“Luke is like a stag with multiple mates,” the dryad innocently concludes. “Is one of you the chief female or do you share that title? I have no claim to the title if that is your concern.”
“Kayn! Please tell me you’re done!” Sari screams, startling the dryad. She does not hear a response and turns back to the expectant fairy. “If I had to explain it in those terms then Kira is the chief female, but I take on the role when she isn’t around. Not that I’m trying to overthrow her or anything. I just want to cure Luke of his loneliness when she’s away. Although, he isn’t cooperating with me.”
“You could mount him,” the dryad bluntly suggests.
Sari stares at the dryad in stunned silence until a high-pitched whistle causes the fairy to disappear into the nearest tree. Sari slowly makes her way back to the clearing, occasionally glancing back to see if the dryad is watching her. By the time she returns to the clearing, she has an expression of cold boredom on her face and daggers spinning in her hands. She sighs in disappointment when she notices that Conrad is still in one piece. Her eyes beg Kayn to let her take a swipe at the groaning calico, but he shakes his head and unties their prisoner’s ankles and wrists.
“Don’t tell me you’re letting him go,” Sari angrily snaps, enjoying Conrad’s attempt to shrink away.
“Not exactly,” Kayn replies. He wraps the rope attached to Conrad’s neck around his forearm. “Mr. Deviltongue has agreed to escort us to his benefactor’s home. This being is a Lich who is working out of a graveyard dating back to before the Great Cataclysm. It’s also the krypters’ birthplace and nest, so we need to move quickly and carefully. If we start moving now, we can get there within three hours and have plenty of daylight for a rescue.”
“Then we get to kill him,” Sari happily says, jumping up and down.
“You said you would let me go,” Conrad whimpers as if he is in extreme pain.
Kayn leans toward Sari and whispers into her ear, using her hair to shield his face from Conrad. “We’re getting what we need from him. You can stop trying to turn him into a blubbering mess. After all, we need him to guide us to your friends and I refuse to drag him behind us.”
“Very well,” she sighs, walking over to Conrad. “I promise not to hurt you, kill you, scar you, or do anything horrible to you. Instead, I’ll be friendly and flirty to make you comfortable. Now, start marching, little kitty, or I’ll carve my name in your stomach.”
“Much better,” Kayn groans, looking up to the sky.
14
“This is frustrating,” the Lich mutters under his breath. He lets go of Nyx’s chin and drifts toward a stool to sit down.
Nyx groans and coughs, bloody drool falling from her mouth and pooling on the stones at her bare feet. She feebly shakes the chains that run from her arms to the walls and suspend her in the air. Her shoulders ache from the hours of constant pressure and her bound legs dangle uselessly beneath her. She strains her neck to look at her hands, which are entombed in black metal gauntlets. Each gauntlet has a fractured lightning bolt on the back of the hand and the symbol glows whenever Nyx tries to cast a spell. The warm glow is immediately followed by a bolt of pain coursing through her body, causing her to arch her back and scream.
“I expected you to break into a whimpering mess over an hour ago,” the Lich admits, watching the anguish and pain on Nyx’s face. “It wasn’t too long ago that you were a pampered apprentice. I can’t believe you would have the strength to withstand so much torture. Are you still able to use your magic?”
“Go suck on a troll’s tongue,” Nyx snaps with a sudden surge of strength.
“You still have the energy to be defiant,” the Lich says. He sighs in disappointment and rises to his feet. “I think your willpower requires some investigation. There must be something inside you that gives you such strength.”
“It’s called a heart,” Nyx proudly declares, blood dribbling down her chin. “You remember what a heart is, right? The blood-pumping organ you tossed away to become a pathetic monster. Considering how stupid you are, I wouldn’t be surprised if you sold your beating heart for a free lunch long before you became a Lich.”
“You’re insults are beginning to lose their sense and their sting,” the Lich mentions with a half-hearted chuckle. “I believe your strength comes from more than a simple organ. You possess a rare power, which I wish to learn about. My master will reward me for giving him the truth behind your power. If I’m lucky, my reward will be your aura and then I can stop with these ridiculous gestures and incantations.”
Nyx raises her head and flashes a grin showing off her blood-stained teeth. “You’re nothing more than a power-hungry worm who traded his flesh for bones and dust. Are you proud of the worthless minion you’ve become?”
“I have faithfully served my master for longer than you’ve been alive,” the Lich angrily replies, clenching his boney fists. “You may believe he’s an evil monster, but he’s an honorable leader who will carry Windemere into an age of peace.”
“If he’s going to bring about peace, why are the gods against him?” Nyx counters, letting her head go slack. “It sounds more like he wants to enslave the world. I’m pretty sure that’s the definition of a tyrant and your master strikes me as the type who always wants more power.”
“That’s merely a sign of his ambition and greatness,” the Lich immediately states as he approaches Nyx. “What would you know about my master?”
“I know Baron Kernaghan was a cruel warlord who was so dangerous and powerful that the gods sealed him away,” Nyx answers, surprising the Lich with her knowledge. “I can safely guess that he lost everything and he’s been trying to rebuild his empire from wherever he’s been incarcerated. If I was a betting woman, I would say he’s connected to the continent of Shayd and that’s how he recruited the chaos elves. I could even believe that the chaos elves’ sudden change from malicious tricksters to deadly assassins soon after the Great Cataclysm was caused by your dear master. It’s amazing how much a girl can figure out by putting scattered pieces of knowledge together.”
“You are a true genius,” the Lich mockingly claims before muttering a spell. His hands transform into spindly worms of energy that stretch toward Nyx. “To be honest, I’m not sure how this spell is supposed to work. I gleaned it from the mind of a passing caster years ago, so it’s a little muddled. If you don’t like what happens then feel free to scream loud enough for your dear mother to hear you.”
Nyx grits her teeth as the worms rub against her skin and slip under her shirt. They are warm to the touch as they gently tickle her stomach, but she holds back her giggling in preparation for what is bound to be a painful experience. One of the worms pokes her bellybutton and forcefully pushes into her stomach. She looks down, expecting to see blood flowing from an open wound. Instead, she sees a gash of light with the worm burrowing inside. The light is a fiery red and churns like the roiling magma of an active volcano. The other worms follow and Nyx can feel a heavy pressure on her stomach, which makes it difficult for her to breathe.
“I think I figured something else out,” Nyx says, trying to distract herself from the wriggling sensation of the energy worms. “That gnome you were talking to is the one responsible for the Weapon Dragons. I’m desperately guessing here, but it would explain why Sari’s clan was attacked by Weapon Dragons and why that Sword Dragon showed up to help Kalam. Those were oddly exact attacks for wandering, mindless beasts. So, two of the greatest threats of the modern world are connected to Baron Kernaghan. You really expect me to believe he wants to start an age of peace when he created monsters and corrupted an entire race?”
“I don’t really care what you believe,” the Lich calmly replies. He slowly moves his hands and Nyx can feel the worms violently twist her from the inside. “It’s a strange feeling having your aura attacked directly. It must feel so violating and demeaning. Though, I must say, it’s very enlightening to me. Your aura is thick and potent, like a magical spring contained by
nothing more than flimsy flesh and bone. If I could harness your power, I would be my master’s favored for eternity.”
“His son really scares you,” Nyx states, biting her lower lip as the discomfort grows into pain.
“Yes,” the Lich begrudgingly admits. The sadistic shimmer in his eyes dims as he thinks about his rival. “He’s incredibly powerful, second only to his father. He’s the one who harnessed your residual aura to create the krypters. It will be interesting to see how you and your friends fair against him in battle. None of the previous champions ever had the pleasure of fighting him. They tended to die rather quickly or avoid his path.”
“I’m sure he’ll be as inept as you,” Nyx says through gritted teeth. She chuckles until the Lich clenches his fists and the worms tear at her aura. Nyx coughs up glowing blood, but refuses to scream.
The Lich leans close to Nyx’s face and grins as he whispers, “Let’s see what happens if my aura worms shred your magic. Maybe that will get the screams of agony that I’ve been hoping for.”
The worms grow jagged spines and viciously spin inside her. Nyx struggles to keep her mouth closed as the worms rip apart her aura, causing her more pain than she ever thought possible. It takes all of her concentration to stop herself from screaming, which infuriates the Lich to the point where the worms spin faster. It is his proud cackling and the eerie wiggling of his fingers that sparks a storm of primal rage in Nyx’s mind. A guttural growl springs from her mouth and steadily transforms into an echoing roar that shakes the mausoleum. Parts of the ceiling crash to the ground and a chunk of the attic’s floor falls away, narrowly missing Timoran’s head. Nyx can hear the krypters screech, but they stop as if they are suddenly scared of getting what they most desire.
The Lich notices the krypters’ abrupt change and begins to worry about his safety. He attempts to retract the worms, but Nyx’s fiery aura envelopes and absorbs them. The Lich nervously watches her aura stitch itself back together by breaking down the worms into raw energy. He detaches his fingers from his spell and steps back as the glowing hole in her stomach closes. He is about to mutter another spell when he realizes Nyx is still focusing on her aura, her magic flowing from her mouth.
“Those gauntlets should have reacted by now,” the Lich whispers as he backs away from Nyx.
As if they hear his words, the gauntlets glow and try to send a wave of pain into Nyx. Instead, her head jerks up and she angrily glares at the humming artifacts, her violet eyes fringed with fire. Her body emits such intense heat that the chains around her legs melt and ooze to the floor. Cracks appear in the gauntlets as Nyx struggles to create a magical feedback. The pain fades away and she grins devilishly at the Lich, whose feet are frozen in fear. With a deep breath, Nyx unleashes a surge of power that shatters the gauntlets, sending shards rocketing in every direction. She crashes to the floor, her legs useless and her arms covered in magical burns that are already healing.
“That the best you-” Nyx starts to say, her voice a gravelly rasp. Her words are cut off when a blast of wind erupts underneath her and slams her against the ceiling. She is unconscious before she hits the ground with a loud thud.
“I’ve never seen such power,” the Lich whispers while picking gauntlet shards out of his face and ribs. “It was almost like you were channeling . . .” His crimson eyes widen as his voice trails off. “It couldn’t be.”
The Lich rushes out of the attic, his clacking footsteps echoing off the marble stairs and disappearing as he enters the basement. Silence fills the room where Nyx lays motionless on the floor, her breathing growing stronger and steady every minute. A familiar scent stirs her senses and causes her stomach to roar with desire. Her tongue greedily licks her dry lips in anticipation of something that is on the fringe of her mind. The memory rushes back once she feels a sweet cube pushed into her mouth and melts on her tongue.
“Honey fudge?” she weakly asks before her eyes open.
“I’m never letting you out of my sight again,” Sari whispers. She kisses Nyx on the cheek and rolls her onto her back. “You’re a mess, Nyxie. We’re going to have to buy you new clothes when we get back to Hero’s Gate. That’s a shame because you haven’t had this shirt for very long. It looks like it was mauled by an army of angry weasels, but I think I can salvage the neck clasp. I don’t see your boots, so I’m going to assume those are long gone. We should talk to Tzefira and Lord Highrider about helping us replace everything. Unless you can magically fix your clothes and teleport your missing boots back to you, which wouldn’t surprise me. Oh, your toenails are destroyed, Nyxie.” Sari touches Nyx’s hair, noticing it for the first time. “I don’t even know what to say about this atrocity.”
“Why are you talking so much and not helping us escape?” Nyx asks, reaching out to forlornly stroke Sari’s soft, blue hair. “Are you an illusion of the Lich or am I hallucinating from all the pain?”
“Kayn and I kidnapped Conrad and forced him to bring us here,” Sari tells Nyx while gently placing the half-elf’s head in her lap. “I’m here to rescue you and bring you home. We need to be patient.”
“Kayn?”
“My former partner was running the guild.”
“You found another survivor?”
“Yes, but that’s not important now.”
“Congratulations, Sari.”
Sari gently puts two fingers on Nyx’s mouth and slips another piece of honey fudge into her friend’s mouth. A smile of blissful contentment crosses Nyx’s face as she begins to regain feeling in her toes. With a grunt of pain, the caster lifts her head to look down at her body and cringes at the sight of her brutalized form. The thought of a hot bath gives her another rush of energy that swiftly fades away.
“I’ll need you to fix my hair when we get back,” Nyx says, carefully pushing herself into a sitting position. “There are so many things I need to tell you, but we need to get out of here first. Timoran, Luke, and Tzefira are locked up downstairs, so let’s move.”
“Everything is being taken care of,” the gypsy calmly assures her.
“The Lich will be back any moment,” Nyx urgently whispers. She struggles to get to her feet, but Sari holds her down by pressing on her legs. “He wants to figure out why my magic works the way it does. If he’s a good little doggy, his master will give my power to him. We have to get moving or you’ll be captured too.”
Sari places more candy in Nyx’s hand as she says, “Get some rest and gather your strength, Nyxie. We’re going to need you as close to full strength as possible when the time comes. I slipped a silence cover over the entrance to the basement, so the Lich won’t hear anything while Kayn frees the others. We’ll use Conrad as an expendable decoy if trouble starts. We knocked him out and put him in a corner of the main room.”
“I love having a gypsy as a little sister,” Nyx claims with a chuckle.
Sari goes to sift through the pile of discarded gear, tossing Nyx’s crossbow and mourning star near the half-elf. With a curious look at the gap in the floor, Sari picks up Timoran’s axe and carries it to the edge of the hole. She sticks her head through and makes a shush motion at Timoran before he can say anything. Sari stretches as far as she can and locks her legs with her immovability. Carefully, she slips the heavy weapon into the empty sheath on the barbarian’s back. She gives a parting smile to Timoran before going back to the weapons and pulling a long rope out of Nyx’s magical pouch. It takes several tense minutes to bundle Luke’s sabers and Tzefira’s war staff together. Whistling to get Kayn’s attention, she lowers the weapons through the hole and lets them drop the last three feet into his waiting arms.
“Kayn has the weapons, so he’s going to break our friends out,” Sari says as she returns to Nyx’s side. She cringes as she examines her friend’s mutilated hair and battered boy. “Are you going to be strong enough to help us or am I going to have to drag you along?”
“My body is in a lot of pain and I barely have the energy to stand,” Nyx honestly answers as she crosses
her legs and closes her eyes. “I’ll be functional by the time we’re ready to move. Though, I’m going to pay for this later. Can you go through my gear and hand me the vials of red liquid?”
“What are you going to do?” the gypsy asks as she gets the vials. She experimentally shakes one of them before shrugging and bringing them to Nyx. “Something tells me I don’t want to know what this is.”
“You really don’t,” Nyx whispers.
Nyx pops the stopper off one of the vials and downs the griffin blood. She focuses on her body, feeling the flow of its energy swirl beneath her flesh. Sari watches as streams of raw aura snake from the ceiling and walls. The aura is black at first, but slowly changes into a dull red before being absorbed through Nyx’s pores. Her pain gradually fades away and she can feel her aching muscles regain their strength. Nyx drinks another vial, causing the aura streams to grow brighter.
“This is going to be loud,” the gypsy excitedly mutters.
*****
Luke stretches his tingling limbs and arches his back after he drags himself out of the metal casket. It takes a few seconds for him to realize there is someone standing next to him. He turns slowly and is surprised to feel his sabers pressed into his slightly numb hands. Luke cautiously eyes the brown-haired man who is calmly looking around the room.
“Thank you,” Luke finally says in a hoarse voice. The man hands him a waterskin, which he gladly takes a few greedy sips from. “Do we have time for a quick explanation or should we release the others and run?”
“I’m Kayn, another survivor of Sari’s clan. She found me in Hero’s Gate and asked me to help rescue you,” the gypsy patiently answers. Luke can feel the man sizing him up, but he is not sure if it is out of curiosity or aggression. “We have some time before the Lich realizes that there is a silence spell over the basement stairs. He was in such a rush to get down there that he failed to notice me and Sari standing in the doorway.”
Legends of Windemere: 03 - Family of the Tri-Rune Page 36