“It's getting heaver!” Marshal said passing under it and letting it go. The bars fell back to the floor blocking them in with another click. Marshal tried to pick up the bars again and was not able to lift them.
“We're trapped.” Marshal told them.
“it will be Ok lets move forward.”Lorena said and Marshal took the lead again. The hall continued for another fifty feet and stopped at a iron door. The door looked new and very heavy. It had a keyhole on it and nothing else.
“My turn again.” Regina said walking past the others. Regina began whispering to herself again and before long Tessa couldn't understand her. She looked over the area with her goggles down. The goggle lenses could turn which Tessa thought meant they could zoom in and out. Regina opened a hidden lever and pulled it and the wall next to Tessa across from the lever opened.
“Simply Amazing.” Tessa told the rest as Marshal led on.
“The door was a viscous trap if we had tried to do anything to it we would've been crushed by the slabs of rock overhead.” Regina told them as they proceeded forward. The passage continued for another twenty feet and ended in another door. Regina came forward again and looked it over whispering. Then she reached out and opened the door. The door opened into a large room with a man sized metal box against the far wall. The box had a mechanical lock with a dial and a latch. Tessa had only seen one of these in her life. It was in the great Consortium library blocking the way into the forbidden section. Tessa dreamed of cracking that lock and maybe with Regina it was now possible. Regina approached the large box and stopped half way. She then started again and reached the box. Tessa wondered if she stopped for a reason or if she was just looking for some trap. Regina opened up her back pack and started taking out unusual looking tools. Then she started to work on the box. It was amazing to behold. Regina was working fast and used some sort of acid and a drilling tool then a cutting tool and then more liquids. An hour went by and the gnome opened the metal box. Tessa was more than impressed. This gnome was some sort of genus. Regina stepped back and put up her goggles.
“Ok Lorena inside is your prize.” Regina said collecting up her tools and putting them away. Lorena made her way to the box and looked in. Tessa could see magic inside and she walked up next to Lorena. Tessa could see runes of power on the walls. In the center of the box was a small round white gem the size of an eye with a red slit for a pupil in it's center. The back looked flat but Tessa would need to examine it closely to determine that. The runes could kill so Lorena and Tessa had some work to do now.
“Dispel?” Lorena asked.
“Maybe together.” Tessa answered. Tessa and Lorena had found a way to link their spells making them more powerful. They had been linking spells in secret for years. It was forbidden by the Consortium. Like everything Tessa thought was useful and a slight risk they forbade. Tessa wondered what other wonders the Consortium was hiding in that forbidden zone.
Tessa and Lorena took each other’s hand and started the nursery rhyme that started their link. They said it in unison until they were one. Then they started their dispel spell. Tessa was using her right hand and Lorena was using her left for the somatic component and their joined voices were the verbal component. The spell took shape and filled the room and then it became in a flash. The spell dispelled the light and the darkness closed in. Tessa's eyes switched to infra vision and she saw the others heat and saw Lorena and Regina were also switched to infra but Marshal was only human and couldn't see in this darkness.
“Hey, I can't see. Is everyone Ok? What happened?” Marshal called out.
“It's Ok.” Lorena said reactivating her staff light. Tessa blinked from the light and Marshal began to relax. Lorena reached into the box and plucked the eye from it. She looked it over and Tessa did too. And the back of it was flat.
“How does it work?” Tessa asked.
“You put the flat end to your forehead and think of what you want to see. It can see anything anywhere according to Be-rel.
“We’ll try it.” Tessa urged and Lorena put the eye to her forehead.
***
Gordon pulled the body as Norte lifted his legs they could only get him partially off the ground.
“He's dead why are we doin' this?” Norte asked as they got to the sewer grate.
“Because stupid, the boss told us to.” Gordon reminded the lout.
“Why does he care?” Norte asked as he pried open the grate.
“Because the boss don't want the body to be used by the undead that's why.” Gordon told the moron. They part lifted and part dragged the body to the opening.
“But the dead have plenty of bodies.” Norte reminded Gordon.
“Shut up and lift.” Gordon told the idiot. The two pushed the body into the hole and it splashed into the filth and blood of the Lightbringer sewers. The King deserved better but there it was. Gordon resealed the grate and the two snuck away.
“Let's get back to the guildhall and tell the boss it's done.” Gordon whispered to the dimwit.
“Yeah and get our-self's some ale at from Matilda.” Norte whispered back a little too loud.
“Quiet! Stupid! You want to get us killed?” Gordon whispered to the dunce .The boss said they could keep the kings effects too so today was very profitable. Matilda will be beaming.
***
Trevor and the others finished up filling a wagon and a cart with the valuables of Rolla. They even found two horses to pull the treasure. Rein was beside himself because he believed they were robbing the dead but Trevor knew there would be unsavory types stalking the streets looking for Rolla's gold as soon as word got out that the entire town was killed by sub-humans. Trevor knew they would sell the items and the merchants would rob them on the price and they would use what little money they could to help the poor and starving that in the end they wouldn't really profit from the haul and he told the man as much.
“It's the balance.” Corin told them.
“Everything balances out sooner or later.” Corin elaborated.
“So you're saying we can do whatever we want with no consequences?” Rein asked a little angered.
“No I'm saying no matter what we do there will be an equal share of profit and loss.” Corin told them and Trevor hoped he was wrong because that sounded like no matter what they did it really didn't matter, good and bad were coming for them.
“That's a dim view of the world for an elf.” Rein told Corin.
“Thank you.” Corin replied as they finished up loading the cart. Trevor heard some riding in the distance from the west. There were many horses coming. He tied a canopy over the cart to conceal its contents and waited for the others to get back from the big house.
***
Lorena looked through the eye with her third eye and an image of the past sharpened inside her head. It was the night Tessa and Lorena lost their parents, the night they became sisters and orphans. She saw a woman carrying them to a ship in a hidden cove. The city was close to the western ocean and they were sailing away from the battle. Lorena focused on the city and the eye turned to shore. The city was already in flames! Lorena focused again and this time the view was in the city! It felt like she was there using someone else's senses! She saw her father surrounded by Dark Elves they were laughing and slicing him! He tried to defend himself but there were too many swords. One cut his hamstring and he fell to his knees dropping his sword. Then another grabbed him by the back of the hair and decapitated him slowly. A woman screamed in the background as he died and the Dark Elves laughed. Lorena focused on the scream and saw her mother surrounded by Dark Elves and they were doing terrible things to her. Lorena took the eye away from her forehead and the images faded but also seemed to burn into her mind forever. She was in tears from seeing the past so vividly.
“It works.” Lorena told the others.
“No how do we get out of here?” Marshal asked.
“We go the way we came and I figure out how to circumvent the portcullis.” Regina told them wi
th a quick smile. The gnome seemed to thrive on challenges it was her strength. Tessa helped Lorena up and she thanked her. Tessa was her strength.
***
Tessa summoned Bea when the gnome suggested they needed brute strength to break the latches holding the door down. Bea was no super powered creature but she was stronger than Tessa and Lorena and Regina for that matter and could help Marshal. The two stood side by side and Regina fiddled with the right side of the door.
“Now.” Regina said and they pushed up and the portcullis groaned and popped free from the first latch. Regina did this a few more times and the group was through. It was a lot of work but Tessa was just an observer. The others who did participate were sweating like they were in the hot sun. So Tessa suggested they take a break before they continued on. Tessa made them all drink some water and eat some of the delightful rations Be-rel had supplied. They were thankful and Tessa promised she would coOk them something fabulous at camp tonight and they celebrated the idea. Only Lorena was silent and deep into her own thoughts. She looked at her parent's deaths Tessa was sure. It was something Tessa never wanted to know but Lorena was always of a different mind when it came to that night. She wanted to know what happened and Tessa was sure she did now. Tessa sat down next to her and put an arm around her shoulder. Neither said anything but the gestures were enough.
When the group was ready Tessa stood up and they followed. Bea was in good spirits as Marshal told of his test on manhood where he took on a full grown bear with several other boys. She clapped when he told the story and Tessa found a new love for the big oaf. Bea loved him right off. Bea was not able to understand many things about this world in many ways she was like a child but she understood familiar love and friendship. She would never understand sexual and romantic love but she did love Marshal like a child would and in turn Tessa loved him for making her so happy. The group exited the manor house and found an army waiting for them filling the small town. The others were close to the manor house and they all had their weapons still so they weren't under arrest but they did seem to be under guard.
“All of you come and stand by your friends.” A man shouted orders. The banners flown by the army were Alliance the country just to the west. The Alliance fought and won a war of independence with the Protectorate and Rolla was a contested town. Well it was until today Tessa suspected that this army was sent here to free the town from the 'evil' Protectorate. Of course King Edward was a kind and just king and the Alliance took his kindness for weakness. If Edward's father were still living there would be no Alliance Tessa was sure. King Scott the first was a vicious tyrant who would've put down the Alliance when it formed, but Scott was dead and Edward was most likely dead too now.
“I've come to free Rolla from Protectorate oppression but I find that the town is empty except for you and the wood burned and scorched. Where are the town folk? What did you do with them? Speak!” The leader of the army demanded.
“I am Rein Vasalori knight of Zury and I tell you that we found this town overrun with Orcs and Goblins. They were feasting on the town folk and we set up and ambush and killed all two hundred of them with mage fire and strong steel.” Rein told them and there was silence for a moment then the leader and all of his men began laughing.
“What is so funny?” Rein asked taking offense.
“You lot killed two hundred sub-humans? Nonsense I believe you killed the peasants who live here but killing sub-humans? You should've came up with a better story thief.” The leader ranted between his laughter.
“Are you calling me a liar sir?” Rein asked and the leader stopped laughing.
“I am.” The leader said sliding off of his horse and walking over to Rein.
“You are a cowardly thief and a liar.” The man told Rein stepping up to right in front of him. Rein took off his gauntlet and bashed the man across the face knocking him off his feet in a fountain of blood! The army tensed but the leader put up his hand stopping the coming attack. Blood pored down the man's face and he stood back up.
“Challenge accepted.” The leader told Rein.
“Mauryan I have accepted this man's challenge. Do not interfere.” The leader ordered.
“Yes Daratan we will not retaliate no matter the outcome of your duel.” Mauryan replied and the army gathered around the two to witness the duel.
“I only duel to the death.” Daratan told Rein.
“As you wish.” Rein replied still just standing in the roadway waiting. A man ran up with heavy armor and dressed Daratan for combat while Rein put back on his gauntlet and took out a banner and unfolded it and stuck it in the ground next to him.
“I fight for my honor, my friends and the claim of this town.” Rein told Daratan.
“If you win you shall have them but if you lose we will take them from your dead rotting corpse.” Daratan told Rein.
“What does that mean?” Tessa asked Marshal.
“What does it sound like?” Marshal asked and Tessa didn't like the answer. If Rein lost they all died!
“Are you ready to die Rein Vasalori?” Daratan asked waving his sword around. Tessa thought the swings had a certain familiarity to them and a skill.
“I'm ready.” Rein said drawing his sword. Both men took up a bent knee stance and started toward each other. They circled and swung their swords a little and the crowd leaned in with anticipation. Tessa hoped Rein would win but she was more worried about him than who was better with a sword. The men's swords clashed and then the fight had begun! Rein was fast but so was his adversary. The swords clashed above and below but both men didn't show any advantage. Rein fainted left and Daratan hit him in the thigh drawing blood despite the armor there. Rein backed up and continued swinging as Daratan moved forward. The fighters continued to attack and parry each one's blows like it was some sort of dance. A dance of death Tessa imagined. Then Rein's beautiful sword began to sing, a song of sorrow, a song of battle, a song of death. Tessa's heart was heavy by the song and Daratan looked surprised by the sword's hauntingly beautiful music. Both men came on strong and Rein stabbed Daratan through and held him on his toes for what seemed like forever then he withdrew the singing sword in a flash. Daratan fell backward on his back and died choking on his blood.
“What a waste.” Tessa said at last and Rein gave her a cold look.
“This man died with honor every man should be so lucky.” Rein told her but she wasn't a knight or a man so dying with or without honor didn't change the fact that he was dead to her.
***
Chapter 10
Rein gave Rolla to the Alliance after the new leader Colonel Mauryan promised to march to Constopa and join up with the Protectorate to retake Lightbringer. Then as quick as they arrived the Alliance was gone minus a garrison left in Rolla. Tessa thought it was for the best but wasn't sure how the Protectorate would take the news that the Alliance had been given Rolla by a knight of Zury. It was a strange arrangement to be sure. Tessa drew her first transference circle in the local Inn's basement and covered it with a large rug. Just in case. She decided she would make on where ever they went so they would have escape options and surprise appearances in towns hundreds of miles from where they were said to be. This way she would keep her enemies guessing. It had started raining in Rolla so the group decided to stay the night. Lorena was emotionally exhausted, Marshal and Rein were physically exhausted and Regina was mentally exhausted. So Tessa took over the Inn, asked the militia to gather up some beds and cooking ware and put the group to bed after she cooked them a simple but hearty meal. They all needed it and Tessa needed the time to decide what was next.
“You need to find the giants and the dragons and get them in the fighting.” A woman's voice broke into her thoughts. Tessa looked up to find a beautiful druid sitting down at her table.
“I'm Quell and I know what the witch-king wants to keep secret. I know he fears you will find the giants and the dragons and unite the world against him. I also know that if you do these things you will win. Do
you want to free the world from the witch-king? Because you can.” Quell chattered.
“The last time I talked to the dragons they tried to store me away for a future fight with the witch-king.” Tessa told the woman.
“That's their nature. Dragons are long lived animals, which means they think they can wait things out. You have to convince them that waiting is a bad idea. It's been a thousand years and the witch-king is so much more powerful than he was then.” Quell told her sounding like this was a lesson.
“So I have to convince them not to wait and that now is the time.” Tessa reflected out loud.
“Very good you are as smart as you think you are.” Quell told Tessa making her feel like she was talking down to her.
“Now the giants they will need to see your strength and need to respect your courage or they will not help you. They only know strength and courage.” Quell told Tessa and it made a lot of sense but how to find them?
“Now the world...my best advice is you win the love of their leaders and the rest will follow.” Quell advised as she leaned forward and looked Tessa deep in the eyes.
“Why don't you show me some of that winning over magic you have deep inside. I need it too.” Quell whispered putting a hand on Tessa's knee. Tessa reached in and grabbed Quells hair and pulled her head back. Quell inhaled lust and Tessa kissed her hard and then pulled back.
“Not yet honey. I'm worth way more than some information. Keep working though and you will know bliss.” Tessa told the druid bluffing. She wasn't skilled in lovemaking she was barely old enough to know what it all meant. Quell would have to wait and even then Tessa wasn't sure she would. It was a big decision after all. When she finished Tessa left the druid breathing hard so maybe she was worth it. She went up stairs and joined the rest in slumber.
***
Astral's horrors continued as she spent the third day in the stocks as man after man...
The pain was gone and now she felt ashamed each time she felt pleasure. The body had a way of adapting to the worst conditions. The defeated town’s folk gathered in a large crowd to watch. Women cried for her and men watched and then joined the line behind her. She was a symbol of their surrender and the orcs made sure it was total. She had cried out her tears and a part of her was beginning to think this wasn't so bad! The mind could adapt too it seemed. Perhaps it was time to surrender fully.
Destiny's Call Page 14