Iris’s eyebrows lowered. “That’s hardly a necessity.” Hagan shrugged and proceeded to refill his flask.
After setting the backpack on the ground and seating himself in a nearby chair, Lucas pondered the situation. There’s got to be some way we can keep Secar livable and stop Kuraikaji from continuing his rampage. Then again, Sezuni doesn’t seem to think we’ll stand a chance against him anyway. Maybe she’s right. Maybe we aren’t ready. Maybe we’re in over our heads with this whole thing... No. There’s some way to do this. I just need to think.
“Lucas?” asked Iris. Lucas looked at her, raising his eyebrows. “Are you okay?”
“Yes,” he replied. “I’m just trying to figure out how we should do this.”
There was a pause before Iris spoke again. “I’m feeling unbearably hungry. Maybe we should eat and replenish ourselves before putting anymore thought into the matter.”
Lucas nodded. “Alright. I just hope we make the right decision.”
Chapter 37: Faux Zoe
Veronica and Laverick entered the meeting room at 9am to find Lord Quinn sitting at the head of the large table. “Good morning,” he greeted as the pair approached.
Veronica smiled. “Good morning. Will Zoe be joining us shortly?”
Lord Quinn was puzzled by the question. “Is her presence necessary?”
“Of course,” Veronica answered. “Laverick will need her in order to transform again.” She pulled out the chair to Lord Quinn’s left and sat down.
“It’s too early, Ma...” Laverick griped as he seated himself next to Veronica.
“Oh hush,” his mother snapped.
“I was under the impression that she would not need to be in attendance,” Lord Quinn asserted. “Laverick has taken her shape once before, can he not simply resume it?”
Laverick shook his head. “Nope, it doesn’t work like that. She’s gotta be here or I can’t do it.”
With a sigh, Lord Quinn got to his feet. “Very well. I shall return shortly.”
* * * *
Zoe sat in front of her bookshelf, flipping rapidly through every magic book she owned. From the moment she awoke that morning, she had immediately resumed her search for information on removing jinxes. However, despite her tireless effort, her hunt was unsuccessful. Dammit, I’m going to be stuck with this stupid jinx forever. She slammed the book in her hands shut. Okay, so I just need to think. What do I already know about jinxes? Well, I know that they prevent the afflicted person from conjuring through their center or performing enchantments, and that you have to be an advanced Shadow mage to cast them. That’s about it. Letting out a grunt of frustration, Zoe picked up yet another book and flipped through its pages. I know I read about jinxes in one of these – or was it in the library?
Without warning, her thoughts were interrupted by a loud knock at her bedroom door. “Go away!” she shouted without looking up.
Ignoring her words, Lord Quinn entered the room. “It seems that your presence is necessary for Laverick’s transformation.”
Zoe shut the book and looked up at him before rising to her feet. “What makes you think I care?”
“I am uninterested in whether or not you care,” Lord Quinn calmly responded. “I will allow you one chance to proceed to the meeting room and cooperate of your own free will. If not, I shall be forced to temporarily paralyze you once more.”
Zoe made her feelings clear by raising her middle finger.
Noticeably enraged by the gesture, Lord Quinn swiftly pointed his index finger at her and shouted, “Umbra immobilis mutus!”
* * * *
The doors of the meeting room burst open as Lord Quinn entered, carrying Zoe’s statue‑like body. He placed her on her feet, in the same area of the room she had stood the previous day.
Veronica eyed Zoe, noticing her raised middle finger. “I’m assuming she wasn’t very pleased with the news.”
Lord Quinn rubbed his forehead as he sat down. “An understatement,” he muttered. Veronica chuckled.
“Now, shall we begin?” Lord Quinn suggested.
“As you wish,” Veronica replied. She glanced at Laverick, giving a single nod.
A large grin swept across Laverick’s face as he hurriedly got out of his chair and approached Zoe. “Hi Zoe!” he exclaimed. “You shouldn’t raise that finger. Ma says it’s a bad finger. Okay, well I guess I gotta borrow your body again so just hold still! Ha! Get it? It’s ‘cause you can’t mo–”
“That’s quite enough, darling,” Veronica interrupted. “There is much work to be done. You want to make mommy proud, don’t you?”
Laverick quickly nodded several times. “Uh‑huh! Sorry, Ma, I’ll transform now.” Facing Zoe, he took a moment to carefully study her.
She was incredibly irked by his close proximity, especially knowing what he was about to do. At least my finger’s talking for me this time.
The wide grin returned to Laverick’s face as he placed both of his hands on the emerald tied to his neck. With his eyes fixed to hers, he said, “identitatis apparentia effingo,” causing him to morph into an exact replica of Zoe. Once the transformation was complete, he faced Lord Quinn and his mother.
“Okay, I did it,” he proclaimed with Zoe’s voice.
“Perfect,” Lord Quinn replied. “Now, listen carefully. Using her telepathic ability, Veronica shall lead you directly to the Spades’ headquarters. Once inside, you are to locate and secure the disk fragment. When it is in your possession, return to this room as soon as possible.”
Laverick saluted, “Aye‑aye, Captain! You can count on me.”
“I urge that you monitor your behavior carefully,” Lord Quinn added. “It is absolutely imperative that the Spades are entirely convinced that you are Zoe. We cannot afford to raise any suspicion. Are we clear?”
“Yep,” Laverick responded. “Don’t you worry, they won’t suspect a thing.”
“I certainly hope so,” said Lord Quinn. “Now, I need you to listen carefully, Laverick. Once you have left the mansion, you are to proceed directly to the building which once housed Roshan’s Cafe in northern Cymbeline. Knock on the door six times and you will be let inside. I’ve had my men working hard to reconstruct the old man’s previously destroyed gateway. By passing through it, you will be led to the same area of the In Between in which the fragment was, apparently, delivered by a blond‑haired young man. I can only assume that this is the same person your mother witnessed handing the fragment to Zoe. From that point on, your mother will direct you telepathically to the Spades’ headquarters.”
“Okie dokie!” Laverick exclaimed as he excitedly dashed toward the door.
“Stop!” Lord Quinn shouted. Freezing in his tracks, Laverick slowly turned around. Lord Quinn got out of his chair. “You will require appropriate dress as well as the purple crystal used to access the base.” He reached down and picked up a brown sack resting on the ground by his chair. Handing it to Laverick, he explained: “Inside is a change of clothes as well as one of the aforementioned crystals. We will leave the room momentarily to allow you time to dress yourself. Make certain you remove your necklace and secure the crystal in your pocket. Be very careful not to misplace it.”
Laverick took the bag and examined its contents as his mother and Lord Quinn walked out of the room. The pair waited outside until they heard Laverick shout, “Kay! You can come back now!”
They reentered the meeting room to see Laverick now dressed in clothing strongly resembling what Zoe had worn during her expedition to Valdis Prison, the only addition being a black cloak. “Excellent,” Lord Quinn remarked. “Do you have the crystal?”
“You betcha,” Laverick reported, pulling the purple crystal out of the cloak’s pocket and displaying it briefly before tucking it away.
“Then it seems you’re ready,” said Lord Quinn, “though I suggest concealing your emerald.” Complying, Laverick quickly removed the emerald necklace and added it to the contents of his cloak pocket.
Lord Quinn turned to Veronica. “Will I be required to leave as you establish the telepathic link?”
“Not at all,” she replied. “The link will allow me to see what he sees and communicate with him via my thoughts. However, there’s no mind reading involved, and I will not need to activate my emotional sense to form a connection.”
“Magnificent,” Lord Quinn commented. “Then let us delay no longer. Proceed at will.”
Veronica placed her index and middle fingers on her temples as she turned to Laverick, shutting her eyes and focusing all of her attention to him. “Lumen intellectualis connexus!”
The room was silent for a moment before Laverick said aloud, “Yep! I hear ya loud and clear, Ma!”
“Marvelous!” Veronica responded.
Lord Quinn glanced at a nearby clock before looking back at Laverick. “Now that all preparations have been made, you must make haste. I’ve given the manor’s guards and servants tasks to keep them out of the lobby as you exit the mansion, considering they had received previous orders to apprehend Zoe if she attempted to escape. Remember, the moment you leave this room you are Zoe. No one else must know your true identity.” Obeying, Laverick walked to the door once again and exited the room.
Once he had left, Veronica and Lord Quinn resumed their places at the table. After several moments had passed, she reported, “He’s well on his way to Roshan’s Cafe as we speak.”
“Excellent,” Lord Quinn replied. “Inform him to take as much time as he deems necessary to complete this mission. Considering the In Between’s vastness, I’m expecting it to be a lengthy endeavor. Nevertheless, when it comes to the disk fragment, I am exceptionally patient.”
Chapter 38: An Unexpected Reunion
“I think I have an idea,” said Lucas, breaking the silence. Iris and Hagan looked at him.
“An idea?” Hagan asked, his mouth stuffed with bread.
“About Secar, I mean,” Lucas clarified. He laid the map of Aria he had been examining on the table and motioned for his companions to come closer and take a look. He pointed to a region labeled, ‘Hravart Desert.’
“Secar is in the southern part of the desert,” he explained as Hagan and Iris approached, eying the map. Lucas slightly slid his finger down the chart. “If we can manage to take out Kuraikaji and the Cobras, we could escort the people here to Valletal, a town in the Jhar Mountains to the south.”
“Interesting proposal,” Iris commented. “I must admit that such a massive migration could prove to be a toilsome challenge. Regardless, I feel that Secar will likely suffer without protection and there is no other ethical option.” She turned to Hagan. “Would you like to express an opinion?”
“Sounds like a plan,” Hagan responded, crumbs flying out of his mouth as he finished the last of his bread. “It’s not going to be easy protecting all those people from monsters with just the three of us, though.”
“Maybe Sezuni will help us,” Lucas suggested.
Hagan glanced at Sezuni, lost in a deep slumber on the blanket in the corner of the room. He looked back at Lucas. “I doubt it. Even if she was willing to, she probably wouldn’t want to risk being seen by so many people at once. But, I guess it’s the only option we really have other than leaving them behind in a defenseless city.”
“Then it’s settled,” said Lucas, placing his finger back on the map. “After we get the people of Secar to safety, we can head west to reach the Cymbeline region. It’ll give me a chance to check up on Grandpa before we head north to Ivyvyne Village and see Aalok.”
“He prefers to be addressed as ‘Master Bonham,’” Iris informed. “He becomes quite agitated when referred to as ‘Aalok.’”
“Oh,” said Lucas. “I’ll have to keep that in mind.”
“What if the Cobras have already been to Valletal?” Hagan asked. “If it’s in ruins, they’ll be no better off there than in Secar.”
“I actually thought about that myself,” Lucas responded. “The Cobras we met in the In Between seemed to be on their way to carry out an attack like the one we saw in Azure. I’m thinking that Kuraikaji is sending them to villages far away from Secar to keep suspicion away from him. If that’s the case, Valletal should be safe.”
“Your theory is highly plausible,” Iris remarked. “Unfortunately, we are incapable of confirming its accuracy at this time.”
Lucas folded the map. “Then we’ll just have to take a chance.”
Suddenly, Hagan pointed to the window and shouted, “Is that Aiden?!”
Sezuni awoke instantly. Lucas and Iris quickly turned to see Aiden, a good distance from the shack. He was running as fast as he could from a large group of the brown snake creatures the trio had encountered previously.
Lucas jumped out of his chair and dashed toward the door. “We have to help him!”
“Help him?!” Hagan replied in disbelief. Before he could speak another word, Lucas had already run out the door. “Dammit,” Hagan grumbled, hurriedly equipping his bow and quiver as Iris followed Lucas out of the door.
Sezuni watched Hagan exit the shack before groaning, “Whatever,” and lying back down.
Unsheathing his sword as he bolted toward the monsters, Lucas was surprised when Aiden suddenly stopped and turned to face the pursuing beasts. What is he doing?! He’s going to get himself killed!
“Lumen orbis!”
When Lucas conjured the light orb, Aiden hastily threw his gloves to the ground and his hands erupted in flames. Shocked at the sight, Lucas slowed his pace to an eventual halt as Aiden wildly thrust his palms toward the charging enemies, rapidly firing countless fireballs.
“Oh my,” Iris commented as she caught up to Lucas. “I’ve never witnessed such a technique.” They both watched as the monsters were pelted by the flames. After Aiden had shot the final fireball in his attack, his hands returned to normal. While the fiery onslaught took out a good deal of the snakes, a few dodged the attack. As they got dangerously close to him, Aiden shrieked in terror and continued to run, prompting Lucas to charge the beasts.
Iris took off behind him as Hagan approached where they had stopped. “Wait!” he yelled. Lucas and Iris continued running as Hagan slowed down. “...Dammit!” He darted to catch the pair.
Once he had reached a good vantage point, Lucas halted and threw his light orb at the snake closest to Aiden. While hitting and successfully injuring it, this caused the remaining two serpents to change direction toward him. He gripped his sword.
“Glacies crystallos discus!” Iris shouted, materializing a large snowflake in her right hand. She came to a stop beside Lucas and threw it much like one would throw a Frisbee. It whirled through the air at spectacular speed, whizzing between the two snakes, unfortunately hitting neither of them.
“Nice shot,” Hagan sarcastically remarked as he approached, reaching for an arrow. Simultaneously, Lucas prepared to swing his blade at the snakes which had moved into close proximity. The foes were about to lunge when, unexpectedly, the snowflake’s trajectory curved in a boomerang fashion. It looped around with lightning speed, slicing through both of the serpents and shredding them to pieces before flying into the distance and shattering.
“Nice shot,” Hagan repeated with sincerity, lowering his bow.
The trio watched as Aiden finished off the snake Lucas had injured, pelting the reptilian beast with a barrage of fireballs. When he had finished, the flames surrounding his hands dissolved once again. He collapsed to his knees, breathing heavily as the trio approached him.
Aiden looked up at them. “Uh, thanks.”
“Thank Lucas,” Hagan responded coldly. “I wasn’t in a hurry to save you.”
“Lucas, huh?” Aiden replied as he got to his feet. He turned to Lucas. “I’m guessing that’s you, blondie. Thanks a million. Sorry ‘bout that whole tryin’‑to‑rob‑ya thing. Water under the bridge, eh?”
Lucas sheathed his sword. “I did it because it was the right thing to do.”
Aiden cros
sed his arms and raised an eyebrow. “Ya think I buy that selfless hero bullcrap? What’s the catch, buddy?”
“There’s no catch,” said Lucas. “My friends and I learned how rough it is out here firsthand. I’m not here to judge you for what you have to do to survive. Just try to be more careful.” He turned and walked back toward the shack. “Besides, you should thank Iris. She did most of the work.” Iris and Hagan looked at each other, then back to Aiden. Unsure of what to say, they followed Lucas. Aiden stood speechless as the trio walked away.
“Quite an act of kindness,” Iris commented, catching up to Lucas. “Admittedly, I’m uncertain I would have assisted him if you hadn’t rushed out so quickly.”
Lucas glanced at her. “I can’t imagine what it must be like having to live out here. He needs all the help he can get.”
“I guess you’re right,” Hagan agreed hesitantly. “This place ain’t a cakewalk... but I’m keeping his knife.”
The trio reentered the shack, causing Sezuni to hurriedly snap awake and sit up. “What’s going on?” she asked as Hagan closed the door.
“We saw Aiden being chased by monsters,” Hagan explained. “Lucas ran outside t–” There was a loud, rapid knocking at the door behind him. Turning back toward it, Hagan opened the door to see Aiden.
Hagan raised an eyebrow. “Now what?”
“What’s up?” Aiden responded as Lucas and Iris approached the door. “Ya live here?” Aiden queried, eying the shack’s exterior. “I thought you guys weren’t from Hravart Desert. What’s the deal?”
Rolling his eyes, Hagan began to shut the door but Aiden stopped it with his foot. “Get lost!” Hagan barked.
Aiden raised his arms. “Whoa, whoa, take it easy! I just wanted to say thanks again. That was pretty awesome of you guys after I tried to mug ya and whatnot.”
“You’re welcome,” Hagan answered bitterly. “Now go away.” He attempted to close the door but was blocked by Aiden’s foot again.
“I just wanna pay ya back!” Aiden asserted.
“That’s not necessary,” Iris replied. “I suggest that you return to wherever you came from, as this is not our dwelling and I’m certain the owner wouldn’t be fond of–”
Sezuni, who had hidden her face and reequipped her weapon during the conversation, shoved her way through the trio and unsheathed her katana. Aiden’s eyes widened to an enormous size as he hastily backed away, nearly tripping over himself. “Never return to this place,” Sezuni ordered coldly.
Tales of Aria: The Legend of Damiano's Disk Page 18