by P. G. Thomas
*******
Jedimac breathed a sigh of relief when he reviewed the note. Even though several squads had liberated the incarcerated thief from the prison, like most that Darkpaye hosted, he had weathered his stay similar to a ship in an angry storm, which was unable to find a safe harbor, and he hoped the Earth Daughter that they now sought would be able to undo the damage.
*******
Lauren screamed when the dagger cut into her.
Chapter 24
Lauren screamed even louder when Zymse ripped off the piece of skin.
The sound caused Eric to slam his head into the wooden board, and hanging against the wall, John did the same while Ryan dragged himself to the cell door.
After Zymse had examined the tattoo of gemstones, he looked at Lauren. “My son never mentioned this, and it seems to lack significance, except for one fact. Over the last two days, I have seen the others constantly look at it. Yes, their gaze was on you, but somehow focused on this strange decoration. It is neither ink nor brand, as I would recognize both, and in my son’s journal, he never mentioned any marks on you. Your denial of children, threats of Mother, a less than a spectacular assault on my property, and the constant looks to your shoulder. Although I am uncertain of what it is, we will continue to peel away at these mysteries, and if need be, your bodies until we discover the truth.” Clapping his hands, a young branded slave girl entered the room, who he gave the patch of skin, “Burn this.” As the slave girl left, the large bald male mute entered the room, dragging the naked female elf healer behind him.
“Heal her shoulder,” and then he pointed to a second slave standing in the doorway, “Continue your brand on the small one.” Walking over to the brazier, he held a piece of wood over it until it caught fire, and taking it to Eric, he started to burn off his chest hairs. “We need to clean this canvas.” When his chest was bare, Zymse pulled out a delicate red-hot brand. “I think you should bear the image of my stepson, so you will never forget what you have done,” and he began to brand Eric’s massive chest. As he struggled, Zymse looked up at him. “Should you wish to talk, just slam your head on the table, but there are only three names I want to hear from you.”
Late that night, Zymse approached the mute, “I think something is encouraging their silence, and I refuse to let this opportunity slip through my fingers. Wake them every hour, giving them the pain medication, so tomorrow they will appreciate my efforts!”
*******
Looking at the note, Jedimac’s jaw dropped, as the legends had begun their assault on Zymse’s fortress two days ago, but most of his Black Watch were still in transit. As such, the night runners were having difficulty both finding those on the move and reaching out to those still in place. He walked across the hall, throwing the door open to wake the night runners, “On your feet now, and tell all they have two days to be at their stations.”
One runner quickly pulled his black mask over his head, “Unknown, we are having trouble finding them.”
“It will not compare to what happens if you do not!”
Sitting back at his desk, he wondered how they had managed to elude his top thieves who had been shadowing them.
*******
At the end of the fifth day, Zymse walked up to Lauren, grabbing her by the hair, “WHY DO REFUSE TO TALK?”
Her response was weak, nothing more than a whisper, “Mother’s coming.”
Zymse slammed her head back into the table, “WHAT GAME ARE YOU PLAYING? The last time you cursed like this, you killed over three hundred Calicon slaves my stepson had at his camp, but here none die? I checked his journal, and your curses here are more intense than the last time. You cursed at me for two hours in pain today, yet all of the slaves outside still stand. Has Mother weakened so much, her gift has left the lands, OR DO YOU TOY WITH ME?” Shoving a gag into her mouth, he bent down to her ear, whispered, “Samantha. Hope. Brook. Tomorrow—the fun starts!”
Biting into the gag, pushing her tears back, when a wave of pain overtook Lauren, all went black.
*******
Nightmares woke John, as even though he did not feel any pain, the terror-filled screams of his friends had invaded his dreams, and he wished that he had tasked the magic to nullify them. Hanging on the wall for five days was fatiguing his body, making it harder for him to concentrate, and every attempt to task the magic to find the triplets had failed.
*******
The next morning Zymse walked into the room with both large mutes and four black-clad guards. “String her up,” he then pointed to Ryan, “and him.” Walking up to John, he pulled off the hood and gag, slapping him awake.
As John’s eyes focused, he looked down at the large brand on his white, hairless chest, mimicking the shock, as if a wave of pain had overtaken him and screamed.
Zymse looked at the red blistering design, “She shows some promise.”
Then John saw Eric gagged, tied to a board at the far end of the room, his arms covered in dried cracked blood, his hands absent of fingers, and on his chest, an elaborate portrait brand. Then he watched the guards free Lauren from the table, hoisting her with a pulley so that she hung from the ceiling. Her feet misshapen, brands on her bare thighs, and with so many more injuries, he was unsure of how she still lived. Ryan was hanging beside her, and twisting on the ropes that suspended him, John saw his backside ravaged from the countless marks left from the metal-tipped whips.
Zymse stood between the two, “So, Rage Heart, or Ryan, the husband of Lauren, or Earth Mother like she is called here. Today, we are going to learn what is actually happening. According to the dwarves, your name came from two parts: your rage and her heart. Thus, I was wondering if you wanted to see it.” As Zymse forced a dagger into Lauren, she screamed, and he dragged it from the bottom of her throat to her navel, causing blood to run down her branded legs, falling onto her misshapen feet. Closing his eyes, Ryan turned away, cursing at Zymse the entire time, but he ignored both. “So today, I thought I would show it to you.” When a knock on the door interrupted Zymse, in anger, he shouted out. “GO AWAY!”
“Master, we have captured one who said he has come to rescue the Earth Mother.”
“Maybe now I will get some answers. Enter.”
After the door had opened, two black-clad guards pushed in a battered and bloody elf.
“Earth Mother, I came to rescue you.”
*******
Panry’s ears swiveled in response to the whistle, and he ran to the hall where he saw Jasmine backing down the stairs. Standing on the top landing, Lauren.
Her anger exploded into the house, “What the hell is happening, Panry!”
“Calm down, Lauren!”
“Lauren? First, the damn dwarves, and now Earth Guards call me Lauren. What the hell’s happening? Where’s everybody?”
*******
When they had traveled to the first forest, seeking help with Steve’s abnormal plan to rescue the triplets, Ryan, having thought of an alternative, was unsure of how to tell Lauren about it. However, the reaction from the demigods was even less receptive than the rest had been, and suddenly he was alone with both.
“Of your plan, your wife you should tell!” pleaded Tranquil.
“This path,” began Fury, “I fear the outcome will—”
Surprise still evident on Ryan’s face, “Where’s everybody?”
“Present they still are,” Fury began, “The meeting we have altered so in private we can discuss the option you hide from Earth Mother.”
Tranquil nodded, “In agreement we both are.”
“She’ll never go for it, and there is no way you can change her mind.”
“Of this we know,” replied Fury, “Yet it is not her mind we seek to change.”
“It is yours,” replied Tranquil, finishing her brother’s thought. “Should Zymse Darpac corrupt Earth Mother, great peril she could unleash upon the lands, yet should you do the same, no effect on Mother would it have.”
“She won’t go for
it,” protested Ryan.
“That choice you can remove,” Fury began. “If you agree, we will be generous in our gifts, so this path of uncertainty you can journey down. If what Steve thinks is correct, that Zymse will bring forth the Earth Mother’s children, then our gifts will help to reunite your family. Should a different destination arrive, then she will…have options.”
“And I thought asking Zack for help was hard. What can you do?”
The female goddess smiled, “A Core Wood staff, healing, and more.”
Then Fury added, “For the Champion, a sword and armor, as his dwarven gifts he cannot take and for Rage Heart, similar.”
“To keep Earth Mother safe,” Tranquil added, “sleep. When ready to act you are, you will place our gift to you on her, and she will be like Mother. Then her shape you will take, doing like she would.”
“Then the one who is called Steve, you will alter his being to mirror yours,” added Fury, but he then quickly shook his head, “NO! Unlike the great dwarven plays, this scene you cannot rewrite, as should you stray from our path, your way back, find it you will not! The Core Wood staff only in your hands will respond, and should Earth Mother hold it in battle, Mother’s magic will fail to answer her, and then great will your loss be.”
When Ryan nodded, Tranquil gifted him the necessary information for the deception.
*******
Panry still remembered the events from the morning where he had confronted Lauren on the patio, failing to change her mind. The last conversation that morning, before the legends had stepped into the portal, was still vivid in his mind.
Ryan had called out, saying he wanted to discuss the plan, and then he had led the three: Jasmine, Panry, and Steve up the stairs. Knocking on the door, he called out to Lauren, “We need to talk about something.”
There was an irritation in her voice, “We’ve gone over everything, so let’s just get this show on the road!”
As Ryan walked over, he palmed the leaf that Tranquil had given him before reaching out. “My love, I just want to make sure nothing goes wrong.”
Lauren grasped his hands, “It’ll be fine. Within the week, we’ll have Samantha, Hope, and Brooke back. We’ll be a family again and can go home.” Feeling the pressure of Ryan’s hand increase, she felt something pressing against her skin and then collapsed.
Catching her in his arms, without turning around, he announced to the other three. “There has been a change in the plan.” Walking her to the bed, he laid her down.
“What’s going on, Kid?”
Looking at the three surprised faces, Ryan picked up the Core Wood staff. “Tranquil and Fury only promised to help if I kept Lauren safe.” Then his appearance began to change, shrinking in size, his clothes altered. Then a new Lauren walked towards them, “Earth Guards, keep her safe, and let none enter this room.”
Panry and Jasmine both registered the shock of the Earth Bond, as they knew the person who issued it was not the same that slept on the bed, yet both nodded in agreement.
Then the new Lauren walked over to Steve, “There was only one problem with your plan: you weren’t in it.” Before he could move, the new Lauren touched the Core Wood staff to him, “Be Ryan.”
Steve jerked back, giving his head a shake. “Kid, what the hell’s happening?” Then his body began to twitch, lurched and became rigid. Slowly he began to alter; his hair grew back, his clothes changed, and his appearance changed to resemble Ryan.
Panry and Jasmine both tilted their heads. Before them where the one named Steve stood, they now saw Ryan. Then they looked at Lauren, who they both knew was Ryan.
Panry gave his head a shake, “Rage Heart, what happens?”
The new Ryan answered, “Ask Earth Mother.” What the hell’s happening, Kid?
The new Lauren replied, “Tranquil called it a program so that Steve could take my place and I could take Laurens’.”
Jasmine took a step towards the sleeping figure on the bed. “Pro gram? I do not understand?”
“As Steve acts like I would, I’ll be Lauren, and you two will make sure my wife stays safe.” The new Lauren walked over to the sleeping Lauren, completing the last instructions from Tranquil. Placing his hand on his wife’s shoulder, he rubbed the tattoo of the gems, and then with the same hand, rubbed his own shoulder in the same place. Then he exposed the tattoo, “When this senses three Earth Mother babies, it’ll open a portal to whoever holds the second half of the crystal so be ready.” The new Lauren walked over to Jasmine, “When it does, break this berry into her mouth, so she’ll wake. Then all of you had better get there fast.” From under the bed, he pulled out the mithril belt, handing it to Panry, “When you arrive, bring this.”
Jasmine looked at the berry in her hand and then to Panry, who just shrugged his shoulders.
The new Lauren looked at the new Ryan, “Let’s go get our daughters back.”
What the hell’s happening, Kid? “Yes, my love.”
Alone inside the bedroom, Panry and Jasmine looked at the sleeping Earth Mother and then to each other.
Panry shook his head, “He has played the Chaos card and reshuffles all.”
“Do we still need to break the Crimson Seal?”
“Even more than I realize, as only one card remains that can provide salvation. Only it can counter such extreme changes on the board that he has complicated. We need to play the wild card, and its color is crimson.”
Jasmine thought of the card game used to teach new Earth Guards how to strategize, and of the one card removed from most games: the Fool. It was the only card that could change the results of the last one played, taking a lifetime to remember all of the rules. The one card that all desired and despised since it could change an entire game. Racing down the stairs, both watched the legends step through the portal.
*******
“Lauren, how did you wake?” asked a shocked Panry.
She stormed down the stairs, “Call me what you want, but tell me what the hell’s happening!”
As Panry with Jasmine backed into the dining room, all of the Crimson Shields looked at the Earth Mother in shock, and for the first time, the Granite Guardians showed a real emotion: disbelief. The commotion even caused Mirtza and Gayne to come running out of the study.
Lauren held up her hands, “Not another damn question from anybody.”
“Can we not calmly discuss this?” asked Panry.
Gayne signaled one of the house staff to bring Lauren a mug of hot bean juice, and then he headed back into the study with Mirtza close behind him.
“Ryan conspired with Tranquil and Fury to keep you safe,” began Panry, and then he held up his hands in an attempt to keep her calm. “Your husband took your place, and they went to rescue your daughters.”
Her voice erupted in the quiet house, “STEVE!”
“Ryan invited him to join, and he does,” replied Panry, reaching for his flask.
Lauren took a drink of the hot beverage, “Crap on a stick. When I meet those two again—” Then she scanned the room, “Why are you all wearing red?”
Jasmine let out a weak smile, “It is a long story.”
“Not today. How long have I been asleep?”
“Six days you did rest,” replied Panry.
She dropped her mug, “The portal hasn’t opened? We need to go and rescue them, NOW!” All in the room felt the Earth Bond, but none moved.
“No,” replied Panry, “We have a plan and will wait!”
Frustrated, Lauren shook her head, “Where’s Oxron?”
*******
John looked at the elf sprawled out on the floor, “Oxron?”
Zymse looked at his guard, “Where are the rest?”
“We only found one, Master. The properties are secure, and no alarm has been raised.”
“No, seriously, is this a joke?”
The guard backed up, “No, Master. He said he was here to rescue the Earth Mother.”
Zymse held up one finger.
; The guard nodded in agreement.
He shook his head, “Double check everything.” Nodding to the mute first, he then looked at the elf on the floor, “String him up.” He walked back over to Lauren and Ryan, “Seriously, one elf? Now where did we leave off?” Looking at the gaping wound on Lauren’s torso, blood dripping down, he smiled. “Yes, I remember,” and he turned to Ryan, “We were going to show you the heart that makes you rage.” Pulling back the skin, exposing Lauren’s ribs, he called out to the mute, “Bring me the bone cutters.”
“Earth Mother!” shouted Oxron.
John looked at the distraught elf, whose eyes were wide in horror, Oxron, shut up!
“We shall—” and then Oxron’s head slumped to the side, his eyes closed.
Zymse grabbed Lauren by the chin, “Did you know that extreme pain can wake somebody gifted sleep from an Earth Bond.” He nodded to the second silent torturer. “Wake him.” Then the first mute walked up to Lauren, holding the crude rib cutters pointed at her chest.
John started to task the magic to break them free.
“What do you want to know?” asked Ryan. Kid, I’m sorry, I don’t know how to get us out of this!
“Finally,” exclaimed Zymse. Then he paused, “Wait a minute, this is wrong. You are supposed to be her loving husband, and all you have is ‘What do you want to know?’ No tears? No pleading? When I cut open her chest, all you do is curse me? Something is wrong.” He walked to the door. “Bring in the healer to fix her. I have to talk to somebody.”
The scene changed so fast that John stopped tasking the magic.
An hour later Zymse returned, walked up to the mute, nodded towards Ryan, “Tie off his arm at the shoulder and expose all of the bones.”
After climbing up on a box, the silent man tied a cord around the upper right shoulder, and then he pushed a dagger into the skin at the wrist. Ryan screamed in agonizing pain, as the silent man worked the blade down the arm, stopping just below the cord. True to his learned craft, he avoided all of the major veins.