The Serpent Cult

by F. P. Spirit

  “Infernal and Abysmal Darkness...” Seth repeated, emphasizing each word individually. “Well, if there was ever any doubt then that pretty much clinches it. Maltar has joined the dark side.”

  The halfling wore a wicked smirk across his face. Glo refrained from comment. Seth was right. They could never trust Maltar again. What a waste. Well, there was no hope for it. Maltar was headed down a path there was no returning from. Glo glanced back down at the journal. “There’s still more.”

  “Iunius the 10th, 1047. Blast Gryswold with his inane interruptions! I care not for his concerns of plots and Baronial succession. As if anyone would care if this mud-hole slipped into the sea. I only chose Ravenford as a quiet place to study, because it is inconsequential. I cannot spare time for nonsense.

  I begin to feel watching eyes upon me, and I fear leaving my sanctuary at night. As always, I trust my instincts. It is time to move my research... If I could just master this one spell, I could easily destroy my foes and secure my position on the Council with the Color of my choice. But I must wait for the Cruex Crystal to focus my casting and help shield me from the dark powers that will be released.”

  “That jerk!” Lloyd declared. “How dare he call the Baron inane and Ravenford inconsequential!”

  Aksel placed a hand on Lloyd’s shoulder. “Easy, Lloyd.” Lloyd turned toward the little cleric, outrage still plain on his face. “Don’t get me wrong. Maltar is definitely a jerk, but there’s no use getting mad about that now.”

  Glo also spoke up. “Agreed. It’s rather obvious that he cares little for anyone but himself. His only concern seems to be gaining a seat on the Wizard’s Council.”

  “Any idea what a Cruex Crystal is?” Seth interjected.

  Glo shook his head. He drew a blank on that one. It was the first time he had ever heard the term. Aksel shrugged his shoulders as well. Glo scoured the next entry for more references to the strange crystal. What he read made him go pale.

  “What now?” Aksel’s tone betrayed his growing irritation.

  Glo’s eyes flickered over his three friends, his own anger apparent in his voice. “Maltar is a fool. A dangerous fool.”

  Seth leaned in closer, his expression dark. “What does it say?”

  Glo reluctantly picked up the journal and read from the next entry.

  “Iunius the 11th, 1047. How the temptress got into my chambers I do not know. Were I not so prepared, and inured against her carnal charms, she would have had me. She appeared, of course, in the guise of an angel, with bright feathered wings and pure features. She spoke Celestial, and I pretended to believe her while I readied my Spiritwrack.

  My temporary ruse bore some useful information, and perhaps I was a little hasty with my painful expulsion of her. She was bent (quite alluringly) over my notes and cheerfully pointing out mistakes in some of my translations.”

  The spell is indeed (as I suspected) a derivative of the ancient Tiltowait and comparable to the lost Armageddon spell. In the runes of Kara-Tur it is...”

  Glo paused. “He lists the runes here.”

  “...which translates roughly to “Dragon-Rend-Kill”, but she pointed out that it is certainly the same spell mentioned in the Draconic chronicles of the Great War as Doragun Sureibu.”

  Seth let out a low whistle. “Doragun Sureibu,” he repeated. Lloyd and Aksel eyed him curiously. “Dragon Slayer,” he translated for them.

  Aksel raised an eyebrow, but Lloyd still appeared puzzled.

  Glo explained further. “It is described as a giant fireball with the power to level an entire city.”

  It was Lloyd’s turn to let out a low whistle. “An entire city...” he trailed off, his eyes wide.

  Glo nodded to the young man. “Yes. Maltar is playing with forces well beyond him.”

  Seth’s mouth twisted into a half smirk. “We’re lucky Ravenford is still standing.”

  Lloyd shook his head. “What I still don’t get is why an Angel? I thought Maltar was worried about dark forces finding him?”

  “He didn’t seem to believe it was an Angel,” Seth said.

  Aksel stroked his chin furiously. “If Maltar was messing around with dark magics, it could very well have caught the attention of angelic forces. They might be on the lookout for that sort of thing.”

  “There’s a little more to this entry,” Glo told them. He read the rest of it aloud.

  “I almost felt sorry for her; she looked actually shocked and surprised as the Spiritwrack enclosed on her. Quite a little actress! And powerful, too, she maintained her beautiful golden winged form even under the Spiritwrack. How she managed her escape spell while choking on so much blood, I can’t fathom. Not that I gave it much thought, as I spent the rest of the night finding the holes in my wards. At least she helped me a little with the translation and a lot with my security.”

  Glo looked up when he finished. Lloyd wore a dark expression on his face. “If it was an Angel, then it doesn’t sound like he treated her very well,” he said angrily. “Just what is a Spiritwrack anyway?”

  “It’s a nasty spell,” Glo said, revulsion flowing through him as he described it. “It is used to catch creatures from another plane, typically demons or devils. Once caught, the device is used to torture them for information.” Glo felt sick to his stomach. Maltar had tortured an angel.

  Lloyd, however, was livid. “If we ever see this Maltar again, he is going to have to answer for his actions.”

  Aksel placed a small hand on the young man’s shoulder again. “I couldn’t agree more.”

  Lloyd glanced down at the little cleric then took a deep breath. He turned toward Glo and simply said, “Sorry.”

  Glo smiled back at the young man. “No need to apologize.”

  He gazed back down at the journal finding the next entry. It was the last one, only from two days ago. That was the last time Glo had seen his former ‘Master’.

  “Iunius the 12th, 1047. The ancient runes are difficult to decipher. It is down to ten possible readings, but to pick the wrong one would surely destroy this town and quite likely rend my soul beyond repair. But I may need the power of this spell against that which I fear comes to claim it. I have hidden the original scroll within Alaba and will work from my notes and the transcriptions below.”

  “There are more runes here, followed by a translation in what appears to be an ancient script. I am not familiar with it...” Glo trailed off. He puzzled over the transcription for a good half minute. Finally, he shook his head. “There is one last line here.”

  “I am running out of time. To pick the wrong translation, especially without the Crystal focus would be annihilation.”

  “The journal ends there,” Glo said. He closed the book and placed it down on the bed in front of him.

  The companions sat there in silence for a while. The flickering light of the table lamp continued to cast dancing shadows on the walls.

  It was Aksel who finally broke the eerie silence. “It doesn’t sound like Maltar got to finish his work.”

  Seth snorted. “Probably a good thing, or right now we’d be standing in a hole where Ravenford used to be.

  Aksel ignored the halfling’s comment. “I still find it interesting that he picked up and left in the middle of it. He seemed to feel he was being watched. Perhaps he knew the house was about to be attacked.”

  Lloyd spoke through gritted teeth. “So he just got up and left, leaving all his apprentices behind to fend for themselves. I am really starting to hate this guy.”

  Seth wore a wicked grin. “I wouldn’t worry about him too much. I lay odds he’ll blow himself up before we see him again.”

  “Hopefully, there is no one else around when he does so,” Aksel said. The little cleric placed his hand on his chin once more, his brow furrowed, and a look of deep concentration on his face. He
stood up and paced around the room.

  Everything they had just read swirled around in Glo’s mind. Angels, dark forces, and the Armageddon spell—a spell that could destroy an entire city. This was all far beyond him. It was far beyond anyone he knew, in fact, except for maybe his own father, or perhaps Lloyd’s mother. She was High Wizard of Penwick, after all. What were they going to do about this?

  Aksel cleared his throat—the little cleric had stopped pacing. He now stood in front of the windows facing them all. “I think it best that we sit on this information for now. With everything else that is going on, this is the last thing the Baron needs to hear.”

  Glo breathed a sigh of relief. He did not relish the thought of telling Gryswold this news. He had far too much on his mind right now, and this just might send him over the edge. “Agreed, unless, of course, Maltar returns. Then we have to warn him.”

  Seth snorted. “I doubt he’s coming back. He was too worried that someone was after him. He’s taken his scroll and whatever this Cruex crystal is, and is long gone.”

  Aksel nodded. “You’re probably right. Anyway, there’s nothing else we can do about Maltar tonight. We should go and tell the Baron that we found Gristla and what she told us. Then I want to come back here and rest up. It’s been a long, strange day, and tomorrow looks like it will be just as interesting.”

  Lloyd’s expression was incredulous. “Really? More interesting than the three sisters, a demon, a goblin army, an assassin, a dragon, four more assassins, and that whirling dervish?”

  Seth chuckled at Lloyd’s synopsis of the last couple of days. “That will be hard to top.”

  Glo found himself smiling despite himself. He peered over at Aksel, who also seemed somewhat amused. Still smiling, Glo forced himself off the comfortable bed. Just one more task and then he could rest. “Very well, let’s go see the Baron.”

  Plans for Breakfast

  I made sure he worked hard these last few days

  Elladan Narmolanya was a bit late getting down to the common room the next morning. He had been up early enough, a lot of things playing on his mind. Martan had found him at the performer’s camp yesterday. The archer filled him in on all that had happened at both Cape Marlin and here in town. Elladan felt overwhelmed. A dragon, a demon, a goblin army, and assassins. The strange and unpredictable three sisters. The missing bodies of two dead mages. It was a lot to take in at once. He had to admit he was not surprised about Maltar. He hadn’t trusted the mage from the moment Glo first mentioned him.

  His last two days had been busy, but nothing quite so dangerous. Shalla had been a pleasure to work with. She was vivacious, feisty, and just a bit naughty—all things he liked in a woman. Judging by their practice sessions, their act was going to be spectacular. Elladan had also fulfilled his duties arranging the show schedule and investigating the entertainers as he had promised. To date, he had not found out anything that pointed to plots against Ravenford. Many of the performers had unsavory pasts, but nothing that even hinted at assassination or even kidnapping.

  Elladan awoke rather tense this morning. Shalla distracted him from his troubles, and they quickly lost track of time. Now both bards hurried down the steps to the first floor of the inn. They rushed down the back hallway and burst out into the common room. There the two of them stopped short. The large room bustled with people. Many were performers, already dressed in flamboyant costumes. Others appeared to be just regular townsfolk. A few folk scattered here and there were garbed in finer attire. Those were most definitely nobles. Elladan peered through the busy crowd and caught sight of the companions. They sat at their regular booth near the fireplace. He and Shalla wove their way through the busy throng, greeting the other entertainers as they went. Finally, the duo reached their companions’ booth. Elladan noted that breakfast had already been served—everyone’s plate was full. Lloyd in particular dug into a large pile of hotcakes. The young man looked up from his towering breakfast.

  “Elladan!” Lloyd cried with delight.

  Seth eyed the young man with clear amusement. “Nice of you to finally join us. If you had waited any longer, Lloyd would have finished every last pancake in the house.”

  Lloyd swallowed another large forkful. “What can I say? I’m still growing.”

  A broad grin crossed Elladan’s face. “That’s alright, Lloyd. I, for one, prefer you well fed and ready for battle.”

  “Just don’t eat too much,” Seth countered, “or we’ll have to roll you out onto the battlefield.”

  “You know, if you want to quit your day job, I hear they’re looking for a stand-up comic for tonight’s performance,” Elladan shot back. “Oh, wait. No one would be able to tell if you were standing or sitting.”

  Seth gave the bard a withering look.

  “Elladan!” Shalla smacked him on the arm.

  Seth folded his arms across his chest. “Really? We’re resorting to short jokes?”

  “Okay, everyone,” Aksel interrupted, “we’ve got a long day ahead of us. Let’s all at least act like we get along?”

  Elladan smiled jovially. “Of course we all get along! Isn’t that right, Seth?”

  Seth shrugged his shoulders. “Whatever.”

  “Good then,” Aksel said. He bade everyone to make room for the two bards.

  The companions shifted over, and Elladan and Shalla slid in on either side. Elladan sat next to Lloyd and Martan. Shalla sat next to Glo, Seth, and Aksel.

  “Well then, it sounds like you guys were quite busy these last couple of days,” Elladan said.

  “We could say the same about you,” Glo responded.

  Elladan gazed curiously at Glo. The blond elf sounded serious, but Elladan caught the thin smile on his lips and the way his eyes danced with amusement. Elladan’s mouth twisted into a half smile.

  Without missing a beat, Shalla said, “Oh, trust me, I made sure he worked hard these last few days.”

  Elladan glanced at her and noted the twinkle in her eye. Lloyd and Martan stopped eating. Aksel and Glo stared curiously at the bardess. Seth wore a thin smirk. Elladan arched an eyebrow. Shalla stared around the table, seeming quite satisfied with the response she elicited. When her gaze fell on Elladan, she winked and blew him a kiss. Kailay chose that moment to appear at their table. She carried a huge tray piled high with more hotcakes. She leaned forward and set the tray down in front of them. “Did you all lose your appetites this morning?”

  Elladan flashed her a smile. “I don’t think so. They’re all just distracted at the moment.”

  Kailay stood back up and appraised the table. “I see.” Her eyes flickered around with clear amusement. “Can I get anyone anything else?”

  “Some juice for us, please,” Elladan responded, pointing to himself and Shalla.

  Kailay smiled sweetly. “Sure thing.” Her eyes drifted toward Glo. “Glo? Anything you need? Anything at all?”

  Elladan’s gaze shifted from the barmaid to his fellow elf. Glo turned all shades of red as he stammered his response. “No... no thank you, Kailay.”

  A genuine smile crossed Kailay’s lips. “Well, if you do, you know where to find me.” She sauntered away, disappearing into the throng of guests.

  Elladan watched her go then turned back toward his uncomfortable friend. “It looks like I missed more than I was told.”

  Glo was still a bit red faced. “She was just being... friendly.”

  “Ah ha,” Elladan responded, although he knew better. “So when did all this come about?”

  Glo appeared even more uncomfortable than before. Aksel spoke up for the silent elf. “Her sister was poisoned and nearly died. Glo saved her with Angel Tears.”

  Elladan let out a low whistle. “Angel Tears? Those are worth a small fortune.” Glo, still red-faced, refused to comment. A half-smile crossed Elladan’s face. “Well that ex
plains her sudden interest in you, my friend.”

  Shalla swiveled toward Glo, slid her arm through his, and grasped onto him affectionately. “I think what you did was sweet,” she said, smiling warmly at the blond elf.

  “Thank you, Shalla,” Glo finally spoke. He still seemed somewhat subdued.

  Elladan sat back and regarded Glo. He was extremely bright, perhaps one of the smartest elves he had ever met. Yet he was also incredibly naïve, especially when it came to women. Elladan would need to have a talk with him about that at some point, but this was neither the time nor the place. “Not the change the subject, but I was wondering if you could do some special effects for our show tonight.”

  Glo’s expression brightened at the change of topic. “What did you have in mind?”

  “Oh, nothing too fancy.” Elladan waved his hand around in the air for effect. “Perhaps some fog, maybe a few dancing lights, or even some pyrotechnics?”

  “Oh, that’s a lovely idea!” Shalla declared. “Could you, Glo?” She was still holding onto his arm and flashed him one of her devastating smiles. Poor Glo didn’t stand a chance. When Shalla wanted her way, he dared any man, or elf, to say no to her.

  A wide smile spread across Glo’s lips. “I think that can be arranged.”

  “Thanks, Glo,” Elladan said. Those extra touches would make tonight’s performance spectacular.

  “Ahem.” Aksel drew everyone’s attention to him. “Now that that is out of the way, we need to discuss the non-scheduled portion of tonight’s events.” His eyes briefly swept around the room. The place was still packed. “But perhaps this is not the best place to do so. Let’s finish breakfast and reconvene upstairs.”