by Jason Kenyon
Tharanor stared at her for a few seconds before answering. ‘No.’
Valia blinked.
‘I don’t care if I get my sword back,’ Tharanor said. ‘I already took a replacement from Stornis Hold, and not the one you left me. It might not be magic, but it gets the job done.’
Archimegadon watched nervously, wondering what Tharanor was up to, and noticed the dark look in Valia’s eyes. He still wasn’t at ease with her, and didn’t know that he liked Tharanor provoking her, but at the same time he wasn’t certain if he should interrupt. Looking around, it seemed that the rest of the group had made the same decision to watch things play out.
‘So – what, are you going to keep Uldraxios to make a point?’ Valia asked.
‘No.’ As Valia’s eyes flashed, Tharanor smiled slowly. ‘I will give you your glaive back, but I want you to apologise first – for killing Yuriath.’
Valia had been leaning slightly forwards, as though eager to snatch Uldraxios from Tharanor, but she now sat back in her chair and folded her arms, doing a good impression of a sulking child.
‘You want me to say sorry for that?’ Valia asked. ‘What is this, a school playground? I’ll trade your sword for it, I’m not taking part in this silly game.’
Tharanor said nothing, and simply watched her impassively as he held Uldraxios in his grasp.
‘I didn’t want to kill her,’ Valia said after a few more awkward seconds had passed, and she sat forward again. Archimegadon almost got the feeling that she was about to leap over the table and swipe Uldraxios right out of Tharanor’s hands, but she made no such attempt. ‘You know, when she attacked me and lost, I could have just killed her there and then to make a point. But I didn’t. If you hadn’t just destroyed the staff, perhaps it would have turned out differently, but you forced me to make good on my threat.’
Mellara glanced over at Archimegadon, looking similarly uncertain about how to proceed. Ithalna appeared amused again. Tharanor just maintained his silence.
‘This is ridiculous,’ Valia said. ‘I won’t be backed into a corner. Either you trade weapons or not, but I won’t play your childish game.’
Valia and Tharanor glared at each other over the table for what felt like hours, and then Tharanor tossed Uldraxios onto the tabletop, making Valia flinch. She flushed and snatched up the weapon, and after a moment’s consideration she picked up Tharanor’s sword, still in its scabbard, and threw it at him. He caught it with ease, and just smiled.
‘Erm, are you two quite done?’ Archimegadon asked.
‘I am,’ Tharanor replied. ‘When do we leave?’
Valia was glaring at Tharanor with undisguised fury, but then she looked over at Archimegadon. ‘I have all my stuff ready, and my Shulgar are in position and prepared for the raid. We can go whenever you guys are happy.’
‘I see no reason for us to wait any longer,’ Archimegadon said. ‘Shall we get started?’
Chapter Thirty-Three: Payback
Once it was sufficiently dark, the companions readied their weapons and set out from the boarding house where Valia was staying. A silvery moon provided some illumination, and torches had been lit all around the tournament grounds, but it was still dark enough that they were able to go unnoticed.
As they neared the tall gates of the Crowntown Tea Factory, Archimegadon noticed that many of the shadows on the surrounding walls had begun to move. It seemed that Valia’s Shulgar army had crept into the city from somewhere, and had so far not alerted anyone to its presence.
‘They’ve come in through the sewers,’ Valia whispered to him as they paused a short distance away, under the cover of a deserted warehouse. ‘They’re taking down some of the Shield guards now.’
‘You’re sure it’s the Shield in there, and not just some innocent workers?’ Archimegadon asked.
‘I did my research,’ Valia replied with a grin. ‘The old workers were all replaced by a token force under the control of the Order.’
‘I see.’ Archimegadon scratched his hair. ‘So, erm, when are we going to make a move?’
Tharanor, Anjilo, and Neurion joined them, while Mellara, Obdo, and Ithalna lingered a few paces behind, and Valia hefted Uldraxios as though expecting a fight from Tharanor. He paid her no mind, and instead watched the factory gates expectantly. Ithalna had put on her Cleric robe, and Archimegadon directed her a quick, disapproving glare, but she was following Tharanor’s gaze and didn’t notice.
‘Are we opening the gates, or will your pets do that?’ Archimegadon asked.
‘Just waiting on Obdo and Neurion,’ Valia replied.
‘I’m here,’ Neurion whispered.
‘Not you,’ Valia said with a straight face.
Neurion gave Archimegadon a puzzled look, while Valia broke into a broad smile. Before anyone could ask any further, the factory gates gave a lurch, and then swung open slowly. Two sinister red demon heads poked out and turned in the direction of Valia, and she quirked her eyebrows at Archimegadon.
‘There they are,’ she said. ‘Let’s get moving.’
‘What about the guards?’ Archimegadon asked.
‘Gone,’ Valia replied, and then so was she.
The streets were still deserted as the companions followed Valia into the grounds of the Crowntown Tea Factory. Ithalna paused behind them to pull the damaged gates shut, and then muttered a few incantations before fusing the gates together by melting and then hardening some of the metalwork.
‘Won’t that make leaving difficult?’ Archimegadon asked.
‘Your specialty will see to that, if needed,’ Ithalna replied. ‘It is not a strong bond, but better this than leaving the gates swinging open. It will do to allay suspicion for now.’
‘Chat later,’ Valia said. ‘Come on, before the paladins inside realise what’s up.’ She charged off, and the other companions followed along without hesitation.
‘Yes ma’am,’ Archimegadon said, and with a shrug at Ithalna he ran after the knight.
Other shadows were moving around nearby, and Archimegadon looked to either side to see the Shulgar demons creeping around the walls of the factory in worryingly high numbers. With ease, they smashed open windows and climbed up walls as they broke into the secret paladin base. Archimegadon wondered how easily Marr might have conquered Ferrina entirely if he’d just had the demons massacre everyone, but if Valia was to be believed, then Marr had required living sacrifices to summon more demons without using up his own life force.
It all gave him the shivers. He’d spent too long in Ferrina hiding from these creatures to feel at ease with them nearby, but Valia seemed to be quite genuine in her intention to help them, and he hoped that she might actually uphold her end of the bargain. Certainly she wasn’t slacking at the back and hiding behind the companions – she was leading the way, and kicked open the door to the factory once they drew near.
‘The inside’s looking safe,’ Valia told them. ‘There were a few guards, but not any more.’
‘These creatures of yours sure work fast,’ Anjilo said, looking quite fascinated. Archimegadon supposed that to the studious young paladin, getting a close look at the behaviours of these creatures was actually interesting.
‘They’re smart hunters,’ Valia said, smiling brightly. ‘I’ve had a couple of them sneak around here once already anyway – nobody found them. They’re good little creatures.’
Archimegadon had to muster all his power not to make a snide remark. This alliance was testing his natural sourness to its limit, but he was determined not to enrage Valia. If nothing else, perhaps it would go some way towards making up for how he’d previously taunted and mocked her without understanding the consequences.
Valia was oblivious to his internal ponderings, and continued to lead the group down a couple of corridors before entering a huge central hall, where various unusual machines lay dormant, while crates lined the walls. The scent of tea hit Archimegadon with irresistible force, and he began to crave a drink. Anjilo in particular
looked like she had just ascended to heaven.
‘Now, the way to the tunnels is roughly in the middle,’ Valia said. ‘Obdo and Neurion have already found it for me, so let’s go.’
‘I don’t understand,’ Neurion said. ‘I didn’t do anything.’
Archimegadon and Valia left him wondering, and instead snuck between crates, pipes, and work tables on their way to the entrance to the secret paladin hideout. It wasn’t particularly subtle, but then that was because the Shulgar had destroyed the crates that had been used to conceal it. In the centre of a large opening in the floor, Archimegadon stared down a rocky tunnel that looked very much like it had been carved out recently – presumably an extension of the pre-existing paladin tunnel network.
‘Still no guards?’ Ithalna asked.
‘Oh, there were guards,’ Valia replied. ‘But you haven’t had to deal with them yet. We have efficient support.’
‘Be ready for anything,’ Anjilo said. ‘My Order’s not dumb, even if they aren’t expecting an invasion right now.’
Valia’s demons had not yet descended into the Shield’s lair, and they were creeping out of the shadows and forming an ominous assembly in front of Valia. Obdo gave Archimegadon a worried look, and Archimegadon did his best to appear unflustered by their situation. The two red demons slunk out of the crowd and sat in front of Valia, making strange noises at her.
‘You are both good boys,’ Valia said to them.
‘So what now?’ Mellara asked. ‘Are we leading the charge in, or..?’
‘No need for that,’ Valia replied. She jerked her head in the direction of the tunnel entrance, and her Shulgar began to pour into it with impressive coordination.
‘I feel like we’re not even needed,’ Mellara said.
‘Don’t worry, I’m expecting a lot more below ground,’ Valia said. She paused in concentration for a moment. ‘Yes, they’ve seen some of the Shield now. We’ve been noticed.’
‘Can you see through their eyes, or something?’ Obdo asked.
‘No, they can just share their feelings and experiences from far away,’ Valia replied.
‘They don’t even have eyes, fool,’ Archimegadon said to Obdo.
‘Actually, they do,’ Valia said. ‘Just not the type you’re familiar with. They can share visions of what they’ve seen after all. And they have a very good sense of smell!’
‘That must be unfortunate, in this factory,’ Anjilo said.
‘They quite like the smell of tea leaves,’ Valia said. ‘They’re fine.’
Together, the group descended into the Shield’s lair. The tunnel continued on for quite a distance, and then wound off to the left a short distance before opening out into a vast, cavernous chamber. It smelled quite unpleasant, a mixture of damp and rot, and Archimegadon gagged. The paladins had seen fit to set up lights similar to Anjilo’s experimental Lightstone lamps, and Archimegadon stared in amazement at what they’d hidden away under the factory.
The chamber spread so far that the furthest reaches were hidden in shadows, but closer by there were several plain buildings that resembled boarding houses from the less-wealthy districts of Ferrina, and in the centre of the chamber was a large, fortified castle. The entire cavern was unadorned with any decoration or indeed banners of the Order, and those members of the companions who had visited Verrinion Cathedral recognised the functional styling of this base. The paladins had built this place for the basic needs of housing and imprisonment, and had spent no effort on making any of it visually appealing. Grand had termed his own such base the City of Light, and Archimegadon, remembering the tale from Neurion, briefly pondered if Malthanes had given this place a similar ostentatious title.
‘Good grief, they have their own kingdom down here,’ Archimegadon said.
‘That’s no seat of power,’ Valia said. ‘It’s a glorified prison for Ardon.’
‘Can you stop calling them those names?’ Archimegadon asked.
‘I don’t know what the problem is,’ Valia replied, smirking.
Archimegadon turned his attention back to the chamber, and now saw that the Shield of Lut’yis had not been caught unawares. Barricades had been set up around the castle, and lines of holy knights barred access even to those defences. The Shulgar were just starting to nip at the front lines, and from what Archimegadon could see, there had already been losses on both sides.
‘Okay, the Shulgar are drawing attention to the front and our right,’ Valia said. ‘I have some of them off to our left trying to open us a quiet route to the castle. Let’s get moving!’
They wound off to the left, sneaking behind some of the plain buildings that surrounded the central castle. A couple of paladin corpses littered the way, and two of the smaller green demons were standing over them, their unpleasant jaws glistening with fresh blood. Just as Archimegadon began to wonder if he’d get through this without a fight, a group of paladins rounded the corner of the building and readied their shields.
‘Finally,’ Mellara said, launching an arrow from the bow she’d taken from Zillon. Though she grimaced slightly, her right arm looked a lot more sure now, and Archimegadon hoped that she was pretty much fully healed at last.
The arrow soared across the wide gap between the two opposing parties, and struck one of the lead paladins in the gap between his helm and shoulder pad. His fellows let out a roar and began to advance, keeping their own shields tight together in a wall formation, while the injured paladin tugged the arrow loose with a yell and began to cast a healing spell on himself.
‘This is what they get for Ferrina,’ Tharanor said, hefting his sword.
‘Hmm, quite,’ Ithalna said. ‘Ardon, let us show them why they were correct to fear the Mage Order!’
With a shout, Ithalna stirred up the air in front of her, lifting dust and dirt in a cyclone for several seconds, before she then gave a gesture and the vortex swooped into the paladins, causing their front line to stumble. A paladin who appeared to be in charge gave a defiant yell and they held their ground, only for Ithalna to follow up with galebolt, a thin lance of directed air that struck one of the paladins who had slightly lowered his shield. As the paladin tumbled to the ground, Ithalna manipulated the air yet further, catching his shield before it hit the ground, and then casting it sideways into the nearest paladin.
Archimegadon watched with some surprise, before drawing himself up to his full height. He was jealous of Ithalna’s Staff of the First Archmage, but even without a staff of his own, he was determined not to let her show him up.
‘Flamebolt!’ he shouted, and then loosed his fury upon one of the paladins who was looking close to recovering their balance, sending him flying backwards.
‘Some things never change,’ Valia said.
‘If it works, why bother?’ Archimegadon asked with a glare.
Valia just winked and then charged the paladins, unwilling to let the mages take all the glory. The long blade of Uldraxios slid between two of the paladin shields and up into the less-protected armpit of one of her opponents, causing his shield arm to drop out of the way. Valia tugged the polearm back before thrusting it into the paladin one further time, and he fell to the ground yelling in pain. His companion charged Valia, shouting an incantation, but Valia hopped back a step, crouched slightly as she drew back Uldraxios, and then she lunged forward and thrust the polearm up under the paladin’s helm.
Tharanor joined the fight, while Anjilo chanted a few paces behind him. As Tharanor blocked a sword with his own blade, Anjilo finished her incantation, and an aura of light surrounded him. Feeling invigorated, Tharanor pushed back his opponent and grinned with confidence, while the other paladins hesitated for a moment.
‘Traitors to the Order!’ one shouted. ‘Kill the heretic apostates!’
Archimegadon glanced at Neurion, but while his ears went red, the young paladin did not make any attempt to retreat. He instead seemed to be muttering, and Archimegadon lost interest, so he turned and pointed a hand at an advancing paladin.
‘For I am Archimegadon!’ he yelled, and as he launched a flamebolt at the paladin he noticed his opponent freeze and put his hands on the sides of his helm, before the flames blasted him back through the air.
Frowning, Archimegadon turned to Neurion and gave him a questioning look.
‘I have a little spell that lets people hear things from a distance,’ Neurion said. ‘It hurts a bit if I make them listen to you shouting though!’
‘Good work!’
Obdo was lingering at the edges of the battle, weighed down by the bag of Anjilo’s gadgets that he was carrying. He flushed with guilt at his inaction, and then grabbed a loose rock from the cavern floor, before tossing it at the nearest paladin, so that it struck the man’s helm and made quite the loud clang. Tharanor flattened the paladin with a hard kick moments after, and gave Obdo a quick nod of approval.
Mellara was still taking careful shots, and while she was having trouble killing any of the heavily-armoured members of the Order’s inner-most circle, she nevertheless was providing some good cover, and causing the oncoming paladins to hesitate. It was just as well, as reinforcements were arriving in spite of the cover provided by the Shulgar, though Ithalna was assisting Mellara’s efforts to slow the enemy advance by sending bursts of wind along the cavern floor, causing paladins to stumble and even fall.
‘It’s her!’ one of the paladins yelled. ‘Red-Eyes Valia! Kill her and the demons will be leaderless and retreat!’
‘Well, that’s a load of rubbish,’ Valia said. ‘Still, you’re welcome to give it a try!’
She swept Uldraxios through the air, causing two paladins to take a backward step, and disembowelling the slower third. Before one of the paladins could get her balance, Valia skipped forwards and stabbed the polearm through her midriff, though the other paladin recovered and lunged at her. Ducking his strike, Valia lacked time or space to stab the paladin, so she rammed her iron shoulder pad into his midriff, sending him stumbling. Before Valia could deliver the finishing blow, Archimegadon sent a flamebolt past her, knocking the paladin from his feet.
