by C. M. Carney
“And me, don’t forget about that.”
“Oh, we won’t,” Ovrym said, a not-so-subtle threat oozing through his tone.
Gryph looked at each of his companions and each nodded. They were with him. He turned his gaze to Sean. “We’re on our way,” Gryph said. “Now give me back my Lex.”
Sean lowered his head in relief. “Thank you, but please hurry.” His head snapped up, and he looked towards something only he could see. “Oh, shit. They’re coming. I gotta go.”
You have been offered the quest The Chaotic Jailbreak.
Sean needs your help to escape the clutches of a cult of chaos worshippers known as the Vex.
Quest Giver: Sean - Difficulty: Moderate - Reward: A weapon to save Brynn - XP: 25,000.
Then Sean was gone, and Lex’s face became a mask of confusion. “Ahhhhhh!,” Lex yelled and spun, seeking an unseen enemy. He made himself dizzy and fell to the ground. Gryph helped him up. “What the hell was that?”
Gryph’s face was grim yet determined. “Hope.”
45
They walked for several hours through the deep forest. A well-worded threat and the promise to release the curse on the ring motivated Furrick to act as their guide though Gryph had to redouble the threat after Vonn caught the kid trying to pickpocket Lex. As the sun dipped towards the horizon they emerged from the forest to see the town of Harlan’s Watch in the valley below. A tall tower carved from a single massive piece of glimmering white crystal, dominated the center of the town.
Vonn stared at the tower, a look of relief on his face. “That tower, it was the reason you were in town, wasn’t it?” Gryph asked.
“Yes,” Vonn said.
“What makes this tower so special?” Lex asked. “Sure it's sparkly, but I’ve seen plenty of nicer ones.”
“Because it is not a tower, it is an Order Lance, one of only 129 on Korynn.” Vonn saw the others didn’t understand and explained. “They are matrices of pure Order Magic made physical and powered by an Order Engine. Together they form a web of protection around this realm.”
“Protection from what?” Ovrym asked.
“Chaos,” Errat said, and all eyes went to the warborn. He stared at the tower, his head turned inquisitively to the side. “Errat can see the chaos, eating at the edges of reality. Only the energy of order that flows from the tower is holding it back.”
"Indeed." Vonn nodded at the massive man. “You my friend grow ever more intriguing.”
Errat smiled down at Vonn, his grin both childlike and disturbing. “As do you friend Vonn.”
“So lemme get this straight,” Lex said. “This tower, and a bunch of others like it, are like, what, huge force field generators that protect the whole fricking planet from chaos?”
“That is an acceptable description,” Vonn said. “But there is more to it. Just as the tower is not a simple tower, Harlan was not just some wizard. He was a Deacon of the Circle, a servant of the Lords of Order. It was his mission to guard this tower.”
“Was?” Gryph asked.
“He disappeared several months ago,” Vonn said. “The Circle and the Templars have long been allies, and they asked us to investigate.” Vonn spread his hands wide. “The Templars sent me.”
“Why didn’t they come themselves?” Gryph asked, already dreading the answer.
“We do not know. We have had no further contact with the Circle since they made the request. The fear is that they are otherwise occupied.”
“That is ominous,” Ovrym said. Vonn nodded his agreement, and the party walked in silence for several moments. Finally, Gryph spoke again.
“What is the Order Engine you mentioned?”
“It is a temporal matrix.”
“A fricking time machine?” Lex sputtered.
“Of a sort. Chaos is the most virulent invasive and destructive force in the Realms. It adapts far too quickly for any sane and orderly mind to comprehend. Those that try, eventually go mad, essentially becoming agents of chaos. The Lords of Order knew they could never hold back chaos in a straight up fair fight, so they use the Order Matrix to increase the flow of time inside the tower, enabling them to react and counteract chaos’ destructive influence.”
“They cheated,” Lex said with a wide grin.
“They changed the rules of the game,” Gryph said impressed.
“Exactly.” Vonn’s grin turned sour.
“Okay. Lemma see if I’m getting all this,” Lex said. “First this order wizard chap goes missing, then the Vex, who just so happen to be chaos cultists with gangster day jobs show up, then you come traipsing into town all suave and cool and then I get stuck in a murdery time loop. This cannot be a coincidence.”
“I do not believe it is,” Vonn said. “The Source has taken an interest in you, which is why I have allied myself with you. I believe whatever happens next, you,” he looked at the group, “all of you will play important roles.”
“Even me?” Furrick asked, his eyes wide with an odd combination of fear and anticipation.
“Doubtful,” Lex said, earning a scowl from the boy.
“The Source flows through all people,” Vonn said. “You may yet have a role to play young Furrick.”
“Guide us into town and I’ll consider your role fulfilled, for now,” Gryph said.
“I can get you in easy,” Furrick said. “But you goobers will get yourselves caught right quick.”
“Why do you say that?” Lex asked, offended.
“Vonn and Gryph will do fine,” Furrick said and looked at Lex. “But, you’re a dwarf of the Grumling clan, with a noose waiting for you. This guy is an Accursed, and I have no idea what the heck tall, bald and creepy is here. You guys stick out like sore thumbs.”
“He’s right,” Gryph said.
“No, he’s not,” Lex whined. "I’m an Ordonian not a Grumling."
“Really?” Furrick asked. “Kinda short don’t ya think?”
“I’m taller than you are, ya annoying bugger.”
“Quit arguing with the kid Lex,” Gryph said. “Besides, he isn’t wrong. We need to blend.”
“I can help with that,” Vonn said, reaching into his bag. He removed a pair of pearlescent white stones and held them for all to see.
“Those are pretty and all, but how do they help us?” Lex asked.
“They’re Mimic Stones,” Gryph said, as he read the prompt triggered by his Identify talent. “When swallowed they allow the user to take on the form of another person. A person whose pattern is stored within the stone.”
“I stole them from a noble in Gypt who fancied himself a costumed vigilante. He was caught and imprisoned not too long after, but I’m sure the two events aren’t related.” Vonn grinned evilly and explained that the stones mimicked anyone whose blood they’d been soaked in. It was not an illusion or a surface level shape shift, but a transformation at the base level of who you were. Only a Grandmaster of Analyze would be able to see through the subterfuge. They only lasted an hour because it was easy to lose oneself to the new role if you remained the other person for too long.
“Blood? Eww.” Lex screwed up his nose in disgust. “You want us to swallow those? Whose blood did you use?”
“Seraphine and Gaarm.”
“Wait, Seraphine the cute barmaid turned psycho assassin and Gaarm the beast loving thug?”
“The same.”
“How did you get their blood?”
“Gaarm’s was easy. He’s an idiot who loves to fight. He left his blood all over the damn place. Seraphine was a bit trickier. Let’s say she was into some freaky stuff and leave it at that.” Vonn let the smallest of grins turn his mouth as he reminisced.
“No, we will not leave it at that. Spill the deets dude.”
“A gentleman does not kiss and tell.”
“Wait, aren’t you some kinda holy man?” Lex asked.
“Even holy men have needs, and Seraphine introduced me to several I didn’t even know I had.”
Lex covered his
ears. “I do not want to know.” He pulled his hands from his ears and stared at Vonn. “Wait, yes I do.” Vonn smiled and held the stones out, one to Ovrym and the other to Errat “Hey why do they get them? I’m the one with a death warrant ready to cinch around my neck.”
“Because your appearance is much easier to alter,” Gryph said.
“Alter?” Lex asked, a bewildered look crossing his face. Gryph nodded at Vonn, who grinned and reached into his bag, pulled out a straight razor and flipped it open. Understanding dawned on Lex and he stroked his beard lovingly.
“Come on man, I’m Ordonian, I need this beard. It has … cultural significance.”
“Name a single Ordonian clan,” Vonn said, moving in on Lex.
“Umm,” Lex said backing away until he backed into Gryph. "Come on guys. It makes me look manly and the chicks dig it.”
“What chicks?” Gryph asked and grabbed Lex by the arms.
“Hypothetical chicks man. The ladies love something to grab onto.”
Vonn walked up and grabbed Lex’s beard with his free hand. “Sorry buddy,” he said and then sawed at Lex’s beard.
Several minutes later the Adventure Party resumed their walk towards town. A pouting Lex dabbed at a few spots of blood marring his otherwise youthful baby face. Ovrym as Gaarm, lumbered and wheezed and grumbled at having lost his graceful bearing. Only Errat as Seraphine bore a smile as he glided along on light feet.
Lex cringed. “It is really creeping me out that my Analyze skill cannot see through these disguises.
“I told you they aren’t disguises. They have effectively become Gaarm and Seraphine,” Vonn said. “Speaking of, be on guard for any odd feelings. It is not unheard of for some traits of the mimicked person to affect the host.”
Errat leaned down and caressed Lex’s clean-shaven face. “Errat think Lex looks very handsome.” Lex flinched away, unnerved by Errat’s sultry voice. He then cast a nervous glance at Ovrym. “If you start having urges to make the acquaintance of the local livestock, please let me know, so I can move quickly in any other direction.”
“I am an adjudicator,” Ovrym said in Gaarm’s stupid tone. “Not some weak-minded slovenly fool.” Just then a rumbling burp exploded from his mouth and Ovrym pulled his hand to his stomach in alarm.
“You were saying?” Lex said with a grin and moved to the head of the party. Gryph held a hand out to allay any of the baby faced Ordonian’s further complaints.
Sometime later they reached a rise just as the sun dipped below the horizon. Gryph held a fist up arresting their motion, and then lowered the fist into a flat, downward facing palm. The silent order told them to hit the ground and find cover. It had been part of his training with them in case their Telepathic Bond ever failed, and they needed to communicate in silence.
Vonn and Lex eased up next to Gryph.
“What is it?” Lex asked.
Gryph pointed to the fresh gallows atop a nearby hill. Hanging from a noose was the decomposing body of a man in a full-length robe. Lex tensed as the memory of his near execution filled him with angst.
“Aw, man that’s …” Lex said and squinted at the corpse.
“Arno? Yeah,” Vonn said, his voice dour. “Like I said, Fire Magic is not for the weak of will.”
“Shit,” Lex said, caressing his neck.
“That’s not all,” Gryph said. “Near the bridge, hiding in the shadows of the bushes.”
Vonn nodded. “I see them.”
Lex squinted. “See who?”
“Scouts, guarding the bridge.”
“Crap,” Lex muttered. “Who are they?”
“The Vex,” Vonn and Gryph said together, and Lex pouted.
“I only knew one of those guys and I already hate them.”
Gryph motioned for Furrick to come closer. The kid pouted, but Gryph could see the fear behind his eyes. He worries about his sister. “Is there another way into town?”
Furrick thought for a moment and then nodded. “Yeah, but, it's a shitty way.”
“Dude, language,” Lex said, earning a glare from Furrick.
Sometime later the group huddled in the shadows near a worn old sewer tunnel. A slow trickle of fetid water flowed from the pipe.
“When you said a shitty way, I thought you were being descriptive,” Lex complained.
“I was,” Furrick said, waving his hands at the sewer line, his face screwed up into the classic ‘well duh’ face.
“I hate you,” Lex grumbled until Gryph henpecked him into helping the others pull back the rusted grate. They moved through the sewer system and emerged into an alley near the town’s administrative building. Ahead was the Constable’s office, and the jail holding Sean.
Gryph looked down on Furrick. “You did good kid. Thanks. We couldn’t have done this without you. Now run home. Take care of your sister. In a few days, the curse on that ring will fade and you can remove it. That’s assuming you keep your mouth shut. Got it?”
Furrick nodded with a grim smile, looked to the others as if waiting further words, extended his index and middle fingers at Lex and zipped off. The group chuckled at the kid’s chutzpah, but Gryph suspected the kid was lonely and had wanted to stay. Last thing I need, is some kid under foot.
Gryph nodded to the others, and they made their way to the end of the alley when the sound of approaching voices held them fast. Several seconds later a group of thugs led several manacled prisoners towards the jail.
“Please, I’ll head home,” a thin, bedraggled looking man said. “I didn’t mean to miss the curfew.”
“Shut up you bastard,” one thug said and brought a blackjack down hard on the man’s neck. He fell to the ground in a heap, unconscious.
“Well now look what you did,” the leader, said. “Now you're gonna have to drag him to his cell.”
“But he’s heavy,” the head thumping thug complained.
“Shoulda thought ‘bout that before you smacked him.” The leader walked on, leaving the other thug to drag the unconscious man none too gently by the arm.
“What in the mother loving blank is going on here?” Lex asked.
“My guess is that this has something to do with you,” Vonn responded.
“Me,” Lex said. “How?”
“Well you helped get most of the local criminal syndicate arrested which opened a window of opportunity for another group that had been looking to make inroads.”
“The Vex,” Lex whispered eyes wide. "This is my fault." Before anyone could respond, something blunt poked into Lex’s back and a voice rose behind them.
“Well, well, well, what do we have here, a gang of miscreants out after curfew,” a voice said from the darkness behind them. “Turn around slowly and raise your hands. Looks like good ol’ Gaarm is gonna earn some coin tonight.”
46
Lex raised his hands and turned slowly. The rest of the group followed suit as Gryph sent a warning though the link to remain calm and not draw more attention to themselves. Mental nods filtered through the link.
“Hey Gaarm, ol’ pal,” Lex said. “How’s it hanging?”
“It’s Officer Gaarm to you.” Gaarm squinted at Lex. “Who the hell are you?”
“It’s me Le…” Vonn elbowed him in the side. “Larry.” Lex faked a cough to cover his near faux pas. “Remember, we worked that top secret Vex mission in ... um … Erram.”
“Never been to Erram. Don’t know you. What kinda stupid name is Larry?”
“Not sure. French maybe?” Lex said, head cocked sideways in thought.
Gaarm pointed the truncheon he’d used to poke Lex. “Shut up and tell me whatchoo doin’ here?”
“Uhhh,” Lex said, wondering which of the conflicting orders he should obey. He raised his hand higher like a school kid asking permission to speak, but then went quiet.
“You no wanna talk, well that’s fine with Gaarm.” He drew a whistle to his mouth and got ready to blow. Before he got a chance Lex was pushed aside and the man who’d pushed L
ex stepped into the light. Gaarm's eyes widened as his dim brain attempted to process his own face staring back at him.
“Imposter!” Ovrym hissed, spittle exploding from his mouth.
“Wha … wha … wha?” Gaarm said, the whistle frozen halfway to his mouth. Before the misfiring neurons in Gaarm’s mind could find the pathways that might suggest he was in trouble, Ovrym punched him full in the face. Gaarm stopped sputtering and collapsed into a slovenly heap like a sack full of rotten potatoes.
“Am I really that ugly?” Ovrym asked.
“Don’t forget smelly,” Lex said as he bent down to search Gaarm. The lapel of his jacket was slick with some unidentified muck and Lex scowled. “Not to mention filthy.” He rummaged for a few seconds and tossed a dented tin badge up to Ovrym. The xydai caught the badge and pinned it to his lapel.
Errat and Lex dragged Gaarm’s prone form behind a pile of broken-down wooden crates. Lex looked up from the heavy, unpleasant work sensing eyes on him. Errat stared at him through Seraphine’s eyes in a manner that made Lex shiver. “Uhh, dude? You okay?”
In answer Errat smiled, and Lex moved a few steps away as they reached the end of the alley and the rest of the group. "If Gaarm is a deputized officer of the law, then Harlan’s Watch has taken a definite downturn. But, do not fret, for I have a plan."
*****
A few minutes later the door to the Constable’s station opened and a weary, middle aged man looked up, his hands deftly hiding a pamphlet of lewd drawings underneath some paperwork. The sergeant grumbled as he saw Gaarm entering. His scowl turned to an odd grin upon seeing the barmaid Seraphine and then to a scowl when he realized she wore manacles. He ignored the short, beardless dwarf next to Seraphine. “What’s all this then?” The sergeant stared hotly at Gaarm.
The look of pride on Gaarm’s face irritated the sergeant to no end. He was one of the old guard, a tried-and-true lawman who knew when to thump heads, when to take a bribe and when to shut his yapper during a political coup. As long as he got his gold, his drink and the chance to bust some heads, he cared not who ran the town. But making Gaarm a deputy is an offense to all officers of the law, the sergeant thought.
