by Jason Kenyon
‘We’re not adding horse theft to our list of crimes,’ Tharanor said.
‘I don’t think I particularly care much about that by this stage,’ Archimegadon said, attempting to drag Neurion swiftly over to the tavern’s stables on the edge of the courtyard.
His hopes were swiftly dashed as he saw the wide eyes of the fearful horses, which made panicked whinnies as the companions approached, and began to circle wildly in their confined stables. So much for trying to steal those, then – escaping on fearful horses was more likely to end with everyone in the filthy rainwater, and Zillon’s arrows were sure to follow.
‘What do we do?’ Obdo asked. ‘I can’t see anything. We’re dead.’
‘Bollocks to this!’ Archimegadon said, dropping Neurion, who, while still comatose, was no longer frozen in his statuelike pose.
As Obdo lunged to catch Neurion, Archimegadon stepped out into the centre of the courtyard and looked around at the high walls of the tavern around them, and the black windows that faintly glittered in the moonlight. He raised a fist in the air and kept an eye out for the shadow hunter’s familiar dark mask.
‘Zillon!’ Archimegadon shouted. ‘I’ve had enough of this nonsense! Cease your cowardice and face me at once! Do you truly fear me so greatly that you’d hide away like this?’
No answer came from the shadows, but after a moment Ithalna’s voice made Archimegadon jump.
‘He is here,’ she said.
‘Where?’ Archimegadon asked.
‘I do not know,’ Ithalna replied. ‘But you have his attention.’
‘Show yourself!’ Archimegadon yelled. ‘Let this be the end of you!’
Enraged by Zillon’s constant harassment, Archimegadon roared an incantation and summoned as much fire as he could manage, determined to set the entire tavern alight to force the shadow hunter to show himself. There was a long and torturous moment in which Archimegadon recalled what had happened to Anjilo and Neurion, along with Obdo’s advice for Ithalna, and his reason came to the fore and told him not to cast any spells. This was, of course, far too late, and once the pristine moment of clarity had passed, Archimegadon felt his entire body freeze in place, and the fires around him died.
I have a clear shot.
Archimegadon still had his senses, despite being frozen, and he heard Zillon’s voice from all directions. He tried to look back at Ithalna and the others, and was swiftly reminded that he could no longer move. He tried to roll his eyes, only to remember that he couldn’t do anything aside from, apparently, maintain regular body functions, which was just as well, or he’d be pretty dead by now. This was by no means the first time he’d cursed himself for his rage, and hoped it would not turn out to be his last.
Step out, Unette. Your hired mage is in perfect sight for my kill. Take his place now and my business is concluded.
Archimegadon wondered if Ithalna would do anything so foolish, though he had to take a moment to quell his foolish desire to have her save him from this impending death. He tried to locate where Zillon was hiding away, but the voice seemed to be sent by magical means, as it didn’t appear to be coming from any one location.
‘I will not deal with you, hunter,’ Ithalna called back. ‘There is no guarantee that you will keep your word, and I shall not make myself an easy bounty. Besides, I need only wait – others will arrive soon, and you will lose your opportunity.’
We are alone, little queen. The tavern folk have been led away by spirits, and they will not protect you. Step out and we end this game.
Archimegadon wanted to shout something back to Ithalna, but he had no idea what he would actually suggest in this situation. Then again, Ithalna was a Cleric; what chance was there that she’d value his life above her own? Not that he wanted her to trade her life for his, of course, but it did make Archimegadon wonder why Zillon would bother with this tactic.
There is no purpose in trying to conceal yourself round that corner, archer. You are not hidden to me.
Mellara appeared from one of the side passages leading away from the tavern courtyard, and she had an arrow readied, though it was pointed down at the cobblestones. Her face was hidden by the shadows of her hood, and Archimegadon wanted to wave at her to flee, but also to beg for her help. She looked absolutely drenched, but still managed to look composed and unflustered. Archimegadon almost sympathised with her more than he did himself, but then he registered just how wet he was getting with Zillon’s spell holding him out in the rain.
‘Well, you got me,’ Mellara said. ‘No hiding from you, huh?’
I do not have a shot on Unette. From your angle, you do. Kill her for me and your mage companion lives. You are a hired killer as well; aid me, and we share the bounty.
‘Uhm, no,’ Mellara said, though there was a clear moment of hesitation before she replied.
Then I will shoot you down first. Unette, make your decision. I will kill your friends one by one. We have no witnesses, and I have all the time I need. I am safe where I am - you cannot shoot what you cannot see.
Mellara lifted her bow and pointed it directly over Archimegadon’s head, above the stables, and flashed a grin, but she winced as she put pressure on her right arm.
‘Oh, but I can see you,’ she said. ‘For I am Archimegadon!’
And she released the arrow.
Archimegadon watched it pass overhead as far as his frozen sight would allow him, and then stumbled as something exploded behind him, and the magical binding released him. Ignoring whatever had happened, Archimegadon gave Mellara his sternest frown, folding his arms.
‘Excuse me, Miss Nightshot!’ he said. ‘How dare you pilfer my catchphrase?’
‘Shush, Archie,’ Mellara said with a grin as she charged past him, dropping her bow and arrow and drawing her short sword with her left hand.
Archimegadon followed her with his glare before looking to see what she had done. From the fires and the detonation he’d heard, he quickly judged that she’d kept one of Anjilo’s exploding arrows after all, and had proceeded to blast wherever Zillon had been hiding. It also occurred to him that Mellara had her ability to see perfectly no matter how dark it was, and it followed that perhaps she had the same benefit with magical gloom, allowing her to see past Zillon’s illusions to target the hunter himself.
In any case, it seemed that the explosion had thrown the shadow hunter from his perch in the tavern to land in the courtyard, and he was getting to his feet and reaching for his sword. Now that Zillon was out in the open, Archimegadon could finally see what he looked like. Not entirely dissimilar to Tharanor and the other members of the now-disbanded City Watch of Ferrina, Zillon was wearing light, black leather armour, with a belt strapped across his chest and back that both carried his quiver and several small knives. His head was entirely concealed by a chainmail hood, with a black mask covering his face, the only distinguishing features being two crescent moon slits for his eyes.
Before anyone could react, Mellara got there first, kicking Zillon’s mask with such force that even Archimegadon winced. She then slid Zillon’s sword to one side with her boot, and it skittered off into the darkness. Stooping, Mellara grabbed Zillon and yanked him from the cobblestones, regarding him with narrowed eyes for a moment before ramming her sword hilt into his mask, and he let out a pained cry.
‘This is what you get, you bastard,’ Mellara said, striking him again, over and over, until he fell limp in her grasp. ‘You think you can just cripple me and be done with it?’
‘Mellara, stop!’ Archimegadon said, grabbing her shoulder.
‘Forget it, old man,’ Mellara said, dropping Zillon and bringing her blade to rest over his right arm. ‘I’ve had enough of this bastard. Let’s see how he likes losing an arm.’
Archimegadon felt a jolt of fear as Mellara’s crimson glare turned on him, and he was taken back to facing Valia in Marr’s throne room. Mellara was no servant of evil, as far as he knew, but she was still a former mercenary of the Fallen Blade, the most brutal ga
ng that had taken hold in the city of Ferrina. He’d found it easy to forget since their departure from Ferrina, but now, as she turned her rage on the fallen Zillon, Archimegadon remembered all too well how her origins had been so much darker than those of the rest of the companions.
‘Please, Mellara,’ Obdo said, creeping out of the shadows. ‘Don’t maim him. We shouldn’t be doing this sort of thing.’
‘Don’t be so damn stupid, Obdo,’ Mellara said. ‘What do you even care?’
Obdo waved his two remaining fingers on his right hand. ‘Bartell had this done to me. I don’t want us to be the same.’
Mellara spat at the cobbles, just barely missing Zillon’s head. ‘The world’s a bit less pretty than you’re used to in your cushy life on the farm. You might be all concerned with what’s good and right, but I only believe in retribution.’
‘If you wish to leave a message, perhaps we might find a less… sadistic method,’ Ithalna said. That seemed mildly hypocritical to Archimegadon, given what she’d told them about interrogating one of the paladins, but now didn’t seem the time to raise that dispute.
‘Yeah, sure, here you all are after I saved your stupid asses, complaining,’ Mellara said. ‘He never had this consideration about us – why would you bother to worry about him suffering?’
‘Don’t do it, Mellara,’ Archimegadon said. ‘I know what it is like to be frustrated, and to seek revenge, but losing control is nothing to be proud of – as I have been reminded on many occasions.’
Mellara looked between the rest of the group, clearly holding back several responses she could think up, but then she hissed and turned on the fallen Zillon, delivering a precise stab to his chest. For a few tense moments, only the rain could be heard, and the gentle crackling of the few stubborn flames that had not yet been put out by the rain.
‘There,’ Mellara said, her face shadowed within her hood. ‘We’re done.’
‘Thank you,’ Obdo said.
‘Are we really going to have to argue every time we beat someone?’ Mellara asked. ‘You guys are ridiculous. At least the Blade knew how to get things sorted.’
‘This will still be quite the message for Salestis, I expect,’ Ithalna said, hovering under cover, out of the rain. ‘All the same, would you perhaps like to leave something more? I have some writing tools you may use.’
‘I don’t leave messages with words,’ Mellara replied. ‘If you want to leave a rude letter, let Archie handle it.’
‘Sure you want to bait Salestis?’ Tharanor asked.
Archimegadon grabbed the pen and paper Ithalna had taken from her satchel.
‘She has been unchallenged by our little troupe too long,’ Archimegadon replied. ‘I want to leave her something more than just her hunter.’
He scribbled two words down and then fixed the note to a wooden post just under the cover of the nearest passageway, using one of Zillon’s spare arrows so that it would stand out. Mellara, meanwhile, grabbed her own bow along with Zillon’s, and eyed the rest of the group. Anjilo and Neurion were standing with confusion written starkly across their faces, and Archimegadon wondered just how much they’d seen of the evening’s events after Zillon’s trap had triggered. The Light trap had seemed to knock them out completely, where the magic trap he’d suffered had left him aware of proceedings.
‘Let’s get moving,’ Mellara said. ‘I doubt we’re going to go unnoticed much longer.’
‘Agreed,’ Archimegadon said, and together the companions ran off into the night.
Chapter Twenty-Four: Under and Over
Archimegadon would have been more relieved about the defeat of Zillon if they’d been able to finally get a well-earned night’s sleep, but with part of the tavern on fire, a corpse in the courtyard, and the residents beginning to return from whatever magical distraction Zillon had used on them, the companions had little option other than to run for it.
Outside of Vildred, an inhospitable forest gave them some meagre cover from the onslaught of rain, and they managed to find an overhang of rock along the mountain’s base that kept things reasonably dry. Though they were tempted to warm up with a campfire, Mellara reminded them that there was a good chance that guards from Vildred might search the area for whoever killed Zillon and set the tavern on fire, so it was safer for now to avoid lighting a beacon.
Ithalna smirked at Mellara, who glared back.
‘What’s that look for, princess?’ Mellara asked.
‘Why not ask your mage to warm things up?’ Ithalna asked. ‘I am certain that Master Forseld could conjure some heat without creating any tell-tale glows.’
Archimegadon added his own glare to bolster Mellara’s.
‘You’re a funny woman,’ Mellara said. ‘I don’t care if you could fly us to Arenfel and into Salestis’s bedroom so we can kidnap her, I’m not trusting you with your powers.’
‘That is fine,’ Ithalna said, quirking her eyebrows. ‘It shall be an enjoyable night, I am sure.’
‘Don’t be an ass,’ Anjilo said. ‘We wouldn’t have had to deal with Zillon if it wasn’t for you, and I stuck up for you before.’
‘I appreciate the support, but you can hardly expect me to shower the group with gratitude for holding me captive,’ Ithalna said.
‘What did you expect?’ Archimegadon asked. ‘I would much prefer to have some comfort, but we cannot take that risk.’
‘Please yourselves,’ Ithalna said.
The group settled down close to each other for some small amount of warmth, while Ithalna sat a distance apart from the rest. Neurion in particular looked frozen, but he was staying quiet. Archimegadon uncharitably felt he deserved it, though he was feeling frozen himself, and he debated negotiating with Mellara about Ithalna’s shackle.
‘Well, this is a cheerful night,’ Obdo said, positioned between Tharanor and Neurion. ‘Just glad we’re done with that Zillon guy. Nice work, Missy Red-Eyes.’
‘Thanks,’ Mellara said, smiling at him.
‘You just shot him right out of the inn,’ Obdo said. ‘Boom! Stuff of legends for sure.’
Mellara coloured. ‘Heh, yeah, truth is I kinda missed there. I was aiming for his face, but my arm screwed up and I shot the arrow right past him.’
‘You aimed for his face with an exploding arrow?’ Anjilo asked, laughing.
‘I wanted to be sure,’ Mellara replied, pouting.
‘Hey, I’m not complaining,’ Anjilo said. ‘So your eyesight – it’s special because of magic or something, right? That’s how you saw him?’
‘Yeah, he’d shadowed himself over so people couldn’t see where he was hiding,’ Mellara replied. ‘Least, that’s what I’m guessing. I could see like the vague outlines of the magic, and him in the middle looking down from a window. He was aiming right at Archie.’
Archimegadon shivered. At least without seeing Zillon, he hadn’t felt that he’d been quite as close to death as he had been.
‘How many of my arrows did you steal?’ Anjilo asked.
‘Just the one!’ Mellara replied, flushing. ‘Look, I just wanted to try another out, okay? And I figured you’d notice if more than one was gone.’
‘This is precisely why I never trusted you around my house,’ Archimegadon said.
‘Didn’t help you much,’ Mellara said with a grin.
‘What does that mean?’ Archimegadon asked, but Mellara just giggled to herself and didn’t reply.
‘We’d better not slow down, even with Zillon gone,’ Anjilo said, ignoring Archimegadon as he began pestering Mellara for a confession.
‘Yeah, we’re not too far from Arenfel anyway,’ Tharanor said. ‘Do we have any idea of when this tournament is taking place?’
‘The time they suggested before was in a couple of weeks, unless I have lost track of time completely,’ Ithalna replied, shuffling a bit closer to the rest of the band. ‘They gave the rest of Valanthas some time to pick out champions to take part, and Salestis’s grandmother was from Deyna, so they’ve invited
some participants from over there too, which will take a while. All of this would rely on them sticking to that time, however, so we should make it a priority to find out when this will be happening.’
‘So which one of us is taking part?’ Obdo asked.
‘Taking… part?’ Anjilo raised an eyebrow.
‘Yeah, I mean, it’s the best way for us to investigate the tournament,’ Obdo replied. ‘From the inside!’
‘That doesn’t make any sense,’ Anjilo said.
‘Missy Red-Eyes would probably be our best choice,’ Obdo continued. ‘Or what about Tharanor? As long as he doesn’t get drunk.’
Tharanor visibly twitched, and Mellara leaned around to slap Obdo on the shoulder.
‘Obdo, we are not taking part,’ Archimegadon said. ‘I daresay that we will likely want to head in to the tournament grounds to observe the goings-on, though.’
‘I would also recommend checking around the palace,’ Ithalna said. ‘We Clerics, ah, had certain secret tunnels around the palace that we used to use. We might be able to recover some useful records from there, and potentially spy on the Supreme Commander herself.’
‘Cultists have free run of the central palace in Valanthas?’ Tharanor asked, looking as if he was about to be violently ill.
‘Perhaps,’ Ithalna replied, giggling. ‘Now, you will likely not believe what I am about to tell you. It is a secret that we have kept for a thousand years… but the founding member of our cult was also in fact the founder of Valanthas, King Vortagenses!’
‘I knew that,’ Archimegadon said.
‘Yup,’ Obdo said.
‘Unfortunately, yes,’ Neurion said.
‘Knew that already,’ Tharanor said.
‘Yeah, it’s come up before,’ Mellara said.
‘So I’d heard,’ Anjilo said.
Ithalna blinked. ‘Oh… well, alright, then. But yes, once the capital moved to Arenfel, some time after Vortagenses himself died, the Clerics were still very much involved in the running of the kingdom in secret, and we made sure to build it for our own convenience.’