Chapter 9
Eertu’s head throbbed. Thoughts were cycling through his mind uncontrollably ever since he woke in Anja’s chambers. Sometimes it would be multiple thoughts competing for his attention threatening to overload his mind. Anja had already gone so he stumbled to the stronghold’s study that he somehow simply knew where was, and rummaged around until he found ink, quill, and parchment. Ever since he had been writing furiously trying to capture everything he felt was important to the here and now in case he was unable to recall it again. Anja had warned him, said it would pass quickly but Eertu did not like to take chances. Finally what he had been sent to find appeared in his mind and he quickly scribed it down. What Vessa had not told him before the trip was that Anja was the true archive. Sure they had a library full of information. A treasure trove of forgotten history, lost legends, of both humans and dwarves, Alchemy recipes, Armor wards and enchantments far more powerful than the trivial garbage his old master had peddled. And that was just the beginning. But it all paled in comparison to what was stored in Anja’s mind. Now with his primary objective complete he could deal with another nuisance.
“Hadrenn, you have been watching me for the past hour. I have done nothing interesting in that time so I can only assume there is something you want or want to know.”
“About time,” Hadrenn said, “what happened last night?”
“You’re a grown boy, I’m sure you can figure it out.”
“Let me put it another way, last night it rained inside the west wing.”
Eertu smiled after a moment’s thought. “Yea.”
“A windstorm ripped through the commissary, made a real mess of things.”
Eertu laughed.
“There were five earth tremors.”
“It was a good time.”
“Eertu, the term the earth moved is just a metaphor.”
“Then maybe you’ve been doing it wrong.”
“I think you’re my new bloody hero.”
Eertu laughed and shook his head. “All the things you’ve seen me do and now I’ve earned your admiration?”
“It’s all about priorities.” Hadrenn slapped Eertu on the back. “Now, anything I can do to help.”
“Yes actually,” he said handing Hadrenn the last parchment he had written on. “That is the formula we need, in theory, to counter the mind altering effects that caused the Dukes army to rip itself apart, and many other effects including mind control which I encountered myself. Keep that safe for it may be the only difference between a slim chance none at all.”
Hadrenn rolled up the parchment and slipped it between his armor and under shirt. “Consider it done.”
Both men turned toward the sound of footsteps as Nichole stepped into the study. Obviously she had meant to be heard, for even the initiates of the order were well trained in stealth. “Eertu, Anja has requested your presence in her chambers.”
“I will be there momentarily.”
“As you say,” Nichole replied, spun on her heal and disappeared.
“We should be ready to leave in the next few hours,” Eertu said before Hadrenn could think up something crude to say. “It is still not past nine, if we leave soon we can get in a good days ride. If you would place the rest of the parchments I have scribed on into my satchel. I will meet you in the throne room when I am done.”
“Look if you would like another day.”
“No, Dredrik is counting on us. Who knows maybe someday I can pass this way again. Until then I’ve got some wonderful memories.”
. . . . .
Eertu found Anja waiting in the bed chamber but not nearly as seductively dressed as the day before though the woman was still absurdly gorgeous. A table had been moved into the chamber next to the bed. From the items placed about Anja had been preparing for some ritual.
“Eertu, I was hoping this would wait till tonight after your mind has cleared and had some real rest, but I’m afraid we are out of time. Your party is being pursued, that much I can tell, but something is keeping me from pinpointing their location and from what I gathered from Vessa at least one of sisterhood is with them. So we are not safe.”
“Mareth was a handful, but Dredrik alone was able to force him to retreat. Why would you be so afraid of him?”
“I have a theory on that but I must meet your friend before I can be sure. You must trust me on this. If I am right we cannot stop Mareth without this Dredrik.”
“Maybe if we leave they will follow and leave you alone.”
“This has to be done here, and together. This would not work if we were not both what we are.”
“What are we doing?”
“Marakatina,” Anja replied.
Eertu closed his eyes and concentrated on shifting through his mind until he found Marakatina. “That’s possible?”
“In theory, you will suffer greatly. Normally one can do this, but the process is typically spread out over weeks. We have but hours. I will have to help absorb the pain caused by the accelerated process. Otherwise it would be enough to kill you.”
Eertu shook his head, “No, I will not put you in that kind of danger. If it is Mareth and he is close it is too much to ask.”
“The fate of many against that of a few,” Anja said taking Eertu by his good hand.
“Says the caretaker of an assassin’s guild?”
“That was business, this is bigger. I have instructed Erica and Lesley to not let anyone in. Any interruptions would reset the process, and it would all be for not. Nichole and Kathrin are watching both entrances and I have explained things to Vessa so maybe she can keep Hadrenn calm. Now come we must get started.”
. . . . .
Hadrenn paced restlessly in the throne room. The cries of agony echoed relentlessly throughout the cavernous halls driving Hadrenn mad. Hadrenn wanted much to march in and find a way to put a stop to it, but as much as it irritated him to admit it there was nothing he could do. It didn’t stop him from taking it out on Vessa though. “How is it you can just sit here and listen to this?”
“Because I must, and so must you.”
“I just wish there was something to do, a distraction.”
“Vessa,” Kathrin cried out, her legs carrying her as fast as they could. “Jillian is here!”
“Vessa’s heart skipped a beat. If Jillian was here then so were the people that attacked Galnath. Jillian was the woman she had shot in the arm with a crossbow during the fight. A pang of sympathy for Kathrin came over her, she knew of the current situation and might be called upon to fight her own sister and killing your own bond mate was suicide. “Here now?”
“She sent a message, apologized that she could not contact me earlier. She claims that something is limiting contact range. Seeing as we are not twins it’s a weaker connection to begin with so she has to be close.”
Hadrenn began arming himself. “What else.”
“It was sketchy. I got front entrance in five minutes, Mareth, twelve in all, sorry no choice, and run.”
“You were saying,” Vessa said to Hadrenn as she gathered up a short bow and quiver of arrows. There would be no time to reload a crossbow in close quarters.
“I take it back.”
“Kathrin get Nichole, Erica, and Lesley have them meet us here. Then I want you waiting for us at the rear exit. Bring Eertu’s satchel and gear with you.”
“If Jillian is in trouble I want to help.”
“I’ll do what I can to help Jillian and keep you safe as well but I need you at that exit with that satchel Eertu’s gear and provisions now hurry.”
“And what of Keeper Anja?”
“We will buy her and Eertu all the time we can.”
Kathrin bit back her protest and took off at a run Eertu‘s things in hand.
Hadrenn strung his bow then patted his chest, “Blasted all. This may be a bad time to bring it up but Eertu gave me the parchment with what we came for scribbled on it.”
“You could have mentioned tha
t about ten seconds ago.”
“Come on we can bottleneck them in the passage.”
A badly aimed arrow whipped past Hadrenn’s head causing them both to scramble for cover behind the pillars.
Leaning around her pillar Vessa loosed her arrow into a pair of soldiers who were rushing their position. The enchanted arrow exploded on the ground between the two with a deafening bang amplified many times in the close quarters spraying the white stone walls with a fine red mist and hurling chunks of flesh in all directions mixed with rock gouged from the floor where the arrow had struck.
“Using these in here may be a bad idea,” Hadrenn yelled over the ringing in his ears as he held up one of his own arrows for emphasis. Vessa nodded an agreement as Mareth stepped into the throne room. “Then again,” Hadrenn said as he leaned out, aimed and loosed his own arrow.
The arrow hit Mareth dead center resulting in the same type of explosion but the results were less than satisfying. As the flame and smoke cleared Mareth picked himself up off the ground and continued marching toward them. Hadrenn and Vessa both drew their swords and charged.
Mareth met them head on easily fighting off both at once as Mareth’s remaining soldiers led by Jillian filtered into the chamber to surround them. A trio of war cries announced the arrival of Nichole, Erica, and Lesley who wasted no time jumping into the fray.
Jillian threw herself at Vessa forcing Vessa off her assault on Mareth to focus on the new threat. Vessa found herself back peddling to keep enough distance to maneuver eventually being forced down another passage away from the melee.
“Vessa listen to me,” Jillian pleaded as the two continued to duel in earnest. “You can’t beat him, not yet anyway. I’ve been watching him trying to find a weakness. Over the past few days he has changed, become more and more powerful. He has even given demonstrations of his invulnerability to stem any talk of mutiny after Galnath. But he has started to trust me, and by the way he has been eyeing me I think I can eventually get close enough to find a way to bypass his defenses.”
Vessa blocked a high blow that should have taken her head off. Jillian has always been the best of them. That is why she was the one Vessa had shot with the bolt first in Galnath. Jillian could practically beat Vessa at will. That did not change her want for vengeance for the massacre of her people at Galnath. Dredrik explained that it had been her fellow Roses who had opened the main gate allowing Mareth and his thugs in to burn the village. “To much personal blood has been shed for me to forgive or trust you.”
“Then think about the bloodshed you may stop if I find his weakness.” She easily parried Vessa’s anger fueled renewed assault disarming the younger woman and pinning her against the wall with her blade at Vessa’s throat. “I assure you I will suffer for my personal offenses against you, but for now you have to trust me. Get the Keeper, my sister and flee while Mareth is distracted. Just leave him the warlock and he will be satisfied to not pursue, at least for a while.”
“I’m not leaving without the other sisters, Eertu, or Hadrenn,” Vessa growled.
Jillian stepped back resting her weapons at her side. “Damn it, Vessa I don’t want to kill you.”
Jillian was the better swordsman, but Vessa had a lightning fast right hook. Her fist caught Jillian in temple in a blink of an eye, the studded leather gloves knocking Jillian out cold. She grabbed her sword and brought it within inches of the unconscious woman’s chest. She raised the weapon high to bring it down into Jillian’s heart then paused. What if Jillian was telling the truth, and there was Kathrin to think of, killing Jillian would kill her as well. Disgusted she left the motionless woman lying on the cold rock floor as she ran back to the fight.
Dredrik had not exaggerated in his description of Mareth’s fighting prowess. If anything it seemed he may have understated Mareth’s abilities. Whatever Hadrenn could do it seemed Mareth could do better, quicker, and with more force. The terrible trio was tied up in their own fights, though they had managed to down two more. Vessa was last seen fighting her wayward companion down a passage way. ’Four down one unaccounted for’ Hadrenn thought. The odds were evening out. Not that it was helping. Hadrenn was tiring fast and Mareth was not even breathing hard. Another hard fast sweeping blow came at him aiming for his throat. Hadrenn dropped to one knee as Mareth’s claymore split air where his neck has been just a moment before. Pushing Hard off the ground he threw his weight into Mareth. He might as well been tackling a rock wall. Mareth did not even budge from the collision, but Hadrenn bounced off and went sprawling on the ground. Mareth laughed preparing to deliver the death blow.
It never came. In the few seconds since he had last checked the sisters had managed to down the remaining soldiers and throw themselves at Mareth.
Mareth back handed Erica knocking her to the ground, caught Lesley in the abdomen doubling the woman over, then took down Nichole with a lightning fast elbow in short order. It was at that time Hadrenn realized Mareth had been toying with him.
He was not about to give up though. Back up on his feet he prepared to give Mareth the fight of his life. Then just like that Vessa was at his side both sword and dagger in hand. “I’m getting real tired of this guy,” He said. “Let’s explain to him he’s over stayed his welcome.”
Vessa leapt forward both arms a blur of motion that would have cut most men down, yet Mareth continued to parry and counter with his claymore with ease. Hadrenn circled around to Mareth’s back swinging with all his might. The blow rang hard against Mareth’s armor, the impact jarring Hadrenn’s wrists and arms yet having no effect on Mareth. Mareth launched a front kick that should have been impossible in heavy armor into Vessa’s chest hurtling her back hard against a marble pillar, the impact causing her to drop her weapons as the back of her head slammed into the unforgiving stone. Vessa’s eyes rolled as she slid down the pillar into a heap on the ground.
Before Vessa had even hit the ground Hadrenn found himself fending off another brutal assault. Somewhere between the ringing of swords clashing it occurred to him it was too quiet. The screaming which had turned to background noise once the fighting broke out had stopped.
“Hadrenn, down.” Eertu ordered.
It was a command he had heard many times in the past and wasted no time diving to the ground narrowly avoiding evisceration in the process. Fireballs flew over him as he rolled onto his back from not one but two direction. Mareth’s armor shimmered as fire encompassed him, the impacts forcing him to fight for balance.
Eertu and Anja did not let up. Together they continued their assault driving Mareth further and further toward the passage he had come from, but just when it looked like they might at least drive him off Mareth began reflecting the spells with no real accuracy but the walls exploding all around was enough to cause concern.
Hadrenn spotted Lesley and Nichole dragging Erica toward relative safety behind the Warlock and Keeper. Taking cue from them he ran to Vessa and threw her over his shoulder spilling arrows from Vessa’s quiver in the process. Hadrenn tensed half expecting the projectiles to explode in mass as they hit the ground, but apparently it was going to take more than that to set them off. As he stumbled behind Eertu an idea formed. “Take her,” he ordered Nichole. “Start toward the exit now.” Nichole and Lesley both disappeared down the back passage dragging Vessa and Erica along with them. Eertu still had his crossbow and quiver, Hadrenn guessed just in case he was too weak to use magic. Without a word he grabbed the crossbow which was hanging from Eertu’s shoulder by a strap. Eertu looked irritated that Hadrenn had interrupted him mid cast but Hadrenn ignored him and slid a bolt from Eertu’s quiver. “Cock it!” he ordered. Eertu snatched the weapon back and with a quick motion had the weapon loaded.
“I’m not sure how this is going to work, you two might want to get running,” Hadrenn said while taking aim.
Eertu followed Hadrenn’s aim and his pulse spiked as Hadrenn’s intent was made clear. “Oh, Hell, Anja go!”
Anja di
d not have to be told twice breaking into a sprint down the passage leading to the back exit with Eertu hot on her heels.
“See ya,” Hadrenn smirked as the bolt flew true. He did not stand around to watch running away as soon as the bolt left the crossbow.
Mareth had a great vantage point as the enchanted bolt impacted in the middle of the spilled contents of Vessa’s quiver. It detonated sending fifteen similarly enchanted arrows flying in multiple directions. That was the last thing he saw before the entire throne room exploded into a debris filled inferno. The ancient stone pillars splintered and collapsed. No longer properly supported the ancient carved dome could not hold against its own weight and destructive forces being unleashed. Huge chunks of stone came crashing down with earth shattering force.
. . . . .
Hadrenn emerged from the back exit surprised to see their horses waiting on them. Then he realized that it was not so much a back entrance but a second entrance not too far from the stables passageway. Kathrin had slipped around, killed the two guards that were left behind to guard that entrance, then made off with the horses plus some extras, more than enough to go around. Relief flooded through him when he saw Vessa wobbly, but conscious upon her horse.
“Jillian?” Kathrin asked.
“She’s alive,” Vessa slurred.
“I know that, but is she not coming?”
“She told me she had some things to take care of,”
“I’m not leaving her without her.”
“Kathrin, Jillian is doing her job so that we can do ours.” Anja said. “Mount up or all that was for nothing.”
Kathrin complied unhappily.
“Where are we going Milady?” Nichole asked Anja.
“With them,” Anja said indicating Eertu, Vessa and Hadrenn. “Invading our sanctuary just made this personal. Now let’s hurry before Mareth digs himself out.”
“I wonder if Dredrik and Wikkid are having as much fun as we are,” Hadrenn said as they rode away.