Heroes Gone Rogue

by Jason Kenyon

  Archimegadon and his three companions travelled slowly on the final leg of their journey to Stornis Hold. It seemed that the closer they came to the paladin fortress, unsurprisingly, the more checkpoints the Order had set up along the road. Rather than getting in endless tussles, they’d made the sensible choice of taking a sidetrack through a handy forest, which Mellara had helped them navigate in the general right direction.

  Ithalna had continued to teach Archimegadon some tricks of magic, though very few of them were particularly successful. He’d learned to create drops of water on glass, for example, when the actual intention had been for him to shatter the glass with ice. They’d also spent a while trying to get him to do something useful with wind magic, but while he was no longer sending gusts into his own face, he had at best managed to slightly ruffle a leaf that Ithalna positioned on a fallen tree.

  Mellara had successfully bullied Anjilo into buying her a bow, and now carried it awkwardly along with the glaive Uldraxios. She’d questioned why they even bothered carrying Valia’s glaive around with them, to which Anjilo had replied that it was too valuable to leave lying around. Archimegadon and Ithalna were a bit dubious about this; since it didn’t have a fancy glow, Archimegadon declared it as worthless, while Ithalna had cast a spell to detect magic traces and found none. However, Archimegadon had managed to prove its cutting capabilities when he tested the blade with his finger, resulting in a lot of curse words and another demonstration from Ithalna on how to do healing spells. She decided not to let him practice it himself just yet.

  It was with trepidation that they crossed a ridge on the final day of their journey north and beheld the dark cliff that bordered Malthair. There, towering against the cliff-face, was the sinister Stornis Hold, surrounded by a formidable wall. Archimegadon placed his hands on his hips and struck a mighty pose.

  ‘Behold!’ he said. ‘I have led you all true.’

  ‘Well done, Archie,’ Mellara said. ‘Couldn’t have done it without you.’

  ‘Now, did any of us actually consider how we are going to break into this fortress and free your friends?’ Ithalna asked.

  ‘I felt it necessary that we see the place itself before we make any hasty judgements,’ Archimegadon lied.

  ‘It’s a lot bigger than I was expecting,’ Mellara said.

  ‘Mellara is our most talented scout,’ Archimegadon said. ‘I feel it best that she infiltrate the fortress and find out the lay of the land.’ He nodded at his own wisdom, and then had a flashback to a similar situation long ago, when he’d volunteered Valia to scout out the Dusk Alliance base near Aldrack. ‘Wait, no! Don’t scout!’

  Mellara blinked.

  ‘I appreciate all you do for us,’ Archimegadon said, ‘and most certainly feel that you are talented and, erm, things.’

  ‘You feeling alright?’ Mellara asked.

  ‘Of course,’ Archimegadon replied quickly. ‘Why, do you not feel that you are talented?’

  ‘Humph, well yeah, I do,’ Mellara replied. ‘Still, strange for you to be nice.’

  ‘I care for all my companions,’ Archimegadon said. ‘We shall do this as a team, and if needs be, I shall endanger myself in your place.’

  ‘I can try healing magic on him,’ Anjilo said to Mellara.

  ‘Don’t be impertinent!’ Archimegadon said. ‘Shall we head closer and see how things look?’

  ‘If it’ll stop you babbling, sure,’ Mellara replied.

  They wandered closer, mindful that they could be seen from quite far off, and Mellara kept her eyes out for any guard patrols, but it seemed that the roads at least were quiet. Archimegadon pondered whether it would be realistic to have Anjilo enter the hold, since she was a former paladin, but supposed that they’d have proper checks in place, and he didn’t want her going evil like Valia either.

  ‘That’s odd,’ Mellara said.

  ‘What is?’ Anjilo asked.

  ‘Look at the walls,’ Mellara replied. ‘There’s no guards.’

  ‘There must be some somewhere,’ Archimegadon said. ‘You are simply not looking in the right places.’

  Mellara gave him a crimson glare. ‘I’ll throw you up there so you can have a look.’

  ‘You’re hardly that strong, madam,’ Archimegadon said.

  ‘With the correct use of wind magic to assist in the throw, perhaps it might be possible,’ Ithalna said. ‘Doubtless, I would fail on the first few attempts, but with enough practice…’

  ‘Let’s… not try that,’ Archimegadon said.

  As they came closer to the entrance, Mellara pointed out that the gates of the hold had been broken open, and the group sped up their pace. Archimegadon had to quickly remind himself of how to cast flamebolt, while Mellara reached for an arrow and winced as she agitated her still-tender wound.

  The dusty road in front of the gates had been torn up, as though a cavalry had stampeded into the paladin hold. Archimegadon was starting to lose his eagerness to check inside when a voice caught their attention.

  ‘Greetings to you, Godslayers!’

  ‘What the…’ Mellara began.

  They looked over to see a bunch of mercenaries of the Blade standing around hidden just out of sight inside the gate, and amongst their number was the bearded face of Lord Diojin. He was not looking in the best of conditions, with cuts and bruises on those small areas of his face that were not covered in beard, hair or eyebrows. Nonetheless, he appeared to be in good spirits, which was understandable since he was quite clearly not a prisoner here any more.

  ‘Erm, greetings, Lord Diojin,’ Archimegadon said. ‘I had not realised you were taking up a career as a paladin.’

  Diojin chuckled. ‘Ah, you are wondering what has happened here, I believe? The paladins, they no longer have the rule of this place. Stornis Hold is now the fortress of the Fallen Blade.’

  The companions exchanged looks.

  ‘How on earth did you manage that?’ Archimegadon asked.

  ‘It is a story most strange,’ Diojin replied. ‘We are not sure what to make of it. Fortune came in a guise of darkness to free us from our imprisonment.’

  ‘You didn’t do the break-out yourself, my lord?’ Mellara asked. ‘I’m disappointed!’

  ‘Ah, Nightshot – I had wondered if you would return to us,’ Diojin said. ‘No, we had our own plans, yet we were too slow, for another hand guided our escape.’

  Archimegadon looked over at the gouge marks on the destroyed wooden gates, and then back at the torn earth. ‘Dare I ask what happened?’

  ‘The rogue knight was here,’ Diojin replied.

  ‘It had better not have been Valia,’ Archimegadon said.

  ‘That was indeed her,’ Diojin said. ‘This is where I am unsure of the tale. She came to our aid, and alone, she was not.’

  ‘Sorry, you said she helped you?’

  ‘Indeed, and this is the mystery,’ Diojin replied. ‘The demons, they follow her now. Marr’s demons.’

  ‘What?’ Archimegadon stopped himself from lunging forward and seizing Diojin to shake him. ‘The demons are all dead! We wiped them out.’

  Diojin laughed heartily. ‘Ah, the paladins, they were the ones wiped out last night. She sent her demons after them, and they fell, or fled.’

  ‘You remember what those things did to Ferrina, yes?’ Archimegadon asked.

  ‘If it is the paladins they are killing, then I care not that they remain,’ Diojin replied. ‘The man Malthanes, he thought he was the victor, but now he has run, and his hold is mine.’

  ‘And Valia left?’ Archimegadon asked.

  ‘She spoke to me for a time,’ Diojin said. ‘Arenfel is her goal.’

  ‘Valia is going to Arenfel with an army of demons, and you aren’t concerned?’ Archimegadon asked, tugging at his beard.

  ‘She is an enemy of the Supreme Commander,’ Diojin replied. ‘That we oppose the Supreme Commander pleased her, and she let us free. Against the Order, I take any ally. Would you make an enemy of the demons a se
cond time?’

  ‘Valia is not stable,’ Archimegadon replied. ‘You can’t trust her to keep her word.’

  ‘You’re the one that let her go, Archie,’ Mellara said. ‘And now she has an army of demons. You must be so proud.’

  Archimegadon remembered hearing that from Valia when she’d derided the title of Godslayer. He couldn’t help but think of her red eyes glaring at him when he’d angered her on that occasion, and recalled even earlier when she’d sent demons to guard outside his old house in Ferrina. Perhaps he should have discussed Valia with the others after all, and maybe they would have been more eager to work with her. Then again, Mellara had been more interested in killing Valia. Anjilo would probably have been open to it, having never encountered Valia during her traitorous period.

  ‘Nothing to say?’ Mellara asked. Archimegadon got the feeling that she was disappointed she’d not got a grumpy response.

  ‘Oh, pardon me,’ Archimegadon replied. ‘Be quiet, Mellara.’

  Mellara grinned.

  ‘So, everyone is free?’ Ithalna asked.

  ‘Ah, you wonder about your three friends, I expect,’ Diojin replied. ‘They live. The guard, Tharanor, he has been the guest of the Shield Commander. If you know how to heal, mage, I suggest you see to him.’

  ‘I can help with that,’ Anjilo said.

  ‘Oh, I could see to him as well, if you need,’ Ithalna said.

  Diojin frowned. ‘You, you were the cook, were you not?

  ‘I am also a wind mage,’ Ithalna replied, flushing. ‘Forgive me for not speaking of it before.’

  ‘Lord Diojin is not unfamiliar with the need to keep one’s secrets,’ Diojin said with a toothy grin, though it didn’t entirely set Archimegadon at ease. ‘Now you will be forgiving me, as I must return to the business of claiming this hold. Plenty there are here to arm and run this place, and I must know every corner of it. These gates must be restored swiftly as well.’

  Archimegadon looked up at the towering hold, and raised an eyebrow. ‘You really wish to take this place over? You’ll be standing in open defiance of Salestis.’

  ‘The Supreme Commander, she stands in defiance of me,’ Diojin said. ‘I will take her hold and show all that she can be fought.’

  ‘You won’t have Valia’s demons to help you out next time,’ Archimegadon said.

  ‘Now we rule the hold, we have the Order’s vistarium arsenal,’ Diojin said.

  ‘Their what now?’

  ‘I told you about it before,’ Anjilo replied. ‘It’s a component used in the production of magical weaponry. In other words, these guys are going to break faces.’

  ‘Congratulations then, Lord Diojin,’ Archimegadon said. ‘You plan to scale a full rebellion against the Supreme Commander?’

  ‘I have been thinking about this,’ Diojin replied. ‘This Salestis, she has cost me much in relorans and reputation. Perhaps the Knight Champion, he may wish to discuss this with me. And the mages, she has angered them too. Alone, the Blade may be weak, but I wonder…’

  ‘What about us?’ Mellara asked. ‘You’re not expecting us to hang around too long, are you? We have a job in Arenfel.’

  ‘I have no plans to stand against the Godslayers,’ Diojin replied, chuckling. ‘You may come and go as you please.’

  ‘Best of luck, then!’ Archimegadon said. ‘Where can I find the others?’

  ‘Your friends, I last saw them in the southern area of the courtyard, by a well next to a tree,’ Diojin replied. ‘Nightshot can find them.’

  They headed off to find the others after that, waving farewell to Diojin in a most unseemly way given his dark reputation. Inside the walls, they found everything in motion. Members of the Blade were organising the collection of weaponry from the hold, delivering them to groups of former prisoners. It was hard to tell who was a Blade mercenary from the other prisoners, but Archimegadon had the feeling that the Blade would be getting a lot of converts today, willing or not. There was also a pile of the dead under the shadow of the cliff, and though it was far off, Archimegadon could make out the scaly forms of demons.

  As they crossed the courtyard, Archimegadon noticed some people trying on paladin armour experimentally. A few of them did mocking impressions of the holy knights, to the amusement of others who sat around them. Archimegadon glanced at Anjilo, who was wearing her travelling paladin outfit. While it was not as heavy as that worn by the paladins here, she was still noticeably clad in the more radiant armour of her former Order.

  ‘Well, I feel awkward now,’ Mellara said.

  ‘Hmm?’ Archimegadon asked.

  ‘Anji, you okay with all this?’ Mellara asked, ignoring him.

  ‘It’s not what I wanted,’ Anjilo replied, looking graver than her usual cheery self. ‘I used to be proud of my order. But thank you for asking.’

  ‘These guys were bad news,’ Mellara said. ‘You’re one of us, though.’

  ‘I was one of us before you were!’ Anjilo said.

  ‘Until you ran off with Mortimyr at Salien,’ Archimegadon said.

  ‘Uh, that was Valia’s idea,’ Anjilo said. ‘And you were kinda different back then.’

  ‘I’d just saved you from Belias!’

  ‘Yeah, well… oh look! It’s Obdo and Neurion!’ Anjilo ran for it.

  They joined Tharanor, Obdo, and Neurion next to a particularly unhealthy tree, which had shed most of its leaves. Obdo was sitting on the edge of the well, which made Archimegadon nervous that the fool would fall in. Neurion was tending to Tharanor, and Archimegadon realised that none of them had remembered that there was already a friendly paladin to help out. Obdo noticed them first, and waved his arms, teetering on the edge of the well.

  ‘It’s the lady paladin!’ Obdo said, charging at her.

  Anjilo skidded to a halt just in time for Obdo to tackle-hug her, and then he released her and stumped past to face Mellara.

  ‘Get within arm’s length and you are going down that well,’ Mellara said.

  ‘But I’m happy to see you, miss!’ Obdo said.

  ‘I am happy to see you too, Obdo,’ Mellara said. ‘But from a distance.’

  ‘Good grief, it’s been less than a moment and I already wish you were still imprisoned, Obdo,’ Archimegadon said.

  Obdo turned to Archimegadon, and he drew himself up to his full height, which was still a fair bit shorter than anyone else in the party. ‘So here you are!’ he said in a comically-deep voice. ‘Well, that’s bloody useful, isn’t it?’

  ‘Excuse me?’

  ‘Don’t you recognise yourself, Sir Mage?’ Obdo asked. ‘It’s just like when I arrived at Ferrina too late!’

  ‘Yes, well, this is entirely different,’ Archimegadon said. ‘We have battled unbelievable forces to reach this point.’

  ‘That’s not entirely a lie,’ Anjilo said. ‘There was some sort of dark mage or something that attacked us at one point. We never did work out what it was.’

  ‘And let’s not forget the paladins at the bridge!’ Mellara said.

  ‘We also had to escape from Luthiran,’ Ithalna said.

  ‘You’ve had a busy time then, I see,’ Obdo said. ‘We’ve had some troubles ourselves, but poor old Tharanor got the worst of it.’

  ‘I’m fine,’ Tharanor said, getting to his feet with enough struggle to show that he clearly wasn’t.

  ‘Hi! I’m Anji,’ said Anjilo. ‘I’m an ex-paladin and your friend! Do you need a hand there? I’m good at healing.’

  ‘Neurion helped out,’ Tharanor replied.

  ‘Yeah, I can do a bit more than him,’ Anjilo said. ‘Sorry Neurion! You did great so far, though.’

  ‘I do not mind, milady Anjilo,’ Neurion said. ‘I am relieved to have someone more experienced to help. Hello again, by the way.’

  ‘Ah, wait!’ Archimegadon said. ‘Let me try out the healing Ithalna taught me!’

  Tharanor stepped back. ‘No! Don’t let him cast any magic on me.’

  ‘Come now,’ Archimegadon
said. ‘I have learned diligently for this precise moment.’

  ‘You are hardly experienced enough,’ Ithalna said. ‘You may have some extra credit for the enthusiasm, however.’

  ‘Bah, I would have done a perfect job,’ Archimegadon said, as Anjilo got to work with her healing spells.

  ‘Welcome to Stornis Hold, Sir Mage,’ Obdo said. ‘Nice of you to come out here, by the way!’

  ‘Only the best for my minions,’ Archimegadon said.

  ‘Uh, you should know something about what happened here,’ Obdo said.

  ‘Valia attacked the hold with demons?’ Archimegadon asked.

  ‘Yeah,’ Obdo replied. ‘You knew?’

  ‘I delved into the mystic realms of the ether, and plucked forth a vision of events here,’ Archimegadon replied.

  ‘Lord Diojin told us at the gate,’ Mellara said.

  ‘Pretty messy, right?’ Obdo asked.

  ‘I can think of many things better than letting Valia lead an army of demons, yes,’ Archimegadon replied. ‘She helped you all?’

  ‘Sorta.’ Obdo looked over at Tharanor. ‘She let him out, and then locked him in another cell.’

  ‘Erm.’

  ‘Yeah, don’t ask me,’ Obdo said. ‘She stole his sword as well – he was pretty mad about that.’

  ‘Well, I have great news for you, Tharanor!’ Archimegadon said, and he grabbed Uldraxios from Mellara’s back, nearly sending her stumbling in doing so.

  ‘Watch it, idiot,’ Mellara said.

  ‘Pardon me!’ Archimegadon said. He held out Uldraxios towards Tharanor. ‘Anjilo found Valia’s old polearm Uldraxios! Now you can steal her weapon!’

  Anjilo was tending to one of Tharanor’s arms, but she paused to let him take the polearm with his other hand. He turned the glaive and inspected it carefully, his forehead furrowed, and then looked back up at Archimegadon.

  ‘Thanks, Archie, but I don’t know how to fight with this sort of weapon,’ Tharanor said.

  ‘Well use it anyway!’ Archimegadon said. ‘I come here, and bring you gifts of splendour and revenge, and you throw them back in my face!’

  ‘I carried it,’ Mellara said. ‘And Anji’s the one who kept it stored before.’