“You are every bit as good as the legends say,” said Templar.
“Not too bad yourself,” said Zarim. “Nice pulse sword by the way. Where’d you get that?”
“Fancy it, do you? It’s custom,” said Templar.
“You’ll have to tell me where to find the guy who made it.”
Templar grinned. “And ruin my unique image? Not a chance, friend.” He raised his pulse blade up. “Round two?”
Zarim nodded, lifting up his own sword. “I’m just gettin’ started.”
A pulse burst kept the pair apart, though. Tanus stepped towards them, holding his cannon at the ready with Ekala by his side. He focused his gaze on Templar, and he didn’t appear the least bit pleased. “I think we’ve had enough for now. I’ve still got some questions that need answering. Such as why the company would employ a known thief.”
Templar grinned again. He deactivated the pulse sword, and one of his hands quickly moved to his belt, activating a small device. “Oh, that. Well, you see here’s the thing, Mr. Dreyer. I’m not really working for your company. I was hired to obtain that stone for a very, very important person. Someone who pays quite handsomely, might I add.”
“And you?” asked Tanus, glancing over to Zarim.
“We were hired, too. But we’re not doing it for money—”
Ekala buried her face in her hands. “Please don’t say it, you’re gonna make me look stupid...”
“—We’re doing it to save the world,” said Zarim.
“...aaaand there it is.”
“Right, and I’m supposed to believe that,” said Tanus. “Here’s what’s happening. You’re gonna give me that stone. I found it in the mines owned by my company, that means they have the rights to it. You boys want to get it, you can work out an agreement with them.”
“Anyone else hear that?” asked Ekala.
Both Zarim and Tanus listened and they could hear it, too. It was the sound of a propeller and the grinding of an engine. Templar just smiled. He lunged for Zarim, activating his pulse sword as he did and driving his blade right through Zarim’s side. The pirate doubled over and the Soulstone rolled from his slackening grip. It came to a stop against Templar’s foot and he kicked it up, catching it in his hand.
“I am afraid I must bid you all a fond farewell, but have heart, we shall meet again, of that I am sure.” Templar bowed gracefully and ran to the edge of the roof, jumping off.
“Wait!” cried Tanus, but shortly after Templar fell out of sight, he appeared again, rising up. He stood on the wing of a small, single-passenger plane with a propeller at the front end. Templar saluted them and jumped into the open cockpit, then flew off into the sky.
Ekala ran to Zarim, checking to see if he was severely wounded. “C’mon baby, stay with me.”
“Let me see him,” said Tanus, approaching the pair. His cannon retreated into his arm on his approach. Ekala took a moment to consider this and then allowed the former soldier to examine her partner. Tanus saw that the wound had been cauterized by the pulse sword. And where the strike was, it seemed like no organs were hit. “Tell me how you feel?”
“Been better,” said Zarim. “Feels like I just did a belly-flop on a campfire.”
“Looks like he wasn’t tryin’ to kill you, just wound you to cover his escape,” said Tanus. “He’s good. But we should still get you to a doctor just to be sure.”
Tanus hefted Zarim in his arms, rising up. Ekala stood before him. “Wait, what’s this we stuff?”
“That stone is my company’s property,” said Tanus. “I need to get it back from Templar. And I have a feeling you plan on doing the same. So we might as well help each other.”
“Why should we trust you?”
“Because either I help you and your boyfriend out of this mess in exchange for tagging along, or I take him to the magistrate instead of the doctor. Your choice.”
“Y’know what they say...” muttered Zarim through gritted teeth. “The more the merrier.”
CHAPTER 8
Once Templar reached Serenity, he knew of a private airfield where he could leave his plane. He rented a hangar there for just such occasions, and rented out numerous other places as well all over the world. It never hurt to have plenty of ground to go to in the event one needed to find a place to hide. Hitting the tarmac, Templar steered the plane down the runway, decreasing the speed on the throttle until skidding to a stop. He climbed out of the plane and pushed it towards his hangar, opening the door and rolling it inside. Templar went back to the cockpit and retrieved both his cane and the satchel containing the Soulstone, then removed his mask, folded it neatly, and placed it inside his jacket.
From the airfield, entrance into the walled-off city of Serenity was extremely difficult. If one didn’t have the proper paperwork, one was denied entry. Fortunately, he did have the necessary documents, ones that would ensure he wouldn’t be given any trouble. Templar opted to make the trek from the airfield to his employer on foot. When dealing in clandestine manners, the less people who could account for his whereabouts from point to point, the better. It meant spending some extra time making the trip, but he was in no rush.
Walking, it took him just over an hour to reach the center of the city and to find himself at the cathedral of the Church of Illumination. He entered through the front doors, but instead of crossing the foyer into the main hall, Templar instead went to the left and down the corridor. He passed a few worshippers along the way and some of the cathedral’s support staff, but paid them no mind. Finally, Templar arrived at an office at the end of the hall, with the nameplate on the door reading “HIGH PRIEST.” He knocked three times and waited, hands resting on the head of his cane.
The door opened, a tall, extremely slender man regarding Templar carefully. “Can I help you?”
“I have business with Lord Vortai,” said Templar. “About a certain...item. For the church, of course.”
Although he couldn’t see a face due to the shadow cast by his hood, Templar could have sworn the tall man smiled at him, and it sent a chill down his spine. The tall man opened the door wide and gestured slightly for Templar to enter.
“Right this way, sir.”
He had a slightly labored manner of speaking, but Templar tried to put it out of his mind. The room was an office, but it seemed to be mainly for show. As if it were never used. There was another door in the corner of the room, however, and the tall man opened it, revealing a spiral staircase descending down. “Come this way, please.”
The two men walked deep into the basement of the Cathedral, and with each step, the dread within Templar increasing as the temperature of the air decreased. When they finally came to the bottom, there was a corridor of several heavy, wooden doors. They stopped at the third one.
“Please wait.” The tall man entered the room himself. “My Lord? He has arrived.”
“Ah, splendid. Thank you, Ono.”
Ono stepped out and bowed as Lord Vortai entered the room. Templar bowed as well, but his was more formal and without the deference to Vortai’s spiritual position as Ono’s had been. Vortai’s tiny eyes scanned the thief from head to toe, then back again.
“So you are the famed Templar, are you not?”
Templar nodded.
“And you have it?”
“It was right where you said it would be, Lord Vortai.” Templar opened the satchel and reached inside. He carefully raised the stone from its container, its glow dim, but still strong. Vortai’s eyes lit up as he saw the stone, and his bony fingers reached out for it. Carefully, he grasped the Soulstone in both hands, taking it from Templar’s grasp and turning his back to the thief. In his grip, the stone’s glow seemed to be almost nonexistent.
“Yes...excellent...”
“Then I gather this is the correct item?” asked Templar.
“Indeed it is, Mr. Templar. Indeed it is.”
“In that case, shall we discuss my fee?”
“Yes, yes, whatever you require.” V
ortai was hardly paying attention to the man who had brought him his prize.
“The price has gone up,” said Templar. “You said nothing of having to fend off the crew of the Excalibur.”
“The Excalibur?” Vortai turned, his eyes narrowed. “Of what do you speak?”
“Zarim, the sky pirate. I trust even a holy man such as yourself has heard the name.”
“He was after the Soulstone as well?”
Templar nodded. “If that’s what you call it, yes. I’m not overly fond of complications, Lord Vortai. The price has now doubled—I’ll require five hundred thousand credits.”
“As you wish.” Vortai turned his attention back to the Soulstone. “Ono, see to him.”
“Right this way, Mr. Templar.” Ono gestured towards the staircase. Templar started to move towards it, but he paused. He thought he could hear something from behind the first door.
“Did you catch that?”
“I’m sorry?”
“That sound...something akin to the sobs of a woman...?”
“Up this way, Mr. Templar. We have business to conclude,” said Ono.
Templar nodded, but now his curiosity had been raised. He went up the stairs and back into Vortai’s office. Once here, Ono went to the desk. Reaching inside the drawer, he removed a small bag and set it on the surface. Templar took it and examined the contents. He gave an incredulous look and dropped the bag back on the desk, the coins inside spilling out.
“Did you not hear me down there?” asked Templar. “The price has gone up. Your master said whatever I require. Five hundred thousand. Do we understand each other?”
“We do not have that amount at the moment,” said Ono. “We are men of faith, rejecting—”
“Rejecting all worldly possessions?” asked Templar, folding his arms. “Is that so? I see quite a bit of extravagance.”
“You will get no more, unless you would prefer a transfer.”
“No. Solid money. Untraceable.”
“Then this is all you shall receive,” said Ono. “Take your payment and go. We thank you for your assistance, Mr. Templar.”
Templar held up his hands. “Enough with the jokes. Now I want you to go back into that bizarre dungeon or whatever it is and see your boss. You make sure you return with either the money or my stone.”
“The Soulstone belongs to Lord Vortai,” said Ono.
“No, it does not. Not until he pays for it. Like we agreed upon,” said Templar.
“Our business is concluded.” Ono went back through the door leading to the staircase. It was followed by the sound of the lock bolting into place. Templar went to the door and tested the handle, but it was stiff as a rock. He sighed and placed the tip of his cane against the handle, then activated the pulse sword. The handle melted away.
“Then I suppose you want to make this difficult.” Templar pushed the door open and descended the staircase, holding his cane at the ready. “I really do not like complications.”
He reached the foot of the stairs, entering the long corridor once more. These catacombs must have been a good deal older than the cathedral they rested beneath, or at least that was how they seemed. The air down here was crisp moldy and stale. As he moved past the first door again, he could hear the same sound as before—a light sobbing. Templar thought to ignore it first, not his problem. But then he heard something else.
“Please...I know you’re there...”
He intended to just continue with his mindset of ignorance. But he found himself standing still and sighed. Templar pressed his head up against the door and whispered through it. “Who are you?”
“My name is Reyche. Please, let me out.”
Templar placed the tip of his cane against the door. He activated the pulse on it and the energy that surged through the baton allowed him to slice easily through the wood, leaving a slight stench of smoke in the air. Inside, he saw the young woman sitting in the corner, curled into a ball. Her body was covered by a heavy cloak and she carefully lowered the hood. Templar raised his pulse sword again, activating the energy once he saw her ivory fangs and pale yellow, catlike eyes. But the young redhead held up her hands in defense, and despite her appearance, her face contained terror.
“Please, no! I’ve done nothing!”
“A blood-sucker, perhaps you’ve been placed here for a reason.”
“There is a reason,” said Reyche. “The real vampire is Lord Vortai. I saw him using some sort of arcane magic on a child.”
“What sort of magic?” asked Templar.
“I’ve no idea, all I know is the boy was in a trance of some kind and his body was convulsing. And Vortai, he seemed to grow stronger, more vital as the procedure went on,” she said. “I freed the boy, but then Vortai trapped me, said my life force was worthless to him, but that I may have other uses.”
“And what other uses might those be?” asked Templar. “Don’t tell me the old coot fancies some vampire action.”
“I don’t know what he intends for me, he just left me locked up in here without any further explanation. Please sir, you must help me.”
Templar considered leaving her behind. After all, who was to say this wasn’t some sort of trick? There were stories from the port towns of vampires using devilish charms on unsuspecting victims. But now that he’d broken the door open, it wouldn’t do much to let her remain behind him. He could kill her of course, but that never sat well with him. Besides, a vampire’s strength might prove useful.
“Okay, come along,” he said. “But you must stay by my side. And we have an errand before we leave.”
“What errand?” asked Reyche.
“I obtained an artifact for Vortai, and the bastard never paid me my fee.”
Reyche was startled. “You mean you’re a...a thief?” She whispered the last word.
Templar rolled his eyes. “And you’re a vampire, what of it?”
“Not by choice,” she muttered.
Vortai approached the large, four-point star. Each point had an open slot, capable of housing a round object, with a fifth in the center. He inserted the Soulstone in one of those slots, then brought his hands together and smiled broadly. “The first. Now we need only acquire the remaining four.”
“Master, the thief will pose problems,” said Ono. “He would not give information. Would not accept payment.”
Vortai dismissed this with a wave of his hand. “What care I for a petty thief? He will be no bother. However, I am quite interested in these pirates who seek my Soulstones.”
“But Master, why would pirates want the Soulstones?”
“I’ve wondered that myself, Ono.” Vortai moved away from the star, clasping his hands behind his back. “I believe the Xanadarians are trying to interfere with my plans. And they have hired mercenaries to intercept my forces. Time is of the essence.”
Vortai approached the center of the room, where a large globe hung over his head. He brought his hands together, palm pushing against palm. He shut his eyes and began to utter a chant in a hushed voice. He could feel the energy from the Soulstone emanating all over the room. And when he opened his eyes, they crackled with his ancient power. Vortai raised his arms, and his palms hummed with crimson energy. The globe slowly began to move, rotating on its axis.
“The Soulstones only awaken one by one and only for brief instances. The energy fluctuates between them, each one connected to the other. Therefore, I must channel the energy from this Soulstone into the next.”
The globe spun faster and faster. Now it moved rapidly, with such speed and force it seemed as if it would fly off its axis and break from its mooring. Crimson energy traversed from Vortai’s palms, encircling the globe. Its speed became more gradual, slowing until it came to a near stop. The ring of energy anchored itself to a specific point on the globe and a small beacon emerged from a place deep in the forbidden forests, where many men feared to tread. Past the boundaries of the empire.
“Ono, summon the Trinity,” said Vortai.
; “But I thought that would risk Ra’kad’s attention?” asked Ono.
“We haven’t a choice,” said Vortai. “The next Soulstone lies in the heart of Nephelm.”
Just beyond the door, Templar had been listening to the entire exchange. He moved away from the door, casting an inquisitive glance at Reyche. “Nephelm? What is it about these stones that makes an incursion into the faerie lands worth the danger?”
“This is a dangerous game,” said Reyche.
“I’m inclined to agree. Perhaps this stone isn’t worth the money.” Templar moved down the corridor, going towards the staircase.
“Where are you going?” asked Reyche.
“Clearly, I’m in over my head with this, my dear,” said Templar. “So I am going to return to my plane and fly somewhere that is far from this craziness.”
“No, no you won’t.”
“What are you—” Templar turned to her again, but he found Reyche baring her fangs at him. He backed away slowly. “Well, it seems I’ve misjudged you. I do believe I’ve discovered that ‘other use’ you mentioned.”
“I’d say so,” said Reyche.
And she pounced.
CHAPTER 9
Zarim awoke on a cot in a small, white room. His bed was hard, with fresh, white sheets. Sunlight came in through the tiny window just above the dresser to his right. Atop the dresser were his clothes, all neatly folded, and his sword and gun. He pulled himself to a seated position and felt a stab of pain as he moved. Reaching his hand down to his side, he found his torso had been bandaged.
His initial grogginess quickly faded and he instantly remembered where he was and why he was here. Templar had taken the Soulstone from him in Corvil and, to prevent them from following, ran Zarim through with his pulse sword. The shock caused Zarim to slip into an unconscious state fairly quickly, but the last thing he remembered was the big miner, Tanus, picking him up and promising to take him to a doctor.
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