None of them were at ease; Elmira was sleeping in one of the rooms, her dreams making her mumble in distress, Brunick was pacing all around the house, Alex couldn’t find rest on the hammock and Lidayel was sitting in the lounge reading a book, but never turning a page. Only the Ranger Olexion seemed unperturbed, standing solitarily at the mountain edge, staring at the Basin.
Vanapha tailored her Sights as to avoid her friends, rather focusing on the nooks and crannies of the house. There was no denying that everyone here idolized Cid in some way and the thought of his character being lost to the Fallen spell was terrifying. Even Olexion, Vanapha knew, who had no emotional investment in Cid, would be well aware of Cid’s importance in whatever laid waiting for Lanston in the days to come. Again she pushed the thoughts away, strengthening her Sights.
Her efforts paid off, revealing two tightly wrapped packs of thirty well preserved arrows that would fit her composite longbow. This however did not happen before she found a concealed trapdoor in the storage room, taking note of it. After replenishing her arrows Vanapha returned her attention to the basement.
Knowing it would be dark, she lit a lantern and opened the trap door, revealing a steep flight of stairs into the underground. She descended and as the lantern revealed the nature of the basement Vanapha smiled.
It was a small square fully furnished room, its premises completely outfitted with what made it a rudimentary laboratory. Her trained eye as an alchemist quickly allowed her to spot equipment here that she would need to create some basic potions and formulae.
Among her sisters she was known much better as an outdoor warrior or scout. Rigid training as a Valkyrie though left no single woman on Rade’Remar without the ability to read stars or create alchemical substances.
Unashamed she ruffled through the counter unit's drawers, finding withered notes alongside old bottles, breakers vials and casings. Apart from the obvious glass instruments covering the surface of the counter she found an assortment of thickeners, diluters, acids, catalysts and most importantly, sealed vials containing pure water with an ideal mineral count. Other than that she found nothing decisive - nothing that could allow her to create anything exotic or useful.
Her motive was simple; she knew that one way or the other she was likely to get herself involved in a coming battle. As a lone archer, even with her Sights, she would not make much difference against the numbers of the Fallen. The solution she now believed would be to create something using her alchemy, anything at this point that could help the Lanston men.
Vanapha had ideas, but for now she would have to wait until she could get her hands on proper materials. She was hopeful though, as her Sights could help her now that she would be searching the landscape for it.
Resigning to the fact that she wouldn’t be able to do something with the little laboratory right now, her mind instantly jumped to Cid again. She then admitted to herself that she was growing worried and that she felt great concern for the Colonel. They would have to do something soon.
Chapter 42
Somewhere in the Middle
It was close to sundown when Olexion’s Rangers returned; bearing good news. They had seen Cid at the foot of the mountain, near one of the old mine entrances. Olexion prepared everyone to leave within an instant and it was clear they were all determined to get Cid back. They were to go quietly on foot, hide behind a ridge and hope Brunick and Lidayel to be enough to fix the man.
Once again Olexion though found himself on the losing side of an argument as Elmira refused to stay behind. The woman seemed inimitable in her stubbornness.
It doesn’t matter, he thought by himself, with our plan she won’t get near Cid anyway.
In anticipation Olexion gathered himself a round steel-plated shield from the house storage, having not fought with one since his training days. He sincerely believed he might have need of it should he face Cid; going with sword alone up against a man with a spear of that size was a fool’s cause. This shield in particular had a fine edge all along its rim, an old Diengezi design if Olexion recognized it correctly, made so to make of the shield a weapon as much as a armour. Taking time to sharpen the long-since dulled rim, Olexion also polished its surface with some suspicion, finding the mark of Diengezi hidden under a sheen of decay. The simple but true marking of great warriors set some confidence in the Ranger now that had been lacking.
They set off, Vanapha taking the lead again as she mystically tracked down the fallen Colonel. Elmira could not understand how this woman knew exactly where to go, but she wasn’t going question good fortune. At some point the group split, keeping a scarce contact with hand signals as they wound down to the mountain base. They didn’t tell her as much, but Elmira instinctively knew that Cid was somewhere between their two groups and they would press him from his hiding ways soon enough. She wanted so badly to see him alive, but she dreaded the moment when he would appear before her as a fallen.
They came upon the man much sooner than they were prepared for and this time he was waiting, knowing the game they played. Evidently he had chosen a large open natural court of sand in front of the mine entrance. He was definitely not going to be cornered, not easily anyway.
Vanapha, Alex, Elmira and the Rangers hid away and kept to the ridge. The reasoning was that too many approaching stimuli might scare Cid away again, or worse than that, set him to attack without relent.
‘Are you prepared Summoner?’ asked Brunick over his shoulder, as Lidayel followed right behind him.
‘I should be, like I said, I need to touch him directly. If you can just subdue him somehow,’ answered Lidayel.
Neither Brunick nor Lidayel were feeling particularly confident.
‘Any other magic tricks you can think of?’ asked Brunick.
‘Maybe, but not much that will help us in this situation,’ whispered Lidayel as they drew close.
‘Fine, be ready to back me, I’m going alone, see what happens.’
Brunick walked with his hands up, his axe left with one of the Rangers back at the ridge. They wanted to be as appear as docile as possible.
‘Cid…’
There was no recognition or response from Cid. He merely stood, bare-chested and upright, Mindevhier still looking deadly as he held it limply in his right hand. In his eyes was nothingness, devoid of emotion and intelligence in its pallor.
‘Cid, you’re… come on, this is not you. You can win it. They can only corrupt men with dark minds… you are not a bad man Cid…’
Brunick could not imagine a more terrifying encounter, against his own friend, wielding the one weapon that could kill him.
Getting closer, Brunick turned hopeful; still Cid stood motionless, his morbid eyes looking off in the distance.
He’s fighting it, I knew it! thought Brunick, taking another step closer. Brunick’s optimism nearly cost him his life.
Cid lunged with terrific speed, the spear and his arm striking at a range close to three yards. Brunick jerked away and the spearhead cut through his Stoneskin and into his bicep. Backing away Brunick felt his arm go somewhat limp.
Alex and Vanapha stood with their bows poised, neither one of them having the heart to shoot. Cid attacked furiously, his initial lunge followed by short quick stabs at Brunick’s chest. Brunick, with his left forearm, uncannily managed to brush away the spearhead as he slowly retreated. It was only moments though before his hand was cut severely. He retracted in pain and demised followed as Cid sliced right into his leg. Brunick knew the wound was not as bad as it looked and made a scene of collapsing onto his right knee. This way at least he knew what was coming next.
He had seen it a hundred times; given enough space and offered with an incapacitated opponent Cid would cut wildly at his foe’s throat. He did not disappoint.
Brunick surged upright, taking advantage in Cid’s sidelong sweep. He moved right past the cutting point and caught the shaft of the spear. With a wrench he drew Cid in close and with a head butt divided him from the spear, Cid ro
lling backwards to regain his feet, blood lining from his nose.
It wasn’t over. Brunick had once observed a mildly drunk Cid win a bar brawl against a group of thugs singlehandedly without much trouble. Cid closed in fast and Brunick wobbled on his feet as Cid struck without restraint, knuckles cracking on his cheek. Brunick barely registered the blow when another right hook took him on the jaw.
This isn’t like Cid at all! thought Brunick, considering the warrior he knew, the one that held himself in check his entire military career. This is a Cid that wasn’t holding back.
Brunick responded, spinning on the spot to take the next hit on his back. In one fluid motion he cast the spear away and as he came to face again he punched angrily at Cid.
Cid staggered at the heavy blow and Brunick reached in order to overpower his friend. He had been sure it would work, yet Cid’s fighting instinct suffered no deficit as he spun and slipped from Brunick’s grasp. Brunick raised his arms to defend himself but even so Cid’s fist snaked past his and struck him right on the throat.
Pain took Brunick and then a duo of light-headedness and numbness below the neck detached him from his body. He collapsed, willing his artery to continue carrying blood. He was only barely aware that Cid was going for his spear again.
Lidayel knew he had to make his play now and casted. Cid dived, rolling as he grabbed the spear. Just as he came back to his feet the sand around him shot up at Lidayel’s behest, a dire wind of magic flurrying the grains around Cid like a tormented dust devil. For moments Cid stood disoriented inside the eye of the wind.
Lidayel could then only panic as he saw Mindevhier cutting vertically through the spiral of sand. The Hethellean weapon negated the magic, the wind faltering, and Cid charging…
Far off Elmira was watching in horror, the plan failing miserably, Brunick down and bleeding. She saw Olexion abandoning her side, jumping from the ridge and rolling to break his fall, and then ran full tilt with his sword and shield to assist.
Vanapha could not wait another moment. The choice was weighed and she found it better to wound Cid than have Lidayel killed. She knew Alex would never make the choice so she let loose the arrow on a collision course with a moving target. Lidayel was backing away in fear when he saw Cid go down miraculously with an arrow through his upper left leg. Cid moaned, struggling. Lidayel steeled himself and ran forward to make contact, hand reaching.
The Colonel though was far from defeated, stopping Lidayel dead in his tracks as he swung Mindevhier threateningly. Lidayel had no choice but to back off once more.
Cid saw Olexion approaching and his flight instincts took over. Painfully he wrenched himself upright and it took him but three steps to get his leg working again. Inhumanly he ran across the sands, past Brunick and toward the mines. Olexion made no show of stopping the pursuit.
‘Come along Summoner!’ he shouted over his shoulder.
Elmira watched the scene drift away toward the mine entrance. Her nerves were killing her. She herself made way and it was then that one of the Rangers grabbed her by the arm.
‘It is dangerous lady, you cannot follow!’ spoke the man harshly.
Elmira had no time to listen and raked at the man’s face. He yelped in surprise and Elmira broke free to follow. She bounded from the height, falling hard in a roll, imitating Olexion as best she could. Nonetheless she got back up quickly to sprint toward the mine. Never before in her life did she run faster, her causal leggings and shirt allowing her athletic legs every inch of motion they could muster.
‘We should follow,’ said Alex morbidly as Vanapha already hurdled herself from the ridge. They ran side by side.
Brunick got up again, drowsy, but pushed himself so that he wasn’t far behind. At the entrance Brunick realized the Rangers were coming along to help their Captain. He halted to instruct.
‘Hold up lads, Cid might try and lose our trail and escape. You bunch wait right here and tackle him if he comes up, all right?’
The path down was well lit, lanterns hanging brightly, signs of recent excavation laying new suspicions in Olexion’s mind. It was however the least of their problems for now. They should not have been forced to this and not a moment passed where the Ranger did not doubt the wisdom of following Cid here.
Olexion and Lidayel came into the first great cavern; no sign of him yet.
He heard shuffling feet and as he turned he could not warn Lidayel soon enough. Cid emerged from the darkness of a tunnel and struck out with the butt of his spear to knock Lidayel on the backside of the head. The Summoner went down instantly. From his back and waist Olexion branded his shield and sword again, with no need to beckon, as Cid approached.
***
Elmira entered the dark and murk of the mine long abandoned. She flew into the passageways, not really knowing where she was going, realizing her fervour might see her lost in this maze.
There it was! Clashing weapons! Olexion evidently had already caught up. She followed the noise, manoeuvring cautiously despite her haste as the jagged rock floor made for a treacherous footing. There were signs of recent excavation as fresh lanterns became more prominent the closer she moved to the sound. She then came to the central cavern where the tunnels converged, a vaulted ceiling supported by timbers and lit up with dozens of lanterns suspended by pegs and chains.
In the centre, a spear striking a shield, was Cid and Olexion.
Elmira approached, her legs feeling weak. They were fighting without restraint, Olexion using his round steel-plated shield to stave off the attacks and Cid himself using his skill with spear alone to keep Olexion from nicking him.
Elmira had no idea what his initial intentions had been when he decided to follow Cid, but for now she could see an emotionless Olexion struggling frantically with his opponent. If Olexion let up for even a second Cid would kill him, and Elmira now knew that Olexion in turn would do anything if his survival depended on it.
Of course, he’s a Ranger. Cid’s just a soldier; an expendable.
Elmira could not allow it. She waited… and then saw it.
Cid parried Olexion’s sword and kicked hard at his raised shield, driving the Ranger back, Olexion struggling to find his footing as his heel struck rock. This was how Cid created space and with it he could lunge with his spear.
He never got to it. Elmira flung herself blindly into the fray, her heart pounding as she waited to be skewered, dimly aware that Olexion had stumbled behind her.
Cid stopped in mid motion, his drive to kill subsiding at the sight of distress on Elmira’s face. A torrent of recognition came through his enclosed mind. For a moment again it seemed as if he was gaining control, the signs favourable
Then it too subsided. He made a sudden cut, yet Elmira was ready as she leapt backwards. He pursued.
‘It’s me Cid, its Elmira!’ she cried, her feet shuffling backwards.
Cid missed another stab, tearing at her shirt, splitting her skin, but nothing more than that, his accuracy dampened by the battle inside.
Elmira found herself backed to the chamber wall, her hands touching cold rock. Cid came up and raised his spear to her throat, her tears dripping onto the blade. All it took was for him to straighten his arm and slide the edge cleanly through her neck.
Elmira could find nothing in his eyes. ‘I love you Cid…’ she pleaded.
On the ground Olexion could not get there soon enough and he hesitated to approach, unwilling to risk testing Cid’s response. He was just too far away…
The story sickened his stomach. The soldier who warred to deserve his woman… and ends up killing her. She saved my life and now she will pay with hers.
It never came. It never happened. Instead Elmira watched as Cid’s eyes gradually locked into hers, not just looking at her vaguely, but rather searching her face, almost at the point of recognition.
For the third time Cid remained as still as a statue, as though a great internal struggle had left the command of his body to no one.
Moments passe
d by painfully, Elmira noticing Cid’s breathing slowing down, his bearing slightly less threatening and small muscles on his body quivering.
Elmira raised her hand, gently brushing away the spear from her throat. Cid did nothing still. Almost recklessly she curled her arms around Cid’s neck, her face pressed against his bloody chest.
There was no recognition, no tender response, neither was there any violence. Just nothing. She sobbed heartbrokenly, clinging onto the shell of the man she once knew.
Olexion dared not make any sudden move, lest Cid be sent into a death drive again. He studied Cid. Somehow, someway, he had managed to prohibit himself from killing Elmira. He turned to look at Lidayel where he laid face down.
He didn’t kill the Summoner either! Olexion realized. He’s winning!
Yet it was no less Elmira that stayed his hand. Olexion could barely believe the courage of this girl and could not fathom how Cid’s love for her could be so immense to override the Priest’s corruption. Olexion had never seen anything like it before, neither had he expected to.
Alex, Brunick and Vanapha made their way into the chamber, their presence preceded by their footfalls.
They were equally shocked to see Elmira in a one-sided embrace with Cid, as Cid held his spear loosely in his right hand, looking dully at the cavern wall. They assessed the situation.
‘Plan Abraham’s?’ suggested Alex
‘Plan Abraham’s!’ agreed Brunick, as the big man already started sneaking up on an oblivious Cid.
‘What is a plan Abraham’s?’ asked Vanapha, eager to know her role.
Remnant Pages Spearhead Page 33