"I truly hope you're not naive enough to believe you can stop them," Eris chuckled.
"I will do what I must, Madame Cain," he replied.
"Your funeral," the mariner responded with a hint of pity.
"You are much too arrogant for you own good, Captain," the man said drawing a cutlass with a flourish. He didn't have a chance to make a move. While the man was focused on Eris, Kai grabbed him by the wrist, twisted with such ferocity that the bones were heard snapping underneath the flesh. He dropped his sword and was turned loose, then dropped to his knees only to be kicked in the head with such force that his neck broke and his lifeless body was sent splashing into the water between the pier and the ship. Eris arched a brow.
"Oh honey, you didn't even give him a chance," she complained playfully.
"Forgive me, Eris. But I'm not in the mood for sport," Kai replied, though there was a hint of a smirk at the corner of her lips.
"I noticed. I don't suppose there's any point in unloading the cargo now," Eris sighed softly.
"There won't be anyone left to give it to when we're done," the mercenary replied.
"I suppose you're right. Oh well. I've already been paid for it, so I don't care. I'll just sell it elsewhere and get paid for it twice," the half elf grinned.
"Smart," Rykar commented.
"Sharp as a razor, my dear lord," Eris winked.
"I knew I liked you for a reason," Kaidia chuckled.
"Only like?" the captain pouted.
"Time will tell. You have ages to live, be patient," Kai said before starting off down the pier, heading for dry land. Eris headed back to her ship. Nadia turned to Rykar to gesture for him to go ahead of her but she paused. The man was smiling, staring at the grey sky, and she noticed that he had claw marks on his neck.
"Hey Rykar?"
"Yeah?"
"Why do you look so damn happy?"
"Oh, nothing."
"What about the claw marks?"
"Hm? Ah, well... cats like to scratch."
"Did you piss off Ro-Noga?"
"No. I made her very...very happy."
"Ugh. One night on the damn ship."
"Hey, I'm charming."
"That's not the word I'd use."
"Well be careful what you choose because it will describe your sister as well."
"What do you mean?"
"You don't think she just slept in Eris' quarters, do you?"
"Both of you can kiss my ass."
"Well that's a kind offer."
"Forget I said it!" Nadia huffed and stomped off down the pier. Rykar followed.
"You know, the knowledge that kyrians like to scratch could be very useful to you," the lord said with a smirk.
"What do you mean?"
"You have a pretty little cat-girl waiting at home for you, no?"
"I... well... yes, I suppose."
"Thought so."
"Shut up!" Nadia growled, her cheeks flushed a bright red. Rykar chuckled, but said nothing more. The two caught up with Kaidia as the woman started through the gates of the city.
* * *
Kaidia had, for the first time on this trip, donned her helm as they walked into the city. It took away the human aspect of her appearance and made the woman appear sinister. Nadia shivered at the sight and she knew Kai was on her side. The younger Valengaard couldn't imagine what it would feel like having to face her sister in combat. The woman was intimidating enough without the armor or even a sword, let alone with them.
The companions made their way into the marketplace and looked around, wary. Normally, at this hour, the marketplace in any city would be bustling with people and traders. It would be hard to walk through without bumping into people. But the trio were the only three people in sight. The marketplace was empty and as quiet as a tomb. Rykar made his way to the nearest stand and eyed the food on display.
"The bread here is moldy," he stated.
"The fruit on this stand is rotten," Nadia informed, at another stand.
"This place has been abandoned for days... if not longer," Kaidia surmised, her voice oddly distorted by the helm.
Instinctively, all three of them drew their swords as then walked on. After the markets, they stepped into what appeared to be a residential neighborhood, though a few small stores and a blacksmith shop could be seen taking up space between homes. The trio, working without communication, split up and headed for separate buildings.
Kaidia pushed open the door of a store and stepped inside. It had apparently been a general store of sorts. All manner of trinkets and goods were on shelves and in cupboards along the walls. The mercenary looked around and crept further into the store, searching.
Rykar made his way into the blacksmith shop, finding that it was empty as well. Swords halfway made, raw materials, and leather lay about the place, but the forge was cold. Nothing seemed to be put away.
Nadia chose a home to investigate. Once inside, she found the home devoid of people. No fire burned in the hearth, a child's toys lay abandoned in a corner, and a thick layer of dust covered everything. After a quick search of the place turned up nothing, the young woman headed back outside.
The trio gathered together after a quick look around them.
"Abandoned. Like everyone just up and left," Rykar reported.
"The general store was the same," Kaidia concurred.
"As was the house I went into. Everything was left lying and is covered in dust," Nadia said grimly.
"It has been awhile since anyone has been here," Kai concluded.
"A few weeks, I'd say," Rykar added, glancing around.
"I really don't know what to make of it," Nadia admitted, her voice low, as if speaking too loudly would disturb the oppressive quiet all around them.
"Me either. Let's keep moving," Kaidia muttered before starting off again. The three of them moved stealthily, quietly. Even in their armor, they hardly made a sound as they crept through the empty city. As the trio got closer to the center of the city, they saw a patrol from afar and ducked out of sight behind the nearest empty building.
"I recognize that grey armor," Nadia muttered.
"Indeed. Adathir's idiots," Kai grumbled.
"Well, General Valengaard, shall we attack?" Rykar asked with a smirk.
"Not yet," Kai said as she glanced around the corner of the building.
"What then?" Nadia inquired somewhat impatiently.
"There are three men in that patrol and three of us. Kill two, capture the third, and see what we can find out about this place. Like where the temple is, exactly, and what we might be facing when we get there," Kaidia explained.
"Sounds good to me," Rykar said with a nod.
After a quick exchange of looks to make sure everyone was ready, Kaidia lead her two companions out from behind the building, creeping up behind the three men in grey armor. This grey armor was a bit different from the troops they'd encountered thus far. It appeared to weigh less and didn't cover nearly as much. It only covered the torso. Kai assumed they must be low-level troops and felt a faint surge of pride due to the fact that nothing but paladins had been sent to arrest her. Talk about ranking high on someone's list.
As the trio sneaked closer, Kaidia signaled for Nadia to take the man on the left and Rykar to take the one to the right. With swords still drawn, they each closed the last few feet to their prey. Nadia clamped her hand over her target's mouth and used her short sword to slit his throat. Rykar simply wrapped his hand around his target's jaw, jerked the man's head to the side, and snapped the poor bastard's neck. Kaidia's gloved hand closed over the final man's mouth and she slammed the pommel of her sword into the side of his head.
Each companion gently lowered their targets to the ground. After a quick check of the two dead men, lifting coin purses, Rykar and Nadia helped haul the unconscious man into the nearest house. Like all the other homes they had passed, it was empty. After a quick search yielded a few lengths of rope, they tied the man to a chair, gagged him with
a dusty cloth, and then prodded him awake.
The man blinked as he rejoined the land of the cognitively aware. He seemed a bit bleary for a moment before he focused on the three figures standing before him, watching him. He didn't say anything, not that he readily could with the gag in his mouth. He didn't register anything but annoyance until Kaidia removed her helm. That is when his eyes went wide with fear. He even flinched as Kai reached down to tug the gag out.
"Scream and you will die in the most horrid of ways," she warned.
"D... dragon god..." was all the man managed to stutter, though he did it in a whisper, apparently having taken Kai's warning to heart.
"Yes, that's me," the mercenary confirmed with a humorless smile.
"I won't tell you anything!" the captive hissed.
"We'll see. You don't look like a spring chicken. I'm guessing you were around for the war that Adathir waged on the entire continent," Kai speculated.
"I was. I fought for the Lord God Adathir," the man stated proudly.
"Right. So you remember the legend of the interrogator that worked for me," Kai stated.
"Yes. I remember. He was said to have some of the most creative methods of torture and coercion. It was rumored you could hear the screams for miles. They called him something... something to do with scorpions," the restrained man recalled aloud.
"Exactly. Well, how would you like to meet the man for real?" Kaidia asked, as if offering the man a rare opportunity at something amazing.
"No! Hell no! I don't want to meet him!" the man replied, shaking his head vigorously.
"Well now, I think I'm offended," Rykar said, stepping forward. The scorpions on his spaulders were visible in the light streaming in from a nearby window. The captive's eyes went wide and his jaw went slack.
"No... you can't be him," the man managed to stammer.
"Oh, that's much better. And, yes, I can be him. I am him. An honor to make your acquaintance," Rykar said with a sadistic grin that made Nadia shudder.
"On second thought, this place is too quiet, Rykar. I want some noise," Kaidia stated in a monotone.
"Of course, General. How loud?" Rykar responded.
"Make him scream," Kai commanded as she turned and headed for the door.
"It would be my pleasure," the lord acknowledged with a predatory grin.
"Nadia. Come," Kaidia ordered with a gesture. Nadia obeyed and the sisters stepped outside, closing the door behind them.. Both women leaned against the wall on either side of the door.
"What is he going to do?" Nadia asked.
"Question that soldier," Kaidia answered.
"Your definition of questioning a soldier is probably rather broad," Nadia muttered.
A blood chilling scream rang out from inside the house.
"Yep," Kai answered, eyes staring up to the grey sky, a light smirk on her lips. Nadia shivered and looked to the door, just in time for it to slide open. Rykar stuck his head out.
"Either of you want to see what a kneecap looks like?" he asked with a smirk.
"Wh... what?" Nadia asked.
"A kneecap. After it's been pulled off," Rykar clarified. Nadia grimaced.
"Not this time, Rykar. What did he say?" Kai inquired.
"Beyond the scream, he said the temple is near the center of the city. Just keep going toward the center. He said it's impossible to miss," the lord reported.
"Your skill at interrogation never ceases to amaze me," Kaidia said with a smile.
"Why thank you, kind lady," Rykar chuckled, then ducked back inside and closed the door.
"Now what is he doing?" Nadia asked.
"Finishing," Kaidia replied.
Nadia arched a brow at that and opened her mouth to say something, but was interrupted by Rykar coming back outside and closing the door to the house.
"Well, if anyone ever comes back to this place that will make for a grisly discovery," he commented, eyes on Kaidia.
"I do hope it was quick and relatively painless," Kai said, eyeing her former officer.
"Of course. I'm not a monster," Rykar replied. Nadia wasn't so sure that he wasn't, but a monster that was on your side was better than a monster without allegiance.
Kaidia pulled her helm back on and unsheathed her sword, then gestured for Rykar and Nadia to follow as she walked out from behind the house and headed for the center of the city.
* * *
The center of the city was a massive, circular courtyard, laid with colored flagstones that were cut, making out a rather large symbol that was the size of the courtyard. From their position behind a house on the edge of the courtyard, the companions couldn't make out what that symbol was. Kaidia assumed it was a rune or something of that nature. She was more concerned with the temple across the way. It was an imposing structure, built of massive stone blocks, and other, more intricate and delicate stonework. It was the only building that appeared to be inhabited. Not only did it have people coming and going but it was guarded.
Armed and armored soldiers stood outside the main double doors of the temple, along the steps leading up to it, and many soldiers were milling around in the courtyard in front of it. There were also robed men and women. Priests and priestesses from the looks of the medallions hanging around their necks and the lack of visible weapons.
"This is going to be messy," Rykar commented.
"Without a doubt," Kaidia muttered.
"No getting around it, I suppose," Nadia remarked.
"Getting around it would be no fun," Rykar chuckled, giving Nadia a smirk.
"You are absolutely nuts," Nadia accused, but with a faint smile. She feared that she had grown fond of the man's selective insanity.
"Guilty," the lord replied.
"I think it's safe to say that all three of us are. We're all three here, after all," Kaidia commented.
"Fair enough," Nadia admitted.
"Are we ready?" Kai asked, looking between her sister and Rykar.
"Of course," Rykar answered.
"As ready as I can be," Nadia responded.
"Then let the fun begin," Kaidia said. Nadia could hear the grin in her sister's voice.
The dragon god, clad in her black armor, stepped around the edge of the house, her left hand raised. A bolt of fire erupted from her palm and shot straight into a group of soldiers gathered nearby, exploding in a blinding flash and killing every soldier in the blast range. Bent pieces of metal armor rained down, along with blood, and pieces of the flagstones upon which the soldiers had been standing.
Rykar and Nadia followed Kaidia out from behind the house. Before the soldiers and clergy could figure out what, exactly, was going on, the companions had advanced on their next targets. Rykar's sinthite blade cut through two armored men and a priestess, dropping the bodies to the flagstones and splattering blood. Nadia was quick to lunge at two startled paladins, quickly felling them both with axe and sword. Kai managed to cut down three more of Adathir's soldiers before the rest retreated to the temple and started forming ranks.
"She's here! Priests, priestesses, in the temple! Quickly! Paladins and soldiers hold them at bay!" a man with armored robes shouted from the top of the temple stairs. The companions stood side by side, eyeing the soldiers that were forming ranks to defend the temple. A number of paladins ran out of the temple to join their fellows. The opposing troops were armed with swords, shields, spears, axes, halberds, and daggers. They were obviously ready for any sort of fight.
"How many do you think there are?" Nadia asked.
"Enough to make this interesting," Kai answered.
"For a few minutes, anyway," Rykar commented, smirking.
"Once we're through them, head straight for the temple. I don't want it standing by nightfall," Kai instructed.
"Fine by me," Nadia comfirmed.
With that, the trio charged toward the soldiers that stood between them and the temple. The faithful of Adathir responded in kind, breaking into a run and meeting the companions in the center of the circul
ar courtyard. Several of Adathir's troops fell within seconds, but Kai soon found herself back to back with her sister and Rykar as the soldiers flowed around them like water, surrounding them on all sides. The companions didn't relent. Much to the dismay of Adathir's soldiers, the trio seemed to become even fiercer.
Fireballs and lightning bolts lashed out of Kaidia's hand as her sword slashed at anyone getting within range. The fireballs slammed soldiers to the ground, and burned them alive inside their armor. The bolts of lightning did much the same, the armor of the troops doing little to protect them. Nadia, having no free hands, simply worked her magic through her weapons, the blades of which were so cold that they burned as they sliced through flesh and bone.
Rykar fended off paladins and foot soldiers alike with just his sword. It soon became apparent that just his blade wasn't going to do the trick and the man threw up his left hand. The lightning bolt that exploded out of his palm was blindingly bright, even to Kai, who was facing the opposite direction. The resounding thunder of it deafened everyone in the courtyard, ripped flagstones up from the ground, and essentially vaporized any of Adathir's soldiers that happened to be in the way or anywhere nearby. The heat of it had melted what flagstones it hadn't torn from the ground with sheer force and had turned what armor it hadn't utterly obliterated into melted slag. The nearest few houses in the way of the bolt exploded in a rain of fiery debris. All of the fighting momentarily ceased.
"Gods be damned, Rykar! A little warning next time!" Kaidia shouted.
"I think you just blasphemed against yourself," Rykar chuckled.
"What in the nine hells was that?!" Nadia yelled.
"A lightning bolt," Rykar answered simply, with a hint of pride.
"What?! Really?!" the younger Valengaard asked, incredulous.
"Really. I'd say it was quite nifty," the lord said, smiling. Nadia and Kaidia were regaining their vision and turned to see the destruction that Rykar's magic had wrought.
"Holy shit!" Nadia cried, startled but impressed.
"Whoa. That's worse than the last time... Never stopped working on it, I assume," Kaidia said, eyes looking to Rykar.
"Never stopped. Though I'm told that I have just about done all I can do with it," the lord replied, seemingly disappointed.
Realms of Valen - Dragon in the Dark (War of the Gods Book 1) Page 12