Faith and Fury

by Tiger Hebert

“That’s the thing,” replied Vacinne, “I don’t know what it’s called, but he can pass through things. So, a gate or a wall wouldn’t stop him. He could pass right through.”

  Renlar cocked his head to the side. “Wait, are you saying that Masoc phases like you?”

  Vacinne shook her head. “No, his is different. He doesn’t phase, but somehow, he creates like a mist that he can step through. It allows him to pass through things. He can also manipulate objects, but I don’t really understand how it works. It’s almost as if he makes the object phase, rather than himself. I don’t think that’s exactly how it works, but that’s the only way I can think to explain it.”

  “What about his company?” asked Renlar.

  “For a very brief window of time, they would be able to pass through with him,” she replied.

  “Okay, so the good news is that he isn’t trapped. Maybe that was his plan. If he knew the tunnel was sealed, he could have purposely used the tunnel as a means of getting his company away from their pursuer. Clever,” admitted Renlar.

  “Let’s hope you are right,” said Vacinne.

  “Who are the people in his company?”

  “They were some initiates of the temple.”

  “Have any of them manifested their abilities yet?” asked Renlar.

  “No, I don’t think so. Most of them were quite young I believe.”

  The conversation ended there for the time being. It was time to get moving. Sutara and Cinder had already made their way deeper into the tunnel, and the light from her fire golem was already a good distance away. Vacinne realized that they had better hurry up and get moving or risk being left behind in the dark. Hollering up ahead for the hot-headed addition to their group didn’t seem to be a very effective alternative either. So Vacinne and Renlar picked up the pace and moved to close the distance on Sutara and her minion.

  As the minutes turned into an hour, the companions found themselves not only descending farther into the mountain, but that the tunnel continued at a slight downward slope. The tunnel also seemed to bend slightly to the left or to the right at times. Though they struggled to ever get back within twenty-five feet of Sutara, at least the passage had been easy and uneventful.

  Vacinne’s breathing was elevated a bit. “Does she always like to move at such a brisk pace?”

  Renlar exhaled. “Pretty much. You won’t find patience to be one of her qualities. I’d ask her to slow it down a tick, but it wouldn’t do any good. She’s as hardheaded as they come, and that’s counting you, so that’s saying something.”

  “Hey now,” said Vacinne with a feigned scowl.

  Renlar just gave her a look.

  “What?” she demanded.

  Renlar replied, “Admit it, you’re as stubborn as a mule. You think you know what you want, and come hell or high-water, you intend to get it.”

  Vacinne paused and said, “I can... be a little... unyielding at times. That much is true, but only when I know what is needed to get the job done, and there’s often a certain way that I want that to happen.”

  Renlar smiled at her. “Contrary to what you were taught in the temple, there is rarely just one way to get the job done, Vacinne.”

  “I would disagree.”

  “Clearly, but that doesn’t make you right. Just admit that you are a control freak,” chided Renlar.

  Vacinne sighed. “Okay, maybe just a little bit, but the more interesting part of this whole conversation is how you always seem to know what I was taught in the temple. I understand that knowing things is part of your deal, but really what’s that all about? How can you claim to know so much about the Wardens?”

  Sutara and her golem vanished. All the light in the tunnel was gone. Vacinne was cast into darkness.

  “Are you okay?” asked Renlar as his hand landed gently on her shoulder.

  “Why wouldn’t I be?” she snapped as she began to draw her runeblade from its sheath. The golden light of the magic runes cast a pale glow around them.

  “No! Sheath it,” warned Renlar in a forced whisper.

  “Just until we catch up with Sutara,” suggested Vacinne.

  “We won’t be,” he said in a quiet voice.

  “What?” replied Vacinne, clearly confused.

  Renlar whispered, “I don’t think this was an accident...”

  Chills went down Vacinne’s spine. “Are you saying she lost us in here on purpose?”

  “Keep your voice down. She has excellent hearing. What I’m saying is that we might not all be on the same mission down here.”

  “You said we could trust her!” growled Vacinne.

  Renlar corrected her. “No, I said we’re lucky to have a riftborn of her caliber with us. The truth is that Sutara has had a rough life, a life that was downright tragic. Orphaned as a child and taken in by a thieving crew when she was just eight or nine years old. I’d love to tell you it was to get an orphaned girl off the streets, but let’s just say their motives weren’t quite so noble.”

  Vacinne nodded. “They wanted her powers for their operations.”

  Renlar sighed. “Sadly, not that either. She wasn’t even a Riftborn back then.”

  “Oh,” said Vacinne and nothing more as the realization set in.

  “She was just a child...,” said Renlar his voice trailed off for a moment. “I wish I’d found her then, but it wasn’t until a few years later.”

  “Did you rescue her from that life?” asked Vacinne.

  Renlar replied, “No, she found a way out and took care of herself. And that’s the thing, she’s always taken care of herself. It’s how she survived the horrors of being an orphan girl on the streets. It’s all she knows. So, when it comes down to taking care of herself or anyone else, you can bet she’s looking out for herself.”

  “So, what’s this all about then? What do you think she’s after?”

  “I don’t know. She is a feisty one, but she’s not usually out to get anyone. Whatever gig she’s got is probably a big score. I can only guess that she is worried that our involvement has the possibility of compromising her mission. If I had to guess, she just wants to throw us off her trail so she can finish the job.”

  “Okay. So why can’t I draw my blade?” asked Vacinne, her voice growing impatient.

  “I’m not sure her gambit, but I don’t think we want to announce our presence to her or anything else that we are going to run into down here.”

  “So what the hell are we supposed to do then?” she demanded.

  Renlar ran his fingers down her arm until he found her hand. “Keep hold of my hand.”

  Before he even finished, Vacinne thought, Really? It’s dark so you need to hold my hand? Typical.

  Renlar continued, “We may be without sight, but we are not blind. Sutara is good, but not as good as me. I know her scent.”

  I bet you do...

  “Quietly, we wait,” instructed Renlar.

  Vacinne felt the hair on the back of her neck brushed by the gentlest caress as the wind blew past her. The soft rustling sound of a tiny breeze met her ears. It was subtle and soft, but it was unmistakable. Renlar was using his magic. The two of them stood there silently holding hands in the dark for several minutes. Then without much warning the gentle breeze returned from its journey.

  Renlar inhaled deeply through his nose.

  “I’ve got her,” said Renlar with pause, “and she’s not alone...”

  8

  Making an Exit

  Renlar hurried through the darkness, pulling Vacinne by the hand. He used his magic to manipulate the air in the tunnel, muffling the sound of their steps. The journey was quiet and lightless, but swift. They rounded a sweeping bend in the tunnel that worked its way around to the right before turning back northward. As they turned that final corner, light and warmth met them. Renlar suddenly stopped at the sight of light, and Vacinne ran right into him.

  He turned to her and whispered, “Are you okay?”

  She nodded, her attention fixated on the d
istance. Fifty yards ahead, the tunnel took another sharp turn to the right. It was illuminated by the warm flicker of distant firelight that spilled into the tunnel from around the corner. They couldn’t see its source, but what they could see was haunting. Mottled black and green, slime covered eggs of all different sizes filled much of the tunnel’s girth. Renlar gasped.

  “There must be a dozen of them,” he guessed.

  “And some of them look like they could hatch any time now,” added Vacinne, worry showing in her voice.

  “We better hurry,” said Renlar as he hurried forward, careful to pick a path forward that would not disturb any of the eggs, lest they hatch early.

  Renlar and Vacinne deftly maneuvered the maze that was the demonic hatchery, only to turn the corner and find that far more eggs awaited them. Dozens upon dozens sat there, ready to hatch. That is when they discovered the source of the light and heat that filled the tunnel.

  “Sutara!” cried Renlar in a forced whisper.

  Vacinne saw it too, because she pointed to the frightening image before them.

  A raging inferno swirled like a violent tempest in the distance, and the darkened silhouette of a bound figure, a feminine figure, stood dark against it. Then the silhouette turned toward them, and it cried out.

  “Help! Before the vorthor returns!”

  “Sutara?” asked Renlar, as he cautiously weaved his way toward her.

  “Renny, hurry!” cried Sutara with a whimper. “We’ve got to destroy the eggs before it returns!”

  Renlar and Vacinne picked up their pace, as they made their way toward her. As they drew closer, the silhouette faded, and they began to see the redhead. Dirt and dried blood were smeared across her face and her leathers were torn, and her wrists appeared to be bound by some type of chains.

  “What happened to you?” demanded Vacinne.

  “Yeah, how did this happen?”

  The panic was evident in Sutara’s reply. “The damn demon ambushed me when I came around one of these corners. It must have sensed me comin’. Musta knocked me out for a few seconds—or more—who knows, because when I came to, Cinder was gone. The demon bound me in these infernal chains that messes with my power. I can’t control the fire anymore. That inferno just burns. I can’t move it, I can’t bend it, and I can’t stop it. Now can someone hurry up, and get these damned things off me?”

  Renlar began to work at the chains. “Why the inferno?”

  Sutara shivered as the continuous magic use took its toll. “It s-said that the heat would help s-speed up the hatching.”

  Renlar worked with urgency to break her free. “Vacinne, they must have some type of specific demonic ward on it that forces her to conjure the flame. It’s the only thing that makes sense. If we don’t break her free before this prison depletes her spirit, the magic will kill her.”

  Vacinne studied the chains that coiled around Sutara’s wrists. “Without a curse-breaker, how do we remove them?”

  Renlar’s answer was quick. “I’m not a curse-breaker, so I can’t discern the nature of the magic at work here, but I don’t think anything is binding the lock itself. I hope if we can just break the lock, we might be able to free her. Unfortunately, this metal is not one I can bond with.”

  “What the hell does that mean... Renny?” demanded a nearly feverish Sutara.

  “I’ve got to pick the lock the old-fashioned way.”

  With a shriek, Sutara wailed, “Hurry!”

  Vacinne stared in awe. Renlar’s hands moved with a flurry. She barely saw him pull the thieving tools from inside his overcoat. His hands never stopped moving, and the tools were already at work inside the lock. Then to her astonishment, Vacinne heard the mechanism being moved and the lock springing open.

  The demonic lock and chains turned to dust and blew away like a puff of smoke. A thin wispy red line floated in between them where the bonds once were. The threadlike line of crimson magic leapt out and latched on to Renlar’s right hand, leaving a burning red mark upon the back of his hand in the shape of a forking lightning bolt in circle.

  Renlar cried out at the sudden pain.

  The other end of the wispy red line arced out and latched on to Vacinne. The magic bit the left side of her face, near her ear. The fiery brand lit into her skin. She screamed as the magic singed her flesh.

  Twisted laughter met them. “I do appreciate the heroics, my dear Renny, but didn’t you hear? Chivalry is dead.”

  Renlar’s eyes shot up to meet Sutara’s. The place where her eyes should be, were now orbs of wicked red fire. Sutara smiled as she stared at him. The crippling pain of the magic dropped Vacinne and Renlar to their knees.

  That lying bitch, thought Vacinne, before the pain wrestled control of her every thought.

  Vacinne tried to summon her protective shield, but this strange magic completely suppressed her. She realized the same was true for Renlar, as his floating daggers all clattered uselessly to the stone floor.

  Sutara reached out, grabbed a fistful of Renlar’s dark hair, and forced his head back. He grimaced. She took a step closer, pressing her exposed navel against his chin. The flame in her eyes surged.

  “Oh Renny, you had so much potential, but you always left me wanting...”

  Renlar fought to speak through the pain. “Why... are you doing... this? What do you want?”

  Sutara’s smile faded and her grip tightened. “Have you ever been powerless? Have you ever been trapped? Have you ever lost control over every aspect of your life? Have you?”

  Renlar gasped at the pain.

  Sutara continued her rant, “I will never be a victim again, and I will crush anyone who ever even attempts it!”

  Renlar snapped, “This is all about power?”

  “It always is,” rasped Sutara as she squatted down in front of him. “The pursuit of wealth, the forming of alliances, the laws, the Wardens, and the way a woman sways her hips and licks her lips. It’s all done for power. The power to be in control. The power to never be the victim again. The power to have what you want.”

  Sutara leaned forward to kiss him, but he pulled away. She ripped at his hair, and kissed him against his will, before he pulled away.

  “There’s no amount of power in all Kurein that will give you that kind of control,” spat Renlar.

  “No, not in Kurein,” admitted Sutara. “Which is precisely why my bargain stretches beyond our realm.”

  With that, Sutara hissed and flung him backward. Renlar slammed down hard on the tunnel’s stone floor as she turned to walk away.

  Vacinne cried, “Why are you doing this to us? We had nothing to do with what’s happened to you!”

  “Baby, this has nothing to do with either of you. You just happened to be in my way. It’s nothing personal.”

  “And you’re still going to leave us here to die?” demanded Vacinne, through tears.

  Sutara stopped walking for a moment.

  “No, the spell is layered with bonds. The first is a magic suppression proximity ward. The second binds you to this location—for a time—so you can’t escape the effects of the first. The third... well, I’ll leave you two to figure that out,” she answered with an evil laugh.

  Vacinne screamed, “You can’t do this!”

  “Ha ha! I just did, baby. I just did.” With a laugh, she sashayed away.

  Vacinne screamed and Renlar railed against the magical restraints, but it was futile. Helplessly, they watched the betrayer leave them to die. The two of them were left bound before the still roaring inferno in the midst of the tunnel turned hatchery.

  “You have terrible taste in women!” said Vacinne.

  “What?” shouted Renlar. “You’re crazy.”

  “I’m crazy? You’re the one that has a past with psychotic demon pyro-girl.”

  Renlar protested, “I’m not sure why you think my past is any of your damned business. I’ve known Sutara for a long time, but it’s not like that.”

  Vacinne gave a mocking smile. “Oh, I see.
She never meant anything to you, it was just physical. You men are all—”

  Renlar roared, “Where the hell do you come up with this stuff?”

  “She told me about the two of you back in Bergsdale,” said Vacinne, finally finding the strength to stand against the force of the magical bonds.

  Renlar rose up next to her, crossed his eyes, and shook his head. “So, you’re going to take the word of the same girl who just put a spell on us?”

  Vacinne put her hands on her hips. “Why would she lie about being with you? Besides, it was quite an elaborate story for something to be made up. The two of you and this crew you guys used to run jobs with down in Bergsdale. No demons, just good ole’ fashion bounty work. Employers calling in marks, and your crew collecting the bounties. What were the names that she told me? Jenna... no, Jesra, that’s it. There were some other more colorful names too. Oh, yes. There was Toad, Itchy, and my personal favorite, Burns, because of the burning sensation when he urinates. Lovely bunch, I’m sure.”

  “She’s broken and I couldn’t help her! Most people don’t survive the things she’s been through, let alone come out unscathed. She’s a survivor and it’s all she knows, and she will lie, cheat, steal, and kill if it serves her purpose.”

  “Did she learn that from you?”

  Renlar’s expression soured. “Sure, let’s just sit here in the middle of a demon hatchery while you interrogate me on my past, which you obviously know better than me. We’ll just let someone else deal with the demonic invasion that’s about to take place.

  “You’re absolutely right, there are more important things to focus on than your past, but unfortunately your past just trapped us here!”

  Renlar’s face flushed. “Vacinne LeDroux, what a wife you’ll be! For one so young to be so adept at nagging and picking and prying, it’s truly remarkable. By the time you finally fool some sorry sap to settle down with you, you’ll be comparable to the great Paratus and Herelda, the patron mothers of poverty and pestilence!”

  Vacinne’s mouth fell open.

  Renlar stormed off, leaving in the direction that they’d come from. Vacinne shouted at him, but he ignored her, until he hit the end of his leash. The magical bond had weakened but wasn’t gone yet. Renlar stood there, cursing under his breath.