The Assassin and the Knight

by Rick Bonogofsky

  “Let us deal with one problem at a time,” Zhun suggested. “First, we need to figure out how to help Vincent.”

  “We will need someone who can reverse the hypnosis,” Ariel stated. “That will take some fairly strong, mind altering magic.”

  Adrian nodded, then a thought came to him. “Scholomance,” he said. “We’ll take him to Scholomance in Romania. They fixed me up there and altered my connection to magic. I bet they can bring his mind back to its normal state.”

  “If they can alter someone’s mind, what’s to say they won’t alter it to serve their ends?” Ariel asked.

  “That’s a risk we’ll have to take,” Adrian admitted.

  “I wish I could go with you,” Ariel sighed. “I have to go back to Heaven to report on what happened here. My grandfather won’t like what I’m going to have to tell him.”

  “Don’t worry about it,” Adrian told her. “You go and do what you have to. Zhun, I need you to go back to Hell with Kizrack and maintain order. I need you to give the full report on what happened with the vampires. It kills me to have you two do this, but keep an eye on my mother. At this point, she is the only thing in the way of the shit storm that is about to come.”

  Zhun nodded without hesitation. “And what should I tell her about you? Do we stick to the original plan?”

  “Good god, no. Tell her I’m alive and I’m going to be back as soon as I’m able. She’s going to need every tiny amount of hope she can hang on to. She’s bound to have some questions, so answer them as best you can.”

  “But I don’t know how you’re still alive,” Zhun muttered.

  “Neither do I,” Adrian admitted. “This is as much a mystery to me as it is to everyone else. Tell my mother I’ll answer what I can when I get back.”

  “And what do I tell her of Vincent?” Zhun asked. “Since you’re alive, that nullifies his banishment, doesn’t it?”

  “Nope. He still committed the act. I was definitely dead. His punishment sticks, whether we like it or not. His return would throw the whole place into chaos. We need as much stability as we can muster right now. It’s better if he stays out of Hell.”

  “Then let me take him to Heaven,” Ariel chimed in. “Once you’re done at Scholomance, come back here and I will meet you when I’m able.”

  “That’s a good idea,” Adrian said. “It’ll be good for him to be with his own people and his family. As much as I want him home with me, it’ll be better for everyone if he stays out of Hell.”

  “It’s decided, then,” Zhun stated. “Kizrack and I will head back to Hell to make sure things are as stable as possible, while Ariel goes back to her superiors, and you will take Vincent to Scholomance.”

  Adrian nodded, placing his left hand on Zhun’s knee. “Be safe. I’d hate to lose another assassin.”

  “I know,” Zhun smiled. “Who else will keep this motley group in line if I’m gone?” The joke hung in the air, reminding the assassins of simpler times.

  Jake and Montgomery took Sara out of New York and back to Miami with them, leaving Walter to contact the few remaining vampires in the world. Back at the botanical gardens, the dragons made the chimeric woman comfortable. She was willing to stay, as long as Jake stayed with her. Her newfound feelings and emotions given to her by Artemis allowed her to see the world without hatred and malice, but with new hope and light. When she looked into Jake’s eyes, she saw the beginnings of something there that she felt could blossom into something wonderful. There was another, more animalistic feeling lying beneath it all as well, causing her heart to race whenever the young dragon touched her. She had lived her entire, if short, life under the assumption that everyone was an enemy to be exterminated, but now she saw that there was so much more to be seen and felt. It was nearly overwhelming for her, but she reveled in it.

  “Montgomery is going to contact some of the other members of the Firstborn to figure out what exactly to do from here,” Jake told Sara one day while they strolled through the gardens. “With the vast majority of vampires dead, there’s going to be chaos all over the world, and we’re going to help them regain some measure of order while also keeping the humans at bay.”

  “And, what about me?” Sara asked. “I understand that I’m the only one of my kind, and that may make some people a little nervous or greedy. Someone with my abilities could be a real asset to someone wanting to kill a lot of people.” Her words, while true, sounded too much like a boast for her liking. She knew exactly what she was capable of, but after being bested so easily by the angel woman, she knew that she still had much to learn.

  “That’s completely up to you,” Jake replied. He wanted to ask her to stay, to remain at his side, but he knew that those thoughts were selfish. He only wanted her there if she wanted to stay. “You’re free to do as you please, now that you’re out from under vampire control.”

  Sara smiled and slipped her hand into his as they walked. “Then I’ll stay here,” she said. “I can tell there’s something between us, and I’d like to see where that leads.”

  Jake grinned, feeling his heart flutter in his chest. He squeezed Sara’s hand in his own and they continued walking through the gardens.

  After their walk, Jake and Sara came back to the main house, where Montgomery was waiting for them. He held a phone in his hands and a grim expression on his face.

  “It is as we feared, Jacob,” the older dragon began. “Millions of vampires suddenly dropped dead all around the globe, and every country is in a panic. I’ve sent word to our brethren, telling them about the demon attack in New York, as well as our new friend here. I’ve told them to spread the word that a biological weapon that was being created somehow got used, targeting people with specific genetic markers. The weapon was triggered by accident, sending a wave of low level radiation throughout the world and rapidly dehydrated the bodies, thus turning them all to dust.”

  Jake and Sara stood in the doorway, looking at the older dragon with obviously skeptical looks. “Really?” Jake asked. “That’s what we’re telling the general public?”

  Montgomery shrugged. “What do you want me to say? Humans are basically sheep and will believe whatever we tell them, as long as it means they have an answer in front of them. They’ll rationalize it however they want, and blame their enemies. We’ll color the media with subtle propaganda lulling them into a sense of comfort and security. Those who know better will know exactly what happened, so we aren’t worried about them.”

  “Who will we say created the weapon?” Jake asked.

  “Depends on what country is telling the story. America will blame Russia, or Korea, or China, while nearly everyone else will blame America. As I’ve said, people are generally stupid and will believe what they want to believe, no matter how absurd it may be.”

  “And what about those who realize it’s all a lie?” Sara inquired.

  “They’ll be largely ignored by everyone else,” was Montgomery’s response. “This kind of thing happens all the time. As long as the general public is fed their propaganda, they are content to live a slave’s life. We’ve tested it many times, and it worked quite well, even in a democracy. The people actually voted for the thing that was actively making their lives worse, while making the lives of their superiors much better. Your family benefited far more than most, Jacob.”

  Having no further arguments, Jake asked, “What will the Firstborn do about Sara?” As he spoke, he squeezed her hand for support.

  “We will have to meet about that first,” Montgomery replied. “The council is preparing to visit us here, so we will be fairly busy soon. I’ve got my staff cleaning and preparing rooms for them as we speak. The first arrival should be coming in tonight. Fear not, dear girl, you will not be enslaved or dissected. At most we will want to study you as non-invasively as possible. Blood samples, tests of your power, that sort of thing. We have the facilities to do all of that here on the grounds, so you won’t have to travel far. We will do it only if you are comfortable with it,
and only if your consent is freely given. We’re all very curious to know more about what you are.”

  The look on Sara’s face showed that she was not particularly fond of the idea of being studied like some science experiment, even if that was basically what she originally was to begin with. “We’ll see,” she said.

  Montgomery smiled and nodded. “I will not allow anything to happen without your approval, miss. I see you and Jacob have become fast friends, so I shall leave you two to your devices.” With that, he turned and walked away to continue the preparations for the council’s arrival.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

  With Zhun and Kizrack on their way back to Hell, and Ariel preparing to leave for Heaven, Adrian was left alone with Vincent. The knight stood in one corner of Ariel’s apartment, silent and still as a stone while Adrian prepared a teleportation circle. He drew the symbols on the hardwood floor of Ariel’s kitchen using a stick of chalk he found in her art supplies. As before, each rune flared to life with a soft glow as they were completed, and when the whole thing was finished, the assassin sent a mental command through the control stick. Vincent turned and walked into the middle of the large circle with Adrian. The older brother spoke the command word, silently hoping the spell would work properly this time. After the failure he experienced in Siberia, he was more than a little wary of things going wrong again. The familiar falling sensation filled him and he closed his eyes and bent his knees. He landed on soft, grass covered ground. A dull thump and rattling metal told Adrian that Vincent had landed much harder than he had. He looked down and grimaced at Vincent’s prone form.

  “Get up,” Adrian sighed. He pulled Vincent to his feet and prodded him along. Upon surveying his surroundings, Adrian allowed himself a small smile. The spell had worked, placing them within a short walk from Scholomance. He pushed Vincent in front of him and commanded him to walk. They walked for almost an hour before they came to the disguised hut. Adrian knocked with the pommel of his sword and waited for an answer. The panel in the door slid open and the old man’s wrinkled eyes peered out at him.

  “Why are you back?” he demanded. “We already helped you once.”

  “You’re such a charmer,” Adrian quipped sarcastically. “This here is my brother. I need your help once more. To be honest, which I don’t really have a choice to be otherwise, I would have survived without my arm. I can’t, however, let my brother stay in the state he’s currently in. So, what do you say? Will you help me again?”

  The old man raised an eyebrow and slammed the panel shut. Adrian could hear him stomping away again.

  “I would like to do this as politely as possible,” Adrian called after him. “I imagine there are a lot of spells keeping this place safe, but I’ve already died twice, so I’m willing to bet that I’ll just come back again if something here kills me. So let me in and help my brother or I will come in whether you want me to or not, and I will kill every last person in there.” He stood in silence for a moment, listening. He was telling the truth, and would have even without the truth field, and he hoped it would not come to violence. But he needed to save his brother.

  There was a heavy sigh and footsteps returning to the door. The panel slid open again and the old man stared out at the assassin and the lethargic knight.

  “What’s wrong with him?” he asked sharply.

  “He’s been hypnotized by vampires to kill me and my kind. The only thing keeping him docile right now is a magic rod a friend of mine made to control people. This here is the control stick. You can have the rod and this stick if you help me. It’s made from powerful demon magic, so I imagine you can study it, or something. I really don’t care, I just want my brother back.”

  “And you’re willing to kill everyone in here if I say no?” the old man asked.

  “Willing and able.”

  The old man pulled away from the panel, and Adrian feared he would walk away again. His grip on his sword tightened. Instead, the locks began moving out of place and the door swung inward. The old man stood there, an unhappy look on his face. The assassin smiled.

  “Thank you,” he bowed, leading Vincent into Scholomance. The common room was empty, save for a single student reading a book by the hearth. She looked up briefly to regard the two newcomers, then buried her nose back into her book. Adrian was thankful for the lack of attention this time. He calmly sent his sword to its pocket dimension and followed the old man further into the school. Instead of going downstairs as he had on his last visit, the old man led the assassin to one of the spare rooms. He bid Adrian to send Vincent in and lay down. Adrian complied, and sent his brother in. When the angel was laying on the soft bed, Adrian sent a single mental command through the control stick: sleep.

  “I’ll have some students come in to remove his armor and store his belongings in a safe place, then they’ll clean him up.”

  “You’re showing much more kindness now than you did last time I was here,” Adrian commented.

  “Last time it was just you,” the old man replied. “This time you come seeking aid for another. We are much more open to helping those who wish to help others. Plus, he’s an angel. We would much rather have an angel in our debt than a demon.”

  “Fair enough,” Adrian nodded. “How long do you need to keep him here?”

  “Once we find out how to help him, not long, I imagine. Hypnosis is tricky under the best circumstances. Regular hypnosis can usually be overcome by a shock or strong willpower. If he’s only controllable through something as heinous as that rod you mentioned, then it must go deeper than that. It could be full-fledged brainwashing, which will be much harder to detect and reverse. Even then, it may just be easier to brainwash him all over again. I imagine he was being held somewhere?”

  Adrian nodded.

  “Where was he?”

  “In the labs under Globe Tech.”

  The old man’s eyes widened slightly upon hearing that. “So, you’re the one responsible for that mess?”

  Adrian shook his head. “My… my father was the one who led the charge. He killed Ibsen and all of his vampires died after that. I showed up right at the end of it.”

  “Well, I wish I had something better to say, but those vampires really knew what they were doing there. I used to work there, decades ago. If they were holding your brother there, then our work will be that much harder. But, on the bright side, at least now I have some clue as to where to begin.”

  “Interesting,” Adrian said. “I’m a little uncomfortable with you being an ex-employee of Ibsen’s, but you helped me before. Let me know when you’re ready to begin on him. I’m going to get some rest.”

  The old man nodded and led Adrian back to the common room, where the assassin sat near the hearth, but well away from the female student. He did not want to disturb her in her studies. He reclined in his seat, enjoying the warmth offered by the fire. The old man walked away to fetch some students to help him with the angel. Adrian watched him until he was out of sight and turned his attention to relaxing. It had been a stressful few weeks and he knew it was not over yet. After he dealt with his current situation, there was still the potential storm of problems to deal with once he was back in Hell. He toyed with the notion of bringing Vincent back to help him and lead the knights, but he knew it was a terrible idea that would only exacerbate the many problems that would undoubtedly arise. Without a king on the throne, the civil wars would begin again, and there would be a struggle for power between the current royal family and those who felt they were supposed to rule instead. Adrian’s mother, Staci, was an excellent queen, but she was a human. Her right to the throne was non-existent now that Dante was dead, and the best scenario Adrian could hope for was to rule just long enough to sire an heir and put him in power once he was old enough. Having an assassin on the throne was bad enough, even for Hell, but one who had died twice? The first death was public knowledge, so it was unlikely Adrian would even be allowed to rule by the general public. Without the support of the people, the
kingdom could easily fall into chaos and crumble. The situation would have to be dealt with delicately. Then again, if all else failed, Adrian could simply send his assassins out to kill everyone who wanted his family off the throne. He knew that would be a serious misuse of his authority, and it would only create larger problems once it was revealed that he was having people killed left and right.

  “You look troubled,” a voice said from the assassin’s right. He looked up from the fire and saw the young woman had looked up from her book and was staring at him.

  “Family drama,” he replied. He almost laughed at how simple and how incredibly accurate that answer was.

  “That sounds like an oversimplification,” the student retorted. “Didn’t you say you were the prince of Hell last time you were here?”

  Adrian nodded. “I did. Why?”

  “Curious,” she said. “What’s the prince of Hell doing on Earth? Why are you here, of all places? Aren’t demons personae non gratae here?”

  The assassin sighed, wishing she had kept her nose in her book instead of in his business. “I’m on Earth because my brother needed my help. I’m here for the same reason.”

  “But if you needed magical healing for your brother, why not take him back to Hell, or to the angels?”

  “He’s been hypnotized by vampires, and I was worried that he would escape my control. If he did, things would go bad. He’s also been banished from Hell, so if he goes back, he may be killed on sight. I would much rather not deal with that. I’m afraid of what the hypnosis would trigger if he were around the angels too. So I decided to bring him to the one place I knew about that would be able to help.”