Category: The Master of Gears

The final confrontation with Jorum now begins. The Master of Gears shows what she is truly capable of, but is Jorum more than a mutated master? And what secrets does Ryker ultimately hold? The end of Annastaria’s first chapter comes to a close, but another is ready to begin, one that will take her and her companions through a storm that cannot be avoided.

Jorum stepped forward towards Rolek, with thumps like war drums of doom. The pale master was beaten, bloody, bleeding out of his right abdomen, his face with multiple streams of blood coming down from it, and his nose crooked. But Rolek saw into his eyes; beyond all the inhuman appearances of him, was pain. There were tears in his bloodshot eyes. He was shivering, and Rolek’s own adrenaline seemed to freeze, if only for a moment. And then, “Kill me.” Jorum said, before he puffed out a pair of coughs. It was weak, raspy, and most of all, he spoke of his own admission, not by orders from Ryker or Lance.

Rolek’s eyes went wide, and his threat sensitivity gave way to confusion as he stepped backwards. “What the hell did you just say?” he said.

But Jorum went silent, and instead prepared to fight in the same bladed stance as before. Rolek didn’t know what to do; this monster was about to attack him again, and now in his spirit state, or whatever it was. Pain rushed through Jorum’s face just before he blasted a flurry of magic bursts at Rolek, who panicked and leaped out of their way, and used warps to blunt ones he could not dodge. He shifted to his right and Jorum’s left flank and unleashed his own counter-offensive of rock-based attacks. But like before, Jorum merely raised his hand and threw the rocks aside like they were just wadded paper. Jorum stood straight then, with no fighting stance, as if to mock Rolek. Then he raised his right hand up to the sky, clenched open and lowered it slowly.

Rolek went back into a fighting stance. “That’s it.” he said, “It’s time to put you down!” He set his clenched, open right hand to the ground, feeling his magicka energy move through it, pulling it upward at his own will for a quick but decisive blow towards Jorum. But his concentration was halted when an ice ball fell and shattered in front of him. Rolek paused and focused on it, but not long enough before another fell a few feet away, and then another and another. They popped and cracked as they fell, until one struck him in the back. “Agh!” he gave out to the pain. He gave up his offense and looked up to see hail coming from the sky, and no more rain.

“You’ve gotta be kidding me!” he blurted out before trying pitifully to dodge the hailstorm Jorum made of the falling rain, and he did it so effortlessly that Rolek didn’t even know what he did until it was pelting him, beating him, even as he took cover; the ice ploughed through the branches of the trees.

Rolek threw out fire blades to try and stop it, and warps, but the fire blades were only momentary offenses. Warps were potent defenses, but they took incredible amounts of magic energy to sustain, and he was running on fumes already. In the midst of the hailstorm, Rolek looked up and saw Jorum sprinting at him for a killing blow, and in only a moment, he was locked in another hand-to-hand fight, but Jorum was now faster than before, and he even radiated some form of heat. 

This couldn’t be good for the pale master; Jorum’s body was even giving off a slight steam. In the midst of the fight, he remembered Annastaria’s words that Jorum’s “spirit state” was actually poisoning him, and he noticed as well that Jorum’s veins were blackening. Still, the pale master gave all he had, and it was too much for Rolek, who took several clean blows to the face, chest and even legs.

Rolek wobbled, his legs locked, and he threw up blocks from strikes a second after they had landed clean on his face. His reaction time was diminished and Jorum likewise had become twice as fast as before. Finally, after a desperate attempt to go on offense that failed, Rolek was caught in an arm lock and thrown over Jorum, slamming into the ground like Elise was. His face was bruised, and split open on his left cheek. Defeat had won him. Silence followed as Jorum seemed to stop fighting. Like the others he threw down, he stood over Rolek, embracing the moment of victory for himself. The hailstorm stopped, leaving in its wake smashed ice shards mingled with the dirt and leaves, and a bloodied and battered Rolek looked up at Jorum.

He began to laugh through his agony. “I tell you what big guy,” he managed to say, “you and I both look like crap… But even with all of that, I’m still way better looking than you!” He chuckled some more before continuing, “You… You just don’t have the looks, bro! I don’t know what else to tell ya!”

Jorum’s face didn’t change, but he pitied this man. He raised his right hand, looking at his blackening veins. “I hoped you could kill me,” he said, dissipating Rolek’s mocking, “but you can’t… There is nothing left to end yet another creature that cannot end my curse.”

Before Jorum could say or do anything more, a light appeared, a quick glimmer just ahead of him, before it burst out from the dark forest. Jorum was drawn to it, as though the entire world around him had suddenly dimmed into darkness at this burst of white light. Rolek too looked and his body quaked at the blinding sight. The light glimmered, and went out like lightning, and the wind blew out from its presence. 

Rolek’s doubt of the supernatural seemed suspended–was he seeing an angelic being? Even the rain dared not touch it. But the closer he looked, the more he realized the light was surging with energy in volts of electric shock, and that in the midst of it stood Annastaria, or at least, he thought it was. Her eyes were like an explosion of pure light, and her right arm shone even more with the angelic glow.

Jorum’s own gray, whitened eyes were flushed out by Annastaria’s. Though his body glowed, it was tainted, grayed, and impure. Annastaria’s light was pure, outlined with a faint, harmonic blue glow. She was, at least in this moment and in whatever state she was in, beyond human. She was like the angels the legends spoke of. Though light came from her eyes, her irises were not beyond sight, and she set them on Jorum.

Rolek scooted away from Jorum. “Elf?” he began, “Is… is that you?”

Annastaria turned her eyes on Rolek then, like beams of energy ready to impale him. She seemed to pause before speaking, “I will take it from here, Rolek.”

Rolek was still shaking as he pulled himself up. He was terrified and yet relieved. “Sounds great.” he said, “I’ll just… go right over here.”

Annastaria wasted no more time with talk, and set her eyes on Jorum again, who likewise stood square with her. He was curious, but yet still filled with pain in his eyes. “You.” he spoke, “You are… what I was meant to be.”

“It is over, Jorum.” Annastaria said, “Surrender yourself.”

“I cannot… You must kill me.”

“There is no need. I know you are in pain… I can sense it. If you surrender, I can take it away.”

“No… You cannot. You may be able to remove this curse from my body… But you can’t remove the curse from my mind. Souls beyond the grave haunt me. I see them here… especially here. This forest is evil. Voices call out to me here–voices that I can’t find… I am cursed, ennageve… Herald of light. I can’t recount the years in which I had hoped that the gods would finally free me from these chains… They are only freed in death… As the scriptures say, salvation is found only in death.”

Annastaria may have been surging with prime energy, but her heart was wounded by his words. He quoted from Dadres, who wrote the Laments of the Prophets, found in the sacred texts. Her body felt weak, though it was filled with power. But she had no more time to weep; Jorum slid himself into a fighting stance, with his right leg forward. But he was not bladed in his stance this time. Annastaria recognized it, but more than this, she felt it, and even saw it. 

Her eyes were filled with magicka, amplified, and her vision was increased; she could see the magic energy in the air, and she could see it converging on Jorum, whose slow movement into a stance was funneling power into himself for an attack. Rolek saw from his own plain eyes, and though he could not see what Annastaria could see, he no less knew that Jorum was about to unleash his full potential on her.

He pulled himself up with a tree several feet away from them and his heart raced. “Erene, be careful!” he shouted, “This guy’s gonna kill you!”

Annastaria heard, but did not pay much attention to the words. “You do not need to do this.” she said to Jorum. 

He went still, and contemplated what he was about to do. His oath came to mind. He remembered what he promised to Ryker, who promised him that he would be a savior to this world. Then he looked and saw in the midst of the majestic power radiating from Annastaria, her necklace twinkle just between her collar bones. He knew what it was. It made him think of her own oaths she swore to her people. He looked her in the eyes again. “You must kill me here.” he said, “I have failed… And he has lied to me.” Annastaria tried to plea further, but Jorum spoke over her attempts, “I have failed! I swore by oath to be what God had called me to be… I have failed him because I swore an oath to men. Kill me, and be true to your oath.”

“It does not need to end this way–”

“Don’t let the oaths you swore to your people cloud you from the oath you must swear before God to be a herald of light. Not even the oaths of the sacred elvish tribes.”

Annastaria’s mind staggered. For a moment, she seemed to drift away from this place, but was brought back in an instant as she felt a pulse, a spike in a magic burst of energy. Jorum had launched his attack. Rolek’s heart seemed to explode as Jorum flung himself at her with the speed of an arrow, firing a flurry of magic. Annastaria leaped to her right and as soon as Jorum’s initial attack failed to land, he blasted her with magic energy bursts. Annastaria only sent her right hand to them; the cube-like enchantments wrapped around her forearm shifted and turned like mechanisms, locked in place, and the magic attacks vanished into the air. Rolek had to rub his eyes to make sure he saw what he was seeing. She wasn’t using warps of any kind; the magic attacks simply disappeared. Jorum was momentarily paralyzed at the impossible sight, but continued his attack.

Bastillina and Oden, with Ryker now as their submissive prisoner, had arrived to behold more of Annastaria’s power, and came just as Jorum was now sending beams of magic energy at Annastaria to no effect. She was simply making his attacks void and impossible to complete. Everything he tried, from pure magic energy, to elemental attacks, Annastaria’s own power simply cast out of existence. Meanwhile, the cube-like enchantments shifted on her arm nearly every time she did it. What was it doing? A question Rolek couldn’t help but continue to ask as he beheld in awe what Annastaria was doing.

For the first time, Jorum’s mutated spirit state, previously seeming to be infinite in magic resources, now seemed to be running out. He was getting slower, and it was taking more of him to throw his most spectacular combinations of attacks, lighting up the forest with an array of magic attacks that did Annastaria no harm.

“Are those… warps?” Bastillina asked.

“No.” Ryker said, “She’s not dispersing the attacks or blunting them. She’s just making them disappear. And with the elemental attacks, she’s merely sucking the power out of them.”

“Can she do that?” Oden asked.

“A prime can… You see the tattoo of square and rectangle shapes on her right arm? Wrapped around it like a gauntlet?” Oden and Bastillina looked carefully. The fight was happening so fast, and Annastaria’s tattoos were glowing, making them hard to see, but they saw them and they were rotating clockwise around her arm. “They call that the Gauntlet of Gears.” Ryker said, “The legend says those ‘tattoos’ are no tattoos at all, but raw, magic power in a form we don’t know of. The gears act as conduits to the physical world; they shift and change at the will of the one possessing them to the combination that the possessor needs to perform any limitless number of combinations of techniques and magic action.”

“What the hell does that mean?” Rolek said, from a short distance away, “You’re saying she can do literally anything she wants with that arm?”

Ryker pondered a moment as he watched Jorum be totally outmatched. “If she knew the spells and magic combinations, yes. My Jorum may have his power exhilarated beyond any normal master, but for her, she’s beyond simple amplified power. She’s controlling the battle itself; at her own desire, she can make magic disappear, return to its inactive state at nearly no cost to her own energy whatever.”

Oden didn’t know whether to be comforted or continue to be concerned for Annastaria. Bastillina was mesmerized, inspired even. If this is what Annastaria could be, could she be the same one day? She was struck with awe like the light that shone from Annastaria at what she was able to do. She was beyond human, like a goddess in battle; at certain points, Bastillina could almost swear she saw Annastaria float in the air. She was overwhelmed with excitement at the idea that this was going to be her master, to train her to become just as powerful. If she could only learn to control her unique power, she could be able to stand up to evil men like Jorum and Ryker one day.

Jorum stepped back, pausing from the fight. His breathing intensified, even as his arms glowed with the power surging through him, though his own tattoos were beginning to fade with the grayed light. He looked ahead to Annastaria and saw that she showed no sign of wavering. But as the battle settled, the glow from her vanished, and she seemed to return to normalcy, frightening Rolek, Oden and Bastillina, and even Ryker. Her eyes returned to their turquoise color; she was human again. Jorum had blood now coming out of his own eyes, not from injury, but something else. He began to choke on fluids, including blood.

“Cease this!” Annastaria said, “There is no more point!”

“Tell me, prime.” Jorum said, “When you see a creature, even one as majestic as a horse, with a broken leg, dying upon the ground, it’s lungs reaching out for air because they have no other thing they know to do, what do you do? Let it die slowly… or end its misery?” A long pause followed. Annastaria knew what he was saying, and she knew the answer because she had done it before “You know what you must do.” Jorum said, “I can see it in your eyes. No zealot has ever gone more than fifteen years of their life before they must make that choice… You must put it down.”

Annastaria’s eyes weakened as Jorum’s eyes shook, and his tears mingled with blackened blood. He would not let her let him live. Once more, she felt magic energy converge on him in a second, and blast outward as he lunged at her with a raspy and dying war cry, and just as quickly, she exploded with light again and threw her right arm out as he did. The gears blew up with light as well and began to shift on her arm, setting themselves in another formation, some connecting with one another and once their formation was formed in an instant, began to move all together counter-clockwise on her forearm, and Jorum froze in mid-flight. His body shook and quivered, and his own breathing was almost entirely stopped. Oden and the others didn’t know what they were seeing, but Ryker did.

“What’s happening?” Bastillina asked, “What’s… he doing?”

“It’s not him.” Ryker said, “It’s her…” Bastillina looked up at him, and couldn’t believe what she was seeing. Tears in Ryker’s eyes? Was this madman remorseful? “She has been hesitating this whole time.” he continued, “Trying to avoid doing what she knew he would force her to do… She’s taken captive his own magicka. It flows in his body, and her freezing it forces his own body to stop.”

“No master is that immersed in magicka!” Oden objected.

“Jorum is… He is because I made him that way.”

Oden couldn’t believe his own ears, and he stood up, squaring with Ryker. “You sick, disgusting monster!” he scolded, “How could you do something like that?”

“I brought him up beyond what he was!” Ryker shouted back, “To make him-”

“To make him what? A prime? He can’t be one! You of all people should know that!” Oden pointed to Annastaria, “Open your eyes, Ryker! Do you see her? That’s pure divine power right there! That’s not something you can replicate through science!”

Ryker paused, watching Jorum die in front of him. Then he smiled, amplifying Oden’s disgust. Ryker looked at him again. “You know so little, Oden… Maybe one day you’ll uncover the truth.”

“What truth?” Oden snapped, now getting in Ryker’s face, “Huh? What truth? Stop these cryptic games little man!” He shoved Ryker then, who stumbled and fell to the ground in despair, but still with a smile on his face.

Jorum pushed himself through Annastaria’s impossible grip. She felt him, and her face weakened further, but her grip did not. It was not the sheer power that made this difficult, it was that she was looking into the eyes of a man made into a monster. Did he try to be what she was trying to be? Could one remain in righteousness simply by virtue of desiring it? It seemed Jorum truly wanted to be righteous. But he was a monster in the end.

Finally, she looked the dying man in his blood-filled eyes and for yet another moment was calm, even for him, as though his life was not being sucked from him. “They will not control me.” she said to him.

Jorum knew what she meant and his anger gave way to bloody tears of comfort. “You…” he managed, even in his failing voice, “You must… find him… The Black…” Annastaria nearly lost focus and let him go, and her angelic eyes faded away again as her eyes went wide. Jorum was freed from her grip, but he was too weak to stand, and collapsed to his knees. “You must.” Jorum mumbled, “He is the key.”

“The Black Priest?” Annastaria asked.

Jorum gave a faint nod, one that Annastaria thought for a moment she only wished he had done. But he spoke further, “They say he hides in the shadows… In all of them. He’s everywhere, but not. I tried to find him… But I could not.”

“I am seeking him… Where? Where do I find him? Could he have been in these forests?”

“Ryker…” he said, and tried to say more, but his voice failed.

Annastaria’s heart twisted. She wanted more answers, but prolonging Jorum’s life any longer, forcing him to live, made her no better than Ryker. And if Jorum was pointing her to Ryker, then he was the one to set her mind on, as well as her hate. She felt her bag nearby, and the magic-filled blades within it. She stretched out her hand towards it, and a blade darted from the bag and into her hand. She raised it with her right hand, no longer glowing with magic. She knelt down to Jorum, placing her left hand on his right shoulder. It was okay. He couldn’t fight anymore.

She paused, looking into his eyes one more time. He couldn’t speak anymore, but his bloodshot eyes gave her the approval, and she drove it into Jorum’s heart. He gave out a painful exhale, and went stiff for a moment that lasted too long. Finally, the air he trapped in his lungs from the stab exhaled. He fell into her arms, looking up at her, into the eyes of a young girl. For once, he was able to wish good upon someone, to hope that her gentle face would not be molested by the horrors he had embraced. He could only hope she wouldn’t let it happen to her. His head lay in her arms, gentle now and his tears had dried. But Annastaria’s were beginning to swell. His life was fading. Annastaria could hear his heartbeat weaken,  and all she could think was one more thing to say to him. She didn’t know why, but scripture came to mind, and she spoke it to him in elvish:

“Lay at peace, oh broken spirit. God’s hand now brings you to that place to heal… In the rivers of life.”

She had no reason to think he understood what she said, but somehow, with a faint nod, he seemed to know it and air cast itself out of his bloodied mouth, and his eyes went still with his body. She couldn’t help but be brought back to when she first slew a majestic horse when she was only thirteen. She had to do it both for the horse, and for herself. It was dying, and her masters knew she had to learn to make those grave and unfathomable choices. Uramuun always said it was the hardening of the heart that needed hardening, not the part that needed to be soft for tender mercies, but the part that needed to be ready for the battles that had to be fought.

She wept, but softly, hoping no one else would see. She didn’t know why she cried for this man she did not know, that she did not have any reason to care for, who hurt her, who tortured her and tried to kill her friends. He reminded her of that beautiful horse, which was black, yet having a coat that gleaned in the light like the stars in the night sky, beautiful and wondrous. She’ll never forget that horse, and she did not imagine she would forget Jorum.

Calm footsteps tread their way to her as the whole forest returned to its normal state. Trickles of rainfall were heard again as the air went still. Annastaria wiped her nose and looked to the sound of the footsteps, which she knew were Rolek’s, and not far from him was the others. She didn’t look up at any of them, afraid they would see her tears. But when Ryker came to mind, and she had seen his boots in her peripheral vision, the vulnerable eyes were swallowed in anger. What hate she had for Jorum was now meant for Ryker.

“Look at what you did.” she said to him, displaying the bloodied and dead Jorum in her arms.

Ryker felt everyone’s eyes on him, but only kept his eyes on Annastaria. “His sacrifice will not be forgotten.” he said.

“Is that all you have to say?” she said, gently placing Jorum’s head on the ground so she could stand up and face him, “That he will be remembered? It must be easy for men like you to sacrifice people!”

“You can scold me all you want, young elf, it doesn’t change–”

Annastaria whipped out another dagger and charged at Ryker. But Oden and Rolek stepped in front of her. “Anna, stop!” Oden pleaded, “It’s not worth it!”

Annastaria kept her eyes on Ryker, and while she was killing him in her mind, she relented in her body. She shook with anger and hatred as she pierced him with her eyes. “You don’t want to kill me, Anna.” Ryker said, drawing a smile then, “Hmm… That’s a pretty name.” She nearly gave into her passion again, but Rolek kept pushing her back as more police were heard behind them somewhere.

“No.” she said, calming herself, “I do not wish to kill you. Not until you tell me where to find the Black Priest.”

The still air seemed to go even more still once the words left her mouth. Even Ryker was paralyzed by it. “Who?” Oden asked.

“Well, well,” Ryker said, “it seems my Jorum had some very poignant last words for you.”

“He was searching for him. He said only you would know. Tell me now.”

“What’s my guarantee you won’t slit my throat once I do?”

The voices of the police began to draw closer to them, and they saw flashlights now over the hill towards the warehouses. “Anna,” Oden said, “we need to get out of here. If we don’t leave now, we’ll be going to the jailhouse with this lowlife.”

“I’ll make you a deal.” Ryker said, “Take me with you… and I’ll tell you what I know about the Black Priest.”

“What do you know?” Annastaria snapped.

Ryker tried to calm her with words as he backed up from her, “I know enough that if I end up in an Oenkev jail, I won’t last long enough to tell you; take me with you now, and I’ll show you where to find him.”

“He’s lying.” Oden objected, “He’s trying to use you to get free again.”

“He won’t do anything funny as long as I’ve got him.” Rolek said, “If you got something to get out of this punk, Erene, I’m happy to help.”

“This guy turned a man into a mutated monster, and he tried to steal Anna’s power! He’s a thieving nutjob! And we have to go right now!”

Before another word from anyone could be said, a voice was heard, “Don’t move!” Everyone went still and looked to the source. It was Dylen, pointing his gun at them, but he was alone. He approached slowly, looking at each of them.

“Fine day, isn’t it, officer?” Rolek said with a grin.

“Definitely one to remember.” Dylen replied. He took a few more steps and then lowered his gun. “So.” he said, looking at Annastaria, “You’re the elf who’s had my partner and myself running halfway across Oenkev to find.”

Annastaria kept her guard up but calm. “It was not my intention.”

“I’m sure it wasn’t… But here we are.”

“How’s your boss-lady doing by the way?” Rolek asked.

Dylen looked at him with a pause, and a face Rolek wasn’t sure what to think of. It didn’t look good either way. He looked at the dead Jorum, who only reminded Dylen of what happened to Elise. “Not well.” he replied, “Her arm is crushed… She’ll probably lose it.” 

Rolek didn’t know what to say for a moment. “I’m sorry to hear that.” was all he could say.

Dylen shrugged off the comment, looking at Jorum again. “You got the bastard who did it anyway.” he said.

“We did.” Annastaria said, grabbing Ryker by the shoulder and throwing him at Dylen, “He is the… bastard, as you call it. I do not know what that means, but it seems fitting for him.”

Dylen grabbed Ryker’s shoulder, pulling him towards himself to let Ryker know he was now in police custody. Ryker set his eyes on Annastaria, with a look just for her to know what she had just decided to do. “So what’s next, officer?” Rolek asked.

Dylen began listening to the voices of officers somewhere behind himself, still searching the area. He turned back to Annastaria and the others. “I have one question for you.” he said to Annastaria. She prepared herself, as he seemed to take a long and agonizing pause. “What exactly are you doing here?”

She paused, hesitating. Her instincts to withhold information were still firm in her mind, but she battled with them now. “I am only passing through.” she said, “I am not intending your people any harm… I am on a mission for my clan to find one person who is not of Oenian lineage. I promise you this.”

Dylen stood silent, making Annastaria nervous. Then a smirk grew on his face. “I thought as much.” he said, “Then I suppose I’ll have to have my boys start looking for you.” An awkward silence followed, accompanied by an uncomfortable stillness through Annastaria and the others. But Dylen wasn’t finished, “So you guys went south, huh?”

Again, the others didn’t know what to say or do. Annastaria felt the need to correct him, as did Bastillina, remembering they had to go west, into Febia. “Actually.” Bastillina spoke up, “We’re… going west.”

“So south it is, then?” Dylen repeated.

Rolek and Oden looked at each other, and then at Annastaria. “Who are you?” she asked him.

Dylen smirked, “Just a friend.”

Annastaria paused, trying to figure out what he was getting at. “You realize what you’re getting yourself into by helping us, right?” Rolek asked.

Dylen was quiet as he contemplated what to say next. He looked down for a moment as he thought. But he turned back up to them and the smirk on his face grew. “I guess I do… But orders can sometimes get in the way of what’s right.” he said.

Rolek only smirked. “Sounds like good advice.” he replied, “But let’s not forget that doesn’t mean you make rules up as you go.”

Dylen shrugged at the words, “I guess it comes down to whether you got the right instincts then, doesn’t it?” Rolek had nothing else to add, but to continue to give Dylen a smile of gratitude. He was a smart young man, Rolek thought. “Whoever your target is, elf,” Dylen said, looking at Annastaria, “I hope he’s bad enough to deserve it.”

Annastaria looked at Ryker, who had a look about him filled with inquiries that itched in her mind. “May I ask a favor of you?” she said to Dylen. He stood ready to listen as Annastaria stepped forward, eyes still on Ryker for a moment before she stopped to look at Dylen, “Keep him especially safe. I would like to ask him more questions, if possible.”

“What exactly are you asking me to do?”

“I cannot take him with me, and he knows something regarding my quest.”

Ryker managed a smile. “You’re making a big mistake, Anna.” he said.

Annastaria stepped in front of him, showing him her disregard for his personal space. She stared him in the eyes for a moment. His smile never seemed to waver. “You and I are not finished.” she said, “I will have what I need from you.”

“Look at you,” he replied, as if to scoff, “all tough and authoritative… I sure hope all that prime power isn’t going to your head.”

“Be silent! I am no different than I was when I left. Unlike you, I used my power to stop evil, not to create it.”

“Really? And who gets to be the judge of that? You?”

Once more, Annastaria struggled to keep up with Ryker’s argumentation. He knew far more than she did, and it angered her. She wouldn’t let him see her struggle to keep up with his rhetoric, and maintained a glare towards him. “Mark my words… I will find the Black Priest. We will end his blight, and then I will show you and the world that the elves can return the great kingdoms. I will not make the same mistake the patriarchs made.”

At that, Ryker couldn’t help but begin to laugh, causing Annastaria to become even more angry. “Is that so?” he said in his scoff. He had to let his laughing subside before he continued, “How many people came before you with the same determination? You think you’re the only one to say that?  Ever heard of Galtrod? Benedes? Even the most recent Armadon? All men who swore to use their power and influence to stop evil, and not create it. Funny how they ended up some of history’s worst tyrants of all, isn’t it? Little lady, the worst of them made the kind of promises you’re making. Go ahead, rebuild a new elvish kingdom with your prime power. I guess I don’t mind being proven right one more time.”

Annastaria’s eyes narrowed even more at him in disdain. He even used an ancient elvish king, Galtrod as one of his examples. He was just one bad apple, she rationalized. “So confident that you are correct, are you?”

“Every tyrant began with the best intentions of the people in mind, Anna. If you think the solution to the curse upon Enussia is another monarchy, then you have learned nothing from the failure of your people… You’re gonna walk right into another dynasty doomed to fail, and kill thousands of people in the process. Like the rest of the elves, you fail to see the most important message your own scriptures you hold to such high esteem tell you.”

“And what might that be, oh wise one?” Oden interjected.

Ryker looked at him, and with no shame in his eyes for what he was saying. “That you and I are evil to our core. Great empires won’t save humanity. Great civilization, technological advancement, cultural awakenings and even religion won’t save this world.” He turned his eyes exclusively to Annastaria then. “We are cursed, my dear.” he said with a soft voice, “There is none righteous, not one. All have fallen, all have drifted away, bound to drift by the curse of the fall… Your failure to realize that this evil is present in all men is what allows such men to rule unchecked, under the false promise of providing a messiah to finally reign in an age of peace. Read your history, girl… That has never happened.”

Annastaria went silent. Yet again, she struggled to find the words to throw back at him. Dylen turned around to the sound of voices closing in on them; their time together was running on just seconds now. He reached into his pocket and handed Annastaria a card. “Take this.” he said, “It’s a number to my house. You call that whenever you find the time. Hopefully I’ll be there, if not leave a message and try again later. I’m bound to answer at some point… In the meantime, I’ll see what I can do about him.”

Annastaria looked at the card, reading his name and number and address. “Go!” Dylen said, “You have to go, now! If they see you here, then I’ll have no choice but to put you under arrest!”

Annastaria hesitated, and thanked him as Rolek pulled her away. There was nothing left for them here, except for a final look at Ryker, with the same smirk on his face to her, one she dreaded seeing, and hoped to forget.

They moved east once again, returning to familiar terrain that took them over a mile away, once more returning to the Spear of Halgarden, seeing the mountains from before that stood tall and great as ever. Bastillina took a moment to take in the sight again, as if it was the first time, with the stormy, dark clouds hovering over them.

“Well, here we are again.” said Rolek, “I feel like we just ran in a complete circle.”

“How are you feeling?” Oden asked Annastaria.

Eyes all turned to her, who was noticeably bent over more than normal, and during their walk through the woods, they noticed she would hold her abdominal area several times. “I will be fine.” she said, “It is mostly strikes I sustained from that criminal leader.”

Oden paused, battling thoughts of hatred in his mind with thoughts of concern for Annastaria. “Well,” he said, “I’m sure he won’t be a problem for us anymore.”

“That is all behind us now.”

“You can say that again.” said Rolek as he walked into the conversation, pointing his bruised face to the east, where they had come from, still able to see some of the airships several miles in the distance. “It won’t be long before they stretch their search this way.” he continued, “We don’t wanna be here when they come.”

“It seems we’re back to where we were just last night.” said Oden.

Annastaria reached into her bag to get her glove and sleeve to place over her arm, drawing spectating eyes from Rolek and the other two; they each noticed she had a new addition to the enchantments on her right forearm. Now she had a design similar to what was on her palm on her right shoulder. It was a series of circles in and around each other, with what appeared to be elvish, or nagush words wrapped around them, and at the center a grouping of four circles. 

“What are you?” Rolek asked.

Annastaria looked at him, and then Oden and Bastillina. Though they didn’t say anything, it was clear Rolek spoke what was on their minds as well. She opened her right hand to look into her palm for a moment, contemplating what she hid behind the glove, and then looked at them. “That is a question that I intend to discover soon enough.” she said.

“So even you don’t know what you are?”

“I wish I did.” she replied, stepping past him to look to the western mountains in the distance, “And I would tell each of you if I truly did… But I think I may know of someone who does.”

“And who might that be?” asked Oden.

Annastaria didn’t say it, but she knew what she had to do. The only problem was that what she had to do involved her breaking another creed. It was one of a degree of punishment and consequences she never thought she would be tempted to face. The importance of the quest returned to her mind, and the only clear thing that she knew was that she had to return to Mennix. But what happened next? After the last few days, could she truly just go back home? 

She hated the idea, but was more than willing to go through with it. Yet after all of this, what was she to do? She could hardly believe it; she felt her conscience failing to convince her to go to Forik, where her way home waited for her. She did have friends with her now, friends she knew her people would never accept, and yet she couldn’t imagine herself able to live with a clean conscience, forsaking all of them after this.

Ryker knew something; he had answers to questions for her people that needed to be learned. At this point, creedal law got in the way of these answers–her answers. After what felt like a long several minutes of internal reflection, Annastaria turned to the others. “I cannot ask any of you to come with me.” she said, “I have put you in danger… And where I am going, only more will follow, and likely far greater.”

The others looked at each other. “Where exactly am I supposed to go?” said Oden, “I mean… I don’t think they got Lance back there, which means if I turn around I’ll have him and the SIU looking for me.”

“I got a bounty to collect.” said Rolek, “And a duel to still have with you, elf.”

Annastaria couldn’t help but smile. “You know that you cannot collect that bounty anymore, do you not? The power in that artifact is now safely with me.”

Rolek smiled back, “Guess that just leaves you and me with a rematch.” Annastaria’s smile grew. Somehow she knew he was lying, and all the other times she asked him why he stuck around he was lying, but she didn’t care, at least not in this moment. She turned to Bastillina, followed by both Oden and Rolek.

“You really think I’m going back to Levaan?” the girl said, “After all of that? Pfft! I’m ready for those mountains!”

Annastaria sighed, half-regretting Bastillina’s optimism, but her smile remained. Rolek stepped towards them to look at the mountains again. His own smile disappeared as he scanned them. “Well, like before,” he began, “I have to really protest the mountains.” He turned around to them, and especially Annastaria, “Winter’s on its way, and if you intend to go towards or to the Halgador Mountains, it’s not going to go well.”

Oden stepped forward then. “As much as a stroll through the mountains always sounds fun,” he began, “after what we just went through, I’m a little tired to be hiking those things. Plus, Rolek didn’t mention the wild life we’ll encounter.”

Annastaria was reminded of her part of the quest, which was to investigate Mennix, and then return to Forik, where she would go through the Halgador Mountain pass, into the Valley of Kings, and return home. “Whatever we choose,” said Annastaria, keeping her eyes on the storm to the mountains, “there is one place I must go to first.”

“Where?” asked Rolek.

“A place in these woods… I must look at it one more time before we set off.”

“It better be important. Come on, I’ll lead us down the cliff. There’s another storm coming at us, not to mention Oenkev authorities.”

Oden and Bastillina obliged, following Rolek carefully down the cliff once more. Annastaria stood silent for a moment. The wind continued to beat against her from the north, where it always came from in this place. She stared at the storm, and to the west, thinking about Rolek’s last words. 

“Yes.” she said to herself, “A storm is coming.” The sounds of the airships behind her drew nearer, and she turned to them, watching them slowly move west. It was time to go, and she followed the others down the cliff to disappear into the woods once more.

It took another thirty minutes to reach it, and for the most part, Annastaria had to go by memory, but once she recognized the groves and a particular rock formation that almost pointed her to it, she found the opening, and saw the group of stones standing idle in the woods. As before, there was an unsettling nature to their idleness.

“What in the world?” Oden asked, almost forced to stop as he beheld the stones.

“That looks…” said Rolek slowly, “unnatural.”

“It’s just a big pile of rocks.” Bastillina said.

“It’s one thing to find shrines in the woods, kid.” said Rolek as they stopped in front of the stones, “It’s a whole different thing when you find stones standing upward like this.”

“Do you know what it is?” Annastaria asked him.

Rolek didn’t expect the question, and his gaze upon the stones relented to look at her. “Not exactly. But there’s something about this that doesn’t sit right with me. Especially with what’s happened the last few hours? I don’t like it.”

“What exactly are we looking at?” Oden asked.

Annastaria paused, looking at the stones again. “This is a prison.” she answered, drawing all eyes to her.

“Umm,” Oden said, “what kind, exactly?”

“One meant to contain a spirit. I believe that spirit haunts these woods.”

“You… you’re serious?”

“I am. I felt it yesterday. This is what I came here to find.”

“You mean… from your clan?”

Annastaria nodded, “Yes. They sent me here to investigate strange readings we uncovered in these parts.”

Rolek tossed his hands up, “And so, what… You found nothing? Now you just go home?”

Annastaria paused again. That really was it. She was just supposed to go home now. She knew something evil was kept here. But she had no means to remove it. Even were she to break one more rule and use her prime power to purge it, she knew it would bring a scorn on her she didn’t care to face. And more than this, she didn’t know what would happen if she did. But something or someone put this thing here, and now her mind began to use that as a reason to do what she was not supposed to do. 

She reached into her shirt, drawing out her pendant, looking at Kai, and then at the other one, with the flower. She stared at it. Once more, she tried to convince herself it was time to go home, but she couldn’t. 

“Yes.” she answered Rolek, “That is what I am supposed to do.” She paused again, with her mind going back and forth. She felt like a pot of boiling water, ready to burst over the sides. Then her eyes looked up at them, “But I cannot go.”

The others stood silent and awkward, like those words were supposed to impact them somehow. They only impacted Annastaria, however, and the others simply looked at each other for what they were supposed to think. “Okay,” said Oden back to Annastaria, “then I guess… we need to keep moving, right?”

“We do. But I must once more warn you: I have others out here on the same quest, but they are going to different places.”

“Why would they be going there?” Rolek asked.

“We were sent in divided groups to go to places where we drew the readings. I was sent here, and the others to other places. Those had greater readings.”

Rolek stepped forward, looking down and rubbing his mouth as he pondered his next question, “What exactly are you guys looking for out here?”

Annastaria paused again, looking directly into Rolek’s eyes. “The Black Priest.”

Rolek didn’t step back physically, but mentally he did. He couldn’t believe the words. “A legend?” he asked, “You guys are hunting… what’s most likely a ghost?”

“We are. And we cannot stop until we know if he is a ghost or not.”

“What’s a black priest?” Bastillina asked.

“I will explain it later. But you must know that I do not know how my people will receive you. Everything I told you will already put me in great trouble… Are you sure you wish to come with me?” She looked particularly at Bastillina, “I know you desire to see the world, Bella… But I am not the person to see it with.”

Bastillina stepped forward, swallowing once, but without hesitation. “I’m going with you.” she said, “There ain’t anythin’ for me back there.”

“Count me in.” Oden said, “I don’t know anything about this Black Priest… But I owe you my life, Annastaria. I’m coming with you, and I don’t care what ‘your people’ think about me.”

The three of them looked at Rolek now, as though his decision held the fate of the whole quest. He looked at each of them, and lastly Annastaria. “Alright,” he sighed, “I’m in. I bet there’s a nice, hefty reward for whoever can find this guy, or to prove he’s a big hoax to scare all the creepies away.”

Annastaria smiled, and then looked at each of them. “Then we must go.” she said, “There is no more time to waste. We must get to Bokshaer.”

To be continued…

Annastaria flees with Oden and Bastillina to find the magical artifact, hoping Annastaria can use it to regain her mastery and defeat Ryker’s mutant master, Jorum. Can Rolek hold the mad master off long enough for Annastaria?

Jorum disappeared after having killed or incapacitated almost all of Elise’s men. Her heart thumped as she searched to and fro for him, afraid to move from the open area she was in. In all her years, no foe sent a shiver through her like this. It was too quiet, apart from the airships overhead. He was here, like a prowling jaguar, hiding in the shadows and pouncing whenever he caught his prey in his grasp. She and Dylen, with only four other officers remaining huddled together, and had only the hovering airships overhead to give them hope from an overhead view. So far, no report came in from them. 

“Stay in the open.” Dylen said, “He can’t hide from us there.”

The group felt as though they were surrounded by a single, large snake that taunted their consciences as it slowly constricted itself upon them. Still, the air remained cold and weighty with emptiness. 

“Something isn’t right.” Elise said, continuing to observe how the entire warehouse front entrance area was still.

A group of footsteps were heard coming from the warehouse, drawing Elise and Dylen’s eyes to it. Their guards were softened to see it was the other team of officers coming from the warehouse. “No one left inside.” said one to Elise, “At least no one still alive. Found bodies, hard to tell who is who, but something definitely went down in there.”

Elise’s stomach turned at the statement. “Was there an elf among them? A girl?” She felt a wave of relief come over her as the officer shook his head; Erene was still alive, but nowhere to be found, yet again. 

Dylen looked up and saw the airships moving towards the hills where Gerdan and his men were, and gunfire begin to erupt in that direction. Only a few seconds later, the radio was heard, “We’ve spotted two suspects converging on the western flank; one of them the pale, shirtless master. Anyone copy?” Dylen and Elise looked at each other, as though to confirm to one another that they heard what they heard. 

“It could be Ryker and that other master.” Elise said.

“They’ve broken off from attacking us.” Dylen added, “And if they did that, they found something worth breaking off for.”

Elise’s heart began to pound, or at least, she was now just being made aware of it. Erene must have been out there somehow, and Ryker would surely find her. “Gather the survivors!” Elise ordered as she broke formation, moving west, “And get reinforcements down here now! We got men down and need help searching the woods! Ryker still has a master–repeat, Ryker still has a master that must be approached with extreme caution!”

Lance shoved one of his own men out of the way as he himself went to start the engine of the boat, while still taking fire. Two more of them were shot and dropped. One by one, Lance’s men were dropping all around him. Finally, he got it started and fired off the engine. The boat seemed far too slow, but it left the port, leaving Lance with only two survivors of his crew. Ryker was nowhere to be seen, but by now, the bloodied and battered Lance, now missing half his own tongue, didn’t care. The elf was gone, and even her he didn’t care about anymore. All that mattered was getting away free, and alive.

“We can’t let them escape!” Gerdan shouted, running back outside with his men to call out to Kelvin on the hill, who faintly heard Gerdan’s repeated echoing and signalling him down. Kelvin looked and once he spotted Gerdan, he saw him practically using his whole body to point towards the river. Kelvin stood up from his position. 

“The river!” he said, drawing up his men with him and they scrambled to the northern part of the hill, running about twenty feet before they saw through a multitude of tall trees on the hill, the river and a boat fleeing, with a trail of disturbed water leading to the warehouse. He didn’t know who it was, but someone was in the boat that could not be allowed to get away.

“Everyone put fire on that boat!” Kelvin ordered, and his men dug in again. The boat itself was at least a hundred feet out by the time they were ready to open fire, and even worse, the trees obstructed a consistent view that would otherwise have made it a sitting duck. But they fired their rifles on it anyway, while Rolek and Oden helped Annastaria over the hill and past them, going back down and away due southeast. Her stomach still cramped from Lance’s violent kick, and she felt as though something was in her throat where Lance pressed his thumbs to crush it, causing her to cough. But worst of all, her mastery was yet again paralyzed, even though she was finally free from her bonds.

“Where are we going?” Bastillina asked.

“Anywhere but here.” Rolek said.

“We will not get far.” said Annastaria, “I am slowing you all down, and Ryker will surely be searching for me–and Bella, and I cannot have her here when he finds me.”

“He won’t find us if we keep moving.”

As they came down the other side of the hill, a burst of ground and dirt startled them, and they nearly tripped and fell down the rest of the hill. They stopped and looked up at the top to see a screen of dirt falling from the trees; Kelvin’s men followed, like ragdolls flying down the hill towards Annastaria and the others.

“It is Jorum.” Annastaria said, observing the approaching airships as well, “He has found us.”

“We gotta keep moving!” Rolek said.

But Annastaria ripped herself away from his grip, and Oden’s. “No!” she snapped, “We cannot run! He will find us!”

“And what do you expect us to do?” Rolek argued back, “You’re in no condition to fight! And I sure as hell can’t beat that guy on my own!”

Annastaria took a deep breath, looking to the hill as gunfire erupted, and magical explosions were heard. She knew Jorum was on the other side, and would quickly cut down Gerdan’s men and come for her next. She looked at her right hand then. All her sworn oaths swelled in her mind. She was not ever to use her prime power, under any circumstances. It was too risky, and it would give her away. 

Only days ago, she would have no trouble with such orders; it never crossed her mind to violate the oaths and creeds. But she was not prepared for what would confront her in the coming days. Standing around her were living people who pushed her, whether they intended or not, to throw those oaths away. If for nothing else, to be prevented from letting this power fall into the wrong hands, which surely her people could not allow over anything. Surely it was right to use her power for good, to protect the power, whether creeds said so or not.

“The artifact.” she said, “Give it to me.”

“What for?” Rolek asked.

“We have no time to explain it! Just give it to me–now! I will use it, and restore my power.”

“How the hell is an ancient artifact going to restore your power?”

“Once I merge it with my prime energy, it will energize my magicka. But I need it now!”

Rolek was silenced by the words, but Oden paid them little attention. “Uh,” he began, “about that.” Rolek was snapped out of his trance and looked at Oden, along with Bastillina and Annastaria. Oden looked at each of them with hesitation in his eyes; a sign Rolek didn’t like.

“Please tell me you have it.” Rolek said.

Oden paused, trying to formulate how to begin. “Yes and no.” he said. Rolek sighed, throwing up his hands in frustration. “It’s not far away!” Oden quickly defended himself, “It’s just a little ways from here, where we came from, behind a big rock. I put Erene’s bag there to keep it safe.”

“Unbelievable!” Rolek blurted out, “Way to come through in the clutch!”

“Hey!” Oden argued back, “You were the one giving Bella and me crap about bringing all of the things Ryker wanted right to him. So, when we took a quick breather, I thought I’d fix that problem by making sure at least one of them didn’t get back to him.”

“There is no time to argue!” Annastaria interrupted, “I need the artifact. If we wish to ensure Ryker cannot have it, it must be with me.”

Another burst of magic came over the hill, drawing their eyes to it. One of Gerdan’s deputies came tumbling over the other side towards them, bloodied and beaten. And then, as though coming out of the ground itself, Jorum emerged from the other side, standing up top and staring down at them. His stare could almost have energy beams blasting down to them; his gaze from the top of the hill alone pushed them back a few steps. 

Rolek shook off the fear, and took a deep breath before stepping forward. “Go.” he said, turning to Annastaria, “Get that artifact.”

“What about you?” Bastillina asked.

Rolek turned back around to Jorum, beating back his stare with his own. “I’ll keep him busy.”

Annastaria hesitated, and part of her tried to keep her there to fight with him. But it was a temptation she knew she had to push down. “Be wise.” she said, “Move hastily, and do not be caught still… Get him to activate his enchantments.”

That last statement was enough to get Rolek to break eye contact with Jorum, turning back to Annastaria to make sure he knew what he heard. “You wanna run that by me again?” he asked.

“I know it is a grave risk. But that state is unnatural, and it is poisoning him. If you cause him to activate it, it will increase its destruction to his body.”

“You’re leaving out the part where he becomes ridiculously more powerful and faster.”

“It is only a suggestion. Either way, remember to continue moving. I know you prefer the strong stance, but he is able to break through that.”

“I’ll be fine.” Rolek said, turning around again, “Just get that stupid rock everyone’s killing each other over.”

Annastaria nodded, and with Oden and Bastillina’s help, continued their retreat into the woods. Jorum watched them limp away, calculating his plan of attack. “Hey!” Rolek snapped, forcing Jorum to look at him, “You keep your eyes off them and on me, big boy!” Rolek began stepping up the hill, with his arms open in taunt, “Because you ain’t gettin’ to them until you go through me!”

Jorum said nothing, and only stared coldly at Rolek. As unsettling as the look was for him, it was better than Jorum looking at Annastaria, Oden and Bastillina fleeing. The pale master took a step forward, which seemed to Rolek slow and heavy; he didn’t know how he was going to fight this master one on one, and while he was willing to take some punches if it meant keeping the others safe, he had no intention of being killed by this master. Annastaria had a key point to make about Jorum’s special ability being activated, but that didn’t null Rolek’s desire to avoid that. If he could keep moving, it was his best chance. He was only buying time, after all.

Before he could contemplate further, Jorum bolted from his slow stride down the hill, charging at Rolek like a violent boulder. But he sent no magical attack at Rolek, who barely caught the flight and ambush to dodge a wide, right hand strike from the pale master. Rolek felt as though he dodged a train, but he knew he was not out of danger as Jorum continued to display his lengthy body did not slow him down as he continued to send a flurry of strikes. 

Rolek shifted backwards, and slowly moved to the left, trying to get an angle on Jorum’s right flank, but ate a left fist from Jorum to the jaw. Rolek was stunned and fell back, but rolled to regain his footing. Jorum was on him again, but this time, Rolek ducked, noticing how Jorum stuck his lead leg into Rolek’s area so comfortably. As Jorum’s lead leg pressed on the ground for his strike, Rolek dodged the blow, and with a fire-based magic technique–the fire grip–he pressed his open palm on Jorum’s flexed thigh. Jorum immediately reacted with a vicious backhand that knocked Rolek several feet away.

Rolek quickly regained his footing, shaking off the daze from the blow and wiping his mouth of blood. Jorum stammered backwards, a sight Rolek never thought he would see; there was a break in Jorum’s stoic look. The skin still boiled, even as Jorum attempted ice manipulation over it. Though he quickly put out the burning, the smoke of burnt flesh and shredded gray pants filled the air with a ghastly aroma. 

Rolek smirked at the sight, hoping to further instigate the pale master, who for the first time, gave a facial expression; a faint breaking of his coldness into uncertainty. Rolek felt emboldened, and knew that Jorum’s primary frontal attack was severely crippled, with his lead leg significantly injured. It was time to go on offense.

Rolek went into formation, building up magicka and sending his hands out, with his feet dug into a powerful stance. A blast of several tremors flew out at Jorum, who now had to defend himself with his alternative leg, building up magicka to respond, and ploughed his magic-filled fist into the ground, shielding himself from the tremors exploding in front of him, settling them, and the broken-up ground seemed to calm. From there, Jorum leaped up with his own magic attack, sending a flurry of ice shards made from the water in the air at Rolek, who threw out chunks of the broken ground that obliterated the small shards, causing Jorum to jump and dodge the projectiles hurling towards him.

Rolek kept the pressure on, with more rock mastery and closing in on Jorum, who was forced on his heels. Despite his injury, Jorum showed an impressive retreat defense that blunted Rolek’s boldness; he realized after the first two slashes, combined with a fire blade that Jorum not only anticipated the devastating blows, but dodged them cleanly. 

Rolek had to retreat; this pale master was either preparing for a counter-attack, or Rolek would wear himself out too soon. Neither possibility was acceptable. The two took several more steps back to regain themselves. They locked eyes again, unable to take them off each other even to the disturbance of the airships that continued to circle overhead.

Rolek looked carefully, hoping to find any break in Jorum’s confidence, but nothing came. His cold stare had returned, and though he had sustained an injury, Rolek felt like he was back at square one. Jorum turned to a bladed formation, but now with his alternate lead foot, his right leg; whatever was coming, it was likely going to hit Rolek on his right. 

Jorum crouched down, and twisted his upper torso clockwise as he went down, until his back was almost entirely facing Rolek. Every motion, to the staring at Jorum’s muscle-ripped back, shook Rolek’s nerves for what he was to expect. Jorum paused, but in a blink, flung both arms out counter-clockwise, unwinding his twist. It was fast, but Rolek caught his hand motions; his left hand, out-stretched, was open, the forearm twisting inward with his left palm open, while his right arm that followed, was clenched.

But his technique wasn’t finished, and he leaped up from the unwinding into a butterfly twist, with his legs coming off the ground and his body spinning in the air. An airburst came out by the left-hand formation, followed by a fire blade that stretched far from Jorum’s proximity, spread open at least twelve feet, larger than any Rolek had ever seen, and the butterfly twist sent out a torpedoed airburst. A three-part elemental combo attack that Rolek never thought he’d see, roared at him. 

Rolek leaped back in a panic, dodging the first airburst, and rolled backwards as the fire blade whipped past him, and warped off the second airburst, but only barely as it still struck him, and knocked him back, tumbling to the ground.

He could hear Jorum’s feet rapidly approaching him, seizing the opportunity for an attack. Rolek dug his clenched right hand into the ground, and pressing his magicka through his arm and into the ground, turned his dug-in right hand clockwise, creating a massive tremor that surrounded himself, and a proximity wave burst out from his vicinity, breaking up the hardened ground all around him. 

The potency of the pressure wave produced by the maneuver forced Jorum back, and avoid the devastating power of the pressure that could burst both his ears and even lungs. What Jorum was forced to absorb was already distorting enough; like he had been punched in the chest, and someone clapped their hands on his ears.

Jorum paused, and admired Rolek’s adept skill in rock mastery, but saw Rolek was breathing more heavily. It seemed he knew adept techniques beyond what his body was able to handle. Like a cannon, Jorum blasted off from his position again, with inhuman strength towards Rolek, who prepared a stance that would allow him to use his rock mastery, as well as defend himself physically. Jorum came at Rolek with a zig-zag approach, keeping Rolek from being able to plant his feet for a firm defense. The next thing he knew, a vicious right hook was coming at him, but he ducked and rolled to his left from the attack, knowing he couldn’t allow Jorum to force him to go right, or his left flank would be exposed; Rolek needed to move against Jorum’s momentum; it was clear the pale master was trying to push him to a direction.

But Rolek’s perception didn’t phase Jorum, who swung the same right hook back, barely missing Rolek with a whipping backhand. But the slash by Jorum set him up for a flying left knee, which Rolek barely blocked with his forearms. Still, the blow smashed against his arms, sending a shock through his whole body as Jorum came down with his right fist again that struck Rolek on the left cheek. He was almost entirely on his heels, trying not to fall to the ground as Jorum beat him back with vicious combo attacks, before he blasted Rolek with an airburst that sent him through the air, tumbling to the ground like a ragdoll.

Like a lion to pounce upon its fallen prey, Jorum leaped and seemed to fly at Rolek to deliver a devastating blow. Rolek would not be so easily beaten, and not only met Jorum’s fist with his own, but with more magicka, absorbed more sonic power that blasted outward, sending Jorum stumbling backwards. Rolek went on the offense then. 

“Come on, big boy!” he pushed out with a tiring breath, “Ole Rolek’s got some fun and games for ya!” Just as the last words left his mouth, Jorum reached out and grabbed Rolek’s missile-like right fist; he panicked and threw his left in an uppercut, but Jorum caught that one as well. The two were locked in a game of shear strength, one Rolek was quickly at a disadvantage in height. He was taller than Oden and Annastaria, but not taller than Jorum, who stood almost straight and used his elevated position to push down on Rolek’s strength. 

The pressure of Jorum’s arms, sweat dripping down onto Rolek’s own arms, and the grinding teeth, mostly by himself. Jorum showed signs of agony to Rolek, but not nearly as much as Rolek was. The pressure was too much, and Rolek was forced to take a step backwards to maintain his balance. Not much longer he was forced back another step and then another, and both arms, especially in his bicep and tricep muscles, began to burn.

A shot was heard, and both Rolek and Jorum turned their heads to its source as the ground burst just to Rolek’s left. Jorum let go of Rolek’s fists, who stumbled backwards at the sight of Elise, Dylen and a handful of officers, aiming their weapons at Jorum. “Hands in the air!” Elise shouted, “Both of you!”

“Get out of here!” Rolek shouted back, “He’s gonna kill you all!”

Jorum stood silent and watched them as they came down the hill towards him and Rolek, and when they were distracted by the rocky descent, he threw his right arm out at them, and ice shards formed in the air, pelting the officers. Even Elise and Dylen felt the small, but blistering pricks from the ice, striking them in the head, forcing them all to take cover wherever they could. Rolek lunged out, wrapping his arms around Jorum’s waist, slamming all his weight into the pale master, strong enough to force him to withdraw his ice shard attack and focus on Rolek, who got a few feet into Jorum, before he caught his footing, grabbed Rolek and threw him aside.

Rolek tumbled a few feet, picking himself up to catch his breath and saw the pale master stride towards him with his cold stare. Rolek stood up and readied for another fight. Once more, Jorum led with his right foot, stepping forward with it and launching a left-handed strike, but he twisted it inward, creating a punch and airburst attack just at the very end of the strike; Rolek saw the transition into air only barely, and threw out a warp to block it. 

But it still caught him off guard, and he was knocked back, stumbling to be kept from falling yet again. Jorum pressed on, and prepared to deliver another set of devastating combos, when he felt a jolt in his right abdomen that forced him to abandon his entire technique and stumble to the ground, just before a gunshot rang out. Rolek stumbled backwards at the shot, trying to catch his breath and footing, and saw blood quickly begin to pour out of Jorum’s right abdomen.

He turned and now showed visible signs of anger in his face at the officers closing in, them having now shot him. He turned around and thrust forward multiple tremors at them before charging ahead. The tremors knocked Elise and her surviving group off balance. Jorum closed in for the kill, quickly striking one of them with a single blow, knocking him unconscious and turning to the one next to him, knocking his pistol away before he could open fire on Jorum point-blank and throwing the man to the ground.

Dylen and Elise turned to get a clear shot, but the sheer presence of Jorum and his speed panicked them; everything around them seemed to fade away, even each other, and the next thing they knew, they were flying in the air by an airburst, blasting them with leaves and dirt. The moment she was in the air, it felt like the world went tranquil for Elise, gravity-less, and then the ground smashed into her. The initial impact blew the air out of her lungs as she tumbled and tangled with the dirt and leaves uncontrollably. Once again, all went still as the dirt fell like ash, trickling to the ground with leaves flying every which way. She looked up, and saw Dylen hopelessly trying to stand and fight Jorum, who approached slowly, tauntingly, and ready to end him for good.

Dylen took a deep breath, putting up his arms for a fight. He felt cornered, boxed in, unable to move, before Jorum even raised a fist towards him, but Dylen wasn’t going to let that stop him from his duty. He threw a fist, and another, and then a kick; Jorum dodged the first two, and blocked the second, grabbing Dylen’s kick and throwing him to the side like a large rock. Dylen stood up as fast as he could and now Jorum was delivering punches, and then a feigned attack that Dylen realized too late and took a vicious jab to his rib cage. His body crumbled up at the shock of the blow and now he was at the mercy of this evil, pale master.

Dylen tried to stand up to keep fighting Jorum, who now towered over him, but he looked up, just in time to see a human leap on Jorum’s back, wrap their arms around his neck and pull him backwards. Jorum began to teeter left and right, falling on a knee even as he panicked to pull Elise off his back. She screamed and held on as hard as she could. Her grip was firm on his neck now, and Dylen struggled still to get up from his throbbing rib cage. 

Jorum stumbled again, and almost fell back; his left leg still burned and seethed with pain from Rolek’s fire grip. Elise kept screaming, and refused to let go as Jorum managed to get his footing, run backwards and slam Elise between himself and the trunk of a tree.

Elise’s vision blurred, and her lungs were paralyzed with the impact. He reached for her arms, gripping them tightly, prying them off and throwing Elise over himself and slamming her into the ground. She coughed and choked for air, and her vision was still dispersed. But focus somehow gripped her, if only for a moment as she saw Jorum’s pale fist come down as a mallet to crush her face and she rolled out of the fist slamming into the ground. 

Using both hands she pushed herself back up on her two feet, trying to regain balance as Jorum hoped to prevent it with a quick backhand from the same fist that tried to crush her. Elise barely saw it in time to avoid the terrifying blow that was so fast and vicious, it ripped apart the tree it struck, sending flakes of tree bark flying in all directions, some in her own face.

She was finally able to square with the pale master, but it gave her little comfort. He was bloodied and bruised, and even shot, but his very presence still gave her no hope of beating him. Still, she was not going to leave her friend to die. She picked up a large stick on the ground, waving it in front of Jorum, as if it were on fire. “Come on!” she said, “Let’s see what you’ve got!”

She tried to show herself more frightening than she clearly was, but Jorum kept stepping forward towards her, unhindered by her attempts to scare him. Worst still, she kept taking steps back as he stepped forward. She stared into his eyes once more, and grinding her teeth, she poured all her strength into cocking the large stick back to her right side, and cried out as she swung it at him. Jorum reached out with his right hand and snatched it. Elise gasped, and before she could let go and flee, she felt the jolt of his left fist pummel her liver. She fell, nearly paralyzed completely as the pain jolted through her entire body. She gave out a loud grunt to drown the pain out and saliva spilled from her mouth as she crumbled to the ground, feeling Jorum standing over her, who could finish her at any moment.

Dylen pulled himself together and charged at Jorum for a rear ambush, but his desperate move Jorum heard easily and the pale master turned, grabbing Dylen’s right hook and threw him to the side, tumbling down a small slope. Jorum turned and was struck by Elise, who screamed as she threw the blow, and she threw another that struck him, but did little to phase the pale master, and as her right hand came back for another vicious throw, Jorum reached out and grabbed it like it was just a butterfly coming towards him. Her chest went in and out as she struggled to breath, trying to pull her hand away from this monster. Suddenly, he began to squeeze. 

Elise screamed. “Stop!” she pleaded, “Agh! Stop!”

But he would not stop; his grip tightened, and tightened. Elise screamed even louder, and felt a crack in her arm, and another crack, and several more and she squirmed, crying out for him to stop but he would not, and he prepared to finish her off at the sound of one final and blistering snap in her arm when a rock the size of his chest pummeled into his right shoulder and face, forcing him to let her go. Elise gasped for air, and cried a silent scream as she beheld her crushed right forearm, crawling away as fast as she could.

 Jorum stood up, stumbling as he did, sensing the magic from where the rock came from. It was Rolek, recovered, stubborn as the rocks he threw at people. Jorum also felt the pulsing pain in his right shoulder and nose, and a stinging pain in it. He felt a stream of warm fluid come down from his forehead and nose, and raised his left arm to touch it. As he looked at his left hand, blood was covered over it.

He heard Rolek laugh then, drawing Jorum’s eyes to him. “You don’t look too good there, big guy!” Rolek taunted. He then pointed to his own nose to indicate to Jorum, “You got a little something hanging off the side of your face there… Oh god… That’s your nose! How embarrassing!”

Jorum’s cold stare shifted, and Rolek could see the unsettled attitude in Jorum’s bloodied eyes. He wiped his face of blood and set himself on Rolek, whose smirk only grew. “Come on, big boy.” Rolek taunted further, “We ain’t done yet!” He looked over and saw Dylen picking himself up. “Cat man!” Rolek called out, “I’ll hold him off! Get your boss-lady out of here–now! And don’t come back till you got a freaking army with you!”

Dylen nodded, and didn’t think twice, seeing Elise huddled up, holding her right arm. He dashed towards her, even running behind and past Jorum, who paid Dylen no attention. Dylen dropped in front of Elise, and nearly cringed at the horror himself, seeing her arm bend as it ought not to. He helped her up and the two began limping away, leaving Rolek to face Jorum alone. This time, Rolek hoped that the severe blow he delivered to Jorum’s face would be enough to give him a fighting chance.

But what Jorum would do next, Rolek dreaded. He took in a deep breath, and only a few seconds later, the system of tattoos over Jorum’s body began to glow. “No!” Rolek shouted, charging at Jorum with a flurry of magic attacks. But Jorum threw open his eyes, and both irises were blooming with a kind of dark white, their gazes alone pushing Rolek back. It was like Jorum had transcended himself, as a different creature, the one from before, was staring Rolek down. The wounds Jorum endured seemed nonexistent now. 

“Erene.” Rolek said to himself, “Hurry the hell up!”

Oden aided Annastaria as they stammered through the woods, hearing the battle begin behind them. She looked back once in dread of leaving Rolek to Jorum alone, but couldn’t make out the sight of the fast fighting, with the trees, the rain and the stammering of her own walking. There was nothing left to do but look ahead if she wanted to help him. 

“The rock is just up ahead.” said Oden, managing his breathing from both helping Annastaria in haste, and his own anxiety.

“I’ll run ahead and get it.” Bastillina insisted, and she bolted ahead of them.

“Bella, no!” Annastaria reacted, but it was too late; the girl didn’t listen.

“It’s probably a better idea.” Oden said, “She’ll be fine. She’s faster than us both right now.”

Annastaria and Oden stopped then, resting somewhere in the middle of the tall trees. The silence was unsettling, and now they heard the airships and the fight faintly behind them. Oden turned back to the sounds, and thoughts raced through his mind. He looked at Annastaria, who anxiously tried to control her breathing, and her tolerance of the pain she was feeling. He felt like he didn’t know her anymore. But he also wanted to get to know her, the real Annastaria sitting next to him. “So,” he began, somewhat slowly and hesitant, “you… really are a zealot?”

Annastaria paused, scared and ashamed. But she didn’t know where the shame was coming from. For a moment, she hesitated to answer him clearly; her nature attempted to react by denying his claim. “I am.” she said.

Oden smirked, “It’s no big deal though, right? I mean… You aren’t here to kill anyone… Are you?”

Annastaria looked up at him then. “You are far too trusting, Oden.” she said.

Oden paused, and didn’t know how to take the statement. An embarrassed chuckle came out of him. “Maybe.” he said, “I like to think I just never had a friend as interesting as you.”

“You wish to be friends with someone like me?”

Oden shrugged, “Why not? All my other friends are jerks.”

“I lied to you, Oden. And I used you to help me through the cities.”

“True… But none of the others saved my hide as much as you did… And none of them confessed to me that they lied to me like you.”

Annastaria looked at him, almost stunned at what she was hearing. “So you are okay with being friends with someone who not only betrayed you, but belongs to a world that hates yours?” she asked.

Oden shrugged again, “If your people hate me, but you’re chill, that’s fine by me.”

Annastaria had no words to offer in reply. They stared at each other, and the air lightened; a piece of the calm they both had from last night seemed to return as they both looked warmly upon each other. Annastaria couldn’t help a smile that infected his face. But the moment turned too awkward for them. “So,” Oden said, sighing, “Annastaria, huh?”

Annastaria’s cheeks almost immediately burned red, with a smile big enough to bring the sun out. “Yes.” she confessed, “That is my name.”

“It’s a very nice name… Honestly, even if you were going to just pretend to be someone else, you could’ve still used your real one.”

“That would be nice, if my name did not stand out so much.”

Oden smiled as the conversation drifted away.

“When we get out of this,” Annastaria said, almost giggling, “You will have to tell me all your strange sayings. I do not know what it means ‘to chill’.” Oden chuckled at her confession.

“How lovely.” said a voice that stiffened Oden’s back, and made Annastaria nearly fall over. They looked to the source and saw Ryker seem to appear out of the dark of the trees, with a revolver aimed at them. “An aenman and a zealot making nice friends!”

Annastaria’s mind sank into fighting mode, but every scenario she plotted ended poorly, knowing she didn’t have the physical strength to keep up with Ryker in a physical fight, and she didn’t have the magicka to match the gun in his hand. She stood still, but remained plotting whatever she could.

“It’s over, Ryker.” Oden said, “Your whole crew’s torn to bits. And the authorities are more than aware of you. Not to mention Lance left you.”

His words only made Ryker smirk, a familiar one Annastaria detested. “You forgot something.” Ryker said, “Jorum. He’s taking all your friends apart right now, as we speak. Even that pestering, worthless bounty hunter. He might be able to stand toe to toe with Jorum in any normal fight, but Jorum’s no normal master, you see.”

“No, he is not!” Annastaria interrupted, “He is poisoned and his body mutated by your vile experiments!”

“Tell me, my dear, if you have the power to make men more than what they are, would you not do it? The power to transcend even what it means to be a master?” Both Annastaria and Oden were silent, trying to understand what Ryker was saying. He looked at Annastaria’s enchantments again.

“Fancy way of saying you’re killing a man slowly.” said Oden.

“Don’t act like you wouldn’t use such technology to your advantage, Oden.” Ryker snapped back, “And don’t act like you didn’t know what we were doing all along.”

“I’d never use any ‘advantage’ that came from sick experiments like what you do.”

Ryker’s smile was only emboldened by Oden’s passion. “Is that so? And when you discover just what she is, what will you do then?” Oden went still, as did Annastaria. “She hasn’t told you, has she?” 

“That she’s a zealot?” Oden challenged, “Yeah, she did. And I don’t care.”

“Oh, not that.” Ryker replied, “I’ve no doubt she can’t hide that any longer. I mean what lies on her arm, there.” He looked at Annastaria, who now had both his and Oden’s eyes on her, yet again. She only looked sourly at Ryker. “You would tell them your name.” he continued, looking at Annastaria, “They know who you are… Do they know what you are?” Again, Annastaria remained silent, swallowing her anxiety before him and Oden. “And who can blame them?” he added, “After all, you probably don’t even know what you are. You don’t know where you came from. One thing I’m rather certain of, my dear, is you were not born a zealot.”

“What would you know of anything about me?” Annastaria whipped back.

“More than you think threatens your better good, I can assure you that. It’s a pity those blasted elves out there in the wild poisoned your mind as they did. Such a person like you hides many secrets–especially a prime. You have no idea what the power you possess means to so many people.”

Annastaria felt a strange temptation to know more about what he was saying, but by now, a tremor in her mind screamed at her that he was a heretic, a babbling, lying, thieving snake. In any case, she didn’t have time for him anymore. “You are right about one thing.” she said.

“And what might that be?” he asked.

She looked at Oden again, and her eyes were soft towards him. She turned back to Ryker and stood off the small rock she was resting on. “I am a prime.” she said, “And I will end your threat here and now.”

Ryker’s fading smile grew again. “And how do you plan to do that?” he said, “You haven’t blasted me already, so that means your magicka system is still paralyzed. And you’ve already been half-beaten by that savage, Lance–I do truly apologize for that by the way. And the artifact? Nowhere to be found.”

“I would not be so certain of that.” she said.

Ryker turned just as soon as he heard footsteps coming quickly behind him, and saw Bastillina like a wolf pounce on him with a battlecry. She grabbed his gun hand before he could aim it at her, and she pushed Ryker back, who stumbled to regain himself from her ambush. Oden sprang towards them before he could overpower the girl, who began kicking and kicking and kicking Ryker in the shin, until finally his leg gave in and he fell on his knee. But he continued to push his gun towards her, freeing a hand to strike Bastillina just as Oden wrapped his arms around Ryker’s back. Bastillina stumbled to the ground as Ryker fell on Oden, pulling himself from Oden’s poor grip and throwing an elbow back to bat him in the nose. Oden was dazed, and rolled over to hold his nose.

Ryker stood back to his feet, with his revolver pointed at Bastillina and Oden. “Stay where you are!” he ordered, and the two froze, “The next person who moves gets a bullet to the chest!” Oden continued to hold his nose, while Bastillina raised her hands submissively, but with a death stare towards him. It became quiet, and a strange wind howled through the trees. 

Suddenly, a bloom of light appeared behind Ryker. It gave a strange warmth to it, and for the short moment it appeared, he was frozen. He turned around to see what both Oden and Bastillina were seeing, where the white light was coming from. Only a few feet away, Annastaria stood, holding the artifact in her right hand and it was glowing.

Only a few seconds later, the gears on her arm began to glow white, and the enchantment on her right hand with them. A pulse and then a surge of energy, warm and yet troubling, raced through Annastaria’s right arm and throughout her body. She felt this before, and it never got comfortable, but she knew it had to be done. There was no other way to ensure Ryker did not get the power in the artifact. She closed her eyes, embracing the strange feeling, taking in careful breaths as she did. 

She turned her head towards them and her eyes seemed to burst open with a bright light. Her own irises could hardly even be seen. To lay eyes on her was straining, blinding; she was a new creature, something more than even just a master. She appeared like an angelic being from the great legends of old. Ryker wanted to shoot, but he knew doing so would kill a prime; he kept his revolver pointed towards Bastillina. The wind was blasting out from where she stood–sheer power was coming from her, illuminating the dark forest with the energy that engulfed her. 

Like Oden and Bastillina, he didn’t know if what he was seeing was believable. Though her irises could barely be seen, he knew she was looking at him with those angelic eyes. Then he noticed the gears on her right hand were shifting, moving on her arm. She was up to something. He turned his pistol to Oden then. “I’ll shoot!” he shouted. But Annastaria didn’t appear to listen. Oden was so struck with awe that he wasn’t even paying attention to the loaded gun aimed at his head. Ryker panicked and pulled the trigger. Oden flinched, but no shot was heard, and he was still alive. He looked up, and the gun only clicked and clicked. He raised the gun, and dust particles poured out of its cylinder.

Ryker popped it open and saw all his bullets were turned to metallic dust. “My god.” he said, his voice shaking and his eyes turned back to Annastaria, “You’re more capable with your power than I even thought.”

Annastaria raised her right hand, with the gears still glowing, and she clenched her fist as they turned and the entire gun disintegrated in Ryker’s hand. He watched his gun vanish before his eyes, before he turned to Annastaria again. The two locked eyes, but she didn’t speak. Bastillina stumbled as she tried to make her way to Oden, while still unable to take her eyes off this new Annastaria. 

“What’s happening?” she stuttered. Oden couldn’t even close his own mouth because of what he was seeing.

“You will stay here.” Annastaria said, with her eyes still locked on Ryker. He said nothing and made no move, and she turned and went towards the fight. Ryker, Oden and Bastillina watched her walk away, their eyes and mouths still open to the sight.

“I never thought…” Ryker said, “I never thought I’d actually see a prime activate their power.”

“A… prime?” Oden said, “You mean… the legends?”

“The very thing.” Ryker turned to them, “And they aren’t legends. You just saw one turn my gun into dust.”

“And she’s going to take on Jorum? What if she needs help?”

“Believe me, boy.” Ryker said, now turning to where the battle was, “It’s all over now.”

The plan set, Elise engages Ryker and Lance at the front gate, only to be confronted by Jorum. Can she and her men survive long enough for the others to come? And can Rolek get to Annastaria in time as Lance ruthlessly hunts her?

Dylen led Rolek, Oden and Bastillina northeast, and by now, they had all heard the airships approaching. All they had to do was follow the sounds of the propellers and engines. But Rolek feared he was too late at this point, and what was worse, Oden and Bastillina were with him, making his hasty flight impossible; he would not make it to Elise and the others before they made contact with Ryker. All he could do was hope that somehow the chaos would prevent Ryker from being able to escape; that Jorum would somehow be slowed, long enough for him to reach them in time, or else Erene would disappear, and possibly for good.

“So what’s the plan when we get there?” asked Oden as they dodged trees and bushes in their flight through the woods.

“I don’t do plans in situations like this.” Rolek answered, “It’s all gone to crap anyway.”

“Well that’s encouraging! So what are we supposed to do?”

“Me? Dylen and I are going in. You two need to hang back until we get Erene out.”

“What!?” Bastillina blurted out, stopping and forcing everyone else to stop, including an irritated Rolek. “No way!” she continued, “We’re going in there with you! We didn’t come all this way just to be tossed to the side!”

“It’s too dangerous, kid.” said Rolek, “That Jorum character is gonna run right through you both.”

“I don’t care! I’m still coming with you!”

“Dammit, Bella!” Rolek stormed towards her now, and for the first time, Bastillina felt a parental-like scorn that silenced her, “You don’t get it, do you? That thing called a master wants you! It wants you and Erene! And it wants the artifact!” he looked at Oden for that last remark, “All three of Ryker’s key items are about to converge on each other, right at his doorstep–all at once! This is why I told you to stay in Mennix!”

“You told me to stay with Bella.” Oden attempted to argue.

Rolek fired back before Oden even finished, “I told you to stay with her, and I meant to stay put. Now I got both of you here, dragging my ass down, making it even more difficult to reach Erene in time.”Bastillina wouldn’t stand anymore of this and fired off past Rolek. “Then stop wasting time!” she shouted as she ran past him.

Rolek instinctively went to grab her, but she pulled away and was now sprinting towards the airships. “Hey!” he snapped, “Get back here!”

“We’re coming with you, Rolek!” Oden replied as he, Rolek, Dylen and the other officer followed after Bastillina, “There’s no arguing the matter anymore!”

Rolek rolled his eyes, wanting to scold them further, but he knew there was no point anymore. His sinking heart began to sink faster it seemed when he now began to hear gunshots faintly somewhere where the airships were. Rolek sprinted, knowing he had to get ahead of Bastillina and make sure she did not rush into any grave danger. “Stop!” he ordered as he grabbed her by the shoulder; she threw his arm off, but stopped nonetheless. “Calm down!” he scolded further.

“Stop treating me like deadweight!” Bastillina fired back, “We’ve gotta save Erene! And I’m coming to help you!” Her words silenced Rolek and the others. Rolek didn’t know whether to grow more angry or to actually admire her passion, but he smiled slightly regardless. “I like the attitude, kid.” he said, catching his breath, “But that isn’t going to save Erene, and it’s not going to make sure you walk out of there alive.”

“No it isn’t.” Dylen said, stepping into the conversation.

Rolek looked at him, “Sounds like you got an idea.”

“Just one… I mapped this whole area out before we even got to Mennix. From the sound of it, we’re headed to a pair of warehouses that sit on the river that goes into the Rip and eventually the sea. That’s a perfect place for Ryker to try and use the river to escape. So if we go straight into the fight, we’re not gonna reach Erene in time. Hell, we’ll be lucky if he doesn’t have any boats already going out to sea.”

“Is there a plan on the way here?” Rolek said, “Because you’re not helping right now.”Dylen sighed, “What I’m saying is we should try and go around the flank. If I know Elise well, and I do, she’s not gonna have her entire force rush straight through the front. She’s stubborn but not stupid; she likes to sneak one or two splinter groups around the suspects to force a quick surrender in case things go bad.”

“You think there may be a group doing this?”

Dylen shrugged, “It’s worth a shot. If no one’s doing it, then at least we are.”

“Lead the way cat-man. We need to free Erene ASAP; there’s no way anyone’s taking down that Jorum guy unless both of us are there.”

“Follow me.” Dylen said, taking point.

Elise with the SIU and the Cymroyl police had cars to help provide moderate cover, and they used the old rusty cars, piles of crates, and some large metal crates for cover as they overwhelmed Lance’s thugs, forcing the survivors back into the immediate perimeter of the warehouses. The gunfire echoed off the crates and metal, and off into the open wilderness, with silent intervals randomly that often allowed them to hear each other cry out to one another to move over there, or that an enemy had been spotted in that area and other things, like curses for the intense gunfire. Some cried out and cursed from injury, but that was mostly Lance’s men. They were bold, but reckless, and did not work together like the Cymroyl authorities could.

But Elise’s group came into complications the closer they drew to the warehouses. They began to take fire from the upper floors, which could mildly look from overhead down over the crates that provided cover. “We don’t have the firepower to penetrate that brick wall!” shouted one of the men to Elise.

“We should have reinforcements coming in a few minutes!” said another.

“We wait for them!” Elise replied, “For now, make sure these guys keep their heads in the warehouse!”

“What about the boats on the other side? Ryker could escape through the river!”

“Let’s hope Gerdan and his men will do their thing!” Elise answered, finishing a reload and turning from cover behind a metal crate to fire at one of the doors to the warehouse. But as she stood out from cover, she heard the cry of an officer, “Take cover!” and looked to see a car like a missile charging at her and her group in their cover. She nearly froze at the sight, but dove from her spot with her men behind her just in time as the metal missile threw aside all the barrels and crates they were behind. As Elise pulled herself up, she noticed there was no engine on as it barreled towards them, and she saw a figure approaching from between both warehouses. It was Jorum, boldly walking out as the others would not.

He was not one of the others, she could see that. But she stood up with her men, who staggered up. “Hands in the air!” she ordered, but he gave her no heed and instead leaped into a formation that resulted in tremors going out like veins all through the ground around them, knocking them off their feet and leaving them unable to return fire, including Elise, who tumbled to the ground. She turned back around to keep her eyes on Jorum, who was gone. Her head turned left, right, up and down to find him, but she couldn’t focus as dust and debris obscured her vision, and harassed her airway.

A cry went out, staggering Elise. Her eyes darted to the source, and saw one of the men flying through the air like a ragdoll, and slamming into a metal crate. Several gunshots were heard, and quickly ceased to the sound of more agonized men and thumps upon wood and metal somewhere in the area. Elise picked herself up again with her weapon drawn as the other group of officers continued to put fire on the retreating Intero and Ryker’s men.

Gerdan and his men were in position, looking down at the warehouses from the west as the gunfire started. His men trembled slightly at the sound. “Keep focused, boys.” Gerdan said, “We’ve got a job to do here.”

“That’s sounding like a warzone, Gerdan.” said one of them, “We’re not soldiers. I didn’t sign up to the Mennix deputies to kill people.”

“Actually we did.” said another, locking a rifle round into his bolt-action long rifle, “We’re supposed to be ready to deal with the worst threats to our land, and here one is. That elvish girl they got in there was a nice girl, and we gave her a place to stay. I intend to help get her out, and I’ll shoot whoever I have to to make sure she’s safe.”

The others looked at each other with those words in their minds. “I can’t argue with that,” said one of them.

“Good.” said Gerdan, “Then let’s get ready. Kelvin, you and your men know what to do.”

Kelvin nodded and gave a signal, and six men began to spread out on the hill and readied their rifles.

“Give us some cover fire as we move up.” Gerdan continued.

Before they could set off, footsteps of a multitude began to patter behind them. The entire group was startled, and turned quickly, some even aiming their rifles.

“Whoa!” said Rolek as he beheld the sight, “Friendlies coming up.”

“Lower your weapons!” ordered Gerdan, and the others quickly followed through. “Rolek?” he continued, “What are you doing here? And how’d you find us?”

“Long story we don’t have time to explain. To your second question, we just followed the instincts of the cat man here.”

Dylen stepped forward, and was only a more welcome sight to Gerdan. “We could use you guys here.” Gerdan said.

“I’ll say.” said Rolek, stepping up to look at the warehouses with Gerdan, “What’s the plan? Sounds like it’s half-way in motion already.”

“Lieutenant Elise is down there. Half of us are going in from up here; the other half is staying to provide some sniper cover.”

Rolek nodded, “Sounds good. But do you know where Erene is?”

Gerdan shook his head, “Afraid not. But my guess is she’s going to be in the hangar port in the far western building; to the back.”

Rolek set his eyes on it, and began to scan the area around to plot his approach. “Good.” he said, “Dylen and I will assist you.”

“With all due respect,” Dylen said, “I think Elise needs me. You guys go get your elf friend. We’ll keep them busy at the front.”

Rolek paused, but nodded and Dylen dashed off towards the main gunfight in the front, to their left.

“What about us?” Oden said.

Rolek turned around to him, and especially Bastillina, who had the look of an eager warrior on her face. She couldn’t sit still, and she could see his reluctance to let her go. “You two better stay close to me.” he said, “Don’t do anything I don’t tell you to do, got it?”

Bastillina gave a satisfied nod. “I’m ready!” she said.

“Everyone move out!” Gerdan ordered, and Kelvin’s men got in position. Rolek, with Gerdan, Oden, Bastillina and the rest made their way down the hill and to the chain link fences, with an approach that did not appear to have been seen by anyone. The element of surprise was with Rolek after all, but he feared it may have been too late for Elise and her men. If Jorum was not in the warehouse, he was surely tearing her and her men apart. He half hoped that was the case, if it meant he was getting Erene out alive.

Jodel and Harris could hardly sit still as they waited in the warehouse with Annastaria. She nearly had her chance to break free, knowing it was only the two of them, but neither were within striking distance; both were at least ten feet away, looking up at the floodlights coming through the windows, and listening to the gunshots from outside. “Dammit!” cursed Jodel as he strode in irrational directions, “I knew this was all a bad idea! I should never ‘ve gone through with any of this!”

Harris didn’t know what to say or do; he felt similar to Jodel, but he also felt he had to calm him down in some way. “Maybe…” he said with hesitation, “Maybe we should just give up. These guys are in serious trouble to get this amount of attention–and the elf? What in the name of the gods is a bloody wood elf doing here anyway?”

“You think Lance and Ryker are just gonna let us walk? No bloody way! We’re buggered!”

“Maybe you’re not.” Annastaria said, against her own internal advice to remain quiet. The two of them looked at her, as if they only now realized she was standing there. She looked at both of them with a short pause before continuing, “If you free me, I may be able to help you escape.”

An unsettling silence followed as both Jodel and Harris went blank. Annastaria wasn’t sure what to think. “No way.” Jodel suddenly spoke, shaking his head, “No way! I ain’t trusting a bloody zealot!”

“If you do not,” Annastaria replied, “you will either be taken into custody and be punished, or you will be killed. If Ryker and that other are what you say they are, it is sure they will seek your death if you are caught. But free me now, and I can help you to escape.”

“I don’t know, Jodel.” said a shaken Harris, “I think that might be our third and better way out. She’s got a point.”

“Are you blank in the head?!” Jodel scolded, “In case you forgot, that’s a zealot! They’re always thievin’, connivin’ and cunning fiends! She wants us to release her, and the moment we do, she slits our throats and buggers off!”

“Fine then.” Annastaria interrupted, “Keep my bonds on me, but allow me to lead you out.”

Again, Harris and Jodel were forced into silence, ravaged in their minds of what to do, as their time was fading by the second. But so was Annastaria’s. Finally, Jodel exhaled with a roar that echoed across the warehouse, as if trying to relieve intense pressure in his body. He bent down as though exhausted, pausing as he stared towards the floor. 

“You must know,” Annastaria said, hoping to capitalize on Jodel’s unsurity, “I am a daughter to a royal and high priest. I am not the only one among my clan out in these parts. When the others learn of this–and they will, you will not be free men. They will hunt you all the days of your life… But if you do this good deed and allow me to go free, I swear by the gods they will know of your courage and my people will let you go free… My quest is nothing to do with you. Let me go, and I will ensure it stays that way.” There was a level of desperation in her voice, almost pleading with them.

“Come on, Jodel!” Harris said, “That’s a sweet deal right there! This whole thing ain’t worth dying over, right? Please, mate! Please!”

“Just shut it!” Jodel snapped, “Let me think!” His snap forced Annastaria and Harris into silence, and their eyes fixed on him to see what he would say or do; he was still bent down, with his hands on his knees, elbows locked, holding his upper body up on the support of his knees. He continued to stare off, seemingly in a daydream. Finally, he sighed, as if he was calm now and looked at Annastaria. It was a promising look, or so she hoped. “I swear, elf,” he said, pointing a finger at her, “if you do anything to doublecross us–”

“I am not without honor, aenman.” Annastaria interrupted, “I wish to be away from here just like you.”

Before another word could be spoken, the front door burst open, and a swarm of Lance’s men came through, tired, beaten and bloodied. There was also much less of them than what went out. “Get the door closed!” one shouted. “We’re so dead!” another complained. Annastaria recoiled, stepping backwards, with an instinctive desire to run, but she stopped herself, knowing her plot was foiled, or at least gravely delayed. Among the men was Lance himself, the last person she hoped to see.

But while Annastaria was ready to wait patiently for a better window, Jodel and Harris drew near to her to grab her by both arms on both her flanks to begin leading her towards the back, where the boats were. “What are you doing?” Annastaria whispered at them.

“What do you think?” Jodel whispered back, “Gettin’ you outta here, remember?”

“We cannot do that right now! There are too many of them to see us!”

“Hey!” Lance shouted, with a snap that felt like the crack of a whip. It silenced their whispers as he stormed at them, “What the hell is going on over here?”Jodel attempted to choke back his horror, but Annastaria could feel the sweat from his palms, and the shivering of him and Harris. They were giving themselves away. “We’re taking her to the boats.” Jodel stuttered, “Boss’s orders.”

“Is that so? Where is the boss, then? I’d like to verify that with him.”“He said to meet him there, right now.”

“No way! Not until I hear it from him myself!”

Annastaria didn’t know what to do but remained silent and hoped for the best as she was directly in between two parties of evil men who wanted her for their own purposes, and all she desired was to be free. For the first time, she was in an intense struggle with fear pouring out of her body and face.

“He went to make a call.” Harris said, “Over that way.” he pointed, away from the boats and to the rear exit, “You can go ask him over there. But we have orders!”

“You just said he was at the boats.” Lance said.

A deafening silence followed as Harris swallowed. Annastaria could even hear their hearts beating now, and saw long before anyone else the twitch from Jodel before he drew his revolver and aimed it at Lance. “Get back!” he shouted as he held his pistol out at a frozen but enraged Lance, and also grabbing Annastaria by the right arm to begin stepping backwards. “I mean it!” he ordered again, with Harris following.

“You little rat.” Lance grumbled, “You’re a dead man, you know that, right?”

“Just shut up!” Jodel snapped back, “I’m done with this! We’re gettin’ out of here, now!”

An explosion rumbled from outside as the gunfire intensified, and sent a quake through the warehouse. It drew everyone’s eyes to the bloom of light that came in through the windows towards the front entrance, and in the second it came, Lance drew his own pistol and a loud crack rang through the warehouse. Annastaria’s ears, just as before in Levaan, were pierced by the intense sound, dazing her and sending a pounding ringing through her head as she gasped and dropped to the ground. Small splatters of blood sprinkled over her face as Jodel collapsed like deadweight.

She looked up, and saw his skull slam to the ground, one eye wide open, staring off to nowhere, and the other with a blackened, smoking hole through it.

She nearly froze at the horror, but knew the others were converging on her and Harris at that moment, and she felt her mastery return. Though her hands were bound, she still had her feet, and she dug them into the ground and swiped her right leg as though to draw a line, and a blistering tremor burst out from her vicinity, sending concrete and debris exploding out into the faces of Lance and his mob. 

She leapt up with Harris, “Run!” she shouted and the two of them left his dead friend behind, fleeing for their lives to the back of the warehouse, through a maze of old, wooden boxes and cars.

All the while, they could faintly hear, amidst the echoing gunfire from outside, “After them! Get the elf, and kill the rat!”

Neither Annastaria nor Harris thought where to go, unfamiliar with the whole place. All they knew was they had to run. Harris had made so many sharp turns in and through the back, where it was darker, that he didn’t realize until it was too late that he lost Annastaria. “Elf!” he whispered, but loudly, hoping she would hear. Nothing but his echo returned, and the unwelcome sound of voices communicating somewhere behind himself as they spread out and searched. His breathing intensified, and if he could not control it, they would hear it, even over the chaotic fighting outside.

He was ready to call out again for the elf, but caught a gasp from slipping from his mouth when two voices like loudspeakers began communicating only feet away from him, on the other side of a group of old cars.

“Thought I heard something over here.” said one.

Harris forced himself to take in only half capacity of air to conceal his breathing, but doing so only exhausted his body further. With shaking arms and legs, he slowly got on his stomach, with his hands flat on the ground to spring up when he was finished, and he peered under the cars to see the two pairs of feet. He stood up slowly, restraining his body’s desire to gasp for air, and slipped past another stack of boxes just as the two went around the car. He was fortunate to have enough darkness to aid him in his cover, and he could only hope that the elf was safe in the dark as well. By now, he could hear the faint voice of Ryker.

“What the hell happened?” he said, “Where’s Lance? And where is the elf?”

Something Harris wanted to know more than anything. Lance being unfound, even by an enraged Ryker, was not a good sign. But he saw hope as he came from the clutter of the area he was in, and saw past a stack of crates and old tarps, the small engine boats, tied up but waiting in the warehouse harbor. Four men were there, hastily moving to ensure they were refueled and ready to move out.

“Don’t move!” a voice demanded, and the sound of it stunned Harris so much, he felt his heart ready to burst out of his chest. He turned slowly and saw one of Lance’s thugs, aiming his pistol at Harris. “I got Harris!” he shouted. Before he could speak further, Annastaria dropped from the dark and onto him, and only a second later, he was knocked unconscious by a vicious kick from her.

Harris was both relieved she was alive, and terrified that she was even still here, with Lance prowling somewhere, seeking her violent death. “We must move.” she said before rapid footsteps came close. From around the corner, the other two who nearly caught Harris a moment ago appeared with their weapons drawn. Annastaria had her hands still trapped, but she fought with mostly her feet against them, knocking their firearms away, and using her legs almost like two arms in combat, except her legs were far more powerful than her hands.

But the two thugs together were ready to overwhelm Annastaria, and in such tight quarters, they could grab her quickly. Harris leaped up from his fear and barreled into one, slamming into and tumbling over a pile of crates, battling in a bitter brawl, and taking pressure off Annastaria. The thug Harris brawled with was faster and more experienced than Harris, but Annastaria was even better than both of these thugs, and being allowed to fight just one, she quickly dispatched of the other, getting him into a headlock with her legs before breaking it. She leaped from there with a butterfly twist that sent an airburst out, blasting the last thug before he could completely overwhelm Harris. The two stood in front of each other for a moment, to make sure the other was okay. “Go–now!” said Annastaria.

“We gotta get to the boats. They’re our best chance out.”

Annastaria shook her head quickly, “No. The others will know clearly we went with the boats. Rivers can go only one way; people are easier to track on them than they think. We must depart into the woods, where we can disappear faster–follow me!”

Before she could say or do anything further, she felt a surge of electricity once more pulse through her body, stiffening her and causing her to fall. In an instant, her mastery was once again paralyzed. “No!” Harris shouted as he ran to her, but he stopped when he saw Lance approaching behind her with his pistol in one hand, and the remote device to her bonds in the other, as well as an unwelcome smile on his face.

“Well look at you two!” he taunted, “Thinking you were gonna just walk away… I’m afraid there is no walking away, not for you two anyway–”

Annastaria took a few deep breaths with Lance standing over her, and she sprang up with her bound hands, and with the metal bonds struck an unsuspecting Lance in the nose. The blow sent him back, half-unconscious, and blood from his mouth and nose flung out, as well as something Annastaria, nor Harris recognized until it slapped onto the ground in front of him. It was the tip of Lance’s tongue. When Annastaria stood up to see him, he still had his gun in hand, but the remote he dropped to hold his bloodied face, which had streams of blood coming out of the webbings of his fingers. He mumbled a gurgled curse through the muffling of his hand tight on his face.

Annastaria stepped backwards, with her eyes on Lance, as did Harris, as though he was some kind of wild animal you never turn your back on. They braced themselves as Lance slowly stood up and looked at his bloodied hand. “You…” he slurred, with blood still pouring out of his mouth, “You little wench!” Another pause as he began to slowly approach, with his eyes set on her, who was still struggling to catch her breath.

“We need to go, now.” Harris stuttered.

“Not yet.” she replied, “The remote–I need it to release my hands. He will come for me now. You get the remote.”

“No way!”

Before they could argue further, Lance charged at Annastaria. “I’ll kill you!” he screamed, spitting blood out. Like a rabid dog he threw aside his own pistol to grab Annastaria. But she dodged his violent charge and darted back into the convoluted, old storage area. Lance recovered; like a ravaging hurricane blowing anything aside in its way, he knocked over barrels and crates. “I’ll kill you!” he continued to repeat, and managed to grab her leg, tripping Annastaria and she fell. Her hands were bound, and could not help her recover; she let out a gasp as she came down, feeling his hands begin to squirm and grab her legs as she tried to break away. Like a constrictor, Lance overwhelmed Annastaria and pulled her out from the midst of the crates, grabbing her by a leg and throwing her out and against a group of barrels.

Harris nearly froze at the sound and raving of a man who had completely lost his mind, but if he didn’t get the remote, Annastaria would not survive his madness. He saw it on the ground, next to several small pools of blood and ran after it, but a gunshot blasted through the interior of the warehouse, and he felt a sharp punch right in his shoulder. He fell over, and tumbled to the ground, knowing what had happened, feeling an intense burning in his shoulder. The shot came from his right, where the boats were. He turned over and saw blood coming out of the gunshot wound in his shoulder. He almost cursed, but kept himself from it, and instead drew his own pistol and opened fire on the boat men coming up the steps towards him. He nearly unloaded his entire magazine on them, striking the railing of the small staircase to the docking area, and one shot managed to hit one in the neck and another in the chest before the rest fled for the cover of the lower level again.

They raised their weapon hands over the lower level and opened fire, preventing Harris from being able to reach the remote, and forcing him to crawl and take cover behind a set of wooden crates, the likes of which would not provide him cover for long. Fortunately, something heavy was in these crates, heavy enough to hold his back against it as he bit down on his teeth to the pain of his wound. But he could hear, other than Lance’s irrational screaming, the others communicating. “He’s behind those crates!” one was heard saying. “He’s wounded!” another said.

Annastaria attempted to crawl away again, but once more, Lance grabbed her legs and this time pulled her towards himself to grab her by the hair. But Annastaria set herself up on her feet, sprang up, and whipped her bound hands again in a vicious backhand that cracked across Lance’s right cheek. He stumbled back again, and grumbled in a fit of rage, now having a large gash in his cheek. He roared again and barreled into Annastaria, who gave out a loud cry as the air was pushed out of her lungs. Lance plunged and pinned her against a wall. There was no escape for her at this point, and for the first time, Annastaria panicked, trying to squirm her way out of this madman’s grasp. Her grunts turned to desperate shouts, and all methods of combat vanished as she tried to shove Lance away by sheer power. Lance locked both hands around her throat to choke her to death with his bare hands. But Annastaria pushed her head down, keeping his hands from a successful lock around her neck.

It didn’t stop Lance, who with his sheer adrenaline rush, lifted Annastaria up with his hands around her neck, slamming her into the wall once, then twice, and then three times. Before he could go for a forth, Annastaria managed to get his right hand in her mouth, and she bit down as hard as she could, grunting with fierce hate as she did. Lance screamed in agony, ripping his hand away, and pulling Annastaria with him for a short second. She collapsed and spat blood out of her mouth, as well as her own hair, breathing uncontrollably. The adrenaline was fueling through her body like she had never experienced before as Lance looked at his bloodied hand. The more she made him bleed, the more insane he seemed to get. He roared again and charged at her, reaching out with his left hand to hold her, while his right hand was cocked back for a vicious blow.

Her chest burned, and her body shook, but Annastaria kept enough focus to keep her eyes not on his left hand, but his right, and sure enough, it came like a missile ready to crush her face. She ducked beneath it, and screamed as loud as she could while she drove her bound hands into his left thigh, which was flexed in front of her; the blow therefore was intense, and Lance’s leg gave out as he cried out in pain. 

Annastaria attempted to flee, but yet again, Lance managed to grab her by her shirt, pulling her back and throwing her into the wall again, and once more, he began to strangle her, picking her off her feet and throwing her to the ground. Annastaria slammed on her right side, and could feel unnatural pops in her shoulder and elbow. The world around her suddenly seemed to split apart, and uncontrollably move left and right. Her head was pounding, and she was beaten to exhaustion.

Lance drew out a well-polished knife from his vest that was at least a foot long and three inches wide. “I’m gonna cut you into a bunch of little bits ‘n pieces.” he said, once again, slurred. As soon as he spoke, he felt the sting from his severed tongue. He bent down and raged at the pain. “Gah!” he blurted out. His brief moment of calm was gone and he was ready to stick the blade in Annastaria’s right kidney when he looked up and saw Harris with the remote, ready to set her free.

Lance froze, but only for a moment, and reached down instead to grab Annastaria, and lifted her off her chest with her own hair. She screamed as he pulled her up, trying to grab his hand, but unable with her bound hands. Lance then wrapped his left arm around her, with her bound arms folded and within his grip, holding her tightly, while pressing his knife to her neck. “Drop it!” he ordered, “Or I’ll cut her throat, and it won’t matter if you free her chains–you’ll have let her die!”

Annastaria tried to force strength and resilience, but she could feel the tears well up in her eyes. Harris hesitated, with his eyes darting back and forth between the battered and terrified Annastaria, and Lance. “Don’t be stupid, boy!” Lance continued, “I know you didn’t come all this way just to get her throat cut now!” Lance began to taunt then, “Come on, boy–don’t you wanna be a hero? Save the girl and all that crap? Now’s your chance! Toss that little remote over to me, right now!” 

Again, Harris hesitated. His heart was racing, seemingly all over his body. He knew he couldn’t do anything Lance said; but if he didn’t, Lance would end her, and Harris failed her. And if he pressed the release button, not even she could react in time before he slit her throat, and he was next. And yet, if he handed Lance the remote, there was no telling what he would do, other than the fact that he was going to kill Harris.

“Damn you!” Harris screamed, “You killed my friend!”

“He should’ve made better life choices.” Lance coldly answered, “Be better than him by making better choices right now.”

Harris looked at Annastaria, who didn’t know what to say, if anything at all. All she knew was she didn’t want to die like this. Tears welled in her eyes. Harris wiped his nose and then tossed the remote to Lance’s feet. Lance paused, looking down at it, and then at Harris again with a wicked grin. “Smart man.” 

Upon those words, the prick of the blade released from Annastaria’s neck, and a short gasp came out of her. Lance threw her at Harris, and she tumbled into his arms as Lance reached down and grabbed the remote before walking towards his gun several feet away. “Seems you care about the girl after all.” He looked at a beaten and exhausted Annastaria with a grin, “That’s the kind of boy you’ll want to mingle with, little lady.” he said to her.

Harris helped Annastaria up as Lance reached down and grabbed his gun, and the other thugs surrounded them both. Then Lance whipped around, aimed and shot Harris in the head. The gunshot was piercing as ever, but it was the last thing that stung Annastaria.

“No!” she screamed as he dropped dead like Jodel before him.

“Bloody hell!” Lance taunted, “What a shame! You don’t get to live long enough to be a hero!”Annastaria’s horror turned to rage as she set her eyes on Lance, who though bloodied and missing half his tongue now, was satisfied to see her anger.

“Ean mashe’kadraka!” she cursed, and charged at him, but he pressed a simple button on the remote, and Annastaria froze as surges of electricity blanketed her entire body and she tumbled to the ground. Lance kept the button pressed for five long seconds before letting go, and Annastaria gasped for breath, coughing and choking on her own saliva.

“Make no mistake, elf.” he said, standing over her, “I’m gonna kill you, and you get to experience the whole thing.” He paused to send a kick into her side, forcing out a loud exhale of pain from her as she tumbled over to the ground again. “But I gotta say,” he continued, “I want you to live a little bit longer.” He turned to two of his men, “Get her back to the front.”

As the two went to grab Annastaria, fresh gunshots blistered through the warehouse, forcing Lance and the others to take cover, their hearts going into a panic to find where it was coming from. Muzzle flashes came from the east end of the warehouse; they were single shots, not semi-automatic, but they were too loud and potent for simple pistols. “Where the hell is that coming from?” one thug shouted before a shot burst open his chest and came out his shoulder, and he dropped dead.

Lance looked to the shots and saw several men, not officers, moving through the back of the warehouse and firing rifles at him and his men. He raised his pistol, keeping his head down and opening fire, but forced back to the boats. Gerdan appeared from amidst the men ambushing Lance, and behind him was Rolek, who was anxious to leap into the action. He scanned the area, seeing Lance fleeing to the boats. He was ready to charge after him when he saw Annastaria next to the body of Harris. She was huddled up and still on the ground. 

“Over there!” Rolek shouted over the gunfire.

Gerdan looked and it took only a few seconds for him to spot her, only twenty or so feet into the warehouse, through a maze of boxes and barrels, but between gunfire. “We’ll push these bastards into the boats!” Gerdan said, “You get her and get the hell out of here!”

“No need to tell me twice!” Rolek answered, “Go!”

Gerdan called out to his men to move forward, and they increased their fire, some of them shooting even arrows, which were impossible to see or hear in the chaos, terrifying Lance’s men even more, especially when one or two of them suddenly began to choke on blood when an arrow flew out from the dark and slung into their necks and chests. Gerdan’s men were not simply trying to scare Lance’s men, but were deliberately aiming, and aiming well. Even Lance was startled as he saw one of his men coming towards him and an arrow plunged into his right temple and out his left. The thug went stiff as though he drew a sudden blank thought, and he coughed before he fell dead.

“By Rojas!” Lance shivered. He turned to his men, “Get in the boats! We’re getting out of here!”

Gerdan and his men continued to pour the pressure on what was left of Lance’s men, who cowered into the boats, even pushing each other out of the way to save their own lives. They started the engines and blazed off as quickly as they could, shooting blindly into the warehouse to try and keep Gerdan’s men off.

Oden came right after Rolek with Bastillina to Annastaria’s aid. “Hey!” Rolek said as Oden held her head in his hand, “Wake up! Erene? You okay?”

“Erene!” Oden added, “It’s us!”

As she slowly opened her eyes, her head in Oden’s lap, she looked and thought herself to be dreaming. “Are the gods cursing me with a kind dream before I die?” she said in a weakened voice.

“Hey,” Oden said with a hand on her soft cheek, “you’re not dying, and you’re not dreaming–we’re here, and we’re getting you out.”

“What in the world are these?” Bastillina asked as she looked at the metal bindings on Annastaria’s hands.

“Special handcuffs.” Rolek said, looking around for something, “meant for masters–there should be a remote around here somewhere to release them.” He and Bastillina leaped up to begin searching the area.

“Oden,” Annastaria said, “I must tell you something.”

“Don’t talk.” Oden said back, “You’re in pretty rough shape. Let’s get you outta here, first.”

“I am fine, just… I am just tired is all… I need you to know something.”

“You can tell me later.” Oden said, sidetracked, and frantically looking at Rolek and Bastillina scouring the area.

“Here!” Rolek blurted out, holding the remote up in his hand, which had crusted blood on it. He and Bastillina ran back to Oden and Annastaria, both looking carefully at it to find the right button. “We need to be careful.” Rolek said, “Some of this is supposed to… well it’s going to electrocute her.”

“Electrocute?” Bastillina said, “Like, shock her?”

“Yes. It’s one of the ways the device works; us masters don’t do well with electricity.” He looked at Bastillina then, “And that’s something you should take note of, little master.”

“Oden, wait!” Annastaria said, now trying to stand up.

“Erene, stop!” Oden nearly snapped, “You need to save your strength–”

“My name is not Erene!”

Everyone went silent. The chaos around them seemed to fade away into an abstract dream. Even the panic to get Annastaria out seemed to disappear when she blurted the words out.

“My name is not Erene.” she repeated more softly, and her voice became shaky again. Her eyes began drowning in tears and she struggled to speak further. It was not fear that kept her, but something else, something she felt when she hugged her father. It was the warmth of truth, of confession; to him, it was the confession that she was his daughter, no matter what, and blood was no barrier. For these three, it was the confession that they were her friends, and maybe even family, despite where they were from. “My name…” she began, but her voice nearly collapsed again, “My name is Annastaria.” she managed.

Once more, the others were silent, and now they looked at each other. “I come from the tribe Juresh’durr in the Sarke region… I am one of them… I was sent on a quest on their behalf, to find someone… Only it was not family. I was to use the aenmen as tools to get to that goal. But they were never to be trusted… The mission was going well.” She was forced to pause once again, but the others waited. She looked at them again, “Then you came along.” She looked at Bastillina, “You came,” and then Oden, “And you, Oden.” She hesitated, but looked even at Rolek, “And even you, Rolek… You all were not supposed to happen… But you did… The more I lied to you, the worse I felt… I am truly sorry for what I have done, and all I want now is to be truthful to you, and hope that you will forgive me.”

Again, the room became silent. Rolek and Oden looked at each other. Bastillina was quick to hug Annastaria, a hug she welcomed with a broken smile. Annastaria looked up at Rolek, who only smiled back. She welcomed the smiles, but she waited to see what Oden would say. It felt too long, but he smiled as well. He pulled her up into a firm hug. She was caught off guard, and coughed by the sudden move, but she smiled through her broken eyes, and hugged him back.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Annastaria.” he said. She wanted to speak, but his words soaked her in emotion again, and she gasped for air in the midst of the wave of emotions, which seemed to consume her in the flash of a moment. She never thought she would be so glad to see him, an aenman, and the other two as well. Finally, Oden let go and looked her in the eyes.

“Now.” he said, “Let’s get you the hell out of here.”

Elise takes Gerdan’s men with her own to hunt down Ryker and his men, holding up in an old warehouse on the river, where they hope to make a quiet escape with Annastaria as their captive. Meanwhile, Rolek must convince Dylen to let him go, and save Annastaria, before Elise and her group walk into a trap…

The dark cloud had finally let down the rain it was holding, covering the entire woods in another downpour of cold rain and now even lightning accompanied the growls of thunder. But it was only a quick drop of heavy rain, returning once more to light showers and overcast. Gerdan stopped the group just as the muddy road met the main highway, which had very few cars passing on it every several minutes. For Gerdan, it was yet another missed opportunity to ambush them, and one Elise refused to take. He couldn’t shake from his mind what Rolek warned them of before he was taken away. 

The dirt road led up beside a bridge that stood over a natural canal, which had water running through, likely from the rain. Their height advantage was gone, and so was most if not all their ambush opportunity.

Gerdan felt a turn in his stomach as he watched the convoy rapidly gain distance. Once the convoy was on the highway and starting off, Elise jumped out from the trees and onto the road, followed by Gerdan and the others. They watched the convoy drive off, and with it, Gerdan’s hopes of saving Erene. But Elise didn’t seem to be hindered in any way. Her gaze at the distancing convoy did not waver, and she turned to one of the officers with her to speak, “Make sure our men down that way are ready for Ryker’s convoy to show up. If he does not within the next twenty minutes, they turned off the road.” The man nodded, and went to work, while Elise turned to Gerdan to speak, “You know the woods and forests that way?” Gerdan nodded. “Good, I need you and your men to help the rest of the way. If that convoy is not found just before it gets to Auton, it means it turned off somewhere into the forest again. You’ll be helping us coordinate with the airships to hunt it down.”

Elise’s voice did not give any indication that she didn’t know what she was doing. It was some comfort for Gerdan, but he still couldn’t get out of his mind the idea that sending Rolek off was a mistake. “If they aren’t going into Auton,” Gerdan said, “there’s a pair of old warehouses northeast, just before you get to Auton near Galssan River. They’ve been abandoned for some time.”

“Then that’s where we’ll start. Move out.”

Dylen, with just one other officer, kept Rolek ahead of himself, flanking him on both sides and keeping him in front of them. Every step into the drenched and soggy forest was another step that felt as though a tightening tension of discomfort was squeezing them. Rolek sensed an unnatural silence from Dylen. He suspected it was his hesitation and concern for Elise’s orders. That would work to Rolek’s advantage.

“You’re making a big mistake.” Rolek said, “Your power-crazed boss back there’s gonna get that whole group killed, and you’re going to lose the elf for good.”

“Stay quiet!” Dylen answered, “I don’t like this anymore than you do, but she’s right–we’re not soldiers; we can’t just set up ambushes and reign down gunfire on people.”

“That’s quite a change in attitude from a few moments ago.” Rolek probed, “Wonder what’s changed, if anything at all.”

“I said, keep your mouth shut.”

Rolek suddenly spun to Dylen, causing him heart to skip as he nearly walked into the tall man. “I know your gut’s twisting inside you.” Rolek said, looking Dylen in the eyes.

“I said, keep moving!” Dylen ordered.

“Come on, cat-man. I could’ve easily broken out by now and taken both of you down. But I haven’t, and you know why?”

“All I know is that you’re threatening an SIU agent, and if you say anything more–”

“It’s because I know, deep down, you know what your boss lady back there is doing is insane, and it’s going to get her and the others killed, and you will lose the elf.” Dylen was forced to pause at the conviction on Rolek’s tone. “There’s that look.” Rolek said, “That look I saw earlier. One very peculiar to someone like yourself. You’re a young man of action; I’ve seen those eyes before. Every step back is like a step into sinking sand. Come on, man–I’ve fought those people already. It doesn’t matter if the boss-lady has the numbers, or the backup, she’s gonna get torn to shreds by Ryker, Lance, and most of all, his pet master, which none of you’ve faced.”

Dylen looked at the other officer, who was even less sure than he was. He looked back at Rolek, “Are you seriously suggesting I disobey my orders?”

Rolek chuckled, “You definitely remind me of someone I once knew. You wanna know who?” Rolek paused, but Dylen wouldn’t entertain the question. Rolek pointed his thumb at himself, “Me. Follow orders, do as you’re told, get on fine–all that crap. Orders are all dandy, until they come from someone who doesn’t have the mindset and the instincts to make the right call.”

“And you know the right call? What is it, exactly?”

“Freeing the elf, of course. We need to get her out, and the only way you’re doing that is if you ambush that convoy, set a distraction to force them to split up, and allow the elf and me deal with Ryker’s pet master.” Rolek paused again, watching Dylen contemplate the idea in his mind; he could tell Dylen was tempted, and Rolek admired it in him. It definitely reminded him of himself. This young man, whoever he was, had the right kind of instincts. “I’ll do the ambushing.” Rolek continued, “Let me run up there and work my magic, you follow me, and when your crazy boss-lady asks later, you tell her I overpowered both of you and broke free.”

Again, Dylen paused. He was sinking in temptation. He looked at the other officer again, who wasn’t helping Dylen decide. He looked back at Rolek again, “You sure you’re going to get the elf out safely?”

“As long as you guys provide the right distraction. You come right behind me, split off on my signal. I’ll do my thing, and they’ll stop, spread out and come after me. That’s when you guys jump in.”

Dylen took a deep breath. He couldn’t believe he was even contemplating what he was thinking, but at the same time, he knew it had to be done. He didn’t want to live with the fateful decision that he let a madman make off with a young elvish girl, and worse, that he got Elise killed in the process. He nodded, and at the nod, Rolek darted off, back east. Dylen watched him with impressive speed disappear into the forest. 

“You realize what you just did?” the officer said.

Dylen looked at him. “I realize what both of us just did.” He turned back to where he last saw Rolek again. “Let’s hope it works,” he added.

Before Dylen and the other officer could make their next move, they heard the bushes behind them be slashed; the two turned quickly at the startling noise and saw Oden and Bastillina coming through the trees. “Dammit!” Oden cursed as they stopped at the sight of Dylen, “Told you we were moving too fast!”

“What?” Bastillina complained, “I told you that!”

“How’d you two get away from the others?” Dylen asked.

“A little distraction.” Oden answered, “But I guess the jig is up now, huh?”

Dylen paused, looking at Bastillina, who glared back at him. He noticed she kept her left foot slightly ahead of the right. He remembered what she apparently did to the inn, and what the others said about her. But more than that, he saw love, and determination, driven to action. He couldn’t ignore it. She was going to find Erene; she broke out of the safety of custody to do it, and she was surely not about to let two ordinary officers stop her. 

Dylen sighed, looking at Oden. “Your friend Rolek just took off right now,” he said, “back into the woods after them.” Oden froze. For a moment, he didn’t believe what he was hearing. “Come on.” Dylen said as he started back into the woods, “They’re gonna need your help.” Oden and Bastillina didn’t know what to think, but an opportunity seemed to clearly present itself. They looked at each other, hoping to find affirmation to follow Dylen in the other’s face. Looking at each other was enough, and they went after him.

Rolek flew through the woods, strafing past trees and thick brush, ignoring the rain beating against his face and sogged, dark hair. He controlled his breathing, sure to pace himself so as not to exhaust his strength, which he knew he needed for the confrontation that was sure to come with Jorum. The air was cold, and the faster he ran, the more it would plague his throat and lungs. He stopped every few dashes to see his surroundings, to make sure he was not spotted, and to ensure he didn’t miss hearing any sounds he ought to be listening for. He saw no persons in the woods, nor any engines or cars of any kind. 

He found the hill where he last saw Elise and the others, and they too were nowhere to be found. There was nothing to find here, and he pushed forward, following the road east for another half a mile before the trees opened and the muddied road went up to the highway, next to a bridge. His eyes were drawn to the mud; footsteps that led up to the highway, and he knew to whom they belonged. But the footsteps seemed to go up the highway and end there, along with the muddied tracks of the convoy.

“Dammit.” he cursed to himself, “That dumb chick let them go.” He paused, taking a few moments to catch his breath, collect his thoughts, and to wait for Dylen to catch up. Instead, he heard a different voice.

“Rolek!” Oden was heard calling out. Rolek turned around, with eyes almost widened at the baffling voice..

“What the hell ‘re you guys doing here?” he asked as Oden, with Bastillina, Dylen and the other officer came in front of him.

“What do you think?” Oden replied, “Here to save Erene.”

Rolek turned back to the highway, and to his despair. “That’s going to be a lot more complicated now.” he said, “The boss-lady let them back onto the highway, and from the looks of it, they went east to Auton and eventually back to Carzat.”

“What’s doe’s that mean?” said Bastillina, looking back and forth at Rolek and Oden, despairing over their uncomfortable silence.

“It means we’ll need a ride.” Rolek replied, “If we ever hope to even find Erene again.” He looked at Dylen, “No offense, but your boss doesn’t know what she’s doing. I get you guys got rules, but dammit, sometimes that stuff ‘ll get you killed, like she’s going to do right now.”

“Now’s not the time to panic or complain.” Dylen answered, biting his tongue at Rolek’s insult to Elise. But he had to put aside his personal quarrel. “We’ve got a group waiting to stop them before they reach Auton.”

“It’s not gonna be enough.”

“If this Ryker guy’ i’s trying his level best to avoid even detection, it’ll work. He already took a big risk going through a drenched back road over the smooth and fast highway to get around what he must’ve known was us in Mennix. He’s desperate to remain undetected. That means he’s gonna do it again.”

“And what exactly are you expecting to do? Lure him into a trap?”

“Before we came to Mennix, we already had reason to believe he or the Intero were active in the area. So we set up the roadblocks before we left Cymroyl. If Ryker’s gonna try and avoid us at any turn, he’ll drive off into the forest again; if we move now, we can catch him wherever he runs off to.”

“It doesn’t sound like you know where he’ll go.”

Dylen shrugged before replying, “No, but the airships will have an idea, and those won’t be hard to spot if we just keep moving east.”

Rolek went silent, and stirred Bastillina’s anxiety further. For once, she was looking to him for hope, and there was uncertainty in his eyes. Finally he shook his head slightly, “You better know what you’re doing, cat-man. Because if you’re wrong, we’ll never see Erene again.”

Dylen again bit his angst at Rolek’s scorn. “Follow me.” he said, walking past them and taking the lead.

The convoy was moving steadily east on the highway, with little traffic in their way. The road was smooth now, and the engine hummed, making it even more difficult for Annastaria to stay away. She drifted in and out of a light sleep, trying to stay awake, but unwilling. “Ryker!” the radio voice came in, waking Annastaria, “We got airships up ahead.”

Ryker had his eyes on Annastaria, which increased her discomfort. “As I would’ve suspected.” he said, “The Oenkev and SIU are nothing if not predictable.” He reached over and took the radio to speak, “Alright, gentlemen–you know the drill.”

Annastaria sat up once he finished speaking, afraid of what he meant, and he didn’t seem interested in telling her what the plan was. For another few seconds they drove, and a voice over the radio spoke, “Turning out now.” Only a moment later did Annastaria feel the truck turn right and once more, onto shaky ground. Her eyes were heavy, but she couldn’t sleep; her body was in an involuntary alert mode. The only thing she knew was that somehow, for some reason, they were back off the main road again. She could half-hope and desire that they would actually be caught by the SIU, but it seemed Ryker was ahead of their attempts

“Where are you taking me?” she asked.

“Out of the way of the pesky SIU.” Ryker answered, “As well-intended as they may be, we don’t need them to make things more difficult for us.”

It was another five or so minutes of once more driving on some kind of rugged terrain, and finally, the rumbling stopped as the gears screeched the truck to a stand-still. The engine was cut off, and men in the truck stood up, including Ryker, and the driver and passenger. Ryker pressed a button on his remot; Annastaria tensed, prepared for another shock. But instead, she felt the chains holding her hand casings between her knees release. She raised her encased hands in front of her, wanting to see them again, but could not.

“Time to go.” Ryker said with a grin. Annastaria returned his grin with a vengeful glare, but he paid it no serious thought. He nudged his head in a kind of signal, and two of his men reached in and grabbed her by the arms, and escorted her out. Her eyes adjusted to the light, which was only dim sunlight through the overcast. The rain had stopped, but the drenched trees still let loose rainwater onto the truck, their persons and the old warehouses they parked in front of. There were two of them sitting next to each other, both made of red brick. Annastaria recalled seeing many of them in Levaan, but never expected to see one out in the woods.

“What are we doing here?” she asked.

“Just holding out for a bit.” Ryker said as he walked past her, “Until we can get our ride back to Carzat going.”

The two men holding her nudged her, signaling her to move. She knew Jorum was behind her somewhere, and that resisting their demands at this point was fruitless. She walked behind Ryker, and the rest of his group, including Jodel and Harris. Every step closer to the warehouse on the right felt like she was walking deeper and deeper into a dark place, down farther and farther into the unknown, and the reality finally came to her mind: she was scared. Ryker talked as though he knew how to take the prime power from her; she refused to believe it, but he seemed so sure that she didn’t know what to think. Would it kill her? Would it be unbearably painful?

The disturbing thoughts were interrupted when she saw, parked closer to the warehouse entrance, four more wagon cars that were most clean and meant to impress. There were more people inside, and they must have been friends to Ryker. There were two men guarding the entrance, both with small machine guns in hand, with familiar attire. It was a pair of Lance’s men. They didn’t seem surprised to see Ryker, and stared Annastaria down.

Annastaria was escorted inside, which was about fifty feet wide and seventy feet long, and was lit up by lamplights from the ceiling that stood about thirty feet high in a pointed arch design. The lights illuminated the main sections of the warehouse with yellow tint. Towards the center-back were another group of men that Ryker continued to walk towards, and his company, with Annastaria, followed. The closer she drew to these men, and one in particular, the more she dreaded what she perceived him to be. 

He had a cigarette in his hand, which Annastaria could already smell just twenty feet away. It was the loudmouthed aenman gang leader, who nearly killed her just the other day. He stood in the midst of several men, as though clearly waiting for Ryker, and never taking his eyes off of Annastaria. She had to fight to maintain a straight face, but something was wrong. She was scared. She couldn’t defend herself, and her mastery was still paralyzed. In a strange twist of irony, she found herself hoping Ryker had enough sway over this wrathful man’s temper, to keep him from strangling her to death.

“Well, well,” taunted Lance, before taking a puff of his cigarette. He held his breath in, and blew out the smoke before speaking further, “Fancy meetin’ you here, aye? Seems I get the last laugh after all.”

“Keep a lid on it, Lance.” Ryker rebuked, “No one’s laying a finger on our prize.”

“You said that once already,” Lance replied, for once taking his gaze off Annastaria to set on Ryker, “when you decided it was a bad idea to mess with a royal, or whatever the hell she is. Yet here she stands, in cuffs. If she is a royal, like you said, we’re already screwed…” He turned back to her to continue, “So where’s the harm in putting a few bruises on that pretty face?”

“I’m not doing this with you right now, Lance. She remains as she is.” A brief silence followed as Lance took another puff of his cigarette, still with his eyes on Annastaria. She turned her eyes away from him, but could still feel his gaze on her; she could tell he was imagining what manner of evil he wished to do to her, the likes of which, she did not want to think about. Ryker turned to one of the men in the warehouse, “How long till the boats are ready?”

“At least twenty minutes, sir.” the man replied.

Ryker sighed, walking to a chair to sit. “Well, let’s not waste anymore time.” he said with a sigh of relief, “We need to be out towards the Rip as soon as possible. The SIU has airships moving in to start looking, and make no mistake, gentlemen, they will find us within the hour if we’re not gone by then.” As he sat, he looked at Annastaria with a grin, “Fortunately, we’ll be long gone.”

She hated that grin, but it was better than looking at Lance’s nefarious stare. “Sir,” asked Jodel, stepping forward, “what do we do with the girl in the meantime?”

Ryker paused to think, looking at Annastaria again. “She must be tired.” he said, “Surely you can find her a place to sleep.” Annastaria wasn’t sure what to think of the strange act of charity from Ryker, but she wouldn’t relent her stare towards him.

Jodel found the request awkward, and didn’t know how to carry it out exactly; he looked at Annastaria, causing her to look at him with the same awkwardness, which felt like an agonizingly long time. But he gave her a nudge of his head to follow him; she reluctantly followed, keeping her peripheral vision on every person she could, especially Jorum and Lance, all the while, concealing the fact that she was hearing whispers again. 

She recalled the spirit she encountered in the forest near Mennix. It’s dwelling place must have extended even this far out, or something related to it. She knew too little to be certain. All she did know was that something haunted these woods, and it was not friendly.

“Stay here.” Jodel ordered, having led Annastaria to a corner of the warehouse, in a dark area on a long chair. She stared at him, but only for a few seconds before she went to sit.

“We should be leaving, sir.” said Goate to Lance, who was lighting yet another cigarette.

“Didn’t you hear the mad scientist?” Lance answered, “We’re out of here in twenty minutes, along with that cursed elf.”

Goate looked around with an unsure face before replying quietly, “Some of the men are spooked by this place, sir. Talking about feeling something here.”

Lance looked at Goate with a souring face. “Take it easy, Goate–and you can tell that to the boys, too. It’s just an old warehouse in the woods somewhere.”

“I’m just saying, sir… There’re stories about these woods, and they don’t come from us, but nearly everyone in the area.”

“Spooky stories spread because people tell them. The way they die is to stop telling them, and stop thinking about them. Now get your crap together and check on the parameter!”

Goate went silent. With Lance’s scorn still on him, he acknowledged his command and took leave. Ryker observed silently with Jorum, amused by it. He turned to Jorum and whispered to him.

Elise led Gerdan and his group, still splintered, closer to the warehouses he spoke of, moving more freely and quickly, knowing the rain had stopped, at least for the time being. Once the groups had arrived, it was time to plan their big move. Gerdan and Elise both personally saw to the recon, sitting on a hill southwest of the warehouses, some fifty yards away. “There’s the convoy truck.” Gerdan whispered, looking through his binoculars.

“And many more cars.” Elise added, “Definitely the Intero… And I’m certain they have Erene in there.”

Gerdan hesitated to speak further, but the itch of Elise’s decision from earlier about Rolek was too much for him now. He turned to her to speak, “Ma’am, I know you’re clearly in charge here, but I have to strongly suggest reconsidering Rolek’s idea from earlier.”

“Are you suggesting I release an arrested man? And allow him to take control of my unit?”

“Not at all, ma’am; you can freely arrest him if you like. But these warehouses are on the Galssan River, and go into the Rip. They may likely be preparing to make their exit by the river. If we try and just announce ourselves to arrest them, we’ll have to fight our way through, and by then, I’m almost certain they will have Erene on a boat and cruising halfway down the Rip and into the sea, where we’ll lose them.”

Elise paused–a good sign to Gerdan. She was actually considering the idea. Then she turned her eyes back to the warehouse facility to scan more. “Looks like we might be able to hook around the northeast. If we can get a group to cut through that point, we should be able to stop any outgoing boats trying to head north into the Rip.”

Gerdan smiled, knowing what Elise was saying then. But he put his excitement away to stay focused. “Okay,” he answered, “You take your group to the front. I’ll take my boys around back.”

“You sure? Your men aren’t exactly equipped to perform suppressive fire.”

“That’s why we’re better off not going straight in, like you guys. The hills hook around with us to the northwest. I can have some of my hunters set up sniper positions up there, hidden in the trees, while the rest of us close in as quickly as we can.”

Elise nodded, and admired Gerdan’s tactical thinking. “Okay.” she said, “I’ll gather my people, and you get yours. Wait until the airships arrive, and until you probably hear gunfire, alright?” Gerdan nodded, and the two retreated to the main groups to relay the plan.

“Ma’am,” said one of the officers near their radio, “the airships are sixty seconds out.”

Elise nodded, anticipating their arrival. She gave Gerdan a nod and signal to take his men around the northeast, and they set off quietly. She split her group up and began her approach to the front gate of the warehouses. For some reason, the words of Rolek began to ring in her mind, more intensely as she drew nearer to the gate. She was never so tempted to prepare an ambush, and to go in guns blazing. There was something about this group that was different; it was likely because of the uniqueness of the man they were after, along with his interest in a wood elf.

What she could expect, she didn’t know, and she stopped just feet from the main entrance, hiding in the bushes. It was guarded by four Intero thugs, all casually walking about the checkpoint entrance. One of her officers came sweating towards her, trying to control his loud breathing. “Ma’am,” he said with an unsure tone, “are we really gonna just charge in there?”

“I’m afraid we are, corporal.” she answered, not taking her eyes off the men casually walking about the main gate, “Don’t worry, the airships are coming in. Once they’re here, we jump out, weapons drawn.”

The others heard and while they were silent, their minds were in chaos, wondering what they were to expect. The Intero were not the surrendering type, more than willing to kill police officers, especially when they are emboldened by numbers.

Ryker was conversing casually with some of his men, calm as ever, watched carefully by Annastaria, who hated to see him so calm. But she kept recalling to herself the need to be patient, like air; remembering her own training. Air does not attack, it counters, it moves around the force that tries to strike it. She had to think the same, and wait for her moment to counter attack. Already she could feel some tingling in her arms and chest–her magicka points were restoring, which Ryker didn’t seem aware of. Apparently, he seemed ignorant of the fact that elves recover their mastery faster than average aenmen masters.

But her ears perked up to a strange sound. First it was in the form of a faint tremor that she could feel. A car engine? If so, it was not one in or around the warehouse. But it slowly grew and grew, and the more it did, the closer it felt, and the less and less it sounded like a car. She lost her focus on everyone else in the warehouse as she tried to understand the sound more. It was as if it was not even on the ground, yet was heard through the ground. Another sound began to emerge from within the growing tremor; it was some kind of pattering sound, and after only a few seconds, an echo of it could be heard bounce about inside the warehouse.

It was then that a loud “Hush!” was heard by one of the men, silencing everyone, even Ryker. Annastaria’s focus returned to her immediate surroundings, and at the silence of the others, the pattering echoes and the engine were even more vivid to her ears. The others stood up like pricked hairs, turning every which way to determine the source.

“It can’t be,” said one of the men.

“Is that…” said another with a hesitation, “An airship?”

“Sir!” a voice from the radio sitting on a table a few feet from them panicked, “We got airships coming in from the north! I repeat, we got airships coming in from the north!”

Ryker bolted to the radio himself as fast as his face turned to panic. He stumbled even to grab the walkie talkie device to speak. “How many?” he said.

“There’s two of ‘em, sir! And they each got bloody floodlights!”

Ryker turned to the others, with his eyes wide enough that they were clearly seen by Annastaria from across the room. For a moment, she felt a sense of satisfaction within herself, knowing that he was caught off guard. “What do we do?” said one of the men in the room.

“What do you think?” he snapped, “Get the boats ready–now!”

“But sir, we can’t outrun an airship on a boat.”

“I don’t wanna hear it!”

A faint pop was heard, once again silencing everyone as the airships drew closer and closer. Then another pop, and more, like popcorn cooking. The radio came in, and the sound of static, chaotic noise with it, “We’re taking fire outside the gate! We need backup!”

Ryker slammed the table before he turned to the men behind him, “Dammit! Get out there and help those idiots! Somehow the SIU got here way faster than we planned!”

The men panicked, but scrambled to the door. Jorum remained unnaturally calm, however, and as long as he remained in the room, Annastaria’s optimism remained still. Only a few seconds later, a floodlight came in through the ceiling windows as an airship fluttered overhead, shaking the warehouse around them. “This is the Cymroyl police!” the intercom system went out, “You are under arrest! Drop your weapons–now!”

Ryker turned to Lance, who was lighting yet another cigarette in a strange calm. “What the hell are you doing standing around for?!”

“I’m telling you, man,” Lance said, “this elf chick ain’t worth the trouble. If there’s anything cursed in these woods, it’s her. Let me off her now, and let’s get out of here.”

“How about I have Jorum squish your head like a piece of fruit? Get your ass out there and fight off those damned police!”

Lance hesitated, and intently so just to protest Ryker’s power trip, taking a puff from his fresh-lit cigarette. But he stabbed Ryker with a finger before saying, “I want fifty percent of your profit for this–you hear me? You’ve got the next ten minutes to decide, when I come back, and if you haven’t yet, I’m blowing her brains out.” Lance shoved Ryker out of his way and stormed off to the entrance.

Ryker took a moment to catch his breath, or at least he tried. Annastaria watched him silently and carefully. The only ones left in the warehouse were Ryker, Jorum, Jodel and Harris. Ryker was moving back and forth, unable to keep still, and brushed his hands through his hair. He gave out a sigh before he stopped suddenly, looking up at another flood light passing through the windows. Then he turned towards Annastaria, looking her directly in the eyes, and immediately she felt as though she was sinking. He walked towards her, only increasing her anxiety.

“Jorum.” he said, “Go out there and make sure the SIU and the Cymroyl police are handled.”

Jorum gave a single nod, and without question walked off. For some reason, his footsteps gave a thud more prominent than anyone else to Annastaria. She watched him move farther and farther away, and with each second, felt the air around her clear. But with Ryker, Jodel and Harris now surrounding her, she turned her eyes to Ryker, who stood in front of her now.

“My dear.” he said in a fake sense of calm, “I’m terribly sorry for all of this. This was not expected. But rest assured, you are in the company of these two gentlemen.” Annastaria remained silent and watched Ryker hand the remote controlling her special handcuffs to Jodel. “No one takes possession of this.” Ryker said to Jodel, “No one. If she gives you any problems, give her a little shock and she’ll calm down.”

“Where’re you goin’?” said Jodel.

“I’m gonna check on our boats, and then… I need to make a phone call.”

Annastaria noted that last remark from Ryker, but as before, refused to say anything. She didn’t want to give away any hints that she was plotting her escape. All she needed was for Ryker to step away. As long as Jorum was nowhere to be found, she could easily take these two down again, free herself, and if possible, ambush Ryker when he was alone.

Annastaria has been captured by Ryker and his pet master “Jorum”, while the others are brought into police custody. Ryker attempts to convince Annastaria to join his cause to ‘maintain balance’ in the world. Meanwhile, Rolek takes point in Elise’s hunt for Annastaria and her captors through the forest, a most fortunate event for Rolek to escape custody, but will Elise trust his judgment? Or will her ‘by the book’ nature get Annastaria killed?

Ryker’s convoy, consisting of two wagon cars and a single cargo truck trudged through the deep woods, along the now muddied road, which began to cling to the wheels, seemingly bringing them down into the ground. The windshield wipers were flailing left and right to keep the windshield from being overcome by pouring rain, and they were forced to use their headlights in the middle of the morning just to see what was in front of them.

A jerking thud in the muddy road, followed by a thunderous roar awoke Annastaria from her sleep. Her weary eyes came to slowly and as they focused, she saw herself in a small, metal and dark room that was bouncing left and right, with the unceasing pattering of rainfall outside. Things previously separated into two of themselves came together the more she realized she was asleep. She tried to rub her eyes, but her hands were caught by something, preventing her. Her eyes went wide as she looked and saw her hands encased in some metal device, chained and bolted to the floor. Her head looked every which way and saw four men with her in the car; one of them was Ryker and another was Jorum.

“There’s no need to panic.” Ryker said with a grin, as a frightened Annastaria tried to back away from him up the wall. She couldn’t feel her mastery, and looking at the lifeless eyes of Jorum, she remembered that he paralyzed her magicka system.

“Wha–where am I?” she asked.

“You’re in my protective care, my dear.” answered Ryker. Another thump from the road, temporarily dampening his grin, “Assuming our own convoy to safety can keep us safe from the storm and woods.”

“Safety? How is this safe? You have me trapped in this… thing!”

“Interesting pair of handcuffs, yes? They’re designed for masters. You see, simply handcuffing a master is not enough to keep them. These have a magnetic modification to them that distorts and disrupts a master’s ability to use their power.” Ryker paused and leaned in, “And you, my dear girl, have a very special power.” Annastaria pulled away in futility as Ryker reached over and grabbed her bare right arm to show her her own enchantments. “I imagine these are not simply neat little tattoos.” he said. She yanked her arm away from him, sneering at him. But he grinned and leaned back again, “They’re certainly not elvish engravings, that’s for sure.”

“When my elders learn of what you are doing,” said Annastaria, “you will be found and dealt with justly.”

“I’ve been doing some thinking about that, and I’m not so sure that will be the case. Like you said, your people have no idea what I’m doing down here, or really who I am. This operation is so secretive, even to them, that even by the time they learn about you and what we’re doing… it won’t matter.”

Annastaria swallowed once, maintaining her stare, but it weakened slightly. “And what is it that you plan to do?” she asked.

Ryker grinned, looking at Jorum for a moment, which only made her want to pull away more. “My dear,” he began, “I believe I know who and what you are. Back at the hangar, when I saw you fight for the first time, you reached for the artifact, and it activated as you grabbed it. The artifact is of prime energy; it contains a particular power that only a prime can acquire… It called to you.” He paused to see what she would do, but she wouldn’t speak.  “At first I didn’t believe it,” he continued, “I think I was in sheer, unreflective denial about it… But not long after, it really struck me. There was only one reason why that artifact called to you. And I noticed how you covered your arm. Well here it is, bare before me, and look what’s hiding beneath… You’re a prime.” Annastaria’s silence encouraged excitement from Ryker. 

“Amazing!” he continued, “Never in my life did I believe I would see a real, true and living prime! You know the most amazing thing? The legends speak of you as gods… But you’re like me, another human, with two eyes, wavy hair and the average body of a young woman… But I see it in your eyes, dear.”

His excitement subsided for a moment as he paused again, looking down to ponder. “It’s a shame, really.” he said as he looked up at her again, “I don’t suppose you’ll want to help me, will you?” Annastaria continued to glare at him as the truck bounced back and forth over the muddy road. Ryker forced a smile. “I see.” he said, “God! What an absolute shame that you have to be in the midst of the zealots. No doubt they’ve taught you the foolish war between aenmen and their kind. They’ve brainwashed you into their thinking.”

“You do not know of what you speak, aenman.”

Ryker chuckled, “You see? That’s what I’m talking about. You’ve been conditioned, little lady. Those zealots are collecting all the artifacts in the world they can find, so they can amass all the power of Eldreon to retake the north, and eventually lift the curse of Aaerogelden–and you? You’re just another artifact they will use to take over the world again.”

Annastaria nearly burst out at him in anger, but knew she was constrained from doing any harm, and even if she could, Jorum was sitting only a few feet away, silent but ready for anything. “Your anger and desire to kill me only proves how much you know I’m right.” Ryker said with a grin that gnawed at her.

“And what would you do with the secrets of Eldreon?” said Annastaria, “Why should the aenmen be trusted with what they’ve failed to understand?”

“A fair point.” Ryker replied, “One I’m fully aware of.” He leaned in again, “You see, my dear, the world is on the brink of collapse, that we can agree on. That’s why it needs saviors. It needs the primes; it needs you, and the others that are surely out there. The old elvish kingdoms fell and they fell because the elves are not so different from we aenmen. At the end of the day, you’re still human, like the rest of us, and you share the same desires for power, just like we do. Don’t you think it’s time we realize that, and work towards a greater future? One that does away with allowing a single monarch, or a single ruler, a single council, such as the Magistry, to govern all?”

“What kind of future are you speaking of?”

“One where men take hold of their own destinies before God. One of justice and peace, where the government exists to ensure that men live peaceably with their fellow man; they don’t go to war for political and cultural differences. We can work towards that greater future here in Enussia, and show the rest of the world it can be done.”

“And you need the primes to do this?”

“Of course! Every great movement needs inspiring leaders to show them, and to be a piece of that great future here now. You could help me, my dear–you are the prime I’m looking for… It is no coincidence that God has brought you here to interfere with my plans. This is a divine appointment!”

Annastaria could hardly believe the words she was hearing. When was an aenman scientist interested in religious concepts? She tried to figure out in her mind if he was serious or even insane. But before another word could be spoken, they all felt the truck stop, causing the lamp from the ceiling to move back and forth., and the engine, though still on, quieted. “What’s going on out there?” Ryker asked, incentivising the other in the truck with him to go to the radio.

“What’s happening?” the radio operator asked.

It took a few seconds for a reply to come in, “The front car is stuck. Gotta get it out.”

Ryker rolled his eyes and took the radio to speak into it, “Get it done fast. We do not want to be caught in these woods!” Ryker turned to Jorum, “Get out there and make sure things go smoothly. No magic, though, in case we’re not the only ones who can track magic out here.”

The back doors came open, and the large Jorum rose up, forced to keep his head low to the ceiling. Annastaria backed away as best she could while he walked past her, giving off a strange and unsettling sour smell. She saw his skin up close for the first time, which seemed dry and the sight of which made her feel itchy over her own skin. Finally his unpleasant presence was past her and out of the back door, leaving her and Ryker alone.

“I apologize for all of this.” he said to her, “You must be so uncomfortable right now. I promise you that Jorum means no harm.”

“What have you done to him?” she darted quickly at him.

Ryker paused, trying to formulate an answer. “I am merely preparing him,” he said.

“For what?”

“What he must be ready for, of course. We need icons, and leaders for our cause.”

“You mean that you are trying to make him into something he is not.”

Ryker paused again, impressed with her well-placed assertion, but also put off by it. His smile returned then as an answer to her charge came to mind. “Concerned with him all of a sudden, are we?” he said, drawing silence from Annastaria, “Well, if you’re so interested in having his ‘suffering’ end, you know who can stop it, don’t you? Be the prime I need, and he won’t have to be.”

“I am not your pawn for your desire for power.”

Ryker chuckled, “I’m somewhat hurt, truly; that after all I just told you, you still act in defiance. I suppose I shouldn’t be so surprised. I expect nothing less than unyielding, ruthless loyalty to the zealots… But that doesn’t change the fact that you have something I need.”

“Unfortunately for you, you cannot have it.”

“That’s what you think. You’ve been living under a rock too long, my dear; you don’t know what we in the modern world can do with technology on our side. Your prime power will be mine, and soon enough, the girl.”

Annastaria nearly froze at the words uttered; she knew exactly what he meant. She could only hope that Bastillina was smart enough to stay angry at her, and stay away. Ryker saw the panic in her eyes. “Yes, her.” he said slowly, as if to stroke Annastaria’s conscience with discomfort, “The one who blew up half the inn. The power that girl displayed is unlike anything I have ever seen… Maybe she’s a prime, no? I can’t wait to find out.”

“How bad for you.” Annastaria answered, “She will likely be far away from here now.” She looked down as she contemplated and sank into the despairing thought. “I would be far away if I were her.” she added.

“Aw, don’t be so hard on yourself. Relationships always have tension, that’s how they grow. No, I’m sure she’s not about to run away from you; you’re her only true hope here, I can tell. You’re going to help bring her to me, and when she comes, we’ll all be one happy family.”

“No!” Annastaria snapped, trying to break free from her bonds, but having no success, “Eannas eskoto mu!” she cursed as she pulled and pulled. 

Ryker took hold of a remote, pressing a button, and immediately, Annastaria felt her arms stiffen, and her chest buzz, causing her teeth to grind together in agonizing discomfort for five terrible and lengthy seconds. When her arms were released from the force, she nearly fell over as she gasped for air. Her breathing intensified as her heart began to pound in her chest. 

“That didn’t look so good.” Ryker mocked, holding the remote up, “A little extra restraint I had put in those hand restraints of yours. They’ll make sure you don’t get too feisty. And they’ll also help me extract your prime energy.”

Annastaria didn’t know whether to believe him or not, or if she heard what she thought she heard him say, but her entire body was strained and weak. All she could think of was Bastillina, and how she hoped the girl, along with Oden and Rolek, stayed away. And yet the more she urged this desire on in her mind, the more it punished her with her misery. She was alone, and all she wanted was to see them again, and talk to them.

Oden was escorted to the car holding Bastillina, after he had convinced them to let him stay close to her. There was little else for him to do, it seemed. Bastillina saw him approach from the distortion of the rain to the window. The door came open and he entered the car cabin as fast as he could; though an umbrella helped keep him dry, he was still wet, causing Bastillina to somewhat move away. He let out a breath as he made himself comfortable in the back seat next to her, while Bastillina sat awkwardly, feeling as though something ought to have been said between them, but she didn’t know what.

“Some morning, huh?” he said. Bastillina was only further confused on what to say. “You okay, kiddo?” he asked, “Come on, talk to me.”

Bastillina didn’t look at him, and acted as though she was far away, though he knew she heard him. The question stirred so many potential answers in her mind, and she didn’t know where to begin. She didn’t know what to think anymore. “I just…” she began, “I just hope she’s okay.”

Oden paused, looking away, hoping to find the right words to respond with. He was still angry with Erene, but he didn’t want Bastillina to see it. Somehow, her sorrow felt heavier than his anger. “I’m sure they’ll find her.” he said, drawing Bastillina’s big blue eyes to himself, “They’re out there right now, with Rolek–and if anyone can track someone, it’s that guy.”

Bastillina paused again as Rolek’s name came up, stirring a whole new set of thoughts, and just like before, she didn’t know which to like and which not to. “She told me to stay away from him.” Bastillina said, “And not talk to him.”

“I’m sure she’s said a lot of things… Things that were meant to protect you. But Rolek’s not such a bad guy, to be honest.”

Bastillina looked at him with a slightly sour look. “But he wants to capture you for a reward. And he attacked Erene.”

“True.” Oden said, looking away for a moment, “But… I don’t know… Let’s just wait and see what happens.” Oden couldn’t get out of his mind the genuine care in Rolek’s voice as he told him to watch over and stay close to Bastillina.

“This doesn’t make any sense!” the girl blurted out, “I don’t know what to believe about anyone anymore! Erene lied, but… but she protected me. Rolek’s a selfish jerk, but he’s looking out for us? Ugh! At least back home I knew people were who they were.” Bastillina stopped herself as she began to realize more of what she was saying. “Although,” she continued, “now that I think about it… a lot of my friends back home were strange, too. Even my uncle Leno seemed to want me to go to church every week–we all did… Toby was the worst driver ever, and he still wanted me to learn how to drive properly.”

As she began to recall these things, Oden was left to ponder himself about the strange characters even he knew, including Dean, who being a drug-dealing alcoholic, was chivalric in his nature, and more than anything, wanted to protect his girlfriend from any threat. “I suppose people are complex,” he said.

Bastillina didn’t know what to say, and she went still seemingly, staring off near Oden’s feet. Like timber, she fell over then on his shoulder. “What if…” she began, but hesitating, “What if there’s more to Erene than what we’ve seen? Maybe… through all the elvish stuff… she’s like us? Trying to find a home, trying to make friends, and family.”

Oden sighed as he contemplated those ideas. “It’s hard to imagine a zealot having no family.” he answered, “They’re a very tight-knit group, so I’ve heard.”

“Then why is she all the way out here? Away from that home? Why would she put up with us so long?”

“I don’t know.” Oden answered, almost forgetting to answer at all as he pondered further. He knew deep down, in spite of her own lies, he missed her, even her yelling at him for how he was. What if there was more that he wasn’t seeing? What made Erene the way she was? He knew what made him the way he was; things he hardly shared with anyone, including Bastillina and Erene. He knew he was complex. Maybe Erene was too. “Maybe we ought to find out, huh?” he said, drawing Bastillina’s eyes to him. He smiled at her, “Maybe we ought to help Rolek find her.” It took a moment, but a smile began to glow from Bastillina’s face. She didn’t need to say ‘yes’, he knew what her answer was. But he looked out the windows at the four officers that were just outside. “We just need to figure out how to get out of here first.”

“We’re going to escape custody?”

“Well, if we don’t, we’re no help to Rolek, are we?”

“How are we gonna do that?” Bastillina asked, looking at their surroundings with Oden.

Oden was quiet for a moment as a thought began to pull together in his mind. He wasn’t sure how much of it he liked, but he looked at Bastillina. “You willing to do a little magic?” he asked her. He saw the question paralyze her for a moment.

“I…” she hesitated, “I don’t know. I’m not very good at it, and I just end up blowing things up.”

“That’s kinda what I need you to do. We need to start a little fire; can you at least focus on something?”

Bastillina tried to conceal her internal panicking, and began shaking her head, “I… maybe.” Oden didn’t know what to think about her unsure answer, and stuttering. But she went still again, as though she began to think. With her eyes wide, she looked up at him, “I think I might have an idea.” She raised her hand, and snapped her fingers and startled Oden with a small flame above her thumb.

“Whoa!” he said, “That’s… real cool… Now how is that going to equal the kind of pop we need?”

It was only a few seconds later when one of the officers outside the car began to see a yellow flashing from within, and then a loud thump on the door. The others converged on it as the back door flew open with Oden and Bastillina leaping out amidst a ploom of smoke. “What happened?” cried one officer as they let the two up, “Are you okay?”

“We’re fine!” Oden gasped and coughed, “It was an accident!”

The rest of the officers scrambled to tend to the growing fire coming from within the car.

“Get back!” the officer ordered, pushing Oden and Bastillina back from the burning car. Bastillina tripped as they stepped back, slowly falling out of the focus of the officers. Oden pulled her up by the arm, and they moved past another cruiser when Oden’s eye caught his bag with Annastaria’s on the hood of the car. He reached out and snatched both, and taking Bastillina by the hand, the two dashed into the woods.

Elise and the main force of the authorities, mixed with the deputies of Mennix and the regional police, endured the sogging rain pattering the woods all around them. Thunder continued at intervals to roll through the area, keeping them from any ease amidst the strange fog and the sense of a presence that was not the others around them. Rolek was ahead of them, alongside Gerdan, stopping at the dirt road that passed through the woods. “Anything?” Elise asked, straight and blunt.

Rolek knelt down to the tracks to examine them with Gerdan. “These aren’t the tracks of any heavy duty car.” Gerdan noted.

“Not some of them, anyway.” added Rolek, “You got at least one hefty ride with this group.”

“Could that mean more men?” asked Dylen.

“Could be.” Rolek answered as he stood up, “Either way, these tracks are telling me they were through here about twenty minutes ago, and judging by their formation, came through just before the heavy rain.”

“Is that important?”

Rolek looked at Dylen to answer, “It means that further tracks might be harder to see.”

“Which means we need to stop wasting time here.” Elise replied as she swept past them.

The air grew colder, and another dark cloud hovered over the trees, tinting the area in a colorless chill. The storm sent more faint, thunderous rolls through the woods; all the while, Rolek looked left and right, keeping his attention on each of Elise’s men, and Gerdan’s, plotting his escape, while keeping focused on finding Erene.

“What do you know about Ryker?” asked Elise, interrupting Rolek’s plotting.

“Me?” he asked, “What makes you think I know anything?”

“You’re involved with all of this in some way, aren’t you?”

Though the air was cold, this woman’s interrogative nature seemed to emit a kind of heat that pressed on Rolek, who began to think quickly, hoping to avoid revealing his direct connection to Ryker. “Yeah, not intentionally. Like I said, I was just delivering a bounty on Oden.”

“And yet, here you are, helping to find the elf, when for all intents and purposes, she’s got nothing to do with your bounty.”

Rolek paused and looked to Gerdan, whose eyes were pressing on him with an uncomfortably inquisitive look. “Do you want my help finding your elf, or not?” he asked, “Because I could have, and I still could just turn around and go the other way.”

Elise stopped then, and everyone else stopped with her. “The other way?” she said, “Not a chance. Help or no help, you’re not going anywhere.” 

Rolek smirked, annoyed and impressed with Elise’s unyielding arrogance. “I feel like there’s something you want to say to me, ma’am.” he said, “Where I’m from, we don’t really care for people dancing around the bush.”

“Alright… Since we want to be upfront here; it’s obvious you’re keeping information from me. Still, I’m curious: a bounty hunter who only works for the highest bidder doesn’t hesitate to help Oenkev and SIU authorities find someone who, as far as I can tell, is not offering any kind of reward for helping them.”

“Implying what? People like me aren’t as ill-natured as you seem to think ma’am.”

“I’m quite aware that random acts of kindness still move through people like you. But you seem insistent upon hiding your reasons why.”

“If you must know, she does kind of owe me something.”

“Ah… So it’s not out of goodwill after all.”

Rolek shrugged his shoulders, “Depends on how you look at it, I guess… But like you said, we’re wasting time, no?”

Elise paused, silently judging Rolek. He could almost feel her scorn, and knew he had to figure out a way to get out of this before the end of the day. Finally, as though he was allowed to breath again, Elise gave the order to continue moving. Rolek continued with them, relieved that he was still able to conceal his intention to keep Elise from discovering who Erene truly was. If the SIU or Oenkev authorities discovered it, it threatened an international conflict.

Annastaria was left alone in the truck as Ryker stepped outside to continue yelling at the others for delaying their drive. She could hear his voice, muffled but mostly unintelligible through the steel walls of the back of the truck she was in, with no idea where she was. The rain had relented some, pattering lightly on the top and sides; it made her tired, along with the shocks she endured from the cursed hand casings she had that made her his prisoner. 

She lowered her heavy head down, and the silver necklace her father gave her fell out, dangling just under her face, and sparkling in the small light she had. The sight of it brought her back to the moment her father gave it to her. She remembered the wind, and the cold, and the warmth from her father’s hug to her, how it took her away from the cold air of the Sarke lands, and Ellumar’s softened eyes towards her sister as they said goodbye. She promised not to let them down, taking the necklace with a sacred vow. It was her greatest chance to prove to her clan that she was one of them, and now she failed. 

The worst part was that she played only a miniscule task in the whole thing. For all intents and purposes, she was probably given this particular part only because she was a relic that needed protecting; something to hide away in a hallowed room somewhere, an object to be used, not a person to be loved, admonished, encouraged and cherished. 

She nagged and nagged for a chance to prove herself, and when she got it, all it really was in the end was just a bone, a treat to distract her. But even such an insignificant task, she couldn’t keep. She failed her people: Errnos was right, her aenman side was too strong. She got too close to them in just a matter of days, broke so many creedal rules and now faces the irreconcilable consequences.

Yet who did she fail? She felt the tug of Oden and Bastillina now; their essence mixed and struggled against the essence of her clan, and how important they were to her. Either way, to all of them, she lost. She couldn’t live up to her clan’s demands, and she couldn’t even live up to the pitiful standards of aenmen.

The back door flew open, disturbing her peace; her heart began to race as she was startled out of her slow descent into a tired sleep. It was Ryker who stepped inside with Jorum, immediately stuffing the small compartment with their unwelcome presence. “Excellent news!” Ryker said, “We’re moving out!”

As if the drivers were waiting for him to say that, the engines roared and the three cars and the large truck holding Annastaria were off, still pushing slowly through the muddied road. At that moment, Annastaria confessed it in her heart; she couldn’t hide it from her mind anymore–she hoped and wished, and even prayed silently that somehow Oden and even Rolek would find her. 

She hoped, though faced with despair, that despite her deception, they would be a better person than she was. All she could think about was Oden’s scorn. It shocked her at first, and even to think of it, it still had a paralyzing effect, but she knew he was right. He was honest with her, and she continued to lie to him. Worst of all, her lies, she knew, could only have pushed Bastillina away. What better example was she setting over Leno? She may never see the girl again, leaving Annastaria to wonder and even dare to doubt her ‘creeds’ that she lived by and got her here.

“You must think I’m a terrible, wicked aenman.” Ryker said, observing Annastaria’s despondent stare towards the floor. The words caused her to snap from the trance and her eyes darted up at him, but she said nothing. Ryker, still with his smile, leaned back in his seat, “The truth is, my dear, what I’m doing is saving this world from itself. Saving it from self-destruction.”

“You deal with criminals.” Annastaria said with a sneer, “Nothing you say to me makes anything that you truly do better.”

Ryker chuckled lightly, annoying Annastaria. “A necessary evil, I’m afraid.” he answered, “One I’m sure if you probed hard enough, you would discover the same concept in the elders of your own tribe.” Annastaria’s eyes, which had drifted away again locked onto him once more. “You have much to learn about the real world, my dear.” he continued, “Closed off in those cold mountains does nothing for you except prevent you from seeing the truth, and that’s why you’re where you are right now. That’s why you’ve failed, and I’ve won. That’s why your friends abandoned you. You think you know it all, and that the world is so black and white; it’s either good or bad.”

Annastaria grew tired of being lectured by this arrogant man. She turned her whole face to him. “If you are so smart and know so many things,” she said, “why do you not stop annoying me with your babble, and tell me what it is I am apparently missing?”

Ryker was stunned by the words. But his smile quickly returned to fruition. “Very well.” he replied, “Yes, I’m working with Lance and the Intero–a mafia, criminal organization here in Oenkev. But while men like him are certainly terrible men, men like him keep the balance.”

Annastaria could almost blurt out the word blasphemy and kick him if her own feet were not restrained. “How can such a man as he maintain balance?”

“How do you think the evil that lurks in the shadows–and you know of what I speak–is kept at bay? Sure, we can say it’s because of law and order, and the inquisitions of the Magisterium, and the legacy of the Ubyassen Empire, but those are the extreme measures that are required when the balance can’t be restored without violence. Once it has been restored, it is maintained by a world of men in various places of power, battling and struggling for more. Lance is one of those men. The criminal underworld will always exist, my dear, in a world of free men, and it must exist; it’s part of how God keeps order.”

“I do not know of this god you speak of, but he is not Artharos, that much is certain.”

“You can call him what you wish, but you know as well as me, that even your own scriptures, passed down by the divine council itself, tells us that Artharos, the God of gods, is supreme in all affairs, including time and human governments.” Annastaria went silent, refusing to entertain the madness she perceived in Ryker any further. He watched her silence for a moment, trying to discern what she was thinking. 

“I’m guessing you came from the Sarke region.” he said, once more drawing her eyes to him. She wouldn’t answer, but he saw in her face that she knew he was right. “I figured as much.” he said with a confident smile, “That means you had to come through Mennadesh, which is closed off from Oenkev due to its civil wars, and its potential weakness to the Sarke region and the growing Vale threat. You would have had to smuggle your way across the border, therefore. No doubt you used one of those groups, then.”

Annastaria refused to speak, though her anger at him intensified. “Yes,” he said, his smile seemingly growing, “you did use those groups to get here. You see? You’re not so different from me, my dear… You know those groups are funded by the Intero? Yes, men like Lance assist those ‘righteous’ organizations in getting people smuggled across the border… You wanna know why?”

With a tired glare, Annastaria looked up at him. “Do tell.” she hissed.

“Who knows!” he blurted out, tossing his hands up and laughing, “There are so many reasons! The Intero likes to use cheap labor for their minor works. Having illegals here who aren’t documented allows them to give those people wages they cannot bargain with. Other parties pay the Intero to assist getting certain individuals across the borders for reasons the Intero won’t ask; just pay them and they’ll get your man through the checkpoints. All they need is a proxy group that is willing to do it, and who better than folks zealous for the cause of helping poor refugees? Folks who truly believe in the cause of autonomy and freedom. And now tell me, my dear, who is right and who is wrong?” He waited, but Annastaria had no answer; she refused to show him any sign that she never heard anything like this before, and didn’t know how to even react to it, whether or not it was true.

Ryker shook a finger at her, “You see? The balance. A world of free men demands men like me, and men like Lance to maintain it.”

“I do not understand why you cannot have a world without them.”

Ryker chuckled, “Still so much to learn. That’s a nice thought, but it died with your elvish kings ages ago. It tried to resurrect itself in the Ubyassen Empire and crashed and burned. The truth, my dear, is like I told you already–our kind, humanity, is inherently evil. We always desire power; the ancient empires collapsed because either the emperor or the king’s inherent evil drove him mad and turned him into a tyrannical monster, leaving death and misery in his wake. Or the people, in their decadence, caused the whole thing to crumble. Or, they rebelled, because no one likes to have another man order them around; our natural inclination to such things is to rebel against it, and rebellion, though liberating, always upsets the balance, and always leaves a vacuum–the likes of which nature abhors. The only true answer is to remove the sentiment towards absolute power, restore it to God himself, who rightly owns it, and allow men to be free under that rule. But with that always comes the consequences, such as men like Lance.”

“Such a well-thought babble of words and lies.” Annastaria hissed again, “You must feel proud of your blasphemous philosophy.”

Ryker’s smile didn’t relent at Annastaria’s attempt to insult him. “Like I said, I don’t expect someone like you to understand… Maybe in time you will. But let me ask you this: Who would you rather have ruling the world? Criminals like Lance, who, though evil and selfish, nevertheless hold to some form of structure, and can be bought to maintain order and peace, or a mad, zealous revolutionary determined to burn it all down so that from the ashes a new monster arises to devour the world? Because if you want to live in the best world we can make, the Lance’s of the world are the ones you choose. History shows that monarchs and empires always lead to utter ruin. Man was not meant to possess that kind of power.”

“So you mean to truly allow one form of wicked man to reign over another?”

“It’s better than the alternative. Like you, I would like to live in a world that was without sin. But we don’t have that world, my dear; we never have, and we never will, not unless God himself intervenes. What we have is this, and we must make the best of it that we can. I dare you, my dear–you seem like a smart young lady–I challenge you to find me one instance of the power of the world given to a single entity, or a single man, that ever ended well.” He paused again, waiting for Annastaria to respond. She couldn’t think of anything; all the examples she had to draw from, even from the sacred scriptures that showed peace in the ancient elvish empires, eventually crumbled, and the prophets always revealed that the crumble was due to the decay of the elvish society, not from the outside world. The world outside was able to conquer the elves because they had crumbled within, had turned from the gods, and most of all, Artharos.

“You see?” Ryker continued, “There is none… But fret-not my dear; it doesn’t mean that we have no order at all. Far be it from me to advocate anarchy. That’s why I tell you we need a system where power is distributed, spread out, so man cannot possess the absolute power he was not meant to have. The Lance’s of the world will meet their ends, and they will face justice. But to live in a world of balance and freedom, they are necessary evils… That is what I offer you.”

Annastaria sat silent. She was overwhelmed with his words, and never heard anything like what he was telling her. She refused to believe it, but she didn’t know how to reject it. Somehow what he was saying had conviction, and he was right in one thing, there was little if any instance of empires and kingdoms of the past ever ending well. She stayed silent, not wanting to talk to him anymore, and held within herself justification for her detestation of him and his worldview by what sat to his left, Jorum, a master tortured by this man’s twisted and ruthless pursuit of what he saw as justice and truth. Not even the elves would do such a thing. Would they?

The Oenkev authorities and the Mennix deputies were in splintered groups, scattered about the woods when they heard the engines somewhere in the distance begin to vroom and start off. For a moment, some of the men thought it could have only been thunder, but the feel of the small tremor produced by the engines slowly drifting away dispelled that idea. “Those are trucks.” said one as the group stopped in their tracks to listen.

Only a few seconds later did Elise and her group come hastily through the woods to meet them. “Did you guys hear that?” asked Elise. 

Just as they confirmed, two of Gerdan’s deputies also hastened to them. “Ma’am.” said one, “We’ve spotted three trucks southeast of here, about three-hundred yards. Rolek and Gerdan are in pursuit right now.”

“We need to catch up to them, now!” Elise ordered, and the urgency in her voice energized the group to pace more quickly, following the faint sound of the engines, “And tell Rolek and Gerdan not to engage until I say so!”

Dylen’s group caught up and being a kamorjien, he had a natural speed about him, even just jogging along with the others that put him ahead of them. The sound of the engines drew closer the more they sifted through the woods. They moved carefully and yet quickly, hoping not to be seen. They came to the muddied road and stopped, looking southeast, where their eyes caught about twenty feet down the road, the convoy moving east. Elise looked as close as she could to see the license plate, but it was too far away, and obscured by the rainfall. A short and quiet whistle caught her ear, and her head darted up the hill and cliffs, north on the other side of the road. She saw what looked to be Gerdan, waving a hand, with Dylen next to him. “Come on!” Dylen whispered loudly.

Elise and the three men with her sprang from their position, but with their heads down, darting across the road; their boots splattered and sent mud up and around them, and in just a second, they were in the bushes, moving up the steep hill. “Where’s Rolek?” she asked.

Dylen pointed behind himself, “Just on the other side of this hill. The road hooks around and follows it. We’ve got an opportunity right now to ambush them, ma’am.”

Elise paused, and nearly too long. “Take me to Rolek.” she ordered.

Dylen nodded, and turned with Gerdan, leading Elise further up the hill as another roll of thunder shook the ground around them; another storm was coming, it seemed. It took another minute before they reached Rolek, hiding in the bushes over a cliffside that looked down some thirty feet to the muddied road. All the while, they could hear the convoy steadily progressing along the road, like a beast growling as it prowled the forest. 

The light that glowed and illuminated the front of the first car grew along the trees, more intensely every second until it came from around the hillside, followed by the large cargo truck, and another smaller escort car behind it.

“You think she’s in there?” Gerdan asked.

“Just under positive.” Rolek answered.

“We’ve got the high ground.” Dylen whispered, “And it doesn’t seem as though they see us.”

“Control yourself, Dylen.” Elise answered, “We’re not soldiers, for god’s sake. We’re SIU.”

“And what would you suggest?” Rolek asked, looking at her with an amused smirk.

“I suggest we settle down and try to catch this whole group at once. Get some backup via airship, in case some try to escape into the forest.”

“And when they attack, what then?”

“Protocol, Mr. Rolek–as always. Is that a problem for you?”

“I’m just saying. Right now, you’ve got the element of surprise. If you just walk down the road a little farther and shine your guns and lights in their eyes, you throw that away.”

“Like I said, we’re not soldiers.”

“With all due respect, ma’am, I’ve gone up against these guys before; they’ve got a mutated master who bested both myself and the elf–at the same time. These guys are not going to just put their hands up and surrender, I guarantee it.”

“Thank you for your concern, Rolek, but your work here is done. You helped find the elf, and there she is… We’ll take it from here.” She looked to Dylen to speak further, “Take him back to Mennix to await transportation back to Cymroyl.”

Rolek looked back, and saw the hesitation in Dylen’s eyes. It only prompted him to smirk more. He could easily break free right now and run, but doing so would surely leave Erene alone, and it would completely ruin their element of surprise. He had another idea come to mind. He chuckled and turned around to be led by Dylen back to Mennix.

“Gerdan.” Elise said, summoning Gerdan’s presence before her, “How far until this road reaches the main highway?”

“Another mile at least.” Gerdan answered, “Why?”

“I think this isn’t all there is; the Intero is involved, and I believe this convoy is going back to them. We’re gonna tail them back to the Intero, call in backup and kill two birds with one stone.”

Gerdan nodded, but he looked back once, unsure if Elise made the right call about Rolek. There was nothing he could do, especially knowing the SIU was calling the shots. This head agent seemed not in the mood for any diversity of opinions, and to disobey meant heavy consequences, even though had a nagging itch in his mind that Rolek was right. Reluctantly, he led Elise and the rest of the group farther east, to find the highway, turning one more time in hopes to see Rolek. He was gone, and with him, Gerdan’s confidence in their success.

After discovering the haunting of Mennix, Annastaria returns to town only to find an unwelcome party harrassing Oden and Bastillina. But Jodel has more than a threat against them, but to show them who Annastaria really is...

The rain had stopped, leaving Mennix with just a dreary overcast by the middle of the day. Rolek and Oden remained in the inn with Bastillina close by, waiting for Annastaria to come back. Deputies and innkeepers were tending the damage while they contemplated how to contact authorities over it. Magical destruction was something that made the Oenian authorities reluctant to come to these parts. 

One of the deputies came towards the three after about an hour. Bastillina dreaded their approach, feeling the scorn they hid for her. “Well,” he began with a sigh, “we’re going to have to call the authorities at some point.”

“If there’s anything we can do,” Oden said, “any money we can give to help fix this place, please let us know. Otherwise, it’s probably best if we left.”

The man didn’t respond immediately, pausing to think. It made Rolek nervous. “We’ll see.” he said, “We can’t make any major decisions without all the deputies present, which means we have to wait for Gerdan to return. Just sit tight for now.” After he finished, he left them alone again.

Bastillina was given a jacket by someone, and she wore it over herself to cover her left arm. She didn’t want to see it, and she knew some of the dark veins were appearing on her right. She kept feeling the need to rub her arms, as though they itched. Oden saw her discomfort. 

“You okay?” he asked.

“My arms.” she said, “It’s like one of those itches that you can’t get. What’s going on with me?”

Rolek remained silent, unsure if he should tell her what it was yet. She would find out eventually, and she had a right to know, but he couldn’t bring himself to say it; something prevented him. Maybe it was the fear of inciting panic in her, and he would rather the burden fall on Erene. Maybe it was because he didn’t know how she could suffer these effects of Corruption so quickly, and telling her she was being gripped by it without telling her how would only make her panic more. He didn’t like not having the answers.

“I shouldn’t have gotten angry.” Bastillina said, catching Oden and Rolek off-guard. She looked up at Oden, “When I yelled at her this morning… I don’t know why I did that. All she did was help me, and kept me safe… And I just yelled at her.”

Rolek rolled his eyes. He was tempted more than ever to tell her the actual truth ‘Erene’ was hiding. It became harder and harder for him to keep it to himself. But another group of men approached them as they sat and waited for an uncertain amount of time. Oden paid them little attention until they were clearly coming towards him, and when he got a look at them, his heart nearly fell in his chest. 

“Good morning, friends!” said Jodel with a smile, as he stopped in front of them, and to his right and left was Dean and Harris. Oden wanted to speak, but he couldn’t make words, and sat awkwardly silent. “No words?” Jodel said, “I think you owe me and my friends here at least some form of kind gesture for how long it took to finally catch up.”

Rolek kept himself calm, though he knew seeing these guys again was bad news. “Well you guys look… wet.” he said to them.

Jodel smirked off Rolek’s taunt, “Quite bold coming from a double-crosser.” he said.

“So harsh.” Rolek replied, “But don’t talk as if you guys are all innocent. It’s all business, boys, nothing personal. Although, I never liked guys who highlight their hair into goldy locks.”

“We got nothing more to talk about.” Oden said, looking at Dean.

“Actually we do.” Jodel said. He looked to the room Bastillina was previously staying in, and saw the remains. “What in the gods happened there?”

“None of your business.” Oden struck back, “You three better get lost.”

“Or what? You gonna send your bounty hunter on me? Have you ever stopped to think about how ironic it is that he’s your protector?” He paused a moment, looking at the three of them. “Speaking of protectors… I don’t see the elf here anywhere.”

“That’s also none of your business.”

“I think it should be your business to know who she really is.”

Bastillina’s growing anxiety paused at what Jodel was saying, but she kept quiet, and ready to attack them. “What the hell are you talking about?” Oden asked.

“You ever stopped, just for a moment, to think about who she is? Where she comes from?”

“A few times… But that doesn’t matter.”

“Oh, I think it does, actually.” Jodel replied with a chuckle, “And I bet even Rolek over here has a good idea… Don’t you, Rolek?”

Oden and Bastillina looked at him now. He kept his eyes on Jodel, but could feel their eyes on him. He didn’t know what to say or do, but before anything else could be said, Jodel pulled the glass dagger from his jacket and tossed it onto the table, startling Oden. “What the hell is this?” he asked, taking it in his hand.

“That’s a glass blade.” Jodel answered, “Ever heard of it? If not, I’m sure Rolek can enlighten you both.”

Once again, Oden and Bastillina turned to Rolek for answers. “I don’t get it.” Oden said, “What is this? And why would you know about it?”

Rolek sighed, and hesitated to look Oden in the eye for a moment, “Glass blades are rare.” he answered, “As in, they only come from particular places in the world. They’re made of a special crystal growing in the mountains in the east, northeast and sometimes south. They’re made by the zealots, which they use for their arrows, swords and other weapons.”

A strange silence followed; Oden waited for Rolek to explain further, but it seemed as though that was all he had to say. He looked at Rolek and then Jodel, and back and forth one more time. “What?” he began, “What’s that mean–are you saying Erene is some kind of… zealot? That’s insane! She didn’t tell me where she came from, but–”

“But she came from the east, didn’t she?” Rolek said, leaning towards Oden then, “That’s where one of those clans comes from, you idiot. You didn’t make that connection?”

“And what? This is hers? How can you prove that?”

“Those blades only come from the wood elves, Oden! Where else is your boy over here gonna get one of those?”

The inn’s front doors came open then, and Annastaria and Gerdan rushed in at the sight of the rising smoke. “Enrick!” Gerdan shouted as he came inside, “What happened?”

Oden and Bastillina immediately set their eyes on Annastaria, who looked at the damage and then at Bastillina. Like a mother to a child, Annastaria ran towards her, not even recognizing Jodel and the others. “Are you okay?” she asked, her panic seizing control of her breathing.

Bastillina felt comfort for a moment, and nodded that she was okay. Oden, however, remained quiet, and Jodel watched the scene unfold with amusement. “Speak of the devil.” he said, drawing Annastaria’s attention, “You’re just in time.”

Annastaria looked at Oden once and then back at Jodel, “Who is this?” she asked.

“Me?” Jodel said, “My two friends here are good friends to Oden… Or at least, we were. But maybe we can change that, by showing Oden who the real enemy is here.”

Annastaria looked at Oden again, “What is he meaning?” she asked.

Oden hesitated. he didn’t want to confront Annastaria with anything, he didn’t want to believe anything ill about her, and the whole time he was with her, he never asked about who she was because he was afraid she would cast him away. But he had to this time. With his hand shaking, he set the blade gently on the table, and sat still to let Annastaria see it. Her eyes went wide, and she swallowed, but said nothing for a moment. 

“What is this?” she asked.

Oden paused, absorbing the question for a moment. “That’s it?” he said, “That’s all you’re going to say… What’s this doing here? You know what it is, don’t you?”

She looked at Rolek, who refused to get himself into this. As far as he was concerned, she owed it to Oden to tell him the truth. “It is a glass blade.” she answered, keeping herself calm, “A rare type of weapon.” An awkward silence followed.

Jodel could see she wasn’t going to speak further, and he shook his grinning head. “One used by the wood elves,” he added, “Forgot that little part, didn’t you?”

“What are you speaking of, aenman?” she snapped, “And who are you?”

“I think a better question,” Oden intervened, “is who are you?” The words were like a spell, stunning Annastaria. Oden stood out of his seat and squared with her.

“What sort of foolish question is that?” she said back, “How could you ask of me such a thing?”

“That’s not yours?” Oden said, pointing at it.

“Of course it is not!”

Oden paused, and the room fell silent once more. He looked at Rolek, who once again stayed quiet, but his facial expression clearly indicated the judgment he was making in his mind. “If she’s really telling the truth,” Jodel intervened, “then we ought to have a look in her things… Seems fair to me.”

“Leave, fool!” Annastaria snapped again, “I do not know who you are, but you are not welcome here!”

“I think he has a point.” Oden intervened once more, and once again, leaving Annastaria stunned.

“How dare you.” she said, her glare scorning him.

Oden felt the intensity of it, but he pushed it off himself, “You went through my things. You questioned me.”

“Because you lied!”

“And you’re not?” he threw back. Again, the room was silenced. But Oden wasn’t finished, “You know something, Erene, I may have lied–and you’re right–I lied! I lied to you, and I lied to Bella. And because I lied, you had every right to do what you did, for her safety, as well as for whatever else you’re doing, but at least I owned up to it! And you know what?” he grabbed his leather back and slammed it on the table, pointing stiffly at it, “You can go through this again if you want! Come on, Erene–do it! You know why I can say that?” He dared even to step closer to her now and say directly, “I got nothing to hide anymore.” Annastaria stepped back from him, as if he was something allergic to her. “What about you?” he added. But even then he wasn’t finished, “Come to think of it… What exactly are you doing here?”

“I told you.” Annastaria replied, “I am looking for my family!”

Jodel chuckled as he grabbed Annastaria’s bag and placed it on the table, “Well then,” he said, “if that’s true, then we’ll open this up here and find no glass blades hiding somewhere in here, will we?”

Annastaria lunged her right arm out with an airburst that blasted Jodel and the other three away, as well as the table and all their things.

“Buurda’kameen shen-feli!” she cursed.

Bastillina stumbled away from the blast, nearly struck by Annastaria’s burst of rage, while Oden was skinned and tumbled to the ground. Annastaria stepped forward, ignoring the terror in Bastillina’s eyes. “En’esh fen me’kalarem, aenvaer!” she said, with her eyes set on Jodel, who was still picking himself up. Before any more curses could be uttered, she felt two arms grip her around her neck and pull her away. Oden looked up, and saw Rolek performing a rear-naked choke on her. She demonstrated surprising strength for her size, trying to pull herself out of it, but Rolek’s grip wouldn’t give way.

Annastaria had only seconds before she would be out cold; she dropped herself, pulling Rolek down until she got on her knees, and threw him over and off herself. Rolek tumbled, but sprang up as fast as he fell, knowing she would be attacking him as he had experienced before. 

She sent a tremor through the wood, splitting it apart as it burst towards him, while sprinting at him herself. Rolek reversed the tremor, and strafed left as she came towards him, dodging her onslaught and engaging in combat. Like before, she was fast, but Rolek noticed this time, she was angry, and she was over-extending herself; not as patient as before, waiting for an opportunity. He landed a shot to her gut, forcing her back, but she threw a fist, which he grabbed. She threw her other hand, and he grabbed that as well, and using his sheer body weight, pushed her backwards into a pillar.

“Stop it!” he shouted, hoping to pin her down with the power of his words as much as his own strength.

“Ean… el met paken kuuretmu!” she grunted, refusing to even speak aenian at this point. It was like she was a totally different person, not aenmen, but a zealot. She leaped up, and knee him in the chest, forcing him to bend down. Annastaria broke free of his grasp and kneed him in the face, but with the adrenaline rushing through him now, he found the strength to push forward, and barreled into her, forcing Annastaria to the ground, and from there, tried again to subdue her, instead of fighting.

“Stop!” screamed Bastillina, and with it, a flashing light and charges of electricity blistering the area. An explosion burst out from where she was, sending Rolek and Annastaria tumbling away another few feet into the bar counter. An unsettling silence followed; everyone was focused on Bastillina, who seemed to be centered in the inn, with chairs and tables either pushed aside, or destroyed completely. Her eyes glowed again as she looked at her smoking hands.

The inn doors once more burst open, and this time, were breached and appearing from the breach was a tall, pale and bald man. It was him. Bastillina stumbled to the sound and gasped, turning to see him as his eyes set themselves upon her. Annastaria and Rolek picked themselves up, and were forced once more to stand side-by-side against Jorum. 

“We’ll finish this later.” Rolek said quietly to her, but he scorned her with the words. Annastaria paid little attention to the words, though they struck deep. She used her anger produced by them to channel at this haunting, pale man.

As Jorum’s feet thudded, step-by-step past Dean who was launched near the entrance, he looked ahead, anticipating the upcoming fight. Dean pulled himself up and saw Annastaria’s bag only a few feet away from him, tossed aside along with himself, and its content spilling out across the floor. He nearly froze at the fortunate sight, and with the elf distracted, he crawled towards it and took the artifact in his hand. But as he reached, he caught Oden off to his left, charging at him. Before Dean could stand up properly to fend Oden off, Oden barrelled into him and threw him to the ground, and the artifact tumbled towards the door. The two struggled to gain the top for control, to beat the other down. Oden wanted nothing more than to pound this man’s face in. He was a friend, and he betrayed Oden. And now Oden’s only real friend, he discovered, had betrayed him as well.

But Jodel snatched the artifact and grabbed Harris who went to help Dean. “No!” Jodel ordered as he pulled Harris back, “Dean and Oden got some bonding issues to settle. We got the artifact–Jorum will handle the rest.”

Harris hesitated for a moment but agreed, and the two left as Annastaria and Rolek engaged Jorum, preventing him from getting closer to Bastillina. 

“It’s over, Oden!” said Dean, looking down at Oden who he had pinned to the ground, “The SIU is on its way right now. They’ll be on this place in a matter of minutes! And with Jorum? It’s inevitable!”

“Inevitable what?” Oden grunted back.

“The elf, and the kid.”

Oden’s struggling relented for a moment as the words sank in, “What kid?”

“You know who I’m talking about–the girl. Ryker wants the girl. Whatever she did this morning? Let’s just say its power surge even gave Jorum a headache.”

Oden had enough, and roared as he pushed Dean off himself. Their momentum pushed back and forth, neither able to gain an advantage over the other. Both managed to get to their feet, but still wouldn’t let each other go, until Dean tripped over Oden’s footing, falling back but pulling Oden with him and they tumbled outside, onto the patio into another downpour of rain. In the scuffle, Dean pulled himself away, carrying Annastaria’s bag with him, and the two squared off.

“Damn you!” Oden screamed at Dean, “You were my friend! I trusted you!”

“Oh give it a rest, will you?” Dean shouted back, “This was never about friendship, Oden! You and me? We were doing business! We just happened to work together! Don’t you get it? Get your twinkling, stary brain out of those fantasy stories and look around! The Uprising damned these lands; Febia’s about to fall, and it will reach this place. There’s no more valiant efforts to save humanity, and to return to the old ways. That’s long gone, along with the primes.” Dean’s preaching, although it’s oratory power subsided due to Dean being tired, nevertheless burned in Oden’s mind, “I don’t care for all that superstitious legend stuff, but I’ll tell you one thing the new prophecies got right: this land is cursed. It always will be. The Berchazians tried to unite the lands, but crumbled under their own tyrannical, ultranationalism; Armadon tried to provide a united empire and the Uprising tore it to pieces. Now the EU tries it and look what’s happening in Febia.”

He paused once more, allowing himself and Oden to catch their breaths, as well as their mental soundness. “There’s only surviving now, Oden,” Dean continued, softer now, “don’t you see? The gods have forsaken us. Artharos has forsaken us. That elf in there? She betrayed you, and yeah, I betrayed you too, but at least I’m being straight with you right now.” He still had Annastaria’s bag in his hand. He tossed it at Oden, allowing what was left inside to spill on the ground in front of Oden. “There.” Dean said, “There’s your so-called ‘friend’. That’s who she really is… She’s been using you, Oden. She doesn’t care about you, and she doesn’t care about the aenman world. She’s a zealot, a member of the old elvish order; a people who don’t know when to quit, when to realize that their dream of a restored kingdom has gone, and their own scriptures say it–people who have and will kill to restore that order, including you.”

There was no hiding it now. Oden stared at the contents spilling out of Erene’s bag, trying to bring himself to accept what he was looking at. It was strangely difficult. It was a leap he couldn’t take, even if it would save his life.

“I bet she never even told you her name.” Dean continued, sinking deeper into Oden’s mind, “The elves want a revolution from the east, the Febian revolutionaries want one from the west… In the end, what’s the difference between either of them? If you know any better, Oden, you’ll leave her and them behind, and come with me.”

With the focus of Annastaria’s air mastery, and Rolek’s rock manipulation, as well as his use of air and magic energy, Jorum was forced to battle them on two levels, to engage with the nature of the swiftness of air in persistent movement, and rock with stern, static power. He was pushed back briefly, but with a surprise counter-attack, was able to strike Rolek by pulling out a chunk of rock from beneath him, launching Rolek into a pillar. Annastaria did not relent, and didn’t care about Rolek anymore; she blasted him with airbursts, but he moved with and through them, almost as fluently as she did, and reverted the airbursts back at her.

Annastaria ducked and dodged, but Jorum used her forced defenses to close in, swinging a kick to her head that she barely dodged, but before she could even rise back to her feet, was struck with a knee to her ribs, stunning her. Jorum sent a blunt elbow at her, indicating to Annastaria that he didn’t intend to do serious damage to her, only enough to put her down. She crossed her arms as the blow came in, still crippled from the knee and the elbow strike blasted her away with a combination of an airburst. Annastaria flew into the inn counter, leaving Jorum to once again set his eyes on Bastillina. As he drew closer to her again, he was struck in the left arm by a bullet, and the sound of the shot blistered the walls. Jorum looked up, unphased by the wound.

It was one of the deputies, aiming a pistol at him. Others came down with their rifles and fired them at Jorum, who whipped out a blazing thick whip of fire at them in the blink of an eye. The inferno consumed the staircase, giving them only a moment to leap for their lives out of the way. Just as Jorum sent the blaze at the deputies above, he felt a blunt force smash against his lower-left abdomen. His body crippled at the shock of the blow, and he looked down to see Bastillina, with a broken piece of wood, and roaring exhales attempting to beat him down with the wood. She struck him one more time in the left leg, but as she brought the beam back once more, Jorum reached out and with just his right-hand palm, grabbed the back of her head and threw her to the ground.

Annastaria pulsed with rage, and she ignored the pain her back felt from crashing into the hardwood bar counter and lunged at Jorum. Her disregard for caution and quiet swiftness made her like a tornado coming at him. He turned to her ambush and dodged her onslaught and used her carelessness against her, catching her in an armlock that threw her to the ground. Annastaria’s left cheek smashed with the wooden floor to her chest, paralyzing her respiratory system and leaving her incapable of taking in air.

A cough managed to puff out of her mouth, and she stumbled to get up, but Jorum towered over her and Bastillina. Once again, his eyes stared down at her, and overwhelmed her with fear. Bastillina ran past him to Annastaria, crying out to her as if hoping her words carried strength for her, “Erene! No! Get up!”. But Annastaria was broken and crippled.

Bastillina’s fear turned to anger and she spun around to deliver all her rage into Jorum with a hammering fist. But he caught her small hand with his larger arm easily, and with a finger in his free hand pressed against her chest, sending a shock through Bastillina. Her body clenched up before she collapsed, kept from falling only because Jorum held her up with her clenched fist. He reached down to grab Annastaria, but more gunshots were heard, and the wooden floor around them began to burst open. The shots caused Jorum to stumble, and lose his grip on Bastillina. Rolek leaped from the shadows then, and pushed his rage into a powerful tremor that went around Annastaria, and burst in front of Jorum. Though he saw it, he lost Bastillina and she tumbled away.

As Jorum came back to the ground, he ambushed Rolek with a left-handed slash that sent a magic-burst out to him. Rolek prepared a proper anti-magic warp, but the projectile burst into ice shards mid-flight. Rolek braced himself for the impact, knowing his anti-magic warp would not stop elemental attacks; he was pelted viciously, scrapped and smitten, burned and slashed by the shards before an airburst finished him off, sending him once more into the bar counter. 

Jorum turned and saw Annastaria picking herself back up, readying her right hand in a formation he was not about to allow her to complete. He launched himself at her, and just before she could complete the spell formation in her hand, and finish the Nagush words, he grabbed her right hand with his own, pushed it down, and drove his right elbow into her jaw.

Dazed from the elbow, and with her right arm subdued, Annastaria beat his right abdomen with her left hand, but it did little. Before she could strike again, her throat was clenched by his left hand and she was lifted from the ground. Jorum extended his right-hand index finger and pressed it against her chest, sending the same shock through her as he did Bastillina. She felt the surge pulse through her body, striking all her magicka points and paralyzing them, leaving her barely conscious. He threw her over his shoulder, and made towards the entrance.

Dean and Oden were locked in mental combat before they were ready to clash again with fists and grunts of struggle and pain, but the engines roared around them; three large, black wagon cars ran down the main road like three trains, and stopped just in front of the inn. The car doors flew open, and Elise, Dylen, along with two squads of police poured out and aimed their pistols at them. 

“Down on the ground!” Elise ordered.

Oden and Dean gave one last stare at each other, as if trying to squeeze in one last mental battle before they were forced to surrender the fight, and they put their hands up, turned, and faced the police. Dylen repeated Elise’s words, and both men slowly went to their knees and onto the ground. It only took a few seconds before they were swarmed by the police, arrested and pulled out to the cars.

When Jorum saw them close off the entrance, he stopped. There was no getting out that way. He turned around, and dashed towards the back. His lengthy limbs gave him a wide stride that carried him across the inn floor in a matter of two seconds, far too quick for Gerdan and the others to readied their weapons and fire. 

Before they knew it, he was gone. Only a few seconds later did Elise and the rest of the police swarm the area, demanding hands and surrender. Gerdan and the deputies identified themselves quickly, and made it down the stairs that were still functioning, without weapons. Rolek’s back and neck were stiffened, which meant that when the adrenaline wore off, they would ache even more. He knew he was beaten, and surrendered quickly.

It took another few minutes before they found Bastillina, hiding in the stairwell opposite where Gerdan and the others were. She fought the officer holding her by the arm as he and another dragged her out to the inn floor. “Let me go!” she demanded.

“Hey!” Elise snapped, moving towards them swiftly, “Take it easy with her!” Bastillina didn’t know why, but she felt compelled to calm down as Elise took control of the situation. The officers loosened their grip and let Bastillina go. “Are you okay?” Elise asked, “Don’t worry, my name is Elise. I’m with the Special Investigations Unit. You must be Bella… We’ve been looking for you.”

Bastillina paused for a moment, and Elise could see the confusion and terror in her eyes as she struggled to catch her breath. “Is that who you really are?” Bastillina asked.

Elise was startled by the question, but she wanted the girl to trust her. “Of course.” she said, taking her name badge and handing it to the girl, “See? That’s me, and that’s my name, right there.”

Bastillina looked carefully at it. She considered the possibility of making fake identities, but she didn’t know how to identify one. As she looked, Elise noticed her left hand, and the dark veins faintly seen up her forearm.

“What happened to your arm?” Elise asked.

Bastillina panicked and she retrieved it, pulling her jacket sleeve down over it. “Nothing.” she said.

“Are you sure? That looks troubling… Did someone do that to you?”

Again, Bastillina went silent for several long seconds. “I don’t know.” her shaky voice confessed, and her eyes welled up. She thought of Erene, how she helped her, saved her life, and took her out of being trapped in Levaan, showed her how to use her power, and showed her only a glimpse of the world beyond. It was like her heart was melting, and beating faster to stay alive. She was stung, and she didn’t know what to think of this woman standing in front of her. She somehow reminded Bastillina of Erene, and she didn’t know if she was comforted or if she wanted to curse it. 

“Hey…” Elise said softly, taking Bastillina in her arms for an even softer yet warming embrace, “It’s okay. You’re okay now. We’re going to get you out of here, okay?”

Dylen stood with the deputies and innkeepers who began to explain everything that happened, watching Rolek, Oden and Dean be taken away in handcuffs. “Agent Dylen!” an officer called out, drawing Dylen’s attention. He walked towards him as the man handed him Annastaria’s backpack.

“What’s this?” Dylen asked.

“Not sure,” said the officer, “But it’s got some interesting items in it. Thought you and your partner over there might want to see it.”

Dylen examined the contents, and discerned quickly what he was looking at. He thanked the officer and took the backpack, saying no more to him, and signalled Elise as she was escorting Bastillina outside to the police cars. Elise gave the officers instructions for Bastillina and went to Dylen. “I think we may have our suspect’s backpack.” Dylen said, showing Elise what was inside.

Elise could hardly believe what she was looking at. They looked around, ensuring no one would see what they were doing, and set the backpack on a table to look closer. Elise found the book Istvan gave Annastaria, while Dylen found the case holding the glass knives. “My god…” Dylen said in a hushed voice, “I never thought I’d ever seen one of these… You know what this means, right?” he asked as Elise opened the book and skimmed through it.

“Yes…” Elise answered, half-focused on his question, while her eyes were fixed on the contents of the book, “I know what it means.” Dylen paused at how she uttered those words, as if she was under a spell. “I wonder what this means, though.” she added.

“What is it?” Dylen asked.

Elise was slow to respond; her eyes were still focused on the book. “I’m not sure.” she answered, “I can’t read anything in it; it’s in some form of elvish.”

“All the more reason to believe our elvish suspect is from the zealots, I fear.”

Elise said nothing for a moment, shutting the book, sending dust out into the air, “But we still haven’t caught her.”

“Well we know she was here, and very recently. I bet her friends would know where she’s gone.”

Elise couldn’t agree more, and now it was time to set their focus on the others. They took Annastaria’s bag, and everything that was in it, and stepped outside. Before they could reach Oden and Rolek, however, an officer stopped them, “Got some bad news. The storms up north have the roads blocked due to flooding. Only way back east is to go down south around Galssan Lake.”

The news was less than ideal for Elise, but she had no intention of going back until she had the elf in custody.

“See what you can get out of Oden and the others.” Elise said to Dylen, “I’ll go talk to the girl.”

Dylen nodded, and the two separated. He was escorted to the car that had Oden in it. The officer guarding it stepped aside, opening the door for Dylen. There Oden sat, but seemed not to be where he was. He was staring off into the car’s center console area, with his hands cuffed behind him. 

“You must be Oden.” Dylen said, hoping to strike up some conversation. No luck. Dylen looked around for a moment before continuing, “Look, Oden–and I know you’re Oden… I don’t know what you did to end up here, or why you’re running from the mafia, and truth be told, we’re not actually here to arrest you specifically.”

“You will when you find out about me.” Oden spoke. But he still kept his eyes away from Dylen.

“Probably… But if you help me find who we’re looking for, I’ll see what I can do about making whatever it is you’ve done less bad.”

Oden was silent again, and battled within himself whether to indulge this SIU agent or not. “And who might that be?” he asked.

“We know that you, and your two friends we’ve arrested aren’t the only ones you were travelling with. There’s an elf that’s been with you.” Oden could almost snarl at the mention of her. “She’s the one we’ve been looking for. Finding you is how we’ve been tracking her. Now we have you, and she’s gone. I think she was here, with you guys this very morning, which means you know better than any of my people where she was last seen.”

Oden took a moment to absorb the question, and consider where to begin. None of it mattered; he only had one answer for Dylen, “I have no idea where she is.”

“You’re sure?”

“Yes, I’m sure. I mean, she was here just as you guys showed up.”

“What were you doing on the front porch of the inn with your other friend?”

“You mean used to be my friend… That was Dean. I’ll save you the details about that; just know that Dean and I got into a fight when you guys showed up. We ended up outside while Ryker’s proxy pet master stormed the inn and started wreaking havoc. That monster’s unbeatable. But I don’t know what was going on inside the inn after that.”

Dylen paused to think for a moment. He cross-referenced Oden’s words in his mind, but found himself out of questions, at least for now. Now was time for him to ask the others.

Elise stepped towards the car she and Dylen were driving; she intended to take the girl home personally. Bastillina had a blanket over her shoulders to keep warm, and all she could think about was Erene, and how she missed her, but also how she felt betrayed by her. She didn’t want to think about it, but couldn’t stop. Every road in her mind that led her away from the thought always led her right back to it.

“Hi there.” Elise said as she knelt down to level with Bastillina, “How are you feeling?”

Bastillina hesitated, keeping the blanket over her. “Cold.” she said.

Though finding Erene was a priority for Elise, here and now, she only wanted Bastillina to be safe. But she still had an elvish zealot to find. “Bella,” she began, “I know you’re going through a lot right now, and it’s something a kid like you should never have to go through… But I need you to help me out right now with finding the one who did this to you. The elvish girl who took you from your home… Do you know where she is?”

Bastillina looked at Elise then, as though she was struck. “She didn’t take me.” she said, “And she didn’t hurt me… Except… Well she did, but…”

Elise waited to see what else she would say, but Bastillina lost her words. “I know, dear.” Elise said with a mother’s voice, “I understand.”

“No, you don’t understand!” Bastillina snapped, pushing through her confusion, “I mean… she lied to me, and Oden. She told us she was a friend, and she helped me.” Bastillina raised her left arm for Elise to see fully, “This? She didn’t do this to me–I did it! I don’t know what I did, or how to make it go away, but I did it! Erene was trying to help me. Then I find out she’s someone else and… And now I don’t know what to think anymore.”

Elise paused, recovering herself from Bastillina’s outburst. If what Bastillina was saying was true, then finding Erene to give her own explanation of all of this was important. “You know what I think?” Elise began, “I think what we need is to find Erene, so she can explain herself… Help me find her, Bella… Do you know where she went?”

Bastillina thought and thought, having to dig into her memory. She found it strangely difficult to remember what happened only less than an hour ago. “I think…” she began, “I think she was kidnapped… By this big, ugly, pale spook, who was bald–and a master. He’s been hunting us for days.”

“Do you know his name?”

Bastillina shook her head, “No. But he’s got these weird tattoos all over his body. He’s a monster, and he tried to take me… But he got Erene instead.”

“Do you know where they went then?”

Bastillina shook her head again, leaving Elise with all she could get. But it was something to work with. “You have to find her.” Bastillina said as Elise stood up, “You can’t let them hurt her. I know she’s done some bad things, but… but she’s a good person.”

Elise didn’t know how to respond to Bastillina’s statement; she wasn’t sure herself what to think of this elf anymore. Elise nodded, and stepped away, finding Dylen talking to Rolek, who told Dylen the same thing Bastillina told Elise. “Is the kid okay?” Rolek asked.

“She’s fine.” Elise answered, “Just shaken up.”

“That’s good.”

An awkward silence followed, but Elise had a question of her own for Rolek. “So how’d you end up with Erene and Oden?”

Rolek leaned back in his seat with a small smile, “Truth be told, I’m a bounty hunter.”

“Are you? Why do we have a bounty hunter in custody, then?”

“Well… I’m not exactly an ‘honest’ bounty hunter, if you know what I mean. Anyone who’ll pay me to find someone, I’ll find them. And I’m damn good at it, too.”

“And what, were you sent to find the elf?”

“Her? No, of course not. None of us had any idea she was here. From what I can see, we ran into her by sheer, blind luck, or by bad omen, depending how you look at it. I’m collecting a bounty on Oden.”

“Where are you delivering him to?” asked Dylen.

Rolek paused then, made to stop by his instinct to protect himself. “The people who were going to pay me,” he said.

Elise narrowed her eyes slightly. “You’re not going to tell me who it is, are you?” she asked.

Rolek smirked, “All due respect, ma’am, I’d rather talk through a lawyer about that one. All I’ll tell you right now is I was collecting a bounty on him for someone.”

Elise didn’t give up her glare at him, beaming as she stood over him sitting in the car seat. “It’s really pointless to remain quiet.” she said, “I already know who it is. It’s either Ryker or the Intero, both of whom are working together. But fine, keep your mouth shut, if you think it’s going to help you at all.” Rolek only continued to smile, but was impressed with her persistence. Elise looked away for a moment as she continued, “So you were hired to find Oden and bring him to said employers, but not anymore?”

“Things got a little complicated. Long story short, I was with a few other scrawny little punks hired by my contractor, one of ‘em I see you caught with us. A worthless bunch they are, nothing but scoundrels who know nothing about how to track someone, much less how to catch them. When I learned they were going after Oden who had this elite elvish master as his protection, I knew these dudes were in way over their head… So, I saw an opportunity.”

“What kind of opportunity?” Elise asked.

“The kind where I let them get their asses handed to them by the elf, and swoop in to collect Oden in the middle of it. Of course, as they underestimated his bodyguard, so did I. Long story short, I tracked them, caught up with them, and here I am.”

“Interesting story, but that doesn’t seem to line up with how you got here, though. Because you have your prize sitting right over there in that squad car, and nowhere before then did you think to take it.”

“Well, the elf had the artifact I needed for the full reward that Oden was carrying. I had to figure out how to get it from her, and then nab Oden. Was working on that, but then that damned ghostly dude showed up and kicked my ass, yet again.”

“What artifact?” Dylen asked.

“The one that my contractor wants.”

“What’s this contractor want with an artifact?”

Rolek shrugged, “Why the hell would I know? I’m just returning what they claimed to have lost. That’s it.”

Elise and Dylen looked at each other, and could both sense the need to step away and talk. They left Rolek alone and walked back towards the inn. “So,” Dylen began, “let’s put all of this together. We’ve got an Intero mafia boss and a crazy scientist guy working together… How does that work?”

“Ryker’s been forced underground for some time.” Elise said, “That means he’ll have to use proxies to help him do what he intends to do. So he hires the Intero to help keep him a secret in Carzat.”

“But why Carzat?”

Elise paused to think before answering, “I don’t know… What I do know is that he wants Erene for something, which can’t be good… We need to find her, and quickly.”

“How? Where ‘re we gonna to look?”

Elise looked around the scene to think, until her eyes landed on Oden again. “The guy Oden was fighting with when we pulled up.” she began, “Oden says he was working with Ryker. He must’ve been part of the group that ambushed them. I think we should have a chat.”

Elise and Dylen approached the car holding Dean, finding him in a similar way Oden was. He watched no one in particular as the scene was assessed, with the rain slowly coming down again. But his eyes found something to fix on when Elise and Dylen came to him. “I swear, officers,” he said, “things are not what they seem.”

“Oh, I think we see that.” Elise answered, “We’ve spoken to the others and so far, it seems like this little scenario is as strange as they get. There’s just one other thing that’s missing.” Dylen noticed Elise’s tone was different. She was much more direct with this guy; this was an interrogation, not simply gathering information. It must’ve been her investigator’s instinct, which he would ask about later. “We’ve got almost every key suspect responsible for why I’m over three-hundred miles from my home in Levaan; I just need one more and she happens to have been kidnapped.” Elise stepped closer to impose herself more, “I think you know where they are, and you’re going to tell me.”

“What?” Dean protested, “That’s insane! I’ve never met these people!”

“That’s not what Oden said.” Dylen quickly objected, “He says he knows you, and the bounty hunter claims to know you as well.”

“Lying to me is only going to make life worse for you.” Elise said, “According to the others, a band of thugs sent by a guy named Ryker came down here for someone, who they managed to grab. I’m betting that’s the elvish girl I’m missing, isn’t it?” Dean went silent, and shifted his eyes between Elise and Dylen, trying to find something to say. “I thought so.” Elise continued, “Oden’s fighting you on the porch, so whatever ‘friendship’ you two had before, it’s not doing so great now, is it? Somehow you ended up working for Ryker and the Intero boss in Levaan. You’re caught, boy, with no way out. So, here’s the deal: As I see it, I walk away from this conversation in one of two ways, either with you spilling everything you know to me, or with you going to prison for a long time, which I will personally see to, and maybe the Intero won’t get you in there… maybe they will… But, if you give me everything I want to know about where they took her, I think I’ll show some grace. It’s your call.”

Dean remained silent, once again looking at both of them, and going back and forth between what to do. Finally he gave a sigh and shook his head. “Screw all of this.” he said, “What the hell ‘ve those guys done for me? They’re taking her back to Carzat, with the artifact.”

“Do you know what road they’re taking?” Dylen asked.

“I’m assuming the same one we used to get here, which was Market Road 46 to I-7, going east.”

Dylen and Elise looked at each other. “They couldn’t have gotten past the roadblocks.” Dylen said.

“Roadblocks?” Dean asked.

But Elise and Dylen didn’t answer him. They hastened away to find the deputies again. Gerdan saw them move back to the inn and went quickly to meet them, sensing the urgency. “You’re Gerdan, yes?” Elise said.

“That’s me, ma’am.” he replied, “What is it?”

“We know where they’re taking Erene. They’re heading back up towards Cymroyl, to I-7 that will take them straight back to Carzat.”

Gerdan shook his head as he replied, “Not possible. The roads closed down a little over an hour ago.”

“We came in after our suspects.” Dylen said, “Just before the roads closed. How’d we not see them or their cars?”

“They must’ve parked their convoy somewhere in the woods so they wouldn’t be seen.” Elise added.

“It’s not entirely impossible to go through the woods.” Gerdan said, sending Elise and Dylen into a pause, “There’s a small road that goes through the forest. If they’re smart and anticipate the roads, there’s a good chance they’ll go through there.”

“The rain won’t affect that road either?”

“It would, but it’s not an official road, so it can’t be closed off. And most people would do well not to use it in this weather.”

“They would if they’ve gotta get somewhere in a hurry.” said Dylen.

“Mr. Gerdan, you know this area better than everyone else. I want you with me while we send the rest of the officers up the main road to see what they find. Show me where this road is, now.”

“Gladly, ma’am. But I think you should have Erene’s friends come along.”

Elise was half-turned around when Gerdan surprised her with that statement, causing her to stop and look back at him. “And why would I do that?” she asked.

Gerdan shrugged, “They seemed to work together. I don’t know their history, ma’am, but especially Rolek, the taller one with the beard. I think he could be a good help.”

Elise looked at Dylen, but said nothing. She walked out of the inn, while Gerdan went to quickly collect some deputies to help, feeding off Elise’s urgency. The rain was pouring yet again, but Elise ignored it, storming towards Rolek’s car while Dylen began giving out the new orders. Oden saw the officer’s change in their demeanor, seeming to go alert as they converged on their cars, and he looked to and fro for answers of some kind. Elise stepped towards Rolek. 

“You,” she said, “so you said you’re good at tracking people?”

Rolek paused for a moment, trying to anticipate where she was going. “I am.” he answered confidently.

Elise hesitated. She couldn’t believe what she was even contemplating. “If we move now, we can catch your elvish friend before they get out of the woods.”

“What makes you think they’re in the woods?”

“The roads are out, and they’ll want to be as far away from here with their prize as possible.”

“So you need my help?”

“Only to find them.”

“That’s it? What‘re you gonna to do when you run into the big pale guy? I doubt he’s just gonna roll over when you point your little guns at him.”

“Help us track them, and we’ll take it from there–got it?”

Rolek paused again to think. He smiled and stood out of the car, surprising Elise as he lowered his now freed hands, with the handcuffs in one. “Alright, then.” he said, “If it helps the elf, I’ll help you find her.”

“How in the world?” Elise stuttered as he handed her the cuffs.

“What?” he said as he stretched his aching back, “These? Easy to break free from when you’re a guy like me. I was actually just waiting for us to hit the road for my chance to escape, but I can’t leave the elf to the kind of fate she’s got coming for her. Now… Are we gonna get started, or waste time standing around here?”

Elise glared at him, but set aside her animosity. “We’re gonna follow Gerdan and his men into the woods.” she ordered him, “You will assist them. Now get ready to move out.” Elise wasted no more time after the words and walked off.

Rolek was left alone, and saw an opportunity to go over to Oden, as his car was still left idle. He moved quickly, dodging officers and others as they scrambled and came to Oden. “Rolek?” Oden said, “How the hell are you free?”

“They’re using me to help find Erene.” Rolek said.

“What? Where’d she go?”

“She was taken by that Jorum guy. Grabbed her just before the police showed up.”

“How’d you get them to let you help?”

“No idea, actually. But I’m not complaining.”

Oden was silent for a moment. He thought about Annastaria again, and how she angered him. But for some reason, he couldn’t help but worry for her. “You’re going to help Erene?” he asked, “Why?”

Rolek smirked, “I’m a man of my word. I still have a duel with her to do.”

“Okay… What about me? And Bella?”

“I’ll see what I can do. Right now, hang tight, and keep her close.”

Annastaria maintains her alias as “Erene” even to her new friends as she is guided by Gerdan through the surrounding forests to the place he says the Black Priest once battled an ancient terror. Is it tied to her clan’s recent discoveries? What will she find there? Meanwhile, Annastaria’s alias has consequences among her new friends.

As Gerdan predicted, it was cloudy and rainy, from the sunrise into the morning. The rain was a gentle sound on the window, trickling lightly, rather than pouring violently, and an occasional thunder gently rolled through. Annastaria was up and already tightening her boots; her mind was fixed on the words Gerdan spoke to her last night. She barely slept over it. The only thing more pressing on her was what to tell Oden, Rolek, and of course Bastillina. She couldn’t let any of them know of this; it was far too close to her quest. Even Rolek, who figured out she was not a neutral elf, but of the clans, could not know about it.

A knock came at the door, and Annastaria almost gasped. “Erene?” It was Oden, to her dread. She hoped to be gone by the time he was up. She opened the door to an uncomfortably happy Oden. But that wasn’t the worst part. Bastillina was with him.

“Erene!” Bastillina said, her face brightening as she went in for a hug. Annastaria ought to have been glad to see the girl, but it only put a knot in her chest.

“Did you sleep well?” Annastaria said as they let go to look at each other.

Bastillina nodded. “Thank God you’re okay! I thought you were dying.”

Annastaria cracked a smile. “Maybe I was, if only for a little while… But I am okay, and I am glad to hear you are okay.”

The two smiled at each other for a moment, a smile which Annastaria forced, and the more she looked at Bastillina, the more her heart twisted.

“Hey!” said Oden, “We’re gonna have some breakfast. I know you’re probably ready to head out, but I think we should wait at least until the weather clears up. Better for all of us.”

“That is a good idea.” she said.

Oden felt as though he tripped. He had to pause to take in the comment. “Really?” he said, “I figured you’d be ready to go.”

“I am… But you are right, the rain is not good for us to travel in.”

“Alright… Cool.” he said, looking at Bastillina with excitement for a moment, “Well, we’re downstairs, except for Rolek, although I’m sure he’s around here somewhere.”

“You go and enjoy yourself.”

“You’re not coming with us?” Bastillina asked, her smile fading.

“Maybe in a little while. Right now I must look into something.”

“Like what?”

Annastaria began to curse herself for where the conversation was going, and she searched her mind as quickly as she could for a good answer. “It is not easy to explain.” she replied slowly, “But it is better this way.”

Both Oden and Bastillina paused, unsure of what to say or think. “Well,” Oden began slow and awkwardly, “Why don’t we all have some breakfast and we can go together? I’m sure you can explain to us what it is then.”

“It is raining, Oden. It is not good for you and especially Bella to be out.”

“What about you?”

“I am an elf. We thrive in the woods, even in rainy weather. Gerdan and I will go and scout out our path to proceed forth in.”

For the first time, Oden became uncomfortable at the mention of Gerdan. Why was it okay for him to go out in the rain but not Oden himself? “If he can go, can’t I?” Oden asked.

“I can handle the rain, too!” Bastillina insisted.

Annastaria paused, but only for a fast moment to think, “No!” she snapped. She was half-shocked, and couldn’t believe she did it. “Oden, Bella, please believe me… It is better this way.”

“How’s it better?” Bastillina argued, “If you’re scouting out a place to leave from, why can’t we come?”

It was as if a blast of wind struck Annastaria, silencing her and leaving her to collect herself. She swallowed as the air became tight, looking down at an angered Bastillina. “Lower your voice.” Annastaria said, “We do not want to wake people around us.”

“Where are you going?” Bastillina interrogated, ignoring Annastaria’s command, “I want to go with you! I’m tired of being left behind!”

“You cannot come with me for this.”

“Why not?” Bastillina whipped back, daring to challenge Annastaria. 

Annastaria went silent again, trying to recollect her thoughts, which Bastillina scattered like a tray full of food. “Because I said so.” was all Annastaria could say, and this time, her kindness towards the girl was pushed aside by her direct tone. Bastillina looked on with despair and then at Oden. Without another word, she stormed off. Annastaria felt an impulse to go after her; she wanted to scold the girl, and she wanted to comfort her, and she wanted to apologize–three conflicting impulses that only confused her, ultimately leaving her standing still. Oden watched Bastillina storm off, back downstairs, and an unwelcoming silence came between him and Annastaria.

“I uh…” he said, looking down for a moment, “I’ll go and talk to her.” There was despondency in his voice as he spoke. All the energy from only a moment ago was drained from him.

“Oden…” Annastaria said, with a plea in her voice, “I am sorry about this. Please understand that I appreciate the things you have done for me… But–”

“I get it, Erene.” he interrupted, “Do what you gotta do. I’ll go and… see if I can talk to her… You better get going.”

There was passive aggression in those last words of his. Annastaria wanted to say something–she had to say something, but didn’t know what. It was like a spell had forced her mouth still, and the next thing she knew, Oden was starting down the stairs after Bastillina. She felt a part of her go with him, leaving herself incomplete, standing in the doorway, but she forced the feeling down and tried to focus on what Gerdan had to show her. These aenmen were friends, but they could not be family. She had to remember that; her clan was her family, and this was for them. That was her home, they were the ones she needed to please, and to prove herself to be more than a simple, walking relic to the elvish people, and to remember the words of Innadur: her aenman side did not define her.

She went to the stairs opposite Oden and Bastillina, intentionally distancing herself from them and walked to the front door. She knew the eyes of Oden were on her from the bar counter, but she wouldn’t look and went out the door to feel the cold air from the cold rain pattering on the ground, ceiling and trees. Gerdan was to her immediate right, waiting on the inn porch. 

“Ready to go?” he asked, drawing her attention. She noticed a leather jacket he had in his hand, but he himself already had a poncho on.

“Let us get this done with.” she said, with contempt in her voice.

Gerdan smiled at the tone she delivered the words with, stepping forward. He lifted the jacket up to her, “This is for you.”

Annastaria looked at it for a moment. It was a ‘modern’ jacket, something she wasn’t accustomed to. She always preferred the clothing of her people and their culture. “What is this for?” she asked.

“The rain, of course. You can’t go out there like this, nor with any normal jacket. This is a particular leather; rare actually, and will keep you dry out there.”

Annastaria hesitated, not wanting to take aid from a stranger, even one as charming as Gerdan, but she took it. She was surprised to see the inside insulated with a kind of fur. She looked up at him, and threw it over her shoulders, pulling her arms through. It fit tight, but not restrictive. “Well,” Gerdan said, getting a look at her, “I must say Erene, for a wood elf, you fit well into westernized clothes.”

Annastaria refused to entertain the compliment, still twisted about how she left Oden and especially Bastillina. “Can we go now?” she said, “I have at least two friends in there who… who need me back soon.”

“Of course… Follow me.”

Oden watched Annastaria walk out of the inn entrance, and he knew she knew he saw her, but she wouldn’t look. He was confused and angry, but he tried to push it down for Bastillina’s sake, who sat with her back away from the entrance, unwilling to look. She only looked down at the table surface, which had nothing interesting happening on it, but it was better for her to look at than anything else. Oden gave out a sigh as Annastaria left, and watched a despondent Bastillina stare into nothing. There was only one thing for him to do.

“You hungry?” he asked, and waited, but got no response. “How about… eggs?” he said. Again, nothing. “Pancakes?” he tried again, waiting through another pause. “Orange juice?” She looked up at him, and the smile he gave seized her sadness, tempting her to smile back, but she refused. “How about… powdered toast?” he asked again, “Waffles? Milk? Chips? A chocolate something?” Bastillina couldn’t help but smile now at his relentless attempt to invoke a word from her, but she resisted to speak. “How about…” he said, pausing for anticipation, “Cinnamon roll?”

Bastillina couldn’t keep her amusement from showing anymore, and the smile cheered Oden up, taking his mind off Annastaria. “Eggs sound fine.” she replied.

“You bet, kiddo. I’ll be right back.” He stood up and went to the bar counter to make their order.

Rolek came to the table only a few seconds after Oden left, seeing Bastillina laying her head in her arms on the table. “This seat taken?” he asked Bastillina. She looked up at him only to confirm in her own mind he was there. He smiled and sat down, “I’ll take that as a ‘no’.” he said. 

He looked at Oden at the bar, talking to the waiter, and back at Bastillina in an awkward moment of silence. “So…” he began, “Do you not talk much… or are you not supposed to talk to me?” He waited to see what she would say, or do; she did nothing except to look at him for a moment. Her silence only amused him further, “I guess the elf tells you to stay clear of me, huh?” Again, Bastillina wouldn’t interact with his questions. Rolek sat back in the chair, setting a foot on the chair Oden was sitting in to tie his boots, “That’s too bad,” he said, “you might learn something from talking to a guy like me.”

Bastillina looked at him tying his shoe, with a question in her narrowed eyes. “What could you ever say that was good for me?”

Rolek didn’t see the question coming, and stopped his shoe-tying in a brief moment of pause as he looked at her. “You could learn a lot of things.” he said, “Things about the world outside Oenkev, the world inside Oenkev,” He finished tying his shoe, setting his foot on the ground and leaning towards her to continue, “and things about friends.”

“I don’t know what that even means.”

“Of course you don’t.” he said, leaning back into his chair again, “Because you’re a kid, and you likely haven’t even ventured outside of… whatever city or town Erene saved you from.” Bastillina’s head came out of her folded arms, aroused by that statement. “I know about you, kiddo.” he continued, “I thought maybe you and the elf went back a ways, but… well, I know you two haven’t known each other much longer than you’ve known me.” He looked at Bastillina, and she looked at him. Her eyes showed doubt, while he presented a smile that shadowed over her uncertainty. “You know what I don’t get,” he said, “is how you trust the elf, who’s not aenman, by the way, over someone like myself, when you haven’t known her much longer than me.”

“She saved my life.”

“And I didn’t? I may have been with you guys for only a day, but I’ve helped you dodge several bullets. I got your elf friend out of the hand of that Ryker fellow, I kept Oden out of their hands, and I help lead you guys here. Have I ever asked you to just trust me?” He waited to see what she would say, but she had nothing. “Of course I haven’t.” he answered, “I show you who and what I am… And as much as wonder boy over there is nice and buys you breakfast, he did lie to you. When ‘ve I lied to you?”

Again, Bastillina didn’t know what to say. But she was certain he was wrong somehow. “You haven’t said anything about who you are.”

Rolek raised a finger of point, as if he was ready for the objection. “But,” he said, “I told you I wasn’t going to. I didn’t try and sell myself for someone I wasn’t.”

“Erene hasn’t done that.”

“You sure about that?”

The quick retort sent Bastillina into a stuttered pause, as if she had been tripped. She tried to respond, but knew she had little to counter the question. How did she know that Erene was being honest with her?

Rolek sighed and leaned back into his chair once more as Oden was coming back, “All I’m saying, kid… Is the first lesson for you out in the world like this, is people earn your trust, and you likewise earn theirs. Be careful about who your friends are.”

Bastillina wanted to ask another question, completely disregarding Erene’s command to not talk to him, and she didn’t know which to ask. But Oden came within hearing distance before she could, greeting Rolek. “No breakfast for me?” Rolek asked, humored.

“You’re a big boy.” Oden said, “You can get your own stuff, right?”

Rolek chuckled off the jab. He seemed incapable of being agitated. “So,” he said with a sigh, “where’s pointy-ears?”

Oden and Bastillina looked at each other in silence, which told Rolek plenty. They both knew, and weren’t sure how to say it. The thought was too much for Bastillina. She stood out of her chair. “I’m tired…” she said, “I want to be left alone.”

“Bella, wait.” said Oden, putting the plates down.

“Let her be.” Rolek said.

“But… She could run off.”

“She won’t… She’s going to her room. Give her a little while. It’s a lot to cope with when her only idol out here continuously leaves her alone, with no explanation.”

The words drew Oden’s attention to Rolek. “What the hell are you talking about?” he asked.

“I think you know as much as I do, my friend. The elf’s left you two here, and it’s clearly put a hole in whatever you guys got going.”

“Why don’t you mind your own business? We’re all going through a lot, and we don’t need the cold words of some punk bounty hunter who’s only been with us for a day.”

Rolek set his feet up on the chair Oden was originally sitting in once more to get comfortable before he replied, “Once again, everyone always thinks because I’m ‘new to the crew’ I know nothing… I’m honestly amazed you guys ’ve managed this long.” 

Oden refused to sit down with him, but his attempts at showing Rolek contempt didn’t seem to have any effect on him. He wasn’t concerned at all that he may have been stepping on toes. “You wanna know what I really think?” he said after biting into the apple he had with him, “Believe it or not, little man, I’m a guy who believes in loyalty and honor.” His words invoked a chuckling scoff from Oden. “Laugh all you want,” Rolek replied, “but it’s true. Like I told the little girl, I haven’t lied to any of you. You’ve been caught lying once already, and the elf?”

Oden’s scoff evaporated. “What are you talking about?” he asked, “Are you really suggesting Erene’s lying to me?”

Before Rolek could entertain a reply, wood and debris blew out from the second floor in a white flash, and a gut-pounding “boom!”, sending Rolek and Oden to the ground. As fast as it came, there was silence, and Rolek and Oden could hear people inside the inn screaming and shouting for one another. Another explosion burst across the room, sending strange surges of what Oden saw as electricity through other strange white, glowing particles that floated about the room. 

“What’s happening?” Oden said as he and Rolek huddled under the table, “Some kind of… bomb?”

“No.” Rolek quickly replied, looking around the room with his eyes wide, “That’s a magic explosion. Some kind of… destabilized magic burst.”

“What? I’ve never seen magic do that!”

“I’ve seen it several times.” Rolek braced himself enough to stand out from under the table, looking around the area, and then at the top floor, where the most damage was seen. “It happened upstairs.” he said.

Oden froze, but only for a moment. “Bella.” he said. He practically flipped the table over as he sprang up, running with Rolek upstairs, telling people to stay down as the electric charges surged around the air. They flew up the stairs and down the hall to Bastillina’s room, where there was nothing left of the roof or wall. Oden dreaded what he was about to see, and stammered for a moment, but Rolek pushed on, through the smell of burning wood and electric charges bursting around them, which seemed to be dissipating by now. 

He worked up the courage to run after Rolek, and they beheld a room engulfed in chaos. The wall into Annastaria’s room was destroyed, as well as the wall to the outside. Rain poured into the room, putting out small embers of flames in the mangled wood. Bastillina’s bed was obliterated; Rolek and Oden searched left and right for her but saw no one. Oden ran his hand through his hair as he looked out to the trees in the east. “Oh my god.” he said, “Oh my god–what the hell am I going to tell Erene? Bella!”

Rolek was looking around the room, still sensing the heat from the magic radiation. He examined what was left of the walls, and scanned carefully, listening also to the people below begin to make their way upstairs. For a moment, there was a strange silence after the chaos, even among the shouts and cries of the people below, and the trickling rain above. Then he heard a whisper, which he could not pinpoint. It wisped by like the wind, somewhere behind him and he turned quickly to find it. There was nothing, but he saw in the corner of the room, opposite where the explosion happened, Bastillina huddled, and her face tucked into her arms and knees.

“Bella?” he said quietly as he approached her. Oden turned around and his eyes widened as his heart sighed and panicked all at once. He ran over to her, and was stopped by Rolek, “Take it easy!” Rolek said. Oden stopped and recovered himself, and this time approached Bastillina carefully.

“Bella?” Oden said quietly, “Bella talk to me… It’s Oden, I’m here… Come on, kid, I need you to help me out. We need to get you out of here.”

Rolek stepped out as Oden tended to Bastillina to make sure no one came in and overwhelmed her more than she was. Oden sat on his knees in front of her. He didn’t want to tell her, but he felt most of the heat now coming from her. Finally, she looked up at him, slowly, and there was terror in her weak eyes, and they seemed to glow. It made Oden almost move back, as it unsettled him, but he fought the impulse. “Oden…” she weeped, “What’s happening?”

Oden had to say something, but he didn’t know what. Being honest felt like it would only make it worse for her, but not being honest would only mislead her. “I don’t know,” he said, hesitant, reaching a hand out, “But let’s see if we can figure it out together.”

She looked at his hand, contemplating it. Oden feared she wouldn’t take it, but she reached out, and he saw another thing startle him, and it startled her as well that she pulled her arm back. The veins in her arm seemed to darken, even in the overcast above them. “What…” she stammered, “What’s happening to me?”

“I don’t know, Bella,” Oden replied, fighting the panic in him that wanted to burst out, “but we need to get out of this room right now. I promise everything will be okay.”

Again, she sat still, and wouldn’t move. She looked to the opposite corner of the room, which was completely gone. “Did…” she began slowly, “Did I… do that?”

“Hey!” he whispered loudly to her with a finger snap, “Look at me–okay? You’re fine. Everything’s going to be okay… Come on, we’ll go downstairs, have some breakfast–maybe–and find Erene.”

Bastillina’s eyes began to fill with tears when he said Erene’s name. The only person she trusted wasn’t there when she was lost and scared. She didn’t know how it made her feel, and she didn’t know what was happening to her. It was like her feet were planted in mid-air, falling in limbo. At least Oden was there. It was that small truth that gave her enough strength to take his hand, giving Oden a sigh of relief as he took Bastillina in his arms and carried her downstairs.

The rain persisted throughout the woods as Gerdan led Annastaria on, deeper and farther away from town, and there was no sign in sight that it would let up. The thoughts of the whispers from last night still surrounded her, and the more she dwelt upon them, the more she felt as though the thunder rumbling through the land contained more than simply thunder. It was as if some kind of creature murmuring deep in the woods, telling her she was not welcome. And more than this, Bastillina was constantly pricking her mind. Every step forward felt like a mistake–a step in the complete wrong direction. She kept justifying herself with the reminder that Bastillina was still very young, and needed to learn proper manners and discipline, especially given the girl grew up in the untamed and outrageous ways of the aenmen. But her attempts to beat back the guilt of leaving her once again needed constant fuel from her mind, which only exhausted her mind further.

On top of all this was Gerdan, who she kept in front of herself to maintain a watchful eye. She still wasn’t sure if he was on her side. “Not interested in talking, are we?” Gerdan suddenly said.

Annastaria wasn’t sure how to interpret his words, which he uttered with a smile. “I do not talk much.” she answered.

“Is that why you’re walking behind me? Keeping me in front of you in case I do something?” Annastaria said nothing, which gave Gerdan the sense that his assertion was accurate. “Don’t worry, Erene,” he said, “I’m no enemy. And I wouldn’t dare try anything on a wood elf, trained in the clans, especially by myself in the woods.”

“How about we do not speak of where I am from?” she jabbed, “It would seem better to speak about how far until this place you speak of is.”

“Of course. Just over the hills to the southwest; there is a grove and field where the alleged ‘battle’ took place.”

It was another fifteen minutes of endless woods and endless rain, as well as silence that Annastaria insisted upon, with her mind conflicted; the last thing she wanted during such stressful moments was someone starting small talk with her. She kept Gerdan in front of herself, in case there was more to any of this than she perceived. If for nothing else, it was instinctive of her own training. 

A short but steep climb over a hill slope took them to a flattened ground with light grass. Ahead only some forty feet was what appeared to be an opening to the treeline, and a set of large stones to the northern end of the open area. Gerdan led Annastaria to the treeline and they stood in view of an open patch in the woods that had grass rising up to their knees, and Annastaria got a clearer look at the large stones that stood in the northern part of the area, yet still centered. The field itself extended west to east about thirty yards, and north to south some sixty or so yards.

“Here it is.” Gerdan said, “The place that people believe is where the battle with the necromancer began.”

Annastaria scanned the lifeless area, animated only by the rainfall. She stepped forward into the field, with Gerdan following her, and took notice of something she could not see looking at the field from the outside. “There are tree stumps.” she said to Gerdan, “In patterns just like the rest of the woods… This used to be another part of them.”

Gerdan nodded, “At one point it was, and still is, really.”

“Whatever happened here consumed this area.”

“The people here tell me after the whole incident, they came here as the magic radiation subsided, and cut down the remainder of the devastated foliage. They didn’t take the trees out completely, as they hoped they might grow back and… erase what terrible memory this place had to haunt them.”

Annastaria knelt down to one of the stumps, brushing two fingers across its smoothly-shaven surface. “It would seem that these trees died from the magical devastation.” she said, “Never to grow back again.”

“It seems so… Looks like the memories have chosen not to die.”

Annastaria caught an idea then and stood up to look around. “But you said this was ten years ago?” she asked.

“Just about, yes… Why?”

“Even new trees would begin to grow back by that time. There are none here.”

Gerdan was partially embarrassed that he only just now realized what she said. “I suppose that’s true… Why would there be no trees growing here anymore?”

Annastaria looked ahead to the large stones that stood to the center-northwest part of the field, and setting her focus on them, made her way closer, through the grass and around dead tree stumps. Gerdan followed, sensing she caught onto something. She stopped in front of them, and realized they stood at least ten feet high, and were narrow in their width. They stood unnaturally.

“Ah,” Gerdan said, “the Stones of the Galssan Grove.”

Annastaria looked back at him, “You have named these stones?”

“Of course. These are what I wanted to bring to your attention.”

“How did these come to be here?”

“No one knows how they got here; I was sort of hoping you might know more… People ‘ve made up stories about them. Some say they’re some kind of religious thing, and others say they’re a shrine. All I know is that many times we will pick up magic energy from it. I can’t say why, and the surges come randomly.”

“Did the recent spike–one of them–come from these?”

“Yes… The one five days ago.”

Annastaria looked back at the stones for a moment, with thoughts and theories running through her mind. There was no doubt in her mind now as her thoughts zeroed on these stones; this was the source of what her people detected. Dark magic must have come from this place. She recalled what she had read in Istvan’s book, and in the books she had previously read. 

Gerdan watched her carefully, and saw her thinking. “What is it?” he probed, “If you know something I don’t, you need to share it with me.”

“These stones.” she began, “They are not here naturally… Someone put them here.”

“Obviously… No one knows why, though… Unless you do?”

Annastaria didn’t answer immediately. She couldn’t believe in her own mind what she was even contemplating. She looked at Gerdan, “These magic readings you speak of… Could it be that the unknown ones of last night you detected came from this?”

Gerdan paused to think for a moment, “I don’t think so. The magic energy spikes we get from this are only momentary, and random. What happened five days ago was the closest, and it caused a stir in the town, one which the people hoped to forget as quickly as they could. We investigated it the following day, but as always, found nothing different than what you see now. What we picked up near to your location where we found you was another anomaly, and especially that close to Mennix; we had to get to that spot at once.”

 Annastaria looked between two of the stones. There were five in total, and they all seemed to circle around one small area that was only about three feet in diameter. Yet there was nothing to notice in the midst of them. Only a patch of dirt and strains of grass. Annastaria stepped into the center of the stones, looking at each of them, drawing curious eyes from Gerdan. “Three…” she said quietly, placing her hand on one of the stones facing the east. She turned to the west, “And two…”

“What?” Gerdan asked.

Annastaria almost froze as the thought dawned on her, like an eclipsing shadow of a great and terrible truth. She stepped out of the center next to Gerdan, stepping back with him to get a look at them. “I know what the voices were saying to me.” she said as she pointed at the three stones that faced east. “Three to the east,” and then at the two facing the west, “And two in the west.” Gerdan still didn’t understand anything she was saying. She looked at him, “It was repeating those words to me in Nagush–Three to the east, two to the west.”

“I thought you said it was telling you that you belonged to it, and that ‘it’ was one.”

“That was in the dream… I do not know if that was the same as the whispers I was hearing in the forest… But as I stand here and look upon these stones, it came upon me.”

“What is it about these stones that you’re not telling me, Erene?” Gerdan pressed, “You just made quite a leaping connection between these stones and those voices you heard. Either that is sheer coincidence or there is something about these stones that triggered your memory… Do I need to be concerned about these stones and the voices?”

Annastaria looked at him with uncertainty in her eyes. “I do not know… But I think…” she hesitated, still unwilling to bring herself to believe what her mind was moving towards, “I think these stones are here for the purposes of a spell.”

“A spell?”

“What do you know about stone magic?”

Gerdan paused, looking away to think. He hummed aloud before stuttering his response, “Not much… I don’t think I’ve heard of such a thing.”

An unnerving silence followed from Annastaria. “Erene,” Gerdan pressed further, “I need to know what you’re thinking.” 

She sighed as she came to a conclusion in her mind and looked at him to speak directly, “What I am about to show to you, you cannot speak of to anyone else.”

He hesitated, and nodded an unsure agreement. One that Annastaria didn’t trust, but she felt she had no choice–she needed to confirm her suspicions. It was important to report to her elders. She rolled up her jacket sleeve, removed her right-hand glove, and then the sleeve, revealing the enchantments on her forearm and hand, drawing Gerdan’s attention to them. She reached out to the stones with her right arm and closed her eyes, letting out the air in her lungs. Gerdan stepped back when he saw the enchantments on her arm begin to glow, and he could see her eyes glowing behind her closed eyelids. Then the cubical-shaped enchantments on her forearm began to turn clockwise and counterclockwise on her arm, in some kind of mechanical order, as if they were unlocking. He was frightened and fascinated, rubbing his eyes even to make sure he was seeing what he was seeing.

Annastaria opened her eyes, and the light from them seemed to burst out for a moment, and she closed them to focus again. Gerdan looked around, feeling as though he could hear people around them watching, but no one was to be found. He waited, wondering what was going to happen next, instinctively taking a few steps back. His mind raced about trying to understand what he was seeing, but nothing gave him answers. Suddenly, Annastaria’s eyes flew open, the glowing having dispersed completely, as well as the enchantments on her arms as she gasped and pulled her right arm away from the stones, almost falling backwards onto the ground, as if she pulled her arm from the snap of a snake. 

“Erene!” he said as he came close to her, “Are you okay?”

She was battling for control over her breathing, like she came up for air from being submerged in water. She gripped her right arm, looking at it closely for a moment, examining it for any kind of wound. None were found.

“Erene?” Gerdan pressed again, “What happened? Is everything okay?”

“No.” she answered, “It is not okay.” She looked at him then, “It is as I feared. These stones are a part of a spell; they are containing something within it.”

“Containing what?”

“I do not know, but it is black magic… I used my abilities to create a breach into the veil, and see what was within… Something… something reached out to me, and tried to grab hold of me.”

Gerdan stepped towards the stones. “Wait a minute,” he began, “you’re telling me that there is something… trapped inside these stones? How can that be possible?”

“As I said, it is black magic; an ancient art that I did not believe I would ever see be true.”

Gerdan had to pause to absorb what she was saying. He was unable to believe it, and he looked to the inside of the stones, seeing nothing there. “I don’t understand.” he said, “How can these be holding something?”

“It is not a physical prison.” Annastaria said, finally able to fully control her breath, “It is a spirit prison. Stone magic deals mainly with spirit energy.”

“I don’t suppose you got a good look at… whatever in the world it was that reached for you.”

Annastaria shook her head, recalling the brief second she felt it and replied, “No… I did not see it. I could hear it, however. It wished to seize me.”

“For what purpose?”

“I do not know… But I suspect it wants to be let out.”

“Can it get out?”

“No. It is trapped between our world and the eternal realm.”

Gerdan felt his heart begin to race, and these ordinary stones felt unwelcoming. He couldn’t help but hear whispers himself now. “What in the name of the gods,” he said as he brushed his hand through his hair, looking upon the stones in horror, “this has been here this long? And we didn’t know? Can’t we… toss these stones at the bottom of the lake?”

“No. They will not let you. I know this spell, it uses the life of the surrounding area to maintain its strength. Removing the stones before the curse is lifted will destroy the forest, and likely let out whatever is trapped inside.”

“Then what do we do?”

“We must return to Mennix, and tell people what we have found here. Something haunts these forests; it cannot come into the world, but it can disturb it… I believe it is what I heard in the forest.”

“Then let’s go.” Gerdan said, ready to be out of here, leading the way back, “Get the others and figure out what to do about this.”

Annastaria followed, but her mind was overwhelmed. She looked back at the stones again, and it was as if they were staring back at her, daring her to come back and be among them. Yet they were the same as before, still and lifeless. An evil was trapped there, not banished, but trapped. Who could have done it? Could it have something to do with the Black Priest?

The air was still thick with burnt wood, even with the inn now calm. Patrons and deputies worked to close the roof with tarps while Oden and Rolek attempted to explain to the other deputies what happened. Rolek had, by this point, taken control of the conversation. “I thought you said you folk were not going to be trouble,” said one of them.

“And we intend no harm to any of you.” Rolek responded, “I swear to you, we’re as clueless as you about what’s going on.”

Rolek continued to argue, while Oden sat with Bastillina, who he noticed covered her left arm while she ate. She had finally stopped crying, but the fear never left her eyes. “What’s on your mind, kiddo?” he asked. Bastillina looked at the plate of pancakes in front of her, and listened to Rolek continue to argue with the others, wondering if she would answer Oden’s question or not. 

“I just…” she began, “Want to get away from here.”

“I hear ya, kiddo… We’ll be leaving soon. We need to wait for Erene to come back… I know you may not be happy to hear about her right now, but she’s the only one who’ll know what’s going on.” Bastillina went silent, leaving Oden hanging on the conversation he tried to start with her. He sighed, “How’s your arm?” he asked. Still, Bastillina wouldn’t answer, nor look at him. “Bella,” he insisted, “if it’s bothering you, please tell me.”

“It’s fine!” she snapped. Oden fell silent, and pulled back. He didn’t want to provoke her further.

Rolek came to them with the other three deputies. They surrounded Oden and Bastillina, making the girl feel even less comfortable than she was. “They just want to ask some questions, Bella.” Rolek said, “They’re not going to hurt you… We need to know, what happened up there?”

Bastillina looked at Oden then, who gave her the look of approval to talk. She didn’t know where to begin, what to say and what not to say. “I don’t know what happened.” she began, “All I know is… I went to my room, I was mad and… trying not to cry. I was looking out the window and… and I felt… warm. There was… a bright light around me somewhere in the room… My chest started to hurt, and my shoulders and hands.” She paused in thought, and looked down at her left hand that she kept under the table. She looked back up at them, “I felt… hot in my hands, and all around me… It was like it was going into my hand… The last time I felt this was months ago, but this never happened… I don’t remember much else, except for the explosion, and I think I saw lightning in the room.”

Rolek looked at the others, who didn’t know what to say. “You’re sure there was nothing else?” one of them asked her. They waited for another few seconds, but Bastillina wouldn’t speak further.

“I think that’s all we got.” Rolek said before he called the three of them away from Oden and Bastillina.

“I don’t know what to do with any of this.” one said quietly to Rolek and the other two deputies.

“I do.” Rolek answered, drawing their attention. He looked at Bastillina once more, who was being continually consoled by Oden. “It was a magic blast.” he asserted.

“Obviously. But what form of magic?”

“No, I mean it was pure magic. It wasn’t elemental, it wasn’t some form of combustion, it was pure magic energy. Her chest burning up, her shoulders and hands… that’s an indication of magicka points heating up, generating massive energy that pushed itself out of her hands.”

“I’ve never seen anyone do that before.”

“It’s not uncommon for that to happen. Lots of masters can generate pure magic energy for power. What’s unheard of is that a kid her age did it, and to such a degree that she blew up half her entire room; what’s more, is the residual magic radiating, and all she’s suffering is a mild case of Corruption. She should be dead; she used so much magic energy, the pure radiation remained for a time after the explosion.”

“I saw her arm.” one of them said, “She may not think we noticed it, but we did. Her veins are darkened… Is it Corruption?”

Rolek looked back at her again, “It is…”

“I thought it takes time for Corruption to take hold of a master, and any magic source. You’re a master, you ought to know.”

“You would be correct.” Rolek affirmed, “It takes a lot of magic to generate that level of Corruption. What you saw in her arm is something that normally would take at least two months of unattended magic usage to develop.”

“Well I feel as though a fool to ask, but what in the name of the gods is going on, then?”

“That I don’t know… We’ll have to wait for Erene to come back. She’s the only one around here who’ll have any idea.”

Jodel and Dean stood on the hill overlooking Mennix looking down at the town, with the towering figure of Jorum behind them. “This is the place?” Jodel asked Jorum.

“It came from here.” Jorum replied, “I sensed it… But I do not believe it was the elf. The power surge was greatly different.”

“Whatever you say, big man. What matters is that they’re here. Let’s get Ryker on the line… We’ve found them.”

Finally, a night of rest, at least before her work begins in investigating what lies within the Mennix surrounding forest. For once, Annastaria finds herself able to take time to get to know her aenman friend, Oden, who is far more than she thought he was when she met him. But as the night closes, Gerdan has something to tell Annastaria…

Later that night, Annastaria had found the girl called Jennice, and was able to have a bath. Though she had a shower just the night before, this one seemed different. For the first time, she didn’t feel rushed, she didn’t have Oden’s burdensome and troublesome partying be as a thorn in her side. This was a refreshing one, and allowed her to think and reflect on the quest thus far. But this led her to the realization that no matter where she ends up, she would have to explain this to her elders, including her father. How was she going to explain the clear violation of credal law never to get personally involved with aenman affairs? And what would they think of Bastillina? She could conceal this entire part, or manipulate it, and say she used them, but she knew it would be a lie, and if it was a lie, it meant that she was not using either Rolek nor Oden. They became more to her. 

She shut out the thought, and tried to rationalize it away, trying to convince herself she was only using them for her ultimate end. But what did she need either of them for? There was no reason for her to continue with them. She had the artifact, and Oden was a no-good thief; he deserved to be captured and taken in by Rolek, of whom Annastaria owed no favors. She couldn’t find an answer, and tried not to think about it anymore.

Once she finished, she stepped outside, and went to the room Gerdan told her Bastillina was in and opened the door carefully. Tucked comfortably in the covers of the bed was Bastillina, with her brown hair loose and scrambled over the pillow she was sleeping on. The girl was indeed very tired; all Annastaria wanted to do was to make sure she was safe and comfortable, but she didn’t want to disturb her. Annastaria slowly closed the door to let her sleep. She stepped back over to the railing again, looking down to the crowd, whose energy did not change a single bit. Oden was back at the bar, talking with the bartender and others, while Rolek went back to his card games and cigar. Surprisingly, to his word, he still only had the one beer.

She stood, leaning on the balcony, wandering into thoughts of this night, and the strange things Gerdan said, as well as what Rolek said, and of course, what she experienced. “Three to the east, two to the west” she constantly went over in her mind. What could it mean? She became convinced that something spoke to her in the woods. How, or what it was, she didn’t know, and she knew even less how to find out. Could this have been what her people detected days ago?

“It’s much more fun to be down there than it is to be watching up here.” a voice said behind her and to the right. She turned and saw Gerdan smiling, drying his hands with a white towel.

“To some it may be.” said Annastaria, simple and distant.

“Not for you?” Gerdan said as he stepped towards her to see down to the inn floor himself.

“I desire a quiet evening before I go to bed. Such energy as seen here is not good before it.”

Gerdan couldn’t help a smile, “Is that why you are out here watching? Forgive me if I’m poking my nose where it don’t belong, but it seems like you’re tempted to go down there.”

“Do all you aenmen have the gift of reading minds?” Annastaria asked, and with a snark. 

Gerdan smirked off her remark. “We like the challenge of it, anyway.” he said, “Do all you elves look down on the rest of us?” 

Annastaria was taken aback by the question. Surely he couldn’t be serious. She never considered that she or her kind, except perhaps the high elves, ever looked down on the aenmen. They were by nature simplistic; it was not a matter of subjective prejudices. Still, the more she pondered, the more she began to wonder if he was right. 

Gerdan took advantage of the silence, “You should go down and hang out for a while.” he said, “From what your friends told me, you’ve all had a hard few days. I think you’ve earned a night of relaxation… I know you and your kind are not fond of the usual drunken or drugged-up aenman who dishonors himself in these kinds of celebrations, but that’s an overblown stereotype. We’re not all a bunch of drunks. The men here are fair people, trying to make a living, and having some fun at the end of a hard day of work. The entire region here is their workplace, and this is their place of relaxation before they go home. No one gets crazy drunk, no one hurts anyone. We’ll be doing songs here in a little bit, in fact… You might enjoy it.”

Annastaria didn’t know why, but Gerdan’s words had a way of taming her growing anger. There was something in his voice that convicted her of her own judgment, and her attitude. She was tempted to take up his offer, which was unheard of; she never dreamed of the day. If anything, she looked forward to the day of being proud to have ‘resisted’ the temptation to enjoy aenman customs. 

Still, Annastaria had remembered their previous conversation, and she could not shake her curiosity over his knowledge of not only these parts, nor only his notable interest in her “dream”, but also his statement about black magic in these forests. An idea came to her mind. He had to know more, and she needed to get it out of him.

 “Fine,” she said, “I will go down and… say hi.” Gerdan smiled at her statement, “But on one condition. In our last conversation, you mentioned necromancy, or some form of black magic.” 

Gerdan did not expect a return to that, and his smile faded. “According to some reports, yes,” he said.

“Do you have any more information regarding these… these sayings of people?” 

Gerdan’s face didn’t change, though his eyes narrowed slightly as he pondered the question. “If I’m going to answer that question, Erene,” he replied, “I need to know… What’s your interest in the subject?” 

Annastaria felt like a spotlight had suddenly caught her snooping in foreign lands. She could almost begin sweating. She went through in her mind what to say. For a moment, she felt like she could trust Gerdan with the truth, and that lying to him, more than she already has, would be too much. This man was no fool, and he clearly had an interest in the safety of the people here, or an unusually nosey attitude. 

But that he even questioned her own questioning suggested that he knew more than he originally let off as well. “I am searching for someone.” she said, pausing for a moment after she gave up that information to ponder if she should give up more, “Someone who is related to incidents such as what you described earlier.”

While this was only a partial truth, revealing only that Annastaria was searching for someone related to these, it provoked more questions for Gerdan. “For what reason?” he asked.

“To eliminate him.”

“And what are you, exactly… a mercenary? Hired agent?”

Annastaria almost heistated, but felt like this was a way to conceal herself and said, “Yes… I was hired to find a man who does things like you described.”

“Did you suspect that he would be here? It was many years ago that this happened.” 

Gerdan seemed to know how to ask all the right questions that kept Annastaria on her toes. She had to think quickly again; and again, a half-truth was her best way out. “No.” she replied, “I am passing through to where my target was last known. But I nevertheless stay aware of black magic activities wherever I go for the possibility of finding him there.”

“I see…” Gerdan said, seemingly giving way to his guard of Annastaria’s questioning, but she couldn’t tell for sure. “None that I know of.” he plainly stated, seemingly without a second thought, and to her surprise. He was almost defensive a moment ago, and inquired of her own questions. Even if she answered his questions any other way, what difference would it have made if he didn’t know anything? 

Him needing to know why she was interested kept her skeptical of what he may know more of. But she didn’t want to push him further, and came up with a different idea then. 

“Come on,” Gerdan said with a smile, “let’s go downstairs and just enjoy the rest of the evening. It’ll help you be seen in more friendly terms with the people here if they see you and I comfortable with each other.” Annastaria hesitated still, but decided, for some reason, to go.

Gerdan walked with her downstairs, and they entered the main floor once more, to the same smell and chaos, where Gerdan received a warm welcome from the patrons. “So I suppose the elf girl is okay?” one of them asked him; they all had some form of Oenian, northern-Enussian accent. 

“She’s fine, Prayton.” Gerdan answered, “She’s a traveler passing through, is all.” 

The men trusted Gerdan. He must have been a very respected deputy in this place. When he said Annastaria was not a threat, they practically took it as dogma, and the cold faces turned warm towards her. A few gathered around the young elvish girl, like she was an exotic animal from a distant land, making her feel intensely uncomfortable. 

“So are you from the woodlands out east?” one of the men asked. 

“Do you elves have that abnormal hearing and seeing I always hear about?” another asked, “And what about the elvish language? I’ve always heard the young elvish girls can sing heavenly songs in elvish.”

Gerdan stepped in quickly, smiling but also knowing that the men were getting too friendly. “Come on, boys,” he said, “leave the young girl alone. She’s not that friendly. Especially towards you Bennkr!” A chuckle rang out from the crowd. Oden watched from the bar, smiling as he did. Somehow Annastaria made eye-contact and rolled her eyes with a smile of her own, with her cheeks warming. Oden could tell she was trying to be annoyed, but couldn’t seem to get there. 

“Of course, Gerdan!” one of the men said aloud, “We love to have the young lass here! We’re just honestly curious, that’s all!”

“I’m sure you are. But let’s give her some breathing room, aye? She’s come a long way.”

“Well come and sit, young lass,” one patron said, scooting over for Annastaria to have room at his table, “and tell us of your long journey. We always like to hear the stories of those traveling through. Many of us are travelers ourselves.” 

Instinctively, Annastaria pulled away, and to politely reject the offer, “Oh, no–I cannot.” she said, “I would not know even where to begin, and it cannot be so interesting.”

“Oh bother!” said one of the men at the table, “My first encounter with elves in these parts and I’m already seeing that annoying modesty I hear too much about! Nonsense, girl–sit!” The others cheered on, pressuring her, almost making her sit by their voices alone. As she stood stiff in hesitation, one of the ladies there came behind her, gently but assertively placing her hands on Annastaria’s shoulders, cheerfully taking her to the table to sit. 

Though startled, Annastaria was too overwhelmed with the volume of activity to respond, and the next thing she knew, she was plotted at the table in the midst of what seemed to her giants of men. Gerdan disappeared into the crowd to go on helping the others while Oden came to the table, and just in time. Annastaria had never been so relieved to see Oden in her life, and quickly scooted over to let him sit to her left. The woman who pushed her to sit sat on her immediate right flank. 

“So what’s your name, dear?” the woman asked, “My goodness, you have such lovely hair!”

Annastaria blushed and hesitated, but not just because she was being bombarded with questions and attention like never before, but because she was finding herself conflicted with lying repeatedly to people who, although seemed to have no sense of respect towards personal space, were nevertheless the kindest she had ever met. 

“My name is… Erene.” she said, forcing herself to lie for the sake of her mission. 

“A lovely name!” one of them said. It seemed like no matter what she said, it was met with praise. 

“Unlike your name, Salmon!” one of them poked at another, “You ugly fish!” 

Laughter burst out immediately, bombarding Annastaria’s sensitive elvish ears, but she smiled nonetheless. 

The one being insulted came back, “Bah! I’m named after the king of the salmon of the Ouyok lake, I’ll have you know! And you couldn’t catch more than a little tadpole with those wee stick arms of yours, Radic!” they all laughed again in the other way. 

Annastaria laughed as well, but the sheer volume of the others drowned out hers, which was the only thing that was unfortunate for Oden. He at least saw her laugh like he hadn’t before. He could almost swear that every time she smiled, her face lit up like sunlight to a beautiful valley, and whoever said it was right, her hair was beautiful when allowed to rest softly around her head and neck, like tender waves greeting a beautiful seashore.

The table quieted down somewhat, and one of them asked Annastaria directly, “So, Erene, where are you from? Are you part of any of the clans by chance? You certainly have an accent to match.”

“She can’t be part of the elvish clans, you twit!” one of the others rebuked, “If she were, the blasted Enussian Union would be crashing this place to the ground to arrest her. Don’t you know about the wars and violence in the past? Those damned snakey wood elves are not welcome here.” 

Despite all the warning signs, everyone seemed to ignore the possible connections she might have to elvish clans, including the fact that they caught her accent as having clear elvish ties. But this of course, was not too unusual. Many elvish communities not connected to the clans resided even in Oenkev. But while they had an accent seasoned with elvish, it was mixed with central Enussian accents as well. This was the accent Annastaria trained herself to have, to mask her own. 

“I come from a small community from the eastern part of Oenkev, south of Levaan.” she answered.

“Huh,” one patron said as he pondered, “I wasn’t aware of any communities that way.” 

Annastaria froze, her heart racing in her chest. But another of the men seemed to save her by insulting the one who just spoke, “You’ve never even been to Levaan you goof. Of course there are communities there, where do you think the refugees go who can’t afford to move any farther west? Or north? The EU gave them a nice piece of land there in the hills.” Annastaria’s heart rested, and her stiffened body sigh.

Another question came at that point, “So where’re ya headed, Erene?” 

Annastaria felt like she ought to have expected that question, and she had her standard answer that was so rehearsed and easy to utter at this point. “I am seeking lost family in the west.” she said.

“Oh dear,” said the woman at her side, “that must be awful! How did you lose them?”

“It is a long story…” Annastaria said, as her eyes drifted away. The lying was eating at her. She couldn’t take any more innocent questions that forced her to lie to such friendly people. Still, some part of her questioned what was a lie and what wasn’t. Since she was a girl, in the care of the Sarke elves, she wanted to know her real parents.

“Gentlemen!” a voice cried out over all other voices in the room, drawing everyone’s attention upon a man standing on a bar stool, “It’s time for some songs!” Everyone immediately erupted into shouts, “Hooray!”, cheers and joy. It seemed like the later it got, the louder they became. That was good news to Annastaria in a strange way. The focus was taken off of her as everyone at the table was instantly drawn to the singing of songs. She and Oden looked at each other, and he could tell she was ready to step aside. He gave a nudge of his head, indicating to her an opportunity to leave the main floor, and she didn’t argue for a moment.

The two of them walked back upstairs and outside on a balcony rise once more. The singing went on downstairs, while the outside air was quiet. It was a good opportunity to talk. At least for Oden it was. Annastaria hoped for something else at this point. 

“I think it is time I go to bed.” she said. 

Oden smiled at her comment. “Still trying to bore away some fun, are we?” he joked.

She smiled back, looking away. Oden could get used to this side of her. “It has been a long day.” she replied.

“But you were enjoying yourself. Admit it, I saw you in there. Surely not all of you elves are so up-tight. You’re not one of those zealots, are you?” He uttered the last question with a teasing smile.

Annastaria forced a smile, though her heart skipped a beat. It only seemed to drive a knife deeper in her heart about her lie. Rolek’s words earlier began to eat at her; she demanded Oden be honest with her, and she was being the most treacherous of all, the most hypocritical of all. The elven scriptures spoke deep rebuke to hypocrites; but her elders taught her and her pupils that the greatest hypocrites were the aenmen, not the elves, and the high elves were apostate traitors. 

Yet this did not remove from her mind what even Gerdan told her earlier, that she looked down upon them. Did her own people do the same? Were the wood elves excused from hypocrisy simply because they were the preservers of the ancient covenant made with Artheros and the gods? Many of the prophets seemed to disagree.

A question formed in her mind, and she feared to ask it, unwilling and indeed without the strength to tell him the truth. “What would you do…” she began, “if I were a part of the zealots? What would you think?”

Oden paused. He hadn’t expected the question. “Not sure,” he said, “I never really thought about it. I’ve never actually seen any of the zealots, as they’re called… All I’ve heard about them are second-hand, which are not really all good… But I’d have to wait and see for myself, really.”

“You are not at all disturbed by these reports?”

Oden shrugged, “I mean, yeah, kind of… But can I really just judge an entire people that way? Doesn’t that kind of defeat the racism battle? I’ve got lots of friends who are kamorjien, and I‘ve even met other elves. And of course I got lots more aenman friends. Every single one of them have let me down, and ‘ve also been there for me. We don’t deal with each other based on whether we have fur on our faces, or larger ears than the other. I’ve always believed that–not based on what people told me–but my own experience. It would kind of betray that philosophy if I suddenly started judging an entire group by its physical appearance now, wouldn’t it?”

Annastaria asked the question to test what he would respond with if she were to be honest with him, and she couldn’t believe what she heard him say. It made perfect sense. And now the weight of conviction grew heavier about her own people. She couldn’t reconcile what she was told the aenmen were like with what she was seeing this very evening. They were good people, and Oden was the best, most honest thief she ever met. She didn’t like these thoughts and this uncomfortable moment. “You are a strange man.” she said.

As if the first question she asked was not surprising enough, Oden felt as though he had just been ambushed with a slap. “What do you mean by that?” he said with a smile.

She tried to formulate words to convey what she was thinking, but it was harder than she thought. “I mean,” she began, “I did not expect you to be… how you are.”

Oden concealed a desire to laugh, and only an eyebrow went up with his amused smile. “I see…” he began, “Well, I am actually me, and if I were anyone else, I would be them and not me. Pretty amazing, isn’t it?”

Annastaria chuckled. Now Oden heard her laugh without it being drowned out by others, and it was pleasant in the cold night. But he wanted to tell her something, sensing the clear confusion she was dealing with. “You know what I think the problem is?” He began, drawing her eyes to him, “I think that maybe, just maybe, you like this night and you don’t know why… I know elves tend to think black and white, and that’s what I think the problem is… No disrespect of course. People aren’t constructs, Erene. They’re not simply black and white. People are strange, people are complicated. I think that’s the big problem with society today, honestly. We want to put everyone in boxes. That’s what school taught me to do. But when I got out in the real world, it just wasn’t true, and you want to know the main reason why?” He waited to see if she would inquire. But she listened quietly. He put his hand on his chest, “Me… I’m the reason why. I thought that I had the smarts and the good will to make a good life for myself. But when I was put to the test, I proved I didn’t know myself like I thought I did. I couldn’t so easily fit into one box of virtues.”

Annastaria had never considered this kind of thinking before and now her mind raced with it. Bastillina was a thief, but she wasn’t utterly evil. She cared for people, especially Annastaria, and the reason she stole was not because she liked it; it was the only way to survive. Oden was a thief as well, but he cared for her, and Bastillina. Rolek was a man who hunted other humans to make money for himself, but he was also a man who honored a deal, who was merciful, kept Annastaria out of trouble in this place, funny even, and he apparently cares about the threat of dark magic. Were people really so simple, as she was raised to believe they were? 

She began to think about her own elders. Gennades was brilliant, a man of deep literature and thinking, a respected champion of the law, and yet, he was one of the most arrogant men she ever knew. His son, Earnos was a strong, brave and encouraging warrior, but was prideful, dismissive and even as egotistical as his father at times. Though he did not relish in great wisdom like Gennades, he saw his combat capabilities as far greater than anyone else in the clan.

“Thank you, Oden.” Annastaria said, “for everything you have done, especially for Bella. I shall not have you go unrewarded.”

Oden’s smile grew again, “You don’t have to repay me. What was I supposed to do?”

Annastaria couldn’t take the kindness anymore, but she didn’t know what to say. Only one thing was clear for her. “We can talk more in the morning.” she said, “But I truly must go to sleep.”

Oden agreed, and walked her to her room, but he never went farther than the door, and didn’t dare try to go farther. This girl was different than the others. She didn’t deserve to be treated like them. He said goodnight to her, and she closed the door. 

Alone at last for the evening, Annastaria’s tired eyes grew weightier. So much to think about, but few hours to sleep. She went to the bed and sat on it, preparing herself to fall on the pillow. She wanted to sleep, but the strange, yet welcoming sense of bliss she had this evening still permeated in her mind, encouraging her to ponder further on it.

Before she could settle in to think, a pair of knocks came to the door. She paused, and wondered if Oden may have come back, and the thought scared her. But she stood up and walked to the door, opening it slightly to see who it was. 

“Gerdan?” she said, opening the door more to see him.

“Can we talk?” he asked.

Annastaria only wanted to go to bed, but there was an urgency she sensed in his voice that she couldn’t ignore. “I suppose so.” she said with a stutter and hesitation, “Should we go for a walk?”

“If it’s not too much trouble, can we talk here? I apologize for this, but it’s important.”

“I truly must be going to bed.” she said, about to close her door.

“You know Istvan, don’t you?” he said, causing her to stop and open the door again.

Annastaria froze, and her eyes narrowed. She didn’t know if she should say yes or no, but something pushed her to tell him, “Yes… How do you know him?”

“I can’t say more unless you let me in. I know it’s strange, but this is something I can’t risk just anyone hearing.”

Again, Annastaria hesitated. She wasn’t sure if she cared enough about Gerdan knowing Istvan, but given the strangeness surrounding this place, something compelled her to hear him out. She let him in the room, and closed the door behind him. He walked to the window and looked outside, as if searching for someone, or something.

“How do you know Istvan?” she asked.

He turned to her, “I found Istvan a few years ago. He and I are good friends.”

“How do you know that I know him?”

“A book you have with you.”

Annastaria knew what he was talking about. “I thought no one went through my things.”

“And no one did. Your book fell out as we carried your things. I almost stopped in my tracks when I saw it. But I know only one man in Oenkev has a book like that, and with the markings it had. He and I’ve had a correspondence, but haven’t talked in some time.”

“What is your interest in such things?”

Gerdan paused for a moment at the question that was difficult to even begin answering. “Did you take the book from him?” he asked.

“No. He gave it to me.”

“Then he trusts you with it. I’m sure you can read what’s inside. If you know Nagush, you know basic elvish… I’m not going to ask you where you’re from, elf, or even if Erene is your real name. You’ve got your reasons, and truth be told, I don’t mind.”

“You still have not answered my first question.” Annastaria said, becoming more suspicious of Gerdan.

“My point is, you know these things, and you took an interest in the magic activities we spoke of earlier, especially your friend Rolek. I don’t know who he is, though, and so I don’t trust him.”

“You do not know me much, either.”

“But Istvan gave you that book. That’s enough for me. I think I know what it is you seek, elf. I think you are from farther east than the others believe. Even the common elves in Enussia don’t speak the ancient language of the Nagush dark elves, the language of curses. I know what haunts the elves in the east… I know of him.”

Annastaria’s head tilted and she never was more tempted to expose her true intentions for the sake of information than now. But she wasn’t ready to give it up just yet. “I have a question for you.” she said, “Why did you not tell me these things earlier?”

Gerdan smiled, as if caught in a moment of embarrassment. “I don’t know, really.” he answered, “I suppose I didn’t actually expect anyone to ever come through here like you. I’m used to telling people the same thing about the stories in these forests. I actually froze for a moment when you inquired, and resorted to downplay it as I always do.”

Annastaria paused and thought. It was a simplistic answer, but it attempted nothing that bent logic. He seemed as straightforward as before. “I am from farther east,” she said quietly, and reluctantly. She felt as though she was quickly struck with a lash for it.

“Then your secret is safe with me.” he said.

Another aenman who knew about her, and another who wouldn’t tell. What was it with these people? She remembered what Innadur told her: the aenmen always have angles. Rolek hoped to use his knowledge of her against her, as did Ryker. But only Gerdan and Istvan didn’t attempt one. “Why?” she asked.

He shrugged, “As I said, Istvan trusts you, and so do I.”

Annastaria didn’t know where she wanted to direct her next question; either at him and his relationship with Istvan, or at the ‘him’ she was intensely interested in. She didn’t have all night, and went with one, “What do you know about him?” Gerdan’s response would tell her if he really knew who she was referring to or not. Istvan did, why wouldn’t he?

“I’ll start by telling you what I don’t know. What I don’t know is what happened here ten years ago, with the supposed necromancy. I don’t know if there is actually a graveyard at the bottom of Galssan Lake, and I don’t know if he was actually here. But I know that he is real.”

“How?” Annastaria asked, finding herself struggling to believe him, though there was no sign of deceit in his voice. He spoke as a man haunted by a specter. 

It seemed as if Gerdan took a long pause again before he said what came next, which Annastaria never thought she would hear, “Because I saw him.”

She felt like she had been struck across the face, spun around and left to rediscover north from south, and up from down. Could it be possible? No one has dared to even make such statements as this. “How can you be certain it was him?” she asked, “Not even we know what he looks like. We do not even know if he is actually a man at all.”

“I believe that he is. I became interested in him as a boy; that’s when I first saw him over ten years ago. He killed a fiend outside Anerrece, southwest of here in Febia, back when we were still recovering from the Uprising that engulfed Febia along with Berchazan. From the moment I looked into his eyes, I knew it was him; it was the one from the stories I heard since I was just a boy. I didn’t believe they were real until I was staring into the eyes. The ones they say were eyes that seemed to pierce through your very soul. They were eyes like fire.”

Annastaria wasn’t sure what to think of any of this. How far did the credibility of this man even go? But he knew Istvan, and that had to mean something. “Is he even a man?” Annastaria asked.

“As ordinary a man as any other you see. But he’s much more. What more, I don’t know… but this man had a stare unlike anything I had ever seen, and he is a master of a power that I have never witnessed before. Even now, with what I know compared to back then, he displayed powers that no black magic had any leverage over. The darkness fears him.”

“But he has been a blight on our people for at least a decade now. We can trace goblin attacks to him. Why would he do such a thing?”

“I have no idea. I don’t know what drives him. He’s done much good, and they say he’s done much evil… I guess that’s why they call him the Black Priest.”

“And you believe it is possible that he came to these lands during the time that he saved you and your home?”

“I do. Not more than two months after the incident with the fiend in Anerrece, I heard the stories of what happened here in Mennix. A great terror was banished from these woods. Many believed it was the work of your average monster hunter, or just rumors that it was scared off. I am not sure what is true, but if you are looking for this man, I believe he was here, and I can show you why.”

“How so?”

“We’re in for rain tomorrow, which means you and your friends will likely be stuck here another day. I can’t recommend you go out in rainy weather and risk it. It will be cold and wet, and you could get sick, forced to stop in the forest for a night, and I can’t in good conscience allow you to take that risk. Tomorrow, you and I can go and see what I mean personally.”

“Is there something in these woods?” Annastaria asked, bluntly, and almost carelessly.

Gerdan sighed, as though he had been tired of that question. “I don’t know.” he replied, “But something has happened recently. You aren’t the only one who’s been hearing voices, and strange sounds in the woods. Five days ago, we detected a massive magic spike in the forest, about eight miles southwest. Since then, some spots began to pop up, seemingly random. They never came close to Mennix, however, but once.”

Annastaria was afraid to ask, but the question burned in her mind. “When?” she asked.

“Tonight, where we found you.”

Annastaria swallowed, as the hair on the back of her neck stiffened. “We rushed to the spot,” Gerdan continued, “and found you… I must say, Erene, I had not been so scared before as when I saw you there. I don’t know what other than God in me that pushed me through the paralyzing fear, to get you here and cared for. The others may not want to tell you just how terrifying it was, but it was. You weren’t foaming at the mouth or becoming violent or anything like that, but your eyes went white, and you were sweating as though in the desert, yet it was cold out.”

Annastaria thought for a moment, remaining silent. She didn’t feel any different, even though it seemed obvious that something took hold of her. It was a horrible thought to even entertain. But it brought her to the vision again, and the words, “Three in the east, two in the west”. This was the last thing she expected this night, and it consumed all her previous thoughts. “Why tell this to me now?” she forced herself to ask.

“Because I want to warn you. If you came here for him, if you came here for whatever happened here the other day, you must be careful. I don’t think this man, whoever he is, is any normal man, nor any normal master. All I know about him, other than what my own eyes saw through the flames of a burning forest, are the stories and legends. I don’t know who sent you on this quest of yours, but I fear you’re ill-prepared for what lies ahead.”

“I am well-equipped, Gerdan. I have been trained in both combat and magical arts. I also have a few tricks unknown even to him.”

“I’m not talking about plain mastery vs mastery, Erene. I’m talking about mind, spirit and knowledge. I’ve no doubt you’re very capable, but even a skilled master is nothing to a skilled thinker.”

Annastaria paused for a moment to think about those words. “What do you mean?” she asked. 

“They say he never appears by accident. He always seems to know where the evil forces are going to show themselves. It’s like he knows their moves before they make them.”

“What are you saying, that he has some kind of… seer’s stone?”

Gerdan chuckled, “Even I’m not gonna go so far as to say that. No, I think it’s more simple and complex than that. I think this man is not just a master of magic and combat, but a master of strategy. You said you’re tracking him?”

“… Yes.” Annastaria said, hesitantly.

“And how do you know you have his trail?”

“I cannot reveal to you that information… But we believe he has appeared in Febia, as well as here.”

“And you’re certain?”

“Just underneath certain. Myself and others have been sent in the greatest secrecy to find him.” 

Gerdan grinned, “See, I find that hard to believe. This man, if ever any trace of him is found, it is not ever so clear. I doubt you have really found him, unless it was deliberate.”

“Are you truly to say that he… intends to be found?”

“I wouldn’t put it past him. I know you guys are hunting him relentlessly. A man like this does not go this long unknown to anyone, and is able to find the latest most catastrophic black magic outbreaks, all while knowing how to keep himself from being found. And especially if he can keep from being detected by you and your wood elf clans. That’s either fifteen years of dumb luck, or he knows what he’s doing. Which do you think it is?”

Annastaria took a moment to think. Gerdan had a point. The Black Priest had remained extraordinarily anonymous and utterly untraceable, essentially a ghost haunting the underworld. So much so, that even amongst her own clans, there was disagreement on whether he even existed, and that if he did, that he was really a corporate body or organization, not a single man. The fact that the intelligence network Annastaria was part of existed at such a high-level of secrecy testified to the fact that the Black Priest must have an unprecedented spy network.

She remembered Istvan’s own cryptic words regarding the parasitic weed that consumed a garden. Everywhere one turned to find shelter, it seemed to have already been infiltrated by the plant. This only further made it apparent that the way her clan detected him seemed far too uncharacteristic, given his reputation. 

Gerdan could see in her silent reflection the conflict in her mind. “See what I mean?” he said, “I really doubt you’ve found him unless he wants to be found.”

Annastaria pushed the doubt out of her mind, refusing to capitulate to his reasoning. “I have a duty, Gerdan.” she said, “And it is to investigate what we have detected with our intelligence network, both here and beyond. I must proceed forth, whether you tell the truth or not.”

“Do what you must… But watch yourself, Erene… something is not right about this.”

He left her alone for the night to sleep, but now she didn’t know if she could. Thunder was heard somewhere outside, which likely meant rain. It would seem she had her prayers answered. She laid her head on her pillow, heavy with thoughts, and especially, the thought and hope that she was careful what she prayed for.

After a horrifying dream consumed Annastaria in the middle of the Rueldof, she awakens in the small town of Mennix, her destination. As she awakes, she meets a mysterious man named Gerdan, who along with his men, helped save her and her friends, bringing them to town for the night, and allowing them to stay for free. There, Gerdan and his people offer their best hospitality, allowing the group to rest for the evening, but Annastaria knows that in spite of its appearance, there is something lurking in the shadows and forests surrounding Mennix, and it perhaps grabbed hold of her…

Annastaria awoke slowly, in darkness, awakened mostly by a noise somewhere nearby. It took a few seconds for her to know that she was even awake, and after that, that she was not where she last remembered herself to be. She gasped as she stood up out of the bed she was in, and took in the dark room. To her right was a window, but no sun to give light. The only light she had was a kerosene lamp, but with an electric, yellow-tinted light in it, dimly illuminating the room; it sat on a wooden chair in the far left corner from where she lay. To her left was a door that was closed, but light coming from underneath it, and the faint, muffled sounds of voices and commotion, or a kitchen of some kind.

Memories began to piece themselves together. She was last outside, and there was still a dimming sunlight in the west–and she was with Oden, Rolek and Bastillina, on a hill just as dusk was settling in, looking down to Mennix. She also realized that she was not wearing her body armor, nor her hair tie. Her feet were cold–even her boots were removed. She began to dread the idea that maybe more clothing had been removed that she didn’t even know about. 

But her mind raced to Bastillina’s whereabouts, who seemed nowhere to be found, and then to the strange vision she saw before she fell unconscious. Was it a vision, or was it real? Before she could think any farther, the door came open, letting in the loudness from outside, and blasting away the silence she was in. She turned to the door and saw a man walk in, carrying a metal bucket in his hand. He stopped as soon as he saw her, “Oh.” he said, “You’re awake.”

Annastaria turned out of the bed to square with him, “Who are you?” she demanded.

He set the bucket down, which sounded as thought to have water in it, and put his hands up slightly, “Don’t worry, I’m not going to hurt you.” He then placed a hand on his chest, “My name is Gerdan.” 

Annastaria noticed his Oenian accent; he must have been a local. But she was not convinced to let her guard down by his introduction; she looked at the bucket then. “What is that for?” she asked further.

“The bucket? It’s just cold water, nothing more, nothing less, and a rag. You were burning up while you were sleeping.” There was irony in his statement that Annastaria recalled in the dream she had as her eyes drifted away to the lamp in the far left corner to ponder. He had no idea just how much she was burning up in the vision. “May I come in?” he asked. Annastaria looked at him again, and he wasn’t sure if it was a good look or a bad one. “I just want to place this bucket in the room for you.” he continued, “I was gonna check on your fever, as I have been, but if you’re awake, I’m sure you can do that yourself.”

“I am fine.” she quickly corrected, “Only… I am just not completely clear in my mind, is all.”

“That’s good. I mean, not good that you’re a little dizzy, but that’s normal. You were quite out of it for a while back there.”

Annastaria began to realize that at least up to the point that she blacked out, it was all real. She just didn’t know what was happening before that. “Where am I?” she asked, “And where are my things? And where is the little girl that was with me?”

Gerdan pointed to a chair next to the one with the lamp on it, “You’re in Mennix. Your shoes, backpack and body armor are over there for you. And your friends, including the girl, are all here. The girl, however, is sleeping; she’s very tired. If I may say, she’s tired from constantly watching over you. I finally convinced her to go to bed, and wait in the morning for you. She’s in the room just next to this one. The other two gentlemen you came with are downstairs. You may want to go down there and let them know you’re okay.” 

Annastaria paused, absorbing the information given by this man. Once he finished, he took his leave, allowing Annastaria to gather her thoughts.

Among all the unsettling thoughts, she had the sinking thought that someone, likely Rolek, went through her backpack and took the artifact, or that even Oden did, or that they went through it at all. She jumped from the bed and to her things, scrambling through it, finding everything, including the artifact in its place, still within her backpack. 

But as her heart and mind began to cool, she realized she was searching her backpack with two bare arms. She saw the enchantments on her right arm, and her right hand. Someone removed her sleeve and glove. Gerdan didn’t appear alarmed by it, and surely he saw her bare right arm. What about the others? There was only one way to find out, and that meant she would have to endure the unyielding commotion outside the room.

She put her boots on, and opened the door, being immediately rushed by the loudness of the men somewhere below her, and the light coming from the main floor. To the left and right were more rooms, and just a few feet ahead of her was a balcony railing made entirely of smoothened wood. She looked over the railing to a large inn floor below that was as full as an inn restaurant floor could be. 

Opposite to her, on the second floor, were more rooms. On the inn floor, to Annastaria’s left was the main entrance, which was two wooden doors. To her right, opposite the door, was a U-shaped bar counter, and an impressive rack of alcoholic beverages behind it. Behind that wall was likely the kitchen. On the wall opposite Annastaria, on the inn floor, was a large fireplace that gave considerable light to the whole room, and to the left of it, a small stadium where a kamorjien violinist played music that matched the energy of the people.

Most of the lighting came from the large chandelier hanging from the ceiling. The roof had a pointed arch down the center from the door to the back, and the walls were decorated with Oenian shields and war artifacts. It had an old-world theme to it, which strangely dazzled Annastaria. The commotion on the inn floor was so chaotic, that there were not even tables organized properly. It appeared as though the tables were moved around to the liking of the patrons, who themselves, though mostly men from the backwood parts of Oenkev, did not appear to be unfriendly. There were some kamorjien among the crowds, and of course dwarves, but most were aenmen–and there were also many women, laughing and joking with the men as well.

It was like an entire city crammed into a small building. Oden and Rolek were supposed to be among this crowd, but she had a hard time even focusing on finding them. She took a few careful looks around the bar and caught Oden with her wandering eye, sitting and talking casually with some men she did not recognize. Now for finding Rolek. A large burst of laughter came from somewhere to the left, towards the door, drawing Annastaria’s eyes to it, and there, in a group of gathered tables filled with patrons, she spotted Rolek in their midst, laughing and playing a card game with them. He was fitting right in with this crowd. Somehow, Annastaria couldn’t help but smile at it. But she found her two persons of interest; it was time to go down and talk to them.

She walked to the left, where there was a staircase she saw people coming up and down from, and went towards them to walk down, and passed one or two people, most of which stared at her more than someone ought to. It made her stiff, but she pressed on, as none of them did anything but stare in silence. She came to the floor, and it seemed as though the obscenity got even worse. She could smell the alcohol, and some other not-very-pleasant smells. She did her best to move past patrons sitting and moving, as well as waiters and waitresses carrying food, drinks, trays both full and empty, and she tried her best not to touch any of them until she managed to weave her way to Rolek, who spotted her just a few feet before she got to him.

He was in the middle of joking laughter as he saw her, and once he did, he threw his arms up and said aloud with a cigar in his mouth, “Ah! There she is! The elf-lady of the hour!” The others looked as Rolek deliberately made her the center of attention, which she was hoping to avoid entirely. Their laughter seemed to subside as an uncomfortable Annastaria stood next to Rolek with eyes on her. Rolek continued his loudness, however, “You guys think you’re a bunch of boozing shiners, you oughta get a load of this chick! I told her we were almost at Mennix, just one more hour and she couldn’t wait to start boozing.” He started to laugh, and Annastaria began to panic, “She didn’t even make it to town! Ask Gerdan and his boys, hahaha! We had to carry her drunk ass all the way in!” The others burst out in laughter, and some raised their mugs to Annastaria. “I tell you what!” Rolek said over their laughter, “You ain’t gonna meet another elf like this!”

The warmth that flustered in Annastaria’s cheeks was so intense, it sent waves of the same warmth through her entire body. She wanted to correct the record, but there was no way she could even yell louder than they all laughed. She tugged at Rolek’s shirt and said in his ear, “Can we please talk? Now?”

Rolek set his cigar down, and excused himself. Annastaria took him, as well as her crippled pride to the side, where it was somewhat quieter. “What in Eldreon and heaven are you doing?” she scolded.

“I’m doing you a favor, that’s what.” Rolek said, “Nice to see you up, by the way–and also, by the way,” he smirked as he gave her a thumbs up, “I dig the hair loose. You should let it fly more often.”

Annastaria looked at her hair for a moment, and realized she forgot to tie it back up; it was messy, but still wavy and resting around her neck. She pointed at him, “You are telling these fools that I am a drunken harlot? Why would you say such a thing?”

“First, I didn’t call you a harlot. Second, because people around here aren’t fond of elves. Apparently, this is an area that doesn’t care much for them or masters.”

“Why?”

“Don’t know,” Rolek answered, his tone more serious now, “but I’d like to find out. Either way, if they know you’re an outsider, like I know, that’s not going to bode well for you, and especially me. So, I’m selling you as a partying elf with no affiliations to either the zealots, or the high elves.”

Annastaria tried to lash out at him, but her mind caught the rebuke, and she stuttered. That made some sense, even though it was a lie, and she didn’t like it. Rolek put a hand on her shoulder and continued, “Trust me, pointy-ears, you don’t wanna be standing out in a place like this.”

“And what about you? I hope that you are not actually drinking yourself into oblivion.”

Rolek nearly chuckled, “Pfft! Relax, I’m fine. If you didn’t notice, all I had was one beer at my seat. I can take care of myself, and I know when I’m having too much. I’ve got a game to get back to, if we’re done here.”

“We are not done. What happened on the hill earlier?”

“Ask Oden, he’s probably worried sick about you. And don’t worry, the brat’s sleeping right now. Probably good for her, instead of being down here, anyways. Now, if you’ll excuse me.” He walked off, but Annastaria still had a nagging question on her mind.

“Wait!” she said, stopping him. He turned and waited as she hesitated. “The artifact is still in my pack. I know you had a chance to take it… Why did you not?” she asked.

Rolek looked down, and seemed as though he was stumped for a moment. “We still got a duel to do, remember?” he said, smirking at her.

“And what about this deal about me giving up the artifact? You know I am still not going to do that.”

Again, Rolek paused, and Annastaria’s curiosity was aroused. “We’ll see.” he said, “Go check on wonder boy.” and he walked back to his table, leaving Annastaria in a pool of questions. The only thing she knew she had to do before she went to talk to Oden, was that she needed to tie her hair up, which she couldn’t do, given she had nothing on her to tie it with. So be it, she made her approach to Oden.

When she came to him, he knew she was coming not out of some heightened awareness level he did not have, but merely by the fact that the bartender saw her and pointed her out. He turned around and was surprised to see her coming up to him, but more glad than anything. 

“Erene!” he said, stepping off his seat and going for a hug. Before she could even rebuke him, he wrapped his arms around her. Yet somehow, she at the same time felt like she was sort of okay with it. She gave a small hug back to him.

“I was so worried about you.” he said as they let go, “What the hell happened up there?” 

Annastaria didn’t answer him immediately. “I was going to ask this of you…” she said, “So what happened on that cliff was real?”

“Yeah. We were looking at this place and you suddenly were having some kind of panic attack.”

“Is that when I collapsed?”

“Not right away. Rolek, Bella and I were calling and trying to get your attention, but it’s like you weren’t even there. Finally you started screaming, and that’s when Gerdan and his men showed up.”

“Gerdan?” Annastaria asked. The man who brought her the bucket of water in her room a few minutes ago?

“Yeah. He was out there with his group. Turns out they were the ones you were hearing the whole time, and the ones tracking us. They’re hunters and deputies here.” That made sense, as Annastaria pondered on it for a moment, and explained why Gerdan and these countrymen were interested in finding the three of them. But it didn’t explain everything just yet, such as why they were looking for them, and how they tracked them. 

Oden continued, “Rolek nearly blasted the dudes away; thank God he didn’t. You were freaking out on us, your eyes rolled back, and your breathing was out of control. We had to take Gerdan at his word that he could get us to safety.” Oden looked around, and as if to try to keep his next words between himself and her, “Erene… he was talking kind of funny. Not in the sense that he was bad, he’s a great guy, and he’s letting us stay here free… but he was very adamant on us not being out there at night.”

“He is not charging us for being here tonight?”

“No. He and his folks who run this place all agreed that we could stay the night–on the house. But I don’t think it was out of sheer courtesy.”

“What do you mean?”

“Like I said, he insisted. He wasn’t specific, but he almost didn’t give us a choice except to come with him to town to stay the night. Rolek and I weren’t in a position to argue. I thought you were dying right in front of us, and Gerdan was the only one who seemed to know what to do, so we brought you here.”

“And my things?”

“I carried your things into town for you. Don’t worry, I didn’t go through them, and no one insisted on going through them.” 

Annastaria was stunned. For a moment she didn’t believe it. Only one thing seemed to suffice. “Uhhmm… Thank you.” she said, stuttering at first

“Of course. It’s one thing to go through a guy’s stuff, it’s another to go through a lady’s.” Annastaria smiled, almost cynically. Oden read her face and responded with his own smile, “Hey, look, maybe where you come from, men don’t treat the ladies like that, but here, we do.” 

Annastaria didn’t want to acknowledge Oden’s charity beyond that. It felt too uncomfortable. She shouldn’t be getting this close. But in spite of all of this, and so far good news, there was a particularly nagging question eating away at her. “So…” she said slowly, and nervously, trying to formulate her words properly, “No one had to…” she began to gesture, “remove anything from me, other than my shoes and hair tie, did they?” She dreaded the question, and even more the answer that she no less needed.

Oden could see the concern in her face, and he nearly laughed. “Have no fear, Erene.” he said, “No removal of clothing was necessary except your body armor. You were burning up and they were trying to keep you cool. Gerdan checked on you every so often with cold water to keep your fever down, and Bella didn’t want to leave you. She eventually agreed to go get some sleep; poor kid was exhausted. But other than that, you were left alone.” 

Once again, Annastaria had only one thing to say. “Thank you… I do not know what else to say.” 

“Don’t thank just me.” Oden said, “Gerdan and his guys did most of the work. I just held your things and looked like a lost boy most of the time.” 

Annastaria gave a small giggle, and Oden reacted with a chuckle himself. It was obvious who was the next person to talk to at this point, which was Gerdan, who just happened to appear from behind the bar to help customers. He and Annastaria made eye contact, and she could see him more clearly in the light coming from the chandelier above. He was a charming man, she had to admit, but only in her mind. “So how long have I been asleep?” she asked Oden.

“About three and a half hours.” Gerdan answered, drawing both her and Oden’s attention. He leaned on the counter to talk to them with a welcoming expression. Annastaria looked around and approached him, accompanied by Oden. “You look like you need a drink.” Gerdan joked. She gave a small smirk, but had serious questions on her mind. 

“That is the last thing I need right now.” she answered.

“Of course. Maybe you need answers, first.”

Annastaria looked at him quietly, but affirmatively. He looked at both of them, and his smile faded. “Follow me.” he said.

The two of them did so as Gerdan led them upstairs and to a balcony view where they could see the rest of the main road that went progressively downhill to the rest of the town, which from what Annastaria could see, seemed to be going west. They could still hear the constant socializing downstairs in the main floor, but now with the cool calm of the night sky and crickets in the distance. “If I have been sleeping that long,” said Annastaria, “then it must be very late.” 

Gerdan shrugged casually as he leaned on the wooden railing of the balcony edge and said, “Depends on when you define bedtime. For most of the guys in here, bedtime is still a long way off.”

“Where I am from, bedtime was at least an hour ago.”

“A lot of people around here would like to know where you’re from.”

Annastaria was silent for a few seconds to think about why that was. Maybe that was why people were staring at her. “Why would they want to know where I am from?” she asked. 

Gerdan was humored by the question, as if it was a silly one to ask. “Is it not obvious?” he said, “We don’t get a lot of elves through here for one, and elves always mean magic.”

“Surely there must be more.” said Rolek, who startled them as he appeared from where they came from, “Don’t think you guys can have a little meeting about what the hell happened a few hours ago without me… Oenkev is no stranger to magic in the world. Why is a little town south of Cymroyl different?”

Gerdan looked at each of them, as if to hesitate, or feel the pressure of Rolek’s probing. Finally he spoke, “Because magic has, for a good while now, been a cause for great fear and unease in these parts… Ever since the events that happened in the past decade, magic has been unwelcomed. And especially with the Febian uprisings taking place, the influence of anti-magic ideals is making its way to these parts.”

Annastaria felt as though she sprang fully awake then. Magic? Estranged in this place? Gerdan knew something; he may be her key to understanding the readings her people found in this place. Nevertheless, she calculated in her mind how to get the information out of him, careful not to give anyone any impression about her intentions here.

“What kind of incident happened a decade ago?” Rolek probed further.

Gerdan took a deep breath, as if to be tired of explaining the story. “It involved dark magic here in the forests.” he said, “This part of the countryside was once very popular until we had a necromancy incident.” Annastaria and Oden were almost stunned at such news.

“Seriously?” said Oden, “Can that really happen?”

“Depends on who you ask.” Gerdan answered.

“What’s that mean?” Rolek asked.

“It means that to some people, it was necromancy, and to others, it was just sick human sacrifice in the name of magic. But no one knows for certain.”

“Why would such an incident not be found in the news?”

“Honesty? Because people just wanted to forget about it. No one wanted it to be true, so they just stopped talking about it. But they also stopped coming to these parts. Even the authorities are reluctant to come out here. So, we watch our home ourselves.” Gerdan looked at Annastaria and said, “And that’s why we were following you.”

“You must have some way of tracking us, then.” she answered, “And I believe you may have magic-detecting equipment on you.”

“We do, actually. Earlier this morning we had gotten readings in the east. So, I took a group to check it out. We found little, except a pair of campsites that were fresh. We had begun to pick up magic activity to the north, but as the day ended, we got readings far too close to home, and so we rushed back. That’s when we stumbled upon you.”

“The campsite was us, for sure.” Oden affirmed, “But we didn’t use any magic, except for Erene using some restoration on a wound she had gotten.”

“Where did you do this?” Gerdan asked them both.

“By the fallen statue, where you found our campsite.” answered Annastaria.

“And you are sure that you did not use more magic after that?”

“Yes… Why?”

Gerdan looked at all three of them as a creeping silence rose among them. “If we didn’t use magic anytime after that,” Rolek said, “and you’re picking stuff up in the north, and then right here near town… who the hell did that then?”

Again, Gerdan was silent. It was like he was shut up by a spirit of silence somehow. He hesitated to speak what they all knew was on his mind. “You know something, Gerdan.” Rolek pressed, “Something not right about this place.”

“Does it might have something to do with the necromancy you spoke about?” Annastaria asked.

Gerdan didn’t expect the question, but gave a few seconds to think, looking out to the town below as he did and said, “I consider myself an honest skeptic. We’ve had some weird things go on in the woods here over the past few years, but nothing that makes me think we have a necromancy problem. I’ve only actually lived here for about five years, far later than what allegedly happened. But, I’m open to the possibility. It isn’t like it’s never happened before.” A moment of silence followed Gerdan finishing his statement. He decided it was an opportunity to ask his own question to Annastaria, “So what exactly happened on that cliff?” She looked at him, almost wanting to glare. “I have to ask,” Gerdan said, “it’s part of my job as a deputy here. Plus, people here know you’re an elf, and elves are always magic-capable, and that in these parts doesn’t bode well with the locals. If you want to clear your name, be straight with me and I’ll make sure everyone else knows.”

Annastaria looked to Oden for a second, to see what his body language was saying. It seemed like he himself was waiting to see what she would do. Would she be up front? Oden certainly wanted to know what happened. She looked back at Gerdan and began, 

“I cannot explain it fully. Everything was going well until… until I heard a loud, piercing sound. It was as if a needle in the form of sound was being pressed into my ears. It became so intense that I could not hear, nor focus on anything around me. I was becoming lost. It was not like anything I had ever experienced before.” Her eyes drifted off, recalling all that happened, “I cannot tell when I went unconscious or not, only that suddenly I was not where I was. I was before a great city… Then the sky in the west seemed to explode in a great blaze of fire that consumed the whole land… It was like the sun itself had come crashing down into Eldreon and utterly consuming everything. The strangest thing of all was that it was as if this great fire… it was as if it was not simply an explosion, but something that was alive, had a mind to it, and it spoke. It was like it had a malice; not like an ordinary flame that consumed by its own nature. It consumed out of hatred… And it spoke. A great chant of some kind came from it, a chant I began to hear after the strange voices whispered to me.”

“What voices?” Gerdan asked, intensely interested in Annastaria’s story.

“I cannot say for sure. Along with you and your men, I heard a voice whisper to me this morning… It was saying something with… numbers, and direction. If I recall, it was saying… three in east, two in west. It was originally what caught my attention. I heard it in the midst of your movement. It is what I heard just before I was being overwhelmed a few hours ago by… gods know what. But I could not make words, not until the great flame came upon me.”

“What did it say?”

Annastaria gave what seemed to be a long, suspenseful pause before she finally gave up the words, “‘You are mine. I am One.’ It spoke in Nagush, an ancient, elvish language.”

“And you know this language?” Gerdan asked, his eyes narrowing. 

Annastaria felt her heart pulsate, realizing she just gave away information she was not supposed to. She stuttered to try and explain, “A little… I learned some of it as I grew up… I had many books in my childhood.” Gerdan stood silent, but his expression hardly changed. 

“So what do you suppose this voice meant with those words?” he asked.

Annastaria sighed, “I do not know. None of it makes sense, and as far as I can tell… it was but a nightmare.”

“From the way you describe the dream, it doesn’t seem like it was just a nightmare.”

Annastaria went silent. She wanted to downplay it, but she couldn’t find a way to argue against what Gerdan said. He was right, it didn’t seem like a meaningless and irrational dream. The voice she heard in the dream was the one she heard that morning while she was conscious and clearly awake. The only difference was the voice whispered and was so unintelligible the first time. 

Gerdan wasn’t sure what to make of any of this. He had to tell the people something, but he felt like while this helped him understand more about this elvish girl and her friends, it still managed to provoke more questions, questions he wasn’t sure how to approach. There seemed only one simple, cut and dry question to ask. 

“So…” he began, “I guess my next question is, are you a danger to the people here?”

Annastaria almost wanted to sarcastically ask if that was a trick question, but she was not in the mood to behave in that way. “No,” she said, “I am not. My friends and I are merely passing through. We needed to find a place to stay the evening… We promise to leave by morning.” The last line was uttered hesitatingly. She couldn’t leave just yet. There was something here that she knew she needed to find. Her people identified a spike in dark magic in this place somewhere; she heard voices in the woods, and nearly died by the sheer power of a vision that ravaged her mind. If Gerdan was as vigilant as he was giving himself to be, he had to know more.

“That settles it then. You’re free to stay here for the evening.”

“Why are you not charging us to stay?”

“You were in grave need. That’s not something I can exploit for money. And around here, while I’m not a superstitious man, I’m not an ignorant person, either. We don’t like leaving people out here in the dark at night… In the morning, I’ll personally see you all on the right track through the woods. Your friend Oden here says you guys are looking to go west, to Stouarch. I can help get you in the right direction. You’re better off not staying in these woods after night. Trust me.” 

Annastaria trusted him more than he knew. But there was little else for her to say at this point, except, “Thank you, Gerdan… You have been far too gracious to us.”

“You can thank me by enjoying the rest of your evening.” he replied with a half-committed smile, “Go downstairs, have a few drinks, talk to your friends, make new friends. We’re all friends here, and if I tell them you guys are okay, they’ll believe me.” 

Annastaria gave a smirk to Gerdan’s offer, “I greatly appreciate it, Gerdan… But I think I would best have a bath.”

“We can help with that. Talk to Jennice, she will help you get a bath or shower ready.” Gerdan then took his leave, allowing the three of them to talk among each other.

Rolek waited until he was gone, back into the inn and they were alone before he spoke. “So,” he began, quietly, “what do you guys think?”

Oden and Annastaria looked at each other, and had to refresh their minds. “I think he’s a good guy.” Oden replied, “Helped us out when we need it.”

“Obviously. I’m talking about what he was saying to us.” Rolek looked at Annastaria, and she knew that he was the only one who knew who she really was, and she would surely know something. “What about you, Erene?” he asked, “What do you think?” She didn’t answer him. “You didn’t tell us the whispers were in Nagush.” he added.

“I did not say because…” she began, hesitating, “I did not know if they were true or not. I was greatly confused.”

“Well, we all are right now. Something’s not right about this place.”

“Are you some kind of detective now?” Oden asked.

“I’m a guy who likes to know what he’s walking into, and I have a hunch.”

“Like what?”

“I told you guys I came through this region once. I’ve never been to Mennix before, but I did hear about what Gerdan was talking about. Supposedly, as the legends say, spirits came out of what people claim is a graveyard at the bottom of Galssan Lake.”

“That sounds creepy.” Oden said, “And hard to believe.”

“I’m not asking you to believe it–I sure as hell don’t. But whatever’s going on here, it’s enough to bubble up some urban legends. And that guy Gerdan seems like a serious dude. If someone like him and his gang of ‘deputies’ are this paranoid of magic in their area, something has to be going on. Something’s got ‘em spooked, and you guys saw the reluctance to speak in his eyes.” Rolek looked at Annastaria then, “And you heard voices in the woods. How often does that happen?”

She looked at him and almost froze. “It never has.” she answered.

“Well look,” Oden said, “I’m getting creeped out here, and I’d rather us have just one stinking night of relaxation, which we were doing real well with for a while. Let’s end the night on a high note, shall we? We’re gone in the morning anyway, so it’s not our problem.”

Rolek didn’t say anything, and Annastaria was perplexed by his interest in the entire thing. His bullying demeanor seemed almost entirely nonexistent. But she agreed with Oden at this point. All she wanted to do was to forget about this and go to bed. But morning would come, and she had to find a way to learn more before she left.

After escaping Ryker’s grasp, the group rests in the mystical Rueldof Forest, now with an unsettling new ‘friend’ in Rolek, the bounty hunter. Is he a friend, or is he a foe? Annastaria struggles to figure it out as he tries to hold her identity over her. Meanwhile, someone or something in the forest stalks them…

Annastaria didn’t sleep much as the pain from the gunshot returned to twist her side. She got out of her small place to sleep as the sun was coming over the horizon in the east, and listened for the river nearby. Bastillina and Oden were still sleeping, but Rolek was nowhere to be found. Annastaria didn’t know if she should be troubled or relieved. She only knew to check and make sure that the artifact was still in her possession. She looked into her backpack, and found it still there, to her relief. Rolek’s things were also still in the campsite however, which meant he was still around, and intended to stay around.

She would worry about that later; the river called to her, somewhere southwest, to refill her water container, and perhaps provide aid to her gunshot wound. It was the one thing stinging her more than any of the ice shard wounds she had gotten. Quietly she walked, slowly moving downhill, and the sounds of the trickling water grew louder and louder. She came over a steep hill and saw below, some thirty feet away, a decent-sized river moving north. Towards the north, her eye caught a statue that was not standing up right, but on its side, apparently sitting in the river.

She carefully made her way down, trying her best not to disturb the wound. But moving downhill forced her to tighten her core muscles, which stung the wound repeatedly, no matter how hard she tried. She gnashed her teeth and seethed as quietly as she could to get to the river below. She tried to lessen her descent, which made her slower, and thus the whole ordeal more torturous. Halfway down she wondered if it was best to just swallow the pain and fly down the hill. It was one of the hardest descents she ever made, but she got to it, tired, and with her heart throbbing in her chest. 

She found a spot near the statue, and got a better look at it. It was a human warrior, and if it were upright, it would likely stand up to twenty feet high. The shield upon the statue’s left arm blocked much of the natural water flow, creating a small pond.

She refilled her water, and stood up to look at the hillside to the east she came down. There were pieces of concrete scattered about the hill at a certain point, and what seemed to be a man-made section of the hill that was shaped into a platform just utop, supported by large rocks forming a cliffside. The statue must’ve been up there somewhere and fell. 

“Wondering if he’ll suddenly start talking to you?” a voice asked from behind her. She knew it was Rolek.

“No.” she replied, “Only trying to understand how it came to be here, in the river.”

“Why don’t you ask him?” Rolek said with an amused smile on his face as he bent down to wash his face with the water, “Maybe he’ll tell you.”

Annastaria turned to his unwelcome presence. “You are not as clever as you think you are.”

“How do you know how clever I think I am?” he quickly said back, standing up and brushing his damp hands through his short, dark hair. Annastaria didn’t know what to say. She was stumped by his quick, and indeed clever replies. When he saw she couldn’t answer his smile only grew bigger.

“What is funny?” she said.

“You really wanna know?” He waited for a moment, as if he actually expected her to answer. “Alright,” he began, “the truth is you… You’re what’s funny.”

Of all the possible things to come out of his mouth, Annastaria thought this was the least-expected. She almost tilted her head at the silly comment. “I do not see how I am funny. And if I am so funny, why can you not beat me in a fight, and you are so determined to have another one that you would follow me across Eldreon?”

Her comment only provoked a chuckle in him, “That’s not what I mean. I mean you, and your whole…” he gestured, “persona. You think you’re fooling everyone with this gimmick of a simple wandering elf.” Annastaria stood still, unsure of what to think. “You can fool the lover boy over there… but you don’t fool me. You’re a zealot.”

Annastaria froze, but fought the feeling as though she were fighting off a paralyzation spell. “What would make you to consider such a foolish idea?”

Rolek chuckled again as he walked past her and towards the statue and looked at it as he continued, “I had my suspicions when we first fought back in Whitehold. Didn’t want to believe it at first. After all, there’s still plenty of reasons why some elvish girl can do what you could do.” He paused, and Annastaria only waited. She knew he was onto her, but she didn’t want to admit it. Then he turned to her to continue, “But what I saw you do in the Rueldof Forest… No way even a semi-trained, random elvish girl–of your age–can do that stuff.”

“You underestimate us elves… and females.”

“Like I said, I have vast respect for the female–especially the female fighter. But I’ve never seen a single elvish female able to do what you were doing back there unless she had a zealot background. The way you moved, and your awareness level was unprecedented. No one’s ever been able to match me like that… except the zealots.”

Annastaria began to wonder about this man’s history. He had to know something about her people. “And what would you know about the zealots?” she asked.

“I’ve come into contact with them before, way out east. Those bastards are clever, quick, and extremely adaptive–especially, especially–in the forest and woods. And you move and act just like them when you fight.” Annastaria said nothing, and Rolek could tell by her silence that she knew he was right. His smile grew into another chuckle; he seemed excited and pleased with himself. “I knew it!” he said aloud, before clapping his hands together and pointing at her.

“Keep your voice down!” she whispered loudly, instinctively approaching him a few steps before she stopped herself.

“Hot damn!” he continued, “And I bet boy-wonder up the hill over there has no idea, does he? If one of you guys is way out this far west, you can’t be coming this way telling people who you are. Holy damn… Do your elders know about you and him? How the hell are you gonna explain that to them?”

“You know nothing of what you speak!” she slammed, while trying to remain as quiet as she could.

“I know a lot, pointy-ears. Like I said, you fool Oden, but you don’t fool me.”

“What do you want? Did you come all the way down here to disturb my morning of peace–the only peace I am able to find out in these cursed lands–to toute your cleverness?”

“No, actually, I didn’t–although that is one reason.” He stepped towards her, and Annastaria took one step back. He smiled, “Chill out, elf–I ain’t gonna do anything to you… I’ll make you a deal.” Annastaria only became more defensive, and didn’t reply, afraid to even entertain whatever he had in mind. She knew it wouldn’t be good. With a smirk on his confidence-blooming face he continued, “You give me the artifact, and I won’t tell Oden the truth.”

Annastaria’s eyes went wide as the proposition entered her brain. “Elgashthe!” she rebuked, “You may drown yourself in this river!”

“Fine.” he said, putting his hands up in a fake surrender notion, “Then I guess Oden’s going to know more about you than you’d like… You know, it’s really going to be even more messed up when Oden learns the girl he’s tripping over his feet for, who lectured him and punched him in the face for not being honest with her, is herself not being even remotely honest with him.” Annastaria again went still, and her heart raced. “I bet he doesn’t even know your real name, does he?” She glared at Rolek, tilting her head down slightly. Rolek wasn’t intimidated. “You can force Oden and the brat into submission with that stare of yours, but it don’t work on me, pointy-ears. So what’s it gonna be? The artifact, or your cover blown?”

“If you tell Oden and Bella anything–”

“Whoa-whoa-whoa–wait! Bella? The brat?” Rolek’s excitement was energized, “Ho-ly crap! She doesn’t know either? You guys aren’t actually some type of duo, are you?”

“Quiet! By the gods, I will have you killed if you say anything!”

“Sorry, been threatened by your kind before, and they couldn’t kill me. And you? In the shape you’re in? I could beat you right now without a hand of my own… Come on, elf, the other two will be up soon; what’ll it be?”

By now, Annastaria’s threatening face changed and she began to plead, “Stop! You cannot do this!”

“You can make it stop with one little word; it starts with ‘D’ and rhymes with meal.”

“If you know about me and my clan, then you also know that we cannot allow artifacts to fall into corrupt hands.”

“Ah, yes, I remember that loathful self-righteousness that permeates from your kind. You guys think you’re entitled to every special magical artifact in the world. Sorry, pointy-ears, but I’m not interested in the wood elves and their delusional crusade to restore a long-lost elvish kingdom. If you haven’t noticed, the elvish empires fell a long, long time ago, and you people need to learn how to move on–the gods ain’t coming to the rescue. So once again, the artifact, or your cover blown. Let this one go, and let it go the easy way, and I don’t care if you’re here to assassinate the president of Oenkev, I’ll let you go unnoticed.”

Before Annastaria could think further, she heard voices over the hill; faint, but they were conversing with one another. It was Oden and Bastillina. “Erene!” Oden’s voice was heard echoing across the forest.

“What’s it gonna be, Erene?” Rolek mocked.

Annastaria’s attention returned to Rolek, and her contempt for him with it. “I swear to you,” she said, “I will kill you if you–”

“You’ve got till the end of the day to decide.” Rolek interrupted, “The artifact, or your cover.”

Oden and Bastillina emerged from over the eastern hillside at that point, and called her alias name again. “I am down here!” she said back, “And keep your voice down! How often must I tell you this?” She looked back at Rolek to speak personally to him, “I am going to apply some restoration aid to my wound. Would you mind giving me some privacy?”

Rolek smiled again, “Sure thing, elf.” He stepped away and towards the others, telling them to give her some space. Still, Annastaria didn’t feel comfortable doing what she needed to do with them around. She went back behind the statue, where she had to remove her shirt and body armor to apply the restoration she needed, which involved water. 

Her shirt was the only protection from the cold she had, having lost her jacket back in the fight with Jorum. Her shirt getting wet out here in the cooling weather was only going to intensify the cold. Shirt and body armor removed, she began to focus upon the water, taking a portion of it with her water manipulation, and began to focus, mixing it with magicka, and the orb of water began to glow.

“She’ll be fine.” Rolek said to a concerned Oden, “She’s just fixing up her wound is all.”

“We did that last night.” Bastillina said.

“Well, she’s doing something a little more special with restoration magic. It’ll speed up the healing process, as well as help with the pain.”

“Won’t she at least need help bandaging it again?”

Rolek stuttered to answer. The girl had a point. She hastened past him suddenly. For a quick moment, Rolek was about to stop her, but stopped himself. Oden went after, and Rolek threw his arm up and grabbed him. “Whoa! Take it easy, wonder boy.” he snapped.

“Don’t they need help?”

“The brat can go; you’re staying here.”

Rolek and Oden waited, while Bastillina helped Annastaria for the next twenty minutes. Oden took his mind off the frustration he felt of not being able to help Annastaria by making morning breakfast, reheating some of the food from Cymroyl they had last night. Most of it was considered dinner food, but out in a place like this, breakfast was not a luxury. Once Annastaria and Bastillina came from around the statue, the four sat and ate. Rolek ate his own food he had with him, and maintained a certain distance from the other three. Annastaria kept her eye on him, knowing that he could at any moment give her away, while Oden and Bastillina casually and blissfully conversed.

She took a moment to pull the now worn and beaten map out of her bag to review their location, and what to do next. There was no point going to Cymroyl anymore; Mennix was just a few miles away. It was time to head straight there, and she now began to wonder how she was going to investigate it without any of the others knowing. 

It was hard to believe she was this close to her objective. The forest surrounding Mennix seemed so calm and ordinary. The birds sang blissfully; the trees brushed against each other from the cool wind, and the rivers ran with tranquility. But there was supposed to be dark magic activity here–not more than four days ago it was. The only explanation she had was that she herself had never encountered the darkness before, even given what she had experienced with intruders into their lands. But that wasn’t a comforting explanation; all it meant was that she had no real idea what to expect.

The restoration spell Annastaria applied to her abdominal wound began to take effect, and she was able to sit up more freely, and she lightly stretched herself, strangely at peace with Oden and Bastillina’s innocent conversation. Then, her ears caught a sound, like footsteps crunching leaves. It was difficult to hear with Oden and Bastillina, sometimes even laughing; it seemed obscured, and she thought at first all it was was more of the forest sounds. But it had intelligence to it, patterns, and something more. 

Annastaria perked up, but she didn’t want to unnecessarily disturb Oden and Bastillina’s bliss. Rolek noticed that she was onto something, and watched quietly, until she began going back up the hill. “What is it?” he asked quietly. The question caused Oden and Bastillina to go silent and look at Annastaria, who was a few feet northeast of the camp now, looking around.

“I heard something.” she said.

“Like what?” Bastillina asked.

Annastaria didn’t answer for a moment. She wasn’t sure enough yet; she was still trying to figure out where it was coming from. “Footsteps.” she said. But then something else came into her ears that she couldn’t understand. “And…” she said, hesitating, unsure if she should believe it, “and voices… whispers.”

“Do you know where they’re coming from?” Rolek asked.

Again, Annastaria paused, trying to collect an answer for him. She shook her head, “I do not know where the voices are coming from… But the footsteps are northeast… And they grow closer.”

“Are they just one set?” Oden asked as he got up with his bag.

“No.” Annastaria replied, “They are many.”

“How far?” Rolek asked.

“They cannot be more than half a mile away.” The whispers were gone by now.

“Well,” Rolek said as he hastily began packing his things, “we don’t wanna be around here whenever whoever gets here.”

“He is right.” Annastaria said, turning back to them, “We must leave now, and quietly.”

Bastillina panicked, but did as she was told. Oden stomped out the small fire, and grabbed his bag. Rolek took the lead, suggesting getting across the river by the statue. It was risky, but the most effective way. The four of them, one after the other, carefully but as fast as they could, climbed up and went across the statue, and continued on west, into the treeline as cover. Annastaria stopped at one tree to look towards the hills to the east that went down to the river, hoping to catch a glimpse of the men.

“Erene!” Oden whispered loudly, “We gotta go!”

“You go.” she said, not turning her eyes to him, “I will catch up.”

Rolek agreed without hesitation, and had Oden and Bastillina reluctantly follow him. He knew Annastaria was a trained wood elf; she thrived in the shadows of the forest. She waited a few more seconds, still hearing the men, who were talking to each other over the hill. Then, there was movement, off to the right. 

She saw two men emerge, wearing long coats, one carrying a bow, the other a long rifle. They were searching and scanning the area, and spotted the now put-out fire Oden made near the river, signalling the others. Annastaria tried to look carefully to see if she recognized them, but couldn’t. At fifty yards away, they were difficult for her to see. There was nothing left for her to discover, and she turned and disappeared into the trees, catching up to the others. 

“Did you see them?” Oden asked.

“Yes.” she replied, “And I do not recognize them.”

“Intero?”

Annastaria didn’t know much about the customs of aenmen, but she was confident in her conclusion. “I do not think so.” she replied, shaking her head, “They wore long, brown coats. Some carried bows, and others wooden long-rifles. They did not appear to dress in any formal way.” Everyone looked at each other for answers that no one could give. “I do not know who they are or what they are searching for.” Annastaria continued, “But they are clearly looking for someone. They took interest in our campsite.”

“Whoever they are,” Rolek said, “they must know a thing or two about tracking, and they’re tracking us.”

“How can we be sure?” Oden asked.

“I’m not about to find out the hard way. We’re better off moving on.”

Annastaria turned her head again north, hearing something again, and drawing everyone’s attention to her. “What is it?” Oden asked.

“More groups of people.” she said, “North of us.”

“Dammit.” Rolek said, “Whole damn search party out there.”

“I think I hear them.” Bastillina said, “I heard something over there.”

“They are getting close.” Annastaria said.

“That’s because we’re talking and not moving.” Rolek whispered, “Follow me!”

Annastaria hesitated, but followed as they wisped through the trees and brush, Rolek taking the lead, and Annastaria following him, while Oden made sure to keep Bastillina in front of himself. After a few seconds, they saw a large cliffside appear to the west that went as far right and left as they could see. Rolek didn’t stop however, and began to run north along the cliff that stood up to fifty feet high, until he came to what appeared to be a cave entrance, or a tunnel. “Through here.” he said.

The others followed unhesitantly, until Annastaria saw the black tunnel entrance staring at her like the mouth of a monster ready to swallow her, and came to a complete halt. “Wait-wait-wait!” she said, causing the others to stop and turn to her.

“What’s wrong?” said Oden.

Annastaria looked around with an uncertain look on her face before speaking, “I think we should… find another way around.”

“We can’t.” Rolek said, “This entire cliff runs ten miles north and southwest. Those guys ‘ll catch us well before we get around it. The only way out is through.”

“It is dark!” Annastaria snapped, “We could fall and greatly hurt ourselves. I certainly do not need more of that… Plus it is probably wet, and cold, and we could get lost.”

Oden and Bastillina couldn’t understand what they were hearing. Why was Annastaria not unwilling to deal with the common dangers they have been facing this entire time until now? What was it about this tunnel that sent a chill through her? Rolek smiled as if a lightbulb came on. “I don’t believe it.” he said, “Are you… scared?”

“What?” Annastaria replied, “Do not be foolish!” She paused as her moment of resentment faded at the sight of the cave again, “But do you not think it is a little…” she stopped, trying to find the right words.

“A little what?” Rolek said, “Scary?” Annastaria glared at him, which only amused him further.

“You mean…” Bastillina said, hesitating for a moment, “You’re… afraid of the dark?”

“I am not afraid of the dark.” Annastaria said defensively, “I would just prefer not to enter into these horrible caves.”

“Well,” said Rolek, “scared or not, this is our only hope. You’re in no condition to climb, I ain’t carrying you–that’s for damn sure–and going around is going to get us caught; those guys are honing in on us fast. Come on, pointy-ears, we all gotta do stuff we don’t like sooner or later.”

Annastaria sent another glare at Rolek. He was a truly detestable human being.

“We’ll go in together.” Oden said, stepping towards her, “We’ll stick close; Rolek seems to know what he’s doing. We can lock arms if you’d like.”

Annastaria recoiled at the idea, and rolling her eyes, walked past him, “Let us just get this over with.”

Rolek took the lead, and Annastaria insisted on going behind him. But the tunnel drew nearer and nearer, and blacker and blacker until she was swallowed in it, as if she had just been eaten by a beast. Rolek pulled out a flashlight to illuminate the path ahead. “These used to be mines.” he said, “Been abandoned for some time.” His voice echoed in a way that unsettled Annastaria. Immediately her mind aroused the idea that they disturbed some dark creatures that stalk the shadows and any who would dare enter.

It only took less than a minute for there to be no morning light, no trace of its warmth, no birds to sing to her, and instead only pitched black, cold darkness. Her eyes darted to wherever she thought she heard the walls move, but nothing was there. Then again, she couldn’t see anything. Her ears were confused at the vibrating of even the tiniest sounds, and her eyes could see almost nothing, save for the unsettling, jagged walls of the rocks, which seemed to slither to the glistening light from Rolek’s flashlight as they proceeded. Oden began to notice that she was slowly moving towards him; Bastillina had passed her up by now, who didn’t seem any more frightened than Rolek did.

A strange sound of squeaking and pattering erupted from the dark somewhere, and Annastaria let out an embarrassing gasp as she almost fell into Oden’s arms. It was only rats, but it was enough for her that she clung to his arm the rest of the way through the tunnel. Oden couldn’t believe she was clinging to him, but she seemed so consumed with the anxiety that shook her, that she didn’t seem to notice she was unashamedly wrapped around his arm. He smiled, but didn’t fight her insistence, nor tell her what she was doing. He rather enjoyed the moment. 

Progressively they were going up, until they came to an old, wooden ladder. Rolek went first, and opened the hatch that blocked their way out. Annastaria never thought she’d value the sunlight so much, going right after Rolek until she emerged into more forest and woods. She fell to her knees, trying to compose herself, while also trying to keep herself appearing calm. Bastillina came next, and then Oden.

 “See?” Rolek said, “That wasn’t so bad. I think we made good time, too.” He turned to Annastaria, “Hear any more voices, elf? I mean, other than the rats.”

Annastaria glared at him for a moment, but still, she needed another few seconds before she felt safe to even speak. At least his question took her mind off of the cursed tunnel. She looked around, and concentrated on the sounds of the forest. “I…” she began, “I do not hear anything apart from the forest.”

“Sounds good to me.” Rolek replied, scanning the area.

“But we should not think we have so much time; we must press forward.”

“The Spear of Halgarden is about twenty miles west of here.” Rolek said, “I say we make for that, take a break and plan our next move. Keep west, but take the way that goes uphill instead of straight. That’s how you’ll know you’re getting to it.”

“You seem to know these areas well.” Oden said as they continued on.

“Hey, I don’t ask you where you’re from, you don’t ask me where I’m from. But, I’ll just say that this isn’t my first round-about in Oenkev. I came here years ago on a hiking trip.”

“A hiking trip? That’s it?”

“Yeah, that’s it. What? You think guys like me can’t enjoy a little outdoors? One of the reasons I got into this business is because I get to travel all over these massive regions. Hunting’s my favorite thing to do.”

“And so you’re a hiking hunter turned human hunter?”

“I hunt humans, I don’t gut them and sell them in the local food market. But like I said, I don’t ask you for your life story, you don’t ask me about mine.”

Annastaria took the lead, guiding the four of them west, keeping eye of the position of the sun and the northern winds that came from the sea, some one-hundred or so miles to the north, considering all these things to ensure she was going in the right direction. The woods continued, as well as the hilly land for at least another forty minutes, and perhaps an hour, with the company of a few casual conversations between each of them. 

Bastillina did well not to engage Rolek in any conversation, keeping the bias she had against him from Annastaria, who herself kept an eye on Rolek as much as she kept it on the sunlight, knowing that the later the day grew, the less time she had to decide what to do about his ‘offer’ to her. After some time, they were moving uphill. The higher up this hill they went, the more a sense of swelling came over Bastillina, like that of a music piece ready to drop her off the edge of its great climax. This hill was different than the others, and the group was deliberately climbing up it, over some rocky areas, until it finally began to smoothen out. By now, they were above the trees and as they came to the top, the cool wind from the northwest rushed them like a great wave. It was the climax to the masterpiece; Bastillina’s eyes were awakened, trying to capture the whole sight in one look, but failing mightily.

Standing on a jagged cliff edge facing southwest, the view gave way to a whole grand mountain range that stretched from south to north as far as she could see some fifteen miles west. To the south, it gradually hooked to the west, and the farther north the mountains went, the higher they were, and their peaks coated with white. The limit of her view was only the horizons she saw north, south and east, and she could even see the buildings of Cymroyl in the distant northeast and an entire forest between them and the city, surrounding them in every direction. Between the cliff they stood on and the mountains ahead to the west was a valley going down to a large river that began from a large lake to the south, and went north, eventually to open to the Rip that went through Cymroyl, and more forest leading to the mountains in the west.

“Here we are.” Rolek said, taking in the sight, “The Spear of Halgarden… Ah! It never gets old.”

Bastillina had no words. Even Annastaria had to pause at the sight. “We will rest here for lunch.” she said, “And move on.” She pointed down into the valley, “We must carry on, that way; cross the river and into Mennix for the night.”

“Wait, hold on.” Rolek said, walking next to her, “Mennix? What for?”

“To rest the night, of course.”

“Why stop there? We can go farther, and get closer to Stouarch before we call it a night.”

“I am not going to Stouarch.”

Rolek paused, reminded that Annastaria was not who she said she was. He was tempted there to tell the other two that she was a zealot, but remembered his deal with her. “Where exactly are you headed?” he asked.

Annastaria nearly went silent that he dared to ask that question. “I am eventually moving south.” she said.

“Into Febia? Why in the world would you go through there?”

“I am not going through Febia. Forik is where I must go next.”

Rolek couldn’t believe what he was hearing, and he was nearly paralyzed silent. Still, this elf’s strange journey made him more curious about what her tribe was up to. “Forik’s surrounded by mountains.” Rolek said, “There’s almost nothing there. Why?”

“That is not your concern.”

“I’m ready for the mountains.” Bastillina said, leading to a moment of silence from everyone.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about, kid.” Rolek said, “I doubt even pointy-ears here does. Autumn is only weeks away, and as bad as the Foregoth mountains get, the Halgador mountains still get pummeled.”

Annastaria stepped towards him, with the intent of confrontation. “I am going to Farik.” she answered, “Whether you like it or not. You have till the end of the day to decide if you will come with me.”

His words used against him, and he knew what she was doing. But he wouldn’t show weakness in front of her; he only smiled, partly because he knew she was trying to counter his own deal against her, but mostly to conceal his contempt for her stubbornness. The elves permeated with it.

“Well look,” Oden said, sensing the tension between them, “whatever the case, Mennix is just down the valley. Whatever we decide, we aren’t getting farther than that… I think it’s best we head there, find a place to stay, and decide then. And yes, I got the money to get us a hotel. Unlike last time, the Intero won’t be owning any hotels there. As for right now, my feet are killing me, and I’m sure Bella would love to rest and take in the nice view, so let’s take it easy for a few minutes.”

To that they all agreed, even Annastaria. Mostly, she wanted Bastillina to enjoy some solace, which she was clearly getting with the view. The girl sat on a rock, staring at the mountains, feeling the never-ending breeze brush through her hair. It was a front row seat to the greatest orchestra she had ever experienced. The winds never changed, continually blowing in from the north, cool as ever, balancing the heat from the sun which was only some three hours from setting by this point. Oden was right, even if Annastaria was to go to Forik, she would not make it through these forests by the end of the day.

Annastaria went to sit next to Bastillina, while Oden and Rolek bickered over food and sports. “What do you think?” Annastaria asked, half-smiling.

The question excited a smile from Bastillina, whose hair was constantly blown into her face. She shrugged as she scanned them again, trying to catch the entire mountain range in one sight. “It’s just… It’s like they’re not even real.”

Annastaria smiled. “It is okay if you do not know what to say.” she said.

“I wish I did… I’ve never seen mountains so close before. I always saw them in paintings and on the television… but this…” Words escaped her to explain.

The mountains were still a good distance away from them, but for Bastillina’s tender eyes, it gripped her. Annastaria caught a thought as her memory was jogged from something she read once. “There is an old legend,” she began, “that many of the mountains we see are the graves of fallen gods… When a god dies in battle, he falls and his remains give way to the mountains.” Bastillina looked at her, curious as much as she was struggling to believe such a thing. “It is only a legend, though.” Annastaria added.

Bastillina looked back at the mountains, and scanned them for a few more seconds. “How is it possible for a god to die?” she asked.

Annastaria didn’t consider such a question, and didn’t know how to answer it. “I do not know.” she said, looking at the mountains.

“I mean, aren’t they up there? And we’re down here? They must be massive, and powerful… It seems like the only one who could kill a god was another one.”

“That is often what the legends and myths claim. The divine cannot be slain by ordinary mortality.”

“Are they the reason it rains and thunders?”

“I believe they are, yes. But especially the God of gods, Artharos. He sits at the center of the council of the gods, what we call the Circle of Kadros.”

“Can he be killed?”

“No… No one can kill him. He is the center of all the council, and it is by him they have become gods. Some even say that Artharos made the world.”

“Really? That’s… hard to imagine. How can you make something like this?”

“It is difficult for us to know of course. We are like the dirt to him.”

Bastillina heard thunder come from the dark clouds that stood over the far northern mountains, and her attention was drawn to them. Annastaria saw the fear and uncertainty it pressed on her. “I hope he’ll keep those nasty clouds away from us when we get up those mountains.” Bastillina said.

“I pray he will as well.”

“So tell me, Erene,” Rolek said, interrupting their conversation, “you obviously read a lot; I bet you read the elvish scriptures a lot since you know the language: what do you think about the theory about the Phoenix Child and the Emperor Armadon?”

Bastillina looked at Annastaria with the same question on her face now, wondering what any of this was about. Obviously somewhere in their bickering about food, Oden and Rolek’s conversation took a strange turn towards history and prophecy. At least they were talking about a more thoughtful and meaningful topic. 

Annastaria pondered her reply for a moment and then began, “There are many who believe the princess was truly born to the Emperor Armadon, who perished during the Uprising that destroyed his empire. The elves seem to be divided, at least in the high elf world, as we know little of what the wood elves believe. Clearly Armadon had a daughter, who many believed was pure due to her apparent line that Armadon claimed came from the ancient elves of Aunden. And yet, there are still others who believe she could not have been, mainly because she was aenian, and not elvish; the prophecies assume that the child must be of elvish blood.”

“Something tells me you’re of the ladder opinion.” Rolek said with a smile. Annastaria knew what he meant by it, and she knew he was playing games with her.

“What I believe makes little difference.” she answered.

Oden decided to try his chances at the subject, “I’m not all that conversant in the elvish scriptures, but I think the theory is pretty interesting. We do know that Armadon had a daughter, although we don’t know what happened to her.”

“What’s all this about?” Bastillina asked.

“Prophecy, kid.” Rolek answered quickly, “Supposedly, there needs to be what many call ‘The Phoenix Child’ that the elvish scriptures speak of, who comes to end the blight of Corruption on Eldreon. Lots of people, especially in the scholarly world, argue she already came in the Uprising.”

“When did that happen?”

“About fifteen years ago. If Armadon’s daughter was about two years old at the time of the Uprising, that would mean if she were alive today, she’d be seventeen years old. If you believe that’s how old she was, that is.”

“You think she died in the Uprising?” Oden asked.

Rolek shrugged, “No one knows for sure. She disappeared right as Dongerden fell.” Rolek leaned forward from his seat upon the rock he was on, as if he was letting everyone in on a secret, “The big theory that everyone talks about is this: supposedly the princess disappears at the same time that the supposed ‘Fire’ disappears.”

“What’s the Fire?” Bastillina asked.

“No one knows for sure. Mixed reports came out of Dongerden regarding many things, the Fire included. Some said the Fire was a human, others said the Fire was a different name for the Uprising rebellion itself that overwhelmed the city, forcing the newly-formed Enussian Union to intervene. But I think there’s too much that goes against the ladder theory. Lots of people think that the Fire was actually a human, and that the princess was the Fire. That’s why people began to believe she was the Phoenix Princess–or the Phoenix Child. She was known to already be magic-sensitive. Most believe she suddenly tapped into her mastery, and became the Fire. Filled with rage, and a propensity towards fire that consumed the whole land, and killed her father as she herself perished in the fires her anger fueled.”

“Is that even possible?” Bastillina questioned.

“Of course it is not.” Annastaria interrupted, “It is a foolish notion; one that ought to be completely abandoned for the obvious truth that it is impossible for any master to be able to achieve such power at only the age of two years.”

“That’s why no one is sure if she was actually two.” Rolek answered, “I personally think she was probably around six. Besides, even if she was only two years old, so what? The elvish scriptures ‘ve made even weirder claims. They say dragons can talk, and that a man who wasn’t even a master learned how to use magic.”

“That is not so unordinary.” Annastaria objected, “Any human can use magic scrolls; the power is not in the human but in the scroll itself that was enchanted. I did a similar thing in the forest against Jorum when I used a spell of fire against him to escape. That did not require me to use my mastery.”

“So you’re telling me that a passage in one of the scriptures, which explicitly says that a man used magic while not a master, and treated the event as a miracle, was just using an ordinary means everyone knows? Doesn’t that make it not a miracle?”

Annastaria’s irritation for Rolek’s critique showed visibly with her eyes glaring at him, but internally, she was stumped and surprised that someone like him was even semi-prepared for something like this. “What, are you some kind of scholar of the ancient scriptures?” she said.

Rolek’s smile didn’t waver as he replied, “Not at all… I just like to think I take the scriptures at their word, is all. You don’t seem to wanna do that.”

“You speak as if I am supposed to be some devout wood elf.”

Rolek chuckled, but said nothing. Oden could almost feel the anger radiate from Annastaria. “Hey, come on guys,” he intervened, “we were just having a conversation, that’s all. I thought it would be cool to discuss some theories about the Uprising.”

“All I’m saying,” Rolek said, “is that there have been much stranger things in the past. I actually think my theory, which is shared by a lot of people, makes more sense than all that other stuff. We know a figure called the Fire was roaming around Auserkesh during the Uprising fifteen years ago, we know this figure had to be a powerful master, and we know that when the princess disappeared, the Fire did as well. Come on, weirder things ‘ve been thought of.”

Annastaria said nothing. She folded her arms and looked away, refusing to entertain this conversation anymore. Bastillina remained curious about it, wanting to know more. But she also knew she wasn’t supposed to be interested in talking to Rolek, and so she didn’t ask further.

Once rested, they had to move on. They followed Annastaria back down from the Spear of Halgarden, and into the forest again. The sun was in its final stages of the day, facing them and telling the group that they were still moving west. The mountains to the west and northwest caused dusk to come early into the forest. Though they were down from the high point of the Spear of Halgarden, they were still moving through hilly lands, and they came to an overlook that gave them a view of the town below, and the sun just setting over the trees in the horizon. The whole time, Annastaria expected to see something strange, unordinary, and out of place. Yet all she saw the whole time was the wilderness of northern Enussia. 

Birds sang, the trees cleaved against each other as the wind brushed through, and the sun glittered through the branches. Streams poured through natural creeks, drawing the attention of other wild animals. There was no sign of Corruption anywhere. She began to wonder if the original reports were simply wrong. It made things even more unnerving for her; the idea that not only was her role in the whole quest puny and insignificant, but that the whole thing was a farce in the first place. She at least hoped to return home with something to offer her elders. Now she began to dread the thought that she would return home to tell them that it was a complete waste of time. Soon enough, they came to the end of a cliff, and looked down to Mennix.

“There it is.” Oden said, “Mennix. Nothing too fancy, unfortunately.”

“That’s probably a good thing.” Rolek said, “The cities have not been kind to any of us here.”

It was difficult to see the buildings with the growing darkness; the sun was not fully beyond the horizon, but its light rays were no longer illuminating the lands. All they had to understand the town were the yellow-tinted lights emitting from spots scattered about the trees below them, and concentrated in an area they presumed to be the central downtown area. From there, the lights slowly spread from each other until there was only the darkness of dusk.

“Hopefully we’re not too late in finding a place to sleep.” Rolek added.

Oden was standing next to a silent and observant Bastillina. “Ready for a goodnight sleep?” he asked her.

She smiled at him, “More than ready. Sheesh! I’m sick of sleeping on rocks.”

Oden was about to respond, when Annastaria gasped and fell to her knees with a hand gripping the right side of her head. “Erene?” he said, looking to her, and his heartbeat increased. 

Whispers amidst a stinging sound needed her ears. The voices seemed both far and near, unintelligible, and impossible to trace. Everything around her began to teeter and sway like a boat in the beating waves of the ocean; maintaining balance was like trying to stand on a ball. She could faintly hear Oden, Bastillina and Rolek call out to her, and try to help her up, but the needling sound pierced her brain, and the whispers that she heard once before consumed her as reality began to slowly fade into darkness.

Just as the darkness dragged her into its deepest point, a blinding light flashed in the west; was it the sun somehow coming up over the western horizon? She looked up, and it was not the sun, but an inferno exploding in rage out of the west, consuming the whole landscape and rolling towards her. 

The town that once stood below them was now like a giant city, like Levaan or Cymroyl, but yet its greatness could not withstand the blazing wall of fire that swallowed it. This fire was no accident; no result of the blind forces of nature. Annastaria could sense it’s wrath as intensely as she could the blistering heat, blowing its hot winds into her face. The inferno was alive! And it was filled with rage. 

By now Oden, Bastillina and Rolek were gone, as were the whispers; yet a chorus of chants was heard coming from the inferno. The consuming fire was too intense for her to discern what the chant was saying, or what language it was spoken in, but it was some form of chant like the ancient Nagush performed, or of the primitive Boudorian tribes. The chants grew louder and louder as the fire came closer and closer, until her skin began to boil and smoke, and it too caught fire and burned away. And just before the blaze finally reached her, after it consumed the city and the mountains, darkness and silence.