“I don’t know anybody by that name other than people who live here and others with connections to the temple. This place is secretive,” Drotonic says.
“Hm, very curious. Irba has explained to me you can see magic down to the speck. Have you always seen magic?” he asks.
“Magic? I don’t know. Is that the stuff Irba was using in her drink?” she asks.
“One and the same,” Irba smiles and finishes with the wrappings.
“I wonder if that’s why he’s still chasing after me,” Erryn says.
“Who?” Drotonic asks.
“Vladimir and his goons. I used to live there until, thanks to my sister, we escaped six months ago.” The mention of her sister causes Erryn’s voice to waiver. She has a hard time maintaining her composure.
“Jet, right?” Drotonic asks.
“You know her?” She glows with hope.
“No, you mentioned her in your delirium at Irba’s, about her originally being dead,” Drotonic says.
“Oh. Yeah, I recently learned of the possibility that she is alive. I just have to find her,” Erryn says.
“Alright, I think we can help you there. Though, you should know something first,” Irba touches her hands. Erryn looks from face to face.
“Erryn, you’re not just gifted with magic. You’re born from a bloodline that hails from a history of summoners,” Drotonic says.
“Summoners?” she asks.
“Do you recall your encounter with the soldiers by the bank?” the bishop asks.
“Yeah. They kept pestering me about my name as they always do. However, apparently, I angered him to the point of him sheathing his dagger into me after receiving a punch to my face. His friend was about to cuff me as I lay there in pain, just as a second wind hit me.
“I could generate and manipulate fire in a way I’ve never knew I could before. I think I ended up turning them to dust. Then I saw Drotonic’s shadow walking down the bank as I passed out from exhaustion.”
Drotonic shakes his head and points to the bishop.
“Zaravarn, a fire god, reached out to help you. You were able to funnel that power, redirecting it towards your enemies. With proper training, we could help you understand your power. Therefore, you’d be able to control it while being protected from Vladimir under this temple,” the bishop says.
“Wow, a god? It’d probably be interesting to meet him some day. However, I really must find my sister. She’s all I have,” Erryn persists.
“Sir, why don’t we use our resources to find out if that rumor of her sister is true. In the meantime, she can learn about her powers while under your protection,” Drotonic suggests.
“What do you say, Erryn?” Irba asks.
“As long it helps me find my sister, everything else is a bonus,” Erryn replies.
“Very well. We’ll start simple tomorrow,” the bishop says.
Inbitwit : Jet
5
Upon reaching Inbitwit, Thomas and Richard lead the way as Jet and Ilyana silently walk behind. Jet watches both men occasionally glance at each other, only to exchange shrugs of sadness.
“Are we really not going to talk about this? Since when has there been this ‘Father of the Gods’ person?” Looking at everyone, Jet breaks the silence.
“I don’t know, but if its gods with which we’re dealing, this may be out of our league,” Thomas sighs.
“I personally didn’t think he existed ’til today. Since Ilyana came into my care as an infant, I’d my doubts,” Richard says.
“Although strange, he had a very familiar aura about him. I couldn’t place it,” Ilyana says.
“You too?” Jet asks, as Ilyana nods.
“We can only hope to stay out of the god’s turmoil,” Thomas says. They approach the village filled with simple homes and skirt the perimeter. Shops border the main roads, making it easily accessible for fluid trading with the rest of the land. The biggest building at the junction of all the shops is a tavern. It has a new built-in guild hall to host travelers’ needs.
“I don’t remember that building being quite this big. Last I knew you were just doing simple renovations.” Jet sticks her nose into the foyer, they all laugh.
“Yes, well, one thing led to another according to Richard’s plans. Of course, Thomas couldn’t help but have his two-cents added.” Ilyana crosses her arms with a smirk.
“I’m glad it worked out well, but Jet and I need to start heading to the city,” Thomas says.
“Please, at least come in. Let me offer you a meal before you take off if you must,” Richard offers.
“I’m starving. Can we?” Jet wheedles as he waves his hand in acceptance.
Ilyana grabs Jet’s hand with a squeak and small kick jump. “Come on. I’ve got so much to show you,” she says, pulling Jet in through the front door. Through the double doors to the left is a billboard advertising jobs for travelers and hunters, who seek to accomplish bounties on animals and criminals alike within demand. Beyond that is a large opening to the extension where people converge competing for services.
They’re equipped with different melee and range weapons, armors varying from leather shirts to full metal suits. To the right are the tavern and the original inn, but it’s now expanded in size. The sleeping quarters reside upstairs, hugging the right wall.
“I know you guys said you wanted to expand a bit about four or five months ago. But this is—just wow,” Jet wanders into the tavern. Ilyana walks over to the bar, where she gives a guy a kiss on each cheek.
“Good to see you returned,” Boe says.
“Oh sweetness. No one could keep me away for good, you know that. Now, we have some hungry people.” She waves Jet over.
“So, who’ll we be serving this time?” he asks.
“Well, you’ve got my good friend Jet here along with Pops and Kingsblade,” Ilyana counts each person on her fingers.
“Oh no, not Thomas. We just fixed this place,” Boe wines as they enter the tavern muttering something to one another. Ilyana shakes her head, pointing to the kitchen as the rest of the tavern gets to work. Thomas and Richard banter about their businesses.
“Something wrong?” Jet asks. Thomas looks at her, as his face becomes flushed and uneased.
“It’s nothing for you to worry about,” Richard smiles, breaking away from Thomas as Ilyana’s friend brings over four plates of food.
“Yes, it’s something different than mountain food.” Jet rubs her hands together, ready for the food, which is unlike Osmium’s bland flavors.
Near finishing the plates of potatoes, carrots and venison steaks, they are diverted from the task of eating by a commotion outside that draws their attention.
“I’ll check it out. Be right back.” Ilyana makes her way through the customers.
Ilyana returns and Richard meets her crazed eyes. “Ilyana, what is it?”
“There are bandits and goblins wreaking havoc and attacking everyone all over town!”
“Goblins? Aren’t they usually talented smiths from the depths of the volcano nearby?” Thomas asks.
“Probably at some point, but not now. They’re infected with the Kozrot that we saw at Osmium,” Ilyana responds.
“You don’t think that guy is here?” Jet’s arms become covered in goosebumps as she turns away from her plate.
“Ilyana, go downstairs and fire up the defense system,” Richard says. She nods and makes her way out of the tavern into the guild hall.
“You don’t think we brought them here, do you?” Jet asks.
“How could we? The volcano is from a different direction than Osmium,” Thomas says. Just then, a shake rattles the building. Jet looks to Richard and Thomas for guidance, but they walk off. Jet jumps off the seat, following them. She’s curious as to what to do.
“You. Assemble any hunter who wants to earn seventy-five coins with free lodging and meals for a month by defending Inbitwit.” Richard points to the clerk at the bar inside the guild hall.
&nbs
p; “Yes, sir, as you wish,” the bartender hurries off.
“Now, let’s see if we can do something about this,” Thomas says, placing a handout to enable him to walk through the crowd.
“Let’s have everyone who can’t fight go upstairs until this is dealt with.” Richard walks forward. Jet stands still as everyone runs up around her. As the men open the doors, sunlight glares in. Why she walks out onto the street, Jet doesn’t know; but, she’s compelled to do so. She watches the mayhem as buildings are broken into and goblins jump on people, clawing and biting.
She’d forgotten how hideous goblins were. One fixes her with its postulant eyes, but it sees easier prey and chases a child. “Richard, that child. Stop the goblin, please,” Jet calls out. Richard takes aim with his revolving crossbow, shooting the creature through the head. The bandits are dragging people out and destroying merchandise all the while searching for something. A child falls before them, and a goblin starts gnawing his leg. Richard lets loose another bolt, hitting the goblin in the heart. Thomas reaches under the hood of his trench coat where he pulls out a claymore as a goblin scurries toward him.
“Pa, look out!” Jet points to the goblin. He swings, hitting it like a ball. The blade cleaves it in two, sending its pieces flying. Everything stops. The people, bandits, goblins, and the chaos halts.
“We’re only going to give you one warning. If you wish to keep your lives intact, leave now!” Thomas says in a loud, dark tone which Jet has yet to have heard before. No one moves. Goblins could be heard growling and gurgling in their barbaric language.
“We’re waiting,” Richard says with his hands close to his hips, hovering over his flintlock guns. A sneaky goblin then starts smelling around Jet’s ankle. She turns as it starts screeching and turning bright red, inflating its body.
“Move,” Thomas yells. Jet draws out her blade that she secretly made at Osmium, stabbing through and through from the top of its head and spilling black blood. She pulls it back out as it goes limp. Jet, becoming dazed leans back. Thomas quickly sheathes his blade and catches her. The blood triggers flashes, reminding her of their escape. She’d managed to repress the gruesome events, never acknowledging the lives she took that day to be free.
“Jet, it’s okay. It was either you or it.” He rubs her arms, comforting her. A slow black swirling fog within the center of the group of bandits arises, filling the main street. The bandits remain blocking the road leading to the volcano until a flash opens a spatial rip. Jet backs up. Their attention is directed to a familiar man stepping out of the rip and in front of the bandits.
“You! What do you want here? Inbitwit will have no business with you,” Richard says as a magical outline stretches, covering the civilians and establishments in town, starting from the Tavern Guild.
“Nor do I seek business with you. However, something—or rather someone—will be leaving with me today, to reunite with past relations.” Kosmos extends his hand.
Seeing the outstretched hand in her direction, Jet stands her ground. She’s learned much during her six months of freedom, including not being afraid. Between the initial two-month care with Thomas and the four months in Osmium, the terror of Dragonar became a mere fleeting nightmare. “I’ve no relations with you, nor will I be leaving with you.”
The magic continues and outlines Richard but not Thomas or herself.
“Okay, maybe not by my relation but perhaps more so my employer’s,” Kosmos says.
“Employer? Listen bud; you want to fight with the gods, that’s your business. But she’s coming home with me where she belongs. So, if you want her, you’ll go through me,” Thomas reequips himself.
“You mortals never learn,” Kosmos shakes his head and gestures his hand, allowing the bandits to charge toward them. The hunters from inside of the Guild leap out, standing beside Thomas and Richard ready to fight. Jet grasps her sword again with a reassuring deep breath and steps to the front of the line, ready to fight.
The bandits unsheathe their daggers meeting the hunter’s blades, and the goblins lunge forward. Their jagged teeth and talon claws are ready to rend anyone in their way. Jet swings her blade with conviction, keeping the goblins at bay, but her movement is sluggish and sloppy. Having fallen out of practice, her reactive memory movements would only suffice for so long. The assisting hunters fight with ease and obvious talent, maneuvering their forces pushing the bandits back.
However, Thomas and Richard’s form during the fight was exquisite to watch. They fight alongside one another with grace and executed maneuvers with a flawless effort. Although, an era of Vladimir’s father had been long over. Their muscle memory had never faltered, even after years fighting side by side have passed. They still moved like the legendary right and left hand of the late father of King Vladimir.
“Thomas, take Jet and get to the city. We can handle it from here,” Richard says as the magic protecting the buildings pulses and electrical arcs sends the bandits flying. They were winning.
Thomas nods, and says, “You heard the man, Jet. We’d better get out of here pronto.” Jet and Thomas head to the exit leading towards Cloud City.
“Alright, enough is enough,” Kosmos claps, stiffening everything and everyone. Jet looks around with her eyes as Thomas is stopped frozen in mid-step beside her. The noise of the mayhem ceased and the breezes blowing through the town stopped. Did time just stop? Jet wondered. Jet begins moving and turning around as the air around her begins breaking like glass.
“What just happened?” she asks aloud, looking around to see Kosmos walking straight to her.
“Isn’t it obvious? I’ve stopped the time around you. Now, stop this foolishness.” He again extends his hand. Jet is still confused as to why he’s in such pursuit of her, for she can’t recall knowing a god in her past.
“Listen. I’ve never met no god, never mind knowing someone with such connections,” Jet says.
“Oh child; how silly and blind you are. I come to bring you back home, for your caretaker misses you dearly,” Kosmos says.
“I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but this is my caretaker.” She points to Thomas as Kosmos laughs.
“No, your real caretaker. Vladimir Wyvern,” he says.
After the uttering of his name, Jet’s throat sinks to the pit of her stomach. Her eyes widen as things became clear.
“I’ll slice his throat before he can have me,” Jet declares.
“It’s inevitable. He nearly has your sister as well,” Kosmos smiles, ignoring her previous declaration.
“Erryn? Where?” Jet’s heart thumps hard, filling with worry.
“You’ll know soon enough. Now, come,” he says.
“No,” Jet stands firm.
“I suppose we’ll do this the hard way then. Don’t think you could stop them all, do you?” Kosmos snaps his fingers as bandits unfreeze from the time lock. He orders them to bring Jet along as they walk closer, and she prepares her sword in hand.
Fifteen bandits charge at her. The sight of this forces Jet to revisit her memories, almost as if she is standing within that distant wood. The resemblance of soldiers and Black Razors overlaps the bandits and goblins. “No, this isn’t possible. I’m not his to claim.” Jet shakes her head, resynchronizing with reality and catching the first of the incoming bandit’s dagger by the base of her blade. Kicking him in his stomach, she forces his dagger out of his hands with a follow change up spin kick which knocks him down.
A female bandit leaps at her with a similar kick. Jet uses her quick thinking to hold her blade in a horizontal guard to block, just as the hard leather boot was in line with her head. The impact shoves her back five feet as her feet dig into the ground. She shifts her stiffened stance with four more swarming past the female bandit toward Jet. More follow. Jet knew running would give them a chase, but she refuses to leave Thomas behind. Not after the care she received, as a father would give to his daughter regardless of blood.
She charges into the fray, with victory being the only
clear option. Her senses are acute as she slices upward on a bandit’s torso. As he blocks it, Jet spins around to cut into the back of another bandit’s neck. As his head flies from his shoulders, Jet strikes back at the first bandit. The bandit manages to block again, but it cause him to stagger. With his defenses open, she steps in and hooks her elbow to his face. Looking over her left shoulder to the female sprinting to her, Jet stands firm. She deflects her sword in sharp downward sweeps, repeating again right to left.
More now surround her, challenging her ability to keep up with their attacks. The female bides her time, rearing back a punch on Jet’s downward right swing. However, as Jet lifts the blade, a bandit beside her kicks her wrist bone. It forces her to lose grip of the handle from the surging pain. Shaking her hand to dull the pain, Jet moves to retrieve her blade, but the moment’s distraction was all the enemy needed. Sensing the danger too late, Jet turns to the oncoming woman. Before she could mount a proper defense, the woman lands a devastating right hook to her jaw.
The force unhinges her equilibrium down to one knee, causing her vision to be temporarily scrambled. The others jump at the opportunity, weighing her further to the ground to subdue her. Jet is forced to kneel while being restrained by bandits. Her arms extends, as her head involuntarily bows.
“Now, time is against us. Shall we?” Kosmos smiles, turning around to lead the way. Jet’s memories of being experimented and tested against goblins flood her mind’s surface. However, disappointing Thomas by failing to overcome them seems more heart shattering than any torture.
“No. We shall not. Not ever.” Jet yells with a cosmic voice. Kosmos turns as the white encompasses her, radiating and spooking the bandits. Before Kosmos can give orders, the aura’s radiating light shines brighter and vibrates faster. An explosion throws the bandits, denting the ground as she desires to make Thomas proud. Jet looks around as she lays before Thomas witnessing his eyes glossing with tears. She touches his leg as her aura transfers to him making his leg able to move.
A Summoner's Calling Page 6