The Forsaken Crypts

by Terry C. Simpson

  Frost tried and failed to see Senaty or Kazawa. Instead, he picked out Enatsu’s dark brown skin and bright blue hair atop the landing.

  He rode to the gurash. “Hey, Enatsu, you got any idea where Sadonia is? A captain said she was here. And where’s Senaty and Kazawa? I gotta speak to them also.”

  “This way.” Enatsu beckoned them on with an over-sized clawed hand.

  They followed Enatsu to the temple’s front door where they dismounted. Enatsu drew a scarf up over his leonine face, paused, and then pulled the door open.

  A stench wafted out. Rot. Death.

  Frost slapped a hand over his nose and mouth. Somebody retched.

  Enatsu held up his hand. “Wait a moment to get accustomed to the smell.”

  “There’s no getting used to that.” Grimacing, Frost shook his head. “Just take us to them.”

  Without another word, Enatsu led them inside. Bloomglobes illuminated a long corridor with rooms on either side. People occupied the rooms and most spaces, sprawled on the floor or huddled in corners. A dirge of despair echoed from the mouths of the suffering.

  The corridor opened into a large room with marble floors, pillars, and elaborate carvings and architecture along the walls. Numerous corrupted were here also. At the head of the room was a brightly illuminated area. A set of stairs led up to a statue of Jerad, the grand kora god dressed in full sorcerer regalia, including two oversized chakrams.

  “By the statue.” Enatsu pointed.

  “Thanks.” Frost dipped his head to the gurash. “Do me a favor?”

  “Anything.” Enatsu was staring toward the stairs, sadness etched upon his face.

  “Get a few people from outside and have them gather up all the corrupted into this room.”

  Enatsu frowned. “Are you certain?”

  “Yes.”

  “Right away.” Enatsu ambled off.

  Frost headed toward the stairs, his heart burdened by the suffering around him, and yet, he was calm. Everything would be fine.

  Senaty was the only one standing. Kazawa was seated on the stairs, Naora’s head cradled in his arms, as he whispered and rocked her. Vindicator Sadonia sat with her back against the statue’s calf. Gray splotches marred her skin.

  “Hey, Senaty, Kazawa, Vindicator Sadonia, Naora.” Frost stopped at the bottom of the steps.

  “Nif be praised! You returned!” Senaty looked up to the heavens, her face tear-streaked.

  “We did.”

  “I had a feeling when I saw the explosion.” Senaty smiled.

  Vindicator Sadonia pushed up to her feet. “How did you manage? Did you get—”

  “I’ll tell you all about it later.” Frost nodded to the Vindicator and Naora. “Right now, let’s focus on curing you two and everyone else.”

  Kazawa’s head snapped up. “What did you say?”

  Frost smiled at sergeant. “We’re gonna cure her. Well, Meritus is.” He gestured to his friend.

  “You hear that Naora?” Kazawa looked down at her and lovingly stroked her face. “The gods heard our prayers.”

  “Just set Naora down and give her a little space.” Meritus took up a position beside Frost, Benediction in hand.

  After Kazawa did as asked, Benediction glowed. Sanctification’s white, blue, and yellow threads snaked up the head of the zhua’s clawed fingers, swirled together, and spun until they formed a golden ball, hovering in the air. The completed spell zipped across into Naora. Meritus flung blue motes of Mikander’s Tears moments later.

  Naora gasped. Her back arched. Golden energy flushed across her body. Sores and infected skin washed away, leaving radiant green. Mikander’s Tears struck her and seeped into her body.

  Moments later, Naora turned her head, smiled, and sat up. Kazawa dashed to her side, snatched her up, and bawled like a babe.

  “All praise be to Nif.” Senaty joined her friends.

  In the back of his mind, Frost became aware of a quest completion for Saving Kazawa and Naora. It granted twenty thousand exp and a thousand LDC.

  But Meritus wasn’t done. While the three basked in each other’s company and good health, he cast Sanctification on Vindicator Sadonia, who was staring at Naora in wonderment.

  A veritable shower of praise followed. Sadonia and Senaty thanked the entire group, but paid special homage to Frost and Meritus.

  “Hey!” Ryne shouted from behind them, his basso voice shattering the celebration. “You have company.”

  Frost turned his head. Corrupted filled the room behind the goblin, Zod, Enatsu, Domen, and Varia. Murmurs drifted from the crowd amid moans and groans.

  Smiling, Frost eyed Senaty and Sadonia. “You said the Coalition would owe us if we got the cure.” He gestured to Meritus. “You mind starting, homie? Get Enatsu and the others to help.”

  “You got it, dawg.” Meritus and the rest of the group headed down the stairs to the crowds.

  Frost spoke to Sadonia and Senaty as the soldiers and his group directed the people to form lines. “How bad is the situation with the Gray Death?”

  Vindicator Sadonia looked to Senaty, who nodded slightly. “We curtailed the worst of it across most of Marang by slaughtering tens of thousands, but some believe it is the first part of a new draconid offensive. Some religious zealots think if we don’t stop the Gray Death altogether, that we might be seeing the start of a Void Cataclysm. The last Cataclysm was over a thousand years ago and brought about the formation of the Coalition, which would eventually help to save Mikander.”

  Frost remembered the Keymaster’s words. He wondered if Sadonia or the others knew how right they might be. “What if it was possible to provide Coalition mystics with other Benedictions and the necessary spells? What if we knew how to acquire schemas to craft more? What would it be worth to the Coalition?”

  “Are you serious?” Vindicator Sadonia glanced at Senaty.

  “Serious as death.”

  “Very well,” Sadonia said. “I hope I’m not speaking out of turn, but I would think our leaders who sit on the Grendesh Conclave would give anything within reason. Personally, I would need to contact my superiors, who in turn might need to speak to one of the Viziers or a Kalarch to say for certain. Council member Senaty is more equipped to give a better answer.”

  “Vindicator Sadonia is correct.” Senaty was studying Frost. “Credits. Land. Titles. Gifts. Any and all are quite possible as a reward. But the final decision would rest with the Conclave, no matter what the rest of the Coalition might want.”

  “Considering the nature of the situation, you think there’re things the Conclave might refuse?”

  “Yes.” Senaty shrugged. “None of you are of noble birth, so they would not raise you and yours to Exarchs or Nomarchs, if that was your hope.” She paused, expression thoughtful. “I could have you named as Aetherium Council Emissaries. It is an influential position.”

  Frost winced, thoroughly unimpressed. “Sounds like they’d try to deny what we’ve accomplished.”

  “Not deny,” Senaty corrected. “Diminish. There are those who would say we would eventually obtain the cure on our own. Or those who’d advocate for Meritus’ capture and the forcible use of the spell… by any means necessary.”

  Frost scowled. “That’s bullshit.”

  “I am simply telling you the reality of the situation.” Senaty shrugged. “My word and that of Sadonia will carry weight. And your selfless act would be recognized. Anything the Grendesh Conclave considers to be within reason would be granted.”

  Within reason. The words rubbed Frost the wrong way. He decided to test the statement. “Do you know who I am?”

  “Lan?” Senaty’s brows drew together in confusion.

  “Drelan Frost, to be exact.” He waited to gauge their reactions.

  Silence reig
ned for a moment, broken only by joyful outbursts as Meritus healed another person. The faces of the Coalition members became deathly serious. They shared a knowing look.

  “Son of the late, Anefet Frost, the Hand of Freedom.” Sadonia nodded, lips pursed. “I see it now that I look closely.”

  “And those?” Senaty jutted her chin toward Gilda and the others. “Are the other members of the Blue Sky Network group wanted by Nomarch Setnana Botros and Demipho Pansa for robbery, attempted murder, and murder.”

  Frost scowled. “We didn’t rob anyone. We weren’t responsible for the deaths of any patrons, and we sure as hell didn’t try to kill Khafra. I’m certain Adesh Hamada has contacted the Coalition to claim sole responsibility for the events in Kituan.” That last had been a part of the deal Frost made with Adesh in exchange for a Benediction.

  Senaty had her arms crossed near her waist. Her index finger tapped her wrist. “Witnesses placed you there.”

  “I was investigating my mother’s murder.”

  Vindicator Sadonia spoke. “Murder? She died during a raid on Niba led by the grand korae and the slaver, Umesh Madara.”

  “Yeah, murder. Umesh Madara might have been involved, but I discovered the plot ran deeper.” Frost stroked his aether ring. “The Coalition had pardoned Blue Sky before, but then came after them again because of supply raids, an attempt on Kalarch Voculo’s life, and supposedly for spreading the Gray Death.” He met their gazes. “You know the last part is a lie. The rest of it is also. And even if you believe I’m Blue Sky due to my association with Adesh Hamada, you see the trouble I went through to get the cure.”

  “Some might claim it was all a ploy by the Network itself,” Senaty argued.

  Frost snorted. “You don’t believe that. The ploy was the Black Hand using propaganda to set up my mother and Blue Sky. The Black Hand had to stop Blue Sky from disrupting the Hand’s slaving operations. And what better way to do it than to manipulate the Coalition into doing their dirty work.”

  Their faces became masks. Frost knew he’d struck a chord.

  “So, the Black Hand has been playing you.” Frost arched a brow.

  “There is still the murder of Nomarch Setnana Botros’ son, Perihy,” Senaty said.

  Frost smirked. “We had nothing to do with her son. She blamed us because we took Benediction from the Sanctum before she could acquire it to heal him of the Gray Death. Regardless, he’s alive.”

  The women shared looks of incredulity.

  Frost smiled. “I’m certain she’s gonna announce his miraculous survival soon. Here’s what I want.

  “Lift the bounties off me and mine. Pardon us. Provide us with ten thousand credits of every dominion. Give us plots of land at a location I pick where we can build anything we choose. I’m not going to ask you to pardon Blue Sky again, because obviously there’re too many Coalition members set against them. And there’s Adesh’s crimes.

  “Give me a chance to clear the names of my mother and the other Blue Sky members. I’m gonna expose the Black Hand and its operatives, reveal who leads it. I intend to kill Umesh Madara. In exchange, you get the cure and the schemas.”

  “I might be able to broker such a deal.” Senaty was nodding appreciatively. “But when I present it, some might require an act of good faith.”

  Frost gave her an incredulous stare and gestured to the room. “Meritus healing all these people isn’t enough? Saving y’all wasn’t enough?”

  “It’s more than enough for us,” Sadonia conceded. “But we don’t have the last word.”

  “Fine. This should convince everyone else.” Frost smiled inwardly. So far things had gone as he’d envisioned. He took a completed Benediction and three empowered spell shards from his inventory. He handed them to Senaty.

  The Aetherium Council member gasped. Her eyes grew wide. She looked from Frost to the items and back again. She absorbed the shards.

  “I will make arrangements immediately. You shall have what you asked for. If you will excuse me?” Senaty moved off to the side.

  Certain she was speaking to the Grendesh Conclave via Comm Orb, Frost turned his attention to Meritus. Within minutes, all but one quest in The Cure line completed. Frost leveled to twenty-one and gained a wealth of new credits. Down in the room, Meritus had almost Sanctified everyone.

  He took a stock of his stats with the new tier of four attribute points per level from twenty-one to thirty.

  Strength: 55

  Agility: 61

  Vitality: 77

  Aether: 124

  He now had five percent stagger resist. He made a mental note to improve his armor and jewelry for better defense.

  When they exited the temple, The Coalition’s Debt completed. Senaty informed Frost that the Grendesh Conclave and the majority of the Coalition leadership had voted to pardon him and his group. They had also granted them ten thousand credits of every dominion that was part of the Coalition. Land would be made available where they requested, as long as no previous claims existed. Confirmation arrived via Comm Orb.

  WORLD FIRST

  DECLARATION

  A group led by Drelan Frost has cleared the Forsaken Crypts, and helped the Coalition obtain a cure for the Gray Death. As a reward for providing the cure, the Grendesh Conclave has bestowed the title of Aetherium Emissary unto him and his group members, Meritus Killgain, Saba Nerubi, Gilda Mordian, Dante Blackblade, and Ryne Waldron.

  Cheers went up outside. Frost grinned from ear to ear. Gilda threw her arms around him. The other group members slapped each other high fives. Ryne had a look of awe on his face.

  Frost’s jubilation was tempered by the sight of Kazuto, Meileen, Saigo, the masked black-armored cannoneer, and a human in expensive robes toting a storm lance. The five WaR members strode up the stairs.

  In response, Frost’s group arrayed themselves around him. Frost casually raised The Stunner to a more viable position for attack.

  Kazuto bowed from the waist to Senaty and Vindicator Sadonia, but his eyes remained on Frost. He all but ignored the others. “Congrats. I had to come see who it was that beat me to a world first. For a second time. I also heard you killed a few of my guys. First was Cardiac, after you left Maelpith, and then three initiates near the Jurojin.”

  The human with the storm lance scowled at Frost. He had hair so blond it was almost white. His face was angular, hard, and vaguely familiar.

  Frost made to speak. To defend his actions.

  “It’s okay.” The gargant dementer held up a massive hand encased in a korbitanium fist. “The initiates don’t matter if they died that easily. Cardiac, on the other hand, was one of my officers.” Kazuto shot a scathing look toward the stormcaller, who hung his head. “No way he should have lost to the likes of you.”

  Realization dawned, but Frost gave away nothing. He found himself to be unusually calm.

  Kazuto continued, “But maybe that’s what he gets for not killing you in your little cave on Maelpith. I must say, though, his death, and now this second World First, makes me curious about your skill. How about a duel?”

  So someone did go in the chest after all, Frost thought. Aloud, he said, “Not interested.”

  The masked cannoneer chuckled. “I told you he was a Care Bear.”

  “So, you did Vash.” Kazuto wore a mocking smile. “Is Vash right, Drelan? Are you a Care Bear? Are you the kinda guy who runs from PVP, who’d love it if there were no Open PVP zones, and who’s scared of a little blood and guts? The kinda guy who gets mad at PKers?”

  “Ask Cardiac.” Frost smirked at the stormcaller.

  Kazuto growled. His arms dropped to his side. Meileen rested her hand on his arm, her eyes pure ice as they regarded Frost. The others shifted into battle stances.

  Frost and the others responded in kind. On the far end of Frost’s group,
Ryne had summoned a Defiler and a Nightmare. Frost regarded Kazuto with dead eyes.

  Councilwoman Senaty stepped between the groups, but she was staring at Kazuto, the corner of her lip upturned. “Be the first to raise a weapon against anyone and I will set the Vindicators after you.”

  The moment stretched. Kazuto guffawed. “Consider yourself lucky this is a Safe Zone. I’ll see you around, Drelan.” He bowed to Sadonia and Senaty. “Good day, Vindicator. Good day, Councilwoman.” He turned on his heels and stalked away, his people following behind.

  “Watch your back with that one.” Senaty stared after the WaR members. “I don’t know how much it will help, but I’ll make certain your Emissary medallions are crafted before you leave the camps.”

  Frost barely heard the words as he studied the WaR members. They were the kind of players he despised. “Hey guys, how would y’all feel about being in a guild again?”

  “I knew you were going to do it.” Dante was beaming. “Soldiers of Chaos, for the win.”

  “Actually, I’m gonna give us a new name.” Frost watched the WaR members fly off. “Care Bear Company.”

  “Oh, damn.” Meritus grinned. “Shit just got real.”

  CHAPTER 37

  Setnana grimaced at the Grendesh Conclave’s announcement. The pardon. The cure. Drelan Frost had ruined her plans yet again.

  But at least she had Perihy once more. Nothing could change that now. He was different. Stronger. A lot stronger. Quiet. Brooding. But he was her Perihy.

  He was seated behind her, dressed in the best clothes she found in Apur. A hooded cloak hid his face. He’d asked for weapons. A set of katars and a storm lance. She wondered after the request but allowed it.

  Her simurghs landed in the courtyard at Modra’s Keep, their wings kicking up dust. The Sky Swords arrived moments later.

  A dozen of Bakui Assam’s personal Blackguards and three of his Azureguard companies were there to meet her. Not the man himself. A slight, as usual.

  The Blackguards passed orders from him, stating only her closest advisors were to accompany her. Her Sky Swords and others were to remain in the courtyard.