Zack was getting impatient. He said, "It seems like you're used to talking in the shadows, with all this half-speech and implied meanings. If you're here meaning no harm to me or mine, you are welcome inside my igloo for food. If you aren't, then I will politely ask you to turn around while I count to fifty. If you are still within my sight when I'm done counting, I will hunt you like I do with the warks."
To her credit, the older woman's eyes steeled in challenge, but the man behind her complained. "See what I told you, mother? The man is nothing more than a barbarian slave. He won't be any good to us or the cause."
Zack let that go. He didn't know the man. Ulfric's opinion didn't matter to him. But Leyna, who was apparently his mother, seemed to think otherwise.
She spun around and slapped him in the face. Ulfric staggered and fell back, but he didn't retaliate. Leyna spat, "Hold your tongue, boy. We wouldn't be here if you had kept an eye on your brother that day."
Ulfric looked ashamed, and he stood back up, but posture more hunched. He looked to Zack and said, "I'm sorry, sir."
Leyna turned around to Zack and offered a hand to shake. "I mean you no harm. In fact, I'm here to ask for you help to kill the Adjutant."
--
A half an hour later, the igloo was packed with everyone. Oslo and Mannic sat by the warmth of the fire, clearly happy to be out of the Winter's cold. They were plated a few hunks of seasoned meat by Astrid, and ate happily alongside Fabiola, munching quiety as Zack and Leyna's discussion passed.
"Why is it you want to kill the Adjutant?" Zack asked.
Leyna's fur hood was off. Zack could tell she had been pretty once, but time and probably something more than that had aged her unnaturally, too quickly for something in their fifties. She looked healthy, but her cheeks had sunken in, and her eyes carried a sadness to them beneath all that steel and bravado.
Something about how the woman carried herself earned a deep respect from Zack. She had clearly seen and been through troubling times, and used the heat of those fires to forge her soul into something stronger, not out of want, but out of necessity. Having been a slave most of his life. understood that better than most.
She said, "My family's place in Bergen has stretched back over ten generations. Ours was the first to come settle in this damned place of a land near the Frozen Sea. We paid our dues to the Empire and things were hard, they always are, but they were peaceful."
"Then," Leyna added. "Nicolas Lagrand was assigned to our town as its Adjutant. At first, he was in charge of wares, transportation, and anything to do with manifests. But within two months of him taking office, he killed every leader who opposed his idea of bringing in slaves to the Demon's Prospect."
Zack nodded. He had heard the stories only as rumors from the old man and other slaves, but this was his first time hearing it as history.
The woman continued. "The incoming of foreign slaves meant loss of work for many miners who had relied on the income from mining, refining, and selling the local supply of kemiite. Everyone was against it. Even after he killed most of our leaders, many people of Bergen still revolted in against the Adjutant's edicts. He put them down. And when there were no others to oppose him, he erected the tower in a single night, with only his creepy twins and the captain of the guards to have regular access to the place. Since then, he had ruled the town through fear and his minions."
Fabiola wiped her face of the reindeer meat she was munching on. "If your people were so against the Adjutant, why did they help him build an ice tower so quickly?"
Zack finally realized what Leyna had implied, and it made him realize exactly who he was dealing with, the man who had Yemiri under his thumb. He said, "The Adjutant didn't have the people of Bergen make the tower. He made it himself, overnight."
Fabiola gave him a confused look. "How is that possible?"
Zack's fist tightened. "He's an Elementalist like Renton had said. And not just one like me. He's definitely at least in the second state."
Leyna's eyes widened at his comment. "I knew you were an Elementalist. Although, I've never heard of one like you with ridiculous healing and strength. But yes, you're right. Lagrand is an Elementalist. Most likely ice and snow are his elements. And there is plenty of that around here. Except, what do you mean by states?"
Zack eyed her at that. She knew about Elementalists, but not about states? Was the power hierarchy of Elementalists not well known? He explained, "At the first state, an Elementalist has a little of their own element inside their body that can replenish over time. At this level of power, they can only affect themselves with their element, making them completely immune to it."
He paused, trying to remember the old one's teachings. "At the second state, Elementalists can draw on the power of their element directly from an external source. But if you can draw from your element at this state, that probably means you can manipulate it too. If Lagrand is at least the second state, he is much more powerful than I am. Is that why you're here, to recruit me and mine to kill Lagrand?"
Leyna bit her lip and said, "Yes. Normally, I'd make you go through initiations for our uprising against the man, but from what our intelligence has heard, you have it in for the Adjutant yourself."
Zack asked, "Can you do anything to get Yemiri out?"
Leyna shook her head. "She isn't the first harem candidate in the past two generations to have entered and not come out. We have no idea what he does to them in there. But to ease your mind, I can guarantee that he hasn't harmed her if she has behaved well."
"That's an odd thing to promise," Fabiola stated.
Leyna nodded in agreement. "Lagrand is powerful and cruel, but in his own way, he is fair. He only kills directly if he has witness someone breaking a law. To him, the law is sacred."
"Screw the law," Ulfric interjected. This time, the man's mother didn't chide him. He continued, "My brother Rolfric was outside the tower when it happened. He had stolen a leather belt from a market stand. When I saw him do it and realized we were outside the ice tower, I tried to stop him. I really did. But.."
"A shard of ice erupted from the ice tower like an arrow and struck my boy in the chest," Leyna finished. "He was only nine at the time, didn't mean anything by the taking the belt. To Lagrand, it was swift judgement."
Zack was confused. "I thought you said there were no windows in the ice tower? How did the Adjutant see what was happening?"
Leyna shook her head. "I don't know. It seems to be inconsistent, but if Lagrand can somehow see through the ice from his tower and shoot bolts of ice from it. So, those who live closest to the tower are the most well behaved outside their homes."
Zack realized he had walked through that area with Astrid before. She had clearly lifted several iron marks of various people in that area. He looked to her and she shrugged nonchalantly. She boasted, "Guess the Adjutant can't keep up with my skills."
He reached into the pot and pulled out a reindeer leg to chew on it. "I'd like to help you, but there are too many problems. First, the Adjutant is an Elementalist in his second state. I've never encountered one, and I hope to never do so. This is why I formed the hunting band to make lots of money. If the Adjutant holds the law so dearly in his mind, then me buying Yemiri's contract will be okay in his mind. I'm only a few weeks away from affording enough to buy her slave title."
Leyna frowned. "Is that your ploy, to play the Adjutant's games and leave the rest of us to live under his shadow?"
Zack snarled. "It's not my problem. Sure, the man meddled with my fights in the Rings, but I got over that. All I care about is saving Yemiri, and trying to kill a man who could erect an entire freaking ice tower in a single night sounds like a stupid plan to man, regardless of my own abilities. Besides, have you really thought this through? If there is nowhere into the tower besides the front gate, how do you expect to kill the Adjutant?"
Surprisingly, it was Ulfric who said, "You're right. You don't owe us anything. We only came here to ask. Thank you for your hospitalit
y. We should get going."
Leyna to her son, and her shoulders deflated, defeated by the conversation. Zack sighed. "I'm sorry. I just want to save my friend and book the first ship out of here. Sure, I grew up in the Demon's Prospect under a system the Adjutant created and I understand your plight, but I finally have a chance at freedom with my friends. And no, you aren't leaving right now. Night has come. Even if you wore five cloaks, you'd probably freeze to death. You'll stay here for the night and leave in the morning. Fair?"
Leyna nodded her head and gave him a sad smile. "Fair."
Soon after, they all went to sleep, leaving Zack much to think about when the last light of the fire blinked out. He understood why Leyna and her son had come here. They were dissatisfied with the rule of the Adjutant. He himself had been affected by the Adjutant's employment of slaves in the Demon's Prospect.
But Zack was so close to freeing Yemiri. Elementalists, Bergen, and politics, all of that would be a bad dream soon when they set on the shores of the Farland, or anywhere that wasn't Astoria. Fabiola and Astrid would be there too, and maybe even Oslo and Mannic. He closed his eyes and did not dream.
The next morning when they woke up, the igloo was surrounded my fifty armed men, pointing their weapons at Zack.
13
The men each held their own battle axes that were in better condition than any axes Zack had seen in the Rings. The weapon heads were iron but their tips were steel. But being in a better condition only meant they had little opportunity to use it. They wore standard fur cloaks of the Bergen guard, warm and comfortable in their thick leather boots and gloves.
Zack had never had any interaction with the guards, but recognized them instantly. His head was poking out of his igloo, and he just realized in that moment that living in an igloo with one tight entry and exit was not very good when it came to home security.
But how was he supposed to know that? He had lived most of his life in the hard ice-shelled igloos of the Demon's Prospect, never having to worry about an attack from an outside force.
The guards clearly weren't here for him because many kept looking behind them. A man with thick eyebrows and a pointy jaw stepped between the guards. His axes were hitched to his belt, and he looked comfortable in the awkward situation. Zack didn't recognize the man, but from his bearing, it was clear he was the captain of the guard.
Two more men walked beside the guard leader, twins who Zack instantly recognized on site. He had seen them in the Rings, watching Zack's final fights like hawks, making sure their master's edicts were followed to the letter. They were Adjutant Nicolas Lagrand's lackeys.
But unlike the guards who wore the white and gold leathers of Bergen, the twins wore flowing robes identical in every way except color. One twin wore red, the other blue.
They seemed to recognize him, but they looked disinterested. From the way they were standing, Zack guessed they were sent there as muscle, not to stir any plan. They probably didn't expect to encounter him there.
Although, the blue twin muttered to his brother, "Puel, the fighter's physique and skin have changed."
The brother in red nodded. "I see that, Nuel. We shall do our duty is required of us. Nothing changes."
Zack lifted a curious eyebrow and said, "I'm guessing you're the captain of Bergen's guards. As far as I know, I haven't broken any laws. Care to explain why you have several weapons pointed at my home?"
The captain sneered. "You call this hunting hole a home? We were tracking two operatives who have been making deals against our great Adjutant and found their trail leading us to here. If you are willfully harboring them, then you have broken the laws, with me as your judge and executioner."
Zack rolled his eyes. "Is everyone in Bergen this dramatic? Could you care to be more specific who it is you're looking for?"
He knew exactly who they were looking for, Leyna and Ulfric, but he'd be damned to the distant black if anyone just showed up at his igloo to cast insults.
A woman's voice spoke up behind him loud enough for it carry outside. "My son and I are the ones you are looking for. Zack the Troll and his companions have nothing to do with our cause. We were simply seeking shelter."
The voice lowered enough for only Zack to hear. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you about this, Zack. Our headquarters was found and attacked last night. We only came to your out of desperation."
That would have been a fun thing to learn the night before, Zack thought to himself. Now, he was caught up in someone else's mess.
The captain of the guard smiled, and it wasn't a friendly looking thing. Zack very much wanted to punch the man in the face. The captain snarled, "You heard the hag, Zack the Troll. They are willingly giving themselves up."
Zack sighed. He knew it wasn't his problem, and his only concern was to save Yemiri.
A few minutes later, everyone from inside the igloo had evacuated. Leyna and Ulfric were standing next to the twins, and the captain of the guard said, "Are you sure you weren't harboring these people for a revolt against our dear Adjutant? Because Lagrand has told me explicitly to keep an eye on you."
He told them the truth. This wasn't his problem. "They came to try and recruit me. All I care about is to keep doing what I've been doing, to sell captured and tamed beasts to the Rings."
Even though he knew he had done nothing wrong in telling the guards the truth, something about the situation put a sour taste on his tongue. Whatever movement Leyna and her son were a part of, it was weeded out by the guards. All Zack wanted to do was sell a few more supplies of beasts to Renton, and he'd be able to buy Yemiri's slave title.
"Oh, good then," smiled the captain. "That makes this much easier. You see, he told me to hurt you in whatever way he can. Apparently, you've caught the attention of his favorite harem candidate, and wants to me to stop you. Of course, good old Lagrand won't let us break the law. The man loves rules more than anything. But what I can do is this: since I and several officers of Bergen have witnessed you in cahoots with people conspiring against the tower, I am permitted to take away your business license. Not the same as killing you, but fun to do so, just the same."
Zack rocked back on his heels at the news, the shock swelling quickly into anger. If their business license was revoked, then that meant that his steady stream of income to release Yemiri had burned up in smoke. What was more ridiculous was it all came down to money.
No. Not money. Spite. The man who stood in front of him, the captain of the guard, clearly enjoyed what he had just done.
Zack was angry, and he could feel his muscles tighten involuntarily. The twins in red and blue began to widen their stances.
Astrid and Fabiola were much calmer.
"Cahoots?" Chuckled Astrid unpleasantly, her fingers tracing the handles of her knives. "I've heard every legal term, and I'm pretty sure cahoots isn't one."
Fabiola groaned melodramatically, using a stage whisper everyone could hear. "The reason why you're so familiar with legal terms is something I'd rather not discuss right now. You know, for a thief, you get caught by authorities a lot."
"You're just jealous because my people don't eat rats," Astrid retorted jokingly, the fingers of her gloves flickering with anticipation.
"My people don't eat rats," Fabiola insisted. She was still leaning on her spear casually, but her weight had shifted to the balls of her feet.
He was lucky to have the kind of friends who could read his mood so easily. Even Mannic and Oslo seemed to sense what was happening, Mannic holding his giant two handed ax and Oslo his crossbow. They were tense and looked to Zack for a queue. The brothers had worked with him and seen what he was capable of. He felt honored they were silently taking their side.
The captain of the guard didn't seem to know what was happening and had already turned his back to the Wild Brigade.
Zack flexed his fingers. He barked angrily, "Name."
The Flesh Elementalist Page 10
