by J D Astra
Tabor stopped at the end of the hall and waved a hand out over the room. “Welcome to our humble sleeping arrangements.”
The narrow, low-ceilinged tunnel gave way to a massive dirt-packed cavern. White roots as thick as redwood oak trunks ran from top to bottom and crisscrossed, bisecting the room as well as framing it, giving it structure. It was at least five hundred feet deep and sixty feet tall. Renzik whistled long and low. My eyes trailed up to the top in awe as I stepped out into the enormous den.
Treehouses of sorts had been constructed on and between the larger root shafts, all glowing merrily with orange firelight from the windows. Rope bridges connected the homes, looking something like makeshift DNA strands. Dim white light streamed from six good-sized holes at the very top of the room alongside the roots.
On the ground were at least a hundred tents ranging from tiny one-man dwellings to larger constructions big enough for twenty people. There were several paths lined with knee-high torches, all of which led to the center of the room, where a large pond of water was walled in with white stone.
People, old and young of nearly every race, walked about from tent to tent. Some were socializing, others watched over children as they played, and more still seemed to be moving with a purpose. Some seemed to be moving our way with a purpose.
“Otto Staldain!” The harsh shout from the muscled Risi woman powering forward made me jump. She wore shimmering silver plate mail stained red with spatters of blood. Her boots jingled very unmerrily with each tromp, the metal clanking of them colliding sharp to the ears. She was incredibly tall, at least a half-hand taller than Otto, and her biceps were just as large, or larger. She was flanked by two Wodes sporting plate mail and broadswords the size of my staff.
“What in Enyo’s name do you think you’re doing here?”
Qat’ig Gual
OTTO PUT HIMSELF TO attention as the Risi woman stepped up to him. “Arcona Jukal, I respectfully request—”
Thwack! Otto staggered sideways from Arcona’s powerful right hook, his Health bar dropping by 5%.
“Hey!” I charged forward, popping Fire Inside with hands poised to deliver a bout of explosive Inferno Blast. The Wode bodyguards whipped their broadswords from their sheaths in one fluid motion, moving to intercept me.
Otto held out a beefy arm, blocking me from passing. “Stay out of this, Abby.”
I gritted my teeth and stepped back as the Fire Inside spell burned bright orange streaks around my body. I readied a fireball and pointed to Arcona. “Do it again and you’ll taste my flames.”
The Risi woman didn’t seem to notice my threat as she verbally laid into Otto. “You’ve got nerves of steel showing up here, with undeniably convenient timing. It’s a wonder I sent Tabor to collect you at all. You should be grateful—”
“Jukal,” Otto said, cutting her off as he straightened, rubbing his jaw. “We’ve had our differences, but I am not the traitor I was cast out for, and I have a right to be here.”
She stepped within inches of him, staring down her nose as she growled, “Prove it.”
Otto made himself as tall as he could, puffing up his chest. “Any way you want me to.”
“Call off your fiery dog”—Arcona’s eyes flicked to me then bore back into Otto—“and remove your baldric. Here, and now.”
I sucked in my lower lip and bit down. This jerk was begging to get charred.
Otto kept himself locked in the staring contest with Arcona as he said, “Abby, your fierce defense is a kind gesture, but unnecessary. Stand down.” I wanted to protest. More than that, I wanted to lay the beatdown on this bitch. But I respected Otto, and I did trust him, mostly, so I backed away, but kept my fireball at the ready.
Otto took two steps back and unbuckled his over-the-shoulder sword belt, then dropped it to the ground. He pulled his dagger from its sheath at his hip and put himself in a wide-legged fighting stance. Arcona gave the signal for her guards to drop back, and she did the same, dropping her battle-axe and pulling a very similar looking dagger from a short scabbard at her hip.
“Are they going to kill each other?” Renzik whispered over my shoulder.
“I don’t know.” I lowered myself, planting one knee on the ground as I held tight to my fireball.
Tabor pulled up next to me in a similar pose. “This is going to be great,” he whispered not so quietly. “Otto was rarely bested by anyone in Qat’ig Gual.” There was a glint of excitement in Tabor’s eyes as he watched Arcona and Otto begin circling each other. “Then again, Otto has been gone a long time.”
“What’s Qat’ig Gual?” Renzik shimmied up next to us and whispered.
Arcona darted in, her blade aimed at Otto’s throat. Otto jumped back, a clank of metal on metal ringing out as he raised his plated forearm to block. Arcona grinned, taking two more slow circling steps left until her back was to me. Otto mirrored her, his eyes intently focused on every movement of her body.
Tabor shrugged. “In essence, shame cleansing.”
She flipped the dagger in her hand, turning it to be poised for a slash. Her posture shifted from a sumo crouch to something more like a karate stance. With every move she made, Otto had a rebuttal. Arcona moved for another strike, punching with her dagger hand at Otto’s face. The dagger slashed across Otto’s bracer as he brought his left arm up to block, and his dagger hand stabbed up into Arcona’s open armpit. She roared, her Health down by 20%, and twisted away as she kicked to swipe Otto’s feet. A strike like that would’ve killed a caster, but Arcona was obviously some kind of tank class, like Otto.
He pulled his blade free and shoved her away with his left hand. Arcona stumbled back, but landed a backhanded stab as she tripped. She dug the knife across the exposed backside of his left bicep, tearing into the muscle and giving her something to stabilize herself with. Otto’s Health dropped by 5% as red blood splashed his pauldrons.
“Come on, Otto,” I whispered, gritting my teeth.
Arcona interlocked her hands overhead, dagger pointing down at Otto’s neck, but she was too slow. He dropped down, planting his fists, and kicked up into Arcona’s pelvis with his plate mail boots. The blow sent her staggering back with an “Oof” and dropped her Health down to 75%.
Arcona turned the backward stumble into a low tackle as Otto was trying to gain his feet. Otto snuck his dagger in for a stab between the ribs, but Arcona snatched his wrist. They landed in a heap in front of us, bloody dirt caking their open wounds. The rabble around us was growing as passersby stopped and gathered in a rough circle around the fighters. I tightened my grip on the fireball, my gut twisting with the fear of being jumped by these guys if the fight didn’t go their way.
The pair struggled on the ground for a moment, holding each other’s wrists and trying to gain the top position until Arcona reared back and landed a heavy headbutt. I could see Otto’s eyes cross for a moment as his Health dropped by another 5%. Arcona came out on top, straddling him with a wild grin. She pinned his hands with her knees as she plopped her seven-and-a-half-foot, three-hundred-plus-pound ass down on his stomach. Her dagger dripped red onto Otto’s breastplate as she held it overhead. Otto bucked and struggled, but Arcona shifted her weight, keeping him under her control.
Fear prickled at the front of my brain and a lump gathered in my throat. Would she try to kill him? There hadn’t been a trial over his accusation, or any evidence, and there was no way I’d let her kill him over an unproven rumor. But what if it wasn’t a rumor? I was a moral person, but I’d done things I wasn’t proud of when it was necessary. What if Otto had done whatever he was accused of?
“Now we know your shame.” She plunged the blade down.
“No!” I jumped to my feet, ready to unleash the held fireball, but my arm was pulled back.
Otto bucked again, getting only his left hand free. He blocked the oncoming blade with his open palm and clamped down on Arcona’s fist as his Health dropped by another small chunk, putting him at 65%.
“You can’
t interfere!” Tabor scolded as he released my fireball arm.
I couldn’t spare a glance at the young Risi, my eyes were glued to Arcona. She leaned her body weight onto the blade, tearing deeper into Otto’s muscle. Blood dripped from the wound on Otto’s hand onto his bared teeth, and he groaned, his arm shaking as he pushed against her.
“Your guilt is apparent in our justice!” Arcona leaned further into the hilt, the tip of the dagger mere centimeters from Otto’s eye.
Otto bucked again, freeing his pinned arm. He pushed his dagger into the gap in her armor at her ribs and shoved hard with the continued bucking momentum, sending Arcona flying over his head. She landed on her back with a cry and flipped around, blindly kicking down at where Otto’s head had been. The crowd cheered at this move, excited by the turn of favor.
The fighters stood and backed away from one another two steps, the audience growing louder with shouts of “Get him” and “Prove it.” Her Health was at 35%, his was just below half, and her skin began to glow a hot crimson. Blood streamed down her right hip from the open wound in her armpit, and more down her left from the rib shot, but Otto’s left hand hung worthlessly at his side from the palm wound and the bicep tear. I didn’t want to see either of them die, mostly because I didn’t know what would happen next in any scenario.
“I am innocent.” Otto challenged, and the group around us quieted.
“Not yet.” Arcona charged forward and was suddenly on the other side of Otto. He shouted, his Health dropping by 10%, and flipped around to face her again. I couldn’t see the wound, but blood was leaking down the front of Otto’s breastplate from under his pauldrons. He raised his fists and dug his heels in.
Arcona darted forward with a war cry, and this time I was able to track her attack as she slashed at Otto’s face, scoring a deep wound that split his ear in half. Another 10% of Otto’s Health melted away and his skin started to glow like Arcona’s.
He flicked his wrist and stuck his dagger in the dirt, then he was gone. In a blink he cleared the distance between them and rammed his right shoulder into her. Her own dagger flew from her hand and landed with a whump next to Renzik. Arcona staggered and tried to plant her feet, but Otto slammed her head with a haymaker. The punch sent her careening sideways, and Otto met her falling face with a hard knee. At 15% Health, she dropped back and crouched, trying to escape his flurry of blows.
Otto advanced, right fist ready to put an end to the fight. “I’m innocent.”
Arcona raised her hands in submission. Blood trickled from her broken nose and dripped onto her filthy breastplate. She panted, lowering her shielding arms, and looked up at Otto. They stared one another down for what seemed like an eternity, until Otto finally dropped his fist. I let out my held breath and dismissed the fireball. The fight was over. Otto turned to me, his face calm with relief.
Arcona scooped her axe from the ground and hefted it overhead. “I’m not dead yet!” She charged forward as Otto half-turned, surprise in his eyes.
That damned, cheap-shotting snotbag! Not my NPC, asshole!
“Otto!” I jumped forward, casting Shell of Molten Ash just as Arcona’s battle-axe swung down at Otto’s back. The ashen-black shield appeared and popped in a flash, shooting a hot gout of fire at Arcona’s face as she broke it.
The Risi woman howled in pain as her skin seared and hair curled away down to the nub. She stumbled back, dropping her axe as she struggled to put out the Burning Affliction caused by my fire. I put my hands up for Inferno Blast, baring my teeth as the Wode guard advanced, but not on me. They grabbed Arcona under the arms and hoisted her up. Her Health bar flared red at 5%, and her bloodshot eyes locked on me.
The crowd erupted in fury, shouts of “Cheat” and “Innocent” rising above the rest.
“I told you,” I said, my voice booming with confidence as adrenaline surged through my chest, “sucker punch him again and you’d taste my fire.”
Arcona pulled a Health potion from her inventory and sucked it down, shooting her life total back up to 70%. The burns on her face and arms evaporated and the dagger slashes mended. Health potions were a helluva thing. I hoped Otto was doing the same.
Tabor stepped up next to me and sucked in a breath. His voice projected over the commotion. “Arcona Jukal, you have forfeited the Qat’ig Gual, proving Otto Staldain’s innocence.”
Her face contorted with rage, tusks poking into her upper lip as she sucked it in and bit down. I could hear her haggard breath whooshing through flared nostrils, and watched as her knuckles whitened on the hilt of her axe. The mutterings of the crowd shifted to a single chant: in-no-cent, in-no-cent, in-no-cent.
Arcona’s shoulders dropped away from her ears and she closed her eyes, then sucked in a long breath. She held up one hand, and the crowd reduced to a whispering murmur.
She opened her eyes and spoke. “Otto Staldain is hereby absolved of his crimes of collaborating with the enemy, transferring knowledge of rebel locations, and purposeful endangerment of rebel squads.”
Tabor gave a hoot of excitement and the crowd cheered.
“He will not,” Arcona boomed, and the clapping dropped off, “resume his title or position within the Alaunhylles rebellion sect. That is the final ruling.” The audience went silent, waiting for something. “Dismissed,” Arcona barked, and the group dispersed.
She brushed blood-caked dirt from her gear as we waited for the last onlookers to return to their business. Finally, when the last person had gone, she spoke to Otto. “Your flame mutt is impressive. What’s her name?”
“My name is Abby Hollander,” I cut in before Otto could open his mouth, “I’m a Firebrand, and the most powerful Sorceress in all of Eldgard.”
Arcona gritted her teeth, wiggling her jaw from side to side, then smiled devilishly. “Well, Abby the Firebrand, then your reputation is well earned.” She held out a scroll, taking a single step forward as she offered me the parchment.
I didn’t want to get that close to her. I was too squishy, too easy to kill with a single chop of that battle-axe, to get that close to her. Fortunately, Otto stepped up for me. His Health was nearing 90%, and I sighed with relief. That had been a close call, and what would’ve stopped Arcona from killing me and Renzik when Otto was gone?
He snatched the parchment and took two steps back before turning around. He pulled the scroll open and stopped, jaw tight.
“What is it?” I dropped my offensive stance and approached him.
Otto turned the paper toward me. “Your wanted poster.”
Renzik’s Plight
THIS POSTER WAS DIFFERENT from the one in Harrowick. It didn’t state what I’d done, but it did list off a whole lot more about me.
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MY JAW FELL OPEN. ONE thousand Imperial Gold Marks? That was equivalent to a hundred thousand IRL dollars. The reward was just for information leading to my capture. I couldn’t imagine what they’d pay someone for handing me over themselves. I glanced about the room full of disheveled and destitute rebels, all of whom could probably use one thousand marks.
Arcona chuckled. “She’s terrified!”
I clenched my teeth. Of course I was worried; there were dozens of them in earshot alone that would turn me over without a second thought. A threatening insult was on the tip of my tongue, and I wanted to tell her off, badly, but I held the comment. Lashing out could get me in the very spot I didn’t want to be in. The Risi warrioress grinned wide and stepped closer to me. I let the scroll snap as it rolled shut and then stuffed it in my inventory.
She bent at the hips to bring her face closer to mine. Ugh, she smelled considerably worse than Otto’s mild musk. “You don’t have to worry about us. We don’t consort with Imperials.” She stood upright and laid a hand on Otto’s shoulder. “Nor do we hand over our own, no matter their reputation.”
“Thank you, Jukal.” Otto dipped his head, just slightly.
She shook him once and then turned away.
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��Arcona, wait.” I stepped forward and she stopped, glancing over one shoulder with a perturbed look knitting her dark brow. “There’s a threat to all of Eldgard, that’s why we’re here. A man named Osmark will try to take—”
She cut me off with a wave of her hand and kept walking down the dirt path to the makeshift tents. “I don’t have time for such matters now. Join me the night after tomorrow for dinner—
“Two days!” I blurted as I looked at the countdown in the corner of my vision: 8 days and 16 hours.
Arcona stopped in her tracks, fuming, and turned. “Join me when I tell you, then we’ll discuss why you’re here and how you can make your keep. Understood?” She glared.
I gritted my teeth and sucked in a breath, “Listen here” on the tip of my tongue, but Otto’s hand came down on my shoulder.
“We understand,” he replied for me as my pulse throbbed in my temples. Arcona turned back down the path, a smirk playing on her lips.
“Make our keep?” Renzik asked as we followed after her and her guard.
Arcona barked a laugh. “You didn’t think you were guests, did you? You work to stay here.” She turned and gave Renzik a quick up-and-down once-over. “Tabor,” she boomed the start to an order.
“Yes, ma’am,” Tabor replied instantly.
“Get the chains off him, find him some standard gear...” She glanced at him once more and added, “And a weapon.”
“Okay, hold up.” I stopped, raising my voice just enough to get Arcona’s attention. She turned on her heel, brow raised and fists clenched. “I understand you’re a rebellion leader, you’re busy, but this is important and time sensitive. We can’t wait until dinner two nights away. We can’t wait until dinner tonight! We need to talk now.”
Arcona didn’t bend to meet me this time. She stepped within an inch of my body, looking down with a deep frown. The hairs in my nose curled at the scent of her blood and the odor of combat. “I do not take orders from you.” She growled the words, and goosebumps lifted on my arms as a notification appeared.