with a whisper of power activated it. “Shall we see how our young empress is getting on?”
The Aracan Katuvana shook his head and turned to the window.
* * *
At least I’m a bit more comfortable now, Freya thought as she stared across the table at her brother. The ball and chain is preferable to having my head dunked in flesh eating fish.
“And that is how Erendell and I met and fell in love.” Grald smiled at his wife, who was busy slicing up meat and bread.
“Very sweet.” Freya didn’t even try to keep the sarcasm out of her voice. “Why did you have to become a Dark Paladin though? Surely she would have fallen for you as a good knight.”
Erendell turned to look at her, her golden eyes gleaming molten in the lamplight.
“Never. I have been a follower of the Aracan Katuvana for many hundreds of years. Your brother would never have had a chance with me,” she laughed.
“Besides which, I enjoy it.” Grald looked at his hand, which sparkled with red flame. “I always did struggle with the honour required of a Gladiator Slave, not to mention having to lead raids for Lord Southnra. Only the thought of your fate should I break the rules, kept me from enjoying my kills.”
Erendell put the food on the table between them and massaged Grald’s shoulders.
“Now you can enjoy it as much as you want. The Aracan Katuvana only wishes results; he doesn’t care how he gets them.”
Freya dropped her eyes as they kissed passionately. I have to get out of here. Where are the others?
“Eat up, Little Sister. You and Erendell are going to get to know each other and you’ll need all your strength for that.” Grald poured her a goblet of deep red wine.
“What are you going to do?” Freya ignored the wine.
“Sadly my resident Devil demon was decapitated by your friends. I’ve been sent a temporary replacement, so he and I are going to deal with the problem.” He swallowed deeply from his own goblet.
Freya’s heart leapt. They’re alive!
“Then I have to deal with your ‘champion’ in the holding cell,” Grald finished.
“Please, allow us to deal with him.” Erendell said. “Your sister will need someone to take out her frustration on and we do have orders to take him alive.”
Grald nodded.
“Excellent notion, My Love. I’ll leave it to you then.” He smiled and looked at the laden table in front of them. “Shall we eat now? It’ll be the first family dinner we’ve had together for ages.”
Freya forced a smile onto her face.
“Of course, big brother.” She picked up her goblet. “To my big brother, the one who always rescues me.”
Grald’s smile broadened.
“Thank you, I’m glad you noticed.”
Erendell laughed and the two of them drank together.
Freya sipped from her goblet, recognised the tingle of a familiar drug and put it down to eat. That’s the compliance cocktail Jetara used to use. I need to eat to mitigate the effects. I just hope that Lin and the others get me out of here before it takes full hold.
* * *
“The Holding Cell is just up here,” Vox said when they caught up with it at a heavily barred oak door.
Lin rolled her head on her neck, easing the strain from the fight they’d just had.
“How did you get through the guard post without fighting?”
“I just walked through,” Vox shrugged.
“You could have helped us.” She frowned at him.
“But you and Kraarz seemed to be having so much fun with the skeletons that I didn’t want to interfere.”
Lin’s face flushed.
“Peace, Lin.” Kraarz patted Lin on the arm. “That was a difficult fight, Vox. We needed your help.”
“Just because I help you sometimes, doesn’t mean I should fight your battles for you.”
Lin contented herself with scowling at the nonchalant Flixen and pushed the door open. She recoiled at the scent of decomposing flesh and sour blood that rolled out on the steam.
“What in Calliale’s name?”
There was a flash of bright blue light and a tiny transparent hummingbird appeared in front of her.
“It’s about time,” the bird said, its wings a blur. “Don’t you know we deities have to be called upon to help humans?”
Lin bowed her head.
“I apologise, Lady Calliale. I did not know you were intending to help us.”
“So my show with the hawk fell on deaf ears, huh.” The humming bird charged at Lin’s face, stopping just in front of her nose. “Typical. The Empress is in danger and you are going the wrong way. If you don’t get her out of here by sundown, our Nemesis shall have gained another willing servant and a foothold in Elysia.”
Kraarz raised white eyes to the bird. “Lady Goddess, we thank you for this instruction, but how are we to get her out of here unscathed? I suspect that the Custodian of this Dungeon will be here to deal with us in force shortly.”
“It seems that Urakhs are becoming as dense as humans. Vox, you were given that body for a reason. Use it.” The hummingbird circled Vox’s head. “I cannot stay much longer or I shall bring too much danger upon your heads. Rescue the Empress and get her out of here by sundown.” The bird disappeared.
Lin looked at Vox. “What did that mean?”
“I don’t know.” The Flixen looked puzzled. “Look, let’s go look in here and I’ll see if I can figure out what I’ve been given.” He padded in through the door, steam billowing out around him. “It’s all clear!” he called back.
Lin and Kraarz followed.
“My goddess!” Lin coughed as a wave of foul tasting smoke blew over her. “Have we stepped into the punishment circles of the netherworld?”
“I believe I would have felt it if we had,” Kraarz snorted. He sniffe
d the thick smoke and steam clogged air. “No. This is one of the Aracan Katuvana’s Torture Chambers.” He drew a deep breath, catching a hint of familiar perfume and smiled. “Our Lady has been here and left, but we have the chance to rescue another companion.”
“I know. I can see him,” Vox snapped and bounded across the cavernous room.
“He always has to throw that into my face,” Kraarz said sadly. “However, as I can see in other ways, the situation is not a difficulty.”
There was a crash as Vox cut the holding cell bars in four with two quick swipes of its front paws.
Lin and Kraarz hurried over.
“A little bit noisy, but effective,” Vox said, examining his claws. “No damage to my claws at all and the bars are solid steel.”
“Are you trying to get us killed?” Vrenstalliren snapped from the back of the cell.
Kraarz rummaged around in one of his many pouches and produced a suit of leather hunting gear. “Here, I took your spare set from Ohtár’s saddlebags. Something told me you might need them.”
Vrenstalliren dressed hurriedly.
“No chance of you having a sword in there is there?”
“Sadly, no,” the Urakh shrugged.
“I saw your weaponry in the Guard room,” Lin said. “I just didn’t realise it was yours.”
“Thank Espilieth for that.” The Paladin started to push past Vox, but the massive Flixen growled at him.
“Don’t move,” Vox sniffed the air. “We’re about to have company.”
“Control your creature, Urakh. Let’s go get Freya.” Vrenstalliren tried to push past again.
“There’s someone coming, Sir Vrenstalliren,” Kraarz told him. “Vox told you not to move.”
“Wonderful.” Vrenstalliren flexed his hands. “I have some revenge to exact.”
“Don’t be stupid, elf!” Vox snapped. “If I’m right about the abilities this body has been given, we should be able to get out of here without fighting.” He turned towards the cell. “Lin, Kraarz, get in the corner with the elf prince and sit still.”
Kraarz and Lin started to move, but Vrenstalliren stood his ground.
“We have to get me a weapon, I can’t fight with my bare hands like a commoner,” the elf prince objected, but Vox pushed him into a corner of the holding cell with one wing tip. “I told you to control your pet, Urakh.”
